Relationships of differential gene expression in leaves with heterosis and heterozygosity in a rice diallel cross

Using differential display analysis, we assessed the patterns of differential gene expression in hybrids relative to their parents in a diallel cross involving 8 elite rice lines. The analysis revealed several patterns of differential expression including: (1) bands present in one parent and F₁ but absent in the other parent, (2) bands observed in both parents but not in the F₁, (3) bands occurring in only one parent but not in the F₁ or the other parent, and, (4) bands detected only in the F₁ but in neither of the parents. Relationships between differential gene expression and heterosis and marker heterozygosity were evaluated using data for RFLPs, SSRs and a number of agronomic characters. The analysis showed that there was very little correlation between patterns of differential expression and the F₁ means for all six agronomic traits. Differentially expressed fragments that occurred only in one parent but not in the other parent or in F₁ in each of the respective crosses were positively correlated with heterosis and heterozygosity. And conversely, fragments that were detected in F₁s but in neither of the respective parents were negatively correlated with heterosis and heterozygosity. The remaining patterns of differential expression were not correlated with heterosis or heterozygosity. The relationships between the patterns of differential expression and heterosis observed in this study were not consistent with expectations based on dominance or overdominance hypotheses.     

A crossability coefficient for the evaluation of crossing experiments

A crossability coefficient is proposed which can be used for the evaluation of crossing results by numerical methods. In the process of crossing two plants and obtaining a fertile hybrid population three different stages will be identified: (1) seed production, (2) seed germination, and (3) generative phase of offspring. The characters to be measured are (1) the number of produced seeds, (2) the fraction of germinable seeds, and (3) the fertility of the hybrids, expressed by pollen fertility or by the number of bivalents in meiosis. Formulas based on each character are developed independent of each other to calculate a distance between the two parents as well as a compound formula covering all three stages. The crossing results among species of Lobularia and Cucumis were analysed. Dendrograms and principal coordinate plots appeared to be helpful in interpretating geographical distributions and relationships.     

Evolution of phenotypic integration in Brassica (Brassicaceae)

Phenotypic integration is a necessary characteristic of living organisms that results from genetic, developmental, and functional relationships among traits. The nature of these relationships can be influenced by the environment. We examined patterns of phenotypic integration of six species of rapid cycling Brassica and of Raphanus sativus within a phylogenetic context. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that hybrid species show intermediate levels of integration in morphological and life-history characters compared to their putative parentals. We used matrix correlation tests to examine if cytogenetic relationships or ecological similarities among species partially explained the patterns of phenotypic integration. There was a significant negative relationship between the ecological and cytogenetic matrices, suggesting that more closely related species were ecologically dissimilar. However, neither ecological nor cytogenetic matrices significantly explained differences among species in the pattern of their phenotypic correlations. Set correlation analysis indicated that important traits within the modules and the strength of the correlations within modules differed across species. We also found that there were a greater number of significant correlations between modules than within modules. Hybrid species were more integrated (had greater number of significant trait correlations) than either of their parents, both within and between modules. However, univariate analyses of character means of the hybrid species were not significantly different from the combined mean of their putative parents for 5, 6, or 7 of the 11 phenotypic characters (for Brassica napus, B. juncea and B. carinata, respectively); for the remaining characters, the hybrids were more similar to one of the parents.     

疏花水柏枝结构性状多样性研究

以疏花水柏枝(Myricaria laxiflora)茎的11个解剖结构参数作为表型性状,对覆盖整个分布区域的居群进行部分抽样取样,研究了该物种表型性状的多样性及其格局、表型性状的分化及其与环境的关系。结果表明,各性状在居群间以及不同居群总体性状之间都存在显著或极显著的差异,63％的表型分化属居群内分化,37％为居群间地理差异引起的分化,居群内性状的变异程度与立地环境条件的分化程度一致,奉节以上居群相似程度较大,而以下居群相似程度则较小,并有独立分化的居群出现,这表明表型性状的多样性中心是在三峡河谷区域内,而不是在三峡以上的河谷区段。     

