Genome sequence of a novel species, Propionibacterium humerusii

As part of a larger project to sequence multiple clinical isolates of Propionibacterium acnes, we have produced a draft genome sequence of a novel Propionibacterium species that is closely related to, yet distinct (by sequence) from P. acnes. We have tentatively named this new species Propionibacterium humerusii.     

Genetic evaluation of an otter translocation program

The translocation of individuals from onepopulation to another is a common technique inwildlife conservation. However, the outcome oftranslocation programs is not always properlyevaluated and the relative contribution ofreleased individuals to the resident populationoften remains unknown. We used mitochondrialDNA and autosomal genetic markers to evaluatethe success of a translocation program ofEurasian otters (Lutra lutra) in Sweden.The program is regarded as successful becauseof subsequent population growths. Norwegianotters used for the restocking program could begenetically differentiated from Swedish otters.The releases took place at two sites. In anarea south of the first site, where 47 otterswere released, no genetic contribution of theintroduced animals to the population could beobserved and the genetic diversity was lowerthan before the releases. At the second site,the release of seven otters led to a change ingenetic composition of the resident population.The results of this study suggest that thegrowth of the otter population after therestocking may not be as dependent on thereleases as initially suspected. The geneticeffects of the translocations appear to berestricted to areas in the immediate vicinityof the release sites.     

454 Genome sequencing of Pseudoperonospora cubensis reveals effector proteins with a QXLR translocation motif

Pseudoperonospora cubensis is a biotrophic oomycete pathogen that causes downy mildew of cucurbits, a devastating foliar disease threatening cucurbit production worldwide. We sequenced P. cubensis genomic DNA using 454 pyrosequencing and obtained random genomic sequences covering approximately 14% of the genome, thus providing the first set of useful genomic sequence information for P. cubensis. Using bioinformatics approaches, we identified 32 putative RXLR effector proteins. Interestingly, we also identified 29 secreted peptides with high similarity to RXLR effectors at the N-terminal translocation domain, yet containing an R-to-Q substitution in the first residue of the translocation motif. Among these, a family of QXLR-containing proteins, designated as PcQNE, was confirmed to have a functional signal peptide and was further characterized as being localized in the plant nucleus. Internalization of secreted PcQNE into plant cells requires the QXLR-EER motif. This family has a large number of near-identical copies within the P. cubensis genome, is under diversifying selection at the C-terminal domain, and is upregulated during infection of plants, all of which are common characteristics of characterized oomycete effectors. Taken together, the data suggest that PcQNE are bona fide effector proteins with a QXLR translocation motif, and QXLR effectors are prevalent in P. cubensis. Furthermore, the massive duplication of PcQNE suggests that they might play pivotal roles in pathogen fitness and pathogenicity.     

Towards a global terrestrial species monitoring program

The Convention on Biological Diversity's strategic plan lays out five goals: “(A) address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society; (B) reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use; (C) improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity; (D) enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services; (E) enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building.” To meet and inform on the progress towards these goals, a globally coordinated approach is needed for biodiversity monitoring that is linked to environmental data and covers all biogeographic regions. During a series of workshops and expert discussions, we identified nine requirements that we believe are necessary for developing and implementing such a global terrestrial species monitoring program. The program needs to design and implement an integrated information chain from monitoring to policy reporting, to create and implement minimal data standards and common monitoring protocols to be able to inform Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), and to develop and optimize semantics and ontologies for data interoperability and modelling. In order to achieve this, the program needs to coordinate diverse but complementary local nodes and partnerships. In addition, capacities need to be built for technical tasks, and new monitoring technologies need to be integrated. Finally, a global monitoring program needs to facilitate and secure funding for the collection of long-term data and to detect and fill gaps in under-observed regions and taxa. The accomplishment of these nine requirements is essential in order to ensure data is comprehensive, to develop robust models, and to monitor biodiversity trends over large scales. A global terrestrial species monitoring program will enable researchers and policymakers to better understand the status and trends of biodiversity.     

