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Oba GM, Nakato R. Clover: An unbiased method for prioritizing differentially expressed genes using a data-driven approach. Genes Cells 2024; 29:456-470. [PMID: 38602264 PMCID: PMC11163938 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Identifying key genes from a list of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) is a critical step in transcriptome analysis. However, current methods, including Gene Ontology analysis and manual annotation, essentially rely on existing knowledge, which is highly biased depending on the extent of the literature. As a result, understudied genes, some of which may be associated with important molecular mechanisms, are often ignored or remain obscure. To address this problem, we propose Clover, a data-driven scoring method to specifically highlight understudied genes. Clover aims to prioritize genes associated with important molecular mechanisms by integrating three metrics: the likelihood of appearing in the DEG list, tissue specificity, and number of publications. We applied Clover to Alzheimer's disease data and confirmed that it successfully detected known associated genes. Moreover, Clover effectively prioritized understudied but potentially druggable genes. Overall, our method offers a novel approach to gene characterization and has the potential to expand our understanding of gene functions. Clover is an open-source software written in Python3 and available on GitHub at https://github.com/G708/Clover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Miku Oba
- Laboratory of Computational Genomics, Institute for Quantitative BiosciencesUniversity of TokyoTokyoJapan
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Science, Graduate School of Frontier ScienceUniversity of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Ryuichiro Nakato
- Laboratory of Computational Genomics, Institute for Quantitative BiosciencesUniversity of TokyoTokyoJapan
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Science, Graduate School of Frontier ScienceUniversity of TokyoTokyoJapan
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2
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Jiang R, Huang W, Qiu X, Chen J, Luo R, Zeng R, Tong S, Lyu Y, Sun P, Lian Q, Leung FW, Liu Y, Sha W, Chen H. Unveiling promising drug targets for autism spectrum disorder: insights from genetics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae353. [PMID: 39038939 PMCID: PMC11262832 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder for which current treatments are limited and drug development costs are prohibitive. Identifying drug targets for ASD is crucial for the development of targeted therapies. Summary-level data of expression quantitative trait loci obtained from GTEx, protein quantitative trait loci data from the ROSMAP project, and two ASD genome-wide association studies datasets were utilized for discovery and replication. We conducted a combined analysis using Mendelian randomization (MR), transcriptome-wide association studies, Bayesian colocalization, and summary-data-based MR to identify potential therapeutic targets associated with ASD and examine whether there are shared causal variants among them. Furthermore, pathway and drug enrichment analyses were performed to further explore the underlying mechanisms and summarize the current status of pharmacological targets for developing drugs to treat ASD. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and mouse knockout models were performed to estimate the effect of therapeutic targets. A total of 17 genes revealed causal associations with ASD and were identified as potential targets for ASD patients. Cathepsin B (CTSB) [odd ratio (OR) = 2.66 95, confidence interval (CI): 1.28-5.52, P = 8.84 × 10-3], gamma-aminobutyric acid type B receptor subunit 1 (GABBR1) (OR = 1.99, 95CI: 1.06-3.75, P = 3.24 × 10-2), and formin like 1 (FMNL1) (OR = 0.15, 95CI: 0.04-0.58, P = 5.59 × 10-3) were replicated in the proteome-wide MR analyses. In Drugbank, two potential therapeutic drugs, Acamprosate (GABBR1 inhibitor) and Bryostatin 1 (CASP8 inhibitor), were inferred as potential influencers of autism. Knockout mouse models suggested the involvement of the CASP8, GABBR1, and PLEKHM1 genes in neurological processes. Our findings suggest 17 candidate therapeutic targets for ASD and provide novel drug targets for therapy development and critical drug repurposing opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, No. 1023 Shatainan Road, Guangzhou 510515, China
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, No. 230, West Waihuan Road, Higher Education Mega Centre, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wentao Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, No. 1023 Shatainan Road, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xinqi Qiu
- Cancer Prevention Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, No. 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jianyi Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, No. 230, West Waihuan Road, Higher Education Mega Centre, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ruibang Luo
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Ruijie Zeng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Shuangshuang Tong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, No. 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanlin Lyu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, No. 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Panpan Sun
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen University Town, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qizhou Lian
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen University Town, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Cord Blood Bank, Guangzhou Institute of Eugenics and Perinatology, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou 510623, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Felix W Leung
- Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 16111 Plummer Street, Los Angeles 91343, California, United States
