Phenotypic and Genotypic Analysis of Newly Obtained Interspecific Hybrids in the Campanula Genus

Interspecific hybridisation creates new phenotypes within several ornamental plant species including the Campanula genus. We have employed phenotypic and genotypic methods to analyse and evaluate interspecific hybridisation among cultivars of four Campanula species, i.e. C. cochleariifolia, C. isophylla, C. medium and C. formanekiana. Hybrids were analysed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), flow cytometry and biometrical measurements. Results of correlation matrices demonstrated heterogeneous phenotypes for the parental species, which confirmed our basic premise for new phenotypes of interspecific hybrids. AFLP assays confirmed the hybridity and identified self-pollinated plants. Limitation of flow cytometry analysis detection was observed while detecting the hybridity status of two closely related parents, e.g. C. cochleariiafolia × C. isophylla. Phenotypic characteristics such as shoot habitus and flower colour were strongly influenced by one of the parental species in most crosses. Rooting analysis revealed that inferior rooting quality occurred more often in interspecific hybrids than in the parental species. Only interspecific hybrid lines of C. formanekiana ‘White’ × C. medium ‘Pink’ showed a high rooting level. Phenotype analyses demonstrated a separation from the interspecific hybrid lines of C. formanekiana ‘White’ × C. medium ‘Pink’ to the other clustered hybrids of C. formanekiana and C. medium. In our study we demonstrated that the use of correlation matrices is a suitable tool for identifying suitable cross material. This study presents a comprehensive overview for analysing newly obtained interspecific hybrids. The chosen methods can be used as guidance for analyses for further interspecific hybrids in Campanula, as well as in other ornamental species.     

Heritability of Anatomical Characteristics in Cherry Interspecific Hybrids

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - The aim of this study was to assess the stem anatomical structure of divergent cherry germplasm and estimate genetic variation and heritability as well as...     

Meiotic Segregation and Male Recombination in Interspecific Hybrids of Drosophila

Male hybrids between three pairs of Drosophila species show no substantial distortion of Mendelian segregation and no appreciable male recombination. These results do not support the theories that meiotic drive alleles of large effect are often fixed within species and that transposable genetic elements cause speciation.     

Paternal Transmission of X-Linked Placental Dysplasia in Mouse Interspecific Hybrids

It has previously been shown that abnormal placental development, i.e., hyper- and hypoplasia, occurs in crosses and backcrosses between different mouse (Mus) species. These defects are caused mainly by abnormal growth of the spongiotrophoblast. The precise genetic basis for these placental malformations has not been determined. However, a locus that contributes to the abnormal development (Ihpd: interspecific hybrid placental dysplasia) has been mapped to the X chromosome. The X-chromosomal location of Ihpd and its site of action, that is the spongiotrophoblast, mean that normally only the maternally inherited Ihpd locus is active even in female fetuses. However, by making use of the X-chromosomal inversion In(X)1H, we have produced interspecific hybrid X(p)0, in which the active X chromosome was inherited from Mus macedonicus males. In contrast to XX female and XY male conceptuses from this cross, which have hypoplastic placentas, the X(p)0 female conceptuses have hyperplastic placentas. This finding supports the view that it is expression of the M. macedonicus Ihpd locus in the spongiotrophoblast that leads to hyperplasia due to an abnormal interaction with M. musculus autosomal loci.     

Phyllotaxis in the Oil Palm: Applications in Selection of Interspecific Hybrids

The main purpose of the investigation was to determine whethermeasures associated with or dependent on the differences inphyllotaxis organization of the stem, fronds, and inflorescencesof three families of oil palms which differ considerably ingrowth habit and genetic background could be associated with,or allow prediction of their yield differences. Two of the familiesused are interspecific crosses between Elaeis guineensis andE. melanococca and these hybrids yield almost double that ofthe third ‘family’ (a group of E. guineensis selections)and have about twice the individual frond areas, inflorescencevolume, and surface area and about half the rate of verticalgrowth; they have, however, a slightly slower rate of frondand inflorescence production. One of the views expressed isthat the phyllotaxis organization which determines the measuredreduction of stem volume in the interspecific crosses is associatedwith the greater development of more productive reproductiveelements. Further, it is suggested that measurements of frond(even in the juvenile stage) and both male and female inflorescenceorganization could be used in yield prediction for these familiesand possibly other genetic groups-and thus increase the speedand efficiency of genetic selection.     

