粪便DNA分析技术在分子生态学研究中的机遇与挑战

随着粪便DNA分析技术的不断发展与完善,其越来越多地被应用于分子生态学研究中,特别是野生动物的遗传状况评估研究。粪便DNA的获取可以在不干扰,甚至无需观察到动物本身的情况下展开,因此避免了取样活动可能给野生动物带来的干扰或伤害,极大地促进了野生动物分子生态学的研究。虽然粪便DNA分析技术在其建立伊始因DNA质量问题而受到了一定的挑战,但自其建立至今,研究者发展了多种技术来克服这一问题。现已能获得较高质量的粪便DNA,并将基因分型错误率控制在较低水平。本文将结合我们在粪便DNA分析技术上所积累的经验,从粪便样品采集、保存、DNA提取、PCR扩增以及等位基因分型等各个环节对该技术进行详细探讨,以期阐明该技术在野生动物分子生态学研究中所面临的机遇与挑战,进一步推动其在我国野生动物保护研究中的应用与发展。     

短尾猴陈旧粪便中DNA的提取

分子粪便学（Molecular scatology）是一门将传统粪便分析方法与分子生物学技术相结合,以动物粪便为实验材料进行多领域研究的学科（魏辅等,2001）。虽然该方法已在野生濒危动物保护遗传学和分子生态学研究中发挥了很大作用（Kohnand Wayne,1997）,但目前大多数分子粪便学研究中使用的材料是新鲜粪便,从保存时间很长的陈旧粪便中很难提取到高质量的DNA用于PCR扩增以及序列分析,严重制约了分子粪便学的广泛应用（Wasser et al．,1997;Constable et al．,2001;Murphy et al．．2002）。     

非损伤性取样样品中富集宿主DNA的研究进展

非损伤性取样被广泛应用在动物保护遗传学、分子生态学和分子进化等研究领域。随着基因组测序技术的发展和基因组学时代的到来,如何从非损伤性取样样品中获取能够用于进行基因组测序的高质量DNA是研究者面临的难题。本文总结和比较了非损伤性取样中最常用的粪便样品和考古材料或博物馆标本两类样品中富集宿主DNA的方法及应用,以期为非损伤性取样在动物基因组学的研究和应用提供重要参考。     

环境DNA metabarcoding及其在生态学研究中的应用

环境DNA metabarcoding(eDNA metabarcoding)是指利用环境样本(如土壤、水、粪便等)中分离的DNA进行高通量的多个物种(或高级分类单元)鉴定的方法。近年来,该方法引起了学者的广泛关注,逐渐应用于生物多样性研究、水生生物监测、珍稀濒危物种和外来入侵物种检测等生态学领域。介绍环境DNA metabarcoding的含义和研究方法;重点介绍环境DNA metabarcoding在物种监测、生物多样性研究和食性分析等生态学领域中的应用;总结环境DNA metabarcoding应用于生态学研究领域面临的挑战并对该方法的发展进行展望。     

一种高效的哺乳动物粪便DNA提取通用方法

以粪便为材料提取动物DNA进行动物保护遗传学和分子生态学研究的关键是能否提取到高质量的粪便DNA.然而提取方法通用性不好和产物质量不高等问题阻碍了粪便DNA分析技术的推广.本文介绍的改进型十六烷基三甲基溴化铵提取法可广泛适用于各食性哺乳动物粪便DNA提取,在11种不同食性动物的粪便DNA提取实验中验证了它的可靠性和通用性.本方法成本低廉(3元/样),用实验室常规试剂即可完成粪便DNA提取,其产物纯度高于专用试剂盒QIAamp DNA Stool Kit,在拥有超过专业试剂盒提取效果的同时尽可能的降低了实验成本,有利于粪便DNA技术的推广.     

