Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase of Escherichia coli. Properties of the purified enzyme and primary structure of the prs gene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hove-Jensen, Bjarne; Harlow, Kenneth W.; King, Cheryl J.

1986-01-01

of ADP. The nucleotide sequence of the E. coli prs gene has been determined and the coding segment established. The deduced amino acid sequence of P-Rib-PP synthetase contained 314 amino acid residues and the molecular weight was calculated as 34,060. The initiation site of transcription was determined......Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (P-Rib-PP) synthetase of Escherichia coli has been purified to near homogeneity from a strain harboring the prs gene, encoding P-Rib-PP synthetase, on a multicopy plasmid. Analysis of the enzyme showed that it required inorganic phosphate for activity and for stability...

Effector gene birth in plant parasitic nematodes: Neofunctionalization of a housekeeping glutathione synthetase gene

Science.gov (United States)

Lilley, Catherine J.; Maqbool, Abbas; Wu, Duqing; Yusup, Hazijah B.; Jones, Laura M.; Birch, Paul R. J.; Urwin, Peter E.

2018-01-01

Plant pathogens and parasites are a major threat to global food security. Plant parasitism has arisen four times independently within the phylum Nematoda, resulting in at least one parasite of every major food crop in the world. Some species within the most economically important order (Tylenchida) secrete proteins termed effectors into their host during infection to re-programme host development and immunity. The precise detail of how nematodes evolve new effectors is not clear. Here we reconstruct the evolutionary history of a novel effector gene family. We show that during the evolution of plant parasitism in the Tylenchida, the housekeeping glutathione synthetase (GS) gene was extensively replicated. New GS paralogues acquired multiple dorsal gland promoter elements, altered spatial expression to the secretory dorsal gland, altered temporal expression to primarily parasitic stages, and gained a signal peptide for secretion. The gene products are delivered into the host plant cell during infection, giving rise to “GS-like effectors”. Remarkably, by solving the structure of GS-like effectors we show that during this process they have also diversified in biochemical activity, and likely represent the founding members of a novel class of GS-like enzyme. Our results demonstrate the re-purposing of an endogenous housekeeping gene to form a family of effectors with modified functions. We anticipate that our discovery will be a blueprint to understand the evolution of other plant-parasitic nematode effectors, and the foundation to uncover a novel enzymatic function. PMID:29641602

Novel insights into regulation of asparagine synthetase in conifers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier eCanales

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Asparagine, a key amino acid for nitrogen storage and transport in plants, is synthesized via the ATP-dependent reaction catalyzed by the enzyme asparagine synthetase (AS; EC 6.3.5.4. In this work, we present the molecular analysis of two full-length cDNAs that encode asparagine synthetase in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait., PpAS1 and PpAS2. Phylogenetic analyses of the deduced amino acid sequences revealed that both genes are class II AS, suggesting an ancient origin of these genes in plants. A comparative study of PpAS1 and PpAS2 gene expression profiles showed that PpAS1 gene is highly regulated by developmental and environmental factors, while PpAS2 is expressed constitutively. To determine the molecular mechanisms underpinning the differential expression of PpAS1, the promoter region of the gene was isolated and putative binding sites for MYB transcription factors were identified. Gel mobility shift assays showed that a MYB protein from Pinus taeda (PtMYB1 was able to interact with the promoter region of PpAS1. Furthermore, transient expression analyses in pine cells revealed a negative effect of PtMYB1 on PpAS1 expression. The potential role of MYB factors in the transcriptional regulation of PpAS1 in vascular cells is discussed.

Holocarboxylase Synthetase: A Moonlighting Transcriptional Coregulator of Gene Expression and a Cytosolic Regulator of Biotin Utilization.

Science.gov (United States)

León-Del-Río, Alfonso; Valadez-Graham, Viviana; Gravel, Roy A

2017-08-21

The vitamin biotin is an essential nutrient for the metabolism and survival of all organisms owing to its function as a cofactor of enzymes collectively known as biotin-dependent carboxylases. These enzymes use covalently attached biotin as a vector to transfer a carboxyl group between donor and acceptor molecules during carboxylation reactions. In human cells, biotin-dependent carboxylases catalyze key reactions in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, and amino acid catabolism. Biotin is attached to apocarboxylases by a biotin ligase: holocarboxylase synthetase (HCS) in mammalian cells and BirA in microbes. Despite their evolutionary distance, these proteins share structural and sequence similarities, underscoring their importance across all life forms. However, beyond its role in metabolism, HCS participates in the regulation of biotin utilization and acts as a nuclear transcriptional coregulator of gene expression. In this review, we discuss the function of HCS and biotin in metabolism and human disease, a putative role for the enzyme in histone biotinylation, and its participation as a nuclear factor in chromatin dynamics. We suggest that HCS be classified as a moonlighting protein, with two biotin-dependent cytosolic metabolic roles and a distinct biotin-independent nuclear coregulatory function.

Distinctive properties and expression profiles of glutamine synthetase from a plant symbiotic fungus.

Science.gov (United States)

Montanini, Barbara; Betti, Marco; Márquez, Antonio J; Balestrini, Raffaella; Bonfante, Paola; Ottonello, Simone

2003-01-01

The nucleotide sequences reported in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank(R)/EBI Nucleotide Sequence Databases with accession numbers AF462037 (glutamine synthetase) and AF462032 (glutamate synthase). Nitrogen retrieval and assimilation by symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungi is thought to play a central role in the mutualistic interaction between these organisms and their plant hosts. Here we report on the molecular characterization of the key N-assimilation enzyme glutamine synthetase from the mycorrhizal ascomycete Tuber borchii (TbGS). TbGS displayed a strong positive co-operativity ( n =1.7+/-0.29) and an unusually high S(0.5) value (54+/-16 mM; S(0.5) is the substrate concentration value at which v =(1/2) V (max)) for glutamate, and a correspondingly low sensitivity towards inhibition by the glutamate analogue herbicide phosphinothricin. The TbGS mRNA, which is encoded by a single-copy gene in the Tuber genome, was up-regulated in N-starved mycelia and returned to basal levels upon resupplementation of various forms of N, the most effective of which was nitrate. Both responses were accompanied by parallel variations of TbGS protein amount and glutamine synthetase activity, thus indicating that TbGS levels are primarily controlled at the pre-translational level. As revealed by a comparative analysis of the TbGS mRNA and of the mRNAs for the metabolically related enzymes glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamate synthase, TbGS is not only the sole messenger that positively responds to N starvation, but also the most abundant under N-limiting conditions. A similar, but even more discriminating expression pattern, with practically undetectable glutamate dehydrogenase mRNA levels, was observed in fruitbodies. The TbGS mRNA was also found to be expressed in symbiosis-engaged hyphae, with distinctively higher hybridization signals in hyphae that were penetrating among and within root cells. PMID:12683951

A 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase mediates non-ribosomal peptide synthetase activation in Aspergillus fumigatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Neville, Claire; Murphy, Alan; Kavanagh, Kevin; Doyle, Sean

2005-04-01

Aspergillus fumigatus is a significant human pathogen. Non-ribosomal peptide (NRP) synthesis is thought to be responsible for a significant proportion of toxin and siderophore production in the organism. Furthermore, it has been shown that 4'-phosphopantetheinylation is required for the activation of key enzymes involved in non-ribosomal peptide synthesis in other species. Here we report the cloning, recombinant expression and functional characterisation of a 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase from A. fumigatus and the identification of an atypical NRP synthetase (Afpes1), spanning 14.3 kb. Phylogenetic analysis has shown that the NRP synthetase exhibits greatest identity to NRP synthetases from Metarhizium anisolpiae (PesA) and Alternaria brassicae (AbrePsy1). Northern hybridisation and RT-PCR analysis have confirmed that both genes are expressed in A. fumigatus. A 120 kDa fragment of the A. fumigatus NRP synthetase, containing a putative thiolation domain, was cloned and expressed in the baculovirus expression system. Detection of a 4'-phosphopantetheinylated peptide (SFSAMK) from this protein, by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis after coincubation of the 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase with the recombinant NRP synthetase fragment and acetyl CoA, confirms that it is competent to play a role in NRP synthetase activation in A. fumigatus. The 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase also activates, by 4'-phosphopantetheinylation, recombinant alpha-aminoadipate reductase (Lys2p) from Candida albicans, a key enzyme involved in lysine biosynthesis.

Isolation of the thymidylate synthetase gene (TMP1) by complementation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, G.R.; Barclay, B.J.; Storms, R.K.; Friesen, J.D.; Haynes, R.H.

1982-01-01

The structural gene (TMP1) for yeast thymidylate synthetase (thymidylate synthase; EC 2.1.1.45) was isolated from a chimeric plasmid bank by genetic complementation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Retransformation of the dTMP auxotroph GY712 and a temperature-sensitive mutant (cdc21) with purified plasmid (pTL1) yielded Tmp/sup +/ transformants at high frequency. In addition, the plasmid was tested for the ability to complement a bacterial thyA mutant that lacks functional thymidylate synthetase. Although it was not possible to select Thy/sup +/ transformants directly, it was found that all pTL1 transformants were phenotypically Thy/sup +/ after several generations of growth in nonselective conditions. Thus, yeast thymidylate synthetase is biologically active in Escherichia coli. Thymidylate synthetase was assayed in yeast cell lysates by high-pressure liquid chromatography to monitor the conversion of [6-/sup 3/H]dUMP to [6-/sup 3/H]dTMP. In protein extracts from the thymidylate auxotroph (tmpl-6) enzymatic conversion of dUMP to dTMP was barely detectable. Lysates of pTL1 transformants of this strain, however, had thymidylate synthetase activity that was comparable to that of the wild-type strain

Increased expression of argininosuccinate synthetase protein predicts poor prognosis in human gastric cancer

Science.gov (United States)

SHAN, YAN-SHEN; HSU, HUI-PING; LAI, MING-DERG; YEN, MENG-CHI; LUO, YI-PEY; CHEN, YI-LING

2015-01-01

Aberrant expression of argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS1, also known as ASS) has been found in cancer cells and is involved in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of ASS expression in human gastric cancer and to determine the possible correlations between ASS expression and clinicopathological findings. Immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin-embedded tissues to determine whether ASS was expressed in 11 of 11 specimens from patients with gastric cancer. The protein was localized primarily to the cytoplasm of cancer cells and normal epithelium. In the Oncomine cancer microarray database, expression of the ASS gene was significantly increased in gastric cancer tissues. To investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic roles of ASS expression, we performed western blot analysis of 35 matched specimens of gastric adenocarcinomas and normal tissue obtained from patients treated at the National Cheng Kung University Hospital. The ratio of relative ASS expression (expressed as the ASS/β-actin ratio) in tumor tissues to that in normal tissues was correlated with large tumor size (P=0.007) and with the tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system (P=0.031). Patients whose cancer had increased the relative expression of ASS were positive for perineural invasion and had poor recurrence-free survival. In summary, ASS expression in gastric cancer was associated with a poor prognosis. Further study of mechanisms to silence the ASS gene or decrease the enzymatic activity of ASS protein has the potential to provide new treatments for patients with gastric cancer. PMID:25333458

Mapping hisS, the structural gene for histidyl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase, in Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, J; Fishman, S E

1979-04-01

The structural gene for histidyl-tRNA synthetase was localized to 53.8 min on the Escherichia coli genome. The gene order in this region was determined to be dapE-purC-upp-purG-(guaA, guaB)-hisS-glyA.

Mapping hisS, the structural gene for histidyl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase, in Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, J; Fishman, S E

1979-01-01

The structural gene for histidyl-tRNA synthetase was localized to 53.8 min on the Escherichia coli genome. The gene order in this region was determined to be dapE-purC-upp-purG-(guaA, guaB)-hisS-glyA. PMID:374370

Increased production of free fatty acids in Aspergillus oryzae by disruption of a predicted acyl-CoA synthetase gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamano, Koichi; Bruno, Kenneth S; Koike, Hideaki; Ishii, Tomoko; Miura, Ai; Umemura, Myco; Culley, David E; Baker, Scott E; Machida, Masayuki

2015-04-01

Fatty acids are attractive molecules as source materials for the production of biodiesel fuel. Previously, we attained a 2.4-fold increase in fatty acid production by increasing the expression of fatty acid synthesis-related genes in Aspergillus oryzae. In this study, we achieved an additional increase in the production of fatty acids by disrupting a predicted acyl-CoA synthetase gene in A. oryzae. The A. oryzae genome is predicted to encode six acyl-CoA synthetase genes and disruption of AO090011000642, one of the six genes, resulted in a 9.2-fold higher accumulation (corresponding to an increased production of 0.23 mmol/g dry cell weight) of intracellular fatty acid in comparison to the wild-type strain. Furthermore, by introducing a niaD marker from Aspergillus nidulans to the disruptant, as well as changing the concentration of nitrogen in the culture medium from 10 to 350 mM, fatty acid productivity reached 0.54 mmol/g dry cell weight. Analysis of the relative composition of the major intracellular free fatty acids caused by disruption of AO090011000642 in comparison to the wild-type strain showed an increase in stearic acid (7 to 26 %), decrease in linoleic acid (50 to 27 %), and no significant changes in palmitic or oleic acid (each around 20-25 %).

Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic study of DHNA synthetase from Geobacillus kaustophilus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanaujia, Shankar Prasad; Ranjani, Chellamuthu Vasuki; Jeyakanthan, Jeyaraman; Baba, Seiki; Kuroishi, Chizu; Ebihara, Akio; Shinkai, Akeo; Kuramitsu, Seiki; Shiro, Yoshitsugu; Sekar, Kanagaraj; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki

2007-01-01

DHNA synthetase from G. kaustophilus has been cloned, expressed, purified and crystallized. The aerobic Gram-positive bacterium Geobacillus kaustophilus is a bacillus species that was isolated from deep-sea sediment from the Mariana Trench. 1,4-Dihydroxy-2-naphthoate (DHNA) synthetase plays a vital role in the biosynthesis of menaquinone (vitamin K 2 ) in this bacterium. DHNA synthetase from Geobacillus kaustophilus was crystallized in the orthorhombic space group C222 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 77.01, b = 130.66, c = 131.69 Å. The crystal diffracted to a resolution of 2.2 Å. Preliminary studies and molecular-replacement calculations reveal the presence of three monomers in the asymmetric unit

New perspectives on glutamine synthetase in grasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Swarbreck, Stéphanie M; Defoin-Platel, M; Hindle, M; Saqi, M; Habash, Dimah Z

2011-02-01

Members of the glutamine synthetase (GS) gene family have now been characterized in many crop species such as wheat, rice, and maize. Studies have shown that cytosolic GS isoforms are involved in nitrogen remobilization during leaf senescence and emphasized a role in seed production particularly in small grain crop species. Data from the sequencing of genomes for model crops and expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries from non-model species have strengthened the idea that the cytosolic GS genes are organized in three functionally and phylogenetically conserved subfamilies. Using a bioinformatic approach, the considerable publicly available information on high throughput gene expression was mined to search for genes having patterns of expression similar to GS. Interesting new hypotheses have emerged from searching for co-expressed genes across multiple unfiltered experimental data sets in rice. This approach should inform new experimental designs and studies to explore the regulation of the GS gene family further. It is expected that understanding the regulation of GS under varied climatic conditions will emerge as an important new area considering the results from recent studies that have shown nitrogen assimilation to be critical to plant acclimation to high CO(2) concentrations.

Altered expression of asparagine synthetase mRNA in human leukemic and carcinoma cell lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goodwin, L.O.; Guzowski, D.E.; Millan, C.A. [North Shore Univ. Hospital/Cornell Univ. Medical College, Manhasset, NY (United States)] [and others

1994-09-01

Asparagine synthetase (AS) is the enzyme responsible for the ATP-dependant conversion of aspartic acid to asparagine. The AS gene is expressed constitutively in most mammalian cells, including cells of the lymphoid lineage, as a 2 kb mRNA. In some leukemic phenotypes, AS expression is abrogated, resulting in no detectable enzyme activity. These cells are rendered sensitive to killing by L-asparaginase, which destroys extracellular asparagine. Prolonged treatment of leukemic cells with this agent can lead to resistance and the reappearance of AS activity, suggesting derepression of the AS gene, which has been shown to be regulated by intracellular levels of asparagine. Modulation of AS expression by asparagine employs cis and trans-acting elements involved in transcriptional and translational regulation. We have cloned and sequenced the human AS gene and surrounding sequence elements as well as the full-length cDNA. Using probes specific to the third and fourth exons of AS, we have identified an additional higher molecular weight mRNA (2.7 kb) in Northern blots derived from a chronic myelogenous leukemia and a colon carcinoma but not in normal lymphocytic or other human cell lines. We speculate that elements present in the cancer-derived mRNAs may be involved in the derepression of AS activity. This hypothesis is being evaluated by RNase protection assays using RNA isolated from a variety of human cell lines to characterize and elucidate the nature of this additional AS encoded message.

A nonribosomal peptide synthetase (Pes1) confers protection against oxidative stress in Aspergillus fumigatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, Emer P; Reiber, Kathrin; Neville, Claire; Scheibner, Olaf; Kavanagh, Kevin; Doyle, Sean

2006-07-01

Aspergillus fumigatus is an important human fungal pathogen. The Aspergillus fumigatus genome contains 14 nonribosomal peptide synthetase genes, potentially responsible for generating metabolites that contribute to organismal virulence. Differential expression of the nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene, pes1, in four strains of Aspergillus fumigatus was observed. The pattern of pes1 expression differed from that of a putative siderophore synthetase gene, sidD, and so is unlikely to be involved in iron acquisition. The Pes1 protein (expected molecular mass 698 kDa) was partially purified and identified by immunoreactivity, peptide mass fingerprinting (36% sequence coverage) and MALDI LIFT-TOF/TOF MS (four internal peptides sequenced). A pes1 disruption mutant (delta pes1) of Aspergillus fumigatus strain 293.1 was generated and confirmed by Southern and western analysis, in addition to RT-PCR. The delta pes1 mutant also showed significantly reduced virulence in the Galleria mellonella model system (P < 0.001) and increased sensitivity to oxidative stress (P = 0.002) in culture and during neutrophil-mediated phagocytosis. In addition, the mutant exhibited altered conidial surface morphology and hydrophilicity, compared to Aspergillus fumigatus 293.1. It is concluded that pes1 contributes to improved fungal tolerance against oxidative stress, mediated by the conidial phenotype, during the infection process.

Tricistronic operon expression of the genes gcaD (tms), which encodes N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate uridyltransferase, prs, which encodes phosphoribosyl diphosphate synthetase, and ctc in vegetative cells of Bacillus subtilis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hilden, Ida; Krath, Britta N.; Hove-Jensen, Bjarne

1995-01-01

The gcaD, prs, and ctc genes were shown to be organized as a tricistronic operon. The transcription of the prs gene, measured as phosphoribosyl diphosphate synthetase activity, and of the ctc gene, measured as β-galactosidase activity specified by a ctc-lacZ protein fusion, were dependent...

The carB gene encoding the large subunit of carbamoylphosphate synthetase from Lactococcus lactis is transcribed monocistronically

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martinussen, Jan; Hammer, Karin

1998-01-01

The biosynthesis of carbamoylphosphate is catalysed by the heterodimeric enzyme carbamoylphosphate synthetase (CPSase). The genes encoding the two subunits in procaryotes are normally transcribed as an operon, whereas in Lactococcus lactis, the gene encoding the large subunit (carB) is shown...

Systematic Analysis of Gene Expression Alterations and Clinical Outcomes for Long-Chain Acyl-Coenzyme A Synthetase Family in Cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Ching Chen

Full Text Available Dysregulated lipid metabolism contributes to cancer progression. Our previous study indicates that long-chain fatty acyl-Co A synthetase (ACSL 3 is essential for lipid upregulation induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress. In this report, we aimed to identify the role of ACSL family in cancer with systematic analysis and in vitro experiment. We explored the ACSL expression using Oncomine database to determine the gene alteration during carcinogenesis and identified the association between ACSL expression and the survival of cancer patient using PrognoScan database. ACSL1 may play a potential oncogenic role in colorectal and breast cancer and play a potential tumor suppressor role in lung cancer. Co-expression analysis revealed that ACSL1 was coexpressed with MYBPH, PTPRE, PFKFB3, SOCS3 in colon cancer and with LRRFIP1, TSC22D1 in lung cancer. In accordance with PrognoScan analysis, downregulation of ACSL1 in colon and breast cancer cell line inhibited proliferation, migration, and anchorage-independent growth. In contrast, increase of oncogenic property was observed in lung cancer cell line by attenuating ACSL1. High ACSL3 expression predicted a better prognosis in ovarian cancer; in contrast, high ACSL3 predicted a worse prognosis in melanoma. ACSL3 was coexpressed with SNUPN, TRIP13, and SEMA5A in melanoma. High expression of ACSL4 predicted a worse prognosis in colorectal cancer, but predicted better prognosis in breast, brain and lung cancer. ACSL4 was coexpressed with SERPIN2, HNRNPCL1, ITIH2, PROCR, LRRFIP1. High expression of ACSL5 predicted good prognosis in breast, ovarian, and lung cancers. ACSL5 was coexpressed with TMEM140, TAPBPL, BIRC3, PTPRE, and SERPINB1. Low ACSL6 predicted a worse prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia. ACSL6 was coexpressed with SOX6 and DARC. Altogether, different members of ACSLs are implicated in diverse types of cancer development. ACSL-coexpressed molecules may be used to further investigate the role of ACSL

Inactivation of the Major Hemolysin Gene Influences Expression of the Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Gene swrA in the Insect Pathogen Serratia sp. Strain SCBI.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Lauren M; LaCourse, Kaitlyn; Schöner, Tim A; Bode, Helge; Tisa, Louis S

2017-11-01

Hemolysins are important virulence factors for many bacterial pathogens, including Serratia marcescens The role of the major hemolysin gene in the insect pathogen Serratia sp. strain SCBI was investigated using both forward and reverse-genetics approaches. Introduction of the major hemolysin gene into Escherichia coli resulted in a gain of both virulence and hemolytic activity. Inactivation of this hemolysin in Serratia sp. SCBI resulted in a loss of hemolysis but did not attenuate insecticidal activity. Unexpectedly, inactivation of the hemolysin gene in Serratia sp. SCBI resulted in significantly increased motility and increased antimicrobial activity. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of mutants with a disrupted hemolysin gene showed a dramatic increase in mRNA levels of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene, swrA , which produces the surfactant serrawettin W2. Mutation of the swrA gene in Serratia sp. SCBI resulted in highly varied antibiotic activity, motility, virulence, and hemolysis phenotypes that were dependent on the site of disruption within this 17.75-kb gene. When introduced into E. coli , swrA increases rates of motility and confers antimicrobial activity. While it is unclear how inactivation of the major hemolysin gene influences the expression of swrA , these results suggest that swrA plays an important role in motility and antimicrobial activity in Serratia sp. SCBI. IMPORTANCE The opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Serratia are widespread in the environment and can cause human illness. A comparative genomics analysis between Serratia marcescens and a new Serratia species from South Africa, termed Serratia sp. strain SCBI, shows that these two organisms are closely related but differ in pathogenesis. S. marcescens kills Caenorhabditis nematodes, while Serratia sp. SCBI is not harmful and forms a beneficial association with them. This distinction presented the opportunity to investigate potential differences

Calcium regulates the expression of a Dictyostelium discoideum ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In a screen for calcium-regulated gene expression during growth and development of Dictyostelium discoideum we have identified an asparaginyl tRNA synthetase (ddAsnRS) gene, the second tRNA synthetase gene identified in this organism. The ddAsnRS gene shows many unique features. One, it is repressed by ...

A highly conserved basidiomycete peptide synthetase produces a trimeric hydroxamate siderophore.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandenburger, Eileen; Gressler, Markus; Leonhardt, Robin; Lackner, Gerald; Habel, Andreas; Hertweck, Christian; Brock, Matthias; Hoffmeister, Dirk

2017-08-25

The model white-rot basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis ( Gelatoporia ) subvermispora B encodes putative natural product biosynthesis genes. Among them is the gene for the seven-domain nonribosomal peptide synthetase CsNPS2. It is a member of the as-yet uncharacterized fungal type VI siderophore synthetase family which is highly conserved and widely distributed among the basidiomycetes. These enzymes include only one adenylation (A) domain, i.e., one complete peptide synthetase module and two thiolation/condensation (T-C) di-domain partial modules which, together, constitute an AT 1 C 1 T 2 C 2 T 3 C 3 domain setup. The full-length CsNPS2 enzyme (274.5 kDa) was heterologously produced as polyhistidine fusion in Aspergillus niger as soluble and active protein. N 5 -acetyl- N 5 -hydroxy-l-ornithine (l-AHO) and N 5 - cis -anhydromevalonyl- N 5 -hydroxy-l-ornithine (l-AMHO) were accepted as substrates, as assessed in vitro using the substrate-dependent [ 32 P]ATP-pyrophosphate radioisotope exchange assay. Full-length holo -CsNPS2 catalyzed amide bond formation between three l-AHO molecules to release the linear l-AHO trimer, called basidioferrin, as product in vitro , which was verified by LC-HRESIMS. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that type VI family siderophore synthetases are widespread in mushrooms and have evolved in a common ancestor of basidiomycetes. Importance : The basidiomycete nonribosomal peptide synthetase CsNPS2 represents a member of a widely distributed but previously uninvestigated class (type VI) of fungal siderophore synthetases. Genes orthologous to CsNPS2 are highly conserved across various phylogenetic clades of the basidiomycetes. Hence, our work serves as a broadly applicable model for siderophore biosynthesis and iron metabolism in higher fungi. Also, our results on the amino acid substrate preference of CsNPS2 supports further understanding of the substrate selectivity of fungal adenylation domains. Methodologically, this report highlights the

Characterization of the product of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase-like (NRPS-like) gene using the doxycycline dependent Tet-on system in Aspergillus terreus.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wei-Wen; Guo, Chun-Jun; Wang, Clay C C

2016-04-01

Genome sequencing of the fungus Aspergillus terreus uncovered a number of silent core structural biosynthetic genes encoding enzymes presumed to be involved in the production of cryptic secondary metabolites. There are five nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS)-like genes with the predicted A-T-TE domain architecture within the A. terreus genome. Among the five genes, only the product of pgnA remains unknown. The Tet-on system is an inducible, tunable and metabolism-independent expression system originally developed for Aspergillus niger. Here we report the adoption of the Tet-on system as an effective gene activation tool in A. terreus. Application of this system in A. terreus allowed us to uncover the product of the cryptic NRPS-like gene, pgnA. Furthermore expression of pgnA in the heterologous Aspergillus nidulans host suggested that the pgnA gene alone is necessary for phenguignardic acid (1) biosynthesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The importance of cytosolic glutamine synthetase in nitrogen assimilation and recycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernard, S.M.; Habash, D.Z.

2009-07-02

Glutamine synthetase assimilates ammonium into amino acids, thus it is a key enzyme for nitrogen metabolism. The cytosolic isoenzymes of glutamine synthetase assimilate ammonium derived from primary nitrogen uptake and from various internal nitrogen recycling pathways. In this way, cytosolic glutamine synthetase is crucial for the remobilization of protein-derived nitrogen. Cytosolic glutamine synthetase is encoded by a small family of genes that are well conserved across plant species. Members of the cytosolic glutamine synthetase gene family are regulated in response to plant nitrogen status, as well as to environmental cues, such as nitrogen availability and biotic/abiotic stresses. The complex regulation of cytosolic glutamine synthetase at the transcriptional to post-translational levels is key to the establishment of a specific physiological role for each isoenzyme. The diverse physiological roles of cytosolic glutamine synthetase isoenzymes are important in relation to current agricultural and ecological issues.

A genome-wide analysis of nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene clusters and their peptides in a Planktothrix rubescens strain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nederbragt Alexander J

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cyanobacteria often produce several different oligopeptides, with unknown biological functions, by nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS. Although some cyanobacterial NRPS gene cluster types are well described, the entire NRPS genomic content within a single cyanobacterial strain has never been investigated. Here we have combined a genome-wide analysis using massive parallel pyrosequencing ("454" and mass spectrometry screening of oligopeptides produced in the strain Planktothrix rubescens NIVA CYA 98 in order to identify all putative gene clusters for oligopeptides. Results Thirteen types of oligopeptides were uncovered by mass spectrometry (MS analyses. Microcystin, cyanopeptolin and aeruginosin synthetases, highly similar to already characterized NRPS, were present in the genome. Two novel NRPS gene clusters were associated with production of anabaenopeptins and microginins, respectively. Sequence-depth of the genome and real-time PCR data revealed three copies of the microginin gene cluster. Since NRPS gene cluster candidates for microviridin and oscillatorin synthesis could not be found, putative (gene encoded precursor peptide sequences to microviridin and oscillatorin were found in the genes mdnA and oscA, respectively. The genes flanking the microviridin and oscillatorin precursor genes encode putative modifying enzymes of the precursor oligopeptides. We therefore propose ribosomal pathways involving modifications and cyclisation for microviridin and oscillatorin. The microviridin, anabaenopeptin and cyanopeptolin gene clusters are situated in close proximity to each other, constituting an oligopeptide island. Conclusion Altogether seven nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS gene clusters and two gene clusters putatively encoding ribosomal oligopeptide biosynthetic pathways were revealed. Our results demonstrate that whole genome shotgun sequencing combined with MS-directed determination of oligopeptides successfully

Digestion of a single meal affects gene expression of ion and ammonia transporters and glutamine synthetase activity in the gastrointestinal tract of freshwater rainbow trout.

Science.gov (United States)

Bucking, Carol; Wood, Chris M

2012-04-01

Experiments on freshwater rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, demonstrated how digestion affected the transcriptional expression of gastrointestinal transporters following a single satiating meal (~3% body mass ration) after a 1-week fast. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to measure the relative mRNA expression of three previously cloned and sequenced transporters [H(+)-K(+)-ATPase (HKA), Na(+)/HCO(3)(-) cotransporter (NBC), and the Rhesus glycoprotein (Rhbg1; an ammonia transporter)] over a 24-h time course following feeding. Plasma total ammonia increased about threefold from pre-feeding levels to 288 μmol l(-1), whereas total ammonia levels in chyme supernatant reached a sixfold higher value (1.8 mmol l(-1)) than plasma levels. Feeding did not appear to have a statistically significant effect on the relative mRNA expression of the gastric HKA or Rhbg1. However, the relative mRNA expression of gastric NBC was increased 24 h following the ingestion of a meal. Along the intestinal tract, feeding increased the relative mRNA expression of Rhbg1, but had no effect on the expression of NBC. Expression of the gastric HKA was undetectable in the intestinal tract of freshwater rainbow trout. Digestion increased the activity of glutamine synthetase in the posterior intestine at 12 and 24 h following feeding. This study is among the first to show that there are digestion-associated changes in gene expression and enzyme activity in the gastrointestinal tract of teleost fish illustrating the dynamic plasticity of this organ. These post-prandial changes occur over the relative short-term duration of digesting a single meal.

Expression of acyl-CoA synthetase 5 reflects the state of villus architecture in human small intestine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gassler, Nikolaus; Kopitz, Jürgen; Tehrani, Arman

2004-01-01

Several disorders of the small intestine are associated with disturbances in villus architecture. Thus, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with the differentiation of villi represents an important step in the improvement of the understanding of small intestinal pathology......-CoA synthetase 5 pattern correlate with conversion of intestinal epithelial cells to a gastric phenotype. These results suggest that deranged acyl-CoA synthetase 5 expression, synthesis, and activity are closely related to the state of villus architecture and epithelial homeostasis in human small intestine....

Improved stress tolerance and productivity in transgenic rice plants constitutively expressing the Oryza sativa glutathione synthetase OsGS under paddy field conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Seong-Im; Kim, Young-Saeng; Kim, Jin-Ju; Mok, Ji-Eun; Kim, Yul-Ho; Park, Hyang-Mi; Kim, Il-Sup; Yoon, Ho-Sung

2017-08-01

Reactive oxygen species, which increase under various environmental stresses, have deleterious effects on plants. An important antioxidant, glutathione, is used to detoxify reactive oxygen species in plant cells and is mainly produced by two enzymes: gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-ECS) and glutathione synthetase (GS). To evaluate the functional roles of the glutathione synthetase gene (OsGS) in rice, we generated four independent transgenic rice plants (TG1-TG4) that overexpressed OsGS under the control of the constitutively expressed OsCc1 promoter. When grown under natural paddy field conditions, the TG rice plants exhibited greater growth development, higher chlorophyll content, and higher GSH/GSSH ratios than control wild-type (WT) rice plants. Subsequently, the TG rice plants enhanced redox homeostasis by preventing hydroperoxide-mediated membrane damage, which improved their adaptation to environmental stresses. As a result, TG rice plants improved rice grain yield and total biomass following increases in panicle number and number of spikelets per panicle, despite differences in climate during the cultivation periods of 2014 and 2015. Overall, our results indicate that OsGS overexpression improved redox homeostasis by enhancing the glutathione pool, which resulted in greater tolerance to environmental stresses in the paddy fields. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Over-expression in Escherichia coli and characterization of two recombinant isoforms of human FAD synthetase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brizio, Carmen; Galluccio, Michele; Wait, Robin; Torchetti, Enza Maria; Bafunno, Valeria; Accardi, Rosita; Gianazza, Elisabetta; Indiveri, Cesare; Barile, Maria

2006-01-01

FAD synthetase (FADS) (EC 2.7.7.2) is a key enzyme in the metabolic pathway that converts riboflavin into the redox cofactor FAD. Two hypothetical human FADSs, which are the products of FLAD1 gene, were over-expressed in Escherichia coli and identified by ESI-MS/MS. Isoform 1 was over-expressed as a T7-tagged protein which had a molecular mass of 63 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Isoform 2 was over-expressed as a 6-His-tagged fusion protein, carrying an extra 84 amino acids at the N-terminal with an apparent molecular mass of 60 kDa on SDS-PAGE. It was purified near to homogeneity from the soluble cell fraction by one-step affinity chromatography. Both isoforms possessed FADS activity and had a strict requirement for MgCl 2 , as demonstrated using both spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. The purified recombinant isoform 2 showed a specific activity of 6.8 ± 1.3 nmol of FAD synthesized/min/mg protein and exhibited a K M value for FMN of 1.5 ± 0.3 μM. This is First report on characterization of human FADS, and First cloning and over-expression of FADS from an organism higher than yeast

Glutamine synthetase gene knockout-human embryonic kidney 293E cells for stable production of monoclonal antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Da Young; Lee, Sang Yoon; Lee, Gyun Min

2018-05-01

Previously, it was inferred that a high glutamine synthetase (GS) activity in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293E cells results in elevated resistance to methionine sulfoximine (MSX) and consequently hampers GS-mediated gene amplification and selection by MSX. To overcome this MSX resistance in HEK293E cells, a GS-knockout HEK293E cell line was generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to target the endogenous human GS gene. The GS-knockout in the HEK293E cell line (RK8) was confirmed by Western blot analysis of GS and by observation of glutamine-dependent growth. Unlike the wild type HEK293E cells, the RK8 cells were successfully used as host cells to generate a recombinant HEK293E cell line (rHEK293E) producing a monoclonal antibody (mAb). When the RK8 cells were transfected with the GS expression vector containing the mAb gene, rHEK293E cells producing the mAb could be selected in the absence as well as in the presence of MSX. The gene copies and mRNA expression levels of the mAb in rHEK293E cells were also quantified using qRT-PCR. Taken together, the GS-knockout HEK293E cell line can be used as host cells to generate stable rHEK293E cells producing a mAb through GS-mediated gene selection in the absence as well as in the presence of MSX. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase of Escherichia coli. Properties of the purified enzyme and primary structure of the prs gene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hove-Jensen, Bjarne; Harlow, Kenneth W.; King, Cheryl J.

1986-01-01

Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (P-Rib-PP) synthetase of Escherichia coli has been purified to near homogeneity from a strain harboring the prs gene, encoding P-Rib-PP synthetase, on a multicopy plasmid. Analysis of the enzyme showed that it required inorganic phosphate for activity and for stability...... the UAA translation stop codon, within a Thy-rich region following an inverted repeat sequence, indicative of an rho-independent transcription terminator....

Limitations to the development of recombinant human embryonic kidney 293E cells using glutamine synthetase-mediated gene amplification: Methionine sulfoximine resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Da Young; Noh, Soo Min; Lee, Gyun Min

2016-08-10

To investigate the feasibility of glutamine synthetase (GS)-mediated gene amplification in HEK293 cells for the high-level stable production of therapeutic proteins, HEK293E cells were transfected by the GS expression vector containing antibody genes and were selected at various methionine sulfoximine (MSX) concentrations in 96-well plates. For a comparison, CHOK1 cells were transfected by the same GS expression vector and selected at various MSX concentrations. Unlike CHOK1 cells, HEK293E cells producing high levels of antibodies were not selected at all. For HEK293E cells, the number of wells with the cell pool did not decrease with an increase in the concentration of MSX up to 500μM MSX. A q-RT-PCR analysis confirmed that the antibody genes in the HEK293E cells, unlike the CHOK1 cells, were not amplified after increasing the MSX concentration. It was found that the GS activity in HEK293E cells was much higher than that in CHOK1 cells (PMSX and therefore hampers GS-mediated gene amplification by MSX. Thus, in order to apply the GS-mediated gene amplification system to HEK293 cells, the endogenous GS expression level in HEK293 cells needs to be minimized by knock-out or down-regulation methods. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) long-chain acyl-coenzyme A synthetases expressed at high levels in developing seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Aznar-Moreno, Jose A; Venegas Calerón, Mónica; Martínez-Force, Enrique; Garcés, Rafael; Mullen, Robert; Gidda, Satinder K; Salas, Joaquín J

2014-03-01

Long chain fatty acid synthetases (LACSs) activate the fatty acid chains produced by plastidial de novo biosynthesis to generate acyl-CoA derivatives, important intermediates in lipid metabolism. Oilseeds, like sunflower, accumulate high levels of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in their seeds to nourish the embryo during germination. This requires that sunflower seed endosperm supports very active glycerolipid synthesis during development. Sunflower seed plastids produce large amounts of fatty acids, which must be activated through the action of LACSs, in order to be incorporated into TAGs. We cloned two different LACS genes from developing sunflower endosperm, HaLACS1 and HaLACS2, which displayed sequence homology with Arabidopsis LACS9 and LACS8 genes, respectively. These genes were expressed at high levels in developing seeds and exhibited distinct subcellular distributions. We generated constructs in which these proteins were fused to green fluorescent protein and performed transient expression experiments in tobacco cells. The HaLACS1 protein associated with the external envelope of tobacco chloroplasts, whereas HaLACS2 was strongly bound to the endoplasmic reticulum. Finally, both proteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and recovered as active enzymes in the bacterial membranes. Both enzymes displayed similar substrate specificities, with a very high preference for oleic acid and weaker activity toward stearic acid. On the basis of our findings, we discuss the role of these enzymes in sunflower oil synthesis. © 2013 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Cloning, Sequencing, and Expression of the Gene Encoding Cyclic 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate Synthetase, the Key Enzyme of Cyclic 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate Metabolism in Methanothermus fervidus

OpenAIRE

Matussek, Karl; Moritz, Patrick; Brunner, Nina; Eckerskorn, Christoph; Hensel, Reinhard

1998-01-01

Cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate synthetase (cDPGS) catalyzes the synthesis of cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (cDPG) by formation of an intramolecular phosphoanhydride bond in 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. cDPG is known to be accumulated to high intracellular concentrations (>300 mM) as a putative thermoadapter in some hyperthermophilic methanogens. For the first time, we have purified active cDPGS from a methanogen, the hyperthermophilic archaeon Methanothermus fervidus, sequenced the coding gene, and...

Gene expression profiling reveals multiple toxicity endpoints induced by hepatotoxicants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang Qihong; Jin Xidong; Gaillard, Elias T.; Knight, Brian L.; Pack, Franklin D.; Stoltz, James H.; Jayadev, Supriya; Blanchard, Kerry T

2004-05-18

Microarray technology continues to gain increased acceptance in the drug development process, particularly at the stage of toxicology and safety assessment. In the current study, microarrays were used to investigate gene expression changes associated with hepatotoxicity, the most commonly reported clinical liability with pharmaceutical agents. Acetaminophen, methotrexate, methapyrilene, furan and phenytoin were used as benchmark compounds capable of inducing specific but different types of hepatotoxicity. The goal of the work was to define gene expression profiles capable of distinguishing the different subtypes of hepatotoxicity. Sprague-Dawley rats were orally dosed with acetaminophen (single dose, 4500 mg/kg for 6, 24 and 72 h), methotrexate (1 mg/kg per day for 1, 7 and 14 days), methapyrilene (100 mg/kg per day for 3 and 7 days), furan (40 mg/kg per day for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days) or phenytoin (300 mg/kg per day for 14 days). Hepatic gene expression was assessed using toxicology-specific gene arrays containing 684 target genes or expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Principal component analysis (PCA) of gene expression data was able to provide a clear distinction of each compound, suggesting that gene expression data can be used to discern different hepatotoxic agents and toxicity endpoints. Gene expression data were applied to the multiplicity-adjusted permutation test and significantly changed genes were categorized and correlated to hepatotoxic endpoints. Repression of enzymes involved in lipid oxidation (acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, medium chain, enoyl CoA hydratase, very long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase) were associated with microvesicular lipidosis. Likewise, subsets of genes associated with hepatotocellular necrosis, inflammation, hepatitis, bile duct hyperplasia and fibrosis have been identified. The current study illustrates that expression profiling can be used to: (1) distinguish different hepatotoxic endpoints; (2) predict the development of toxic endpoints; and

Differential neutrophil gene expression in early bovine pregnancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kizaki Keiichiro

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In food production animals, especially cattle, the diagnosis of gestation is important because the timing of gestation directly affects the running of farms. Various methods have been used to detect gestation, but none of them are ideal because of problems with the timing of detection or the accuracy, simplicity, or cost of the method. A new method for detecting gestation, which involves assessing interferon-tau (IFNT-stimulated gene expression in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL, was recently proposed. PBL fractionation methods were used to examine whether the expression profiles of various PBL populations could be used as reliable diagnostic markers of bovine gestation. Methods PBL were collected on days 0 (just before artificial insemination, 7, 14, 17, 21, and 28 of gestation. The gene expression levels of the PBL were assessed with microarray analysis and/or quantitative real-time reverse transcription (q PCR. PBL fractions were collected by flow cytometry or density gradient cell separation using Histopaque 1083 or Ficoll-Conray solutions. The expression levels of four IFNT-stimulated genes, interferon-stimulated protein 15 kDa (ISG15, myxovirus-resistance (MX 1 and 2, and 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS1, were then analyzed in each fraction through day 28 of gestation using qPCR. Results Microarray analysis detected 72 and 28 genes in whole PBL that were significantly higher on days 14 and 21 of gestation, respectively, than on day 0. The upregulated genes included IFNT-stimulated genes. The expression levels of these genes increased with the progression of gestation until day 21. In flow cytometry experiments, on day 14 the expression levels of all of the genes were significantly higher in the granulocyte fraction than in the other fractions. Their expression gradually decreased through day 28 of gestation. Strong correlations were observed between the expression levels of the four genes in the granulocyte

Cloning, Sequencing, and Expression of the Gene Encoding Cyclic 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate Synthetase, the Key Enzyme of Cyclic 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate Metabolism in Methanothermus fervidus

Science.gov (United States)

Matussek, Karl; Moritz, Patrick; Brunner, Nina; Eckerskorn, Christoph; Hensel, Reinhard

1998-01-01

Cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate synthetase (cDPGS) catalyzes the synthesis of cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (cDPG) by formation of an intramolecular phosphoanhydride bond in 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. cDPG is known to be accumulated to high intracellular concentrations (>300 mM) as a putative thermoadapter in some hyperthermophilic methanogens. For the first time, we have purified active cDPGS from a methanogen, the hyperthermophilic archaeon Methanothermus fervidus, sequenced the coding gene, and expressed it in Escherichia coli. cDPGS purification resulted in enzyme preparations containing two isoforms differing in their electrophoretic mobility under denaturing conditions. Since both polypeptides showed the same N-terminal amino acid sequence and Southern analyses indicate the presence of only one gene coding for cDPGS in M. fervidus, the two polypeptides originate from the same gene but differ by a not yet identified modification. The native cDPGS represents a dimer with an apparent molecular mass of 112 kDa and catalyzes the reversible formation of the intramolecular phosphoanhydride bond at the expense of ATP. The enzyme shows a clear preference for the synthetic reaction: the substrate affinity and the Vmax of the synthetic reaction are a factor of 8 to 10 higher than the corresponding values for the reverse reaction. Comparison with the kinetic properties of the electrophoretically homogeneous, apparently unmodified recombinant enzyme from E. coli revealed a twofold-higher Vmax of the enzyme from M. fervidus in the synthesizing direction. PMID:9811660

Cloning, sequencing, and expression of the gene encoding cyclic 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate synthetase, the key enzyme of cyclic 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate metabolism in Methanothermus fervidus.

Science.gov (United States)

Matussek, K; Moritz, P; Brunner, N; Eckerskorn, C; Hensel, R

1998-11-01

Cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate synthetase (cDPGS) catalyzes the synthesis of cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (cDPG) by formation of an intramolecular phosphoanhydride bond in 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. cDPG is known to be accumulated to high intracellular concentrations (>300 mM) as a putative thermoadapter in some hyperthermophilic methanogens. For the first time, we have purified active cDPGS from a methanogen, the hyperthermophilic archaeon Methanothermus fervidus, sequenced the coding gene, and expressed it in Escherichia coli. cDPGS purification resulted in enzyme preparations containing two isoforms differing in their electrophoretic mobility under denaturing conditions. Since both polypeptides showed the same N-terminal amino acid sequence and Southern analyses indicate the presence of only one gene coding for cDPGS in M. fervidus, the two polypeptides originate from the same gene but differ by a not yet identified modification. The native cDPGS represents a dimer with an apparent molecular mass of 112 kDa and catalyzes the reversible formation of the intramolecular phosphoanhydride bond at the expense of ATP. The enzyme shows a clear preference for the synthetic reaction: the substrate affinity and the Vmax of the synthetic reaction are a factor of 8 to 10 higher than the corresponding values for the reverse reaction. Comparison with the kinetic properties of the electrophoretically homogeneous, apparently unmodified recombinant enzyme from E. coli revealed a twofold-higher Vmax of the enzyme from M. fervidus in the synthesizing direction.

Revelation and cloning of valinomycin synthetase genes in Streptomyces lavendulae ACR-DA1 and their expression analysis under different fermentation and elicitation conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Richa; Jamwal, Vijaylakshmi; Singh, Varun P; Wazir, Priya; Awasthi, Praveen; Singh, Deepika; Vishwakarma, Ram A; Gandhi, Sumit G; Chaubey, Asha

2017-07-10

Streptomyces species are amongst the most exploited microorganisms due to their ability to produce a plethora of secondary metabolites with bioactive potential, including several well known drugs. They are endowed with immense unexplored potential and substantial efforts are required for their isolation as well as characterization for their bioactive potential. Unexplored niches and extreme environments are host to diverse microbial species. In this study, we report Streptomyces lavendulae ACR-DA1, isolated from extreme cold deserts of the North Western Himalayas, which produces a macrolactone antibiotic, valinomycin. Valinomycin is a K + ionophoric non-ribosomal cyclodepsipeptide with a broad range of bioactivities including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and cytotoxic/anticancer activities. Production of valinomycin by the strain S. lavendulae ACR-DA1 was studied under different fermentation conditions like fermentation medium, temperature and addition of biosynthetic precursors. Synthetic medium at 10°C in the presence of precursors i.e. valine and pyruvate showed enhanced valinomycin production. In order to assess the impact of various elicitors, expression of the two genes viz. vlm1 and vlm2 that encode components of heterodimeric valinomycin synthetase, was analyzed using RT-PCR and correlated with quantity of valinomycin using LC-MS/MS. Annelid, bacterial and yeast elicitors increased valinomycin production whereas addition of fungal and plant elicitors down regulated the biosynthetic genes and reduced valinomycin production. This study is also the first report of valinomycin biosynthesis by Streptomyces lavendulae. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A single Danio rerio hars gene encodes both cytoplasmic and mitochondrial histidyl-tRNA synthetases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashley L Waldron

Full Text Available Histidyl tRNA Synthetase (HARS is a member of the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (ARS family of enzymes. This family of 20 enzymes is responsible for attaching specific amino acids to their cognate tRNA molecules, a critical step in protein synthesis. However, recent work highlighting a growing number of associations between ARS genes and diverse human diseases raises the possibility of new and unexpected functions in this ancient enzyme family. For example, mutations in HARS have been linked to two different neurological disorders, Usher Syndrome Type IIIB and Charcot Marie Tooth peripheral neuropathy. These connections raise the possibility of previously undiscovered roles for HARS in metazoan development, with alterations in these functions leading to complex diseases. In an attempt to establish Danio rerio as a model for studying HARS functions in human disease, we characterized the Danio rerio hars gene and compared it to that of human HARS. Using a combination of bioinformatics, molecular biology, and cellular approaches, we found that while the human genome encodes separate genes for cytoplasmic and mitochondrial HARS protein, the Danio rerio genome encodes a single hars gene which undergoes alternative splicing to produce the respective cytoplasmic and mitochondrial versions of Hars. Nevertheless, while the HARS genes of humans and Danio differ significantly at the genomic level, we found that they are still highly conserved at the amino acid level, underscoring the potential utility of Danio rerio as a model organism for investigating HARS function and its link to human diseases in vivo.