Genomic Characterization of Interspecific Hybrids between the Scallops Argopecten purpuratus and A. irradians irradians

The Peruvian scallop (Argopecten purpuratus) has been introduced to China and has successfully been hybridized with the bay scallop (A. irradians irradians). The F1 hybrids of these two scallops exhibited a large increase in production traits and some other interesting new characteristics. To understand the genetic basis of this heterosis, nuclear gene and partial mtDNA sequences, and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) were employed to analyze the genomic organization of the hybrids. Amplification of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) showed that the parental ITS sequences were present in all the hybrid individuals, illustrating that the hybrid offspring inherited nuclear DNA from both parents. Sequence analyses of the ITS region further confirmed that the hybrids harbored alleles from their parents; some recombinant variants were also detected, which revealed some alterations in the nuclear genetic material of the hybrids. The analysis of mitochondrial 16S rDNA showed that the hybrids possessed sequences that were identical to the 16S rDNA of the female parents, proving a matrilineal inheritance of mitochondrial genes in scallops. In addition, GISH clearly discriminated between the parental chromosomes and indicated a combination of haploid genomes of duplex parents in the hybrids. The genetic analyses in our study illustrated that the F1 hybrids inherited nuclear material from both parents and cytoplasmic genetic material maternally, and some variations occurred in the genome, which might contribute to a further understanding of crossbreeding and heterosis in scallop species.     

The Cytogenetic Study of Crossing over in Interspecific Hybrids between DROSOPHILA VIRILIS and D. TEXANA

Spontaneous crossing over was studied by means of combined cytological and genetic methods in F₁ Drosophila virilis x D. texana females (series I) and in D. virilis females carrying a D. texana fifth chromosome in heterozygous condition (series II). The main criterion utilized to distinguish the oogonial crossovers from the meiotic ones is the identity of cytological positions of genetic exchange in crossovers constituting a cluster. Five clusters of crossovers with identical positions of exchange were found in the first series of experiments. In the second series of experiments not a single cluster of crossovers resulting from oogonial crossing over was found.     

A Complete Set of Marked Telomeres in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae for Physical Mapping and Cloning

Each telomere in a single strain (S288C) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was marked with a URA3 containing integrating vector having telomeric TG(1-3) sequences. Efficiency of integrative transformation was enhanced by creating single random double-strand breaks in the integrating vector using DNAseI in the presence of Mn(2+) ions. A total of 327 transformants were screened by CHEF gels of intact chromosomal DNA. Transformants with homology to the vector at particular chromosomal bands were then screened by Southern analysis with several restriction enzymes to confirm telomeric locations. CHEF gels of NotI and/or SfiI digests were also analyzed to determine left or right arm locations. In some cases allelism of marked telomeres was determined genetically. Transformation was performed by lithium acetate and electroporation with varying results. Electroporation resulted in 50% (75/150) of the integrants at the internal URA3 location rather than telomeres. There were also two rearrangements involving URA3 and the telomere of another chromosome. Lithium acetate transformation resulted in fewer integrants at the internal URA3 location (5/84) and no rearrangements. All telomeres were marked with approximately the same efficiency ranging from 0 to 11 hits in the first 240 transformants. These marked telomeres can be used to complete the physical maps of chromosomes in which the telomere regions are absent. The marked telomeres can be cloned with the appropriate restriction enzymes, thus completing the cloning of individual chromosomes for sequencing projects. The analysis of these clones will lead to a better understanding of telomere region biology. The methodology can also be applied to telomeres of other organisms once they are cloned as telomeric YACs.     

Fine Mapping of ui6.1, a Gametophytic Factor Controlling Pollen-Side Unilateral Incompatibility in Interspecific Solanum Hybrids

