Genetic Structure of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Carrier Horses in Morocco Inferred by Microsatellite Data

A total of 17 microsatellite deoxyribonucleic acid loci used routinely for horse parentage control were used to evaluate genetic diversity among normal Arabian horses and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) carrier Arabian horses (ArS) and normal Arab-Barb horses and SCID carrier Arab-Barb horses (ArbeS). On the basis of the genotype of 186 horses, mean allelic diversity was estimated as 6.82, 5.53, and 6.7059 in normal Arabian horses, ArS, and for both groups of Arab-Barb horses, respectively. Five specific alleles were observed in ArS and ArbeS, with one common with ArS at HMS6, whereas five alleles common between ArS and ArbeS had a high frequency. Expected and observed heterozygosity showed great heterogeneity in the population studied and were similar or higher when compared with other studies on Arabian horses. Coefficient of gene differentiation G_st of Nei associated with Nei’s genetic distance and multivariate correspondence analysis indicated a possible differentiation between the studied populations when analyzed separately according to breed. Probability of assignment of a horse to a specific group was assessed using a full and partial Bayesian approach. In all, 80.6% of Arab horses and 78.2% of Arab-Barb horses were assigned properly with a partial Bayesian test, which provided better results than the full one. These findings will be useful for identification of SCID carrier horses by using the microsatellite deoxyribonucleic acid loci used routinely for horse parentage control in our laboratory.     

The effect of copper nanoparticles and copper (II) salt on redox reactions and epigenetic changes in a rat model

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a diet containing different levels of Cu in two different chemical forms (carbonate and nanoparticles) on redox reactions and epigenetic changes in a rat model. For 4 weeks, five experimental groups (eight rats in each) were fed diets with two dosages of added Cu (standard—6.5 mg/kg or half of the standard dosage—3.25 mg/kg, and as a negative control no additional Cu in the mineral mixture) in two forms (standard—CuCO₃ and copper nanoparticles). Addition of Cu nanoparticles resulted in higher Cp (ceruloplasmin) activity and LOOH (lipid peroxides) and MDA (malondialdehyde) content, as well as decrease the CAT (catalase) activity and level of PC (protein carbonyl), 3‐NT (3‐nitrotyrosine), 8‐OHdG (8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine), GSH + GSSG (total glutathione) and DNA methylation. Reducing the dose of copper resulted in a decrease in the level of LOOH and GSH + GSSG as well as CAT activity, but increased the level of PC and methylated DNA. Based on these evidence, we concluded that addition of copper nanoparticles in the diet reduces protein oxidation and nitration as well as DNA oxidation and methylation. Lowering the level of Cu in the diet increases the oxidation of proteins and DNA methylation.     

中国部分山羊品种线粒体DNA D-loop序列遗传多样性分析

分析了中国部分本地山羊品种(18个品种200个体)以及在中国饲养的引入品种(4个品种25个体)线粒体DNA控制区(D-loop)的全序列,结合已报道的世界其它地方的山羊(15个品种77个体)以及2只野山羊的线粒体DNA控制区(D-loop)全序列共304个体,研究结果表明:山羊线粒体DNA控制区约为1 212 bp,检测到228个变异位点,203种单倍型,单倍型多样度为0.993±0.001;核苷酸多样度0.018±0.001。中国部分山羊的变异类型主要为类型A和B,而在巴基斯坦山羊中还检测到类型C和D。比较分析结果表明中国山羊遗传多样性和基因交流比中国黄牛品种要高。     

四神叶形吸虫的DNA含量及蛋白质电泳分析

四种叶形吸虫成虫初级精母细胞核ＤＮＡ含量测定表明，寄生于较高等鱼类宿主的中华叶形吸虫和鳗鲡叶形吸虫的ＤＮＡ含量较高（Ｃ值分别为０．２５ｐｇ和０．２６ｐｇ），而寄生于较低等鱼类宿主的鲶叶形吸虫和巴氏叶形吸虫的ＤＮＡ含量较低（Ｃ值分别为０．２１ｐｇ和０．２０ｐｇ）。这四种叶形吸虫成虫全蛋白质浓度梯度凝胶电泳分析进一步显示，中华叶形吸虫与鳗鲡叶形吸虫构成一近缘亚群（Ｓｍ＝０．６５７９，Ｄ＝０．４１８７），而鲶叶形吸虫和巴氏叶形吸虫构成另一近缘亚群（Ｓｍ＝０．６１７６，Ｄ＝０．４８１９）；这两个亚群间的相似系数值（Ｓｍ）小于０．５３，遗传距离值（Ｄ）大于０．６４。以上结果从分子水平上再次证实将叶形吸虫属划分为两个亚属是有根据的。     

