Heterogeneous inbred family (HIF) analysis: a method for developing near-isogenic lines that differ at quantitative trait loci

Abtract  Analysis of near-isogenic lines (NILs) that differ at quantitative trait loci (QTL) can be an effective approach for the detailed mapping and characterization of individual loci. Although NILs are useful for genetic and physiological studies, the time and effort required to develop these lines have limited their use. Here we describe a procedure to identify NILs for any region of the genome that can be analyzed with molecular or other genetic markers. The procedure utilizes molecular markers to identify heterogeneous inbred families (HIFs) that segregate for a genomic region of interest. Each HIF is isogenic at the majority of loci in the genome, but NILs differing for markers linked to QTL of interest can be extracted from segregating families. The application of this procedure is described for two QTL associated with seed weight in sorghum. A population of 98 HIFs was screened with two RAPD markers from different linkage groups that were associated with seed weight. Three segregating families were identified for each marker. The progeny of these HIFs were characterized for the segregation of seed weight and other yield components and for markers flanking each QTL. NILs derived from each HIF had significantly different seed weights confirming the presence of at least two loci that influence seed weight in sorghum. Received: 16 September 1996 / Accepted: 25 April 1997     

Role of the Ring Methyl Groups in Abscisic Acid Activity in Erucic Acid Accumulation in Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.)

Modification of the structure of abscisic acid (ABA) has been reported to result in modification of its physiologic activity. In this study we tested the effect of removing methyl groups from the ring and of chirality of ABA on activity in microspore-derived embryos of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). The natural (+)-ABA molecule induced growth inhibition and an increase in the amount of erucic acid accumulated in the oil at medium concentrations less than 1 μm. (−)-ABA showed similar effects. Removing the 7′-methyl group resulted in a dramatic decrease in activity: (+)-7′-demethyl-ABA retained some activity as a growth inhibitor; a 10–100 μm concentration of this compound was needed for a response, and (−)-7′-demethyl-ABA was almost completely inactive. Similar effects were observed with regard to elongase activity, which catalyzes erucic acid biosynthesis from oleic acid. Removal of the 8′- and 9′-methyl groups resulted in a more complex response. These compounds all showed intermediate activity; for growth inhibition, the presence of the 9′-methyl was the more important determinant, whereas chirality dominated the response on erucic acid accumulation, with the (+)-enantiomers being more active. Received July 25, 1997; accepted October 31, 1997     

南川升麻种子休眠与萌发的研究

南川升麻（ＣｉｍｉｃｉｆｕｇａｎａｎｃｈｕａｎｅｎｓｉｓＨｓｉａｏ）的种子自然脱落时尚处于球形胚发育阶段,需要长时间的越冬过程才能完成胚的后熟。室内采用低温湿润或不同浓度的ＧＡ３处理,可以不同程度地加快其胚的后熟过程。休眠种子用０．１ｇ／ＬＧＡ３处理１周后,在低温（１～５℃）湿润条件下存放约９０ｄ,萌发率可达到７０％以上。     

One size fits all? Determinants of sperm transfer in a highly dimorphic orb‐web spider

The evolutionary significance of widespread hypo‐allometric scaling of genital traits in combination with rapid interspecific genital trait divergence has been of key interest to evolutionary biologists for many years and remains poorly understood. Here, we provide a detailed assessment of quantitative genital trait variation in males and females of the sexually highly dimorphic and cannibalistic orb‐weaving spider Argiope aurantia. We then test how this trait variation relates to sperm transfer success. In particular, we test specific predictions of the one‐size‐fits‐all and lock‐and‐key hypotheses for the evolution of genital characters. We use video‐taped staged matings in a controlled environment with subsequent morphological microdissections and sperm count analyses. We find little support for the prediction of the one‐size‐fits‐all hypothesis for the evolution of hypo‐allometric scaling of genital traits, namely that intermediate trait dimensions confer highest sperm transfer success. Likewise, our findings do not support the prediction of the lock‐and‐key hypothesis that a tight fit of male and female genital traits mediates highest sperm transfer success. We do, however, detect directional effects of a number of male and female genital characters on sperm transfer, suggesting that genital trait dimensions are commonly under selection in nature. Importantly, even though females are much larger than males, spermatheca size limits the number of sperm transferred, contradicting a previous hypothesis about the evolutionary consequences of genital size dimorphism in extremely size‐dimorphic taxa. We also find strong positive effects of male body size and copulation duration on the probability of sperm transfer and the number of sperm transferred, with implications for the evolution of extreme sexual size dimorphism and sexual cannibalism in orb weavers.     

重庆市种子植物区系特征分析

对重庆市种子植物区系进行了研究,其区系特征如下:(1)植物种类和区系组成丰富,共分布有野生种子植物208科1 127属4 764种,其科包含12种分布型和13个变型,属包含15种分布型和23个变型;(2)科的区系组成以热带成分占主要,总共包含83科,达到重庆地区种子植物总科数的39.90%,这说明重庆种子植物区系带有一定的热带亲缘关系.属的区系组成以热带成分最多,达到454属,占重庆市种子植物总属数的40.28%,表明重庆地区种子植物区系的热带亲缘关系较强;(3)特有现象明显,虽然本地区分布的特有科属相对较少,但特有种丰富.     

