转录组测序揭示翼盖蕨(Didymochlaena trancatula)的全基因组复制历史

全基因组复制在动植物中普遍存在, 被认为是促进物种进化的重要动力之一。作为蕨类植物的单种科物种, 翼盖蕨(Didymochlaena trancatula)是真水龙骨类I的基部类群, 在蕨类中具有独特的演化地位。本研究基于高通量测序, 通过同义替换率(Ks)分析、相对定年分析揭示翼盖蕨的全基因组复制发生情况。Ks分析表明, 翼盖蕨至少经历了两次全基因组复制事件, 其中一次发生于59-62 million years ago (Mya), 另一次发生于90-94 Mya, 这两次全基因组复制事件分别和白垩纪第三纪的Cretaceous-Tertiary (C-T)大灭绝事件以及翼盖蕨的物种分化时间相吻合。进一步对两次全基因组复制保留的基因进行功能注释和富集分析, 结果显示与转录及代谢调控相关的基因优势被保留。翼盖蕨的全基因组复制事件可能促进了该物种的分化及其对极端环境的适应性。     

水稻Trihelix转录因子家族全基因组分析及功能预测

Trihelix转录因子家族在植物生长发育以及响应逆境胁迫等方面发挥着重要作用,但目前基于水稻全基因组水平鉴定和分析该基因家族的研究尚未见相关报道。本文利用生物信息学方法在水稻基因组数据库中鉴定到Trihelix家族成员31个,序列聚类和功能结构域分析发现该家族均含有高度保守的、特征性的Trihelix结构域;根据亲缘关系远近和结构域特点,将其分为5个亚家族(Ⅰ~Ⅴ)。通过与拟南芥、二穗短炳草和高粱中Trihelix家族的聚类分析发现,这4个物种中Trihelix家族的分类相一致,但每个物种均含有不同亚家族的成员,表明该基因家族的分化早于物种的分化。基于MEME程序分析水稻Trihelix转录因子家族的保守基序与聚类分析结果具有较高的一致性。染色体区段复制分析表明,部分Trihelix家族成员在水稻以及水稻与其他物种之间存在种内和种间的染色体区段复制;生物芯片数据分析发现,Trihelix基因家族在水稻不同组织中、以及对6种不同植物激素的响应呈现多样化的表达谱。采用RiceFREND在线数据库分析发现,水稻Trihelix转录因子家族的20个成员与其他蛋白存在互作关系。本研究结果初步明确了水稻Trihelix转录因子家族的进化特点、染色体分布、染色体区段复制关系、组织表达、激素应答,以及该家族蛋白与其他蛋白质的互作情况,为进一步揭示Trihelix转录因子家族的分子进化规律和生物学功能奠定了基础。     

葡萄、桃和可可基因组的进化分析

本研究以葡萄、桃和可可为研究对象,基于比较基因组学,利用基因同源共线性方法对基因组内的结构和基因组间同源信息进行比对分析,确定了物种基因组内和基因组间的同源片段。通过统计3个物种基因组间的同源共线基因的保留情况发现,葡萄基因组的保留情况最好,桃次之(为73.4%),可可最差(为68.9%),其丢失均可能是由于双子叶植物共有的三倍化导致基因组稳定性遭到破坏。另外,共线基因间的同义核苷酸替换率的频数分布证实,葡萄、桃和可可仅经历过一次古老的全基因组三倍化,并未经历最近的全基因组加倍,且可可基因组进化最快,葡萄基因组进化最保守;3个物种的分歧时间分别为:葡萄(~110 Mya)、可可(~90 Mya)、桃(~80 Mya)。本研究将为3个物种及双子叶植物基因组的结构、功能和进化等研究提供重要的理论依据。     

水稻Xa21基因在水稻和玉米中的比较物理定位

比较基因组分析证明,禾本科不同种基因组间存在广泛的同线性和共线性。对水稻（ＯｒｙｚａｓａｔｉｖａＬ．）这一模式植物与其它禾本科植物基因的原位杂交比较定位可以揭示禾本科植物基因组结构的共同特点和进化规律。利用含Ｘａ２１基因的ｐＢ８２２作探针筛选水稻的细菌人工染色体（ＢＡＣ）文库,建立了一个包含３个ＢＡＣ克隆的重叠群。用生物素标记其中一个ＢＡＣ克隆,对水稻“广陆矮４号”和玉米自交系黄早四进行了染色体荧光原位杂交。同时,用ｐＢ８２２也作了原位杂交检测。在水稻第１１染色体长臂中间检出了杂交信号,信号与着丝粒的百分距离约为２４。在玉米的第１、３和第８染色体长臂观察到杂交信号,表明玉米基因组中具有三个Ｘａ２１的同源序列座位。ＢＡＣＦＩＳＨ的信号检出率达在４０％以上,大大高于质粒探针ｐＢ８２２的检出率（１５％）,而且可在同源染色体和姊妹染色单体上同时检出杂交信号的比例较高,证明了利用ＢＡＣ克隆荧光原位杂交进行比较物理定位的可行性和优越性。在ＢＡＣＦＩＳＨ中必须用相应基因组的ＣｏｔⅠＤＮＡ封阻,以排除重复序列的干扰。     

