Oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii exhibit remarkable resistance to environmental stressors and most conventional disinfectants. Despite its ability to infect a wide variety of host species, sexual reproduction and oocyst formation occur exclusively within felid definitive hosts. Despite the epidemiological significance of oocyst-mediated transmission, the molecular mechanisms governing oocyst production and sporulation remain incompletely understood. Glutaredoxin, serving as a central regulator of cellular redox homeostasis and multiple vital cellular processes in cells, is a potential regulator for oocyst sporulation. Here, we investigated the role of TGME49_227100 (glutaredoxin 5, Grx5) in the T. gondii Pru strain-a type II strain capable of oocyst formation, with a particular focus on its functions during oocyst formation and sporulation. We found that Grx5-knockout tachyzoites exhibited no defects in growth or virulence. Neither in vitro nor in vivo tachyzoite-to-bradyzoite differentiation was affected compared to wild-type parasites. Notably, Grx5 deletion significantly reduced oocyst production in cats by approximately 70%. Additionally, the collected oocysts showed a 50% decrease in sporulation rate. These results indicate that Grx5 plays a predominant role within feline host and the external environmental stage of sporulation, which of these is likely to provide a crucial molecular target for developing a transmission-blocking vaccine.

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a highly variable RNA virus that infects domestic cats and circulates endemically within feline populations, causing a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic infections to severe disease. Genomic analysis of 69 FCV strains revealed a high prevalence of the virus across multiple provinces in China. In vitro infection of CRFK cells with laboratory isolates FCV-BJ616 and FCV-BJDX40 resulted in significant cytotoxic effects. Serum proteomic analysis identified 221 upregulated and 123 downregulated proteins following infection with FCV-BJ616, and 233 upregulated and 165 downregulated proteins following infection with FCV-BJDX40. Among these, 215 proteins exhibited shared differential expression. Functional analyses revealed enriched pathways, including TNF signaling and ferroptosis. Notably, upregulation of Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long-Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4) was correlated with lung injury, while downregulation of S100 Calcium Binding Protein A2 (S100A2) was associated with poor prognosis in FCV-associated oral disease. The differential expression of ACSL4 and S100A2 was further validated through Western blot analysis. These results suggest that ACSL4 and S100A2 are promising candidate biomarkers for monitoring FCV infection and disease progression, laying a foundation for future diagnostic and prognostic applications.

Effective mucosal vaccines are critical for controlling infectious diseases in poultry, yet limitations in antigen delivery systems hinder their development. Here, we present a transgenic Eimeria tenella platform engineered to express multicopy viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) and viral capsid protein 2 (VP2) antigens of chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV), a major immunosuppressive pathogen in poultry. Using a quadripartite co-transfection system driven by high-activity promoters, we achieved stable integration and expression of heterologous antigens, confirmed via PCR and Western blotting. Fluorescence-assisted cell sorting increased the proportion of recombinant parasites to >90%. Despite modestly reduced fecundity, the engineered strain (Et-TetVP1VP2) retained immunogenicity and induced robust humoral and cellular immune responses in vivo. Oral immunization of chickens conferred protection, reducing viral load and pathological lesions upon CIAV challenge. This work establishes E. tenella as a promising oral vaccine vector, offering a scalable and cost-effective platform for antigen delivery against avian pathogens, with broader implications for mucosal vaccine design.

