scholarly journals Establishment of quantitative RNAi-based forward genetics in Entamoeba histolytica and identification of genes required for growth

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. e1010088
Author(s):  
Akhila Bettadapur ◽  
Samuel S. Hunter ◽  
Rene L. Suleiman ◽  
Maura C. Ruyechan ◽  
Wesley Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Entamoeba Histolytica ◽  
Forward Genetics ◽  
Cellular Growth ◽  
Rnai Pathway ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Truncation Mutant ◽  
Illumina Deep Sequencing ◽  
Quantitative Identification ◽  
Deep Sequencing Analysis

While Entamoeba histolytica remains a globally important pathogen, it is dramatically understudied. The tractability of E. histolytica has historically been limited, which is largely due to challenging features of its genome. To enable forward genetics, we constructed and validated the first genome-wide E. histolytica RNAi knockdown mutant library. This library allows for Illumina deep sequencing analysis for quantitative identification of mutants that are enriched or depleted after selection. We developed a novel analysis pipeline to precisely define and quantify gene fragments. We used the library to perform the first RNAi screen in E. histolytica and identified slow growth (SG) mutants. Among genes targeted in SG mutants, many had annotated functions consistent with roles in cellular growth or metabolic pathways. Some targeted genes were annotated as hypothetical or lacked annotated domains, supporting the power of forward genetics in uncovering functional information that cannot be gleaned from databases. While the localization of neither of the proteins targeted in SG1 nor SG2 mutants could be predicted by sequence analysis, we showed experimentally that SG1 localized to the cytoplasm and cell surface, while SG2 localized to the cytoplasm. Overexpression of SG1 led to increased growth, while expression of a truncation mutant did not lead to increased growth, and thus aided in defining functional domains in this protein. Finally, in addition to establishing forward genetics, we uncovered new details of the unusual E. histolytica RNAi pathway. These studies dramatically improve the tractability of E. histolytica and open up the possibility of applying genetics to improve understanding of this important pathogen.

scholarly journals Establishment of quantitative RNAi-based forward genetics in Entamoeba histolytica and identification of genes required for growth

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akhila Bettadapur ◽  
Samuel S. Hunter ◽  
Charles G. Barbieri ◽  
Matthew L. Settles ◽  
Katherine S. Ralston
Keyword(s):  
Entamoeba Histolytica ◽  
Slow Growth ◽  
Forward Genetics ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Read Mapping ◽  
Analysis Pipeline ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Quantitative Identification ◽  
Deep Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Full Length Gene

AbstractEntamoeba histolytica is a globally important pathogen that is dramatically understudied. Its challenging genome has limited tractability. To enable forward genetics, we constructed the first genome-wide E. histolytica RNAi knockdown mutant library. The library is designed to enable deep sequencing analysis for quantitative identification of mutants after selection. We developed a novel analysis pipeline to precisely define and quantify full-length gene fragments inferred from read mapping. We performed the first E. histolytica RNAi screen and identified slow growth mutants. Growth phenotypes were reproducible in independently generated mutants. Some of the genes targeted in slow growth mutants had annotated functions consistent with roles in growth or metabolism. Some targeted genes lacked annotation, supporting the power of forward genetics in uncovering gene function. This work opens up the possibility of applying genetics to improve understanding of this important pathogen. Moreover, the strategies behind this RNAi library, and its analysis, are novel, and can be applied to other organisms.

