Identification of the Angel-related elements in cyprinid fishes and their phylogenetic implications

Angel-related element belongs to the family of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs). In this paper we report the identification of an Angel-related element in the series Leuciscini of cyprinid fishes, which is located in the second intron of the growth hormone (GH) gene. We have also found that this element is absent in orthologous locus in the series Barbini of cyprinid fishes, that provides new evidence for the monophyly of the series Leuciscini. The insertion of Angel-related element into the GH gene might take place in the common ancestor of the series Leuciscini after its divergence from the series Barbini. The high sequence divergence and relatively broad species distribution of Angel-related elements implies that they might be ancient transposons which appeared about 26 million years ago.

Cloning and expression of medaka dazl during ernbryogenesis and gametogenesis

The Deleted in azoospermia family consists of RNA-binding proteins Bottle, Daz, and Daz-like (Dazl) that are expressed in the germline. Here, we report the cloning and expression of the medakafish (Oryzias latipes) dazl gene (odazl). Interestingly, although the predicted medaka Dazl protein (oDazl) contains a RRM motif and a DAZ repeat characteristic of its mammalian homologs, it lacks 80 aa at the C-terminus. By RT-PCR, RNA in situ hybridization, Western blotting and fluorescent immunohistochemistry using a rabbit anti-DazI antibody (alpha Oazl), we analyzed the expression patterns of odazl and its protein. The odazl transcript persists throughout embryogenesis and delineates with primordial germ cells. In adults, the expression of odazl RNA and its protein is restricted to germ cells of both the testis and ovary. We observed differential expression of RNA and protein at critical stages of gametogenesis. In the testis, the odazl RNA is low at premeiotic stages, abundant at meiotic stages, but absent in postmeiotic stages; whereas the oDazl protein is rich in premeiotic stages, reduced at meiotic stages, becomes barely detectable or absent in postmeiotic round spermatids or sperm, respectively. This is in sharp mature spermatozoa. In the ovary, the odazl RNA contrast to the human situation where the Dazl transcript and protein are present in and protein persist throughout oogenesis and also show differential expression at premeiotic, meiotic and postmeiotic stages. Thus, the odazl or its protein is a marker for germ cells during embryogenesis and at critical stages of gametogenesis in both sexes of medaka. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Population genetic structure of Carchesium polypinum (Ciliophora : Peritrichia) in four chinese lakes inferred from ISSR fingerprinting: High diversity but low differentiation

Although the peritrichous ciliate Carchesium polypinum is common in freshwater, its population genetic structure is largely unknown. We used inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) fingerprinting to analyze the genetic structure of 48 different isolates of the species from four lakes in Wuhan, central China. Using eight polymorphic primers, 81 discernible DNA fragments were detected, among which 76 (93.83%) were polymorphic, indicating high genetic diversity at the isolate level. Further, Nei's gene diversity (h) and Shannon's Information index (I) between the different isolates both revealed a remarkable genetic diversity, higher than previously indicated by their morphology. At the same time, substantial gene flow was found. So the main factors responsible for the high level of diversity within populations are probably due to conjugation (sexual reproduction) and wide distribution of swarmers. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that there was low genetic differentiation among the four populations probably due to common ancestry and flooding events. The cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that genotypes isolated from the same lake displayed a higher genetic similarity than those from different lakes. Both analyses separated C. polypinum isolates into subgroups according to the geographical locations. However, there is only a weak positive correlation between the genetic distance and geographical distance, suggesting a minor effect of geographical distance on the distribution of genetic diversity between populations of C. polypinum at the local level. In conclusion, our studies clearly demonstrated that a single morphospecies may harbor high levels of genetic diversity, and that the degree of resolution offered by morphology as a marker for measuring distribution patterns of genetically distinct entities is too low.

A miniature insertion element transposable in Microcystis sp FACHB 854

A 186-bp sequence with imperfect terminal inverted repeats and target direct repeats but without any transposase-encoding capacity was found to be transposable in an isolate derived from Microcystis sp. FACHB 854. This miniature insertion element, designated as ISM854-1, and with its homologues present at least 10 copies in the genome of Microcystis FACHB 854, is inserted into the 8-bp long and AT-rich target sequences, but none or few in other Microcystis strains. A variant of ISM854-1, denoted ISM854-1A, has perfect inverted repeat sequences and may transpose in pairs in a structure like a composite transposon. This is the first report of non-autonomous transposition of a mini-IS in a cyanobacterium.

