松科nrDNA 的进化研究Evolution of nuclear ribosomal DNA in Pinaceae

核核糖体DNA（nrDNA）已被作为一个重要的标记，用于推断很多分类等级上的系统发育关系。相对于在被子植物中的快速致同进化，nrDNA在裸子植物中的致同进化速率低，且ITS和5S-NTS区有着较大的长度变异，这种现象在松科植物中尤为明显。在本研究中，我们克隆并测定了银杉属的5S rDNA以及冷杉属、银杉属、雪松属、油杉属、长苞铁杉属、金钱松属与铁杉属的ITS序列。基于获得的新数据，再结合前人报导的其它属的数据，我们探讨了如下四个问题： （1）松科 nrDNA ITS1 亚重复单位的组成、分布及进化;（2）ITS1区的长度变异与亚重复单位数目的关系以及它们的系统学意义;（3）松科ITS1的二级结构特征;（4）银杉5S rDNA编码区及非转录间隔区的结构特征。主要研究结果如下： 1. ITS区的序列分析ITS区的克隆及序列分析发现：（1） 松科ITS1的长度变异范围为 944-3271 bp, 这是目前已报导的真核生物中属间ITS变异最大的类群之一;（2） 所有松科植物的ITS区域都包含亚重复单位，亚重复单位的数目从2到9，并且这些亚重复单位可分为两种类型，即不含保守核心序列（5’-GGCCACCCTAGTC ） 的长亚重复单位（LSR）和含上述保守核心序列的短亚重复单位（SSR）;（3） ITS1区的巨大长度变异主要归因于亚重复单位的数量变异; （4） ITS1区的GC含量与 它的序列长度和亚重复单位的数目有一定关系，并能够提供一些系统发育信息，特别是支持云杉属、松属和银杉属三者具有很近的亲缘关系。 2. ITS1亚重复单位的系统发育分析为了研究亚重复单位的进化关系，我们用最大似然法和最大简约法构建了松科ITS1亚重复单位的系统发育树。结果表明：（1）在ML和MP树中可发现有共同的五个分支; （2） 银杉比松科其它属拥有更多的SSR，且该属的所有9个SSR在系统树中构成一个单系支，表明它们是在银杉属内发生重复的;（3）一些SSR在属间和种间具有同源性，可为nrDNA ITS 的进化历史以及松科的系统发育 研究提供重要信息;（4）亚重复单位的多次重复以及伴随的重组可能是导致LSR 和SSR在松科不同属中分布式样不同的原因。 3. 松科ITS1的二级结构 用 Mfold 3.2 软件对松科所有11个属的ITS1区进行了二级结构预测，共获得了563个最低自由能折叠。结合以前关于松科二级结构的报导，我们分析的结果表明：（1） 松科ITS1的二级结构主要由几个延展的发夹结构组成;（2） 构象的复杂性与亚重复的数目呈正相关;（3）配对的亚重复单位通常在保守核心区（5’-GGCCACCCTAGTC ） 处有部分重叠，并且构成一个长茎，而其它的亚重复单位通常会自身折叠，且保守核心区的部分出现在发夹结构的环中。 4. 银杉5S rDNA 序列分析 我们对来自银杉不同群体的3个个体的5S rDNA进行了克隆，共获得 45 条序列，分析结果表明：（1） 绝大多数银杉5S rDNA编码区长度为120 bp, 以GGG 开头，以CTC结尾，编码区出现的碱基替代主要为转换;（2） 银杉与其它裸子植物相比，5S rDNA基因编码区具很高的相似性（90-99%）; （3）间隔区含有一个poly-C和一个poly-T结构、两个TC丰富区以及五个GC丰富区。根据长度和序列特征，银杉的5S rDNA间隔区可分为三种类型：Type A 长751-764 bp，Type B 长770-807 bp （含一个32 bp的插入），Type C 长581-594 bp; （5）长间隔区（Type A，Type B ）中含有两个148-175 bp的串联亚重复单位，该亚重复单位与短间隔区（Type C ）中的一段143 bp的序列具有较高的相似性（56.0-66.8%）。 5. 银杉5S rRNA的二级结构 Mfold 3.2 预测结果表明：（1）银杉5S rRNA二级结构包括5个双螺旋区（干区）（Ⅰ-Ⅴ）、2个发夹结构环区（C和D）、3个中间环区（B1、B2 和 E）和1个铰链区（A）, 铰链区为三个双螺旋的结合处;（2） 二级结构中的环区通常比双螺旋区更加保守;（3）在5个双螺旋中，I 和 IV 区有较高的碱基替代率。

Reciprocal chromosome painting illuminates the history of genome evolution of the domestic cat, dog and human

