Influence of recombinant duck follistatin protein on embryonic muscle development and gene expressions

Follistatin (FST) acts as a positive regulator of muscle development by inhibiting the activities and expression of myostatin. The recombinant duck FST protein was injected into hatching eggs and was also added to the medium of duck myoblast to study its role on duck embryonic muscle development and gene expressions. Duck embryo weight increased 3.49% (p > 0.05) in FST treatment group as compared with control group, but minor effects were found on leg or breast muscle weights of ducklings at 2 days post‐hatching (p > 0.05). Relative expression of Pax7 was upregulated in both leg and breast muscle tissues (p < 0.05), while MyoD was only upregulated in leg muscle (p < 0.05), and Myf5 was only upregulated in breast muscle (p < 0.05). Relative expression of myostatin was downregulated in both muscle tissues researched (p < 0.05). In vitro studies also showed some maker genes relevant to protein synthesis and degradation, cells’ proliferation and differentiation had significant changes in myoblasts after treated with FST. These results suggested that in ovo feeding of recombinant FST protein to duck hatching eggs had an effect on duck embryo development but have less roles on the duck embryonic muscle development.     

Detection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies in sylvatic lagomorphs from an epidemic area of Madrid using the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test

An outbreak of human leishmaniosis was confirmed in the southwest of the province of Madrid, Spain, between July 2009 and December 2012. Incidence of Leishmania infection in dogs was unchanged in this period, prompting a search for alternative sylvatic infection reservoirs. We evaluated exposure to Leishmania in serum samples from animals in the area with an indirect immunofluorescence test (IFAT). Using promastigotes from six culture passages and a 1/25 threshold titer, we found anti-Leishmania infantum seroreactivity in 9.3% of cats (4 of 43), 45.7% of rabbits (16/35) and 74.1% of hares (63/85). Use of promastigotes from >10 in vitro passages resulted in a notably IFAT lower titer, suggesting antigenic changes during extended culture. Postmortem inspection of seropositive animals showed no clinical signs of infection. The results clearly suggest that asymptomatic hares were the main reservoir in the outbreak, and corroborate IFAT as a sensitive serological surveillance method to detect such cryptic Leishmania infections.     

羊白细胞介素-18成熟蛋白的酵母表达和生物学活性研究

为了研究重组羊白细胞介素(gIL)-18在酵母系统中的高效表达,进一步阐明该重组蛋白的生物学活性,以含有gIL-18基因的重组质粒为模板进行PCR扩增,构建重组表达质粒pPICZ-gIL-18,转化于毕赤酵母GSll5,以甲醇诱导表达,经sDS-PAGE和western blot分析证实了重组蛋白的表达,分泌的重组gIL-18表达量为100 mg/L.经纯化后用MTT法和MDBK-VSV法检测表达的重组IL-18体外生物活性,利用免疫试验检测了重组蛋白对羊痘疫苗的免疫增强作用.实验结果表明,该蛋白具有诱导MDBK细胞分泌IFN-γ和刺激PBMC增殖的生物学活性,比活性为1.5×105 u/mg.体外具有增强羊痘疫苗的活性.毕赤酵母分泌表达的重组gIL-18具有良好的生物学活性,为gIL-18作为免疫佐剂和免疫治疗剂的大规模应用奠定了基础.     

茧层量差异家蚕品种后部丝腺细胞和血液组织的蛋白质表达谱分析

为了研究家蚕茧层量性状的分子调控机制,采用蛋白质双向电泳和图像分析技术,分析了遗传背景基本相同,而结茧性状和茧层量具有明显差异的正常茧、薄皮茧、裸蛹3个家蚕品种的丝腺细胞和血液组织的蛋白质表达与茧层量的关系。结果表明:裸蛹品种的丝腺细胞蛋白斑点与正常茧品种的蛋白斑点的匹配率仅在65%左右,且存在35%左右的特异蛋白斑点,暗示裸蛹性状可能是主效基因控制的微效多基因遗传;3个品种后部丝腺细胞特异蛋白斑点、匹配蛋白斑点按等电点划分的分布规律具有明显差异,而血液组织相应的分布规律非常相似,暗示丝腺细胞中的蛋白及其基因对家蚕茧层量性状的作用要大于血液组织中的蛋白及其基因;正常茧、薄皮茧和裸蛹3个品种后部丝腺细胞中特异蛋白斑点及上调和下调蛋白斑点中,可能分别存在着与家蚕高茧层量性状、结薄皮茧性状以及不结茧性状有关的蛋白质。     