Cross prediction studies on spring barley

Summary The genetical and environmental control of three height characters, two maturity characters and neck length in five barley pair crosses was studied using both F₂ triple test cross and model fitting analysis.Significant additive and dominance effects were found for all six characters with some evidence of epistasis for each character. Generally, dominance was incomplete for the height characters but was significantly directional for increased height in those crosses where dwarfing genes were segregating. Variable dominance effects were found for both the maturity characters. Complete dominance was found in three cases, otherwise incomplete dominance was found. Significant directional dominance for earliness was found for both maturity characters in one cross but this was attributed to the presence of a daylength insensitivity factor in one of the parents. Most of the genetic variation for neck length was additive, though some evidence of dominance was found.Broad sense and narrow sense heritability estimates generally were found to be high for the height and maturity characters but low for neck length. It was concluded that early generation selection for height at ear emergence, for final height and for awn emergence was worthwhile. Early generation selection for neck length was not recommended from the results of this study.     

Prediction of progeny variation in oat from parental genetic relationships

Summary The ability to predict agronomic performance of progeny from a cross would be a great benefit to plant breeders in selecting parents. The predictive value of parental genetic relationships estimating F₁ progeny means and F₄ family variances of nine argronomic traits was tested in 76 oat crosses, using genetic distance measures based on coefficients-of-parentage, quantitatively inherited morphological characters, and discretely inherited biochemical and morphological characters. Coefficients-of-parentage were better predictors of F₁ performance than similarity measures derived from plant morphology or discretely inherited characters. Combined distance measures were better estimators of F₁ specific combining ability (SCA) effects than any single measure. Among cultivars of similar adaptation and quantitative morphology, crosses between parents with high coefficients-of-parentage gave higher SCA effect values than crosses of distantly related parents for grain yield and total biomass. The opposite was found for crosses among cultivars of different adaptation or quantitative morphology. The best predictor of trait variances among F₄ families was coefficients-of-parentage. Crosses between more distantly related parents produced larger variances among families than crosses between closely related parents for plant biomass. For grain yield, test weight, heading date, grain filling period, and maturity date, crosses between more closely related parents produced larger among-family variances than crosses of distantly related parents. Crosses between more distantly related parents involved at least one parent unadapted to central New York, and resulted in most of the progeny being generally unadapted. This, in part, may account for the low genetic variances for heading date, test weight, and grain yield in crosses of distantly related parents.     

披碱草属与大麦属系统关系的研究

禾本科中,披碱草属Elymus L.为多倍体属,约含150余种;大麦属Hordeum L.具二倍体和多倍体,约有40余种,该两属均广泛地分布于全球温带地区。该两属,尤其是披碱草属的系统分类较为困难。基于形态学的传统研究认为这两个属的系统关系较远,而细胞学研究的资料却表明,披碱草属的H染色体组起源于大麦属。笔者对来源不同的披碱草属和大麦属的物种进行了远缘杂交,并对其属间杂种F1的减数分裂中期I染色体配对行为进行了分析。结果表明,若以披碱草属作母本,该两属有相对较高的杂交亲合力,通过对杂种幼胚进行分割和离体培养,也能获得杂种F1植株。属间杂种植株的形态介于双亲之间,但更接近于披碱草属,杂种的生殖器官发育不健全,而且所有的杂种F1均完全不育。细胞学的观察结果表明,这两个属间的杂种F1通常具有较低的减数分裂中期I染色体配对数,但有较大的变异。通过笔者的工作及掌握的形态学和细胞学的资料分析认为：披碱草属和大麦属的亲缘关系较为复杂,不能一概而论。含H染色体组的披碱草属和大麦属物种有着较近的亲缘关系,但这两个属中所含的H染色体组已产生了程度不同的分化;不含H染色体组的披碱草属及大麦属的物种具有较远的亲缘关系。     

