A Seminomadic Population in Bangladesh with Extensive Exposure to Macaques Does Not Exhibit High Levels of Zoonotic Simian Foamy Virus Infection

Simian foamy viruses (SVF) are ubiquitous in nonhuman primates (NHP). SFV can be zoonotically transmitted to humans who either work with or live commensally with NHP. We analyzed the blood of 45 Bangladeshi performing monkey owners (an ethnic group called the Bedey) for SFV infection. Surprisingly, a PCR assay failed to detect SFV infection in any of these participants. This is in contrast to our previously reported infection rate of about 5% among Bangladeshi villagers.     

Bat Airway Epithelial Cells: A Novel Tool for the Study of Zoonotic Viruses

Bats have been increasingly recognized as reservoir of important zoonotic viruses. However, until now many attempts to isolate bat-borne viruses in cell culture have been unsuccessful. Further, experimental studies on reservoir host species have been limited by the difficulty of rearing these species. The epithelium of the respiratory tract plays a central role during airborne transmission, as it is the first tissue encountered by viral particles. Although several cell lines from bats were established recently, no well-characterized, selectively cultured airway epithelial cells were available so far. Here, primary cells and immortalized cell lines from bats of the two important suborders Yangochiroptera and Yinpterochiroptera, Carollia perspicillata (Seba''s short-tailed bat) and Eidolon helvum (Straw-colored fruit bat), were successfully cultured under standardized conditions from both fresh and frozen organ specimens by cell outgrowth of organ explants and by the use of serum-free primary cell culture medium. Cells were immortalized to generate permanent cell lines. Cells were characterized for their epithelial properties such as expression of cytokeratin and tight junctions proteins and permissiveness for viral infection with Rift-Valley fever virus and vesicular stomatitis virus Indiana. These cells can serve as suitable models for the study of bat-borne viruses and complement cell culture models for virus infection in human airway epithelial cells.     

猴副流感病毒SV5 PCR检测方法的建立与初步应用

目的建立检测SV5的PCR方法并加以初步应用。方法根据GenBank中报道的SV5序列,针对其中的SH基因设计引物进行PCR反应,扩增产物进行测序并用BLAST软件进行同源性比对,同时利用限制性内切酶的酶切反应以证实此PCR反应的特异性。在此基础上设计巢式PCR提高此方法的灵敏度。利用此方法对20份猴肾源细胞培养物和40份血清标本进行检测。结果利用设计的引物扩增出的序列测序结果证实与报道的SV5SH基因相对位置的序列一致。AccⅢ限制性内切酶可对PCR产物进行特异性酶切。巢式PCR比一次PCR的敏感度有所提高。用此方法检测的20份猴肾源细胞培养物和40份血清标本结果为阴性。结论初步建立了检测SV5病毒的PCR方法,排除实验室用20份猴肾源细胞培养物和40份血清标本SV5的污染。     

猴腺病毒（SAdV）PCR检测方法的建立及初步应用

目的建立SAdV特异的PCR检测方法并研究实验猴群和猴源性生物制品中SAdV感染或污染情况。方法比对分析多株SAdV序列,设计SAdV特异引物,优化PCR实验条件,建立的PCR方法经验证后检测实验猴群和猴源性生物制品,阳性产物测序并构建进化树。结果经特异性和敏感性鉴定,在设计的5对引物中确定一对最佳引物,可以区分SAdV和MAD,ICH,CELO且可以检测到的最小DNA量为47.9 pg/mL。PCR方法检测实验猴群,阳性率49.2%,测序及进化分析表明,SAdV感染型别呈广泛基因多样性。主要分布在G亚属和以SAdV-49为代表的分支。结论经测序验证,PCR检测方法具有很好准确性,初步应用表明我国实验猴群中SAdV高度流行,应加强实验猴群及相关生物制品中SAdV的监测,避免人类感染SAdV的潜在风险。     

Identification of a Novel WxSLVK Motif in the N Terminus of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Vif That Is Critical for APOBEC3G and APOBEC3F Neutralization

