Specific ratio and survival of Pseudomonas CF600 as co-culture for phenol degradation in continuous cultivation

Studies were carried out to understand parallel survival of two strains when cultivated as co-culture on a single carbon source in continuous cultivation. Strains used were Pseudomonas sp. strain CF600 that is reported for degradation of phenol; and HKR1 a lab strain, which was isolated from a site contaminated with phenol. In continuous cultivation Pseudomonas sp. CF600 showed an accumulation of colored intermediate, 2-hydroxy muconic semialdehyde (HMS), when fed with phenol as a sole source of carbon under dissolved oxygen limiting condition (40% saturation level). Under the same cultivation condition when it was co-cultured with strain HKR1, complete degradation of phenol was observed with no accumulation of intermediate. Different dilution rates (0.03, 0.15, and 0.30) were set in the bioreactor during cultivation. It was also observed that both the strains follow a typical cell density ratio of 1:18 as strain HKR1: Pseudomonas sp. CF600 irrespective of the dilution rates used in the study to favor degradation of phenol. Pseudomonas sp. CF600 is reported to degrade phenol via a plasmid-encoded pathway (pVI150). The enzymes for this meta-cleavage pathway are clustered on 15 genes encoded by a single operon, the dmp operon. PCR using primers from the different catabolic loci of dmp operon, demonstrated that the strain HKR1 follows a different metabolic pathway for intermediate utilization.     

Generation and Immunity Testing of a Recombinant Adenovirus Expressing NcSRS2-NcGRA7 Fusion Protein of Bovine Neospora caninum

Neospora caninum is the etiologic agent of bovine neosporosis, which affects the reproductive performance of cattle worldwide. The transmembrane protein, NcSRS2, and dense-granule protein, NcGRA7, were identified as protective antigens based on their ability to induce significant protective immune responses in murine neosporosis models. In the current study, NcSRS2 and NcGRA7 genes were spliced by overlap-extension PCR in a recombinant adenovirus termed Ad5-NcSRS2-NcGRA 7, expressing the NcSRS2-NcGRA7 gene, and the efficacy was evaluated in mice. The results showed that the titer of the recombinant adenovirus was 10⁹TCID₅₀/ml. Three weeks post-boost immunization (w.p.b.i.), the IgG antibody titer in sera was as high as 1:4,096. IFN-γ and IL-4 levels were significantly different from the control group (P<0.01). This research established a solid foundation for the development of a recombinant adenovirus vaccine against bovine N. caninum.     

Selectable high‐yield recombinant protein production in human cells using a GFP/YFP nanobody affinity support

Recombinant protein expression systems that produce high yields of pure proteins and multi‐protein complexes are essential to meet the needs of biologists, biochemists, and structural biologists using X‐ray crystallography and cryo‐electron microscopy. An ideal expression system for recombinant human proteins is cultured human cells where the correct translation and chaperone machinery are present. However, compared to bacterial expression systems, human cell cultures present several technical challenges to their use as an expression system. We developed a method that utilizes a YFP fusion‐tag to generate recombinant proteins using suspension‐cultured HEK293F cells. YFP is a dual‐function tag that enables direct visualization and fluorescence‐based selection of high expressing clones for and rapid purification using a high‐stringency, high‐affinity anti‐GFP/YFP nanobody support. We demonstrate the utility of this system by expressing two large human proteins, TOP2α (340 KDa dimer) and a TOP2β catalytic core (260 KDa dimer). This robustly and reproducibly yields >10 mg/L liter of cell culture using transient expression or 2.5 mg/L using stable expression.     

