scholarly journals A gene coevolution network provides insight into eukaryotic cellular and genomic structure and function

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob L. Steenwyk ◽  
Megan A. Phillips ◽  
Feng Yang ◽  
Swapneeta S. Date ◽  
Todd Graham ◽  
...  

Gene coevolution - which refers to gene pairs whose evolutionary rates covary across speciation events - is often observed among functionally related genes. We present a comprehensive gene coevolution network inferred from the examination of nearly three million gene pairs from 332 budding yeast species spanning ~400 million years of eukaryotic evolution. Modules within the network provide insight into cellular and genomic structure and function, such as genetic pleiotropy, genes functioning in distinct cellular compartments, vesicle transport, and DNA replication. Examination of the phenotypic impact of network perturbation across 14 environmental conditions using deletion mutant data from the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggests that fitness in diverse environments is impacted by gene neighborhood and gene connectivity. By mapping the network onto the chromosomes of S. cerevisiae and the opportunistic human pathogen Candida albicans, which diverged ~235 million years ago, we discovered that coevolving gene pairs are not clustered in either species; rather, they are most often located on different chromosomes or far apart on the same chromosome. The budding yeast gene coevolution network captures the hierarchy of eukaryotic cellular structure and function, provides a roadmap for genotype-to-phenotype discovery, and portrays the genome as an extensively linked ensemble of genes.

Author(s):  
Peter Sterling

The synaptic connections in cat retina that link photoreceptors to ganglion cells have been analyzed quantitatively. Our approach has been to prepare serial, ultrathin sections and photograph en montage at low magnification (˜2000X) in the electron microscope. Six series, 100-300 sections long, have been prepared over the last decade. They derive from different cats but always from the same region of retina, about one degree from the center of the visual axis. The material has been analyzed by reconstructing adjacent neurons in each array and then identifying systematically the synaptic connections between arrays. Most reconstructions were done manually by tracing the outlines of processes in successive sections onto acetate sheets aligned on a cartoonist's jig. The tracings were then digitized, stacked by computer, and printed with the hidden lines removed. The results have provided rather than the usual one-dimensional account of pathways, a three-dimensional account of circuits. From this has emerged insight into the functional architecture.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 470-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazia Parveen ◽  
Amen Shamim ◽  
Seunghee Cho ◽  
Kyeong Kyu Kim

Background: Although most nucleotides in the genome form canonical double-stranded B-DNA, many repeated sequences transiently present as non-canonical conformations (non-B DNA) such as triplexes, quadruplexes, Z-DNA, cruciforms, and slipped/hairpins. Those noncanonical DNAs (ncDNAs) are not only associated with many genetic events such as replication, transcription, and recombination, but are also related to the genetic instability that results in the predisposition to disease. Due to the crucial roles of ncDNAs in cellular and genetic functions, various computational methods have been implemented to predict sequence motifs that generate ncDNA. Objective: Here, we review strategies for the identification of ncDNA motifs across the whole genome, which is necessary for further understanding and investigation of the structure and function of ncDNAs. Conclusion: There is a great demand for computational prediction of non-canonical DNAs that play key functional roles in gene expression and genome biology. In this study, we review the currently available computational methods for predicting the non-canonical DNAs in the genome. Current studies not only provide an insight into the computational methods for predicting the secondary structures of DNA but also increase our understanding of the roles of non-canonical DNA in the genome.


F1000Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Espen Mikal Robertsen ◽  
Hubert Denise ◽  
Alex Mitchell ◽  
Robert D. Finn ◽  
Lars Ailo Bongo ◽  
...  

Metagenomics, the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples, has the potential to provide insight into the structure and function of heterogeneous microbial communities.  There has been an increased use of metagenomics to discover and understand the diverse biosynthetic capacities of marine microbes, thereby allowing them to be exploited for industrial, food, and health care products. This ELIXIR pilot action was motivated by the need to establish dedicated data resources and harmonized metagenomics pipelines for the marine domain, in order to enhance the exploration and exploitation of marine genetic resources. In this paper, we summarize some of the results from the ELIXIR pilot action “Marine metagenomics – towards user centric services”.


2020 ◽  
Vol 157 ◽  
pp. 104557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fengling Ning ◽  
Hong Xin ◽  
Junqiu Liu ◽  
Chao Lv ◽  
Xin Xu ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (4) ◽  
pp. F684-F696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ossama B. Kashlan ◽  
Thomas R. Kleyman

Our understanding of epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) structure and function has been profoundly impacted by the resolved structure of the homologous acid-sensing ion channel 1 (ASIC1). The structure of the extracellular and pore regions provide insight into channel assembly, processing, and the ability of these channels to sense the external environment. The absence of intracellular structures precludes insight into important interactions with intracellular factors that regulate trafficking and function. The primary sequences of ASIC1 and ENaC subunits are well conserved within the regions that are within or in close proximity to the plasma membrane, but poorly conserved in peripheral domains that may functionally differentiate family members. This review examines functional data, including ion selectivity, gating, and amiloride block, in light of the resolved ASIC1 structure.


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