Revisiting rice breeding methods – evaluating the use of rapid generation advance (RGA) for routine rice breeding

Rice production needs to increase in the future in order to meet increasing demands. The development of new improved and higher yielding varieties more quickly will be needed to meet this demand. However, most rice breeding programmes in the world have not changed in several decades. In this article, we revisit the evidence in favour of using rapid generation advance (RGA) as a routine breeding method. We describe preliminary activities at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to re-establish RGA on a large scale as the main breeding method for irrigated rice breeding. We also describe experiences from the early adoption at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute. Evaluation of RGA breeding lines at IRRI for yield, flowering time and plant height indicated transgressive segregation for all traits. Some RGA lines were also higher yielding than the check varieties. The cost advantages of using RGA compared to the pedigree method were also empirically determined by performing an economic analysis. This indicated that RGA is several times more cost effective and advantages will be realized after 1 year even if facilities need to be built. Based on our experience, and previous independent research empirically testing the RGA method in rice, we recommend that this method should be implemented for routine rice breeding in order to improve breeding efficiency.     

鸡Prnp基因原核表达载体的构建及其在大肠埃希菌中的表达

试验旨在构建鸡Prnp基因原核表达载体,并在大肠埃希菌中进行表达,为制备鸡朊蛋白单克隆抗体提供材料。根据GenBank已报道的鸡Prnp基因组序列和pET-28a质粒多克隆位点设计引物,以健康的鸡全血基因组DNA为材料,采用PCR的方法扩增鸡的Prnp基因,将目的基因片段与pET-28a载体连接,构建重组原核表达载体。重组菌转化到E. coli BL21(DE3)感受态细胞中,并用异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷(isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside,IPTG)进行诱导表达,十二烷基磺酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)鉴定表达的重组蛋白。结果表明,重组蛋白在诱导剂的终浓度为0.08 mmol·L^-1,16 ℃,220 r·min^-1诱导7 h,蛋白表达量最高。综上所述,本研究成功构建了pET-28a-ChPrnp重组表达菌株,为Prnp朊蛋白的结构、生理功能和致病机制研究提供方法。     

鸡传染性贫血病毒VP1、VP2基因在杆状病毒表达系统中的表达

将鸡传染性贫血病毒M9905株VP1、VP2基因分别或同时克隆到杆状病毒转移载体pFastBacDUAL中，然后转化到DHIOBAC感受态细胞中与Bacmid杆状病毒穿梭载体进行转座重组，最后将重组子转染Sf9昆虫细胞，得到分别或同时含VP1、VP2基因的重组杆状病毒rBacVP1、rBacVP2及rBacVP1—2。PCR扩增结果证实VP1、VP2基因重组到杆状病毒基因组中；SDS-PAGE电泳分析和间接免疫荧光试验结果表明VP1、VP2基因在重组病毒中得到了表达。     

免疫剂量和母源抗体对禽流感重组鸡痘病毒活载体疫苗免疫效力的影响

利用表达 H 5亚型禽流感病毒 (AIV)血凝素基因的重组鸡痘病毒 (r FPV- HA)以不同剂量免疫 1日龄 SPF鸡、有或无母源抗体 (FPV、AIV H5)的商品鸡 ,并于免疫后 2 1d利用同亚型 AIV通过肌肉注射进行致死性攻击 ,通过检测免疫后 HI抗体应答、比较攻毒后发病率和死亡率评价免疫剂量和母源抗体对 r FPV- HA免疫效力的影响。结果发现 ,免疫后 2 1d,15 %～ 2 0 %的 SPF鸡和无母源抗体商品鸡可检出 HI抗体 ,而含母源抗体商品鸡检测不到 HI抗体。利用H5亚型 AIV致死性攻击后 ,10 3～ 10 6 PFU的 r FPV- HA可保护 95 %～ 10 0 %的 SPF鸡和无母源抗体商品鸡抵御强毒攻击 ,使之免于发病和死亡 ;而不同剂量 r FPV- HA接种的含母源抗体商品鸡有 80 %～ 90 %发病和死亡。结果表明 ,在较宽的免疫剂量范围内 ,r FPV- HA对 SPF鸡和无母源抗体商品鸡可提供良好的保护 ,显示出一定的应用前景 ;母源抗体影响 r FPV- HA诱导的免疫应答 ,且提高免疫剂量亦不能克服其干扰作用 ,这提示在实际应用中需优化免疫程序 ,避免母源抗体干扰。     

