Genetic Fine Structure of the BRONZE Locus in Maize

The bronze (bz) locus in maize, located in the short arm of chromosome 9 (9S), is the structural gene for the anthocyanin biosynthetic enzyme UFGT. The gene has been cloned and its physical map has been oriented relative to the centromere of 9S. We report here the genetic fine structure mapping of several biochemically characterized EMS-induced bz-E mutations, derived from the Bz-W22 isoallele, and Ds insertion bz-m mutations, derived from the Bz-McC isoallele. Two UFGT(-), CRM(+ ) mutants (bz-E2 and bz-E5), which genetically identify coding sequences in the gene, and three UFGT(-), CRM(- )bz-E mutants were mapped against the Ds insertion mutants bz-m1 and bz-m2(DI) by selecting Bz intragenic recombinants from heterozygotes of the type bz-E/bz-m . The exclusive occurrence of one recombinant outside marker class allowed the unambiguous placement of the mutants in a genetic fine structure map. Peculiarly, the two CRM(+)bz-E mutants lie upstream of the three CRM(-)bz-E mutants and at a considerable genetic distance. The UFGT allozymes encoded by the progenitor alleles Bz-W22 and Bz-McC differ in two properties, thermal stability and activity. The sites responsible for these properties were mapped as unselected markers among the Bz intragenic recombinants. The thermal stability site, which also identifies a coding region of the gene, mapped very close to the CRM(+)bz-E mutant sites. The site responsible for variation in activity, which probably identifies a region involved in regulation of expression of the bz locus, mapped at the 5' or proximal end of the locus. It was found to be inseparable from the Ds insertion in bz-m1 that lies very close to the 5' end of the transcribed region.-Evidence was obtained that the insertion of Ds within the bz gene has a suppressing effect on intragenic recombination. Additional data are also presented supporting our observation that Ds affects the pattern of intragenic recombination at bz.-Based on the total genetic length of the bz gene and on the physical size of the transcribed region, we estimate that one unit of recombination at bronze corresponds to 14 kb of DNA. This estimate is more than 100 times smaller than the average value for the whole genome and implies that there may be regions, such as bronze, that serve as hotspots for recombination.     

The Influence of Sequence Microvariation Among HLA-DR3 Alleles on their Structure and Complexes Formation with Presentation Peptides

The three-dimensional structure of human leukocyte antigens HLA-DR*0301 and HLA-DR*0302 have been calculated using the homology modeling approach. General structural features of our models are similar to those of related HLA molecules. The typical layout of segments of the secondary structure is well preserved. However polypeptide chains are less tightly bound, which causes slightly broader opening of the binding groove. It also results in the modified layout of pockets in the binding groove. Amino acids defining the restricted sequence diversity of studied proteins are easily available for interactions with ligands.A set of docking simulations was performed using modeled structures of both HLA molecules and various specific peptide ligands. The control docking of influenza hemagglutinin peptide into HLA-DR*0101 molecule gives the complex structure which is in good agreement with that from crystallographic studies. The extensive analysis of the structure of modeled complexes of HLA-DR*0301 and HLA-DR*0302 with various ligands indicates that sequence microvariation of both alleles is not directly controlling the binding specificity. Preferences for binding of specific ligands, as evaluated from interactions in modeled complexes, agree qualitatively with experimental observations. Thus the computer aided docking simulations can be successfully used to calculate the three-dimensional structure of HLA-ligand complexes. However detailed explanation of binding specificity can not be achieved using presently available modeling procedures.Electronic Supplementary Material available.     

Genetic Fine Structure of the Y Chromosome of DROSOPHILA HYDEI

A genetic map of the Y chromosome of Drosophila hydei has been constructed from deletion/complementation experiments, with the aid of male sterile mutants of the Y chromosome. A central conclusion of our experiments is that not more than a single complementation group can be detected in each of the lampbrush loop forming sites. Additional complementation groups, functionally independent of lampbrush loops, reside between these loci. Six complementation groups have been defined by several methods of mapping. An additional ten complementation groups are indicated, but their exact definition requires further investigation. The "synthetic sterility" of mutations in these ten loci contributes to the difficulty in unequivocally establishing their individual boundaries. Mapping problems also arise from the instability of certain mutants.     

