R-spondins are involved in the ovarian differentiation in a teleost,medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Background

Among the four major bilaterian clades, Deuterostomia, Acoelomorpha, Ecdysozoa, and Lophotrochozoa, the latter shows an astonishing diversity of bodyplans. While the largest lophotrochozoan assemblage, the Spiralia, which at least comprises Annelida, Mollusca, Entoprocta, Platyhelminthes, and Nemertea, show a spiral cleavage pattern, Ectoprocta, Brachiopoda and Phoronida (the Lophophorata) cleave radially. Despite a vast amount of recent molecular phylogenetic analyses, the interrelationships of lophotrochozoan phyla remain largely unresolved. Thereby, Entoprocta play a key role, because they have frequently been assigned to the Ectoprocta, despite their differently cleaving embryos. However, developmental data on entoprocts employing modern methods are virtually non-existent and the data available rely exclusively on sketch drawings, thus calling for thorough re-investigation.

Results

By applying fluorescence staining in combination with confocal microscopy and 3D-imaging techniques, we analyzed early embryonic development of a basal loxosomatid entoproct. We found that cleavage is asynchronous, equal, and spiral. An apical rosette, typical for most spiralian embryos, is formed. We also identified two cross-like cellular arrangements that bear similarities to both, a "molluscan-like" as well as an "annelid-like" cross, respectively.

Conclusions

A broad comparison of cleavage types and apical cross patterns across Lophotrochozoa shows high plasticity of these character sets and we therefore argue that these developmental traits should be treated and interpreted carefully when used for phylogenetic inferences.     

中国柱花草炭疽病原菌遗传多态性的RAPD分析

在对中国柱花草炭疽病进行广泛调查和病原采样收集的基础上,利用RAPD分子标记技术对43个代表性菌株进行了基因组DNA分析,并与276份国外菌株进行了综合聚类分析。 结果表明所用8个引物的扩增片段位于0.3～2.8kb之间, 菌株间呈现显著的DNA多态性。以柱花草起源中心——南美的柱花草炭疽菌分类为基础,中国柱花草炭疽菌可划分成3大类型即Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅵ类。中国菌株与来自柱花草起源中心——南美的菌株相比之下,其生物多样性和遗传变异性则相对简单。就中国菌株而言海南菌株与广西、广东菌株相比多样性较丰富, 中国柱花草胶孢炭疽菌正在出现种内遗传分化。 从聚类结果看,通常来自于同一个地理区域或同一个寄主基因型的菌株聚成一类, 即同一RAPD聚类组内的菌株通常来自于同一寄主基因型或同一地理区域。说明来自不同寄主基因型或物种的炭疽菌在遗传基因上具有专化性,而地理上隔离的国家或地区的柱花草炭疽病原菌各自具有相对独立的进化途径。