Development of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay for Porcine Circovirus Type 2

In this study, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method was used to develop a rapid and simple detection system for porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). According to the PCV2 sequences published in GenBank, multiple LAMP primers were designed targeting conserved sequences of PCV2. Using the DNA extracted from PCV2 isolates HUN-09 and SD-09 as the template, LAMP reactions in a PCV2 LAMP system was performed, the amplification products were detected by adding SYBR Green I and could be observed di...     

Food resource availability for American black ducks wintering in southern New Jersey

Midwinter waterfowl survey data indicates a long-term decline in the number of wintering American black ducks (Anas rubripes), potentially due to habitat limitations. In order for future estimates of carrying capacity to be determined, it is critical that regional food availability is estimated. We collected pairs of habitat core samples (n = 510) from 5 habitat types in southern New Jersey, USA, during October, January, and April 2006–2008 to estimate resource availability and variability. We collected upper gastrointestinal tracts from hunter-killed birds (n = 45) and late season collections (n = 19) to identify food items and limited our estimates of resource availability to only winter food items; thereby reducing the availability of seed foods found in our core samples by 38% and animal foods by 96%. We did not detect differences in years or sampling period, but did between habitat types. Mudflat habitat had the greatest availability of invertebrate and vertebrate food items and appeared to supply the bulk of energy to black ducks wintering in southern New Jersey. We suggest conservation efforts to be focused on restoring or enhancing mudflat habitat as an integral component of an ecologically functioning salt marsh to increase food availability. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

鹅圆环病毒感染性克隆的构建及其转染试验

设计带BamHⅠ酶切标记位点的引物,PCR扩增鹅圆环病毒(Goose circovirus,GoCV)全长基因组,将2个基因组顺式连接插入到pGEM-T Easy载体中,获得GoCV全长基因组头尾串联二聚体感染性克隆质粒pGEMT-2GoCV。EcoRⅠ酶切线性化pGEMT-2GoCV,与脂质体混合转染GoCV阴性鹅胚和雏鹅,常规PCR检测发现GoCV在转染鹅体内增殖,鹅胚转染组于孵出第2周和第4周检出血清阳性,且其中一个个体于4周龄扑杀时检出法氏囊阳性,雏鹅转染组于转染后2周检出血清阳性。试验进一步对扩增片段进行了BamHⅠ标记位点的检测,并应用GoCV实时荧光定量PCR方法对转染阳性样品进行了定量,结果显示阳性法氏囊组织中病毒含量为1.57×106拷贝/mg,阳性血清含病毒拷贝数在3.52×104～5.92×105拷贝/μL。综上,本试验构建的GoCV全长基因组头尾串联二聚体感染性克隆DNA可以转染鹅胚和雏鹅并增殖出带标记的GoCV克隆。     

Discovery of a SNP in exon 7 of the lipoprotein lipase gene and its association with fatness traits in native and Cherry Valley Peking ducks

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a multifunctional protein, playing a major role in the hydrolysis of triglycerides in chylomicrons and very low-density lipoproteins. This study was designed to investigate the effects of variants in exon 7 of the LPL gene on duck growth and fatness traits. Two populations (native and Cherry Valley Peking duck populations) were used in this study. Growth and fatness traits were measured in them. Primers for exon 7 of the LPL gene were designed from chicken genomic and cDNA sequences. Polymorphisms were detected by DNA sequencing, and a PCR-SSCP method was developed to genotype the two populations. The results showed one novel polymorphism: a synonymous alteration in exon 7 of the LPL gene (c.91C>T; EU834120 and EU834121). It was associated with abdominal fat weight and percentage of abdominal fat weight of native Peking duck and with percentage of subcutaneous fat plus skin weight and abdominal fat weight of Cherry Valley Peking duck. The alteration in exon 7 of LPL may be linked with potential major loci or genes affecting some fatness traits.     

Mapping of the nuclear localization signals in open reading frame 2 protein from porcine circovirus type 1

Porcine circovirus type 1 （PCV1） contains two major open reading frames encoding the replication-associated proteins and the major structural capsid （Cap） protein. PCV1 Cap has an N-terminus carrying several potential monopartite or bipartite nuclear localization signals （NLS）. The contribution of these partially overlapping motifs to nuclear importing was identified by expression of mutated PCVI Cap versions fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein （EGFP）. The Cterminus truncated PCV1 Cap-EGFP was localized in nuclei of PK-15 cells similar to the wild-type PCV1 Cap-EGFP, whereas truncation of the N-terminus rendered the fusion protein distributed into cytoplasm, indicating that the nuclear import of PCV1 Cap was efficiently mediated by its N-terminal region. Substitutions of basic residues in stretches 9RR- RR12 or the right part of 25RRPYLAHPAFRNRYRWRRK43 resulted in a diffused distribution of the fusion protein in both nuclei and cytoplasm, indicating that the two NLSs were responsible for restricted nuclear targeting of PCV1 Cap.     

II型猪圆环病毒检测试剂盒的研制

猪圆环病毒(Porcine circovirus, PCV)属圆环病毒科圆环病毒属成员[1]。PCV分两种血清型,即PCV 1 和 PCV 2,其中 PCV 1 由 Tischer 等[2] 于1974年检测到,对猪没有致病性;PCV 2 可引起部分断奶仔猪和育肥猪的断奶仔猪多系统综合征( postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome,PMWS)[3]。目前,该病呈世界分布,给养猪业造成巨大的经济损失。本研究通过分析已发表的 PCV 2的基因序列,找出 PCV 2 的特异性片段,研制了检测PCV 2的试剂盒。检测临床疑似病料,结果表明该试剂盒使用方便、快速、敏感、特异,符合国内的养殖场…