The Populus superoxide dismutase gene family and its responses to drought stress in transgenic poplar overexpressing a pine cytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1a.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Jesús Molina-Rueda

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Glutamine synthetase (GS plays a central role in plant nitrogen assimilation, a process intimately linked to soil water availability. We previously showed that hybrid poplar (Populus tremula X alba, INRA 717-1B4 expressing ectopically a pine cytosolic glutamine synthetase gene (GS1a display enhanced tolerance to drought. Preliminary transcriptome profiling revealed that during drought, members of the superoxide dismutase (SOD family were reciprocally regulated in GS poplar when compared with the wild-type control, in all tissues examined. SOD was the only gene family found to exhibit such patterns. RESULTS: In silico analysis of the Populus genome identified 12 SOD genes and two genes encoding copper chaperones for SOD (CCSs. The poplar SODs form three phylogenetic clusters in accordance with their distinct metal co-factor requirements and gene structure. Nearly all poplar SODs and CCSs are present in duplicate derived from whole genome duplication, in sharp contrast to their predominantly single-copy Arabidopsis orthologs. Drought stress triggered plant-wide down-regulation of the plastidic copper SODs (CSDs, with concomitant up-regulation of plastidic iron SODs (FSDs in GS poplar relative to the wild type; this was confirmed at the activity level. We also found evidence for coordinated down-regulation of other copper proteins, including plastidic CCSs and polyphenol oxidases, in GS poplar under drought conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Both gene duplication and expression divergence have contributed to the expansion and transcriptional diversity of the Populus SOD/CCS families. Coordinated down-regulation of major copper proteins in drought-tolerant GS poplars supports the copper cofactor economy model where copper supply is preferentially allocated for plastocyanins to sustain photosynthesis during drought. Our results also extend previous findings on the compensatory regulation between chloroplastic CSDs and FSDs, and suggest that this

Improving the efficiency of CHO cell line generation using glutamine synthetase gene knockout cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Lianchun; Kadura, Ibrahim; Krebs, Lara E; Hatfield, Christopher C; Shaw, Margaret M; Frye, Christopher C

2012-04-01

Although Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, with their unique characteristics, have become a major workhorse for the manufacture of therapeutic recombinant proteins, one of the major challenges in CHO cell line generation (CLG) is how to efficiently identify those rare, high-producing clones among a large population of low- and non-productive clones. It is not unusual that several hundred individual clones need to be screened for the identification of a commercial clonal cell line with acceptable productivity and growth profile making the cell line appropriate for commercial application. This inefficiency makes the process of CLG both time consuming and laborious. Currently, there are two main CHO expression systems, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR)-based methotrexate (MTX) selection and glutamine synthetase (GS)-based methionine sulfoximine (MSX) selection, that have been in wide industrial use. Since selection of recombinant cell lines in the GS-CHO system is based on the balance between the expression of the GS gene introduced by the expression plasmid and the addition of the GS inhibitor, L-MSX, the expression of GS from the endogenous GS gene in parental CHOK1SV cells will likely interfere with the selection process. To study endogenous GS expression's potential impact on selection efficiency, GS-knockout CHOK1SV cell lines were generated using the zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology designed to specifically target the endogenous CHO GS gene. The high efficiency (∼2%) of bi-allelic modification on the CHO GS gene supports the unique advantages of the ZFN technology, especially in CHO cells. GS enzyme function disruption was confirmed by the observation of glutamine-dependent growth of all GS-knockout cell lines. Full evaluation of the GS-knockout cell lines in a standard industrial cell culture process was performed. Bulk culture productivity improved two- to three-fold through the use of GS-knockout cells as parent cells. The selection stringency was

The Genome of Tolypocladium inflatum: Evolution, Organization, and Expression of the Cyclosporin Biosynthetic Gene Cluster

Science.gov (United States)

Bushley, Kathryn E.; Raja, Rajani; Jaiswal, Pankaj; Cumbie, Jason S.; Nonogaki, Mariko; Boyd, Alexander E.; Owensby, C. Alisha; Knaus, Brian J.; Elser, Justin; Miller, Daniel; Di, Yanming; McPhail, Kerry L.; Spatafora, Joseph W.

2013-01-01

The ascomycete fungus Tolypocladium inflatum, a pathogen of beetle larvae, is best known as the producer of the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin. The draft genome of T. inflatum strain NRRL 8044 (ATCC 34921), the isolate from which cyclosporin was first isolated, is presented along with comparative analyses of the biosynthesis of cyclosporin and other secondary metabolites in T. inflatum and related taxa. Phylogenomic analyses reveal previously undetected and complex patterns of homology between the nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) that encodes for cyclosporin synthetase (simA) and those of other secondary metabolites with activities against insects (e.g., beauvericin, destruxins, etc.), and demonstrate the roles of module duplication and gene fusion in diversification of NRPSs. The secondary metabolite gene cluster responsible for cyclosporin biosynthesis is described. In addition to genes necessary for cyclosporin biosynthesis, it harbors a gene for a cyclophilin, which is a member of a family of immunophilins known to bind cyclosporin. Comparative analyses support a lineage specific origin of the cyclosporin gene cluster rather than horizontal gene transfer from bacteria or other fungi. RNA-Seq transcriptome analyses in a cyclosporin-inducing medium delineate the boundaries of the cyclosporin cluster and reveal high levels of expression of the gene cluster cyclophilin. In medium containing insect hemolymph, weaker but significant upregulation of several genes within the cyclosporin cluster, including the highly expressed cyclophilin gene, was observed. T. inflatum also represents the first reference draft genome of Ophiocordycipitaceae, a third family of insect pathogenic fungi within the fungal order Hypocreales, and supports parallel and qualitatively distinct radiations of insect pathogens. The T. inflatum genome provides additional insight into the evolution and biosynthesis of cyclosporin and lays a foundation for further investigations of the role

Expression of gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (gdoA) genes involved in aromatic degradation in two haloarchaeal genera.

Science.gov (United States)

Fairley, D J; Wang, G; Rensing, C; Pepper, I L; Larkin, M J

2006-12-01

Gentisate-1,2-dioxygenase genes (gdoA), with homology to a number of bacterial dioxygenases, and genes encoding a putative coenzyme A (CoA)-synthetase subunit (acdB) and a CoA-thioesterase (tieA) were identified in two haloarchaeal isolates. In Haloarcula sp. D1, gdoA was expressed during growth on 4-hydroxybenzoate but not benzoate, and acdB and tieA were not expressed during growth on any of the aromatic substrates tested. In contrast, gdoA was expressed in Haloferax sp. D1227 during growth on benzoate, 3-hydroxybenzoate, cinnamate and phenylpropionate, and both acdB and tieA were expressed during growth on benzoate, cinnamate and phenylpropionate, but not on 3-hydroxybenzoate. This pattern of induction is consistent with these genes encoding steps in a CoA-mediated benzoate pathway in this strain.

Oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1 expression in human breast and prostate cancer cases, and its regulation by sex steroid hormones

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Cláudio Jorge Maia

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1 is an interferon-induced protein characterised by its capacity to catalyse the synthesis of 2ʹ-5ʹ-linked oligomers of adenosine from adenosine triphosphate (2-5A. The 2-5A binds to a latent Ribonuclease L (RNase L, which subsequently dimerises into its active form and may play an important role in the control of cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Previously, our research group identified OAS1 as a differentially-expressed gene in breast and prostate cancer cell lines when compared to normal cells. This study evaluates: i the expression of OAS1 in human breast and prostate cancer specimens; and ii the effect of sex steroid hormones in regulating the expression of OAS1 in breast (MCF-7 and prostate (LNCaP cancer cell lines. The obtained results showed that OAS1 expression was down-regulated in human infiltrative ductal carcinoma of breast, adenocarcinoma of prostate, and benign prostate hyperplasia, both at mRNA and protein level. In addition, OAS1 expression was negatively correlated with the progression of breast and prostate cancer. With regards to the regulation of OAS1 gene, it was demonstrated that 17β-estradiol (E2 down-regulates OAS1 gene in MCF-7 cell lines, an effect that seems to be dependent on the activation of oestrogen receptor (ER. On the other hand, 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT treatment showed no effect on the expression of OAS1 in LNCaP cell lines. The lower levels of OAS1 in breast and prostate cancer cases indicated that the OAS1/RNaseL apoptotic pathway may be compromised in breast and prostate tumours. Moreover, the present findings suggested that this effect may be enhanced by oestrogen in ER-positive breast cancers.

Maternal Factors Are Associated with the Expression of Placental Genes Involved in Amino Acid Metabolism and Transport

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Pricilla E.; Ntani, Georgia; Crozier, Sarah R.; Mahon, Pam A.; Inskip, Hazel M.; Cooper, Cyrus; Harvey, Nicholas C.; Godfrey, Keith M.; Hanson, Mark A.; Lewis, Rohan M.; Cleal, Jane K.

2015-01-01

Introduction Maternal environment and lifestyle factors may modify placental function to match the mother’s capacity to support the demands of fetal growth. Much remains to be understood about maternal influences on placental metabolic and amino acid transporter gene expression. We investigated the influences of maternal lifestyle and body composition (e.g. fat and muscle content) on a selection of metabolic and amino acid transporter genes and their associations with fetal growth. Methods RNA was extracted from 102 term Southampton Women’s Survey placental samples. Expression of nine metabolic, seven exchange, eight accumulative and three facilitated transporter genes was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR. Results Increased placental LAT2 (p = 0.01), y + LAT2 (p = 0.03), aspartate aminotransferase 2 (p = 0.02) and decreased aspartate aminotransferase 1 (p = 0.04) mRNA expression associated with pre-pregnancy maternal smoking. Placental mRNA expression of TAT1 (p = 0.01), ASCT1 (p = 0.03), mitochondrial branched chain aminotransferase (p = 0.02) and glutamine synthetase (p = 0.05) was positively associated with maternal strenuous exercise. Increased glutamine synthetase mRNA expression (r = 0.20, p = 0.05) associated with higher maternal diet quality (prudent dietary pattern) pre-pregnancy. Lower LAT4 (r = -0.25, p = 0.05) and aspartate aminotransferase 2 mRNA expression (r = -0.28, p = 0.01) associated with higher early pregnancy diet quality. Lower placental ASCT1 mRNA expression associated with measures of increased maternal fat mass, including pre-pregnancy BMI (r = -0.26, p = 0.01). Lower placental mRNA expression of alanine aminotransferase 2 associated with greater neonatal adiposity, for example neonatal subscapular skinfold thickness (r = -0.33, p = 0.001). Conclusion A number of maternal influences have been linked with outcomes in childhood, independently of neonatal size; our finding of associations between placental expression of

Maternal Factors Are Associated with the Expression of Placental Genes Involved in Amino Acid Metabolism and Transport.

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Pricilla E Day

Full Text Available Maternal environment and lifestyle factors may modify placental function to match the mother's capacity to support the demands of fetal growth. Much remains to be understood about maternal influences on placental metabolic and amino acid transporter gene expression. We investigated the influences of maternal lifestyle and body composition (e.g. fat and muscle content on a selection of metabolic and amino acid transporter genes and their associations with fetal growth.RNA was extracted from 102 term Southampton Women's Survey placental samples. Expression of nine metabolic, seven exchange, eight accumulative and three facilitated transporter genes was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR.Increased placental LAT2 (p = 0.01, y+LAT2 (p = 0.03, aspartate aminotransferase 2 (p = 0.02 and decreased aspartate aminotransferase 1 (p = 0.04 mRNA expression associated with pre-pregnancy maternal smoking. Placental mRNA expression of TAT1 (p = 0.01, ASCT1 (p = 0.03, mitochondrial branched chain aminotransferase (p = 0.02 and glutamine synthetase (p = 0.05 was positively associated with maternal strenuous exercise. Increased glutamine synthetase mRNA expression (r = 0.20, p = 0.05 associated with higher maternal diet quality (prudent dietary pattern pre-pregnancy. Lower LAT4 (r = -0.25, p = 0.05 and aspartate aminotransferase 2 mRNA expression (r = -0.28, p = 0.01 associated with higher early pregnancy diet quality. Lower placental ASCT1 mRNA expression associated with measures of increased maternal fat mass, including pre-pregnancy BMI (r = -0.26, p = 0.01. Lower placental mRNA expression of alanine aminotransferase 2 associated with greater neonatal adiposity, for example neonatal subscapular skinfold thickness (r = -0.33, p = 0.001.A number of maternal influences have been linked with outcomes in childhood, independently of neonatal size; our finding of associations between placental expression of transporter and metabolic genes and maternal smoking

Dynamic Network Reconstruction from Gene Expression Data Describing the Effect of LiCl Stimulation on Hepatocytes

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Zellmer Sebastian

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Wnt/β-catenin signalling plays an important role in zonation of liver parenchyma and in patterning of hepatocyte heterogeneity. A characteristic marker of this heterogeneity is glutamine synthetase, which is expressed only in a subset of pericentrally located hepatocytes. To investigate, whether and how the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway is involved a culture of hepatocytes was stimulated by LiCl. This resulted in an increase in the specific GS activity, indicating that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway may participate in regulating GS levels. Affymetrix GeneChip oligonucleotide arrays were used to monitor the gene expression changes during a period from 2 to 24 hours after stimulation by LiCl. Samples from a cultivation without stimulation were used as controls. Based on the gene expression profiles a hypothetic signal transduction network was constructed by a reverse engineering algorithm. The network robustness was tested and the most stable structure was identified.

Plasmodium falciparum mitochondria import tRNAs along with an active phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase.

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Sharma, Arvind; Sharma, Amit

2015-02-01

The Plasmodium falciparum protein translation enzymes aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are an emergent family of drug targets. The aaRS ensemble catalyses transfer of amino acids to cognate tRNAs, thus providing charged tRNAs for ribosomal consumption. P. falciparum proteome expression relies on a total of 36 aaRSs for the three translationally independent compartments of cytoplasm, apicoplast and mitochondria. In the present study, we show that, of this set of 36, a single genomic copy of mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (mFRS) is targeted to the parasite mitochondria, and that the mFRS gene is exclusive to malaria parasites within the apicomplexan phyla. Our protein cellular localization studies based on immunofluorescence data show that, along with mFRS, P. falciparum harbours two more phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (FRS) assemblies that are localized to its apicoplast and cytoplasm. The 'extra' mFRS is found in mitochondria of all asexual blood stage parasites and is competent in aminoacylation. We show further that the parasite mitochondria import tRNAs from the cytoplasmic tRNA pool. Hence drug targeting of FRSs presents a unique opportunity to potentially stall protein production in all three parasite translational compartments.

The T box regulatory element controlling expression of the class I lysyl-tRNA synthetase of Bacillus cereus strain 14579 is functional and can be partially induced by reduced charging of asparaginyl-tRNAAsn

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Foy, Niall

2010-07-22

Abstract Background Lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS) is unique within the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase family in that both class I (LysRS1) and class II (LysRS2) enzymes exist. LysRS1 enzymes are found in Archaebacteria and some eubacteria while all other organisms have LysRS2 enzymes. All sequenced strains of Bacillus cereus (except AH820) and Bacillus thuringiensis however encode both a class I and a class II LysRS. The lysK gene (encoding LysRS1) of B. cereus strain 14579 has an associated T box element, the first reported instance of potential T box control of LysRS expression. Results A global study of 891 completely sequenced bacterial genomes identified T box elements associated with control of LysRS expression in only four bacterial species: B. cereus, B. thuringiensis, Symbiobacterium thermophilum and Clostridium beijerinckii. Here we investigate the T box element found in the regulatory region of the lysK gene in B. cereus strain 14579. We show that this T box element is functional, responding in a canonical manner to an increased level of uncharged tRNALys but, unusually, also responding to an increased level of uncharged tRNAAsn. We also show that B. subtilis strains with T box regulated expression of the endogenous lysS or the heterologous lysK genes are viable. Conclusions The T box element controlling lysK (encoding LysRS1) expression in B. cereus strain 14579 is functional, but unusually responds to depletion of charged tRNALys and tRNAAsn. This may have the advantage of making LysRS1 expression responsive to a wider range of nutritional stresses. The viability of B. subtilis strains with a single LysRS1 or LysRS2, whose expression is controlled by this T box element, makes the rarity of the occurrence of such control of LysRS expression puzzling.

Differential inhibition of adenylylated and deadenylylated forms of M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase as a drug discovery platform.

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A Theron

Full Text Available Glutamine synthetase is a ubiquitous central enzyme in nitrogen metabolism that is controlled by up to four regulatory mechanisms, including adenylylation of some or all of the twelve subunits by adenylyl transferase. It is considered a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of tuberculosis, being essential for the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and is found extracellularly only in the pathogenic Mycobacterium strains. Human glutamine synthetase is not regulated by the adenylylation mechanism, so the adenylylated form of bacterial glutamine synthetase is of particular interest. Previously published reports show that, when M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase is expressed in Escherichia coli, the E. coli adenylyl transferase does not optimally adenylylate the M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase. Here, we demonstrate the production of soluble adenylylated M. tuberulosis glutamine synthetase in E. coli by the co-expression of M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase and M. tuberculosis adenylyl transferase. The differential inhibition of adenylylated M. tuberulosis glutamine synthetase and deadenylylated M. tuberulosis glutamine synthetase by ATP based scaffold inhibitors are reported. Compounds selected on the basis of their enzyme inhibition were also shown to inhibit M. tuberculosis in the BACTEC 460TB™ assay as well as the intracellular inhibition of M. tuberculosis in a mouse bone-marrow derived macrophage assay.

Differential inhibition of adenylylated and deadenylylated forms of M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase as a drug discovery platform.

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Theron, A; Roth, R L; Hoppe, H; Parkinson, C; van der Westhuyzen, C W; Stoychev, S; Wiid, I; Pietersen, R D; Baker, B; Kenyon, C P

2017-01-01

Glutamine synthetase is a ubiquitous central enzyme in nitrogen metabolism that is controlled by up to four regulatory mechanisms, including adenylylation of some or all of the twelve subunits by adenylyl transferase. It is considered a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of tuberculosis, being essential for the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and is found extracellularly only in the pathogenic Mycobacterium strains. Human glutamine synthetase is not regulated by the adenylylation mechanism, so the adenylylated form of bacterial glutamine synthetase is of particular interest. Previously published reports show that, when M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase is expressed in Escherichia coli, the E. coli adenylyl transferase does not optimally adenylylate the M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase. Here, we demonstrate the production of soluble adenylylated M. tuberulosis glutamine synthetase in E. coli by the co-expression of M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase and M. tuberculosis adenylyl transferase. The differential inhibition of adenylylated M. tuberulosis glutamine synthetase and deadenylylated M. tuberulosis glutamine synthetase by ATP based scaffold inhibitors are reported. Compounds selected on the basis of their enzyme inhibition were also shown to inhibit M. tuberculosis in the BACTEC 460TB™ assay as well as the intracellular inhibition of M. tuberculosis in a mouse bone-marrow derived macrophage assay.

Genetics Home Reference: carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I deficiency

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... belongs to a class of genetic diseases called urea cycle disorders. In this condition, the carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I ... Management Resources (4 links) Baby's First Test GeneReview: Urea Cycle Disorders Overview MedlinePlus Encyclopedia: Hereditary Urea Cycle Abnormality National ...

Negative argininosuccinate synthetase expression in melanoma tumours may predict clinical benefit from arginine-depleting therapy with pegylated arginine deiminase

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Feun, L G; Marini, A; Walker, G; Elgart, G; Moffat, F; Rodgers, S E; Wu, C J; You, M; Wangpaichitr, M; Kuo, M T; Sisson, W; Jungbluth, A A; Bomalaski, J; Savaraj, N

2012-01-01

Background: Arginine-depleting therapy with pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG20) was reported to have activity in advanced melanoma in early phase I–II trial, and clinical trials are currently underway in other cancers. However, the optimal patient population who benefit from this treatment is unknown. Methods: Advanced melanoma patients with accessible tumours had biopsy performed before the start of treatment with ADI-PEG20 and at the time of progression or relapse when amenable to determine whether argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS) expression in tumour was predictive of response to ADI-PEG20. Results: Twenty-seven of thirty-eight patients treated had melanoma tumours assessable for ASS staining before treatment. Clinical benefit rate (CBR) and longer time to progression were associated with negative expression of tumour ASS. Only 1 of 10 patients with ASS-positive tumours (ASS+) had stable disease, whereas 4 of 17 (24%) had partial response and 5 had stable disease, when ASS expression was negative (ASS−), giving CBR rates of 52.9 vs 10%, P=0.041. Two responding patients with negative ASS expression before therapy had rebiopsy after tumour progression and the ASS expression became positive. The survival of ASS− patients receiving at least four doses at 320 IU m−2 was significantly better than the ASS+ group at 26.5 vs 8.5 months, P=0.024. Conclusion: ADI-PEG20 is safe and the drug is only efficacious in melanoma patients whose tumour has negative ASS expression. Argininosuccinate synthetase tumour positivity is associated with drug resistance and tumour progression. PMID:22472884

Icariin Is A PPARα Activator Inducing Lipid Metabolic Gene Expression in Mice

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Yuan-Fu Lu

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Icariin is effective in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. To understand the effect of icariin on lipid metabolism, effects of icariin on PPARα and its target genes were investigated. Mice were treated orally with icariin at doses of 0, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, or clofibrate (500 mg/kg for five days. Liver total RNA was isolated and the expressions of PPARα and lipid metabolism genes were examined. PPARα and its marker genes Cyp4a10 and Cyp4a14 were induced 2-4 fold by icariin, and 4-8 fold by clofibrate. The fatty acid (FA binding and co-activator proteins Fabp1, Fabp4 and Acsl1 were increased 2-fold. The mRNAs of mitochondrial FA β-oxidation enzymes (Cpt1a, Acat1, Acad1 and Hmgcs2 were increased 2-3 fold. The mRNAs of proximal β-oxidation enzymes (Acox1, Ech1, and Ehhadh were also increased by icariin and clofibrate. The expression of mRNAs for sterol regulatory element-binding factor-1 (Srebf1 and FA synthetase (Fasn were unaltered by icariin. The lipid lysis genes Lipe and Pnpla2 were increased by icariin and clofibrate. These results indicate that icariin is a novel PPARα agonist, activates lipid metabolism gene expressions in liver, which could be a basis for its lipid-lowering effects and its beneficial effects against diabetes.

JC virus induces altered patterns of cellular gene expression: Interferon-inducible genes as major transcriptional targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, Saguna; Ziegler, Katja; Ananthula, Praveen; Co, Juliene K.G.; Frisque, Richard J.; Yanagihara, Richard; Nerurkar, Vivek R.

2006-01-01

Human polyomavirus JC (JCV) infects 80% of the population worldwide. Primary infection, typically occurring during childhood, is asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals and results in lifelong latency and persistent infection. However, among the severely immunocompromised, JCV may cause a fatal demyelinating disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Virus-host interactions influencing persistence and pathogenicity are not well understood, although significant regulation of JCV activity is thought to occur at the level of transcription. Regulation of the JCV early and late promoters during the lytic cycle is a complex event that requires participation of both viral and cellular factors. We have used cDNA microarray technology to analyze global alterations in gene expression in JCV-permissive primary human fetal glial cells (PHFG). Expression of more than 400 cellular genes was altered, including many that influence cell proliferation, cell communication and interferon (IFN)-mediated host defense responses. Genes in the latter category included signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), interferon stimulating gene 56 (ISG56), myxovirus resistance 1 (MxA), 2'5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS), and cig5. The expression of these genes was further confirmed in JCV-infected PHFG cells and the human glioblastoma cell line U87MG to ensure the specificity of JCV in inducing this strong antiviral response. Results obtained by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analyses supported the microarray data and provide temporal information related to virus-induced changes in the IFN response pathway. Our data indicate that the induction of an antiviral response may be one of the cellular factors regulating/controlling JCV replication in immunocompetent hosts and therefore constraining the development of PML

Advances in animal cell recombinant protein production: GS-NS0 expression system.

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Barnes, L M; Bentley, C M; Dickson, A J

2000-02-01

The production of recombinant proteins using mammalian cell expression systems is of growing importance within biotechnology, largely due to the ability of specific mammalian cells to carry out post-translational modifications of the correct fidelity. The Glutamine Synthetase-NS0 system is now one such industrially important expression system.Glutamine synthetase catalyses the formation ofglutamine from glutamate and ammonia. NS0 cellscontain extremely low levels of endogenous glutaminesynthetase activity, therefore exogenous glutaminesynthetase can be used efficiently as a selectablemarker to identify successful transfectants in theabsence of glutamine in the media. In addition, theinclusion of methionine sulphoximine, an inhibitor ofglutamine synthetase activity, enables furtherselection of those clones producing relatively highlevels of transfected glutamine synthetase and henceany heterologous gene which is coupled to it. Theglutamine synthetase system technology has been usedfor research and development purposes during thisdecade and its importance is clearly demonstrated nowthat two therapeutic products produced using thissystem have reached the market place.

Enzymatic Production of Glutathione by Bifunctional γ-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase/Glutathione Synthetase Coupled with In Vitro Acetate Kinase-Based ATP Generation.

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Jiang, Yu; Tao, Rongsheng; Shen, Zhengquan; Sun, Liangdong; Zhu, Fuyun; Yang, Sheng

2016-12-01

Glutathione (γ-glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine, GSH) is a pharmaceutical compound often used in food additives and the cosmetics industry. GSH can be produced biologically from L-glutamic acid, L-cysteine, and glycine through an enzymatic process traditionally involving two sequential adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent reactions catalyzed by γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS or GSHI, EC 6.3.2.2) and GSH synthetase (GS or GSHII, EC 6.3.2.3). Here, we report the enzymatic production of GSH by recombinant cell-free bifunctional γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase/glutathione synthetase (γ-GCS-GS or GshF) coupled with in vitro acetate kinase-based ATP generation. GSH production by an acetate kinase-integrated Escherichia coli Rosetta(DE3) mutant expressing Streptococcus thermophilus GshF reached 18.3 ± 0.1 g l -1 (59.5 ± 0.3 mM) within 3 h, with a molar yield of 0.75 ± 0.00 mol mol -1 added cysteine and a productivity of 6.1 ± 0.0 g l -1  h -1 . This is the highest GSH titer reported to date. This newly developed biocatalytic process offers a promising approach for meeting the industrial requirements for GSH production.

Impact of the Disruption of ASN3-Encoding Asparagine Synthetase on Arabidopsis Development

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Laure Gaufichon

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ASN3-encoded asparagine synthetase (AS, EC 6.3.5.4 during vegetative growth, seed development and germination of Arabidopsis thaliana. Phenotypic analysis of knockout (asn3-1 and knockdown (asn3-2 T-DNA insertion mutants for the ASN3 gene (At5g10240 demonstrated wild-type contents of asparagine synthetase protein, chlorophyll and ammonium in green leaves at 35 days after sowing. In situ hybridization localized ASN3 mRNA to phloem companion cells of vasculature. Young siliques of the asn3-1 knockout line showed a decrease in asparagine but an increase in glutamate. The seeds of asn3-1 and asn3-2 displayed a wild-type nitrogen status expressed as total nitrogen content, indicating that the repression of ASN3 expression had only a limited effect on mature seeds. An analysis of amino acid labeling of seeds imbibed with (15N ammonium for 24 h revealed that asn3-1 seeds contained 20% less total asparagine while 15N-labeled asparagine ((2-15Nasparagine, (4-15Nasparagine and (2,4-15Nasparagine increased by 12% compared to wild-type seeds. The data indicate a fine regulation of asparagine synthesis and hydrolysis in Arabidopsis seeds.

Evidence that the mitochondrial leucyl tRNA synthetase (LARS2) gene represents a novel type 2 diabetes susceptibility gene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

hart, Leen M; Hansen, Torben; Rietveld, Ingrid

2005-01-01

Previously, we have shown that a mutation in the mitochondrial DNA-encoded tRNA(Leu(UUR)) gene is associated with type 2 diabetes. One of the consequences of this mutation is a reduced aminoacylation of tRNA(Leu(UUR)). In this study, we have examined whether variants in the leucyl tRNA synthetase...... gene (LARS2), involved in aminoacylation of tRNA(Leu(UUR)), associate with type 2 diabetes. Direct sequencing of LARS2 cDNA from 25 type 2 diabetic subjects revealed eight single nucleotide polymorphisms. Two of the variants were examined in 7,836 subjects from four independent populations...... in the Netherlands and Denmark. A -109 g/a variant was not associated with type 2 diabetes. Allele frequencies for the other variant, H324Q, were 3.5% in type 2 diabetic and 2.7% in control subjects, respectively. The common odds ratio across all four studies was 1.40 (95% CI 1.12-1.76), P = 0.004. There were...

Global gene expression under nitrogen starvation in Xylella fastidiosa: contribution of the σ54 regulon

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da Silva Neto José F

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Xylella fastidiosa, a Gram-negative fastidious bacterium, grows in the xylem of several plants causing diseases such as citrus variegated chlorosis. As the xylem sap contains low concentrations of amino acids and other compounds, X. fastidiosa needs to cope with nitrogen limitation in its natural habitat. Results In this work, we performed a whole-genome microarray analysis of the X. fastidiosa nitrogen starvation response. A time course experiment (2, 8 and 12 hours of cultures grown in defined medium under nitrogen starvation revealed many differentially expressed genes, such as those related to transport, nitrogen assimilation, amino acid biosynthesis, transcriptional regulation, and many genes encoding hypothetical proteins. In addition, a decrease in the expression levels of many genes involved in carbon metabolism and energy generation pathways was also observed. Comparison of gene expression profiles between the wild type strain and the rpoN null mutant allowed the identification of genes directly or indirectly induced by nitrogen starvation in a σ54-dependent manner. A more complete picture of the σ54 regulon was achieved by combining the transcriptome data with an in silico search for potential σ54-dependent promoters, using a position weight matrix approach. One of these σ54-predicted binding sites, located upstream of the glnA gene (encoding glutamine synthetase, was validated by primer extension assays, confirming that this gene has a σ54-dependent promoter. Conclusions Together, these results show that nitrogen starvation causes intense changes in the X. fastidiosa transcriptome and some of these differentially expressed genes belong to the σ54 regulon.

Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba

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Gaten Edward

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background All crustaceans periodically moult to renew their exoskeleton. In krill this involves partial digestion and resorption of the old exoskeleton and synthesis of new cuticle. Molecular events that underlie the moult cycle are poorly understood in calcifying crustaceans and even less so in non-calcifying organisms such as krill. To address this we constructed an Antarctic krill cDNA microarray in order to generate gene expression profiles across the moult cycle and identify possible activation pathways. Results A total of 26 different cuticle genes were identified that showed differential gene expression across the moult cycle. Almost all cuticle genes were up regulated during premoult and down regulated during late intermoult. There were a number of transcripts with significant sequence homology to genes potentially involved in the synthesis, breakdown and resorption of chitin. During early premoult glutamine synthetase, a gene involved in generating an amino acid used in the synthesis of glucosamine, a constituent of chitin, was up regulated more than twofold. Mannosyltransferase 1, a member of the glycosyltransferase family of enzymes that includes chitin synthase was also up regulated during early premoult. Transcripts homologous to a β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (β-NAGase precursor were expressed at a higher level during late intermoult (prior to apolysis than during premoult. This observation coincided with the up regulation during late intermoult, of a coatomer subunit epsilon involved in the production of vesicles that maybe used to transport the β-NAGase precursors into the exuvial cleft. Trypsin, known to activate the β-NAGase precursor, was up regulated more than fourfold during premoult. The up regulation of a predicted oligopeptide transporter during premoult may allow the transport of chitin breakdown products across the newly synthesised epi- and exocuticle layers. Conclusion We have identified many genes

Structure of the prolyl-tRNA synthetase from the eukaryotic pathogen Giardia lamblia

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Larson, Eric T.; Kim, Jessica E.; Napuli, Alberto J.; Verlinde, Christophe L. M. J.; Fan, Erkang; Zucker, Frank H.; Van Voorhis, Wesley C.; Buckner, Frederick S.; Hol, Wim G. J.; Merritt, Ethan A., E-mail: merritt@u.washington.edu [Medical Structural Genomics of Pathogenic Protozoa, (United States); University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States)

2012-09-01

The structure of Giardia prolyl-tRNA synthetase cocrystallized with proline and ATP shows evidence for half-of-the-sites activity, leading to a corresponding mixture of reaction substrates and product (prolyl-AMP) in the two active sites of the dimer. The genome of the human intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia contains only a single aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase gene for each amino acid. The Giardia prolyl-tRNA synthetase gene product was originally misidentified as a dual-specificity Pro/Cys enzyme, in part owing to its unexpectedly high off-target activation of cysteine, but is now believed to be a normal representative of the class of archaeal/eukaryotic prolyl-tRNA synthetases. The 2.2 Å resolution crystal structure of the G. lamblia enzyme presented here is thus the first structure determination of a prolyl-tRNA synthetase from a eukaryote. The relative occupancies of substrate (proline) and product (prolyl-AMP) in the active site are consistent with half-of-the-sites reactivity, as is the observed biphasic thermal denaturation curve for the protein in the presence of proline and MgATP. However, no corresponding induced asymmetry is evident in the structure of the protein. No thermal stabilization is observed in the presence of cysteine and ATP. The implied low affinity for the off-target activation product cysteinyl-AMP suggests that translational fidelity in Giardia is aided by the rapid release of misactivated cysteine.

[Knockdown of dopamine receptor D2 upregulates the expression of adiogenic genes in mouse primary mesencephalic neurons].

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Jiaqi; Chen, Xiaoli; Lin, Jiaji; Zhu, Junling; Li, Zhuyi

2018-01-01

Objective To study the effects of dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) on the adipogenesis genes in mouse primary mesencephalic neurons. Methods The lentiviral vectors which expressed specific shRNA targeting DRD2 were constructed to decrease DRD2 expression in mouse primary mesencephalic neurons. High throughput sequencing (HTS) analysis was used to investigate gene expression changes between the DRD2 knock-down group and the negative control group. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis were applied to verify the differently expressed genes. Fatty acids were measured by fatty acid detection kit. Results DRD2 expression was effectively down-regulated in mouse primary mesencephalic neurons by lentiviral vectors. HTS revealed adipogenesis genes were significantly up-regulated after DRD2 down-regulation, mainly including delta(14)-sterol reductase, acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase, insulin-induced gene 1 protein and especially stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD1, 4-fold upregulated). The qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis verified that SCD1 was upregulated 2.6 folds and 2 folds respectively by lentiviral DRD2-shRNA vectors. Moreover, the SCD1-related free fatty acids were significantly more increased than the negative control group. Conclusion DRD2 in primary mesencephalic neurons had a significant regulative effect on the adipogenesis genes. The up-regulation of SCD1 can accelerate the conversion of saturated fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids and prevent the damage of lipid toxicity to cells.

Purification, gene cloning, and characterization of γ-butyrobetainyl CoA synthetase from Agrobacterium sp. 525a.

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Fujimitsu, Hiroshi; Matsumoto, Akira; Takubo, Sayaka; Fukui, Akiko; Okada, Kazuma; Mohamed Ahmed, Isam A; Arima, Jiro; Mori, Nobuhiro

2016-08-01

The report is the first of purification, overproduction, and characterization of a unique γ-butyrobetainyl CoA synthetase from soil-isolated Agrobacterium sp. 525a. The primary structure of the enzyme shares 70-95% identity with those of ATP-dependent microbial acyl-CoA synthetases of the Rhizobiaceae family. As distinctive characteristics of the enzyme of this study, ADP was released in the catalytic reaction process, whereas many acyl CoA synthetases are annotated as an AMP-forming enzyme. The apparent Km values for γ-butyrobetaine, CoA, and ATP were, respectively, 0.69, 0.02, and 0.24 mM.

Precursor Amino Acids Inhibit Polymyxin E Biosynthesis in Paenibacillus polymyxa, Probably by Affecting the Expression of Polymyxin E Biosynthesis-Associated Genes

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Zhiliang Yu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Polymyxin E belongs to cationic polypeptide antibiotic bearing four types of direct precursor amino acids including L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (L-Dab, L-Leu, D-Leu, and L-Thr. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of addition of precursor amino acids during fermentation on polymyxin E biosynthesis in Paenibacillus polymyxa. The results showed that, after 35 h fermentation, addition of direct precursor amino acids to certain concentration significantly inhibited polymyxin E production and affected the expression of genes involved in its biosynthesis. L-Dab repressed the expression of polymyxin synthetase genes pmxA and pmxE, as well as 2,4-diaminobutyrate aminotransferase gene ectB; both L-Leu and D-Leu repressed the pmxA expression. In addition, L-Thr affected the expression of not only pmxA, but also regulatory genes spo0A and abrB. As L-Dab precursor, L-Asp repressed the expression of ectB, pmxA, and pmxE. Moreover, it affected the expression of spo0A and abrB. In contrast, L-Phe, a nonprecursor amino acid, had no obvious effect on polymyxin E biosynthesis and those biosynthesis-related genes expression. Taken together, our data demonstrated that addition of precursor amino acids during fermentation will inhibit polymyxin E production probably by affecting the expression of its biosynthesis-related genes.

Differential inhibition of adenylylated and deadenylylated forms of M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase as a drug discovery platform

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Theron, Anjo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available mechanism, so the adenylylated form of bacterial glutamine synthetase is of particular interest. Previously published reports show that, when M. tuberculosis glutamine synthetase is expressed in Escherichia coli, the E. coli adenylyl transferase does...

STING-Dependent 2'-5' Oligoadenylate Synthetase-Like Production Is Required for Intracellular Mycobacterium leprae Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

de Toledo-Pinto, Thiago Gomes; Ferreira, Anna Beatriz Robottom; Ribeiro-Alves, Marcelo; Rodrigues, Luciana Silva; Batista-Silva, Leonardo Ribeiro; Silva, Bruno Jorge de Andrade; Lemes, Robertha Mariana Rodrigues; Martinez, Alejandra Nóbrega; Sandoval, Felipe Galvan; Alvarado-Arnez, Lucia Elena; Rosa, Patrícia Sammarco; Shannon, Edward Joseph; Pessolani, Maria Cristina Vidal; Pinheiro, Roberta Olmo; Antunes, Sérgio Luís Gomes; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes; Lara, Flávio Alves; Williams, Diana Lynn; Ozório Moraes, Milton

2016-07-15

Cytosolic detection of nucleic acids elicits a type I interferon (IFN) response and plays a critical role in host defense against intracellular pathogens. Herein, a global gene expression profile of Mycobacterium leprae-infected primary human Schwann cells identified the genes differentially expressed in the type I IFN pathway. Among them, the gene encoding 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase-like (OASL) underwent the greatest upregulation and was also shown to be upregulated in M. leprae-infected human macrophage cell lineages, primary monocytes, and skin lesion specimens from patients with a disseminated form of leprosy. OASL knock down was associated with decreased viability of M. leprae that was concomitant with upregulation of either antimicrobial peptide expression or autophagy levels. Downregulation of MCP-1/CCL2 release was also observed during OASL knock down. M. leprae-mediated OASL expression was dependent on cytosolic DNA sensing mediated by stimulator of IFN genes signaling. The addition of M. leprae DNA enhanced nonpathogenic Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin intracellular survival, downregulated antimicrobial peptide expression, and increased MCP-1/CCL2 secretion. Thus, our data uncover a promycobacterial role for OASL during M. leprae infection that directs the host immune response toward a niche that permits survival of the pathogen. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Characteristics of nobiletin-mediated alteration of gene expression in cultured cell lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nemoto, Kiyomitsu, E-mail: nemoto@u-shizuoka-ken.ac.jp [Department of Molecular Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526 (Japan); Ikeda, Ayaka; Yoshida, Chiaki; Kimura, Junko; Mori, Junki [Department of Molecular Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526 (Japan); Fujiwara, Hironori [Department of Anti-Dementia Functional Food Development, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-7 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Yokosuka, Akihito; Mimaki, Yoshihiro [Department of Medicinal Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji 192-0392 (Japan); Ohizumi, Yasushi [Department of Molecular Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526 (Japan); Department of Anti-Dementia Functional Food Development, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-7 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Laboratory of Kampo Medicines, Yokohama College of Pharmacy, 601 Matano-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama 245-0066 (Japan); Degawa, Masakuni [Department of Molecular Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526 (Japan)

2013-02-15

Highlights: ► Nobiletin-mediated alterations of gene expression were examined with DNA microarrays. ► Three organ-derived cell lines were treated with 100 μM nobiletin for 24 h. ► In all cell lines, 3 endoplasmic reticulum stress-responsive genes were up-regulated. ► Some cell cycle-regulating and oxidative stress-promoting genes were down-regulated. ► These alterations may contribute to nobiletin-mediated biological effects. -- Abstract: Nobiletin, a polymethoxylated flavonoid that is highly contained in the peels of citrus fruits, exerts a wide variety of beneficial effects, including anti-proliferative effects in cancer cells, repressive effects in hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia, and ameliorative effects in dementia at in vitro and in vivo levels. In the present study, to further understand the mechanisms of these actions of nobiletin, the nobiletin-mediated alterations of gene expression in three organ-derived cell lines – 3Y1 rat fibroblasts, HuH-7 human hepatocarcinoma cells, and SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells – were first examined with DNA microarrays. In all three cell lines, treatments with nobiletin (100 μM) for 24 h resulted in more than 200% increases in the expression levels of five genes, including the endoplasmic reticulum stress-responsive genes Ddit3, Trib3, and Asns, and in less than 50% decreases in the expression levels of seven genes, including the cell cycle-regulating genes Ccna2, Ccne2, and E2f8 and the oxidative stress-promoting gene Txnip. It was also confirmed that in each nobiletin-treated cell line, the levels of the DDIT3 (DNA-damage-inducible transcript 3, also known as CHOP and GADD153) and ASNS (asparagine synthetase) proteins were increased, while the level of the TXNIP (thioredoxin-interacting protein, also known as VDUP1 and TBP-2) protein was decreased. All these findings suggest that nobiletin exerts a wide variety of biological effects, at least partly, through induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress and

ASN1-encoded asparagine synthetase in floral organs contributes to nitrogen filling in Arabidopsis seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaufichon, Laure; Marmagne, Anne; Belcram, Katia; Yoneyama, Tadakatsu; Sakakibara, Yukiko; Hase, Toshiharu; Grandjean, Olivier; Clément, Gilles; Citerne, Sylvie; Boutet-Mercey, Stéphanie; Masclaux-Daubresse, Céline; Chardon, Fabien; Soulay, Fabienne; Xu, Xiaole; Trassaert, Marion; Shakiebaei, Maryam; Najihi, Amina; Suzuki, Akira

2017-08-01

Despite a general view that asparagine synthetase generates asparagine as an amino acid for long-distance transport of nitrogen to sink organs, its role in nitrogen metabolic pathways in floral organs during seed nitrogen filling has remained undefined. We demonstrate that the onset of pollination in Arabidopsis induces selected genes for asparagine metabolism, namely ASN1 (At3g47340), GLN2 (At5g35630), GLU1 (At5g04140), AapAT2 (At5g19950), ASPGA1 (At5g08100) and ASPGB1 (At3g16150), particularly at the ovule stage (stage 0), accompanied by enhanced asparagine synthetase protein, asparagine and total amino acids. Immunolocalization confined asparagine synthetase to the vascular cells of the silique cell wall and septum, but also to the outer and inner seed integuments, demonstrating the post-phloem transport of asparagine in these cells to developing embryos. In the asn1 mutant, aberrant embryo cell divisions in upper suspensor cell layers from globular to heart stages assign a role for nitrogen in differentiating embryos within the ovary. Induction of asparagine metabolic genes by light/dark and nitrate supports fine shifts of nitrogen metabolic pathways. In transgenic Arabidopsis expressing promoter Ca MV 35S ::ASN1 fusion, marked metabolomics changes at stage 0, including a several-fold increase in free asparagine, are correlated to enhanced seed nitrogen. However, specific promoter Napin2S ::ASN1 expression during seed formation and a six-fold increase in asparagine toward the desiccation stage result in wild-type seed nitrogen, underlining that delayed accumulation of asparagine impairs the timing of its use by releasing amide and amino nitrogen. Transcript and metabolite profiles in floral organs match the carbon and nitrogen partitioning to generate energy via the tricarboxylic acid cycle, GABA shunt and phosphorylated serine synthetic pathway. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Phosphorylation of eukaryotic aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pendergast, A.M.

1986-01-01

The phosphorylation of the highly purified aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex from rabbit reticulocytes was examined. The synthetase complex contained, in addition to eight aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, three unidentified proteins and was free of endogenous protein kinase activity. Incubation of the complex with casein kinase I in the presence of ATP resulted in the phosphorylation of four synthetases, the glutamyl-, isoleucyl-, methionyl-, and lysyl-tRNA synthetases. Phosphorylation by casein kinase I altered binding to tRNA-Sepharose such that the phosphorylated complex eluted at 190 mM NaCl instead of the 275 mM salt observed for the nonphosphorylated form. Phosphorylation by casein kinase I resulted in a significant inhibition of aminoacylation with the four synthetases; the activities of the nonphosphorylated synthetases were unchanged. One of the unidentified proteins in the complex (M/sub r/ 37,000) was also an excellent substrate for casein kinase I. A comparison of the properties and two-dimensional phosphopeptide pattern of this protein with that of casein kinase I suggest that the 37,000 dalton protein in the synthetase complex is an inactive form of casein kinase I. Two other protein kinases were shown to phosphorylate aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in the complex. The phosphorylation of threonyl-tRNA synthetase was also investigated. Five aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in the high molecular weight complex were shown to be phosphorylated in rabbit reticulocytes following labeling with ( 32 P)orthophosphate

Microarray analysis of altered gene expression in murine fibroblasts transformed by nickel(II) to nickel(II)-resistant malignant phenotype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kowara, Renata; Karaczyn, Aldona; Cheng, Robert Y.S.; Salnikow, Konstantin; Kasprzak, Kazimierz S.

2005-01-01

B200 cells are Ni(II)-transformed mouse BALB/c-3T3 fibroblasts displaying a malignant phenotype and increased resistance to Ni(II) toxicity. In an attempt to find genes whose expression has been altered by the transformation, the Atlas Mouse Stress/Toxicology cDNA Expression Array (Clontech Laboratories, Inc., Palo Alto, CA) was used to analyze the levels of gene expression in both parental and Ni(II)-transformed cells. Comparison of the results revealed a significant up- or downregulation of the expression of 62 of the 588 genes present in the array (approximately 10.5%) in B200 cells. These genes were assigned to different functional groups, including transcription factors and oncogenes (9/14; fractions in parentheses denote the number of up-regulated versus the total number of genes assigned to this group), stress and DNA damage response genes (11/12), growth factors and hormone receptors (6/9), metabolism (7/7), cell adhesion (2/7), cell cycle (3/6), apoptosis (3/4), and cell proliferation (2/3). Among those genes, overexpression of beta-catenin and its downstream targets c-myc and cyclin D1, together with upregulated cyclin G, points at the malignant character of B200 cells. While the increased expression of glutathione (GSH) synthetase, glutathione-S-transferase A4 (GSTA4), and glutathione-S-transferase theta (GSTT), together with high level of several genes responding to oxidative stress, suggests the enforcement of antioxidant defenses in Ni-transformed cells

Characterization of CG6178 gene product with high sequence similarity to firefly luciferase in Drosophila melanogaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Oba, Yuichi; Ojika, Makoto; Inouye, Satoshi

2004-03-31

This is the first identification of a long-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase in Drosophila by enzymatic characterization. The gene product of CG6178 (CG6178) in Drosophila melanogaster genome, which has a high sequence similarity to firefly luciferase, has been expressed and characterized. CG6178 showed long-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetic activity in the presence of ATP, CoA and Mg(2+), suggesting a fatty acyl adenylate is an intermediate. Recently, it was revealed that firefly luciferase has two catalytic functions, monooxygenase (luciferase) and AMP-mediated CoA ligase (fatty acyl-CoA synthetase). However, unlike firefly luciferase, CG6178 did not show luminescence activity in the presence of firefly luciferin, ATP, CoA and Mg(2+). The enzymatic properties of CG6178 including substrate specificity, pH dependency and optimal temperature were close to those of firefly luciferase and rat fatty acyl-CoA synthetase. Further, phylogenic analyses strongly suggest that the firefly luciferase gene may have evolved from a fatty acyl-CoA synthetase gene as a common ancestral gene.

