Cutaneous (tPA) and Skeletal (TnI) mRNA as Markers of Aging in Contused Wound

Wound age estimation is one of the most important forensic aspects. Troponin I (TnI) and many cytokines, for example, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), are involved in wound inflammation and healing. Skeletal (TnI) and cutaneous (tPA) mRNA was detected using real‐time PCR in 25 female albino rats. They were divided into 5 groups: control and 4 injured groups. Injured groups were sacrificed 1, 6, 24, and 30 h after inflicting contused wound. The expression levels of cutaneous (tPA) were decreased significantly at 1, 6, and 30 h after contusion (71.7%, 30.7 and 16.9%), while the expression levels of skeletal (TnI) were increased significantly at 1 and 6 h post‐traumatic, then they gradually decreased until reaching normal levels at 24 h and assumed significantly lower levels at 30 h postcontusion. These results suggested that the determination of cutaneous (tPA) and skeletal (TnI) mRNA levels was useful for wound age estimation.     

Quantitative PCR overestimation of DNA in samples contaminated with tin

Metals can pose challenges while conducting forensic DNA analysis. The presence of metal ions in evidence-related DNA extracts can degrade DNA or inhibit PCR as applied to DNA quantification (real-time PCR or qPCR) and/or STR amplification, leading to low success in STR profiling. Different metal ions were spiked into 0.2 and 0.5 ng of human genomic DNA in an “inhibition study” and the impact was evaluated by qPCR using the Quantifiler™ Trio DNA Quantification Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and an in-house SYBR Green assay. This study reports on a contradictory finding specific to tin (Sn) ions, which caused at least a 38,000-fold overestimation of DNA concentration when utilizing Quantifiler Trio. This was explained by the raw and multicomponent spectral plots, which indicated that Sn suppresses the Quantifiler Trio passive reference dye (Mustang Purple™, MP) at ion concentrations above 0.1 mM. This effect was not observed when DNA was quantified using SYBR Green with ROX™ as the passive reference, nor when DNA was extracted and purified prior to Quantifiler Trio. The results show that metal contaminants can interfere with qPCR-based DNA quantification in unexpected ways and may be assay dependent. The results also highlight the importance of qPCR as a quality check to determine steps for sample cleanup prior to STR amplification that may be similarly impacted by metal ions. Forensic workflows should recognize the risk of inaccurate DNA quantification of samples that are collected from substrates containing tin.     

利用PCR生物技术破解喀纳斯猜想

PCR技术是依赖于靶DNA序列侧翼上所结合的两个寡核苷酸引物经体外酶促合成特异DNA片段的方法。PCR循环包括DNA热变性、引物退火、链的延伸三个步骤。PCR技术是陈旧、污染、腐败、降解和微量物证检验的重要手段之一,在破解喀纳斯猜想中作出了权威解释。     

Forensic analysis of soils using single arbitrarily primed amplification and high throughput sequencing

Soil is a remarkably complex, diverse, ubiquitous, and easily transferred material which can reveal highly useful information to assist forensic investigations. In spite of its potential usefulness, the use of genetic soil analysis appears to be currently underestimated in forensic practice. Herein we report on the use of single arbitrarily primed amplification followed by high throughput sequencing of DNA fragments for the comparison of soil samples. The composition and functional attributes of soil microbial communities from three different locations were compared and shown to be different based on the metagenomic sequencing data obtained.     

大鼠骨骼肌挫伤后ASCT2 mRNA的表达变化

目的应用实时定量PCR技术检测大鼠骨骼肌挫伤后细胞中性氨基酸载体ASCT2 mRNA表达,分析其与挫伤时间的关系。方法建立大鼠骨骼肌挫伤模型,分别取伤后4、8、12、16、20、24、28、32 h及对照组检材。提取总RNA,逆转录合成第一链的cDNA,以RPL13为内参基因进行荧光定量检测,采用2-△△Ct法比较其与对照组肌肉组织中ASCT2 mRNA的相对表达量。结果损伤组肌肉组织中ASCT2 mRNA在挫伤后12、16h表达量分别为对照组的196.40%和189.15%,损伤后4、8、20、24、28、32h ASCT2 mRNA表达量与对照组相比无统计学差异(P>0.05),说明ASCT2 mRNA在损伤12～16h其表达量较正常组及其他损伤时间组要高,而在损伤20h以后ASCT2 mRNA表达量又降至正常水平。结论大鼠骨骼肌挫伤后32h之内ASCT2 mRNA的表达有一定的时间规律性,可望作为推断骨骼肌损伤时间的指标之一。     

犬瘟热病毒RT-nested PCR检测方法的建立与应用

根据犬瘟热病毒(CDV)弱毒株Onderstepoort的核衣壳蛋白(NP)基因序列设计了套式引物,建立了RT-nested PCR检测方法。特异性试验表明,该法可以特异扩增出CDV NP基因片段,但从RNA病毒狂犬病病毒(RV)、犬副流感病毒(CPIV)、犬冠状病毒(CCV),DNA病毒犬细小病毒(CPV)、犬腺病毒(CAV)及正常Vero细胞中均不能扩增出条带。敏感性试验表明,RT-PCR可以扩增10-6稀释度的病毒RNA,而建立的RT-nested PCR可以扩增到10-9稀释度的病毒RNA,后者的敏感性明显高于前者。用RT-nested PCR法检测了2006年我国东北地区临床表现犬瘟热症状的病例19例,检出率达90%,明显高于RT-PCR的检出率(45%)。部分病例扩增片段的测序结果表明,CDV NP基因出现个别碱基变异。研究结果表明,建立的犬瘟热病毒RT-nested PCR方法敏感、特异,适用于动物犬瘟热的快速诊断。     

