This paper summarizes the studies on improving crop nutritional quality including protein, saccharide and lipid through gene engineering in recent 10 years. Special emphasis is laid upon the improvement of protein contains and amino acid components. The food safety caused probably by gene engineering and some ways to solve the problem are introduced briefly.
Crops, Agricultural ; Genetic Engineering ; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena

Recombinant adenovirus vector systems with strong promoters have been used to achieve high level production of recombinant protein. However, this overexpression system cause some problems such as disturbance of cell physiology and increment of cellular toxicity. Here, we showed a tetracycline-regulated adenovirus expression vector system. Our results showed that the expression level of transgene(p-53) was high and easily regulated by tetracycline. In addition, the maximal gene expresion level of the tetracycline-controlled gene expression system was higher than that of the wild type CMV promoter system. Therefore, tetracycline-regulated adenoviral vector system could be applicable for regulatory high-level expression of toxic gene. Also, this system will be useful for functional studies and gene therapy.
Adenoviridae* ; Cell Physiological Phenomena ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Therapy ; Tetracycline

Gaucher disease is an inherited glycolipid storage disorder caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase. Clinical manifestations include hepatosplenomegaly, skeletal abnormalities, anemia and thrombocytopenia. We present here the corresponding genotypes and the genotype-phenotype correlations of 3 Filipino patients. Clinical phenotypes and genotypes were documented by reviewing the charts of 3 Filipino patients with Gaucher disease. Clinical parameters such as liver and spleen sizes, hematologic variables, disease types and response to enzyme replacement therapy were compared. Likewise, quantitative enzyme assays and mutation analysis were reviewed. All have the type III neuronopathic Gaucher disease. Patients 1 and 2 are twin sisters who both have mild mental retardation with Patient 1 having a concomitant seizure disorder. They have the corresponding genotype of p.L444/p.P319A. Patient 3 has global developmental delay, oculomotor apraxia, pyramidal tract signs and carries the p.L444P/p.G202R/p.G202R genotype. Genotype-phenotype correlations for the 3 patients showed that their genotypes are compatible with the severe neuronopathic type of disease.
GENOTYPE ; GENETIC PHENOMENA ; PHENOTYPE ; GAUCHER DISEASE ; NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES

Plasmids are the most commonly used gene carriers in the field of gene synthesis and sequencing. However, the main problems faced by traditional plasmid DNA extraction technology are low extraction throughput and high production cost, so they cannot meet the growing demand. In this study, a double-magnetic-bead method (DMBM) for plasmid extraction was developed based on the principle of plasmid extraction. The effects of the input of magnetic beads, the size of plasmid DNA fragments, and the volume of bacterial on plasmid DNA extraction were explored. In addition, the quality, throughput, and cost of plasmid DNA extraction were also compared between this technique and the commercial plasmid DNA extraction kits. The results showed that the DMBM can meet the needs of extracting plasmid DNA with different cell densities and fragment lengths. Moreover, the sensitivity and quality of plasmid extraction by the DMBM method were both superior to those of the centrifugal adsorption column method. In addition, this technique could be applied on a 96-channel automated nucleic acid extractor, resulting in higher purity of the extracted plasmid DNA, 80% reduction in extraction time, and 57.1% reduction in cost. It also reduces manual operations, achieving high-throughput and low-cost plasmid DNA extraction, thus may facilitate gene synthesis and sequencing.
Plasmids/genetics* ; DNA/genetics* ; Nucleic Acids ; Genetic Techniques ; Magnetic Phenomena

Early life nutritional environment is not only associated with the growth and development of children, but also affects the health of adults. Numerous epidemiological and animal studies suggest that early nutritional programming is an important physiological and pathological mechanism. DNA methylation is one of the important mechanisms of nutritional programming, which is catalyzed by DNA methyltransferase, a specific base of DNA covalently binds to a methyl group, to regulate gene expression. In this review, we summarize the role of DNA methylation in the "abnormal developmental planning" of key metabolic organs caused by excessive nutrition in early life, resulting in long-term obesity and metabolic disorders in the offspring, and explore the clinical significance of regulating DNA methylation levels through dietary interventions to prevent or reverse the occurrence of metabolic disorders in the early stage in a "deprogramming" manner.
Humans ; Animals ; Female ; DNA Methylation ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Clinical Relevance ; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Metabolic Diseases

Recombinant adenovirus-associated virus (rAAV) vectors mediated gene delivery system has been widely used in the treatments of cancer or other genetic diseases. It is considered to be one of the most promising vector owing to its non-pathogenicicity, low immune response, potential to integrate site-specif-ically, persistent and stable gene expression. However, it was limited in clinical applications because it is easy to be neutralized in serum and non-selection to the target site. Chemical modifications of rAAV have been studied to overcome those problems. This article reviewed the progress of chemical modifications of rAAV by various compounds and different modification methods, and predicted what the researches needed to do in the future.
Animals ; Chemical Phenomena ; Chemistry ; methods ; Dependovirus ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Vectors ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans

Pulsed electric fields can induce various kinds of biological effects that are essentially different from the normal electric fields, especially the interactions of Nanosecond Pulsed electric field (nsPEF) with cells. The biological effects of different pulsed electric fields on cell membranes, cytoplasmic matrixes, cell growth are introduced in this paper. Based on these effects, some applications of pulsed electric fields in cancer therapy, gene therapy, and delivery of drugs are reviewed in details.
Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Cell Physiological Phenomena ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Electrophysiology ; Electroporation ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Neoplasms ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VEGF gene with the risk of endometriosis and adenomyosis.

