Specific DNA Alterations Associated with the Environmental Induction of Heritable Changes in Flax

Several flax varieties have been shown to undergo environmentally induced heritable changes resulting in stable lines termed genotrophs. The most notable of these is the variety Stormont Cirrus, also termed "plastic" or Pl. A number of morphological, biochemical and genetic differences are associated with environmental induction of heritable changes in flax. We have studied 5S rDNA alterations as a model system for understanding environmental induction of heritable changes in flax. This paper reports the isolation of a flax 5S rRNA gene variant which identifies genotroph specific restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in flax. Restriction fragment patterns for several enzymes were observed in both large and small genotrophs which consistently differed from the progenitor, Stormont Cirrus. Identical RFLP profiles for all restriction endonucleases tested were observed in four small genotrophs produced from separate environmental induction experiments. Comparison between Stormont Cirrus and these small genotrophs showed at least six differing bands in addition to several high molecular weight polymorphisms. Genetic data indicate that the polymorphisms were all produced from a repetitive 5S rRNA gene cluster at a single chromosomal locus. Similar, but not identical, polymorphisms are also detected in other flax varieties and Linum species suggesting that the induced variation is related to that which occurs naturally. The results are evidence that a specific set of DNA alterations occur in association with the induction of heritable changes in flax. This is the first genetic marker which is altered to an identical state in one type of genotroph. The results are discussed with respect to mechanisms for environmentally induced heritable change in plants.     

Labile DNA sequences in flax identified by combined sample representational difference analysis (csRDA)

Flax (Linum usitatissimum) has a genome in which changes have been associated with environmental factors. The inbred flax variety, Stormont Cirrus (Pl), served as the parent, and several lines (termed genotrophs) were derived from this parent. The phenotypes of the genotrophs were stable in a number of different growth environments, unlike the original Pl line in which changes associated with environmental factors continued to occur. These genotrophs differed from the original line in a number of characteristics, but the only known phenotypic characteristic that is shared by all the genotrophs and different from the parental, Pl, line is the lack of changes associated with the original environmental factors. However, some of these genotrophs have changed in both phenotype and nuclear DNA subsequent to their original growth and differentiation from Pl. Representational difference analysis (RDA) has been used to identify differences between Pl and all the genotrophs in an attempt to identify the loci controlling these aspects of plasticity. Subtractions between Pl DNA as a tester (target) and one of the genotrophs (individual RDA) or a mixture of different types of genotroph (L6, S6, C2, and LH) DNAs as a driver were done (combined sample RDA; csRDA). In addition, contrary RDA, where of the genotroph DNA was used as a tester and Pl DNA as a driver, was also executed. Three difference clones (163-4-2, 123-5-2, and 163-13), from 74 primary clones obtained after three rounds of subtractions with Pl DNA as tester were further characterized. In addition, 2 difference products (213-r1 and 213-r9) were characterized from contrary RDA. The clones 163-4-2 and 163-13 from the csRDA showed polymorphisms between Pl and all the genotrophs when PCR was done with primers derived from sequences of the clones, but only the clone 163-13 polymorphism was confirmed by Southern blot analysis. Four of 5 clones (163-4-2, 123-5-2, 163-13 and 213-r9) that have been characterized appear to be associated with structural changes in the DNA. From the contrary csRDA, it was observed that no clones could be recovered from subtractions between a mixture of genotrophs as a tester and Pl as a driver, and several possible explanations have been proposed.     

RAPD分析氮离子注入甜菊种子后的幼苗基因组DNA变异

应用ＲＡＰＤ 技术检测经低能氮离子注入甜菊纯系种子引起的幼苗基因组ＤＮＡ 变异。筛选出ＯＰＪ系列中的１５ 种引物对实验及对照基因组ＤＮＡ 进行了ＰＣＲ 扩增,共获扩增片段１０３ 条,分子量在０．３ － ３ｋｂ 之间,其中５ 种引物ＯＰＪ－ １ ,７ ,９,１１ ,１２ 扩增出差异片段１２ 条。结果表明,低能氮离子注入甜菊种子可引起体内基因组ＤＮＡ 发生突变;ＲＡＰＤ 技术是检测基因组ＤＮＡ 发生诱变的一种简便、有效方法。本文同时探讨了离子强度和Ｔａｇ ＤＮＡ 聚合酶用量对甜菊ＲＡＰＤ 分析结果的影响,以及氮离子注入诱变效应的可能机制。     

Heritable effects of 5-azacytidine treatments on the growth and development of flax (Linum usitatissimum) genotrophs and genotypes.

