Origination of an X-linked testes chimeric gene by illegitimate recombination in Drosophila

The formation of chimeric gene structures provides important routes by which novel proteins and functions are introduced into genomes. Signatures of these events have been identified in organisms from wide phylogenic distributions. However, the ability to

Analysis of specific gene by integration of isothermal amplification and electrophoresis on poly(methyl methacrylate) microchips

We have successfully achieved the integration of isothermal amplification and the subsequent analysis of specific gene fragments on poly(methyl methacrylate) microchips. In our experiments, loop-mediated isothermal amplification, which can offer higher specificity and efficiency than PCR, has been performed at a constant temperature (65 degreesC). After amplification, products could be either examined by the integrated microchip-based electrophoresis or directly observed by naked eye with SYBR Green I added into the reaction solution. By such an integrated microsystem, the amplification and the subsequent analysis of prostate-specific antigen gene with template concentration at 23 fg/muL could be finished within 15 min, which demonstrates its advantages of high specificity, good reproducibility, and fast speed in gene detection.

Suppression of zebrafish VEGF gene by cytomegalovirus promoter-driven short hairpin constructs induces vascular development defects and down regulation NRP1 expression

The usage of RNA interference for gene knockdown in zebrafish through expression of the small interfering RNA mediators from DNA vectors has created a lot of excitement in the research community. In this work, the ability of human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter (CMV promoter)-driven short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression vector to induce shRNA against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene in zebrafish was tested, and its effects on VEGF-mediated vasculogenesis and angiogenesis were evaluated. Altogether four vectors targeting various locations of VEGF gene were constructed, and pSI-V4 was proven to be the most effective one. Microinjection of pSI-V4 into the zebrafish embryos resulted in defective vascular formation and down regulation of VEGF expression. In situ hybridization analysis indicated that silencing VEGF gene expression by pSI-V4 resulted in down regulation of neuropilin-1 (NRP1), a potent VEGF receptor. Knockdown of VEGF expression by morpholino gave the same result. This provided evidence that the VEGF-mediated angiogenesis in zebrafish was in part dependent on NRP1 expression. The results contributed to a better understanding of molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular development and provided a potential promoter for making inducible knockdown in zebrafish.

Different protein tyrosine phosphatase superfamilies resulting from different gene reading frames

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are comprised of two superfamilies, the phosphatase I superfamily containing a single low-molecular-weight PTP (lmwPTP) family and the phosphatase II superfamily including both the higher-molecular-weight PTP (hmwPTP) and the dual-specificity phosphatase (DSP) families. The phosphatase I and H superfamilies are often considered to be the result of convergent evolution. The PTP sequence and structure analyses indicate that lmwPTPs, hmwPTPs, and DSPs share similar structures, functions, and a common signature motif, although they have low sequence identities and a different order of active sites in sequence or a circular permutation. The results of this work suggest that lmwPTPs and hmwPTPs/DSPs are remotely related in evolution. The earliest ancestral gene of PTPs could be from a short fragment containing about 90similar to120 nucleotides or 30similar to40 residues; however, a probable full PTP ancestral gene contained one transcript unit with two lmwPTP genes. All three PTP families may have resulted from a common ancestral gene by a series of duplications, fusions, and circular permutations. The circular permutation in PTPs is caused by a reading frame difference, which is similar to that in DNA methyltransferases. Nevertheless, the evolutionary mechanism of circular permutation in PTP genes seems to be more complicated than that in DNA methyltransferase genes. Both mechanisms in PTPs and DNA methyltransferases can be used to explain how some protein families and superfamilies came to be formed by circular permutations during molecular evolution.

