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Aldrich JC, Vanderlinden LA, Jacobsen TL, Wood C, Saba LM, Britt SG. Genome-Wide Association Study and transcriptome analysis reveals a complex gene network that regulates opsin gene expression and cell fate determination in Drosophila R7 photoreceptor cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.05.606616. [PMID: 39149333 PMCID: PMC11326169 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.05.606616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Background An animal's ability to discriminate between differing wavelengths of light (i.e., color vision) is mediated, in part, by a subset of photoreceptor cells that express opsins with distinct absorption spectra. In Drosophila R7 photoreceptors, expression of the rhodopsin molecules, Rh3 or Rh4, is determined by a stochastic process mediated by the transcription factor spineless. The goal of this study was to identify additional factors that regulate R7 cell fate and opsin choice using a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) paired with transcriptome analysis via RNA-Seq. Results We examined Rh3 and Rh4 expression in a subset of fully-sequenced inbred strains from the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel and performed a GWAS to identify 42 naturally-occurring polymorphisms-in proximity to 28 candidate genes-that significantly influence R7 opsin expression. Network analysis revealed multiple potential interactions between the associated candidate genes, spineless and its partners. GWAS candidates were further validated in a secondary RNAi screen which identified 12 lines that significantly reduce the proportion of Rh3 expressing R7 photoreceptors. Finally, using RNA-Seq, we demonstrated that all but four of the GWAS candidates are expressed in the pupal retina at a critical developmental time point and that five are among the 917 differentially expressed genes in sevenless mutants, which lack R7 cells. Conclusions Collectively, these results suggest that the relatively simple, binary cell fate decision underlying R7 opsin expression is modulated by a larger, more complex network of regulatory factors. Of particular interest are a subset of candidate genes with previously characterized neuronal functions including neurogenesis, neurodegeneration, photoreceptor development, axon growth and guidance, synaptogenesis, and synaptic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C. Aldrich
- Department of Neurology, Department of Ophthalmology, Dell Medical School; University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Lauren A. Vanderlinden
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Thomas L. Jacobsen
- Department of Neurology, Department of Ophthalmology, Dell Medical School; University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Cheyret Wood
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Laura M. Saba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Steven G. Britt
- Department of Neurology, Department of Ophthalmology, Dell Medical School; University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
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Pinheiro-Junior EL, Alirahimi E, Peigneur S, Isensee J, Schiffmann S, Erkoc P, Fürst R, Vilcinskas A, Sennoner T, Koludarov I, Hempel BF, Tytgat J, Hucho T, von Reumont BM. Diversely evolved xibalbin variants from remipede venom inhibit potassium channels and activate PKA-II and Erk1/2 signaling. BMC Biol 2024; 22:164. [PMID: 39075558 PMCID: PMC11288129 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01955-5] [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: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The identification of novel toxins from overlooked and taxonomically exceptional species bears potential for various pharmacological applications. The remipede Xibalbanus tulumensis, an underwater cave-dwelling crustacean, is the only crustacean for which a venom system has been described. Its venom contains several xibalbin peptides that have an inhibitor cysteine knot (ICK) scaffold. RESULTS Our screenings revealed that all tested xibalbin variants particularly inhibit potassium channels. Xib1 and xib13 with their eight-cysteine domain similar to spider knottins also inhibit voltage-gated sodium channels. No activity was noted on calcium channels. Expanding the functional testing, we demonstrate that xib1 and xib13 increase PKA-II and Erk1/2 sensitization signaling in nociceptive neurons, which may initiate pain sensitization. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that xib13 either originates from the common ancestor of pancrustaceans or earlier while xib1 is more restricted to remipedes. The ten-cysteine scaffolded xib2 emerged from xib1, a result that is supported by our phylogenetic and machine learning-based analyses. CONCLUSIONS Our functional characterization of synthesized variants of xib1, xib2, and xib13 elucidates their potential as inhibitors of potassium channels in mammalian systems. The specific interaction of xib2 with Kv1.6 channels, which are relevant to treating variants of epilepsy, shows potential for further studies. At higher concentrations, xib1 and xib13 activate the kinases PKA-II and ERK1/2 in mammalian sensory neurons, suggesting pain sensitization and potential applications related to pain research and therapy. While tested insect channels suggest that all probably act as neurotoxins, the biological function of xib1, xib2, and xib13 requires further elucidation. A novel finding on their evolutionary origin is the apparent emergence of X. tulumensis-specific xib2 from xib1. Our study is an important cornerstone for future studies to untangle the origin and function of these enigmatic proteins as important components of remipede but also other pancrustacean and arthropod venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Lopes Pinheiro-Junior
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Ehsan Alirahimi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Jörg Isensee
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne Schiffmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Pelin Erkoc
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Robert Fürst
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), Ohlebergsweg 14, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tobias Sennoner
- Department of Informatics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, i12, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748, Garching, Munich, Germany
| | - Ivan Koludarov
- Department of Informatics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, i12, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748, Garching, Munich, Germany
| | - Benjamin-Florian Hempel
- Freie Unveristät Berlin, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Robert-Von-Ostertag Str. 8, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Tim Hucho
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Björn M von Reumont
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe, Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str 13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.
