Soil biodiversity and DNA barcodes: opportunities and challenges

Soils encompass a huge diversity of organisms which mostly remains to be characterized due to a number of methodological and logistical issues. Nonetheless, remarkable progress has been made in recent years toward developing strategies to characterize and describe soil biodiversity, especially thanks to the development of molecular approaches relying on direct DNA extraction from the soil matrix.Metabarcoding can be applied to DNA from any environment or organism, and is gaining increasing prominence in biodiversity studies. This approach is already commonly used to characterize soil microbial communities and its application is now being extended to other soil organisms, i.e. meso- and macro-fauna.These developments offer unprecedented scientific and operational opportunities in order to better understand soil biodiversity distribution and dynamics, and to propose tools and strategies for biodiversity diagnosis. However, these opportunities also come with challenges that the scientific community must face. Such challenges are related to i) clarification of terminology, (ii) standardisation of methods and further methodological development for additional taxonomic groups, (iii) development of a common database, and (iv) ways to avoid waste of information and data derived from metabarcoding. In order to facilitate common application of metabarcoding in soil biodiversity assessment, we discuss these opportunities and challenges and propose solutions towards a more homogeneous framework.     

广东省主要红树林植物DNA条形码评价

为评估DNA条形码对鉴定红树林植物的通用性和有效性,在广东红树林分布区域共计采集红树林植物16科22属23种,共144个样品,并进行DNA条形码测序。结果表明:选择的rbcL、matK和trnH-psbA 3个DNA片段的PCR扩增成功率分别为100%、80.29%±8.49%、99.38%±1.25%。测序成果率最高为rbcL 100%,trnH-psbA次之94.57%±5.06%,matK最低75.04%±6.26%。表明rbcL和trnH-psbA片段在红树林群落中都具有较好的通用性。应用BLAST和NJ Tree两种方法计算红树植物的物种识别率。BLAST结果表明,单片段中trnH-psbA的物种识别率最高,为84.48%±12.09%,rbcL次之,matK最低。NJ Tree分析显示单片段中rbcL的物种识别率最高,为66.65%±17.35%;trnH-psbA片段次之,matK片段最低。两张分析方法都显示多个片段组合使用时,rbcL或trnH-psbA是提高物种平均识别率的主要片段。利用单片段rbcL即可获得平均节点支持率最高的红树植物系统发育树,且能准确区分不同树种。trnH-psbA片段可以识别rbcL片段不能识别的物种,可以作为补充片段。综合比较,推荐rbcL、trnH-psbA作为红树林植物DNA条形码片段。     

花生种子特异启动子AHSSP1的克隆及功能分析

为丰富花生种子特异启动子资源,本研究利用PCR技术在花生基因组中克隆了种子贮藏蛋白基因PSC32的启动子AHSSP1,利用半定量RT-PCR检测了PSC32基因表达模式,借助NewPLACE在线分析了AHSSP1序列中存在的顺式作用元件,并构建了AHSSP1驱动GUS报告基因的表达载体,经农杆菌转化获得转基因拟南芥,经GUS组织化学染色鉴定了该启动子的功能。结果表明,PSC32基因957 bp长的启动子AHSSP1序列具备种子特异表达启动子特有的3个RY REPEAT元件。半定量RT-PCR分析发现,PSC32基因在花生成熟种子中表达,而在饱果成熟期根、茎、叶片、花、入土前的果针、成熟种子的果壳中均不表达。GUS组织化学染色发现,转基因拟南芥成熟种子以及萌发种子的子叶、下胚轴和胚根均能够被染上蓝色;长出真叶后,子叶和下胚轴仍能被染色,而根和真叶不能被染上蓝色;成年期转基因拟南芥的叶片也不能被染上蓝色。而野生型拟南芥整个生长时期均不能被染上蓝色。以上现象说明AHSSP1是一个种子特异启动子。本研究丰富了花生种子特异启动子的资源,对花生籽仁品质改良或以花生籽仁作为“生物反应器”的研究具有重要的应用价值。     

转基因玉米TC1507质粒DNA标准物质的研制

标准物质具有特定量值、均匀性和稳定性三大典型特征,也是其作为测量标尺的依据。转基因生物标准物质是我国转基因产品标识制度顺利实施的关键技术支撑之一。文章以转基因玉米TC1507为对象,制备了转化体特异性的新型质粒DNA标准物质pTC1507,并对其均匀性、稳定性、量值进行了评价和测定。测试结果表明,制备的质粒DNA标准物质具有良好的瓶间和瓶内均匀性,pTC1507稳定性可靠,可以在-20 ℃稳定放置6个月以上。经过测序和实时荧光定量PCR定值以及不确定度评估,pTC1507标准物质的量值是1.01±0.053。均匀性、稳定性和量值结果表明,研制的转基因玉米TC1507质粒分子标准物质符合标准物质的典型要求,可以代替传统的基体标准物质应用于转基因玉米检测,解决传统标准物质获取困难、制备复杂、成本高等不足。     

