A screening assay for thyroid hormone signaling disruption based on thyroid hormone-response gene expression analysis in the frog Pelophylax nigromaculatus

Amphibian metamorphosis provides a wonderful model to study the thyroid hormone (TH) signaling disrupting activity of environmental chemicals, with Xenopus laevis as the most commonly used species. This study aimed to establish a rapid and sensitive screening assay based on TH-response gene expression analysis using Pelophylax nigromaculatus, a native frog species distributed widely in East Asia, especially in China. To achieve this, five candidate TH-response genes that were sensitive to T3 induction were chosen as molecular markers, and T3 induction was determined as 0.2 nmol/L T3 exposure for 48 hr. The developed assay can detect the agonistic activity of T3 with a lowest observed effective concentration of 0.001 nmol/L and EC50 at around 0.118–1.229 nmol/L, exhibiting comparable or higher sensitivity than previously reported assays. We further validated the efficiency of the developed assay by detecting the TH signaling disrupting activity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a known TH signaling disruptor. In accordance with previous reports, we found a weak TH agonistic activity for TBBPA in the absence of T3, whereas a TH antagonistic activity was found for TBBPA at higher concentrations in the presence of T3, showing that the P. nigromaculatus assay is effective for detecting TH signaling disrupting activity. Importantly, we observed non-monotonic dose-dependent disrupting activity of TBBPA in the presence of T3, which is difficult to detect with in vitro reporter gene assays. Overall, the developed P. nigromaculatus assay can be used to screen TH signaling disrupting activity of environmental chemicals with high sensitivity.     

Cloning and expression analysis of geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile北大核心CSCD

Geosmin is a secondary metabolite responsible for earthy odors. The occurrence of geosmin has great impact on the quality of water environment. The gene essential for geosmin biosynthesis have been identified in several species. But little is known about the mechanism of geosmin synthesis in Aphanizomenon gracile. This study attempted to clone the gene involved in geosmin biosynthesis of Aphanizomenon gracile a nd a nalyze t he geosmin production u nder d ifferent e nvironments. T he high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (hiTAIL-PCR) was used to amplify the full-length of geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile (WH-1). Real time PCR (RT-PCR) was applied to quantify the geosmin production in different light and temperature. As a result, geo, a geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile (WH-1) was cloned by hiTAIL-PCR. The full-length open reading frame (ORF) of geo was 2 262 bp, coding for a protein of 753 amino acids. Meanwhile, WH-1 was treated with different environment conditions and mRNA expression levels of geo were quantified by RT-PCR. It was found that low temperature (15 °C), high light intensity (35 μmol m-2 s-1) and continuous light illumination were beneficial to the expression of geo. The successful amplification of geosmin synthase gene verified that hiTAIL-PCR is an effective and simple procedure of low cost. The result provides fundamental knowledge on the monitoring and prevention for odorants.     

闽江河口互花米草海向入侵对湿地土壤nirS型反硝化微生物群落结构及多样性的影响

2020年秋季,在闽江河口鳝鱼滩东部的互花米草分布区,由陆向海方向选择互花米草海向入侵前的光滩(MF)、入侵1～2年的互花米草湿地(SAN)和入侵6～7年的互花米草湿地(SA)为研究对象.基于高通量测序技术,探讨了互花米草海向入侵对土壤nir S型反硝化微生物群落结构及多样性的影响.结果表明,变形菌门(Proteobacteria)均是互花米草不同入侵阶段土壤中nir S型反硝化微生物的优势门(90.41%～97.36%),其次是厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria),三者在SAN和MF土壤中的丰度均与SA存在显著差异(p<0.05).不同入侵阶段土壤中共有的nir S型反硝化细菌属为假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)、芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、偶氮弧菌属(Azoarcus)、陶厄氏菌属(Thauera)、Sulfurifustis属、副球菌属(Paracoccus)、鲁杰氏菌属(Ruegeria)、红肠命菌属(Rubrivivax)、趋磁螺菌属(Magnetospirillum)和福格斯氏菌属(Vogesella),其中,假单胞菌属是...     

