Phylogenetic consideration of two scuticociliate genera, Philasterides and Boveria (Protozoa, Ciliophora) based on 18 S rRNA gene sequences

Many scuticociliates are facultative parasites of aquatic organisms and are among the most problematic ciliate taxa regarding their systematic relationships. The main reason is that most species, especially taxa in the order Thigmotrichida have similar morphology and have not been studied yet using molecular methods. In the present work, two scuticociliate genera, represented by two rare parasitic species, Philasterides armatalis (order Philasterida) and Boveria subcylindrica (order Thigmotrichida), were studied, and phylogenetic trees concerning these two genera were constructed based on their 18 S rRNA gene sequences. The results indicate that: 1) Philasterides forms a sister group with Philaster, supporting the classification that these two genera belong to the family Philasteridae; 2) it is confirmed that the nominal species, Philasterides dicentrarchi Dragesco et al., 1995 should be a junior synonym of Miamiensis avidus as revealed by both previous investigations and the data revealed in the present work; and 3) the poorly known form B. subcylindrica, the only member in the order Thigmotrichida, of which molecular data are available so far, always clusters with Cyclidium glaucoma, a highly specialized scuticociliate, indicating a sister relationship between the orders Thigmotrichida and Pleuronematida.     

Reevaluation of the ‘well-known’ Paraurostyla weissei complex,with notes on the ontogenesis of a new Paraurostyla species (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia)

Two hypotrichous ciliates, Paraurostyla wuhanensis nov. spec. from Wuhan (China) and a new North American population of the Paraurostyla weissei complex, were studied based on live observations and protargol impregnation. Paraurostyla wuhanensis nov. spec. differs from the congeners by the combined features of having six or seven frontal cirri, 2–4 frontoventral cirri, 5–7 ventral rows, and yellow-greenish cortical granules. Ontogenesis proceeds as in the type species, except that fewer frontoventral cirri are formed in the new species. The morphology of the new population of the Paraurostyla weissei complex corresponds well with other American populations. In the phylogenetic trees based on the 18S rRNA gene, Paraurostyla sequences nest in a large clade together with Apoamphisiella and Notohymena. Monophyly of Paraurostyla is rejected by the results of the approximately unbiased test analyses. Morphological, morphogenetic, and phylogenetic analyses show a close relationship between the North American populations of the Paraurostyla weissei complex and Apoamphisiella, indicating that the taxonomic position of the former needs to be reassigned. A new combination, viz. Apoamphisiella polymicronucleata (Merriman, 1937) comb. nov., a reevaluation of the Paraurostyla weissei complex, and emended diagnoses of Paraurostyla and Apoamphisiella, are provided.     

Molecular phylogeny of Collembola inferred from ribosomal RNA genes

The classification of taxa within Collembola (Springtails, Hexapoda) has been controversial. In this study, we combined complete 18S rRNA gene with partial 28S rRNA gene (D7-D10) sequences to investigate the phylogeny of Collembola. About 2500 aligned sites of thirty species representing 29 genera from14 families of Collembola were analyzed, including one species of Neelipleona from which no sequence has been reported previously.The phylogenetic trees were obtained by different methods (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analysis). Our results supported the monophyly of two of the four taxonomic groups of Collembola summarized by Deharveng [Deharveng, L., 2004. Recent advances in Collembola systematics. Pedobiologia 48, 415–433.], namely of Poduromorpha and of Symphypleona. Within Poduromorpha, Neanuridae was monophyletic with high support, but Hypogastruridae was not. Entomobryomorpha was paraphyletic, as the Tomoceroidea (Tomoceridae and Oncopoduridae) was found to be apart from the other entomobryomorphs. In the latter Isotomoidea and Entomobryoidea joined into a group with moderate support. Within Symphypleona, the phylogenetic relationship [(Sminthuridae + Bourletiellidae) + Sminthurididae] was consistent with traditional morphological studies. Neelipleona grouped with Symphypleona in all trees, with moderate support in the ML and Bayesian analyses.     