The function of lentiviral Vif proteins is to neutralize the host antiviral cytidine deaminases APOBEC3G (A3G) and APOBEC3F (A3F). Vif bridges a cullin 5-based E3 ubiquitin ligase with A3G and A3F and mediates their degradation by proteasomes. Recent studies have found that Vif uses different domains to bind to A3G and A3F. A ¹⁴DRMR¹⁷ domain binds to A3F, ⁴⁰YRHHY⁴⁴ binds to A3G, and ⁶⁹YxxL⁷² binds to both A3G and A3F. Here, we report another functional domain of Vif. Previously, we demonstrated that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vif failed to mediate A3G proteasomal degradation when all 16 lysines were mutated to arginines. Here, we show that K26, and to a lesser extent K22, is critical for A3G neutralization. K22 and K26 are part of a conserved ²¹WxSLVK²⁶ (x represents N, K, or H) motif that is found in most primate lentiviruses and that shows species-specific variation. Both K22 and K26 in this motif regulated Vif specificity only for A3G, whereas the SLV residues regulated Vif specificity for both A3F and A3G. Interestingly, SLV and K26 in HIV-1 Vif did not directly mediate Vif interaction with either A3G or A3F. Previously, other groups have reported an important role for W21 in A3F and A3G neutralization. Thus, ²¹WxSLVK²⁶ is a novel functional domain that regulates Vif activity toward both A3F and A3G and is a potential drug target to inhibit Vif activity and block HIV-1 replication.The replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is seriously impaired in human primary lymphocytes when the viral protein Vif is not present (8, 38). The first cellular target of Vif was identified as APOBEC3G (A3G) (34), which belongs to the cytidine deaminase family known as APOBEC (apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing catalytic polypeptide) (14). This family consists of APOBEC1; activation-induced deaminase (AID); APOBEC2; a subgroup of APOBEC3 (A3) proteins, including A3A, A3B, A3C, A3DE, A3F, A3G, and A3H; and APOBEC4 in humans (12). They have one or two copies of a cytidine deaminase domain with a signature motif (HxEx_23-28PCx_2-4C), and normally only one of the cytidine deaminase domains has deaminase activity.All seven A3 genes have been shown to inhibit the replication of various types of retroviruses via cytidine deamination-dependent or -independent mechanisms (3). In particular, A3B, A3DE, A3F, and A3G inhibit HIV-1 replication, whereas A3A and A3C do not (1, 6, 7, 19, 34, 42, 50). Recently, it was shown that optimizing A3H expression in cell culture also inhibits HIV-1 replication (4, 10, 25, 39). Among these proteins, A3G and A3F have the most potent anti-HIV-1 activities. A3G and A3F share ∼50% sequence similarity but have different biochemical properties (41) and different target sequence preferences while catalyzing cytidine deamination of viral cDNAs (19).Nevertheless, HIV-1 is able to elude this defense mechanism and cause human disease for two reasons. First, A3B and A3H are expressed only at low levels in vivo (4, 7, 18, 26). Second, HIV-1 produces Vif, which is expressed in all lentiviruses except equine infectious anemia virus. Vif can destabilize A3DE, A3F, and A3G proteins by targeting them to the proteasomal degradation pathway (6, 22, 35, 37, 50). In addition, Vif may also inhibit A3 activity independently of proteasomal degradation (15, 16, 31).The action of Vif is highly species specific. Vif from HIV-1 inactivates only A3G from humans, and Vif from simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) isolated from African green monkeys (AGM) does not inactivate A3G from humans. Nevertheless, Vif from SIV isolated from rhesus macaques (MAC) inactivates A3G from all humans, AGM, and MAC (21). A single residue in A3G at position 128, an aspartic acid in humans versus a lysine in AGM, determines A3G sensitivity to HIV-1 Vif (2, 32, 44). In addition, an N-terminal domain in HIV-1 Vif, ¹⁴DRMR¹⁷, determines Vif specificity for different A3G proteins (33).Vif targets A3G to the proteasome by acting as an adaptor protein that bridges A3G with a cullin 5 (Cul5)-based E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, which includes Cul5, elongin B (EloB), and EloC (46). Vif has a BC box motif (¹⁴⁴S¹⁴⁵L¹⁴⁶Q) that binds to EloC (23, 47) and an HCCH motif (¹¹⁴C/¹³³C) that binds to Cul5 (20, 24, 43). It has also been shown that Vif specifically binds to a region from amino acids 126 to 132 of A3G and to amino acids 283 to 300 of A3F (13, 30). It is believed that as a consequence of these interactions, A3G is polyubiquitylated and directed to 26S proteasomes for degradation.Several domains that determine Vif interactions with A3F and A3G have been identified. Analysis of HIV-1 patient-derived Vif sequences initially found that W11 is essential for A3F recognition and K22, Y40, and E45 are required for A3G recognition (36). The previously identified agmA3G-specific ¹⁴DRMR¹⁷ domain was also found to determine Vif specificity for A3F (33) by direct binding (29). An A3G-specific binding domain, ⁴⁰YRHHY⁴⁴, has also been identified (29), and a ⁶⁹YxxL⁷² domain interacts with both A3G and A3F (11, 28, 45).We have previously shown that Vif can mediate A3G proteasomal degradation in the absence of A3G polyubiquitylation and that, unexpectedly, this process is dependent on lysines in Vif (5). Here, we identify two N-terminal lysines that are important for Vif function. We show that these lysines are part of a ²¹WxSLVK²⁶ motif that is conserved in Vif from primate lentiviruses and that this motif regulates Vif activities against both A3G and A3F via different mechanisms.     

