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PubMed1996

Structural variation of the pseudoautosomal region between and within inbred mouse strains.

The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) is a segment of shared homology between the sex chromosomes. Here we report additional probes for this region of the mouse genome. Genetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses indicate that one probe, PAR-4, hybridizes to the pseudoautosomal telomere and a minor locus at the telomere of chromosome 9 and that a PCR assay based on the PAR-4 sequence amplifies only the pseudoautosomal locus (DXYHgu1). The region detected by PAR-4 is structurally unstable; it shows polymorphism both between mouse strains and between animals of the same inbred strain, which implies an unusually high mutation rate. Variation occurs in the region adjacent to a (TTAGGG)n array. Two pseudoautosomal probes can also hybridize to the distal telomeres of chromosomes 9 and 13, and all three telomeres contain DXYMov15. The similarity between these telomeres may reflect ancestral telomere-telomere exchange.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Genomic structure of DNA encoding the lymphocyte homing receptor CD44 reveals at least 12 alternatively spliced exons.

The CD44 molecule is known to display extensive size heterogeneity, which has been attributed both to alternative splicing and to differential glycosylation within the extracellular domain. Although the presence of several alternative exons has been partly inferred from cDNA sequencing, the precise intron-exon organization of the CD44 gene has not been described to date to our knowledge. In the present study we describe the structure of the human CD44 gene, which contains at least 19 exons spanning some 50 kilobases of DNA. We have identified 10 alternatively spliced exons within the extracellular domain, including 1 exon that has not been previously reported. In addition to the inclusion or exclusion of whole exons, more diversity is generated through the utilization of internal splice donor and acceptor sites within 2 of the individual exons. The variation previously reported for the cytoplasmic domain is shown to result from the alternative splicing of 2 exons. The genomic structure of CD44 reveals a remarkable degree of complexity, and we confirm the role of alternative splicing as the basis of the structural and functional diversity seen in the CD44 molecule.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed1998

Phylogenetic analysis of African horse sickness virus segment 10: sequence variation, virulence characteristics and cell exit.

African horse sickness virus (AHSV) genome segment 10 encodes the non-structural proteins NS3/NS3a, which is involved in release of virus from cells. Full length segment 10 cDNAs were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, from isolates of AHSV serotypes 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9. These cDNAs were cloned, sequenced and their phylogenetic relationships analysed. High levels of sequence homology were detected in segment 10 from some isolates of different serotypes, confirming that they could be grouped on this basis (serotypes 4, 5, 6 and 9 (group alpha); serotypes 3 and 7 (group beta); serotypes 1, 2, and 8 (group gamma). However, data from bluetongue virus (the prototype orbivirus) indicate that the AHSV serotype is determined exclusively by the structural outer coat proteins VP2 and VP5, encoded by genome segments 2 and 5 respectively. Therefore, as a direct consequence of genome segment reassortment between AHSV strains from different serotypes, the differences observed in segment 10 do not give a reliable indication of virus serotype. Segment 10 of AHSV 3 (virulent) and AHSV 3att (attenuated) were also analysed. These strains, together with AHSV 8, have been used to study of the genetic basis of virulence using reassortment (O'Hara et al., this publication). Virus release studies, using Culicoides cell cultures, indicate that differences in segment 10 of AHSV 3att and 8 can influence the timing of virus release from the infected cell.

African Horse Sickness Virus↗

PubMed1995

A conserved, precise RNA encapsidation pattern in Tobamovirus particles.

The bidirectional RNA encapsidation pathway in nine sequenced Type 1 Tobamovirus genomes will result in RNA-coat protein assembly, up to and including the first transcribed G, adjacent to the 5'-cap structure (m7 Gppp). This precision is highly conserved, despite wide interstrain variations in the absolute position of the phase-determining core of the origin-of-assembly sequence (Gxx)n and in overall genome length (6311-6507 nts). A Type 2 Tobamovirus genome did not comply with this pattern. All genomes had a statistically significant bias for G at every third (or 3n) position, resulting in a preponderance of GNN codons and hence a high Val, Ala, Gly, Asp, Glu content, at least in the large (126/183 kDa) and amino-coterminal replicase protein genes. Contrary to predictions from the X-ray fibre diffraction structure of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV, U1 strain), only one (pepper mild mottle virus) of the nine Type 1 Tobamoviruses positioned the preferred G-repeat in the most favourable (5') position of the trinucleotide binding site on each coat protein (CP) subunit. In all but one of the eight remaining Type 1 Tobamovirus genomes, G would predominate in the CP 3'-site. The significance of these observations for TMV particle assembly, disassembly and host cell interactions are discussed.

