松属植物rRNA基因的变异模式及其进化生物学意义

被子植物的rRNA基因已经得到深入研究。二倍体被子植物一般拥有1-4对18S-5.8S-26S rDNA位点和1-2对5S rDNA位点。作为特殊的多基因家族成员，rDNA会受均一化力 (homogenizing forces) 的作用，通过基因转换、不等交换等机制，形成基因的致同进化 (concerted evolution)。长期以来，我们一直认为动植物rDNA致同进化水平很高，各种拷贝的序列几乎完全一致，因此可以直接应用PCR测序的方法进行分子系统学研究。但是在裸子植物中由于研究资料的匮乏，使我们对裸子植物rDNA的变异模式了解甚少。松属植物作为裸子植物的最大类群，它的rDNA变异和进化有何特点、与被子植物是否相同，是这个重要类群的进化研究中目前尚未解决的问题。本文的研究内容从三个方面进行： (1)rDNA的染色体定位 目前，松属的18S-5.8S-26S rDNA的染色体定位研究只包括5种植物，其中的3种同时涉及到5S rDNA定位。这些研究结果表明，不同种存在相异的rDNA位点数目，甚至不同的个体的rDNA位点均有变化。其共同点是，18S-5.8S-26S rDNA位点数平均较被子植物多，5S rDNA除Pinus radiata外，在其它种里则与被子植物相似。这种现象是松属或裸子植物的共同特征，亦或是特例呢？有限的研究限制了对裸子植物rDNA的了解。本研究的目的之一就是研究松属植物rDNA的染色体空间分布特征，希望借此了解松属植物间的关系，比较裸子植物和被子植物rDNA在染色体组水平的差异。 (2)5S rDNA的分子进化 5S rDNA的序列水平的进化研究在松属中尚属空白。5S rDNA在染色体数目上没有显示裸子植物与被子植物的差异，是否意味着松属乃至裸子植物的5S rDNA也同被子植物一样——致同进化完全，序列高度一致呢？利用克隆测序方法对松属植物5S rDNA的研究无疑是有开创性的工作，可以探讨裸子植物的5S rDNA的进化机制和种间关系。 (3)杂种基因组研究 杂交物种的起源演化是当前生物学研究的热点，通过杂种基因组的研究，可以了解杂种的的基因组构成，组织方式和进化历史，探讨杂交事件对成种过程的影响及意义。这项研究涉及到高山松、云南松和油松。之所以采用这三种植物，因为等位酶、cpDNA和mtDNA证据证明高山松为油松和云南松的自然杂交种。但这些证据不足以反映杂种核基因组的重组特征和构成及其进化规律。我们利用rDNA-FISH、5S rDNA和基因组原位杂交分析三种松树间的基因组关系，为揭示高山松的进化机制和历史提供新的依据。 本项研究得到以下结果： 一. rDNA荧光原位杂交 (FISH) 通过对华山松和白皮松两种单维管束亚属植物及油松、云南松、高山松、马尾松和南亚松等五种双维管束亚属植物的18S rDNA与5S rDNA的荧光原位杂交，结果表明： ⑴ 裸子植物的18S rDNA位点数目明显多于二倍体被子植物。其中主要位点数目，油松有7对，高山松5对，云南松8对，马尾松10对，南亚松6对，白皮松3对，华山松10对，平均在7对;另外，部分松树还存在弱位点。无论强弱位点都有部分存在于染色体的着丝粒区，除了赤松 (Pinus densiflora)，在其它松科植物中并没有发现这种现象。究竟是基因转移的结果或该位点是18S rDNA的原始起源位置还有待确证。 ⑵ 5S rDNA位点相对变异较小，与被子植物相当。除了华山松5S rDNA有4对位点，马尾松只有1对位点外，其它松树的5S rDNA位点数目均为2对，并且在双维管束亚属植物中有一对属于弱位点。 ⑶ 两种rDNA存在不同连锁模式。双维管束亚属植物中，5S与18S rDNA连锁在同一染色体的同一臂或两条臂上。在同一染色体臂时，18S rDNA在臂的远端。单维管束亚属植物的5S与18S rDNA或连锁于同一染色体的同一臂上，或分别处于不同染色体。前一情况，5S rDNA位于臂的远端。据此可以说明两个亚属的rDNA结构在染色体组水平的很大分化。 ⑷ 松属植物的关系及高山松核型特征。由于5S与18S rDNA连锁关系的不同，可以将单维管束亚属和双维管束亚属分开。各亚属的不同物种可以依据杂交位点的多少、位置、信号强弱构成的核型图加以区分，并且构成一定的系统关系。杂交起源的高山松在染色体组上，表现出对油松和云南松两亲本不同染色体特征的分别继承与重组，并产生独有的特征。其II同源染色体之一18S rDNA位点的缺失，可能是染色体重组的痕迹。 二. 5S rDNA的序列变异与分子进化 利用分子克隆和DNA测序分析了油松、云南松、马尾松、白皮松和不同遗传背景的高山松居群的5S rRNA基因序列变异及基因进化规律，得到以下主要结果： ⑴ 5S rDNA的结构特征。双维管束亚属植物长度在658-728 bp，白皮松则为499-521 bp。长度差异体现在基因间隔区，而基因区极端保守，基本为120 bp。基因转录区内部存在着转录控制区，决定了5S rRNA的转录起始与转录效率。5S rRNA基因能够折叠成正常的二级结构，其中，相对于干区来说，环区要保守，但环E却表现出异乎寻常的变异，转换/颠换比值高达7.1，这种突变可能是假基因的产物。基因间隔区存在一定的保守单元，其中一些与转录的起始和终止调控相关，有些是裸子植物未知功能的特异保守区。 ⑵ 松属植物5S rDNA存在着基因组内与种间的异质性。基因组内的各个克隆中有超过80%的特异的，彼此不相同。整个5S rDNA分化距离为0.042 - 0.051，其中，间隔区的分化比基因区高，其速度约是基因区的3-7倍。比较种间5S rDNA序列发现：在122个克隆中，基因区只有50个特异的序列。基因组间的序列变异度与基因组内 (个体内) 没有明显差别。白皮松的间隔区与双维管束亚属松树的5S rDNA间隔区差异极大，几乎不能排序，而四种双维管束亚属植物的5S rDNA间隔区种间种内差异不大。 ⑶ 松属植物5S rDNA进化。PAUP分析建立的5S rRNA基因树显示，5S rRNA基因在基因组内是多系的 (polyphyletic)，表明成种事件以前，祖先种就已经存在序列的分化。观测到的5S rRNA基因序列变异状况，并非完全是致同进化或独立进化的单一因素造成的，而是二者的相互作用的结果。致同进化确实存在，只是速度较慢而已。 ⑷ 高山松5S rDNA 组成。高山松拥有最高的基因组内的序列多样性，高山松的5S rDNA拷贝既有亲本类型，又有重组类型，并且不同地理及遗传来源的高山松显示一定的分化趋势，有更多的拷贝来自母系亲本。 三. 基因组原位杂交 以油松和云南松总DNA作为探针，相互进行基因组原位杂交，结果显示云南松和油松的染色体组可以完全被对方探针标记，在现有基因组原位杂交的分辨率下不能将两个基因组区分开。说明云南松和油松基因组之间存在高比例的同源序列，两种松树的基因组组成十分相似。利用油松和云南松总DNA作为探针，对高山松的染色体组进行双探针基因组原位杂交。结果表明，高山松全部基因组都能与两亲本探针完全杂交，说明三者间有着异乎寻常的亲缘关系。但在PH失调影响下，高山松只有部分基因组被杂交，并且两种探针的杂交信号有轻微差异。这可能是高度重复序列优先杂交的结果。这些情况表明，高山松虽然在基因组构成上与两个亲本基本一致，但基因在染色体组的空间排布上是存在差异的，这一点可以从rDNA-FISH中证明。