DNA条形码技术在中药领域的应用

DNA条形码技术可对物种进行快速自动鉴定,具有鉴定准确、结果稳定、操作简便、适用广泛等特点,目前在中药领域应用较多。从DNA条形码技术在中药材鉴定、种植、流通、市场监管、中成药鉴定和药用植物种质资源调查等中药领域的多个方面进行综述,并探讨DNA条形码技术在中药领域的优势和不足,以期为DNA条形码技术在中药领域的研究提供新的思路。     

Characterization of Genomic Integration and Transgene Organization in Six Transgenic Rapeseed Events

To characterize the DNA rearrangement of both the T-DNA region and the genomic insertion site during T-DNA insertion, the Genomewalker strategy was used to isolate the junctions between the inserted DNA and the plant genomic DNA in six rapeseed events as well as the genomic DNA at the sites before integration. During transformation in each of the six events, portions of both the right border（RB） and left border（LB） regions of the T-DNA were deleted, ranging from a 7 nucleotide deletion of the LB repeats in event RF1 to a 207 bp deletion of the LB region in event RF2. For the six events, T-DNA integration resulted in a deletion at the target site spanning less than 100 bp. Sequence analysis indicated that the T-DNA was integrated into the coding region of various native rapeseed genes in events RF1 and RF2. Duplications of the genomic DNA target site were observed in events RF2, RF3 and Topas 19/2. And multimerization of transgenes was found in event Topas 19/2, in which, the T-DNA was integrated as a head-to-head（RB-to-RB） concatemer into the recipient genome. In event MS1, chromosomal translocation or a large target-site deletion may have occurred during T-DNA integration, which was identified due to a failure to amplify the presumptive insertion site based on the flanking rapeseed DNA sequences. Our results provide comprehensive data concerning transgene organization and the genomic context of the T-DNA in six rapeseed events, which can aid in the developing of insert fingerprinting and the monitoring of long-term genetic stability and potential unintended effects of transgenic events.     

Controlling sprouting in potato tubers using ultraviolet-C irradiance

Legislation limiting the use of chlorpropham (CIPC), the major potato sprout suppressant, has led to a need for new technologies to extend storage life of tubers. Ultra violet C (UV-C) has been used postharvest to reduce disease incidence on many crops, yet its use and efficacy as a sprout suppressant has not been investigated. The aim of this project was to identify the optimum dose and treatment timing of UV-C treatment on potato tubers as an alternative method of sprout suppression to reduce the dependence on chemical sprout suppressants. Up to six potato cultivars over two seasons were treated with varying doses of UV-C ranging from 0 to 30 kJ m⁻² either at harvest or at first indication of dormancy break. The tubers were stored at 9 °C and sprout growth and incidence assessed. Treatment with moderate UV-C doses (5–20 kJ m⁻²) suppressed sprout length and sprout incidence in a range of cultivars. Periderm DNA damage and programmed cell death were not detected in response to any of the UV-C doses. The inactive ABA metabolite, ABA-GE, increased in response to 10 or 20 kJ m⁻² within 72 h of treatment. Multivariate analysis showed a negative relationship between ABA metabolites and sprout growth/incidence during storage. This study found that UV-C reduced sprout growth in potato with no deleterious effects on tuber quality. This suggests potential for further development as an alternative or supplement to conventional sprout suppressant technologies.     

不同发育时期菊芋块茎DNA提取效果比较研究

为筛选菊芋块茎DNA提取的适宜生育时期,以“青芋1号”菊芋品种为试材,用改良CTAB法对不同发育时期菊芋块茎DNA进行提取,经琼脂糖凝胶电泳及全波长分光光度计检测总DNA的纯度、浓度及质量,选用4条ISSR引物进行PCR验证.结果表明:不同发育时期提取菊芋块茎DNA效果较好,DNA浓度呈现单峰曲线变化,峰值出现在第9周,与琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测呈现的亮度结果一致,PCR验证结果显示,提取的DNA能够满足后续相关分子生物学的要求.     

高含固率木质纤维素厌氧发酵物总DNA的4种提取方法比较

不同的样本特性和提取方法对获得微生物总DNA的质量有重要影响。文章基于高含固率木质纤维素厌氧发酵物腐殖酸、酚类物质含量高、质地均一性差、微生物浓度低的特点,研究了4种方法提取不同高含固率粪秸厌氧发酵物中微生物总DNA的效果。结果表明,常规的十二烷基磺酸钠法(sodium dodecyl sulfate,SDS)、十二烷基磺酸钠和溴化十六烷基三甲铵结合法(sodium dodecyl sulfate and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide,SDS-CTAB)和商业的粪便试剂盒法提取的DNA质量均较差,SDS法和试剂盒法未能获得聚合酶链式反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)扩增目的条带,SDS-CTAB法得到的条带较模糊;改进SDS-CTAB法获得的DNA杂质少、纯度高,具有较好的稳定性,A260/A280和A260/A230值分别为1.74~1.86和1.65~1.86,每克样品的DNA浓度在50 ng·μL^-1以上,电泳条带单一齐整、清晰明亮,PCR扩增的目的条带清晰度高,适宜后续分子生物学技术的分析。林格氏液洗脱、聚乙烯吡咯烷酮-40(Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone-40,PVP-40)洗涤液除杂以及裂解液和多种酶联合破壁是改进SDS-CTAB法获得该类专一性样本高质量微生物总DNA的关键步骤。