Unraveling evolutionary lineages in the limbless fossorial skink genus Acontias (Sauria: Scincidae): are subspecies equivalent systematic units?

Subspecies in the limbless, endemic African fossorial skink genus Acontias constitute ill-defined operational taxonomic units, consequently considerable systematic debate has lingered on the systematic diversity within Acontias. In the present study, the systematic affinities among acontine taxa are explored with the utility of partial sequence data from two mitochondrial gene loci (16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI)) for all taxa, while two additional loci (12S rRNA, cytochrome b) were used to investigate relationships within the Acontias meleagris complex. Phylogenetic results, derived from the combined analysis, revealed two monophyletic clades. Clade 1 is comprised of small-bodied skinks while clade 2 comprised the medium bodied skinks. Within clade 2 none of the traditionally recognized subspecies formed reciprocally monophyletic groups. Furthermore, constraining the topology and enforcing sister taxa relationships between the assumed subspecies, consistently recovered a topology that was statistically significant worse, indicating that the traditionally designated subspecies groupings probably represent invalid taxonomic units, thus clearly reflecting considerable discord with current taxonomy. The burrowing life style of these lizards has probably led to marked convergent evolution and constrained the development of diagnostic morphological characters among these species. Morphological similarities in color as well as scale architecture within Acontias are labile and highly homoplaseous and do not reflect the evolutionary history of the group. Taxonomic implications of these results are discussed.     

Discrimination of Francisella tularensis subspecies using surface enhanced laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry and multivariate data analysis

Francisella tularensis causes the zoonotic disease tularemia, and is considered a potential bioterrorist agent due to its extremely low infection dose and potential for airborne transmission. Presently, F. tularensis is divided into four subspecies; tularensis, holarctica, mediasiatica and novicida. Phenotypic discrimination of the closely related subspecies with traditional methods is difficult and tedious. Furthermore, the results may be vague and they often need to be complemented with virulence tests in animals. Here, we have used surface enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) to discriminate between the four subspecies of F. tularensis. The method is based on the differential binding of protein subsets to chemically modified surfaces. Bacterial thermolysates were added to anionic, cationic, and copper ion-loaded immobilized metal affinity SELDI chip surfaces. After binding, washing, and SELDI-TOF-MS different protein profiles were obtained. The spectra generated from the different surfaces were then used to characterize each bacterial strain. The results showed that the method was reproducible, with an average intensity variation of 21%, and that the mass precision was good (300-450 ppm). Moreover, in subsequent cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) data for the analyzed Francisella strains grouped according to the recognized subspecies. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) of the protein profiles also identified proteins that differed between the strains. Thus, the protein profiling approach based on SELDI-TOF-MS holds great promise for rapid high-resolution phenotypic identification of bacteria.     

中国的紫水鸡——其分布与种下分类问题的回顾与探讨

自Swinhoe的早期记录跨越140余年后,2012年3月紫水鸡(Porphyrio porphyrio)终于在厦门被重新发现并得以确认其繁殖群的存在.继而在检视以往文献过程中,注意到对于紫水鸡在中国状况的认识,无论是对其分布,还是亚种认定,均多存疑问之处.本文对紫水鸡在中国南方各省(区)的发现和记录过程做了大致梳理,概述了以往对中国东南沿海地区紫水鸡分布认识误区的产生原因,并指出当今中国鸟类学界对中国紫水鸡亚种分布态势上的不同意见.作者提出这些问题与同行探讨,以期促成消弭疑问,并希望鸟学界同仁能够关注紫水鸡在中国的动态变化与发展.     

人腺病毒B、D亚种基因组中简单重复序列分析

本文以人腺病毒B亚种31条基因组序列及D亚种39条基因组序列为研究材料,利用ImperfectMicrosatelliteExtractor和DNAMAN软件对这些基因组序列中简单重复序列(SSR)的分布情况进行了系统性分析和比较。分析结果显示:人腺病毒B、D亚种基因组中简单重复序列的平均相对密度是十分接近的,但在不同类型SSR中分布情况又有所不同。D亚种中二型SSR明显高于B亚种,在两亚种一型SSR中(A)n、(T)n都是比较多的,而在两亚种二型SSR中的(CG/GC)n表现出了较高的偏好性。在同亚种多序列比对分析中,D亚种表现出了更高的稳定性。B、D亚种中SSR的这种特异性分布可能与它们的进化机制和致病性有关。     