scholarly journals Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles from Entamoeba histolytica Identifies Roles in Intercellular Communication That Regulates Parasite Growth and Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 88 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manu Sharma ◽  
Pedro Morgado ◽  
Hanbang Zhang ◽  
Gretchen Ehrenkaufer ◽  
Dipak Manna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Entamoeba Histolytica ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Small Rna ◽  
Intercellular Communication ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Cytoskeletal Proteins ◽  
Rnai Pathway ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells to transport lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids to the external environment have important roles in cell-cell communication through cargo transfer. We identified and characterized EVs from Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite and a human pathogen. Conditioned medium from amebic parasites contained particles consistent with the expected size and morphology of EVs. Mass spectrometry was used to characterize the EV proteome and showed that it was enriched in common exosome marker proteins, including proteins associated with vesicle formation, cell signaling, and metabolism, as well as cytoskeletal proteins. Additionally, the EVs were found to selectively package small RNAs (sRNA), which were protected within the vesicles against RNase treatment. Sequencing analysis of the sRNA contained in EVs revealed that the majority were 27 nucleotides (nt) in size and represented a subset of the cellular antisense small RNA population that has previously been characterized in Entamoeba. RNA interference (RNAi) pathway proteins, including Argonaute, were also present in amebic EVs. Interestingly, we found that the amebic EVs impacted intercellular communication between parasites and altered encystation efficiency. EVs isolated from encysting parasites promoted encystation in other parasites, whereas EVs from metabolically active trophozoites impeded encystation. Overall, the data reveal that Entamoeba secrete EVs that are similar in size and shape to previously characterized exosomes from other organisms and that these EVs contain a defined protein and small RNA cargo and have roles in intercellular communication among parasites and influence growth kinetics.

scholarly journals Genome-wide identification and characterization of long non-coding RNAs involved in flag leaf senescence of rice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoping Huang ◽  
Hongyu Zhang ◽  
Qiang Wang ◽  
Rong Guo ◽  
Lingxia Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Leaf Senescence ◽  
Flag Leaf ◽  
Reduction Process ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Non Coding Rnas ◽  
Systematic Identification

Abstract Key message This study showed the systematic identification of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) involving in flag leaf senescence of rice, providing the possible lncRNA-mRNA regulatory relationships and lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA networks during leaf senescence. Abstract LncRNAs have been reported to play crucial roles in diverse biological processes. However, no systematic identification of lncRNAs associated with leaf senescence in plants has been studied. In this study, a genome-wide high throughput sequencing analysis was performed using rice flag leaves developing from normal to senescence. A total of 3953 lncRNAs and 38757 mRNAs were identified, of which 343 lncRNAs and 9412 mRNAs were differentially expressed. Through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), 22 continuously down-expressed lncRNAs targeting 812 co-expressed mRNAs and 48 continuously up-expressed lncRNAs targeting 1209 co-expressed mRNAs were considered to be significantly associated with flag leaf senescence. Gene Ontology results suggested that the senescence-associated lncRNAs targeted mRNAs involving in many biological processes, including transcription, hormone response, oxidation–reduction process and substance metabolism. Additionally, 43 senescence-associated lncRNAs were predicted to target 111 co-expressed transcription factors. Interestingly, 8 down-expressed lncRNAs and 29 up-expressed lncRNAs were found to separately target 12 and 20 well-studied senescence-associated genes (SAGs). Furthermore, analysis on the competing endogenous RNA (CeRNA) network revealed that 6 down-expressed lncRNAs possibly regulated 51 co-expressed mRNAs through 15 miRNAs, and 14 up-expressed lncRNAs possibly regulated 117 co-expressed mRNAs through 21 miRNAs. Importantly, by expression validation, a conserved miR164-NAC regulatory pathway was found to be possibly involved in leaf senescence, where lncRNA MSTRG.62092.1 may serve as a ceRNA binding with miR164a and miR164e to regulate three transcription factors. And two key lncRNAs MSTRG.31014.21 and MSTRG.31014.36 also could regulate the abscisic-acid biosynthetic gene BGIOSGA025169 (OsNCED4) and BGIOSGA016313 (NAC family) through osa-miR5809. The possible regulation networks of lncRNAs involving in leaf senescence were discussed, and several candidate lncRNAs were recommended for prior transgenic analysis. These findings will extend the understanding on the regulatory roles of lncRNAs in leaf senescence, and lay a foundation for functional research on candidate lncRNAs.

