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Bozděchová L, Havlová K, Fajkus P, Fajkus J. Analysis of Telomerase RNA Structure in Physcomitrium patens Indicates Functionally Relevant Transitions Between OPEN and CLOSED Conformations. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168417. [PMID: 38143018 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase RNA (TR) conformation determines its function as a template for telomere synthesis and as a scaffold for the assembly of the telomerase nucleoprotein complex. Experimental analyses of TR secondary structure using DMS-Map Seq and SHAPE-Map Seq techniques show its CLOSED conformation as the consensus structure where the template region cannot perform its function. Our data show that the apparent discrepancy between experimental results and predicted TR functional conformation, mostly ignored in published studies, can be explained using data analysis based on single-molecule structure prediction from individual sequencing reads by the recently established DaVinci method. This method results in several clusters of secondary structures reflecting the structural dynamics of TR, possibly related to its multiple functional states. Interestingly, the presumed active (OPEN) conformation of TR corresponds to a minor fraction of TR under in vivo conditions. Therefore, structural polymorphism and dynamic TR transitions between CLOSED and OPEN conformations may be involved in telomerase activity regulation as a switch that functions independently of total TR transcript levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Bozděchová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Havlová
- National Center for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Biophysics, Czech Acad Sci, Královopolská 135, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; National Center for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Biophysics, Czech Acad Sci, Královopolská 135, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic.
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2
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Zavala-Paez M, Holliday J, Hamilton JA. Leveraging whole-genome sequencing to estimate telomere length in plants. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13899. [PMID: 37966130 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13899] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Changes in telomere length are increasingly used to indicate species' response to environmental stress across diverse taxa. Despite this broad use, few studies have explored telomere length in plants. Thus, evaluation of new approaches for measuring telomeres in plants is needed. Rapid advances in sequencing approaches and bioinformatic tools now allow estimation of telomere content from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data, a proxy for telomere length. While telomere content has been quantified extensively using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and WGS in humans, no study to date has compared the effectiveness of WGS in estimating telomere length in plants relative to qPCR approaches. In this study, we use 100 Populus clones re-sequenced using short-read Illumina sequencing to quantify telomere length comparing three different bioinformatic approaches (Computel, K-seek and TRIP) in addition to qPCR. Overall, telomere length estimates varied across different bioinformatic approaches, but were highly correlated across methods for individual genotypes. A positive correlation was observed between WGS estimates and qPCR, however, Computel estimates exhibited the greatest correlation. Computel incorporates genome coverage into telomere length calculations, suggesting that genome coverage is likely important to telomere length quantification when using WGS data. Overall, telomere estimates from WGS provided greater precision and accuracy of telomere length estimates relative to qPCR. The findings suggest WGS is a promising approach for assessing telomere length and, as the field of telomere ecology evolves, may provide added value to assaying response to biotic and abiotic environments for plants needed to accelerate plant breeding and conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Zavala-Paez
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jason Holliday
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jill A Hamilton
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
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3
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Lyčka M, Bubeník M, Závodník M, Peska V, Fajkus P, Demko M, Fajkus J, Fojtová M. TeloBase: a community-curated database of telomere sequences across the tree of life. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:D311-D321. [PMID: 37602392 PMCID: PMC10767889 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Discoveries over the recent decade have demonstrated the unexpected diversity of telomere DNA motifs in nature. However, currently available resources, 'Telomerase database' and 'Plant rDNA database', contain just fragments of all relevant literature published over decades of telomere research as they have a different primary focus and limited updates. To fill this gap, we gathered data about telomere DNA sequences from a thorough literature screen as well as by analysing publicly available NGS data, and we created TeloBase (http://cfb.ceitec.muni.cz/telobase/) as a comprehensive database of information about telomere motif diversity. TeloBase is supplemented by internal taxonomy utilizing popular on-line taxonomic resources that enables in-house data filtration and graphical visualisation of telomere DNA evolutionary dynamics in the form of heat tree plots. TeloBase avoids overreliance on administrators for future data updates by having a simple form and community-curation system for application and approval, respectively, of new telomere sequences by users, which should ensure timeliness of the database and topicality. To demonstrate TeloBase utility, we examined telomere motif diversity in species from the fungal genus Aspergillus, and discovered (TTTATTAGGG)n sequence as a putative telomere motif in the plant family Chrysobalanaceae. This was bioinformatically confirmed by analysing template regions of identified telomerase RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Lyčka
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Bubeník
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Závodník
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
| | - Vratislav Peska
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, BrnoCZ-61200, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, BrnoCZ-61200, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Demko
- Core Facility Bioinformatics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, BrnoCZ-61200, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Fojtová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, BrnoCZ-62500, Czech Republic
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4
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Wang X, Tu M, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Yin W, Fang J, Gao M, Li Z, Zhan W, Fang Y, Song J, Xi Z, Wang X. Telomere-to-telomere and gap-free genome assembly of a susceptible grapevine species (Thompson Seedless) to facilitate grape functional genomics. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2024; 11:uhad260. [PMID: 38288254 PMCID: PMC10822838 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Grapes are globally recognized as economically significant fruit trees. Among grape varieties, Thompson Seedless holds paramount influence for fresh consumption and for extensive applications in winemaking, drying, and juicing. This variety is one of the most efficient genotypes for grape genetic modification. However, the lack of a high-quality genome has impeded effective breeding efforts. Here, we present the high-quality reference genome of Thompson Seedless with all 19 chromosomes represented as 19 contiguous sequences (N50 = 27.1 Mb) with zero gaps and prediction of all telomeres and centromeres. Compared with the previous assembly (TSv1 version), the new assembly incorporates an additional 31.5 Mb of high-quality sequenced data with annotation of a total of 30 397 protein-coding genes. We also performed a meticulous analysis to identify nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat genes (NLRs) in Thompson Seedless and two wild grape varieties renowned for their disease resistance. Our analysis revealed a significant reduction in the number of two types of NLRs, TIR-NB-LRR (TNL) and CC-NB-LRR (CNL), in Thompson Seedless, which may have led to its sensitivity to many fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew, and an increase in the number of a third type, RPW8 (resistance to powdery mildew 8)-NB-LRR (RNL). Subsequently, transcriptome analysis showed significant enrichment of NLRs during powdery mildew infection, emphasizing the pivotal role of these elements in grapevine's defense against powdery mildew. The successful assembly of a high-quality Thompson Seedless reference genome significantly contributes to grape genomics research, providing insight into the importance of seedlessness, disease resistance, and color traits, and these data can be used to facilitate grape molecular breeding efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianhang Wang
- College of Enology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Viti-Viniculture Engineering Technology Center of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shaanxi Engineering Research Center for Viti-Viniculture, Heyang Viti-Viniculture Station, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Mingxing Tu
- College of Enology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Viti-Viniculture Engineering Technology Center of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shaanxi Engineering Research Center for Viti-Viniculture, Heyang Viti-Viniculture Station, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Ya Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yali Zhang
- College of Enology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Viti-Viniculture Engineering Technology Center of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shaanxi Engineering Research Center for Viti-Viniculture, Heyang Viti-Viniculture Station, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Wuchen Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Jinghao Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Min Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Wei Zhan
- Xi'an Haorui Genomics Technology Co., Ltd, Xi'an 710116, China
| | - Yulin Fang
- College of Enology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Viti-Viniculture Engineering Technology Center of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shaanxi Engineering Research Center for Viti-Viniculture, Heyang Viti-Viniculture Station, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Junyang Song
- College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zhumei Xi
- College of Enology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Viti-Viniculture Engineering Technology Center of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shaanxi Engineering Research Center for Viti-Viniculture, Heyang Viti-Viniculture Station, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xiping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
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5
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Kumawat S, Martinez I, Logeswaran D, Chen H, Coughlan JM, Chen JJL, Yuan Y, Sobel JM, Choi JY. Transposition, duplication, and divergence of the telomerase RNA underlies the evolution of Mimulus telomeres. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.06.568249. [PMID: 38106000 PMCID: PMC10723376 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.06.568249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes with a crucial role of protecting chromosome ends. It consists of simple repeat sequences and dedicated telomere-binding proteins. Because of its vital functions, components of the telomere, for example its sequence, should be under strong evolutionary constraint. But across all plants, telomere sequences display a range of variation and the evolutionary mechanism driving this diversification is largely unknown. Here, we discovered in Monkeyflower (Mimulus) the telomere sequence is even variable between species. We investigated the basis of Mimulus telomere sequence evolution by studying the long noncoding telomerase RNA (TR), which is a core component of the telomere maintenance complex and determines the telomere sequence. We conducted total RNA-based de novo transcriptomics from 16 Mimulus species and analyzed reference genomes from 6 species, and discovered Mimulus species have evolved at least three different telomere sequences: (AAACCCT)n, (AAACCCG)n, and (AAACCG)n. Unexpectedly, we discovered several species with TR duplications and the paralogs had functional consequences that could influence telomere evolution. For instance, M. lewisii had two sequence-divergent TR paralogs and synthesized a telomere with sequence heterogeneity, consisting of AAACCG and AAACCCG repeats. Evolutionary analysis of the M. lewisii TR paralogs indicated it had arisen from a transposition-mediate duplication process. Further analysis of the TR from multiple Mimulus species showed the gene had frequently transposed and inserted into new chromosomal positions during Mimulus evolution. From our results, we propose the TR transposition, duplication, and divergence model to explain the evolutionary sequence turnovers in Mimulus and potentially all plant telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surbhi Kumawat
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Irene Martinez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | | | - Hongfei Chen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Jenn M. Coughlan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | | | - Yaowu Yuan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
| | - James M. Sobel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Jae Young Choi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
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6
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Lim J, Kim W, Kim J, Lee J. Telomeric repeat evolution in the phylum Nematoda revealed by high-quality genome assemblies and subtelomere structures. Genome Res 2023; 33:gr.278124.123. [PMID: 37918961 PMCID: PMC10760449 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278124.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are composed of tandem arrays of telomeric-repeat motifs (TRMs) and telomere-binding proteins (TBPs), which are responsible for ensuring end-protection and end-replication of chromosomes. TRMs are highly conserved owing to the sequence specificity of TBPs, although significant alterations in TRM have been observed in several taxa, except Nematoda. We used public whole-genome sequencing data sets to analyze putative TRMs of 100 nematode species and determined that three distinct branches included specific novel TRMs, suggesting that evolutionary alterations in TRMs occurred in Nematoda. We focused on one of the three branches, the Panagrolaimidae family, and performed a de novo assembly of four high-quality draft genomes of the canonical (TTAGGC) and novel TRM (TTAGAC) isolates; the latter genomes revealed densely clustered arrays of the novel TRM. We then comprehensively analyzed the subtelomeric regions of the genomes to infer how the novel TRM evolved. We identified DNA damage-repair signatures in subtelomeric sequences that were representative of consequences of telomere maintenance mechanisms by alternative lengthening of telomeres. We propose a hypothetical scenario in which TTAGAC-containing units are clustered in subtelomeric regions and pre-existing TBPs capable of binding both canonical and novel TRMs aided the evolution of the novel TRM in the Panagrolaimidae family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiseon Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Wonjoo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Jun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea;
- Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
- Department of Convergent Bioscience and Informatics, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, South Korea
| | - Junho Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, South Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
- Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
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7
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Mano J, Sushida H, Tanaka T, Naito K, Ono H, Ike M, Tokuyasu K, Kitaoka M. Extracellular oil production by Rhodotorula paludigena BS15 for biorefinery without complex downstream processes. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:6799-6809. [PMID: 37725141 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12762-3] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
To realize biomass refinery without complex downstream processes, we extensively screened for microbial strains that efficiently produce extracellular oil from sugars. Rhodotorula paludigena (formerly Rhodosporidium paludigenum) BS15 was found to efficiently produce polyol esters of fatty acids (PEFAs), which mainly comprised of 3-acetoxypalmitic acid and partially acetylated mannitol/arabinitol. To evaluate the performance of this strain, fed-batch fermentation was demonstrated on a flask scale, and 110 g/L PEFA and 103 g/L dry cells were produced in 12 days. To the best of our knowledge, the strain BS15 exhibited the highest PEFA titer (g/L) ever to be reported so far. Because the PEFA precipitated at the bottom of the culture broth, it could be easily recovered by simply discarding the upper phase. Various carbon sources can be utilized for cell growth and/or PEFA production, which signifies the potential for converting diverse biomass sources. Two different types of next-generation sequencers, Illumina HiSeq and Oxford Nanopore PromethION, were used to analyze the whole-genome sequence of the strain BS15. The integrative data analysis generated a high-quality and reliable reference genome for PEFA-producing R. paludigena. The 22.5-M base genome sequence and the estimated genes were registered in Genbank (accession numbers BQKY01000001-BQKY01000019). KEY POINTS: • R. paludigena BS15 was isolated after an extensive screening of extracellular oil producers from natural sources. • Fed-batch fermentation of R. paludigena BS15 yielded 110 g/L of PEFA, which is the highest titer ever reported to date. • Combined analysis using Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencers produced the near-complete genome sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junichi Mano
- Institute of Food Research, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-12 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8642, Japan.
