Sixteen polymorphic microsatellites in bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) and cross-amplification in silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)

A (GT)(n) enriched partial genomic library of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) was constructed by employing the (fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats) FIASCO protocol. Sixteen loci exhibited polymorphism with two to seven alleles/locus (mean 3.263) in a test population and the observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.100 to 0.690 (mean 0.392). Eleven of the 16 bighead carp microsatellites were found to be also polymorphic in silver carp. These polymorphic loci should provide sufficient level of genetic diversity to evaluate population structure of bighead carp.

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of plankton communities in Lake Donghu, China, as revealed by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and its relation to biotic and abiotic factors

The 16S and 18S rRNA genes of planktonic organisms derived from five stations with nutrient gradients in Lake Donghu, China, were studied by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprinting, and the relationships between the genetic diversity of the plankton community and biotic/abiotic factors are discussed. The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), NH4-N and As were found to be significantly related (P < 0.05) to morphological composition of the plankton community. Both chemical and morphological analyses suggested that temporal heterogeneity was comparatively higher than spatial heterogeneity in Lake Donghu. Although the morphological composition was not identical to the DGGE fingerprints in characterizing habitat similarity, the two strongest eutrophic stations (I and II) were always initially grouped into one cluster. Canonical correspondence analysis suggested that the factors strongly correlated with the first two ordination axes were seasonally different. The concentrations of TN and TP and the densities of rotifers and crustaceans were generally the main factors related to the DGGE patterns of the plankton communities. The study suggested that genetic diversity as depicted by metagenomic techniques (such as PCR-DGGE fingerprinting) is a promising tool for ecological study of plankton communities and that such techniques are likely to play an increasingly important role in assessing the environmental conditions of aquatic habitats.

Investigations into the perplexing interrelationship of the Genus Takifugu Abe, 1949 (Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae)

The phylogenetic relationships within the genus Takifugu Abe, 1949 (Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae) remain unresolved. Because of the use of Takifugu as model organisms, the resolution of these relationships is crucial for the interpretation of evolutionary trends in biology. Pufferfishes of this genus are comprised of a comparatively small number of species and are mainly distributed along the coastal region of the western part of the Sea of Japan and the coastline of China. Mitochondrial gene sequences were employed to test the phylogenetic hypotheses within the genus. Seventeen species of the genus were examined. Molecular phylogenetic trees were constructed using the maximum parsimony, neighbor-joining, maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. Our hypothesis of internal relationships within the genus differs from previous hypotheses. Our results indicate that (1) the genus Takifugu is a monophyletic assemblage; (2) the genus is divided into 6 subgroups based on the molecular data; and (3) there is low genetic diversity among the species within this genus. In addition, speciation within Takifugu appears to be driven by hybridization and isolation by distribution. Our results also suggested that the taxonomy in the genus should be clarified based on both molecular and morphological data.

Molecular phylogeography of endangered sharp-snouted pitviper (Deinagkistrodon acutus; Reptilia, Viperidae) in Mainland China

Using phylogenetic and population genetic approaches, the present study reports the phylogeographic structure of the sharp-snouted pitviper (Deinagkistrodon acutus), a threatened snake species with commercial and medicinal importance in China. The entire mitochondrial ND2 gene (NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2) sequences of 86 individuals of D. acutus from 14 localities across its range in China were determined. Based on the results of phylogenetic analyses, distribution of diagnostic sites, haplotype network, and AMOVA hierarchical analysis, an cast-west division of the whole D. acutus population could be observed. Geographically, a line formed by a lake, river, and mountain chain (the Poyang Lake, Gan River to the southern end of the Wuyi Mountains), results in vicariance and approximately vertically splits the range into two and the whole population into two main lineages (western and eastern). The bifurcating tree suggested generally west to east dispersal trend. The data fit the isolation by distance (IBD) model well. Star-like clusters in haplotype network, significantly negative values of Fs statistics, and unimodal mismatch distributions all suggest recent demographic expansions in four areas. The results show that isolation, dispersal, bottleneck, and expansion jointly constitute the history of D. acutus. In a haplotype network, the excessive predominance of central haplotypes, few medium-frequency haplotypes, predominance (73.1 %) of the singletons among the derived haplotypes, most of which are connected to the central haplotype by only one mutational step, unsymmetrical campanulate unimodal curve of mismatch distributions and leftwards shift of the peaks, all suggest that the whole D. acutus population is a young population with low genetic diversity. Based on the data, the first priority for conservation action should be given to the Huangshan unit. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of novel microsatellite loci in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) and amplification in closely related species in Gobioninae

Rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) is an endangered small fish endemic to upper reach of the Yangtze River. From a (GT)n enriched genomic library, 32 microsatellites were isolated and characterized. Nineteen of these loci were polymorphic in a test population with alleles ranging from 2-7, and observed and expected heterozygosities from zero to 0.8438, and 0.2679 to 0.8264, respectively. In the cross-species amplifications, 13 out of 19 polymorphic loci were found to be also polymorphic in at least one of the 7 closely related species of the subfamily Gobioninae. These polymorphic microsatellite loci should provide sufficient level of genetic diversity to evaluate the fine-scale population structure in rare minnow and its closely related species for the conservation purpose.

Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellites in a Yangtze River fish, brass gudgeon (Coreius heterodon Bleeker)

The brass gudgeon (Coreius heterodon) is a fish of economic importance in the Yangtze River. From a (GATA)(n)-enriched genomic library, 25 microsatellites were developed by employing the fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats (FIASCO) protocol. Nine loci exhibited polymorphism with two to 12 alleles (mean 3.9 alleles/locus) in a test population, and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.1111 to 0.9630 (mean 0.4426). Three of the nine loci showed polymorphism in a congeneric species, the largemouth bronze gudgeon Coreius guichenoti. These loci should provide sufficient level of genetic diversity to evaluate the fine-scale population structure of C. heterodon.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in Chinese sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis

From (GATA)(n) and (AAAG)(n) enriched genomic libraries for the Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis), 50 primer pairs were developed using the fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats (FIASCO) protocol. Forty-six primer pairs exhibited highly polymorphic with two to 11 alleles per locus, while the rest four displayed monomorphic. These markers yielded 246 alleles in a survey of eight specimens of wild A. sinensis. Average observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.13 to 1.00. These loci should provide sufficient levels of genetic diversity to allow parentage analysis for artificial stocking management and delineation of fine-scale population structure.

Identification, cloning, and characterization of microsatellite DNA in Euglena gracilis

Microsatellite DNA has been developed into one of the most popular genetic markers. We have identified and cloned microsatellite loci in the genome of a free-living protozoan Euglena gracilis FACHB-848, using the random amplified microsatellites method (RAMS). The digoxigenin-labelled oligonucleotides(CT)(10) and (GT)(10) served as probes to detect complementary sequences in the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprints produced by means of Southern blotting. Subsequently, positive RAPD fragments were cloned. From a total of 31 RAPD primer profiles, eight microsatellite loci of E. gracilis were detected and characterized. Further, six sites (i.e. EGMS1, EGMS3, EGMS4, EGMS5, EGMS6, and EGMS7) showed polymorphisms. We found a GT or CT microsatellite every 10.5 kb in the genome of E. gracilis, and similar to animal genomes, the (GT)(n) motif was much more abundant than the (CT)(n) motif. These polymorphic microsatellite DNA will serve as advantageous molecular markers for studying the genetic diversity and molecular ecology of Euglena.

Geographic distribution of Pelteobagrus fulvidraco and Pelteobagrus vachelli in the Yangtze River based on mitochondrial DNA markers

Three populations of Pelteobagrus vachelli and Pelteobagrus fulvidraco of the Yangtze River were examined by PCR-RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA fragments. ND5/6 and D-loop fragments were digested by 10 restriction endonucleases. Significant geographic variations between upstream and mid-downstream populations in the haplotype frequencies and restriction patterns were revealed. This suggested that the diversity of P. vachelli was high; 11 haplotypes were obtained from all the samples. The upstream population shared seven haplotypes and the middle and downstream populations shared another four haplotypes. Among all of the haplotypes, one haplotype was shared in 30 samples of the populations from middle and downstream, but it was not found in the upstream population. Any haplotype found in the upstream population was not detected in the middle and downstream populations. Genetic diversity of P. fulvidraco was low and only five haplotyes were detected from all 60 samples. Phylogenic relationships also indicated that the fishes from upstream and mid-downstream were apparently divided into two populations.