Characterization of a Bacillus subtilis surfactin synthetase knockout and antimicrobial activity analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hongxia; Qu, Xiaoxu; Gao, Ling; Zhao, Shengming; Lu, Zhaoxin; Zhang, Chong; Bie, Xiaomei

2016-11-10

Gene knockout is an important approach to improve the production of antimicrobial compounds. B. subtilis PB2-LS10, derived from B. subtilis PB2-L by a surfactin synthetase (srf) genes knockout, exhibits stronger inhibitory action than its parental strain against all tested pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The antimicrobial extracts produced by B. subtilis PB2-L and B. subtilis PB2-LS10 respectively were characterized by the high-resolution LC-ESI-MS. To provide further insight into the distinct antimicrobial activities, we investigated the impact of the srf genes deletion on the growth and gene transcriptional profile of the strains. The mutant strain grew quickly and reached stationary phase 2h earlier than the wild-type. Prominent expression changes in the modified strain involved genes that were essential to metabolic pathways and processes. Genes related to amino acid transport, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and protein export were up-regulated in strain PB2-LS10. However, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and fatty acid metabolism were repressed. Because of its excellent antimicrobial activity, strain PB2-LS10 has potential for use in food preservation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gene Expression Analysis of Plum pox virus (Sharka) Susceptibility/Resistance in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio, Manuel; Ballester, Ana Rosa; Olivares, Pedro Manuel; Castro de Moura, Manuel; Dicenta, Federico; Martínez-Gómez, Pedro

2015-01-01

RNA-Seq has proven to be a very powerful tool in the analysis of the Plum pox virus (PPV, sharka disease)/Prunus interaction. This technique is an important complementary tool to other means of studying genomics. In this work an analysis of gene expression of resistance/susceptibility to PPV in apricot is performed. RNA-Seq has been applied to analyse the gene expression changes induced by PPV infection in leaves from two full-sib apricot genotypes, "Rojo Pasión" and "Z506-7", resistant and susceptible to PPV, respectively. Transcriptomic analyses revealed the existence of more than 2,000 genes related to the pathogen response and resistance to PPV in apricot. These results showed that the response to infection by the virus in the susceptible genotype is associated with an induction of genes involved in pathogen resistance such as the allene oxide synthase, S-adenosylmethionine synthetase 2 and the major MLP-like protein 423. Over-expression of the Dicer protein 2a may indicate the suppression of a gene silencing mechanism of the plant by PPV HCPro and P1 PPV proteins. On the other hand, there were 164 genes involved in resistance mechanisms that have been identified in apricot, 49 of which are located in the PPVres region (scaffold 1 positions from 8,050,804 to 8,244,925), which is responsible for PPV resistance in apricot. Among these genes in apricot there are several MATH domain-containing genes, although other genes inside (Pleiotropic drug resistance 9 gene) or outside (CAP, Cysteine-rich secretory proteins, Antigen 5 and Pathogenesis-related 1 protein; and LEA, Late embryogenesis abundant protein) PPVres region could also be involved in the resistance.

Differential gene expression in the liver of the African lungfish, Protopterus annectens, after 6 months of aestivation in air or 1 day of arousal from 6 months of aestivation.

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Kum C Hiong

Full Text Available The African lungfish, Protopterus annectens, can undergo aestivation during drought. Aestivation has three phases: induction, maintenance and arousal. The objective of this study was to examine the differential gene expression in the liver of P. annectens after 6 months (the maintenance phase of aestivation as compared with the freshwater control, or after 1 day of arousal from 6 months aestivation as compared with 6 months of aestivation using suppression subtractive hybridization. During the maintenance phase of aestivation, the mRNA expression of argininosuccinate synthetase 1 and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase III were up-regulated, indicating an increase in the ornithine-urea cycle capacity to detoxify ammonia to urea. There was also an increase in the expression of betaine homocysteine-S-transferase 1 which could reduce and prevent the accumulation of hepatic homocysteine. On the other hand, the down-regulation of superoxide dismutase 1 expression could signify a decrease in ROS production during the maintenance phase of aestivation. In addition, the maintenance phase was marked by decreases in expressions of genes related to blood coagulation, complement fixation and iron and copper metabolism, which could be strategies used to prevent thrombosis and to conserve energy. Unlike the maintenance phase of aestivation, there were increases in expressions of genes related to nitrogen, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and fatty acid transport after 1 day of arousal from 6 months aestivation. There were also up-regulation in expressions of genes that were involved in the electron transport system and ATP synthesis, indicating a greater demand for metabolic energy during arousal. Overall, our results signify the importance of sustaining a low rate of waste production and conservation of energy store during the maintenance phase, and the dependence on internal energy store for repair and structural modification during the arousal phase, of

Gene expression and gene therapy imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rome, Claire; Couillaud, Franck; Moonen, Chrit T.W.

2007-01-01

The fast growing field of molecular imaging has achieved major advances in imaging gene expression, an important element of gene therapy. Gene expression imaging is based on specific probes or contrast agents that allow either direct or indirect spatio-temporal evaluation of gene expression. Direct evaluation is possible with, for example, contrast agents that bind directly to a specific target (e.g., receptor). Indirect evaluation may be achieved by using specific substrate probes for a target enzyme. The use of marker genes, also called reporter genes, is an essential element of MI approaches for gene expression in gene therapy. The marker gene may not have a therapeutic role itself, but by coupling the marker gene to a therapeutic gene, expression of the marker gene reports on the expression of the therapeutic gene. Nuclear medicine and optical approaches are highly sensitive (detection of probes in the picomolar range), whereas MRI and ultrasound imaging are less sensitive and require amplification techniques and/or accumulation of contrast agents in enlarged contrast particles. Recently developed MI techniques are particularly relevant for gene therapy. Amongst these are the possibility to track gene therapy vectors such as stem cells, and the techniques that allow spatiotemporal control of gene expression by non-invasive heating (with MRI guided focused ultrasound) and the use of temperature sensitive promoters. (orig.)

Gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hildebrand, C.E.; Crawford, B.D.; Walters, R.A.; Enger, M.D.

1983-01-01

We prepared probes for isolating functional pieces of the metallothionein locus. The probes enabled a variety of experiments, eventually revealing two mechanisms for metallothionein gene expression, the order of the DNA coding units at the locus, and the location of the gene site in its chromosome. Once the switch regulating metallothionein synthesis was located, it could be joined by recombinant DNA methods to other, unrelated genes, then reintroduced into cells by gene-transfer techniques. The expression of these recombinant genes could then be induced by exposing the cells to Zn 2+ or Cd 2+ . We would thus take advantage of the clearly defined switching properties of the metallothionein gene to manipulate the expression of other, perhaps normally constitutive, genes. Already, despite an incomplete understanding of how the regulatory switch of the metallothionein locus operates, such experiments have been performed successfully

Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Genes pesL and pes1 Are Essential for Fumigaclavine C Production in Aspergillus fumigatus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

O'Hanlon, Karen A.; Gallagher, Lorna; Schrettl, Markus

2012-01-01

The identity of metabolites encoded by the majority of nonribosomal peptide synthetases in the opportunistic pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus, remains outstanding. We found that the nonribosomal peptide (NRP) synthetases PesL and Pes1 were essential for fumigaclavine C biosynthesis, the end produc...

Gene Expression Analysis of Plum pox virus (Sharka Susceptibility/Resistance in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L..

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Rubio

Full Text Available RNA-Seq has proven to be a very powerful tool in the analysis of the Plum pox virus (PPV, sharka disease/Prunus interaction. This technique is an important complementary tool to other means of studying genomics. In this work an analysis of gene expression of resistance/susceptibility to PPV in apricot is performed. RNA-Seq has been applied to analyse the gene expression changes induced by PPV infection in leaves from two full-sib apricot genotypes, "Rojo Pasión" and "Z506-7", resistant and susceptible to PPV, respectively. Transcriptomic analyses revealed the existence of more than 2,000 genes related to the pathogen response and resistance to PPV in apricot. These results showed that the response to infection by the virus in the susceptible genotype is associated with an induction of genes involved in pathogen resistance such as the allene oxide synthase, S-adenosylmethionine synthetase 2 and the major MLP-like protein 423. Over-expression of the Dicer protein 2a may indicate the suppression of a gene silencing mechanism of the plant by PPV HCPro and P1 PPV proteins. On the other hand, there were 164 genes involved in resistance mechanisms that have been identified in apricot, 49 of which are located in the PPVres region (scaffold 1 positions from 8,050,804 to 8,244,925, which is responsible for PPV resistance in apricot. Among these genes in apricot there are several MATH domain-containing genes, although other genes inside (Pleiotropic drug resistance 9 gene or outside (CAP, Cysteine-rich secretory proteins, Antigen 5 and Pathogenesis-related 1 protein; and LEA, Late embryogenesis abundant protein PPVres region could also be involved in the resistance.

Screening of potential biomarkers in uterine leiomyomas disease via gene expression profiling analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xuhui; Liu, Yanfei; Zhao, Jingrong; Liu, Yan

2018-05-01

The present study aimed to screen potential biomarkers for uterine leiomyomas disease, particularly target genes associated with the mediator of RNA polymerase II transcription subunit 12 (MED12) mutation. The microarray data of GSE30673, including 10 MED12 wild-type myometrium, 8 MED12 mutation leiomyoma and 2 MED12 wild-type leiomyoma samples, were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Compared with myometrium samples, differently-expressed genes (DEGs) in the MED12 mutation and wild-type leiomyoma samples were identified using the Limma package. The two sets of DEGs obtained were intersected to screen common DEGs. The DEGs in the MED12 mutation and wild-type leiomyoma samples, and common DEGs were defined as group A, B and C. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery online tool. Based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, pathway relation networks were constructed. DEGs in GO terms and pathways were intersected to screen important DEGs. Subsequently, a gene co‑expression network was constructed and visualized using Cytoscape software. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression levels of important DEGs. A total of 1,258 DEGs in group A were screened, and enriched for extracellular matrix (ECM) organization and ECM‑receptor interaction. In addition, a total of 1,571 DEGs in group B were enriched for cell adhesion. Furthermore, 391 DEGs were involved in extracellular matrix organization. Pathway relation networks of group A, B and C were constructed with nodes of 48, 39, and 28, respectively. Finally, 135 important DEGs were obtained, including Acyl‑CoA synthetase medium‑chain family member 3, protein S (α) (PROS1) and F11 receptor. A gene co‑expression network with 68 nodes was constructed. The expression of caspase 1 (CASP1) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member

Neighboring Genes Show Correlated Evolution in Gene Expression

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanbarian, Avazeh T.; Hurst, Laurence D.

2015-01-01

When considering the evolution of a gene’s expression profile, we commonly assume that this is unaffected by its genomic neighborhood. This is, however, in contrast to what we know about the lack of autonomy between neighboring genes in gene expression profiles in extant taxa. Indeed, in all eukaryotic genomes genes of similar expression-profile tend to cluster, reflecting chromatin level dynamics. Does it follow that if a gene increases expression in a particular lineage then the genomic neighbors will also increase in their expression or is gene expression evolution autonomous? To address this here we consider evolution of human gene expression since the human-chimp common ancestor, allowing for both variation in estimation of current expression level and error in Bayesian estimation of the ancestral state. We find that in all tissues and both sexes, the change in gene expression of a focal gene on average predicts the change in gene expression of neighbors. The effect is highly pronounced in the immediate vicinity (genes increasing their expression in humans tend to avoid nuclear lamina domains and be enriched for the gene activator 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, we conclude that, most probably owing to chromatin level control of gene expression, a change in gene expression of one gene likely affects the expression evolution of neighbors, what we term expression piggybacking, an analog of hitchhiking. PMID:25743543

Gene Expression Commons: an open platform for absolute gene expression profiling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Seita

Full Text Available Gene expression profiling using microarrays has been limited to comparisons of gene expression between small numbers of samples within individual experiments. However, the unknown and variable sensitivities of each probeset have rendered the absolute expression of any given gene nearly impossible to estimate. We have overcome this limitation by using a very large number (>10,000 of varied microarray data as a common reference, so that statistical attributes of each probeset, such as the dynamic range and threshold between low and high expression, can be reliably discovered through meta-analysis. This strategy is implemented in a web-based platform named "Gene Expression Commons" (https://gexc.stanford.edu/ which contains data of 39 distinct highly purified mouse hematopoietic stem/progenitor/differentiated cell populations covering almost the entire hematopoietic system. Since the Gene Expression Commons is designed as an open platform, investigators can explore the expression level of any gene, search by expression patterns of interest, submit their own microarray data, and design their own working models representing biological relationship among samples.

Co-operation between Polymerases and Nucleotide Synthetases in the RNA World.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ye Eun Kim

2016-11-01

Full Text Available It is believed that life passed through an RNA World stage in which replication was sustained by catalytic RNAs (ribozymes. The two most obvious types of ribozymes are a polymerase, which uses a neighbouring strand as a template to make a complementary sequence to the template, and a nucleotide synthetase, which synthesizes monomers for use by the polymerase. When a chemical source of monomers is available, the polymerase can survive on its own. When the chemical supply of monomers is too low, nucleotide production by the synthetase is essential and the two ribozymes can only survive when they are together. Here we consider a computational model to investigate conditions under which coexistence and cooperation of these two types of ribozymes is possible. The model considers six types of strands: the two functional sequences, the complementary strands to these sequences (which are required as templates, and non-functional mutants of the two sequences (which act as parasites. Strands are distributed on a two-dimensional lattice. Polymerases replicate strands on neighbouring sites and synthetases produce monomers that diffuse in the local neighbourhood. We show that coexistence of unlinked polymerases and synthetases is possible in this spatial model under conditions in which neither sequence could survive alone; hence, there is a selective force for increasing complexity. Coexistence is dependent on the relative lengths of the two functional strands, the strand diffusion rate, the monomer diffusion rate, and the rate of deleterious mutations. The sensitivity of this two-ribozyme system suggests that evolution of a system of many types of ribozymes would be difficult in a purely spatial model with unlinked genes. We therefore speculate that linkage of genes onto mini-chromosomes and encapsulation of strands in protocells would have been important fairly early in the history of life as a means of enabling more complex systems to evolve.

Genes associated with thermosensitive genic male sterility in rice identified by comparative expression profiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yufang; Li, Qiaofeng; Wang, Zhizheng; Wang, Yang; Ma, Rui; Zhu, Lili; He, Guangcun; Chen, Rongzhi

2014-12-16

Thermosensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) lines and photoperiod-sensitive genic male sterile (PGMS) lines have been successfully used in hybridization to improve rice yields. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying male sterility transitions in most PGMS/TGMS rice lines are unclear. In the recently developed TGMS-Co27 line, the male sterility is based on co-suppression of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene (Ugp1), but further study is needed to fully elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved. Microarray-based transcriptome profiling of TGMS-Co27 and wild-type Hejiang 19 (H1493) plants grown at high and low temperatures revealed that 15462 probe sets representing 8303 genes were differentially expressed in the two lines, under the two conditions, or both. Environmental factors strongly affected global gene expression. Some genes important for pollen development were strongly repressed in TGMS-Co27 at high temperature. More significantly, series-cluster analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between TGMS-Co27 plants grown under the two conditions showed that low temperature induced the expression of a gene cluster. This cluster was found to be essential for sterility transition. It includes many meiosis stage-related genes that are probably important for thermosensitive male sterility in TGMS-Co27, inter alia: Arg/Ser-rich domain (RS)-containing zinc finger proteins, polypyrimidine tract-binding proteins (PTBs), DEAD/DEAH box RNA helicases, ZOS (C2H2 zinc finger proteins of Oryza sativa), at least one polyadenylate-binding protein and some other RNA recognition motif (RRM) domain-containing proteins involved in post-transcriptional processes, eukaryotic initiation factor 5B (eIF5B), ribosomal proteins (L37, L1p/L10e, L27 and L24), aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs), eukaryotic elongation factor Tu (eEF-Tu) and a peptide chain release factor protein involved in translation. The differential expression of 12 DEGs that are important for pollen

Mutation of the human mitochondrial phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase causes infantile-onset epilepsy and cytochrome c oxidase deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Almalki, Abdulraheem; Alston, Charlotte L; Parker, Alasdair; Simonic, Ingrid; Mehta, Sarju G; He, Langping; Reza, Mojgan; Oliveira, Jorge M A; Lightowlers, Robert N; McFarland, Robert; Taylor, Robert W; Chrzanowska-Lightowlers, Zofia M A

2014-01-01

Mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are essential enzymes in protein synthesis since they charge tRNAs with their cognate amino acids. Mutations in the genes encoding mitochondrial aaRSs have been associated with a wide spectrum of human mitochondrial diseases. Here we report the identification of pathogenic mutations (a partial genomic deletion and a highly conserved p. Asp325Tyr missense variant) in FARS2, the gene encoding mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase, in a patient with early-onset epilepsy and isolated complex IV deficiency in muscle. The biochemical defect was expressed in myoblasts but not in fibroblasts and associated with decreased steady state levels of COXI and COXII protein and reduced steady state levels of the mt-tRNA(Phe) transcript. Functional analysis of the recombinant mutant p. Asp325Tyr FARS2 protein showed an inability to bind ATP and consequently undetectable aminoacylation activity using either bacterial tRNA or human mt-tRNA(Phe) as substrates. Lentiviral transduction of cells with wildtype FARS2 restored complex IV protein levels, confirming that the p.Asp325Tyr mutation is pathogenic, causing respiratory chain deficiency and neurological deficits on account of defective aminoacylation of mt-tRNA(Phe). © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construction of hybrid peptide synthetases by module and domain fusions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mootz, H D; Schwarzer, D; Marahiel, M A

2000-05-23

Nonribosomal peptide synthetases are modular enzymes that assemble peptides of diverse structures and important biological activities. Their modular organization provides a great potential for the rational design of novel compounds by recombination of the biosynthetic genes. Here we describe the extension of a dimodular system to trimodular ones based on whole-module fusion. The recombinant hybrid enzymes were purified to monitor product assembly in vitro. We started from the first two modules of tyrocidine synthetase, which catalyze the formation of the dipeptide dPhe-Pro, to construct such hybrid systems. Fusion of the second, proline-specific module with the ninth and tenth modules of the tyrocidine synthetases, specific for ornithine and leucine, respectively, resulted in dimodular hybrid enzymes exhibiting the combined substrate specificities. The thioesterase domain was fused to the terminal module. Upon incubation of these dimodular enzymes with the first tyrocidine module, TycA, incorporating dPhe, the predicted tripeptides dPhe-Pro-Orn and dPhe-Pro-Leu were obtained at rates of 0.15 min(-1) and 2.1 min(-1). The internal thioesterase domain was necessary and sufficient to release the products from the hybrid enzymes and thereby facilitate a catalytic turnover. Our approach of whole-module fusion is based on an improved definition of the fusion sites and overcomes the recently discovered editing function of the intrinsic condensation domains. The stepwise construction of hybrid peptide synthetases from catalytic subunits reinforces the inherent potential for the synthesis of novel, designed peptides.

The transcriptional activator NtrC controls the expression and activity of glutamine synthetase in Herbaspirillum seropedicae.

Science.gov (United States)

Persuhn, D C; Souza, E M; Steffens, M B; Pedrosa, F O; Yates, M G; Rigo, L U

2000-11-15

The role of the Ntr system in Herbaspirillum seropedicae was determined via ntrB and ntrC mutants. Three phenotypes were identified in these mutants: Nif(-), deficiency in growth using nitrate, and low glutamine synthetase (GS) activity. All phenotypes were restored by the plasmid pKRT1 containing the intact glnA, ntrB and ntrC genes of H. seropedicae. The promoter region of glnA was subcloned into a beta-galactosidase fusion vector and the results suggested that NtrC positively regulates the glnA promoter in response to low nitrogen. The H. seropedicae ntrC and ntrB mutant strains showed a deficiency of adenylylation/deadenylylation of GS, indicating that NtrC and NtrB are involved in both transcription and activity control of GS in this organism.

Structure of the gene encoding phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase (prsA) in Salmonella typhimurium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bower, Stanley G.; Hove-Jensen, Bjarne; Switzer, Robert L.

1988-01-01

in a 416-base-pair 5' untranslated leader in the prsA transcript, which was shown by deletion to be necessary for maximal synthesis of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase. The S. typhimurium leader contains a 115-base-pair insert relative to the E. coli leader. The insert appears to have no functional...

Haplotype analysis of the genes encoding glutamine synthetase plastic isoforms and their association with nitrogen-use- and yield-related traits in bread wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin-Peng; Zhao, Xue-Qiang; He, Xue; Zhao, Guang-Yao; Li, Bin; Liu, Dong-Cheng; Zhang, Ai-Min; Zhang, Xue-Yong; Tong, Yi-Ping; Li, Zhen-Sheng

2011-01-01

Glutamine synthetase (GS) plays a key role in the growth, nitrogen (N) use and yield potential of cereal crops. Investigating the haplotype variation of GS genes and its association with agronomic traits may provide useful information for improving wheat N-use efficiency and yield. We isolated the promoter and coding region sequences of the plastic glutamine synthetase isoform (GS2) genes located on chromosomes 2A, 2B and 2D in bread wheat. By analyzing nucleotide sequence variations of the coding region, two, six and two haplotypes were distinguished for TaGS2-A1 (a and b), TaGS2-B1 (a-f) and TaGS2-D1 (a and b), respectively. By analyzing the frequency data of different haplotypes and their association with N use and agronomic traits, four major and favorable TaGS2 haplotypes (A1b, B1a, B1b, D1a) were revealed. These favorable haplotypes may confer better seedling growth, better agronomic performance, and improved N uptake during vegetative growth or grain N concentration. Our data suggest that certain TaGS2 haplotypes may be valuable in breeding wheat varieties with improved agronomic performance and N-use efficiency. © The Authors (2010). Journal compilation © New Phytologist Trust (2010).

Imaging gene expression in gene therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiebe, Leonard I.

1997-01-01

Full text. Gene therapy can be used to introduce new genes, or to supplement the function of indigenous genes. At the present time, however, there is non-invasive test to demonstrate efficacy of the gene transfer and expression processes. It has been postulated that scintigraphic imaging can offer unique information on both the site at which the transferred gene is expressed, and the degree of expression, both of which are critical issue for safety and clinical efficacy. Many current studies are based on 'suicide gene therapy' of cancer. Cells modified to express these genes commit metabolic suicide in the presence of an enzyme encoded by the transferred gene and a specifically-convertible pro drug. Pro drug metabolism can lead to selective metabolic trapping, required for scintigraphy. Herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase (H S V-1 t k + ) has been use for 'suicide' in vivo tumor gene therapy. It has been proposed that radiolabelled nucleosides can be used as radiopharmaceuticals to detect H S V-1 t k + gene expression where the H S V-1 t k + gene serves a reporter or therapeutic function. Animal gene therapy models have been studied using purine-([ 18 F]F H P G; [ 18 F]-A C V), and pyrimidine- ([ 123 / 131 I]I V R F U; [ 124 / 131I ]) antiviral nucleosides. Principles of gene therapy and gene therapy imaging will be reviewed and experimental data for [ 123 / 131I ]I V R F U imaging with the H S V-1 t k + reporter gene will be presented

Determining Physical Mechanisms of Gene Expression Regulation from Single Cell Gene Expression Data

OpenAIRE

Ezer, Daphne; Moignard, Victoria; G?ttgens, Berthold; Adryan, Boris

2016-01-01

Many genes are expressed in bursts, which can contribute to cell-to-cell heterogeneity. It is now possible to measure this heterogeneity with high throughput single cell gene expression assays (single cell qPCR and RNA-seq). These experimental approaches generate gene expression distributions which can be used to estimate the kinetic parameters of gene expression bursting, namely the rate that genes turn on, the rate that genes turn off, and the rate of transcription. We construct a complete ...

Radioimmune assay of human platelet prostaglandin synthetase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, G.J.; Machuga, E.T.

1982-01-01

Normal platelet function depends, in part, on platelet PG synthesis. PG synthetase (cyclo-oxygenase) catalyzes the first step in PG synthesis, the formation of PGH 2 from arachidonic acid. Inhibition of the enzyme by ASA results in an abnormality in the platelet release reaction. Patients with pparent congenital abnormalities in the enzyme have been described, and the effects have been referred to as ''aspirin-like'' defects of the platelet function. These patients lack platelet PG synthetase activity, but the actual content of PG synthetase protein in these individuals' platelets is unknown. Therefore an RIA for human platelet PG synthetase would provide new information, useful in assessing the aspirin-like defects of platelet function. An RIA for human platelet PG synthetase is described. The assay utilizes a rabbit antibody directed against the enzyme and [ 125 I]-labelled sheep PG synthetase as antigen. The human platelet enzyme is assayed by its ability to inhibit precipitation of the [ 125 I]antigen. The assay is sensitive to 1 ng of enzyme. By the immune assay, human platelets contain approximately 1200 ng of PG synethetase protein per 1.5 mg of platelet protein (approximately 10 9 platelets). This content corresponds to 10,000 enzyme molecules per platelet. The assay provides a rapid and convenient assay for the human platelet enzyme, and it can be applied to the assessment of patients with apparent platelet PG synthetase (cyclo-oxygenase) deficiency

Imaging gene expression in gene therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiebe, Leonard I. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton (Canada). Noujaim Institute for Pharmaceutical Oncology Research

1997-12-31

Full text. Gene therapy can be used to introduce new genes, or to supplement the function of indigenous genes. At the present time, however, there is non-invasive test to demonstrate efficacy of the gene transfer and expression processes. It has been postulated that scintigraphic imaging can offer unique information on both the site at which the transferred gene is expressed, and the degree of expression, both of which are critical issue for safety and clinical efficacy. Many current studies are based on `suicide gene therapy` of cancer. Cells modified to express these genes commit metabolic suicide in the presence of an enzyme encoded by the transferred gene and a specifically-convertible pro drug. Pro drug metabolism can lead to selective metabolic trapping, required for scintigraphy. Herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase (H S V-1 t k{sup +}) has been use for `suicide` in vivo tumor gene therapy. It has been proposed that radiolabelled nucleosides can be used as radiopharmaceuticals to detect H S V-1 t k{sup +} gene expression where the H S V-1 t k{sup +} gene serves a reporter or therapeutic function. Animal gene therapy models have been studied using purine-([{sup 18} F]F H P G; [{sup 18} F]-A C V), and pyrimidine- ([{sup 123}/{sup 131} I]I V R F U; [{sup 124}/{sup 131I}]) antiviral nucleosides. Principles of gene therapy and gene therapy imaging will be reviewed and experimental data for [{sup 123}/{sup 131I}]I V R F U imaging with the H S V-1 t k{sup +} reporter gene will be presented

Transposon mutagenesis of probiotic Lactobacillus casei identifies asnH, an asparagine synthetase gene involved in its immune-activating capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Masahiro; Kim, Yun-Gi; Tsuji, Hirokazu; Takahashi, Takuya; Kiwaki, Mayumi; Nomoto, Koji; Danbara, Hirofumi; Okada, Nobuhiko

2014-01-01

Lactobacillus casei ATCC 27139 enhances host innate immunity, and the J1 phage-resistant mutants of this strain lose the activity. A transposon insertion mutant library of L. casei ATCC 27139 was constructed, and nine J1 phage-resistant mutants out of them were obtained. Cloning and sequencing analyses identified three independent genes that were disrupted by insertion of the transposon element: asnH, encoding asparagine synthetase, and dnaJ and dnaK, encoding the molecular chaperones DnaJ and DnaK, respectively. Using an in vivo mouse model of Listeria infection, only asnH mutant showed deficiency in their ability to enhance host innate immunity, and complementation of the mutation by introduction of the wild-type asnH in the mutant strain recovered the immuno-augmenting activity. AsnH protein exhibited asparagine synthetase activity when the lysozyme-treated cell wall extracts of L. casei ATCC 27139 was added as substrate. The asnH mutants lost the thick and rigid peptidoglycan features that are characteristic to the wild-type cells, indicating that AsnH of L. casei is involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis. These results indicate that asnH is required for the construction of the peptidoglycan composition involved in the immune-activating capacity of L. casei ATCC 27139.

Transposon mutagenesis of probiotic Lactobacillus casei identifies asnH, an asparagine synthetase gene involved in its immune-activating capacity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masahiro Ito

Full Text Available Lactobacillus casei ATCC 27139 enhances host innate immunity, and the J1 phage-resistant mutants of this strain lose the activity. A transposon insertion mutant library of L. casei ATCC 27139 was constructed, and nine J1 phage-resistant mutants out of them were obtained. Cloning and sequencing analyses identified three independent genes that were disrupted by insertion of the transposon element: asnH, encoding asparagine synthetase, and dnaJ and dnaK, encoding the molecular chaperones DnaJ and DnaK, respectively. Using an in vivo mouse model of Listeria infection, only asnH mutant showed deficiency in their ability to enhance host innate immunity, and complementation of the mutation by introduction of the wild-type asnH in the mutant strain recovered the immuno-augmenting activity. AsnH protein exhibited asparagine synthetase activity when the lysozyme-treated cell wall extracts of L. casei ATCC 27139 was added as substrate. The asnH mutants lost the thick and rigid peptidoglycan features that are characteristic to the wild-type cells, indicating that AsnH of L. casei is involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis. These results indicate that asnH is required for the construction of the peptidoglycan composition involved in the immune-activating capacity of L. casei ATCC 27139.

Emiliania Huxleyi (Prymnesiophyceae): Nitrogen-metabolism genes and their expression in response to external nitrogen souces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruhn, Annette; LaRoche, Julie; Richardson, Katherine

2010-01-01

The availability and composition of dissolved nitrogen in ocean waters are factors that influence species composition in natural phytoplankton communities. The same factors affect the ratio of organic to inorganic carbon incorporation in calcifying species, such as the coccolithophore Emiliania...... huxleyi (Lohman) W. W. Hay et H. Mohler. E. huxleyi has been shown to thrive on various nitrogen sources, including dissolved organic nitrogen. Nevertheless, assimilation of dissolved nitrogen under nitrogen-replete and -limited conditions is not well understood in this ecologically important species....... In this study, the complete amino acid sequences for three functional genes involved in nitrogen metabolism in E. huxleyi were identified: a putative formamidase, a glutamine synthetase (GSII family), and assimilatory nitrate reductase. Expression patterns of the three enzymes in cells grown on inorganic...

Structural modeling of tissue-specific mitochondrial alanyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS2 defects predicts differential effects on aminoacylation

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Liliya eEuro

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The accuracy of mitochondrial protein synthesis is dependent on the coordinated action of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (mtARSs and the mitochondrial DNA-encoded tRNAs. The recent advances in whole-exome sequencing have revealed the importance of the mtARS proteins for mitochondrial pathophysiology since nearly every nuclear gene for mtARS (out of 19 is now recognized as a disease gene for mitochondrial disease. Typically, defects in each mtARS have been identified in one tissue-specific disease, most commonly affecting the brain, or in one syndrome. However, mutations in the AARS2 gene for mitochondrial alanyl-tRNA synthetase (mtAlaRS have been reported both in patients with infantile-onset cardiomyopathy and in patients with childhood to adulthood-onset leukoencephalopathy. We present here an investigation of the effects of the described mutations on the structure of the synthetase, in an effort to understand the tissue-specific outcomes of the different mutations.The mtAlaRS differs from the other mtARSs because in addition to the aminoacylation domain, it has a conserved editing domain for deacylating tRNAs that have been mischarged with incorrect amino acids. We show that the cardiomyopathy phenotype results from a single allele, causing an amino acid change p.R592W in the editing domain of AARS2, whereas the leukodystrophy mutations are located in other domains of the synthetase. Nevertheless, our structural analysis predicts that all mutations reduce the aminoacylation activity of the synthetase, because all mtAlaRS domains contribute to tRNA binding for aminoacylation. According to our model, the cardiomyopathy mutations severely compromise aminoacylation whereas partial activity is retained by the mutation combinations found in the leukodystrophy patients. These predictions provide a hypothesis for the molecular basis of the distinct tissue-specific phenotypic outcomes.

Metatranscriptome Sequencing Reveals Insights into the Gene Expression and Functional Potential of Rumen Wall Bacteria

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Evelyne Mann

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Microbiota of the rumen wall constitute an important niche of rumen microbial ecology and their composition has been elucidated in different ruminants during the last years. However, the knowledge about the function of rumen wall microbes is still limited. Rumen wall biopsies were taken from three fistulated dairy cows under a standard forage-based diet and after 4 weeks of high concentrate feeding inducing a subacute rumen acidosis (SARA. Extracted RNA was used for metatranscriptome sequencing using Illumina HiSeq sequencing technology. The gene expression of the rumen wall microbial community was analyzed by mapping 35 million sequences against the Kyoto Encyclopedia for Genes and Genomes (KEGG database and determining differentially expressed genes. A total of 1,607 functional features were assigned with high expression of genes involved in central metabolism, galactose, starch and sucrose metabolism. The glycogen phosphorylase (EC:2.4.1.1 which degrades (1->4-alpha-D-glucans was among the highest expressed genes being transcribed by 115 bacterial genera. Energy metabolism genes were also highly expressed, including the pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (EC:2.7.9.1 involved in pyruvate metabolism, which was covered by 177 genera. Nitrogen metabolism genes, in particular glutamate dehydrogenase (EC:1.4.1.4, glutamine synthetase (EC:6.3.1.2 and glutamate synthase (EC:1.4.1.13, EC:1.4.1.14 were also found to be highly expressed and prove rumen wall microbiota to be actively involved in providing host-relevant metabolites for exchange across the rumen wall. In addition, we found all four urease subunits (EC:3.5.1.5 transcribed by members of the genera Flavobacterium, Corynebacterium, Helicobacter, Clostridium, and Bacillus, and the dissimilatory sulfate reductase (EC 1.8.99.5 dsrABC, which is responsible for the reduction of sulfite to sulfide. We also provide in situ evidence for cellulose and cellobiose degradation, a key step in fiber-rich feed

Fusion of the subunits α and β of succinyl-CoA synthetase as a phylogenetic marker for Pezizomycotina fungi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda M. Koire

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Gene fusions, yielding the formation of multidomain proteins, are evolutionary events that can be utilized as phylogenetic markers. Here we describe a fusion gene comprising the α and β subunits of succinyl-coA synthetase, an enzyme of the TCA cycle, in Pezizomycotina fungi. This fusion is present in all Pezizomycotina with complete genome sequences and absent from all other organisms. Phylogenetic analysis of the α and β subunits of succinyl-CoA synthetase suggests that both subunits were duplicated and retained in Pezizomycotina while one copy was lost from other fungi. One of the duplicated copies was then fused in Pezizomycotina. Our results suggest that the fusion of the α and β subunits of succinyl-CoA synthetase can be used as a molecular marker for membership in the Pezizomycotina subphylum. If a species has the fusion it can be reliably classified as Pezizomycotina, while the absence of the fusion is suggestive that the species is not a member of this subphylum.

Glutamine-dependent carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase and other enzyme activities related to the pyrimidine pathway in spleen of Squalus acanthias (spiny dogfish).

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, P M

1989-01-01

The first two steps of urea synthesis in liver of marine elasmobranchs involve formation of glutamine from ammonia and of carbamoyl phosphate from glutamine, catalysed by glutamine synthetase and carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase, respectively [Anderson & Casey (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 456-462]; both of these enzymes are localized exclusively in the mitochondrial matrix. The objective of this study was to establish the enzymology of carbamoyl phosphate formation and utilization for pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis in Squalus acanthias (spiny dogfish), a representative elasmobranch. Aspartate carbamoyltransferase could not be detected in liver of dogfish. Spleen extracts, however, had glutamine-dependent carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase, aspartate carbamoyltransferase, dihydro-orotase, and glutamine synthetase activities, all localized in the cytosol; dihydro-orotate dehydrogenase, orotate phosphoribosyltransferase, and orotidine-5'-decarboxylase activities were also present. Except for glutamine synthetase, the levels of all activities were very low. The carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase activity is inhibited by UTP and is activated by 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate. The first three enzyme activities of the pyrimidine pathway were eluted in distinctly different positions during gel filtration chromatography under a number of different conditions; although complete proteolysis of inter-domain regions of a multifunctional complex during extraction cannot be excluded, the evidence suggests that in dogfish, in contrast to mammalian species, these three enzymes of the pyrimidine pathway exist as individual polypeptide chains. These results: (1) establish that dogfish express two different glutamine-dependent carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase activities, (2) confirm the report [Smith, Ritter & Campbell (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 198-202] that dogfish express two different glutamine synthetases, and (3) provide indirect evidence that glutamine may not be available in liver for

Paths of lateral gene transfer of lysyl-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases with a unique evolutionary transition stage of prokaryotes coding for class I and II varieties by the same organisms

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Nussinov Ruth

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While the premise that lateral gene transfer (LGT is a dominant evolutionary force is still in considerable dispute, the case for widespread LGT in the family of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS is no longer contentious. aaRSs are ancient enzymes, guarding the fidelity of the genetic code. They are clustered in two structurally unrelated classes. Only lysine aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS is found both as a class 1 and a class 2 enzyme (LysRS1-2. Remarkably, in several extant prokaryotes both classes of the enzyme coexist, a unique phenomenon that has yet to receive its due attention. Results We applied a phylogenetic approach for determining the extent and origin of LGT in prokaryotic LysRS. Reconstructing species trees for Archaea and Bacteria, and inferring that their last common ancestors encoded LysRS1 and LysRS2, respectively, we studied the gains and losses of both classes. A complex pattern of LGT events emerged. In specific groups of organisms LysRS1 was replaced by LysRS2 (and vice versa. In one occasion, within the alpha proteobacteria, a LysRS2 to LysRS1 LGT was followed by reversal to LysRS2. After establishing the most likely LGT paths, we studied the possible origins of the laterally transferred genes. To this end, we reconstructed LysRS gene trees and evaluated the likely origins of the laterally transferred genes. While the sources of LysRS1 LGTs were readily identified, those for LysRS2 remain, for now, uncertain. The replacement of one LysRS by another apparently transits through a stage simultaneously coding for both synthetases, probably conferring a selective advantage to the affected organisms. Conclusion The family of LysRSs features complex LGT events. The currently available data were sufficient for identifying unambiguously the origins of LysRS1 but not of LysRS2 gene transfers. A selective advantage is suggested to organisms encoding simultaneously LysRS1-2.

Construction of expression vector containing glnA gene and detection of NPT II activity in the transgenic rice calli using 32P-labelled compound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Jin; Zhang Xueqin; Yan Qiusheng; Chen Zhangliang; You Chongbiao

1993-08-01

The glnA gene encoding glutamine synthetase (GS) was amplified from Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 by PCR technique. the amplified 1.4 kb DNA fragment was cloned at the EcoRV site of Bluescript-SK. Both sequencing and restriction digestion data showed that the 1.4 kb DNA fragment flanked with BamHI site at each end was really the glnA gene of A. brasilense Sp7. The glnA gene was ligated with Bg1 II site of pCo24. As a result, an expression vector pGSC35 with CaMV35S promoter was obtained. Using colony in situ hybridization with α- 32 P-dATP labelled probes to screen the positive clones, another glnA gene expression vector pAGNB92 with rice actin 1 promoter was constructed after three rounds of ligation and transformation. Protoplasts isolated from rice cell suspension line cv. T986 were transformed with glnA expression vectors pGSC35 and pAGNB92 containing neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII) gene by using PEG fusion and electroporation. Transformed microcalli were selected on media containing G418 disulfate salt. NPT II activity was detected in 37% of G418 resistant calli by using dot blot hybridization with γ- 32 P-ATP and kanamycin as substrate

Reaction Intermediate Analogues as Bisubstrate Inhibitors of Pantothenate Synthetase

OpenAIRE

Xu, Zhixiang; Yin, Wei; Martinelli, Leonardo K.; Evans, Joanna; Chen, Jinglei; Yu, Yang; Wilson, Daniel J.; Mizrahi, Valerie; Qiao, Chunhua; Aldrich, Courtney C.

2014-01-01

The biosynthesis of pantothenate, the core of coenzyme A (CoA), has been considered an attractive target for the development of antimicrobial agents since this pathway is essential in prokaryotes, but absent in mammals. Pantothenate synthetase, encoded by the gene panC, catalyzes the final condensation of pantoic acid with β–alanine to afford pantothenate via an intermediate pantoyl adenylate. We describe the synthesis and biochemical characterization of five PanC inhibitors that mimic the in...

Physical studies of adenylosuccinate synthetase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bass, M.B.

1987-01-01

To determine the chemical mechanism of the reaction catalyzed by adenylosuccinate synthetase, positional isotope exchange studies were performed. Positional isotope exchange from the β-γ bridge to the β nonbridge position of [γ- 18 O]GTP was followed using 31 P NMR. The positional isotope exchange was found to occur in the presence of either IMP or IMP and succinate. The exchange did not occur in the presence of asparate. These results support a reaction mechanism which involves formation of a 6-phosphoryl-IMP intermediate with subsequent attack by aspartate to form adenylosuccinate as originally proposed by Lieberman in 1956. In order to resolve the NMR resonances for positional isotope exchange, it was necessary to find a chelator which would limit exchange broadening. trans-1,2-Diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid was found to be a suitable chelator at neutral and acidic pH. Studies of adenylosuccinate synthetase from Escherichia coli have been limited by the low concentrations of enzyme present in the cell and the difficulty in purifying the enzyme to homogeneity. Overproduction of the enzyme by cloning the purA gene into a runaway replication plasmid allowed the cells to produce a much higher concentration of enzyme. A new purification scheme is reported that takes advantage of the overproduced enzyme. Yields of 75 mg of homogeneous enzyme have been obtained from 76 g of E. coli cell paste

Proximal tubule-specific glutamine synthetase deletion alters basal and acidosis-stimulated ammonia metabolism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lee, Hyun-Wook; Osis, Gunars; Handlogten, Mary E.; Lamers, Wouter H.; Chaudhry, Farrukh A.; Verlander, Jill W.; Weiner, I. David

2016-01-01

Glutamine synthetase (GS) catalyzes the recycling of NH4 (+) with glutamate to form glutamine. GS is highly expressed in the renal proximal tubule (PT), suggesting ammonia recycling via GS could decrease net ammoniagenesis and thereby limit ammonia available for net acid excretion. The purpose of

The Transcriptional Repressor, MtrR, of the mtrCDE Efflux Pump Operon of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Can Also Serve as an Activator of “off Target” Gene (glnE Expression

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Paul J. T. Johnson

2015-06-01

Full Text Available MtrR is a well-characterized repressor of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae mtrCDE efflux pump operon. However, results from a previous transcriptional profiling study suggested that MtrR also represses or activates expression of at least sixty genes outside of the mtr locus. Evidence that MtrR can directly repress so-called “off target” genes has previously been reported; in particular, MtrR was shown to directly repress glnA, which encodes glutamine synthetase. In contrast, evidence for the ability of MtrR to directly activate expression of gonococcal genes has been lacking; herein, we provide such evidence. We now report that MtrR has the ability to directly activate expression of glnE, which encodes the dual functional adenyltransferase/deadenylase enzyme GlnE that modifies GlnA resulting in regulation of its role in glutamine biosynthesis. With its capacity to repress expression of glnA, the results presented herein emphasize the diverse and often opposing regulatory properties of MtrR that likely contributes to the overall physiology and metabolism of N. gonorrhoeae.

PFOS prenatal exposure induce mitochondrial injury and gene expression change in hearts of weaned SD rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia, Wei; Wan, Yanjian; Li, Yuan-yuan; Zeng, Huaicai; Lv, Ziquan; Li, Gengqi; Wei, Zhengzheng; Xu, Shun-qing

2011-01-01

Xenobiotics exposure in early life may have adverse effects on animals' development through mitochondrial injury or dysfunction. The current study demonstrated the possibility of cardiac mitochondrial injury in prenatal PFOS-exposed weaned rat heart. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at doses of 0.1, 0.6 and 2.0 mg/kg/d and 0.05% Tween 80 as control by gavage from gestation days 2-21. The dams were allowed to give nature delivery and then heart tissues from weaned (postnatal day 21) offspring rats were analyzed for mitochondrial injury through ultrastructure observation by electron microscope, global gene expression profile by microarray, as well as related mRNA and proteins expression levels by quantitative PCR and western blot. Ultrastructural analysis revealed significant vacuolization and inner membrane injury occurred at the mitochondria of heart tissues from 2.0 mg/kg/d dosage group. Meanwhile, the global gene expression profile showed significant difference in level of some mRNA expression associated with mitochondrial function at 2.0 mg/kg/d dosage group, compared to the control. Furthermore, dose-response trends for the expression of selected genes were analyzed by quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. The selected genes were mainly focused on those encoding for proteins involved in energy production, control of ion levels, and maintenance of heart function. The down-regulation of mitochondrial ATP synthetase (ATP5E, ATP5I and ATP5O) implicated a decrease in energy supply. This was accompanied by down-regulation of gene transcripts involved in energy consumption such as ion transporting ATPase (ATP1A3 and ATP2B2) and inner membrane protein synthesis (SLC25A3, SLC25A4, SLC25A10, SLC25A29). The up-regulation of gene transcripts encoding for uncoupling proteins (UCP1 and UCP3), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), was probably a protective process to maintain

Amino acid environment determines expression of carbamoylphosphate synthetase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in embryonic rat hepatocytes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lamers, W. H.; van Roon, M.; Mooren, P. G.; de Graaf, A.; Charles, R.

1985-01-01

A completely defined medium (EHM-1), which reflects the amino acid composition of fetal rat serum and contains albumin as the sole proteinaceous compound, allows the accumulation of carbamoylphosphate synthetase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in the presence of dexamethasone, dibutyryl cyclic

FARO server: Meta-analysis of gene expression by matching gene expression signatures to a compendium of public gene expression data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manijak, Mieszko P.; Nielsen, Henrik Bjørn

2011-01-01

circumvented by instead matching gene expression signatures to signatures of other experiments. FINDINGS: To facilitate this we present the Functional Association Response by Overlap (FARO) server, that match input signatures to a compendium of 242 gene expression signatures, extracted from more than 1700...... Arabidopsis microarray experiments. CONCLUSIONS: Hereby we present a publicly available tool for robust characterization of Arabidopsis gene expression experiments which can point to similar experimental factors in other experiments. The server is available at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/faro/....

Digital gene expression analysis of gene expression differences within Brassica diploids and allopolyploids.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jinjin; Wang, Yue; Zhu, Bao; Fang, Tingting; Fang, Yujie; Wang, Youping

2015-01-27

Brassica includes many successfully cultivated crop species of polyploid origin, either by ancestral genome triplication or by hybridization between two diploid progenitors, displaying complex repetitive sequences and transposons. The U's triangle, which consists of three diploids and three amphidiploids, is optimal for the analysis of complicated genomes after polyploidization. Next-generation sequencing enables the transcriptome profiling of polyploids on a global scale. We examined the gene expression patterns of three diploids (Brassica rapa, B. nigra, and B. oleracea) and three amphidiploids (B. napus, B. juncea, and B. carinata) via digital gene expression analysis. In total, the libraries generated between 5.7 and 6.1 million raw reads, and the clean tags of each library were mapped to 18547-21995 genes of B. rapa genome. The unambiguous tag-mapped genes in the libraries were compared. Moreover, the majority of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were explored among diploids as well as between diploids and amphidiploids. Gene ontological analysis was performed to functionally categorize these DEGs into different classes. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis was performed to assign these DEGs into approximately 120 pathways, among which the metabolic pathway, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and peroxisomal pathway were enriched. The non-additive genes in Brassica amphidiploids were analyzed, and the results indicated that orthologous genes in polyploids are frequently expressed in a non-additive pattern. Methyltransferase genes showed differential expression pattern in Brassica species. Our results provided an understanding of the transcriptome complexity of natural Brassica species. The gene expression changes in diploids and allopolyploids may help elucidate the morphological and physiological differences among Brassica species.

Three gene expression vector sets for concurrently expressing multiple genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

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Ishii, Jun; Kondo, Takashi; Makino, Harumi; Ogura, Akira; Matsuda, Fumio; Kondo, Akihiko

2014-05-01

Yeast has the potential to be used in bulk-scale fermentative production of fuels and chemicals due to its tolerance for low pH and robustness for autolysis. However, expression of multiple external genes in one host yeast strain is considerably labor-intensive due to the lack of polycistronic transcription. To promote the metabolic engineering of yeast, we generated systematic and convenient genetic engineering tools to express multiple genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We constructed a series of multi-copy and integration vector sets for concurrently expressing two or three genes in S. cerevisiae by embedding three classical promoters. The comparative expression capabilities of the constructed vectors were monitored with green fluorescent protein, and the concurrent expression of genes was monitored with three different fluorescent proteins. Our multiple gene expression tool will be helpful to the advanced construction of genetically engineered yeast strains in a variety of research fields other than metabolic engineering. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Induction of arginosuccinate synthetase (ASS) expression affects the antiproliferative activity of arginine deiminase (ADI) in melanoma cells.

