Microsatellite analysis of Alpine grape cultivars (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitis vinifera</Emphasis> L.): alleged descendants of Pliny the Elder’s <Emphasis Type="Italic">Raetica</Emphasis> are genetically related

According to Pliny the Elder and other Greco-Roman geoponics, Raetica was a famous white grape as well as a white wine produced in Raetia, a Province of the Roman Empire. Does Raetica grape have modern descendants? Etymologically and geographically, the white ‘Rèze’ from Valais (Switzerland) would be the best candidate. Using available microsatellite data, we searched for relatives of ‘Rèze’ in our database containing over 1,700 genotypes of grape cultivars from all over the world. Twelve cultivars showing putative first-degree (parent–offspring or full-siblings) or second-degree (grandparent–grandoffspring, uncle–nephew or half-siblings) relationships with ‘Rèze’ were then analysed at 60 microsatellite markers. Calculation of allele sharing and likelihood ratios between competing relationship categories revealed that four cultivars had parent–offspring relationship with ‘Rèze’: ‘Cascarolo Bianco’ (Piedmont, Italy), ‘Arvine Grande’ (Valais, Switzerland), ‘Groppello di Revò’ and ‘Nosiola’ (Trentino, Italy). Given that some of these are also said to be Raetica descendants, we may well be on the tracks of Pliny the Elder’s Raetica grape. However, there is no evidence about the identity of Raetica. Analysis of ancient DNA of grape pips excavated from archaeological sites of the Roman times might provide key information. Our first attempts were unsuccessful, but analysis of additional samples and optimisation of the method could provide groundbreaking results about the identity of the grapes cultivated in classical antiquity.     

杨树锈菌表达序列微卫星分析及EST-SSR标记开发

通过对64 498条杨树锈菌EST进行拼接,得到1 998个拼接片段(contigs),发现了604个SSR位点。在拼接片段中SSR平均密度为每736.6 bp含有1个SSR。在SSR中,三核苷酸重复基元的SSR类型最多,占总数的44.70%。在二碱基重复中,最主要的优势重复单元是AC和AT,三碱基中AGT和AAG为优势重复单元,四碱基、五碱基重复类型中,(AAAN)n和(AAAAN)n为对应的优势重复单元,这些优势重复单元中富含碱基A和T,研究还发现杨树锈菌表达序列中微卫星丰度很高。杨树锈菌突变频率很高,由试验结果推测杨树锈菌基因中含有的微卫星序列是杨树锈菌基因变异的一个重要驱动力。杨树锈菌EST序列中高度变异的微卫星(长度大于20 bp)约占15.07%。针对检测到的微卫星位点,共设计了455对引物,并选取了30个SSR引物对对杨树锈菌基因组DNA进行PCR扩增,其中有27个引物对扩增成功,占90.0%。扩增产物电泳结果显示,有21个引物对扩增出的谱带在预期片段大小范围之内,有8个引物对在杨树锈菌DNA中检测到了多态性,多态性引物对占26.7%。     

SSR标记技术在植物遗传多样性研究上的应用

微卫星(microsatellites)或简单序列重复(simple sequence repeats,SSRs)是以1～6个碱基为基本单元的串联重复序列,具有含量丰富、多态性高、共显性和检测方法简单等优点,是研究植物遗传多样性的优异的分子标记之一,已被用于多种植物的遗传多样性研究。概述了微卫星DNA标记的原理及特点,介绍了其实验技术方法及发展,探讨了其在植物遗传多样性中的应用和发展前景。     

大豆重组自交系Jinf的构建及主要农艺性状和SSR基因型分析

本研究以晋豆23为母本，灰布支黑豆为父本，用“单粒混传”法构建了一个含有474个家系的F10代的大豆重组自交系Jinf。2002年本研究组对F8代RIL群体Jinf进行生育期、形态性状、产量构成及抗逆性等29个性状进行了观察记载和统计分析研究。所有观察性状在RIL群体Jinf中均表现有较大的变异范围，绝大部分性状呈连续变异、正态分布，且存在双向超亲分离现象，表明这些观察性状大都为数量性状由多基因控制。从表型分析初步认为各家系内部趋于纯合。本研究进一步选取了能覆盖大豆基因组的355对SSR引物对RIL群体Jinf进行SSR分析，212对SSR在亲本中表现有多态性，多态率为59．72％。212对引物获得213个座位用来评估大豆群体的遗传结构，各座位在群体中的多态性指数趋向于0．5，在0．375—0．500范围内波动。160个SSR座位(75．12％)在群体中呈1：1的分离比，53个SSR座位(24．88％)在群体中偏分离，SSR座位的杂异率在0—9．32％之间。分析还表明111个家系(94．07％)趋于纯合，其中31个家系(26．27％)完全纯合，而有7个家系的杂合率在15．31—42．72％之间。分析表明大豆RIL群体Jinf的各个家系的基因型组成父本灰布支的贡献率为51％，初步表明双亲对子代的遗传贡献基本上是平衡的。偏斜度(Skewness=-0．1052)与峰值(Kutosis=0．1597)及X^2检验表明群体的基因型组成分布呈正态分布。本研究初步认为，大豆RIL群体Jinf是一个遗传结构合理，适合于大豆遗传作图、基因定位等基因组研究和育种应用的RIL群体。     

奶牛次级性状的微卫星标记与QTL定位研究进展

本文对奶牛繁殖性状（产犊容易度、排卵数）、体型性状（乳房性状、肢蹄性状、体型性状）、健康性状（体细胞和乳房炎抗性）和生产效率性状（生产寿命、泌乳速度等）等四类次级性状QTL定位的研究进展进行了综述。     