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Wang Q, Zhang J, Liu C, Ru C, Qian Q, Yang M, Yan S, Liu W, Wang G. Identification of antennal alternative splicing by combining genome and full-length transcriptome analysis in Bactrocera dorsalis. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1384426. [PMID: 38952867 PMCID: PMC11215311 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1384426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an essential post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism that diversifies gene function by generating multiple protein isoforms from a single gene and act as a crucial role in insect environmental adaptation. Olfaction, a key sense for insect adaptation, relies heavily on the antennae, which are the primary olfactory organs expressing most of the olfactory genes. Despite the extensive annotation of olfactory genes within insect antennal tissues facilitated by high-throughput sequencing technology advancements, systematic analyses of alternative splicing are still relatively less. In this study, we focused on the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), a significant pest of fruit crops. We performed a detailed analysis of alternative splicing in its antennae by utilizing the full-length transcriptome of its antennal tissue and the insect's genome. The results revealed 8600 non-redundant full-length transcripts identified in the oriental fruit fly antennal full-length transcriptome, spanning 4,145 gene loci. Over 40% of these loci exhibited multiple isoforms. Among these, 161 genes showed sex-biased isoform switching, involving seven different types of alternative splicing. Notably, events involving alternative transcription start sites (ATSS) and alternative transcription termination sites (ATTS) were the most common. Of all the genes undergoing ATSS and ATTS alternative splicing between male and female, 32 genes were alternatively spliced in protein coding regions, potentially affecting protein function. These genes were categorized based on the length of the sex-biased isoforms, with the highest difference in isoform fraction (dIF) associated with the ATSS type, including genes such as BdorABCA13, BdorCAT2, and BdorTSN3. Additionally, transcription factor binding sites for doublesex were identified upstream of both BdorABCA13 and BdorCAT2. Besides being expressed in the antennal tissues, BdorABCA13 and BdorCAT2 are also expressed in the mouthparts, legs, and genitalia of both female and male adults, suggesting their functional diversity. This study reveals alternative splicing events in the antennae of Bactrophora dorsalis from two aspects: odorant receptor genes and other types of genes expressed in the antennae. This study not only provides a research foundation for understanding the regulation of gene function by alternative splicing in the oriental fruit fly but also offers new insights for utilizing olfaction-based behavioral manipulation techniques to manage this pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Chenhao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Chuanjian Ru
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Qian Qian
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Minghuan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Shanchun Yan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guirong Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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4
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Xu J, Liao B, Guo S, Xiao S, Liao X, Jiang H, Zang C, Shen X, Chu Y, Wu W, Dou D, Luo L, Li Q, Yang TJ, Guo Y, Huang Z, Chen S. MOMS: A pipeline for scaffolding using multi-optical maps. Mol Ecol Resour 2023; 23:1914-1929. [PMID: 37475148 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13842] [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: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Here, we report a new multi-optical maps scaffolder (MOMS) aiming at utilizing complementary information among optical maps labelled by distinct enzymes. This pipeline was designed for data structure organization, scaffolding by path traversal, gap-filling and molecule reuse of optical maps. Our testing showed that this pipeline has uncapped enzyme tolerance in scaffolding. This means that there are no inbuilt limits as to the number of maps generated by different enzymes that can be utilized by MOMS. For the genome assembly of the human GM12878 cell line, MOMS significantly improved the contiguity and completeness with an up to 144-fold increase of scaffold N50 compared with initial assemblies. Benchmarking on the genomes of human and O. sativa showed that MOMS is more effective and robust compared with other optical-map-based scaffolders. We believe this pipeline will contribute to high-fidelity chromosome assembly and chromosome-level evolutionary analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Xu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baosheng Liao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuai Guo
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuiming Xiao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuejiao Liao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Pharmacy College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hongshan Jiang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Shen
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Chu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenguang Wu
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Artemisinin Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Deqiang Dou
- College of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, China
| | - Lu Luo
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiushi Li
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tae-Jin Yang
- Department of Plant Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yiming Guo
- Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zhihai Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shilin Chen
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Pharmacy College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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5
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Rele CP, Sandlin KM, Leung W, Reed LK. Manual annotation of Drosophila genes: a Genomics Education Partnership protocol. F1000Res 2023; 11:1579. [PMID: 37854289 PMCID: PMC10579860 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.126839.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Annotating the genomes of multiple species allows us to analyze the evolution of their genes. While many eukaryotic genome assemblies already include computational gene predictions, these predictions can benefit from review and refinement through manual gene annotation. The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP; https://thegep.org/) developed a structural annotation protocol for protein-coding genes that enables undergraduate student and faculty researchers to create high-quality gene annotations that can be utilized in subsequent scientific investigations. For example, this protocol has been utilized by the GEP faculty to engage undergraduate students in the comparative annotation of genes involved in the insulin signaling pathway in 27 Drosophila species, using D. melanogaster as the reference genome. Students construct gene models using multiple lines of computational and empirical evidence including expression data (e.g., RNA-Seq), sequence similarity (e.g., BLAST and multiple sequence alignment), and computational gene predictions. Quality control measures require each gene be annotated by at least two students working independently, followed by reconciliation of the submitted gene models by a more experienced student. This article provides an overview of the annotation protocol and describes how discrepancies in student submitted gene models are resolved to produce a final, high-quality gene set suitable for subsequent analyses. The protocol can be adapted to other scientific questions (e.g., expansion of the Drosophila Muller F element) and species (e.g., parasitoid wasps) to provide additional opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in genomics research. These student annotation efforts can substantially improve the quality of gene annotations in publicly available genomic databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinmay P. Rele
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35487, USA
| | - Katie M. Sandlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35487, USA
| | - Wilson Leung
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA
| | - Laura K. Reed
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35487, USA
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6
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Orłowska M, Barua D, Piłsyk S, Muszewska A. Fucose as a nutrient ligand for Dikarya and a building block of early diverging lineages. IMA Fungus 2023; 14:17. [PMID: 37670396 PMCID: PMC10481521 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-023-00123-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fucose is a deoxyhexose sugar present and studied in mammals. The process of fucosylation has been the primary focus in studies relating to fucose in animals due to the presence of fucose in Lewis antigens. Very few studies have reported its presence in Fungi, mostly in Mucoromycotina. The constitution of 25% and 12% of this sugar in the carbohydrates of cell wall in the respective Umbelopsis and Mucorales strains boosts the need to bridge the gap of knowledge on fucose metabolism across the fungal tree of life. In the absence of a network map involving fucose proteins, we carried out an in-silico approach to construct the fucose metabolic map in Fungi. We analyzed the taxonomic distribution of 85 protein families in Fungi including diverse early diverging fungal lineages. The expression of fucose-related protein-coding genes proteins was validated with the help of transcriptomic data originating from representatives of early diverging fungi. We found proteins involved in several metabolic activities apart from fucosylation such as synthesis, transport and binding. Most of the identified protein families are shared with Metazoa suggesting an ancestral origin in Opisthokonta. However, the overall complexity of fucose metabolism is greater in Metazoa than in Fungi. Massive gene loss has shaped the evolutionary history of these metabolic pathways, leading to a repeated reduction of these pathways in most yeast-forming lineages. Our results point to a distinctive mode of utilization of fucose among fungi belonging to Dikarya and the early diverging lineages. We speculate that, while Dikarya used fucose as a source of nutrients for metabolism, the early diverging group of fungi depended on fucose as a building block and signaling compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Orłowska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5A, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Drishtee Barua
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5A, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sebastian Piłsyk
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5A, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Muszewska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5A, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