Bacterial,archaeal and eukaryotic diversity in Arctic sediment as revealed by 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene clone libraries analysis

We studied the microbial diversity in the sediment from the Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, Arctic, in the summer of 2005 based on the analysis of 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene clone libraries. The sequences of the cloned 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene inserts were used to determine the species identity or closest relatives by comparison with sequences of known species. Compared to the other samples acquired in Arctic and Antarctic, which are different from that of ours, the microbial diversity in our sediment is much higher. The bacterial sequences were grouped into 11 major lineages of the domain Bacteria: Proteobacteria (include α-, β-, γ-, δ-, and ε-Proteobacteria); Bacteroidetes; Fusobacteria; Firmicutes; Chloroflexi; Chlamydiae; Acidobacteria; Actinobacteria; Planctomycetes; Verrucomicrobiae and Lentisphaerae. Crenarchaeota were dominant in the archaeal clones containing inserts. In addition, six groups from eukaryotes including Cercozoa, Fungi, Telonema, Stramenopiles, Alveolata, and Metazoa were identified. Remarkably, the novel group Lentisphaerae was reported in Arctic sediment at the first time. Our study suggested that Arctic sediment as a unique habitat may contain substantial microbial diversity and novel species will be discovered.     

鸡球虫18S rRNA基因序列的测定与分析

为了利用18S rRNA基因进行鸡球虫系统进化分析,对巨型艾美耳球虫(Eimeria maxima)、柔嫩艾美耳球虫(E.tenella)、堆形艾美耳球虫(E.acervulina)3种共8个不同来源的虫株,分别提取总DNA进行18S rRNA基因的扩增和测序;将得到的序列登录GenBank进行同源性和趋异性分析,并结合GenBank中其它原虫的18S rRNA基因序列构建进化树.结果显示扩增获得8株鸡球虫18S rRNA基因长度为1746～1756 bp,序列比对显示同种不同株间的同源性大于不同种间的同源性,其中3株E.maxima株间同源性在98.7%～99.3%之间,4株E.tenella株间同源性在99.7%～99.9%之间;不同种间同源性为96.5%～98.1%,其中E.maxima与E.tenclla的遗传距离最大,为0.038;E.maxima与E.acervulina的遗传距离最小,为0.021.顶复器门9个不同属所构建的进化树结果显示,E.imeria和等孢属(Isospora)聚为一支,说明亲缘关系比较近.与GertBank中其它5株不同鸡球虫的18S rRNA基因共同构建的进化树显示,3株E.maxima聚为一支,与E.brunetti、E.mitis、E.mivati、E.praecox和E.acervulina聚为一大分支;4株E.tenella与1株E.necatrix共同形成一个分支,说明E.tenella与E.necattix的亲缘关系最近.本研究证实了在鸡球虫系统进化研究中,18S rRNA基因不仅可以区分不同种,而且有可能成为区分同种不同株的理想靶基因.     

基于18S rRNA的中国大陆沿海石磺科贝类分类的初步分析

对采自上海崇明、福建宁德、海南海口等沿海地区9个群体的石磺科贝类进行外部形态特征差异分析和内部结构比较,在初步分类基础上利用核糖体小亚基18S rRNA基因部分序列对9个群体进行系统发育分析,以菊花螺为外群,结合GenBank上石磺科4个18S rRNA基因序列构建系统发生树来探讨我国大陆沿海石磺科属种间的亲缘关系.结果显示:我国石磺科贝类南方沿海种类多于北方沿海;除报道的瘤背石磺(Onchidium struma)和石磺(O.verruculatum)外,可能还有新记录5种:Onchidium属1种、Platevindex属2种、Peronia属1种和Paraoncidium属1种.分子系统发生树显示,我囝大陆沿海石磺科9个群体可分为4个亚群,分别为Onchidium、Platevindex、Paraoncidium、Peronia,其中Peronia亚群的置信度较高;Onchidium verruculatum应更名为Peronia verruculata.     

产β-甘露聚糖酶Aspergillus sp. LQ21的分离、鉴定及发酵条件的研究

β-甘露聚糖酶是一类能够水解甘露聚糖、葡甘露聚糖、半乳甘露聚糖的半纤维素酶类,广泛存在于动植物和微生物中,此酶在食品、医药、饲料、造纸、石油等方面已得到广泛应用;近年来,其作为食品和饲料添加剂方面倍受关注。对采自土壤和树皮的样品通过富集培养、平板初筛和摇瓶复筛,得到1株具产β-甘露聚糖酶能力的曲霉属菌株LQ21,结合形态特征、培养特征及18S rRNA基因序列分析,将该菌株鉴定为Aspergillussp.真菌。考察了培养时间、起始pH、培养温度、碳源和氮源对该菌株产酶的影响。初步确定了其最适产酶培养基组成:魔芋粉0.5%,蛋白胨1%,NaNO30.2%,K2HPO40.1%,KCl 0.05%,MgSO4.7H2O 0.05%,FeSO4.7H2O 0.001%;最适培养条件:初始pH4.5,温度35℃,转速200 r/min,培养60 h发酵液上清中酶活达到最高。     

