Epicuticular Wax Columns in CultivatedBrassicaSpecies and in their Close Wild Relatives

Three different types of epicuticular wax columns were foundinBrassicaspecies with a chromosome number (n)=9: long columns(LC), short columns (SC) and netted columns (NC). LC were foundinB. incanaandB. rupestris.SC were found inB. villosa, B. macrocarpa,B. cretica, B. hilarionisand also inB. montana. B. insulariscolumnswere intermediate. NC waxes were found inB. oleraceaand itsclose alliesB. alboglabraandB. bourgeaui.Samples ofB. rapa (n=10)andB.nigra (n=8)examined did not show any wax columns but their amphidiploidswithB. oleracea (B. napusandB. carinata,respectively) seemedto inherit the NC type of wax present inB. oleracea.Copyright1999 Annals of Botany Company Brassica, waxes, wax columns, leaf surface.     

A Numerical Taxonomic Study of Citrus and Its Close Relatives

Fifty nine taxa of Citrus, Fortunella and Poncirus were studied by hierarchical agglomerative clustering analysis and quantas type 3 analysis using 86 morphological characters. Five affinity groups were obtained in Citrus. The first group includes C. medica, C. limon, C. limonia, C. aurantifolia and C. iambhiri; the second includes C. grandis, C. aurantium, C. sinensis and C. paradisi; the third is mandarin (C. reticulata); the forth is C. ichangensis; The last is C. hongheensis. Mandarin oranges show two subgroups: one comprise satsuma, King, Shagan, Tankan and Bendiguangju, and the other consists of the remaining typical mandrins. The two papeda oranges, honghe papeda and ichang papeda, could not be clustered into the same group, indicating that they might have evolved from two compeletly different ancestors. Pumelos(C. grandis) show some relationships to honghe papeda orange. C. limonia is assumed to be a hybrid between rough lemon and mandarin. The sweet orange(C. sinensis) is considered to be the offspring of pomelo and mandarin. Zhekiang jinju a small mandarin generally considered similar to calamondin in China, should be a true mandarin orange based on our results. Poncirus was well distinguished from the other two genera, Citrus and Fortunella, by the numerical methods used in this study. Our results show that citron (C. medica), mandarin (C. reticulata) and pumelo (C. grandis) are the original species of the subgenus Citrus, which was congruent with the re-sults obtained by Barrett and Soost (1976), Potvin (1983) and Handa (1985).     

Diploidization failure and apomixis in Orobanchaceae

Precise synapsis is an essential condition for maintaining regular meiosis. Many permanent hybrids and polyploids in which meiosis is unbalanced rely on alternative reproductive systems. In Orobanchaceae, irregular meiosis seems to be the rule, and alternative means of reproduction are suggested, involving parthenogenesis and pseudogamy.     

Wanderings of Hobo: A Transposon in Drosophila Melanogaster and its Close Relatives

The transposon hobo is present in the genomes of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans (and D. mauritiana and probably D. sechellia, based on Southern blots) as full-size elements and internally deleted copies. The full-size melanogaster, simulans and mauritiana hobo elements are 99.9% identical at the DNA sequence level, and internally deleted copies in these species essentially differ only in having deletions. In addition to these, hobo-related sequences are present and detectable with a hobo probe in all these species. Those in D. melanogaster are 86-94% identical to the canonical hobo, but with many indels. We have sequenced one that appears to be inserted in heterochromatin (GenBank Acc. No. AF520587). It is 87.6% identical to the canonical hobo, but quite fragmented by indels, with remnants of other transposons inserted in and near it, and clearly is defunct. Numerous similar elements are found in the sequenced D. melanogaster genome. It has recently been shown that some are fixed in the euchromatic genome, but it is probable that still more reside in heterochromatic regions not included in the D. melanogaster genome database. They are probably all relics of an earlier introduction of hobo into the ancestral species. There appear to have been a minimum of two introductions of hobo into the melanogaster subgroup, and more likely three, two ancient and one quite recent. The recent introduction of hobo was probably followed by transfers between the extant species (whether 'horizontally' or by infrequent interspecific hybridization).     

