Nucleic Acid Homology of Murine Type-C Viral Genes

The nucleic acid sequence homology between various murine, endogenous type-C viruses (three host range classes of BALB/c virus, the AT-124 virus, and the CCL 52 virus) and two laboratory strains of murine leukemia virus (Rauscher and Kirsten) was determined by DNA:RNA hybridization. The viral sequences exhibit varying degrees of partial homology. DNA:DNA hybridizations were performed between [³H]DNA probes prepared from N- and X-tropic BALB/c endogenous viruses and cellular DNAs from BALB/c, NIH Swiss, and AKR inbred mouse strains as well as from California feral mice and the Asian mouse subspecies Mus musculus molossinus and M. musculus castaneus. All of these strains of mice are shown to possess multiple (six to seven per haploid genome), partially related copies of type-C virogenes in their DNAs. Thermal melting profiles of the DNA:RNA and DNA:DNA hybrids suggest that the partial homology of the viral nucleic acid sequences is the result of base alterations throughout the viral genomes, rather than the loss of discrete segments of viral sequences.     

NASBA(依赖核酸序列的扩增)及其在病毒检测中的应用

NASBA(nucleic acid sequence based amplification)即依赖核酸序列的扩增技术,是一种扩增RNA的新技术,是由一对引物介导的、连续均一的、体外特异核苷酸序列等温扩增的酶促反应过程。反应在42℃进行,可以在2h左右将模板RNA扩增约109~12倍,不需特殊的仪器。NASBA已经广泛应用于细菌、病毒等多种病原微生物的检测,就NASBA的技术原理及其在病毒检测中的应用作一综述。     

Scrapie and Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy: Search for Infectious Nucleic Acid

Brain preparations from animals with scrapie or transmissible mink encephalopathy were phenol extracted and examined for the presence of pathogenic nucleic acid. Animals inoculated with various extracts remained healthy, and analysis on 2.6 to 5% polyacrylamide gels failed to detect a difference in extractable RNA species between infected and normal mink brain.     

New,Closely Related Haloarchaeal Viral Elements with Different Nucleic Acid Types

