Identification of fish species through tRNA-based primer design.

Background: The correct establishment of the barcode classification system for fish can facilitate biotaxonomists to distinguish fish species, and it can help the government to verify the authenticity of the ingredients of fish products or identify unknown fish related samples. The Cytochrome c oxidation I (COI) gene sequence in the mitochondria of each species possesses unique characteristics, which has been widely used as barcodes in identifying species in recent years. Instead of using COI gene sequences for primer design, flanking tRNA segments of COI genes from 2618 complete fish mitochondrial genomes were analyzed to discover suitable primers for fish classification at taxonomic family level.

Comprehensive Linear Epitope Prediction System for Host Specificity in .

Background: infection is one of the leading causes of death in commercial fish. Although many vaccines against this virus family have been developed, their efficacies are relatively low. are categorized into three subfamilies: alphanodavirus (infects insects), betanodavirus (infects fish), and gammanodavirus (infects prawns).

Conformational epitope matching and prediction based on protein surface spiral features.

Background: A conformational epitope (CE) is composed of neighboring amino acid residues located on an antigenic protein surface structure. CEs bind their complementary paratopes in B-cell receptors and/or antibodies. An effective and efficient prediction tool for CE analysis is critical for the development of immunology-related applications, such as vaccine design and disease diagnosis.

A voting mechanism-based linear epitope prediction system for the host-specific Iridoviridae family.

The Iridoviridae family is categorized into five genera and clustered into two subfamilies: Alphairidovirinae includes Lymphocystivirus, Ranavirus (GIV), and Megalocystivirus (TGIV), which infect vertebrate hosts and Betairidovirinae includes Iridovirus and Chloriridovirus, which infect invertebrate hosts. Clustered Iridoviridae subfamilies possess host-specific characteristics, which can be considered as exclusive features for in-silico prediction of effective epitopes for vaccine development. A voting mechanism-based linear epitope (LE) prediction system was applied to identify and endorse LE candidates with a minimum length requirement for each clustered subfamily RESULTS: The experimental results showed that four conserved epitopes among the Iridovirideae family, one exclusive epitope for invertebrate subfamily and two exclusive epitopes for vertebrate family were predicted.

Comparison of grouper infection with two different iridoviruses using transcriptome sequencing and multiple reference species selection.

Due to high-density aquafarming in Taiwan, groupers are commonly infected with two different iridoviruses: Megalocytivirus (grouper iridovirus of Taiwan, TGIV) and Ranavirus (grouper iridovirus, GIV). Iridoviral diseases cause mass mortality, and surviving fish retain these pathogens, which can then be horizontally transferred. These viruses have therefore become a major challenge for grouper aquaculture.

Development of a growth-hormone-conjugated nanodiamond complex for cancer therapy.

It is highly desirable to develop a therapeutic, observable nanoparticle complex for specific targeting in cancer therapy. Growth hormone (GH) and its antagonists have been explored as cancer cell-targeting molecules for both imaging and therapeutic applications. In this study, a low toxicity, biocompatible, therapeutic, and observable GH-nanoparticle complex for specifically targeting growth hormone receptor (GHR) in cancer cells was synthesized by conjugating GH with green fluorescence protein and carboxylated nanodiamond.

Synthesis of apolipoprotein B lipoparticles to deliver hydrophobic/amphiphilic materials.

To develop a drug delivery system (DDS), it is critical to address challenging tasks such as the delivery of hydrophobic and amphiphilic compounds, cell uptake, and the metabolic fate of the drug delivery carrier. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been acknowledged as the human serum transporter of natively abundant lipoparticles such as cholesterol, triacylglycerides, and lipids. Apolipoprotein B (apo B) is the only protein contained in LDL, and possesses a binding moiety for the LDL receptor that can be internalized and degraded naturally by the cell.

Inhibitory effects of chloroform extracts derived from Corbicula fluminea on the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Corbicula fluminea, the primary freshwater bivalve cultivated in Taiwan, was formerly used as a remedy for hepatitis. Recent reports indicate that C. fluminea has many bioactivities, but it remains unknown whether C.

Identification of antigens for the development of a subunit vaccine against Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida.

Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida (Ph.d.

A new amide alkaloid from the leaves of Piper sarmentosum.

A new amide alkaloid, N-(3',4',5'-trimethoxy-cis-cinnamoyl)pyrrolidine (1), named sarmentomicine was isolated from the ethanol extract of the leaves of Malayan Piper sarmentosum, together with two known phenylpropanoids. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis.