Variations of Melanocortin Receptor 1 （MC1R） were investigated using sequencing, PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSCP, in three pig breeds, Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc. Five polymorphic sites were found, in which 668G→C occurr...Variations of Melanocortin Receptor 1 （MC1R） were investigated using sequencing, PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSCP, in three pig breeds, Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc. Five polymorphic sites were found, in which 668G→C occurred within 5＇ UTR, nt894insCC in coding region resulting in a premature stop at codon 56, and 1318C→T, 1554G→A, l197G→A in coding region resulting in Ala164Val, Ala243Thr, and Asp124Asn respectively. All individuals in Landrace and Yorkshire present homozygous 668GG, 1197AA, 1318CC, and 1554GG, and have CC insertions at the 894 site, whereas the individuals in Duroc present a contrast homozygous 668CC, 1197GG, 1318TT, and 1554AA, and have no CC insertions at the corresponding site. No heterozygote has been found at these mutation sites. Presumably, 668G→C, 1318C→T, and 1554G→A may be associated with the recessive red color in the Duroc breed, and nt894insCC making 1197G→A nonsense may be associated with the white color in Landrace and Yorkshire breeds.展开更多
Specific primers for the MC1R gene of alpacas(GenBank EU1358800) were designed to amplify the cDNA sequence using RT-PCR to seek variation in the sequence and explore the relationship between the expression level of M...Specific primers for the MC1R gene of alpacas(GenBank EU1358800) were designed to amplify the cDNA sequence using RT-PCR to seek variation in the sequence and explore the relationship between the expression level of MC1R gene and alpaca coat color.The MC1R gene from white alpaca was cloned successfully and sequence analysis verified that the MC1R gene,encoding 317 amino acids,was 1081 bp in length.Compared with the existing sequence in GenBank,sequence identity was 99.9%and 7 mutations were found.Primers,designed from the sequence obtained,were used to assess the relative expression of MC1R in alpacas of different coat color using QRT-PCR and SPSS 13.0 software.Relative expression of MC1R in the skin of brown alpacas was 4.32 times higher than that in white alpacas after normalization with GAPDH(P【0.01),indicating that MC1R expression may be related to coat color of alpacas.展开更多
There is strong relationship between melanocortin-1 receptor (MCIR) gene variants and human hair color and skin type. Based on a sequencing study of MC1R gene in 50 individuals from the Uygur, Tibetan, Wa and Dai ethn...There is strong relationship between melanocortin-1 receptor (MCIR) gene variants and human hair color and skin type. Based on a sequencing study of MC1R gene in 50 individuals from the Uygur, Tibetan, Wa and Dai ethnic populations, we discuss the occurrence of 7 mc1r variants consisting of 5 nonsynonymous sites (Val60Leu, Arg67Gln, Val92Met, Arg163Gln and Ala299Val) and 2 synonymous sites (C414T and A942G), among which C414T and Ala299Val were reported for the first time. Confirmation and analysis were the made of 122 individuals at three common point mutations (Val92Met, Arg163Gln, A942G) using PCR-SSCP. The frequency of Arg163Gln variant varies in the four ethnic populations, with percentage of 40%, 85.0%, 66. 2% and 72.7%, respectively, while those of Val92Met and A942G are roughly similar in these four populations. The different environments, migration and admixture of various ethnic groups in China might have impact on the observed frequency of Arg163Gln.展开更多
Background Infantile spasms is a severe epileptic encephalopathy, which is refractory to conventional antiepileptic drugs. Adrenocorticotropic hormone （ACTH） has been the major therapy for infantile spasms; however,...Background Infantile spasms is a severe epileptic encephalopathy, which is refractory to conventional antiepileptic drugs. Adrenocorticotropic hormone （ACTH） has been the major therapy for infantile spasms; however, ACTH therapy is ineffective for some patients. The variations in the receptor genes can contribute to antiepileptic drug resistance. This study was to elucidate the possible associations between the variations of the MC2R gene and ACTH responsiveness in patients with infantile spasms. Methods We screened for variations in the promoter and coding region of the MC2R gene in 91 Chinese patients with infantile spasms and 94 controls, using PCR and a direct sequencing method. The frequencies of the genotypes, alleles and reconstructed haplotypes were analyzed in the cases and controls. The association between ACTH responsiveness and genetic variations of the MC2R gene was also assessed. Results Four single nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） were identified in the MC2R promoter, one of which was a novel specimen at position-2 from the transcription start site ATT, -2T〉C. Three SNPs （rs1893220, rs2186944 and -2T〉C） showed a significant difference between the cases and controls （P 〈0.05 for all）. The frequency of the common TCCT haplotype carrying four-SNP major alleles was significantly lower in the cases （39%） than in the controls （60%） （P=-0.00003）. The homozygous carriers of the TCCT haplotype had a much lower relative risk than the non-carriers （RR=O.42, 95%C/ 0.26-0.70, P=-0.0001）. ACTH responsiveness was strongly associated with the TCCT haplotype （P=-0.000082）. Compared with non-carriers of the TCCT haplotype, the homozygous and heterozygous carriers were more responsive to ACTH therapy （P=0.0002; P=-0.0003, respectively）. Conclusions Our results indicated that the TCCT haplotype in the MC2R promoter is strongly associated with the responsiveness of the ACTH therapy performed on patients with infantile spasms. The polymorphisms of the MC2R promoter might be one important factor that influences the efficacy of ACTH therapy on infantile spasms.展开更多
Cyanobacterial blooms occur increasingly often and cause ecological,economic and human health problems worldwide.Microcystins（MCs）are the dominant toxins produced by cyanobacteria and are implicated in epidemic dise...Cyanobacterial blooms occur increasingly often and cause ecological,economic and human health problems worldwide.Microcystins（MCs）are the dominant toxins produced by cyanobacteria and are implicated in epidemic disease and environmental problems.Extensive research has been reported on the various regulating factors,e.g.,light,temperature,nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus,p H,iron,xenobiotics,and predators,that influence microcystin（MC）synthesis,but little is known about the effects of cyanobacteria-associated bacteria on MC synthesis.A considerable number of studies have focused on interactions between Microcystis species and their associated bacteria.In this study,we evaluated the effects of MC-degrading bacteria（MCDB）on MC synthesis gene mcy D expression and MC synthesis in axenic strain PCC7806,non-axenic strain FACHB905,and colony strain FACHB1325 of Microcystis by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR）assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）.We demonstrate for the first time that MCDB can induce and up-regulate the MC production and transcriptional response of the mcy D gene of toxic Microcystis.On day 4 of the culturing experiment,the intracellular MC concentration and transcriptional response of mcy D of FACHB1325 were up-regulated 1.9 and 5.3-fold over that of the control,and for FACHB905 were up-regulated 1.8 and 4.2-fold over that of the control,respectively.On day 10,the transcriptional response of mcy D was up-regulated 21.3-fold in PCC7806.These results indicate that there are interactions between toxic Microcystis and MCDB,and MCDB may play a role in regulating mcy D expression in toxic Microcystis.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30571326)President Foundation and De-velopment Foundation for Scientific Research of Agricultural University of Hebei.
文摘Variations of Melanocortin Receptor 1 （MC1R） were investigated using sequencing, PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSCP, in three pig breeds, Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc. Five polymorphic sites were found, in which 668G→C occurred within 5＇ UTR, nt894insCC in coding region resulting in a premature stop at codon 56, and 1318C→T, 1554G→A, l197G→A in coding region resulting in Ala164Val, Ala243Thr, and Asp124Asn respectively. All individuals in Landrace and Yorkshire present homozygous 668GG, 1197AA, 1318CC, and 1554GG, and have CC insertions at the 894 site, whereas the individuals in Duroc present a contrast homozygous 668CC, 1197GG, 1318TT, and 1554AA, and have no CC insertions at the corresponding site. No heterozygote has been found at these mutation sites. Presumably, 668G→C, 1318C→T, and 1554G→A may be associated with the recessive red color in the Duroc breed, and nt894insCC making 1197G→A nonsense may be associated with the white color in Landrace and Yorkshire breeds.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30501070)Shanxi Natural Science Foundation(No.20041099)President Foundation of Agricultural University of Hebei (BS2007023)
文摘Specific primers for the MC1R gene of alpacas(GenBank EU1358800) were designed to amplify the cDNA sequence using RT-PCR to seek variation in the sequence and explore the relationship between the expression level of MC1R gene and alpaca coat color.The MC1R gene from white alpaca was cloned successfully and sequence analysis verified that the MC1R gene,encoding 317 amino acids,was 1081 bp in length.Compared with the existing sequence in GenBank,sequence identity was 99.9%and 7 mutations were found.Primers,designed from the sequence obtained,were used to assess the relative expression of MC1R in alpacas of different coat color using QRT-PCR and SPSS 13.0 software.Relative expression of MC1R in the skin of brown alpacas was 4.32 times higher than that in white alpacas after normalization with GAPDH(P【0.01),indicating that MC1R expression may be related to coat color of alpacas.
