RAPD analysis of genetic diversity and population genetic structure of Stipa krylovii Reshov. in Inner Mongolia steppe.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to characterize the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of Stipa krylovii populations in Inner Mongolia steppe of North China. Thirteen 10 bp oligonucleotide primers, which generated 237 RAPD bands, were used to analyze 90 plants of five populations from three regions, meadow steppe, typical steppe and desert steppe, from the east to the west. The genetic diversity of Stipa krylovii that was revealed by observed number of alleles (na), expected number of alleles (ne), Nei's diversity index (h), Shannon's diversity index (H), amplificated loci, polymorphic loci and the percentage of polymorphic loci (PPB) increased from the east to the west. The Pearson's correlation analysis between genetic diversity parameters and ecological parameters indicated that the genetic diversity of Stipa krylovii was associated with precipitation and cumulative temperature variations along the longitude (humidity were calculated by precipitation and cumulative temperature). Dendrogram based on Jaccard's genetic distance showed that the individuals from the same population formed a single sub-group. Although most variation (56.85%) was within populations, there was high genetic differentiation among populations of Stipa krylovii, high differentiation within and between regions by AMOVA analysis. Either Nei's unbiased genetic distance (G(ST)) or gene flow (Nm) among pairwise populations was not correlated with geographical distance by Mantel's test (P > 0.05), suggesting that there was no consistency with the isolation by distance model in these populations. Natural selection may have played a role in affecting the genetic diversity and population structure, but habitat destruction and degradation in northern grassland in China may be the main factor responsible for high genetic differentiation among populations, within and among regions.

Simultaneous determination of toxic metabolites by linear combination derivative spectrophotometry.

A linear combination derivative spectrophotometric method is described. The method overcomes the problem of overlapping in derivative spectrophotometry and allows the maximum use of quantitative information. In addition, the method can be used to increase the selectivity, sensitivity and accuracy of the simultaneous analysis of multicomponent mixtures. The application of the method to the simultaneous determination of bongkrekic acid and toxoflavin, the toxic metabolites produced by Pseudomonas farinofermentans, is described.

Comparative description of Pseudomonas cocovenenans (van Damme, Johannes, Cox, and Berends 1960) NCIB 9450T and strains isolated from cases of food poisoning caused by consumption of fermented corn flour in China.

Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of Pseudomonas cocovenenans NCIB 9450T (T = type strain) and strains isolated from cases of food poisoning caused by consumption of fermented corn flour are compared. Our results show that these strains are members of the same species and conform to the description of Section II of the genus Pseudomonas. Because of small differences in substrate utilization patterns, the strains isolated in the People's Republic of China are thought to be biovars of P. cocovenenans.