高原裸裂尻鱼头部轮廓形状及其变异的几何形态测量分析

为了明确描述高原裸裂尻鱼的表型多样性,运用现代几何形态测量法,基于高原裸裂尻鱼头部轮廓的形态坐标数据,对其5个地理种群的样本做了定量分析。结果主要如下:①主成分分析（PCA）和典型变量分析（CVA）显示,5个地理种群的样本的变异主要位于口型特征、下吻部形状、下颌骨形状、下颌锐利角质程度和头部形状等性状。②基于主成分分析、典型变量分析和聚类分析,高原裸裂尻鱼三个亚种（班公湖亚种、玛法木湖亚种和指名亚种）相互分开,在PC1轴上从负值到正值依次排列,从而确定了高原裸裂尻鱼亚种划分的有效性。③通过形态差异的显著性检验,基于马氏距离和普氏距离分析了高原裸裂尻鱼各地理种群之间的形态变异距离,根据差异显著性将该5个地理种群的高原裸裂尻鱼分为湖泊型亚种和河流型亚种,随后的聚类分析同样支持该结果。总之,通过几何形态测量法,准确描述了高原裸裂尻鱼头部轮廓的形态多样性,按照外形的差异,将5个地理种群分为两种生态型,并推测该差异主要是由于所生活的水体环境和食物差异所造成。对高原裸裂尻鱼形态差异的识别和研究,能为其生态学研究和物种多样性保护提供相应指导,丰富微进化理论。     

The genetic status of naturally occurring black-nosed impala from northern South Africa

The impala (Aepyceros melampus ssp.) is a widespread antelope species occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. The two recognized subspecies have non-overlapping distribution ranges, with no known natural mixture of these subspecies until human interference. A number of common impala individuals (A. m. melampus) displaying phenotypic characteristics commonly observed in the black-faced impala (A. m. petersi), namely black facial markings, were seen on a farm in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. This farm falls outside the natural distribution range of A. m. petersi. We therefore aimed to identify the taxonomic placement of these individuals (i.e. A. m. melampus or A. m. petersi) through phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses using D-loop and cytochrome subunit b sequence data. Our results showed that these black-nosed impala from Limpopo are in fact A. m. melampus individuals. The existence of the black-nose phenotype in common impala could be more widespread than previously estimated. The occurrence of introgression between the two subspecies in this region could, however, not be fully excluded, and can only be fully assessed through the use of nuclear DNA analysis.     

PCR markers distinguish Plantago major subspecies

  Plantago major plants from several Scottish and Dutch locations were surveyed for their genetic variation using PCR markers, namely RAPD analysis, anchored inter-SSR PCR, and chloroplast PCR followed by RFLP analysis. The RAPD and inter-SSR markers showed a differentiation between the two subspecies of P. major. These results are discussed in relation to earlier results using allozyme electrophoresis, DNA fingerprinting, and chloroplast RFLP analysis. Received: 15 June 1997 / Accepted: 22 July 1997     

RFLP-based phylogenetic analysis of wide compatibility varieties in Oryza sativa L.

Twenty-one wide compatibility varieties (WCVs) of rice together with three indica and three japonica testers were assayed with 160 DNA probes that were selected to represent the entire RFLP map at an average interval of 11 cM. On the basis of four enzyme digestion 125 probes detected polymorphisms among the WCVs and subspecies' testers. Among these polymorphic probes there were 68 that could distinguish the indica from the japonica testers. Two dendrograms were constructed on the basis of 398 polymorphic fragments of 125 probes and 139 polymorphic fragments of 68 subspecies' differentiating probes in combination with single enzymes, respectively. The reliability and representativeness of the testers and the levels of DNA variations among WCVs were estimated. The potential of WCVs in the utilization of intersubspecific heterosis is discussed.     

The subspecies ofHomo erectus

ClassifyingHomo erectus into subspecies can be based on either temporal or geographical differences, but there is no accepted system for using both. This can be done with subspecies names consisting of two elements — a prefix ofneo, meso, orpaleo to indicate grade, followed by a geographical term ofeuropus, africus, sinicus, orindicus to indicate line. Thus Rhodesian isHomo erectus neoafricus, Ngandong isHomo erectus neoindicus, Peking isHomo erectus mesosinicus, ER 3733 isHomo erectus paleoafricus, etc.