Piscine orthoreovirus: Biology and distribution in farmed and wild fish

Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) is a common and widely distributed virus of salmonids. Since its discovery in 2010, the virus has been detected in wild and farmed stocks from North America, South America, Europe and East Asia in both fresh and salt water environments. Phylogenetic analysis suggests three distinct genogroups of PRV with generally discrete host tropisms and/or regional patterns. PRV-1 is found mainly in Atlantic (Salmo salar), Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Salmon of Europe and the Americas; PRV-2 has only been detected in Coho Salmon of Japan; and PRV-3 has been reported primarily in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Europe. All three genotypes can establish high-load systemic infections by targeting red blood cells for principal replication. Each genotype has also demonstrated potential to cause circulatory disease. At the same time, high-load PRV infections occur in non-diseased salmon and trout, indicating a complexity for defining PRV's role in disease aetiology. Here, we summarize the current body of knowledge regarding PRV following 10 years of study.     

东北黑土nirS型反硝化细菌群落和网络结构对长期施用化肥的响应

【目的】探明长期施用氮磷钾化肥对东北黑土农田土壤nirS型反硝化细菌群落和网络结构的影响,为更加合理的肥料配施提供理论依据。【方法】基于农业农村部黑龙江耕地保育与农业环境科学观测实验站平台,选取不施肥(NoF)、氮肥(N)、磷肥(P)、钾肥(K)、氮钾肥(NK)、氮磷肥(NP)、磷钾肥(PK)、氮磷钾肥(NPK)8个施肥处理,借助荧光定量PCR、Illumina MiSeq高通量测序和分子生态网络技术,分析东北黑土nirS型反硝化细菌丰度、群落及网络结构,及影响反硝化细菌群落变异的主要环境因子。【结果】1)长期施用氮肥均在显著增加nirS基因拷贝数的同时,降低了nirS型反硝化细菌的群落多样性,而磷、钾肥对其影响并不显著。2)Proteobacteria是所有处理中的优势反硝化细菌门,相对丰度为16.96%~27.34%,且氮肥的施用促进了隶属于该菌门中Bradyrhizobium的生长。3)PCoA分析结果显示,8个施肥处理nirS型反硝化细菌群落主要分成施氮肥和不施氮肥两组,说明长期氮肥的施用显著改变了东北黑土反硝化细菌的群落结构。结合Mantel test的结果可知,土壤pH是影响nirS型反硝化细菌群落改变的主要因素。4)分别构建施氮肥和不施氮肥的反硝化细菌分子生态网络,发现施氮肥和不施氮肥网络结构存在很大差异,长期施用氮肥明显简化了nirS型反硝化细菌的网络结构,同时使其网络结构稳定性降低,易受外界环境扰动。【结论】尽管施用化学氮肥有利于土壤养分的增加,但其土壤nirS型反硝化细菌群落及网络结构发生了较大改变,而磷、钾肥的施用对反硝化细菌群落无显著影响。本试验结果为进一步研究东北黑土区农田土壤反硝化微生物对不同施肥管理的响应机制提供了重要科学依据。     

A highly sensitive,non‐invasive qPCR‐based strategy for direct quantification of Yersinia ruckeri in fish faeces

Finfish with asymptomatic Yersinia ruckeri infections pose a major risk as they can transmit the pathogen and cause clinical outbreaks in stock populations. Current tools have insufficient quantitative ability for accurately detecting the trace levels of Y. ruckeri typically associated with asymptomatic infection, necessitate invasive or lethal sampling, or require long processing times. This study presents a highly sensitive qPCR‐based method, targeting part of the Y. ruckeri 16S rRNA sequence, that is capable of detecting extremely low levels of Y. ruckeri in noninvasively collected faecal samples. Quantitative precision and accuracy of faecal sample analysis was consistent, despite the complexity of the faecal matrix. The assay demonstrated linearity over a six log‐wide dynamic range. Its limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 4 and 10 copies of the target sequence, respectively. Sensitivity of the assay was comparable to other qPCR‐based methods without requiring invasive or lethal sampling. Applicability as a screening strategy was tested using passively collected faecal samples. Asymptomatic Y. ruckeri infection was detected in all samples, although none of the fish exhibited overt infection. This method will be beneficial for finfish disease management if developed further as a noninvasive, screening tool against asymptomatic Y. ruckeri infection.     

