Genomic constitutions of four Chinese endemic Elymus species: E. brevipes, E. yangii, E. anthosachnoides, and E. altissimus (Triticeae, Poaceae).

The objectives of this study were to determine the genomic constitution and to explore the genomic variation within four Chinese endemic Elymus species, i.e., E. brevipes (Keng) L?ve (2n = 4x = 28) and E. yangii B.R. Lu (2n = 4x = 28), E. anthosachnoides (Keng) L?ve (2n = 4x = 28), and E. altissimus (Keng) L?ve (2n = 4x = 28). Intraspecific crosses between different populations of the four Elymus species, as well as interspecific hybridizations among the four target species, and with six analyzer species containing well-known genomes, i.e., E. caninus (L.) L. (2n = 4x = 28, SH), E. sibiricus L. (2n = 4x = 28, SH), E. semicostatus (Lees ex Steud.) Melderis (2n = 4x = 28, SY), E. parviglumis (Keng) L?ve (2n = 4x = 28, SY), E. tsukushiensis Honda (2n = 6x = 42, SHY), and E. himalayanus (Nevski) Tzvelev (2n = 6x = 42, SHY), were achieved through the aid of embryo rescue. Chromosome pairing behaviors were studied in the parental species and their hybrids. Numerical analysis on chromosome pairing was made on the interspecific hybrids. With one exception, each meiotic configuration at metaphase I in the hybrids involving the target taxa and the analyzer species containing the "SH" genomes fit a 2:1:1 model with x-values ranging between 0.91 and 1.00; chromosome pairing in the hybrids involving analyzer parents with the "SY" genomes match a 2:2 model, with x-values between 0.97 and 0.99. All pentaploid hybrids with a genomic formula "SSYYH," except for two crosses having unexpected low c-values, had pairing patterns fitting the 2:2:1 model with x-values varying between 0.96 and 1.00. It is concluded based on hybridization, fertility, and chromosome pairing data that (i) the four target Elymus species are strictly allotetraploid taxa, (ii) they are closely related species, all comprised of the "SY" genomes, (iii) minor genomic structural rearrangements have occurred within the four Elymus species, and (iv) meiotic pairing regulator(s) exists in some of the Elymus taxa studied.     

Electrophoretic and immunologic characterization of proteins of merozoites of Eimeria acervulina, E. maxima, E. necatrix, and E. tenella.

Merozoites of Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, Eimeria necatrix, and Eimeria tenella were compared by gel electrophoresis, western-blotting with chicken antiserum, indirect fluorescent antibody reactions, and antiserum neutralization. Merozoites from the 4 species had dissimilar patterns of proteins and antigens in soluble and membrane fractions. Coomassie blue staining of SDS-PAGE gels revealed 16-22 protein bands depending on the species of merozoite but only 3 bands per species in the membrane fractions. Homologous and heterologous antisera recognized 5-12 soluble fraction bands and 3-7 membrane fraction bands on immunoperoxidase-stained western blots, depending on the species. When antisera from infected chickens were used in an indirect fluorescent antibody reaction, the merozoites of E. tenella and E. necatrix had a strong reaction with homologous and heterologous antisera. Merozoites of E. acervulina and E. maxima reacted with homologous antisera but had a weak or no reaction with heterologous antisera. Chicken antiserum against E. tenella had no effect on the viability of E. tenella merozoites when they were inoculated into chicken embryos.     

A comparison of the mineral composition of milk of domestic and captive wild equids (Equus przewalski, E. zebra, E. burchelli, E. caballus, E. assinus)

Milk samples were obtained in early and/or late lactation from Przewalski horses, Hartmann's zebras, Grant's zebras, domestic horses, ponies and a mule mare made pregnant by embryo transfer. Samples were compared for their content of total solids, ash, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc and iron. Milk from the Przewalski horses, Hartmann's zebra and the domestic horse had similar mineral composition and the content of minerals was higher in early than in late lactation. Milk from the domestic mule contained the lowest concentration of calcium, phosphorus and zinc but the highest concentration of magnesium, sodium and potassium. Milk from the Grant's zebras contained more sodium than potassium, unlike milk from Przewalski horses, Hartmann's zebras or domestic horses in which there was more potassium than sodium.     

Molecular diversity and relationships among Elymus trachycaulus, E. subsecundus, E. virescens, E. violaceus, and E. hyperarcticus (Poaceae: Triticeae) as determined by amplified fragment length polymorphism.

Morphological similarity among E. trachycaulus, E. virescens, E. violaceus, and E. hyperarcticus has often been noted. Taxonomists have tried to discriminate among these taxa using morphological characters and a number of different relationships among them have been suggested. However, the genetic relationships among these taxa are still unknown. AFLP analysis was used to characterize the molecular diversity of these taxa and to examine genetic relationships among them. A high degree of genetic identity was apparent among 7 accessions of E. virescens. The similarity values ranged from 0.90 to 0.99 with an average of 0.94. The mean similarity values among 3 E. hyperarcticus and among 5 E. violaceus accessions were 0.84 (0.81-0.87) and 0.77 (0.66-0.90), respectively. The similarity values among 17 E. trachycaulus accessions ranged from 0.49 to 0.92 with an average of 0.75. The 5 accessions of E. subsecundus displayed high variation, with similarity values between 0.52 and 0.68 and a mean value of 0.59. Both maximum-parsimony (MP) and neighbor-joining (NJ) analyses showed that all 7 accessions of E. virescens formed a clade, indicating a monophyletic origin. On the other hand, Elymus trachycaulus, E. subsecundus, and E. violaceus were each paraphyletic and separated into different genetically distinct groups. Among these 5 taxa, E. virescens was genetically similar to E. trachycaulus, and E. violaceus was genetically similar to E. hyperarcticus.     

Elymus sibiricus, E. nutans 和 E. burchan-buddae 的形态学鉴定及其染色体组亲缘关系的研究

为了进一步研究Elymus sibiricus L.、E．nutans Griseb．和E．burchan-buddae(Neuski)Tzelev [＝Roegneria nutans(Keng)Keng]的外部形态差异及其系统学关系,本文对这三种植物的6个穗部形 态性状进行了观测和比较,并对这三个Elymus种进行了种间杂交及杂种F1的减数分裂染色体配对行 为的分析研究。结果表明：这三个Elymus种的穗长及颖长等性状均变异很大,而内稃的长、宽则变异 不大并具有明显的种间差异。E. nutans×E．barchan-buddae及E.nutans×E．sibiricus的杂种F1均完 全不育,减数分裂不规则。E．nutans×E．burchan-buddae杂种F1的减数分裂构型为：7.70I+13.40 Ⅱ+0.06Ⅲ+O.08 Ⅳ,而E．sibiricus×E．nutans杂种F1的构型为11.98 Ⅰ+9.61Ⅱ+O.64Ⅲ+0.39 Ⅳ+0.01V。由本实验的形态学和细胞学的研究结果得出以下结论：1．利用内稃形态性状结合穗部 其它性状的差异能对这三个物种进行较准确的鉴定;2．E．nutans与E.burchan-buddae的亲缘关系较 近,而E．nutans与E．sibiricus的亲缘关系则较远;3. E,burchan-buddae×E．nutans的杂种Fl中存在着染色体配对控制因子。     

Latex constituents of Euphorbia candelabrum,E. grantii,E. tirucalli and Synadenium grantii

Quantitative and qualitative analyses were carried out on the latex of four Euphorbiaceae naturally growing in eastern Africa. Rubber (cis-1,4