Ultrastructure of Transfer Cells in Endosperm of Coix lacryma-jobi

Special attention was paid to the ultrastructure of transfer cells (TCs) in different locations of basal endosperm in Coix lacryma-jobi at 10 and 25 days after pollination. At 10 days after pollination. TCs of the outermost layer had long wall ingrowths (WIs) whereas those of the second layer possessed fewer and shorter Wis. In both layers TCs had a lobed nucleus, abundant mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), ribosomes, and a certain number of dictyosomes and vesicles which contained dense substance connected with plasma membrane of WIs. Mitochondria were located near or between WIs. The distribution of organelles in TCs of the second layer was similar to that of the outermost layer. Mitochondria had well defined cristae and dictyosomes and RER seemed more numerous than in TCs of the outermost layer. At 25 days after pollination, TCs of the outermost and the second layer were almost filled with Wis but the organelles were recognizable. TCs of the fourth layer had branched and network-like WIs, many mitochondria, starch grain within plastids and lipids locating near WIs and in the interstices of WIs. Dictyosomes were frequently found but less RER fragments were seen. TCs of the fifth layer with short WIs contained large starch grains and small protein bodies. Plasmodesmata were not observed in the walls of TCs of the outermost and second layer at both 10 and 25 days after pollination but were found in the walls of TCs of the fourth and upper layers and also in the network-like WIs at 25 days after pollination. The roles of the organelles and functions of TCs of different layers were discussed.     

Plastid inheritance in Job's tears,Coix lacryma-jobi L.

Summary The yellow striping in Job's tears showed nonchromosomal maternal inheritance of the trait producing green, yellow lethal and striped seedlings in the offspring in widely different ratios whenever the striped plant was used as female parent.Plastids in yellow regions of the striped plant were of various sizes and colours ranging from normal to minute size and light yellow or pale green to transparent ones. They were even absent in some cells. The plastids in the leaves of the yellow lethals were usually pale green.While the histological studies indicate the probability that the genetic determinants affecting plastids were in the cytoplasm, the possibility that all the abnormal plastid types could be different expressions of the same original mutation that occurred in the plastids, together with the extensive data on the breeding behaviour of the striped plant, is strongly in favour of the concepts of plastid mutation and autonomy.     

Studies on Endosperm Development and Deposition of Storage Reserves in Coix lacryma-jobi

The transition from free nuclear to cellular endosperm of Coix lacryma-jobi was eompleted 2 days after pollination. By 3 days after pollination the central cell was filled with endosperm cells. At first all cells of endosperm underwent division, later cell division was limited mainly in the peripheral region. 10 days after pollination the epidermal layer ceased its periclinal division and became the aleurone layer. Cell division persisted in the subepidermal 'cambium-like layers until the caryopsis nearly matured. Ceils of the inner region of endosperm became enlarged. Several layers of transfer cells were formed at the basal part of the endosperm. Starch grains appeared in endosperm cells on the 9th day after pollination. 10 days after pollination, lipid bodies occurred in the aleurone layer and the underlying layers. 13 and 15 days after pollination, the small vacuoles of aleurone cells contained protein and 20 days after pollenation they became aleurone grains. By 15 days after pollination pro tein bodies were formed in starch endosperm. Storage reserve deposition continued until the grain ripened. A correlation between endosperm and emoryo development was also observed.     

Studies on Embryo Development and Deposition of Storage Reserves in Coix lacryma-jobi

Embryo development in Coix lacryma-jobi is classified into the following stages: proembryo before club-shaped, club-shaped, coleoptilar, I-leafed, 2-1eared, 3-1eared, 4-1eared, 5-leafed and 6-leafed (mature embryo). The 3-, 4-, 5-leafed embryos have 1, 2 and 3 adventitious roots (seminal roots) respectively, and the matrue also has 3. These seminal roots are arranged in a longitudinal row parallelling with the radicle. The storage reserves first deposit in the scutellar cells. 9 days after anthesis (l-leafed stage), the starch grains are accumulated in cells of scutellum, coleoptile and mesocotyle. When the embryo matures, starch grains are deposited throughout its cells. The increase in size and amount of starch grains correlates with the initiation and growth order of the embryonic organs. But the amount in the scutellar cells decreases from later to mature stage. 10 days after anthesis (2-leafed stage), protein bodies containing crystals, of protein and phytin are present in the scutellar cells. They subsequently become larger and abundant druses. At the same time some protein bodies without crystals are also formed. Later, the protein bodies containing crystals disappear, while those without crystals increase until the embryo matures. 13 days after anthesis (3- leafed stage) protein bodlies are formed in the upper coleoptile cells. Protein bodies are rich in the cells of mature embryo, but the earlier the organ of embryo occurs, the more and the larger protein bodies it contains. 10 days after anthesis, lipid bodies appear in the scutellar cells and increase in size and quantity rapidly as the embryo develops. The correlation of the length of caryopsis and scutellum with embryo development is also observed.     

