枇杷属内栽培种和部分野生种ITS序列分析

对不同栽培区的25种普通枇杷品种以及7种枇杷属野生种的ITS序列进行扩增并测序,采用邻接法和最大简约法进行系统发育树的构建并对枇杷属内不同种间的遗传关系进行了分析。结果表明:枇杷属植物ITS序列ITS1+5.8S rDNA+ITS2总长度为592 bp或594 bp,长度变化发生在ITS2。所有样本的ITS1和5.8S rDNA长度一样,都是223 bp和168 bp;而ITS2为201 bp或203 bp。5种枇杷属野生种的ITS序列长度为594 bp,包括栎叶枇杷、大渡河枇杷、南亚枇杷、南亚枇杷窄叶变种和大瑶山枇杷;其余2种枇杷属野生种(麻栗坡枇杷、小叶枇杷)和普通枇杷栽培种的ITS序列长度都为592 bp。所有样本ITS序列的GC含量为64.2%~64.5%,其中ITS1为64.1%~65.5%,ITS2为68.1%~72.6%。对所有样本的ITS序列比对产生44个可变位点,其中38个为简约信息位点,其中11个位于ITS1,5个位于5.8S rDNA,22个位于ITS2。最大的种间序列差异为7.7%,最小的种间差异发生在麻栗坡枇杷和小叶枇杷之间,仅为0.2%。普通枇杷种内的ITS序列差异很低,25种普通枇杷栽培种之间的序列差异为0~1.5%。所研究的枇杷属植物可分为3个分支。分支Ⅰ包括所有普通枇杷品种,分支Ⅱ包含5种野生枇杷种,包括栎叶枇杷、大渡河枇杷、南亚枇杷、南亚枇杷窄叶变种和大瑶山枇杷;分支Ⅲ由2个野生枇杷种(麻栗坡枇杷、小叶枇杷)组成。该研究结果表明ITS序列对枇杷种间鉴定和系统发育分析具有一定意义,但对普通枇杷栽培种间的鉴定作用不大。     

白菜种传黑斑病菌rDNA ITS区序列分析

本文以来自国内外的20株白菜黑斑病菌及近源种为研究材料,进行了5.8SrDNA及其侧翼ITS区的克隆、测序、序列变异及遗传进化关系分析。黑斑病菌及其近源种真菌核糖体5.8SrDNA及其侧翼ITS区序列比对结果显示,不同种菌株ITS1比ITS2在碱基构成上有更大变异,而且ITS1的序列长度变异比ITS2的大;而种内虽然各菌株的寄主和地理来源不同,但ITS1和ITS2在长度上均没有变异,碱基构成上存在微小的变异。对该区序列的聚类分析表明,白菜黑斑病菌3个种芸薹链格孢Alternariabrassicae、甘蓝链格孢A.brassicicola和萝卜链格孢A.japonica虽然地理来源和寄主不同,但种内的不同菌株均在一个独立的聚类组中,种之间以及其和链格孢属内其它种在聚类关系上能明显分开,可基于该区进行黑斑病菌的分类鉴定。     

中国沿海浒苔属rbcL和ITS序列比较及系统进化分析

为阐明中国沿海浒苔的亲缘关系及地理分布特点,采集青岛栈桥、盐城弶港、宁波象山、温州平阳四地浒苔样本,克隆测序得到ITS1、5.8SrDNA和ITS23种不同长度序列片段。四个地区的rbcL目的片段,长度均为1201bp。分析核苷酸差异和遗传距离,采用邻接法建立系统发生树。结果显示,ITS序列进化速率较快,rbcL序列相当保守。ITS区较短,GC含量均在65%以上,5.8SrDNA的CG含量在50%左右,ITS1区的序列差异大于ITS2区。四个地区的浒苔存在一定的地理差异,盐城和青岛的样本间的亲缘关系较近;宁波和温州的样本间的亲缘关系较近。石莼属(Ulva)和浒苔属(Enteromorpha)的物种没有聚成各自独立的分枝,而是相互混合在一起,应是两个亲缘关系相近的属。引起青岛绿潮的海藻很可能是来自盐城海域的Enteromorpha linza或Enteromorpha prolifera。     

