Upconversion fluorescence property of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped novel bismuth-germanium glass

Infrared-to-visible upconversion fluorescence property of Er3+/Yb3+ codoped novel bismuth-germanium glass under 975 nm LD excitation has been studied. Intense green and red emissions centered at 525, 546 and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were observed at room temperature. The quadratic dependence of the 525, 546 and 657 nm emissions on excitation power indicates that a two-photon absorption process occurs. The structure of the bismuth-germanium glass has been investigated by peak-deconvolution of FT-Raman spectrum, and the structural information was obtained from the peak wavenumbers. This novel bismuth-germanium glass with low maximum phonon energy (similar to 750 cm(-1)) can be used as potential host material for upconversion lasers. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of water content in sol on optical properties of hybrid sol-gel derived TiO2/SiO2/ormosil film

Sol-gel derived TiO2/SiO2/ormosil hybrid planar waveguides have been deposited on soda-lime glass slides and silicon substrates, films were heat treated at 150 degreesC for 2 h or dried at room temperature. Different amounts of water were added to sols to study their impacts on microstructures and optical properties of films. The samples were characterized by m-line spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV/VIS/NIR spectrophotometer (UV-vis), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermal analysis instrument and scattering-detection method. The refractive index was found to have the largest value at the molar ratio H2O/OR = 1 in sol (OR means -OCH3, -OC2H5 and -OC4H9 in the sol), whereas the thickest film appears at H2O/OR = 1/2. The rms surface roughness of all the films is lower than 1.1 nm, and increases with the increase of water content in sol. Higher water content leads to higher attenuation of film. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical transitions of Er3+ and Yb3+ ions in novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass: Observation of up-conversion

Er3+/Yb3+-codoped novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass was prepared and its up-conversion fluorescence property under 975 nm excitation has been studied. Intense green and weak red emissions centered at 525, 546, and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions 2H(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were observed at room temperature. The possible up-conversion mechanism was also evaluated. The optimal Yb3+-Er3+ concentration ratio is found based on the direct lifetime measurements of excited levels for Er3+ ion. The structure of this novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass has been investigated by peak-deconvolution of FT-Raman spectrum, and the structural information was obtained from the peak wavenumbers. This novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass with relatively lower maximum phonon energy (similar to 731 cm(-1)) can be used as potential host material for up-conversion lasers. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of hybrid ZnO/ormosils films

Hybrid ZnO/ormosils Elms are prepared by the sol-gel method. A FT-IR spectrometer, 900 UV/VIS/NIR spectrophotometer, atomic force microscope, and ellipsometer are employed to investigate microstructure and optical properties of the films fired at different temperatures. The results show that the films with high transmittance and low surface roughness could be obtained at the heat-treatment temperature of 150 degrees C, the refractive index and thickness of the film are 1.413, 2.11 mu m, respectively. Higher temperatures (350 degrees C, 550 degrees C) change the Elm microstructure severely, and then decrease the transmittance of the films.

Fluorescence lifetime increase by introduction of F- ions in ytterbium-doped TeO2-based glasses

this paper was retracted

Effect of F- ions on spectroscopic properties of Yb3+-doped zinc-tellurite glasses

this paper is retracted

低损耗TiO2/Ormosil平面波导的制备及表征

abstract = {TiO₂/ormosil planar waveguide was prepared by sol-gel method at low thermal treatment temperature ( less than or equal 200°C). Scanning electron microscope, FT-IR spectrometer, spectrophotometer, atomic force microscopy, thermal analyzer, and dark m-line spectroscopy were used with the method of scattering-detection to investigate optical and structural properties. High optical quality waveguide film was obtained. The propagation loss of film was 0.569 dB/cm at a wavelength of 632.8 nm.

