猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒ORF5基因在昆虫细胞中的高效融合表达

对杆状病毒BactoBac表达系统的转座质粒pFastbac1进行改造,即在其多角体蛋白启动子下游插入谷胱苷肽S转移酶（glutathioneStransferase, GST）基因,构建GST融合表达转座质粒pFGST。通过转座和转染Sf9细胞,证实该系统能高水平表达GST。采用PCR方法从pMTgp51质粒中扩增截去N端信号肽序列的猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒（PRRSV）YA株ORF5基因,并将截短的ORF5基因片段克隆到pFGST中,使之与GST融合,构建的重组转座质粒pFGST53转染DH10Bac,提取大分子Bacmid DNA,转染Sf9细胞,获得能表达融合蛋白的高滴度重组病毒rvGST53。rvGST53感染Sf9细胞,SDSPAGE和Western印迹分析表明：与GST融合的ORF5基因在Sf9细胞中获得高效表达,表达产物分子量为45kD,能与抗PRRSV E蛋白单克隆抗体发生特异性反应。将表达产物免疫小白鼠,经间接免疫荧光检测,免疫血清能使PRRSV YA株感染的MARC145细胞呈较强的荧光着色,证实表达的融合蛋白具有良好的免疫原性。     

人细小病毒B19病毒样颗粒的制备

采用昆虫杆状病毒表达系统,制备人细小病毒B19病毒样颗粒(VLPs)。先通过PCR方法合成细小病毒B19衣壳蛋白基因VP2,将其克隆到pFastBac1质粒,然后转化含杆状病毒穿梭载体Bacmid的E.coliDH10Bac感受态细胞,获得重组杆状病毒表达质粒Bacmid-VP2。在脂质体介导下转染Sf9昆虫细胞,包装重组杆状病毒rBac-VP2。利用rBac-VP2感染Sf9细胞表达B19VP2蛋白,通过间接免疫荧光、Western blotting等方法鉴定目的蛋白表达。采用两次超速离心的方法对表达产物进行纯化,纯化产物在透射电镜下可见直径约22nm的VLPs。本研究成功制备了人细小病毒B19的VLPs,为B19感染血清学检测方法的建立提供了参考。     

鸡贫血病毒VP1和VP2蛋白在家蚕中的联合表达

将鸡贫血病毒vp1和vp2基因分别克隆入转移载体pBacPAK8中,获得重组转移质粒pBac-vp1和pBac-vp2。以上两质粒分别与Cvn Ⅰ酶切线性化的亲本病毒Bm\|BacPAK6 DNA共转染家蚕细胞,通过蓝白斑筛选,纯化得到重组病毒Bm-vp1和Bm-vp2。PCR分析表明vp1和vp2基因已整合进杆状病毒基因组中。将Bm-vp1和Bm-vp2共感染5龄家蚕,通过表达产物免疫SPF鸡产生的抗血清与CAV感染的MDCCMSB1细胞的间接荧光抗体分析,证明表达产物能诱导鸡产生相应的抗体,而且能够保护子代鸡免受CAV的攻击。该研究表明,表达VP1和VP2蛋白的重组家蚕杆状病毒(Recombinant BmNPV)是很有前途的CAV亚单位疫苗的生产系统。     

