Maturation and fertilization of porcine oocytes in vitro

Four experiments were conducted to study 1) factors affecting porcine oocyte maturation in culture medium and 2) a new method for oocyte maturation outside the porcine body. In Experiment 1, five groups of oocytes were cultured in m-TCM199 or m-KRB medium for 24 to 28, 32 to 36 or 40 to 42 hours and then were fertilized in vitro. The cleavage rate (two to four-cell stage) of oocytes cultured for 32 to 36 hours was significantly higher than those of the other oocytes. The results indicate that a suitable culture period for the in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes is 32 to 36 hours. In Experiment 2, four groups of oocytes were cultured in m-KRB or m-KRB supplemented with PFF, PMSG or FSH for in vitro maturation, and the cleavage rates of oocytes were 7.94, 22.56, 30.23 and 23.26%, respectively, after in vitro fertilization. The results show that porcine follicular fluid (PFF) and gonadotrophins added to the culture medium promote porcine oocyte maturation in vitro. In Experiment 3, oocytes were cultured in m-KRB or m-TCM199, supplemented with both gonadotrophin and pocine folliclar fluid for maturation in vitro. After fertilization in vitro, the cleavage rates of oocytes were 26.32 and 27.93% for the two media. The results indicate that the difference between m-KRB and m-TCM199 was insignificant when the media were used to culture porcine oocytes. But there was a significant difference when PFF and gonadotrophins were added to the basic media. In Experiment 4, porcine oocytes were transferred into the reproductive tracts of other animals for maturation. After 34 to 36 hours, the oocytes were collected and fertilized in vitro. The cleavage rates of oocytes were 10.42, 28.45, 3.33 and 36.36%, respectively, for the oocytes matured in mouse uterine horns, rat uterine horns, rat oviducts or rabbit oviducts. The results show that porcine oocytes can be matured in the reproductive tracts of other animals.     

16S rRNA-based probes and polymerase chain reaction method to detect Listeria monocytogenes cells added to foods.

A rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in foods. This method used a pair of primers based on a unique region in the 16S rRNA sequence of L. monocytogenes, which were previously reported by us to yield a specific nucleic acid probe. Our method included use of a shorter denaturing time, a shorter annealing time, a rapid transition, and an increase in the number of cycles, resulting in good sensitivity. Just 3 h for PCR plus 1 h for electrophoresis was required. Additional time for DNA isolation and DNA hybridization was not needed. This method detected as few as 2 to 20 CFU of L. monocytogenes in pure cultures and as few as 4 to 40 CFU of L. monocytogenes in inoculated (10(8) CFU), diluted food samples. Seven of eight foods, including four poultry products, gave positive results. Only one food sample, soft cheese, gave interference. An internal probe hybridization test was used to confirm that the PCR products were from L. monocytogenes. A specificity test indicated that this PCR method was positive for all 13 strains of L. monocytogenes tested but negative for the other 6 species of Listeria, including 6 strains of L. innocua, and negative for 17 other gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria tested.     

Molecular cloning and mapping of phenol degradation genes from Bacillus stearothermophilus FDTP-3 and their expression in Escherichia coli.

Two genes of the meta pathway of phenol degradation were cloned from a phenol-utilizing strain of Bacillus stearothermophilus and were mapped by subcloning and by use of a Tn5 insertion mutation. They code for phenol hydroxylase and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, respectively. The gene encoding catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, which is more thermostable than catechol 2,3-dioxygenase encoded by the other gene, shares rather limited homology with that from Pseudomonas putida.     

Enantioselective hydrolysis of hydrophobic amino acid derivatives by lipases

Microbial lipases preferentially cleave the L-isomers of N-benzyloxycarbonyl (Z)-hydrophobic D,L-amino acid methyl esters which is the same as that of subtilisin. This implies that lipases and proteases may share the same ancestor in the evolutionary point and lipases can be practically applied to resolve racemic hydrophobic amino acid derivatives.     

