Performance study of biofilter developed to treat H2S from wastewater odour

Biofiltration is an efficient biotechnological process used for waste gas abatement in various industrial processes. It offers low operating and capital costs and produces minimal secondary waste streams. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a pilot scale biofilter in terms of pollutants’ removal efficiencies and the bacterial dynamics under different inlet concentrations of H₂S. The treatment of odourous pollutants by biofiltration was investigated at a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) (Charguia, Tunis, Tunisia). Sampling and analyses were conducted for 150 days. Inlet H₂S concentration recorded was between 200 and 1300 mg H₂S.m⁻³. Removal efficiencies reached 99% for the majority of the running time at an empty bed retention time (EBRT) of 60 s. Heterotrophic bacteria were found to be the dominant microorganisms in the biofilter. The bacteria were identified as the members of the genus Bacillus, Pseudomonas and xanthomonadacea bacterium. The polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method showed that bacterial community profiles changed with the H₂S inlet concentration. Our results indicated that the biofilter system, containing peat as the packing material, was proved able to remove H₂S from the WWTP odourous pollutants.     

Genetic polymorphism of CYP4A11 and CYP4A22 genes and in silico insights from comparative 3D modelling in a French population

The CYP4A subfamily is known to ω-hydroxylate the endogenous arachidonic acid into 20-hydroxyeicosatetranoic acid, which has renovascular and tubular functions. The aim of this work was to report a comprehensive investigation of the CYP4A11 and CYP4A22 genetic polymorphisms in a French population. Using PCR-SSCP and sequencing strategies, a total of 26 sequence variations were identified comprising 3 missense mutations for CYP4A11 (Ser404Phe, Phe434Ser and Arg505His) and 7 missense mutations for CYP4A22 (Arg126Trp, Gly130Ser, Asn152Tyr, Val185Phe, Cys231Arg, Leu428Pro and Leu509Phe). In comparison with SNPs reported in the database (dbSNP) of the National Center for Biotechnology information (NCBI), 6 and 3 novel polymorphisms were identified in CYP4A11 and CYP4A22, respectively. The potential impact of the amino acid substitutions on the structure and/or catalytic activity of the enzymes has been estimated by the construction and validation of the CYP4A 3D models. These results could be helpful for further investigations of the potential role of CYP4A variants in the genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases in humans such as arterial hypertension.     

猪PRLR基因PCR—SSCP多态性与产仔性能的关联分析

采用PCR-SSCP技术分析了杜洛克猪、长白猪、大白猪、马身猪、山西黑猪和山西白猪等6个品种472个个体催乳素受体基因(PRLR)的多态性,检测到A、B、C 3个等位基因和AA、AB、AC、BB、CC 5种基因型.在马身猪中, B等位基因为优势基因,频率为0.55;其他品种中,优势基因为A等位基因,频率分布在0.79～0.89之间;C等位基因除在大白猪频率略高外(0.20),在其他品种中频率都很低,在0～0.09之间.对AA、BB、CC三种纯合子进行克隆测序和同源序列比较,发现在扩增片段内有6处SNP,都发生在PRLR基因的第8内含子,分别是内含子8第26位、54位和99位的C→T突变,47位和68位的A→G突变,63位的G→A突变.利用最小二乘分析研究了PRLR基因型对母猪头胎总产仔数和产活仔数的影响,结果表明PRLR基因不同基因型母猪的头胎总产仔数和产活仔数差异均不显著.     

Detection of point mutations in chloroplast genes of Antirrhinum majus L. I. Identification of a point mutation in the psaB gene of a photosystem I plastome mutant

A point mutation in the plastome-encoded psaB gene of the mutant en:alba-1 of Antirrhinum majus L. was identified by an analysis of chloroplast DNA with a modified PCR-SSCP technique. Application of this technique is indicated when a gene or a group of genes is known in which the point mutation is located. Analysis of primary photosynthetic reactions in the yellowish white plastome mutant indicated a dysfunction of photosystem (PS) 1. The peak wavelength of PS I-dependent chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence emission at 77 K was shifted by 4 nm to 730 nm, as compared to fluorescence from wild-type. There were no redox transients of the reaction center Chl P₇₀₀ upon illumination of leaves with continuous far-red light or with rate-saturating flashes of white light. The PS I reaction center proteins PsaA and PsaB are not detectable by SDS-PAGE in mutant plastids. Hence, plastome encoded PS I genes were regarded as putative sites of mutation. In order to identify plastome mutations we developed a modified SSCP (single-strand conformation polymorphism) procedure using a large PCR fragment which can be cleaved with various restriction enzymes. When DNA from wild-type and en:alba-1 was submitted to SSCP analysis, a single stranded Hinf I fragment of a PCR product of the psaB gene showed differences in electrophoretic mobility. Sequence analysis revealed that the observed SSCP was caused by a single base substitution at codon 136 (TAT TAG) of the psaB gene. The point mutation produces a new stop codon that leads to a truncated PsaB protein. The results presented indicate that the mutation prevents the assembly of a functional PS I complex. The applicability to other plastome mutants of the new method for detection of point mutations is discussed.     