基于叶绿体DNA ndhA和nrDNA ITS序列变异分析栽培柿及其近缘种亲缘关系

以柿属植物（Diospyros spp.）中与柿近缘的8种共30个基因型为试材,进行核糖体DNA(nrDNA)内转录间隔区（ITS）和叶绿体DNA ndhA序列变异分析,并通过软件计算两个序列及合并后的进化模型,依据进化模型采用ML法(maximum likelihood method)分析进化关系。为进一步弄清柿属植物种间亲缘关系和供试柿（Diospyros kaki Thunb.）种内分子差异提供了理论依据。结果表明：（1）ndhA序列长度变异范围在1 492~1 511,14个信息位点;ITS序列长度变异范围在660~761,56个信息位点。ITS、ndhA和ndhA+ITS（ndhA和ITS合并）最适碱基进化模型分别为（TrN+I+G）、（F81+I）和（GTR+I+G）。综合ITS和ndhA序列分析表明：柿与油柿和云南野毛柿亲缘关系最近,与美洲柿和乌柿最远。（2）21份柿品种材料的ITS长度均为730,包括4个变异位点,据此4个变异位点对供试柿种内21个品种进行聚类分析。研究认为,ndhA和ITS能较清楚解释了柿与其近缘种间的亲缘关系,并通过柿品种ITS的差异位点分析鉴别出栽培柿种内的差异。     

栽培种甘薯及其近缘野生种nrDNA ITS序列分析

采用核糖体DNA内转录间隔区(nrDNA ITS)序列比较分析了甘薯及其近缘野生种的遗传多样性及系统进化关系,首次报道了栽培种甘薯‘徐薯18’(Ipomoea batatas‘Xushu18’)及其近缘野生种I.triloba(DOM),I.cordatotriloba(MEX),I.nil(PER),I.nil(JPN),I.hederacea Jacq.(USA),I.hederacea Jacq.(HK)和种间杂交种67-1(I.batatas‘Xushu18’×I.hederacea Jacq.)及回交种(67-1×I.batatas‘Xushu18’)的nrDNA ITS序列。序列分析表明,栽培种甘薯及其近缘野生种nrDNA ITS序列长度为570~600bp。其中,ITS1序列为185~209 bp,GC含量为53.11%~61.83%;ITS2序列为214~226 bp,GC含量为61.21%~72.89%;5.8S序列均为165 bp,GC含量为54.55%~55.76%。此外,栽培种甘薯及其近缘野生种ITS序列信息位点均集中在ITS1和ITS2区;与其他甘薯属植物相比,I.wrightii ITS2的末端缺失了6~8个碱基。系统进化分析表明,栽培种甘薯‘徐薯18’(I.batatas‘Xushu18’)和野生种I.triloba、I.cordatotriloba、I.lacunosa、I.trifida的亲缘关系较近,与I.wrightii、I.pes-tigridis、I.grandifolia、I.nil、I.hederacea Jacq.、I.purpurea的亲缘关系较远;杂交后代与栽培种甘薯‘徐薯18’(I.batatas‘Xushu18’)亲缘关系较近,与野生种父本I.hederacea Jacq.的亲缘关系较远。     

