Molecular genetic variation and geographical structuring in Fusarium graminearum

Inter‐simple sequence repeat markers were employed to study the genetic structure of Fusarium graminearum populations collected from three Canadian provinces. Our study suggested high genetic diversity and frequent gene flow among population samples analysed. The analysis of molecular variance indicated that most of the gene diversity (91.78% to 97.23%) was distributed within populations. Frequent gene flow among the western prairie provinces and cluster analysis results indicated that the population sample from Alberta was closer to Saskatchewan than Manitoba, which could be the result of movement of the pathogen via infected grain or through wind‐borne ascospore dispersal. Analysis of multilocus associations showed that all populations were in linkage equilibrium, indicating that sexual recombination is a frequent phenomenon in F. graminearum populations from western Canada.     

Genetic diversity of Fusarium oxysporum populations isolated from different soils in France

The genetic diversity of soil-borne populations of Fusarium oxysporum was assessed using 350 isolates collected from six different French soils. All isolates were characterised by restriction fragment analysis of the PCR-amplified ribosomal intergenic spacer (IGS). Twenty-six IGS types were identified among the 350 isolates analysed. Five to nine different IGS types were detected in each soil. None of the IGS types was common to all of the soils. An analysis of the molecular variance based on IGS type relationships and frequency revealed that the genetic structure of the populations of F. oxysporum varied widely among the soils. Some populations were both highly diverse within the soils and differentiated between the soils. A possible relationship between the intrapopulation or interpopulation level of diversity and some external factors such as the soil type or the crop history was evaluated. A subsample representative of the diversity of the six populations was further characterised by analysing the genomic distribution of two transposable elements, impala and Fot1. One to 10 copies of the impala element were present in most of the isolates, irrespective of their soil of origin. The Fot1 element was only detected in 40% of the isolates originating from the three populations less diverse in terms of IGS types, but in 82.6% of the isolates originating from the three more diverse populations.     

High levels of genetic variation exist in Aspergillus niger populations infecting Welwitschia mirabilis hook

Aspergillus niger is an asexual, haploid fungus which infects the seeds of Namibia's national plant, Welwitschia mirabilis, severely affecting plant viability. We used 31 randomly amplified polymorphic DNA markers to assess genetic variation among 89 A. niger isolates collected from three W. mirabilis populations in the Namib Desert. While all isolates belonged to the same vegetative compatibility group, 84% were unique genotypes, and estimates of genotypic evenness and Simpson's index of diversity approached 1.0 in the three populations. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that 78% of the total variation sampled was among isolates from individual W. mirabilis plants. Lower, but significant, amounts of variation detected among isolates from different plants (12%) and different sites (10%) also indicated some site- and plant-level genetic differentiation. Total gene diversity (H(T) = 0.264) was mostly attributable to diversity within populations (H(S) = 0.217); the relatively low level of genetic differentiation among the sites (G(ST) = 0.141) suggests that gene flow is occurring among the three distant sites. Although sexual reproduction has never been observed in this fungus, parasexuality is a well-known phenomenon in laboratory strains. We thus attribute the high levels of genetic variation to parasexuality and/or wind-facilitated gene flow from an as of yet undocumented broader host range of the fungus on other desert vegetation. Given the apparent ease of transmission, high levels of genetic diversity, and potentially broad host range, A. niger infections of W. mirabilis may be extremely difficult to control or prevent.     

Analysis of the Genetic Structure of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary Populations from Different Regions and Host Plants by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Markers

