Remarkable genetic diversity detected at river buffalo prolactin receptor (PRLR) gene and association studies with milk fatty acid composition

Prolactin is an anterior pituitary peptide hormone involved in many different endocrine activities and is essential for reproductive performance. This action is mediated by its receptor, the prolactin receptor, encoded by the PRLR gene. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the Mediterranean river buffalo PRLR gene (from exon 3 to 10), and we found remarkable genetic diversity. In particular, we found 24 intronic polymorphisms and 13 exonic SNPs, seven of which were non‐synonymous. Furthermore, the polymorphisms identified in the 3′‐UTR were investigated to establish their possible influence on microRNA binding sites. Considering all the amino acid changes and the observed allelic combinations, it is possible to deduce at least six different translations of the buffalo prolactin receptor and, consequently, the presence at the PRLR gene of at least six alleles. Furthermore, we identified a deletion of a CACTACC heptamer between nucleotides 1102 and 1103 of exon 10 (3′‐UTR), and we developed an allele‐specific PCR to identify the carriers of this genetic marker. Finally, the SNP g.11188A>G, detected in exon 10 and responsible for the amino acid replacement p.His328Arg, was genotyped in 308 Italian Mediterranean river buffaloes, and an association study with milk fat traits was carried out. The statistical analysis showed a tendency that approached significance for the AA genotype with higher contents of odd branched‐chain fatty acids. Thus, our results suggest that the PRLR gene is a good candidate for gene association studies with qualitative traits related to buffalo milk production.     

Variability and genetics of spacer DNA sequences between the ribosomal-RNA genes of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Summary Using restriction enzyme digests of genomic DNA extracted from the leaves of 25 hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.) cultivars and their hybrids, restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the spacer DNA which separates the ribosomal-RNA genes have been examined. (From one to three thousand of these genes are borne on chromosomes 1B and 6B of hexaploid wheat). The data show that there are three distinct alleles of the 1B locus, designated Nor-B1a, Nor-B1b, and Nor-B1c, and at least five allelic variants of the 6B locus, designated Nor-B2a, Nor-B2b, Nor-B2c, Nor-B2d, and Nor-B2e. A further, previously reported allele on 6B has been named Nor-B2f. Chromosome 5D has only one allelic variant, Nor-D3. Whereas the major spacer variants of the 1B alleles apparently differ by the loss or gain of one or two of the 133 bp sub-repeat units within the spacer DNA, the 6B allelic variants show major differences in their compositions and lengths. This may be related to the greater number of rDNA repeat units at this locus. The practical implications of these differences and their application to wheat breeding are discussed.     

The fate of balanced,phenotypic polymorphisms in fragmented metapopulations

In large populations, genetically distinct phenotypic morphs can be maintained in equilibrium (at a 1 : 1 ratio in the simplest case) by frequency‐dependent selection, as shown by Sewall Wright. The consequences of population fragmentation on this equilibrium are not widely appreciated. Here, I use a simple computational model to emphasize that severe fragmentation biases the morph ratio towards the homozygous recessive genotype through drift in very small populations favouring the more common recessive allele. This model generalizes those developed elsewhere for heterostylous plants and major histocompatibility complex alleles, emphasizes one particular outcome and avoids the restricting assumptions of more analytical models. There are important implications for both fundamental evolutionary biology and conservation genetics. I illustrate this with a range of examples but refer particularly to shell polymorphism in snails. These examples show how habitat fragmentation could have a direct and often unappreciated effect on species at the level of their population genetics.     

The historical evolutionary development of Hemerocallis middendorfii (Hemerocallidaceae) revealed by non-coding regions in chloroplast DNA

A procedure in which combined molecular phylogeographical analyses among populations of Hemerocallis middendorfii (Hemerocallidaceae, Asparagales) were applied allowed comparisons to be made with the geological history. Information on geographical areas in which synapomorphic mutations occurred was used in molecular phylogeographical analyses for the first time in this study, in addition to molecular maximum-parsimonious analyses and TCS analyses. Nucleotide sequences of the intergenic region between the rbcL and atpB genes and the trnL (UAA) intron in chloroplast DNA were analyzed for 28 Japanese and three Chinese populations of H. middendorfii, 10 populations of closely related species and four outgroup species. The data of the three analyses in general agreed with one another and indicated that the separation of this species had proceeded in conjunction with the geological vicariance or orogeny. Where the synapomorphic mutations occurred, three patterns were recognized. They correlated with the geological history, namely, the age when the Japanese Archipelago and the Continent had joined, when the Sea of Japan was formed, and when there was separation from the Continent and the formation of each of the islands in the Japanese Archipelago. It was suggested that ancestors of H. middendorfii originated at latest 25 million years ago when the Japanese Archipelago and the Continent had joined; that is, before the formation of the Sea of Japan.We are greatly obliged to three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.     

