Development of a set of highly polymorphic genomic microsatellites (gSSRs) in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.)

Robust, polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers (simple sequence repeats—SSRs) are valuable tools for a range of tree conservation and breeding applications. SSRs are routinely used in the study of population genetic structure and diversity, pedigree reconstruction and genetic linkage mapping. Their abundance in the genome, co-dominant inheritance and potential for cross-species amplification make microsatellites highly prized markers. This paper characterises 22 novel genomic polymorphic microsatellite loci for Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.). Amplification of DNA from Sitka spruce material was carried out both with a set of unrelated trees to obtain diversity statistics for each locus, and with the progeny of a full-sib family to test simple Mendelian inheritance. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.38 to 0.91 and allele number per locus ranged from 6 to 21, with a mean of 12.2. In addition, the primer pairs were tested with DNA from Norway spruce (P. abies) and white spruce (P. glauca) to investigate their potential for cross-species amplification and ten loci amplified in all three species. The results from these genomic microsatellites are compared to data generated from microsatellites derived from Picea EST libraries. In summary, this novel, highly polymorphic markers represent a significant addition to the rapidly expanding Picea genomics tool-box. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

两种锦鸡和环颈雉线粒体DNA(mtDNA)的比较研究

本文以10种限制性内切酶分析雉科中环颈雉,红腹锦鸡和白腹锦鸡线粒体DNA（mtDNA）。雉属与锦鸡属之间的遗传距离P为0.076（0.067-0.085）,红腹锦鸡与白腹锦鸡的P为0.012。推算雉属和锦鸡属的分化大约发生在3.8×10[6]年以前,红腹锦鸡与白腹锦鸡的分化大约在6×10[5]年以前。这些结果表明：1.在雉科系统发生中,雉属与锦鸡属是近缘的属;2.红腹锦鸡和白腹锦鸡的分化较晚,关系密切,可能只是两个亚种。     

河北小五台山主要植被类型的分布与地形的关系：基于遥感信息的分析

小五台山是河北省最高峰,具有较完整的暖温带植被垂直带谱。本文通过野外群落植被调查,结合由TM遥感影像解译1：50000地形图制作的DEM数据而得到的植被图,分析了小五台山主要植被群落的分布状况及其与地形的关系。结果表明,小五台山从低海拔到高海拔,依次出现灌丛、阔叶林、针阔混交林、暗针叶林、矮林、灌丛、草甸等植被类型。森林景观的面积最大,占总面积的60．7％;平均斑块面积最大的是阔叶林和亚高山草甸,斑块破碎化最严重的是水体和针阔混交林。不同的植被类型在不同的地形条件下分布特点不同,林地在北坡所占面积比例(占总面积的75％)远大于南坡(46%),说明水分条件是小五台山森林分布的限制因子之一;灌丛和草甸与林地相反。随海拔高度的变化,不同植被类型的分布面积比例发生变化,出现替代现象,形成植被垂直带谱。由于坡度的影响,增加了带谱内植被组成的复杂性。     

马铃薯致病疫霉研究进展

马铃薯致病疫霉(Phytophthora infestans)属卵菌纲(Oomycetes)霜霉目(Peronosporales)腐霉科(Pythiaceae)疫霉属(Phytophthora),是马铃薯和番茄晚疫病病原菌。由于晚疫病对马铃薯生产的毁灭性和严重性,对致病疫霉的研究一直是关注的重点。本文首先对病害引起的症状、发生特点及流行规律进行阐述,对有性生殖发生的遗传规律和多种交配型共存的大环境下病原菌群体结构变异特点进行归纳总结。随着2009年致病疫霉基因组测序的完成,本文比对了疫霉属目前已完成测序各个种的基因组学特点,介绍了致病疫霉在效应子克隆方面的研究进展及线粒体基因组研究现状,阐述了功能基因组学的两个重要技术:高密度遗传连锁图谱(high density linkage mapping)和全基因组关联分析(genome-wide association study,GWAS),及其在挖掘致病疫霉重要功能基因上的应用。本文有助于了解致病疫霉研究热点及后续突破方向,可为深入解析致病疫霉的功能基因及致病机制提供参考,对开发马铃薯晚疫病菌药物靶标及预测病害的大规模流行趋势也具有重要意...     

Correlation between the compact regions predicted by the Average Distance Map (ADM) and the biologically active sites in atrial natriuretic peptide

The prediction of the short-range compact regions of human atrial natriuretic peptide (a-hANP), one of the biologically active peptides, has been made by means of the Average Distance Map(ADM). We found out that the location of the predicted short-range compact regions is consistent with the structural units determined by the NMR analysis (Kobayashiet al., 1988). Furthermore, the short-range compact regions correspond well to the biologically active areas of atriopeptin (103–125)-amide (which is homologous peptide toa-hANP), detected by the glycine substitution technique (Konishiet al., 1987). The results suggest that a predicted short-range compact region can be regarded as a possible active site in a biologically active peptide.     

