突变积累实验中极大似然法和距法的比较

最近,人们突变积累实验（MA）中测定有害基因突变（DGM）的兴趣大增。在MA实验中有两种常见的DGM估计方法（极大似然法ML和距法MM）,依靠计算机模拟和处理真实数据的应用软件来比较这两种方法。结论是：ML法难于得到最大似然估计（MLEs),所以ML法不如MM法估计有效;即使MLEs可得,也因其具严重的微样误差（据偏差和抽样差异）而产生估计偏差;似然函数曲线较平坦而难于区分高峰态和低峰态的分布。     

2种微小RNA实时定量PCR检测方法的比较

目的:对目前最常用的检测微小RNA(miRNA)的茎环实时定量PCR法和PAP实时定量PCR法进行比较。方法:分别用茎环实时定量PCR法和PAP实时定量PCR法检测人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7中U6和23种miRNA的表达,利用定量PCR分析软件和琼脂糖凝胶电泳方法,将2种方法在引物设计难度、特异性与灵敏度,以及检测通量方面进行比较。结果:茎环法的特异性和灵敏度比PAP法高,但引物设计难度大,检测通量低;PAP法引物设计难度较低,检测通量较高,但特异性和灵敏度较差。结论:茎环法实时定量PCR适于有针对性地检测小规模miRNA,而PAP法则适于大规模miRNA筛选实验。     

A Comparison of EGFR Mutation Testing Methods in Lung Carcinoma: Direct Sequencing, Real-time PCR and Immunohistochemistry

The objective of this study is to compare two EGFR testing methodologies (a commercial real-time PCR kit and a specific EGFR mutant immunohistochemistry), with direct sequencing and to investigate the limit of detection (LOD) of both PCR-based methods. We identified EGFR mutations in 21 (16%) of the 136 tumours analyzed by direct sequencing. Interestingly, the Therascreen EGFR Mutation Test kit was able to characterize as wild-type one tumour that could not be analyzed by direct sequencing of the PCR product. We then compared the LOD of the kit and that of direct sequencing using the available mutant tumours. The kit was able to detect the presence of a mutation in a 1% dilution of the total DNA in nine of the 18 tumours (50%), which tested positive with the real-time quantitative PCR method. In all cases, EGFR mutation was identified at a dilution of 5%. Where the mutant DNA represented 30% of the total DNA, sequencing was able to detect mutations in 12 out of 19 cases (63%). Additional experiments with genetically defined standards (EGFR ΔE746-A750/+ and EGFR L858R/+) yielded similar results. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining with exon 19-specific antibody was seen in eight out of nine cases with E746-A750del detected by direct sequencing. Neither of the two tumours with complex deletions were positive. Of the five L858R-mutated tumours detected by the PCR methods, only two were positive for the exon 21-specific antibody. The specificity was 100% for both antibodies. The LOD of the real-time PCR method was lower than that of direct sequencing. The mutation specific IHC produced excellent specificity.     

应用多聚酶链式反应快速分析FMR-1基因突变

为了建立一种在先天性智力低下患儿中快速分析脆性X综合征智力低下基因1(Fragile X mental retardation gene 1.FMR-1)突变的方法,对先天性智力低下儿童进行脆性X综合征的大面积筛查和诊断,应用复式多聚酶链式反应一次性扩增FMR-1基因的(CGG)n的重复区,分析CGG重复序列的大小,判断FMR-1基因状态(正常、突变前、突变后),对脆性X综合征可疑患儿快速筛查,在113倒不明原因的先天性智力低下患儿中,分析有脆性X综合征携带者(FMR-1基因前突变者)7例(2男5女),脆性X综合征患者(FMR-1基因突变者)5例,应用多聚酶链式反应可以对脆性X综合征可疑患儿进行大面积初筛,确定携带者和患者。     

Statistical Inference Methods for Two Crossing Survival Curves: A Comparison of Methods

A common problem that is encountered in medical applications is the overall homogeneity of survival distributions when two survival curves cross each other. A survey demonstrated that under this condition, which was an obvious violation of the assumption of proportional hazard rates, the log-rank test was still used in 70% of studies. Several statistical methods have been proposed to solve this problem. However, in many applications, it is difficult to specify the types of survival differences and choose an appropriate method prior to analysis. Thus, we conducted an extensive series of Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the power and type I error rate of these procedures under various patterns of crossing survival curves with different censoring rates and distribution parameters. Our objective was to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of tests in different situations and for various censoring rates and to recommend an appropriate test that will not fail for a wide range of applications. Simulation studies demonstrated that adaptive Neyman’s smooth tests and the two-stage procedure offer higher power and greater stability than other methods when the survival distributions cross at early, middle or late times. Even for proportional hazards, both methods maintain acceptable power compared with the log-rank test. In terms of the type I error rate, Renyi and Cramér—von Mises tests are relatively conservative, whereas the statistics of the Lin-Xu test exhibit apparent inflation as the censoring rate increases. Other tests produce results close to the nominal 0.05 level. In conclusion, adaptive Neyman’s smooth tests and the two-stage procedure are found to be the most stable and feasible approaches for a variety of situations and censoring rates. Therefore, they are applicable to a wider spectrum of alternatives compared with other tests.     