乳白石蒜rDNA-ITS序列分析及种内系统发育研究

对来源于不同产地的11个乳白石蒜(Lycoris albiflora Koidz.)种源的rDNA-ITS序列进行了扩增、纯化、克隆、酶切和测序,并对各种源的rDNA-ITS序列长度、G+C含量、碱基差异和遗传距离进行了比较分析,构建了系统发育树.结果表明,乳白石蒜11个种源的rDNA-ITS序列具有较高的同源性,但不同种源间的ITS序列长度和碱基变异较大;乳白石蒜rDNA-ITS序列总长度约为700 bp,共有318个变异位点;ITS1、ITS2和5.8S rDNA片段长度分别为222～245、240～252和163 bp;ITS序列中的G+C含量均明显高于A+T含量,ITS1和ITS2片段中的G+C含量分别为53.8%～70.5%和63.4%～73.4%;碱基变异类型多为颠换、转换、插入和缺失.种源间的遗传距离差异较大,其中浙江天目山种源(TM3)与浙江宁波种源(NB2)的遗传距离最小(0.000),其他种源间遗传距离为0.067～0.323.基于ITS序列分析结果可将11个乳白石蒜种源聚为3大类,第1类包括采自浙江天目山(TM1和TM2)和浙江宁波(NB3)的3个种源,花和花丝多为白色;第2类包含来源于不同产地的7个种源,花多为乳白色或乳黄色;第3类仅有采自浙江兰溪(LX)的1个种源,花色变异较大.研究结果表明,乳白石蒜种内有丰富的遗传变异,种源间的ITS序列差异与花的特征变化一致,但与地理分布并不相关;rDNA-ITS序列分析可用于乳白石蒜的亲缘关系、物种鉴别和遗传多样性研究.     

紫芝基因组rDNA序列特征及ITS2二级结构比较

紫芝栽培品种‘紫芝S2’(武芝2号)的ITS序列与NCBI数据库中5个紫芝菌株/分离株相似度高达99.79%-100%,在系统进化树上相聚成一类。本研究预测‘紫芝S2’基因组与参考基因组中的rRNA基因簇,分析rDNA结构及各构件序列间的多态性。从高质量‘紫芝S2’基因组中挖掘得到完整rDNA,序列全长40.377 kb,由4组串联重复的(18S、5.8S、28S、5S) rRNA基因簇组成,并含有完整的基因内间隔区(ITS1、ITS2)和基因间间隔区(IGS1、IGS2)。在紫芝S2的rDNA中,高度保守的28S rRNA基因间出现3个SNP和2个插入(1 bp,10 bp)位点;虽然第4条ITS2中有1个SNP位点,但紫芝S2的4条ITS2在二级结构上的分子形态高度一致,与ITS2数据库中其他紫芝菌株仅存在螺旋区间夹角的微小差异。由‘紫芝S2’基因组rDNA的ITS2生成的DNA条形码与二维码,可以作为该栽培品种鉴定与同源物种其他菌株鉴别的分子标记。     

用核糖体ITS区序列验证自然杂交种Meconopsis × cookei G.Taylor

对被认为是自然杂交种的绿绒蒿植物Meconopsis×cookeiG .Taylor及其可能的亲本红花绿绒蒿(M punicea)和五脉绿绒蒿 (M .quintuplinervia)的核糖体DNAITS区进行了序列测定 ,所得序列的长度为 6 6 7～ 6 6 8bp ,其中红花绿绒蒿的序列长度为 6 6 7bp ,另外两个种的序列长度均为 6 6 8bp。利用软件ClustalX对所得序列进行排序和碱基比较 ,排序后的序列长度为 6 6 8bp ,其中ITS1长度为 2 5 4bp ,5 8S长度为 16 2bp ,ITS2长度为 2 5 2bp。整个ITS区序列共有 16个变异位点 ,占序列总长度的 2 4 0 % ,其中ITS1的变异位点 9个 ,占 5 6 2 5 % ,占整个序列长度的 1 35 % ;ITS2的变异位点 6个 ,占 37 5 0 % ,占整个序列长度的 0 89% ;5 8S的变异位点 1个 ,占 6 2 5 % ,占整个序列长度的 0 15 %。分析结果表明 ,M .×cookei同时具有红花绿绒蒿和五脉绿绒蒿的两种ITS序列 ,也就是说M .×cookei与红花绿绒蒿和五脉绿绒蒿之间在ITS基因上的变化规律符合孟德尔遗传学定律 ,从而从分子水平上证明M .×cookei是红花绿绒蒿和五脉绿绒蒿的杂交后代。     

