scholarly journals Gene expression is stronger associated with behaviour than with age and fertility in ant workers

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Kohlmeier ◽  
Austin R Alleman ◽  
Romain Libbrecht ◽  
Susanne Foitzik ◽  
Barbara Feldmeyer
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Social Insects ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Task Choice ◽  
Temnothorax Longispinosus ◽  
Ecological Success ◽  
Worker Behaviour ◽  
Transcriptomic Studies

AbstractThe ecological success of social insects is based on division of labour, not only between queens and workers, but also among workers. Whether a worker tends the brood or forages is strongly influenced by age, fertility and nutritional status, with brood carers being younger, more fecund and corpulent. Here, we experimentally disentangle behaviour from age and fertility in Temnothorax longispinosus ant workers and analyse how these parameters are linked to whole-body gene expression. Our transcriptome analysis reveals four times more genes associated with behaviour than with age and only few fertility-associated genes. Brood carers exhibited an upregulation of genes involved in lipid biosynthesis, whereas foragers invested in metabolism. Additional simulations revealed that the experimental disassociation of co-varying factors reduces transcriptomic noise, potentially explaining discrepancies between transcriptomic studies on worker behaviour in other social insects. Our study highlights the influence of nutritional status on task choice in ant workers.

scholarly journals Ant behaviour and brain gene expression of defending hosts depend on the ecological success of the intruding social parasite

2019 ◽  
Vol 374 (1769) ◽  
pp. 20180192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajbir Kaur ◽  
Marah Stoldt ◽  
Evelien Jongepier ◽  
Barbara Feldmeyer ◽  
Florian Menzel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Host Defence ◽  
Social Parasite ◽  
Brain Gene Expression ◽  
Temnothorax Longispinosus ◽  
Ecological Success ◽  
Defence Strategies ◽  
Host Behaviour

The geographical mosaic theory of coevolution predicts that species interactions vary between locales. Depending on who leads the coevolutionary arms race, the effectivity of parasite attack or host defence strategies will explain parasite prevalence. Here, we compare behaviour and brain transcriptomes of Temnothorax longispinosus ant workers when defending their nest against an invading social parasite, the slavemaking ant Temnothorax americanus . A full-factorial design allowed us to test whether behaviour and gene expression are linked to parasite pressure on host populations or to the ecological success of parasite populations. Albeit host defences had been shown before to covary with local parasite pressure, we found parasite success to be much more important. Our chemical and behavioural analyses revealed that parasites from high prevalence sites carry lower concentrations of recognition cues and are less often attacked by hosts. This link was further supported by gene expression analysis. Our study reveals that host–parasite interactions are strongly influenced by social parasite strategies, so that variation in parasite prevalence is determined by parasite traits rather than the efficacy of host defence. Gene functions associated with parasite success indicated strong neuronal responses in hosts, including long-term changes in gene regulation, indicating an enduring impact of parasites on host behaviour. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The coevolutionary biology of brood parasitism: from mechanism to pattern’.

scholarly journals Rewired Pathways and Disrupted Pathway Crosstalk in Schizophrenia Transcriptomes by Multiple Differential Coexpression Methods

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 665
Author(s):  
Hui Yu ◽  
Yan Guo ◽  
Jingchun Chen ◽  
Xiangning Chen ◽  
Peilin Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Biological Pathways ◽  
Postmortem Brain ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Hub Genes ◽  
Differential Coexpression ◽  
Pathway Crosstalk ◽  
Microarray Datasets ◽  
Transcriptomic Studies

Transcriptomic studies of mental disorders using the human brain tissues have been limited, and gene expression signatures in schizophrenia (SCZ) remain elusive. In this study, we applied three differential co-expression methods to analyze five transcriptomic datasets (three RNA-Seq and two microarray datasets) derived from SCZ and matched normal postmortem brain samples. We aimed to uncover biological pathways where internal correlation structure was rewired or inter-coordination was disrupted in SCZ. In total, we identified 60 rewired pathways, many of which were related to neurotransmitter, synapse, immune, and cell adhesion. We found the hub genes, which were on the center of rewired pathways, were highly mutually consistent among the five datasets. The combinatory list of 92 hub genes was generally multi-functional, suggesting their complex and dynamic roles in SCZ pathophysiology. In our constructed pathway crosstalk network, we found “Clostridium neurotoxicity” and “signaling events mediated by focal adhesion kinase” had the highest interactions. We further identified disconnected gene links underlying the disrupted pathway crosstalk. Among them, four gene pairs (PAK1:SYT1, PAK1:RFC5, DCTN1:STX1A, and GRIA1:MAP2K4) were normally correlated in universal contexts. In summary, we systematically identified rewired pathways, disrupted pathway crosstalk circuits, and critical genes and gene links in schizophrenia transcriptomes.

