Silicon-mediated genotoxic alterations in Brassica juncea under arsenic stress: A comparative study of biochemical and molecular markers

Arsenic (As), one of the most harmful toxicant at the global level, severely affects plant metabolism when taken up. Interestingly, the presence of silicon (Si) as a fertilizer in As-contaminated soil is an effective strategy to decrease As accumulation in plants. Brassica juncea (var. Varuna) were grown hydroponically to investigate the role of Si at biochemical and molecular levels under arsenite (As³⁺) stress. Seedlings of B. juncea were exposed to As³⁺, Si, and a combination of both elements. Our data demonstrated that seedlings exposed to As³⁺ showed an inhibition in shoot length, chlorophyll, carotenoid, and protein, while co-application of Si improved these growth parameters. Silicon supplementation reduced As accumulation in shoot. Increase/decrease was observed in stress-related parameters (cysteine and proline), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase), and oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde and H₂O₂), which were improved upon co-application of Si as compared to As³⁺ alone treatment. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is a suitable biomarker assay for plants for assessing the genotoxicity. Seven RAPD primers produced a total of 39 and 48 bands in the leaves of the untreated and treated seedlings, respectively. The RAPD band-profiles and genomic template stability were consistent with other growth and physiological parameters. In conclusion, the genotoxic alterations along with the biochemical parameters indicate that the exposure to Si mitigates As³⁺-induced oxidative stress by improving the stress-related parameters and antioxidant system in B. juncea.     

绵羊Izumo1基因多态性及其与产羔数关联分析

为研究Izumo1基因多态性及与产羔数关系,本研究利用PCR和直接测序法对小尾寒羊和苏尼特羊的Izumo1基因DNA序列进行扩增、测序和BLAST分析,并和本课题组前期绵羊重测序数据进行比对,筛选出Izumo1基因SNP位点。同时,采用Sequenom MassARRAY~?技术进行基因分型,并对其SNP位点的基因型和等位基因频率在各群体中的分布进行研究。结果表明:小尾寒羊Izumo1基因DNA全长序列3 385 bp,苏尼特羊Izumo1基因DNA全长序列3 382 bp;筛选出8个Izumo1基因SNP位点,经过初步筛选,将在小尾寒羊、苏尼特羊、滩羊、萨福克羊、杜泊羊、草原藏羊这6个绵羊品种中位点分布没有差异的SNP位点排除,最终筛选获得的g.54412135AG和g.54412107CA 2个位点。Izumo1基因g.54412135AG位点在多羔和单羔绵羊品种中存在GG、GA和AA 3种基因型,G基因为优势等位基因;g.54412107CA在多羔品种中存在CC和CA 2种基因型,而在单羔品种中存在CC、CA和AA 3种基因型,C基因为优势等位基因,其基因型频率和基因频率在单、多羔绵羊群体间的分布差异均极显著(P0.01);群体遗传学分析得出g.54412135AG多态位点在6个品种中的多态信息含量(PIC)都属于低度多态(PIC0.25);g.54412107CA多态位点在杜泊羊中属于中度多态(0.25PIC0.5),在其他5个品种中都属于低度多态(PIC0.25),然而,关联分析发现Izumo1基因g.54412135AG和g.54412107CA位点的不同基因型与小尾寒羊不同胎次产羔数之间不存在显著关联(P0.05)。     

鱼类组蛋白核苷酸的多态性及其在杀鱼爱德华氏菌感染中的作用

组蛋白是染色体核小体的重要组分,在调控染色质结构、基因转录、个体发育等不同生物学过程中起着重要作用。为了研究鱼类组蛋白基因是否存在核苷酸的多态性以及组蛋白核苷酸多态性是否会影响鱼类的抗病力,本实验以斑马鱼和草鱼为研究对象,通过PCR扩增克隆了组蛋白H2A的全长开放阅读框;利用过表达技术、菌落平板计数、感染存活分析以及荧光定量PCR技术,研究了斑马鱼和草鱼组蛋白H2A核苷酸多态性不同变异体在杀鱼爱德华氏菌感染中的作用。在本研究中,实验发现鱼类组蛋白H2A存在着丰富的核苷酸多态性。序列分析结果显示斑马鱼和草鱼组蛋白H2A核苷酸多态性的变异体核苷酸序列相似性为90%～100%;而两两H2A核苷酸多态性变异体氨基酸序列之间最多只有3个位点存在差异。通过体内和体外抗菌实验可知,斑马鱼和草鱼组蛋白H2A核苷酸的多态性显著影响H2A的抗菌活性。此外,筛选出的抗菌组蛋白H2A核苷酸多态性的变异体在斑马鱼体内的过表达,不仅具有免疫增强的作用,还能显著增强斑马鱼对杀鱼爱德华氏菌感染的抗病力。本研究为筛选具有抗病作用的组蛋白H2A免疫保护原奠定了重要基础。     