苔草属复序苔草亚属植物果皮的扫描电镜观察

应用扫描电子显微镜 ,观察了 15种苔草属复序苔草亚属植物果皮的微形态特征。结果表明 ,复序苔草亚属植物果皮的微形态性状多种多样 ,可以为系统学研究提供较丰富的信息 ;并且在所观察的种类中 ,果皮的微形态特征在种内很稳定 ,种间存在不同程度的差异 ,某些近缘种也可表现出一定的相似性。因此 ,上述特征可以做为探讨种之间的分类及亲缘关系的参考。     

Phylogeny of the subfamilies of Chironomidae (Diptera)

Summary The phylogeny of the subfamilies of Chironomidae are cladistically analysed using parsimony. A data matrix is presented and some characters discussed. Different outgroup taxa, constraints and options are used, characters unordered or ordered, weighted or unweighted, the results reweighted or not and the results discussed. Telmatogetoninae in all cladograms forms the sister group of the remaining subfamilies. Aphroteniinae in some cladograms forms the sister group of all subfamilies except Telmatogetoninae, whereas in other cladograms, including the preferred cladogram, it is part of Tanypodoinae, which otherwise includes Podonominae, Usumbaromyiinae and Tanypodinae. Chilenomyiinae is basal in Tanypodoinae in some cladograms. In most cladograms, including the preferred cladogram, it is basal in Chironomoinae, which also includes Buchonomyiinae, Diamesinae, Prodiamesinae, Orthocladiinae and Chironominae. The preferred cladogram is compared with the relationships between different subfamilies suggested by previous authors.     

Precopulatory behaviour and the evolutionary relationships of Discoglossidae

The phylogenetic relationships among primitive anurans remain controversial, even when several morphological and molecular approaches have been used in an attempt to resolve them. Nevertheless, very little effort has been made to study these relationships with behavioural data. We studied the relation between some precopulatory behaviour characters (male call characteristics and call recognition by females) and the different proposed phylogenies among the anuran genera Alytes, Discoglossus and Bombina . Different acoustic variables were analysed from male calls of different species of these genera; Alytes cisternasii females were used in recognition tests with calls from those species. A phenetic tree generated from male call characteristics grouped Bombina with Discoglossu s and separated these two genera from Alytes, although the tree generated from female response data did not show such a clear result. A. cisternasii females are mostly using some features that are absent in Alytes calls in order to recognize male calls. The two characters, mapped onto the three alternative phylogenetic proposals, did not resolve the trichotomy among the three genera, but suggested that the studied behavioural characters have a clear phylogenetic load.     

遗传参数估计原理探讨——亲本间亲缘相关时的参数估计方法

本文通过对方差分析模型和相应的期望均方组成的分析,提出了用同胞资料估计遗传参数,当父本间、母本间及父母本间存在亲缘相关时的参数估计方法,并以实例阐明其应用方法。采用本文方法估计的遗传参数高于采用假定亲本间不相关时的常规估计方法的结果,亲本间相关越大,这种偏差也越大。计算机程序PARESTH、PARESTF为本方法推广应用提供了方便。此外,本文结论对一般的方差分析,在因素水平间相关程度能确定的情况下也是适用的。     

Infraspecific variation in Cerastium alpinum s. lat. (Caryophyllaceae) in Central Norway

Within Cerastium alpinum s. lat., several taxa have been circumscribed. Three infraspecific taxa are currently recognized in Nordic literature, but the opinions have varied about their taxonomic levels and relations to each other. Populations of these three taxa — alpinum, glabratum and lanatum — were investigated in Central Norway to elucidate taxonomic relationships on a regional scale. Morphometric analyses (PCA ordination) based on two data sets; one with 61 characters, and one without the 35 indumentum characters, gave different results. The former partly support the use of a higher rank for glabratum , but this analysis may put too much weight on indumentum characters. The reduced data set gave a more continuous transition between the three taxa, with no special status for glabratum. Crossing experiments between the taxa indicated full cross compatibility as far as relative seed set was concerned. Finally, vegetation analysis (DCA ordination) indicated that the three taxa have somewhat different ecological demands. This suggests that they, in spite of hybridization abilities, normally are maintained as separate entities due to habitat differences. A delimitation of three infraspecific taxa at the same level within C. alpinum s. lat. is thus supported by this study. Whether these taxa should be treated as subspecies or varieties strongly depends upon the definitions of these categories. Viewed in a wide geographical context, however, the arguments for subspecific rank are strengthened.     

