Genetic Engineering Approaches to Pig Production*

Modern biotechnology promises a number of new applications in animal breeding and production. Although conventional pig breeding has achieved a high level of efficiency and productivity numerous problems have been encountered with animal health and the loss of meat quality. Selection based on phenotypic performance data of individual animals does not take into account the importance of specific genes and their relevance within a complex regulatory system. In most cases it is therefore difficult to trace back the genetic origins of clinically important disorders. The application of genetic engineering techniques in pig production will facilitate diagnosis, improvement of productivity, and animal health by allowing direct genetic manipulation. Attention must be focussed on the physical and genetic analysis of the procine genome. The isolation and characterisation of genes, DNA-markers, polymorphic DNA-fragments, and their chromosomal assignment will be important prerequisites and tools for the elucidation of genetic disorders. Especially the detection of heterozygous carriers of recessive disorders and their elimination from the breeding stock will increase selection accuracy and decrease the generation intervals. But also the rapid and simple detection of infectious diseases, which is sometimes difficult if not impossible at present, will improve animal health and welfare. Although the production of transgenic animals either by DNA-microinjection into zygotes or the use of embryonal stem cells manipulated in vitro is less straightforward than DNA-based diagnosis it will play an important role in the direct manipulation of the porcine genome and genes. Breeding programmes including the use of transgenic livestock have already been developed. There is no doubt that genetic engineering has reached a degree of practical feasibility, allowing it to play an important role in pig breeding in particular and animal production in general.     

Association of polymorphism of Fc receptor γ chain gene at position-29 in promoter with the susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus in southern Chinese

AIM:To detect the association between the polymorphism of Fc receptor γ chain gene at position-29 in promoter and systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).METHODS:The genotypes at position -29 in promoter of Fc receptor γ chain gene were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method in 180 patients with SLE and 140 ethnically matched controls in southern China.RESULTS:The frequencies of TT genotype(33.3%) and T allele (54.4%) at position -29 in patients with SLE were significantly higher than those in controls (17.2% and 42.9%, respectively), whereas, the frequencies of GG genotype (24.4%) and G allele (45.6%) in patients with SLE were remarkably lower than those in controls (31.4% and 57.1%, respectively) (P＜0.05). The TT genotype and T allele at position -29 were not associated with lupus nephritis in SLE patients (P＞0.05).CONCLUSION:Our results indicate that the T allele at position -29 in promoter of Fc receptor gene probably contributes to the susceptibility to SLE, but does not play a role in the occurrence of lupus nephritis.     

Effects of mutations in Drosophila nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits on sensitivity to insecticides targeting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Several strains of Drosophila melanogaster possess mutant alleles in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits, Dα1 and Dβ2 that confer resistance to neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid and nitenpyram, and Dα6, that confers resistance to spinosyns. These mutant strains were bioassayed with a selected set of nAChR active insecticides including neonicotinoids, spinosad, and sulfoxaflor, a new sulfoximine insecticide. All of the neonicotinoids examined, except dinotefuran showed reduced insecticidal efficacy on larvae of the Dα1 mutant, suggesting that this subunit may be important in the action of these insecticides. All of the neonicotinoids, including dinotefuran, showed reduced insecticidal efficacy on larvae possessing the Dβ2 mutation. A similar pattern of broad neonicotinoid resistance to that of Dβ2 alone was also observed for larvae with both the mutations (Dα1 + Dβ2). The Dβ2 mutation exhibited a lower level of cross-resistance to sulfoxaflor (<3-fold) than to any of the neonicotinoids (>13-fold). In contrast, there was no cross-resistance for any of the neonicotinoids or sulfoxaflor in adult flies with the Dα6 mutation, which confers high levels of resistance to spinosad. Thus in the D. melanogaster strains studied, target site resistance observed for the neonicotinoids and the spinosyns does not translate directly to resistance towards sulfoxaflor.     

