Humans reached present-day Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) in one of the first major human migrations out of Africa. Population movements in the millennia following this initial settlement are thought to have greatly influenced the genetic makeup of current inhabitants, yet the extent attributed to different events is not clear. Recent studies suggest that south-to-north gene flow largely influenced present-day patterns of genetic variation in Southeast Asian populations and that late Pleistocene and early Holocene migrations from Southeast Asia are responsible for a substantial proportion of ISEA ancestry. Archaeological and linguistic evidence suggests that the ancestors of present-day inhabitants came mainly from north-to-south migrations from Taiwan and throughout ISEA approximately 4,000 years ago. We report a large-scale genetic analysis of human variation in the Iban population from the Malaysian state of Sarawak in northwestern Borneo, located in the center of ISEA. Genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers analyzed here suggest that the Iban exhibit greatest genetic similarity to Indonesian and mainland Southeast Asian populations. The most common non-recombining Y (NRY) and mitochondrial (mt) DNA haplogroups present in the Iban are associated with populations of Southeast Asia. We conclude that migrations from Southeast Asia made a large contribution to Iban ancestry, although evidence of potential gene flow from Taiwan is also seen in uniparentally inherited marker data.
A mutation is ultimately essential for adaptive evolution in all populations. It arises all the time, but is mostly fixed by enzymes. Further, most do consider that the evolution mechanism is by a natural assortment of variations in organisms in line for random variations in their DNA, and the suggestions for this are overwhelming. The altering of the construction of a gene, causing a different form that may be communicated to succeeding generations, produced by the modification of single base units in DNA, or the deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger units of chromosomes or genes. This altering is called a mutation. In this paper, a mathematical model is introduced to this reality. The model describes the time and space for the evolution. The tool is based on a complex domain for the space. We show that the evolution is distributed with the hypergeometric function. The Boundedness of the evolution is imposed by utilizing the Koebe function.
Four out of 10 diploid orchid species showed "complement fractionation" a complex cytological phenomenon, hitherto reported only in polyploid plants. The manifestation of this phenomenon during meiosis is the formation of chromosome subgroups resulting eventually in cells with more than the usual four sporads; five or six being the optimum number in the investigated orchid species. No implications whatsoever can be deduced as to the genetic or genomic constitution of the end products. The presence of the phenomenon in these orchid species could perhaps indicate a polyploid ancestry or concealed hybridity. The operation of "complement fractionation", however, could be interpreted as an alternative evolutionary pathway opposed to polyploidy.
Chromosome identification is essential for linking sequence and chromosomal maps, verifying sequence assemblies, showing structural variations and tracking inheritance or recombination of chromosomes and chromosomal segments during evolution and breeding programs. Unfortunately, identification of individual chromosomes and chromosome arms has been a major challenge for some economically important crop species with a near-continuous chromosome size range and similar morphology. Here, we developed oligonucleotide-based chromosome-specific probes that enabled us to establish a reference chromosome identification system for oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq., 2n = 32). Massive oligonucleotide sequence pools were anchored to individual chromosome arms using dual and triple fluorescent in situ hybridization (EgOligoFISH). Three fluorescently tagged probe libraries were developed to contain, in total 52,506 gene-rich single-copy 47-mer oligonucleotides spanning each 0.2-0.5 Mb across strategically placed chromosome regions. They generated 19 distinct FISH signals and together with rDNA probes enabled identification of all 32 E. guineensis chromosome arms. The probes were able to identify individual homoeologous chromosome regions in the related Arecaceae palm species: American oil palm (Elaeis oleifera), date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and coconut (Cocos nucifera) showing the comparative organization and concerted evolution of genomes in the Arecaceae. The oligonucleotide probes developed here provide a valuable approach to chromosome arm identification and allow tracking chromosome transfer in hybridization and breeding programs in oil palm, as well as comparative studies within Arecaceae.
Escherichia coli strain USML2 was originally isolated from the inner leaf tissues of surface-sterilized phytopathogenic-free oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). We present here the whole-genome sequence of this plant-endophytic strain. The genome consists of a single circular chromosome of 4,502,758 bp, 4,315 predicted coding sequences, and a G+C content of 50.8%.
Supernumerary derivative (22) syndrome is one of the rare genomic syndromes. It is characterised by severe mental retardation, microcephaly, failure to thrive, ear anomalies, preauricular tags or sinus, cleft palate or high arch palate, microganathia, renal anomalies, congenital cardiac defects and genital abnormalities in males. In 99 percent of the cases, one of the parents is a balanced carrier of a translocation between chromosome 11 and chromosome 22. We report the first known case, a female neonate, of supernumerary derivative (22) syndrome from Malaysia.
The haematological findings and case history of 3 patients with the association of acute myeloid leukemia and translocation involving the long arm of chromosome no. 11 are presented. The recipient chromosome for the translocated material from chromosome 11 differs in all the three cases being namely chromosomes 1, 10 and 17.
