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Sharaf A, Ndiribe CC, Omotoriogun TC, Abueg L, Badaoui B, Badiane Markey FJ, Beedessee G, Diouf D, Duru VC, Ebuzome C, Eziuzor SC, Jaufeerally Fakim Y, Formenti G, Ghanmi N, Guerfali FZ, Houaga I, Ideozu JE, Katee SM, Khayi S, Kuja JO, Kwon-Ndung EH, Marks RA, Moila AM, Mungloo-Dilmohamud Z, Muzemil S, Nigussie H, Osuji JO, Ras V, Tchiechoua YH, Zoclanclounon YAB, Tolley KA, Ziyomo C, Mapholi N, Muigai AWT, Djikeng A, Ebenezer TE. Bridging the gap in African biodiversity genomics and bioinformatics. Nat Biotechnol 2023; 41:1348-1354. [PMID: 37699986 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01933-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Abdoallah Sharaf
- SequAna Core Facility, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Genetic Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Charlotte C Ndiribe
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Taiwo Crossby Omotoriogun
- Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Nigeria
- A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Linelle Abueg
- Vertebrate Genome Lab, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bouabid Badaoui
- Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
- African Sustainable Agriculture Research Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Laâyoune, Morocco
| | | | - Girish Beedessee
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Diaga Diouf
- Laboratoire Campus de Biotechnologies Végétales, Département de Biologie Végétale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Vincent C Duru
- Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
| | | | - Samuel C Eziuzor
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Giulio Formenti
- Vertebrate Genome Lab, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nidhal Ghanmi
- Bioinformatics Lab, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Fatma Zahra Guerfali
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
- University of Tunis El Manar, University Campus Farhat Hached, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Isidore Houaga
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | | | - Slimane Khayi
- Biotechnology Research Unit, CRRA-Rabat, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Josiah O Kuja
- Bioinformatics Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Rose A Marks
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Sadik Muzemil
- School of Life Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Helen Nigussie
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Verena Ras
- Computational Biology Division, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, IDM, CIDRI Africa Wellcome Trust Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Yves H Tchiechoua
- Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences Technology and Innovation, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Krystal A Tolley
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Ntanganedzeni Mapholi
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa
| | - Anne W T Muigai
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.
- National Defense University-Kenya, Nakuru, Kenya.
| | - Appolinaire Djikeng
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa.
| | - ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Cambridge, UK.
- Early Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Ebenezer TE, Low RS, O'Neill EC, Huang I, DeSimone A, Farrow SC, Field RA, Ginger ML, Guerrero SA, Hammond M, Hampl V, Horst G, Ishikawa T, Karnkowska A, Linton EW, Myler P, Nakazawa M, Cardol P, Sánchez-Thomas R, Saville BJ, Shah MR, Simpson AGB, Sur A, Suzuki K, Tyler KM, Zimba PV, Hall N, Field MC. Euglena International Network (EIN): Driving euglenoid biotechnology for the benefit of a challenged world. Biol Open 2022; 11:bio059561. [PMID: 36412269 PMCID: PMC9836076 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Euglenoids (Euglenida) are unicellular flagellates possessing exceptionally wide geographical and ecological distribution. Euglenoids combine a biotechnological potential with a unique position in the eukaryotic tree of life. In large part these microbes owe this success to diverse genetics including secondary endosymbiosis and likely additional sources of genes. Multiple euglenoid species have translational applications and show great promise in production of biofuels, nutraceuticals, bioremediation, cancer treatments and more exotically as robotics design simulators. An absence of reference genomes currently limits these applications, including development of efficient tools for identification of critical factors in regulation, growth or optimization of metabolic pathways. The Euglena International Network (EIN) seeks to provide a forum to overcome these challenges. EIN has agreed specific goals, mobilized scientists, established a clear roadmap (Grand Challenges), connected academic and industry stakeholders and is currently formulating policy and partnership principles to propel these efforts in a coordinated and efficient manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Ross S. Low
- Organisms and Ecosystems, Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UZ, UK
| | | | - Ishuo Huang
- Office of Regulatory Science, United States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Antonio DeSimone
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | - Scott C. Farrow
- Discovery Biology, Noblegen Inc., Peterborough, Ontario K9L 1Z8, Canada
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Robert A. Field
- Department of Chemistry and Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Michael L. Ginger
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK
| | - Sergio Adrián Guerrero
- Laboratorio de Enzimología Molecular, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. CCT CONICET Santa Fe, Santa Fe 3000, Argentina
