The plant MITE mPing is mobilized in anther culture

Transposable elements constitute a large portion of eukaryotic genomes and contribute to their evolution and diversification. Miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) constitute one of the main groups of transposable elements and are distributed ubiquitously in the genomes of plants and animals such as maize, rice, Arabidopsis, human, insect and nematode. Because active MITEs have not been identified, the transposition mechanism of MITEs and their accumulation in eukaryotic genomes remain poorly understood. Here we describe a new class of MITE, called miniature Ping (mPing), in the genome of Oryza sativa (rice). mPing elements are activated in cells derived from anther culture, where they are excised efficiently from original sites and reinserted into new loci. An mPing-associated Ping element, which has a putative PIF family transposase, is implicated in the recent proliferation of this MITE family in a subspecies of rice.     

Mobilization of a transposon in the rice genome

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important crop worldwide and, with the availability of the draft sequence, a useful model for analysing the genome structure of grasses. To practice efficient rice breeding through genetic engineering techniques, it is important to identify the economically important genes in this crop. The use of mobile transposons as gene tags in intact plants is a powerful tool for functional analysis because transposon insertions often inactivate genes. Here we identify an active rice transposon named miniature Ping (mPing) through analysis of the mutability of a slender mutation of the glume-the seed structure that encloses and determines the shape of the grain. The mPing transposon is inserted in the slender glume (slg) mutant allele but not in the wild-type allele. Search of the O. sativa variety Nipponbare genome identified 34 sequences with high nucleotide similarity to mPing, indicating that mPing constitutes a family of transposon elements. Excision of mPing from slg plants results in reversion to a wild-type phenotype. The mobility of the transposon mPing in intact rice plants represents a useful alternative tool for the functional analysis of rice genes.     

Efficient indica and japonica rice identification based on the InDel molecular method: Its implication in rice breeding and evolutionary research

An efficient molecular method for the accurate and efficient identification of indica and japonica rice was created based on the poly-morphisms of insertion/deletion (InDel) DNA fragments obtained from the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) to the entire genomic sequences of indica (93-11) and japonica rice (Nipponbare). The 45 InDel loci were validated experimentally by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in 44 typical indica and japonica rice varieties, including 93-11 and Nipponbare. A neutrality test of the data matrix generated from electrophoretic banding patterns of various InDel loci indicated that 34 InDel loci were strongly associated with the differentiation of indica and japonica rice. More extensive analyses involving cultivated rice varieties from 11 Asian countries, and 12 wild Oryza species with various origins confirmed that indica and japonica characteristics could accurately be determined via calculating the average frequency of indica- or japonica-specific alleles on different InDel loci across the rice genome. This method was named as the "InDel molecular index" that combines molecular and statistical methods in determining the indica and japonica characteristics of rice varieties. Compared with the traditional methods based essentially on morphology, the InDel molecular index provides a very accurate, rapid, simple, and efficient method for identifying indica and japonica rice. In addition, the InDel index can be used to determine indica or japonica characteristics of wild Oryza species, which largely extends the utility of this method. The InDel molecular index provides a new tool for the effective selection of appropriate indica or japonica rice germplasm in rice breeding. It also offers a novel model for the study of the origin, evolution, and genetic differentiation of indica and japonica rice adapted to various environmental changes.     

基于InDel分子标记的20个水稻品种的籼粳属性分析

水稻品种的籼粳属性分析是培育高产优质杂交水稻亲本选择的重要依据之一。本研究以93-11与日本晴分别为籼粳稻参考标准,利用均匀分布于水稻基因组12条染色体并具有较高籼粳特异性的37对In Del分子标记,对20份水稻育种材料进行In Del标记的籼粳属性分析。结果表明:所选取的20份水稻材料中,有8份为典型籼稻,3份为典型粳稻,4份为偏籼类型,另有5份为偏粳类型。NTsys聚类分析结果显示,在遗传相似系数为0.43处,20份水稻材料被分为两大类群;在遗传相似数为0.70处,所有水稻材料则被分为4个类群。     

