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Deal C, De Wannemaeker L, De Mey M. Towards a rational approach to promoter engineering: understanding the complexity of transcription initiation in prokaryotes. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2024; 48:fuae004. [PMID: 38383636 PMCID: PMC10911233 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuae004] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Promoter sequences are important genetic control elements. Through their interaction with RNA polymerase they determine transcription strength and specificity, thereby regulating the first step in gene expression. Consequently, they can be targeted as elements to control predictability and tuneability of a genetic circuit, which is essential in applications such as the development of robust microbial cell factories. This review considers the promoter elements implicated in the three stages of transcription initiation, detailing the complex interplay of sequence-specific interactions that are involved, and highlighting that DNA sequence features beyond the core promoter elements work in a combinatorial manner to determine transcriptional strength. In particular, we emphasize that, aside from promoter recognition, transcription initiation is also defined by the kinetics of open complex formation and promoter escape, which are also known to be highly sequence specific. Significantly, we focus on how insights into these interactions can be manipulated to lay the foundation for a more rational approach to promoter engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Deal
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Ghent University. Coupure Links 653, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lien De Wannemaeker
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Ghent University. Coupure Links 653, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marjan De Mey
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Ghent University. Coupure Links 653, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium
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2
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Yakushevich LV, Krasnobaeva LA. Ideas and methods of nonlinear mathematics and theoretical physics in DNA science: the McLaughlin-Scott equation and its application to study the DNA open state dynamics. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:315-338. [PMID: 34178171 PMCID: PMC8214655 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00801-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The review is devoted to a new and rapidly developing area related to the application of ideas and methods of nonlinear mathematics and theoretical physics to study the internal dynamics of DNA and, in particular, the behavior of the open states of DNA. There are two main competing approaches to this research. The first approach is based on the molecular dynamics method, which takes into account the motions of all structural elements of the DNA molecule and all interactions between them. The second approach is based on prior selection of the main (dominant) motions and their mathematical description using a small number of model equations. This review describes the results of the study of the open states of DNA performed within the framework of the second approach using the McLaughlin-Scott equation. We present the results obtained both in the case of homogeneous sequences: poly (A), poly (T), poly (G) and poly (C), and in the inhomogeneous case when the McLaughlin-Scott equation has been used for studying the dynamics of open states activated in the promoters A1, A2 and A3 of the bacteriophage T7 genome, in the genes IFNA17, ADRB2, NOS1 and IL-5, in the pBR322 and pTTQ18 plasmids. Particular attention is paid to the results concerning the effect of various external fields on the behavior of open states. In the concluding part of the review, new possibilities and prospects for the development of the considered approach and especially of the McLaughlin-Scott equation are discussed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12551-021-00801-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila V. Yakushevich
- Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Larisa A. Krasnobaeva
- Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia
- Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
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3
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The Context-Dependent Influence of Promoter Sequence Motifs on Transcription Initiation Kinetics and Regulation. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:JB.00512-20. [PMID: 33139481 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00512-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fitness of an individual bacterial cell is highly dependent upon the temporal tuning of gene expression levels when subjected to different environmental cues. Kinetic regulation of transcription initiation is a key step in modulating the levels of transcribed genes to promote bacterial survival. The initiation phase encompasses the binding of RNA polymerase (RNAP) to promoter DNA and a series of coupled protein-DNA conformational changes prior to entry into processive elongation. The time required to complete the initiation phase can vary by orders of magnitude and is ultimately dictated by the DNA sequence of the promoter. In this review, we aim to provide the required background to understand how promoter sequence motifs may affect initiation kinetics during promoter recognition and binding, subsequent conformational changes which lead to DNA opening around the transcription start site, and promoter escape. By calculating the steady-state flux of RNA production as a function of these effects, we illustrate that the presence/absence of a consensus promoter motif cannot be used in isolation to make conclusions regarding promoter strength. Instead, the entire series of linked, sequence-dependent structural transitions must be considered holistically. Finally, we describe how individual transcription factors take advantage of the broad distribution of sequence-dependent basal kinetics to either increase or decrease RNA flux.
