植物基因同源重组研究现状

同源重组是普遍存在的生物学现象,从噬菌体、细菌到真核生物均有存在。它对生物的遗传与变异具有重大影响,一直是生物学家研究的热点。本文从染色体外同源重组、染色体内同源重组以及基因打靶三个方面综述了同源重组在植物方面的研究现状。从分子水平上较详尽的介绍了同源重组发生的机制以及同源重组在生物领域的应用、前景展望及其存在的局限性。     

不同基因型毛白杨同源重组变异研究

同源重组是生物遗传变异的重要来源。受检测方法限制,高等植物同源重组发生及其产物——异源双链DNA(heteroduplex DNA, hDNA)鲜有报道。本研究采用构建抑制减数后分离群体检测同源重组产物hDNA的方法,以2个母本来源的基于抑制减数后分离获得的毛白杨(Populustomentosa)杂种三倍体群体为研究材料,利用筛选出的110个简单序列重复(Simple sequence repeat, SSR)分子标记开展毛白杨不同基因型个体间9条染色体上hDNA发生及其遗传变异研究。结果表明,2个毛白杨雌株hDNA发生频率介于8.5%～87.2%之间,且hDNA发生频率与距着丝粒距离呈正相关关系,但同一染色体平均hDNA发生频率与染色体长度无相关关系;绝大多数的染色体检测出1～3次重组事件,少数检测出4次重组事件,极少数检测到5次重组事件;不同毛白杨基因型个体间同一染色体上hDNA发生频率总体相差不大,而在一些特定SSR位点间hDNA发生频率存在较大差异;与青杨杂种‘哲引3号’杨(P. pseudo-simonii×P. nigra ‘Zheyin3#’)相比,检测到的同源重组次数及hDNA发生频率和发生位置均存在较大差异。本研究首次对2个基因型毛白杨同源重组发生特征及其变异进行了研究,为揭示高等植物同源重组特点、种间和种内同源重组差异等提供了重要见解。     

Red重组技术研究进展

主要从Red系统组成元件、作用机理、重组策略以及先进性和发展前景四个方面综述了利用Red 重组系统敲除或替换细菌染色体目的基因的方法。首先简要介绍了传统的细菌染色体重组技术,指出了其中的缺陷。然后提出了Red重组技术的定义：利用噬菌体Red系统介导来实现外源线性DNA片断与细菌染色体的靶基因进行同源重组的方法,外源线性DNA通常是PCR产物、寡核苷酸片断等,在它们的两翼各含有与染色体靶基因两翼同源的序列40~60bp。这种Red重组技术省去了体外DNA酶切和连接等步骤,使细菌染色体靶基因的敲除与替换操作相对简单,逐渐成为基因功能探索以及新菌株构建的有力手段。     

减数分裂染色体的行为及其分子基础

减数分裂是有性生殖生物配子产生的必需过程.在细胞进入减数分裂前,其染色体复制1次,但启动分裂后,细胞进行二次分裂,从而产生染色体数目减半的配子.减数分裂Ⅰ前期同源染色体的配对、联会、重组以及减数分裂Ⅰ后期同源染色体的分离是减数分裂的基本特征,而这些减数分裂特异事件的按时、依序发生则有赖于减数分裂Ⅰ前期程序性D N A双链断裂(D S B)的产生和以同源染色体为模板进行的同源重组修复.本文将对减数分裂特别是减数分裂Ⅰ前期染色体的行为进行简要综述,并就其分子基础和机制进行分析讨论.     

