scholarly journals Molecular signatures of cognition and affect

Author(s):  
Justine Y. Hansen ◽  
Ross D. Markello ◽  
Jacob W. Vogel ◽  
Jakob Seidlitz ◽  
Danilo Bzdok ◽  
...  

Regulation of gene expression drives protein interactions that govern synaptic wiring and neuronal activity. The resulting coordinated activity among neuronal populations supports complex psychological processes, yet how gene expression shapes cognition and emotion remains unknown. Here we directly bridge the microscale and macroscale by mapping gene expression patterns to functional activation patterns across the cortical sheet. Applying unsupervised learning to the Allen Human Brain Atlas and Neurosynth databases, we identify a ventromedial-dorsolateral gradient of gene assemblies that separate affective and cognitive domains. This topographic molecular-psychological signature reflects the hierarchical organization of the neocortex, including systematic variations in cell type, myeloarchitecture, laminar differentiation, and intrinsic network affiliation. In addition, this molecular-psychological signature is related to individual differences in cognitive performance, strengthens over neurodevelopment, and can be replicated in two independent repositories. Collectively, our results reveal spatially covarying transcriptomic and cognitive architectures, highlighting the influence that molecular mechanisms exert on psychological processes.

Genetics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 213 (4) ◽  
pp. 1545-1563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramona Lütkenhaus ◽  
Stefanie Traeger ◽  
Jan Breuer ◽  
Laia Carreté ◽  
Alan Kuo ◽  
...  

Many filamentous ascomycetes develop three-dimensional fruiting bodies for production and dispersal of sexual spores. Fruiting bodies are among the most complex structures differentiated by ascomycetes; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are insufficiently understood. Previous comparative transcriptomics analyses of fruiting body development in different ascomycetes suggested that there might be a core set of genes that are transcriptionally regulated in a similar manner across species. Conserved patterns of gene expression can be indicative of functional relevance, and therefore such a set of genes might constitute promising candidates for functional analyses. In this study, we have sequenced the genome of the Pezizomycete Ascodesmis nigricans, and performed comparative transcriptomics of developing fruiting bodies of this fungus, the Pezizomycete Pyronema confluens, and the Sordariomycete Sordaria macrospora. With only 27 Mb, the A. nigricans genome is the smallest Pezizomycete genome sequenced to date. Comparative transcriptomics indicated that gene expression patterns in developing fruiting bodies of the three species are more similar to each other than to nonsexual hyphae of the same species. An analysis of 83 genes that are upregulated only during fruiting body development in all three species revealed 23 genes encoding proteins with predicted roles in vesicle transport, the endomembrane system, or transport across membranes, and 13 genes encoding proteins with predicted roles in chromatin organization or the regulation of gene expression. Among four genes chosen for functional analysis by deletion in S. macrospora, three were shown to be involved in fruiting body formation, including two predicted chromatin modifier genes.


2008 ◽  
Vol 414 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lezanne Ooi ◽  
Ian C. Wood

The nervous system contains a multitude of cell types which are specified during development by cascades of transcription factors acting combinatorially. Some of these transcription factors are only active during development, whereas others continue to function in the mature nervous system to maintain appropriate gene-expression patterns in differentiated cells. Underpinning the function of the nervous system is its plasticity in response to external stimuli, and many transcription factors are involved in regulating gene expression in response to neuronal activity, allowing us to learn, remember and make complex decisions. Here we review some of the recent findings that have uncovered the molecular mechanisms that underpin the control of gene regulatory networks within the nervous system. We highlight some recent insights into the gene-regulatory circuits in the development and differentiation of cells within the nervous system and discuss some of the mechanisms by which synaptic transmission influences transcription-factor activity in the mature nervous system. Mutations in genes that are important in epigenetic regulation (by influencing DNA methylation and post-translational histone modifications) have long been associated with neuronal disorders in humans such as Rett syndrome, Huntington's disease and some forms of mental retardation, and recent work has focused on unravelling their mechanisms of action. Finally, the discovery of microRNAs has produced a paradigm shift in gene expression, and we provide some examples and discuss the contribution of microRNAs to maintaining dynamic gene regulatory networks in the brain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Mrinmoyee Majumder ◽  
Viswanathan Palanisamy

