含抑制素重组质粒的减毒猪霍乱沙门氏菌C500遗传稳定性研究

为了分析研究含抑制素重组质粒pVAX-IS-asd(以下简写为pXAIS)的crp(cAMP受体蛋白)和asd(天冬氨酸β-半乳搪脱氢酶)基因双缺失猪霍乱沙门氏菌C500菌株的遗传稳定性.方法:将现有的无抗性抑制素重组表达质粒pXAIS转化入crp和asd基因双缺失猪霍乱沙门氏菌C500菌株(简称"空质粒株")中,得"含质粒株".将"含质粒株"细菌在无选择压力条件下传代培养50代.利用酶切鉴定方法,分析"含质粒株"细菌中抑制素pXA/S质粒的稳定性;利用PCR方法扩增菌株("含质粒株"和"空质粒株")保守序列中invA基因,分析各代细菌的invA基因稳定性;通过比较传代培养后各代细菌的生长图型,分析"含质粒株"细菌传代后的生长规律.结果表明,"含质粒株"细菌连续传代50次后,仍能检出pXAIS质粒和invA基因,而且生长规律与"空质粒株"没有明显差异.说明含pXAIS质粒的猪霍乱沙门氏菌crp和asd基因双缺失株具有良好的遗传稳定性.     

Rapid Evolution of Lifespan in a Novel Environment: Sex-Specific Responses and Underlying Genetic Architecture

Animal lifespans can vary substantially among closely related species and even among conspecific populations, but it is often difficult to identify environmental and genetic factors producing such variation. We used experimental evolution to examine how transfer to a novel environment affects adult lifespan and rates of senescence in a seed-feeding beetle. Three replicate lines of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) were switched to a new host plant (cowpea), and each evolved shorter adult lifespans compared to a line maintained on the ancestral host (mung bean). However, the evolution of lifespan differed between the sexes; female lifespan was reduced by ~11% in all cowpea replicates, whereas male lifespan decreased by an average of only 5.6% and the magnitude of the reduction varied among replicates. Reduced lifespan in lines switched to cowpea mirrored the shorter lifespan observed in a separate population chronically associated with cowpea. We then performed crosses between the mung bean and cowpea lines to estimate the genetic architecture underlying the rapid evolution of a shorter lifespan on cowpea. Dominance (overdominance) contributed substantially to the difference between the cowpea and mung bean lines for female lifespan but not for male lifespan. However, details of the genetic architecture varied among the three replicate crosses, so that the convergent evolution of shorter female lifespan in the different cowpea lines did not arise from identical allelic substitutions. Our study demonstrates that insect lifespan can be predictably modified by a switch to a novel host plant, that both the magnitude of this response and its underlying genetic architecture can be sex-specific, and that convergent evolution of a complex trait such as lifespan can arise from different genetic mechanisms.     

Genetic Differences among the a/J x C57bl/6j Recombinant Inbred Mouse Lines and Their Degree of Association with Glucocorticoid-Induced Cleft Palate

Hydrocortisone sodium phosphate was injected intramuscularly into A/J, C57BL/6J and recombinant inbred lines from these two parental lines to study the genetics of steroid-induced cleft palate in a situation of identical maternal and fetal genotypes. The strains were typed for H-2 (the major histocompatibility locus), beta-glucuronidase and beta 2-microglobulin, which served as markers on chromosomes 17, 5 and 2, respectively. Hepatic glucocorticoid binding capacity had been previously measured in Hepes buffer and Hepes buffer plus dithiothreitol (DTT). The level of glucocorticoid binding in Hepes buffer and in Hepes plus DTT, as well as their ratio, was compared to the incidence of steroid-induced cleft palate in the recombinant inbred lines. A correlation was found between the response of glucocorticoid binding to DTT (expressed as a ratio of binding in the presence of DTT to binding without DTT) and hydrocortisone-induced cleft palate. When analyzing the effect of the three chromosomal markers on hydrocortisone-induced cleft palate, the b alleles of beta 2-microglobulin and of beta-glucuronidase were associated with a higher incidence. Genetic analyses of the differences between these two inbred strains of mice in the incidence of steroid-induced cleft palate show it not to be monogenic.     

