New data on genome size in 128 Asteraceae species and subspecies,with first assessments for 40 genera, 3 tribes and 2 subfamilies

The Asteraceae family has been broadly studied, but the values of genome size of only 3.5% of their species are known. To expand these data, we carried out a flow cytometric study of nuclear DNA content in a wide range of taxa of this family, filling gaps in some less studied groups. In addition, some chromosome counts have been performed (46 taxa, including the first one in two species and one subspecies). We provide genome size data for 167 taxa (184 accessions). Of these, data are new for 128 species and subspecies (141 accessions), 40 genera, three tribes (Barnadesieae, Gochnatieae and Nassauvieae) and two subfamilies (Barnadesioideae and Gochnatioideae). Most values (about 75%) are small or very small (1C ≤ 3.5 pg). The second reports on 17 species previously studied with other methods (i.e. first flow cytometric assessments) are also given. Finally, we contribute results for 22 species for which a first flow cytometric assessment has been published during the preparation of this article. The current data-set moves the percentage of coverage approximately from 3% to 4.7% at the specific level, from 6% to 11.6% at the generic level, from 34.9% to 41.9% at the tribal level and from 33% to 50% at the subfamily level.     

应用流式细胞术测定17种中国野生蔷薇核DNA含量

以17种中国野生蔷薇为试材,采用改良的LB 01裂解液,以4种不同的标准植物——大豆（Glycine max Merr.‘Polanka’）、绿豆（Vigna radiata（L.） Wilczek）、番茄（Lycopersicon esculentum Miller）和玉米（Zea mays L.）为外标,以二倍体材料丽江蔷薇（Rosa×lichiangensis Yü et Ku）为内部参照,利用流式细胞术对其核DNA含量及染色体倍性进行检测,并采用常规染色体压片法验证倍性准确性。本研究首次检测了3个二倍体种——商城蔷薇（Rosa shangchengensis T.C.Ku）、广东蔷薇（Rosa kwangtungensis Yü et Tsai）和无刺刺梨（Rosa roxburghii f.inermis S.D.Shi）,1个三倍体种——伞房蔷薇（Rosa corymbulosa Rolfe）和1个四倍体种——弯刺蔷薇（Rosa beggeriana Schrenk）的核DNA含量及基因组大小。结果表明,流式细胞术检测结果与常规染色体压片法结果一致,可对中国野生蔷薇的倍性研究进行补充。本研究结果可丰富中国蔷薇属植物的细胞遗传学背景资料并为繁育新品种提供理论依据。     

牛分离精子对其IVF胚胎染色体影响的研究

本研究采用传统的细胞遗传学方法,研究了由流式细胞仪分离的、染色未分离的及作为对照用的未染色未分离的分别来自于3头公牛的精子IVF（in vitro fertilization, IVF)后产生的6~8 d囊胚的染色体异常情况,以确定流式细胞仪分离精子的过程及染色对胚胎染色体异常的影响。结果显示,分离精子、染色未分离精子和未染色未分离精子的胚胎中,染色体组成为异常,即嵌合体的胚胎分别占40.7%（59/145）、35.8%（38/106）和37.0%（37/100）,三者染色体异常的比例无显著差异。胚胎染色体异常的频率在不同公牛之间存在差异（33.0% 比 44.6%）（p<0.05）。本研究的结果证明,染料和分离过程没有影响精子的DNA进而影响胚胎的染色体组成;胚胎染色体异常的频率在不同公牛之间存在差异。     

Geographical parthenogenesis, genome size variation and pollen production in the arctic-alpine species Hieracium alpinum

Hieracium alpinum L. (Asteraceae) is an arctic-alpine species distributed throughout Europe with both diploid and triploid cytotypes. We determined the ploidy levels of plants from 23 populations from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Italy, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and Ukraine. Data showed a non-overlapping pattern of cytotype distribution: sexually reproducing diploids (2n = 2x = 18) occur solely in the Eastern and Southern Carpathians, while apomictic triploids (2n = 3x = 27) cover the rest of the range. Such clear-cut allopatry is rather rare in vascular plants with geographical parthenogenesis. Comparison of absolute genome size indicates genome downsizing (by on average 3.7%) of haploid DNA amount in triploids relative to diploids. Genome size further correlated with longitude and latitude in the Alps, with decreasing absolute DNA content from west to east, and from south to north. While previously published data indicated complete male sterility of triploid plants, we found that plants from the Alps and Bosnia and Herzegovina commonly produced some pollen, whereas populations from the Western Carpathians and Scandinavia seemed to be almost completely pollen sterile. Scenarios about the evolution of geographical parthenogenesis in H. alpinum are discussed.

