Integration and inheritance stability of foreignBt toxin gene in the bivalent insect-resistant transgenic cotton plants

Genetic and expressional stability of Bt toxin gene is crucial for the breeding of insect-resistant transgenic cotton varieties and their commercialization. Genomic Southern blot analysis of R₃, R₄ and R₅ generations of bivalent transgenic insect-resistant cotton plants was done in order to determine the integration, the copy number and the inheritance stability of Bt toxin gene in the transgenic cotton plants. The results indicated that there was a 4.7 kb positive band in the Southern blot when the genomic DNA of the bivalent transgenic insect-resistant cotton plants and the positive control (the plasmid) were digested with HindⅢ respectively. This result proved that the Bt toxin gene had been integrated into the genome of the cotton in full length. There is only one XhoⅠ restriction site in the Bt toxin gene. Southern blot analysis indicated that many copies of Bt toxin gene had been integrated into the genome of the cotton when the genomic DNA of transgenic plants was digested with XhoⅠ. Among them, there were four copies (about 17.7, 8, 5.5 and 4.7 kb in size) existing in all the tested plants of ₃, R₄ and R₅ generations. The preliminary conclusion was that there were more than four copies of Bt toxin gene integrated into the genome of the cotton, among them, more than one copy can express and inherit steadily. This result provides a scientific basis for the breeding of the bivalent insect-resis- tant transgenic cotton plants and its commercialization.     

Selection pressure drives the co-evolution of several lipid metabolism genes in mammals

Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ and energy supplier.Its physiological effect on the regulation of the energy balance is considered an important factor underlying the evolution of mammals.To test whether the genes controlling lipid metabolism have undergone adaptive molecular change in the evolution of mammals,in this study,we used the orthologous gene sequences of 12 important lipid metabolism proteins (leptin,OB-RL,RXRA,RXRB,RXRG,PPARA,PPARB/D,PPARG,PNLIP,ADIPOQ,LPL and UCP1) from NCBI’s databases.We found evidence that 4 of the corresponding genes (leptin,ADIPOQ,PNLIP and PPARA) have undergone positive selection in their evolutionary history and that most adaptive changes occurred during the evolution of the super-clades Laurasiatheria (placentals) and suborders within Euarchontoglires (primates and rodents).Comparisons across sets of genes showed that in a third of cases,bursts of positive selection,more than would be expected by chance,occurred on corresponding branches.We propose that the positive selection drives adaptive changes in some lipid metabolism genes in or within Laurasiatheria and Euarchontoglires clades.Along with evidence from earlier studies,our results show that co-evolution among interacting lipid metabolism proteins has taken place.     

Transformation of japonica rice with<Emphasis Type="Italic">RHL</Emphasis> gene and salt tolerance of the transgenic rice plant

Overexpression of the yeastHAL2 gene increases salt tolerance of yeast and plant. RiceHAL2-like (RHL) gene was introduced into ajaponica rice cultivar HJ19 withAgrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants in R₀ generation were selected on the principle of GUS-positive,RHL gene PCR-positive and normal growth. Hygromycin-resistant plants of some transgenic lines in R₁ generation increased salt tolerance during the seedling and booting stage, being less damaged in the cytomembrane and stronger in leaf tissue viability under salt stress during booting period. Southern analysis of transgenic lines tolerant to salt in R₁ generation showed that theRHL gene expression cassette had been successfully integrated into rice genome. Moreover, gene engineering breeding methodology and really salt-tolerant rice cultivar were discussed.     

Evolution of homeothermy in mammals

We propose that mammalian homeothermy was was acquired in two steps. The first step enabled mammals to invade a nocturnal niche without an increase in resting metabolic rate. The second step enabled them to invade a diurnal niche and involved the acquisition of higher body temperatures and metabolic rates.     

