Microarray Multiplex Assay for the Simultaneous Detection and Discrimination of Influenza A and Influenza B Viruses

In this study, we present a microarray approach for the typing of influenza A and B viruses, and the subtyping of H1 and H3 subtypes. We designed four pairs of specific multiplex RT-PCR primers and eight specific oligonucleotide probes and prepared microarrays to identify the specific subtype of influenza virus. Through amplification and fluorescent marking of the multiplex RT-PCR products on the M gene of influenza A and B viruses and the HA gene of subtypes H1 and H3, the PCR products were hybridized with the microarray, and the results were analyzed using a microarray scanner. The results demonstrate that the chip developed by our research institute can detect influenza A and B viruses specifically and identify the subtypes H1 and H3 at a minimum concentration of 1 × 10² copies/μL of viral RNA. We tested 35 clinical samples and our results were identical to other fluorescent methods. The microarray approach developed in this study provides a reliable method for the monitoring and testing of seasonal influenza.     

A Multiplex Assay for Detection of Staphylococcal and Streptococcal Exotoxins

Staphylococcal and streptococcal exotoxins, also known as superantigens, mediate a range of diseases including toxic shock syndrome, and they exacerbate skin, pulmonary and systemic infections caused by these organisms. When present in food sources they can cause enteric effects commonly known as food poisoning. A rapid, sensitive assay for the toxins would enable testing of clinical samples and improve surveillance of food sources. Here we developed a bead-based, two-color flow cytometry assay using single protein domains of the beta chain of T cell receptors engineered for high-affinity for staphylococcal (SEA, SEB and TSST-1) and streptococcal (SpeA and SpeC) toxins. Site-directed biotinylated forms of these high-affinity agents were used together with commercial, polyclonal, anti-toxin reagents to enable specific and sensitive detection with SD₅₀ values of 400 pg/ml (SEA), 3 pg/ml (SEB), 25 pg/ml (TSST-1), 6 ng/ml (SpeA), and 100 pg/ml (SpeC). These sensitivities were in the range of 4- to 80-fold higher than achieved with standard ELISAs using the same reagents. A multiplex format of the assay showed reduced sensitivity due to higher noise associated with the use of multiple polyclonal agents, but the sensitivities were still well within the range necessary for detection in food sources or for rapid detection of toxins in culture supernatants. For example, the assay specifically detected toxins in supernatants derived from cultures of Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, these reagents can be used for simultaneous detection of the toxins in food sources or culture supernatants of potential pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes.     

A Novel Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay for the Concurrent Detection of Hepatitis A,B and C Viruses in Patients with Acute Hepatitis

A novel multiplex real-time PCR assay for concurrent detection of hepatitis viruses was evaluated for its clinical performance in screening patients with acute hepatitis. A total of 648 serum samples were collected from patients with acute symptoms of hepatitis. Concurrent detection of nucleic acids of HAV, HBV and HCV was performed using the Magicplex™ HepaTrio Real-time Detection test. Serum nucleic acid levels of HBV and HCV were also quantified by the Cobas® AmpliPrep/Cobas® TaqMan® (CAP/CTM) HBV and HCV tests. Patients’ medical records were also reviewed. Concordance rates between the results from the HepaTrio and the CAP/CTM tests for the detection of HBV and HCV were 94.9% (k = 0.88) and 99.2% (k = 0.98), respectively. The cycle threshold values with the HepaTrio test were also correlated well with the levels of HBV DNA (r = −0.9230) and HCV RNA (r = −0.8458). The sensitivity and specificity of the HepaTrio test were 93.8% and 98.2%, respectively, for detecting HBV infection, and 99.1% and 100.0%, respectively, for HCV infection. For the HepaTrio test, 21 (3.2%) cases were positive for both HBV and HCV. Among the positive cases, 6 (0.9%) were true coinfections. This test also detected 18 (2.8%) HAV positives. The HepaTrio test demonstrated good clinical performance and produced results that agreed well with those of the CAP/CTM assays, especially for the detection of HCV. This assay was also able to detect HAV RNA from anti-HAV IgM-positive individuals. Therefore, this new multiplex PCR assay could be useful for the concurrent detection of the three hepatitis viruses.     

