Genetic consequences of Pleistocene range shifts: contrast between the Arctic, the Alps and the East African mountains

In wide-ranging species, the genetic consequences of range shifts in response to climate change during the Pleistocene can be predicted to differ among different parts of the distribution area. We used amplified fragment length polymorphism data to compare the genetic structure of Arabis alpina, a widespread arctic-alpine and afro-alpine plant, in three distinct parts of its range: the North Atlantic region, which was recolonized after the last ice age, the European Alps, where range shifts were probably primarily altitudinal, and the high mountains of East Africa, where the contemporary mountain top populations result from range contraction. Genetic structure was inferred using clustering analyses and estimates of genetic diversity within and between populations. There was virtually no diversity in the vast North Atlantic region, which was probably recolonized from a single refugial population, possibly located between the Alps and the northern ice sheets. In the European mountains, genetic diversity was high and distinct genetic groups had a patchy and sometimes disjunct distribution. In the African mountains, genetic diversity was high, clearly structured and partially in accordance with a previous chloroplast phylogeography. The fragmented structure in the European and African mountains indicated that A. alpina disperses little among established populations. Occasional long-distance dispersal events were, however, suggested in all regions. The lack of genetic diversity in the north may be explained by leading-edge colonization by this pioneer plant in glacier forelands, closely following the retracting glaciers. Overall, the genetic structure observed corresponded to the expectations based on the environmental history of the different regions.     

Impact of polymorphic transposable elements on linkage disequilibrium along chromosomes

Recombination and selection drive the extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) among loci and therefore affect the reshuffling of adaptive genetic variation. However, it is poorly known to what extent the enrichment of transposable elements (TEs) in recombinationally‐inert regions reflects their inefficient removal by purifying selection and whether the presence of polymorphic TEs can modify the local recombination rate. In this study, we investigate how TEs and recombination interact at fine scale along chromosomes and possibly support linked selection in natural populations. Whole‐genome sequencing data of 304 individuals from nearby alpine populations of Arabis alpina were used to show that the density of polymorphic TEs is specifically correlated with local LD along chromosomes. Consistent with TEs modifying recombination, the characterization of 28 such LD blocks of up to 5.5 Mb in length revealed strong evidence of selective sweeps at a few loci through either site frequency spectrum or haplotype structure. A majority of these blocks were enriched in genes related to ecologically relevant functions such as responses to cold, salt stress or photoperiodism. In particular, the S‐locus (i.e., supergene responsible for strict outcrossing) was identified in a LD block with high levels of polymorphic TEs and evidence of selection. Another such LD block was enriched in cold‐responding genes and presented evidence of adaptive loci related to photoperiodism and flowering being increasingly linked by polymorphic TEs. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that TEs modify recombination landscapes and thus interact with selection in driving blocks of linked adaptive loci in natural populations.     

台湾三尖杉碱绝对构型研究

从高山三尖杉(Cephalotaxus fortunei Hook.f.var.alpina Li)的枝叶中分离得到了台湾三尖杉碱(wilsonine)。通过X-衍射方法,确定了其绝对构型。     

高山被孢霉遗传操作系统的构建与应用

高山被孢霉是一种重要的产油丝状真菌,其油脂积累量高达细胞干重的50%,其中具有重要生理活性的多不饱和脂肪酸含量较高且种类丰富。近年来,针对高山被孢霉遗传操作系统建立的分子生物学研究进展迅速,这为进一步提高其多不饱和脂肪酸合成水平奠定了基础。对高山被孢霉遗传操作系统的最新应用进展进行了综述,包括高山被孢霉的转化方法、筛选标记的种类、各种方法的优缺点及遗传操作系统的应用。     

Changes in reproductive investment with altitude in an alpine plant

Aims In perennial species, the allocation of resources to reproduction results in a reduction of allocation to vegetative growth and, therefore, impacts future reproductive success. As a consequence, variation in this trade-off is among the most important driving forces in the life-history evolution of perennial plants and can lead to locally adapted genotypes. In addition to genetic variation, phenotypic plasticity might also contribute to local adaptation of plants to local conditions by mediating changes in reproductive allocation. Knowledge on the importance of genetic and environmental effects on the trade-off between reproduction and vegetative growth is therefore essential to understand how plants may respond to environmental changes.Methods We conducted a transplant experiment along an altitudinal gradient from 425 to 1?921 m in the front range of the Western Alps of Switzerland to assess the influence of both altitudinal origin of populations and altitude of growing site on growth, reproductive investment and local adaptation in Poa alpina .Important findings In our study, the investment in reproduction increased with plant size. Plant growth and the relative importance of reproductive investment decreased in populations originating from higher altitudes compared to populations originating from lower altitudes. The changes in reproductive investment were mainly explained by differences in plant size. In contrast to genetic effects, phenotypic plasticity of all traits measured was low and not related to altitude. As a result, the population from the lowest altitude of origin performed best at all sites. Our results indicate that in P. alpina genetic differences in growth and reproductive investment are related to local conditions affecting growth, i.e. interspecific competition and soil moisture content.     