A Preliminary Numerical Taxonomy of the Family Caprifoliaceae

A numerical taxonomic study of Caprifoliaceae is presented. For the sake of analyzing the resemblances between the 33 species or OUT’s selected at random from the total 13 genera of the family, a summation of 32 characters was employed in the numerical analyses. Raw data for each character were given equal weighting by condensation in order to have adequate comparisons, and the characters were converted to 51 states, each with a new range of zero to one. Owing to the lack of sufficient data from other lines for numerical analyses, the characters used in this study were largely morphological. The estimation of the coefficient resemblance between each pair or OUT’s was established using the association coefficient method. The resulting values comprise the 33×33 OUT’s basic similarity matrix. The clustering technique used was unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA). It can be stated that the scheme of phenetic relationships shown in the resultant dendrogram (Fig. 1) is on the whole in accord with the concepts hold by most current taxonomists, but with some noteworthy exceptions. If the phenon line of tribal demarkation is drawn at the level of 0.6820, the OUT’s could be roughly divided into five groups or tribes. The fact that the highest degree of correlation between Group I Sambuceae and Group II Viburneae on the one hand, and the great distance between them and the rest genera of the family on the other hand agrees well with the data obtained from morphological (Troll and Weberling, 1966), anatomical (Wilkinson, 1949, Metcalfe and Chalk, 1950), embryological (Moissl, 1941), sereological (Hillebrand and Fairbrother, 1970), and phytochemical (Bohm and Glennie, 1971) researches. These two tribes are most probably members of different phylogenetic origin. Triosteum and Symphoricarpos both show their affinities with Leycesteria of Group V Lonicereae instead of Group III Linnaeea or Group II Viburneae as suggested by some taxonomists, and thus supports the opinion of Troll and Weberling (1966), who suggested that these two genera are members of the tribe Lonicereae. The location of the phylogenetically uncertain genus Heptacodium in the dendrogram shows its close morphological similarity to the tribe Linnaeeae. Because of the relatively small number of characters considered in this work, and “taxonomic judgement” was used in selecting these characters which appeared to be most “basic” to the classification of genera in the family, as well as the limitation of numerical taxonomy in itself, the resultant scheme of tribal relationships presented in this paper is by no means phylogenetic, but one that provides an excellent checkon ordinary taxonomic procedures.     

NUMERICAL TAXONOMY OF LIMNANTHACEAE

A numerical taxonomic study of the angiosperm family Limnanthaceae is presented. The 21 OTUs include all taxa recognized in a recent monograph of Limnanthes (Mason, 1952), plus Floerkea proserpinacoides, two undescribed Limnanthes species, and two artificial interspecific F₁ Limnanthes hybrids. One species (L. montana) was treated as two OTUs: measurements for one OTU were taken from field collections and for the other, from garden-grown plants. A maximum of 35 characters was used in the numerical analyses. Raw data for each character were given equal weighting by condensation. Coefficients of resemblance were established using the mean character difference (MCD) method. Tryon's clustering technique (called key communality cluster analysis) was used. Three numerical analyses of Limnanthaceae were made: one with all 35 characters (T analysis), one with 18 floral characters (F analysis), and one with 17 pre- or post-anthesis or vegetative characters (V analysis). Relative positions of OTUs in the T and F analyses are substantially different from those in a conventional taxonomic treatment of the family. The V analysis shows many differences from the T and F analyses. In all analyses the two OTUs representing L. montana were closer to other OTUs than to each other. The two hybrid OTUs showed greater resemblance to one parent than to the other and in two analyses one hybrid was not intermediate between the parents. Similarities between the T and F analyses are explained on the basis of the predominance of floral characters in both. The differences between these two analyses on the one hand and the V analysis and phylogenetic arrangement of the family on the other are attributed to parallelisms in the evolution of floral characters associated with iucreasing autogamy in each of the two phyletic lines in the family. Analyses emphasizing floral characters will place evolutionarily remotely related outcrossing OTUs together and unrelated, autogamous OTUs together. Using characters that are mostly unassociated with the breeding system the positions of OTUs in a numerical analysis are similar to their positions in a phylogenetic arrangement. The V analysis agrees best with suggestions concerning phylogenetic affinities among the taxa in the family, and provides a useful context for the generation of further evolutionary hypotheses.     