Three SNPs within exons of INHA and ACVR2B genes are significantly associated with litter size in Dazu black goats

The aim of this study was to analyse the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms within INHA and ACVR2B and litter size in Dazu black goats. In total, twenty-two SNPs were genotyped in 190 individuals by SNaPshot and resequencing. The results showed that three SNPs (SNP_1, SNP_12 and SNP_13 in this study) were detected to have significant additive genetic effect on the recorded goat litter size (p < .05). The SNP_1 (NC_030809.1), a non-synonymous substitution of G for T at chr2-g. 28314990 in the exon 2 of INHA gene (NM_001285606.1), resulted in homozygote 2 (HOM2) contributed 0.25 and heterozygote (HET) contributed 0.12 larger litter than homozygote 1 (HOM1). Meanwhile, SNP_12 (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T) and SNP_13 (Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) (NC_030829.1) simultaneously mutated at the first and third position of a triplet AAA (lysine, K) in the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene (XM_018066623.1) had estimated genetic effects of HOM1 (0.00) and HOM2 (0.03) larger than HET (−0.12). In conclusion, one SNPs (chr2-g. 28314990 T > G) within the exon 2 of INHA and two SNPs (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T and Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) i n the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene were highly recommended as candidate markers of litter size in Dazu black goats. A large-scale association study to assess the impact of these variants on litter size is still necessary.     

北京水系中腐霉和疫腐霉种类调查

为研究北京地区水系中腐霉和疫腐霉种类分布,采用叶饵法从北京水系中诱集菌株,共分离到腐霉、疫腐霉182株,利用Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)进行分析,筛选出不同基因型的代表菌株,并依据形态学特征及ITS序列对这些菌株进行种类鉴定。结果共发现6个已知种和3个可能的新种,其中:湖滨疫腐霉Phytopythium litorale和果胶裂解腐霉Pythium pectinolyticum为国内新记录种;旋柄疫腐霉Pp.helicoides、异丝腐霉P.diclinum、簇囊腐霉P.torulosum和袋囊腐霉P.marsipium为北京地区新记录种。研究结果可为未来监测北京地区水系中病原菌的分布情况提供基础数据。     

绵羊心脏脂肪酸结合蛋白基因单核苷酸多态性分析

试验旨在探讨心脏脂肪酸结合蛋白（heart fatty acid-binding protein，H-FABP）基因在绵羊中的遗传多态性，并寻找可用于辅助选择的分子标记。本研究以滩羊（250只）及滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代（174只）为试验动物，利用SNaPshot分型技术对H-FABP基因（GenBank登录号：AY157617）的多态位点进行单核苷酸多态性（SNP）分析，统计基因频率和基因型频率，进行Hardy-Weinberg平衡性检测，计算期望杂合度（He）、多态信息含量（PIC）和有效等位基因数（Ne）等遗传多态指标，分析候选基因不同基因型与体重、体长、体高、胸围、胸深、胸宽和管围等生长性状的关联性。结果显示：①检测到9个多态位点：939[A/G]、980[G/A]、1018[T/C]、2878[C/T]、2956[C/T]、3017[G/A]、3341[G/C]、3394[T/A]、1056[-/G]，其中有6处转换、2处颠换、1处单碱基插入。②939[A/G]、980[G/A]、2956[C/T]、3341[G/C]、3394[T/A]和1018[T/C]的He为0.3200~0.4666，PIC为0.2688~0.3577；2878[C/T]、3017[G/A]位点的He为0.0283~0.1272，PIC为0.0279~0.1191，为低度多态；1056[-/G]位点的He在滩羊、滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代群体中分别为0.0120和0，PIC在滩羊、滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代群体中分别为0.0119和0；9个多态位点在滩羊、滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代群体中均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡定律。③5个多态位点：939[A/G]、980[G/A]、2956[C/T]、3341[G/C]、3394[T/A]处于紧密连锁（D'>0.99），将H-FABP基因分为3个单倍型：AA、AB和BB。④在41只滩羊×湖羊杂交F1代羊中，BB单倍型在各生产性状上具有最大值，但各单倍型间差异不显著（P>0.05）。结果表明，绵羊H-FABP基因具有丰富的遗传多态性，939[A/G]、980[G/A]、2956[C/T]、3341[G/C]、3394[T/A]5个位点紧密连锁，BB单倍型可能是与绵羊生产性状相关的优势单倍型。     

Functional polymorphism among members of abscisic acid receptor family(ZmPYL) in maize