帘蛤科贝类rDNA内转录间隔区序列的研究

根据18SrDNA、5．8SrDNA和28SrDNA保守序列设计引物,应用聚合酶链式反应（PCR）扩增了文蛤（Meretrix meretrix L．）、青蛤（Cyclina sinensis G）、硬壳蛤（Mercenaria mercenaria L．）和江户布目蛤（Protothaca jedoensis L．）4种帘蛤科贝类的第一内转录间隔区（ITS1）和第二内转录间隔区（ITS2）序列,并进行了测序。结果表明,文蛤、青蛤、硬壳蛤和江户布目蛤的ITS1扩增产物大小分别为978bp、663bp、757bp和942bp,GC含量分别为61．55％、60．78％、62．48％和64．86％～64．97％,其中ITS1序列长度分别为900bp、585bp、679bp和864bp,是迄今已报道双壳贝类中变化范围最大的,GC含量分别为61．67％、61．03％、63．03％和65．51％～65．62％,江户布目蛤种内ITS1序列有个体差异;ITS2扩增产物大小分别为644bp、618～620bp、593bp和513～514bp,GC含量分别为61．18％、61．29％～61．81％、62．73％和61．48％61．60％,其中ITS2序列长度分别为412bp、386～388bp、361bp和281～282bp,GC含量分别为65．29％、65．21％～66．06％、67．87％和67．38％～67．62％,青蛤和江户布目蛤种内ITS2序列有个体差异。4种蛤ITS1和ITS2序列种间差异很大,有明显的长度多态性,ITS2种间序列相似度73．0％～89．1％,与ITS1的种间序列相似度48．7％～81．5％相比略高。此外,在4种蛤ITS1和ITS2序列中各发现2个与rRNA加工有关的保守区。通过对ITS1和ITS2序列的组装获得了4种蛤5．8SrRNA基因完整序列,序列长度都是157bp,GC含量57．96％～58．60％,4种蛤5．8SrRNA基因相对保守,种间序列差异度0-6．0％,共有10个变异位点,其中转换4处,颠换6处,硬壳蛤和江户布目蛤5．8SrRNA基因序列完全相同。以ITS2序列（包含5．8SrRNA和28SrRNA基因部分序列）为标记,调用北极蛤科的Arctica islandica相应序列数据作外群,构建了帘蛤科贝类的系统发育树,其拓扑结构显示江户布目蛤与硬壳蛤亲缘关系最近,青蛤与其他3物种的亲缘关系最远。     

基于ITS和trnL-trnF序列的草木樨种群遗传多样性研究

以白花草木樨(Melilotus alba)和黄花草木樨(Melilotus officinalis)18个地理种群植物为材料,用ITS序列和trnL-trnF序列研究了2种草木樨不同种群间的遗传多样性。结果表明:(1)trnL-trnF序列对位后长度为459bp,其中包括6个变异位点,6个简约信息位点,G+C含量为33.1%;ITS序列对位后长度为714bp,其中包括5个变异位点,3个简约信息位点,G+C含量为48.9%。(2)在基于trnL-trnF序列构建的系统发育树中,2种草木樨能够形成单系分支,说明trnL-trnF序列在草木樨中的鉴别能力较强。(3)单倍型多样性以及核苷酸多样性分析表明,黄花草木樨的遗传多样性高于白花草木樨。     

