Nesting ecology of a naturalized population of Mallards Anas platyrhynchos in New Zealand

Investigating the reproductive ecology of naturalized species provides insights into the role of the source population's characteristics vs. post‐release adaptation that influence the success of introduction programmes. Introduced and naturalized Mallards Anas platyrhynchos are widely established in New Zealand (NZ), but little is known regarding their reproductive ecology. We evaluated the nesting ecology of female Mallards at two study sites in NZ (Southland and Waikato) in 2014–15. We radiotagged 241 pre‐breeding females with abdominal‐implant transmitters and measured breeding incidence, nesting chronology and re‐nesting propensity. We monitored 271 nests to evaluate nest survival, clutch and egg size, egg hatchability and partial clutch depredation. Breeding incidence averaged (mean ± se) 0.91 ± 0.03, clutch size averaged 9.9 ± 0.1 eggs, 94 ± 2% of eggs hatched in successful nests, partial depredation affected 6 ± 1% of eggs in clutches that were not fully destroyed by predators, and re‐nesting propensity following failure of nests or broods was 0.50 ± 0.003. Nesting season (first nest initiated to last nest hatched) lasted 4.5 months and mean initiation date of first detected nest attempts was 28 August ± 3.3 days. Smaller females were less likely to nest, but older, larger or better condition females nested earlier, re‐nested more often and laid larger clutches than did younger, smaller or poorer condition females. Younger females in Southland had higher nest survival; cumulative nest survival ranged from 0.25 ± 0.007 for adult females in Waikato to 0.50 ± 0.007 for yearling females in Southland. Compared with Mallards in their native range, the nesting season in NZ was longer, clutches and eggs were larger, and nest survival was generally greater. Different predators and climate, introgression with native heterospecifics and/or the sedentary nature of Mallards in NZ may have contributed to these differences.     

Pathways for Virus Assembly around Nucleic Acids

Understanding the pathways by which viral capsid proteins assemble around their genomes could identify key intermediates as potential drug targets. In this work, we use computer simulations to characterize assembly over a wide range of capsid protein–protein interaction strengths and solution ionic strengths. We find that assembly pathways can be categorized into two classes, in which intermediates are either predominantly ordered or disordered. Our results suggest that estimating the protein–protein and the protein–genome binding affinities may be sufficient to predict which pathway occurs. Furthermore, the calculated phase diagrams suggest that knowledge of the dominant assembly pathway and its relationship to control parameters could identify optimal strategies to thwart or redirect assembly to block infection. Finally, analysis of simulation trajectories suggests that the two classes of assembly pathways can be distinguished in single-molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy or bulk time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering experiments.     

Protective immunity conferred by porcine circovirus 2 ORF2‐based DNA vaccine in mice

Post‐weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) associated with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has caused the swine industry significant health challenges and economic damage. Although inactivated and subunit vaccines against PMWS have been used widely, so far no DNA vaccine is available. In this study, with the aim of exploring a new route for developing a vaccine against PCV2, the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine was evaluated in mice. The pEGFP‐N1 vector was used to construct a PCV2 Cap gene recombinant vaccine. To assess the immunogenicity of pEGFP‐Cap, 80 BALB/c mice were immunized three times at 2 weekly intervals with pEGFP‐Cap, LG‐strain vaccine, pEGFP‐N1 vector or PBS and then challenged with PCV2. IgG and cytokines were assessed by indirect ELISA and ELISA, respectively. Specimens stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques were examined histopathologically. It was found that vaccination of the mice with the pEGFP‐Cap induced solid protection against PCV2 infection through induction of highly specific serum IgG antibodies and cytokines (IFN‐γ and IL‐10), and a small PCV2 viral load. The mice treated with the pEGFP‐Cap and LG‐strain developed no histopathologically detectable lesions (HE stain) and IHC techniques revealed only a few positive cells. Thus, this study demonstrated that recombinant pEGFP‐Cap substantially alleviates PCV2 infection in mice and provides evidence that a DNA vaccine could be an alternative to PCV2 vaccines against PMWS.     

Is the hepatic metabolism of glucose and linoleic acid influenced by species in overfed ducks?

There are genetic differences in the hepatic glucose and linoleic acid metabolisms between Muscovy and Pekin ducks ad libitum-fed. To understand the effect of overfeeding on the hepatic metabolisms in these two species of ducks, we compared the different pathways of glucose and linoleic acid reaching the liver of Muscovy (Cairina moschata) (n = 6) and Pekin (Anas platyrhynchos) (n = 6) ducks overfed for 1 week and sacrificed 2–4 h after their last meal by using the ex vivo method of liver slices incubated for 16 h with [U-¹⁴C]-glucose, [1-¹⁴C]-linoleic acid and [³⁵S]-methionine added to the survival medium. The glucose was the main precursor of triacylglycerol synthesis in the liver of these two species and its hepatic metabolism was similar between species. The hepatic uptake of linoleic acid was 1.7-fold higher (P = 0.020) in the Muscovy duck than in the Pekin duck leading to a 1.9-fold higher (P = 0.017) esterification of this fatty acid in the liver of the Muscovy duck than in that of the Pekin duck. Finally, both species after 1 week of overfeeding exhibited the same capacity to secrete VLDL remaining insufficient to avoid hepatic steatosis.     

猪圆环病毒2型及猪繁殖与呼吸综合症病毒的快速检测

According to the published genome sequences of Porcine circovirus type 2(PCV2)and Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV),primers were designed and PCR,RT-PCR were set up for the detection of PCV2 and PRRSV,respectively,With the established methods,38 clinical samples from the respiratory disease pigs were detected for the presence of PCV2 and PRRSV. The results demonstrated that 22 samples were positive for PCV2,27 samples were positive for PRRSV and among the above positive samples,18 samples were positive for both viruses,The data obtained in the present study indicated that PCV2 and PRRSV maybe play an important role in the course of the development of respiratiory diseases.     