Structural and optical properties of YAG : Ce3+ phosphors by sol-gel combustion method

High-quality Ce3+-doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG:Ce3+) phosphors were synthesized by a facile sol-gel combustion method. In this sol-gel combustion process, citric acid acts as a fuel for combustion, traps the constituent cations and reduces the diffusion length of the precursors. The XRD and FT-IR results show that YAG phase can form through sintering at 900 degrees C for 2 h. This temperature is much lower than that required to synthesize YAG phase via the solid-state reaction method. There were no intermediate phases such as YAlO3 (YAP) and Y4Al2O9 (YAM) observed in the sintering process. The average grain size of the phosphors sintered at 900-1100 degrees C is about 40 nm. With the increasing of sintering temperature, the emission intensity increases due to the improved crystalline and homogeneous distribution of Ce3+ ions. A blue shift has been observed in the Ce3+ emission spectrum of YAG:Ce3+ phosphors with increasing sintering temperatures from 900 to 1200 degrees C. It can be explained that the decrease of lattice constant affects the crystal field around Ce3+ ions. The emission intensity of 0.06Ce-doped YAG phosphors is much higher than that of the 0.04Ce and 0.02Ce ones. The red-shift at higher Ce3+ concentrations may be Ce-Ce interactions or variations in the unit cell parameters between YAG:Ce3+ and YAG. It can be concluded that the sol-gel combustion synthesis method provides a good distribution of Ce3+ activators at the molecular level in YAG matrix. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

三氟拉嗪抑制钙-钙调素对白杄花粉管生长的调节

