环境DNA(eDNA)宏条形码技术对枝角类浮游动物物种鉴定及其生物量监测研究

环境DNA(eDNA)宏条形码(Metabarcoding)技术越来越多地被应用于环境中物种定性识别,但如何定量监测物种在环境中的丰度尚未得到解决。本研究以太湖流域常见的5种浮游动物拟同形溞、大型溞、蚤状溞、多刺裸腹溞、老年低额溞为研究对象,建立了一种基于eDNA宏条形码技术的物种定量方法,并与实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)相比较,研究了eDNA宏条形码技术多物种定量的准确性。结果表明,PCR引物对eDNA宏条形码的物种检测和定量影响显著。313 bp COI313引物对浮游动物物种覆盖度高,但是物种间DNA扩增的偏好性大,不适用于eDNA宏条形码定量检测。基于COI序列重新设计的短COI116引物能够同时检测出所有5个物种。荧光定量PCR(qPCR)物种拷贝数与物种相对占比呈正相关。eDNA宏条形码所检出每个物种的序列数与qPCR定量拷贝数高度一致。综上,eDNA宏条形码技术可实现对浮游动物物种的半定量检测,在生物多样性监测和生物完整性评价有显著的应用价值。     

DNA宏条形码(metabarcoding)技术在浮游植物群落监测研究中的应用

保护生物多样性和生态系统健康是维持生态系统功能和实现人类可持续发展的必要条件。浮游植物作为水生生态系统的初级生产者发挥着重要的生态功能,同时有毒藻类的爆发也会威胁水生态安全。然而,基于形态学的物种鉴定方法难以满足日益增长的水生态环境监测的需求。DNA条形码技术利用基因组特定基因的DNA序列来鉴别生物物种,目前已被广泛用于快速物种鉴别。然而其在水生生态系统浮游植物群落的监测中才刚刚起步。由于浮游植物物种多样性高,单基因DNA条形码往往难以识别所有浮游植物种类;近年来,采用多基因条形码、全叶绿体基因组序列的超级条形码,以及特定DNA条形码方法在浮游植物种类鉴别中有很大潜力。本文综述了浮游植物DNA条形码技术在物种鉴别研究方面的进展,以及DNA宏条形码技术(DNA metabarcoding)在水生浮游植物环境监测的应用现状及前景。     

DNA宏条形码（metabarcoding）技术在浮游植物群落监测研究中的应用

保护生物多样性和生态系统健康是维持生态系统功能和实现人类可持续发展的必要条件。浮游植物作为水生生态系统的初级生产者发挥着重要的生态功能,同时有毒藻类的爆发也会威胁水生态安全。然而,基于形态学的物种鉴定方法难以满足日益增长的水生态环境监测的需求。DNA条形码技术利用基因组特定基因上、短的DNA序列来鉴别生物物种,目前已广泛用于快速物种鉴别。然而其在水生生态系统浮游植物群落的监测中才刚刚起步。由于浮游植物物种多样性高,单基因DNA条形码往往不足以识别所有浮游植物种类;近年来,采用多基因条形码、全叶绿体基因组序列的超级条形码,以及特定DNA条形码方法在单物种和群落水平上区分浮游植物种类的潜力很大。本文综述了浮游植物DNA条形码技术在物种鉴别研究方面的进展,以及DNA宏条形码技术（DNA metabarcoding）在水生浮游植物环境监测的应用现状及前景。     

松材线虫PCR标准化阳性对照构建及检测体系的建立

建立了松材线虫PCR检测标准化阳性对照及特异性强的PCR检测体系.根据松材线虫rDNA-ITS区和BxPe12基因的特异基因序列设计引物,并从中筛选出一对特异引物cqubs01/cquba01,该引物能从松材线虫特异性扩增出196 bp片段,而不能对其他种类线虫进行扩增.基于优化PCR反应体系和反应程序,稳定的检测体系得以建立,检测灵敏度为100 ps/μL.以松材线虫基因组DNA为模板,以上述特异引物进行PCR扩增,将纯化后的PCR产物与PMD18-T载体连接之后转入大肠杆菌中,筛选出阳性克隆进行测序验证,最终获得了松材线虫的无害化阳性对照,建立了松材线虫标准化阳性对照的PCR检测体系.对来自于不同地区的12批次近100个样品进行了实际检测验证,其结果与实际发生情况一致,说明本检测体系稳定可靠.图3表2参8     

