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The taxonomy of Tacca remains is controversial all the time. Schizocapsa guangxiensis is considered to be the same species as Tacca plantanginea, but some taxonomists classify them into different species based on their morphological differences. In order to clarify the genetic differences and phylogenetic relationship between Schizocapsa guangxiensis and Tacca plantanginea, this study conducted high-throughput DNA sequencing of Schizocapsa guangxiensis, assembled a complete chloroplast genome using bioinformatics software, and compared it with the published Tacca plantanginea chloroplast genome. The results were as follows: (1) The chloroplast genome size of Schizocapsa guangxiensis and Tacca plantanginea was 162 149 bp and 160 749 bp, respectively, and they had the same GC content (36.90%). Notably, the gene types and gene amount were exactly the same in these two species, including 89 protein-coding genes and 37 tRNA genes, and 6 rRNA genes. (2) Codon preference analysis showed that there were certain differences in the codon frequencies used by the two species, but they both prefered codons ending in A/T (U). (3) Compared with T. plantanginea, the SSC boundary of Schizocapsa guangxiensis had obvious expansion, which was the main factor leading to the length variant in chloroplast genome between the two species. (4) There were some sequence divergences between S. guangxiensis and Tacca plantanginea in the LSC and SSC regions, especially the intergenic region, which can be exploited as species-specific molecular marker. (5) Phylogenetic results showed that Schizocapsa guangxiensis and Tacca plantanginea had a rather distant genetic relationship. Although Schizocapsa guangxiensis was placed in Tacca, they belong to two different species. This study enriches the genetic information of the chloroplast genome of S. guangxiensis and provides a theoretical basis for species classification, genetic diversity analysis and species protection of S. guangxiensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is loved for its delicious flavor and nutritious juice. Although studies have delved into the cultivation and enhancement of passion fruit varieties, the underlying factors contributing to the fruit's appealing aroma remain unclear. Methods: This study analyzed the full-length transcriptomes of two passion fruit cultivars with different flavor profiles: "Tainong 1" (TN1), known for its superior fruit flavor, and "Guihan 1" (GH1), noted for its strong environmental resilience but lackluster taste. Utilizing PacBio Iso-Seq and Illumina RNA-Seq technologies, we discovered terpene synthase (TPS) genes implicated in fruit ripening that may help explain the flavor disparities. Results: We generated 15,913 isoforms, with N50 lengths of 1,500 and 1,648 bp, and mean lengths of 1,319 and 1,463 bp for TN1 and GH1, respectively. Transcript and isoform lengths ranged from a maximum of 7,779 bp to a minimum of 200 and 209 bp. We identified 14,822 putative coding DNA sequences (CDSs) averaging 1,063 bp, classified 1,007 transcription factors (TFs) into 84 families. Additionally, differential expression analysis of ripening fruit from both cultivars revealed 314 upregulated and 43 downregulated unigenes in TN1 compared to GH1. The top 10 significantly enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms for the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated that TN1's upregulated genes were primarily involved in nutrient transport, whereas GH1's up-regulated genes were associated with resistance mechanisms. Meanwhile, 17 PeTPS genes were identified in P. edulis and 13 of them were TPS-b members. A comparative analysis when compared PeTPS with AtTPS highlighted an expansion of the PeTPS-b subfamily in P. edulis, suggesting a role in its fruit flavor profile. Conclusion: Our findings explain that the formation of fruit flavor is attributed to the upregulation of essential genes in synthetic pathway, in particular the expansion of TPS-b subfamily involved in terpenoid synthesis. This finding will also provide a foundational genetic basis for understanding the nuanced flavor differences in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, genetic differences among 24 populations of Gynura procumbens from different geographical regions were studied using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and trnL-trnF sequences. The ITS sequence had an aligned length of 718 bp and a G+ C content of 49.8%, with five variable sites and three parsimonious informative sites. The trnL-trnF sequence had an aligned length of 835 bp and a G+ C content of 35.0%, with six variable sites and three parsimonious informative sites. The phylogenetic tree based on trnL-trnF sequences showed that all populations of G. procumbens clustered into one branch, indicating that this sequence has strong identification abilities in genetic difference research. Phylogenetic analysis using both ITS and trnL-trnF sequences showed similar results. Populations collected from Taiwan and Indonesia were grouped into one clade, whereas those collected from Guizhou, Guangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong shared close relationships corresponding to their geographical distribution patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is loved for its delicious flavor and nutritious juice. Although studies have delved into the cultivation and enhancement of passion fruit varieties, the underlying factors contributing to the fruit’s appealing aroma remain unclear. Methods This study analyzed the full-length transcriptomes of two passion fruit cultivars with different flavor profiles: “Tainong 1” (TN1), known for its superior fruit flavor, and “Guihan 1” (GH1), noted for its strong environmental resilience but lackluster taste. Utilizing PacBio Iso-Seq and Illumina RNA-Seq technologies, we discovered terpene synthase (TPS) genes implicated in fruit ripening that may help explain the flavor disparities. Results We generated 15,913 isoforms, with N50 lengths of 1,500 and 1,648 bp, and mean lengths of 1,319 and 1,463 bp for TN1 and GH1, respectively. Transcript and isoform lengths ranged from a maximum of 7,779 bp to a minimum of 200 and 209 bp. We identified 14,822 putative coding DNA sequences (CDSs) averaging 1,063 bp, classified 1,007 transcription factors (TFs) into 84 families. Additionally, differential expression analysis of ripening fruit from both cultivars revealed 314 upregulated and 43 downregulated unigenes in TN1 compared to GH1. The top 10 significantly enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms for the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated that TN1’s upregulated genes were primarily involved in nutrient transport, whereas GH1’s up-regulated genes were associated with resistance mechanisms. Meanwhile, 17 PeTPS genes were identified in P. edulis and 13 of them were TPS-b members. A comparative analysis when compared PeTPS with AtTPS highlighted an expansion of the PeTPS-b subfamily in P. edulis, suggesting a role in its fruit flavor profile. Conclusion Our findings explain that the formation of fruit flavor is attributed to the upregulation of essential genes in synthetic pathway, in particular the expansion of TPS-b subfamily involved in terpenoid synthesis. This finding will also provide a foundational genetic basis for understanding the nuanced flavor differences in this species.

