Epistasis and balanced polymorphism influencing complex trait variation

Complex traits such as human disease, growth rate, or crop yield are polygenic, or determined by the contributions from numerous genes in a quantitative manner. Although progress has been made in identifying major quantitative trait loci (QTL), experimental constraints have limited our knowledge of small-effect QTL, which may be responsible for a large proportion of trait variation. Here, we identified and dissected a one-centimorgan chromosome interval in Arabidopsis thaliana without regard to its effect on growth rate, and examined the signature of historical sequence polymorphism among Arabidopsis accessions. We found that the interval contained two growth rate QTL within 210 kilobases. Both QTL showed epistasis; that is, their phenotypic effects depended on the genetic background. This amount of complexity in such a small area suggests a highly polygenic architecture of quantitative variation, much more than previously documented. One QTL was limited to a single gene. The gene in question displayed a nucleotide signature indicative of balancing selection, and its phenotypic effects are reversed depending on genetic background. If this region typifies many complex trait loci, then non-neutral epistatic polymorphism may be an important contributor to genetic variation in complex traits.     

Insulin-IGF2 region on chromosome 11p encodes a gene implicated in HLA-DR4-dependent diabetes susceptibility

A class of alleles at the VNTR (variable number of tandem repeat) locus in the 5' region of the insulin gene (INS) on chromosome 11p is associated with increased risk of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), but family studies have failed to demonstrate linkage. INS is thought to contribute to IDDM susceptibility but this view has been difficult to reconcile with the lack of linkage evidence. We thus investigated polymorphisms of INS and neighbouring loci in random diabetics, IDDM multiplex families and controls. HLA-DR4-positive diabetics showed an increased risk associated with common variants at polymorphic sites in a 19-kilobase segment spanned by the 5' INS VNTR and the third intron of the gene for insulin-like growth factor II (IGF2). As INS is the major candidate gene from this region, diabetic and control sequence were compared to identify all INS polymorphisms that could contribute to disease susceptibility. In multiplex families the IDDM-associated alleles were transmitted preferentially to HLA-DR4-positive diabetic offspring from heterozygous parents. The effect was strongest in paternal meioses, suggesting a possible role for maternal imprinting. Our results strongly support the existence of a gene or genes affecting HLA-DR4 IDDM susceptibility which is located in a 19-kilobase region of INS-IGF2. Our results also suggest new ways to map susceptibility loci in other common diseases.     

Resolution of quantitative traits into Mendelian factors by using a complete linkage map of restriction fragment length polymorphisms

The conflict between the Mendelian theory of particulate inheritance and the observation of continuous variation for most traits in nature was resolved in the early 1900s by the concept that quantitative traits can result from segregation of multiple genes, modified by environmental effects. Although pioneering experiments showed that linkage could occasionally be detected to such quantitative trait loci (QTLs), accurate and systematic mapping of QTLs has not been possible because the inheritance of an entire genome could not be studied with genetic markers. The use of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) has made such investigations possible, at least in principle. Here, we report the first use of a complete RFLP linkage map to resolve quantitative traits into discrete Mendelian factors, in an interspecific back-cross of tomato. Applying new analytical methods, we mapped at least six QTLs controlling fruit mass, four QTLs for the concentration of soluble solids and five QTLs for fruit pH. This approach is broadly applicable to the genetic dissection of quantitative inheritance of physiological, morphological and behavioural traits in any higher plant or animal.     

Functional epistasis on a common MHC haplotype associated with multiple sclerosis

Genes in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) encode proteins important in activating antigen-specific immune responses. Alleles at adjacent MHC loci are often in strong linkage disequilibrium; however, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for this linkage disequilibrium. Here we report that the human MHC HLA-DR2 haplotype, which predisposes to multiple sclerosis, shows more extensive linkage disequilibrium than other common caucasian HLA haplotypes in the DR region and thus seems likely to have been maintained through positive selection. Characterization of two multiple-sclerosis-associated HLA-DR alleles at separate loci by a functional assay in humanized mice indicates that the linkage disequilibrium between the two alleles may be due to a functional epistatic interaction, whereby one allele modifies the T-cell response activated by the second allele through activation-induced cell death. This functional epistasis is associated with a milder form of multiple-sclerosis-like disease. Such epistatic interaction might prove to be an important general mechanism for modifying exuberant immune responses that are deleterious to the host and could also help to explain the strong linkage disequilibrium in this and perhaps other HLA haplotypes.     

