Genome‐wide analysis of TNF‐alpha response in pigs challenged with porcine circovirus 2b

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) is a pro‐inflammatory cytokine with a role in activating adaptive immunity to viral infections. By inhibiting the capacity of plasmacytoid dendritic cells to produce interferon‐α and TNF‐α, porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) limits the maturation of myeloid dendritic cells and impairs their ability to recognize viral and bacterial antigens. Previously, we reported QTL for viremia and immune response in PCV2‐infected pigs. In this study, we analyzed phenotypic and genetic relationships between TNF‐α protein levels, a potential indicator of predisposition to PCV2 co‐infection, and PCV2 susceptibility. Following experimental challenge with PCV2b, TNF‐α reached the peak at 21 days post‐infection (dpi), at which time a difference was observed between pigs that expressed extreme variation in viremia and growth (P < 0.10). A genome‐wide association study (n = 297) revealed that genotypes of 56 433 SNPs explained 73.9% of the variation in TNF‐α at 21 dpi. Major SNPs were identified on SSC8, SSC10 and SSC14. Haplotypes based on SNPs from a SSC8 (9 Mb) 1‐Mb window were associated with variation in TNF‐α (P < 0.02), IgG (P = 0.05) and IgM (P < 0.13) levels at 21 dpi. Potential overlap of regulatory mechanisms was supported by the correlations between genomic prediction values of TNF‐α and PCV2 antibodies (21 dpi, r > 0.22), viremia (14–21 dpi, P > 0.29) and viral load (r = 0.31, P < 0.0001). Characterization of the QTL regions uncovered genes that could influence variation in TNF‐α levels as well as T‐ and B‐cell development, which can affect disease susceptibility.     

Mapping markers linked to porcine salmonellosis susceptibility

The goal of this study was to identify pig chromosomal regions associated with susceptibility to salmonellosis. Genomic DNA from pig reference populations with differences in susceptibility to Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis as quantified by spleen and liver bacterial colonization at day 7 post-infection (dpi; Van Diemen et al. 2002 ) was used. These samples belonged to the offspring of a sire thought to be heterozygous for genes involved in susceptibility to salmonellosis. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were created and used to determine associations with spleen or bacterial counts at 7 dpi. To position linked markers, two mapping populations, the Roslin and Uppsala PiGMaP pedigrees were used to create an integrated map which included the AFLP markers associated with salmonellosis. Twenty-six AFLP markers located in 14 different chromosomal regions in the porcine genome were found to be significantly associated with susceptibility (Chi-square P  < 0.05). More than one linked marker was found on chromosomes 1, 7, 13, 14 and 18. It is likely that these regions contain genes involved in Salmonella susceptibility. Regions on chromosomes 1, 7 and 14 were significantly associated with Salmonella counts in the liver and regions on chromosomes 11, 13 and 18 with counts in spleen. The identification of these chromosomal regions highlights specific areas to search for candidate genes that may be involved in innate or adaptive immunity. Further investigation into these chromosomal regions would be useful to improve our understanding of host responses to infection with this widespread pathogen.     

Localization of the porcine growth hormone gene to chromosome 12pl.2 p1–5

Summary
The gene encoding the porcine growth hormone (GH) has been localized to the q-arm of chromosome 12 using high-resolution R-banded chromosomes for in situ hybridization. We report here the localization of GH on the p-arm of this chromosome when using in situ hybridization on high-resolution G-banded chromosomes. Sequential Q- and R-banding show that this discrepancy is caused by a reversed orientation of chromosome 12 in the R-banded high-resolution karyotype published by Rønne et al. (1987) and the G-banded standard karyotype.     

Porcine Cloned Embryos Reconstructed with the Cell Nuclei of Tetraploid M-phase Fibroblast Cells Can Restore Normal Diploidy at the Blastocyst Stage

The cell cycle of donor cells as a major factor that affects cloning efficiency remains debatable. G2/M phase cells as a donor can successfully produce cloned animals, but a minimal amount is known regarding nuclear remodeling events. In this study, porcine fetal fibroblasts (PFFs) were carefully synchronized at G1 or M phase as donor cells. Most of the cloned embryos reconstructed from PFFs at G1 (G1-embryos) or M (M-embryos) phase formed a pronucleus-like nucleus (PN) within 6-h post fusion (hpf), but the M-embryos formed PN earlier than the G1-embryos did. Moreover, 77.4% of the M-embryos formed two PNs, whereas the G1-embryos formed a single PN. The rate of extrusion of polar body-like structures by the M-embryos was significantly lower than that extruded by the G1-embryos (26.3% vs. 37.1%, P?相似文献   

Vascular supply of the anterior interventricular epicardial nerves and ventricular Purkinje fibers in the porcine hearts

The aim of this study was to perform a pilot histological and quantitative analysis of the blood vessels accompanying the epicardial nerves (vasa nervorum) in the porcine hearts. Twenty healthy porcine hearts were used in this study. The blood vessels were analyzed by light microscopy using four different staining techniques in transverse sections taken from the upper, middle, and lower segments of the anterior part of the interventricular region and the adjacent parts of the right and left ventricles containing epicardial nerves and the endocardial peripheral parts of the Purkinje fibers. In total, 317 epicardial nerves were detected. The vasa nervorum were present in 75.7% of these nerves. The vasa nervorum resembled arterioles and postcapillary and collecting venules. One hundred and forty nine epicardial nerves were perivascular, located in the adventitia of the anterior interventricular artery and vein. The remaining 168 nerves ran freely through the epicardial interstitium. The presence of the vasa nervorum was not related to topographical location or nerve diameter. Additionally, from a total of 33 analyzed ventricular complexes of Purkinje fibers small blood vessels located in their proximity were identified in only two cases. It can be concluded that the majority of the anterior epicardial nerves of porcine heart possess well-developed vasa nervorum. In contrast, similar blood vessels are rarely present in the vicinity of the Purkinje fibers. The data obtained contribute to a better understanding of the nutrition of the cardiac nerves.     

