Standardization of fungal polymerase chain reaction for the early diagnosis of invasive fungal infection.

Background: An early initiation of antifungal therapy in invasive fungal infections (IFIs) is critical in reducing the high mortality rate. Current diagnosis of fungal infection relies on microscopy, culture, antigen, antibody specific tests and histological diagnosis. However, these tests either lack sensitivity or specificity. There is thus the need for a rapid, specific and accurate diagnostic method. Objective: The aim of our study was to establish PCR for the rapid detection of Candida and Aspergillus species in clinical specimens with improved sensitivity and specificity. Materials and Methods: A total of 71 proven cases of IFI (confirmed by culture) were collected. A total of 15 healthy, 15 patients suffering from bacterial sepsis and 15 patients with HIV, HBV viral infections were included as controls. Clinical specimens were subjected to a standardized nested amplification to produce Round I (504 bp) and Round II (150 bp) amplicons. Restriction digestion was performed on these products for further identification. Results: Analytical sensitivity was determined using 10 6 -10 CFU/ml of cell suspension. The lower detection limit of the assay was 10 CFU/ml of blood. This test was 100% sensitive and specific with a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 96.7%. Conclusion: The assay was found to be effective for the rapid detection of Candida and Aspergillus in clinical specimens.

Association of Polymorphic Regulatory Region of TIGR Gene with Glaucoma

PURPOSE: To identify the polymorphism in the regulatory region of trabecular meshwork inducible glucocorticoid response(TIGR) gene and evaluate the association of it with glaucoma. METHODS: 5'regulatory region of TIGR gene of 101 normal persons and 91 unrelated glaucoma patients were analyzed by DNA sequencing and restriction enzyme digestion. To know the possible effects of the polymorphism on the transcription rate of TIGR gene, electrophoretic mobility shift assay and luciferase reporter gene assay were performed with cultured cells, and their extracts of trabecular meshwork and ciliary body in which the gene was expressed. RESULTS: Of the 480 bp examined, G to A transition(G-241A) located at 241 bp upstream from transcription start site was identified and its frequency of occurrence was proved to be higher in steroid induced glaucoma patients(18.9%) compared with that in normal population(8.9%), POAG(8.3%) and normal tension glaucoma patients(6.7%, P<0.05). In mobility shift assay, the G-241A probe was proved to have affinity to some DNA-binding proteins and its affinity was revealed to be two times stronger than that of normal sequence. The luciferase activities, however, were observed to be similar in cells transfected with vectors having normal promoter sequence or G-241A containing one. CONCLUSION: The result suggest that G-241A itself is not a cause of steroid-induced glaucoma but is in linkage disequilibrium with the actual causes of the disease.

Restriction enzyme digestion of heterochromatin in Drosophila nasuta.

In situ digestion of metaphase and polytene chromosomes and of interphase nuclei in different cell types of Drosophila nasuta with restriction enzymes revealed that enzymes like AluI, EcoRI, HaeIII, Sau3a and SinI did not affect Giemsa-stainability of heterochromatin while that of euchromatin was significantly reduced; TaqI and SalI digested both heterochromatin and euchromatin in mitotic chromosomes. Digestion of genomic DNA with AluI, EcoRI, HaeIII, Sau3a and KpnI left a 23 kb DNA band undigested in agarose gels while with TaqI, no such undigested band was seen. The AluI resistant 23 kb DNA hybridized in situ specifically with the heterochromatic chromocentre. It appears that the digestibility of heterochromatin region in genome of Drosophila nasuta with the tested restriction enzymes is dependent on the availability of their recognition sites.

False positives resulted from colony PCR in rapid identification of recombinant clones from phage antibody library / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the reliability of colony PCR in identifying the recombinant clones selected from phage antibody libraries. Methods The digested pComb3 vector and Lc fragments, Lc library plasmid, and Fd fragments were ligated successively. The ligation product was transformed into Escherichia Coli strain XL 1-blue bacilli by electroporation and thus murine Fab phage antibody library was constructed.The transformed recombinant clones selected randomly from libraries were identified simultaneously by colony PCR, plasmid PCR and restriction enzyme digestion. The identification consistency was analyzed. The interference was excluded by control PCR using the relevant constituents as template. Results The educed library content of Lc library was 1.175?10 6 CFU and the content of Fab antibody library was 1.02?10 6 CFU. Different recombinant percentages were obtained through three different identification methods (the Lc positive recombinant percentages by colony PCR, plasmid PCR and enzyme digestion were 100%, 78% and 78%, respectively; the Fd positive recombinant percentages by three methods were 90%, 66% and 66%, respectively; the dual positive recombinant (Fd and Lc insert simultaneously) percentages by three methods were 90%, 50% and 50%, respectively). A high frequency of false-positives appeared in colony PCR identification. Nonspecific amplification of control PCR was presumably induced by some intracellular components in XL 1-blue bacilli. Conclusion The identification of the recombinant clones selected from phage antibody libraries by colony PCR remains ambiguous. So it is our assertion that the traditional identification methods such as plasmid PCR or enzyme digestion are more accurate and will less false positive results.