GP37蛋白结构分析与昆虫病毒分子进化的关系

The gp37 gene from LsMNPV has been sequenced and the deduced amino acid sequence was compared with other GP37 amino acid sequences from 8 insect viruses. The maximum homology of amino acid sequences and the conserved structural regions were analyzed with PROSIS software. The relationship of evolution of 9 insect viruses was discussed and the evolutionary tree was drawned.     

Epigenetic regulation of autophagy by the methyltransferase EZH2 through an MTOR-dependent pathway

Macroautophagy is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process involved in the clearance of proteins and organelles. Although the autophagy regulation machinery has been widely studied, the key epigenetic control of autophagy process still remains unknown. Here we report that the methyltransferase EZH2 (enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit) epigenetically represses several negative regulators of the MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin [serine/threonine kinase]) pathway, such as TSC2, RHOA, DEPTOR, FKBP11, RGS16 and GPI. EZH2 was recruited to these genes promoters via MTA2 (metastasis associated 1 family, member 2), a component of the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylase (NuRD) complex. MTA2 was identified as a new chromatin binding protein whose association with chromatin facilitated the subsequent recruitment of EZH2 to silenced targeted genes, especially TSC2. Downregulation of TSC2 (tuberous sclerosis 2) by EZH2 elicited MTOR activation, which in turn modulated subsequent MTOR pathway-related events, including inhibition of autophagy. In human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) tissues, the expression of MTA2 and EZH2 correlated negatively with expression of TSC2, which reveals a novel link among epigenetic regulation, the MTOR pathway, autophagy induction, and tumorigenesis.     

Generation of “Virtual” Control Groups for Single Arm Prostate Cancer Adjuvant Trials

It is difficult to construct a control group for trials of adjuvant therapy (Rx) of prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy (RP) due to ethical issues and patient acceptance. We utilized 8 curve-fitting models to estimate the time to 60%, 65%, … 95% chance of progression free survival (PFS) based on the data derived from Kattan post-RP nomogram. The 8 models were systematically applied to a training set of 153 post-RP cases without adjuvant Rx to develop 8 subsets of cases (reference case sets) whose observed PFS times were most accurately predicted by each model. To prepare a virtual control group for a single-arm adjuvant Rx trial, we first select the optimal model for the trial cases based on the minimum weighted Euclidean distance between the trial case set and the reference case set in terms of clinical features, and then compare the virtual PFS times calculated by the optimum model with the observed PFSs of the trial cases by the logrank test. The method was validated using an independent dataset of 155 post-RP patients without adjuvant Rx. We then applied the method to patients on a Phase II trial of adjuvant chemo-hormonal Rx post RP, which indicated that the adjuvant Rx is highly effective in prolonging PFS after RP in patients at high risk for prostate cancer recurrence. The method can accurately generate control groups for single-arm, post-RP adjuvant Rx trials for prostate cancer, facilitating development of new therapeutic strategies.     

大尺蠖核多角体病毒DNA的限制性消化和物理图谱

用5种限制性核酸内切酶消化大尺蠖核多角体病毒(BsNPV)基因组DNA,所得片段数分别是:BamH Ⅰ,9;Bgl Ⅱ,7;Xho Ⅰ,10;HindⅢ 13;EcoR Ⅰ,12,从各个片段的累加测出BsNPV基因组的平均大小约为91,75kb;分子量约为59.60×10~6d。在单酶消化的基础上,用BamH Ⅰ/Bgl Ⅱ双酶消化得到16个片段(即9+7);大小为91,27kb,用、Bgl Ⅱ/Xho Ⅰ双酶消化产生7+10=17个片段,大小为90.04kb,由此组建了这三个酶在BsNPV基因组上的物理图谱。     

