Genotyping of Plant and Animal Samples without Prior DNA Purification

The Direct PCR approach facilitates PCR amplification directly from small amounts of unpurified samples, and is demonstrated here for several plant and animal tissues (Figure 1). Direct PCR is based on specially engineered Thermo Scientific Phusion and Phire DNA Polymerases, which include a double-stranded DNA binding domain that gives them unique properties such as high tolerance of inhibitors.PCR-based target DNA detection has numerous applications in plant research, including plant genotype analysis and verification of transgenes. PCR from plant tissues traditionally involves an initial DNA isolation step, which may require expensive or toxic reagents. The process is time consuming and increases the risk of cross contamination^{1, 2}. Conversely, by using Thermo Scientific Phire Plant Direct PCR Kit the target DNA can be easily detected, without prior DNA extraction. In the model demonstrated here, an example of derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence analysis (dCAPS)^3,4 is performed directly from Arabidopsis plant leaves. dCAPS genotyping assays can be used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by SNP allele-specific restriction endonuclease digestion³. Some plant samples tend to be more challenging when using Direct PCR methods as they contain components that interfere with PCR, such as phenolic compounds. In these cases, an additional step to remove the compounds is traditionally required^2,5. Here, this problem is overcome by using a quick and easy dilution protocol followed by Direct PCR amplification (Figure 1). Fifteen year-old oak leaves are used as a model for challenging plants as the specimen contains high amounts of phenolic compounds including tannins. Gene transfer into mice is broadly used to study the roles of genes in development, physiology and human disease. The use of these animals requires screening for the presence of the transgene, usually with PCR. Traditionally, this involves a time consuming DNA isolation step, during which DNA for PCR analysis is purified from ear, tail or toe tissues^6,7. However, with the Thermo Scientific Phire Animal Tissue Direct PCR Kit transgenic mice can be genotyped without prior DNA purification. In this protocol transgenic mouse genotyping is achieved directly from mouse ear tissues, as demonstrated here for a challenging example where only one primer set is used for amplification of two fragments differing greatly in size.     

基于颜色判定的环介导恒温扩增法快速检测副溶血性弧菌

利用DNA环介导恒温核酸扩增法（LAMP）针对副溶血性弧菌特异基因tlh基因设计4条引物,通过引物特异性识别tlh基因上的6个独立区域来快速检测副溶血性弧菌.LAMP反应的过程中会产生白色沉淀焦磷酸镁,故可以通过监测浊度来判定反应结果.实时浊度仪监测反应结果表明,LAMP反应在60～65℃恒温条件下50min内完成;如果在反应前添加羟基萘酚兰（HNB）,蓝色的阳性结果很明显区别于紫色阴性结果;LAMP方法的最低检出限为9.74pg/μL,PCR方法最低检出限为97.4pg/μL,LAMP方法检测灵敏度是PCR方法检测灵敏度的10倍,且具有良好的特异性.LAMP方法用于快速检测副溶血性弧菌具有检测过程简单、实验装置简便、反应结果肉眼可辨别、灵敏度高和特异性强的特点,所以LAMP方法检测副溶血性弧菌特别适合用于现场和基层检疫及医疗单位的快速诊断.     

Different matrix attachment regions flanking a transgene effectively enhance gene expression in stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells

We describe a female patient with developmental delay, dysmorphic features and multiple congenital anomalies who presented a normal G-banded karyotype at the 550-band resolution. Array and multiplex-ligation probe amplification (MLPA) techniques identified an unexpected large unbalanced genomic aberration: a 17.6Mb deletion of 9p associated to a 14.8 Mb duplication of 20p. The deleted 9p genes, especially CER1 and FREM1, seem to be more relevant to the phenotype than the duplicated 20p genes. This study also shows the relevance of using molecular techniques to make an accurate diagnosis in patients with dysmorphic features and multiple anomalies suggestive of chromosome aberration, even if on G-banding their karyotype appears to be normal. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was necessary to identify a masked balanced translocation in the patient's mother, indicating the importance of associating cytogenetic and molecular techniques in clinical genetics, given the implications for patient management and genetic counseling.     

荧光重组酶介导等温扩增检测食品中单增李斯特菌

【背景】单增李斯特菌为肉类及乳制品中常见的食源性致病菌,传统的培养法检测无法满足口岸大批量食品的快速检测要求,建立简便、灵敏、快速及现场可操作的技术至关重要。【目的】建立快速简便的荧光重组酶介导等温扩增(Recombinase-Aided Amplification,RAA)法检测单增李斯特菌,以适应口岸快速通关及监管的实际需求。【方法】根据单增李斯特菌hlyA基因保守区设计特异性引物、探针,通过引物两两组合结合探针筛选出扩增效率及灵敏度最佳的引物组合,优化反应温度及引物探针浓度,确定最佳反应条件。将建立的荧光RAA法应用于食品基质及实际样品检测中,同时与国标GB 4789.30-2016进行比对验证。【结果】单增李斯特菌荧光RAA最佳反应温度为42℃,最佳引物、探针终浓度均为400 nmol/L。建立的荧光RAA法特异性强,纯菌灵敏度达到3×102 CFU/mL。加标食品基质牛肉、大西洋鲑鱼及再制干酪LB2增菌只需4 h,即可检测原始浓度分别达到0.3、3、30 CFU/mL的单增李斯特菌。荧光RAA法只需5 min即可观察结果,20-30 min完成扩增,速度及灵敏度明显高于国标法...     

