Comprehensive analyses of hox gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryos and adult tissues

From whole genome sequencing of an allotetraploid frog, Xenopus laevis, two homeologous sets (L and S) of four Hox clusters A through D (HoxA.L/S, HoxB.L/S, HoxC.L/S, and HoxD.L/S) and 13 paralogous groups (PGs) with 76 genes were identified, allowing us to carry out the first comprehensive analyses of hox gene expression in vertebrates. Expression of all hox genes during development and in adult tissues was analyzed by RNA‐sequencing. The expression levels of most hox genes were similar between homeologs, but in some pairs, large differences were observed and several of these were confirmed by RT‐PCR and whole mount in situ hybridization experiments. These results indicate that subfunctionalization of hox genes may have occurred since allotetraploidization. Furthermore, comprehensive analysis of hox gene expression during early development did not agree with the hypothesis of temporal collinearity especially in genes belonging to PG2 to PG10 .     

Progress of chromosome engineering mediated by asymmetric somatic hybridization

Plant somatic hybridization has progressed steadily over the past 35 years. Many hybrid plants have been generated from fusion combinations of different phylogenetic species, some of which have been utilized in crop breeding programs. Among them, asymmetric hybrid, which usually contains a fraction of alien genome, has received more attention because of its importance in crop improvement. However, few studies have dealt with the heredity of the genome of somatic hybrid for a long time, which has limited the progress of this approach. Over recent ten years, along with the development of an effective cytogenetical tool ＂in situ hybridization （ISH）＂, asymmetric fusion of common wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） with different grasses or cereals has been greatly developed. Genetics, genomes, functional genes and agricultt, ral traits of wheat asymmetric hybrids have been subject to systematic investigations using gene cloning, genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） and molecular makers. The future goal is to fully elucidate the functional relationships among improved agronomic traits, the genes and underlying molecular mechanisms, and the genome dynamics of somatic introgression lines. This will accelerate the development of elite germplasms via somatic hybridization and the application of these materials in the molecular improvement of crop plants.     

Production and characterization of somatic hybrids between the Japanese radish and cauliflower

Summary Somatic hybrids between the Japanese radish and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) were produced by protoplast electrofusion in order to introduce clubroot disease resistance in the Japanese radish (Raphanus sativus) into Brassica crops. After electrofusion of iodoacetamide-treated cauliflower protoplasts with untreated radish ones, culture was performed under conditions, that allowed only cauliflower protoplasts to regenerate. Out of 40 regenerated plants, 37 were morphologically of a hybrid type and 3 of a cauliflower type. On the basis of isozyme and RFLP analysis, all of the hybrid-type plants tested proved to be true hybrids. Of the 10 true hybrids tested, 9 were found to contain chloroplasts similar to those found in the Japanese radish, while only 1 contained those of the cauliflower. Using two mitochondrial genes as probes, we were able to show that 3 hybrids contained mitochondria of the Japanese radish, with some modification, while 7 hybrids had either parental or new patterns. All of the hybrid-type plants showed resistance to clubroot disease as high as that found in the Japanese radish. Some hybrids were self-fertile. All of the self-fertile hybrids were found to contain 36 chromosomes, indicating that they were amphidiploids. In addition, a few seeds were obtained from a backcross of the self-fertile hybrids to both parents.     

