中华鳖STING基因的克隆及功能分析

为了研究干扰素基因刺激因子STING在中华鳖(Pelodiscus sinensis)先天免疫中的作用, 克隆了中华鳖STING基因(PsSTING)的cDNA序列, 其全长为2145 bp, 包含1152 bp的开放阅读框, 编码383个氨基酸。氨基酸序列比对发现, PsSTING蛋白N端含有4个跨膜区和2个RXR内质网滞留基序, C端有1个解旋酶结构域。qRT-PCR结果显示, PsSTING在中华鳖心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肺、肾脏、小肠、胃、皮肤、肌肉和血细胞等组织中均能表达, 其中在脾脏中的表达量最高, 其次是肝脏、小肠和肺, 而在血细胞中的表达量最低; 用嗜水气单胞菌、LPS和poly(I:C)刺激后, PsSTING基因呈现出先上调后下调的趋势, 在刺激12h 时显著高于对照组(P＜0.05), 24h达到最高值, 在48h后逐渐恢复到初始水平, 其蛋白表达量在脾脏和小肠中明显增加。体内RNA干扰后, 小肠中PsSTING的表达量显著下调(P＜0.05), IFN信号通路中TBK1、IRF3、IRF7、STAT6和IFN-β等基因表达水平显著下调(P＜0.05)。在HEK293T细胞中过表达PsSTING基因, 能够显著激活pIFN-β-luc的启动子。研究结果表明PsSTING基因参与调控了中华鳖的先天免疫反应。     

鼋骨骼系统及与中华鳖比较

采用虫蚀法制备了鼋Pelochelys cantorii和中华鳖Pelodiscus sinensis的骨骼标本, 对骨骼系统进行了观察、描述、绘图及比较分析。结果显示, 鼋的骨骼共169枚, 由背甲和腹甲组成的外骨骼、中轴骨和附肢骨组成的内骨骼组成。通过比较鼋和中华鳖的骨骼结构, 发现二者在头骨的吻突长度及第三颈椎结构方面有较大差别。鼋眼眶前部至吻突最前端的长度与头骨总长度比为0.082, 而中华鳖为0.570, 显示中华鳖吻突显著长于鼋。鼋与中华鳖的颈椎骨数目均为9枚, 但中华鳖的第三至第九颈椎的横突要更明显, 第七颈椎的椎体向上显著翘起, 且第九颈椎腹面椎体前端为尖状。从整条颈椎上看, 鼋脊椎长度与其背甲长度之比为0.66, 中华鳖为1.07, 表明中华鳖的颈椎更长; 研究结果丰富了鳖科动物的骨骼学基础数据, 也为鼋物种鉴定、龟鳖动物系统演化及生态适应性提供骨骼学理论依据。     

The cDNA cloning and molecular evolution of reptile and pigeon lactate dehydrogenase isozymes

The cDNAs encoding lactate dehydrogenase isozymes LDH-A (muscle) and LDH-B (heart) from alligator and turtle and LDH-A, LDH-B, and LDH-C (testis) from pigeon were cloned and sequenced. The evolutionary relationships among vertebrate LDH isozymes were analyzed. Contrary to the traditional belief that the turtle lineage branched off before the divergence between the lizard/alligator and bird lineages, the turtle lineage was found to be clustered with either the alligator lineage or the alligator-bird clade, while the lizard lineage was found to have branched off before the divergence between the alligator/turtle and bird lineages. The pigeon testicular LDH-C isozyme was evidently duplicated from LDH-B (heart), so it is not orthologous to the mammalian testicular LDH-C isozymes.      