The effect of isozyme selection on metric characters in an interspecific backcross of tomato — basis of an early screening procedure

Summary The extent of correlation was estimated between isozyme genotypes and the four widely segregating characters — leaf segment W/L ratio, stigma exsertion, fruit weight, and seed weight — in the first backcross of F₁ Lycopersicon esculentum x Solanum pennellii to the former parent. The inbred parents differ in their alleles at the 12 tested isozymic loci, which are known to mark a minimum of eight of the twelve tomato chromosomes. Based on the isozyme data, a mean heterozygosity value, ¯H, was calculated which estimates the proportion of pennillii alleles in each individual. Correlations between mean heterozygosity and observed levels of each quantitative trait were highly significant and positive or negative as expected from the relative parental values. Plants with the lowest mean heterozygosity — i.e., closest to the esculentum zymotype also had mean values closest to those of this parent amongst the whole backcross population for each of the quantitative traits.Bivariate and multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the ability of isozymes vs diagnostic morphological characters to estimate the portion of recurrent parent genes carried in each backcross individual. The results suggest that isozyme data gives better estimates than single diagnostic morphological characters and approach the level obtained by combinations of three morphological traits. Since electrophoretic determinations are made on small seedlings, selection at that stage can effect great savings of space and effort by greatly deminishing the size of the population needed at maturity. As such, isozyme selection would precede morphological selection but not replace it, thus the predictive value of these biochemical markers as well as diagnostic morphological characters could be obtained.     

Grazers, shredders and filtering carnivores--the evolution of feeding ecology in Drusinae (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae): insights from a molecular phylogeny

We examined the phylogenetic relationships between species and genera within the caddisfly subfamily Drusinae (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) using sequence data from two mitochondrial loci (cytochrome oxidase 1, large subunit rRNA) and one nuclear gene (wingless). Sequence data were analysed for 28 species from five genera from the subfamily. We analysed individual and combined data sets using a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo and a maximum parsimony approach and compared the performance of each partition for resolving phylogenetic relationships at this level. In terms of resolution and phylogenetic utility wingless outperformed the two mitochondrial gene partitions. Using both Shimodaira-Hasegawa and expected likelihood weights tests we tested several hypotheses of relationships previously inferred based on adult morphological characters. The data did not support the generic concept, or many previously proposed species groupings, based on adult morphology. In contrast, the molecular data correlated with the morphology and feeding ecology of larvae. Using Bayesian ancestral character state reconstructions we inferred the evolution of feeding ecology and relevant larval morphological characters. Our analyses showed that within the subfamily Drusinae two derived feeding types evolved. One of these--grazing epilithic algae--is otherwise unusual in the Limnephilidae and may have promoted the high degree of diversity in the Drusinae.     

