Persistence of the entire Epstein-Barr virus genome integrated into human lymphocyte DNA

The entire Epstein-Barr virus genome is integrated into Burkitt tumor cell DNA at the terminal direct repeat sequence of the virus. There is no homology between the GC-rich (G, guanine; C, cytosine) terminal repeat and the AT-rich (A, adenine; T, thymine) cell sequences with which it has recombined. More than 15 kilobases of cell DNA have been deleted and 236 base pairs are duplicated at one virus-cell junction site.     

The genome of black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa (Torr. & Gray)

We report the draft genome of the black cottonwood tree, Populus trichocarpa. Integration of shotgun sequence assembly with genetic mapping enabled chromosome-scale reconstruction of the genome. More than 45,000 putative protein-coding genes were identified. Analysis of the assembled genome revealed a whole-genome duplication event; about 8000 pairs of duplicated genes from that event survived in the Populus genome. A second, older duplication event is indistinguishably coincident with the divergence of the Populus and Arabidopsis lineages. Nucleotide substitution, tandem gene duplication, and gross chromosomal rearrangement appear to proceed substantially more slowly in Populus than in Arabidopsis. Populus has more protein-coding genes than Arabidopsis, ranging on average from 1.4 to 1.6 putative Populus homologs for each Arabidopsis gene. However, the relative frequency of protein domains in the two genomes is similar. Overrepresented exceptions in Populus include genes associated with lignocellulosic wall biosynthesis, meristem development, disease resistance, and metabolite transport.     

Repeat-induced G-C to A-T mutations in Neurospora

In the Neurospora genome duplicate sequences are detected and altered in the sexual phase. Both copies of duplicate genes are inactivated at high frequency, whether or not they are linked. Restriction sites change, and affected sequences typically become heavily methylated. To characterize the alterations of the DNA, duplicated sequences were isolated before and after one or more sexual cycles. DNA sequencing and heteroduplex analyses demonstrated that the process (termed RIP) produces exclusively G-C to A-T mutations. Changes occur principally at sites where adenine is 3' of the changed cytosine. A sequence duplicated at a distant site in the genome lost approximately 10 percent of its G-C pairs in one passage through a cross. A closely linked duplication of the same sequence that was passed twice through a cross lost about half of its G-C pairs. The results suggest a mechanism for the RIP process.     

Recent segmental duplications in the human genome

Primate-specific segmental duplications are considered important in human disease and evolution. The inability to distinguish between allelic and duplication sequence overlap has hampered their characterization as well as assembly and annotation of our genome. We developed a method whereby each public sequence is analyzed at the clone level for overrepresentation within a whole-genome shotgun sequence. This test has the ability to detect duplications larger than 15 kilobases irrespective of copy number, location, or high sequence similarity. We mapped 169 large regions flanked by highly similar duplications. Twenty-four of these hot spots of genomic instability have been associated with genetic disease. Our analysis indicates a highly nonrandom chromosomal and genic distribution of recent segmental duplications, with a likely role in expanding protein diversity.     

The dog genome: survey sequencing and comparative analysis

A survey of the dog genome sequence (6.22 million sequence reads; 1.5x coverage) demonstrates the power of sample sequencing for comparative analysis of mammalian genomes and the generation of species-specific resources. More than 650 million base pairs (>25%) of dog sequence align uniquely to the human genome, including fragments of putative orthologs for 18,473 of 24,567 annotated human genes. Mutation rates, conserved synteny, repeat content, and phylogeny can be compared among human, mouse, and dog. A variety of polymorphic elements are identified that will be valuable for mapping the genetic basis of diseases and traits in the dog.     

A new class of endogenous human retroviral genomes

Human DNA contains multiple copies of a novel class of endogenous retroviral genomes. Analysis of a human recombinant DNA clone (HLM-2) containing one such proviral genome revealed that it is a mosaic of retroviral-related sequences with the organization and length of known endogenous retroviral genomes. The HLM-2 long terminal repeat hybridized with the long terminal repeat of the squirrel monkey virus, a type D retrovirus. The HLM-2 gag and pol genes share extensive nucleotide sequence homology with those of the M432 retrovirus (a type A-related retrovirus), mouse mammary tumor virus (a type B retrovirus), and the avian Rous sarcoma virus (a type C retrovirus). Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed regions in the HLM-2 pol gene that were as much as 70 percent identical to the mouse mammary tumor virus pol gene. A portion of the putative HLM-2 env gene hybridized with the corresponding region of the M432 viral genome.     

J genes for heavy chain immunoglobulins of mouse

A 15,8-kilobase pair fragment of BALB/c mouse liver DNA, cloned in the Charon 4A lambda phage vector system, was shown to contain the mu heavy chain constant region (CHmu) gene for the mouse immunoglobulin M. In addition, this fragment of DNA contains at least two J genes, used to code for the carboxyl terminal portion of heavy chain variable regions. These genes are located in genomic DNA about eight kilobase pairs to the 5' side of the CHmu gene. The complete nucleotide sequence of a 1120-base pair stretch of DNA that includes the two J genes has been determined.     