Rapid establishment of pure lines of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molirix) and bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis)

The diversity of gynogenetic, artificial sex reversal and natural silver carp and bighead carp is examined using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method. All of the 187 bands are obtained and 19 (10.16%) of them are polymorphic in gynogenetic silver carp. Meanwhile 32 (15.61%) out of 205 bands are polymorphic in control group. In gynogenetic bighead carp a total of 232 bands are identified and 11 (4.74%) out of them are polymorphic, while 25 (10.37%) out of 241 bands are polymorphic in control group. The genetic distance of four populations is calculated and it is 0.102 and 0.023 for gynogenetic silver carp and gynogenetic bighead carp respectively. The values of natural silver carp and bighead carp are 0.161 and 0.104. From the UPGMA trees constructed based on genetic distance, the sex reversal individuals that match with the gynogenetic female individuals are picked out. A new breeding process of establishing a pure line is developed.

猕猴属的分子系统学与遗传多样性研究

用六个线粒体基因片段序列数据，对称猴属的分子系统发育关系进行了分析。8种称猴：台湾猴，北平顶猴，藏酋猴，熊猴，红面猴，J厦河猴，狮尾猴和食蟹猴共40个样本用于本研究。结合从GenBank里下载的雯猴的相应序列，用拂拂作为外群构建了系统发育树。由于六个目的片段均为线粒体基因片段，缺乏重组且作为单一位点遗传，因此我们将六个数据集合并为一个数据集进行分析。我们获得了比前人置信度更高的线粒体系统树。除了红面猴，我们的结果支持Delson（1980）的分组。与前人研究结果一致，红面猴与食蟹猴组成员关系较近（尤其是食蟹猴）。恒河猴（相对于台湾猴），熊猴（相对于藏酋猴）和北平顶猴（相对于狮尾猴）都形成了并系。通过线粒体控制区序列和20个微卫星位点对14个恒河猴地理群体的群体结构进行了研究。微卫星数据和线粒体控制区数据均显示恒河猴有较高的遗传多样度。线粒体数据表明各地区的恒河猴群体间的差异显著大于微卫星数据显示的结果。也就是说，基于微卫星数据所得到的群体间基因流远大于基于线粒体数据所得到的群体间基因流。两种分子标记所得到的结果差异应归因为雌性恒河猴的归家冲动和雄性恒河猴的扩散。线粒体数据显示所有恒河猴群体近期没有发生过快速扩张。微卫星数据显示大部分恒河猴群体近期没有经历过瓶颈效应。恒河猴是分布较广的非人灵长类动物，但它的地理差异研究一直颇有争论且不足以划分其亚种。我们对采自包括印度、越南、缅甸和18个中国地区在内的21个地区共35个恒河猴样品的四个线粒体基因片段（COI，Cofl，COlll和12srRNA）进行了研究。食蟹猴、红面猴、台湾猴和史猴的相应序列作为外群。大约长为100bp的序列用于构建最大似然树和贝叶斯树。与前人结果一致（彭燕章等，1993；蒋学龙等，1995；Groves，2001），西部恒河猴（印度）．相当于M.m.mulatta。根据王应祥（2003）的分类，我们的东部恒河猴可分为四组：M．最早分离出来且一个来自缅甸的恒河猴位于该组基部；M.m.brachyurus和M.m．littoralis组成一个大枝，这个大枝与M.m，lasiotus构成姐妹群。

东亚人群 LMBR1 基因 Intron 5的遗传多样性研究

人LMBR1(Limb region 1 homolog (mouse)) 基因位于染色体7q36区域，全长约210.2 kb，含17个外显子，编码一个由490个氨基酸构成的跨膜蛋白。研究表明，LMBR1 基因的表达活性与脊椎动物四肢的手指或脚趾数目变化有关；另外，发生在其重要元件——intron 5 内的许多变异与多种表型的轴前多指症((PPD, Preaxial polydactyly)存在相关性，这主要是因为LMBR1 intron 5 内含有一个与骨骼系统发育有关的基因（SHH(Sonic hedgehog)基因）的远程顺式调控元件。本研究旨在探究LMBR1基因 intron 5 内的遗传多样性，进而评估HapMap计划的样本选择策略，并检测该区域是否受自然选择的作用。 国际人类基因组单体型图计划(HapMap Project，The International Haplotype Map Project) 于2002年10月正式启动，该计划旨在构建人类基因组中常见变异的遗传图式。自其数据发布以来，广泛应用于生物医学、群体遗传学等领域，在复杂疾病的遗传机理研究、自然选择的检测等方面做出了前所未有的贡献；但是HapMap计划中样本的代表性有待评估。 本研究中，我们综合考虑地理来源信息及线粒体单倍型类群 (Haplogroup)信息选择了41个东亚人作为样本（以保证样本的代表性），测定位于LMBR1 基因intron 5 内的目的片段中存在的单核苷酸多态性(SNP, Singe nucleotide polymorphism)位点，通过所得数据与HapMap数据的比较，发现二者之间差异显著且HapMap数据不能覆盖所有我们得到的常见变异，因而我们认为：HapMap计划中国部分的样本选择策略有待进一步完善。 关于自然选择的研究不仅可以使我们了解生物的进化机制，同时还对复杂疾病的遗传机理研究具有重要的提示作用，因而，对于自然选择的检测，一直以来都是生物学研究的重点。平衡选择是一种维持遗传多态性的自然选择方式，现已发现很多与特定疾病或性状相关的基因或调控序列受平衡选择的作用，如 G6PD 基因、PTC 基因、FMO3 基因、FSHB 基因及 CCR5 基因5’端顺式调控区等我们对41个东亚样本中LMBR1 intron 5 内一段长为9256 bp (Chr7: 156280954-156271699 (Build36))的序列进行以 Tajima’s D 检验为主的群体遗传学分析，发现该区域在进化历程中受到平衡选择的作用。LMBR1 intron 5 内的多态位点与多种表型的多指症存在相关性，受其调控的 SHH 基因在骨骼系统发育中具有重要作用，人类骨骼系统的适应性进化等三方面的因素为该区域受平衡选择的作用提供了进一步的佐证。 总之，本研究对HapMap计划的样本选择策略和数据应用提供了一定的参考；同时还发现一个与骨骼系统发育有关的基因调控元件受平衡选择的作用。