山东济南发现长尾鸭

正长尾鸭(Clangula hyemalis)属雁形目(Anseriformes)鸭科(Anatidae),分布于全北界,在北极、阿拉斯加、加拿大北部、欧亚大陆北部等地的苔原地带营巢繁殖;在中国为旅鸟、冬候鸟。该鸟种被世界自然保护联盟(IUCN)国际鸟类红色名录列为易危种(vulnerable,IUCN Red List 2013)。国内分布研究状况已有Zhu等(2012)、韩晓东等(1994)、万冬梅等(2002)、马鸣等(2007)、鲁长虎等(2010)进行过报道。2013年11月30日、12月4日及7日,在济南市黄河北岸的鹊山水库沉沙池(36°74'29.0″N,116°98'41.3″E,     

载体表达的siRNA分子对猪圆环病毒2型复制的抑制作用

[目的]寻找一种基于RNA干扰技术的猪圆环病毒2型感染的防控方法.[方法]根据猪圆环病毒2型毒株基因组核苷酸序列,设计了3条特异性小干扰RNA(short interfering RNA,siRNA)分子,其中2条针对猪圆环病毒1型和2型复制酶基因(rep),1条针对猪圆环病毒2型核衣壳蛋白基因(cap),将合成的DNA片段退火形成双链,分别连接到RNAi-Ready pSIREN-RetroQ ZsGreen载体鼠源U6启动子下游,转化大肠杆菌得到阳性克隆,测序鉴定后分别命名为Retro-SH1,Retro-SH4,Retro-SH6.用上述质粒转染PCV2感染前、后的Dulac细胞及肌肉注射PCV2感染前、后的BALB/c小鼠,应用实时定量PCR试验评价其对病毒在细胞及小鼠体内复制的抑制作用,免疫组化法检测脾脏中病毒的存在.[结果]感染PCV2前或后转染500 ng Retro-SH1,Retro-SH4,Retro-SH6质粒能有效抑制PCV2在Dulac细胞上的复制,抑制率最高可达99%以上,对10株不同来源的临床分离株在细胞中复制的抑制作用同样明显,且不同毒株间差异不大.动物试验中,肌肉注射10μg上述不同siRNA分子对小鼠体内PCV2的复制有一定的抑制作用,其抑制率在26%至99%之间.[结论]载体表达的siRNA分子可能成为防控猪圆环病毒2型感染的一种新工具.     

An ELISA based on a truncated soluble ORF2 protein for the detection of PCV2 antibodies in domestic pigs

Postweaning multisystemie wasting syndrome (PMWS) is an important swine disease that is closely associated with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). The capsid protein (Cap protein) is a major structural protein that has at least three immunoreactive regions, and it can be a suitable candidate antigen for detecting the specific antibodies of a PCV2 infection. In the present study, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TcELISA)based on a truncated soluble Cap protein produced in Escherichia coli (E.coli) was established and validated for the diagnostic PCV2 antibodies in swine. The TcELISA was validated by comparison with an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA). The diagnostic sensitivity (DSN), specificity (DSP), and accuracy of the TcELISA were 88.6%, 90.7% and 89.4%, respectively. The agreement rate was 89.38% between results obtained with TcELISA and IIFA on 113 field sera. A cross-reactivity assay showed that the method was PCV2-specific by comparison with other sera of viral disease. Therefore ,the TcELISA will be helpful for the development of a reliable serology diagnostic test for large scale detection of PCV2 antibodies and for the evaluation of vaccine against PCV2 in swine.     

Molecular characterization of the duck enteritis virus <Emphasis Type="Italic">UL4</Emphasis> gene

Duck enteritis virus (DEV) is a herpesvirus that causes an acute, contagious and fatal disease. In the present article, the DEV UL4 gene was cloned and sequenced from a vaccine virus. A degenerate oligonucleotide primer for the consensus site of herpesvirus UL3 gene and a specific primer located in UL5 were used in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a DNA product 2 086 bp in size. DNA sequence analysis revealed that a 714 bp open reading frame (ORF) of DEV encoding a 237 amino acid polypeptide is homologous to the family of herpesvirus UL4 proteins and therefore has been characterized as a DEV UL4 gene. Alignment of the DEV UL4 protein sequence with those of other alphaherpesviruses showed that 10 amino acid residues are completely conserved. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the seventeen alphaherpesviruses viruses analyzed were classified into four large groups, and the duck enteritis virus branched separately, closely related to the Mardiviruses group comprising Gallid herpesvirus 2 (GaHV-2), Gallid herpesvirus 3 (GaHV-3) and Meleagrid herpesvirus 1 (MeHV-1). The present study showed that the evolutionary relationship of the UL4 protein could be used for classification of alphaherpesviruses.      

猪Ⅱ型圆环病毒ORF1基因克隆及在E.coli中的表达

猪圆环病毒(porcinecircovirus ,PCV)属圆环病毒科(Circoviridae) ,为单股负链DNA病毒,以滚环方式进行复制,是目前已知的最小的动物病毒之一.PCV有2种基因型即PCV 1和PCV 2 ,两者细胞培养均不引起病变.前者广泛存在于猪源肾细胞中,但并不引起感染猪发病,其基因组为1 75 9bp ;后者首先由Allan等[1 ] 从患断奶猪多系统衰弱综合症(postweaningmultisystemicwastingsyndrome ,PMWS)的猪群中分离到,被证明为PMWS的重要病原.PCV 2主要侵害感染猪的免疫系统[2 ] ,从而诱发猪体的免疫抑制.PCV 2常和呼吸与繁殖障碍综合征病毒(PRRSV)…