Male panda （Ailuropoda melanoleuca） urine contains kinship information

Chemical communication plays an important role in kin selection and mate choice in mammals. The covariance of odor-genes of rodents has been documented and kinship odor has been proposed and termed, yet little is known of the relationship between genetic relatedness and chemical composition of kinship odors. Giant pandas （Ailuropoda melanoleuca） rely substantially on chemical communication to mediate their social interactions. To examine the relationship between genetic relatedness and compounds in the urine/anogenital gland secretions, we compared the similarities between genetic relatedness and the chemical profiles of anogenital gland secretions and urine via lineage construction and GC-MS （gas chromatography and mass spectrometry）. We found that information about kinship odors was present only in the urine of male adults in the mating season but absent in the non-mating season. Adult females and all sub-adults did not have such kinship odors in either mating or non-mating season. Therefore, kinship odor in the panda was contingent on age, sex, and season. This is the first report about the condition-dependent expression of kinship odor, which may have a significant implication in the practice of panda conservation in relation to chemical communication and sexual selection.     

Evolution of the serum resistance-associated SRA gene in African trypanosomes

Serum resistance-associated (SRA) protein, a protein unique for Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, is responsible for resistance of this parasite to the lysis by normal human serum (NHS) and is a vital molecular marker to distinguish this species from other African trypanosomes. We cloned and sequenced the SRA basic copy (SRAbc) gene from T. b. rhodesiense and related species and found that this gene is confined to the subgenus Trypanozoon. The average 82% identity among the sequenced SRAbc genes indicates that they may have a common origin and are highly conserved. Since SRAbc coexists in the T. b. rhodesiense genome with SRA, we propose that SRAbc might be the ‘donor VSG’, which after duplication became inserted into the expression site by recombination. Under natural selection, SRAbc could reform into SRA following mosaic formation. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 30570245, 30670275), Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (Grant No. DPCKSCU/IRT0447), International Foundation for Science of Sweden (Grant No. B/4318-1), Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (Grant No. Z60220518) and Education Foundation of the Czech Republic (Grant No. 2B06129)     

Cloning and sequence analysis of Sox genes in a tetraploid cyprinid fish, Tor douronensis

A PCR survey for Sox genes in a young tetraploid fish Tor douronensis （Teleostei： Cyprinidae） was performed to access the evolutionary fates of important functional genes after genome duplication caused by polyploldizatlon event. Totally 13 Soxgenes were obtained in Tordouronensis, which represent SoxB, SoxC and SoxE groups. PhylogeneUc analysis of Sox genes in Tor douronensis provided evidence for fish-specific genome duplication, and suggested that Sox19 might be a teleost specific Sox gene member. Sequence analysis revealed most of the nucleoUde substitutions between duplicated copies of Soxgenes caused by tetreploldlzatlon event or their orthologues in other species are silent substitutions. It would appear that the sequences are under purifying selective pressure, strongly suggesting that they represent functional genes and supporting selection against all null allele at either of two duplicated loci of Sox4a, Sox9a and Sox9b. Surprising variations of the intron length and similarities of two duplicated copies of Soxga and Sox9b, suggest that Tor douronensis might be an allotetreploidy.     

啮齿动物性识别外激素的研究概况及方法

啮齿动物普遍利用外激素进行性识别。具有性识别功能的外激素可能由身体各个发出气味的部位产生,例如,尿液、粪便、唾液、精液、胚胎液、阴道分泌物、特化皮肤腺分泌物等。外激素的产生器官,尤其特化皮肤腺的形态、组织结构、所产生的化学成分和性识别功能有季节和性别的差异,并且受到脑垂体、内分泌腺和性腺分泌激素的调节。确定气味的识别功能和产生源,常利用被试鼠对雌雄气味的行为反应差异;生理调节作用的研究常采用切除有关的激素分泌腺和植入外源的激素后,气味产生器官的形态、组织结构和分泌物化学成分,以及对气味的嗅觉反应的变化的方法;化学研究涉及到气味分析样品的制备和对样品进行化学分析,进一步的活性成分的鉴定还要和生物测定相结合。     

