罗非鱼胰蛋白酶ⅠmRNA克隆与分析

应用3′/5-′RACE方法对尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)和奥利亚(Oreochromis aureus)罗非鱼胰蛋白酶ⅠmR-NA进行了克隆和测序,序列分析表明,尼罗罗非鱼和奥利亚罗非鱼胰蛋白酶ⅠmRNA序列全长分别为863bp和858bp,序列中均含有738个核苷酸组成的开放阅读框,编码长度为245个氨基酸残基的胰蛋白酶Ⅰ。胰蛋白酶Ⅰ氨基末端均存在信号肽和激活肽序列,序列中均具有与催化活性必须的高度保守的催化三联体氨基酸残基(His、Asp、Ser)和构成二硫键的12个半胱氨酸残基,以及决定底物特异性的保守性氨基酸残基即天冬氨酸残基和S1结合袋。南极鱼(Patanotothenia magellanica)、大西洋鲑(Salmo salar)、日本鲽(Paralichthys olivaceus)、大西洋鳕(Gadusmorhua)、牛和人类胰蛋白酶mRNA序列以及氨基酸序列与奥利亚罗非鱼相比较同源性分别为58.3%—72.5%和63.3%—76.1%,与尼罗罗非鱼相比较同源性分别为59.1%—73.1%和63.6%—75.6%。奥利亚罗非鱼和尼罗罗非鱼胰蛋白酶mRNA序列以及氨基酸序列同源性分别为96.2%和99.2%。     

奥利亚罗非鱼EF-1α基因的克隆与结构分析

真核生物延伸生长因子基因(EF-1α)在蛋白质翻译过程中起着重要的作用,其序列具有高度的保守性,是一种管家基因.本文通过 RT-PCR 克隆出奥利亚罗非鱼(Oreochromis aureus)EF-1α的部分cDNA序列,其长度为425 bp,翻译成141个氨基酸,计算的蛋白质分子量为15.1 ku.同源性分析显示,奥利亚罗非鱼EF-1α氨基酸序列与尼罗罗非鱼(O.niloticus)的相似性最高,为100%;与青鳉(Oryzias latipes)、欧洲鲈(Dicentrarchus labrax)、斑马鱼(Danio rerio)、鲑鱼(Salmo trutta)的相似性分别为92%、91%、85%、82%;与小鼠(Mus musculus)、大鼠(Rattus norvegicus)、人(Homo sapiens)、鸡(Gallus gallus)的相似性均为85%.同时克隆出奥利亚罗非鱼EF-1α相应的DNA序列,共506 bp.cDNA与DNA的序列比对显示克隆出的奥利亚罗非鱼EF-1α含有1个内含子,这为将来设计EF-1α荧光定量引物以及测定其在不同组织中的表达量变化打下基础.     

罗非鱼mtDNA D-loop区部分序列结构和种群遗传多样性分析

采用PCR扩增和测序的方法获得了尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)埃及品系(简称AJ,22尾)、88品系(简称XH,26尾)和奥利亚罗非鱼(O.aureus)(简称ALY,28尾)"夏奥1号"线粒体DNA控制区(mtDNA D-loop)的部分序列(575～581 bp)。对照其他已报道的鱼类控制区结构,对序列结构进行分析,成功识别了罗非鱼mtDNA D-loop区序列的中央保守区和保守序列区,找到了4个特征序列(CSB-D、CSB1、CSB2、CSB3)。76个个体共检测出28个单倍型。AJ群体有12个单倍型,XH群体有10个单倍型,ALY群体存在9个单倍型。其中,3个群体共享1个单倍型(XH06),AJ和XH群体共享一个单倍型(XH10),其他为各个群体独有。AJ和XH(Nm=0.77)、AJ和ALY(Nm=0.02)、XH和ALY(Nm=0.02)之间均存在一定的遗传分化。AJ和XH的核苷酸多态性(Pi)值(分别为0.042 4、0.031 1)明显高于ALY的Pi值(0.001 2)。本实验中的ALY品种纯度高,AJ和XH的遗传多样性较丰富。mtDNA D-loop区能反映出罗非鱼群体的种质特征,适用于罗非鱼群体内的遗传多样性研究。     

