Highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence biosensor for VEGF165 detection based on a g-C3N4/PDDA/CdSe nanocomposite.

In this work, an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor was fabricated for the selective detection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165). g-C3N4/PDDA/CdSe nanocomposites were used as the ECL substrate. Then, DNA labeled at the 5' end with amino groups (DNA1) was immobilized on the surface of g-C3N4/PDDA/CdSe nanocomposite-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by amido linkage. AuNP-labeled target DNA (Au-DNA2) could hybridize with DNA1 to form a double strand. The ECL of the g-C3N4/PDDA/CdSe nanocomposite was efficiently quenched due to the resonance energy transfer between CdSe QDs and Au NPs. After VEGF165 was recognized and bound by Au-DNA2, the double helix was disrupted, and the energy transfer was broken. In this case, Au-DNA2 was released from the electrode surface, and the ECL intensity recovered to a higher level. Under optimal conditions, this ECL biosensor possesses excellent selectivity, accuracy, and stability for VEGF165 detection in a linear range of 2 pg mL-1 to 2 ng mL-1 with a detection limit of 0.68 pg mL-1. In addition, this assay has been successfully applied to the determination of VEGF165 in serum samples. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of the electrochemiluminescence sensor based on a g-C3N4/PDDA/CdSe nanocomposite, which can be determined in the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor in serum.

Different Origins of Newcastle Disease Virus Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase Protein Modulate the Replication Efficiency and Pathogenicity of the Virus.

To investigate the exact effects of different origins of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein to the biological characteristics of the virus, we systematically studied the correlation between the HN protein and NDV virulence by exchanging the HN of velogenic or lentogenic NDV strains with the HN from other strains of different virulence. The results revealed that the rSG10 or rLaSota derivatives bearing the HN gene of other viruses exhibited decreased or increased hemadsorption (HAd), neuraminidase and fusion promotion activities. In vitro and in vivo tests further showed that changes in replication level, tissue tropism and virulence of the chimeric viruses were also consistent with these biological activities. These findings demonstrated that the balance among three biological activities caused variation in replication and pathogenicity of the virus, which was closely related to the origin of the HN protein. Our study highlights the importance of the HN glycoprotein in modulating the virulence of NDV and contributes to a more complete understanding of the virulence of NDV.

Roles of the Polymerase-Associated Protein Genes in Newcastle Disease Virus Virulence.

The virulence of Newcastle disease virus varies greatly and is determined by multiple genetic factors. In this study, we systematically evaluated the roles of the polymerase-associated (NP, P and L) protein genes in genotype VII NDV virulence after confirming the envelope-associated (F and HN) proteins contributed greatly to NDV virulence. The results revealed that the polymerase-associated protein genes individually had certain effect on virulence, while transfer of these three genes in combination significantly affected the chimeric virus virulence, especially when the L gene was involved. These results indicated that the L protein was a major contributor to NDV virulence when combined with the homologous NP and P proteins. We also investigated viral RNA synthesis using NDV minigenome systems to assess the interaction between the NP, P, and L proteins, which showed that the activity of the polymerase-associated proteins were directly related to viral RNA transcription and replication.

Safety and efficacy of an attenuated Chinese QX-like infectious bronchitis virus strain as a candidate vaccine.

Infectious bronchitis (IB) is a highly contagious respiratory and urogenital disease of chickens caused by infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). This disease is of considerable economic importance and is primarily controlled through biosecurity and immunization with live attenuated and inactivated IB vaccines of various serotypes. In the present study, we tested the safety and efficacy of an attenuated predominant Chinese QX-like IBV strain. The results revealed that the attenuated strain has a clear decrease in pathogenicity for specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens compared with the parent strain. Strain YN-inoculated birds had clinical signs of varying severity with 30% mortality, while the attenuated group appeared healthy, with less tissue damage. The attenuated strain also had relatively low tissue replication rates and higher antibody levels. The superior protective efficacy of the attenuated strain was observed when vaccinated birds were challenged with a homologous or heterologous field IBV strain, indicating the potential of the attenuated YN (aYN) as a vaccine. Producing a vaccine targeting the abundant serotype in China is essential to reducing the economic impact of IB on the poultry industry.

Generation by reverse genetics of an effective attenuated Newcastle disease virus vaccine based on a prevalent highly virulent Chinese strain.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the differences between the circulating Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates and the used vaccine might account for the current ND outbreaks in vaccinated poultry flocks. RESULTS: A reverse genetics system using prevalent genotype VIId isolate SG10 was constructed and a mutant virus, named aSG10, was developed by changing the virulent F protein cleavage site motif "(112)RRQKR↓F(117)" into an avirulent motif "(112)GRQGR↓L(117)". The attenuated pathogenicity of aSG10 was confirmed from the mean death time and intracerebral pathogenicity index. aSG10 and LaSota both protected vaccinated birds from death after challenge with highly virulent genotype VII NDV, strain SG10. However, aSG10 significantly reduced the challenge virus shedding from the vaccinated birds compared to LaSota vaccine. We also generated a recombinant virus, aSG10-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), which expresses EGFP. aSG10-EGFP stably expressed EGFP for at least 10 passages. CONCLUSIONS: The mutant, aSG10, can be safely used as a vaccine vector and is a potential vaccine candidate in increasing the protective efficacy for the control of current ND epidemic in China.

Molecular characterization of an infectious bronchitis virus strain isolated from northern China in 2012.

This study reports the complete genome sequence of an infectious bronchitis virus (CK/CH/SD/121220, KJ128295) isolated in 2012 from Shandong Province in northern China. The genome is 27,666 nt long, comprising six genes and 5' and 3' untranslated regions. The full-length genome of the CK/CH/SD/121220 isolate had the highest nucleotide sequence identity (96.7 %) to the YX10 strain. Sites of recombination were identified in the genes 1ab, S, 5a, 5b and N, with their putative parental strains belonging to the QX- and YN-type subgroups, which are already circulating in China. Our findings suggest an important role played by recombination in IBV evolution.