Identification of polymorphisms and association analysis with meat quality traits in the porcine KIAA1717 and HUMMLC2B genes

Skeletal muscle genes are potential candidates for production and meat quality. Screening a subtracted cDNA library constructed with mRNA obtained from longissimus dorsi muscles of F1 hybrids Landrace × Yorkshire and their female parents Yorkshire, we isolated two partial sequences coding for the H3-K4-specific methyltransferase (KIAA1717) and skeletal muscle myosin regulatory light chain (HUMMLC2B) genes. Database search revealed KIAA1717 and HUMMLC2B encoded proteins with SET domain and EF-hand calcium binding motif, respectively. In the present work we identified their partial polymorphisms and two SNPs, one (C1354T) at the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of KIAA1717 and one (A345G) at the SINE (PRE-1) element of HUMMLC2B, both created/disrupted a restriction site for endonuclease Msp I. The selected pigs were genotyped at the KIAA1717 C1354T and HUMMLC2B A345G sites by means of a PCR-RFLP protocol. Significant associations were observed for the KIAA1717 C1354T polymorphic site with meat marbling (longissimus doris (p < 0.05), biceps femoris (p < 0.01)) and intramuscular fat (p < 0.01). HUMMLC2B A345G were significantly associated with meat pH (longissimus doris (p < 0.05), biceps femoris (p < 0.01)), drip loss (p < 0.01), water holding capacity (p < 0.01) and meat color value (longissimus doris (p < 0.01), biceps femoris (p < 0.05)). Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.     

Herbicide research and development: challenges and opportunities

The high adoption of chemical weed control and the broad range of solutions already available to manage most weed problems are significant hurdles to the development and launch of new herbicides. Business potentials are influenced by the high technical and biological standards provided by existing herbicides, as well as the intense competition in the marketplace. Other factors adding complexity are agronomic, structural and technological changes, including the introduction of herbicide‐tolerant crops, and the high costs of development for new active ingredients, mainly due to increasing regulatory requirements. In the light of increasing weed resistance to widely used herbicides, securing diversity in agronomy as well as weed management is a key to efficient crop production in future. In order to support this objective, new herbicides, preferably with new modes‐of‐action, will need to be discovered and developed.     

双组分调控系统介导革兰阴性菌耐药的作用机制

菌群耐药已成为临床上亟待解决的关键问题,特别是革兰阴性菌引起的耐药现象尤为突出,给临床治疗带来了巨大的挑战,尽快阐明重要细菌复杂耐药表型的调控机制就显得尤为重要。双组分调控系统(two-component regulatory systems,TCS)存在于多种革兰阴性菌中,在细菌诸多生命活动中发挥关键作用,是细菌感知环境变化并产生相应调控的主要机制之一。TCS通常由两种蛋白组成,包括感受器蛋白(通常是组氨酸激酶)和反应调节蛋白(通常是转录因子),二者可通过磷酸化介导的协同作用,整合细菌周围的环境信号、调节细菌相关的基因表达及改变细菌的某些生理行为。近年来,探索细菌TCS介导的耐药性应答机制已成为一个新的研究热点。基于此,本文从TCS介导临床重要革兰阴性菌耐药的结构基础和作用机理等方面进行综述,以期增进对细菌TCS的全面认识,为今后临床上药物的科学研发提供新的思路和对策。     

日粮组成对牛奶中乳成分合成与调控机制影响的研究

牛奶中乳蛋白和乳脂肪含量的高低直接关系到牛奶的品质和风味。牛奶中乳蛋白主要可以分为酪蛋白和乳清蛋白两种类型,其合成代谢过程均受到mTOR信号分子通路、JAK-STAT信号分子通路、GCN2-eIF2a信号分子通路的影响。牛奶中乳脂肪主要为三酰基甘油酯、磷脂等,对于牛奶的营养和风味均有重要影响,其受到脂肪酸相关酶ACACA、FAS、SCD1的调控。饲料营养是影响牛奶中乳蛋白和乳脂肪的关键因素之一,包括精粗饲料配比及饲料添加剂的应用等方面。本文对牛奶中乳蛋白和乳脂肪的合成调控机理,及日粮组成对其的影响机制进行阐述,为改善乳品质提供参考。     

Plant antifreeze proteins and their expression regulatory mechanism

Low temperature is one of the major limiting environmental factors which constitutes the growth, development,productivity and distribution of plants. Over the past several years, the proteins and genes associated with freezing resistance of plants have been widely studied. The recent progress of domestic and foreign research on plant antifreeze proteins and the identification and characterization of plant antifreeze protein genes, especially on expression regulatory mechanism of plant antifreeze proteins are reviewed in this paper. Finally, some unsolved problems and the trend of research in physiological functions and gene expression regulatory mechanism of plant antifreeze proteins are discussed.     

