基因组中重复序列的意义

从原核生物到真核生物,其基因组中的重复序列呈递增趋势.重复序列的作用也被各种实验所揭示.各种重复序列的类型与它在染色体上的分布密切相关.重复序列不是垃圾,而是影响着生命的进化、遗传、变异;同时它对基因表达、转录调控、染色体的构建以及生理代谢都起着不可或缺的作用.它们的功能及演化也正在被逐步阐明.     

拟南芥与水稻之间简单重复序列的比较分析

利用Peri,C 语言编写了鉴定和分析简单重复序列的一系列程序,在全基因组水平上分析了拟南芥(Arabidopsisthaliana L.)简单重复序列的分布及简单重复序列和基因的关系.共发现5 652个简单重复序列(≥20bp),大约每20.6kb有1个简单重复序列.拟南芥各染色体之间简单重复序列的密度基本一致.拟南芥的27 480条编码序列中,只有677条编码序列含有725个简单重复序列,其中的3碱基简单重复序列多数对应的是小的亲水性的氨基酸.在拟南芥和水稻(Oryza sativa L.)第4号染色体的高度保守的基因中,简单重复序列却并不保守.通过比较拟南芥和水稻之间简单重复序列的差异,推论出:水稻的全基因组和基因中简单重复序列的密度都比拟南芥大,这可能是水稻基因组序列比拟南芥大的原因之一,水稻基因组中0.21%来自简单重复序列,而拟南芥中只有0.13%;不但不同物种的基因组对简单重复序列的偏好性不同,而且不同物种的基因对简单重复序列的偏好性也不同.在水稻和拟南芥中部发现了一些嵌套性的卫星序列.     

拟南芥与水稻之间简单重复序列的比较分析

利用Perl,C 语言编写了鉴定和分析简单重复序列的一系列程序,在全基因组水平上分析了拟南芥(ArabidopsisthalianaL.)简单重复序列的分布及简单重复序列和基因的关系。共发现5652个简单重复序列(≥20bp),大约每20.6kb有1个简单重复序列。拟南芥各染色体之间简单重复序列的密度基本一致。拟南芥的27480条编码序列中,只有677条编码序列含有725个简单重复序列,其中的3碱基简单重复序列多数对应的是小的亲水性的氨基酸。在拟南芥和水稻(OryzasativaL.)第4号染色体的高度保守的基因中,简单重复序列却并不保守。通过比较拟南芥和水稻之间简单重复序列的差异,推论出:水稻的全基因组和基因中简单重复序列的密度都比拟南芥大,这可能是水稻基因组序列比拟南芥大的原因之一,水稻基因组中0.21%来自简单重复序列,而拟南芥中只有0.13%;不但不同物种的基因组对简单重复序列的偏好性不同,而且不同物种的基因对简单重复序列的偏好性也不同。在水稻和拟南芥中都发现了一些嵌套性的卫星序列。     

松树、杨树及桉树表达基因序列微卫星比对分析

微卫星是生物基因组中变异频率最快的序列,结构基因中微卫星重复数的变化会引起基因的框移突变,导致基因表达完全不同或截短的蛋白.因此在进化过程中,基因区微卫星会受到强烈选择的影响.为研究基因区微卫星在不同树种中的变化情况,在本研究中,利用SPUTNIK程序分析了NCBI数据库中松树(Pinus spp.)、杨树(Populus spp.)及桉树(Eucalyptus spp.)的表达序列标签(express sequence tag, EST)序列各3万条.结果显示,桉树和杨树EST序列含有微卫星的比例比较接近,分别为18.7%和15.3%,而在松树中则发生了较大分化,只有8.2%.研究发现,三碱基重复单元是这3个树种编码序列中微卫星的主要重复类型.除三碱基重复微卫星外,桉树和杨树EST序列中其它类型微卫星的丰度随着重复单元长度的增加而减少,而在松树中则呈相反现象.同时值得注意的是松树EST序列中变异频率快的微卫星(>20 bp)数量明显比桉树及杨树少.研究还发现,3个树种中微卫星获得或丢失重复单元的速率都随着重复单元的增加而降低.本研究首次报道了不同树种基因区微卫星比较研究,发现了一些松树与杨树、桉树相比较EST序列中所含微卫星在丰度及变异频率方面存在的异同.基因所含微卫星序列对基因的功能有重要影响,本研究的结果将为了解不同树种中基因区微卫星的特征提供重要参数,同时也将为利用所研究树种的EST序列开发多态性高的微卫星标记提供有益的生物信息学参考.     

