Antiviral Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiaeβ‐glucan to Swine Influenza Virus by Increased Production of Interferon‐γ and Nitric Oxide

The aim of these experiments was to investigate the potential antiviral effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiaeβ‐glucan on the pneumonia induced by swine influenza virus (SIV). Forty colostrum‐deprived 5‐day‐old piglets were randomly divided into four groups of 10. The 20 pigs in groups 1 and 2 were administered Saccharomyces cerevisiaeβ‐glucan orally (50 mg/day/pig; En‐Bio Technology Co., Ltd) for 3 days before SIV infection and those in groups 3 and 4 were given culture medium/diluent alone. Groups 1 and 3 were inoculated intranasally with 3 ml of tissue culture fluid containing 2 × 10⁶ tissue culture infective doses 50% (TCID₅₀)/ml of SIV and those in groups 2 and 4 were exposed in the same manner to uninfected cell culture supernatant. The microscopic lung lesions induced by SIV infection (group 1 pigs) were significantly more severe than those induced by infection in animals pre‐administered β‐glucan (group 3) (P < 0.05). Significantly more SIV nucleic acid was detected in the lungs of pigs experimentally infected with SIV only (group 1) at 5, 7 and 10 days post‐inoculation (dpi) compared with lungs from pigs pre‐administered β‐glucan and infected with SIV (group 3) (P < 0.05). The concentrations of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and nitric oxide (NO) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from pigs pre‐administered β‐glucan and infected with SIV (group 3) were significantly higher than for any other group at 7 and 10 dpi for IFN‐γ, and at 5, 7 and 10 dpi for NO (P < 0.05). Saccharomyces cerevisiaeβ‐glucan reduced the pulmonary lesion score and viral replication rate in SIV‐infected pigs. These findings support the potential application of β‐glucan as prophylactic/treatment agent in influenza virus infection.     

中国水牛瘤胃纤毛虫分布与挥发性脂肪酸的研究

对中国广西西林水牛和摩拉水牛瘤胃纤毛虫种类分布进行了鉴定检测,并测定了其瘤胃液挥发性脂肪酸浓度,同时进行了比较研究。全部检出17属63种25型瘤胃纤毛虫,比以前进行的8种反刍动物瘤胃纤毛虫分布研究中出现的总数和每个宿主个体中出现的平均纤毛虫种数多,种类构成最复杂,其纤毛虫构成特点类似于东南亚地区水牛瘤胃纤毛虫构成特点。其中广西西林水牛中检出了Entodinium biconcavumsp n,是至今从未鉴定记载过的认为是新种的特殊种类。广西西林水牛检出13属54种20型、摩拉水牛检出16属45种11型瘤胃纤毛虫。广西西林水牛瘤胃纤毛虫平均密度为2.13×105/mL,摩拉水牛瘤胃纤毛虫密度为3.43×105/mL。中国水牛瘤胃纤毛虫属别构成中Entodinium属出现率最高,但两个水牛品种间存在明显差别,其他属别构成也不尽一致。这与不同品种原来的地理环境分布与饲养管理条件有关。广西西林水牛瘤胃总VFA浓度为75.60 mmol/mL,摩拉水牛的为58.74 mmol/mL。瘤胃总VFA含量中均为乙酸含量最高,属于典型的粗饲料发酵类型。     

微白黄链霉菌对红豆草壳二孢的拮抗效果评价

红豆草壳二孢叶斑黑茎病(Ascochyta onobrychidis)是红豆草(Onobrychis viciaefolia)最重要的病害之一,在分离此病菌的同时得到一种对此病菌具有较强抑制作用的微生物,为评价此拮抗菌的开发利用前景,本研究采用形态学、分子生物学和生物化学方法鉴定了其分类地位,并测定了其对红豆草壳二孢的抑菌效果。通过构建系统发育树并结合其形态特征和生理生化特性,将该拮抗菌鉴定为微白黄链霉菌(Streptomyces albidoflavu),在高氏一号培养基上菌落为黄白色,可产生黄白色水溶性色素,孢子丝钩状,顶端螺旋形;在平板对峙试验中该菌的菌落对红豆草壳二孢菌落的相对抑制率达74.33%,同时该菌发酵液对红豆草壳二孢菌丝生长和孢子萌发的抑制率分别为80.95%和93.87%。该菌具有生物防治红豆草壳二孢的开发和利用价值。     

新疆乌鲁木齐市犬布鲁氏菌病流行病学调查

为了解新疆乌鲁木齐市犬布鲁氏菌病流行特征,分析犬感染风险因素,初步掌握养犬人员对布鲁氏菌病的认知程度和行为特点,从而提出合理的预防对策和控制措施,采用流行病学横断面研究方法,通过估计流行率计算抽样数量,然后随机抽样,采用IELISA方法检测光滑型和粗糙型犬布鲁氏菌,同时结合调查问卷,获得乌鲁木齐市犬布鲁氏菌病流行率、感染风险因素和养犬人员对布鲁氏菌病认知情况,并对调查结果采用SPSS和Excel软件进行数据统计分析。结果显示:乌鲁木齐市犬布鲁氏菌病总流行率为25.5%(95%CI:20.9%~30.1%),且犬种和牛羊种并存,公共卫生威胁严重;从不同群体看,牧区流行率最高,为41.5%(95%CI:31.0%~52.0%);外购、散养、常接触牛羊、喂生肉、不处理犬粪便等行为是乌鲁木齐市犬布鲁氏菌感染的潜在风险因素,其中"常接触牛羊"(OR=1.97,95%CI:1.47~15.35)、"喂生肉"(OR=5.06,95%CI:1.69~20.74)是主要风险因素;乌鲁木齐市养犬人员对布鲁氏菌病的认知程度低,个人防护意识差。因此,应加强对犬感染牛羊种布鲁氏菌的公共卫生防控,减少犬与牛羊的直接接触,不喂生肉,定期开展犬布鲁氏菌病专项检测,同时加强宣传,提高养犬人员的布鲁氏菌病认知度。     