菠菜抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因家族的鉴定及表达分析

利用生物信息学分析方法,在菠菜全基因组中鉴定出了菠菜(Spinacia oleracea)抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)家族成员,并对其理化性质、亚细胞定位、基因结构、保守基序、同源关系及基因表达进行了分析,发现菠菜中存在7个SoAPXs(SoAPX1～7)基因,并通过进化树分析将菠菜APX家族分为4类.基因结构分析发现该家族基因由5～9个外显子构成.亚细胞定位预测表明大部分菠菜APX蛋白定位在细胞质.实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应(qRT-PCR)结果表明:SoAPXs在各个组织器官中呈组成型表达,其中SoAPX1和SoAPX3的组织表达模式相似,SoAPX4和SoAPX5相似,SoAPX2在新叶中表达最高,SoAPX7在雄花中表达最高.对经胁迫处理后的样品进行表达分析发现,低温胁迫与氧化胁迫对SoAPXs的表达均有诱导作用,盐胁迫与干旱胁迫也刺激了大部分SoAPXs的表达.这些结果表明:SoAPXs可能在菠菜的抗盐、耐寒、抗旱以及抗氧化过程中起作用,为后续深入鉴定APX家族成员的功能提供参考.     

基于线粒体蛋白编码基因探讨飞虱科Delphacidae13属系统发育关系

飞虱科昆虫隶属于半翅目蜡蝉总科,是世界上最重要的农业害虫之一.昆虫的线粒体基因是昆虫分子与进化研究中常用且有效的分子标记.本研究基于线粒体蛋白编码基因探讨了飞虱科13属18种的系统发育关系,分别采用距离法、最大似然法和贝叶斯法构建的系统发育树得到的结论是一致的,即在飞虱科13属中,Ugyops属较为原始,处于系统树的基...     

Isolation of candidateR disease resistance genes from rice

Using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based method six distinct candidate disease resistant gene (R) homologs from rice have been isolated. The rice sequences are organized into two phylogenetic groups with contrasting genomic organization patterns. The first group, represented by a single sequence, Osh359-1, is more similar to non-riceR sequences than to rice ones and has a simple genomic organization. The second group, represented by Osh359-3, contains the remaining five rice sequences. Osh359-3 consists of a multi-gene family. The members of Osh359-3 family are further found to be clustered together in the genome.     

Mice cloned from olfactory sensory neurons

Cloning by nuclear transplantation has been successfully carried out in various mammals, including mice. Until now mice have not been cloned from post-mitotic cells such as neurons. Here, we have generated fertile mouse clones derived by transferring the nuclei of post-mitotic, olfactory sensory neurons into oocytes. These results indicate that the genome of a post-mitotic, terminally differentiated neuron can re-enter the cell cycle and be reprogrammed to a state of totipotency after nuclear transfer. Moreover, the pattern of odorant receptor gene expression and the organization of odorant receptor genes in cloned mice was indistinguishable from wild-type animals, indicating that irreversible changes to the DNA of olfactory neurons do not accompany receptor gene choice.     

Adaptive radiation of multituberculate mammals before the extinction of dinosaurs

The Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction approximately 66 million years ago is conventionally thought to have been a turning point in mammalian evolution. Prior to that event and for the first two-thirds of their evolutionary history, mammals were mostly confined to roles as generalized, small-bodied, nocturnal insectivores, presumably under selection pressures from dinosaurs. Release from these pressures, by extinction of non-avian dinosaurs at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, triggered ecological diversification of mammals. Although recent individual fossil discoveries have shown that some mammalian lineages diversified ecologically during the Mesozoic era, comprehensive ecological analyses of mammalian groups crossing the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary are lacking. Such analyses are needed because diversification analyses of living taxa allow only indirect inferences of past ecosystems. Here we show that in arguably the most evolutionarily successful clade of Mesozoic mammals, the Multituberculata, an adaptive radiation began at least 20 million years before the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs and continued across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Disparity in dental complexity, which relates to the range of diets, rose sharply in step with generic richness and disparity in body size. Moreover, maximum dental complexity and body size demonstrate an adaptive shift towards increased herbivory. This dietary expansion tracked the ecological rise of angiosperms and suggests that the resources that were available to multituberculates were relatively unaffected by the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. Taken together, our results indicate that mammals were able to take advantage of new ecological opportunities in the Mesozoic and that at least some of these opportunities persisted through the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. Similar broad-scale ecomorphological inventories of other radiations may help to constrain the possible causes of mass extinctions.     

