ANALYSIS OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA DIVERSITY WITHIN AND BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES

DNA sequences of the mitochondrial control region of 180 North Atlantic right whales ( Euhalaena glacialis ) and 16 South Atlantic right whales ( E. australis ) have been determined using a combination of direct DNA sequencing and single stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Five haplotypes were found in E. glacialis , and 10 in E. australis , but none were shared, supporting the reproductive isolation and separate species status of the North and South Atlantic right whales. One haplotype in E, glacialis was found in only three males born before 1982 and this matriline will likely be lost soon. The nucleotide diversity estimates for the five North Atlantic right whale haplotypes was 0.6% and 2.0% for the 10 haplotypes found in the South Atlantic right whales. The average haplotypic diversity was 0.87 in E. glacialis and 0.96 in E. australis , which is consistent with other studies showing a lower level of genetic variation in the North Atlantic right whale. Phylogenetic analysis identified two major assemblages of haplotypes in E. australis from the samples collected from Peninsula Valdes, suggesting a mixing of two historically divergent populations. Using genetic distance measurements with a divergence rate of 0.5%–1.0%/myr, we estimate E. glacialis diverged from E. australis 3–12.5 mya.     

Genetic characterization of Latin-American Creole cattle using microsatellite markers

Genetic diversity in and relationships among 26 Creole cattle breeds from 10 American countries were assessed using 19 microsatellites. Heterozygosities, F-statistics estimates, genetic distances, multivariate analyses and assignment tests were performed. The levels of within-breed diversity detected in Creole cattle were considerable and higher than those previously reported for European breeds, but similar to those found in other Latin American breeds. Differences among breeds accounted for 8.4% of the total genetic variability. Most breeds clustered separately when the number of pre-defined populations was 21 (the most probable K value), with the exception of some closely related breeds that shared the same cluster and others that were admixed. Despite the high genetic diversity detected, significant inbreeding was also observed within some breeds, and heterozygote excess was detected in others. These results indicate that Creoles represent important reservoirs of cattle genetic diversity and that appropriate conservation measures should be implemented for these native breeds in order to minimize inbreeding and uncontrolled crossbreeding.     

分子标记在食（药）用真菌遗传多样性研究中的应用

食（药）用真菌在经济和生态方面都具有重要意义,其遗传多样性研究是资源可持续利用和生物保护学研究的基础,有利于食（药）用真菌种质资源的收集、保存、评价和利用,也有助于其分类学、系统学及进化等的研究。遗传多样性的研究方法很多,分子标记是目前最常用最有效的方法之一。综合分析了分子标记在食（药）用真菌遗传多样性研究中的应用,比较了各种标记的应用范围、优缺点,探讨了分子标记用于食（药）用真菌遗传多样性评价的前景及问题。     

DNA遗传标记技术在林业生产中的应用

林木种子及苗木鉴别技术的准确性和可靠性是提高营林造林质量的关键环节。传统的种苗鉴别技术的局限性往往使之不能有效鉴别林木种子的品种及种源。ＤＮＡ遗传标记技术则能提供稳定、准确、可靠的种及品种特异性标记,因而成为林业生产上极具潜力的品种鉴定手段。本文综述了目前国际上ＤＮＡ遗传标记技术的研究进展,并讨论了开展我国林木种苗ＤＮＡ鉴定技术研究的若干设想。     

Twelve novel polymorphic microsatellites in a marine fish species,yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis

We isolated 12 polymorphic microsatellites from an important marine food fish Larimichthys polyactis and characterized them in 32 unrelated individuals. Among the 12 microsatellites, four were tetranucleotide repeats and eight were dinucleotide repeats. The allele number ranged from five to 25 with an average of 15.4/locus; average expected heterozygosity was 0.81, ranging from 0.57 to 0.95, whereas the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.34 to 1.00 (average: 0.78). Nine of the 12 markers conformed to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and showed no sign of linkage. These microsatellites will be useful for population genetic studies and selective breeding programs of this species.     

Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses reveal population differentiation in Brazilian Creole sheep

Using ND5 sequences from mtDNA and 10 nuclear markers, we investigated the genetic differentiation of two South American Creole sheep phenotypes that historically have been bred in different biomes in southern Brazil. In total, 18 unique mtDNA haplotypes were detected, none of which was shared between the two phenotypes. Bayesian analysis also indicated two different groups (k = 2). Thus, these varieties are supported as being genotypically distinct. This situation could have resulted either from geographical isolation, associated with differences in the cultural habits of sheep farmers and in the way that flocks were managed, or more likely, from the introduction of different stocks four centuries ago.     