四个罗非鱼选育品种抗链球菌病能力差异研究

为筛选出抗病力优良的罗非鱼品种, 以奥利亚罗非鱼“夏奥1号”、尼罗罗非鱼“99”埃及品系、吉富罗非鱼“中威1号”和奥尼罗非鱼为研究对象, 33℃水温暂养7d后分别进行无乳链球菌人工感染实验, 连续7d统计累计死亡率, 并于人工感染后0、24h、48h和72h采集血液和组织样本, 研究这4个罗非鱼选育品种抗链球菌病能力的差异。结果显示: 感染7d后奥尼罗非鱼的累计死亡率最低; 奥尼罗非鱼的谷草转氨酶(AST)感染前后始终都低于其余3个品种罗非鱼(P<0.05); 埃及尼罗和奥尼在感染72h后球蛋白(GLO)分别显著升高1.13倍和1.41倍; 奥尼罗非鱼白蛋白/球蛋白(A/G)在感染前后没有显著性变化(P>0.05), 而其余3个品种罗非鱼A/G比值在感染后都显著性降低(P<0.05); 埃及尼罗的碱性磷酸酶(AKP)在感染72h后显著降低(P<0.05), 奥利亚和吉富的AKP表现为先上升后下降, 奥尼的AKP感染前后没有显著性变化(P>0.05); 各品种罗非鱼血清中的乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)感染后都显著升高(P<0.05); 奥利亚、吉富和奥尼罗非鱼的超氧化歧化酶(SOD)感染48h时都显著升高(P<0.05); 奥尼罗非鱼在感染前后溶菌酶(LZM)活性都显著高于其余3个品种罗非鱼(P<0.05)。组织病理学结果显示:吉富和奥尼肝细胞水肿变性, 而奥利亚和埃及尼罗出现大面积肝细胞脂肪变性; 每个品种罗非鱼均呈现严重的脾炎, 奥利亚、埃及尼罗和吉富的脾脏中大量铁血黄素沉积; 每种罗非鱼呈现不同程度的肾小球萎缩, 肾小管上皮细胞变性、坏死。研究表明奥尼罗非鱼抗链球菌病能力最强, 感染后血清中AST水平与肝受损程度呈一定的正相关, LZM水平和罗非鱼抗链球菌病能力呈一定的正相关。     

奥利亚罗非鱼Piwi基因的克隆与生物信息学分析

Piwi基因是影响鱼类生殖细胞发育的重要因子。通过设计特异引物,以奥利亚罗非鱼的精巢RNA为模板,通过PCR扩增和克隆测序,获得了两种基因序列,分别长2 571 bp和3 204 bp。通过生物信息学分析,表明这两个片段与尼罗罗非鱼的Piwil-1和Piwil-2相似性都达到99%。通过翻译,Piwil-1和Piwil-2的蛋白序列具有典型的PAZ和Piwi结构域。因此,这两个基因为奥利亚罗非鱼的Piwil-1和Piwil-2基因。另外,生物信息学分析也表明Piwil-1和Piwil-2在一级结构和二级结构上十分相似,说明在奥利亚罗非鱼基因组中这两个基因分化时间则较短。本研究为后续研究鱼类生殖机理和罗非鱼进化研究奠定了基础。     

奥利亚罗非鱼DMRT1,DMO基因片段的克隆及序列分析

根据其他鱼类DMRT基因中的保守序列设计了一对简并引物,利用RT-PCR扩增了雌雄奥利亚罗非鱼的DMRT基因,并对其扩增产物进行了克隆与测序。结果在雌雄奥利亚罗非鱼个体中获得了两个不同的片段,分别命名为DMO,DMRT1基因。序列同源性分析表明,奥利亚罗非鱼DMRT1,DMO cNA系列的同源性为61.78%,氨基酸同源性为86%,说明了DMRT基因存在性别差异。与尼罗罗非鱼、红鳍东方豚、虹鳟、青鱼将等鱼类DM保守区相比,氨基酸序列同源性为86%-100%,这充分显示了DM-RT基因在进化上的高度保守性。     