含禽流感病毒M2e 氨基端抗原表位的重组传染性法氏囊病毒VP2 蛋白的免疫原性鉴定

【目的】构建传染性法氏囊病毒VP2蛋白展示禽流感M2e抗原表位的重组蛋白,研发预防H5或H9亚型禽流感和传染性法氏囊的基因工程疫苗。【方法】根据现有禽流感疫苗株M2e的氨基端12个氨基酸多肽序列(nM2e)序列,结合GenBank中H5和H9亚型禽流感病毒nM2e的比对结果,确定nM2e序列。用融合PCR分别将1拷贝H5或H9的nM2e序列插入IBD B87株VP2基因的PBC区,获得VP2BCnM2e重组基因。将重组基因克隆至杆状病毒表达系统,转染Sf9细胞进行表达。经间接免疫荧光和Western blotting检测Sf9细胞表达重组基因后,扩繁重组病毒,制备疫苗,间隔4周对非免鸡作2次重复免疫,用间接ELISA和鸡胚成纤维细胞中的病毒血清中和试验检测血清中VP2和nM2e的抗体效价。【结果】成功构建含H5或H9 nM2e的VP2BCnM2e重组基因,该重组基因在Sf9细胞中得到表达。经免疫鸡,两重组蛋白均能激发针对VP2和nM2e的抗体,VP2BCnM2eH5组抗体效价高于VP2BCnM2eH9组。【结论】两重组蛋白均具有免疫原性,VP2BCnM2eH5免疫原性更佳。     

GII型诺如病毒VP2蛋白在昆虫细胞中的表达与定位研究

【目的】利用杆状病毒表达系统表达诺如病毒(GenegroupⅡ)VP2蛋白,分析其亚细胞定位,为深入研究VP2蛋白的功能奠定基础。【方法】设计可扩增完整ORF3基因片段的引物P1和P2,在下游引物中引入6×His标签的编码序列,从质粒pMD-ORF3中克隆了含有6×His编码序列的ORF3基因,与pFastBac1载体连接,构建重组质粒pFB-ORF3,转化DH10Bac感受态细胞获得重组杆状病毒基因组Bac-ORF3,脂质体介导转染sf9昆虫细胞获得表达VP2蛋白的重组杆状病毒Ac-VP2,感染sf9细胞后,收集病变细胞,采用抗6×His标签的单克隆抗体作为一抗进行Western blot与间接免疫荧光实验鉴定。【结果】Western blot实验证实Ac-VP2感染的sf9细胞在约29 kD处出现特异性条带;间接免疫荧光实验证实Ac-VP2感染的sf9细胞出现特异性绿色荧光,并且VP2主要定位于sf9的细胞核与细胞膜。【结论】诺如病毒VP2蛋白在Ac-VP2感染的sf9细胞中获得成功表达,并且主要定位于sf9细胞的细胞核与细胞膜。     

人白细胞介素12(hIL\|12)基因在杆状病毒表达载体系统中的表达

人白细胞介素12(hIL\|12)是细胞介导免疫发生的关键调节因子,也是目前发现的唯一的异源二聚体细胞因子,由P35和P40两个亚基经二硫键连接而成。利用DNA重组技术,分别构建了含hIL\|12 p35基因和p40基因的重组转移载体质粒pAcAB3\|p35和pAcAB3\|p40。将两个重组转移载体分别与致死缺陷型线性化苜蓿丫纹液蛾核型多角体病毒(AcNPV BaculoGold Linearized Baculovirus)基因DNA共转染昆虫细胞,构建出遗传稳定的重组病毒AcNPV\|OCC\|hIL\|12(p35)与AcNPV\|OCC-\|hIL\|12(p40)。将两种病毒分别感染Sf9细胞,取细胞培养物上清和细胞裂解物上清进行SDSPAGE和Western blot检测,结果显示hIL\|12 p35和p40两基因均在昆虫细胞中获得表达,且能分泌至胞外。表达产物具有免疫原性。     

激素和活性多肽

侄草地捉蛾Sf9细胞:}l灰达_r传染性粘液囊病 病毒(IBDV)株(E/DE],)结构蛋白(VP2)的 编码基阂,该基因含有金属离子fA合位点,在C一 末端表现为5个组氯酸戏基。用曹蓿银纹夜蛾核多 角体病毒DNA分别与质粒pEDLBacⅡ和 pEDLH—BacⅡ共转染Sf9细胞,获得2种重组杆 状病毒vED[。-8和rED     

