A Model of Genome Size Dynamics During Speciation

A model developed for the evolving size of the repetitive part of the eukaryote genome during speciation was subjected to analytical and computer treatment. The basic assumption of the model was that two classes of repetitive DNA contribute mainly to macroevolutionary changes in genome size: arrays of tandem repeats (ATR) changing through unequal crossover and mobile genetic elements (MGE) changing presumably through an integration mechanism of the Tn- and Is-kind operating in bacteria. Within the framework of this model, the macroevolution of the MGE size is formally equivalent to that of the ATR in the particular case when shifts of chromatids have only one repeat out of register. This allowed us to consider genome size as a large set of various ATRs. The results obtained are as follows. If the duplication and deletion of repeats have unequal fixation probabilities during each speciation act, the predicted species distributions of genome size significantly deviate from the real ones; if they have equal fixation probabilities, there is a conformance between calculated and real distributions. In the latter case, the model reproduces the salient features of real distributions upon acceptance of 1) upper selective boundary nonspecifically limiting increase in genome size within the evolving taxonomic group and 2) non-neutrality of variability in genome size with respect to speciation.     

Nucleotide substitutions in a yeast mitochondria cis-acting mutant located in the last intron of the apocytochrome b gene

The region of mitochondrial DNA corresponding to the intron mutant M6-200 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D273-10B has been isolated, and the nucleotide sequence of a 519 bp RsaI fragment has been determined. Three nucleotide substitutions were found at nucleotides +2650 (G----T), +2668 (G----A) and +2798 (A----G), all within the genetically defined location in the gene. Particular significance can be attributed to the first two changes (+2650 and +2668), that can be genetically isolated from the third substitution and, in addition, alter conserved sequence features detected in a study [(1982) Biochimie 64, 867-881] of fungal mitochondrial introns.     

2C DNA variation and relationships among New World species of the genus Lupinus (Fabaceae)

The 2C DNA values in 38 species and accessions of the genus Lupinus (Fabaceae) from the New World have been analysed using flow cytometry. They are representatives of North and South American species (the Atlantic and the Andean regions). Estimated 2C DNA values ranged from 1.08 pg in L. pusillus to 2.68 pg in L. albicaulis (both from North America), that is a variation of more than 2.5-fold. The variation for North American lupins was much higher than that for South American ones. Statistical analysis of the data resulted in a grouping that showed for North American lupins some correlation with the length of life cycle. Discussion concerns some aspects of the evolution of the genus.     

植物大片段 DNA 的研究进展

植物大片段 DNA 的研究成为了基因组学研究的一个重要方面．对它的研究得益于容纳大片段 DNA 片段载体的发展．对构建植物大片段 DNA 的载体、植物大片段 DNA 的提取方法、植物大片段 DNA 的主要应用领域的最新进展进行了介绍．     

玉米杂交种及其亲本基因组DNA胞嘧啶甲基化水平研究

基因组DNA甲基化对基因表达起着重要的调控作用.本研究采用MSAP方法,对2个玉米杂交种及其相应亲本DNA 5'-CCG G位点胞嘧啶的甲基化水平进行分析,比较了2个玉米杂交种与其相应亲本的甲基化类型与差异.研究发现,2个玉米杂交种Mo17×Suwan 5和Suwan 1×太3221的F1代的甲基化敏感扩增多态性(MASP)比率分别为39.1%和40.1%,均略低于其相应的双亲(39.8%和39.7%、44.6%和43.2%).2个杂交种的全甲基化(双链CmCGG)率分别为24.4%和23.3%,而其相应亲本Mo17、Suwan 5、Suwan 1和太3221分别为17.1%、24.4%、24.6%和21.6%.4个玉米亲本的MASP比率变化范围为39.7%～44.6%,平均为41.8%,全甲基化比率为17.1%～24.6%,平均为21.9%.杂交种与其相应亲本比较有4种类型的变化A型,F1与其亲本甲基化模式相同;B型,去甲基化;C型,超甲基化;D型,次甲基化.杂交种F1代DNA的甲基化模式与其双亲比较,发生了较大的改变与调整.F1代基因组的杂合性与基因组DNA甲基化模式的重新调整有关.     

一步法RT—PCR克隆水稻线粒体磷转运蛋白基因及其序列特征分析

以水稻广亲和品种Cpslo17幼穗为材料,用一步法RT—PCR（逆转录聚合酶链式反应）克隆了一个长度为1118bp的编码线粒体磷转运蛋白的OsMPT基因。序列分析表明其包含了基因完整的编码序列,编码由368个氨基酸组成的线粒体磷转运蛋白,它与玉米、大豆、Lotus japonicus、Betula pendula、拟南芥的线粒体磷转运蛋白氨基酸序列相似率分别为93．5％,85．6％,83．8％,83．7％,81．1％。氨基酸疏水谱分析显示它有线粒体磷转运蛋白家族高度保守的6个跨膜结构域。水稻线粒体磷转运蛋白N端富含精氨酸（Arginine）、丙氨酸（Alanine）和丝氨酸（Serine）。iPSORT预测其蛋白N端具有定位于线粒体的信号肽序列,进一步分析表明此编码区段有6个外显子和5个内含子。RT—PCR结果表明,OsMPT基因在水稻两个亚种粳稻和籼稻的叶片中均有表达,在Cpslo17营养器官和生殖器官中都有高水平表达。水稻线粒体磷转运蛋白的克隆和表达分析将为研究其结构和生物学功能奠定基础。     

Alien DNA introgression and wheat DNA rearrangements in a stable wheat line derived from the early generation of distant hybridization

In general, it requires five or more generations to develop a stable line by the traditional breeding method of cultivar hybrids in self-pollinated crops, such as wheat, barley, and rice. No doubt, the breeding period will be shortened and thus the breeding effi-ciency will be improved if the hybrids can stabilize in early generation. The method of haploid breeding, that is, obtaining stable pure lines (DH lines) of cultivar hybrids with the aid of anther culture and then chro-mosome doubling,…     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from Musa balbisiana

This is the first report of targeted development of B genome microsatellite markers in Musa. A total of 44 sequences with microsatellites were isolated from an enriched library of Musa balbisiana cv. ‘Tani’ (BB genome). Of these, 25 were polymorphic when screened on 14 diverse diploid and triploid Musa accessions. The number of alleles detected by each marker ranged between one and seven. All 25 microsatellite markers generated amplification products in all species and genome complements. These new microsatellite markers fill an important gap for diversity assessment and linkage mapping studies in plantain (AAB) and cooking banana (ABB).     

Conservation and versatility of a new set of primers for long‐PCR amplification of complete insect mitochondrial genomes based on Haematobia irritans mtDNA sequences

The amplification of complete mitochondrial genomes by long PCR (polymerase chain reaction) has been a major contribution to the large‐scale sequencing of arthropodan mitochondrial genomes. In this work, we designed six conserved long‐PCR primers to successfully recover the entire mitochondrial genome of the horn fly Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae) in two overlapping fragments. The conservation and versatility of these primers were tested for 17 other species from four major insect orders: Diptera (14), Coleoptera (1), Lepidoptera (1) and Hymenoptera (1). The amplification of complete mitochondrial genomes in orders other than Diptera suggested an even broader application of these primers, especially within the Hexapoda.     

生物芯片技术研究进展

生物芯片主要包括基因芯片、蛋白质芯片、组织芯片等。利用生物芯片技术可以从整个基因组的水平上对基因进行快速分析、筛选。本文主要概述了生物芯片技术的最新研究进展及在各个领域内的应用 ,并对生物芯片技术面临的挑战以及未来的发展方向作了讨论。