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Manca, Antonella; Sini, Maria Cristina; Izzo, Francesco; Ascierto, Paolo A; Tatangelo, Fabiana; Botti, Gerardo; Gentilcore, Giusy; Capone, Marilena; Mozzillo, Nicola; Rozzo, Carla; Cossu, Antonio; Tanda, Francesco; Palmieri, Giuseppe

2011-06-01

Arginine deiminase (ADI), an arginine-degrading enzyme, has been used in the treatment of tumours sensitive to arginine deprivation, such as malignant melanoma (MM) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Endogenous production of arginine is mainly dependent on activity of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) and argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS) enzymes. We evaluated the effect of ADI treatment on OTC and ASS expression in a series of melanoma cell lines. Twenty-five primary melanoma cell lines and normal fibroblasts as controls underwent cell proliferation assays and Western blot analyses in the presence or absence of ADI. Tissue sections from primary MMs (N = 20) and HCCs (N = 20) were investigated by immunohistochemistry for ASS expression. Overall, 21/25 (84%) MM cell lines presented a cell growth inhibition by ADI treatment; none of them presented constitutive detectable levels of the ASS protein. However, 7/21 (33%) ADI-sensitive melanoma cell lines presented markedly increased expression levels of the ASS protein following ADI treatment, with a significantly higher IC50 median value. Growth was not inhibited and the IC50 was not reached among the remaining 4/25 (16%) MM cell lines; all of them showed constitutive ASS expression. The OTC protein was found expressed in all melanoma cell lines before and after the ADI treatment. Lack of ASS immunostaining was observed in all analyzed in vivo specimens. Our findings suggest that response to ADI treatment in melanoma is significantly correlated with the ability of cells to express ASS either constitutively at basal level (inducing drug resistance) or after the treatment (reducing sensitivity to ADI).

Large scale gene expression meta-analysis reveals tissue-specific, sex-biased gene expression in humans

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Benjamin Mayne

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The severity and prevalence of many diseases are known to differ between the sexes. Organ specific sex-biased gene expression may underpin these and other sexually dimorphic traits. To further our understanding of sex differences in transcriptional regulation, we performed meta-analyses of sex biased gene expression in multiple human tissues. We analysed 22 publicly available human gene expression microarray data sets including over 2500 samples from 15 different tissues and 9 different organs. Briefly, by using an inverse-variance method we determined the effect size difference of gene expression between males and females. We found the greatest sex differences in gene expression in the brain, specifically in the anterior cingulate cortex, (1818 genes, followed by the heart (375 genes, kidney (224 genes, colon (218 genes and thyroid (163 genes. More interestingly, we found different parts of the brain with varying numbers and identity of sex-biased genes, indicating that specific cortical regions may influence sexually dimorphic traits. The majority of sex-biased genes in other tissues such as the bladder, liver, lungs and pancreas were on the sex chromosomes or involved in sex hormone production. On average in each tissue, 32% of autosomal genes that were expressed in a sex-biased fashion contained androgen or estrogen hormone response elements. Interestingly, across all tissues, we found approximately two-thirds of autosomal genes that were sex-biased were not under direct influence of sex hormones. To our knowledge this is the largest analysis of sex-biased gene expression in human tissues to date. We identified many sex-biased genes that were not under the direct influence of sex chromosome genes or sex hormones. These may provide targets for future development of sex-specific treatments for diseases.

Transcriptome Analysis Revealed Highly Expressed Genes Encoding Secondary Metabolite Pathways and Small Cysteine-Rich Proteins in the Sclerotium of Lignosus rhinocerotis.

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Hui-Yeng Y Yap

Full Text Available Lignosus rhinocerotis (Cooke Ryvarden (tiger milk mushroom has long been known for its nutritional and medicinal benefits among the local communities in Southeast Asia. However, the molecular and genetic basis of its medicinal and nutraceutical properties at transcriptional level have not been investigated. In this study, the transcriptome of L. rhinocerotis sclerotium, the part with medicinal value, was analyzed using high-throughput Illumina HiSeqTM platform with good sequencing quality and alignment results. A total of 3,673, 117, and 59,649 events of alternative splicing, novel transcripts, and SNP variation were found to enrich its current genome database. A large number of transcripts were expressed and involved in the processing of gene information and carbohydrate metabolism. A few highly expressed genes encoding the cysteine-rich cerato-platanin, hydrophobins, and sugar-binding lectins were identified and their possible roles in L. rhinocerotis were discussed. Genes encoding enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of glucans, six gene clusters encoding four terpene synthases and one each of non-ribosomal peptide synthetase and polyketide synthase, and 109 transcribed cytochrome P450 sequences were also identified in the transcriptome. The data from this study forms a valuable foundation for future research in the exploitation of this mushroom in pharmacological and industrial applications.

Effect of biotin on activity and gene expression of biotin-dependent carboxylases in the liver of dairy cows.

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Ferreira, G; Weiss, W P

2007-03-01

Biotin is a cofactor of the gluconeogenic enzymes pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and propionyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (PCC). We hypothesized that biotin supplementation increases the activity and gene expression of PC and PCC and the gene expression of phosphoenol-pyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in the liver of lactating dairy cows. Eight multiparous Holstein cows (40 +/- 2 kg/d of milk yield and 162 +/- 35 d in milk) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 diet sequences in a crossover design with two 22-d periods. Treatments consisted of a basal diet (60% concentrate) containing 0 or 0.96 mg/kg of supplemental biotin. On d 21 of each period, liver tissue was collected by percutaneous liver biopsy. Activities of PC and PCC were determined by measuring the fixation of [14C]O2 in liver homogenates. Abundance of mRNA for PCC, PC, and PEPCK was determined by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Biotin supplementation did not affect milk production or composition. Biotin supplementation increased the activity of PC but had no effect on PCC activity. Biotin supplementation did not affect the gene expression of PC, PCC, and PEPCK. The increased activity of PC without changes in mRNA abundance may have been caused by increased activation of the apoenzymes by holocarboxylase synthetase. In conclusion, biotin supplementation affected the activity of PC in the liver of lactating dairy cows, but whether biotin supplementation increases glucose production in the liver remains to be determined.

Characterization of a microcystin and detection of microcystin synthetase genes from a Brazilian isolate of Nostoc.

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Genuário, Diego Bonaldo; Silva-Stenico, Maria Estela; Welker, Martin; Beraldo Moraes, Luiz Alberto; Fiore, Marli Fátima

2010-04-01

A nostocalean nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium isolated from an eutrophic freshwater reservoir located in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil, was evaluated for the production of hepatotoxic cyclic heptapeptides, microcystins. Morphologically this new cyanobacterium strain appears closest to Nostoc, however, in the phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene it falls into a highly stable cluster distantly only related to the typical Nostoc cluster. Extracts of Nostoc sp. CENA88 cultured cells, investigated using ELISA assay, gave positive results and the microcystin profile revealed by ESI-Q-TOF/MS/MS analysis confirmed the production of [Dha(7)]MCYST-YR. Further, Nostoc sp. CENA88 genomic DNA was analyzed by PCR for sequences of mcyD, mcyE and mcyG genes of microcystin synthetase (mcy) cluster. The result revealed the presence of mcyD, mcyE and mcyG genes with similarities to those from mcy of Nostoc sp. strains 152 and IO-102-I and other cyanobacterial genera. The phylogenetic tree based on concatenated McyG, McyD and McyE amino acids clustered the sequences according to cyanobacterial genera, with exception of the Nostoc sp. CENA88 sequence, which was placed in a clade distantly related from other Nostoc strains, as previously observed also in the 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis. The present study describes for the first time a Brazilian Nostoc microcystin producer and also the occurrence of demethyl MCYST-YR variant in this genus. The sequenced Nostoc genes involved in the microcystin synthesis can contribute to a better understanding of the toxigenicity and evolution of this cyanotoxin. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential Gene Expression and Aging

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Laurent Seroude

2002-01-01

Full Text Available It has been established that an intricate program of gene expression controls progression through the different stages in development. The equally complex biological phenomenon known as aging is genetically determined and environmentally modulated. This review focuses on the genetic component of aging, with a special emphasis on differential gene expression. At least two genetic pathways regulating organism longevity act by modifying gene expression. Many genes are also subjected to age-dependent transcriptional regulation. Some age-related gene expression changes are prevented by caloric restriction, the most robust intervention that slows down the aging process. Manipulating the expression of some age-regulated genes can extend an organism's life span. Remarkably, the activity of many transcription regulatory elements is linked to physiological age as opposed to chronological age, indicating that orderly and tightly controlled regulatory pathways are active during aging.

Polycistronic gene expression in Aspergillus niger.

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Schuetze, Tabea; Meyer, Vera

2017-09-25

Genome mining approaches predict dozens of biosynthetic gene clusters in each of the filamentous fungal genomes sequenced so far. However, the majority of these gene clusters still remain cryptic because they are not expressed in their natural host. Simultaneous expression of all genes belonging to a biosynthetic pathway in a heterologous host is one approach to activate biosynthetic gene clusters and to screen the metabolites produced for bioactivities. Polycistronic expression of all pathway genes under control of a single and tunable promoter would be the method of choice, as this does not only simplify cloning procedures, but also offers control on timing and strength of expression. However, polycistronic gene expression is a feature not commonly found in eukaryotic host systems, such as Aspergillus niger. In this study, we tested the suitability of the viral P2A peptide for co-expression of three genes in A. niger. Two genes descend from Fusarium oxysporum and are essential to produce the secondary metabolite enniatin (esyn1, ekivR). The third gene (luc) encodes the reporter luciferase which was included to study position effects. Expression of the polycistronic gene cassette was put under control of the Tet-On system to ensure tunable gene expression in A. niger. In total, three polycistronic expression cassettes which differed in the position of luc were constructed and targeted to the pyrG locus in A. niger. This allowed direct comparison of the luciferase activity based on the position of the luciferase gene. Doxycycline-mediated induction of the Tet-On expression cassettes resulted in the production of one long polycistronic mRNA as proven by Northern analyses, and ensured comparable production of enniatin in all three strains. Notably, gene position within the polycistronic expression cassette matters, as, luciferase activity was lowest at position one and had a comparable activity at positions two and three. The P2A peptide can be used to express at

Cancer association study of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase signaling network in glioblastoma.

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Yong-Wan Kim

Full Text Available Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs and ARS-interacting multifunctional proteins (AIMPs exhibit remarkable functional versatility beyond their catalytic activities in protein synthesis. Their non-canonical functions have been pathologically linked to cancers. Here we described our integrative genome-wide analysis of ARSs to show cancer-associated activities in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, the most aggressive malignant primary brain tumor. We first selected 23 ARS/AIMPs (together referred to as ARSN, 124 cancer-associated druggable target genes (DTGs and 404 protein-protein interactors (PPIs of ARSs using NCI's cancer gene index. 254 GBM affymetrix microarray data in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA were used to identify the probe sets whose expression were most strongly correlated with survival (Kaplan-Meier plots versus survival times, log-rank t-test <0.05. The analysis identified 122 probe sets as survival signatures, including 5 of ARSN (VARS, QARS, CARS, NARS, FARS, and 115 of DTGs and PPIs (PARD3, RXRB, ATP5C1, HSP90AA1, CD44, THRA, TRAF2, KRT10, MED12, etc. Of note, 61 survival-related probes were differentially expressed in three different prognosis subgroups in GBM patients and showed correlation with established prognosis markers such as age and phenotypic molecular signatures. CARS and FARS also showed significantly higher association with different molecular networks in GBM patients. Taken together, our findings demonstrate evidence for an ARSN biology-dominant contribution in the biology of GBM.

Thylakoid redox signals are integrated into organellar-gene-expression-dependent retrograde signalling in the prors1-1 mutant

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Luca eTadini

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Perturbations in organellar gene expression (OGE and the thylakoid redox state (TRS activate retrograde signalling pathways that adaptively modify nuclear gene expression (NGE, according to developmental and metabolic needs. The prors1-1 mutation in Arabidopsis down-regulates the expression of the nuclear gene Prolyl-tRNA Synthetase1 (PRORS1 which acts in both plastids and mitochondria, thereby impairing protein synthesis in both organelles and triggering OGE-dependent retrograde signalling. Because the mutation also affects thylakoid electron transport, TRS-dependent signals may likewise have an impact on the changes in NGE observed in this genotype. In this study, we have investigated whether signals related to TRS are actually integrated into the OGE-dependent retrograde signalling pathway. To this end, the chaos mutation (for chlorophyll a/b binding protein harvesting-organelle specific, which shows a partial loss of PSII antennae proteins and thus a reduction in PSII light absorption capability, was introduced into the prors1-1 mutant background. The resulting double mutant displayed a prors1-1-like reduction in plastid translation rate and a chaos-like decrease in PSII antenna size, whereas the hyper-reduction of the thylakoid electron transport chain, caused by the prors1-1 mutation, was alleviated, as determined by monitoring chlorophyll (Chl fluorescence and thylakoid phosphorylation. Interestingly, a substantial fraction of the nucleus-encoded photosynthesis genes down-regulated in the prors1-1 mutant are expressed at nearly wild-type rates in prors1-1 chaos leaves, and this recovery is reflected in the steady-state levels of their protein products in the chloroplast. We therefore conclude that signals related to photosynthetic electron transport and TRS, and indirectly to carbohydrate metabolism and energy balance, are indeed fed into the OGE-dependent retrograde pathway to modulate NGE and adjust the abundance of chloroplast proteins.

Gene expression inference with deep learning.

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Chen, Yifei; Li, Yi; Narayan, Rajiv; Subramanian, Aravind; Xie, Xiaohui

2016-06-15

Large-scale gene expression profiling has been widely used to characterize cellular states in response to various disease conditions, genetic perturbations, etc. Although the cost of whole-genome expression profiles has been dropping steadily, generating a compendium of expression profiling over thousands of samples is still very expensive. Recognizing that gene expressions are often highly correlated, researchers from the NIH LINCS program have developed a cost-effective strategy of profiling only ∼1000 carefully selected landmark genes and relying on computational methods to infer the expression of remaining target genes. However, the computational approach adopted by the LINCS program is currently based on linear regression (LR), limiting its accuracy since it does not capture complex nonlinear relationship between expressions of genes. We present a deep learning method (abbreviated as D-GEX) to infer the expression of target genes from the expression of landmark genes. We used the microarray-based Gene Expression Omnibus dataset, consisting of 111K expression profiles, to train our model and compare its performance to those from other methods. In terms of mean absolute error averaged across all genes, deep learning significantly outperforms LR with 15.33% relative improvement. A gene-wise comparative analysis shows that deep learning achieves lower error than LR in 99.97% of the target genes. We also tested the performance of our learned model on an independent RNA-Seq-based GTEx dataset, which consists of 2921 expression profiles. Deep learning still outperforms LR with 6.57% relative improvement, and achieves lower error in 81.31% of the target genes. D-GEX is available at https://github.com/uci-cbcl/D-GEX CONTACT: xhx@ics.uci.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Genomic Organization and Expression of Iron Metabolism Genes in the Emerging Pathogenic Mold Scedosporium apiospermum

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Yohann Le Govic

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The ubiquitous mold Scedosporium apiospermum is increasingly recognized as an emerging pathogen, especially among patients with underlying disorders such as immunodeficiency or cystic fibrosis (CF. Indeed, it ranks the second among the filamentous fungi colonizing the respiratory tract of CF patients. However, our knowledge about virulence factors of this fungus is still limited. The role of iron-uptake systems may be critical for establishment of Scedosporium infections, notably in the iron-rich environment of the CF lung. Two main strategies are employed by fungi to efficiently acquire iron from their host or from their ecological niche: siderophore production and reductive iron assimilation (RIA systems. The aim of this study was to assess the existence of orthologous genes involved in iron metabolism in the recently sequenced genome of S. apiospermum. At first, a tBLASTn analysis using A. fumigatus iron-related proteins as query revealed orthologs of almost all relevant loci in the S. apiospermum genome. Whereas the genes putatively involved in RIA were randomly distributed, siderophore biosynthesis and transport genes were organized in two clusters, each containing a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS whose orthologs in A. fumigatus have been described to catalyze hydroxamate siderophore synthesis. Nevertheless, comparative genomic analysis of siderophore-related clusters showed greater similarity between S. apiospermum and phylogenetically close molds than with Aspergillus species. The expression level of these genes was then evaluated by exposing conidia to iron starvation and iron excess. The expression of several orthologs of A. fumigatus genes involved in siderophore-based iron uptake or RIA was significantly induced during iron starvation, and conversely repressed in iron excess conditions. Altogether, these results indicate that S. apiospermum possesses the genetic information required for efficient and competitive iron uptake

Scaling of gene expression data allowing the comparison of different gene expression platforms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ruissen, Fred; Schaaf, Gerben J.; Kool, Marcel; Baas, Frank; Ruijter, Jan M.

2008-01-01

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) and microarrays have found a widespread application, but much ambiguity exists regarding the amalgamation of the data resulting from these technologies. Cross-platform utilization of gene expression data from the SAGE and microarray technology could reduce

cis sequence effects on gene expression

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Jacobs Kevin

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sequence and transcriptional variability within and between individuals are typically studied independently. The joint analysis of sequence and gene expression variation (genetical genomics provides insight into the role of linked sequence variation in the regulation of gene expression. We investigated the role of sequence variation in cis on gene expression (cis sequence effects in a group of genes commonly studied in cancer research in lymphoblastoid cell lines. We estimated the proportion of genes exhibiting cis sequence effects and the proportion of gene expression variation explained by cis sequence effects using three different analytical approaches, and compared our results to the literature. Results We generated gene expression profiling data at N = 697 candidate genes from N = 30 lymphoblastoid cell lines for this study and used available candidate gene resequencing data at N = 552 candidate genes to identify N = 30 candidate genes with sufficient variance in both datasets for the investigation of cis sequence effects. We used two additive models and the haplotype phylogeny scanning approach of Templeton (Tree Scanning to evaluate association between individual SNPs, all SNPs at a gene, and diplotypes, with log-transformed gene expression. SNPs and diplotypes at eight candidate genes exhibited statistically significant (p cis sequence effects in our study, respectively. Conclusion Based on analysis of our results and the extant literature, one in four genes exhibits significant cis sequence effects, and for these genes, about 30% of gene expression variation is accounted for by cis sequence variation. Despite diverse experimental approaches, the presence or absence of significant cis sequence effects is largely supported by previously published studies.

Extracting gene expression patterns and identifying co-expressed genes from microarray data reveals biologically responsive processes

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Paules Richard S

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A common observation in the analysis of gene expression data is that many genes display similarity in their expression patterns and therefore appear to be co-regulated. However, the variation associated with microarray data and the complexity of the experimental designs make the acquisition of co-expressed genes a challenge. We developed a novel method for Extracting microarray gene expression Patterns and Identifying co-expressed Genes, designated as EPIG. The approach utilizes the underlying structure of gene expression data to extract patterns and identify co-expressed genes that are responsive to experimental conditions. Results Through evaluation of the correlations among profiles, the magnitude of variation in gene expression profiles, and profile signal-to-noise ratio's, EPIG extracts a set of patterns representing co-expressed genes. The method is shown to work well with a simulated data set and microarray data obtained from time-series studies of dauer recovery and L1 starvation in C. elegans and after ultraviolet (UV or ionizing radiation (IR-induced DNA damage in diploid human fibroblasts. With the simulated data set, EPIG extracted the appropriate number of patterns which were more stable and homogeneous than the set of patterns that were determined using the CLICK or CAST clustering algorithms. However, CLICK performed better than EPIG and CAST with respect to the average correlation between clusters/patterns of the simulated data. With real biological data, EPIG extracted more dauer-specific patterns than CLICK. Furthermore, analysis of the IR/UV data revealed 18 unique patterns and 2661 genes out of approximately 17,000 that were identified as significantly expressed and categorized to the patterns by EPIG. The time-dependent patterns displayed similar and dissimilar responses between IR and UV treatments. Gene Ontology analysis applied to each pattern-related subset of co-expressed genes revealed underlying

Renal Gene Expression Database (RGED): a relational database of gene expression profiles in kidney disease.

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Zhang, Qingzhou; Yang, Bo; Chen, Xujiao; Xu, Jing; Mei, Changlin; Mao, Zhiguo

2014-01-01

We present a bioinformatics database named Renal Gene Expression Database (RGED), which contains comprehensive gene expression data sets from renal disease research. The web-based interface of RGED allows users to query the gene expression profiles in various kidney-related samples, including renal cell lines, human kidney tissues and murine model kidneys. Researchers can explore certain gene profiles, the relationships between genes of interests and identify biomarkers or even drug targets in kidney diseases. The aim of this work is to provide a user-friendly utility for the renal disease research community to query expression profiles of genes of their own interest without the requirement of advanced computational skills. Website is implemented in PHP, R, MySQL and Nginx and freely available from http://rged.wall-eva.net. http://rged.wall-eva.net. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

Renal Gene Expression Database (RGED): a relational database of gene expression profiles in kidney disease

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qingzhou; Yang, Bo; Chen, Xujiao; Xu, Jing; Mei, Changlin; Mao, Zhiguo

2014-01-01

We present a bioinformatics database named Renal Gene Expression Database (RGED), which contains comprehensive gene expression data sets from renal disease research. The web-based interface of RGED allows users to query the gene expression profiles in various kidney-related samples, including renal cell lines, human kidney tissues and murine model kidneys. Researchers can explore certain gene profiles, the relationships between genes of interests and identify biomarkers or even drug targets in kidney diseases. The aim of this work is to provide a user-friendly utility for the renal disease research community to query expression profiles of genes of their own interest without the requirement of advanced computational skills. Availability and implementation: Website is implemented in PHP, R, MySQL and Nginx and freely available from http://rged.wall-eva.net. Database URL: http://rged.wall-eva.net PMID:25252782

Modulation of gene expression made easy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Solem, Christian; Jensen, Peter Ruhdal

2002-01-01

A new approach for modulating gene expression, based on randomization of promoter (spacer) sequences, was developed. The method was applied to chromosomal genes in Lactococcus lactis and shown to generate libraries of clones with broad ranges of expression levels of target genes. In one example...... that the method can be applied to modulating the expression of native genes on the chromosome. We constructed a series of strains in which the expression of the las operon, containing the genes pfk, pyk, and ldh, was modulated by integrating a truncated copy of the pfk gene. Importantly, the modulation affected...

Antenatal and postnatal radiologic diagnosis of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency: a systematic review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandaralage, Sahan P.S.; Farnaghi, Soheil; Dulhunty, Joel M.; Kothari, Alka

2016-01-01

Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency results in impaired activation of enzymes implicated in glucose, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. Antenatal imaging and postnatal imaging are useful in making the diagnosis. Untreated holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency is fatal, while antenatal and postnatal biotin supplementation is associated with good clinical outcomes. Although biochemical assays are required for definitive diagnosis, certain radiologic features assist in the diagnosis of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency. To review evidence regarding radiologic diagnostic features of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency in the antenatal and postnatal period. A systematic review of all published cases of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency identified by a search of Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science. A total of 75 patients with holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency were identified from the systematic review, which screened 687 manuscripts. Most patients with imaging (19/22, 86%) had abnormal findings, the most common being subependymal cysts, ventriculomegaly and intraventricular hemorrhage. Although the radiologic features of subependymal cysts, ventriculomegaly, intraventricular hemorrhage and intrauterine growth restriction may be found in the setting of other pathologies, these findings should prompt consideration of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency in at-risk children. (orig.)

Antenatal and postnatal radiologic diagnosis of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency: a systematic review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bandaralage, Sahan P.S. [Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Southport, Queensland (Australia); Griffith University, School of Medicine, Southport, Queensland (Australia); Farnaghi, Soheil [Caboolture Hospital, Caboolture, Queensland (Australia); Dulhunty, Joel M.; Kothari, Alka [Redcliffe Hospital, Redcliffe, Queensland (Australia); The University of Queensland, School of Medicine, Herston, Queensland (Australia)

2016-03-15

Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency results in impaired activation of enzymes implicated in glucose, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. Antenatal imaging and postnatal imaging are useful in making the diagnosis. Untreated holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency is fatal, while antenatal and postnatal biotin supplementation is associated with good clinical outcomes. Although biochemical assays are required for definitive diagnosis, certain radiologic features assist in the diagnosis of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency. To review evidence regarding radiologic diagnostic features of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency in the antenatal and postnatal period. A systematic review of all published cases of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency identified by a search of Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science. A total of 75 patients with holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency were identified from the systematic review, which screened 687 manuscripts. Most patients with imaging (19/22, 86%) had abnormal findings, the most common being subependymal cysts, ventriculomegaly and intraventricular hemorrhage. Although the radiologic features of subependymal cysts, ventriculomegaly, intraventricular hemorrhage and intrauterine growth restriction may be found in the setting of other pathologies, these findings should prompt consideration of holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency in at-risk children. (orig.)

Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Thermus aquaticus succinyl-CoA synthetase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joyce, Michael A.; Brownie, Edward R.; Hayakawa, Koto; Fraser, Marie E.

2007-01-01

Attempts to crystallize succinyl-CoA synthetase from the thermophile T. aquaticus were thwarted by proteolysis of the β-subunit and preferential crystallization of a truncated form. Crystals of the full-length enzyme were grown after the purification protocol was modified to include frequent additions of protease inhibitors. Succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS) is an enzyme of the citric acid cycle and is thus found in most species. To date, there are no structures available of SCS from a thermophilic organism. To investigate how the enzyme adapts to higher temperatures, SCS from Thermus aquaticus was cloned, overexpressed, purified and crystallized. Attempts to crystallize the enzyme were thwarted by proteolysis of the β-subunit and preferential crystallization of the truncated form. Crystals of full-length SCS were grown after the purification protocol was modified to include frequent additions of protease inhibitors. The resulting crystals, which diffract to 2.35 Å resolution, are of the protein in complex with Mn 2+ -GDP

Using gene expression noise to understand gene regulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Munsky, B.; Neuert, G.; van Oudenaarden, A.

2012-01-01

Phenotypic variation is ubiquitous in biology and is often traceable to underlying genetic and environmental variation. However, even genetically identical cells in identical environments display variable phenotypes. Stochastic gene expression, or gene expression "noise," has been suggested as a

ATP-dependent and NAD-dependent modification of glutamine synthetase from Rhodospirillum rubrum in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woehle, D.L.; Lueddecke, B.A.; Ludden, P.W.

1990-01-01

Glutamine synthetase from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum is the target of both ATP- and NAD-dependent modification. Incubation of R. rubrum cell supernatant with [α- 32 P]NAD results in the labeling of glutamine synthetase and two other unidentified proteins. Dinitrogenase reductase ADP-ribosyltransferase does not appear to be responsible for the modification of glutamine synthetase or the unidentified proteins. The [α- 32 P]ATP- and [α- 32 P] NAD-dependent modifications of R. rubrum glutamine synthetase appear to be exclusive and the two forms of modified glutamine synthetase are separable on two-dimensional gels. Loss of enzymatic activity by glutamine synthetase did not correlate with [α- 32 P]NAD labeling. This is in contrast to inactivation by nonphysiological ADP-ribosylation of other glutamine synthetases by an NAD:arginine ADP-ribosyltransferase from turkey erythrocytes. A 32 P-labeled protein spot comigrates with the NAD-treated glutamine synthetase spot when glutamine synthetase purified from H 3 32 PO 4 -grown cells is analyzed on two-dimensional gels. The adenylylation site of R. rubrum glutamine synthetase has been determined to be Leu-(Asp)-Tyr-Leu-Pro-Pro-Glu-Glu-Leu-Met; the tyrosine residue is the site of modification

Effects of deoxynivalenol- and zearalenone-contaminated feed on the gene expression profiles in the kidneys of piglets

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Kondreddy Eswar Reddy

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objective Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON and zearalenone (ZEN, common contaminants in the feed of farm animals, cause immune function impairment and organ inflammation. Consequently, the main objective of this study was to elucidate DON and ZEN effects on the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other immune related genes in the kidneys of piglets. Methods Fifteen 6-week-old piglets were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments for 4 weeks: control diet, and diets contaminated with either 8 mg DON/kg feed or 0.8 mg ZEN/kg feed. Kidney samples were collected after treatment, and RNA-seq was used to investigate the effects on immune-related genes and gene networks. Results A total of 186 differentially expressed genes (DEGs were screened (120 upregulated and 66 downregulated. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the immune response, and cellular and metabolic processes were significantly controlled by these DEGs. The inflammatory stimulation might be an effect of the following enriched Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway analysis found related to immune and disease responses: cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine signaling pathway, toll-like receptor signaling pathway, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, tuberculosis, Epstein-Barr virus infection, and chemical carcinogenesis. The effects of DON and ZEN on genome-wide expression were assessed, and it was found that the DEGs associated with inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 10 receptor, beta, chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 9, CXCL10, chemokine [C-C motif] ligand 4, proliferation (insulin like growth factor binding protein 4, IgG heavy chain, receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase C, cytochrome P450 1A1, ATP-binding cassette sub-family 8, and other immune response networks (lysozyme, complement component 4 binding protein alpha, oligoadenylate synthetase 2, signaling lymphocytic activation molecule-9, α-aminoadipic semialdehyde dehydrogenase

Gene expression in plant lipid metabolism in Arabidopsis seedlings.

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An-Shan Hsiao

Full Text Available Events in plant lipid metabolism are important during seedling establishment. As it has not been experimentally verified whether lipid metabolism in 2- and 5-day-old Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings is diurnally-controlled, quantitative real-time PCR analysis was used to investigate the expression of target genes in acyl-lipid transfer, β-oxidation and triacylglycerol (TAG synthesis and hydrolysis in wild-type Arabidopsis WS and Col-0. In both WS and Col-0, ACYL-COA-BINDING PROTEIN3 (ACBP3, DIACYLGLYCEROL ACYLTRANSFERASE1 (DGAT1 and DGAT3 showed diurnal control in 2- and 5-day-old seedlings. Also, COMATOSE (CTS was diurnally regulated in 2-day-old seedlings and LONG-CHAIN ACYL-COA SYNTHETASE6 (LACS6 in 5-day-old seedlings in both WS and Col-0. Subsequently, the effect of CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1 and LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY from the core clock system was examined using the cca1lhy mutant and CCA1-overexpressing (CCA1-OX lines versus wild-type WS and Col-0, respectively. Results revealed differential gene expression in lipid metabolism between 2- and 5-day-old mutant and wild-type WS seedlings, as well as between CCA1-OX and wild-type Col-0. Of the ACBPs, ACBP3 displayed the most significant changes between cca1lhy and WS and between CCA1-OX and Col-0, consistent with previous reports that ACBP3 is greatly affected by light/dark cycling. Evidence of oil body retention in 4- and 5-day-old seedlings of the cca1lhy mutant in comparison to WS indicated the effect of cca1lhy on storage lipid reserve mobilization. Lipid profiling revealed differences in primary lipid metabolism, namely in TAG, fatty acid methyl ester and acyl-CoA contents amongst cca1lhy, CCA1-OX, and wild-type seedlings. Taken together, this study demonstrates that lipid metabolism is subject to diurnal regulation in the early stages of seedling development in Arabidopsis.

Characterization of differentially expressed genes using high-dimensional co-expression networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coelho Goncalves de Abreu, Gabriel; Labouriau, Rodrigo S.

2010-01-01

We present a technique to characterize differentially expressed genes in terms of their position in a high-dimensional co-expression network. The set-up of Gaussian graphical models is used to construct representations of the co-expression network in such a way that redundancy and the propagation...... that allow to make effective inference in problems with high degree of complexity (e.g. several thousands of genes) and small number of observations (e.g. 10-100) as typically occurs in high throughput gene expression studies. Taking advantage of the internal structure of decomposable graphical models, we...... construct a compact representation of the co-expression network that allows to identify the regions with high concentration of differentially expressed genes. It is argued that differentially expressed genes located in highly interconnected regions of the co-expression network are less informative than...

Regulation of eucaryotic gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brent, R.; Ptashne, M.S

1989-05-23

This patent describes a method of regulating the expression of a gene in a eucaryotic cell. The method consists of: providing in the eucaryotic cell, a peptide, derived from or substantially similar to a peptide of a procaryotic cell able to bind to DNA upstream from or within the gene, the amount of the peptide being sufficient to bind to the gene and thereby control expression of the gene.

Impact of haloperidol and quetiapine on the expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

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Schmidt, Andreas Johannes; Hemmeter, Ulrich Michael; Krieg, Jürgen-Christian; Vedder, Helmut; Heiser, Philip

2009-05-01

Antipsychotics are known to alter antioxidant activities in vivo. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line the impact of a typical (haloperidol) and an atypical (quetiapine) antipsychotic on the expression of genes encoding the key enzymes of the antioxidant metabolism (Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase; Mn superoxide dismutase; glutathione peroxidase; catalase) and enzymes of the glutathione metabolism (gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase, glutathione-S-transferase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, glutathione reductase). The cells were incubated for 24h with 0.3, 3, 30 and 300microM haloperidol and quetiapine, respectively; mRNA levels were measured by polymerase chain reaction. In the present study, we observed mostly significant decreases of mRNA contents. With respect to the key pathways, we detected mainly effects on the mRNA levels of the hydrogen peroxide detoxifying enzymes. Among the enzymes of the glutathione metabolism, glutathione-S-transferase- and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase-mRNA levels showed the most prominent effects. Taken together, our results demonstrate a significantly reduced expression of genes encoding for antioxidant enzymes after treatment with the antipsychotics, haloperidol and quetiapine.

Cytosolic glutamine synthetase in barley

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Hanne Cecilie

remobilisation from ageing plant parts. Thus, GS is highly involved in determining crop yield and NUE. The major objective of this PhD project was to investigate the NUE properties of transgenic barley designed to constitutively overexpress a GS1 isogene (HvGS1.1). These transgenic lines exhibited an increased...... for N demand. Of the GS isogenes, only the transcript levels of root HvGS1.1 increased when plants were transferred from high to low N. This change coincided with an increase in total GS activity. Pronounced diurnal variation was observed for root nitrate transporter genes and GS isogenes in both root...... fertilizer requirement. The enzyme glutamine synthetase (GS) has been a major topic in plant nitrogen research for decades due to its central role in plant N metabolism. The cytosolic version of this enzyme (GS1) plays an important role in relation to primary N assimilation as well as in relation to N...

Polyspecific pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetases from directed evolution

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Guo, Li-Tao; Wang, Yane-Shih; Nakamura, Akiyoshi; Eiler, Daniel; Kavran, Jennifer M.; Wong, Margaret; Kiessling, Laura L.; Steitz, Thomas A.; O’Donoghue, Patrick; Söll, Dieter

2014-01-01

Pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) and its cognate tRNAPyl have emerged as ideal translation components for genetic code innovation. Variants of the enzyme facilitate the incorporation >100 noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins. PylRS variants were previously selected to acylate Nε-acetyl-Lys (AcK) onto tRNAPyl. Here, we examine an Nε-acetyl-lysyl-tRNA synthetase (AcKRS), which is polyspecific (i.e., active with a broad range of ncAAs) and 30-fold more efficient with Phe derivatives than it is with AcK. Structural and biochemical data reveal the molecular basis of polyspecificity in AcKRS and in a PylRS variant [iodo-phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (IFRS)] that displays both enhanced activity and substrate promiscuity over a chemical library of 313 ncAAs. IFRS, a product of directed evolution, has distinct binding modes for different ncAAs. These data indicate that in vivo selections do not produce optimally specific tRNA synthetases and suggest that translation fidelity will become an increasingly dominant factor in expanding the genetic code far beyond 20 amino acids. PMID:25385624

Polyspecific pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetases from directed evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Li-Tao; Wang, Yane-Shih; Nakamura, Akiyoshi; Eiler, Daniel; Kavran, Jennifer M; Wong, Margaret; Kiessling, Laura L; Steitz, Thomas A; O'Donoghue, Patrick; Söll, Dieter

2014-11-25

Pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) and its cognate tRNA(Pyl) have emerged as ideal translation components for genetic code innovation. Variants of the enzyme facilitate the incorporation >100 noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins. PylRS variants were previously selected to acylate N(ε)-acetyl-Lys (AcK) onto tRNA(Pyl). Here, we examine an N(ε)-acetyl-lysyl-tRNA synthetase (AcKRS), which is polyspecific (i.e., active with a broad range of ncAAs) and 30-fold more efficient with Phe derivatives than it is with AcK. Structural and biochemical data reveal the molecular basis of polyspecificity in AcKRS and in a PylRS variant [iodo-phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (IFRS)] that displays both enhanced activity and substrate promiscuity over a chemical library of 313 ncAAs. IFRS, a product of directed evolution, has distinct binding modes for different ncAAs. These data indicate that in vivo selections do not produce optimally specific tRNA synthetases and suggest that translation fidelity will become an increasingly dominant factor in expanding the genetic code far beyond 20 amino acids.

Characterization of the human laminin beta2 chain locus (LAMB2): linkage to a gene containing a nonprocessed, transcribed LAMB2-like pseudogene (LAMB2L) and to the gene encoding glutaminyl tRNA synthetase (QARS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Durkin, M E; Jäger, A C; Khurana, T S

1999-01-01

The laminin beta2 chain is an important constituent of certain kidney and muscle basement membranes. We have generated a detailed physical map of a 110-kb genomic DNA segment surrounding the human laminin beta2 chain gene (LAMB2) on chromosome 3p21.3-->p21.2, a region paralogous with the chromosome...... 7q22-->q31 region that contains the laminin beta1 chain gene locus (LAMB1). Several CpG islands and a novel polymorphic microsatellite marker (D3S4594) were identified. The 3' end of LAMB2 lies 16 kb from the 5' end of the glutaminyl tRNA synthetase gene (QARS). About 20 kb upstream of LAMB2 we...... found a gene encoding a transcribed, non-processed LAMB2-like pseudogene (LAMB2L). The sequence of 1.75 kb of genomic DNA at the 3' end of LAMB2L was similar to exons 8-12 of the laminin beta2 chain gene. The LAMB2L-LAMB2-QARS cluster lies telomeric to the gene encoding the laminin-binding protein...

Inferring gene expression dynamics via functional regression analysis

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Leng Xiaoyan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Temporal gene expression profiles characterize the time-dynamics of expression of specific genes and are increasingly collected in current gene expression experiments. In the analysis of experiments where gene expression is obtained over the life cycle, it is of interest to relate temporal patterns of gene expression associated with different developmental stages to each other to study patterns of long-term developmental gene regulation. We use tools from functional data analysis to study dynamic changes by relating temporal gene expression profiles of different developmental stages to each other. Results We demonstrate that functional regression methodology can pinpoint relationships that exist between temporary gene expression profiles for different life cycle phases and incorporates dimension reduction as needed for these high-dimensional data. By applying these tools, gene expression profiles for pupa and adult phases are found to be strongly related to the profiles of the same genes obtained during the embryo phase. Moreover, one can distinguish between gene groups that exhibit relationships with positive and others with negative associations between later life and embryonal expression profiles. Specifically, we find a positive relationship in expression for muscle development related genes, and a negative relationship for strictly maternal genes for Drosophila, using temporal gene expression profiles. Conclusion Our findings point to specific reactivation patterns of gene expression during the Drosophila life cycle which differ in characteristic ways between various gene groups. Functional regression emerges as a useful tool for relating gene expression patterns from different developmental stages, and avoids the problems with large numbers of parameters and multiple testing that affect alternative approaches.

Synthetic promoter libraries- tuning of gene expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hammer, Karin; Mijakovic, Ivan; Jensen, Peter Ruhdal

2006-01-01

knockout and strong overexpression. However, applications such as metabolic optimization and control analysis necessitate a continuous set of expression levels with only slight increments in strength to cover a specific window around the wildtype expression level of the studied gene; this requirement can......The study of gene function often requires changing the expression of a gene and evaluating the consequences. In principle, the expression of any given gene can be modulated in a quasi-continuum of discrete expression levels but the traditional approaches are usually limited to two extremes: gene...

The reported human NADsyn2 is ammonia-dependent NAD synthetase from a pseudomonad.

Science.gov (United States)

Bieganowski, Pawel; Brenner, Charles

2003-08-29

Nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) synthetases catalyze the last step in NAD+ metabolism in the de novo, import, and salvage pathways that originate from tryptophan (or aspartic acid), nicotinic acid, and nicotinamide, respectively, and converge on nicotinic acid mononucleotide. NAD+ synthetase converts nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide to NAD+ via an adenylylated intermediate. All of the known eukaryotic NAD+ synthetases are glutamine-dependent, hydrolyzing glutamine to glutamic acid to provide the attacking ammonia. In the prokaryotic world, some NAD+ synthetases are glutamine-dependent, whereas others can only use ammonia. Earlier, we noted a perfect correlation between presence of a domain related to nitrilase and glutamine dependence and then proved in the accompanying paper (Bieganowski, P., Pace, H. C., and Brenner, C. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 33049-33055) that the nitrilase-related domain is an essential, obligate intramolecular, thiol-dependent glutamine amidotransferase in the yeast NAD+ synthetase, Qns1. Independently, human NAD+ synthetase was cloned and shown to depend on Cys-175 for glutamine-dependent but not ammonia-dependent NAD+ synthetase activity. Additionally, it was claimed that a 275 amino acid open reading frame putatively amplified from human glioma cell line LN229 encodes a human ammonia-dependent NAD+ synthetase and this was speculated largely to mediate NAD+ synthesis in human muscle tissues. Here we establish that the so-called NADsyn2 is simply ammonia-dependent NAD+ synthetase from Pseudomonas, which is encoded on an operon with nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase and, in some Pseudomonads, with nicotinamidase.

Adaptive Evolution of Gene Expression in Drosophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Nourmohammad, Armita; Rambeau, Joachim; Held, Torsten; Kovacova, Viera; Berg, Johannes; Lässig, Michael

2017-08-08

Gene expression levels are important quantitative traits that link genotypes to molecular functions and fitness. In Drosophila, population-genetic studies have revealed substantial adaptive evolution at the genomic level, but the evolutionary modes of gene expression remain controversial. Here, we present evidence that adaptation dominates the evolution of gene expression levels in flies. We show that 64% of the observed expression divergence across seven Drosophila species are adaptive changes driven by directional selection. Our results are derived from time-resolved data of gene expression divergence across a family of related species, using a probabilistic inference method for gene-specific selection. Adaptive gene expression is stronger in specific functional classes, including regulation, sensory perception, sexual behavior, and morphology. Moreover, we identify a large group of genes with sex-specific adaptation of expression, which predominantly occurs in males. Our analysis opens an avenue to map system-wide selection on molecular quantitative traits independently of their genetic basis. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Evolution of Gene Expression in Drosophila

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Armita Nourmohammad

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Gene expression levels are important quantitative traits that link genotypes to molecular functions and fitness. In Drosophila, population-genetic studies have revealed substantial adaptive evolution at the genomic level, but the evolutionary modes of gene expression remain controversial. Here, we present evidence that adaptation dominates the evolution of gene expression levels in flies. We show that 64% of the observed expression divergence across seven Drosophila species are adaptive changes driven by directional selection. Our results are derived from time-resolved data of gene expression divergence across a family of related species, using a probabilistic inference method for gene-specific selection. Adaptive gene expression is stronger in specific functional classes, including regulation, sensory perception, sexual behavior, and morphology. Moreover, we identify a large group of genes with sex-specific adaptation of expression, which predominantly occurs in males. Our analysis opens an avenue to map system-wide selection on molecular quantitative traits independently of their genetic basis.

Glutamine Synthetase: Localization Dictates Outcome

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Alessandra Castegna

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Glutamine synthetase (GS is the adenosine triphosphate (ATP-dependent enzyme that catalyses the synthesis of glutamine by condensing ammonium to glutamate. In the circulatory system, glutamine carries ammonia from muscle and brain to the kidney and liver. In brain reduction of GS activity has been suggested as a mechanism mediating neurotoxicity in neurodegenerative disorders. In cancer, the delicate balance between glutamine synthesis and catabolism is a critical event. In vitro evidence, confirmed in vivo in some cases, suggests that reduced GS activity in cancer cells associates with a more invasive and aggressive phenotype. However, GS is known to be highly expressed in cells of the tumor microenvironment, such as fibroblasts, adipocytes and immune cells, and their ability to synthesize glutamine is responsible for the acquisition of protumoral phenotypes. This has opened a new window into the complex scenario of the tumor microenvironment, in which the balance of glutamine consumption versus glutamine synthesis influences cellular function. Since GS expression responds to glutamine starvation, a lower glutamine synthesizing power due to the absence of GS in cancer cells might apply a metabolic pressure on stromal cells. This event might push stroma towards a GS-high/protumoral phenotype. When referred to stromal cells, GS expression might acquire a ‘bad’ significance to the point that GS inhibition might be considered a conceivable strategy against cancer metastasis.

Partial response to biotin therapy in a patient with holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency: clinical, biochemical, and molecular genetic aspects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Santer, R.; Muhle, H.; Suormala, T.; Baumgartner, E. R.; Duran, M.; Yang, X.; Aoki, Y.; Suzuki, Y.; Stephani, U.

2003-01-01

We report the clinical course and biochemical findings of a 10-year-old, mentally retarded girl with late-onset holocarboxylase synthetase (HCS, gene symbol HLCS) deficiency and only partial response to biotin. On treatment, even with an unusually high dose of 200mg/day, activities of the

Selective inhibition of type 2 fatty acid synthetase by the antibiotic thiolactomycin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishida, Ikuo; Kawaguchi, Akihiko; Yamada, Mitsuhiro

1984-01-01

The antibiotic thiolactomycin inhibits the fatty acid synthesis from both [1- 14 C]-acetate and [2 14 C] malonyl-CoA of spinach leaves, developing castor bean endosperms and avocado mesocarp. On the other hand, fatty acid synthetases of Brevibacterium ammoniagenes and Corynebacterium glutamicum are much less sensitive to this antibiotic. As Hayashi et al. have indicated in their paper that thiolactomycin inhibits fatty acid synthetase of Escherichia coli but has little effect on the synthetases of yeast and rat liver, thiolactomycin is suggested to be a selective inhibitor of type 2 fatty acid synthetases. (author)

Selective inhibition of type 2 fatty acid synthetase by the antibiotic thiolactomycin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishida, Ikuo; Kawaguchi, Akihiko; Yamada, Mitsuhiro (Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Science)

1984-03-01

The antibiotic thiolactomycin inhibits the fatty acid synthesis from both (1-/sup 14/C)-acetate and (2/sup 14/C) malonyl-CoA of spinach leaves, developing castor bean endosperms and avocado mesocarp. On the other hand, fatty acid synthetases of Brevibacterium ammoniagenes and Corynebacterium glutamicum are much less sensitive to this antibiotic. As Hayashi et al. have indicated in their paper that thiolactomycin inhibits fatty acid synthetase of Escherichia coli but has little effect on the synthetases of yeast and rat liver, thiolactomycin is suggested to be a selective inhibitor of type 2 fatty acid synthetases.

Identifying potential maternal genes of Bombyx mori using digital gene expression profiling

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Pingzhen

2018-01-01

Maternal genes present in mature oocytes play a crucial role in the early development of silkworm. Although maternal genes have been widely studied in many other species, there has been limited research in Bombyx mori. High-throughput next generation sequencing provides a practical method for gene discovery on a genome-wide level. Herein, a transcriptome study was used to identify maternal-related genes from silkworm eggs. Unfertilized eggs from five different stages of early development were used to detect the changing situation of gene expression. The expressed genes showed different patterns over time. Seventy-six maternal genes were annotated according to homology analysis with Drosophila melanogaster. More than half of the differentially expressed maternal genes fell into four expression patterns, while the expression patterns showed a downward trend over time. The functional annotation of these material genes was mainly related to transcription factor activity, growth factor activity, nucleic acid binding, RNA binding, ATP binding, and ion binding. Additionally, twenty-two gene clusters including maternal genes were identified from 18 scaffolds. Altogether, we plotted a profile for the maternal genes of Bombyx mori using a digital gene expression profiling method. This will provide the basis for maternal-specific signature research and improve the understanding of the early development of silkworm. PMID:29462160

Time-Course Gene Set Analysis for Longitudinal Gene Expression Data.