肠道细菌乳糖酶基因多样性分析通用引物

为深入研究肠道细菌乳糖酶基因多样性,根据NCBI公布的细菌乳糖酶基因[Beta-galactosidase(lac Z)]序列,利用软件Primer Premier 5.0前后设计合成7对通用引物,经过PCR扩增、宏基因组测序和生物信息学分析进行引物筛选.PCR扩增电泳中,436R、375R、217R和406R四对引物没有扩增出目的片段,436、324和194三对引物均有目的条带扩出.内容物样品扩增,436引物条带最清晰,灵敏性高,324和194引物条带质量相差不大;粘膜样品扩增,324引物均扩增出目的条带,条带清晰明亮.436引物只扩增出一个样品的目的条带,灵敏度较差;194引物扩增杂带多,特异性差.样品序列统计方面,删除宿主序列信息后,内容物样品中,194、324和436三对引物最终序列比例均达98%以上;粘膜样品中,194引物特异性最差,436引物最好,324引物居中.OTU聚类和注释方面,内容物样品中,324引物扩增物种也较436引物多;粘膜样品中,324引物能聚类最多的物种.Alpha多样性方面,内容物样品中,324引物的Chao1、ACE、Simpson、Shannon指数较436引物大,436引物的Simpson、Shannon指数较194引物大;粘膜样品中,324引物的Chao1、ACE、Simpson、Shannon指数均较436引物大.综合分析,对肠道内容物和肠道粘膜细菌乳糖酶基因多样性研究选用324通用引物最佳.     

麻疯树AFLP体系的建立与优化

为了建立麻疯树AFLP(Amplified fragment length polymorphism)反应体系及筛选出扩增条带丰富的引物,以17份来自不同地方的麻疯树的幼嫩叶片为试材,对影响AFLP分析的关键因素包括DNA的提取质量和浓度、MseⅠ/EcoRⅠ酶切反应时间和浓度、银染方法等进行了研究,从64对引物组合中筛选出适合麻疯树的引物.结果表明,改良的CTAB方法提取的DNA质量比较好.建立了一种适于麻疯树AFLP的优化体系:模板DNA的用量为400 ng,酶切反应时间为3 h,筛选出T8对适合麻疯树扩增条带多、多态性强的引物.最终建立了适用于麻疯树的AFLP反应体系,并筛选出适合麻疯树的引物,为今后利用AFLP标记技术进行麻疯树的遗传多样性分析提供了标准化程序.图5表2参15     

松毛虫遗传多样性研究中AFLP反应体系的建立

以油松毛虫为材料,对T4 DNA连接酶不同用量、预扩增中的Mg~(2+)浓度、dNTP浓度、引物浓度以及选择性扩增巾的预扩增产物稀释倍数、Mg2~(2+) 浓度、dNTP浓度、引物浓度和Taq酶浓度进行了比较分析.最终建立了适合松毛虫的AFLP反应体系.用优化的AFLP反应体系,以油松毛虫、赤松毛虫和马尾松毛虫为材料筛选引物,从81对引物组合中筛选出10对多态性高的引物组合.图9参17     

甘蔗SCoT-PCR反应体系优化与多态性引物筛选及应用

目标起始密码子多态性(Start condon targeted polymorphism,SCoT)分子标记是一种新型的标记,结合了ISSR标记和RAPD标记的优点.本研究针对SCoT-PCR反应体系的影响因素,以甘蔗叶片DNA为材料,在单因子实验的基础上,采用L16(45)正交实验设计,进一步探讨了模板DNA、Mg2+、dNTPs、引物及Taq酶等5个因素对甘蔗SCoT-PCR扩增效果的影响,建立了甘蔗SCoT-PCR的优化反应体系.25μL PCR反应混合液中,含50 ng DNA模板、2.0μL 10×Ex Taq Buffer(Mg2+Plus)、0.625 U Ex Taq酶,dNTP和引物的终浓度分别为0.22 mmol/L和0.9μmol/L.以我国种植面积最大的栽培品种新台糖22号为模板,应用优化体系,对40条SCoT标记引物进行测试,筛选出16条有效扩增的引物,且均为多态性引物,其GC含量在50%～67%之间.该体系的稳定性和SCoT标记引物的扩增能力,通过基于随机选择的4条引物对9份具有地理来源和遗传背景不同的甘蔗种质进行标记分析来验证,结果共扩增出84条带,其中多态性条带占82.14%,平均单条引物可扩增出21条.研究结果为在甘蔗上进一步开发和应用功能性SCoT标记奠定了基础.     

甘薯块根腐烂真菌的分离和鉴定

从腐烂甘薯块根中分离到4株丝状真菌,分别编号为SP-1、SP-2、SP-3和SP-4,它们都能在甘薯块根片上快速生长.将这4株真菌接种在PDA培养基上,观察其菌落形态和结构特征.提取4株菌的总DNA,利用真菌的18S rDNA通用引物进行扩增、克隆和测序,其18S rDNA序列的长度分别为1 810 bp、1 769 bp、1 768 bp和1 770 bp.将这些序列在GenBank中进行序列比对,获得的同源性较高的序列用于构建系统进化树.根据分子鉴定和形态观察的结果,SP-1菌株是匍枝根霉(Rhizopus stolonifer)SP-1,SP-2是尖镰孢(Fusarium oxysporum)SP-2,SP-3是康宁肉座菌(Hypocreakoningii)SP-3,SP-4是肉座菌属(Hypocrea),命名为Hypocrea sp.SP-4.     