低温处理后4个越橘品种部分生理指标的比较及其抗寒性分析

以‘美登’(‘Blomidon ’)、‘北陆’(‘Northland ’)、‘蓝丰’(‘Bluecrop ’)和‘密斯梯’(‘Misty ’)4个越橘( Vaccinium spp.)品种为研究对象,对经-15℃、-20℃、-25℃、-30℃、-35℃和-40℃低温处理后各品种枝条的相对电导率( REC)、丙二醛( MDA)含量、过氧化物酶( POD)和过氧化氢酶( CAT)活性以及各指标的增长量进行比较;在此基础上,建立各品种REC值与温度的Logistic方程并获得各品种的低温半致死温度( LT50),初步确定各品种的抗寒性。结果表明：经不同低温处理后,各品种枝条的REC 值以及 POD 和 CAT 活性总体上极显著(P<0.01)高于对照(10℃),MDA含量极显著或显著(P<0.05)高于对照。随处理温度降低,各品种枝条的REC值和MDA含量逐渐升高,但不同品种间这2个指标的变幅不同;各品种枝条的POD和CAT活性随处理温度降低呈“单峰型”曲线,但不同品种枝条POD和CAT活性的峰值及其达到峰值的处理温度均存在差异,其中,经-25℃低温处理后品种‘密斯梯’枝条的POD和CAT活性最高,而其余3个品种的POD和CAT活性经-30℃低温处理后最高。总体上,品种‘密斯梯’枝条的REC值和MDA含量增长量处于较高水平,POD和CAT活性增长量处于较低水平;而品种‘美登’枝条的REC值和MDA含量增长量则处于较低水平,POD和CAT活性增长量处于较高水平。各品种的Logistic方程拟合度为0.8622~0.9778,且各品种间的拟合度差异均达到极显著或显著水平;REC值与温度的相关性极显著,其相关系数为0.9285~0.9888;品种‘密斯梯’、‘蓝丰’、‘北陆’和‘美登’的LT50值分别为-18.87℃、-26.85℃、-27.52℃和-30.83℃。综合分析结果显示：LT50值、MDA含量变化量、保护酶活性及其变化量均可作为越橘品种抗寒性的评价指标,据此初步确定供试4个越橘品种抗寒性由强至弱依次为‘美登’、‘北陆’、‘蓝丰’、‘密斯梯’。     

Multiple Divergent ITS1 Copies Were Identified in Single Tomato Genome Using DGGE Analysis

The intra-genomic variation in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has led to misleading conclusions in the evolutionary analysis of plants; understanding this variation is critical for correct evolutionary analysis based on ITS sequences. To reveal the ITS variation in tomato, entire copies of ITS1 sequences within tomato species were separated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and DNA sequence analysis. ITS1 copies varied significantly in sequence composition, but not in sequence length within the same tomato cultivar. DNA sequence similarity of the ITS1 copies was 77–100 %. Moreover, AT and GC contents in ITS1 copies from each tomato cultivar were significantly different, ranging from 50.4 to 64.3 % for GC and from 35.7 to 49.6 % for AT. However, the length variation of ITS1 was insignificant, ranging from 279 to 282 bp. Multiple copies of divergent ITS1 present in the tomato genome indicate that some copies may be paralogues. In conclusion, DGGE technique is a reliable and novel approach to reveal the entire ITS copy variation and the possible evolutionary relationship of tomato.     

Branch bending affected floral bud development and nutrient accumulation in shoot terminals of ‘Fuji’ and ‘Gala’ apples

Branch bending has been practiced for decades in China to induce flower buds in ‘Fuji’ apple. However, the optimum bending angle is yet to be elucidated. The main objectives of this study were to compare the effect of branch bending angles (70°, 90° and 110°) on the flowering and nutrient accumulation of 1-year-old shoots of ‘Fuji’ and ‘Gala’ apples and to determine the optimum branch bending angle for each cultivar. In both cultivars, the production of spurs and terminal flower buds, and the total sugar concentration and the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio in the shoot terminals increased, whereas the N concentration decreased with increasing bending angles. The nutrient concentration was significantly higher in spurs than in medium and long shoots. The distinction between the changing patterns of C and N concentrations in the bent shoots during the growing season in our study suggested the competition of these two nutrients caused by vegetative and reproductive growth at different growing times. In ‘Fuji’ apple, the proportion of flowering buds appeared to increase more rapidly with the increase of bending angle from 70° to 110° than that in ‘Gala’ apple, and particularly a higher proportion of spurs was observed on ‘Fuji’ branches bent at a larger angle. The increase in the total sugar concentration and the C/N ratio in the shoot terminals of the bent branches might be involved in inducing floral buds after bending. The optimum bending angle was about 90° for ‘Gala’ apple and 110° for ‘Fuji’ apple, respectively. Bending could help farmers to reduce the severity of biennial fruiting in ‘Fuji’ apple.     

