Molecular investigation on the presence of canine parvovirus in Egypt

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) causes a highly contagious gastroenteritis disease of dogs and wild canids. To investigate the CPV-2 prevalence in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, a total of 50 fecal swabs were collected from suspected diseased dogs during 2016–2017. Out of 50 collected samples, 35 samples (70 %) presented positive results for CPV-2 using immuno-chromatography (IC) as a rapid test. CPV-2DNA was detected in 42 samples (84 %) by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The frequencies of CPV-2 were significantly higher in German shepherd breed (46 %; 23/50) and in age groups less than 6 months (76%; 38/50). We evaluated the breed, age, sex, rapid test results and clinical signs as predictors for classification of animal status into infected and not infected. The best predictors for classification process were rapid test result and clinical signs. Both CPV-2b and CPV-2c subtypes were detected by CPV2-VP2 gene sequences analysis. Deduced amino acid sequences alignment showed substitutions at 3 sites (Arg453Pro, Ala574Glu and Gln457Leu). Further investigations are needed to reveal the genetic and antigenic relation between field and vaccinal strains of CPV-2 in Egypt.     

Serologic and molecular survey of horses to Coxiella burnetii in East of Iran a highly endemic area

There are few reports about Q fever in horse populations worldwide. This study aimed to detect the C. burnetii infection by serologic and molecular confirmation using commercial ELISA kit and real-time PCR in the East of Iran a region highly endemic. A total of 177 blood samples and 115 vaginal swabs were randomly collected from horses in East of Iran. The sera samples were analyzed for anti C.burnetii Ig G antibodies by a commercial ELISA kit and nucleic acid extraxted from vaginal samples were used to determine the C. burnetii DNA by real-time PCR assay. Antibodies were detected in 5.64 % (10/177) of sera samples and C. burnetii DNA was detected in 7.82 % (9/115) of horse vaginal samples. There was no significant difference in seroprevalence in different sex, age and breed groups. Our study showed that horses could be considered as a mild potential reservoir of C. burnetii which may be effective on horse health status. However, additional studies are needed to assess whether the horse could be considered as a relevant transmission risk indicator for Q fever.     

Real-time RT-qPCR assay to detect sequences in the Piscine orthoreovirus-1 genome segment S1 associated with heart and skeletal muscle inflammation in Atlantic salmon

During the last decade, Piscine orthoreovirus was identified as the main causative agent of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) in Atlantic Salmon, Norway. A recent study showed that PRV-1 sequences from salmonid collected in North Atlantic Pacific Coast (NAPC) grouped separately from the Norwegian sequences found in Atlantic Salmon diagnosed with HSMI. Currently, the routine assay used to screen for PRV-1 in NAPC water and worldwide cannot differentiate between the two groups of PRV-1. Therefore, this study aimed at developing a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay to target the PRV-1 genome segments specific for variants associated with HSMI. The assay was optimized and tested against 71 tissue samples collected from different regions including Norway, Chile and both coast of Canada and different hosts farmed Atlantic Salmon, wild Coho Salmon and escaped Atlantic Salmon collected in British Columbia, West Coast of Canada. This assay has the potential to be used for screening salmonids and non-salmonids that may carry PRV-1 potentially causing HSMI.     

