scholarly journals A genetic screen for genes that impact peroxisomes in Drosophila identifies candidate genes for human disease

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hillary K. Graves ◽  
Sharayu Jangam ◽  
Kai Li Tan ◽  
Antonella Pignata ◽  
Elaine S. Seto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candidate Genes ◽  
Selective Constraint ◽  
Genetic Screen ◽  
Proper Function ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Oxidative Reactions ◽  
Dominant Disease ◽  
Size And Morphology

AbstractPeroxisomes are sub-cellular organelles that are essential for proper function of eukaryotic cells. In addition to being the sites of a variety of oxidative reactions, they are crucial regulators of lipid metabolism. Peroxisome loss or dysfunction leads to multisystem diseases in humans that strongly affects the nervous system. In order to uncover previously unidentified genes and mechanisms that impact peroxisomes, we conducted a genetic screen on a collection of lethal mutations on the X chromosome in Drosophila. Using the number, size and morphology of GFP tagged peroxisomes as a readout, we screened for mutations that altered the number and morphology of peroxisomes based on clonal analysis and confocal microscopy. From this screen, we identified 18 genes that cause increases in peroxisome number or altered morphology when mutated. We examined the human homologs of these genes and found that they are involved in a diverse array of cellular processes. Interestingly, the human homologs from the X-chromosome collection are under selective constraint in human populations and are good candidate genes particularly for dominant genetic disease. This in vivo screening approach for peroxisome defects allows identification of novel genes that impact peroxisomes in vivo in a multicellular organism and is a valuable platform to discover genes potentially involved in dominant disease that could affect peroxisomes.

scholarly journals A Genetic Screen for Genes That Impact Peroxisomes in Drosophila Identifies Candidate Genes for Human Disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hillary K. Graves ◽  
Sharayu Jangam ◽  
Kai Li Tan ◽  
Antonella Pignata ◽  
Elaine S. Seto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candidate Genes ◽  
Selective Constraint ◽  
Genetic Screen ◽  
Proper Function ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Oxidative Reactions ◽  
Dominant Disease ◽  
Size And Morphology

Peroxisomes are subcellular organelles that are essential for proper function of eukaryotic cells. In addition to being the sites of a variety of oxidative reactions, they are crucial regulators of lipid metabolism. Peroxisome loss or dysfunction leads to multi-system diseases in humans that strongly affect the nervous system. In order to identify previously unidentified genes and mechanisms that impact peroxisomes, we conducted a genetic screen on a collection of lethal mutations on the X chromosome in Drosophila. Using the number, size and morphology of GFP tagged peroxisomes as a readout, we screened for mutations that altered peroxisomes based on clonal analysis and confocal microscopy. From this screen, we identified eighteen genes that cause increases in peroxisome number or altered morphology when mutated. We examined the human homologs of these genes and found that they are involved in a diverse array of cellular processes. Interestingly, the human homologs from the X-chromosome collection are under selective constraint in human populations and are good candidate genes particularly for dominant genetic disease. This in vivo screening approach for peroxisome defects allows identification of novel genes that impact peroxisomes in vivo in a multicellular organism and is a valuable platform to discover genes potentially involved in dominant disease that could affect peroxisomes.

Recent advances in understanding cotton fibre and seed development

2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 269-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Ling Ruan
Keyword(s):  
Candidate Genes ◽  
Cotton Seed ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Cotton Fibre ◽  
Cellulose Synthesis ◽  
Tetraploid Cotton ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Fibre Development

The unique feature of the seed of tetraploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium barbadense) is that about 30% of the seed coat epidermal cells develop into cellulose-enriched fibres, while the embryos synthesize oils and proteins. Hence, both the maternal and filial tissues of the cotton seed are of significant economic value. After initiation from the ovule epidermis at or just before anthesis, the single-celled fibres elongate to 2.5–6.0 cm long in the tetraploid species before they switch to intensive secondary cell wall cellulose synthesis. Thus, apart from its agronomic importance, the cotton fibre represents a model single-cell system to study the control of cell differentiation and elongation, carbon partitioning to cellulose synthesis and also the interaction between maternal (fibre) and embryonic tissues in seeds. Over the past decade or so, significant effort has been made to understand the cellular and molecular basis of cotton fibre development and oil biosynthesis in the embryo. Metabolic engineering of the oil biosynthetic pathway in cotton seed has successfully produced healthier and stable oils. A number of candidate genes and cellular processes that potentially regulate various aspects of fibre development have been identified. Further elucidation of the in vivo functions of those candidate genes could significantly deepen our understanding of fibre development and offer potential for improvement of fibre quality through genetic engineering or marker-assisted breeding approaches.