A Novel Analytical Framework for Dissecting the Genetic Architecture of Behavioral Symptoms in Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Background

For diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorders, a categorical classification system is often utilized as a simple way for conceptualizing an often complex clinical picture. This approach provides an unsatisfactory model of mental illness, since in practice patients do not conform to these prototypical diagnostic categories. Family studies show notable familial co-aggregation between schizophrenia and bipolar illness and between schizoaffective disorders and both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, revealing that mental illness does not conform to such categorical models and is likely to follow a continuum encompassing a spectrum of behavioral symptoms.

Results and Methodology

We introduce an analytic framework to dissect the phenotypic heterogeneity present in complex psychiatric disorders based on the conceptual paradigm of a continuum of psychosis. The approach identifies subgroups of behavioral symptoms that are likely to be phenotypically and genetically homogenous. We have evaluated this approach through analysis of simulated data with simulated behavioral traits and predisposing genetic factors. We also apply this approach to a psychiatric dataset of a genome scan for schizophrenia for which extensive behavioral information was collected for each individual patient and their families. With this approach, we identified significant evidence for linkage among depressed individuals with two distinct symptom profiles, that is individuals with sleep disturbance symptoms with linkage on chromosome 2q13 and also a mutually exclusive group of individuals with symptoms of concentration problems with linkage on chromosome 2q35. In addition we identified a subset of individuals with schizophrenia defined by language disturbances with linkage to chromosome 2p25.1 and a group of patients with a phenotype intermediate between those of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder with linkage to chromosome 2p21.

Conclusions

The findings presented are novel and demonstrate the efficacy of this approach in detection of genes underlying such complex human disorders as schizophrenia and depression.     

Hydrogen peroxide induces G:C to TA and G:C to C:G transversions in the supF gene of Escherichia coli

A vector plasmid, pZ189, carrying an Escherichia coli supF gene as a target for mutations, was treated with a combination of hydrogen peroxide and Fe³⁺/EDTA complex and propagated in E. coli host cells that had been induced for SOS functions by ultraviolet irradiation. The mutations frequency increased by up to 30-fold over spontaneous background levels with increasing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. The increase in mutation frequency correlated with an increase in the formation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in the pZ189 DNA. Sequence analysis of 82 independent supF mutant plasmids revealed that 70 mutants contained base substitutions, with 63 of the 70 involving a G:C base pair, and with G:CC:G (28 cases) and G:CT:A (26 cases) transversions predominating. Investigation of the influence of the local DNA sequence on the transversions revealed that the guanine at the center of the triplet 5-PuGA-3 was five times more likely to mutate after treatment with hydrogen peroxide than that at the center of 5PyGN3. G:CT:A transversions presumably resulted from mispairing of an altered G (probably 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine) with deoxyadenosine. The origin of the G:CC:G transversions may be an as yet unidentified lesion generated by hydrogen peroxide. Mutagenic hotspots for base substitutions were found at positions 133, 160 and 168. Mutation spectra and the positions of mutagenic hotspots, when compared with a previously determined spontaneous mutagenesis spectrum, also provide information on the mechanism of spontaneous mutagenesis.     

A Discrete Event Simulation Model for Evaluating the Performances of an M/G/C/C State Dependent Queuing System

M/G/C/C state dependent queuing networks consider service rates as a function of the number of residing entities (e.g., pedestrians, vehicles, and products). However, modeling such dynamic rates is not supported in modern Discrete Simulation System (DES) software. We designed an approach to cater this limitation and used it to construct the M/G/C/C state-dependent queuing model in Arena software. Using the model, we have evaluated and analyzed the impacts of various arrival rates to the throughput, the blocking probability, the expected service time and the expected number of entities in a complex network topology. Results indicated that there is a range of arrival rates for each network where the simulation results fluctuate drastically across replications and this causes the simulation results and analytical results exhibit discrepancies. Detail results that show how tally the simulation results and the analytical results in both abstract and graphical forms and some scientific justifications for these have been documented and discussed.     

