Rapid and efficient site-directed mutagenesis by single-tube 'megaprimer' PCR method.

We describe a rapid and efficient megaprimer PCR procedure for site-directed mutagenesis that does not require any intermediate purification of DNA between the two rounds of PCR. This protocol is based on the design of forward and reverse flanking primers with significantly different melting temperatures ( T m). A megaprimer is synthesized in the first PCR reaction using a mutagenic primer, the low T m flanking primer and a low annealing temperature. The second PCR reaction is performed in the same tube as the first PCR and utilizes the high T m flanking primer, the megaprimer product of the first PCR and a high annealing temperature, which prevents priming by the low T m primer from the first PCR reaction. We have used this protocol with two different plasmids to produce cDNAs encoding seven distinct mutated proteins. We have observed an average mutagenesis efficiency of 82% in these experiments.     

Allele-specific targeting of hsa-miR-657 to human IGF2R creates a potential mechanism underlying the association of ACAA-insertion/deletion polymorphism with type 2 diabetes

The biological mechanism of a recent discovered association of type 2 diabetes with the ACAA-insertion/deletion polymorphism at the 3′UTR of the IGF2R gene has remained unclear. A very recently emerging novel polymorphic control layer by microRNAs (miRNAs) makes it possible to elucidate this issue. In this study, a prediction by web tools MicroInspector and miRanda demonstrated that DNA sequence polymorphism (DSPs) ACAA-insertion/deletion in IGF2R 3′UTR is located within the hsa-miR-657 and hsa-miR-453 binding sites. And luciferase reporter assay revealed that hsa-miR-657 acts directly at the 3′UTR of the IGF2R. Furthermore, ACAA-deletion exerted a further repression compared with ACAA-insertion, indicating that hsa-miR-657 regulates IGF2R gene expression in a polymorphic control manner. Importantly, we also demonstrated that hsa-miR-657 can translationally regulate the IGF2R expression levels in Hep G2 cells. Thus, our findings testify the possibility that the ACAA-insertion/deletion polymorphism may result in the change of IGF2R expression levels at least in part by hsa-miR-657-mediated regulation, contributing to the elucidation for the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and raise the possibility that miRNAs or in combination with functional DNA sequence polymorphism may be valuable in the treatment of human type 2 diabetes.     

Autophagy: a novel guardian of HCV against innate immune response

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process that catabolizes intracellular components and maintains cellular homeostasis. Autophagy involves the sequestration of cytoplasmic content within a double-membraned autophagosome, and the fusion of the autophagosome with a lysosome to form an autolysosome for subsequent degradation (Fig. 1A). Autophagy plays a pivotal role in various aspects of cellular responses to stresses, such as nutrient deprivation, damaged organelles, aggregated proteins, exposure to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and pathogen infections. Virus infection often leads to ER stress and induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Recent studies reveal that virus-induced UPR may activate autophagy to support the virus life cycle. However, the exact roles of the UPR and autophagy in host cell-virus interactions are still enigmatic.     

慢病毒载体法制备红色荧光蛋白转基因小鼠

目的利用慢病毒介导的转基因方法制备红色荧光蛋白（mRFP）转基因小鼠,并建立转基因小鼠的技术平台。方法将携带mRFP基因的慢病毒注入ICR鼠单细胞受精卵卵周隙以感染受精卵,胚胎移植进假孕母鼠以获得仔代鼠,然后应用小动物活体成像仪、体视荧光显微镜和PCR等鉴定并获得mRFP转基因鼠。结果移植卵周隙注射有慢病毒的胚胎40枚给2只假孕母鼠,共获得仔鼠6只;利用体视荧光显微镜检测mRFP表达,在蛋白水平证实6只F0代中,2只（R3和R4）鼠耳高表达mRFP,其余的弱表达mRFP（R1、R2和R5）或荧光强度（R6）与野生型ICR鼠无明显差别,而DNA水平检测证实,6只F0代中,5只（R1、R2、R3、R4和R5）基因组中整合有外源转基因hUb-mRFP,预示基因型鉴定结果很好验证了体视荧光显微镜鉴定结果。此外,mRFP转基因首建鼠基因组中整合的mRFP基因可稳定遗传和表达。结论建立了慢病毒法快速制备转基因小鼠的技术平台,这为针对不同基因建立相应转基因小鼠以实现恒定或条件性的转基因过表达或RNA干涉（RNAi）,并进而在体内解析相应基因功能和建立人类疾病模型等奠定了坚实基础。     

生物质热裂解生产生物燃料的研究进展

生物质能源是一种绿色的可以替代化石能源的一种可再生的能源。尽管高温分解生物质处于发展阶段,但在目前水平,高温裂解因其可以在氧存在下热分解将生物材料直接转化为固态,液态和气态能源产品而受到广泛关注。本文介绍了生物质的热裂解,包括慢速热裂解、快速热裂解、闪解、催化热裂解等过程,重点讨论了在各种生物质材料的热裂解过程中各种操作参数如温度和生物粒子大小等对生物燃料收率的影响。     

β-甘露聚糖酶和木聚糖酶基因在大肠杆菌中共表达

【目的】β-甘露聚糖酶和木聚糖酶都属于半纤维素酶,它们已经同时运用于工农业生产的许多领域。构建β-甘露聚糖酶和木聚糖酶共表达菌株并进行相关评价。【方法】通过设计一个共同的酶切位点,将菌株Bacillus subtilis BE-91中的β-甘露聚糖酶和木聚糖酶基因串联到表达载体pET28a(+)上,转化大肠杆菌构建了一株能够共表达β-甘露聚糖酶和木聚糖酶的菌株B.pET28a-man-xyl。【结果】菌株诱导21 h后,发酵液中β-甘露聚糖酶和木聚糖酶的酶活分别为713.34 U/mL和1455.83 U/mL,是胞内酶活的11.8倍和2.53倍。【结论】SDS-PAGE分析、水解圈活性检测和胞外酶与胞内酶酶活检测表明:两个酶均以功能蛋白独立分泌到胞外。此外,与β-甘露聚糖酶和木聚糖酶单独酶解半纤维素相比,复合酶的酶解效果更好。菌株的成功构建为复合酶制剂(半纤维素酶制剂)的研究和生产奠定基础。     

