小麦杂交种与亲本发育早期种子的基因表达差异及其与杂种优势关系的初步研究

为深入探讨小麦杂种优势形成的分子机理,选取3个冬小麦品种(系)为一组亲本,3个为另一组亲本,配制了正反交18个杂交组合,以授粉后6d的杂交和自交种子为材料,应用mRNA差异显示技术(DDRT—PCR)研究了小麦杂交当代种子与其亲本自交种子基因的表达差异,并与杂种优势进行相关分析。为降低DDRT—PCR技术假阳性的不利影响,对每个引物组合均作了两次PCR扩增,在处理数据时,仅统计能重复出现的条带。结果发现：杂交种和亲本之间的基因表达模式有8类共15种：(1)单亲沉默型(2种),(2)单亲一致型(2种),(3)正交或反交沉默型(2种),(4)正交或反交特异型(2种),(5)正交或反交单亲一致型(4种),(6)杂交种特异型(1种),(7)双亲共沉默型(1种),(8)表达一致型(1种)。分析发现,小麦杂交种和亲本间存在显著的表达差异。在差异表达类型中,杂交种特异型和双亲共沉默型比例最低。对上述15种表达模式与杂种优势进行相关分析,结果表明,表达一致型与各产量性状杂种优势之间的相关均不显著,说明杂种优势是由某些有表达差异的基因造成。9个产量性状均能检测到一种以上与其显著或极显著相关的基因表达模式,有些性状受正负相关效应的共同影响;沉默型(包括单亲沉默型、正交或反交沉默型和双亲共沉默型)和正交或反交单亲一致型在杂种优势形成中发挥重要作用。这些研究表明,在种子发育早期,基因的差异表达与杂种优势形成之间可能存在较为复杂的关系。     

Big roles for small RNAs in polyploidy, hybrid vigor, and hybrid incompatibility

Small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and trans-acting siRNAs (ta-siRNAs), mediate gene expression and epigenetic regulation. While siRNAs are highly diverged, miRNAs and ta-siRNAs are generally conserved but many are differentially expressed between related species and in interspecific hybrids and allopolyploids. On one hand, combination of diverged maternal and paternal siRNAs in the same nucleus may exert cis-acting and trans-acting effects on transposable elements (TEs) and TE-associated genes, leading to genomic instability and endosperm and embryo failures, constituting a bottleneck for the evolution of hybrids and polyploids. On the other hand, cis and trans-acting small RNAs induce quantitative and qualitative changes in epigenetic regulation, leading to morphological variation and hybrid vigor in F1 hybrids and stable allopolyploids as well as transgressive phenotypes in the progeny, increasing a potential for adaptive evolution.     

玉米杂种与亲本穗分化期功能叶基因差异表达与杂种优势

为探讨玉米杂种优势的分子机理,以10个玉米自交系及其组配的38个杂交种为材料,利用cDNA-AFLP技术,分析杂种与亲本在玉米雌穗小穗分化期功能叶片的基因差异表达类型与主要农艺性状的杂种表现及杂种优势的关系。研究表明：（1）杂种的基因相对于其双亲,存在质和量的表达差异,其中质的差异表达类型包括：单亲沉默表达,双亲沉默表达,亲本显性表达和杂种特异表达等类型。（2）在雌穗小穗分化期,同一差异表达类型中不同杂交组合间差异很大;从总体平均看,杂种特异表达类型占25.22%,亲本显性表达类型占21.46%,双亲沉默表达类型占8.27%,单亲沉默表达类型占33.49%。（3）单亲沉默表达与株高的杂种表现呈显著正相关;双亲沉默表达与穗粗的杂种优势呈显著负相关,显性表达与行粒数和单株粒重的杂种优势呈显著负相关,其余表达类型与所有农艺性状杂种表现及杂种优势均不相关,并对结果进行了讨论。     

Differential microRNA response to a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet in livers of low and high LDL-C baboons

