大鼠胰岛分离、培养条件的优化及miR-126表达的检测方法比较

目的:优化SD大鼠胰岛细胞的分离、纯化和培养方法与条件,为研究miR-126在Ⅱ型糖尿病中的作用机制提供活性与功能良好的胰岛细胞及miR-126表达的检测方法。方法:水合氯醛腹腔注射麻醉SD大鼠,采用8 mL胶原酶Ⅴ(含DNaseⅠ100 U)逆行注射、原位消化后Hitopaque-1077梯度离心分离纯化SD大鼠胰岛细胞,从培养后的胰岛细胞中提取总RNA,分别用加尾法和茎环法进行miR-126的反转录,实时定量PCR(qPCR)检测miR-126的表达量。结果:用该方法可从每只SD大鼠中分离、纯化得到胰岛细胞372±45个,胰岛细胞纯度90%,胰岛细胞存活率95%;用加尾法和茎环法qPCR检测miR-126的Cp值分别为34.56±2.56和32.47±2.01。结论:胶原酶Ⅴ(含DNaseⅠ100 U)逆行注射、原位消化可有效避免因消化时胶状物质的产生而导致的胰岛细胞分离失败,Hitopque-1077梯度离心分离方法具有操作简单、便捷、成功率高等特点,可得到活性与功能较好的胰岛细胞;与加尾法相比,茎环法能够更灵敏地检测胰岛细胞miR-126的表达量。     

Exome Sequencing of Index Patients with Retinal Dystrophies as a Tool for Molecular Diagnosis

Background

Retinal dystrophies (RD) are a group of hereditary diseases that lead to debilitating visual impairment and are usually transmitted as a Mendelian trait. Pathogenic mutations can occur in any of the 100 or more disease genes identified so far, making molecular diagnosis a rather laborious process. In this work we explored the use of whole exome sequencing (WES) as a tool for identification of RD mutations, with the aim of assessing its applicability in a diagnostic context.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We ascertained 12 Spanish families with seemingly recessive RD. All of the index patients underwent mutational pre-screening by chip-based sequence hybridization and resulted to be negative for known RD mutations. With the exception of one pedigree, to simulate a standard diagnostic scenario we processed by WES only the DNA from the index patient of each family, followed by in silico data analysis. We successfully identified causative mutations in patients from 10 different families, which were later verified by Sanger sequencing and co-segregation analyses. Specifically, we detected pathogenic DNA variants (∼50% novel mutations) in the genes RP1, USH2A, CNGB3, NMNAT1, CHM, and ABCA4, responsible for retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, achromatopsia, Leber congenital amaurosis, choroideremia, or recessive Stargardt/cone-rod dystrophy cases.

Conclusions/Significance

Despite the absence of genetic information from other family members that could help excluding nonpathogenic DNA variants, we could detect causative mutations in a variety of genes known to represent a wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes in 83% of the patients analyzed. Considering the constant drop in costs for human exome sequencing and the relative simplicity of the analyses made, this technique could represent a valuable tool for molecular diagnostics or genetic research, even in cases for which no genotypes from family members are available.     

Maternal Malnutrition and Offspring Sex Determine Juvenile Obesity and Metabolic Disorders in a Swine Model of Leptin Resistance

The present study aimed to determine, in a swine model of leptin resistance, the effects of type and timing of maternal malnutrition on growth patterns, adiposity and metabolic features of the progeny when exposed to an obesogenic diet during their juvenile development and possible concomitant effects of the offspring sex. Thus, four groups were considered. A CONTROL group involved pigs born from sows fed with a diet fulfilling their daily maintenance requirements for pregnancy. The treated groups involved the progeny of females fed with the same diet but fulfilling either 160% or 50% of pregnancy requirements during the entire gestation (OVERFED and UNDERFED, respectively) or 100% of requirements until Day 35 of pregnancy and 50% of such amount from Day 36 onwards (LATE-UNDERFED). OVERFED and UNDERFED offspring were more prone to higher corpulence and fat deposition from early postnatal stages, during breast-feeding; adiposity increased significantly when exposed to obesogenic diets, especially in females. The effects of sex were even more remarkable in LATE-UNDERFED offspring, which had similar corpulence to CONTROL piglets; however, females showed a clear predisposition to obesity. Furthermore, the three groups of pigs with maternal malnutrition showed evidences of metabolic syndrome and, in the case of individuals born from OVERFED sows, even of insulin resistance and the prodrome of type-2 diabetes. These findings support the main role of early nutritional programming in the current rise of obesity and associated diseases in ethnics with leptin resistance.     

