Speciation by hybridization in Heliconius butterflies

Speciation is generally regarded to result from the splitting of a single lineage. An alternative is hybrid speciation, considered to be extremely rare, in which two distinct lineages contribute genes to a daughter species. Here we show that a hybrid trait in an animal species can directly cause reproductive isolation. The butterfly species Heliconius heurippa is known to have an intermediate morphology and a hybrid genome, and we have recreated its intermediate wing colour and pattern through laboratory crosses between H. melpomene, H. cydno and their F1 hybrids. We then used mate preference experiments to show that the phenotype of H. heurippa reproductively isolates it from both parental species. There is strong assortative mating between all three species, and in H. heurippa the wing pattern and colour elements derived from H. melpomene and H. cydno are both critical for mate recognition by males.     

硬骨鱼类性别决定与分化相关基因研究进展

鱼类是脊椎动物中最低等但分布最广、种类最多的一类生物.与高等脊椎动物不同,鱼类的性别决定除了受遗传因素的影响,外界环境(激素水平、温度、盐度、氧气等)和自身内分泌调节也发挥了重要作用,因而其性别决定与分化机制极其复杂.尽管如此,遗传因素仍然是鱼类性别决定与分化的关键因素.本文通过对影响硬骨鱼类性别决定及分化的遗传因素(包括sox,dmrt1,amh,gsdf,cyp19a1a,foxl2等性别决定及分化相关基因和Rspo1/Wnt/β-catenin信号通路)的研究动态与进展进行综述,为更深入的探索鱼类性别决定与分化机制提供参考.     

狭边大叶藓(Rhodobryum ontariense)遗传多样性的ISSR分析

狭边大叶藓[Rhodobryum ontariense(Kindb.)Paris]为真藓科大叶藓属植物,具有治疗心血管疾病的功效。本研究选用ISSR分子标记对分布于河北、河南、四川和陕西四省的9个狭边大叶藓自然居群的遗传多样性进行研究,目的在于揭示狭边大叶藓居群的遗传结构和遗传多样性水平,为其保护和合理开发利用提供科学依据。用8个ISSR引物对9个居群共58个样品进行扩增,共获得47条清晰的扩增位点。POPGENE分析表明,狭边大叶藓居群遗传多样性水平较低(多态性位点比率为37.75%,Nei’s基因多样性为0.153 0,Shannon’信息指数为0.222 8,遗传分化指数Gst为0.299 7,居群间的基因流为1.168 2)。AMOVA分析表明,大多数遗传变异(84.07%)存在于居群内,15.93%的遗传变异存在于居群间(Φst=0.159 3)。UPGMA聚类分析表明,狭边大叶藓居群遗传距离和地理距离没有相关性(r=0.404 95,p=0.979 1)。     

基于MHCⅡ类B基因的凹耳臭蛙(Odorrana tormota)种群遗传分化模式

利用II类MHC基因单基因座位Odto-A作为分子标记,对皖南山区凹耳臭蛙6个种群的遗传多样性和遗传分化进行研究.结果显示,皖南凹耳臭蛙总的基因多样性为0.812,核苷酸多样性为0.018.局域种群单倍型多样性变化范围为0.531-0.864,香溪种群单倍型多样性最高,最低的是漳河种群.与线粒体cyt b基因所揭示的单倍型多样性差别不大,但B基因的核苷酸多样性较之线粒体cyt b基因的高达一个数量级.暗示MHC基因丰富的核苷酸多态性可能与其病原体抗性多样性密切相关.分子变异分析结果显示,皖南山区凹耳臭蛙种群MHC II类B基因遗传变异主要来源于种群内,种群间发生了显著的遗传分化(Fst=0.05644,P=0.00391).成对种群间的遗传分化分析结果显示,直线距离最近的浮溪和香溪种群间也发生了显著的遗传分化,暗示这两个种群经历了不同的选择压力.受平衡选择的作用,MHC基因与基于中性分子标记所揭示的遗传格局不同,基于MHC基因的种群遗传分化与水系和直线地理距离均没有明显的相关性,而与种群所经历的选择压力密切相关.结果表明皖南凹耳臭蛙不同局域种群所经历的环境病原体的选择压力存在时空变异.     