牛布氏杆菌和副结核分枝杆菌双重PCR检测方法的建立

为快速检测牛布氏杆菌和副结核分枝杆菌,根据GenBank中的布氏杆菌OMP31基因序列(JF918757)及副结核分枝杆菌ISMav2基因序列(AF286339)设计、合成2对特异性引物,通过对PCR条件的优化,建立了快速鉴别检测牛布氏杆菌和副结核分枝杆菌的双重PCR方法。经对建立的方法进行特异性和敏感性试验,结果表明,分别扩增出602、246bp的特异性牛布氏杆菌和副结核分枝杆菌DNA目的条带,作为对照的双芽巴贝斯虫、大肠杆菌、沙门氏菌、弓形虫、链球菌、牛放线菌的DNA及其混合物均未扩增出任何条带。牛布氏杆菌与副结核分枝杆菌的最低检测限分别为1.92和2.51pg;牛肉样品中人工污染的牛布氏杆菌和副结核分枝杆菌的检测敏感性分别为6×104和7×104 CFU/mL。该双病原检测体系的成功建立为牛布氏杆菌病及副结核病的检测、鉴定和流行病学调查提供了有力的技术支持。     

鸭源大肠杆菌ZYD_2与多杀性巴氏杆菌YB_2原生质体融合菌株的鉴定分析

以新霉素标记的ZYD2(NEOs)和YB2(NEOr)作为亲本菌株,培育具有双亲本菌株免疫原性的融合菌株。在溶菌酶作用下,制备两亲本菌株原生质体,聚乙二醇4000诱导原生质体发生融合,利用NEO标记及亲本菌株培养条件不同筛选阳性融合子。ZYD2和YB2可分别得到95.32%和95.25%的原生质体制备率以及32.19%和33.52%的再生率。在含新霉素的麦康凯平板上传代培养获得5株稳定遗传的融合菌株。5株融合菌株可同时凝集双亲本菌株的鸭抗阳性血清。染色镜检观察融合菌株为革兰氏阴性中等大小杆菌。利用双重PCR检测,2株检测到双亲本菌株部分外膜蛋白A(OmpA)基因和部分外膜蛋白H(OmpH)基因,2株只检测到部分OmpA基因,另1株检测不到任何条带。测序结果表明检测到的部分基因片段与亲本菌株的相关基因片段同源性为100%。微量凝集反应显示,外周血可以检测到双亲本菌株抗体,抗体效价在二次免疫后可以维持较稳定水平。结果表明获得5株具有双亲本菌株免疫原性且可稳定遗传的融合菌株。     

海南汉族人群19个STR基因座遗传多态性及其应用

目的建立海南地区汉族人群19个常染色体STR基因座的遗传多态性数据资料,并探讨此19-STR基因座系统在亲子鉴定中的应用。方法对海南汉族462例无血缘关系个体,采用Goldeneye~(TM) 20A系统复合扩增并检测,得到19个STR基因座的遗传数据信息;在283例亲子鉴定案例中,评价19-STR基因座系统的应用。结果 19个STR基因座的基因频率分布均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡(P0.05),杂合度在0.603~0.914之间,累积个体识别率大于0.999 999 999 999 999,累积三联体非父排除率为0.999 999 994。283例亲子鉴定中,三联体170例,二联体113例;认定案例247例(87.3%),排除案例36例(12.7%);发生等位基因突变案例14例(4.9%),均为一步突变。结论 19个STR基因座中的14个基因座具有高度遗传多态性,19-STR基因座复合扩增分型系统具有较高的非父排除效能,可满足海南地区亲子鉴定的需要,同时应注意亲子鉴定中的基因突变现象。     

Performance characteristics of commercial Y-STR multiplex systems

In this work, a number of performance checks were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of commercial Y-short tandem repeats (Y-STR) kits for casework applications. The study evaluated the sensitivity, specificity and stability of the Y-STR markers used and the ability to obtain a male profile from postcoital samples taken at various time points after intercourse. All systems performed well with 1-3 ng of male DNA as recommended by the manufacturers. All systems gave full profiles at 100 pg of input DNA, which is within the realm of low copy number DNA analysis. Moreover all, except Y-Plex12, gave full profiles with 30-50 pg of male DNA. No increased performance was obtained with any of the systems by increasing the cycle number beyond that recommended by the various manufacturers. When up to 1 microg of female DNA was used (in the absence of male DNA) no female DNA cross reactivity was observed with the Y-Plex 12 and Y-Filer systems. PowerPlex Y produced female DNA derived products near the DYS438 and within the DYS392 loci at a rare allele position with high input DNA levels (300 ng and 1 microg, respectively). Male/female DNA admixture experiments indicated the particularly high specificity of the Y-Filer and PowerPlex Y systems under conditions of several thousand fold female DNA excess. All systems were able to detect the minor alleles in male/male DNA admixtures at a 1:5 dilution with the PowerPlex Y and Y-Filer being able to detect some minor alleles at 1:20. Species testing indicated some limited, minor cross reactivity of the commercial systems with some domestic male mammals although it is easily recognizable and would not pose any problems in casework analysis. As expected a significant number of cross-reacting products were obtained with nonhuman primate species. All Y-STR multiplex systems tested were able to produce complete Y-STR profiles from bloodstains and semen stains exposed up to 6 weeks when the samples were protected against precipitation and sunlight. However, exposure of the samples to precipitation either in the presence or absence of sunlight resulted in Y-STR profile loss over time, with total profile loss occurring with all systems after 3 weeks or more. Complete Y-STR profiles of the male donors up to 72 h postcoitus were obtained with all of the multiplex systems tested, except for Y-Plex12, which gave partial profiles.