稻属植物的基因组进化

水稻所在的稻属(Oryza)共有24个左右的物种。由于野生稻含有大量的优良农艺性状基因, 在水稻遗传学研究中日益受到重视。随着国际稻属基因组计划的开展, 越来越多的稻属基因组序列被测定, 稻属成为进行比较、功能和进化基因组学研究的模式系统。近期开展的一系列研究对稻属不同基因组区段以及全基因组序列的比较分析, 揭示了稻属在基因组大小、基因移动、多倍体进化、常染色质到异染色质的转化以及着丝粒区域的进化等方面的分子机制。转座子的活性以及转座子因非均等重组或非法重组而造成的删除, 对稻属基因组的扩增和收缩具有重要作用。DNA双链断裂修复介导的基因移动, 特别是非同源末端连接, 是稻属基因组非共线性基因形成的主要来源。稻属基因组从常染色质到异染色质的转换过程, 伴随着转座子的大量扩增、基因片段的区段性和串联重复以及从基因组其他位置不断捕获异染色质基因。对稻属不同物种间基因拷贝数、特异基因和重要农艺性状基因的进化等研究, 可揭示稻属不同物种间表型和适应性差异的分子基础, 将加速水稻的育种和改良。     

拟南芥和琴叶拟南芥中MADS-box基因的比较进化分析

MADS-box基因编码一类转录因子。在被子植物中,MADS-box基因对于营养生长和生殖发育都有重要的调控作用,是植物体(特别是花序、花和果实)的正常发育所不可或缺的。为了理解近缘物种在遗传基础上的异同,我们对拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)和琴叶拟南芥(A.lyrata)基因组中MADS-box基因的拷贝数目和进化式样进行了比较分析。通过搜索公共数据库,我们在拟南芥和琴叶拟南芥中分别鉴定出了106和115个基因。系统发育分析的结果表明,这些基因属于I型和II型MADS-box基因。在两个物种分化之后,II型基因的拷贝数目变化不大,I型基因则经历了多次独立的基因丢失和获得事件。通过比较这些基因在染色体上的排列,我们不但鉴定出了存在微共线性的基因组区段,而且发现新基因产生的主要机制是串联重复和散在重复。分子进化的研究进一步表明,I型和II型基因在进化式样上存在着显著差异:II型基因在进化中一般都受到了较强的选择压力,而I型基因大多受到的选择压力较弱。本研究将为深入理解近缘物种在基因和基因组层面上的异同、探讨物种分化和生物多样性形成的机制等问题提供新思路。     

基于转录组数据揭示4种兜兰的全基因组复制历史

多倍化或全基因组复制(WGD)是物种多样性发生的重要驱动力。目前, 在蕨类、菊科以及豆科等类群丰富的植物中已多次报道全基因组复制事件, 而兰科(Orchidaceae)全基因组复制事件报道极少, 与其丰富的物种多样性存在矛盾, 推测与前期样本量小但类群跨度大的研究策略有关。选取染色体数目变异丰富且多样性较高的兜兰属(Paphiopedilum)为兰科植物代表类群, 基于共享数据库中4种兜兰的转录组数据, 采用同义替换率(K_s)、系统发生基因组学以及相对定年的方法分析兜兰属植物是否发生过全基因组复制事件。结果表明, 在4种兜兰中均检测到3次全基因组复制事件, 分别发生在110.17-119.77 Mya (WGD1)、60.95-74.19 Mya (WGD2)和38.19-45.85 Mya (WGD3)。其中, WGD3为新检测到的全基因组复制事件, 推测其发生在杓兰亚科(Cypripedioideae)与姐妹类群分化后, 兜兰属与姐妹类群分化之前。此外, 3次全基因组复制事件发生后优先保留的基因拷贝在功能上多与当时的环境胁迫响应相关, 推测全基因组复制提高了兜兰属植物祖先对当时极端环境变化的适应性。     