用RAPD技术对罗非鱼遗传变异的研究及应用

应用随机扩增多态性DNA（RAPD）技术检测了一个奥利亚罗非鱼（au）和湘湖（nx)、美国（nm)、沙市（np）三个尼罗罗非鱼养殖群体（Table1)。在20外引物（Table2）中筛选到12个引物,它们的扩增物显示了罗非鱼和尼罗罗非鱼二者在群体内或群体间存在遗传差异。其中（Fig.1),OPZ06、OPZ16、OPZ12和OPZ19四个引物分别有一个扩增片段具有种的特异性。它们的大小分别是900、1500、1700和730bp。可以作为鉴别罗非鱼和尼罗罗非鱼二者的分子遗传标记,湘湖（nx）、美国（nm）和沙市（np）三个尼罗罗非鱼群体都保留了较高水平的遗传变异。而奥利亚罗非鱼（au）的群体内遗传变异最小。奥利亚罗非鱼（au）与湘湖（nx）、美国（nm)、沙市（np）三个尼罗罗非鱼群体之间的遗传距离分别是0．285、0．262和0．344（Table3）,说明奥利亚罗非鱼（au）和沙市尼罗罗非鱼（np）杂交将可能产生较强的杂种优势。     

3个不同尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)群体MHC ⅡA基因多态性和遗传分化

MHC ⅡA作为主要组织相容性复合体的重要成分之一,在鱼类的免疫系统中发挥重要作用,具有高度多态性。本研究从广东省3个不同养殖地区的91尾尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)的个体中获得了MHC ⅡA的第二外显子区域序列共501条,长度为647～742 bp。对该序列进行分析,共发现12个不同的等位基因。三个群体中核苷酸序列变异百分比为34.73%～60.78%,氨基酸变异百分比为68.24%～78.82%,其中惠州群体的变异比例最高(60.78%和78.82%)。单倍型多样性和核苷酸多样性分析表明:惠州群体的遗传多样性最为丰富。群体间分化指数(Fst)、中性检测(Tajima检测)、平均基因流、平均K2-P遗传距离和AMOVA分析的各项数据表明MHC ⅡA基因的第二外显子区域在3个不同群体间遗传分化不显著,存在一定的基因交流。本研究发现的MHC ⅡA基因的高度多态性及遗传结果,为尼罗罗非鱼抗病品种的选育以及种质资源的保护奠定了重要的基础资料。     

奥利亚罗非鱼髓样分化因子(MyD88)的克隆及其在组织中的表达

髓样分化因子（myeloid differentiation factor 88,MyD88）是TLR（toll-like receptor）信号通路的关键接头蛋白,在先天性免疫中具有重要作用。通过RACE-RCR技术克隆了奥利亚罗非鱼（Oreochromis aureus）MyD88基因cDNA全长序列（GenBank登录号：JN032017）。序列分析表明,奥利亚罗非鱼MyD88 基因全长为1 611 bp,其中包括155 bp的5’非编码区,589 bp的3’非编码区和867 bp的编码区,编码288个氨基酸残基。MyD88蛋白N端具有死亡结构域,C端具有TIR结构域。同源性分析表明,奥利亚罗非鱼MyD88氨基酸序列与鳜鱼（Siniperca chuats）相似性最高,为85.8%,与其他鱼类相似性为70%~82%,与哺乳动物相似性为63%~66%;系统进化树分析表明,奥利亚罗非鱼MyD88与同属鲈形目的鳜鱼、大黄鱼（Larimichthys crocea）聚在一起。采用实时定量PCR方法检测MyD88在奥利亚罗非鱼各组织中的表达情况。结果显示,MyD88在所有被测组织中都有表达,其中表达量最高的是卵巢,其次在小肠、脾、肝、肾、鳃和血液中有较高的表达量,肌肉、精巢组织中表达量最低。本研究可为进一步探讨MyD88在奥利亚罗非鱼TLR信号通路中的作用奠定一定的基础。     

吉丽罗非鱼(尼罗罗非鱼♀×萨罗罗非鱼♂)及其两亲本遗传变异的微卫星分析

吉丽罗非鱼是由耐盐性较强的萨罗罗非鱼做父本与生长速度较快的尼罗罗非鱼做母本进行杂交、杂交后代自交产生,2009年全国水产原良种审定委员会审定为养殖新品种。为了分析吉丽罗非鱼及其两亲本遗传特性,选择有代表性的6对微卫星引物,对这3种罗非鱼遗传变异进行研究分析。研究结果表明:(1)6对微卫星引物扩增产物片段大小为180～350bp,共发现21个等位基因,鱼类群体间、微卫星座位间及等位基因间都存在极显著差异。(2)有效等位基因数(Ne)、Nei's基因多样指数(H)和多态信息含量(PIC)值等群体遗传多样性指标都是吉丽罗非鱼>尼罗罗非鱼>萨罗罗非鱼,吉丽罗非鱼PIC值达到了0.657,属于高度多态性。(3)吉丽罗非鱼与萨罗罗非鱼的遗传距离要比与尼罗罗非鱼的近,萨罗罗非鱼对吉丽罗非鱼的遗传影响要大于尼罗罗非鱼。     

