Rapid spread and association of Schmallenberg virus with ruminant abortions and foetal death in Austria in 2012/2013

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) has emerged in summer–autumn 2011 in north-western Europe. Since then, SBV has been continuously spreading over Europe, including Austria, where antibodies to SBV, as well as SBV genome, were first detected in autumn 2012. This study was performed to demonstrate the dynamics of SBV spread within Austria, after its probable first introduction in summer 2012. True seroprevalence estimates for cattle and small ruminates were calculated to demonstrate temporal and regional differences of infection. Furthermore, the probability of SBV genome detection in foetal tissues of aborted or stillborn cattle and small ruminants as well as in allantoic fluid samples from cows with early foetal losses was retrospectively assessed.     

A stem-loop primer probe PCR method for measurement of hepatitis B virus miR-3

AIM To establish an absolutely quantitative PCR method for hepatitis B virus （HBV）-encoded microRNA， HBV microRNA-3 （miR-3）， by widely screening specific primer-probe combinations. METHODS We designed the stem-loop primers and tested their performance in the SYBR Green-based qPCR settings. Those primers with high specificity were tested in combination with TaqMan MBG probes for optimized measurement of HBV miR-3. RESULTS In all， 25 sets of stem-loop primers were designed and tested. Using SYBR Green-based RT-qPCR method， 6 primer sets with acceptable specificity were found. Through testing with their corresponding probes， we identified a primer-probe set that achieved a dynamic range of 10²~10⁸ copies per PCR for quantification， with almost 88% of amplification efficiency. CONCLUSION We established a primer-probe set that could be used for precisely and specifically quantifying HBV miR-3.     

应用实时荧光定量RT-PCR高效检测葡萄病毒B

 本研究建立了葡萄病毒B的 SYBR GreenⅠ实时荧光定量RT-PCR(RT-qPCR)检测技术。该技术标准曲线扩增效率102.4%,相关系数0.999,最低检测限达10^-4倍稀释cDNA,灵敏度为常规RT-PCR的100倍。重复性试验组内和组间变异系数分别为0.00%~0.65%和0.02%~2.00%,表明检测稳定性好。该技术对田间葡萄样品检测适用范围广,对枝条和老叶柄检测效果最好,冬季枝条和春夏秋季所有老叶柄样品检出率均为100%,与常规RT-PCR检测结果一致。对于其他季节或部位样品,RT-qPCR检出率(43% ~74%)则普遍高于常规RT-PCR(5% ~71%),特别是春季样品和春夏秋季所有嫩叶样品,检出率比常规RT-PCR分别高31% 和38%。对来自我国13个省21个品种的52份田间葡萄样品检测结果表明, RT-qPCR共检测到6个样品为阳性,检出率11.5%,为常规RT-PCR(检出率5.8%)的2倍。     

高温胁迫下尼罗罗非鱼肝脏组织的转录组分析

为探究罗非鱼高温胁迫响应的调控作用机理,选用孵化12 d后的尼罗罗非鱼Oreochromis niloticus幼鱼,基于RNA-seq技术对尼罗罗非鱼高温处理组(36℃高温胁迫下养殖30、50、70 d)和常温对照组(28℃,30、50、70 d)肝脏组织样品进行转录组分析。结果表明:高温处理组与常温对照组共获得39.23 Gb clean data;28℃-30 d与36℃-30 d文库比较发现,存在4342个差异基因,28℃-50 d与36℃-50 d文库比较发现,存在3139个差异基因,28℃-70 d与36℃-70 d文库比较发现,存在3042个差异基因;进一步将差异表达基因进行GO功能注释和KEGG富集分析,发现差异基因主要富集在糖酵解/糖异生、细胞周期、内质网的蛋白质加工及胰岛素信号等通路上;通过RT-qPCR试验对mTOR信号通路及相关通路中的8个差异基因进行验证,证实了转录组测序结果的可靠性。研究表明,高温胁迫下尼罗罗非鱼肝脏组织中参与热应激相关的基因涉及生长、蛋白质折叠及能量代谢等多个生物学过程,本研究结果为深入研究罗非鱼高温胁迫响应调控机制奠定了基础。     

翼首草实时荧光定量PCR内参基因筛选

本研究以传统藏药翼首草为材料,利用翼首草转录组数据库和RT-qPCR技术分析6个植物常用的候选内参基因(Actin,18S,TUBa,TUBb1,TUBb2和GAPDH)。选用geNorm、NormFider和BestKeeper 3款分析软件进行候选内参基因稳定性分析,以期筛选出翼首草不同组织中表达稳定的内参基因。内参基因Ct值分析、geNorm和NormFider软件分析结果表明Actin基因表达量最高,表达最稳定。BestKeeper软件分析结果表明GAPDH和Actin基因表达最稳定。综合分析结果说明,运用RT-qPCR技术研究翼首草关键基因表达量时,可选用Actin基因作为内参基因。翼首草合适内参基因的确定,可为今后其相关基因表达研究的开展提供依据。     

