Fine mapping of the Bsr1 barley stripe mosaic virus resistance gene in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon.

The ND18 strain of Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) infects several lines of Brachypodium distachyon, a recently developed model system for genomics research in cereals. Among the inbred lines tested, Bd3-1 is highly resistant at 20 to 25 °C, whereas Bd21 is susceptible and infection results in an intense mosaic phenotype accompanied by high levels of replicating virus. We generated an F(6:7) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population from a cross between Bd3-1 and Bd21 and used the RILs, and an F(2) population of a second Bd21 × Bd3-1 cross to evaluate the inheritance of resistance.

The R-rich motif of Beet black scorch virus P7a movement protein is important for the nuclear localization, nucleolar targeting and viral infectivity.

Beet black scorch virus (BBSV) encodes three movement proteins (P7a, P7b and P5') that facilitate its cell-to-cell movement. An arginine-rich motif of P7a N-terminus was found to determine nuclear and nucleolar localization. Amino acids substitution or deletion of the R-rich motif interfered with P7a nuclear and nucleolar localization.

Umbilical blood biomarkers for predicting early-onset neonatal sepsis.

Background: Since the 1990s, finding the most efficient markers or combinations as predictors of early-onset neonatal sepsis has been the hot topic of studies. But there is no review of such biomarkers detected in umbilical blood at birth. By comparing clinical values of common inflammatory markers detected in cord blood shortly after birth, in this study we tried to find the most performing one or the most efficient combination that might be potentially used in birth room, as the earliest predictor of early-onset neonatal sepsis.

Nucleotide sequence of a chickpea chlorotic stunt virus relative that infects pea and faba bean in China.

We determined the genome sequence of a new polerovirus that infects field pea and faba bean in China. Its entire nucleotide sequence (6021 nt) was most closely related (83.3% identity) to that of an Ethiopian isolate of chickpea chlorotic stunt virus (CpCSV-Eth).

Complete genomic sequence analysis reveals a novel fabavirus infecting cucurbits in China.

The complete genome sequence of a cucurbit-infecting fabavirus was determined. Sequence analysis revealed that it had a genomic organization typical of fabaviruses, with genome segment sizes of 5870 nt (RNA-1) and 3294 nt (RNA-2). It shared CP and Pro-Pol amino acid sequence identities of 52.

Rapid detection of wheat yellow mosaic virus by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

For the detection of wheat yellow mosaic virus (WYMV), we established a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method. Using Primer Explorer software, four sets of primers were designed and RT-LAMP assay reaction conditions were optimized. The RT-LAMP was performed at different times by four primer sets.

A high throughput barley stripe mosaic virus vector for virus induced gene silencing in monocots and dicots.

Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) is a single-stranded RNA virus with three genome components designated alpha, beta, and gamma. BSMV vectors have previously been shown to be efficient virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) vehicles in barley and wheat and have provided important information about host genes functioning during pathogenesis as well as various aspects of genes functioning in development. To permit more effective use of BSMV VIGS for functional genomics experiments, we have developed an Agrobacterium delivery system for BSMV and have coupled this with a ligation independent cloning (LIC) strategy to mediate efficient cloning of host genes.

Molecular characterization of two genotypes of a new polerovirus infecting brassicas in China.

The genomic RNA sequences of two genotypes of a brassica-infecting polerovirus from China were determined. Sequence analysis revealed that the virus was closely related to but significantly different from turnip yellows virus (TuYV). This virus and other poleroviruses, including TuYV, had less than 90% amino acid sequence identity in all gene products except the coat protein.

An overview of morbidity, mortality and long-term outcome of late preterm birth.

Background: Preterm birth rate continues to rise around the world mainly at the expense of late preterm newborns, recently defined as births between the gestational age of 34 weeks and 36-6/7 weeks. Late preterm infants are considered to have significantly more short-term and longterm adverse outcomes than term infants.

