101
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Laing R, Kikuchi T, Martinelli A, Tsai IJ, Beech RN, Redman E, Holroyd N, Bartley DJ, Beasley H, Britton C, Curran D, Devaney E, Gilabert A, Hunt M, Jackson F, Johnston SL, Kryukov I, Li K, Morrison AA, Reid AJ, Sargison N, Saunders GI, Wasmuth JD, Wolstenholme A, Berriman M, Gilleard JS, Cotton JA. The genome and transcriptome of Haemonchus contortus, a key model parasite for drug and vaccine discovery. Genome Biol 2013; 14:R88. [PMID: 23985316 PMCID: PMC4054779 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2013-14-8-r88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Revised: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The small ruminant parasite Haemonchus contortus is the most widely used parasitic nematode in drug discovery, vaccine development and anthelmintic resistance research. Its remarkable propensity to develop resistance threatens the viability of the sheep industry in many regions of the world and provides a cautionary example of the effect of mass drug administration to control parasitic nematodes. Its phylogenetic position makes it particularly well placed for comparison with the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the most economically important parasites of livestock and humans. RESULTS Here we report the detailed analysis of a draft genome assembly and extensive transcriptomic dataset for H. contortus. This represents the first genome to be published for a strongylid nematode and the most extensive transcriptomic dataset for any parasitic nematode reported to date. We show a general pattern of conservation of genome structure and gene content between H. contortus and C. elegans, but also a dramatic expansion of important parasite gene families. We identify genes involved in parasite-specific pathways such as blood feeding, neurological function, and drug metabolism. In particular, we describe complete gene repertoires for known drug target families, providing the most comprehensive understanding yet of the action of several important anthelmintics. Also, we identify a set of genes enriched in the parasitic stages of the lifecycle and the parasite gut that provide a rich source of vaccine and drug target candidates. CONCLUSIONS The H. contortus genome and transcriptome provide an essential platform for postgenomic research in this and other important strongylid parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roz Laing
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Taisei Kikuchi
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692 Japan
| | - Axel Martinelli
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Isheng J Tsai
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692 Japan
| | - Robin N Beech
- Institute of Parasitology, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Québec, Canada H9X 3V9
| | - Elizabeth Redman
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Nancy Holroyd
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - David J Bartley
- Disease Control, Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Helen Beasley
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Collette Britton
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G61 1QH, UK
| | - David Curran
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Eileen Devaney
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Aude Gilabert
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Martin Hunt
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Frank Jackson
- Disease Control, Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Stephanie L Johnston
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Ivan Kryukov
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Keyu Li
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Alison A Morrison
- Disease Control, Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Adam J Reid
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Neil Sargison
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - Gary I Saunders
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G61 1QH, UK
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - James D Wasmuth
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Adrian Wolstenholme
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - John S Gilleard
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - James A Cotton
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
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102
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Saito TL, Hashimoto SI, Gu SG, Morton JJ, Stadler M, Blumenthal T, Fire A, Morishita S. The transcription start site landscape of C. elegans. Genome Res 2013; 23:1348-61. [PMID: 23636945 PMCID: PMC3730108 DOI: 10.1101/gr.151571.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2012] [Accepted: 04/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
More than half of Caenorhabditis elegans pre-mRNAs lose their original 5' ends in a process termed "trans-splicing" in which the RNA extending from the transcription start site (TSS) to the site of trans-splicing of the primary transcript, termed the "outron," is replaced with a 22-nt spliced leader. This complicates the mapping of TSSs, leading to a lack of available TSS mapping data for these genes. We used growth at low temperature and nuclear isolation to enrich for transcripts still containing outrons, applying a modified SAGE capture procedure and high-throughput sequencing to characterize 5' termini in this transcript population. We report from this data both a landscape of 5'-end utilization for C. elegans and a representative collection of TSSs for 7351 trans-spliced genes. TSS distributions for individual genes were often dispersed, with a greater average number of TSSs for trans-spliced genes, suggesting that trans-splicing may remove selective pressure for a single TSS. Upstream of newly defined TSSs, we observed well-known motifs (including TATAA-box and SP1) as well as novel motifs. Several of these motifs showed association with tissue-specific expression and/or conservation among six worm species. Comparing TSS features between trans-spliced and non-trans-spliced genes, we found stronger signals among outron TSSs for preferentially positioning of flanking nucleosomes and for downstream Pol II enrichment. Our data provide an enabling resource for both experimental and theoretical analysis of gene structure and function in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Leo Saito
- Department of Computational Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-0882, Japan
| | - Shin-ichi Hashimoto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-8641 Japan
| | - Sam Guoping Gu
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5324, USA
| | - J. Jason Morton
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0347, USA
| | - Michael Stadler
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5324, USA
| | - Thomas Blumenthal
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0347, USA
| | - Andrew Fire
- Departments of Pathology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5324, USA
| | - Shinichi Morishita
- Department of Computational Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-0882, Japan
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103
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Hu GJ, Chen J, Zhao XN, Xu JJ, Guo DQ, Lu M, Zhu M, Xiong Y, Li Q, Chang CC, Song BL, Chang TY, Li BL. Production of ACAT1 56-kDa isoform in human cells via trans-splicing involving the ampicillin resistance gene. Cell Res 2013; 23:1007-24. [PMID: 23835473 PMCID: PMC3731566 DOI: 10.1038/cr.2013.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Revised: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Trans-splicing, a process involving the cleavage and joining of two separate transcripts, can expand the transcriptome and proteome in eukaryotes. Chimeric RNAs generated by trans-splicing are increasingly described in literatures. The widespread presence of antibiotic resistance genes in natural environments and human intestines is becoming an important challenge for public health. Certain antibiotic resistance genes, such as ampicillin resistance gene (Ampr), are frequently used in recombinant plasmids. Until now, trans-splicing involving recombinant plasmid-derived exogenous transcripts and endogenous cellular RNAs has not been reported. Acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase 1 (ACAT1) is a key enzyme involved in cellular cholesterol homeostasis. The 4.3-kb human ACAT1 chimeric mRNA can produce 50-kDa and 56-kDa isoforms with different enzymatic activities. Here, we show that human ACAT1 56-kDa isoform is produced from an mRNA species generated through the trans-splicing of an exogenous transcript encoded by the antisense strand of Ampr (asAmp) present in common Ampr-plasmids and the 4.3-kb endogenous ACAT1 chimeric mRNA, which is presumably processed through a prior event of interchromosomal trans-splicing. Strikingly, DNA fragments containing the asAmp with an upstream recombined cryptic promoter and the corresponding exogenous asAmp transcripts have been detected in human cells. Our findings shed lights on the mechanism of human ACAT1 56-kDa isoform production, reveal an exogenous-endogenous trans-splicing system, in which recombinant plasmid-derived exogenous transcripts are linked with endogenous cellular RNAs in human cells, and suggest that exogenous DNA might affect human gene expression at both DNA and RNA levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Jing Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
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104
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Kruesi WS, Core LJ, Waters CT, Lis JT, Meyer BJ. Condensin controls recruitment of RNA polymerase II to achieve nematode X-chromosome dosage compensation. eLife 2013; 2:e00808. [PMID: 23795297 PMCID: PMC3687364 DOI: 10.7554/elife.00808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The X-chromosome gene regulatory process called dosage compensation ensures that males (1X) and females (2X) express equal levels of X-chromosome transcripts. The mechanism in Caenorhabditis elegans has been elusive due to improperly annotated transcription start sites (TSSs). Here we define TSSs and the distribution of transcriptionally engaged RNA polymerase II (Pol II) genome-wide in wild-type and dosage-compensation-defective animals to dissect this regulatory mechanism. Our TSS-mapping strategy integrates GRO-seq, which tracks nascent transcription, with a new derivative of this method, called GRO-cap, which recovers nascent RNAs with 5' caps prior to their removal by co-transcriptional processing. Our analyses reveal that promoter-proximal pausing is rare, unlike in other metazoans, and promoters are unexpectedly far upstream from the 5' ends of mature mRNAs. We find that C. elegans equalizes X-chromosome expression between the sexes, to a level equivalent to autosomes, by reducing Pol II recruitment to promoters of hermaphrodite X-linked genes using a chromosome-restructuring condensin complex. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00808.001.