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression has been implicated in molecular geneticevents leading to the progression and development of atherosclerosis. We hypothesized thatmiRNA expression profiles differ between baboons with low and high serum low-densitylipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations in response to diet, and that a subset of thesemiRNAs regulate genes relevant to dyslipidemia and risk of atherosclerosis. RESULTS: Using Next Generation Illumina sequencing methods, we sequenced hepatic small RNAlibraries from baboons differing in their LDL-C response to a high-cholesterol, high-fat(HCHF) challenge diet (low LDL-C, n = 3; high LDL-C, n = 3), resulting in 517 baboonmiRNAs: 490 were identical to human miRNAs and 27 were novel. We compared miRNAexpression profiles from liver biopsies collected before and after the challenge diet andobserved that HCHF diet elicited expression of more miRNAs compared to baseline (chow)diet for both low and high LDL-C baboons. Eighteen miRNAs exhibited differentialexpression in response to HCHF diet in high LDL-C baboons compared to 10 miRNAs in low LDL-C baboons. We used TargetScan/Base tools to predict putative miRNA targets;miRNAs expressed in high LDL-C baboons had significantly more gene targets thanmiRNAs expressed in low LDL-C responders. Further, we identified miRNA isomers andother non-coding RNAs that were differentially expressed in response to the challenge diet inboth high LDL-C and low LDL-C baboons. CONCLUSIONS: We sequenced and annotated baboon liver miRNAs from low LDL-C and high LDL-Cresponders using high coverage Next Gen sequencing methods, determined expressionchanges in response to a HCHF diet challenge, and predicted target genes regulated by thedifferentially expressed miRNAs. The identified miRNAs will enrich the database for noncodingsmall RNAs including the extent of variation in these sequences. Further, weidentified other small non-coding RNAs differentially expressed in response to diet. Ourdiscovery of differentially expressed baboon miRNAs in response to a HCHF diet challengethat differ by LDL-C phenotype is a fundamental step in understating the role of non-codingRNAs in dyslipidemia.     

基因差异表达与杂种优势形成机制探讨

对杂种优势这一普遍而重要的生物学现象研究虽有百余年的历史, 但其根本机理尚未阐述清楚。继基因组组成差异及基因效应研究之后, 基因表达差异成为探寻杂种优势分子机理新的切入点。旨在通过揭示杂种中等位基因差异表达、杂种与亲本间基因差异表达的调控机制, 来认识杂种优势形成的分子机理, 从而达到指导育种实践的目的。文章概述了杂种等位基因差异表达现象及其产生机理, 总结了杂种与亲本相比所呈现出的加性、显性和超显性等多种差异基因表达模式, 归纳了表达谱研究筛选出的与杂种优势形成有关的基因, 以及某些关键生化代谢途径对杂种优势形成的贡献。但由于杂种优势机理的复杂性, 基因表达研究并没有得出统一的表达模式, 大多数杂种优势基因也不能被归属为同一类别。尽管如此, 基因表达谱研究毕竟迈出了解析杂种优势形成复杂基因表达网络的第一步, 随着表达谱技术和生物信息学的不断更新和发展, 杂种优势形成的分子机理有望在基因表达层面上取得突破。     

The regulatory network mediated by circadian clock genes is related to heterosis in rice

Exploitation of heterosis in rice(Oryza sativa L.) has contributed greatly to global food security.In this study,we generated three sets of reciprocal F1 hybrids of indica and japonica subspecies to evaluate the relationship between yield heterosis and the circadian clock.There were no differences in trait performance or heterosis between the reciprocal hybrids,indicating no maternal effects on heterosis.The indica-indica and indica-japonica reciprocal F1 hybrids exhibited pronounced heterosis for chlorophyll and starch content in leaves and for grain yield/biomass.In contrast,the japonica-japonica F1 hybrids showed low heterosis.The three circadian clock genes investigated expressed in an above-high-parent pattern(AHP)at seedling stage in all the hybrids.The five genes downstream of the circadian clock,and involved in chlorophyll and starch metabolic pathways,were expressed in AHP in hybrids with strong better-parent heterosis(BPH).Similarly,three of these Research Arfive genes in the japonica-japonica F1 hybrids showing low BPH were expressed in positive overdominance,but the other two genes were expressed in additive or negative overdominance.These results indicated that the expression patterns of circadian clock genes and their downstream genes are associated with heterosis,which suggests that the circadian rhythm pathway may be related to heterosis in rice.     