Two cathelicidin genes are present in both rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Further to the previous finding of the rainbow trout rtCATH_1 gene, this paper describes three more cathelicidin genes found in salmonids: two in Atlantic salmon, named asCATH_1 and asCATH_2, and one in rainbow trout, named rtCATH_2. All the three new salmonid cathelicidin genes share the common characteristics of mammalian cathelicidin genes, such as consisting of four exons and possessing a highly conserved preproregion and four invariant cysteines clustered in the C-terminal region of the cathelin-like domain. The asCATH_1 gene is homologous to the rainbow trout rtCATH_1 gene, in that it possesses three repeat motifs of TGGGGGTGGC in exon IV and two cysteine residues in the predicted mature peptide, while the asCATH_2 gene and rtCATH_2 gene are homologues of each other, with 96% nucleotide identity. Salmonid cathelicidins possess the same elastase-sensitive residue, threonine, as hagfish cathelicidins and the rabbit CAP18 molecule. The cleavage site of the four salmonid cathelicidins is within a conserved amino acid motif of QKIRTRR, which is at the beginning of the sequence encoded by exon W. Two 36-residue peptides corresponding to the core part of rtCATH_1 and rtCATH_2 were chemically synthesized and shown to exhibit potent antimicrobial activity. rtCATH_2 was expressed constitutively in gill, head kidney, intestine, skin and spleen, while the expression of rtCATH_1 was inducible in gill, head kidney, and spleen after bacterial challenge. Four cathelicidin genes have now been characterized in salmonids and two were identified in hagfish, confirming that cathelicidin genes evolved early and are likely present in all vertebrates.

Characterization of a highly conserved microsatellite marker with utility potentials in cyprinid fishes

A microsatellite locus, MFW1, originating from common carp is highly conserved in flanking nucleotides but variable in repeat length in some fishes from different families of the Cypriniformes. This orthologous locus is polymorphic in approximately 58% of the species tested in the order and is inherited by Mendelian law. It proved to be a potentially good marker in population genetics and in the cyprinid species-breeding programme in which no microsatellite markers were available.

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.

Identification and expression analysis of two IFN-inducible genes in crucian carp (Carassius auratus L.)

Interferon (IFN) exerts its antiviral effects mainly through activation of a subset of IFN-stimulated genes (ISG), but relatively few of fish ISGs have been isolated and characterized so far. Here, we report two fish ISGs, termed CaIF158 and CaIF156, cloned from a subtractive cDNA library constructed with mRNAs obtained from crucian carp (Carassius auratus L.) blastulae embryonic (CAB) cells infected by UV-inactivated GCHV and mock-infected cells. Database search revealed that both ISGs had a high-level homology with all members of a well conserved gene family with multiple tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) motifs, including human IF160, IF158, IF156, IFI54 and their homologues in some other mammalian species. The transcripts of CaIF158 and CaIF156 were undetectable in CAB cells but could be induced by active GCHV, UV-inactivated GCHV or CAB IFN. Analysis of expression difference between them and IFN signal factors, CaSTAT1 and CaIRF7, indicated that their transcriptions were mediated possibly through JAK-STAT signal pathway, which was further supported by the induction analysis in UV-inactivated GCHV infected, IFN-treated and untreated cells in the presence or absence of cycloheximide (CHX), a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis. In addition, a pufferfish (Fugu rubrides) DNA sequence representing putative FrIFI56 was also revealed when CalF158 and CalF156 were used to search the pufferfish genome database. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these fish ISGs form a unique clad independent of mammalian homologues, reflecting a distant evolutionary relationship from mammals. These studies identified the first teleost IFI56 and IFI58 orthologues. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

A TPR-family membrane protein gene is required for light-activated heterotrophic growth of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

The unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 can grow heterotrophically in complete darkness, given that a brief period of illumination is supplemented every day (light-activated heterotrophic growth, LAHG), or under very weak ( < 0.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1)) but continuous light. By random insertion of the genome with an antibiotic resistance cassette, mutants defective in LAHG were generated. In two identical mutants, sll0886, a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)-family membrane protein gene, was disrupted. Targeted insertion of sll0886 and three downstream genes showed that the phenotype was not due to a polar effect. The sll0886 mutant shows normal photoheterotrophic growth when the light intensity is at 2.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1) or above, but no growth at 0.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1). Homologs to sll0886 are also present in cyanobacteria that are not known of LAHG. sll0886 and homologs may be involved in controlling different physiological processes that respond to light of low fluence. (C) 2003 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

宁南山区施肥对马铃薯生长发育、产量及品质的影响

为探讨在宁南山区不同施肥处理下马铃薯生长发育和产量最佳施肥方式,采取随机区组设计进行田间试验,开展对马铃薯产量和品质影响的研究。结果表明,在当地条件下,处理10收获期干物质积累总量平均比对照增加30.97%,各施肥处理收获期的干物质累积量比对照增加7.35%~73.31%。马铃薯生长发育最佳施肥方式是N 300 kg/hm2、P2O5200 kg/hm2、K2O 200 kg/hm2、M 17.5 t/hm2,(氮肥基施和追肥各一半,磷肥和钾肥以及有机肥全部基施),能增加马铃薯产量并能增加淀粉含量,从而提高马铃薯产品品质。在宁南山区马铃薯生产中可以推广应用这种肥料组配方案。