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Boris P Hejblum

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Gene set analysis methods, which consider predefined groups of genes in the analysis of genomic data, have been successfully applied for analyzing gene expression data in cross-sectional studies. The time-course gene set analysis (TcGSA introduced here is an extension of gene set analysis to longitudinal data. The proposed method relies on random effects modeling with maximum likelihood estimates. It allows to use all available repeated measurements while dealing with unbalanced data due to missing at random (MAR measurements. TcGSA is a hypothesis driven method that identifies a priori defined gene sets with significant expression variations over time, taking into account the potential heterogeneity of expression within gene sets. When biological conditions are compared, the method indicates if the time patterns of gene sets significantly differ according to these conditions. The interest of the method is illustrated by its application to two real life datasets: an HIV therapeutic vaccine trial (DALIA-1 trial, and data from a recent study on influenza and pneumococcal vaccines. In the DALIA-1 trial TcGSA revealed a significant change in gene expression over time within 69 gene sets during vaccination, while a standard univariate individual gene analysis corrected for multiple testing as well as a standard a Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA for time series both failed to detect any significant pattern change over time. When applied to the second illustrative data set, TcGSA allowed the identification of 4 gene sets finally found to be linked with the influenza vaccine too although they were found to be associated to the pneumococcal vaccine only in previous analyses. In our simulation study TcGSA exhibits good statistical properties, and an increased power compared to other approaches for analyzing time-course expression patterns of gene sets. The method is made available for the community through an R package.

Bacillus anthracis o-succinylbenzoyl-CoA synthetase: reaction kinetics and a novel inhibitor mimicking its reaction intermediate.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Yang; Suk, Dae-Hwan; Cai, Feng; Crich, David; Mesecar, Andrew D

2008-11-25

o-Succinylbenzoyl-CoA (OSB-CoA) synthetase (EC 6.2.1.26) catalyzes the ATP-dependent condensation of o-succinylbenzoate (OSB) and CoA to form OSB-CoA, the fourth step of the menaquinone biosynthetic pathway in Bacillus anthracis. Gene knockout studies have highlighted this enzyme as a potential target for the discovery of new antibiotics. Here we report the first studies on the kinetic mechanism of B. anthracis OSB-CoA synthetase, classifying it as an ordered bi uni uni bi ping-pong mechanism. Through a series of pre-steady-state and steady-state kinetic studies in conjunction with direct binding studies, it is demonstrated that CoA, the last substrate to bind, strongly activates the first half-reaction after the first round of turnover. The activation of the first half-reaction is most likely achieved by CoA stabilizing conformations of the enzyme in the "F" form, which slowly isomerize back to the E form. Thus, the kinetic mechanism of OSB-CoA synthetase may be more accurately described as an ordered bi uni uni bi iso ping-pong mechanism. The substrate specificity of OSB-CoA synthetase was probed using a series of OSB analogues with alterations in the carboxylate groups. OSB-CoA shows a strong preference for OSB over all of the analogues tested as none were active except 4-[2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4-oxobutyric acid which exhibited a 100-fold decrease in k(cat)/K(m). On the basis of an understanding of OSB-CoA synthetase's kinetic mechanism and substrate specificity, a reaction intermediate analogue of OSB-AMP, 5'-O-{N-[2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4-oxobutyl}adenosine sulfonamide (TFMP-butyl-AMS), was designed and synthesized. This inhibitor was found to be an uncompetitive inhibitor to CoA and a mixed-type inhibitor to ATP and OSB with low micromolar inhibition constants. Collectively, these results should serve as an important forerunner to more detailed and extensive inhibitor design studies aimed at developing lead compounds against the OSB-CoA synthetase

Mutations of the aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetases SARS and WARS2 are implicated in the etiology of autosomal recessive intellectual disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Musante, Luciana; Püttmann, Lucia; Kahrizi, Kimia; Garshasbi, Masoud; Hu, Hao; Stehr, Henning; Lipkowitz, Bettina; Otto, Sabine; Jensen, Lars R; Tzschach, Andreas; Jamali, Payman; Wienker, Thomas; Najmabadi, Hossein; Ropers, Hans Hilger; Kuss, Andreas W

2017-06-01

Intellectual disability (ID) is the hallmark of an extremely heterogeneous group of disorders that comprises a wide variety of syndromic and non-syndromic phenotypes. Here, we report on mutations in two aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases that are associated with ID in two unrelated Iranian families. In the first family, we identified a homozygous missense mutation (c.514G>A, p.Asp172Asn) in the cytoplasmic seryl-tRNA synthetase (SARS) gene. The mutation affects the enzymatic core domain of the protein and impairs its enzymatic activity, probably leading to reduced cytoplasmic tRNA Ser concentrations. The mutant protein was predicted to be unstable, which could be substantiated by investigating ectopic mutant SARS in transfected HEK293T cells. In the second family, we found a compound heterozygous genotype of the mitochondrial tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (WARS2) gene, comprising a nonsense mutation (c.325delA, p.Ser109Alafs*15), which very likely entails nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and a missense mutation (c.37T>G, p.Trp13Gly). The latter affects the mitochondrial localization signal of WARS2, causing protein mislocalization. Including AIMP1, which we have recently implicated in the etiology of ID, three genes with a role in tRNA-aminoacylation are now associated with this condition. We therefore suggest that the functional integrity of tRNAs in general is an important factor in the development and maintenance of human cognitive functions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Silencing of vacuolar invertase and asparagine synthetase genes and its impact on acrylamide formation of fried potato products.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiaobiao; Gong, Huiling; He, Qunyan; Zeng, Zixian; Busse, James S; Jin, Weiwei; Bethke, Paul C; Jiang, Jiming

2016-02-01

Acrylamide is produced in a wide variety of carbohydrate-rich foods during high-temperature cooking. Dietary acrylamide is a suspected human carcinogen, and health concerns related to dietary acrylamide have been raised worldwide. French fries and potato chips contribute a significant proportion to the average daily intake of acrylamide, especially in developed countries. One way to mitigate health concerns related to acrylamide is to develop potato cultivars that have reduced contents of the acrylamide precursors asparagine, glucose and fructose in tubers. We generated a large number of silencing lines of potato cultivar Russet Burbank by targeting the vacuolar invertase gene VInv and the asparagine synthetase genes StAS1 and StAS2 with a single RNA interference construct. The transcription levels of these three genes were correlated with reducing sugar (glucose and fructose) and asparagine content in tubers. Fried potato products from the best VInv/StAS1/StAS2-triple silencing lines contained only one-fifteenth of the acrylamide content of the controls. Interestingly, the extent of acrylamide reduction of the best triple silencing lines was similar to that of the best VInv-single silencing lines developed previously from the same potato cultivar Russet Burbank. These results show that an acrylamide mitigation strategy focused on developing potato cultivars with low reducing sugars is likely to be an effective and sufficient approach for minimizing the acrylamide-forming potential of French fry processing potatoes. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The rules of gene expression in plants: Organ identity and gene body methylation are key factors for regulation of gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana

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Gutiérrez Rodrigo A

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Microarray technology is a widely used approach for monitoring genome-wide gene expression. For Arabidopsis, there are over 1,800 microarray hybridizations representing many different experimental conditions on Affymetrix™ ATH1 gene chips alone. This huge amount of data offers a unique opportunity to infer the principles that govern the regulation of gene expression in plants. Results We used bioinformatics methods to analyze publicly available data obtained using the ATH1 chip from Affymetrix. A total of 1887 ATH1 hybridizations were normalized and filtered to eliminate low-quality hybridizations. We classified and compared control and treatment hybridizations and determined differential gene expression. The largest differences in gene expression were observed when comparing samples obtained from different organs. On average, ten-fold more genes were differentially expressed between organs as compared to any other experimental variable. We defined "gene responsiveness" as the number of comparisons in which a gene changed its expression significantly. We defined genes with the highest and lowest responsiveness levels as hypervariable and housekeeping genes, respectively. Remarkably, housekeeping genes were best distinguished from hypervariable genes by differences in methylation status in their transcribed regions. Moreover, methylation in the transcribed region was inversely correlated (R2 = 0.8 with gene responsiveness on a genome-wide scale. We provide an example of this negative relationship using genes encoding TCA cycle enzymes, by contrasting their regulatory responsiveness to nitrate and methylation status in their transcribed regions. Conclusion Our results indicate that the Arabidopsis transcriptome is largely established during development and is comparatively stable when faced with external perturbations. We suggest a novel functional role for DNA methylation in the transcribed region as a key determinant

The functional landscape of mouse gene expression

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Zhang Wen

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Large-scale quantitative analysis of transcriptional co-expression has been used to dissect regulatory networks and to predict the functions of new genes discovered by genome sequencing in model organisms such as yeast. Although the idea that tissue-specific expression is indicative of gene function in mammals is widely accepted, it has not been objectively tested nor compared with the related but distinct strategy of correlating gene co-expression as a means to predict gene function. Results We generated microarray expression data for nearly 40,000 known and predicted mRNAs in 55 mouse tissues, using custom-built oligonucleotide arrays. We show that quantitative transcriptional co-expression is a powerful predictor of gene function. Hundreds of functional categories, as defined by Gene Ontology 'Biological Processes', are associated with characteristic expression patterns across all tissues, including categories that bear no overt relationship to the tissue of origin. In contrast, simple tissue-specific restriction of expression is a poor predictor of which genes are in which functional categories. As an example, the highly conserved mouse gene PWP1 is widely expressed across different tissues but is co-expressed with many RNA-processing genes; we show that the uncharacterized yeast homolog of PWP1 is required for rRNA biogenesis. Conclusions We conclude that 'functional genomics' strategies based on quantitative transcriptional co-expression will be as fruitful in mammals as they have been in simpler organisms, and that transcriptional control of mammalian physiology is more modular than is generally appreciated. Our data and analyses provide a public resource for mammalian functional genomics.

Expression of Sox genes in tooth development.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawasaki, Katsushige; Kawasaki, Maiko; Watanabe, Momoko; Idrus, Erik; Nagai, Takahiro; Oommen, Shelly; Maeda, Takeyasu; Hagiwara, Nobuko; Que, Jianwen; Sharpe, Paul T; Ohazama, Atsushi

2015-01-01

Members of the Sox gene family play roles in many biological processes including organogenesis. We carried out comparative in situ hybridization analysis of seventeen sox genes (Sox1-14, 17, 18, 21) during murine odontogenesis from the epithelial thickening to the cytodifferentiation stages. Localized expression of five Sox genes (Sox6, 9, 13, 14 and 21) was observed in tooth bud epithelium. Sox13 showed restricted expression in the primary enamel knots. At the early bell stage, three Sox genes (Sox8, 11, 17 and 21) were expressed in pre-ameloblasts, whereas two others (Sox5 and 18) showed expression in odontoblasts. Sox genes thus showed a dynamic spatio-temporal expression during tooth development.

Profiling Gene Expression in Germinating Brassica Roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Myoung Ryoul; Wang, Yi-Hong; Hasenstein, Karl H

2014-01-01

Based on previously developed solid-phase gene extraction (SPGE) we examined the mRNA profile in primary roots of Brassica rapa seedlings for highly expressed genes like ACT7 (actin7), TUB (tubulin1), UBQ (ubiquitin), and low expressed GLK (glucokinase) during the first day post-germination. The assessment was based on the mRNA load of the SPGE probe of about 2.1 ng. The number of copies of the investigated genes changed spatially along the length of primary roots. The expression level of all genes differed significantly at each sample position. Among the examined genes ACT7 expression was most even along the root. UBQ was highest at the tip and root-shoot junction (RS). TUB and GLK showed a basipetal gradient. The temporal expression of UBQ was highest in the MZ 9 h after primary root emergence and higher than at any other sample position. Expressions of GLK in EZ and RS increased gradually over time. SPGE extraction is the result of oligo-dT and oligo-dA hybridization and the results illustrate that SPGE can be used for gene expression profiling at high spatial and temporal resolution. SPGE needles can be used within two weeks when stored at 4 °C. Our data indicate that gene expression studies that are based on the entire root miss important differences in gene expression that SPGE is able to resolve for example growth adjustments during gravitropism.

Variation in antiviral 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2'5'AS) enzyme activity is controlled by a single-nucleotide polymorphism at a splice-acceptor site in the OAS1 gene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bonnevie-Nielsen, Vagn; Field, L Leigh; Lu, Shao

2005-01-01

It is likely that human genetic differences mediate susceptibility to viral infection and virus-triggered disorders. OAS genes encoding the antiviral enzyme 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2'5'AS) are critical components of the innate immune response to viruses. This enzyme uses adenosine......=.0044), but not spousal pairs, suggesting strong genetic control of basal activity. We next analyzed association between basal activity and 15 markers across the OAS gene cluster. Significant association was detected at multiple markers, the strongest being at an A/G single-nucleotide polymorphism...... at the exon 7 splice-acceptor site (AG or AA) of the OAS1 gene. At this unusual polymorphism, allele G had a higher gene frequency in persons with high enzyme activity than in those with low enzyme activity (0.44 vs. 0.20; P=3 x 10(-11)). Enzyme activity varied in a dose-dependent manner across the GG, GA...

Unstable Expression of Commonly Used Reference Genes in Rat Pancreatic Islets Early after Isolation Affects Results of Gene Expression Studies.

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Lucie Kosinová

Full Text Available The use of RT-qPCR provides a powerful tool for gene expression studies; however, the proper interpretation of the obtained data is crucially dependent on accurate normalization based on stable reference genes. Recently, strong evidence has been shown indicating that the expression of many commonly used reference genes may vary significantly due to diverse experimental conditions. The isolation of pancreatic islets is a complicated procedure which creates severe mechanical and metabolic stress leading possibly to cellular damage and alteration of gene expression. Despite of this, freshly isolated islets frequently serve as a control in various gene expression and intervention studies. The aim of our study was to determine expression of 16 candidate reference genes and one gene of interest (F3 in isolated rat pancreatic islets during short-term cultivation in order to find a suitable endogenous control for gene expression studies. We compared the expression stability of the most commonly used reference genes and evaluated the reliability of relative and absolute quantification using RT-qPCR during 0-120 hrs after isolation. In freshly isolated islets, the expression of all tested genes was markedly depressed and it increased several times throughout the first 48 hrs of cultivation. We observed significant variability among samples at 0 and 24 hrs but substantial stabilization from 48 hrs onwards. During the first 48 hrs, relative quantification failed to reflect the real changes in respective mRNA concentrations while in the interval 48-120 hrs, the relative expression generally paralleled the results determined by absolute quantification. Thus, our data call into question the suitability of relative quantification for gene expression analysis in pancreatic islets during the first 48 hrs of cultivation, as the results may be significantly affected by unstable expression of reference genes. However, this method could provide reliable information

Reduced expression of argininosuccinate synthetase 1 has a negative prognostic impact in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

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Qingqing Liu

Full Text Available Argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (ASS1, the rate-limiting enzyme for arginine biosynthesis, is expressed in many types of human malignancies. Recent studies showed that ASS1 may have tumor suppressor function and that ASS1 deficiency is associated with clinical aggressiveness in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, myxofibrosarcomas and bladder cancer. The goal of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of ASS1 expression in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC. Our study included two independent cohorts: untreated cohort, which was comprised of 135 patients with PDAC who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy (PD without pre-operative neoadjuvant therapy, and treated cohort, which was comprised of 122 patients with PDAC who have completed neoadjuvant therapy and PD. The expression level of ASS1 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and the results were correlated with clinicopathologic parameters and survival using SPSS statistics. Our study showed that 12% of PDAC in untreated cohort and 15% of PDAC in treated cohort has low expression of ASS1 (ASS1-low. ASS1-low was associated with higher recurrence (p = 0.045, shorter disease-free survival (DFS, 4.8 ± 1.6 months vs 15.3 ± 2.2 months, p = 0.001 and shorter overall survival (OS, 14.6 ± 6.4 months vs 26.5 ± 3.5 months, p = 0.005 in untreated cohort and shorter OS in treated cohort compared to ASS1-high tumors. In multivariate analysis, ASS1-low (HR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26-0.79, p = 0.005 was an independent prognostic factor for DFS in untreated cohort and an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.32-0.97, p = 0.04 in treated cohort. Our results provide supporting evidence for future clinical trial using arginine deprivation agents either alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy in treating pancreatic cancer.

Comprehensive analysis of gene expression patterns of hedgehog-related genes

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Baillie David

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Caenorhabditis elegans genome encodes ten proteins that share sequence similarity with the Hedgehog signaling molecule through their C-terminal autoprocessing Hint/Hog domain. These proteins contain novel N-terminal domains, and C. elegans encodes dozens of additional proteins containing only these N-terminal domains. These gene families are called warthog, groundhog, ground-like and quahog, collectively called hedgehog (hh-related genes. Previously, the expression pattern of seventeen genes was examined, which showed that they are primarily expressed in the ectoderm. Results With the completion of the C. elegans genome sequence in November 2002, we reexamined and identified 61 hh-related ORFs. Further, we identified 49 hh-related ORFs in C. briggsae. ORF analysis revealed that 30% of the genes still had errors in their predictions and we improved these predictions here. We performed a comprehensive expression analysis using GFP fusions of the putative intergenic regulatory sequence with one or two transgenic lines for most genes. The hh-related genes are expressed in one or a few of the following tissues: hypodermis, seam cells, excretory duct and pore cells, vulval epithelial cells, rectal epithelial cells, pharyngeal muscle or marginal cells, arcade cells, support cells of sensory organs, and neuronal cells. Using time-lapse recordings, we discovered that some hh-related genes are expressed in a cyclical fashion in phase with molting during larval development. We also generated several translational GFP fusions, but they did not show any subcellular localization. In addition, we also studied the expression patterns of two genes with similarity to Drosophila frizzled, T23D8.1 and F27E11.3A, and the ortholog of the Drosophila gene dally-like, gpn-1, which is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan. The two frizzled homologs are expressed in a few neurons in the head, and gpn-1 is expressed in the pharynx. Finally, we compare the

Simple Comparative Analyses of Differentially Expressed Gene Lists May Overestimate Gene Overlap.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawhorn, Chelsea M; Schomaker, Rachel; Rowell, Jonathan T; Rueppell, Olav

2018-04-16

Comparing the overlap between sets of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) within or between transcriptome studies is regularly used to infer similarities between biological processes. Significant overlap between two sets of DEGs is usually determined by a simple test. The number of potentially overlapping genes is compared to the number of genes that actually occur in both lists, treating every gene as equal. However, gene expression is controlled by transcription factors that bind to a variable number of transcription factor binding sites, leading to variation among genes in general variability of their expression. Neglecting this variability could therefore lead to inflated estimates of significant overlap between DEG lists. With computer simulations, we demonstrate that such biases arise from variation in the control of gene expression. Significant overlap commonly arises between two lists of DEGs that are randomly generated, assuming that the control of gene expression is variable among genes but consistent between corresponding experiments. More overlap is observed when transcription factors are specific to their binding sites and when the number of genes is considerably higher than the number of different transcription factors. In contrast, overlap between two DEG lists is always lower than expected when the genetic architecture of expression is independent between the two experiments. Thus, the current methods for determining significant overlap between DEGs are potentially confounding biologically meaningful overlap with overlap that arises due to variability in control of expression among genes, and more sophisticated approaches are needed.

Methods for monitoring multiple gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berka, Randy [Davis, CA; Bachkirova, Elena [Davis, CA; Rey, Michael [Davis, CA

2012-05-01

The present invention relates to methods for monitoring differential expression of a plurality of genes in a first filamentous fungal cell relative to expression of the same genes in one or more second filamentous fungal cells using microarrays containing Trichoderma reesei ESTs or SSH clones, or a combination thereof. The present invention also relates to computer readable media and substrates containing such array features for monitoring expression of a plurality of genes in filamentous fungal cells.

Methods for monitoring multiple gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berka, Randy; Bachkirova, Elena; Rey, Michael

2013-10-01

The present invention relates to methods for monitoring differential expression of a plurality of genes in a first filamentous fungal cell relative to expression of the same genes in one or more second filamentous fungal cells using microarrays containing Trichoderma reesei ESTs or SSH clones, or a combination thereof. The present invention also relates to computer readable media and substrates containing such array features for monitoring expression of a plurality of genes in filamentous fungal cells.

Determinants of human adipose tissue gene expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Viguerie, Nathalie; Montastier, Emilie; Maoret, Jean-José

2012-01-01

weight maintenance diets. For 175 genes, opposite regulation was observed during calorie restriction and weight maintenance phases, independently of variations in body weight. Metabolism and immunity genes showed inverse profiles. During the dietary intervention, network-based analyses revealed strong...... interconnection between expression of genes involved in de novo lipogenesis and components of the metabolic syndrome. Sex had a marked influence on AT expression of 88 transcripts, which persisted during the entire dietary intervention and after control for fat mass. In women, the influence of body mass index...... on expression of a subset of genes persisted during the dietary intervention. Twenty-two genes revealed a metabolic syndrome signature common to men and women. Genetic control of AT gene expression by cis signals was observed for 46 genes. Dietary intervention, sex, and cis genetic variants independently...

LINE FUSION GENES: a database of LINE expression in human genes

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Park Hong-Seog

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Long Interspersed Nuclear Elements (LINEs are the most abundant retrotransposons in humans. About 79% of human genes are estimated to contain at least one segment of LINE per transcription unit. Recent studies have shown that LINE elements can affect protein sequences, splicing patterns and expression of human genes. Description We have developed a database, LINE FUSION GENES, for elucidating LINE expression throughout the human gene database. We searched the 28,171 genes listed in the NCBI database for LINE elements and analyzed their structures and expression patterns. The results show that the mRNA sequences of 1,329 genes were affected by LINE expression. The LINE expression types were classified on the basis of LINEs in the 5' UTR, exon or 3' UTR sequences of the mRNAs. Our database provides further information, such as the tissue distribution and chromosomal location of the genes, and the domain structure that is changed by LINE integration. We have linked all the accession numbers to the NCBI data bank to provide mRNA sequences for subsequent users. Conclusion We believe that our work will interest genome scientists and might help them to gain insight into the implications of LINE expression for human evolution and disease. Availability http://www.primate.or.kr/line

Origins of domestication and polyploidy in oca (Oxalis Tuberosa: Oxalidaceae). 2. Chloroplast-expressed glutamine synthetase data.

Science.gov (United States)

Emshwiller, Eve; Doyle, Jeff J

2002-07-01

In continuing study of the origins of the octoploid tuber crop oca, Oxalis tuberosa Molina, we used phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences of the chloroplast-active (nuclear encoded) isozyme of glutamine synthetase (ncpGS) from cultivated oca, its allies in the "Oxalis tuberosa alliance," and other Andean Oxalis. Multiple ncpGS sequences found within individuals of both the cultigen and a yet unnamed wild tuber-bearing taxon of Bolivia were separated by molecular cloning, but some cloned sequences appeared to be artifacts of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) recombination and/or Taq error. Nonetheless, three classes of nonrecombinant sequences each joined a different part of the O. tuberosa alliance clade on the ncpGS gene tree. Octoploid oca shares two sequence classes with the Bolivian tuber-bearing taxon (of unknown ploidy level). Fixed heterozygosity of these two sequence classes in all ocas sampled suggests that they represent homeologous loci and that oca is allopolyploid. A third sequence class, found in eight of nine oca plants sampled, might represent a third homeologous locus, suggesting that oca may be autoallopolyploid, and is shared with another wild tuber-bearing species, tetraploid O. picchensis of southern Peru. Thus, ncpGS data identify these two taxa as the best candidates as progenitors of cultivated oca.

Global expression differences and tissue specific expression differences in rice evolution result in two contrasting types of differentially expressed genes

KAUST Repository

Horiuchi, Youko

2015-12-23

Background Since the development of transcriptome analysis systems, many expression evolution studies characterized evolutionary forces acting on gene expression, without explicit discrimination between global expression differences and tissue specific expression differences. However, different types of gene expression alteration should have different effects on an organism, the evolutionary forces that act on them might be different, and different types of genes might show different types of differential expression between species. To confirm this, we studied differentially expressed (DE) genes among closely related groups that have extensive gene expression atlases, and clarified characteristics of different types of DE genes including the identification of regulating loci for differential expression using expression quantitative loci (eQTL) analysis data. Results We detected differentially expressed (DE) genes between rice subspecies in five homologous tissues that were verified using japonica and indica transcriptome atlases in public databases. Using the transcriptome atlases, we classified DE genes into two types, global DE genes and changed-tissues DE genes. Global type DE genes were not expressed in any tissues in the atlas of one subspecies, however changed-tissues type DE genes were expressed in both subspecies with different tissue specificity. For the five tissues in the two japonica-indica combinations, 4.6 ± 0.8 and 5.9 ± 1.5 % of highly expressed genes were global and changed-tissues DE genes, respectively. Changed-tissues DE genes varied in number between tissues, increasing linearly with the abundance of tissue specifically expressed genes in the tissue. Molecular evolution of global DE genes was rapid, unlike that of changed-tissues DE genes. Based on gene ontology, global and changed-tissues DE genes were different, having no common GO terms. Expression differences of most global DE genes were regulated by cis-eQTLs. Expression

Social Regulation of Gene Expression in Threespine Sticklebacks.

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Anna K Greenwood

Full Text Available Identifying genes that are differentially expressed in response to social interactions is informative for understanding the molecular basis of social behavior. To address this question, we described changes in gene expression as a result of differences in the extent of social interactions. We housed threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus females in either group conditions or individually for one week, then measured levels of gene expression in three brain regions using RNA-sequencing. We found that numerous genes in the hindbrain/cerebellum had altered expression in response to group or individual housing. However, relatively few genes were differentially expressed in either the diencephalon or telencephalon. The list of genes upregulated in fish from social groups included many genes related to neural development and cell adhesion as well as genes with functions in sensory signaling, stress, and social and reproductive behavior. The list of genes expressed at higher levels in individually-housed fish included several genes previously identified as regulated by social interactions in other animals. The identified genes are interesting targets for future research on the molecular mechanisms of normal social interactions.

Effect of white striping myopathy on breast muscle (Pectoralis major) protein turnover and gene expression in broilers.

Science.gov (United States)

Vignale, Karen; Caldas, Justina V; England, Judy A; Boonsinchai, Nirun; Magnuson, Andrew; Pollock, Erik D; Dridi, Sami; Owens, Casey M; Coon, Craig N

2017-04-01

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of white striping ( ) of broiler breast muscle ( Pectoralis major ) on protein turnover and gene expression of genes related to protein degradation and fatty acid synthesis. A total of 560 day-old male broiler chicks Cobb 500 were allocated in a total of 16 pens, 35 chicks per pen. A completely randomized design was conducted with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement (2 scores: severe and normal, and 3 breast meat samples sites). At d 60, 20 birds were randomly selected, euthanized, and scored for white striping. Scoring was either normal ( , no WS) or severe ( ). Also, the same day, 17 birds (16 infused, one control) were randomly selected and infused with a solution of 15 N Phen 40% ( ). Breast muscle tissue was taken for gene expression analysis of the following genes: MuRF1, atrogin-1, IGF-1, insulin receptor ( ), fatty acid synthetase, and acetyl CoA carboxylase ( ). Each bird was humanely euthanized after 10 minutes of infusion and scored for WS (NORM or SEV). Samples of the breast muscle ( Pectoralis major ) were taken at different layers (3 samples per bird: ventral, medial, dorsal), along with a sample of excreta for 3-methylhistidine analysis. Out of the 16 breast samples taken, only 10 were selected for analysis based on the WS score (5 NORM and 5 SEV). No significant differences ( P > 0.05) were found in fractional synthesis rate ( ) between SEV WS, NORM and sample sites for breast meat. However, fractional breakdown rate ( ) was significantly higher in birds with SEV WS compared to NORM (8.2 and 4.28, respectively, P white striping are degrading more muscular protein and mobilizing more fat. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Moderate folic acid supplementation and MTHFD1-synthetase deficiency in mice, a model for the R653Q variant, result in embryonic defects and abnormal placental development.

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Karen E; Hou, Wenyang; Bahous, Renata H; Deng, Liyuan; Malysheva, Olga V; Arning, Erland; Bottiglieri, Teodoro; Caudill, Marie A; Jerome-Majewska, Loydie A; Rozen, Rima

2016-11-01

Moderately high folic acid intake in pregnant women has led to concerns about deleterious effects on the mother and fetus. Common polymorphisms in folate genes, such as methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase-formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFD1) R653Q, may modulate the effects of elevated folic acid intake. We investigated the effects of moderate folic acid supplementation on reproductive outcomes and assessed the potential interaction of the supplemented diet with MTHFD1-synthetase (Mthfd1S) deficiency in mice, which is a model for the R653Q variant. Female Mthfd1S +/+ and Mthfd1S +/- mice were fed a folic acid-supplemented diet (FASD) (5-fold higher than recommended) or control diets before mating and during pregnancy. Embryos and placentas were assessed for developmental defects at embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5). Maternal folate and choline metabolites and gene expression in folate-related pathways were examined. The combination of FASD and maternal MTHFD1-synthetase deficiency led to a greater incidence of defects in E10.5 embryos (diet × maternal genotype, P = 0.0016; diet × embryonic genotype, P = 0.054). The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) protein and methylation potential [ratio of S-adenosylmethionine (major methyl donor):S-adenosylhomocysteine) were reduced in maternal liver. Although 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (methylTHF) was higher in maternal circulation, the methylation potential was lower in embryos. The presence of developmental delays and defects in Mthfd1S +/- embryos was associated with placental defects (P = 0.003). The labyrinth layer failed to form properly in the majority of abnormal placentas, which compromised the integration of the maternal and fetal circulation and presumably the transfer of methylTHF and other nutrients. Moderately higher folate intake and MTHFD1-synthetase deficiency in pregnant mice result in a lower methylation potential in maternal liver and embryos and a greater

A constructive approach to gene expression dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochiai, T.; Nacher, J.C.; Akutsu, T.

2004-01-01

Recently, experiments on mRNA abundance (gene expression) have revealed that gene expression shows a stationary organization described by a scale-free distribution. Here we propose a constructive approach to gene expression dynamics which restores the scale-free exponent and describes the intermediate state dynamics. This approach requires only one assumption: Markov property

Stably Expressed Genes Involved in Basic Cellular Functions.

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Kejian Wang

Full Text Available Stably Expressed Genes (SEGs whose expression varies within a narrow range may be involved in core cellular processes necessary for basic functions. To identify such genes, we re-analyzed existing RNA-Seq gene expression profiles across 11 organs at 4 developmental stages (from immature to old age in both sexes of F344 rats (n = 4/group; 320 samples. Expression changes (calculated as the maximum expression / minimum expression for each gene of >19000 genes across organs, ages, and sexes ranged from 2.35 to >109-fold, with a median of 165-fold. The expression of 278 SEGs was found to vary ≤4-fold and these genes were significantly involved in protein catabolism (proteasome and ubiquitination, RNA transport, protein processing, and the spliceosome. Such stability of expression was further validated in human samples where the expression variability of the homologous human SEGs was significantly lower than that of other genes in the human genome. It was also found that the homologous human SEGs were generally less subject to non-synonymous mutation than other genes, as would be expected of stably expressed genes. We also found that knockout of SEG homologs in mouse models was more likely to cause complete preweaning lethality than non-SEG homologs, corroborating the fundamental roles played by SEGs in biological development. Such stably expressed genes and pathways across life-stages suggest that tight control of these processes is important in basic cellular functions and that perturbation by endogenous (e.g., genetics or exogenous agents (e.g., drugs, environmental factors may cause serious adverse effects.

Lithium ions induce prestalk-associated gene expression and inhibit prespore gene expression in Dictyostelium discoideum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peters, Dorien J.M.; Lookeren Campagne, Michiel M. van; Haastert, Peter J.M. van; Spek, Wouter; Schaap, Pauline

1989-01-01

We investigated the effect of Li+ on two types of cyclic AMP-regulated gene expression and on basal and cyclic AMP-stimulated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) levels. Li+ effectively inhibits cyclic AMP-induced prespore gene expression, half-maximal inhibition occurring at about 2mM-LiCl.

Validation of commonly used reference genes for sleep-related gene expression studies

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Castro Rosa MRPS

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sleep is a restorative process and is essential for maintenance of mental and physical health. In an attempt to understand the complexity of sleep, multidisciplinary strategies, including genetic approaches, have been applied to sleep research. Although quantitative real time PCR has been used in previous sleep-related gene expression studies, proper validation of reference genes is currently lacking. Thus, we examined the effect of total or paradoxical sleep deprivation (TSD or PSD on the expression stability of the following frequently used reference genes in brain and blood: beta-actin (b-actin, beta-2-microglobulin (B2M, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH, and hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT. Results Neither TSD nor PSD affected the expression stability of all tested genes in both tissues indicating that b-actin, B2M, GAPDH and HPRT are appropriate reference genes for the sleep-related gene expression studies. In order to further verify these results, the relative expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase1 (GPD1 was evaluated in brain and blood, respectively. The normalization with each of four reference genes produced similar pattern of expression in control and sleep deprived rats, but subtle differences in the magnitude of expression fold change were observed which might affect the statistical significance. Conclusion This study demonstrated that sleep deprivation does not alter the expression stability of commonly used reference genes in brain and blood. Nonetheless, the use of multiple reference genes in quantitative RT-PCR is required for the accurate results.

Stochastic gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Araújo, Ilka Schultheiß; Pietsch, Jessica Magdalena; Keizer, Emma Mathilde; Greese, Bettina; Balkunde, Rachappa; Fleck, Christian; Hülskamp, Martin

2017-12-14

Although plant development is highly reproducible, some stochasticity exists. This developmental stochasticity may be caused by noisy gene expression. Here we analyze the fluctuation of protein expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using the photoconvertible KikGR marker, we show that the protein expressions of individual cells fluctuate over time. A dual reporter system was used to study extrinsic and intrinsic noise of marker gene expression. We report that extrinsic noise is higher than intrinsic noise and that extrinsic noise in stomata is clearly lower in comparison to several other tissues/cell types. Finally, we show that cells are coupled with respect to stochastic protein expression in young leaves, hypocotyls and roots but not in mature leaves. Our data indicate that stochasticity of gene expression can vary between tissues/cell types and that it can be coupled in a non-cell-autonomous manner.

Deriving Trading Rules Using Gene Expression Programming

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Adrian VISOIU

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents how buy and sell trading rules are generated using gene expression programming with special setup. Market concepts are presented and market analysis is discussed with emphasis on technical analysis and quantitative methods. The use of genetic algorithms in deriving trading rules is presented. Gene expression programming is applied in a form where multiple types of operators and operands are used. This gives birth to multiple gene contexts and references between genes in order to keep the linear structure of the gene expression programming chromosome. The setup of multiple gene contexts is presented. The case study shows how to use the proposed gene setup to derive trading rules encoded by Boolean expressions, using a dataset with the reference exchange rates between the Euro and the Romanian leu. The conclusions highlight the positive results obtained in deriving useful trading rules.

Using PCR to Target Misconceptions about Gene Expression

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Leslie K. Wright

2013-02-01

Full Text Available We present a PCR-based laboratory exercise that can be used with first- or second-year biology students to help overcome common misconceptions about gene expression. Biology students typically do not have a clear understanding of the difference between genes (DNA and gene expression (mRNA/protein and often believe that genes exist in an organism or cell only when they are expressed. This laboratory exercise allows students to carry out a PCR-based experiment designed to challenge their misunderstanding of the difference between genes and gene expression. Students first transform E. coli with an inducible GFP gene containing plasmid and observe induced and un-induced colonies. The following exercise creates cognitive dissonance when actual PCR results contradict their initial (incorrect predictions of the presence of the GFP gene in transformed cells. Field testing of this laboratory exercise resulted in learning gains on both knowledge and application questions on concepts related to genes and gene expression.

Differential gene expression during Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis

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Marco Aurelio Krieger

1999-09-01

Full Text Available The transformation of epimastigotes into metacyclic trypomastigotes involves changes in the pattern of expressed genes, resulting in important morphological and functional differences between these developmental forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. In order to identify and characterize genes involved in triggering the metacyclogenesis process and in conferring to metacyclic trypomastigotes their stage specific biological properties, we have developed a method allowing the isolation of genes specifically expressed when comparing two close related cell populations (representation of differential expression or RDE. The method is based on the PCR amplification of gene sequences selected by hybridizing and subtracting the populations in such a way that after some cycles of hybridization-amplification genes specific to a given population are highly enriched. The use of this method in the analysis of differential gene expression during T. cruzi metacyclogenesis (6 hr and 24 hr of differentiation and metacyclic trypomastigotes resulted in the isolation of several clones from each time point. Northern blot analysis showed that some genes are transiently expressed (6 hr and 24 hr differentiating cells, while others are present in differentiating cells and in metacyclic trypomastigotes. Nucleotide sequencing of six clones characterized so far showed that they do not display any homology to gene sequences available in the GeneBank.

Conditional gene expression in the mouse using a Sleeping Beauty gene-trap transposon

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Hackett Perry B

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Insertional mutagenesis techniques with transposable elements have been popular among geneticists studying model organisms from E. coli to Drosophila and, more recently, the mouse. One such element is the Sleeping Beauty (SB transposon that has been shown in several studies to be an effective insertional mutagen in the mouse germline. SB transposon vector studies have employed different functional elements and reporter molecules to disrupt and report the expression of endogenous mouse genes. We sought to generate a transposon system that would be capable of reporting the expression pattern of a mouse gene while allowing for conditional expression of a gene of interest in a tissue- or temporal-specific pattern. Results Here we report the systematic development and testing of a transposon-based gene-trap system incorporating the doxycycline-repressible Tet-Off (tTA system that is capable of activating the expression of genes under control of a Tet response element (TRE promoter. We demonstrate that the gene trap system is fully functional in vitro by introducing the "gene-trap tTA" vector into human cells by transposition and identifying clones that activate expression of a TRE-luciferase transgene in a doxycycline-dependent manner. In transgenic mice, we mobilize gene-trap tTA vectors, discover parameters that can affect germline mobilization rates, and identify candidate gene insertions to demonstrate the in vivo functionality of the vector system. We further demonstrate that the gene-trap can act as a reporter of endogenous gene expression and it can be coupled with bioluminescent imaging to identify genes with tissue-specific expression patterns. Conclusion Akin to the GAL4/UAS system used in the fly, we have made progress developing a tool for mutating and revealing the expression of mouse genes by generating the tTA transactivator in the presence of a secondary TRE-regulated reporter molecule. A vector like the gene

Analysis of multiplex gene expression maps obtained by voxelation

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Smith Desmond J

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gene expression signatures in the mammalian brain hold the key to understanding neural development and neurological disease. Researchers have previously used voxelation in combination with microarrays for acquisition of genome-wide atlases of expression patterns in the mouse brain. On the other hand, some work has been performed on studying gene functions, without taking into account the location information of a gene's expression in a mouse brain. In this paper, we present an approach for identifying the relation between gene expression maps obtained by voxelation and gene functions. Results To analyze the dataset, we chose typical genes as queries and aimed at discovering similar gene groups. Gene similarity was determined by using the wavelet features extracted from the left and right hemispheres averaged gene expression maps, and by the Euclidean distance between each pair of feature vectors. We also performed a multiple clustering approach on the gene expression maps, combined with hierarchical clustering. Among each group of similar genes and clusters, the gene function similarity was measured by calculating the average gene function distances in the gene ontology structure. By applying our methodology to find similar genes to certain target genes we were able to improve our understanding of gene expression patterns and gene functions. By applying the clustering analysis method, we obtained significant clusters, which have both very similar gene expression maps and very similar gene functions respectively to their corresponding gene ontologies. The cellular component ontology resulted in prominent clusters expressed in cortex and corpus callosum. The molecular function ontology gave prominent clusters in cortex, corpus callosum and hypothalamus. The biological process ontology resulted in clusters in cortex, hypothalamus and choroid plexus. Clusters from all three ontologies combined were most prominently expressed in

Analysis of multiplex gene expression maps obtained by voxelation.

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An, Li; Xie, Hongbo; Chin, Mark H; Obradovic, Zoran; Smith, Desmond J; Megalooikonomou, Vasileios

2009-04-29

Gene expression signatures in the mammalian brain hold the key to understanding neural development and neurological disease. Researchers have previously used voxelation in combination with microarrays for acquisition of genome-wide atlases of expression patterns in the mouse brain. On the other hand, some work has been performed on studying gene functions, without taking into account the location information of a gene's expression in a mouse brain. In this paper, we present an approach for identifying the relation between gene expression maps obtained by voxelation and gene functions. To analyze the dataset, we chose typical genes as queries and aimed at discovering similar gene groups. Gene similarity was determined by using the wavelet features extracted from the left and right hemispheres averaged gene expression maps, and by the Euclidean distance between each pair of feature vectors. We also performed a multiple clustering approach on the gene expression maps, combined with hierarchical clustering. Among each group of similar genes and clusters, the gene function similarity was measured by calculating the average gene function distances in the gene ontology structure. By applying our methodology to find similar genes to certain target genes we were able to improve our understanding of gene expression patterns and gene functions. By applying the clustering analysis method, we obtained significant clusters, which have both very similar gene expression maps and very similar gene functions respectively to their corresponding gene ontologies. The cellular component ontology resulted in prominent clusters expressed in cortex and corpus callosum. The molecular function ontology gave prominent clusters in cortex, corpus callosum and hypothalamus. The biological process ontology resulted in clusters in cortex, hypothalamus and choroid plexus. Clusters from all three ontologies combined were most prominently expressed in cortex and corpus callosum. The experimental

A comparative gene expression database for invertebrates

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Ormestad Mattias

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background As whole genome and transcriptome sequencing gets cheaper and faster, a great number of 'exotic' animal models are emerging, rapidly adding valuable data to the ever-expanding Evo-Devo field. All these new organisms serve as a fantastic resource for the research community, but the sheer amount of data, some published, some not, makes detailed comparison of gene expression patterns very difficult to summarize - a problem sometimes even noticeable within a single lab. The need to merge existing data with new information in an organized manner that is publicly available to the research community is now more necessary than ever. Description In order to offer a homogenous way of storing and handling gene expression patterns from a variety of organisms, we have developed the first web-based comparative gene expression database for invertebrates that allows species-specific as well as cross-species gene expression comparisons. The database can be queried by gene name, developmental stage and/or expression domains. Conclusions This database provides a unique tool for the Evo-Devo research community that allows the retrieval, analysis and comparison of gene expression patterns within or among species. In addition, this database enables a quick identification of putative syn-expression groups that can be used to initiate, among other things, gene regulatory network (GRN projects.

Genetic Variants Contribute to Gene Expression Variability in Humans

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Hulse, Amanda M.; Cai, James J.

2013-01-01

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have established convincing relationships between genetic variants and gene expression. Most of these studies focused on the mean of gene expression level, but not the variance of gene expression level (i.e., gene expression variability). In the present study, we systematically explore genome-wide association between genetic variants and gene expression variability in humans. We adapt the double generalized linear model (dglm) to simultaneously fit the means and the variances of gene expression among the three possible genotypes of a biallelic SNP. The genomic loci showing significant association between the variances of gene expression and the genotypes are termed expression variability QTL (evQTL). Using a data set of gene expression in lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) derived from 210 HapMap individuals, we identify cis-acting evQTL involving 218 distinct genes, among which 8 genes, ADCY1, CTNNA2, DAAM2, FERMT2, IL6, PLOD2, SNX7, and TNFRSF11B, are cross-validated using an extra expression data set of the same LCLs. We also identify ∼300 trans-acting evQTL between >13,000 common SNPs and 500 randomly selected representative genes. We employ two distinct scenarios, emphasizing single-SNP and multiple-SNP effects on expression variability, to explain the formation of evQTL. We argue that detecting evQTL may represent a novel method for effectively screening for genetic interactions, especially when the multiple-SNP influence on expression variability is implied. The implication of our results for revealing genetic mechanisms of gene expression variability is discussed. PMID:23150607

Correction of gene expression data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Darbani Shirvanehdeh, Behrooz; Stewart, C. Neal, Jr.; Noeparvar, Shahin

2014-01-01

This report investigates for the first time the potential inter-treatment bias source of cell number for gene expression studies. Cell-number bias can affect gene expression analysis when comparing samples with unequal total cellular RNA content or with different RNA extraction efficiencies....... For maximal reliability of analysis, therefore, comparisons should be performed at the cellular level. This could be accomplished using an appropriate correction method that can detect and remove the inter-treatment bias for cell-number. Based on inter-treatment variations of reference genes, we introduce...

Gene expression in colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birkenkamp-Demtroder, Karin; Christensen, Lise Lotte; Olesen, Sanne Harder

2002-01-01

Understanding molecular alterations in colorectal cancer (CRC) is needed to define new biomarkers and treatment targets. We used oligonucleotide microarrays to monitor gene expression of about 6,800 known genes and 35,000 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) on five pools (four to six samples in each...... pool) of total RNA from left-sided sporadic colorectal carcinomas. We compared normal tissue to carcinoma tissue from Dukes' stages A-D (noninvasive to distant metastasis) and identified 908 known genes and 4,155 ESTs that changed remarkably from normal to tumor tissue. Based on intensive filtering 226...

Genetic Validation of Leishmania donovani Lysyl-tRNA Synthetase Shows that It Is Indispensable for Parasite Growth and Infectivity.

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Chadha, Sanya; Mallampudi, N Arjunreddy; Mohapatra, Debendra K; Madhubala, Rentala

2017-01-01

Leishmania donovani is a protozoan parasite that causes visceral leishmaniasis. Increasing resistance and severe side effects of existing drugs have led to the need to identify new chemotherapeutic targets. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are ubiquitous and are required for protein synthesis. aaRSs are known drug targets for bacterial and fungal pathogens. Here, we have characterized and evaluated the essentiality of L. donovani lysyl-tRNA synthetase ( Ld LysRS). Two different coding sequences for lysyl-tRNA synthetases are annotated in the Leishmania genome database. Ld LysRS-1 (LdBPK_150270.1), located on chromosome 15, is closer to apicomplexans and eukaryotes, whereas Ld LysRS-2 (LdBPK_300130.1), present on chromosome 30, is closer to bacteria. In the present study, we have characterized Ld LysRS-1. Recombinant Ld LysRS-1 displayed aminoacylation activity, and the protein localized to the cytosol. The Ld LysRS-1 heterozygous mutants had a restrictive growth phenotype and attenuated infectivity. Ld LysRS-1 appears to be an essential gene, as a chromosomal knockout of Ld LysRS-1 could be generated when the gene was provided on a rescuing plasmid. Cladosporin, a fungal secondary metabolite and a known inhibitor of LysRS, was more potent against promastigotes (50% inhibitory concentration [IC 50 ], 4.19 µM) and intracellular amastigotes (IC 50 , 1.09 µM) than were isomers of cladosporin (3-epi-isocladosporin and isocladosporin). These compounds exhibited low toxicity to mammalian cells. The specificity of inhibition of parasite growth caused by these inhibitors was further assessed using Ld LysRS-1 heterozygous mutant strains and rescue mutant promastigotes. These inhibitors inhibited the aminoacylation activity of recombinant Ld LysRS. Our data provide a framework for the development of a new class of drugs against this parasite. IMPORTANCE Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are housekeeping enzymes essential for protein translation, providing charged tRNAs for

Multiscale Embedded Gene Co-expression Network Analysis.

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Won-Min Song

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Gene co-expression network analysis has been shown effective in identifying functional co-expressed gene modules associated with complex human diseases. However, existing techniques to construct co-expression networks require some critical prior information such as predefined number of clusters, numerical thresholds for defining co-expression/interaction, or do not naturally reproduce the hallmarks of complex systems such as the scale-free degree distribution of small-worldness. Previously, a graph filtering technique called Planar Maximally Filtered Graph (PMFG has been applied to many real-world data sets such as financial stock prices and gene expression to extract meaningful and relevant interactions. However, PMFG is not suitable for large-scale genomic data due to several drawbacks, such as the high computation complexity O(|V|3, the presence of false-positives due to the maximal planarity constraint, and the inadequacy of the clustering framework. Here, we developed a new co-expression network analysis framework called Multiscale Embedded Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (MEGENA by: i introducing quality control of co-expression similarities, ii parallelizing embedded network construction, and iii developing a novel clustering technique to identify multi-scale clustering structures in Planar Filtered Networks (PFNs. We applied MEGENA to a series of simulated data and the gene expression data in breast carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA. MEGENA showed improved performance over well-established clustering methods and co-expression network construction approaches. MEGENA revealed not only meaningful multi-scale organizations of co-expressed gene clusters but also novel targets in breast carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma.

Multiscale Embedded Gene Co-expression Network Analysis.

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Song, Won-Min; Zhang, Bin

2015-11-01

Gene co-expression network analysis has been shown effective in identifying functional co-expressed gene modules associated with complex human diseases. However, existing techniques to construct co-expression networks require some critical prior information such as predefined number of clusters, numerical thresholds for defining co-expression/interaction, or do not naturally reproduce the hallmarks of complex systems such as the scale-free degree distribution of small-worldness. Previously, a graph filtering technique called Planar Maximally Filtered Graph (PMFG) has been applied to many real-world data sets such as financial stock prices and gene expression to extract meaningful and relevant interactions. However, PMFG is not suitable for large-scale genomic data due to several drawbacks, such as the high computation complexity O(|V|3), the presence of false-positives due to the maximal planarity constraint, and the inadequacy of the clustering framework. Here, we developed a new co-expression network analysis framework called Multiscale Embedded Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (MEGENA) by: i) introducing quality control of co-expression similarities, ii) parallelizing embedded network construction, and iii) developing a novel clustering technique to identify multi-scale clustering structures in Planar Filtered Networks (PFNs). We applied MEGENA to a series of simulated data and the gene expression data in breast carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). MEGENA showed improved performance over well-established clustering methods and co-expression network construction approaches. MEGENA revealed not only meaningful multi-scale organizations of co-expressed gene clusters but also novel targets in breast carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma.