Data Sources: Articles concerning morbidity, mortality and long-term outcomes of late preterm infants were retrieved from PubMed/MEDLINE published during the period of 2000-2010.

Detection and characterization of spontaneous internal deletion mutants of Beet Necrotic yellow vein virus RNA3 from systemic host Nicotiana benthamiana.

Background: Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein virus (BNYVV) is a member of the genus Benyvirus causing a worldwide sugar beet disease rhizomania. BNYVV contains four or five plus-sense single stranded RNAs. In altered selective conditions, multipartite RNA viruses of plant are prone to undergoing internal deletions, thus turning into Defective RNAs (D RNAs).

[Biological characteristics of defensin and its disease-resistance genetic engineering].

Defensin is a kind of cysteine-rich small peptide, which has a broad spectrum of resistance to bacteria with a special resistance mechanism. So far, a large number of studies on defensins have been reported, and the different types of defensins have been isolated from various organisms. A broad prospect of application on defensins has been displayed both in genetic engineering and medicine field.

Effects of Salvia miltorrhiza in neural differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells with optimized protocol.

Aim Of The Study: The present study was aimed to explore the effects of Salvia miltorrhiza in inducing rMSCs to differentiate into functional neurons.

Materials And Methods: rMSCs were isolated and cultured in vitro, then Salvia miltorrhiza was added to induce rMSCs to differentiate repeatedly for 5 times with an optimized protocol, and neurophysiological functions such as action potential, endocytosis and exocytosis of the induced cells were investigated.

Results: About 98% of rMSCs expressed markers related to neural stem cells after treatment with preinduction medium, but they remained fibroform, the classical morphological state of MSCs, after exposure to induction medium for 2h, and the induced cells showed a neural shape.

Risk factors and pathogen profile of ventilator-associated pneumonia in a neonatal intensive care unit in China.

Background: The aim of the present study was to explore the incidence and risk factors of, and summarize the involved pathogens in, neonates with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the authors' neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to determine the effective strategies for prevention.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study including 117 VAP patients and 232 controls was conducted from January 2002 to July 2008. The antibiotics sensitivity spectrum was determined on quantitative microbiological evaluation.

Effect of ambroxol on pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa with biofilm formation in an endotracheal intubation rat model.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, especially the mucoid phenotype, is responsible for most of the morbidity and mortality in ventilator-associated pneumonia. Although ambroxol is widely used in neonatal lung problems as a mucolytic as well as an antioxidant agent, its anti-infective role is not well demonstrated by studies in vivo.

Objective: To explore the effect of ambroxol on the biofilms of mucoid P.

Influence of the 5'-proximal elements of the 5'-untranslated region of classical swine fever virus on translation and replication.

The 5'-terminal sequence spanning nt 1-29 of the 5'-untranslated region of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) forms a 5'-proximal stem-loop structure known as domain Ia. Deletions and replacement mutations were performed to examine the role of this domain. Deletion of the 5'-proximal nucleotides and disruption of the stem-loop structure greatly increased internal ribosome entry site-mediated translation but abolished the replication of the replicons.

Rice black-streaked dwarf virus P6 self-interacts to form punctate, viroplasm-like structures in the cytoplasm and recruits viroplasm-associated protein P9-1.

Background: Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), a member of the genus Fijivirus within the family Reoviridae, can infect several graminaceous plant species including rice, maize and wheat, and is transmitted by planthoppers. Although several RBSDV proteins have been studied in detail, functions of the nonstructural protein P6 are still largely unknown.

Results: In the current study, we employed yeast two-hybrid assays, bimolecular fluorescence complementation and subcellular localization experiments to show that P6 can self-interact to form punctate, cytoplasmic viroplasm-like structures (VLS) when expressed alone in plant cells.

Characterisation of interaction between NS3 and NS5B protein of classical swine fever virus by deletion of terminal sequences of NS5B.