Development of a Reverse Genetic System for Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus: Rescue of Recombinant Fluorescent Virus by Using Salmon Internal Transcribed Spacer Region 1 as a Novel Promoter

Infectious salmon anemia (ISA) is a serious disease of marine-farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) caused by ISA virus (ISAV), belonging to the genus Isavirus, family Orthomyxoviridae. There is an urgent need to understand the virulence factors and pathogenic mechanisms of ISAV and to develop new vaccine approaches. Using a recombinant molecular biology approach, we report the development of a plasmid-based reverse genetic system for ISAV, which includes the use of a novel fish promoter, the Atlantic salmon internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS-1). Salmon cells cotransfected with pSS-URG-based vectors expressing the eight viral RNA segments and four cytomegalovirus (CMV)-based vectors that express the four proteins of the ISAV ribonucleoprotein complex allowed the generation of infectious recombinant ISAV (rISAV). We generated three recombinant viruses, wild-type rISAV^901_09 and rISAVr^S6-NotI-HPR containing a NotI restriction site and rISAV^S6/EGFP-HPR harboring the open reading frame of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), both within the highly polymorphic region (HPR) of segment 6. All rescued viruses showed replication activity and cytopathic effect in Atlantic salmon kidney-infected cells. The fluorescent recombinant viruses also showed a characteristic cytopathic effect in salmon cells, and the viruses replicated to a titer of 6.5 × 10⁵ PFU/ml, similar to that of the wild-type virus. This novel reverse genetics system offers a powerful tool to study the molecular biology of ISAV and to develop a new generation of ISAV vaccines to prevent and mitigate ISAV infection, which has had a profound effect on the salmon industry.     

汉族人群NOS3 A-922G、NOS3 T-786C与NOS3 G894T SNP的等位基因及其组合分布与高血压的相关性

为了分析汉族人群一氧化氮合酶基因NOS3 A-922G、NOS3 T-786C与NOS3 G894T单核苷酸多态性(sin-gle nucleotide polymorphism,SNP)的等位基因及其组合分布与高血压病的相关性,选取无亲缘关系的高血压病人192例(男97例,女95例)以及无亲缘关系的健康个体122例(男76例,女46例)为对照组,提取静脉血白细胞基因组DNA,采用等位基因特异性引物PCR技术检测NOS3 A-922G、NOS3 T-786C与NOS3 G894T 3个位点的基因型.其结果显示:高血压病组与对照组NOS3 G894T、NOS3A-922G及NOS3 T-786C各等位基因型及其基因单倍型频率比较无显著性差异(P＞0.05).男、女性别分层研究:无论男亚组还是女亚组均未发现NOS3 A-922G、NOS3T-786C与NOS3 G894T各个位点SNP与高血压病有相关性.等位基因组合分布研究发现NOS3 G894G A-922G T-786T组合基因型总体频率分布在高血压病组与正常对照组之间有显著性差异(P＜0.05,x2=4.5944).男、女性别分层研究:男亚组上述3个位点SNP的各个组合基因型分布频率在高血压病组与正常对照组之间无显著性差异(P＞0.05);女亚组中携带NOS3 G894G A-922G T-786C的组合基因型分布频率在高血压病组与正常对照组之间有显著性差异(P＜0.01,x2=8.502).研究发现,在中国汉族人群中NOS3A-922 G、NOS3 T-786C与NOS3G894T SNP与高血压病无明确的相关性,且无性别差异.组合分布研究发现,NOS3 G894G A-922G T-786C的组合基因型分布频率在高血压病女性亚组较健康女性亚组明显减低,提示携带该组合基因型女性人群可能不易患高血压病.     