Mining for Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase and Polyketide Synthase Genes Revealed a High Level of Diversity in the Sphagnum Bog Metagenome.

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Müller, Christina A; Oberauner-Wappis, Lisa; Peyman, Armin; Amos, Gregory C A; Wellington, Elizabeth M H; Berg, Gabriele

2015-08-01

Sphagnum bog ecosystems are among the oldest vegetation forms harboring a specific microbial community and are known to produce an exceptionally wide variety of bioactive substances. Although the Sphagnum metagenome shows a rich secondary metabolism, the genes have not yet been explored. To analyze nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs), the diversity of NRPS and PKS genes in Sphagnum-associated metagenomes was investigated by in silico data mining and sequence-based screening (PCR amplification of 9,500 fosmid clones). The in silico Illumina-based metagenomic approach resulted in the identification of 279 NRPSs and 346 PKSs, as well as 40 PKS-NRPS hybrid gene sequences. The occurrence of NRPS sequences was strongly dominated by the members of the Protebacteria phylum, especially by species of the Burkholderia genus, while PKS sequences were mainly affiliated with Actinobacteria. Thirteen novel NRPS-related sequences were identified by PCR amplification screening, displaying amino acid identities of 48% to 91% to annotated sequences of members of the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Some of the identified metagenomic clones showed the closest similarity to peptide synthases from Burkholderia or Lysobacter, which are emerging bacterial sources of as-yet-undescribed bioactive metabolites. This report highlights the role of the extreme natural ecosystems as a promising source for detection of secondary compounds and enzymes, serving as a source for biotechnological applications. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Vascular Gene Expression: A Hypothesis

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Angélica Concepción eMartínez-Navarro

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The phloem is the conduit through which photoassimilates are distributed from autotrophic to heterotrophic tissues and is involved in the distribution of signaling molecules that coordinate plant growth and responses to the environment. Phloem function depends on the coordinate expression of a large array of genes. We have previously identified conserved motifs in upstream regions of the Arabidopsis genes, encoding the homologs of pumpkin phloem sap mRNAs, displaying expression in vascular tissues. This tissue-specific expression in Arabidopsis is predicted by the overrepresentation of GA/CT-rich motifs in gene promoters. In this work we have searched for common motifs in upstream regions of the homologous genes from plants considered to possess a primitive vascular tissue (a lycophyte, as well as from others that lack a true vascular tissue (a bryophyte, and finally from chlorophytes. Both lycophyte and bryophyte display motifs similar to those found in Arabidopsis with a significantly low E-value, while the chlorophytes showed either a different conserved motif or no conserved motif at all. These results suggest that these same genes are expressed coordinately in non- vascular plants; this coordinate expression may have been one of the prerequisites for the development of conducting tissues in plants. We have also analyzed the phylogeny of conserved proteins that may be involved in phloem function and development. The presence of CmPP16, APL, FT and YDA in chlorophytes suggests the recruitment of ancient regulatory networks for the development of the vascular tissue during evolution while OPS is a novel protein specific to vascular plants.

GSEH: A Novel Approach to Select Prostate Cancer-Associated Genes Using Gene Expression Heterogeneity.

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Kim, Hyunjin; Choi, Sang-Min; Park, Sanghyun

2018-01-01

When a gene shows varying levels of expression among normal people but similar levels in disease patients or shows similar levels of expression among normal people but different levels in disease patients, we can assume that the gene is associated with the disease. By utilizing this gene expression heterogeneity, we can obtain additional information that abets discovery of disease-associated genes. In this study, we used collaborative filtering to calculate the degree of gene expression heterogeneity between classes and then scored the genes on the basis of the degree of gene expression heterogeneity to find "differentially predicted" genes. Through the proposed method, we discovered more prostate cancer-associated genes than 10 comparable methods. The genes prioritized by the proposed method are potentially significant to biological processes of a disease and can provide insight into them.

The evolution of gene expression in primates

OpenAIRE

Tashakkori Ghanbarian, Avazeh

2015-01-01

The evolution of a gene’s expression profile is commonly assumed to be independent of its genomic neighborhood. This is, however, in contrast to what we know about the lack of autonomy between expression of neighboring genes in extant taxa. Indeed, in all eukaryotic genomes, genes of similar expression-profile tend to cluster, reflecting chromatin level dynamics. Does it follow that if a gene increases expression in a particular lineage then the genomic neighbors will also increase in their e...

Identification of astrocytoma associated genes including cell surface markers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boon, Kathy; Edwards, Jennifer B; Eberhart, Charles G; Riggins, Gregory J

2004-01-01

Despite intense effort the treatment options for the invasive astrocytic tumors are still limited to surgery and radiation therapy, with chemotherapy showing little or no increase in survival. The generation of Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) profiles is expected to aid in the identification of astrocytoma-associated genes and highly expressed cell surface genes as molecular therapeutic targets. SAGE tag counts can be easily added to public expression databases and quickly disseminated to research efforts worldwide. We generated and analyzed the SAGE transcription profiles of 25 primary grade II, III and IV astrocytomas [1]. These profiles were produced as part of the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project's SAGE Genie [2], and were used in an in silico search for candidate therapeutic targets by comparing astrocytoma to normal brain transcription. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used for the validation of selected candidate target genes in 2 independent sets of primary tumors. A restricted set of tumor-associated genes was identified for each grade that included genes not previously associated with astrocytomas (e.g. VCAM1, SMOC1, and thymidylate synthetase), with a high percentage of cell surface genes. Two genes with available antibodies, Aquaporin 1 and Topoisomerase 2A, showed protein expression consistent with transcript level predictions. This survey of transcription in malignant and normal brain tissues reveals a small subset of human genes that are activated in malignant astrocytomas. In addition to providing insights into pathway biology, we have revealed and quantified expression for a significant portion of cell surface and extra-cellular astrocytoma genes

The Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus halodurans Aspartyl-tRNA Synthetases Retain Recognition of tRNA(Asn).

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Nair, Nilendra; Raff, Hannah; Islam, Mohammed Tarek; Feen, Melanie; Garofalo, Denise M; Sheppard, Kelly

2016-02-13

Synthesis of asparaginyl-tRNA (Asn-tRNA(Asn)) in bacteria can be formed either by directly ligating Asn to tRNA(Asn) using an asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS) or by synthesizing Asn on the tRNA. In the latter two-step indirect pathway, a non-discriminating aspartyl-tRNA synthetase (ND-AspRS) attaches Asp to tRNA(Asn) and the amidotransferase GatCAB transamidates the Asp to Asn on the tRNA. GatCAB can be similarly used for Gln-tRNA(Gln) formation. Most bacteria are predicted to use only one route for Asn-tRNA(Asn) formation. Given that Bacillus halodurans and Bacillus subtilis encode AsnRS for Asn-tRNA(Asn) formation and Asn synthetases to synthesize Asn and GatCAB for Gln-tRNA(Gln) synthesis, their AspRS enzymes were thought to be specific for tRNA(Asp). However, we demonstrate that the AspRSs are non-discriminating and can be used with GatCAB to synthesize Asn. The results explain why B. subtilis with its Asn synthetase genes knocked out is still an Asn prototroph. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that this may be common among Firmicutes and 30% of all bacteria. In addition, the phylogeny revealed that discrimination toward tRNA(Asp) by AspRS has evolved independently multiple times. The retention of the indirect pathway in B. subtilis and B. halodurans likely reflects the ancient link between Asn biosynthesis and its use in translation that enabled Asn to be added to the genetic code. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Reduced expression of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus ORF34, an essential gene, enhances heterologous gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salem, Tamer Z.; Zhang, Fengrui; Thiem, Suzanne M.

2013-01-01

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus ORF34 is part of a transcriptional unit that includes ORF32, encoding a viral fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and ORF33. We identified ORF34 as a candidate for deletion to improve protein expression in the baculovirus expression system based on enhanced reporter gene expression in an RNAi screen of virus genes. However, ORF34 was shown to be an essential gene. To explore ORF34 function, deletion (KO34) and rescue bacmids were constructed and characterized. Infection did not spread from primary KO34 transfected cells and supernatants from KO34 transfected cells could not infect fresh Sf21 cells whereas the supernatant from the rescue bacmids transfection could recover the infection. In addition, budded viruses were not observed in KO34 transfected cells by electron microscopy, nor were viral proteins detected from the transfection supernatants by western blots. These demonstrate that ORF34 is an essential gene with a possible role in infectious virus production.

Reduced expression of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus ORF34, an essential gene, enhances heterologous gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salem, Tamer Z. [Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Department of Microbial Molecular Biology, AGERI, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619 (Egypt); Division of Biomedical Sciences, Zewail University, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12588 (Egypt); Zhang, Fengrui [Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Thiem, Suzanne M., E-mail: smthiem@msu.edu [Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States)

2013-01-20

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus ORF34 is part of a transcriptional unit that includes ORF32, encoding a viral fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and ORF33. We identified ORF34 as a candidate for deletion to improve protein expression in the baculovirus expression system based on enhanced reporter gene expression in an RNAi screen of virus genes. However, ORF34 was shown to be an essential gene. To explore ORF34 function, deletion (KO34) and rescue bacmids were constructed and characterized. Infection did not spread from primary KO34 transfected cells and supernatants from KO34 transfected cells could not infect fresh Sf21 cells whereas the supernatant from the rescue bacmids transfection could recover the infection. In addition, budded viruses were not observed in KO34 transfected cells by electron microscopy, nor were viral proteins detected from the transfection supernatants by western blots. These demonstrate that ORF34 is an essential gene with a possible role in infectious virus production.

Orthogonal use of a human tRNA synthetase active site to achieve multifunctionality.

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Zhou, Quansheng; Kapoor, Mili; Guo, Min; Belani, Rajesh; Xu, Xiaoling; Kiosses, William B; Hanan, Melanie; Park, Chulho; Armour, Eva; Do, Minh-Ha; Nangle, Leslie A; Schimmel, Paul; Yang, Xiang-Lei

2010-01-01

Protein multifunctionality is an emerging explanation for the complexity of higher organisms. In this regard, aminoacyl tRNA synthetases catalyze amino acid activation for protein synthesis, but some also act in pathways for inflammation, angiogenesis and apoptosis. It is unclear how these multiple functions evolved and how they relate to the active site. Here structural modeling analysis, mutagenesis and cell-based functional studies show that the potent angiostatic, natural fragment of human tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) associates via tryptophan side chains that protrude from its cognate cellular receptor vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin). VE-cadherin's tryptophan side chains fit into the tryptophan-specific active site of the synthetase. Thus, specific side chains of the receptor mimic amino acid substrates and expand the functionality of the active site of the synthetase. We propose that orthogonal use of the same active site may be a general way to develop multifunctionality of human tRNA synthetases and other proteins.

Widespread ectopic expression of olfactory receptor genes

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Yanai Itai

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Olfactory receptors (ORs are the largest gene family in the human genome. Although they are expected to be expressed specifically in olfactory tissues, some ectopic expression has been reported, with special emphasis on sperm and testis. The present study systematically explores the expression patterns of OR genes in a large number of tissues and assesses the potential functional implication of such ectopic expression. Results We analyzed the expression of hundreds of human and mouse OR transcripts, via EST and microarray data, in several dozens of human and mouse tissues. Different tissues had specific, relatively small OR gene subsets which had particularly high expression levels. In testis, average expression was not particularly high, and very few highly expressed genes were found, none corresponding to ORs previously implicated in sperm chemotaxis. Higher expression levels were more common for genes with a non-OR genomic neighbor. Importantly, no correlation in expression levels was detected for human-mouse orthologous pairs. Also, no significant difference in expression levels was seen between intact and pseudogenized ORs, except for the pseudogenes of subfamily 7E which has undergone a human-specific expansion. Conclusion The OR superfamily as a whole, show widespread, locus-dependent and heterogeneous expression, in agreement with a neutral or near neutral evolutionary model for transcription control. These results cannot reject the possibility that small OR subsets might play functional roles in different tissues, however considerable care should be exerted when offering a functional interpretation for ectopic OR expression based only on transcription information.

Identification of Human HK Genes and Gene Expression Regulation Study in Cancer from Transcriptomics Data Analysis

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Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Jingxing; Wu, Jiayan; Yu, Jun

2013-01-01

The regulation of gene expression is essential for eukaryotes, as it drives the processes of cellular differentiation and morphogenesis, leading to the creation of different cell types in multicellular organisms. RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) provides researchers with a powerful toolbox for characterization and quantification of transcriptome. Many different human tissue/cell transcriptome datasets coming from RNA-Seq technology are available on public data resource. The fundamental issue here is how to develop an effective analysis method to estimate expression pattern similarities between different tumor tissues and their corresponding normal tissues. We define the gene expression pattern from three directions: 1) expression breadth, which reflects gene expression on/off status, and mainly concerns ubiquitously expressed genes; 2) low/high or constant/variable expression genes, based on gene expression level and variation; and 3) the regulation of gene expression at the gene structure level. The cluster analysis indicates that gene expression pattern is higher related to physiological condition rather than tissue spatial distance. Two sets of human housekeeping (HK) genes are defined according to cell/tissue types, respectively. To characterize the gene expression pattern in gene expression level and variation, we firstly apply improved K-means algorithm and a gene expression variance model. We find that cancer-associated HK genes (a HK gene is specific in cancer group, while not in normal group) are expressed higher and more variable in cancer condition than in normal condition. Cancer-associated HK genes prefer to AT-rich genes, and they are enriched in cell cycle regulation related functions and constitute some cancer signatures. The expression of large genes is also avoided in cancer group. These studies will help us understand which cell type-specific patterns of gene expression differ among different cell types, and particularly for cancer. PMID:23382867

Dynamic association rules for gene expression data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shu-Chuan; Tsai, Tsung-Hsien; Chung, Cheng-Han; Li, Wen-Hsiung

2015-10-14

The purpose of gene expression analysis is to look for the association between regulation of gene expression levels and phenotypic variations. This association based on gene expression profile has been used to determine whether the induction/repression of genes correspond to phenotypic variations including cell regulations, clinical diagnoses and drug development. Statistical analyses on microarray data have been developed to resolve gene selection issue. However, these methods do not inform us of causality between genes and phenotypes. In this paper, we propose the dynamic association rule algorithm (DAR algorithm) which helps ones to efficiently select a subset of significant genes for subsequent analysis. The DAR algorithm is based on association rules from market basket analysis in marketing. We first propose a statistical way, based on constructing a one-sided confidence interval and hypothesis testing, to determine if an association rule is meaningful. Based on the proposed statistical method, we then developed the DAR algorithm for gene expression data analysis. The method was applied to analyze four microarray datasets and one Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) dataset: the Mice Apo A1 dataset, the whole genome expression dataset of mouse embryonic stem cells, expression profiling of the bone marrow of Leukemia patients, Microarray Quality Control (MAQC) data set and the RNA-seq dataset of a mouse genomic imprinting study. A comparison of the proposed method with the t-test on the expression profiling of the bone marrow of Leukemia patients was conducted. We developed a statistical way, based on the concept of confidence interval, to determine the minimum support and minimum confidence for mining association relationships among items. With the minimum support and minimum confidence, one can find significant rules in one single step. The DAR algorithm was then developed for gene expression data analysis. Four gene expression datasets showed that the proposed

Gene expression in periodontal tissues following treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eisenacher Martin

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In periodontitis, treatment aimed at controlling the periodontal biofilm infection results in a resolution of the clinical and histological signs of inflammation. Although the cell types found in periodontal tissues following treatment have been well described, information on gene expression is limited to few candidate genes. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the expression profiles of immune and inflammatory genes in periodontal tissues from sites with severe chronic periodontitis following periodontal therapy in order to identify genes involved in tissue homeostasis. Gingival biopsies from 12 patients with severe chronic periodontitis were taken six to eight weeks following non-surgical periodontal therapy, and from 11 healthy controls. As internal standard, RNA of an immortalized human keratinocyte line (HaCaT was used. Total RNA was subjected to gene expression profiling using a commercially available microarray system focusing on inflammation-related genes. Post-hoc confirmation of selected genes was done by Realtime-PCR. Results Out of the 136 genes analyzed, the 5% most strongly expressed genes compared to healthy controls were Interleukin-12A (IL-12A, Versican (CSPG-2, Matrixmetalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1, Down syndrome critical region protein-1 (DSCR-1, Macrophage inflammatory protein-2β (Cxcl-3, Inhibitor of apoptosis protein-1 (BIRC-1, Cluster of differentiation antigen 38 (CD38, Regulator of G-protein signalling-1 (RGS-1, and Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins murine osteosarcoma virus oncogene (C-FOS; the 5% least strongly expressed genes were Receptor-interacting Serine/Threonine Kinase-2 (RIP-2, Complement component 3 (C3, Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase-2 (COX-2, Interleukin-8 (IL-8, Endothelin-1 (EDN-1, Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-2 (PAI-2, Matrix-metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14, and Interferon regulating factor-7 (IRF-7. Conclusion Gene expression profiles found in periodontal tissues following

Gene expression profiles in skeletal muscle after gene electrotransfer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hojman, Pernille; Zibert, John R; Gissel, Hanne

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Gene transfer by electroporation (DNA electrotransfer) to muscle results in high level long term transgenic expression, showing great promise for treatment of e.g. protein deficiency syndromes. However little is known about the effects of DNA electrotransfer on muscle fibres. We have...... caused down-regulation of structural proteins e.g. sarcospan and catalytic enzymes. Injection of DNA induced down-regulation of intracellular transport proteins e.g. sentrin. The effects on muscle fibres were transient as the expression profiles 3 weeks after treatment were closely related......) followed by a long low voltage pulse (LV, 100 V/cm, 400 ms); a pulse combination optimised for efficient and safe gene transfer. Muscles were transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and excised at 4 hours, 48 hours or 3 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Differentially expressed genes were...

Comparative gene expression between two yeast species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guan Yuanfang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Comparative genomics brings insight into sequence evolution, but even more may be learned by coupling sequence analyses with experimental tests of gene function and regulation. However, the reliability of such comparisons is often limited by biased sampling of expression conditions and incomplete knowledge of gene functions across species. To address these challenges, we previously systematically generated expression profiles in Saccharomyces bayanus to maximize functional coverage as compared to an existing Saccharomyces cerevisiae data repository. Results In this paper, we take advantage of these two data repositories to compare patterns of ortholog expression in a wide variety of conditions. First, we developed a scalable metric for expression divergence that enabled us to detect a significant correlation between sequence and expression conservation on the global level, which previous smaller-scale expression studies failed to detect. Despite this global conservation trend, between-species gene expression neighborhoods were less well-conserved than within-species comparisons across different environmental perturbations, and approximately 4% of orthologs exhibited a significant change in co-expression partners. Furthermore, our analysis of matched perturbations collected in both species (such as diauxic shift and cell cycle synchrony demonstrated that approximately a quarter of orthologs exhibit condition-specific expression pattern differences. Conclusions Taken together, these analyses provide a global view of gene expression patterns between two species, both in terms of the conditions and timing of a gene's expression as well as co-expression partners. Our results provide testable hypotheses that will direct future experiments to determine how these changes may be specified in the genome.

Transcriptome and Gene Ontology (GO) Enrichment Analysis Reveals Genes Involved in Biotin Metabolism That Affect L-Lysine Production in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hong-Il; Kim, Jong-Hyeon; Park, Young-Jin

2016-03-09

Corynebacterium glutamicum is widely used for amino acid production. In the present study, 543 genes showed a significant change in their mRNA expression levels in L-lysine-producing C. glutamicum ATCC21300 than that in the wild-type C. glutamicum ATCC13032. Among these 543 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 28 genes were up- or downregulated. In addition, 454 DEGs were functionally enriched and categorized based on BLAST sequence homologies and gene ontology (GO) annotations using the Blast2GO software. Interestingly, NCgl0071 (bioB, encoding biotin synthase) was expressed at levels ~20-fold higher in the L-lysine-producing ATCC21300 strain than that in the wild-type ATCC13032 strain. Five other genes involved in biotin metabolism or transport--NCgl2515 (bioA, encoding adenosylmethionine-8-amino-7-oxononanoate aminotransferase), NCgl2516 (bioD, encoding dithiobiotin synthetase), NCgl1883, NCgl1884, and NCgl1885--were also expressed at significantly higher levels in the L-lysine-producing ATCC21300 strain than that in the wild-type ATCC13032 strain, which we determined using both next-generation RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. When we disrupted the bioB gene in C. glutamicum ATCC21300, L-lysine production decreased by approximately 76%, and the three genes involved in biotin transport (NCgl1883, NCgl1884, and NCgl1885) were significantly downregulated. These results will be helpful to improve our understanding of C. glutamicum for industrial amino acid production.

Interactive visualization of gene regulatory networks with associated gene expression time series data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westenberg, M.A.; Hijum, van S.A.F.T.; Lulko, A.T.; Kuipers, O.P.; Roerdink, J.B.T.M.; Linsen, L.; Hagen, H.; Hamann, B.

2008-01-01

We present GENeVis, an application to visualize gene expression time series data in a gene regulatory network context. This is a network of regulator proteins that regulate the expression of their respective target genes. The networks are represented as graphs, in which the nodes represent genes,

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ruissen, Fred; Baas, Frank

2007-01-01

In 1995, serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) was developed as a versatile tool for gene expression studies. SAGE technology does not require pre-existing knowledge of the genome that is being examined and therefore SAGE can be applied to many different model systems. In this chapter, the SAGE

An Interactive Database of Cocaine-Responsive Gene Expression

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Willard M. Freeman

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The postgenomic era of large-scale gene expression studies is inundating drug abuse researchers and many other scientists with findings related to gene expression. This information is distributed across many different journals, and requires laborious literature searches. Here, we present an interactive database that combines existing information related to cocaine-mediated changes in gene expression in an easy-to-use format. The database is limited to statistically significant changes in mRNA or protein expression after cocaine administration. The Flash-based program is integrated into a Web page, and organizes changes in gene expression based on neuroanatomical region, general function, and gene name. Accompanying each gene is a description of the gene, links to the original publications, and a link to the appropriate OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man entry. The nature of this review allows for timely modifications and rapid inclusion of new publications, and should help researchers build second-generation hypotheses on the role of gene expression changes in the physiology and behavior of cocaine abuse. Furthermore, this method of organizing large volumes of scientific information can easily be adapted to assist researchers in fields outside of drug abuse.

CDX2 gene expression in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnaoaut, H.H.; Mokhtar, D.A.; Samy, R.M.; Omar, Sh.A.; Khames, S.A.

2014-01-01

CDX genes are classically known as regulators of axial elongation during early embryogenesis. An unsuspected role for CDX genes has been revealed during hematopoietic development. The CDX gene family member CDX2 belongs to the most frequent aberrantly expressed proto-oncogenes in human acute leukemias and is highly leukemogenic in experimental models. We used reversed transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to determine the expression level of CDX2 gene in 30 pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at diagnosis and 30 healthy volunteers. ALL patients were followed up to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) on days 15 and 42 of induction. We found that CDX2 gene was expressed in 50% of patients and not expressed in controls. Associations between gene expression and different clinical and laboratory data of patients revealed no impact on different findings. With follow up, we could not confirm that CDX2 expression had a prognostic significance.

Identification of reference genes in human myelomonocytic cells for gene expression studies in altered gravity.

Science.gov (United States)

Thiel, Cora S; Hauschild, Swantje; Tauber, Svantje; Paulsen, Katrin; Raig, Christiane; Raem, Arnold; Biskup, Josefine; Gutewort, Annett; Hürlimann, Eva; Unverdorben, Felix; Buttron, Isabell; Lauber, Beatrice; Philpot, Claudia; Lier, Hartwin; Engelmann, Frank; Layer, Liliana E; Ullrich, Oliver

2015-01-01

Gene expression studies are indispensable for investigation and elucidation of molecular mechanisms. For the process of normalization, reference genes ("housekeeping genes") are essential to verify gene expression analysis. Thus, it is assumed that these reference genes demonstrate similar expression levels over all experimental conditions. However, common recommendations about reference genes were established during 1 g conditions and therefore their applicability in studies with altered gravity has not been demonstrated yet. The microarray technology is frequently used to generate expression profiles under defined conditions and to determine the relative difference in expression levels between two or more different states. In our study, we searched for potential reference genes with stable expression during different gravitational conditions (microgravity, normogravity, and hypergravity) which are additionally not altered in different hardware systems. We were able to identify eight genes (ALB, B4GALT6, GAPDH, HMBS, YWHAZ, ABCA5, ABCA9, and ABCC1) which demonstrated no altered gene expression levels in all tested conditions and therefore represent good candidates for the standardization of gene expression studies in altered gravity.

Rheb Protein Binds CAD (Carbamoyl-phosphate Synthetase 2, Aspartate Transcarbamoylase, and Dihydroorotase) Protein in a GTP- and Effector Domain-dependent Manner and Influences Its Cellular Localization and Carbamoyl-phosphate Synthetase (CPSase) Activity*

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Tatsuhiro; Akasu, Hitomi; Shimono, Wataru; Matsu, Chisa; Fujiwara, Yuki; Shibagaki, Yoshio; Heard, Jeffrey J.; Tamanoi, Fuyuhiko; Hattori, Seisuke

2015-01-01

Rheb small GTPases, which consist of Rheb1 and Rheb2 (also known as RhebL1) in mammalian cells, are unique members of the Ras superfamily and play central roles in regulating protein synthesis and cell growth by activating mTOR. To gain further insight into the function of Rheb, we carried out a search for Rheb-binding proteins and found that Rheb binds to CAD protein (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase), a multifunctional enzyme required for the de novo synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. CAD binding is more pronounced with Rheb2 than with Rheb1. Rheb binds CAD in a GTP- and effector domain-dependent manner. The region of CAD where Rheb binds is located at the C-terminal region of the carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase domain and not in the dihydroorotase and aspartate transcarbamoylase domains. Rheb stimulated carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase activity of CAD in vitro. In addition, an elevated level of intracellular UTP pyrimidine nucleotide was observed in Tsc2-deficient cells, which was attenuated by knocking down of Rheb. Immunostaining analysis showed that expression of Rheb leads to increased accumulation of CAD on lysosomes. Both a farnesyltransferase inhibitor that blocks membrane association of Rheb and knockdown of Rheb mislocalized CAD. These results establish CAD as a downstream effector of Rheb and suggest a possible role of Rheb in regulating de novo pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis. PMID:25422319

Rheb protein binds CAD (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase) protein in a GTP- and effector domain-dependent manner and influences its cellular localization and carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase (CPSase) activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Tatsuhiro; Akasu, Hitomi; Shimono, Wataru; Matsu, Chisa; Fujiwara, Yuki; Shibagaki, Yoshio; Heard, Jeffrey J; Tamanoi, Fuyuhiko; Hattori, Seisuke

2015-01-09

Rheb small GTPases, which consist of Rheb1 and Rheb2 (also known as RhebL1) in mammalian cells, are unique members of the Ras superfamily and play central roles in regulating protein synthesis and cell growth by activating mTOR. To gain further insight into the function of Rheb, we carried out a search for Rheb-binding proteins and found that Rheb binds to CAD protein (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase), a multifunctional enzyme required for the de novo synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. CAD binding is more pronounced with Rheb2 than with Rheb1. Rheb binds CAD in a GTP- and effector domain-dependent manner. The region of CAD where Rheb binds is located at the C-terminal region of the carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase domain and not in the dihydroorotase and aspartate transcarbamoylase domains. Rheb stimulated carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase activity of CAD in vitro. In addition, an elevated level of intracellular UTP pyrimidine nucleotide was observed in Tsc2-deficient cells, which was attenuated by knocking down of Rheb. Immunostaining analysis showed that expression of Rheb leads to increased accumulation of CAD on lysosomes. Both a farnesyltransferase inhibitor that blocks membrane association of Rheb and knockdown of Rheb mislocalized CAD. These results establish CAD as a downstream effector of Rheb and suggest a possible role of Rheb in regulating de novo pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Inferring gene networks from discrete expression data

KAUST Repository

Zhang, L.

2013-07-18

The modeling of gene networks from transcriptional expression data is an important tool in biomedical research to reveal signaling pathways and to identify treatment targets. Current gene network modeling is primarily based on the use of Gaussian graphical models applied to continuous data, which give a closedformmarginal likelihood. In this paper,we extend network modeling to discrete data, specifically data from serial analysis of gene expression, and RNA-sequencing experiments, both of which generate counts of mRNAtranscripts in cell samples.We propose a generalized linear model to fit the discrete gene expression data and assume that the log ratios of the mean expression levels follow a Gaussian distribution.We restrict the gene network structures to decomposable graphs and derive the graphs by selecting the covariance matrix of the Gaussian distribution with the hyper-inverse Wishart priors. Furthermore, we incorporate prior network models based on gene ontology information, which avails existing biological information on the genes of interest. We conduct simulation studies to examine the performance of our discrete graphical model and apply the method to two real datasets for gene network inference. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Reference Gene Screening for Analyzing Gene Expression Across Goat Tissue

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Yu Zhang

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR is one of the important methods for investigating the changes in mRNA expression levels in cells and tissues. Selection of the proper reference genes is very important when calibrating the results of real-time quantitative PCR. Studies on the selection of reference genes in goat tissues are limited, despite the economic importance of their meat and dairy products. We used real-time quantitative PCR to detect the expression levels of eight reference gene candidates (18S, TBP, HMBS, YWHAZ, ACTB, HPRT1, GAPDH and EEF1A2 in ten tissues types sourced from Boer goats. The optimal reference gene combination was selected according to the results determined by geNorm, NormFinder and Bestkeeper software packages. The analyses showed that tissue is an important variability factor in genes expression stability. When all tissues were considered, 18S, TBP and HMBS is the optimal reference combination for calibrating quantitative PCR analysis of gene expression from goat tissues. Dividing data set by tissues, ACTB was the most stable in stomach, small intestine and ovary, 18S in heart and spleen, HMBS in uterus and lung, TBP in liver, HPRT1 in kidney and GAPDH in muscle. Overall, this study provided valuable information about the goat reference genes that can be used in order to perform a proper normalisation when relative quantification by qRT-PCR studies is undertaken.

Studying the Complex Expression Dependences between Sets of Coexpressed Genes

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Mario Huerta

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Organisms simplify the orchestration of gene expression by coregulating genes whose products function together in the cell. The use of clustering methods to obtain sets of coexpressed genes from expression arrays is very common; nevertheless there are no appropriate tools to study the expression networks among these sets of coexpressed genes. The aim of the developed tools is to allow studying the complex expression dependences that exist between sets of coexpressed genes. For this purpose, we start detecting the nonlinear expression relationships between pairs of genes, plus the coexpressed genes. Next, we form networks among sets of coexpressed genes that maintain nonlinear expression dependences between all of them. The expression relationship between the sets of coexpressed genes is defined by the expression relationship between the skeletons of these sets, where this skeleton represents the coexpressed genes with a well-defined nonlinear expression relationship with the skeleton of the other sets. As a result, we can study the nonlinear expression relationships between a target gene and other sets of coexpressed genes, or start the study from the skeleton of the sets, to study the complex relationships of activation and deactivation between the sets of coexpressed genes that carry out the different cellular processes present in the expression experiments.

Gene expression of the mismatch repair gene MSH2 in primary colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars Henrik; Kuramochi, Hidekazu; Crüger, Dorthe Gylling

2011-01-01

promoter was only detected in 14 samples and only at a low level with no correlation to gene expression. MSH2 gene expression was not a prognostic factor for overall survival in univariate or multivariate analysis. The gene expression of MSH2 is a potential quantitative marker ready for further clinical...

Computational Insights into the High-Fidelity Catalysis of Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases

Science.gov (United States)

Aboelnga, Mohamed M.

Obtaining insights into the catalytic function of enzymes is an important area of research due to their widespread applications in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Among these enzymes, the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are known for their remarkable fidelity in catalyzing the aminoacylation reactions of tRNA in protein biosynthesis. Despite the exceptional execution of this critical function, mechanistic details of the reactions catalyzed by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases remain elusive demonstrating the obvious need to explore their remarkable chemistry. During the PhD studies reported in this thesis the mechanism of aminoacylation, pre?transfer editing and post?transfer editing catalyzed by different aaRS have been established using multi-scale computational enzymology. In the first two chapters a detailed information about aaRS and the addressed questions was given in addition to an overview of the used computational methodology currently used to investigate the enzymatic mechanisms. The aminoacylation mechanism of threonine by Threonyl-tRNA synthetases, glutamine by Glutaminyl-tRNA synthetases and glutamate by Glutamyl-tRNA synthetases have been clearly unveiled in chapter 3 and 4. Also, valuable information regarding the role of cofactors and active site residues has been obtained. While investigating the post-transfer editing mechanisms, which proceed in a remote and distinct active site, two different scenarios were experimentally suggested for two types of threonyl-tRNA synthetase species to correct the misacylation of the structurally related serine. We explored these two mechanisms as in chapters 5 and 6. Moreover, the synthetic site in which the aminoacylation reaction is catalyzed, is also responsible for a second type of proofreading reaction called pre-transfer editing mechanism. In chapter 7, this latter mechanism has been elucidated for both Seryl-tRNA synthetases and Isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases against their non-cognate substrates

The relationship among gene expression, the evolution of gene dosage, and the rate of protein evolution.

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Jean-François Gout

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The understanding of selective constraints affecting genes is a major issue in biology. It is well established that gene expression level is a major determinant of the rate of protein evolution, but the reasons for this relationship remain highly debated. Here we demonstrate that gene expression is also a major determinant of the evolution of gene dosage: the rate of gene losses after whole genome duplications in the Paramecium lineage is negatively correlated to the level of gene expression, and this relationship is not a byproduct of other factors known to affect the fate of gene duplicates. This indicates that changes in gene dosage are generally more deleterious for highly expressed genes. This rule also holds for other taxa: in yeast, we find a clear relationship between gene expression level and the fitness impact of reduction in gene dosage. To explain these observations, we propose a model based on the fact that the optimal expression level of a gene corresponds to a trade-off between the benefit and cost of its expression. This COSTEX model predicts that selective pressure against mutations changing gene expression level or affecting the encoded protein should on average be stronger in highly expressed genes and hence that both the frequency of gene loss and the rate of protein evolution should correlate negatively with gene expression. Thus, the COSTEX model provides a simple and common explanation for the general relationship observed between the level of gene expression and the different facets of gene evolution.

Noise minimization in eukaryotic gene expression.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hunter B Fraser

2004-06-01

Full Text Available All organisms have elaborate mechanisms to control rates of protein production. However, protein production is also subject to stochastic fluctuations, or "noise." Several recent studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli have investigated the relationship between transcription and translation rates and stochastic fluctuations in protein levels, or more generally, how such randomness is a function of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. However, the fundamental question of whether stochasticity in protein expression is generally biologically relevant has not been addressed, and it remains unknown whether random noise in the protein production rate of most genes significantly affects the fitness of any organism. We propose that organisms should be particularly sensitive to variation in the protein levels of two classes of genes: genes whose deletion is lethal to the organism and genes that encode subunits of multiprotein complexes. Using an experimentally verified model of stochastic gene expression in S. cerevisiae, we estimate the noise in protein production for nearly every yeast gene, and confirm our prediction that the production of essential and complex-forming proteins involves lower levels of noise than does the production of most other genes. Our results support the hypothesis that noise in gene expression is a biologically important variable, is generally detrimental to organismal fitness, and is subject to natural selection.

Noise minimization in eukaryotic gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fraser, Hunter B.; Hirsh, Aaron E.; Giaever, Guri; Kumm, Jochen; Eisen, Michael B.

2004-01-15

All organisms have elaborate mechanisms to control rates of protein production. However, protein production is also subject to stochastic fluctuations, or noise. Several recent studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli have investigated the relationship between transcription and translation rates and stochastic fluctuations in protein levels, or more generally, how such randomness is a function of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. However, the fundamental question of whether stochasticity in protein expression is generally biologically relevant has not been addressed, and it remains unknown whether random noise in the protein production rate of most genes significantly affects the fitness of any organism. We propose that organisms should be particularly sensitive to variation in the protein levels of two classes of genes: genes whose deletion is lethal to the organism and genes that encode subunits of multiprotein complexes. Using an experimentally verified model of stochastic gene expression in S. cerevisiae, we estimate the noise in protein production for nearly every yeast gene, and confirm our prediction that the production of essential and complex-forming proteins involves lower levels of noise than does the production of most other genes. Our results support the hypothesis that noise in gene expression is a biologically important variable, is generally detrimental to organismal fitness, and is subject to natural selection.

Noise minimization in eukaryotic gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraser, Hunter B.; Hirsh, Aaron E.; Giaever, Guri; Kumm, Jochen; Eisen, Michael B.

2004-01-01

All organisms have elaborate mechanisms to control rates of protein production. However, protein production is also subject to stochastic fluctuations, or noise. Several recent studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli have investigated the relationship between transcription and translation rates and stochastic fluctuations in protein levels, or more generally, how such randomness is a function of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. However, the fundamental question of whether stochasticity in protein expression is generally biologically relevant has not been addressed, and it remains unknown whether random noise in the protein production rate of most genes significantly affects the fitness of any organism. We propose that organisms should be particularly sensitive to variation in the protein levels of two classes of genes: genes whose deletion is lethal to the organism and genes that encode subunits of multiprotein complexes. Using an experimentally verified model of stochastic gene expression in S. cerevisiae, we estimate the noise in protein production for nearly every yeast gene, and confirm our prediction that the production of essential and complex-forming proteins involves lower levels of noise than does the production of most other genes. Our results support the hypothesis that noise in gene expression is a biologically important variable, is generally detrimental to organismal fitness, and is subject to natural selection

Positive selection on gene expression in the human brain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khaitovich, Philipp; Tang, Kun; Franz, Henriette

2006-01-01

Recent work has shown that the expression levels of genes transcribed in the brains of humans and chimpanzees have changed less than those of genes transcribed in other tissues [1] . However, when gene expression changes are mapped onto the evolutionary lineage in which they occurred, the brain...... shows more changes than other tissues in the human lineage compared to the chimpanzee lineage [1] , [2] and [3] . There are two possible explanations for this: either positive selection drove more gene expression changes to fixation in the human brain than in the chimpanzee brain, or genes expressed...... in the brain experienced less purifying selection in humans than in chimpanzees, i.e. gene expression in the human brain is functionally less constrained. The first scenario would be supported if genes that changed their expression in the brain in the human lineage showed more selective sweeps than other genes...

Cloning and characterization of GDP-perosamine synthetase (Per) from Escherichia coli O157:H7 and synthesis of GDP-perosamine in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Guohui; Liu Jun; Liu Xiang; Chen Min; Zhang Houcheng; Wang, Peng George

2007-01-01

GDP-perosamine synthetase (Per, E.C. not yet classified) is important to the synthesis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 O-antigen. The mutant in per gene can disrupt the synthesis of O157 O-antigen. In this study, GDP-perosamine synthetase was cloned from E. coli O157:H7 and over-expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant His-tagged Per fusion protein was a decamer with molecular weight of 431 kDa. The optimal pH value of this recombinant protein was 7.5. The divalent ions had no significant effect on Per-catalyzed reaction. The K m and K cat /K m for GDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-D-mannose were 0.09 mM and 2.1 x 10 5 M -1 S -1 , and those for L-glutamate were 2 mM and 0.52 x 10 5 M -1 S -1 , respectively. Per was used to synthesize GDP-perosamine from GDP-mannose together with recombinant GDP-mannose dehydratase (GMD, E.C. 4.2.1.47). The purified GDP-perosamine was identified by MS and NMR. In summary, this work provided a feasible approach for the synthesis of GDP-perosamine which can lead to the study of LPS biosynthesis of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7

A stochastic approach to multi-gene expression dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochiai, T.; Nacher, J.C.; Akutsu, T.

2005-01-01

In the last years, tens of thousands gene expression profiles for cells of several organisms have been monitored. Gene expression is a complex transcriptional process where mRNA molecules are translated into proteins, which control most of the cell functions. In this process, the correlation among genes is crucial to determine the specific functions of genes. Here, we propose a novel multi-dimensional stochastic approach to deal with the gene correlation phenomena. Interestingly, our stochastic framework suggests that the study of the gene correlation requires only one theoretical assumption-Markov property-and the experimental transition probability, which characterizes the gene correlation system. Finally, a gene expression experiment is proposed for future applications of the model

Assays for noninvasive imaging of reporter gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gambhir, S.S.; Barrio, J.R.; Herschman, H.R.; Phelps, M.E.

1999-01-01

Repeated, noninvasive imaging of reporter gene expression is emerging as a valuable tool for monitoring the expression of genes in animals and humans. Monitoring of organ/cell transplantation in living animals and humans, and the assessment of environmental, behavioral, and pharmacologic modulation of gene expression in transgenic animals should soon be possible. The earliest clinical application is likely to be monitoring human gene therapy in tumors transduced with the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) suicide gene. Several candidate assays for imaging reporter gene expression have been studied, utilizing cytosine deaminase (CD), HSV1-tk, and dopamine 2 receptor (D2R) as reporter genes. For the HSV1-tk reporter gene, both uracil nucleoside derivatives (e.g., 5-iodo-2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-β-D-arabinofuranosyl-5-iodouracil [FIAU] labeled with 124 I, 131 I ) and acycloguanosine derivatives {e.g., 8-[ 18 F]fluoro-9-[[2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethoxy]methyl]guanine (8-[ 18 F]-fluoroganciclovir) ([ 18 F]FGCV), 9-[(3-[ 18 F]fluoro-1-hydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]guanine ([ 18 F]FHPG)} have been investigated as reporter probes. For the D2R reporter gene, a derivative of spiperone {3-(2'-[ 18 F]-Fluoroethyl)spiperone ([ 18 F]FESP)} has been used with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. In this review, the principles and specific assays for imaging reporter gene expression are presented and discussed. Specific examples utilizing adenoviral-mediated delivery of a reporter gene as well as tumors expressing reporter genes are discussed

PRAME gene expression profile in medulloblastoma

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Tânia Maria Vulcani-Freitas

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant tumors of central nervous system in the childhood. The treatment is severe, harmful and, thus, has a dismal prognosis. As PRAME is present in various cancers, including meduloblastoma, and has limited expression in normal tissues, this antigen can be an ideal vaccine target for tumor immunotherapy. In order to find a potential molecular target, we investigated PRAME expression in medulloblastoma fragments and we compare the results with the clinical features of each patient. Analysis of gene expression was performed by real-time quantitative PCR from 37 tumor samples. The Mann-Whitney test was used to analysis the relationship between gene expression and clinical characteristics. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to evaluate survival. PRAME was overexpressed in 84% samples. But no statistical association was found between clinical features and PRAME overexpression. Despite that PRAME gene could be a strong candidate for immunotherapy since it is highly expressed in medulloblastomas.

Systematic identification of human housekeeping genes possibly useful as references in gene expression studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Caracausi, Maria; Piovesan, Allison; Antonaros, Francesca; Strippoli, Pierluigi; Vitale, Lorenza; Pelleri, Maria Chiara

2017-09-01

The ideal reference, or control, gene for the study of gene expression in a given organism should be expressed at a medium‑high level for easy detection, should be expressed at a constant/stable level throughout different cell types and within the same cell type undergoing different treatments, and should maintain these features through as many different tissues of the organism. From a biological point of view, these theoretical requirements of an ideal reference gene appear to be best suited to housekeeping (HK) genes. Recent advancements in the quality and completeness of human expression microarray data and in their statistical analysis may provide new clues toward the quantitative standardization of human gene expression studies in biology and medicine, both cross‑ and within‑tissue. The systematic approach used by the present study is based on the Transcriptome Mapper tool and exploits the automated reassignment of probes to corresponding genes, intra‑ and inter‑sample normalization, elaboration and representation of gene expression values in linear form within an indexed and searchable database with a graphical interface recording quantitative levels of expression, expression variability and cross‑tissue width of expression for more than 31,000 transcripts. The present study conducted a meta‑analysis of a pool of 646 expression profile data sets from 54 different human tissues and identified actin γ 1 as the HK gene that best fits the combination of all the traditional criteria to be used as a reference gene for general use; two ribosomal protein genes, RPS18 and RPS27, and one aquaporin gene, POM121 transmembrane nucleporin C, were also identified. The present study provided a list of tissue‑ and organ‑specific genes that may be most suited for the following individual tissues/organs: Adipose tissue, bone marrow, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, ovary, skeletal muscle and testis; and also provides in these cases a representative

Global analysis of gene expression dynamics within the marine microbial community during the VAHINE mesocosm experiment in the southwest Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Pfreundt, Ulrike; Spungin, Dina; Bonnet, Sophie; Berman-Frank, Ilana; Hess, Wolfgang R.

2016-07-01

Microbial gene expression was followed for 23 days within a mesocosm (M1) isolating 50 m3 of seawater and in the surrounding waters in the Nouméa lagoon, New Caledonia, in the southwest Pacific as part of the VAriability of vertical and tropHIc transfer of diazotroph derived N in the south wEst Pacific (VAHINE) experiment. The aim of VAHINE was to examine the fate of diazotroph-derived nitrogen (DDN) in a low-nutrient, low-chlorophyll ecosystem. On day 4 of the experiment, the mesocosm was fertilized with phosphate. In the lagoon, gene expression was dominated by the cyanobacterium Synechococcus, closely followed by Alphaproteobacteria. In contrast, drastic changes in the microbial community composition and transcriptional activity were triggered within the mesocosm within the first 4 days, with transcription bursts from different heterotrophic bacteria in rapid succession. The microbial composition and activity of the surrounding lagoon ecosystem appeared more stable, although following similar temporal trends as in M1. We detected significant gene expression from Chromerida in M1, as well as the Nouméa lagoon, suggesting these photoautotrophic alveolates were present in substantial numbers in the open water. Other groups contributing substantially to the metatranscriptome were affiliated with marine Euryarchaeota Candidatus Thalassoarchaea (inside and outside) and Myoviridae bacteriophages likely infecting Synechococcus, specifically inside M1. High transcript abundances for ammonium transporters and glutamine synthetase in many different taxa (e.g., Pelagibacteraceae, Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus, and Rhodobacteraceae) was consistent with the known preference of most bacteria for this nitrogen source. In contrast, Alteromonadaceae highly expressed urease genes; Rhodobacteraceae and Prochlorococcus showed some urease expression, too. Nitrate reductase transcripts were detected on day 10 very prominently in Synechococcus and in Halomonadaceae. Alkaline

SIGNATURE: A workbench for gene expression signature analysis

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Chang Jeffrey T

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The biological phenotype of a cell, such as a characteristic visual image or behavior, reflects activities derived from the expression of collections of genes. As such, an ability to measure the expression of these genes provides an opportunity to develop more precise and varied sets of phenotypes. However, to use this approach requires computational methods that are difficult to implement and apply, and thus there is a critical need for intelligent software tools that can reduce the technical burden of the analysis. Tools for gene expression analyses are unusually difficult to implement in a user-friendly way because their application requires a combination of biological data curation, statistical computational methods, and database expertise. Results We have developed SIGNATURE, a web-based resource that simplifies gene expression signature analysis by providing software, data, and protocols to perform the analysis successfully. This resource uses Bayesian methods for processing gene expression data coupled with a curated database of gene expression signatures, all carried out within a GenePattern web interface for easy use and access. Conclusions SIGNATURE is available for public use at http://genepattern.genome.duke.edu/signature/.

Mining gene expression data of multiple sclerosis.

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Pi Guo

Full Text Available Microarray produces a large amount of gene expression data, containing various biological implications. The challenge is to detect a panel of discriminative genes associated with disease. This study proposed a robust classification model for gene selection using gene expression data, and performed an analysis to identify disease-related genes using multiple sclerosis as an example.Gene expression profiles based on the transcriptome of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a total of 44 samples from 26 multiple sclerosis patients and 18 individuals with other neurological diseases (control were analyzed. Feature selection algorithms including Support Vector Machine based on Recursive Feature Elimination, Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve, and Boruta algorithms were jointly performed to select candidate genes associating with multiple sclerosis. Multiple classification models categorized samples into two different groups based on the identified genes. Models' performance was evaluated using cross-validation methods, and an optimal classifier for gene selection was determined.An overlapping feature set was identified consisting of 8 genes that were differentially expressed between the two phenotype groups. The genes were significantly associated with the pathways of apoptosis and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. TNFSF10 was significantly associated with multiple sclerosis. A Support Vector Machine model was established based on the featured genes and gave a practical accuracy of ∼86%. This binary classification model also outperformed the other models in terms of Sensitivity, Specificity and F1 score.The combined analytical framework integrating feature ranking algorithms and Support Vector Machine model could be used for selecting genes for other diseases.

Plasticity-Related Gene Expression During Eszopiclone-Induced Sleep.

