New epidemic broke out in recent year which was suspected to be caused by variant Muscovy duck parvovirus (MDPV). For this reason, new MDPV detection methods are needed for the new virus strains. In this study, a pair of primers were designed according to the full-length genome of MDPV strain SAAS-SHNH, which were identified in 2012, and were used to amplify the vp3 gene of MDPV by polymerase chain reaction. After being sequenced, the vp3 gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector PET28a. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 and induced with IPTG. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis showed the MDPV vp3 gene was successfully expressed. After being purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography system, the recombinant protein was used as antigen to immunize rabbits to obtain antiserum. Western blotting analysis showed that the acquired antiserum could react specifically with VP3 protein of J3D6 strain and MDPV vaccine strain. The antiserum could also be used for detection of cultured MDPV from primary duck embryo fibroblasts by immune fluorescence assay (IFA). It could be concluded that the VP3 protein and its antibody prepared in the research could be used for detection of VP3 antiserum and antigen respectively.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; DNA Primers ; Ducks ; virology ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Immune Sera ; biosynthesis ; Parvovirus ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

Radiotherapy is a treatment for cancer with undesired by-effects. In order to develop a new radiation protective agent that could reduce the by-effects, we tried to express and purify human cryptochrome 1 (hCRY1). The coding sequence of hCRY1 was inserted into prokaryotic expression plasmid pET28a(+), and this protein was purified from Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) after IPTG induction, ultrasonication, inclusion body dissolution, gradient dialysis, nickel column purification and ultrafiltration. The yield of hCRY1 in 1 L E. coli culture (LB medium) was about 10-15 mg. The radiation protective efficiency of hCRY1 was monitored by detecting X-ray-induced H2A.X foci in HaCaT cells. The results of immunofluorescence show that hCRY1 significantly reduces X-ray stimulated DNA damage response. The apoptosis of HaCaT cell was also detected, and the repression of H2A.X foci formation was not due to hCRY1's cytotoxity. All these data suggest a potential application of recombinant hCRY1 as a protective agent for radiotherapy.
Cryptochromes ; biosynthesis ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Plasmids ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis

Porcine interferon-alpha (pIFN-alpha) fermentative production by recombinant Pichia pastoris was carried out in a 10-L bioreactor to study its metabolism changes and effects on fermentation under different inducing strategies, by analyzing the change patterns of the corresponding metabolism and energy regeneration. The results show that the specific activities of alcohol oxidase (AOX), formaldehyde dehydrogenase (FLD) and formate dehydrogenase (FDH) largely increased when reducing temperature from 30 degrees C to 20 degrees C under pure methanol induction, leading significant enhancements in methanol metabolism, formaldehyde dissimilatory energy metabolism and pIFN-alpha antiviral activity. The highest pIFN-alpha antiviral activity reached 1.4 x 10(6) IU/mL, which was about 10-folds of that obtained under 30 degrees C induction. Using methanol/sorbitol co-feeding strategy at 30 degrees C, the major energy metabolism energizing pIFN-alpha synthesis shifted from formaldehyde dissimilatory energy metabolism pathway to TCA cycle, formaldehyde dissimilatory pathway was weakened and accumulation of toxic intermediate metabolite-formaldehyde was relieved, and methanol flux distribution towards to pIFN-alpha synthesis was enhanced. Under this condition, the highest pIFN-alpha antiviral activity reached 1.8 x 10(7) IU/mL which was about 100-folds of that obtained under pure methanol induction at 30 degrees C. More important, enhanced pIFN-alpha production with methanol/sorbitol co-feeding strategy could be implemented under mild conditions, which greatly reduced the fermentation costs and improved the entire fermentation performance.
Animals ; Energy Metabolism ; Fermentation ; Interferon-alpha ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Methanol ; pharmacology ; Pichia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Sorbitol ; pharmacology ; Swine

