The Complete Chloroplast Genome of Banana (Musa acuminata,Zingiberales): Insight into Plastid Monocotyledon Evolution

Background

Banana (genus Musa) is a crop of major economic importance worldwide. It is a monocotyledonous member of the Zingiberales, a sister group of the widely studied Poales. Most cultivated bananas are natural Musa inter-(sub-)specific triploid hybrids. A Musa acuminata reference nuclear genome sequence was recently produced based on sequencing of genomic DNA enriched in nucleus.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The Musa acuminata chloroplast genome was assembled with chloroplast reads extracted from whole-genome-shotgun sequence data. The Musa chloroplast genome is a circular molecule of 169,972 bp with a quadripartite structure containing two single copy regions, a Large Single Copy region (LSC, 88,338 bp) and a Small Single Copy region (SSC, 10,768 bp) separated by Inverted Repeat regions (IRs, 35,433 bp). Two forms of the chloroplast genome relative to the orientation of SSC versus LSC were found. The Musa chloroplast genome shows an extreme IR expansion at the IR/SSC boundary relative to the most common structures found in angiosperms. This expansion consists of the integration of three additional complete genes (rps15, ndhH and ycf1) and part of the ndhA gene. No such expansion has been observed in monocots so far. Simple Sequence Repeats were identified in the Musa chloroplast genome and a new set of Musa chloroplastic markers was designed.

Conclusion

The complete sequence of M. acuminata ssp malaccensis chloroplast we reported here is the first one for the Zingiberales order. As such it provides new insight in the evolution of the chloroplast of monocotyledons. In particular, it reinforces that IR/SSC expansion has occurred independently several times within monocotyledons. The discovery of new polymorphic markers within Musa chloroplast opens new perspectives to better understand the origin of cultivated triploid bananas.     

Development, characterisation, and across-taxa utility of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) microsatellite markers.

The results of the development of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) microsatellite markers are given step by step, from the screening of libraries enriched in (GA)n, (GT)n, and (CCG)n simple-sequence repeats (SSRs) to the final characterisation of 21 SSR loci. Also published are primer sequences, estimates of allele size range, and expected heterozygosity in E. guineensis and in the closely related species E. oleifera, in which an optimal utility of the SSR markers was observed. Multivariate data analyses showed the ability of SSR markers to efficiently reveal the genetic-diversity structure of the genus Elaeis in accordance with known geographical origins and with measured genetic relationships based on previous molecular studies. High levels of allelic variability indicated that E. guineensis SSRs will be a powerful tool for genetic studies of the genus Elaeis, including variety identification and intra- or inter-specific genetic mapping. PCR amplification tests on a subset of 16 other palm species and allele-sequence data showed that E. guineensis SSRs are putative transferable markers across palm taxa. In addition, phenetic information based on SSR flanking region sequences makes E. guineensis SSR markers a potentially useful molecular resource for any researcher studying the phylogeny of palm taxa.     

The IGF1 small dog haplotype is derived from Middle Eastern grey wolves: a closer look at statistics,sampling, and the alleged Middle Eastern origin of small dogs

This paper is a response to Gray MM, Sutter NB, Ostrander EA, Wayne RK: The IGF1 small dog haplotype is derived from Middle Eastern grey wolves. BMC Biology 2010, 8:16.     

An overview of malaria transmission from the perspective of Amazon Anopheles vectors

In the Americas, areas with a high risk of malaria transmission are mainly located in the Amazon Forest, which extends across nine countries. One keystone step to understanding the Plasmodium life cycle in Anopheles species from the Amazon Region is to obtain experimentally infected mosquito vectors. Several attempts to colonise Ano- pheles species have been conducted, but with only short-lived success or no success at all. In this review, we review the literature on malaria transmission from the perspective of its Amazon vectors. Currently, it is possible to develop experimental Plasmodium vivax infection of the colonised and field-captured vectors in laboratories located close to Amazonian endemic areas. We are also reviewing studies related to the immune response to P. vivax infection of Anopheles aquasalis, a coastal mosquito species. Finally, we discuss the importance of the modulation of Plasmodium infection by the vector microbiota and also consider the anopheline genomes. The establishment of experimental mosquito infections with Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium berghei parasites that could provide interesting models for studying malaria in the Amazonian scenario is important. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the parasites in New World vectors is crucial in order to better determine the interaction process and vectorial competence.     

Microsatellite-based high density linkage map in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.).