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a primary cause of upper respiratory tract infections and oral ulcerative disease in cats and exhibits substantial genetic diversity that complicates prevention and control. In this study, we isolated the FCV-BJ616 strain, established a reverse-genetics system, and investigated its pathogenic mechanisms, thereby providing a foundation for antibody-based therapies and broad-spectrum vaccine development. The virus was purified by three rounds of plaque cloning, and its morphology was examined by electron microscopy. VP1 expression was confirmed by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Using integrated systems-biology and reverse-genetics approaches, an infectious clone of rFCV-BJ616 was successfully assembled and rescued, exhibiting genetic stability comparable to that of the parental strain. In vivo infection experiments showed that rFCV-BJ616 retained wild-type virulence, causing persistent high fever, weight loss, and multiorgan pathology in infected cats. Proteomic analysis indicated that infection with FCV-BJ616 or rFCV-BJ616 markedly activated cytokine-mediated inflammatory signaling pathways. Both FCV-BJ616 and rFCV-BJ616 significantly upregulated the expression of IL-8, S100A8/A9, and TLR3, which are associated with acute inflammation and tissue damage. Furthermore, elevated IFN-β levels concomitant with STAT1 downregulation suggested a transient attenuation of antiviral signaling during early immune activation. These findings were corroborated by ELISA-based validation of serum cytokine profiles. Collectively, this study provides new insights into the molecular pathogenesis and evolution of FCV-BJ616 and establishes a robust reverse-genetics platform for precise genome manipulation and future vaccine development.

African swine fever (ASF), caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious and fatal disease. Accurate detection in the early stages of an outbreak relies on molecular methods, but serological monitoring at the population level is also crucial for assessing the extent of exposure and past infections. This experiment developed an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies against ASFV, using three ASFV RNA polymerase subunits (H359L, C147L, and D339L) as coating antigens. The recombinant proteins were successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Using a checkerboard titration method, we systematically optimized key assay parameters, determining the optimal coating conditions to be a mixture of H359L, C147L, and D339L at a volume ratio of 1:2:2, with individual concentrations of 1 μg/mL, 0.4 μg/mL, and 0.5 μg/mL, respectively. Other optimized parameters included a serum dilution of 1:200, a blocking buffer containing 5% skim milk, and specific incubation conditions for the secondary antibody and substrate. The cut-off value was established at 0.430 (x¯ + 4SD) based on 30 negative sera. The established triple-antigen indirect ELISA exhibited high sensitivity (detecting positives at dilutions up to 1:3200) and excellent specificity (no cross-reactivity with antisera against CSFV, PRRSV, PRV, PCV2, and PEDV. Both intra and inter assay repeatability were confirmed, with coefficients of variation ranging from 1.020% to 7.600%. Validation with 123 clinical serum samples demonstrated a 96.75% concordance rate with a commercial kit. In conclusion, the three-antigen indirect ELISA established in this study exhibits high specificity and sensitivity, making it suitable for serological surveillance and exposure assessment of ASFV antibodies. It can be combined with molecular detection for epidemiological investigations and integrated prevention and control measures.

Gene editing technology has been widely applied in the genetic manipulation of many organisms and is increasingly being utilized in eukaryotic pathogens. However, its efficiency often requires improvement. In our study using CRISPR/Cas9 to genetically manipulate Eimeria tenella, we aimed to insert a tag into a target gene locus via homologous recombination, but observed outcomes inconsistent with expectations. Whole-genome sequencing analysis of the integration sites revealed that the transgenic E. tenella did not exhibit correct targeted integration. These results indicate that creating double-strand breaks (DSB) at specific genomic sites to trigger homology-directed repair (HDR) for gene modification can lead to mislocalized expression. This study provides insights for utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 technology in genetic editing, particularly in E. tenella, and offers suggestions for improving strategies that employ the co-transfection of multiple plasmids, such as Cas9-gRNA and donor plasmids.

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed intracellular parasite, with felids serving as its definitive hosts and playing a central role in environmental contamination through oocyst shedding. Accurate and timely diagnosis in cats is critical for interrupting transmission cycles and mitigating public health risks. This review provides an integrated overview of current and emerging diagnostic strategies for feline toxoplasmosis, encompassing serological assays, molecular methods, and nanomaterial-enhanced technologies. Comparative analysis highlights the diagnostic performance, advantages, and limitations of each method across diverse settings. The incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning is expected to enhance diagnostic precision, enabling stage-specific detection and personalized intervention strategies. Emphasis is placed on the need for standardized diagnostic protocols and the identification of antigens with high expression in schizogony, bradyzoite, and sporulated oocyst stages - key developmental phases relevant to early detection. This review provides valuable insights into the technical bottlenecks that need to be addressed and future development directions for diagnostic methods of feline toxoplasmosis, which holds significant importance for toxoplasmosis prevention and control.