Seed of flax (Linum usitatissimum) were treated for short durations with 5-azacytidine and the direct and heritable effects of the treatments on plant growth and development in general and, more specifically, on the contrasting phenotypes of Durrant's large and small genotrophs were examined. 5-Azacytidine induced a reduction in the height of the plants grown from treated seed. Twenty-two percent of the first generation progeny of these plants also had short phenotypes and, in most cases, the short phenotype was stably and uniformly inherited by the second generation progeny of the short, first generation plants. Treatment also induced a marked decrease in the flowering age in a few of the first generation plants that was also transmitted to their second generation progenies. The effects seen in the progeny generations suggest that most, if not all, of the heritable changes induced by the treatment are epigenetic. Several differences were seen between the large and small genotrophs, which indicate that the genome of the small genotroph is less susceptible, than the genome of the large genotroph, to 5-azacytidine induced heritable alterations.     

莲品种资源的SRAP遗传多样性分析

利用分子标记SRAP技术对国内广泛栽培以及新近育成的39个莲品种进行了DNA多态性分析。选取5对引物扩增基因组DNA,共获得101条带,其中88条为多态性条带,每对引物平均提供20个标记信息。由UPMGA方法得到的聚类分析结果表明了39个品种间的遗传关系,结果表明:花莲、籽莲和藕莲三大类群有明显的界限,花莲和籽莲的遗传距离较近,藕莲与它们的遗传距离较远。分子方差分析结果表明:莲品种间和品种内均存在遗传变异,藕莲品种内的遗传变异略低于品种间的遗传变异,而诱变籽莲、诱变花莲和常规籽莲品种内遗传变异均大于品种间的遗传变异,尤其是诱变籽莲、诱变花莲品种内遗传变异占总变异的分量分别超过了70%和60%,这种品种内的遗传变异,一方面对于莲的高产稳产具有重要的意义,另一方面也说明了从这些国内广泛栽培的品种以及新近育成的莲品种中可以直接进一步选育出更优良的新品种。     

粘类小麦细胞质雄性不育系的RAPD分析

利用250条10-聚寡核苷酸随机引物对具粘果山羊草(Aegilops kotschyi)、易变山羊草(Ae.variabilis)、偏凸山羊草(Ae.ventricosa)和二角山羊草(Ae．bicornis)细胞质不育系及其保持系5-1的总DNA进行了RAPD多态性分析,其中31条引物对4种不育系及其保持系总DNA均无扩增,217条引物扩增条带完全相同。有2条随机引物在2种不育系之间有特异的扩增片段,其中引物S22在偏凸山羊草细胞质雄性不育系基因组DNA中扩增出分子量约为1600bp的特异带,引物S202在粘果山羊草细胞质雄性不育系基因组DNA中扩增出约1300bp特异带。线粒体基因组DNA的RAPD分析表明,4种不育系及其保持系mtDNA存在明显的差异。证明了S22—1600为偏凸山羊草细胞质不育系及其mtDNA基因组DNA的RAPD特异片段．S202—1300可能为粘果山羊草细胞质不育系及其ctDNA基因组DNA的RAPD特异片段。     

Genome merger: from sequence rearrangements in triticale to their elimination in wheat–rye addition lines

