Genetic mapping of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench QTLs that control variation in tillering and other morphological characters

Grain yield of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench is significantly influenced by genetically controlled variation in the number of tillers, plant height, time of anthesis, and various other morphological and physiological characters. In this study, a minimum of 27 unique QTLs that control variation in nine morphological traits, including the presence versus the absence and the height of basal tillers, were mapped, and the percentage of additive genetic variance explained by the QTLs was determined in a population of 137 recombinant inbred lines in two environments. Four QTLs explained from 86.3% to 48.9% (depending upon the environment) of the additive genetic variance in the number of basal tillers with heads, and seven QTLs explained from 85.9% to 47.9% of the additive genetic variance in panicle width. It is unlikely that different alleles were segregating in the mapping population at any of the major dwarfing loci, but five QTLs that explained from 65.8% to 52.0% of the additive genetic variance in main-culm height were mapped. QTLs controlling variation in height of the tallest basal tiller, number of basal tillers per basal-tillered plant, panicle length, leaf angle, maturity, and awn length also were mapped. Three or more QTLs were mapped in linkage groups A, E, G, and I, while none were mapped in linkage groups B and D. Several of the QTLs mapped in this study are likely candidates for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs. Received: 20 September 2000 / Accepted: 26 October 2000     

Molecular mapping of the rf1 gene for pollen fertility restoration in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

We report the molecular mapping of a gene for pollen fertility in A1 (milo) type cytoplasm of sorghum using AFLP and SSR marker analysis. DNA from an F₂ population comprised of 84 individuals was screened with AFLP genetic markers to detect polymorphic DNAs linked to fertility restoration. Fifteen AFLP markers were linked to fertility restoration from the initial screening with 49 unique AFLP primer combinations (+3/+3 selective bases). As many of these AFLP markers had been previously mapped to a high-density genetic map of sorghum, the target gene (rf1) could be mapped to linkage group H. Confirmation of the map location of rf1 was obtained by demonstrating that additional linkage group-H markers (SSR, STS, AFLP) were linked to fertility restoration. The closest marker, AFLP Xtxa2582, mapped within 2.4 cM of the target loci while two SSRs, Xtxp18 and Xtxp250, flanked the rf1 locus at 12 cM and 10.8 cM, respectively. The availability of molecular markers will facilitate the selection of pollen fertility restoration in sorghum inbred-line development and provide the foundation for map-based gene isolation. Received: 22 August 2000 / Accepted: 18 October 2000     

Extrapair paternity and egg hatchability in tree swallows: evidence for the genetic compatibility hypothesis?

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) show one of the highestlevels of extrapair paternity in birds, and there is evidencethat females have control over who fathers their offspring.However, it is unclear which benefits female tree swallows obtainfrom mating with multiple males. Using microsatellite DNA fingerprinting,we studied extrapair paternity in relation to nesting successand male, female, and offspring characteristics. More than 70%of all nests contained extrapair young, and more than half ofall offspring were extrapair. Within broods, the extrapair youngwere often fathered by several males. Despite screening allresident and some floater males, we could identify the biologicalfather of only 21% of all extrapair offspring. All identifiedextrapair males were close neighbors. Extrapair males did notdiffer from within-pair males in any of the measured characteristics,except that the former had larger cloacal protuberances than thelatter. Extrapair males were equally successful in gaining paternityin their own broods as males that did not father extra young.In nests with mixed paternity, extrapair young did not differfrom within-pair young in body size or mass. However, nestswith extrapair young had higher hatching success than nestswithout extrapair young. All examined unhatched eggs were fertilizedand thus hatch failure resulted from embryo mortality. The availabledata are in accordance with the genetic diversity and the geneticcompatibility hypothesis, but not with the good genes hypothesis.     

NaCl胁迫对高粱根、叶鞘和叶片液泡膜ATP酶和焦磷酸酶活性的影响

NaCl胁迫初期 ,Na 主要在根和叶鞘中积累。相应地 ,根和叶鞘液泡膜ATP酶和焦磷酸酶水解活性、依赖ATP和PPi的质子泵活性及Na /H 逆向转运活性均明显增加 ,根和叶鞘的生长没有受到抑制。NaCl胁迫后期 ,Na 开始向地上部分运输并在叶片中积累。此时 ,叶片液泡膜质子泵和Na /H 逆向转运活性开始增加 ,根和叶鞘的Na/K比增加 ,其液泡膜ATP酶和焦磷酸酶水解活性、质子泵活性和Na /H 逆向转运活性下降。相应地 ,根和叶鞘的生长也下降。当保温介质中Na/K比超过 1时 ,液泡膜微囊ATP酶和焦磷酸酶活性均随Na/K比的增加而下降。表明非盐生植物液泡膜质子泵在盐胁迫的初期对Na 在液泡内的积累及其耐盐性起重要作用     