水稻Pib基因及其连锁RFLP标记在栽培稻、药用野生稻和玉米中的比较物理定位

比较遗传学研究表明 ,禾本科不同基因组之间存在着广泛的同线性和共线性。对水稻 (OryzasativaL .)这一模式植物与其他禾本科植物的原位杂交定位可以揭示禾本科植物基因组的共同特点和进化规律 ,为建立禾本科遗传大体系积累资料。实验以图位克隆法分离的水稻Pib基因 (10 .3kb)和与之连锁的RFLP标记为探针 ,研究了Pib及与其连锁的RFLP标记在供试种中的同源性和物理位置。Southern杂交结果表明 ,Pib在玉米 (ZeamaysL .)基因组中有同源序列。进一步利用单色和双色荧光原位杂交技术确定了Pib在栽培稻 (O .sativassp .indicacv .Guangluai4)、玉米和药用野生稻 (O .officinalisWallexWatt)染色体上的物理位置。定位结果表明 ,Pib基因和与之连锁的RFLP标记在这 3个供试种基因组中具有同线性。     

假基因的组成、分布及其分子进化

假基因(pseudogene)是指基因组中与正常基因序列相似, 但是缺乏功能的DNA 序列。通过序列同源性搜索, 可以收集基因组中假基因的群体特性、染色体分布和同源家族等特性。假基因很好地保留了数百万年前基因组中祖先基因的分子记录, 被视为“基因化石”, 因此假基因在进化和比较基因组学中是重要的资源。应用假基因和基因比较体系, 可以探究生物基因的进化史和基因组稳定性。如: 用Ka/Ks比值确定假基因的自然选择压、物种亲缘关系和进化距离, 分析假基因自身的进化趋势, 探讨DNA 突变的成因等。     

基因重复研究进展

基因复制是基因通过不等交换,反转录转座或由全基因组复制等途径产生一个与原基因相似的基因或碱基序列,它与生物体基因组大小的进化、新基因的起源、物种的分化以及基因抗突变的能力大小等都密切相关。本文综述了复制基因的产生和保留机制、选择作用、分化的途径以及复制基因进化速率等方面的相关研究,揭示了基因复制对于生物进化的重要性,以引起大家对该领域的了解与关注。关键词：基因复制;复制基因;不等交换;反转录转座;全基因组复制     

Comparative genomics in the grass family: molecular characterization of grass genome structure and evolution

The genomes of grasses are very different in terms of size, ploidy level and chromosome number. Despite these significant differences, it was found by comparative mapping that the linear order (colinearity) of genetic markers and genes is very well conserved between different grass genomes. The potential of such conservation has been exploited in several directions, e.g. in defining rice as a model genome for grasses and in designing better strategies for positional cloning in large genomes. Recently, the development of large insert libraries in species such as maize, rice, barley and diploid wheat has allowed the study of large stretches of DNA sequence and has provided insight into gene organization in grasses. It was found that genes are not distributed randomly along the chromosomes and that there are clusters of high gene density in species with large genomes. Comparative analysis performed at the DNA sequence level has demonstrated that colinearity between the grass genomes is retained at the molecular level (microcolinearity) in most cases. However, detailed analysis has also revealed a number of exceptions to microcolinearity, which have given insight into mechanisms that are involved in grass-genome evolution. In some cases, the use of rice as a model to support gene isolation from other grass genomes will be complicated by local rearrangements. In this Botanical Briefing, we present recent progress and future prospects of comparative genomics in grasses.     

GPCR genes are preferentially retained after whole genome duplication

One of the most interesting questions in biology is whether certain pathways have been favored during evolution, and if so, what properties could cause such a preference. Due to the lack of experimental evidence, whether select gene families have been preferentially retained over time after duplication in metazoan organisms remains unclear. Here, by syntenic mapping of nonchemosensory G protein-coupled receptor genes (nGPCRs which represent half the receptome for transmembrane signaling) in the vertebrate genomes, we found that, as opposed to the 8-15% retention rate for whole genome duplication (WGD)-derived gene duplicates in the entire genome of pufferfish, greater than 27.8% of WGD-derived nGPCRs which interact with a nonpeptide ligand were retained after WGD in pufferfish Tetraodon nigroviridis. In addition, we show that concurrent duplication of cognate ligand genes by WGD could impose selection of nGPCRs that interact with a polypeptide ligand. Against less than 2.25% probability for parallel retention of a pair of WGD-derived ligands and a pair of cognate receptor duplicates, we found a more than 8.9% retention of WGD-derived ligand-nGPCR pairs--threefold greater than one would surmise. These results demonstrate that gene retention is not uniform after WGD in vertebrates, and suggest a Darwinian selection of GPCR-mediated intercellular communication in metazoan organisms.     