典型氢氧化细菌固碳特性种间差异及胞外有机物对固碳过程影响

化能自养细菌对全球CO₂固定具有重要的意义.研究了4种典型氢氧化细菌（HOB,分别是Alcaligenes hydrogenophilus DSM 2625、Pelomonas saccharophila DSM 654、Variovorax paradoxus DSM 30034和Acidovorax facilis DSM 649）的固碳特性及其种间差异性,并探究了胞外游离有机碳（EFOC）对不同种类HOB固碳效率差异性的影响.结果表明：①不同HOB自养培养过程中表观固碳量随时间呈显著差异性,其中,DSM 2625生长速度较快,其平均固碳量分别是DSM 654、DSM 649和DSM 30034的6.30、8.76和7.02倍.②不同HOB之间cbbL基因转录量与 表观固碳量的相关系数为0.980 （p<0.05）,cbbL基因转录量是造成不同菌种之间表观固碳效率差异的关键因素.③HOB细胞蛋白质含量与cbbL基因丰度和转录量之间也存在显著正相关,相关系数分别为0.999（p<0.01）和0.976（p<0.05）,即化能自养细菌CO₂同化途径所固定的有机碳进一步参与细胞蛋白质的合成,进而影响其生长速度和表观固碳效率.④HOB在自养培养过程中产生的EFOC对cbbL基因转录效率产生反馈抑制作用,且不同HOB之间,EFOC/TOC比例越低,表观固碳效率越高.     

Pilot study for the neonatal screening of fragile X syndrome

An Erratum has been published for this article in Prenatal Diagnosis 23 (9), 2003, 771. Fragile X syndrome (SFX) is the commonest form of inherited mental retardation. Due to the highly variable phenotype clinical diagnosis is complicated. In nearly all cases, the disorder is caused by expansion of a CGG-repeat in the 5′-untranslated region of the FMR1 (fragile X mental retardation-1) gene. We have evaluated the feasibility, efficiency and costs of two methodologies in order to develop a simple test to screen large populations: PCR and fragile X mental retardation-1 protein (FMRP) immunodetection. We studied 100 newborn males using PCR and immunodetection (26.91 Euro). All but one amplified the CGG repeat of the FMR1 gene within the normal size range. The sample that failed to amplify showed only 28% of FMRP expression by immunodetection study; both results indicated an affected male. A further 100 males were studied only by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (7.8 Euro); all of them amplified within the normal size range. Both methodologies, PCR and immunodetection, are feasible for screening large populations, PCR being the most suitable, economical and less time-consuming. However, it is advisable to keep slides for immunodetection when PCR fails or the external control shows no amplification. Early detection of SFX-affected individuals would represent a great benefit for their maximum social integration, due to appropriate treatment and early stimulation and would permit a cascade screening in their pedigree. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prenatal diagnosis in three cases of iniencephaly with unusual postmortem findings

Iniencephaly is a rare and lethal congenital malformation of the neural tube characterized by occipital bone defect, cervical dysraphism, fixed retroflexion of the fetal head and severe lordosis of the cervicothoracic spine. The etiology is unknown. Prenatally diagnosed cases of iniencephaly are rare because careful and early ultrasonographic evaluation is necessary. We present three cases of iniencephaly prenatally diagnosed by sonography at 20–22 weeks' gestation in which therapeutic abortion was induced. The sonographic findings were compatible with the postmortem findings. The present cases of iniencephaly were found to carry unusual associated malformations such as two lobes in the right lung and chorangiosis of the placenta. Only hypoplastic lungs have been reported by previous authors. We also studied the 677C→T mutation on the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene in the parents in one of the present cases. The mother was found to be heterozygous for the 677CT polymorphism. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome in association with a balanced reciprocal translocation involving chromosomes 3 and 5

We present a case report on a fetus with multiple malformations, diagnosed by ultrasound at 20 weeks' gestation. From the combination of intrauterine growth retardation and limb abnormalities that were observed, the most likely diagnosis was considered to be Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS). Following counselling, the mother opted to terminate the pregnancy. Chromosome analysis of cultured amniotic fluid cells showed a karyotype of 46,XX,t(3;5)(q21;p13). Postmortem examination of the baby confirmed the presence of features consistent with a diagnosis of CdLS. This case provides a report of a definitive diagnosis of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, suspected on the basis of ultrasound imaging and confirmed by amniocentesis findings. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.