A fine-scale map of recombination rates and hotspots across the human genome

Genetic maps, which document the way in which recombination rates vary over a genome, are an essential tool for many genetic analyses. We present a high-resolution genetic map of the human genome, based on statistical analyses of genetic variation data, and identify more than 25,000 recombination hotspots, together with motifs and sequence contexts that play a role in hotspot activity. Differences between the behavior of recombination rates over large (megabase) and small (kilobase) scales lead us to suggest a two-stage model for recombination in which hotspots are stochastic features, within a framework in which large-scale rates are constrained.     

Comparison of fine-scale recombination rates in humans and chimpanzees

We compared fine-scale recombination rates at orthologous loci in humans and chimpanzees by analyzing polymorphism data in both species. Strong statistical evidence for hotspots of recombination was obtained in both species. Despite approximately 99% identity at the level of DNA sequence, however, recombination hotspots were found rarely (if at all) at the same positions in the two species, and no correlation was observed in estimates of fine-scale recombination rates. Thus, local patterns of recombination rate have evolved rapidly, in a manner disproportionate to the change in DNA sequence.     

The fine-scale structure of recombination rate variation in the human genome

The nature and scale of recombination rate variation are largely unknown for most species. In humans, pedigree analysis has documented variation at the chromosomal level, and sperm studies have identified specific hotspots in which crossing-over events cluster. To address whether this picture is representative of the genome as a whole, we have developed and validated a method for estimating recombination rates from patterns of genetic variation. From extensive single-nucleotide polymorphism surveys in European and African populations, we find evidence for extreme local rate variation spanning four orders in magnitude, in which 50% of all recombination events take place in less than 10% of the sequence. We demonstrate that recombination hotspots are a ubiquitous feature of the human genome, occurring on average every 200 kilobases or less, but recombination occurs preferentially outside genes.     

Genetics. Motivating hotspots

Only recently have we begun to characterize fine-scale recombination rates in mammals. In her Perspective, Przeworski discusses the work by Myers et al. in which linkage disequilibrium data have been used to produce a high-resolution recombination map for most of the human genome. More than 25,000 putative hotspots have been identified, as well as the first motifs that appear to influence their intensity.     

High-resolution mapping of crossovers reveals extensive variation in fine-scale recombination patterns among humans

Recombination plays a crucial role in meiosis, ensuring the proper segregation of chromosomes. Recent linkage disequilibrium (LD) and sperm-typing studies suggest that recombination rates vary tremendously across the human genome, with most events occurring in narrow "hotspots." To examine variation in fine-scale recombination patterns among individuals, we used dense, genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism data collected in nuclear families to localize crossovers with high spatial resolution. This analysis revealed that overall recombination hotspot usage is similar in males and females, with individual hotspots often active in both sexes. Across the genome, roughly 60% of crossovers occurred in hotspots inferred from LD studies. Notably, however, we found extensive and heritable variation among both males and females in the proportion of crossovers occurring in these hotspots.     

A genetic map and recombination parameters of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Genetic investigations of malaria require a genome-wide, high-resolution linkage map of Plasmodium falciparum. A genetic cross was used to construct such a map from 901 markers that fall into 14 inferred linkage groups corresponding to the 14 nuclear chromosomes. Meiotic crossover activity in the genome proved high (17 kilobases per centimorgan) and notably uniform over chromosome length. Gene conversion events and spontaneous microsatellite length changes were evident in the inheritance data. The markers, map, and recombination parameters are facilitating genome sequence assembly, localization of determinants for such traits as virulence and drug resistance, and genetic studies of parasite field populations.     

The genetic linkage map of the human X chromosome

A database useful for mapping the human X chromosome has been established. The data consist of the genotypic characterizations obtained at more than 20 DNA marker loci from a set of 38 selected families. Multilocus linkage analysis has provided an initial genetic map completely spanning the distance from the distal short arm to the distal long arm of the chromosome, for a total genetic length of at least 185 recombination units. Analysis of the recombinational behavior of fully marked chromosomes suggests that the number of recombination events on the X chromosome may be nonrandom. Linkage studies of six families that carry the mutation which causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy were combined with linkage data from a large number of normal families. This permitted mapping of the locus for Duchenne muscular dystrophy with greater precision and statistical confidence than studies in which disease families alone provided the genotypic database. This observation suggests that the normal linkage map of this chromosome should be especially valuable in the mapping of rare X-linked diseases.     