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Bergmann S, Bohn MC, Dornbusch S, Becker SC, Stern M. Influence of RVFV Infection on Olfactory Perception and Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040558. [PMID: 37111444 PMCID: PMC10142484 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In blood-feeding dipterans, olfaction plays a role in finding hosts and, hence, in spreading pathogens. Several pathogens are known to alter olfactory responses and behavior in vectors. As a mosquito-borne pathogen, Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) can affect humans and cause great losses in livestock. We test the influence of RVFV infection on sensory perception, olfactory choice behavior and activity on a non-biting insect, Drosophila melanogaster, using electroantennograms (EAG), Y-maze, and locomotor activity monitor. Flies were injected with RVFV MP12 strain. Replication of RVFV and its persistence for at least seven days was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR). One day post injection, infected flies showed weaker EAG responses towards 1-hexanol, vinegar, and ethyl acetate. In the Y-maze, infected flies showed a significantly lower response for 1-hexanol compared to uninfected flies. At days six or seven post infection, no significant difference between infected and control flies could be found in EAG or Y-maze anymore. Activity of infected flies was reduced at both time points. We found an upregulation of the immune-response gene, nitric oxide synthase, in infected flies. An infection with RVFV is able to transiently reduce olfactory perception and attraction towards food-related odors in Drosophila, while effects on activity and immune effector gene expression persist. A similar effect in blood-feeding insects could affect vector competence in RVFV transmitting dipterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Bergmann
- Institute for Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Maja C. Bohn
- Institute for Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Susann Dornbusch
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefanie C. Becker
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Stern
- Institute for Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30173 Hannover, Germany
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Zheng Y, Song K, Xie ZX, Han MZ, Guo F, Yuan YJ. Machine learning-aided scoring of synthesis difficulties for designer chromosomes. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023:10.1007/s11427-023-2306-x. [PMID: 36881317 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2306-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Designer chromosomes are artificially synthesized chromosomes. Nowadays, these chromosomes have numerous applications ranging from medical research to the development of biofuels. However, some chromosome fragments can interfere with the chemical synthesis of designer chromosomes and eventually limit the widespread use of this technology. To address this issue, this study aimed to develop an interpretable machine learning framework to predict and quantify the synthesis difficulties of designer chromosomes in advance. Through the use of this framework, six key sequence features leading to synthesis difficulties were identified, and an eXtreme Gradient Boosting model was established to integrate these features. The predictive model achieved high-quality performance with an AUC of 0.895 in cross-validation and an AUC of 0.885 on an independent test set. Based on these results, the synthesis difficulty index (S-index) was proposed as a means of scoring and interpreting synthesis difficulties of chromosomes from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. The findings of this study emphasize the significant variability in synthesis difficulties between chromosomes and demonstrate the potential of the proposed model to predict and mitigate these difficulties through the optimization of the synthesis process and genome rewriting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zheng
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.,School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Kai Song
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.,School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Ze-Xiong Xie
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.,School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Ming-Zhe Han
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.,School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Fei Guo
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China. .,School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
| | - Ying-Jin Yuan
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China. .,School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
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9
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Paropkari AD, Bapat PS, Sindi SS, Nobile CJ. A Computational Workflow for Analysis of 3' Tag-Seq Data. Curr Protoc 2023; 3:e664. [PMID: 36779816 PMCID: PMC9930165 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.664] [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] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) is a gold-standard method to profile genome-wide changes in gene expression. RNA-seq uses high-throughput sequencing technology to quantify the amount of RNA in a biological sample. With the increasing popularity of RNA-seq, many variations on the protocol have been proposed to extract unique and relevant information from biological samples. 3' Tag-Seq (also called TagSeq, 3' Tag-RNA-Seq, and Quant-Seq 3' mRNA-Seq) is one RNA-seq variation where the 3' end of the transcript is selected and amplified to yield one copy of cDNA from each transcript in the biological sample. We present a simple, easy-to-use, and publicly available computational workflow to analyze 3' Tag-Seq data. The workflow begins by trimming sequence adapters from raw FASTQ files. The trimmed sequence reads are checked for quality using FastQC and aligned to the reference genome, and then read counts are obtained using STAR. Differential gene expression analysis is performed using DESeq2, based on differential analysis of gene count data. The outputs of this workflow are MA plots, tables of differentially expressed genes, and UpSet plots. This protocol is intended for users specifically interested in analyzing 3' Tag-Seq data, and thus normalizations based on transcript length are not performed within the workflow. Future updates to this workflow could include custom analyses based on the gene counts table as well as data visualization enhancements. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol: Running the 3' Tag-Seq workflow Support Protocol: Generating genome indices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay D. Paropkari
- Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Priyanka S. Bapat
- Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Suzanne S. Sindi
- Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Clarissa J. Nobile
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
- Health Science Research Institute, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
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10
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Wang T, Gasser RB, Korhonen PK, Young ND, Ang CS, Williamson NA, Ma G, Samarawickrama GR, Fernando DD, Fischer K. Proteomic analysis of Sarcoptes scabiei reveals that proteins differentially expressed between eggs and female adult stages are involved predominantly in genetic information processing, metabolism and/or host-parasite interactions. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010946. [PMID: 36472966 PMCID: PMC9725168 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Presently, there is a dearth of proteomic data for parasitic mites and their relationship with the host animals. Here, using a high throughput LC-MS/MS-based approach, we undertook the first comprehensive, large-scale proteomic investigation of egg and adult female stages of the scabies mite, Sarcoptes scabiei-one of the most important parasitic mites of humans and other animals worldwide. In total, 1,761 S. scabiei proteins were identified and quantified with high confidence. Bioinformatic analyses revealed differentially expressed proteins to be involved predominantly in biological pathways or processes including genetic information processing, energy (oxidative phosphorylation), nucleotide, amino acid, carbohydrate and/or lipid metabolism, and some adaptive processes. Selected, constitutively and highly expressed proteins, such as peptidases, scabies mite inactivated protease paralogues (SMIPPs) and muscle proteins (myosin and troponin), are proposed to be involved in key biological processes within S. scabiei, host-parasite interactions and/or the pathogenesis of scabies. These proteomic data will enable future molecular, biochemical and physiological investigations of early developmental stages of S. scabiei and the discovery of novel interventions, targeting the egg stage, given its non-susceptibility to acaricides currently approved for the treatment of scabies in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Robin B. Gasser
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Pasi K. Korhonen
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Neil D. Young
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Ching-Seng Ang
- Bio21 Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Nicholas A. Williamson
- Bio21 Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Guangxu Ma
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gangi R. Samarawickrama
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
| | - Deepani D. Fernando
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Katja Fischer
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
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11
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Identification and Tissue Expression Profiles of Odorant Receptor Genes in the Green Peach Aphid Myzus persicae. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13050398. [PMID: 35621734 PMCID: PMC9147661 DOI: 10.3390/insects13050398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) relies heavily on its olfactory system to locate plant hosts, find mates, and avoid parasitoids or predators. The insect odorant receptors (ORs) have been proven to play a critical role in the perception of odorants from the environment. In the present study, 33 odorant receptor candidate genes including the Orco gene were identified from the antennal, head, legs and body transcriptomes of M. persicae. Phylogenetic analysis of ORs from seven different orders of insect species suggests that ORs from different insect species are highly divergent and most ORs from the same species formed monophyletic groups. In addition, the aphid ORs were clustered into six different sub-clades in the same clade. Furthermore, the genomic structure of the OR genes also tends to be consistent, suggesting that ORs from the family Aphididae have a relatively close evolutionary relationship. Reads per kilobase per million (RPKM) and tissue expression profiles analyses revealed that 27 out of the 33 MperORs were uniquely or primarily expressed in the antennae, indicating their putative roles in chemoreception. This work provides a foundation to further investigate the molecular and ecological functions of MperORs in the aphid–aphid, aphid–plant and aphid–natural enemy interactions.