Genetic and epigenetic modifications resulting from different genomes adjusting to a common nuclear environment have been observed in polyploids. Sequence restructuring within genomes involving retrotransposon/microsatellite-rich regions has been reported in triticale. The present study uses inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphisms (IRAP) and retrotransposon microsatellite amplified polymorphisms (REMAP) to assess genome rearrangements in wheat–rye addition lines obtained by the controlled backcrossing of octoploid triticale to hexaploid wheat followed by self-fertilization. The comparative analysis of IRAP and REMAP banding profiles, involving a complete set of wheat–rye addition lines, and their parental species revealed in those lines the presence of wheat-origin bands absent in triticale, and the absence of rye-origin and triticale-specific bands. The presence in triticale × wheat backcrosses (BC) of rye-origin bands that were absent in the addition lines demonstrated that genomic rearrangement events were not a direct consequence of backcrossing, but resulted from further genome structural rearrangements in the BC plant progeny. PCR experiments using primers designed from different rye-origin sequences showed that the absence of a rye-origin band in wheat–rye addition lines results from sequence elimination rather than restrict changes on primer annealing sites, as noted in triticale. The level of genome restructuring events evaluated in all seven wheat–rye addition lines, compared to triticale, indicated that the unbalanced genome merger situation observed in the addition lines induced a new round of genome rearrangement, suggesting that the lesser the amount of rye chromatin introgressed into wheat the larger the outcome of genome reshuffling.     

RAPD法对罗曼蛋鸡基因组DNA多态性分析初报

利用RAPD（随机扩增多态DNA）方法,选用37种10bp的随机引物,对罗曼蛋鸡基因组DNA进行多态性分析,发现其中两种引物（OPS－08,OPY－06）在三代7个品系中都能扩增出多条带并且反映其基因组DNA的多态性,可用于检测出不同品系间的差异,并且这两种引物的碱基序列有80％是对应互补的。     

Increased transgenerational epigenetic variation,but not predictable epigenetic variants,after environmental exposure in two apomictic dandelion lineages

DNA methylation is one of the mechanisms underlying epigenetic modifications. DNA methylations can be environmentally induced and such induced modifications can at times be transmitted to successive generations. However, it remains speculative how common such environmentally induced transgenerational DNA methylation changes are and if they persist for more than one offspring generation. We exposed multiple accessions of two different apomictic dandelion lineages of the Taraxacum officinale group (Taraxacum alatum and T. hemicyclum) to drought and salicylic acid (SA) treatment. Using methylation‐sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism markers (MS‐AFLPs) we screened anonymous methylation changes at CCGG restriction sites throughout the genome after stress treatments and assessed the heritability of induced changes for two subsequent unexposed offspring generations. Irrespective of the initial stress treatment, a clear buildup of heritable DNA methylation variation was observed across three generations, indicating a considerable background rate of heritable epimutations. Less evidence was detected for environmental effects. Drought stress showed some evidence for accession‐specific methylation changes, but only in the exposed generation and not in their offspring. By contrast, SA treatment caused an increased rate of methylation change in offspring of treated plants. These changes were seemingly undirected resulting in increased transgenerational epigenetic variation between offspring individuals, but not in predictable epigenetic variants. While the functional consequences of these MS‐AFLP‐detected DNA methylation changes remain to be demonstrated, our study shows that (1) stress‐induced transgenerational DNA methylation modification in dandelions is genotype and context‐specific; and (2) inherited environmental DNA methylation effects are mostly undirected and not targeted to specific loci.     

IRAP,a retrotransposon-based marker system for the detection of somaclonal variation in barley

The retrotransposon-based marker system, inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism (IRAP), and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) were used to detect somaclonal variation induced by tissue culture. IRAPs use a single primer designed to amplify out from the 5′ LTR sequence of the BARE-1 retrotransposon combined with a degenerate 3′ anchor, similar to that of ISSR primers. We analysed DNA polymorphisms in 147 primary regenerants and parental controls from three cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare). The ISSR marker system generated an average of 218 bands per primer, with 29 polymorphisms of which 12 were novel non-parental bands. In comparison, the IRAP system generated an average of 121 bands per primer, with 15 polymorphisms of which nine were novel non-parental bands. Polymorphism detected for IRAP and ISSR markers was more than twofold higher in Golden Promise than Mackay and Tallon cultivars. However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of novel non-parental bands. Cluster analysis revealed that the level of polymorphism and genetic variability detected was comparable between IRAP and ISSR markers. This suggests that retrotransposon-based marker systems, such as IRAP, based on retrotransposons such as BARE-1, are valuable tools for the detailed characterisation of mutation profiles that arise during tissue culture. Their use should improve our understanding of processes influencing mutation and somaclonal variation and allow for the design of methods that yield fewer genome changes in applications where maintaining clonal integrity is important.     

