A comparison of three rapid diagnostic methods for the detection of rotavirus infection in calves

Three techniques for the detection of rotavirus in faecal samples from calves with neonatal gastroenteritis were compared. A preliminary study indicated that reverse passive haemagglutination (RPHA) was at least as sensitive as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These two immunoassays were compared with the detection of viral RNA by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) on 209 field samples. Of the 77 samples in which at least one test gave a positive result, 69 were positive by both RPHA and PAGE, but only 49 were also positive by ELISA, indicating a lower sensitivity for the latter test. The overall agreement between RPHA and PAGE was 96%. The reasons for the discrepancies between the tests are discussed.     

Characterisation of the outer membrane protein antigens of British field isolates of Moraxella bovis

Outer membranes of a single isolate of Moraxella bovis were prepared and their purity evaluated by a comparison of the iodinated proteins from whole cells and on outer membranes. The protein patterns of the outer membranes of 10 isolates were examined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the antigenic relationship between proteins of different isolates determined by immunoblotting, using antiserum produced against the outer membrane of the single isolate of M. bovis. The overall protein pattern of the different isolates was similar although not identical, but, significantly, only three separate immunogenic proteins were common to all the isolates under examination.     

水稻矮缩病毒基因组及毒粒三维结构的研究进展

水稻矮缩病毒(Rice dwarf virus,RDV)为双层壳、二十面体的双链RNA病毒,是水稻的重要病原物之一.文中比较了RDV中国福建分离物与日本分离物基因组各片段核苷酸序列的相似性,发现RDV两个不同分离物基因组相应片段的相似性均在92%以上,最高可达96%;分析了相应基因组片段编码的结构蛋白P1、P2、P3、P5、P7、P8及以前一直被认为是非结构蛋白的P9和非结构蛋白Pns4、Pns6、Pns10 、Pns11和Pns12在RDV复制、组装过程中的功能;回顾了RDV粒子三维结构的研究概况,对RDV粒子内、外层衣壳的晶体学结构作了较详细的描述;简要介绍了RDV复制与组装的机制,发现核心蛋白与dsRNA间相互作用成为一个单元是病毒RNA的分拣及包装到病毒粒子核心内的可能机制.同时,指出基于PDR的植物抗病毒基因工程在水稻矮缩病毒防治上的可能性.     

Influence of prolonged arable cropping on lignin compounds in sandy soils of the South African Highveld

The preservation of plant residues is important for sustainable arable cropping. Lignin is a marker for plant residues in soils. We have investigated influences of the length of cultivation on the dynamics of lignin. Composite samples were taken from the top 20 cm of soils that have been cropped for periods varying from 0 to 98 years in each of three different agro‐ecosystems in the Free State Province of South Africa. Lignin‐derived phenols were determined in the <2 µm (clay), 2–20 µm (silt), 20–250 µm (fine sand) and 250– 2000 µm (coarse sand) size separates. With increasing length of cultivation, the concentration of such phenols decreased to 36% of that in the grassland. The lignin contents as proportions of the total carbon did not change during cultivation, suggesting that there was no selective enrichment of lignin moieties as C was lost as a result of cultivation. The loss rate constants of lignin concentrations in particle‐size fractions increased in the order clay (0.17 year^?1) ≤ silt (0.18 year^?1) < fine sand (0.20 year^?1) < coarse sand (0.22 year^?1). Increasing ratios of phenolic acids to aldehydes in bulk soil, silt and fine sand fractions with increasing length of cultivation indicated that side chains were being oxidized. The ratios in the silt fraction, however, decreased after 10–20 years. We attribute this to a loss of lignin together with silt by wind erosion, resulting in a rejuvenation of lignin compounds in the remaining silt‐sized pools of C.     

Population Structure of Phytophthora cinnamomi in South Africa

ABSTRACT Phytophthora cinnamomi isolates collected from 1977 to 1986 and 1991 to 1993 in two regions in South Africa were analyzed using isozymes. A total of 135 isolates was analyzed for 14 enzymes representing 20 putative loci, of which four were polymorphic. This led to the identification of nine different multilocus isozyme genotypes. Both mating types of P. cinnamomi occurred commonly in the Cape region, whereas, predominantly, the A2 mating type occurred in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa. A2 mating type isolates could be resolved into seven multilocus isozyme genotypes, compared with only two multilocus isozyme genotypes for the A1 mating type isolates. Low levels of gene (0.115) and genotypic (2.4%) diversity and a low number of alleles per locus (1.43) were observed for the South African P. cinnamomi population. The genetic distance between the Cape and Mpumalanga P. cinnamomi populations was relatively low (D(m) = 0.165), and no specific pattern in regional distribution of multilocus isozyme genotypes could be observed. The genetic distance between the "old" (isolated between 1977 and 1986) and "new" (isolated between 1991 and 1993) P. cinnamomi populations from the Cape was low (D(m) = 0.164), indicating a stable population over time. Three of the nine multilocus isozyme genotypes were specific to the "old" population, and only one multilocus isozyme genotype was specific to the "new" population. Significant differences in allele frequencies, a high genetic distance (D(m) = 0.581) between the Cape A1 and A2 mating type isolates, significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, a low overall level of heterozygosity, and a high fixation index (0.71) all indicate that sexual reproduction occurs rarely, if at all, in the South African P. cinnamomi population.