| | - Hirotoshi Sushida
- Institute of Food Research, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-12 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8642, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Tanaka
- Research Center for Advanced Analysis, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8518, Japan
| | - Ken Naito
- Research Center of Genetic Resources, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8602, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ono
- Research Center for Advanced Analysis, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8518, Japan
| | - Masakazu Ike
- Institute of Food Research, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-12 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8642, Japan
| | - Ken Tokuyasu
- Institute of Food Research, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-12 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8642, Japan
| | - Motomitsu Kitaoka
- Institute of Food Research, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-12 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8642, Japan
- Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan
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8
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Bredemeyer KR, Hillier L, Harris AJ, Hughes GM, Foley NM, Lawless C, Carroll RA, Storer JM, Batzer MA, Rice ES, Davis BW, Raudsepp T, O'Brien SJ, Lyons LA, Warren WC, Murphy WJ. Single-haplotype comparative genomics provides insights into lineage-specific structural variation during cat evolution. Nat Genet 2023; 55:1953-1963. [PMID: 37919451 PMCID: PMC10845050 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01548-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
The role of structurally dynamic genomic regions in speciation is poorly understood due to challenges inherent in diploid genome assembly. Here we reconstructed the evolutionary dynamics of structural variation in five cat species by phasing the genomes of three interspecies F1 hybrids to generate near-gapless single-haplotype assemblies. We discerned that cat genomes have a paucity of segmental duplications relative to great apes, explaining their remarkable karyotypic stability. X chromosomes were hotspots of structural variation, including enrichment with inversions in a large recombination desert with characteristics of a supergene. The X-linked macrosatellite DXZ4 evolves more rapidly than 99.5% of the genome clarifying its role in felid hybrid incompatibility. Resolved sensory gene repertoires revealed functional copy number changes associated with ecomorphological adaptations, sociality and domestication. This study highlights the value of gapless genomes to reveal structural mechanisms underpinning karyotypic evolution, reproductive isolation and ecological niche adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R Bredemeyer
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics & Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - LaDeana Hillier
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Andrew J Harris
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics & Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Graham M Hughes
- School of Biology & Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nicole M Foley
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Colleen Lawless
- School of Biology & Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rachel A Carroll
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | | | - Mark A Batzer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Edward S Rice
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Brian W Davis
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics & Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Terje Raudsepp
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics & Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Stephen J O'Brien
- Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Leslie A Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Wesley C Warren
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - William J Murphy
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics & Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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9
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Kumawat S, Choi JY. No end in sight: Mysteries of the telomeric variation in plants. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16244. [PMID: 37733763 PMCID: PMC10873042 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Surbhi Kumawat
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Jae Young Choi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
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10
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Abrouk M, Wang Y, Cavalet-Giorsa E, Troukhan M, Kravchuk M, Krattinger SG. Chromosome-scale assembly of the wild wheat relative Aegilops umbellulata. Sci Data 2023; 10:739. [PMID: 37880246 PMCID: PMC10600132 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02658-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Wild wheat relatives have been explored in plant breeding to increase the genetic diversity of bread wheat, one of the most important food crops. Aegilops umbellulata is a diploid U genome-containing grass species that serves as a genetic reservoir for wheat improvement. In this study, we report the construction of a chromosome-scale reference assembly of Ae. umbellulata accession TA1851 based on corrected PacBio HiFi reads and chromosome conformation capture. The total assembly size was 4.25 Gb with a contig N50 of 17.7 Mb. In total, 36,268 gene models were predicted. We benchmarked the performance of hifiasm and LJA, two of the most widely used assemblers using standard and corrected HiFi reads, revealing a positive effect of corrected input reads. Comparative genome analysis confirmed substantial chromosome rearrangements in Ae. umbellulata compared to bread wheat. In summary, the Ae. umbellulata assembly provides a resource for comparative genomics in Triticeae and for the discovery of agriculturally important genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Abrouk
- Plant Science Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
- Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Yajun Wang
- Plant Science Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Emile Cavalet-Giorsa
- Plant Science Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Simon G Krattinger
- Plant Science Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
- Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
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11
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Belyayev A, Kalendar R, Josefiová J, Paštová L, Habibi F, Mahelka V, Mandák B, Krak K. Telomere sequence variability in genotypes from natural plant populations: unusual block-organized double-monomer terminal telomeric arrays. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:572. [PMID: 37752451 PMCID: PMC10521516 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09657-y] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres are the nucleoprotein complexes that physically cap the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Most plants possess Arabidopsis-type telomere sequences (TSs). In addition to terminal TSs, more diverse interstitial TSs exists in plants. Although telomeres have been sufficiently studied, the actual diversity of TSs in land plants is underestimated. RESULTS We investigate genotypes from seven natural populations with contrasting environments of four Chenopodium species to reveal the variability in TSs by analyzing Oxford Nanopore reads. Fluorescent in situ hybridization was used to localize telomeric repeats on chromosomes. We identified a number of derivative monomers that arise in part of both terminal and interstitial telomeric arrays of a single genotype. The former presents a case of block-organized double-monomer telomers, where blocks of Arabidopsis-type TTTAGGG motifs were interspersed with blocks of derivative TTTAAAA motifs. The latter is an integral part of the satellitome with transformations specific to the inactive genome fraction. CONCLUSIONS We suggested two alternative models for the possible formation of derivative monomers from telomeric heptamer motifs of Arabidopsis-type. It was assumed that derivatization of TSs is a ubiquitous process in the plant genome but occurrence and frequencies of derivatives may be genotype-specific. We also propose that the formation of non-canonical arrays of TSs, especially at chromosomal termini, may be a source for genomic variability in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Belyayev
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, CZ-252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic.
| | - Ruslan Kalendar
- Institute of Biotechnology HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave, Nur- Sultan, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Jiřina Josefiová
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, CZ-252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Ladislava Paštová
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, CZ-252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Farzaneh Habibi
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, CZ-252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Praha, Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Mahelka
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, CZ-252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Bohumil Mandák
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, CZ-252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Praha, Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Karol Krak
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, CZ-252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Praha, Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
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12
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Alejo-Jacuinde G, Nájera-González HR, Chávez Montes RA, Gutierrez Reyes CD, Barragán-Rosillo AC, Perez Sanchez B, Mechref Y, López-Arredondo D, Yong-Villalobos L, Herrera-Estrella L. Multi-omic analyses reveal the unique properties of chia (Salvia hispanica) seed metabolism. Commun Biol 2023; 6:820. [PMID: 37550387 PMCID: PMC10406817 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05192-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Chia (Salvia hispanica) is an emerging crop considered a functional food containing important substances with multiple potential applications. However, the molecular basis of some relevant chia traits, such as seed mucilage and polyphenol content, remains to be discovered. This study generates an improved chromosome-level reference of the chia genome, resolving some highly repetitive regions, describing methylation patterns, and refining genome annotation. Transcriptomic analysis shows that seeds exhibit a unique expression pattern compared to other organs and tissues. Thus, a metabolic and proteomic approach is implemented to study seed composition and seed-produced mucilage. The chia genome exhibits a significant expansion in mucilage synthesis genes (compared to Arabidopsis), and gene network analysis reveals potential regulators controlling seed mucilage production. Rosmarinic acid, a compound with enormous therapeutic potential, was classified as the most abundant polyphenol in seeds, and candidate genes for its complex pathway are described. Overall, this study provides important insights into the molecular basis for the unique characteristics of chia seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Alejo-Jacuinde
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Héctor-Rogelio Nájera-González
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Ricardo A Chávez Montes
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | | | - Alfonso Carlos Barragán-Rosillo
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Benjamin Perez Sanchez
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Yehia Mechref
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Damar López-Arredondo
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Lenin Yong-Villalobos
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
| | - Luis Herrera-Estrella
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
- Unidad de Genómica Avanzada/Langebio, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Gto., 36821, Mexico.