油茶油脂的生物合成及调控基因的特性

茶油在种子内主要以油体形式存在,因而油体蛋白的数量与种类决定了油体的数量与特性,在长期进化中油体蛋白基因失去了内含子,可促进油体蛋白的快速表达.茶油生物合成过程中涉及了大量酶与蛋白质的参与,其中丙二酸单酰C oA决定了饱和脂肪酸的合成速度;硬脂酰ACP脱饱和酶直接控制不饱和脂肪酸的含量;油酸脱饱和酶控制多不饱和脂肪酸的含量与种类.还需克隆相关基因的全长cDNA,并通过分子生物学技术确定这些基因的功能与调控机理.     

International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria (INHAND) progress to date and future plans

The INHAND Proposal (International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Lesions in Rats and Mice) has been operational since 2005. A Global Editorial Steering Committee (GESC) manages the overall objectives of the project and the development of harmonized terminology for each organ system is the responsibility of the Organ Working Groups (OWG), drawing upon experts from North America, Europe and Japan.Great progress has been made with 9 systems published to date – Respiratory, Hepatobiliary, Urinary, Central/Peripheral Nervous Systems, Male Reproductive and Mammary, Zymbals, Clitoral and Preputial Glands in Toxicologic Pathology and the Integument and Soft Tissue and Female Reproductive System in the Journal of Toxicologic Pathology as supplements and on a web site – www.goreni.org. INHAND nomenclature guides offer diagnostic criteria and guidelines for recording lesions observed in rodent toxicity and carcinogenicity studies. The guides provide representative photo-micrographs of morphologic changes, information regarding pathogenesis, and key references. During 2012, INHAND GESC representatives attended meetings with representatives of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Enterprise Vocabulary Services (EVS) to begin incorporation of INHAND terminology as preferred terminology for SEND (Standard for Exchange of Nonclinical Data) submissions to the FDA. The interest in utilizing the INHAND nomenclature, based on input from industry and government toxicologists as well as information technology specialists, suggests that there will be wide acceptance of this nomenclature. The purpose of this publication is to provide an update on the progress of INHAND.     

Genetic characterization of bovine viral diarrhea virus strains in Beijing,China and innate immune responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in persistently infected dairy cattle

To acquire epidemiological data on the bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and identify cattle persistently infected (PI) with this virus, 4,327 samples from Holstein dairy cows were screened over a four-year period in Beijing, China. Eighteen BVD viruses were isolated, 12 from PI cattle. Based on genetic analysis of their 5''-untranslated region (5''-UTR), the 18 isolates were assigned to subgenotype BVDV-1m, 1a, 1d, 1q, and 1b. To investigate the innate immune responses in the peripheral-blood mononuclear cells of PI cattle, the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), RIG-I-like receptors, interferon-α (IFN-α), IFN-β, myxovirus (influenza virus) resistance 1 (MX1), and interferon stimulatory gene 15 (ISG15) was assessed by qPCR. When compared with healthy cattle, the expression of TLR-7, IFN-α, and IFN-β mRNA was downregulated, but the expression of MX1 and ISG-15 mRNA was upregulated in PI cattle. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that the expression of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) and IRF-7 was lower in PI cattle than in healthy cattle. Thus, BVDV-1m and 1a are the predominant subgenotypes in the Beijing region, and the strains are highly divergent. Our findings also suggest that the TLR-7/IRF-7 signaling pathway plays a role in evasion of host restriction by BVDV.     

动物脂肪组织的分化起源

动物脂肪组织是机体重要的器官,主要负责能量的储存和代谢,同时分泌多种脂肪细胞因子(adipokines)参与机体生理功能的调控。脂肪组织的功能紊乱与人类的肥胖病、糖尿病以及代谢综合症密切相关,多年以来动物脂肪组织的细胞分化起源一直是研究的热点。白色脂肪、棕色脂肪和肌肉组织都来源于机体的间充质干细胞(mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs),长期以来,人们一直以为白色脂肪和棕色脂肪的分化起源更加亲近,但随着对棕色脂肪分化机制的深入研究,发现白色脂肪和棕色脂肪在早期发育阶段有着不同的前体细胞,而棕色脂肪组织与肌肉组织的分化支系更加亲近。以往的脂肪分化研究往往利用基质血管组分(stromal vascular fractions,SVF)或肌卫星细胞等混合细胞群作为实验材料,随着流式细胞仪、转基因动物模型和干细胞表面标志抗原识别等技术的发展,使我们可以从这样的混合细胞群中分离得到纯的前体脂肪细胞系,从而提示我们之前的研究可能过高的估计了这样的混合细胞群体的活体分化潜能。进一步深入研究动物脂肪组织的分化起源,有助于我们理解机体脂肪沉积的具体机制,从而为治疗脂肪代谢相关疾病以及提高动物肉品品质提供理论依据。