Purification, characterization and comparison of reptile lysozymes

Cation exchange column chromatography and gel filtration chromatography were used to purify four reptile lysozymes from egg white: SSTL A and SSTL B from soft shelled turtle (Trionyx sinensis), ASTL from Asiatic soft shelled turtle (Amyda cartilagenea) and GSTL from green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). The molecular masses of the purified reptile lysozymes were estimated to be 14 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Enzyme activity of the four lysozymes could be confirmed by gel zymograms and showed charge differences on native-PAGE. SSTL A, SSTL B and ASTL had sharp pH optima of about pH 6.0, which contrasts with that of GSTL, which showed dual pH optima at about pH 6.0 and pH 8.0. The activities of the reptile lysozymes rapidly decreased within 30 min of incubation at 90 degrees C except for ASTL, which was more stable. Partial N-terminal amino acid sequencing and peptide mapping strongly suggested that the enzymes were C-type lysozymes. Interestingly, the mature SSTL lysozymes show an extra Gly residue at the N-terminus, which was previously found in soft-shelled turtle lysozyme. The reptile lysozymes showed lytic activity against several species of bacteria, such as Micrococcus luteus and Vibrio cholerae, but showed only weak activity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and lacked activity towards Aeromonas hydrophila.     

Molecular evidence for a clade of turtles.

Although turtles have been generally grouped with the most primitive reptile species, the origin and phylogenetic relationships of turtles have remained unresolved to date. To confirm the phylogenetic position of turtles in amniotes, we have cloned and determined the cDNA sequences encoding for skink lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-A and LDH-B, snake LDH-A, and African clawed frog LDH-A; four alpha-enolase cDNA sequences from turtle, alligator, skink, and snake were also cloned and determined. All of these eight cDNA sequences, as well as the previously published LDH-A, LDH-B, and alpha-enolase of mammals, birds, reptiles, and African clawed frog, were analyzed by the phylogenetic tree reconstruction methods of neighbor-joining, maximum parsimony, and maximum likelihood. In the phylogenetic analyses, the turtle was found to be closely related to the alligator. Also, we found that the turtle had diverged after the divergence of squamates and birds. This departs from previous hypotheses of turtle evolution and further suggests that turtles are the latest of divergent reptiles, having been derived from an ancestor of crocodilian lineage within the last 200 million years.     

草鱼、中华鳖IL-2活性影响因素的研究

结果显示:当年草鱼种和中华鳖脾细胞培养上清液中能检测出IL-2活性,而且1龄以上草鱼、中华鳖的IL-2活性高于当年孵化的草鱼和中华鳖.草鱼、中华鳖脾细胞在25℃培养温度条件下,其上清液中IL-2活性最高,35℃次之,15℃最低.因此,草鱼、中华鳖IL-2活性在一定范围内是随着年龄增加而增强和依赖温度的.通过小鼠胸腺细胞增殖和对小鼠L929细胞杀伤率的实验表明37℃比25℃检测温度下所测的IL-2活性高,而中华鳖胸腺细胞增殖实验却显示25℃检测温度下IL-2活性高于37℃.本文讨论了年龄、温度对免疫反应影响的机理.       

DNA fingerprinting in reptiles: Bkm hybridization patterns in Crocodilia and Chelonia

The simple tetranucleotide repeat GATA (GACA) occurs in all eukaryotes so far studied. In many species, the arrangement of these sequences varies considerably among individuals. Thus GATA (GACA) type probes produce DNA fingerprints when hybridized with restricted DNA from different individuals within a species. Banded krait minor (Bkm) satellite DNA (related to sequences originally recovered from the W chromosome of the banded krait and consisting essentially of a series of GATA repeats) is found in a wide spectrum of vertebrates and invertebrates. We used the Bkm 2(8) clone to evaluate the occurrence of this satellite in DNA from five species of Crocodilia and six species of Chelonia, including the sea turtles Chelonia mydas and Lepidochelys kempi. Well-resolved DNA fingerprints were obtained. Among the crocodilians, fewer restriction fragments were generated and fewer of the fragments were polymorphic, than among the chelonians, consistent with the view that the crocodilians are less divergent within species. The Bkm 2(8) clone can accordingly be used to advantage in individual, familial, and population studies, and perhaps in the evaluation of taxonomic relationships in these animals. This is of potential value in endangered species such as C. mydas and L. kempi.     

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Korean soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis (Testudines, Trionychidae).