窄颖仲彬草生物系统学研究

窄颖仲彬草Ｋｅｎｇｙｉｌｉａ ｓｔｅｎａｃｈｙｒａ（Ｋｅｎｇ） Ｊ．Ｌ． Ｙａｎｇ ,Ｙｅｎ ｅｔ Ｂａｕｍ 是分布于我国西部的一种多年生六倍体植物。将其与犬草Ｅｌｙｍｕｓ ｃａｎｉｎｕｓ（Ｌ．） Ｌ．, 鹅观草Ｒｏｅｇｎｅｒｉａ ｋａｍｏｊｉ Ｏｈｗｉ, 糙毛仲彬草Ｋ．ｈｉｒｓｕｔａ （Ｋｅｎｇ） Ｊ．Ｌ．Ｙａｎｇ,Ｙｅｎ ｅｔ Ｂａｕｍ ３ 个种进行了杂交。对亲本及杂种Ｆ１ 代花粉母细胞减数分裂中期Ｉ染色体配对行为进行了观察。减数分裂平均构型分别为： Ｅ． ｃａｎｉｎｕｓ×Ｋ． ｓｔｅｎａｃｈｙｒａ２３－７９ Ⅰ＋ ５－２０ Ⅱ＋ ０－２７Ⅲ; Ｒ．ｋａｍｏｊｉ ×Ｋ．ｓｔｅｎａｃｈｙｒａ１８－２３ Ⅰ＋ １１－６８ Ⅱ＋ ０－０６ Ⅲ＋ ０－０６ Ⅳ; Ｋ．ｈｉｒｓｕｔａ ×Ｋ．ｓｔｅｎａｃｈｙｒａ４－８３Ⅰ＋ １７－３１ Ⅱ＋ ０－５５ Ⅲ＋ ０－２０ Ⅳ＋ ０－０２ Ⅴ。根据以上结果, 结合种的形态特征, 窄颖仲彬草应从鹅观草属Ｒｏｅｇｎｅｒｉａ Ｃ． Ｋｏｃｈ 拟冰草组ＰａｒａｇｒｏｐｙｒｏｎＫｅｎｇ 中组合到仲彬草属Ｋｅｎｇｙｉｌｉａ Ｙｅｎ ｅｔ Ｙａｎｇ。     

异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和它们父母本线粒体DNA 12S rRNA基因遗传变异的分析

采用质粒克隆测序方法,获得了异源四倍体鲫鲤5个个体、异源四倍体鲫鲤雌核发育二倍体后代2个个体、三倍体湘云鲫2个个体及红鲫、湘江野鲤和日本白鲫各1个个体的线粒体DNA 12S rRNA基因的全序列。经对比发现,异源四倍体5个个体共享2种单元型,异源四倍体鲫鲤雌核发育二倍体后代2个个体、三倍体湘云鲫2个个体以及红鲫、湘江野鲤和日本白鲫各1个个体分别共享1种单元型。用MEGA 1.0 软件分析了它们的碱基组成和核苷酸序列差异,用邻接法构建系统进化树。它们间的序列同源性在95%~99%之间,异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和它们母本（分别为红鲫和日本白鲫）之间的序列同源性大于异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和它们父本（分别为湘江野鲤和异源四倍体鲫鲤）之间的序列同源性,结果表明：异源四倍体鲫鲤和三倍体湘云鲫在线粒体DNA 12S rRNA基因上具有母性遗传特征。本研究另一值得注意地方的是异源四倍体鲫鲤经过9代(F3-F11)繁殖后,在5个个体中发现了2种单元型,说明在四倍体基因库中存在遗传多样性,为四倍体基因库的繁殖、保护和种群复壮提供了一些有价值的信息。     

Isozyme expression in F1 hybrids between carp and goldfish

Interspecific genetic differences in malate dehydrogenase (MDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and esterase (EST) isozymes in carp (Cyprinus carpio) and goldfish (Carassius auratus) were used to examine the allelic expressions in the hybrid between these species. A unique liver SOD and muscle LDH phenotype unambiguously identifies all presumed hybrid individuals. There was no evidence of F₂ or backcross phenotypes in hybrid individuals. Liver MDH and EST phenotypes in hybrids show a preferential expression of goldfish isozymes. Variation in the levels of carp liver MDH isozymes may result from the polymorphism of a regulatory mutation affecting isozyme expression, leading to gene silencing after duplication.This work was supported through NSERC (Canada) grants to James P. Bogart and John F. Leatherland.     

甜橙与酸橙体细胞杂种核质组成鉴定

采用流式细胞术(flow cytometry,FCM)、简单重复序列(simple sequence repeat,SSR)和酶切扩增多型性序列(cleaved amplifiedpolymorphic sequence,CAPS)等技术分析酸橙(Citrus aurantium L.)叶肉原生质体和甜橙(C.sinenis Osbeck cv.Shamouti)胚性愈伤组织原生质体电融合再生的体细胞杂种.FCM研究结果表明,所有的体细胞杂种植株荧光强度是二倍体对照的2倍,说明所分析的植株为四倍体.用SSR和CAPS分析了体细胞杂种的核质遗传组成,在试验的4对SSR引物中,有2对能区分开融合亲本.在2对引物中,体细胞杂种植株包含双亲的全部特异带,表明它们为异核杂种.通用引物扩增结合限制性内切酶酶切能鉴别融合亲本,在具有多型性的引物/酶组合中,所有体细胞杂种的线粒体和叶绿体DNA带型与胚性亲本(甜橙)完全一样.结果表明体细胞杂种核基因组来自双亲,而胞质基因组来自悬浮系亲本.讨论了所用技术的特点、柑橘四倍体体细胞杂种核质遗传规律及本组合体细胞杂种的应用.     

曲穗草属天然杂种的鉴定及形成研究

本研究通过形态学、细胞学、系统发育分析等方法对小麦族曲穗草属(Campeiostachys)的两株疑似天然杂种进行鉴定,探究其可能的亲本及杂种形成机制.结果显示:两株天然杂种在形态上与短芒曲穗草(Cam-peiostachys breviaristata(Keng)Y.H.Zhou,H.Q.Zhang et C.R.Y...     

RAPD技术在植物遗传育种研究中的应用进展

RAPD技术是一种随机扩增多态性DNA的方法,操作简单、快捷且经济,可从分子水平提供直接的遗传证据。RAPD技术在植物遗传育种中的应用如下：1）遗传图谱的构建;2）分子标记辅助选择育种;3）外源染色体片段的鉴定和标记;4）遗传关系与遗传多样性的研究;5）体细胞杂种的鉴定。     

4种杂交杨对土壤水分变化的生态学响应

以田间持水量的100% (T1, 对照)、70% (T2)、50% (T3)和30% (T4)为4个水分处理梯度, 比较研究了4种不同品系的杂交杨(Populus)——15-29 (P. trichocarpa × P. deltoids)、DN-2 (P. deltoids × P. nigra)、DN-14274 (P. deltoids × P. nigra)和R-270 (P. deltoids × P. nigra)在不同水分处理和不同处理阶段对水分亏缺的反应。结果表明, 4种杂交杨品系对水分亏缺较敏感, 都通过关闭气孔、降低叶面积以有效地调节水分的散失, 降低光合速率、蒸腾、水势, 增加水分利用效率, 改变生物量的分配等一系列生理适应机制以及形态策略, 来应对不同程度的水分亏缺, 只是不同品系的适应程度不同。在生物量分配上, R-270主要降低叶干重, 而其它3个品系的叶、茎和根干重全部降低; 随着水分亏缺的加重, 15-29和R-270的根冠比增加, 根部获得更多的同化物分配, 从而有利于水分的吸收, 增加其抗旱性。DN-2的碳同位素组成δ¹³与水分利用效率呈显著正相关(r= 0.631, p<0.01)。而R-270的δ¹³与水分利用效率呈负相关, 但不显著, 只有在处理T4下呈显著负相关(r= -0.732, p<0.01), 表明土壤水分影响了碳同位素的分馏, 不同品系相反的结果表明同位素分馏的遗传变异。与T3和T4相比, T1和T2处理的苗木具有较高的生物量、叶面积、光合速率、蒸腾、水势以及气孔导度, 说明4个杂交杨品系在充足或适当的灌溉条件下具有较高的生产力。在T3和T4处理下, 4个品系表现出不同的生存策略, 但生产力均较低, 因此在干旱胁迫下很难形成高生产力。与DN-2和DN-14274相比, 15-29和R-270对水分胁迫表现出更强的适应性反应, 具有较强的抗旱性, 可用作防护林品种。