Genetic Analysis of the Morphological Differences between Maize and Teosinte

Molecular marker loci were used to investigate the inheritance of morphological traits that distinguish maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) from a closely related wild relative, teosinte (Z. mays ssp. mexicana). Regression and interval mapping analyses gave largely congruent results concerning the numbers of loci controlling the morphological traits and the magnitudes of their effects; however, interval mapping tended to give larger estimates for the magnitudes of the effects of the morphological trait loci. This tendency was exaggerated for traits that were non-normally distributed. Variation for most inflorescence traits is controlled by one or two regions of the genome with large effects plus several other regions with relatively small effects. As such, the data are congruent with a mode of inheritance for most traits involving one or two major loci plus several minor loci. Regions of the genome with large effects on one trait consistently had smaller effects on several other traits, possibly as a result of pleiotropy. Most of the variation for the dramatic differences in inflorescence morphology between maize and teosinte is explained by five restricted regions of the genome. One of these regions encompasses a previously described gene, tb1 (teosinte branched), and the effects of this region on inflorescence architecture are similar to the known effects of tb1. Implications of this work for the genetic basis of morphological evolution in plants are discussed.     

Population Structure of Morphological Traits in Clarkia Dudleyana I. Comparison of F(st) between Allozymes and Morphological Traits

The X-linked white gene when transposed to autosomes retains only partial dosage compensation. One copy of the gene in males expresses more than one copy but less than two copies in females. When inserted in ectopic X chromosome sites, the mini-white gene of the CaspeR vector can be fully dosage compensated and can even achieve hyperdosage compensation, meaning that one copy in males gives more expression than two copies in females. As sequences are removed gradually from the 5' end of the gene, we observe a progressive transition from hyperdosage compensation to full dosage compensation to partial dosage compensation. When the deletion reaches -17, the gene can no longer dosage compensate fully even on the X chromosome. A deletion reaching +173, 4 bp preceeding the AUG initiation codon, further reduces dosage compensation both on the X chromosome and on autosomes. This truncated gene can still partially dosage compensate on autosomes, indicating the presence of dosage compensation determinants in the protein coding region. We conclude that full dosage compensation requires an X chromosome environment and that the white gene contains multiple dosage-compensation determinants, some near the promoter and some in the coding region.     

Adsorption of IgG onto hydrophobic teflon. Differences between the F(ab) and F(c) domains

The effect of differences in the degree of hydrophobicity of protein patches/fragments on the adsorption behaviour of the protein is investigated. The adsorption isotherm of a monoclonal mouse anti-human immunoglobulin G (isotype 2b) onto hydrophobic Teflon particles is measured using a depletion method. The adsorption-induced denaturation of the immunoglobulin as a function of the adsorbed amount is studied by differential scanning calorimetry, and the corresponding rearrangements in the secondary structure of the whole IgG molecule and its F(ab) and F(c) fragments are determined by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The effects of adsorption on the F(ab) and F(c) fragments in the intact IgG molecule occur independently. Adsorption of the whole IgG molecule leads to denaturation of the F(ab) fragments, whereas the F(c) fragment remains unperturbed; adsorption of the isolated fragments results in structural changes in both F(ab) and F(c). The surface hydrophobicity of the isolated fragments was studied by HPLC. These experiments support the hypothesis that differences in the degree of denaturation between F(ab) and F(c) are due to the higher degree of hydrophobicity of the F(ab) fragment. The adsorption-induced changes in the secondary structure are more prominent for the isolated fragments as compared to intact IgG. This is ascribed to the higher flexibility of the isolated fragment, as compared to the fragment in the whole molecule.     

Teosinte Branched1 and the Origin of Maize: Evidence for Epistasis and the Evolution of Dominance

Two quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling differences in plant and inflorescence architecture between maize and its progenitor (teosinte) were analyzed. Complementation tests indicate that one of these, which is on chromosome arm 1L, is the locus for the maize mutant teosinte branched1 (tb1). This QTL has effects on inflorescence sex and the number and length of internodes in the lateral branches and inflorescences. This QTL has strong phenotypic effects in teosinte background but reduced effects in maize background. The second QTL, which is on chromosome arm 3L, affects the same traits as the QTL on 1L. We identify two candidate loci for this QTL. The effects of this QTL on several traits are reduced in both maize and teosinte background as compared to a maize-teosinte F(2) population. Genetic background appears to affect gene action for both QTL. Analysis of a population in which both QTL were segregating revealed that they interact epistatically. Together, these two QTL substantially transform both plant and inflorescence architecture. We propose that tb1 is involved in the teosinte plant's response to local environment to produce either long or short branches and that maize evolution involved a change at this locus to produce short branches under all environments.     