应用RAPD技术对蜘蛛系统演化的初步研究

利用随机扩增多态ＤＮＡ 技术检测了３ 类不同蜘蛛的系统发生关系．用１２ 个随机引物对各实验蜘蛛的基因组ＤＮＡ 进行扩增,选择其中扩增谱带清晰的８ 个引物进行分析并计算不同类蜘蛛间的遗传距离．结果表明：所有８ 个引物获得的ＲＡＰＤ谱带均表现为不同程度的多态性;地穴型蜘蛛与结网型蜘蛛间的遗传距离及结网型与游猎型之间的遗传距离,均比地穴型与游猎型之间的遗传距离近,体现了蜘蛛由地穴→结网→游猎的系统演化进程．这一结论与根据古生物学、胚胎学、形态学及生态学等得出的结论一致,从而进一步从ＤＮＡ 分子水平上为蜘蛛系统演化提供了新的证据．     

普通小麦SSR和EST-SSR引物对冰草通用性的比较分析

选用定位于普通小麦7个部分同源群的534对SSR引物和351对EST-SSR引物分别对普通小麦品种‘Fukuho’和四倍体冰草‘Z559’的基因组DNA进行扩增,结果显示:有475对(89.0%)SSR引物和314对(89.5%)EST-SSR引物对‘Fukuho’能有效扩增,226对(42.3%)SSR和258对(73.5%)EST-SSR引物对‘Z559’能有效扩增,表明小麦EST-SSR对冰草的通用性明显高于SSR;扩增强带比率SSR和EST-SSR引物分别为76.1%、84.1%,说明小麦EST-SSR在冰草上扩增带的质量亦优于SSR。选择上述在‘Fukuho’和‘Z559’基因组DNA之间有多态性扩增且带谱清晰的SSR和EST-SSR引物各60对,对‘Fukuho’、‘中国春’、‘北京8号’和二、四、六倍体冰草‘Z804’、‘Z559’、‘Z1075’的基因组DNA再行PCR扩增,结果显示,40对(66.7%)SSR和22对(36.7%)EST-SSR引物在‘Fukuho’、‘中国春’和‘北京8号’间扩增产物表现多态性,且前者高于后者;50对(83.3%)SSR和52对(86.7%)EST-SSR引物在冰草‘Z804’、‘Z559’和‘Z1075’间扩增产物表现多态性,两者相当。通用性、多态性和扩增强带比率综合比较表明,普通小麦EST-SSR和SSR经筛选虽都能转用于冰草,但两者相比EST-SSR更优。     

Physiological aspects of genome variability in tissue culture. II. Growth phase-dependent quantitative variability of repetitive BstNI fragments of primary cultures of Daucus carota L.

Systematic investigations on the occurrence of differential DNA replication in carrot cultures, expressed at the total genome level, were performed. The genome of Daucus carota L. could be characterized by a pattern of repetitive BstNI fragments that was independent of tissue specificity or cultivar differences. Characterization of the genomic DNA of the secondary phloem of carrot roots, in comparison to the DNA of the induced primary cultures at different growth phases, revealed dramatic differences in the copy number of the repetitive fragments. Highly proliferative tissue showed extensive reduction in the proportion of repetitive sequences in the genome in all of the 37 investigated variants. In contrast, during subsequent transition to stationary growth the repetitive fragments re-amplified. The results suggest that the quantitative genome organisation was involved in the regulation of the growth potential of cells. A hypothesis is discussed suggesting a determining influence of the observed differential DNA replication on cell-cycle rates and the cell program of proliferative tissue by structural and positioning effects on DNA loops. To study the causality of somaclonal variation, research on the relationship between physiological genome variability and the induction of heritable changes is recommended.     