Altered Plasma Concentrations of Trace Elements in Ulcerative Colitis Patients Before and After Surgery

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is a classical surgery for ulcerative colitis patients. However, knowledge on trace element alteration in patients who had undergone this surgery is limited. This study was conducted to assess trace element alteration in patients with ulcerative colitis before and after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Preoperative (40) and postoperative (35) ulcerative colitis patients were studied. The dietary assessment of trace element intake was undertaken by a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Patients' trace element status of zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, calcium, iron, and vitamin D₃ was assessed by measuring their blood concentrations. We found that with the similar dietary intake, there was no statistical difference in the concentrations of plasma copper, iron, calcium, and vitamin D₃ in the two groups (P?>?0.05). Compared with preoperative patients, postoperative patients had higher concentrations of plasma zinc (14.51?±?4.75 μmol/l) and manganese (0.21?±?0.11 μmol/l) and lower concentrations of plasma selenium (0.86?±?0.58 μmol/l). Both preoperative and postoperative mean concentrations of plasma calcium and vitamin D₃ were below their reference range, respectively. We conclude that IPAA does not seem to alter patients' abnormal trace elements completely. It is important to monitor and supply some specified trace elements even in postoperative patients.     

金华市郊10种杂草的热值和灰分含量及其适应意义

在金华市郊,选择了婆婆纳(Veronica didyma)、水蓼(Polygonum hydropiper)、车前(Plantago asiatica)、北美车前(Plantago virginica)、毛茛(Ranunculus japonicus)、商陆(Phytolacca acinosa)、鹅观草(Roegneria kamoji)、早熟禾(Poa annua)、北美独行菜(Lepidium virginicum)、窃衣(Torilis japonica)等10种常见杂草,测定了生殖生长时期这些杂草不同器官的热值和灰分含量。研究结果表明, 10种杂草花穗、叶、茎和根的干重热值的平均值分别为15.942、14.293、13.344和13.463 kJ/g,去灰分热值平均为16.983、16.219、14.480和15.233 kJ/g,整体上表现出花穗 > 叶 > 根 > 茎的趋势;10种杂草的花穗、叶、茎和根中的平均灰分含量为6.127%、11.899%、8.071%、11.383%,叶片和根中的灰分含量较高,花穗与茎中的较低。对于北美车前来讲,随着生长时间的推移,北美车前的营养器官热值下降,随着种群密度的上升,北美车前的繁殖器官干重热值上升。采取低热值策略可能是杂草适应严酷环境的选择方式,具有进化上的积极意义。     

小溪自然保护区非盐环境土壤中嗜盐和耐盐菌多样性

【目的】研究湖南小溪国家级自然保护区普通非盐环境(ordinary non-saline environment)土壤样品中可培养嗜盐及耐盐细菌(含放线菌)多样性。【方法】采用纯培养法和基于16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育分析对样品中嗜盐及耐盐细菌多样性进行研究。【结果】用补充5%-20%(w/v)NaCl的MA、ISP2、ISP5、NA和HAA培养基从土壤样品中分离到114株细菌,其中8株为中度嗜盐菌,19株为轻度嗜盐菌,87株为耐盐菌。根据形态观察和部分生理生化实验结果去冗余,选取61个代表性菌株进行基于16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育多样性分析。结果表明,这些菌株属于细菌域(Bacteria)的3个大的系统发育类群(门;phylum)(Actinobacteria,Firmicutes,Proteobacteria)的16个科、18个属,代表了41个物种。多数菌株属于Firmicutes门(38株,62.3%)和Actinobacteria门(18株,29.5%)。大多数菌株与其系统发育关系最密切的已知物种的典型菌株之间存在一定的遗传差异(16S rRNA基因序列相似性为96.9%-99.8%),其中有7个菌株(JSM070026,JSM081004,JSM081006,JSM081008,JSM083058,JSM083085,JSM084035)代表7个潜在新种(potential novel species)。【结论】研究结果表明,湖南小溪国家级自然保护区普通非盐环境土壤中存在较为丰富的可培养嗜盐及耐盐细菌多样性,并且潜藏着较多新的微生物类群(物种)。     

杜仲内生真菌DZJ03发酵液生物活性的研究

测定处于不同生长期的杜仲内生真菌DZJ03胞外多糖含量、发酵液中3种核苷含量,并对其菌株发酵液抑菌效果进行了研究,按50μg/mL的浓度测定了发酵液的石油醚、乙酸乙酯和甲醇等3种提取物对水稻恶苗病菌、棉花枯萎病菌2种植物病原菌以及烟草青枯病菌、金黄色葡萄球菌的抑制活性。结果表明:内生真菌DZJ03胞外多糖含量最高可达到2.0410g/L,其发酵液中所含腺苷、尿苷以及鸟苷的含量分别为1.2647 mg/g、0.8586 mg/g、1.0493 mg/g;发酵液乙酸乙酯相具有较强的抑菌活性,其对水稻恶苗病菌的抑制率为71.92%,抗烟草青枯病菌的抑菌圈直径达到19.21 mm。