- University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles 90095, California, United States
| | - Yufeng Liu
- Center for Medical Research on Innovation and Translation, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, the Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology, No 1 Panfu Road, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Weihong Sha
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, No. 1023 Shatainan Road, Guangzhou 510515, China
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, No. 230, West Waihuan Road, Higher Education Mega Centre, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, No. 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, No. 1023 Shatainan Road, Guangzhou 510515, China
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, No. 230, West Waihuan Road, Higher Education Mega Centre, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou University, No. 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China
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3
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Tajeddin N, Arabfard M, Alizadeh S, Salesi M, Khamse S, Delbari A, Ohadi M. Novel islands of GGC and GCC repeats coincide with human evolution. Gene 2024; 902:148194. [PMID: 38262548 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Because of high mutation rate, overrepresentation in genic regions, and link with various neurological, neurodegenerative, and movement disorders, GGC and GCC short tandem repeats (STRs) are prone to natural selection. Among a number of lacking data, the 3-repeats of these STRs remain widely unexplored. RESULTS In a genome-wide search in human, here we mapped GGC and GCC STRs of ≥3-repeats, and found novel islands of up to 45 of those STRs, populating spans of 1 to 2 kb of genomic DNA. RGPD4 and NOC4L harbored the densest (GGC)3 (probability 3.09061E-71) and (GCC)3 (probability 1.72376E-61) islands, respectively, and were human-specific. We also found prime instances of directional incremented density of STRs at specific loci in human versus other species, including the FOXK2 and SKI GGC islands. The genes containing those islands significantly diverged in expression in human versus other species, and the proteins encoded by those genes interact closely in a physical interaction network, consequence of which may be human-specific characteristics such as higher order brain functions. CONCLUSION We report novel islands of GGC and GCC STRs of evolutionary relevance to human. The density, and in some instances, periodicity of these islands support them as a novel genomic entity, which need to be further explored in evolutionary, mechanistic, and functional platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Tajeddin
- Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - M Arabfard
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - S Alizadeh
- Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - M Salesi
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - S Khamse
- Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - A Delbari
- Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - M Ohadi
- Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Guitart X, Porubsky D, Yoo D, Dougherty ML, Dishuck PC, Munson KM, Lewis AP, Hoekzema K, Knuth J, Chang S, Pastinen T, Eichler EE. Independent expansion, selection and hypervariability of the TBC1D3 gene family in humans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.12.584650. [PMID: 38654825 PMCID: PMC11037872 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.12.584650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
TBC1D3 is a primate-specific gene family that has expanded in the human lineage and has been implicated in neuronal progenitor proliferation and expansion of the frontal cortex. The gene family and its expression have been challenging to investigate because it is embedded in high-identity and highly variable segmental duplications. We sequenced and assembled the gene family using long-read sequencing data from 34 humans and 11 nonhuman primate species. Our analysis shows that this particular gene family has independently duplicated in at least five primate lineages, and the duplicated loci are enriched at sites of large-scale chromosomal rearrangements on chromosome 17. We find that most humans vary along two TBC1D3 clusters where human haplotypes are highly variable in copy number, differing by as many as 20 copies, and structure (structural heterozygosity 90%). We also show evidence of positive selection, as well as a significant change in the predicted human TBC1D3 protein sequence. Lastly, we find that, despite multiple duplications, human TBC1D3 expression is limited to a subset of copies and, most notably, from a single paralog group: TBC1D3-CDKL. These observations may help explain why a gene potentially important in cortical development can be so variable in the human population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavi Guitart
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David Porubsky
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - DongAhn Yoo
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Max L. Dougherty
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Philip C. Dishuck
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Katherine M. Munson
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alexandra P. Lewis
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kendra Hoekzema
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jordan Knuth
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Stephen Chang
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tomi Pastinen
- Department of Pediatrics, Genomic Medicine Center, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Evan E. Eichler
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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5
