Matrix attachment regions (MARs) enhance transformation frequency and transgene expression in poplar

We tested the value of a matrix attachment region (MAR) fragment derived from a tobacco gene for increasing the frequency of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. A binary vector that carried a GUS reporter gene containing an intron and an nptII gene was modified to contain flanking MAR elements within the T-DNA borders. Vectors containing or lacking MARs were then used to transform tobacco, a readily transformabl e poplar clone (Populus tremula × P. alba), and a recalcitrant poplar clone (Populus trichocarpa × P. deltoides). MARs increased GUS gene expression approximately 10-fold in the two hybrid poplar clones and twofold in tobacco one month after cocultivation with Agrobacterium; MARs also increased the frequency of kanamycin-resistant poplar shoots recovered     

应用SWAT模型研究潮河流域土地利用和气候变化对径流的影响

为定量分析潮河流域土地利用和气候变化对流域径流变化的影响,应用SWAT模型对流域上游至下游的大阁、戴营和下会3个水文站径流进行模拟,采用情景法分析径流对土地利用和气候变化的响应。在模型校准期和验证期采用两个参数:p因子和r因子来评价模拟的拟合度及不确定性。结果表明,3个水文站在校准期和验证期的p因子值分别为:0.70和0.77,0.87和0.82,0.92和0.78,r因子值分别为0.63和0.90,0.97和0.79,0.88和0.92,评价整个流域模拟有效性的模型目标函数g最佳值为0.66,说明该模型对潮河流域的产水量模拟具有很好的适用性。以1981—1990年为基准期,1991—2000年流域土地利用变化造成年径流量减少了4.10 mm,而气候变化导致年径流增加了29.68 mm;2001—2009年土地利用变化造成年径流量减少2.98mm,气候变化造成年径流量减少了14.30 mm。与1999年土地利用条件模拟径流值相比,几种极端情景法模拟分析结果表明:灌木林地情景下年径流增加了158.2%,草地情景下年径流增加了4.1%,林地和耕地情景下年径流分别减少23.7%和41.7%;不同气候变异情景模拟结果显示,径流对降水的变化敏感性高于对温度变化的敏感性,降水每增加10%,径流平均增加23.9%。温度每增加12%,径流平均减少6%。因此,在气候变化背景下,优化土地利用结构与方式是实现流域水资源科学管理的途径之一。     

Systematic reinstatement of Schilbe depressirostris (Peters, 1852), based on differences in DNA barcoding and morphology,from Schilbe intermedius Rüppell, 1832 (Siluriformes,Schilbeidae)

Climate change poses an unprecedented threat to biodiversity worldwide. Consequently, unrecognised taxa may not receive adequate conservation attention to survive. We used molecular and morphological data to address the challenge of species delimitation within the genus Schilbe. The presence or absence of an adipose fin and distribution based on east-flowing, conceivably faster-flowing, or west-flowing, probably more slow-flowing, river systems were considered. Distinctive geographic patterns in genetic variation within southern, eastern, and western African populations were revealed. Particularly, the South African population is distinct from those of Namibia, Botswana and Nigeria. No individuals with rudimentary adipose fins were found at any locality, but specimens from three localities either had or did not have adipose fins. These mixed occurrences are suspected to be a result of human interventions, and that the presence of rudimentary adipose fins in the east African species could be an adaptive feature that serves to stabilise these fish in faster currents. In addition, the genetic divergence observed among African silver catfish from geographically isolated river systems is conceivably the result of micro-evolutionary adaptive responses to different environmental conditions. Collectively, these results distinguish S. depressirostris from S. intermedius.     

Comparisons of the molecular evolutionary process at rbcL and ndhF in the grass family (Poaceae)

We examine rate heterogeneity among evolutionary lineages of the grass family at two plasmid loci, ndhF and rbcL, and we introduce a method to determine whether patterns of rate heterogeneity are correlated between loci. We show both that rates of synonymous evolution are heterogeneous among grass lineages and that are heterogeneity is correlated between loci at synonymous sites. At nonsynonymous sites, the pattern of rate heterogeneity is not correlated between loci, primarily due to an aberrant pattern of rate heterogeneity at nonsynonymous sites of rbcL. We compare patterns of synonymous rate heterogeneity to predictors based on the generation time effect and the speciation rate hypotheses. Although there is some evidence for generation time effects, neither generation time effects nor speciation rates appear to be sufficient to explain patterns of rate heterogeneity in the grass plastid sequences.      

Callus formation from protoplasts of cell suspension cultures of Rosa 'Paul's Scarlet'

Sustained divisions of protoplast-derived cells obtained from cell suspension cultures of Rosa‘Paul's Scarlet’ leading to colony and callus formation was achieved. The rather low plating efficiencies observed for agar-plated protoplasts were partly due to early arrests in further development of dividing protoplast-derived cells and cell clusters. Successful cultivation of dividing protoplast-derived cells was particularly dependent upon frequent subculturing of the precultures and on an efficient procedure for viable protoplast isolation. Colony formation was largely independent of medium composition.     

Detecting substitution-rate heterogeneity among regions of a nucleotide sequence

Likelihood-ratio statistics are proposed to test for heterogeneity in nucleotide substitution rate among regions of a DNA sequence. The tests examine three-sequence phylogenies, and two specific tests are proposed: a test to detect rate heterogeneity among genic regions within a sequence, over all evolutionary lineages; and a test to detect rate heterogeneity among regions in a specific evolutionary lineage. Simulations examine the ability of tests to detect a single region that varies in nucleotide substitution rate relative to the remainder of the sequence. A 50-bp region with a fivefold substitution-rate increase can be detected > or = 90% of the time when it is found in all three lineages of the phylogeny, and a 50-bp region of fivefold rate increase can be detected with approximately 70% power when it is found in only one evolutionary lineage. Simulation also examines the effect of transition- and transversion-rate differences. The tests are applied to published DNA sequences. While the tests are powerful, significant results can be difficult to interpret biologically.