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12
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Abstract
Since 1992, FlyBase has provided a freely available online database of information about the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. Data in FlyBase is curated manually from research papers as well as computationally from a variety of relevant sources, to serve as an information hub that enables and accelerates research discovery. This chapter aims to give users new to the database an overview of the layout and types of data available, as well as introducing some tools with which to access the data. More experienced users will find useful information about recent improvements and descriptions to enable more efficient navigation of the database.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aoife Larkin
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jim Thurmond
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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13
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Di W, Li F, He L, Wang C, Zhou C, Liu L, Ye L, Chen J, Hu M. A transcription factor DAF-5 functions in Haemonchus contortus development. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:529. [PMID: 34641971 PMCID: PMC8507387 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05036-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Abnormal dauer formation gene (daf-5), located downstream of the DAF-7 signalling pathway, mainly functions in dauer formation and reproductive processes in the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Although the structure and function of daf-5 have been clarified in C. elegans, they still remain totally unknown in Haemonchus contortus, a socio-economically important parasitic nematode of gastric ruminants. Methods A homologue of daf-5, Hc-daf-5, and its inferred product (Hc-DAF-5) in H. contortus were identified and characterized in this study. Then the transcriptional profiles of Hc-daf-5 and the anatomical expression of Hc-DAF-5 in H. contortus were studied using an integrated molecular approach. RNA interference (RNAi) was performed to explore its function in transition from the exsheathed third-stage larvae (xL3s) to the fourth-stage larvae (L4s) in vitro. Finally, the interaction between Hc-DAF-5 and Hc-DAF-3 (a co-Smad) was detected by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFc) in vitro. Results It was shown that Hc-DAF-5 was a member of the Sno/Ski superfamily. Hc-daf-5 was transcribed in all developmental stages of H. contortus, with significant upregulation in L3s. Native Hc-DAF-5 was localized in the reproductive organs, cuticle, and intestine via immunohistochemistry. RNAi revealed that specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) could retard xL3 development. In addition, the interaction between Hc-DAF-5 and Hc-DAF-3 indicated that the SDS box of Hc-DAF-5 was dispensable for the binding of Hc-DAF-5 to Hc-DAF-3, and the MH2 domain was the binding region between Hc-DAF-3 and Hc-DAF-5. Conclusions In summary, these findings show that Hc-daf-5 functions in the developmental processes of H. contortus, and this study is the first attempt to characterize the daf-5 gene in parasitic nematodes. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05036-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenda Di
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Guangxi, 530004, Nanning, China
| | - Fangfang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Li He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei, 442000, Shiyan, China
| | - Chunqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Caixian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Lu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Lisa Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Jian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Min Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory for the Development of Veterinary Products, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
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14
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Mughal MN, Ye Q, Zhao L, Grevelding CG, Li Y, Di W, He X, Li X, Gasser RB, Hu M. First Evidence of Function for Schistosoma japonicumriok-1 and RIOK-1. Pathogens 2021; 10:862. [PMID: 34358012 PMCID: PMC8308690 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein kinases are known as key molecules that regulate many biological processes in animals. The right open reading frame protein kinase (riok) genes are known to be essential regulators in model organisms such as the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. However, very little is known about their function in parasitic trematodes (flukes). In the present study, we characterized the riok-1 gene (Sj-riok-1) and the inferred protein (Sj-RIOK-1) in the parasitic blood fluke, Schistosoma japonicum. We gained a first insight into function of this gene/protein through double-stranded RNA interference (RNAi) and chemical inhibition. RNAi significantly reduced Sj-riok-1 transcription in both female and male worms compared with untreated control worms, and subtle morphological alterations were detected in the ovaries of female worms. Chemical knockdown of Sj-RIOK-1 with toyocamycin (a specific RIOK-1 inhibitor/probe) caused a substantial reduction in worm viability and a major accumulation of mature oocytes in the seminal receptacle (female worms), and of spermatozoa in the sperm vesicle (male worms). These phenotypic alterations indicate that the function of Sj-riok-1 is linked to developmental and/or reproductive processes in S. japonicum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudassar N. Mughal
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (M.N.M.); (Q.Y.); (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg, Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany;
| | - Qing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (M.N.M.); (Q.Y.); (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Lu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (M.N.M.); (Q.Y.); (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Christoph G. Grevelding
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg, Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany;
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (M.N.M.); (Q.Y.); (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Wenda Di
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China;
| | - Xin He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (M.N.M.); (Q.Y.); (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Xuesong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (M.N.M.); (Q.Y.); (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Robin B. Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;
| | - Min Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (M.N.M.); (Q.Y.); (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
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15
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Cao WX, Kabelitz S, Gupta M, Yeung E, Lin S, Rammelt C, Ihling C, Pekovic F, Low TCH, Siddiqui NU, Cheng MHK, Angers S, Smibert CA, Wühr M, Wahle E, Lipshitz HD. Precise Temporal Regulation of Post-transcriptional Repressors Is Required for an Orderly Drosophila Maternal-to-Zygotic Transition. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107783. [PMID: 32579915 PMCID: PMC7372737 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In animal embryos, the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) hands developmental control from maternal to zygotic gene products. We show that the maternal proteome represents more than half of the protein-coding capacity of Drosophila melanogaster’s genome, and that 2% of this proteome is rapidly degraded during the MZT. Cleared proteins include the post-transcriptional repressors Cup, Trailer hitch (TRAL), Maternal expression at 31B (ME31B), and Smaug (SMG). Although the ubiquitin-proteasome system is necessary for clearance of these repressors, distinct E3 ligase complexes target them: the C-terminal to Lis1 Homology (CTLH) complex targets Cup, TRAL, and ME31B for degradation early in the MZT and the Skp/Cullin/F-box-containing (SCF) complex targets SMG at the end of the MZT. Deleting the C-terminal 233 amino acids of SMG abrogates F-box protein interaction and confers immunity to degradation. Persistent SMG downregulates zygotic re-expression of mRNAs whose maternal contribution is degraded by SMG. Thus, clearance of SMG permits an orderly MZT. Cao et al. show that 2% of the proteome is degraded in early Drosophila embryos, including a repressive ribonucleoprotein complex. Two E3 ubiquitin ligases separately act on distinct components of this complex to phase their clearance. Failure to degrade a key component, the Smaug RNA-binding protein, disrupts an orderly maternal-to-zygotic transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Xi Cao
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Sarah Kabelitz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology and Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06099 Halle, Germany
| | - Meera Gupta
- Department of Molecular Biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Eyan Yeung
- Department of Molecular Biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Sichun Lin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Christiane Rammelt
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology and Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06099 Halle, Germany
| | - Christian Ihling
- Institute of Pharmacy and Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06099 Halle, Germany
| | - Filip Pekovic
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology and Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06099 Halle, Germany
| | - Timothy C H Low
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Najeeb U Siddiqui
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Matthew H K Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Stephane Angers
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Craig A Smibert
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Martin Wühr
- Department of Molecular Biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Elmar Wahle
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology and Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06099 Halle, Germany.
| | - Howard D Lipshitz
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada.
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16
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Choi S, Song B, Shin H, Won C, Kim T, Yoshida H, Lee D, Chung J, Cho KS, Lee IS. Drosophila NSD deletion induces developmental anomalies similar to those seen in Sotos syndrome 1 patients. Genes Genomics 2021; 43:737-748. [PMID: 33864616 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-021-01091-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haploinsufficiency of the human nuclear receptor binding suppressor of variegation 3-9, enhancer of zeste, and trithorax (SET) domain 1 (NSD1) gene causes a developmental disorder called Sotos syndrome 1 (SOTOS1), which is associated with overgrowth and macrocephaly. NSD family proteins encoding histone H3 lysine 36 (H3K36) methyltransferases are conserved in many species, and Drosophila has a single NSD homolog gene, NSD. OBJECTIVE To gain insight into the biological functions of NSD1 deficiency in the developmental anomalies seen in SOTOS1 patients using an NSD-deleted Drosophila mutant. METHODS We deleted Drosophila NSD using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted gene knock-out, and analyzed pleiotropic phenotypes of the homozygous mutant of NSD (NSD-/-) at various developmental stages to understand the roles of NSD in Drosophila. RESULTS The site-specific NSD deletion was confirmed in the mutant. The H3K36 di-methylation levels were dramatically decreased in the NSD-/- fly. Compared with the control, the NSD-/- fly displayed an increase in the body size of larvae, similar to the childhood overgrowth phenotype of SOTOS1 patients. Although the NSD mutant flies survived to adulthood, their fecundity was dramatically decreased. Furthermore, the NSD-/- fly showed neurological dysfunctions, such as lower memory performance and motor defects, and a diminished extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity. CONCLUSIONS The NSD-deleted Drosophila phenotype resembles many of the phenotypes of SOTOS1 patients, such as learning disability, deregulated ERK signaling, and overgrowth; thus, this mutant fly is a relevant model organism to study various SOTOS1 phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeyan Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Bokyeong Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyewon Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Chihyun Won
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Taejoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Daewon Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongkyeong Chung
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Sang Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Im-Soon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea.
