scholarly journals Near-Random Distribution of Chromosome-Derived Circular DNA in the Condensed Genome of Pigeons and the Larger, More Repeat-Rich Human Genome

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 3762-3777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Devitt Møller ◽  
Jazmín Ramos-Madrigal ◽  
Iñigo Prada-Luengo ◽  
M Thomas P Gilbert ◽  
Birgitte Regenberg

Abstract Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) elements of chromosomal origin are known to be common in a number of eukaryotic species. However, it remains to be addressed whether genomic features such as genome size, the load of repetitive elements within a genome, and/or animal physiology affect the number of eccDNAs. Here, we investigate the distribution and numbers of eccDNAs in a condensed and less repeat-rich genome compared with the human genome, using Columba livia domestica (domestic rock pigeon) as a model organism. By sequencing eccDNA in blood and breast muscle from three pigeon breeds at various ages and with different flight behavior, we characterize 30,000 unique eccDNAs. We identify genomic regions that are likely hotspots for DNA circularization in breast muscle, including genes involved in muscle development. We find that although eccDNA counts do not correlate with the biological age in pigeons, the number of unique eccDNAs in a nonflying breed (king pigeons) is significantly higher (9-fold) than homing pigeons. Furthermore, a comparison between eccDNA from skeletal muscle in pigeons and humans reveals ∼9-10 times more unique eccDNAs per human nucleus. The fraction of eccDNA sequences, derived from repetitive elements, exist in proportions to genome content, that is, human 72.4% (expected 52.5%) and pigeon 8.7% (expected 5.5%). Overall, our results support that eccDNAs are common in pigeons, that the amount of unique eccDNA types per nucleus can differ between species as well as subspecies, and suggest that eccDNAs from repeats are found in proportions relative to the content of repetitive elements in a genome.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Mohammad Ghoreishifar ◽  
Hossein Moradi-Shahrbabak ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Fallahi ◽  
Ali Jalil Sarghale ◽  
Mohammad Moradi-Shahrbabak ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Consecutive homozygous fragments of a genome inherited by offspring from a common ancestor are known as runs of homozygosity (ROH). ROH can be used to calculate genomic inbreeding and to identify genomic regions that are potentially under historical selection pressure. The dataset of our study consisted of 254 Azeri (AZ) and 115 Khuzestani (KHZ) river buffalo genotyped for ~65000 SNPs for the following two purposes: 1) to estimate and compare inbreeding calculated using ROH (FROH), excess of homozygosity (FHOM), correlation between uniting gametes (FUNI), and diagonal elements of the genomic relationship matrix (FGRM); 2) to identify frequently occurring ROH (i.e. ROH islands) for our selection signature and gene enrichment studies. Results: In this study, 9102 ROH were identified, with an average number of 21.2±13.1 and 33.2±15.9 segments per animal in AZ and KHZ breeds, respectively. On average in AZ, 4.35% (108.8±120.3 Mb), and in KHZ, 5.96% (149.1±107.7 Mb) of the genome was autozygous. The estimated inbreeding values based on FHOM, FUNI and FGRM were higher in AZ than they were in KHZ, which was in contrast to the FROH estimates. We identified 11 ROH islands (four in AZ and seven in KHZ). In the KHZ breed, the genes located in ROH islands were enriched for multiple Gene Ontology (GO) terms (P≤0.05). The genes located in ROH islands were associated with diverse biological functions and traits such as body size and muscle development (BMP2), immune response (CYP27B1), milk production and components (MARS, ADRA1A, and KCTD16), coat colour and pigmentation (PMEL and MYO1A), reproductive traits (INHBC, INHBE, STAT6 and PCNA), and bone development (SUOX). Conclusion: The calculated FROH was in line with expected higher inbreeding in KHZ than in AZ because of the smaller effective population size of KHZ. Thus, we find that FROH can be used as a robust estimate of genomic inbreeding. Further, the majority of ROH peaks were overlapped with or in close proximity to the previously reported genomic regions with signatures of selection. This tells us that it is likely that the genes in the ROH islands have been subject to artificial or natural selection.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Mohammad Ghoreishifar ◽  
