中国畲族、锡伯族、壮族和藏族Penta E位点的遗传多态性

应用复合PCR扩增技术和荧光毛细管DNA自动电泳分型的方法,使用国产试剂盒,检测Penta E位点在中国畲族、锡伯族、壮族和藏族中的基因频率分布情况。获得了4个民族各约100名无关个体的Penta E位点的等位片段及基因型频率,共发现20个等位片段,其频率分布在0.0048～0.2396之间。各民族的平均杂合度为0.8838,平均个体识别力0.9748,平均非父排除率0.7635,平均多态信息总量0.8950。研究表明Penta E位点属高杂合度、高识别能力的遗传标记,是法庭科学亲子鉴定和个体识别的理想位点。      

核移植与线粒体

线粒体是哺乳动物的产能、供能细胞器,与生长、发育、衰老和凋亡等多种细胞事件及疾病有关。哺乳动物核移植可能导致克隆胚胎及后代中线粒体的杂合性,从而影响到个体的表型甚至导致线粒体疾病。文章阐明了哺乳动物中线粒体的生物学功能及遗传特性,并分析了核移植中供体细胞和受体卵胞质两种来源的线粒体在同种胚胎细胞核移植、同种及异种体细胞核移植重构胚发育进程中的变化以及可能影响线粒体杂合性的一些因素,对其可能导致的线粒体疾病及解决方法进行了简单的阐述。

     

组蛋白变体及组蛋白替换

组蛋白作为核小体的基本组分,是染色质的结构和功能必需的。对于不同状态的染色质,核小体中会组装入相应的组蛋白变体,并且各种组蛋白变体的尾部也能发生多种修饰。这些变体通过改变核小体的空间构象和稳定性,决定基因转录的激活或沉默,DNA的修复,染色体的异染色化等。在组蛋白替换过程中,组蛋白变体是通过相应的染色质重构复合物组装入核小体,不同的变体有着不同的组装途径。对组蛋白变体的研究是近年来表观遗传学新的研究热点,也是对“组蛋白密码”的新的诠释。并且,组蛋白替换揭示了DNA-组蛋白相互作用变化的一种新的机制。

     

红莲型水稻细胞质雄性不育花药蛋白质组学初步分析

采用固相pH梯度－SDS PAGE 双向电泳对红莲型细胞质雄性不育水稻(YTA)的不育系和保持系(YTB)单核期花粉总蛋白质进行了分离,通过银染显色,获得了分辨率和重复性较好的双向电泳图谱。Image Master 2D V5.0 软件可识别约1800个蛋白质点,其中差异表达的蛋白质点数为85。将其中16个差异点采用基质辅助激光解析电离飞行时间质谱（matrix assisted laser desorption/ionizaton time of flight mass spectrometry, MALDI-TOF-MS）进行了肽质指纹图分析,通过采用Mascot 软件对MSDB数据库查询,其中9个蛋白质点得到了鉴定。YTA相对于YTB有部分参与碳代谢和淀粉合成的酶缺失或表达量降低,这些蛋白质分别是ADP-葡萄糖磷酸转移酶（AGPase）,UDP-葡萄糖醛酸脱羧酶,乙酰辅酶A合成酶和二氢硫辛酸脱氢酶等。其中AGPase是参与淀粉合成的蛋白,与花粉发育密切相关。乙酰辅酶A合成酶和二氢硫辛酸脱氢酶是细胞内合成乙酰辅酶A的重要酶,而乙酰辅酶A是进入TCA循环的重要底物,乙酰辅酶A的缺乏可以导致TCA循环不能顺利进行,从而不能提供小孢子发育所需要的大量能量。YTA相对于YTB部分参与碳水化合物代谢的重要酶缺失或表达量降低,有可能导致因线粒体提供的能量不足,淀粉合成受阻,因而花粉不能正常发育。      

用基因诱捕法制作Ayu17-449基因敲除小鼠模型

为了探明Ayu17-449基因在小鼠生长发育过程中的功能, 用特殊的诱捕载体（Gene trapping vector）导入小鼠ES细胞中,5′RACE、Southern blot方法鉴定成功地单一捕获Ayu17-449基因后,由这种ES制作了Ayu17-449 敲除小鼠并用Northern blot方法该基因在突变小鼠体内的表达。结果在Ayu17-449 敲除小鼠体内,诱捕载体位于Ayu17-449基因的翻译起始密码上游,Ayu17-449基因的转录被抑制。表明Ayu17-449敲除小鼠为分析Ayu17-449基因的功能提供了可靠的实验材料。      