Das Verhalten einiger pilzlicher Antagonisten in der Rhizosphäre resistenter und anfälliger Gewächshaustomaten

Action of some fungal antagonists in the rhizosphere of resistant and susceptible tomato plants in the greenhouse The quantitative presence of the rhizospheric mycoflora fungi: Aspergillus alutaceus, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Penicillium herquei, P. nigricans and Trichoderma viride known for its antagonistic action to many pathogens is essentially differentiated in the two cultivars – the sensitive ‘Early pack’ and the resistant to tracheomycosis ‘GC 204′. It seems that the presence of the cultivar ‘GC 204’ favours the growth of these fungi. The first establishment of the fungi Penicillium chrysogenum and P. funiculosum, which are isolated from both cultivars, in the ‘Early pack’ rhizosphere might facilitate the colonization of this zone by the above mentioned antagonist which is not favoured by the sensitive cultivar. Such a changein the rhizospheric mycoflora of the sensitive cultivar may introduce some resistant to soil borne fungi diseases and open new perspectives of the biological control of these diseases.     

3个芹菜品种Agnp-G3PDH基因的克隆及其序列和表达特性分析

从芹菜(Apium graveolens Linn.)品种‘六合黄心芹’(‘Liuhe Huangxinqin’)、‘津南实芹’(‘Jinnan Shiqin’)和‘文图拉’(‘Ventura’)中分别克隆获得非磷酸化甘油醛-3-磷酸脱氢酶基因Agnp-G3PDH。3个品种的AgnpG3PDH基因序列均包含1个全长1 491 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码496个氨基酸;存在84个碱基位点差异,导致14个氨基酸位点改变。由该基因编码的‘六合黄心芹’、‘津南实芹’和‘文图拉’的Agnp-G3PDH蛋白的理论相对分子质量分别为53 201.6、53 051.4和52 960.3,理论等电点分别为pI 7.49、pI 7.86和pI 8.12,氨基酸组成中碱性氨基酸数量大于酸性氨基酸数量;该蛋白质具有亲水性与疏水性双重特性,均为疏水性蛋白。多重比对结果表明:3个品种Agnp-G3PDH基因编码的氨基酸序列同源性达到99.09%,具有高度保守性;且与其他11种植物npG3PDH的氨基酸序列的相似度也较高。在基于np-G3PDH基因编码的氨基酸序列进化树上,3个芹菜品种聚在同一分支中,并与杨柳科(Salicaceae)种类毛果杨(Populus trichocarpa Torr.&Gray)聚在一起,表明它们的np-G3PDH进化关系较近。实时定量PCR分析结果表明:在3个芹菜品种的不同组织中Agnp-G3PDH基因的相对表达水平均有明显差异,其中,在‘津南实芹’的叶、‘文图拉’的花和‘六合黄心芹’的根中该基因的相对表达水平最高;经高温(38℃)、低温(4℃)和干旱(20%PEG)胁迫处理后3个品种Agnp-G3PDH基因的相对表达水平均极显著高于或低于对照,但经盐(0.2 mol·L-1NaCl)胁迫处理后仅品种‘津南实芹’Agnp-G3PDH基因的相对表达水平显著高于对照,品种‘六合黄心芹’和‘文图拉’Agnp-G3PDH基因的相对表达水平与对照无显著差异。表明该基因的表达具有组织特异性且与品种间的抗逆性差异有关。     

Ribosomal DNA difference between species A and D of the Anopheles dims complex of mosquitoes from China

Abstract. Species A and D of the Anopheles dints complex were found in China. Ribosomal DNA second internal transcribed spacers (ITS2) of both species A and D were sequenced and found to be 716 and 710 base-pairs in length, respectively, with 699c GC content. No evidence of intraspecific variation was detected in the ITS2 sequence of species A, whereas the sequence of species D showed variation at one position in the ITS2. A large number of simple repeat motifs were dispersed throughout the ITS2 sequences. The level of interspecific difference was 5.4% of the nucleotide sequences. Some of the interspecific differences were located in regions with subrepeat structure.     