南江黄羊体重性状的微卫星标记研究

通过10个微卫星位点，对周岁体重差异较大的南江黄羊极端个体基因组DNA进行扩增检测，方差分析寻找与体重性状显著相关的微卫星标记。然后，利用该引物对随机群体进行检测，应用线性模型计算含有相应标记个体体重性状的标记效应和替代效应。结果发现，BM3413位点的186bp和190bp等位基因、MFA70位点的109bp等位基因、INRA063位点的178bp和184bp等位基因、MB066位点的110bp等位基因、MB3501位点的176bp等位基因，这些标记基因与南江黄羊周岁体重呈极显著正相关，相关系数在0.5180～0.7375之间。BM3413位点的182bp等位基因、MFA70位点的115bp等位基因、MB066位点的98bp等位基因，这些标记与南江黄羊周岁体重呈显著（极显著）的负相关，相关系数在-0.6539～-0.388之间。     

冷水胁迫下水稻幼苗期根系性状的QTL分析

本研究以籼粳交“密阳23/吉冷1号”的F_2∶3 代200个家系作为作图群体，在自然和12℃冷水胁迫下，进行水稻幼苗期根系性状的鉴定，并以利用SSR标记构建的分子连锁图谱为基础，对水稻幼苗期的根数、最大的根长、最大根的根径、根干重、根/苗比等根系性状进行了数量性状位点（QTLs）分析。结果表明，上述根系性状在F₃代家系群均表现为连续分布，认为是由多基因所控制的数量性状。冷水胁迫下，在第1、2、6、11和12染色体上共检测到与根系性状相关的QTL 17个，对表型变异的解释率为5.8%～15.2%，其中与最大根的根径相关，位于第2染色体RM263-RM6区间的qCRD2和位于第11染色体RM21-RM206区间的qCRD11，以及与根干重相关，位于第2染色体RM262-RM263区间的qCRWT2和位于第11染色体RM229-RM21区间的qCRWT11贡献率较大，分别为15.0%、15.2%、10.6%和12.2%。这些基因的作用方式为部分显性或显性或超显性。     

Sperm storage and low incidence of multiple paternity in the European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis: A secure but costly strategy?

The freshwater pond turtle, Emys orbicularis, has recently suffered from population declines throughout its range, mainly due to habitat destruction. The mating strategies of this species were studied using genetic data from successive clutches within and between years. To test for the occurrence and frequency of multiple paternity and sperm storage, genetic paternity at six microsatellite markers was assessed in 114 embryos and hatchlings from single and subsequent clutches of 11 females (including clutches from the same or consecutive years). Multiple paternity was rare and only found in two out of 20 clutches from 11 females. All annual successive clutches and 58% of the clutches in the next year, were fertilized with sperm from the same male. The use of stored sperm is thus a frequent strategy in E. orbicularis. However, hatching rate, hatchling mass, and hatchling length decreased in clutches fertilized by stored sperm, suggesting sperm depletion or deterioration through time. The occurrence of stored sperm despite an associated reduced reproductive output indicated that mating and/or the fertilization process is costly to females. The low incidence of multiple paternity may simply be the residual consequence of the capacity to store viable sperm. These results provide important and innovative insights for the conservation of E. orbicularis. In threatened populations, management strategies may aim to enhance effective copulations in order to increase the reproductive output of females.     

Detection of genetic diversity in Libyan wheat genotypesusing wheat microsatellite markers

Twenty-four wheat microsatellites (WMS) wereused to estimate the extent of genetic diversity among 15 Libyanwheat genotypes. The WMS used determined 26 loci located on 20different chromosomes, and were capable of detecting 116 alleles withan average of 4.5 alleles per locus. Only two markers located on 2DSand 4DL, were monomorphic. The results indicated that the B genome(5.9 alleles per locus) was more variable than the A and Dgenomes (4.1 and 2.7 alleles per locus, respectively).Furthermore, the results obtained suggest that a relatively smallnumber of primers can be used to distinguish all genotypes used andto estimate their genetic diversity. Genetic dissimilarity valuesbetween genotypes, calculated by the WMS derived data, were used toproduce a dendrogram. The diversity within the analysed germplasm isdiscussed.     

Genetic and Phenotypic Diversity in Downy-mildew-resistant Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Germplasm

Genetic and phenotypic diversity among randomly selected 36 downy-mildew-resistant sorghum accessions were assessed, the former using 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker loci and the latter using 20 phenotypic traits. The number of alleles (a _j ) at individual loci varied from five to 14 with an average of 8.8 alleles per locus. Nei's gene diversity (H _j ) varied from 0.59 to 0.92 with an average of 0.81 per locus. High gene diversity and allelic richness were observed in races durra caudatum (H _j = 0.76, a _j = 4.3) and guinea caudatum (H _j = 0.76, a _j = 3.8) and in east Africa (H _j = 0.78, a _j = 7.2). The regions were genetically more differentiated than the races as indicated by Wright's F _st. The pattern of SSR-based clustering of accessions was more in accordance with their geographic proximity than with their racial likeness. This clustering pattern matched little with that obtained from phenotypic traits. The inter-accession genetic distance varied from 0.30 to 1.00 with an average of 0.78. Inter-accession phenotypic distance varied from 0.01 to 0.55 with an average of 0.33. Eleven accession-pairs had phenotypic distance of more than 0.50 and genetic distance of more than 0.70. These could be used as potential parents in a sorghum downy mildew resistance-breeding program.