Stability comparison of three candidate internal reference genes in Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus)

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) as food and medicinal product has been an important aquaculture object in China. Study of gene function in the Chinese giant salamander requires accurate normalization though the use of appropriate reference genes. In this study, the expression levels of three candidate reference genes including β‐actin, GAPDH and cytb of different tissues, different developmental stages and different challenges in Chinese giant salamander were evaluated by qPCR. The stabilities of these three reference genes were analysed by geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper software. The results showed that the expression of GAPDH was more stable than that of β‐actin and cytb in four tissues and at two developmental stages of Chinese giant salamander. Compared with GAPDH and cytb, β‐actin was the most stable in spleen of Chinese giant salamander treated with LPS or GSIV. Therefore, the result showed that GAPDH was the suitable reference gene in different tissues and at different developmental stages of Chinese giant salamander. The β‐actin could be used as a reference gene in spleen of Chinese giant salamander challenged with LPS and GSIV. This study provides convincing information for the GAPDH and β‐actin as suitable reference gene in Chinese giant salamander of different tissues, different developmental stages and different challenges respectively.     

Occurrence of canine hemotropic mycoplasmas in domestic dogs from urban and rural areas of the Valdivia Province,southern Chile

This is the first study to investigate the occurrence, risk factors and hematological findings of hemoplasmas in dogs from Chile. Complete blood count and 16S rRNA conventional PCR for Mycoplasma spp. were performed in 278 blood samples from rural (n = 139) and urban (n = 139) dogs in Valdivia. Real time 16S rRNA PCR (qPCR) allowed species identification. Mycoplasma spp. occurrence was 24.8%. ‘Candidatus M. haematoparvum’ (CMhp) was identified in 12.2% and Mycoplasma haemocanis (Mhc) in 11.9% dogs. It was not possible to identify species in two Mycoplasma spp. samples by qPCR. Sequencing allowed identifying one of them as ‘Candidatus M. turicensis’ (CMt). Frequency in rural localities was higher (41.7%) than in urban (7.9%). Rural locality, maleness and older age were risk factors for hemoplasmosis. Hemoplasma-positive dogs had a higher total protein. This is the first report of Mhc, CMhp and CMt in dogs from Chile, with a high occurrence in rural localities.     

橄榄多酚氧化酶基因(PPO)克隆及其试管苗离体保存过程中的表达分析

以来源于橄榄成熟胚的橄榄试管苗为材料,进行PPO基因克隆,比较试管苗不同保存阶段PPO基因转录水平和PPO酶活性的变化。结果表明:克隆获得1个PPO基因全长cDNA序列,命名为PPO2,GenBank登录号为JQ319005,cDNA全长序列为1 934 bp,推测出橄榄PPO开放阅读框(ORF)1 818 bp,编码606个氨基酸。橄榄PPO2属于碱性、亲水、非分泌蛋白,可能定位于线粒体基质空间,具有3个典型的保守结构域,丝氨酸磷酸化占主导地位,并且二级结构以不规则卷曲为主。而三级结构预测表明,橄榄试管苗PPO2蛋白主要由α螺旋和不规则卷曲组成;进化树分析显示橄榄PPO蛋白与胡杨PPO关系最近,而与葡萄和莲的亲缘关系较远;qPCR分析显示,PPO2基因在橄榄试管苗不同保存阶段都有表达,但在橄榄试管苗保存1个月幼叶比较多时PPO2基因的表达量最高;而橄榄试管苗在分别保存1、2、3、4、5个月时PPO活性变化趋势不明显,当保存时间到6、7、8个月时PPO活性急剧增加。因此,PPO基因可能与幼嫩组织的启动分化有关,并在橄榄试管苗生长发育过程中发挥重要作用。     