Strong Positive Selection Drives Rapid Diversification of R-Genes in Arabidopsis Relatives

Although plant resistance (R) genes are extremely diverse and evolve rapidly, little is known about the mechanisms that generate this sequence divergence. To investigate these forces, we compared all nucleotide binding sites and leucine-rich repeat R-genes between two closely related species, Arabidopsis thaliana and Arabidopsis lyrata. Our analyses revealed two distinct evolutionary patterns driven by either positive or stabilizing selection. Most R-genes (>50%) were evolving under strong positive selection characterized by high Ka/Ks ratios (>1), frequent recombination, copy number variation, and extremely high sequence divergence between the two species. The stably selected R-genes (<30%) have exactly the opposite four characters as the positively selected genes. The remaining R-genes (about 20%) are present in only one genome and absent from the other. A higher proportion of such genes were found to be part of TNL class (23.5%) compared to the non-TNL class (5.6%), suggesting different evolutionary patterns between these two groups. A significant correlation between Ka and divergence was revealed, indicating that the rapid evolution and diversification of R-genes were initiated by selectively generated, frequently shuffled and selectively maintained non-synonymous substitutions. Our genome-wide analyses confirmed an amazing mechanism by which plants to selectively accumulate and efficiently exploit these non-synonymous substitutions for their resistance to various pathogens.     

Fluorescent Heteroduplex Assay for Monitoring Bacillus anthracis and Close Relatives in Environmental Samples

A fluorescent heteroduplex method was developed to assess the presence of 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) sequences from Bacillus anthracis and close relatives in PCR-amplified 16S rDNA sequence mixtures from environmental samples. The method uses a single-stranded, fluorescent DNA probe, 464 nucleotides in length, derived from a B. anthracis 16S rRNA gene. The probe contains a unique, engineered deletion such that all probe-target duplexes are heteroduplexes with an unpaired G at position 343 (ΔG343). Heteroduplex profiles of sequences ≥85% similar to the probe were produced using an ABI 377 sequencer in less than 3 h. The method divides strains of the Bacillus cereus-Bacillus thuringiensis-B. anthracis group into two subgroups. Each subgroup is defined by a specific 16S rRNA gene sequence type. Sequence type A, containing one mismatch with the probe, occurs in B. anthracis and a small number of closely related clonal lineages represented mostly by food-borne pathogenic isolates of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis. Sequence type B, containing two mismatches with the probe, is found in the majority of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis strains examined to date. Sequence types A and B, when hybridized to the probe, generate two easily differentiated heteroduplexes. Thus, from heteroduplex profiles, the presence of B. cereus-B. thuringiensis-B. anthracis subgroups in environmental samples can be inferred unambiguously. The results show that fluorescent heteroduplex analysis is an effective profiling technique for detection and differentiation of sequences representing small phylogenetic or functional groups in environmental samples.     

Gene Flow and Natural Selection in the Origin of Drosophila Pseudoobscura and Close Relatives

The divergence of Drosophila pseudoobscura and close relatives D. persimilis and D. pseudoobscura bogotana has been studied using comparative DNA sequence data from multiple nuclear loci. New data from the Hsp82 and Adh regions, in conjunction with existing data from Adh and the Period locus, are examined in the light of various models of speciation. The principal finding is that the three loci present very different histories, with Adh indicating large amounts of recent gene flow among the taxa, while little or no gene flow is apparent in the data from the other loci. The data were compared with predictions from several isolation models of divergence. These models include no gene flow, and they were found to be incompatible with the data. Instead the DNA data, taken together with other evidence, seem consistent with divergence models in which natural selection acts against gene flow at some loci more than at others. This family of models includes some sympatric and parapatric speciation models, as well as models of secondary contact and subsequent reinforcement of sexual isolation.     

西瓜与近缘种亲缘关系的比较基因组原位杂交分析

物种间亲缘关系的研究是杂交育种的理论基础,野生西瓜在西瓜育种中具有重要作用,然而目前对西瓜属物种间亲缘关系的研究十分有限,而且对西瓜属物种的分类问题还存在分歧.比较基因组原位杂交是分析物种间亲缘关系的有效手段,本研究以西瓜基因组DNA作探针,分别对缺须西瓜、热迷西瓜、药西瓜和诺丹西瓜有丝分裂中期染色体进行了比较基因组原位杂交分析,揭示了西瓜属物种间的亲缘关系,同时对分类地位尚存在争议的诺丹西瓜的归属问题进行了分析,发现诺丹西瓜和甜瓜之间具有非常近的亲缘关系,本研究结果为西瓜与近缘种间的远缘杂交提供了重要的理论依据.     