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Résumé   Hieracium alpinum L. (au sens strict) est une espèce arctique-alpine d’aire de répartition très large, comprenant les régions nordiques (le Groenland, l’Islande, l’Ecosse, la Scandinavie et le nord de la Russie) et les montagnes de l’Europe continentale (les Alpes, les Carpates, les Sudètes, les Vosges et le plateau de Vranica). Dans cette étude, nous avons compté le nombre chromosomique et estimé la plo?die par cytométrie de flux de plantes provenant de 23 populations échantillonnées en Autriche, Bosnie et Herzégovine, Finlande, Italie, Norvège, Roumanie, Slovaquie, Suisse et Ukraine. Ces données et celles de la littérature montrent une nette séparation spatiale entre deux cytotypes différents: Les populations diplo?des sexuées sont réparties uniquement dans les Carpates orientales et occidentales (Roumanie et Ukraine), tandis que les populations triplo?des apomictiques occupent l’aire de répartition restante. Ce type d’allopatrie stricte est rare chez les plantes avec parthénogenèse géographique. En comparant la taille du génome haplo?de (1Cx) des plantes triplo?des avec celui des plantes diplo?des, nous avons identifié une sensible réduction de taille du génome polyplo?de (la divergence moyenne est 3.7%). Parmi les plantes triplo?des, les individus du plateau de Vranica (Bosnie et Herzégovine) ont significativement moins d’ADN que les triplo?des provenant des Alpes ou des Carpates occidentales (2C = 10.28 pg d’ADN contre 11.02 et 10.93 pg, respectivement). Une corrélation significative entre la taille du génome et la longitude et la latitude a été révélée dans les Alpes, avec des valeurs décroissantes d’ouest en est, et du sud vers le nord. Tandis que les données publiées indiquaient une stérilité male complète chez les triplo?des, nous avons trouvé des plantes triplo?des provenant des Alpes et du plateau de Vranica produisant du pollen, bien qu’en faible quantité et de taille hétérogène. Divers scénarios sur l’évolution de la parthénogénèse géographique chez H. alpinum sont discutés à la lumière de ces nouveaux résultats.

     

Variable DNA content of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyclamen persicum</Emphasis> regenerated via somatic embryogenesis: rethinking the concept of long-term callus and suspension cultures

By flow cytometric experiments in Cyclamen persicum both with propidium iodide (PI) and DAPI (4′,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindol)-staining we were able to present (1) a new estimation for the absolute DNA content in the range of 3.17 pg DNA/2C and (2) ploidy abnormalities which were detected in the pathway of somatic embryogenesis. These aberrations might have arisen from ploidy mutations or abnormal polyploidization processes. Morphologically normal somatic embryos contained the smallest proportion of individuals with ploidy abnormalities, but also a regenerated plant in the green house displayed a significantly elevated DNA content. The results are discussed in the framework of future application of in vitro propagation techniques based on regeneration from fastly growing undifferentiated cells like long-term callus and suspension cultures.     

High-resolution flow cytometry of nuclear DNA in higher plants

Summary High-resolution flow cytometry of nuclear DNA in higher plants has been performed from chopped plant tissues and plant protoplasts. A preparation and staining procedure with the DNA specific fluorochrome DAPI, successfully employed for precise flow cytometric DNA analysis of animal and human cells has been used in a slightly modified manner for the DNA analysis of plant cell material. High-resolution DNA histograms coefficients of variation about 1–1.5% have been obtained routinely from plant species with different DNA content. Staining of nuclei with DAPI in combination with the protein fluorochrome sulforhodamine 101 allows bi-parametric analysis of nuclear DNA and protein. The described simple and precise method might be very promising for the analysis of DNA in basic and applied cytogenetic investigations of plant cell research.Abbreviations CV coefficient of variation - DAPI 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole - SR 101 sulforhodamine 101     

