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Biology subjects

Xiang, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Xiang, L..

39 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

First report and multilocus genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from Tibetan pigs in southwestern China

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a common intestinal pathogen and a major cause of diarrhea and enteric diseases in a variety of animals. While the E. bieneusi genotype has become better-known, there are few reports on its prevalence in the Tibetan pig. This study investigated the prevalence, genetic diversity, and zoonotic potential of E. bieneusi in the Tibetan pig in southwestern China. Tibetan pig feces (266 samples) were collected from three sites in the southwest of China. Feces were subjected to PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. E. bieneusi was detected in 83 (31.2%) of Tibetan pigs from the three different sites, with 25.4% in Kangding, 56% in Yaan and 26.7% in Qionglai. Age group demonstrated the prevalence of E. bieneusi range from 24.4%(aged 0 to 1 years) to 44.4%(aged 1 to 2 years). Four genotypes of E. bieneusi were identified: two known genotypes EbpC (n=58), Henan-IV (n=24) and two novel genotypes, SCT01 and SCT02 (one of each). Phylogenetic analysis showed these four genotypes clustered to group 1 with zoonotic potential. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis three microsatellites (MS1, MS3, MS7) and one minisatellite (MS4) revealed 47, 48, 23 and 47 positive specimens were successfully sequenced, and identified ten, ten, five and five genotypes at four loci, respectively. This study indicates the potential danger of E. bieneusi to Tibetan pigs in southwestern China, and offers basic data for preventing and controlling infections.

genetics↗

Automated Adherent Cell Elimination by a High-Speed Laser Mediated by a Light-Responsive Polymer

Conventional cell handling and sorting methods require manual dissociation, which decreases cell quality and quantity and is not well suited for monitoring applications. To purify adherent cultured cells, in situ cell purification technologies that are high throughput and can be utilized in an on-demand manner are expected. Previous demonstrations using direct laser-mediated cell elimination revealed only limited success in terms of their usability and throughput. Here, we developed a Laser-Induced, Light-responsive-polymer-Activated, Cell Killing (LILACK) system that enables high-speed and on-demand adherent cell sectioning and purification. This system employs a visible laser beam, which does not kill cells directly, but induces local heat production through the trans-cis-trans photo-isomerization of azobenzene moieties in only the irradiated area of a light-responsive thin layer. Using this system in each passage for sectioning, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were maintained their pluripotency and self-renewal during long-term culture. Furthermore, combined with deep machine-learning analysis on fluorescent and phase contrast images, a label-free and automatic cell processing system was developed by eliminating unwanted spontaneously differentiated cells in undifferentiated hiPSC culture conditions.

bioengineering↗

Pan-cancer study of heterogeneous RNA aberrations

We present the most comprehensive catalogue of cancer-associated gene alterations through characterization of tumor transcriptomes from 1,188 donors of the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes project. Using matched whole-genome sequencing data, we attributed RNA alterations to germline and somatic DNA alterations, revealing likely genetic mechanisms. We identified 444 associations of gene expression with somatic non-coding single-nucleotide variants. We found 1,872 splicing alterations associated with somatic mutation in intronic regions, including novel exonization events associated with Alu elements. Somatic copy number alterations were the major driver of total gene and allele-specific expression (ASE) variation. Additionally, 82% of gene fusions had structural variant support, including 75 of a novel class called \"bridged\" fusions, in which a third genomic location bridged two different genes. Globally, we observe transcriptomic alteration signatures that differ between cancer types and have associations with DNA mutational signatures. Given this unique dataset of RNA alterations, we also identified 1,012 genes significantly altered through both DNA and RNA mechanisms. Our study represents an extensive catalog of RNA alterations and reveals new insights into the heterogeneous molecular mechanisms of cancer gene alterations.

genomics↗