The structure of haplotype blocks in the human genome

Haplotype-based methods offer a powerful approach to disease gene mapping, based on the association between causal mutations and the ancestral haplotypes on which they arose. As part of The SNP Consortium Allele Frequency Projects, we characterized haplotype patterns across 51 autosomal regions (spanning 13 megabases of the human genome) in samples from Africa, Europe, and Asia. We show that the human genome can be parsed objectively into haplotype blocks: sizable regions over which there is little evidence for historical recombination and within which only a few common haplotypes are observed. The boundaries of blocks and specific haplotypes they contain are highly correlated across populations. We demonstrate that such haplotype frameworks provide substantial statistical power in association studies of common genetic variation across each region. Our results provide a foundation for the construction of a haplotype map of the human genome, facilitating comprehensive genetic association studies of human disease.     

利用四交群体构建陆地棉栽培品种间的SSR标记遗传图谱

作物遗传作图与QTL定位常应用在源于两自交系的单交群体上,是利用2个亲本之间的遗传多态信息;而育种实践中经常用到的四交群体却很少用于遗传作图。本研究将异交物种中F1分离群体的作图方法应用于常异花授粉作物棉花上,以4个陆地棉栽培品种泗棉3号、苏棉12、中4133和8891为亲本,构建陆地棉品种间四交作图群体泗棉3号/苏棉12//中4133/8891,利用JoinMap3.0构建了1张陆地棉栽培品种间的SSR标记遗传图谱。该图谱由56个连锁群组成,总长为2113.3cM,含有286个SSR多态位点,覆盖率达42.3%;单个连锁群的标记数2~24个,平均5.2个;长度为0.37~125cM,平均38.4cM;标记间的平均距离为7.4cM。这是目前报道的第1张覆盖率达40%的陆地棉栽培品种间的分子标记遗传图谱。     

Recombination and the nature of bacterial speciation

Genetic surveys reveal the diversity of bacteria and lead to the questioning of species concepts used to categorize bacteria. One difficulty in defining bacterial species arises from the high rates of recombination that results in the transfer of DNA between relatively distantly related bacteria. Barriers to this process, which could be used to define species naturally, are not apparent. Here, we review conceptual models of bacterial speciation and describe our computer simulations of speciation. Our findings suggest that the rate of recombination and its relation to genetic divergence have a strong influence on outcomes. We propose that a distinction be made between clonal divergence and sexual speciation. Hence, to make sense of bacterial diversity, we need data not only from genetic surveys but also from experimental determination of selection pressures and recombination rates and from theoretical models.     

水稻重组自交系分子遗传图谱构建及分蘖角的QTL检测

利用株型差异显著的特大粒粳稻品系TD70和籼稻小粒品种Kasalath为亲本配制组合,以单粒传方法构建含240个株系的重组自交系(RIL)群体。选用838对SSR引物进行亲本多态性筛选,共检测到302对具有多态性的引物,频率为36.04%。从中选择带型清晰且在基因组中均匀分布的141个SSR标记对RIL群体进行基因型分析,结果表明:群体中父母本基因频率分别为53%和47%,群体结构平衡性好。构建的水稻分子连锁图谱共包含141个标记座位,总图距约1 832.47 cM,标记间平均图距为12.7 cM,标记间图距范围为0.43～36.11 cM,符合QTL作图的基本要求。除第1、第8染色体个别标记位置外,其他染色体上标记顺序和位置与已公布的日本晴遗传图谱序列基本一致。以该群体为材料,对分蘖角度进行了QTL检测,共检测到控制分蘖角度的3个QTL位点,分别是qTA8、qTA9和qTA11,贡献率分别为4.10%、26.08%和4.35%,其中qTA9包含控制水稻分蘖角度基因TAC1。该图谱的构建为研究籼粳交后代各种性状的遗传规律及QTL定位打下了基础。     

An Integrated Map of Soybean Physical Map and Genetic Map

Soybean is a major crop in the world, and it is a main source of plant proteins and oil. A lot of soybean genetic maps and physical maps have been constructed, but there are no integrated map between soybean physical map and genetic map. In this study, soybean genome sequence data, released by JGI （US Department of Energy＇s Joint Genome Institute）, had been downloaded. With the software Blast 2.2.16, a total of 161 super sequences were mapped on the soybean public genetic map to construct an integrated map. The length of these super sequences accounted for 73.08% of all the genome sequence. This integrated map could be used for gene cloning, gene mining, and comparative genome of legume.     