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17
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Jipa A, Vedelek V, Merényi Z, Ürmösi A, Takáts S, Kovács AL, Horváth GV, Sinka R, Juhász G. Analysis of Drosophila Atg8 proteins reveals multiple lipidation-independent roles. Autophagy 2020; 17:2565-2575. [PMID: 33249988 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1856494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Yeast Atg8 and its homologs are involved in autophagosome biogenesis in all eukaryotes. These are the most widely used markers for autophagy thanks to the association of their lipidated forms with autophagic membranes. The Atg8 protein family expanded in animals and plants, with most Drosophila species having two Atg8 homologs. In this Brief Report, we use clear-cut genetic analysis in Drosophila melanogaster to show that lipidated Atg8a is required for autophagy, while its non-lipidated form is essential for developmentally programmed larval midgut elimination and viability. In contrast, expression of Atg8b is restricted to the male germline and its loss causes male sterility without affecting autophagy. We find that high expression of non-lipidated Atg8b in the male germline is required for fertility. Consistent with these non-canonical functions of Atg8 proteins, loss of Atg genes required for Atg8 lipidation lead to autophagy defects but do not cause lethality or male sterility.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Jipa
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Viktor Vedelek
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Merényi
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Adél Ürmösi
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Szabolcs Takáts
- Department of Anatomy, Cell and Developmental Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila L Kovács
- Department of Anatomy, Cell and Developmental Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor V Horváth
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Rita Sinka
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Juhász
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Department of Anatomy, Cell and Developmental Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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18
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Liu J, Wu H, Yi J, Zhang G. Two gustatory receptors are necessary for sensing sucrose in an egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis. CHEMOECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00049-020-00301-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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19
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Etges WJ. Evolutionary genomics of host plant adaptation: insights from Drosophila. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 36:96-102. [PMID: 31542627 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Variation in gene expression in response to the use of alternate host plants can reveal genetic and physiological mechanisms explaining why insect-host relationships vary from host specialism to generalism. Interpreting transcriptome variation relies on well-annotated genomes, making drosophilids valuable model systems, particularly those species with tractable ecological associations. Patterns of whole genome expression and alternate gene splicing in response to growth on different hosts have revealed expression of gene networks of known detoxification genes as well as novel functionally enriched genes of diverse metabolic and structural functions. Integrating trancriptomic responses with fitness differences and levels of phenotypic plasticity in response to alternate hosts will help to reveal the general nature of genotype-phenotype relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Etges
- Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, SCEN 632, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
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20
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Abstract
Fields such as behavioural and evolutionary ecology are built on the assumption that natural selection leads to organisms that behave as if they are trying to maximise their fitness. However, there is considerable evidence for selfish genetic elements that change the behaviour of individuals to increase their own transmission. How can we reconcile this contradiction? Here we show that: (1) when selfish genetic elements have a greater impact at the individual level, they are more likely to be suppressed, and suppression spreads more quickly; (2) selection on selfish genetic elements leads them towards a greater impact at the individual level, making them more likely to be suppressed; (3) the majority interest within the genome generally prevails over 'cabals' of a few genes, irrespective of genome size, mutation rate and the sophistication of trait distorters. Overall, our results suggest that even when there is the potential for considerable genetic conflict, this will often have negligible impact at the individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W Scott
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK.
| | - Stuart A West
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
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Tello-Ruiz MK, Marco CF, Hsu FM, Khangura RS, Qiao P, Sapkota S, Stitzer MC, Wasikowski R, Wu H, Zhan J, Chougule K, Barone LC, Ghiban C, Muna D, Olson AC, Wang L, Ware D, Micklos DA. Double triage to identify poorly annotated genes in maize: The missing link in community curation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224086. [PMID: 31658277 PMCID: PMC6816542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The sophistication of gene prediction algorithms and the abundance of RNA-based evidence for the maize genome may suggest that manual curation of gene models is no longer necessary. However, quality metrics generated by the MAKER-P gene annotation pipeline identified 17,225 of 130,330 (13%) protein-coding transcripts in the B73 Reference Genome V4 gene set with models of low concordance to available biological evidence. Working with eight graduate students, we used the Apollo annotation editor to curate 86 transcript models flagged by quality metrics and a complimentary method using the Gramene gene tree visualizer. All of the triaged models had significant errors-including missing or extra exons, non-canonical splice sites, and incorrect UTRs. A correct transcript model existed for about 60% of genes (or transcripts) flagged by quality metrics; we attribute this to the convention of elevating the transcript with the longest coding sequence (CDS) to the canonical, or first, position. The remaining 40% of flagged genes resulted in novel annotations and represent a manual curation space of about 10% of the maize genome (~4,000 protein-coding genes). MAKER-P metrics have a specificity of 100%, and a sensitivity of 85%; the gene tree visualizer has a specificity of 100%. Together with the Apollo graphical editor, our double triage provides an infrastructure to support the community curation of eukaryotic genomes by scientists, students, and potentially even citizen scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela K. Tello-Ruiz
- Plant Biology Program, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, New York, United States of America
| | - Cristina F. Marco
- DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Fei-Man Hsu
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Rajdeep S. Khangura
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Pengfei Qiao
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sirjan Sapkota
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Michelle C. Stitzer
- Department of Plant Sciences and Center for Population Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Rachael Wasikowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Hao Wu
- Genetics, Development & Cell Biology Department, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Junpeng Zhan
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Kapeel Chougule
- Plant Biology Program, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Lindsay C. Barone
- DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Cornel Ghiban
- DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Demitri Muna
- Plant Biology Program, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Andrew C. Olson
- Plant Biology Program, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Liya Wang
- Plant Biology Program, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Doreen Ware
- Plant Biology Program, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Washington, D.C., United States of America
| | - David A. Micklos
- DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
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22
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Drosophila transcriptomics with and without ageing. Biogerontology 2019; 20:699-710. [PMID: 31317291 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-019-09823-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The genomic basis of ageing still remains unknown despite being a topic of study for many years. Here, we present data from 20 experimentally evolved laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster that have undergone two different life-history selection regimes. One set of ten populations demonstrates early ageing whereas the other set of ten populations shows postponed ageing. Additionally, both types of populations consist of five long standing populations and five recently derived populations. Our primary goal was to determine which genes exhibit changes in expression levels by comparing the female transcriptome of the two population sets at two different time points. Using three different sets of increasingly restrictive criteria, we found that 2.1-15.7% (82-629 genes) of the expressed genes are associated with differential ageing between population sets. Conversely, a comparison of recently derived populations to long-standing populations reveals little to no transcriptome differentiation, suggesting that the recent selection regime has had a larger impact on the transcriptome than its more distant evolutionary history. In addition, we found very little evidence for significant enrichment for functional attributes regardless of the set of criteria used. Relative to previous ageing studies, we find little overlap with other lists of aging related genes. The disparity between our results and previously published results is likely due to the high replication used in this study coupled with our use of highly differentiated populations. Our results reinforce the notion that the use of genomic, transcriptomic, and phenotypic data to uncover the genetic basis of a complex trait like ageing can benefit from experimental designs that use highly replicated, experimentally-evolved populations.