微卫星标记在分子生态学中的应用及其位点的分离策略

微卫星DNA作为一种优良的遗传标记在分子生态学领域得到了广泛应用,本文综述了其在分子种群生物学、分子环境遗传学、分子适应等研究领域中的应用情况.微卫星位点的获得是开展各项研究的前提,传统的构建微卫星文库再杂交筛选的方法工作量大、效率低,因而在实践过程中又产生了富集文库法、PIMA法、FIASCO法等新的分离策略.本文对几种微卫星位点分离技术进行介绍并对其进行分析比较,为分子生态学研究过程中微卫星位点筛选方法的选择提供参考.     

动物食性分析在生态学中的应用研究进展——基于DNA宏条形码技术

动物食性分析是动物营养生态学的重要研究手段,可用于解析动物与环境因素的关联性、捕食者与猎物之间的关系,以及动物物种多样性等科学问题。近年来,基于新一代测序技术的DNA宏条形码技术被广泛应用到生态学多个研究领域,极大地促进了生命科学交叉学科的发展。其中,DNA宏条形码技术在动物食性分析中具有高分辨、高效率、低样本量等优势,具有重要的应用前景。综述了基于DNA宏条形码技术的动物食性分析在生态学中的应用研究进展,并进一步总结了DNA宏条形码技术原理和食性分析方法,着重探讨了基于DNA宏条形码技术的动物食性分析在珍稀濒危动物保护、生物多样性监测、农业害虫防治等生态学研究领域中的应用,并对DNA宏条形码技术在动物食性分析中存在的问题及应用前景进行小结与展望。     

DNA分子标记技术在生态学研究中的应用

分子生物学几种常见的分子标记技术如RFLP,RAPD,微卫星法,DNA序列分析使生态学研究从宏观步入了微观领域,极大的推动了生态学的发展,对这几种分子标记技术在生态学中的应用及其进展进行了综述,并比较了这些分子生物学技术各自的优缺点.     

PCR-DGGE技术及其在微生物生态学中的应用

现代分子生物学技术PCR-DGGE是一种分析微生物群落的有效工具,可以用于研究生态系统中微生物多样性和群落动态性。本文简要介绍了PCR-DGGE技术原理及其在微生物生态学领域的应用,并对该技术的局限性进行了评价。     

粪便学在有蹄类动物数量调查研究中的应用与展望

随着与分子生物学的结合,传统的粪便学不仅拓宽了在种群生态学、行为生态学及保护遗传学等研究时取样的范围,而且能提供更多的有效信息,使得传统的粪便计数方法得以在新的领域里发展。本文对传统粪便学在有蹄类动物数量研究中的应用加以总结,并结合国内外研究现状对分子粪便学在这一领域内的可靠性、局限性及应用前景做了概述。     

Comparison of DNA extraction methods for PCR amplification of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII) DNA from primate fecal samples

Mitochondrial COII DNA was amplified by PCR from total DNA extracted from field collected primate fecal samples (n=24) which had been stored without refrigeration for over 30 days. High molecular weight DNA total DNA was obtained from samples stored in 70% (v/v) ethanol, SDS lysis buffer (LB) and guanidine isothiocyanate buffer (GTB) than from samples stored in 10% formalin. Fecal DNA quality and COII amplification varied according to storage solution (formalin, ethanol, LB and GTB), extraction method (LB-based and GTB-based) and primate species (chimpanzee, baboon, human). It is recommended that fecal samples be collected in LB for DNA analysis. However, GTB-based protocols are suitable when total RNA is needed for epidemiological studies of viral diseases or gene expression analysis.     

An Improved Methodology to Overcome Key Issues in Human Fecal Metagenomic DNA Extraction