The genetic diversity and genetic structure of a population of isolates of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary from different regions and host plants were investigated using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method with 20 random decamer primer pairs in order to provide some information on the phylogenetic taxa and breeding for resistance to sclerotinia stem rot. A minimum of three and a maximum of 15 unambiguously amplified bands were generated, furnishing a total of 170 bands ranging in size from 100to 3 200 bp, corresponding to an average of 8.5 bands per primer pair. One hundred and four of these 170bands (61.2%) were polymorphic, the percentage of polymorphic bands for each primer pair ranging from 0.0% to 86.7%. The genetic relationships among the isolates, based on the results of RAPD analysis, were examined. The genetic similarity of all selected isolates was quite high. At the species level, the genetic diversity estimated by Nei's gene diversity (h) was 0.197 and S hannon's index of diversity (I) was 0.300. The unweighted pair-group mean analysis (UPGMA) cluster analysis showed that most isolates from the same regions were grouped in the same cluster or a close cluster. The population of isolates from Hefei (Anhui Province, China) was more uniform and relatively distant to other populations. The Canadian population collected from carrot (Daucus carota var. sativa DC.) was relatively close to the Polish population collected from oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) plants. There was no relationship between isolates from the same host plants. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the percentage of variance attributable to variation among and within populations was 50.62% and 49.38%, respectively. When accessions from China, Europe, and Canada were treated as three separate groups, the variance components among groups,among populations within groups, and within populations were -0.96%, 51.48%, and 49.47%, respectively.The genetic differentiations among and within populations were highly significant (P ＜ 0.001). Similarly, the coefficient of gene differentiation (Gst) in total populations calculated by population genetic analysis was 0.229 4, which indicated that the genetic variation among populations was 22.94%. The gene flow (Nm)was 1.68, which indicated that the gene permutation and interaction among populations was relatively high.     

Genetic structure and diversity of wild sorghum populations (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sorghum</Emphasis> spp.) from different eco-geographical regions of Kenya

Wild sorghums are extremely diverse phenotypically, genetically and geographically. However, there is an apparent lack of knowledge on the genetic structure and diversity of wild sorghum populations within and between various eco-geographical regions. This is a major obstacle to both their effective conservation and potential use in breeding programs. The objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity and structure of wild sorghum populations across a range of eco-geographical conditions in Kenya. Sixty-two wild sorghum populations collected from the 4 main sorghum growing regions in Kenya were genotyped using 18 simple sequence repeat markers. The study showed that wild sorghum is highly variable with the Coast region displaying the highest diversity. Analysis of molecular variance showed a significant variance component within and among wild sorghum populations within regions. The genetic structure of wild sorghum populations indicated that gene flow is not restricted to populations within the same geographic region. A weak regional differentiation was found among populations, reflecting human intervention in shaping wild sorghum genetic structure through seed-mediated gene flow. The sympatric occurrence of wild and cultivated sorghums coupled with extensive seed-mediated gene flow, suggests a potential crop-to-wild gene flow and vice versa across the regions. Wild sorghum displayed a mixed mating system. The wide range of estimated outcrossing rates indicate that some environmental conditions may exist where self-fertilisation is favoured while others cross-pollination is more advantageous.     

Population genetic structure of Carchesium polypinum (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) in four Chinese lakes inferred from ISSR fingerprinting: high diversity but low differentiation

Although the peritrichous ciliate Carchesium polypinum is common in freshwater, its population genetic structure is largely unknown. We used inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) fingerprinting to analyze the genetic structure of 48 different isolates of the species from four lakes in Wuhan, central China. Using eight polymorphic primers, 81 discernible DNA fragments were detected, among which 76 (93.83%) were polymorphic, indicating high genetic diversity at the isolate level. Further, Nei's gene diversity (h) and Shannon's Information index (I) between the different isolates both revealed a remarkable genetic diversity, higher than previously indicated by their morphology. At the same time, substantial gene flow was found. So the main factors responsible for the high level of diversity within populations are probably due to conjugation (sexual reproduction) and wide distribution of swarmers. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that there was low genetic differentiation among the four populations probably due to common ancestry and flooding events. The cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that genotypes isolated from the same lake displayed a higher genetic similarity than those from different lakes. Both analyses separated C. polypinum isolates into subgroups according to the geographical locations. However, there is only a weak positive correlation between the genetic distance and geographical distance, suggesting a minor effect of geographical distance on the distribution of genetic diversity between populations of C. polypinum at the local level. In conclusion, our studies clearly demonstrated that a single morphospecies may harbor high levels of genetic diversity, and that the degree of resolution offered by morphology as a marker for measuring distribution patterns of genetically distinct entities is too low.     