Genetic Engineering of AAV Capsid Gene for Gene Therapy Application

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 321-332
Author(s):  
Yunbo Liu ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Lin Yang
Keyword(s):  
Gene Therapy ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Capsid Gene ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Stable Gene ◽  
Efficient Gene ◽  
Gene Therapy Application

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a promising vector for in vivo gene therapy because of its excellent safety profile and ability to mediate stable gene expression in human subjects. However, there are still numerous challenges that need to be resolved before this gene delivery vehicle is used in clinical applications, such as the inability of AAV to effectively target specific tissues, preexisting neutralizing antibodies in human populations, and a limited AAV packaging capacity. Over the past two decades, much genetic modification work has been performed with the AAV capsid gene, resulting in a large number of variants with modified characteristics, rendering AAV a versatile vector for more efficient gene therapy applications for different genetic diseases.

scholarly journals Selective sweep for an enhancer involucrin allele identifies skin barrier adaptation out of Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Elizabeth Mathyer ◽  
Erin A. Brettmann ◽  
Alina D. Schmidt ◽  
Zane A. Goodwin ◽  
Inez Y. Oh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Selective Sweep ◽  
Skin Barrier ◽  
Human Migration ◽  
Epidermal Differentiation ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Epidermal Differentiation Complex ◽  
Regulatory Module ◽  
Reporter Assays ◽  
Out Of Africa

AbstractThe genetic modules that contribute to human evolution are poorly understood. Here we investigate positive selection in the Epidermal Differentiation Complex locus for skin barrier adaptation in diverse HapMap human populations (CEU, JPT/CHB, and YRI). Using Composite of Multiple Signals and iSAFE, we identify selective sweeps for LCE1A-SMCP and involucrin (IVL) haplotypes associated with human migration out-of-Africa, reaching near fixation in European populations. CEU-IVL is associated with increased IVL expression and a known epidermis-specific enhancer. CRISPR/Cas9 deletion of the orthologous mouse enhancer in vivo reveals a functional requirement for the enhancer to regulate Ivl expression in cis. Reporter assays confirm increased regulatory and additive enhancer effects of CEU-specific polymorphisms identified at predicted IRF1 and NFIC binding sites in the IVL enhancer (rs4845327) and its promoter (rs1854779). Together, our results identify a selective sweep for a cis regulatory module for CEU-IVL, highlighting human skin barrier evolution for increased IVL expression out-of-Africa.

scholarly journals Effect of ethanol and cocaine on [11C]MPC-6827 uptake in SH-SY5Y cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naresh Damuka ◽  
Miranda Orr ◽  
Paul W. Czoty ◽  
Jeffrey L. Weiner ◽  
Thomas J. Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Neuroblastoma Cells ◽  
Proper Function ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Biodistribution Studies ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Vitro Binding

AbstractMicrotubules (MTs) are structural units in the cytoskeleton. In brain cells they are responsible for axonal transport, information processing, and signaling mechanisms. Proper function of these processes is critical for healthy brain functions. Alcohol and substance use disorders (AUD/SUDs) affects the function and organization of MTs in the brain, making them a potential neuroimaging marker to study the resulting impairment of overall neurobehavioral and cognitive processes. Our lab reported the first brain-penetrant MT-tracking Positron Emission Tomography (PET) ligand [11C]MPC-6827 and demonstrated its in vivo utility in rodents and non-human primates. To further explore the in vivo imaging potential of [11C]MPC-6827, we need to investigate its mechanism of action. Here, we report preliminary in vitro binding results in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells exposed to ethanol (EtOH) or cocaine in combination with multiple agents that alter MT stability. EtOH and cocaine treatments increased MT stability and decreased free tubulin monomers. Our initial cell-binding assay demonstrated that [11C]MPC-6827 may have high affinity to free/unbound tubulin units. Consistent with this mechanism of action, we observed lower [11C]MPC-6827 uptake in SH-SY5Y cells after EtOH and cocaine treatments (e.g., fewer free tubulin units). We are currently performing in vivo PET imaging and ex vivo biodistribution studies in rodent and nonhuman primate models of AUD and SUDs and Alzheimer's disease.

miR-125b enhances metastasis and progression of cancer via the TXNIP and HIF1α pathway in pancreatic cancer

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Pengli Wang ◽  
Dan Zheng ◽  
Hongyang Qi ◽  
Qi Gao
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Cancer ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Immunofluorescence Assay ◽  
Luciferase Assay ◽  
Interacting Protein ◽  
Over Expression ◽  
Thioredoxin Interacting Protein ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
And Migration

