Genetic Analysis of Five Porphyra Species by Isozyme Markers

Vertical polyamide gel electrophoresis was used to investigate isozyme polymorphisms among different isolates （including wild and cultivated） of Porphyra katadai, Porphyra oligospermatangia, Porphyra yezoensis, Porphyra haitanensis, and a hybridize species （Porphyra yezoensis x Porphyra haitanensis） sampled from China. Whereafter, the analyses of probable minimum loci numbers, observed alleles sum, genetic diversity, and unweighted pair-group arithmetic average （UPGMA） cluster were carded out. After initial activity and resolution testing of bands of 23 enzymes, 6 of them （MDH, ME, LDH, GDH, IDH and G-6-PDH） were proved to be appropriate for analysis of the full sample set. The probable minimum numbers of loci and alleles analyses showed that the five species of Porphyra had an extraordinary consistent result in ME loci and alleles. However, P. katadai and P. oligospermatangia differed from other three species of Porphyra in LDH and GDH loci and alleles. P. katadai was independent in the analyses of MDH and P. oligosperTnatangia and P. haitanensis differed from other three species in IDH analyses. Moreover, P. yezoensis and P. haitanensis were apart from other three species in G-6-PDH analysis. Taking one with another, P. katadai was relatively separated in the probable minimum numbers of loci and alleles analyses. The results indicated that the genetic variation among the five Porphyra species was limited with a genetic identity of 0.7550. The hybridize species （P. yezoensis x P. haitanensis） seemed to be high homologue with P. oligospermatangia, unexpectedly got relatively lower average genetic identities with both P. yezoensis and P. haitanensis. The 4 strains of P. yezoensis were relatively divergent with an average genetic identity of 0.7428, and P. katadai presented the most differentiated, compared with other species, which consistented with the result summarized in the probable minimum numbers of loci and alleles analyses.

Molecular typing of familial temporal lobe epilepsy

The pathogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE)was originally considered to be acquired.However,some reports showed that TLE was clustered in some families,indicating a genetic etiology.With the popularity of genetic testing technology,eleven different types of familial TLE(FTLE),including ETL1-ETL11,have been reported,of which ETL9-ETL11 had not yet been included in the OMIM database.These types of FTLE were caused by different genes/Loci and had distinct characteristics.ETL1,ETL7 and ETL10 were characterized by auditory,visual and aphasia seizures,leading to the diagnosis of familial lateral TLE.ETL2,ETL3 and ETL6 showed prominent autonomic symptom and automatism with or without hippocampal abnormalities,indicating a mesial temporal origin.Febrile seizures were common in FTLEs such as ETL2,ETL5,ETL6 and ETL11.ETL4 was diagnosed as occipitotemporal lobe epilepsy with a high incidence of migraine and visual aura.Considering the diversity and complexity of the symptoms of TLE,neurologists enquiring about the family history of epilepsy should ask whether the relatives of the proband had experienced unnoticeable seizures and whether there is a family history of other neurological diseases carefully.Most FTLE patients had a good prognosis with or without anti-seizure medication treatment,with the exception of patients with heterozygous mutations of the CPA6 gene.The pathogenic mechanism was diverse among these genes and spans disturbances of neuron development,differentiation and synaptic signaling.In this article,we describe the research progress on eleven different types of FTLE.The precise molecular typing of FTLE would facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of FTLE and genetic counseling for this disorder.

Breeding for low cadmium accumulation cereals

Cadmium(Cd) is an element that is nonessential and extremely toxic to both plants and human beings. Soil contaminated with Cd has adverse impacts on crop yields and threatens human health via the food chain. Cultivation of low-Cd cultivars has been of particular interest and is one of the most cost-effective and promising approaches to minimize human dietary intake of Cd. Low-Cd crop cultivars should meet particular criteria, including acceptable yield and quality, and their edible parts should have Cd concentrations below maximum permissible concentrations for safe consumption, even when grown in Cd-contaminated soil. Several low-Cd cereal cultivars and genotypes have been developed worldwide through cultivar screening and conventional breeding. Molecular markers are powerful in facilitating the selection of low-Cd cereal cultivars. Modern molecular breeding technologies may have great potential in breeding programs for the development of low-Cd cultivars, especially when coupled with conventional breeding. In this review, we provide a synthesis of low-Cd cereal breeding.