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Biochemical Genetics (v.43, #11-12)

Genetic Evaluation of in situ Conserved and Reintroduced Populations of Wild Rice (Oryza rufipogon: Poaceae) in China by Ji Qian; Tianhua He; Zhiping Song; Baorong Lu (pp. 561-575).

We evaluated the genetic consequences and efficiency of conservation practices in Oryza rufipogon using microsatellite DNA markers. Spatial autocorrelation analysis from 12 microsatellite loci revealed that microsatellite alleles were exclusively distributed in patches within the population, indicating that large populations were unlikely to be homogeneous. An in situ conserved stand of O. rufipogon, which has been protected by a concrete wall from a large population, captured only 67.9% of the total genetic variation of the previous large population. The concrete wall was built to protect the wild rice, but it acted more as a physical barrier to gene exchanges between the two sides. An assignment test revealed only 11.1% putative seed exchanges across the wall. A reintroduced population was found to be genetically very diverse. About 76.3% of the total genetic variation detected in other populations was captured in this reintroduced population, and 24.8% of the total genetic variation in this population was not found in other populations. These results display two important findings for conservation of O. rufipogon. First, conserving one part of a large population of O. rufipogon will not preserve an adequate sample of the genetic variability, since populations are not homogeneous, and genotype distribution varies among localities. Second, a reintroduced population is not genetically depauperate, but it is too early to assess its long-term survival.

Keywords: Oryza rufipogonin situ conservation; reintroduction; spatial autocorrelation analysis; gene flow; genetic evaluation

Biochemical Genetic Relationships Among Tunisian Hares (Lepus sp.), South African Cape Hares (L. capensis), and European Brown Hares (L. europaeus) by Hichem Ben Slimen; Franz Suchentrunk; Abdelmajid Memmi; Amel Ben Ammar Elgaaied (pp. 577-596).

Tunisian hares (n = 45), currently assigned to Lepus capensis, were assayed for allelic variation at 40 allozyme loci, and allele frequencies at 32 loci were directly compared with earlier data of South African cape hares (L. capensis, n = 9) and European brown hares (L. europaeus, n = 244) to reveal genetic relationships among them. European mountain hares (L. timidus, n = 200) were used for outgroup comparison. In the Tunisian hares 27.5% of the loci were polymorphic with 2–4 alleles. Among all alleles at polymorphic loci, 15.1% occurred exclusively in Tunisian hares, 5.7% exclusively in cape hares, and 7.5% exclusively in brown hares at low frequencies. Not a single locus showed alternately fixed alleles between the samples of the L. capensis/L. europaeus complex. Levels of absolute and relative genetic differentiation among the samples of the L. capensis/ L. europaeus complex were low, relative to pairwise comparisons involving mountain hares. Diverse cluster analyses and multidimensional scaling of various pairwise genetic distance matrices concordantly grouped Tunisian hares with brown hares, and South African cape hares clustered only slightly farther apart, whereas mountain hares were distinctly separate. These results suggest regionally distinct phylogenetic units within an overall cohesive gene pool in the L. capensis/ L. europaeus complex, supporting Petter's view that all North African hares belong to L. capensis except for one local population of savanna hares, and that cape hares and brown hares are conspecific.

Keywords: Tunisian hares; allozymesLepus capensisLepus europaeusphylogeny

A New Variant of the Mouse Akp1 Locus by Chul-Ho Lee; Eun-Hee Kim; Young-Suk Won; Yang-Kyu Choi; Ki-Hoan Nam; Hyoung-Chin Kim; Byung-Hwa Hyun; Jun-Gyo Suh; Yang-Seok Oh (pp. 597-602).

A new electrophoretic migration type of alkaline phosphatase 1 (Akp1) was found on the cellulose acetate electrophoresis for kidney and liver homogenates of KWHM mouse, a newly established inbred strain derived from the Korean wild mouse (Mus musculus molossinus). This new type of alkaline phosphatase 1 was distinguished from previously reported AKP1A and AKP1B types in the mouse, and tentatively named AKP1C. In genetic analysis by mating experiments between KWHM and C57BL/6J (AKP1A) or BALB/cA (AKP1B), the phenotypic segregation ratios of AKP1A : AKP1AC : AKP1C or AKP1B : AKP1BC : AKP1C were 1 : 2 : 1 in both groups of F2 generations. It was therefore concluded that AKP1C type is controlled by Akp1^c allele which is codominant with Akp1^a and Akp1^b alleles.

Keywords: Mus musculusalkaline phosphatase; electrophoresis

Phylogenetic Analysis ofBambusa (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) Based on Internal Transcribed Spacer Sequences of Nuclear Ribosomal DNA by Ye Sun; Nianhe Xia; Rushun Lin (pp. 603-612).