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Affiliation(s)
- William S Kruesi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Leighton J Core
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Colin T Waters
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - John T Lis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Barbara J Meyer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
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105
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Reinke V, Krause M, Okkema P. Transcriptional regulation of gene expression in C. elegans. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013:1-34. [PMID: 23801596 DOI: 10.1895/wormbook.1.45.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Protein coding gene sequences are converted to mRNA by the highly regulated process of transcription. The precise temporal and spatial control of transcription for many genes is an essential part of development in metazoans. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying transcriptional control is essential to understanding cell fate determination during embryogenesis, post-embryonic development, many environmental interactions, and disease-related processes. Studies of transcriptional regulation in C. elegans exploit its genomic simplicity and physical characteristics to define regulatory events with single-cell and minute-time-scale resolution. When combined with the genetics of the system, C. elegans offers a unique and powerful vantage point from which to study how chromatin-associated proteins and their modifications interact with transcription factors and their binding sites to yield precise control of gene expression through transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Reinke
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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106
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Fontrodona L, Porta-de-la-Riva M, Morán T, Niu W, Díaz M, Aristizábal-Corrales D, Villanueva A, Schwartz S, Reinke V, Cerón J. RSR-2, the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of human spliceosomal component SRm300/SRRM2, regulates development by influencing the transcriptional machinery. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003543. [PMID: 23754964 PMCID: PMC3675011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 04/20/2013] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein components of the spliceosome are highly conserved in eukaryotes and can influence several steps of the gene expression process. RSR-2, the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of the human spliceosomal protein SRm300/SRRM2, is essential for viability, in contrast to the yeast ortholog Cwc21p. We took advantage of mutants and RNA interference (RNAi) to study rsr-2 functions in C. elegans, and through genetic epistasis analysis found that rsr-2 is within the germline sex determination pathway. Intriguingly, transcriptome analyses of rsr-2(RNAi) animals did not reveal appreciable splicing defects but instead a slight global decrease in transcript levels. We further investigated this effect in transcription and observed that RSR-2 colocalizes with DNA in germline nuclei and coprecipitates with chromatin, displaying a ChIP-Seq profile similar to that obtained for the RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII). Consistent with a novel transcription function we demonstrate that the recruitment of RSR-2 to chromatin is splicing-independent and that RSR-2 interacts with RNAPII and affects RNAPII phosphorylation states. Proteomic analyses identified proteins associated with RSR-2 that are involved in different gene expression steps, including RNA metabolism and transcription with PRP-8 and PRP-19 being the strongest interacting partners. PRP-8 is a core component of the spliceosome and PRP-19 is the core component of the PRP19 complex, which interacts with RNAPII and is necessary for full transcriptional activity. Taken together, our study proposes that RSR-2 is a multifunctional protein whose role in transcription influences C. elegans development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fontrodona
- Cancer and Human Molecular Genetics, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Porta-de-la-Riva
- Cancer and Human Molecular Genetics, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- C. elegans Core Facility, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomás Morán
- Cancer and Human Molecular Genetics, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona, IBMB - CSIC, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wei Niu
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Mònica Díaz
- Drug Delivery and Targeting, CIBBIM-Nanomedicine, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Omnia Molecular, Parc Científic de Barcelona – UB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Aristizábal-Corrales
- Cancer and Human Molecular Genetics, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Drug Delivery and Targeting, CIBBIM-Nanomedicine, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Villanueva
- Cancer and Human Molecular Genetics, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- C. elegans Core Facility, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Simó Schwartz
- Drug Delivery and Targeting, CIBBIM-Nanomedicine, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valerie Reinke
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Julián Cerón
- Cancer and Human Molecular Genetics, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- C. elegans Core Facility, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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107
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Maxwell S, Harding J, Brabin C, Appleford PJ, Brown R, Delaney C, Brown G, Woollard A. The SFT-1 and OXA-1 respiratory chain complex assembly factors influence lifespan by distinct mechanisms in C. elegans. LONGEVITY & HEALTHSPAN 2013; 2:9. [PMID: 24472117 PMCID: PMC3922957 DOI: 10.1186/2046-2395-2-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2012] [Accepted: 03/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Background C. elegans mitochondrial (Mit) mutants have disrupted mitochondrial electron transport chain function, yet, surprisingly, they are often long-lived, a property that has offered unique insights into the molecular mechanisms of aging. In this study, we examine the phenotypic consequences of reducing the expression of the respiratory chain complex assembly factors sft-1 (homologous to human SURF1) and oxa-1 (homologous to human OXA1) by RNA interference (RNAi). Mutations in human SURF1 are associated with Leigh syndrome, a neurodegenerative condition of the brain caused by cytochrome oxidase (COX) deficiency. Both SURF1 and OXA1 are integral proteins of the inner mitochondrial membrane, functioning in the COX assembly pathway. Results RNAi of both of these genes in C. elegans is associated with increased longevity, but the mechanism by which lifespan is extended is different in each case. sft-1(RNAi) animals display lifespan extension that is dependent on the daf-16 insulin-like signaling pathway, and associated with sensitivity to oxidative stress. oxa-1(RNAi) animals, in contrast, exhibit increased longevity that is at least partially independent of daf-16, and associated with a reduced developmental rate and increased resistance to oxidative stress. Conclusions This study further delineates the consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction within a whole organism that will ultimately help provide new models for human mitochondrial-associated diseases. The difference in phenotype observed upon down-regulation of these two COX assembly factors, as well as phenotypic differences between these factors and other respiratory chain components analyzed thus far, illustrates the complex inter-relationships that exist among energy metabolism, reproduction and aging even in this simplest of metazoan model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Alison Woollard
- Biochemistry Department, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.