Synthèse Facile de Pyrazines Disubstituées en 2 et 31)

Corynebacterium equi IFO 3730 was found to oxidize a wide variety of sec-alcohols, including alkanols, substituted alkanols, alkenols and cyclic alcohols, in moderate to high yields. Among them, the sec-alcohols which have longer carbon chains were oxidized more smoothly than those with smaller numbers of carbon. Although both enantiomers of unsymmetrically disubstituted carbinols were oxidized, the S form of 2-dodecanol was converted to the corresponding ketone a little faster than the other enantiomer.     

Regioselective Enzymatic Hydrolysis of 3',5'-DI-O-Acetylthymidine and Observation of a Surface Effect Due to Polystyrene

The selective enzymatic hydrolysis of 3',5'-di-O-acetylthyidine (1) was studied. The lipases from porcine pancreas and Aspergillus niger, and pig liver esterase, all catalysed selective hydrolysis of the 5'O-acetyl group, but the lipase from Candida cylindracea catalysed selective hydrolysis of the 3'-O-acetyl group. Highest selectivity, leading to essentially pure 3'-O-acetylthymidine, was achieved using porcine pancreatic lipase in dilute solution at pH 7.5. Provision of an artificial interface in the form of polystyrene beads led to a significant increase in the rate of hydrolysis, accompanied by a marked fall in selectivity. Other changes in the hydrolysis conditions, such as raising the concentration of substrate or adding cosolvent, also led to a fall in selectivity.     

猪干扰素-γ基因在毕赤酵母中的分泌表达

将去除信号肽的猪干扰素-γ（PoIFN-γ）基因置于酿酒酵母α因子分泌信号的DNA序列后, 构建成pPIC9K-α-PoIFN-γ分泌型重组表达载体, 电转化导入毕赤酵母GS115中,经G418筛选后获得2株多拷贝插入的重组子。SDS-PAGE和Western blot分析结果表明,所获得的重组子能够分泌表达出17kD和23kD左右的PoIFN-γ特异蛋白,其表达量为108mg/L,占培养液总蛋白的60%。实验首次在毕赤酵母表达系统中实现了PoIFN-γ基因的分泌表达。     

表达猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒修饰型GP5m蛋白的重组伪狂犬病毒的构建及其在小鼠的免疫反应

猪伪狂犬病毒（PRV）是一种良好的兽用活病毒疫苗载体。但以PRV基因缺失疫苗株TK^-/gE^-/LacZ⁺为载体表达PRRSV GP5的重组病毒TK^-/gE^-/GP5⁺免疫实验动物后难以激发抗PRRSV的中和抗体。为了进一步增强这种重组病毒的免疫效力,用具有更好免疫原性的修饰的ORF5基因（ORF5m）代替天然ORF5基因,构建了表达PRRSV的修饰型GP5m蛋白的重组伪狂犬病毒TK^-/gE^-/GP5m⁺。经PCR、Southern blot、Western blot 证实构建正确,并能表达具有活性的GP5m蛋白。将TK^-/gE^-/GP5m⁺与TK^-/gE^-/GP5⁺分别免疫Balb/c小鼠,结果TK^-/gE^-/GP5m⁺免疫小鼠不仅产生了较高水平的抗PRRSV的中和抗体(3/6只达到了1∶16),而且在诱导PRRSV特异性细胞免疫方面也显著优于TK^-/gE^-/GP5⁺,表明TK^-/gE^-/GP5m⁺是一种极有希望的PRRSV和PRV二价基因工程候选疫苗。     

猪圆环病毒2型ORF2基因在昆虫细胞中的表达及其特性

利用Bac-to-Bac杆状病毒表达系统将圆环病毒2型的ORF2全基因克隆到杆状病毒转移载体pFastBac^TM1中,获得重组转移载体pFast-OFR2,再将其转化进含穿梭载体Bacmid的感受态细胞DH10Bac中,发生转座作用,经蓝白菌落筛选得到含ORF2基因的重组穿梭载体Bac-ORF2,以脂质体介导的方法将重组穿梭载体转染sf9细胞,获得重组病毒,命名为Ac-ORF2。间接免疫荧光分析表明,PCV2阳性血清能使Ac-ORF2感染的sf9昆虫细胞呈强的荧光着色; SDS-PAGE与Western-blotting分析可见大小约为28kD的特异性带,表明Ac.ORF2在sf9细胞中成功表达了PCV2-ORF2蛋白。将该表达蛋白纯化并经磷钨酸负染后,通过电镜观察可见形态与PCV2病毒粒子相似的病毒样颗粒(VLPs),其中某些颗粒由于中心浓染而似空衣壳,其直径也为17nm左右。