Molecular characteristics of the ompA gene of serotype B Chlamydia trachomatis in Qinghai Tibetan primary school students

To study the molecular characteristics of Chlamydia trachomatis, the major outer membrane protein gene(omp A) of C. trachomatis from primary school students with trachoma residing in the Qinghai Tibetan area was sequenced and compared with the same serotype in Gen Bank. In Jianshetang Primary School and Galeng Central Primary School in the Galeng Tibetan Township of Qinghai Haidong Sala Autonomous County, scraped samples were collected from the upper tarsal conjunctiva and lower conjunctival sac of both eyes of 45 students with trachoma, stored at 4°C, and transported to Beijing Tongren Hospital by air within 24 h. The samples were screened for C. trachomatis by real-time PCR. The omp A gene from the C. trachomatis-positive samples was amplified by nested PCR. The serotype was confirmed by National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI) BLAST search and homology analysis. The entire omp A gene sequence was compared with the corresponding gene sequences of serotype B strains available in Gen Bank. Of the 45 students aged 6–13 years with trachoma, 26 C. trachomatis-positive students were identified by the initial real-time PCR screening(average age,(9.09±1.63) years; sex ratio, 1.0), accounting for 57.78%(26/45). The cycle threshold values for real-time PCR were 16.79–37.77. Half(13/26) of C. trachomatis-positive students had a bacterial copy number of 105. The compliance rate of the omp A gene sequences with the C. trachomatis serotype B strains in Gen Bank was up to 99%. Two novel genetic mutations were found when the omp A gene was compared with those of the 11 serotype B strains in Gen Bank. The two non-synonymous mutations were located at(i) position 271 in the second constant domain, an adenine(A) to guanine(G) substitution(ACT?GCT), changing the amino acid at position 91 from threonine to alanine(Thr?Ala) in all 26 strains; and(ii) position 887 in the fourth variable domain, a cytosine(C) to thymine(T) substitution(GCA?GTA), changing the amino acid at residue 296 from alanine to valine(Ala?Val) in four of the 26 strains. Six mutations were identified relative to ATCC VR-573. The strains could be divided into two gene clusters according to the mutation at nucleotide position 887: CQZ-1(China Qinghai Tibetan-1) and CQZ-2(China Qinghai Tibetan-2). We thus detected two novel serotype B mutant strains of C. trachomatis among study subjects with trachoma.     

Etiological characteristics of chlamydia trachoma conjunctivitis of Primary Boarding School students in the Qinghai Tibetan area

The aim of this study was to investigate the etiological characteristics of Chlamydia trachomatis conjunctivitis among resident students at primary schools in the Qinghai Tibetan area in order to understand the distribution of C. trachomatis and other pathogenic microorganisms, to detect the isolation rate of infectious pathogens, and to provide an evidence for further targeted efforts in the prevent of sporadic trachoma efforts. From two primary schools in Qinghai Province, ocular samples from 35 students who were clinically diagnosed as trachoma cases and 60 normal controls were obtained by swabbing their upper eyelids and lower conjunctival sacs. Samples were preserved at 4°C and airlifted to Beijing Tongren Hospital within 24 h. Real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was used to screen for C. trachomatis, and nested PCR was used to amplify a fragment of the omp A gene for serotype confirmation. Bacterial cultivation and sensitivity tests were conducted based on the 2015 version of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Adenovirus, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus were screened by RT-PCR. Among the 35 students with trachoma, 8 came from the Jianshetang Primary School and 27 came from the Central Primary School. Two novel C. trachomatis B serotypes(Gen Bank accession numbers KU737520 and KU737521) were detected based on a sequence analysis of the omp A gene. Single C. trachomatis infections accounted for 42.86%(9/21) of the cases, and infections with multiple bacteria, particularly Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, accounted for the remaining 57.14%(12/21). Of the 14 C. trachomatis-negative samples, one was positive for adenoviral infection(serotype D) and 13 were positive for bacterial infections(H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, streptococci other than S. pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium, and Arthrobacterium). In addition to C. trachomatis, the other bacteria and virus that were detected in the boarding students of primary schools in the Qinghai Tibetan area should be emphasized in trachoma prevention and control.     