乳腺癌与MICA基因多态性的相关性研究

目的:研究海南汉族人群MICA等位基因的多态性与乳腺癌的相关性。方法:采用PCR-SSP和PCRSBT方法对样本MICA等位基因的多态性进行检测分析。结果:乳腺癌患者中有检测出10种MICA等位基因,其中MICA*002/019基因型频率较对照组显著偏低(OR=0.32,Pc0.05)。结论:MICA*002/019基因型可能与乳腺癌的保护相关。     

濒危植物秦岭石蝴蝶的SCoT遗传多样性分析

利用筛选到的24条SCoT引物,分析秦岭石蝴蝶人工繁育和野生种群60份材料的遗传多样性和遗传结构,为秦岭石蝴蝶的濒危机制和制定种群保护与修复策略提供理论依据。结果显示:(1)60份秦岭石蝴蝶供试样品的观察等位基因数平均为1.51,有效等位基因数平均为1.31,Nei's基因多样性平均为0.2305,Shannon指数平均为0.3703,表明供试材料种群的遗传多样性较低。(2)种群间的遗传距离与遗传相似系数分析结果表明,3个种群60份供试材料间的遗传相似系数为0.9551~0.9705,平均相似系数0.9634,进一步表明供试材料之间的遗传相似性极高,遗传背景较为狭窄。(3)秦岭石蝴蝶种群分子方差分析结果显示15%的变异来自于种群间,而85%的变异来自于种群内部。综合分析表明,秦岭石蝴蝶各种群内和种群之间的遗传多样性较低,遗传背景狭窄,这可能是秦岭石蝴蝶适应环境能力差,从而导致其濒危的重要原因之一。     

Comparative analysis of conditional reporter alleles in the developing embryo and embryonic nervous system

A long-standing problem in development is understanding how progenitor cells transiently expressing genes contribute to complex anatomical and functional structures. In the developing nervous system an additional level of complexity arises when considering how cells of distinct lineages relate to newly established neural circuits. To address these problems, we used both cumulative marking with Cre/loxP and Genetic Inducible Fate Mapping (GIFM), which permanently and heritably marks small populations of progenitors and their descendants with fine temporal control using CreER/loxP. A key component used in both approaches is a conditional phenotyping allele that has the potential to be expressed in all cell types, but is quiescent because of a loxP flanked Stop sequence, which precedes a reporter allele. Upon recombination, the resulting phenotyping allele is ‘turned on’ and then constitutively expressed. Thus, the reporter functions as a high fidelity genetic lineage tracer in vivo. Currently there is an array of reporter alleles that can be used in marking strategies, but their recombination efficiency and applicability to a wide array of tissues has not been thoroughly described. To assess the recombination/marking potential of the reporters, we utilized CreER^T under the control of a Wnt1 transgene (Wnt1-CreER^T) as well as a cumulative, non-inducible En1^Cre knock-in line in combination with three different reporters: R26R (LacZ reporter), Z/EG (EGFP reporter), and Tau-Lox-STOP-Lox-mGFP-IRES-NLS-LacZ (membrane-targeted GFP/nuclear LacZ reporter). We marked the Wnt1 lineage using each of the three reporters at embryonic day (E) 8.5 followed by analysis at E10.0, E12.5, and in the adult. We also compared cumulative marking of cells with a history of En1 expression at the same stages. We evaluated the reporters by whole-mount and section analysis and ascertained the strengths and weaknesses of each of the reporters. Comparative analysis with the reporters elucidated complexities of how the Wnt1 and En1 lineages contribute to developing embryos and to axonal projection patterns of neurons derived from these lineages.     

Genomic Consequences of Long-Term Population Decline in Brown Eared Pheasant

Population genetic theory and empirical evidence indicate that deleterious alleles can be purged in small populations. However, this viewpoint remains controversial. It is unclear whether natural selection is powerful enough to purge deleterious mutations when wild populations continue to decline. Pheasants are terrestrial birds facing a long-term risk of extinction as a result of anthropogenic perturbations and exploitation. Nevertheless, there are scant genomics resources available for conservation management and planning. Here, we analyzed comparative population genomic data for the three extant isolated populations of Brown eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) in China. We showed that C. mantchuricum has low genome-wide diversity and a contracting effective population size because of persistent declines over the past 100,000 years. We compared genome-wide variation in C. mantchuricum with that of its closely related sister species, the Blue eared pheasant (C. auritum) for which the conservation concern is low. There were detrimental genetic consequences across all C. mantchuricum genomes including extended runs of homozygous sequences, slow rates of linkage disequilibrium decay, excessive loss-of-function mutations, and loss of adaptive genetic diversity at the major histocompatibility complex region. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to perform a comprehensive conservation genomic analysis on this threatened pheasant species. Moreover, we demonstrated that natural selection may not suffice to purge deleterious mutations in wild populations undergoing long-term decline. The findings of this study could facilitate conservation planning for threatened species and help recover their population size.     

Variable patterns of introgression in two sculpin hybrid zones suggest that genomic isolation differs among populations

Theory predicts that reproductive isolation may be due to intrinsic genetic incompatibilities or extrinsic ecological factors. Therefore, an understanding of the genetic basis of isolation may require analyses of evolutionary processes in situ to include environmental factors. Here we study genetic isolation between populations of sculpins ( Cottus ) at 168 microsatellites. Genomic clines were fit using 480 individuals sampled across independent natural hybrid zones that have formed between one invading species and two separate populations of a resident species. Our analysis tests for deviations from neutral patterns of introgression at individual loci based on expectations given genome-wide admixture. Roughly 51% of the loci analysed displayed significant deviations. An overall deficit of interspecific heterozygotes in 26% and 21% of the loci suggests that widespread underdominance drives genomic isolation. At the same time, selection promotes introgression of almost 30% of the markers, which implies that hybridization may increase the fitness of admixed individuals. Cases of overdominance or epistatic interactions were relatively rare. Despite the similarity of the two hybrid zones in their overall genomic composition, patterns observed at individual loci show little correlation between zones and many fit different genotypic models of fitness. At this point, it remains difficult to determine whether these results are due to differences in external selection pressures or cryptic genetic differentiation of distinct parental populations. In the future, data from mapped genetic markers and on variation of ecological factors will provide additional insights into the contribution of these factors to variation in the evolutionary consequences of hybridization.