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the highly specialized grade schizothoracine fishes (Teleostei : Cyprinidae) inferred from cytochrome b sequences

We recovered the phylogenetic relationships among 23 species and subspecies of the highly specialized grade schizothoracine fishes distributing at 36 geographical sites in the Tibetan Plateau and its Surrounding regions by analyzing sequences of cytochrome b genes. Furthermore, we estimated the possible divergent times among lineages based on a historical geological isolation event in the Tibetan Plateau. The molecular data revealed that the highly specialized grade schizothoracine fishes were not a monophyletic group, but were the same as genera Gymnocypris and Schizogypsis. Our results indicated that the molecular phylogenetic relationships apparently reflected their geographical and historical associations with drainages, namely species from the same and adjacent drainages clustered together and had close relationships. The divergence times of different lineages were well consistent with the rapid uplift phases of the Tibetan Plateau in the late Cenozoic, suggesting that the origin and evolution of schizothoracine fishes were strongly influenced by environment changes resulting from the upheaval of the Tibetan Plateau.

Electrochemistry of glucose oxidase immobilized on the carbon nanotube wrapped by polyelectrolyte

A more stably dispersing of multi-wall carbon nanotube composite (noted as PDDA-MWNT), which was obtained by wrapping the MWNT with poly (diallydimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA), was used for the immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) and its bioelectrochemical studies. The morphologies and structures of the PDDA-MWNT composite were characterized by environment-canning electron microscopy (ESEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry were used to feature the GOD adsorbed onto the electrode modified by PDDA-MWNT composite. The immobilized GOD at the PDDA-MWNT films exhibited a pair of well-defined nearly reversible redox peaks and a fast heterogeneous electron transfer rate with the rate constant (k(s)) of 2.76 s(-1). In addition, GOD immobilized in this way retained its bioelectrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of glucose. The method of immobilizing GOD without any additional cross-linking agents presented here is easy and facile, which provides a model for other redox enzymes and proteins.

Molecular cloning and expression of a Toll receptor gene homologue from Zhikong Scallop, Chlamys farreri

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are an ancient family of pattern recognition receptors, which show homology with the Drosophila Toll protein and play key roles in detecting various non-self substances and then initiating and activating immune system. In this report, the full length of the first bivalve TLR (named as CfToll-1) is presented. CfToll-1 was originally identified as an EST (expressed sequence tag) fragment from a cDNA library of Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri). Its complete sequence was obtained by the construction of Genome Walker library and 5' RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA end) techniques. The full length cDNA of CfToll-1 consisted of 4308 nucleotides with a polyA tail, encoding a putative protein of 1198 amino acids with a 5' UTR (untranslated region) of 211 bp and a 3'UTR of 500 bp. The predicted amino acid sequence comprised an extracellular domain with a potential signal peptide, nineteen leucine-rich repeats (LRR), two LRR-C-terminal (LRRCT) motifs, and a LRR-N-terminal (LRRNT), followed by a transmembrane segment of 20 amino acids, and a cytoplasmic region of 138 amino acids containing the Toll/IL-1R domain (TIR). The deduced amino acid sequence of CfToll-1 was homologous to Drosophila melanogaster Tolls (DmTolls) with 23-35% similarity in the full length amino acids sequence and 30-54% in the TIR domain. Phylogenetic analysis of CfToll-1 with other known TLRs revealed that CfToll-1 was closely related to DmTolls. An analysis of the tissue-specific expression of the CfToll-1 gene by Real-time PCR showed that the transcripts were constitutively expressed in tissues of haemocyte, muscle, mantle, heart, gonad and gill. The temporal expressions of CfToll-1 in the mixed primary cultured haemocytes were observed after the haemocytes were treated with 1 mu g ml(-1) and 100 ng ml(-1) lipopolysaccharide (LPS), respectively. The expression of CfToll-1 was up-regulated and increased about 2-fold at 6 h with the treatment of 1 mu g ml(-1) LPS. The expression of CfToll-1 was down-regulated with the treatment of 100 ng ml(-1) LPS. The results indicated that the expression of CfToll-1 could be regulated by LPS, and this regulation was dose-dependent. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RNAi沉默光合膜磷脂合成酶基因的研究

