小鼠RHOX5蛋白两种截短型突变体的原核表达及其与MDFIC互作的鉴定

目的：表达和纯化两种小鼠RHOX5蛋白的截短型突变体,确定完整的RHOX5蛋白及其两种截短型突变体与MDFIC蛋白结合的能力。方法：生物信息学分析小鼠同源异型框蛋白RHOX5的cDNA序列,分别对RHOX5的两种截短型片段RHOX5 N和RHOX5 C进行PCR、分别扩增RHOX5的两种截短型片段RHOX5 N和RHOX5 C并将其克隆至pGEX4T3原核表达载体,构建重组表达质粒。用重组表达质粒分别转化大肠杆菌RosettaTM2(DE3)菌株,经IPTG诱导后,使用Glutathione-Sepherase 4B颗粒对融合蛋白进行小批量亲和纯化,通过SDS-PAGE电泳分离目标蛋白,确定融合蛋白的表达。进行GST-pull down实验,检测完整的RHOX5蛋白及其两种截短型突变体与MDFIC蛋白结合的能力。 结果：在大肠杆菌RosettaTM2(DE3)中有效地实现了GST-RHOX5、GST-RHOX5 N和GST-RHOX5-C-3种融合蛋白的可溶性表达;经Glutathione Sepherase 4B颗粒亲和纯化后,获得了纯化后GST融合蛋白;GST-pull down实验证实,含有homeodomain的RHOX5蛋白和RHOX5C截短型突变体可以与MDFIC蛋白相结合,而RHOX5N截短型突变体则丧失了与MDFIC蛋白结合的能力。 结论：实现了RHOX5及其两种截短型突变体的原核表达和纯化,证实RHOX5蛋白的homeodomain结构域是其与MDFIC结合的关键部位。     

治疗型VP22△-mE6△/mE7重组蛋白疫苗的表达与免疫学初步分析

制备16型人乳头瘤病毒mE6Δ/mE7蛋白与I型人单纯疱疹病毒VP22Δ蛋白的治疗型分子内佐剂融合蛋白疫苗,并检测其免疫原性和抗肿瘤相关生物活性。通过克隆HSV-1 VP22Δ及HPV-16 mE6Δ/mE7基因,构建pET28a-VP22Δ-mE6Δ/mE7原核表达载体。重组质粒在Rosetta（DE3）宿主菌中进行诱导表达,表达蛋白经分离、复性后,通过镍离子亲和层析进行纯化,纯化蛋白经SDS-PAGE、Western blot 鉴定,并免疫BalB/C及C57BL/6小鼠,检测其免疫原性和抗肿瘤活性。结果显示,VP22Δ-mE6Δ/mE7蛋白以包涵体形式表达,分子量约为34kDa,表达量约占菌体总蛋白的45%。该蛋白免疫小鼠后血清特异性IgG、特异性淋巴细胞增殖效果及对TC-1致瘤小鼠的肿瘤治疗效果均高于无佐剂单一重组蛋白疫苗。以上结果说明,所获得的重组融合蛋白具有较好的免疫原性和抗肿瘤活性,为治疗型HPV分子内佐剂疫苗的进一步研究奠定了基础。     

登革2型病毒非结构蛋白NS4B及其突变体的真核表达与鉴定

目的：构建登革2型病毒非结构蛋白NS4B及其突变体Δ2K-NS4B基因的真核载体,并观察二者在哺乳动物细胞内的定位情况。方法：从登革2型病毒43株的全长cDNA克隆载体上扩增获得编码NS4B及缺失2K片段的NS4B突变体Δ2K-NS4B的基因;通过基因重组的方法分别将2段基因克隆入真核表达载体pcDNA6/V5-HisA,获得重组真核表达载体pc/D2-NS4B和pc/D2-Δ2K-NS4B;经脂质体法转染BHK-21细胞后,用RT-PCR、间接免疫荧光和Western印迹鉴定表达的蛋白。结果：重组蛋白D2-NS4B和D2-Δ2K-NS4B可在BHK-21细胞中表达,二者均定位于细胞质中,并具有较好的抗原性,能够被抗登革2型病毒NS4B的多克隆抗体特异识别。结论：重组蛋白D2-NS4B和D2-Δ2K-NS4B在哺乳动物细胞胞质中的正确表达,为深入了解NS4B在登革病毒致病过程中的生物学功能奠定了基础。     