This article arises from my clinical experience in the "Distracted Stork" Service of the Institute of Higher Education and Family Psychotherapy in Florence and in the staff of the Demetra Assisted Procreation Center in Florence and aims to delve deeper into the specific complexities of fertilization with donation of gametes and to offer clinical observation and intervention tools to professionals working in this delicate area of intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the complete corpus of live-action X-Men movies for their depictions of genetics and otherness. The researchers watched and qualitatively coded all thirteen movies produced by 20th Century Fox that take place in the same shared cinematic universe, beginning with X-Men (2000) and ending with The New Mutants (2020). The X-Men movies are unusual summer blockbusters since they explore genetic topics through their central characters, mutants, who are genetically different from their non-mutant peers. Mutants in the films evoke a plurality of analogies, such as mutant-as-Black and mutant-as-queer. These intersecting metaphors build upon a core of genetic difference to create a versatile but limited picture of prejudice, solidarity, and otherness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】In order to identify the genetic differences among persimmon (Diospyros kaki) cultivars, a simple and efficient SNP molecular marker based on nrDNA internally transcribed spacer sequence was developed, which may provide reference for the collection, utilization and promotion of germplasm.【Method】The leaves of 18 hexaploid cultivated persimmon cultivars were used as experimental materials, and the ITS regions of 18 cultivars were amplified and sequenced, and sequence differences were analyzed. Finally, Sau96 I restriction endonuclides were used to verify 151 heterozygous sites.【Result】Sequencing results showed that ITS length of 18 persimmon varieties was 730 bp. Six heterozygous loci were found in the sequencing peak map, which were 151, 168, 205, 278, 279 and 622 bp. The proportion of base peak area of hexaploid persimmon heterozygous sites had special pattern, that is, C∶T= 2∶1, C∶T= 1∶1, C∶T= 1∶2 and A∶G= 1∶1. The 18 cultivated persimmon varieties could be divided into 11 categories according to the differences of heterozygous sites and the proportion of peak area.【Conclusion】The results of enzyme digestion at 151 sites verified that the concentration of enzyme digestion products was consistent with the proportion of its peak map area. The results showed that the SNP molecular labeling method based on nrDNA ITS sequence could divide 18 cultivated persimmon varieties into 11 groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to investigate the population genetic structure and breeding pattern of 140 tropical bed bugs, Cimex hemipterus (F.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), collected from 14 infested sites in major cities in Iraq. The samples were genotyped using a set of 7 polymorphic microsatellite markers. High genetic variety was seen among populations, with an average of 2–9 alleles per locus. The number of alleles across 7 microsatellite loci was between 6 and 18. There was a notable disparity in the alleles per loci when comparing the overall population to those within it. The overall population exhibited an average observed heterozygosity of 0.175 and an average expected heterozygosity of 0.730. Among the population, the average observed heterozygosity was 0.173, while the average expected heterozygosity was 0.673. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 93% of the genetic variability was within the populations, and 7% was among them. The genetic differentiation coefficient (F ST = 0.045), indicates a low degree of genetic differentiation and a high degree of inbreeding (F IS = 0.761), as indicated by notably significant positive inbreeding coefficients. Admixed individuals were revealed using STRUCTURE and neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees, demonstrating moderate gene flow between populations and a lack of genetic structure in the regional groups. Thus, both active dispersion and human-mediated dispersion possess the potential to influence the low population genetic structure of tropical bed bug C. hemipterus populations in Iraq, which can have implications toward tropical bed bug and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the complete corpus of live-action X-Men movies for their depictions of genetics and otherness. The researchers watched and qualitatively coded all thirteen movies produced by 20th Century Fox that take place in the same shared cinematic universe, beginning with X-Men (2000) and ending with The New Mutants (2020). The X-Men movies are unusual summer blockbusters since they explore genetic topics through their central characters, mutants, who are genetically different from their non-mutant peers. Mutants in the films evoke a plurality of analogies, such as mutant-as-Black and mutant-as-queer. These intersecting metaphors build upon a core of genetic difference to create a versatile but limited picture of prejudice, solidarity, and otherness.