An mRNA that specifically accumulates in maize roots delineates a novel subset of developing cortical cells

A near full-length cDNA clone (pZRP3) corresponding to an mRNA that accumulates specifically in roots of maize was isolated. The ZRP3 mRNA is ca. 600 nucleotides in length. The amino acid sequence of the predicted polypeptide is rich in leucine (16%), proline (11%), and cysteine (8.5%). The zrp3 gene appears to be expressed exclusively in roots, whereas other ZRP3-related genes are expressed in additional organs of the maize plant. In situ hybridization shows that ZRP3 mRNA accumulation is largely confined to the cells of the cortical ground meristem. Furthermore, accumulation of this mRNA occurs within a distinct subset of cortical cells, the inner three to four cell layers.Journal paper number J-14572 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa Project Number 2997.     

鼠伤寒沙门氏菌维生素B2生物合成的调节

7 independent rib genes fusions with MudJ (lacZ, Kanr) were isolated by transposon MudJ mutagenesis in Salmonella typhimurium. 5 of them are blue on the X-gal plate, and the beta-galactosidase activity of the cells grown in E medium containing various concentration of riboflavin were assayed. The results showed that the expression of rib gene are not repressed by riboflavin. It appears to be synthesized constitutively in Salmonella typhimurium.     

Alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase genotypes and alcoholism in Chinese men.

The liver enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which are responsible for the oxidative metabolism of ethanol, are polymorphic in humans. An allele encoding an inactive form of the mitochondrial ALDH2 is known to reduce the likelihood of alcoholism in Japanese. We hypothesized that the polymorphisms of both ALDH and ADH modify the predisposition to development of alcoholism. Therefore, we determined the genotypes of the ADH2, ADH3, and ALDH2 loci of alcoholic and nonalcoholic Chinese men living in Taiwan, using leukocyte DNA amplified by the PCR and allele-specific oligonucleotides. The alcoholics had significantly lower frequencies of the ADH2*2, ADH3*1, and ALDH2*2 alleles than did the nonalcoholics, suggesting that genetic variation in both ADH and ALDH, by modulating the rate of metabolism of ethanol and acetaldehyde, influences drinking behavior and the risk of developing alcoholism.     

Enzymatic conversion of beta-carotene into beta-apo-carotenals and retinoids by human, monkey, ferret, and rat tissues

Whether the conversion of beta-carotene into retinoids involves an enzymatic excentric cleavage mechanism was examined in vitro with homogenates prepared from human, monkey, ferret, and rat tissue. Using high-performance liquid chromatography, significant amounts of beta-apo-12'-, -10'-, and -8'-carotenals, retinal, and retinoic acid were found after incubation of intestinal homogenates of the four different species with beta-carotene in the presence of NAD+ and dithiothreitol. No beta-apo-carotenals or retinoids were detected in control incubations done without tissue homogenates. The production of beta-apo-carotenals was linear for 30 min and up to tissue protein concentrations of 1.5 mg/ml. The rate of formation of beta-apo-carotenals from 2 microM beta-carotene was about 7- to 14-fold higher than the rate of retinoid formation in intestinal homogenates, and the rate of beta-apo-carotenal production was fivefold greater in primate intestine vs rat or ferret intestine (P less than 0.05). The amounts of beta-apo-carotenals and retinoids formed were markedly reduced when NAD+ was replaced by NADH, or when dithiothreitol and cofactors were deleted from the incubation mixture. Both beta-apo-carotenal and retinoid production from beta-carotene were inhibited completely by adding disulfiram, an inhibitor of sulfhydryl-containing enzymes. Incubation of beta-carotene with liver, kidney, lung, and fat homogenates from each species also resulted in the appearance of beta-apo-carotenals and retinoids. The identification of three unknown compounds which might be excentric cleavage products is ongoing. These data support the existence of an excentric cleavage mechanism for beta-carotene conversion.     

A simple convenient biological dosimeter for monitoring solar UV-B radiation

The use of dry Bacillus subtilis spores as a biological dosimeter for the monitoring of solar UV-B (290-330 nm) radiation was described. Our field tests had supported the utility of this dosimeter as a reproducible and reliable sunlight dosimeter.