Analysis of rice blast resistance genes by QTL mapping

Resistance to rice blast pathogen mostly shows a quantitative trait controlled by several minor genes. Its complexity and the mutable characteristic of rice blast isolates both hinder the development of the blast resistance research. The article here tried to explore the resistance gene distribution on rice chromosomes and the way of function. Totally 124 QTLs have been identified against 20 isolates using Cartographer software with a ZYQ8/JX17 DH population, which separately are at 100 loci of 72 marker intervals on 12 rice chromosomes. Of them, 16 QTLs were determined by the isolate HB-97-36-1. 82 QTLs (66.13%) are from the resistant parent alleles, ZYQ8, while 42 QTLs (33.87%) are from the susceptible parent alleles, JX17. In comparison of their positions on chromosome, most QTLs are clustered together and distributed nearby the major genes especially the regions on chromosomes 1, 2, 8, 10 and 12. Each QTL could account for the resistance variation between 3~2%-68.64%. And, a positional QTL might display the resistance to several different isolates with different contributions.     

Genetic risk and a primary role for cell-mediated immune mechanisms in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a common disease of the central nervous system in which the interplay between inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes typically results in intermittent neurological disturbance followed by progressive accumulation of disability. Epidemiological studies have shown that genetic factors are primarily responsible for the substantially increased frequency of the disease seen in the relatives of affected individuals, and systematic attempts to identify linkage in multiplex families have confirmed that variation within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) exerts the greatest individual effect on risk. Modestly powered genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have enabled more than 20 additional risk loci to be identified and have shown that multiple variants exerting modest individual effects have a key role in disease susceptibility. Most of the genetic architecture underlying susceptibility to the disease remains to be defined and is anticipated to require the analysis of sample sizes that are beyond the numbers currently available to individual research groups. In a collaborative GWAS involving 9,772 cases of European descent collected by 23 research groups working in 15 different countries, we have replicated almost all of the previously suggested associations and identified at least a further 29 novel susceptibility loci. Within the MHC we have refined the identity of the HLA-DRB1 risk alleles and confirmed that variation in the HLA-A gene underlies the independent protective effect attributable to the class I region. Immunologically relevant genes are significantly overrepresented among those mapping close to the identified loci and particularly implicate T-helper-cell differentiation in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.     

藏羚羊5个微卫星标记的多态性分析

藏羚羊是我国青藏高原的特有物种.为分析藏羚羊独特的遗传变异特征和核DNA遗传多样性,以5个微卫星标记对50只藏羚羊的等位基因多态性进行了研究.研究结果表明:5个微卫星标记共检测到92个等位基因,每个标记的平均等位基因数为18.4个(在16~23之间),平均有效等位基因数为11.1;5个微卫星标记的多态信息含量均在0.8573以上,为高度多态标记,其中L03标记的多态信息含量最高,达0.9372;各标记的观测杂合度在0.4898~0.9091之间,期望杂合度在0.8770~0.9504之间,平均期望杂合度为0.8990,属于高度杂合标记,遗传变异丰富.这些筛选出的多态性微卫星标记可应用于藏羚羊遗传多样性、遗传结构分析及遗传图谱的构建等工作.     

Molecular mapping of QTLs for root response to phosphorus deficiency at seedling stage in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Phosphorus (P) deficiency in the soil is one of the major abiotic stresses that limit plant growth and crop productivity throughout the world. Development of cultivars with improved P-deficiency tolerance is an efficient strategy for sustainable agriculture. Plant roots play an important role in crop growth and development, especially in nutrient uptake and improvement of P-efficiency. Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for root traits and their response to low P stress at seedling stage will facilitate the development of P-efficient wheat cultivars. In this study, 30 QTLs (LOD>2.0) were mapped for the three root traits, such as root length, root number and root dry matter under different P supply conditions and their response to P-stress. These QTLs were distributed on 14 chromosomes, with each of the 5 QTLs explaining more than 10% phenotype variance. Analyses showed that root traits and their response to P-deficiency were controlled by different QTLs. In addition, alleles with positive effects were separated on both parents, and wheat cultivars with improved P-efficiency could be developed by accumulating these positive effect alleles together.     

