Colorimetric detection of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum using sandwich hybridization in a microtiter plate assay

Rapid and reliable detection of harmful algae in coastal areas and shellfish farms is an important requirement for monitoring programs. Molecular technologies are rapidly improving the detection of phytoplankton and their toxins. Assays are based on the discrimination of genetic differences in the species. A commercially available PCR ELISA Dig Detection Kit in a microtiter plate was adapted for the rapid assessment of specificity of the two probes used in a sandwich hybridization assay. The toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum was used as the target organism and a capture and signal probe were designed for a species-specific identification of this species. This assay also provided the necessary specificity tests prior to the probes being adapted to an automated biosensor using a sandwich hybridization format. All probes regardless of the detection method must be extensively tested prior to use in the field. Total rRNA was isolated from three different strains of A. minutum and the mean concentration of RNA per cell of was determined to be 0.028 ng ± 0.003. Thus, a standard calibration curve for different RNA concentrations was determined so that cell numbers could be inferred from the assay. The assay and the standard curve were evaluated by using spiked field samples. The results demonstrated that the molecular assay was able to detect A. minutum cells at different cell counts in the presence of a complex background.     

黄褐棉45S rDNA的FISH定位及核型分析

黄褐棉是棉属5个四倍体棉种之一,利用荧光原位杂交技术将45S rDNA定位在黄褐棉2、4、9号染色体,2号染色体上的45S rDNA特别大,信号位于随体并覆盖了染色体的短臂,比二倍体和四倍体棉种的45SrDNA都要大得多;另外的2对信号很小,形状与陆地棉中的弱信号类似。黄褐棉的核型公式为：2n=4x=52=50m（2SAT）＋2sm,属于2B类型,第2对染色体为亚中着丝粒染色体,其余都为中部着丝粒染色体。黄褐棉的核型、随体数、45S rDNA与其他四倍体棉种区别很大,黄褐棉是一个非常特殊的四倍体棉种。     

小麦抗叶锈病近等基因系TcLr41 SSH文库构建与分析

以小麦抗叶锈病近等基因系TcLr41和感病亲本Thatcher的叶片cDNA分别作为试验方和驱动方,利用抑制差减杂交技术,构建了一个包含2544个克隆的差减文库。随机提取阳性克隆质粒DNA后经PCR检测,插入片段大部分集中在200～1000bp之间,证明所构建的文库符合要求。在功能已知的基因中,推测过氧化氢酶（catalasc）基因、抗秆锈病基因（rust resistance gene）、铜蓝结合蛋白（blue copper—binding protein）基因、锌指蛋白（ring zinc finger protein）基因、胁迫反应蛋白（stress responsive protein）基因等可能是TcLr41中抗病相关差异表达基因。     

The contribution of distant hybridization with decaploid Agropyron elongatum to wheat improvement in China

Wheat is a staple food crop in the world as well as in China. Because of the progress of wheat breeding and other agricultural sci-technologies, the wheat grain yield per unit area has increased more than five folds from 1952 to 2006 in China. The first part of this article briefly reviews the history of wheat breeding in China. Second, the establishment of "Triticum aestivum-Agropyron" distant hybridization system and its contribution to wheat production and breeding in China are summarized. Finally, the future challenges of wheat breeding are discussed, which include how to increase the utilization efficiencies of water, soil nutrient and light energy through breeding.As an example, our research progress on how to increase light use efficiency in wheat through breeding is introduced and discussed.     

A robotic molecular method for in situ detection of marine invertebrate larvae

Knowledge of the temporal and spatial abundance of invertebrate larvae is critical to understanding the dispersal capabilities and recruitment potential of marine and aquatic organisms. Traditional microscopic analyses are time-consuming and difficult given the diversity of larval species and a frequent lack of discriminating morphological characteristics. Here, we describe a sensitive rRNA targeted sandwich hybridization assay (SHA) that uses oligonucleotide probes to detect and enumerate the larvae of invasive green crabs (Carcinus maenas), native blue mussels (Mytilus), native barnacles (Balanus) and polychaetes (Osedax and Ophelia) that occur in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, California. Laboratory-based assays demonstrate specificity, high sensitivity, and a quantitative response to cultured samples from three of the target organisms. Oligonucleotide probes were then printed in arrays on nitrocellulose membranes and deployed in our robotic Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) to detect larvae in situ and autonomously. We demonstrate that the SHA-detection method and ESP robot can be used for near real-time, in situ detection of larval species in the marine environment.     

Polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers for Banksia hookeriana (Proteaceae)

We developed 11 polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers for an Australian native shrub Banksia hookeriana (Proteaceae). The number of alleles per locus in 37 individuals varied from three to 17, observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.297 to 0.838 and from 0.279 to 0.900, respectively. Two loci (BH‐B5 and BH‐B107) showed significant deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P < 0.05), and null alleles may be present at these two loci. All loci showed independent inheritance.     

Double Whole Mount in situ Hybridization of Early Chick Embryos

The chick embryo is a valuable tool in the study of early embryonic development. Its transparency, accessibility and ease of manipulation, make it an ideal tool for studying gene expression in brain, neural tube, somite and heart primordia formation. This video demonstrates the different steps in 2-color whole mount in situ hybridization; First, the embryo is dissected from the egg and fixed in paraformaldehyde. Second, the embryo is processed for prehybridization. The embryo is then hybridized with two different probes, one coupled to DIG, and one coupled to FITC. Following overnight hybridization, the embryo is incubated with DIG coupled antibody. Color reaction for DIG substrate is performed, and the region of interest appears blue. The embryo is then incubated with FITC coupled antibody. The embryo is processed for color reaction with FITC, and the region of interest appears red. Finally, the embryo is fixed and processed for phtograph and sectioning. A troubleshooting guide is also presented.