Correlation of the A-FABP Gene Polymorphism and mRNA Expression with Intramuscular Fat Content in Three-Yellow Chicken and Hetian-Black Chicken

The adipocyte-type fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) is considered a candidate gene for fat metabolism; thus, it affects fat deposition in chickens. The present study was designed to examine the polymorphism and mRNA abundance of the A-FABP gene with intramuscular fat (IMF) in the pectoralis muscles (PM) and leg muscles (LM) of Three-yellow Chicken (TYC) and Hetian-black Chicken (HTBC). In total, 60 TYCs and 60 HTBCs were sacrificed using exsanguination at market age. The IMF contents of the PM and LM in the HTBC were significantly higher than those in the TYC. Three genotypes of the A-FABP gene first exon, AA, AB, and BB, were examined by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP), and a C51 T mutational site, which is a silent substitution mutation, was revealed. The IMF contents of the AA genotype in the PM of the HTBC were significantly higher than those in the AB genotype; thus, the C51 T mutable site is a gene marker for selecting a higher IMF content in the PM of the HTBC. The relative expression of the A-FABP mRNA in the LM of the HTBC, which was measured by quantitative real-time PCR, was significantly higher than in the TYC. A significantly positive association was detected between A-FABP expression with the IMF contents of the PM and LM of both the TYC and the HTBC. These results provide basic data that might be helpful to further research the role of the A-FABP gene in fat deposition and fatty acid metabolism in chickens.     

Expression Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping across Water Availability Environments Reveals Contrasting Associations with Genomic Features in Arabidopsis

The regulation of gene expression is crucial for an organism’s development and response to stress, and an understanding of the evolution of gene expression is of fundamental importance to basic and applied biology. To improve this understanding, we conducted expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping in the Tsu-1 (Tsushima, Japan) × Kas-1 (Kashmir, India) recombinant inbred line population of Arabidopsis thaliana across soil drying treatments. We then used genome resequencing data to evaluate whether genomic features (promoter polymorphism, recombination rate, gene length, and gene density) are associated with genes responding to the environment (E) or with genes with genetic variation (G) in gene expression in the form of eQTLs. We identified thousands of genes that responded to soil drying and hundreds of main-effect eQTLs. However, we identified very few statistically significant eQTLs that interacted with the soil drying treatment (GxE eQTL). Analysis of genome resequencing data revealed associations of several genomic features with G and E genes. In general, E genes had lower promoter diversity and local recombination rates. By contrast, genes with eQTLs (G) had significantly greater promoter diversity and were located in genomic regions with higher recombination. These results suggest that genomic architecture may play an important a role in the evolution of gene expression.     

Comparison of SIV and HIV-1 Genomic RNA Structures Reveals Impact of Sequence Evolution on Conserved and Non-Conserved Structural Motifs

RNA secondary structure plays a central role in the replication and metabolism of all RNA viruses, including retroviruses like HIV-1. However, structures with known function represent only a fraction of the secondary structure reported for HIV-1_NL4-3. One tool to assess the importance of RNA structures is to examine their conservation over evolutionary time. To this end, we used SHAPE to model the secondary structure of a second primate lentiviral genome, SIVmac239, which shares only 50% sequence identity at the nucleotide level with HIV-1_NL4-3. Only about half of the paired nucleotides are paired in both genomic RNAs and, across the genome, just 71 base pairs form with the same pairing partner in both genomes. On average the RNA secondary structure is thus evolving at a much faster rate than the sequence. Structure at the Gag-Pro-Pol frameshift site is maintained but in a significantly altered form, while the impact of selection for maintaining a protein binding interaction can be seen in the conservation of pairing partners in the small RRE stems where Rev binds. Structures that are conserved between SIVmac239 and HIV-1_NL4-3 also occur at the 5′ polyadenylation sequence, in the plus strand primer sites, PPT and cPPT, and in the stem-loop structure that includes the first splice acceptor site. The two genomes are adenosine-rich and cytidine-poor. The structured regions are enriched in guanosines, while unpaired regions are enriched in adenosines, and functionaly important structures have stronger base pairing than nonconserved structures. We conclude that much of the secondary structure is the result of fortuitous pairing in a metastable state that reforms during sequence evolution. However, secondary structure elements with important function are stabilized by higher guanosine content that allows regions of structure to persist as sequence evolution proceeds, and, within the confines of selective pressure, allows structures to evolve.     

