Evidence of gene conversion in the evolutionary process of the codon 41/42 (-CTTT) mutation causing beta-thalassemia in southern China

The 4-bp deletion (-CTTT) at codon 41/42 (CD41/42) of the human beta-globin gene represents one of the most common beta-thalassemia mutations in East Asia and Southeast Asia, which is historically afflicted with endemic malaria, thus hypothetically evolvi

Prion protein gene (PRNP) polymorphisms in native Chinese cattle

Le polymorphisme au sein de quatre regions du gene codant pour la proteine prion bovine (PRNP) confere la susceptibilite a l'encephalopathie bovine spongiforme (BSE). Ceux-ci comprennent un polymorphisme d'insertion/deletion (indel) de 23 pb dans le promoteur, un indel de 12 pb dans l'intron 1, un octapeptide repete ou un indel de 24 pb au sein du cadre de lecture, et un polymorphisme mononucleotidique (SNP) dans la region codante. Dans ce travail, les auteurs ont examine la frequence des genotypes, des alleles et des haplotypes pour ces indel au sein de 349 bovins d'origine chinoise, de meme que la sequence nucleotidique de ce gene chez 50 de ces animaux. Leurs resultats montrent que l'allele ayant la deletion de 12 pb et l'haplotype combinant la deletion de 23 pb et la deletion de 12 pb, lesquels ont ete suggeres comme etant importants pour la susceptibilite a la BSE, sont rares au sein des bovins du sud de la Chine. Une difference significative a ete observee entre les bovins affectes par la BSE et les bovins chinois sains pour ce qui est de l'indel de 12 pb. Au total, 14 SNP ont ete observes dans la region codante du gene PRNP chez les bovins chinois. Trois de ces SNP etaient associes a des changements d'acides amines (K3T, P54S et S154N). La substitution E211K qui a ete rapportee recemment chez un cas atypique de la BSE chez un bovin americain n'a pas ete detectee dans ce travail.

Independency of anti-HIV-1 activity from ribosome-inactivating activity of trichosanthin

Trichosanthin (TCS) is a type I ribosome-inactivating (RI) protein possessing multiple biological and pharmacological activities. Its major action is inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication but the mechanism is still elusive. All evidences showed that this action is related to its RI activity. Previous studies found that TCS mutants with reduced RI activity simultaneously lost some anti-HIV activity. In this study, an exception was demonstrated by two TCS mutants retaining almost all RI activity but were devoid of anti-HIV-1 activity. Five mutants were constructed by using site-directed mutagenesis with either deletion or addition of amino acids to the C-terminal sequence. Results showed that the RI activity of mutants with C-terminal deletion mutants (TCSC2, TCSC4, and TCSC14) decreased by 1.2-3.3-fold with parallel downshifting of its anti-HIV-1 activity (1.4-4.8-fold). Another two mutants, TCSC19aa and TCSKDEL having 19 amino acid extension and a KDEL signal sequence added to the C-terminal sequence, retained all RI activity but subsequently lost most of the anti-HIV-1 activity. These findings suggested that ribosome inactivation alone might not be adequate to explain the anti-HIV action of TCS. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Cooperation of Mtmr8 with PI3K Regulates Actin Filament Modeling and Muscle Development in Zebrafish

Background: It has been shown that mutations in at least four myotubularin family genes (MTM1, MTMR1, 2 and 13) are causative for human neuromuscular disorders. However, the pathway and regulative mechanism remain unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we reported a new role for Mtmr8 in neuromuscular development of zebrafish. Firstly, we cloned and characterized zebrafish Mtmr8, and revealed the expression pattern predominantly in the eye field and somites during early somitogenesis. Using morpholino knockdown, then, we observed that loss-of-function of Mtmr8 led to defects in somitogenesis. Subsequently, the possible underlying mechanism and signal pathway were examined. We first checked the Akt phosphorylation, and observed an increase of Akt phosphorylation in the morphant embryos. Furthermore, we studied the PH/G domain function within Mtmr8. Although the PH/G domain deletion by itself did not result in embryonic defect, addition of PI3K inhibitor LY294002 did give a defective phenotype in the PH/G deletion morphants, indicating that the PH/G domain was essential for Mtmr8's function. Moreover, we investigated the cooperation of Mtmr8 with PI3K in actin filament modeling and muscle development, and found that both Mtmr8-MO1 and Mtmr8-MO2+LY294002 led to the disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. In addition, we revealed a possible participation of Mtmr8 in the Hedgehog pathway, and cell transplantation experiments showed that Mtmr8 worked in a non-cell autonomous manner in actin modeling. Conclusion/Significance: The above data indicate that a conserved functional cooperation of Mtmr8 with PI3K regulates actin filament modeling and muscle development in zebrafish, and reveal a possible participation of Mtmr8 in the Hedgehog pathway. Therefore, this work provides a new clue to study the physiological function of MTM family members.

