山东地区犬冠状病毒的分子流行病学调查及其基因型多样性分析

【目的】了解分析山东地区健康犬及腹泻犬中犬冠状病毒(CCoV)的分子流行病学及其基因型。【方法】采集2017年以来山东省宠物市场、流浪犬中心、犬舍、各地宠物医院等的健康和腹泻犬只的肛拭子样品,采用PCR方法检测CCoV及其CCoV-Ⅰ和CCoV-Ⅱ(CCoV-Ⅱa和CCoV-Ⅱb)基因分型情况,并对扩增出的M、S全基因进行测序分析。【结果】199份样品中,共检出CCoV阳性样品79份,健康犬中的检出率为40.2%(33/82),腹泻犬中的检出率为39.3%(46/117)。健康犬中CCoV-Ⅰ型与CCoV-Ⅱ型阳性检出率分别为78.8%(26/33)和51.5%(17/33);腹泻犬中CCoV-Ⅰ型与CCoV-Ⅱ型阳性检出率分别为39.13%(18/46)和80.4%(37/46)。基因型阳性比率分析表明,健康犬中单独感染CCoV-I型的比率最高,为48.5%(16/33);腹泻犬中单独感染CCoV-Ⅱa比率最高,为47.8%(22/46)。测序分析获得48株M基因序列,遗传进化分析表明,12株CCoV-Ⅰ型毒株中除1株外,其余均从健康犬中分离。36株CCoV-Ⅱ型毒株中除7株来自健康犬外,其余均为腹泻犬中获得。获得的3株S全基因均来自腹泻犬且均属于CCoV-Ⅱa亚型。【结论】山东地区犬群中CCoV检出率较高,说明CCoV广泛流行,健康犬和腹泻犬中均存在多重感染情况,健康犬中主要流行CCoV毒株为CCoV-Ⅰ型,腹泻犬中主要流行CCoV-Ⅱa型。     

毛竹根际可培养微生物种群多样性分析

[目的]为了了解天然毛竹林根际可培养微生物种群的多样性信息,[方法]采用稀释平板法,对浙江天目山和重庆缙云山天然毛竹林根际细菌和放线菌进行了分离,并对其16S rDNA序列进行了分析.[结果]分别从天目山和缙云山天然毛竹林根际分离得到51株和31株菌落形态差异的细菌和放线菌.16S rDNA序列分析表明,天目山和缙云山毛竹根际细菌主要包括厚壁菌门(Firmicutes,分别为40%和58%)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria,分别为36.7%和10.52%)、变形菌门-亚群(Alphaproteobacteria,分别为10%和5.26%)和变形菌门 --亚群(Gammaproteobacteria,分别为10%和26.32%),其中芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus sp.)为共同的优势菌属(分别为34.38%和42.11%).分离的菌株中,B188、B171和B152等6株与GenBank中已报道16S rRNA基因序列的相似性从90%到96%不等,可能代表着新属或种.[结论]这表明,天然毛竹林根际具有较为丰富的可培养微生物种群多样性,并存在一些潜在的新的微生物菌种资源.     

Novel sampling strategies and a coarse-grained score function for docking homomers,flexible heteromers,and oligosaccharides using Rosetta in CAPRI rounds 37–45

Critical Assessment of PRediction of Interactions (CAPRI) rounds 37 through 45 introduced larger complexes, new macromolecules, and multistage assemblies. For these rounds, we used and expanded docking methods in Rosetta to model 23 target complexes. We successfully predicted 14 target complexes and recognized and refined near-native models generated by other groups for two further targets. Notably, for targets T110 and T136, we achieved the closest prediction of any CAPRI participant. We created several innovative approaches during these rounds. Since round 39 (target 122), we have used the new RosettaDock 4.0, which has a revamped coarse-grained energy function and the ability to perform conformer selection during docking with hundreds of pregenerated protein backbones. Ten of the complexes had some degree of symmetry in their interactions, so we tested Rosetta SymDock, realized its shortcomings, and developed the next-generation symmetric docking protocol, SymDock2, which includes docking of multiple backbones and induced-fit refinement. Since the last CAPRI assessment, we also developed methods for modeling and designing carbohydrates in Rosetta, and we used them to successfully model oligosaccharide-protein complexes in round 41. Although the results were broadly encouraging, they also highlighted the pressing need to invest in (a) flexible docking algorithms with the ability to model loop and linker motions and in (b) new sampling and scoring methods for oligosaccharide-protein interactions.     