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Abstract
Genetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional variations shape the transcriptome of individual cells, rendering establishing an exhaustive set of reference RNAs a complicated matter. Current reference transcriptomes, which are based on carefully curated transcripts, are lagging behind the extensive RNA variation revealed by massively parallel sequencing. Much may be missed by ignoring this unreferenced RNA diversity. There is plentiful evidence for non-reference transcripts with important phenotypic effects. Although reference transcriptomes are inestimable for gene expression analysis, they may turn limiting in important medical applications. We discuss computational strategies for retrieving hidden transcript diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonin Morillon
- ncRNA, Epigenetic and Genome Fluidity, CNRS UMR 3244, Sorbonne Université, PSL University, Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Gautheret
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, France.
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24
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Li F, Ma K, Liu Y, Zhou JJ, Gao X. Characterization of the Cytochrome P450 Gene CYP305A1 of the Cotton Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Its Responsive Cis-Elements to Plant Allelochemicals. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 112:1365-1371. [PMID: 30768168 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Insect cytochrome P450 monooxygenases play an important role in plant allelochemical detoxification. In this study, a full-length gene CYP305A1 of the P450 Clan 2 family was cloned from Aphis gossypii Glover, and its promoter was identified and characterized. The transcript level of CYP305A1 and its promoter activity were significantly induced by two plant allelochemicals, gossypol and 2-tridecanone. Furthermore, the 5'-end promoter region from -810 to +62 bp was demonstrated to be essential for basal transcriptional activity of CYP305A1, and the promoter region from -810 to -581 bp was shown as an essential plant allelochemical responsive element and had a cis-element 5'-CACACTA-3' as the binding site of aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Interestingly, there was an identical overlapping region of 1,094 bp between CYP305A1 promoter and the venom protease gene. When the expression of CYP305A1 gene was knocked down by RNA interference with CYP305A1 dsRNA, the expression of the venom protease gene was decreased. However, the knockdown of the expression of the venom protease gene did not affect the CYP305A1 expression. These results provide important insights for understanding the functions of P450 genes and the regulatory mechanism of P450 gene expressions in the resistance of Aphis gossypii Glover to plant allelochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Li
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Department of Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK
| | - Kangsheng Ma
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing-Jiang Zhou
- Department of Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiwu Gao
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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25
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Zhang H, Dou S, He F, Luo J, Wei L, Lu J. Genome-wide maps of ribosomal occupancy provide insights into adaptive evolution and regulatory roles of uORFs during Drosophila development. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2003903. [PMID: 30028832 PMCID: PMC6070289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2003903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) play important roles in regulating the main coding DNA sequences (CDSs) via translational repression. Despite their prevalence in the genomes, uORFs are overall discriminated against by natural selection. However, it remains unclear why in the genomes there are so many uORFs more conserved than expected under the assumption of neutral evolution. Here, we generated genome-wide maps of translational efficiency (TE) at the codon level throughout the life cycle of Drosophila melanogaster. We identified 35,735 uORFs that were expressed, and 32,224 (90.2%) of them showed evidence of ribosome occupancy during Drosophila development. The ribosome occupancy of uORFs is determined by genomic features, such as optimized sequence contexts around their start codons, a shorter distance to CDSs, and higher coding potentials. Our population genomic analysis suggests the segregating mutations that create or disrupt uORFs are overall deleterious in D. melanogaster. However, we found for the first time that many (68.3% of) newly fixed uORFs that are associated with ribosomes in D. melanogaster are driven by positive Darwinian selection. Our findings also suggest that uORFs play a vital role in controlling the translational program in Drosophila. Moreover, we found that many uORFs are transcribed or translated in a developmental stage-, sex-, or tissue-specific manner, suggesting that selective transcription or translation of uORFs could potentially modulate the TE of the downstream CDSs during Drosophila development. Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of messenger RNAs can potentially inhibit translation of the downstream regions that encode proteins by sequestering protein-making machinery the ribosome. Moreover, mutations that destroy existing uORFs or create new ones are known to cause human disease. Although mutations that create new uORFs are generally deleterious and are selected against, many uORFs are evolutionarily conserved across eukaryotic species. To resolve this dilemma, we used extensive mRNA-Seq and ribosome profiling to generate high-resolution genome-wide maps of ribosome occupancy and translational efficiency (TE) during the life cycle of the fruit fly D. melanogaster. This allowed us to identify the sequence features of uORFs that influence their ability to associate with ribosomes. We demonstrate for the first time that the majority of the newly fixed uORFs in D. melanogaster, especially the translated ones, are under positive Darwinian selection. We also show that uORFs exert widespread repressive effects on the translation of the downstream protein-coding region. We find that many uORFs are transcribed or translated in a developmental stage-, sex-, or tissue-specific manner. Our results suggest that during Drosophila development, changes in the TE of uORFs, as well as the inclusion/exclusion of uORFs, are frequently exploited to inversely influence the translation of the downstream protein-coding regions. Our study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms and functional consequences of uORF-mediated regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shengqian Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng He
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Junjie Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liping Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
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26
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Keilwagen J, Hartung F, Paulini M, Twardziok SO, Grau J. Combining RNA-seq data and homology-based gene prediction for plants, animals and fungi. BMC Bioinformatics 2018; 19:189. [PMID: 29843602 PMCID: PMC5975413 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-018-2203-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Genome annotation is of key importance in many research questions. The identification of protein-coding genes is often based on transcriptome sequencing data, ab-initio or homology-based prediction. Recently, it was demonstrated that intron position conservation improves homology-based gene prediction, and that experimental data improves ab-initio gene prediction. Results Here, we present an extension of the gene prediction program GeMoMa that utilizes amino acid sequence conservation, intron position conservation and optionally RNA-seq data for homology-based gene prediction. We show on published benchmark data for plants, animals and fungi that GeMoMa performs better than the gene prediction programs BRAKER1, MAKER2, and CodingQuarry, and purely RNA-seq-based pipelines for transcript identification. In addition, we demonstrate that using multiple reference organisms may help to further improve the performance of GeMoMa. Finally, we apply GeMoMa to four nematode species and to the recently published barley reference genome indicating that current annotations of protein-coding genes may be refined using GeMoMa predictions. Conclusions GeMoMa might be of great utility for annotating newly sequenced genomes but also for finding homologs of a specific gene or gene family. GeMoMa has been published under GNU GPL3 and is freely available at http://www.jstacs.de/index.php/GeMoMa. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12859-018-2203-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Keilwagen
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Quedlinburg, D-06484, Germany.