Base Composition↗

PubMed2006

A locus on chromosome 13 influences levels of TAFI antigen in healthy Mexican Americans.

When activated, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) inhibits fibrinolysis by modifying fibrin, depressing its plasminogen binding potential. Polymorphisms in the TAFI structural gene (CPB2) have been associated with variation in TAFI levels, but the potential occurrence of influential quantitative trait loci (QTLs) located elsewhere in the genome has been explored only in families ascertained in part through probands affected by thrombosis. We report the results of the first genome-wide linkage screen for QTLs that influence TAFI phenotypes. Data are from 635 subjects from 21 randomly ascertained Mexican American families participating in the San Antonio Family Heart Study. Potential QTLs were localized through a genome-wide multipoint linkage scan using 417 highly informative autosomal short tandem repeat markers spaced at approximately 10-cM intervals. We observed a maximum multipoint LOD score of 3.09 on chromosome 13q, the region of the TAFI structural gene. A suggestive linkage signal (LOD = 2.04) also was observed in this region, but may be an artifact. In addition, weak evidence for linkage occurred on chromosomes 17p and 9q. Our results suggest that polymorphisms in the TAFI structural gene or its nearby regulatory elements may contribute strongly to TAFI level variation in the general population, although several genes in other regions of the genome may also influence variation in this phenotype. Our findings support those of the Genetic Analysis of Idiopathic Thrombophilia (GAIT) project, which identified a potential TAFI QTL on chromosome 13q in a genome-wide linkage scan in Spanish thrombophilia families.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Ten years of bacterial genome sequencing: comparative-genomics-based discoveries.

It has been more than 10 years since the first bacterial genome sequence was published. Hundreds of bacterial genome sequences are now available for comparative genomics, and searching a given protein against more than a thousand genomes will soon be possible. The subject of this review will address a relatively straightforward question: "What have we learned from this vast amount of new genomic data?" Perhaps one of the most important lessons has been that genetic diversity, at the level of large-scale variation amongst even genomes of the same species, is far greater than was thought. The classical textbook view of evolution relying on the relatively slow accumulation of mutational events at the level of individual bases scattered throughout the genome has changed. One of the most obvious conclusions from examining the sequences from several hundred bacterial genomes is the enormous amount of diversity--even in different genomes from the same bacterial species. This diversity is generated by a variety of mechanisms, including mobile genetic elements and bacteriophages. An examination of the 20 Escherichia coli genomes sequenced so far dramatically illustrates this, with the genome size ranging from 4.6 to 5.5 Mbp; much of the variation appears to be of phage origin. This review also addresses mobile genetic elements, including pathogenicity islands and the structure of transposable elements. There are at least 20 different methods available to compare bacterial genomes. Metagenomics offers the chance to study genomic sequences found in ecosystems, including genomes of species that are difficult to culture. It has become clear that a genome sequence represents more than just a collection of gene sequences for an organism and that information concerning the environment and growth conditions for the organism are important for interpretation of the genomic data. The newly proposed Minimal Information about a Genome Sequence standard has been developed to obtain this information.

Bacterial Vaccines↗

PubMed2006

Heterogeneity in regional GC content and differential usage of codons and amino acids in GC-poor and GC-rich regions of the genome of Apis mellifera.

The honeybee (Apis mellifera) has a genome with a wide variation in GC content showing 2 clear modal GC values, in some ways reminiscent of an isochore-like structure. To gain insight into causes and consequences of this pattern, we used a comparative approach to study the genome-wide alignment of primarily coding sequence of A. mellifera with Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae. The latter 2 species show a higher average GC content than A. mellifera and no indications of bimodality, suggesting that the GC-poor mode is a derived condition in honeybee. In A. mellifera, synonymous sites of genes generally adopt the GC content of the region in which they reside. A large proportion of genes in GC-poor regions have not been assigned to the honeybee assembly because of the low sequence complexity of their genome neighborhood. The synonymous substitution rate between A. mellifera and the other species is very close to saturation, but analyses of nonsynonymous substitutions as well as amino acid substitutions indicate that the GC-poor regions are not evolving faster than the GC-rich regions. We describe the codon usage and amino acid usage and show that they are remarkably heterogeneous within the honeybee genome between the 2 different GC regions. Specifically, the genes located in GC-poor regions show a much larger deviation in both codon usage bias and amino acid usage from the Dipterans than the genes located in the GC-rich regions.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed2002

Transfer RNA gene-targeted retrotransposition of Dictyostelium TRE5-A into a chromosomal UMP synthase gene trap.