一株嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌裂解性噬菌体的分离及生物学特性

【背景】嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌是一种广泛存在于医院和自然环境中的条件致病菌,其分离率与耐药率逐年增加。噬菌体是一类能特异性感染并杀灭细菌的病毒。【目的】分离一株新型嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌噬菌体,为临床嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌感染及防控提供补充手段。【方法】以临床分离的嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌为宿主菌,用点板法从医院污水中分离鉴定噬菌体;用双层平板法测定噬菌体效价及一步生长曲线等生物学特性;用透射电镜观察噬菌体形态;提取噬菌体基因组DNA进行全基因组测序,拼接噬菌体基因组并进行注释。【结果】分离到一株嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌裂解性噬菌体,命名为v B＿Sma S＿P11。该噬菌体感染宿主菌的潜伏期小于5 min,快速增殖60 min后达到平稳期,暴发量为100 PFU/cell。透射电镜观察该噬菌体为长尾噬菌体,具有典型的二十面体头和不可收缩的尾部。基因组测序结果表明,该噬菌体基因组全长44 600 bp,GC含量为63.7%,无抗生素耐受基因、毒力基因和t RNA,与NCBI数据库中所有已知嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌噬菌体相比同源性很低。基因组注释显示该噬菌体含有66个开放阅读框(open reading frame,ORF),其...     

Seafood Allergy and Allergens: A Review

Seafoods are composed of diverse sea organisms and humans are allergic to many of them. Tropomyosin is a major allergen in many shellfish, especially crustacea and mollusks. Interestingly, tropomyosin has also been identified as an important allergen in other invertebrates including dust mites and cockroaches, and it has been proposed by some to be an invertebrate pan allergen. Different regions of shrimp tropomyosin bind IgE; 5 major IgE-binding regions have been identified in shrimp tropomyosin containing 8 epitopes. Mutations of these shrimp allergenic epitopes can reduce seafood allergenicity; methods utilizing such mutations will provide safer vaccines for more effective treatment of seafood-allergic patients, and in the future less-allergenic seafood products for consumption. Current address: (R. Ayuso) St. John's Episcopal Hospital, South Shore 327 Beach 19th St., Far Rockaway, NY 11691, U.S.A. Current address: (G. Reese) Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Allergology, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, D-63225 Langen, Germany     

生物学专业动物学实验教学中培养学生解剖技能的探索

动物解剖实验在动物学实验教学中占有重要地位,学生的解剖技能是做好动物解剖实验的基础,也是学生以后从事科学研究和教学的基本素质.结合动物学实验教学实践阐述了动物解剖的基本原则及培养学生解剖技能的方法,以便学生系统理解动物解剖的基本原则和方法.     