Expression pattern, cellular localization and promoter activity analysis of ovarian aromatase (Cyp19a1a) in protogynous hermaphrodite red-spotted grouper

Aromatase plays a key role in sex differentiation of gonads. In this study, we cloned the full-length cDNA of ovarian aromatase from protogynous hermaphrodite red-spotted grouper (Epinephelus akaara), and prepared the corresponding anti-EaCyp19a1a antiserum. Western blot and immunofluorescence studies revealed ovary-specific expression pattern of EaCyp19a1a in adults and its dynamic expression change during artificial sex reversal. EaCyp19a1a was expressed by follicular cells of follicular layer around oocytes because strong EaCyp19a1a immunofluorescence was observed in the cells of ovaries. During artificial sex reversal, EaCyp19a1a expression dropped significantly from female to male, and almost no any positive EaCyp19a1a signal was observed in testicular tissues. Then, we cloned and sequenced a total of 1967 bp T-flanking sequence of EaCyp19a1a promoter, and showed a number of potential binding sites for some transcriptional factors, such as SOX5, GATA gene family, CREB, AP1, FOXL1, C/EBP, ARE and SF-1. Moreover, we prepared a series of 5' deletion promoter constructs and performed in vitro luciferase assays of EaCyp19a1a promoter activities. The data indicated that the CREB regulation region from -1010 to -898 might be a major cis-acting element to EaCyp19a1a promoter, whereas the elements GATA and SOX5 in the region from -1216 to -1010 might be suppression elements. Significantly, we found a common conserved sequence region in the fish ovary-type aromatase promoters with identities from 93% to 34%. And, the motifs of TATA box, SF-1, SOX5, and CREB existed in the region and were conserved among the most of fish species. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elongation Factor ELL (Eleven-Nineteen Lysine-rich Leukemia) Acts as a Transcription Factor for Direct Thrombospondin-1 Regulation

The eleven-nineteen lysine-rich leukemia (ELL) gene undergoes translocation and fuses in-frame to the multiple lineage leukemia gene in a substantial proportion of patients suffering from acute forms of leukemia. Studies show that ELL indirectly modulates transcription by serving as a regulator for transcriptional elongation as well as for p53, U19/Eaf2, and steroid receptor activities. Our in vitro and in vivo data demonstrate that ELL could also serve as a transcriptional factor to directly induce transcription of the thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) gene. Experiments using ELL deletion mutants established that full-length ELL is required for the TSP-1 up-regulation and that the trans-activation domain likely resides in the carboxyl terminus. Moreover, the DNA binding domain may localize to the first 45 amino acids of ELL. Not surprisingly, multiple lineage leukemia-ELL, which lacks these amino acids, did not induce expression from the TSP-1 promoter. In addition, the ELL core-response element appears to localize in the -1426 to -1418 region of the TSP-1 promoter. Finally, studies using zebrafish confirmed that ELL regulates TSP-1 mRNA expression in vivo, and ELL could inhibit zebrafish vasculogenesis, at least in part, through up-regulating TSP-1. Given the importance of TSP-1 as an anti-angiogenic protein, our findings may have important ramifications for better understanding cancer.