QTL analysis for plant height and fine mapping of two environmentally stable QTLs with major effects in soybean

Plant height is an important agronomic trait, which is governed by multiple genes with major or minor effects. Of numerous QTLs for plant height reported in soybean, most are in large genomic regions, which results in a still unknown molecular mechanism for plant height. Increasing the density of molecular markers in genetic maps will significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of QTL mapping. This study constructed a high-density genetic map using 4 011 recombination bin markers developed from whole genome re-sequencing of 241 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and their bi-parents, Zhonghuang 13 (ZH) and Zhongpin 03-5373 (ZP). The total genetic distance of this bin map was 3 139.15 cM, with an average interval of 0.78 cM between adjacent bin markers. Comparative genomic analysis indicated that this genetic map showed a high collinearity with the soybean reference genome. Based on this bin map, nine QTLs for plant height were detected across six environments, including three novel loci (qPH-b_11, qPH-b_17 and qPH-b_18). Of them, two environmentally stable QTLs qPH-b_13 and qPH-b_19-1 played a major role in plant height, which explained 10.56–32.7% of the phenotypic variance. They were fine-mapped to 440.12 and 237.06 kb region, covering 54 and 28 annotated genes, respectively. Via the function of homologous genes in Arabidopsis and expression analysis, two genes of them were preferentially predicted as candidate genes for further study.     

CRISPR/Cas9系统在植物基因组定点编辑中的研究进展

当外源DNA通过转基因技术导入植物细胞后,会以同源重组或非同源重组两种不同的方式整合到基因组中,进而获得相应的目标性状。外源DNA与受体细胞序列相同或相近的位点发生重新组合,从而整合到受体细胞的染色体上称之为同源重组;当发生了DNA双链断裂的细胞为了避免DNA或染色体断裂而造成DNA降解或对生命力的影响,而强行将2个DNA断端彼此连接在一起时则为非同源重组。发生非同源重组的细胞其基因组常出现核苷酸片段的插入和/或缺失以及其他突变等多种情况,使得研究者无法得到精确控制的突变结果;而发生同源重组的细胞基因组序列通常不变,通过加入同源重组的供体DNA,可以实现对基因组的精确修饰和改造。由于在植物中产生自发同源重组的概率很低,对植物基因组进行精确修饰和改造非常困难,位点特异性核酸酶的出现和应用,大大提升了同源重组的效率,使基因组编辑变得更加高效和精确,从而使得对包括植物在内的任何物种进行基因组编辑都将成为可能。锌指核酸酶（ZFN）和TALE核酸酶（TALENs）是能够使DNA的靶位点产生DNA双链断裂进而实现基因组定点编辑的常用系统,但在具体应用中发现这两种系统存在着许多缺陷和不足,如脱靶效应、与基因组进行特异结合与染色体位置及邻近序列有关等,另外技术难度大、构建组装时间长也限制了其应用。CRISPR/Cas系统广泛存在于细菌及古生菌中, 是机体长期进化形成的RNA指导的降解入侵病毒或噬菌体DNA的适应性免疫系统。Ⅱ型CRISPR/Cas系统经过密码子优化等改造后已成为继锌指核酸酶ZFNs和TALENs后的新型高效定点编辑的新技术,具有突变效率高、制作简单、易操作及成本低的特点。目前,该技术成功应用于人类细胞、斑马鱼、小鼠以及细菌的基因组精确编辑,编辑的类型包括基因的定点插入、小片段的缺失、多个位点同时突变、基因定点的indel突变等。目前,CRISPR/Cas系统在植物中的应用还比较有限,但该技术为植物基因工程的发展呈现了美好的前景。文中首先简要介绍了CRISPR/Cas系统的组成和基本原理,进而详细综述了该技术在植物内源基因和外源基因定点编辑中的应用,主要列举了自CRISPR/Cas系统改造成功以来利用该系统对单子叶和双子叶植物进行基因组定点编辑的案例,最后对基因组编辑技术在农业和植物基因工程上的应用进行了展望,希望能够为开展该领域研究的科研工作者提供参考。     

A high-resolution radiation hybrid map of the human genome draft sequence

We have constructed a physical map of the human genome by using a panel of 90 whole-genome radiation hybrids (the TNG panel) in conjunction with 40,322 sequence-tagged sites (STSs) derived from random genomic sequences as well as expressed sequences. Of 36,678 STSs on the TNG radiation hybrid map, only 3604 (9.8%) were absent from the unassembled draft sequence of the human genome. Of 20,030 STSs ordered on the TNG map as well as the assembled human genome draft sequence and the Celera assembled human genome sequence, 36% of the STSs had a discrepant order between the working draft sequence and the Celera sequence. The TNG map order was identical to one of the two sequence orders in 60% of these discrepant cases.     