Control of gene expression is critical in shaping the pro-and eukaryotic organisms’ genotype and phenotype. The gene expression regulatory pathways solely rely on protein–protein and protein–nucleic acid interactions, which determine the fate of the nucleic acids. RNA–protein interactions play a significant role in co- and post-transcriptional regulation to control gene expression. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are a diverse group of macromolecules that bind to RNA and play an essential role in RNA biology by regulating pre-mRNA processing, maturation, nuclear transport, stability, and translation. Hence, the studies aimed at investigating RNA–protein interactions are essential to advance our knowledge in gene expression patterns associated with health and disease. Here we discuss the long-established and current technologies that are widely used to study RNA–protein interactions in vivo. We also present the advantages and disadvantages of each method discussed in the review.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. Bienkowski ◽  
Farshid Sepehrband ◽  
Nyoman D. Kurniawan ◽  
Jim Stanis ◽  
Laura Korobkova ◽  
...  

AbstractThe subiculum is the major output component of the hippocampal formation and one of the major brain structures most affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Our previous work revealed a hidden laminar architecture within the mouse subiculum. However, the rotation of the hippocampal longitudinal axis across species makes it unclear how the laminar organization is represented in human subiculum. Using in situ hybridization data from the Allen Human Brain Atlas, we demonstrate that the human subiculum also contains complementary laminar gene expression patterns similar to the mouse. In addition, we provide evidence that the molecular domain boundaries in human subiculum correspond to microstructural differences observed in high resolution MRI and fiber density imaging. Finally, we show both similarities and differences in the gene expression profile of subiculum pyramidal cells within homologous lamina. Overall, we present a new 3D model of the anatomical organization of human subiculum and its evolution from the mouse.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Godfrey Grech ◽  
Marieke von Lindern

Organisation of RNAs into functional subgroups that are translated in response to extrinsic and intrinsic factors underlines a relatively unexplored gene expression modulation that drives cell fate in the same manner as regulation of the transcriptome by transcription factors. Recent studies on the molecular mechanisms of inflammatory responses and haematological disorders indicate clearly that the regulation of mRNA translation at the level of translation initiation, mRNA stability, and protein isoform synthesis is implicated in the tight regulation of gene expression. This paper outlines how these posttranscriptional control mechanisms, including control at the level of translation initiation factors and the role of RNA binding proteins, affect hematopoiesis. The clinical relevance of these mechanisms in haematological disorders indicates clearly the potential therapeutic implications and the need of molecular tools that allow measurement at the level of translational control. Although the importance of miRNAs in translation control is well recognised and studied extensively, this paper will exclude detailed account of this level of control.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 6635-6646
Author(s):  
J A Diehl ◽  
M Hannink

Protein-protein interactions between the CCAAT box enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP) and the Rel family of transcription factors have been implicated in the regulation of cytokine gene expression. We have used sequence-specific DNA affinity chromatography to purify a complex from avian T cells that binds to a consensus C/EBP motif. Our results provide evidence that Rel-related proteins are components of the C/EBP-DNA complex as a result of protein-protein interactions with the C/EBP proteins. A polyclonal antiserum raised against the Rel homology domain of v-Rel and antisera raised against two human RelA-derived peptides specifically induced a supershift of the C/EBP-DNA complex in mobility shift assays using the affinity-purified C/EBP. In addition, several kappa B-binding proteins copurified with the avian C/EBP complex through two rounds of sequence-specific DNA affinity chromatography. The kappa B-binding proteins are distinct from the C/EBP proteins that directly contact DNA containing the C/EBP binding site. The identification of a protein complex that binds specifically to a consensus C/EBP site and contains both C/EBP and Rel family members suggests a novel mechanism for regulation of gene expression by Rel family proteins.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Bojun Xu ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Huakui Zhan ◽  
Liangbin Zhao ◽  
Yuehan Wang ◽  
...  