U19/Eaf2 Binds to and Stabilizes von Hippel-Lindau Protein

Studies have firmly established a key regulatory role for the tumor suppressor pVHL in the regulation of the vascular system and normal spermatogenesis. Here, we report that knockout of the newly identified tumor suppressor U19/Eaf2 also caused vascular system abnormalities and aspermatogenesis, suggesting a potential link between U19/Eaf2 and pVHL. Coimmunoprecipitation and in vitro binding assays showed an association between U19/Eaf2 and pVHL, whereas deletion mutagenesis revealed the requirement of the NH2 terminus of U19/Eaf2 and both the alpha and beta domains of pVHL for this binding. U19/Eaf2 stabilizes pVHL, as shown by protein stability and pulse-chase studies. Testes and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) derived from U19/Eaf2 knockout mice expressed reduced levels of pVHL, indicating that full in vivo expression of pVHL indeed requires U19/Eaf2. As expected, U19/Eaf2 knockout MEF cells exhibited an increased level and activity of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1 alpha), a protein typically regulated via a pVHL-mediated degradation pathway. Furthermore, angiogenesis in a Matrigel plug assay was significantly increased in U19/Eaf2 knockout mice. The above observations argue that U19/Eaf2 can modulate HIF1 alpha and angiogenesis, possibly via direct binding and stabilization of pVHL. [Cancer Res 2009;69(6):2599-606]

Identification of a C1q family member associated with cortical granules and follicular cell apoptosis in Carassius auratus gibelio

C1q family proteins with C1q domain have been reported in vertebrates, but their biological roles are currently unknown. In this study, a C1q-like factor, designated Carassius auratus gibelio ovary-specific C1q-like factor (CagOC1q-like), was identified as a cortical granules component. Immunofluorescence localization revealed that the C1q family member was specifically expressed in follicular epithelial cells, and associated with cortical granules in fully grown oocytes. Moreover, it was discharged to the perivitelline space and egg envelope upon fertilization. As it is the first identified C1q family member that is expressed in follicular cells that surround oocyte, CagOC1q-like was applied to detection of follicular cell apoptosis and deletion. The entire cytological process of follicular cell apoptosis and deletion was clearly seen from double visualizations of follicular cells with CagOC1q-like immunofluorescence and apoptotic follicular cells labeled by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) during oocyte maturation and ovulation. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

U19/Eaf2 knockout causes lung adenocarcinoma, B-cell lymphoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia

Upregulated gene 19 (U19)/ELL-associated factor 2 (Eaf2) is a potential human tumor suppressor that exhibits frequent allelic loss and downregulation in high-grade prostate cancer. U19/Eaf2, along with its homolog Eaf1, has been reported to regulate transcriptional elongation via interaction with the eleven-nineteen lysine-rich leukemia (ELL) family of proteins. To further explore the tumor-suppressive effects of U19/Eaf2, we constructed and characterized a murine U19/Eaf2-knockout model. Homozygous or heterozygous deletion of U19/Eaf2 resulted in high rates of lung adenocarcinoma, B-cell lymphoma, hepato cellular carcinoma and prostate intraepithelial neoplasia. Within the mouse prostate, U19/Eaf2 defficiency enhanced cell proliferation and increased epithelial cell size. The knockout mice also exhibited cardiac cell hypertrophy. These data indicate a role for U19/Eaf2 in growth suppression and cell size control as well as argue for U19/Eaf2 as a novel tumor suppressor in multiple mouse tissues. The U19/Eaf2 knockout mouse also provides a unique animal model for three important cancers: lung adenocarcinoma, B-cell lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Molecular evolution of connective tissue growth factor in Cyprinidae (Teleostei : Cypriniformes)

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) plays an important role in regulation of cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis and individual development in animals. The study of sequences variation and molecular evolution of CTGF gene across various species of the cyprinid could be helpful for understanding of speciation and gene divergence in this kind of fish. In this study, 19 novel sequences of CTGF gene were obtained from the representative species of the family Cyprinidae using PCR amplification, cloning and sequencing. Phylogenetic relationships of Cyprinidae were reconstructed by neighbor-joining (NJ), maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian method. Oryzias latipes from the family Cyprinodontidae was assigned to be the outgroup taxon. Leuciscini and Barbini were clustered into the monophyletic lineages, respectively, with the high nodal supports. The estimation of the ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitution (dN/dS) for the various branches indicated that there stood the different evolution rates between the Leuciscini and the Barbini. With the ratio of dN/dS of the Leuciscini being lower than that of the Barbini, species within the Barbini were demonstrated to be subjected to the relatively less selection pressure and under the relaxable evolution background. A 6 by indel (insertion/deletion) was found at the 5' end of CTGF gene of Cyprinidae, and this 6 by deletion only appeared in the Leuciscini, which is a typical characteristic of the Leuciscini and provides evidence for the monophylogeny of the Leuciscini. For the amino acid sequences of CTGF protein, the most variations and indels were distributed in the signal region and IGFBP region of this protein, implying that these variations were correlated with the regulation of the CTGF gene expression and protein activity. (c) 2007 National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science in China Press. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic relationships of the Chinese sisorid catfishes: a nuclear intron versus mitochondrial gene approach

