湖北地区宫颈癌组织中人乳头瘤病毒16型E7基因的分离、克隆和序列分析

采用加端聚合酶链反应技术,从湖北地区一宫颈癌患者癌组织ＤＮＡ中分离出人乳头瘤病毒１６型（ＨＰＶ１６）Ｅ７基因,并在ｐＵＣ１８载体中克隆。经限制性核酸内切酶分析和ＤＮＡ序列分析,确认了含ＨＰＶ１６Ｅ７重组克隆质粒,命名ｐＨＰＶ１６Ｅ７─ＨＢ。ＤＮＡ序列分析表明,ＨＰＶ１６Ｅ７─ＨＢ基因全长２９４ｂｐ（与报道的标准株基因长度相同）,但其核苷酸顺序中有两处发生了Ｃ→Ｔ突变,即第４３位密码子ＣＡＡ变为ＴＡＡ,第７６位ＣＧＴ变为ＴＧＴ;前者使谷氨酰胺密码子变为终止密码,即无义奕变（ｎｏｎｓｅｎｓｅｍｕｔａｔｉｏｎ）。这种突变发生在２９４个碱基的ＤＮＡ扩增产物之中,不像是ＰＣＲ本身的错配,而很可能是湖北株与标准株之间的结构差异。     

glmS核糖开关研究进展

glmS核酶是存在于革兰氏阳性细菌中,对葡糖胺-6-磷酸(GlcN6P)的合成起反馈抑制作用的核糖开关。同时,glmS核糖开关是一种位于glmS基因5′非翻译区的自剪切核酶。glmS核糖开关/核酶通过结合GlcN6P后自剪切抑制下游基因glmS的表达。对glmS核糖开关结构和功能的研究将有助于开发新的抗生素作用靶点。本文对glmS核糖开关的结构和功能进行阐述并介绍glmS核糖开关近年来的研究进展和应用。     

混合感染后杆状病毒间的增效作用——病毒蛋白及核酸的初步分析

AsNPV+HasNPV、AsNPV+HaNPV、AsNPV+PsNPV分别感染烟青虫、棉铃虫和粘虫幼虫,对分离到的核型多角体病毒(AsNPV+HasNPV)-Helicoverpa assulta、(AsNPV+HaNPV)- H.Armigera和(AsNPV+PsNPV)-Pseudaletia separata,经电镜观察,多角体蛋白及病毒粒子蛋白SDS-PAGE电泳,病毒核酸的限制性内切酶酶解分析等研究,证明各病毒的多角体形态不规则,大小差异极大,病毒粒子为杆状,(AsNPV+HasNPV)-H.Assulta 和(AsNPV+HaNPV)-H.Armigcra病毒粒子有单粒和多粒包埋类型, (AsNPV+PsNPV)-P.Separata为多粒包埋型。各病毒的多角体蛋白基本上只有一种多肽,分子量为25 000道尔顿左右。(AsNPV+HasNPV)-H.Assulta、(AsNPV+HaNPV)-H.armigera和(AsNPV+PsNPV)-P.Separata的病毒粒子分别有10、14、5条多肽,分子量大小在13 500～98 000,13 000～88 000,18 500～52 000道尔顿之间。病毒核酸经EcoRI,HindIII,HindIII+BamHI酶解,其DNA的酶切位点,大小及DNA的总分子量与AsNPV和原寄主的Has-NPV,HaNPV和PsNPVDNA的酶切图谱存在一定差异,混合病毒侵染昆虫后新复制的病毒核酸发生一定的变化,从而导致病毒蛋白和病毒形态的变化。混合感染后AsNPV对Has-NPV、HaNPV和PsNPV的侵染有明显的增效作用,其机理有待深入研究。     

Genome Wide Screening of Candidate Genes for Improving Piglet Birth Weight Using High and Low Estimated Breeding Value Populations

Birth weight is an economically important trait in pig production because it directly impacts piglet growth and survival rate. In the present study, we performed a genome wide survey of candidate genes and pathways associated with individual birth weight (IBW) using the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip on 24 high (HEBV) and 24 low estimated breeding value (LEBV) animals. These animals were selected from a reference population of 522 individuals produced by three sires and six dam lines, which were crossbreds with multiple breeds. After quality-control, 43,257 SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms), including 42,243 autosomal SNPs and 1,014 SNPs on chromosome X, were used in the data analysis. A total of 27 differentially selected regions (DSRs), including 1 on Sus scrofa chromosome 1 (SSC1), 1 on SSC4, 2 on SSC5, 4 on SSC6, 2 on SSC7, 5 on SSC8, 3 on SSC9, 1 on SSC14, 3 on SSC18, and 5 on SSCX, were identified to show the genome wide separations between the HEBV and LEBV groups for IBW in piglets. A DSR with the most number of significant SNPs (including 7 top 0.1% and 31 top 5% SNPs) was located on SSC6, while another DSR with the largest genetic differences in F_ST was found on SSC18. These regions harbor known functionally important genes involved in growth and development, such as TNFRSF9 (tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9), CA6 (carbonic anhydrase VI) and MDFIC (MyoD family inhibitor domain containing). A DSR rich in imprinting genes appeared on SSC9, which included PEG10 (paternally expressed 10), SGCE (sarcoglycan, epsilon), PPP1R9A (protein phosphatase 1, regulatory subunit 9A) and ASB4 (ankyrin repeat and SOCS box containing 4). More importantly, our present study provided evidence to support six quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions for pig birth weight, six QTL regions for average birth weight (ABW) and three QTL regions for litter birth weight (LBW) reported previously by other groups. Furthermore, gene ontology analysis with 183 genes harbored in these 27 DSRs suggested that protein, metal, ion and ATP binding, viral process and innate immune response present important pathways for deciphering their roles in fetal growth or development. Overall, our study provides useful information on candidate genes and pathways for regulating birth weight in piglets, thus improving our understanding of the genetic mechanisms involved in porcine embryonic or fetal development.     

