Microsatellite markers isolated from barn swallows (Hirundo rustica)

Fifteen polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci were isolated from barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) and optimized for future studies of radiation‐induced mutations in populations from Ukraine. The loci were screened for variability among 25 individuals from two populations. The primers amplified loci with relatively high numbers of alleles ranging from five to 32 alleles per locus and polymorphic information content from 0.481 to 0.951. Observed heterozygosity varied from 0.458 to 0.960. None of the loci showed deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in either population.     

金黄色葡萄球菌儿童临床分离株携带PVL基因状况的分析

目的了解金黄色葡萄球菌儿童分离株携带Panton-Valentine杀白细胞素（PVL）基因的状况及感染类型。方法采用多重PCR同时检测金黄色葡萄球菌16SrRNA基因、PVL基因和mecA基因;多重PCR检测MR—SA的SCCmec基因型及亚型。结果66株金黄色葡萄球菌JL童临床分离株经多重PCR检测,其中MRSA有7株（10．6％）,MSSA有59株（89．4％）;携带PVL基因金黄色葡萄球菌有31株,总阳性率为47．O％（31／66）,其中2株为MRSA,29株为MSSA,阳性率分别为28．6％（2／7）和49。2％（29／59）。2株MRSA都属于SCCmecIV型;31株PVL基因阳性分离株有21株分离自脓液,7株分离自血液,仅1株分离自痰液。结论儿童MSSA是携带PVL基因的主要菌株,携带PVL基因的金黄色葡萄球菌主要引起化脓性感染和血流感染。     

两种微量RNA扩增方法的比较研究

本研究通过比较体外转录和单引物扩增这两种扩增微量RNA的不同方法,以寻找一种高效的扩增方法。我们用两种不同方法分别扩增小鼠大脑全皮层及第五皮层细胞的RNA,扩增的RNA合成cDNA后进行荧光定量PCR实验,根据PCR结果比较两种不同扩增方法的效率。WT-ovation扩增RNA的效率约为IVT效率的2.8倍;IVT方法扩增后,基因D-C值与引物距离mRNA 3'端的长度及mRNA的长度均存在正线性相关(P<0.05),即引物距离mRNA的3'端越近、mRNA越短,基因D-Ct值越低。而WT-ovation方法扩增后,基因D-Ct值与引物距离mRNA 3'端的长度及mRNA的长度均不存在统计学相关性。与IVT方法相比,WT-ovation方法效率更高,扩增时受影响因素较少、更稳定。     

HCV 5′NCR转基因细胞HepG2.9706的特性分析

丙型肝炎是由丙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis C virus,HCV)引起的威胁人类健康的重要传染病,迄今尚无有效的疫苗及特异性抗病毒治疗药物.抗HCV药物的研究和开发面临的关键问题是缺乏合适的HCV感染细胞及动物评价模型.转基因细胞模型是研究人类疾病常用的有效手段,因此,在HCV分子生物学进展的基础上,我们以对HCV翻译与复制有明显调控功能的HCV 5′NCR及部分翻译起始区序列为靶标,构建了HCV 5′NCR及部分多聚蛋白起始区序列与荧光素酶基因的融合基因,插入真核表达载体,转染HepG2细胞,获得了HCV 5′NCR转基因细胞HepG2.9706细胞株[1].本文对该细胞的某些特性进行了分析,以便更好地利用该细胞模型进行药物评价.     

应用RD-PCR技术制备HIV基因芯片探针

利用限制性显示 (RD PCR)技术快速分离HIV 1基因片段制备DNA芯片探针 .以Sau3AⅠ酶切HIV基因 ,得到许多大小适合芯片的限制性酶切片段 .然后在片段两端接上接头 ,根据酶切位点、接头的序列设计通用引物 .在该通用引物的 3′端分别延伸一个碱基后 ,通过引物间的两两组合 ,将PCR反应分成 10个亚组 .纯化各组PCR产物 ,克隆到T载体上 .阳性克隆经鉴定、扩大培养后提取质粒 .以质粒为模板扩增靶片段并进行序列分析 .每个亚型得到了十几个 10 0～ 10 0 0bp的HIV基因片段 .研究表明 ,RD PCR技术是一种有效的快速制备基因芯片探针的方法     

