scholarly journals The Coalescent and Infinite-Site Model of a Small Multigene Family

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 163 (2) ◽  
pp. 803-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideki Innan

Abstract The infinite-site model of a small multigene family with two duplicated genes is studied. The expectations of the amounts of nucleotide variation within and between two genes and linkage disequilibrium are obtained, and a coalescent-based method for simulating patterns of polymorphism in a small multigene family is developed. The pattern of DNA variation is much more complicated than that in a single-copy gene, which can be simulated by the standard coalescent. Using the coalescent simulation of duplicated genes, the applicability of statistical tests of neutrality to multigene families is considered.

1998 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 1037-1044
Author(s):  
M Meilus ◽  
MAA Castro-Prado

The first report of the gene inactivation system (GIS) in Aspergillus nidulans came from crosses involving a II Gene inactivation system extension into a unique sequence outside of the II →> I insertional duplication. Duplicated segments trigger the GIS that acts through the methylation of cytosines present within repeats. Duplicated genes are probably inactivated during the premeiotic period between fertilization and karyogamy, but reactivation may occur spontaneously or after 5-azacytidine treatment. The aim of the present study was to determine the action of GIS on a single copy gene located near a duplicated segment. Aspergillus nidulans strains bearing the Dp(II,I) duplication were used in meiotic crosses homozygous for the y+ gene and yellow (y) segregants were recovered among the progenies. Data show that the GIS can act on a closely linked gene outside the duplicated segment, promoting reversible inactivation. Reduction of ascospore numbers and viability were observed in crosses parented by duplication strains. Inactivation of the w+ gene in a w/w+ duplication strain is also shown.Key words: Aspergillus nidulans, gene inactivation, DNA methylation, chromosomal duplication.


1992 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 561-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poul E. Jensen ◽  
Michael Kristensen ◽  
Tine Hoff ◽  
Jan Lehmbeck ◽  
Bjarne M. Stummann ◽  
...  

Genomics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Ker Wang ◽  
Luis A. Pérez-Jurado ◽  
Uta Francke

Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 147 (2) ◽  
pp. 915-925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Xin Fu

The main purpose of this article is to present several new statistical tests of neutrality of mutations against a class of alternative models, under which DNA polymorphisms tend to exhibit excesses of rare alleles or young mutations. Another purpose is to study the powers of existing and newly developed tests and to examine the detailed pattern of polymorphisms under population growth, genetic hitchhiking and background selection. It is found that the polymorphic patterns in a DNA sample under logistic population growth and genetic hitchhiking are very similar and that one of the newly developed tests, FS, is considerably more powerful than existing tests for rejecting the hypothesis of neutrality of mutations. Background selection gives rise to quite different polymorphic patterns than does logistic population growth or genetic hitchhiking, although all of them show excesses of rare alleles or young mutations. We show that Fu and Li's tests are among the most powerful tests against background selection. Implications of these results are discussed.


2003 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 520-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamece T. Knowles ◽  
A. Rick Alleman ◽  
Heather L. Sorenson ◽  
David C. Marciano ◽  
Edward B. Breitschwerdt ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, caused by Ehrlichia canis or Ehrlichia chaffeensis, can result in clinical disease in naturally infected animals. Coinfections with these agents may be common in certain areas of endemicity. Currently, a species-specific method for serological diagnosis of monocytic ehrlichiosis is not available. Previously, we developed two indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) using the major antigenic protein 2 (MAP2) of E. chaffeensis and E. canis. In this study, we further characterized the conservation of MAP2 among various geographic isolates of each organism and determined if the recombinant MAP2 (rMAP2) of E. chaffeensis would cross-react with E. canis-infected dog sera. Genomic Southern blot analysis using digoxigenin-labeled species-specific probes suggested that map2 is a single-copy gene in both Ehrlichia species. Sequences of the single map2 genes of seven geographically different isolates of E. chaffeensis and five isolates of E. canis are highly conserved among the various isolates of each respective ehrlichial species. ELISA and Western blot analysis confirmed that the E. chaffeensis rMAP2 failed to serologically differentiate between E. canis and E. chaffeensis infections.


Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 148 (1) ◽  
pp. 409-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl A Wise ◽  
Michaela Sraml ◽  
Simon Easteal

Abstract To test whether patterns of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation are consistent with a neutral model of molecular evolution, nucleotide sequences were determined for the 1041 bp of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene in 20 geographically diverse humans and 20 common chimpanzees. Contingency tests of neutrality were performed using four mutational categories for the ND2 molecule: synonymous and nonsynonymous mutations in the transmembrane regions, and synonymous and nonsynonymous mutations in the surface regions. The following three topological mutational categories were also used: intraspecific tips, intraspecific interiors, and interspecific fixed differences. The analyses reveal a significantly greater number of nonsynonymous polymorphisms within human transmembrane regions than expected based on interspecific comparisons, and they are inconsistent with a neutral equilibrium model. This pattern of excess nonsynonymous polymorphism is not seen within chimpanzees. Statistical tests of neutrality, such as Tajima's D test, and the D and F tests proposed by Fu and Li, indicate an excess of low frequency polymorphisms in the human data, but not in the chimpanzee data. This is consistent with recent directional selection, a population bottleneck or background selection of slightly deleterious mutations in human mtDNA samples. The analyses further support the idea that mitochondrial genome evolution is governed by selective forces that have the potential to affect its use as a “neutral” marker in evolutionary and population genetic studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1610
Author(s):  
Christian Klotz ◽  
Elke Radam ◽  
Sebastian Rausch ◽  
Petra Gosten-Heinrich ◽  
Toni Aebischer

Giardiasis in humans is a gastrointestinal disease transmitted by the potentially zoonotic Giardia duodenalis genotypes (assemblages) A and B. Small wild rodents such as mice and voles are discussed as potential reservoirs for G. duodenalis but are predominantly populated by the two rodent species Giardia microti and Giardia muris. Currently, the detection of zoonotic and non-zoonotic Giardia species and genotypes in these animals relies on cumbersome PCR and sequencing approaches of genetic marker genes. This hampers the risk assessment of potential zoonotic Giardia transmissions by these animals. Here, we provide a workflow based on newly developed real-time PCR schemes targeting the small ribosomal RNA multi-copy gene locus to distinguish G. muris, G. microti and G. duodenalis infections. For the identification of potentially zoonotic G. duodenalis assemblage types A and B, an established protocol targeting the single-copy gene 4E1-HP was used. The assays were specific for the distinct Giardia species or genotypes and revealed an analytical sensitivity of approximately one or below genome equivalent for the multi-copy gene and of about 10 genome equivalents for the single-copy gene. Retesting a biobank of small rodent samples confirmed the specificity. It further identified the underlying Giardia species in four out of 11 samples that could not be typed before by PCR and sequencing. The newly developed workflow has the potential to facilitate the detection of potentially zoonotic and non-zoonotic Giardia species in wild rodents.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 329-331
Author(s):  
M Winey ◽  
I Edelman ◽  
M R Culbertson

Saccharomyces cerevisiae glutamine tRNA(CAG) is encoded by an intronless, single-copy gene, SUP60. We have imposed a requirement for splicing in the biosynthesis of this tRNA by inserting a synthetic intron in the SUP60 gene. Genetic analysis demonstrated that the interrupted gene produces a functional, mature tRNA product in vivo.


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