Copyright of Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences is the property of Editorial Board of Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cuminum cyminum L. (cumin) is an aromatic plant, commonly used in food industries and traditional medicine, especially in tropical Asia. Various accessions of C. cyminum with different aromatic properties could be found in Iran, as a main region of cumin production. This study was conducted to evaluate genetic diversity of 22 accessions of C. cyminum from different parts of Iran. The seeds were cultivated in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with 22 accessions and three replicates, and their agro-morphological traits were measured. Genetic variations of the studied accessions were evaluated using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and start codon targeted (SCoT) markers. Estimate of molecular variance showed a significant genetic difference between the studied accessions, whereby 57% of total variance was occurred between the populations. Based on the Mantel test for association of genetic diversities and geographical distances, increase of geographical distance did not influence the genetic differentiation. Significant differences were observed between the studied agro-morphological traits, other than the number of branches. Canonical correspondence analysis of genetic features and environmental factors, including five geographic and climatic factors of the seed's origin, showed significant influences of altitude and latitude on genetic variation of the studied accessions. However, despite the observed genetic variations, the studied cumin accessions, are not totally isolated and hence some amount of gene flow has been occurred between them. Therefore, no isolation by distance exists between the studied accessions. Generally, the results confirmed that both ISSR and SCoT markers were reliable and useful tools for analyzing the genetic diversity of cumin in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Phylogenetic analysis strongly depends on evolutionary models. Most evolutionary models for estimating genetic differences and phylogenetic relationships do not treat gap sites in the alignment of sequences. Appropriately incorporating evolutionary information of sites containing insertions and deletions into genetic difference measures will be improve the accuracy of phylogenetic estimates. Results We introduced a new measure for estimating genetic differences, and presented P*R*O*P, a web application for performing phylogenetic analysis based on genetic difference considering the effect of gaps. As an example of phylogenetic analysis using P*R*O*P, we used complete p53 amino acid sequences of 31 organisms and illustrated that the genetic differences with and without information on sites containing gaps result in trees with different topologies. Conclusions P*R*O*P is available at https://www.rs.tus.ac.jp/bioinformatics/prop and the user can perform phylogenetic analysis by uploading sequence data on the website. The most distinctive feature of P*R*O*P is its genetic difference that is estimated without eliminating gap sites for alignment sequences, which helps users detect meaningful difference in an evolutionary process. The source code is available in GitHub: https://github.com/TUS-Satolab/PROP .

ABSTRACT: Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is a bacterial pathogen that contributes to poultry production losses and human foodborne illness. The bacterium elicits a broad immune response involving both the innate and adaptive components of the immune system. Coordination of the immune response is largely directed by cytokines. The objective of the current study was to characterize the expression of a select set of cytokines and regulatory immune genes in three genetically diverse chicken lines after infection with S. Enteritidis. Leghorn, Fayoumi and broiler day-old chicks were orally infected with pathogenic S. Enteritidis or culture medium. At 2 and 18 h postinfection, spleens and ceca were collected and mRNA expression levels for 7 genes (GM-CSF, IL2, IL15, TGF-β1, SOCS3, P20K, and MHC class IIβ) were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR. Genetic line had a significant effect on mRNA expression levels of IL15, TGF-β1, SOCS3 and P20K in the spleen and on P20K and MHC class IIβ in the cecum. Comparing challenged vs. unchallenged birds, the expression of SOCS3 and P20K mRNA were significantly higher in the spleen and cecum, while MHC class IIβ mRNA was significantly lower in spleen. Combining the current RNA expression results with those of previously reported studies on the same samples reveals distinct RNA expression profiles among the three genetic chicken lines and the 2 tissues. This study illustrates that these diverse genetic lines have distinctively different immune response to S. Enteritidis challenge within the spleen and the cecum.

There are three Turritopsis species in Japanese waters: Turritopsis pacifica is distributed in the north of the Kanto region, Turritopsis sp.2 is distributed in the south of the Kanto region, except for in Okinawa Prefecture, and Turritopsis dohrnii is distributed in Okinawa Prefecture. In this study, molecular phylogenetic analysis was performed using medusae of Turritopsis spp. collected from Wakayama and Okinawa prefectures and a juvenile medusa liberated from a floating polyp colony of Turritopsis sp. collected from Wakayama Prefecture. All samples can be identified as T. dohrnii, which has not been previously reported and is new to Wakayama. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duroc pigs are famous for their high growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, and lean meat percentage. Given that they have been subjected to artificial selection and breeding in multiple countries, various lines with obvious differences in production performance have formed. In this study, we genotyped 3,770 American Duroc (AD) pigs and 2,098 Canadian Duroc (CD) pigs using the GeneSeek Porcine SNP50 Beadchip to dissect the genetic differences and potential selection genes of growth traits in these two Duroc pig lines. Population structure detection showed that there were significant genetic differences between the two Duroc pig lines. Hence, we performed FST and cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) analyses between the two lines. As a result, we identified 38 annotated genes that were significantly enriched in the gland development pathway in the AD line, and 61 annotated genes that were significantly enriched in the immune-related pathway in the CD line. For three growth traits including backfat thickness (BFT), loin muscle depth (LMD), and loin muscle area (LMA), we then performed selection signature detection at 5 and 10% levels within the line and identified different selected regions and a series of candidate genes that are involved in lipid metabolism and skeletal muscle development or repair, such as IRX3, EBF2, WNT10B, TLR2, PITX3, and SGCD. The differences in selected regions and genes between the two lines may be the cause of the differences in growth traits. Our study suggests significant genetic differences between the AD and CD lines, which provide a theoretical basis for selecting different Duroc lines as sires for different needs.