We isolated Korean soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, mitochondrial DNA by long-polymerase chain reaction (long-PCR) with conserved primers and sequenced this mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) with primer walking using flanking sequences. The P. sinensis mitochondrial DNA has 17,042 bp and its structural organization is conserved compared to those of other reptiles and mammals. To unveil the phylogenetic relationship of the turtles, we used the NJ, MP, and ML analysis methods after inferring those sequences from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. We also compared two P. sinensis variants from Korea and China using the mitochondrial genome. In this study, we report the basic characteristics of the P. sinensis mitochondrial genome, including structural organization and base composition of the rRNAs, tRNAs and protein-coding genes, as well as characteristics of tRNAs. These features are applicable for the study of phylogenetic relationships in turtles.     

Variations in mitochondrial tRNA gene organization of reptiles as phylogenetic markers

Amplification and sequencing of mitochondrial DNA regions corresponding to three major clusters of transfer RNA genes from a variety of species representing major groups of birds and reptiles revealed some new variations in tRNA gene organization. First, a gene rearrangement from tRNA(His)-tRNA(Ser)(AGY)-tRNA(Leu)(CUN) to tRNA(Ser)(AGY)- tRNA(His)tRNA(Leu)(CUN) occurs in all three crocodilians examined (alligator, caiman, and crocodile). In addition an exceptionally long spacer region between the genes for NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 and tRNA(Ser)(AGY) is found in caiman. Second, in congruence with a recent finding by Seutin et al., a characteristic stem-and-loop structure for the putative light-strand replication origin located between tRNA(Asn) and tRNA(Cys) genes is absent for all the birds and crocodilians. This stem-and-loop structure is absent in an additional species, the Texas blind snake, whereas the stem-and-loop structure is present in other snakes, lizards, turtles, mammals, and a frog. The disappearance of the stem-and-loop structure in the blind snake most likely occurred independently of that on the lineage leading to birds and crocodilians. Finally, the blind snake has a novel type of tRNA gene arrangement in which the tRNA(Gln) gene moved from one tRNA cluster to another. Sequence substitution rates for the tRNA genes appeared to be somewhat higher in crocodialians than in birds and mammals. As regards the controversial phylogenetic relationship among the Aves, Crocodilia, and Mammalia, a sister group relationship of birds and crocodilians relative to mammals, as suggested from the common loss of the stem-and- loop structure, was supported with statistical significance by molecular phylogenetic analyses using the tRNA gene sequence data.      

仿野生鳖卵的磷脂及粗蛋白含量测定

仿野生鳖卵内容物冻干粉收率为 30 .6 1% ,它的粗蛋白质及磷脂含量分别为 5 0 .0 1%和 12 .74 %。TLC分析结果表明仿野生鳖卵含有 5种磷脂成份 ,而鹌鹑卵及猪脑仅含有 3种磷脂     

中华鳖和小白鼠正常血清洁菌酶的初步测定和比较

本实验采用平板法对中华鳖和小白鼠两种动物的正常血清溶菌酶的活力进行了平板扩散法测定。从结果中发现,中华鳖的血清溶菌酶活力稍低于小白鼠,但两者均在１００Ｕ／ｍｌ以上,没有发现与个体大小、年龄及性别联系。     

几种鳄分子系统发生的探讨

百年来关于扬子鳄的分类学位置存在着很多争议,本测得扬子鳄、暹罗鳄和湾鳄的mtDNA ND4和Cytb基因,并从GenBank中获得密西西比鳄和海龟的DN4基因和Cytb基因相应片段。用Clustal X1.8进行对位排列,以海龟为外群构建分子进化系统树。结果显示,在鳄类动物中,扬子鳄与密西西比鳄的亲缘关系最近,两ND4基因序列碱基差异的20．68％,而Cytb基因序列碱基差异为14．43％,但扬子鳄与密西西相比与鳄的分类问题仍将有待进一步探讨。     

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF REPTILIAN EGGS AND EMBRYOS. AND THE EVOLUTION OF VIVIPARITY WITHIN THE CLASS REPTILIA

