Mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region-1 sequence variation and phylogeny of the concolor gibbons, Nomascus

The still little known concolor gibbons are represented by 14 taxa (five species, nine subspecies) distributed parapatrically in China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. To set the stage for a phylogeographic study of the genus we examined DNA sequence

Assessment of cattle genetic introgression into domestic yak populations using mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers

Hybridization between yak Poephagus grunniens and taurine Bos taurus or indicine B. indicus cattle has been widely practiced throughout the yak geographical range, and gene flow is expected to have occurred between these species. To assess the impact of cattle admixture on domestic yak, we examined 1076 domestic yak from 29 populations collected in China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Russia using mitochondrial DNA and 17 autosomal microsatellite loci. A cattle diagnostic marker-based analysis reveals cattle-specific mtDNA and/or autosomal microsatellite allele introgression in 127 yak individuals from 22 populations. The mean level of cattle admixture across the populations, calculated using allelic information at 17 autosomal microsatellite loci, remains relatively low (mY(cattle) = 2.66 +/- 0.53% and Q(cattle) = 0.69 +/- 2.58%), although it varies a lot across populations as well as among individuals within population. Although the level of cattle admixture shows a clear geographical structure, with higher levels of admixture in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Mongolian and Russian regions, and lower levels in the Himalayan and Pamir Plateau region, our results indicate that the level of cattle admixture is not significantly correlated with the altitude across geographical regions as well as within geographical region. Although yak-cattle hybridization is primarily driven to produce F-1 hybrids, our results show that the subsequent gene flow between yak and cattle took place and has affected contemporary genetic make-up of domestic yak. To protect yak genetic integrity, hybridization between yak and cattle should be tightly controlled.

大熊猫微卫星DNA的筛选及其应用

经DpnII限制酶消化大熊猫基因组DNA后, 选取150-500bp大小的片段构建了DNA文库。共克隆筛先了10个微卫星DNA座位, 并测定了其序列, 在此基础止设计了相应的PCR引物。这些座位能有效地应用于大熊猫的亲子鉴定。

懒猴属的核糖体DNA变异及其种间分化关系

用15种限制性内切酶和人28S、18S rDNA探针构建了懒猴属各物种核糖体DNA重复单位的限制性内切酶图谱。在进化速率较高的非转录间隔区, 在大、中、小獭猴中分别定位了23、24、24个酶切位点。结果表明, 懒猴属内似只有两个有效物种, 即大懒猴和小懒猴, 中懒猴与小懒猴的分化至多到半种级别。

DNA序列分析技术鉴定鸡内金的方法学研究

利用陈旧皮张的DNA提取技术从鸡内金、鸭内金中提取DNA,通过特异扩增DNA片段聚合酶链式反应,以线粒体DNA细胞色素b通用引物中的L14841和H15149为引用扩增DNA片段,将扩增后的DNA用双脱氧链终止法测定其序列,所得结果证明鸡内金与鸭内金两种DNA序列有明显差异,开创了将分子遗传学技术引入动物药材鉴定的先例。

冬虫夏草(Cordyceps sinensis)的随机扩增多态DNA及其遗传分化

冬虫夏草地理群体间存在着遗传分化,且地理群体间的遗传差异度与地理距离呈正相关。因此,RAPD作为有效的遗传标记,可用于研究冬虫夏草的遗传多样性、起源以及系统演化等。

福尔马林固定云南鲴的DNA提取及其细胞色素b基因序列分析

鱼类是脊椎动物中最原始而在种属数量又最占优势的一个类群. 其分布广泛, 起源复杂, 阐明其系统进化途径, 历来是令人感兴趣的课题. 随着分子生物学向经典分类学领域渗透, 现在已可以通过 DNA 序列的比较来探讨生物的系统发育. 对于鱼类, 已有不少学者作了尝试. 由于受技术的制约, 用以研究的材料, 常常都要求新鲜. 但由于自然环境的变迁和人类的过度捕捞, 许多在系统进化研究中有代表意义的物种, 已非常稀少, 甚至濒临灭绝, 这给获取新鲜标本, 造成困难, 而许多标本馆, 由于多年的积累, 收藏的标本较齐全, 且绝大多数保存于4%-10%的福尔马林中。

海南黄牛和徐闻黄牛线粒体DNA的多态性及其品种分化关系

以14种限制性内切酶分析来自海南岛的海南黄牛和雷州半岛的徐闻黄牛的线粒体DNA限制性片段长度多态性(mtDNA RFLP)。结果只有一种限制性内切酶(sal I)在海南黄牛中检测到多态性, 且其中的C型(15.0, 1.3)尚未见报道。结果还显示, 两个品种6个个体的mtDNA基因单倍型全部表现为A型, 即瘤牛的血统, 并表明两个品种的亲缘关系很近。

ZnO thin film surface acoustic wave based lab-on-a-chip

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) is one of the most important microsystem applications with promise for use in microanalysis, drug development, diagnosis of illness and diseases etc. LOC typically consists of two main components: microfluidics and sensors. Integration of microfluidics and sensors on a single chip can greatly enhance the efficiency of biochemical reactions and the sensitivity of detection, increase the reaction/detection speed, and reduce the potential cross-contamination, fabrication time and cost etc. However, the mechanisms generally used for microfluidics and sensors are different, making the integration of the two main components complicated and increases the cost of the systems. A lab-on-a-chip system based on a single surface acoustic wave (SAW) actuation mechanism is proposed. SAW devices were fabricated on nanocrystalline ZnO thin films deposited on Si substrates using sputtering. Coupling of acoustic waves into a liquid induces acoustic streaming and motion of droplets. A streaming velocity up to ∼ 5cm/s and droplet pumping speeds of ∼lcm/s were obtained. It was also found that a higher order mode wave, the Sezawa wave is more effective in streaming and transportation of microdroplets. The ZnO SAW sensor has been used for prostate antigen/antibody biorecognition systems, demonstrated the feasibility of using a single actuation mechanism for lab-on-a-chip applications. © 2010 Materials Research Society.