文摘There is strong relationship between melanocortin-1 receptor (MCIR) gene variants and human hair color and skin type. Based on a sequencing study of MC1R gene in 50 individuals from the Uygur, Tibetan, Wa and Dai ethnic populations, we discuss the occurrence of 7 mc1r variants consisting of 5 nonsynonymous sites (Val60Leu, Arg67Gln, Val92Met, Arg163Gln and Ala299Val) and 2 synonymous sites (C414T and A942G), among which C414T and Ala299Val were reported for the first time. Confirmation and analysis were the made of 122 individuals at three common point mutations (Val92Met, Arg163Gln, A942G) using PCR-SSCP. The frequency of Arg163Gln variant varies in the four ethnic populations, with percentage of 40%, 85.0%, 66. 2% and 72.7%, respectively, while those of Val92Met and A942G are roughly similar in these four populations. The different environments, migration and admixture of various ethnic groups in China might have impact on the observed frequency of Arg163Gln.
基金This study was supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 30770747）, the Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation （No. 7081002, No. 7042024） and the Capital Development Foundation of Beijing （No. 2003-2007）.
文摘Background Infantile spasms is a severe epileptic encephalopathy, which is refractory to conventional antiepileptic drugs. Adrenocorticotropic hormone （ACTH） has been the major therapy for infantile spasms; however, ACTH therapy is ineffective for some patients. The variations in the receptor genes can contribute to antiepileptic drug resistance. This study was to elucidate the possible associations between the variations of the MC2R gene and ACTH responsiveness in patients with infantile spasms. Methods We screened for variations in the promoter and coding region of the MC2R gene in 91 Chinese patients with infantile spasms and 94 controls, using PCR and a direct sequencing method. The frequencies of the genotypes, alleles and reconstructed haplotypes were analyzed in the cases and controls. The association between ACTH responsiveness and genetic variations of the MC2R gene was also assessed. Results Four single nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） were identified in the MC2R promoter, one of which was a novel specimen at position-2 from the transcription start site ATT, -2T〉C. Three SNPs （rs1893220, rs2186944 and -2T〉C） showed a significant difference between the cases and controls （P 〈0.05 for all）. The frequency of the common TCCT haplotype carrying four-SNP major alleles was significantly lower in the cases （39%） than in the controls （60%） （P=-0.00003）. The homozygous carriers of the TCCT haplotype had a much lower relative risk than the non-carriers （RR=O.42, 95%C/ 0.26-0.70, P=-0.0001）. ACTH responsiveness was strongly associated with the TCCT haplotype （P=-0.000082）. Compared with non-carriers of the TCCT haplotype, the homozygous and heterozygous carriers were more responsive to ACTH therapy （P=0.0002; P=-0.0003, respectively）. Conclusions Our results indicated that the TCCT haplotype in the MC2R promoter is strongly associated with the responsiveness of the ACTH therapy performed on patients with infantile spasms. The polymorphisms of the MC2R promoter might be one important factor that influences the efficacy of ACTH therapy on infantile spasms.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.KSCX2-EW-Z-3)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31370418,31123001)the State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology(No.2011FBZ16)
文摘Cyanobacterial blooms occur increasingly often and cause ecological,economic and human health problems worldwide.Microcystins（MCs）are the dominant toxins produced by cyanobacteria and are implicated in epidemic disease and environmental problems.Extensive research has been reported on the various regulating factors,e.g.,light,temperature,nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus,p H,iron,xenobiotics,and predators,that influence microcystin（MC）synthesis,but little is known about the effects of cyanobacteria-associated bacteria on MC synthesis.A considerable number of studies have focused on interactions between Microcystis species and their associated bacteria.In this study,we evaluated the effects of MC-degrading bacteria（MCDB）on MC synthesis gene mcy D expression and MC synthesis in axenic strain PCC7806,non-axenic strain FACHB905,and colony strain FACHB1325 of Microcystis by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR）assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）.We demonstrate for the first time that MCDB can induce and up-regulate the MC production and transcriptional response of the mcy D gene of toxic Microcystis.On day 4 of the culturing experiment,the intracellular MC concentration and transcriptional response of mcy D of FACHB1325 were up-regulated 1.9 and 5.3-fold over that of the control,and for FACHB905 were up-regulated 1.8 and 4.2-fold over that of the control,respectively.On day 10,the transcriptional response of mcy D was up-regulated 21.3-fold in PCC7806.These results indicate that there are interactions between toxic Microcystis and MCDB,and MCDB may play a role in regulating mcy D expression in toxic Microcystis.