磷脂是动物和植物非光合组织细胞膜系统的主要组成成分，在细胞生命过程中扮演着重要角色。尽管绿色植物光合膜的的甘油脂主要是糖脂，但是它仍然含有大约10％的磷脂，说明磷脂在光合膜的结构和功能中起重要作用。构成生物膜的磷脂有多种，但是，光合膜只含有磷脂酰甘油（PG）一种磷脂。光合膜中的PG有其特殊性，即：在PG的sn-2位上总连着一个棕榈酸（16:0）或者反式十六碳烯酸（16:1trans），说明了这种具有特殊结构的甘油脂在维持类囊体膜的结构和功能方面具有重要的作用。 叶绿体中有两个重要酶参与了PG的生物合成，它们分别是胞嘧啶二脂酰甘油合成酶（CDS）和磷脂酰甘油合成酶（PGS）。本实验以烟草和马铃薯为材料，利用RNAi技术，对CDS和PGS基因的表达进行抑制，通过PG缺失突变体，研究其功能。 对转含有PGS片段的沉默结构的转基因烟草叶片膜脂进行了分析，结果表明，与野生型烟草相比较，其PG含量下降了约20%，同时，SQDG和PC的含量增加。PG含量的降低没有引起MGDG和DGDG含量的变化。另外，我们还对转基因植株目的基因片段的RNA表达水平进行了RT-PCR分析，发现其表达量大幅度降低。这些结果表明，在转基因株系中，PGS基因的表达受到了抑制，说明我们获得了PG部分缺失的烟草PGS突变体。 对烟草PG缺失体的PG脂肪酸组成进行分析，表明其特征性脂肪酸反式十六碳烯酸含量明显下降，比野生型降低了44%，C18:0、C18:1和C18:2的相对含量增加，整个变化与总脂脂肪酸变化基本一致。 为了研究PG缺失对光合作用的影响，我们分析了多种光合指标。对叶绿素含量的分析表明，PG含量的降低影响了光合色素的组成。PG部分缺失的转基因烟草中的叶绿素总的含量下降，其中叶绿素b含量下降更为明显，结果，叶绿素a与叶绿素b的比值较野生型高。转基因植株净光合速率下降，二氧化碳利用率降低;PSII的最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）和实际光化学效率（фPSII）降低，光化学猝灭下降，非光化学猝灭增加，尤其老叶的变化更为明显。这些结果说明了PG的部分缺失影响了植株的光合能力，捕光色素蛋白复合体的结构受到了影响，PSII功能遭受损伤。 同时，我们根据已经报道的马铃薯CDS基因，克隆了一个片段，构建沉默结构，并对沉默结构进行了转化。通过抗性基因的筛选以及RT-PCR检测，证明了沉默结构转化成功，目的基因的表达受到抑制，获得了马铃薯CDS转基因植株。 对马铃薯野生型和CDS转基因植株进行膜脂和脂肪酸分析表明，转基因植株叶片的PE、PG和PC等磷脂含量降低，SQDG和DGDG含量增加;C16:1（3t）、C16:2、C16:3、C18:1和C18:2含量下降，C16:0和C18:3含量增加，而C16:1和C18:0变化不明显。马铃薯CDS转基因植株的叶绿素荧光分析表明，PSII最大光化学效率降低，从野生型的0.82下降到0.77。

Isolation and characterization of a rhabdovirus from co-infection of two viruses in mandarin fish

Co-infection of two viruses has been observed in mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi), but the two viruses have not been characterized. In this study, a rhabdovirus has been isolated from the co-infected two viruses extracted from the diseased mandarin fish, and its morphological structure and partial biochemical and biophysical characteristics have been observed and analyzed. The isolated rhabdovirus has a typical bullet shape, and is therefore called S. chttatsi rhabdovirus (SCRV). And, the isolated rhabdovirus produced a higher titer (10(8.5) TCID50 ml(-1)) than did the co-infecting viruses (10(6.5) TCID50 ml(-1)). Subsequently, the viral genome RNA was extracted, and used as template to clone the complete nucleoprotein (N) gene by RT-PCR amplification. Cloning and sequencing of the SCRV N protein revealed 42%-31% amino acid identities to that of trout rhabdovirus 903/87 and the rhabdoviruses in genus Vesiculovirus. SDS-PAGE separation of the isolated SCRV and other two rhabdoviruses also revealed obvious polypeptide profile difference. Moreover, the anti-SCRV N protein antibody was prepared, and the anti-SCRV N protein antibody only could recognize the SCRV N protein, whereas no antigenicity was detected in other two rhabdoviruses. The data suggested that the SCRV should be a rhabdovirus member related to the genus Vesiculovirus in the Rhabdoviridae. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Positive selection on multiple antique allelic lineages of transferrin in the polyploid Carassius auratus

