Molecular Population Genetics of Rice Domestication

Domestication is a selection process that genetically modifies species to meet human needs. A most intriguing feature of domestication is the extreme phenotypic diversification among breeds. What could be the ultimate source of such genetic variations? Another notable outcome of artificial selection is the reduction in the fitness of domesticated species when they live in the wild without human assistance. The complete sequences of the two subspecies of rice cultivars provide an opportunity to address these questions. Between the two subspecies, we found much higher rates of non‐synonymous (N) than synonymous (S) substitutions and the N/S ratios are higher between cultivars than between wild species. Most interestingly, substitutions of highly dissimilar amino acids that are deleterious and uncommon between natural species are disproportionately common between the two subspecies of rice. We suggest strong selection in the absence of effective recombination may be the driving force, which we called the domestication‐associated Hill‐Robertson effect. These hitchhiking mutations may contribute to some fitness reduction in cultivars. Comparisons of the two genomes also reveal the existence of highly divergent regions in the genomes. Haplotypes in these regions often form highly polymorphic linkage blocks that are much older than speciation between wild species. Genes from such regions could contribute to the differences between indica and japonica and are likely to be involved in the diversifying selection under domestication. Their existence suggests that the amount of genetic variation within the single progenitor species Oryza rufipogon may be insufficient to account for the variation among rice cultivars, which may come from a more inclusive gene pool comprising most of the A‐genome wild species. Genes from the highly polymorphic regions also provide strong support for the independent domestication of the two subspecies. The genomic variation in rice has revealing implications for studying the genetic basis of indica‐japonica differentiation under rice domestication and subsequent improvement.     

黄土高原北部草地的恢复与重建对土壤有机碳的影响

草地的恢复与重建是黄土高原生态建设的重要内容,探讨草地恢复过程中土壤有机碳密度（SOCD）的变化规律对于合理评价北方水蚀风蚀交错带地区生态恢复的环境效应及其对土壤碳固存潜力的影响具有重要的理论价值。以黄土高原北部水蚀风蚀交错带地区不同生长年限的紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa）人工草地及其退化后形成的次生草地为主要研究对象,探讨了SOCD的动态变化特征。结果表明,研究区0-100cm土体的SOCD普遍较低,变化范围为1.18-2.81kgCm^-2,略高于地球上荒漠带的水平（1.4kgCm^-2）,显著低于黄土高原中部（4.46-9.95kgCm^-2）与全国（11.52-12.04kgCm^-2）的平均水平。但是当土地利用方式由农田转变为人工草地以后,以及随着人工草地向长芒草（Stipabungeana）次生天然草地的自然演替,SOCD均有不同程度的增加,增加幅度最大可达72%,土壤表现为明显的碳汇。不同土地利用方式0-100cmSOCD的变化顺序为：灌木林地（2.11kgCm^-2）〉次生天然草地（1.95kgCm^-2）〉人工草地（1.91kgCm^-2）〉弃耕地（1.69kgCm^-2）〉农田（1.68kgCm^-2）,但统计差异不显著,意味着植被恢复对土壤碳固存的影响相对较小,该地区土壤固存CO2的潜力并不大,发育较好的次生天然草地0-100cm土体SOCD平均仅为2.20kgCm^-2。对SOCD垂直变化的分析结果表明表层SOC主要固存于表层0-20cm土壤,而且与0-100cm土体的SOCD具有显著的线性相关性,由表层观测值可以有效估计0-100cm土体的SOCD,估计误差为9.9%（0.18kgCm^-2）。     

Feeding through artificial membranes reduces fecundity for females of the blood‐feeding insect,Rhodnius prolixus

The blood‐feeding insect, Rhodnius prolixus, has been raised in the laboratory for close to 100 years. Various feeding techniques have been employed ranging from the use of warm‐blooded hosts, to the use of previously collected blood offered through artificial membranes. This study compared the fecundity in mated and unmated females fed rabbit blood directly from the shaved belly of a rabbit to that of females fed defibrinated rabbit blood through an artificial membrane. These results confirm previous reports that this insect's feeding efficacy is reduced using an artificial membrane. It also demonstrates for the first time that the fecundity index, which measures the efficiency of turning the blood meal into eggs, is significantly reduced. We suggest that the natural feeding on a warm‐blooded host may provide cues that have the short‐term effect of enhancing the act of feeding and the long‐term effect of increasing egg production efficiency. Until an artificial feeding method that does not interfere with feeding and fecundity is devised, experiments on reproduction in R. prolixus warrant the use of a warm‐blooded host to emulate feeding in its natural setting. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Specific features of meiosis in the Siberian fir (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies sibirica</Emphasis> Ledeb.) artificial populations

Meiosis was studied in the Siberian fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb.) at the arboretum of the Sukachev Institute of Forest. Specific features of meiosis in planted trees have been described. Both general and specific types of irregularities have been identified. The range of irregularities under the arboretum conditions was much wider than in natural ecosystems.     