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13
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Bhowmick BK, Sarkar S, Roychowdhury D, Patil SD, Lekhak MM, Ohri D, Rama Rao S, Yadav SR, Verma RC, Dhar MK, Raina SN, Jha S. Allium cytogenetics: a critical review on the Indian taxa. COMPARATIVE CYTOGENETICS 2023; 17:129-156. [PMID: 37304149 PMCID: PMC10252142 DOI: 10.3897/compcytogen.17.98903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The genus Allium Linnaeus, 1753 (tribe Allieae) contains about 800 species worldwide of which almost 38 species are reported in India, including the globally important crops (onion, garlic, leek, shallot) and many wild species. A satisfactory chromosomal catalogue of Allium species is missing which has been considered in the review for the species occurring in India. The most prominent base number is x=8, with few records of x=7, 10, 11. The genome size has sufficient clues for divergence, ranging from 7.8 pg/1C to 30.0 pg/1C in diploid and 15.16 pg/1C to 41.78 pg/1C in polyploid species. Although the karyotypes are seemingly dominated by metacentrics, substantial variation in nucleolus organizing regions (NORs) is noteworthy. The chromosomal rearrangement between A.cepa Linnaeus, 1753 and its allied species has paved way to appreciate genomic evolution within Allium. The presence of a unique telomere sequence and its conservation in Allium sets this genus apart from all other Amaryllids and supports monophyletic origin. Any cytogenetic investigation regarding NOR variability, telomere sequence and genome size in the Indian species becomes the most promising field to decipher chromosome evolution against the background of species diversity and evolution, especially in the Indian subcontinent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biplab Kumar Bhowmick
- Department of Botany, Scottish Church College, 1&3, Urquhart Square, Kolkata- 700006, West Bengal, IndiaDepartment of Botany, Scottish Church CollegeKolkataIndia
| | - Sayantika Sarkar
- Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata- 700019, West Bengal, IndiaUniversity of CalcuttaKolkataIndia
| | - Dipasree Roychowdhury
- Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata- 700019, West Bengal, IndiaUniversity of CalcuttaKolkataIndia
| | - Sayali D. Patil
- Angiosperm Taxonomy Laboratory, Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra- 416004, IndiaShivaji UniversityKolhapurIndia
| | - Manoj M. Lekhak
- Angiosperm Taxonomy Laboratory, Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra- 416004, IndiaShivaji UniversityKolhapurIndia
| | - Deepak Ohri
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Research Cell, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow- 226028, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAmity University Uttar PradeshLucknowIndia
| | - Satyawada Rama Rao
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya- 793022, IndiaNorth-Eastern Hill UniversityShillongIndia
| | - S. R. Yadav
- Angiosperm Taxonomy Laboratory, Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra- 416004, IndiaShivaji UniversityKolhapurIndia
| | - R. C. Verma
- School of Studies in Botany, Vikram University, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh 456010, IndiaVikram UniversityUjjainIndia
| | - Manoj K. Dhar
- Genome Research Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir- 180006, IndiaUniversity of JammuJammuIndia
| | - S. N. Raina
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh- 201313, IndiaAmity UniversityNoidaIndia
| | - Sumita Jha
- Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata- 700019, West Bengal, IndiaUniversity of CalcuttaKolkataIndia
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14
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Zhou Y, Xiong J, Shu Z, Dong C, Gu T, Sun P, He S, Jiang M, Xia Z, Xue J, Khan WU, Chen F, Cheng ZM. The telomere-to-telomere genome of Fragaria vesca reveals the genomic evolution of Fragaria and the origin of cultivated octoploid strawberry. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad027. [PMID: 37090094 PMCID: PMC10116950 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Fragaria vesca, commonly known as wild or woodland strawberry, is the most widely distributed diploid Fragaria species and is native to Europe and Asia. Because of its small plant size, low heterozygosity, and relative ease of genetic transformation, F. vesca has been a model plant for fruit research since the publication of its Illumina-based genome in 2011. However, its genomic contribution to octoploid cultivated strawberry remains a long-standing question. Here, we de novo assembled and annotated a telomere-to-telomere, gap-free genome of F. vesca 'Hawaii 4', with all seven chromosomes assembled into single contigs, providing the highest completeness and assembly quality to date. The gap-free genome is 220 785 082 bp in length and encodes 36 173 protein-coding gene models, including 1153 newly annotated genes. All 14 telomeres and seven centromeres were annotated within the seven chromosomes. Among the three previously recognized wild diploid strawberry ancestors, F. vesca, F. iinumae, and F. viridis, phylogenomic analysis showed that F. vesca and F. viridis are the ancestors of the cultivated octoploid strawberry F. × ananassa, and F. vesca is its closest relative. Three subgenomes of F. × ananassa belong to the F. vesca group, and one is sister to F. viridis. We anticipate that this high-quality, telomere-to-telomere, gap-free F. vesca genome, combined with our phylogenomic inference of the origin of cultivated strawberry, will provide insight into the genomic evolution of Fragaria and facilitate strawberry genetics and molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ziqiang Shu
- Wuhan Benagen Tech Solutions Company Limited, Wuhan, Hubei 430021, China
| | - Chao Dong
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572024, China
| | - Tingting Gu
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Pengchuan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics & Mountain River Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Shuang He
- College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Mian Jiang
- Wuhan Benagen Tech Solutions Company Limited, Wuhan, Hubei 430021, China
| | - Zhiqiang Xia
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Sanya Nanfan Research Institute from Hainan University, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Jiayu Xue
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wasi Ullah Khan
- College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Fei Chen
- Corresponding authors. E-mail: ,
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15
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Sun Q, Wang H, Tao S, Xi X. Large-Scale Detection of Telomeric Motif Sequences in Genomic Data Using TelFinder. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0392822. [PMID: 36847562 PMCID: PMC10100673 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03928-22] [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: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are regions of tandem repeated sequences at the ends of linear chromosomes that protect against DNA damage and chromosome fusion. Telomeres are associated with senescence and cancers and have attracted the attention of an increasing number of researchers. However, few telomeric motif sequences are known. Given the mounting interest in telomeres, an efficient computational tool for the de novo detection of the telomeric motif sequence of new species is needed since experimental-based methods are costly in terms of time and effort. Here, we report the development of TelFinder, an easy-to-use and freely available tool for the de novo detection of telomeric motif sequences from genomic data. The vast quantity of readily available genomic data makes it possible to apply this tool to any species of interest, which will undoubtedly inspire studies requiring telomeric repeat information and improve the utilization of these genomic data sets. We have tested TelFinder on telomeric sequences available in the Telomerase Database, and the detection accuracy reaches 90%. In addition, variation analyses in telomere sequences can be performed by TelFinder for the first time. The telomere variation preference of different chromosomes and even at the ends of the chromosome can provide clues regarding the underlying mechanisms of telomeres. Overall, these results shed new light on the divergent evolution of telomeres. IMPORTANCE Telomeres are reported to be highly correlated with the cell cycle and aging. As a result, research on telomere composition and evolution has become more and more urgent. However, using experimental methods to detect telomeric motif sequences is slow and costly. To combat this challenge, we developed TelFinder, a computational tool for the de novo detection of the telomere composition only using genomic data. In this study, we showed that a lot of complicated telomeric motifs could be identified by TelFinder only using genomic data. In addition, TelFinder can be used to check variation analyses in telomere sequences, which could lead to a deeper understanding of telomere sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shiheng Tao
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xuguang Xi
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Université Paris-Saclay, ENS Paris-Saclay, CNRS, LBPA, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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16
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A chromosome-level genome assembly of Plantago ovata. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1528. [PMID: 36707685 PMCID: PMC9883528 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25078-5] [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: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Plantago ovata is cultivated for production of its seed husk (psyllium). When wet, the husk transforms into a mucilage with properties suitable for pharmaceutical industries, utilised in supplements for controlling blood cholesterol levels, and food industries for making gluten-free products. There has been limited success in improving husk quantity and quality through breeding approaches, partly due to the lack of a reference genome. Here we constructed the first chromosome-scale reference assembly of P. ovata using a combination of 5.98 million PacBio and 636.5 million Hi-C reads. We also used corrected PacBio reads to estimate genome size and transcripts to generate gene models. The final assembly covers ~ 500 Mb with 99.3% gene set completeness. A total of 97% of the sequences are anchored to four chromosomes with an N50 of ~ 128.87 Mb. The P. ovata genome contains 61.90% repeats, where 40.04% are long terminal repeats. We identified 41,820 protein-coding genes, 411 non-coding RNAs, 108 ribosomal RNAs, and 1295 transfer RNAs. This genome will provide a resource for plant breeding programs to, for example, reduce agronomic constraints such as seed shattering, increase psyllium yield and quality, and overcome crop disease susceptibility.