Morphological Comparison of Seven Hypotriploid Populations of Meloidogyne arenaria with the Typical Triploid Populations

A morphological comparison of seven hypotriploid populations of Meloidogyne arenaria was made to clarify their taxonomic status, using light and scanning electron microscopy. All populations differed from each other and from the typical triploid M. arenaria by certain features. Differences were not regarded as sufficient to justify recognition of the variants as distinct species. Morphological divergence of populations from the typical M. arenaria was gradual. The most useful characters were stylet and head morphology of males and stylet morphology of females. Perineal patterns and cephalic, stylet, and tail morphologies of second-stage juveniles were of little taxonomic value. Host races 1 and 2 could not be distinguished morphologically. Populations E445 and E551 with the atypical esterase phenotypes M3-F1 and S1-M1, respectively, were morphologically more similar to the typical M. arenaria than populations E255 and E467, which have the most common A2 esterase phenotype of M. arenaria.     

Differences in the Phenotypic Mean and Variance Between Two Geographically Separated Populations of Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

Intraspecific phenotypic variation between populations separated by large geographic distances is common. Differences in the mean and variance of traits among populations can be used to infer the relative strength, direction, and type of selection on traits. Patterns in the mean provide information on the type of selection, and patterns in variance provide information on the strength of selection. However, interpretation of mean/variance patterns is difficult when two traits are linked and strongly correlated to fitness because it is unlikely that each trait will reach phenotypic optima. In amphibians time to metamorphosis and size at metamorphosis are positively related both phenotypically and genetically. Using a common-garden experiment we investigated whether selection favours shorter time to metamorphosis or increased mass at metamorphosis between two populations which differ in the length of the post-metamorphic growing season by 2–4 weeks. Animals from the population a shorter growing season took longer to reach and metamorphosed at a greater mass, while animals from the population with a longer period for post metamorphic growth reached metamorphosis faster, but at a smaller mass. Greater phenotypic variance was observed in both traits in the population with the shorter growing season. These data suggest that animals from the population with a restricted growth period maximise mass at metamorphosis at the expense of longer larval periods while animals from population with the longer post-metamorphic growth period sacrifice mass at metamorphosis to shorten the larval period and maximise larval survival. Differences in phenotypic variance among populations suggest either directional or diversifying selection has acted on both traits.     

Genetic,Ecological and Morphological Divergence between Populations of the Endangered Mexican Sheartail Hummingbird (Doricha eliza)

The Mexican Sheartail (Doricha eliza), an endangered hummingbird, is endemic to Mexico where two populations have a disjunct distribution. One population is distributed along the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula whereas the other is mostly restricted to central Veracruz. Despite their disjunct distribution, previous work has failed to detect morphological or behavioral differences between these populations. Here we use variation in morphology, mtDNA and nuDNA sequences to determine the degree of morphological and molecular divergence between populations, their divergence time, and historical demography. We use species distribution modeling and niche divergence tests to infer the relative roles of vicariance and dispersal in driving divergence in the genus. Our Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses revealed that Doricha eliza populations form a monophyletic clade and support their sister relationship with D. enicura. We found marked genetic differentiation, with reciprocal monophyly of haplotypes and highly restricted gene flow, supporting a history of isolation over the last 120,000 years. Genetic divergence between populations is consistent with the lack of overlap in environmental space and slight morphological differences between males. Our findings indicate that the divergence of the Veracruz and Yucatan populations is best explained by a combination of a short period of isolation exacerbated by subsequent divergence in climate conditions, and that rather than vicariance, the two isolated ranges of D. eliza are the product of recent colonization and divergence in isolation.     

鼠尾藓不同居群间形态及RAPD 分析

选取采自黑龙江、内蒙古、陕西以及浙江地区的8个居群的鼠尾藓为实验材料,对不同居群的鼠尾藓叶片的形态、叶细胞的大小及植物体的形态进行了观察比较,同时运用随机扩增多态性DNA（RAPD）探讨了鼠尾藓的遗传多样性。利用13条随机引物共获得104个条带,其中多态性条带占84．62％。鼠尾藓各居群间的Dice遗传距离为0．37～0．66。POPGENE32软件分析得到种的Nei基因多样性指数（H）为0．3326,Shannon指数（I）为0．4877,遗传分化系数（GST）为0．3303。形态学观察的结果表明,鼠尾藓的植物体及叶片的形态在居群间变异较小,很好地代表了这个种的特征;而叶细胞的大小及叶尖长度的变异程度较大,说明这些形态特征易受环境影响,代表了种下水平的差异。不同居群的鼠尾藓无论在遗传上还是在形态上都表现出明显的多样性,说明鼠尾藓具有较强的适应环境的能力。     

Inheritance of Oryza sativa endornavirus in F1 and F2 hybrids between japonica and indica rice