比较不同血清型AAV携带HBV基因组建立乙肝小鼠模型效果

近年来,用8型腺相关病毒携带1.3拷贝HBV(Hepatitis B virus)基因组建立的HBV持续感染小鼠模型受到越来越多的关注。本研究比较了除AAV8之外的其他4种血清型重组腺相关病毒(Recombinant adeno-associated virus,rAAV)建立乙肝小鼠模型效果。首先,将携带1.3拷贝ayw亚型HBV基因组的1型、2型、5型、8型、9型腺相关病毒分别以1×10~(11) vg/只(Viral genome,vg)的剂量尾静脉注射C57BL/6J小鼠;利用ELISA方法监测小鼠血清中HBeAg和HBsAg表达水平;用定量PCR方法检测小鼠血清和肝脏中HBV DNA拷贝数;用免疫组化方法检测小鼠肝脏中HBc Ag的表达;用HE染色检测小鼠肝脏病理变化。结果显示,在持续8周中,5组小鼠血清中都检测到HBeAg和HBsAg的表达,血清和肝脏中均检测到HBV DNA的存在。HBeAg、HBsAg、HBV DNA表达水平高低依次为AAV8AAV9AAV1AAV5AAV2。5组小鼠用免疫组化方法都检测到肝脏中HBcAg表达,HE染色病理检测均观察到不同程度的肝损伤。本研究扩大了能用于建立乙肝小鼠持续感染模型可选择的AAV载体种类,发现虽然AAV1、2、5、9的建模效果不如AAV8,但它们都可以介导建立持续感染的乙肝小鼠模型,建模效果依次为AAV8AAV9AAV1AAV5AAV2。其中AAV9介导的建模效果与AAV8载体最为接近,可以替代AAV8载体用于有效地建立HBV持续感染的小鼠模型。     

一种1型单纯疱疹病毒载体系统的建立

1型单纯疱疹病毒(HSV-1)作为溶瘤病毒和病毒载体的研究已有很长的历史.本研究利用细菌人工染色体技术建立了一种HSV-1载体系统.首先,将HSV-1内部反向重复序列(internal inverted repeat sequences,IR)两侧的片段克隆入p KO5获得穿梭质粒p KO5/BN,其电转含p HSVBAC的大肠杆菌后筛选获得删除IR区重组DNA的p HSVΔIR-BAC.p HSVΔIR-BAC转染Vero细胞获得删除IR区的重组病毒HSVΔIR(MH1001).上述p KO5/BN和含p HSVΔIR-BAC的大肠杆菌构成了HSV-1载体系统.利用该系统获得了表达绿色荧光蛋白EGFP的重组病毒HSVΔIR/EGFP(MH1002).MH1001和MH1002在感染的Vero细胞中增殖水平略低于野生型HSV-1,但无显著差异;Western印迹检测表明,重组病毒早期蛋白质ICP0、ICP4、ICP8、ICP22、ICP27在感染细胞中的表达水平下降;免疫荧光及激光共聚焦检测表明,重组病毒与野生型病毒均存在于细胞质中.以上结果表明,删除IR区的重组HSV-1保留了复制能力,能够携载并表达外源基因,建立的HSV-1载体系统可用于构建携载外源基因的复制型重组HSV-1.     

表达猪圆环病毒2型Cap蛋白重组复制缺陷型人5型腺病毒的构建及小鼠免疫试验

构建表达猪圆环病毒2型Cap蛋白重组复制缺陷型人5型腺病毒,评价其对小鼠免疫效果。本研究将编码PCV2Cap蛋白的ORF2克隆到腺病毒表达系统穿梭质粒,构建了重组穿梭质粒pacAd5CMV-Cap。将被限制性内切酶PacI线性化后的骨架质粒和重组穿梭质粒共转染HEK293AD细胞,两者在真核细胞内同源重组并包装出携带PCV2-Cap基因的复制缺陷型重组人5型腺病毒,命名为rAd5-Cap;以同样方法重组获得了不含任何靶基因的野生型重组腺病毒wt-rAd5。病毒增殖稳定后,rAd5-Cap与wt-rAd5滴度可达到108.5 TCID50/mL左右;一步增殖实验证明,相对于wt-rAd5,rAd5-Cap中Cap基因的引入几乎没有给重组腺病毒增殖造成影响。RT-PCR和间接免疫荧光实验显示,rAd5-Cap能够有效介导PCV2Cap蛋白在真核细胞HEK293AD细胞中表达。以107 TCID50的rAd5-Cap肌肉注射接种小鼠,14d后小鼠血清中产生可检测水平的针对Cap蛋白的体液免疫应答,并且至少在免疫后28d之前抗体水平持续加强。对重组腺病毒的分子生物学鉴定和在小鼠上的初步免疫试验结果表明,重组腺病毒rAd5-Cap可介导Cap蛋白在真核细胞中的表达,并且表达的靶蛋白具有较好的免疫原性,为进一步将其开发成新型PCV2疫苗奠定了基础。     