Molecular Genetic Diversity in Populations of Fusarium pseudograminearum from Tunisia

Fusarium pseudograminearum is one of the major pathogens causing crown rot of wheat in the semi‐arid and arid areas in Tunisia. In this study, the molecular diversity of 74 isolates of F. pseudograminearum representing three populations from Tunisia and a set of isolates from the world collection was investigated. The potential mycotoxin‐producing ability was tested by PCR using primer pairs specific for the Tri3, Tri7 and Tri13 genes. Results indicated that all the isolates are potentially DON and/or 3‐AcDON producers. The mating‐type idiomorphs were identified using diagnostic PCR primer for MAT1‐1 and MAT1‐2. Both mating types were recovered from the same region and in some cases from the same field. Restriction analysis of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) intergenic spacer region (IGS) revealed 11 haplotypes, five of which were identified in the world collection. The analysis of population structure using the combined IGS and MAT data revealed that the total gene diversity (H_T = 0.108) was mostly attributable to diversity within populations (H_S = 0.102) and that the genetic differentiation among the four populations was low (G_ST = 0.09). The analysis of molecular variance (amova ) showed that 15% of the variability was between the Tunisian populations and the world collection. These findings indicate that quarantine measures should be in place to limit the introduction of new populations of F. pseudograminearum into Tunisia.     

珍稀濒危植物金毛狗的SRAP分析

利用SRAP分子标记技术,对7个居群79株金毛狗进行遗传多样性分析。结果表明:10对SRAP引物组合共得到107条扩增条带,多态性条带比率为85.98%,Nei’s基因多样性指数为0.229 6,Shannon’s多样性指数为0.358 6,表明金毛狗居群水平具有较高的遗传多样性;金毛狗7个居群的总基因多样度为0.229 6,居群内遗传多样度为0.135 4,居群间的遗传分化指数为0.410 6,表明有41.06%的变异存在于居群间,有58.94%的变异存在于居群内;居群间基因流为0.717 8,表明居群间基因交流频率较低;遗传一致度和UPGMA聚类分析结果显示,生境条件相似的居群优先聚集,说明金毛狗种质亲缘关系与地理分布相关性不显著。     

A hierarchical analysis of population genetic structure in Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii

Little is known about the population processes that shape the genetic diversity in natural populations of rhizobia. A sample of 912 Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii isolates were collected from naturalized red clover populations ( Trifolium pratense ) and analyzed for 15 allozyme loci to determine the levels and distribution of genetic diversity. Hierarchical analyses compared different sampling levels, geographical separation, and temporal separation. Total genetic diversity across all isolates was H = 0.426, with 57.6% of the total diversity found among isolates obtained from individual red clover plants. Relatively low genetic differentiation among populations and high differentiation among plants within populations was observed; this suggests that gene flow and founder effect act differently at geographical and local scales. Significant differences were observed in (i) allele frequencies among populations and among plants within populations, and (ii) the frequency distribution of the most widespread and the most abundant strains. When multilocus linkage disequilibrium was calculated, significant levels of disequilibrium were observed in the total sample and in three of the eight populations.     

滇东南硬叶兜兰核心种质区群体遗传结构

本研究选取国内主要种质采集区-滇东南石灰岩地区7个不同干扰居群为研究对象,旨在对其居群内和居群间遗传变异进行比较研究,以期对其保护措施的提出提供理论依据。通过利用SRAP标记对167个体的遗传多样性和遗传结构研究,结果表明：10对SRAP引物共扩增出288个位点,多态位点比率（PPB）达81.25%,香侬指数（I）为0.3709,在种水平上的具有较高遗传多样性;而居群水平上的多态位点比率仅为47.92%, 香侬指数为0.2348, 居群间平均Nei’s遗传距离为0.1268。经分子遗传变异方差分析（AMOVA）表明,有66.27%的遗传变异来源于居群内,居群间变异占总变异33.73%,此结果与遗传分化系数（Gst=0.3568）结果吻合,居群间基因流（Nm）为0.902, 不同地区间硬叶兜兰居群存在较高的遗传分化; 7个居群的UPGMA聚类在遗传相似性系数达0.863,聚为两支;经Mantel检测（r =0.298, P＞0.05）,表明居群间遗传距离与地理距离无显著相关性。居群当前较高的遗传分化与其交配系统有关,其次,外在因素：人为采集、生境破坏和片断化造成居群内遗传多样性的丧失,加剧居群间的遗传分化,再次,遗传漂变也是另一重要影响因素;此外,适应性进化亦可能加剧了居群间的遗传分化,而基因流对遗传分化的影响不大。     