Plant DNA flow cytometry and estimation of nuclear genome size

BACKGROUND: DNA flow cytometry describes the use of flow cytometry for estimation of DNA quantity in cell nuclei. The method involves preparation of aqueous suspensions of intact nuclei whose DNA is stained using a DNA fluorochrome. The nuclei are classified according to their relative fluorescence intensity or DNA content. Because the sample preparation and analysis is convenient and rapid, DNA flow cytometry has become a popular method for ploidy screening, detection of mixoploidy and aneuploidy, cell cycle analysis, assessment of the degree of polysomaty, determination of reproductive pathway, and estimation of absolute DNA amount or genome size. While the former applications are relatively straightforward, estimation of absolute DNA amount requires special attention to possible errors in sample preparation and analysis. SCOPE: The article reviews current procedures for estimation of absolute DNA amounts in plants using flow cytometry, with special emphasis on preparation of nuclei suspensions, stoichiometric DNA staining and the use of DNA reference standards. In addition, methodological pitfalls encountered in estimation of intraspecific variation in genome size are discussed as well as problems linked to the use of DNA flow cytometry for fieldwork. CONCLUSIONS: Reliable estimation of absolute DNA amounts in plants using flow cytometry is not a trivial task. Although several well-proven protocols are available and some factors controlling the precision and reproducibility have been identified, several problems persist: (1) the need for fresh tissues complicates the transfer of samples from field to the laboratory and/or their storage; (2) the role of cytosolic compounds interfering with quantitative DNA staining is not well understood; and (3) the use of a set of internationally agreed DNA reference standards still remains an unrealized goal.     

染色体分选技术在植物学研究中的应用

介绍了染色体分选技术的基本原理和样品处理的基本流程,对根尖分生区采用同步化处理,制备染色体悬浮液,最后通过流式细胞仪的分析与收集获得纯度高、数量多的目标染色体.综述了染色体分选技术在植物学研究中的主要应用,包括物理图谱的构建、DNA分子标记的开发、以及复杂多倍体植物的基因组测序等.通过染色体分选技术的不断完善与发展,应...     

Somatic hybrids obtained by fusion betweenPoncirus trifoliata (2x) andFortunella hindsii (4x) protoplasts

Somatic hybrids were obtained by the symmetric fusion of embryogenic callus cells from tetraploid Mame kumquat [Fortunella hindsii (Champ.) Swing.] and mesophyll cells from diploid trifoliate orange [Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.]. Southern blot analysis of three regenerants revealed that they carried specific rDNA fragments from both fusion partners, thereby confirming their hybridity. In contrast, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and chloroblast DNA (cpDNA) were unidirectionally transmitted from the callus parent without any evidence of recombination. No differences in the restriction fragment patterns of rDNA, mtDNA or cpDNA could be detected among the regenerants. Flow cytometry showed that two regenerants were hexaploids, as expected, but that one was pentaploid, probably due to elimination of chromosomes prior to the regeneration of this plant.Abbreviations MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) - DIG digoxigenin - AMPPD 3-(2-spiroadamantane)-4-methoxy-4-(3-phosphoryloxy)-phenyl-1,2-dioxetane - FACS fluorescence-activated cell sorter     

利用流式细胞仪测定荚蒾属植物的基因组大小

荚蒾属 (Viburnum) 植物在园林中广泛用作观赏灌木,并且其具有优良园艺性状的杂交种在世界范围内越来越受欢迎。本研究利用流式细胞仪测定了14种荚蒾属植物的基因组大小。二倍体中基因组大小变化范围是255pg（陕西荚蒾）到426pg（琼花）。同时,琼花的核型也较不对称,这可能反应了它的育种历史。四倍体物种珊瑚树的基因组大小（762pg）是其他二倍体物种的两倍还多,这揭示了该属的多倍化在进化中可能并不遥远。该研究为荚蒾属细胞遗传学和分类学的深入研究奠定了基础,并为该属杂交育种提供有用的信息。     

High-resolution flow karyotyping and chromosome sorting in Vicia faba lines with standard and reconstructed karyotypes

Flow cytometric analysis has been performed on chromosomes isolated from formaldehyde-fixed root tips in a Vicia faba (2n = 12) line with a standard (wild-type) karyotype and in six V. faba translocation lines with reconstructed karyotypes. The resolution of individual chromosome types on histograms of chromosome fluorescence intensity (flow karyotypes) depended on the type of fluorochrome used for chromosome staining. The highest degree of resolution was achieved with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The lower resolution obtained after staining with mithramycin A (MIT) and propidium iodide (PI) was probably due to the sensitivity of these stains to changes in chromatin structure induced by formaldehyde fixation. After the staining with DAPI, only 1 chromosome type could be discriminated in the line with a standard karyotype. In the translocation lines, the number of chromosome types resolved on flow karyotypes ranged from 2 in the G and the ACB lines to all (6) chromosome types in the EFK and EF lines. Refined flow karyotyping permitted the sorting of a total of 15 different chromosome types from five of the translocation lines. It is expected that flow sorting of chromosomes from reconstructed karyotypes will become a powerful tool in the study of nuclear genome organisation in V. faba.     