高山被孢霉中Δ9脂肪酸脱饱和酶的表达、纯化和其细胞色素b_5功能域的鉴定

在毕赤酵母中表达和纯化源自高山被孢霉ATCC 32222的膜结合Δ9-I脂肪酸脱饱和酶,测定其活性,并探究其细胞色素b_5功能域的性质。构建含有高效纯化标签ZZ-tag的表达载体;用Western blotting和SDS-PAGE筛选Δ9-I脂肪酸脱饱和酶高表达量转化子;通过梯度离心和去垢剂筛选确定膜蛋白质提取条件;采用IgG亲和纯化色谱和阴离子交换色谱对Δ9-I脂肪酸脱饱和酶进行纯化;利用酿酒酵母细胞破碎物为底物考察Δ9-I脂肪酸脱饱和酶活性;通过波长扫描和Na_2S_2O_4还原实验对Δ9-I脂肪酸脱饱和酶细胞色素b_5功能域进行表征。结果显示,目的蛋白质被成功表达并筛选出高表达量转化子;20 000g离心1h为最佳膜分离条件,Fos-Choline-16为最佳去垢剂;纯化后的Δ9-I脂肪酸脱饱和酶结构完整,具有细胞色素b_5功能域;在酿酒酵母提取物中Δ9-I脂肪酸脱饱和酶对C16:0和C18:0底物的转化效率分别为(16.88±9.32)%和(20.61±7.55)%;波长扫描显示Δ9-I脂肪酸脱饱和酶在411nm处有强吸收,并且在Na_2S_2O_4作用下被还原至422nm,说明细胞色素b_5功能域在体外能够被还原。因此,含有细胞色素b_5功能域的脂肪酸脱饱和酶的首次成功表达、纯化和鉴定为亚铁血红素脂肪酸脱饱和酶脱饱和反应机制的研究奠定了基础。     

花生四烯酸油脂高产菌株的选育

以高山被孢霉为出发菌株,抗氧化剂——没食子酸辛酯为筛选剂,经过紫外-LiCl复合诱变处理,筛选出抗脂肪酸脱氢酶抑制剂的菌株。将筛选出的菌株经过摇瓶发酵复筛,筛选到1株生产性能优于出发菌株的突变株R807。与原始菌株相比,该菌株的油脂组成脂肪酸分布中C18系列脂肪酸相对较少,花生四烯酸(ARA)占总脂肪酸的含量保持在40%(质量分数)以上。其菌体生物量达到39.2 g/L,油脂产量达到16.3 g/L,ARA占总脂肪酸含量为41.72%(质量分数),ARA产量达6.81 g/L。各数值比原始菌株分别提高了22.9%、3.2%、35.1%和39.8%。连续传代多次,其产量性状无显著变化。     

黑腹滨鹬亚种分类研究进展

黑腹滨鹬Calidris alpina因繁殖季节其腹部有黑斑而得名,是北半球最常见的鸻形目鸟类之一.黑腹滨鹬历史上共命名过11个亚种,经过2次主要的系统厘定后,目前认为分化有10个亚种.亚种间除在量度性状、体色性状和地理分布有区别外,还在换羽模式、线粒体谱系组成等方面有所不同,从而使其成为研究种群分化的理想对象之一.本文介绍了黑腹滨鹬的亚种分类性状、分类修订以及亚种分类系统,并就非繁殖期的相关研究作了概述.由于混群,非繁殖地的亚种鉴定与繁殖地的亚种鉴定在性状的使用侧重上有很大的不同.非繁殖地亚种的划分,以环志回收结果和线粒体DNA谱系组成为主,其它性状为辅.中国究竟有几个亚种分布还需要进一步研究后才能确定.     

实时PCR分析△5脱饱和酶在花生四烯酸合成中的作用

花生四烯酸是人体的必需脂肪酸,具有独特的生物活性。 Δ5脱饱和酶是花生四烯酸生物合成途径中催化二高-γ-亚麻酸脱饱和为花生四烯酸的酶。本研究通过实时定量PCR技术,检测了Δ5脱饱和酶在不同花生四烯酸产量的高山被孢霉(Mortierella alpina)菌株M10,M6和M23中的mRNA表达水平,以及在高产花生四烯酸菌株M6培养过程中的mRNA表达水平的动态变化,发现Δ5脱饱和酶基因的mRNA表达水平与花生四烯酸的产生之间存在明显的线性关系,表明Δ5脱饱和酶是高山被孢霉中花生四烯酸合成途径中起到了非常重要的作用。     

高山被孢霉ATCC 32222中细胞色素b5还原酶I的克隆、表达和功能鉴定

【目的】鉴定产油微生物高山被孢霉ATCC 32222中细胞色素b_5还原酶Ⅰ的功能。【方法】将高山被孢霉ATCC 32222中膜结合细胞色素b_5还原酶Ⅰ基因与人可溶性细胞色素b_5还原酶基因序列比对,去除该基因N端穿膜区域后,与人可溶性细胞色素b_5基因分别在大肠杆菌中异源表达;通过钴离子亲和层析、离子交换和分子排阻色谱等方法对表达产物进行纯化;以2,6-二氯靛酚钠(DCIP)为底物,测定细胞色素b_5还原酶Ⅰ的体外活性及其对NADH和NADPH的偏好性;在反应体系中存在NADH时,通过全波长扫描方法检测细胞色素b_5还原酶Ⅰ与细胞色素b_5的相互作用。【结果】高山被孢霉ATCC 32222中膜结合细胞色素b_5还原酶Ⅰ被成功可溶表达,经纯化后检测到体外活性:使用NADH时酶活为564.57 U,使用NADPH时为51.97 U;在NADH存在时,细胞色素b_5还原酶Ⅰ能够还原细胞色素b_5,其吸收峰从411 nm偏移至422 nm,并在521 nm和554 nm处吸光值增加。【结论】细胞色素b_5还原酶Ⅰ N端穿膜区域的去除增加了其可溶性,并保持了蛋白质活性;高山被孢霉ATCC 32222中细胞色素b_5还原酶Ⅰ基因编码的是一种NADH-细胞色素b_5还原酶,其在体外能与细胞色素b_5相互作用。