花粉管是种子植物受精过程中雄性生殖单位的载体，具有典型的极性顶端生长模式，因此成为研究细胞极性生长机理的理想模式体系。本研究以裸子植物白杄（Picea meyeri Rehd.et Wils）花粉为材料，并以对花粉萌发和花粉管生长起关键作用的Ca2+作为切入点，分析钙-钙调素在花粉萌发及花粉管极性生长中的作用，同时也为进一步探讨它们在其他植物细胞中的作用机理研究提供重要参考。 通过细胞化学定位证明，白杄花粉中含有丰富的游离钙离子和钙调素，在花粉管顶端呈现明显的梯度分布;钙调素特异拮抗剂三氟拉嗪（trifluoperazine，简称TFP）可以在钙离子存在的情况下与钙调素特异性结合，从而抑制钙-钙调素复合物对下游效应蛋白的激活。微摩尔浓度的TFP明显抑制白杄花粉萌发以及花粉管的生长，并导致大部分花粉管畸形生长。TFP处理后的花粉管（约80%以上）中游离钙离子梯度消失或梯度不明显，由此说明钙调素参与花粉管顶端游离钙离子梯度的维持。抑制剂处理显著影响钙调素在花粉管顶端的梯度分布模式，梯度落差明显减小。 应用鬼笔环肽标记花粉管微丝骨架表明，正常生长的花粉管中微丝骨架沿花粉管长轴平行的方向呈网络状分布，但是在花粉管顶端仅有杂乱的微丝片断分布;低浓度TFP处理之后，微丝骨架分布的方向性丧失并开始卷曲，花粉管顶端的微丝片断消失，高浓度TFP处理之后微丝骨架完全断裂，聚集成短粗的束状。FM4-64标记花粉管后发现，经TFP处理的花粉管顶端胞吞速度明显加快，最终染料集中分布在紧贴质膜下很小的区域内，同时胞吞过程加快主要表现在染料进入花粉管细胞的速度加快，而随后染料在细胞内的扩散速度并无明显变化。以酸性磷酸酶为标志的胞吐活性也显著下降。通过MitoTracker染色发现，TFP处理之后花粉管中线粒体的形态和分布都发生了显著变化;在电子显微镜下观察显示，抑制剂处理的花粉管中液泡化现象严重，线粒体膨大变形，其内嵴的结构遭到严重破坏，同时高尔基体和内质网的形态也都发生了不同程度的异常变化，另外线粒体和液泡还出现了类似于自体吞噬的现象。 在荧光显微镜下观察发现，在标准培养基中培养的花粉管经苯胺兰染色后，胼胝质分布于整根花粉管侧壁上，而顶端区域胼胝质分布却很少或不存在。但经TFP处理之后，在花粉管细胞壁的个别区域有胼胝质大量沉积，同时在花粉管中还出现能被苯胺兰特异染色的许多颗粒状物质。此时花粉管顶端细胞壁中的纤维素含量明显减少。以单克隆抗体JIM5、JIM7标记果胶质，在激光扫描共聚焦显微镜下观察发现，标准培养基中培养的花粉管，酸性果胶质分布于整根花粉管的侧壁中，但在其顶端的含量很低或不存在，与此相反，酯化果胶质只分布在花粉管的顶端;而经TFP处理的花粉管中，酸性果胶质均匀分布于花粉管细胞壁上，酯化果胶质仅出现在花粉管基部的细胞壁中。单克隆抗体LM2和LM6标记结果显示，正常生长的花粉管细胞壁中AGPs呈周期性的环状分布，TFP处理后AGPs仅仅分布在花粉管基部的细胞壁中。SDS-PAGE电泳分析显示，抑制剂处理之后花粉管细胞壁蛋白的表达也发生明显变化。由FT-IR分析进一步证实了上述两种果胶质及纤维素在花粉管顶端细胞壁中相对含量的变化趋势。 利用双向电泳技术分离花粉管全蛋白，结果发现正常生长和TFP处理后的花粉管的大部分蛋白斑点都处于pI 4-8以及分子量在14-97 KD的范围内，主要是一些中等分子量大小、微酸性和中性的蛋白类群。由软件分析显示，除其中76个蛋白外，大部分蛋白质的表达并未发生变化。将上述76个表达量发生变化的差异蛋白进行胶内酶解，并经ESI-MS/MS分析鉴定，以及质谱数据库搜索，最终鉴定出57个蛋白，其中23个表达量上调，其余34个表达量下调。根据其生物学功能可以分为碳水化合物及能量代谢、胁迫及防御反应、细胞扩展、信号转导等功能蛋白类群。经TFP处理后，花粉管中碳水化合物及能量代谢过程整体水平下降，氧化磷酸化水平减低，但是丙酮酸脱羧酶旁路代谢水平却略有上升。由此暗示，花粉管在生长停滞的环境条件下，该途径可作为能量供应的替代机制;参与转一碳单位反应的蛋白表达量普遍上调，参与细胞延展（如细胞骨架重构、细胞壁多糖合成）的蛋白表达量下调，此项研究结果与上述的细胞生物学分析结论基本一致。 综上所述，当钙调素蛋白功能受到抑制后，顶端游离钙离子浓度梯度消失同时胞质钙离子浓度显著升高;细胞代谢水平（糖酵解和三羧酸酸循环）整体下降，而可能通过丙酮酸脱羧酶旁路来维持最低限度的能量供应;同时花粉管微丝骨架发生解聚，花粉管细胞壁组成成分合成水平下降，细胞延展相关的能力减弱，最终导致花粉管生长的停滞。钙-钙调素信号存在于白杄花粉萌发和花粉管生长这一特定的细胞生物学事件中，并参与花粉管顶端游离钙离子梯度的维持和定向生长。