Discovery and optimization of a novel series of pyrazolyltetrahydropyran N-type calcium channel (Cav 2.2) blockers for the treatment of pain

A novel series of pyrazolyltetrahydropyran N-type calcium channel blockers are described. Structural modifications of the series led to potent compounds in both a cell-based fluorescent calcium influx assay and a patch clamp electrophysiology assay. Representative compounds from the series were bioavailable and showed efficacy in the rat CFA and CCI models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain.     

Novel non-ATP competitive small molecules targeting the CK2 α/β interface

Increased CK2 levels are prevalent in many cancers. Combined with the critical role CK2 plays in many cell-signaling pathways, this makes it a prime target for down regulation to fight tumour growth. Herein, we report a fragment-based approach to inhibiting the interaction between CK2α and CK2β at the α-β interface of the holoenzyme. A fragment, CAM187, with an IC₅₀ of 44?μM and a molecular weight of only 257?gmol^?1 has been identified as the most promising compound. Importantly, the lead fragment only bound at the interface and was not observed in the ATP binding site of the protein when co-crystallised with CK2α. The fragment-like molecules discovered in this study represent unique scaffolds to CK2 inhibition and leave room for further optimisation.     

Sexual competition in an inbreeding social spider,Stegodyphus dumicola (Araneae: Eresidae)

Summary Sexual competition is shown to occur in the social spiderStegodyphus dumicola (Eresidae). While the secondary sex ratio inS. dumicola was female-biased, the overall operational sex ratio (numbers of breeding males to breeding females over the season) showed no strong female bias. Males matured before females and had a shorter lifespan than the females. Mating took place in the natal colony. Males fought over access to the few mature females available early in the reproductive season, but females appeared to control the duration of mating. Later in the season, some adults of both sexes dispersed alone to breed elsewhere. We conclude that different rates of maturation between the sexes within a colony provide the opportunity for females that mature early in the season to be choosy in selecting a mate and this forces males to compete. Early reproduction may be beneficial for both females and males, because the offspring of females that reproduce early may have a competitive advantage over later (and smaller) offspring in the colony.     

Human T cells recovered from human/Balb radiation chimeras are hypersensitive to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.

Replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is regulated by virus-encoded regulatory proteins, as well as by a variety of cellular factors. Productive infection of human T lymphocytes by HIV-1 is dependent upon the activation status of the target cells. In general, short-term mitogenic stimulation of CD4 T cells is used to enhance infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in vitro. Recently, we demonstrated that adoptive transfer of human PBMC into lethally irradiated BALB/c mice, radioprotected with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse bone marrow, leads to marked T-cell activation and proliferation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of such xenoactivation of human T cells on their susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. Human cells that were recovered from human/Balb radiation chimeras supported efficient replication of laboratory strains of HIV-1, as well as of HIV-1 clinical isolates. The multiplicity of infection required to attain effective virus replication in the recovered xenoactivated human cells was 10- to 100-fold lower than that needed for infection of short- or long-term phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated blasts or of various T-cell lines. Analysis of human cell surface activation markers has indicated that xenoactivation in the mouse, in contrast to in vitro stimulation with PHA, is associated with a marked downregulation of CD25 (interleukin 2 receptor). Our results demonstrate that human cells recovered from human/Balb radiation chimeras, which are hypersensitive to HIV-1 infection, differ from in vitro-stimulated cells in their activation status. Therefore, this system could be used to study host factors that participate in HIV-1 infection and replication in vitro and in vivo.     

