Prenatal diagnosis of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease: detection of proteolipid protein gene duplication by quantitative fluorescent multiplex PCR

A prenatal diagnosis of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) resulting from proteolipid protein gene (PLP) duplication was performed by a quantitative fluorescent multiplex PCR method. PLP gene copy number was determined in the proband, the pregnant mother, the male fetus and two aunts. Small amounts of genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood and from chorionic villi were used. The fetus, in common with the proband, was identified as PMD-affected being a carrier of the PLP gene duplication, inherited from the mother, while the two aunts were non-carriers. The data obtained were confirmed by segregation analysis of a PLP-associated dinucleotide-repeat polymorphism amplified by the same multiplex PCR. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

实时荧光定量PCR技术对氨氧化细菌的研究

传统的PCR技术只能实现对核酸的定性检测而无法对其进行定量研究。随着分子生物学技术的发展,在传统PCR技术的基础上发展起来的实时荧光定量PCR技术实现了对核酸的定量研究。该技术是向常规PCR反应体系中加入荧光染料或荧光探针,通过监测PCR反应过程中荧光信号的变化来实现对核酸的定量。实时荧光定量PCR技术具有应用范围广、灵敏度高、操作简单、工作量低等特点,在医学和微生物学领域已广泛地应用于疾病诊断、病毒定量检测、微生物群落结构分析及演替规律的研究。文章综述了该项技术的原理、特点及其在环境氨氧化细菌研究中的应用,同时也指出了该技术存在的问题及其发展应用前景。     

二级处理出水中肠道病毒的PCR检测研究

建立了二级处理出水中肠道病毒的巢式PCR检测方法。在2006年7月至2007年2月期间分别用第一次PCR和巢式PCR方法对西安市北石桥污水净化中心的二级处理出水中的肠道病毒进行了检测,两种检测方法的阳性率分别为12．5％和87．5％。另外,还对二级处理出水中的肠道病毒含量和温度、pH值等理化指标的关系作了分析。     

废弃重组质粒DNA热处理效率的环境影响因素

为了解环境因素对质粒DNA热处理效率的影响以及热处理过程的有效性和安全性,以pET-28b质粒为材料,采用定量PCR技术结合质粒转化等方法分析了pH、NaCl、牛血清白蛋白(BSA)及EDTA浓度等因素对质粒DNA热处理的影响.结果表明,NaCl、BSA及EDTA的存在对热处理过程中的质粒DNA具有保护作用,且保护作用依次增强.在纯水中热处理30min后的质粒DNA可扩增的片段数仅是在0.1%的EDTA中热处理30min后质粒DNA可扩增片段数目的1.7%.由于生物实验室废水中通常含有上述有机或无机物质,因此,实际热处理过程中质粒DNA的降解半衰期可能远长于先前报道的2.7～4min,残留的转化活性也可能更高,这必须引起我们高度关注.但是,研究结果也表明,酸性条件下的热处理能加速质粒DNA的失活和降解,因此建议热处理过程可在弱酸性条件下完成,以强化其处理效果.     

Diversity of methanotrophs in Zoige wetland soils under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions

Zoige wetland is one of the most important methane emission centers in China. The oxidation of methane in the wetland a ects global warming, soil ecology and atmospheric chemistry. Despite their global significance, microorganisms that consume methane in Zoige wetland remain poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated methanotrophs diversity in soil samples from both anaerobic site and aerobic site in Zoige wetland using pmoA gene as a molecular marker. The cloning library was constructed according to the pmoA sequences detected. Four clusters of methanotrophs were detected. The phylogenetic tree showed that all four clusters detected were a liated to type I methanotrophs. Two novel clusters (cluster 1, cluster 2) were found to relate to none of the recognized genera of methanotrophs. These clusters have no cultured representatives and reveal an ecological adaptation of particular uncultured methanotrophs in Zoige wetland. Two clusters were belonging to Methylobacter and Methylococcus separately. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis gel bands pattern retrieved from these two samples revealed that the community compositions of anaerobic soil and aerobic soil were di erent from each other while anaerobic soil showed a higher metanotrophs diversity. Real-time PCR assays of the two samples demonstrated that aerobic soil sample in Zoige wetland was 1.5 times as much copy numbers as anaerobic soil. These data illustrated that methanotrophs are a group of microorganisms influence the methane consumption in Zoige wetland.