Pyrabactin resistance 1-like proteins(PYLs) are direct receptors of abscisic acid(ABA). For the redundant and polymorphic functions, some members of the PYL family interact with components of other signaling pathways. Here, 253 positive colonies from a maize cDNA library were screened as interacting proteins with the members of ZmPYL family. After sequencing and function annotation, 17 of 28 interaction combinations were verified by yeast two-hybrid(Y2 H). The germination potential, taproot length and proline content of a quartet mutant of Arabidopsis PYL genes were significantly deceased comparing to the wild type(WT) under alkaline stress(pH 8.5) and 100 μmol L–1 methyl jasmonate(MeJA) induction. The malondialdehyde(MDA) content was significantly increased. After germinating in darkness, the characteristics of dark morphogenesis of the quartet mutant seedlings were more obvious than those of the WT. The differential expression of the related genes of photomorphogenesis in the mutant was much more than that in the WT. Three light and two JA responsive cis-affecting elements were identified during the promoter sequences of the AtPYL1 and AtPYL2 genes. These results suggested that functional polymorphism has evolved among the members of ZmPYL family. In response to developmental and environmental stimuli, they not only function as direct ABA receptors but also interact with components of other signaling pathways mediated JA, brassinosteroid(BR), auxin, etc., and even directly regulate downstream stress-related proteins. These signaling pathways can interact at various crosstalk points and different levels of gene expression within a sophisticated network.     

Parallelism in thermal growth response in otoliths and scales of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) from alpine lakes independent of genetic background

Low density in natural populations of salmonids has predominantly been managed by stocking of non‐native conspecifics. Due partly to domestication, introduced non‐native fish may be maladapted under natural conditions. Interbreeding between introduced and wild individuals may therefore impair local adaptation and potentially population viability. Brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) from three headwaters (with stocked fish) and three interconnected lakes (with native fish) on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, southern Norway, were tested for differences in thermal effects on scale and otolith growth. Otolith and scale annuli widths from immature brown trout showed positive correlation with mean annual summer temperature for all six sampled populations. In mature individuals, a similar positive thermal correlation was evident for the otoliths only. Interannuli width measurements from scales indicate a halt in somatic growth for brown trout in this alpine environment when reaching ages between 7 and 9 winters, coinciding with age at maturity. Our study indicates that otolith growth follows summer temperature even when individuals do not respond with somatic growth in these populations and that introduced brown trout and introgressed populations have similar thermal growth responses. Due to the continued otolith growth after stagnation in somatic growth and the impact of fluctuations in summer temperature, the utilisation of otolith annuli widths for back calculation of length at age should be treated with caution.     

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the growth hormone gene of Oreochromis niloticus and their association with growth performance

Polymorphisms in the growth hormone (GH) gene that is associated with the growth rate of farmed fish have been the target of many breeding programmes. The present study aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GH gene regions to evaluate the association of SNP variations with the growth rate of two Nile tilapia: Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) strains. The targeted regions were amplified, sequenced, aligned and screened for the presence of SNPs; thereafter, performance tests were used to check for the association between SNPs and weight. Allele and genotype frequencies were estimated for each SNP and genotype. Genotype blocks or sets of SNP genotypes and frequencies were also estimated. Association between SNPs and growth rate was statistically evaluated using a univariate linear mixed model that included both fixed and random effects. A total of 10 SNPs were identified, nine in the proximal promoter and one located in the 5′ UTR, forming 10 genotype blocks. In all weight recordings, five genotype blocks were significantly associated with the highest weights. Single nucleotide polymorphisms 6‐10 were also found to be significantly associated with growth (p‐value < .05). Genotypes with higher additive genetic values for weight were identified in the Chitralada strain, suggesting a possible impact of these additive effects of the GH SNP genotype on the growth rate of Nile tilapia. These findings may be used as part of marker‐assisted selection in tilapia breeding programmes.     

Morphological differences among Raphanus raphanistrum populations and their relationship to related crops

Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) has developed introgressed populations after hybridization with its cultivated counterpart (R. sativus) in California. Hybridization with various Brassica and Sinapis species is also possible. To determine if hybridization is responsible of the genetic diversity of European populations, six wild radish populations with distinct morphological traits were sampled from geographically distant regions in Europe. Plants were cultivated in an oilseed rape field and in insect‐proof cages. Silique and flower morphology, growth, and reproductive traits were measured. The wild radish populations could be discriminated by the morphological traits, but not related to geographic regions. In particular, populations of one region showed wide variability in terms of silique shape and growth behaviour, and small‐sized flowers. Although the origin of morphological diversity in wild radish is unclear, i.e. native or due to gene flow from the cultivated radish or other Brassicaceae, significant morphological divergence was found that could have relevant effects on plant ecology and adaptation.