猕猴桃植株中柑橘叶斑驳病毒实时荧光定量PCR检测技术的建立及应用

 柑橘叶斑驳病毒(Citrus leaf blotch virus, CLBV)在陕西省栽培猕猴桃中发生普遍。为监测CLBV发生情况,本研究建立了CLBV的实时荧光定量PCR(Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction,RT-qPCR)检测方法。该方法特异性强,可准确检测目的病毒,标准曲线斜率为-3.378,决定系数R²=0.997 9,扩增效率为97.7%,比普通RT-PCR灵敏度高100倍,可用于猕猴桃植株CLBV的批量检测或低丰度病毒样本(如猕猴桃休眠枝条)的检测。为苗木携带CLBV病毒的早期诊断、果园病毒病预测预报和防控奠定了基础。     

Identification of differentially expressed genes in tolerant and susceptible potato cultivars in response to Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea tuber infection

Powdery scab caused by Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea (Sss) has recently become one of the most devastating potato diseases of economic importance in South Africa. The use of resistant cultivars has long been considered the most effective and sustainable strategy to manage the pathogen. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance of potato tubers to Sss. Using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), 2058 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from two potato cultivars (tolerant and susceptible) in response to Sss infection. Analysis of the expression patterns of 10 selected defence-response genes was carried out at two different stages of tuber growth using RT-qPCR to validate the RNA-seq data. Several defence-related genes showed contrasting expression patterns between the tolerant and susceptible cultivars, including marker genes involved in the salicylic acid hormonal response pathway (StMRNA, StUDP and StWRKY6). Induction of six defence-related genes (StWRKY6, StTOSB, StSN2, StLOX, StUDP and StSN1) persisted until harvest of the tubers, while three other genes (StNBS, StMRNA and StPRF) were highly up-regulated during the initial stages of disease development. The results of this preliminary study suggest that the tolerant potato cultivar employs quantitative resistance and salicylic acid pathway hormonal responses against tuber infection by Sss. The identified genes have the potential to be used in the development of molecular markers for selection of powdery scab resistant potato lines in marker-assisted breeding programmes.     

PhoR/PhoP双组分系统对枯草芽胞杆菌NCD-2菌落形态和芽胞形成的影响

 双组分PhoR/PhoP是枯草芽胞杆菌中普遍存在的以低磷为信号的调控系统。前期研究发现,PhoR/PhoP双组分系统正调控枯草芽胞杆菌NCD-2菌株脂肽类抗生素fengycin的合成,本研究分析了PhoR/PhoP双组分系统对NCD-2菌株菌落形态和芽胞形成的影响。在有机磷培养基上,NCD-2野生型菌株可以降解有机磷并且形成表面褶皱、立体结构较强的菌落形态,而phoR或phoP基因突变子丧失了降解有机磷的能力,菌落表面光滑、平坦。phoR和phoP基因突变子的互补菌株恢复到了与野生型相似的解磷能力和菌落形态。在低磷和高磷培养基中比较了NCD-2野生型及其衍生菌株的生长及芽胞形成情况,结果表明,在高磷培养基中,NCD-2野生型及其衍生菌株的生长速率没有差异,但在低磷培养基中,phoR和phoP基因突变子的菌体生长速率显著降低。芽胞形成能力测定结果表明,在低磷培养基中,NCD-2野生型菌株的芽胞形成率较高,而phoR和phoP基因突变子的芽胞形成率显著降低;在高磷培养基中,NCD-2野生型及其衍生菌株芽胞形成率普遍较低并且无显著差异。RT-PCR分析显示, phoR和phoP的突变均显著降低了芽胞形成相关基因spo II GA的表达,相比感应激酶PhoR,调控因子PhoP对spo II GA基因的影响更显著。     

马铃薯纺锤块茎类病毒RT-qPCR检测技术体系的建立

马铃薯纺锤块茎类病毒（PSTVd）是马铃薯生产中的一种重要病害,目前主要通过使用脱毒种薯及隔离措施来防控,探索高效、灵敏、特异性强的检测技术对于防治该病害具有重要意义。设计了3组引物,1条探针,从3组引物中筛选出最优组合,并以他们为引物,以PSTV 251T为探针,利用5′FAM、3′TAMRA标记,建立了PSTVd的RT-qPCR检测技术体系。利用该检测体系成功地检测了22份马铃薯样本。与灵敏度相对较高的RT-PCR技术相比,该检测技术体系的检测灵敏度又提升了100~1 000倍。