人工染色体研究进展

细菌人工染色体（ＢＡＣｓ）、噬菌体Ｐ１衍生的人工染色体（ＢＡＣｓ）和酵母人工染色体（ＹＡＣｓ）是近年发展起来的ＤＮＡ克隆新技术。着重介绍了ＹＡＣｓ作为转移大分子外源ＤＮＡ的载体，在生物基因组分析，基因的结构与功能、表达与调控、定位与分离以及遗传病的基固治疗等研究领域的应用。比较了ＢＡＣｓ、ＰＡＣｓ和ＹＡＣｓ的主要特点。对哺乳动物人工染色体的研究情况也作了简要介绍。     

Molecular cloning of human telomeres in yeast

Telomeres are the DNA sequences found at the ends of linear chromosomes. They define the boundaries of the genetical and physical maps of such chromosomes and so are particularly important for the complete mapping of large genomes that is now being attempted. Telomeres have been intensively studied in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in ciliated protozoa: in these organisms the telomeric DNA consists of arrays of tandemly repeated short sequences in which one strand is guanosine-rich and oriented 5' to 3' towards the chromosome end. The conservation of these structural features is reflected in the observation that telomeric DNA from a variety of protozoa will function as telomeres on artificial linear mini-chromosomes in yeast. Tandem arrays of the sequence TTAGGG have been identified at the telomeres of humans and other mammals and also of trypanosomes. This indicates that the structural features of telomeres are conserved between higher and lower eukaryotes and implies that human telomeric DNA could function in yeast. I have used this idea to develop a strategy to isolate a specific human telomere as a molecular clone in yeast and have devised a simple and effective way of cloning other human telomeres and their associated sequences.     

Cloning of human telomeres by complementation in yeast

Telomeres confer stability on chromosomes by protecting them from degradation and recombination and by allowing complete replication of the end. They are genetically important as they define the ends of the linkage map. Telomeres of lower eukaryotes contain short repeats consisting of a G-rich and a C-rich strand, the G-rich strand running 5'-3' towards the telomere and extending at the end. Telomeres of human chromosomes share characteristics with those of lower eukaryotes including sequence similarity as detected by cross-hybridization. Telomeric repeats from many organisms can provide telomere function in yeast. Here we describe a modified yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) vector with only one telomere which we used to clone human telomeres by complementation in yeast. YACs containing human telomeres were identified by hydridization to an oligonucleotide of the trypanosome telomeric repeat. A subcloned human fragment from one such YAC is immediately subtelomeric on at least one human chromosome.     

Mitochondrial DNA repairs double-strand breaks in yeast chromosomes

The endosymbiotic theory for the origin of eukaryotic cells proposes that genetic information can be transferred from mitochondria to the nucleus of a cell, and genes that are probably of mitochondrial origin have been found in nuclear chromosomes. Occasionally, short or rearranged sequences homologous to mitochondrial DNA are seen in the chromosomes of different organisms including yeast, plants and humans. Here we report a mechanism by which fragments of mitochondrial DNA, in single or tandem array, are transferred to yeast chromosomes under natural conditions during the repair of double-strand breaks in haploid mitotic cells. These repair insertions originate from noncontiguous regions of the mitochondrial genome. Our analysis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial genome indicates that the yeast nuclear genome does indeed contain several short sequences of mitochondrial origin which are similar in size and composition to those that repair double-strand breaks. These sequences are located predominantly in non-coding regions of the chromosomes, frequently in the vicinity of retrotransposon long terminal repeats, and appear as recent integration events. Thus, colonization of the yeast genome by mitochondrial DNA is an ongoing process.     

广义酵母的染色体核型分析与基因组进化

采用脉冲场强凝胶电泳技术对4种34个Saccharomyces属广义酵母样本的染色体核型进行了分析,观察到丰富的染色体数目和大小的多态性．染色体数目在所研究的广义酵母中从8到16都有出现,但小于0．5Mb的染色体仅见于Saccharomyces exiguus．广义酵母染色体数目和大小的多态在所受试样品中普遍出现,表明在进化过程中酵母基因组发生了迅速而广泛的重排．     

Integration of telomere sequences with the draft human genome sequence

Telomeres are the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. To ensure that no large stretches of uncharacterized DNA remain between the ends of the human working draft sequence and the ends of each chromosome, we would need to connect the sequences of the telomeres to the working draft sequence. But telomeres have an unusual DNA sequence composition and organization that makes them particularly difficult to isolate and analyse. Here we use specialized linear yeast artificial chromosome clones, each carrying a large telomere-terminal fragment of human DNA, to integrate most human telomeres with the working draft sequence. Subtelomeric sequence structure appears to vary widely, mainly as a result of large differences in subtelomeric repeat sequence abundance and organization at individual telomeres. Many subtelomeric regions appear to be gene-rich, matching both known and unknown expressed genes. This indicates that human subtelomeric regions are not simply buffers of nonfunctional 'junk DNA' next to the molecular telomere, but are instead functional parts of the expressed genome.     