A Magnetic Bead-Based Method for Concentrating DNA from Human Urine for Downstream Detection

Due to the presence of PCR inhibitors, PCR cannot be used directly on most clinical samples, including human urine, without pre-treatment. A magnetic bead-based strategy is one potential method to collect biomarkers from urine samples and separate the biomarkers from PCR inhibitors. In this report, a 1 mL urine sample was mixed within the bulb of a transfer pipette containing lyophilized nucleic acid-silica adsorption buffer and silica-coated magnetic beads. After mixing, the sample was transferred from the pipette bulb to a small diameter tube, and captured biomarkers were concentrated using magnetic entrainment of beads through pre-arrayed wash solutions separated by small air gaps. Feasibility was tested using synthetic segments of the 140 bp tuberculosis IS6110 DNA sequence spiked into pooled human urine samples. DNA recovery was evaluated by qPCR. Despite the presence of spiked DNA, no DNA was detectable in unextracted urine samples, presumably due to the presence of PCR inhibitors. However, following extraction with the magnetic bead-based method, we found that ∼50% of spiked TB DNA was recovered from human urine containing roughly 5×10³ to 5×10⁸ copies of IS6110 DNA. In addition, the DNA was concentrated approximately ten-fold into water. The final concentration of DNA in the eluate was 5×10⁶, 14×10⁶, and 8×10⁶ copies/µL for 1, 3, and 5 mL urine samples, respectively. Lyophilized and freshly prepared reagents within the transfer pipette produced similar results, suggesting that long-term storage without refrigeration is possible. DNA recovery increased with the length of the spiked DNA segments from 10±0.9% for a 75 bp DNA sequence to 42±4% for a 100 bp segment and 58±9% for a 140 bp segment. The estimated LOD was 77 copies of DNA/µL of urine. The strategy presented here provides a simple means to achieve high nucleic acid recovery from easily obtained urine samples, which does not contain inhibitors of PCR.     

应用斑点法检测植物病毒的研究

应用斑点法检测了病叶粗汁液中的芜菁花叶病毒(TuMV)、大豆花叶病毒(sMV)和黄瓜花叶病毒(CMV),病叶粗汁液可被检测的最大稀释度分别为1:5120、1:2560和1:1280。提纯的大豆花叶病毒和黄瓜花叶病毒可检测的最低限量分别为1.7ng和1.2ng。以牛血清白蛋白、吐温和聚乙烯吡咯啉酮作封闭液,均可获得满意的结果。应用斑点法检测芜菁花叶病毒和大豆花叶病毒时,其抗血清稀释1:500倍可获得满意效果,稀释2000倍仍可用于检测。     

Molecular-Beacon Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of Vibrio cholerae

A multiplex real-time PCR assay was developed using molecular beacons for the detection of Vibrio cholerae by targeting four important virulence and regulatory genes. The specificity and sensitivity of this assay, when tested with pure culture and spiked environmental water samples, were high, surpassing those of currently published PCR assays for the detection of this organism.     

Development and Validation of a Multiplex,Real-Time RT PCR Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Classical and African Swine Fever Viruses

A single-step, multiplex, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was developed for the simultaneous and differential laboratory diagnosis of Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV) alongside an exogenous internal control RNA (IC-RNA). Combining a single extraction methodology and primer and probe sets for detection of the three target nucleic acids CSFV, ASFV and IC-RNA, had no effect on the analytical sensitivity of the assay and the new triplex RT-PCR was comparable to standard PCR techniques for CSFV and ASFV diagnosis. After optimisation the assay had a detection limit of 5 CSFV genome copies and 22 ASFV genome copies. Analytical specificity of the triplex assay was validated using a panel of viruses representing 9 of the 11 CSFV subgenotypes, at least 8 of the 22 ASFV genotypes as well as non-CSFV pestiviruses. Positive and negative clinical samples from animals infected experimentally, due to field exposure or collected from the UK which is free from both swine diseases, were used to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for detection of both viruses. The diagnostic sensitivity was 100% for both viruses whilst diagnostic specificity estimates were 100% for CSFV detection and 97.3% for ASFV detection. The inclusion of a heterologous internal control allowed identification of false negative results, which occurred at a higher level than expected. The triplex assay described here offers a valuable new tool for the differential detection of the causative viruses of two clinically indistinguishable porcine diseases, whose geographical occurrence is increasingly overlapping.     

四种广普性植物病毒高效mPCR检测方法的建立

本研究建立了能同时检测出烟草花叶病毒(TMV)、黄瓜花叶病毒(CMV)、马铃薯X病毒(PVX)和马铃薯Y病毒(PVY)的多重RT-PCR体系。TMV、CMV、PVX、PVY是四种广普性植物病毒,寄主范围广泛,并且常常发生复合侵染。本研究以上述四种病毒的CP基因部分序列设计引物,以反转录的cDNA为模板,建立多重RT-PCR反应体系,分别扩增出211～417bp的不同长度的基因片断,并通过序列测定来确认扩增序列的特异性。将反转录合成的cDNA进行浓度稀释,来对多重RT-PCR与单重RT-PCR的灵敏度进行比较,结果证明,多重RT-PCR体系能够同时快速检测这四种病毒,并且有很高的灵敏度。     

Sensitive In Vivo Assay for Detection of Murine Leukemia Viruses

A test is reported for the in vivo detection of the replicative ability of murine leukemia viruses (MLV) in the BALB/c mouse strain. Growth in the spleen was assayed by the complement-fixation assay for MLV group-specific antigen after injection of newborn mice. Low doses of laboratory-derived and wild-type MLV from cell-culture and animal-grown sources were detected as early as 7 to 14 days postinoculation. The sensitivity of this in vivo test compared favorably with in vitro assays for MLV. In vivo detection of MLV replication was correlated with long-term oncogenicity.     