A Genome-Wide Analysis of the Gene Expression and Alternative Splicing Events in a Whole-Body Hypoxic Preconditioning Mouse Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 1101-1111
Author(s):  
Jun Li ◽  
Hongyu Zhao ◽  
Yongqiang Xing ◽  
Tongling Zhao ◽  
Lu Cai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Hypoxic Preconditioning ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Genome Wide Analysis ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Alternative Splicing Events

Lung toxicity and gene expression changes in response to whole-body inhalation exposure to cellulose nanocrystal in rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-80
Author(s):  
Pius Joseph ◽  
Christina M. Umbright ◽  
Jenny R. Roberts ◽  
Jared L. Cumpston ◽  
Marlene S. Orandle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Inhalation Exposure ◽  
Lung Toxicity ◽  
Cellulose Nanocrystal ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Whole Body Inhalation

scholarly journals Transcriptome changes reveal the genetic mechanisms of the reproductive plasticity of workers in lower termites

BMC Genomics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenxu Ye ◽  
Humaira Rasheed ◽  
Yuehua Ran ◽  
Xiaojuan Yang ◽  
Lianxi Xing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Mapk Pathway ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Genetic Mechanisms ◽  
Ecological Success ◽  
Reproductive Plasticity

Abstract Background The reproductive plasticity of termite workers provides colonies with tremendous flexibility to respond to environmental changes, which is the basis for evolutionary and ecological success. Although it is known that all colony members share the same genetic background and that differences in castes are caused by differences in gene expression, the pattern of the specific expression of genes involved in the differentiation of workers into reproductives remains unclear. In this study, the isolated workers of Reticulitermes labralis developed into reproductives, and then comparative transcriptomes were used for the first time to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive plasticity of workers. Results We identified 38,070 differentially expressed genes and found a pattern of gene expression involved in the differentiation of the workers into reproductives. 12, 543 genes were specifically upregulated in the isolated workers. Twenty-five signal transduction pathways classified into environmental information processing were related to the differentiation of workers into reproductives. Ras functions as a signalling switch regulates the reproductive plasticity of workers. The catalase gene which is related to longevity was up-regulated in reproductives. Conclusion We demonstrate that workers leaving the natal colony can induce the expression of stage-specific genes in the workers, which leads to the differentiation of workers into reproductives and suggests that the signal transduction along the Ras-MAPK pathway crucially controls the reproductive plasticity of the workers. This study also provides an important model for revealing the molecular mechanism of longevity changes.

scholarly journals The effect of nutritional status on myogenic gene expression of satellite cells derived from different muscle types

2014 ◽  
Vol 93 (9) ◽  
pp. 2278-2288 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. Powell ◽  
D.C. McFarland ◽  
A.J. Cowieson ◽  
W.I. Muir ◽  
S.G. Velleman
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Satellite Cells ◽  
Muscle Types

scholarly journals Moderate and intensive mechanical loading differentially modulate the phenotype of tendon stem/progenitor cells in vivo

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0242640
Author(s):  
Jianying Zhang ◽  
Daibang Nie ◽  
Kelly Williamson ◽  
Arthur McDowell ◽  
MaCalus V. Hogan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Cell Morphology ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Treadmill Running ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Tendon Cells ◽  
Elevated Expression ◽  
Green Fluorescent

To examine the differential mechanobiological responses of specific resident tendon cells, we developed an in vivo model of whole-body irradiation followed by injection of either tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSCs) expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP-TSCs) or mature tenocytes expressing GFP (GFP-TNCs) into the patellar tendons of wild type C57 mice. Injected mice were subjected to short term (3 weeks) treadmill running, specifically moderate treadmill running (MTR) and intensive treadmill running (ITR). In MTR mice, both GFP-TSC and GFP-TNC injected tendons maintained normal cell morphology with elevated expression of tendon related markers collagen I and tenomodulin. In ITR mice injected with GFP-TNCs, cells also maintained an elongated shape similar to the shape found in normal/untreated control mice, as well as elevated expression of tendon related markers. However, ITR mice injected with GFP-TSCs showed abnormal changes, such as cell morphology transitioning to a round shape, elevated chondrogenic differentiation, and increased gene expression of non-tenocyte related genes LPL, Runx-2, and SOX-9. Increased gene expression data was supported by immunostaining showing elevated expression of SOX-9, Runx-2, and PPARγ. This study provides evidence that while MTR maintains tendon homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of TSCs into TNCs, ITR causes the onset of tendinopathy development by inducing non-tenocyte differentiation of TSCs, which may eventually lead to the formation of non-tendinous tissues in tendon tissue after long term mechanical overloading conditions on the tendon.

scholarly journals A single nuclei transcriptomic analysis of the Atlantic salmon gill through smoltification and seawater transfer

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander C. West ◽  
Yasutaka Mizoro ◽  
Shona H. Wood ◽  
Louise M. Ince ◽  
Marianne Iversen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Prior Work ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Induced Changes ◽  
Freshwater Environments ◽  
Transcriptomic Studies