Microbes are ubiquitously distributed in nature, and recent culture-independent studies have highlighted the significance of gut microbiota in human health and disease. Fecal DNA is the primary source for the majority of human gut microbiome studies. However, further improvement is needed to obtain fecal metagenomic DNA with sufficient amount and good quality but low host genomic DNA contamination. In the current study, we demonstrate a quick, robust, unbiased,and cost-effective method for the isolation of high molecular weight(23 kb) metagenomic DNA(260/280 ratio 1.8) with a good yield(55.8 ± 3.8 ng/mg of feces). We also confirm that there is very low human genomic DNA contamination(eubacterial: human genomic DNA marker genes = 2~(27.9):1) in the human feces. The newly-developed method robustly performs for fresh as well as stored fecal samples as demonstrated by 16 S r RNA gene sequencing using 454 FLX+.Moreover, 16 S r RNA gene analysis indicated that compared to other DNA extraction methods tested, the fecal metagenomic DNA isolated with current methodology retains species richnessand does not show microbial diversity biases, which is further confirmed by q PCR with a known quantity of spike-in genomes. Overall, our data highlight a protocol with a balance between quality,amount, user-friendliness, and cost effectiveness for its suitability toward usage for cultureindependent analysis of the human gut microbiome, which provides a robust solution to overcome key issues associated with fecal metagenomic DNA isolation in human gut microbiome studies.     

Sensitivity of double centrifugation sugar fecal flotation for detecting intestinal helminths in coyotes (Canis latrans)

Fecal analysis is commonly used to estimate prevalence and intensity of intestinal helminths in wild carnivores, but few studies have assessed the reliability of fecal flotation compared to analysis of intestinal tracts. We investigated sensitivity of the double centrifugation sugar fecal flotation and kappa agreement between fecal flotation and postmortem examination of intestines for helminths of coyotes (Canis latrans). We analyzed 57 coyote carcasses that were collected between October 2010 and March 2011 in the metropolitan area of Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Before analyses, intestines and feces were frozen at -80 C for 72 hr to inactivate Echinococcus eggs, protecting operators from potential exposure. Five species of helminths were found by postmortem examination, including Toxascaris leonina, Uncinaria stenocephala, Ancylostoma caninum, Taenia sp., and Echinococcus multilocularis. Sensitivity of fecal flotation was high (0.84) for detection of T. leonina but low for Taenia sp. (0.27), E. multilocularis (0.46), and U. stenocephala (0.00). Good kappa agreement between techniques was observed only for T. leonina (0.64), for which we detected also a significant correlation between adult female parasite intensity and fecal egg counts (R(s)=0.53, P=0.01). Differences in sensitivity may be related to parasite characteristics that affect recovery of eggs on flotation. Fecal parasitologic analyses are highly applicable to study the disease ecology of urban carnivores, and they often provide important information on environmental contamination and potential of zoonotic risks. However, fecal-based parasitologic surveys should first assess the sensitivity of the techniques to understand their biases and limitations.     

Quantification and genetic profiling of DNA isolated from free-floating feces of the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)

Fecal analysis from the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale provides valuable information about health and reproductive parameters of individual animals. Genetically profiling the feces facilitates this connection when the sample originator is unknown. Although genetic analysis of feces collected in terrestrial systems has become well established, genetic studies of cetacean DNA are rare. Here, the use of free‐floating feces as a source of right whale DNA and the reliability of the genotypes produced are examined. On average, fecal extracts yielded 25 ng of DNA/mg dry weight, but less than 1% was right whale DNA. Although all samples were amplified using genus‐specific mitochondrial control region primers, the quantity of right whale DNA present was over estimated when compared to amplifications using nuclear primers. No correlation was found between the quantity of right whale DNA recovered and the duration the sample sat in the water. Composite microsatellite profiles from multiple amplifications of 28 fecal samples of known origin were consistent with profiles of the same individuals obtained from skin biopsies, however, the rate of allelic dropout varied depending on the amount of right whale DNA added. A screening and genotyping protocol for reliable genetic profiling based on fecal DNA quantification is presented.     