Unilateral incompatibility (UI) is a prezygotic reproductive barrier in plants that prevents fertilization by foreign (interspecific) pollen through the inhibition of pollen tube growth. Incompatibility occurs in one direction only, most often when the female is a self-incompatible species and the male is self-compatible (the “SI × SC rule”). Pistils of the wild tomato relative Solanum lycopersicoides (SI) reject pollen of cultivated tomato (S. lycopersicum, SC), but accept pollen of S. pennellii (SC accession). Expression of pistil-side UI is weakened in S. lycopersicum × S. lycopersicoides hybrids, as pollen tube rejection occurs lower in the style. Two gametophytic factors are sufficient for pollen compatibility on allotriploid hybrids: ui1.1 on chromosome 1 (near the S locus), and ui6.1 on chromosome 6. We report herein a fine-scale map of the ui6.1 region. Recombination around ui6.1 was suppressed in lines containing a short S. pennellii introgression, but less so in lines containing a longer introgression. More recombinants were obtained from female than male meioses. A high-resolution genetic map of this region delineated the location of ui6.1 to ∼0.128 MU, or 160 kb. Identification of the underlying gene should elucidate the mechanism of interspecific pollen rejection and its relationship to self-incompatibility.FLOWERING plants have evolved several reproductive barriers for preventing illegitimate hybridization with related species. These barriers may be expressed prefertilization and/or postfertilization. Unilateral incompatibility or incongruity (UI) is a prefertilization barrier that occurs when pollen of one species is rejected on pistils of a related species, while no rejection occurs in the reciprocal cross (De Nettancourt 1977). In theory, unilateral incompatibility should reinforce species identity in natural, sympatric populations of related taxa. This barrier also impedes the efforts of plant breeders to transfer traits from wild species into related crop plants. For example, the transfer of cytoplasmic traits from species with maternally inherited chloroplasts and mitochondria may be prevented by unilateral crossing barriers. Nuclear-encoded traits may also be inaccessible if F₁ interspecific hybrids are both male sterile and incompatible as female parents.In the Solanaceae, unilateral incompatibility is observed in crosses between cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum, formerly Lycopersicon esculentum) and some related wild species. In general, pistils of the cultivated tomato act as a “universal acceptor,” in that they fail to recognize and reject pollen of other tomato species. In the reciprocal crosses, pollen of S. lycopersicum is rejected on styles of virtually all of the green-fruited species, but not on styles of other red or orange-fruited species (reviewed by Mutschler and Liedl 1994). This pattern is mostly consistent with the “SI × SC” rule, wherein pollen of self-compatible (SC) species (including cultivated tomato) are rejected on pistils of self-incompatible (SI) species, but not in the reverse direction (Lewis and Crowe 1958). Exceptions to the SI × SC rule in the tomato clade include species or populations that have lost self-incompatibility but retain the ability to reject pollen of tomato. This is the case for the facultative outcrossing species S. chmielewskii, the autogamous S. neorickii (formerly L. parviflorum), as well as marginal SC populations of normally SI species such as S. pennellii and S. habrochaites (formerly L. hirsutum). An SC accession of S. pennellii, LA0716, is exceptional in having lost the ability to reject self pollen, while retaining the ability to serve as pollen parent on styles of SI accessions of this species (and other SI species, including S. peruvianum and S. lycopersicoides) (Hardon 1967; Rick 1979; Quiros et al. 1986). In this regard, S. pennellii LA0716 conforms to the Lewis and Crowe (1958) model in that it behaves like a transitional form lacking SI function in the pistil but not in the pollen.Unilateral incompatibility may also occur in crosses between populations or races of a single species. In S. habrochaites for example, pollen from SC biotypes located at the northern or southern margins of its geographic range is rejected on pistils of the central, SI populations (Martin 1961, 1963). Furthermore, pollen from the northern SC group is rejected by styles of the southern SC populations. Yet pistils of both SC biotypes are able to reject pollen of cultivated tomato. Thus there appear to be at least three distinct unilateral crossing barriers, just within S. habrochaites, possibly indicating different pollen tube recognition and rejection systems. The F₁ N × S hybrid is SC, as expected, but SI plants are recovered in the F₂ generation, suggesting that the loss of SI occurred via independent mutations in the north and the south (Rick and Chetelat 1991).Interspecific F₁ hybrids between SI wild species and SC cultivated tomato are self-incompatible and reject pollen of cultivated tomato, indicating both traits are at least partially dominant (McGuire and Rick 1954; Martin 1963; Hardon 1967). Interestingly, pollen of the F₁ hybrids is incompatible on pistils of the wild species parent (i.e., including other individuals of the same accessions, but with nonmatching S alleles). This observation suggests that there are dominant factors from cultivated tomato that lead to pollen rejection on styles of the wild species, regardless of the pollen genotype. This apparent sporophytic effect contrasts with the purely gametophytic nature of pollen SI specificity in the Solanaceae (De Nettancourt 1977).Early studies of the inheritance of unilateral incompatibility in tomato suggested the involvement of several genes controlling the pistil response; however, the genetics of pollen responses have received little attention. In F₂ S. habrochaites (northern SC accession) × S. habrochaites (central SI accession), the rejection of pollen from the SC parent segregated as if controlled by one to two dominant genes from the SI accession (Martin 1964). In crosses of S. lycopersicum to both SI and SC accessions of S. pennellii, the intra- and interspecific crossing relations were largely consistent with the Lewis and Crowe (1958) model of stepwise mutation at the S locus (Hardon 1967); there was also evidence of a second barrier in the SC S. pennellii accession. In F₁ and BC₁ hybrids of S. lycopersicum × S. habrochaites, the segregation of unilateral and self-incompatibilities was consistent with the action of two major genes, with minor polygenes indicated as well (Martin 1967). More recently, several QTL underlying pistil-side unilateral and self-incompatibilities were mapped in BC₁ S. lycopersicum × S. habrochaites (Bernacchi and Tanksley 1997); the major QTL for both forms of pollen rejection was located at or near the S locus on chromosome 1, which controls SI specificity (Tanksley and Loaiza-Figueroa 1985).There are little data on pollen-side unilateral incompatibility factors in the tomato clade, or any other system. Our previous work identified two to three genetic loci from S. pennellii that are required for pollen to overcome incompatibility on pistils of S. lycopersicum × S. lycopersicoides or S. lycopersicum × S. sitiens hybrids (Chetelat and Deverna 1991; Pertuze et al. 2003). One of these factors mapped to the S locus, the other two were on chromosomes 6 and 10. In this system the female tester stocks were either diploid or allotriploid hybrids, the latter containing one genome of the wild, SI parent, plus two genomes of cultivated tomato; both types of hybrids reject pollen of cultivated tomato. The pollen parents were either F₁ S. lycopersicum × S. pennellii or bridging lines developed by backcrossing the F₁ to cultivated tomato and selecting for the ability to overcome stylar incompatibility. In the progeny, distorted segregation ratios were observed in which the S. pennellii alleles were preferentially transmitted, indicating linkage to gametophytic factors required forcompatibility.This experimental system has several advantages for detecting pollen (gametophytic) unilateral incompatibility genes. First, pollen-expressed factors are readily distinguished from pistil factors because only the former show linkage to S. pennellii specific markers. Second, pollen rejection is by unilateral, not self-incompatibility, since both species contributing to the pollen genotype, S. lycopersicum and S. pennellii, are SC. Finally, as we describe herein, the rejection of tomato pollen by pistils of the interspecific hybrids is weakened by the decreasing dosage of the S. lycopersicoides genome, which reduces the number of pollen factors required for compatibility. Thus, the gametophytic factors on chromosomes 1 and 6 (denoted hereinafter ui1.1 and ui6.1), when present in the same pollen, are sufficient for full compatibility on pistils of allotriploid interspecific hybrids, whereas they confer only partial compatibility on diploid hybrids.Our overall objectives are to identify the genes underlying both the chromosome 1 and chromosome 6 pollen-specific unilateral incompatibility factors from S. pennellii and to determine the nature of their interaction. Toward this goal, we report herein the high-resolution genetic and physical mapping of the ui6.1 region.     