可视化和实时荧光环介导恒温扩增技术快速检测原料乳中的沙门氏菌

【背景】原料乳质量控制是乳制品生产流程中的关键环节,沙门氏菌是污染原料乳的主要致病菌之一。随着生物检测技术的不断发展,建立用于快速检测原料乳中沙门氏菌的实用型方法具有重要意义。【目的】评价可视化环介导恒温扩增技术(visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification,V-LAMP)和实时荧光环介导恒温扩增技术(real-time fluorescence loop-mediated isothermal amplification,RF-LAMP)方法快速检测原料乳中沙门氏菌的实效性。【方法】建立沙门氏菌LAMP反应体系和反应条件,对比V-LAMP和RF-LAMP两种方法的特异性、灵敏度、稳定性及其应用于实际样品检测的效用。【结果】采用V-LAMP和RF-LAMP方法检测沙门氏菌标准菌株,其结果均为阳性,检测非沙门氏菌标准菌株其结果均为阴性;该两种方法的检出限为13 CFU/mL,检测重复率均为100%;经检测10份人工污染样品,该两种方法的检测结果与实际结果高度一致;经检测73份实际样品,相对于标准方法,该两种方法其相对特异性分别为94.12%和92.65%,相对敏感度分别为100%和100%,相对准确率分别为94.52%和93.15%,一致性χ2值分别为2.25和3.20,与标准方法无明显差异(P>0.05)。【结论】V-LAMP和RF-LAMP方法检测特异性好、灵敏度高、稳定性好,适用于原料乳中沙门氏菌的快速检测。     

Isolation,characterization and cross‐species amplification of microsatellite DNA loci in the tropical American yam Dioscorea trifida

We developed microsatellite markers in American yam (Dioscorea trifida). A microsatellite sequence‐enriched genomic library was screened, and after sequencing, primers were designed for 20 microsatellites. Among these, eight primer pairs yielded amplification products that were both interpretable and polymorphic in 24 yam cultivars. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 13 and the overall expected heterozygosity was around 0.5. Six of the eight Dioscorea trifida microsatellite loci gave amplification products in other Dioscorea species.     

Characterization and identification of the integrin family in silkworm, Bombyx mori

As an important economic insect, Bombyx mori is also a useful model organism for lepidopteran insect. Integrins are evolutionarily conserved from sponges to humans, and play vital roles in many physiological and pathological processes. To explore their diverse functions of integrins in insect, eleven integrins including six α and five β subunits were cloned and characterized from silkworm. Our results showed that integrins from silkworm own more family members compared to other invertebrates. Among those α subunits, integrins α1, α2, and the other four subunits belong to PS1, PS2, and PS3 groups, respectively. The β subunits mainly gather in the insect βν group except the β1 subunit which belongs to the insect β group. Expression profiles demonstrated that the integrins exhibited distinct patterns, but were mainly expressed in hemocytes. α1 and β2 subunits are the predominant ones either in the embryogenesis or larva stages. Interestingly, integrins were significantly up-regulated after stimulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-E) in vivo. These results indicate that integrins perform diverse functions in hemocytes of silkworm. Overall, our results provide a new insight into the functional and evolutionary features of integrins.     

An MLPA-based approach for high-resolution genotyping of disease-related multi-allelic CNVs

Copy number variation has recently been recognized as an important type of genetic variation that modifies human phenotypes. Copy number variants (CNVs) are being increasingly associated with various human phenotypes and diseases. However, the lack of an appropriate method that allows fast, inexpensive and, most importantly, accurate CNVs genotyping significantly hampers CNV analysis. This limitation especially affects the analysis of multi-allelic CNVs that frequently modify various phenotypes. Recently, we developed a multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA)-based strategy for multiplex copy number genotyping and the validation of candidate CNV-miRNAs. Here we present the adaptation and optimization of this recently developed method for high-resolution genotyping of individual disease-related multi-allelic CNVs. We developed appropriate assays for three well-known and extensively studied CNVs: CNV-CCL3L1, CNV-DEFB, and CNV-UGT2B17, which have been associated with various human phenotypes including inflammation-related and infectious diseases. With the use of these assays we identified several general factors that allow to increase the resolution of the copy number genotyping. Performed experiments confirmed the high reproducibility and accuracy of the obtained genotyping results. The reliability of the results and relatively low per-genotype cost makes this strategy an attractive method for large-scale experiments such as genotype–phenotype association studies.     

Identification of differentially expressed genes in hepatopancreas of oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense exposed to environmental hypoxia

Hypoxia represents a major physiological challenge for prawn culture, and the hepatopancreas plays an important role in these processes. Here, we applied high-throughput sequencing technology to detect the gene expression profile of the hepatopancreas in Macrobrachium nipponense in response to hypoxia for 3 h and hypoxia for 24 h. Gene expression profiling identified 1925 genes that were significantly up- or down-regulated by dissolved oxygen availability. Functional categorization of the differentially expressed genes revealed that oxygen transport, electron transport chain, reactive oxygen species generation/scavenging, and immune response were the differentially regulated processes occurring during environmental hypoxia. Finally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using six genes independently verified the tag-mapped results. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed, for the first time, hemocyanin protein expression as significant hypoxia-specific signature in prawns, which opens the way for in depth molecular studies of hypoxia exposure. The analysis of changes in hepatic gene expression in oriental river prawn provides a preliminary basis for a better understanding of the molecular response to hypoxia exposures.