青鳉prdm14的原核表达、多克隆抗体制备及其应用

青鳉(Oryzias latipes)是研究遗传发育和细胞多能性的重要模式鱼类, 为探究prdm14同源基因的潜在作用, 实验将青鳉prmd14经原核表达后制备了兔抗Prdm14多克隆抗体。首先, 将prdm14基因的部分编码区连接到pET32a质粒中, 构建重组表达载体pET32a-prdm14?600。随后将重组载体转化至大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)Rosetta(DE3), 经异丙基-β-d-硫代半乳糖苷(Isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside, IPTG)诱导表达, 获得分子量为60 kD的Prdm14重组蛋白。接着大量诱导蛋白表达并切胶纯化, 免疫家兔(Oryctolagus cuniculus), 6周后获得阳性抗体, 最后通过ELISA和Western blot检测抗体效价及其特异性。结果显示, 在37℃、0.6 mmol/L IPTG、诱导3h的条件下, 可获得Prdm14重组蛋白的高效表达; 制备的兔抗青鳉Prdm14多克隆抗体能够特异性识别青鳉组织中表达的Prdm14蛋白以及在HepG2细胞中过表达的青鳉Prdm14: EGFP融合蛋白。综上所述, 研究首次制备了一种能有效识别青鳉Prdm14的多克隆抗体, 该抗体的获得为后续研究prdm14基因在鱼类多能性干细胞中的作用提供了有力工具。     

Variation in juvenile growth rates among and within latitudinal populations of the medaka

In ectotherms, lower temperatures at high latitudes would theoretically reduce annual growth rates of individuals. If slower growth and resulting smaller body size reduce fitness, individuals at high latitudes may evolve compensatory growth. This study compares individual growth rates among and within 12 latitudinal populations of the medaka (Oryzias latipes). Growth rates during juvenile stage were measured in a common, temperature-controlled (28°C) environment. The results revealed that juvenile growth rates differed significantly among the populations. Growth rates were, moreover, significantly correlated with latitudes of source populations, such that higher-latitude individuals grew faster. Significant variation in growth rates among full-sib families within populations was also demonstrated. The results strongly suggest that higher-latitude O. latipes have acquired a greater capacity for growth as an adaptation to shorter growing seasons (which would reduce annual growth rates), thus refuting probability processes, i.e., genetic drift, founder, or bottleneck effects, as a cause of the among-population variation.     

Molecular Cloning and Bacterial Expression of the Catalytic Domain of the SENP1 Gene of Oryzias latipes

In this study, we cloned the catalytic domain of the Oryzias latipes sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 1 (OlSENP1-CD) gene and produced the recombinant OlSENP1-CD protein in Escherichia coli. Experimental procedures designed to reveal the ability of the recombinant protein to show deSUMOylating activity in vitro should be helpful in future studies of other SENPs and the SUMO pathway.     

Medaka dead end encodes a cytoplasmic protein and identifies embryonic and adult germ cells

dead end (dnd) was identified in zebrafish as a gene encoding an RNA-binding protein essential for primordial germ cell (PGC) development and gametogenesis in vertebrates. The adult dnd RNA expression has been restricted to the ovary in Xenopus or to the testis in mouse. Its protein product is nuclear in chicken germ cells but both cytosolic and nuclear in mouse cell cultures. Here we report the cloning and expression pattern of Odnd, the medakafish (Oryzias latipes) dnd gene. Sequence comparison, gene structure, linkage analysis and expression demonstrate that Odnd encodes the medaka Dnd orthologue. A systematic comparison of Dnd proteins from five fishes and tetrapod representatives led to the identification of five previously unidentified conserved regions besides the RNA recognition motif. The Odnd RNA is maternally supplied and preferentially segregated with PGCs. Its adult expression occurs in both sexes and is restricted to germ cells. In the testis, Odnd is abundant in spermatogonia and meiotic cells but absent in sperm. In the ovary, Odnd RNA persists throughout oogenesis. Furthermore, we developed a dual color fluorescent in situ hybridization procedure allowing for precise comparisons of expression and distribution patterns between two genes in medaka embryos and adult tissues. Importantly, this procedure co-localized Odnd and Ovasa in testicular germ cells and PGCs. Surprisingly, by cell transfection and embryo RNA injection we show that ODnd is cytoplasmic in cell cultures, cleavage embryos and PGCs. Therefore, medaka dnd encodes a cytoplasmic protein and identifies embryonic and adult germ cells of both sexes.     

Gonadal sex differentiation and expression of Sox9a2, Dmrt1, and Foxl2 in Oryzias luzonensis

Oryzias luzonensis is closely related to the medaka, O. latipes. The sex of both species is determined by an XX‐XY system. However, the testis determining gene (DMY/Dmrt1bY) found in O. latipes does not exist in O. luzonensis. Instead, a different gene is thought to act as a testis determining gene. In this study, we focused the gonadal sex differentiation process in O. luzonensis under different testis determining gene. First, we observed the gonadal development of O. luzonensis histologically. We then analyzed the expression of Sox9a2/Sox9b, Dmrt1, and Foxl2 during early development. Our results suggest that the sexual differentiation of germ cells in O. luzonensis is initiated later than in O. latipes. However, the timing of the sexual differentiation of the supporting cell linage is similar between the species. genesis 47:289–299, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

