Gene activation of alcohol dehydrogenase in Japanese quail and chicken-quail hybrid embryos

A comparative study of distant hybridization in plants and animals

Distant hybridization refers to crosses between two different species, genera, or higher-ranking taxa, which can break species limits, increase genetic variation, and combine the biological characteristics of existing species. It is an important way of creating genetic variation, fertile strains, and excellent characteristics in new strains and populations. Combining analyses and summaries from many inter-related documents in plants and animals, both domestic and international, including examples and long-standing research on distant hybridization in fish from our laboratory, we summarize and compare the similarities and differences in plant and animal distant hybridization. In addition, we analyze and review the biological characteristics of their different ploidy progenies and the possible causes of disparity in survival rates. Mechanisms of sterility in animal and plant distant hybrids are also discussed, and research methods for the study of biological characteristics of hybrids, including morphology, cytology, and molecular cytogenetics are presented. This paper aims to provide comprehensive research materials and to systematically compare the general and specific characteristics of plant and animal hybrids with regards to reproduction, genetics, growth traits, and other biological characteristics. It is hoped that this paper will have great theoretical and practical significance for the study of genetic breeding and biological evolution of plant and animal distant hybridization.

Asynchronous expression of the alcohol and supernatant malate dehydrogenase loci during Barbus hybrid development (Cypriniformes, Teleostei)

The tissue specificity and ontogeny of supernatant malate dehydrogenase (s-MDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) are reported for the tiger barb (Barbus tetrazona), the rosy barb (Barbus conchonius) and their reciprocal hybrids. The tissue distribution of s-MDH and ADH isozymes in both species is consistent with spatial profiles reported for other teleosts. The expression of alleles of paternal origin at the s-Mdh-B and Adh loci are delayed in reciprocal hybrids as compared to their expression intraspecifically; suggestive of a low degree of affinity between maternally derived regulatory factors and paternal regulative elements controlling structural gene activation.

Comparison of the spatial and temporal expression of supernatant malate dehydrogenase in Barbus hybrids (Cypriniformes, Teleostei)

The tissue specificity and ontogeny of supernatant malate dehydrogenase (s-MDH) are reported for the tiger barb, cherry barb, and their reciprocal hybrids. The tissue distribution of s-MDH isozymes in Barbus is consistent with the patterns reported in other teleosts. The expression of the Mdh-B locus is correlated with the initial muscle contractions of the developing embryos. It is suggested that the state of muscle cell differentiation may be the stimulus necessary for the expression of this locus in Barbus. Expression of maternal and paternal alleles at the B locus are synchronously delayed in reciprocal hybrids, as compared to their expression intraspecifically.

Alcohol dehydrogenase isozymes in the clawed frog, Xenopus laevis

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH; EC 1.1.1.1) activity in Xenopus laevis was highest in liver tissue, with decreasing activities in kidney, heart, and gut tissues, respectively. Essentially no activity was found among other tissues screened, including lung, ovary, eye, and testes. Also, there was no apparent sexual dimorphism of ADH activity in either liver or kidney tissue. All ADH isozymes were inhibited by 10 mM pyrazole, and no eye-specific retinol dehydrogenase activity was detected on starch gel electropherograms. Isozyme patterns from 418 offspring from 11 different crosses could be explained genetically assuming the presence of two structural genes coding for ADH production: one carrying two electrophoretically separable variants and the other showing quantitative variation in its expression. The ADH system in X. laevis should be useful for studies concerning the molecular mechanisms governing the expression of ADH activity in vertebrate development.

Heterosis in the codominance model: electrophoretic studies of proteins in the chicken-quail hybrid

1. Electrophoretical comparisons was carried out on qualitative and quantitative differences of three proteins in the cock-quail hybrid: albumin, immunoglobulin and hemoglobin. All three components correspond to situations of codominance. 2. Heterosis was demonstrated twice: the immunological potentialities of the hybrid are increased by its possession of two types of Ig G; the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen can be better regulated in the hybrid than in both parental species. 3. Proportions of the codominant parental components in the hybrid are different in the case of the three investigated proteins; this fact probably reflects the relative importance of the quantitative regulation of gene products in the hybrid.

Initial expression of the genes for fructose 1,6-diphosphatase, malic enzyme, and aspartate aminotransferase in Japanese quail and chicken--quail hybrid embryos

The initial appearance of a number of enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis was investigated in the early embryogenesis of the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), and chicken-quail hybrids. Starch gel electrophoresis and enzyme-specific stains revealed genetic differences between muscle and liver fructose 1,6-diphosphatase (FDPase) as well as malic enzyme (ME) and mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) isozymes of the two species. ME and AAT were present in unfertilized unincubated eggs, indicating maternal storage of these enzymes. The initial expression of the paternally inherited genes in the hybrid occurred before oviposition in the case of ME, and between 12 and 18 hr incubation in the case of AAT. Initial expression of both parental sets of genes for FDPase occurred synchronously between 16 and 24 hr in the hybrid, corresponding to the time of initial appearance of this enzyme in the quail and chicken. Glucose 6-phosphate administration at 0 hr was found to cause no prevention or delay of initial enzyme activation. These results are interpreted in terms of early patterns of enzyme activation regulation and nutrition in the avian embryo.