基因打靶及其应用

用活细胞染色体DNA可与外源性DNA同源序列发生同源重组的性质,达到定点修饰改造染色体某基因的目的,此法称基因打靶．基因的同源重组是较普遍的生物现象,其分子机理尚未阐明,但活细胞内确有一酶系可使DNA的同源序列在细胞内发生重组,这一事实已无可争辨．此事实为基因打靶的理论基础．基因打靶技术操作的关键是建立一含筛选基因的重组载体,并有效地把它转入细胞核内．基因打靶命中的细胞可稳定遗传．基因打靶在改造生物品种,一些复杂生命现象（如发育的分子机制等）及临床理论研究均有广阔的前景．     

人类X染色体与Y染色体是否为同源染色体

对同源染色体的概念及人类X染色体与Y染色体的来源、形态结构、功能以及减数分裂中的行为等进行了讨论.X染色体与Y染色体虽然在形态、大小以及所含的基因等方面有差别,但从综合分析看,二者属于同源染色体,或者属于特殊的同源染色体.     

酿酒酵母减数分裂的事件和特异性基因

减数分裂是生物体重要的有性生殖方式,它提供来自母本和父本的基因信息,产生具有生物多样性的子代,使其能够适应环境的变化而不断进化。本文简述了现已阐明的酿酒酵母减数分裂的重要事件如同源染色体配对、联会、基因重组、染色体分裂和特异性基因。在同源染色体配对的过程中现已发现了2条途径,一条由Rad51独立完成,另一条有Dmc1、Hop2、Rad51和Mnd1参与,同时Rad51也可能参与。Red1、Hop1和Zip1是联会复合体的组成成分,而联会也要求其他减数分裂的特异性基因如Hop2的参与。基因重组是减数分裂中最重要的事件,它为子代提供了新的遗传信息,是生物多样性的基础之一。Spo11、Rad52组、Dmc1、Mnd1、Msh4、Msh5、Mek1、Red1和Hop1参与了基因重组。Spo11是发现和研究得最早的启动基因重组的基因之一;Rec8、Spo13和Sgo1参与了染色体分裂的过程。     

植物减数分裂同源染色体重组的分子机理

减数分裂是真核生物有性生殖过程中性母细胞成熟时所进行的特殊细胞分裂方式.在减数分裂过程中,同源染色体间需发生一系列有规律的重要事件,包括同源染色体配对、联会、重组、分离等,这些事件被证明是由许多遗传网络精密调控的.尽管许多调控减数分裂过程的基因已经被克隆,但减数分裂同源重组的分子机理仍不太清楚.植物是进行减数分裂研究的理想材料,近年来随着多种模式植物基因组序列测定的完成,大大加速了植物减数分裂相关基因的鉴定与功能研究.本文以拟南芥和水稻为主要对象,综述了植物减数分裂同源重组分子机理研究取得的一些重要进展,着重分析已鉴定同源重组相关蛋白的生物学功能.     

基因敲除技术在微生物中的应用

随着分子生物学技术的发展,基因敲除技术越来越广泛地应用于动植物、微生物领域,成为研究生物基因功能最有力的工具之一。基因敲除技术在改造动植物、微生物基因组、研究发育生物学、鉴定新基因新功能、育种以及医疗领域都有应用价值。针对微生物方面,对实现基因敲除的各种原理方法,RecA系统同源重组法, Red系统同源重组法,基于自杀载体的同源重组法,基于温敏型质粒的同源重组法, CRISPR/Cas系统介导的基因敲除方法进行了总结,比较各自的优缺点,并提供一些成功案例以及各种方法相关的发明专利,以期对了解基因敲除技术的方法与发展提供参考。     

联会复合体:减数分裂的结构基础

减数分裂是有性生殖生物产生单倍体配子的特殊分裂方式,其第一次分裂(减数分裂I)过程中同源染色体的行为是最突出的特征。在减数分裂I,同源染色体间形成的联会复合体通过促进和调控程序性DNA双链断裂的形成和修复,确保同源染色体正确的识别、配对、重组和分离,从而为减数分裂I的顺利完成提供保障。本综述对联会复合体的组成和功能研究进展进行了回顾,探讨了联会复合体的组装如何影响程序性DNA双链断裂的修复和交叉互换的形成,并总结了与人类生殖障碍相关的联会复合体成分突变,还对该领域未来研究方向进行了展望。     

A novel reporter for intrachromosomal homoeologous recombination in Arabidopsis thaliana

