Lessons from the genomes of bifidobacteria

The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem composed of hundreds of different bacterial species that altogether play an important role in the physiology of their host. In the past few years the complete genome sequence of a number of bacterial strains isolated from the human gastrointestinal tract has been established including that of Bifidobacterium longum NCC2705 isolated from the feces of a healthy infant. Bifidobacteria are among the first species to colonise the human gastrointestinal tract and as such are believed to play an important role in gut homeostasis and normal development. The genome sequence of NCC2705 has revealed a number of features that suggest how this bacterium has adapted to its environment and that could help understanding how it interacts with its host. Here, we review general features of bifidobacteria and illustrate how genome-based approaches can help us better understand the biology of these organisms.     

O1群霍乱弧菌实时荧光定量PCR快速检测方法的建立

目的:建立针对O1群霍乱弧菌的实时荧光定量TaqMan PCR快速检测方法,并进行模拟粪便标本的检测评价。方法:根据O1群霍乱弧菌O抗原编码基因rfb的特异性序列设计引物和TaqMan探针,建立检测O1群霍乱弧菌的实时荧光定量TaqMan PCR快速检测方法,对所建立的方法分别进行实验室内的灵敏度及特异性评价;将O1群霍乱弧菌灭活菌株悬液倍比稀释后与健康成人新鲜粪便混匀,制备成模拟带菌者粪便标本,提取DNA,进行Taq-Man PCR检测,用以评价该方法。结果:建立了快速检测O1群霍乱弧菌的实时荧光定量TaqMan PCR方法,灵敏度为每反应体系104拷贝;该方法对其他14种肠道菌DNA没有扩增;该方法对模拟粪便标本的检测灵敏度为每反应体系102 CFU。结论:建立了一种快速、高效检测O1群霍乱弧菌的荧光定量PCR检测方法,该方法可用于O1群霍乱弧菌临床粪便标本的检测。     

基于纳米颗粒的赭曲霉毒素A高灵敏酶联免疫检测方法的建立及应用

赭曲霉毒素(ochratoxins)主要是由青霉菌Penicillium和曲霉菌Aspergillus产生的有毒次级代谢产物,常见于发霉或发酵的农产品中,其中赭曲霉毒素A(ochratoxin A,OTA)毒性最强且最为普遍。OTA是粮食作物和饲料的重要污染物,在加工、储存或运输过程中均可产生,具有肾毒性和免疫毒性,可通过蓄积作用发挥毒性效应,对人类和动物健康造成严重威胁。本研究通过将OTA单克隆抗体包被于纳米磁珠(magnetic nanoparticles,MNPs)表面,获得具有免疫活性的磁珠抗体复合物(MNPs-Anti OTA),并制备生物素标记的偶联抗原OTA-BSA-Bio,后续采用链酶亲和素标记的纳米金颗粒(Strep-HRP-AuNPs)催化底物进行信号检测,最终建立了OTA高灵敏检测方法(MNPs-bs-AuNPs-ELISA)。在最优条件下,经计算该方法检测下限(IC10)为0.01ng/mL,检测区间(IC20-IC80)为0.02-0.73ng/mL,半数抑制率(IC50)为0.13ng/mL。与OTA类似物OTB、OTC交叉反应性为4.3%和8.1%,对其他常见真菌毒素AFB1、ZEN、FB1、DON、CIT和PAT均无交叉反应。玉米、面粉和大豆样本中的加标回收率可达85.6%-115.7%,对天然样本中OTA含量的检测结果表明,该方法与LC-MS/MS相关性良好。本研究建立的MNPs-bs-AuNPs-ELISA可满足谷物及饲料样本中OTA的快速、高灵敏度定量检测,成本较低,具有很好的应用前景。     

胡杨、灰叶胡杨果实空间分布及其数量特性的研究

胡杨、灰叶胡杨种间比较,果穗、种子在树冠上的垂直分布均表现为树冠上层最多,中层居中,下层最少,树冠南北侧相比较,南侧果穗量多于北侧.单果种子量在树冠各层次上差异不显著.胡杨单果重是灰叶胡杨的2.68倍,千粒重是灰叶胡杨的1.33倍,单果种子量是灰叶胡杨的2.14倍,单株种子量是灰叶胡杨的1.28倍,而单株果实量灰叶胡杨是胡杨的1.59倍.同一个种不同居群间比较,胡杨、灰叶胡杨均是单株果穗数和果穗果实数各居群间都存在差异,胡杨各居群间单果重、单果种子量差异不显著,而灰叶胡杨各居群间单果重及单果种子量差异极显著.表明胡杨在物质和能量上对后代的投资能力强于灰叶胡杨,生殖策略是通过较高的单果种子量来保证一定数量的单株种子量;而灰叶胡杨单果种子量较低,却是通过较高的单株果量来保证单株种子量,并且较小的种子占据空间生态位的潜能较胡杨占优势.     