The genus Picea has wide geographical range and includes species with great economic and ecological value in the northern hemisphere. Growth traits, gas exchange parameters and needle morphology and anatomy vary greatly among Picea species, but the instrinsic relationship among these traits has not been well studied for the genus Picea. We thus conducted a common garden experiment to study the relationship for these traits in 13 native and 4 exotic Picea species growing at an experimental site in Tianshui, Gansu, China. Nearly all of these traits were significantly different among the 17 species and most traits were under relatively strong genetic control. The four species introduced from abroad (P. abies, P. pungens, P. glauca and P. mariana) exhibited good growth performance in the experimental site. We found that the growth traits showed significantly positive correlation with branching characteristics. Moreover, the species with good growth performance had a relatively high photosynthetic rate. The correlation analysis based on needle morphological and anatomical traits revealed that needle traits were interrelated and needle anatomical traits might be impacted by needle size due to the increase of mesophyll area and central cylinder area with needle length. Furthermore, the relationship between needle structures and gas exchange parameters may indicate that a higher photosynthetic rate can be attributed to variations in needle structures. In addition, both the cluster analysis and principal component analysis based on needle morphology, anatomy, gas exchanges and growth traits might partially reflect the evolutionary history of the 17 Picea species. Our study represents a comprehensive survey of variation within the genus Picea to date and opens new avenues for exploring the instrinsic relationship among growth traits, needle gas exchange and needle morphology and anatomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tamarisk is a drought-resistant tree that is important environmentally and has industrial applications in some countries. The aim of this study was to compare different populations of this species in terms of diameter growth rate (growth ring width), physiological adaptability (vascular characteristics) and wood application characteristics (fiber biometry). The study was conducted on ten-year-old saplings of six tamarisk populations that had previously been collected from different regions of Iran (Qom, Kashan, Khash, Zabol, Garmsar and Yazd) and planted in Garmsar. The results showed that Garmsar population has the largest diameter and radial growth among populations. This population chose the best strategy for adapting to cold and dry climates by keeping the vessels small and significantly increase their number, instead. This has been the reason for its better radial growth. Although the biometric properties of fibers and paper ratios showed significant statistical differences between populations, these differences were not so great as to have a significant impact on the quality of the resulting paper in practice. Therefore, although the population of Yazd was of better quality in terms of paper parameters, the selection of the best population for industry should not be only based on fiber biometry and other features such as production volume, adaptability to habitat and survival rate of seedlings should be given more importance. The positive correlation between the width of the growth rings and the length of the fibers from the perspective of wood cultivation is very favorable because the treatments that increase the growth rate will also improve the fiber properties. In general, it can be concluded that Garmsar population is the best option for planting and cultivating tamarisk in terms of adaptability to environment and wood farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley is an important cereal crop worldwide. Its genetic transformation is now limited to very few cultivars because of the high genotype dependence of embryogenic callus. To reveal the key genes or factors controlling the callus induction and plantlet regeneration in barley, we compared the transcriptomic profiles of immature embryos of Golden Promise and ZU9, which differed dramatically in the efficiency of the genetic transformation. The samples were taken at 0, 5, 10 and 20 days of the culture, respectively. In total, 5386 up-regulated and 6257 down-regulated genes were identified in Golden Promise. Several genes, identified exclusively in GP callus, were selected for further investigation. These genes were mainly involved in protein metabolism, energy metabolism, stress response, detoxification and ubiquitin–proteasome. Four YUCCA flavin monooxygenases, one PIN-FORMED, one tryptophan aminotransferase related, three small auxin up RNA, three indole-3-acetic acid and one adenylate isopentenyl transferase, seven cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase, three Arabidopsis histidine kinase, three Arabidopsis histidine phosphotransfer protein, and one Arabidopsis response regulator were differentially expressed in the calli of the two barley genotypes, suggesting that biosynthesis, response and transport of auxin and cytokinin might be associated with cell reprogramming during callus induction. The current results provide insights into molecular mechanisms of callus induction at an early developmental stage and are helpful for optimizing the tissue culture system in barley.

