The enemies within: intergenomic conflict, interlocus contest evolution (ICE), and the intraspecific Red Queen

Different loci within the genome of a single species can potentially coevolve in a manner that is analogous to the Red Queen process among species. The major factor driving this antagonistic coevolution among loci is intergenomic conflict, i.e., discord between individuals that is mediated by two or more gene products that are derived from different gene loci. We conclude that antagonistic coevolution is common among loci that code for social interactions, and that it has broad evolutionary implications, especially in the context of speciation and sex chromosome evolution. Received: 15 January 1997 / Accepted after revision: 14 April 1997     

Prenatal detection of fetal hemoglobin E gene from maternal plasma

In order to provide a noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of the hemoglobin E (Hb E) related disorder, we have evaluated the possibility of identifying the fetal β^E-globin gene in maternal plasma. The analysis was performed during 8 to 18 weeks of gestation using DNA extracted from 200 µL of plasma from pregnant women whose husbands carried Hb E. The β^E-globin mutation in maternal plasma was detected by a nested PCR amplification followed by the Mnl I restriction analysis. The result was compared with that of routine analysis of the CVS specimens. Among the five pregnant women examined, the fetal β^E-globin gene was identified in maternal plasma in three of them and the result was completely concordant with the conventional CVS analysis. This simple noninvasive prenatal detection of the fetal β^E-globin gene should prove useful in a prevention and control program of Hb E/β-thalassemia in countries where the β^E-globin gene is prevalent. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

亚硝态氮胁迫下菲律宾蛤仔实时定量P CR内参基因的筛选

为了更好地从基因角度研究亚硝态氮对贝类的生态毒性,需要筛选一个合适的内参基因作为参考,对其毒性相关基因进行定量表达分析。本研究以菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapes philippinarum)作为研究对象,以亚硝态氮胁迫的鳃组织cDNA作为模板,利用geNorm软件和NormFinder软件对6个候选内参基因进行表达稳定性分析,并对2个结果做了综合赋权分析。结果显示,geNorm分析的基因表达稳定性结果为ActinCyPAEF1αUbi18STubu,NormFinder软件分析的结果为ActinUbiCyPAEF1α18STubu,最后经加权赋值法综合分析获得6个候选基因的表达稳定性为ActinCyPAUbiEF1α18STubu,即Actin为表达最稳定的基因。因此,Actin可以作为衡量亚硝态氮胁迫后菲律宾蛤仔鳃组织中基因表达的内参基因。     

辣椒倍半萜环化酶基因在几种非生物诱发因子作用下的表达

报道了在CuCl2,HgCl2及NaCl、紫外线等几种诱发因子作用下辣椒倍半萜环化酶活性表达，并利用从辣椒中克隆出来的2个倍半萜环化酶等位基因cDNA的特异性片段，研究这两个等位基因在上述诱发因子作用下的表达情况，结果表明：在CuCl2,HgCl2,NaCl2、紫外线诱发作用下，离体辣椒叶片均能表现一定的倍半萜环化酶活性，而CK中几乎检测不出倍半萜环化酶活性，Northern Blot分析表明，辣椒倍半萜环化酶基因在逆境下被诱转导，两个cDNA在不同的诱发因子在相同的逆境胁迫下的表达有一定的特异性，推测该基因家族的不同成员在辣椒适应不同逆境的防御反应中有一定的意义，图5参6。     

植物诱导抗病性的分子生物学研究进展

植物诱导抗病性是植物抵御病害侵袭的重要机制之一，作为一种经济有效的抗病策略，在农业可持续病害防治中具有广阔的应用前景，日益受到人们的关注．其中系统获得性抗性(SAR)作为植物诱导抗病性的一种重要形式，随着分子生物学实验手段的迅速发展及其在植物抗病机制研究中的应用，其分子机制研究方面已取得了不少进展．图1参58     

SO2长期吸入对大鼠肺组织基因表达谱的影响

采用Affymetrix的基因芯片(RAE230A)技术,研究了SO2长期动态吸入(14mg/m3,1h/d,共30d)后大鼠肺组织基因表达谱的改变.结果表明,与对照组(CK)相比,SO2长期吸入后大鼠肺组织表达上调的基因有173个,其中包括79个已知基因和94个新基因,而表达下调的基因有85个,其中包括46个已知基因和39个新基因.表明:(1)长期吸入SO2的大鼠肺基因表达谱与其CK相比,表达有差异的基因涉及到脂肪酸代谢、免疫、炎症、氧化应激、原癌基因、肿瘤抑制基因和细胞外基质等,表明低剂量长期吸入SO2在体内的机理非常复杂;(2)SO2高剂量短期吸入与低剂量长期吸入后,大鼠肺组织基因表达谱的改变很不一致,表明二者在体内的作用机理不同;(3)SO2可引起多种基因的表达发生改变,这意味着多种基因的表达是易变的、不稳定的,在肺组织中可能存在着SO2诱发的表达不稳定型基因组.表1参19