重组逆转录病毒载体的包装

将3.7kb的LacZ基因片段克隆到含标志基因Neo的逆转录病毒载体，pLXSN与pLNCX的多克隆位点，构建了含有LacZ基因的重组逆转录病毒载体pLLSN和pLNCL.在测定了G418对饥装细胞系PA317的最小致剂量后（最小致死剂量为0.3g/L），通过脂质体Lipofectin与磷酸钙2种介质，分别将2种重组逆转录病毒载体导入包装细胞系PA317进行包装，并以0.3g/L，的G418进行筛选，得到多个G418抗性克隆，经扩大培养，传代，分别得到包装pLLSN与pLNCL的2株阳性细胞，电镜下可见阳性细胞的培养上清中具有逆转录病毒形态特征的成熟病毒粒子，本0研究为运用逆转录病毒载体系统，解决转角因效率低的问题奠定了基础。     

表达HAV结构基因的重组腺病毒鉴定及细胞病变分析

利用RT-PCR方法,从HAV-L8株的RNA中扩增出结构基因(vp3 vp1),克隆到穿梭质粒pXCX2NotI上。采用磷酸钙-DNA共沉淀技术,将腺病毒载体pJM17与pXCX2-CMV-HAV共转染293细胞。在光学显微镜下观察到明显的细胞病变(CPE);经RT-PCR、免疫荧光染色和蛋白印迹鉴定证明HAV的结构基因已插入到腺病毒基因组中;在电子显微镜下观察发现有二十面体的病毒颗粒。以上结果表明获得了重组腺病毒rAdHAV,纯化后的rAdHAV滴度为1×109.0TCID50/mL。     

以CP23重组蛋白为抗原建立检测微小隐孢子虫抗体间接ELISA方法的研究

摘要：以在E.coli高效表达的微小隐孢子虫子孢子表面抗原CP23为抗原，以辣根过氧化物酶(HRP)标记的山羊抗鼠IgG为二抗，建立了检测微小隐孢子虫抗体的间接ELISA方法。经检测筛选出最佳反应条件为1μg／孔纯化的E.coli表达的CP23抗原包被酶标板，用10％免血清进行封闭，以正常E.coli裂解上清液稀释待检血清。实验表明应用CP23重组蛋白作为诊断C.parvum抗原具有特异性高、抗原易纯化和成本低等特点。     

利用IBV重组N蛋白建立ELISA抗体检测试剂盒的研究

利用表达鸡传染性支气管炎病毒Gray株N蛋白的基因工程重组菌，表达IBV—N蛋白，并利用表达载体上带有组氨酸标记的特点，应用金属螯合填料将其纯化。用纯化的IBV—N蛋白作为包被抗原，成功地建立了一种检测血清中IBV抗体的间接ELISA方法。确定抗原最佳包被浓度为0．58μg／ml；被检血清的最佳稀释度为1：100；酶标二抗的工作浓度为1：1000。确定了血清样品阴、阳性临界0D值为0．14。与IDEXX公司IBV抗体检测试剂盒比较，结果表明自建ELISA试剂盒具有较高的敏感性和特异性。     

Expression of a recombinant crustacean hyperglycemic hormone of the kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus in methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris

ABSTRACT:   Until now, six crustacean hyperglycemic hormones (CHH) designated Pej-SGP-I, -II, -III, -V, -VI and -VII have been characterized in the kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus . All CHH consist of 72 amino acid residues and have an amidated carboxyl (C)-terminus. In the present study, we expressed Pej-SGP-III in methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris in order to obtain a large quantity of recombinant CHH possessing biological activity. A cDNA encoding Pej-SGP-III that had been previously cloned was processed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the resulting product was ligated into an expression vector. Pichia pastoris was transformed with this vector after which a recombinant Pej-SGP-III was expressed having an additional amino acid residue (glycine) at the C-terminus (rPej-SGP-III-Gly), a form considered to be a putative precursor of this hormone. rPej-SGP-III-Gly secreted into the culture medium was purified by reversed-phase HPLC, and amidated using a peptidylglycine alpha-amidating enzyme. The amidated rPej-SGP-III (rPej-SGP-III) showed hyperglycemic activity in in vivo bioassay almost comparable to that of the natural Pej-SGP-III. rPej-SGP-III thus obtained will be a useful tool not only for its physiological study but also for the determination of its 3-D structure.     

Role of polymerase β in DNA metabolism and genomic instability

The major role of DNA polymerase β was thought to be limited in its involvement in short patch base excision repair by removing 5’-deoxyribose phosphate and base insertion. However, the recent researches indicate that polymerase β might take part in a wide spectrum of DNA metabolism reactions, including long patch base excision repair, DNA replication, recombination, meiosis and transleisional DNA synthesis. Because of its wide and important cellular function, an inappropriate intracellular polymerase β level might be associated with genomic instability. Down-regulation or mutation of polymerase β is mutagenic due to deficient in DNA repair, while overexpression of this error-prone β polymerase might perturb the normal function of other accurate polymerases and cause genomic instability as well.