During the search for haloarchaeal viruses, we isolated and characterized a new pleomorphic lipid-containing virus, Haloarcula hispanica pleomorphic virus 1 (HHPV-1), that infects the halophilic archaeon Haloarcula hispanica. The virus contains a circular double-stranded DNA genome of 8,082 bp in size. The organization of the genome shows remarkable synteny and amino acid sequence similarity to the genome and predicted proteins of the halovirus HRPV-1, a pleomorphic single-stranded DNA virus that infects a halophilic archaeon Halorubrum sp. Analysis of the two halovirus sequences, as well as the entire nucleotide sequence of the 10.8-kb pHK2-plasmid and a 12.6-kb chromosomal region in Haloferax volcanii, allows us to suggest a new group of closely related viruses with genomes of either single-stranded or double-stranded DNA. Currently, closely related viruses are considered to have the same genome type. Our observation clearly contradicts this categorization and indicates that we should reconsider the way we classify viruses. Our results also provide a new example of related viruses where the viral structural proteins have not diverged as much as the proteins associated with genome replication. This result further strengthens the proposal for higher-order classification to be based on virion architecture rather than on genome type or replication mechanism.Metagenomic studies have increased the amount of information on the nucleotide sequence space in our environment. It has also increased our awareness of the viral abundance and diversity not recognized before (16, 24, 26). Along with this new information, we have learned to acknowledge the significance of viruses in the evolution and behavior of other organisms (55). To reveal the dynamics and molecular interactions in the interplay between a particular virus and its host, however, isolation of single viruses and their hosts is needed. Even though a number of viruses pathogenic to humans, domestic animals, and plants, as well as some bacteriophages, have been studied in great detail, much of the diversity of the archaeal viruses has remained unknown. By the year 2007 only 44 archaeal viruses had been described (2). That embraces less than 1% of all reported viruses. Although the diversity among these few isolated archaeal viruses is considerable, a head-and-tail morphology is prevalent among isolated viruses infecting euryarchaeal cells. In contrast, viruses of Crenarchaeota are diverse and often unusual with no viruses having a head-tail morphology (53).Archaeal haloviruses infect euryarchaeal hosts living in environments up to saturated salt. This makes them an interesting group of viruses that reside in a very restricted habitat. In samples taken from high salt environments, the Dead Sea and Spanish solar salterns, viral morphotypes most often observed were spindle-shaped, head-and-tail or tailless icosahedral particles (25, 31, 47). Isolated haloviruses, however, do not seem to reflect the proportions of different morphotypes found in the nature as nearly all of the isolates possess a head-and-tail morphology (2). Molecular level studies on only two spindle-shaped (10, 11) and one tailless icosahedral particle have been carried out (37, 51). Virus-like particles of other morphologies have also been observed in high-salt environments (47), but only one additional morphotype has been described in detail (50). This recently isolated lipid containing halovirus, HRPV-1, is the first archaeal virus containing a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genome (50). It infects Halorubrum sp. and has a pleomorphic appearance with glycosylated spike structures protruding from its external membrane (49, 50).The evolution of prokaryotic viral genome sequences is very fast (18), and the assessment of viral relationships using homology of the genome sequences applies only to closely related viruses (17, 19). Current higher-order classification of viruses is based on the host organism, the nature of the genome (RNA/DNA, single stranded versus double stranded) and the virion morphology. Recently, a higher-order clustering of virus families has been proposed based on common principles of virion architectures as well as on the fold of the major capsid protein (1, 6, 12, 13, 42). Consequently, major capsid proteins most probably belong to the vertically inherited viral “self” (4), whereas proteins involved in replication of the viral genome can be swapped by horizontal exchange (21, 63). The proposal is based on observations that structurally related viruses have been found to infect organisms that reside in all three domains of life.We have isolated a new pleomorphic virus infecting Haloarcula hispanica (Har. hispanica pleomorphic virus 1 [HHPV-1]). Here, we determine the molecular constituents of HHPV-1 and its genetic relatedness to other archaeal viruses and putative proviruses. Sequence homology and gene order (synteny) shows distinct genomic regions shared between four genetic elements separating replication, virus assembly, and integration functions. Surprisingly, in spite of the close relatedness of HRPV-1 and HHPV-1, the genome types of these two viruses differ (ssDNA and dsDNA, respectively).     

汉坦病毒核酸疫苗在小鼠体内表达分布的初步研究

运用生物荧光技术,肌肉免疫接种小鼠含汉坦病毒S抗原基因片段的核酸疫苗,观察重组核酸疫苗在其体内的表达分布。进一步探讨汉坦病毒核酸疫苗的应用前景。扩增纯化已构建好的含有汉坦病毒S抗原基因片段和绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)基因的重组质粒pEGFP/S;免疫接种小鼠胫前肌,观察pEGFP/S在小鼠体内的表达分布。免疫接种3 d后在实验组小鼠肝、肾、脾、肌肉各组织均检测到较强的绿色荧光。重组质粒pEGFP/S能在小鼠的多个组织器官表达,为深入研究汉坦病毒核蛋白和有效的核酸疫苗奠定了基础。     

Effects of Phosfon-S on Nucleic Acid Metabolism in Pisum sativum Alaska

Phosfon-S, a substance which inhibits stem elongation, alters nucleic acid metabolism in Pisum sativum Alaska. Methylated albumin kieselguhr (MAK) columns were used to fractionate ³²P-labeled nucleic acids. Phosfon-S treatment of the plants resulted in a decrease in soluble RNA and an increase in ribosomal RNA. Specific activities of the various nucleic acid fractions were lower as a result of treatment. The nucleic acids from treated tissues were more resistant to RNase degradation, and endogenous RNase activity was lower in treated tissues. When RNase treated nucleic acids were fractionated on MAK columns, the DNA-RNA fractions from treated plants had a higher specific activity than that of the control, which was not true before nuclease treatment. Spectrophotometric examination of this fraction revealed a difference in absorption spectra, possibly indicating a Phosfon-S nucleic acid complex. It is suggested that these alterations in nucleic acid metabolism could in turn alter a wide variety of metabolic processes, resulting in retarded growth.     

