Detection of fetal HLA-DQα sequences in maternal blood: A gender-independent technique of fetal cell identification

The objective of this study was to detect fetal HLA-DQα gene sequences in maternal blood. HLA-DQα genotypes of 70 pregnant women and their partners were determined for type A1. We specifically sought couples where the father, but not the mother, had genotype A1. In 12 women, maternal blood samples were flow-sorted. Candidate fetal cells were isolated and amplified by using PCR primers specific for a paternal HLA-DQα A1 allele. Fetal HLA-DQα A1 genotype was predicted from sorted cells; amniocytes or cheek swabs were used for confirmation. Six of twelve sorted samples had amplification products indicating the presence of the HLA-DQα A1 allele; 6/12 did not. Prediction of the fetal genotype was 100 per cent correct, as determined by subsequent amplification of amniocytes or cheek swabs. We conclude that paternally inherited uniquely fetal HLA-DQα gene sequences can be identified in maternal blood. This system permits the identification of fetal cells independent of fetal gender, and has the potential for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of paternally inherited conditions.     

Detection of Class I and II integrons for the assessment of antibiotic and multidrug resistance among Escherichia coli isolates from agricultural irrigation waters in Bulacan,Philippines

Contaminated irrigation water may greatly affect not only the quality of produce but also the people exposed to it. In this study, agricultural irrigation waters in Bulacan, Philippines were assessed and found to be contaminated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) ranging from 0.58 to 4.51 log₁₀ CFU/mL. A total of 79 isolates of E. coli were confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifying the uidA gene and were tested for phenotypic resistance using 10 antimicrobials through the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Forty-six isolates (58.22%) were noted to be multidrug resistant (MDR) with high resistance rate to cephalothin, tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, trimethoprim, nalidixic acid, and chloramphenicol. Moreover, this study also examined the prevalence of Class I and II integrons accounting to 67.39% and 17.39%, respectively, of the MDR E. coli strains using multiplex PCR. The results imply that the agricultural water used in Bulacan is contaminated with the fecal material of man or other animals present in the area, and the presence of MDR bacteria, which pose a potential threat to individuals in these areas, is alarming. In addition, detection of integrons could be a good marker for the identification of MDR isolates. Lastly, this study could develop strategies for the proper management of farming sites leading to the detection of food-borne pathogens and prevention of infectious diseases.     

全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)对斑马鱼卵黄蛋白原mRNA水平的影响

为了研究环境低剂量全氟辛烷磺酸（perfluorooctane sulfonate,PFOS）对水生生物的内分泌干扰效应和可能的作用机制,测定了PFOS对斑马鱼（Brachydanio rerio）肝脏中卵黄蛋白原（vitellogenin,VTG）mRNA水平的影响.将斑马鱼暴露于4个PFOS的环境低剂量浓度组（0.1、1、10、100μg.L-1）中进行21d毒性试验,收集肝脏样品,提取RNA,采用荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）分别检测VTG1和VTG3的mRNA水平.结果表明：①PFOS暴露引起雄性斑马鱼肝脏VTG1和VTG3 mRNA水平升高,VTG1 mRNA水平升高与剂量呈正相关,在100μg.L-1暴露浓度处与对照组呈现显著性差异;VTG3的mRNA水平变化与剂量呈倒U型曲线,呈现典型的毒物刺激荷尔蒙效应,在10和100μg.L-1暴露浓度处与对照组呈现显著性差异;②PFOS暴露引起雌性斑马鱼肝脏中VTG1 mRNA水平升高,在10μg.L-1暴露浓度处与对照组呈现显著性差异,但在高浓度（10和100μg.L-1）处试验结果误差较大;VTG3 mRNA水平只在10μg.L-1暴露浓度处升高,但相比于对照组均没有显著性差异.试验结果表明PFOS暴露对斑马鱼的内分泌干扰作用明显,其毒性作用机制可能是类雌激素效应,而肝脏中VTG1和VTG3mRNA水平可能作为PFOS内分泌干扰效应评价的敏感生物标志物,但VTG1和VTG3 mRNA水平的响应曲线呈现基因亚型和性别差异.     

DNA提取方法对活性污泥微生物多样性PCR-DGGE检测的影响

评价超声波法、2种基于SDS的裂解法、改进的化学裂解法、微波法和冻融 玻璃珠 溶菌酶 SDS等6种DNA提取方法对活性污泥微生物多样性PCR-DGGE检测的影响.结果表明,2种不同的DNA纯化方式(溶液和胶纯化)及PCR扩增方式(直接和巢式PCR)对DGGE结果没有明显的影响,但不同的DNA提取方法对DGGE结果有明显的影响,其中2种基于SDS裂解法的DGGE条带较多,其提取的DNA产量(14.85μg/g湿重)和纯度(OD260:OD280＞1.80)也最高;改进的化学裂解法和微波法次之;超声波法、冻融 玻璃珠 溶菌酶 SDS法较少.研究表明,DNA提取方法是影响活性污泥微生物多样性PCR-DGGE检测结果的关键因素,基于SDS的裂解法是用于活性污泥微生物多样性PCR-DGGE研究的一种简便、可靠的总DNA提取方法.     