水菖蒲的化学成分研究和忍冬属植物的色谱分析

本论文由三章组成。第一章阐述了藏药水菖蒲的化学成分研究，共分离鉴定了39个化学成分，其中6个为新化合物。第二章报道了几种忍冬属植物的HPLC、HPLC-MS、GC分析以及抑菌活性、重金属含量测定结果。第三章概述了菖蒲属植物的研究进展。 第一章报道了水菖蒲(Acorus calamus L.)化学成分的分离纯化与结构鉴定。采用正、反相硅胶柱层析等分离方法，从水菖蒲的根中共分离出41个化合物，通过红外、质谱、核磁共振及X-ray单晶衍射等波谱方法和模拟计算方法鉴定了其中39个化合物的结构，主要为倍半萜、苯丙素、甾体类化合物。其中含有5个新的倍半萜类化合物和1系列新的甾体皂苷衍生物。经波谱分析将它们的结构鉴定为 1b, 7a(H)-cadinane-4a, 6a, 10a-triol (1), (2R,6R,7S,9S)-1(10), 4-cadinadiene-2, 9-diol (2), 1a, 5b-guaiane-10a-O-ethyl-4b, 6b-diol (7), 6b, 7b(H)-cadinane-1a, 4a, 10a-triol (13)，(1R,4R,6S,10R)-1-hydroxy-7(11)-cadinen-5, 8-dione (14)， 4′-O-正n碳酰基-3-O- β-D-葡萄糖基谷甾醇(n=14, 16, 18, 22) (15)。 第二章包括四个部分。第一部分报道了忍冬属三种植物40个样品的HPLC测定和对主要活性成分绿原酸的定量分析结果，以及运用HPLC-MS技术对色谱图中8个峰进行指认。在此基础上，考察了种植和采收多个因素对绿原酸含量的影响。第二部分报道了忍冬属三种植物27个样品的GC分析，根据样品的挥发性成分的保留时间对不同样品进行了定性比较，并考察了花期及海拔高度对植物挥发性成分的影响。第三、四部分分别阐述了灰毡毛忍冬和红腺忍冬的体外抑菌活性研究和重金属含量测定结果。 第三章全面系统地概述了菖蒲属植物的化学成分和药理活性研究进展。 This dissertation is composed by three chapters. The first chapter elaborates the phytochemical investigation of Acorus calamus L. Thirty-nine compounds including six new compounds were isolated and identified. The second chapter reports the research on genus Lonicera by HPLC, HPLC-MS and GC. Antifungal activity and heavy metals measurement of genus Lonicera were reported. The third chapter is a review about the research progress on the plant family of Acorus. The first chapter focuses on the isolation and identification of chemical constituents from Acorus calamus L.. Forty-one compounds were isolated from the root of Acorus calamus L. by repeat column chromatography over normal and reversed phase silica gel, the structure of thirty-nine compounds was identified by spectroscopic methods and computational methods, including IR, MS, NMR and X-ray. Those compounds mainly belonged to sesquiterpene, phenylpropanoid and steroid. Among them, five are new sesquiterpenes and one series are new steroid glycoside derivatives. Their structure were suggested as 1b, 7a(H)-cadinane-4a, 6a, 10a-triol (1), (2R,6R,7S,9S)-1(10), 4-cadinadiene-2, 9-diol (2), 1a, 5b-guaiane-10a-O-ethyl-4b, 6b- diol (7), 6b, 7b(H)-cadinane-1a, 4a, 10a-triol (13), (1R,4R,6S,10R)-1-hydroxy-7(11)- cadinen-5, 8-dione (14), 4′-O-carbonyl-3-O-β-D-glucosyl-sitosterol (carbonyl = tetradecanoyl, hexadecanoyl, octadecyl, docosanoyl) (15). The second chapter consists of four parts. The first part reports the HPLC analysis of forty samples of the genus Lonicera, and the quantitative investigation of chlorogenic acid in these samples by HPLC analysis. Relationship between the content of chlorogenic acid in different samples and their planting conditions and harvesting time were discussed. Furthermore, eight compounds were identified or tentatively characterized based on their mass spectra and UV spectra profiles. The second part is about qualitative analysis of the volatile constituent in twenty-seven samples of genus Lonicera by GC. The effect of planting altitude and harvesting time on the volatile constituent was also investigated. The third and fourth parts describe the antifungal activity and content of some kinds of heavy metals of L. macranthoides Hand.-Mazz. and L. hypoglauca Miq.. The third chaspter is a review about the research progress of the plant family of Acorus.