基于qPCR和LAMP技术的马铃薯晚疫病菌快速检测方法

马铃薯晚疫病菌（Phytophthora infestans）能侵染多种茄科植物,它引起的马铃薯晚疫病,是马铃薯生产中的第一大病害。为了开发能在田间快速检测马铃薯晚疫病病原的方法,利用P. infestans T30-4基因组测序数据的contig 1.18131,设计qPCR和LAMP引物,优化扩增条件后得到引物的特异性和灵敏度,最后通过检测田间收获薯块,比较形态学传统方法、qPCR及LAMP的差异。特异性检测结果发现,qPCR和LAMP仅在含有P. infestans DNA模板的体系有阳性扩增,在寄主和其他微生物DNA中均无扩增;在优化的条件下,qPCR和LAMP的检测下限可达1×10 ^-6ng/μL,在有寄主和其他微生物DNA存在的条件下,引物的灵敏度没有显著差异。利用两种快速方法对在大理、丽江及昆明3个地区田间收获薯块上检测发现,qPCR和LAMP方法得到的检出率差异极为不显著（P=0.420）,两种快速检测方法和形态学鉴定方法检出率差异极显著（P=0.009）。在大理、丽江及昆明3个地区的薯块中,两种分子检测方法检出率均比形态学方法高。其中,qPCR检测方法比形态学方法分别提高了12.00%、2.00%、8.70%;LAMP检测方法比形态学方法分别提高了11.30%、2.00%、8.70%。     

High vegetative compatibility diversity of Cryphonectria parasitica infecting sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) in Britain indicates multiple pathogen introductions

Chestnut blight, caused by Cryphonectria parasitica, was identified in Devon, UK, in December 2016. Intensive surveys detected the disease at further sites in Devon (seven), Berkshire (one), Dorset (one), Derbyshire (four) and a cluster of eight sites in southeast London. Over 570 survey samples were tested, and 227 were positive for C. parasitica by isolation and real-time PCR. A total of 227 isolates were tested for mating type, and 197 screened for vegetative compatibility group (VCG) and compared with VCGs known from mainland Europe. The same isolates were also screened for the presence of Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV-1). Eleven VCGs were identified within the UK population. Five corresponded to already known European VCGs but six were unique. The European VCGs mainly came from the Devon, Dorset, Berkshire and Derbyshire disease outbreaks, whilst unique VCGs were almost exclusively from the southeast London cluster. Both mating types were detected, but only one mating type was present at each site, with the exception of a single Devon site. Perithecia of C. parasitica were never observed at any site. CHV-1 was found in seven isolates from three different locations and was always subtype-I, which has limited hypovirulence. Therefore, although CHV-1 is associated with C. parasitica at some outbreaks, it probably has limited impact on virulence. The diversity of VCGs and their distribution at outbreak sites, together with findings of CHV-1, suggests C. parasitica has been introduced to the UK multiple times over at least two decades through international plant trade.     

小麦种子规模化DNA提取及检测体系的优化

以小麦种子分子检测农业行业标准(NY/T 2859-2015)为基础,开发小麦种子快速、规模化提取DNA方法,优化反应体系中各组分含量,为小麦真实性快速执法提供技术支撑。通过对SDS、CTAB、高盐低p H、快速提取和试剂盒5种方法提取的DNA质量、浓度和PCR扩增效果进行比较,发现改进的高盐低p H方法提取种子的DNA质量、浓度能够满足小麦真实性鉴定中42对SSR引物重复鉴定的需求,是利用96孔深孔板和自动化移液工作站规模化、高通量提取DNA的较优方法。进一步优化结果显示该方法在65℃温浴条件下比室温的浓度高出25%,但两种温度条件下提取的DNA质量及浓度均能够满足品种鉴定的需求;沉淀时用0.5倍提取液体积的预冷异丙醇沉淀浓度最高,用室温的异丙醇沉淀的最佳体积是提取液体积的0.6倍。对标准中42对引物的最佳引物浓度和模板浓度均进行了优化,综合所有42对引物的优化结果发现,反应体系为20μL时,引物终浓度为0.437 5μmol/L,模板终浓度为10 ng/μL时扩增效率相对较高,扩增产物稳定,能够满足多重电泳的需求。     