Fingerprinting genomes by use of PCR with primers that encode protein motifs or contain sequences that regulate gene expression

PCR primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequence have identified DNA polymorphisms useful for genetic mapping in a large variety of organisms. Although technically very powerful, the use of arbitrary primers for genome mapping has the disadvantage of characterizing DNA sequences of unknown function. Thus, there is no reason to anticipate that DNA fragments amplified by use of arbitrary primers will be enriched for either transcribed or promoter sequences that may be conserved in evolution. For these reasons, we modified the arbitrarily primed PCR method by using oligonucleotide primers derived from conserved promoter elements and protein motifs. Twenty-nine of these primers were tested individually and in pairwise combinations for their ability to amplify genomic DNA from a variety of species including various inbred strains of laboratory mice and Mus spretus. Using recombinant inbred strains of mice, we determined the chromosomal location of 27 polymorphic fragments in the mouse genome. The results demonstrated that motif sequence-tagged PCR products are reliable markers for mapping the mouse genome and that motif primers can also be used for genomic fingerprinting of many divergent species.     

Polyploidization-induced genome variation in triticale.

Polyploidization-induced genome variation in triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) was investigated using both AFLP and RFLP analyses. The AFLP analyses were implemented with both EcoRI-MseI (E-M) and PstI-MseI (P-M) primer combinations, which, because of their relative differences in sensitivity to cytosine methylation, primarily amplify repetitive and low-copy sequences, respectively. The results showed that the genomic sequences in triticale involved a great degree of variation including both repetitive and low-copy sequences. The frequency of losing parental bands was much higher than the frequency of gaining novel bands, suggesting that sequence elimination might be a major force causing genome variation in triticale. In all cases, variation in E-M primer-amplified parental bands was more frequent in triticale than that using P-M primers, suggesting that repetitive sequences were more involved in variation than low-copy sequences. The data also showed that the wheat (Triticum spp.) genomes were relatively highly conserved in triticales, especially in octoploid triticales, whereas the rye (Secale cereale L.) genome consistently demonstrated a very high level of genomic sequence variation (68%-72%) regardless of the triticale ploidy levels or primers used. In addition, when a parental AFLP band was present in both wheat and rye, the tendency of the AFLP band to be present in triticale was much higher than when it was present in only one of the progenitors. Furthermore, the cDNA-probed RFLP analyses showed that over 97% of the wheat coding sequences were maintained in triticale, whereas only about 61.6% of the rye coding sequences were maintained, suggesting that the rye genome variation in triticale also involved a high degree of rye coding sequence changes. The data also suggested that concerted evolution might occur in the genomic sequences of triticale. In addition, the observed genome variation in wheat-rye addition lines was similar to that in triticale, suggesting that wheat-rye addition lines can be used to thoroughly study the genome evolution of polyploid triticale.     

Molecular characterization and genetic mapping of random amplified microsatellite polymorphism in barley

 This study has analyzed the molecular basis and genetic behaviour of the polymorphism generated by the amplification of barley genomic DNA with primers complementary to microsatellites. Primers anchored at the 5′ end, used alone or in combination with arbitrary sequence primers, generated random amplified microsatellite polymorphisms (RAMPs). Unanchored primers were also used as single primers in a microsatellite primed-PCR (MP-PCR). Twenty six randomly selected RAMP DNA fragments which showed polymorphism between the cultivars Steptoe and Morex were cloned and sequenced. All sequences showed the expected repeated motif at the end of the insert, with the number of repeats ranging from five to ten. Genomic sequences containing low numbers of microsatellite motifs were preferentially amplified; therefore, only a fraction of the polymorphism could be attributed to variation in the number of microsatellite motifs at the priming site. Some sequences contained either cryptic simple sequences or members of families of repeated DNA. Polymorphism at the internal cryptic simple sequences was detected by RAMP bands inherited as co-dominant markers. Four MP-PCR bands were cloned and sequenced. A number of repeats identical to the primer itself were found at each end of the insert. Two allelic bands were polymorphic for an internal microsatellite. The potential use of cloned bands as fingerprinting tools was investigated by employing them as hybridization probes in Southern blots containing digested barley DNA from a sample of cultivars. RAMP probes produced complex hybridization band patterns. MP-PCR probes produced either a highly variable single locus or low-copy number loci. Segregations for 31 RAMPs and three MP-PCR bands were studied in a population of 70 doubled-haploids from the Steptoe/Morex cross. One third of all markers were co-dominantly inherited. Markers were positioned on an RFLP map and found to be distributed in all barley chromosomes. The new markers enlarged the overall length of the map to 1408 cM. Received: 6 May 1998 / Accepted: 20 July 1998     

