果蝇分子群体遗传研究分析方法概述

果蝇属物种长期以来被作为基础生物学、特别是群体和进化遗传学的模式物种,来探讨生物学中的一些基本问题,如物种形成的遗传机制、新基因的起源及其方式、适应性进化的遗传机制等.群体遗传的方法贯穿于遗传学、生态学、古生物学、系统发育学等领域之中,已渐成为基础生物学研究的重要方法.围绕果蝇群体遗传研究中的3个主要问题,即起源地、群体历史动态和群体遗传结构,就当前用于分析上述问题的方法进行了概述,并强调了发展适用于多个座位数据的分析方法是将来的一个重要发展方向.     

酿酒酵母基因组的研究进展

酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)是第一个完成全基因组测序工作的真核生物,目前在结构基因组学、功能基因组学、模式生物、最小基因组、比较基因组学等方面的研究已经获得了重大的进展,为人类更深入地研究高等生物基因组打下了坚实的基础。本文将从这几个方面着手对酿酒酵母基因组的研究进展进行综述。     

广西5种常见星虫动物的线粒体基因组特征和系统进化分析

为探明广西北部湾星虫动物的线粒体基因组遗传变异和基因序列特征,采用高通量测序测定广西北部湾5种常见星虫动物的线粒体基因组,并对其基因序列特征、遗传变异、系统进化进行分析。结果显示,星虫动物线粒体基因组具有典型的无脊椎动物线粒体基因组的特征,基因排列高度保守,特别是其13个蛋白质编码基因（PCGs）。此外,星虫动物线粒体基因组的基因均编码在H链上,并存在3个高度保守的基因排列区块,与环节动物和螠虫动物线粒体基因组特征较为相似。cox1、cox2和cob等3个基因进化速率最慢、遗传变异水平最低,适合作为星虫动物种属系统进化研究以及不同种间生物条形码构建的分子标记。nad6、nad4、nad5和nad2等4个基因的遗传变异水平较高（大于60%）,变异位点数量较多,适合作为星虫动物种群遗传多样性研究的分子标记。星虫动物线粒体13个蛋白质编码基因的Ka/Ks比值均低于1（0.058 2-0.726 6）,其中cox1、cox3和cob等3个基因的Ka/Ks比值最低（小于0.1）,表明在星虫动物线粒体遗传进化过程中,这3个蛋白质编码基因承受强烈的自然选择压力和功能束缚。基于线粒体基因组蛋白质编码基因系统进化树的研究结果表明,星虫动物可分为方格星虫纲和革囊星虫纲两个进化分支,星虫动物与环节动物的进化地位、亲缘关系较近,而与软体动物的亲缘关系较远。本研究结果不仅为广西北部湾特色星虫动物渔业资源多样性调查和保护提供分子遗传数据,也为星虫动物系统进化研究提供了科学参考。     

Evidence for the evolution of multiple genomes in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Ancient asexuals directly contradict the evolutionary theories that explain why organisms should evolve a sexual life history. The mutualistic, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are thought to have been asexual for approximately 400 million years. In the absence of sex, highly divergent descendants of formerly allelic nucleotide sequences are thought to evolve in a genome. In mycorrhizal fungi, where individual offspring receive hundreds of nuclei from the parent, it has been hypothesized that a population of genetically different nuclei should evolve within one individual. Here we use DNA-DNA fluorescent in situ hybridization to show that genetically different nuclei co-exist in individual arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. We also show that the population genetics techniques used in other organisms are unsuitable for detecting recombination because the assumptions and underlying processes do not fit the fungal genomic structure shown here. Instead we used a phylogenetic approach to show that the within-individual genetic variation that occurs in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi probably evolved through accumulation of mutations in an essentially clonal genome, with some infrequent recombination events. We conclude that mycorrhizal fungi have evolved to be multi-genomic.     

Conservation and rearrangement of mitochondrial structural gene sequences

Mitochondria contain the simplest DNA molecules that are present in eukaryotes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is easily purified, and is an important model system for studying eukaryote gene structure and basic molecular processes. The protein sequences of mitochondrial gene products have been shown to be conserved from yeast to man, and there are definite similarities at the DNA sequence level. In contrast, the overall organization of the mitochondrial genome is drastically different in these organisms. To understand this, we need to extend work on mtDNA to a wider range of species. We have chosen to study the mtDNA of Aspergillus nidulans because a particularly comprehensive analysis of this system can be achieved using genetics as well as biochemistry, and like most eukaryotes it is an obligate aerobe, whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae is not. We have investigated whether defined pieces of particular yeast mitochondrial genes show enough homology to Aspergillus mtDNA fragments to enable the corresponding Aspergillus genes to be located on the physical map. The results reported here show that this is the case for all five genes tested, and present the first data on the physical organization of the structural genes in the mitochondrial genome of A. nidulans.     