1. Eggs of Crocodilia and Chelonia, like those of birds, have a pair of egg membranes separating a thick layer of albumen from the calcareous shell. In contrast, eggs of oviparous Lepidosauria have only a single shell membrane, upon which relatively small amounts of calcium carbonate are deposited; and the volume of albumen in eggs is extraordinarily small at the time of oviposition. 2. With the possible exception of certain geckos and some chelonians, eggs of oviparous reptiles seem always to absorb water from the substrate during the course of normal incubation. In so far as the rate of water absorption exceeds the rate of water loss by transpiration from exposed surfaces, the eggs swell during incubation. The term ‘cleidoic’ cannot be used to describe eggs of this type. 3. Embryos of lizards and snakes influence the water potential of extra-embryonic fluids contained within their eggs, thereby maintaining or increasing the gradient in water potential that drives water absorption. 4. Embryos of Crocodilia and Chelonia obtain a substantial portion of the calcium used in ossification of skeletal elements from the inner surfaces of the eggshell. In contrast, embryonic lizards and snakes draw upon extensive reserves of calcium present in the yolk, and obtain little (if any) calcium from the eggshell. 5. All reptilian embryos seem to produce substantial quantities of urea as a detoxification product of protein catabolism. Contrary to expectation, uricotelism may not be common among reptilian embryos, even in those few instances where development takes place within a hard, calcareous egg. 6. In eggs of Crocodilia and Chelonia, respiratory gases seem to pass by diffusion through pores in the calcareous eggshell and through spaces between the fibres of the pair of egg membranes. No pores have been observed in the shell of lepidosaurian eggs, and so gases presumably diffuse between the fibres of the single (multilayered) shell membrane. 7. Metabolism of reptilian embryos is temperature-dependent, as is true for most ectothermic organisms. For each species, there appears to be a particular temperature at which embryonic development proceeds optimally, and departures from this optimum elicit increases in developmental anomalies and/or embryonic mortality. 8. Viviparity has evolved on numerous occasions among species of the Squamata, but seemingly never among Crocodilia or Chelonia. Since the evolution of viviparity entails a progressive reduction in the eggshell, only those organisms whose embryos do not depend upon the eggshell as a source of calcium may have the evolutionary potential to become viviparous. 9. Evolutionary transitions from oviparity to viviparity could have been driven by selection related to (i) thermal benefits to embryos consequent upon retention of eggs within the body of a parent capable of behavioural thermoregulation; (ii) protection of the eggs from nest predators and/or soil microbes; and (iii) more effective exploitation of a seasonal food resource by early emerging young.     

中华鳖生化组成的分析：Ⅱ.背甲,肌肉中矿物元素的组成

本文对中华鳖一龄鳖,二龄鳖和三龄鳖的肌肉与背甲中矿物元素的组成进行了分析,结果表明：中华鳖体内含有２２种以上的矿物元素,具有重要生理功能的硒,锌和铁等微量元素含量丰富,有肌肉中含量分别为：０．５４,３．３２,３６．７;在背甲中含量分别为：１．５０,８．１２,８．８。     

Different origins of bird and reptile sex chromosomes inferred from comparative mapping of chicken Z-linked genes

Recent progress of chicken genome projects has revealed that bird ZW and mammalian XY sex chromosomes were derived from different autosomal pairs of the common ancestor; however, the evolutionary relationship between bird and reptilian sex chromosomes is still unclear. The Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) exhibits genetic sex determination, but no distinguishable (heteromorphic) sex chromosomes have been identified. In order to investigate this further, we performed molecular cytogenetic analyses of this species, and thereby identified ZZ/ZW-type micro-sex chromosomes. In addition, we cloned reptile homologues of chicken Z-linked genes from three reptilian species, the Chinese soft-shelled turtle and the Japanese four-striped rat snake (Elaphe quadrivirgata), which have heteromorphic sex chromosomes, and the Siam crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), which exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination and lacks sex chromosomes. We then mapped them to chromosomes of each species using FISH. The linkage of the genes has been highly conserved in all species: the chicken Z chromosome corresponded to the turtle chromosome 6q, snake chromosome 2p and crocodile chromosome 3. The order of the genes was identical among the three species. The absence of homology between the bird Z chromosome and the snake and turtle Z sex chromosomes suggests that the origin of the sex chromosomes and the causative genes of sex determination are different between birds and reptiles.     