Development of a Core Set from a Large Rice Collection using a Modified Heuristic Algorithm to Retain Maximum Diversity

A new heuristic approach was undertaken for the establishment of a core set for the diversity research of rice. As a result, 107 entries were selected from the 10 368 characterized accessions. The core set derived using this new approach provided a good representation of the characterized accessions present in the entire collection. No significant differences for the mean, range, standard deviation and coefficient of variation of each trait were observed between the core and existing collections. We also compared the diversity of core sets established using this Heuristic Core Collection （HCC） approach with those of core sets established using the conventional clustering methods. This modified heuristic algorithm can also be used to select genotype data with allelic richness and reduced redundancy, and to facilitate management and use of large collections of plant genetic resources in a more efficient way.     

Aggregation of Cricket Activity in Response to Resource Addition Increases Local Diversity

Crickets are often found feeding on fallen fruits among forest litter. Fruits and other sugar-rich resources are not homogeneously distributed, nor are they always available. We therefore expect that crickets dwelling in forest litter have a limited supply of sugar-rich resource, and will perceive this and displace towards resource-supplemented sites. Here we evaluate how sugar availability affects cricket species richness and abundance in old-growth Atlantic forest by spraying sugarcane syrup on leaf litter, simulating increasing availability, and collecting crickets via pitfall trapping. We found an asymptotic positive association between resource addition and species richness, and an interaction between resource addition and species identity on cricket abundance, which indicates differential effects of resource addition among cricket species. Our results indicate that 12 of the 13 cricket species present in forest litter are maintained at low densities by resource scarcity; this highlights sugar-rich resource as a short-term driver of litter cricket community structure in tropical forests. When resource was experimentally increased, species richness increased due to behavioral displacement. We present evidence that the density of many species is limited by resource scarcity and, when resources are added, behavioral displacement promotes increased species packing and alters species composition. Further, our findings have technical applicability for increasing sampling efficiency of local cricket diversity in studies aiming to estimate species richness, but with no regard to local environmental drivers or species-abundance characteristics.     