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Paparella A, L’Abbate A, Palmisano D, Chirico G, Porubsky D, Catacchio CR, Ventura M, Eichler EE, Maggiolini FAM, Antonacci F. Structural Variation Evolution at the 15q11-q13 Disease-Associated Locus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15818. [PMID: 37958807 PMCID: PMC10648317 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of segmental duplications on human evolution and disease is only just starting to unfold, thanks to advancements in sequencing technologies that allow for their discovery and precise genotyping. The 15q11-q13 locus is a hotspot of recurrent copy number variation associated with Prader-Willi/Angelman syndromes, developmental delay, autism, and epilepsy and is mediated by complex segmental duplications, many of which arose recently during evolution. To gain insight into the instability of this region, we characterized its architecture in human and nonhuman primates, reconstructing the evolutionary history of five different inversions that rearranged the region in different species primarily by accumulation of segmental duplications. Comparative analysis of human and nonhuman primate duplication structures suggests a human-specific gain of directly oriented duplications in the regions flanking the GOLGA cores and HERC segmental duplications, representing potential genomic drivers for the human-specific expansions. The increasing complexity of segmental duplication organization over the course of evolution underlies its association with human susceptibility to recurrent disease-associated rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Paparella
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Alberto L’Abbate
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics, and Molecular Biotechnology (IBIOM), 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Donato Palmisano
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Gerardina Chirico
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - David Porubsky
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Claudia R. Catacchio
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Mario Ventura
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Evan E. Eichler
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Flavia A. M. Maggiolini
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
- Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Antonacci
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy
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6
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Wang H, Makowski C, Zhang Y, Qi A, Kaufmann T, Smeland OB, Fiecas M, Yang J, Visscher PM, Chen CH. Chromosomal inversion polymorphisms shape human brain morphology. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112896. [PMID: 37505983 PMCID: PMC10508191 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of chromosomal inversions on human brain morphology remains underexplored. We studied 35 common inversions classified from genotypes of 33,018 adults with European ancestry. The inversions at 2p22.3, 16p11.2, and 17q21.31 reach genome-wide significance, followed by 8p23.1 and 6p21.33, in their association with cortical and subcortical morphology. The 17q21.31, 8p23.1, and 16p11.2 regions comprise the LRRC37, OR7E, and NPIP duplicated gene families. We find the 17q21.31 MAPT inversion region, known for harboring neurological risk, to be the most salient locus among common variants for shaping and patterning the cortex. Overall, we observe the inverted orientations decreasing brain size, with the exception that the 2p22.3 inversion is associated with increased subcortical volume and the 8p23.1 inversion is associated with increased motor cortex. These significant inversions are in the genomic hotspots of neuropsychiatric loci. Our findings are generalizable to 3,472 children and demonstrate inversions as essential genetic variation to understand human brain phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Carolina Makowski
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Yanxiao Zhang
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Anna Qi
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Tobias Kaufmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Olav B Smeland
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Mark Fiecas
- Division of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jian Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Peter M Visscher
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Chi-Hua Chen
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Soto DC, Uribe-Salazar JM, Shew CJ, Sekar A, McGinty S, Dennis MY. Genomic structural variation: A complex but important driver of human evolution. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 181 Suppl 76:118-144. [PMID: 36794631 PMCID: PMC10329998 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Structural variants (SVs)-including duplications, deletions, and inversions of DNA-can have significant genomic and functional impacts but are technically difficult to identify and assay compared with single-nucleotide variants. With the aid of new genomic technologies, it has become clear that SVs account for significant differences across and within species. This phenomenon is particularly well-documented for humans and other primates due to the wealth of sequence data available. In great apes, SVs affect a larger number of nucleotides than single-nucleotide variants, with many identified SVs exhibiting population and species specificity. In this review, we highlight the importance of SVs in human evolution by (1) how they have shaped great ape genomes resulting in sensitized regions associated with traits and diseases, (2) their impact on gene functions and regulation, which subsequently has played a role in natural selection, and (3) the role of gene duplications in human brain evolution. We further discuss how to incorporate SVs in research, including the strengths and limitations of various genomic approaches. Finally, we propose future considerations in integrating existing data and biospecimens with the ever-expanding SV compendium propelled by biotechnology advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela C. Soto