Variation in the isozymes of flax (Linum usitatissimum) genotrophs

Peroxidase, esterase, and acid phosphatase isozymes of environmentally induced L and S genotrophs, nuclear DNA reversion types, and the orginal plastic (Pl) type of the flax variety Stormont Cirrus have been compared by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Differences were observed in particular line was not correlated with the nuclear DNA amount. The relationship between the isozyme pattern and the phenotypes of the lines in which they are expressed is discussed.     

RAPD标记鉴定水稻3种不同细胞质雄性不育类型的杂交种及其亲本

利用RAPD引物对3种不同细胞质雄性不育类型的杂交水稻组合及其亲本共21个材料进行了DNA多态性分析。从264个随机引物中筛选出具有非常明显多态性的引物25个, 对25个引物在3种不同细胞质不育类型的杂交组合及其亲本间的DNA扩增多态性差异进行比较,最终选出具有不同类型间特异性扩增带的引物7个,利用这些特异性扩增带能有效地区分和鉴定目前在生产上大面积种植和推广,或者是具有应用潜力的3种不同细胞质雄性不育类型—野败型(WA)、红莲型(HL)和包台型(BT))—的6种杂交水稻组合及其亲本。     

Mechanisms and control of rapid genomic changes in flax

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The nuclear DNA of certain varieties of flax (Linum usitatissimum) can vary within a single generation when the plants are grown under specific environmental conditions. This review details the genomic variations that have been identified and associated with this environmental response. CONCLUSIONS: The variation occurs across the whole spectrum of sequence repetition and has been shown to occur in the highly repeated, middle repetitive and low copy number sequences. Although the variation has been shown to be spread throughout the genome it does not occur at random, as similar molecular events have been shown to occur repeatedly. The changes in two labile regions in the nucleus, the ribosomal RNA genes and a site-specific insertion event, have been shown to occur within the period of vegetative growth and over a relatively short period of that growth. The gradual change in total nuclear DNA that has been described would then need to have arisen through an accumulation of changes occurring over the whole, or most of the, period of growth prior to flowering. The polymorphisms that result from these rapidly occurring genomic events have also been observed in many other flax and linseed varieties as well as in the wild progenitors of flax.     

Somaclonal variation at the nucleotide sequence level in rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.) as revealed by RAPD and ISSR markers,and by pairwise sequence analysis

The nature of somaclonal variation at the nucleotide sequence level was studied in rice cv. Nipponbare. First, we investigated genomic variations by using 2 molecular marker systems: RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) and ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat). This was followed by sequencing of selected bands that represented genomic variations, and pairwise sequence analysis taking advantage of the whole genome sequence of rice. In addition, transpositional activity of the active MITE, mPing, was analysed by locus-specific PCR amplifications. The 2-year-old calli and their regenerated plants, analysed with 24 RAPD and 20 ISSR primers, showed moderate levels of genomic variation (20.83% and 17.04%, respectively). To test whether DNA methylation plays a role in somaclonal variation, the calli were treated with 5-azacytidine, a chemical agent that reduces cytosine methylation by blocking the activity of DNA methyltransferase. Though dwarfism occurred in regenerants from treated calli (a hallmark of the drug treatment), there was only a slight increase in the frequency of somaclonal variation detected in the treated calli and their regenerated plants relative to untreated controls. The transposon mPing also remained immobile in both treated and untreated calli. Nevertheless, dendrograms constructed according to the Jaccard coefficient calculated by UPGMA of the ISSR bands revealed that the 5-azacytidine-treated and untreated somaclones were grouped into 2 distinct clusters, suggesting a possible indirect effect of the treatment on the genomic changes, depending on the marker used. Sequence analysis indicated a low level of variation (0.31%), with single-base-pair substitutions predominating.