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108
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Chen RAJ, Down TA, Stempor P, Chen QB, Egelhofer TA, Hillier LW, Jeffers TE, Ahringer J. The landscape of RNA polymerase II transcription initiation in C. elegans reveals promoter and enhancer architectures. Genome Res 2013; 23:1339-47. [PMID: 23550086 PMCID: PMC3730107 DOI: 10.1101/gr.153668.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RNA polymerase transcription initiation sites are largely unknown in Caenorhabditis elegans. The initial 5′ end of most protein-coding transcripts is removed by trans-splicing, and noncoding initiation sites have not been investigated. We characterized the landscape of RNA Pol II transcription initiation, identifying 73,500 distinct clusters of initiation. Bidirectional transcription is frequent, with a peak of transcriptional pairing at 120 bp. We assign transcription initiation sites to 7691 protein-coding genes and find that they display features typical of eukaryotic promoters. Strikingly, the majority of initiation events occur in regions with enhancer-like chromatin signatures. Based on the overlap of transcription initiation clusters with mapped transcription factor binding sites, we define 2361 transcribed intergenic enhancers. Remarkably, productive transcription elongation across these enhancers is predominantly in the same orientation as that of the nearest downstream gene. Directed elongation from an upstream enhancer toward a downstream gene could potentially deliver RNA polymerase II to a proximal promoter, or alternatively might function directly as a distal promoter. Our results provide a new resource to investigate transcription regulation in metazoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron A-J Chen
- The Gurdon Institute, and Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0DH, United Kingdom
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109
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The genomes of four tapeworm species reveal adaptations to parasitism. Nature 2013; 496:57-63. [PMID: 23485966 PMCID: PMC3964345 DOI: 10.1038/nature12031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 504] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2012] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Tapeworms cause debilitating neglected diseases that can be deadly and often require surgery due to ineffective drugs. Here we present the first analysis of tapeworm genome sequences using the human-infective species Echinococcus multilocularis, E. granulosus, Taenia solium and the laboratory model Hymenolepis microstoma as examples. The 115-141 megabase genomes offer insights into the evolution of parasitism. Synteny is maintained with distantly related blood flukes but we find extreme losses of genes and pathways ubiquitous in other animals, including 34 homeobox families and several determinants of stem cell fate. Tapeworms have species-specific expansions of non-canonical heat shock proteins and families of known antigens; specialised detoxification pathways, and metabolism finely tuned to rely on nutrients scavenged from their hosts. We identify new potential drug targets, including those on which existing pharmaceuticals may act. The genomes provide a rich resource to underpin the development of urgently needed treatments and control.
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110
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Gu W, Lee HC, Chaves D, Youngman EM, Pazour GJ, Conte D, Mello CC. CapSeq and CIP-TAP identify Pol II start sites and reveal capped small RNAs as C. elegans piRNA precursors. Cell 2012; 151:1488-500. [PMID: 23260138 PMCID: PMC3581324 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2012] [Revised: 10/21/2012] [Accepted: 11/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Piwi-interacting (pi) RNAs are germline-expressed small RNAs linked to epigenetic programming. C. elegans piRNAs are thought to be transcribed as independent gene-like loci. To test this idea and to identify potential transcription start (TS) sites for piRNA precursors, we developed CapSeq, an efficient enzymatic method for 5' anchored RNA profiling. Using CapSeq, we identify candidate TS sites, defined by 70-90 nt sequence tags, for >50% of annotated Pol II loci. Surprisingly, however, these CapSeq tags failed to identify the overwhelming majority of piRNA loci. Instead, we show that the likely piRNA precursors are ∼26 nt capped small (cs) RNAs that initiate precisely 2 nt upstream of mature piRNAs and that piRNA processing or stability requires a U at the csRNA +3 position. Finally, we identify a heretofore unrecognized class of piRNAs processed from csRNAs that are expressed at promoters genome wide, nearly doubling the number of piRNAs available for genome surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Gu
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Heng-Chi Lee
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Daniel Chaves
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Elaine M Youngman
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Gregory J Pazour
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Darryl Conte
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Craig C Mello
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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111
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Farley BM, Ryder SP. POS-1 and GLD-1 repress glp-1 translation through a conserved binding-site cluster. Mol Biol Cell 2012; 23:4473-83. [PMID: 23034181 PMCID: PMC3510010 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e12-03-0216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) coordinate cell fate specification and differentiation in a variety of systems. RNA regulation is critical during oocyte development and early embryogenesis, in which RBPs control expression from maternal mRNAs encoding key cell fate determinants. The Caenorhabditis elegans Notch homologue glp-1 coordinates germline progenitor cell proliferation and anterior fate specification in embryos. A network of sequence-specific RBPs is required to pattern GLP-1 translation. Here, we map the cis-regulatory elements that guide glp-1 regulation by the CCCH-type tandem zinc finger protein POS-1 and the STAR-domain protein GLD-1. Our results demonstrate that both proteins recognize the glp-1 3' untranslated region (UTR) through adjacent, overlapping binding sites and that POS-1 binding excludes GLD-1 binding. Both factors are required to repress glp-1 translation in the embryo, suggesting that they function in parallel regulatory pathways. It is intriguing that two equivalent POS-1-binding sites are present in the glp-1 3' UTR, but only one, which overlaps with a translational derepression element, is functional in vivo. We propose that POS-1 regulates glp-1 mRNA translation by blocking access of other RBPs to a key regulatory sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M Farley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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112
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Sleumer MC, Wei G, Wang Y, Chang H, Xu T, Chen R, Zhang MQ. Regulatory elements of Caenorhabditis elegans ribosomal protein genes. BMC Genomics 2012; 13:433. [PMID: 22928635 PMCID: PMC3575287 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2012] [Accepted: 08/17/2012] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ribosomal protein genes (RPGs) are essential, tightly regulated, and highly expressed during embryonic development and cell growth. Even though their protein sequences are strongly conserved, their mechanism of regulation is not conserved across yeast, Drosophila, and vertebrates. A recent investigation of genomic sequences conserved across both nematode species and associated with different gene groups indicated the existence of several elements in the upstream regions of C. elegans RPGs, providing a new insight regarding the regulation of these genes in C. elegans. Results In this study, we performed an in-depth examination of C. elegans RPG regulation and found nine highly conserved motifs in the upstream regions of C. elegans RPGs using the motif discovery algorithm DME. Four motifs were partially similar to transcription factor binding sites from C. elegans, Drosophila, yeast, and human. One pair of these motifs was found to co-occur in the upstream regions of 250 transcripts including 22 RPGs. The distance between the two motifs displayed a complex frequency pattern that was related to their relative orientation. We tested the impact of three of these motifs on the expression of rpl-2 using a series of reporter gene constructs and showed that all three motifs are necessary to maintain the high natural expression level of this gene. One of the motifs was similar to the binding site of an orthologue of POP-1, and we showed that RNAi knockdown of pop-1 impacts the expression of rpl-2. We further determined the transcription start site of rpl-2 by 5’ RACE and found that the motifs lie 40–90 bases upstream of the start site. We also found evidence that a noncoding RNA, contained within the outron of rpl-2, is co-transcribed with rpl-2 and cleaved during trans-splicing. Conclusions Our results indicate that C. elegans RPGs are regulated by a complex novel series of regulatory elements that is evolutionarily distinct from those of all other species examined up until now.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica C Sleumer