犬2型腺病毒通用载体的构建及鉴定

为了获得能够携带较大外源基因的犬2型腺病毒E3区缺失性载体,以犬2型腺病毒全基因组质粒pPolyⅡ-CAV-2及E3区重组质粒pVAX-E3为基础,缺失1381bp的E3区片段(92.6%的E3区全序列),插入Linker-NF(内含NotⅠ、ClaⅠ、FseⅠ多克隆位点),获得重组载体质粒pPolyⅡ-CAV-2-ΔE3(NF)(31.9kb)。以AscⅠ和PmeⅠ双酶切,游离重组基因组,在脂质体LipofectamineTM2000介导下,转染MDCK细胞系,获得了E3区缺失的重组病毒CAV-2-ΔE3(NF)。通过病毒的形态学观察,血凝性、生长特性、感染性实验证明,该重组病毒与母源病毒没有差异。重组病毒CAV-2-ΔE3(NF)可以作为载体表达外源基因,其外源基因插入片段不小于3.3kb。     

含HIV-1 gag、gagV3基因的重组腺病毒伴随病毒的构建及其免疫原性的研究

将HIV－1中国株42（B亚型）gag基因及gag与gp120 V3区的嵌合基因gag V3插入腺病毒伴随病毒（AAV）表达载体（pSNAV）质粒中,构建重组质粒pSNAV-gag及pSNAV-gagV3;采用脂质体转染的方法分别将重组质粒转入BHK细胞,G418筛选得到转入重组质粒并能表达外源基因的细胞系,命名为BHK－gag及BHK－gagV3。用具有重组腺病毒伴随病毒（rAAV）包装功能的一种重组单纯疱疹病毒（rHSV）分析感染这两株细胞系,纯化后得到rAAV,电镜观察可见到大量实心病毒颗粒,核酸杂交检测重组病毒滴度达到10^12病毒颗粒／ml,重组病毒感染293细胞,ELISA检测有gag及gagV3基因的表达。用重组病毒免疫Balb/C小鼠,检测抗体及细胞免疫水平,证明重组病毒可以在小鼠体内诱导产生细胞及体液免疫。     

新型重组AAV5/5载体及包装系统

本研究组建了一种可用于规模化生产的以重组单纯疱疹病毒为辅助病毒的AAV5/5载体包装系统。首先,将5型腺相关病毒 (AAV5) 的rep和cap基因插入I型单纯疱疹病毒 (HSV-1) 基因组非必需基因UL2中,获得重组病毒rHSV1-rep5cap5。其次,构建一种携带AAV5 ITR的通用型载体质粒pAAV5neo,将报告基因EGFP插入pAAV5neo中,得到pAAV5neo-EGFP质粒。将pAAV5neo-EGFP质粒导入BHK-21细胞,用G418选择培养,挑选出表达EGFP并在重组病毒rHSV1-rep5cap5感染下能高效产生rAAV5/5-EGFP的单克隆载体细胞株C020。用rHSV1-rep5cap5感染C020细胞制备rAAV5/5-EGFP,用“氯仿处理-聚乙二醇/氯化钠-氯仿抽提”方法粗纯化rAAV5/5-EGFP。用100 kDa分子量截流超滤方法进一步纯化和浓缩,获得高纯度的rAAV5-EGFP。SDS-PAGE电泳分析可见3条特征性外壳蛋白带。电镜分析显示病毒颗粒以实心颗粒为主。用rAAV5/5-EGFP病毒按1×105 vg/cell感染体外培养的HEK293细胞,可见30％细胞呈现绿色荧光。本研究提出了一种高效AAV5/5载体生产系统和纯化方法,为重组AAV5载体的进一步应用提供了基础。     

猪霍乱沙门氏菌ΔasdC500株的生物学特性及作为活疫苗表达载体的应用

为了评价猪霍乱沙门氏菌ΔasdC500株作为沙门氏菌Asd+平衡表达系统的可行性,对ΔasdC500株和其亲本菌株C500的生物表型,生长特性、毒力、生物安全性、表达特性等进行比较研究.结果表明:AasdC500缺失株的生化特性和血清型与亲本菌株C500一致,符合猪霍乱沙门氏茵的表型特征;携带平衡表达质粒pYA3493的重组菌株ΔasdC500(pYA3493)与C500的生长速度没有明显差别;根据Reed-Muench法,测定ΔasdC500(pYA3493)腹腔感染BALB/c小鼠的LD50为1.1 x 107CFU,毒力稍低于C500;口服接种AasdC500(pYA3493)和C500的所有仔猪未见任何发病症状,两者没有显著差别;携带重组质粒pYA-F1P2(含有支气管败血波氏杆菌抗原基因fhaB的Type I 区域和prn的R2区域)的重组菌株ΔasdC500(pYA-FIP2)能够稳定遗传重组质粒及其外源基因片段,并能稳定、高效、分泌性表达外源保护性抗原.由此表明,ΔasdC500保留了亲本菌株C500的一系列生物学特征,并可高效表达外源抗原,可作为沙门氏茵Asd+平衡表达系统开发基因工程重组疫苗.     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.