‘挽春’(Paeonia rockii‘Wan Chun’)——中国西北紫斑牡丹品种群中的一个优良品种

紫斑牡丹品种群是中国的主要牡丹品种群之一。文中描述了一个优良紫斑牡丹品种‘挽春’(Paeonia rockii‘Wan Chun’)的特征、习性和表现,该品种在紫斑牡丹品种群中具有代表性。紫斑牡丹品种可用于园艺观赏、经济林营造、荒山绿化以及荒漠治理。根据多年的调查和相关文献,按照紫斑牡丹品种的生长适应程度和引种栽培难易程度,将中国有可能引种栽植紫斑牡丹品种的地区划分为4类。介绍了各类地区在引种栽培方面需要注意的关键技术措施,分析了紫斑牡丹品种向全国各地推广过程中存在的问题,并提出了建议。     

Genetic diversity of nuclear ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequence in Clonorchis sinensis Cobbold, 1875 (Trematoda: Opisthorchidae) from the Russian Far East

The present study examined the molecular organisation and sequence variation in the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) region, including the two internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) and the 5.8S gene of the Clonorchis sinensis from the Russian Far East. The relevant sequences from other parts of this species' area were downloaded from GenBank. The results showed 100% identity for all investigated 5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequences. In contrast, two levels of intraspecific variations were revealed in the complete ITS1 sequences. The intra-genomic variation resulted from a C/T polymorphism in a single position. The inter-individual differences between the ITS1 sequences were both due to nucleotide and size polymorphisms resulting from a varying number of five-nucleotide repeats and followed by two ITS1 length variants. These variant frequencies correlate with the clonorchiasis level in some geographical localities. ITS1 differences, both in the mutation profile and mutation localisation, were revealed between northern and southern geographical samples. The presence of GC boxes that are identical to known regulatory motifs in eukaryotes was detected within the ITS1 sub-repeats. The predicted secondary structures for ITS1 consist of two large branches, one of which was invariable, while another depended on ITS1 length. The predicted secondary structure for ITS2 includes four helices around the core. The main differences between C. sinensis and other opisthorchids were localised on the tops of helices 2, 3, and 4. A phylogenetic MST reconstruction subdivided all ITS1 sequences into two well differentiated clusters, each with the major widespread ribotype, and showed that ribotype diversity in both Russia and Korea is much lower than in China. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of complete ITS1 sequences in C. sinensis population genetics and can be considered as a basis for further studies of the parasite infection because they may help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of pathogen evolution and adaptation.     

A PCR based SNPs marker for specific characterization of English walnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Juglans regia</Emphasis> L.) cultivars

English walnut (Juglans regia L.) is the most economically important species from all the 21 species belonging to the genus Juglans and is an important and healthy food as well as base material for timber industry. The aim of this study was to develop a simple technique for specific characterization of English walnut using DNA method. The first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) as well as the intervening 5.8S coding region of the rRNA gene for 18 cultivars of J. regia L. isolated from different geographic origins were characterized. The size of the spacers sequences ranged from 257 to 263 bases for ITS1 and from 217 to 219 bases for ITS2. Variation of GC contents has also been observed and scored as 55–56.7 and 57.1–58.9% for ITS1 and ITS2, respectively. This data exhibited the presence of polymorphism among cultivars. Alignment of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequences from 18 walnut cultivars showed that there were 244 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 1 short insertion–deletion (indel) at 5′ end ITS1. Amplification refractory mutation system strategy was successfully applied to the SNP markers of the ITS1 and ITS2 sequences for the fingerprinting analysis of 17 on 18 walnut cultivars. The prediction of ITS1 and ITS2 RNA secondary structure from each cultivar was improved by detecting key functional elements shared by all sequences in the alignments. Phylogenetic analysis of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region clearly separated the isolated sequences into two clusters. The results showed that ITS1 and ITS2 region could be used to discriminate these walnut cultivars.