Transfer of a eubacteria-type cell division site-determining factor CrldfnD 8ene to the nucleus from the chloroplast genome in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

MinD is a ubiquitous ATPase that plays a crucial role in selection of the division site in eubacteria, chloroplasts, and probably Archaea. In four green algae, MesosUgma viride, Nephroselmis olivacea, Chlorella vulgaris and Prototheca wickerhamii, MinD homologues are encoded in the plastid genome. However, in Arabidopsis, MinD is a nucleus-encoded, chloroplast-targeted protein involved in chloroplast division, which suggests that MinD has been transferred to the nucleus in higher land plants. Yet the lateral gene transfer （LGT） of MinD from plastid to nucleus during plastid evolution remains poorly understood. Here, we identified a nucleus-encoded MinD homologue from unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a basal species in the green plant lineage. Overexpression of CrMinD in wild type E. coil inhibited cell division and resulted in the filamentous cell formation, clearly demonstrated the conservation of the MinD protein during the evolution of photosynthetic eukaryotes. The transient expression of CrMinD-egfp confirmed the role of CrMinD protein in the regulation of plastid division. Searching all the published plastid genomic sequences of land plants, no MinD homologues were found, which suggests that the transfer of MinD from plastid to nucleus might have occurred before the evolution of land plants.     

条斑紫菜与坛紫菜挥发性风味的电子鼻分析

【目的】利用电子鼻技术区分条斑紫菜(Pyropia yezoensis)与坛紫菜(Pyropia haitanensis)的原藻及其制品。【方法】应用18个金属氧化型气体传感器并通过风味雷达图和主成分分析法对2种紫菜的挥发性风味进行轮廓性分析。【结果】两种方法分析原藻及其制品均显示条斑紫菜和坛紫菜的气味轮廓与敏感物质类型存在差异;相比紫菜原藻,各制品间的气味轮廓较为一致。【结论】电子鼻技术可以区分条斑紫菜与坛紫菜挥发性风味,原藻及其制品均有明显差异。加工过程使得产品挥发性风味趋于统一。     

The genome of the green anole lizard and a comparative analysis with birds and mammals

The evolution of the amniotic egg was one of the great evolutionary innovations in the history of life, freeing vertebrates from an obligatory connection to water and thus permitting the conquest of terrestrial environments. Among amniotes, genome sequences are available for mammals and birds, but not for non-avian reptiles. Here we report the genome sequence of the North American green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis. We find that A. carolinensis microchromosomes are highly syntenic with chicken microchromosomes, yet do not exhibit the high GC and low repeat content that are characteristic of avian microchromosomes. Also, A. carolinensis mobile elements are very young and diverse-more so than in any other sequenced amniote genome. The GC content of this lizard genome is also unusual in its homogeneity, unlike the regionally variable GC content found in mammals and birds. We describe and assign sequence to the previously unknown A. carolinensis X chromosome. Comparative gene analysis shows that amniote egg proteins have evolved significantly more rapidly than other proteins. An anole phylogeny resolves basal branches to illuminate the history of their repeated adaptive radiations.     

C-H···Pd(II) interaction-driven homochiral M helix formation of neutral (R,R)-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethyl- eneamino) cyclohexane palladium(II) complex

A chiral complex of (R,R)-Pd was prepared by reaction of optically pure (R,R)-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethyl-eneamino) cyclohexane ligand with Pd(OAc)2·2H2O under the base condition at room temperature. The weak intermolecular C-H···Pd interaction was found to be responsible for the homochiral M helix for-mation of the neutral,chiral,mononuclear (R,R)-Pd in the crystal packing.     