Ds-Induced Alleles at the OPAQUE-2 Locus of Maize

Transposon mutagenesis has been used to isolate mutable alleles at the Opaque-2 (O2) locus of maize. Plants with the Activator-Dissociation (Ac-Ds) system of transposable elements and O2 were crossed as males to a stable o2 tester line. Among a population of 200,000 kernels, 198 exceptional kernels with somatic instability were recovered. In four cases, designated O2-m1, o2-m2, O2-m3 and O2-m4, variegated phenotypes appeared in F₂ and subsequent generations. Genetic analyses indicated that the presence of Ds near or within the O2 gene was responsible for the observed somatic instability at the O2 locus. The phenotypes of the newly induced alleles were of two types. Alleles O2-m1, O2-m3 and O2-m4, in the absence of Ac, were characterized by kernel phenotypes indistinguishable from the wild type; in the presence of Ac they generated kernels with opaque sectors interspersed within a vitreous background. In contrast, the mutable allele o2-m2, in the absence of Ac, was characterized by kernels with a recessive phenotype similar to o2 recessive mutants. In the presence of Ac, it reverted somatically to wild-type-producing kernels with vitreous spots in an o2 background. The association of the Ds element with the O2 locus may prove a valuable tool directed to the isolation of DNA fragments bearing the O2 gene.     

Measuring and Testing Genetic Differentiation with Ordered versus Unordered Alleles

Estimates and variances of diversity and differentiation measures in subdivided populations are proposed that can be applied to haplotypes (ordered alleles such as DNA sequences, which may contain a record of their own histories). Hence, two measures of differentiation can be compared for a single data set: one (G(ST)) that makes use only of the allelic frequencies and the other (N(ST)) for which similarities between the haplotypes are taken into account in addition. Tests are proposed to compare N(ST) and G(ST) with zero and with each other. The difference between N(ST) and G(ST) can be caused by several factors, including sampling artefacts, unequal effect of mutation rates and phylogeographic structure. The method presented is applied to a published data set where a nuclear DNA sequence had been determined from individuals of a grasshopper distributed in 24 regions of Europe. Additional insights into the genetic subdivision of these populations are obtained by progressively combining related haplotypes and reanalyzing the data each time.     

Genetic Variations in the Fine Structure and Ontogeny of Mouse Melanin Granules.

Electron microscopic observations of the fine structure andontogeny of melanin granules in various inbred strains of micehave provided new information about the origin and structureof these organelles. The general features of granule development,consisting of the aggregation of subunits into fibers and thecross-linking of these fibers to form a sheet-like matrix onwhich melanin is deposited, are shared by all but one of thegenotypes examined. The formation of the matrix sheet is coincidentwith the deposition of melanin which begins at periodic intervalsalong the matrix sheet. The deposition of melanin continuesuntil the details of the underlying matrix are obscured. The alleles at the B, C, and P loci alter the sequence of developmentof melanosomes in a manner suggesting that they are structuralgenes for different macromolecules contained in the subunits.This theory helps to integrate diverse observations on the originof melanin granules and the genetic control of their fine structure The effects of alleles at the D and Ln loci indicate that theseloci alter the differentiation of the melanocyte by somehowaltering the mechanisms controlling the location within thecell where matrix protein begins to be synthesized. The majoreffect of the Ru locus is to alter the time of onset of synthesisof melanin granules; thus, it may be a regulatory gene. Theseobservations demonstrate the importance to cellular differentiationof genetic mechanisms that alter the expression of other genesby changing time and space relationships in protein synthesis. The A locus appears to act by altering the chemical environmentin which the melanocyte of the hair follicle is differentiating.The effect of this alteration is on the aggregation of the matrixsubunits which the melanocyte is producing. The altered aggregationleads to different enzymatic activity, and phaeomelanin is producedinstead of eumelanin. Thus, the path along which a melanocytefrom a hair follicle is differentiating may be altered at thelevel of aggregation of newly-synthesized protein, a fact whichhas interesting implications regarding embryonic induction.     