小麦及其近缘种中基因组特异性DNA重复序列的研究进展

本文对小麦族植物中基因组特异性DNA重复序列的分类、基本特征、分离和鉴定方法、在小麦遗传改良中的应用以及未来研究的发展趋势进行了简述。综合已有的研究结果可以看出基因组特异性DNA重复序列是小麦族植物基因组特异性形成的重要构成部分。对基因组特异性DNA重复序列的研究是认识小麦族植物基因组的有效途径之一,基因组特异性DNA重复序列的应用将进一步促进小麦族植物分子细胞遗传学和普通小麦遗传改良研究的进展。 Advances in Studies of Genome-Specific Repetitive DNA Sequences in Wheat and Related Species BAI Jian-rong1,2,JIA Xu1,WANG Dao-wen1 1.The State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering,Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology,The Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China; 2.Crop Genetics Institute,Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Taiyuan 030031,China Abstract:In this paper we review recent advances in studies of several aspects of genome specific repetitive DNA sequences in wheat and related species.The available results demonstrate that genome specific repetitive DNA sequences are important components of genome specificity in wheat and related species.Research on genome specific repetitive DNA sequences is essential to the elucidation of genome function.The application of genome specific repetitive DNA sequences will aid molecular cytogenetic studies in wheat and related species and contributes to genetic improvement of common wheat. Key words：wheat;genome specific repetitive DNA sequence;chromosome     

中国明对虾基因组小卫星重复序列分析

通过对中国明对虾基因组随机DNA片断的测序 ,我们获得了总长度约 6 4 10 0 0个碱基的基因组DNA序列 ,从中共找到 172 0个重复序列。其中 ,小卫星序列的数目为 398个 ,占重复序列总数目的 2 3 14 %。这些小卫星序列的重复单位长度为 7- 16 5个碱基 ,集中分布于 7- 2 1个碱基范围内 ,其中以重复单位长度为 12个碱基的重复序列数目最多 ,为 5 8个 ,占小卫星重复序列总数目的 14 5 7%。不同拷贝数目所对应的重复序列的数目情况为 :拷贝数目为 2的重复单位所组成的重复序列数目最多 ,为 137个 ;其次是拷贝数目为 3的重复序列 ,为12 2个 ,且随着拷贝数目的增加 ,由其所组成的重复序列的数目呈递减的趋势。其中一部分序列见GeneBank数据库 ,登录号为AY6 990 72 -AY6 990 76。 398个重复序列分别由 398种重复单位所组成 ,因而小卫星重复序列的类型很多 ,我们初步分成三类 :两种碱基组成类别、三种碱基组成类别和四种碱基组成类别 ,并进一步根据各个重复序列中所含有的碱基种类的数量从大到小排列这些碱基而分成若干小类。从这些分类中可以看出 ,中国明对虾基因组中的小卫星整体上是富含A T的重复序列 ,并具有一定的“等级制度” ,揭示了其与微卫星重复序列之间的关系 ,即一部分小卫星重复序列可能起源于微卫星     

构巢曲霉菌基因组中的数量可变重复序列的组成和分布

利用已经公布的构巢曲霉菌基因组测序结果,对该真菌已测序基因组(30．1Mb)中的数量可变重复(VNTR)序列进行了较为系统、全面地分析。结果表明,在已经公布的基因组序列中,共有4837个以1—6个核苷酸为基序的VNTR序列(长度大于15bp,匹配值大于80％),其碱基总数占整个基因组碱基数的0．31％,平均6．2kb碱基中分布有一个大于15bp的VNTR。其中数量最多的五碱基VNTR。数量达到1386个,其次为六碱基VNTR(1228个),三碱基VNTR(1199个),这3种VNTR总数达3813个,占VNTR总数的78．8％。数量最少的是二碱基VNTR,只有144个。在9541个开放阅读框架(ORF)中的VNTR总数为1683个,共分布于1356个0RF中。其中只有1个VNTR的ORF为1117个。与其他生物内VNTR的分布类似,在基因编码区中,以三碱基VNTR和六碱基VNTR占绝对优势,在阅读框架中的VNTR中分别占到58．0％和52．9％。编码区的三碱基、六碱基VNTR分别为该菌基因组中相应VNTR总数的约44．4％和38．6％。由于编码区的碱基数占基因组碱基数的59．3％,所以这两种长度的VNTR在编码区中的密度略低于基因组中的平均密度。在编码区上下游300bp调控区,除在编码区数量较多的三碱基VNTR和六碱基VNTR外,其他各种长度的VNTR的比例都超过了10％。可见300bp的上下游调控区域是单碱基、二碱基、四碱基、五碱基VNTR的富集区。在上游区域中,单碱基、二碱基和四碱基VNTR的比例比下游区域中多,五碱基VNTR的数量则基本一致。     