Yeast genome duplication was followed by asynchronous differentiation of duplicated genes

Gene redundancy has been observed in yeast, plant and human genomes, and is thought to be a consequence of whole-genome duplications. Baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, contains several hundred duplicated genes. Duplication(s) could have occurred before or after a given speciation. To understand the evolution of the yeast genome, we analysed orthologues of some of these genes in several related yeast species. On the basis of the inferred phylogeny of each set of genes, we were able to deduce whether the gene duplicated and/or specialized before or after the divergence of two yeast lineages. Here we show that the gene duplications might have occurred as a single event, and that it probably took place before the Saccharomyces and Kluyveromyces lineages diverged from each other. Further evolution of each duplicated gene pair-such as specialization or differentiation of the two copies, or deletion of a single copy--has taken place independently throughout the evolution of these species.     

濒危植物连香树遗传多样性研究

以我国特有的濒危被子植物连香树为材料,采用RAPD标记对分布于浙江、安徽、湖南、湖北、四川、陕西、河南的11 个天然居群进行了检测。以20个引物共扩增出691条DNA片段,其中多态性条带328条,占总条带数的475 %。AMOVA分析表明,连香树的基因分化系数为0479 7,居群内变异占总变异的5203 %。由Nei基因分化系数估计的基因流仅为0542 4,表明居群间基因交流困难。UPGMA聚类分析表明,安徽歙县居群与河南济源居群的关系最远。遗传漂变等因素可能是连香树目前遗传结构的主要成因。保护现有生境、通过培育实生苗并扩大繁殖栽培的范围是目前对连香树比较好的保护措施。     

不同潮位的桐花树（Aegiceras corniculatum）亚种群的遗传结构

用等位酶分析技术研究了海南东寨港红树林分布区内位于高潮带和低潮带桐花树亚种群的遗传多样性和遗传分化。结果表明,不同潮位的桐花树种亚种群维持着较高的遗传多样性,观察杂合度为0．235,预期杂合度为0．186,不同潮位的桐花树亚种群的遗传分化很低,亚种群间的遗传分化为FST＝0．058,表明总的遗传变异中有94．2％来自亚种群内。基因流顺畅,Nm=4.06。亚种群间的遗传一致度和遗传距离分别为0．976和0．024。     

Competition induces adaptive shifts in caste ratios of a polyembryonic wasp

An important transition in insect life-history evolution was the shift from a solitary existence to living in groups comprising specialized castes. Caste-forming species produce some individuals that reproduce and others with worker functions that have few or no offspring. Morphologically specialized castes are well known in eusocial species like ants and termites, but castes have also evolved in less-studied groups like thrips, aphids and polyembryonic wasps. Because selection acts at both the individual and the colony level, ratios of investment in different castes are predicted to vary with environmental factors like competition and resources. However, experimental evidence for adaptive shifts in caste ratios is limited owing to the experimental difficulty of manipulating factors thought to influence caste ratios, and because some species produce behaviourally flexible castes that switch tasks in response to colony needs. Unlike other caste-forming species, the broods of polyembryonic wasps develop clonally, so that increased production of one caste probably results in decreased production of the other. Here we show that the polyembryonic wasp Copidosoma floridanum alters caste ratios in response to interspecific competition. Our results reveal a distinct trade-off by C. floridanum between reproduction and defence, and show experimentally that caste ratios shift in an adaptive manner.     

春秋两季鄱阳湖浮游植物物种多样性的比较研究

根据1999年6月和9月所采的样本,比较分析了中国鄱阳湖区春秋两季浮游植物的种类组成和物种多样性.该湖春、秋两季浮游藻类的物种数、数量及生物量依次为:68种和178种、1.76×107 cells/L和2.4×106 cells/L,21 mg/L和2.1 mg/L. 物种多样性分析结果显示,春、秋两季的物种多样性指数(H)值分别为0.7309～2.8098和0.3565～2.5913,群落均匀度指数(J)值分别为0.2941～0.9159和0.1351～0.8383,物种丰富度指数(R)值分别为0.3827～1.6382和0.5300～2.5605,生态优势度指数(C)值分别为0.2456～0.9091和0.3636～0.9587.结论是,秋季物种较春季丰富,数量和生物量则以春季为大,C平均值春季低于秋季,导致H、J平均值春季高于秋季.此次调查检出的种类中有18个属于有机污染指示藻类,且H平均值低于往年,提示鄱阳湖有向富营养化发展的趋势.     