Background: Phylogenetic analysis strongly depends on evolutionary models. Most evolutionary models for estimating genetic differences and phylogenetic relationships do not treat gap sites in the alignment of sequences. Appropriately incorporating evolutionary information of sites containing insertions and deletions into genetic difference measures will be improve the accuracy of phylogenetic estimates. Results: We introduced a new measure for estimating genetic differences, and presented P*R*O*P, a web application for performing phylogenetic analysis based on genetic difference considering the effect of gaps. As an example of phylogenetic analysis using P*R*O*P, we used complete p53 amino acid sequences of 31 organisms and illustrated that the genetic differences with and without information on sites containing gaps result in trees with different topologies. Conclusions: P*R*O*P is available at https://www.rs.tus.ac.jp/bioinformatics/prop and the user can perform phylogenetic analysis by uploading sequence data on the website. The most distinctive feature of P*R*O*P is its genetic difference that is estimated without eliminating gap sites for alignment sequences, which helps users detect meaningful difference in an evolutionary process. The source code is available in GitHub: https://github.com/TUS-Satolab/PROP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Picea mongolica is a conifer with a limited distribution in China and its taxonomic status is controversial. In order to explore genetic differences between P. mongolica and other nearby Picea species and to investigate its taxonomic status, phylogenetic relationships were analyzed between P. mongolica and Picea koraiensis, Picea meyeri and Picea wilsonii by three chloroplast gene sequences matK, chlB and atpA. The length of joint chloroplast sequence is 2379 bp. The fifteen haplotypes were identified by haplotype network analysis, among which two were major haplotypes and nine were unique. In addition, the genetic diversity of the sample collection species was inferred. Based on the haplotype network and Neighbor Joining phylogenetic tree analysis, P. mongolica was located on the basal clade of the phylogenetic tree which had more primitive taxa, and the genetic diversity of P. mongolica was highest. The significant differences between P. mongolica and these other Picea species were identified by this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Back Ground: Genetic polymorphisms of ABO and RhD blood group and Haptoglobin (HP) types have already been widely used to understand variation and population structure. The present study attempted to understand the variation and population structure on the basis of ABO and RhD blood group polymorphisms and Haptoglobin (HP) as serum protein polymorphism of four Tibeto-Burman speaker groups considered as aboriginal tribes of Tripura. Genetic studies on populations in north-east Indian have been performed less frequently than in the other parts of India, in spite of diversity among these populations. Aims and Objective: Best of the knowledge the present study is the first attempt on the variation and population genetic structure concerning the ABO, RhD and HP polymorphism of the four endogamous populations – Tripuri, Hrangkhawl, Rupini and Kolui tribal population of Tripura. Materials and Methods: Present study consisted of four hundred (400) participants 100 each from above mentioned population groups. ABO and RhD blood groups were done by antigen-antisera agglutination test and HP types were ascertained by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE) following standard techniques. Allele frequencies and Fst were calculated by using standard method. Results: Examination on ABO blood group revealed higher O allele among the two groups Tripuri and Hrangkhawl followed by A and B alleles. Among the other two groups, Rupini and Kolui, revealed higher A allele and B allele respectively. Higher D allele frequency in the RHD Blood group system has been found for each of the population group. On the other hand, Serum protein marker - HP types demonstrated higher HP*2 allele frequency than HP*1 alleles. Calculated very low Fst value (0.02-0.08) of three polymorphic markers (ABO, RhD and HP) were suggestive for low differentiation among these groups, indicating less admixture and prevailing endogamous nature of these population. Conclusion: Very low Fst values of three polymorphic markers were suggestive for low differentiation among these groups, indicating least admixture and prevailing endogamous nature of these population. The overall genetic difference revealed highest distance between Tripuri and Hrangkhwal and least distance between Rupini and Kolui.

Sustainability can only be achieved through the use and protection of genetic resources. White clover (Trifolium repens L.), a perennial legume forage grass, is also an important genetic resource and widely found in grasslands, parks and gardens in many regions of Turkey. This study was conducted to determine the genetic diversity of white clover populations collected from different altitudes on seven provinces of Turkey. Six Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) molecular markers were used to estimate genetic diversity in fifteen populations collected for the study. In the study, 56 alleles were detected. Populations were gouped as three clusters in the dendogram created to see genetic relationships. According to results, especially population collected from high altitudes were mostly in the same group. This revealed the interaction between geographical distribution and genetic diversity in the collected samples. As a result, it was understood that our country has a rich genetic diversity to provide the necessary material in the white clover breeding.

We compared the cultivation performance and genetic characteristics of Korean (Sugwawon No. 301) and Chinese strains (Huangguan No. 1) of the brown alga Saccharina japonica at an aquaculture farm in Korea. The number of cortical layer cells and the area of the cortical cells were measured for different size groups (5, 15, 30, 50, 100, 150 cm) of the two strains in a Korean culture farm from January to June 2018. We found better performance of the Sugwawon No. 301 strain in Korean waters, possibly due to increased flexibility as a result of the different cell arrangement of the two strains. The differences in cell shape (spherical or rectangular) and arrangement (irregular or constant layered) of the two strains began to appear at lengths of 50 cm where the Sugwawon No. 301 strain had greater numbers of smaller cells than Huangguan No. 1. In addition we established six sequence simple repeats (SSR) genetic markers that clearly distinguish these two strains of S. japonica. Based on our observations, we speculate that differences in the cell arrangement between strains of S. japonica were determined by genetic variation and morphological properties of the two kelp strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetcive: Gene factors play an important role in coronary artery disease (CAD). Atherosclerosis is the most common process of developing CAD. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation has an essential role in the process of atherosclerosis. The paraoxonase 1 (PON1) enzyme that presents in the HDL structure inhibits LDL oxidation. A number of studies have been conducted around the world, investigating the relation between PON1 gene polymorphism and CAD. Different results have been obtained in various populations; therefore, these findings cannot be generalized to the Iranian population. Consequently, a comprehensive study of the prevalence of PON1 Q192R polymorphism is required. Material and Methods: In the present investigation, the study population consisted of 150 subjects, including 102 CAD patients and 48 healthy controls. The Q192R polymorphism of paraoxonase 1 was evaluated in general and also by ethnicity, employing the PCR-RFLP method. Results: In general, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the distribution of QQ, QR, and RR genotypes between patients and controls. In the study by ethnicity, in the Arab ethnic group, in patients with CAD, frequency of QQ genotype was significantly higher, while RR genotype was considerably lower than controls (p<0.05). Therefore, QQ genotype could be considered as a risk factor and RR genotype as a protective factor against CAD in the Arab race. Conclusion: The Q192R polymorphism of paraoxonase 1 in Arab ethnic group had a significant correlation with CAD. However, no overall association was found between this polymorphism and CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Prochlorococcus is a marine cyanobacterium that numerically dominates the mid-latitude oceans and is the smallest known oxygenic phototroph. Numerous isolates from diverse areas of the world's oceans have been studied and shown to be physiologically and genetically distinct. All isolates described thus far can be assigned to either a tightly clustered high-light (HL)-adapted clade, or a more divergent low-light (LL)-adapted group. The 16S rRNA sequences of the entire Prochlorococcus group differ by at most 3%, and the four initially published genomes revealed patterns of genetic differentiation that help explain physiological differences among the isolates. Here we describe the genomes of eight newly sequenced isolates and combine them with the first four genomes for a comprehensive analysis of the core (shared by all isolates) and flexible genes of the Prochlorococcus group, and the patterns of loss and gain of the flexible genes over the course of evolution. There are 1,273 genes that represent the core shared by all 12 genomes. They are apparently sufficient, according to metabolic reconstruction, to encode a functional cell. We describe a phylogeny for all 12 isolates by subjecting their complete proteomes to three different phylogenetic analyses. For each non-core gene, we used a maximum parsimony method to estimate which ancestor likely first acquired or lost each gene. Many of the genetic differences among isolates, especially for genes involved in outer membrane synthesis and nutrient transport, are found within the same clade. Nevertheless, we identified some genes defining HL and LL ecotypes, and clades within these broad ecotypes, helping to demonstrate the basis of HL and LL adaptations inProchlorococcus. Furthermore, our estimates of gene gain events allow us to identify highly variable genomic islands that are not apparent through simple pairwise comparisons. These results emphasize the functional roles, especially those connected to outer membrane synthesis and transport that dominate the flexible genome and set it apart from the core. Besides identifying islands and demonstrating their role throughout the history ofProchlorococcus, reconstruction of past gene gains and losses shows that much of the variability exists at the “leaves of the tree,” between the most closely related strains. Finally, the identification of core and flexible genes from this 12-genome comparison is largely consistent with the relative frequency of Prochlorococcus genes found in global ocean metagenomic databases, further closing the gap between our understanding of these organisms in the lab and the wild.

Apple scab Venturia inaequalis Cke Wint is the main disease of apple trees not only in the world but also in Turkey. The disease can cause severe yield losses in all Turkish apple orchards. Genetic diversity and relatedness of apple scab Venturia inaequalis Cke Wint isolates collected from Turkey and Europe were investigated in this study through molecular markers. RAPD, ISSR, SSR and SRAP markers were used in the molecular studies. Results obtained by marker system revealed that isolates were quite separated from each other and it is appeared to exist a variation between them. Genetic relatedness between the isolates are very close to each other, and difference among the groups is not significant due to host specificity and geographical location. The groups are consisted of more number of isolates when SSR and SRAP markers are used compared with ISSR and RAPD markers. Using SSR and SRAP markers are preferable to provide more informative outcomes because of ease of use, repeatability and specificity

Accurate estimates of genetic difference are required for research in evolutionary biology. Here we extend the Kimura two-parameter (K2P) model by considering gaps (insertions and/or deletions) and introduce a new measure for estimating genetic difference between two nucleotide sequences in terms of nucleotide changes that have occurred during the evolutionary process. Using the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 2 region from the genus Physalis, we demonstrate that species identification and phylogenetic studies strongly depend on evolutionary models. It is especially noteworthy that the use of different models affects the degree of overlap between intraspecific and interspecific genetic differences. We observe that the percentage of interspecific sequence pairs with values less than the maximum intraspecific genetic difference is 43.2% for the K2P model which is calculated by removing gap sites across all sequences, 22.7% for the K2P model which is calculated by removing gap sites for sequence pairs, and 16.9% for our model which is calculated without removing gap sites. Additionally, the numbers of sequence pairs with interspecific genetic differences of zero are 50 for the K2P model and 29 for our model. The genetic difference measure based on the K2P model, compared to our model, overestimates 21 sequence pairs that are not originally identical. These results indicate the importance of estimating genetic differences under the model of sequence evolution that includes insertions and deletions in addition to substitutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in expression of important genes under environmental stress is suggested to play an important role in determining phenotypic diversity. Virtually little is known about the genotypic-specific expression variation in durum wheat as an important cereal plant. This study examines transcript levels in durum (Triticum turgidum L.) using real-time PCR analysis in relation to genotypic differences by contrasting two gene pools of durum wheat under NaCl salinity stress. Four important genes in relation to stress were analyzed, three of which showed differential down-regulation of expression at the RNA level. Specifically, it is found that the expression of GAD and ASN genes showed a different pattern in response to different levels