甘蔗热带种金属硫蛋白家族基因的克隆及响应重金属胁迫的表达分析

金属硫蛋白是一类富含巯基的低分子量蛋白,在植物的重金属解毒及细胞氧化还原调控等方面起重要的作用。本研究以甘蔗热带种Badila组培苗为材料,分别测定了其在CdCl2、ZnSO4和CuCl2水溶液培养条件下地上部和地下部的重金属含量,结果显示其对上述3种重金属有较强的耐受与富集能力。继而克隆了ScMT1(登录号为KJ504373)、ScMT2-1-5(登录号为MH191346)和ScMT3(登录号为KJ5043704)3个金属硫蛋白家族基因,它们分别属于植物MT亚家族中的MT1、MT2和MT3型基因。ScMT1含有1个内含子和2个外显子,开放阅读框(Open Reading Frame,ORF)长228 bp,编码75个氨基酸;ScMT2-1-5含有2个内含子和3个外显子,ORF长246 bp,编码81个氨基酸;ScMT3含有1个内含子和2个外显子,ORF长198 bp,编码65个氨基酸。RT-qPCR显示,Cd2+胁迫下,在甘蔗地上部和地下部,ScMT2-1-5均连续显著上调表达,而ScMT1的上调应答出现延迟。ScMT3在地上部的上调应答出现延迟,在地下部呈“扬-抑”趋势,提示甘蔗响应Cd^2+胁迫过程中ScMT2-1-5起更积极的作用,ScMT1参与胁迫后期的分子响应,而ScMT3不起主导作用。Cu^2+胁迫下,地上部ScMT1连续显著上调表达,ScMT2-1-5和ScMT3呈总体上调的表达趋势;地下部,ScMT1和ScMT2-1-5的上调表答均出现延迟,仅在胁迫后期显著上调表达,而ScMT3仅在胁迫前期显著上调表达。该结果提示了ScMT1、ScMT2-1-5和ScMT3在Cu2+胁迫响应过程中的协作关系,三者共同参与了地上部的胁迫响应,其中ScMT1起更积极的作用;此外三者还先后参与了地下部对Cu^2+胁迫的分子响应。Zn^2+胁迫下,ScMT1和ScMT3分别仅在地上部和地下部显著上调表达;ScMT2-1-5在地上部和地下部均呈“扬-抑”的应答趋势;提示了在甘蔗响应Cd^2+胁迫应答过程中ScMT1和ScMT3分别在地上部和地下部起主要作用,ScMT2-1-5参与了胁迫前期的分子响应。ScMT1、ScMT2-1-5和ScMT3在甘蔗不同组织中及在重金属(Cd^2+、Zn^2+或Cu^2+)不同累积水平下呈现出相似或互补的应答特性,提示上述甘蔗MT家族不同成员在重金属解毒及细胞氧化还原调控等方面产生了功能分化,且三者在应对过量Cd^2+、Zn^2+或Cu^2+对甘蔗组织造成伤害的过程中存在时空上的协同作用。该研究为深入理解多倍体植物甘蔗中MT家族各成员基因在重金属耐受过程中的协同作用机制奠定了基础。     

Rapid screening of genetically modified ingredients in soybean and cotton processing by-product and waste using direct qPCR

To develop a simple and fast method for screening genetically modified ingredients from processing by-product and waste, direct quantitative PCR (qPCR) kit-Taqman which omitting multi genomic DNA preparing steps was developed in this study. A total of 18 oil crop processing by-products and wastes including 10 soybean and 8 cotton materials were collected from food processing factories. Compared with 2 commercial direct qPCR kits, conditions of DNA releasing procedure and PCR amplification were optimized. Element screening was performed at the initial step of genetically modified (GM) ingredient testing procedure via direct qPCR. GM event identification was carried out in positive samples by initial screening. Totally 5 screening elements (P–35S, T-NOS, Cp4-epsps, bar and pat) for soybean materials and 6 screening elements (P–35S, T-NOS, NPTII, Cry1Ac, bar and pat) for cotton samples were detected. In GM event identification, MON531 and MON1445 were found in cotton materials. Results were further confirmed by real-time PCR with DNA extraction and purification. The direct qPCR system proposed by this research was convenient for rapid screening and identification of GM ingredients in oil crop primary by-product and waste.     

香猪睾丸miR-449b和miR-222分子的发育性变化

为了阐明miR-449b和miR-222对贵州从江香猪睾丸发育的调节作用。运用qPCR方法检测香猪睾丸组织中miR-449b和miR-222表达量的发育性变化,通过miRSystem数据库、Kobas数据库对预测的靶基因进行信号转导通路富集分析。经克隆测序,得到香猪miR-222序列,与猪的相似性为100%,而且物种之间miR-449b和miR-222两个分子的保守性都很高。香猪睾丸中miR-449b于1~4月龄期间的表达量逐渐上升,4月龄时表达量达到峰值,之后下降;miR-222的表达量呈现相反的变化趋势,于1~4月龄期间表达量逐渐下降,1月龄时最高,4月龄时最低,之后的表达量有所回升;已知物种的miR-449b和miR-222序列高度保守;经预测miR-449b靶基因有420个,富集于卵母细胞减数分裂、Notch信号通路、Ras信号通路等100个途径(P0.05),miR-222的靶基因有429个,富集于细胞周期、Fox O信号通路、TGF-β信号通路等69个通路(P0.05);miR-449b和miR-222的靶基因共享的通路为Wnt信号通路、MAPK信号通路、雌激素信号通路等42个(P0.05)。