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17
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Rodríguez-González R, Gutiérrez ML, Fuentes I, Gálvez-Prada F, Sochorová J, Kovařík A, Garcia S. Release 4.0 of the Plant rDNA Database: A Database on Plant Ribosomal DNA Loci Number, Their Position, and Organization: An Information Source for Comparative Cytogenetics. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2703:237-245. [PMID: 37646950 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3389-2_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents the latest update to the Plant rDNA database (Release 4.0), a valuable resource for researchers in the field of plant cytogenetics. The database provides information on the number, position, and arrangement of ribosomal DNA loci in plants, including angiosperms, gymnosperms, bryophytes, and pteridophytes. The new release includes new data for 820 species coming from additional 173 papers. In the updated version of the Plant rDNA database, 4948 entries comprising 2760 organisms can be found. A brief guide on how to navigate the database and obtain the desired information is also provided. The regular updating of the database is important for ensuring the information it contains is accurate, up-to-date, and useful for the research community. The Plant rDNA database continues to be beneficial for phylogenetic and cytogenetic studies in a wide range of taxa including angiosperms, gymnosperms, and early diverging groups, such as bryophytes and lycophytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roi Rodríguez-González
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - María Luisa Gutiérrez
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Inés Fuentes
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Jana Sochorová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Aleš Kovařík
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Sònia Garcia
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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18
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Lyčka M, Fajkus P, Jenner LP, Sýkorová E, Fojtová M, Peska V. Identification of the Sequence and the Length of Telomere DNA. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2672:285-302. [PMID: 37335484 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3226-0_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are essential nucleoprotein structures at the very ends of linear eukaryote chromosomes. They shelter the terminal genome territories against degradation and prevent the natural chromosome ends from being recognized by repair mechanisms as double-strand DNA breaks.There are two basic characteristics of telomeric DNA, its sequence and its length. The telomere sequence is important as a "landing area" for specific telomere-binding proteins, which function as signals and moderate the interactions required for correct telomere function. While the sequence forms the proper "landing surface" of telomeric DNA, its length is similarly important. Too short or exceptionally long telomere DNA cannot perform its function properly. In this chapter, methods for the investigation of these two basic telomere DNA characteristics are described, namely, telomere motif identification and telomere length measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Lyčka
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Leon P Jenner
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Fojtová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Vratislav Peska
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
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19
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Robbins MD, Bushman BS, Huff DR, Benson CW, Warnke SE, Maughan CA, Jellen EN, Johnson PG, Maughan PJ. Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly and Annotation of Allotetraploid Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua L.). Genome Biol Evol 2022; 15:6961776. [PMID: 36574983 PMCID: PMC9838796 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Poa annua L. is a globally distributed grass with economic and horticultural significance as a weed and as a turfgrass. This dual significance, and its phenotypic plasticity and ecological adaptation, have made P. annua an intriguing plant for genetic and evolutionary studies. Because of the lack of genomic resources and its allotetraploid (2n = 4x = 28) nature, a reference genome sequence would be a valuable asset to better understand the significance and polyploid origin of P. annua. Here we report a genome assembly with scaffolds representing the 14 haploid chromosomes that are 1.78 Gb in length with an N50 of 112 Mb and 96.7% of BUSCO orthologs. Seventy percent of the genome was identified as repetitive elements, 91.0% of which were Copia- or Gypsy-like long-terminal repeats. The genome was annotated with 76,420 genes spanning 13.3% of the 14 chromosomes. The two subgenomes originating from Poa infirma (Knuth) and Poa supina (Schrad) were sufficiently divergent to be distinguishable but syntenic in sequence and annotation with repetitive elements contributing to the expansion of the P. infirma subgenome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David R Huff
- Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | | | - Scott E Warnke
- USDA ARS, Floral and Nursery Plants Research, Beltsville, Maryland
| | - Chase A Maughan
- Plant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Eric N Jellen
- Plant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Paul G Johnson
- Plant, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan
| | - Peter J Maughan
- Plant and Wildlife Sciences Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
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20
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Fajkus P, Adámik M, Nelson ADL, Kilar AM, Franek M, Bubeník M, Frydrychová RČ, Votavová A, Sýkorová E, Fajkus J, Peška V. Telomerase RNA in Hymenoptera (Insecta) switched to plant/ciliate-like biogenesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:420-433. [PMID: 36546771 PMCID: PMC9841428 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to the catalytic subunit of telomerase, its RNA subunit (TR) is highly divergent in size, sequence and biogenesis pathways across eukaryotes. Current views on TR evolution assume a common origin of TRs transcribed with RNA polymerase II in Opisthokonta (the supergroup including Animalia and Fungi) and Trypanosomida on one hand, and TRs transcribed with RNA polymerase III under the control of type 3 promoter, found in TSAR and Archaeplastida supergroups (including e.g. ciliates and Viridiplantae taxa, respectively). Here, we focus on unknown TRs in one of the largest Animalia order - Hymenoptera (Arthropoda) with more than 300 available representative genomes. Using a combination of bioinformatic and experimental approaches, we identify their TRs. In contrast to the presumed type of TRs (H/ACA box snoRNAs transcribed with RNA Polymerase II) corresponding to their phylogenetic position, we find here short TRs of the snRNA type, likely transcribed with RNA polymerase III under the control of the type 3 promoter. The newly described insect TRs thus question the hitherto assumed monophyletic origin of TRs across Animalia and point to an evolutionary switch in TR type and biogenesis that was associated with the divergence of Arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Fajkus
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +420 41517183;
| | - Matej Adámik
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno CZ-61265, Czech Republic
| | - Andrew D L Nelson
- The Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, 533 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Agata M Kilar
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno CZ-62500, Czech Republic,Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Franek
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno CZ-62500, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Bubeník
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Radmila Čapková Frydrychová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Votavová
- Agricultural Research, Ltd., Troubsko, CZ-664 41, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno CZ-61265, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Jiří Fajkus. Tel: +420 549494003;
| | - Vratislav Peška
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Vratislav Peška. Tel: +420 541517183;
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21
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Vozárová R, Wang W, Lunerová J, Shao F, Pellicer J, Leitch IJ, Leitch AR, Kovařík A. Mega-sized pericentromeric blocks of simple telomeric repeats and their variants reveal patterns of chromosome evolution in ancient Cycadales genomes. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 112:646-663. [PMID: 36065632 PMCID: PMC9827991 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Simple telomeric repeats composed of six to seven iterating nucleotide units are important sequences typically found at the ends of chromosomes. Here we analyzed their abundance and homogeneity in 42 gymnosperm (29 newly sequenced), 29 angiosperm (one newly sequenced), and eight bryophytes using bioinformatics, conventional cytogenetic and molecular biology approaches to explore their diversity across land plants. We found more than 10 000-fold variation in the amounts of telomeric repeats among the investigated taxa. Repeat abundance was positively correlated with increasing intragenomic sequence heterogeneity and occurrence at non-telomeric positions, but there was no correlation with genome size. The highest abundance/heterogeneity was found in the gymnosperm genus Cycas (Cycadaceae), in which megabase-sized blocks of telomeric repeats (i.e., billions of copies) were identified. Fluorescent in situ hybridization experiments using variant-specific probes revealed canonical Arabidopsis-type telomeric TTTAGGG repeats at chromosome ends, while pericentromeric blocks comprised at least four major telomeric variants with decreasing abundance: TTTAGGG>TTCAGGG >TTTAAGG>TTCAAGG. Such a diversity of repeats was not found in the sister cycad family Zamiaceae or in any other species analyzed. Using immunocytochemistry, we showed that the pericentromeric blocks of telomeric repeats overlapped with histone H3 serine 10 phosphorylation signals. We show that species of Cycas have amplified their telomeric repeats in centromeric and telomeric positions on telocentric chromosomes to extraordinary high levels. The ancestral chromosome number reconstruction suggests their occurrence is unlikely to be the product of ancient Robertsonian chromosome fusions. We speculate as to how the observed chromosome dynamics may be associated with the diversification of cycads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radka Vozárová
- Department of Molecular EpigeneticsInstitute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciencesv.v.i., Královopolská 135612 65BrnoCzech Republic
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk University611 37BrnoCzech Republic
| | - Wencai Wang
- Science and Technology Innovation CentreGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhou510405China
| | - Jana Lunerová
- Department of Molecular EpigeneticsInstitute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciencesv.v.i., Královopolská 135612 65BrnoCzech Republic
| | - Fengqing Shao
- Science and Technology Innovation CentreGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhou510405China
| | - Jaume Pellicer
- Royal Botanic GardensKew, RichmondSurreyTW9 3ABUK
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB, CSIC‐Ajuntament de Barcelona)Passeig del Migdia sn08038BarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Andrew R. Leitch
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonE1 4NSUK
| | - Aleš Kovařík
- Department of Molecular EpigeneticsInstitute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciencesv.v.i., Královopolská 135612 65BrnoCzech Republic
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22
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Telomeres and Their Neighbors. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13091663. [PMID: 36140830 PMCID: PMC9498494 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are essential structures formed from satellite DNA repeats at the ends of chromosomes in most eukaryotes. Satellite DNA repeat sequences are useful markers for karyotyping, but have a more enigmatic role in the eukaryotic cell. Much work has been done to investigate the structure and arrangement of repetitive DNA elements in classical models with implications for species evolution. Still more is needed until there is a complete picture of the biological function of DNA satellite sequences, particularly when considering non-model organisms. Celebrating Gregor Mendel’s anniversary by going to the roots, this review is designed to inspire and aid new research into telomeres and satellites with a particular focus on non-model organisms and accessible experimental and in silico methods that do not require specialized equipment or expensive materials. We describe how to identify telomere (and satellite) repeats giving many examples of published (and some unpublished) data from these techniques to illustrate the principles behind the experiments. We also present advice on how to perform and analyse such experiments, including details of common pitfalls. Our examples are a selection of recent developments and underexplored areas of research from the past. As a nod to Mendel’s early work, we use many examples from plants and insects, especially as much recent work has expanded beyond the human and yeast models traditional in telomere research. We give a general introduction to the accepted knowledge of telomere and satellite systems and include references to specialized reviews for the interested reader.
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23
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Borges G, Criqui M, Harrington L. Tieing together loose ends: telomere instability in cancer and aging. Mol Oncol 2022; 16:3380-3396. [PMID: 35920280 PMCID: PMC9490142 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere maintenance is essential for maintaining genome integrity in both normal and cancer cells. Without functional telomeres, chromosomes lose their protective structure and undergo fusion and breakage events that drive further genome instability, including cell arrest or death. One means by which this loss can be overcome in stem cells and cancer cells is via re‐addition of G‐rich telomeric repeats by the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). During aging of somatic tissues, however, insufficient telomerase expression leads to a proliferative arrest called replicative senescence, which is triggered when telomeres reach a critically short threshold that induces a DNA damage response. Cancer cells express telomerase but do not entirely escape telomere instability as they often possess short telomeres; hence there is often selection for genetic alterations in the TERT promoter that result in increased telomerase expression. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the consequences of telomere instability in cancer and aging, and outline the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in exploiting the reliance of cells on telomere maintenance for preserving genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Borges
- University of Montreal, Molecular Biology Programme, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, 2950 chemin Polytechnique, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4
| | - Mélanie Criqui
- University of Montreal, Molecular Biology Programme, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, 2950 chemin Polytechnique, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4
| | - Lea Harrington
- University of Montreal, Molecular Biology Programme, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, 2950 chemin Polytechnique, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4.,Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4
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24
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Luo X, He Z, Liu J, Wu H, Gong X. FISH Mapping of Telomeric and Non-Telomeric (AG3T3)3 Reveal the Chromosome Numbers and Chromosome Rearrangements of 41 Woody Plants. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13071239. [PMID: 35886022 PMCID: PMC9323580 DOI: 10.3390/genes13071239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Data for the chromosomal FISH mapping localization of (AG3T3)3 are compiled for 37 species belonging 27 families; for 24 species and 14 families, this is the first such report. The chromosome number and length ranged from 14–136 and 0.56–14.48 μm, respectively. A total of 23 woody plants presented chromosome length less than 3 μm, thus belonging to the small chromosome group. Telomeric signals were observed at each chromosome terminus in 38 plants (90.5%) and were absent at several chromosome termini in only four woody plants (9.5%). Non-telomeric signals were observed in the chromosomes of 23 plants (54.8%); in particular, abundant non-telomeric (AG3T3)3 was obviously observed in Chimonanthus campanulatus. Telomeric signals outside of the chromosome were observed in 11 woody plants (26.2%). Overall, ten (AG3T3)3 signal pattern types were determined, indicating the complex genome architecture of the 37 considered species. The variation in signal pattern was likely due to chromosome deletion, duplication, inversion, and translocation. In addition, large primary constriction was observed in some species, probably due to or leading to chromosome breakage and the formation of new chromosomes. The presented results will guide further research focused on determining the chromosome number and disclosing chromosome rearrangements of woody plants.