DG-DGGE分析除臭生物滤池微生物多样性及富集后的种群结构差异

以细菌的通用引物PCR扩增16SrRNA基因的V3可变区,结合应用双梯度变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGDGGE)技术分析除臭生物滤池中不同空间层次的微生物种群的基因多样性,以及富集前后的微生物种群结构变化,初步了解可培养细菌的情况,并回收主要的DNA片段进行序列分析.结果表明,在滤池的不同层次上呈现出明显的空间分布多样性差异,并且培养前后及不同培养基富集培养的微生物种群的多样性及特异性有很大的差别.序列比对显示,硫氧化细菌在除臭过程中占有优势地位,为进一步的菌种分离提供有益的指导,也为更好地处理恶臭气体提供可靠的科学支持.图4表2参18     

Use of environmental DNA in assessment of fish functional and phylogenetic diversity

Assessing the impact of global changes and protection effectiveness is a key step in monitoring marine fishes. Most traditional census methods are demanding or destructive. Nondisturbing and nonlethal approaches based on video and environmental DNA are alternatives to underwater visual census or fishing. However, their ability to detect multiple biodiversity factors beyond traditional taxonomic diversity is still unknown. For bony fishes and elasmobranchs, we compared the performance of eDNA metabarcoding and long-term remote video to assess species’ phylogenetic and functional diversity. We used 10 eDNA samples from 30 L of water each and 25 hr of underwater videos over 4 days on Malpelo Island (pacific coast of Colombia), a remote marine protected area. Metabarcoding of eDNA detected 66% more molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) than species on video. We found 66 and 43 functional entities with a single eDNA marker and videos, respectively, and higher functional richness for eDNA than videos. Despite gaps in genetic reference databases, eDNA also detected a higher fish phylogenetic diversity than videos; accumulation curves showed how 1 eDNA transect detected as much phylogenetic diversity as 25 hr of video. Environmental DNA metabarcoding can be used to affordably, efficiently, and accurately census biodiversity factors in marine systems. Although taxonomic assignments are still limited by species coverage in genetic reference databases, use of MOTUs highlights the potential of eDNA metabarcoding once reference databases have expanded.     

Using vertebrate environmental DNA from seawater in biomonitoring of marine habitats

Conservation and management of marine biodiversity depends on biomonitoring of marine habitats, but current approaches are resource-intensive and require different approaches for different organisms. Environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from water samples is an efficient and versatile approach to detecting aquatic animals. In the ocean, eDNA composition reflects local fauna at fine spatial scales, but little is known about the effectiveness of eDNA-based monitoring of marine communities at larger scales. We investigated the potential of eDNA to characterize and distinguish marine communities at large spatial scales by comparing vertebrate species composition among marine habitats in Qatar, the Arabian Gulf (also known as the Persian Gulf), based on eDNA metabarcoding of seawater samples. We conducted species accumulation analyses to estimate how much of the vertebrate diversity we detected. We obtained eDNA sequences from a diverse assemblage of marine vertebrates, spanning 191 taxa in 73 families. These included rare and endangered species and covered 36% of the bony fish genera previously recorded in the Gulf. Sites of similar habitat type were also similar in eDNA composition. The species accumulation analyses showed that the number of sample replicates was insufficient for some sampling sites but suggested that a few hundred eDNA samples could potentially capture >90% of the marine vertebrate diversity in the study area. Our results confirm that seawater samples contain habitat-characteristic molecular signatures and that eDNA monitoring can efficiently cover vertebrate diversity at scales relevant to national and regional conservation and management.     

Single-step nested multiplex PCR to differentiate between various bivalve larvae

A nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay has been developed that allows the discrimination between six bivalve larvae common to Danish coastal waters (Cerastoderma edule, Macoma balthica, Mytilus edulis, Spisula subtruncata, Ensis americanus and members of the order Myoida). This assay involves the simultaneous use of a pair of general universally targeted 18S rRNA gene primers, five specific 18S rRNA gene targeted oligonucleotide primers internal (nested) to the universal primer pair and one species-specific primer that is not nested (Mya). The specificity of each primer was evaluated in silico, empirically, and verified further by sequencing of amplification products from single larvae collected from plankton samples. Identification of individually isolated bivalve larvae from plankton samples was based on the size of the PCR product produced by the specific primers after visualisation by agarose gel electrophoresis. Preliminary studies indicated that this method was suitable for use with freshly collected and preserved larvae, and is therefore suitable for field application.Communicated by M. Kühl, Helsingør     