Evolutionary Patterns of Gene Families Generated in the Early Stage of Vertebrates

In this paper we have analyzed 49 vertebrate gene families that were generated in the early stage of vertebrates and/or shortly before the origin of vertebrates, each of which consists of three or four member genes. We have dated the first (T₁) and second (T₂) gene duplications of 26 gene families with 3 member genes. The means of T₁ (594 mya) and T₂ (488 mya) are largely consistent to a well-cited version of two-round (2R) genome duplication theory. Moreover, in most cases, the time interval between two successive gene duplications is large enough that the fate of duplicate genes generated by the first gene duplication was likely to be determined before the second one took place. However, the phylogenetic pattern of 23 gene families with 4 members is complicated; only 5 of them are predicted by 2R model, but 11 families require an additional gene (or genome) duplication. For the rest (7 families), at least one gene duplication event had occurred before the divergence between vertebrate and Drosophila, indicating a possible misleading of the 4:1 rule (member gene ratio between vertebrates and invertebrates). Our results show that Ohno's 2R conjecture is valid as a working hypothesis for providing a most parsimonious explanation. Although for some gene families, additional gene duplication is needed, the credibility of the third genome duplication (3R) remains to be investigated. Received: 13 December 1999 / Accepted: 7 April 2000     

鸡卵清蛋白基因转录起始点的确定及表达载体的构建

采用5’RACE方法确定鸡卵清蛋白基因转录起始点的位置,通过序列分析得出转录起始点为G,从而确定出核心启动子及上游调控区的位置。应用PCR技术分别扩增两段卵清蛋白基因上游调控序列的两个片段,长度分别为1．5kb和2．9kb。经PCR测序和克隆测序后,针对突变的碱基进行修复,并将修复的两片段分别连接在带有绿色荧光蛋白报告基因pGFP-N2载体上,为使pGFP-N2载体本身的CMV启动子不影响对鸡卵清蛋白启动子的研究,将其切去,构建了P1.5koval-GFP和R2.9koval-GFP两种表达载体,经酶切鉴定这两种表达载体构建正确。     

Global Analysis of Gene Expression Profiles in Brassica napus Developing Seeds Reveals a Conserved Lipid Metabolism Regulation with Arabidopsis thaliana

In order to study Brassica napus fatty acid （FA） metabolism and relevant regulatory networks, a systematic identification of fatty acid （FA） biosynthesis-related genes was conducted. Following gene identification, gene expression profiles during B. napus seed development and FA metabolism were performed by cDNA chip hybridization （〉8000 EST clones from seed）. The results showed that FA biosynthesis and regulation, and carbon flux, were conserved between B. napus and Arabidopsis. However, a more critical role of starch metabolism was detected for B. napus seed FA metabolism and storage-component accumulation when compared with Arabidopsis. In addition, a crucial stage for the transition of seed-to-sink tissue was 17-21 d after flowering （DAF）, whereas FA biosynthesis-related genes were highly expressed pri- marily at 21 DAF. Hormone （auxin and jasmonate） signaling is found to be important for FA metabolism. This study helps to reveal the global regulatory network of FA metabolism in developing B. napus seeds.     

Subfamily of Olfactory Receptors Characterized by Unique Structural Features and Expression Patterns

Abstract: The complex chemospecificity of the olfactory system is probably due to the large family of short-looped, heptahelical receptor proteins expressed in neurons widely distributed throughout one of the several zones within the nasal neuroepithelium. In this study, a subfamily of olfactory receptors has been identified that is characterized by distinct structural features as well as a unique expression pattern. Members of this receptor family are found in mammals, such as rodents and opossum, but not in lower vertebrates. All identified subtypes comprise an extended third extracellular loop that exhibits amphiphilic properties and contains numerous charged amino acids in conserved positions. Olfactory sensory neurons expressing these receptor types are segregated in small clusters on the tip of central turbinates, thus representing a novel pattern of expression for olfactory receptors. In mouse, genes encoding the new subfamily of receptors were found to be harbored within a small contiguous segment of genomic DNA. Based on species specificity as well as the unique structural properties and expression pattern, it is conceivable that the novel receptor subfamily may serve a special function in the olfactory system of mammals.     

Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Reveals the Correlation Patterns Among Genes in Different Temperature Stress Adaptation of Manila Clam

Marine Biotechnology - The Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) is one of the most important aquaculture species and widely distributed along the coasts of China, Japan, and Korea. Due to its wide...     

