Neurodegenerative diseases(NDs)are a group of debilitating neurological disorders that primarily affect elderly populations and include Alzheimer's disease(AD),Parkinson's disease(PD),Huntington's disease(...Neurodegenerative diseases(NDs)are a group of debilitating neurological disorders that primarily affect elderly populations and include Alzheimer's disease(AD),Parkinson's disease(PD),Huntington's disease(HD),and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS).Currently,there are no therapies available that can delay,stop,or reverse the pathological progression of NDs in clinical settings.As the population ages,NDs are imposing a huge burden on public health systems and affected families.Animal models are important tools for preclinical investigations to understand disease pathogenesis and test potential treatments.While numerous rodent models of NDs have been developed to enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms,the limited success of translating findings from animal models to clinical practice suggests that there is still a need to bridge this translation gap.Old World nonhuman primates(NHPs),such as rhesus,cynomolgus,and vervet monkeys,are phylogenetically,physiologically,biochemically,and behaviorally most relevant to humans.This is particularly evident in the similarity of the structure and function of their central nervous systems,rendering such species uniquely valuable for neuroscience research.Recently,the development of several genetically modified NHP models of NDs has successfully recapitulated key pathologies and revealed novel mechanisms.This review focuses on the efficacy of NHPs in modeling NDs and the novel pathological insights gained,as well as the challenges associated with the generation of such models and the complexities involved in their subsequent analysis.展开更多
Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital disorder that occurs in 1:5000 live births. It is characterised by an absence of enteric neurons along a variable region of the gastrointestinal tract. Hirschsprung's dis...Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital disorder that occurs in 1:5000 live births. It is characterised by an absence of enteric neurons along a variable region of the gastrointestinal tract. Hirschsprung's disease is classified as a multigenic disorder, because the same phenotype is associated with mutations in multiple distinct genes. Furthermore, the genetics of Hirschsprung's disease are highly complex and not strictly Mendelian. The phenotypic variability and incomplete penetrance observed in Hirschsprung' s disease also suggests the involvement of modifier genes. Here, we summarise the current knowledge of the genetics underlying Hirschsprung's disease based on human and animal studies, focusing on the principal causative genes, their interactions, and the role of modif ier genes.展开更多
[Objectives]To clone the sucC gene of Vibrio alginolyticus strain HY9901 and conduct the bioinformatics analysis.[Methods]Based on the sucC gene of V.alginolyticus strain HY9901,specific primers were designed to ampli...[Objectives]To clone the sucC gene of Vibrio alginolyticus strain HY9901 and conduct the bioinformatics analysis.[Methods]Based on the sucC gene of V.alginolyticus strain HY9901,specific primers were designed to amplify the full length sequence by PCR and make further analysis.[Results]The theoretical molecular weight of SucC protein was about 41528.45 Da,and the full length was 1167 bp,encoding 388 amino acids.It has no signal peptide and transmembrane region,and has a variety of functional sites.It is predicted that it is mainly located in the cytoplasm,and the ubiquitin and lactate modification sites overlap,and it has high gene homology with Vibrio parahaemolyticus.Theα-helix,random coil and extended strand are the main secondary structures.The similarity between the constructed three-level structure model and the template is high.[Conclusions]This study reveals the structural characteristics and functional potential of SucC protein,and provides a theoretical basis for the study of drug resistance mechanism and prevention strategies.展开更多