Telomeric repeat from T. thermophila cross hybridizes with human telomeres

The ends (telomeres) of eukaryotic chromosomes must have special features to ensure their stability and complete replication. Studies in yeast, protozoa, slime moulds and flagellates show that telomeres are tandem repeats of simple sequences that have a G-rich and a C-rich strand. Mammalian telomeres have yet to be isolated and characterized, although a DNA fragment within 20 kilobases of the telomeres of the short arms of the human sex chromosomes has been isolated. Recently we showed that a chromosome from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe could, in some cases, replicate as an autonomous mini-chromosome in mouse cells. By extrapolation from other systems, we reasoned that mouse telomeres could be added to the S. pombe chromosome ends in the mouse cells. On setting out to test this hypothesis we found to our surprise that the telomeric probe used (containing both the S. pombe and Tetrahymena thermophila repeats) hybridized to a series of discrete fragments in normal mouse DNA and DNA from a wide range of eukaryotes. We show here that the sequences hybridizing to this probe are located at the telomeres of most, if not all, human chromosomes and are similar to the Tetrahymena telomeric-repeat component of the probe.     

Tracing the location of powdery mildew resistance-related gene Stpk-V by FISH with a TAC clone in Triticum aestivum-Haynaldia villosa alien chromosome lines

Bacterial artificial chromosomes(BACs)or yeast artificial chromosomes(YACs)containing large inserts as probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)have been used in the physical mapping of specific DNA sequences,especially for single-or low-copy sequences.Our earlier study identified Stpk-V,a powdery mildew resistance-related gene located on the 6VS chromosome arm of the wild grass Haynaldia villosa(tribe Triticeae),and obtained several Triticum aestivum–H.villosa alien chromosome lines carrying the Stpk-V gene.However,the precise physical location of the Stpk-V gene on chromosome 6VS is not known.In this study,we used TAC-FISH with TAC15 as the probe coupled with sequential genomic in situ hybridization(GISH)to determine the physical location of the Stpk-V gene in different T.aestivum–H.villosa 6V alien chromosome lines,including addition,substitution and translocation lines.The result indicated that the fraction length of the Stpk-V locus is 0.575±0.035 on the 6V chromosome short arm and this was confirmed by FISH using TAC15 as the probe for tracing the Stpk-V gene in other genetic stocks.The cytological mapping strategies used in this study will be of benefit for tracing the alien gene location in the course of introducing desirable traits from wild species.     

DNA sequences of telomeres maintained in yeast

Telomeres, the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, have long been recognized as specialized structures. Their stability compared with broken ends of chromosomes suggested that they have properties which protect them from fusion, degradation or recombination. Furthermore, a linear DNA molecule such as that of a eukaryotic chromosome must have a structure at its ends which allows its complete replication, as no known DNA polymerase can initiate synthesis without a primer. At the ends of the relatively short, multi-copy linear DNA molecules found naturally in the nuclei of several lower eukaryotes, there are simple tandemly repeated sequences with, in the cases analysed, a specific array of single-strand breaks, on both DNA strands, in the distal portion of the block of repeats. In general, however, direct analysis of chromosomal termini presents problems because of their very low abundance in nuclei. To circumvent this problem, we have previously cloned a chromosomal telomere of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on a linear DNA vector molecule. Here we show that yeast chromosomal telomeres terminate in a DNA sequence consisting of tandem irregular repeats of the general form C1-3A. The same repeat units are added to the ends of Tetrahymena telomeres, in an apparently non-template-directed manner, during their replication on linear plasmids in yeast. Such DNA addition may have a fundamental role in telomere replication.     

快速有效的染色体自动分割算法

染色体的自动分割一直是一个难题 ,现在取得的成就大部分针对二体、三体的交叠、粘连情况 ,更多的染色体交叠、粘连问题还需要人机交互来解决。介绍一种基于边界几何分析的分割算法 ,算法第一步进行边界的提取和处理 ,提出了对内部空洞的处理方法 ,第二步进行凹点和凸点的搜索与标示 ,最后根据凹、凸点提供的几何信息对染色体进行逐步分割。该算法可以大大降低所需要的人机交互量和人机交互的难度 ,从而提高了染色体分析的自动化程度     

Induced intragenic recombination in yeast can occur during the G1 mitotic phase.

The conditional cell division cycle yeast mutants cdc have been used to demonstrate that intragenic recombination induced by ultraviolet or gamma rays occurs in diploids arrested in G1, a short time after irradiation and before the initiation of the S phase. This implies that pairing of homologous chromosomes does not require duplicated chromatids.     