- Genome Center, MIND Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - José M. Uribe-Salazar
- Genome Center, MIND Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Colin J. Shew
- Genome Center, MIND Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Aarthi Sekar
- Genome Center, MIND Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sean McGinty
- Genome Center, MIND Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Megan Y. Dennis
- Genome Center, MIND Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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8
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Glass MR, Waxman EA, Yamashita S, Lafferty M, Beltran A, Farah T, Patel NK, Matoba N, Ahmed S, Srivastava M, Drake E, Davis LT, Yeturi M, Sun K, Love MI, Hashimoto-Torii K, French DL, Stein JL. Cross-site reproducibility of human cortical organoids reveals consistent cell type composition and architecture. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.28.550873. [PMID: 37546772 PMCID: PMC10402155 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.28.550873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Background Reproducibility of human cortical organoid (hCO) phenotypes remains a concern for modeling neurodevelopmental disorders. While guided hCO protocols reproducibly generate cortical cell types in multiple cell lines at one site, variability across sites using a harmonized protocol has not yet been evaluated. We present an hCO cross-site reproducibility study examining multiple phenotypes. Methods Three independent research groups generated hCOs from one induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line using a harmonized miniaturized spinning bioreactor protocol. scRNA-seq, 3D fluorescent imaging, phase contrast imaging, qPCR, and flow cytometry were used to characterize the 3 month differentiations across sites. Results In all sites, hCOs were mostly cortical progenitor and neuronal cell types in reproducible proportions with moderate to high fidelity to the in vivo brain that were consistently organized in cortical wall-like buds. Cross-site differences were detected in hCO size and morphology. Differential gene expression showed differences in metabolism and cellular stress across sites. Although iPSC culture conditions were consistent and iPSCs remained undifferentiated, primed stem cell marker expression prior to differentiation correlated with cell type proportions in hCOs. Conclusions We identified hCO phenotypes that are reproducible across sites using a harmonized differentiation protocol. Previously described limitations of hCO models were also reproduced including off-target differentiations, necrotic cores, and cellular stress. Improving our understanding of how stem cell states influence early hCO cell types may increase reliability of hCO differentiations. Cross-site reproducibility of hCO cell type proportions and organization lays the foundation for future collaborative prospective meta-analytic studies modeling neurodevelopmental disorders in hCOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison R Glass
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Elisa A Waxman
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Satoshi Yamashita
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Michael Lafferty
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Alvaro Beltran
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Tala Farah
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Niyanta K Patel
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Nana Matoba
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Sara Ahmed
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Mary Srivastava
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Emma Drake
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Liam T Davis
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Meghana Yeturi
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Kexin Sun
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Michael I Love
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Departments of Pediatrics, and Pharmacology & Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Deborah L French
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jason L Stein
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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9
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Biological soft matter: intrinsically disordered proteins in liquid-liquid phase separation and biomolecular condensates. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:831-847. [PMID: 36350034 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The facts that many proteins with crucial biological functions do not have unique structures and that many biological processes are compartmentalized into the liquid-like biomolecular condensates, which are formed via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and are not surrounded by the membrane, are revolutionizing the modern biology. These phenomena are interlinked, as the presence of intrinsic disorder represents an important requirement for a protein to undergo LLPS that drives biogenesis of numerous membrane-less organelles (MLOs). Therefore, one can consider these phenomena as crucial constituents of a new IDP-LLPS-MLO field. Furthermore, intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), LLPS, and MLOs represent a clear link between molecular and cellular biology and soft matter and condensed soft matter physics. Both IDP and LLPS/MLO fields are undergoing explosive development and generate the ever-increasing mountain of crucial data. These new data provide answers to so many long-standing questions that it is difficult to imagine that in the very recent past, protein scientists and cellular biologists operated without taking these revolutionary concepts into account. The goal of this essay is not to deliver a comprehensive review of the IDP-LLPS-MLO field but to provide a brief and rather subjective outline of some of the recent developments in these exciting fields.
