Application of a Swab Sampling Method for the Detection of Norovirus and Rotavirus on Artificially Contaminated Food and Environmental Surfaces

Noroviruses and rotaviruses are the leading causes of non-bacterial gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Virus-contaminated food and surfaces represent an important risk to public health. However, established detection methods for the viruses in food products are laborious and time-consuming. Here, we describe a detailed swabbing protocol combined with real-time RT-PCR for norovirus and rotavirus detection on artificially contaminated food and environmental surfaces. Recovery rates between 2 and 78% for norovirus and between 8 and 42% for rotavirus were determined for contaminated food surfaces of apple, pepper, cooked ham and salami. From contaminated environmental surfaces (stainless steel, ceramic plate, polyethylene, wood), recovery rates between 26 and 52% (norovirus) and between 10 and 58% (rotavirus) were determined. The results demonstrate the suitability of the swab sample method for virus detection on food and environmental surfaces. Compared to other methods, it is easy to perform and significantly time-saving, predestining it for routine testing.     

褐菖鲉肝HSC70基因的环介导等温扩增技术的建立及对石油污染的剂量效应研究

从褐菖鲉肝脏中克隆了热休克蛋白HSC70基因,利用环介导等温扩增技术(loop-mediated isothermal amplification,LAMP)建立HSC70基因的定量检测方法。为检测该方法的可行性,将褐菖鲉分别暴露于石油水溶性成分(water-soluble fraction,WSF) 20、60、180 μg·L^-1 1 d后,利用real-time PCR及LAMP技术同时测定褐菖鲉肝HSC70 mRNA表达量,两种方法测定结果基本一致,证实LAMP技术可用于褐菖鲉肝HSC70基因的定量。为更细致了解石油WSF影响褐菖鲉肝脏HSC70基因表达的剂量－效应关系,将褐菖鲉分别暴露于25、50、75、100、125、150、175 μg·L^-1 WSF中,5天后采样,用LAMP技术定量检测HSC70 mRNA。结果表明,HSC70 mRNA表达量在50 μg·L^-1浓度组即被显著诱导,在75 μg·L^-1浓度下达到最大值,这说明褐菖鲉肝HSC70基因对石油污染较敏感,有潜力作为海洋石油污染的生物标志物。     

生活垃圾堆肥过程中细菌群落演替规律

应用PCR-DGGE技术研究生活垃圾堆肥过程中的细菌群落演替规律,对堆肥不同时期的宏基因组DNA进行提取,扩增16S rDNA的V3区,分析生活垃圾堆肥过程中细菌群落的变化. DGGE图谱表明,随着堆体温度的升高,DNA条带表现出了明显的动态变化,降温期出现了新的优势条带并趋于稳定,说明堆肥不同时期的细菌群落发生了更替. 对条带分布进行聚类分析,结果表明:以55 ℃为界,将14个堆肥样品划分为2个族,族间的相似性仅为13%,说明堆肥过程中常温期(<55 ℃)和高温期(>55 ℃)微生物群落结构差别较大. 对优势条带回收测序的结果表明:在升温期,堆肥堆体中检测到H. obtusa和人类排泄物中的细菌;但随着温度的升高,具有纤维素降解功能的嗜热微生物Clostridium thermocellum成为堆肥高温期的优势细菌;当堆体温度小于55 ℃时出现了大量的未培养微生物.      

猪场土壤中5种四环素抗性基因的检测和定量（Quantification of Five Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Soil from a Swine Feedlot）

