Survey and examination of the potential alternative hosts of Villosiclava virens,the pathogen of rice false smut,in China

Rice false smut is caused by ascomycete Villosiclava virens, whose potential alternative hosts have been assumed previously. Here its potential alternative hosts were surveyed and identified from 2008 to 2013 in the main rice-growing regions in China. Two common weeds in paddy fields, Digitaria sanguinalis Scop. and Echinochloa crusgalli(L.) Beauv., were found to present the similar symptoms to smut diseases in a few individuals in 2012 and 2013 in Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces of China, respectively. After the examinations of the spore morphology, their infection and extension mode in hosts, pathogen cell wall components, and molecular identification, the two pathogens were identified to be the Basidiomycetes, Ustilago syntherismae and Ustilago trichophora, respectively. So far there has been no alternative host of V. virens to be identified in China. These suggest that the alternative hosts of V. virens, if they do exist, are not possible to play an important role in the pathogen life cycle and the disease epidemics.     

Exogenous protease supplementation of poultry by‐product meal‐based diets for broilers: Effects on growth,carcass characteristics and nutrient digestibility

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of three levels (0%, 3% and 6%) of poultry by‐product meal (PBM) with or without protease on broiler growth, carcass characteristics and nutrient digestibility from 1 to 35 days. Two hundred and forty birds (n = 240) were fed equi‐caloric and equi‐nitrogenous (ME 2850 kcal/kg; CP 20%) diets throughout the experiment. The enzyme supplementation increased feed intake (p < .01) and body weight gain (p < .01), but feed:gain remained unaffected (p > .05) from 1 to 21 days. Increasing level of PBM decreased feed intake (p < .05), but body weight gain was improved (p < .05) at 3% PBM level during 1 to 21 days. The feed:gain was improved (p < .05) in birds fed diets containing 3% PBM. The feed:gain was also improved in birds fed diets containing 3% PBM from 1 to 35 days. However, feed intake and body weight gain in birds fed diets containing PBM remained unaffected. An interaction (p < .01) on feed intake between enzyme and PBM was noticed during 1 to 21 days. However, no interaction was recorded for body weight gain and feed:gain. The per cent carcass yield improved (p < .01) in birds fed diets supplemented with enzyme. The per cent breast meat yield was depressed (p < .005) in birds fed diets containing PBM. Apparent metabolizable energy (p < .001), nitrogen retention (p < .01), apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (p < .001), and apparent digestibility coefficient for nitrogen (p < .01) improved in birds fed diets containing enzyme; however, a reverse was noticed in those fed diets containing only PBM. In conclusion, inclusion of 3% PBM along with supplementation of exogenous protease improved performance and nutrient digestibility in broilers.     

Effectiveness of a non-surgical alternative to the Mules operation in sheep

Objective To measure changes to the perineal bare area, local tissue reaction and healing responses of young sheep, following intradermal administration of cetrimide and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), with and without ethanol, to the breech and tail. Method A needle‐less injector was used to deposit formulations containing 40 g/L cetrimide and 30 g/L PVP (group 2) or 20 g/L cetrimide, 30 g/L PVP and 15 g/L ethanol (group 3), within the dermis of the tail and the region surrounding the perineal bare breech area of groups (N = 8) of Merino weaner sheep. The dimensions of the perineal bare area (length, width and diagonal distances left and right) and tail width were recorded before and at intervals after treatment for 60 days. Observations of swelling and bruising and scab formation at the treatment sites were recorded for up to 35 days after treatment. Rectal temperatures were monitored for up to 35 days after treatment and bodyweight for up to 60 days after treatment. An untreated control group (group 1) was included. Results Comparison of day ‐3 and day 35 measurement data showed that both treated groups had significantly (P < 0.05) wider breech bare areas compared to the untreated controls and that group 2 sheep had significantly (P < 0.05) longer breech bare areas compared to group 3 sheep or to the untreated controls, which were not significantly different. At this time scabs were still firmly in place on many treated sheep. At day 35 there was no increase in tail bare area caused by either treatment. By day 60 there was no significant difference between the treated and control groups in either the breech or tail regions indicating that the changes present at day 35, were not permanent. Mean weight gain in the groups throughout the 60‐day interval was unaffected by treatment. Intradermal treatment was associated with a significant elevation in body temperature. This effect lasted for 3 days and was associated with signs of discomfort and depressed appearance in at least some of the treated sheep. Bruising was mild to severe in all treated sheep within two days of treatment but was not evident in any sheep by day 21. Mild to moderate swelling was also associated with treatment but was not uniform across sheep in the groups. The tail of one sheep was severely swollen for several days. Swelling remained obvious in most treated sheep until day 14 but was not present at day 21. Conclusion Under the conditions of this study intradermal injection of cetrimide had no permanent effect on bare area measurements on the breech or the amount of wool‐bearing skin on the tail. It also caused signs of discomfort and pain that raise welfare concerns.     