PCR及其衍生技术在基因突变检测中的应用

许多人类遗传性疾病及某些抗艾滋病药物的抗性乃至细菌对某些抗生素的抗药性通常源于基因突变。本文对近年来在基因突变检测中应用日益广泛的各种PCR 衍生技术作一综述;重点介绍了错配PCR技术,以及我们实验室近期报道的一种快速检测喹诺酮类药物耐药大肠杆菌的错配PCR方案。 Abstract:Many inherited diseases and drug resistance have been attributed to mutations in corresponding genes.In this paper,several techniques based on PCR used in diagnosis were concluded.The development and research progress of Mismatch PCR were discussed in details.Some information about an assay that we developed for detection of antimicrobial resistance to quinolones was also described.     

煮沸裂解法和试剂盒法提取浸矿菌基因组DNA的比较

目的:在生物浸出中,微生物群落结构分析有着重要意义,而群落分析的基础是提取纯度高、损失少的基因组DNA。为了解决这一问题,本实验通过比较两种较常用的DNA提取方法,煮沸裂解法和试剂盒法,寻找一种灵敏、快速、经济实用的制备浸矿细菌基因组DNA的方法。方法:分别用煮沸裂解法和试剂盒法提取6种浸矿菌的基因组DNA,从所提取的基因组DNA浓度、纯度、回收率和对PCR扩增反应的影响方面比较了两种方法的提取效果;用两种方法来处理不同浓度梯度的一种菌,通过实时定量PCR来比较两种方法的灵敏性。结果:相同处理量(108个)的革兰氏阳性菌(1株)、革兰氏阴性菌(4株)、古菌(1株)经两种方法提取的基因组DNA差异较大,煮沸裂解法所得的6组基因组DNA更纯,其OD260/OD280的值更接近1.8-2.0(纯DNA的OD260/OD280在1.8-2.0之间),前者所提DNA回收率最大可达后者的16.7倍;煮沸裂解法只需较少菌(102个)便能让实时定量PCR检测到所提DNA模板浓度,比试剂盒法灵敏。结论:两种方法提取的基因组DNA均可用于后续的PCR扩增,此外,前者提取的DNA浓度随细菌浓度增加而呈线性增大,而后者随菌浓度增大,所提DNA量增加有限,因此,在生物浸出中微生物基因组DNA的提取可直接采用简单快速的煮沸提取法,为实验节约成本和时间。     

Initial Value Dependence: A Comparison of Two Methods For Its Study

This article is concerned with the comparison of slope estimator precision in regression analysis and the structural relationships approach (e.g., Humak, 1983, ch. 3; Kendall and Stuart, 1977), as it is relevant for their applications when testing for initial value dependence in biomedical and behavioral contexts of repeated assessments (e.g., Blomqvist, 1977; Wall, 1977). As a basis for the comparison of the two methods, the mean square error is adopted. In the general case, it is argued for an informed (data-dependent) choice between regression analysis and the structural relationships approach. For the apparent majority of biomedical and behavioral studies of the phenomenon of initial value depenence, this comparison suggests that structural relationships is the preferable approach leading to more trustworthy substantive conclusions.     

Heterogeneity of KRAS Mutation Status in Rectal Cancer

IntroductionAnti-EGFR targeted therapy is of increasing importance in advanced colorectal cancer and prior KRAS mutation testing is mandatory for therapy. However, at which occasions this should be performed is still under debate. We aimed to assess in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer whether there is intra-specimen KRAS heterogeneity prior to and upon preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and if there are any changes in KRAS mutation status due to this intervention.ResultsFor 20 (43%) out of the 47 patients, a KRAS mutation was detected. With 12 out of 20, the majority of these mutations affected codon 35. We did not obtained evidence that CRT results in changes of the KRAS mutation pattern. In addition, no intratumoral heterogeneity in the KRAS mutational status could be proven. This was true for both the biopsies prior to CRT and the resection specimens thereafter. The discrepancy observed in some samples when using the SNaPshot™ assay was due to insufficient sensitivity of this technique upon massive tumor regression by CRT as application of the therascreen® KRAS test revealed concordant results.ConclusionOur results indicate that the KRAS mutation status at the primary tumor site of rectal cancer is homogenous. Its assessment for therapeutic decisions is feasible in pre-therapeutic biopsies as well as in post-therapeutic resected specimens. The amount of viable tumor cells seems to be an important determinant for assay sensitivity and should thus be considered for selection of the analytical method.     

