蜱传脑炎病毒TBE-E-D3抗原的原核表达纯化及ELISA方法鉴定

目的:构建蜱传脑炎病毒TBE-E-D3抗原的融合蛋白原核表达质粒GSTpET-30a(+)/TBE-E-D3,在大肠杆菌中诱导表达并用亲和层析法纯化,以获得特异性诊断抗原。方法:根据目的基因序列设计PCR引物,利用基因克隆技术构建重组质粒,转入大肠杆菌DH5α后经酶切鉴定,将测序正确的重组质粒转入大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),IPTG诱导表达后进行亲和层析法纯化,SDS-PAGE分析其表达情况和纯度,间接ELISA法鉴定重组蛋白的特异性和灵敏度。结果:TBE-E-D3基因目的片段以正确的读框插入载体GSTpET-30a(+),通过IPTG诱导在大肠杆菌中正确表达,亲和纯化得到较高纯度的蛋白质;间接ELISA法证明抗原特异性和灵敏度良好,送检的15份阳性患者血清样本中检出10份阳性结果,40份健康人血清样本中检出1份假阳性结果。结论:获得的His-TBE-E-D3融合蛋白具有良好的抗原性,可作为森林脑炎病毒特异性血清学诊断的备选抗原之一。     

支持向量机及组合预测在蛋白质四级结构分类中的应用

目的:基于支持向量机建立一个自动化识别新肽链四级结构的方法,提高现有方法的识别精度.方法:改进4种已有的蛋白质一级序列特征值提取方法,采用线性和非线性组合预测方法建立一个有效的组合预测模型.结果:以同源二聚体及非同源二聚体为例.对4种特征值提取方法进行改进后其分类精度均提升了2～3%;进一步实施线性与非线性组合预测后,其分类精度再次提高了2～3%,使独立测试集的分类精度达到了90%以上.结论:4种特征值提取方法均较好地反应出蛋白质一级序列包含四级结构信息,组合预测方法能有效地集多种特征值提取方法优势于一体.     

Variable number tandem repeats – Their emerging role in sickness and health

Understanding the mechanisms regulating tissue specific and stimulus inducible regulation is at the heart of understanding human biology and how this translates to wellbeing, the ageing process, and disease progression. Polymorphic DNA variation is superimposed as an extra layer of complexity in such processes which underpin our individuality and are the focus of personalized medicine. This review focuses on the role and action of repetitive DNA, specifically variable number tandem repeats and SINE-VNTR-Alu domains, highlighting their role in modification of gene structure and gene expression in addition to their polymorphic nature being a genetic modifier of disease risk and progression. Although the literature focuses on their role in disease, it illustrates their potential to be major contributors to normal physiological function. To date, these elements have been under-reported in genomic analysis due to the difficulties in their characterization with short read DNA sequencing methods. However, recent advances in long read sequencing methods should resolve these problems allowing for a greater understanding of their contribution to a host of genomic and functional mechanisms underlying physiology and disease.     

Root Growth, Secondary Root Formation and Root Gravitropism in Carotenoid-deficient Seedlings of Zea mays L.

The effect of ABA on root growth, secondary-root formation androot gravitropism in seedlings of Zea mays was investigatedby using Fluridone-treated seedlings and a viviparous mutant,both of which lack carotenoids and ABA. Primary roots of seedlingsgrown in the presence of Fluridone grew significantly slowerthan those of control (i.e. untreated) roots. Elongation ofFluridone-treated roots was inhibited significantly by the exogenousapplication of 1 mM ABA. Exogenous application of 1 µMand 1 nM ABA had either no effect or only a slight stimulatoryeffect on root elongation, depending on the method of application.The absence of ABA in Fluridone-treated plants was not an importantfactor in secondary-root formation in seedlings less than 9–10d old. However, ABA may suppress secondary-root formation inolder seedlings, since 11-d-old control seedlings had significantlyfewer secondary roots than Fluridone-treated seedlings. Rootsof Fluridone-treated and control seedlings were graviresponsive.Similar data were obtained for vp-9 mutants of Z. mays, whichare phenotypically identical to Fluridone-treated seedlings.These results indicate that ABA is necessary for neither secondary-rootformation nor for positive gravitropism by primary roots. Zea mays, gravitropism, carotenoid-deficient, Fluridone, root growth, vp-9 mutant     

The Effects of pH and Carbon Dioxide on Ion Uptake by Excised Barley Roots

The effects of carbon dioxide concentrations up to 8 per centin air on uptake of potassium and chloride at two pH levels,nominally pH 6 and 8, werestudied. In all experiments, enhanced uptake of potassium occurred atthe higher pH level with carbon dioxidefree air, but chlorideuptake was generally unaffected. At nominal pH 6, 1 per cent carbon dioxide reduced and 6 percent increased potassium uptake. There was no effect on chlorideuptake except with 1 per cent carbon dioxide where a markedenhancement was recorded. At nominal pH 8, l and 2 per cent carbon dioxide increased potassiumuptake whereas 6 and 8 per cent were inhibitory. Chloride uptakewas favoured by 1 and 8 per cent concentrations of the gas.     

THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF TRIALKYLTIN COMPOUNDS ON NERVE AND MUSCLE

The toxicity of trimethyltin chloride and triethyltin sulphate on animal tissues was assessed by their effects on isolated phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations. Studies by electron microscopy show that the inhibitory effects of these compounds on the muscular contractility of this tissue are associated with (a) the disruption of mitochondria and disorganisation of muscle fibres and (b) the depletion of neuromicrotubules in the axons of nerves innervating the muscle. The neurotoxie effect of triethyltin sulphate on neuromicrotubules is further substantiated by its inhibition (in a concentration-dependent manner) of the specific colchicine-binding activity of the crude and purified tubulin preparations derived from brain tissue. In addition, both triethyltin sulphate and trimethyltin chloride at a concentration greater than 100 μM completely prevent the normal in vitro assembly of microtubules from tubulin.     

CpG联合铝佐剂对HCV免疫原体液免疫作用的影响

目的:探讨胞苷酸鸟苷寡脱氧核苷酸(CpG ODN)联合铝佐剂对丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)重组免疫原的体液免疫作用。方法:采用高交叉HCV-HVR1和E1重组蛋白与CpG ODN、铝佐剂组合,免疫BALB/c小鼠后以ELISA、酶联免疫斑点测定、流式细胞术、免疫沉淀等方法检测相关体液免疫指标和免疫血清多抗的交叉反应性。结果:CpG联合铝佐剂激发了最高的特异性抗体滴度;佐剂通过提高抗体分泌细胞数量、增加脾脏中记忆B细胞数量、增加脾淋巴细胞IL-6、IL-10分泌浓度实现体液免疫增效;CpG则能提高免疫效率,联合铝佐剂时显著提高浆细胞数量;12份HCV阳性血清中有10份可与多抗HVR1 IgG发生免疫沉淀。结论:CpG和铝佐剂联合应用具有协同作用,多抗HVR1 IgG具有较好的交叉反应性。     

一种新的制备多克隆抗体的方法

用亲和色谱纯化的rhEPO作为抗原免疫KM小鼠和Bal b/c小鼠,然后腹腔注射S180细胞或SP2/0细胞。S180细胞可刺激KM小鼠产生腹水,腹水量大,抗体效价高。而直接注射SP2/0细胞既未能使KM小鼠产生腹水,也未能使Bal b/c小鼠产生腹水。实验提供了一种新的简便、快速、经济地制备高效价多克隆抗体的方法。     

海南植物增补(Ⅺ)

报道了海南8种植物新记录种,隶属于8科8属,其中3属为海南新记录属。新记录属分别为金线草属Antenoron Rafin.、变豆菜属Sanicula Linn.、龙珠属Tubocapsicum (Wettst.) Makino;新记录种包括龙眼润楠Machilus oculodracontis、金线草Antenoron filiforme、大叶拿身草Desmodium laxiflorum、钦州柯Lithocarpus qinzhouicus、多序楼梯草Elatostema macintyrei、膜叶变豆菜Sanicula lamelligera、小叶乌饭树Vaccinium bracteatum var. chinense、龙珠Tubocapsicum anomalum。凭证标本存放在中国科学院华南植物园标本馆(IBSC)、香港嘉道理农场暨植物园植物标本室(KFBG)及香港政府标本室(HK)。     

Persistence of Oral Structures in the Sexual Process of Amicronucleate Paramecium tetraurelia

ABSTRACT In the sexual process, amicronucleate Paramecium tetraurelia , unlike micronucleates, fail to produce an oral apparatus, but resorb the pre-existing one. Exceptions were found in some amicronucleate cell lines in which about 1% of the cells possessed oral structures, including pieces of oral membranelles, sometimes complete with buccal cavity, after autogamy or conjugation. By following oral development in the sexual process in some detail, the present study supports the view that these oral structures are derived from the pre-existing oral apparatus and not newly developed from the oral primordium. The possible involvement of the micronucleus and the pre-existing oral apparatus in oral resorption is discussed. The possession of a functional oral apparatus after the sexual process may open up a new evolutionary avenue to the amicronucleates.