RT－PCR联合一步法扩增G蛋白α亚基基因的开放阅读框

报道逆转录－多聚酶链式反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）联合一步程序,扩增大于１ｋｂ的拟南芥菜Ｇ蛋白α亚基基因的开放阅读框,该程序中,当ＲＮＡ模板和引物变性,并在同一管中加入ＰＣＲ缓冲液,４种ｄＮＴＰ底物,逆转录酶和ＴａｑＤＮＡ聚合酶之后,就不需其它手工操作步骤,因而可同时进行大批量样品的操作,实验结果证明ＡＭＶ（鸟类骨髓性白血病病毒）逆转录酶对ＴａｑＤＮＡ聚合酶的活性没有抑制作用,这种ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ联合一步法可     

绿色荧光蛋白——现代细胞生物学与分子生物学研究领域的新标记物

从多管水母属A equoren v ictu ria 分离出的绿色荧光蛋白(GFP) , 因其特有的生物化学性质及该基因在异源细胞内的表达产物亦能产生强烈的绿色荧光, 使其在现代细胞生物学和分子生物学研究领域的应用具有广阔前景。本文就其研究进展及其应用进行简要综述。     

犬瘟热与野生动物

犬瘟热是一种犬瘟热病毒引起的多种动物共患传染病,在世界范围内的家犬和野生动物中多次爆发。犬瘟热的跨种间传播对多种野生动物如东北虎、非洲狮、雪豹、大熊猫等野生动物的种群安全造成严重威胁,并且感染的宿主范围仍在扩大。近年来的研究表明,犬瘟热病毒的不断变异和野生动物栖息地内流浪犬只的增多使我国野生动物尤其是野外种群正在面临犬瘟热的严重威胁。为了更好地应对犬瘟热对野生动物的危害,本文综述了犬瘟热的病原特征和在野生动物中的流行病学、致病机制、诊断与治疗以及疫苗免疫方面的研究进展,在此基础上提出了针对传染源、传播途径、易感动物三方面的控制措施来减少野生动物犬瘟热的传播风险。目前,由于国内自然保护区科研技术力量欠缺以及防控意识薄弱,对于野生动物犬瘟热的监测处于空白状态,这无疑加大了野生动物犬瘟热的防控难度。因此,为了保障我国野生动物种群安全,我们需要加强在野生动物犬瘟热监测与流行病学方面的研究工作,建立有效的监测防控体系将犬瘟热阻挡在野生动物种群之外。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tol2</Emphasis> transposon-mediated transgenesis in the Midas cichlid (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Amphilophus citrinellus</Emphasis>) — towards understanding gene function and regulatory evolution in an ecological model system for rapid phenotypic diversification

Background

The Midas cichlid species complex (Amphilophus spp.) is widely known among evolutionary biologists as a model system for sympatric speciation and adaptive phenotypic divergence within extremely short periods of time (a few hundred generations). The repeated parallel evolution of adaptive phenotypes in this radiation, combined with their near genetic identity, makes them an excellent model for studying phenotypic diversification. While many ecological and evolutionary studies have been performed on Midas cichlids, the molecular basis of specific phenotypes, particularly adaptations, and their underlying coding and cis-regulatory changes have not yet been studied thoroughly.

Results

For the first time in any New World cichlid, we use Tol2 transposon-mediated transgenesis in the Midas cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellus). By adapting existing microinjection protocols, we established an effective protocol for transgenesis in Midas cichlids. Embryos were injected with a Tol2 plasmid construct that drives enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) expression under the control of the ubiquitin promoter. The transgene was successfully integrated into the germline, driving strong ubiquitous expression of eGFP in the first transgenic Midas cichlid line. Additionally, we show transient expression of two further transgenic constructs, ubiquitin::tdTomato and mitfa::eGFP. Transgenesis in Midas cichlids will facilitate further investigation of the genetic basis of species-specific traits, many of which are adaptations.

Conclusion

Transgenesis is a versatile tool not only for studying regulatory elements such as promoters and enhancers, but also for testing gene function through overexpression of allelic gene variants. As such, it is an important first step in establishing the Midas cichlid as a powerful model for studying adaptive coding and non-coding changes in an ecological and evolutionary context.