Inserted sequences in bovine satellite DNA's

The nucleotide sequence of the 1413-base-pair repeat unit of bovine 1.711a satellite DNA (density in cesium chloride, 1.711 grams per cubic centimeter) has been determined. The repeat unit contains two segments consisting of variants of a basic 23-base-pair sequence that is closely related to sequences of bovine 1.706 satellite DNA. A third segment of the repeat unit contains an unrelated 611-base-pair sequence that is not internally repetitive. This segment is flanked by inverted repeats of 8 base pairs and, on one side, by a direct repeat of the terminal sequence. A related segment is present in bovine 1.711b satellite DNA and is inserted into sequences derived from the 1.715 satellite. These nucleotide sequences suggest the timing of some of the stages in the evolution of these complex, closely related satellite DNA's and indicate the mechanisms inherent in their divergence from a common ancestor.     

老班瑶药牛耳风叶绿体基因组特征及其密码子使用偏好性分析

为探究老班瑶药牛耳风叶绿体基因组的结构特征、系统进化以及密码子偏好性,以瑶药牛耳风为研究材料,对其叶绿体基因组进行测序和组装。结果表明,牛耳风叶绿体基因组由大单拷贝区、小单拷贝区以及1对反向重复区组成,全长189 920 bp,包含118个基因,其中99个编码蛋白质的基因,11个tRNA基因,8个核糖体rRNA基因;共检测到71个简单序列重复（simple sequence repeat, SSR）位点。系统进化分析表明牛耳风与番荔枝属的刺果番荔枝（Annona muricata）亲缘关系最近。密码子偏好性分析表明,牛耳风的密码子偏好性较弱,且密码子偏好性主要受选择因素的影响,最终选出11个最优密码子,其中10个以A/U结尾,为瑶药牛耳风的系统进化研究等提供科学依据。     

Selfish DNA in protein-coding genes of Rickettsia

Rickettsia conorii, the aetiological agent of Mediterranean spotted fever, is an intracellular bacterium transmitted by ticks. Preliminary analyses of the nearly complete genome sequence of R. conorii have revealed 44 occurrences of a previously undescribed palindromic repeat (150 base pairs long) throughout the genome. Unexpectedly, this repeat was found inserted in-frame within 19 different R. conorii open reading frames likely to encode functional proteins. We found the same repeat in proteins of other Rickettsia species. The finding of a mobile element inserted in many unrelated genes suggests the potential role of selfish DNA in the creation of new protein sequences.     

大旗瓣凤仙花与瑶山凤仙花叶绿体全基因组比较及系统发育分析

【目的】比较大旗瓣凤仙花和瑶山凤仙花的叶绿体全基因组序列,并分析凤仙花属20个物种的系统发育情况及遗传进化关系,为证实这两个分类群的早期植物学分类及其种质资源利用和遗传改良提供理论依据。【方法】基于BGISEQ-500测序平台,对大旗瓣凤仙花和瑶山凤仙花叶绿体基因组进行测序,利用Fastp软件和NOVOPlasty v.2.6.2程序对叶绿体基因组进行组装。利用CpGAVAS在线工具对叶绿体基因组序列进行注释,并使用MAFFT v.7.0、CAIcal、REPuter、MISA和FastTree等生物信息学软件进行序列比对、密码子偏性分析、重复序列定位及简单重复序列(SSRs)和系统发育分析。【结果】大旗瓣凤仙花和瑶山凤仙花叶绿体基因组长度分别为152437和152286 bp,GC含量分别为36.77%和36.80%;其中大单拷贝(LSC)区分别为83331和83212 bp,小单拷贝(SSC)区分别为17376和17312 bp,反向重复区(IRa和IRb)分别为25865和25881 bp。大旗瓣凤仙花和瑶山凤仙花叶绿体基因组均包含88个蛋白编码基因、8个rRNA基因和37个t RNA基因,且无假基因。系统发育分析结果表明,凤仙花属内的物种分类与基于系统形态学分析的早期植物学分类一致;虽然大旗瓣凤仙花和瑶山凤仙花叶绿体基因组非常接近,但二者为不同的凤仙花属种类,而不是早期形态分类学上的两个亚种水平。【结论】大旗瓣凤仙花和瑶山凤仙花为2个独立的凤仙花属种类,二者叶绿体基因组发生部分遗传变异,鉴定出的SSRs位点可用于物种鉴定和群体遗传学研究。     

Diversity of human copy number variation and multicopy genes

Copy number variants affect both disease and normal phenotypic variation, but those lying within heavily duplicated, highly identical sequence have been difficult to assay. By analyzing short-read mapping depth for 159 human genomes, we demonstrated accurate estimation of absolute copy number for duplications as small as 1.9 kilobase pairs, ranging from 0 to 48 copies. We identified 4.1 million "singly unique nucleotide" positions informative in distinguishing specific copies and used them to genotype the copy and content of specific paralogs within highly duplicated gene families. These data identify human-specific expansions in genes associated with brain development, reveal extensive population genetic diversity, and detect signatures consistent with gene conversion in the human species. Our approach makes ~1000 genes accessible to genetic studies of disease association.     