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10
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Duński E, Pękowska A. Keeping the balance: Trade-offs between human brain evolution, autism, and schizophrenia. Front Genet 2022; 13:1009390. [DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1009390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique qualities of the human brain are a product of a complex evolutionary process. Evolution, famously described by François Jacob as a “tinkerer,” builds upon existing genetic elements by modifying and repurposing them for new functions. Genetic changes in DNA may lead to the emergence of new genes or cause altered gene expression patterns. Both gene and regulatory element mutations may lead to new functions. Yet, this process may lead to side-effects. An evolutionary trade-off occurs when an otherwise beneficial change, which is important for evolutionary success and is under strong positive selection, concurrently results in a detrimental change in another trait. Pleiotropy occurs when a gene affects multiple traits. Antagonistic pleiotropy is a phenomenon whereby a genetic variant leads to an increase in fitness at one life-stage or in a specific environment, but simultaneously decreases fitness in another respect. Therefore, it is conceivable that the molecular underpinnings of evolution of highly complex traits, including brain size or cognitive ability, under certain conditions could result in deleterious effects, which would increase the susceptibility to psychiatric or neurodevelopmental diseases. Here, we discuss possible trade-offs and antagonistic pleiotropies between evolutionary change in a gene sequence, dosage or activity and the susceptibility of individuals to autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. We present current knowledge about genes and alterations in gene regulatory landscapes, which have likely played a role in establishing human-specific traits and have been implicated in those diseases.
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11
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Annear DJ, Vandeweyer G, Sanchis-Juan A, Raymond FL, Kooy RF. Non-Mendelian inheritance patterns and extreme deviation rates of CGG repeats in autism. Genome Res 2022; 32:1967-1980. [PMID: 36351771 PMCID: PMC9808627 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277011.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
As expansions of CGG short tandem repeats (STRs) are established as the genetic etiology of many neurodevelopmental disorders, we aimed to elucidate the inheritance patterns and role of CGG STRs in autism-spectrum disorder (ASD). By genotyping 6063 CGG STR loci in a large cohort of trios and quads with an ASD-affected proband, we determined an unprecedented rate of CGG repeat length deviation across a single generation. Although the concept of repeat length being linked to deviation rate was solidified, we show how shorter STRs display greater degrees of size variation. We observed that CGG STRs did not segregate by Mendelian principles but with a bias against longer repeats, which appeared to magnify as repeat length increased. Through logistic regression, we identified 19 genes that displayed significantly higher rates and degrees of CGG STR expansion within the ASD-affected probands (P < 1 × 10-5). This study not only highlights novel repeat expansions that may play a role in ASD but also reinforces the hypothesis that CGG STRs are specifically linked to human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale J. Annear
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, 2600 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Geert Vandeweyer
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, 2600 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alba Sanchis-Juan
- NIHR BioResource, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom;,Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, NHS Blood and Transplant Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0PT, United Kingdom
| | - F. Lucy Raymond
- NIHR BioResource, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom;,Department of Medical Genetics, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
| | - R. Frank Kooy
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, 2600 Antwerp, Belgium
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12
