Check out our New Publishers' Select for Free Articles

Biochemical Genetics (v.39, #5-6)

Mitochondrial DNA Reveal that Domestic Goat (Capra hircus) are Genetically Affected by Two Subspecies of Bezoar (Capra aegagurus) by Hideyuki Mannen; Yoshihiko Nagata; Soichi Tsuji (pp. 145-154).

This article describes the complete sequences of the mitochondrial DNA displacement loop (D-loop) region and cytochrome b gene from domestic goats in Laos (Laos native) and wild goat “markhor” (C. falconeri). The wild goat “bezoar” (Capra aegagrus) has been considered to be the strongest candidate for the ancestor of the domestic goats (C. hircus); however, there is not sufficient molecular data to verify the hypothesis at present. In phylogenetic analyses, two wild goats, the markhor and the ibex (C. ibex), appeared as an outgroup, while the bezoar was located in a cluster of domestic goats. Mitochondrial haplotypes of Laos natives revealed two distinct major clusters: one was the same as the bezoar, the second, unique to Laos natives. The topology and calibrated levels of sequence divergence suggests that these clusters might represent at least two different subspecies of ancestral bezoars.

Keywords: phylogenetic analysis; domestic goat; Laos; mitochondrial displacement loop (D-loop); cytochrome b

Genetic Divergence and Phylogenetic Relationships in Grey Mullets (Teleostei: Mugilidae) Using Allozyme Data by V. Papasotiropoulos; E. Klossa-Kilia; G. Kilias; S. Alahiotis (pp. 155-168).

Genetic divergence and phylogenetic relationships among five species of the Mugilidae family (Liza saliens, Liza aurata, Liza ramada, Chelon labrosus, and Mugil cephalus) were investigated, in the present study, on samples taken from Messolongi lagoon in Greece, using allozyme electrophoresis. Ten enzymic systems corresponding to 22 genetic loci were assayed, among which, four were found to be polymorphic in Liza saliens, Liza aurata, and Chelon labrosus, seven in Liza ramada, while only two were polymorphic in Mugil cephalus. Several loci showed different electrophoretic patterns among the species and thus, they can be useful in species taxonomy as diagnostic markers, as well as for further evolutionary studies. It must be underlined that among them the aGPD-2* locus proved to be species-specific, while the other ones can be also used in various combinations for the same purpose. The observed heterozygosity was found to range from 0.020 to 0.051. Allele frequencies of all loci were used to estimate Nei's (1972) genetic distance, which was found to range between 0.249 and 1.171 among the five species studied. UPGMA and NJ trees, obtained by genetic distance matrix methods, as well as, a tree based on the discrete character parsimony analysis were found to exhibit the same topology. Our result show that the three species of the genus Liza are clustered together, Chelon labrosus being closer to the previous clade, while Mugil cephalus being more distinct.

Keywords: Mugilidae; allozymes; genetic divergence; phylogeny; Greece

Genetic Analysis and Mapping of Biochemical Markers in an F2 Intercross of Two Inbred Strains of the Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) by R. Korstanje; M. den Bieman; R. Campos; P. J. Esteves; Æ. Lankhorst; W. van der Loo; L. F. M. van Zutphen; H. A. van Lith; N. Ferrand (pp. 169-178).

A total of 40 biochemical and four immunological markers found to be polymorphic in the rabbit in previous studies were screened in the AX/JU and IIIVO/JU inbred strains. Although the strains are considered unrelated, only eight (biochemical) markers were found to be polymorphic between the two strains. These eight markers were analyzed in an F₂ intercross population. Linkage was found for Est-5 and C on chromosome 1 and for Es-1, Est-2, Est-4, Est-6 and HP on linkage group VI. Two polymorphic markers, Es-3 and Mhr-1 could not be linked to any of the other markers.

Keywords: biochemical markers; immunological markers; genetic map; rabbit

Use of DNA Markers in Prediction of Hybrid Performance and Heterosis for a Three-Line Hybrid System in Rice by S. P. Joshi; S. G. Bhave; K. V. Chowdari; G. S. Apte; B. L. Dhonukshe; K. Lalitha; P. K. Ranjekar; V. S. Gupta (pp. 179-200).

Two Cytoplasmic Male Sterile lines were crossed with fourteen restorer lines of rice widely grown in the western regions of Maharashtra, India, to produce 28 F₁ hybrids which were evaluated for eight agronomically important traits, contributing to yield potential, in replicated field trials. The hybrid performance was recorded along with heterosis and heterobeltiosis. All the rice lines under investigation were subjected to marker-based variability analysis. An attempt was made to correlate genetic distance based on specific markers for each trait individually, as well as average genetic distance based on all specific markers, with hybrid performance and heterosis, by regression analysis. Specific markers could cluster the parental lines in different groups and showed significant correlation with hybrid performance. The data also supports the proposition that epistasis is the basis of heterosis. The analysis, however, revealed a lack of significant predictive values for field application.

Keywords: correlation; genetic distance; hybrid performance; heterosis; rice

Phylogenetic Relationships of the Seven Coat Protein Subunits of the Coatomer Complex, and Comparative Sequence Analysis of Murine Xenin and Proxenin by Vincent T. K. Chow; Meena K. Sakharkar; D. P. P. Lim; W. M. Yeo (pp. 201-211).

The coatomer complex is involved in intracellular protein transport and comprises an assembly of seven polypeptide subunits designated α, β, β′, γ, δ, ε, and ζ COP. Rooted phylogenetic trees constructed from the full-length cDNA and amino acid sequences of 49 COP entities in different eukaryotes from yeast to man generally revealed striking conservation of each subunit through evolution. Both nucleotide and protein trees displayed close relationships between α and β′ subunits, between β and γ subunits, and between δ and ζ subunits, implying evolution from common ancestors as well as functional similarity. Interestingly, although 6 out of 7 ε-COP genes appeared to be grouped and related to the β-COP genes, 4 out of 7 ε-COP gene products clustered with other groups of other COP subunit proteins. A 5′ coding segment of the murine α-COP gene was amplified by RT-PCR and cycle-sequenced. The partial predicted amino acid sequence of this murine homolog was exactly identical to the human and bovine counterparts. Of particular significance was the complete identity of the first 25 and 35 N-terminal residues which constitute the gastrointestinal hormone xenin and its precursor proxenin, thus emphasizing their strict evolutionary conservation and alluding to their physiological importance.

Keywords: coatomer complex; coat proteins; murine xenin; proxenin; phylogeny

Genetic Diversity among Different Clones of the Gynogenetic Silver Crucian Carp, Carassius auratus gibelio, Revealed by Transferrin and Isozyme Markers by Lin Yang; Shu-Ting Yang; Xue-Hong Wei; Jian-Fang Gui (pp. 213-225).

Genetic diversity among four clones (A, D, E, F) of gynogenetic silver crucian carp was studied using transferrin and isozymes in the blood as markers. Of the five proteins investigated, three (transferrin, esterase and superoxide dismutase) indicated polymorphism and eight polymorphic loci were detected. These loci were probably encoded by codominant alleles and their inheritance patterns were analyzed. Intraclonal homogeneity and interclonal heterogeneity were observed in these clones, which allowed us to infer the clonal nature and evolutionary relationship between them. Clonal diversity in this population of silver crucian carp in China was also compared with data reported from gynogenetic crucian carp in Germany.

Keywords: genetic diversity; gynogenesis; silver crucian carp; transferrin; isozymes

Sections

Personal tools

Biochemical Genetics (v.39, #5-6)

Sections

Personal tools

Local resources

Biochemical Genetics (v.39, #5-6)