Effect of DNA polymorphisms related to fatty acid composition in adipose tissue of Holstein cattle

Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue has been recognized as an important carcass trait because of its relationship with eating quality such as favorable beef flavor and tenderness. Therefore, we investigated the effects of genetic polymorphisms of liver X receptor, alpha (LXR), stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD), Fatty acid synthase (FASN), and Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) on fatty acid composition in intramuscular fat tissue of Holstein steers. The major allele frequencies were 0.705 in SCD, 0.518 in FABP4, 0.888 in FASN, and 0.984 in LXR. Genotyping of SCD showed significant effect on C14:0, C14:1, C18:0 and saturated fatty acid (P < 0.05). In addition, the result suggested that SCD genotype possibly had effect on composition of C18:1 and monounsaturated fatty acid. Genotype of FABP4 had significant effect on composition of C16:0. Effect of LXR genotypes could not be analyze because of extremely biased genotype frequencies. Our results suggest that genotypes of SCD and FABP4 may in part affect meat quality in Holstein.     

Identification and utilization of genes associated with beef qualities

The fatty acid composition of adipose tissue in beef has been recognized as an important trait because of its relationship with beef quality, including favorable beef flavor and tenderness. Over the last decade, we have tried to identify the genes responsible for the fatty acid composition in cattle, and have found the following. (i) Genetic polymorphism of stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD) is one of the responsible genes associated with fatty acid composition. The average effects of gene substitution of the SCD type A gene on the monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) percentage and the melting point of intramuscular fat were approximately +1.0% and ?1.0°C, respectively. (ii) Intron polymorphism of sterol regulatory element binding protein–1 (SREBP‐1) also affected MUFA. (iii) No effect of SCD or SREBP‐1 genotypes on any representative carcass traits of Japanese Black in the field population was observed. (iv) Additional genetic markers adipocytes fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) and liver X receptor α also affected the fatty acid composition. (v) SCD and FABP4 significantly affected fatty acid composition in Holstein steers. These findings will bring new insight into the fat‐related carcass traits of beef cattle and will thus contribute to the beef industry.     

农药中色素合成抑制剂的研究和应用进展

光合作用在植物的生长过程中起着至关重要的作用,以光合色素生物合成过程中的酶作为靶标,是研发除草剂的一个重要方向和热点。其中原卟啉原氧化酶(PPO),八氢番茄红素去饱和酶(PDS),ζ-胡萝卜素去饱和酶(ZDS),对羟苯基丙酮酸双氧化酶(HPPD)等作为除草剂靶酶非常成功。本文综述了近年来农药中色素合成抑制剂的作用机制及最新应用进展,并展望未来的发展趋势。     

在中国大豆品种上创建ALSV诱导的基因沉默体系

【目的】在中国大豆品种上建立以苹果潜隐球形病毒（apple latent spherical virus,ALSV）为载体的基因沉默体系,为中国大豆品种的基因功能和遗传育种提供一种简便、省时、易操作的技术体系。【方法】构建以农杆菌介导接种的ALSV病毒侵染性克隆载体。从大豆品种威廉姆斯82（Williams 82）中特异扩增327 bp的八氢番茄红素脱氢酶（GmPDS）基因cDNA片段,插入病毒载体pALSV2。通过农杆菌浸润法将病毒载体导入模式植物本氏烟（Nicotiana benthamiana）,17 d后富集病毒粒子,摩擦接种大豆第一轮真叶,以接种病毒空载作为对照组,持续观察测试大豆植株系统叶表型,并结合逆转录-聚合酶链式反应（RT-PCR）或荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）检测ALSV衣壳蛋白基因（CP）和GmPDS的表达水平。【结果】ALSV﹕GmPDS接种大豆品种威廉姆斯82和南农1138-2,20 d后,前者系统叶未见白化表型,而后者系统叶出现明显的白化表型;qRT-PCR检测结果表明,发生白化的南农1138-2植株中GmPDS的表达水平显著降低,未出现白化表型的威廉姆斯82中GmPDS的表达水平没有出现显著变化。在此基础上,采用相同的方法,测试了ALSV在其他9种大豆品种中诱导GmPDS的沉默效率,发现在南农47、安豆203、祥斗4号、中黄13、山宁29、齐黄34等大豆品种上接种ALSV﹕GmPDS后植株系统叶均产生白化表型,而菏豆12、中黄311和山宁16等3个品种的GmPDS均不能诱导有效沉默。【结论】构建了农杆菌介导的ALSV病毒载体,利用本氏烟扩繁富集ALSV病毒,将提纯的病毒粒体摩擦接种大豆真叶,在多个中国大豆品种上成功建立了基因沉默体系。     