应用微卫星DNA标记对BWEL-SPF鸡种群的群体遗传学分析

本研究利用14个鸡微卫星DNA标记位点,采用DNA测序仪和荧光素标记分子内标,建立了鸡分子遗传学的检测方法,对F15世代BWEL-SPF鸡种群8个家系群体内和群体间的遗传结构进行了分析。结果表明,被检位点35.7%(5/14)的基因型趋于纯合,家系内等位基因的变异程度显著降低。F-统计量检验结果表明,家系间的遗传分化均达到了极显著水平(P0.001),群体间的变异占到了总遗传变异的12.9%。     

Evaluation of the Abbott LCx Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Assay for Direct Detection of Mycobacterium Bovis in Bovine Tissue Samples

The commercial LCx amplification assay, usually employed to detect the Myocobacterium tuberculosis complex in respiratory specimens, was evaluated by comparing the results it gave with those obtained using Löwenstein-Jensen solid medium and pathological findings on 55 lymph nodes from cattle with positive and 10 lymph nodes from cattle with negative skin tests for tuberculosis. Fifty-three cultures (51 and 2, respectively) were positive for M. bovis, while the results for the LCx assay and the histological method were positive in 48 (45, 3) and 24 (20, 4) samples, respectively. None of the samples from cattle from certified tuberculosis-free herds were positive by any of the procedures. The results obtained with the LCx assay, compared with the culture procedure, regarded as the gold standard among the diagnostic techniques, gave a specificity of 91.6% and sensitivity of 90.5%. Although the sensitivity of LCx was suboptimal, DNA of M. bovis was detected in 81.8% of the skin test-positive animals. Amplification techniques could provide a rapid and reasonably reliable tool for detecting bovine tuberculosis.     

DNA甲基化与肿瘤研究进展

对肿瘤研究的不断深入,发现除了基因突变之外,表观遗传改变也与肿瘤的发生发展密切相关。肿瘤表观遗传的改变以DNA的异常甲基化为主。DNA的异常甲基化几乎存在于任何类型的人类肿瘤中,包括皮肤恶性肿瘤。DNA甲基化是指在DNA甲基化酶的作用下,以S-腺苷酸-L-甲硫氨酸为甲基供体,将甲基转移到特定碱基上的过程。基因的正常功能除了依赖于正常结构外,还依赖于正常的甲基化状态。DNA的异常甲基化在肿瘤发生中起重要作用。     

Effect of Maternal Age on the Ratio of Cleavage and Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number in Early Developmental Stage Bovine Embryos

Age-associated deterioration in both the quality and quantity of mitochondria occurs in older women. The main aim of this study was to examine the effect of age on mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA number) in early developmental stage bovine embryos as well as the dynamics of mtDNA number during early embryo development. Real-time PCR was used to determine mtDNA number. In vitro-produced embryos 48 h after insemination derived from Japanese black cows, ranging in age from 25 to 209 months were categorized based on their cleavage status. There was an overall negative relationship between the age of the cow and cleavage status, to the extent that the ratio of embryos cleaved over the 4-cell stage was greater in younger cows. The mtDNA number did not differ among the cleaved status of embryos. In the next experiment, oocytes collected from each donor cow were divided into 2 groups containing 10 oocytes each, in order to compare the mtDNA number of mature oocytes and early developmental stage embryos within individuals. Upon comparing the mtDNA number between oocytes at the M2 stage and early developmental stage 48 h post insemination, mtDNA number was found to decrease in most cows, but was found to increase in some cows. In conclusion, age affects the cleaving ability of oocytes, and very old cows (> 180 months) tend to have lower mtDNA numbers in their oocytes. The change in mtDNA number during early development varied among individual cows, although overall, it showed a tendency to decrease.