- Bioinformatics Division, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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113
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Hermann GJ, Scavarda E, Weis AM, Saxton DS, Thomas LL, Salesky R, Somhegyi H, Curtin TP, Barrett A, Foster OK, Vine A, Erlich K, Kwan E, Rabbitts BM, Warren K. C. elegans BLOC-1 functions in trafficking to lysosome-related gut granules. PLoS One 2012; 7:e43043. [PMID: 22916203 PMCID: PMC3419718 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The human disease Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome results from defective biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles (LROs) and can be caused by mutations in subunits of the BLOC-1 complex. Here we show that C. elegans glo-2 and snpn-1, despite relatively low levels of amino acid identity, encode Pallidin and Snapin BLOC-1 subunit homologues, respectively. BLOC-1 subunit interactions involving Pallidin and Snapin were conserved for GLO-2 and SNPN-1. Mutations in glo-2 and snpn-1,or RNAi targeting 5 other BLOC-1 subunit homologues in a genetic background sensitized for glo-2 function, led to defects in the biogenesis of lysosome-related gut granules. These results indicate that the BLOC-1 complex is conserved in C. elegans. To address the function of C. elegans BLOC-1, we assessed the intracellular sorting of CDF-2::GFP, LMP-1, and PGP-2 to gut granules. We validated their utility by analyzing their mislocalization in intestinal cells lacking the function of AP-3, which participates in an evolutionarily conserved sorting pathway to LROs. BLOC-1(−) intestinal cells missorted gut granule cargo to the plasma membrane and conventional lysosomes and did not have obviously altered function or morphology of organelles composing the conventional lysosome protein sorting pathway. Double mutant analysis and comparison of AP-3(−) and BLOC-1(−) phenotypes revealed that BLOC-1 has some functions independent of the AP-3 adaptor complex in trafficking to gut granules. We discuss similarities and differences of BLOC-1 activity in the biogenesis of gut granules as compared to mammalian melanosomes, where BLOC-1 has been most extensively studied for its role in sorting to LROs. Our work opens up the opportunity to address the function of this poorly understood complex in cell and organismal physiology using the genetic approaches available in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg J Hermann
- Department of Biology, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon, USA.
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Zou M, Wang G, He S. Evolutionary patterns of RNA-based gene duplicates in Caenorhabditis nematodes coincide with their genomic features. BMC Res Notes 2012; 5:398. [PMID: 22853807 PMCID: PMC3532220 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Accepted: 07/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RNA-based gene duplicates (retrocopies) played pivotal roles in many physiological processes. Nowadays, functional retrocopies have been systematically identified in several mammals, fruit flies, plants, zebrafish and other chordates, etc. However, studies about this kind of duplication in Caenorhabditis nematodes have not been reported. FINDINGS We identified 43, 48, 43, 9, and 42 retrocopies, of which 6, 15, 18, 3, and 13 formed chimeric genes in C. brenneri, C. briggsae, C. elegans, C. japonica, and C. remanei, respectively. At least 5 chimeric types exist in Caenorhabditis species, of which retrocopy recruiting both N and C terminus is the commonest one. Evidences from different analyses demonstrate many retrocopies and almost all chimeric genes may be functional in these species. About half of retrocopies in each species has coordinates in other species, and we suggest that retrocopies in closely related species may be helpful in identifying retrocopies for one certain species. CONCLUSIONS A number of retrocopies and chimeric genes exist in Caenorhabditis genomes, and some of them may be functional. The evolutionary patterns of these genes may correlate with their genomic features, such as the activity of retroelements, the high rate of mutation and deletion rate, and a large proportion of genes subject to trans-splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zou
- The key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, PR China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, PR China
| | - Guoxiu Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, HuaZhong Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shunping He
- The key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, PR China
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Piecyk K, Davis RE, Jankowska-Anyszka M. Synthesis of N²-modified 7-methylguanosine 5'-monophosphates as nematode translation inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2012; 20:4781-9. [PMID: 22748379 PMCID: PMC3636719 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2012.05.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2012] [Revised: 05/25/2012] [Accepted: 05/30/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Preparative scale synthesis of 14 new N(2)-modified mononucleotide 5' mRNA cap analogues was achieved. The key step involved use of an S(N)Ar reaction with protected 2-fluoro inosine and various primary and secondary amines. The derivatives were tested in a parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum, cell-free system as translation inhibitors. The most effective compound with IC(50) ∼0.9μM was a N(2)-p-metoxybenzyl-7-methylguanosine-5'-monophosphate 35.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Piecyk
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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116
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Uyar B, Chu JS, Vergara IA, Chua SY, Jones MR, Wong T, Baillie DL, Chen N. RNA-seq analysis of the C. briggsae transcriptome. Genome Res 2012; 22:1567-80. [PMID: 22772596 PMCID: PMC3409270 DOI: 10.1101/gr.134601.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2011] [Accepted: 04/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Curation of a high-quality gene set is the critical first step in genome research, enabling subsequent analyses such as ortholog assignment, cis-regulatory element finding, and synteny detection. In this project, we have reannotated the genome of Caenorhabditis briggsae, the best studied sister species of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. First, we applied a homology-based gene predictor genBlastG to annotate the C. briggsae genome. We then validated and further improved the C. briggsae gene annotation through RNA-seq analysis of the C. briggsae transcriptome, which resulted in the first validated C. briggsae gene set (23,159 genes), among which 7347 genes (33.9% of all genes with introns) have all of their introns confirmed. Most genes (14,812, or 68.3%) have at least one intron validated, compared with only 3.9% in the most recent WormBase release (WS228). Of all introns in the revised gene set (103,083), 61,503 (60.1%) have been confirmed. Additionally, we have identified numerous trans-splicing leaders (SL1 and SL2 variants) in C. briggsae, leading to the first genome-wide annotation of operons in C. briggsae (1105 operons). The majority of the annotated operons (564, or 51.0%) are perfectly conserved in C. elegans, with an additional 345 operons (or 31.2%) somewhat divergent. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis revealed over 10 thousand small-size assembly errors in the current C. briggsae reference genome that can be readily corrected. The revised C. briggsae genome annotation represents a solid platform for comparative genomics analysis and evolutionary studies of Caenorhabditis species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bora Uyar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- CIHR/MSFHR Bioinformatics Training Program, Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1G1, Canada