人工饲养条件下眼斑芫菁不同发育阶段斑蝥素含量的变化

【目的】分析人工饲养条件下眼斑芫菁Mylabris cichorii Linnaeus不同发育阶段体内斑蝥素含量的变化。【方法】收集不同发育阶段的眼斑芫菁,通过热碱浸提法提取斑蝥素,而后以气相色谱法检测含量。【结果】在幼虫期,1龄幼虫斑蝥素相对含量最高,2龄幼虫斑蝥素相对含量降到最低点;以后随着虫体的发育,幼虫体重和斑蝥素含量都逐渐增加。羽化后的成虫经隔离饲养,雄虫在羽化后5～30天大量合成斑蝥素,而雌虫体内斑蝥素含量则极低,具有典型的性二型现象;雌雄混合饲养组中,20～30天雌虫体内可以检测到大量斑蝥素,而同期雄虫斑蝥素含量远低于隔离饲养组。【结论】幼虫期斑蝥素含量随虫体发育而增加;成虫期主要由雄虫合成斑蝥素。混合饲养组成虫平均单头斑蝥素含量高于隔离饲养组雌雄虫平均斑蝥素含量。成虫身体各部位的斑蝥素含量以腹部最高,胸部次之。     

The effect of host developmental stage at parasitism on sex‐related size differentiation in a larval endoparasitoid

• 1 For their larval development, parasitoids depend on the quality and quantity of resources provided by a single host. Therefore, a close relationship is predicted between the size of the host at parasitism and the size of the emerging adult wasp. This relationship is less clear for koinobiont than for idiobiont parasitoids.
• 2 As size differentiation in host species exhibiting sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is likely to occur already during larval development, in koinobiont larval endoparasitoids the size of the emerging adult may also be constrained based on the sex of the host caterpillar.
• 3 Sex‐specific growth trajectories were compared in unparasitised Plutella xylostella caterpillars and in second and fourth instar hosts that were parasitised by the solitary larval koinobiont endoparasitoid Diadegma semiclausum. Both species exhibit SSD, where females are significantly larger than males.
• 4 Healthy female P. xylostella caterpillars developed significantly faster than their male conspecifics. Host regulation induced by D. semiclausum parasitism depended on the instar attacked. Parasitism in second‐instar caterpillars reduced growth compared to healthy unparasitised caterpillars, whereas parasitism in fourth‐instar caterpillars arrested development. The reduction in growth was most pronounced in hosts producing male D. semiclausum.
• 5 Parasitism itself had the largest impact on host growth. SSD in the parasitoid is mainly the result of differences in growth rate of the parasitoid–host complex producing male and female wasps and differences in exploitation of the host resources. Female wasps converted host biomass more efficiently into adult biomass than males.

     

Effects of population density, sex morph, and tree size on reproduction in a heterodichogamous maple, Acer mono, in a temperate forest of Japan

The effects of local population density, sex morph [protogynous (PG) or protandrous (PA)], and individual tree size on the demographic processes of seed production were investigated in a heterodichogamous maple, Acer mono Maxim. var. Marmoratum (Nichols.) Hara f. dissectum, in a temperate forest of Japan. As the distance from conspecific reproductive adults increased, the percentage of immature seed fall and empty seeds increased significantly, indicating higher pollination success along with local population density. Although the difference was not distinct, pollination success was affected by the local population density of the reciprocal sex morph rather than that of both sex morphs. The trees at higher local population density sites suffered higher seed mortality due to predation and decay, and tended to produce smaller seeds. Thus, the impacts of local population density operated both positively and negatively on reproduction. As a factor of individual traits, tree size scarcely affected any demographic processes. On the other hand, sex morph did affect pollination success. Trees of PG type had lower immature seed fall than those of PA type, suggesting that the former has higher efficiency of pollen acceptance than the latter. The results on seed demography presented here partly support previous suggestions that heterodichogamous plants exhibit reciprocal cross-pollination and gender specialization as reproductive traits.     

Histological Study of Seed Coat Development in Arabidopsis thaliana

Arabidopsis seed coat development using light and transmission electron microscopy revealed major morphological changes associated with the transition of the integuments into the mature seed coat. By the use of a metachromatic staining procedure, cytological events such as the production of phenolic compounds and acidic polysaccharides were followed. Immediately after fertilization, the cells of the inner epidermis of the inner integument became vacuolated and subsequently accumulated pigment within them. This pigment started to disappear from the cytoplasm at the torpedo stage of the embryo, as it became green. During the torpedo stage, mucilage began to accumulate in the cells of the external epidermis of the outer integument. Furthermore, starch grains accumulated against the central part of the inner periclinal wall of these cells, resulting in the formation of small pyramidal domes that persisted until seed maturity. At the maturation stage, when the embryo became dormant and colourless, a new pigment accumulation was observed in an amorphous layer derived from remnants of crushed integument layers. This second pigment layer was responsible for the brown seed colour. These results show that seed coat formation may proceed in a coordinated way with the developmental phases of embryogenesis. Received 25 May 1999/ Accepted in revised form 10 February 2000