Novel Tools for Genetic Manipulation of Follicle Stem Cells in the Drosophila Ovary Reveal an Integrin-Dependent Transition from Quiescence to Proliferation

In many tissues, the presence of stem cells is inferred by the capacity of the tissue to maintain homeostasis and undergo repair after injury. Isolation of self-renewing cells with the ability to generate the full array of cells within a given tissue strongly supports this idea, but the identification and genetic manipulation of individual stem cells within their niche remain a challenge. Here we present novel methods for marking and genetically altering epithelial follicle stem cells (FSCs) within the Drosophila ovary. Using these new tools, we define a sequential multistep process that comprises transitioning of FSCs from quiescence to proliferation. We further demonstrate that integrins are cell-autonomously required within FSCs to provide directional signals that are necessary at each step of this process. These methods may be used to define precise roles for specific genes in the sequential events that occur during FSC division after a period of quiescence.     

Recombinant human Metapneumovirus lacking the small hydrophobic SH and/or attachment G glycoprotein: deletion of G yields a promising vaccine candidate

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has recently been identified as a significant cause of serious respiratory tract disease in humans. In particular, the emerging information on the contribution of HMPV to pediatric respiratory tract disease suggests that it will be important to develop a vaccine against this virus for use in conjunction with those being developed for human respiratory syncytial virus and the human parainfluenza viruses. A recently described reverse genetic system (S. Biacchesi, M. H. Skiadopoulos, K. C. Tran, B. R. Murphy, P. L. Collins, and U. J. Buchholz, Virology 321:247-259, 2004) was used to generate recombinant HMPVs (rHMPVs) that lack the G gene, the SH gene, or both. The DeltaSH, DeltaG, and DeltaSH/G deletion mutants were readily recovered and were found to replicate efficiently during multicycle growth in cell culture. Thus, the SH and G proteins are not essential for growth in cell culture. Apart from the absence of the deleted protein(s), the virions produced by the gene deletion mutants were similar by protein yield and gel electrophoresis protein profile to wild-type HMPV. When administered intranasally to hamsters, the DeltaG and DeltaSH/G mutants replicated in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts, showing that HMPV containing F as the sole viral surface protein is competent for replication in vivo. However, both viruses were at least 40-fold and 600-fold restricted in replication in the lower and upper respiratory tract, respectively, compared to wild-type rHMPV. They also induced high titers of HMPV-neutralizing serum antibodies and conferred complete protection against replication of wild-type HMPV challenge virus in the lungs. Surprisingly, G is dispensable for protection, and the DeltaG and DeltaSH/G viruses represent promising vaccine candidates. In contrast, DeltaSH replicated somewhat more efficiently in hamster lungs compared to wild-type rHMPV (20-fold increase on day 5 postinfection). This indicates that SH is completely dispensable in vivo and that its deletion does not confer an attenuating effect, at least in this rodent model.     

Genetic Determinants of the Network of Primary Metabolism and Their Relationships to Plant Performance in a Maize Recombinant Inbred Line Population

Deciphering the influence of genetics on primary metabolism in plants will provide insights useful for genetic improvement and enhance our fundamental understanding of plant growth and development. Although maize (Zea mays) is a major crop for food and feed worldwide, the genetic architecture of its primary metabolism is largely unknown. Here, we use high-density linkage mapping to dissect large-scale metabolic traits measured in three different tissues (leaf at seedling stage, leaf at reproductive stage, and kernel at 15 d after pollination [DAP]) of a maize recombinant inbred line population. We identify 297 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with moderate (86.2% of the mapped QTL, R² = 2.4 to 15%) to major effects (13.8% of the mapped QTL, R² >15%) for 79 primary metabolites across three tissues. Pairwise epistatic interactions between these identified loci are detected for more than 25.9% metabolites explaining 6.6% of the phenotypic variance on average (ranging between 1.7 and 16.6%), which implies that epistasis may play an important role for some metabolites. Key candidate genes are highlighted and mapped to carbohydrate metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and several important amino acid biosynthetic and catabolic pathways, with two of them being further validated using candidate gene association and expression profiling analysis. Our results reveal a metabolite-metabolite-agronomic trait network that, together with the genetic determinants of maize primary metabolism identified herein, promotes efficient utilization of metabolites in maize improvement.     