籼稻93-11和粳稻日本晴DNA插入缺失差异片段揭示的水稻籼-粳分化

碱基的插入/缺失(InDel)引起DNA序列变化并形成了DNA片段长度多态,可以用作遗传标记.为了评价基于籼稻93-11和粳稻日本晴全基因组序列比对获得的差异片段而设计的InDel引物在鉴定籼稻和粳稻两种生态型以及研究稻属不同物种之间亲缘关系的意义,采用45对InDel引物,对来自亚洲10个国家的49份籼稻、43份粳稻品种和24份野生稻进行了检验.结果表明,其中41对InDel引物鉴定籼稻或粳稻品种的准确率高于80%.主成分分析散点图显示:籼稻与粳稻存在明显的遗传分化;含AA基因组的野生稻物种与籼稻品种存在较近的亲缘关系;非AA基因组的野生稻物种不存在明显的籼-粳分化.并且证明了基于籼稻93-11和粳稻日本晴全基因组序列比对获得的InDel差异片段设计的引物可以用于栽培稻籼稻和粳稻品种的鉴定以及籼-粳分化问题的研究,及探索稻属不同物种间的亲缘关系.     

A miniature insertion element transposable in Microcystis sp. FACHB 854

A 186-bp sequence with imperfect terminal inverted repeats and target direct repeats but without any transposase-encoding capacity was found to be transposable in an isolate derived from Microcystis sp. FACHB 854. This miniature insertion element, designated as ISM854-1, and with its homologues present at least 10 copies in the genome of Microcystis FACHB 854, is inserted into the 8-bp long and AT-rich target sequences, but none or few in other Microcystis strains. A variant of ISM854-1, denoted ISM854-1A, has perfect inverted repeat sequences and may transpose in pairs in a structure like a composite transposon. This is the first report of non-autonomous transposition of a mini-IS in a cyanobacterium.     

着丝粒串联重复序列RCS2对亚洲栽培稻和非洲栽培稻的比较分析

为了揭示中高度重复序列在同为AA基因组的亚洲栽培稻和非洲栽培稻基因组中的差异以及重复序列在.栽培稻种的分化过程中可能起到的作用,利用水稻着丝粒串联重复序列RCS2作为探针分别对籼稻广陆矮4号、粳稻日本晴和非洲栽培稻的体细胞染色体进行荧光原位杂交(FISH)实验,并对其核型进行同源性聚类和比较分析,杂交结果显示:RCS2序列位于在3种栽培稻染色体组中,RCS2序列位于每条染色体的着丝粒位置,但有不同的分布特点,表明该3种栽培稻基因组的RCS2序列有不同的进化方向.探讨了RCS2序列结合Cot-1 DNA FISH方法对水稻染色体组进行核型分析的可行性和优势.     

利用粳稻基因组DNA和C_ot-1 DNA探针对普通野生稻和亚洲栽培稻的比较分析

以粳稻日本晴基因组DNA和Cot-1 DNA为探针,分别对日本晴、籼稻广陆矮4号和普通野生稻的染色体组进行了基因组原位杂交(GISH)和Cot-1 DNA荧光原位杂交(FISH)分析,并对3种染色体组进行了同源聚类和比较研究.结果表明:粳稻基因组DNA和Cot-1 DNA探针信号在3种水稻染色体组中的分布状况和覆盖率相似,Cot-1 DNA的覆盖率分别为(47.13±0.18)%、(45.89±0.22)%、(44.24±0.21)%,3种水稻基因组同源性高,亲缘关系接近.Cot-1 DNA在3种水稻染色体上的杂交信号分布各有特点,中高度重复序列的变异在普通野生稻向栽培稻进化和亚洲栽培稻籼、粳分化过程中具有重要意义,中高度重复序列含量较低的2、5、8号染色体是水稻染色体组进化过程中相对活跃的成分.     

