The genus Blastocystis has recently attracted the attention of scientists, especially parasitologists. Similarly to the related opalines and proteromonads, Blastocystis is anaerobic and lives endobiotically in the intestine of various animals. This organism is also often found in humans, where it is associated with irritable bowel syndrome, though its pathogenic potential remains uncertain. The genus Blastocystis is remarkable for its rich genetic diversity. The taxonomy of Blastocystis is inconsistent and problematic. The strains isolated from homoiothermic vertebrates are divided into 17 subtypes, while strains from poikilotherms are either classified as separate species or are not considered in taxonomic studies at all. The aim of the study was to further examine the genetic diversity of the genus Blastocystis. We determined SSU rDNA sequences of 38 strains isolated from poikilothermic vertebrates and arthropods. The results of our phylogenetic analysis showed that Blastocystis is considerably diverse in these hosts, and we defined 21 new subtypes. The total number of known subtypes of Blastocystis has thus increased to 38. We also examined light-microscopical morphology of some strains. Most of the newly defined subtypes show identical morphology, ST20 (Blastocystis geocheloni) is an exception,...

The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the genetic diversity of mtDNA of populations in Central Europe and to assess its relation to geographic distances and/or linguistic affiliation of individual populations. For this purpose, HVS-1 mtDNA segments of 194 individuals of 6 Slovak populations were sequenced. Basic parameters of genetic diversity were estimated for obtained sequences, and compared with similar data published by other authors (4 798 sequences of HVS-1 mtDNA segment of 42 population units in Central Europe in total). Intra-population analysis revealed a high level of gene and nucleotide diversity of studied populations, with values clearly decreasing from north to south. While the Slovak populations were bearing the highest rates of genetic diversity, the lowest values were detected in the Croatian populations. The results of ΦST distances point to a certain similarity of the Slavic population (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Germanic (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) as well as some groups from Hungary and Romania. As the most distant appeared especially the population of Croatia, which differed from almost all populations included in the study. AMOVA showed that the geographic division of population explains the layout of genetic variation...

Introduction: Genetic determination of human face is clearly visible in family members. The resemblance between monozygotic twins who are genetically identical is especially remarkable. So far the possibilities of reliable prediction of the complex morphology of facial traits on the basis of genome analysis and the ability to capture the variability of human facial morphology through genotype variability are highly limited. Complete genetic basis of the physiological variability of craniofacial traits remains more or less unknown. This master's thesis was created as a pilot study of the shared project of the Laboratory of 3D Imagining and Analytical Methods and the Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology on Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics. Material and Methods: The specimen collection is composed of DNA samples derived from 30 families (29 with 4 members, 1 with 5 members) who fulfilled required criteria. Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms were chosen based on the available information. Eight of them are linked to normal facial variability and one was chosen based on the assumed function of the gene where the polymorphism is located. There were two methods of genotyping: RFLP method with the use of restriction endonuclease and SNaPshot method. Morphological data were provided by the...

The codling moth, Cydia pomonella (Tortricidae) is a significant pest in apple orchards. In the 1990ies, a control programme using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has been established, based on bisexual releases of sterile insects into wild populations of this pest. Male-only releases are not possible due to the lack of an efficient system to produce male-only progeny. Recently, a new approach has been proposed for the development of genetic sexing strains in Lepidoptera. It is based on insertion of a dominant conditional lethal mutation of the Notch gene, derived from the N60g11 allele of Drosophila, into the female W chromosome by means of transgenesis. This study deals with isolation, characterization, and chromosomal localization of a codling moth orthologue of the Drosophila Notch gene with the aim to prepare a mutant sequence of the orthologue to be used in plasmid constructs for germline transformation of this pest.

Regeneration from stem and branch fragments of the moss Helodium blandowii was examined in common garden and field experiments. The treatments included one cm long terminal stem fragments and branches of one cm and half cm length with and without the terminal and their regeneration was observed in course of 3 months in the common garden experiment and 15 months in the field. Dynamics of Helodium patches was observed in course of 2 years in permanent plots of the nature reserve Ruda. Genetic stucture of all recent Czech populations of Helodium blandowii was investigated and compared with a pilot survey of populations from Scandinavia and Lithuania using the microsatellite markes developed for this study.