Eimeria parasites pose a significant global threat to animal health, necessitating improved and cost-effective control measures. Genetic manipulation is pivotal for understanding Eimeria biology and designing targeted control strategies. Recent advancements, including genome sequencing and the development of transient and stable transfection systems, have significantly enhanced insights into the molecular biology of Eimeria. These advancements have paved the way for cutting-edge techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. This review summarizes the key milestones in the development of genetic manipulation platforms for Eimeria and their transformative applications, such as the development of next-generation drugs, vaccines, and Eimeria-based vaccine vectors. Furthermore, this review provides insights that could be applicable to the establishment of genetic tools for other protozoan organisms.

Coccidiosis is the most severe parasitic disease affecting the poultry industry, and live vaccines have played a pivotal role in its prevention and control, making them the most successful parasitic disease vaccines in commercial use. The components of live coccidiosis vaccines, which serve as vaccine vectors for presenting antigens from other pathogens, offer several advantages and provide a promising new option for disease control in modern poultry farming. Enhancing the expression of heterologous antigens within the complex components of Eimeria is a key strategy for optimizing coccidial vectors and improving immune efficacy. Since secreted antigens can stimulate strong immune responses in the host, we conducted a comparative analysis of the transcription levels of the microneme protein, the most important secretory organelle in apicomplexan parasites, across different stages of the life cycle. Three candidate genes with high transcription levels throughout the entire life cycle (excluding the unsporulated oocyst stage) were selected: ETH2_1343100, ETH2_0957500, and ETH2_1219600. We amplified the upstream (∼1500 bp) and downstream (∼1000 bp) regions of these genes to serve as promoters and regulatory sequences for the enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) reporter gene expression cassette. This cassette was then incorporated into a dual-expression vector, fused with a selection marker consisting of a mutated prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) gene and mCherry. After transfecting the plasmids into sporozoites and obtaining recombinant Eimeria strains with stable EYFP expression, we analyzed the fluorescence intensity of EYFP using laser confocal microscopy combined with fluorescence intensity analysis. Recombinant Eimeria driven by the histone 4 (EtHis4) promoter was used as a control. The results showed that the promoters of the three microneme protein genes regulated fluorescence expression levels approximately three times higher than the EtHis4 promoter, with the ETH2_1343100 promoter proving to be the most effective. These findings provide new regulatory sequence options for the genetic manipulation of Eimeria and the enhancement of foreign gene expression, accelerating its potential application as a vaccine vector.

ABSTRACT African swine fever (ASF), caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), is one of the most severe viral diseases affecting swine. ASFV employs sophisticated strategies to subvert host immune responses; however, the function of the viral protein g5Rp in viral pathogenesis remains incompletely defined. In this study, we demonstrate that g5Rp plays a critical role in viral replication by impairing host translation and autophagy. Overexpression of g5Rp enhanced viral replication and increased p30 protein levels, whereas siRNA-mediated knockdown of g5Rp suppressed both, underscoring its essential proviral function. Proteomic profiling of infected porcine macrophages (3D4/21 cells) revealed that g5Rp dysregulated 122 host proteins, predominantly involved in translation, autophagy, and apoptosis pathways. Mechanistically, g5Rp directly interacted with eIF5A and RPS15, disrupting their complex formation and thereby inhibiting translation initiation and autophagic flux. Structural analyses identified key residues (SER¹¹⁸, SER²⁰⁶, and ASN⁶¹) critical for this interference. Mutation of these residues abrogated g5Rp activity. Furthermore, virtual screening identified 9″-methyl salvianolate B as a potent g5Rp inhibitor, which restored eIF5A hypusination, promoted autophagy, and suppressed ASFV replication in vitro. Collectively, our findings establish g5Rp as a pivotal regulator of ASFV pathogenesis and a promising target for antiviral drug development.IMPORTANCEASFV has caused significant economic losses to the global pork industry, and no effective treatment or prevention currently exists. In this study, the interaction of g5Rp with the host proteins eIF5A and RPS15 was identified for the first time, and its crucial role in the viral life cycle was clarified. Resolving the crystal structure of g5Rp revealed its binding site to the host protein, which provides a new target for developing antiviral strategies against g5Rp. Additionally, the screened 9″-methyl salvianolate B, a small-molecule inhibitor, has shown the potential to effectively reduce viral replication and restore host protein synthesis. These findings not only deepen our understanding of the mechanism of ASFV infection but also lay the foundation for developing effective anti-ASFV treatment strategies in the future, which has important scientific implications.