Variation in mitochondrial DNA and maternal genetic ancestry of Ethiopian cattle populations

This study describes complete control region sequences of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 117 Ethiopian cattle from 10 representative populations, in conjunction with the available cattle sequences in GenBank. In total, 79 polymorphic sites were detected, and these defined 81 different haplotypes. The haplotype and nucleotide diversity of Ethiopian cattle did not vary among the populations studied. All mtDNA sequences from Ethiopian cattle converged into one main maternal lineage (T1) that corresponds to African Bos taurus cattle. According to the results of this study, no zebu mtDNA haplotypes have been found in Ethiopia, where the most extensive hybridization took place on the African continent.     

Nucleotide Diversity of the Colorless Green Alga Polytomella parva (Chlorophyceae,Chlorophyta): High for the Mitochondrial Telomeres,Surprisingly Low Everywhere Else*

ABSTRACT. Silent‐site nucleotide diversity data (π_silent) can provide insights into the forces driving genome evolution. Here we present π_silent statistics for the mitochondrial and nuclear DNAs of Polytomella parva, a nonphotosynthetic green alga with a highly reduced, linear fragmented mitochondrial genome. We show that this species harbors very little genetic diversity, with the exception of the mitochondrial telomeres, which have an excess of polymorphic sites. These data are compared with previously published π_silent values from the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of the model species Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Volvox carteri, which are close relatives of P. parva, and are used to understand the modes and tempos of genome evolution within green algae.     

Molecular genetic identification of southern hemisphere beaked whales (Cetacea: Ziphiidae)

To assist in the species-level identification of stranded and hunted beaked whales, we compiled a database of 'reference' sequences from the mitochondrial DNA control region for 15 of the 20 described ziphiid species. Reference samples for eight species were obtained from stranded animals in New Zealand and South Australia. Sequences for a further seven species were obtained from a previously published report. This database was used to identify 20 'test' samples obtained from incompletely documented strandings around New Zealand. Analyses showed that four of these 'test' specimens (20%) had initially been misidentified. These included two animals of particular interest: (i) a Blainville's beaked whale ( Mesoplodon densirostris) , the first record of this species in New Zealand waters; and, (ii) a juvenile Andrews' beaked whale ( Mesoplodon bowdoini ), a species known from just over 20 strandings worldwide. A published sequence from a beaked whale product purchased in the Republic of Korea was identified as a Cuvier's beaked whale ( Ziphius cavirostris ). Levels of intra- and interspecific variation were compared to determine the potential for misidentification when the database or taxonomy is incomplete. Intraspecific variation was generally <2%, and interspecific divergence was generally >4.7%. Exceptions were within-species variation in Hyperoodon planifrons , southern bottlenosed whale (4.12%), which exceeded the variation between the two species of Berardius (3.78%), and variation between the two specimens assigned to M. hectori , Hector's beaked whale (7.14%). The latter case appears to be an error in species identification, and could represent the discovery of a new species of beaked whale.     

褐马鸡圈养种群的mtDNA控制区多态性

褐马鸡(Crossoptilon mantchuricum)是我国特有的濒危鸟类,国家一级保护动物。为了保护褐马鸡的种质资源,从分子水平上评价褐马鸡的遗传多样性,对山西省庞泉沟自然保护区、太原市动物园的褐马鸡种群20个个体,线粒体DNA D-loop区全序列进行了克隆和测定,使用Clustal X、DnaSP4.0、Mega3.1等生物信息学软件,对全部20条序列开展了比对分析,确定了多态位点与单倍型数目,计算了核苷酸多样性和单倍型多样性;比较了两个种群的遗传变异,初步探讨了褐马鸡种群的遗传多样性和遗传结构。结果表明:20条褐马鸡线粒体DNA D-loop区全序列长度在1236 1237bp之间,其中A、T、G和C 4种核苷酸的平均含量分别为31.0%、26.8%、27.5%和14.8%,A+T含量(57.8%)高于G+C含量(42.3%)。排除1处核苷酸的插入或缺失后,共检测出26个突变位点,占分析序列总长度的2.1%,其中包括25处单一多态位点和1处简约信息位点。20个个体检测出13个单倍型,其中11个个体具有独特的单倍型,2个共享单倍型。褐马鸡两个种群的单倍型多样性(h)为0.911 0.933,核苷酸多样性(π)为0.002 0.003,单倍型间的遗传距离为0.003 0.002。根据单倍型构建了褐马鸡两个种群的NJ分子系统树。聚类表明,2个种群的个体并没有按相应的地理位置进行聚类。揭示褐马鸡具有较高的单倍型多样性和较低的核苷酸多样性,种群的遗传变异较低;两个种群单倍型间的遗传距离较近,遗传多样性参数接近,统计分析无显著差异,两个种群尚未表现出明显的遗传分化,且两个种群间有基因流存在。