Evolutionary formation of new centromeres in macaque

A systematic fluorescence in situ hybridization comparison of macaque and human synteny organization disclosed five additional macaque evolutionary new centromeres (ENCs) for a total of nine ENCs. To understand the dynamics of ENC formation and progression, we compared the ENC of macaque chromosome 4 with the human orthologous region, at 6q24.3, that conserves the ancestral genomic organization. A 250-kilobase segment was extensively duplicated around the macaque centromere. These duplications were strictly intrachromosomal. Our results suggest that novel centromeres may trigger only local duplication activity and that the absence of genes in the seeding region may have been important in ENC maintenance and progression.     

Mouse immunoglobulin D: messenger RNA and genomic DNA sequences

The molecular structure of a mouse immunoglobulin D from a plasmacytoma tumor and that of the normal mouse gene coding for immunoglobulin D are presented. The DNA sequence results indicate an unusual structure for the tumor delta chain in two respects: (i) Only two constant (C) region domains, termed C delta 1 and C delta 3 by homology considerations, are found; the two domains are separated by an unusual hinge region C delta H that lacks cysteine residues and thus cannot provide the covalent cross-links between heavy chains typically seen in immunoglobulins. The two domains and hinge are all coded on separate exons. (ii) At the carboxyl end of the delta chain there is a stretch of 26 amino acids that is coded from an exon located 2750 to 4600 base pairs downstream from the rest of the gene. Analogy with immunoglobulin M suggests that this distally coded segment C delta DC may have a membrane-binding function; however, it is only moderately hydrophobic. A fifth potential exon (C delta AC), located adjacent to the 3' (carboxyl) end of C delta 3, could code for a stretch of 49 amino acids. The tumor's expression of the delta gene may be aberrant, but the simplest interpretation would be that this tumor expresses one of the several biologically significant forms of the delta chain.     

枯草芽胞杆菌Bs-916的全基因组分析

 【目的】对枯草芽胞杆菌Bs-916进行全基因组测序,为今后更好挖掘和利用该菌生防潜力提供较多的分子生物学信息。【方法】通过应用比较基因组学软件与另一测序菌株Bs168进行全基因组序列分析。【结果】Bs-916菌株全基因组大小为3 925 958 bp,GC含量为46.4%,与其它已测序全基因组芽孢杆菌相比,其GC含量最高;预测所得CDS数为4 056个,152个串联重复区域,转座子103个,IS（插入序列）序列数量37个, tRNA 46个,rRNA 39个;比较基因组学分析其含有8个NRPS/PKS基因簇,其中bacillomycin L,macrolactin,difficidin这3个基因簇在比较菌株Bs168中不存在;该菌还含有植酸酶基因、comAPQX及sfp等与生防因子相关的基因。【结论】Bs-916菌株全基因组含有多种抗菌物质编码基因簇,是一类具有极大生防潜力的典型根际革兰氏阳性菌株。该菌株全基因组序列的测定及其遗传操作方法的可行性,有利于其次生代谢产物的开发和利用。次生代谢产物具有潜在的应用价值,有望在未来开发成独特的农业生物工程制剂。     

濒危红树植物莲叶桐叶绿体基因组及其系统进化

对濒危红树植物莲叶桐的叶绿体基因组及与其近缘物种之间的叶绿体基因组进行比较进化分析。结果表明,莲叶桐叶绿体基因组序列全长157 762 bp,包括1个大的单拷贝区(LSC)86 641 bp,1个小的单拷贝区(SSC)18 603 bp和2个反转重复区(IRs)26 260 bp。叶绿体基因组的GC含量为39.3%,含有133个基因,包括83个蛋白质编码基因、42个tRNA基因和8个rRNA基因。17个基因位于反转重复区,包括6个蛋白编码基因、7个tRNA和4个rRNA。登录号为:MG838431。通过最大似然法对16个双子叶植物（包含5个樟科植物、2个腊梅科植物、3个毛茛科植物、1个小檗科植物、1个报春花科植物、1个蔷薇科植物、1个桑科植物,1个安息香科植物以及莲叶桐）和1个外类群植物水稻的叶绿体基因组序列进行聚类分析,莲叶桐与樟科和腊梅科植物聚为一支。聚类结果将莲叶桐科划入樟目,更支持《中国高等植物图鉴》中分类方式。随后对莲叶桐及其近缘种叶绿体基因组进行了共线性分析,进一步验证了其叶绿体基因组之间具有高度保守性。研究结果为莲叶桐的系统进化提供了新的证据。