Early Evolution of Conserved Regulatory Sequences Associated with Development in Vertebrates

Comparisons between diverse vertebrate genomes have uncovered thousands of highly conserved non-coding sequences, an increasing number of which have been shown to function as enhancers during early development. Despite their extreme conservation over 500 million years from humans to cartilaginous fish, these elements appear to be largely absent in invertebrates, and, to date, there has been little understanding of their mode of action or the evolutionary processes that have modelled them. We have now exploited emerging genomic sequence data for the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, to explore the depth of conservation of this type of element in the earliest diverging extant vertebrate lineage, the jawless fish (agnathans). We searched for conserved non-coding elements (CNEs) at 13 human gene loci and identified lamprey elements associated with all but two of these gene regions. Although markedly shorter and less well conserved than within jawed vertebrates, identified lamprey CNEs are able to drive specific patterns of expression in zebrafish embryos, which are almost identical to those driven by the equivalent human elements. These CNEs are therefore a unique and defining characteristic of all vertebrates. Furthermore, alignment of lamprey and other vertebrate CNEs should permit the identification of persistent sequence signatures that are responsible for common patterns of expression and contribute to the elucidation of the regulatory language in CNEs. Identifying the core regulatory code for development, common to all vertebrates, provides a foundation upon which regulatory networks can be constructed and might also illuminate how large conserved regulatory sequence blocks evolve and become fixed in genomic DNA.     

人类高度进化保守基因hnulp1中转录抑制区段的定位

hnulp1是具有碱性螺旋-环-螺旋(bHLH)的新的一类转录因子.其C端含一个DUF654结构域,其序列在同源基因中相当保守,但该结构域功能未知.利用GAL4转录因子中的DNA结合结构域(DBD)和含有与DBD结合序列的荧光素酶报告基因(GAL4-Luc)质粒,构建了哺乳动物细胞转录因子活性分析系统,随后利用GAL4-Luc荧光素酶报告基因对5种含DUF654结构域的不同缺失片段转录抑制活性进行检测.检测结果表明,该基因DUF654结构域中从Δ228-407氨基酸区段具有强烈的转录抑制活性.该结果为进一步研究DUF654结构域的功能和hnulp1基因转录调控的机制奠定了基础.     

45S rDNA基因的不稳定性及其与转录的相关性

45S rDNA基因由串联重复序列构成,是遗传不稳定性的热点区域,易于发生DNA断裂和重组。以Hela和CHO细胞系为研究对象,运用荧光原位杂交技术检测有丝分裂不同时期的45S rDNA基因的不稳定性表型。结果表明,位点特异性的染色体浓缩失败是其在中期染色体上不稳定性的主要表型。具有这种表型的染色体在后期可能会出现落后或粘连现象,甚至有可能引发断裂,形成卫星核。同时,免疫荧光双染色技术检测表明DNA双链断裂的标记蛋白(γH2AX)和RNA聚合酶I的上游结合因子(UBF)在有丝分裂的不同时期都存在共定位现象。该结果为探讨45S rDNA基因的不稳定性与转录的关系提供了直观的细胞学证据。     

Comparative Genomic Analysis Reveals 2-Oxoacid Dehydrogenase Complex Lipoylation Correlation with Aerobiosis in Archaea

Metagenomic analyses have advanced our understanding of ecological microbial diversity, but to what extent can metagenomic data be used to predict the metabolic capacity of difficult-to-study organisms and their abiotic environmental interactions? We tackle this question, using a comparative genomic approach, by considering the molecular basis of aerobiosis within archaea. Lipoylation, the covalent attachment of lipoic acid to 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase multienzyme complexes (OADHCs), is essential for metabolism in aerobic bacteria and eukarya. Lipoylation is catalysed either by lipoate protein ligase (LplA), which in archaea is typically encoded by two genes (LplA-N and LplA-C), or by a lipoyl(octanoyl) transferase (LipB or LipM) plus a lipoic acid synthetase (LipA). Does the genomic presence of lipoylation and OADHC genes across archaea from diverse habitats correlate with aerobiosis? First, analyses of 11,826 biotin protein ligase (BPL)-LplA-LipB transferase family members and 147 archaeal genomes identified 85 species with lipoylation capabilities and provided support for multiple ancestral acquisitions of lipoylation pathways during archaeal evolution. Second, with the exception of the Sulfolobales order, the majority of species possessing lipoylation systems exclusively retain LplA, or either LipB or LipM, consistent with archaeal genome streamlining. Third, obligate anaerobic archaea display widespread loss of lipoylation and OADHC genes. Conversely, a high level of correspondence is observed between aerobiosis and the presence of LplA/LipB/LipM, LipA and OADHC E2, consistent with the role of lipoylation in aerobic metabolism. This correspondence between OADHC lipoylation capacity and aerobiosis indicates that genomic pathway profiling in archaea is informative and that well characterized pathways may be predictive in relation to abiotic conditions in difficult-to-study extremophiles. Given the highly variable retention of gene repertoires across the archaea, the extension of comparative genomic pathway profiling to broader metabolic and homeostasis networks should be useful in revealing characteristics from metagenomic datasets related to adaptations to diverse environments.