AbstractChicken coccidiosis is an intestinal disease caused by the parasite Eimeria, which severely damages the growth of chickens and causes significant economic losses in the poultry industry. Improvement of the immune protective effect of antigens to develop high efficiency subunit vaccines is one of the hotspots in coccidiosis research. Sporozoite‐specific surface antigen 1 (SAG1) of Eimeria tenella (E. tenella) is a well‐known protective antigen and is one of the main target antigens for the development of subunit, DNA and vector vaccines. However, the production and immunoprotective effects of SAG1 need to be further improved. Here, we report that both SAG1 from E. tenella and its fusion protein with the xylanase XynCDBFV‐SAG1 are recombinant expressed and produced in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris). The substantial expression quantity of fusion protein XynCDBFV‐SAG1 is achieved through fermentation in a 15‐L bioreactor, reaching up to about 2 g/L. Moreover, chickens immunized with the fusion protein induced higher protective immunity as evidenced by a significant reduction in the shedding of oocysts after E. tenella challenge infection compared with immunized with recombinant SAG1. Our results indicate that the xylanase enhances the immunogenicity of subunit antigens and has the potential for developing novel molecular adjuvants. The high expression level of fusion protein XynCDBFV‐SAG1 in P. pastoris holds promise for the development of effective recombinant anti‐coccidial subunit vaccine.

Coccidiosis is one of the most significant diseases affecting the poultry industry, with recent estimates indicating that it causes annual losses exceeding 10 pound billion globally. Increasing concerns over drug residues and resistance have elevated the importance of safe and effective vaccines as the primary method for controlling coccidiosis and other animal diseases. However, current commercial live vaccines for coccidiosis can negatively impact the feed conversion rates of young broilers and induce subclinical symptoms of coccidiosis, limiting their widespread adoption. Eimeria species, the causative agents of coccidiosis, exhibit unique biological characteristics. Their life cycle involves 2 or more generations of schizogony and 1 generation of gametogony within the host, followed by sporogony in a suitable external environment. Sporogony is crucial for Eimeria oocysts to become infectious and propagate within the host. Focusing on the sporogony process of Eimeria presents a promising approach to overcoming technical challenges in the efficient control of coccidiosis, addressing the urgent need for sustainable and healthy farming practices. This paper systematically reviews existing control strategies for coccidiosis, identifies current challenges, and emphasizes the research progress and future directions in developing control agents targeting sporogony. The goal is to provide guidance for the formulation of scientific prevention and control measures for coccidiosis.

RNA viruses cause numerous infectious diseases in humans and animals. The crosstalk between RNA viruses and the innate DNA sensing pathways attracts increasing attention. Recent studies showed that the cGAS-STING pathway plays an important role in restricting RNA viruses via mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) mediated activation. However, the mechanisms of cGAS mediated innate immune evasion by RNA viruses remain unknown. Here, we report that seneca valley virus (SVV) protease 3C disrupts mtDNA mediated innate immune sensing by cleaving porcine cGAS (pcGAS) in a species-specific manner. Mechanistically, a W/Q motif within the N-terminal domain of pcGAS is a unique cleavage site recognized by SVV 3C. Three conserved catalytic residues of SVV 3C cooperatively contribute to the cleavage of pcGAS, but not human cGAS (hcGAS) or mouse cGAS (mcGAS). Additionally, upon SVV infection and poly(dA:dT) transfection, pcGAS and SVV 3C colocalizes in the cells. Furthermore, SVV 3C disrupts pcGAS-mediated DNA binding, cGAMP synthesis and interferon induction by specifically cleaving pcGAS. This work uncovers a novel mechanism by which the viral protease cleaves the DNA sensor cGAS to evade innate immune response, suggesting a new antiviral approach against picornaviruses.

Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) can cause a viral disease and is responsible for severe leukopenia, gastroenteritis, and nervous signs with significant economic losses. Biochemically long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate the expression of mRNA in different ways, thereby causing the functional changes in host cells in response to viral infection. However, no attention has been paid until now to investigate the link between FPV pathogenesis and lncRNA. Here, through RNA sequencing, we performed a comprehensive analysis of lncRNA and mRNA in F81 cells after FPV-BJ04 strain infection. Consistent with previous studies, our data showed that lncRNAs have distinct features from mRNA. A total of 291 lncRNAs and 873 mRNAs were differentially expressed in F81 cells after FPV-BJ04 infection. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the differentially upregulated lncRNAs target genes were mainly involved in the positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II and MAPK signaling pathway. The differentially downregulated lncRNAs target genes were mainly involved in the mRNA splicing and endocytosis. In addition, the differentially expressed immune pathway related genes that are targeted by lncRNA were also screened out to construct a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA axes as a potential novel biomarkers in regulating the immune response of feline against FPV infection. Our results contribute to understand the basic role of lncRNA in F81 cells during FPV infection and lay the foundation for following research.

[目的]了解并掌握鸭坦布苏病毒(Duck Tembusu virus,DTMUV)流行特点及病毒生物学特性,为DTMUV防治提供理论依据和技术支撑.[方法]通过细胞及鸡胚接毒试验对河北某鸭场10只具有典型临床症状的发病鸭进行病毒分离,用RT-PCR、透射电镜观察、Western blotting及间接免疫荧光试验(IFA)等方法鉴定,进行动物回归试验测定病毒毒力并对其进行囊膜蛋白遗传进化分析.[结果]分离到的病毒可在DF-1细胞上稳定增殖产生典型细胞病变效应(CPE)并致死鸡胚;病毒纯化后经电镜观察可见直径30～60 nm的病毒粒子;RT-PCR结果显示,在约270 bp处可见单一条带,与DTMUV预期大小一致;Western blotting结果显示,在60 ku处有特异性条带,与E蛋白大小一致;IFA结果表明,接种病毒的DF-1细胞胞质中可见明亮的特异性荧光,以上结果均表明分离的病毒为DTMUV.将分离到的病毒命名为AX2020株,AX2020株经肌内注射感染北京鸭后感染率高达100％,发病鸭产生神经症状及腹泻等典型临床症状;经序列比对发现AX2020株和GA株(MK907880.1)相似性最高,与SD14毒株(MH748542.1)亲缘关系较远.与商品灭活疫苗毒株HB2010株(MN649262.1)和活疫苗毒株FX2010株(MH414568.1)相比,AX2020株第93、277和487位氨基酸发生了的突变.[结论]成功分离得到1株DTMUV AX2020株,分离毒株对北京鸭具有较强的致病性,AX2020株的囊膜蛋白与国内疫苗毒株相比,已经发生了氨基酸位点的突变,结果为鸭坦布苏病毒病的流行病学及后续疫苗相关研究奠定了一定的基础.