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from immature inflorescence segments of Coix lacryma-jobi

Callus was obtained from segments of immature inflorescence of Coix lacryma-jobi cultured on N6 medium containing 1–2 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 3–5% sucrose. Plantlets were regenerated when embryogenic calluses were transferred onto MS medium with 0.5 mg/l kinetin and 0.01 mg/l naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Regenerated plants had the diploid chromosome number (2n=20).     

黔西南薏苡内生真菌多样性及其抗菌活性研究

为进一步了解贵州黔西南薏苡(Coix lacryma-Jobi)可培养内生真菌的多样性组成及其抗菌活性。通过组织块分离法,选取薏苡根、叶和种仁为分离对象,进行内生真菌分离,并通过形态学观察,分子生物学特征对所分离内生真菌进行鉴定。采用平板菌块对峙法对薏苡内生真菌进行抗菌活性筛选。从薏苡根、叶和种仁中共分离纯化获得76株薏苡内生真菌,根据形态和分子生物学特征,它们属于10个目、14个科、26个属和1个不明属以及未知菌;以大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)、金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphyloccocus aureus)、枯草芽胞杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)、酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)为指示菌株,对薏苡内生真菌进行抗菌活性筛选。其中有25株对大肠杆菌具有抗菌活性,占分离菌株的比例为32. 9%;有34株对金黄色葡萄球菌具有抗菌活性,其比例为44. 7%;有24株对枯草芽胞杆菌具有抗菌活性,比例是31. 6%;有23株对酿酒酵母具有抗菌活性,占比例为30. 3%;对4种标准菌株都有抗菌活性的有13株,占总株数的17. 1%。薏苡的不同组织结构中存在丰富的内生真菌资源,部分内生真菌具有抑制其他微生物生长的活性,具有产生天然活性产物成分的潜力,为工业应用奠定了资源基础,具有进一步发掘和研究的价值。     

Microsporogenesis,Megasporogenesis and the Formation of Male and Female Gametophyte in Coix lacryma-jobi L.

The development of the anther wall follows the monocotyledonous type. During meiotic stages of prophase I, some cytoplasmic channels are observed on the walls between meiotic cells. which divide synchronously. Cytokinesis in the microspore mother cell is of the successive type and gives rise to iscbilateral tetrad. The cell wall between the generative cell and the vegetative cell in early stage shows PAS positive reaction. The mature pollen grain is of 3-celled type. The development of the female gametophyte follows the polygonum-type; the antipodal cells proliferate to form a multicellular tissue mass. Many starch grains are present in the central cell. The nucleus of the mature egg cell is located at the micropylar end; a great deal of starch grains are in the cytoplasm surrounding the nucleus, while vacuoles of various size distribute throughout its cytoplasm but are more and larger at the chalaza,1 end. The nucleus of the synergid cell is located at the micropytar end where a filiform apparatus is formed and many small vacuoles are present at the chalazal part.     

基于SRAP标记的薏苡种质资源遗传多样性及DNA指纹图谱构建

利用SRAP分子标记对从各主要产地收集到的90份薏苡种质进行遗传多样性分析,其中68份收集于福建省,6份来自中国台湾,16份来自浙江、辽宁、山东、河南、云南、江苏、湖南、广东、上海等省(市)。结果表明,从88对SRAP引物组合中筛选出26对引物进行SRAP扩增,共扩增出185条带,其中具有多态性的有157,占总数的84.86%,表明90份薏苡种质表现出丰富的遗传多样性。基于SRAP标记利用系统聚类法将90份薏苡种质资源分为4大类,与形态性状分类结果有一定的相似性;利用16对SRAP引物构建了73份薏苡种质资源的DNA指纹图谱,为薏苡遗传研究、品种选育与资源保护提供了依据。     