Tissue-specific histones in the erythrocytes of chicken and turtle

Mature erythrocytes from Leghorn chickens contain lysine-rich histone F1 and a tissue-specific histone F2c. The composition of the F1 fraction was found to be similar to the F1 histones in higher vertebrates. In the erythrocytes of a sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), only lysine-rich histones F1 could be detected. One of these fractions (F1b) differed in amino acid composition from the typical F1 histones described in the literature. The F1b histone fraction was not found in turtle liver. Chromatographic analysis of tryptic peptides of the chicken erythrocyte F1 and F2c histones and of the turtle erythrocyte F1a and F1b histones revealed considerable similarities between these four fractions, thus indicating their possible phylogenetic relationships.     

Evolutionary history of trypanosomes from South American caiman (Caiman yacare) and African crocodiles inferred by phylogenetic analyses using SSU rDNA and gGAPDH genes

In this study, using a combined data set of SSU rDNA and gGAPDH gene sequences, we provide phylogenetic evidence that supports clustering of crocodilian trypanosomes from the Brazilian Caiman yacare (Alligatoridae) and Trypanosoma grayi, a species that circulates between African crocodiles (Crocodilydae) and tsetse flies. In a survey of trypanosomes in Caiman yacare from the Brazilian Pantanal, the prevalence of trypanosome infection was 35% as determined by microhaematocrit and haemoculture, and 9 cultures were obtained. The morphology of trypomastigotes from caiman blood and tissue imprints was compared with those described for other crocodilian trypanosomes. Differences in morphology and growth behaviour of caiman trypanosomes were corroborated by molecular polymorphism that revealed 2 genotypes. Eight isolates were ascribed to genotype Cay01 and 1 to genotype Cay02. Phylogenetic inferences based on concatenated SSU rDNA and gGAPDH sequences showed that caiman isolates are closely related to T. grayi, constituting a well-supported monophyletic assemblage (clade T. grayi). Divergence time estimates based on clade composition, and biogeographical and geological events were used to discuss the relationships between the evolutionary histories of crocodilian trypanosomes and their hosts.     

An Outbreak of Trichinellosis by Consumption of Raw Soft-Shelled Turtle Meat in Korea

Trichinellosis transmission to humans via the consumption of reptile meat is rare worldwide. In Korea, however, 2 such outbreaks, possibly via consumption of soft-shelled turtle meat, have occurred in 2 successive years. In 17 August 2014, 6 patients were admitted to Wonju Severance Christian Hospital complaining of myalgia, fever, and headache. Eosinophilia was the indication of the initial laboratory results, and they were eventually diagnosed as trichinellosis by ELISA. All of the patients worked at the same company and had eaten raw soft-shelled turtle meat at a company dinner 10 days prior to their admission. They were treated with albendazole for 2 weeks, upon which all of their symptoms disappeared. This is the 8th report on human trichinellosis in Korea, and the second implicating raw soft-shelled turtle meat.     

Adaptative features of enzymes from family Sciaenidae--III. Studies on lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of fishes from the south coast of Uruguay

1. Electrophoretic analyses of lactate dehydrogenase isozyme patterns of three species of temperate fish belonging to family Sciaenidae (order Perciformes) indicates that at least three LDH loci--Ldh-A, Ldh-B and Ldh-C are active. 2. The subunits encoded by these loci occurred at different levels in the different tissues and organs analyzed. 3. The products of these loci show different response to changes in temperature. The results were obtained by electrophoretic analyses. 4. Thermostability of skeletal muscle, heart and eye lactate dehydrogenase incubated at 60 degrees C for different periods of time were examined. 5. Relative activities of LDH isozymes were compared by Klebe's method to determine pattern of divergence of duplicated gene expression in the three species studied.