Non-invasive genetic identification of small mammal species using real-time polymerase chain reaction

DNA identification of non-invasive samples is a potentially useful tool for monitoring small mammal species. Here we describe a novel method for identifying five small mammal species: wood mouse, bank vole, common shrew, pygmy shrew and water shrew. Species-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction primers were designed to amplify fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from hair and scat samples. We also amplified nuclear DNA from scats, demonstrating their potential as a source of DNA for population genetic studies.     

Absence of the crayfish plague pathogen (Aphanomyces astaci) facilitates coexistence of European and American crayfish in central Europe

1. Most European crayfish species are strongly threatened, mainly as a result of the introduced pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci, transmitted by invasive North American crayfish. Long‐term coexistence of American and European crayfish species is therefore regarded as almost impossible, even though some coexisting populations have been observed. 2. In this study, crayfish were collected from presently coexisting populations of the introduced spiny‐cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus) and the native noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) from nine standing waters in central Europe. Our aim was to resolve whether the coexistence resulted from reduced virulence in local strains of A. astaci, increased immunity in the native crayfish or an absence of the pathogen in these populations. We used highly sensitive A. astaci‐specific real‐time PCR to evaluate the crayfish latent carrier status, combined with transmission experiments to further validate the molecular results. 3. From the total of 523 crayfish tested (490 spiny‐cheek crayfish, 33 noble crayfish), none positive for A. astaci was detected. Transmission experiments confirmed these results: No abnormal mortality or behavioural changes were seen in noble crayfish kept together with American crayfish from the coexisting populations. If we assume a very low prevalence of A. astaci of 10% in a carrier population, there is a 98% probability of disease being absent in five of the nine coexisting populations tested. Hence, a consistent absence, or an extremely low prevalence, of A. astaci seems to allow the coexistence of European and American crayfish in these central European populations. 4. The results are important for native crayfish conservation and management and demonstrate that disease transmission risk may vary substantially between the different populations of spiny‐cheek crayfish in central Europe.     

丹参变应原基因（Sam a1）的克隆及其原核表达

Ⅰ型变态反应是小分子植物蛋白结合IgE抗体引起的一种疾病。本文首次从丹参中克隆出变应原蛋白基因,命名为：Sam a1（GenBank注册号：EU122383）。Sam a1包含483 bp的开放读码框,编码160个氨基酸残基。其推导氨基酸（命名为：Sam a1）具有Bet v1结构域,属于病原菌相关的Bet v1蛋白家族,与苹果中变应原mal d1类似蛋白同源性高达66％。三级结构预测模型显示Sam a1含有T细胞主要抗原决定簇的C端α螺旋。实时定量PCR结果显示：黄瓜细菌性角斑病菌和NaCl溶液诱导下Sam a1的表达呈现上调趋势,表明Sam a1可能与病程相关蛋白和盐胁迫相关。Sam a1转入大肠杆菌M15后,表达出与预测蛋白大小相当的目标蛋白,IPTG诱导后5～7 h目标蛋白可大量表达。本研究为从植物分子机制上了解中药变态反应作用机制奠定了基础,尤其对中药产业的发展具有重要的意义。     

Quantitative analysis of cutaneous malassezia in atopic dermatitis patients using real-time PCR

We quantified the cutaneous Malassezia in patients with atopic dermatitis using a real-time PCR assay. Seven to 12 times more Malassezia colonized the head and neck compared to the trunk or limbs, and the species M. globosa and M. restricta accounted for approximately 80% of all Malassezia colonization at any body site.     

Detection of DNA of six human herpesviruses in the cerebrospinal fluid of immunocompetent non‐herpetic acute limbic encephalitis patients

In order to determine whether six other human herpesviruses, aside from herpes simplex virus, are associated with non‐herpetic acute limbic encephalitis in immunocompetent individuals, real‐time PCR was used to detect the DNA of herpesviruses in CSF collected from 61 patients with this form of encephalitis. Five of the human herpesviruses tested were not detected in any of the 61 CSF samples. EBV DNA was detected in one CSF sample. The EBV DNA‐positive patient was a 36‐year‐old woman who presented with fever, headache, mild somnolence, and the typical neuroimaging findings.     

Characterization of the complete porcine MSTN gene and expression levels in pig breeds differing in muscularity

Myostatin (MSTN), a transforming growth factor beta superfamily member, is an essential factor for the growth and development of muscle mass. The protein functions as a negative regulator of muscle growth and is related to the so-called double-muscling phenotype in cattle, where a series of mutations renders the gene inactive. One particular breed of pigs, the Belgian Piétrain, also shows a heavily muscled phenotype. The similarity of muscular phenotypes between the double-muscled cattle and Piétrain pigs indicated that MSTN may be a candidate gene for muscular hypertrophy in pigs. In this study, we sequenced and analysed the complete MSTN gene from 45 pigs of five different breeds, including the heavily muscled Piétrain breed at one extreme and the Meishan and Wild boar breeds at the other extreme. In total, 7626 bp of the porcine MSTN gene were sequenced, including the 5' and 3' UTR. Fifteen polymorphic loci were found, three of which were located in the promoter region, five in intron 1 and seven in intron 2. Most mutations were found when comparing the obtained MSTN sequence with porcine MSTN sequences already published. However, one polymorphism located at position 447 of the porcine MSTN promoter had a very high allele frequency in the Piétrain pig breed and disrupted a putative myocyte enhancer factor 3 binding site. Real-time PCR using Sybr Green showed that this mutation was associated with expression levels of the MSTN gene in m. longissimus dorsi at an age of 4 weeks.