红花油酸去饱和酶基因的克隆及序列分析

【目的】对红花油酸去饱和酶FAD2基因进行克隆和生物信息学分析,为深入研究该酶的功能提供理论依据。【方法】提取红花种子总RNA,通过RT-PCR方法进行反转录,PCR扩增得到FAD2基因全长cDNA序列。运用生物信息学方法,对红花FAD2氨基酸序列的理化性质、系统进化、蛋白定位和跨膜区域等进行预测和分析。【结果】成功克隆获得了红花FAD2基因,其开放阅读框cDNA长1 140bp,编码380个氨基酸,预测分子质量43.6ku,理论等电点8.37,带有正电残基(强酸性)30个、负电残基(强碱性)34个。FAD2蛋白含有3个极度保守的His-Box,不存在明显的信号肽,存在6个跨膜结构域,与疏水区域预测结果一致。红花FAD2核苷酸的分子进化树分析显示,其与日本栽培稻的亲缘关系较近。红花FAD2氨基酸序列比对结果表明,不同植物的FAD2具有较高的同源性,同源性平均达72.94%。【结论】成功克隆了红花FAD2基因,并对其编码的蛋白进行了生物信息学分析。     

Biosynthesis of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Marine Invertebrates: Recent Advances in Molecular Mechanisms

Virtually all polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) originate from primary producers but can be modified by bioconversions as they pass up the food chain in a process termed trophic upgrading. Therefore, although the main primary producers of PUFA in the marine environment are microalgae, higher trophic levels have metabolic pathways that can produce novel and unique PUFA. However, little is known about the pathways of PUFA biosynthesis and metabolism in the levels between primary producers and fish that are largely filled by invertebrates. It has become increasingly apparent that, in addition to trophic upgrading, de novo synthesis of PUFA is possible in some lower animals. The unequivocal identification of PUFA biosynthetic pathways in many invertebrates is complicated by the presence of other organisms within them. These organisms include bacteria and algae with PUFA biosynthesis pathways, and range from intestinal flora to symbiotic relationships that can involve PUFA translocation to host organisms. This emphasizes the importance of studying biosynthetic pathways at a molecular level, and the continual expansion of genomic resources and advances in molecular analysis is facilitating this. The present paper highlights recent research into the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of PUFA biosynthesis in marine invertebrates, particularly focusing on cephalopod molluscs.     

草莓八氢番茄红素合成酶基因的克隆及其表达特性

 【目的】分离和克隆草莓果实八氢番茄红素合成酶基因psy,分析其序列特征,了解其在不同组织部位的表达情况。【方法】采用RT-PCR和RACE技术从草莓果实中克隆草莓类胡萝卜素合成途径中关键基因psy,用生物信息学方法对获得的cDNA序列及推定氨基酸序列进行分析,并用半定量PCR法研究psy基因在不同组织中的表达。【结果】分离到psy基因,GenBank登录号为FJ784889。该cDNA全长1 458 bp,具有1个1 194 bp的完整开放阅读框(ORF),编码398个氨基酸。序列分析表明,psy编码的氨基酸序列与其它植物的PSY蛋白有很高的相似性。系统进化树分析显示,草莓PSY与胡萝卜和玉米的PSY蛋白亲缘关系比较近。原核表达结果表明psy基因在大肠杆菌中获得高效表达。利用半定量RT-PCR技术进行组织表达模式分析发现,psy基因在草莓的花、叶片和果实中均有表达。表达量为花＞红果＞粉红果＞白果＞青果＞老叶＞新叶。【结论】从草莓中克隆到类胡萝卜素生物合成的关键酶基因psy,该基因可能参与调控类胡萝卜素的合成。     

白菜型油菜八氢番茄红素脱氢酶基因PDS3的克隆与序列分析

利用电子克隆技术,从数据库中找到与拟南芥高度同源的油菜EST序列,继而通过RT-PCR和RACE等方法,成功克隆了白菜型油菜八氢番茄红素脱氢酶（类胡萝卜素合成途径中的一个关键限速酶）基因PDS3的cDNA,命名为BrPDS3（GenBank 登记号GQ200741）。cDNA序列全长1940bp,其中包含114bp的5’前导序列和134bp的3’不翻译序列,编码区长度为1 692bp,编码63kD的蛋白。序列分析表明,BrPDS3蛋白与其他植物的PDS蛋白具有较高相似性;在系统进化树中,BrPDS3与甘蓝亲缘关系最近。根据全长cDNA序列设计引物,从白菜型油菜青油13号DNA中克隆得到BrPDS3基因的全长DNA,长度为3 911bp,ORF（开放阅读框）1 692bp,含有15个外显子和14个内含子。     

Inventory of Fatty Acid Desaturases in the Pennate Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

The diatom Phaeodactylum is rich in very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Fatty acid (FA) synthesis, elongation, and desaturation have been studied in depth in plants including Arabidopsis, but for secondary endosymbionts the full picture remains unclear. FAs are synthesized up to a chain length of 18 carbons inside chloroplasts, where they can be incorporated into glycerolipids. They are also exported to the ER for phospho- and betaine lipid syntheses. Elongation of FAs up to 22 carbons occurs in the ER. PUFAs can be reimported into plastids to serve as precursors for glycerolipids. In both organelles, FA desaturases are present, introducing double bonds between carbon atoms and giving rise to a variety of molecular species. In addition to the four desaturases characterized in Phaeodactylum (FAD2, FAD6, PtD5, PtD6), we identified eight putative desaturase genes. Combining subcellular localization predictions and comparisons with desaturases from other organisms like Arabidopsis, we propose a scheme at the whole cell level, including features that are likely specific to secondary endosymbionts.