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Gerashchenko, Dmitry; Pasumarthi, Ravi K; Kilduff, Thomas S

2017-07-01

Experimental evidence suggests that restorative processes depend on synaptic plasticity changes in the brain during sleep. We used the expression of plasticity-related genes to assess synaptic plasticity changes during drug-induced sleep. We first characterized sleep induced by eszopiclone in mice during baseline conditions and during the recovery from sleep deprivation. We then compared the expression of 18 genes and two miRNAs critically involved in synaptic plasticity in these mice. Gene expression was assessed in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus by the TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and correlated with sleep parameters. Eszopiclone reduced the latency to nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and increased NREM sleep amounts. Eszopiclone had no effect on slow wave activity (SWA) during baseline conditions but reduced the SWA increase during recovery sleep (RS) after sleep deprivation. Gene expression analyses revealed three distinct patterns: (1) four genes had higher expression either in the cortex or hippocampus in the group of mice with increased amounts of wakefulness; (2) a large proportion of plasticity-related genes (7 out of 18 genes) had higher expression during RS in the cortex but not in the hippocampus; and (3) six genes and the two miRNAs showed no significant changes across conditions. Even at a relatively high dose (20 mg/kg), eszopiclone did not reduce the expression of plasticity-related genes during RS period in the cortex. These results indicate that gene expression associated with synaptic plasticity occurs in the cortex in the presence of a hypnotic medication. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of suitable reference genes for gene expression studies in bovine muscular tissue

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Dunner Susana

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time RTqPCR is a technique used to measure mRNA species copy number as a way to determine key genes involved in different biological processes. However, the expression level of these key genes may vary among tissues or cells not only as a consequence of differential expression but also due to different factors, including choice of reference genes to normalize the expression levels of the target genes; thus the selection of reference genes is critical for expression studies. For this purpose, ten candidate reference genes were investigated in bovine muscular tissue. Results The value of stability of ten candidate reference genes included in three groups was estimated: the so called 'classical housekeeping' genes (18S, GAPDH and ACTB, a second set of genes used in expression studies conducted on other tissues (B2M, RPII, UBC and HMBS and a third set of novel genes (SF3A1, EEF1A2 and CASC3. Three different statistical algorithms were used to rank the genes by their stability measures as produced by geNorm, NormFinder and Bestkeeper. The three methods tend to agree on the most stably expressed genes and the least in muscular tissue. EEF1A2 and HMBS followed by SF3A1, ACTB, and CASC3 can be considered as stable reference genes, and B2M, RPII, UBC and GAPDH would not be appropriate. Although the rRNA-18S stability measure seems to be within the range of acceptance, its use is not recommended because its synthesis regulation is not representative of mRNA levels. Conclusion Based on geNorm algorithm, we propose the use of three genes SF3A1, EEF1A2 and HMBS as references for normalization of real-time RTqPCR in muscle expression studies.

Glutamine synthetase in Medicago truncatula, unveiling new secrets of a very old enzyme

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Ana Rita Seabra

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Glutamine Synthetase (GS catalyses the first step at which nitrogen is brought into cellular metabolism and is also involved in the reassimilation of ammonium released by a number of metabolic pathways. Due to its unique position in plant nitrogen metabolism, GS plays essential roles in all aspects of plant development, from germination to senescence, and is a key component of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE and plant yield. Understanding the mechanisms regulating GS activity is therefore of utmost importance and a great effort has been dedicated to understand how GS is regulated in different plant species. The present review summarizes exciting recent developments concerning the structure and regulation of glutamine synthetase isoenzymes, using the model legume Medicago truncatula. These include the understanding of the structural determinants of both the cytosolic and plastid located isoenzymes, the existence of a seed-specific GS gene unique to M. truncatula and closely related species and the discovery that GS isoenzymes are regulated by nitric oxide at the post-translational level. The data is discussed and integrated with the potential roles of the distinct GS isoenzymes within the whole plant context.

Expression profiling identifies genes involved in emphysema severity

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Bowman Rayleen V

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD is a major public health problem. The aim of this study was to identify genes involved in emphysema severity in COPD patients. Gene expression profiling was performed on total RNA extracted from non-tumor lung tissue from 30 smokers with emphysema. Class comparison analysis based on gas transfer measurement was performed to identify differentially expressed genes. Genes were then selected for technical validation by quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR (qRT-PCR if also represented on microarray platforms used in previously published emphysema studies. Genes technically validated advanced to tests of biological replication by qRT-PCR using an independent test set of 62 lung samples. Class comparison identified 98 differentially expressed genes (p p Gene expression profiling of lung from emphysema patients identified seven candidate genes associated with emphysema severity including COL6A3, SERPINF1, ZNHIT6, NEDD4, CDKN2A, NRN1 and GSTM3.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray characterization of a human mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levin, Inna; Kessler, Naama; Moor, Nina; Klipcan, Liron; Koc, Emine; Templeton, Paul; Spremulli, Linda; Safro, Mark

2007-01-01

The expression, purification and crystallization of recombinant human mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (mitPheRS) are reported. Diffraction data were collected to 2.2 Å resolution and the mitPheRS structure was solved using the molecular-replacement method. Human monomeric mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (mitPheRS) is an enzyme that catalyzes the charging of tRNA with the cognate amino acid phenylalanine. Human mitPheRS is a chimera of the bacterial α-subunit of PheRS and the B8 domain of its β-subunit. Together, the α-subunit and the ‘RNP-domain’ (B8 domain) at the C-terminus form the minimal structural set to construct an enzyme with phenylalanylation activity. The recombinant human mitPheRS was purified to homogeneity and crystallized in complex with phenylalanine and ATP. The crystals diffracted to 2.2 Å resolution and belonged to space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 55, b = 90, c = 96 Å

Decoupling Linear and Nonlinear Associations of Gene Expression

KAUST Repository

Itakura, Alan

2013-05-01

The FANTOM consortium has generated a large gene expression dataset of different cell lines and tissue cultures using the single-molecule sequencing technology of HeliscopeCAGE. This provides a unique opportunity to investigate novel associations between gene expression over time and different cell types. Here, we create a MatLab wrapper for a powerful and computationally intensive set of statistics known as Maximal Information Coefficient, and then calculate this statistic for a large, comprehensive dataset containing gene expression of a variety of differentiating tissues. We then distinguish between linear and nonlinear associations, and then create gene association networks. Following this analysis, we are then able to identify clusters of linear gene associations that then associate nonlinearly with other clusters of linearity, providing insight to much more complex connections between gene expression patterns than previously anticipated.

Decoupling Linear and Nonlinear Associations of Gene Expression

KAUST Repository

Itakura, Alan

2013-01-01

The FANTOM consortium has generated a large gene expression dataset of different cell lines and tissue cultures using the single-molecule sequencing technology of HeliscopeCAGE. This provides a unique opportunity to investigate novel associations between gene expression over time and different cell types. Here, we create a MatLab wrapper for a powerful and computationally intensive set of statistics known as Maximal Information Coefficient, and then calculate this statistic for a large, comprehensive dataset containing gene expression of a variety of differentiating tissues. We then distinguish between linear and nonlinear associations, and then create gene association networks. Following this analysis, we are then able to identify clusters of linear gene associations that then associate nonlinearly with other clusters of linearity, providing insight to much more complex connections between gene expression patterns than previously anticipated.

Genetic architecture of gene expression in the chicken

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Stanley Dragana

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The annotation of many genomes is limited, with a large proportion of identified genes lacking functional assignments. The construction of gene co-expression networks is a powerful approach that presents a way of integrating information from diverse gene expression datasets into a unified analysis which allows inferences to be drawn about the role of previously uncharacterised genes. Using this approach, we generated a condition-free gene co-expression network for the chicken using data from 1,043 publically available Affymetrix GeneChip Chicken Genome Arrays. This data was generated from a diverse range of experiments, including different tissues and experimental conditions. Our aim was to identify gene co-expression modules and generate a tool to facilitate exploration of the functional chicken genome. Results Fifteen modules, containing between 24 and 473 genes, were identified in the condition-free network. Most of the modules showed strong functional enrichment for particular Gene Ontology categories. However, a few showed no enrichment. Transcription factor binding site enrichment was also noted. Conclusions We have demonstrated that this chicken gene co-expression network is a useful tool in gene function prediction and the identification of putative novel transcription factors and binding sites. This work highlights the relevance of this methodology for functional prediction in poorly annotated genomes such as the chicken.

Bayesian assignment of gene ontology terms to gene expression experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Sykacek, P.

2012-01-01

Motivation: Gene expression assays allow for genome scale analyses of molecular biological mechanisms. State-of-the-art data analysis provides lists of involved genes, either by calculating significance levels of mRNA abundance or by Bayesian assessments of gene activity. A common problem of such approaches is the difficulty of interpreting the biological implication of the resulting gene lists. This lead to an increased interest in methods for inferring high-level biological information. A common approach for representing high level information is by inferring gene ontology (GO) terms which may be attributed to the expression data experiment. Results: This article proposes a probabilistic model for GO term inference. Modelling assumes that gene annotations to GO terms are available and gene involvement in an experiment is represented by a posterior probabilities over gene-specific indicator variables. Such probability measures result from many Bayesian approaches for expression data analysis. The proposed model combines these indicator probabilities in a probabilistic fashion and provides a probabilistic GO term assignment as a result. Experiments on synthetic and microarray data suggest that advantages of the proposed probabilistic GO term inference over statistical test-based approaches are in particular evident for sparsely annotated GO terms and in situations of large uncertainty about gene activity. Provided that appropriate annotations exist, the proposed approach is easily applied to inferring other high level assignments like pathways. Availability: Source code under GPL license is available from the author. Contact: peter.sykacek@boku.ac.at PMID:22962488

Bayesian assignment of gene ontology terms to gene expression experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Sykacek, P

2012-09-15

Gene expression assays allow for genome scale analyses of molecular biological mechanisms. State-of-the-art data analysis provides lists of involved genes, either by calculating significance levels of mRNA abundance or by Bayesian assessments of gene activity. A common problem of such approaches is the difficulty of interpreting the biological implication of the resulting gene lists. This lead to an increased interest in methods for inferring high-level biological information. A common approach for representing high level information is by inferring gene ontology (GO) terms which may be attributed to the expression data experiment. This article proposes a probabilistic model for GO term inference. Modelling assumes that gene annotations to GO terms are available and gene involvement in an experiment is represented by a posterior probabilities over gene-specific indicator variables. Such probability measures result from many Bayesian approaches for expression data analysis. The proposed model combines these indicator probabilities in a probabilistic fashion and provides a probabilistic GO term assignment as a result. Experiments on synthetic and microarray data suggest that advantages of the proposed probabilistic GO term inference over statistical test-based approaches are in particular evident for sparsely annotated GO terms and in situations of large uncertainty about gene activity. Provided that appropriate annotations exist, the proposed approach is easily applied to inferring other high level assignments like pathways. Source code under GPL license is available from the author. peter.sykacek@boku.ac.at.

Gene expression profile data for mouse facial development

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Sonia M. Leach

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This article contains data related to the research articles "Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Gene Expression during Growth and Fusion of the Mouse Facial Prominences" (Feng et al., 2009 [1] and “Systems Biology of facial development: contributions of ectoderm and mesenchyme” (Hooper et al., 2017 In press [2]. Embryonic mammalian craniofacial development is a complex process involving the growth, morphogenesis, and fusion of distinct facial prominences into a functional whole. Aberrant gene regulation during this process can lead to severe craniofacial birth defects, including orofacial clefting. As a means to understand the genes involved in facial development, we had previously dissected the embryonic mouse face into distinct prominences: the mandibular, maxillary or nasal between E10.5 and E12.5. The prominences were then processed intact, or separated into ectoderm and mesenchyme layers, prior analysis of RNA expression using microarrays (Feng et al., 2009, Hooper et al., 2017 in press [1,2]. Here, individual gene expression profiles have been built from these datasets that illustrate the timing of gene expression in whole prominences or in the separated tissue layers. The data profiles are presented as an indexed and clickable list of the genes each linked to a graphical image of that gene׳s expression profile in the ectoderm, mesenchyme, or intact prominence. These data files will enable investigators to obtain a rapid assessment of the relative expression level of any gene on the array with respect to time, tissue, prominence, and expression trajectory.

Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases

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Crasto Chiquito J

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gene expression patterns of olfactory receptors (ORs are an important component of the signal encoding mechanism in the olfactory system since they determine the interactions between odorant ligands and sensory neurons. We have developed the Olfactory Receptor Microarray Database (ORMD to house OR gene expression data. ORMD is integrated with the Olfactory Receptor Database (ORDB, which is a key repository of OR gene information. Both databases aim to aid experimental research related to olfaction. Description ORMD is a Web-accessible database that provides a secure data repository for OR microarray experiments. It contains both publicly available and private data; accessing the latter requires authenticated login. The ORMD is designed to allow users to not only deposit gene expression data but also manage their projects/experiments. For example, contributors can choose whether to make their datasets public. For each experiment, users can download the raw data files and view and export the gene expression data. For each OR gene being probed in a microarray experiment, a hyperlink to that gene in ORDB provides access to genomic and proteomic information related to the corresponding olfactory receptor. Individual ORs archived in ORDB are also linked to ORMD, allowing users access to the related microarray gene expression data. Conclusion ORMD serves as a data repository and project management system. It facilitates the study of microarray experiments of gene expression in the olfactory system. In conjunction with ORDB, ORMD integrates gene expression data with the genomic and functional data of ORs, and is thus a useful resource for both olfactory researchers and the public.

Expression of Vibrio harveyi acyl-ACP synthetase allows efficient entry of exogenous fatty acids into the Escherichia coli fatty acid and lipid A synthetic pathways.

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Jiang, Yanfang; Morgan-Kiss, Rachael M; Campbell, John W; Chan, Chi Ho; Cronan, John E

2010-02-02

Although the Escherichia coli fatty acid synthesis (FAS) pathway is the best studied type II fatty acid synthesis system, a major experimental limitation has been the inability to feed intermediates into the pathway in vivo because exogenously supplied free fatty acids are not efficiently converted to the acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesters required by the pathway. We report that expression of Vibrio harveyi acyl-ACP synthetase (AasS), a soluble cytosolic enzyme that ligates free fatty acids to ACP to form acyl-ACPs, allows exogenous fatty acids to enter the E. coli fatty acid synthesis pathway. The free fatty acids are incorporated intact and can be elongated or directly incorporated into complex lipids by acyltransferases specific for acyl-ACPs. Moreover, expression of AasS strains and supplementation with the appropriate fatty acid restored growth to E. coli mutant strains that lack essential fatty acid synthesis enzymes. Thus, this strategy provides a new tool for circumventing the loss of enzymes essential for FAS function.

Gene expression analysis of flax seed development

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Flax, Linum usitatissimum L., is an important crop whose seed oil and stem fiber have multiple industrial applications. Flax seeds are also well-known for their nutritional attributes, viz., omega-3 fatty acids in the oil and lignans and mucilage from the seed coat. In spite of the importance of this crop, there are few molecular resources that can be utilized toward improving seed traits. Here, we describe flax embryo and seed development and generation of comprehensive genomic resources for the flax seed. Results We describe a large-scale generation and analysis of expressed sequences in various tissues. Collectively, the 13 libraries we have used provide a broad representation of genes active in developing embryos (globular, heart, torpedo, cotyledon and mature stages) seed coats (globular and torpedo stages) and endosperm (pooled globular to torpedo stages) and genes expressed in flowers, etiolated seedlings, leaves, and stem tissue. A total of 261,272 expressed sequence tags (EST) (GenBank accessions LIBEST_026995 to LIBEST_027011) were generated. These EST libraries included transcription factor genes that are typically expressed at low levels, indicating that the depth is adequate for in silico expression analysis. Assembly of the ESTs resulted in 30,640 unigenes and 82% of these could be identified on the basis of homology to known and hypothetical genes from other plants. When compared with fully sequenced plant genomes, the flax unigenes resembled poplar and castor bean more than grape, sorghum, rice or Arabidopsis. Nearly one-fifth of these (5,152) had no homologs in sequences reported for any organism, suggesting that this category represents genes that are likely unique to flax. Digital analyses revealed gene expression dynamics for the biosynthesis of a number of important seed constituents during seed development. Conclusions We have developed a foundational database of expressed sequences and collection of plasmid clones that comprise

Gene expression analysis of flax seed development

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Sharpe Andrew

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Flax, Linum usitatissimum L., is an important crop whose seed oil and stem fiber have multiple industrial applications. Flax seeds are also well-known for their nutritional attributes, viz., omega-3 fatty acids in the oil and lignans and mucilage from the seed coat. In spite of the importance of this crop, there are few molecular resources that can be utilized toward improving seed traits. Here, we describe flax embryo and seed development and generation of comprehensive genomic resources for the flax seed. Results We describe a large-scale generation and analysis of expressed sequences in various tissues. Collectively, the 13 libraries we have used provide a broad representation of genes active in developing embryos (globular, heart, torpedo, cotyledon and mature stages seed coats (globular and torpedo stages and endosperm (pooled globular to torpedo stages and genes expressed in flowers, etiolated seedlings, leaves, and stem tissue. A total of 261,272 expressed sequence tags (EST (GenBank accessions LIBEST_026995 to LIBEST_027011 were generated. These EST libraries included transcription factor genes that are typically expressed at low levels, indicating that the depth is adequate for in silico expression analysis. Assembly of the ESTs resulted in 30,640 unigenes and 82% of these could be identified on the basis of homology to known and hypothetical genes from other plants. When compared with fully sequenced plant genomes, the flax unigenes resembled poplar and castor bean more than grape, sorghum, rice or Arabidopsis. Nearly one-fifth of these (5,152 had no homologs in sequences reported for any organism, suggesting that this category represents genes that are likely unique to flax. Digital analyses revealed gene expression dynamics for the biosynthesis of a number of important seed constituents during seed development. Conclusions We have developed a foundational database of expressed sequences and collection of plasmid

Equilibria and partitioning of complexes in the S-adenosylmethionine synthetase reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markham, G.D.

1987-01-01

S-adenosylmethionine synthetase (ATP: L-methionine S-adenosyltransferase) catalyzes a reaction in which the [enzyme-ATP-methionine] complex reacts to form an intermediate [enzyme-AdoMet-PPPi] complex: hydrolysis of PPPi yields an [enzyme-AdoMet-PPi-Pi] complex from which AdoMet is the last product to dissociate. Analysis of reaction mixtures which were quenched with acid during turnover of E. coli AdoMet synthetase with saturating substrates containing [α - 32 P]ATP showed that PPPi is present in an amount corresponding to 45% of the total enzyme active sites, reflecting the portion of enzyme present in an [enzyme-AdoMet-PPPi] complex. Similar experiments in which excess pyrophosphatase was included (to hydrolyze PPi as it was released from AdoMet synthetase), showed that enzyme-bound PPi is present in an amount corresponding to 22% of the total AdoMet synthetase. The enzyme not present in complexes with PPPi or PPi is probably distributed between the [enzyme-ATP-methionine] and the [enzyme-AdoMet] complexes. AdoMet synthetase forms enzyme-bound 32 PPPi from added 32 PPi and Pi; the equilibrium constant [enzyme-AdoMet-PPi-Pi]/[enzyme-AdoMet-PPPi] is 2.0, greatly displaced from the equilibrium for hydrolysis of free PPPi. Since the ratio of enzyme-bound PPi to PPPi is 0.5 during the steady state, the PPPi hydrolysis step is not at equilibrium during turnover. Formation of [ 32 P]ATP from the [enzyme-AdoMet- 32 PPPi] complex was not detected

Systems approach identifies an organic nitrogen-responsive gene network that is regulated by the master clock control gene CCA1.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez, Rodrigo A; Stokes, Trevor L; Thum, Karen; Xu, Xiaodong; Obertello, Mariana; Katari, Manpreet S; Tanurdzic, Milos; Dean, Alexis; Nero, Damion C; McClung, C Robertson; Coruzzi, Gloria M

2008-03-25

Understanding how nutrients affect gene expression will help us to understand the mechanisms controlling plant growth and development as a function of nutrient availability. Nitrate has been shown to serve as a signal for the control of gene expression in Arabidopsis. There is also evidence, on a gene-by-gene basis, that downstream products of nitrogen (N) assimilation such as glutamate (Glu) or glutamine (Gln) might serve as signals of organic N status that in turn regulate gene expression. To identify genome-wide responses to such organic N signals, Arabidopsis seedlings were transiently treated with ammonium nitrate in the presence or absence of MSX, an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, resulting in a block of Glu/Gln synthesis. Genes that responded to organic N were identified as those whose response to ammonium nitrate treatment was blocked in the presence of MSX. We showed that some genes previously identified to be regulated by nitrate are under the control of an organic N-metabolite. Using an integrated network model of molecular interactions, we uncovered a subnetwork regulated by organic N that included CCA1 and target genes involved in N-assimilation. We validated some of the predicted interactions and showed that regulation of the master clock control gene CCA1 by Glu or a Glu-derived metabolite in turn regulates the expression of key N-assimilatory genes. Phase response curve analysis shows that distinct N-metabolites can advance or delay the CCA1 phase. Regulation of CCA1 by organic N signals may represent a novel input mechanism for N-nutrients to affect plant circadian clock function.

Supplementary Material for: Global expression differences and tissue specific expression differences in rice evolution result in two contrasting types of differentially expressed genes

KAUST Repository

Horiuchi, Youko; Harushima, Yoshiaki; Fujisawa, Hironori; Mochizuki, Takako; Fujita, Masahiro; Ohyanagi, Hajime; Kurata, Nori

2015-01-01

Abstract Background Since the development of transcriptome analysis systems, many expression evolution studies characterized evolutionary forces acting on gene expression, without explicit discrimination between global expression differences and tissue specific expression differences. However, different types of gene expression alteration should have different effects on an organism, the evolutionary forces that act on them might be different, and different types of genes might show different types of differential expression between species. To confirm this, we studied differentially expressed (DE) genes among closely related groups that have extensive gene expression atlases, and clarified characteristics of different types of DE genes including the identification of regulating loci for differential expression using expression quantitative loci (eQTL) analysis data. Results We detected differentially expressed (DE) genes between rice subspecies in five homologous tissues that were verified using japonica and indica transcriptome atlases in public databases. Using the transcriptome atlases, we classified DE genes into two types, global DE genes and changed-tissues DE genes. Global type DE genes were not expressed in any tissues in the atlas of one subspecies, however changed-tissues type DE genes were expressed in both subspecies with different tissue specificity. For the five tissues in the two japonica-indica combinations, 4.6 ± 0.8 and 5.9 ± 1.5 % of highly expressed genes were global and changed-tissues DE genes, respectively. Changed-tissues DE genes varied in number between tissues, increasing linearly with the abundance of tissue specifically expressed genes in the tissue. Molecular evolution of global DE genes was rapid, unlike that of changed-tissues DE genes. Based on gene ontology, global and changed-tissues DE genes were different, having no common GO terms. Expression differences of most global DE genes were regulated by cis

Identification of suitable reference genes for gene expression studies of shoulder instability.

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Mariana Ferreira Leal

Full Text Available Shoulder instability is a common shoulder injury, and patients present with plastic deformation of the glenohumeral capsule. Gene expression analysis may be a useful tool for increasing the general understanding of capsule deformation, and reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR has become an effective method for such studies. Although RT-qPCR is highly sensitive and specific, it requires the use of suitable reference genes for data normalization to guarantee meaningful and reproducible results. In the present study, we evaluated the suitability of a set of reference genes using samples from the glenohumeral capsules of individuals with and without shoulder instability. We analyzed the expression of six commonly used reference genes (ACTB, B2M, GAPDH, HPRT1, TBP and TFRC in the antero-inferior, antero-superior and posterior portions of the glenohumeral capsules of cases and controls. The stability of the candidate reference gene expression was determined using four software packages: NormFinder, geNorm, BestKeeper and DataAssist. Overall, HPRT1 was the best single reference gene, and HPRT1 and B2M composed the best pair of reference genes from different analysis groups, including simultaneous analysis of all tissue samples. GenEx software was used to identify the optimal number of reference genes to be used for normalization and demonstrated that the accumulated standard deviation resulting from the use of 2 reference genes was similar to that resulting from the use of 3 or more reference genes. To identify the optimal combination of reference genes, we evaluated the expression of COL1A1. Although the use of different reference gene combinations yielded variable normalized quantities, the relative quantities within sample groups were similar and confirmed that no obvious differences were observed when using 2, 3 or 4 reference genes. Consequently, the use of 2 stable reference genes for normalization, especially

Detecting microRNA activity from gene expression data

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Madden, Stephen F

2010-05-18

Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding to the messenger RNA (mRNA) of protein coding genes. They control gene expression by either inhibiting translation or inducing mRNA degradation. A number of computational techniques have been developed to identify the targets of miRNAs. In this study we used predicted miRNA-gene interactions to analyse mRNA gene expression microarray data to predict miRNAs associated with particular diseases or conditions. Results Here we combine correspondence analysis, between group analysis and co-inertia analysis (CIA) to determine which miRNAs are associated with differences in gene expression levels in microarray data sets. Using a database of miRNA target predictions from TargetScan, TargetScanS, PicTar4way PicTar5way, and miRanda and combining these data with gene expression levels from sets of microarrays, this method produces a ranked list of miRNAs associated with a specified split in samples. We applied this to three different microarray datasets, a papillary thyroid carcinoma dataset, an in-house dataset of lipopolysaccharide treated mouse macrophages, and a multi-tissue dataset. In each case we were able to identified miRNAs of biological importance. Conclusions We describe a technique to integrate gene expression data and miRNA target predictions from multiple sources.

Detecting microRNA activity from gene expression data.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Madden, Stephen F

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding to the messenger RNA (mRNA) of protein coding genes. They control gene expression by either inhibiting translation or inducing mRNA degradation. A number of computational techniques have been developed to identify the targets of miRNAs. In this study we used predicted miRNA-gene interactions to analyse mRNA gene expression microarray data to predict miRNAs associated with particular diseases or conditions. RESULTS: Here we combine correspondence analysis, between group analysis and co-inertia analysis (CIA) to determine which miRNAs are associated with differences in gene expression levels in microarray data sets. Using a database of miRNA target predictions from TargetScan, TargetScanS, PicTar4way PicTar5way, and miRanda and combining these data with gene expression levels from sets of microarrays, this method produces a ranked list of miRNAs associated with a specified split in samples. We applied this to three different microarray datasets, a papillary thyroid carcinoma dataset, an in-house dataset of lipopolysaccharide treated mouse macrophages, and a multi-tissue dataset. In each case we were able to identified miRNAs of biological importance. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a technique to integrate gene expression data and miRNA target predictions from multiple sources.

Gene expression results in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes depend significantly on the choice of reference genes

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Øvstebø Reidun

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gene expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS-stimulated monocytes is mainly studied by quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR using GAPDH (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase or ACTB (beta-actin as reference gene for normalization. Expression of traditional reference genes has been shown to vary substantially under certain conditions leading to invalid results. To investigate whether traditional reference genes are stably expressed in LPS-stimulated monocytes or if RT-qPCR results are dependent on the choice of reference genes, we have assessed and evaluated gene expression stability of twelve candidate reference genes in this model system. Results Twelve candidate reference genes were quantified by RT-qPCR in LPS-stimulated, human monocytes and evaluated using the programs geNorm, Normfinder and BestKeeper. geNorm ranked PPIB (cyclophilin B, B2M (beta-2-microglobulin and PPIA (cyclophilin A as the best combination for gene expression normalization in LPS-stimulated monocytes. Normfinder suggested TBP (TATA-box binding protein and B2M as the best combination. Compared to these combinations, normalization using GAPDH alone resulted in significantly higher changes of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL10 (interleukin 10 expression. Moreover, a significant difference in TNF-α expression between monocytes stimulated with equimolar concentrations of LPS from N. meningitides and E. coli, respectively, was identified when using the suggested combinations of reference genes for normalization, but stayed unrecognized when employing a single reference gene, ACTB or GAPDH. Conclusions Gene expression levels in LPS-stimulated monocytes based on RT-qPCR results differ significantly when normalized to a single gene or a combination of stably expressed reference genes. Proper evaluation of reference gene stabiliy is therefore mandatory before reporting RT-qPCR results in LPS-stimulated monocytes.

Differentially expressed genes in iron-induced prion protein conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Minsun; Kim, Eun-hee; Choi, Bo-Ran; Woo, Hee-Jong

2016-01-01

The conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrP C ) to the protease-resistant isoform is the key event in chronic neurodegenerative diseases, including transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Increased iron in prion-related disease has been observed due to the prion protein-ferritin complex. Additionally, the accumulation and conversion of recombinant PrP (rPrP) is specifically derived from Fe(III) but not Fe(II). Fe(III)-mediated PK-resistant PrP (PrP res ) conversion occurs within a complex cellular environment rather than via direct contact between rPrP and Fe(III). In this study, differentially expressed genes correlated with prion degeneration by Fe(III) were identified using Affymetrix microarrays. Following Fe(III) treatment, 97 genes were differentially expressed, including 85 upregulated genes and 12 downregulated genes (≥1.5-fold change in expression). However, Fe(II) treatment produced moderate alterations in gene expression without inducing dramatic alterations in gene expression profiles. Moreover, functional grouping of identified genes indicated that the differentially regulated genes were highly associated with cell growth, cell maintenance, and intra- and extracellular transport. These findings showed that Fe(III) may influence the expression of genes involved in PrP folding by redox mechanisms. The identification of genes with altered expression patterns in neural cells may provide insights into PrP conversion mechanisms during the development and progression of prion-related diseases. - Highlights: • Differential genes correlated with prion degeneration by Fe(III) were identified. • Genes were identified in cell proliferation and intra- and extracellular transport. • In PrP degeneration, redox related genes were suggested. • Cbr2, Rsad2, Slc40a1, Amph and Mvd were expressed significantly.

Regulation of meiotic gene expression in plants

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Adele eZhou

2014-08-01

Full Text Available With the recent advances in genomics and sequencing technologies, databases of transcriptomes representing many cellular processes have been built. Meiotic transcriptomes in plants have been studied in Arabidopsis thaliana, rice (Oryza sativa, wheat (Triticum aestivum, petunia (Petunia hybrida, sunflower (Helianthus annuus, and maize (Zea mays. Studies in all organisms, but particularly in plants, indicate that a very large number of genes are expressed during meiosis, though relatively few of them seem to be required for the completion of meiosis. In this review, we focus on gene expression at the RNA level and analyze the meiotic transcriptome datasets and explore expression patterns of known meiotic genes to elucidate how gene expression could be regulated during meiosis. We also discuss mechanisms, such as chromatin organization and non-coding RNAs, that might be involved in the regulation of meiotic transcription patterns.

Evaluating the consistency of gene sets used in the analysis of bacterial gene expression data

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Tintle Nathan L

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Statistical analyses of whole genome expression data require functional information about genes in order to yield meaningful biological conclusions. The Gene Ontology (GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG are common sources of functionally grouped gene sets. For bacteria, the SEED and MicrobesOnline provide alternative, complementary sources of gene sets. To date, no comprehensive evaluation of the data obtained from these resources has been performed. Results We define a series of gene set consistency metrics directly related to the most common classes of statistical analyses for gene expression data, and then perform a comprehensive analysis of 3581 Affymetrix® gene expression arrays across 17 diverse bacteria. We find that gene sets obtained from GO and KEGG demonstrate lower consistency than those obtained from the SEED and MicrobesOnline, regardless of gene set size. Conclusions Despite the widespread use of GO and KEGG gene sets in bacterial gene expression data analysis, the SEED and MicrobesOnline provide more consistent sets for a wide variety of statistical analyses. Increased use of the SEED and MicrobesOnline gene sets in the analysis of bacterial gene expression data may improve statistical power and utility of expression data.

Identifying key genes in rheumatoid arthritis by weighted gene co-expression network analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Chunhui; Lv, Qi; Teng, Songsong; Yu, Yinxian; Niu, Kerun; Yi, Chengqin

2017-08-01

This study aimed to identify rheumatoid arthritis (RA) related genes based on microarray data using the WGCNA (weighted gene co-expression network analysis) method. Two gene expression profile datasets GSE55235 (10 RA samples and 10 healthy controls) and GSE77298 (16 RA samples and seven healthy controls) were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Characteristic genes were identified using metaDE package. WGCNA was used to find disease-related networks based on gene expression correlation coefficients, and module significance was defined as the average gene significance of all genes used to assess the correlation between the module and RA status. Genes in the disease-related gene co-expression network were subject to functional annotation and pathway enrichment analysis using Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery. Characteristic genes were also mapped to the Connectivity Map to screen small molecules. A total of 599 characteristic genes were identified. For each dataset, characteristic genes in the green, red and turquoise modules were most closely associated with RA, with gene numbers of 54, 43 and 79, respectively. These genes were enriched in totally enriched in 17 Gene Ontology terms, mainly related to immune response (CD97, FYB, CXCL1, IKBKE, CCR1, etc.), inflammatory response (CD97, CXCL1, C3AR1, CCR1, LYZ, etc.) and homeostasis (C3AR1, CCR1, PLN, CCL19, PPT1, etc.). Two small-molecule drugs sanguinarine and papaverine were predicted to have a therapeutic effect against RA. Genes related to immune response, inflammatory response and homeostasis presumably have critical roles in RA pathogenesis. Sanguinarine and papaverine have a potential therapeutic effect against RA. © 2017 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

The Inhibition of Folylpolyglutamate Synthetase (folC in the Prevention of Drug Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Traditional Chinese Medicine

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Tzu-Chieh Hung

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Tuberculosis (TB is an infectious disease caused by many strains of mycobacteria, but commonly Mycobacterium tuberculosis. As a possible method of reducing the drug resistance of M. tuberculosis, this research investigates the inhibition of Folylpolyglutamate synthetase, a protein transcript from the resistance association gene folC. After molecular docking to screen the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM database, the candidate TCM compounds, with Folylpolyglutamate synthetase, were selected by molecular dynamics. The 10,000 ps simulation in association with RMSD analysis and total energy and structural variation defined the protein-ligand interaction. The selected TCM compounds Saussureamine C, methyl 3-O-feruloylquinate, and Labiatic acid have been found to inhibit the activity of bacteria and viruses and to regulate immunity. We also suggest the possible pathway in protein for each ligand. Compared with the control, similar interactions and structural variations indicate that these compounds might have an effect on Folylpolyglutamate synthetase. Finally, we suggest Saussureamine C is the best candidate compound as the complex has a high score, maintains its structural composition, and has a larger variation value than the control, thus inhibiting the drug resistance ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Evaluation of Appropriate Reference Genes for Gene Expression Normalization during Watermelon Fruit Development.

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Qiusheng Kong

Full Text Available Gene expression analysis in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus fruit has drawn considerable attention with the availability of genome sequences to understand the regulatory mechanism of fruit development and to improve its quality. Real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR is a routine technique for gene expression analysis. However, appropriate reference genes for transcript normalization in watermelon fruits have not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of 12 genes for their potential use as reference genes in watermelon fruits. Expression variations of these genes were measured in 48 samples obtained from 12 successive developmental stages of parthenocarpic and fertilized fruits of two watermelon genotypes by using qRT-PCR analysis. Considering the effects of genotype, fruit setting method, and developmental stage, geNorm determined clathrin adaptor complex subunit (ClCAC, β-actin (ClACT, and alpha tubulin 5 (ClTUA5 as the multiple reference genes in watermelon fruit. Furthermore, ClCAC alone or together with SAND family protein (ClSAND was ranked as the single or two best reference genes by NormFinder. By using the top-ranked reference genes to normalize the transcript abundance of phytoene synthase (ClPSY1, a good correlation between lycopene accumulation and ClPSY1 expression pattern was observed in ripening watermelon fruit. These validated reference genes will facilitate the accurate measurement of gene expression in the studies on watermelon fruit biology.

Evaluation of Appropriate Reference Genes for Gene Expression Normalization during Watermelon Fruit Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Qiusheng; Yuan, Jingxian; Gao, Lingyun; Zhao, Liqiang; Cheng, Fei; Huang, Yuan; Bie, Zhilong

2015-01-01

Gene expression analysis in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) fruit has drawn considerable attention with the availability of genome sequences to understand the regulatory mechanism of fruit development and to improve its quality. Real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) is a routine technique for gene expression analysis. However, appropriate reference genes for transcript normalization in watermelon fruits have not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of 12 genes for their potential use as reference genes in watermelon fruits. Expression variations of these genes were measured in 48 samples obtained from 12 successive developmental stages of parthenocarpic and fertilized fruits of two watermelon genotypes by using qRT-PCR analysis. Considering the effects of genotype, fruit setting method, and developmental stage, geNorm determined clathrin adaptor complex subunit (ClCAC), β-actin (ClACT), and alpha tubulin 5 (ClTUA5) as the multiple reference genes in watermelon fruit. Furthermore, ClCAC alone or together with SAND family protein (ClSAND) was ranked as the single or two best reference genes by NormFinder. By using the top-ranked reference genes to normalize the transcript abundance of phytoene synthase (ClPSY1), a good correlation between lycopene accumulation and ClPSY1 expression pattern was observed in ripening watermelon fruit. These validated reference genes will facilitate the accurate measurement of gene expression in the studies on watermelon fruit biology.

Novel gene sets improve set-level classification of prokaryotic gene expression data.

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Holec, Matěj; Kuželka, Ondřej; Železný, Filip

2015-10-28

Set-level classification of gene expression data has received significant attention recently. In this setting, high-dimensional vectors of features corresponding to genes are converted into lower-dimensional vectors of features corresponding to biologically interpretable gene sets. The dimensionality reduction brings the promise of a decreased risk of overfitting, potentially resulting in improved accuracy of the learned classifiers. However, recent empirical research has not confirmed this expectation. Here we hypothesize that the reported unfavorable classification results in the set-level framework were due to the adoption of unsuitable gene sets defined typically on the basis of the Gene ontology and the KEGG database of metabolic networks. We explore an alternative approach to defining gene sets, based on regulatory interactions, which we expect to collect genes with more correlated expression. We hypothesize that such more correlated gene sets will enable to learn more accurate classifiers. We define two families of gene sets using information on regulatory interactions, and evaluate them on phenotype-classification tasks using public prokaryotic gene expression data sets. From each of the two gene-set families, we first select the best-performing subtype. The two selected subtypes are then evaluated on independent (testing) data sets against state-of-the-art gene sets and against the conventional gene-level approach. The novel gene sets are indeed more correlated than the conventional ones, and lead to significantly more accurate classifiers. The novel gene sets are indeed more correlated than the conventional ones, and lead to significantly more accurate classifiers. Novel gene sets defined on the basis of regulatory interactions improve set-level classification of gene expression data. The experimental scripts and other material needed to reproduce the experiments are available at http://ida.felk.cvut.cz/novelgenesets.tar.gz.

Validation of suitable reference genes for quantitative gene expression analysis in Panax ginseng

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Meizhen eWang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Reverse transcription-qPCR (RT-qPCR has become a popular method for gene expression studies. Its results require data normalization by housekeeping genes. No single gene is proved to be stably expressed under all experimental conditions. Therefore, systematic evaluation of reference genes is necessary. With the aim to identify optimum reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of gene expression in different tissues of Panax ginseng and the seedlings grown under heat stress, we investigated the expression stability of eight candidate reference genes, including elongation factor 1-beta (EF1-β, elongation factor 1-gamma (EF1-γ, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3G (IF3G, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3B (IF3B, actin (ACT, actin11 (ACT11, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH and cyclophilin ABH-like protein (CYC, using four widely used computational programs: geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and the comparative ΔCt method. The results were then integrated using the web-based tool RefFinder. As a result, EF1-γ, IF3G and EF1-β were the three most stable genes in different tissues of P. ginseng, while IF3G, ACT11 and GAPDH were the top three-ranked genes in seedlings treated with heat. Using three better reference genes alone or in combination as internal control, we examined the expression profiles of MAR, a multiple function-associated mRNA-like non-coding RNA (mlncRNA in P. ginseng. Taken together, we recommended EF1-γ/IF3G and IF3G/ACT11 as the suitable pair of reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of gene expression in different tissues of P. ginseng and the seedlings grown under heat stress, respectively. The results serve as a foundation for future studies on P. ginseng functional genomics.

Bacillus anthracis o-succinylbenzoyl-CoA synthetase: reaction kinetics and a novel inhibitor mimicking its reaction intermediate †

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Yang; Suk, Dae-Hwan; Cai, Feng; Crich, David; Mesecar, Andrew D.

2009-01-01

O-succinylbenzoyl-CoA (OSB-CoA) synthetase (EC 6.2.1.26) catalyzes the ATP-dependent condensation of o-succinylbenzoate (OSB) and CoA to form OSB-CoA, the fourth step of the menaquinone biosynthetic pathway in Bacillus anthracis. Gene knockout studies have highlighted this enzyme as a potential target for the discovery of new antibiotics. Here we report the first studies on the kinetic mechanism of B. anthracis OSB-CoA synthetase, classifying it as an ordered Bi Uni Uni Bi ping-pong mechanism. Through a series of pre-steady-state and steady-state kinetic studies in conjunction with direct-binding studies, it is demonstrated that CoA, the last substrate to bind, strongly activates the first half-reaction after the first round of turnover. The activation of the first-half reaction is most likely achieved by CoA stabilizing conformations of the enzyme in the ‘F’ form, which slowly isomerize back to the E form. Thus, the kinetic mechanism of OSB-CoA synthetase may be more accurately described as an ordered Bi Uni Uni Bi Iso ping-pong mechanism. The substrate specificity of OSB-CoA synthetase was probed using a series of OSB analogs with alterations in the carboxylate groups. OSB-CoA shows a strong preference for OSB over all of the analogs tested as none were active except 4-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-oxobutyric acid which exhibited a 100-fold decrease in kcat/Km. Based on an understanding of OSB-CoA synthetase’s kinetic mechanism and substrate specificity, a reaction intermediate analog of OSB-AMP, 5’-O-(N-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-oxobutyl) adenosine sulfonamide (TFMP-butyl-AMS), was designed and synthesized. This inhibitor was found to be an uncompetitive inhibitor to CoA and a mixed-type inhibitor to ATP and OSB with low micromolar inhibition constants. Collectively, these results should serve as an important forerunner to more detailed and extensive inhibitor design studies aimed at developing lead compounds against the OSB-CoA synthetase class of

Identification of differentially expressed genes in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) under saline-alkaline stress by digital gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Ying; Huang, Wengong; Chen, Hongyu; Wu, Guangwen; Yuan, Hongmei; Song, Xixia; Kang, Qinghua; Zhao, Dongsheng; Jiang, Weidong; Liu, Yan; Wu, Jianzhong; Cheng, Lili; Yao, Yubo; Guan, Fengzhi

2014-10-01

The salinization and alkalization of soil are widespread environmental problems, and alkaline salt stress is more destructive than neutral salt stress. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of plant tolerance to saline-alkaline stress has become a major challenge. However, little attention has been paid to the mechanism of plant alkaline salt tolerance. In this study, gene expression profiling of flax was analyzed under alkaline-salt stress (AS2), neutral salt stress (NSS) and alkaline stress (AS) by digital gene expression. Three-week-old flax seedlings were placed in 25 mM Na2CO3 (pH11.6) (AS2), 50mM NaCl (NSS) and NaOH (pH11.6) (AS) for 18 h. There were 7736, 1566 and 454 differentially expressed genes in AS2, NSS and AS compared to CK, respectively. The GO category gene enrichment analysis revealed that photosynthesis was particularly affected in AS2, carbohydrate metabolism was particularly affected in NSS, and the response to biotic stimulus was particularly affected in AS. We also analyzed the expression pattern of five categories of genes including transcription factors, signaling transduction proteins, phytohormones, reactive oxygen species proteins and transporters under these three stresses. Some key regulatory gene families involved in abiotic stress, such as WRKY, MAPKKK, ABA, PrxR and ion channels, were differentially expressed. Compared with NSS and AS, AS2 triggered more differentially expressed genes and special pathways, indicating that the mechanism of AS2 was more complex than NSS and AS. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first transcriptome analysis of flax in response to saline-alkaline stress. These data indicate that common and diverse features of saline-alkaline stress provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of plant saline-alkaline tolerance and offer a number of candidate genes as potential markers of tolerance to saline-alkaline stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deletion of Type I glutamine synthetase deregulates nitrogen metabolism and increases ethanol production in Clostridium thermocellum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rydzak, Thomas [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Garcia, David [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Stevenson, David M. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Bacteriology; Sladek, Margaret [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Klingeman, Dawn M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Holwerda, Evert K. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division; Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States). Thayer School of Engineering; Amador-Noguez, Daniel [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Bacteriology; Brown, Steven D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Guss, Adam M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center

2017-05-01

Clostridium thermocellum rapidly deconstructs cellulose and ferments resulting hydrolysis products into ethanol and other products, and is thus a promising platform organism for the development of cellulosic biofuel production via consolidated bioprocessing. And while recent metabolic engineering strategies have targeted eliminating canonical fermentation products (acetate, lactate, formate, and H₂), C. thermocellum also secretes amino acids, which has limited ethanol yields in engineered strains to approximately 70% of the theoretical maximum. To decrease amino acid secretion, we attempted to reduce ammonium assimilation by deleting the Type I glutamine synthetase (glnA) in C. thermocellum. Deletion of glnA reduced levels of secreted valine and total amino acids by 53% and 44% respectively, and increased ethanol yields by 53%. RNA-seq analysis revealed that genes encoding the RNF-complex were more highly expressed in ΔglnA and may have a role in improving NADH-availability for ethanol production. While a significant up-regulation of genes involved in nitrogen assimilation and urea uptake suggested that deletion of glnA induces a nitrogen starvation response, metabolomic analysis showed an increase in intracellular glutamine and α-ketoglutarate levels indicative of nitrogen-rich conditions. Here, we propose that deletion of glnA causes deregulation of nitrogen metabolism, leading to overexpression of nitrogen metabolism genes and, in turn, elevated glutamine/α-ketoglutarate levels. Here we demonstrate that perturbation of nitrogen assimilation is a promising strategy to redirect flux from the production of nitrogenous compounds toward biofuels in C. thermocellum.

Improved gene expression signature of testicular carcinoma in situ

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Almstrup, Kristian; Leffers, Henrik; Lothe, Ragnhild A

2007-01-01

on global gene expression in testicular CIS have been previously published. We have merged the two data sets on CIS samples (n = 6) and identified the shared gene expression signature in relation to expression in normal testis. Among the top-20 highest expressed genes, one-third was transcription factors...... development' were significantly altered and could collectively affect cellular pathways like the WNT signalling cascade, which thus may be disrupted in testicular CIS. The merged CIS data from two different microarray platforms, to our knowledge, provide the most precise CIS gene expression signature to date....

The gsdf gene locus harbors evolutionary conserved and clustered genes preferentially expressed in fish previtellogenic oocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautier, Aude; Le Gac, Florence; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques

2011-02-01

The gonadal soma-derived factor (GSDF) belongs to the transforming growth factor-β superfamily and is conserved in teleostean fish species. Gsdf is specifically expressed in the gonads, and gene expression is restricted to the granulosa and Sertoli cells in trout and medaka. The gsdf gene expression is correlated to early testis differentiation in medaka and was shown to stimulate primordial germ cell and spermatogonia proliferation in trout. In the present study, we show that the gsdf gene localizes to a syntenic chromosomal fragment conserved among vertebrates although no gsdf-related gene is detected on the corresponding genomic region in tetrapods. We demonstrate using quantitative RT-PCR that most of the genes localized in the synteny are specifically expressed in medaka gonads. Gsdf is the only gene of the synteny with a much higher expression in the testis compared to the ovary. In contrast, gene expression pattern analysis of the gsdf surrounding genes (nup54, aff1, klhl8, sdad1, and ptpn13) indicates that these genes are preferentially expressed in the female gonads. The tissue distribution of these genes is highly similar in medaka and zebrafish, two teleostean species that have diverged more than 110 million years ago. The cellular localization of these genes was determined in medaka gonads using the whole-mount in situ hybridization technique. We confirm that gsdf gene expression is restricted to Sertoli and granulosa cells in contact with the premeiotic and meiotic cells. The nup54 gene is expressed in spermatocytes and previtellogenic oocytes. Transcripts corresponding to the ovary-specific genes (aff1, klhl8, and sdad1) are detected only in previtellogenic oocytes. No expression was detected in the gonocytes in 10 dpf embryos. In conclusion, we show that the gsdf gene localizes to a syntenic chromosomal fragment harboring evolutionary conserved genes in vertebrates. These genes are preferentially expressed in previtelloogenic oocytes, and thus, they

Selection of reference genes for quantitative gene expression normalization in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.