Reciprocal chromosome painting among human, aardvark, and elephant (superorder Afrotheria) reveals the likely eutherian ancestral karyotype

The Afrotheria, a supraordinal grouping of mammals whose radiation is rooted in Africa, is strongly supported by DNA sequence data but not by their disparate anatomical features. We have used flow-sorted human, aardvark, and African elephant chromosome painting probes and applied reciprocal painting schemes to representatives of two of the Afrotherian orders, the Tubulidentata (aardvark) and Proboscidea (elephants), in an attempt to shed additional light on the evolutionary affinities of this enigmatic group of mammals. Although we have not yet found any unique cytogenetic signatures that support the monophyly of the Afrotheria, embedded within the aardvark genome we find the strongest evidence yet of a mammalian ancestral karyotype comprising 2n = 44. This karyotype includes nine chromosomes that show complete conserved synteny to those of man, six that show conservation as single chromosome arms or blocks in the human karyotype but that occur on two different chromosomes in the ancestor, and seven neighbor-joining combinations (i.e., the synteny is maintained in the majority of species of the orders studied so far, but which corresponds to two chromosomes in humans). The comparative chromosome maps presented between human and these Afrotherian species provide further insight into mammalian genome organization and comparative genomic data for the Afrotheria, one of the four major evolutionary clades postulated for the Eutheria.

The mitochondrial genome organization of the rice frog, Fejervarya limnocharis (Amphibia : Anura): a new gene order in the vertebrate mtDNA

The mitochondrial DNA of the rice frog, Fejervarya limnocharis (Amphibia, Anura), was obtained using long-and-accurate polymerase chain reaction (LA-PCR) combining with subcloning method. The complete nucleotide sequence (17,717 bp) of mitochondrial genome was determined subsequently. This mitochondrial genome is characterized by four distinctive features: the translocation of ND5 gene, a cluster of rearranged tRNA genes (tRNA(Thr), tRNA(Pro), tRNA(Leu) ((CUN))) a tandem duplication of tRNA(Mer) gene, and eight large 89-bp tandem repeats in the control region, as well as three short noncoding regions containing two repeated motifs existing in the gene cluster of ND5/tRNA(Thr)/tRNA(Pro)/tRNA(Leu)/tRNA(Phe). The tandem duplication of gene regions followed by deletions of supernumerary genes can be invoked to explain the shuffling of tRNAM(Met) and a cluster of tRNA and ND5 genes, as observed in this study. Both ND5 gene translocation and tandem duplication of tRNA(Met) were first observed in the vertebrate mitochondrial genomes. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CpG island density and its correlations with genomic features in mammalian genomes