土地利用变化对西双版纳地区土壤及植被碳含量的影响

土地利用变化，尤其是热带地区森林生态系统土地利用方式的变化极大地改变了全球碳循环，对大气CO2浓度的升高，气候变暖等全球性环境问题起着不可忽视的作用。同时，森林的大面积破坏，引起土壤流失，营养元素含量降低，土壤健康状况恶化，最终大幅度降低生态系统的生产力。本文主要结合野外实地调查和室内分析的方法，研究森林砍伐后转变为农田和橡胶园对西双版纳热带地区土壤碳、氮、磷含量以及有机质化学结构的影响，天然次生林恢复、橡胶园建设对大气CO2的蓄积作用。 森林砍伐后转变为农田和橡胶园，显著地改变了土壤的理化特性。研究结果表明，与次生林相比，农田和橡胶园表层土壤容重、pH值升高，含水量降低，有机质、全氮、全磷、速效氮、有效磷含量显著降低。土地利用变化对土壤特性的影响主要发生在0-40 cm 表层土壤，而对40 cm以下土层影响较小。 土地利用变化改变土壤碳含量，同时影响土壤有机质的化学结构。胡敏酸紫外-可见光谱(UV-VIS)、傅利叶变换红外光谱 (FT-IR) 分析发现，不同生态系统表层土壤 (0-20 cm) 胡敏酸光谱学特性存在明显差异。次生林E4/E6值高于农田和橡胶园。与次生林相比，农田和橡胶园表层土壤有机质中酚基相对含量显著降低，脂肪族、芳香族、羧基以及多聚糖等化合物相对含量增加。 运用样地调查、生物量模型模拟和室内土壤样品分析方法，研究了次生林恢复和橡胶园建设对大气CO2的汇集作用。结果表明：退化土壤恢复为次生林、农田建设橡胶园能够有效促进植被和土壤中碳的汇集。次生林和橡胶林生物量增长速率分别为9.8，10.2 （9.4）t•ha-1•yr-1, 1 m表层土壤有机碳汇集速率分别为0.7和1.1 t•C•ha-1•yr-1。模拟结果显示，40年橡胶林生物量为327 (324) t•ha-1, 恢复50年后天然次生林生物量为395 t•ha-1。加之土壤有机碳，40年橡胶园约汇集碳190 t•ha-1, 次生林恢复50年碳汇集潜力为250 t•ha-1。