Cloning the interferon regulatory factor I gene in lungfish （Protopterus annectens） and its molecular evolution among sarcopterygians

Sarcopterygians is an important vertebrate clade that includes crossopterygians and tetrapods. Crossopterygians are lobe-finned fish that include lungfish and coelacanths. Tetrapods include amphibians, reptiles, avians and mammals. To compare the interferon regulatory factor 1 (irf-1) gene structure and to explore phylogenetic relationships among sarcopterygians, we cloned the cDNA sequence of irf-1 from lungfish and compared it with irf-1 orthologs in other sarcopterygian species. The lungfish is a primitive sarcopterygian that occupies a very important position in vertebrate phylogeny. Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) are a family of proteins involved in innate immunity. To date, 11 IRF family members have been reported. All IRFs share homology in the first 115 amino acids, which encompasses a DNA binding domain containing a characteristic repeat of 5 tryptophan residues separated by 10–18 amino acids. IRF-1 and IRF-2 were the first members of this family to be reported and they have a very important role in innate immunity. However, studies of the irf-1 and irf-2 genes are mostly confined to mammals; very few non-mammalian irf-1 genes have been reported. Consistent with the irf-1 gene sequences already published, the first 345 nucleotides of lungfish irf-1 are highly conserved. At the carboxyl terminal a C-terminal transactivating region motif and an interferon associated domain (IAD2) were identified. 417 million years separate the present from the closest common ancestor of lungfish and tetrapods; however, the irf-1 genes among sarcopterygians are highly conserved and have very obvious phylogenetic relationships. Also the interrelationship tree of sarcopterygians, based on IRF-1 amino acid sequences, is identical with trees produced using other data, such as morphological characteristics or mitochondrial gene sequences.     

Differentiation of Epinephelus moara from E. bruneus by improved nest-tetra-primer-specific PCR

Epinephelus moara and E. bruneus are closely related species in the genus Epinephelus (Perciformes, Serranidae). Their morphological similarity, changing color pattern at different stages and living conditions make them difficult to be differentiated. To identify these two species, an improved nest-tetra-primer-specific PCR assay was developed. Three specific molecular markers, the control region NC1 (394 bp), species-specific internal region ND2-M (268 bp) and ND2-B (122 bp), were identified in the mitochondrial ND2 gene from these two grouper species. Five markers were also discovered in the ITS1 regions of their nuclear ribosomal DNA, which were the control regions NC2 (588 bp) and NC3 (563 bp), and species-specific internal regions rDNA-M (426 bp), ITS1-M (488 bp) and ITS1-B (304 bp). This method provided a highly specific, precise, reliable and rapid molecular marker technique to discriminate between the two grouper species, as well as a new way of DNA identification to differentiate closely related species in fishes.     

Large Mesozoic mammals fed on young dinosaurs

Mesozoic mammals are commonly portrayed as shrew- or rat-sized animals that were mainly insectivorous, probably nocturnal and lived in the shadow of dinosaurs. The largest known Mesozoic mammal represented by substantially complete remains is Repenomamus robustus, a triconodont mammal from the Lower Cretaceous of Liaoning, China. An adult individual of R. robustus was the size of a Virginia opossum. Here we report a new species of the genus, represented by a skeleton with most of the skull and postcranium preserved in articulation. The new species is 50% larger than R. robustus in skull length. In addition, stomach contents associated with a skeleton of R. robustus reveal remains of a juvenile Psittacosaurus, a ceratopsian dinosaur. Our discoveries constitute the first direct evidence that some triconodont mammals were carnivorous and fed on small vertebrates, including young dinosaurs, and also show that Mesozoic mammals had a much greater range of body sizes than previously known. We suggest that Mesozoic mammals occupied diverse niches and that some large mammals probably competed with dinosaurs for food and territory.