水稻程序性细胞死亡抑制基因Dad-1在薏苡中的定位

基因Dad-1是普遍存在于动物和植物中一个高度保守的程序性细胞死亡抑制基因。以水稻Dad-1基因为探针,采用Southern杂交在薏苡中检出了Dad-1基因的同源序列,并利用荧光原位杂交的方法对其进行了染色体物理定位。在薏苡第9染色体短臂上检测到Dad-1基因的杂交信号,信号与着丝粒的百分距离为67.44±1.45。     

Accurate identification of centromere locations in yeast genomes using Hi-C

Centromeres are essential for proper chromosome segregation. Despite extensive research, centromere locations in yeast genomes remain difficult to infer, and in most species they are still unknown. Recently, the chromatin conformation capture assay, Hi-C, has been re-purposed for diverse applications, including de novo genome assembly, deconvolution of metagenomic samples and inference of centromere locations. We describe a method, Centurion, that jointly infers the locations of all centromeres in a single genome from Hi-C data by exploiting the centromeres’ tendency to cluster in three-dimensional space. We first demonstrate the accuracy of Centurion in identifying known centromere locations from high coverage Hi-C data of budding yeast and a human malaria parasite. We then use Centurion to infer centromere locations in 14 yeast species. Across all microbes that we consider, Centurion predicts 89% of centromeres within 5 kb of their known locations. We also demonstrate the robustness of the approach in datasets with low sequencing depth. Finally, we predict centromere coordinates for six yeast species that currently lack centromere annotations. These results show that Centurion can be used for centromere identification for diverse species of yeast and possibly other microorganisms.     

Differential genome evolution and speciation of Coix lacryma-jobi L. and Coix aquatica Roxb. hybrid guangxi revealed by repetitive sequence analysis and fine karyotyping

Abstract

Background

Coix, Sorghum and Zea are closely related plant genera in the subtribe Maydeae. Coix comprises 9–11 species with different ploidy levels (2n = 10, 20, 30, and 40). The exclusively cultivated C. lacryma-jobi L. (2n = 20) is widely used in East and Southeast Asia for food and medicinal applications. Three fertile cytotypes (2n = 10, 20, and 40) have been reported for C. aquatica Roxb. One sterile cytotype (2n = 30) closely related to C. aquatica has been recently found in Guangxi of China. This putative hybrid has been named C. aquatica HG (Hybrid Guangxi). The genome composition and the evolutionary history of C. lacryma-jobi and C. aquatica HG are largely unclear.

Results

About 76% of the genome of C. lacryma-jobi and 73% of the genome of C. aquatica HG are repetitive DNA sequences as shown by low coverage genome sequencing followed by similarity-based cluster analysis. In addition, long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposable elements are dominant repetitive sequences in these two genomes, and the proportions of many repetitive sequences in whole genome varied greatly between the two species, indicating evolutionary divergence of them. We also found that a novel 102 bp variant of centromeric satellite repeat CentX and two other satellites only appeared in C. aquatica HG. The results from FISH analysis with repeat probe cocktails and the data from chromosomes pairing in meiosis metaphase showed that C. lacryma-jobi is likely a diploidized paleotetraploid species and C. aquatica HG is possibly a recently formed hybrid. Furthermore, C. lacryma-jobi and C. aquatica HG shared more co-existing repeat families and higher sequence similarity with Sorghum than with Zea.

Conclusions

The composition and abundance of repetitive sequences are divergent between the genomes of C. lacryma-jobi and C. aquatica HG. The results from fine karyotyping analysis and chromosome pairing suggested diploidization of C. lacryma-jobi during evolution and C. aquatica HG is a recently formed hybrid. The genome-wide comparison of repetitive sequences indicated that the repeats in Coix were more similar to those in Sorghum than to those in Zea, which is consistent with the phylogenetic relationship reported by previous work.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1025) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

玉米mir1基因在玉米和薏苡中的比较物理定位

玉米基因mir1编码一种抗秋季黏虫的半胱氨酸蛋白酶。利用RFLP作图mir1基因被定位在玉米第 6号染色体短臂上 ,但它在第 6号染色体短臂上的物理位置还不知道。实验以mir1和 4 5SrDNA为探针 ,通过双色荧光原位杂交技术确定了mir1基因在玉米细胞分裂中期和粗线期第 6号染色体上的物理位置。Southern杂交结果表明 ,在薏苡基因组中存在mir1基因的同源序列 ,进一步利用荧光原位杂交的方法确定mir1基因的同源序列定位于薏苡第 7号染色体长臂的近末端 ,其信号与着丝粒的百分距离为 73 33± 0 15。     

Effect of inbreeding and selection for vigour and fertility on meiotic behaviour in autotetraploid job's tears,Coix lacryma-jobi L.