‘紫罗兰’白菜叶片再生体系的建立

以‘紫罗兰’白菜无菌苗叶片为外植体,研究了不同6-BA和NAA浓度组合对白菜真叶不定芽再生的影响,同时采用不同生根培养基对再生芽进行生根诱导。结果表明:诱导‘紫罗兰’白菜真叶分化的适宜培养基为MS+2mg/L 6-BA+1mg/L NAA+4mg/L AgNO3,每个外植体平均再生芽数为1.42个;生根培养基以MS+0.5mg/L NAA最佳,平均每个不定芽诱导根数为16.54个。该试验结果为‘紫罗兰’白菜材料的快速繁殖提供了理论和技术参考。     

火龙果镰刀菌果腐病病原菌鉴定及生物学特性研究

采用形态学特征观察、rDNA-ITS序列、EF-1α序列比对和系统发育树分析的方法对引起火龙果镰刀菌果腐病病原菌进行鉴定,并初步研究其生物学特性。结果表明:引起火龙果镰刀菌果腐病是单隔镰刀菌(Fusarium dimerum Penzig in Saccardo),这是该菌引起火龙果果腐病在国内的首次报道。该菌菌丝生长的适宜温度25~35℃,最适温度30℃,适宜产孢温度25~35℃,最适产孢温度30~35℃,致死温度75℃(10 min);适宜pH5~9,最适pH7,最适产孢pH4;连续光照、D-果糖为碳源、牛肉膏和蛋白胨为氮源时最有利于该菌菌丝生长;完全黑暗、D-半乳糖为碳源、尿素为氮源时最有利于该菌产孢。综合分析认为,该菌耐高温,光照充足、弱酸和富含有机营养的环境有利于该菌的生长和繁殖。     

Improvements of TKC Technology Accelerate Isolation of Transgene-Free CRISPR/Cas9-Edited Rice Plants

Elimination of the CRISPR/Cas9 constructs in edited plants is a prerequisite for assessing genetic stability, conducting phenotypic characterization, and applying for commercialization of the plants. However, removal of the CRISPR/Cas9 transgenes by genetic segregation and by backcross is laborious and time consuming. We previously reported the development of the transgene killer CRISPR (TKC) technology that uses a pair of suicide genes to trigger self-elimination of the transgenes without compromising gene editing efficiency. The TKC technology enables isolation of transgene-free CRISPR-edited plants within a single generation, greatly accelerating crop improvements. Here, we presented two new TKC vectors that show great efficiency in both editing the target gene and in undergoing self-elimination of the transgenes. The new vectors replaced the CaMV35S promoter used in our previous TKC vector with two rice promoters to drive one of the suicide genes, providing advantages over our previous TKC vector under certain conditions. The vectors reported here offered more options and flexibility to conduct gene editing experiments in rice.     

Increasing selenium supply during the close-up dry period improves nutrient metabolism and attenuates inflammatory response after calving in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate whether feeding selenium (Se)-replete cows a Se-yeast supplement in late pregnancy affects nutrient metabolism and inflammatory response during the periparturient period. Twenty cows were randomly assigned to two groups with 10 cows each. Cows in one group received Se-yeast at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM during the last 4 weeks before calving in addition to fed a TMR containing supplemented sodium selenite at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM (Se-yeast), while cows in another group were only fed a TMR containing supplemented sodium selenite at 0.3 mg Se/kg DM (Control). Blood samples were collected and analyzed for nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), glucose, insulin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), and albumin. In control cows, plasma NEFA, IL-1β, IL-6, SAA, and Hp levels increased after calving, but glucose, insulin, and albumin levels decreased after parturition. Se-yeast supplemental cows had lower postpartum concentrations of NEFA, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, SAA, and Hp, and higher postpartum levels of glucose, insulin, and albumin compared with control cows. The results indicate that feeding Se-replete cows a Se-yeast supplement in late pregnancy improves nutrient metabolism and attenuates the inflammatory response after calving.     

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes and Lipid Metabolism Signaling Pathways between Muscle and Fat Tissues in Broiler Chickens

In this study, signaling pathways and key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in lipid metabolism in muscle and fat tissues were investigated. Muscle and abdominal fat tissues were obtained from 35-day-old female broilers for RNA sequencing. DEGs between muscle and fat tissues were identified. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed. A total of 6130 DEGs were identified to be significantly enriched in 365 GO terms, most of which were involved in biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions in muscle and fat tissues. Three important lipid signaling pathways (pyruvate metabolism, the insulin signaling pathway, and the adipocytokine signaling pathway) were identified among the fat and muscle tissues of broilers. The key common DEGs in these pathways included phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2 (PCK2), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 alpha and beta (ACACA and ACACB), and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (AMPK) gene family. Hence, our findings revealed the pathways and key genes and gene families involved in the regulation of fat deposition in the muscle and fat tissues of broilers.