Improvements of TKC Technology Accelerate Isolation of Transgene-Free CRISPR/Cas9-Edited Rice Plants

Elimination of the CRISPR/Cas9 constructs in edited plants is a prerequisite for assessing genetic stability, conducting phenotypic characterization, and applying for commercialization of the plants. However, removal of the CRISPR/Cas9 transgenes by genetic segregation and by backcross is laborious and time consuming. We previously reported the development of the transgene killer CRISPR (TKC) technology that uses a pair of suicide genes to trigger self-elimination of the transgenes without compromising gene editing efficiency. The TKC technology enables isolation of transgene-free CRISPR-edited plants within a single generation, greatly accelerating crop improvements. Here, we presented two new TKC vectors that show great efficiency in both editing the target gene and in undergoing self-elimination of the transgenes. The new vectors replaced the CaMV35S promoter used in our previous TKC vector with two rice promoters to drive one of the suicide genes, providing advantages over our previous TKC vector under certain conditions. The vectors reported here offered more options and flexibility to conduct gene editing experiments in rice.     

BPA不影响卵母细胞减数分裂相关基因Dazl的甲基化

为了探讨环境雌激素BPA对小鼠卵母细胞减数分裂相关基因Dazl甲基化的影响,本研究通过给孕鼠饮用含有BPA的水方式使胎鼠在发育过程中接触BPA,利用重亚硫酸盐测序法,分析了胎鼠生殖嵴卵母细胞不同发育时期Dazl甲基化水平的变化。结果显示:Dazl在减数分裂期间处于低甲基化水平,无论对照组或处理组均低于10%,说明Dazl的低甲基化对维持减数分裂的正常进行有重要作用;对照组与处理组的甲基化水平相当,差异不显著,说明本研究的BPA浓度不影响卵母细胞Dazl的甲基化水平。     

Preparation of Adjuvant Diluent for Live Vaccine against Classical Swine Fever and Evaluation of its Immune Effects

The aim of this study was to develop a novel oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion as adjuvant diluents (AD) for live vaccine against classical swine fever (CSF) that could effectively enhance the immune effect of vaccine.The AD was prepared by high-pressure homogenization technique.Formulations and preparation parameters were optimized with response surface design.Its stability, particle size, polydispersity (PDI) and Zeta potential were characterized.The humoral immune response and cellular immune response of the AD were evaluated with BALB/c mice by intramuscular injection.The particle size of the AD prepared by optimized formulation and parameters was 100.4 nm, PDI was 0.147, and Zeta potential was —28.7 mV.The experiment results showed that the AD had good stability.The AD was inoculated combined with live vaccine against CSF into BALB/c mice by intramuscular injection.The results showed that the live vaccine against CSF specific immune responses could be evoked in mice by co-inoculation with AD and vaccine.The cellular immune response levels in co-inoculated groups were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05), with obvious phenomena of higher levels of IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-4 in serum.The result revealed that cellular immune capability significantly improved with the AD.The results strongly revealed that cellular immune capability significantly improved by introducing AD for effective immune-adjuvant for live vaccine against CSF.     

Immunogenicity of multiple-epitope antigen gene of HCV carried by novel biodegradable polymers

In order to develop a promising vaccine candidate utilizing a combined approach to induce both antibody production and T-cell activity, the DNA fragment containing MA of HCV with five conserved epitopes was synthesized. Two types of HCV vaccine candidates (the DNA type and DNA/polymers) were constructed using MA. PLA-PEG-PLA and PLGA-PEG-PLGA were synthesized and used as micelles with encapsulated plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-MA. The preparation of copolymers, the cloning and analysis of recombinant plasmid DNA, in vitro expression, and immunogenicity in transgenic mice were evaluated in detail. The results indicated that even single immunization and oral immunization with DNA/polymers achieved satisfying immune responses in vivo tests. As biodegradable and nontoxic triblock copolymers, the novel copolymers demonstrated a great advantage, as they made long-term and single-immunizing vaccines possible; in addition, the copolymers showed a better adjuvant effect and scarcely any side effects.     

利用 HPLC 分析菠萝愈伤组织 DNA 甲基化水平

建立菠萝 DNA 甲基化水平的 HPLC 测定方法，分析菠萝愈伤组织 DNA 甲基化水平变化，为进一步研究菠萝 体细胞无性系变异机理奠定基础。通过对流动相和水解温度等条件的优化，建立菠萝 DNA 甲基化水平的检测方法。结 果表明，分离 C 和 5m-C 的最佳流动相为甲醇∶磷酸二氢钾∶三乙胺为 10∶90∶0.2（V/V），pH 3.0，DNA 的最佳水解 温度为 90 ℃。利用此体系分析菠萝愈伤组织和胚性愈伤组织的 DNA 甲基化变化，结果表明，菠萝愈伤组织在分化过 程中 DNA 总甲基化水平呈动态变化，变化范围为 5.14%~96.86%。此外，胚性愈伤组织甲基化水平低于非胚性愈伤组 织。推测 DNA 甲基化影响菠萝愈伤组织的分化及胚性愈伤组织的形成。     