Summary Meiotic behaviour of the colchicine-induced raw autotetraploid (4n = 40) Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) was compared with that of the tetraploid envolved from it through selection for vigour and fertility over a 4 year period and selfing of the selected plants for 3 generations. A significant decrease in quadrivalent frequency and an increase in bivalent frequency per cell, greater frequency of ring quadrivalents, more cells with regular separation of chromosomes and fewer cells with laggards at anaphase I, fewer irregularities in meiosis II, fewer pollen quartets with micronuclei and fewer aneuploids in the progenies were found in evolved tetraploid. The average chiasma frequency per cell, per quadrivalent and per bivalent were more or less the same in both tetraploids. All these facts indicate that inbreeding and selection for vigour and fertility have brought about a shift towards regular meiosis in the evolved tetraploid. The increase in fertility during the period of selection was not, however, significant, suggesting that its response to selection is slow, that a number of factors are probably involved and that, besides multivalents, genic factors also govern sterility in the tetraploid.     

湖北的主要板栗品种资源及其野生近缘种

在实地调查及引种观察的基础上 ,对湖北 1 2个主要地方板栗品种的经济性状进行比较 ,并对其中的 6个主栽优良大果形品种作较详细的描述。此外 ,对湖北境内的野生板栗 ( Castanea mollissima Bl.) ,茅栗 ( C. se-quinii Dode) ,锥栗 ( C.henryi Rehd.& Wils)的特性及利用价值进行评价 ,首次报道了一种适合于嫁接栽培板栗的茅栗居群。     

Ecotypic differentiation reveals seed colour‐related alkaloid content in a crop wild relative

• Crop wild relatives can be a useful source of genotypes that maximise crop survival and yield in specific habitats. Lupinus angustifolius is an annual forb with crop varieties derived from a narrow genetic basis but that are cultivated worldwide. Its seeds have high nutritional value, but they naturally contain alkaloids with anti‐nutritive factors. The study of its wild populations can be useful to find genotypes that contribute to higher climate resilience and greater yield under stressing environmental conditions.
• Using a common garden, we evaluated ecotypic differentiation in four natural populations from two contrasting latitudes in terms of plant biomass, seed mass and number, alkaloid content in seeds for the three main alkaloids present in the plant and seed colour, including its possible influence on post‐dispersal predation. Correlations among traits were also assessed.
• We found differences among populations for all traits except final biomass. Northern populations had lighter seeds and a tendency to yield more seeds when they produced white seeds, compared to southern populations and variegated seeds. Regardless of latitude, populations showed differences in alkaloid concentration, with all three alkaloids found generally in high or low concentrations in each population. Proportion of white seed morphs varied in each population. Seed colour did not influence predator preference. In addition, white seed colour was related to a low alkaloid content.
• Our results evidence the existence of natural ecotypic differentiation in L. angustifolius not only due to latitudinal range, but also to local environmental factors. White seed coat colour could be used as a visual clue for identification of low‐alkaloid genotypes, a priority trait in L. angustifolius breeding programmes.

     

The centromere index and relative length of human high-resolution G-banded chromosomes

Summary The relative length and centromere index were compared in prometaphase and midmetaphase for each human chromosome from five normal men. There were very few differences between prometaphase and midmetaphase chromosomes in these two parameters. Chromosome 7 had a significantly different centromere index between prometaphase and midmetaphase, but no difference in relative length. This was accounted for by significant differences in the relative length of both 7p and 7q between prometaphase and midmetaphase; 7p became relatively less condensed and 7q relatively more condensed with progression from prometaphase to midmetaphase. For chromosome 1, the short arm was significantly longer than the long arm in both prometaphase and midmetaphase, a finding that underscores the structural similarity of this chromosome among the hominids.