实时荧光定量PCR技术在转基因食品检测领域中的应用

随着基因工程技术在农业生产中应用的深入,越来越多具有改良特征的转基因植物在全球范围内得到广泛种植,随之而来的转基因食品也迅猛发展,转基因产品大规模商业化引起了对安全性问题的担忧。为保证转基因产品标签制度的顺利实施,建立快速、准确、高通量的定量检测方法十分必要。我们综述了国内外转基因食品检测技术的研究进展,重点阐述了实时荧光定量PCR技术在转基因食品检测领域中的应用,并展望了通过构建质粒标准分子的方法来实现对更多转基因植物品系的定量检测。     

Quantitative polymerase chain reaction as a reliable method to determine functional lentiviral titer after ex vivo gene transfer in human mesenchymal stem cells

BACKGROUND: Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are a promising target for ex vivo gene therapy and lentiviruses are excellent gene transfer vehicles in hMSCs since they achieve high transduction rates with long-term gene expression. Nevertheless, senescence of hMSCs may limit therapeutic applications due to time-consuming cell selection and viral titration. Here, we describe a fast and reliable method to determine functional lentiviral titer by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) after highly efficient ex vivo gene transfer in hMSCs. METHODS: Lentivirus production was tested with different types of packaging systems. Using p24 ELISA remaining viral particles were detected in the cell culture supernatant. The lentiviral gene transfer efficiency was quantified by FACS analysis. Lentiviral titers were determined by qPCR of expressed transgenes. RESULTS: Third-generation self-inactivating vectors showed highly efficient gene transfer in hMSCs. No viral antigen was detected in the cell culture supernatant after four media changes, suggesting the absence of infectious particles after 4 days. We observed a linear correlation between virus dilution and level of transgene expression by qPCR analysis, therefore allowing viral titering by quantification of transgene expression. Finally, we demonstrated that transduced hMSCs retained their stem cell character by differentiation towards adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages. CONCLUSIONS: Quantification of transgene copy numbers by qPCR is a fast and reliable method to determine functional lentiviral titer after ex vivo gene transfer in hMSCs.     

定量评价捕食性天敌功能——单克隆抗体技术

如何将定性捕食的数据转化为定量的数据是评价捕食性天敌功能的一大挑战。酶联免疫吸附测定(Ezyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)成功地解决了这一难题。该ELISA具有灵敏度高、成本低、操作简便、可大批量检测样品等独特的优点,即使20世纪末以来大规模应用的聚合酶链式反应(Polymerase chain reaction,PCR)及新一代测序技术应用,也并未完全取代ELISA。由于单抗具有高度特异性和均质性,同时结合了ELISA检测方法具有成本低、大批量样品快速检测等优点,在很大程度上改进了节肢动物捕食作用的研究方法。本文以利用褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens单抗评价稻田拟环纹豹蛛Pardosa pseudoannulata对褐飞虱的控制作用为例,阐述基于单抗的ELISA检测技术用于捕食作用评价的技术路线及应用前景等。     

Selection for barriers between honey bees and a devastating parasite

Rivaling pesticides and a dearth of flowers, the parasitic mite Varroa destructor presents a tremendous threat to western honey bees, Apis mellifera. A longstanding, but minor, pest for the Asian honey bee Apis cerana, these obligate bee parasites feast on developing and adult A. mellifera across several continents. Varroa reproduction is limited to a short window when developing bee pupae are concealed in wax cells. Mated females target developing bees just before pupation and then have about one day to initiate reproduction, eventually laying one male and up to several female offspring. Female mites often fail to reproduce at all, instead waiting in cells until their bee host finishes development and then hitching dangerous rides on a succession of adult bees for up to several weeks, before scouting for a new host pupa. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Conlon et al. (2019) have explored mite reproductive success via a clever and thought‐provoking association study. In so doing, they have identified a protein whose actions could be integral to the dance between bees and their mite parasites.     

QF-PCR筛查男性不育患者Y染色体无精子症因子微缺失

为评估定量荧光PCR(Quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction, QF-PCR)技术在快速筛查无精子症因子(Azoospermia factor, AZF)微缺失中的应用, 文章对1218例非梗阻性无精子症、少精子症的男性不育患者, 采用多重QF-PCR结合毛细管电泳技术, 检测Y染色体长臂AZF区9个序列标签位点(Sequence tagged site, STS)以及性染色体短臂的AMEL(Amelogenin)和SRY(Sex-determining region of Y chromosome)位点, 辅以常规染色体G显带方法进行核型分析。结果显示, 1218例患者中105例可见AZF区微缺失(8.62%), 其中AZFc区缺失(67.62%)最常见, 其次为AZFb,c区缺失(20.95%); AZFb区缺失(7.62%)和AZFa区缺失(3.81%)则较少见; 另有5例患者为AZFa,b,c区缺失合并AMEL-Y缺失, 提示可能缺少Y染色体, 经核型分析验证为46,XX(性反转)。105例AZF区微缺失患者的染色体核型分析显示染色体异常16例, 其中“Yqh-”12例。根据AMEL-X/AMEL-Y比值, 可见1218例患者中86例可能存在性染色体异常, 经核型分析验证, 68例为性染色体非整倍体。多重QF-PCR技术, 一个反应即能检测样本的多个位点, 并可提示性染色体是否存在异常, 有助于男性不育患者尽早明确病因, 也为后续的检查和治疗提供依据。     

红系特异的GFP基因在转基因小鼠中的整合和表达

应用荧光定量PCR技术对由位点控制区LCR的HS2元件和 β 珠蛋白基因启动子指导的红系特异表达绿色荧光蛋白 (GFP)基因的转基因小鼠中外源基因拷贝数进行测定 ,使用荧光显微镜和流式细胞仪检测小鼠外周血中GFP的表达水平 ,并运用荧光原位杂交技术 (FISH)确定了其中两只转基因小鼠中外源基因的整合位点 ,结果表明 :在转基因小鼠中外源基因的拷贝数各不相同且相差较大 ,而且拷贝数与GFP基因的表达量之间未呈现出相关性 ;FISH分析确定出两只转基因小鼠的外源基因整合于不同的染色体上 ;杂交信号的强弱与拷贝数的多少相一致