A Novel High-Throughput Method for Molecular Detection of Human Pathogenic Viruses Using a Nanofluidic Real-Time PCR System

Human enteric viruses are recognized as the main causes of food- and waterborne diseases worldwide. Sensitive and quantitative detection of human enteric viruses is typically achieved through quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR). A nanofluidic real-time PCR system was used to develop novel high-throughput methods for qualitative molecular detection (RT-qPCR array) and quantification of human pathogenic viruses by digital RT-PCR (RT-dPCR). The performance of high-throughput PCR methods was investigated for detecting 19 human pathogenic viruses and two main process controls used in food virology. The conventional real-time PCR system was compared to the RT-dPCR and RT-qPCR array. Based on the number of genome copies calculated by spectrophotometry, sensitivity was found to be slightly better with RT-qPCR than with RT-dPCR for 14 viruses by a factor range of from 0.3 to 1.6 log₁₀. Conversely, sensitivity was better with RT-dPCR than with RT-qPCR for seven viruses by a factor range of from 0.10 to 1.40 log₁₀. Interestingly, the number of genome copies determined by RT-dPCR was always from 1 to 2 log₁₀ lower than the expected copy number calculated by RT-qPCR standard curve. The sensitivity of the RT-qPCR and RT-qPCR array assays was found to be similar for two viruses, and better with RT-qPCR than with RT-qPCR array for eighteen viruses by a factor range of from 0.7 to 3.0 log₁₀. Conversely, sensitivity was only 0.30 log₁₀ better with the RT-qPCR array than with conventional RT-qPCR assays for norovirus GIV detection. Finally, the RT-qPCR array and RT-dPCR assays were successfully used together to screen clinical samples and quantify pathogenic viruses. Additionally, this method made it possible to identify co-infection in clinical samples. In conclusion, given the rapidity and potential for large numbers of viral targets, this nanofluidic RT-qPCR assay should have a major impact on human pathogenic virus surveillance and outbreak investigations and is likely to be of benefit to public health.     

A Sliding Window-Based Method to Detect Selective Constraints in Protein-Coding Genes and Its Application to RNA Viruses