Mutation Detection by Real-Time PCR: A Simple,Robust and Highly Selective Method

Background

Molecular tests for diagnosis of disease, particularly cancer, are gaining increased acceptance by physicians and their patients for disease prognosis and selection of treatment options. Gene expression profiles and genetic mutations are key parameters used for the molecular characterization of tumors. A variety of methods exist for mutation analysis but the development of assays with high selectivity tends to require a process of trial and error, and few are compatible with real-time PCR. We sought to develop a real-time PCR-based mutation assay methodology that successfully addresses these issues.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The method we describe is based on the widely used TaqMan® real-time PCR technology, and combines Allele-Specific PCR with a Blocking reagent (ASB-PCR) to suppress amplification of the wildype allele. ASB-PCR can be used for detection of germ line or somatic mutations in either DNA or RNA extracted from any type of tissue, including formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor specimens. A set of reagent design rules was developed enabling sensitive and selective detection of single point substitutions, insertions, or deletions against a background of wild-type allele in thousand-fold or greater excess.

Conclusions/Significance

ASB-PCR is a simple and robust method for assaying single nucleotide mutations and polymorphisms within the widely used TaqMan® protocol for real time RT-PCR. The ASB-PCR design rules consistently produce highly selective mutation assays while obviating the need for redesign and optimization of the assay reagents. The method is compatible with formalin-fixed tissue and simultaneous analysis of gene expression by RT-PCR on the same plate. No proprietary reagents other than those for TaqMan chemistry are required, so the method can be performed in any research laboratory with real-time PCR capability.     

用PCR方法定向突变结核分枝杆菌glmU基因

目的:结核分枝杆茵glmU基因是分枝杆菌生长必需基因,其编码产物具有乙酰基转移酶活性和尿嘧啶转移酶活性,参与细胞壁前体物UDP-乙酰葡糖胺(UDP-GlcNAc)的生物合成,研究其空间结构可以定向设计酶抑制剂.方法:利用PCR方法定向突变结核分枝杆菌glmO基因,并用大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)高表达m-GlmU蛋白.结果:获得了定向突变的结核分枝杆菌glmU基因,m-glmU.纯化的m-GlmU蛋白仍具有乙酰基转移酶活性和尿嘧啶核苷转移酶活性.结论:纯化的m-GlmU蛋白为进一步研究其稳定性、测定其空间结构提供了物质基础.     

两种纯化蓖麻毒素方法的比较

两种纯化蓖麻毒素方法的比较陈兴,赵立超,贺永怀,沈倍奋（军事医学科学院基础医学研究所,北京１００８５０）高纯度的蓖麻毒素（ｒｉｃｉｎ）对于免疫毒素的制备至关重要,直接影响到免疫毒素的应用效果。总结本实验室纯化ｒｉｃｉｎ的经验,我们发现蓖麻粗提物依次通...     

基因体外随机突变的两种方法的研究

引导蛋白质功能进化常用的方法是模拟和加速蛋白质基因自然重组的进程,即在蛋白质的基因中引进随机突变。因此,蛋白质基因体外随机突变的方法影响着引导蛋白质功能进化的效果。本文描述两种简单而有效的基因体外随机突变发生方法。一种是化学诱变法：将蛋白质基因用1.0mol/L硝酸钠在室温下处理1h,然后将突变基因插入质粒,导入大肠杆菌中表达;另一种方法是延伸诱变法：将10个随机氨基酸短肽基因连接到蛋白质基因上,使蛋白质C末端连接随机短肽,通过增大蛋白质分子来达到延伸蛋白质序列空间的目的。来自嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌的过氧化氢酶I基因用这两种方法进行了随机突变,获得了大量突变体酶基因。通过对突变体酶基因表达产物性质变化的测定,证明这两种基因诱变方法能够有效地诱发基因的随机突变。 Abstract:Two novel and simple methods were described in the paper for in vitro mutagenesis and recombinatin of polynucleotide sequence to mimic and accelerate nature's recombination strategy to direct the evolution of protein function.One is chemical mutagenesis: protein gene was inserted into M13mp18,and the single－stranded DNA was treated with 1．0mol/L sodium nitrite at room temperature for 1h for mutation and converted into duplex,then the mutated gene was ligated to plasmid for expression.Another is elongation mutagenesis: random peptide of 10 amino acid was connected at C－terminal of protein to expand the sequence space by increasing proteins dimensions,then the elongation mutated gene expressed in E.coli.We have used these two methods to recombine the thermostabilized catalase I, and these two methods were found to be efficient to form a lot of catalase I mutates by identifying the properties of mutated enzyme.     