C4 Plants in the Vegetation of Tibet,China: Their Natural Occurrence and Altitude Distribution Pattern

Floristic composition, life forms for C₄ species, and the pattern of altitude distribution were studied on Tibetan Plateau. 79 species, in 7 families and 46 genera, were identified with C₄ photosynthesis. 95 % of these C₄ species belong to Gramineae (51 species), Cyperaceae (14 species), and Chenopodiaceae (10 species), indicating that C₄ plants mainly occur in very few families (7 of 204) on the Tibetan Plateau. High altitude distribution for all the Chenopodiaceae C₄ species (> 3 000 m above sea level) suggests that plants of this kind have large tolerance to cold, dryness, and strong ultraviolet radiation. Most Gramineae and Cyperaceae C₄ species occurrences are consistent with extensive distribution of steppes and meadows in the vast flat of the central Plateau (1 000–3 000 m a.s.l.). Relatively high amount of hemicryptophyte form plants (44 %) in the region indicates that the vegetation, especially grassland, meadows, and steppe, are in good condition. There is a strong relationship between numbers of C₄ species and altitude in the Tibetan Plateau. Occurrence of C₄ species is significantly less in both high and low altitude plateaux in Tibet. Altitude distribution pattern for C₄ species in the region is not only consistent with the altitude and climate, but also with the vegetation types in altitude gradient.     

Association of the -14C/G MET and the -765G/C COX-2 gene polymorphisms with the risk of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in a Polish population

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps is strongly associated with other diseases, including asthma and allergy. The following study tested the association of the -765 G/C polymorphism of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) encoding gene and the -14C/G polymorphism of protooncogen MET (MET) encoding gene with a risk of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in a Polish population. One hundred ninety-five patients of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps as well as 200 sex-, age-, and ethnicity-matched control subjects without chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps were enrolled in this study. Among the group of patients, 63 subjects were diagnosed with allergy and 65 subjects with asthma, respectively. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients as well as controls, and gene polymorphisms were analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR). Ten percent of the samples have been confirmed by a second method single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)-PCR. We reported that the -765 G/C COX-2 (odds ratio [OR] 7.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.88-12.4, p<0.001) and the -14C/G MET (OR 2.83; 95% CI 1.74-4.61, p<0.001) were associated with an increased risk of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps among analyzed group of patients. Moreover, the group of patients without allergy or asthma indicated the association of the -765 C/G (OR 7.25; 95% CI 4.38-12.1, p<0.001 and OR 7.61; 95% CI 4.47-12.6, p<0.001) genotype of the COX-2 as wells as the -14C/G (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.46-4.17, p<0.001 and OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.54-4.37, p<0.001) genotype of MET with an increased risk of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Finally, it was also found that the selected group of patients with allergy or asthma indicated a very strong association of the -765 G/C (OR 5.64; 95% CI 2.91-10.9 and OR 4.74; 95% CI 2.49-9.03, p<0.001, respectively) genotype of the COX-2 with an increased risk of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Thus, our results suggest that COX-2 and MET gene polymorphisms may have deep impact on the risk of rhinosinusitis nasal polyp formation, which may also depend on asthma or allergy. Our results showed that the -765 G/C polymorphism of COX-2 gene and the -14C/G polymorphism of the MET gene may be associated with the risk of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in a Polish population.     