Identification and Characterization of ABA-Responsive MicroRNAs in Rice

MicroRNAs(miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding small RNAs that silence genes through mRNA degradation or translational inhibition.The phytohormone abscisic acid(ABA) is essential for plant development and adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses.In Arabidopsis,miRNAs are implicated in ABA functions.However,ABA-responsive miRNAs have not been systematically studied in rice.Here high throughput sequencing of small RNAs revealed that 107 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the rice ABA deficient mutant,Osabal.Of these,13 were confirmed by stem-loop RT-PCR.Among them,miR1425-5P,miR169 a,miR169n,miR390-5P,miR397 a and miR397 b were up-regulated,but miR162 b reduced in expression in Osabal.The targets of these 13 miRNAs were predicted and validated by gene expression profiling.Interestingly,the expression levels of these miRNAs and their targets were regulated by ABA.Cleavage sites were detected on 7 of the miRNA targets by 5'-Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends(5'-RACE).Finally,miR162 b and its target OsTREl were shown to affect rice resistance to drought stress,suggesting that miR162 b increases resistance to drought by targeting OsTREl.Our work provides important information for further characterization and functional analysis of ABA-responsive miRNAs in rice.     

Expression patterns of microRNAs in different organs and developmental stages of a superhybrid rice LYP9 and its parental lines

Heterosis is an important phenomenon, and the molecular mechanisms underlying heterosis are still enigmatic. microRNAs (miRNAs) play vital roles in many aspects of plant development. A set of miRNAs was selected to investigate the roles of miRNAs in heterosis displayed in a superhybrid rice. We analysed the expression patterns of miRNAs in different organs and developmental stages of the superhybrid rice and its parental lines. All possible modes of miRNA action were observed, including additive, high‐ and low‐parent value, above high‐ and below low‐parent value. Different organs and developmental stages exhibited different modes of miRNA expression. Overall, the non‐additive mode is the predominant expression pattern of miRNAs observed in this superhybrid. Many heterotic QTL intervals harbour miRNAs, whose expression patterns reveal their specific roles in different organs and developmental stages. miRNAs regulate the expression levels of target genes that have important functions in plant development. The predominant non‐additive mode of miRNA expression pattern in the hybrid suggests that miRNAs play critical roles in hybrid development, in particular, those miRNAs located in the heterotic QTL intervals may have important roles in heterosis. Our research sheds new light on understanding of the molecular mechanisms of heterosis.     

Spatial and temporal expression modes of MicroRNAs in an elite rice hybrid and its parental lines

Heterosis is a commonly observed phenomenon in nature and refers to the superior performance of hybrids relative to both parents. The molecular mechanisms of heterosis are mostly unknown. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping has been used to explain the genetic basis of heterosis, and large amounts of QTLs have been mapped for various agronomic traits, but the nature of QTL contributing to heterosis is still enigmatic. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are master regulators in the processes of plant development and trait performance, and many miRNAs are predicted to reside in QTL intervals. We analyzed the expression modes of miRNAs, which were picked up from miRNA databases and chosen from those predicted from QTL intervals by bioinformatic approaches, in different organs at developmental stages of an elite rice hybrid and its parents. All possible modes of action for miRNA expression were detected, but most miRNAs showed nonadditive mode, and different stages and distinct organs displayed different patterns of miRNA expression. A large proportion of miRNAs were not detected for expression in leaves but expressed in the culms and roots of the hybrid at tillering stage. MiRNAs from grain-weight QTL intervals have multiple effects on grain development. Together, our results reveal that miRNAs, especially those from QTL intervals, play roles in heterotic performance in this elite rice hybrid, our results also shade new light on understanding the molecular mechanisms of heterosis.     