基于SRAP标记分析的姜花属杂交育种的亲本选择

姜花属杂交育种的亲本选择中,除了考虑性状搭配之外,还应考虑该属的自交不亲和性带来的生殖障碍。本文通过分析姜花属20个种的22份材料和6个园艺品种的亲缘关系,探讨了亲缘关系与杂交结实率之间的关系,结果表明亲本材料的相似系数在0.4～0.6时结实率最高。结合实际育种工作,提出了姜花属亲本搭配的方法,首先从性状上进行搭配,包括苞片排列方式、香气和颜色等;另外考虑到其生殖特性,在选出的亲本过于远缘或过于近缘时,我们都必须考虑引入桥梁亲本,以集合更多的优良性状。     

Inheritance of foliar and nodal anatomical characters in some Ilex hybrids

The diverse relationships of the main differential leaf and nodal anatomical characters of a number ot artificial Ilex hybrids and their parents are compared. The marginal sclerenchyma strands character is not transferred to hybrids when differential. The lignification of the unspecialized abaxial epidermal cells is dominantly inherited, except in one hybrid. The development of a distinctive adaxial hypodermis is usually suppressed in hybrids when one of its parents is lacking in this character. New characters are reported for hybrids of Ilex aquifolium × opaca , where the vasculation of petiole and midrib and the presence of periclinal subdivisions in the adaxial epidermis constitute features not known from either parent species.
The possible significance of the four different ways of expression of parental characters in the hybrid offspring is discussed with reference to: genetic control of anatomical characters; the identification of hybrid material; the evolution of leaf anatomical diversity in Ilex , and the systematic value of leaf anatomical characters.     

A carboxy-terminal domain determines the subunit specificity of KCNQ K+ channel assembly

Mutations in KCNQ K⁺ channel genes underlie several human pathologies. KCNQ α-subunits form either homotetramers or hetero-oligomers with a restricted subset of other KCNQ α-subunits or with KCNE β-subunits. KCNQ1 assembles with KCNE β-subunits but not with other KCNQ α-subunits. By contrast, KCNQ3 interacts with KCNQ2, KCNQ4 and KCNQ5. Using a chimaeric strategy, we show that a cytoplasmic carboxy-terminal subunit interaction domain (sid) suffices to transfer assembly properties between KCNQ3 and KCNQ1. A chimaera (KCNQ1-sid_Q3) carrying the si domain of KCNQ3 within the KCNQ1 backbone interacted with KCNQ2, KCNQ3 and KCNQ4 but not with KCNQ1. This interaction was shown by enhancement of KCNQ2 currents, testing for dominant-negative effects of pore mutants, determining its effects on surface expression and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Conversely, a KCNQ3-sid_Q1 chimaera no longer affects KCNQ2 but interacts with KCNQ1. We conclude that the si domain suffices to determine the subunit specificity of KCNQ channel assembly.     

嵩草属植物硅酸体系统的研究

对国产狭义嵩草属 (K obresia,Cyperaceae) 3个组 2 7种植物进行了硅酸体系统分析研究 ,同时结合近缘的苔草属 (Carex) 2个组的植物硅酸体特征 ,深入探讨了植物硅酸体系统分析研究在莎草科苔草族 (Cariceae)中的系统分类学意义。认为 :(1 )嵩草属及其临近类群在属间、种间及种下水平的系统分类学比较研究都可以借助植物硅酸体系统研究的证据。 (2 )穗状嵩草组 (sect. Elyna)的硅酸体系统特征具有较高的一致性 ,除矮嵩草 (K.humilis)及其近缘种同其他穗状嵩草组的种类有所不同 ,它很可能有一个不同于穗状嵩草组其他类群的嵩草组(sect. K obresia)的亲缘。 (3 )从植物硅酸体系统特征的研究来看 ,拟苔草组 (sect. H emicarex)的一些种接近于穗状嵩草组 ,如高山嵩草 (K . pygmeae) ;而另一些种接近于嵩草组 ,如禾叶嵩草 (K . graminifolia) ;也有一些种类的硅酸体系统特征更接近苔草属 ,说明这个组很可能是多源的 ,即本组的单一花穗和果囊形态特征由不同类群的复合花序种类趋同演化而出。(4 )嵩草组的硅酸体系统特征具有较高的一致性 ,说明嵩草属原始类群在硅酸体系统特征方面与外部形态特征演化的某些相关性。