Rational Design of a Carrier Protein for the Production of Recombinant Toxic Peptides in Escherichia coli

Commercial uses of bioactive peptides require low cost, effective methods for their production. We developed a new carrier protein for high yield production of recombinant peptides in Escherichia coli very well suited for the production of toxic peptides like antimicrobial peptides. GKY20, a short antimicrobial peptide derived from the C-terminus of human thrombin, was fused to the C-terminus of Onconase, a small ribonuclease (104 amino acids), which efficiently drove the peptide into inclusion bodies with very high expression levels (about 200–250 mg/L). After purification of the fusion protein by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography, peptide was obtained by chemical cleavage in diluted acetic acid of an acid labile Asp-Pro sequence with more than 95% efficiency. To improve peptide purification, Onconase was mutated to eliminate all acid labile sequences thus reducing the release of unwanted peptides during the acid cleavage. Mutations were chosen to preserve the differential solubility of Onconase as function of pH, which allows its selective precipitation at neutral pH after the cleavage. The improved carrier allowed the production of 15–18 mg of recombinant peptide per liter of culture with 96–98% purity without the need of further chromatographic steps after the acid cleavage. The antimicrobial activity of the recombinant peptide, with an additional proline at the N-terminus, was tested on Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains and was found to be identical to that measured for synthetic GKY20. This finding suggests that N-terminal proline residue does not change the antimicrobial properties of recombinant (P)GKY20. The improved carrier, which does not contain cysteine and methionine residues, Asp-Pro and Asn-Gly sequences, is well suited for the production of peptides using any of the most popular chemical cleavage methods.     

Patterns of Deep-Sea Genetic Connectivity in the New Zealand Region: Implications for Management of Benthic Ecosystems

Patterns of genetic connectivity are increasingly considered in the design of marine protected areas (MPAs) in both shallow and deep water. In the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), deep-sea communities at upper bathyal depths (<2000 m) are vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance from fishing and potential mining operations. Currently, patterns of genetic connectivity among deep-sea populations throughout New Zealand’s EEZ are not well understood. Using the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16S rRNA genes as genetic markers, this study aimed to elucidate patterns of genetic connectivity among populations of two common benthic invertebrates with contrasting life history strategies. Populations of the squat lobster Munida gracilis and the polychaete Hyalinoecia longibranchiata were sampled from continental slope, seamount, and offshore rise habitats on the Chatham Rise, Hikurangi Margin, and Challenger Plateau. For the polychaete, significant population structure was detected among distinct populations on the Chatham Rise, the Hikurangi Margin, and the Challenger Plateau. Significant genetic differences existed between slope and seamount populations on the Hikurangi Margin, as did evidence of population differentiation between the northeast and southwest parts of the Chatham Rise. In contrast, no significant population structure was detected across the study area for the squat lobster. Patterns of genetic connectivity in Hyalinoecia longibranchiata are likely influenced by a number of factors including current regimes that operate on varying spatial and temporal scales to produce potential barriers to dispersal. The striking difference in population structure between species can be attributed to differences in life history strategies. The results of this study are discussed in the context of existing conservation areas that are intended to manage anthropogenic threats to deep-sea benthic communities in the New Zealand region.     

Genetic Studies of Spectrin in the Larval Fat Body of Drosophila melanogaster: Evidence for a Novel Lipid Uptake Apparatus

Spectrin cytoskeleton defects produce a host of phenotypes affecting the plasma membrane, cell polarity, and secretory membrane traffic. However, many of the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unexplained by prevailing models. Here we used the larval fat body of Drosophila melanogaster as a genetic model system to further elucidate mechanisms of αβ-spectrin function. The results provide unexpected new insights into spectrin function as well as mechanisms of dietary fat uptake and storage. We show that loss of α- or β-spectrin in the fat body eliminated a population of small cortical lipid droplets and altered plasma membrane architecture, but did not affect viability of the organism. We present a novel model in which αβ-spectrin directly couples lipid uptake at the plasma membrane to lipid droplet growth in the cytoplasm. In contrast, strong overexpression of β-spectrin caused fat body atrophy and larval lethality. Overexpression of β-spectrin also perturbed transport of dietary fat from the midgut to the fat body. This hypermorphic phenotype appears to be the result of blocking secretion of the lipid carrier lipophorin from fat cells. However, this midgut phenotype was never seen with spectrin loss of function, suggesting that spectrin is not normally required for lipophorin secretion or function. The β-spectrin hypermorphic phenotype was ameliorated by co-overexpression of α-spectrin. Based on the overexpression results here, we propose that β-spectrin family members may be prone to hypermorphic effects (including effects on secretion) if their activity is not properly regulated.     