禽分枝杆菌副结核亚种重组蛋白r22-ag85B的表达及纯化

为表达并纯化禽分枝杆菌副结核亚种主要抗原基因的串联重组蛋白r22-ag85B,期望研制出一种新型副结核病疫苗,以禽分枝杆菌副结核亚种参考株P18的基因组DNA为模板,扩增了22KD基因和ag85B基因。采用重叠延伸剪接PCR技术（SOE-PCR）获得了融合基因22-agS5B,将基因连接于表达载体pET32a（＋）,构建了重组质粒pET22-ag85B。将其转化到大肠杆菌感受态细胞BL21（DE3）中,以IPTG（终浓度1mmol／L）诱导后对表达产物进行Western blot检测。检测结果显示,成功表达并纯化了重组蛋白r22-ag85B,其分子质量约为65ku。Western blot检测表明此蛋白具有良好的免疫学活性。禽分枝杆菌副结核亚种22-ag85B重组蛋白的成功表达及纯化为副结核病疫苗的研究工作奠定了基础。     

人类可变剪接基因上游非编码区结构特征分析

选择性剪接作为一种真核生物基因重要的表达调控机制备受关注,无论是剪接复合物的构成、剪接位点的选择以及本身的调控机制等都是当今研究的热点。然而对选择性剪接基因本身的转录水平调控却关注较少,这类基因是否存在特异的转录调控仍属未知。通过对3797个实验验证的人类选择性剪接基因的上游非编码区（主要是启动子区）识别提取,进而对其结构特征进行了分析。所得结果为进一步诠释选择性剪接基因非编码区功能提供基础,对揭示此类基因本身的转录调控机制具有重要的意义。     

内含肽介导的蛋白质环化研究进展

内含肽介导的蛋白质主链骨架环化是一种稳定蛋白质的新方法。在内含肽的作用下,蛋白质的N端和C端生成一个天然的肽键,达到蛋白质环化的目的。环化可以减小蛋白质构象的熵值,从而使蛋白质更加稳定。蛋白质环化的方法为生产稳定药物蛋白质和工业酶提供了一种新的手段。     

二种池塘底泥总氮含量的简易测定法

本实验创立了二种水产养殖池塘底泥总氮含量简易测定法,分别称为总氨法和硝酸盐法.通过与使用LECO公司的全自动CHN分析仪（Dumas仪器法）进行12个池塘底泥样品的测定结果比对,以及对所建立的回归方程经显著性检验,结果表明这两种方法均与Dumas仪器法之间存在线性相关,并回归极显著.二种土壤总氮含量的简易测定法,均实现了简化检测步骤、减少检测工作量、节省检测时间及降低成本,能满足许多水产技术推广站及养殖场等普通的实验室开展池塘底泥总氮含量的检测要求.     

Cellular and humoral immune responses of Senegalese sole,Solea senegalensis (Kaup), following challenge with two Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida strains from different geographical origins

The present study aimed to investigate leucocyte responses to inflammation as well as some innate immune parameters of Senegalese sole, Solea senegalensis, following challenge with two strains of Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida belonging to the European and Japanese clones described for this bacterium. Pathogenicity assays were performed to assess the virulence of each Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida strain for sole. Subsequently, fish were intraperitoneally injected with phosphate‐buffered saline (control) or two concentrations (2 × 10² and 2 × 10⁶ CFU mL^?1) of each bacterial strain and sampled after 6 and 24 h. Results showed that the European isolate induces a higher degree of response than the Japanese strain. While blood neutrophilia and monocytosis correlated well with the increase in neutrophil and macrophage numbers in the peritoneal cavity, fish infected with the European isolate presented higher peritoneal cell numbers than fish challenged with the Japanese strain. In addition, alternative complement pathway activity and respiratory burst of head kidney leucocytes increased significantly in fish infected with the European isolate. The enhanced innate immune response displayed by Senegalese sole challenged with the European isolate is probably due to the higher degree of virulence presented by this Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida strain.