Relative diversity and community structure analysis of rumen protozoa according to T-RFLP and microscopic methods

Protozoa are common inhabitants of the rumen where they play roles in host nutrition and methanogenesis. Knowledge of how changes in the composition of protozoa communities affect these processes is limited in part due to a lack of efficient methods for protozoa community analysis. In this study, a terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene was developed for comparative analysis of rumen protozoa communities. Comparison of diversity and structure of protozoa communities from hay-fed versus silage/grain-fed cattle via T-RFLP analysis yielded similar overall results to microscopy analysis. According to both methods, Entodinium spp. were more abundant in the silage/grain-fed cattle and protozoa diversity (as calculated using the Shannon index) was higher for the hay-fed cattle due to greater species evenness. Type B protozoa were more prevalent in the hay-fed cattle, whereas Type A protozoa were more prevalent in the silage/grain-fed cattle. Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) indicated that the protozoa communities from hay-fed and silage/grain-fed cattle were different, and multivariate analysis indicated that pen mates (i.e., cattle fed the same diet and housed together) tended to have similar protozoa communities types. In summary, we present a T-RFLP method for analyzing rumen protozoa communities which complements traditional microscopy approaches but has the advantage of being amenable to high-throughput.     

利用小亚基核糖体RNA 技术分析温室黄瓜近根土壤古菌和真菌多样性

土壤古菌和真菌在温室生态系统是仅次于细菌的微生物,具有类似于细菌的重要生态功能。通过构建古菌16S rRNA和真菌18S rRNA基因克隆文库,分析温室黄瓜近根土壤古菌和真菌群落结构组成,为开发利用温室这一特殊的生态环境中丰富的微生物资源以及理解微生物与植物间的互作提供参考依据。采用研磨-冻融-溶菌酶-蛋白酶K-SDS热处理以及CTAB处理等理化方法,提取和纯化微生物总DNA,构建古菌16S rRNA和真菌18S rRNA基因克隆文库。利用DOTUR软件将古菌和真菌序列按照相似性97％的标准分成若干个可操作分类单元 (OTUs)。土壤古菌克隆文库主要包括泉古菌门和未分类的古菌两大类,并有少部分广域古菌类群,所有泉古菌均属于热变形菌纲,共45个OTUs;真菌克隆文库包括真菌门的大多数亚门真菌,共24个OTUs,未发现担子菌亚门真菌。古菌多样性比较丰富,且发现少量的广域古菌 (甲烷菌),这一情况可能与温室长期高温高湿,高有机质含量,土壤处于缺氧环境有关;土壤真菌的优势种群为子囊菌,占到土壤真菌的80％以上,这可能与绝大多数植物真菌性病害属于土传病害,通过菌丝体、菌核或子囊壳在土壤病残体中越冬有一定的关系。     

Lateral transfer of eukaryotic ribosomal RNA genes: an emerging concern for molecular ecology of microbial eukaryotes

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes are widely utilized in depicting organismal diversity and distribution in a wide range of environments. Although a few cases of lateral transfer of rRNA genes between closely related prokaryotes have been reported, it remains to be reported from eukaryotes. Here, we report the first case of lateral transfer of eukaryotic rRNA genes. Two distinct sequences of the 18S rRNA gene were detected from a clonal culture of the stramenopile, Ciliophrys infusionum. One was clearly derived from Ciliophrys, but the other gene originated from a perkinsid alveolate. Genome-walking analyses revealed that this alveolate-type rRNA gene is immediately adjacent to two protein-coding genes (ubc12 and usp39), and the origin of both genes was shown to be a stramenopile (that is, Ciliophrys) in our phylogenetic analyses. These findings indicate that the alveolate-type rRNA gene is encoded on the Ciliophrys genome and that eukaryotic rRNA genes can be transferred laterally.     

