Enzymatic characteristics of a recombinant neutral protease I (rNpI) from Aspergillus oryzae expressed in Pichia pastoris.

A truncated neutral protease I (NpI) from Aspergillus oryzae 3.042 was expressed in Pichia pastoris with a high enzyme yield of 43101 U/mL. Its optimum pH was about 8.

Molecular cloning, recombinant expression and antibacterial activity analysis of hepcidin from Simensis crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis).

Hepcidin, a cysteine-rich cationic antibacterial peptide, plays an important role in human defense against pathogen infection. However, its role in reptile immune response and whether it is involved in antibacterial immune have not yet been proven. In order to study the antibacterial activity of Crocodylus siamensis hepcidin (Cshepc), a common reptile which lives in topic region of Southeast Asia, a cDNA sequence of Cshepc was cloned, which included an open reading frame (ORF) of 300 bp encoding a 99 amino acid preprohepcidin.

Roles of L5-7 loop in the structure and chaperone function of SsHSP14.1.

The small heat shock protein SsHSP14.1 from the hyper-thermophilic archeaon, Sulfolobus solfataricus (S. solfataricus) was able to protect proteins from thermal aggregation and prevent enzymes from heat induced inactivation.

A novel protein isolated from the serum of rabbitfish (Siganus oramin) is lethal to Cryptocaryon irritans.

The susceptibility of eight marine fish species cultured in South China were tested for infection by the parasitic ciliate, Cryptocaryon irritans, via a challenge examination and an immobilization assay. All species of fish (representing six different families) that we investigated were infected by C. irritans except the rabbitfish (Siganus oramin), which displayed resistance to C.

Optimization of fermentation media for nitrite oxidizing bacteria using sequential statistical design.

The sequential statistical experimental design (Plackett-Burman, factorial, response surface and steepest ascent experiment) was applied to optimize the culture medium of nitrite oxidizing bacteria for improving the nitrite oxidizing rate. Estimated optimum medium composition of the nitrite oxidizing rate was as follows: NaHCO3, 1.86gl(-1); NaNO2, 2.

Characterization and expression of an actin-depolymerizing factor from Eimeria tenella.

Actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) plays an important role in remodeling the actin cytoskeleton which contributes much to the invasion of host cells by the apicomplexan parasite. The gene encoding for Eimeria tenella ADF with one intron was cloned and identified by the E. tenella genome raw sequence data ( http://www.

Comparative studies on the immunogenicity of theronts, tomonts and trophonts of Cryptocaryon irritans in grouper.

Cryptocaryon irritans is a ciliated obligate parasite of marine fish, causing white spot disease in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Recent studies have shown that fish can mount immune responses against C. irritans and acquire protection.

The evaluation for generic-level monophyly of Ancyrocephalinae (Monogenea, Dactylogyridae) using ribosomal DNA sequence data.

To overcome the limited regional and taxonomic coverage in previous studies of the Ancyrocephalinae (Monogenea, Dactylogyridae), we present further findings on the molecular systematics and phylogeny of a broader selection of specimens, aiming to build a molecular phylogeny of the Ancyrocephalinae, and to assess the monophyly of each available genus, using D1-D2 domain of LSU rDNA and the combined LSU and partial sequence of SSU rDNA data sets. Our studies showed that 18 Haliotrema species were highly dispersive to form several clades with species from ten closely related genera. The host range of Euryhaliotrematoides species was not only restricted in butterfly fishes (Chaetodontidae), but widen to include the Lutjanidae.

Protective immunity in grouper (Epinephelus coioides) following exposure to or injection with Cryptocaryon irritans.

The protective immunity of grouper (Epinephelus coioides) against Cryptocaryon irritans was determined after immunisation by surface exposure or intraperitoneal injection. Specific antibody titres of immunised fish serum and skin culture supernatant were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immobilisation assays. Specific antibody can be detected in some immunised fish at Week 1 and in all immunised fish at Week 2, and the peaks were between Weeks 4-6.

PCR-based identification and delineation of members within the Pseudorhabdosynochus lantauensis complex (Monogenea: Diplectanidae).

Molecular methods using genetic markers in the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) were established to identify and distinguish between two members within the Pseudorhabdosynochus lantauensis complex and two morphologically distinct congeners, Pseudorhabdosynochus epinepheli and Pseudorhabdosynochus coioidesis, from different marine fish species and various geographical origins. Supported by selective DNA sequencing, it was demonstrated that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-coupled single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of the first internal transcribed spacer and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of a variable region (representing the D1-D3 domains) in the large subunit of rDNA achieved the identification and delineation of all four taxa examined. These PCR-based approaches provide useful complementary tools to traditional methods for the accurate identification of species within the genus Pseudorhabdosynochus (irrespective of developmental stage) and have major implications for studying the ecology, transmission, and population genetic structures of these and other related parasites and for the prevention and control of the diseases they cause.

Are Tritrichomonas foetus and Tritrichomonas suis synonyms?

Tritrichomonas suis, a tritrichomonad of pigs, and the related species Tritrichomonas foetus, a tritrichomonad of cattle, are morphologically identical. The taxonomic relationship between these two tritrichomonads has been questioned ever since they were established as distinct species in 1843 and 1928, respectively. Here, we compare the similarities of morphology, ultrastructure, distribution, host specificity, characteristics of in vitro cultivation, immunology, biochemistry and analysis of molecular data from published sources between these two species.

PCR-SSCP as a molecular tool for the identification of Benedeniinae (Monogenea: Capsalidae) from marine fish.

PCR-based single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis was used to characterize monogenean specimens of the subfamily Benedeniinae of morphologically uncertain specific status from different marine fish species, using Neobenedenia melleni, N. girellae and Entobdella corona for comparison. The first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) and the 5' terminal variable region (D1-D3 domains) of the large subunit ribosomal DNA (lsrDNA) were amplified separately from individual monogeneans, and the amplicons were subjected to PCR-SSCP analyses, followed by direct sequencing.

Cloning of Etp28 Gene of Eimeria tenella (Guangdong Strain) Sporozoites and Its Expression in Baculovirus Expression System.

A refractile body antigen Etp28 Gene of Eimeria tenella (Guangdong Strain) sporozoites was cloned by PCR from the synthesized first strand cDNA. It has a high homology with the previously reported Etp28 gene of Merck Strain LS18. The gene was expressed through standard procedures in the modified Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV-OCC(-)) expression system and large amount of heterologous fusion protein (GST-6xHis-Etp28) was obtained.