鸭疫里默氏杆菌Mtan对底物SAH的催化活性

【目的】分析鸭疫里默氏杆菌(Riemerella anatipestifer,RA)不同血清型pfs基因的序列差异,并开展其编码蛋白S-腺苷高半胱氨酸核苷酶(Mtan,又称Pfs)的催化活性研究。【方法】PCR扩增9株不同血清型RA的pfs基因,分析其核苷酸序列的同源性;构建该基因的重组表达载体p Cold-RA-pfs,表达、纯化RA的重组蛋白Mtan(RA-Mtan);测定RA-Mtan对底物S-腺苷同型半胱氨酸(S-adenosylhomocysteine,SAH)的催化活性,运用哈维弧菌报告菌株BB170检测催化底物的自诱导物2(Autoinducer-2,AI-2)活性。【结果】对RA的pfs序列分析结果表明,不同血清型RA的核苷酸一致性在93.9%-100%之间;SDS-PAGE检测结果表明,RA-Mtan呈可溶性表达;酶活测定表明RA-Mtan和禽致病性大肠杆菌(Avain pathogenic Escherichia coli,APEC)的Lux S蛋白共同作用于底物时,可产生浓度为176.7μmol/L的同型半胱氨酸(Homocysteine,HCY);AI-2活性检测结果表明,产生的AI-2具有生物学活性。【结论】RA不同血清型的pfs高度保守,RA pfs基因的编码产物RA-Mtan在体外具有催化SAH的活性,RA-Mtan和禽致病性大肠杆菌的Lux S蛋白共同作用于底物SAH时,能产生有活性的AI-2,为进一步研究pfs对RA的调控作用提供参考。     

粪肠球菌噬菌体vB_E. faecalis_IME196的生物学特性及其全基因组分析

【目的】从医院污水中分离一株能裂解多耐药粪肠球菌的噬菌体,分析该噬菌体的生物学特性,并进行全基因组测序和分析,为治疗和控制多耐药粪肠球菌感染提供基础。【方法】以耐药粪肠球菌为宿主,从医院污水分离噬菌体,双层平板法检测噬菌体效价、最佳感染复数(MOI)和一步生长曲线,纯化后负染法电镜观察噬菌体形态;蛋白酶K/SDS法提取噬菌体全基因组,酶切处理后琼脂糖凝胶电泳分析,使用Ion Torrent测序平台进行噬菌体全基因组测序,测序后进行噬菌体全基因组序列组装、注释、进化分析和比较分析。【结果】分离到一株粪肠球菌噬菌体,命名为v B_E.faecalis_IME196(IME196);其最佳感染复数为0.01,一步生长曲线显示IME196的潜伏期为30 min,暴发量为50 PFU,电镜观察该噬菌体为长尾噬菌体,结合BLASTp分析确定其属于尾病毒目长尾噬菌体科,基因测序表明,噬菌体IME196核酸类型为DNA,基因组全长为38 895 bp,G+C含量为33.9%。【结论】分离鉴定一株粪肠球菌噬菌体,进行了全基因组测序和分析,为以后预防和控制粪肠球菌的感染提供了一个新的途径,为噬菌体治疗多重耐药细菌奠定了基础。     

近地面激光雷达点云密度对森林冠层结构参数提取准确性的影响

基于激光雷达技术获取冠层结构为森林生态学研究增加了新的维度。搭载于多旋翼无人机的近地面激光雷达相比于固定翼有人机的机载激光雷达,能够更加灵活高效地获取森林群落样地高密度点云。但在实际操作中,往往出现局部低密度点云数据,影响了冠层结构参数提取的准确性。使用4块森林动态样地的近地面激光雷达点云数据;利用航带分解方法分析各样地低密度样方成因;采用点云抽稀模拟算法计算并拟合偏差曲线,对比不同样地、参数和取样尺度间的点云密度对冠层结构参数提取准确性的影响;根据偏差曲线计算各条件下保证参数提取准确性的最低点云密度。结果发现：1)低密度区域主要受地形或(和)近地面遥感设计规划的影响。地形复杂的测区(西双版纳和古田山样地),遥感规划难度大,整体难以获取高密度点云(在30点/m²左右),容易在沟谷和高海拔处出现低密度样方。平坦测区(长白山两块样地)虽可获取高密度点云(均超过150点/m²),但欠佳的遥感规划设计导致长白山1测区北部出现1hm²低密度区域。2)冠层参数提取准确性随点云密度减少而迅速降低,呈负指数幂函数关系。这一变化趋势在不同...