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play potential role in the development of various types of cancer conditions including pancreatic cancer (PC) targeting several cellular processes. Present study was aimed to evaluate function of miR-125b and the mechanism involved in PC. METHODS: Cell migration, MTT and BrdU study was done to establish the migration capability, cell viability and cell proliferation respectively. Binding sites for miR-125b were recognized by luciferase assay, expression of protein by western blot and immunofluorescence assay. In vivo study was done by BALB/c nude xenograft mice for evaluating the function of miR-125b. RESULTS: The study showed that expression of miR-125b was elevated in PC cells and tissues, and was correlated to proliferation and migration of cells. Also, over-expression of miR-125b encouraged migration, metastasis and proliferation of BxPC-3 cells, the suppression reversed it. We also noticed that thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) was the potential target of miR-125b. The outcomes also suggested that miR-125b governed the expression of TXNIP inversely via directly attaching to the 3′-UTR activating hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α). Looking into the relation between HIF1α and TXNIP, we discovered that TXNIP caused the degradation and export of HIF1α by making a complex with it. CONCLUSION: The miR-125b-TXNIP-HIF1α pathway may serve useful strategy for diagnosing and treating PC.

scholarly journals Massively parallel in vivo CRISPR screening identifies RNF20/40 as epigenetic regulators of cardiomyocyte maturation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan J. VanDusen ◽  
Julianna Y. Lee ◽  
Weiliang Gu ◽  
Catalina E. Butler ◽  
Isha Sethi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Genetic Screen ◽  
Forward Genetics ◽  
Epigenetic Mark ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Dynamic Changes ◽  
Forward Genetic Screen ◽  
High Resource ◽  
Organ Systems

AbstractThe forward genetic screen is a powerful, unbiased method to gain insights into biological processes, yet this approach has infrequently been used in vivo in mammals because of high resource demands. Here, we use in vivo somatic Cas9 mutagenesis to perform an in vivo forward genetic screen in mice to identify regulators of cardiomyocyte (CM) maturation, the coordinated changes in phenotype and gene expression that occur in neonatal CMs. We discover and validate a number of transcriptional regulators of this process. Among these are RNF20 and RNF40, which form a complex that monoubiquitinates H2B on lysine 120. Mechanistic studies indicate that this epigenetic mark controls dynamic changes in gene expression required for CM maturation. These insights into CM maturation will inform efforts in cardiac regenerative medicine. More broadly, our approach will enable unbiased forward genetics across mammalian organ systems.

scholarly journals Fibrosis after Myocardial Infarction: An Overview on Cellular Processes, Molecular Pathways, Clinical Evaluation and Prognostic Value

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Renato Francesco Maria Scalise ◽  
Rosalba De Sarro ◽  
Alessandro Caracciolo ◽  
Rita Lauro ◽  
Francesco Squadrito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Ventricular Dysfunction ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Molecular Signaling ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Molecular Signaling Pathways ◽  
Fibrotic Scar ◽  
Life Threatening

The ischemic injury caused by myocardial infarction activates a complex healing process wherein a powerful inflammatory response and a reparative phase follow and balance each other. An intricate network of mediators finely orchestrate a large variety of cellular subtypes throughout molecular signaling pathways that determine the intensity and duration of each phase. At the end of this process, the necrotic tissue is replaced with a fibrotic scar whose quality strictly depends on the delicate balance resulting from the interaction between multiple actors involved in fibrogenesis. An inflammatory or reparative dysregulation, both in term of excess and deficiency, may cause ventricular dysfunction and life-threatening arrhythmias that heavily affect clinical outcome. This review discusses cellular process and molecular signaling pathways that determine fibrosis and the imaging technique that can characterize the clinical impact of this process in-vivo.

scholarly journals Zebrafish Models of Autosomal Recessive Ataxias

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 836
Author(s):  
Ana Quelle-Regaldie ◽  
Daniel Sobrido-Cameán ◽  
Antón Barreiro-Iglesias ◽  
María Jesús Sobrido ◽  
Laura Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Autosomal Recessive ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
System Development ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
Central Nervous System Development ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Recessive Disorders

Autosomal recessive ataxias are much less well studied than autosomal dominant ataxias and there are no clearly defined systems to classify them. Autosomal recessive ataxias, which are characterized by neuronal and multisystemic features, have significant overlapping symptoms with other complex multisystemic recessive disorders. The generation of animal models of neurodegenerative disorders increases our knowledge of their cellular and molecular mechanisms and helps in the search for new therapies. Among animal models, the zebrafish, which shares 70% of its genome with humans, offer the advantages of being small in size and demonstrating rapid development, making them optimal for high throughput drug and genetic screening. Furthermore, embryo and larval transparency allows to visualize cellular processes and central nervous system development in vivo. In this review, we discuss the contributions of zebrafish models to the study of autosomal recessive ataxias characteristic phenotypes, behavior, and gene function, in addition to commenting on possible treatments found in these models. Most of the zebrafish models generated to date recapitulate the main features of recessive ataxias.

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