Molecular mapping of QTLs for root response to phosphorus deficiency at seedling stage in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Phosphorus (P) deficiency in the soil is one of the major abiotic stresses that limit plant growth and crop productivity throughout the world. Development of cultivars with improved P-deficiency tolerance is an efficient strategy for sustainable agriculture. Plant roots play an important role in crop growth and development, especially in nutrient uptake and improvement of P-efficiency. Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for root traits and their response to low P stress at seedling stage will facilitate the development of P-efficient wheat cultivars. In this study, 30 QTLs (LOD>2.0) were mapped for the three root traits, such as root length, root number and root dry matter under different P supply conditions and their response to P-stress. These QTLs were distributed on 14 chromosomes, with each of the 5 QTLs explaining more than 10% phenotype variance. Analyses showed that root traits and their response to P-deficiency were controlled by different QTLs. In addition, alleles with positive effects were separated on both parents, and wheat cultivars with improved P-efficiency could be developed by accumulating these positive effect alleles together.     

野生二粒小麦高分子量谷蛋白亚基等位变异分析

本研究采用十二烷基磺酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（SDS-PAGE）方法,对从国内外引进的175份野生二粒小麦（Triticum dicoccoides）种质资源高分子量谷蛋白亚基（HMW-GS）Glu1-等位基因组成进行了鉴定和分析.结果表明,175份野生二粒小麦中,Glu-1B位点上的HMW-GS有32种变异类型,比普通面包小麦Glu-1B位点编码的HMW-GS的变异类型丰富得多,其中7＋8和14.1＋15.1亚基分布频率最高（占20.00%）;Glu-1A位点编码的HMW-GS有4种变异类型：1、1^＊、2^＊和Null,一共鉴定了10个新的高分子量亚基.这些新的亚基和等位基因有可能成为面包小麦品质改良的候选基因资源.     

草鱼基因组随机扩增多态性引物及多态性位点的筛选

为了建立草鱼基因组DNA多态性分析的指标体系,应用RAPD技术,从180条10碱基随机引物中筛选出了31条能扩增出多态性DNA片段的引物。用这31条多态性引物共扩增出了327条重复性好、带型清晰、分辨率高的谱带。扩增产物的片段大小范围在400—2000bp之间。单一引物扩增条带为5—14条。用这些多态性引物在草鱼基因组DNA中检测到了93个多态性位点,并对这些多态性位点上的等位基因频率进行了统计分析。这31条多态性引物和所检测到的93个多态性位点初步为草鱼基因组的多态性分析提供了可靠的分析指标体系。     

MHC polymorphism pre-dating speciation

Two features distinguish the polymorphism of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci from that of other loci: its high diversity and the large genetic distance between MHC alleles. More than 100 alleles exist in natural populations in the mouse at each of the functional class I and class II alleles, all alleles occurring at frequencies that cannot be explained by recurrent mutations. Some of the alleles differ by approximately 70 nucleotides in the coding region alone and some of the products of the allelic genes differ by more than 50 amino acids. It has generally been assumed that these differences accumulated after species inception. Here, we present evidence for an alternative explanation of the origin of MHC polymorphism: a large part of the MHC polymorphism pre-dates speciation and is passed on from species to species. We describe allelic differences that must have arisen before the separation of mice and rats from a common ancestor more than 10 million years ago.     