The genome of the eukaryotic microorganism Dictyostelium discoideum hosts a family of seven non-long terminal repeat retrotransposons (TREs) that show remarkable insertion preferences near tRNA genes. We developed an in vivo assay to detect tRNA gene-targeted retrotransposition of endogenous TREs in a reporter strain of D. discoideum. A tRNA gene positioned within an artificial intron was placed into the D. discoideum UMP synthase gene. This construct was inserted into the D. discoideum genome and presented as a landmark for de novo TRE insertions. We show that the tRNA gene-tagged UMP synthase gene was frequently disrupted by de novo insertions of endogenous TRE5-A copies, thus rendering the resulting mutants resistant to 5-fluoroorotic acid selection. Approximately 96% of all isolated 5-FOA-resistant clones contained TRE5-A insertions, whereas the remaining 4% resulted from transposition-independent mutations. The inserted TRE5-As showed complex structural variations and were found about 50 bp upstream of the reporter tRNA gene, similar to previously analysed genomic copies of TRE5-A. No integration by other members of the TRE family was observed. We found that only 51% of the de novo insertions were derived from autonomous TRE5-A.1 copies. The remaining 49% of new insertions were due to TRE5-A.2 elements, which lack the proteins required for reverse transcription and integration, but retain functional promoter sequences.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Genome-Wide Profiling of Histone Modifications in Fission Yeast Using CUT&Tag.

Eukaryotic DNA is organized in the nucleus in the form of chromatin. Nucleosomes, the fundamental unit of chromatin, are subject to many posttranslational modifications (PTMs) as well as compositional variations through incorporation of histone variants. These alterations play important roles in regulation of genome structure and activity. Genome-wide profiling of these regulatory features is essential for understanding of genome function. Chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with next-generation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) is a widely used method to assay genome-wide localization in fission yeast but suffers from the requirement for a large amount of input chromatin, antibodies, and a cumbersome experimental pipeline. New methods such as Cleavage Under Targets and Tagmentation (CUT&Tag), which combine the specificity of targeted cleavage and adapter insertion with the sensitivity of next-generation sequencing, enable identification and characterization of various epigenetic marks affording low input requirement as well as more streamlined protocols. However, these approaches have not been adapted for use in fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Here, we describe an adapted CUT&Tag protocol for epigenomic profiling in fission yeast using the heterochromatin-associated histone H3K9 methylation PTM for benchmarking.

Schizosaccharomyces↗

PubMed1996

Structure and expression of metallothionein gene in ducks.

Metallothionein (MT) cDNAs were cloned and sequenced from two genera of ducks, Muscovy (Cairina muschata) and Tsai ya (Anas platyrhynchos). The two cDNAs show an extremely high sequence homology and contain an open reading frame encoding 63 amino acids. MT mRNA expressions were studied after metal induction using the cloned cDNA as a probe. Cadmium and copper induced MT gene efficiently, whereas zinc showed a markedly less effect. In addition, the MT mRNA accumulations in various developmental stages were also investigated. The result reveals a different pattern of expression from that of mammals. The discrepancy in MT gene between Tsai ya and Muscovy was further explored by examining genomic DNA structures. The duck MT showed three exons and two introns. The most significant variation of the genes occurs at intron II in which Tsai ya MT has 24 bases more than Muscovy MT. Moreover, MT expressions in the hybrids of Muscovy and Tsai ya were investigated using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Those results demonstrated that parental MT genes are expressed in the hybrids after metal induction.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1997

Genetic characterization of ruminant pestiviruses: sequence analysis of viral genotypes isolated from sheep.

Historically, the genus pestivirus was believed to contain three species of viruses; bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), border disease virus (BDV) and classical swine fever virus (CSFV). However, based on limited sequence analysis of a small number of pestiviral isolates from domestic livestock, evidence has recently emerged indicating that at least four distinct genotypes exist. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of the degree of viral variation among ruminant pestiviruses, the entire structural gene coding region of an ovine pestivirus. BD31, genome encompassing 3358 nucleotides was cloned and sequenced. Sequence analysis revealed that BD31 shares less than 71% nucleotide similarity with other pestiviruses, suggesting, that BD31 is distinct from BVDV, CSFV as well as other ovine and bovine pestiviruses currently referred to as BVDV type II. Based on this data, BD31 is the first North American pestivirus isolate that falls under the category true BDV. Results from the analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the E0-E1 coding region of six additional ruminant pestiviruses identified the existence of three distinct virus genotypes in North America. Thus, among ruminent pestiviruses, bovine isolates can be grouped into two genotypes, namely types 1 and 4, whereas ovine isolates fall into genotypes 1, 3 and 4.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Modulation of virulence within a pathogenicity island in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis.