A genome‐wide linkage map for the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) provides insights into the evolutionary history of the avian genome

The house sparrow is an important model species for studying physiological, ecological and evolutionary processes in wild populations. Here, we present a medium density, genome wide linkage map for house sparrow (Passer domesticus) that has aided the assembly of the house sparrow reference genome, and that will provide an important resource for ongoing mapping of genes controlling important traits in the ecology and evolution of this species. Using a custom house sparrow 10 K iSelect Illumina SNP chip we have assigned 6,498 SNPs to 29 autosomal linkage groups, based on a mean of 430 informative meioses per SNP. The map was constructed by combining the information from linkage with that of the physical position of SNPs within scaffold sequences in an iterative process. Averaged between the sexes; the linkage map had a total length of 2,004 cM, with a longer map for females (2,240 cM) than males (1,801 cM). Additionally, recombination rates also varied along the chromosomes. Comparison of the linkage map to the reference genomes of zebra finch, collared flycatcher and chicken, showed a chromosome fusion of the two avian chromosomes 8 and 4A in house sparrow. Lastly, information from the linkage map was utilized to conduct analysis of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in eight populations with different effective population sizes (N_e) in order to quantify the background level LD. Together, these results aid the design of future association studies, facilitate the development of new genomic tools and support the body of research that describes the evolution of the avian genome.     

In Silco Mapping of ESTs from the Turkey (Meleagris Gallopavo)

Sequence similarity was used to predict the position of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in the genome of the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). Turkey EST sequences were compared with the draft assembly of the chicken whole-genome sequence and the chicken EST database by BLASTN. Among the 877 ESTs examined, 788 had significant matches in the chicken genome sequence. Position of orthologous sequences in the chicken genome and the predicted position of the EST loci in the turkey genome are presented. Genetic assignments suggest a high level of accuracy for the COMPASS predictions.     

A gait index may underestimate changes of gait: a comparison of the Movement Deviation Profile and the Gait Deviation Index

The ability of the Movement Deviation Profile (MDP) and Gait Deviation Index (GDI) to detect gait changes was compared in a child with cerebral palsy who underwent game training. Conventional gait analysis showed that sagittal plane angles became mirrored about normality after training. Despite considerable gait changes, the GDI showed minimal change, while the MDP detected a difference equal to a shift between 10-9 on the Functional Assessment Questionnaire scale. Responses of the GDI and MDP were examined during a synthetic transition of the patient's curves from before intervention to a state mirrored about normality. The GDI showed a symmetric response on the two opposite sides of normality but the neural network based MDP gave an asymmetric response reflecting faithfully the unequal biomechanical consequences of joint angle changes. In conclusion, the MDP can detect altered gait even if the changes are missed by the GDI.     

Detection of Architectural Distortion in Prior Mammograms via Analysis of Oriented Patterns

We demonstrate methods for the detection of architectural distortion in prior mammograms of interval-cancer cases based on analysis of the orientation of breast tissue patterns in mammograms. We hypothesize that architectural distortion modifies the normal orientation of breast tissue patterns in mammographic images before the formation of masses or tumors. In the initial steps of our methods, the oriented structures in a given mammogram are analyzed using Gabor filters and phase portraits to detect node-like sites of radiating or intersecting tissue patterns. Each detected site is then characterized using the node value, fractal dimension, and a measure of angular dispersion specifically designed to represent spiculating patterns associated with architectural distortion.Our methods were tested with a database of 106 prior mammograms of 56 interval-cancer cases and 52 mammograms of 13 normal cases using the features developed for the characterization of architectural distortion, pattern classification via quadratic discriminant analysis, and validation with the leave-one-patient out procedure. According to the results of free-response receiver operating characteristic analysis, our methods have demonstrated the capability to detect architectural distortion in prior mammograms, taken 15 months (on the average) before clinical diagnosis of breast cancer, with a sensitivity of 80% at about five false positives per patient.     

LC-MS characterization and purity assessment of a prototype bispecific antibody

Bispecific IgG asymmetric (heterodimeric) antibodies offer enhanced therapeutic efficacy, but present unique challenges for drug development. These challenges are related to the proper assembly of heavy and light chains. Impurities such as symmetric (homodimeric) antibodies can arise with improper assembly. A new method to assess heterodimer purity of such bispecific antibody products is needed because traditional separation-based purity assays are unable to separate or quantify homodimer impurities. This paper presents a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based method for evaluating heterodimeric purity of a prototype asymmetric antibody containing two different heavy chains and two identical light chains. The heterodimer and independently expressed homodimeric standards were characterized by two complementary LC-MS techniques: Intact protein mass measurement of deglycosylated antibody and peptide map analyses. Intact protein mass analysis was used to check molecular integrity and composition. LC-MS^E peptide mapping of Lys-C digests was used to verify protein sequences and characterize post-translational modifications, including C-terminal truncation species. Guided by the characterization results, a heterodimer purity assay was demonstrated by intact protein mass analysis of pure deglycosylated heterodimer spiked with each deglycosylated homodimeric standard. The assay was capable of detecting low levels (2%) of spiked homodimers in conjunction with co-eluting half antibodies and multiple mass species present in the homodimer standards and providing relative purity differences between samples. Detection of minor homodimer and half-antibody C-terminal truncation species at levels as low as 0.6% demonstrates the sensitivity of the method. This method is suitable for purity assessment of heterodimer samples during process and purification development of bispecific antibodies, e.g., clone selection.