Molecular systematics of pikas (genus Ochotona) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences

The phylogenetic relationships among worldwide species of genus Ochotona were investigated by sequencing mitochondrial cytochrome b and ND4 genes. Parsimony and neighbor-joining analyses of the sequence data yielded congruent results that strongly indicated three major clusters: the shrub-steppe group, the northern group, and the mountain group. The subgeneric classification of Ochotona species needs to be revised because each of the two subgenera in the present classification contains species from the mountain group. To solve this taxonomic problem so that each taxon is monophyletic, i.e., represents a natural clade, Ochotona could be divided into three subgenera, one for the shrub-steppe species, a second for the northern species, and a third for the mountain species. The inferred tree suggests that the differentiation of this genus in the Palearctic Region was closely related to the gradual uplifting of the Tibet (Qinghai-Xizang) Plateau, as hypothesized previously, and that vicariance might have played a major role in the differentiation of this genus on the Plateau, On the other hand, the North American species, O. princeps, is most likely a dispersal event, which might have happened during the Pliocene through the opening of the Bering Strait. The phylogenetic relationships within the shrub-steppe group are worth noting in that instead of a monophyletic shrub-dwelling group, shrub dwellers and steppe dwellers are intermingled with each other. Moreover, the sequence divergence within the sister tars of one steppe? dweller and one shrub dweller is very low. These findings support the hypothesis that pikes have entered the steppe environment several times and that morphological similarities within steppe dwellers were due to convergent evolution. (C) 2000 Academic Press.

Estimation of RNA/DNA ratio in two north-Indian natural populations of mahseer (Tor tor) and its relationship with growth and hydrobiology

Samples of Tor tor were collected from Bari Reservoir of Udaipur and Narmada River at Hoshangabad (India), in the months of July and November 2005, respectively. Twenty-five samples were collected from each location. Bari Reservoir samples ranged from 17.0 to 24.5 cm in total length and from 75 to 155 g in weight, while Narmada samples ranged from 20.0 to 42.0 cm in length and 90 to 425 g in weight. The nucleic acid content in body muscle of Tor tor and the RNA/DNA ratio were estimated. The age of fishes was estimated by the scale study method and specimens were classified into four age groups. RNA/DNA ratio showed significant linear increase with increase in weight and age till the age of three years after which, the growth rate reduced. The 1-2 year group was the only one common between the two water bodies and a comparison of RNA/DNA ratios showed higher growth rate in Bari Reservoir. The gross primary productivity was also higher in Bari Reservoir being 551 mg cmˉ³ dˉ¹ compared to 404 mg cmˉ³ dˉ¹ observed for Narmada River. The condition factor (K) was found to be higher (1.21) in the fish from the Bari Reservoir compared to those of Narmada River (1.14). The growth rate was higher in females compared to males in >100 g specimens.

Genetic analysis of east and west coast populations of Penaeus monodon from India based on random amplified polymorphic DNA

The east and west coast populations of wild Penaeus monodon in India were genetically characterized by RAPD analysis using six highly polymorphic primers reported earlier. The average genetic similarities within populations, based on profiles generated by all the six primers, were 0.828 and 0.851 for the east and west coast populations, respectively, values with individual primers ranging from 0.744 to 0.889. The average genetic similarity between populations across all the primers was 0.774. The number of bands found to be polymorphic were 38 (51.35%) and 37 (50.68%) in the east and west coast populations, respectively. Primer 5 yielded the highest level of polymorphism (63.63%) in the east coast population whereas primer 3 yielded the lowest level of polymorphism (36.36%) in the west coast population. The study reveals the existence of genetic variation in P. monodon stocks providing scope for genetic improvement through selective breeding. It also provides baseline data for future work on population structure analysis of P. monodon.

Genetic characterization of three Ompok species using mitochondrial DNA sequences

Partial sequences of cytochrome b (Cyt b) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) mitochondrial genes were used for species identification and estimating phylogenetic relationship among three commercially important Ompok species viz. O. Pabda, O. pabo and O. bimaculatus. The sequence analysis of Cyt b (1118bp) and 16S rRNA (569 & 570bp) genes revealed that O. pabda, O. pabo & 0. bimaculatus were genetically distinct species and they exhibited identical phylogenetic relationship. The present study discussed usefulness of mtDNA genes (Cyt b & 16S rRNA) in resolving taxonomic ambiguity and estimating phylogenetics relationship.

人类线粒体DNA世系的系统发育关系研究

本文以人类线粒体DNA为例,回顾了其系统发育关系的重建的研究历史,进而总结介绍了该分析方法在人类进化历史研究、线粒体DNA数据质量评估以及疾病相关线粒体DNA突变的甄别等方面的应用,以期对该方法在国内的推广应用有所裨益.

Gardening the genome: DNA methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

DNA methylation has two essential roles in plants and animals - defending the genome against transposons and regulating gene expression. Recent experiments in Arabidopsis thaliana have begun to address crucial questions about how DNA methylation is established and maintained. One cardinal insight has been the discovery that DNA methylation can be guided by small RNAs produced through RNA-interference pathways. Plants and mammals use a similar suite of DNA methyltransferases to propagate DNA methylation, but plants have also developed a glycosylase-based mechanism for removing DNA methylation, and there are hints that similar processes function in other organisms.