The NS3-NS5B interaction of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is important for viral replication. For characterisation of the interaction between the NS3 and NS5B, a series of NS5B mutants with deletion of N-, C-terminal amino acids and quadruple alanine substitution mutations were produced. GST pull-down assays and immunoprecipitation analyses showed that NS5B and some NS5B mutants have NS3 binding activity.

A novel strain of Beet western yellows virus infecting sugar beet with two distinct genotypes differing in the 5'-terminal half of genome.

The complete genomic sequences of two distinct Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) genotypes infecting sugar beet in Beijing, named as BWYV-BJ(A) and BWYV-BJ(B) (GenBank accession number HM804471, HM804472, respectively), were determined by RT-PCR sub-cloning approach. BWYV-BJ(A) and BWYV-BJ(B) were 5674 and 5626nt in length, respectively. BWYV-BJ(B) was 48nt shorter than BWYV-BJ(A) in the regions 1589-1615 and 1629-1649nt.

Nuclear localization of Beet black scorch virus capsid protein and its interaction with importin α.

Beet black scorch virus (BBSV) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to Necrovirus genus. In order to better understand the life cycle of BBSV, we have investigated the subcellular localization of BBSV capsid protein (CP) by its fusion with green fluorescent protein (GFP) agroinfiltrated into Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and by particle bombardment into onion (Allium cepa) epidermal cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed that BBSV CP fused to GFP displayed enhanced fluorescence in nuclei and nuclear import of the CP was confirmed in BBSV-infected N.

[Economic evaluation on diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction in neonates].

Objective: To explore the cost-effectiveness of the diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) in neonates.

Methods: Serum CMV immunoglobulin M (CMV-IgM) and CMV-IgG were detected using ELISA in 610 neonates aged less than 14 days. CMV DNA content was detected by FQ-PCR.

Ring structure amino acids affect the suppressor activity of melon aphid-borne yellows virus P0 protein.

Melon aphid-borne yellows virus (MABYV) is a newly identified polerovirus occurring in China. Here, we demonstrate that the MABYV encoded P0 (P0(MA)) protein is a strong suppressor of post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) with activity comparable to tobacco etch virus (TEV) HC-Pro. In addition we have shown that the LP F-box motif present at the N-terminus of P0(MA) is required for suppressor activity.

Classical swine fever virus NS3 is an IRES-binding protein and increases IRES-dependent translation.

To get more evidences for understanding the role of NS3 in viral translation, we observed the promotive effect of CSFV NS3 on IRES-mediated translation by using dicistronic and monocistronic systems containing the precise segment comprising CSFV IRES. The results for affinity chromatography and UV-crosslinking assays indicated that NS3 bound CSFV IRES and that CSFV NS5A and NS5B could reduce the IRES-NS3 interaction. Further experiments showed that the NS5A also bound the IRES and that NS3 and NS5A bound the same binding sites of the IRES, suggesting that NS3 and NS5A competitively bind the same sites in IRES RNA sequence, thus hampering the interaction CSFV NS3 and IRES.

Oral administration of plant-based rotavirus VP6 induces antigen-specific IgAs, IgGs and passive protection in mice.

Plant viruses show significant potential as expression vectors for producing foreign proteins in plants. In this study, codon-optimized VP6 gene (sVP6) of human rotavirus was engineered as a replacement to the coat protein (CP) open reading frame of Beet black scorch virus (BBSV). In vitro-generated RNA transcripts corresponding to the engineered virus were infectious when inoculated onto the leaves of Chenopodium amaranticolor.

Ambroxol interferes with Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing.

The mucolytic agent ambroxol has been reported to interfere with the formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-derived biofilms in addition to reducing alginate production by undefined mechanisms. Since quorum sensing is a key regulator of virulence and biofilm formation, we examined the effects of ambroxol on P. aeruginosa PAO1 wild-type bacterial clearance rates, adhesion profiles and biofilm formation compared with the quorum sensing-deficient, double-mutant strains DeltalasR DeltarhlR and DeltalasI DeltarhlI.