Objectives. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) throughout the world, and the identification of novel biomarkers via bioinformatics analysis could provide research foundation for future experimental verification and large-group cohort in DN models and patients. Methods. GSE30528, GSE47183, and GSE104948 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The difference of gene expression between normal renal tissues and DN renal tissues was firstly screened by GEO2R. Then, the protein-protein interactions (PPIs) of DEGs were performed by STRING database, the result was integrated and visualized via applying Cytoscape software, and the hub genes in this PPI network were selected by MCODE and topological analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were carried out to determine the molecular mechanisms of DEGs involved in the progression of DN. Finally, the Nephroseq v5 online platform was used to explore the correlation between hub genes and clinical features of DN. Results. There were 64 DEGs, and 32 hub genes were identified, enriched pathways of hub genes involved in several functions and expression pathways, such as complement binding, extracellular matrix structural constituent, complement cascade related pathways, and ECM proteoglycans. The correlation analysis and subgroup analysis of 7 complement cascade-related hub genes and the clinical characteristics of DN showed that C1QA, C1QB, C3, CFB, ITGB2, VSIG4, and CLU may participate in the development of DN. Conclusions. We confirmed that the complement cascade-related hub genes may be the novel biomarkers for DN early diagnosis and targeted treatment.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devanshi Patel ◽  
Xiaoling Zhang ◽  
John J. Farrell ◽  
Jaeyoon Chung ◽  
Thor D. Stein ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBecause regulation of gene expression is heritable and context-dependent, we investigated AD-related gene expression patterns in cell-types in blood and brain. Cis-expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping was performed genome-wide in blood from 5,257 Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants and in brain donated by 475 Religious Orders Study/Memory & Aging Project (ROSMAP) participants. The association of gene expression with genotypes for all cis SNPs within 1Mb of genes was evaluated using linear regression models for unrelated subjects and linear mixed models for related subjects. Cell type-specific eQTL (ct-eQTL) models included an interaction term for expression of “proxy” genes that discriminate particular cell type. Ct-eQTL analysis identified 11,649 and 2,533 additional significant gene-SNP eQTL pairs in brain and blood, respectively, that were not detected in generic eQTL analysis. Of note, 386 unique target eGenes of significant eQTLs shared between blood and brain were enriched in apoptosis and Wnt signaling pathways. Five of these shared genes are established AD loci. The potential importance and relevance to AD of significant results in myeloid cell-types is supported by the observation that a large portion of GWS ct-eQTLs map within 1Mb of established AD loci and 58% (23/40) of the most significant eGenes in these eQTLs have previously been implicated in AD. This study identified cell-type specific expression patterns for established and potentially novel AD genes, found additional evidence for the role of myeloid cells in AD risk, and discovered potential novel blood and brain AD biomarkers that highlight the importance of cell-type specific analysis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piia Karisola ◽  
Kati Palosuo ◽  
Victoria Hinkkanen ◽  
Lukas Wisgrill ◽  
Terhi Savinko ◽  
...  

We previously reported the results of a randomized, open-label trial of egg oral immunotherapy (OIT) in 50 children where 44% were desensitized and 46% were partially desensitized after 8 months of treatment. Here we focus on cell-mediated molecular mechanisms driving desensitization during egg OIT. We sought to determine whether changes in genome-wide gene expression in blood cells during egg OIT correlate with humoral responses and the clinical outcome. The blood cell transcriptome of 50 children receiving egg OIT was profiled using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples obtained at baseline and after 3 and 8 months of OIT. We identified 467 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after 3 or 8 months of egg OIT. At 8 months, 86% of the DEGs were downregulated and played a role in the signaling of TREM1, IL-6, and IL-17. In correlation analyses, Gal d 1–4-specific IgG4 antibodies associated positively with DEGs playing a role in pathogen recognition and antigen presentation and negatively with DEGs playing a role in the signaling of IL-10, IL-6, and IL-17. Desensitized and partially desensitized patients had differences in their antibody responses, and although most of the transcriptomic changes were shared, both groups had also specific patterns, which suggest slower changes in partially desensitized and activation of NK cells in the desensitized group. OIT for egg allergy in children inhibits inflammation and activates innate immune responses regardless of the clinical outcome at 8 months. Changes in gene expression patterns first appear as posttranslational protein modifications, followed by more sustained epigenetic gene regulatory functions related to successful desensitization.


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