Activation of a transposable element in the germ line but not the soma of Caenorhabditis elegans

The genetic activity of transposable elements is tightly controlled in many species. Transposons that are relatively quiescent under certain circumstances can excise or transpose at greatly increased rates under other circumstances. For example, 'genomic shock' can activate quiescent maize transposons, 'cytotype' and tissue-specific splicing regulate Drosophila P factors, copy number controls Tn5 transposition in bacteria, and developmental timing affects the production of transposon-like intracisternal A-particles in mouse embryos. The Caenorhabditis elegans transposable element Tc1 is subject to both strain-specific and tissue-specific control. Multiple copies of Tc1 are present in the genome of all C. elegans strains collected from nature. However, these elements are genetically active in only certain isolates. For example, in C. elegans variety Bristol transposition and excision of Tc1 are undetectable, but in variety Bergerac transposition and excision are frequent. Moreover, in variety Bergerac, Tc1 is about 1,000-fold more active in somatic cells than in germ cells. We have investigated the genetic basis for the germ/soma regulation of Tc1 activity. We have isolated mutants that exhibit increased frequencies of Tc1 excision in the germ line. The frequencies of Tc1 excision in the soma are unaltered in these mutants. These mutants also exhibit high frequencies of Tc1 germ-line transposition, and this results in a mutator phenotype. Nearly all mutator-induced mutations are caused by insertion of Tc1.     

Spontaneous excision of a large composite transposable element of Drosophila melanogaster

The TE1 family of transposable elements (TEs) of Drosophila consists of unusually large transposons, cytologically visible in larval polytene chromosomes as one or more bands. They are composite elements, as their termini consist of foldback (FB) sequences which are themselves transposable. The location of FB elements at the termini of transposable elements suggests that these sequences have a direct role in the genetic instability of TEs. To investigate the structural and phenotypic consequence of TE excision, we have cloned genomic DNA required for the expression of the no-ocelli (noc) gene of Drosophila; this gene has been mutated by the insertion of TE146, a member of the TE1 family carrying six polytene chromosome bands including functional copies of the white (w+) and roughest (rst+) genes. As reported here, our experiments indicate that the spontaneous excision of TE146, which results in the loss of the w+ and rst+ markers, can occur either as a single-step event or following a partial internal deletion. In either case, the end product is an imprecise excision in which a residual portion of the element, varying in size from 3 to 10 kilobases (kb), is left at the insertion site. These residual sequences share homology with the FB family. Furthermore, despite their imprecise nature, all these spontaneous excisions restore a wild-type noc+ phenotype.     

水稻亚种间基因组水平微卫星多态性分析

从公布的水稻两个亚种（籼稻9311和粳稻Nipponbare）基因组草图序列中,搜寻了所有的完整微卫星位点,发现单碱基重复中A/T重复占大多数,二碱基重复中AT/TA、GA/TC、AG/CT重复居多,三碱基中GGC/GCC、GCG/CGC、CCG/CGG重复较多。通过相互比较,不同基序和基因区域的微卫星多态性有较大差异：内含子和基因间区中微卫星的多态性较高（分别约为45%和40%）,外显子中的微卫星多为三碱基重复,而且多态性较低（约为25%）;两个亚种具多态性的微卫星间距平均约为12.7 kb和16.4 kb。     

Experimental validation of inter-subspecific genetic diversity in rice represented by the differences between the DNA sequences of ‘Nipponbare’ and ‘93-11’