Several recent molecular phylogenetic studies of the sisorid catfishes (Sisoridae) have challenged some aspects of their traditional taxonomy and cladistic hypotheses of their phylogeny. However, disagreement with respect to relationships within this family in these studies highlights the need for additional data and analyses. Here we subjected 15 taxa representing 12 sisorids genera to comprehensive phylogenetic analyses using the second intron of low-copy nuclear S7 ribosomal protein (rpS7) gene and the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene segments both individually and in combination. The competing sisorid topologies were then tested by using the approximately unbiased (AU) test and the Shimodaira-Hasegawa (SH) test. Our results support previously suggested polyphyly of Pareuchiloglanis. The genus Pseudecheneis is likely to be nested in the glyptosternoids and Glaridoglanis might be basal to the tribe Glyptosternini. However, justified by AU and SH test, the sister-group relationship between Pseudecheneis and the monophyletic glyptosternoids cannot be rejected based on the second intron of rpS7 gene and combined data analyses. It follows that both gene segments are not suitable for resolving the phylogenetic relationships within the sisorid catfishes. Overall, the second intron of rpS7 gene yielded poor phylogenetic performance when compared to 16S rRNA gene, the evolutionary hypothesis of which virtually agreed with the combined data analyses tree. This phenomenon can be explained by the insufficient length and fast saturation of substitutions in the second intron of rpS7 gene, due to substitution patterns such as frequent indels (insertion/deletion events) of bases in the sequences during the evolution.

Functional analysis of FP25K of Helicoverpa armigera single nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus

The fp25k gene of Helicoverpa armigera single nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) was studied. HearNPV fp25k gene transcription was found starting from about 18 h post-infection, and protein could be detected from the same time with antiserum against FP25K. To study the function of HearNPV fp25k, a recombinant HearNPV (HaBacWD11) with an enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene replacing the fp25k was constructed using HaBacHZ8, a bacmid of HearNPV that lacks the polyhedrin gene. Growth curve analysis showed that HaBacWD11 produced higher titres of budded viruses (BVs) than its wild-type counterpart HaBacHZ8-GFP. Electron microscopic analysis indicated that at the late stage of infection, the number of intranuclear enveloped nucleocapsids in HaBacWD11-infected cells was much less than that of HaBacHZ8-GFP. A rescue recombinant virus HaBacWD14 was constructed by reintroducing fp25k gene into HaBacWD11. The growth curve and electron microscopic analysis of the rescued recombinant confirmed that the increase of BV yield and the decrease of the virion production in infected cells were the result of fp25k deletion. The expression of membrane fusion protein (Ha133) and ODV-E66 were studied using the FP25K mutants HaBacWD11 and HaBacHZ8-GFP. Unlike FP25K mutants in Autographa californica multicapsid NPV (AcMNPV), which caused an increase in the expression of membrane fusion protein GP64 and a decrease of ODV-E66, no obvious changes at the expression level of Ha133 and ODV-E66 were observed in HearNPV FP25K mutant.

Characterization of transgene integration pattern in F4 hGH-transgenic common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

The integration pattern and adjacent host sequences of the inserted pMThGH-transgene in the F4 hGH-transgenic common carp were extensively studied. Here we show that each F4 transgenic fish contained about 200 copies of the pMThGH-transgene and the transgenes were integrated into the host genome generally with concatemers in a head-to-tail arrangement at 4-5 insertion sites. By using a method of plasmid rescue, four hundred copies of transgenes from two individuals of F4 transgenic fish, A and B, were recovered and clarified into 6 classes. All classes of recovered transgenes contained either complete or partial pMThGH sequences. The class I, which comprised 83% and 84.5% respectively of the recovered transgene copies from fish A and B, had maintained the original configuration, indicating that most transgenes were faithfully inherited during the four generations of reproduction. The other five classes were different from the original configuration in both molecular weight and restriction map, indicating that a few transgenes had undergone mutation, rearrangement or deletion during integration and germline transmission. In the five types of aberrant transgenes, three flanking sequences of the host genome were analyzed. These sequences were common carp beta-actin gene, common carp DNA sequences homologous to mouse phosphoglycerate kinase-1 and human epidermal keratin 14, respectively.