Transferrin polymorphism has been studied in the polyploid Carassius auratus by cloning and sequence analysis of cDNAs from its three subspecies C. auratus gibelio, C. auratus auratus, and C. auratus cuvieri. DNA polymorphism of extremely high extent was shown for the transferrin gene by the 248 segregation sites among coding region sequences of its alleles. The deduced amino acid sequences of the transferrin alleles showed variable theoretical physicochemical parameters, which might constitute molecular basis for their electrophoretic heterogeneity. Positive selection was inferred by the replacement/synonymous ratios larger than 1 in partial allelic lineages which was subsequently confirmed by likelihood simulation under neutral or selection models. Furthermore, the correspondent sites to these selected codons were collectively located at two planes in the crystallographic structure of rabbit transferrin, which suggested that the rapid evolution of C. auratus transferrin might correlate to its adaptation to variable environmental elements such as oxygen pressure. The minimal 26 recombination events were detected among coding sequences of C. auratus transferrin, with partial mosaic sequences and breakpoints identified by identity scanning and information site analyses. Phylogenetic analyses revealed multiple antique allelic lineages of transferrin, which was estimated to diverge fifteen to twenty MYA. All these features strongly suggested the role of balancing selection in long persistence of high transferrin polymorphism in C. auratus. Furthermore, owing to its particular evolutionary backgrounds, the silver crucian carp might possess a distinctive balancing selection mechanism.

哺乳动物新Y 染色体的退化和果蝇新基因起源模式的研究

进化生物学得益于近代分子生物学和当代基因组学的发展，已经脱 离了自达尔文时代起博物学式的观察和思辨性的研究状态。很多古老而又 经典的问题，因为在一些年轻的进化系统中的研究，绽放出其背后深刻的 机制。在本工作中，我们通过在模式物种果蝇和珍稀动物黑麂中的研究， 揭示了有关遗传的基本单位-- 基因是如何起源和消亡的，以及这些重要过 程背后的规律。 决定人类雄性的Y 染色体起源于一亿六千万年前X 染色体的同源 染色体。但现今Y 染色体上的基因数目仅仅是X 染色体的百分之一左 右。如此巨大的数目差异，是由于Y 染色体和X 染色体之间重组抑制以 后，大量的Y 染色体基因发生退化消亡所致。 由于哺乳动物的Y 染色体 大都非常古老，Y 退化的过程和机制一直以来无法得以深入研究。 在本工 作的前半部分，我们首次在中国特有的珍稀鹿科动物黑麂中报道鉴定了一 对行为和模式类似人类性染色体的常染色体。这对“新性染色体”(neosex) 仅仅起源于50 万年以内，由于雄性特异的染色体倒位，致使数以千计 的基因像Y 染色体连锁的基因那样，无法与其等位基因重组。对23 个新 Y 染色(neo-Y)体连锁的基因25kb 的蛋白编码区和它们35kb 的非编码区的 序列分析发现，与其他可重组区域相比，这些基因的遗传多态性显著降 低，并积累了改变氨基酸的有害突变。我们还首次用体内表达试验证明Y 染色体的基因在其顺式调控区域也发生了退化。这些积累在启动子或者非 翻译区域(UTR)的有害突变，将扰乱Y 染色体上基因的正常表达，并进一 步促进退化过程和剂量补偿效应以单个基因(gene-by-gene)的模式进化。 本论文的另外一部分工作主要研究了果蝇中新基因起源的总体模式 问题。对遗传新元件如何起源的兴趣，最早可以追溯到达尔文。近年来通 过对“年轻基因”的案例研究，我们已经知道通过基因重复，逆转座，水 平迁移和从头起源等机制可以产生新基因。但这些机制在全基因组水平对 新基因起源的贡献各自如何，以及以非编码区从头起源合成一个新的基因 是否普遍等重要问题一直未得到解答。我们利用比较基因组的手段，在6个果蝇全基因组中，通过12017 个黑腹果蝇基因序列，鉴定刻画了超过 300 个起源于不同时间点的新基因。我们对这些新基因的序列，结构和表 达模式的分析发现，串联重复在产生年轻的新基因过程中占了主导地位 (超过80%)。但是最后固定在群体内，有功能的新基因主要(44.1%)是散在 重复的形式。我们惊奇地发现非编码区从头起源的基因在新基因的起源过 程中也扮演了重要角色，产生了超过10%的有功能的新基因，并且大部分 都进化出了睾丸特异的表达模式。有大约30%的新基因通过招募其他基因 的编码区或者重复元件，形成了新的嵌合结构，暗示它们可能获得了新的 功能。最后，我们估计在果蝇中，每百万年将产生5 至11 个有功能的新 基因。