Genome size in wild Pisum species

Genome size was measured in 75 samples of the wild pea species Pisum abyssinicum, P. elatius, P. fulvum and P. humile by ethidium-bromide (EB) flow cytometry (internal standard: Triticum monococcum) and Feulgen densitometry (internal standard: Pisum sativum Kleine Rheinländerin). Total variation of EB-DNA between samples covered 97.7% to 114.9% of the P. sativum value, and Feulgen DNA values were strongly correlated with EB-DNA values (r=0.9317, P < 0.001). Only P. fulvum was homogeneous in genome size (108.9% of P. sativum). Wide variation was observed between samples in P. abyssinicum (100.9–109.7%), P. elatius (97.7–114.9%) and P. humile (98.3–111.1% of P. sativum). In view of the world-wide genome size constancy in P. sativum, the present data are interpreted to show that the pea taxa with variable genome size are genetically inhomogeneous and that the current classification is not sufficient to describe the biological species groups adequately.     

Genome ecosystem and transposable elements species

Transposable elements are known to be “selfish DNA” sequences able to spread and be maintained in all genomes analyzed so far. Their evolution depends on the interaction they have with the other components of the genome, including genes and other transposable elements. These relationships are complex and have often been compared to those of species living and competing in an ecosystem. The aim of this current work is a proposition to fill the conceptual gap existing between genome biology and ecology, assuming that genomic components, such as transposable elements families, can be compared to species interacting in an ecosystem. Using this framework, some of the main models defined in the population genetics of transposable elements can then been reformulated, and some new kinds of realistic relationships, such as symbiosis between different genomic components, can then be modelled and explored.     

Genome profiling: a realistic solution for genotype-based identification of species

Species identification is the basis of Biology and has been carried out based on phenotype. Although some genes, such as that for 16S rRNA, have been used for species confirmation, identification of species based only on genotype has never been done before, although recent whole genome sequencing studies have demonstrated it to be possible in principle. However, it is evidently unrealistic for routine experiments of species identification. This paper clarifies that a very limited amount of information derived from a genome sequence is sufficient for identifying the species. It also proves that Genome Profiling [Nishigaki, K., Amano, N., and Takasawa, T. (1991) Chem. Lett. 1097-1100], TGGE analysis of random PCR products, can not only fulfill such requirements, but also serve as a universal method to analyze species. Thus, this compact technology can be used in many fields of biology, especially in microbe-related disciplines such as microbial ecology and epidemiology where exact knowledge about all members of a population is essential but previously difficult to obtain. This is the first demonstration that genotype-based identification of species is possible using a simple and uniform protocol for all organisms.     

Genome reduction of the aphid endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola in a recent evolutionary time scale

Genome reduction, a typical feature of symbiotic bacteria, was analyzed in the last stages of evolution of Buchnera aphidicola, the primary aphid endosymbiont, in two neutrally evolving regions: the pseudogene cmk and an intergenic region. These two regions were examined in endosymbionts from several lineages of their aphid host Rhopalosiphum padi, and different species of the same genus, whose divergence times ranged from 0.62 to 19.51 million years. Estimates of nucleotide substitution rates were between 4.3 and 6.7x10(-9) substitution/site/year, with G or C nucleotides being substituted around four times more frequently than A or T. Two different types of indel events were detected, of which many were small (1-10 nt) but one was large (about 200 nucleotides).With respect to the large one and considering the proportion and size of the deletions and insertions, the reduction rate was 1.3x10(-8) lost nucleotides/site/year. We propose a stepwise scenario for the last stages of evolution in B. aphidicola: together with a very slow and gradual degradation, considerable indels would punctually emerge. The only restriction to large deletion fixation is that the lost fragment does not contain essential genes.     