We have found a 14 kbp double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in many cultivars of japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.) but not in any cultivars of indica rice. This dsRNA is an RNA replicon with plasmid-like properties and is proposed to be a novel dsRNA virus, Oryza sativa endornavirus (OSV). Reciprocal crosses between the OSV-carrier japonica variety (Nipponbare) and the OSV-free indica variety (IR 26 or Kasalath) were performed to investigate whether OSV can be transmitted to F1 hybrids. When IR 26 and Nipponbare were used, efficient transmission of OSV from ova (93%) and pollen (89%) was observed. When Kasalath and Nipponbare were used, the OSV transmission efficiency to F1 progeny was 68% from ova and 20% from pollen. The transmission of OSV to F2 progeny plants was also complicated, showing non-Mendelian inheritance. These results suggest that the dsRNA replicon (OSV) is unstable in indica rice plants.     

云南省6个松墨天牛种群形态差异分析

对云南省松墨天牛Monochamus alternatus Hope 6个地理种群159个个体体长、前胸背板纵长、前胸背板横宽值及前胸背板斑纹进行了差异系数计算、聚类分析及判别分析.各松墨天牛种群间的差异系数均小于1.28;聚类分析表明,畹町种群形态与其他5个种群差异较大;基于4个形态特征建立的判别函数可以将畹町种群与云南其他种群区别开来.畹町种群与其他松墨天牛种群的形态差异可能由于其遗传差异造成.     

Heritability of Two Morphological Characters within and among Natural Populations of Drosophila melanogaster

Heritabilities of wing length and abdominal bristle number, as well as genetic correlations between these characters, were determined within and among populations of Drosophila melanogaster in nature. Substantial "natural" heritabilities were found when wild-caught flies from one population were compared to their laboratory-reared offspring. Natural heritabilities of bristle number approximated those derived from laboratory-raised parents and offspring, but wing length heritability was significantly lower in nature than in the laboratory. Among-population heritabilities, estimated by regressing population means of wild-caught flies against those of their laboratory-reared descendants, were close to 0.5. The genetic differentiation of populations was clinal with latitude, and was accompanied by significant geographic differences in the norms of reaction to temperature. These clines are similar to those reported on other continents and in other Drosophila species, and are almost certainly caused by natural selection. Genetic regressions between the characters reveal that the cline in bristle number may be a correlated response to geographic selection on wing length, but not vice versa. Our results indicate that there is a sizable genetic component to phenotypic variation within and among populations of D. melanogaster in nature.     

Comparison of Biomass and Metal Uptake between Two Populations ofPhragmites australisGrown in Flooded and Dry Conditions

The biomass and metal concentrations of two populations ofPhragmitesaustraliswere studied by growth in a glasshouse in three amelioratedsubstrata [Mai Po (MP) sediment, fly ash (FA) and lead/zincmine tailings (TL)] under flooded and dry conditions for 90d. Plants were raised from seeds from ‘clean’ (MaiPo, Hong Kong) and metal-contaminated (Plombières, Belgium)sites. Seedling growth was best in fly ash, root dry weightsbeing higher in flooded than dry conditions, and growth poorestin tailings, in which shoot and root dry weights were higherunder dry conditions for both populations. However, in the MPsubstratum conditions did not significantly affect shoot androot dry weights of either population. In the fly ash and tailings,more metals were generally taken up in both roots and shootsin flooded than dry conditions, but there was little differencein the MP substratum. Metal uptake was mostly similar in bothpopulations in seedlings grown in the same substratum, therebeing no clear evidence of ecotypic differentiation.Copyright1998 Annals of Botany Company Biomass, flooded and dry conditions, metal uptake,Phragmites australis.     

两种还田模式下玉米秸秆分解速率的比较

秸秆直接还田具有培肥地力 ,改善土壤理化性状 ,增加作物产量等优点。目前 ,各地玉米秸秆多采用粉碎方式直接还田 ,但投资大 ,费用高。中国农业大学曲周试验站在总结前人基础上 ,结合当地农村实际经济水平和耕作制度 ,提出了玉米秸秆整株还田方法。实践证明 ,整株还田省时省力 ,具有明显经济效益。本文主要探讨玉米秸秆在整株方式和粉碎方式下进行还田时其分解情况 ,从而为玉米秸秆整株还田的可行性提供理论依据。1　研究地区与方法1 1　自然概况曲周县位于河北省南部、太行山山前平原南端、漳河冲积扇下缘。属暖温带半湿润大陆性季风气候区…     

The Morphological and RAPD Analysis in Different Myuroclada maximowiczii (Brachytheciaceae) Populations

The shapes of leaves, sizes of median laminal cells and forms of plants were compared among eight Myuroclada maximowiczii populations from provinces Heilongjiang , Neimenggu , Shanxi and Zhejiang . The genetic diversities of different M. maximowiczii populations were also studied , using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) . 104 RAPD bands from 13 primers were analyzed , of which 84 .62% were polymorphic. The Dice genetic distances among eight M. maximowiczii populations varied from 0. 37 to 0. 66 . POPGENE analysis showed that the Nei’s gene diversity was 0. 3326 , Shannon’s Information index was 0. 4877 , GST was 0 .3303 . According to morphological observations, the shapes of leaves and plants are very stable in populations, which indicate the species characters; but the sizes of median laminal cells and leaf tips are different, suggesting that they are deperdent on environment and could be the subspecies characters. The results show that there are obvious diversities among different M. maximowiczii populations, in light of both genetic and morphological characters. The results indicates that M. maximowiczii can adapt to environment .     