基于18S rRNA基因序列的直翅目主要类群系统发育关系研究

基于78种直翅目昆虫的18S rRNA基因全序列构建了直翅目各主要类群间的系统发育关系。本研究的结果支持直翅目的单系性,但不支持蝗亚目和螽亚目各自的单系性;直翅目下除蜢总科和蝗总科外各总科的划分多数与Otte系统相一致;蜢总科的单系性得不到支持;蝗总科的剑角蝗科、斑腿蝗科、斑翅蝗科、网翅蝗科和槌角蝗科5科均不是单系群,各物种间的遗传距离差异不大,应合并为一科,即蝗科;本研究支持将Otte系统中蚱总科和螽蟖总科下各亚科级阶元提升为科级阶元;18S rRNA基因全序列可以作为划分科级阶元的工具,当位于同一分支上互成姐妹群的类群间的遗传距离超过1%时,这几个类群属于不同的科;但由于其在进化上的保守性,18S rRNA基因只能用于纲目等高级阶元间关系的研究,而由其获得的总科以下阶元间的关系并不可靠。     

Biogeographic patterns in below-ground diversity in New York City's Central Park are similar to those observed globally

Soil biota play key roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, however, compared to our knowledge of above-ground plant and animal diversity, the biodiversity found in soils remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we present an assessment of soil biodiversity and biogeographic patterns across Central Park in New York City that spanned all three domains of life, demonstrating that even an urban, managed system harbours large amounts of undescribed soil biodiversity. Despite high variability across the Park, below-ground diversity patterns were predictable based on soil characteristics, with prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities exhibiting overlapping biogeographic patterns. Further, Central Park soils harboured nearly as many distinct soil microbial phylotypes and types of soil communities as we found in biomes across the globe (including arctic, tropical and desert soils). This integrated cross-domain investigation highlights that the amount and patterning of novel and uncharacterized diversity at a single urban location matches that observed across natural ecosystems spanning multiple biomes and continents.     

基于18S rRNA基因序列分析唇口目苔藓动物主要类群的系统发生关系

对隶属于3亚目、5次目、20科、23属共25个种类的唇口目(裸唇纲)苔藓虫18S rRNA基因部分序列进行了序列测定.结合从GenBank中获得的该类群其它7个种类的18S rRNA基因同源序列,以序列分析软件对其序列组成和变异进行了比较分析;同时,以羽苔虫(被唇纲)和管孔苔虫(窄唇纲)为外类群,以邻接法和最大简约法重建了它们的系统发生树,分析了该目主要类群系统发生关系.序列分析结果显示:经比对后序列长度为884 bp,其中保守位点241个,可变位点643个,简约信息位点357个;A,T,C和G 4碱基平均含量分别为23.8%、22.8%、24.4%和28.9%.分子系统树表明:本研究所有有囊类构成1个单系群,其中檐胞次目的几种苔虫位于皮壳次目内部;无囊类形成1个多系群,其中的亚目级(新唇口亚目)和次目级分类阶元(枝室次目、假软壁次目和隐壁次目)也都为多系发生,这些结果与前人的分子系统学研究结果大体一致,而与传统的形态分类体系间存在明显的冲突.     

三线闭壳龟18SrRNA基因序列的测定

用分子遗传标记进行物种鉴别准确可靠,本文应用18SrRNA序列测定研究中药材三线闭壳龟的进化与种类鉴定.应用PCR直接测序技术测定三线闭壳龟肌肉18srRNA基因部分核苷酸序列.结果表明,所测序列为678bp,其中GC占多数(54.1%).讨论了DNA测序技术在龟鳖类等中药材鉴定方面的应用.     

苔藓动物18S rRNA基因的分子系统发生初探

本文对我国沿海较为常见的8种唇口目苔藓动物的18SrRNA基因进行了PCR扩增和序列测定。结合已知的其它苔藓动物（包括内肛动物和外肛动物）以及腕足动物和帚虫的相应序列,运用分子系统学方法,研究苔藓动物门的系统发生关系,结果表明,外肛动物和内肛动物构成苔藓动物分子系统树中的二大平行支;本文测定的大室膜孔苔虫与Giribet等测定的膜孔苔虫在系统树中的位置间隔较远。结果也支持外肛动物包含被唇纲和裸唇纲两大类群的形态划分,而关于裸唇纲特别是唇口目内部的系统发生关系。分子数据的分析结果和形态分类之间的分歧有待于进一步研究。