From Genes to Ecosystems: The Genetic Basis of Condensed Tannins and Their Role in Nutrient Regulation in a Populus Model System

Research that connects ecosystem processes to genetic mechanisms has recently gained significant ground, yet actual studies that span the levels of organization from genes to ecosystems are extraordinarily rare. Utilizing foundation species from the genus Populus, in which the role of condensed tannins (CT) has been investigated aboveground, belowground, and in adjacent streams, we examine the diverse mechanisms for the expression of CT and the ecological consequences of CT for forests and streams. The wealth of data from this genus highlights the importance of form and function of CT in large-scale and long-term ecosystem processes and demonstrates the following four patterns: (1) plant-specific concentration of CT varies as much as fourfold among species and individual genotypes; (2) large within-plant variation in CT occurs due to ontogenetic stages (that is, juvenile and mature), tissue types (that is, leaves versus twigs) and phenotypic plasticity in response to the environment; (3) CT have little consistent effect on plant–herbivore interactions, excepting organisms utilizing woody tissues (that is, fungal endophytes and beaver), however; (4) CT in plants consistently slow rates of leaf litter decomposition (aquatic and terrestrial), alter the composition of heterotrophic soil communities (and some aquatic communities) and reduce nutrient availability in terrestrial ecosystems. Taken together, these data suggest that CT may play an underappreciated adaptive role in regulating nutrient dynamics in ecosystems. These results also demonstrate that a holistic perspective from genes-to-ecosystems is a powerful approach for elucidating complex ecological interactions and their evolutionary implications. All authors made significant contributions of data, research or writing to the study described in this review.     

Implications of the Circumpolar Genetic Structure of Polar Bears for Their Conservation in a Rapidly Warming Arctic

We provide an expansive analysis of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) circumpolar genetic variation during the last two decades of decline in their sea-ice habitat. We sought to evaluate whether their genetic diversity and structure have changed over this period of habitat decline, how their current genetic patterns compare with past patterns, and how genetic demography changed with ancient fluctuations in climate. Characterizing their circumpolar genetic structure using microsatellite data, we defined four clusters that largely correspond to current ecological and oceanographic factors: Eastern Polar Basin, Western Polar Basin, Canadian Archipelago and Southern Canada. We document evidence for recent (ca. last 1–3 generations) directional gene flow from Southern Canada and the Eastern Polar Basin towards the Canadian Archipelago, an area hypothesized to be a future refugium for polar bears as climate-induced habitat decline continues. Our data provide empirical evidence in support of this hypothesis. The direction of current gene flow differs from earlier patterns of gene flow in the Holocene. From analyses of mitochondrial DNA, the Canadian Archipelago cluster and the Barents Sea subpopulation within the Eastern Polar Basin cluster did not show signals of population expansion, suggesting these areas may have served also as past interglacial refugia. Mismatch analyses of mitochondrial DNA data from polar and the paraphyletic brown bear (U. arctos) uncovered offset signals in timing of population expansion between the two species, that are attributed to differential demographic responses to past climate cycling. Mitogenomic structure of polar bears was shallow and developed recently, in contrast to the multiple clades of brown bears. We found no genetic signatures of recent hybridization between the species in our large, circumpolar sample, suggesting that recently observed hybrids represent localized events. Documenting changes in subpopulation connectivity will allow polar nations to proactively adjust conservation actions to continuing decline in sea-ice habitat.