Advances in the study of helminth mitochondrial genomes and their associated applications

Helminths, including flatworms and roundworms, are abundant organisms that have a variety of life histories. Of these, the genera Schistosoma, Echinococcus, Trichinella are notable parasites of veterinary and medical importance, and cause substantial socio- economic losses throughout China and the rest of the world. Genetic markers in the mitochondrial (mt) genome have proven use- ful for systematic, ecological, evolutionary and population studies, and the growth of mt genomic research has increased in the last two decades. Technological improvements, such as the long-polymerase chain reaction method and high-throughput se- quencing have allowed minute amounts of DNA from single worms, biopsy samples or microscopic organisms to be used for whole mt genome characterization. To facilitate the retrieval, annotation and analyses of mitochondrial features, multiple data- bases and specific software have also been designed and established. This review focuses on current progress, applications and perspectives regarding helminth mt genomics. To date, the complete mt genomes for 93 species of helminths have been sequenced and analyzed. Analyses of the mt genes, including gene content, arrangement, composition and variation have revealed unique features among the helminths when compared with other metazoans. This provides important data concerning their functional and comparative mitochondrial genomics, molecular taxonomy and characterization, population genetics and systematics, and evolu- tionary history. Moreover, mt genome data for parasitic helminths are important for diagnosis, epidemiology and ecology of in- fections. Mitochondrial genome data offer a rich source of markers for the systematics and population genetics of socioeconomi- cally important parasitic helminths of humans and other animals.     

神经元及神经环路活性异常与阿尔茨海默病研究进展

 细胞外淀粉样蛋白（Aβ）沉积和细胞内神经纤维缠结是阿尔茨海默病的典型病理特征。淀粉样蛋白和tau蛋白（神经纤维缠结的主要组成成分）在脑中的异常聚集会导致神经元活性异常,进而引起神经环路结构及功能紊乱,最终造成阿尔茨海默病患者认知功能障碍。概述了Aβ及tau蛋白的生成及调控,阐述了Aβ及tau蛋白异常聚集在神经元及神经环路活动中的作用和机制,综述了ApoE、炎症反应及成体神经发生异常在AD神经元及神经环路活动障碍中的作用。     

中国东北地区各民族的母系遗传关系

对吉林、辽宁两地23例满族个体的线粒体高可变Ⅰ区序列进行了测定,并采用APLP分析和编码区SNP分析将这些样本归属于单倍群A,B,C,D,D4,F,M,M8a和R,结合已经发表的东北地区其他人群的母系遗传数据,对蒙古族、朝鲜族、鄂温克族、鄂伦春族、达斡尔族以及汉族人群的线粒体遗传数据进行了主成分、分子差异、中介网络分析.结果表明:同一起源地区的民族之间有较近的遗传关系,同时居住在相同或相邻地区的民族之间同样表现出较近的遗传关系,表明东北各民族向外扩张时与当地居民发生了基因融合.     

美国红鱼细胞色素b基因和控制区基因序列的初步分析

采用PCR技术扩增了美国红鱼线粒体DNA的细胞色素b和控制区基因片段,PCR扩增产物直接测序,分别得到1140bp和623bp的核苷酸序列。将所得序列与从Genbank中查到的美国红鱼序列进行比较,分析了序列中碱基的组成及变异情况,为美国红鱼的合理开发利用及养殖发展规划的制定提供遗传学数据,为保护中国海域生物种质资源多样性提供科学依据。     

内皮功能失调与泛血管疾病

血管内皮细胞是机体维持血管健康和稳态的关键细胞类型.内皮细胞功能失调(endothelial dysfunction,ED)作为泛血管疾病(panvascular diseases)的核心环节,是一个多步骤、多危险因素参与的复杂病理过程,涉及内皮细胞损伤死亡、通透性的增加、血管收缩、炎症、氧化应激、白细胞向内皮细胞的黏...     

Which neurological abnormalities and neuropsychological impairments share the same substrate in psychosis?