不同小麦品种（系）中主要矿质元素的含量比较及与品质的关系

采用微波消解、电感耦合高频等离子体原子发射光谱（ICP-AES）的方法,对62份不同小麦品种（系）中锌、铁、铜、钙、钠和钾的含量进行了测定。同时利用红外线品质测定仪对主要品质指标粗蛋白、湿面筋、沉降值进行了测定。结果表明，不同小麦品种（系）中各种矿质元素的含量存在差异，2006年小麦品种中铁含量变幅为18.55-58.19 ug/g，平均为30.83ug/g ，最高与最低的相差39.64ug/g；锌含量变幅为5.70-25.80 ug/g，平均为15.13ug/g ，最高与最低相差20.10ug/g。2008年小麦品种（系）中铁含量变幅为16.68-52.25 ug/g，平均为30.10ug/g，最高与最低相差35.58ug/g；锌含量变幅为12.29-33.47 ug/g，平均为21.11ug/g，最高与最低相差21.18ug/g；钙含量变幅为167.53-348.80ug/g，平均为248.59ug/g，最高与最低相差192.59ug/g；铜含量变幅为2.32-5.83 ug/g，平均为2.98ug/g，最高与最低的相差3.61ug/g；钾含量变幅为1822.71-4414.91 ug/g，平均为2617.87ug/g，最高与最低的相差2634.72ug/g；钠含量变幅为10.25-39.82 ug/g，平均为23.05ug/g，最高与最低的相差29.57ug/g。 两年不同小麦品种（系）中矿质元素的含量分析结果表明：铁、铜、钙、钠和钾含量年际变化不明显,说明小麦对铁、铜、钙、钠和钾的吸收较稳定；锌含量变化较大，可能受环境的影响比较大。分析各矿质元素含量与粗蛋白、湿面筋、沉降值及元素之间的相关关系，结果表明，锌含量与粗蛋白含量呈极显著正相关关系，相关系数为0.317，与湿面筋含量之间呈显著正相关，相关系数达到0.246；铁含量与粗蛋白含量呈显著的正相关关系，相关系数是0.262；铜、钙、钠和钾含量与粗蛋白含量、湿面筋和沉降值之间存在正相关，但不显著，其中钠与沉降值之间为负相关。表明施锌或铁对提高小麦粗蛋白和湿面筋有显著效应，其余矿质元素有促进作用但不明显。 利用RAPD分子标记技术对川育23、41058、川育20及其父母本进行分析，力图从分子水平找到小麦矿质元素含量之间的差异性，琼脂糖电泳结果表明不同的小麦品种（系）间扩增出了差异条带。 以上研究结果，将对筛选“微量营养强化型”小麦新材料，选育“微量营养强化型”小麦新品种奠定基础。 62 different wheat cultivars was digested with HNO3 in a tightly closed vessel heated under micro-wave,then contents of zinc，iron,copper，calcium，sodium and potassium were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy(ICP-AES)．The main indexes of wheat quality such as total protein、wet glu and sedimentation volume were detected by Infratec 1255 Food & Feed Analyzer at the same time.The obtained results showed that variation for all of the mineral elements concentrations among different cultivars were observed .In 2006, the amplitude variation of the iron content was 18.55-58.19 ug/g,the average value was 30.83ug/g,and 39.64ug/g between the highest-content cultivar and the lowest one; the amplitude variation of the zinc content was 5.70-25.8 ug/g,the average value was 15.13ug/g,and 20.10ug/g between the highest-content cultivar and the lowest one.In 2008, the amplitude variation of the iron content was 16.68-52.25 ug/g,the average value was 30.10ug/g,and 35.58ug/g between the highest-content cultivar and the lowest one; the amplitude variation of the zinc content was 12.29-33.47 ug/g,the average value was 21.11ug/g,and 21.18ug/g between the highest-content cultivar and the lowest one; the amplitude variation of the calcium content was 167.53-348.80ug/g,the average value was 248.59ug/g,and 192.59ug/g between the highest-content cultivar and the lowest one; the amplitude variation of the copper content was 2.32-5.83 ug/g,the average value was 2.98ug/g,and 3.61ug/g between the highest-content cultivar and the lowest one; the amplitude variation of the potassium content was 1822.71-4414.91 ug/g,the average value was 2617.87ug/g,and 2634.72ug/g between the highest-content cultivar and the lowest one; the amplitude variation of the sodium content was 10.25-39.82 ug/g,the average value was 23.05ug/g,and 29.57ug/g between the highest-content cultivar and the lowest one. Analysis was made on the annual variation of mineral elements content in different Wheat cultivars ,the result shows:there is no obvious difference of iron ,copper ,sodium、calcium and potassium concentrations in wheat cultivars, suggesting the absorption of the iron, copper, sodium、calcium and potassium by wheat are relatively steady ,but zinc concentrations change obviously ,maybe influenced heavily by environment . The correlation between mineral elements 、mineral elements and total protein、mineral elements and sedimentation volume as well as mineral elements and wet glut were analysed in this paper, the result showed that there was significant positive correlation between zinc content and total protein (the correlation coefficient is 0.317), positive correlation between zinc content and wet glu (the correlation coefficient is 0.246), positive correlation between iron content and total protein (the correlation coefficient is 0.262). there was positive but not obvious correlation between the contents of copper, calcium, sodium or potassium and total protein, wet glut or sedimentation volume,among which was negative correlation between sodium and sedimentation volume.It was indicated zinc or iron fertilization has prominent effects in improving the total protein in wheat, the rest mineral elements have Non- obvious facilitation. The study then forecasted the genetic difference of different wheat by the molecular marker of RAPD in order to find differences in molecular level. Chuanyu23、41058、chuanyu20 as well as their male and female parents were analysed by RAPD markers,Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA revealed the appearance of differential bands . The above-mentioned results of this study establish the foundation to screening the new materials of wheat of " strengthening type of micro- nutrition ", and to breeding the new wheat cultivars of" strengthening type of micro- nutrition ".