METHODSGenotypes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method in 344 endometriosis patients, 174 adenomyosis patients, 360 frequency-matched control women of endometriosis and 199 frequency-matched control women of adenomyosis.

RESULTSNo significant difference was found in allele frequencies and genotype distributions of the -460C/T polymorphism between patients (endometriosis and adenomyosis) and control women (all P value > 0.05). However, there were significant differences in genotype and allele distributions of the VEGF -1154G/A polymorphism between patients (endometriosis and adenomyosis) and control women (all P value < 0.05). The genotype frequencies of the VEGF -1154 AA, GA, and GG in endometriosis patients and control women were 1.7%, 28.8%, 69.5% and 5.8%, 32.8%, 61.4%, respectively; and the A and G allele frequencies in the two groups were 16.1%, 83.9% and 22.2%, 77.8%, respectively. The genotype frequencies of the VEGF -1154 AA, GA, and GG in adenomyosis patients and control women were 2.9%, 23.6%, 73.6% and 7.0%, 34.2%, 58.8%, respectively; and the A and G allele frequencies in the two groups were 14.7%, 85.3% and 24.1%, 75.9% respectively. Compared with GA+ AA genotype, GG genotypes could significantly increase the risk of endometriosis (OR:1.43,95%CI:1.05-1.96) and adenomyosis (OR:1.95,95%CI:1.26-3.03).

CONCLUSIONThe VEGF -1154G/A polymorphism was associated with susceptibility to endometriosis and adenomyosis, and the GG genotype could significantly increase the risk of developing endometriosis and adenomyosis. However, the VEGF -460C/T polymorphism was not associated with susceptibility to endometriosis and adenomyosis in the population studied.

5' Untranslated Regions ; Adult ; Biophysical Phenomena ; Endometriosis ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics

PURPOSE: Activation of telomerase is proposed to be an essential step in cancer cell immortalization and cancer progression. 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT), a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, was reported to be incorporated in telomeric sequences of immortalized cells in culture and to suppress the activity of telomerase and the cell proliferation. In this study, after induction of cancer cell senescence with long-term treatment of AZT, we investigated the dynamics of telomerase subunits (hTERT, hTR, TEP), transcription factors (c-Myc, Mad1), telomerase activity, and finally, telomere length in a human breast cancer cell line. MATERIALS AND METGODS: Human breast cancer cell (MDA-MB-231) was treated with AZT. Senescence was measured by senescence-associated beta-gal staining and apoptosis was counted by dTd enzyme assay. Telomerase activity (by TRAP assay), expression of telomerase subunit genes (by RT-PCR and real-time PCR) and telomere length (by Southern blot analysis) were measured after the AZT treatment. RESULTS: We found evidences of senescence, apoptosis and growth delay after AZT treatment. In addition, AZT- treated cancer cells showed inhibition of telomerase activity and shortening of telomere length in a dose- and duration-dependent way. Among the telomerase subunits, hTERT and c-Myc were the first factors to change after AZT treatment, subsequently, followed by the changes of hTR, Mad1 and TEP. CONCLUSION: The suppression of hTERT and c-Myc by AZT treatment was the initial genetic phenomenon, subsequently followed by the changes of hTR, Mad1 and TEP.
Aging ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Southern ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Aging ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Enzyme Assays ; Genetic Phenomena ; Humans* ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase* ; Telomerase* ; Telomere ; Transcription Factors ; Zidovudine

Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics deal with the role of genetic factors in drug effectiveness and adverse drug reactions. The promise of a personalized medicine is beginning to be explored but requires much more clinical and translational research. Specific DNA abnormalities in some cancers already have led to effective targeted treatments. Racially determined frequency differences in pharmacogenetic traits may affect choice of treatment requiring specific testing rather than basing treatments according to racial designation. The role of genes in variable responses to foreign chemicals (xenobiotics) has been termed ecogenetics or toxicogenetics raising problems in public health and occupational medicine. Nutrigenetics refers to genetic variation in response to nutrients and may affect nutritional requirements and predisposition to chronic disease.
DNA ; analysis ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Ecology ; Genetic Variation ; Genome, Human ; Genotype ; Humans ; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; Pharmacogenetics ; methods ; Phenotype ; Xenobiotics