The sea cucumber, Apostichopusjaponicus, undergoes aestivation to improve survival during periods of high-temperature. During aestivation, the metabolic rate is depressed to reduce the consumption of reserved energy. ...The sea cucumber, Apostichopusjaponicus, undergoes aestivation to improve survival during periods of high-temperature. During aestivation, the metabolic rate is depressed to reduce the consumption of reserved energy. We evaluated the role of epigenetic modification on global gene silencing during metabolic rate depression in the sea cucumber. We compared the expression of epigenetic modifiers in active and aestivating sea cucumbers. The expression of three genes involved in DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling （DNA （cytosine-5）-methyltransferase l, Methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 2）, and Chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 5） was significantly higher during aestivation （Days 20 and 40）. Similarly, we observed an increase in the expression of genes involved in histone acetylation （Histone deacetylase 3） and Histone-binding protein RBBP4） during the early （Days 5 and 10） and late phases （Days 20 and 40） of aestivation. There was no change in the expression of KAT2B, a histone acetyltransferase. However, the expression of histone methylation associated modifiers （Histone-arginine methyltransferase CARMER and Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase MLL5） was significantly higher after 5 d in the aestivating group. The results suggest that the expression of epigenetic modifiers involved in DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, histone acetylation, and histone methylation is upregulated during aestivation. We hypothesize that these changes regulate global gene silencing during aestivation in A. japonicus.展开更多
Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells expressing brain-derived neurotrophic factor were successfully obtained using a gene transfection method, then intravenously transplanted into rats with spinal cord injury. At 1,...Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells expressing brain-derived neurotrophic factor were successfully obtained using a gene transfection method, then intravenously transplanted into rats with spinal cord injury. At 1,3, and 5 weeks after transplantation, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurofilament-200 was upregulated in the injured spinal cord, spinal cord injury was alleviated, and Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scores of hindlimb motor function were significantly increased. This evidence suggested that intravenous transplantation of adenovirus- mediated brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene-modified rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could play a dual role, simultaneously providing neural stem cells and neurotrophic factors.展开更多
PDRG1 is a small oncogenic protein of 133 residues. In normal human tissues, the p53 and DNA damageregulated gene 1(PDRG1) gene exhibits maximal expression in the testis and minimal levels in the liver. Increased expr...PDRG1 is a small oncogenic protein of 133 residues. In normal human tissues, the p53 and DNA damageregulated gene 1(PDRG1) gene exhibits maximal expression in the testis and minimal levels in the liver. Increased expression has been detected in several tumor cells and in response to genotoxic stress. High-throughput studies identified the PDRG1 protein in a variety of macromolecular complexes involved in processes that are altered in cancer cells. For example, this oncogene has been found as part of the RNA polymerase Ⅱ complex, the splicing machinery and nutrient sensing machinery, although its role in these complexes remains unclear. More recently, the PDRG1 protein was found as an interaction target for the catalytic subunits of methionine adenosyltransferases. These enzymes synthesize S-adenosylmethionine, the methyl donor for, among others, epigenetic methylations that occur on the DNA and histones. In fact, downregulation of S-adenosylmethionine synthesis is the first functional effect directly ascribed to PDRG1. The existence of global DNA hypomethylation, together with increased PDRG1 expression, in many tumor cells highlights the importance of this interaction as one of the putative underlying causes for cell transformation. Here, we will review the accumulated knowledge on this oncogene, emphasizing the numerous aspects that remain to be explored.展开更多
BACKGROUND： Studies have shown that the transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） improves dystrophin expression in muscle cell membrane of mdx mice and plays a role in ameliorating sport injuries to the myo...BACKGROUND： Studies have shown that the transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） improves dystrophin expression in muscle cell membrane of mdx mice and plays a role in ameliorating sport injuries to the myocyte. In addition, dystrophin gene plasmid injection exhibits therapeutic effect in mdx mice. However, these two methods exhibit shortcomings, such as low rate of post-transplantation expression. Therefore, the present study determined the combinatorial effects of these two methods. OBJECTIVE： To transfect and observe effects of pSL139 plasmid carrying the micro-dystrophin gene into MSCs, as well as in vitro micro-dystrophin gene expression in transfected MSCs. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A comparative, molecular biology study was performed at the Laboratory of Tissue Engineering, West China Medical Center, Sichuan University from March 2007 to February 2008. MATERIALS： The pSL139 plasmid was cloned and provided by the Department of Neurology, Washington University, USA. Lipofectamine 2000 was purchased from Invitrogen, USA. Mouse anti-human dystrophin N-based terminal monoclonal antibody was purchased from Chemicon, USA. METHODS： Differential velocity adherent technique and density gradient centrifugation were combined to separate and culture MSCs from C57/BL10 mice. The cells were induced to trans-differentiate into osteoblasts. Subsequently, the Lipofectamine 2000 method was used to mediate transfection of plasmid pSL139 into third generation MSCs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase-chain reaction and immunofluorescence were respectively employed to detect micro-dystrophin mRNA and protein expressions in MSCs. RESULTS： At 48 hours after MSC transfection with plasmid pSL139, a 379-kb target band was observed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Immunofluorescence revealed micro-dystrophin expression up to 45%-55%. CONCLUSION： Micro-dystrophin mRNA and protein were highly expressed in pSL139-transfected MSCs, which provided a method for efficient expression of dystrophin.展开更多
The induction of genes encoded in the open reading frames (ORFs) of chloroplast genomes have been posited to be influenced by ambient light condition. The current study focused on determining which of the six ORFs, en...The induction of genes encoded in the open reading frames (ORFs) of chloroplast genomes have been posited to be influenced by ambient light condition. The current study focused on determining which of the six ORFs, encoding the genes ycf 1, ycf 2, psbD (photosystem II), rbcl (Rubisco), matK (Maturase K) and rpoC1 (RNA polymerase) were influenced by light. Characterization of gene expression at the whole plant level and callus stage facilitates the identification of transcripts which are differentially regulated under these environmental conditions. Specificity of these primers was tested against genomic DNA and total RNA. Transcripts of six targeted genes were detected in all three replicates of the green and white callus under light and dark conditions, except for ycf 2 gene in green callus under light. The result showed that a partial transcript of the gene ycf 2 located on the J. curcas chloroplast genome was not detectable using reverse transcription PCR. This finding was then validated using quantitative real-time PCR. The gene was suspected to be post-transcriptionally modified. The transcripts of the remaining five ORFs could be detected using quantitative real-time PCR. Specific transcripts can be identified for application as biomarkers for selection of callus for plantlet regeneration.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFF0702201)National Natural Science Foundation of China (81873736,31872779,81830032)+2 种基金Guangzhou Key Research Program on Brain Science (202007030008)Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province (2021ZT09Y007,2020B121201006,2018B030337001,2021A1515012526)Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2021A1515012526,2022A1515012651)。
文摘Neurodegenerative diseases(NDs)are a group of debilitating neurological disorders that primarily affect elderly populations and include Alzheimer's disease(AD),Parkinson's disease(PD),Huntington's disease(HD),and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS).Currently,there are no therapies available that can delay,stop,or reverse the pathological progression of NDs in clinical settings.As the population ages,NDs are imposing a huge burden on public health systems and affected families.Animal models are important tools for preclinical investigations to understand disease pathogenesis and test potential treatments.While numerous rodent models of NDs have been developed to enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms,the limited success of translating findings from animal models to clinical practice suggests that there is still a need to bridge this translation gap.Old World nonhuman primates(NHPs),such as rhesus,cynomolgus,and vervet monkeys,are phylogenetically,physiologically,biochemically,and behaviorally most relevant to humans.This is particularly evident in the similarity of the structure and function of their central nervous systems,rendering such species uniquely valuable for neuroscience research.Recently,the development of several genetically modified NHP models of NDs has successfully recapitulated key pathologies and revealed novel mechanisms.This review focuses on the efficacy of NHPs in modeling NDs and the novel pathological insights gained,as well as the challenges associated with the generation of such models and the complexities involved in their subsequent analysis.