Genetic Diversity and Genetic Structure of an Endangered Species, Trillium tschonoskii

The genetic diversity and genetic structure of Trillium tschonoskii (Maxim) were investigated using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. Eight primer combinations were carried out on 105 different individuals sampled from seven populations. Of the 619 discernible DNA fragments generated, 169 (27.3%) were polymorphic. The percentage of polymorphic bands within populations ranged from 4.52 to 10.50. Genetic diversity (H_E) within populations ranged from 0.0130 to 0.0379, averaging 0.0536 at the species level. Genetic differentiation among populations was detected based on Nei's genetic diversity analysis (53.03%) and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) (52.43%). AMOVA indicated significant genetic differentiation among populations (52.43% of the variance) and within populations (47.57% of the variance) (p < 0.0002). Gene flow was low (0.4429) among populations. Species breeding system and limited gene flow among populations are plausible reasons for the high genetic differentiation observed for this species. We propose an appropriate strategy for conserving the genetic resources of T. tschonoskii in China.     

Genetic variation and population differentiation in the lichen-forming ascomycete Xanthoria parietina on the island Storfosna, central Norway

Genetic diversity and fine-scale population structure in the lichen-forming ascomycete Xanthoria parietina was investigated using sequence variation in part of the intergenic spacer (IGS) and the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Sampling included 213 and 225 individuals, respectively, from seven populations in two different habitats, bark and rock, on the island Storfosna off the central west coast of Norway. Both markers revealed significant variation and a total of 10 IGS and 16 ITS haplotypes were found. There were no signs of significant positive spatial autocorrelation at any spatial size class down to 10% of transect length, nor did we find significant deviations from neutrality or signs of historical population expansion. Analysis of molecular variance (amova) indicated that most of the genetic variance observed was within populations, but when populations were grouped according to habitat, more than a quarter of the variance was explained among groups. Pairwise comparisons of populations (F(ST), exact tests of population differentiation) revealed significant differentiation between populations in different habitats (on bark or rock), but not between populations in the same habitat. Haplotype networks show that internal and presumably old haplotypes are shared between habitats, whereas terminal haplotypes tend to be unique to a habitat, mostly bark. We interpret the observed pattern to mean that there is no evidence of restricted gene flow between populations in the same habitat at the present spatial scale (interpopulation distances one or a few kilometres). On the other hand, differentiation between habitats is considerable, which we attribute to restricted gene flow between habitats (habitat isolation). Evidence suggests that the observed differentiation did not evolve locally. Estimates of divergence time between populations in the respective habitats indicate that an ancestral population started to diverge at least 34,000 years ago but probably much further back in time.     

Retama species growing in different ecological–climatic areas of northeastern Algeria have a narrow range of rhizobia that form a novel phylogenetic clade within the Bradyrhizobium genus

Sixty-seven isolates were isolated from nodules collected on roots of Mediterranean shrubby legumes Retama raetam and Retama sphaerocarpa growing in seven ecological–climatic areas of northeastern Algeria. Genetic diversity of the Retama isolates was analyzed based on genotyping by restriction fragment length polymorphism of PCR-amplified fragments of the 16S rRNA gene, the intergenic spacer (IGS) region between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes (IGS), and the symbiotic genes nifH and nodC. Eleven haplotypes assigned to the Bradyrhizobium genus were identified. Significant biogeographical differentiation of the rhizobial populations was found, but one haplotype was predominant and conserved across the sites. All isolates were able to cross-nodulate the two Retama species. Accordingly, no significant genetic differentiation of the rhizobial populations was found in relation to the host species of origin. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene grouped the isolates with Bradyrhizobium elkanii, but sequence analyses of IGS, the housekeeping genes (dnaK, glnII, recA), nifH, and nodC yielded convergent results showing that the Retama nodule isolates from the northeast of Algeria formed a single evolutionary lineage, which was well differentiated from the currently named species or well-delineated unnamed genospecies of bradyrhizobia. Therefore, this study showed that the Retama species native to northeastern Algeria were associated with a specific clade of bradyrhizobia. The Retama isolates formed three sub-groups based on IGS and housekeeping gene phylogenies, which might form three sister species within a novel bradyrhizobial clade.     

