Construction and Characterization of Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) Fosmid Library

Grass carp （Ctenopharyngodon idellus） genomic fosmid library cotaining 129 014 clones was constructed and characterized from one diploid grass carp. The average insert size of the fosmid library was determined to be 35 kb by pulsed field gel electrophoresis, which is 4.1-fold coverage of the grass carp genome. To demonstrate the probability of picking the functional genes from the library, eleven functional genes were screened by three-dimensional PCR technique. The number of positive clones of these genes was from 1 to 6. So, this library may screen any useful genes from grass carp. This grass carp genome fosmid library will be integrated in the presently ongoing efforts to determine the sequence of the grass carp genome.

Construction of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) whole genome phage display library

A rebuilt vector pCANTAB 5 EE was obtained by inserting a 34 bp double-stranded oligonucleotide which contained a EcoRV recognition sequence into pCANTAB 5 E. White spot syndrome virus （WSSV） genome DNA was fragmented by sonication to isolate fragments mainly in the range of 0.8 ～2.0 kb, then the fragments were blunt-ended with T4 DNA polymerase and cloned into the EcoRV site of pCANTAB 5 EE. The primary recombinant clone of the library was 3.0 × 10^5.Colony PCR of random selected recombinants showed that the size of the inserts was 0.12 ～ 1.77 kb. After the whole library recombinant phages infected Escherichia coli HB2151 cells, the extracellular and periplasmic extracts were dropped on PVDF membranes to perform dot blot, using polyclonal mouse anti-VP24 serum,anti-WSV026 serum,anti-WSV063 serum,anti-WSV069 serum,anti-WSV112 serum, anti WSV238 serum,anti-WSV303 serum and anti-VP26 serum as the primary antibody, respectively. The results showed that the display library could express the viral proteins.

Isolation and Characterization of Microsatellites in Snap Bean

The objectives of this study were to isolate and characterize microsatellites from a heat tolerant variety of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in order to generate polymorphic genetic markers linked to quantitative trait loci for heat tolerance. A genomic library contained 400-800 bp inserts was constructed and screened for the presence of (GA/CT) n and (CA/GT) n repeats. The proportion of positive clones yielded estimated of 3.72×10 4 such dinucleotide repeats per genome, roughly comparable to the abundance reported in other eukaryotic genomes. Twenty_six positive clones were sequenced. In contrast to mammalian genomes, the (GA/CT) n motif was much more abundant than the (CA/GT) n motif in these clones. The (GA/CT) n repeats also showed longer average repeat length (mean n =10.4 versus 6.5), suggesting that they are better candidates for yielding polymorphic genetic markers in the snap bean genome.

A novel and complete gene cluster involved in the degradation of aniline by Delftia sp. AN3

A recombinant strain, Escherichia coli JM109-AN1, was obtained by constructing of a genomic library of the total DNA of Delftia sp. AN3 in E. coli JM109 and screening for catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity. This recombinant strain could grow on aniline as sole carbon, nitrogen and energy source. Enzymatic assays revealed that the exogenous genes including aniline dioxygenase （AD） and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase （C230） genes could well express in the recombinant strain with the activities of AD and C230 up to 0.31 U/mg wet cell and 1.92 U/mg crude proteins, respectively. The AD or C23O of strain AN3 could only catalyze aniline or catechol but not any other substituted substrates. This recombinant strain contained a recombinant plasmid, pKC505-AN1, in which a 29.7-kb DNA fragment from Delftia sp. AN3 was inserted. Sequencing and open reading frame （orfs） analysis of this 29.7 kb fragment revealed that it contained at least 27 orfs, among them a gene cluster （consisting of at least 16 genes, named danQTA1A2BRDCEFG1HIJKG2） was responsible for the complete metabolism of aniline to TCA-cycle intermediates. This gene cluster could be divided into two main parts, the upper sequences consisted of 7 genes （danQTA1A2BRD） were predicted to encode a multi-component aniline dioxygenase and a LysR-type regulator, and the central genes （danCEFG1HIJKG2） were expected to encode meta-cleavage pathway enzymes for catechol degradation to TCA-cycle intermediates. Unlike clusters tad from Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9 and tdn from Pseudomonas putida UCC22, in this gene cluster, all the genes were in the same transcriptional direction. There was only one set of C230 gene （danC） and ferredoxin-like protein gene （danD）. The presence of only one set of these two genes and specificity of AD and C230 might be the reason for strain AN3 could only degrade aniline. The products of danQTA1A2BRDC showed 99%-100% identity to those from Delftia acidovorans 7N, and 50%-85% identity to those of tad cluster from D. tsuruhatensis AD9 in amino acid residues. Besides this dan cluster, the 29.7 kb fragment also contained genes encoding the trans-membrane transporter and transposases which might be needed for transposition of the gene cluster. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis （PFGE） and plasmid curing experiments suggested that the dan cluster might be encoded on the chromosome of strain AN3. The GenBank accession number for the dan cluster of Delftia sp. AN3 is DQ661649.

Establishment of genomic library technology mediated by non-homologous end joining mechanism in Yarrowia lipolytica

Genomic variants libraries are conducive to obtain dominant strains with desirable phenotypic traits.The non-homologous end joining(NHEJ),which enables foreign DNA fragments to be randomly integrated into different chromosomal sites,shows prominent capability in genomic libraries construction.In this study,we established an efficient NHEJ-mediated genomic library technology in Yarrowia lipolytica through regulation of NHEJ repair process,employment of defective Ura marker and optimization of iterative transformations,which enhanced genes integration efficiency by 4.67,22.74 and 1.87 times,respectively.We further applied this technology to create high lycopene producing strains by multi-integration of heterologous genes of CrtE,CrtB and CrtI,with 23.8 times higher production than rDNA integration through homologous recombination(HR).The NHEJ-mediated genomic library technology also achieved random and scattered integration of loxP and vox sites,with the copy number up to 65 and 53,respectively,creating potential for further application of recombinase mediated genome rearrangement in Y.lipolytica.This work provides a high-efficient NHEJ-mediated genomic library technology,which enables random and scattered genomic integration of multiple heterologous fragments and rapid generation of diverse strains with superior phenotypes within 96 h.This novel technology also lays an excellent foundation for the development of other genetic technologies in Y.lipolytica.

Isolation and Analysis of the Promoter of OsRacD from PhotoperiodSensitive Genic Male Sterile Rice

By using OsRacD cDNA as probe to screen the genomic library of photoperiod sensitive genic male sterile rice line Nongken 58S, a positive clone containing 2 kb promoter and 396 bp coding region of OsRacD was obtained. Compared with the promoter of OsRacD cloned by reverse PCR from normal rice variety Nongken 58 （Nongken 58N）, the homology was 99.8%, and the different nucleotides were outside the predicted response elements in promoter, suggesting that the fertility between rice varieties Nongken 58S and Nongken 58N under the long-day conditions was not attributed to the difference in the structure of OsRacD upstream regulation sequences, but to the developmental regulation of gene differential expression.

GENOMIC FEATURES OF COTESIA PLUTELLAE POLYDNAVIRUS

Polydnavirus was purified from the calyx fluid of Cotesia plutellae ovary. The genomic features of C. plutellae polydnavirus (CpPDV) were investigated. The viral genome consists of at least 12 different segments and the aggregate genome size is a lower estimate of 80kbp. By partial digestion of CpPDV DNA with BamHI and subsequent ligation with BamHI-cut plasmid Bluescript, a representative library of CpPDV genome was obtained.