| | - Frank Hartung
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Quedlinburg, D-06484, Germany
| | - Michael Paulini
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Sven O Twardziok
- Plant Genome and Systems Biology, Helmholtz Center Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, D-85764, Germany
| | - Jan Grau
- Institute of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), D-06120, Germany
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27
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Lakhotia SC. From Heterochromatin to Long Noncoding RNAs in Drosophila: Expanding the Arena of Gene Function and Regulation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1008:75-118. [PMID: 28815537 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-5203-3_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed a remarkable interest in exploring the significance of pervasive noncoding transcripts in diverse eukaryotes. Classical cytogenetic studies using the Drosophila model system unraveled the perplexing attributes and "functions" of the "gene"-poor heterochromatin. Recent molecular studies in the fly model are likewise revealing the very diverse and significant roles played by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in development, gene regulation, chromatin organization, cell and nuclear architecture, etc. There has been a rapid increase in the number of identified lncRNAs, although a much larger number still remains unknown. The diversity of modes of actions and functions of the limited number of Drosophila lncRNAs, which have been examined, already reflects the profound roles of such RNAs in generating and sustaining the biological complexities of eukaryotes. Several of the known Drosophila lncRNAs originate as independent sense or antisense transcripts from promoter or intergenic, intronic, or 5'/3'-UTR regions, while many of them are independent genes that produce only lncRNAs or coding as well as noncoding RNAs. The different lncRNAs affect chromatin organization (local or large-scale pan-chromosomal), transcription, RNA processing/stability, or translation either directly through interaction with their target DNA sequences or indirectly by acting as intermediary molecules for specific regulatory proteins or may act as decoys/sinks, or storage sites for specific proteins or groups of proteins, or may provide a structural framework for the assembly of substructures in nucleus/cytoplasm. It is interesting that many of the "functions" alluded to heterochromatin in earlier cytogenetic studies appear to find correlates with the known subtle as well as far-reaching actions of the different small and long noncoding RNAs. Further studies exploiting the very rich and powerful genetic and molecular resources available for the Drosophila model are expected to unravel the mystery underlying the long reach of ncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash C Lakhotia
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
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28
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Sanfilippo P, Wen J, Lai EC. Landscape and evolution of tissue-specific alternative polyadenylation across Drosophila species. Genome Biol 2017; 18:229. [PMID: 29191225 PMCID: PMC5707805 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-017-1358-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drosophila melanogaster has one of best-described transcriptomes of any multicellular organism. Nevertheless, the paucity of 3'-sequencing data in this species precludes comprehensive assessment of alternative polyadenylation (APA), which is subject to broad tissue-specific control. RESULTS Here, we generate deep 3'-sequencing data from 23 developmental stages, tissues, and cell lines of D. melanogaster, yielding a comprehensive atlas of ~ 62,000 polyadenylated ends. These data broadly extend the annotated transcriptome, identify ~ 40,000 novel 3' termini, and reveal that two-thirds of Drosophila genes are subject to APA. Furthermore, we dramatically expand the numbers of genes known to be subject to tissue-specific APA, such as 3' untranslated region (UTR) lengthening in head and 3' UTR shortening in testis, and characterize new tissue and developmental 3' UTR patterns. Our thorough 3' UTR annotations permit reassessment of post-transcriptional regulatory networks, via conserved miRNA and RNA binding protein sites. To evaluate the evolutionary conservation and divergence of APA patterns, we generate developmental and tissue-specific 3'-seq libraries from Drosophila yakuba and Drosophila virilis. We document broadly analogous tissue-specific APA trends in these species, but also observe significant alterations in 3' end usage across orthologs. We exploit the population of functionally evolving poly(A) sites to gain clear evidence that evolutionary divergence in core polyadenylation signal (PAS) and downstream sequence element (DSE) motifs drive broad alterations in 3' UTR isoform expression across the Drosophila phylogeny. CONCLUSIONS These data provide a critical resource for the Drosophila community and offer many insights into the complex control of alternative tissue-specific 3' UTR formation and its consequences for post-transcriptional regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piero Sanfilippo
- Department of Developmental Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, New York, 10065, USA.,Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Jiayu Wen
- Department of Developmental Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, New York, 10065, USA.,Present address: Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Research School of Biology, ANU College of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Eric C Lai
- Department of Developmental Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, New York, 10065, USA. .,Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, 10065, USA.
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29
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A Drosophila Genome-Wide Screen Identifies Regulators of Steroid Hormone Production and Developmental Timing. Dev Cell 2017; 37:558-70. [PMID: 27326933 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2016.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones control important developmental processes and are linked to many diseases. To systematically identify genes and pathways required for steroid production, we performed a Drosophila genome-wide in vivo RNAi screen and identified 1,906 genes with potential roles in steroidogenesis and developmental timing. Here, we use our screen as a resource to identify mechanisms regulating intracellular levels of cholesterol, a substrate for steroidogenesis. We identify a conserved fatty acid elongase that underlies a mechanism that adjusts cholesterol trafficking and steroidogenesis with nutrition and developmental programs. In addition, we demonstrate the existence of an autophagosomal cholesterol mobilization mechanism and show that activation of this system rescues Niemann-Pick type C1 deficiency that causes a disorder characterized by cholesterol accumulation. These cholesterol-trafficking mechanisms are regulated by TOR and feedback signaling that couples steroidogenesis with growth and ensures proper maturation timing. These results reveal genes regulating steroidogenesis during development that likely modulate disease mechanisms.
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30
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Casas-Vila N, Bluhm A, Sayols S, Dinges N, Dejung M, Altenhein T, Kappei D, Altenhein B, Roignant JY, Butter F. The developmental proteome of Drosophila melanogaster. Genome Res 2017; 27:1273-1285. [PMID: 28381612 PMCID: PMC5495078 DOI: 10.1101/gr.213694.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is a widely used genetic model organism in developmental biology. While this model organism has been intensively studied at the RNA level, a comprehensive proteomic study covering the complete life cycle is still missing. Here, we apply label-free quantitative proteomics to explore proteome remodeling across Drosophila’s life cycle, resulting in 7952 proteins, and provide a high temporal-resolved embryogenesis proteome of 5458 proteins. Our proteome data enabled us to monitor isoform-specific expression of 34 genes during development, to identify the pseudogene Cyp9f3Ψ as a protein-coding gene, and to obtain evidence of 268 small proteins. Moreover, the comparison with available transcriptomic data uncovered examples of poor correlation between mRNA and protein, underscoring the importance of proteomics to study developmental progression. Data integration of our embryogenesis proteome with tissue-specific data revealed spatial and temporal information for further functional studies of yet uncharacterized proteins. Overall, our high resolution proteomes provide a powerful resource and can be explored in detail in our interactive web interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Casas-Vila
- Quantitative Proteomics, Institute of Molecular Biology, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Alina Bluhm
- Quantitative Proteomics, Institute of Molecular Biology, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Sergi Sayols
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Biology, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Nadja Dinges
- RNA Epigenetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Mario Dejung
- Proteomics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Biology, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Tina Altenhein
- Institute of Genetics, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Dennis Kappei
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599
| | - Benjamin Altenhein
- Institute of Genetics, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Falk Butter
- Quantitative Proteomics, Institute of Molecular Biology, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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31