Phylogenetic analyses of Bambusa species were performed using internal transcribed spacer sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The 21 species sampled included members of Bambusa (sensu stricto), Dendrocalamopsis, Dendrocalamus, Guadua, Leleba, and Lingnania. Arundinaria gigantea was used as an outgroup. Using the maximum parsimony method with PAUP^∗, gaps were treated as missing states or new states. Parsimonious analysis revealed that Dendrocalamus latiflorus was closely related to the members of Dendrocalamopsis. Dendrocalamus membranaceus was a sister species to Dendrocalamus strictus. Three Dendrocalamus species were closely related to and nested in a polyphyletic Bambusa. Bambusa subaequalis was a sister species to B. multiplex, B. emeiensis to B. chungii, B. contracta to B. hainanensis, and B. flexuosa was a sister species to B. sinospinosa, B. tuldoides, B. surrecta, B. intermedia, and B. valida group, which raised doubts about the monophyly of the subgenera Bambusa (sensu stricto), Dendrocalamopsis, Leleba, and Lingnania under the genus Bambusa.

Keywords: bambooBambusaphylogenetic analysis; nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence; internal transcribed spacer

A Comparative Study of Genetic Diversity of Peripheral and Central Populations of Chukar Partridge From Northwestern China by Zuhao Huang; Naifa Liu; Tianlin Zhou (pp. 613-621).

Although it has long been presumed that peripheral populations tend to exhibit low genetic diversity because of isolation and genetic drift, results of empirical investigation remain ambiguous. Some chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) populations have expanded their ranges, resulting in several peripheral populations, due to recent deforestation by human beings in the Longdong Loess Plateau of northwestern China. On the basis of mitochondrial DNA control-region data, we compare the genetic diversity of two peripheral populations, Honghui and Wangxia, and six central populations. The Wangxia population possessed high levels of genetic diversity. The Honghui population, however, exhibited low genetic variation. The degree of isolation was the primary factor affecting the genetic diversity of the two peripheral populations. A peripheral population that was not isolated exhibited higher genetic diversity than did an isolated peripheral population.

Keywords: Alectoris chukarperipheral population; central population; mtDNA; genetic diversity

A New SNP in the 3′-UTR of the hsp 70-1 Gene in Bos taurus and Bos indicus by T. Adamowicz; E. Pers; D. Lechniak (pp. 623-627).

Analysis of Genetic Polymorphism of Deoxyribonuclease I in Ovambo and Turk Populations Using a Genotyping Method by Junko Fujihara; Yoko Hieda; Koji Takayama; Yuying Xue; Norihito Nakagami; Shinji Imamura; Kaori Kataoka; Haruo Takeshita (pp. 629-635).

Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) polymorphism has been used as a valuable marker in genetic and clinical investigations. Six codominant alleles are known for DNase I, DNASE1^∗1, ^∗2, ^∗3, ^∗4, and the recently discovered alleles ^∗5 and ^∗6. To detect these two new alleles, we added a new DNase I genotyping method based on both an allele-specific amplification and mismatched polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These methods were used to examine the distribution of DNase I genotypes in unrelated individuals from bloodstains of Ovambo and Turkish populations. The DNASE1^∗1 allele was found to be most dominant in the Ovambos. In contrast, Turks showed the highest allele frequency for DNASE1^∗2. This study is the first to demonstrate that there is a certain genetic heterogeneity in the worldwide distribution of DNase I polymorphism using the genotyping method of human DNase I polymorphism with PCR.

Keywords: DNase I; genotyping method; Ovambos; population study; Turks

Phospholamban Gene Mutations Are Not Associated with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in a Northern Greek Population by Theodora Kalemi; Georgios Efthimiadis; Dimitrios Zioutas; Alexandros Lambropoulos; Anastasia Mitakidou; Georgios Giannakoulas; Vassilios Vassilikos; Haralambos Karvounis; Alexandros Kotsis; Georgios Parharidis; Georgios Louridas (pp. 637-642).

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically transmitted cardiac disease characterized by unexplained myocardial hypertrophy and diverse clinical spectrum. Currently, more than 250 HCM-related mutations in 10 genes encoding contractile sarcomeric proteins have been identified. Phospholamban (PLN) is a modest modulator of intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis and may be a candidate gene responsible for cardiomyopathy. In this study 53 consecutive patients with HCM, coming from Northern Greece, were screened for mutations of PLN gene. The patients were evaluated by clinical history, physical examination, electrocardiogram and echocardiography. All PCR products were analyzed for mutation by both restriction analysis and sequencing. The systematic mutation screening did not reveal any mutation in exons 1 and 2 or in the promoter region of phospholamban gene. Additionally, no polymorphisms were detected in all patients. Therefore, PLN gene mutations were not found to be associated with HCM in a Northern Greece population.

Keywords: phospholamban gene; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; mutation; DNA-sequencing

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Biochemical Genetics (v.43, #11-12)

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Biochemical Genetics (v.43, #11-12)