西瓜遗传图谱构建及果实相关性状QTL分析

【目的】利用CAPS及SSR标记构建西瓜遗传图谱,对西瓜果实相关性状进行QTL分析,为西瓜果实性状改良、主效基因精细定位及克隆奠定基础。【方法】授粉后40 d对母本PI186490、父本LSW-177以及两者杂交获得的F2群体的果实进行采摘,对每个果实的果形指数、中心和边缘可溶性固形物、中心和边缘果肉硬度、果皮硬度、种子长度、种子宽度、种子厚度以及种子百粒重进行调查,将所得数据用软件SPSS19进行统计分析。通过Illumina HiSeq 2000高通量测序平台对两亲本材料进行基因组重测序,每样品产出10 G数据量,覆盖西瓜基因组20×以上,所得数据以已经发布的基因组数据为参考基因组,用bwa软件进行基因组组装,组装后利用Samtools软件进行SNP发掘,利用perl语言自编脚本提取SNP位点前后1 000 bp的序列,将SNP及其侧翼序列输入软件SNP2CAPS以转化为CAPS标记。在每条染色体上平均选取20个CAPS酶切位点,利用Primer Premier 5软件在突变位点上下游100-500 bp左右设计CAPS引物,进行PCR扩增和酶切检验,酶切产物用1%琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测。SSR引物来源于前人发表文献,PCR扩增产物用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳检测。对所有分子数据进行卡方检验,在其中选择符合1﹕2﹕1比例的标记用于构建遗传连锁图谱。利用Mapmaker/Exp version 3.0软件构建遗传连锁图谱,用Group命令对标记进行连锁分组,标记数目少于8的连锁群用Compare命令进行排序优化,标记数多于8的连锁群用Try命令排序。绘制遗传图谱使用Map Chart 2.1软件。QTL分析运用QTL Network 2.0软件,利用置换测验做1 000次重复,临界阈值为P=0.005,采用复合区间作图法,在每条染色体上以1.0 cM步行速度在全基因组范围内扫描,分析QTL加性效应和上位效应。【结果】本遗传连锁图谱共包含16个连锁群,涉及CAPS标记87个,SSR标记9个,覆盖基因组1 484.3 cM,平均图距15.46 cM。利用QTL Network 2.0分析,检测到6个西瓜果实相关性状的8个QTL位点和1对上位效应位点,其中包括果形指数QFSI 1、中心可溶性固形物QCBR、中心果肉硬度QCFF、边缘果肉硬度QEFF、种子长度QSL各1个,种子宽度QSWD 1、QSWD 2、QSWD 3 3个;上位效应位点包括果形指数FSI 2、FSI 3。表型贡献率大于等于10%的QTL有6个,可解释11.7%-18.8%的遗传变异。【结论】以CAPS标记为主要标记构建西瓜遗传图谱,并且定位了控制西瓜果实相关性状的8个加性QTL与1对上位性QTL,可用于进一步精细定位与克隆西瓜果实优良性状基因。     

Human-specific changes of genome structure detected by genomic triangulation

Knowledge of the rhesus macaque genome sequence enables reconstruction of the ancestral state of the human genome before the divergence of chimpanzees. However, the draft quality of nonhuman primate genome assemblies challenges the ability of current methods to detect insertions, deletions, and copy-number variations between humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaques and hinders the identification of evolutionary changes between these species. Because of the abundance of segmental duplications, genome comparisons require the integration of genomic assemblies and data from large-insert clones, linkage maps, and radiation hybrid maps. With genomic triangulation, an integrative method that reconstructs ancestral states and the structural evolution of genomes, we identified 130 human-specific breakpoints in genome structure due to rearrangements at an intermediate scale (10 kilobases to 4 megabases), including 64 insertions affecting 58 genes. Comparison with a human structural polymorphism database indicates that many of the rearrangements are polymorphic.     

Frequent recombination in a saltern population of Halorubrum

Sex and recombination are driving forces in the evolution of eukaryotes. Homologous recombination is known to be the dominant process in the divergence of many bacterial species. For Archaea, the only direct evidence bearing on the importance or natural occurrence of homologous recombination is anecdotal reports of mosaicism from comparative genomic studies. Genetic studies, however, reveal that recombination may play a significant role in generating diversity among members of at least one archaeal group, the haloarchaea. We used multi-locus sequence typing to demonstrate that haloarchaea exchange genetic information promiscuously, exhibiting a degree of linkage equilibrium approaching that of a sexual population.