Genetics and the making of Homo sapiens

Understanding the genetic basis of the physical and behavioural traits that distinguish humans from other primates presents one of the great new challenges in biology. Of the millions of base-pair differences between humans and chimpanzees, which particular changes contributed to the evolution of human features after the separation of the Pan and Homo lineages 5-7 million years ago? How can we identify the 'smoking guns' of human genetic evolution from neutral ticks of the molecular evolutionary clock? The magnitude and rate of morphological evolution in hominids suggests that many independent and incremental developmental changes have occurred that, on the basis of recent findings in model animals, are expected to be polygenic and regulatory in nature. Comparative genomics, population genetics, gene-expression analyses and medical genetics have begun to make complementary inroads into the complex genetic architecture of human evolution.     

Positive Darwinian selection in human population: A review

This paper reviews a large number of genes under positive Darwinian selection in modern human populations, such as brain development genes, immunity genes, reproductive related genes, percep- tion receptors. The research on the evolutionary property of these genes will provide important insight into human evolution and disease mechanisms. With the increase of population genetics and com- parative genomics data, more and more evidences indicate that positive Darwinian selection plays an indispensable role in the origin and evolution of human beings. This paper will also summarize the methods to detect positive selection, analyze the interference factors faced and make suggestions for further research on positive selection.     

林木分子育种研究的基因组学信息资源述评

分子育种是指利用与性状相关的DNA标记进行选育,也称标记辅助选择或标记辅助育种,广义上还包括基因工程育种和基因组学辅助育种。林木分子育种为早期选择和加速育种提供了极具潜力的高效手段。笔者对林木分子育种研究的基因组学信息资源进行了进展综述和前景展望。近30年来,林木分子标记技术从早期的低通量方法发展到目前基于微阵列芯片和新一代测序的高通量技术,如测序分型、转录组测序、重测序、扩增子测序和外显子组测序等,并广泛用于连锁作图、关联分析和基因组选择等林木性状相关的DNA变异检测研究。随着2006年毛果杨基因组序列的发表,已有50余个树种完成了基因组测序。基于连锁作图和关联研究检测了林木10余个属生长、材性和抗逆及非木质产品品质等性状相关的大量基因组位点,主要趋势表现为：① 表型广泛,涵盖经济性状、生理指标和代谢成分等;②标记数量成千上万甚至上百万,覆盖全基因组;③转录组和降解组等多组学的分子变异开始应用;④ 利用大群体以提高位点检测的精度;⑤ 重视环境的影响,大田试验设置多个地点,解析QTL与环境、年份的互作效应;⑥ 结合参考基因组序列和/或转录组差异表达基因进一步挖掘性状相关的候选基因,建立了桉属、松属和云杉属等主要造林树种的基因组选择模型。此外,积累了泛基因组、相关软件和算法、功能基因、基因组编辑技术及网站和数据库等其他信息资源。林木分子育种面临的挑战主要包括：① 如何获得稳定性好的性状相关基因组位点和基因组选择（GS）模型;② 缺乏自动化、无损和高通量的表型测定技术;③对大基因组的针叶树和一些多倍体树种,仍难获得高质量的基因组序列;④ 标记辅助选择增加了常规育种之外的费用,且存在不确定性;⑤多数树种的加速育种仍较困难。后基因组时代的林木分子育种将有效结合到常规育种程序中,显著促进遗传增益的提高。     

Genetics of body-weight regulation

The role of genetics in obesity is twofold. Studying rare mutations in humans and model organisms provides fundamental insight into a complex physiological process, and complements population-based studies that seek to reveal primary causes. Remarkable progress has been made on both fronts, and the pace of advance is likely to accelerate as functional genomics and the human genome project expand and mature. Approaches based on mendelian and quantitative genetics may well converge, and lead ultimately to more rational and selective therapies.     

Genetic history of an archaic hominin group from Denisova Cave in Siberia

Using DNA extracted from a finger bone found in Denisova Cave in southern Siberia, we have sequenced the genome of an archaic hominin to about 1.9-fold coverage. This individual is from a group that shares a common origin with Neanderthals. This population was not involved in the putative gene flow from Neanderthals into Eurasians; however, the data suggest that it contributed 4-6% of its genetic material to the genomes of present-day Melanesians. We designate this hominin population 'Denisovans' and suggest that it may have been widespread in Asia during the Late Pleistocene epoch. A tooth found in Denisova Cave carries a mitochondrial genome highly similar to that of the finger bone. This tooth shares no derived morphological features with Neanderthals or modern humans, further indicating that Denisovans have an evolutionary history distinct from Neanderthals and modern humans.     