A reporter system using engineered introns as recombination substrates in the uidA (GUS) gene has been developed and characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana. The non-coding nature of the recombination substrate has allowed us to monitor recombination events between duplicated copies of the intron that are either identical (homologous recombination) or harbour sequence polymorphisms (homoeologous recombination). The effects of substrate length and divergence on the frequency of recombination events were examined. A positive correlation between substrate length and somatic recombination frequency was found as the frequency of recombination increased 183-fold when the recombination substrate was lengthened from 153 to 589 bp. The existence of 11 polymorphisms in a 589-bp recombination substrate (1.9% sequence divergence) led to an almost 10-fold reduction in the frequency of recombination. This result demonstrates that relatively modest levels of sequence divergence can substantially reduce the frequency of recombination in plants. A molecular analysis of recombination products revealed that the recombination junctions are more frequent in the central segment of the recombination substrate.     

Charge Carrier Dynamics of Polymer:Fullerene Blends: From Geminate to Non‐Geminate Recombination

The charge carrier dynamics of a new polymer‐fullerene blend are examined on the femtosecond to the millisecond time scale. The full time range is globally fitted using a chemical reaction rate model that includes all key processes, charge generation, energy transfer, charge separation, and recombination, over the full 12 orders of magnitude in time and a factor of 33 in light intensity. Particular attention is paid to the charge recombination processes and it is found that they are highly material specific. Comparison of the dynamics to those of a previously studied polymer:fullerene blend reveals that while for one blend the recombination dynamics are mainly controlled by geminate recombination, the charge recombination in the presently studied polymer:fullerene blend are entirely controlled by non‐geminate electron‐hole recombination. Carrier density dependence of the non‐geminate recombination rate is analyzed and a correlated disorder model of site energies is proposed to explain the observed dependency.     

关于遗传学中有丝分裂重组的理解

有丝分裂重组是遗传学的重要内容,但当前遗传学教学中对有丝分裂重组部分的课堂教学较少。从有丝分裂重组的发现、真菌系统中的有丝分裂重组、有丝分裂重组作图等几个方面较为详细的介绍了有丝分裂重组现象,希望为教师课堂教学提供参考,并有助于学生对基因重组内容的全面认识。     

A comparison of calcium phosphate coprecipitation and electroporation

Plasmid-based transfection assays provide a rapid means to measure homologous and nonhomologous recombination in mammalian cells. Often it is of interest to examine the stimulation of recombination by DNA damage induced by radiation, genotoxic chemicals, or nucleases. Transfection is frequently performed by using calcium phosphate coprecipitation (CPP), because this method is well suited for handling large sample sets, and it does not require expensive reagents or equipment. Alternative transfection methods include lipofection, microinjection, and electroporation. Since DNA strand breaks are known to stimulate both homologous and nonhomologous recombination, the induction of nonspecific damage during transfection would increase background recombination levels and thereby reduce the sensitivity of assays designed to detect the stimulation of recombination by experimentally induced DNA damage. In this article, we compare the stimulatory effects of nuclease-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) on homologous and nonhomologous recombination for molecules transfected by CPP and by electroporation. Although electroporation yielded fewer transfectants, both nonhomologous and homologous recombination were stimulated by nuclease-induced DSBs to a greater degree than with CPP. Ionizing radiation is an effective agent for inducing DNA strand breaks, but previous studies using CPP generally showed little or no stimulation of homologous recombination among plasmids damaged with ionizing radiation. By contrast, we found clear dose-dependent enhancement of recombination with irradiated plasmids transfected using electroporation. Thus, electroporation provides a higher signal-to-noise ratio for transfection-based studies of damage-induced recombination, possibly reflecting less nonspecific damage to plasmid DNA during transfection of mammalian cells.     

