仙鹤藓RNA提取不同方法比较

用从雾灵山寒冷干燥生境中采集到的仙鹤藓，建立可控制的“干燥-复水”工作体系，用于寻找与耐旱相关的差异表达基因，为进行植物抗旱基因工程提供可以利用的目的基因．总RNA的分离是进行分子操作的关键和基础．然而，仙鹤藓材料以其组分的特殊性造成了提取组织总RNA的困难．同时干燥和复水处理过的材料，由于次生代谢物增多，严重的影响到总RNA的提取和质量．本文通过探索行之有效的材料处理方法，比较不同提取藓类植物总RNA方法的优劣，提供可供参考的总RNA提取方法．     

不同破壁方法对活性污泥总DNA提取效果的影响

分别采用酶法、化学法、珠磨匀浆法和反复冻融法对活性污泥样品进行破壁，提取总DNA，并通过提取的核酸总量、纯度、片段分布情况、是否含有聚合酶链反应抑制剂以及基因间隔序列(ITS)扩增产物多态性等5个指标来评价不同的细胞破壁方法对活性污泥总DNA提取效果的影响。结果表明，化学法的优势最明显，提取的总量最多，大片段提取效果好，虽然杂质较多，但不影响聚合酶链反应，方法的偏倚性最小。     

Symmetrical directional cloning: An efficient method to prepare hairpin RNA interference constructs

RNA interference (RNAi) is a loss-of-function approach by which double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) initiates degradation of homologous mRNAs in a sequence specific manner. The dsRNA molecules can be produced in vitro or in vivo, and can be introduced to cells in a number of ways. Here we report a more efficient method for the cloning of inverted repeat DNA fragments into expression vectors that can be transcribed into effective dsRNA molecules in vivo or in vitro. This method, named Symmetrical Directional Cloning (SDC), takes the advantage of compatible non-palindromic restriction enezyme sites, which allow one to directionally clone a single PCR product in both the sense and antisense orientations together into a vector. SDC allows for the directional cloning of inverted repeats using a single PCR product; it requires only one cut site on each side of the loop. Hence this method is more cost effective and less time-consuming. At least 21 commercially available restriction endonucleases can be used as cloning sites for the SDC method. The efficacy of dsRNA expression vectors prepared by SDC has been demonstrated by targeting a negative regulator of the signaling pathway mediating the response of cells to phytohormone, gibberellins (GA), in the aleurone cells.     

RNA interference-mediated inhibition of Hepatitis B Virus replication

Persistent and recurrent infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) represents one of the most common and severe viral infections of humans, and has caused a formidable health problem in the affected countries. Currently used antiviral drugs have a very limited success on controlling HBV replication and infection. RNA interference (RNAi), a process by which double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) directs sequence-specific degradation of target mRNA in mammalian and plant cells, has recently been used to knockdown gene expression in various species. In this study, we sought to determine whether RNAi-mediated silencing of HBV viral gene expression could lead to the effective inhibition of HBV replication. We first developed RNAi vectors that expressed small interfering RNA (siRNA) and targeted the HBV core or surface gene sequence. Our results demonstrated that these specific siRNAs efficiently reduced the levels of corresponding viral RNAs and proteins, and thus suppressed viral replication. Treatment with siRNA gave the greatest reduction in the levels of HBsAg (92%) and in HBeAg (85%) respectively in the cultured cell medium. Our findings further demonstrated that the RNAi-mediated antiviral effect was sequence-specific and dose-dependent. Therefore, our findings strongly suggest that RNAi-mediated silencing of HBV viral genes could effectively inhibit the replication of HBV, hence RNAi-based strategy should be further explored as a more efficacious antiviral therapy of HBV infection.     

复杂的RNA与复杂的基因组

根据分子生物学的“中心法则”(central dogma)．遗传信息在几乎所有生物体内都是从DNA传递到RNA，然后再从RNA流向蛋白质。显然，RNA是一座“桥梁”，负责DNA和蛋白质之间信息的流通。在这个过程中，首先是将基因组DNA上的基因信息“复写”到一种称为mRNA的RNA分子上，然后再将mRNA含有的基因信息“翻译”为构成蛋白质的氨基酸序列。     

一类RNA二级结构的计数

应用组合计数技巧研究了一类RNA二级结构的计数问题,给出了序列[1,n]的二级结构数和序列[1,n]上恰有k个基对的二级结构数的精确表达式.     

RNA干涉研究进展

RNA干涉(RNAi)是生物体内的一种通过双链RNA(dsRNA)来抵抗病毒入侵和抑制转座 子活动的自然机制.快速发展的RNAi技术为抑制特异性基因的表达提供了有利的工具.到目前为 止,在真菌、拟南芥、线虫、锥虫、水螅、涡虫、果蝇、斑马鱼、小鼠等真核生物中都发现存在基因沉默 机制.RNAi作为基因沉默的工具,为基因功能研究、基因治疗、药物研究与开发等许多领域开辟了 一条新路.     

家蚕非编码RNA Bm-152功能初探

Bm-152是前期研究中发现的一个在家蚕丝腺中高表达的非编码RNA.采用实时荧光定量PCR技术对Bm-152在家蚕5龄到预蛹期不同发育天数丝腺中的表达谱进行检测.同时,在个体中过表达Bm-152,检测Bm-152可能参与的信号通路.结果显示,Bm-152在家蚕5龄幼虫丝腺发育过程中无明显的变化规律,但在吐丝第1天表达量较高,随后表达量又下降.通过在血淋巴中注射2μg piggyBac[A3-EGFP-A3-Bm-152]过表达载体,48h后发现Bm-152在丝腺组织中无明显过表达,但在非丝腺组织中可实现明显过表达,且表达量上调1.66倍;蜕皮激素信号通路基因Usp在非丝腺组织中上调1.95倍,E75A在非丝腺组织中上调2.26倍,保幼激素信号通路基因Met在非丝腺组织中上调1.79倍.表明非编码RNA Bm-152可能通过蜕皮激素和保幼激素信号通路参与家蚕发育,该结果为进一步探索Bm-152的功能提供了方向.     

我国科学家发现有重大生物学意义的全新RNA病毒

我国科学家从蜱中发现一种从未被报道过的分节段RNA病毒，该病毒在分类上可能代表着一个新病毒科。该病毒由中国疾控中心传染病所张永振研究员及其研究团队发现，文章日前发表在《美国科学院院报》杂志上，国际著名学术期刊《Nature Reviews Microbiology））高度评价了该论文的重要意义，《科学家》等许多国际网站媒体也进行了报道。