Enterococci are members of the healthy human intestinal flora, but are also leading causes of highly antibiotic-resistant, hospital-acquired infection. We examined the genomes of a strain of Enterococcus faecalis that caused an infectious outbreak in a hospital ward in the mid-1980s (ref. 2), and a strain that was identified as the first vancomycin-resistant isolate in the United States, and found that virulence determinants were clustered on a large pathogenicity island, a genetic element previously unknown in this genus. The pathogenicity island, which varies only subtly between strains, is approximately 150 kilobases in size, has a lower G + C content than the rest of the genome, and is flanked by terminal repeats. Here we show that subtle variations within the structure of the pathogenicity island enable strains harbouring the element to modulate virulence, and that these variations occur at high frequency. Moreover, the enterococcal pathogenicity island, in addition to coding for most known auxiliary traits that enhance virulence of the organism, includes a number of additional, previously unstudied genes that are rare in non-infection-derived isolates, identifying a class of new targets associated with disease which are not essential for the commensal behaviour of the organism.

Base Composition↗

PubMed2004

A transcriptomic analysis of the phylum Nematoda.

The phylum Nematoda occupies a huge range of ecological niches, from free-living microbivores to human parasites. We analyzed the genomic biology of the phylum using 265,494 expressed-sequence tag sequences, corresponding to 93,645 putative genes, from 30 species, including 28 parasites. From 35% to 70% of each species' genes had significant similarity to proteins from the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. More than half of the putative genes were unique to the phylum, and 23% were unique to the species from which they were derived. We have not yet come close to exhausting the genomic diversity of the phylum. We identified more than 2,600 different known protein domains, some of which had differential abundances between major taxonomic groups of nematodes. We also defined 4,228 nematode-specific protein families from nematode-restricted genes: this class of genes probably underpins species- and higher-level taxonomic disparity. Nematode-specific families are particularly interesting as drug and vaccine targets.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Identification of genomic organisation, sequence variants and analysis of the role of the human dishevelled 1 gene in late onset Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a disorder characterised by a progressive deterioration in memory and other cognitive functions. Neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) are a major pathological hallmark of AD, these are aggregations of paired helical filaments (PHF) comprised of the hyperphosphorylated microtubule associated protein tau. Several kinases, such as glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3beta) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phosphorylate tau at sites that are phosphorylated in PHF. Dishevelled 1 (DVL1) is thought to act as a positive regulator of the wnt signalling pathway, and inhibits GSK3beta activity preventing beta-catenin degradation and thus allowing wnt target gene expression. JNK activation is also regulated by DVL1, however it is unclear if this is via the wnt signalling pathway. These observations suggest a central role for DVL1 in tau phosphorylation and AD and led us to investigate DVL1 as a candidate gene for this disorder. We determined the genomic structure of the DVL1 gene by sequencing and data mining and searched for sequence variations in the coding sequences and flanking introns. The DVL1 gene spans a region of approximately 13.8 kb (not including the 5' untranslated region) and is encoded by 15 exons. Analysis of over 4.3 kb of sequence, including 98% of exonic sequences and introns 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12, revealed there to be six rare (< or =6%) sequence variations. None of these had any association with late onset AD. This would suggest that polymorphic variations in the coding sequences of DVL1 are not important in AD. However further analysis of regulatory regions may lead to the identification of other sequence variations which may be implicated in AD.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2003

Simple stochastic birth and death models of genome evolution: was there enough time for us to evolve?