多重PCR检测耐除草剂转基因作物

为建立耐除草剂转基因作物的高通量检测方法,本试验以目前生产上广泛应用的5种除草剂抗性基因dmo、pat、CP4EPSPS、bar和aad1为靶标进行多重PCR(MPCR)研究。通过引物适用性测试、反应体系中的不同引物浓度和反应程序中的退火温度测试、灵敏度和特异性验证等,建立了能同时检测5种除草剂抗性基因的MPCR检测方法。结果表明,当dmo、pat、CP4EPSPS、bar、aad1基因的检测引物终浓度分别为0.2、0.2、0.3、0.4、0.2 μmol·L^-1,退火温度为63℃时5种靶标扩增效果较好,且特异性条带清晰且均一。此外,MPCR检测方法具有较好的特异性,对每种靶标的检测灵敏度均可达到0.1%。适用性测试结果显示,MPCR检测方法可对含有5种除草剂抗性基因的多种转基因作物的单个品系或多个品系混合物进行筛选检测。无假阳性和假阴性结果表明,MPCR检测方法对实际样品具有很好的适用性。本试验结果为筛选高效耐除草剂转基因作物检测技术提供了一定的理论依据。     

Isolation and characterisation of phages against Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae

Purpose: Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae causes bacterial canker of kiwifruit and is responsible for severe economic losses and emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect target bacterial hosts and may be the best strategy to prevent and control kiwifruit canker disease. The objective of this experiment was to monitor the prevalence of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae and provide insight for the use of phages in biological control.

Materials and methods: In this study, 52 strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae were isolated from 68 stem samples of kiwi plant (cv. Hongyang & Jinkui). Following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, 15 isolates belonging to biovar 3 were identified, one of which was named XWY0007 and used as the target strain to isolate the phages. Thirty-six phages were isolated and purified from a total of 51 surface water samples collected in Shanghai. All phages were identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and their host ranges were evaluated. Three phages, designated φXWY0013, φXWY0014 and φXWY0026 were selected and further characterised using one-step growth curve and stability at different temperatures and pH.

Results and conclusions: The isolated phages are promising for use as antimicrobials against bacterial canker in kiwi. This report is regarding Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae and its phages from major areas of kiwifruit cultivation.     

Detection of Leishmania infantum DNA by real-time PCR in saliva of dogs

This study developed a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to detect L. infantum kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) in canine saliva. The qPCR showed an efficiency of 93.8%, a coefficient of correlation of 0.996 and a detection limit of 0.5 fg/reaction (0.005 parasites), although it detected until 0.25 fg/reaction (0.0025 parasites). When samples from 12 dogs experimentally infected with L. infantum were collected, L. infantum kDNA was detected at 16-weeks post-infection (wpi) in 41.7% and 91.7% of saliva and bone marrow samples, respectively, and at 47-wpi in 75% of both samples. L. infantum kDNA can be detected by qPCR in canine saliva, with lower sensitivity in the early stages of infection and a lower parasite load estimation compared to bone marrow. However, saliva had similar sensitivities to bone marrow in the later stages of the infection and could be used to detect L. infantum kDNA being aware of its limitations.     

2个抗虫棉的外源Bt基因分子鉴定及其染色体定位

以中美2个抗虫棉品种GK19与33B为试验材料,利用检测中美Bt基因的特异性引物,分别对抗虫棉亲本GK19和33B进行PCR扩增,并通过SSR分子标记技术对其Bt基因进行分子鉴定与染色体定位,旨在从外源基因转化事件的视角探究中美转基因抗虫棉差异的分子基础。结果表明, GK19为中国转Bt基因抗虫棉, 33B为美国转Bt基因抗虫棉; GK19的Bt基因被定位在棉花Chr.20上,共16对SSR多态性标记与其Bt基因连锁,两侧的分子标记为NAU3907和NAU2579,其遗传距离分别为2.4 cM和1.5 cM; 33B的Bt基因被定位在棉花Chr.26上,共20对SSR多态性标记与Bt基因连锁,目标Bt基因位于标记NAU460和dc40260之间,其遗传距离分别为3.6 cM和2.0 cM。以上结果表明GK19和33B属于不同的遗传转化事件。