QTL analysis of the rice seedling cold tolerance in a double haploid population derived from anther culture of a hybrid betweenindica andjaponica rice

A doubled haploid population, derived from anther culture of F₁ hybrid between a typicalindica cv. and ajaponica cv. has been used to investigate the seedling cold tolerance (SCT) in growth cabinet. By dynamically analyzing every day’s survival percentages of the parents and DH lines under 7-d cold plus 9-d normal temperature condition, the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for SCT have been mapped based on a molecular linkage map constructed from this population. The results show that two parents had significant differences in SCT and the segregation of SCT in DH lines was basically a continuous distribution with most serious injury on the 6th d of the cold treatment. A total of 4 QTLs for SCT have been identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The additive effects of qSCT-1, qSCT-2 and qSCT-3 have been contributed by thejaponica cv JX17, but that of qSCT-4 has been contributed by theindica cv ZYQ8. The mechanism of SCT seems complicated since the above 4 QTLs detected at different stages during the treatment. Further study on the genotypes for these SCT QTLs in the DH lines shows transgressive segregation. It is demonstrated that the lines with stronger SCT over JXI7 have 3–4 loci for SCT. Integration of these QTLs into an appropriate variety may lead to a successful rice breeding program for cold tolerance.     

Hundreds of variants clustered in genomic loci and biological pathways affect human height

Most common human traits and diseases have a polygenic pattern of inheritance: DNA sequence variants at many genetic loci influence the phenotype. Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified more than 600 variants associated with human traits, but these typically explain small fractions of phenotypic variation, raising questions about the use of further studies. Here, using 183,727 individuals, we show that hundreds of genetic variants, in at least 180 loci, influence adult height, a highly heritable and classic polygenic trait. The large number of loci reveals patterns with important implications for genetic studies of common human diseases and traits. First, the 180 loci are not random, but instead are enriched for genes that are connected in biological pathways (P = 0.016) and that underlie skeletal growth defects (P?相似文献   

Identification and mapping of genes for improving yield from Chinese common wild rice (O. rufipogon Griff.) using advanced backcross QTL analysis

To identify useful genes from wild rice which have been lost or weakened in cultivated rice has become more and more important for modern breeding strategy. In this study, a BC4 population derived from 94W1, an acces-sion of common wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) from Dongxiang in Jiangxi Province of China, as the donor, and a high-yielding Indica cultivar (O. sativa L.), "Guichao 2", as the recipient, was used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with yield and its components. Based on the analysis for the genotype of BC4F1 population with 87 SSR markers distributed throughout the genome and investigation of the plant height, yield and yield components of BC4F2, a total of 52 QTLs, were detected. Of 7 QTLs associated with grain yield per plant, 2 QTLs on chro-mosome 2 and chromosome 11 for grain yield, explaining 16% and 11% of the phenotypic variance respectively, were identified. The alleles from Dongxiang common wild rice in those two loci could increase the yield of "Guichao 2" by 25.9% and 23.2% respectively. The QTL on chromosome 2 increasing grain yield of cultivar is actually a major gene, which did not coincide with any previously published QTLs in rice.     

杉木育种群体SSR分子标记遗传多样性分析

杉木的育种群体中,维持合理的遗传多样性和清晰的遗传背景,是长周期、多世代遗传改良采用的核心策略之一。基于基因组分子标记,利用自主开发的52对杉木SSR引物,对国家级杉木种质资源库保存的遗传材料——杉木第1代遗传改良收集的93份种质资源进行了遗传多样性分析。结果表明:52对SSR引物在93份材料中共检测到254个等位变异,等位变异范围为2～8个,平均等位基因数为4.88个,平均有效等位基因数为2.32个,平均观察杂合度为0.43,平均Nei’s多样性指数为0.50,平均Shannon信息指数为0.98,这5个评价遗传多样性水平的指标具有较大程度的一致性。不同引物的等位基因数、有效等位基因数、观察杂合度、多样性指数和Shannon信息指数等均表明杉木育种群体中存在较大的遗传差异,其变异系数分别为24.88%、44.75%、34.20%、34.89%和33.59%。93份种质资源间遗传相似系数的平均值为0.693 3,变化范围为0.490 0～0.919 3; 遗传距离的平均值0.370 3,变化范围为0.086 3～0.713 4。当距离阀值为20时,可将杉木第1代育种群体中的93份种质资源划分为5大类; 当距离阀值为15时,第5大类的77份种质资源可细分为16个亚类。SSR分子标记聚类的结果可为种质资源的管理及提高育种效率提供重要依据。     

