WFS1 and non-syndromic low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss: A novel mutation in a Portuguese case

Low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (LFSNHL) is an unusual type of HL in which frequencies at 2000 Hz and below are predominantly affected. Most of the families with LFSNHL carry missense mutations in WFS1 gene, coding for wolframin.     

A Note on Testing Equality of Means when Sample Sizes are Random with Application

The problem of testing the equality of means of two normal populations is considered when independent random samples of random sizes are given with the total number of observations from both populations being a fixed number. An application in forestry is discussed.     

一个玉米矮秆突变体K123d的遗传鉴定

矮秆已被广泛用于改良作物的抗倒伏性状,培育理想株型,从而提高作物产量。玉米矮秆突变体K123d由自交系K123自然突变产生。本研究比较该突变体与野生型主要农艺性状差异及其对赤霉素的敏感性;用K123d与株高不同的3个自交系分别构建F1、BC和F2群体,分析矮秆性状的遗传模式;以K169/K123d-F2为定位群体,采用集团分离分析法(BSA),运用SSR标记定位矮秆基因d123;参照br-2序列信息分段设计特异引物,同源克隆d123。结果表明,与野生型相比K123d株高降低35.59%,穗位高降低、节间缩短、叶片较直立,但结实率差,对赤霉素敏感;在F2群体和BC1群体中,正常植株与矮秆植株分离比例分别符合3∶1和1∶1,说明矮秆性状受1对隐性基因控制;其矮秆基因d123定位于第一条染色体上SSR标记umc1278和bnlg1564之间,遗传距离分别为12.8 c M和7.3 c M;同源克隆显示d123与br-2存在12个碱基替换,其中第4个外显子编码的一个谷氨酸被替换为赖氨酸。由此可见,矮秆突变体K123d为br-2的一个突变类型,对矮化育种具有进一步研究利用价值。     

Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Genetic Parameters in Cell Populations

In this paper we consider a cell population such as bacteria consisting of two types of cells, mutant and nonmutant. Under the mutation and homogeneous pure birth processes, this paper derives a maximum likelihood estimation procedure for estimating mutation rate and birth rate. The method is applied to Newcombe's data; further some Monte Carlo studies are generated. The numerical results indicate that the method is quite efficient for estimating genetic parameters in cell populations.     

高产虾青素红法夫酵母的紫外线诱变

虾青素(3,3'-二羟基-β,β'-胡萝卜素-4,4'-二酮)是一种类胡萝卜、素类物质,具有巨大的开发价值。本文通过单一紫外线、紫外线-氯化锂复合处理,结合选择性平板的筛选作用,对菌株G26进行诱变育种。实验结果表明:紫外线照射3～9min,法夫酵母的死亡率在70%～95%之间;当死亡率为78.57%时,正变率达到最大值71.43%。经多次单独紫外线处理,以及紫外线-氯化锂复合诱变,获得稳定高产突变株G49,虾青素产量达到10 321μg/L,含量为713.8μg/g DCW,较出发菌株G26分别提高31.48%和20.47%。     

表皮生长因子受体基因突变检测方法改进及初步临床验证

目的:改进现有的检测表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)基因突变的荧光PCR法并开发出新的试剂盒,将其与直接测序法和ARMS法进行对比,验证该试剂盒用于临床诊断的敏感性、特异性和准确性。方法:收集2013年6月至2015年8月手术确诊的141例非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)的石蜡包埋组织标本。采用盲法分别使用直接测序法、ARMS法和新试剂盒检测EGFR突变,比较新试剂盒与其他两种检测方法的差异,结果不一致时采用三种方法分别重复检验一次。结果:三种方法检测成功率均为100%,新试剂盒与直接测序法测得结果完全一致的比率达75.9%(107/141),在直接测序法测得的96例突变阳性中,92例在新试剂盒检测中得到验证(95.8%)。而直接测序法显示突变阴性的45例中,新试剂盒检测发现了23例突变阳性,两种检测方法的结果存在统计学差异(x2=40.745,P0.05)。与直接测序法进行比较,新试剂盒检测EGFR突变的敏感性、特异性分别为95.8%、48.9%,阳性预测值、阴性预测值分别为80.0%、84.6%,检测准确度为80.9%。以ARMS检测法为金标准,新试剂盒测得结果完全一致的比率达84.4%(119/141),两者的一致性比较好(K=0.749,P0.05),敏感性、特异性分别为94.1%、86.4%。结论:改进后EGFR基因突变检测的试剂盒在技术上较好地控制了检测结果的假阳性和假阴性,该检测方法较直接测序法具有更好的敏感性和准确性,与现有的ARMS法一致性较高。     