基于线粒体控制区的滇金丝猴群体遗传学研究

滇金丝猴（Rhinopithecus bieti）是我国著名的濒危保护动物。迄今为止,关于滇金丝猴并基于DNA序列的的群体遗传学研究还没有报道。 本文测定了来自于云南省维西县滇金丝猴群体样本的线粒体控制区全序列以及部分个体的细胞色素b全序列。在排除了核线粒体假基因存在的可能性之后,滇金丝猴维西群体内部被确认存在着两个序列分歧较大的分枝。 即使如此,如果考虑到群体结构和迁移的影响,维西群体的遗传多样性水平可能并不高。

     

植物金属硫蛋白及其重金属解毒机制研究进展

金属硫蛋白是一类分子量较小、富含Cys的金属结合蛋白,广泛分布于生物界。近年来从植物中克隆到许多编码金属硫蛋白的基因,并在研究基因表达模式、组织表达特异性以及基因结构,如启动子、内含子在染色体上的定位等方面取得了一定进展,但对其功能的研究还处于起步阶段。很多实验表明,植物金属硫蛋白可以通过其大量的Cys残基螯合重金属并清除活性氧,使植物避免氧化损伤。文章介绍了植物金属硫蛋白的分类、特征、基因结构及其在植物重金属解毒中的作用。      

体能相关基因研究的新进展

近年来体能与基因的关系又成为一个热点话题,人类遗传学的研究证实 ,人类体能的差异有遗传基础。 2000年以来,有关体能分子遗传学的研究飞速发展,发表的文章数及报道的相关基因座超过过去几年的总量,已经报到了70多个关注的基因座,证明基因与VO_2MAX、肌肉力量和乳酸阈值等有关。我国航空航天事业和载人航天器的开发、国防建设的需求等都提示,今后特殊体能人才的基因选材将不容忽视。对于具有特殊体能的个体进行科学选材,可以提高针对性和降低后期培养的资金浪费。同样,对于早期发现和培养具备体育运动天赋的人才将是经济快速和实用的方法。体能相关基因的研究还将为揭示这些基因座的功能、促进健康事业起重要作用。通过对国际已报道的主要与有氧运动相关的基因座和试验结果进行综述,为我国尽早开展相关研究提供基础信息。

     

小麦条锈菌国际鉴别寄主Vilmorin23的抗条锈病基因YrV23微卫星标记

Vilmorin23是小麦条锈菌国际鉴别寄主和国际上重要抗源材料。采用SSR技术,利用由Vilmorin23为基因供体转育而成的小麦抗条锈近等基因系Taichung29*6/YrV23,选用YrV23所在2B染色体上的55对SSR引物,对Taichung29*6/ YrV23及其轮回亲本Taichung29和抗性基因供体Vilmorin23的基因组DNA进行PCR扩增和聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分析。结果显示,引物Xwmc356在近等基因系与轮回亲本间扩增出特异性DNA片段,经F₂代群体150个抗、感单株检测证实,该片段位点与抗条锈病基因YrV23有连锁关系,遗传距离为9.4 cM。Xwmc356可作为抗条锈基因YrV23的SSR标记。      

RNAi knock-down mice: an emerging technology for post-genomic functional genetics

RNA interference (RNAi) has been extensively used for sequence-specific silencing of gene function in mammalian cells. The latest major breakthrough in the application of RNAi technology came from experiments demonstrating RNAi-mediated gene repression in mice and rats. After more than two decades of functional mouse research aimed at developing and continuously improving transgenic and knock-out technology, the advent of RNAi knock-down mice represents a valuable new alternative for studying gene function in vivo. In this review we provide some basic insight as to how RNAi can induce gene silencing to then focus on recent findings concerning the applicability of RNAi for regulating gene function in the mouse. Reviewed topics will include delivery methods for RNAi-mediating molecules, a comparison between traditional knock-out and innovative transgenic RNAi technology and the generation of graded RNAi knock-down phenotypes. Apart from the exciting possibilities RNAi provides for studying gene function in mice, we discuss several caveats and limitations to be considered. Finally, we present prospective strategies as to how RNAi technology might be applied for generating conditional and tissue-restricted knock-down mice.     