| | - Michael Hammond
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Hampl
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Parasitology, BIOCEV, Vestec 25250, Czech Republic
| | - Geoff Horst
- Kemin Industries, Research and Development, Plymouth, MI 48170, USA
| | - Takahiro Ishikawa
- Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Academic Assembly, Shimane University, Matsue 690-8504, Japan
| | - Anna Karnkowska
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02-089, Poland
| | - Eric W. Linton
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Peter Myler
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute and Department of Biomedical Informatics & Medical Education, University of Washington, WA 98109, USA
| | - Masami Nakazawa
- Department of Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8531, Japan
| | - Pierre Cardol
- Department of Life Sciences, Institut de Botanique, Université de Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | | | - Barry J. Saville
- Forensic Science, Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Mahfuzur R. Shah
- Discovery Biology, Noblegen Inc., Peterborough, Ontario K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Alastair G. B. Simpson
- Department of Biology and Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Aakash Sur
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute and Department of Biomedical Informatics & Medical Education, University of Washington, WA 98109, USA
| | - Kengo Suzuki
- R&D Company, Euglena Co., Ltd., 2F Yokohama Bio Industry Center (YBIC), 1-6 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kevin M. Tyler
- Biomedical Research Centre, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
- Center of Excellence for Bionanoscience Research, King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Paul V. Zimba
- PVZimba, LLC, 12241 Percival St, Chester, VA 23831, USA
- Rice Rivers Center, VA Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Neil Hall
- Organisms and Ecosystems, Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UZ, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, Norfolk, UK
| | - Mark C. Field
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
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Kaszecki E, Kennedy V, Shah M, Maciszewski K, Karnkowska A, Linton E, Ginger ML, Farrow S, Ebenezer TE. Meeting Report: Euglenids in the Age of Symbiogenesis: Origins, Innovations, and Prospects, November 8-11, 2021. Protist 2022; 173:125894. [PMID: 35772300 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2022.125894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Kaszecki
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Victoria Kennedy
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Mahfuzur Shah
- Department of Cell Biology, Metabolism and Systems Biology, Noblegen Inc., 2140 East Bank Dr, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Kacper Maciszewski
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Karnkowska
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Eric Linton
- Central Michigan University, Department of Biology, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Michael L Ginger
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK.
| | - Scott Farrow
- Department of Cell Biology, Metabolism and Systems Biology, Noblegen Inc., 2140 East Bank Dr, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
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Ebenezer TE, Carrington M, Lebert M, Kelly S, Field MC. Euglena gracilis Genome and Transcriptome: Organelles, Nuclear Genome Assembly Strategies and Initial Features. Adv Exp Med Biol 2017; 979:125-140. [PMID: 28429320 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-54910-1_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Euglena gracilis is a major component of the aquatic ecosystem and together with closely related species, is ubiquitous worldwide. Euglenoids are an important group of protists, possessing a secondarily acquired plastid and are relatives to the Kinetoplastidae, which themselves have global impact as disease agents. To understand the biology of E. gracilis, as well as to provide further insight into the evolution and origins of the Kinetoplastidae, we embarked on sequencing the nuclear genome; the plastid and mitochondrial genomes are already in the public domain. Earlier studies suggested an extensive nuclear DNA content, with likely a high degree of repetitive sequence, together with significant extrachromosomal elements. To produce a list of coding sequences we have combined transcriptome data from both published and new sources, as well as embarked on de novo sequencing using a combination of 454, Illumina paired end libraries and long PacBio reads. Preliminary analysis suggests a surprisingly large genome approaching 2 Gbp, with a highly fragmented architecture and extensive repeat composition. Over 80% of the RNAseq reads from E. gracilis maps to the assembled genome sequence, which is comparable with the well assembled genomes of T. brucei and T. cruzi. In order to achieve this level of assembly we employed multiple informatics pipelines, which are discussed here. Finally, as a preliminary view of the genome architecture, we discuss the tubulin and calmodulin genes, which highlight potential novel splicing mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK.,School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Mark Carrington
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK
| | - Michael Lebert
- Cell Biology Division, Department of Biology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Staudtstraβe 5, Erlangen, 91058, Germany
| | - Steven Kelly
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK.
| | - Mark C Field
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK.
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