34种秋海棠基因组大小比较与分析

以34种野生秋海棠(包括4个变种)为试材,水稻(Oryza sativa L.subsp.japonica Kato)为外标,采用流式细胞法测定其基因组大小,比较不同种、组之间基因组大小的差异,并分析与染色体数的相关性。结果表明:34种秋海棠基因组大小在0.292~2.554 pg之间,最大值约为最小值的9倍,平均基因组大小为0.863 pg,最小的为盾叶秋海棠(Begonia peltatifolia H.L.Li),最大的为水鸭脚秋海棠(B.formosana(Hayata)Masam.)。中国原产的30种秋海棠平均基因组大小(1C=0.925 pg)较南美洲原产的4种的(1C=0.398 pg)大,中国台湾原产的3种秋海棠基因组均比大陆原产的27种的大。中国原产秋海棠不同组间基因组的大小存在差异,同一组内基因组大小亦不相同,本研究所测材料以四室组的基因组最大,为1.285 pg,组内变化近3.2倍;秋海棠组和二室组次之,分别为0.895 pg和0.888 pg,组内变化近6.4、6.8倍;侧膜胎座组基因组最小,为0.721 pg,组内变化约1.2倍。相关性分析表明秋海棠基因组大小与染色体数无显著相关性。本结果可为秋海棠遗传多样性分析及基因组学研究提供一定的基础数据。     

Genome organization and species formation in vertebrates

Some years ago Wilson and co-workers proposed that the higher rates of karyotypic change and species formation of mammals compared to cold-blooded vertebrates are due to the formation of small demes, as favored by the social structuring and brain development of the former. Here, evidence is reviewed which indicates that mammals are more prone to karyotypic change and species formation than cold-blooded vertebrates because of their different genome organization. Similar evidence has also recently become available for birds. While this different organization appears to be a necessary and, in all likelihood, a sufficient condition for the increased rates of karyotypic change and species formation found in mammals, it is still possible that social structuring and brain development may have played an additional accelerating role.This paper was presented at the International Conference on Genome Plasticity held in Cancun, Mexico (December 8–12, 1991)     

Genome sequence for "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum," a low-pathogenicity hemoplasma species

We present the genome sequence of "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum" strain Birmingham 1, a low-pathogenicity feline hemoplasma strain.     

大尺度生物多样性评价

如何在减小采样付出和获取真实信息之间取得平衡,是大尺度生物多样性评价的一个主要问题。本文首先给出了大尺度评价的定义,然后回顾其历史并指出了其中存在的问题。接着从采样空间策略、代理物种、评价指标、快速评价技术、遥感技术5个方面对评价设计方法学作了总结,最后引入了多尺度生物多样性评价体系,作为解决问题的思路。该体系要求在一系列空间尺度上对生物多样性的特征值进行采样和计算,其核心是中间尺度的构建,可以采用自底向上和自顶向下两种思路构建中间尺度。对于多样性的保育来说,中间尺度至关重要,生物多样性的评价、管理规划和实践的整合需要在中间尺度上进行。大尺度生物多样性变化可以作为整合的背景,而小尺度是保育管理行动的合适尺度。     

Genome economization and a new approach to the species concept in bacteria

The direct experimental evidence presented here shows that Escherichia coli cells can lose a part of their DNA during prolonged starvation. Under stringent conditions cells with a reduced DNA content achieve reproductive advantage over those that maintain their original genome size. Thus, the majority or nearly all of the cells of a long-starved bacterial population undergo genome size reduction. The loss of DNA seems to occur at random in different cells of a population and, thus, their DNA content may vary significantly from one another. The heterogeneity at the DNA level seems to be reflected in conspicuous morphological variability as well. We suggest that, in evolutionary terms, the general dynamics of bacterial genome organization involve two contrasting mechanisms: genome economization (size reduction by DNA loss) and genome loading (acquisition of exogenous DNA and its maintenance in the genome). The former, strengthening the so-called r strategy, might have resulted in the limited genome size of prokaryotes ranging up to 9.5 Mb. The latter explains the widespread horizontal, interspecific gene transfer (general genetic mixing) in bacteria. In the light of the above findings we propose a species concept in bacteria which is comparable to the biological species concept based on reproductive incompatibility.