The Physical State of Viral Nucleic Acid and the Sensitivity of Viruses to Ultraviolet Light

Ultraviolet light action spectra in the range 2250 to 3020 A have been determined for the plaque-forming ability of the following bacteriophage and animal viruses: T-2, ϕx-174, R-17, fr, MS2, 7-S, fd, vesicular stomatitis, vaccinia, encephalomyocarditis, reovirus-3, and polyoma. Absolute quantum yields for the plaque-forming ability of MS2, fr, fd, ϕx-174, and T-2 were determined over the range 2250 to 3020 A. Relative quantum yields for plaque-forming ability indicated that viruses with single-stranded nucleic acid were on the average ten times more sensitive to UV than double-stranded viruses. In addition for ten of the twelve viruses a relation existed between the shape of their action spectra and the stranded state of their nucleic acid. The ratio of the inactivation cross-section at 2650 A to that at 2250 A for these viruses was 1.0 for single-stranded viruses and 2.0 for viruses with double-stranded nucleic acid. The above relations were dependent on the stranded state of the nucleic acid not the ribose or deoxyribose form of the sugar present.     

多肽核酸

通过计算机模型设计出一种以肽骨架取代ＤＮＡ中脱氧核糖磷酸酯骨架的ＤＮＡ类似物．实验已证明其与互补寡核苷酸的结合具有高度的特异性．综述了其合成、杂交性及在分子生物学等方面的应用．     

引致河蟹颤抖病的病毒的核酸定性

对河蟹(中华绒螯蟹)“颤抖病”病毒及其核酸进行了电镜观察。纯化病毒经负染后由电镜观察显示,病毒粒子呈球状,有囊膜和纤突,直径约为150nm。纯化病毒经核酸酶降解杂核酸后,加入8mol/L尿素释放病毒核酸,经水相法展开后,用覆有碳膜的铜网取样,再经染色和真空镀膜,于电镜下观察。病毒核酸呈单股线状,底片经光学精确放大后,测定了核酸分子的长度,根据经验公式计算出病毒核酸分子量为5.05×106。抽提的病毒核酸在0.8%琼脂糖凝胶电泳中呈单一条带,大小为15~16kb,经核酸酶酶切显示,核酸对DNaseI不敏感,对RNase、MungBeanNuclease敏感,根据以上特性判断,该核酸为ssRNA。     

引致河蟹颤抖病的病毒的核酸定性

对河蟹(中华绒螯蟹)"颤抖病"病毒及其核酸进行了电镜观察.纯化病毒经负染后由电镜观察显示,病毒粒子呈球状,有囊膜和纤突,直径约为150nm.纯化病毒经核酸酶降解杂核酸后,加入8mol/L尿素释放病毒核酸,经水相法展开后,用覆有碳膜的铜网取样,再经染色和真空镀膜,于电镜下观察.病毒核酸呈单股线状,底片经光学精确放大后,测定了核酸分子的长度,根据经验公式计算出病毒核酸分子量为5.05×106.抽提的病毒核酸在0.8%琼脂糖凝胶电泳中呈单一条带,大小为15～16kb,经核酸酶酶切显示,核酸对DNase I不敏感,对RNase、Mung Bean Nuclease敏感,根据以上特性判断,该核酸为ssRNA.     

Effects of Locked Nucleic Acid Substitutions on the Stability of Oligonucleotide Hairpins

An understanding of the stability of nucleic acid folding is critical for applications involving RNA viruses, small molecule–RNA binding, and therapeutics, for example. To explore factors that affect this stability, hairpins made from oligonucleotides containing both a GAAA tetraloop and three to five complements in the stem have been used as models where locked nucleic acids (LNAs) have been substituted into the sequence. UV spectroscopy was used to obtain melting curves in 20% by volume formamide, and the enthalpies and entropies of melting were determined. Although LNA substitutions typically increase the stability of a hybrid, we have found a decrease in stability for DNA and RNA GAAA hairpins when LNA is substituted into the loop. Tetraloops synthesized from natural bases show higher enthalpies and entropies of melting compared to the LNA substituted sequences indicating that LNA substitutions can destabilize a hairpin but stabilize the corresponding double stranded structure.     