小麦杂种及其亲本苗期叶片家族基因差异表达及其与杂种优势关系的初步研究

为探讨小麦杂种优势形成的分子机理,以一套双列杂交组合的苗期叶片为材料,利用mRNA差异显示技术分析了杂种及其亲本间MADS－box、G－ box、Ser/Thr蛋白激酶、EIF－4A、ARF1基因家族共5类家族基因在杂交种和亲本之间的表达差异。并与杂种性状表现和杂种优势进行了相关分析。结果发现,除ARF1家族基因外,其余家族基因在杂种和亲本间存在显著的表达差异,差异表达类型可概括为4种：（1）双亲共沉默;（20单亲表达沉默;（3）杂种特异表达;（4）单亲表达一致。分析发现,MADS－box、G－box和EIF－4A家族基因在杂种和亲本间的差异表达模式相似,均以单亲特异表达和种特异表达类型所占比例最高。相关分析结果表明,以上所有家族基因的总体差异表达程度与所有性状的杂种表现均不相关,MADS－box家族基因中杂种特异表达类型与小穗数、单株产量和单穗产量杂种优势呈显著正相关,双亲共沉默类型与小穗数、千粒重和单穗产量杂种优势呈显著负相关,另外,EIF－4A家族基因中单亲表达一致型与单穗产量杂种优势呈显著正相,但双亲共沉默类型与小穗数和单穗产量杂种优势呈显著负相关,对于G－box基因家族而言,仅小穗数杂种优势和双亲共沉默类型成显著负相关,而蛋白激酶家族基因的各种差异类型与性状杂种优势的相关分析均不显著。这些研究表明,调控基因的差异表达与杂种优势形成有密切关系。     

Discovery of porcine microRNAs and profiling from skeletal muscle tissues during development

MiRNAs (microRNAs) play critical roles in many important biological processes such as growth and development in mammals. In this study, we identified hundreds of porcine miRNA candidates through in silico prediction and analyzed their expression in developing skeletal muscle using microarray. Microarray screening using RNA samples prepared from a 33-day whole embryo and an extra embryo membrane validated 296 of the predicted candidates. Comparative expression profiling across samples of longissimus muscle collected from 33-day and 65-day post-gestation fetuses, as well as adult pigs, identified 140 differentially expressed miRNAs amongst the age groups investigated. The differentially expressed miRNAs showed seven distinctive types of expression patterns, suggesting possible involvement in certain biological processes. Five of the differentially expressed miRNAs were validated using real-time PCR. In silico analysis of the miRNA-mRNA interaction sites suggested that the potential mRNA targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs may play important roles in muscle growth and development.     

Comparison of microRNAs in adipose and muscle tissue from seven indigenous Chinese breeds and Yorkshire pigs

Elucidation of the pig microRNAome is essential for interpreting functional elements of the genome and understanding the genetic architecture of complex traits. Here, we extracted small RNAs from skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, and we compared their expression levels between one Western breed (Yorkshire) and seven indigenous Chinese breeds. We detected the expression of 172 known porcine microRNAs (miRNAs) and 181 novel miRNAs. Differential expression analysis found 92 and 12 differentially expressed miRNAs in adipose and muscle tissue respectively. We found that different Chinese breeds shared common directional miRNA expression changes compared to Yorkshire pigs. Some miRNAs differentially expressed across multiple Chinese breeds, including ssc‐miR‐129‐5p, ssc‐miR‐30 and ssc‐miR‐150, are involved in adipose tissue function. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs are associated mainly with signaling pathways rather than metabolic and biosynthetic processes. The miRNA–target gene and miRNA–phenotypic traits networks identified many hub miRNAs that regulate a large number of target genes or phenotypic traits. Specifically, we found that intramuscular fat content is regulated by the greatest number of miRNAs in muscle tissue. This study provides valuable new candidate miRNAs that will aid in the improvement of meat quality and production.