Analysis on the Origin and Phylogenetic Status of Tong Sheep Using 12 Blood Protein and Nonprotein Markers

This study is based on the Tong sheep obtained by the random sampling method of typical colonies in the central area of Baishui County in Shaanxi Province, China. An investigation was undertaken to clarify the gene constitution of blood protein and nonprotein types of Tong sheep. Twelve genetic markers were examined by starch-gel electrophoresis and cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Polymorphism in Tong sheep was found at the following 10 loci, transferrin （Tf）, alkaline phosphatase （Alp）, leucine aminopeptidase （Lap）, arylesterase （Ary-Es）, hemoglobin-β （Hb-β）, X-protein （X-p）, carbonic anhydrase （CA）, catalase （Cat）, malate dehydrogenase （MDH）, and lysine （Ly）, whereas, albumin （A1） and postalbumin （Po） loci were monomorphic. Genetic approach degree method and phylogenetic relationship clustering method were used to judge the origin and phylogenetic status of Tong sheep. Results from both methods maintained that Tong sheep belonged to the ＂Mongolia group＂, and Mongolia sheep was the origin of Tong sheep. This was also supported by the history of Tong sheep breeding. Compared to the phylogenetic relationship clustering method, the genetic approach degree method was more reliable for the extraction from East and South of Central Asia, and was more effective in reflecting the breeding course of Tong sheep.

A Reevaluation of the Status of Lilium nepalense Based on Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences

Lilium nepalense D. Don is an ornamental plant and exhibits high morphological variation across its distribution range in China. There is incongruence between different data sets for the status of it in Lilium. In this study, we reported a complete chloroplast genome of L. nepalense sampled in Hengduan Mountains, China. The whole chloroplast genome possessed a total length of 152,206 bp with typical circular structure, and contained a large single copy (LSC) of 81,854 bp and a small single copy (SSC) of 17,563 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRa/IRb) of 26,399 bp. The average GC content among the whole chloroplast genome sequence was 37%, and the GC content in LSC, SSC, IRs regions were 34.8%, 30.6%, and 42.5%, respectively. There were 135 genes detected from the whole chloroplast genome sequence, including 89 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. Phylogenetic results using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods showed congruent results that L. nepalense together with the other two L. nepalense samples collected from different habitats formed a single branch, indicating a close relationship of L. nepalense with L. taliense belonging to the section Sinomartagon. This newly characterized chloroplast genome will provide essential data for the further population genetics research of L. nepalense.