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25
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Shakirov EV, Chen JJL, Shippen DE. Plant telomere biology: The green solution to the end-replication problem. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:2492-2504. [PMID: 35511166 PMCID: PMC9252485 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Telomere maintenance is a fundamental cellular process conserved across all eukaryotic lineages. Although plants and animals diverged over 1.5 billion years ago, lessons learned from plants continue to push the boundaries of science, revealing detailed molecular mechanisms in telomere biology with broad implications for human health, aging biology, and stress responses. Recent studies of plant telomeres have unveiled unexpected divergence in telomere sequence and architecture, and the proteins that engage telomeric DNA and telomerase. The discovery of telomerase RNA components in the plant kingdom and some algae groups revealed new insight into the divergent evolution and the universal core of telomerase across major eukaryotic kingdoms. In addition, resources cataloging the abundant natural variation in Arabidopsis thaliana, maize (Zea mays), and other plants are providing unparalleled opportunities to understand the genetic networks that govern telomere length polymorphism and, as a result, are uncovering unanticipated crosstalk between telomeres, environmental factors, organismal fitness, and plant physiology. Here we recap current advances in plant telomere biology and put this field in perspective relative to telomere and telomerase research in other eukaryotic lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene V Shakirov
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25701, USA
| | - Julian J -L Chen
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
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26
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He Z, Zhang W, Luo X, Huan J. Five Fabaceae Karyotype and Phylogenetic Relationship Analysis Based on Oligo-FISH for 5S rDNA and (AG3T3)3. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050768. [PMID: 35627153 PMCID: PMC9141082 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Most Fabaceae have nitrogen fixation abilities and are valuable forage and medicinal resources. However, cytogenetic data of many Fabaceae species are unclear. Karyotypes reveal cytological characteristics and are crucial to understanding the organization and evolution of chromosomes in species. Oligo-FISH can reveal genetic composition and karyotype variation patterns with rapid and efficient results. Karyotype analysis of five Fabaceae species by oligonucleotide probes showed that: Robinia pseudoacacia, karyotype formula 2n = 2x = 20m + 2sm, cytotype 2B, arm ratio 3.4821, eight chromosomes distributed 5S rDNA signal. The karyotype formula of Robinia pseudoacacia ‘idaho’ was 2n = 2x = 20m + 2sm, cytotype 1A, arm ratio 1.8997, and 5S rDNA signal was distributed on six chromosomes. Karyotype of Robinia pseudoacacia f. decaisneana 2n = 2x = 20m + 2sm, cytotype 1B, arm ratio 2.0787, the distribution of eight chromosomes with 5S rDNA signal. Karyotype formula of Styphnolobium japonicum 2n = 2x = 14m + 12sm + 2st, cytotype 2B, arm ratio 2.6847, two chromosomes have 5S rDNA signal. Amorpha fruticose karyotype 2n = 2x = 38m + 2sm, cytotype 1B, arm ratio 3.2058, four chromosomes possessed 5S rDNA signal. Both ends of all species’ chromosomes have (AG3T3)3 signals. The results of this study provide chromosome numbers and a physical map, contributing to the construction of the Oligo-FISH barcode and providing molecular cytogenetics data for Fabaceae.
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27
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Zhou Y, Wang Y, Xiong X, Appel AG, Zhang C, Wang X. Profiles of telomeric repeats in Insecta reveal diverse forms of telomeric motifs in Hymenopterans. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:5/7/e202101163. [PMID: 35365574 PMCID: PMC8977481 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres consist of highly conserved simple tandem telomeric repeat motif (TRM): (TTAGG)n in arthropods, (TTAGGG)n in vertebrates, and (TTTAGGG)n in most plants. TRM can be detected from chromosome-level assembly, which typically requires long-read sequencing data. To take advantage of short-read data, we developed an ultra-fast Telomeric Repeats Identification Pipeline and evaluated its performance on 91 species. With proven accuracy, we applied Telomeric Repeats Identification Pipeline in 129 insect species, using 7 Tbp of short-read sequences. We confirmed (TTAGG)n as the TRM in 19 orders, suggesting it is the ancestral form in insects. Systematic profiling in Hymenopterans revealed a diverse range of TRMs, including the canonical 5-bp TTAGG (bees, ants, and basal sawflies), three independent losses of tandem repeat form TRM (Ichneumonoids, hunting wasps, and gall-forming wasps), and most interestingly, a common 8-bp (TTATTGGG)n in Chalcid wasps with two 9-bp variants in the miniature wasp (TTACTTGGG) and fig wasps (TTATTGGGG). Our results identified extraordinary evolutionary fluidity of Hymenopteran TRMs, and rapid evolution of TRM and repeat abundance at all evolutionary scales, providing novel insights into telomere evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihang Zhou
- Fundamental Research Center, Shanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.,Auburn University Center for Advanced Science, Innovation, and Commerce, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Yi Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Xiong
- Fundamental Research Center, Shanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.,Auburn University Center for Advanced Science, Innovation, and Commerce, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Arthur G Appel
- Auburn University Center for Advanced Science, Innovation, and Commerce, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, AL, USA.,Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, AL, USA
| | - Chao Zhang
- Fundamental Research Center, Shanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.,Auburn University Center for Advanced Science, Innovation, and Commerce, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, AL, USA.,Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, AL, USA.,HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
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28
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Choi IS, Wojciechowski MF, Steele KP, Hunter SG, Ruhlman TA, Jansen RK. Born in the mitochondrion and raised in the nucleus: evolution of a novel tandem repeat family in Medicago polymorpha (Fabaceae). THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 110:389-406. [PMID: 35061308 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plant nuclear genomes harbor sequence elements derived from the organelles (mitochondrion and plastid) through intracellular gene transfer (IGT). Nuclear genomes also show a dramatic range of repeat content, suggesting that any sequence can be readily amplified. These two aspects of plant nuclear genomes are well recognized but have rarely been linked. Through investigation of 31 Medicago taxa we detected exceptionally high post-IGT amplification of mitochondrial (mt) DNA sequences containing rps10 in the nuclear genome of Medicago polymorpha and closely related species. The amplified sequences were characterized as tandem arrays of five distinct repeat motifs (2157, 1064, 987, 971, and 587 bp) that have diverged from the mt genome (mitogenome) in the M. polymorpha nuclear genome. The mt rps10-like arrays were identified in seven loci (six intergenic and one telomeric) of the nuclear chromosome assemblies and were the most abundant tandem repeat family, representing 1.6-3.0% of total genomic DNA, a value approximately three-fold greater than the entire mitogenome in M. polymorpha. Compared to a typical mt gene, the mt rps10-like sequence coverage level was 691.5-7198-fold higher in M. polymorpha and closely related species. In addition to the post-IGT amplification, our analysis identified the canonical telomeric repeat and the species-specific satellite arrays that are likely attributable to an ancestral chromosomal fusion in M. polymorpha. A possible relationship between chromosomal instability and the mt rps10-like tandem repeat family in the M. polymorpha clade is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- In-Su Choi
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | | | - Kelly P Steele
- Division of Science and Mathematics, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, 85212, USA
| | - Sarah G Hunter
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Tracey A Ruhlman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Robert K Jansen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Centre of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
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29
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Peng L, Liu CF, Wu H, Jin H, Deng XY, Zeng LT, Xiao Y, Deng C, Yang ZK. Complete Genome Sequencing and Comparative Analysis of the Clinically-Derived Apiotrichum mycotoxinivorans Strain GMU1709. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:834015. [PMID: 35186802 PMCID: PMC8855340 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.834015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, Apiotrichum mycotoxinivorans has been recognized globally as a source of opportunistic infections. It is a yeast-like fungus, and its association as an uncommon pulmonary pathogen with cystic fibrosis patients has been previously reported. Immunocompromised patients are at the highest risk of A. mycotoxinivorans infections. Therefore, to investigate the genetic basis for the pathogenicity of A. mycotoxinivorans, we performed whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of A. mycotoxinivorans GMU1709 that was isolated from sputum specimens of a pneumonia patient receiving cardiac repair surgery. The assembly of Oxford Nanopore reads from the GMU1709 strain and its subsequent correction using Illumina paired-end reads yielded a high-quality complete genome with a genome size of 30.5 Mb in length, which comprised six chromosomes and one mitochondrion. Subsequently, 8,066 protein-coding genes were predicted based on multiple pieces of evidence, including transcriptomes. Phylogenomic analysis indicated that A. mycotoxinivorans exhibited the closest evolutionary affinity to A. veenhuisii, and both the A. mycotoxinivorans strains and the formerly Trichosporon cutaneum ACCC 20271 strain occupied the same phylogenetic position. Further comparative analysis supported that the ACCC 20271 strain belonged to A. mycotoxinivorans. Comparisons of three A. mycotoxinivorans strains indicated that the differences between clinical and non-clinical strains in pathogenicity and drug resistance may be little or none. Based on the comparisons with strains of other species in the Trichosporonaceae family, we identified potential key genetic factors associated with A. mycotoxinivorans infection or pathogenicity. In addition, we also deduced that A. mycotoxinivorans had great potential to inactivate some antibiotics (e.g., tetracycline), which may affect the efficacy of these drugs in co-infection. In general, our analyses provide a better understanding of the classification and phylogeny of the Trichosporonaceae family, uncover the underlying genetic basis of A. mycotoxinivorans infections and associated drug resistance, and provide clues into potential targets for further research and the therapeutic intervention of infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Peng
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen-Fei Liu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong Wu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hai Jin
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Deng
- KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li-Ting Zeng
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cong Deng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Kai Yang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhi-Kai Yang,
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30
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Luo X, Liu J, He Z. Oligo-FISH Can Identify Chromosomes and Distinguish Hippophaë rhamnoides L. Taxa. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13020195. [PMID: 35205242 PMCID: PMC8872433 DOI: 10.3390/genes13020195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Oligo-fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) facilitates precise chromosome identification and comparative cytogenetic analysis. Detection of autosomal chromosomes of Hippophaë rhamnoides has not been achieved using oligonucleotide sequences. Here, the chromosomes of five H. rhamnoides taxa in the mitotic metaphase and mitotic metaphase to anaphase were detected using the oligo-FISH probes (AG3T3)3, 5S rDNA, and (TTG)6. In total, 24 small chromosomes were clearly observed in the mitotic metaphase (0.89–3.03 μm), whereas 24–48 small chromosomes were observed in the mitotic metaphase to anaphase (0.94–3.10 μm). The signal number and intensity of (AG3T3)3, 5S rDNA, and (TTG)6 in the mitotic metaphase to anaphase chromosomes were nearly consistent with those in the mitotic metaphase chromosomes when the two split chromosomes were integrated as one unit. Of note, 14 chromosomes (there is a high chance that sex chromosomes are included) were exclusively identified by (AG3T3)3, 5S rDNA, and (TTG)6. The other 10 also showed a terminal signal with (AG3T3)3. Moreover, these oligo-probes were able to distinguish one wild H. rhamnoides taxon from four H. rhamnoides taxa. These chromosome identification and taxa differentiation data will help in elucidating visual and elaborate physical mapping and guide breeders’ utilization of wild resources of H. rhamnoides.