Labeo rohita (rohu) is a carp important to aquaculture in South Asia, with a production volume close to Atlantic salmon. While genetic improvements to rohu are ongoing, the genomic methods commonly used in other aquaculture improvement programs have historically been precluded in rohu, partially due to the lack of a high-quality reference genome. Here we present a high-quality de novo genome produced using a combination of next-generation sequencing technologies, resulting in a 946 Mb genome consisting of 25 chromosomes and 2,844 unplaced scaffolds. Notably, while approximately half the size of the existing genome sequence, our genome represents 97.9% of the genome size newly estimated here using flow cytometry. Sequencing from 120 individuals was used in conjunction with this genome to predict the population structure, diversity, and divergence in three major rivers (Jamuna, Padma, and Halda), in addition to infer a likely sex determination mechism in rohu. These results demonstrate the utility of the new rohu genome in modernizing some aspects of rohu genetic improvement programs.
Fifty years have elapsed since the discovery of the number of human chromosomes in 1956. Newer techniques have been developed since then, ranging from the initial conventional banding techniques to the currently used molecular array comparative genomic hybridisation. With a combination of these conventional and molecular techniques, cytogenetics has become an indispensable tool for the diagnosis of various genetic disorders, paving the way for possible treatment and management. This paper traces the history and evolution of cytogenetics leading up to the current state of technology.
We report the unusual case of a dysmorphic child with global developmental delay secondary to a familial complex chromosomal rearrangement (CCR). His chromosomal analysis using G-banding and dual colour fluorescence in situ hybridisation with whole chromosome paint revealed a supernumerary marker chromosome as a result of malsegregation of a familial CCR involving chromosomes 7, 12 and 14. The balanced form of this familial CCR was also carried by the patient's mother and maternal grandmother, both of whom had a history of recurrent spontaneous abortions, as well as his maternal uncle, who was infertile. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of familial CCR involving chromosomes 7, 12 and 14. This case also highlights the importance of chromosomal analysis in children with dysmorphism and developmental delay as well as in adults who suffer from recurrent spontaneous abortions or infertility.
A limited backcross procedure was utilized to introgress genes associated with grain quality traits from Oryza rufipogon (Accession No. IRGC 105491), a wild rice from Malaysia, to the cultivated rice O. sativa cv. MR219, a popular high yielding Malaysian rice cultivar. A set of 10 BC(2)F(7) progenies were selected based on the field performance and phenotypic appearance in BC(2)F(5) and BC(2)F(6) generations, which initially started with 266 progenies in the BC(2)F(2) generation. These 10 advanced breeding lines are similar to each other but differ in several important grain quality traits, which can be traced to O. rufipogon introgressions. Phenotyping and genotyping of BC(2)F(7) variants were considered for QTL analysis. The introgressed lines did not show any significant changes compared to the recurrent parent MR219 for the traits grain density and milled rice percentage. All 10 progenies showed significantly higher head rice percentages (70-88%) than the recurrent parent MR219. Variants G13 and G15 had higher amylose contents than MR219. All variants were analyzed using polymorphic SSR markers. Of the 34 SSR markers, only 18 showed introgression from O. rufipogon for chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 11. Graphical genotypes were prepared for each variant, and association between the introgression regions and the traits that increased grain quality was visualized. Based on marker trait association, some of the QTLs are stable across environments and genetic backgrounds and could be used universally.
We report the first two Malaysian children with partial deletion 9p syndrome, a well delineated but rare clinical entity. Both patients had trigonocephaly, arching eyebrows, anteverted nares, long philtrum, abnormal ear lobules, congenital heart lesions and digital anomalies. In addition, the first patient had underdeveloped female genitalia and anterior anus. The second patient had hypocalcaemia and high arched palate and was initially diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome. Chromosomal analysis revealed a partial deletion at the short arm of chromosome 9. Karyotyping should be performed in patients with craniostenosis and multiple abnormalities as an early syndromic diagnosis confers prognostic, counselling and management implications.
Complete trisomy 9 is a lethal diagnosis and most fetuses diagnosed thus die prenatally or during the early postnatal period and majority of such cases have been known to end in spontaneous abortion in the first trimester itself. One such rare survival of fetus ending in normal delivery and surviving until 20 days is reported here detailing the clinical manifestations of the child during the period of survival. The salient clinical features observed were small face, wide fontanel, prominent occiput, micrognathia, low set ears, upslanting palpebral fissures, high arched palate, short sternum, overlapping fingers, limited hip abduction, rocker bottom feet, heart murmurs and also webbed neck, characteristic of this trisomy 9 syndrome.