小菜蛾γ- 氨基丁酸受体基因片段的克隆、表达及特征分析

 利用反转录多聚酶链式反应(RT-PCR) 对小菜蛾( Plutella xylostella ) 的γ - 氨基丁酸a(GABAa) 受体基因cDNA片段进行了克隆和序列分析。通过简并性上游引物和下游引物扩增出小菜蛾GABAa受体基因248 bp的cDNA片段。该cDNA基因片段的氨基酸与已报道的烟芽夜蛾(Heliothis viresce)的GABAa受体基因氨基酸序列同源性为100%。以GABAa受体基因片段为基础, 构建了优化的半定量RT-PCR法, 以18S rRNA为内标, 研究小菜蛾不同组织以及不同发育阶段GABAa受体基因表达的差异。结果表明, GABAa受体基因在头部表达量最高, 胸部次之, 腹部最低; 在不同发育阶段的表达量差异不大。     

Expression of natural killer cell stimulatory receptor NKG2D and its ligand MICA in Tibetan patients with gastric cancer at Qinghai plateau

AIM: To investigate the expression of natural killer cell stimulation receptor D(NKG2D) in peripheral blood and the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related protein A(MICA) on the gastric carcinoma tissue and the neighboring non-cancerous tissue in Tibetan patients with gastric cancer at Qinghai plateau. METHODS: Samples of 33 patients and 20 healthy persons were collected to detect NKG2D in peripheral blood by Flow cytometry analysis. The expressions of MICA in part of the correspondent tissues were examined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: The expression of NKG2D in the plateau of Tibetan patients with gastric cancer group (13.47 ±5.26)% was significantly lower than that in healthy groups (32.62±10.08)%. The mRNA level of MICA in gastric cancer was significantly higher than that in neighboring non-cancerous tissue (P<0.05). The expressions of MICA proteins showed a significant difference between the neighboring non-cancerous tissue (21.21%, 7/33) and the gastric carcinoma tissue (78.79%, 26/33), between the high differentiation (60.00%, 3/5) and the moderate (72.73%, 8/11), low differentiation (88.24%, 15/17). The expressions of MICA were not correlated with tumor size, sex, age, lymph node metastasis of the patients (P>0.05). Spearman rank correlation displayed that the expressions of MICA mRNA were positively correlated with the MICA protein level (r=0.903, P<0.01).CONCLUSION: The immune escape in Tibetan patients with gastric cancer at Qinghai plateau probably relates to the down-regulation of NKG2D and the up-regulation of its ligand MICA. The activity of NK cells and the anti-cancer cellular immunity level are descending in the plateau of Tibetan patients with gastric cancer. The decrease in the receptor NKG2D is a reason for the activity of NK cell descending.     

杜仲梦尼夜蛾CD36家族同源基因克隆与组织分布研究

目的 揭示杜仲梦尼夜蛾CD36家族同源基因神经元膜蛋白(SNMPs)和b族清道夫受体(SRb)的序列特征和组织分布情况。 方法 设计特异性引物克隆杜仲梦尼夜蛾SNMPs和SRb基因,对这些基因编码的蛋白进行同源建模;通过荧光定量PCR分析这些基因在不同组织的表达情况。 结果 在杜仲梦尼夜蛾中鉴定得到3个CD36家族同源基因（OsonSNMP1、OsonSNMP2和OsonSRb1）;这些基因编码的蛋白具有2个跨膜区域和1个细胞外结构域。空间结构预测发现,这些蛋白的胞外结构域包含1个主要由反向平行β-折叠构成的桶状核心和1个富含疏水性氨基酸残基的α-螺旋;荧光定量PCR结果表明,OsonSNMP1、OsonSNMP2和OsonSRb1均在触角中大量表达;OsonSNMP1在雄虫触角中的表达水平显著高于雌虫触角,OsonSNMP2在雌虫触角的表达水平显著高于其他组织,OsonSRb1在雄虫触角中大量表达外,还在雌雄虫的口器中大量表达。 结论 本研究发现OsonSNMP1、OsonSNMP2和OsonSRb1编码的蛋白具有与脊椎动物CD36家族受体类似的空间结构,与嗅觉器官高度关联的表达模式表明这些基因可能在杜仲梦尼夜蛾嗅觉系统中发挥了功能,以上结果为探究杜仲梦尼夜蛾CD36家族同源基因的嗅觉功能提供了数据。     

