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.     

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。     

牛星状病毒EvaGreen实时荧光定量PCR检测方法的建立及应用

牛星状病毒(BAstV)是我国新发的犊牛腹泻病原,本试验的目的是建立检测BAstV的Real-time PCR方法。根据BAstV流行株的ORF1a基因序列设计引物,通过优化反应条件和体系,成功建立基于EvaGreen检测BAstV的Real-time PCR方法。结果表明,该检测方法的Ct值与标准品模板在1.36×10¹~1.36×10⁸拷贝/μL线性关系良好,相关系数R²=0.999,扩增效率为93.79%;该方法可特异性检出BAstV,对犊牛腹泻其他相关病原呈阴性;最低检测下限为13.6拷贝/μL;批间和批内的变异系数均小于2%,重复性好。对2017年9月至2019年5月采自河南省的221份犊牛腹泻样本进行检测,BAstV的检出率为18.1%(40/221),采样场阳性率为100.0%(14/14)。本试验所建方法灵敏度高、特异性强、稳定性好,为BAstV的检测和流行病学调查提供了有力手段。     

小麦Glu-3位点基因拷贝数的变异分析

【目的】基因拷贝数变异是一种常见又重要的基因结构变异,往往影响个体表型。低分子量麦谷蛋白（low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit,LMW-GS）是小麦贮藏蛋白的主要组成部分,位于Glu-3位点。小麦作为异源六倍体,其庞大且复杂的基因组结构导致难以利用传统方法检测目的基因的拷贝数,针对小麦基因组,筛选可靠稳定的内参基因和体系,探索适合复杂基因组的拷贝数变异测定技术,测定Glu-3位点LWM-GS基因拷贝数。【方法】以Acc1为内参基因,根据基因序列设计内参引物和探针,通过定性和定量PCR测定内参基因在12个普通小麦品种中的拷贝数,分析该基因拷贝数在不同品种间的稳定性;又以小麦品种篙优2018的5个稀释浓度的基因组DNA为模板,利用qRT-PCR验证Acc1内参系统的重复性和准确性;根据Glu-A3位点LMW-GS基因序列设计特异性引物及探针,利用qRT-PCR和ddPCR 2种方法检测8个小麦品种Glu-A3位点基因拷贝数,比较后选择更优的高通量基因拷贝数检测方法;再根据Glu-B3和Glu-D3位点LMW-GS基因序列设计相应的特异性引物及探针,并利用ddPCR技术检测和分析了231份小麦品种的Glu-A3、Glu-B3和Glu-D3位点上LMW-GS基因拷贝数。【结果】Acc1在12个普通小麦品种间、同一品种5个DNA稀释浓度间的拷贝数测定结果一致,技术重复间的变异系数仅为0.07%—0.77%,所构建的Acc1内参系统稳定;比较qRT-PCR和ddPCR 2种拷贝数检测方法,8个品种所测的Glu-A3位点拷贝数结果一致,分别为3、5、3、4、3、3、3和3;且ddPCR检测重复间的变异系数为0.30%—1.67%,远低于qRT-PCR的3.14%—12.72%,更加可靠;利用ddPCR对231份普通小麦品种的Glu-A3、Glu-B3和Glu-D3位点上LMW-GS基因拷贝检测后分析发现,大多数小麦品种在3个位点上的拷贝数为4,所占频率分别为51.95%、32.03%和28.57%,Glu-3位点总拷贝数变异范围为10—21,变异系数为16.12%。【结论】Acc1内参系统具有良好的稳定性和重复性,可以用作小麦Glu-3位点和其他目的基因拷贝数检测的内参;qRT-PCR和ddPCR均可用于小麦基因拷贝数的检测,但后者更稳定、可靠,且操作简单、检测通量高。     

Intestinal Microbiota in Large Yellow Croaker,Larimichthys crocea,at Different Ages

The polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR‐DGGE) of 16S ribosomal RNA gene was used to investigate bacterial communities in the intestines of large yellow croaker at six different ages (12 d, 18 d, 26 d, 40 d, 3 mo, and 1 yr old) as well as within the corresponding feed and culture water. In addition, Illumina Miseq sequencing was utilized to compare intestinal microbiota between 12‐d‐old and 1‐yr‐old individuals. PCR‐DGGE results revealed that the culture water had the highest bacterial diversity, followed by the feed, while the intestines had the lowest diversity. The intestinal microbiota at six ages changed severely; however, the change did not follow any trend. The large yellow croaker intestines harbored specific bacterial communities that differed from those in both feed and water. Illumina Miseq sequencing results revealed that the diversity of intestinal bacteria in 12‐d‐old fish was higher than that in 1‐yr‐old fish, and the bacterial composition differed significantly between them. γ‐Proteobacteria and Pseudoalteromonas supplied the most abundant phylum and genus in the 12‐d‐old fish intestine. However, in the 1‐yr‐old fish intestine, Firmicutes and Clostridium were the most dominant, respectively. The study may contribute to a better understanding of gut microbiota and dynamics of the large yellow croaker and the relationship with their surrounding environment.