Hossein Moradi-Shahrbabak ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Fallahi ◽  
Ali Jalil Sarghale ◽  
Mohammad Moradi-Shahrbabak ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Consecutive homozygous fragments of a genome inherited by offspring from a common ancestor are known as runs of homozygosity (ROH). ROH can be used to calculate genomic inbreeding and to identify genomic regions that are potentially under historical selection pressure. The dataset of our study consisted of 254 Azeri (AZ) and 115 Khuzestani (KHZ ) river buffalo genotyped for ~65000 SNPs for the following two purposes: 1) to estimate and compare inbreeding calculated using ROH (FROH), excess of homozygosity (FHOM), correlation between uniting gametes (FUNI), and diagonal elements of the genomic relationship matrix (FGRM); 2) to identify frequently occurring ROH (i.e. ROH islands) for our selection signature and gene enrichment studies. Results: In this study, 9102 ROH were identified, with an average number of 21.2±13.1 and 33.2±15.9 segments per animal in AZ and KHZ breeds, respectively. On average in AZ, 4.35% (108.8±120.3 Mb), and in KHZ, 5.96% (149.1±107.7 Mb) of the genome was autozygous. The estimated inbreeding values based on FHOM, FUNI and FGRM were higher in AZ than they were in KHZ, which was in contrast to the FROH estimates. We identified 11 ROH islands (four in AZ and seven in KHZ). In the KHZ breed, the genes located in ROH islands were enriched for multiple Gene Ontology (GO) terms (P≤0.05). The genes located in ROH islands were associated with diverse biological functions and traits such as body size and muscle development (BMP2), immune response (CYP27B1), milk production and components (MARS, ADRA1A, and KCTD16), coat colour and pigmentation (PMEL and MYO1A), reproductive traits (INHBC, INHBE, STAT6 and PCNA), and bone development (SUOX). Conclusion: The calculated FROH was in line with expected higher inbreeding in KHZ than in AZ because of the smaller effective population size of KHZ. Thus, we find that FROH can be used as a robust estimate of genomic inbreeding. Further, the majority of ROH peaks were overlapped with or in close proximity to the previously reported genomic regions with signatures of selection. This tells us that it is likely that the genes in the ROH islands have been subject to artificial or natural selection.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Mohammad Ghoreishifar ◽  
Hossein Moradi-Shahrbabak ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Fallahi ◽  
Ali Jalil Sarghale ◽  
Mohammad Moradi-Shahrbabak ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Consecutive homozygous fragments of a genome inherited by offspring from a common ancestor are known as runs of homozygosity (ROH). ROH can be used to calculate genomic inbreeding and to identify genomic regions that are potentially under historical selection pressure. The dataset of our study consisted of 254 Azeri (AZ) and 115 Khuzestani (KHZ) river buffalo genotyped for ~65000 SNPs for the following two purposes: 1) to estimate and compare inbreeding calculated using ROH (FROH), excess of homozygosity (FHOM), correlation between uniting gametes (FUNI), and diagonal elements of the genomic relationship matrix (FGRM); 2) to identify frequently occurring ROH (i.e. ROH islands) for our selection signature and gene enrichment studies. Results: In this study, 9102 ROH were identified, with an average number of 21.2±13.1 and 33.2±15.9 segments per animal in AZ and KHZ breeds, respectively. On average