[目的]了解北京地区流行的鸽圆环病毒(Pigeon circovirus,PiCV)的基因组特征及变异规律.[方法]以3只发病鸽的肝脏和脾脏组织为模板,采用PCR技术检测病原.以检测阳性的肝脏组织DNA为模板,应用PCR技术分段扩增PiCV的全基因序列.应用DNAStar和Mega 7.0软件对扩增得到的全序列进行拼接和核苷酸序列比对,并构建系统进化树,对病毒基因组的2个开放阅读框分别进行核苷酸和氨基酸序列比对,并构建系统进化树.[结果]经PCR检测,3只病鸽中有1只病鸽的组织中检测到PiCV阳性,并未检出其他病毒.采用PCR分段扩增成功获得了 1株PiCV的全基因组序列,命名为PiCV BJ,该病毒基因组大小为2 034 bp,包含有2个主要的开放阅读框(ORFs),ORF-V1编码Rep蛋白,ORF-C1编码Cap蛋白.相似性比对结果显示,PiCV BJ株基因组序列与GenBank上登录的其他参考序列的核苷酸相似性在86.0％～97.0％之间,与2011年分离自波兰的PL53相似性为97.0％.遗传进化结果显示,PiCV BJ株与2014年分离自波兰的PL124在同一分支,亲缘关系较近;与其他禽源圆环病毒不在同一分支,亲缘关系较远.PiCV BJ株Cap基因的起始密码子为ATG,与2011年分离自比利时的11-08304株核苷酸、氨基酸序列相似性高达95.8％和85.2％;Rep基因与2011年分离自波兰的PL53相似性最高,核苷酸和氨基酸相似性分别高达94.6％和96.2％;Cap和Rep基因的进化树分析结果也显示,PiCV BJ株均与PL53和11-08304株在同一分支,亲缘关系较近,这与相似性分析的结果一致.[结论]PiCV BJ株来自国外,可能由赛鸽引种传入中国,提示在外部引种时要做好病毒监测.本研究丰富了 PiCV的遗传学研究资料,为进一步探究PiCV的遗传变异及传播机制提供了参考依据,也为PiCV的防控提供了重要的理论基础.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are vital post-transcriptional regulators that participate in host-pathogen interactions by modulating the expression of cellular factors. Previous studies have demonstrated that feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) alters miRNA expression levels within host cells. However, the relationship between FPV replication and host miRNAs remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that FPV infection significantly altered cellular miR-92a-1-5p expression in F81 cells by upregulating the expression of specificity protein 1 (SP1). Furthermore, we observed that miR-92a-1-5p enhanced interferon (IFN-α/β) expression by targeting the suppressors of cytokine signaling 5 (SOCS5) that negatively regulates NF-κB signaling and inhibits FPV replication in host cells. These findings revealed that miR-92a-1-5p plays a crucial role in host defense against FPV infection.

Encephalomyocarditis virus can cause myocarditis and encephalitis in pigs and other mammals, thus posing a potential threat to public health safety. The 2A protein is an important virulence factor of EMCV. Previous studies have shown that the 2A protein may be related to the inhibition of apoptosis by virus, but its specific molecular mechanism is not clear. In this study, the 2A protein was expressed in Escherichia coli in order to find interacting cell proteins. A pull down assay, coupled with mass spectrometry, revealed that the 2A protein possibly interacted with annexin A2. Co-immunoprecipitation assays and confocal imaging analysis further demonstrated that the 2A protein interacted with annexin A2 in cells. In reducing the expression of annexin A2 by siRNA, the ability of the 2A protein to inhibit apoptosis was weakened and the proliferation of EMCV was slowed down. These results suggest that annexin A2 is closely related to the inhibition of apoptosis by 2A. Furthermore, both RT-PCR and western blot results showed that the 2A protein requires annexin A2 interaction to inhibit apoptosis via JNK/c-Jun pathway. Taken together, our data indicate that the 2A protein inhibits apoptosis by interacting with annexin A2 via the JNK/c-Jun pathway. These findings provide insight into the molecular pathogenesis underlying EMCV infection.