A Novel 2-dimensional Multiplex qPCR Assay for Single-Tube Detection of Nine Human Herpesviruses

Human herpesviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that are classified into nine species. More than 90% of adults are ever infected with one or more herpesviruses. The symptoms of infection with different herpesviruses are diverse ranging from mild or asymptomatic infections to deadly diseases such as aggressive lymphomas and sarcomas. Timely and accurate detection of herpesvirus infection is critical for clinical management and treatment. In this study, we established a single-tube nonuple qPCR assay for detection of all nine herpesviruses using a 2-D multiplex qPCR method with a house-keeping gene as the internal control. The novel assay can detect and distinguish different herpesviruses with 30 to 300 copies per 25 μL single-tube reaction, and does not cross-react with 20 other human viruses, including DNA and RNA viruses. The robustness of the novel assay was evaluated using 170 clinical samples. The novel assay showed a high consistency (100%) with the single qPCR assay for HHVs detection. The features of simple, rapid, high sensitivity, specificity, and low cost make this assay a high potential to be widely used in clinical diagnosis and patient treatment.     

广东地区两种兰花病毒病害的分子鉴定及检测

根据已报道的建兰花叶病毒(CyMV)和齿兰环斑病毒(ORSV)基因组核苷酸序列,在其cp基因上下游设计PCR引物。CyMV预计扩增产物784bp,ORSV预计扩增产物604bp。以采集自广东省顺德的墨兰和文心兰表现病毒病症状的病株叶组织总RNA为模板,进行RT—PCR扩增。对预期大小的5个扩增产物进行克隆和测序,结果表明,来源于不同兰种或同一兰种不同兰场的病样CyMV引物扩增产物核苷酸序列存在少量差异,但均与世界各地的CyMV分离物cp基因高度同源;而来源于不同兰种的病样ORSV引物扩增产物核苷酸序列完全相同,与世界各地的ORSV分离物cp基因高度同源。因此可将侵染广东兰花的两种病毒鉴定为CyMV和ORSV。混合上述两种病毒的PCR引物,采用双重RT—PCR扩增,对采自广东顺德23个兰场共153份样品进行病毒检测,76份(49．7％)检出CyMV,52份(34．0％)检出ORSV,2份(1．3％)同时检出CyMV和ORSV。     

广东地区两种兰花病毒病害的分子鉴定及检测

根据已报道的建兰花叶病毒(CyMV)和齿兰环斑病毒(ORSV)基因组核苷酸序列,在其cp基因上下游设计PCR引物.CyMV预计扩增产物784bp,ORSV预计扩增产物604bp.以采集自广东省顺德的墨兰和文心兰表现病毒病症状的病株叶组织总RNA为模板,进行RT-PCR扩增.对预期大小的5个扩增产物进行克隆和测序,结果表明,来源于不同兰种或同一兰种不同兰场的病样CyMV引物扩增产物核苷酸序列存在少量差异,但均与世界各地的CyMV分离物cp基因高度同源;而来源于不同兰种的病样ORSV引物扩增产物核苷酸序列完全相同,与世界各地的ORSV分离物cp基因高度同源.因此可将侵染广东兰花的两种病毒鉴定为CyMV和ORSV.混合上述两种病毒的 PCR引物,采用双重RT-PCR扩增,对采自广东顺德23个兰场共153份样品进行病毒检测,76份(49.7%)检出CyMV,52份(34.0%)检出ORSV,2份(1.3%)同时检出CyMV和ORSV.     

A Multiplex Assay for the Diagnosis of Mucopolysaccharidoses and Mucolipidoses

Introduction

Diagnosis of the mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) generally relies on an initial analysis of total glycosaminoglycan (GAG) excretion in urine. Often the dimethylmethylene blue dye-binding (DMB) assay is used, although false-negative results have been reported. We report a multiplexed diagnostic test with a high sensitivity for all MPSs and with the potential to identify patients with I-cell disease (ML II) and mucolipidosis III (ML III).

Methods

Urine samples of 100 treatment naive MPS patients were collected and analyzed by the conventional DMB assay and a multiplex assay based on enzymatic digestion of heparan sulfate (HS), dermatan sulfate (DS) and keratan sulfate (KS) followed by quantification by LC-MS/MS. Specificity was calculated by analyzing urine samples from a cohort of 39 patients suspected for an inborn error of metabolism, including MPSs.