of salinity. At 50 mM NaCl GAD was down-regulated in only (Sham 1) genotype, while ASN was downregulated in (Sham1), (Um Qais), and (Akcad). Under 100 mM NaCl, both genes were down-regulated in the genotype (Um Qais), while salinity of 150 mM NaCl induced down-regulation of both genes in (Um Qais) and (Norseh). Genetic variation (cultivars vs. landraces) was found to show a significant relationship to salinity responses especially at 50 and 150 mM NaCl (one-way ANOVA; P < 0.05). SOD and CAT genes were also down-regulated by salinity, but the relationship to genetic variation seems to be statistically less important. The genetic difference in gene expression could be best attributed to transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation processes that are involved in durum tolerance to stress. This work demonstrates that the durum is an excellent plant system to study genetic variation in relation to gene expression under environmental stress because it seems that alleles of different genotypes of durum are affected by genetic background or environmental factors. The results of this study may help to classify the studied genotypes into sensitive and tolerant varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Back Ground: Genetic polymorphisms of ABO and RhD blood group and Haptoglobin (HP) types have already been widely used to understand variation and population structure. The present study attempted to understand the variation and population structure on the basis of ABO and RhD blood group polymorphisms and Haptoglobin (HP) as serum protein polymorphism of four Tibeto-Burman speaker groups considered as aboriginal tribes of Tripura. Genetic studies on populations in north-east Indian have been performed less frequently than in the other parts of India, in spite of diversity among these populations. Aims and Objective: Best of the knowledge the present study is the first attempt on the variation and population genetic structure concerning the ABO, RhD and HP polymorphism of the four endogamous populations - Tripuri, Hrangkhawl, Rupini and Kolui tribal population of Tripura. Materials and Methods: Present study consisted of four hundred (400) participants 100 each from above mentioned population groups. ABO and RhD blood groups were done by antigen-antisera agglutination test and HP types were ascertained by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE) following standard techniques. Allele frequencies and Fst were calculated by using standard method. Results: Examination on ABO blood group revealed higher O allele among the two groups Tripuri and Hrangkhawl followed by A and B alleles. Among the other two groups, Rupini and Kolui, revealed higher A allele and B allele respectively. Higher D allele frequency in the RHD Blood group system has been found for each of the population group. On the other hand, Serum protein marker - HP types demonstrated higher HP*2 allele frequency than HP*1 alleles. Calculated very low Fst value (0.02-0.08) of three polymorphic markers (ABO, RhD and HP) were suggestive for low differentiation among these groups, indicating less admixture and prevailing endogamous nature of these population. Conclusion: Very low Fst values of three polymorphic markers were suggestive for low differentiation among these groups, indicating least admixture and prevailing endogamous nature of these population. The overall genetic difference revealed highest distance between Tripuri and Hrangkhwal and least distance between Rupini and Kolui. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field, the chemical constituents of the essential oil of Pelargonium graveolens cutting (diploid) and polyploid seedlings are the same, but the principal components of geraniol, geranyl formate, and linalool in polyploid plants are remarkably higher than those of cutting seedlings. The contents of citronellol, citronellyl formate, and rose oxide are significantly lower in polyploid seedlings than in cutting seedlings. ISSR and RAPD molecular markers were used to analyze P. graveolens in two different genetic populations and to compare the genetic background of differences between cutting and polyploid seedlings. The genomic DNA of 60 cutting and polyploid seedlings was extracted for PCR amplification by using 3 ISSR primers and 11 RAPD primers for random sampling from adjacent cultivated fields. Among the primers, ISSR-25 primer detected the highest diversity of the loci. Seven loci of variation were found in the two populations. The variation rates detected using 3 ISSR primers were 13.3% and 6.7% for the cutting and polyploid populations, respectively. Genetic polymorphisms in P. graveolens genome with mutation rates of 11.7% and 3.3% were respectively determined in cutting and polyploid seedlings by using 3 RAPD primers (B11, P4, and R19). Both types of molecular markers also revealed the mutation in cutting and polyploid seedlings. Results demonstrated that a genetic difference can be observed by the molecular markers, although no evident phenotypic difference exists in cutting and polyploid seedlings in fields. The trend of these molecular markers is consistent, that is, individual genetic differences in cutting seedlings are greater than those in polyploid seedlings. These results suggested that polyploid seedlings in a population are relative uniform and applicable to production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for drought tolerant grass germplasm for use in wildfire control on degraded landscapes of western US rangelands. In 2006, multi-national plant expeditions collected eight fine-leafed Festuca rubra L. (2 n = 6 x-8 x) accessions from the harsh semi-arid rangelands of Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) and the People's Republic of China (CHN) that may have potential for use in western U.S. rangelands. Morphological and marker-based genetic analyses compared these collections with nine commercial cultivars, and four previously described high performance KGZ F. valesiaca Schleich. ex Gaudin subsp. valesiaca plant introductions in the high desert of the U.S. Great Basin. Initially, accession morphology was evaluated over 3 years at Blue Creek, UT for relative vigor, height, width, total biomass, persistence, and seed yield. Subsequently, a subset of the F. rubra accessions and checks were evaluated at three locations (Malta, ID, Blue Creek, UT, and North Logan, UT) over 2 years. All entries differed for all traits over years and locations in both trials, and CHN PI 659984 was consistently the best performing F. rubra entry examined. Marker-based genetic comparisons differentiated the F. rubra from the F. valesiaca accessions and the Festuca checks examined, and the F. rubra accessions based on ploidy and geographic origin. Because the F. rubra accessions examined were erect (25.5-76.4 cm), green during summer months, and rhizomatous with substantial seed fecundity under harsh semi-arid growing conditions, they have potential for inclusion in plant improvement programs for increased sustainability and wildfire control of western U.S. rangelands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brown hagfish (Eptatretus atami) is one of several known hagfish species occurring in Japanese coastal waters. To date, there has been no research studying genetic polymorphisms in the