History of exposure to herbivores increases the compensatory ability of an invasive plant

Release from natural enemies is frequently cited as an important factor contributing to plant invasions. But such effects are likely to be temporary—native herbivores can form new plant-herbivore associations and co-evolved insects might reach the new range. While the potential effects of the initial enemy release have been well studied, the consequences of any resumption of herbivory are poorly understood. Alternanthera philoxeroides is one of the most widespread invasive plants in China and is attacked both by a specialist herbivore introduced from the native range, Agasicles hygrophila, and a native beetle Cassida piperata Hope which has formed a new association. However, these insects are not found throughout the invaded range. To test the effect of the history of population exposure to herbivory on compensatory ability, plants were cultured from 14 populations around China that differed in whether A. hygrophila or C. piperata were present. Treatment plants were exposed to herbivory by A. hygrophila for a week until 50% of the leaf area was defoliated, then grown for 80 days. Plants from populations with prior exposure to herbivory (of any kind) accumulated more root mass than populations without prior exposure, indicating that prior exposure to insects can stimulate plant compensation to herbivory. We would recommend that potential changes in plant tolerance in response to prior exposure to herbivory are considered in invasive plant management plans that employ bio-control agents.     

Diet drives convergent evolution of gut microbiomes in bamboo-eating species

Gut microbiota plays a critical role in host physiology and health. The coevolution between the host and its gut microbes facilitates animal adaptation to its specific ecological niche. Multiple factors such as host diet and phylogeny modulate the structure and function of gut microbiota. However, the relative contribution of each factor in shaping the structure of gut microbiota remains unclear. The giant(Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and red(Ailurus styani) pandas belong to different families of order Carnivora. They have evolved as obligate bamboo-feeders and can be used as a model system for studying the gut microbiome convergent evolution. Here, we compare the structure and function of gut microbiota of the two pandas with their carnivorous relatives using 16S rRNA and metagenome sequencing. We found that both panda species share more similarities in their gut microbiota structure with each other than each species shares with its carnivorous relatives. This indicates that the specialized herbivorous diet rather than host phylogeny is the dominant driver of gut microbiome convergence within Arctoidea.Metagenomic analysis revealed that the symbiotic gut microbiota of both pandas possesses a high level of starch and sucrose metabolism and vitamin B12 biosynthesis. These findings suggest a diet-driven convergence of gut microbiomes and provide new insight into host-microbiota coevolution of these endangered species.     

Structure of a Pancreatic ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel

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Whole‐brain microcirculation detection after ischemic stroke based on swept‐source optical coherence tomography

The occurrence and development of ischemic stroke are closely related to cerebral blood flow. Real‐time monitoring of cerebral perfusion level is very useful for understanding the mechanisms of the disease. A wide field of view (FOV) is conducive to capturing lesions and observing the progression of the disease. In this paper, we attempt to monitor the whole‐brain microcirculation in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats over time using a wide FOV swept‐source OCT (SS‐OCT) system. A constrained image registration algorithm is used to remove motion artifacts that are prone to occur in a wide FOV angiography. During ischemia, cerebral perfusion levels in the left and right hemispheres, as well as in the whole brain were quantified and compared. Changes in the shape and location of blood vessels were also recorded. The results showed that the trend in cerebral perfusion levels of both hemispheres was highly consistent during MCAO, and the position of the blood vessels varied over time. This work will provide new insights of ischemic stroke and is helpful to assess the effectiveness of potential treatment strategies.      

Identification of zRAP55,a gene preponderantly expressed in Stages I and II oocytes of zebrafish

In an in silico search for gonand specific expressed genes, we have identified zRAP55 which is enriched in the ovary of zebrafish . zRAP55 encodes a protein of 382 amino acids with a highly conserved Lsm domain. zRAP55 protein shares more than 56% identities with that of other vertebrate species. RT-PCR results show that it is predominantly expressed in the ovary. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry studies reveal that zRAP55 is ubiquitously dispersed throughout the cytoplasm of stages I and II oocytes, whereas no expression is observed in stages III and IV oocytes. As an RNA associated protein, zRAP55 might function in the control of protein translation at the early stages of oogenesis in zebrafish.