Temperature and developmental responses of body and cell size in Drosophila; effects of polyploidy and genome configuration

Increased adult body size in Drosophila raised at lower temperatures could be attributed both to an increase in the cell volume and cell number. It is not clear, however, whether increased cell size is related to (or even caused by) increased nuclear volume and genome size (or configuration). Experiments with Drosophila melanogaster stocks (Oregon-R and w1118) raised at 16, 22, 24, and 28 °C resulted in larger adult body and wing size with lower temperature, while eye size was less affected. The increase in wing size reflected an increase in cell size in both males and females of both stocks. The nucleus size, genome size, and DNA condensation of adult flies, embryos, and Schneider 2 cells (S2 cells, of larval origin) were estimated by flow cytometry. In both adult flies and S2 cells, both nucleus size and DNA condensation varied with temperature, while DNA content appears to be constant. From 12% to 18% of the somatic cells were tetraploid (4C) and 2–5% were octoploid (8C), and for the Oregon strain we observed an increase in the fraction of polyploid cells with decreasing temperature. The observed increase in body size (and wing size) at low temperatures could partly be linked with the cell size and DNA condensation, while corresponding changes in the haploid genome size were not observed.     

流式细胞光度术DNA分析在非何杰金氏淋巴瘤预后中的意义

用流式细胞光度术对一组非何杰金氏淋巴瘤(NHL)存档石蜡标本进行DNA分析。DNA异倍体肿瘤占总例数的47.4％,高、中度恶性组异倍体肿瘤的比例(76.8％和51.9％)分别高于低度恶性组(17.6％)(P<0.05)。S期细胞比例(synthetic phase fraction,SPF)随组织学恶性程度升高而增大,低、中和高度恶性淋巴瘤平均SPF值分别是6.5(0.6—18.8)％,13.5(3.2—37.3)％和23.4(4.4—41.4)％。二倍体和异倍体肿瘤患者的生存率无差别。全部病例中高SPF值肿瘤患者具有生存短的趋向(P=0.1)。低度恶性组内也存在此种趋向(P=0.08)。上述结果表明流式细胞光度术DNA分析对估价非何杰金氏淋巴瘤生物学行为是一种不依赖形态学的有用方法。     

Genome Size of Three <Emphasis Type="Italic">Miscanthus</Emphasis> Species

Environmental and economic factors have stimulated research in the area of bioenergy crops. While many plants have been identified as potential energy crops, one species in particular, Miscanthus x giganteus, appears to have the most promise. As researchers attempt to exploit and improve M. x giganteus, genome information is critical. In this study, the genome size of M. x giganteus and its two progenitor species were examined by flow cytometry and stomatal cell analyses. M. x giganteus was found to have genome size of 7.0 pg while Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus sacchariflorus were observed to have genome sizes of 5.5 and 4.5 pg respectively with stomatal size correlating with genome size. Upon computing the two tetraploid × diploid hybrids theoretical genome sizes, the data presented in this paper supports the hypothesis of the union of a 2x M. sacchariflorus and a 1x M. sinensis gamete for the formation of the allotriploid, M. x giganteus. Such genomic information provides basic knowledge that is important in M. x giganteus plant improvement.     

Micronucleated CD71-positive reticulocytes: a blood-based endpoint of cytogenetic damage in humans

The frequency of micronuclei (also known as Howell–Jolly bodies) in peripheral blood erythrocytes of humans is extremely low due to the efficiency with which the spleen sequesters and destroys these aberrant cells. In the past, this has precluded erythrocyte-based analyses from effectively measuring chromosome damage. In this report, we describe a high-throughput, single-laser flow cytometric system for scoring the incidence of micronucleated reticulocytes (MN-RET) in human blood. Differential staining of these cells was accomplished by combining the immunochemical reagent anti-CD71-FITC with a nucleic acid dye (propidium iodide plus RNase). The immunochemical reagent anti-CD42b-PE was also incorporated into the procedure in order to exclude platelets which can interfere with analysis. This analytical system was evaluated with blood samples from ten healthy volunteers, one splenectomized subject, as well as samples collected from nine cancer patients before and over the course of radio- or chemotherapy. The mean frequency of MN-RET observed for the healthy subjects was 0.09%. This value is nearly two orders of magnitude higher than frequencies observed in mature erythrocytes, and is approximately half the MN-RET frequency observed for the splenectomized subject (0.20%). This suggests that the spleen’s effect on micronucleated cell incidence can be minimized by restricting analyses to the youngest (CD71-positive) fraction of reticulocytes. Furthermore, MN-RET frequencies were significantly elevated in patients undergoing cancer therapy. Collectively, these data establish that micronuclei can be quantified in human peripheral blood reticulocytes with a single-laser flow cytometer, and that these measurements reflect the level of chromosome damage which has occurred in red marrow space.