Conditional RNAi in mice

RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene knockdown has developed into a routine method to assess gene function in cultured mammalian cells in a fast and easy manner. For the use of RNAi in mice, short hairpin (sh) RNAs expressed stably from the genome are a fast alternative to conventional knockout approaches. We developed a strategy for complete or conditional gene knockdown in mice, where the Cre/loxP system is used to activate RNAi in a time and tissue dependent manner. Alternatively doxycycline controlled shRNA expression vectors can be used for conditional gene silencing. Single copy RNAi constructs are placed into the Rosa26 locus of ES cells by recombinase mediated cassette exchange and transmitted through the germline of chimeric mice. The shRNA transgenic offspring can be either directly used for phenotypic analysis or are further crossed to a Cre transgenic strain to activate conditional shRNA vectors. The site specific insertion of single copy shRNA vectors allows the expedite and reproducible production of knockdown mice and provides an easy and fast approach to assess gene function in vivo.     

Silencing of the Pink1 gene expression by conditional RNAi does not induce dopaminergic neuron death in mice

Transgenic RNAi, an alternative to the gene knockout approach, can induce hypomorphic phenotypes that resemble those of the gene knockout in mice. Conditional transgenic RNAi is an attractive choice of method for reverse genetics in vivo because it can achieve temporal and spatial silencing of targeted genes. Pol III promoters such as U6 are widely used to drive the expression of RNAi transgenes in animals. Tested in transgenic mice, a Cre-loxP inducible U6 promoter drove the broad expression of an shRNA against the Pink1 gene whose loss-of-functional mutations cause one form of familial Parkinson's disease. The expression of the shRNA was tightly regulated and, when induced, silenced the Pink1 gene product by more than 95% in mouse brain. However, these mice did not develop dopaminergic neurodegeneration, suggesting that silencing of the Pink1 gene expression from embryo in mice is insufficient to cause similar biochemical or morphological changes that are observed in Parkinson's disease. The results demonstrate that silencing of the PINK1 gene does not induce a reliable mouse model for Parkinson's disease, but that technically the inducible U6 promoter is useful for conditional RNAi in vivo.     

A rapid and scalable system for studying gene function in mice using conditional RNA interference

RNA interference is a powerful tool for studying gene function, however, the reproducible generation of RNAi transgenic mice remains a significant limitation. By combining optimized fluorescence-coupled miR30-based shRNAs with high efficiency ES cell targeting, we developed a fast, scalable pipeline for the production of shRNA transgenic mice. Using this system, we generated eight tet-regulated shRNA transgenic lines targeting Firefly and Renilla luciferases, Oct4 and tumor suppressors p53, p16(INK4a), p19(ARF) and APC and demonstrate potent gene silencing and GFP-tracked knockdown in a broad range of tissues in?vivo. Further, using an shRNA targeting APC, we illustrate how this approach can identify predicted phenotypes and also unknown functions for a well-studied gene. In addition, through regulated gene silencing we validate APC/Wnt and p19(ARF) as potential therapeutic targets in T?cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma and lung adenocarcinoma, respectively. This system provides a cost-effective and scalable platform for the production of RNAi transgenic mice targeting any mammalian gene. PAPERCLIP:     

A pipeline for the generation of shRNA transgenic mice

RNA interference (RNAi) is an extremely effective tool for studying gene function in almost all metazoan and eukaryotic model systems. RNAi in mice, through the expression of short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs), offers something not easily achieved with traditional genetic approaches-inducible and reversible gene silencing. However, technical variability associated with the production of shRNA transgenic strains has so far limited their widespread use. Here we describe a pipeline for the generation of miR30-based shRNA transgenic mice that enables efficient and consistent targeting of doxycycline-regulated, fluorescence-linked shRNAs to the Col1a1 locus. Notably, the protocol details crucial steps in the design and testing of miR30-based shRNAs to maximize the potential for developing effective transgenic strains. In all, this 14-week procedure provides a fast and cost-effective way for any laboratory to investigate gene function in vivo in the mouse.     

Pol II-expressed shRNA knocks down Sod2 gene expression and causes phenotypes of the gene knockout in mice