Here we present a new sliding window-based method specially designed to detect selective constraints in specific regions of a multiple protein-coding sequence alignment. In contrast to previous window-based procedures, our method is based on a nonarbitrary statistical approach to find the appropriate codon-window size to test deviations of synonymous (dS) and nonsynonymous (dN) nucleotide substitutions from the expectation. The probabilities of dN and dS are obtained from simulated data and used to detect significant deviations of dN and dS in a specific window region of the real sequence alignment. The nonsynonymous-to-synonymous rate ratio (w = dN/dS) was used to highlight selective constraints in any window wherein dS or dN was significantly different from the expectation. In these significant windows, w and its variance [V(w)] were calculated and used to test the neutral hypothesis. Computer simulations showed that the method is accurate even for highly divergent sequences. The main advantages of the new method are that it (i) uses a statistically appropriate window size to detect different selective patterns, (ii) is computationally less intensive than maximum likelihood methods, and (iii) detects saturation of synonymous sites, which can give deviations from neutrality. Hence, it allows the analysis of highly divergent sequences and the test of different alternative hypothesis as well. The application of the method to different human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and to foot-and-mouth disease virus genes confirms the action of positive selection on previously described regions as well as on new regions.     

猴B病毒抗体ELISA检测方法的建立和应用研究

目的　建立猴B病毒抗体ELISA检测方法。方法　采用方阵滴定法 ,比较不同血清稀释度、3种酶结合物、2种抗原对检测结果的影响 ,与国外同类参比实验室进行检测结果的比较 ,确定ELISA法的最佳实验条件。结果　HSV抗原包被浓度 10 μg ml,抗人IgG HRP为 1∶2 0 0 0时 ;或B病毒抗原包被浓度 10 μg ml,抗人IgG HRP为1∶4 0 0 0时 ,阴性血清和阳性血清的A值差距最大。与国外B病毒检测专业实验室的检测结果符合率分别为98 0 2 %和 97 5 2 %。结论　建立了猴B病毒抗体的ELISA检测方法 ,提高了检测方法的准确性。     

A Novel Method for Detection of Endo-Xyloglucan Transferase

A new approach has been developed for quantification of theactivity of endo-xyloglucan transferase, a novel enzyme thatmediates the transfer of a segment of one xyloglucan moleculeto another xyloglucan molecule. Purified xyloglucans with definedmolecular-weight distributions and their fluorescent derivatives(pyridylamino xyloglucans) were used as substrates for the enzymaticreaction. The transferase activity was quantified by monitoringchanges in molecular-weight distributions of substrates by analkali compatible gel permeation chromatographic system, equippedwith a pulsed amperometric detector and a fluorescence detector.This new method was applied to the rapid detection and characterizationof a novel transferase derived from plant tissues. (Received February 28, 1992; Accepted September 28, 1992)     

全基因组预测目标基因的新方法及其应用

运用隐马尔可夫模型, 利用Perl编程, 以几种模式生物的蛋白质数据库为基础, 构建了目标基因的全基因组预测的新方法。该方法具有高通量, 准确度高且操作简易等优点, 特别在多结构域蛋白家族预测上更显优势。应用该方法对几种模式生物的全基因组PPR和TPR蛋白家族进行了预测, 其中粳稻日本晴中含有536个PPR蛋白、199个TPR蛋白; 籼稻9311中含有519个PPR蛋白、177个TPR蛋白; 拟南芥中含有735个PPR蛋白、292个TPR蛋白; 红藻中6个PPR蛋白、32个TPR蛋白; 蓝细菌以及古细菌中没有PPR蛋白, 但蓝细菌含有10个TPR蛋白, 古细菌有4个TPR蛋白, 并对所得结果进行了进一步生物信息学分析。     

ABC-ELISA检测抗HBc的方法及其在临床和流行病学中的初步应用

应用生物素与抗生物素系统酶联免疫吸附试验建立了检测乙型病毒性肝炎患者血清中抗HBc的ABC-ELISA方法并与普通ELISA法进行了比较。结果表明:本法敏感性较普通ELISA法高4倍,阳性检出率提高了42.42％,且具有较好的重复性。将乙肝不同抗原、抗体进行替代试验和用纯化抗HBc-lgG进行抑制试验,证明本法有较高的特异性。将本法制备成试剂盒,并与上海市传染病院,静华公司及科华公司生产的普通ELISA试剂盒进行了比较,结果本试剂盒阳性检出率分别提高了25.00％,45.28％和30.77％。经上海市三个医院临床标本试验表明,本法具有快速、敏感、特异及稳定等优点。从而为抗HBc的检测提供了一种敏感的方法。     

A Novel Method to Identify Routes of Hepatitis C Virus Transmission

Background

We propose a new approach based on genetic distances among viral strains to infer about risk exposures and location of transmission at population level.