scholarly journals Identification of non-invasive miRNAs biomarkers for prostate cancer by deep sequencing analysis of urinary exosomes

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Rodríguez ◽  
Cristina Bajo-Santos ◽  
Nina P. Hessvik ◽  
Susanne Lorenz ◽  
Bastian Fromm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Deep Sequencing ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Urinary Exosomes ◽  
Deep Sequencing Analysis

scholarly journals Genome-Wide Analysis of Glucocorticoid-Responsive Transcripts in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Region of Male Rats

Endocrinology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 160 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiichi Itoi ◽  
Ikuko Motoike ◽  
Ying Liu ◽  
Sam Clokie ◽  
Yasumasa Iwasaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Regulatory Mechanisms ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome

Abstract Glucocorticoids (GCs) are essential for stress adaptation, acting centrally and in the periphery. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a major regulator of adrenal GC synthesis, is produced in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH), which contains multiple neuroendocrine and preautonomic neurons. GCs may be involved in diverse regulatory mechanisms in the PVH, but the target genes of GCs are largely unexplored except for the CRF gene (Crh), a well-known target for GC negative feedback. Using a genome-wide RNA-sequencing analysis, we identified transcripts that changed in response to either high-dose corticosterone (Cort) exposure for 12 days (12-day high Cort), corticoid deprivation for 7 days (7-day ADX), or acute Cort administration. Among others, canonical GC target genes were upregulated prominently by 12-day high Cort. Crh was upregulated or downregulated most prominently by either 7-day ADX or 12-day high Cort, emphasizing the recognized feedback effects of GC on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Concomitant changes in vasopressin and apelin receptor gene expression are likely to contribute to HPA repression. In keeping with the pleotropic cellular actions of GCs, 7-day ADX downregulated numerous genes of a broad functional spectrum. The transcriptome response signature differed markedly between acute Cort injection and 12-day high Cort. Remarkably, six immediate early genes were upregulated 1 hour after Cort injection, which was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR and semiquantitative in situ hybridization. This study may provide a useful database for studying the regulatory mechanisms of GC-dependent gene expression and repression in the PVH.

scholarly journals Novel insight into the non-coding repertoire through deep sequencing analysis

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. e86-e86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ofer Isakov ◽  
Roy Ronen ◽  
Judit Kovarsky ◽  
Aviram Gabay ◽  
Ido Gan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sequencing ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Deep Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Insight Into

scholarly journals Clonal Lineages of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Responsible for Acute Swine Erysipelas in Japan Identified by Using Genome-Wide Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yohsuke Ogawa ◽  
Kazumasa Shiraiwa ◽  
Yoshitoshi Ogura ◽  
Tadasuke Ooka ◽  
Sayaka Nishikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polymorphism Analysis ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Erysipelothrix Rhusiopathiae ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Swine Erysipelas ◽  
Lineage Iv