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31
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Gao D, Nascimento EFMB, Leal-Bertioli SCM, Abernathy B, Jackson SA, Araujo ACG, Bertioli DJ. TAR30, a homolog of the canonical plant TTTAGGG telomeric repeat, is enriched in the proximal chromosome regions of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Chromosome Res 2022; 30:77-90. [DOI: 10.1007/s10577-022-09684-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Maravilla AJ, Rosato M, Álvarez I, Nieto Feliner G, Rosselló JA. Interstitial Arabidopsis-Type Telomeric Repeats in Asteraceae. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10122794. [PMID: 34961265 PMCID: PMC8705333 DOI: 10.3390/plants10122794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Tandem repeats of telomeric-like motifs at intra-chromosomal regions, known as interstitial telomeric repeats (ITR), have drawn attention as potential markers of structural changes, which might convey information about evolutionary relationships if preserved through time. Building on our previous work that reported outstanding ITR polymorphisms in the genus Anacyclus, we undertook a survey across 132 Asteraceae species, focusing on the six most speciose subfamilies and considering all the ITR data published to date. The goal was to assess whether the presence, site number, and chromosomal location of ITRs convey any phylogenetic signal. We conducted fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using an Arabidopsis-type telomeric sequence as a probe on karyotypes obtained from mitotic chromosomes. FISH signals of ITR sites were detected in species of subfamilies Asteroideae, Carduoideae, Cichorioideae, Gymnarhenoideae, and Mutisioideae, but not in Barnadesioideae. Although six small subfamilies have not yet been sampled, altogether, our results suggest that the dynamics of ITR formation in Asteraceae cannot accurately trace the complex karyological evolution that occurred since the early diversification of this family. Thus, ITRs do not convey a reliable signal at deep or shallow phylogenetic levels and cannot help to delimitate taxonomic categories, a conclusion that might also hold for other important families such as Fabaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis J. Maravilla
- Jardín Botánico, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universitat de València, c/Quart 80, E-46008 Valencia, Spain; (A.J.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Marcela Rosato
- Jardín Botánico, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universitat de València, c/Quart 80, E-46008 Valencia, Spain; (A.J.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Inés Álvarez
- Real Jardín Botánico (RJB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Plaza de Murillo 2, E-28014 Madrid, Spain; (I.Á.); (G.N.F.)
| | - Gonzalo Nieto Feliner
- Real Jardín Botánico (RJB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Plaza de Murillo 2, E-28014 Madrid, Spain; (I.Á.); (G.N.F.)
| | - Josep A. Rosselló
- Jardín Botánico, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universitat de València, c/Quart 80, E-46008 Valencia, Spain; (A.J.M.); (M.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-963-156-800
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33
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Akinduti P, Obafemi YD, Isibor PO, Ishola R, Ahuekwe FE, Ayodele OA, Oduleye OS, Oziegbe O, Onagbesan OM. Antibacterial kinetics and phylogenetic analysis of Aloe vera plants. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2021.6526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Uncontrolled use of antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of resistant bacteria. It has necessitated the evaluation of antibacterial activities and phylo-diversity of Aloe vera (also called Aloe barbadensis) plants as antimicrobial agent in Nigeria. Biotyped enteric bacilli of 251 strains obtained from fecal samples of patients with various gastro-intestinal complications are profiled for antibiogram. Resistant biotypes were assayed for susceptibility to Aloe vera latex and further evaluated for time-kill kinetics and phylo-diversity. More than 30% of enteric bacilli, including Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis were resistant to cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline respectively at MIC >16 µg/ml (p=0.004). Aloe vera latex significantly inhibited 39.5% resistant enteric biotypes with a significant average reduction of the viable count at 1xMIC and 2xMIC to less than 3.0 Log10CFU/mL after 24 hours. Flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids and anthraquinine in anti-enteric sap significantly correlated and regressed with antibacterial activity (p<0.05), while two of the antimicrobial Aloe vera plants showed phylogenetic relatedness with other homologous. Anti-bacteria efficacy of some Nigerian Aloe vera latex could provide alternative therapy, while its phylo-diversity and genomic profiling would offer a promising avenue for identification and development of antimicrobial agents as drug candidates for natural antibiotics.
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Čapková Frydrychová R, Mason JM, Peska V. Editorial: Telomere Flexibility and Versatility: A Role of Telomeres in Adaptive Potential. Front Genet 2021; 12:771938. [PMID: 34671387 PMCID: PMC8520972 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.771938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Radmila Čapková Frydrychová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | | | - Vratislav Peska
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia
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35
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Perkin LC, Bell A, Hinze LL, Suh CPC, Arick MA, Peterson DG, Udall JA. Genome assembly of two nematode-resistant cotton lines ( Gossypium hirsutum L.). G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2021; 11. [PMID: 34849785 PMCID: PMC8527472 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is susceptible to damage by the root-knot and the reniform nematodes, causing yield losses greater than 4% annually in the United States. In addition, these nematodes are synergistic with seeding disease and root rot pathogens that exacerbate diseases and subsequent yield losses. Production practices to minimize nematode damage include crop rotation and nematicides, but these techniques need to be repeated and are expensive. The use of resistant cultivars is deemed the most effective and economical approach for managing nematodes in cotton. Here, we describe the genomes of two nematode-resistant lines of cotton, BARBREN-713 and BAR 32-30. These genomes may expedite the development of DNA markers that can be used to efficiently introduce nematode resistance into commercially valuable Upland lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey C Perkin
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research Unit, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Al Bell
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research Unit, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Lori L Hinze
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Crop Germplasm Research Unit, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Charles P -C Suh
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research Unit, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Mark A Arick
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing & Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Daniel G Peterson
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing & Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Joshua A Udall
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Crop Germplasm Research Unit, College Station, TX 77845, USA
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36
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Rahnama M, Wang B, Dostart J, Novikova O, Yackzan D, Yackzan A, Bruss H, Baker M, Jacob H, Zhang X, Lamb A, Stewart A, Heist M, Hoover J, Calie P, Chen L, Liu J, Farman ML. Telomere Roles in Fungal Genome Evolution and Adaptation. Front Genet 2021; 12:676751. [PMID: 34434216 PMCID: PMC8381367 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.676751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres form the ends of linear chromosomes and usually comprise protein complexes that bind to simple repeated sequence motifs that are added to the 3′ ends of DNA by the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). One of the primary functions attributed to telomeres is to solve the “end-replication problem” which, if left unaddressed, would cause gradual, inexorable attrition of sequences from the chromosome ends and, eventually, loss of viability. Telomere-binding proteins also protect the chromosome from 5′ to 3′ exonuclease action, and disguise the chromosome ends from the double-strand break repair machinery whose illegitimate action potentially generates catastrophic chromosome aberrations. Telomeres are of special interest in the blast fungus, Pyricularia, because the adjacent regions are enriched in genes controlling interactions with host plants, and the chromosome ends show enhanced polymorphism and genetic instability. Previously, we showed that telomere instability in some P. oryzae strains is caused by novel retrotransposons (MoTeRs) that insert in telomere repeats, generating interstitial telomere sequences that drive frequent, break-induced rearrangements. Here, we sought to gain further insight on telomeric involvement in shaping Pyricularia genome architecture by characterizing sequence polymorphisms at chromosome ends, and surrounding internalized MoTeR loci (relics) and interstitial telomere repeats. This provided evidence that telomere dynamics have played historical, and likely ongoing, roles in shaping the Pyricularia genome. We further demonstrate that even telomeres lacking MoTeR insertions are poorly preserved, such that the telomere-adjacent sequences exhibit frequent presence/absence polymorphism, as well as exchanges with the genome interior. Using TERT knockout experiments, we characterized chromosomal responses to failed telomere maintenance which suggested that much of the MoTeR relic-/interstitial telomere-associated polymorphism could be driven by compromised telomere function. Finally, we describe three possible examples of a phenomenon known as “Adaptive Telomere Failure,” where spontaneous losses of telomere maintenance drive rapid accumulation of sequence polymorphism with possible adaptive advantages. Together, our data suggest that telomere maintenance is frequently compromised in Pyricularia but the chromosome alterations resulting from telomere failure are not as catastrophic as prior research would predict, and may, in fact, be potent drivers of adaptive polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Rahnama
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Baohua Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.,State Key Laboratory for Ecological Pest Control of Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jane Dostart
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, United States
| | - Olga Novikova
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Daniel Yackzan
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Andrew Yackzan
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Haley Bruss
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, United States
| | - Maray Baker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, United States
| | - Haven Jacob
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, United States
| | - Xiaofei Zhang
- Department of Computer Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - April Lamb
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Alex Stewart
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Melanie Heist
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Joey Hoover
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Patrick Calie
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, United States
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jinze Liu
- Department of Computer Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Mark L Farman
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Fajkus P, Kilar A, Nelson ADL, Holá M, Peška V, Goffová I, Fojtová M, Zachová D, Fulnečková J, Fajkus J. Evolution of plant telomerase RNAs: farther to the past, deeper to the roots. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:7680-7694. [PMID: 34181710 PMCID: PMC8287931 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The enormous sequence heterogeneity of telomerase RNA (TR) subunits has thus far complicated their characterization in a wider phylogenetic range. Our recent finding that land plant TRs are, similarly to known ciliate TRs, transcribed by RNA polymerase III and under the control of the type-3 promoter, allowed us to design a novel strategy to characterize TRs in early diverging Viridiplantae taxa, as well as in ciliates and other Diaphoretickes lineages. Starting with the characterization of the upstream sequence element of the type 3 promoter that is conserved in a number of small nuclear RNAs, and the expected minimum TR template region as search features, we identified candidate TRs in selected Diaphoretickes genomes. Homologous TRs were then used to build covariance models to identify TRs in more distant species. Transcripts of the identified TRs were confirmed by transcriptomic data, RT-PCR and Northern hybridization. A templating role for one of our candidates was validated in Physcomitrium patens. Analysis of secondary structure demonstrated a deep conservation of motifs (pseudoknot and template boundary element) observed in all published TRs. These results elucidate the evolution of the earliest eukaryotic TRs, linking the common origin of TRs across Diaphoretickes, and underlying evolutionary transitions in telomere repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Fajkus
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno CZ-61265, Czech Republic.,Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno CZ-62500, Czech Republic
| | - Agata Kilar
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno CZ-62500, Czech Republic.,Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | | | - Marcela Holá
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague CZ-16000, Czech Republic
| | - Vratislav Peška
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno CZ-61265, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Goffová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno CZ-62500, Czech Republic.,Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Fojtová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno CZ-62500, Czech Republic.,Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Dagmar Zachová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno CZ-62500, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Fulnečková
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno CZ-61265, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno CZ-61265, Czech Republic.,Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC Masaryk University, Brno CZ-62500, Czech Republic.,Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno CZ-61137, Czech Republic
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38