基于荧光SSR标记的玉米自交系遗传结构解析

利用多重SSR-PCR荧光标记检测技术,对本单位自育和引进的259份玉米自交系进行遗传多样性和亲缘关系分析,并以11个归属于不同杂种优势群的代表自交系为参照进行群体结构分析。结果显示,50对SSR引物共检测到214个等位基因变异,基因多态性指数的平均值为0.50,每个SSR标记的多态性信息量(PIC)平均值为0.44。用UPGMA方法将270份自交系划分成3大类群,进一步进行数值化杂种优势群分析,以明确所用种质资源的杂优类群利用方向,为玉米自交系的有效利用和品种的选育提供依据。     

Genetic Fine Structure of the Leucine Operon of Escherichia coli K-12

The order of mutational sites in 10 independently isolated leucine auxotrophys of Escherichia coli K-12 was determined by three-point reciprocal transductions. The sites of mutation mapped in linear sequence in a cluster; all leucine auxotrophic mutations were cotransducible with mutations in the arabinose operon. The mutations were assigned to four complementation groups by abortive transduction tests, designated D, C, B, and A, reading in a clockwise direction from the arabinose operon. Enzyme analyses showed that strains with a mutation in gene A lacked alpha-isopropylmalate synthetase activity (EC 4.1.3), and those with a mutation in gene B lacked beta-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase activity (EC 1.1.1). It is concluded that the gross structure of the leucine operon in E. coli is closely similar to, if not identical with, the gross structure of the leucine operon in Salmonella typhimurium.     

Genetic Fine Structure Analysis of the AMYLOSE-EXTENDER Locus in ZEA MAYS L

On the basis of interallelic recombination frequencies measured in diallelic crosses of the 5 amylose-extender alleles in maize, ae, B1, B3, M2 and i1, it was possible to construct a unique linear genetic map ordering all 5 alleles within the locus. The reciprocal diallelic crosses each gave comparable frequency estimates. The relative order is ae, i1, B3, B1, M2 or the reverse. Even though F1 endosperms resulting from all possible diallelic crosses were phenotypically mutant, therefore non-complementing, no decision as to whether or not these alleles exhibit functional complementation should be made without biochemical characterization of the starches from the various heteroallelic genotypes.     

A Genetic Fine Structure Analysis of the Suppressor 3 Locus in Saccharomyces

A meiotic fine structure map of a yeast tyrosine-inserting ochre suppressor, SUP3-omicron, was constructed. This was accomplished by examining ten intragenic suppressor-inactive revertants for their relationship to each other and to the original SUP3-omicron mutation. The second-site revertants map on both sides of the SUP3-omicron mutation. The meiotic map length based on the summation of short intervals is 45+/10(5) asci.     

番茄红素β-环化酶基因的玉米转化及 后代遗传分析

利用农杆菌介导法将番茄红素β-环化酶基因(Lycb)转入由玉米自交系天塔五号植株,分析基因在T0转化及后代的遗传情况,结果表明,在27株T0转基因植株中,PCR初步检测后8株呈阳性;将T1代转基因植株以株系为单位用200mg/L草铵膦抗性筛选后,收获抗性植株种子。T2代转基因植株进一步进行PCR、RT-PCR和田间草铵膦涂抹检测,结果表明,PCR、RT-PCR为阳性的6个株系植株均具有草铵膦抗性。选取6株阳性植株提取叶片总类胡萝卜素,经HPLC分析其β-胡萝卜素含量显著高于野生型,表明目的基因Lycb成功的转入玉米,并得到了稳定遗传。     

Genetic Analyses of the Polarity Alleles in Recombinants from Mitochondrial Genetic Crosses

A number of minority recombinant and parental types from a heterosexual cross were analyzed for the omega allele they carry. It was found that recombinant progeny can be omega(-), that minority parental types among the progeny can be omega(+) rather than omega(-), and, finally, that certain of the results suggest that the omega locus may not be at the proximal end of the mitochondrial genetic map (Bolotin et al., 1971; Grivell et al., 1973) but rather may lie between the [cap1-r/cap-s] and [ery1-r/ery-s] loci.     

食蟹猴MHC I类A型新等位基因序列分析

采用自行设计的MHC I类A型基因的引物从10只食蟹猴扩增得到11个3 000bp左右MHC等位基因。通过在Blast比对之后,证实有7个Mafa-A等位基因,4个Mafa-AG等位基因,新的等位基因序列已递交GenBank。由于每个个体可以检测出多个不同的Mafa-A等位基因,这说明食蟹猴Mafa-A基因经过多次复制,并且推测Mafa-AG是Mafa-A衍生物。同时,研究了等位基因在个体中的分布和系统进化树分析。