犬新孢子虫NcSRS2基因原核表达质粒的构建

根据已发表的犬新孢子虫NcSRS2基因序列,设计1对含有EcoRⅠ和NotⅠ酶切位点的引物。以提取犬新孢子虫虫体基因组DNA为模板,应用PCR扩增获得NcSRS2 ORF基因片段,将此基因片段克隆到pMD18-T Simple载体上,用EcoRⅠ和NotⅠ双酶切该片段,回收得到含有两个酶切位点黏端的Nc-SRS2 ORF基因,将此基因片段克隆至相同酶切回收后的PGEM-4T-2原核表达载体中,获得重组质粒pGEX-NcSRS2,经PCR鉴定,限制性内切酶分析和克隆片段序列测定比较,证实了重组质粒的正确性。     

Molecular cloning,purification and immunogenicity of recombinant Brucella abortus 544 malate dehydrogenase protein

The Brucella mdh gene was successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli. The purified recombinant malate dehydrogenase protein (rMDH) was reactive to Brucella-positive bovine serum in the early stage, but not reactive in the middle or late stage, and was reactive to Brucella-positive mouse serum in the late stage, but not in the early or middle stage of infection. In addition, rMDH did not react with Brucella-negative bovine or mouse sera. These results suggest that rMDH has the potential for use as a specific antigen in serological diagnosis for early detection of bovine brucellosis.     

家蚕B型清道夫受体基因的鉴定及系统发生与表达分析

B型清道夫受体(SR-B)是清道夫受体超基因家族成员,参与机体的脂类代谢、动脉粥样硬化形成或保护、宿主免疫损害防御、凋亡细胞清除和细胞粘附等重要生命过程。基于家蚕全基因组数据,利用比较基因组学方法,鉴定获得了14个家蚕B型清道夫受体基因,这些基因分布在至少5条染色体上,其内含子的大小从几十到近万个碱基对。系统发生分析表明,14个家蚕B型清道夫受体基因分布在3个类群:第1类群中分布的9个基因和第3类群中分布的3个基因,分别与类群中其它昆虫的同源基因形成明显的直系同源关系;第2类群中分布有2个基因,此类群中不同昆虫的同源基因之间的进化关系较为复杂。EST数据和芯片数据分析表明,多数家蚕B型清道夫受体基因具有转录活性。RT-PCR检测结果显示,有8个家蚕B型清道夫受体基因在5龄第3天幼虫组织中表达,并具有不同的表达模式,推测这些基因可能行使不同的功能。研究结果为进一步诠释家蚕B型清道夫受体基因的功能奠定了基础。     

杨树木质部特异启动子MDCesAP的改造及功能检测

木质部特异表达的强启动子有助于外源目的基因在植物木质部中高效表达。将2个杨树木质部特异启动子MDCe-sAP串联在一起,置换植物表达载体pBI121上的35S启动子,构建成pDMDCesAP-GUS植物表达载体,通过农杆菌介导,并采用叶盘法转化烟草,获得烟草抗性植株。β-葡糖醛酸酶(GUS)活性检测结果表明,该串联启动子DMDCesAP具有木质部特异性,有望应用于桑天牛寄主树种的抗虫转基因研究。     

甲型流感病毒NP蛋白原核表达及其金标检测方法的建立

构建甲型流感病毒NP基因重组质粒,制备NP蛋白,建立甲型流感病毒胶体金检测方法。设计引物,扩增人工合成的甲型流感病毒株A(H5 N1)(GenBank登录号AY585439)NP DNA基因,构建pET-30 Xa/LIC-NP重组质粒,转化入原核表达系统E.coliBL21 Gold中进行表达和纯化。结果制备了纯度高达900 mL/L的甲型流感病毒NP融合蛋白,并初步建立了金标检测方法。