Results

The MPS cohort consisted of 18 MPS I, 16 MPS II, 34 MPS III, 10 MPS IVA, 3 MPS IVB, 17 MPS VI and 2 MPS VII patients. All 100 patients were identified by the LC-MS/MS assay with typical patterns of elevation of HS, DS and KS, respectively (sensitivity 100%). DMB analysis of the urine was found to be in the normal range in 10 of the 100 patients (sensitivity 90%). Three out of the 39 patients were identified as false-positive, resulting in a specificity of the LS-MS/MS assay of 92%. For the DMB this was 97%. All three patients with MLII/MLIII had elevated GAGs in the LC-MS/MS assay while the DMB test was normal in 2 of them.

Conclusion

The multiplex LC-MS/MS assay provides a robust and very sensitive assay for the diagnosis of the complete spectrum of MPSs and has the potential to identify MPS related disorders such as MLII/MLIII. Its performance is superior to that of the conventional DMB assay.     

三重RT-PCR同步检测马铃薯多种病毒影响因素

根据病毒外壳蛋白区序列设计PVX、PVS特异性引物对,根据P1基因区序列设计PVA特异性引物对,应用三重RT-PCR同步检测马铃薯X病毒,马铃薯A病毒及马铃薯S病毒,分别得到562bp、255bp、182bp大小的扩增片段。试验从反转录反应、PCR反应及循环条件3方面讨论了试剂和循环条件对三重RT-PCR同步检测3种病毒的影响。结果表明反转录反应中dNTPs浓度、3种病毒下游引物浓度比例对整个反应影响较大;其次是PCR反应中MgC12浓度和退火温度;反转录时间,循环条件对RT-PCR影响较小。     

Discovery of Two Novel Viruses Expands the Diversity of Single-Stranded DNA and Single-Stranded RNA Viruses Infecting a Cosmopolitan Marine Diatom

Recent studies have suggested that diatom viruses are an important factor affecting diatom population dynamics, which in turn are important in considering marine primary productivity. The marine planktonic diatom Chaetoceros tenuissimus Meunier is a cosmopolitan species and often causes blooms off the western coast of Japan. To date, two viruses, C. tenuissimus DNA virus (CtenDNAV) type I and CtenRNAV type I, have been identified that potentially affect C. tenuissimus population dynamics in the natural environment. In this study, we successfully isolated and characterized two additional novel viruses (CtenDNAV type II and CtenRNAV type II). This paper reports the basic characteristics of these new viruses isolated from surface water or sediment from the Hiroshima Bay, Japan. The physiological and morphological characteristics of the two new viruses were similar to those of the previously isolated viruses. However, the amino acid sequences of the structural proteins of CtenDNAV type II and CtenRNAV type II were clearly distinct from those of both type I viruses, with identity scores of 38.3% and 27.6%, respectively. Our results suggest that at least four genetically distinct viruses sharing the same diatom host are present in western Japan and affect the population dynamics of C. tenuissimus. Moreover, the result that CtenRNAV type II lysed multiple diatom species indicates that RNA viruses may affect various diatom populations in the natural environment.     

Simultaneous Detection and Identification of Enteric Viruses by PCR-Mass Assay

Simultaneous detection of enteric viruses that cause similar symptoms (e.g. hand, foot and mouth disease) is essential to the prevention of outbreaks and control of infections. In this study, a novel PCR-Mass assay combining multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was developed and used for simultaneous detection of eight distinct human enteric viruses. Enteric viral isolates and standard viral RNAs were examined to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the PCR-Mass assay. Clinical performance was evaluated with a total of 101 clinical specimens from patients suspected of having hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). The results were compared to those of previous analyses using real-time RT-PCR. The identification of specific viruses and clinical specimens shows that the PCR-Mass assay performed as well as or better than standard methods with respect to indicating the presence of multiplex pathogens in a single specimen.     

Improved PCR-BSP Assay for Multiplex Methylation Pattern Analysis in Minimal Amount of DNA

Cell-specific DNA methylation pattern detection is of great importance for the tumorigenesis and differentiation studies. Comparatively, large amounts of DNA were needed for traditional methods of DNA methylation pattern detection, and therefore, more sensitive method for high throughput analysis with a limited amount of DNA is needed. With Mouse 3T3 cells, we developed new multiplex-nested PCR technologies for bisulfite-assisted genomic sequencing PCR (BSP) methylation pattern detection method. Primers step add-in method and templates precipitation methods efficiently increase the throughput of the assay, and the nested PCR method also increased the sensitivity. The optimized assay could successfully detect 15 sequences of methylation pattern with a minimal amount of DNA (500–1,000 cells of genome DNA).