高温和光照对光系统I结构与功能的影响

光合膜上包含有捕光并将光能转化为化学能所必需的四类跨膜蛋白复合体，即PSII、PSI、Cytb6f和ATP合成酶，其中PSI利用吸收的光能诱导电子从膜内侧的PC传递至相对一侧的铁氧还蛋白，被还原的铁氧还蛋白在FNR（Fd-NADP+氧化还原酶）的作用下生成NADPH，因此关于PSI的研究是光合作用研究领域中的重大问题。为了进一步阐明PSI的结构和功能，本论文分别研究了热对PSI的影响和光诱导的PSI核心复合物（CPI）的积累过程： 1.以菠菜PSI颗粒为材料研究了热处理对PSI复合物的降解和失活作用; 2.以衣藻叶绿素暗合成突变体y-1为材料研究了类囊体膜形成过程（即光诱导的转绿过程）中PSI中CPI的变化。另外，由于膜脂在光合作用中具有重要的功能，本论文还研究了y-1突变体转绿过程中光合膜脂、脂肪酸的变化。 一．应用光谱学、氧电极和变性电泳等技术研究了高温(25oC~80oC)对PSI结构和功能的影响，主要结果如下： 1． 在热处理过程中，683nm组分（主要归属于LHCI）的吸收峰强度有显著的下降并发生峰位蓝移现象，显示该组分对热处理最敏感，首先遭到破坏。 2． 77K荧光显示随着处理温度的升高，728 nm处的峰强和峰位均发生了明显的变化，F728-F720和F680的比率下降，说明热处理抑制了LHCI 680向LHCI 730以及反应中心的能量传递。 3． SDS-PAGE显示PSI核心蛋白PsaA/B亚基以及LHCI亚基在热处理情况下发生了不同程度的降解和聚合。为了能够显著地观察到热处理对PSI多肽降解的影响，实验采用了更高的温度处理方法，结果显示，90oC、100oC时PsaA/B亚基完全降解，而LHCI亚基仍有少量存在，说明PSI核心蛋白PsaA/B比LHCI亚基具有更高的热敏感性。 4． 推测热处理情况下可能发生的机制是，捕光天线首先从PSI反应中心分离，随后发生了反应中心光化学反应的抑制，直至最后多肽的严重降解。 5． 利用红外光谱技术（FT-IR）对PSI蛋白二级结构的研究显示，PSI颗粒在60oC以上时发生了明显的蛋白构象变化,且随着温度的升高蛋白构象的变化越来越大，表明PSI蛋白具有较高的热稳定性和热变性温度，PSI蛋白酰胺I带(1700~1600 cm-1)二级结构的解析表明热处理过程中二级结构的主要变化是α-helical的下降和β-sheet的增加。 6． 利用CD光谱技术研究了热处理对PSI色素微环境的影响，结果表明热处理破坏了PSI色素蛋白复合物中色素的蛋白微环境，归属于LHCI的Chlb（645 nm处组分）在较低的温度处理条件下(25~60oC)蛋白微环境即发生破坏;随着处理温度的升高（70和80 oC），478 nm处（主要归属于LHCI的Chlb）和498 nm（归属于类胡萝卜素）处的CD信号强度快速下降，说明在高温条件下LHCI比核心复合物更敏感。 7． 研究发现，PSI的摄氧活性随着处理温度的升高而显著下降，70oC时几乎完全失去摄氧能力，表明70oC时PSI复合物受到了严重的破坏，这可能是由于热处理过程中色素的蛋白微环境以及蛋白结构尤其是PSI核心蛋白PsaA/B中跨膜α-helix的构象发生了严重的变化。 二．主要运用温和电泳和蛋白印迹技术检测了暗培养4天(脱绿)的y-1突变体在光照诱发的转绿过程中PSI的核心色素蛋白复合物（CPI）及其叶绿素脱辅基蛋白PsaA/B的变化。 1． 暗培养4天的衣藻脱绿细胞中，PSI的主要色素蛋白复合物-CPI完全缺失，然而核心多肽PsaA/B仍有一定量的积累，同时检测不到P700的含量。 2． 当脱绿的y-1细胞转移至光照下时，伴随着叶绿素的合成，色素蛋白复合物CPI和PsaA/B脱辅基蛋白的合成也逐渐达到正常水平，说明叶绿素和PsaA/B蛋白进行组装并形成了具有功能的PSI反应中心,P700含量也得到了恢复。 3． 实验证明了光照是形成光合系统色素蛋白复合物的重要前提。同时发现，叶绿体基因编码的PSI核心多肽PsaA/B能够在暗条件下合成。而根据资料(Berends et al.,1987)报道，在豌豆、大麦的黄化体中不能合成PsaA/B蛋白，这可能是由于在脱绿的y-1细胞中叶绿体仍然具有相对完整的大小和形状，而在叶绿体的被膜上定位着多种与光合作用相关的酶系统。 三. 利用薄层层析及气相色谱分析技术对转绿期间y-1突变体光合膜脂和脂肪酸组成的含量变化进行了分析。结果表明： 1． 光照能够促进各种脂的积累并影响脂的组成，同时有利于脂肪酸脱饱和酶的激活。MGDG中脂肪酸不饱和程度明显升高，表现为16:0及18:1的下降，以及16:4，18：2和18:3（9，12，15）等的升高，说明光照促进了MGDG sn-2位的16:0脱饱和为16:4以及sn-1位的18：1脱饱和为18:3，也说明MGDG是脂肪酸脱饱和的重要底物。 2． 已有的资料（Ohnishi和Yamada，1980;1983）指出PG及其sn-2位的16:1（3t）的合成是光依赖的，而本实验中，在衣藻的黄化细胞中含有相当量的PG及其特有的16:1（3t）（22.80%），且转绿过程中变化并不十分显著。这可能是由于黄化的y-1细胞中叶绿体的形状并没有发生很大变化，说明叶绿体被膜上的相应酶系统才是PG合成的必需因素。 3． 相比于脱绿的y-1细胞，光照12小时后，各种脂中18：2的百分含量有显著的增加，这来源于18：2是脂肪酸脱饱和的重要中间产物。