Regeneration from stem and branch fragments of the moss Helodium blandowii was examined in common garden and field experiments. The treatments included one cm long terminal stem fragments and branches of one cm and half cm length with and without the terminal and their regeneration was observed in course of 3 months in the common garden experiment and 15 months in the field. Dynamics of Helodium patches was observed in course of 2 years in permanent plots of the nature reserve Ruda. Genetic stucture of all recent Czech populations of Helodium blandowii was investigated and compared with a pilot survey of populations from Scandinavia and Lithuania using the microsatellite markes developed for this study.

Variability in genes and shell shape of salt water gastropod Hexaplex trunculus (Linné, 1758) was compared among the samples from three Croatian coastline localities, four localities on Greek island Lefkada and two localities from south France coastline in total number of 464 specimens. Genetical criteria were not found for separating individual populations. No variability were found in 683 bp long fragment of gene for michondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit one (COI). Differences among populations were not significant, even in conection of my data with the data of recent portuguese study (sequences from GenBank). Differences among populations were found by the geometric morphometric method. Based on these results, morphotypes for certain habitats were determined. During the study, high level of tributyltin (TBT) pollution in the Mediterranean sea causing sexual malformation called imposex phenomenon, was proved in this species of gastropod.

The spread of invasive plant species in natural habitats has become a worldwide problem with negative environmental and economic impacts. An increasing number of invasive organisms are responsible for adverse environmental and economic impacts worldwide, including species extinction, crop failures, reduced water supply, and damage to industrial infrastructures (KERCHER et al., 2007). Phalaris arundinacea L. is widespread throughout the world, except Antarctica and Greenland. Center of diversity of this genus is in the Mediterranean. Members of the genus Phalaris occurs in moist habitats from lower to alpine altitudes (ANDERSON, 1997). Phalaris has a plethora of uses. Its most frequent use is as the root wastewater treatment plants. Phalaris grown as feed for livestock and is also used as an ornamental grass. Phalaris have recently received a lot of attention as a new biomass source for the production of renewable energy in USA. In recent years there has been a massive spread of P. arundinacea across North America (currently occurs in 43 states) and Canada (ZEDLER & KERCHER, 2004). Phalaris represents a significant threat to its original wetland vegetation and is classified as a harmful agens in nine state of U.S. states (LAVERGNE & MOLOFSKY, 2004). It is believed that these aggressive population have European origin.

Genetic analysis of 433 samples of serious crop pest aphid Diuraphis noxia was conducted with the use of 8 microsatellites loci. Statistical analysis revealed sexual reproduction of D. noxia in temperate regions. The linkage disequilibrium was detected because of the excess of heterozygotes. These results support the theory of RNDr. Starý about the invasion of D. noxia to American continent via states of North Africa, Spain and France.

The main aim of this thesis was to evaluate the genetic variability in different populations of birds of prey in the Czech Republic. As an alternative source, the feathers were used for the extraction of DNA. The reference species were chosen the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug), which was also compared with the subpopulation living in Slovakia. Ten microsatellite markers from the literature were tested. Polymorphism of markers varied significantly, locus NVH fp5 was the least polymorphic (PIC = 0.185 F. p; PIC = 0.119 F. ch.). Null alleles were observed in this locus in the Peregrine Falcon population, that is why it should be discarded from the microsatellite panel. The genetic diversity was low among subpopulations of the Peregrine Falcon. FST for the population living in the captivity and living in the wild was 0.025. In the case of the Saker Falcon subpopulation living in Slovakia showed moderate genetic diversity values (0.185 for the subpopulation living in the captivity and 0.126 for the subpopulation living in the wild in the Czech Republic). All subpopulations (except museum specimens of the Saker Falcon) were in Hardy - Weinberg equilibrium. Gene flow was higher among subpopulations of the Peregrine Falcon than the Saker Falcon, where the other population from the different geographical area was also included. 454 sequencing revealed 3 complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of Peregrine Falcons, 2 of Saker Falcons and 2 of Gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus). The longest sizes were 16,154 bp for the Saker Falcon, 17,239 bp for Gyrfalcon and 17,527 bp for the Peregrine Falcon. Sequence of the Peregrine Falcon was inserted into the Genbank database under accession number JX029991. Whole genome mitochondrial DNA sequences of Saker Falcons and Gyrfalcons have never been published, that is why it will be the part of the new manuscript.