Immobilization of Burkholderia cepacia in polyurethane-based foams: embedding efficiency and effect on bacterial activity

Immobilization of the trichloroethylene-degrading bacterium Burkholderia cepacia was evaluated using hydrophilic polyurethane foam. The influence of several foam formulation parameters upon cell retention was examined. Surfactant type was a major determinant of retention; a lecithin-based compound retained more cells than pluronic- or silicone-based surfactants. Excessive amounts of surfactant led to increased washout of bacteria. Increasing the biomass concentration in the foam from 4.8 to 10.5% dry weight per wet weight of foam resulted in fewer cells being washed out. Embedding at reduced temperature did not significantly affect retention, while the use of a silane binding agent gave inconsistent results. The optimal formulation retained all but 0.2% of total embedded cells during passage of 2 L of water through columns containing 2 g of foam. All foam formulations tested reduced the culturability of embedded cells by several orders of magnitude, but O₂ consumption and CO₂ evolution rates of embedded cells were never less than 50% of those of free cells. Nutrient amendments stimulated an increase in cell volume and ribosomal activity in immobilized cells as indicated by hybridization studies using fluorescently labeled ribosomal probes. These results indicate that, although immobilized cells were mostly nonculturable, they were metabolically active and thus could be used for biodegradation of toxic compounds. Received 23 December 1996/ Accepted in revised form 13 March 1997     

Effects of root diameter,branch order,root depth,season and warming on root longevity in an alpine meadow

Fine root is of importance in biogeochemical cycles especially in terrestrial ecosystems. The lack of understanding of the factors controlling root lifespan has made accurate prediction of carbon flow and nutrient cycling difficult. A controlled warming experiment was performed in an alpine meadow on the northern Tibetan Plateau (near Nagchu Town). We used a minirhizotron technique to measure root dynamics in situ during the growing season of 2013 and 2014 and survival analyses to assess root lifespan and the effects of root diameter, branch order, birth season, root depth and warming on root lifespan. Root diameter, branch order and root depth were all positively correlated with root lifespan. With an increase in diameter of 0.1 mm, mortality hazard ratio of roots declined by 19.3 %. An increase in one level in branch order was associated with a decrease of 43.8 % in root death ratio. Compared with roots born in May–mid-July, the mortality hazard ratio of roots born in late July–August and September–October reduced by 26.8 and 56.5 %, respectively. In warming treatments, roots tended to be thinner, less branched and deeper, and there was a higher proportion of roots born in spring compared to ambient conditions. Warming shortened the median root lifespan 44 days. However, in single warming condition, root diameter had no significant influence on root lifespan. Root diameter, branch order, root depth and season of birth were all factors affecting root lifespan in the alpine meadow; however, root branch order was dominant.     

Population genetic evidence for sex‐specific dispersal in an inbred social spider

Dispersal in most group‐living species ensures gene flow among groups, but in cooperative social spiders, juvenile dispersal is suppressed and colonies are highly inbred. It has been suggested that such inbred sociality is advantageous in the short term, but likely to lead to extinction or reduced speciation rates in the long run. In this situation, very low levels of dispersal and gene flow among colonies may have unusually important impacts on fitness and persistence of social spiders. We investigated sex‐specific differences in dispersal and gene flow among colonies, as reflected in the genetic structure within colonies and populations of the African social spider Stegodyphus dumicola Pocock, 1898 (Eresidae). We used DNA fingerprinting and mtDNA sequence data along with spatial mapping of colonies to compare male and female patterns of relatedness within and among colonies at three study sites. Samples were collected during and shortly after the mating season to detect sex‐specific dispersal. Distribution of mtDNA haplotypes was consistent with proliferation of social nests by budding and medium‐ to long‐distance dispersal by ballooning females. Analysis of molecular variance and spatial autocorrelation analyses of AFLPs showed high levels of genetic similarity within colonies, and STRUCTURE analyses revealed that the number of source populations contributing to colonies ranged from one to three. We also showed significant evidence of male dispersal among colonies at one site. These results support the hypothesis that in social spiders, genetic cohesion among populations is maintained by long‐distance dispersal of female colony founders. Genetic diversity within colonies is maintained by colony initiation by multiple dispersing females, and adult male dispersal over short distances. Male dispersal may be particularly important in maintaining gene flow among colonies in local populations.