A rare case of a natural contact zone in Morocco between an autopolyploid and an allopolyploid of Centaurea aspera with sterile tetraploid hybrids.

A new contact zone between Centaurea aspera and Centaurea seridis was found in Morocco. Chromosome counts and flow cytometry showed that both taxa were tetraploid (4x = 44). A literature review and morphometric analysis established that C. aspera corresponds to the autopolyploid C. aspera subsp. gentilii and C. seridis corresponds to the allopolyploid C. seridis var. auriculata. This contact area was compared with the homologous contact zones in Spain formed by the diploid C. aspera subsp. stenophylla and the tetraploid C. seridis subsp. maritima. Natural hybrids between parental species were frequent in both areas. In Spain, hybrids were triploid (from reduced gametes A and gamete AB), highly sterile and exerted a 'triploid block'. In Morocco, cytometry showed that hybrids were tetraploid and, therefore, probably fertile, but all the capitula lacked achenes. It is likely that the resulting genome of the new tetraploid hybrid (AAAB), through the fusion of reduced gametes AA (from subsp. gentilii) and AB (from var. auriculata), could explain irregularities in meiosis through formation of aneuploid gametes and, therefore, infertility of the hybrid. Moroccan sterile tetraploid hybrids develop, but have the identical irregularities to Spanish triploids, probably due to the odd number of homologous chromosomes. The new hybrid is first described as C. x subdecurrens nothosubsp. paucispinus. In addition, distribution and ecological traits are analysed.

Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 February 2011-31 March 2011.

This article documents the addition of 111 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, Anopheles nuneztovari sensu lato, Asellus aquaticus, Calopteryx splendens, Calopteryx virgo, Centaurea aspera, Centaurea seridis, Chilina dombeyana, Proctoeces cf. lintoni and Pyrenophora teres f. teres.

Variation of selfing rate and inbreeding depression among individuals and across generations within an admixed Cedrus population.

We investigated the variation and short-term evolution of the selfing rate and inbreeding depression (ID) across three generations within a cedar forest that was established from admixture ca 1860. The mean selfing rate was 9.5%, ranging from 0 to 48% among 20 seed trees (estimated from paternally inherited chloroplast DNA). We computed the probability of selfing for each seed and we investigated ID by comparing selfed and outcrossed seeds within progenies, thus avoiding maternal effects. In all progenies, the germination rate was high (88-100%) and seedling mortality was low (0-12%). The germination dynamics differed significantly between selfed and outcrossed seeds within progenies in the founder gene pool but not in the following generations. This transient effect of selfing could be attributed to epistatic interactions in the original admixture. Regarding the seedling growth traits, the ID was low but significant: 8 and 6% for height and diameter growth, respectively. These rates did not vary among generations, suggesting minor gene effects. At this early stage, outcrossed seedlings outcompeted their selfed relatives, but not necessarily other selfed seedlings from other progenies. Thus, purging these slightly deleterious genes may only occur through within-family selection. Processes that maintain a high level of genetic diversity for fitness-related traits among progenies also reduce the efficiency of purging this part of the genetic load.

Nueva tecnología de chips biológicos para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de las enfermedades infecciosas / New biological chips technology for diagnostics and treatments of infectious diseases

El uso de microarrays para diagnóstico clínico se espera con impaciencia. La generalización de estas técnicas supondrá un nuevo enfoque de nuestro trabajo diario dentro de la Microbiología clínica. Los chips biológicos pueden ser microarrays (o biochips) y labchips. Los microarrays son los más usados y tienen utilidad en genética, no solamente para la investigación sino también para el diagnóstico y búsqueda de dianas genéticas, útiles en tratamientos antimicrobianos. Los labchips pueden realizar varias técnicas en una misma muestra dentro de un chip (PCR, cromatografía, electroforesis, inmunoensayo....). Debemos tener en cuenta algunas circunstancias. En primer lugar la necesidad de ponerse al día en el área de la matemática aplicada y de la robótica, que es una parte fundamental en los nuevos sistemas de trabajo. Lo segundo es actualizar nuestros conocimientos de genética. El tercer problema es conocer el funcionamiento de los equipos de trabajo y sus características. El cuarto es definir su uso para técnicas de referencia y/o diagnóstico en el "punto de asistencia". Finalmente pero no menos importante, estimar el coste adecuado. Estas dificultades son frecuentes, la llegada de los chips biológicos para rutina se basa en su rentabilidad económica y en la mejora de la calidad de la asistencia. La pregunta definitiva es: ¿Cuándo?. Parece ser que pronto, pero nadie lo sabe con exactitud (AU)

Genetic diversity of a germplasm collection of Cucurbita pepo using SRAP and AFLP markers.

Cucurbita pepo is a highly polymorphic species. The cultivars can be grouped into eight morphotypes in two subspecies, ssp. pepo and ssp. ovifera. A collection of 69 accessions representative of the morphotypes and some unclassified types was used for analysing the morphological and molecular diversity of this species. This collection includes commercial cultivars and Spanish landraces, which represent the great diversification of types that have arisen in Europe after this species arrived from America. For the molecular variability studies, two PCR-based systems were employed, AFLP and SRAP, which preferentially amplify ORFs. Principal coordinates analysis and cluster analysis using the UPGMA method clearly separate the accessions into the two subspecies through the use of both markers. However, the gene diversity and the genetic identity values among morphotypes and subspecies varied between the two marker systems. The information given by SRAP markers was more concordant to the morphological variability and to the evolutionary history of the morphotypes than that of AFLP markers. In ssp. ovifera, the accessions of the different morphotypes were basically grouped according to the fruit colour. This may indicate different times of development and also the extent of breeding in the accessions used. This study has allowed identification of new types that can be employed for the development of new cultivars. The landraces of the spp. ovifera, used as ornamental in Europe, have proved to be of great interest for preserving the diversity of C. pepo.

Second-harmonic generation in a microradius LiNbO(3) cylinder with a quasi-elliptical cross section.

LiNbO(3) single-crystal fibers with diameters of 63 and 230 mum were grown, and the second-harmonic-generation (SHG) process was studied with femtosecond laser pulses perpendicularly focused to the fiber. SHG occurred without collinear phase matching, leading to wavelength-independent overall conversion efficiency, unlike in a bulk crystal. The scattering pattern of the second harmonic exhibited an intense forward peak and an almost-uniform, less-intense distribution around the fiber, owing to trapping in high-Q whispering modes. Implementation of a second-order autocorrelator with the 63-mum fiber demonstrates its application potential.