Domestic cats and dogs are important companion animals and model animals in biomedical research. The cat has a highly conserved karyotype, closely resembling the ancestral karyotype of mammals, while the dog has one of the most extensively rearranged mammalian karyotypes investigated so far. We have constructed the first detailed comparative chromosome map of the domestic dog and cat by reciprocal chromosome painting. Dog paints specific for the 38 autosomes and the X chromosomes delineated 68 conserved chromosomal segments in the cat, while reverse painting of cat probes onto red fox and dog chromosomes revealed 65 conserved segments. Most conserved segments on cat chromosomes also show a high degree of conservation in G-banding patterns compared with their canine counterparts. At least 47 chromosomal fissions (breaks), 25 fusions and one inversion are needed to convert the cat karyotype to that of the dog, confirming that extensive chromosome rearrangements differentiate the karyotypes of the cat and dog. Comparative analysis of the distribution patterns of conserved segments defined by dog paints on cat and human chromosomes has refined the human/cat comparative genome map and, most importantly, has revealed 15 cryptic inversions in seven large chromosomal regions of conserved synteny between humans and cats.

Evolution of genome organizations of squirrels (Sciuridae) revealed by cross-species chromosome painting

With complete sets of chromosome-specific painting probes derived from flow-sorted chromosomes of human and grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), the whole genome homologies between human and representatives of tree squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis, Callosciurus erythraeus), flying squirrels (Petaurista albiventer) and chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus) have been defined by cross-species chromosome painting. The results show that, unlike the highly rearranged karyotypes of mouse and rat, the karyotypes of squirrels are highly conserved. Two methods have been used to reconstruct the genome phylogeny of squirrels with the laboratory rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as the out-group: ( 1) phylogenetic analysis by parsimony using chromosomal characters identified by comparative cytogenetic approaches; ( 2) mapping the genome rearrangements onto recently published sequence-based molecular trees. Our chromosome painting results, in combination with molecular data, show that flying squirrels are phylogenetically close to New World tree squirrels. Chromosome painting and G-banding comparisons place chipmunks ( Tamias sibiricus), with a derived karyotype, outside the clade comprising tree and flying squirrels. The superorder Glires (order Rodentia + order Lagomorpha) is firmly supported by two conserved syntenic associations between human chromosomes 1 and 10p homologues, and between 9 and 11 homologues.

Tandem chromosome fusions in karyotypic evolution of Muntiacus: evidence from M-feae and M-gongshanensis

The muntjacs (Muntiacus, Cervidae) are famous for their rapid and radical karyotypic diversification via repeated tandem chromosome fusions, constituting a paradigm for the studies of karyotypic evolution. Of the five muntjac species with defined karyotyp

Comparative genome maps of the pangolin, hedgehog, sloth, anteater and human revealed by cross-species chromosome painting: further insight into the ancestral karyotype and genome evolution of eutherian mammals

To better understand the evolution of genome organization of eutherian mammals, comparative maps based on chromosome painting have been constructed between human and representative species of three eutherian orders: Xenarthra, Pholidota, and Eulipotyphla,

Karyotype evolution in Rhinolophus bats (Rhinolophidae, Chiroptera) illuminated by cross-species chromosome painting and G-banding comparison

Rhinolophus (Rhinolophidae) is the second most speciose genus in Chiroptera and has extensively diversified diploid chromosome numbers (from 2n=28 to 62). In spite of many attempts to explore the karyotypic evolution of this genus, most studies have been

Karyotypic evolution and phylogenetic relationships in the order Chiroptera as revealed by G-banding comparison and chromosome painting

Bats are a unique but enigmatic group of mammals and have a world-wide distribution. The phylogenetic relationships of extant bats are far from being resolved. Here, we investigated the karyotypic relationships of representative species from four families

Defining the orientation of the tandem fusions that occurred during the evolution of Indian muntjac chromosomes by BAC mapping

The Indian muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak vaginalis) has a karyotype of 2n=6 in the female and 7 in the male, the karyotypic evolution of which through extensive tandem fusions and several centric fusions has been well-documented by recent molecular cytogenetic studies. In an attempt to define the fusion orientations of conserved chromosomal segments and the molecular mechanisms underlying the tandem fusions, we have constructed a highly redundant (more than six times of whole genome coverage) bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of Indian muntjac. The BAC library contains 124,800 clones with no chromosome bias and has an average insert DNA size of 120 kb. A total of 223 clones have been mapped by fluorescent in situ hybridization onto the chromosomes of both Indian muntjac and Chinese muntjac and a high-resolution comparative map has been established. Our mapping results demonstrate that all tandem fusions that occurred during the evolution of Indian muntjac karyotype from the acrocentric 2n=70 hypothetical ancestral karyotype are centromere-telomere (head-tail) fusions.

Rapid evolution, genetic variations, and functional association of the human spermatogenesis-related gene NYD-SP12

NYD-SP12 is a recently identified spermatogenesis-related gene with a pivotal role in human testis development. In this study, we analyzed between-species divergence and within-species variation of NYD-SP12 in seven representative primate species, four wo

Rapid evolution of an X-linked microRNA cluster in primates

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a growing class of small RNAs ( about 22 nt) that play crucial regulatory roles in the genome by targeting mRNAs for cleavage or translational repression. Most of the identified miRNAs are highly conserved among species, indicating