Social Interaction is Necessary for Discrimination between and Memory for Odours of Close Relatives in Golden Hamsters

The role of social experience in recognition of individuals and their odours is not well understood. In a previous study, hamsters discriminated between the odours of their familiar litter mates, but they did not discriminate between the odours of two males or two females from a different litter that were unfamiliar to them. In this paper the role of social experience in discrimination between odours of male litter mates is examined using habituation techniques. Males, tested 1.5–2 mo after separation from their litter mates, discriminated between the flank gland odours of their foster brothers, but they did not discriminate between flank odours from their unfamiliar brothers that had been reared by another mother (Expt. 1). In Expt. 2, adult males did not discriminate between the flank gland odours of two males from a different litter after a week of exposure across a barrier to their sights, sounds, and odours, but subjects did discriminate between the odours of these same males after five brief encounters with them. A month after the encounters, however, subjects no longer discriminated between these odours. In contrast, adult males discriminated between the flank odours of their brothers 9 mo after separation from them (Expt. 3). These results suggest that hamsters must have direct interactions with closely related individuals to discriminate between their odours because the odours of close kin are so similar. Experience with nest mates results in long-lasting memories for their odours.     

Diploidization in megagametophyte-derived cultures of the gymnosperm Larix decidua

Tested haploid embryogenic lines (n=12) of Larix dedicua Mill, initiated from megagametophyte tissue were maintained on half-strength LM medium without growth regulators. The cultures were analyzed for ploidy level after 1–9 years. All lines tested were found to have doubled (2n=24) their chromosome number at the end of the experiment, though there were a few lines that still gave occasional haploid counts. Flow cytometric data of embryogenic tissue confirmed these results. Protoplasts were stained in ethidium bromide, and cultured human leucocytes and chicken erythrocytes were used as internal standards. Haploid megagametophytes from immature seeds of L. decidua and known diploid culture lines of a related hybrid (L. x eurolepis) were also analyzed by flow cytometry. Haploid reference material had 12.3–13.6 pg DNA per cell, whereas formerly haploid callus lines had an average of 25.0 pg DNA per cell. The one exception was a known, genetically unstable line of L. decidua (34.8 pg DNA per cell). The diploid cell line of L. x eurolepis had 27.6 pg DNA per cell. The results show that spontaneous diploidization of megagametophyte lines is relatively rapid and that both haploid and dihaploid lines are embryogenic in larch.     

宁夏固原地区农村回、汉族近亲结婚的调查

固原地区位于宁夏南部山区,共辖６县,总人口１６２．２万,其中回族占４６．２％。当地经济、文化等条件都非常落后,加之风俗习惯的影响,致使本地近亲婚配多见,尤其回族较多,出生遗传缺陷也较多。在加拿大基金会的援助下,我所于１９９２年８月对本地区农村的回、汉...     

Potential for Powered Flight Neared by Most Close Avialan Relatives,but Few Crossed Its Thresholds

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中国西藏近缘野生大麦5S rDNA NTS序列分析

选取来自西藏不同地理区域的17份近缘野生大麦材料和1份国外的近缘野生大麦材料,利用直接PCR、T-载体转化克隆、克隆产物测序的方法获得了它们的5S核糖体DNANTS（Nontranscribed intergenic spacer）序列。对这些序列进行测定、分析和比较,构建了分子系统树。结果表明,西藏近缘野生大麦NTS序列包括两段相对保守的保守区A和保守区B以及一段变异较大的变异区V,变异区由若干个TAG碱基的重复序列构成。两段保守区总长度为168～169bp,长度变异较小,仅相差1bp。保守区的GC％含量为43．8％,其中有12个核甘酸位点发生变异（占总核甘酸数目的7．1％）,变异位点基本上是颠换多于转换,颠换／转换率为1．0～2．0。变异区中TAG重复序列的重复次数从4到17次,而且有部分TAG重复发生了颠换和转换（TAG→TCG,TAG→TAC）。TAG重复序列的多态性是决定NTS序列多态性的主要因素。对西藏近缘野生大麦和麦属其他作物的比较,认为rDNA NTS适合作为属内分类的分子标记。     

A Study on Chemical Components of Essential Oils from Citrus bergamia and Its Close Relatives and Its Taxonomy