Complex mutation at a microsatellite locus in sturgeons: Acipenser sinensis, A-schrenckii, A-gueldenstaedtii and A-baerii

Cross-species amplifications of microsatellite locus Spl-106, which was originally screened from the genome of shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) with a perfect TAGA repeat motif, were carried out in four other species of the genera Acipenser. A total of 34 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products representing 16 different alleles of this locus was sequenced. Sequence analysis results showed that besides the number changes of repeat units, many mutational events, such as single-base substitutions and various insertion/deletion (indels) occurred not only at species level but also at individual level, even among the different alleles within the same individual. The repeat motifs varied from perfect (TAGA)n array to perfect compound (TAAA)m (GAAA)n and perfect or imperfect compound (TAAA)m (TAGA)n (TAAA)x arrays in different species and different individuals. The evolution dynamics of this locus in sturgeons was inferred in that it may evolve from a single perfect to different perfect or imperfect compounds.

粗枝云杉( Picea asperata Mast.)天然群体的遗传变异

西南地区在我国的经济发展和生态环境建设中占重要地位，但也是我国生态环境最脆弱的地区之一，生态系统退化，生态功能减弱，严重制约着西南林业的可持续经营与发展。本项目采用DNA 分子标记SSR 研究不同生境条件下粗枝云杉群体的遗传变异及其时空分布格局，考察遗传变异与复杂的山地生态环境间的潜在联系，系统地揭示粗枝云杉天然群体与环境系统相互作用的生态适应与分子进化机制。粗枝云杉适应性强，生长迅速，在植树造林和工业用材方面占有重要地位，研究成果可为中国西南部亚高山天然林的可持续经营及退化生态系统的恢复与重建提供理论依据和科学指导。主要研究结果如下： 1. SSR 位点变异丰富，等位基因频率的分布格局多样。7 个SSR 标记全是多态位点，每位点的等位基因数变化范围为13~24，平均为19.9 个。SSR 位点的等位基因片段长度范围变化较大。73.1%的等位基因变异遵循逐步突变模型(SSM)而发生1 个重复基元的变化，22.3%和4.6%的变异分别按两阶段突变模型(TMP)发生1 个重复基元以上的变化和在SSR 位点侧翼区发生1 个碱基变化的插入-删除事件。 2. 粗枝云杉拥有中等偏高水平的遗传多样性和相对大的群体间遗传分化。通过分析代表10 个群体的250 个个体在7 个SSR位点的变化，调查了源自中国西南山区的粗枝云杉的微卫星变异。相当高的遗传多样性和强烈的群体分化发生在粗枝云杉中， 其群体平均Nei's 期望杂合度为0.707 ， 群体间遗传距离为0.121~0.224(FST)和0.100~0.537(RST)。然而，群体间遗传距离与地理距离之间无相关性，从而排除了简单的距离分离模式并暗示迁移不是影响粗枝云杉遗传变异格局的主要因素。事实上，使用私有等位基因估算的基因流数量非常低，仅等于0.753。等位基因置换检验(Allele permutation tests)揭示逐步突变及遗传漂变都对群体间分化有贡献。另外，在多数位点检测到显著的群体间遗传差异，这个结果说明自然选择，假设通过环境压力，是引起粗枝云杉微地理分化的主要因素之一。根据SSR基因型，250 个粗枝云杉个体的70%被正确地归类入其各自的来源群体，结果表明微卫星(SSR)对区分来自中国不同生态地理位点的粗枝云杉基因型是有效的。 3. 在SSR、RAPD 和AFLP 位点，显著的群体间遗传结构被发现的，但三种标记间遗传分化程度和群体遗传关系有差异。利用来自10 个群体的247 个个体，我们报告了关于样本粗枝云杉群体间遗传关系的总体看法。根据各自对评价遗传关系的信息能力和适用性，SSR、RAPD 和AFLP 标记被选用，三种技术非常有效地区别这些基因型。使用的SSR、RAPD 和AFLP 标记分别估计平均Dice 相似性系数。Mantel 检验产生显著但相对低的共表型适合度(RAPD = 0.63£AFLP = 0.60和SSR = 0.75)。比较三种标记系统，RAPD 和AFLP 共表型指数相对高地相关(r =0.59)，而RAPD 和SSR 及SSR 和AFLP 之间的相关系数分别是0.53 和0.35。所有系统树，包括不同标记资料结合获得的系统树，反映了多数群体依据它们的地理条件而成某种特定关系。结果暗示单个或结合标记系统能用来深入洞察粗枝云杉遗传研究，并且不同标记系统合并资料能提供更可靠的信息。 Southwestern region plays an important role in economic developmentand ecological construction in China. Yet, it is also one of the weak regionsof ecological environment in China with degraded ecosystem and imperfectfunction, which restricts the sustaining management and development ofsouthwestern forestry. The genetic variation and spatial distribution patternof P. asperata populations originating from different habitats wereinvestigated using SSR molecular markers in this study. The correlationsbetween genetic variation and ecological and environmental conditionswere detected, and the interaction between P. asperata populations andenvironmental system and the mechanism of ecological adaption -molecular evolution were revealed. Given the significant ecological andeconomic roles of the fast-growing and wide-adaptive species in reforestation and production of pulp wood and timber, the study couldprovide a strong theoretical evidence and scientific direction for