RNA interference (RNAi) has been used increasingly for reverse genetics in invertebrates and mammalian cells, and has the potential to become an alternative to gene knockout technology in mammals. Thus far, only RNA polymerase III (Pol III)-expressed short hairpin RNA (shRNA) has been used to make shRNA-expressing transgenic mice. However, widespread knockdown and induction of phenotypes of gene knockout in postnatal mice have not been demonstrated. Previous studies have shown that Pol II synthesizes micro RNAs (miRNAs)-the endogenous shRNAs that carry out gene silencing function. To achieve efficient gene knockdown in mammals and to generate phenotypes of gene knockout, we designed a construct in which a Pol II (ubiquitin C) promoter drove the expression of an shRNA with a structure that mimics human miRNA miR-30a. Two transgenic lines showed widespread and sustained shRNA expression, and efficient knockdown of the target gene Sod2. These mice were viable but with phenotypes of SOD2 deficiency. Bigenic heterozygous mice generated by crossing these two lines showed nearly undetectable target gene expression and phenotypes consistent with the target gene knockout, including slow growth, fatty liver, dilated cardiomyopathy, and premature death. This approach opens the door of RNAi to a wide array of well-established Pol II transgenic strategies and offers a technically simpler, cheaper, and quicker alternative to gene knockout by homologous recombination for reverse genetics in mice and other mammalian species.     

Development of a heat shock inducible and inheritable RNAi system in silkworm

A heat shock inducible and inheritable RNA interference (RNAi) system was developed in the silkworm (Bombyx mori). RNAi transgenic silkworms were generated by injecting silkworm eggs with a piggyBac transposon plasmid carrying RNAi sequence against target gene driven by the Drosophila heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) promoter and the helper plasmid expressing piggyBac transposase. The transgenic EGFP gene and the endogenous eclosion hormone (EH) gene were chosen respectively as the target genes. In the RNAi transgenic silkworms, heat shock at 42 degrees C significantly and specifically reduced the expression of EGFP or EH gene in silkworms according to the corresponding RNAi targeting sequence but not in silkworms with the irrelevant RNAi sequence demonstrating the efficiency and specificity of the RNAi effect. Heat shock in the pupal stage hampered pupal-adult eclosion and reduced egg fertility in EH RNAi transgenic silkworms but not in the wild type or EGFP RNAi transgenic silkworms. The establishment of this heat inducible and inheritable conditional RNA interference system in silkworms provided an approach for the first time to dissect the functions of target genes in silkworms at different stages.     

Pol II–Expressed shRNA Knocks Down Sod2 Gene Expression and Causes Phenotypes of the Gene Knockout in Mice

RNA interference (RNAi) has been used increasingly for reverse genetics in invertebrates and mammalian cells, and has the potential to become an alternative to gene knockout technology in mammals. Thus far, only RNA polymerase III (Pol III)–expressed short hairpin RNA (shRNA) has been used to make shRNA-expressing transgenic mice. However, widespread knockdown and induction of phenotypes of gene knockout in postnatal mice have not been demonstrated. Previous studies have shown that Pol II synthesizes micro RNAs (miRNAs)—the endogenous shRNAs that carry out gene silencing function. To achieve efficient gene knockdown in mammals and to generate phenotypes of gene knockout, we designed a construct in which a Pol II (ubiquitin C) promoter drove the expression of an shRNA with a structure that mimics human miRNA miR-30a. Two transgenic lines showed widespread and sustained shRNA expression, and efficient knockdown of the target gene Sod2. These mice were viable but with phenotypes of SOD2 deficiency. Bigenic heterozygous mice generated by crossing these two lines showed nearly undetectable target gene expression and phenotypes consistent with the target gene knockout, including slow growth, fatty liver, dilated cardiomyopathy, and premature death. This approach opens the door of RNAi to a wide array of well-established Pol II transgenic strategies and offers a technically simpler, cheaper, and quicker alternative to gene knockout by homologous recombination for reverse genetics in mice and other mammalian species.     

Gene silencing in Xenopus laevis by DNA vector-based RNA interference and transgenesis

A vector-based RNAi expression system was developed using the Xenopus tropicalis U6 promoter, which transcribes small RNA genes by RNA polymerase Ⅲ. The system was first validated in a Xenopus laevis cell line, designing a short hairpin DNA specific for the GFP gene. Co-transfection of the vector-based RNAi and the GFP gene into Xenopus XR1 cells significantly decreased the number of GFP-expressing cells and overall GFP fluorescence. Vector-based RNAi was subsequently validated in GFP transgenic Xenopus embryos. Sperm nuclei from GFP transgenic males and RNAi construct-incubated-sperm nuclei were used for fertilization, respectively. GFP mRNA and protein were reduced by -60% by RNAi in these transgenic embryos compared with the control. This transgene-driven RNAi is specific and stable in inhibiting GFP expression in the Xenopus laevis transgenic line. Gene silencing by vector-based RNAi and Xenopus transgenesis may provide an alternative for ＇repression of gene function＇ studies in vertebrate model systems.