scholarly journals Synteny-based analyses indicate that sequence divergence is not the main source of orphan genes

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Vakirlis ◽  
Anne-Ruxandra Carvunis ◽  
Aoife McLysaght

The origin of ‘orphan’ genes, species-specific sequences that lack detectable homologues, has remained mysterious since the dawn of the genomic era. There are two dominant explanations for orphan genes: complete sequence divergence from ancestral genes, such that homologues are not readily detectable; and de novo emergence from ancestral non-genic sequences, such that homologues genuinely do not exist. The relative contribution of the two processes remains unknown. Here, we harness the special circumstance of conserved synteny to estimate the contribution of complete divergence to the pool of orphan genes. By separately comparing yeast, fly and human genes to related taxa using conservative criteria, we find that complete divergence accounts, on average, for at most a third of eukaryotic orphan and taxonomically restricted genes. We observe that complete divergence occurs at a stable rate within a phylum but at different rates between phyla, and is frequently associated with gene shortening akin to pseudogenization.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Vakirlis ◽  
Anne-Ruxandra Carvunis ◽  
Aoife McLysaght

AbstractThe origin of “orphan” genes, species-specific sequences that lack detectable homologues, has remained mysterious since the dawn of the genomic era. There are two dominant explanations for orphan genes: complete sequence divergence from ancestral genes, such that homologues are not readily detectable; and de novo emergence from ancestral non-genic sequences, such that homologues genuinely do not exist. The relative contribution of the two processes remains unknown. Here, we harness the special circumstance of conserved synteny to estimate the contribution of complete divergence to the pool of orphan genes. By separately comparing yeast, fly and human genes to related taxa using conservative criteria, we find that complete divergence accounts, on average, for at most a third of eukaryotic orphan and taxonomically restricted genes. We observe that complete divergence occurs at a stable rate within a phylum but at different rates between phyla, and is frequently associated with gene shortening akin to pseudogenization. Two cancer-related human genes, DEC1 and DIRC1, have likely originated via this route in a primate ancestor.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2226
Author(s):  
Sazia Kunvar ◽  
Sylwia Czarnomska ◽  
Cino Pertoldi ◽  
Małgorzata Tokarska

The European bison is a non-model organism; thus, most of its genetic and genomic analyses have been performed using cattle-specific resources, such as BovineSNP50 BeadChip or Illumina Bovine 800 K HD Bead Chip. The problem with non-specific tools is the potential loss of evolutionary diversified information (ascertainment bias) and species-specific markers. Here, we have used a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach for genotyping 256 samples from the European bison population in Bialowieza Forest (Poland) and performed an analysis using two integrated pipelines of the STACKS software: one is de novo (without reference genome) and the other is a reference pipeline (with reference genome). Moreover, we used a reference pipeline with two different genomes, i.e., Bos taurus and European bison. Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) is a useful tool for SNP genotyping in non-model organisms due to its cost effectiveness. Our results support GBS with a reference pipeline without PCR duplicates as a powerful approach for studying the population structure and genotyping data of non-model organisms. We found more polymorphic markers in the reference pipeline in comparison to the de novo pipeline. The decreased number of SNPs from the de novo pipeline could be due to the extremely low level of heterozygosity in European bison. It has been confirmed that all the de novo/Bos taurus and Bos taurus reference pipeline obtained SNPs were unique and not included in 800 K BovineHD BeadChip.


Genome ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 769-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Mehes-Smith ◽  
Paul Michael ◽  
Kabwe Nkongolo

Genome organization in the family Pinaceae is complex and largely unknown. The main purpose of the present study was to develop and physically map species-diagnostic and species-specific molecular markers in pine and spruce. Five RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) and one ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) species-diagnostic or species-specific markers for Picea mariana , Picea rubens , Pinus strobus , or Pinus monticola were identified, cloned, and sequenced. In situ hybridization of these sequences to spruce and pine chromosomes showed the sequences to be present in high copy number and evenly distributed throughout the genome. The analysis of centromeric and telomeric regions revealed the absence of significant clustering of species-diagnostic and species-specific sequences in all the chromosomes of the four species studied. Both RAPD and ISSR markers showed similar patterns.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 753
Author(s):  
Miroslav Glasa ◽  
Richard Hančinský ◽  
Katarína Šoltys ◽  
Lukáš Predajňa ◽  
Jana Tomašechová ◽  
...  

