[Genetic variability and phylogenetic analysis of 39 short tandem repeat loci in Beijing Han population].

In this study, we studied the genetic polymorphisms of short tandem repeat (STR) loci from 13 CODIS and 26 non-CODIS system in Beijing Han population for the first time, and established a database of 39 STR loci whose forensic parameters were further evaluated. Our results demonstrated no significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium of 39 STR loci and no pairwise linkage disequilibrium between them. The power of discriminations, expected heterozygosity, polymorphic information content, and power of exclusion of 39 STR loci ranged from 0.7740-0.9818, 0.6000-0.9350, 0.5317-0.9047 and 0.2909-0.8673. The cumulated discrimination power and cumulative probability of exclusion were 0.999999999999999999999999999999999999999964971 and 0.999999999973878, respectively. Moreover, the genetic distance was calculated based on allele frequency and phylogenetic tree was built using STR loci data from Beijing Han and other 11 Chinese ethnic groups.This study provides important basic data for Chinese forensic DNA database and population genetics database, and has important significance in carrying out forensic individual identification, paternity testing, and population genetic study.

[Progress on Sp1-like and Krüppel-like factors].

Sp1-like and Krüppel-like factors (Sp1/KLFs) are a family of zinc-finger proteins that are important components of transcriptional machinery in eukaryotic cells. Sp1/KLFs have highly conserved DNA binding domains at the carboxyl terminus that have three tandem zinc-finger motifs. Their amino terminal regions vary greatly and contain transcription regulatory domains that interact with co-regulators. By regulating the expression of a large number of genes containing GC-rich or CACCC promoters in a tissue-, cell- and developmental stage-specific manner, Sp1/KLFs may be involved in many biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and neoplastic transformation. In this article, we reviewed the structure, molecular mechanisms and biological functions of Sp1/KLFs.