近年来由于四环素在畜禽养殖业中的大量使用,诱导了环境中四环素抗性微生物的产生,然而有关四环素抗性基因在土壤中存在、迁移和扩散的研究目前还很少.论文提取了北京一规模化养猪场周边土壤的微生物DNA,利用普通PCR检测到5种四环素抗性基因(tet(B/P)、tet(M)、tet(O)、tet(T)、tet(W)),这5种基因都属于编码核糖体保护蛋白的一类.进一步建立了定量PCR程序对这5种基因进行了定量.结果显示,除tet(T)和tet(M)含量接近外(p=0.367),其余几种基因含量之间均差异显著(p<0.05),其中tet(W)的含量最高((2.16±0.20)×108copies·g-1(干土)),比含量最低的tet(B/P)((2.89±0.54)×106copies·g-(1干土))高出约两个数量级.抗性基因tet(W)、tet(T)、tet(M)、tet(O)含量均较高,为猪场土壤中优势抗性基因.这些基因曾被报道广泛存在于猪和牛的肠道中,显示抗性基因很可能是通过基因横向转移(HGT)等机制从养殖动物体内传播到周围土壤中土著微生物体内的.论文所建立的实验方法为进一步系统研究抗生素抗性基因在土壤中的环境行为及其生态风险提供了基础.     

一种羟胺氧化酶基因序列的PCR扩增及其生物信息学分析

采用PCR法获得不动杆菌Acinetobactor sp.YY-5的一种羟胺氧化酶(Hydroxylamine oxidoreductase,HAO)编码基因序列并进行生物信息学分析.根据自养菌的HAO基因序列保守区设计4对引物,通过RT-PCR获得预期大小的部分序列,再采用Genome walking PCR法向所得的部分序列两侧延伸;对所得序列在NCBI中进行blast分析,并用FGeneSB进行开放滨码框(Open read frame,ORF)预测.结果表明,RT-PCR获得了一段462 bp的序列,通过Genome walking PCR向两侧延伸后,获得了一段3 152 bp长的序列;ORF预测结果显示所得序列可能有4个ORF,RT-PCR获得的462 bp序列所在ORF长555 bp,对应氨基酸序列相对分子质量(M)大小为20.2×103;在Genebank中进行的Blast比对分析显示,除保守区的引物序列外,未发现有与此ORF存在明显相似性的HAO基因,表明这可能是一种新型羟胺氧化酶基因.图5表3参14     

蚯蚓金属硫蛋白定量PCR检测方法及其分子诊断

根据GenBank中蚯蚓(Eisenia fetida)金属硫蛋白(MT)基因序列设计合成引物,采用RT-PCR扩增出目的基因片段,将目的基因片段插入pEASY-Blunt中制备质粒标准品.通过不同梯度稀释倍数的质粒标准品,建立了目的基因MT与内参基因β-actin的SYBR Green I荧光定量RT-PCR检测方法.通过土壤染毒培养实验,将蚯蚓分别暴露于50,500,1000mg/kg 重金属Cd染毒的自然土壤中培养14,28d,研究蚯蚓体内MT mRNA转录水平的表达变化.结果表明,重组质粒测序后显示目的片段序列同源性好,证明所设计的MT、β-actin引物能成功用于蚯蚓MT mRNA的检测.两基因构建的荧光定量标准曲线线性关系分别为0.994,0.999,且PCR扩增效率也皆接近于100%.染毒实验发现,Cd可诱导蚯蚓体内MT mRNA的表达,其表达水平与Cd污染暴露呈现出剂量-效应和时间-效应关系,表明蚯蚓MT基因可作为潜在分子标志物,诊断环境中Cd污染及其暴露水平.     

Pregnancy after preimplantation genetic diagnosis for Sanjad–Sakati syndrome

Sanjad–Sakati syndrome (SSS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by congenital hypoparathyroidism, growth and mental retardation. In Saudi Arabia, the disease is caused by a deletion of 12 bp (155-166nt) in the tubulin-specific chaperone E gene. In a family with two affected siblings with SSS, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was performed. Fluorescent PCR (F-PCR) was utilized to check the heterozygosity and the homozygosity status of the parents and the affected children, respectively. F-PCR was then optimized for single-cell analysis by using peripheral blood lymphocytes. The patient underwent a cycle with intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection. A total of 11 embryos were obtained and biopsied. There were five heterozygous, three homozygous affected and three normal embryos. One heterozygous and one normal embryo were transferred because of their very good quality (morula). A singleton pregnancy was obtained, and amniosynthesis confirmed the presence of the heterozygous fetus. These results show for the first time, the feasibility of PGD for SSS. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.