In recent years, high throughput sequencing (HTS) has brought new possibilities to the study of the diversity and complexity of plant viromes. Mixed infection of a single plant with several viruses is frequently observed in such studies. We analyzed the virome of 10 tomato and sweet pepper samples from Slovakia, all showing the presence of potato virus Y (PVY) infection. Most datasets allow the determination of the nearly complete sequence of a single-variant PVY genome, belonging to one of the PVY recombinant strains (N-Wi, NTNa, or NTNb). However, in three to-mato samples (T1, T40, and T62) the presence of N-type and O-type sequences spanning the same genome region was documented, indicative of mixed infections involving different PVY strains variants, hampering the automated assembly of PVY genomes present in the sample. The N- and O-type in silico data were further confirmed by specific RT-PCR assays targeting UTR-P1 and NIa genomic parts. Although full genomes could not be de novo assembled directly in this situation, their deep coverage by relatively long paired reads allowed their manual re-assembly using very stringent mapping parameters. These results highlight the complexity of PVY infection of some host plants and the challenges that can be met when trying to precisely identify the PVY isolates involved in mixed infection.


Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 154 (2) ◽  
pp. 869-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Langdon ◽  
Charlotte Seago ◽  
R Neil Jones ◽  
Helen Ougham ◽  
Howard Thomas ◽  
...  

Abstract The most distinctive region of the rye B chromosome is a subtelomeric domain that contains an exceptional concentration of B-chromosome-specific sequences. At metaphase this domain appears to be the physical counterpart of the subtelomeric heterochromatic regions present on standard rye chromosomes, but its conformation at interphase is less condensed. In this report we show that the two sequence families that have been previously found to make up the bulk of the domain have been assembled from fragments of a variety of sequence elements, giving rise to their ostensibly foreign origin. A single mechanism, probably based on synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA), is responsible for their assembly. We provide evidence for sequential evolution of one family on the B chromosome itself. The extent of these rearrangements and the complexity of the higher-order organization of the B-chromosome-specific families indicate that instability is a property of the domain itself, rather than of any single sequence. Indirect evidence suggests that particular fragments may have been selected to confer different properties on the domain and that rearrangements are frequently selected for their effect on DNA structure. The current organization appears to represent a transient stage in the evolution of a conventional heterochromatic region from complex sequences.


2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (36) ◽  
pp. 9677-9682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiamma Salerno ◽  
Nahuel A. Paolini ◽  
Regina Stark ◽  
Marieke von Lindern ◽  
Monika C. Wolkers

Effective T cell responses against invading pathogens require the concerted production of three key cytokines: TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-2. The cytokines functionally synergize, but their production kinetics widely differ. How the differential timing of expression is regulated remains, however, poorly understood. We compared the relative contribution of transcription, mRNA stability, and translation efficiency on cytokine production in murine effector and memory CD8+ T cells. We show that the immediate and ample production of TNF-α is primarily mediated by translation of preformed mRNA through protein kinase C (PKC)-induced recruitment of mRNA to polyribosomes. Also, the initial production of IFN-γ uses translation of preformed mRNA. However, the magnitude and subsequent expression of IFN-γ, and of IL-2, depends on calcium-induced de novo transcription and PKC-dependent mRNA stabilization. In conclusion, PKC signaling modulates translation efficiency and mRNA stability in a transcript-specific manner. These cytokine-specific regulatory mechanisms guarantee that T cells produce ample amounts of cytokines shortly upon activation and for a limited time.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Martinez ◽  
Qian Chu ◽  
Cynthia Donaldson ◽  
Dan Tan ◽  
Maxim N. Shokhirev ◽  
...  

Protein-coding small open reading frames (smORFs) are emerging as an important class of genes, however, the coding capacity of smORFs in the human genome is unclear. By integrating de novo transcriptome assembly and Ribo-Seq, we confidently annotate thousands of novel translated smORFs in three human cell lines. We find that smORF translation prediction is noisier than for annotated coding sequences, underscoring the importance of analyzing multiple experiments and footprinting conditions. These smORFs are located within non-coding and antisense transcripts, the UTRs of mRNAs, and unannotated transcripts. Analysis of RNA levels and translation efficiency during cellular stress identifies regulated smORFs, providing an approach to select smORFs for further investigation. Sequence conservation and signatures of positive selection indicate that encoded microproteins are likely functional. