A rapeseed-specific gene, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, can be used as a reference for qualitative and real-time quantitative PCR detection of transgenes from mixed food samples

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods are very useful techniques for the detection and quantification of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food samples. These methods rely on the amplification of transgenic sequences and quantification of the transgenic DNA by comparison to an amplified reference gene. Reported here is the development of specific primers for the rapeseed (Brassica napus) BnACCg8 gene and PCR cycling conditions suitable for the use of this sequence as an endogenous reference gene in both qualitative and quantitative PCR assays. Both methods were assayed with 20 different rapeseed varieties, and identical amplification products were obtained with all of them. No amplification products were observed when DNA samples from other Brassica species, Arabidopsis thaliana, maize, and soybean were used as templates, which demonstrates that this system is specific for rapeseed. In real-time quantitative PCR analysis, the detection limit was as low as 1.25 pg of DNA, which indicates that this method is suitable for use in processed food samples which contain very low copies of target DNA.     

甘蓝型油菜柱头特异启动子的克隆和序列分析

芸薹属自交不亲和相关基因SLR1只在柱头中特异表达，根据已知的SLR1基因启动子序列设计特异引物，用PCR法从几个甘蓝型油菜品种和品系中分离得到相应的启动子片断，进行序列比较分析后，并构建它们与GFP融合的植物表达载体，转化拟南芥，验证所分离到的启动子的时空特异性。研究表明，来自自交不亲和羽衣甘蓝和来自自交亲和的甘蓝型油菜的SLR1启动子具有相似的序列结构和相同的组织特异表达功能。该结果将为下一步研究S-locus基因在甘蓝型油菜中的表达和相互作用奠定基础。     

油菜毛状体发育相关基因GLABRA2启动子的克隆与功能验证

GLABRA2(GL2)基因在拟南芥毛状体发育中具有重要作用.实验利用基因组步移巢式PCR的方法,通过两次步移克隆得到一个油菜(Brassica napus)GL2基因启动子序列,序列分析发现它与拟南芥GL2启动子同源性较差,但有一些共同的顺式作用元件如MYB结合位点、G box等,也有油菜GL2基因所特有的应答元件如E-box.将其中具有启动子的基本特征的序列GP1与GUS报告基因融合构建重组载体pBI121-GP1,转化拟南芥(Arabidopsis).用卡那霉素筛选得到10株阳性苗.在T2代转基因株系中有6个株系的绿苗与黄花苗的比例都接近3:1,推定T-DNA是以单拷贝的形式插入拟南芥基因组DNA.GUS组织化学染色表明,GP1调控下报告基因主要在子叶、真叶的表皮毛以及根部的幼嫩组织中表达,与拟南芥GL2基因启动子表达模式基本一致,但也有明显不同:油菜GL2启动子GP1只在表皮毛发育早期强烈表达,而拟南芥GL2启动子调控表皮毛发育的整个过程.     

普通白菜PGIP基因BcPGIP分子特征研究

根据甘蓝型油菜多聚半乳糖醛酸酶抑制蛋白(PGIP)基因PGIP3的全长序列设计引物,从普通白菜核隐性不育两用系‘Bajh97-01A/B'可育株中成功克隆了多聚半乳糖醛酸酶抑制蛋白基因BcPGIP,对其DNA和cDNA全长序列进行分析,结果表明,该基因包含2个外显子和1个内含子,最大开放阅读框为996bp,编码331个氨基酸,共有10个LRR(Leucine-rich repeat,高氨酸富集)重复序列。将BcPGIP与其他植物的49个PGIPs蛋白进行同源序列比对后,发现PGIP蛋白特征序列非常保守。由重建的进化树可知,该基因与十字花科芸薹属的甘蓝型油菜的同源性最高。通过实时荧光定量PCR分析发现,BcPGIP基因可能与花粉的发育相关。     

沪油15中两个AP2/ERF-B1亚族转录因子的克隆与分析

利用油菜EST数据库,以拟南芥ERF-B1亚族转录因子序列为探针,电子克隆拼接得到2个cDNA序列（BnaERFB1-1和BnaERFB1-2）,通过PCR和RT-PCR方法分别从甘蓝型油菜沪油15的DNA和cDNA中克隆了上述基因。克隆转录因子BnaERFB1-1-Hy15和BnaERFB1-2-Hy15与电子克隆的序列差异很小,分别只有2个和6个氨基酸位点不同,且都没有内含子。从cDNA序列、氨基酸序列的相似性、组成成分、理化性质、疏水性/亲水性、进化树、序列比对、功能域、二级和三级结构等方面进行了分析,结果显示,BnaERFB1-1-Hy15和BnaERFB1-2-Hy15转录因子属于AP2/ERF家族中的ERF-B1亚族,是亲水性蛋白,在蛋白质的三级结构上与拟南芥atERF7相似。EST丰度分析显示,BnaERFB1-1的表达主要集中在种子中,而BnaERFB1-2的表达则主要集中在分生组织中。     

猪蓝耳病病毒RT-LAMP快速可视化检测方法的建立

为建立能快速检测猪蓝耳病病毒（PRRSV）的检测方法,本研究根据基因库中PRRSV非结构蛋白NSP2基因的保守序列,设计了一套特异性环介导等温扩增（RT-LAMP）引物,建立了PRRSV的RT-LAMP可视化检测方法。该方法的敏感性可达10 copies RNA,高于常规PCR方法 10倍;全部反应可以在50 min内完成;可通过肉眼观察钙黄绿素（calcein）颜色变化直接判定结果;对其它常见病原体的检测结果均为阴性,同时应用实时浊度仪对反应体系浊度及浊度的变化速率进行实时测量,结果相一致。结果表明建立的RT-LAMP方法简便、快速、灵敏、特异,可用于PRRSV感染的快速检测。     

猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌环介导等温扩增检测方法的建立与应用

本文建立了敏感、特异的胸膜肺炎放线杆菌环介导等温扩增检测方法。以1型胸膜肺炎放线杆菌ApxIV基因片段为靶序列设计了一组引物,并建立了LAMP反应体系,在63℃等温条件下反应45min,最低能检测到102个拷贝的目的基因,敏感性是PCR方法的10倍。通过对1～10型胸膜肺炎放线杆菌、多杀巴氏杆菌、链球菌、支原体等18种病原微生物的检测,证明该法具有很强的种特异性。另外,通过对8头实验感染猪和127份临床发病猪的鼻拭子的检测发现,该法对鼻拭子中胸膜肺炎放线杆菌的检出率为100%,优于PCR方法。     

Pea detection in food and feed samples by a real-time PCR method based on a specific legumin gene that allows diversity analysis

Real-time polymerase chain reaction is currently being used for the identification and quantification of plant and animal species as well as microorganisms in food or feed samples based on the amplification of specific sequences of low copy genes. We report here the development of a new real-time PCR method for the detection and quantification of the pea (Pisum sativum) based on the amplification of a specific region of the legS gene. The specificity was evaluated in a wide range of plant species (51 varieties of Pisum sp., and 32 other plant species and varieties taxonomically related or nonrelated). The method allows the detection and quantification of as low as 21.6 pg of DNA, which corresponds to 5 haploid genome copies. The system has been shown to be sensitive, reproducible and 100% specific for the rapid detection and quantification of pea DNA in processed food and feed samples, being therefore suitable for high-throughput analysis.     

Event specific qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction detection of genetically modified MON863 maize based on the 5'-transgene integration sequence

Because of the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) labeling policies issued in many countries and areas, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods were developed for the execution of GMO labeling policies, such as screening, gene specific, construct specific, and event specific PCR detection methods, which have become a mainstay of GMOs detection. The event specific PCR detection method is the primary trend in GMOs detection because of its high specificity based on the flanking sequence of the exogenous integrant. This genetically modified maize, MON863, contains a Cry3Bb1 coding sequence that produces a protein with enhanced insecticidal activity against the coleopteran pest, corn rootworm. In this study, the 5'-integration junction sequence between the host plant DNA and the integrated gene construct of the genetically modified maize MON863 was revealed by means of thermal asymmetric interlaced-PCR, and the specific PCR primers and TaqMan probe were designed based upon the revealed 5'-integration junction sequence; the conventional qualitative PCR and quantitative TaqMan real-time PCR detection methods employing these primers and probes were successfully developed. In conventional qualitative PCR assay, the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.1% for MON863 in 100 ng of maize genomic DNA for one reaction. In the quantitative TaqMan real-time PCR assay, the LOD and the limit of quantification were eight and 80 haploid genome copies, respectively. In addition, three mixed maize samples with known MON863 contents were detected using the established real-time PCR systems, and the ideal results indicated that the established event specific real-time PCR detection systems were reliable, sensitive, and accurate.     

甘蓝型油菜沪油15中BnaRAV-2-HY15转录因子的克隆及表达分析

基于拟南芥RAV类转录因子的序列,通过电子克隆的方法获得甘蓝型油菜的BnaRAV-2基因序列,再利用RT-PCR方法从甘蓝型油菜沪油15中扩增出编码RAV类转录因子基因BnaRAV-2-HY15,并进行了序列和进化分析。结果显示,该转录因子基因长1119 bp,编码372个氨基酸,含有相对保守的AP2结合域和B3结构域,具有典型的植物RAV类转录因子的结构特征。BnaRAV-2-HY15 和AtRAV2具有相似的三维结构。采用半定量RT-PCR方法对基因表达水平进行分析,发现BnaRAV-2-HY15受到PEG、高盐和低温的诱导表达。BnaRAV-2-HY15基因在沪油15盛花和籽粒发育时期的根、茎、叶、花、蕾和荚中均检测不到明显的表达。     

Event-specific qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis for genetically modified canola T45

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods have been the main technical support for the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). To date, GMO-specific PCR detection strategies have been developed basically at four different levels, such as screening-, gene-, construct-, and event-specific detection methods. Event-specific PCR detection method is the primary trend in GMO detection because of its high specificity based on the flanking sequence of exogenous integrant. GM canola, event T45, with tolerance to glufosinate ammonium is one of the commercial genetically modified (GM) canola events approved in China. In this study, the 5'-integration junction sequence between host plant DNA and the integrated gene construct of T45 canola was cloned and revealed by means of TAIL-PCR. Specific PCR primers and TaqMan probes were designed based upon the revealed sequence, and qualitative and quantitative TaqMan real-time PCR detection assays employing these primers and probe were developed. In qualitative PCR, the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.1% for T45 canola in 100 ng of genomic DNA. The quantitative PCR assay showed limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ) of 5 and 50 haploid genome copies, respectively. In addition, three mixed canola samples with known GM contents were detected employing the developed real-time PCR assay, and expected results were obtained. These results indicated that the developed event-specific PCR methods can be used for identification and quantification of T45 canola and its derivates.     

一种检测转Bt基因抗虫棉新棉33B和GK-12的PCR方法

测定了转基因抗虫棉新棉33B和GK-12的Bt基因表达盒的序列,发现它们在Bt基因和Bt基因与终止子连接区的序列存在差异,而在启动子与Bt基因连接区的序列完全一致。基于这种结构上的差异,设计3条特异性引物MG-P1、MG-P2和MG-P3,建立了检测这两个转基因抗虫棉的双重PCR方法。采用建立的方法,检测了40个转基因棉花样品,其中,只含有新棉33B的Bt基因结构的样品数为32个;只含有GK-12的Bt基因结构的样品数为6个;同时含有两者结构的样品数为2个。     

Flexible microarray construction and fast DNA hybridization conducted on a microfluidic chip for greenhouse plant fungal pathogen detection

This study employed a microfluidic method in which probe creation does not require pin-spotting and fast hybridization is conducted on the same microarray chip for the detection of three greenhouse pathogens ( Botrytis cinerea, Didymella bryoniae, and Botrytis squamosa). In this method, 16 oligonucleotide probe line arrays were created on a glass substrate by a microfluidic printing method. Then, low amounts of the DNA samples (1 fmol of oligonucelotides or 1.4 ng of PCR products) were introduced into the microchannels that were orthogonal to these probe lines. The hybridizations of 16 samples (21-mer complementary oligonuleotides and approximately 260 bp PCR products) were fulfilled at the channel-probe line intersections and in a short time (minutes). The optimization of probe immobilization and sample hybridization are described in detail. The method successfully detected and discriminated between two 260 bp PCR products with a one-base-pair difference from closely related greenhouse plant fungal pathogens (B. cinerea and B. squamosa).     

苹果基因邻近未知序列的PCR扩增与测序方法

本文提出的方法是首先利用已知基因序列设计三个巢式PCR引物p14、p15和p16,然后设计3’端为常见酶切位点、5’端为随机引物序列p17的9个酶切位点引物,用p14外引物与9个酶切位点引物进行第一轮PCR扩增,其中前5个反应的退火温度较低可以将酶切位点引物的5’端序列引入到PCR产物中,其余反应则以此PCR产物为模板采用较高的正常退火温度进行,退火温度较高是为了使整个酶切位点引物能稳定地结合到最初反应形成的产物上。为提高PCR产物的特异性和产量,用p15和p16引物分别与p17引物配对进行第二轮和第三轮PCR扩增,电泳检查发现PCR产物条带后进行纯化和测序。为保证序列的正确性,利用测得的DNA序列再设计新引物f3x与p14(或p15)配对,直接用提取的DNA为模板进行PCR扩增和测序。利用此方法成功地获得了苹果FPPS基因邻近的启动子序列528bp和5’UTR序列142bp,并已在GenBank注册（登录号FJ263960）。利用Blastn发现这是GenBank中首次发表苹果FPPS基因启动子序列。这说明用该方法获取基因邻近的未知序列是可行的。     

A duplex-PCR bioassay to detect a Trichoderma virens biocontrol isolate in non-sterile soil

This paper describes the identification and utilisation of a sequence-characterised amplified region (SCAR) marker specific for the Trichoderma virens biocontrol isolate GV4. The marker was developed from a RAPD-PCR amplification product unique to isolate GV4. When used as a hybridisation probe in Southern blot analysis, it hybridised to the DNA of the species T. virens alone and not to that of other Trichoderma species or closely related genera Gliocladium and Verticillium. The marker also produced a GV4-specific RFLP, distinguishing it from other T. virens isolates when probed to blots with HindII, BamHI or PstI genomic DNA digests. Primers designed from the sequence of the RAPD marker produced a diagnostic amplification product of 346 bp for GV4 alone, distinguishing it from all other test isolates. With the exception of one, test isolates did not produce an amplification product with the SCAR primers. The exception was a single Verticillium psalliotae isolate (ICMP5509) that produced a product of approx. 400 bp that was easily distinguished from the 346 bp product of GV4. The reliability of the SCAR-based diagnostic test was further improved with the introduction of a positive PCR reaction control to each test, achieved by converting the test to a duplex PCR system. Two universal primers flanking the two ITS and the 5.8S region of the ribosomal gene complex were introduced to each reaction to provide a test for PCR reaction inhibitors to eliminate false negatives in the diagnosis. Amplification of this multi-copy genomic region did not reduce diagnostic sensitivity of the single copy SCAR marker. To further increase the sensitivity of detecting GV4 propagules while maintaining a fast sample assessment assay, soil was amended with cornmeal, as a nutrient source, and a mix of antibiotics to favour Trichoderma growth. The soil mix was subsequently incubated for 5 d before total DNA was extracted. Under these conditions, the duplex soil PCR assay detected GV4 down to a concentration of 10 spores g⁻¹ soil in non-sterile agricultural field soil. This study is the first to report the use of a duplex-PCR diagnostic bioassay for a species within the Hypocrea/Trichoderma genus.     

EST-SSRs检测油菜（Brassica napus）亲本遗传多样性

油菜EST-SSRs是从油菜ESTs序列（表达序列标签）中开发的一种新型SSR 标记。这种新型分子标记来源于表达基因, 将其用于油菜遗传研究可直接反映相关基因在不同油菜品种间的表达差异。本研究采用21对油菜EST-SSRs标记检测了42个油菜品种（系）的遗传多样性。这些油菜EST-SSRs引物均可获得清晰的产物, 共检测到85个等位位点, 其中有49个等位变异, 占了总检测位点的57.65%。应用NTSYS 软件的聚类方法分析, 结果表明：42份材料遗传距离范围为0.0087-0.1885, 在遗传距离0.1508下, 可把份材料分为 5 组, 基本反映了品种（系）的地源差异。     

Validation of a tRNA-Glu-cytochrome b key for the molecular identification of 12 hake species (Merluccius spp.) and Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) using PCR-RFLPs, FINS, and BLAST

The goal of this study was to develop a diagnostic key for hake meat to solve the limitations of previous identification methodologies, mainly related to the high degradation of the DNA recovered from processed foods. We describe the development of two molecular tools based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the cytochrome b gene, respectively, to identify DNA from 12 hake species in commercial products. The first assay is an exclusion test consisting of the PCR amplification of a 122 bp fragment using nested primers interspecifically conserved in Merluccius spp. and in Gadus morhua. This 122 bp amplicon, being the shortest one so far designed for hake DNA, is a useful traceability tool for highly degraded samples because its sequence contains enough interspecific diagnostic variation to identify 10 hake species and cod and has been successfully amplified from most commercial products so far tested. The second identification key follows a positive outcome of the exclusion test and consists of the PCR amplification of a 464-465 bp fragment and its digestion with three restriction enzymes whose targets map at interspecifically nonconserved sites of the cytochrome b. The key presented here has passed through a rigorous methodological calibration including its testing for genus specificity, its validation on a large number of authenticated sample types from each species range, and its implementation with a maximum likelihood method for the assignment of unknown samples. Together, these two procedures constitute the most complete molecular key so far developed for Merluccius spp., which is optimal for routine identification of hakes in large commercial samples at a reasonable cost-time ratio.     

Application of a real time polymerase chain reaction method to detect castor toxin contamination in fluid milk and eggs

The castor seed contains ricin, which is one of the most potent biological toxins and is widely considered to be a threat agent for bioterrorism. In this study, a rapid and sensitive PCR method was applied to the detection of castor contamination in milk and liquid egg samples. The targeting gene sequence of the primer set, Ricin-F4/R4, was not found in either the bovine or chicken genome. Primers against a highly conserved sequence from the 18S ribosomal RNA gene were used as a positive control for DNA extraction and PCR reaction efficiency. The quantity and quality of DNA prepared from castor spiked or nonspiked milk and egg samples obtained from three different DNA extraction methods were compared. The cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method yielded the highest quality of DNA and is most suitable for the sensitive detection of castor DNA by real-time PCR in both milk and liquid egg matrixes. However, taking time and cost into consideration, a commercial kit designed for extraction of DNA from stool samples could be used as an alternative method for the routine extraction of DNA from milk for real-time PCR assays. The egg matrix was found to inhibit PCR amplification and interfere with two of the three methods tested for DNA extraction. Egg yolk had a greater negative effect on PCR amplification than the egg white matrix. Our results affirm the necessity of performing individual validations for each food matrix. Both real-time PCR systems used in this study, TaqMan and SYBR Green I dye, were capable of detecting 100 ng of castor acetone powder, corresponding to 5 ng of ricin, in 1 mL of milk or liquid egg, well below the toxic dose for humans. On the basis of these results, the real-time PCR method for detection of intentional castor contamination is applicable to milk and egg matrixes.     

Validation of a rice specific gene, sucrose phosphate synthase, used as the endogenous reference gene for qualitative and real-time quantitative PCR detection of transgenes

With the development of transgenic crops, many countries have issued regulations to label the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their derived products. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods are thought to be reliable and useful techniques for qualitative and quantitative detection of GMOs. These methods generally need to amplify the transgene and compare the amplified result with that of the corresponding reference gene to obtain reliable results. In this article, we reported the development of specific primers and probe for the rice (Oryza sativa) sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) gene and PCR cycling conditions suitable for the use of this sequence as an endogenous reference gene in both qualitative and quantitative PCR assays. Both methods were assayed with 13 different rice varieties, and identical amplification products were obtained with all of them. No amplification products were observed when DNA samples from other species, such as wheat, maize, barley, tobacco, soybean, rapeseed, tomato, sunflower, carrot, pepper, eggplant, lupine, mung bean, plum, and Arabidopsis thaliana, were used as templates, which demonstrated that this system was specific for rice. In addition, the results of the Southern blot analysis confirmed that the SPS gene was a single copy in the tested rice varieties. In qualitative and quantitative PCR analyses, the detection sensitivities were 0.05 and 0.005 ng of rice genomic DNA, respectively. To test the practical use of this SPS gene as an endogenous reference gene, we have also quantified the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene in transgenic rice using this reference gene. These results indicated that the SPS gene was species specific, had one copy number, and had a low heterogeneity among the tested cultivars. Therefore, this gene could be used as an endogenous reference gene of rice and the optimized PCR systems could be used for practical qualitative and quantitative detection of transgenic rice.     

Species-specific identification of seven vegetable oils based on suspension bead array

Species adulteration of vegetable oils has become a main form of adulteration in vegetable oils, severely violating consumer rights and causing disorder in the market. A reliable method of species authentication of vegetable oils is desirable. This paper reports a novel method for identification of seven species of vegetable oils based on suspension bead array. One pair of universal primers and seven species-specific probes were designed targeting rbcl gene of the chloroplast. Each probe was coupled to a unique color-coded microsphere. Biotinylated PCR amplicons of seven oils were hybridized to the complementary probes on microsphere sets. Bound amplicons were detected fluorometrically using a reporter dye, streptavidin-R-phycoeryt hrin (SA-PE). A sample could be analyzed less than 1 h after PCR amplification. With the exception of olive probe, all probes showed no cross-reactivity with other species. Absolute detection limit of the seven probes ranged from 0.01 ng/μL to 0.0001 ng/μL. Detection limit in DNA mixture was from 10% to 5%. Detection of vegetable oils validated the effectiveness of the method. The suspension bead array as a rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput technology has potential to identify more species of vegetable oils with increased species of probes.