赤桉抗风和生长性状的SSR关联分析

【目的】为了解赤桉抗风性和寻找与赤桉抗风相关联的分子标记,对影响桉树抗风性状的有利等位变异及携带优异等位变异的载体材料进行了分析,为桉树抗风分子育种奠定基础。【方法】以109份赤桉栽培种组成的半同胞群体为材料,利用关联分析方法对多态性高的107对SSR引物进行基因型检测,利用Structure2.3.4软件对供试材料进行群体结构和连锁不平衡分析的基础上,采用TASSEL 3.0软件的混合模型MLM程序,对与赤桉抗风有关的树高、胸径、材积、风害指数4个性状进行关联分析,根据计算的表型效应值,鉴别和统计优异的等位位点。【结果】通过群体遗传结构分析将109份赤桉材料分为2个亚群。通过关联分析,获得与抗风性状相关联的等位变异位点25个(P<0.05),生长及抗风性状表型变异的解释率为9.26%～71.14%,平均解释率为36.27%。其中与树高性状相关标记最多,为13个,贡献率最高的是EUCeSSR235(71.14%),增加树高表型效应最大的等位变异是EUCeSSR352-320,载体品种有9个; 与胸径显著相关的标记有7个,贡献率最高的是EUCeSSR332(63.29%),EUCeSSR489-128是增加表型效应最大等位变异,载体品种有11个; 与材积显著相关的标记有5个,贡献率最高的标记是EUCeSSR332(61.38%),增加表型效应最大的等位变异是EUCeSSR489-128,载体品种有11个; 与风害指数显著相关的标记有10个,贡献率最高的是EUCeSSR235(71.14%),减少表型效应最大的等位变异是EUCeSSR875-90,载体品种有34个。同时检测到7个标记与2个以上性状相关联,标记EUCeSSR332与树高、胸径、材积、风害指数等4个性状均同时关联,该标记对4个性状表型变异解释率超过60%。标记EUCeSSR484、EUCeSSR352、EUCeSSR570和EUCeSSR422与树高和风害指数2个性状均关联,EUCeSSR489和 EUCeSSR114标记与树高和材积2个性状关联。【结论】109份赤桉供试材料的群体遗传结构简单,连锁不平衡水平低。基于 SSR 的关联分析,发掘了与赤桉抗风性状相关的优异等位变异基因,可用于桉树抗风性状分子标记辅助育种。     

MHC antigens in urine as olfactory recognition cues

The classical class I antigens of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are cell-surface glycoproteins which were originally discovered because they cause rapid rejection of cells or tissues grafted between unrelated individuals. These molecules are encoded by the K, D and L loci of the mouse MHC (and analogous loci in other species) which show extreme species polymorphism and a large number of alleles. In an outbreeding population 3.6 X 10(9) unique MHC class I phenotypes can be encoded by the 100 alleles at each of the K and D loci and the 6 alleles at the L locus. This level of polymorphism ensures that the cells and tissues of each unrelated individual are uniquely identified by their class I membrane-bound antigens. Like other membrane bound proteins, these class I molecules are anchored in the lipid bilayer by a hydrophobic domain encoded by exon 5. However, there have been reports of the occurrence of classical class I molecules in true solution in the blood of humans, mice, and rats. We report here that classical polymorphic class I molecules in normal rats are constitutively excreted in the urine and that untrained rats can distinguish the smell of urine samples taken from normal donors that differ only at the class I MHC locus and therefore excrete different allelomorphs of class I molecules in their urine.     

华东地区青冈种群等位酶变异与环境变量的关系

分析华东地区６个青冈种群的遗传变异与环境变量的关系．结果表明研究范围内温度因子、降水和纬度之间显著相关．过氧化物酶的等位基因频率与环境因子（尤其是降水和温度因子）高度相关，ＰＯＤ－１的等位基因Ａ和Ｂ的频率在干旱、热量条件差的种群中较高，而ＰＯＤ－２中的等位基因Ｄ的频率正好相反．其他位点的一些等位基因频率与环境因子也存在相关性．以上结果表明气候因子在青冈的遗传分化和遗传变异维持中起重要作用．