A 3-year-old girl with facial dysmorphic features suggestive of Cornelia de Lange syndrome was seen in the ophthalmology unit for a right leukocoria. The leukocoria was found to be caused by a large retinoblastoma and the right eye was enucleated. Chromosomal analysis revealed partial chromosome 13q deletion involving band 14 which is associated with a high risk of retinoblastoma. This case shows that patient with chromosome 13q deletion syndrome cannot be diagnosed based on dysmorphic features only. Chromosomal analysis is warranted in all infants with facial dysmorphism suggestive of Cornelia de Lange syndrome so that those with chromosome 13q deletion can be referred early for early detection of retinoblastoma.
Complete deletions in the AZF (a, b, and c) sub-regions of the Y-chromosome have been shown to contribute to unexplained male infertility. However, the role of partial AZFc deletions in male infertility remains to be verified. Three types of partial AZFc deletions have been identified. They are gr/gr, b1/b3, and b2/b3 deletions. A recent meta-analysis showed that ethnic and geographical factors might contribute to the association of partial AZFc deletions with male infertility. This study analyzed the association of partial AZFc deletions in Malaysian infertile males. Fifty two oligozoospermic infertile males and 63 fertile controls were recruited to this study. Screening for partial AZFc deletions was done using the two sequence-tagged sites approach (SY1291 and SY1191) which were analyzed using both the conventional PCR gel-electrophoresis and the high resolution melt, HRM method. Gr/gr deletions were found in 11.53% of the cases and 9.52% of the controls (p = 0.725). A B2/b3 deletion was found in one of the cases (p = 0.269). No B1/b3 deletions were identified in this study. The results of HRM analysis were consistent with those obtained using the conventional PCR gel-electrophoresis method. The HRM analysis was highly repeatable (95% limit of agreement was -0.0879 to 0.0871 for SY1191 melting temperature readings). In conclusion, our study showed that partial AZFc deletions were not associated with male infertility in Malaysian subjects. HRM analysis was a reliable, repeatable, fast, cost-effective, and semi-automated method which can be used for screening of partial AZFc deletions.
Microsatellite primers are often developed in one species and used to assess neutral variability in related species. Such analyses may be confounded by ascertainment bias (i.e. a decline in amplification success and allelic variability with increasing genetic distance from the source of the microsatellites). In addition, other factors, such as the size of the microsatellite, whether it consists of perfect or interrupted tandem repeats, and whether it is autosomal or X-linked, can affect variation. To test the relative importance of these factors on microsatellite variation, we examine patterns of amplification and allelic diversity in 52 microsatellite loci amplified from five individuals in each of six populations of Cyrtodiopsis stalk-eyed flies that range from 2.2 % to 11.2% mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence from the population used for microsatellite development. We find that amplification success and most measures of allelic diversity declined with genetic distance from the source population, in some cases an order of magnitude faster than in birds or mammals. The median and range of the repeat array length did not decline with genetic distance. In addition, for loci on the X chromosome, we find evidence of lower observed heterozygosity compared with loci on autosomes. The differences in variability between X-linked and autosomal loci are not adequately explained by differences in effective population sizes of the chromosomes. We suggest, instead, that periodic selection events associated with X-chromosome meiotic drive, which is present in many of these populations, reduces X-linked variation.
Recent advances in neuro-oncology have revealed different pathways of molecular oncogenesis in malignant gliomas including loss of heterozygosity on chromosomal regions harboring tumor suppressor genes. In the present study, we performed polymerase chain reaction-loss of heterozygosity (PCR-LOH) analysis using microsatellite markers to identify loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 10q, 9p, 17p and 13q in the Malays with malignant gliomas. Of 12 cases with allelic losses, seven (58.3%) cases showed LOH on chromosome 10q, three (25.0%) cases showed LOH on chromosome 9p, four (33.3%) cases showed LOH on chromosome 17p and two (16.7%) cases showed LOH on chromosome 13q. The cases include five (41.7%) cases of glioblastoma multiforme, three (25.0%) cases of anaplastic astrocytoma, three (25.0%) cases of anaplastic oligodendroglioma and one (8.3%) case of anaplastic ependymoma. Four cases showed loss of heterozygosity on more than one locus. Our findings showed that loss of heterozygosity on specific chromosomal regions contributes to the molecular pathway of glioma progression in Malay population. In addition, these data provide useful evidence of molecular genetic alterations of malignant glioma in South East Asian patients, particularly in the East Coast of Malaysia.
The salivary chromosomes of four species of the nasuta complex of Drosophila, D. sulfurigaster albostrigata, D, kohkoa, D. albomicans, and D. kepulauana were studied and chromosome maps of each species are presented; the maps of the latter three species are based on the map of D. sulfurigaster albostrigata. Three of the species D. sulfurigaster albostrigata, D. albomicans, and D. kohkoa were shown to be highly polymorphic for chromosomal inversions while the available evidence indicated that D. kepulauana is much less polymorphic. These facts are correlated with the geographic distribution of the species. Transitional homoselection has not been complete in the evolution of three of the species since D. sulfurigaster albostrigata, D. kohkoa, and D. albomicans have a number of naturally occurring polymorphisms in common.