Genome linking with yeast artificial chromosomes

The haploid genome of Caenorhabditis elegans consists of some 80 x 10(6) base pairs of DNA contained in six chromosomes. The large number of interesting loci that have been recognized by mutation, and the accuracy of the genetic map, mean that a physical map of the genome is highly desirable, because it will facilitate the molecular cloning of chosen loci. The first steps towards such a map used a fingerprinting method to link cosmid clones together. This approach reached its practical limit last year, when 90-95% of the genome had been cloned into 17,500 cosmids assembled into some 700 clusters (contigs), but the linking clones needed were either non-existent or extremely rare. Anticipating this, we had planned to link by physical means--probably by hybridization to NotI fragments separated by pulse field gel electrophoresis. NotI recognizes an eight base sequence of GC pairs; thus the fragments should be large enough to bridge regions that clone poorly in cosmids, and, with no selective step involved, would necessarily be fully representative. However, with the availability of a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) vector, we decided to use this alternative source of large DNA fragments to obtain linkage. The technique involves the ligation of large (50-1,000 kilobase) genomic fragments into a vector that provides centromeric, telomeric and selective functions; the constructs are then introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and replicate in the same manner as the host chromosomes.     

Chromosomal evolution in Saccharomyces

The chromosomal speciation model invokes chromosomal rearrangements as the primary cause of reproductive isolation. In a heterozygous carrier, chromosomes bearing reciprocal translocations mis-segregate at meiosis, resulting in reduced fertility or complete sterility. Thus, chromosomal rearrangements act as a post-zygotic isolating mechanism. Reproductive isolation in yeast is due to post-zygotic barriers, as many species mate successfully but the hybrids are sterile. Reciprocal translocations are thought to be the main form of large-scale rearrangement since the hypothesized duplication of the whole yeast genome 10(8) years ago. To test the chromosomal speciation model in yeast, we have characterized chromosomal translocations among the genomes of six closely related species in the Saccharomyces 'sensu stricto' complex. Here we show that rearrangements have occurred between closely related species, whereas more distant ones have colinear genomes. Thus, chromosomal rearrangements are not a prerequisite for speciation in yeast and the rate of formation of translocations is not constant. These rearrangements appear to result from ectopic recombination between Ty elements or other repeated sequences.     

Cloning of the essential myotonic dystrophy region and mapping of the putative defect.

Myotonic dystrophy is a common dominant disorder (global incidence of 1:8,000) with variable onset and a protean nature of symptoms mainly involving progressive muscle wasting, myotonia and cataracts. To define the molecular defect, we have cloned the essential region of chromosome 19q13.3, including proximal and distal markers in a 700-kilobase contig formed by overlapping cosmids and yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs). The central part of the contig bridges an area of about 350 kilobases between two new flanking crossover borders. This segment has been extensively characterized through the isolation of five YAC clones and the subsequent subcloning in cosmids from which a detailed EcoRI, HindIII, MluI and NotI restriction map has been derived. Two genomic probes and two homologous complementary DNA probes were isolated using the cosmids. These probes are all situated within approximately 10 kilobases of genomic DNA and detect an unstable genomic segment in myotonic dystrophy patients. The length variation in this segment shows similarities to the instability seen at the fragile X locus. The physical map location and the genetic characteristics of the length polymorphism is compatible with a direct role in the pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy.     

细菌人工染色体(BACs)

文章比较了YACs、BACs、PACs和MACs的主要特点，综述了细菌人工染色体的构建及其在基因组文库构建和基因功能分析等方面的广泛应用．     

Chromosome sorting and its applications in common wheat (Triticum aestivum) genome sequencing

The large genome size (～17000 Mb) and complicated DNA structures of common wheat (Triticum aestivum) hamper its genome sequencing.By means of flow cytometry,systematic investigations on individual chromosome sorting have been carried out to construct chromosome-specific bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries since the 1980s.Several wheat chromosome-specific BAC libraries,such as chromosome 3B,three D genome chromosomes (1D,4D and 6D),and the short arm of chromosome 1B,have been developed,and the ph...     

Continuum of overlapping clones spanning the entire human chromosome 21q.

A continuous array of overlapping clones covering the entire human chromosome 21q was constructed from human yeast artificial chromosome libraries using sequence-tagged sites as landmarks specifically detected by polymerase chain reaction. The yeast artificial chromosome contiguous unit starts with pericentromeric and ends with subtelomeric loci of 21q. The resulting order of sequence-tagged sites is consistent with other physical and genetic mapping data. This set of overlapping clones will promote our knowledge of the structure of this chromosome and the function of its genes.