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Prušáková D, Peska V, Pekár S, Bubeník M, Čížek L, Bezděk A, Čapková Frydrychová R. Telomeric DNA sequences in beetle taxa vary with species richness. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13319. [PMID: 34172809 PMCID: PMC8233369 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92705-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are protective structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, and disruption of their nucleoprotein composition usually results in genome instability and cell death. Telomeric DNA sequences have generally been found to be exceptionally conserved in evolution, and the most common pattern of telomeric sequences across eukaryotes is (TxAyGz)n maintained by telomerase. However, telomerase-added DNA repeats in some insect taxa frequently vary, show unusual features, and can even be absent. It has been speculated about factors that might allow frequent changes in telomere composition in Insecta. Coleoptera (beetles) is the largest of all insect orders and based on previously available data, it seemed that the telomeric sequence of beetles varies to a great extent. We performed an extensive mapping of the (TTAGG)n sequence, the ancestral telomeric sequence in Insects, across the main branches of Coleoptera. Our study indicates that the (TTAGG)n sequence has been repeatedly or completely lost in more than half of the tested beetle superfamilies. Although the exact telomeric motif in most of the (TTAGG)n-negative beetles is unknown, we found that the (TTAGG)n sequence has been replaced by two alternative telomeric motifs, the (TCAGG)n and (TTAGGG)n, in at least three superfamilies of Coleoptera. The diversity of the telomeric motifs was positively related to the species richness of taxa, regardless of the age of the taxa. The presence/absence of the (TTAGG)n sequence highly varied within the Curculionoidea, Chrysomeloidea, and Staphylinoidea, which are the three most diverse superfamilies within Metazoa. Our data supports the hypothesis that telomere dysfunctions can initiate rapid genomic changes that lead to reproductive isolation and speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Prušáková
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vratislav Peska
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Bubeník
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Čížek
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Aleš Bezděk
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Radmila Čapková Frydrychová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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39
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Peska V, Fajkus P, Bubeník M, Brázda V, Bohálová N, Dvořáček V, Fajkus J, Garcia S. Extraordinary diversity of telomeres, telomerase RNAs and their template regions in Saccharomycetaceae. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12784. [PMID: 34140564 PMCID: PMC8211666 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92126-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase RNA (TR) carries the template for synthesis of telomere DNA and provides a scaffold for telomerase assembly. Fungal TRs are long and have been compared to higher eukaryotes, where they show considerable diversity within phylogenetically close groups. TRs of several Saccharomycetaceae were recently identified, however, many of these remained uncharacterised in the template region. Here we show that this is mainly due to high variability in telomere sequence. We predicted the telomere sequences using Tandem Repeats Finder and then we identified corresponding putative template regions in TR candidates. Remarkably long telomere units and the corresponding putative TRs were found in Tetrapisispora species. Notably, variable lengths of the annealing sequence of the template region (1–10 nt) were found. Consequently, species with the same telomere sequence may not harbour identical TR templates. Thus, TR sequence alone can be used to predict a template region and telomere sequence, but not to determine these exactly. A conserved feature of telomere sequences, tracts of adjacent Gs, led us to test the propensity of individual telomere sequences to form G4. The results show highly diverse values of G4-propensity, indicating the lack of ubiquitous conservation of this feature across Saccharomycetaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vratislav Peska
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, 61265, Czech Republic.
| | - Petr Fajkus
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, 61265, Czech Republic.,Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Bubeník
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, 61265, Czech Republic.,Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Brázda
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, 61265, Czech Republic
| | - Natália Bohálová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, 61265, Czech Republic.,Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Dvořáček
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, 61265, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, 61265, Czech Republic.,Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Sònia Garcia
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB-CSIC, Ajuntament de Barcelona), Passeig del Migdia s/n, 08038, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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40
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Vekemans X, Castric V, Hipperson H, Müller NA, Westerdahl H, Cronk Q. Whole-genome sequencing and genome regions of special interest: Lessons from major histocompatibility complex, sex determination, and plant self-incompatibility. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:6072-6086. [PMID: 34137092 PMCID: PMC9290700 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Whole‐genome sequencing of non‐model organisms is now widely accessible and has allowed a range of questions in the field of molecular ecology to be investigated with greater power. However, some genomic regions that are of high biological interest remain problematic for assembly and data‐handling. Three such regions are the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), sex‐determining regions (SDRs) and the plant self‐incompatibility locus (S‐locus). Using these as examples, we illustrate the challenges of both assembling and resequencing these highly polymorphic regions and how bioinformatic and technological developments are enabling new approaches to their study. Mapping short‐read sequences against multiple alternative references improves genotyping comprehensiveness at the S‐locus thereby contributing to more accurate assessments of allelic frequencies. Long‐read sequencing, producing reads of several tens to hundreds of kilobase pairs in length, facilitates the assembly of such regions as single sequences can span the multiple duplicated gene copies of the MHC region, and sequence through repetitive stretches and translocations in SDRs and S‐locus haplotypes. These advances are adding value to short‐read genome resequencing approaches by allowing, for example, more accurate haplotype phasing across longer regions. Finally, we assessed further technical improvements, such as nanopore adaptive sequencing and bioinformatic tools using pangenomes, which have the potential to further expand our knowledge of a number of genomic regions that remain challenging to study with classical resequencing approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Helen Hipperson
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Niels A Müller
- Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics, Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Helena Westerdahl
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Quentin Cronk
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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41
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Craig RJ, Hasan AR, Ness RW, Keightley PD. Comparative genomics of Chlamydomonas. THE PLANT CELL 2021; 33:1016-1041. [PMID: 33793842 PMCID: PMC8226300 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite its role as a reference organism in the plant sciences, the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii entirely lacks genomic resources from closely related species. We present highly contiguous and well-annotated genome assemblies for three unicellular C. reinhardtii relatives: Chlamydomonas incerta, Chlamydomonas schloesseri, and the more distantly related Edaphochlamys debaryana. The three Chlamydomonas genomes are highly syntenous with similar gene contents, although the 129.2 Mb C. incerta and 130.2 Mb C. schloesseri assemblies are more repeat-rich than the 111.1 Mb C. reinhardtii genome. We identify the major centromeric repeat in C. reinhardtii as a LINE transposable element homologous to Zepp (the centromeric repeat in Coccomyxa subellipsoidea) and infer that centromere locations and structure are likely conserved in C. incerta and C. schloesseri. We report extensive rearrangements, but limited gene turnover, between the minus mating type loci of these Chlamydomonas species. We produce an eight-species core-Reinhardtinia whole-genome alignment, which we use to identify several hundred false positive and missing genes in the C. reinhardtii annotation and >260,000 evolutionarily conserved elements in the C. reinhardtii genome. In summary, these resources will enable comparative genomics analyses for C. reinhardtii, significantly extending the analytical toolkit for this emerging model system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ahmed R Hasan
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Onatrio, Canada L5L 1C6
| | - Rob W Ness
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Onatrio, Canada L5L 1C6
| | - Peter D Keightley
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL Edinburgh, UK
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42
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Szövényi P, Gunadi A, Li FW. Charting the genomic landscape of seed-free plants. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:554-565. [PMID: 33820965 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00888-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
During the past few years several high-quality genomes has been published from Charophyte algae, bryophytes, lycophytes and ferns. These genomes have not only elucidated the origin and evolution of early land plants, but have also provided important insights into the biology of the seed-free lineages. However, critical gaps across the phylogeny remain and many new questions have been raised through comparing seed-free and seed plant genomes. Here, we review the reference genomes available and identify those that are missing in the seed-free lineages. We compare patterns of various levels of genome and epigenomic organization found in seed-free plants to those of seed plants. Some genomic features appear to be fundamentally different. For instance, hornworts, Selaginella and most liverworts are devoid of whole-genome duplication, in stark contrast to other land plants. In addition, the distribution of genes and repeats appear to be less structured in seed-free genomes than in other plants, and the levels of gene body methylation appear to be much lower. Finally, we highlight the currently available (or needed) model systems, which are crucial to further our understanding about how changes in genes translate into evolutionary novelties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Szövényi
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich and Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Fay-Wei Li
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Mamaev D, Zvyagilskaya R. Yarrowia lipolytica: a multitalented yeast species of ecological significance. FEMS Yeast Res 2021; 21:6141120. [PMID: 33595651 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foab008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Yarrowia lipolytica is characterized by GRAS (Generally regarded as safe) status, the versatile substrate utilization profile, rapid utilization rates, metabolic diversity and flexibility, the unique abilities to tolerate to extreme environments (acidic, alkaline, hypersaline, heavy metal-pollutions and others) and elevated biosynthesis and secreting capacities. These advantages of Y. lipolytica allow us to consider it as having great ecological significance. Unfortunately, there is still a paucity of relevant review data. This mini-review highlights ecological ubiquity of Y. lipolytica species, their ability to diversify and colonize specialized niches. Different Y. lipolytica strains, native and engineered, are beneficial in degrading many environmental pollutants causing serious ecological problems worldwide. In agriculture has a potential to be a bio-control agent by stimulating plant defense response, and an eco-friendly bio-fertilizer. Engineered strains of Y. lipolytica have become a very promising platform for eco-friendly production of biofuel, commodities, chemicals and secondary metabolites of plant origin, obtaining which by other method were limited or economically infeasible, or were accompanied by stringent environmental problems. Perspectives to use potential of Y. lipolytica's capacities for industrial scale production of valuable compounds in an eco-friendly manner are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Mamaev
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 33, bld. 2 Leninsky Ave., Moscow 119071, Russian Federation
| | - Renata Zvyagilskaya
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 33, bld. 2 Leninsky Ave., Moscow 119071, Russian Federation
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Fajkus P, Peška V, Fajkus J, Sýkorová E. Origin and Fates of TERT Gene Copies in Polyploid Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1783. [PMID: 33670111 PMCID: PMC7916837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The gene coding for the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is essential for the maintenance of telomeres. Previously we described the presence of three TERT paralogs in the allotetraploid plant Nicotiana tabacum, while a single TERT copy was identified in the paleopolyploid model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we examine the presence, origin and functional status of TERT variants in allotetraploid Nicotiana species of diverse evolutionary ages and their parental genome donors, as well as in other diploid and polyploid plant species. A combination of experimental and in silico bottom-up analyses of TERT gene copies in Nicotiana polyploids revealed various patterns of retention or loss of parental TERT variants and divergence in their functions. RT-qPCR results confirmed the expression of all the identified TERT variants. In representative plant and green algal genomes, our synteny analyses show that their TERT genes were located in a conserved locus that became advantageous after the divergence of eudicots, and the gene was later translocated in several plant groups. In various diploid and polyploid species, translocation of TERT became fixed in target loci that show ancient synapomorphy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Fajkus
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.F.); (V.P.)
| | - Vratislav Peška
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.F.); (V.P.)