应用ITS序列及SSR标记分析核桃与铁核桃亲缘关系

核桃与铁核桃是我国核桃属两个主要栽培种,而后者又是我国特有种,关于两个种在植物分类学上的归属问题一直存在争议。该研究分别以核桃与铁核桃的5个居群为试材,采用ITS序列多态性分析及SSR分子标记技术,从分子水平上讨论了两个种的亲缘关系。结果显示两个种的ITS序列仅出现了一个碱基差异,序列高度相似。SSR标记共扩出了65个等位基因,其中三家村居群与其宗居群的遗传距离最近,为0.119,遗传距离最远的为MN居群与HS居群,为0.522。种间居群遗传距离与种内遗传距离相近,种间差异不明显。这一结果说明两个种应为不同的地理生态型。     

Molecular evolution of connective tissue growth factor in Cyprinidae （Teleostei： Cypriniformes）

Connective tissue growth factor （CTGF） plays an important role in regulation of cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis and individual development in animals. The study of sequences variation and molecular evolution of CTGF gene across various species of the cyprinid could be helpful for understanding of speciation and gene divergence in this kind of fish. In this study, 19 novel sequences of CTGF gene were obtained from the representative species of the family Cyprinidae using PCR amplification, cloning and sequencing. Phylogenetic relationships of Cyprinidae were reconstructed by neighbor-joining （NJ）, maximum parsimony （MP）, maximum likelihood （ML） and Bayesian method. Oryzias latipes from the family Cyprinodontidae was assigned to be the outgroup taxon. Leuciscini and Barbini were clustered into the monophyletic lineages, respectively, with the high nodal supports. The estimation of the ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitution （dN/dS） for the various branches indicated that there stood the different evolution rates between the Leuciscini and the Barbini. With the ratio of dN/dS of the Leuciscini being lower than that of the Barbini, species within the Barbini were demonstrated to be subjected to the relatively less selection pressure and under the relaxable evolution background. A 6 bp indel （insertion/deletion） was found at the 5＇ end of CTGF gene of Cyprinidae, and this 6 bp deletion only appeared in the Leuciscini, which is a typical characteristic of the Leuciscini and provides evidence for the monophylogeny of the Leuciscini. For the amino acid sequences of CTGF protein, the most variations and indels were distributed in the signal region and IGFBP region of this protein, implying that these variations were correlated with the regulation of the CTGF gene expression and protein activity.     

xnd-1 regulates the global recombination landscape in Caenorhabditis elegans

Meiotic crossover (CO) recombination establishes physical linkages between homologous chromosomes that are required for their proper segregation into developing gametes, and promotes genetic diversity by shuffling genetic material between parental chromosomes. COs require the formation of double strand breaks (DSBs) to create the substrate for strand exchange. DSBs occur in small intervals called hotspots and significant variation in hotspot usage exists between and among individuals. This variation is thought to reflect differences in sequence identity and chromatin structure, DNA topology and/ or chromosome domain organization. Chromosomes show different frequencies of nondisjunction (NDJ), reflecting inherent differences in meiotic crossover control, yet the underlying basis of these differences remains elusive. Here we show that a novel chromatin factor, X non-disjunction factor 1 (xnd-1), is responsible for the global distribution of COs in C. elegans. xnd-1 is also required for formation of double-strand breaks (DSBs) on the X, but surprisingly XND-1 protein is autosomally enriched. We show that xnd-1 functions independently of genes required for X chromosome-specific gene silencing, revealing a novel pathway that distinguishes the X from autosomes in the germ line, and further show that xnd-1 exerts its effects on COs, at least in part, by modulating levels of H2A lysine 5 acetylation.     

尖塘鳢属鱼类线粒体16SrRNA基因序列变异及分子系统进化

为探讨尖塘鳢属鱼类的系统发育关系,笔者通过PCR法得到云斑尖塘鳢、线纹尖塘鳢和尖头塘鳢的线粒体16SrRNA基因部分序列（569bp）,并结合从GenBank中下载的平头沙塘鳢、溪鳢及刺盖塘鳢的16SrRNA基因部分同源序列,分析了6种塘鳢科鱼类的系统发育关系．运用MAGA4．0软件分析可知,塘鳢鱼类6个种之间存在142个变异位点,其中简约信息位点57个,转换／颠换之比为1．6,表明塘鳢科鱼类16SrRNA基因序列转换／颠换未达饱和;6种塘鳢科鱼类之间的序列差异在0．054～0．147之间,其中平头沙塘鳢和刺盖塘鳢的序列差异最大（0．147）,线纹尖塘鳢与云斑尖塘鳢的序列差异最小（0．054）,且种间序列差异不大．通过NJ,ME,MP系统树的建立,表明线纹尖塘鳢与云斑尖塘鳢的亲缘关系最近,且尖塘鳢属与塘鳢属鱼类的同源性不高,验证了传统分类学把尖塘鳢独立成属的科学性．     