AbstractAnadromous salmonids begin life adapted to the freshwater environments of their natal streams before a developmental transition, known as smoltification, transforms them into marine-adapted fish. In the wild, the extending photoperiods of spring stimulates smoltification, typified by radical reprogramming of the gill from an ion-absorbing organ to ion-excreting organ. Prior work has highlighted the role of specialized “mitochondrion-rich” cells in delivering this phenotype. However, transcriptomic studies identify thousands of smoltification-driven differentially regulated genes, indicating that smoltification causes a multifaceted, multicellular change; but direct evidence of this is lacking.Here, we use single-nuclei RNAseq to characterize the Atlantic salmon gill during smoltification and seawater transfer. We identify 20 distinct clusters of nuclei, including known, but also novel gill cell types. These data allow us to isolate cluster-specific, smoltification-induced changes in gene expression. We also show how cellular make-up of the gill changes through smoltification. As expected, we noted an increase in the proportion of seawater mitochondrion-rich cells, however, we also identify a reduction of several immune-related cells. Overall, our results provide unrivaled detail of the cellular complexity in the gill and suggest that smoltification triggers unexpected immune reprogramming directly preceding seawater entry.

scholarly journals Sex Dimorphism of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Pparg-Null Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (18) ◽  
pp. 9969
Author(s):  
Mariano Schiffrin ◽  
Carine Winkler ◽  
Laure Quignodon ◽  
Aurélien Naldi ◽  
Martin Trötzmüller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Liver Disease ◽  
Fatty Liver ◽  
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ◽  
Fatty Liver Disease ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Liver Steatosis ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Sex Dimorphism ◽  
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver

Men with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are more exposed to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis than women. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of NALFD sex dimorphism are unclear. We combined gene expression, histological and lipidomic analyses to systematically compare male and female liver steatosis. We characterized hepatosteatosis in three independent mouse models of NAFLD, ob/ob and lipodystrophic fat-specific (PpargFΔ/Δ) and whole-body PPARγ-null (PpargΔ/Δ) mice. We identified a clear sex dimorphism occurring only in PpargΔ/Δ mice, with females showing macro- and microvesicular hepatosteatosis throughout their entire life, while males had fewer lipid droplets starting from 20 weeks. This sex dimorphism in hepatosteatosis was lost in gonadectomized PpargΔ/Δ mice. Lipidomics revealed hepatic accumulation of short and highly saturated TGs in females, while TGs were enriched in long and unsaturated hydrocarbon chains in males. Strikingly, sex-biased genes were particularly perturbed in both sexes, affecting lipid metabolism, drug metabolism, inflammatory and cellular stress response pathways. Most importantly, we found that the expression of key sex-biased genes was severely affected in all the NAFLD models we tested. Thus, hepatosteatosis strongly affects hepatic sex-biased gene expression. With NAFLD increasing in prevalence, this emphasizes the urgent need to specifically address the consequences of this deregulation in humans.

scholarly journals Non-invasive somatotransgenic bioimaging in living animals

F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 1216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliette M. Delhove ◽  
Rajvinder Karda ◽  
Lorna M. FitzPatrick ◽  
Suzanne M.K. Buckley ◽  
Simon N. Waddington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Reporter Gene ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Es Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Gene Promoters ◽  
Luciferase Reporter Gene ◽  
Endogenous Gene

Bioluminescence imaging enables noninvasive quantification of luciferase reporter gene expression in transgenic tissues of living rodents. Luciferase transgene expression can be regulated by endogenous gene promoters after targeted knock-in of the reporter gene, usually within the first intron of the gene. Even using CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing this can be a time consuming and costly process. The generation of germline transgenic (GLT) rodents by targeted genomic integration of a gene expression cassette in embryonic stem (ES) cells is commonplace but results in the wastage of large numbers of animals during colony generation, back-crossing and maintenance. Using a synthetic/truncated promoter-driven luciferase gene to study promoter activity in a given tissue or organ of a GLT also often results in unwanted background luciferase activity during whole-body bioluminescent imaging as every cell contains the reporter. We have developed somatotransgenic bioimaging; a method to generate tissue-restricted transcription factor activated luciferase reporter (TFAR) cassettes in rodents that substantially reduces the number of animals required for experimentation. Bespoke designed TFARs are delivered to newborn pups using viral vectors targeted to specific organs by tissue-tropic pseudotypes. Retention and proliferation of TFARs is facilitated by stem/progenitor cell transduction and immune tolerance to luciferase due to the naïve neonatal immune system. We have successfully applied both lentiviral and adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors in longitudinal rodent studies, targeting TFARs to the liver and brain during normal development and in well-established disease models. Development of somatotransgenic animals has broad applicability to non-invasively determine mechanistic insights into homeostatic and disease states and assess toxicology and efficacy testing. Somatotransgenic bioimaging technology is superior to current whole-body, light-emitting transgenic models as it reduces the numbers of animals used by generating only the required number of animals. It is also a refinement over current technologies given the ability to use conscious, unrestrained animals.

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