抗生素对溶藻弧菌SXT/R391元件转移频率的影响北大核心CSCD

【目的】研究萘啶酸、诺氟沙星、卡那霉素3种抗生素对溶藻弧菌(Vibrio alginolyticus)SXT/R391元件ICEVal A056-1转移频率的影响。【方法】利用PCR检测溶藻弧菌A056中ICEVal A056-1的自我剪切、转移潜力。通过溶藻弧菌A056与大肠杆菌菌株VB111的接合实验,研究溶藻弧菌分别在含不同浓度萘啶酸、诺氟沙星、卡那霉素的LB培养基中培养15 min或30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率的变化规律。【结果】溶藻弧菌A056细胞中有环状形式的ICEVal A056-1分子存在,具有水平转移潜力;溶藻弧菌A056在含40μg/m L萘啶酸的LB中培养30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率是对照组的19.59倍;在含50μg/m L诺氟沙星的LB中培养15 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率是对照组的31.25倍;在含不同浓度卡那霉素的LB中培养30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率与对照组没有显著差别。【结论】部分抗生素的使用可以明显促进溶藻弧菌ICEVal A056-1向大肠杆菌的转移,因此海洋环境中抗生素的滥用及随意排放很可能加剧ICEs(integrating conjugative elements)从溶藻弧菌到其他细菌的传播。     

Two distinct CCR5 domains can mediate coreceptor usage by human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

The chemokine receptor CCR5 is the major fusion coreceptor for macrophage-tropic strains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). To define the structures of CCR5 that can support envelope (Env)-mediated membrane fusion, we analyzed the activity of homologs, chimeras, and mutants of human CCR5 in a sensitive gene reporter cell-cell fusion assay. Simian, but not murine, homologs of CCR5 were fully active as HIV-1 fusion coreceptors. Chimeras between CCR5 and divergent chemokine receptors demonstrated the existence of two distinct regions of CCR5 that could be utilized for Env-mediated fusion, the amino-terminal domain and the extracellular loops. Dual-tropic Env proteins were particularly sensitive to alterations in the CCR5 amino-terminal domain, suggesting that this domain may play a pivotal role in the evolution of coreceptor usage in vivo. We identified individual residues in both functional regions, Asp-11, Lys-197, and Asp-276, that contribute to coreceptor function. Deletion of a highly conserved cytoplasmic motif rendered CCR5 incapable of signaling but did not abrogate its ability to function as a coreceptor, implying the independence of fusion and G-protein-mediated chemokine receptor signaling. Finally, we developed a novel monoclonal antibody to CCR5 to assist in future studies of CCR5 expression.     

微生物絮凝剂产生菌的筛选和发酵条件研究

设计了微生物絮凝剂产生菌菌种筛选模型,并从土壤和活性污泥中筛选到５１株絮凝剂产生菌,经复筛获得两株絮凝活性较高的菌株,分别定名为Ｎｏｃａｒｄｉａ,ＪＩＭ－８９和ＪＩＭ－１２７。对两株菌的发酵条件,特别是培养基组成,进行了初步研究。两株菌所产生的絮凝剂,对大肠杆菌悬液２０ｍｉｎ的絮凝活性在１０００ｕ／ｍｌ,最高可达１２４８ｕ／ｍｌ。     

小麦过氧化物酶特异表达模式与生化性质研究

通过大量不同类型品种的普通小麦、杂交品系Ｆ１代等,对过氧化物酶的特异表达与遗传转换模式及转录间的关系进行屯研究。有关生化性质研究也显示了其ＡＡ组成、含量特征的生化性关系。     