催乳素受体基因外显子10多态性及其与济宁青山羊高繁殖力关系的研究

设计5对引物, 采用PCR-SSCP技术检测催乳素受体(prolactin receptor, PRLR)基因外显子10及部分3′非翻译区在高繁殖力山羊品种(济宁青山羊)和低繁殖力山羊品种(辽宁绒山羊、波尔山羊和安哥拉山羊)中的单核苷酸多态性, 同时研究该基因对济宁青山羊高繁殖力的影响。结果表明: 首次拼接出的山羊PRLR基因外显子10及部分3′非翻译区的核苷酸序列长度为1,118 bp, 与已公布的绵羊、牛、人PRLR基因mRNA相应序列的同源性分别为98.33%、93.92%、74.52%, 与已公布的羊驼PRLR基因部分序列的同源性为78.29%。引物P1、P2与P4扩增片段具有多态性, 其余2对引物的扩增片段不存在多态性。对于P1扩增片段, 在济宁青山羊和辽宁绒山羊中检测到AA型和AB型, 在安哥拉山羊中检测到AA型和AC型, 在波尔山羊中只检测到AA型; 克隆测序表明AB型与AA型相比有两处突变(186G→A和220T→C), 分别导致氨基酸由天冬氨酸变为天冬酰胺、亮氨酸变为脯氨酸; AC型与AA型相比有1处突变(140A→G), 该突变没有导致氨基酸变化; 济宁青山羊AA和AB基因型之间产羔数的最小二乘均值差异不显著(P>0.05)。对于P2扩增片段, 在济宁青山羊、辽宁绒山羊和波尔山羊中都检测到DD型和DE型, 而在安哥拉山羊中只检测到DD型; 克隆测序表明DE型和DD型相比有两处突变(52G→A和122G→A), 其中122 bp处的突变导致氨基酸由精氨酸变为甘氨酸; 济宁青山羊DD和DE基因型之间产羔数的最小二乘均值差异不显著(P>0.05)。对于P4扩增片段, 在济宁青山羊中检测到FF型和FG型, 在辽宁绒山羊中检测到FF型和GG型, 在波尔山羊中只检测到FF型, 在安哥拉山羊中检测到FF型、FG型和GG型; 克隆测序表明GG型和FF型相比在扩增片段的143 bp处发生1处碱基突变(A→G), 并导致氨基酸由蛋氨酸变为缬氨酸; FG基因型济宁青山羊产羔数最小二乘均值比FF基因型的多0.76只(P<0.05)。研究结果初步表明: PRLR基因可能是控制济宁青山羊多胎性能的一个主效基因或是与之存在紧密遗传连锁的一个标记。     

线虫寄生菌巴斯德杆菌遗传多样性分析

应用16S rDNA-PCR技术快速检测不同根系样品中的巴斯德杆菌(Pasteuria spp.),并采用PCR-RFLP和PCR-SSCP法初步分析这些样品中巴斯德杆菌群体的遗传多样性,结果表明,来自福建、广东的30份感染根结线虫病的根系中,有9份样品含有巴斯德杆菌;PCR-RFLP分析表明,克隆子的EcoH I酶切带型分为5类,其中2类占相对优势,PCR-SSCP带型分类的情况与PCR-RFLP的基本一致,但表现出更大的差异性.选取12个克隆子进行测序分析,结果显示,克隆子的16S rDNA序列与穿刺巴斯德杆菌(Pasteuria penetrans)的相应序列具有较高的同源性(97.8%～99.7%);系统进化关系分析进一步表明,不同根系样品中的巴斯德杆菌(Pasteuria spp.)16S rDNA序列与GenBank已收录的穿刺巴斯德杆菌(P.penetrans)序列形成1个主要分支和7个独立分支,具有一定的遗传差异.     

优质细毛羊羊毛细度的候选基因分析

采用PCR-SSCP的分子标记技术, 选择编码羊毛纤维组成蛋白基因中的KAP1.1、KAP1.3的部分序列、KAP6.1的外显子区作为候选基因, 通过对其多态性的研究, 探索将该基因作为候选基因来间接选择羊毛细度性状的可行性。得出其中在角蛋白辅助蛋白的多基因家族中的高硫蛋白辅助蛋白基因(KAP1.1、KAP1.3)中, 位点W08667与羊毛细度有显著的相关性(P<0.05)。在甘氨酸酪氨酸角蛋白辅助蛋白中, 外显子位点W06933的AA基因型和BB基因型与羊毛细度之间有显著的相关性(P<0.05)。     

Leber遗传性视神经病变家系的线粒体基因突变分析

为探讨Leber遗传性视神经病变（Leber′s hereditary optic neuropathy,LHON）家系线粒体DNA（mtDNA）常见致病原发突变的频谱,用聚合酶链反应（polymerase chain reaction,PCR）和单链构象多态性（single-stranded conformational polymorphism,SSCP）以及DNA测序的方法,对13个家系22位临床诊断为LHON的患者及其母系亲属21人的线粒体DNA进行检测,同时检测71例正常人作为对照。临床拟诊为LHON的13个家系中,11个家系存在mtDNA位点11778 G→A突变,另2个家系存在14484位点T→C突变。说明中国LHON病人存在线粒体DNA 11778或14484位点突变,其中14484位点突变在国内尚未见报道。 Abstract:The purpose of the study is to investigate the frequency of common pathogenic primary mitochondrial DNA mutations in pedigrees of Leber′s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).Mutations were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR),single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) and DNA sequencing.Twenty-two patients with suspicion of LHON and twenty-one their maternal relatives underwent molecular genetic evaluation.Seventy-one normal individuals underwent molecular genetic evaluation as control at the same time.Members from 13 families with suspicion of LHON,11 families had nucleotide position nt11778 G→A mutations.Another 2 families had nt14484 T→C mutations.It is concluded that the point mutations at nucleotides 11778 and 14484 are primary LHON mutations,but the point mutation of nt14484 is rare in Chinese.     

猪雌激素受体基因（ESR）一个新多态位点的发现

ESR基因是影响猪产仔数的主效基因,而且与猪的生长发育性状及胴体性状之间不存在负的基因多效性影响。目前对它的研究大都局限于Rothschild等人发现的PvuⅡ酶切位点。本实验采用PCR-SSCP方法,对ESR基因的外显子7进行检测,发现了一个新多态性位点,得到3种基因型,可以作为一个新的标记位点进一步研究。