in AZ, 4.35% (108.8±120.3 Mb), and in KHZ, 5.96% (149.1±107.7 Mb) of the genome was autozygous. The estimated inbreeding values based on FHOM, FUNI and FGRM were higher in AZ than they were in KHZ, which was in contrast to the FROH estimates. We identified 11 ROH islands (four in AZ and seven in KHZ). In the KHZ breed, the genes located in ROH islands were enriched for multiple Gene Ontology (GO) terms (P≤0.05). The genes located in ROH islands were associated with diverse biological functions and traits such as body size and muscle development (BMP2), immune response (CYP27B1), milk production and components (MARS, ADRA1A, and KCTD16), coat colour and pigmentation (PMEL and MYO1A), reproductive traits (INHBC, INHBE, STAT6 and PCNA), and bone development (SUOX). Conclusion: The calculated FROH was in line with expected higher inbreeding in KHZ than in AZ because of the smaller effective population size of KHZ. Thus, we find that FROH can be used as a robust estimate of genomic inbreeding. Further, the majority of ROH peaks were overlapped with or in close proximity to the previously reported genomic regions with signatures of selection. This tells us that it is likely that the genes in the ROH islands have been subject to artificial or natural selection.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e53525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin Dalman ◽  
Kajsa Himmelstrand ◽  
Åke Olson ◽  
Mårten Lind ◽  
Mikael Brandström-Durling ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Mohammad Ghoreishifar ◽  
Hossein Moradi-Shahrbabak ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Fallahi ◽  
Ali Jalil Sarghale ◽  
Mohammad Moradi-Shahrbabak ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Consecutive homozygous fragments of a genome inherited by offspring from a common ancestor are known as runs of homozygosity (ROH). ROH can be used to calculate genomic inbreeding and to identify genomic regions that are potentially under historical selection pressure. The dataset of our study consisted of 254 Azeri (AZ) and 115 Khuzestani (KHZ) river buffalo genotyped for ~65000 SNPs for the following two purposes: 1) to estimate and compare inbreeding calculated using ROH (FROH), excess of homozygosity (FHOM), correlation between uniting gametes (FUNI), and diagonal elements of the genomic relationship matrix (FGRM); 2) to identify frequently occurring ROH (i.e. ROH islands) for our selection signature and gene enrichment studies. Results: In this study, 9102 ROH were identified, with an average number of 21.2±13.1 and 33.2±15.9 segments per animal in AZ and KHZ breeds, respectively. On average in AZ, 4.35% (108.8±120.3 Mb), and in KHZ, 5.96% (149.1±107.7 Mb) of the genome was autozygous. The estimated inbreeding values based on FHOM, FUNI and FGRM were higher in AZ than they were in KHZ, which was in contrast to the FROH estimates. We identified 11 ROH islands (four in AZ and seven in KHZ). In the KHZ breed, the genes located in ROH islands were enriched for multiple Gene Ontology (GO) terms (P≤0.05). The genes located in ROH islands were associated with diverse biological functions and traits such as body size and muscle development (BMP2), immune response (CYP27B1), milk production and components (MARS, ADRA1A, and KCTD16), coat colour and pigmentation (PMEL and MYO1A), reproductive traits (INHBC, INHBE, STAT6 and PCNA), and bone development (SUOX). Conclusion: The calculated FROH was in line with expected higher inbreeding in KHZ than in AZ because of the smaller effective population size of KHZ. Thus, we find that FROH can be used as a robust estimate of genomic inbreeding. Further, the majority of ROH peaks were overlapped with or in close proximity to the previously reported genomic regions with signatures of selection. This tells us that it is likely that the genes in the ROH islands have been subject to artificial or natural selection.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1984
Author(s):  
Majid Nikpay ◽  
Sepehr Ravati ◽  
Robert Dent ◽  
Ruth McPherson