thesustaining management of subalpine natural forest, and the afforestationand rehabilitation of degraded ecosystem. The results are as follows: 1. The genetic variation at SSR loci was abundant and the distributionof allelic frequencies was uneven. All seven loci were polymorphic, and thenumber of alleles per locus varied from 13 to 24 with a mean valueequaling 19.9. The allele sizes at SSR loci were found to vary widely.73.1% of allelic variation followed stepwise mutation model (SSM) whichresults increase or decrease by one repeat type, and 22.3% and 4.6% wereresulted from two-phase mutation model (TMP) with allele size varying bymore than one repeat type and from insertion-deletion events in theflanking regions at SSR loci with a single basepair changing, respectively. 2. P. asperata possessed a moderate to high level of genetic diversityand considerable genetic differentiation. Microsatellite variation of P.asperata. originating from the mountains of southwestern China wasinvestigated by analyzing variation at seven SSR loci in 250 individualsrepresenting ten populations. A fair degree of genetic diversity and strongpopulation subdivision occurred with the mean gene diversity (H) of 0.707,and genetic distances among populations varying between 0.121 and 0.224(FST) and between 0.100 and 0.537 (RST). However, inter-populationgenetic distances showed no correlation with geographic distances between the population sites. This ruled out a simple isolation by distance modeland suggested that migration does not have a great impact. In fact, theamount of gene flow, detected using private alleles, was very low, equalingonly 0.753. Allele permutation tests revealed that stepwise-like mutations,coupled with genetic drift, could contribute to population differentiation.Moreover, significant genetic differences between populations weredetected at most loci. The results indicate that natural selection, presumablythrough environmental stress, may be one of the main factors causingmicro-geographical differentiation in the genetic structure of P. asperata.Based on SSR genotypes, 70% of the 250 individuals were correctlyclassified into their sites of origin. This suggests that microsatellites (SSRs) are effective in distinguishing genotypes of P. asperata originating fromdiverse eco-geographical sites in China. 3. Using a set of 247 individuals from ten P. asperata populations wereport an overview on the genetic relationship among the sampled P.asperata populations. RAPD, AFLP and SSR were used in terms of theirinformativeness and applicability for evaluate relationship and all threetechniques discriminated the genotypes very effectively. Mean Dicesimilarities coefficient were estimated using RAPD, AFLP and SSR,respectively. The Mantel test resulted in a significant but relatively low fit(RAPD = 0.63, AFLP = 0.60 and SSR = 0.75) of cophenetic values.Comparing the three marker systems to each other, RAPD and AFLP cophenetic indices were highly correlated (r = 0.59), while correlationcoefficient between RAPD and SSR was r = 0.53 and between SSR andAFLP was r = 0.35. For all markers a relatively high similarity indendrogram topologies was obtained although some differences wereobserved. All the dendrograms, including that obtained by the combineduse of all the marker data, reflect some relationships for most of thepopulations according to their geographic conditions. The results indicatethat single or combined marker system could be used to insight into geneticstudy in P. asperata and the combined data of different marker systems canprovide more reliable information.