Tandem B1 SINE retro-elements may provide a basis for natural antisense transcription in the Magi1 locus of the mouse (Mus musculus)

Transposable elements, which are DNA sequences that can move between different sites in genomes, comprise approximately 40% of the genome of mammals and are emerging as important contributors to biological diversity. Here we report a transcription unit lying within intron 1 of the murine Magi1 (membrane associated guanylate kinase inverted 1) gene that codes for a cell-cell junction scaffolding protein. The transcription unit, termed Magi1OS (Magi1 Opposite Strand), originates from a region with tandem B1 short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) and is an antisense gene to Magi1. Mag1OS transcription initiates in a proximal B1 element that shows only 4% divergence from the consensus sequence, indicating that it has been recently inserted into the mouse genome and could be replication competent. Moreover, a chimaeric transcript may result from intra-chromosomal interaction and trans-splicing of the Magi1 antisense transcript (Magi1OS) and Ghrl, which codes for the multifunctional peptide hormone ghrelin. These two genes are 20 megabases apart on chromosome 6 and are transcribed in opposite directions. We propose that the Magi1OS locus may serve as a useful model system to study exaptation and retrotransposition of B1 SINEs, as well as to examine the mechanisms of intra-chromosomal trans-splicing.

白腹鼠属（Niviventer）分子系统发育关系和小家鼠（Mus musculus）分子系统地理学研究

本工作用线粒体细胞色素b基因全序列探讨了白腹鼠属（Niviventer）分子系统发育关系，利用线粒体控制区全序列研究小家鼠（Mus musculus）在中国的分子系统地理学。 在白腹鼠属的分子系统发育研究中，本研究首次对来自青藏高原东南部和台湾的9种（安氏白腹鼠、川西白腹鼠、社鼠、刺毛鼠、梵鼠、灰腹鼠、褐尾鼠、台湾白腹鼠和台湾社鼠）32个个体的细胞色素b全序列进行了测定和分析。用最大简约法、最大似然法和贝叶斯法三种构树方法构出的进化树一致表明，9种分为3个线粒体DNA系：系A包括社鼠、台湾社鼠、台湾白腹鼠、刺毛鼠、梵鼠和灰腹鼠6种；系B包括安氏白腹鼠和川西白腹鼠2种；系C仅包括褐尾鼠一种。应用DNA分类的分析方法表明台湾社鼠不应是社鼠的亚种，而应是一个独立的种。此外，以来自更新世中晚期（1.2-0.13百万年）的社鼠化石为依据推算该属的分歧时间。结果表明该属的起源于1.64百万年前，系A和系B分化发生在1.46百万年以前，该属的其余物种分化时间为1.29-0.67百万年前。这些分化时间和青藏高原的最后一次隆起、昆黄运动以及第四纪大冰期时间相一致，提示地理隔离和冰期作用可能对该属的形成演化起到重要的作用。 在小家鼠的分子系统地理学研究中，通过测定来自中国12个采集地的184只小家鼠的控制区全序列，并结合了Genbank里的单倍型，首次研究小家鼠在中国的分子系统地理格局、种群历史和生物地理过程。184个样品定义了66个单倍型，单倍型多样性为0.95，核苷酸多样性为0.012。用66个单倍型及Genbank里来自周边国家的62个小家鼠单倍型进行分子系统发育分析，邻接法和贝叶斯法构得的分子系统发育树基本一致。结果表明小家鼠在中国分为两个线粒体DNA系（南方系和北方系）。分子变异等级分析结果表明主要的分子变异发生在两个线粒体DNA系之间（84.03%）。根据研究结果推断长江是两个线粒体DNA系之间基因交流受限的主要地理障碍。单倍型进化网络关系表明两个线粒体DNA是异域扩散。两个系的单倍型歧点分布图呈钟型分布，说明经历了快速的种群扩散。经推算小家鼠在中国北方系的种群扩散时间为16 600（22 000－11 000）年前，而南方系的种群扩散时间早于北方系，扩散时间为20 000（40 000－6 700）年前。依据单倍型和核苷酸的多样性、单倍型进化网络关系以及单倍型歧点分布图综合推断小家鼠在中国的两个系在末冰期时经历了快速的种群扩张导致今天的地理分布格局。根据系统发育树的结果推断，北方系种群的大体扩散方向是从北往南，而南方系是从南往北迁移。小家鼠以长江为界分为南方系和北方系的系统地理模式、扩散方向和种群的扩散时间与人以长江为界分为南方人和北方人、扩散方向、扩散时间（60 000－16 000）基本一致，这可能暗示人类活动对小家鼠的迁移产生的重要影响。

间接免疫荧光法鉴别小鼠(Mus musculus)早期胚胎的性别

本工作采用间接免疫荧光法检测昆明品系小鼠早期胚胎雄性特异的H-Y抗原。结果表明：54％的胚胎为H-Y阳性（雄性）；46％为H-Y阴性（雌性）。与昆明品系小鼠的自然性比率（♂：52％；♀：48％）比较无显著性差异。经细胞遗传学方法确定，以免疫荥光法鉴别的胚胎性别，雄性准确率为75.5％；雌性为82.9％。本文还就影响鉴别准确率的若干因素以及本方法在生产中的应用前景等问题进行了分析讨论。

Estudio inmunohistoquímico de los receptores estrogénicos en el pulmón fetal del ratón albino Mus-musculus

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Morfología) UANL

Determinación por métodos histoquímico enzimáticos del tiempo de aparición de las células de Langerhans en la epidermis del ratón albino (Mus musculus cepa C-D1)

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Morfología) UANL

Efecto de la dexametasona sobre las fibras del tejido conectivo pulmonar fetal del ratón albino (Mus musculus)

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Morfología) UANL

Evaluation of the in vivo mutagenic potential of hydroalcoholic extracts of the northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. Ericales, Ericaceae) on peripheral blood cells of Swiss mice (Mus musculus Rodentia, Muridae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morphological investigations of the surface epithelium of ductuli efferentes of black isogenic mice (Mus musculus)

Morphological investigations of the epithelial cell types that line the ductuli efferentes (DE) of black isogenic mice confirm absorption of the luminal fluid phase by endocytosis as the main function of ductuli efferentes (DE) in this species. :Furthermore, all the histochemical and ultrastructural observations on the DE epithelial histoarchitecture indicate other cellular functions such as exocytosis and probably secretion: including an aprocrine secretory process.

Genetic basis of the resistance to Strongyloides venezuelensis (Nematoda, Rhabdiasidae) infection in mice (Mus musculus)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Meiotic nucleolar cycle and chromatoid body formation during the rat (Rattus novergicus) and mouse (Mus musculus) spermiogenesis

The aims of the present study were to follow the nucleolar cycle in spermiogenesis of the laboratory rodents Rattus novergicus and Mus musculus, to verify the relationship between the nucleolar component and chromatoid body (CB) formation and to investigate the function of this cytoplasmic supramolecular structure in spermatogenic haploid cells. Histological sections of adult seminiferous tubules were analyzed cytochemically by light microscopy and ultrastructural procedures by transmission electron microscopy. The results reveal that in early spermatids, the CB was visualized in association with the Golgi cisterns indicating that this structure may participate in the acrosome formation process. In late spermatids, the CB was observed near the axonema, a fact suggesting that this structure may support the formation of the spermatozoon tail. In conclusion, our data showed that there is disintegration of spermatid nucleoli at the beginning of spermatogenesis and a fraction of this nucleolar material migrates to the cytoplasm, where a specific structure is formed, known as the "chromatoid body", which, apparently, participates in some parts of the rodent spermiogenesis process. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.