罗氏沼虾缅甸野生原种rDNA-ITS区序列特征

对罗氏沼虾(Macrobrachium rosenbergii)内转录间隔区(internal transcribed spacer,ITS)全序列特征进行了分析.罗氏沼虾ITS1长度为1 070～1 150 bp,GC含量为51.4%～52.7%;5.8S长度一致为163bp,GC含量为55.2%;ITS2长度为48...     

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。     

Sequence conservation in the internal transcribed spacers and 5.8S ribosomal RNA of parasitic scuticociliates Miamiensis avidus (Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia)

The scuticociliate Miamiensis avidus is a histophagous parasite that causes high mortality in cultured marine fishes, with clinical signs of severe ulcers and hemorrhages in the skeletal muscle. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, which is widely used in taxonomy and molecular phylogeny because of a high degree of variation, was compared for 21 cloned strains of M. avidus (Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia). These strains were isolated from olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, ridged-eye flounder Pleuronichthys cornutus and spotted knifejaw Oplegnathus fasciatus in Korea and Japan. The ITS1 (140 bp), ITS2 (236 bp) and 5.8S (119 bp) regions from 21 strains were identical, indicating that these regions are highly conserved in M. avidus. Phylogenic analysis of ITS2 shows that the ciliate should be included in the Philasterida with a close relationship to Pseudocohnilembus hargisi. This study exhibits the first detailed analysis of the ITS1, 5.8 S and ITS2 rRNA regions of M. avidus.     

The internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA in the gymnosperm Gnetum

We analyze the structure of the internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2 of the nuclear ribosomal DNA in the gymnosperm Gnetum, using a phylogenetic framework derived mainly from an intron in the nuclear low-copy LEAFY gene. Gnetum comprises 25-35 species in South America, Africa, and Asia, of which we sampled 16, each with two to six clones. Criteria used to assess ITS functionality were highly divergent nucleotide substitution, GC content, secondary structure, and incongruent phylogenetic placement of presumed paralogs. The length of ITS1 ranged from 225 to 986 bp and that of ITS2 from 259 to 305 bp, the largest ranges so far reported from seed plants. Gnetum ITS1 contains two informative sequence motifs, but different from other gymnosperms, there are only few and short (7-13 bp) tandem repeats. Gnetum ITS2 contains two structural motifs, modified in different clades by shortening of stems and loops. Conspecific sequences grouped together except for two recombinant pseudogenes that had ITS1 of one clade and ITS2 of another. Most of the pseudogenic ITS copies, paralogs, and putative chimeras occurred in a clade that according to a fossil-calibrated chloroplast-DNA clock has an age of a few million years. Based on morphology and chromosome numbers, the most plausible causes of the observed high levels of ITS polymorphism are hybridization, allopolyploidy, and introgression.     

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。     

Phylogeny of the genus<Emphasis Type="Italic">Goodyera</Emphasis> (Orchidaceae; Cranichideae) in Korea based on nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS region sequences

We sequenced the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions to determined the phylogenetic relationships of the severalGoodyera species in Korea and to measure the extent of their differentiation region. ITS 1 was 238 to 239 bp long while ITS 2 was 258 to 259 bp. The 5.8S coding region was 156 bp long. Sequence divergences among species, calculated by Kimura’s two- parameter method, ranged from 0.0 to 5.4%. The most parsimonious tree, with a consistency index of 0.935 and a retention index of 0.937, was produced with 337 steps. Our ITS sequence results demonstrate the monophyly of KoreanGoodyera and support previous morphological, geographical, and RAPD data analyses.     

Analysis of nucleotide sequence polymorphism of internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal genes in diploid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aegilops</Emphasis> (L.) species

The nucleotide sequence of the fragment of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of rDNA comprising the full-length ITS1, the gene encoding 5.8S rRNA, and part of the ITS2 sequence was determined in 22 samples of five diploid Aegilops species. The full alignment length of compared sequences was 524 bp. Species-specific substitutions were found in the ITS nucleotide sequence of rDNA of different Aegilops species. Intraspecific differences in ITS structure in diploid Aegilops species were detected for the first time. Polymorphism of the ITS nucleotide sequence within the same sample was revealed, which might be due either to differences between the genomes of individual plants comprising the sample or to the presence of several types of ribosomal genes in the genome of one plant. In general, both interspecific and intraspecific variability of the ITS nucleotide sequences of rDNA is extremely low. In total, 26 variable sites, twelve of which were informative, were identified.__________Translated from Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, Vol. 39, No. 2, 2005, pp. 193–197.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Goryunova, Chikida, Gori, Kochieva.     

