Selection on multiple QTL with control of gene diversity and inbreeding for long-term benefit

The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate selection strategies that aim at maximizing long-term genetic response while conserving gene diversity and controlling inbreeding in populations of limited effective size, assuming complete knowledge of all genes affecting a quantitative trait. Three selection strategies were proposed to select on 100 quantitative trait loci (QTL) and compared with truncation selection on breeding value. Alternative selection strategies aimed at maximizing the average breeding value of parents with a penalty on (1) the number of unfavourable QTL genotypes among parents (OS-I), (2) the negative of the logarithm of the frequency of the favourable allele at each QTL among parents (OS-II), and (3) the average pedigree relationship among parents (OS-III). When all QTL and their effects were known, the strategies examined were able to obtain extra long-term responses, conserve QTL diversity and reduce inbreeding, compared with truncation selection. Strategy OS-II was the most effective in conserving QTL diversity and OS-III in reducing inbreeding. By changing the magnitude of the penalties applied, the impact on long-term response, inbreeding and diversity can be controlled. Extra long-term responses over truncation selection of OS-I and OS-II were even greater when effects of QTL were estimated rather than assumed known, indicating the applicability of results to practical strategies for marker-assisted selection. Extra responses are expected to be reduced for larger population sizes.     

Radiosensitivity and capacity for radiation-induced sublethal damage repair of canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) cell lines

Understanding the inherent radiosensitivity and repair capacity of canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) can aid in optimizing radiation protocols to treat this disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the parameters surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF(2) ), α/β ratio and capacity for sublethal damage repair (SLDR) in response to radiation. Dose-response and split-dose studies were performed using the clonogenic assay. The mean SF(2) for three established TCC cell lines was high at 0.61. All the three cell lines exhibited a low to moderate α/β ratio, with the mean being 3.27. Two cell lines exhibited statistically increased survival at 4 and 24 h in the dose-response assay. Overall, our results indicate that the cell lines are moderately radioresistant, have a high repair capacity and behave similarly to a late-responding normal tissue. These findings indicate that the radiation protocols utilizing higher doses with less fractionation may be more effective for treating TCC.     

mRNA差异显示技术及其改进

分子生物学的首要任务之一就是比较不同细胞间或同一细胞不同时间与空间基因表达的差异。在多种基因检测技术中 ,mRNA差异显示技术作为研究细胞、组织在不同条件下 ,基因表达水平差异的重要手段 ,以不可替代的优势已被广泛用于生物学领域。该技术与传统的消减杂交等方法进行比较具有简便、快捷、灵敏、高效等优点 ,但也存在假阳性率高、易污染等缺点。为了克服以上缺点又不断涌现出一些改进技术。文章对该技术的原理、优势与不足及主要改进进行了综述     

两种免疫增强制剂对早期断乳仔猪红细胞免疫功能的影响

选取28日龄断奶的三元[杜×(大×长)]杂交仔猪15头,平均初始体重为(5.22±0.89)kg,随机分为3组:活性卵白组、活性酵母组和对照组,每组5头。对照组饲喂基础日粮,两个处理组在相同的基础日粮中分别口服卵白制剂及酵母制剂,剂量为10 mL/只,连续服用10 d。应用红细胞C3b受体花环(Erythrocyte C3bR,E-C3bR)试验和红细胞免疫复合物花环(ErythrocyteICR,E-ICR)试验,探讨两种免疫增强制剂在服药不同时间对断乳仔猪红细胞免疫功能的影响。结果显示,活性卵白组和活性酵母组的E-C3bRR和E-ICRR在服药后第1周、第2周都极显著的高于对照组(P<0.01),并于第2周达最高值。服药后第3周活性卵白组的E-C3bRR和E-ICRR均维持在较高水平,与对照组差异极显著(P<0.01);而活性酵母组呈现明显下降趋势,与对照组无明显差异。结果表明,活性卵白组较活性酵母组具有更加持续稳定的红细胞免疫促进功能。     

两栖类早期发育的基因调控

在两栖类受精卵的植物极附近的皮 层下区有一种特殊的细胞质,称为生殖质,卵 裂后凡是含有这种生殖质的卵裂球就是原生 殖细胞,后者在不同动力的作用下以一定方 式进行迁移,最终形成生殖细胞。基因与个 体发育有复杂的关系,据近40年的生物化学 和遗传学的研究证实,基因不直接控制性状 发育,而是控制生化过程,从而影响到个体发 育和分化。文章从基因表达时的不同作用水 平对两栖类早期发育的基因调控进行了综 述,并且阐述了参与发育的基因家族的作用 方式与功能。     

赤霉素对沙枣种子发芽率与出苗率的影响

研究了不同浓度GA3对沙枣(Elaeagnus angustifolia)种子发芽率和出苗率的影响。结果表明,在50～150 mg·L-1范围内,不同质量浓度的GA3对沙枣种子发芽和出苗均有显著促进作用（P＜0.05）,质量浓度为100 mg·L-1时效果最好,室内发芽率为86.3%,圃地出苗率为73.6%。     

应用逆转录套式PCR检测新城疫病毒核酸

选择DNV融合蛋白保守的编码区域,设计并合成了一对外引物和一对内引物,建立并优化了检测新城疫病毒核酸的逆转录套式PCRI地,通过检测NDV感染的实验客观存在病料和临床病料,结果表明,逆转录套式PCR法最低能鉴别出约0.3pg的NDV RNA,攻毒后第8天还能从非免疫鸡和SPF鸡泄殖腔拭子中检出DNV,第8天非免疫鸡泄殖腔拭子中NDV的最大检出率为5/10,第8天SPF鸡泄殖腔拭子中NDV的最大检出率为6/10,对非免疫鸡和SPF鸡的泄殖腔中NDV最佳检出时间均在攻毒后第5天。逆转录套式PCRY应运地临床样品中DNV的最大检出率为6/7,经核酸杂交验证,该法具有很高的特异性和敏感性,也比较简便快速,为从分子水平探讨NDV的发病机理、临床早期快速诊断提供了新的研究手段。     

First report of Wolbachia from field populations of Culex mosquitoes in south-western Nigeria

Recent reports on finding Wolbachia-strain infections in field mosquito species in some West African countries and the potential for developing these as disease vector biocontrol tools have prompted a search for Wolbachia in mosquitoes within the study area. Using a completely randomised design, mosquito traps were set at different locations in a rural and an urbanised community. One hundred and eighty (180) mosquitoes were trapped and pooled on the basis of genus, sex and site of collection, because there have been no earlier reports of Wolbachia isolated from Nigeria. Twenty pools, made up of not more than ten mosquitoes per pool, were homogenised and analysed for Wolbachia-specific DNA. Mosquitoes were trapped within Ede (urbanised community) and Akoda (rural community). Genomic DNA was extracted from trapped mosquito samples and used as a template in a PCR reaction. The Wolbachia sp. specific 16S rRNA gene was amplified, sequence analysis of PCR products was performed and a chromatogram of the sequence was subjected to Basic Local Alignment Search Tool analysis to identify the Wolbachia sp. This sequence was subsequently submitted to GenBank with accession number MK127541. The first evidence of the presence of the endosymbiont, Wolbachia in field-caught mosquitoes is hereby documented. The homology of this strain of Wolbachia bears similarities to those reported recently from other parts of West Africa and forms a single clade with a Wolbachia sp. from Mali, with a strong bootstrap support of 99%. This finding of a Wolbachia strain in mosquitoes at Ede could form the basis for more searches for diverse strains of Wolbachia in Nigeria.