Evolutionary analyses of the human genome

The completion of the human genome will greatly accelerate the development of a new branch of science--evolutionary genomics. We can now directly address important questions about the evolutionary history of human genes and their regulatory sequences. Computational analyses of the human genome will reveal the number of genes and repetitive elements, the extent of gene duplication and compositional heterogeneity in the human genome, and the extent of domain shuffling and domain sharing among proteins. Here we present some first glimpses of these features.     

Construction of an electronic physical map of Magnaporthe oryzae using genomic position-ready SSR markers

Magnaporthe oryzae is a model for plant pathogenic filamentous fungi. We have assembled a simple sequence repeat (SSR)-based physical map of the species, using in silico sequence data. A set of 120 SSR markers was developed from the genomic sequence of the reference isolate 70-15. These markers were readily amplified from the genomic DNA of other isolates, and high levels of allelic variation characterised the parental isolates of the two crosses tested. All the markers were locatable to one of the seven M. oryzae chromosomes. An SSR-based physical in silico map was constructed, and pre-existing SSR and RFLP loci were integrated into the map, along with 23 Avr (avirulence) genes and two other genes of importance to the plant/pathogen interaction. This map provides a platform for population genetics and functional genomics studies in the model pathogen, and even in other evolu- tionally related pathogens.     

An anaerobic mitochondrion that produces hydrogen

Hydrogenosomes are organelles that produce ATP and hydrogen, and are found in various unrelated eukaryotes, such as anaerobic flagellates, chytridiomycete fungi and ciliates. Although all of these organelles generate hydrogen, the hydrogenosomes from these organisms are structurally and metabolically quite different, just like mitochondria where large differences also exist. These differences have led to a continuing debate about the evolutionary origin of hydrogenosomes. Here we show that the hydrogenosomes of the anaerobic ciliate Nyctotherus ovalis, which thrives in the hindgut of cockroaches, have retained a rudimentary genome encoding components of a mitochondrial electron transport chain. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that those proteins cluster with their homologues from aerobic ciliates. In addition, several nucleus-encoded components of the mitochondrial proteome, such as pyruvate dehydrogenase and complex II, were identified. The N. ovalis hydrogenosome is sensitive to inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I and produces succinate as a major metabolic end product--biochemical traits typical of anaerobic mitochondria. The production of hydrogen, together with the presence of a genome encoding respiratory chain components, and biochemical features characteristic of anaerobic mitochondria, identify the N. ovalis organelle as a missing link between mitochondria and hydrogenosomes.     

Comparative and demographic analysis of orang-utan genomes

'Orang-utan' is derived from a Malay term meaning 'man of the forest' and aptly describes the southeast Asian great apes native to Sumatra and Borneo. The orang-utan species, Pongo abelii (Sumatran) and Pongo pygmaeus (Bornean), are the most phylogenetically distant great apes from humans, thereby providing an informative perspective on hominid evolution. Here we present a Sumatran orang-utan draft genome assembly and short read sequence data from five Sumatran and five Bornean orang-utan genomes. Our analyses reveal that, compared to other primates, the orang-utan genome has many unique features. Structural evolution of the orang-utan genome has proceeded much more slowly than other great apes, evidenced by fewer rearrangements, less segmental duplication, a lower rate of gene family turnover and surprisingly quiescent Alu repeats, which have played a major role in restructuring other primate genomes. We also describe a primate polymorphic neocentromere, found in both Pongo species, emphasizing the gradual evolution of orang-utan genome structure. Orang-utans have extremely low energy usage for a eutherian mammal, far lower than their hominid relatives. Adding their genome to the repertoire of sequenced primates illuminates new signals of positive selection in several pathways including glycolipid metabolism. From the population perspective, both Pongo species are deeply diverse; however, Sumatran individuals possess greater diversity than their Bornean counterparts, and more species-specific variation. Our estimate of Bornean/Sumatran speciation time, 400,000?years ago, is more recent than most previous studies and underscores the complexity of the orang-utan speciation process. Despite a smaller modern census population size, the Sumatran effective population size (N(e)) expanded exponentially relative to the ancestral N(e) after the split, while Bornean N(e) declined over the same period. Overall, the resources and analyses presented here offer new opportunities in evolutionary genomics, insights into hominid biology, and an extensive database of variation for conservation efforts.     