分子时代的白僵菌研究

白僵菌属是全球分布的最常见的虫生真菌。自上世纪90年代以来,有关白僵菌的研究进入分子时代,各方面的研究都有快速甚至是突破性的进展。作为复合种的球孢白僵菌和布氏白僵菌已被分割,而且还有其他新种被陆续命名,有多种有性型被发现;在查明一些致病基因及其作用机制后,通过转基因改良菌株工作取得突破性进展;分子生态学的研究解决了与白僵菌在农林生态系中的流行有关的一些难题。文中就白僵菌的分类学与系统演化、生物学、分子致病机制与基因工程,以及生态学与流行病学等方面的研究进展进行了综述。     

神农架海拔梯度上4种典型森林的乔木叶片功能性状特征

研究植物群落叶片功能性状沿环境梯度的变化可以更好地认识群落对环境的适应机制,海拔梯度在较小的空间范围内浓缩了不同的群落类型和环境梯度,是研究和理解群落与环境关系的理想场所。以神农架海拔梯度上4种典型森林为研究对象,分析了4种典型森林优势乔木树种的LMA、LDMC、N_area、N_mass、叶片厚度及叶片叶绿素含量等主要叶片功能性状随海拔的变化规律及各功能性状之间的相关性,以期从叶片功能性状角度揭示群落适应环境的机制。研究结果表明:在780-1970 m范围内,神农架海拔梯度上典型森林乔木优势种叶片的、N_area和叶片厚度随海拔升高而下降,而海拔2570 m的亚高山针叶林的LMA、N_area和叶片厚度最高,分别为187.37 g/cm²、1.92 g/m²和385.31 um,且针叶林的LMA是常绿阔叶林的2倍、落叶阔叶林的3.7倍;除常绿落叶阔叶混交林的N_mass小于落叶阔叶林外,N_mass随海拔升高(780-2570 m)而下降;海拔最高(2570 m)的针叶林和海拔最低(780 m)的常绿阔叶林的LDMC和叶绿素含量最高,分别为454.93 g/kg、407.64 g/kg和48.84、44.12;而海拔介于二者之间的常绿落叶阔叶混交林和落叶阔叶林的LDMC和叶绿素含量则最低,分别为338.93 g/kg、337.3 g/kg和38.73、38.19。叶片各功能性状之间存在着显著的相关性:叶片厚度与LMA/LDMC及LMA显著正相关。叶片叶绿素含量与N_area显著正相关。LMA与LDMC、N_area、叶片厚度、叶绿素含量显著正相关,LDMC与N_area、叶绿素含量、叶片厚度显著正相关,N_area与叶片厚度、叶绿素含量显著正相关,叶片厚度、叶绿素含量显著正相关。本研究进一步表明,随着海拔梯度上升环境条件的变化,森林群落不同物种功能性状间的相互作用共同决定着森林群落对环境的适应性。     

Ad5-knob蛋白在大肠杆菌中可溶性表达及其活性检测

采用PCR技术, 从AdEasy-1质粒DNA中获得knob全长序列, 克隆入pGEM-T vector中.DNA测序鉴定后, 构建pQE-30/knob重组表达载体, 转化大肠杆菌M15 pREP4),IPTG诱导表达腺病毒5型纤维蛋白的knob功能域(Ad5-knob), SDS-PAGE分析,表达产物主要以可溶性蛋白的形式存在于细菌裂解液上清之中.经Ni2+-NTA亲和层析一步分离纯化后,洗脱产物中Ad5-knob蛋白纯度超过95%.N-端氨基酸测序证实了纯化产物为Ad5-knob蛋白,细胞受体结合实验检测到所得蛋白能够与Hela细胞上的相应受体特异性结合.上述结果表明在大肠杆菌中已经高效表达了可溶性Ad5-knob蛋白,一步即纯化该蛋白,并具有良好的生物活性,为其下阶段的深入研究提供了重要的实验材料.