A microsatellite-based high-density linkage map for oil palm (Elaeis guinensis Jacq.) was constructed from a cross between two heterozygous parents, a tenera palm from the La Mé population (LM2T) and a dura palm from the Deli population (DA10D). A set of 390 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers was developed in oil palm from microsatellite-enriched libraries and evaluated for polymorphism along with 21 coconut SSRs. A dense and genome-wide microsatellite framework as well as saturating amplified fragments length polymorphisms (AFLPs) allowed the construction of a linkage map consisting of 255 microsatellites, 688 AFLPs and the locus of the Sh gene, which controls the presence or absence of a shell in the oil palm fruit. An AFLP marker E-Agg/M-CAA132 was mapped at 4.7 cM from the Sh locus. The 944 genetic markers were distributed on 16 linkage groups (LGs) and covered 1,743 cM. Our linkage map is the first in oil palm to have 16 independent linkage groups corresponding to the plants 16 homologous chromosome pairs. It is also the only high-density linkage map with as many microsatellite markers in an Arecaceae species and represents an important step towards quantitative trait loci analysis and physical mapping in the E. guineensis species.     

An IGF-I promoter polymorphism modifies the relationships between birth weight and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes at age 36

BACKGROUND: Biochemical testing for pheochromocytoma by measurement of fractionated plasma metanephrines is limited by false positive rates of up to 18% in people without known genetic predisposition to the disease. The plasma normetanephrine fraction is responsible for most false positives and plasma normetanephrine increases with age. The objective of this study was to determine if we could improve the specificity of fractionated plasma measurements, by statistically adjusting for age. METHODS: An age-adjusted metanephrine score was derived using logistic regression from 343 subjects (including 33 people with pheochromocytoma) who underwent fractionated plasma metanephrine measurements as part of investigations for suspected pheochromocytoma at Mayo Clinic Rochester (derivation set). The performance of the age-adjusted score was validated in a dataset of 158 subjects (including patients 23 with pheochromocytoma) that underwent measurements of fractionated plasma metanephrines at Mayo Clinic the following year (validation dataset). None of the participants in the validation dataset had known genetic predisposition to pheochromocytoma. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the age-adjusted metanephrine score was the same as that of traditional interpretation of fractionated plasma metanephrine measurements, yielding a sensitivity of 100% (23/23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 85.7%, 100%). However, the false positive rate with traditional interpretation of fractionated plasma metanephrine measurements was 16.3% (22/135, 95% CI, 11.0%, 23.4%) and that of the age-adjusted score was significantly lower at 3.0% (4/135, 95% CI, 1.2%, 7.4%) (p < 0.001 using McNemar's test). CONCLUSION: An adjustment for age in the interpretation of results of fractionated plasma metanephrines may significantly decrease false positives when using this test to exclude sporadic pheochromocytoma. Such improvements in false positive rate may result in savings of expenditures related to confirmatory imaging.     

Elevated levels of fibrinogen-derived endogenous citrullinated peptides in synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the joints and the presence of autoantibodies directed against proteins containing the non-standard arginine-derived amino acid citrulline. The protein fibrinogen, which has an essential role in blood clotting, is one of the most prominent citrullinated autoantigens in RA, particularly because it can be found in the inflamed tissue of affected joints. Here, we set out to analyze the presence of citrullinated endogenous peptides in the synovial fluid of RA and arthritic control patients.

Methods

Endogenous peptides were isolated from the synovial fluid of RA patients and controls by filtration and solid phase extraction. The peptides were identified and quantified using high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results

Our data reveal that the synovial fluid of RA patients contains soluble endogenous peptides, derived from fibrinogen, containing significant amounts of citrulline residues and, in some cases, also phosphorylated serine. Several citrullinated peptides are found to be more abundantly present in the synovial fluid of RA patients compared to patients suffering from other inflammatory diseases affecting the joints.

Conclusions

The increased presence of citrullinated peptides in RA patients points toward a possible specific role of these peptides in the immune response at the basis of the recognition of citrullinated peptides and proteins by RA patient autoantibodies.     

A transcriptional network associated with natural variation in Drosophila aggressive behavior

Background  

Aggressive behavior is an important component of fitness in most animals. Aggressive behavior is genetically complex, with natural variation attributable to multiple segregating loci with allelic effects that are sensitive to the physical and social environment. However, we know little about the genes and genetic networks affecting natural variation in aggressive behavior. Populations of Drosophila melanogaster harbor quantitative genetic variation in aggressive behavior, providing an excellent model system for dissecting the genetic basis of naturally occurring variation in aggression.