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Neutelings Godfrey

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR is currently the most accurate method for detecting differential gene expression. Such an approach depends on the identification of uniformly expressed 'housekeeping genes' (HKGs. Extensive transcriptomic data mining and experimental validation in different model plants have shown that the reliability of these endogenous controls can be influenced by the plant species, growth conditions and organs/tissues examined. It is therefore important to identify the best reference genes to use in each biological system before using qRT-PCR to investigate differential gene expression. In this paper we evaluate different candidate HKGs for developmental transcriptomic studies in the economically-important flax fiber- and oil-crop (Linum usitatissimum L. Results Specific primers were designed in order to quantify the expression levels of 20 different potential housekeeping genes in flax roots, internal- and external-stem tissues, leaves and flowers at different developmental stages. After calculations of PCR efficiencies, 13 HKGs were retained and their expression stabilities evaluated by the computer algorithms geNorm and NormFinder. According to geNorm, 2 Transcriptional Elongation Factors (TEFs and 1 Ubiquitin gene are necessary for normalizing gene expression when all studied samples are considered. However, only 2 TEFs are required for normalizing expression in stem tissues. In contrast, NormFinder identified glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH as the most stably expressed gene when all samples were grouped together, as well as when samples were classed into different sub-groups. qRT-PCR was then used to investigate the relative expression levels of two splice variants of the flax LuMYB1 gene (homologue of AtMYB59. LuMYB1-1 and LuMYB1-2 were highly expressed in the internal stem tissues as compared to outer stem tissues and other samples. This result was confirmed with both ge

Selection of reference genes for quantitative gene expression normalization in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Huis, Rudy; Hawkins, Simon; Neutelings, Godfrey

2010-04-19

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is currently the most accurate method for detecting differential gene expression. Such an approach depends on the identification of uniformly expressed 'housekeeping genes' (HKGs). Extensive transcriptomic data mining and experimental validation in different model plants have shown that the reliability of these endogenous controls can be influenced by the plant species, growth conditions and organs/tissues examined. It is therefore important to identify the best reference genes to use in each biological system before using qRT-PCR to investigate differential gene expression. In this paper we evaluate different candidate HKGs for developmental transcriptomic studies in the economically-important flax fiber- and oil-crop (Linum usitatissimum L). Specific primers were designed in order to quantify the expression levels of 20 different potential housekeeping genes in flax roots, internal- and external-stem tissues, leaves and flowers at different developmental stages. After calculations of PCR efficiencies, 13 HKGs were retained and their expression stabilities evaluated by the computer algorithms geNorm and NormFinder. According to geNorm, 2 Transcriptional Elongation Factors (TEFs) and 1 Ubiquitin gene are necessary for normalizing gene expression when all studied samples are considered. However, only 2 TEFs are required for normalizing expression in stem tissues. In contrast, NormFinder identified glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH) as the most stably expressed gene when all samples were grouped together, as well as when samples were classed into different sub-groups.qRT-PCR was then used to investigate the relative expression levels of two splice variants of the flax LuMYB1 gene (homologue of AtMYB59). LuMYB1-1 and LuMYB1-2 were highly expressed in the internal stem tissues as compared to outer stem tissues and other samples. This result was confirmed with both geNorm-designated- and Norm

The Medicago truncatula gene expression atlas web server

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Tang Yuhong

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Legumes (Leguminosae or Fabaceae play a major role in agriculture. Transcriptomics studies in the model legume species, Medicago truncatula, are instrumental in helping to formulate hypotheses about the role of legume genes. With the rapid growth of publically available Affymetrix GeneChip Medicago Genome Array GeneChip data from a great range of tissues, cell types, growth conditions, and stress treatments, the legume research community desires an effective bioinformatics system to aid efforts to interpret the Medicago genome through functional genomics. We developed the Medicago truncatula Gene Expression Atlas (MtGEA web server for this purpose. Description The Medicago truncatula Gene Expression Atlas (MtGEA web server is a centralized platform for analyzing the Medicago transcriptome. Currently, the web server hosts gene expression data from 156 Affymetrix GeneChip® Medicago genome arrays in 64 different experiments, covering a broad range of developmental and environmental conditions. The server enables flexible, multifaceted analyses of transcript data and provides a range of additional information about genes, including different types of annotation and links to the genome sequence, which help users formulate hypotheses about gene function. Transcript data can be accessed using Affymetrix probe identification number, DNA sequence, gene name, functional description in natural language, GO and KEGG annotation terms, and InterPro domain number. Transcripts can also be discovered through co-expression or differential expression analysis. Flexible tools to select a subset of experiments and to visualize and compare expression profiles of multiple genes have been implemented. Data can be downloaded, in part or full, in a tabular form compatible with common analytical and visualization software. The web server will be updated on a regular basis to incorporate new gene expression data and genome annotation, and is accessible

A gene co-expression network in whole blood of schizophrenia patients is independent of antipsychotic-use and enriched for brain-expressed genes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone de Jong

Full Text Available Despite large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS, the underlying genes for schizophrenia are largely unknown. Additional approaches are therefore required to identify the genetic background of this disorder. Here we report findings from a large gene expression study in peripheral blood of schizophrenia patients and controls. We applied a systems biology approach to genome-wide expression data from whole blood of 92 medicated and 29 antipsychotic-free schizophrenia patients and 118 healthy controls. We show that gene expression profiling in whole blood can identify twelve large gene co-expression modules associated with schizophrenia. Several of these disease related modules are likely to reflect expression changes due to antipsychotic medication. However, two of the disease modules could be replicated in an independent second data set involving antipsychotic-free patients and controls. One of these robustly defined disease modules is significantly enriched with brain-expressed genes and with genetic variants that were implicated in a GWAS study, which could imply a causal role in schizophrenia etiology. The most highly connected intramodular hub gene in this module (ABCF1, is located in, and regulated by the major histocompatibility (MHC complex, which is intriguing in light of the fact that common allelic variants from the MHC region have been implicated in schizophrenia. This suggests that the MHC increases schizophrenia susceptibility via altered gene expression of regulatory genes in this network.

Enzymatically active 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetases are widely distributed among Metazoa, including protostome lineage.

Science.gov (United States)

Päri, Mailis; Kuusksalu, Anne; Lopp, Annika; Kjaer, Karina Hansen; Justesen, Just; Kelve, Merike

2014-02-01

2',5'-Oligoadenylate synthetases (OASs) belong to the nucleotidyl transferase family together with poly(A) polymerases, CCA-adding enzymes and the recently discovered cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS). Mammalian OASs have been thoroughly characterized as components of the interferon-induced antiviral system. The OAS activity and the respective genes were also discovered in marine sponges where the interferon system is absent. In this study the recombinant OASs from several multicellular animals and their closest unicellular relative, a choanoflagellate, were expressed in a bacterial expression system and their enzymatic activities were examined. We demonstrated 2-5A synthesizing activities of OASs from the marine sponge Tedania ignis, a representative of the phylogenetically oldest metazoan phylum (Porifera), from an invertebrate of the protostome lineage, the mollusk Mytilus californianus (Mollusca), and from a vertebrate species, a cartilaginous fish Leucoraja erinacea (Chordata). However, the expressed proteins from an amphibian, the salamander Ambystoma mexicanum (Chordata), and from a protozoan, the marine choanoflagellate Monosiga brevicollis (Choanozoa), did not show 2-5A synthesizing activity. Differently from other studied OASs, OAS from the marine sponge T. ignis was able to catalyze the formation of oligomers having both 2',5'- and 3',5'-phosphodiester linkages. Our data suggest that OASs from sponges and evolutionarily higher animals have similar activation mechanisms which still include different affinities and possibly different structural requirements for the activating RNAs. Considering their 2'- and 3'-specificities, sponge OASs could represent a link between evolutionarily earlier nucleotidyl transferases and 2'-specific OASs from higher animals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Clustering based gene expression feature selection method: A computational approach to enrich the classifier efficiency of differentially expressed genes

KAUST Repository

Abusamra, Heba

2016-07-20

The native nature of high dimension low sample size of gene expression data make the classification task more challenging. Therefore, feature (gene) selection become an apparent need. Selecting a meaningful and relevant genes for classifier not only decrease the computational time and cost, but also improve the classification performance. Among different approaches of feature selection methods, however most of them suffer from several problems such as lack of robustness, validation issues etc. Here, we present a new feature selection technique that takes advantage of clustering both samples and genes. Materials and methods We used leukemia gene expression dataset [1]. The effectiveness of the selected features were evaluated by four different classification methods; support vector machines, k-nearest neighbor, random forest, and linear discriminate analysis. The method evaluate the importance and relevance of each gene cluster by summing the expression level for each gene belongs to this cluster. The gene cluster consider important, if it satisfies conditions depend on thresholds and percentage otherwise eliminated. Results Initial analysis identified 7120 differentially expressed genes of leukemia (Fig. 15a), after applying our feature selection methodology we end up with specific 1117 genes discriminating two classes of leukemia (Fig. 15b). Further applying the same method with more stringent higher positive and lower negative threshold condition, number reduced to 58 genes have be tested to evaluate the effectiveness of the method (Fig. 15c). The results of the four classification methods are summarized in Table 11. Conclusions The feature selection method gave good results with minimum classification error. Our heat-map result shows distinct pattern of refines genes discriminating between two classes of leukemia.

A deep auto-encoder model for gene expression prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Rui; Wen, Jia; Quitadamo, Andrew; Cheng, Jianlin; Shi, Xinghua

2017-11-17

Gene expression is a key intermediate level that genotypes lead to a particular trait. Gene expression is affected by various factors including genotypes of genetic variants. With an aim of delineating the genetic impact on gene expression, we build a deep auto-encoder model to assess how good genetic variants will contribute to gene expression changes. This new deep learning model is a regression-based predictive model based on the MultiLayer Perceptron and Stacked Denoising Auto-encoder (MLP-SAE). The model is trained using a stacked denoising auto-encoder for feature selection and a multilayer perceptron framework for backpropagation. We further improve the model by introducing dropout to prevent overfitting and improve performance. To demonstrate the usage of this model, we apply MLP-SAE to a real genomic datasets with genotypes and gene expression profiles measured in yeast. Our results show that the MLP-SAE model with dropout outperforms other models including Lasso, Random Forests and the MLP-SAE model without dropout. Using the MLP-SAE model with dropout, we show that gene expression quantifications predicted by the model solely based on genotypes, align well with true gene expression patterns. We provide a deep auto-encoder model for predicting gene expression from SNP genotypes. This study demonstrates that deep learning is appropriate for tackling another genomic problem, i.e., building predictive models to understand genotypes' contribution to gene expression. With the emerging availability of richer genomic data, we anticipate that deep learning models play a bigger role in modeling and interpreting genomics.

Positron emission tomography imaging of gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Ganghua

2001-01-01

The merging of molecular biology and nuclear medicine is developed into molecular nuclear medicine. Positron emission tomography (PET) of gene expression in molecular nuclear medicine has become an attractive area. Positron emission tomography imaging gene expression includes the antisense PET imaging and the reporter gene PET imaging. It is likely that the antisense PET imaging will lag behind the reporter gene PET imaging because of the numerous issues that have not yet to be resolved with this approach. The reporter gene PET imaging has wide application into animal experimental research and human applications of this approach will likely be reported soon

Gamma-Glutamylpolyamine Synthetase GlnA3 Is Involved in the First Step of Polyamine Degradation Pathway in Streptomyces coelicolor M145

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Agnieszka Bera

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Streptomyces coelicolor M145 was shown to be able to grow in the presence of high concentrations of polyamines, such as putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, or spermine, as a sole nitrogen source. However, hardly anything is known about polyamine utilization and its regulation in streptomycetes. In this study, we demonstrated that only one of the three proteins annotated as glutamine synthetase-like protein, GlnA3 (SCO6962, was involved in the catabolism of polyamines. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the expression of glnA3 was strongly induced by exogenous polyamines and repressed in the presence of ammonium. The ΔglnA3 mutant was shown to be unable to grow on defined Evans agar supplemented with putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, and spermine as sole nitrogen source. HPLC analysis demonstrated that the ΔglnA3 mutant accumulated polyamines intracellularly, but was unable to degrade them. In a rich complex medium supplemented with a mixture of the four different polyamines, the ΔglnA3 mutant grew poorly showing abnormal mycelium morphology and decreased life span in comparison to the parental strain. These observations indicated that the accumulation of polyamines was toxic for the cell. An in silico analysis of the GlnA3 protein model suggested that it might act as a gamma-glutamylpolyamine synthetase catalyzing the first step of polyamine degradation. GlnA3-catalyzed glutamylation of putrescine was confirmed in an enzymatic in vitro assay and the GlnA3 reaction product, gamma-glutamylputrescine, was detected by HPLC/ESI-MS. In this work, the first step of polyamine utilization in S. coelicolor has been elucidated and the putative polyamine utilization pathway has been deduced based on the sequence similarity and transcriptional analysis of homologous genes expressed in the presence of polyamines.

Understanding gene expression in coronary artery disease through ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Understanding gene expression in coronary artery disease through global profiling, network analysis and independent validation of key candidate genes. Prathima ... Table 2. Differentially expressed genes in CAD compared to age and gender matched controls. .... Regulation of nuclear pre-mRNA domain containing 1A.

Gene expression profile of pulpitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Galicia, J C; Henson, B R; Parker, J S; Khan, A A

2016-06-01

The cost, prevalence and pain associated with endodontic disease necessitate an understanding of the fundamental molecular aspects of its pathogenesis. This study was aimed to identify the genetic contributors to pulpal pain and inflammation. Inflamed pulps were collected from patients diagnosed with irreversible pulpitis (n=20). Normal pulps from teeth extracted for various reasons served as controls (n=20). Pain level was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS). Genome-wide microarray analysis was performed using Affymetrix GeneTitan Multichannel Instrument. The difference in gene expression levels were determined by the significance analysis of microarray program using a false discovery rate (q-value) of 5%. Genes involved in immune response, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and signaling, integrin cell surface interactions, and others were expressed at relatively higher levels in the pulpitis group. Moreover, several genes known to modulate pain and inflammation showed differential expression in asymptomatic and mild pain patients (⩾30 mm on VAS) compared with those with moderate to severe pain. This exploratory study provides a molecular basis for the clinical diagnosis of pulpitis. With an enhanced understanding of pulpal inflammation, future studies on treatment and management of pulpitis and on pain associated with it can have a biological reference to bridge treatment strategies with pulpal biology.

Mel-18, a mammalian Polycomb gene, regulates angiogenic gene expression of endothelial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Ji-Hye; Choi, Hyun-Jung; Maeng, Yong-Sun; Choi, Jung-Yeon; Kim, Minhyung; Kwon, Ja-Young; Park, Yong-Won; Kim, Young-Myeong; Hwang, Daehee; Kwon, Young-Guen

2010-10-01

Mel-18 is a mammalian homolog of Polycomb group (PcG) genes. Microarray analysis revealed that Mel-18 expression was induced during endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) differentiation and correlates with the expression of EC-specific protein markers. Overexpression of Mel-18 promoted EPC differentiation and angiogenic activity of ECs. Accordingly, silencing Mel-18 inhibited EC migration and tube formation in vitro. Gene expression profiling showed that Mel-18 regulates angiogenic genes including kinase insert domain receptor (KDR), claudin 5, and angiopoietin-like 2. Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that Mel-18 plays a significant role in the angiogenic function of ECs by regulating endothelial gene expression. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The early history of tRNA recognition by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Madhu

2006-10-04

Oct 4, 2006 ... Discovery of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and importance ... The pioneering work of Fritz Lipmann on the high-energy ... the peculiar structural and functional relationships tRNAs ... a bulk of only 20 families of tRNA molecules in contrast ...... balance of tRNA and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase; Science 242.

Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Gene Expression Omnibus is a public functional genomics data repository supporting MIAME-compliant submissions of array- and sequence-based data. Tools are provided...

Identification and validation of suitable endogenous reference genes for gene expression studies in human peripheral blood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Turner Renee J

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gene expression studies require appropriate normalization methods. One such method uses stably expressed reference genes. Since suitable reference genes appear to be unique for each tissue, we have identified an optimal set of the most stably expressed genes in human blood that can be used for normalization. Methods Whole-genome Affymetrix Human 2.0 Plus arrays were examined from 526 samples of males and females ages 2 to 78, including control subjects and patients with Tourette syndrome, stroke, migraine, muscular dystrophy, and autism. The top 100 most stably expressed genes with a broad range of expression levels were identified. To validate the best candidate genes, we performed quantitative RT-PCR on a subset of 10 genes (TRAP1, DECR1, FPGS, FARP1, MAPRE2, PEX16, GINS2, CRY2, CSNK1G2 and A4GALT, 4 commonly employed reference genes (GAPDH, ACTB, B2M and HMBS and PPIB, previously reported to be stably expressed in blood. Expression stability and ranking analysis were performed using GeNorm and NormFinder algorithms. Results Reference genes were ranked based on their expression stability and the minimum number of genes needed for nomalization as calculated using GeNorm showed that the fewest, most stably expressed genes needed for acurate normalization in RNA expression studies of human whole blood is a combination of TRAP1, FPGS, DECR1 and PPIB. We confirmed the ranking of the best candidate control genes by using an alternative algorithm (NormFinder. Conclusion The reference genes identified in this study are stably expressed in whole blood of humans of both genders with multiple disease conditions and ages 2 to 78. Importantly, they also have different functions within cells and thus should be expressed independently of each other. These genes should be useful as normalization genes for microarray and RT-PCR whole blood studies of human physiology, metabolism and disease.

Validation of reference genes for quantifying changes in gene expression in virus-infected tobacco.

Science.gov (United States)

Baek, Eseul; Yoon, Ju-Yeon; Palukaitis, Peter

2017-10-01

To facilitate quantification of gene expression changes in virus-infected tobacco plants, eight housekeeping genes were evaluated for their stability of expression during infection by one of three systemically-infecting viruses (cucumber mosaic virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y) or a hypersensitive-response-inducing virus (tobacco mosaic virus; TMV) limited to the inoculated leaf. Five reference-gene validation programs were used to establish the order of the most stable genes for the systemically-infecting viruses as ribosomal protein L25 > β-Tubulin > Actin, and the least stable genes Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (UCE) genes were EF1α > Cysteine protease > Actin, and the least stable genes were GAPDH genes, three defense responsive genes were examined to compare their relative changes in gene expression caused by each virus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gene expression patterns in pancreatic tumors, cells and tissues.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anson W Lowe

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Cancers of the pancreas originate from both the endocrine and exocrine elements of the organ, and represent a major cause of cancer-related death. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of gene expression for pancreatic tumors, the normal pancreas, and nonneoplastic pancreatic disease.DNA microarrays were used to assess the gene expression for surgically derived pancreatic adenocarcinomas, islet cell tumors, and mesenchymal tumors. The addition of normal pancreata, isolated islets, isolated pancreatic ducts, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines enhanced subsequent analysis by increasing the diversity in gene expression profiles obtained. Exocrine, endocrine, and mesenchymal tumors displayed unique gene expression profiles. Similarities in gene expression support the pancreatic duct as the origin of adenocarcinomas. In addition, genes highly expressed in other cancers and associated with specific signal transduction pathways were also found in pancreatic tumors.The scope of the present work was enhanced by the inclusion of publicly available datasets that encompass a wide spectrum of human tissues and enabled the identification of candidate genes that may serve diagnostic and therapeutic goals.

A longitudinal study of gene expression in healthy individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tessier Michel

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The use of gene expression in venous blood either as a pharmacodynamic marker in clinical trials of drugs or as a diagnostic test requires knowledge of the variability in expression over time in healthy volunteers. Here we defined a normal range of gene expression over 6 months in the blood of four cohorts of healthy men and women who were stratified by age (22–55 years and > 55 years and gender. Methods Eleven immunomodulatory genes likely to play important roles in inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and infection in addition to four genes typically used as reference genes were examined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR, as well as the full genome as represented by Affymetrix HG U133 Plus 2.0 microarrays. Results Gene expression levels as assessed by qRT-PCR and microarray were relatively stable over time with ~2% of genes as measured by microarray showing intra-subject differences over time periods longer than one month. Fifteen genes varied by gender. The eleven genes examined by qRT-PCR remained within a limited dynamic range for all individuals. Specifically, for the seven most stably expressed genes (CXCL1, HMOX1, IL1RN, IL1B, IL6R, PTGS2, and TNF, 95% of all samples profiled fell within 1.5–2.5 Ct, the equivalent of a 4- to 6-fold dynamic range. Two subjects who experienced severe adverse events of cancer and anemia, had microarray gene expression profiles that were distinct from normal while subjects who experienced an infection had only slightly elevated levels of inflammatory markers. Conclusion This study defines the range and variability of gene expression in healthy men and women over a six-month period. These parameters can be used to estimate the number of subjects needed to observe significant differences from normal gene expression in clinical studies. A set of genes that varied by gender was also identified as were a set of genes with elevated

Vaginal Gene Expression During Treatment With Aromatase Inhibitors.

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Kallak, Theodora Kunovac; Baumgart, Juliane; Nilsson, Kerstin; Åkerud, Helena; Poromaa, Inger Sundström; Stavreus-Evers, Anneli

2015-12-01

Aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment suppresses estrogen biosynthesis and causes genitourinary symptoms of menopause such as vaginal symptoms, ultimately affecting the quality of life for many postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine vaginal gene expression in women during treatment with AIs compared with estrogen-treated women. The secondary aim was to study the presence and localization of vaginal aromatase. Vaginal biopsies were collected from postmenopausal women treated with AIs and from age-matched control women treated with vaginal estrogen therapy. Differential gene expression was studied with the Affymetrix Gene Chip Gene 1.0 ST Array (Affymetrix Inc, Santa Clara, CA) system, Ingenuity pathway analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. The expression of 279 genes differed between the 2 groups; AI-treated women had low expression of genes involved in cell differentiation, proliferation, and cell adhesion. Some differentially expressed genes were found to interact indirectly with the estrogen receptor alpha. In addition, aromatase protein staining was evident in the basal and the intermediate vaginal epithelium layers, and also in stromal cells with a slightly stronger staining intensity found in AI-treated women. In this study, we demonstrated that genes involved in cell differentiation, proliferation, and cell adhesion are differentially expressed in AI-treated women. The expression of vaginal aromatase suggests that this could be the result of local and systemic inhibition of aromatase. Our results emphasize the role of estrogen for vaginal cell differentiation and proliferation and future drug candidates should be aimed at improving cell differentiation and proliferation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gene-expression profiling after exposure to C-ion beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saegusa, Kumiko; Furuno, Aki; Ishikawa, Kenichi; Ishikawa, Atsuko; Ohtsuka, Yoshimi; Kawai, Seiko; Imai, Takashi; Nojima, Kumie

2005-01-01

It is recognized that carbon-ion beam kills cancer cells more efficiently than X-ray. In this study we have compared cellular gene expression response after carbon-ion beam exposure with that after X-ray exposure. Gene expression profiles of cultured neonatal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hr after exposure to 0.1, 2 and 5 Gy of X-ray or carbon-ion beam were obtained using 22K oligonucleotide microarray. N-way ANOVA analysis of whole gene expression data sets selected 960 genes for carbon-ion beam and 977 genes for X-ray, respectively. Interestingly, majority of these genes (91% for carbon-ion beam and 88% for X-ray, respectively) were down regulated. The selected genes were further classified by their dose-dependence or time-dependence of gene expression change (fold change>1.5). It was revealed that genes involved in cell proliferation had tendency to show time-dependent up regulation by carbon-ion beam. Another N-way ANOVA analysis was performed to select 510 genes, and further selection was made to find 70 genes that showed radiation species-dependent gene expression change (fold change>1.25). These genes were then categorized by the K-Mean clustering method into 4 clusters. Each cluster showed tendency to contain genes involved in cell cycle regulation, cell death, responses to stress and metabolisms, respectively. (author)

AffyMiner: mining differentially expressed genes and biological knowledge in GeneChip microarray data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xia Yuannan

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background DNA microarrays are a powerful tool for monitoring the expression of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously. With the advance of microarray technology, the challenge issue becomes how to analyze a large amount of microarray data and make biological sense of them. Affymetrix GeneChips are widely used microarrays, where a variety of statistical algorithms have been explored and used for detecting significant genes in the experiment. These methods rely solely on the quantitative data, i.e., signal intensity; however, qualitative data are also important parameters in detecting differentially expressed genes. Results AffyMiner is a tool developed for detecting differentially expressed genes in Affymetrix GeneChip microarray data and for associating gene annotation and gene ontology information with the genes detected. AffyMiner consists of the functional modules, GeneFinder for detecting significant genes in a treatment versus control experiment and GOTree for mapping genes of interest onto the Gene Ontology (GO space; and interfaces to run Cluster, a program for clustering analysis, and GenMAPP, a program for pathway analysis. AffyMiner has been used for analyzing the GeneChip data and the results were presented in several publications. Conclusion AffyMiner fills an important gap in finding differentially expressed genes in Affymetrix GeneChip microarray data. AffyMiner effectively deals with multiple replicates in the experiment and takes into account both quantitative and qualitative data in identifying significant genes. AffyMiner reduces the time and effort needed to compare data from multiple arrays and to interpret the possible biological implications associated with significant changes in a gene's expression.

Microarray gene expression profiling and analysis in renal cell carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadhukhan Provash

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC is the most common cancer in adult kidney. The accuracy of current diagnosis and prognosis of the disease and the effectiveness of the treatment for the disease are limited by the poor understanding of the disease at the molecular level. To better understand the genetics and biology of RCC, we profiled the expression of 7,129 genes in both clear cell RCC tissue and cell lines using oligonucleotide arrays. Methods Total RNAs isolated from renal cell tumors, adjacent normal tissue and metastatic RCC cell lines were hybridized to affymatrix HuFL oligonucleotide arrays. Genes were categorized into different functional groups based on the description of the Gene Ontology Consortium and analyzed based on the gene expression levels. Gene expression profiles of the tissue and cell line samples were visualized and classified by singular value decomposition. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to confirm the expression alterations of selected genes in RCC. Results Selected genes were annotated based on biological processes and clustered into functional groups. The expression levels of genes in each group were also analyzed. Seventy-four commonly differentially expressed genes with more than five-fold changes in RCC tissues were identified. The expression alterations of selected genes from these seventy-four genes were further verified using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Detailed comparison of gene expression patterns in RCC tissue and RCC cell lines shows significant differences between the two types of samples, but many important expression patterns were preserved. Conclusions This is one of the initial studies that examine the functional ontology of a large number of genes in RCC. Extensive annotation, clustering and analysis of a large number of genes based on the gene functional ontology revealed many interesting gene expression patterns in RCC. Most

Regulation of Gene Expression in Protozoa Parasites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Consuelo Gomez

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Infections with protozoa parasites are associated with high burdens of morbidity and mortality across the developing world. Despite extensive efforts to control the transmission of these parasites, the spread of populations resistant to drugs and the lack of effective vaccines against them contribute to their persistence as major public health problems. Parasites should perform a strict control on the expression of genes involved in their pathogenicity, differentiation, immune evasion, or drug resistance, and the comprehension of the mechanisms implicated in that control could help to develop novel therapeutic strategies. However, until now these mechanisms are poorly understood in protozoa. Recent investigations into gene expression in protozoa parasites suggest that they possess many of the canonical machineries employed by higher eukaryotes for the control of gene expression at transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic levels, but they also contain exclusive mechanisms. Here, we review the current understanding about the regulation of gene expression in Plasmodium sp., Trypanosomatids, Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis.

Regulation of gene expression in protozoa parasites.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez, Consuelo; Esther Ramirez, M; Calixto-Galvez, Mercedes; Medel, Olivia; Rodríguez, Mario A

2010-01-01

Infections with protozoa parasites are associated with high burdens of morbidity and mortality across the developing world. Despite extensive efforts to control the transmission of these parasites, the spread of populations resistant to drugs and the lack of effective vaccines against them contribute to their persistence as major public health problems. Parasites should perform a strict control on the expression of genes involved in their pathogenicity, differentiation, immune evasion, or drug resistance, and the comprehension of the mechanisms implicated in that control could help to develop novel therapeutic strategies. However, until now these mechanisms are poorly understood in protozoa. Recent investigations into gene expression in protozoa parasites suggest that they possess many of the canonical machineries employed by higher eukaryotes for the control of gene expression at transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic levels, but they also contain exclusive mechanisms. Here, we review the current understanding about the regulation of gene expression in Plasmodium sp., Trypanosomatids, Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis.

A gene co-expression network in whole blood of schizophrenia patients is independent of antipsychotic-use and enriched for brain-expressed genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Jong, Simone; Boks, Marco P M; Fuller, Tova F

2012-01-01

Despite large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the underlying genes for schizophrenia are largely unknown. Additional approaches are therefore required to identify the genetic background of this disorder. Here we report findings from a large gene expression study in peripheral blood...... of schizophrenia patients and controls. We applied a systems biology approach to genome-wide expression data from whole blood of 92 medicated and 29 antipsychotic-free schizophrenia patients and 118 healthy controls. We show that gene expression profiling in whole blood can identify twelve large gene co......, and regulated by the major histocompatibility (MHC) complex, which is intriguing in light of the fact that common allelic variants from the MHC region have been implicated in schizophrenia. This suggests that the MHC increases schizophrenia susceptibility via altered gene expression of regulatory genes...

Divergent and nonuniform gene expression patterns in mouse brain

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, John A.; Royall, Joshua J.; Bertagnolli, Darren; Boe, Andrew F.; Burnell, Josh J.; Byrnes, Emi J.; Copeland, Cathy; Desta, Tsega; Fischer, Shanna R.; Goldy, Jeff; Glattfelder, Katie J.; Kidney, Jolene M.; Lemon, Tracy; Orta, Geralyn J.; Parry, Sheana E.; Pathak, Sayan D.; Pearson, Owen C.; Reding, Melissa; Shapouri, Sheila; Smith, Kimberly A.; Soden, Chad; Solan, Beth M.; Weller, John; Takahashi, Joseph S.; Overly, Caroline C.; Lein, Ed S.; Hawrylycz, Michael J.; Hohmann, John G.; Jones, Allan R.

2010-01-01

Considerable progress has been made in understanding variations in gene sequence and expression level associated with phenotype, yet how genetic diversity translates into complex phenotypic differences remains poorly understood. Here, we examine the relationship between genetic background and spatial patterns of gene expression across seven strains of mice, providing the most extensive cellular-resolution comparative analysis of gene expression in the mammalian brain to date. Using comprehensive brainwide anatomic coverage (more than 200 brain regions), we applied in situ hybridization to analyze the spatial expression patterns of 49 genes encoding well-known pharmaceutical drug targets. Remarkably, over 50% of the genes examined showed interstrain expression variation. In addition, the variability was nonuniformly distributed across strain and neuroanatomic region, suggesting certain organizing principles. First, the degree of expression variance among strains mirrors genealogic relationships. Second, expression pattern differences were concentrated in higher-order brain regions such as the cortex and hippocampus. Divergence in gene expression patterns across the brain could contribute significantly to variations in behavior and responses to neuroactive drugs in laboratory mouse strains and may help to explain individual differences in human responsiveness to neuroactive drugs. PMID:20956311

Differential Expression ESTs Associated with Fluorosis in Rats Liver

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Q. He

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The fluoride has volcanic activity and abundantly exists in environment combining with other elements as fluoride compounds. Recent researches indicated that the molecular mechanisms of intracellular fluoride toxicity were very complex. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects on gene expression of chronic fluoride-induced damage is unknown, especially the detailed regulatory process of mitochondria. In the present study, we screened the differential expression ESTs associated with fluorosis by DDRT-PCR in rat liver. We gained 8 genes, 3 new ESTs, and 1 unknown function sequence and firstly demonstrated that microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 (MGST1, ATP synthase H+ transporting mitochondrial F0 complex subunit C1, selenoprotein S, mitochondrial IF1 protein, and mitochondrial succinyl-CoA synthetase alpha subunit were participated in mitochondria metabolism, functional and structural damage process caused by chronic fluorosis. This information will be very helpful for understanding the molecular mechanisms of fluorosis.

Rethinking cell-cycle-dependent gene expression in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Stephen

2017-11-01

Three studies of gene expression during the division cycle of Schizosaccharomyces pombe led to the proposal that a large number of genes are expressed at particular times during the S. pombe cell cycle. Yet only a small fraction of genes proposed to be expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner are reproducible in all three published studies. In addition to reproducibility problems, questions about expression amplitudes, cell-cycle timing of expression, synchronization artifacts, and the problem with methods for synchronizing cells must be considered. These problems and complications prompt the idea that caution should be used before accepting the conclusion that there are a large number of genes expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner in S. pombe.

Growth factors regulate glutamine synthetase activity in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Khaled

2012-07-10

Jul 10, 2012 ... glutamate and ammonia, which in turn, cells are supplied with ammonia ... out to determine the maximum growth time at which cells will be .... Western blot technique for detection the glutamine synthetase enzyme. Lane 1;.

Variation-preserving normalization unveils blind spots in gene expression profiling

Science.gov (United States)

Roca, Carlos P.; Gomes, Susana I. L.; Amorim, Mónica J. B.; Scott-Fordsmand, Janeck J.

2017-01-01

RNA-Seq and gene expression microarrays provide comprehensive profiles of gene activity, but lack of reproducibility has hindered their application. A key challenge in the data analysis is the normalization of gene expression levels, which is currently performed following the implicit assumption that most genes are not differentially expressed. Here, we present a mathematical approach to normalization that makes no assumption of this sort. We have found that variation in gene expression is much larger than currently believed, and that it can be measured with available assays. Our results also explain, at least partially, the reproducibility problems encountered in transcriptomics studies. We expect that this improvement in detection will help efforts to realize the full potential of gene expression profiling, especially in analyses of cellular processes involving complex modulations of gene expression. PMID:28276435

G-NEST: a gene neighborhood scoring tool to identify co-conserved, co-expressed genes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lemay Danielle G

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In previous studies, gene neighborhoods—spatial clusters of co-expressed genes in the genome—have been defined using arbitrary rules such as requiring adjacency, a minimum number of genes, a fixed window size, or a minimum expression level. In the current study, we developed a Gene Neighborhood Scoring Tool (G-NEST which combines genomic location, gene expression, and evolutionary sequence conservation data to score putative gene neighborhoods across all possible window sizes simultaneously. Results Using G-NEST on atlases of mouse and human tissue expression data, we found that large neighborhoods of ten or more genes are extremely rare in mammalian genomes. When they do occur, neighborhoods are typically composed of families of related genes. Both the highest scoring and the largest neighborhoods in mammalian genomes are formed by tandem gene duplication. Mammalian gene neighborhoods contain highly and variably expressed genes. Co-localized noisy gene pairs exhibit lower evolutionary conservation of their adjacent genome locations, suggesting that their shared transcriptional background may be disadvantageous. Genes that are essential to mammalian survival and reproduction are less likely to occur in neighborhoods, although neighborhoods are enriched with genes that function in mitosis. We also found that gene orientation and protein-protein interactions are partially responsible for maintenance of gene neighborhoods. Conclusions Our experiments using G-NEST confirm that tandem gene duplication is the primary driver of non-random gene order in mammalian genomes. Non-essentiality, co-functionality, gene orientation, and protein-protein interactions are additional forces that maintain gene neighborhoods, especially those formed by tandem duplicates. We expect G-NEST to be useful for other applications such as the identification of core regulatory modules, common transcriptional backgrounds, and chromatin domains. The

Comparative analysis of oligonucleotide primers for high-throughput screening of genes encoding adenylation domains of nonribosomal peptide synthetases in actinomycetes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bakal, Tomáš; Goo, K.-S.; Najmanová, Lucie; Plháčková, Kamila; Kadlčík, Stanislav; Ulanová, Dana

2015-01-01

Roč. 108, č. 5 (2015), s. 1267-1274 ISSN 0003-6072 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Nonribosomal peptide synthetase * Adenylation domain * Actinomycetes Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 1.944, year: 2015

Weighted gene co-expression network analysis of expression data of monozygotic twins identifies specific modules and hub genes related to BMI.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Weijing; Jiang, Wenjie; Hou, Lin; Duan, Haiping; Wu, Yili; Xu, Chunsheng; Tan, Qihua; Li, Shuxia; Zhang, Dongfeng

2017-11-13

The therapeutic management of obesity is challenging, hence further elucidating the underlying mechanisms of obesity development and identifying new diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets are urgent and necessary. Here, we performed differential gene expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify significant genes and specific modules related to BMI based on gene expression profile data of 7 discordant monozygotic twins. In the differential gene expression analysis, it appeared that 32 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were with a trend of up-regulation in twins with higher BMI when compared to their siblings. Categories of positive regulation of nitric-oxide synthase biosynthetic process, positive regulation of NF-kappa B import into nucleus, and peroxidase activity were significantly enriched within GO database and NF-kappa B signaling pathway within KEGG database. DEGs of NAMPT, TLR9, PTGS2, HBD, and PCSK1N might be associated with obesity. In the WGCNA, among the total 20 distinct co-expression modules identified, coral1 module (68 genes) had the strongest positive correlation with BMI (r = 0.56, P = 0.04) and disease status (r = 0.56, P = 0.04). Categories of positive regulation of phospholipase activity, high-density lipoprotein particle clearance, chylomicron remnant clearance, reverse cholesterol transport, intermediate-density lipoprotein particle, chylomicron, low-density lipoprotein particle, very-low-density lipoprotein particle, voltage-gated potassium channel complex, cholesterol transporter activity, and neuropeptide hormone activity were significantly enriched within GO database for this module. And alcoholism and cell adhesion molecules pathways were significantly enriched within KEGG database. Several hub genes, such as GAL, ASB9, NPPB, TBX2, IL17C, APOE, ABCG4, and APOC2 were also identified. The module eigengene of saddlebrown module (212 genes) was also significantly

G-NEST: A gene neighborhood scoring tool to identify co-conserved, co-expressed genes

Science.gov (United States)

In previous studies, gene neighborhoods--spatial clusters of co-expressed genes in the genome--have been defined using arbitrary rules such as requiring adjacency, a minimum number of genes, a fixed window size, or a minimum expression level. In the current study, we developed a Gene Neighborhood Sc...

Selection for the compactness of highly expressed genes in Gallus gallus

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Zhou Ming

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coding sequence (CDS length, gene size, and intron length vary within a genome and among genomes. Previous studies in diverse organisms, including human, D. Melanogaster, C. elegans, S. cerevisiae, and Arabidopsis thaliana, indicated that there are negative relationships between expression level and gene size, CDS length as well as intron length. Different models such as selection for economy model, genomic design model, and mutational bias hypotheses have been proposed to explain such observation. The debate of which model is a superior one to explain the observation has not been settled down. The chicken (Gallus gallus is an important model organism that bridges the evolutionary gap between mammals and other vertebrates. As D. Melanogaster, chicken has a larger effective population size, selection for chicken genome is expected to be more effective in increasing protein synthesis efficiency. Therefore, in this study the chicken was used as a model organism to elucidate the interaction between gene features and expression pattern upon selection pressure. Results Based on different technologies, we gathered expression data for nuclear protein coding, single-splicing genes from Gallus gallus genome and compared them with gene parameters. We found that gene size, CDS length, first intron length, average intron length, and total intron length are negatively correlated with expression level and expression breadth significantly. The tissue specificity is positively correlated with the first intron length but negatively correlated with the average intron length, and not correlated with the CDS length and protein domain numbers. Comparison analyses showed that ubiquitously expressed genes and narrowly expressed genes with the similar expression levels do not differ in compactness. Our data provided evidence that the genomic design model can not, at least in part, explain our observations. We grouped all somatic-tissue-specific genes

Identifying Regulatory Patterns at the 3'end Regions of Over-expressed and Under-expressed Genes

KAUST Repository

Othoum, Ghofran K

2013-05-01

Promoters, neighboring regulatory regions and those extending further upstream of the 5’end of genes, are considered one of the main components affecting the expression status of genes in a specific phenotype. More recently research by Chen et al. (2006, 2012) and Mapendano et al. (2010) demonstrated that the 3’end regulatory regions of genes also influence gene expression. However, the association between the regulatory regions surrounding 3’end of genes and their over- or under-expression status in a particular phenotype has not been systematically studied. The aim of this study is to ascertain if regulatory regions surrounding the 3’end of genes contain sufficient regulatory information to correlate genes with their expression status in a particular phenotype. Over- and under-expressed ovarian cancer (OC) genes were used as a model. Exploratory analysis of the 3’end regions were performed by transforming the annotated regions using principal component analysis (PCA), followed by clustering the transformed data thereby achieving a clear separation of genes with different expression status. Additionally, several classification algorithms such as Naïve Bayes, Random Forest and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were tested with different parameter settings to analyze the discriminatory capacity of the 3’end regions of genes related to their gene expression status. The best performance was achieved using the SVM classification model with 10-fold cross-validation that yielded an accuracy of 98.4%, sensitivity of 99.5% and specificity of 92.5%. For gene expression status for newly available instances, based on information derived from the 3’end regions, an SVM predictive model was developed with 10-fold cross-validation that yielded an accuracy of 67.0%, sensitivity of 73.2% and specificity of 61.0%. Moreover, building an SVM with polynomial kernel model to PCA transformed data yielded an accuracy of 83.1%, sensitivity of 92.5% and specificity of 74.8% using

Identifying Regulatory Patterns at the 3'end Regions of Over-expressed and Under-expressed Genes

KAUST Repository

Othoum, Ghofran K

2013-01-01

Promoters, neighboring regulatory regions and those extending further upstream of the 5’end of genes, are considered one of the main components affecting the expression status of genes in a specific phenotype. More recently research by Chen et al. (2006, 2012) and Mapendano et al. (2010) demonstrated that the 3’end regulatory regions of genes also influence gene expression. However, the association between the regulatory regions surrounding 3’end of genes and their over- or under-expression status in a particular phenotype has not been systematically studied. The aim of this study is to ascertain if regulatory regions surrounding the 3’end of genes contain sufficient regulatory information to correlate genes with their expression status in a particular phenotype. Over- and under-expressed ovarian cancer (OC) genes were used as a model. Exploratory analysis of the 3’end regions were performed by transforming the annotated regions using principal component analysis (PCA), followed by clustering the transformed data thereby achieving a clear separation of genes with different expression status. Additionally, several classification algorithms such as Naïve Bayes, Random Forest and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were tested with different parameter settings to analyze the discriminatory capacity of the 3’end regions of genes related to their gene expression status. The best performance was achieved using the SVM classification model with 10-fold cross-validation that yielded an accuracy of 98.4%, sensitivity of 99.5% and specificity of 92.5%. For gene expression status for newly available instances, based on information derived from the 3’end regions, an SVM predictive model was developed with 10-fold cross-validation that yielded an accuracy of 67.0%, sensitivity of 73.2% and specificity of 61.0%. Moreover, building an SVM with polynomial kernel model to PCA transformed data yielded an accuracy of 83.1%, sensitivity of 92.5% and specificity of 74.8% using

Aging and Gene Expression in the Primate Brain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fraser, Hunter B.; Khaitovich, Philipp; Plotkin, Joshua B.; Paabo, Svante; Eisen, Michael B.

2005-02-18

It is well established that gene expression levels in many organisms change during the aging process, and the advent of DNA microarrays has allowed genome-wide patterns of transcriptional changes associated with aging to be studied in both model organisms and various human tissues. Understanding the effects of aging on gene expression in the human brain is of particular interest, because of its relation to both normal and pathological neurodegeneration. Here we show that human cerebral cortex, human cerebellum, and chimpanzee cortex each undergo different patterns of age-related gene expression alterations. In humans, many more genes undergo consistent expression changes in the cortex than in the cerebellum; in chimpanzees, many genes change expression with age in cortex, but the pattern of changes in expression bears almost no resemblance to that of human cortex. These results demonstrate the diversity of aging patterns present within the human brain, as well as how rapidly genome-wide patterns of aging can evolve between species; they may also have implications for the oxidative free radical theory of aging, and help to improve our understanding of human neurodegenerative diseases.

Aging and gene expression in the primate brain.

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Hunter B Fraser

2005-09-01

Full Text Available It is well established that gene expression levels in many organisms change during the aging process, and the advent of DNA microarrays has allowed genome-wide patterns of transcriptional changes associated with aging to be studied in both model organisms and various human tissues. Understanding the effects of aging on gene expression in the human brain is of particular interest, because of its relation to both normal and pathological neurodegeneration. Here we show that human cerebral cortex, human cerebellum, and chimpanzee cortex each undergo different patterns of age-related gene expression alterations. In humans, many more genes undergo consistent expression changes in the cortex than in the cerebellum; in chimpanzees, many genes change expression with age in cortex, but the pattern of changes in expression bears almost no resemblance to that of human cortex. These results demonstrate the diversity of aging patterns present within the human brain, as well as how rapidly genome-wide patterns of aging can evolve between species; they may also have implications for the oxidative free radical theory of aging, and help to improve our understanding of human neurodegenerative diseases.

Clock Genes Influence Gene Expression in Growth Plate and Endochondral Ossification in Mice*

Science.gov (United States)

Takarada, Takeshi; Kodama, Ayumi; Hotta, Shogo; Mieda, Michihiro; Shimba, Shigeki; Hinoi, Eiichi; Yoneda, Yukio

2012-01-01

We have previously shown transient promotion by parathyroid hormone of Period-1 (Per1) expression in cultured chondrocytes. Here we show the modulation by clock genes of chondrogenic differentiation through gene transactivation of the master regulator of chondrogenesis Indian hedgehog (IHH) in chondrocytes of the growth plate. Several clock genes were expressed with oscillatory rhythmicity in cultured chondrocytes and rib growth plate in mice, whereas chondrogenesis was markedly inhibited in stable transfectants of Per1 in chondrocytic ATDC5 cells and in rib growth plate chondrocytes from mice deficient of brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like (BMAL1). Ihh promoter activity was regulated by different clock gene products, with clear circadian rhythmicity in expression profiles of Ihh in the growth plate. In BMAL1-null mice, a predominant decrease was seen in Ihh expression in the growth plate with a smaller body size than in wild-type mice. BMAL1 deficit led to disruption of the rhythmic expression profiles of both Per1 and Ihh in the growth plate. A clear rhythmicity was seen with Ihh expression in ATDC5 cells exposed to dexamethasone. In young mice defective of BMAL1 exclusively in chondrocytes, similar abnormalities were found in bone growth and Ihh expression. These results suggest that endochondral ossification is under the regulation of particular clock gene products expressed in chondrocytes during postnatal skeletogenesis through a mechanism relevant to the rhythmic Ihh expression. PMID:22936800

A Gene Expression Classifier of Node-Positive Colorectal Cancer

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Paul F. Meeh

2009-10-01

Full Text Available We used digital long serial analysis of gene expression to discover gene expression differences between node-negative and node-positive colorectal tumors and developed a multigene classifier able to discriminate between these two tumor types. We prepared and sequenced long serial analysis of gene expression libraries from one node-negative and one node-positive colorectal tumor, sequenced to a depth of 26,060 unique tags, and identified 262 tags significantly differentially expressed between these two tumors (P < 2 x 10-6. We confirmed the tag-to-gene assignments and differential expression of 31 genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, 12 of which were elevated in the node-positive tumor. We analyzed the expression levels of these 12 upregulated genes in a validation panel of 23 additional tumors and developed an optimized seven-gene logistic regression classifier. The classifier discriminated between node-negative and node-positive tumors with 86% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of the classifier revealed an area under the curve of 0.86. Experimental manipulation of the function of one classification gene, Fibronectin, caused profound effects on invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells in vitro. These results suggest that the development of node-positive colorectal cancer occurs in part through elevated epithelial FN1 expression and suggest novel strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of advanced disease.

Rhythmic diel pattern of gene expression in juvenile maize leaf.

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Maciej Jończyk

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Numerous biochemical and physiological parameters of living organisms follow a circadian rhythm. Although such rhythmic behavior is particularly pronounced in plants, which are strictly dependent on the daily photoperiod, data on the molecular aspects of the diurnal cycle in plants is scarce and mostly concerns the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we studied the leaf transcriptome in seedlings of maize, an important C4 crop only distantly related to A. thaliana, throughout a cycle of 10 h darkness and 14 h light to look for rhythmic patterns of gene expression. RESULTS: Using DNA microarrays comprising ca. 43,000 maize-specific probes we found that ca. 12% of all genes showed clear-cut diel rhythms of expression. Cluster analysis identified 35 groups containing from four to ca. 1,000 genes, each comprising genes of similar expression patterns. Perhaps unexpectedly, the most pronounced and most common (concerning the highest number of genes expression maxima were observed towards and during the dark phase. Using Gene Ontology classification several meaningful functional associations were found among genes showing similar diel expression patterns, including massive induction of expression of genes related to gene expression, translation, protein modification and folding at dusk and night. Additionally, we found a clear-cut tendency among genes belonging to individual clusters to share defined transcription factor-binding sequences. CONCLUSIONS: Co-expressed genes belonging to individual clusters are likely to be regulated by common mechanisms. The nocturnal phase of the diurnal cycle involves gross induction of fundamental biochemical processes and should be studied more thoroughly than was appreciated in most earlier physiological studies. Although some general mechanisms responsible for the diel regulation of gene expression might be shared among plants, details of the diurnal regulation of gene expression seem to differ