Aim: To evaluation the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus plantarum strain RW1 isolated from healthy dogs for its further utilization as a dietary supplement for dogs. Methods and Results This study aimed to evaluate the probiotic potential of L. plantarum strain RW1 isolated from canine faeces. After confirming by conventional and then by 16S rRNA sequencing, the identified strain RW1 was in vitro screened for its survivability in simulated gastrointestinal conditions, low pH, bile salts and adhesion to gut epithelial tissues, growth inhibitory effects on common pathogens and anti-inflammatory potential by measuring the mRNA expression level of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1 beta in Salmonella-infected MODE-K cells. Furthermore, the effects on epithelial barrier function and host defensin peptide (beta-defensin 3) was studied by measuring the mRNA expression level of tight junction protein (occludin) and beta-defensin 3 in MODE-K cells. The strain RW1 showed a considerable potential to survive in simulated gastrointestinal environmental conditions, low pH and high bile salt concentrations along with good adhesion to MODE-K cell line. Pathogenic bacterial growth and their adhesion to MODE-K cell line were significantly inhibited by the strain RW1. Real-time PCR analyses demonstrated that the strain RW1 inhibited Salmonella-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8 and IL-1 beta) production and reinforced the expression of tight junction protein (occludin). The strain RW1 did not induce mRNA expression of beta-defensin 3. Conclusion Based on in vitro results, the strain RW1 has the potential to be used as a probiotic supplement in dogs. However, further study involving in vivo health effects is needed. Significance and Impact of the Study Antibiotics have many side effects and nowadays the probiotics are considered as a potential alternative to antibiotics. This study evaluates the probiotic potential of dog isolated L. plantarum strain RW1 to use it as a dietary supplement in dogs feeding to control infectious diseases.

【目的】分析非洲猪瘟病毒（Africa swine fever virus,ASFV）D250R蛋白潜在的生物学功能,制备其多克隆抗体,为ASFV D250R蛋白功能研究及相关诊断试剂的研发提供材料。【方法】应用生物信息学软件分析D250R蛋白的理化性质、信号肽、跨膜结构、磷酸化位点、生物功能及蛋白结构等。通过大肠杆菌表达系统表达重组D250R蛋白,采用镍亲和层析柱和分子筛纯化重组D250R蛋白,Western blotting检测纯化蛋白的反应原性,将纯化的D250R蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠制备多克隆抗体,用间接ELISA方法测定多克隆抗体效价,用间接免疫荧光试验（IFA）检测多克隆抗体特异性。【结果】生物信息学分析结果显示,D250R蛋白共由250个氨基酸组成,理论分子质量为29 822.54 u,理论等电点为8.96,为亲水性蛋白,无信号肽及跨膜区。修饰位点预测结果显示,D250R蛋白可能存在15个磷酸化修饰位点,其中丝氨酸（Ser）6个、酪氨酸（Tyr）6个、苏氨酸（Thr）3个;2个N-糖基化修饰位点,分别位于第61和197位氨基酸处。生物学功能预测结果显示,D250R蛋白含有Nudix序列,具有解水解酶活性。蛋白结构预测结果显示,D250R蛋白二级结构中α-螺旋、β-转角、延伸链、无规则卷曲占比分别为49.20%、7.60%、15.20%和28.00%,三维空间结构存在较多α-螺旋,与二级结构预测结果基本一致。将ASFV D250R基因克隆至pET-32a（+）获得pET-32a-D250R重组质粒,转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）感受态细胞,在16℃、1 mmol/L IPTG诱导下,D250R蛋白以可溶性和包涵体2种形式表达,蛋白大小约44 ku,蛋白上清经镍亲和层析柱和分子筛层析纯化得到纯度较高的蛋白;Western blotting检测结果显示,重组蛋白具有良好的反应原性;间接ELISA检测结果显示,D250R蛋白抗体效价达到1∶256 000,成功制备多克隆抗体;IFA检测结果表明该多克隆抗体具有良好的特异性。【结论】本研究在分子层面分析了D250R蛋白的理化性质及蛋白结构,在大肠杆菌表达系统中实现了ASFV D250R蛋白的高效表达,纯化的D250R蛋白免疫小鼠制备的多克隆抗体具有较高的特异性,为深入探讨ASFV D250R蛋白的生物学功能及ASFV相关诊断试剂的研发奠定了基础。