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Deyneko IV. BestCRM: An Exhaustive Search for Optimal Cis-Regulatory Modules in Promoters Accelerated by the Multidimensional Hash Function. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1903. [PMID: 38339181 PMCID: PMC10856692 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031903] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The concept of cis-regulatory modules located in gene promoters represents today's vision of the organization of gene transcriptional regulation. Such modules are a combination of two or more single, short DNA motifs. The bioinformatic identification of such modules belongs to so-called NP-hard problems with extreme computational complexity, and therefore, simplifications, assumptions, and heuristics are usually deployed to tackle the problem. In practice, this requires, first, many parameters to be set before the search, and second, it leads to the identification of locally optimal results. Here, a novel method is presented, aimed at identifying the cis-regulatory elements in gene promoters based on an exhaustive search of all the feasible modules' configurations. All required parameters are automatically estimated using positive and negative datasets. To be computationally efficient, the search is accelerated using a multidimensional hash function, allowing the search to complete in a few hours on a regular laptop (for example, a CPU Intel i7, 3.2 GH, 32 Gb RAM). Tests on an established benchmark and real data show better performance of BestCRM compared to the available methods according to several metrics like specificity, sensitivity, AUC, etc. A great practical advantage of the method is its minimum number of input parameters-apart from positive and negative promoters, only a desired level of module presence in promoters is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor V Deyneko
- K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, 35 Botanicheskaya Str., Moscow 127276, Russia
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Miao H, Wei Y, Lee SG, Wu Z, Kaur J, Kim WJ. Glia-specific expression of neuropeptide receptor Lgr4 regulates development and adult physiology in Drosophila. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25271. [PMID: 38284837 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Similar to the human brain, Drosophila glia may well be divided into several subtypes that each carries out specific functions. Glial GPCRs play key roles in crosstalk between neurons and glia. Drosophila Lgr4 (dLgr4) is a human relaxin receptor homolog involved in angiogenesis, cardiovascular regulation, collagen remodeling, and wound healing. A recent study suggests that ilp7 might be the ligand for Lgr4 and regulates escape behavior of Drosophila larvae. Here we demonstrate that Drosophila Lgr4 expression in glial cells, not neurons, is necessary for early development, adult behavior, and lifespan. Reducing the Lgr4 level in glial cells disrupts Drosophila development, while knocking down other LGR family members in glia has no impact. Adult-specific knockdown of Lgr4 in glia but not neurons reduce locomotion, male reproductive success, and animal longevity. The investigation of how glial expression of Lgr4 contributes to this behavioral alteration will increase our understanding of how insulin signaling via glia selectively modulates neuronal activity and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Miao
- The HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Yanan Wei
- The HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Seung Gee Lee
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zekun Wu
- The HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Jasdeep Kaur
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Woo Jae Kim
- The HIT Center for Life Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Dyer NA, Lucas ER, Nagi SC, McDermott DP, Brenas JH, Miles A, Clarkson CS, Mawejje HD, Wilding CS, Halfon MS, Asma H, Heinz E, Donnelly MJ. Mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in Anopheles gambiae revealed by allele specific expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.22.568226. [PMID: 38045426 PMCID: PMC10690255 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.22.568226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Malaria control relies on insecticides targeting the mosquito vector, but this is increasingly compromised by insecticide resistance, which can be achieved by elevated expression of detoxifying enzymes that metabolize the insecticide. In diploid organisms, gene expression is regulated both in cis, by regulatory sequences on the same chromosome, and by trans acting factors, affecting both alleles equally. Differing levels of transcription can be caused by mutations in cis-regulatory modules (CRM), but few of these have been identified in mosquitoes. We crossed bendiocarb resistant and susceptible Anopheles gambiae strains to identify cis-regulated genes that might be responsible for the resistant phenotype using RNAseq, and cis-regulatory module sequences controlling gene expression in insecticide resistance relevant tissues were predicted using machine learning. We found 115 genes showing allele specific expression in hybrids of insecticide susceptible and resistant strains, suggesting cis regulation is an important mechanism of gene expression regulation in Anopheles gambiae. The genes showing allele specific expression included a higher proportion of Anopheles specific genes on average younger than genes those with balanced allelic expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi A Dyer
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Eric R Lucas
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Sanjay C Nagi
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Daniel P McDermott
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Jon H Brenas
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Alistair Miles
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Chris S Clarkson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Henry D Mawejje
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Plot 2C Nakasero Hill Road, P.O.Box 7475, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Craig S Wilding
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Marc S Halfon
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo-State University of New York, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14203, USA
| | - Hasiba Asma
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo-State University of New York, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14203, USA
| | - Eva Heinz
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Martin J Donnelly
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
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Mohr SE, Kim AR, Hu Y, Perrimon N. Finding information about uncharacterized Drosophila melanogaster genes. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad187. [PMID: 37933691 PMCID: PMC10697813 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad187] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes that have been identified in the genome but remain uncharacterized with regards to function offer an opportunity to uncover novel biological information. Novelty is exciting but can also be a barrier. If nothing is known, how does one start planning and executing experiments? Here, we provide a recommended information-mining workflow and a corresponding guide to accessing information about uncharacterized Drosophila melanogaster genes, such as those assigned only a systematic coding gene identifier. The available information can provide insights into where and when the gene is expressed, what the function of the gene might be, whether there are similar genes in other species, whether there are known relationships to other genes, and whether any other features have already been determined. In addition, available information about relevant reagents can inspire and facilitate experimental studies. Altogether, mining available information can help prioritize genes for further study, as well as provide starting points for experimental assays and other analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E Mohr
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ah-Ram Kim
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yanhui Hu
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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