ABSTRACTErysipelothrix rhusiopathiaecauses swine erysipelas, an important infectious disease in the swine industry. In Japan, the incidence of acute swine erysipelas due toE. rhusiopathiaeserovar 1a has recently increased markedly. To study the genetic relatedness of the strains from the recent cases, we analyzed 34E. rhusiopathiaeserovar 1a swine isolates collected between 1990 and 2011 and further investigated the possible association of the live Koganei 65-0.15 vaccine strain (serovar 1a) with the increase in cases. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis revealed no marked variation among the isolates; however, sequencing analysis of a hypervariable region in the surface-protective antigen A gene (spaA) revealed that the strains isolated after 2007 exhibited the samespaAgenotype and could be differentiated from older strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) revealed that the Japanese strains examined were closely related, showing a relatively small number of SNPs among them. The strains were classified into four major lineages, with Koganei 65-0.15 (lineage III) being phylogenetically separated from the other three lineages. The strains isolated after 2007 and the two older strains constituted one major lineage (lineage IV) with a specificspaAgenotype (M203/I257-SpaA), while the recent isolates were further divided into two geographic groups. The remaining older isolates belonged to either lineage I, with the I203/L257-SpaA type, or lineage II, with the I203/I257-SpaA type. These results indicate that the recent increased incidence of acute swine erysipelas in Japan is associated with two sublineages of lineage IV, which have independently evolved in two different geographic regions.IMPORTANCEUsing large-scale whole-genome sequence data fromErysipelothrix rhusiopathiaeisolates from a wide range of hosts and geographic origins, a recent study clarified the existence of three distinct clades (clades 1, 2, and 3) that are found across multiple continents and host species, representing both livestock and wildlife, and an “intermediate” clade between clade 2 and the dominant clade 3 within the species. In this study, we found that theE. rhusiopathiaeJapanese strains examined exhibited remarkably low levels of genetic diversity and confirmed that all of the Japanese and Chinese swine isolates examined in this study belong to clonal lineages within the intermediate clade. We report thatspaAgenotyping ofE. rhusiopathiaestrains is a practical alternative to whole-genome sequencing analysis of theE. rhusiopathiaeisolates from eastern Asian countries.

scholarly journals Genetic architecture and heritability of early-life telomere length in a wild passerine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Pepke ◽  
Thomas Kvalnes ◽  
Sarah Lundregan ◽  
Winnie Boner ◽  
Pat Monaghan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Skeletal Development ◽  
Cellular Growth ◽  
Phenotypic Correlation ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Genomic Regions

Early-life telomere length (TL) is associated with fitness in a range of organisms. Little is known about the genetic basis of variation in TL in wild animal populations, but to understand the evolutionary and ecological significance of TL it is important to quantify the relative importance of genetic and environmental variation in TL. In this study, we measured TL in 2746 house sparrow nestlings sampled across 20 years and used an animal model to show that there is a small heritable component of early-life TL (h2=0.04), but with a strong component of maternal inheritance. Variation in TL among individuals was mainly driven by environmental (year) variance, but also brood and parental effects. We did not find evidence for a negative genetic correlation underlying the observed negative phenotypic correlation between TL and structural body size. Thus, TL may evolve independently of body size and the negative phenotypic correlation is likely to be caused by non-genetic environmental effects. We further used genome‐wide association analysis to identify genomic regions associated with TL variation. We identified several putative genes underlying TL variation; these have been inferred to be involved in oxidative stress, cellular growth, skeletal development, cell differentiation and tumorigenesis in other species. Together, our results show that TL is a lowly heritable, polygenic trait which is strongly affected by environmental conditions in a free-living bird.

scholarly journals Mapping ribonucleotides embedded in genomic DNA to single-nucleotide resolution using Ribose-Map

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alli L. Gombolay ◽  
Francesca Storici
Keyword(s):  
Computing Time ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Nucleotide Resolution ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Single Nucleotide Resolution

ABSTRACTRibose-Map is a user-friendly, standardized bioinformatics toolkit for the comprehensive analysis of ribonucleotide sequencing experiments. It allows researchers to map the locations of ribonucleotides in DNA to single-nucleotide resolution and identify biological signatures of ribonucleotide incorporation. In addition, it can be applied to data generated using any currently available high-throughput ribonucleotide sequencing technique, thus standardizing the analysis of ribonucleotide sequencing experiments and allowing direct comparisons of results. This protocol describes in detail how to use Ribose-Map to analyze raw ribonucleotide sequencing data, including preparing the reads for analysis, locating the genomic coordinates of ribonucleotides, exploring the genome-wide distribution of ribonucleotides, determining the nucleotide sequence context of ribonucleotides, and identifying hotspots of ribonucleotide incorporation. Ribose-Map does not require background knowledge of ribonucleotide sequencing analysis and assumes only basic command-line skills. The protocol requires less than 3 hr of computing time for most datasets and about 30 min of hands-on time.

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