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Grinevich AA, Masulis IS, Yakushevich LV. Mathematical Modeling of Transcription Bubble Behavior in the pPF1 Plasmid and its Modified Versions: The Link between the Plasmid Energy Profile and the Direction of Transcription. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s000635092102007x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Shin Y, Qayyum MZ, Pupov D, Esyunina D, Kulbachinskiy A, Murakami KS. Structural basis of ribosomal RNA transcription regulation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:528. [PMID: 33483500 PMCID: PMC7822876 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20776-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is most highly expressed in rapidly growing bacteria and is drastically downregulated under stress conditions by the global transcriptional regulator DksA and the alarmone ppGpp. Here, we determined cryo-electron microscopy structures of the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) σ70 holoenzyme during rRNA promoter recognition with and without DksA/ppGpp. RNAP contacts the UP element using dimerized α subunit carboxyl-terminal domains and scrunches the template DNA with the σ finger and β' lid to select the transcription start site favorable for rapid promoter escape. Promoter binding induces conformational change of σ domain 2 that opens a gate for DNA loading and ejects σ1.1 from the RNAP cleft to facilitate open complex formation. DksA/ppGpp binding also opens the DNA loading gate, which is not coupled to σ1.1 ejection and impedes open complex formation. These results provide a molecular basis for the exceptionally active rRNA transcription and its vulnerability to DksA/ppGpp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeonoh Shin
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - M. Zuhaib Qayyum
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - Danil Pupov
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 123182 Russia
| | - Daria Esyunina
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 123182 Russia
| | - Andrey Kulbachinskiy
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 123182 Russia
| | - Katsuhiko S. Murakami
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
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6
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Sadian Y, Baudin F, Tafur L, Murciano B, Wetzel R, Weis F, Müller CW. Molecular insight into RNA polymerase I promoter recognition and promoter melting. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5543. [PMID: 31804486 PMCID: PMC6895186 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13510-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA polymerase I (Pol I) assembles with core factor (CF) and Rrn3 on the rDNA core promoter for transcription initiation. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of closed, intermediate and open Pol I initiation complexes from 2.7 to 3.7 Å resolution to visualize Pol I promoter melting and to structurally and biochemically characterize the recognition mechanism of Pol I promoter DNA. In the closed complex, double-stranded DNA runs outside the DNA-binding cleft. Rotation of CF and upstream DNA with respect to Pol I and Rrn3 results in the spontaneous loading and opening of the promoter followed by cleft closure and positioning of the Pol I A49 tandem winged helix domain (tWH) onto DNA. Conformational rearrangement of A49 tWH leads to a clash with Rrn3 to initiate complex disassembly and promoter escape. Comprehensive insight into the Pol I transcription initiation cycle allows comparisons with promoter opening by Pol II and Pol III. RNA polymerase I (Pol I) catalyses the transcription of pre-ribosomal RNA and for transcription initiation Pol I assembles with core factor and Rrn3 on the rDNA core promoter. Here the authors provide insights into the molecular mechanism of promoter opening by Pol I by determining the cryo-EM structures of two closed, two intermediate and two open Pol I pre-initiation complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashar Sadian
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany.,Bioimaging Center, University of Geneva, 30, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 4, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Florence Baudin
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lucas Tafur
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany.,Collaboration for joint PhD degree between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Faculty of Biosciences, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva Sciences III, 30, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 4, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Brice Murciano
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rene Wetzel
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Weis
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph W Müller
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany.
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7
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Gill EE, Chan LS, Winsor GL, Dobson N, Lo R, Ho Sui SJ, Dhillon BK, Taylor PK, Shrestha R, Spencer C, Hancock REW, Unrau PJ, Brinkman FSL. High-throughput detection of RNA processing in bacteria. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:223. [PMID: 29587634 PMCID: PMC5870498 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4538-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Understanding the RNA processing of an organism’s transcriptome is an essential but challenging step in understanding its biology. Here we investigate with unprecedented detail the transcriptome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, a medically important and innately multi-drug resistant bacterium. We systematically mapped RNA cleavage and dephosphorylation sites that result in 5′-monophosphate terminated RNA (pRNA) using monophosphate RNA-Seq (pRNA-Seq). Transcriptional start sites (TSS) were also mapped using differential RNA-Seq (dRNA-Seq) and both datasets were compared to conventional RNA-Seq performed in a variety of growth conditions. Results The pRNA-Seq library revealed known tRNA, rRNA and transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) processing sites, together with previously uncharacterized RNA cleavage events that were found disproportionately near the 5′ ends of transcripts associated with basic bacterial functions such as oxidative phosphorylation and purine metabolism. The majority (97%) of the processed mRNAs were cleaved at precise codon positions within defined sequence motifs indicative of distinct endonucleolytic activities. The most abundant of these motifs corresponded closely to an E. coli RNase E site previously established in vitro. Using the dRNA-Seq library, we performed an operon analysis and predicted 3159 potential TSS. A correlation analysis uncovered 105 antiparallel pairs of TSS that were separated by 18 bp from each other and were centered on single palindromic