| | - Jeffrey S.C. Chu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Ismael A. Vergara
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Shu Yi Chua
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Martin R. Jones
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Tammy Wong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - David L. Baillie
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Nansheng Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
- CIHR/MSFHR Bioinformatics Training Program, Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1G1, Canada
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117
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Shao W, Zhao QY, Wang XY, Xu XY, Tang Q, Li M, Li X, Xu YZ. Alternative splicing and trans-splicing events revealed by analysis of the Bombyx mori transcriptome. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2012; 18:1395-1407. [PMID: 22627775 PMCID: PMC3383970 DOI: 10.1261/rna.029751.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2011] [Accepted: 05/02/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing and trans-splicing events have not been systematically studied in the silkworm Bombyx mori. Here, the silkworm transcriptome was analyzed by RNA-seq. We identified 320 novel genes, modified 1140 gene models, and found thousands of alternative splicing and 58 trans-splicing events. Studies of three SR proteins show that both their alternative splicing patterns and mRNA products are conserved from insect to human, and one isoform of Srsf6 with a retained intron is expressed sex-specifically in silkworm gonads. Trans-splicing of mod(mdg4) in silkworm was experimentally confirmed. We identified integrations from a common 5'-gene with 46 newly identified alternative 3'-exons that are located on both DNA strands over a 500-kb region. Other trans-splicing events in B. mori were predicted by bioinformatic analysis, in which 12 events were confirmed by RT-PCR, six events were further validated by chimeric SNPs, and two events were confirmed by allele-specific RT-PCR in F(1) hybrids from distinct silkworm lines of JS and L10, indicating that trans-splicing is more widespread in insects than previously thought. Analysis of the B. mori transcriptome by RNA-seq provides valuable information of regulatory alternative splicing events. The conservation of splicing events across species and newly identified trans-splicing events suggest that B. mori is a good model for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Shao
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiong-Yi Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiu-Ye Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin-Yan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qing Tang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Muwang Li
- Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212018, China
| | - Xuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yong-Zhen Xu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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118
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Gomez F, Saiki R, Chin R, Srinivasan C, Clarke CF. Restoring de novo coenzyme Q biosynthesis in Caenorhabditis elegans coq-3 mutants yields profound rescue compared to exogenous coenzyme Q supplementation. Gene 2012; 506:106-16. [PMID: 22735617 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2012] [Revised: 05/16/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Coenzyme Q (ubiquinone or Q) is an essential lipid component of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. In Caenorhabditis elegans Q biosynthesis involves at least nine steps, including the hydroxylation of the hydroquinone ring by CLK-1 and two O-methylation steps mediated by COQ-3. We characterize two C. elegans coq-3 deletion mutants, and show that while each has defects in Q synthesis, their phenotypes are distinct. First generation homozygous coq-3(ok506) mutants are fertile when fed the standard lab diet of Q-replete OP50 Escherichia coli, but their second generation homozygous progeny does not reproduce. In contrast, the coq-3(qm188) deletion mutant remains sterile when fed Q-replete OP50. Quantitative PCR analyses suggest that the longer qm188 deletion may alter expression of the flanking nuo-3 and gdi-1 genes, located 5' and 3', respectively of coq-3 within an operon. We surmise that variable expression of nuo-3, a subunit of complex I, or of gdi-1, a guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor, may act in combination with defects in Q biosynthesis to produce a more severe phenotype. The phenotypes of both coq-3 mutants are more drastic as compared to the C. elegans clk-1 mutants. When fed OP50, clk-1 mutants reproduce for many generations, but show reduced fertility, slow behaviors, and enhanced life span. The coq-3 and clk-1 mutants all show arrested development and are sterile when fed the Q-deficient E. coli strain GD1 (harboring a mutation in the ubiG gene). However, unlike clk-1 mutant worms, neither coq-3 mutant strain responded to dietary supplementation with purified exogenous Q(10). Here we show that the Q(9) content can be determined in lipid extracts from just 200 individual worms, enabling the determination of Q content in the coq-3 mutants unable to reproduce. An extra-chromosomal array expressing wild-type C. elegans coq-3 rescued fertility of both coq-3 mutants and partially restored steady-state levels of COQ-3 polypeptide and Q(9) content, indicating that primary defect in both is limited to coq-3. The limited response of the coq-3 mutants to dietary supplementation with Q provides a powerful model to probe the effectiveness of exogenous Q supplementation as compared to restoration of de novo Q biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Gomez
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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119
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Frenkel-Morgenstern M, Lacroix V, Ezkurdia I, Levin Y, Gabashvili A, Prilusky J, Del Pozo A, Tress M, Johnson R, Guigo R, Valencia A. Chimeras taking shape: potential functions of proteins encoded by chimeric RNA transcripts. Genome Res 2012; 22:1231-42. [PMID: 22588898 PMCID: PMC3396365 DOI: 10.1101/gr.130062.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric RNAs comprise exons from two or more different genes and have the potential to encode novel proteins that alter cellular phenotypes. To date, numerous putative chimeric transcripts have been identified among the ESTs isolated from several organisms and using high throughput RNA sequencing. The few corresponding protein products that have been characterized mostly result from chromosomal translocations and are associated with cancer. Here, we systematically establish that some of the putative chimeric transcripts are genuinely expressed in human cells. Using high throughput RNA sequencing, mass spectrometry experimental data, and functional annotation, we studied 7424 putative human chimeric RNAs. We confirmed the expression of 175 chimeric RNAs in 16 human tissues, with an abundance varying from 0.06 to 17 RPKM (Reads Per Kilobase per Million mapped reads). We show that these chimeric RNAs are significantly more tissue-specific than non-chimeric transcripts. Moreover, we present evidence that chimeras tend to incorporate highly expressed genes. Despite the low expression level of most chimeric RNAs, we show that 12 novel chimeras are translated into proteins detectable in multiple shotgun mass spectrometry experiments. Furthermore, we confirm the expression of three novel chimeric proteins using targeted mass spectrometry. Finally, based on our functional annotation of exon organization and preserved domains, we discuss the potential features of chimeric proteins with illustrative examples and suggest that chimeras significantly exploit signal peptides and transmembrane domains, which can alter the cellular localization of cognate proteins. Taken together, these findings establish that some chimeric RNAs are translated into potentially functional proteins in humans.