闽江水系绒螯蟹的表型性状差异与分子遗传差异的比较与分析

表型性状差异(differentiation in phenotypictraits,PST)和分子遗传差异(differentiation at neutral molecular markers,FST)是近期进化生物学的研究热点之一。闽江水系是我国中华绒螯蟹与合浦绒螯蟹的主要混杂地域,是研究绒螯蟹遗传与进化的理想地之一。为探讨闽江水系绒螯蟹的PST和FST,以2009和2010年度闽江水系的133个绒螯蟹样本为材料,进行了14个表型数量性状差异分析和6个微卫星标记的遗传差异分析。结果发现:除3个表型性状不存在显著差异外,其他表型性状在不同年份间均存在极显著差异(P<0.01);2009年绒螯蟹的平均期望杂合度极显著高于2010年绒螯蟹(P=0.008),而平均等位基因丰富度、观测杂合度和近交系数均不存在显著差异(P=0.136～0.675);年份间的平均FST为0.1429;通过对PST与FST的比较发现,除第二步足掌节长度(F2)性状外,其他表型数量性状的PST值均高于FST值,表明这些性状均受到了较明显的选择压力。该文研究结果为绒螯蟹的分子进化研究积累了资料,也为其他水产生物的PST和FST比较研究提供了参考。     

Ecological and Genetic Differences between Cacopsylla melanoneura (Hemiptera,Psyllidae) Populations Reveal Species Host Plant Preference

The psyllid Cacopsylla melanoneura is considered one of the vectors of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’, the causal agent of apple proliferation disease. In Northern Italy, overwintered C. melanoneura adults reach apple and hawthorn around the end of January. Nymph development takes place between March and the end of April. The new generation adults migrate onto conifers around mid-June and come back to the host plant species after overwintering. In this study we investigated behavioural differences, genetic differentiation and gene flow between samples of C. melanoneura collected from the two different host plants. Further analyses were performed on some samples collected from conifers. To assess the ecological differences, host-switching experiments were conducted on C. melanoneura samples collected from apple and hawthorn. Furthermore, the genetic structure of the samples was studied by genotyping microsatellite markers. The examined C. melanoneura samples performed better on their native host plant species. This was verified in terms of oviposition and development of the offspring. Data resulting from microsatellite analysis indicated a low, but statistically significant difference between collected-from-apple and hawthorn samples. In conclusion, both ecological and genetic results indicate a differentiation between C. melanoneura samples associated with the two host plants.     

A Rapid and Efficient Method for Assessing Pathogenicity of Ustilago maydis on Maize and Teosinte Lines

Maize is a major cereal crop worldwide. However, susceptibility to biotrophic pathogens is the primary constraint to increasing productivity. U. maydis is a biotrophic fungal pathogen and the causal agent of corn smut on maize. This disease is responsible for significant yield losses of approximately $1.0 billion annually in the U.S.¹ Several methods including crop rotation, fungicide application and seed treatments are currently used to control corn smut². However, host resistance is the only practical method for managing corn smut. Identification of crop plants including maize, wheat, and rice that are resistant to various biotrophic pathogens has significantly decreased yield losses annually^3-5. Therefore, the use of a pathogen inoculation method that efficiently and reproducibly delivers the pathogen in between the plant leaves, would facilitate the rapid identification of maize lines that are resistant to U. maydis. As, a first step toward indentifying maize lines that are resistant to U. maydis, a needle injection inoculation method and a resistance reaction screening method was utilized to inoculate maize, teosinte, and maize x teosinte introgression lines with a U. maydis strain and to select resistant plants.Maize, teosinte and maize x teosinte introgression lines, consisting of about 700 plants, were planted, inoculated with a strain of U. maydis, and screened for resistance. The inoculation and screening methods successfully identified three teosinte lines resistant to U. maydis. Here a detailed needle injection inoculation and resistance reaction screening protocol for maize, teosinte, and maize x teosinte introgression lines is presented. This study demonstrates that needle injection inoculation is an invaluable tool in agriculture that can efficiently deliver U. maydis in between the plant leaves and has provided plant lines that are resistant to U. maydis that can now be combined and tested in breeding programs for improved disease resistance.