RAPD扩增中商品酶体系对扩增产物的影响

随机选用了10条RAPD引物，采用3种商品TapDNA聚合酶体系，以5个不同物种的动植物总DNA为模板，进行RAPD扩增，实验发现，在对同一模板、采用同一引物进行的RAPD扩增中，仅仅因为使用了不同的商品TaqDNA聚合酶，获得的扩增产物差别极大；不同商品来源的PCR反应缓冲体系，对扩增产物也有一定影响，但相对较小，这说明，不同的商品酶体系对RAPD扩增产物影响很大，因此，影响RAPD扩增产物稳定性的一个关键因素是商品TaqDNA聚合酶本身；研究中前后一致地使用同一商品TaqDNA聚合酶体系，是成功进行RAPD分析的基础。     

以梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因表达监测海洋重金属污染

分离了梭鱼金属硫蛋白132个碱基对应44个氨基酸的部分基因序列,以此为基础建立了分析梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因表达的实时定量PCR方法,并用于分析渤海南戴河和大神堂近岸海域野生梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因的表达.结果表明,南戴河野生梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因的表达水平(雄鱼:0.012 ± 0.0064 copies/copy β-actin;雌鱼:0.0099 ± 0.0042 copies/copy β-actin)明显高于大神堂野生梭鱼的表达水平(雄鱼:0.0017± 0.0011 copies/copy β-actin;雌鱼:0.0014 ± 0.00095 copies/copy β-actin).该结果与两地野生梭鱼体内重金属残留水平相一致,提示梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因可作为监测海洋重金属污染的敏感标志物之一.     

Design and use of group-specific primers and probes for real-time quantitative PCR

Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has gained popularity as a technique to detect and quantify a specific group of target microorganisms from various environmental samples including soil, water, sediments, and sludge. Although qPCR is a very useful technique for nucleic acid quantification, accurately quantifying the target microbial group strongly depends on the quality of the primer and probe used. Many aspects of conducting qPCR assays have become increasingly routine and automated; however, one of the most important aspects, designing and selecting primer and probe sets, is often a somewhat arcane process. In many cases, failed or non-specific amplification can be attributed to improperly designed primer-probe sets. This paper is intended to provide guidelines and general principles for designing group-specific primers and probes for qPCR assays. We demonstrate the effectiveness of these guidelines by reviewing the use of qPCR to study anaerobic processes and biologic nutrient removal processes. qPCR assays using group-specific primers and probes designed with this method, have been used to successfully quantify 16S ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid (16S rRNA) gene copy numbers from target methanogenic and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in various laboratory- and full-scale biologic processes. Researchers with a good command of primer and probe design can use qPCR as a valuable tool to study biodiversity and to develop more efficient control strategies for biologic processes.     

Development and Integration of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Methods for Detection of Mitochondrial DNA and Methanobrevibacter smithii nifH Gene as Novel Microbial Source Tracking Tools

A novel microbial source tracking (MST) method based on the detection of human and non-human markers was developed and applied to track the origin of fecal pollution in water systems. Mitochondrial DNA sequences were used to develop new quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays for dog, poultry, and gull. The targets were included as part of a toolbox including human, cow, pig, and sheep assays. A primer and probe set for the detection of the human-specific nifH gene of Methanobrevibacter smithii was also designed as an indicator of human fecal contamination. The assays were tested for specificity and applied to fecal-spiked surface waters and environmental samples collected from two river catchments impacted by sources of human and non-human fecal contamination. The MST methods described were applicable to both spiked waters and environmental samples, and using the two approaches the origin of fecal pollution could be successfully determined in mixed source fecally polluted waters.     

空调冷却塔水与空气军团菌的PCR方法快速检测

应用 Enviro Amp PCR-反向杂交法(涉及 5S rRNA基因和 mip基因 )和半巢式 PCR(涉及 16S rRNA基因 )成功检测人工气溶胶化的军团菌 ,这些方法进一步用于检测空调系统冷却塔的水及由其产生的气溶胶中的军团菌 ,从空气样品中检测到军团菌属及嗜肺军团菌 .检测的冷却塔水样品 100%含军团菌属细菌 ,其中 41.6%含嗜肺军团菌 .2种方法相比 ,半巢式 PCR法更经济、方便 .