Here, we performed a genome-wide search for methylation sites that contribute to the risk of obesity. We integrated methylation quantitative trait locus (mQTL) data with BMI GWAS information through a SNP-based multiomics approach to identify genomic regions where mQTLs for a methylation site co-localize with obesity risk SNPs. We then tested whether the identified site contributed to BMI through Mendelian randomization. We identified multiple methylation sites causally contributing to the risk of obesity. We validated these findings through a replication stage. By integrating expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) data, we noted that lower methylation at cg21178254 site upstream of CCNL1 contributes to obesity by increasing the expression of this gene. Higher methylation at cg02814054 increases the risk of obesity by lowering the expression of MAST3, whereas lower methylation at cg06028605 contributes to obesity by decreasing the expression of SLC5A11. Finally, we noted that rare variants within 2p23.3 impact obesity by making the cg01884057 site more susceptible to methylation, which consequently lowers the expression of POMC, ADCY3 and DNAJC27. In this study, we identify methylation sites associated with the risk of obesity and reveal the mechanism whereby a number of these sites exert their effects. This study provides a framework to perform an omics-wide association study for a phenotype and to understand the mechanism whereby a rare variant causes a disease.


Genetics ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 152 (4) ◽  
pp. 1711-1722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gavin A Huttley ◽  
Michael W Smith ◽  
Mary Carrington ◽  
Stephen J O’Brien

Abstract Linkage disequilibrium (LD), the tendency for alleles of linked loci to co-occur nonrandomly on chromosomal haplotypes, is an increasingly useful phenomenon for (1) revealing historic perturbation of populations including founder effects, admixture, or incomplete selective sweeps; (2) estimating elapsed time since such events based on time-dependent decay of LD; and (3) disease and phenotype mapping, particularly for traits not amenable to traditional pedigree analysis. Because few descriptions of LD for most regions of the human genome exist, we searched the human genome for the amount and extent of LD among 5048 autosomal short tandem repeat polymorphism (STRP) loci ascertained as specific haplotypes in the European CEPH mapping families. Evidence is presented indicating that ∼4% of STRP loci separated by <4.0 cM are in LD. The fraction of locus pairs within these intervals that display small Fisher’s exact test (FET) probabilities is directly proportional to the inverse of recombination distance between them (1/cM). The distribution of LD is nonuniform on a chromosomal scale and in a marker density-independent fashion, with chromosomes 2, 15, and 18 being significantly different from the genome average. Furthermore, a stepwise (locus-by-locus) 5-cM sliding-window analysis across 22 autosomes revealed nine genomic regions (2.2-6.4 cM), where the frequency of small FET probabilities among loci was greater than or equal to that presented by the HLA on chromosome 6, a region known to have extensive LD. Although the spatial heterogeneity of LD we detect in Europeans is consistent with the operation of natural selection, absence of a formal test for such genomic scale data prevents eliminating neutral processes as the evolutionary origin of the LD.


BMC Genomics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Soibam ◽  
Ayzhamal Zhamangaraeva

Abstract Background Chromosomes are organized into units called topologically associated domains (TADs). TADs dictate regulatory landscapes and other DNA-dependent processes. Even though various factors that contribute to the specification of TADs have been proposed, the mechanism is not fully understood. Understanding the process for specification and maintenance of these units is essential in dissecting cellular processes and disease mechanisms. Results In this study, we report a genome-wide study that considers the idea of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) mediating chromatin organization using lncRNA:DNA triplex-forming sites (TFSs). By analyzing the TFSs of expressed lncRNAs in multiple cell lines, we find that they are enriched in TADs, their boundaries, and loop anchors. However, they are evenly distributed across different regions of a TAD showing no preference for any specific portions within TADs. No relationship is observed between the locations of these TFSs and CTCF binding sites. However, TFSs are located not just in promoter regions but also in intronic, intergenic, and 3’UTR regions. We also show these triplex-forming sites can be used as predictors in machine learning models to discriminate TADs from other genomic regions. Finally, we compile a list of important “TAD-lncRNAs” which are top predictors for TADs identification. Conclusions Our observations advocate the idea that lncRNA:DNA TFSs are positioned at specific areas of the genome organization and are important predictors for TADs. LncRNA:DNA triplex formation most likely is a general mechanism of action exhibited by some lncRNAs, not just for direct gene regulation but also to mediate 3D chromatin organization.


Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 164 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinghong Li ◽  
Willis X Li

Abstract Overactivation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) has been linked to tumorigenesis. To understand how a hyperactivated RTK functions differently from wild-type RTK, we conducted a genome-wide systematic survey for genes that are required for signaling by a gain-of-function mutant Drosophila RTK Torso (Tor). We screened chromosomal deficiencies for suppression of a gain-of-function mutation tor (torGOF), which led to the identification of 26 genomic regions that, when in half dosage, suppressed the defects caused by torGOF. Testing of candidate genes in these regions revealed many genes known to be involved in Tor signaling (such as those encoding the Ras-MAPK cassette, adaptor and structural molecules of RTK signaling, and downstream target genes of Tor), confirming the specificity of this genetic screen. Importantly, this screen also identified components of the TGFβ (Dpp) and JAK/STAT pathways as being required for TorGOF signaling. Specifically, we found that reducing the dosage of thickveins (tkv), Mothers against dpp (Mad), or STAT92E (aka marelle), respectively, suppressed torGOF phenotypes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in torGOF embryos, dpp is ectopically expressed and thus may contribute to the patterning defects. These results demonstrate an essential requirement of noncanonical signaling pathways for a persistently activated RTK to cause pathological defects in an organism.


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