TAT(A/T)ATA motifs (likely − 10 promoter elements), suggesting that, consistent with previous in vitro experimentation, these sites can initiate transcription bi-directionally and may thus provide a novel form of transcriptional regulation. TSS and RNA-Seq analysis allowed us to confirm expression of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), many of which are differentially expressed in swarming and biofilm formation conditions. Conclusions This study uses pRNA-Seq, a method that provides a genome-wide survey of RNA processing, to study the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and discover extensive transcript processing not previously appreciated. We have also gained novel insight into RNA maturation and turnover as well as a potential novel form of transcription regulation. NOTE: All sequence data has been submitted to the NCBI sequence read archive. Accession numbers are as follows: [NCBI sequence read archive: SRX156386, SRX157659, SRX157660, SRX157661, SRX157683 and SRX158075]. The sequence data is viewable using Jbrowse on www.pseudomonas.com. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4538-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Gill
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Luisa S Chan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Geoffrey L Winsor
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Neil Dobson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Raymond Lo
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Shannan J Ho Sui
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Bhavjinder K Dhillon
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Patrick K Taylor
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Raunak Shrestha
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Cory Spencer
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Robert E W Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Peter J Unrau
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Fiona S L Brinkman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Roy NS, Debnath S, Chakraborty A, Chakraborty P, Bera I, Ghosh R, Ghoshal N, Chakrabarti S, Roy S. Enhanced basepair dynamics pre-disposes protein-assisted flips of key bases in DNA strand separation during transcription initiation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:9449-9459. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp01119b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Localized separation of strands of duplex DNA is a necessary step in many DNA-dependent processes, including transcription and replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeladri Sekhar Roy
- Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
- Kolkata 700032
- India
| | - Subrata Debnath
- Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
- Kolkata 700032
- India
| | - Abhijit Chakraborty
- Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
- Kolkata 700032
- India
| | | | - Indrani Bera
- Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
- Kolkata 700032
- India
| | - Raka Ghosh
- Department of Biophysics
- Bose Institute
- Kolkata 700054
- India
| | - Nanda Ghoshal
- Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
- Kolkata 700032
- India
| | - Saikat Chakrabarti
- Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
- Kolkata 700032
- India
| | - Siddhartha Roy
- Department of Biophysics
- Bose Institute
- Kolkata 700054
- India
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9
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Ma N, van der Vaart A. Free Energy Coupling between DNA Bending and Base Flipping. J Chem Inf Model 2017; 57:2020-2026. [PMID: 28696686 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.7b00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Free energy simulations are presented to probe the energetic coupling between DNA bending and the flipping of a central thymine in double stranded DNA 13mers. The energetics are shown to depend on the neighboring base pairs, and upstream C or T or downstream C tended to make flipping more costly. Flipping to the major groove side was generally preferred. Bending aids flipping, by pushing the system up in free energy, but for small and intermediate bending angles the two were uncorrelated. At higher bending angles, bending and flipping became correlated, and bending primed the system for base flipping toward the major groove. Flipping of the 6-4 pyrimidine-pyrimidone and pyrimidine dimer photoproducts is shown to be more facile than for undamaged DNA. For the damages, major groove flipping was preferred, and DNA bending was much facilitated in the 6-4 pyrimidine-pyrimidone damaged system. Aspects of the calculations were verified by structural analyses of protein-DNA complexes with flipped bases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Ma
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 East Fowler Avenue CHE 205, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Arjan van der Vaart
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida , 4202 East Fowler Avenue CHE 205, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
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Davis MC, Kesthely CA, Franklin EA, MacLellan SR. The essential activities of the bacterial sigma factor. Can J Microbiol 2016; 63:89-99. [PMID: 28117604 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2016-0576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Transcription is the first and most heavily regulated step in gene expression. Sigma (σ) factors are general transcription factors that reversibly bind RNA polymerase (RNAP) and mediate transcription of all genes in bacteria. σ Factors play 3 major roles in the RNA synthesis initiation process: they (i) target RNAP holoenzyme to specific promoters, (ii) melt a region of double-stranded promoter DNA and stabilize it as a single-stranded open complex, and (iii) interact with other DNA-binding transcription factors to contribute complexity to gene expression regulation schemes. Recent structural studies have demonstrated that when σ factors bind promoter DNA, they capture 1 or more nucleotides that are flipped out of the helical DNA stack and this stabilizes the promoter open-complex intermediate that is required for the initiation of RNA synthesis. This review describes the structure and function of the σ70 family of σ proteins and the essential roles they play in the transcription process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Davis
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.,Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Christopher A Kesthely
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.,Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Emily A Franklin
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.,Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Shawn R MacLellan
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.,Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
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