Study on Sequences of Ribosomal DNA Internal Transcribed Spacers of Clams Belonging to the Veneridae Family (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

The first and second internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS2) regions of the ribosomal DNA from four species, Meretrix meretrix L., Cyclina sinensis G., Mercenaria mercenaria L., and Protothaca jedoensis L., belonging to the family Veneridae were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The size of the ITS1 PCR amplification product ranged from 663 bp to 978 bp, with GC contents ranging from 60.78% to 64.97%. The size of the ITS1 sequence ranged from 585 bp to 900 bp, which is the largest range reported thus far in bivalve species, with GC contents ranging from 61.03% to 65.62%. The size of the ITS2 PCR amplification product ranged from 513 bp to 644 bp, with GC contents ranging from 61.29% to 62.73%. The size of the ITS2 sequence ranged from 281 bp to 412 bp, with GC contents ranging from 65.21% to 67.87%. Extensive sequence variation and obvious length polymorphisms were noted for both regions in these species, and sequence similarity of ITS2 was higher than that of ITS1 across species. The complete sequences of 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene were obtained by assembling ITS1 and ITS2 sequences, and the sequence length in all species was 157 bp. The phylogenetic tree of Veneridae clams was reconstructed using ITS2-containing partial sequences of both 5.8S and 28S ribosomal DNA as markers and the corresponding sequence information in Arctica islandica as the outgroup. Tree topologies indicated that P. jedoensis shared a close relationship with M. mercenaria and C. sinensis, a distant relationship with other species.     

Preliminary Analysis of Length and GC Content Variation in the Ribosomal First Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS1) of Marine Animals

Length and guanine–cytosine (GC) content of the ribosomal first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) were compared across a wide variety of marine animal species, and its phylogenetic utility was investigated. From a total of 773 individuals representing 599 species, we only failed to amplify the ITS1 sequence from 87 individuals by polymerase chain reaction with universal ITS1 primers. No species was found to have an ITS1 region shorter than 100 bp. In general, the ITS1 sequences of vertebrates were longer (318 to 2,318 bp) and richer in GC content (56.8% to 78%) than those of invertebrates (117 to 1,613 bp and 35.8% to 71.3%, respectively). Specifically, gelatinous animals (Cnidaria and Ctenophora) were observed to have short ITS1 sequences (118 to 422 bp) with lower GC content (35.8% to 61.7%) than the other animal taxa. Mollusca and Crustacea were diverse groups with respect to ITS1 length, ranging from 108 to 1,118 and 182 to 1,613 bp, respectively. No universal relationship between length and GC content was observed. Our data indicated that ITS1 has a limited utility for phylogenetic analysis as obtaining confident sequence alignment was often impossible between different genera of the same family and even between congeneric species.     

Molecular phylogeny ofSalicaceae and closely relatedFlacourtiaceae: Evidence from 5.8 S, ITS 1 and ITS 2 of the rDNA

A ribosomal DNA region, including the entire 5.8S RNA gene and the internal transcribed spacers ITS 1 and ITS 2, was used for studying the phylogeny ofSalicaceae and the relationship betweenSalicaceae andFlacourtiaceae. The length of the ITS regions withinSalicaceae andFlacourtiaceae was similar to that found in other angiosperms. The GC content of both ITS regions was high, varying 62.7-72.2%. The most parsimonious tree clusters the wind-pollinatedChosenia bracteosa among theSalix species, suggesting that it should be included in the genusSalix. The grouping withinSalix leaves subg.Salix as paraphyletic, for which reason the subgeneric division is questionable.Populus was monophyletic and formed a sister group toSalix. The interspecific variation of the ITS sequences was very small inSalicaceae, which is in contradiction to the age of the group according to the evidence from fossil data.Idesia polycarpa fromFlacourtiaceae shows great sequence similarity withSalicaceae, but the analysis of 5.8S rDNA supports monophyly of the four species ofFlacourtiaceae sampled for this study.