基金Supported by The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia to Anderson RB: Project grant, No. 509219a CDA Fellowship, No. 454773
文摘Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital disorder that occurs in 1:5000 live births. It is characterised by an absence of enteric neurons along a variable region of the gastrointestinal tract. Hirschsprung's disease is classified as a multigenic disorder, because the same phenotype is associated with mutations in multiple distinct genes. Furthermore, the genetics of Hirschsprung's disease are highly complex and not strictly Mendelian. The phenotypic variability and incomplete penetrance observed in Hirschsprung' s disease also suggests the involvement of modifier genes. Here, we summarise the current knowledge of the genetics underlying Hirschsprung's disease based on human and animal studies, focusing on the principal causative genes, their interactions, and the role of modif ier genes.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(32073015)Graduate Education Innovation Program of Guangdong Province(YJYH[2022]1)+1 种基金Undergraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program of Guangdong Ocean University(CXXL2024007)Undergraduate Innovation Team of Guangdong Ocean University(CCTD201802).
文摘[Objectives]To clone the sucC gene of Vibrio alginolyticus strain HY9901 and conduct the bioinformatics analysis.[Methods]Based on the sucC gene of V.alginolyticus strain HY9901,specific primers were designed to amplify the full length sequence by PCR and make further analysis.[Results]The theoretical molecular weight of SucC protein was about 41528.45 Da,and the full length was 1167 bp,encoding 388 amino acids.It has no signal peptide and transmembrane region,and has a variety of functional sites.It is predicted that it is mainly located in the cytoplasm,and the ubiquitin and lactate modification sites overlap,and it has high gene homology with Vibrio parahaemolyticus.Theα-helix,random coil and extended strand are the main secondary structures.The similarity between the constructed three-level structure model and the template is high.[Conclusions]This study reveals the structural characteristics and functional potential of SucC protein,and provides a theoretical basis for the study of drug resistance mechanism and prevention strategies.
基金Supported by the National Key Technology Research and Development Program(No.2006AA10A411)the Agricultural Seed Project of Shandong Province
文摘The sea cucumber, Apostichopusjaponicus, undergoes aestivation to improve survival during periods of high-temperature. During aestivation, the metabolic rate is depressed to reduce the consumption of reserved energy. We evaluated the role of epigenetic modification on global gene silencing during metabolic rate depression in the sea cucumber. We compared the expression of epigenetic modifiers in active and aestivating sea cucumbers. The expression of three genes involved in DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling （DNA （cytosine-5）-methyltransferase l, Methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 2）, and Chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 5） was significantly higher during aestivation （Days 20 and 40）. Similarly, we observed an increase in the expression of genes involved in histone acetylation （Histone deacetylase 3） and Histone-binding protein RBBP4） during the early （Days 5 and 10） and late phases （Days 20 and 40） of aestivation. There was no change in the expression of KAT2B, a histone acetyltransferase. However, the expression of histone methylation associated modifiers （Histone-arginine methyltransferase CARMER and Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase MLL5） was significantly higher after 5 d in the aestivating group. The results suggest that the expression of epigenetic modifiers involved in DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, histone acetylation, and histone methylation is upregulated during aestivation. We hypothesize that these changes regulate global gene silencing during aestivation in A. japonicus.
基金Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China, No. 20060392003
文摘Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells expressing brain-derived neurotrophic factor were successfully obtained using a gene transfection method, then intravenously transplanted into rats with spinal cord injury. At 1,3, and 5 weeks after transplantation, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurofilament-200 was upregulated in the injured spinal cord, spinal cord injury was alleviated, and Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scores of hindlimb motor function were significantly increased. This evidence suggested that intravenous transplantation of adenovirus- mediated brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene-modified rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could play a dual role, simultaneously providing neural stem cells and neurotrophic factors.