The pedigrees of three sequenced rice cultivars were analyzed to show that a majority of the genetic composition of 'Nipponbare' originates from japonica cultivars while the minority originates from indica cultivars. In contrast, '93-11' is derived mainly from indica cultivars with a smaller contribution from japonica cultivars. All ancestors of 'Guang lu ai 4' appeared to be indica lines. A set of molecular markers (46 InDels and 53 SSRs) polymorphic between 'Nipponbare' and '93-11' were examined in 46 typical indica and 47 typical japonica cultivars selected from 443 accessions according to Cheng's index. All cultivars were divided into indica and japonica groups without overlapping when clustered by Cheng's index, InDels and SSRs. Much higher InDel and SSR diversity between groups than within groups implies that the marker polymorphisms between 'Nipponbare' and '93-11' represent a large proportion of inter-subspecific diversity. About 85% of indica cultivars and more than 90% of japonica cultivars were confirmed to have the same PCR banding patterns as '93-11' and 'Nipponbare', respectively. Some polymorphic loci between 'Nipponbare' and '93-11' cannot be validated in other indica and japonica cultivars, either as subspecies-specific but not predominant alleles, or alleles not specific between the two groups. It was concluded that molecular markers developed from sequence polymorphism between 'Nipponbare' and '93-11' often represent inter-subspecific diversity, although some exceptions were sensitive to either particular marker loci or particular cultivars.     

Efficient indica and japonica rice identification based on the InDel molecular method: Its implication in rice breeding and evolutionary research

An efficient molecular method for the accurate and efficient identification of indica and japonica rice was created based on the polymorphisms of insertion/deletion (InDel) DNA fragments obtained from the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) to the entire genomic sequences of indica (93-11) and japonica rice (Nipponbare). The 45 InDel loci were validated experimentally by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in 44 typical indica and japonica rice varieties, including 93-11 and Nipponbare. A neutrality test of the data matrix generated from electrophoretic banding patterns of various InDel loci indicated that 34 InDel loci were strongly associated with the differentiation of indica and japonica rice. More extensive analyses involving cultivated rice varieties from 11 Asian countries, and 12 wild Oryza species with various origins confirmed that indica and japonica characteristics could accurately be determined via calculating the average frequency of indica- or japonica-specific alleles on different InDel loci across the rice genome. This method was named as the “InDel molecular index” that combines molecular and statistical methods in determining the indica and japonica characteristics of rice varieties. Compared with the traditional methods based essentially on morphology, the InDel molecular index provides a very accurate, rapid, simple, and efficient method for identifying indica and japonica rice. In addition, the InDel index can be used to determine indica or japonica characteristics of wild Oryza species, which largely extends the utility of this method. The InDel molecular index provides a new tool for the effective selection of appropriate indica or japonica rice germplasm in rice breeding. It also offers a novel model for the study of the origin, evolution, and genetic differentiation of indica and japonica rice adapted to various environmental changes.     

Role of transposable elements in heterochromatin and epigenetic control

Heterochromatin has been defined as deeply staining chromosomal material that remains condensed in interphase, whereas euchromatin undergoes de-condensation. Heterochromatin is found near centromeres and telomeres, but interstitial sites of heterochromatin (knobs) are common in plant genomes and were first described in maize. These regions are repetitive and late-replicating. In Drosophila, heterochromatin influences gene expression, a heterochromatin phenomenon called position effect variegation. Similarities between position effect variegation in Drosophila and gene silencing in maize mediated by "controlling elements" (that is, transposable elements) led in part to the proposal that heterochromatin is composed of transposable elements, and that such elements scattered throughout the genome might regulate development. Using microarray analysis, we show that heterochromatin in Arabidopsis is determined by transposable elements and related tandem repeats, under the control of the chromatin remodelling ATPase DDM1 (Decrease in DNA Methylation 1). Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) correspond to these sequences, suggesting a role in guiding DDM1. We also show that transposable elements can regulate genes epigenetically, but only when inserted within or very close to them. This probably accounts for the regulation by DDM1 and the DNA methyltransferase MET1 of the euchromatic, imprinted gene FWA, as its promoter is provided by transposable-element-derived tandem repeats that are associated with siRNAs.     