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is one of the major etiologies responsible for the acute, highly contagious disease in the digestive tract of pigs, especially neonatal piglets. Since PEDV was first identified in Europe in the late 1970s, it has resulted in significant economic losses in many Asian swine-raising countries, including China. Recently, reverse genetics techniques including targeted RNA recombination, bacteria artificial chromosome system and in vitro ligation have been successfully used to manipulate the genome of PEDV, which providing new strategies for the clear delineation of the functions of the viral proteins, the mechanisms behind PEDV pathogenesis and the design of novel vaccines against PEDV. Here, we review the progresses of different reverse genetics platforms developed for PEDV and their applications, covering the roles of trypsin in PEDV propagation, functions of S and ORF3 protein and the development of next generation PED vaccines, and the perspectives of reverse genetics for PEDV.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prevalence and influencing factors of multisite work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) of workers in a railway vehicle manufacturing enterprise. METHODS: A total of 366 male workers in the assembly and riveting workshop of a railway vehicle manufacturing enterprise were selected as the research subjects using the cluster sampling method. The Chinese Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to investigate the prevalence of multiple sites of WMSDs. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors. RESULTS: The total prevalence of WMSDs was 56.3%(206/366). The prevalence of WMSDs in all parts from high to low was as follows: lower back(35.5%), hand and wrist(27.6%), neck(23.2%), shoulder(21.0%), knee(19.9%), upper back(18.6%), hip and leg(18.0%), ankle/foot(15.8%) and elbow(12.3%)(P<0.01). The total prevalence of multisite WMSDs was 38.0%(139/366). The prevalence of WMSDs in different numbers of parts from high to low was as follows: 6 or more parts(12.0%), 2 parts(10.7%), 3 parts(6.6%), 5 parts(5.5%) and 4 parts(3.3%)(P<0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis results showed that the overweight and obese workers had higher risk of multi site WMSDs than those with normal body mass index(P<0.05).Those with long-term low heads, frequent bending, long bending of the elbows, and higher frequency of work requirements, and less frequently communicated with the leader had higher risk of multi site WMSDs(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of multisite WMSDs in railway vehicle manufacturing enterprise is relatively high. The influencing factors include individual factors, adverse ergonomic factors and psychosocial factors.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the occurrence pattern of work-related musculoskeletal disorders( WMSDs) in electronic parts processing workers. METHODS: A total of 498 workers from an electronic parts processing factory were selected as study subjects by judgement sampling method. The prevalence of WMSDs in the past 1 year was investigated by using the China Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. The potential category model was used to classify the categories of WMSDs. RESULTS: The incidence of WMSDs in the past 1 year was 46. 8%( 233/498). Among them,the incidence of WMSDs involving only one site was 13. 1%( 65/498),and those involving at least 2 sites were 33. 7%( 168/498). The multi-site WMSDs were about 6-58 times of the single-site WMSDs. According to potential category analysis,the occurrence patterns of WMSDs were divided into three categories: i) cervical and shoulder occurrence group( 135 persons,27. 1%); ii) all parts group( 31 persons,6. 2%); iii) few or no site group( 332 persons,66. 7%). CONCLUSION: The occurrence of multi-site WMSDs in electronic parts processing workers were more common than the single-site. Analysis of potential category can be used to explore the occurrence pattern of WMSDs.

ORF3 protein, the single accessory protein encoded by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), is related to viral pathogenicity. In order to determine the cytoplasmic location signal of PEDV ORF3, we constructed a series of recombinant plasmids carrying full-length or truncated segments of PEDV DR13 ORF3 protein. When the acquired plasmids were transfected into Vero cells, expression and distribution of the EGFP-fused full-length ORF3 protein and its truncated forms in the cells were observed by laser confocal microscopy. The results showed that ORF3 protein or their truncated forms containing 40-91 aa segment including two transmembrane domains were localized in the cytoplasm, whereas ORF3 truncated peptides without the 40-91 aa segment were distributed in the whole cell (in both cytoplasm and nucleus). This suggests that the 40-91 aa is the key structural domain determining cytoplasmic location of PEDV ORF3 protein. The discovery provides reference for further clarifying intracellular transport and biological function of PEDV ORF3 protein.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Chlorocebus aethiops ; Coronavirus Infections ; virology ; Cytoplasm ; virology ; Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus ; genetics ; Protein Domains ; Swine ; Vero Cells ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism

Three pairs of primers were designed according to the conserved region of IBRV gB gene published in GenBank(GenBank Accession No. DQ006857.1) using the software Primer Explorer V4. The loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was established by optimization of the reaction system and then evaluated through sensitivity and specificity tests. In total 393 clinical specimens were detected for IBRV using the established LAMP assay performed at 65℃ for 50 min, which produced a ladder-like pattern of amplification bands and the detection result could be judged by color change. The sensitivity of the assay was 10 copies/μL plasmid DNA which was 1000 times higher than that by PCR method and equivalent to nested-PCR. There was no cross-reactivity of the assay with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), pseudorabies virus (PRV) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The positive rate of 301 nasal swabs and 92 serum specimens were 87.6% and 58.8%, respectively, which meant nasal swab specimen was more suitable for clinical IBRV detection by the method. The IBRV LAMP method established in this study has the advantages of visualization, quickness, specificity and sensitivity and be suitable for rapid detection of clinical IBRV detection on the spot.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a major disease of pigs that inflicts heavy losses on the global pig industry. The etiologic agent is the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), which is assigned to the genus Alphacoronavirus in the family Coronaviridae. This review consists of five parts, the first of which provides a brief introduction to PEDV and its epidemiology. Part two outlines the passive immunity in new born piglets and the important role of colostrum, while the third part summarizes the characteristics of the immune systems of pregnant sows, discusses the concept of the "gut-mammary gland-secretory IgA(sIgA) axis" and the possible underpinning mechanisms, and proposes issues to be addressed when designing a PEDV live vaccine. The final two parts summarizes the advances in the R&D of PEDV vaccines and prospects future perspectives on prevention and control of PEDV, respectively.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; Coronavirus Infections/veterinary* ; Female ; Immunization ; Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus ; Pregnancy ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/prevention & control* ; Viral Vaccines