取食雄蜂蛹粉对龟纹瓢虫和异色瓢虫卵黄发生的影响

本文比较了龟纹瓢虫Proylea japonica和异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis取食蚜虫和取食雄蜂蛹粉时的卵黄发生情况.当取食雄蜂蛹粉时,体内卵黄蛋白出现迟,积累速度慢,产卵前期长.但用保幼激素类似物ZR512点滴处理后则能达到与食蚜对照相当的水平.ZR512对取食雄蜂蛹粉瓢虫的作用显著大于取食岈虫者.进一步的研究表明,ZR512能促进这两种瓢虫取食雄蜂蛹粉,但对成虫的体重没有明显的影响.因此推论,雄蜂蛹粉基本能够满足这两种瓢虫生殖的营养需要,但对其内分泌有一定的影响,使瓢虫处于类似生殖滞育的状态.本文根据不同食物条件对卵黄蛋白发生的影响不同,建议用卵黄蛋白的量作为生理指标,以快速初步筛选和评估人工饲料.     

A unique case of a discontinuous duplication 3q26.1-3q28 resulting from a segregation error of a maternal complex chromosomal rearrangement involving an insertion and an inversion

Until now, few cases of partial trisomy of 3q due to segregation error of parental balanced translocation and segregation of a duplicated deficient product resulting from parental pericentric inversion have been reported so far. Only five cases of chromosomal insertion malsegregation involving 3q region are available yet, thus making it relatively rare. In this case report, we are presenting a unique case of discontinuous partial trisomy of 3q26.1-q28 region which resulted from a segregation error of two insertions involving 3q26.1 to 3q27.3 and 3q28 regions with ~ 21 Mb and ~ 2 Mb sizes, respectively. The maternally inherited insertion was cytogenetically characterized as der(8)(8pter → 8p22::3q26 → 3q27.3::3q28 → 3q28::8p22 → 8qter) and the patient's major clinical features involved Dandy Walker malformation, sub-aortic ventricular septal defect, upslanting palpebral fissures, clinodactyly, hirsutism, and prominent forehead. Besides, a review of the literature involving cases with similar chromosomal imbalances and cases with “3q-duplication syndrome” is also provided.     

基于miRNA-155结构的人工miRNA表达载体的构建与评价

目的:建立一种适用于人工miRNA(amiRNA)表达研究的克隆载体。方法:基于实验室构建的短发夹RNA(shRNA)表达载体pshOK-basic,将鼠源miRNA-155的侧翼序列插入合适的酶切位点构建得到amiRNA重组表达载体pOK-basic;应用本载体分别构建靶向萤火虫荧光素酶(luc2)和红色荧光蛋白(mCherry)基因的amiRNA并检测其沉默效果。结果:应用此载体能快速高效地构建amiRNA,靶向luc2和mCherry报告基因的amiRNA能较好地抑制靶基因的表达。结论:构建了一种能高效表达amiRNA的克隆载体,为amiRNA的进一步研究及应用奠定了基础。     

繁殖体与微生境在退化草地恢复中的作用

退化草地的成功恢复主要依赖于种子和母株无性繁殖幼苗的有效建植 ,即草地群落中可利用繁殖体是退化草地得以恢复的内在条件。此外 ,群落中那些提供种子发芽、幼苗生长发育的适宜微生境 (safe sites/ suitable microsites) ,构成了退化草地恢复的外在条件。由于严重退化草地群落缺乏可利用繁殖体和供繁殖体生长发育的适宜微生境 ,使得退化草地恢复受到很大限制 ,因而 ,同时满足繁殖体与微生境是退化草地恢复的先决条件。人为提供繁殖体和适宜微生境可以在很大程度上提高退化草地的恢复速度 ,即在缺乏繁殖体草地群落供给繁殖体 ,或者在缺乏微生境的草地群落中创造适宜微生境。不同植物种群建植需要的环境存在着显著差异 ,因此在人工恢复草地群落过程中 ,对这些植物的繁殖体和繁殖体着床环境给予特殊处理是必需的 ,使之同时满足多种植物种群建植需求。对退化草地植物繁殖体、微生境的重要性及其涵义进行讨论     

Construction of a novel human artificial chromosome vector for gene delivery

Potential problems of conventional transgenes include insertional disruption of the host genome and unpredictable, irreproducible expression of the transgene by random integration. Alternatively, human artificial chromosomes (HACs) can circumvent some of the problems. Although several HACs were generated and their mitotic stability was assessed, a practical way for introducing exogenous genes by the HACs has yet to be explored. In this study, we developed a novel HAC from sequence-ready human chromosome 21 by telomere-directed chromosome truncation and added a loxP sequence for site-specific insertion of circular DNA by the Cre/loxP system. This 21HAC vector, delivered to a human cell line HT1080 by microcell fusion, bound centromere proteins A, B, and C and was mitotically stable during long-term culture without selection. The EGFP gene inserted in the HAC vector expressed persistently. These results suggest that the HAC vector provides useful system for functional studies of genes in isogenic cell lines.     

改进GA-SVM在冠状动脉疾病诊断中的应用

改进的遗传算法（GA）自动优化支持向量机（SVM）参数,同步决策最优特征子集。新颖的分组多基因交叉技术保留了基因小组中的信息,而且允许后代继承更多的来自染色体的遗传信息。该算法促进可行解集中的高质量染色体信息交换,提高了解空间的搜索能力。实验结果说明：改进GA-SVM不仅可决策出与疾病相关的重要特征变量、优化SVM参数,而且可提升分类性能。与前馈BP神经网络及自适应模糊推理系统两种学习算法的比较表明,改进GA-SVM具有更好地表现。