Recurrent sequence exchange between homeologous grass chromosomes

All grass species evolved from an ancestor that underwent a whole‐genome duplication (WGD) approximately 70 million years ago. Interestingly, the short arms of rice chromosomes 11 and 12 (and independently their homologs in sorghum) were found to be much more similar to each other than other homeologous regions within the duplicated genome. Based on detailed analysis of rice chromosomes 11 and 12 and their homologs in seven grass species, we propose a mechanism that explains the apparently ‘younger’ age of the duplication in this region of the genome, assuming a small number of reciprocal translocations at the chromosome termini. In each case the translocations were followed by unbalanced transmission and subsequent lineage sorting of the involved chromosomes to offspring. Molecular dating of these translocation events also allowed us to date major chromosome ‘fusions’ in the evolutionary lineages that led to Brachypodium and Triticeae. Furthermore, we provide evidence that rice is exceptional regarding the evolution of chromosomes 11 and 12, inasmuch as in other species the process of sequence exchange between homeologous chromosomes ceased much earlier than in rice. We presume that random events rather than selective forces are responsible for the observed high similarity between the short arm ends of rice chromosomes 11 and 12.     

The Pharus latifolius genome bridges the gap of early grass evolution

The grass family (Poaceae) includes all commercial cereal crops and is a major contributor to biomass in various terrestrial ecosystems. The ancestry of all grass genomes includes a shared whole-genome duplication (WGD), named rho (ρ) WGD, but the evolutionary significance of ρ-WGD remains elusive. We sequenced the genome of Pharus latifolius, a grass species (producing a true spikelet) in the subfamily Pharoideae, a sister lineage to the core Poaceae including the (Panicoideae, Arundinoideae, Chloridoideae, Micrairoideae, Aristidoideae, and Danthonioideae (PACMAD) and Bambusoideae, Oryzoideae, and Pooideae (BOP) clades. Our results indicate that the P. latifolius genome has evolved slowly relative to cereal grass genomes, as reflected by moderate rates of molecular evolution, limited chromosome rearrangements and a low rate of gene loss for duplicated genes. We show that the ρ-WGD event occurred approximately 98.2 million years ago (Ma) in a common ancestor of the Pharoideae and the PACMAD and BOP grasses. This was followed by contrasting patterns of diploidization in the Pharus and core Poaceae lineages. The presence of two FRIZZY PANICLE-like genes in P. latifolius, and duplicated MADS-box genes, support the hypothesis that the ρ-WGD may have played a role in the origin and functional diversification of the spikelet, an adaptation in grasses related directly to cereal yields. The P. latifolius genome sheds light on the origin and early evolution of grasses underpinning the biology and breeding of cereals.

The Pharus genome fills an important genomic gap, providing numerous insights into how whole-genome duplication contributed to the origin and diversification of the grass family.     

Duplication and DNA segmental loss in the rice genome: implications for diploidization

* Large-scale duplication events have been recently uncovered in the rice genome, but different interpretations were proposed regarding the extent of the duplications. * Through analysing the 370 Mb genome sequences assembled into 12 chromosomes of Oryza sativa subspecies indica, we detected 10 duplicated blocks on all 12 chromosomes that contained 47% of the total predicted genes. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, we inferred that this was a result of a genome duplication that occurred c. 70 million years ago, supporting the polyploidy origin of the rice genome. In addition, a segmental duplication was also identified involving chromosomes 11 and 12, which occurred c. 5 million years ago. * Following the duplications, there have been large-scale chromosomal rearrangements and deletions. About 30-65% of duplicated genes were lost shortly after the duplications, leading to a rapid diploidization. * Together with other lines of evidence, we propose that polyploidization is still an ongoing process in grasses of polyploidy origins.     

Genes identified by visible mutant phenotypes show increased bias toward one of two subgenomes of maize

Not all genes are created equal. Despite being supported by sequence conservation and expression data, knockout homozygotes of many genes show no visible effects, at least under laboratory conditions. We have identified a set of maize (Zea mays L.) genes which have been the subject of a disproportionate share of publications recorded at MaizeGDB. We manually anchored these "classical" maize genes to gene models in the B73 reference genome, and identified syntenic orthologs in other grass genomes. In addition to proofing the most recent version 2 maize gene models, we show that a subset of these genes, those that were identified by morphological phenotype prior to cloning, are retained at syntenic locations throughout the grasses at much higher levels than the average expressed maize gene, and are preferentially found on the maize1 subgenome even with a duplicate copy is still retained on the opposite subgenome. Maize1 is the subgenome that experienced less gene loss following the whole genome duplication in maize lineage 5-12 million years ago and genes located on this subgenome tend to be expressed at higher levels in modern maize. Links to the web based software that supported our syntenic analyses in the grasses should empower further research and support teaching involving the history of maize genetic research. Our findings exemplify the concept of "grasses as a single genetic system," where what is learned in one grass may be applied to another.