Short- and long-term benefits and detriments to recombination under antagonistic coevolution

We explored the evolution of recombination under antagonistic coevolution, concentrating on the equilibrium frequencies of modifier alleles causing recombination in initially nonrecombining populations. We found that the equilibrium level of recombination in the host depended not only on parasite virulence, but also on the strength of the modifier allele, and on whether or not the modifier was physically linked to the parasite interaction loci. Nonetheless, the maximum level of recombination for linked loci at equilibrium was about 0.3 (60% of free recombination) for interactions with highly virulent parasites; the level decreased for unlinked modifiers, and for lower levels of parasite virulence. We conclude that recombination spreads because it provides a combination of an immediate (next-generation) fitness benefit and a delayed (two or more generations) increase in the rate of response to directional selection. The relative impact of these two mechanisms depends on the virulence of parasites early in the spread of the modifier, but a trade-off between the two dictates the equilibrium modifier frequency for all nonzero virulences that we examined. In addition, population mean fitness was higher in populations at intermediate equilibria than populations fixed for free recombination or no recombination. The difference, however, was not enough on its own to overcome the two-fold cost of producing males.     

大肠杆菌无痕重组的策略与应用

Red同源重组技术发展迅速,已经广泛应用于大肠杆菌基因的敲除、插入与替换。与传统的DNA有痕重组技术相比,基于Red重组原理的DNA无痕重组技术,能够更为精确、快速、高效地修饰大肠杆菌基因组中的目标基因,且在基因组中不残留任何外源片段,因此不会影响后续的基因操作与基因表达。从Red同源重组的原理出发,简要综述了近年来在大肠杆菌中广泛使用的无痕重组技术的原理及操作策略,并对比分析了各种方法的优势与不足;同时,还介绍了DNA无痕重组技术在大肠杆菌基因修饰中的应用情况。     

Analysing recombination in nucleotide sequences

Throughout the living world, genetic recombination and nucleotide substitution are the primary processes that create the genetic variation upon which natural selection acts. Just as analyses of substitution patterns can reveal a great deal about evolution, so too can analyses of recombination. Evidence of genetic recombination within the genomes of apparently asexual species can equate with evidence of cryptic sexuality. In sexually reproducing species, nonrandom patterns of sequence exchange can provide direct evidence of population subdivisions that prevent certain individuals from mating. Although an interesting topic in its own right, an important reason for analysing recombination is to account for its potentially disruptive influences on various phylogenetic-based molecular evolution analyses. Specifically, the evolutionary histories of recombinant sequences cannot be accurately described by standard bifurcating phylogenetic trees. Taking recombination into account can therefore be pivotal to the success of selection, molecular clock and various other analyses that require adequate modelling of shared ancestry and draw increased power from accurately inferred phylogenetic trees. Here, we review various computational approaches to studying recombination and provide guidelines both on how to gain insights into this important evolutionary process and on how it can be properly accounted for during molecular evolution studies.     

Recombination rate variation in mice from an isolated island

Recombination rate is a heritable trait that varies among individuals. Despite the major impact of recombination rate on patterns of genetic diversity and the efficacy of selection, natural variation in this phenotype remains poorly characterized. We present a comparison of genetic maps, sampling 1212 meioses, from a unique population of wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) that recently colonized remote Gough Island. Crosses to a mainland reference strain (WSB/EiJ) reveal pervasive variation in recombination rate among Gough Island mice, including subchromosomal intervals spanning up to 28% of the genome. In spite of this high level of polymorphism, the genomewide recombination rate does not significantly vary. In general, we find that recombination rate varies more when measured in smaller genomic intervals. Using the current standard genetic map of the laboratory mouse to polarize intervals with divergent recombination rates, we infer that the majority of evolutionary change occurred in one of the two tested lines of Gough Island mice. Our results confirm that natural populations harbour a high level of recombination rate polymorphism and highlight the disparities in recombination rate evolution across genomic scales.     

Mismatch repair and homeologous recombination

DNA mismatch repair influences the outcome of recombination events between diverging DNA sequences. Here we discuss how mismatch repair proteins are active in different homologous recombination subpathways and specific reaction steps, resulting in differential modulation of these recombination events, with a focus on the mechanism of heteroduplex rejection during the inhibition of recombination between slightly diverged (homeologous) DNA sequences.