云南傣族中所见的G6PD突变型

利用错配碱基PCR/酶切法,在云南傣族中发现ntl388 G→A、ntl376 G→T和nt392 G→T G6PD基因突变型。其中主要为1388突变(18/23)。此3种突变也见于华南地区的汉族中,而有别于非中国人的突变型。提示傣族与汉族可能有同一民族渊源。利用PCR-SSCP方法在不同外显子中发现3例未知突变,待进一步DNA序列测定定型。 Abstract:By using mis-matched PCR followed by endonuclease digestion,G6PD gene mutations nt1388G→A,nt1376G→T,and nt392G→T were found among Dai national minority in Yunnan Province.Among these mutations,18 out 23 were nt1388G→A mutation.These three types of mutation were also found in Han people in the southern China,and never reported in other ethnic groups worldwide.It implied that the Han and Dai people perhaps had the same ethnic origin.Mutations of three undefined cases were identified in different exons by PCR-SSCP method.The exact mutation point will be detected by DNA sequencing under further investigation.     

家蚕小热激蛋白家族成员Hsp23.7基因的克隆与分析

Hsp23.7基因是小热激蛋白家族的成员,本文研究了家蚕BombyxmoriL.的Hsp23.7基因,并对其进行了原核表达,获得了相应分子量的表达产物。推导的开放阅读框编码210个氨基酸,分子量为23.7ku,等电点为5.17。同时,利用实时定量PCR技术对Hsp23.7基因在家蚕不同组织的表达谱进行了鉴定。结果显示Hsp23.7基因在5龄幼虫时期的各组织中都有表达,在卵巢中表达量最高,达到3.64×107拷贝数/μg,其次在脂肪体,翅原基,马氏管中表达量也较高,在血淋巴中表达量最低,仅为7.11×103拷贝数/μg。     

Development of a novel,high resolution melting analysis based genotyping method for Cryptosporidium parvum

This study employed the post-real-time PCR application, high resolution melting (HRM) analysis, in order to differentiate between characterised clinical and reference Cryptosporidium parvum samples obtained from Cork University Hospital (Cork, Ireland) and the Cryptosporidium Reference Unit (Swansea, Wales). A sample set composed of 18 distinct C. parvum gp60-subtypes of the IIa gp60-subtype family (an allele family accounting for over 80% of all cryptosporidiosis cases in Ireland) was employed. HRM analysis-based interrogation of the gp60, MM5 and MS9-Mallon tandem repeat loci was found to completely differentiate between 10 of the 18 studied gp60-subtypes. The remaining eight gp60-subtypes were differentiated into three distinct groupings, with the designations within these groupings resolved to two to three potential gp60-subtypes.The current study aimed to develop a novel, reproducible, real-time PCR based multi-locus genotyping method to distinguish between C. parvum gp60-subtypes. These preliminary results support the further expansion of the multi-locus panel in order to increase the discriminatory capabilities of this novel method.     

重组谷糠源过氧化物酶的克隆、表达及逆转结肠癌化疗耐药活性

本课题组前期首次从谷糠中获得具抗肿瘤活性的过氧化物酶FMBP。为了该蛋白质后期在体外的规模化生产,本研究以谷子cDNA为模板,利用基因工程手段构建了pMal-s-FMBP融合质粒,并优化诱导条件进行原核表达与纯化,最终获得纯度大于90 %的具抗肿瘤活性的重组FMBP（Re-FMBP）。研究发现,Re-FMBP可以逆转HCT-8/5-Fu耐药细胞对5-Fu的耐药性,耐药逆转倍数达到9.6倍。通过Annexin V/碘化丙啶双染色流式细胞仪检测显示：Re-FMBP能够诱导HCT-8/5-Fu耐药细胞发生凋亡;通过罗丹明123染色,流式细胞仪检测结果显示,Re-FMBP处理后,HCT-8/5-Fu耐药细胞内的荧光强度增强。说明Re-FMBP能够增加5-Fu药物在HCT-8/5-Fu耐药细胞内的蓄积。结果揭示,Re-FMBP蛋白可通过抑制耐药细胞增殖,诱导耐药细胞凋亡,抑制耐药细胞对5-Fu药物外排功能来增加HCT-8/5-Fu耐药细胞对5-Fu药物的敏感性。因此,谷糠来源的Re-FMBP蛋白可以作为肿瘤化疗辅助药物来开发。     