Regulation of NADPH Oxidase Activity in Phagocytes: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAD/NADPH BINDING AND OXIDASE COMPLEX ASSEMBLY*

The X⁺-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X⁺-CGD) variants are natural mutants characterized by defective NADPH oxidase activity but with normal Nox2 expression. According to the three-dimensional model of the cytosolic Nox2 domain, most of the X⁺-CGD mutations are located in/or close to the FAD/NADPH binding regions. A structure/function study of this domain was conducted in X⁺-CGD PLB-985 cells exactly mimicking 10 human variants: T341K, C369R, G408E, G408R, P415H, P415L, Δ507QKT509-HIWAinsert, C537R, L546P, and E568K. Diaphorase activity is defective in all these mutants. NADPH oxidase assembly is normal for P415H/P415L and T341K mutants where mutation occurs in the consensus sequences of NADPH- and FAD-binding sites, respectively. This is in accordance with their buried position in the three-dimensional model of the cytosolic Nox2 domain. FAD incorporation is abolished only in the T341K mutant explaining its absence of diaphorase activity. This demonstrates that NADPH oxidase assembly can occur without FAD incorporation. In addition, a defect of NADPH binding is a plausible explanation for the diaphorase activity inhibition in the P415H, P415L, and C537R mutants. In contrast, Cys-369, Gly-408, Leu-546, and Glu-568 are essential for NADPH oxidase complex assembly. However, according to their position in the three-dimensional model of the cytosolic domain of Nox2, only Cys-369 could be in direct contact with cytosolic factors during oxidase assembly. In addition, the defect in oxidase assembly observed in the C369R, G408E, G408R, and E568K mutants correlates with the lack of FAD incorporation. Thus, the NADPH oxidase assembly process and FAD incorporation are closely related events essential for the diaphorase activity of Nox2.     

BRAF Drives Synovial Fibroblast Transformation in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Synovial fibroblasts destroy articular cartilage and bone in rheumatoid arthritis, but the mechanism of fibroblast transformation remains elusive. Because gain-of-function mutations of BRAF can transform fibroblasts, we examined BRAF in rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts. The strong gain-of-function mutation, V600R, of BRAF found in melanomas and other cancers was identified in first passage synovial fibroblasts from two of nine rheumatoid arthritis patients and confirmed by restriction site mapping. BRAF-specific siRNA inhibited proliferation of synovial fibroblasts with V600R mutations. A BRAF aberrant splice variant with an intact kinase domain and partial loss of the N-terminal autoinhibitory domain was identified in fibroblasts from an additional patient, and fibroblast proliferation was inhibited by BRAF-specific siRNA. Our finding is the first to establish mechanisms for fibroblast transformation responsible for destruction of articular cartilage and bone in rheumatoid arthritis and establishes a new target for therapeutic intervention.     

Analysis of distributions of mutants in clones of plant-cell aggregates

Summary The organization of plant cells (or any other genetic elements, such as organelles) into aggregates modifies the expected distribution of mutants in clones. The reason for the modification, and its effect on the use of the Luria-Delbrück fluctuation test, are discussed. The Luria-Delbriick test was used to show that the trait for chlorate resistance in cultured rose-cell aggregates appeared spontaneously and in the absence of chlorate ion.