基金support by the Ministerio Educación y CienciaMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain(until June 2013)
文摘PDRG1 is a small oncogenic protein of 133 residues. In normal human tissues, the p53 and DNA damageregulated gene 1(PDRG1) gene exhibits maximal expression in the testis and minimal levels in the liver. Increased expression has been detected in several tumor cells and in response to genotoxic stress. High-throughput studies identified the PDRG1 protein in a variety of macromolecular complexes involved in processes that are altered in cancer cells. For example, this oncogene has been found as part of the RNA polymerase Ⅱ complex, the splicing machinery and nutrient sensing machinery, although its role in these complexes remains unclear. More recently, the PDRG1 protein was found as an interaction target for the catalytic subunits of methionine adenosyltransferases. These enzymes synthesize S-adenosylmethionine, the methyl donor for, among others, epigenetic methylations that occur on the DNA and histones. In fact, downregulation of S-adenosylmethionine synthesis is the first functional effect directly ascribed to PDRG1. The existence of global DNA hypomethylation, together with increased PDRG1 expression, in many tumor cells highlights the importance of this interaction as one of the putative underlying causes for cell transformation. Here, we will review the accumulated knowledge on this oncogene, emphasizing the numerous aspects that remain to be explored.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Young Scholars, No. 0040205401040
文摘BACKGROUND： Studies have shown that the transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells （MSCs） improves dystrophin expression in muscle cell membrane of mdx mice and plays a role in ameliorating sport injuries to the myocyte. In addition, dystrophin gene plasmid injection exhibits therapeutic effect in mdx mice. However, these two methods exhibit shortcomings, such as low rate of post-transplantation expression. Therefore, the present study determined the combinatorial effects of these two methods. OBJECTIVE： To transfect and observe effects of pSL139 plasmid carrying the micro-dystrophin gene into MSCs, as well as in vitro micro-dystrophin gene expression in transfected MSCs. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A comparative, molecular biology study was performed at the Laboratory of Tissue Engineering, West China Medical Center, Sichuan University from March 2007 to February 2008. MATERIALS： The pSL139 plasmid was cloned and provided by the Department of Neurology, Washington University, USA. Lipofectamine 2000 was purchased from Invitrogen, USA. Mouse anti-human dystrophin N-based terminal monoclonal antibody was purchased from Chemicon, USA. METHODS： Differential velocity adherent technique and density gradient centrifugation were combined to separate and culture MSCs from C57/BL10 mice. The cells were induced to trans-differentiate into osteoblasts. Subsequently, the Lipofectamine 2000 method was used to mediate transfection of plasmid pSL139 into third generation MSCs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase-chain reaction and immunofluorescence were respectively employed to detect micro-dystrophin mRNA and protein expressions in MSCs. RESULTS： At 48 hours after MSC transfection with plasmid pSL139, a 379-kb target band was observed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Immunofluorescence revealed micro-dystrophin expression up to 45%-55%. CONCLUSION： Micro-dystrophin mRNA and protein were highly expressed in pSL139-transfected MSCs, which provided a method for efficient expression of dystrophin.
文摘The induction of genes encoded in the open reading frames (ORFs) of chloroplast genomes have been posited to be influenced by ambient light condition. The current study focused on determining which of the six ORFs, encoding the genes ycf 1, ycf 2, psbD (photosystem II), rbcl (Rubisco), matK (Maturase K) and rpoC1 (RNA polymerase) were influenced by light. Characterization of gene expression at the whole plant level and callus stage facilitates the identification of transcripts which are differentially regulated under these environmental conditions. Specificity of these primers was tested against genomic DNA and total RNA. Transcripts of six targeted genes were detected in all three replicates of the green and white callus under light and dark conditions, except for ycf 2 gene in green callus under light. The result showed that a partial transcript of the gene ycf 2 located on the J. curcas chloroplast genome was not detectable using reverse transcription PCR. This finding was then validated using quantitative real-time PCR. The gene was suspected to be post-transcriptionally modified. The transcripts of the remaining five ORFs could be detected using quantitative real-time PCR. Specific transcripts can be identified for application as biomarkers for selection of callus for plantlet regeneration.