Comparison of Two Methods of Zooplankton Grazing Measurements

A comparison of two methods of zooplankton feeding experiments was performed in the Gulf of Finland. One was the advanced twin-bathometer method (in situ technique), the other — the “bottle method”. The main difference between the two methods is that it is not necessary to manipulate zooplankton to start an experiment in a twin bathometer, while manipulation is inevitable if the second method is used. In cases when the onset of the grazing experiment requires the manipulation of animals, the adaptation period lasts 2–4 hours and the optimal duration of experiment is 6–10 hours. If animals are not manipulated at the beginning of experiment, the adaptation period does not exist, the exposition time should not exceed 10 hours and the optimal duration of experiment is 2–4 hours. In long-term experiments (up to 24 hours) the fertilization effect of the excretion of concentrated zooplankton may cause underestimation of grazing rate.     

A Comparison of Two Ultrasonic Methods for Detaching Biofilms from Natural Substrata

Two types of ultrasound applications are commonly used in order to remove bacteria from sediment for subsequent direct enumeration: ultrasonic baths and narrow tip ultrasonic generators. By measuring four parameters (total number of bacteria, number of ETS‐active bacteria, amount of proteins and weight of fine sediment obtained in sonicated juices), we compared the biofilm removal of the optimal ultrasound exposure time previously obtained using the ultrasonic bath with the removal by a method using a narrow tip ultrasonic generator. To obtain comparable removal efficiencies estimated by protein contents in sonicated juices, the ultrasonic bath method required an ultrasound exposure time more than 10 times that with a narrow tip ultrasonic generator. Furthermore, the two methods provided significantly different bacterial counts because of an alteration of the sediment with the ultrasonic bath. Thus, a narrow tip ultrasonic generator is more suitable than an ultrasonic bath for the analysis of biofilms developed on sand.     

芯片杂交中荧光标记样品定量与非定量的比较研究

比较在芯片杂交中,荧光标记样品定量与非定量对杂交结果的影响。其方法是,提取经As2O3作用K562细胞前后的总RNA,逆转录成cDNA第一链,并分别用Cy3／Cy5标记。标记后的样品再次定量或不定量,但均取相同体积上样与K562芯片杂交,用扫描仪扫描并分析。其结果,标记后样品定量与不定量杂交的结果都与理论推测一致,但以样品定量进行杂交的效果更好,标记样品杂交前再次定量的,分析发现2个基因表达下调;杂交前不定量仅取相同体积进行杂交的,发现6个基因片段表达下调,其中只有2个基因与细胞凋亡通路密切相关。认为在芯片的杂交检测中,对荧光标记样品杂交前再次定量可大大提高杂交结果的可靠性。     

Comparison of Two Commercial PCR Methods for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Screening in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Nose/throat-swabs from 1049 patients were screened for MRSA using CHROMagar MRSA, LightCycler Advanced MRSA, and Detect-Ready MRSA. Results were compared to the CHROMagar MRSA results, which was set as reference system. MRSA was detected in 3.05% of the patients with CHROMagar MRSA. LightCycler MRSA Advanced showed a higher clinical sensitivity (84.38%) than Detect-Ready MRSA (57.69%).The negative predictive values were high for both tests (>98%). The specificity and the positive predictive value were higher for the Detect-Ready MRSA test than for the LightCycler MRSA test (99.59% and 78.95% versus 98.52% and 64.29%). For routine screening LightCycler MRSA Advanced proved to be more efficient in our clinical setting as the clinical sensitivity was much higher than the sensitivity of Detect-Ready MRSA. CHROMagar MRSA detected more MRSA positive samples than both PCR methods, leading to the conclusion that the combination of PCR with cultural screening is still the most reliable way for the detection of MRSA. LightCycler MRSA Advanced was faster and needed less hands-on time. The advantage of Detect-Ready MRSA was the additional identification of methicillin-sensitive S.aureus (here in 34.63% of the samples), an information which can be possibly used for reducing the risk of postoperative infections in surgical patients in future.     

Comparison of Preservation Methods of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (Acari: Ixodidae) for Reliable DNA Amplification by PCR

Five differently preserved groups of adult Rhipicephalus appendiculatus specimens were compared for quality of DNA extracted. Three methods were used to extract DNA from specimens i.e. two simple mosquito validated DNA extraction methods and a tick validated method. Extraction of DNA from tick legs was attempted. The quality of DNA extracted was evaluated by the success of PCR amplification of the ITS2 gene and the mitochondrial COI gene fragment. Fresh specimens (i.e. killed just before extraction) had the highest success of DNA amplification followed by specimens killed in ethanol and subsequently stored in the refrigerator (4 °C). There was no significant difference in amplification success between cryopreserved and 70% ethanol preserved specimens. It was possible to amplify DNA from legs of ticks. Sequenced ITS2 amplicon of template obtained from legs of ticks was as legible as those from whole tick extract. The two mosquito validated DNA extraction methods showed a significantly lower amplification success than the tick validated protocol.