茶色素对胰岛素抵抗大鼠胰岛素受体的影响

探讨茶色素对胰岛素抵抗大鼠红细胞胰岛素受体的影响。将50只清洁级SD大鼠随机分成对照组、高脂组和低中高剂量茶色素干预组。高脂组和茶色素干预组以高脂饲料饲喂8周诱发肥胖致胰岛素抵抗模型,茶色素干预组再给予0.1、0.2g/(kgbw·d)和0.4g/(kgbw·d)剂量茶色素灌胃8周,实验结束后采血测定红细胞胰岛素受体水平,同时测定血糖、血胰岛素、血FFA及血痩素。与对照组相比,高脂组空腹胰岛素、痩素和FFA明显升高(P<0.05),而红细胞高亲和力受体数目明显降低(P<0.05),与高脂组相比,中高剂量茶色素干预组空腹胰岛素、痩素和FFA明显降低(P<0.05),而红细胞高亲和力胰岛素受体数目明显升高(P<0.05)。说明茶色素干预可提高胰岛素抵抗大鼠胰岛素高亲和力受体数目,其机制可能与降低痩素和FFA水平间接提高受体数目或直接作用于受体基因调节元件有关     

香蕉果实乙烯受体基因克隆及其表达特性

 【目的】分析香蕉果实成熟及贮藏冷害下乙烯受体基因的表达特性,探讨热处理（38℃,3 d）提高果实耐冷性与乙烯受体基因表达的关系。【方法】根据已报道的ETR基因的氨基酸保守序列设计引物,以香蕉果皮总RNA为模板,利用RT-PCR方法克隆香蕉的ETR cDNA,采用Northern杂交分析该基因的表达特征。【结果】香蕉果实在自然成熟进程中,两个基因在果皮和果肉中呈现不同的表达模式：果皮和果肉中Ma-ETR1的表达随果实成熟而逐渐减弱,而Ma-ERS3的表达仅在果实成熟后期略有增强;外源丙烯处理和38℃高温抑制果皮和果肉中Ma-ETR1的表达,却促进了Ma-ERS3的表达;低温促进果皮中Ma-ETR1和果肉中Ma-ERS3的表达,而38℃热处理3 d后则能抑制果皮中受低温诱导的Ma-ETR1表达的增强。【结论】外源丙烯和38℃高温正调控Ma-ERS3表达,负调控Ma-ETR1表达;38℃热处理3 d提高采后香蕉果实耐冷性与抑制低温诱导的果皮中Ma-ETR1表达的增强有关。     

蓝塘猪和长白猪leptin和leptin受体基因表达的变化

用实时荧光定量PCR方法研究了蓝塘猪和长白猪1、27、90、150和180日龄阶段脂肪组织中leptin基因mRNA和下丘脑中leptin受体基因mRNA的变化,并对2个品种不同生长阶段血液中leptin含量的变化规律进行了探讨。结果表明:(1)蓝塘猪180日龄时皮下脂肪中leptin基因表达量显著高于其它各阶段,而与长白猪相比,蓝塘猪除1日龄低于长白猪外,其它各个阶段均高于长白猪,180日龄两者差异极显著;长白猪各阶段间差异不显著;(2)蓝塘猪180日龄时下丘脑中leptin受体基因的表达量显著高于其它各阶段,长白猪180日龄时最高,且显著高于1日龄和27日龄,蓝塘猪与长白猪1日龄时差异显著;(3)蓝塘猪血清中leptin浓度各阶段均高于长白猪,两品种均是150日龄时最高,蓝塘猪150日龄显著高于27日龄和180日龄,长白猪各阶段差异不显著。     

Screening for Monoclonal Antibodies Against the Membrane Proteins of Chicken Embryo Fibroblast Blocking the Infection of IBDV

This article aims to establish an efficient assay for screening monoclonal antibodies （McAbs） against the membrane proteins of chicken embryo fibroblast （CEF） for further studies of the cellular receptors of infectious bursal disease virus （IBDV）. McAbs against the membrane proteins of CEF were prepared by cell fusion. The monolayer CEF pre-incubated with the CEF-specific McAbs for 2 h were infected with IBDV and incubated with F22-EA6-biotin postinfection. Then, the cells were reacted with streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase （HRP） and finally stained by 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole （AEC）. The inhibitive percentage of IBDV infection was calculated by counting the IBDV-infected cells to determine the inhibition efficiency of the CEF-specific McAbs. Compared with the control cells, the IBDV-infected cells pretreated with CEF-specific antibody significantly decreased; supernatant fluids of a total of 768 hybridomas were analyzed. The results of immunohistochemistry assays showed that six of them （1A5, 1H11, 2B 12, 3G1, 4D10, and 4B8） have the abilities to block the infection of IBDV to CEF, among which 4B8 can perfectly block the infection. This novel method is a sensitive and specific assay for the screening of CEF membrane protein-specific McAbs, which can block the infection of IBDV to CEF, and these McAbs can be used for the further investigations of the cellular receptors of IBDV.