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120
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Maxwell CS, Antoshechkin I, Kurhanewicz N, Belsky JA, Baugh LR. Nutritional control of mRNA isoform expression during developmental arrest and recovery in C. elegans. Genome Res 2012; 22:1920-9. [PMID: 22539650 PMCID: PMC3460187 DOI: 10.1101/gr.133587.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Nutrient availability profoundly influences gene expression. Many animal genes encode multiple transcript isoforms, yet the effect of nutrient availability on transcript isoform expression has not been studied in genome-wide fashion. When Caenorhabditis elegans larvae hatch without food, they arrest development in the first larval stage (L1 arrest). Starved larvae can survive L1 arrest for weeks, but growth and post-embryonic development are rapidly initiated in response to feeding. We used RNA-seq to characterize the transcriptome during L1 arrest and over time after feeding. Twenty-seven percent of detectable protein-coding genes were differentially expressed during recovery from L1 arrest, with the majority of changes initiating within the first hour, demonstrating widespread, acute effects of nutrient availability on gene expression. We used two independent approaches to track expression of individual exons and mRNA isoforms, and we connected changes in expression to functional consequences by mining a variety of databases. These two approaches identified an overlapping set of genes with alternative isoform expression, and they converged on common functional patterns. Genes affecting mRNA splicing and translation are regulated by alternative isoform expression, revealing post-transcriptional consequences of nutrient availability on gene regulation. We also found that phosphorylation sites are often alternatively expressed, revealing a common mode by which alternative isoform expression modifies protein function and signal transduction. Our results detail rich changes in C. elegans gene expression as larvae initiate growth and post-embryonic development, and they provide an excellent resource for ongoing investigation of transcriptional regulation and developmental physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin S Maxwell
- Department of Biology, Duke Center for Systems Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
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121
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The Caenorhabditis elegans HEN1 ortholog, HENN-1, methylates and stabilizes select subclasses of germline small RNAs. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002617. [PMID: 22548001 PMCID: PMC3330095 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2011] [Accepted: 02/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Small RNAs regulate diverse biological processes by directing effector proteins called Argonautes to silence complementary mRNAs. Maturation of some classes of small RNAs involves terminal 2'-O-methylation to prevent degradation. This modification is catalyzed by members of the conserved HEN1 RNA methyltransferase family. In animals, Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and some endogenous and exogenous small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are methylated, whereas microRNAs are not. However, the mechanisms that determine animal HEN1 substrate specificity have yet to be fully resolved. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a HEN1 ortholog has not been studied, but there is evidence for methylation of piRNAs and some endogenous siRNAs. Here, we report that the worm HEN1 ortholog, HENN-1 (HEN of Nematode), is required for methylation of C. elegans small RNAs. Our results indicate that piRNAs are universally methylated by HENN-1. In contrast, 26G RNAs, a class of primary endogenous siRNAs, are methylated in female germline and embryo, but not in male germline. Intriguingly, the methylation pattern of 26G RNAs correlates with the expression of distinct male and female germline Argonautes. Moreover, loss of the female germline Argonaute results in loss of 26G RNA methylation altogether. These findings support a model wherein methylation status of a metazoan small RNA is dictated by the Argonaute to which it binds. Loss of henn-1 results in phenotypes that reflect destabilization of substrate small RNAs: dysregulation of target mRNAs, impaired fertility, and enhanced somatic RNAi. Additionally, the henn-1 mutant shows a weakened response to RNAi knockdown of germline genes, suggesting that HENN-1 may also function in canonical RNAi. Together, our results indicate a broad role for HENN-1 in both endogenous and exogenous gene silencing pathways and provide further insight into the mechanisms of HEN1 substrate discrimination and the diversity within the Argonaute family.
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122
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Murray JI, Boyle TJ, Preston E, Vafeados D, Mericle B, Weisdepp P, Zhao Z, Bao Z, Boeck M, Waterston RH. Multidimensional regulation of gene expression in the C. elegans embryo. Genome Res 2012; 22:1282-94. [PMID: 22508763 PMCID: PMC3396369 DOI: 10.1101/gr.131920.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
How cells adopt different expression patterns is a fundamental question of developmental biology. We quantitatively measured reporter expression of 127 genes, primarily transcription factors, in every cell and with high temporal resolution in C. elegans embryos. Embryonic cells are highly distinct in their gene expression; expression of the 127 genes studied here can distinguish nearly all pairs of cells, even between cells of the same tissue type. We observed recurrent lineage-regulated expression patterns for many genes in diverse contexts. These patterns are regulated in part by the TCF-LEF transcription factor POP-1. Other genes' reporters exhibited patterns correlated with tissue, position, and left–right asymmetry. Sequential patterns both within tissues and series of sublineages suggest regulatory pathways. Expression patterns often differ between embryonic and larval stages for the same genes, emphasizing the importance of profiling expression in different stages. This work greatly expands the number of genes in each of these categories and provides the first large-scale, digitally based, cellular resolution compendium of gene expression dynamics in live animals. The resulting data sets will be a useful resource for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Isaac Murray
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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123
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Rogozin IB, Carmel L, Csuros M, Koonin EV. Origin and evolution of spliceosomal introns. Biol Direct 2012; 7:11. [PMID: 22507701 PMCID: PMC3488318 DOI: 10.1186/1745-6150-7-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2011] [Accepted: 03/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution of exon-intron structure of eukaryotic genes has been a matter of long-standing, intensive debate. The introns-early concept, later rebranded ‘introns first’ held that protein-coding genes were interrupted by numerous introns even at the earliest stages of life's evolution and that introns played a major role in the origin of proteins by facilitating recombination of sequences coding for small protein/peptide modules. The introns-late concept held that introns emerged only in eukaryotes and new introns have been accumulating continuously throughout eukaryotic evolution. Analysis of orthologous genes from completely sequenced eukaryotic genomes revealed numerous shared intron positions in orthologous genes from animals and plants and even between animals, plants and protists, suggesting that many ancestral introns have persisted since the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA). Reconstructions of intron gain and loss using the growing collection of genomes of diverse eukaryotes and increasingly advanced probabilistic models convincingly show that the LECA and the ancestors of each eukaryotic supergroup had intron-rich genes, with intron densities comparable to those in the most intron-rich modern genomes such as those of vertebrates. The subsequent evolution in most lineages of eukaryotes involved primarily loss of introns, with only a few episodes of substantial intron gain that might have accompanied major evolutionary innovations such as the origin of metazoa. The original invasion of self-splicing Group II introns, presumably originating from the mitochondrial endosymbiont, into the genome of the emerging eukaryote might have been a key factor of eukaryogenesis that in particular triggered the origin of endomembranes and the nucleus. Conversely, splicing errors gave rise to alternative splicing, a major contribution to the biological complexity of multicellular eukaryotes. There is no indication that any prokaryote has ever possessed a spliceosome or introns in protein-coding genes, other than relatively rare mobile self-splicing introns. Thus, the introns-first scenario is not supported by any evidence but exon-intron structure of protein-coding genes appears to have evolved concomitantly with the eukaryotic cell, and introns were a major factor of evolution throughout the history of eukaryotes. This article was reviewed by I. King Jordan, Manuel Irimia (nominated by Anthony Poole), Tobias Mourier (nominated by Anthony Poole), and Fyodor Kondrashov. For the complete reports, see the Reviewers’ Reports section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor B Rogozin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information NLM/NIH, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bldg, 38A, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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Blum ES, Abraham MC, Yoshimura S, Lu Y, Shaham S. Control of nonapoptotic developmental cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans by a polyglutamine-repeat protein. Science 2012; 335:970-3. [PMID: 22363008 DOI: 10.1126/science.1215156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Death is a vital developmental cell fate. In Caenorhabditis elegans, programmed death of the linker cell, which leads gonadal elongation, proceeds independently of caspases and apoptotic effectors. To identify genes promoting linker-cell death, we performed a genome-wide RNA interference screen. We show that linker-cell death requires the gene pqn-41, encoding an endogenous polyglutamine-repeat protein. pqn-41 functions cell-autonomously and is expressed at the onset of linker-cell death. pqn-41 expression is controlled by the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase SEK-1, which functions in parallel to the zinc-finger protein LIN-29 to promote cellular demise. Linker-cell death is morphologically similar to cell death associated with normal vertebrate development and polyglutamine-induced neurodegeneration. Our results may therefore provide molecular inroads to understanding nonapoptotic cell death in metazoan development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyse S Blum
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
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125
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Gunsalus KC, Rhrissorrakrai K. Networks in Caenorhabditis elegans. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2011; 21:787-98. [PMID: 22054717 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2011.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 10/11/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
The network paradigm has become a pervasive theme in biology over the last decade, as increasingly large functional genomic datasets are being collected to interrogate regulatory influences, physical interactions, and genetic dependencies between genes, transcripts, and proteins. These 'molecular interaction' networks can be analyzed collectively and individually to define their global architecture and local patterns of connectivity. These structural features ultimately underlie functional properties such as robustness, modularity, component circuitry (e.g. feedback loops), dynamics, and responses to perturbations. This review focuses on recent progress in elucidating molecular interaction networks using different kinds of functional assays in the classical genetic model for animal development, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, with representative examples to illustrate current directions in different areas of network biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin C Gunsalus
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology and Department of Biology, New York University, 12 Waverly Place, 8th floor, New York, NY 10012, USA.
