Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Linearized representation of gene arrangement for Veneridae mitogenomes.

<p>(All genes are transcribed from left to right. The bars indicate identical gene block. Arrows denote gene translocations, and the non-coding regions are nor presented.)</p

Spatiotemporal Changes in Water Yield Function and Its Influencing Factors in the Tibetan Plateau in the Past 20 Years

The Tibetan Plateau, known as the “Water Tower of Asia”, has made important contributions to global climate regulation and water conservation. With global climate change and water shortages, the yield and reserves of water on the Tibetan Plateau have undergone obvious changes, and its water yield function and water conservation function have gradually attracted widespread attention. The results show that the total water yield in the past 20 years is 128,403.06 billion m3, spatially reduced from southeast to northwest, and the interannual variation is large but increases slowly overall. The water yield capacity is higher in the areas of less than 3000 m and 3500~4500 m, and it is stronger with the increase in slope. The water yield capacity is extremely strong in the middle and north subtropical zone. Ecological zones with high water yield capacity are mostly covered with woodland and alpine meadows. The precipitation (P) is the dominant factor in the water yield function before actual evapotranspiration (AET) = 500 mm, and then the negative force of AET is enhanced. High altitude inhibits the positive effect of the normalized vegetation index (NDVI), and the water yield at altitudes of less than 3000 m shows an almost linear relationship with the leaf area index (LAI). When LAI > 0.2, the slower the slope, the higher the water yield and the lower the growth rate. The spatial distribution of P change and water yield change is consistent and significantly positively correlated; P and NDVI changes positively affected changes in water yield, while AET and LAI changes had the opposite effect. In summary, combined with topographic factors, this study emphasizes the influence of climate and vegetation changes on the spatiotemporal changes in water yield on the Tibetan Plateau, which can provide a theoretical basis for the assessment and prediction of water yield capacity and water conservation capacity in this area

Comparative analyses of the complete mitochondrial genomes of <i>Dosinia</i> clams and their phylogenetic position within Veneridae

<div><p>Mitochondrial genomes have proved to be a powerful tool in resolving phylogenetic relationship. In order to understand the mitogenome characteristics and phylogenetic position of the genus <i>Dosinia</i>, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of <i>Dosinia altior</i> and <i>Dosinia troscheli</i> (Bivalvia: Veneridae), compared them with that of <i>Dosinia japonica</i> and established a phylogenetic tree for Veneridae. The mitogenomes of <i>D</i>. <i>altior</i> (17,536 bp) and <i>D</i>. <i>troscheli</i> (17,229 bp) are the two smallest in Veneridae, which include 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and non-coding regions. The mitogenomes of the <i>Dosinia</i> species are similar in size, gene content, AT content, AT- and GC- skews, and gene arrangement. The phylogenetic relationships of family Veneridae were established based on 12 concatenated protein-coding genes using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses, which supported that Dosininae and Meretricinae have a closer relationship, with Tapetinae being the sister taxon. The information obtained in this study will contribute to further understanding of the molecular features of bivalve mitogenomes and the evolutionary history of the genus <i>Dosinia</i>.</p></div

Spatiotemporal Variation and Factors Influencing Water Yield Services in the Hengduan Mountains, China

Conducting a quantitative assessment of water yield in mountainous areas is crucial for the management, development, and sustainable utilization of water resources. The Hengduan Mountains Region (HDMR) is a significant water-supporting area characterized by complex topography and climate changes. To analyze the spatial and temporal variations of water yield in the HDMR from 2001 to 2020, we employed the InVEST model and examined the influencing factors in conjunction with the elevation gradient. Our results indicate that: (1) The water yield in the Hengduan Mountains decreases from southeast to northwest, with the southwestern and eastern regions having high water yield values, and the high-altitude areas in the northwestern part having low water yield values. (2) The water yield in the Hengduan Mountains exhibits a decreasing trend followed by an increasing trend from 2001 to 2020, with the lowest level in 2011 and higher levels in 2004, 2018, and 2020. (3) Pixel-based trend analysis demonstrates a decreasing trend in water yield in the central and western parts of the study area, while the eastern part shows an increasing trend. (4) The climatic components, particularly precipitation, predominantly influence the spatial and temporal variations of water yield in the Transverse Mountain region. In most areas, evapotranspiration and land surface temperature have a negative impact on water yield. (5) Water yield tends to decrease and then increase on the altitudinal gradient, with precipitation and actual evapotranspiration being the factors directly affecting water yield, and land surface temperature and the proportion of forested areas having a significant indirect effect on water yield. Our study provides a scientific basis for water resources management and sustainable development in the Hengduan Mountains

AT content, AT-skew and GC-skew for mitochondrial genes of <i>D</i>. <i>altior</i>, <i>D</i>. <i>troscheli</i> and <i>D</i>. <i>japonica</i>.

<p>AT content, AT-skew and GC-skew for mitochondrial genes of <i>D</i>. <i>altior</i>, <i>D</i>. <i>troscheli</i> and <i>D</i>. <i>japonica</i>.</p

Linearized representation of gene arrangement for Veneridae mitogenomes.

<p>(All genes are transcribed from left to right. The bars indicate identical gene block. Arrows denote gene translocations, and the non-coding regions are nor presented.)</p

Presence of the <i>atp8</i> in the mitogenomes of the Veneridae family.

<p>Presence of the <i>atp8</i> in the mitogenomes of the Veneridae family.</p

The organization of the mt genomes of <i>Dosinia altior</i> and <i>D</i>. <i>troscheli</i>.

<p>Genes for proteins and rRNA (<i>rrnS</i> and <i>rrnL</i>) are listed under abbreviations. The largest non-coding region is designated as MNR.</p

Primer sets for PCR amplification.

<p>Primer sets for PCR amplification.</p