Approximately 60% of subjects with schizophrenia present minor neurological signs (neurological soft signs, NSS), which include abnormalities in sensory and motor performance indicative of a non-specific cerebral dysfunction. These are also present in healthy individuals and relatives of patients with psychosis, at significantly lower rates. The excess of NSS in psychosis may be a potential endophenotype for this disorder, and reflect the same neurodevelopmental brain dysfunction that also underlies the cog...     

位点特异性频率模型在昆虫分子系统发育分析中的应用

根据位点特异性频率模型(site-specific rate model),利用PAUP软件,对线粒体COI基因序列不同密码子位点的数据模块分别进行了豉甲科和水生肉食亚目在亚科或科水平上的系统发育学分析,结果表明第二密码子数据模块获得的系统分析结果与形态学分析结果一致。表明位点特异性频率模型在线粒体COI基因作为标记来进行昆虫分子系统发育分析上获得了更好的效果。     

扬子鳃蛭线粒体基因组全序列测定及其系统学地位——基于Pacbio和Illumina技术

利用Illumina和Pacbio测序技术对扬子鳃蛭（Ozobranchus jantseanus）线粒体基因组全序列进行测序及注释,并与NCBI数据库中蛭纲（Hirudinea）其他物种的线粒体全序列的排列方式和系统进化关系进行了比较,以确定其系统学地位.结果显示：获得的线粒体基因组序列长度为14 868 bp,蛋白编码基因存在2种起始密码子,分别为ATG和ATT;终止密码子共有4种,分别为TAA,TAG,TA和T;蛭纲10个物种的线粒体基因组全序列基因排序可分为2种类型,其差异表现在tRNAs的互换和长非编码区的长度的不同;扬子鳃蛭所属的吻蛭目（Rhynchobdellida）均为b型,绝大部分无吻蛭目（Arhynchobdellida）的排列方式为a型.基于蛭纲物种的13个蛋白编码基因(PCGs)的Neighbor-Joining（NJ）树进化分析显示,扬子鳃蛭与其他吻蛭目物种聚类.     

“酒蒸黄连-石菖蒲”组分配伍对实验性糖尿病认知 障碍大鼠脂质代谢的影响

脂毒、浊毒等是导致糖尿病认知障碍发生的重要原因,为进一步系统研究\"酒蒸黄连-石菖蒲\"组分防治糖尿病认知障碍的配伍作用机理,本研究拟采用小剂量STZ+高脂高糖乳液+D-半乳糖建立大鼠实验性糖尿病认知障碍复合模型,探讨药物配伍对糖尿病认知障碍模型大鼠脂质代谢的影响.实验分别检测大鼠血清总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)、极低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(VLDL-C)和高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)的含量,以及载脂蛋白A1B(Apo A1、Apo B)和游离脂肪酸(NEFA)的含量,并依据上述指标分别计算脂质代谢紊乱因子TC/HDLC、TG/HDL-C、LDL-C/HDL-C以及Apo A1/Apo B的比值.研究结果表明,\"酒蒸黄连-石菖蒲\"组分配伍后能明显降低模型大鼠血清TC、TG、LDL-C、VLDL-C、NEFA以及Apo B的含量,升高HDL-C及Apo A1的含量,改善脂质代谢紊乱因子TC/HDL-C、TG/HDL-C和LDL-C/HDL-C比值,纠正Apo A1/Apo B比值的异常.上述结果提示,\"酒蒸黄连-石菖蒲\"组分配伍具有明显的调节脂质代谢作用.     

烟草MnSoD cDNA基因的克隆及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

烟草锰超氧化物歧化酶(MnSOD)是一种由核基因编码并定位于线粒体的蛋白质,是植物体内清除超氧根阴离子的主要酶类．采用RT—PCR方法,从烟草(Nicotiana tubaccum)中克隆到MnSODeDNA基因(SodA),序列分析结果与文献报告的资料相比,核苷酸序列的同源性为99．9％,氨基酸序列的同源性为99．6％．该基因能在原核表达载体pBV221中正确表达,并表现出SOD酶活性．