核酸探针传感器的构建

依据石英振子的晶体谐振频率是其表面沉积物的函数,建立了简便、特异、敏感性达100pg,并能对受检样品相对定量的核酸杂交检测新方法,即压电晶体式核酸探针传感器,该方法的主要特点是以快速、敏感的频变信息作为核酸杂交的显示系统.     

核酸纯化柱提取核酸定量检测丙型肝炎病毒RNA的临床应用

目的:探究核酸纯化柱提取核酸定量检测血浆标本中丙型肝炎病毒核糖核酸(HCV-RNA)的临床应用效果。方法:将2013年8-11月期间我院600例抗-HCV阳性丙肝患者的样本,按随机字数表法分为研究组对照组各300例,分别采用核酸纯化柱和酚-氯仿提取法检测,采用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(FQ-PCR)技术定量检测两组HCV-RNA水平。结果:研究组检测阳性率为87.67%(263/300),显著高于和对照组的54.0%(162/300),差异有统计学意义(X2=82.296,P=0.000);两组HCV-RNA检测水平差异无统计学意义(u=1.721,P=0.067)。结论:核酸柱提法定量检测血浆HCV-RNA操作简单、快速,分离效率高,容易掌握,值得临床推广。     

罗氏沼虾体内两种病毒颗粒的分离、纯化与核酸特性

从患肌肉白浊症状的罗氏沼虾幼苗体内分离纯化得到两种大小不同的病毒颗粒.这两种病毒颗粒均为对称的20面体结构,表面光滑,无囊膜,对氯仿不敏感.一种是直径为26nm～27nm的颗粒,在氯化铯中的密度为132g/cm3,病毒基因组含两段单链的RNA,分别为30kb和12kb,具有诺达病毒科成员的特征.一种是直径为14nm～16nm的颗粒,在氯化铯中的密度为133g/cm3,含有一段大小为09kb的单链RNA,拟为卫星病毒样颗粒或辅助病毒.     

Effects of Abscisic Acid on Nucleic Acid Synthesis and the Induction of Nitrate Reductase in Lemna polyrhiza

Abscisic acid (ABA) at low concentrations brings about the formationof turions (dormant fronds) in Lemna polyrhiza within 3 to 5days after application. The incorporation of ³H-thymidine intoDNA, separated by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, is inhibitedby 80 to 90 per cent within 1 to 3 h of ABA application. Theincorporation of ¹⁴C-orotate and ³²P into RNA is not inhibiteduntil 3 to 9 h after ABA application, but 70 per cent inhibitionis reached after 24 h on 10^–5 M ABA. There is little inhibitionof ¹⁴C-leucine incorporation into protein until 2 to 3 daysafter application of ABA. The capacity of nitrate to inducenitrate reductase in cultures previously grown on nitrate-freemedium is not affected by ABA even up to 3 days after application.The results are discussed in relation to the mode of actionof ABA.     

Peptide-Templated Nucleic Acid Ligation

Abstract Short oligonucleotide and peptide replicators have been described. To determine whether cross-replication could have occurred between such systems, we have attempted to show that peptides can specifically template the ligation of nucleic acids. A complex between a 35-mer anti-Rev RNA aptamer and a 17-mer arginine-rich motif (ARM) peptide from the HIV-1 Rev protein served as a model system. Aptamer half-molecules were activated for ligation via two activation chemistries, representing two distinct kinetic possibilities for early replicators. Cyanogen bromide activation was transient relative to oligonucleotides that terminated with a 5′-iodine and a 3′phosphorothioate, respectively. The Rev ARM specifically enhanced the degree or rate of ligation by both methods: there was a 10-fold increase in the production of full-length aptamer in the presence of cyanogen bromide and a 5.9- to 7.6-fold enhancement in the rate of ligation for stably activated aptamer half-molecules. These results support the possibility that life could have originated with peptide replicators and transitioned to nucleic acid replicators or that peptide and nucleic acid replicators could have been interdependent.     

Fluorinated Peptide Nucleic Acid

Abstract

The fluorinated olefinic peptide nucleic acid analogue (F-OPA) monomer containing the base thymine was synthesised in 13 steps. PNAs containing this unit were prepared and their pairing properties assessed by means of UV-melting experiments.