高粱LEA3蛋白基因和启动子的克隆及序列分析

根据禾本科LEA3基因保守序列设计简并引物,同时结合RACE方法获得高粱LEA3基因全长cDNA序列1032bp,该序列含有一个612bp的阅读框,编码203个氨基酸,包含7个串联的LEA3蛋白的基元序列。通过与玉米、小麦、水稻、大麦的LEA3蛋白序列比较,氨基酸序列同源性分别为73.8%、53.77%、45.63%和53.99%;其编码蛋白理论相对分子量为21.22kD,等电点pI=8.79;蛋白质二级结构预测表明2段α螺旋结构占主导,与目前已知的多种植物的LEA3蛋白具有相似的结构功能域。通过热不对称交错PCR(TAIL PCR)技术获得LEA3基因启动子749bp的DNA序列,该区域包含ABA应答元件、干旱胁迫应答元件、以及胚胎和胚乳特异表达元件;通过PHyML软件构建了禾本科植物LEA3基因ML系统树。这些研究结果为深入了解该基因的功能和高粱抗旱的分子机理提供了基础数据。     

蓝光调节高粱突变体har1幼苗的去黄化反应

以航空诱变高粱突变体har1为材料,对其幼苗去黄化过程进行研究。萌发的种子在远红光下预培养6小时后,置于12小时蓝光/2小时黑暗条件下培养。测量幼苗的各器官伸长,结果表明,与野生型R111相比,harl的胚芽鞘、中胚轴、第一叶鞘以及第二叶鞘的伸长均受到蓝光的明显抑制,而蓝光对叶片生长影响不明显。3天龄har1黄化苗在连续蓝光下中胚轴花色素苷的积累明显增高,红光和远红光无此效应。此外,蓝光促进har1叶片叶绿体发育,且在蓝光照射24小时后叶片中叶绿素含量升高。Westernblot检测结果显示,7天龄R111和har1幼苗隐花色素SbCRY1b蛋白水平呈现蓝光下低、黑暗中高的变化趋势,har1的SbCRY1b蛋白水平在黑暗中高于R111。研究结果表明,高粱har1在去黄化过程中具有蓝光超敏感表型,SbCRY1b的作用值得进一步深入研究。     

The leucocyte enzyme cytochemistry of the Indian eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor McClelland

Activity of peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, α-naphthyl acetate esterase and naphthol-AS-D chloroacetate esterase in the leucocytes of the Indian eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor McClelland, was studied. But for some minor differences, the enzyme pattern of the leucocytes, especially neutrophil peroxidase, of the Indian eel closely resembled that of the New Zealand eels, suggesting that the Indian eel is phylogenetically more closely allied to the New Zealand eels than to the European eel.     

朱砂根叶绿体全基因组解析及系统发育分析

基于Illumina平台对朱砂根和红凉伞叶绿体全基因组进行测序,利用生物信息学比较叶绿体基因组结构特征与变异程度,旨在明确朱砂根（Ardisia crenata）及红凉伞（Ardisia crenata var. bicolor）叶绿体基因组特征及差异,并与同科其他物种叶绿体全基因组进行比较分析,确定其在紫金牛属系统发育位置。结果表明,朱砂根和红凉伞均为由一个大单拷贝区（LSC）、一个小单拷贝区（SSC）和一对反向重复区（IRa/IRb）构成的环状四分体结构,注释得到132个基因,其重复序列的类型与分布模式相似,但数量有所差异。其中psbA、matK、rpoC2、ropB、ndhK、accD、ndhF、ndhD、ndhH及ycf1等基因的编码区存在差异,这些位点为朱砂根分子鉴定提供新位点。朱砂根及红凉伞叶绿体基因组具有较高保守性,叶绿体基因组之间没有重排或倒置,IR区序列变异最低,SSC区变异程度最高。系统发育树分析表明紫金牛科和报春花科为两个分支,朱砂根和红凉伞归为紫金牛科,且朱砂根与红凉伞亲缘关系最为密切,从分子水平为红凉伞作为朱砂根变种提供了科学解释。本研究解析了朱砂根及变种红凉伞叶绿体基因组结构,探讨了紫金牛科属间系统发育关系,也为紫金牛科药用植物分类鉴定、系统进化及资源开发利用研究奠定基础。     

Characterization of 14 different putative protein kinase cDNA clones of the C4 plantSorghum bicolor

C₄ photosynthesis is functionally dependent on metabolic interactions between mesophyll- and bundle-sheath cells. Although the C₄ cycle is biochemically well understood, many aspects of the regulation of enzyme activities, gene expression and cell differentiation are elusive. Protein kinases are likely involved in these regulatory processes, providing links to hormonal, metabolic and developmental signal-transduction pathways. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of 14 different putative protein kinase leaf cDNA clones from the C₄ plant Sorghum bicolor. These genes belong to three different protein kinase subfamilies: ribosomal protein S6 kinases, SNF1-like protein kinases, and receptor-like protein kinases. We report the partial cDNA sequences, mesophyll/bundle-sheath steady-state mRNA ratios, mesophyll/etiolated leaf steady-state mRNA ratios, and the positions of 14 protein kinase genes on the genetic map of S. bicolor. Only three of the protein kinase genes described here are expressed preferentially in mesophyll cells as compared with the bundle-sheath. Received: 16 January 1998 / Accepted: 3 April 1998