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.F.); (V.P.)
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137 Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.F.); (V.P.)
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Aguilar M, Prieto P. Telomeres and Subtelomeres Dynamics in the Context of Early Chromosome Interactions During Meiosis and Their Implications in Plant Breeding. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:672489. [PMID: 34149773 PMCID: PMC8212018 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.672489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Genomic architecture facilitates chromosome recognition, pairing, and recombination. Telomeres and subtelomeres play an important role at the beginning of meiosis in specific chromosome recognition and pairing, which are critical processes that allow chromosome recombination between homologs (equivalent chromosomes in the same genome) in later stages. In plant polyploids, these terminal regions are even more important in terms of homologous chromosome recognition, due to the presence of homoeologs (equivalent chromosomes from related genomes). Although telomeres interaction seems to assist homologous pairing and consequently, the progression of meiosis, other chromosome regions, such as subtelomeres, need to be considered, because the DNA sequence of telomeres is not chromosome-specific. In addition, recombination operates at subtelomeres and, as it happens in rye and wheat, homologous recognition and pairing is more often correlated with recombining regions than with crossover-poor regions. In a plant breeding context, the knowledge of how homologous chromosomes initiate pairing at the beginning of meiosis can contribute to chromosome manipulation in hybrids or interspecific genetic crosses. Thus, recombination in interspecific chromosome associations could be promoted with the aim of transferring desirable agronomic traits from related genetic donor species into crops. In this review, we summarize the importance of telomeres and subtelomeres on chromatin dynamics during early meiosis stages and their implications in recombination in a plant breeding framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Aguilar
- Área de Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Pilar Prieto
- Plant Breeding Department, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Córdoba, Spain
- *Correspondence: Pilar Prieto, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-8160-808X
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Červenák F, Sepšiová R, Nosek J, Tomáška Ľ. Step-by-Step Evolution of Telomeres: Lessons from Yeasts. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 13:6127219. [PMID: 33537752 PMCID: PMC7857110 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In virtually every eukaryotic species, the ends of nuclear chromosomes are protected by telomeres, nucleoprotein structures counteracting the end-replication problem and suppressing recombination and undue DNA repair. Although in most cases, the primary structure of telomeric DNA is conserved, there are several exceptions to this rule. One is represented by the telomeric repeats of ascomycetous yeasts, which encompass a great variety of sequences, whose evolutionary origin has been puzzling for several decades. At present, the key questions concerning the driving force behind their rapid evolution and the means of co-evolution of telomeric repeats and telomere-binding proteins remain largely unanswered. Previously published studies addressed mostly the general concepts of the evolutionary origin of telomeres, key properties of telomeric proteins as well as the molecular mechanisms of telomere maintenance; however, the evolutionary process itself has not been analyzed thoroughly. Here, we aimed to inspect the evolution of telomeres in ascomycetous yeasts from the subphyla Saccharomycotina and Taphrinomycotina, with special focus on the evolutionary origin of species-specific telomeric repeats. We analyzed the sequences of telomeric repeats from 204 yeast species classified into 20 families and as a result, we propose a step-by-step model, which integrates the diversity of telomeric repeats, telomerase RNAs, telomere-binding protein complexes and explains a propensity of certain species to generate the repeat heterogeneity within a single telomeric array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Červenák
- Department of Genetics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Regina Sepšiová
- Department of Genetics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Nosek
- Department of Biochemistry, Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ľubomír Tomáška
- Department of Genetics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Abstract
The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) of California are massive, long-lived trees that grow along the U.S. Sierra Nevada mountains. Genomic data are limited in giant sequoia and producing a reference genome sequence has been an important goal to allow marker development for restoration and management. Using deep-coverage Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing, combined with Dovetail chromosome conformation capture libraries, the genome was assembled into eleven chromosome-scale scaffolds containing 8.125 Gbp of sequence. Iso-Seq transcripts, assembled from three distinct tissues, was used as evidence to annotate a total of 41,632 protein-coding genes. The genome was found to contain, distributed unevenly across all 11 chromosomes and in 63 orthogroups, over 900 complete or partial predicted NLR genes, of which 375 are supported by annotation derived from protein evidence and gene modeling. This giant sequoia reference genome sequence represents the first genome sequenced in the Cupressaceae family, and lays a foundation for using genomic tools to aid in giant sequoia conservation and management.
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Schrumpfová PP, Fajkus J. Composition and Function of Telomerase-A Polymerase Associated with the Origin of Eukaryotes. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10101425. [PMID: 33050064 PMCID: PMC7658794 DOI: 10.3390/biom10101425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The canonical DNA polymerases involved in the replication of the genome are unable to fully replicate the physical ends of linear chromosomes, called telomeres. Chromosomal termini thus become shortened in each cell cycle. The maintenance of telomeres requires telomerase—a specific RNA-dependent DNA polymerase enzyme complex that carries its own RNA template and adds telomeric repeats to the ends of chromosomes using a reverse transcription mechanism. Both core subunits of telomerase—its catalytic telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) subunit and telomerase RNA (TR) component—were identified in quick succession in Tetrahymena more than 30 years ago. Since then, both telomerase subunits have been described in various organisms including yeasts, mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Despite the fact that telomerase activity in plants was described 25 years ago and the TERT subunit four years later, a genuine plant TR has only recently been identified by our group. In this review, we focus on the structure, composition and function of telomerases. In addition, we discuss the origin and phylogenetic divergence of this unique RNA-dependent DNA polymerase as a witness of early eukaryotic evolution. Specifically, we discuss the latest information regarding the recently discovered TR component in plants, its conservation and its structural features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Procházková Schrumpfová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137 Brno, Czech Republic;
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137 Brno, Czech Republic;
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
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Peska V, Mátl M, Mandáková T, Vitales D, Fajkus P, Fajkus J, Garcia S. Human-like telomeres in Zostera marina reveal a mode of transition from the plant to the human telomeric sequences. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:5786-5793. [PMID: 32589715 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
A previous study describing the genome of Zostera marina, the most widespread seagrass in the Northern hemisphere, revealed some genomic signatures of adaptation to the aquatic environment such as the loss of stomatal genes, while other functions such as an algal-like cell wall composition were acquired. Beyond these, the genome structure and organization were comparable with those of the majority of plant genomes sequenced, except for one striking feature that went unnoticed at that time: the presence of human-like instead of the expected plant-type telomeric sequences. By using different experimental approaches including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), genome skimming by next-generation sequencing (NGS), and analysis of non-coding transcriptome, we have confirmed its telomeric location in the chromosomes of Z. marina. We have also identified its telomerase RNA (TR) subunit, confirming the presence of the human-type telomeric sequence in the template region. Remarkably, this region was found to be very variable even in clades with a highly conserved telomeric sequence across their species. Based on this observation, we propose that alternative annealing preferences in the template borders can explain the transition between the plant and human telomeric sequences. The further identification of paralogues of TR in several plant genomes led us to the hypothesis that plants may retain an increased ability to change their telomeric sequence. We discuss the implications of this occurrence in the evolution of telomeres while introducing a mechanistic model for the transition from the plant to the human telomeric sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vratislav Peska
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Mátl
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Terezie Mandáková
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Vitales
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Passeig del Migdia s/n, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Petr Fajkus
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Sònia Garcia
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Passeig del Migdia s/n, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Aboelela S, Ashmawy A, Shaarawy S, El-Hefny M, Medhat A. Telomerase as a Possible Candidate Targeting Therapy in Different Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2020; 21:2243-2250. [PMID: 32856851 PMCID: PMC7771952 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2020.21.8.2243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Telomerase activity is up regulated in most breast cancer subtypes but not in the adjacent normal tissues. Thus, it is a promising target for anticancer therapy. The present work investigated the effects of telomerase inhibition by siRNA on breast cancer cell lines and studied the feasibility of whether the combined effect of doxorubicin with siRNA treatment on breast cancer cells potentiates a rapid cellular response to the cytotoxic effect of chemotherapy. Methods: This study was performed on Luminal A (MCF-7), triple negative (MDA-MB-468), and HER-2/neu (SKBR-3) human breast cancer cell lines, wherein telomerase activity inhibition by hTERT siRNA and doxorubicin was detected by measuring telomerase activity using Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP assay), assessing cell viability through MTT assay, and evaluating apoptosis through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and through estimating caspase-3 and -8 activities using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: In the present study, hTERT siRNA effectively reduced telomerase activity and cell viability to more than 90% and 60%, respectively, in most breast cancer cell lines within 72 hours after transfection. The combination of hTERT siRNA and doxorubicin showed a cumulative effect compared with either treatment alone (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, SEM demonstrated apoptotic morphologic cell changes. Conclusion: Telomerase inhibition is a promising strategy for the effective treatment of breast cancer. When used in combination with doxorubicin, it could potentiate the cytotoxic effect of the drug on breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Aboelela
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo Egypt
| | - Abeer Ashmawy
- Biochemistry unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sabry Shaarawy
- Biochemistry unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohammed El-Hefny
- Biochemistry unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo Egypt. Department of Medical Genetics, Umm Al-Qura University, Alqunfudah, KSA
| | - Amina Medhat
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain-Shams University, Cairo Egypt
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