Soil biodiversity and DNA barcodes: opportunities and challenges

Soils encompass a huge diversity of organisms which mostly remains to be characterized due to a number of methodological and logistical issues. Nonetheless, remarkable progress has been made in recent years toward developing strategies to characterize and describe soil biodiversity, especially thanks to the development of molecular approaches relying on direct DNA extraction from the soil matrix.Metabarcoding can be applied to DNA from any environment or organism, and is gaining increasing prominence in biodiversity studies. This approach is already commonly used to characterize soil microbial communities and its application is now being extended to other soil organisms, i.e. meso- and macro-fauna.These developments offer unprecedented scientific and operational opportunities in order to better understand soil biodiversity distribution and dynamics, and to propose tools and strategies for biodiversity diagnosis. However, these opportunities also come with challenges that the scientific community must face. Such challenges are related to i) clarification of terminology, (ii) standardisation of methods and further methodological development for additional taxonomic groups, (iii) development of a common database, and (iv) ways to avoid waste of information and data derived from metabarcoding. In order to facilitate common application of metabarcoding in soil biodiversity assessment, we discuss these opportunities and challenges and propose solutions towards a more homogeneous framework.     

Characterization of Genomic Integration and Transgene Organization in Six Transgenic Rapeseed Events

To characterize the DNA rearrangement of both the T-DNA region and the genomic insertion site during T-DNA insertion, the Genomewalker strategy was used to isolate the junctions between the inserted DNA and the plant genomic DNA in six rapeseed events as well as the genomic DNA at the sites before integration. During transformation in each of the six events, portions of both the right border（RB） and left border（LB） regions of the T-DNA were deleted, ranging from a 7 nucleotide deletion of the LB repeats in event RF1 to a 207 bp deletion of the LB region in event RF2. For the six events, T-DNA integration resulted in a deletion at the target site spanning less than 100 bp. Sequence analysis indicated that the T-DNA was integrated into the coding region of various native rapeseed genes in events RF1 and RF2. Duplications of the genomic DNA target site were observed in events RF2, RF3 and Topas 19/2. And multimerization of transgenes was found in event Topas 19/2, in which, the T-DNA was integrated as a head-to-head（RB-to-RB） concatemer into the recipient genome. In event MS1, chromosomal translocation or a large target-site deletion may have occurred during T-DNA integration, which was identified due to a failure to amplify the presumptive insertion site based on the flanking rapeseed DNA sequences. Our results provide comprehensive data concerning transgene organization and the genomic context of the T-DNA in six rapeseed events, which can aid in the developing of insert fingerprinting and the monitoring of long-term genetic stability and potential unintended effects of transgenic events.     

Controlling sprouting in potato tubers using ultraviolet-C irradiance

Legislation limiting the use of chlorpropham (CIPC), the major potato sprout suppressant, has led to a need for new technologies to extend storage life of tubers. Ultra violet C (UV-C) has been used postharvest to reduce disease incidence on many crops, yet its use and efficacy as a sprout suppressant has not been investigated. The aim of this project was to identify the optimum dose and treatment timing of UV-C treatment on potato tubers as an alternative method of sprout suppression to reduce the dependence on chemical sprout suppressants. Up to six potato cultivars over two seasons were treated with varying doses of UV-C ranging from 0 to 30 kJ m⁻² either at harvest or at first indication of dormancy break. The tubers were stored at 9 °C and sprout growth and incidence assessed. Treatment with moderate UV-C doses (5–20 kJ m⁻²) suppressed sprout length and sprout incidence in a range of cultivars. Periderm DNA damage and programmed cell death were not detected in response to any of the UV-C doses. The inactive ABA metabolite, ABA-GE, increased in response to 10 or 20 kJ m⁻² within 72 h of treatment. Multivariate analysis showed a negative relationship between ABA metabolites and sprout growth/incidence during storage. This study found that UV-C reduced sprout growth in potato with no deleterious effects on tuber quality. This suggests potential for further development as an alternative or supplement to conventional sprout suppressant technologies.     

高含固率木质纤维素厌氧发酵物总DNA的4种提取方法比较

不同的样本特性和提取方法对获得微生物总DNA的质量有重要影响。文章基于高含固率木质纤维素厌氧发酵物腐殖酸、酚类物质含量高、质地均一性差、微生物浓度低的特点,研究了4种方法提取不同高含固率粪秸厌氧发酵物中微生物总DNA的效果。结果表明,常规的十二烷基磺酸钠法(sodium dodecyl sulfate,SDS)、十二烷基磺酸钠和溴化十六烷基三甲铵结合法(sodium dodecyl sulfate and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide,SDS-CTAB)和商业的粪便试剂盒法提取的DNA质量均较差,SDS法和试剂盒法未能获得聚合酶链式反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)扩增目的条带,SDS-CTAB法得到的条带较模糊;改进SDS-CTAB法获得的DNA杂质少、纯度高,具有较好的稳定性,A260/A280和A260/A230值分别为1.74~1.86和1.65~1.86,每克样品的DNA浓度在50 ng·μL^-1以上,电泳条带单一齐整、清晰明亮,PCR扩增的目的条带清晰度高,适宜后续分子生物学技术的分析。林格氏液洗脱、聚乙烯吡咯烷酮-40(Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone-40,PVP-40)洗涤液除杂以及裂解液和多种酶联合破壁是改进SDS-CTAB法获得该类专一性样本高质量微生物总DNA的关键步骤。