绵参和地榆的化学成分研究

本论文由三章组成。第一章为综述，概述了植物中环烯醚萜类化合物的研究进展；第二和第三章为实验论文，分别报道了唇形科药用植物绵参和蔷薇科药用植物地榆的化学成分研究。 第一章概述了植物中环烯醚萜类化合物的研究成果，主要包括结构类型及药理活性等方面。 第二章包括两个部分。第一部分报道了藏药绵参（Eriophyton wallichii Benth）地上部分甲醇提取物的化学成分。采用正、反相硅胶柱层析等各种分离方法，从中共分离出7个化合物，有6个化合物为首次从该植物中分离得到，分别为β-谷甾醇（1），夏至草苦素（marrubiin，2），乌苏酸（3），cimigoside（4），5-deoxyantirrhinoside（5），8-表马钱子酸葡萄糖苷（8-epiloganic acid，6）和apigenin 7-(6''-p-coumaroyl)glucoside（7）。第二部分，采用高效液相色谱－质谱联用技术对绵参地上部分的甲醇提取物进行了分析，通过标准品对照紫、外光谱分析以及多级质谱分析与文献对照鉴定了8个成分，分别是：8-epiloganic acid（Ⅰ），quercitrin 3-glucoside-7-(6''-p-coumaroyl)glucoside（Ⅱ），ajugoside(I) （Ⅲ），chrysoeriol 7-O-E-p-coumaroyl-3-O-b-D-glucoside（Ⅳ），helichrysoside（Ⅴ），生物碱（Ⅵ），apigenin 2,3-dihydrogen-7-(6''-p-coumaroyl) glucoside（Ⅶ），apigenin 7-(6''-p-coumaroyl) glucoside（Ⅷ）。 第三章报道了中药地榆根部乙醇提取物正丁醇相的化学成分，通过正、反相硅胶柱层析等各种分离方法，从中分离得到8个化合物，分别为3,4¢- O-二甲基逆没食子酸（8），3,3¢,4¢-O-三甲基逆没食子酸（9）和3,4¢-O-二甲基逆没食子酸-4-O-b-D-木糖苷（10），19a-羟基-3-O-(a-L-阿拉伯糖)乌苏酸-28-O-b-D-葡萄糖苷（11）， 3b-[(a-L-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]-urs-11,13(18)-dien-28-oic acid b-D- glucopyranosyl ester（13），3-O-a-L-arabinopyranosyl-urs-12,18(19)-dien-28-oic acid b-D-glucopyranosyl ester（14），儿茶素（15），还有一种可能是皂苷11的工作产物（12）。 This dissertation consisted of three chapters. The first chapter elaborated the progress of iridoids occurring in plants. The later two chapters respectively elaborated the chemical constituents of Eriophyton wallichii Benth. and Sanguisorba officinalis L. The first chapter is a review of the research progress of iridoids occurring in plants, which includes their structure and pharmacology. The second chapter consisted of two parts. The first part is about the chemical constituents of methanol extraction from the aerial parts of Eriophyton wallichii Benth. Seven compounds were isolated and identified. Among them, the compounds of marrubiin, ursolic acid, cimigoside, 5-deoxyantirrhinoside, 8-epiloganic acid，apigenin 7-(6''-p-coumaroyl)glucoside were firstly reported in this plant. A HPLC-MSn method was developed for rapid identification of major compounds of Eriophyton wallichii. A total of 8 peaks in the chromatograms were unequivocally determined (peaks 1, 8) or tentatively identified (peaks 2-7) based on the detailed UV and tandem mass spectra analysis. Seven components were identified as 8-epiloganic acid（Ⅰ），Quercitrin 3-glucoside-7-(6''-p-coumaroyl)glucoside（Ⅱ），ajugoside(I)（Ⅲ），Chrysoeriol 7-O-E-p-coumaroyl-3-O-b-D-glucoside（Ⅳ），helichrysoside（Ⅴ），apigenin 2,3-dihydrogen-7-(6''-p-coumaroyl) glucoside（Ⅵ），apigenin 7-(6''-p-coumaroyl) glucoside（Ⅶ）。 The third chapter elaborated the chemical constituents of methanol extraction from Sanguisorba officinalis L, eight compounds were isolated from this plant by repeat column chromatography over silica gel. These compounds were identified as 3,4′-O-dimethylellagic acid, 3,3′,4′-O-trimethylellagic acid, 3,4′-O-dimethylellagic acid-4-O-b-D-xyloside, 3b-O-a-L-arabinopyranosyl-19a- hydroxyl-urs-12-en-28-oic acid 28-b-D-glucopyranoside, 3b-[(a-L-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]-urs-11,13(18)-dien- 28-oic acid b-D-glucopyranosyl ester，3-O-a-L–arabinopyranosyl-urs-12,18(19) -dien-28-oic acid b-D-glucopyranosyl ester, catechin.