Methods

We re-analysed 133 viral sequences obtained during a cross-sectional survey of 4020 subjects living in a hepatitis C virus (HCV) endemic area in 2002. A permutation test was used to analyze the correlation between matrices of genetic distances in the NS5b region of all pairwise combinations of the 133 viral strains and exposure status (jointly exposed or not) to several potential HCV risk factors.

Results

Compared to subjects who did not share the same characteristics or iatrogenic exposures, the median Kimura genetic distances of viral strains were significantly smaller between brothers and sisters (0.031 versus 0.102, P<0.001), mother and child (0.044 versus 0.102, P<0.001), father and child (0.045 versus 0.102, P<0.001), or subjects exposed to periodontal treatment (0.084 versus 0.102, P = 0.02). Conversely, viral strains were more divergent between subjects exposed to blood transfusions (0.216 versus 0.102, P = 0.04) or tooth filling or extraction (0.108, versus 0.097, P = 0.05), suggesting acquisition of the virus outside of the village.

Conclusion

This method provided insights on where infection took place (household, village) for several socio-demographic characteristics or iatrogenic procedures, information of great relevance for targeting prevention interventions. This method may have interesting applications for virologists and epidemiologists studying transmission networks in health-care facilities or among intravenous drug users.     

多通道神经元锋电位检测和分类的新方法

大脑神经元胞外单细胞动作电位(即锋电位)的检测和分类是提取神经元脉冲序列、研究神经系统信息处理机制的关键．为了提高锋电位的检出率和分类的正确性,设计了一种处理多通道锋电位记录信号的算法,用于分析微电极阵列记录的大鼠海马神经元锋电位信号,电极阵列上的测量点排列紧密,4个通道可以同时记录到来自相同神经元的信号．该算法首先利用一种多通道阈值检测法检出四通道记录信号中的锋电位,然后利用一种基于复合锋电位的主成分特征参数分类法将锋电位分类．仿真数据和实验记录信号的检验结果表明：与相应的单通道算法相比,该算法的锋电位检出率和分类的正确性显著提高,并且可以增加单次实验测得的神经元数目．因此,该算法为实现神经元锋电位的自动检测提供了一种简单有效的新 方法．     

A Strategy to Optimize the Oligo-Probes for Microarray-based Detection of Viruses

DNA microarrays have been acknowledged to represent a promising approach for the detection of viral pathogens. However, the probes designed for current arrays could cover only part of the given viral variants, that could result in false-negative or ambiguous data. If all the variants are to be covered, the requirement for more probes would render much higher spot density and thus higher cost of the arrays. Here we have developed a new strategy for oligonucleotide probe design. Using type I human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) tat gene as an example, we designed the array probes and validated the optimized parameters in silico. Results show that the oligo number is significantly reduced comparing with the existing methods, while specificity and hybridization efficiency remain intact. The adoption of this method in reducing the oligo numbers could increase the detection capacity for DNA microarrays, and would significantly lower the manufacturing cost for making array chips.     

A Novel 2-Phenyl-1,2,3-Triazole Derived Fluorescent Probe for Recyclable Detection of Al3+ in Aqueous Medium and Its Application

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - —A novel 2-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole derived fluorescent probe HPTC ((2-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carbohydrazide) has been...     

一种新型的基因定点突变方法及其在DdsA突变研究中的应用

为了发展基因突变技术,介绍一种新型的基因定点突变方法.该方法巧妙利用了基因序列中广泛存在的不完整的平端酶切位点.与传统方法相比,可以迅速地在全基因的任何部位替换核苷酸,并可以在突变实验过程中直接将目的基因克隆到T载体上,便于测序及进一步克隆.利用该方法成功地获得了DdsA（decaprenyl diphosphate synthase,十聚异戊二烯焦磷酸合成酶）在4个氨基酸位点上的19个变体酶.这些位点分布在基因的不同区域内.证明这种新方法的高效性.