草菇热激蛋白60基因(Vvhsp60)生物信息学分析及低温下的表达

【背景】生物受到温度胁迫时,热激蛋白被诱导并在短时间内大量产生,可以使受损的蛋白质恢复正常构象,增强生物对逆境胁迫的耐受性。【目的】初步探究草菇热激蛋白60(Vvhsp60)与低温耐受性的关系,为深入开展草菇不耐低温特性的遗传改良奠定理论基础。【方法】对Vvhsp60进行生物信息学分析,以低温敏感型草菇菌株V23及耐低温菌株VH3为实验材料,利用实时荧光定量PCR技术分析低温胁迫及热激诱导后在低温下草菇菌丝体中Vvhsp60基因的表达水平。【结果】草菇Vvhsp60编码蛋白不存在信号肽,不属于分泌蛋白,在线粒体和细胞质内发挥生物学作用,属于双向跨膜蛋白。低温处理显著提高了V23与VH3菌丝体中Vvhsp60基因的表达量,而且VH3中的表达量显著高于V23,推测Vvhsp60基因的表达量高可能有助于增强草菇对低温胁迫的耐受性。经热激处理后两菌株Vvhsp60基因的表达量显著高于各自未热激处理的对照组,表明热激处理可诱导Vvhsp60基因的表达。【结论】Vvhsp60与草菇低温耐受性相关,并且热激可以诱导Vvhsp60基因的表达。     

Development of a Real-Time PCR assay for quantitative assessment of uncultured freshwater zoosporic fungi

Recently, molecular environmental surveys of the eukaryotic microbial community in lakes have revealed a high diversity of sequences belonging to uncultured zoosporic fungi. Although they are known as saprobes and algal parasites in freshwater systems, zoosporic fungi have been neglected in microbial food web studies. Recently, it has been suggested that zoosporic fungi, via the consumption of their zoospores by zooplankters, could transfer energy from large inedible algae and particulate organic material to higher trophic levels. However, because of their small size and their lack of distinctive morphological features, traditional microscopy does not allow the detection of fungal zoospores in the field. Hence, quantitative data on fungal zoospores in natural environments is missing. We have developed a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for the quantification of fungal zoospores in lakes. Specific primers were designed and qPCR conditions were optimized using a range of target and non-target plasmids obtained from previous freshwater environmental 18S rDNA surveys. When optimal DNA extraction protocol and qPCR conditions were applied, the qPCR assay developed in this study demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity, with as low as 100 18S rDNA copies per reaction detected. Although the present work focuses on the design and optimization of a new qPCR assay, its application to natural samples indicated that qPCR offers a promising tool for quantitative assessment of fungal zoospores in natural environments. We conclude that this will contribute to a better understanding of the ecological significance of zoosporic fungi in microbial food webs of pelagic ecosystems.     

Quantification methods for Bacillus cereus vegetative cells and spores in the gastrointestinal environment

There is an interest to understand the fate and behaviour of the food-borne pathogen Bacillus cereus in the gut, a challenging environment with a high bacterial background. We evaluated the current detection methods to select an appropriate strategy for B. cereus monitoring during gastrointestinal experiments. Application of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in a gastrointestinal matrix required careful selection of the qPCR reaction and elaborate optimization of the DNA extraction protocol. Primer competition and depletion problems associated with qPCR reactions targeting general 16S rRNA gene can be avoided by the selection of a target sequence that is unique for and widespread among the target bacteria, such as the toxin gene nheB in the case of pathogenic B. cereus. Enumeration of B. cereus during the ileum phase was impossible by plating due to overgrowth by intestinal bacteria, while a carefully optimized qPCR enabled specific detection and quantification of B. cereus. On the other hand, plating allowed the distinction of viable, injured and dead bacteria and the germination of spores, which was not possible with qPCR. In conclusion, both plating and qPCR were necessary to yield the maximal information regarding the viability and physiology of the B. cereus population in various gastrointestinal compartments.