绵羊粒细胞集落刺激因子原核表达与提纯及用于颗粒细胞培养的效果

文中旨在研究粒细胞集落刺激因子(Granule cell stimulating factor,GCSF)对绵羊颗粒细胞体外培养过程中细胞增殖和凋亡的影响,明确GCSF对绵羊颗粒细胞生存的调节作用,为今后该蛋白用于羊繁育方面的研究奠定基础。原核克隆表达纯化羊GCSF蛋白,纯化的蛋白用M-NSF60细胞检测生物学活性,将纯化的GCSF添加到颗粒细胞培养基中作为试验组,以培养基中未添加GCSF的细胞为对照,利用Alarmarblue检测细胞增殖情况,流式细胞仪检测细胞周期和凋亡的变化。结果表明,羊GCSF可以原核表达并纯化,并且具有生物学活性。在24 h和48 h时,在0.06–600 ng/mL的范围内随着加入GCSF的终浓度增加,细胞活力升高。试验组颗粒细胞体外培养24 h后,与阴性对照相比,细胞周期的分布显著改变,S期细胞比例显著减少(P<0.05),G2/M期细胞比例显著增多(P<0.05)。试验组凋亡率和对照组相比,48 h检测时凋亡率显著降低(P<0.05)。综上表明,GCSF在体外培养的绵羊颗粒细胞中,可调控绵羊颗粒细胞周期,促进细胞增殖,抑制细胞凋亡。     

miRNA和lncRNA在动物脂肪沉积中的研究进展

微小RNA(MicroRNA,miRNA)是一类由18–25个核苷酸组成的高度保守的核苷酸序列,它可以特异性结合信使RNA (mRNA)的3′-非编码区域,进而发挥降解mRNA或阻遏mRNA翻译的负调控作用。长链非编码RNA (Long non-coding RNA,lncRNA)是一类长度超过200个核苷酸、不能编码蛋白质或只能编码蛋白质微肽的核苷酸序列,它可以在表观遗传、转录水平和转录后水平调控基因表达。脂肪作为一种重要的储能物质,在调节动物体能量平衡过程中发挥着重要的作用,并与动物产肉量、肉品质等产肉性状密切相关。而脂肪功能的紊乱可导致高血脂、Ⅱ型糖尿病以及一系列心血管疾病发生,因此动物脂肪沉积的分子调控机制备受人们关注。近年来,越来越多的研究发现miRNA和lncRNA在动物脂肪沉积中发挥重要作用。文中就现阶段miRNA和lncRNA在动物脂肪沉积中的研究进展进行综述,以期为进一步揭示动物脂肪沉积的分子调控机制提供理论指导和新思路。     

HIV-1 Env三聚体抗原改造研究进展

HIV-1疫苗研发是当前艾滋病研究的一大热点,其病毒表面包膜糖蛋白Env三聚体介导病毒与细胞融合,是HIV-1疫苗研究的重要靶点。因此,设计并在体外表达类天然Env三聚体对HIV-1疫苗的研发具有重要的意义。近年来,Env三聚体研究取得了显著的进展。SOSIP、NFL2P、UFO等抗原改造方法实现了类天然Env三聚体的体外表达,逐步解决了改造抗原产量低、结构不稳定等问题,且表达的Env三聚体抗原能在动物免疫中诱导机体产生较高的中和抗体水平。Env三聚体改造方法促进了HIV-1疫苗的研究。文中综述了SOSIP、NFL2P、UFO三种HIV-1 Env三聚体抗原改造方法,对比各个改造方法优缺点,并结合自身工作提出相关建议,为后续HIV-1抗原的相关设计提供指导。     

新工科背景下生物工程五层次实践教学体系的构建

强化实践教学,提升创新能力是新工科建设的关键任务之一。文中结合天津大学化工学院生物工程专业培养方案的修订内容,不断改进实践教学体系和课程内容,建立了基础实验、综合实验、课程设计、科研实践、实习实训等五层次的教学改革体系,为培养具有实践能力和创新精神的卓越创新人才,提出了创新的教学改革模式,为新工科建设提出了新的设想和新的方案。     

人乳寡糖2’-FL和3-FL的生物制备研究进展

人乳寡糖(Human milk oligosaccharides,HMO)是母乳中重要的免疫活性成分,对婴幼儿健康起到显著促进作用。2’-岩藻糖基乳糖(2’-FL)是HMO的主要组分,极具应用价值,3-岩藻糖基乳糖(3-FL)与2’-FL的合成途径相似,两者的研究具有相互借鉴意义,近年来针对它们的研究取得了较多进展。以微生物细胞工厂为核心理念的新型生物合成途径有望将2’-FL和3-FL产业化,未来将对乳制品行业产生重要的影响。文中综述了生物技术制备2’-FL和3-FL的最新研究进展,并对未来发展趋势进行了展望。     

A baseline epidemiological study of the co-infection of enteric protozoans with human immunodeficiency virus among men who have sex with men from Northeast China

BackgroundHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and enteric parasite co-infection not only aggravates the clinical symptoms of parasites but also accelerates acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) progression. However, co-infection research on men who have sex with men (MSM), the predominant high-risk population of HIV/AIDS in China, is still limited. In this study, we investigated the epidemiology of enteric parasites, risk factors, and associations with clinical significance in an MSM HIV/AIDS population in Heilongjiang Province, northeast China.MethodsWe recruited 308 MSMs HIV/AIDS patients and 199 HIV-negative individuals in two designated AIDS hospitals in Heilongjiang between April 2016 and July 2017. Fresh stool samples were collected. DNA extraction, molecular identification, and genotyping of Cryptosporidium species, Entamoeba histolytica, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis hominis were performed. Fourteen diarrhea-related pathogens were examined to exclude the influence of other bacterial pathogens on diarrhea incidence.Results31.5% of MSM HIV/AIDS participants were infected with at least one parasite species, a significantly higher proportion than that found in the HIV-negative individuals (2.5%). E. bieneusi presented the highest prevalence, followed by B. hominis, E. histolytica, Cryptosporidium spp., and C. cayetanensis. Warm seasons were the risk factor for parasitic infections in this population [odds ratio (OR) = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.47–4.57]. In addition, these individuals showed a higher proportion (35.8%) of present diarrhea (PD) compared with men who have sex with women (MSW) with HIV/AIDS (16.7%). The infection proportions of both Cryptosporidium spp. and E. histolytica were significantly higher in the PD. E. bieneusi infection was more prevalent in the historic diarrhea (HD) group. CD4⁺ T cell counts in the MSM patients with the above three parasites were significantly lower. New species and genotypes were found, and MSM patients had a wider range of species or genotypes.ConclusionsEnteric parasitic infection was prevalent in the MSM HIV/AIDS population, especially in patients with present diarrhea during warm seasons. E. histolytica and B. hominis should also be considered high-risk parasites for opportunistic infections in AIDS patients in addition to Cryptosporidium spp.     

Mechanisms of chromatin-based epigenetic inheritance

Multi-cellular organisms such as humans contain hundreds of cell types that share the same genetic information(DNA sequences), and yet have different cellular traits and functions. While how genetic information is passed through generations has been extensively characterized, it remains largely obscure how epigenetic information encoded by chromatin regulates the passage of certain traits, gene expression states and cell identity during mitotic cell divisions, and even through meiosis. In this r...