大别山山核桃天然群体遗传结构的初步分析

利用RAPD分子标记技术检测了大别山山核桃3个天然居群的遗传多样性和遗传结构。20条10 bp随机引物共检测到238个扩增位点,其中多态性位点162个,多态位点百分率(PPB)为68.1%。居群水平Shannon’s多态性信息指数(I)介于0.2651~0.2801之间;居群水平Ne i’s基因多样性指数(H)介于0.1789~0.1890之间。遗传变异计算显示大别山山核桃居群间基因分化系数(Gst)为0.4063,分子方差分析(AMOVA)表明居群间基因分化水平为0.4177,居群间基因流(Nm)为0.7306,说明大别山山核桃大部分变异存在于居群内,居群间基因交流相对较少。这一结果符合大别山山核桃风媒、异交的繁育系统特点,但其居群间基因分化程度明显高于异交植物的平均水平(Gst=0.1930)。地理隔离、居群内近交及居群间基因流受阻可能是形成目前大别山山核桃天然群体遗传结构的主要因素。     

内蒙古小花棘豆遗传多样性的ISSR分析

应用ISSR分子标记对内蒙古西部地区小花棘豆（Oxytropis glabra DC.）6个地理种群进行了遗传多样性研究.结果表明：小花棘豆具有较高的遗传多样性;14个引物共扩增出327个位点,物种水平上Nei＇s基因多样性指数为0.1972,Shannon多样性指数为0.3287;种内总基因多样性为0.1976,种群内基因多样性为0.1653,83.67%的遗传变异存在于种群内,16.33%的遗传变异存在于种群间,种群间的遗传分化系数为0.1633,基因流为2.5613,6个种群间有一定遗传分化,但遗传漂变不会引起遗传分化.UPGMA遗传距离聚类结果表明,生态地理条件相似的种群优先聚集.     

Glacial vicariance and historical biogeography of rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) in the Bering region

In this paper, we address alternative hypotheses for the evolution of subspecies of rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) endemic to the Aleutian Archipelago. To do this we examined patterns of genetic differentiation among populations of rock ptarmigan in the Aleutian Islands and parts of both Alaska and Siberia. Variation in mitochondrial control region sequences of 105 rock ptarmigan from 10 subspecies within the Bering region revealed three major phylogenetic lineages, two of which are endemic to the Aleutian Islands. Accordingly, haplotype and nucleotide diversities of rock ptarmigan within the archipelago are much higher than within mainland Alaska or Siberia. For Aleutian rock ptarmigan, analyses of molecular variance indicated significant genetic structuring and low estimates of gene flow among populations, despite small interisland distances within the archipelago. However, isolation by distance did not describe the pattern of gene flow or differentiation at this scale. Our estimates of divergence times of lineages suggest that Aleutian rock ptarmigan became isolated prior to the most recent Pleistocene glaciation event (late Wisconsin Stade) and that current patterns of genetic variation reflect the postglacial redistribution of divergent lineages and subsequent limited gene flow. In addition, genetic divergence among lineages was concordant with the distribution of plumage types among subspecies. The patterns of genetic variation described here for rock ptarmigan provide evidence for the role of glacial vicariance in contributing to genetic diversity within this and other Bering region species.     