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Gramates LS, Marygold SJ, Santos GD, Urbano JM, Antonazzo G, Matthews BB, Rey AJ, Tabone CJ, Crosby MA, Emmert DB, Falls K, Goodman JL, Hu Y, Ponting L, Schroeder AJ, Strelets VB, Thurmond J, Zhou P. FlyBase at 25: looking to the future. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:D663-D671. [PMID: 27799470 PMCID: PMC5210523 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 404] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Since 1992, FlyBase (flybase.org) has been an essential online resource for the Drosophila research community. Concentrating on the most extensively studied species, Drosophila melanogaster, FlyBase includes information on genes (molecular and genetic), transgenic constructs, phenotypes, genetic and physical interactions, and reagents such as stocks and cDNAs. Access to data is provided through a number of tools, reports, and bulk-data downloads. Looking to the future, FlyBase is expanding its focus to serve a broader scientific community. In this update, we describe new features, datasets, reagent collections, and data presentations that address this goal, including enhanced orthology data, Human Disease Model Reports, protein domain search and visualization, concise gene summaries, a portal for external resources, video tutorials and the FlyBase Community Advisory Group.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Sian Gramates
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Steven J Marygold
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Gilberto Dos Santos
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Jose-Maria Urbano
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Giulia Antonazzo
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Beverley B Matthews
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alix J Rey
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Christopher J Tabone
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Madeline A Crosby
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - David B Emmert
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Kathleen Falls
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Joshua L Goodman
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Yanhui Hu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Laura Ponting
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Andrew J Schroeder
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Victor B Strelets
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Jim Thurmond
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Pinglei Zhou
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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32
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Raborn RT, Spitze K, Brendel VP, Lynch M. Promoter Architecture and Sex-Specific Gene Expression in Daphnia pulex. Genetics 2016; 204:593-612. [PMID: 27585846 PMCID: PMC5068849 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.193334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-scale transcription start site (TSS) profiling produces a high-resolution, quantitative picture of transcription initiation and core promoter locations within a genome. However, application of TSS profiling to date has largely been restricted to a small set of prominent model systems. We sought to characterize the cis-regulatory landscape of the water flea Daphnia pulex, an emerging model arthropod that reproduces both asexually (via parthenogenesis) and sexually (via meiosis). We performed Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) with RNA isolated from D. pulex within three developmental states: sexual females, asexual females, and males. Identified TSSs were utilized to generate a "Daphnia Promoter Atlas," i.e., a catalog of active promoters across the surveyed states. Analysis of the distribution of promoters revealed evidence for widespread alternative promoter usage in D. pulex, in addition to a prominent fraction of compactly-arranged promoters in divergent orientations. We carried out de novo motif discovery using CAGE-defined TSSs and identified eight candidate core promoter motifs; this collection includes canonical promoter elements (e.g., TATA and Initiator) in addition to others lacking obvious orthologs. A comparison of promoter activities found evidence for considerable state-specific differential gene expression between states. Our work represents the first global definition of transcription initiation and promoter architecture in crustaceans. The Daphnia Promoter Atlas presented here provides a valuable resource for comparative study of cis-regulatory regions in metazoans, as well as for investigations into the circuitries that underpin meiosis and parthenogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Taylor Raborn
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
| | - Ken Spitze
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
| | - Volker P Brendel
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
| | - Michael Lynch
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
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Integrating RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data to characterize long non-coding RNAs in Drosophila melanogaster. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:220. [PMID: 26969372 PMCID: PMC4787191 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2457-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advances in sequencing technology have opened a new era in RNA studies. Novel types of RNAs such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been discovered by transcriptomic sequencing and some lncRNAs have been found to play essential roles in biological processes. However, only limited information is available for lncRNAs in Drosophila melanogaster, an important model organism. Therefore, the characterization of lncRNAs and identification of new lncRNAs in D. melanogaster is an important area of research. Moreover, there is an increasing interest in the use of ChIP-seq data (H3K4me3, H3K36me3 and Pol II) to detect signatures of active transcription for reported lncRNAs. RESULTS We have developed a computational approach to identify new lncRNAs from two tissue-specific RNA-seq datasets using the poly(A)-enriched and the ribo-zero method, respectively. In our results, we identified 462 novel lncRNA transcripts, which we combined with 4137 previously published lncRNA transcripts into a curated dataset. We then utilized 61 RNA-seq and 32 ChIP-seq datasets to improve the annotation of the curated lncRNAs with regards to transcriptional direction, exon regions, classification, expression in the brain, possession of a poly(A) tail, and presence of conventional chromatin signatures. Furthermore, we used 30 time-course RNA-seq datasets and 32 ChIP-seq datasets to investigate whether the lncRNAs reported by RNA-seq have active transcription signatures. The results showed that more than half of the reported lncRNAs did not have chromatin signatures related to active transcription. To clarify this issue, we conducted RT-qPCR experiments and found that ~95.24% of the selected lncRNAs were truly transcribed, regardless of whether they were associated with active chromatin signatures or not. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we discovered a large number of novel lncRNAs, which suggests that many remain to be identified in D. melanogaster. For the lncRNAs that are known, we improved their characterization by integrating a large number of sequencing datasets (93 sets in total) from multiple sources (lncRNAs, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq). The RT-qPCR experiments demonstrated that RNA-seq is a reliable platform to discover lncRNAs. This set of curated lncRNAs with improved annotations can serve as an important resource for investigating the function of lncRNAs in D. melanogaster.
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Tabunoki H, Bono H, Ito K, Yokoyama T. Can the silkworm ( Bombyx mori) be used as a human disease model? Drug Discov Ther 2016; 10:3-8. [DOI: 10.5582/ddt.2016.01011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko Tabunoki
- Department of Biological Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo university of Agriculture and Technology
| | - Hidemasa Bono
- Database Center for Life Science (DBCLS), Research Organization of Information and Systems (ROIS)
| | - Katsuhiko Ito
- Department of Biological Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo university of Agriculture and Technology
| | - Takeshi Yokoyama
- Department of Biological Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo university of Agriculture and Technology
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Abstract
For nearly 25 years, FlyBase (flybase.org) has provided a freely available online database of biological information about Drosophila species, focusing on the model organism D. melanogaster. The need for a centralized, integrated view of Drosophila research has never been greater as advances in genomic, proteomic, and high-throughput technologies add to the quantity and diversity of available data and resources.FlyBase has taken several approaches to respond to these changes in the research landscape. Novel report pages have been generated for new reagent types and physical interaction data; Drosophila models of human disease are now represented and showcased in dedicated Human Disease Model Reports; other integrated reports have been established that bring together related genes, datasets, or reagents; Gene Reports have been revised to improve access to new data types and to highlight functional data; links to external sites have been organized and expanded; and new tools have been developed to display and interrogate all these data, including improved batch processing and bulk file availability. In addition, several new community initiatives have served to enhance interactions between researchers and FlyBase, resulting in direct user contributions and improved feedback.This chapter provides an overview of the data content, organization, and available tools within FlyBase, focusing on recent improvements. We hope it serves as a guide for our diverse user base, enabling efficient and effective exploration of the database and thereby accelerating research discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Marygold
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Madeline A. Crosby
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Joshua L. Goodman
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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Abstract
In the context of the FlyBase annotated gene models in Drosophila melanogaster, we describe the many exceptional cases we have curated from the literature or identified in the course of FlyBase analysis. These range from atypical but common examples such as dicistronic and polycistronic transcripts, noncanonical splices, trans-spliced transcripts, noncanonical translation starts, and stop-codon readthroughs, to single exceptional cases such as ribosomal frameshifting and HAC1-type intron processing. In FlyBase, exceptional genes and transcripts are flagged with Sequence Ontology terms and/or standardized comments. Because some of the rule-benders create problems for handlers of high-throughput data, we discuss plans for flagging these cases in bulk data downloads.
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