用实时定量PCR解决基因组序列组装中的重复序列问题

目的:探寻一种简单、经济的方法,解决基因组序列拼接中的重复序列问题。方法:选取序列拼接中遇到重复序列问题的质粒NDM-BTR,在其与重复序列相关的contigs两端设计引物,进行实时定量PCR,通过观察临界循环数来判断contig之间的位置关系。结果:成功判断出质粒contig之间的位置关系,得到了质粒基因组完成图。结论:实时定量PCR法可用于解决基因组序列拼接中的重复序列问题,相比较传统建立大片段文库更加简单、快速、经济。     

Genetic relationships of Bacillus anthracis and closely related species based on variable-number tandem repeat analysis and BOX-PCR genomic fingerprinting

Variable-number tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis and BOX-repeat-based PCR (BOX-PCR) genomic fingerprinting were performed on 25 Bacillus strains to investigate the genetic relatedness of Bacillus anthracis to the closely related species. Based on VNTR analysis, all B. anthracis strains could be assigned to (VNTR)(4), which is the most commonly found type in the world. Interestingly, a (VNTR)(2) was also observed in Bacillus cereus KCTC 1661 and with an exact match to the tandem repeats found in B. anthracis. This finding has never been reported before in the closely related species. According to the BOX-PCR, B. anthracis strains clustered together and separated reliably from the closely related species. However, B. cereus KCTC 1661 was linked to the B. anthracis cluster and showed close relationships with B. anthracis strains. These results indicated that there was a strong correlation between VNTR analysis and BOX-PCR genomic fingerprinting.     

Intraspecific variability of the tandem repeats in Nicotiana putrescine N-methyltransferases

The putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT) cDNA clone previously isolated from tobacco encodes a spermidine synthase-like protein with an 11 amino acid element repeated four times in tandem at the amino terminus. Genomic Southern blot analyses indicated that this N-terminal repeat array is found in tobacco PMTs but absent in Hyoscyamus and Atropa PMTs. A truncated tobacco PMT in which this repeat array was entirely removed still retained full enzymatic activity when expressed in Escherichia coli. Three PMT genes (NsPMT1, NsPMT2, NsPMT3) isolated from Nicotiana sylvestris encode two, five, and nine tandem repeats, respectively, in the first exon, but otherwise encode highly conserved proteins. Analysis of PCR fragments amplified from the genomes of N. tabacum and its two probable progenitors shows that one of the nine repeat elements in NsPMT3 was precisely deleted in the corresponding N. tabacum gene. These results indicate that direct tandem repeats of a 33 bp sequence that encodes 11 amino acids of no obvious function were added to the ancestral Nicotiana PMT gene, and that the tandem repetition was genetically very unstable, contracting or expanding during evolution of the Nicotiana species.     

衔接重复序列对酵母菌絮凝蛋白功能的调控作用

【目的】了解絮凝基因FLO1中重复DNA序列B和D对絮凝蛋白Flo1p功能的影响,为构建遗传稳定的最小絮凝功能基因奠定理论基础。【方法】通过PCR和融合PCR方法分别克隆到完整的絮凝基因FLO1、重复DNA序列B和D分别缺失的衍生基因FLO1b和FLO1d,分析这些基因在非絮凝酵母中表达对细胞絮凝特性的影响。【结果】与完整絮凝基因相比,重复DNA序列B和D分别缺失后对酵母细胞絮凝强度没有明显影响,但不同基因在酵母菌中表达产生的絮凝特性受环境因素,如甘露糖浓度和pH等的影响有明显差异。FLO1中重复DNA序列B和D缺失后,细胞絮凝特性受甘露糖抑制的敏感性降低;同时对环境pH的改变具有更广泛的适应性。【结论】重复DNA序列B和D对絮凝蛋白Flo1p结构和功能具有调控作用,二者缺失后,特别是D缺失后会使絮凝蛋白在极端酸碱环境下更稳定。     