EasyCloneMulti: A Set of Vectors for Simultaneous and Multiple Genomic Integrations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used in the biotechnology industry for production of ethanol, recombinant proteins, food ingredients and other chemicals. In order to generate highly producing and stable strains, genome integration of genes encoding metabolic pathway enzymes is the preferred option. However, integration of pathway genes in single or few copies, especially those encoding rate-controlling steps, is often not sufficient to sustain high metabolic fluxes. By exploiting the sequence diversity in the long terminal repeats (LTR) of Ty retrotransposons, we developed a new set of integrative vectors, EasyCloneMulti, that enables multiple and simultaneous integration of genes in S. cerevisiae. By creating vector backbones that combine consensus sequences that aim at targeting subsets of Ty sequences and a quickly degrading selective marker, integrations at multiple genomic loci and a range of expression levels were obtained, as assessed with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter system. The EasyCloneMulti vector set was applied to balance the expression of the rate-controlling step in the β-alanine pathway for biosynthesis of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP). The best 3HP producing clone, with 5.45 g.L^-1 of 3HP, produced 11 times more 3HP than the lowest producing clone, which demonstrates the capability of EasyCloneMulti vectors to impact metabolic pathway enzyme activity.     

Interspecific Diversity of Mitochondrial COI Sequences in Japanese Panonychus Species (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Sequences of a part of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were analyzed in four Japanese Panonychus species to determine their phylogenetic relationships. Neighbor-Joining and maximum likelihood analysis resulted in a high bootstrap support of the relationships within the genus Panonychus. In contrast with a previous study based on ribosomal DNA data, the COI phylogeny suggested that P. mori was more distantly related to P. citri than to P. ulmi. This study shows for the first time that P. osmanthi is closely related to P. citri. Intraspecific variation analysis shows that the genetic distance between two local populations of P. mori is higher than between P. citri and P. osmanthi.     

Incubation of Environmental Samples in a Diffusion Chamber Increases the Diversity of Recovered Isolates

The majority of microorganisms from natural environments cannot be grown in the laboratory. The diffusion-chamber-based approach is an alternative method that allows microorganisms to grow in their natural environment. An inoculum is sandwiched between semipermeable (0.03-μm-pore-size) membranes of the chamber, which is then returned to the source environment. The chamber allows for a free exchange of chemicals with the external milieu by diffusion while restricting the movement of cells. We used freshwater pond sediment to inoculate diffusion chambers and petri dishes. The diffusion chambers were incubated on top of the sediment for 4 weeks. Both chamber and petri dish cultivation resulted in the isolation of numerous representatives of Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria; Actinobacteria; Firmicutes; and Bacteroidetes. However, the diffusion-chamber-based approach also led to the isolation of species from rarely cultivated groups, such as Deltaproteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Spirochaetes, and Acidobacteria. Material from the chambers was also transferred to new chambers in order to learn whether this will increase the recovery of isolates. Several isolates could be obtained only from material transferred through multiple diffusion chambers. This suggests that continuous cultivation in diffusion chambers adapts some microorganisms for growth under otherwise prohibitive in vitro conditions.     

Fine-Structure Analysis of Intercellular and Intracellular Mitochondrial Diversity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Crosses were made between haploid wild-type and suppressive petite strains of bakers' yeast to obtain zygotes for analysis of mitochondrial heterogeneity. Wild-type x petite zygotes contained about 40% noncristate mitochondria when immediate mating mixtures were examined. The frequency of defective mitochondria had decreased to an average of 9.2% in 1-week-old zygote isolate cultures, and to 4.4% in slant cultures 1.5 years after initial zygote isolation. The latter value was not significantly different from values obtained with wild x wild zygotes of either age. The noncristate mitochondria were of two types: one lacking inner membrane invaginations or elaborations and the other containing concentrically arranged loops of inner membrane. The significance of these two types of respiration-deficient mitochondria is unknown. The gradual decrease in frequency of noncristate mitochondria, perhaps due to selection pressures in mixed chondriomes, was discussed as a further indication of the semiautonomous nature of the yeast organelle.