Citrus bergamia Risso. is a rare perfumery plant. Taxonomists have different views on the taxonomy of C. bergamia. Chemical components of leaf and peel essential oils from C. bergamia, and its close relatives, C. limon, C. aurantifolia and three varieties of C. aurantium, were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The analytical result shows that the chemical compositions of the leaf essential oils from C. bergamia are basically the same as those from three varieties of C. aurantium. Their main components are linalool (29.19-39.75% )and linalyl acetate (24.73-30.24% )etc., and contents of other components are also similar. But their peel essential oils are different. The peel essential oils from C. bergamia contain less limonene (29.94%) than those from C. aurantium (92.55-94.31% ) and less beta-pinene (3.00%) and y-terpinene(3.48% )than those from C. limon or C. aurantifolia (respectiyely 9.16% and 10.42% ) . The peel essential oils from C. bergamia contain not only as much linalool (22.20%) and linalyl acetate (32.66%)as those in the leaf essential oils from C. aurantium, but also as much limonene(29.94% )as that in the peel essential oils from C. limon or C. aurantifolia . The contents of limonene are close to those of the essential oils from C. aurantifolia. This result shows that C. bergamia may be a natural hybrid between C.aurantium and C. aurantifolia, as proposed by Sinclair W. B.     

Genomic Resources for Gene Discovery,Functional Genome Annotation,and Evolutionary Studies of Maize and Its Close Relatives

Maize is one of the most important food crops and a key model for genetics and developmental biology. A genetically anchored and high-quality draft genome sequence of maize inbred B73 has been obtained to serve as a reference sequence. To facilitate evolutionary studies in maize and its close relatives, much like the Oryza Map Alignment Project (OMAP) (www.OMAP.org) bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) resource did for the rice community, we constructed BAC libraries for maize inbred lines Zheng58, Chang7-2, and Mo17 and maize wild relatives Zea mays ssp. parviglumis and Tripsacum dactyloides. Furthermore, to extend functional genomic studies to maize and sorghum, we also constructed binary BAC (BIBAC) libraries for the maize inbred B73 and the sorghum landrace Nengsi-1. The BAC/BIBAC vectors facilitate transfer of large intact DNA inserts from BAC clones to the BIBAC vector and functional complementation of large DNA fragments. These seven Zea Map Alignment Project (ZMAP) BAC/BIBAC libraries have average insert sizes ranging from 92 to 148 kb, organellar DNA from 0.17 to 2.3%, empty vector rates between 0.35 and 5.56%, and genome equivalents of 4.7- to 8.4-fold. The usefulness of the Parviglumis and Tripsacum BAC libraries was demonstrated by mapping clones to the reference genome. Novel genes and alleles present in these ZMAP libraries can now be used for functional complementation studies and positional or homology-based cloning of genes for translational genomics.     

The Speciation History of Drosophila Pseudoobscura and Close Relatives: Inferences from DNA Sequence Variation at the Period Locus

Thirty-five period locus sequences from Drosophila pseudoobscura and its siblings species, D. p. bogotana, D. persimilis, and D. miranda, were studied. A large amount of variation was found within D. pseudoobscura and D. persimilis, consistent with histories of large effective population sizes. D. p. bogotana, however, has a severe reduction in diversity. Combined analysis of per with two other loci, in both D. p. bogotana and D. pseudoobscura, strongly suggest this reduction is due to recent directional selection at or near per within D. p. bogotana. Since D. p. bogotana is highly variable and shares variation with D. pseudoobscura at other loci, the low level of variation at per within D. p. bogotana can not be explained by a small effective population size or by speciation via founder event. Both D. pseudoobscura and D. persimilis have considerable intraspecific gene flow. A large portion of one D. persimilis sequence appears to have arisen via introgression from D. pseudoobscura. The time of this event appears to be well after the initial separation of these two species. The estimated times since speciation are one mya for D. pseudoobscura and D. persimilis and 2 mya since the formation of D. miranda.     

Fast and Precise: How to Measure Meiotic Crossovers in Arabidopsis

During meiosis, homologous chromosomes (homologs) pair and undergo genetic recombination via assembly and disassembly of the synaptonemal complex. Meiotic recombination is initiated by excess formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), among which a subset are repaired by reciprocal genetic exchange, called crossovers (COs). COs generate genetic variations across generations, profoundly affecting genetic diversity and breeding. At least one CO between homologs is essential for the first meiotic chromosome segregation, but generally only one and fewer than three inter-homolog COs occur in plants. CO frequency and distribution are biased along chromosomes, suppressed in centromeres, and controlled by pro-CO, anti-CO, and epigenetic factors. Accurate and high-throughput detection of COs is important for our understanding of CO formation and chromosome behavior. Here, we review advanced approaches that enable precise measurement of the location, frequency, and genomic landscapes of COs in plants, with a focus on Arabidopsis thaliana.