雌雄异型异熟植物的开花机制研究进展

雌雄异型异熟是植物从雌雄同花向雌雄异株进化过程中的一种过渡类型,目前发现存在于13个科20个属植物中。其群体中包括雌先型和雄先型两种交配类型,两种交配类型植株的同步性和互不干扰性可有效地避免自交。一般认为雌雄异型异熟植株的交配类型是固定不变的,但也在一些植物中发现了彼此间的转化; 植株内雌雄花开放时间有的完全错开,有的部分重叠。经典遗传学认为交配类型受1对显/隐性的等位基因控制,且当群体达到平衡时两种交配类型的比例可达平衡状态(1:1),这在胡桃属和山核桃属上得到了验证,但在其他同类植物分子生物学方面的研究还是空白。雌雄异型异熟植物的性别决定为饰变型,其性别分化不仅受性别决定基因的遗传控制,而且还受植物激素的诱导调控,但不同植物上激素诱导性别分化的作用存在差异。解剖学研究表明同一交配类型上的雌雄花发育和成熟时间均存在差异。     

Adaptive evolution drives divergence of a hybrid inviability gene between two species of Drosophila

Speciation--the splitting of one species into two--occurs by the evolution of any of several forms of reproductive isolation between taxa, including the intrinsic sterility and inviability of hybrids. Abundant evidence shows that these hybrid fitness problems are caused by incompatible interactions between loci: new alleles that become established in one species are sometimes functionally incompatible with alleles at interacting loci from another species. However, almost nothing is known about the genes involved in such hybrid incompatibilities or the evolutionary forces that drive their divergence. Here we identify a gene that causes epistatic inviability in hybrids between two fruitfly species, Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. Our population genetic analysis reveals that this gene--which encodes a nuclear pore protein--evolved by positive natural selection in both species' lineages. These results show that a lethal hybrid incompatibility has evolved as a by-product of adaptive protein evolution.     

地黄居群遗传多样性的ISSR分析

采用ISSR分子标记,对地黄（Rehnwmnia glutinosa）14个自然居群、1个栽培居群和属内近缘种5个居群的遗传多样性与遗传结构进行了研究．结果表明：地黄不同居群的平均多态位点百分率（PPB）为40．53％,平均Shannon多样性指数为0．1915,平均Nei’s基因多样性指数h为0．1253,遗传多样性水平较低．AMOVA分析结果和基因分化系数显示遗传变异主要发生在居群内,居群间的遗传分化显著,其遗传分化水平介于异交物种和自交物种之间．地黄居群间的基因交流程度有限（基因流为0．3784）．Mantel检测显示自然居群间遗传距离与地理距离之间没有明显相关性．推断营养繁殖占优势和受人类栽培活动的长期影响可能是导致地黄遗传多样性水平低、居群间遗传分化显著的主要原因．     

黄河三角洲柽柳群体遗传多样性RAPD分析

采用随机扩增多态DNA(RAPD)分子标记技术,分析了黄河三角洲主要优势树种之一柽柳(Tamarix chinensis)3个天然群体的遗传多样性及遗传分化。结果表明:26条随机引物扩增出105个可分析位点,多态位点百分比40.07%,Nei的基因多样度(h)为0.4061,Shannon多样性指数(I)为0.5917,基因分化系数(Gst)为0.0507,基因流值为9.3564。分子方差分析(AMOVA)表明,在总遗传变异中,群体间遗传变异占7.17%,群体内占92.83%。说明柽柳物种内存在较高的遗传多样性,群体的遗传变异主要存在于群体内,群体间基因交流频繁,遗传距离与地理距离具有显著相关性。     

Orisin and future distribution of the new A （H 1N1 ） influenza virus emerging in North America in 2009

The origin of the new A （H1N1） influenza virus recently emerging in North America is a hot controversial topic of significance in disease control and risk assessment. Some experts claimed that it was an unusually mongrelized mix of human, avian and swine influenza viruses, while some others concluded that it was totally a simple re-assortment hybrid of two lineages of swine influenza viruses. Here the phylogenetic diversity of the viral PB1, PA and PB2 gene sequences using online web servers, and the results suggest that all the 8 genetic segments of the new virus were possibly from two lineages of swine influenza viruses, and one of the lineage was a mongrelized mix of human, avian and swine influenza viruses emerging in the world approximately 10 years ago. Considering the recent epidemiological trends of the new virus, we believe it will spread more widely in the world and persist long in human populations. It also could spread among swine populations. The future wide spreading of the new virus may coincide the disappearance of a subtype of previous human influenza A virus.