Prenatal prediction of childhood-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in Turkish families

Childhood-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is one of the most common neurodegenerative genetic disorders. SMN1 is the SMA-determining gene deleted or mutated in the majority of SMA cases. There is no effective cure or treatment for this disease yet. Thus, the availability of prenatal testing is important. Here we report prenatal prediction for 68 fetuses in 63 Turkish SMA families using direct deletion analysis of the SMN1 gene by restriction digestion. The genotype of the index case was known in 40 families (Group A) but unknown in the remaining 23 families (Group B). A total of ten fetuses were predicted to be affected. Eight of these fetuses were derived from Group A and two of these fetuses were from Group B families. Two fetuses from the same family in Group A had the SMNhyb1 gene in addition to homozygous deletion of the NAIP gene. One fetus from Group A was homozygously deleted for only exon 8 of the SMN2 gene, and further analysis showed the presence of both the SMN1 and SMNhyb1 genes but not the SMN2 gene. In addition, one carrier with a homozygous deletion of only exon 8 of the SMN1 gene was detected to have a SMNhyb2 gene, which was also found in the fetus. To our knowledge, these are the first prenatal cases with SMNhyb genes. Follow-up studies demonstrated that the prenatal predictions and the phenotype of the fetuses correlated well in 33 type I pregnancies demonstrating that a careful molecular analysis of the SMN genes is very useful in predicting the phenotype of the fetus in families at risk for SMA. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Split-hand/split-foot malformation with paternal mutation in the p63 gene

We report the prenatal diagnosis at 16 weeks' gestation of bilateral split-hand/split-foot malformation (SHSFM) with severe lobster claw deformity of hands and feet in a male fetus without associated malformations. A minor manifestation of SHSFM was present in the father with only mild bilateral foot involvement (syndactyly I–II; cleft II–III; left cutaneous syndactyly III–IV). Mutation analysis of the p63 gene on chromosome 3q27 showed a missense mutation 577A→G (predicting amino acid substitution K193E) in the father. This mutation has not been reported so far in SHSFM but resembles the previously reported 580A→G (predicting amino acid substitution K194E) in a family with SHSFM. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

四环素胁迫对Shigella flexneri细菌四环素抗性基因抗性表达的影响过程

四环素(TC)抗生素在不同环境介质中已被广泛检出,为研究其对四环素抗性基因(TC-ARGs)丰度变化及表达水平的影响过程,以从活性污泥中筛选和纯化分离获得的弗氏志贺氏菌(Shigella flexneri)为研究对象,考察了不同浓度TC对其生长过程的作用影响,采用荧光定量PCR和逆转录PCR方法定量检测了不同抗性机制TC-ARGs,包括tetC、tetO和tetX基因的丰度变化及表达水平,并探讨了TC浓度与TC-ARGs丰度及其表达水平之间的相关关系.结果表明,在培养周期内(24 h),TC胁迫对Shigella flexneri细菌的生长具有抑制作用,细菌细胞浓度增长速率随TC暴露浓度的升高而降低,但对TC-ARGs丰度变化影响较小.TC胁迫能够促进Shigella flexneri细菌TC-ARGs的转录表达,tetC、tetO和tetX基因表达水平在整个培养周期内均先升高后降低.由相关性分析可知,TC浓度与TC-ARGs丰度及其表达水平之间相关关系不显著,但tetC和tetO基因丰度与其转录表达水平之间存在显著的正相关关系,表明其基因丰度一定程度上可用来衡量和评价其抗性表达水平.     

具有LXRα活性效应物质的新型筛查方法研究

为了检测环境中潜在的LXRα效应物质.本研究以LXRα蛋白为例,利用核受体蛋白与小分子亲和结合的原理,构建了pCold-TF-LXRα重组蛋白并优化了重组蛋白的表达条件,建立了特异性捕获活性物质的方法.结果表明：诱导温度为20℃、诱导剂IPTG浓度为0.4mmol/L为重组蛋白的最佳表达条件;同时,利用LXRα激动剂T0901317 4个梯度浓度（0.25,2.5,25,250μg/L）的加标回收率实验测得线性回归曲线为y =0.83604x+0.40763,R²=0.9948,证明方法具有有效性;对比pCold-TF空载体蛋白（6.42%）和重组蛋白（79.83%）对T0901317（250 μg/L）的回收率,说明方法具有特异性.为了验证方法的实用性,将重组蛋白与15种典型的有机磷酸酯类化合物（OPEs）的混合标样进行“捕获”实验,证明了TPHP、BPADP、TCrP、EHDPP、TNBP、RDP、TEHP、TDCIPP具有LXRα的活性效应.最后,用酵母双杂交实验验证了这8种OPEs均为LXRα的拮抗剂.     

农作物品种单一化的影响

绿色革命是人与自然关系的产物--集约型农业与高产农业的一大壮举.但绿色革命带来的负面影响也是巨大的,主要是农作物品种单一化引起的农业种质资源的减少和农业生态系统的脆弱.本文就绿色革命的这一负面影响进行阐述并提出对策.     

生物传感器快速测定BOD在海洋监测中的应用

选用一株耐高渗透压的酵母菌种作为敏感材料可以实现BOD的快速测定。采用海藻酸钙包埋法和聚乙烯醇包埋法两种细胞固定化方法并进行了比较。就聚乙烯醇固定化微生物进行了渗稼压和重金属离子影响的研究。     

Seed yeast cultivation for salad oil manufacturing wastewater treatment

The mixture of five yeast strains obtained from soil could remove about 85% TOC of oil-rich wastewater in batch test.While the highest MLSS was obtained at an N:C of 1:5,the oil removal decreased with the increase of N:C during yeast sludge cultivation.Ammonium chloride was the best nitrogen source for yeast cultivation from the viewpoint of yeast growth and oil utilizxation.An ammonia concentration of over 1300 mg/L led to mass death of yeast at a pH of 5.The ammonia concentration should be controlled at a level of 1000 mg/L or lower.     

亚铵制浆黑液非无菌操作连续发酵生产酵母

从土壤中筛选出能在亚铵黑液中生长的毕赤酵母菌株（Ｐｉｃｈｉａ ｓｐ．Ｎｏ．１）经耐毒驯化后，可接种于酸析脱木素和汽提脱毒后的亚铵黑液中，在非无菌操作条件下连续发酵生产酵母菌体，该菌生产迅速，连续培养衡释率达０．２６ｈ＾－１，总糖的酵母得率为０．４８ｇ／ｇ（ＴＳ），ＣＯＤ去除２３％，菌体易絮凝，可自然沉降分离。