MOTIVATION: The distributions of many genome-associated quantities, including the membership of paralogous gene families can be approximated with power laws. We are interested in developing mathematical models of genome evolution that adequately account for the shape of these distributions and describe the evolutionary dynamics of their formation. RESULTS: We show that simple stochastic models of genome evolution lead to power-law asymptotics of protein domain family size distribution. These models, called Birth, Death and Innovation Models (BDIM), represent a special class of balanced birth-and-death processes, in which domain duplication and deletion rates are asymptotically equal up to the second order. The simplest, linear BDIM shows an excellent fit to the observed distributions of domain family size in diverse prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. However, the stochastic version of the linear BDIM explored here predicts that the actual size of large paralogous families is reached on an unrealistically long timescale. We show that introduction of non-linearity, which might be interpreted as interaction of a particular order between individual family members, allows the model to achieve genome evolution rates that are much better compatible with the current estimates of the rates of individual duplication/loss events.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2002

Genetic predisposition to low bone mass is paralleled by an enhanced sensitivity to signals anabolic to the skeleton.

The structure of the adult skeleton is determined, in large part, by its genome. Whether genetic variations may influence the effectiveness of interventions to combat skeletal diseases remains unknown. The differential response of trabecular bone to an anabolic (low-level mechanical vibration) and a catabolic (disuse) mechanical stimulus were evaluated in three strains of adult mice. In low bone-mineral-density C57BL/6J mice, the low-level mechanical signal caused significantly larger bone formation rates (BFR) in the proximal tibia, but the removal of functional weight bearing did not significantly alter BFR. In mid-density BALB/cByJ mice, mechanical stimulation also increased BFR, whereas disuse significantly decreased BFR. In contrast, neither anabolic nor catabolic mechanical signals influenced any index of bone formation in high-density C3H/HeJ mice. Together, data from this study indicate that the sensitivity of trabecular tissue to both anabolic and catabolic stimuli is influenced by the genome. Extrapolated to humans, these results may explain in part why prophylaxes for low bone mass are not universally effective, yet also indicate that there may be a genotypic indication of people who are at reduced risk of suffering from bone loss.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2002

The repertoire of protein kinases encoded in the draft version of the human genome: atypical variations and uncommon domain combinations.

BACKGROUND: Phosphorylation by protein kinases is central to cellular signal transduction. Abnormal functioning of kinases has been implicated in developmental disorders and malignancies. Their activity is regulated by second messengers and by the binding of associated domains, which are also influential in translocating the catalytic component to their substrate sites, in mediating interaction with other proteins and carrying out their biological roles. RESULT: Using sensitive profile-search methods and manual analysis, the human genome has been surveyed for protein kinases. A set of 448 sequences, which show significant similarity to protein kinases and contain the critical residues essential for kinase function, have been selected for an analysis of domain combinations after classifying the kinase domains into subfamilies. The unusual domain combinations in particular kinases suggest their involvement in ubiquitination pathways and alternative modes of regulation for mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MAPKKs) and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-like kinases. Previously unexplored kinases have been implicated in osteoblast differentiation and embryonic development on the basis of homology with kinases of known functions from other organisms. Kinases potentially unique to vertebrates are involved in highly evolved processes such as apoptosis, protein translation and tyrosine kinase signaling. In addition to coevolution with the kinase domain, duplication and recruitment of non-catalytic domains is apparent in signaling domains such as the PH, DAG-PE, SH2 and SH3 domains. CONCLUSIONS: Expansion of the functional repertoire and possible existence of alternative modes of regulation of certain kinases is suggested by their uncommon domain combinations. Experimental verification of the predicted implications of these kinases could enhance our understanding of their biological roles.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed2002

Human resistin gene: molecular scanning and evaluation of association with insulin sensitivity and type 2 diabetes in Caucasians.

Insulin resistance is strongly associated with obesity, but even among obese subjects insulin sensitivity varies widely. Recently, a new adipocyte hormone, resistin, was identified, shown to reduce insulin-mediated glucose uptake, and shown to be increased in obese mice. We used the chromosome 19 draft sequence to determine the genomic structure of human resistin and to screen the exons, introns, and flanking sequences for variation. We screened 44 subjects with type 2 diabetes and 20 nondiabetic family members who were at the extremes of insulin sensitivity. We identified eight noncoding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one GAT microsatellite repeat. Three SNPs, which were in incomplete linkage disequilibrium with each other and had allelic frequencies exceeding 5%, were selected for further study. No SNP was associated with type 2 diabetes, but the SNP in the promoter region was a significant determinant of insulin sensitivity index (P = 0.04) among nondiabetic family members who had undergone iv glucose tolerance tests. The three common SNPs showed statistical significance as determinants of insulin sensitivity index (P < 0.01) in interaction with body mass index. Noncoding SNPs in the resistin gene may influence insulin sensitivity in interaction with obesity, but this finding will need to be confirmed in other populations.

Base Sequence↗