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Joshi M, Rajender S. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in spermatogenesis and male infertility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2020; 18:103. [PMID: 33126901 PMCID: PMC7599102 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-020-00660-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a size of more than 200 bp and are known to regulate a host of crucial cellular processes like proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis by regulating gene expression. While small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as miRNAs, siRNAs, Piwi-interacting RNAs have been extensively studied in male germ cell development, the role of lncRNAs in spermatogenesis remains largely unknown. OBJECTIVE In this article, we have reviewed the biology and role of lncRNAs in spermatogenesis along with the tools available for data analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Till date, three microarray and four RNA-seq studies have been undertaken to identify lncRNAs in mouse testes or germ cells. These studies were done on pre-natal, post-natal, adult testis, and different germ cells to identify lncRNAs regulating spermatogenesis. In case of humans, five RNA-seq studies on different germ cell populations, including two on sperm, were undertaken. We compared three studies on human germ cells to identify common lncRNAs and found 15 lncRNAs (LINC00635, LINC00521, LINC00174, LINC00654, LINC00710, LINC00226, LINC00326, LINC00494, LINC00535, LINC00616, LINC00662, LINC00668, LINC00467, LINC00608, and LINC00658) to show consistent differential expression across these studies. Some of the targets of these lncRNAs included CENPB, FAM98B, GOLGA6 family, RPGR, TPM2, GNB5, KCNQ10T1, TAZ, LIN28A, CDKN2B, CDKN2A, CDKN1A, CDKN1B, CDKN1C, EZH2, SUZ12, VEGFA genes. A lone study on human male infertility identified 9879 differentially expressed lncRNAs with three (lnc32058, lnc09522, and lnc98497) of them showing specific and high expression in immotile sperm in comparison to normal motile sperm. A few lncRNAs (Mrhl, Drm, Spga-lncRNAs, NLC1-C, HongrES2, Tsx, LncRNA-tcam1, Tug1, Tesra, AK015322, Gm2044, and LncRNA033862) have been functionally validated for their roles in spermatogenesis. Apart from rodents and humans, studies on sheep and bull have also identified lncRNAs potentially important for spermatogenesis. A number of these non-coding RNAs are strong candidates for further research on their roles in spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghali Joshi
- Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, UP, India
| | - Singh Rajender
- Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, UP, India.
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13
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Van Bibber NW, Haerle C, Khalife R, Dayhoff GW, Uversky VN. Intrinsic Disorder in Human Proteins Encoded by Core Duplicon Gene Families. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:8050-8070. [PMID: 32880174 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c07676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Segmental duplications (i.e., highly homologous DNA fragments greater than 1 kb in length that are present within a genome at more than one site) are typically found in genome regions that are prone to rearrangements. A noticeable fraction of the human genome (∼5%) includes segmental duplications (or duplicons) that are assumed to play a number of vital roles in human evolution, human-specific adaptation, and genomic instability. Despite their importance for crucial events such as synaptogenesis, neuronal migration, and neocortical expansion, these segmental duplications continue to be rather poorly characterized. Of particular interest are the core duplicon gene (CDG) families, which are replicates sharing common "core" DNA among the randomly attached pieces and which expand along single chromosomes and might harbor newly acquired protein domains. Another important feature of proteins encoded by CDG families is their multifunctionality. Although it seems that these proteins might possess many characteristic features of intrinsically disordered proteins, to the best of our knowledge, a systematic investigation of the intrinsic disorder predisposition of the proteins encoded by core duplicon gene families has not been conducted yet. To fill this gap and to determine the degree to which these proteins might be affected by intrinsic disorder, we analyzed a set of human proteins encoded by the members of 10 core duplicon gene families, such as NBPF, RGPD, GUSBP, PMS2P, SPATA31, TRIM51, GOLGA8, NPIP, TBC1D3, and LRRC37. Our analysis revealed that the vast majority of these proteins are highly disordered, with their disordered regions often being utilized as means for the protein-protein interactions and/or targeted for numerous posttranslational modifications of different nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W Van Bibber
- Department of Molecular Medicine Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Cornelia Haerle
- Department of Molecular Medicine Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Roy Khalife
- Department of Molecular Medicine Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Guy W Dayhoff
- Department of Chemistry, College of Art and Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", 4 Institutskaya St., Pushchino, 142290, Moscow Region, Russia
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