Survey of plant short tandem DNA repeats

Length variations in simple sequence tandem repeats are being given increased attention in plant genetics. Some short tandem repeats (STRs) from a few plant species, mainly those at the dinucleotide level, have been demonstrated to show polymorphisms and Mendelian inheritance. In the study reported here a search for all of the possible STRs ranging from mononucleotide up to tetranucleotide repeats was carried out on EMBL and GenBank DNA sequence databases of 3026 kb nuclear DNA and 1268 kb organelle DNA in 54 and 28 plant species (plus algae), respectively. An extreme rareness of STRs (4 STRs in 1268 kb DNA) was detected in organelle compared with nuclear DNA sequences. In nuclear DNA sequences, (AT)_n sequences were the most abundant followed by (A)_n · (T)_n, (AG)_n · (CT)_n, (AAT)_n · (ATT)_n, (AAC)_n · (GTT), (AGC)_n · (GCT)_n, (AAG)_n · (CTT)_n, (AATT)_n · (TTAA)_n, (AAAT)_n · (ATTT)_n and (AC)_n · (GT)_n sequences. A total of 130 STRs were found, including 49 (AT)_n sequences in 31 species, giving an average of 1 STR every 23.3 kb and 1 (AT)_n STR every 62 kb. An abundance comparable to that for the dinucleotide repeat was observed for the tri- and tetranucleotide repeats together. On average, there was 1 STR every 64.6 kb DNA in monocotyledons versus 1 every 21.2 kb DNA in dicotyledons. The fraction of STRs that contained G-C basepairs increased as the G+C contents went up from dicotyledons, monocotyledons to algae. While STRs of mono-, di- and tetranucleotide repeats were all located in non coding regions, 57% of the trinucleotide STRs containing G-C basepairs resided in coding regions.     

The significance and effect of tandem repeats within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis leuA gene on α-isopropylmalate synthase

The 57-bp tandem repeats located in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis leuA gene code for the α-isopropylmalate synthase (α-IPMS). It is unique to this pathogen. It was previously demonstrated that the leuA -coding sequence Rv3710, containing the tandem repeats, can be translated to an active α-IPMS. The objective of the present study was to investigate the significance and effect of the two 57-bp tandem repeats upon gene expression and the general properties of α-IPMS. The putative M. tuberculosis H37Rv leuA gene with and without the tandem repeats was cloned by PCR and expressed in an Escherichia coli host. The enzyme product was studied for general properties, comparing that from a native leuA gene containing two repeats and that from the 57-bp tandem repeats deletion mutant. Upon deletion of the two 57-bp tandem repeats, the expression level of leuA from M. tuberculosis H37Rv was comparable with that of the native form. The general properties of the two types of enzymes were similar. They were both functional with the same range of optimal temperature and optimal pH for activity and with similar enzyme stability. Deletion of the repeats had no detectable effect on leuA expression level or the general properties of the enzyme product.     

Replication slippage versus point mutation rates in short tandem repeats of the human genome

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are subjected to two kinds of mutational modifications: point mutations and replication slippages. The latter is found to be the more frequent cause of STR modifications, but a satisfactory quantitative measure of the ratio of the two processes has yet to be determined. The comparison of entire genome sequences of closely enough related species enables one to obtain sufficient statistics by counting the differences in the STR regions. We analyzed human–chimpanzee DNA sequence alignments to obtain the counts of point mutations and replication slippage modifications. The results were compared with the results of a computer simulation, and the parameters quantifying the replication slippage probability as well as the probabilities of point mutations within the repeats were determined. It was found that within the STRs with repeated units consisting of one, two or three nucleotides, point mutations occur approximately twice as frequently as one would expect on the basis of the 1.2% difference between the human and chimpanzee genomes. As expected, the replication slippage probability is negligible below a 10-bp threshold and grows above this level. The replication slippage events outnumber the point mutations by one or two orders of magnitude, but are still lower by one order of magnitude relative to the mutability of the markers that are used for genotyping purposes.     

Elimination of a tandem repeat of telomeric heterochromatin during the evolution of wheat

 An analysis of accessions of Triticum and Aegilops species (86 diploid, 91 tetraploid and 109 hexaploid) was performed using squash-dot hybridization with the tandem repeat Spelt1 sequence as a probe. The Spelt1 sequence is a highly species-specific repeat associated with the telomeric heterochromatin of Aegilops speltoides Boiss. in which its copy numbers vary from 1.5×10⁵ to 5.3×10⁵. The amounts of Spelt1 are sharply decreased in tetraploid and hexaploid species and vary widely from less than 10² to 1.2×10⁴. Two tetraploid wheats, Triticum timopheevii Zhuk. and T. carthlicum Nevski, are exceptional endemic species and within their restricted geographical distributions maintain the amounts of Spelt1 unaltered. The Spelt1 repetitive sequence was localized on the 6BL chromosome of tetraploid wheat Triticum durum Desf. cv ‘Langdon’ by dot-hybridization using D-genome disomic substitution lines. The possible causes of the loss of the telomere-associated tandem repeat Spelt1 in the process of wheat evolution and polyploidization are discussed. Received: 5 March 1998 / Accepted: 28 May 1998