species. In the present study, we analyzed differences in nucleotide sequences between two populations: one from Suruga Bay on the Pacific coast of Honshu, Japan, and the other from the Sea of Japan, off Akita on the northwest coast of Honshu. We sequenced part of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene (COX1) from the mitochondrial genome, and three G protein-coupled receptor genes from the nuclear genome. Phylogenetic networks of all four genes showed divergence between the two populations. Further, comparison of the COX1 data using a phylogenetic tree for a range of hagfish species indicated clear differences between the populations, suggesting that they differ at the species level. The numbers of their teeth, in particular of fused cusps (anterior/posterior multicusps), also supported these findings. Individuals of the Suruga Bay population had 3/3 fused cusps, as described for E. atami, whereas individuals of the Akita population had 3/2 fused cusps. These results suggest that the brown hagfish from the Sea of Japan, off the northwest coast of Honshu, is a distinct species from E. atami. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Apple scab (Venturia inaequalis (Cke) Wint) is the main disease of apple trees not only in the world but also in Turkey. The disease can cause severe yield losses in all Turkish apple orchards. Genetic diversity and relatedness of apple scab (Venturia inaequalis (Cke) Wint) isolates collected from Turkey and Europe were investigated in this study through molecular markers. RAPD, ISSR, SSR and SRAP markers were used in the molecular studies. Results obtained by marker system revealed that isolates were quite separated from each other and it is appeared to exist a variation between them. Genetic relatedness between the isolates are very close to each other, and difference among the groups is not significant due to host specificity and geographical location. The groups are consisted of more number of isolates when SSR and SRAP markers are used compared with ISSR and RAPD markers. Using SSR and SRAP markers are preferable to provide more informative outcomes because of ease of use, repeatability and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity of Saccharina japonica inhabiting the Hokkaido coastline and the surrounding area was investigated by AFLP and SSR analyses. A STRUCTURE analysis based on the AFLP data identified two clusters in the species, although a few local populations with genetic structures different from that of the neighboring populations were detected. The two clusters could be identified even within each current variety. In the SSR analysis, genetic variation in nucleotide sequences in all samples was located in four DNA regions (MS10, MS11, MS16, and MS29), and it is thought that these regions can be used as markers to detect individual-level variation in S. japonica. The STRUCTURE analysis of the SSR data identified four clusters in the species. Since the geographical distribution of these four different clusters does not correspond exactly to the currently recognized varieties in this species, it will be necessary to re-evaluate the distribution of the varieties of S. japonica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of genetic difference will be beneficial to researchers to understand the origins and nature of diseases. Previous studies have revealed that L-kynurenine (L-Kyn) level was changed significantly in patient with cancer and that miR-30b play different role in tumor cells and immune cells. Moreover, it has been also conformed that miR-30b involved in the process of L-Kyn-mediated suppression of humoral immune responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human normal B cells separated from volunteers' peripheral blood. Nevertheless, the miR-30b role regulating humoral immune response in B lymphoma cells has been still unclear due to the genetic difference between normal cells and tumor cells. The current study demonstrated that the selected concentration of L-Kyn (100, 1000 μM) significantly reduced the immunoglobulin M secretion induced by LPS when compared with the control group in B lymphoma, CH12.LX, and BCL-1 cells, which had, at least, incomplete dependence on Aryl hydrocarbon receptor, the receptor of L-Kyn. In addition, although L-Kyn (100 μM) significantly attenuated the expression of miR-30b in BCL-1 cells rather than in CH12.LX cells, no significant differences in the strength of L-Kyn-mediated suppression of humoral immune responses induced by LPS were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay between the LPS (10 μg/ml) + L-Kyn (100 μM) group and the LPS (10 μg/ml) + L-Kyn (100 μM) + miR-30b mimics/miR-30b inhibitor group in CH12.LX and BCL-1 cells, respectively. Further data also showed that mouse Bach2 mRNA was a novel target of miR-30b. These results suggest that genetic difference among cells has a great influence on the miR-30b role in the process of L-Kyn-mediated suppression of humoral immune responses induced by LPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photosynthetic characteristics of Abies holophylla seedlings from six provenances under four artificial light intensities in a greenhouse (full light, 75.08%, 55.42%, and 30.38% of full light) were studied to explore the underlying genetic differences in foliar photosynthesis. Varying light intensities significantly affected the foliar photosynthetic parameters of A. holophylla seedlings from six provenances. As the light intensity dropped, the foliar CO2 assimilation capacity of A. holophylla seedlings sharply decreased, and the foliar light utilization capacity significantly increased. Analysis of genetic variation showed highly significant differences in terms of CO2 assimilation capacity, light utilization capacity, and respiration depletion of A. holophylla seedlings among different provenances under different light intensities. The variations were mainly controlled by the genetic factors of the provenance itself. The obtained results revealed that different sensitivities of A. holophylla seedlings from different provenances in response to changed light intensities elicited significant differences in foliar photosynthesis among different provenances. The relationships between sensitivities and annual temperature difference, mean temperature in January, and mean annual evaporation of provenance were found to be the most closely related, which indicated that temperature range and effective precipitation of provenance were the main factors that affected photosynthetic plasticity of A. holophylla seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to determine whether genetic differences influence the rewarding effects of nicotine in 4 inbred strains of mice (DBA/2, BALB/c, C3H, and C57BL/6). Nicotine (subcutaneous) induced a place preference in DBA/2 and BALB/c mice but a place aversion in C57BL/6 mice. A low dose of nicotine produced a significant place preference, whereas a high dose of nicotine produced place aversion in C3H mice. These effects were completely reversed by the nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine. These results strongly suggest that a conditioned state, such as rewarding effects or aversive effects, can be influenced by genetic background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]