rep-PCR对赤杨根瘤内局Frankia菌基因多样性研究

本文应用重复基因外回纹序列rep-PCR方法直接扩增长日山三种不同赤杨和云南不同地区早冬瓜根瘤内的Frankia菌基因，所获得的REP指纹图谱揭示Frankia菌具有丰富的基因多样性。研究结果表明Frankia菌多样性随地域，海拔，坡问不同而变：多样性指数与自然选抒）玉力大小成正相关：自然选择压力是产生和保持Frankia菌基因多样性的重要因子。同时发现Frankia菌基因型与地域有紧密关系：所观察的云南各地区中，感染高黎贡山旱冬瓜的Frankia菌基因多样性最为丰富。推测与高黎贡山旱冬瓜共生的Frankia可能作为种储备库，为其它地区的寄主植物提供了祖先菌株。在对长白山三种赤杨（东北赤杨，西伯利亚赤杨和色赤杨）根瘤内几百游殆菌基因多样性考察过程中发现，Frankia菌基因类型与寄主赤杨种型关系密切。同时海拔对感染东北赤杨的Frankia菌基因多样性也有一定影响。感染西伯利亚赤杨和色赤杨的Frankia菌享有相同的基因型，可能有较近的亲缘关系。

云南横断山与吉林长白山赤杨根瘤内Frankia菌遗传多样性

本文应用nifD-nifK IGS及16S-23S rDNAIGSPCR-RFLP方法，系统研究了分布于云南横断山的旱冬瓜以及吉林长白山的西伯利亚赤杨、色赤杨和东北赤杨根瘤内Frankia菌的遗传多样性。该研究可加深对Frankia菌起源与进化的认识，并为保护和利用这一固氮共生资源提供科学依据。从113株赤杨的根瘤样品中共检测到48种基因型的Frankia菌株。首次确切报道了自然条件下不同基因型Frankia菌可与同一宿主植株同时共生，并且这种混乱性在横断山区普遍存在。通过对Frankia菌群体遗传结构的分析，查明云南省横断山旱冬瓜Frankia菌群体内遗传变异水平由高到低的顺序是苍山群体、高黎贡山群体、鸡足山群体、来凤山群体和无量山群体。酶切带型9为云南横断山旱冬瓜Frankia菌群体中最古老的类型；大部分（75.63％）遗传变异发生在Frankia菌的各群体内，同一气候区的Frankia菌群体有较近的亲缘关系。旱冬瓜Fran辰a菌遗传多样性特点与横断山气候特征及冰川运动历史密切相关。宿主赤杨的进化地位不同，其共生Frankia菌的群体遗传多样性水平也不同。古老的旱冬瓜共生Fran舫“菌群体内遗传分化最大，分化最晚的东北赤杨共生Frankia菌群体内遗传变异最小；属同一生活型的西伯利亚赤杨和色赤杨共生Fronkia菌间存在着较近亲缘关系；早冬瓜Fran舫。菌群体可能为其它赤杨共生Fran舫“菌提供祖先，因此认为赤杨与其共生Frankia菌间存在着协同进化。