大别山山核桃种群遗传多样性研究

为了更有效地保护和合理开发大别山山核桃(Carya dabieshanensis)资源,该文利用RAPD分子标记技术,对3个天然大别山山核桃种群的90个单株的遗传多样性、种群内和种群间的遗传变异进行了研究,结果表明:20对10 bp随机引物共检测到238条谱带,其中多态带为162条,占68.1%。遗传多样性分析结果显示: Shannon多样性指数为0.476 1,58.18%的变异分布于群体内,而种群间变异占了41.82%;Nei指数群体总基因多样度为0.314 5,群体内平均基因多样度(H_S)为0.186 5,群体间的基因多样度(H_ST)为0.128 0,群体Nei基因分化系数(G_ST)为0.406 7,说明40.67%的变异存在于种群间,群体内的变异占了总变异的59.33%,与Shannon多样性指数相比基本一致,均表明种群内有较丰富的遗传变异,这为优良品种选育提供广阔前景;种群间的基因流(N_m)为0.730 6,证明种群间遗传交换较小,这与环境适应性和高山阻隔有一定的关系。     

Genetic diversity analysis of Hepatacodium miconioides at different altitude in Tiantal Mountain,Zhejiang Province,China and its relationship with environmental factors

The genetic diversity within and among populations of Hepatacodium miconioides collected at three different altitudes in Tiantai Mountain,Zhejiang Province and its relationships to environmental factors were analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD)technique.Amplification using 12 random primers of 60 plants and 122 repetitive loci were produced.The percentage of polymorphic loci of three populations ranged from 18.85% to 23.77% with an average of 21.86%,indicating the relatively low genetic diversity of H.miconioides.The average Shannon index of phenotypic diversity(0.1329)and Nei index(0.0925)within populations were relatively low.A distinct genetic differentiation existed among populations Of H miconioides in spite of the relatively small geographical distribufion.The average genetic diversity within populations of H.miconioides accounted for 33.58% of the total genetic diversity while the genetic diversity among populations accounted for 66.42% as estimated by the Shannon index of phenotypic diversity,The genetic differentiation among populations of H.miconioides was 0.6546,as estimated by Nei index.The gene flow estimated from Gsr was only 0.2656 and it indicated that gene flow among populations of H.miconioides was relatively low.The mean value of the genetic identity among populations of H.miconioides was 0.7126 and the average of genetic distance of H.miconioides was 0.3412.The genetic identity between populations at the elevation of 990m and at the elevation of 780 m was the highest.The genetic identity between population at the elevation 500 m and other two populations was relatively low.The correlation analysis showed that the genetic diversity within populations was significantly related with the soil total nitrogen.     

Genetic variation within the endangered quillwort Isoëtes hypsophila (Isoetaceae) in China as evidenced by ISSR analysis

The genetic diversity of 56 individuals of Isoëtes hypsophila Hand.-Mazz. from China was investigated by ISSR. Twelve primers were screened from 65 primers, and a total of 119 DNA fragments were scored, of these, 82% were polymorphic bands, which indicated that high levels of genetic variation existed in the natural populations. Genetic diversity varied greatly among populations with the percentage of polymorphic band (PPB) values ranging from 8 to 35%. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) was used to apportion the variation between regions, among populations within regions, and within populations. Results indicated that most of the variance (85%) occurred between Yunnan and Sichuan. The variances among populations within regions and within populations, however, were only 5 and 10%, respectively. In the among-population analysis, the larger part of genetic variation (77%) resided among populations, and less (23%) presented differences within populations. UPGMA cluster analysis showed that there was no distinct genetic differentiation between populations from Sichuan province. A number of causes including limited gene flow, genetic drift and inbreeding might have led to these observed genetic profiles of I. hypsophila.     

鄂尔多斯高原不同降雨量梯度中间锦鸡儿(Caragana davazamcii Sancz)种群的遗传结构

为了阐明环境条件对中间锦鸡儿适应状况的影响,在鄂尔多斯高原从东向西按照降雨逐渐减少的梯度选取了5个生境,从遗传多样性的角度出发,应用简单重复间序列（ISSR）方法,对各生境的中间锦鸡儿种群进行了分子生态学研究．结果表明随着生境由东向西的变化,多年平均降雨量的减少,中间锦鸡儿种群遗传多样性有所增加,大部分变异发生在种群内（79．95％）,属异交类型,中间锦鸡儿群体间遗传距离缓慢增加,遗传一致度降低,说明生境条件的变化特别是长期形成的水分条件对中间锦鸡儿的遗传多样性有一定的影响。