Molecular determination of oxytetracycline-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes from mariculture environments of China

Aims: To assess the diversity of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes in typical maricultural environments. Methods nand Results: Multidrug-resistant bacteria and resistance genes from a mariculture farm of China were analysed via cultivation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Oxytetracycline (OTC)-resistant bacteria were abundant in both abalone and turbot rearing waters, accounting for 3.7% and 9.9% of the culturable microbes. Multidrug resistance was common, with simultaneous resistance to OTC, chloramphenicol and ampicillin the most common resistance phenotype. 16S rDNA sequence analyses indicate that the typical resistant isolates belonged to marine Vibrio, Pseudoalteromonas or Alteromonas species, with resistance most common in Vibrio splendidus isolates. For OTC resistance, tet(A), tet(B) and tet(M) genes were detected in some multidrug-resistant isolates, with tet(D) being the most common molecular determinant. For chloramphenicol resistance, cat II was common, and floR was also detected, especially in marine Pseudoalteromonas strains. Conclusions: There is the risk of multidrug-resistant bacteria contamination in mariculture environments and marine Vibrio and Pseudoalteromonas species serve as reservoirs of specific antibiotic resistance determinants. Significance and Impact of the Study: This paper and similar findings from Korea and Japan indicate the potential for widespread distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in mariculture environments from the East Asian region of the world.