理化因子诱导的CP43和CP47结构与功能变化规律的研究

CP43和CP47是PSII中位于类囊体膜上的两种内周天线色素蛋白复合体，它们都是由六个跨膜的α-螺旋和五个膜外环组成。CP43和CP47的主要功能是把光系统II(PSII)外周天线色素蛋白复合体(LHCII)吸收的能量传给反应中心(RC)，从而引起光化学反应。因此，研究CP43和CP47的结构与功能对于揭示植物光合作用高效吸能、传能的分子机理具有重要意义。由于CP43和CP47的分离纯化比较困难，所以相对于其它的光合膜蛋白来说，人们对CP43和CP47的研究比较少。在本文中，我们在分离、纯化CP43和CP47的基础上，采用多种光谱学和波谱学技术对CP43和CP47在GuHCl和高温作用下的变性过程及其结构与功能的变化规律进行了比较深入的研究，获得了如下结果： 1. CP43和CP47膜外区的结构特点及盐酸胍(GuHCl)引起的变性研究 我们用荧光光谱、园二色(CD)光谱研究了GuHCl引起CP43和CP47的变性过程及其膜外区的结构特点。研究发现：CP43和CP47的膜外区具有一定的有序结构，而不是一种没有规则的伸展状态;和CP43相比，CP47的三级结构及Chl a的微环境对GuHCl更敏感。在GuHCl作用下，从β-Car到Chl a的能量传递变化和三级结构的变化密切相关，而与二级结构变化的相关性则较小;和大多数水溶性蛋白不一样，CP43和CP47对GuHCl变性有一定的抵抗力，而且其变性过程不表现为二态过程，这些都是膜蛋白的特点。 2 CP43和CP47中与芳香族氨基酸有关的能量传递研究 我们用吸收光谱、荧光光谱并参照PSII的3.5 Å的晶体结构分析结果研究了CP43和CP47中与芳香族氨基酸有关的能量传递。发现：和水溶性蛋白不一样，CP43和CP47中的酪氨酸(Tyrs)并不能有效的把其能量传给色氨酸(Trps);CP43和CP47中的芳香族氨基酸能通过Föster机制和Dexter机制把其能量传给Chl a，并且CP47中的传递效率要大于CP43;在CP47中Föster机制是芳香族氨基酸和Chl a之间能量传递的主要方式，而在CP43中Dexter机制则是主要方式。这些结果也暗示了，太阳光中的紫外辐射对植物来说除了其伤害作用以外也有一定的益处。 3 GuHCl诱导CP43和CP47变性的太赫兹（THz）光谱研究 THz时域光谱技术(THz-TDS)是研究分子构型状态的一个新工具。近年来，已被应用于物理或化学分子的研究中。我们首次把这个技术应用到光合膜蛋白CP43和CP47的GuHCl变性研究上。研究发现，在小于1.5 THz时，THz吸收光谱强度随着频率的增加而增加可以看作是蛋白质变性的标志。在GuHCl作用下频域光谱中出现的1.8 THz峰应来源于Chl a和GuHCl之间的相互作用。实验结果表明，THz光谱是区分蛋白分子的不同构型状态以及监测蛋白变性过程的有力工具。 4 CP43热变性的傅立叶变换红外光谱和THz光谱研究 我们用傅立叶变换红外光谱技术(FT-IR)、SDS聚丙稀凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)和THz光谱技术对CP43的热变性过程进行了研究。结果表明，在高温处理下，CP43的二级结构发生了变化，且其跃变点发生在59℃。随着温度的逐渐升高，CP43先发生凝集，接着又发生降解;CP43的低频振动模随着温度的升高和分子量的减小也发生变化。我们还证实THz光谱技术在监测膜蛋白的热变性时既有它的优越性，也存在一些不足之处。这些结果为THz-TDS技术在生物样品上的应用提供了基本的资料，并完善了相关的理论。

Mapping chromosomal homologies between humans and two langurs (Semnopithecus francoisi and S-Phayrei) by chromosome painting

Chromosomal homologies were established between human and two Chinese langurs (Semnopithecus francoisi, 2n=44, and S. phayrei, 2n=44) by chromosome painting with chromosome-specific DNA probes of all human chromosomes except the Y. Both langur species showed identical hybridization patterns in addition to similar G-banding patterns. In total, 23 human chromosome-specific probes detected 30 homologous chromosome segments in a haploid langur genome. Except for human chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 16 and 19 probes, which each gave signals on two non-homologous langur chromosomes respectively, all other probes each hybridized to a single chromosome. The results indicate a high degree of conservation of chromosomal synteny between human and these two Chinese langurs. The human chromosome 2 probe painted the entire euchromatic regions of langur chromosomes 14 and 19. Human chromosome 1 probe hybridized to three regions on langur autosomes, one region on langur chromosome 4 and two regions on langur chromosome 5. Human 19 probe hybridized on the same pattern to one region on chromosome 4 and to two regions on langur chromosome 5, where it alternated with the human chromosome 1 probe. Human 6 and 16 probes both hybridized to one region on each of the two langur autosomes 15 and 18. Only two langur chromosomes (12 and 21) were each labelled by probes specific for two whole human chromosomes (14 and 15 and 21 and 22 respectively). Comparison of the hybridization patterns of human painting probes on these two langurs with the data on other Old World primates suggests that reciprocal and Robertsonian translocations as will as inversions could have occurred since the divergance of human and the langurs from a common ancestor. This comparison also indicates that Asian colobines are karyotypically more closely related to each other that to African colobines.

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.