林木外生菌根真菌彩色豆马勃巢式PCR检测

为探讨林木外生菌根真菌的分子检测方法,利用真菌通用引物ITS1-F/ITS4-B扩增了外生菌根真菌彩色豆马勃的核糖体DNA内转录间隔区并进行了序列测定.通过序列比较,设计了一对彩色豆马勃特异性引物PtF/PtR.利用该对特异性引物与ITS1-F/ITS4-B组合进行巢式PCR,能从供试的彩色豆马勃10个菌株中特异性地扩增出1条347 bp的条带,而供试的其他6个参比菌株未出现扩增产物.经分析,该巢式PCR检测技术的灵敏度可达到10 fg的DNA,是常规PCR检测的1 000倍.利用该技术从马尾松苗木菌根中检测到目的外生菌根真菌.这表明采用本研究设计的特异性引物,利用巢式PCR技术可以灵敏、准确地从林木外生菌根中检测出彩色豆马勃.     

The utility of the 16S gene in investigating cryptic speciation within the Brachionus plicatilis species complex

Recent reports indicate an extensive amount of molecular evolution separating cryptic taxa as well as significant population structure at a microgeographical scale. Appropriate molecular markers are particularly suitable for distinguishing cryptic biological species. In this study, we examine the phylogenetic utility of 16S rRNA in elucidating the evolutionary relationships within the recently described euryhaline Brachionus plicatilis species complex. In addition, we assess the applicability of this marker in the genetic identification and monitoring of rotifer populations. We have sequenced a 378-bp fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene in laboratory reference strains, hatchery clones as well as collections from a wild population of the subsaline Lake Koroneia (Northern Greece). Also, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was performed with eight restriction endonucleases. Rotifer samples are distinguished into six genetically divergent lineages. Average sequence divergence between lineages is 0.1038. The evolutionary relationships and divergence time-scales revealed with the 16S sequence data are in agreement with previous analyses using different mitochondrial and nuclear markers. The 16S region appears to have several advantages over other regions of the genome regarding use of species-specific primers, ease of amplification from single specimens and undiluted informational content over both recent and more ancient separations. It has also exhibited maximum discriminatory power (100% success) between lineages during RFLP analysis. The 16S assayed region has proven especially informative and consistent in detecting, supporting and establishing the lineage status within the B. plicatilis species complex both from a phylogenetic perspective and as an identification tool.     

Independent gradients of producer, consumer, and microbial diversity in lake plankton

Interactions between trophic levels during food web assembly can drive positive correlations in diversity between producers, consumers, and decomposers. However, the contribution of trophic interactions relative to local environmental factors in promoting species diversity is poorly understood, with many studies only considering two trophic levels. Here we examine correlations in diversity among zooplankton, phytoplankton, and bacteria in the pelagic zone of 31 lakes in British Columbia, Canada. We sampled species diversity of zooplankton and phytoplankton through morphological identification, and bacterial genetic diversity was estimated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rDNA polymorphisms. We looked for correlations in diversity that were independent of the abiotic environment by statistically controlling for 18 limnological variables. No significant correlations were found between the diversity of zooplankton, phytoplankton, and bacteria. In addition, the physical factors that were associated with species composition in one trophic level were independent of those that were important for another. Our results provide no support for the importance of direct feedbacks between producers, consumers, and decomposers in maintaining diversity. Zooplankton, phytoplankton, and bacterial diversity and composition are regulated independently from one another and respond to different environmental variables. These results suggest that species of lake plankton show loose trophic associations with one another due to broad diets in consumers and decomposers.     

Real-time PCR assay for detection and relative quantification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Liocarcinus </Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">depurator</Emphasis> larvae from plankton samples

Accurate species identification of decapod crustacean larvae is required to understand their population distributions, life cycle dynamics and interactions with their habitats. Analysis of plankton samples using morphological taxonomic methods and microscopy is time-consuming, requires highly skilled and trained operatives and may often be inaccurate. As complementary tools to classical identification methods, recent work has focused on the development of molecular approaches and shows their feasibility for species-specific identification. This study has developed real-time PCR assays utilising species-specific Taqman^® probes designed in the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene of Liocarcinus depurator, Necora puber, Carcinus maenas and Cancer pagurus. Our study then employed the probe and primers designed for L. depurator to obtain accurate identification and relative abundance estimates of L. depurator larvae in plankton samples collected between March 2005 and October 2006. Ranges of larval abundances were derived from a standard curve created from plankton samples spiked with a known number of larvae reared in the laboratory. Inhibition of the PCR reaction was shown to be an important factor and our results suggested that 0.1 ng of DNA as template provided accurate identification and avoided inhibition. Real-time PCR was shown to provide accurate species identification on unsorted plankton samples and could be suitable for the estimation of larval abundances in the plankton, although more work must be done to improve the accuracy of those estimations.