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126
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Liu W, Jankowska-Anyszka M, Piecyk K, Dickson L, Wallace A, Niedzwiecka A, Stepinski J, Stolarski R, Darzynkiewicz E, Kieft J, Zhao R, Jones DNM, Davis RE. Structural basis for nematode eIF4E binding an m(2,2,7)G-Cap and its implications for translation initiation. Nucleic Acids Res 2011; 39:8820-32. [PMID: 21965542 PMCID: PMC3203607 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkr650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Metazoan spliced leader (SL) trans-splicing generates mRNAs with an m2,2,7G-cap and a common downstream SL RNA sequence. The mechanism for eIF4E binding an m2,2,7G-cap is unknown. Here, we describe the first structure of an eIF4E with an m2,2,7G-cap and compare it to the cognate m7G-eIF4E complex. These structures and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) data indicate that the nematode Ascaris suum eIF4E binds the two different caps in a similar manner except for the loss of a single hydrogen bond on binding the m2,2,7G-cap. Nematode and mammalian eIF4E both have a low affinity for m2,2,7G-cap compared with the m7G-cap. Nematode eIF4E binding to the m7G-cap, m2,2,7G-cap and the m2,2,7G-SL 22-nt RNA leads to distinct eIF4E conformational changes. Additional interactions occur between Ascaris eIF4E and the SL on binding the m2,2,7G-SL. We propose interactions between Ascaris eIF4E and the SL impact eIF4G and contribute to translation initiation, whereas these interactions do not occur when only the m2,2,7G-cap is present. These data have implications for the contribution of 5′-UTRs in mRNA translation and the function of different eIF4E isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhi Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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127
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Morton JJ, Blumenthal T. Identification of transcription start sites of trans-spliced genes: uncovering unusual operon arrangements. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2011; 17:327-337. [PMID: 21156961 PMCID: PMC3022281 DOI: 10.1261/rna.2447111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2010] [Accepted: 11/03/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In Caenorhabditis elegans, the transcripts of many genes are trans-spliced to an SL1 spliced leader, a process that removes the RNA extending from the transcription start site to the trans-splice site, thereby making it difficult to determine the position of the promoter. Here we use RT-PCR to identify promoters of trans-spliced genes. Many genes in C. elegans are organized in operons where genes are closely clustered, typically separated by only ~100 nucleotides, and transcribed by an upstream promoter. The transcripts of downstream genes are trans-spliced to an SL2 spliced leader. The polycistronic precursor RNA is processed into individual transcripts by 3' end formation and trans-splicing. Although the SL2 spliced leader does not appear to be used for other gene arrangements, there is a relatively small number of genes whose transcripts are processed by SL2 but are not close to another gene in the same orientation. Although these genes do not appear to be members of classical C. elegans operons, we investigated whether these might represent unusual operons with long spacing or a different, nonoperon mechanism for specifying SL2 trans-splicing. We show transcription of the entire region between the SL2 trans-spliced gene and the next upstream gene, sometimes several kilobases distant, suggesting that these represent exceptional operons. We also report a second type of atypical "alternative" operon, in which 3' end formation and trans-splicing by SL2 occur within an intron. In this case, the processing sometimes results in a single transcript, and sometimes in two separate mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Jason Morton
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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129
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Gerstein MB, Lu ZJ, Van Nostrand EL, Cheng C, Arshinoff BI, Liu T, Yip KY, Robilotto R, Rechtsteiner A, Ikegami K, Alves P, Chateigner A, Perry M, Morris M, Auerbach RK, Feng X, Leng J, Vielle A, Niu W, Rhrissorrakrai K, Agarwal A, Alexander RP, Barber G, Brdlik CM, Brennan J, Brouillet JJ, Carr A, Cheung MS, Clawson H, Contrino S, Dannenberg LO, Dernburg AF, Desai A, Dick L, Dosé AC, Du J, Egelhofer T, Ercan S, Euskirchen G, Ewing B, Feingold EA, Gassmann R, Good PJ, Green P, Gullier F, Gutwein M, Guyer MS, Habegger L, Han T, Henikoff JG, Henz SR, Hinrichs A, Holster H, Hyman T, Iniguez AL, Janette J, Jensen M, Kato M, Kent WJ, Kephart E, Khivansara V, Khurana E, Kim JK, Kolasinska-Zwierz P, Lai EC, Latorre I, Leahey A, Lewis S, Lloyd P, Lochovsky L, Lowdon RF, Lubling Y, Lyne R, MacCoss M, Mackowiak SD, Mangone M, McKay S, Mecenas D, Merrihew G, Miller DM, Muroyama A, Murray JI, Ooi SL, Pham H, Phippen T, Preston EA, Rajewsky N, Rätsch G, Rosenbaum H, Rozowsky J, Rutherford K, Ruzanov P, Sarov M, Sasidharan R, Sboner A, Scheid P, Segal E, Shin H, Shou C, Slack FJ, Slightam C, Smith R, Spencer WC, Stinson EO, Taing S, Takasaki T, Vafeados D, Voronina K, Wang G, Washington NL, Whittle CM, Wu B, Yan KK, Zeller G, Zha Z, Zhong M, Zhou X, Ahringer J, Strome S, Gunsalus KC, Micklem G, Liu XS, Reinke V, Kim SK, Hillier LW, Henikoff S, Piano F, Snyder M, Stein L, Lieb JD, Waterston RH. Integrative analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome by the modENCODE project. Science 2010; 330:1775-87. [PMID: 21177976 PMCID: PMC3142569 DOI: 10.1126/science.1196914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 749] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
We systematically generated large-scale data sets to improve genome annotation for the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a key model organism. These data sets include transcriptome profiling across a developmental time course, genome-wide identification of transcription factor-binding sites, and maps of chromatin organization. From this, we created more complete and accurate gene models, including alternative splice forms and candidate noncoding RNAs. We constructed hierarchical networks of transcription factor-binding and microRNA interactions and discovered chromosomal locations bound by an unusually large number of transcription factors. Different patterns of chromatin composition and histone modification were revealed between chromosome arms and centers, with similarly prominent differences between autosomes and the X chromosome. Integrating data types, we built statistical models relating chromatin, transcription factor binding, and gene expression. Overall, our analyses ascribed putative functions to most of the conserved genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark B. Gerstein
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, 51 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Zhi John Lu
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Eric L. Van Nostrand
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chao Cheng
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Bradley I. Arshinoff
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, 101 College Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kevin Y. Yip
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Rebecca Robilotto
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Andreas Rechtsteiner
- Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Kohta Ikegami
- Department of Biology and Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Pedro Alves
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Aurelien Chateigner
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK, and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Marc Perry
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, 101 College Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Mitzi Morris
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003–6688, USA
| | - Raymond K. Auerbach
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Xin Feng
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, 101 College Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, State University of New York at Stonybrook, Stonybrook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Jing Leng
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Anne Vielle
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Wei Niu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06824, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520–8005, USA
| | - Kahn Rhrissorrakrai
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003–6688, USA
| | - Ashish Agarwal
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, 51 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Roger P. Alexander
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Galt Barber
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
| | - Cathleen M. Brdlik
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jennifer Brennan
- Department of Biology and Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | | | - Adrian Carr
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK, and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Ming-Sin Cheung
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Hiram Clawson
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
| | - Sergio Contrino
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK, and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | | | - Abby F. Dernburg
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA, and Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Arshad Desai
- Ludwig Institute Cancer Research/Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093–0653, USA
| | - Lindsay Dick
- David Rockefeller Graduate Program, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Andréa C. Dosé
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA, and Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jiang Du