双基因双重组AcNPV的构建及其杀虫活性

质粒pAcIEneo携带杆状病毒极早期基因IE1启动子驱动的新霉素抗性基因(neo),经酶切回收后插入到质粒pAc34DZ1的SacI位点上,构建成多角体外膜蛋白基因(pe)失活的转移载体pAc34DZ2。我们曾构建了一个多角体完整(ocu+)的表达苏云金杆菌(Bt)截短cryIab基因的重组病毒(1)vAcPhBtT。为了改进这一重组病毒的杀虫效率,将转移载体pAc34DZ2与重组病毒(1)vAcPhBtT DNA共转染Sf9细胞,进行第二次同源重组。由于neo基因的表达,用G418筛选得到重组病毒(2)vAcPhBtTPE^-;Southern blot证明vAcPhBtTPE-的构建是正确的,经SDS-PAGE分析,重组病毒(2)仍然能在昆虫细胞中表达80kD的Bt截短毒蛋白,但不表达34kD的多角体外膜蛋白。电镜观察重组病毒(2)无多角体外膜,碱解时病毒粒子释放的速度快于重组病毒(1)。以重组病毒(2)感染甜菜夜蛾三龄幼虫,LC₅₀比野生型病毒小了接近1倍,LT₅₀提前近2d。     

利用杆状病毒Bac-to-Bac系统在Sf9细胞中表达真菌细胞色素P450nor

利用BactoBac杆状病毒载体表达系统将真菌细胞色素P450nor基因克隆至转移载体pFastBac1中, 得到重组质粒pFastBacP450nor, 再将其转化进入含穿梭载体Bacmid的受体菌DH10Bac中发生转座作用, 得到含P450nor基因的重组穿梭载体rBacmid pAcP450nor。分离提取重组Bacmid DNA, 并转染培养的昆虫细胞Sf9, 得到重组病毒rAcp450nor。经酶切和PCR 鉴定, 细胞色素P450nor基因正确地插入到病毒基因组的多角体蛋白基因启动子下, SDSPAGE分析证明：表达蛋白的分子量为43kD左右。Western blotting分析结果表明：有一条特定的杂交带存在, 且分子量相同（约43kD）。进一步证明了含有真菌细胞色素P450nor基因的重组表达载体和重组病毒构建成功,并在昆虫细胞Sf9中实现了高效表达, 经MTT法测定表达的细胞色素P450nor具有还原NO的生物学活性。     

猪细小病毒VP2蛋白N端甘氨酸富集区的缺失对病毒样颗粒形成及免疫原性的影响

猪细小病毒(PPV)VP2蛋白N端连续9个甘氨酸富集的编码区是VP3蛋白的切割位点,常规PCR扩增容易导致该区段的缺失,为研究该缺失对PPV病毒样颗粒(VLPs)的影响,探索VP2病毒样颗粒上适合外源基因插入的位点,构建了该区段缺失的VP2的真核表达载体pCI-△VP2,并以完整VP2作为对照,采用脂质体介导法转染Vero细胞,通过生物信息学技术、SDS-PAGE、Western blotting、间接免疫荧光以及正染和免疫电镜对表达产物进行分析观察;进一步将重组质粒以核酸疫苗的方式直接肌注免疫小鼠,采用间接ELISA试验、淋巴细胞增殖试验和T细胞亚群流式细胞技术,分析免疫小鼠的体液和细胞免疫应答.结果显示,缺失△VP2和完整VP2在Vero细胞中均能自我装配成VLPs,并具有与完整病毒粒子类似血凝性,pCI-△VP2和pCI-VP2均可诱导小鼠产生较强的特异性体液免疫应答和良好的细胞免疫应答.结果表明,甘氨酸富集区的缺失不影响VP2病毒样颗粒的装配和免疫原性,△VP2同样可进行PPV VLPs疫苗和抗原转运载体的研制,为VLPs载体改造和修饰位点的探索提供了新方向,为VP2基因结构与蛋白质功能的关系提供了新的理论依据.     

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.