Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the DA1 Gene Family in Sweet Potato and Its Two Diploid Relatives.

The DA1-like gene family plays a crucial role in regulating seed and organ size in plants. The DA1 gene family has been identified in several species but has not yet been reported in sweet potatoes. In this study, nine, eleven, and seven DA1s were identified in cultivated sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas, 2n = 6x = 90) and its two diploid wild relatives, I. trifida (2n = 2x = 30) and I. triloba (2n = 2x = 30), respectively. The DA1 genes were classified into three subgroups based on their phylogenetic relationships with Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa (rice). Their protein physiological properties, chromosomal localization, phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, promoter cis-elements, and expression patterns were systematically analyzed. The qRT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of four genes, IbDA1-1, IbDA1-3, IbDA1-6, and IbDA1-7, were higher in the sweet potato leaves than in the roots, fiber roots, and stems. In our study, we provide a comprehensive comparison and further the knowledge of DA1-like genes in sweet potatoes, and provide a theoretical basis for functional studies.

The preparation, characterization, and application of environment-friendly monoclonal antibodies for human blood cell.

OBJECTIVES: Monoclonal anti-human blood group A (51A8) and B (63B6) antibody reagents were prepared using the serum-free technique. The aims of this research were to characterize the serum-free reagents and prove their reliabilities in routine use. METHODS: Experiments including antigen-antibody agglutination testing, stability testing, SDS-PAGE, protein and IgM quantification, flow cytometry, and variable domain sequencing were performed to characterize the anti-A (51A8) and anti-B (63B6) reagents. Over 12 000 samples were tested using these reagents as routine blood grouping reagents. RESULTS: Serum-free anti-A (51A8) and anti-B (63B6) reagents were stable in longitudinal and accelerated testing, and their high purity was shown in SDS-PAGE and IgM quantification. These reagents have high specificity to red blood cells in serologic agglutination testing and flow cytometric analysis. A1 and A2 subgroup antigens can be distinguished clearly by patterns of flow cytometric histograms. No discrepancy was found in clinical trials of 12 000 samples. DISCUSSION: To reduce the risk of being affected by any animal additives, a serum-free culture system was applied to get mass-production of monoclonal anti-A/B antibodies. The high specificity and the high purity of the reagents were verified by the lab experiments. CONCLUSION: Lab research and clinical trial showed that serum-free monoclonal anti-A (51A8) and anti-B (63B6) reagents meet the requirements of routine blood grouping reagents. Moreover, these reagents featured ultra-high purity that is missing in other commercial counterparts, and therefore are recommended as more environment-friendly reagents.