Background: CpG islands, which are clusters of CpG dinucleotides in GC-rich regions, are considered gene markers and represent an important feature of mammalian genomes. Previous studies of CpG islands have largely been on specific loci or within one geno

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The karyotype of Indian muntjacs (Muntiacus muntjak vaginalis) has been greatly shaped by chromosomal fusion, which leads to its lowest diploid number among the extant known mammals. We present, here, comparative results based on draft sequences of 37 bac

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The inherent interest on the origin of genetic novelties can be traced back to Darwin. But it was not until recently that we were allowed to investigate the fundamental process of origin of new genes by the studies on newly evolved Young genes. Two indisp

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In one of our recent studies, two HCV genotype 6 variants were identified in patients from Hong Kong and Guangxi in southern China, with injection drug use and HIV-1 co-infection. We report the complete genomic sequences for these two variants: GX004 and

Maintenance of Multifemale Social Organization in a Group of Nomascus concolor at Wuliang Mountain, Yunnan, China

Many short-term studies have reported groups of black crested gibbons containing >= 2 adult females (Nomascus concolor). We report the stability of multifemale groups in this species over a period of 6 yr. Our focal group and 2 neighboring groups included 2 breeding females between March 2003 and June 2009. We also habituated 1 multifemale group to observers and present detailed information concerning their social relationships over a 9-mo observation period. We investigated interindividual distances and agonistic behavior among the 5 group members. The spatial relationship between the 3 adult members (1 male, 2 females) formed an equilateral triangle. A subadult male was peripheral to the focal group, while a juvenile male maintained a closer spatial relationship with the adult members. We observed little agonistic behavior among the adult members. The close spatial relationship and lack of high rates of agonistic behavior among females suggest that the benefits of living in a multifemale group were equal to or greater than the costs for both females, given their ecological and social circumstances. The focal group occupied a large home range that was likely to provide sufficient food sources for the 2 females and their offspring. Between March 2003 and June 2009, 1 adult female gave 2 births and the other one gave 1 birth. All individuals in the focal group survived to June 2009. A long-term comparative study focused on females living in multifemale groups and females living in pair-living groups would provide insight into understanding the evolutionary mechanisms of the social system in gibbons.

Social organization and range use in the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus bieti

We studied social organization, behavior, and range use of the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) at Wuyapiya (99 degrees 12'E, 28 degrees 30'N, the People's Republic of China) over 12 months between May 1992 and June 1994. The Wuyapiya band contained greater than or equal to 175 members and had two levels of social organization. At one level, the monkeys formed multifemale, one-male units (OMUs) similar to those of many other colobines. At another level, 15 to 18 OMUs traveled together in a cohesive band. Unlike the bands of other species of Rhinopithecus, the Wuyapiya band of R. bieti did not show seasonal fission-fusion, although some social behavior, such as male-male aggression, was seasonal. With regard to range use, the Wuyapiya band had a large home range and long daily travel distances compared with other colobines. Minimum range size in 1 year at Wuyapiya is 16.25 km(2), although there is no asymptote for range size as a function of observation time. Range size for the Wuyapiya band is 25.25 km(2) over the 2-year study and appeared to cover 100 km(2) between 1985 and 1994. The primary food of R. bieti at Wuyapiya is lichens, which are ubiquitous in fir frees. The multitiered social organization of R. bieti appears to result from the interaction of food resource characters with the forces of mate competition, with band sizes based on female responses to the spatial and temporal characteristics of lichens and subdivisions within bands based on male competition for mates.

Secondary structure of yeast genomic downstream region and polyadenylation signals

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Data on social organization of two bands of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) 14 were collected when the monkeys were crossing an open spot at Nanren and Bamei (northwest of Yunnan, China) using a sampling rule where individuals wit

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A new amino silica monolithic column was developed for DNA extraction in a miniaturized format. The monolithic column was prepared in situ by polymerization of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and N-(beta-aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane (AEAPMDMS). DNA was loaded in 50 mM tris(hydroxylmethyl)aminomethane-EDTA buffer at pH 7.0 and eluted with 300 mM potassium phosphate solution at pH 10.0. Under optimal condition, a 6.0-cm monolithic column provided a capacity of 56 ng DNA with an extraction efficiency of 71 +/- 5.2% (X +/- RSD). When the amino silica monolithic column was applied to extract genomic DNA from the whole blood of crucian carp, an extraction efficiency of 52 +/- 5.6% (X +/- SD) was obtained by three extractions. Since the chaotropic-based sample loading and organic solvent wash steps were avoided in this procedure, the purified DNA was suitable for downstream processes such as PCR. This amino silica monolithic column was demonstrated to allow rapid and efficient DNA purification in microscale.