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, 51 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Thea Egelhofer
- Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Sevinc Ercan
- Department of Biology and Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ghia Euskirchen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06824, USA
| | - Brent Ewing
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - Elise A. Feingold
- Division of Extramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, Bethesda, MD 20892–9305, USA
| | - Reto Gassmann
- Ludwig Institute Cancer Research/Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093–0653, USA
| | - Peter J. Good
- Division of Extramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, Bethesda, MD 20892–9305, USA
| | - Phil Green
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - Francois Gullier
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK, and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Michelle Gutwein
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003–6688, USA
| | - Mark S. Guyer
- Division of Extramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, Bethesda, MD 20892–9305, USA
| | - Lukas Habegger
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Ting Han
- Life Sciences Institute, Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, 210 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109–2216, USA
| | - Jorja G. Henikoff
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Stefan R. Henz
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstrasse 37-39, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Angie Hinrichs
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
| | - Heather Holster
- Roche NimbleGen, 500 South Rosa Road, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Tony Hyman
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - A. Leo Iniguez
- Roche NimbleGen, 500 South Rosa Road, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Judith Janette
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520–8005, USA
| | - Morten Jensen
- Department of Biology and Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Masaomi Kato
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Post Office Box 208103, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - W. James Kent
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
| | - Ellen Kephart
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, 101 College Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Vishal Khivansara
- Life Sciences Institute, Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, 210 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109–2216, USA
| | - Ekta Khurana
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - John K. Kim
- Life Sciences Institute, Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, 210 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109–2216, USA
| | - Paulina Kolasinska-Zwierz
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Eric C. Lai
- Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, Post Office Box 252, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Isabel Latorre
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Amber Leahey
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - Suzanna Lewis
- Genomics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Mailstop 64-121, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Paul Lloyd
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, 101 College Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Lucas Lochovsky
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Rebecca F. Lowdon
- Division of Extramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, Bethesda, MD 20892–9305, USA
| | - Yaniv Lubling
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Rachel Lyne
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK, and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Michael MacCoss
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - Sebastian D. Mackowiak
- Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin, Division of Systems Biology, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, D-13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Marco Mangone
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003–6688, USA
| | - Sheldon McKay
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11542 USA
| | - Desirea Mecenas
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003–6688, USA
| | - Gennifer Merrihew
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - David M. Miller
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232–8240, USA
| | - Andrew Muroyama
- Ludwig Institute Cancer Research/Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093–0653, USA
| | - John I. Murray
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - Siew-Loon Ooi
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Hoang Pham
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA, and Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Taryn Phippen
- Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Elicia A. Preston
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - Nikolaus Rajewsky
- Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin, Division of Systems Biology, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, D-13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Gunnar Rätsch
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Spemannstrasse 39, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Heidi Rosenbaum
- Roche NimbleGen, 500 South Rosa Road, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Joel Rozowsky
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kim Rutherford
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK, and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Peter Ruzanov
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, 101 College Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Mihail Sarov
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Rajkumar Sasidharan
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Andrea Sboner
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Paul Scheid
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003–6688, USA
| | - Eran Segal
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Hyunjin Shin
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chong Shou
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Frank J. Slack
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Post Office Box 208103, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Cindie Slightam
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University Medical Center, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305–5329, USA
| | - Richard Smith
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK, and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - William C. Spencer
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232–8240, USA
| | - E. O. Stinson
- Genomics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Mailstop 64-121, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Scott Taing
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Teruaki Takasaki
- Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Dionne Vafeados
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - Ksenia Voronina
- Ludwig Institute Cancer Research/Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093–0653, USA
| | - Guilin Wang
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520–8005, USA
| | - Nicole L. Washington
- Genomics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Mailstop 64-121, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Christina M. Whittle
- Department of Biology and Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Beijing Wu
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University Medical Center, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305–5329, USA
| | - Koon-Kiu Yan
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, Bass 432, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Georg Zeller
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Spemannstrasse 39, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zheng Zha
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, 101 College Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Mei Zhong
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06824, USA
| | - Xingliang Zhou
- Department of Biology and Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | | | - Julie Ahringer
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Susan Strome
- Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Kristin C. Gunsalus
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003–6688, USA
- New York University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Gos Micklem
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK, and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - X. Shirley Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Valerie Reinke
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520–8005, USA
| | - Stuart K. Kim
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University Medical Center, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305–5329, USA
| | - LaDeana W. Hillier
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
| | - Steven Henikoff
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Fabio Piano
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003–6688, USA
- New York University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Michael Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06824, USA
| | - Lincoln Stein
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, 101 College Street, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A3, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11542 USA
| | - Jason D. Lieb
- Department of Biology and Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Robert H. Waterston
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, William H. Foege Building S350D, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Post Office Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195–5065, USA
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