Noninvasive measurement of mucosal immunity in a free-ranging baboon population

Ecoimmunological patterns and processes remain understudied in wild primates, in part because of the lack of noninvasive methods to measure immunity. Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) is the most abundant antibody present at mammalian mucosal surfaces and provides an important first line of defense against pathogens. Recent studies show that sIgA can be measured noninvasively in feces and is a good marker of mucosal immunity. Here we validated a commercial ELISA kit to measure fecal IgA in baboons, tested the robustness of its results to variation in collection and storage conditions, and developed a cost-effective in-house ELISA for baboon fecal IgA. Using data from the custom ELISA, we assessed the relationship between fecal IgA concentrations and gastrointestinal parasite burden, and tested how sex, age, and reproductive effort predict fecal IgA in wild baboons. We find that IgA concentrations can be measured in baboon feces using an in-house ELISA and are highly correlated to the values obtained with a commercial kit. Fecal IgA concentrations are stable when extracts are stored for up to 22 months at −20°C. Fecal IgA concentrations were negatively correlated with parasite egg counts (Trichuris trichiura), but not parasite richness. Fecal IgA did not vary between the sexes, but for males, concentrations were higher in adults versus adolescents. Lactating females had significantly lower fecal IgA than pregnant females, but neither pregnant nor lactating female concentrations differed significantly from cycling females. Males who engaged in more mate-guarding exhibited similar IgA concentrations to those who engaged in little mate-guarding. These patterns may reflect the low energetic costs of mucosal immunity, or the complex dependence of IgA excretion on individual condition. Adding a noninvasive measure of mucosal immunity will promote a better understanding of how ecology modulates possible tradeoffs between the immune system and other energetically costly processes in the wild.     

非损伤采样提取DNA技术在猫科动物调查中的应用

<正>猫科动物广泛分布于世界各地(Johnson et al.,2006),全球现存37种猫科动物,其中25种已被国际自然保护联盟(IUCN)列为濒危和易危,86%以上的种群数量处于下降或未知状态(IUCN Red List,2011)。我国有13种猫科动物,占世界种类的35%(王应祥,2003),其中属于国家一级保护的有4种,二级保护的有8种,然而,对这些珍稀物种的生态学研究并不充分(高耀亭,     

Fecal collection, ambient preservation, and DNA extraction for PCR amplification of bacterial and human markers from human feces

Feces contain intestinal bacteria and exfoliated epithelial cells that may provide useful information concerning gastrointestinal tract health. Intestinal bacteria that synthesize or metabolize potential carcinogens and produce anti-tumorigenic products may have relevance to colorectal cancer, the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the USA. To facilitate epidemiological studies relating bacterial and epithelial cell DNA and RNA markers, preservative/extraction methods suitable for self-collection and shipping of fecal samples at room temperature were tested. Purification and PCR amplification of fecal DNA were compared after preservation of stool samples in RNAlater (R) or Paxgene (P), or after drying over silica gel (S) or on Whatman FTA cards (W). Comparisons were made to samples frozen in liquid nitrogen (N2). DNA purification methods included Whatman (accompanying FTA cards), Mo-Bio Fecal (MB), Qiagen Stool (QS), and others. Extraction methods were compared for amount of DNA extracted, DNA amplifiable in a real-time SYBR-Green quantitative PCR format, and the presence of PCR inhibitors. DNA can be extracted after room temperature storage for five days from W, R, S and P, and from N2 frozen samples. High amounts of total DNA and PCR-amplifiable Bacteroides spp. DNA (34%+/-9% of total DNA) with relatively little PCR inhibition were especially obtained with QS extraction applied to R preserved samples (method QS-R). DNA for human reduced folate carrier (SLC19A1) genomic sequence was also detected in 90% of the QS-R extracts. Thus, fecal DNA is well preserved by methods suitable for self-collection that may be useful in future molecular epidemiological studies of intestinal bacteria and human cancer markers.     

有蹄类食性研究方法及研究进展

国内外有蹄类食性的研究方法主要有直接观察法、利用法、胃分析法和粪便显微分析法。近年来 ,粪样 DNA分析技术逐渐运用到对动物食性的判定上 ,其中粪便显微分析法是近 2 0年来国内研究有蹄类食性的最主要方法。对这些方法的优势和局限性进行了评价 ,并简述了国内外有蹄类食性研究进展和发展趋势