DNA sequence at the end of IS1 required for transposition

The insertion sequence IS1 belongs to a class of bacterial transposable genetic elements that can form compound transposons in which two copies of IS1 flank an otherwise non-transposable segment of DNA. IS1 differs from other known elements of this class (such as IS10, IS50 and IS903) in several respects. It is one of the smallest known insertion elements, exhibits a relatively complex array of open reading frames, is present in the chromosomes of various Enterobacteria, in some cases in many copies, and its insertion can result in the duplication of either 8 or 9 base pairs (bp) in the target DNA. Furthermore, although, like other members of the compound class, it seems to undergo direct transposition, IS1 also promotes replicon fusion (co-integrate formation) at a relatively high frequency. Like all other elements studied to date, the integrity of the extremities of IS1 are essential for efficient transposition. We have constructed a test system to determine the minimal DNA sequences at the extremities of IS1 required for transposition. Sequential deletions of the end sequences reveal that 21-25 bp of an isolated extremity are sufficient for transposition. A specific sequence 13-23 bp from the ends, defining the edge of the minimal sequence, is implicated as an essential site. The sites, symmetrically arrayed at both ends of IS1, correspond to the apparent consensus sequence of the known binding sites for the Escherichia coli DNA-binding protein (called integration host factor or IHF) which is required for the site-specific recombination that leads to integration of bacteriophage lambda into the bacterial genome. The sites at the ends of IS1 may thus bind a host protein, such as JHF or a related protein, that is involved in regulating the transposition apparatus.     

Rapid genome evolution in Pms 1 region of rice revealed by comparative sequence analysis

Pms1, a locus for photoperiod sensitive genic male sterility in rice, was identified and mapped to chromosome 7 in previous studies. Here we report an effort to identify the candidate genes for Pms1 by comparative sequencing of BAC clones from two cultivars Minghui 63 and Nongken 58, the parents for the initial mapping population. Annotation and comparison of the sequences of the two clones resulted in a total of five potential candidates which should be functionally tested. We also conducted com-parative analysis of sequences of these two cultivars with two other cultivars, Nipponbare and 93-11, for which sequence data were available in public databases. The analysis revealed large differences in sequence composition among the four genotypes in the Pms1 region primarily due to retroelement activity leading to rapid recent growth and divergence of the genomes. High levels of polymorphism in the forms of indels and SNPs were found both in intra- and inter-subspecific comparisons. Dating analysis using LTRs of the retroelements in this region showed that the substitution rate of LTRs was much higher than reported in the literature. The results provided strong evidence for rapid genomic evolution of this region as a consequence of natural and artificial selection.     

Identification of the Angel -related elements in cyprinid fishes and their phylogenetic implications

Angel-related element belongs to the family of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs). In this paper we report the identification of an Angel- related element in the series Leuciscini of cyprinid fishes, which is located in the second intron of the growth hormone (GH) gene. We have also found that this element is absent in orthologous locus in the series Barbini of cyprinid fishes, that provides new evidence for the monophyly of the series Leuciscini. The insertion of Angel -related element into the GH gene might take place in the common ancestor of the series Leuciscini after its divergence from the series Barbini. The high sequence divergence and relatively broad species distribution of Angel-related elements implies that they might be ancient transposons which appeared about 26 million years ago.     

Identification of the Angel-related elements in cyprinid fishes and their phylogenetic implications

Angel-related element belongs to the family of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs). In this paper we report the identification of an Angel-related element in the series Leuciscini of cyprinid fishes, which is located in the second intron of the growth hormone (GH) gene. We have also found that this element is absent in orthologous locus in the series Barbini of cyprinid fishes, that provides new evidence for the monophyly of the series Leuciscini. The insertion of Angel-related element into the GH gene might take place in the common ancestor of the series Leuciscini after its divergence from the series Barbini. The high sequence divergence and relatively broad species distribution of Angel-related elements implies that they might be ancient transposons which appeared about 26 million years ago.