Comparison of Japanese isolates of Coxiella burnetii by PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis

The genetic variation of Japanese isolates of Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever, was found for the first time. Forty-nine out of 72 isolates had the chronic pattern of the isocitrate hydrogenase gene. Sequence analysis revealed that the isolates have a specific nucleotide sequence. The putative amino acid sequence was the same as that of chronic reference strains. These results suggest the variation of C. burnetii isolates in Japan.     

Quantitative physiology of Pichia pastoris during glucose‐limited high‐cell density fed‐batch cultivation for recombinant protein production

Pichia pastoris has become one of the major microorganisms for the production of proteins in recent years. This development was mainly driven by the readily available genetic tools and the ease of high‐cell density cultivations using methanol (or methanol/glycerol mixtures) as inducer and carbon source. To overcome the observed limitations of methanol use such as high heat development, cell lysis, and explosion hazard, we here revisited the possibility to produce proteins with P. pastoris using glucose as sole carbon source. Using a recombinant P. pastoris strain in glucose limited fed‐batch cultivations, very high‐cell densities were reached (more than 200 g_CDW L^?1) resulting in a recombinant protein titer of about 6.5 g L^?1. To investigate the impact of recombinant protein production and high‐cell density fermentation on the metabolism of P. pastoris, we used ¹³C‐tracer‐based metabolic flux analysis in batch and fed‐batch experiments. At a controlled growth rate of 0.12 h^?1 in fed‐batch experiments an increased TCA cycle flux of 1.1 mmol g^?1 h^?1 compared to 0.7 mmol g^?1 h^?1 for the recombinant and reference strains, respectively, suggest a limited but significant flux rerouting of carbon and energy resources. This change in flux is most likely causal to protein synthesis. In summary, the results highlight the potential of glucose as carbon and energy source, enabling high biomass concentrations and protein titers. The insights into the operation of metabolism during recombinant protein production might guide strain design and fermentation development. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;107: 357–368. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

SNV and haplotype analysis reveals new CSRP1 variants associated with growth and carcass traits

The cysteine and glycine-rich protein 1 and 2 genes (CSRP1 and CSRP2) are an effective growth factor in promoting skeletal muscle growth in vitro and vivo. However, in cattle, the information on the CSRP1 and CSRP2 genes is very limited. The aim of this study was to examine the association of the CSRP1 and CSRP2 variants with growth and carcass traits in cattle breeds. Three single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were identified within the bovine CSRP1 gene, whereas CSRP2 gene has not detected any SNVs, using DNA pooled sequencing, PCR-RFLP, and forced PCR-RFLP methods. These SNVs include g. 801T>C (Intron 2), g. 46T>C (Exon 3) and g. 99C>G (Intron 3). Besides, we also investigated haplotype frequencies and linkage disequilibrium (LD) coefficients for three SNVs in all study populations. LD and haplotype structure of CSRP1 were different between breeds. The result of haplotype analysis demonstrated eight haplotype present in QC (Qinchuan) and one haplotype in CH (Chinese Holstein). Only haplotype 1 (TTC), shared by all two populations, comprised 10.74% and 100.00%, of all haplotypes observed in QC and CH, respectively. Haplotype 5 (CTC) had the highest haplotype frequencies in QC (30.98%) and haplotype 1 had the highest haplotype frequencies in CH (100.00%). The statistical analyses indicated that one single SNV and 19 combined haplotypes were significantly or highly significantly associated with growth and carcass traits in the QC cattle population (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses showed that the bovine CSRP1 and CSRP2 genes were widely expressed in many tissues. The results of this study suggest that the CSRP1 gene possibly is a strong candidate gene that affects growth and carcass traits in the Chinese beef cattle breeding.