能源植物高粱基因组研究进展

 回顾了高粱基因组学研究的发展进程, 概述了初期组学数据的积累、参考基因组的破译及新一代测序技术和数据分析方法引领下的组学研究进展;介绍了高粱基因组的结构, 从比较基因组学的角度, 分析了高粱基因组的进化及其特性;探讨了高粱功能基因组的研究方法和研究进展, 总结了已经发掘的高粱关键基因和遗传位点, 对高粱组学数据资源进行了归纳。对高粱基因组学的发展方向进行了展望。     

The Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel

A major challenge of biology is understanding the relationship between molecular genetic variation and variation in quantitative traits, including fitness. This relationship determines our ability to predict phenotypes from genotypes and to understand how evolutionary forces shape variation within and between species. Previous efforts to dissect the genotype-phenotype map were based on incomplete genotypic information. Here, we describe the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP), a community resource for analysis of population genomics and quantitative traits. The DGRP consists of fully sequenced inbred lines derived from a natural population. Population genomic analyses reveal reduced polymorphism in centromeric autosomal regions and the X chromosome, evidence for positive and negative selection, and rapid evolution of the X chromosome. Many variants in novel genes, most at low frequency, are associated with quantitative traits and explain a large fraction of the phenotypic variance. The DGRP facilitates genotype-phenotype mapping using the power of Drosophila genetics.     

Numerous potentially functional but non-genic conserved sequences on human chromosome 21

The use of comparative genomics to infer genome function relies on the understanding of how different components of the genome change over evolutionary time. The aim of such comparative analysis is to identify conserved, functionally transcribed sequences such as protein-coding genes and non-coding RNA genes, and other functional sequences such as regulatory regions, as well as other genomic features. Here, we have compared the entire human chromosome 21 with syntenic regions of the mouse genome, and have identified a large number of conserved blocks of unknown function. Although previous studies have made similar observations, it is unknown whether these conserved sequences are genes or not. Here we present an extensive experimental and computational analysis of human chromosome 21 in an effort to assign function to sequences conserved between human chromosome 21 (ref. 8) and the syntenic mouse regions. Our data support the presence of a large number of potentially functional non-genic sequences, probably regulatory and structural. The integration of the properties of the conserved components of human chromosome 21 to the rapidly accumulating functional data for this chromosome will improve considerably our understanding of the role of sequence conservation in mammalian genomes.     

我国桉树遗传育种研究进展

桃金娘科(Myrtaceae)桉属(Eucalyptus)、杯果木属(Angophora)和伞房属(Corymbia)树种统称桉树,引入我国已有130余年的历史,是重要的工业用材林树种。我国桉树遗传育种研究始于20世纪60年代的种子园建设和70年代后期的种源试验,一些技术显著促进了其进程,主要有:①早期的种子园技术促进了无性繁殖困难树种的有性扩繁;②20世纪90年代兴起的扦插和组织培养技术推动了优良无性系选育与应用;③20世纪90年代末分子标记技术开启了我国桉树分子育种研究的新纪元;④21世纪初转基因技术为品种创制提供了崭新的手段;⑤刚尝试的基因组编辑技术展现了巨大的应用潜力。桉树育种策略和种质资源是其遗传育种研究的基础,已对一些树种制定了育种策略和育种计划,兼顾纯种内轮回选择和杂种无性系的选育,主要经济性状包括材积生长、木材密度、抗病虫和抗风等;累计已收集了近200个树种3 000余个家系的种质资源。我国桉树遗传育种研究已取得显著进展,主要包括:①几个主要树种的轮回选择和世代改良,仅尾叶桉(E. urophylla)进入了第3个世代;②杂交育种的成效显著,培育了目前仍主栽的DH32-29和DH33-27等优良杂种无性系;③无性系育种结合无性繁殖技术(尤其是组织培养)的研发,极大地推动了无性系林业的发展;④开发了多种分子标记,包括基于新一代测序技术的标记,并基于分子标记利用连锁作图和关联分析的方法,在尾叶桉等6个树种中检测了与生长、材性和/或抗逆等性状相关的基因组位点;⑤已对逆境响应、激素和木材形成等相关的功能基因进行了克隆和表达分析,一些功能基因显示了较好的育种应用潜力;⑥已优化遗传转化体系,获得了转基因植株,并尝试了基因组编辑的可行性。但是,我国桉树遗传育种研究仍面临诸多挑战,如基因型×环境互作的复杂性和高质量基因组/泛基因组的缺乏,种质资源流失,新无性系缺乏,尚待从头克隆和鉴定具有育种价值的优异基因,基因组选择实用性有待探索,遗传转化率需进一步提高等。桉树遗传育种研究对促进我国林业生产的意义是显著的,将有望在高世代改良、种质资源的长期评价、杂种优势的机制与利用、基因组选择的有效应用和转基因与基因组编辑技术等方面取得突破。     

Genetic mechanisms and evolutionary significance of natural variation in Arabidopsis

Genomic studies of natural variation in model organisms provide a bridge between molecular analyses of gene function and evolutionary investigations of adaptation and natural selection. In the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana, recent studies of natural variation have led to the identification of genes underlying ecologically important complex traits, and provided new insights about the processes of genome evolution, geographic population structure, and the selective mechanisms shaping complex trait variation in natural populations. These advances illustrate the potential for a new synthesis to elucidate mechanisms for the adaptive evolution of complex traits from nucleotide sequences to real-world environments.