鸡MD基因5''''侧翼区多态性与鸡生长和体组成性状的相关研究

苹果酸脱氢酶(Malate Dehydrogenase,MD)是一种氧化还原性酶,参与体内多种能量代谢反应.它可以催化苹果酸氧化脱羧生成丙酮酸和CO2,并使NADP+还原成NADPH,NADPH是脂肪酸合成所必需的载体,棕榈酸可以利用生成的NADPH来合成长链脂肪酸,MD的活性与脂肪酸合成效率之间存在密切的相关,MD也参与体内骨骼肌、心肌的能量代谢,并对肌纤维的生长有一定的调节作用.根据鸡MD基因的5侧翼区序列设计一对引物,用直接测序的方法在侧翼区检测多态性位点,在235bp(GenBank登录号U49693)处发现一个SNP位点,此位点是一个限制性内切酶(SphⅠ酶)发生变化的位点.以东北农业大学高低脂双向选择系的第8世代肉鸡和东农F2资源群体为实验材料,用PCR-RFLP的方法进行基因型分析,建立适合的统计模型,进行基因型与生长和体组成性状的相关分析.结果表明在高低脂系第8世代肉鸡中AA基因型个体的腹脂重和腹脂率显著高于BB基因型个体(P＜0.05);BB基因型个体的大胸肌重和大胸肌率显著高于AA基因型个体(P＜0.05).在东农F2资源家系中BB基因型个体的大胸肌重和大胸肌率显著高于AA和AB基因型个体(P＜0.05);AA基因型个体的肝脏重和肝脏率显著高于BB基因型个体(P＜0.05).综上所述,MD基因可能是影响鸡生长和体组成性状的主效基因或与控制生长和体组成性状的主效基因相连锁.     

Molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of two novel Neu3 sialidases, neu3a and neu3b, from medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Mammalian Neu3 sialidases are involved in various biological processes, such as cell death and differentiation, through desialylation of gangliosides. The enzymatic profile of Neu3 seems to be highly conserved from birds to mammals. In fish, the functional properties of Neu3 sialidase are not clearly understood, with the partial exception of the zebrafish form. To cast further light on the molecular evolution of Neu3 sialidase, we identified the encoding genes in the medaka Oryzias latipes and investigated the properties of the enzyme. PCR amplification using medaka brain cDNA allowed identification of two novel medaka Neu3 genes, neu3a and neu3b. The YRIP, VGPG motif and Asp-Box, characteristic of consensus motifs of sialidases, were well conserved in the both medaka Neu3 sialidases. When each gene was transfected into HEK293 to allow cell lysates for the use of enzymatic characterization, two Neu3 sialidases showed strict substrate specificity toward gangliosides, similar to mammalian Neu3. The optimal pH values were at pH 4.2 and pH 4.0, respectively, and neu3b in particular showed a broad optimum. Immunofluorescence assays indicated neu3a localization at plasma membranes, while neu3b was found in cytosol. The tissue distribution of two genes was then investigated by estimation of mRNA expression and sialidase activity, both being dominantly expressed in the brain. In neu3a gene-transfected neuroblastoma cells, the enzyme was found to positively regulate retinoic acid-induced differentiation with the elongation of axon length. On the other hand, neu3b did not affect neurite formation. These results and phylogenetic analysis suggested that the medaka neu3a is an evolutionally conserved sialidase with regard to enzymatic properties, whereas neu3b is likely to have originally evolved in medaka.     

Poland syndrome a rare congenital anomaly

Poland syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly classically consisting of unilateral hypoplasia of the sternocostal head of the pectoralis major muscle and ipsilateral brachysyndactyly. It was first described by Alfred Poland in 1840 and may occur with different gravity. Our patient is an eight-year-old Nigerian girl with left-sided anterior chest wall defect with no detectable structural heart abnormality but presented with repeated episodes of syncopal attacks following minor trauma to the anterior chest wall.     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for paternity assessment in the golden whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis: Aves)

We isolated and characterized six novel microsatellite markers for paternity analysis in the golden whistler Pachycephala pectoralis, by screening an enriched genomic library using nonradioactive PCR techniques. The six loci exhibited little or no evidence of null alleles and showed high levels of polymorphism (mean H_E = 0.85, mean number of alleles = 15.2), making them suitable for paternity assessment in this species (exclusion probability of six unlinked loci = 0.9997).     

Heritability and genetic correlation of abdominal versus caudal vertebral number in the medaka (Actinopterygii: Adrianichthyidae): genetic constraints on evolution of axial patterning?

Variation in the number of abdominal vs. caudal vertebrae is an important source of morphological diversification of fish. It is not clear, however, whether abdominal and caudal regions evolve independently. Regressions of offspring on parents demonstrated substantial additive genetic variation within populations, i.e. heritability, in both abdominal and caudal vertebral numbers of the medaka ( Oryzias latipes ). However, the heritability of caudal vertebrae tended to be smaller than that of abdominal vertebrae in some estimations, suggesting that abdominal and caudal regions are controlled by separate developmental modules. Furthermore, genetic correlation between abdominal and caudal vertebral numbers, estimated using full-sib family means, was negative but weak, supporting independent evolution. In addition, substantial genetic differentiation among populations was demonstrated in abdominal vertebral numbers, but not in caudal numbers. These results support our view that Jordan's rule, a geographical tendency for fish from higher latitudes to have more vertebrae, in this fish reflects local adaptations of abdominal vertebral numbers. In contrast, the low heritability of caudal vertebrae may reflect the intrinsic invariability of genes associated with a change in caudal vertebral numbers. This genetic constraint may have restricted morphological diversification of not only the medaka, but also the Order Beloniformes as a whole.  © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2009, 96 , 867–874.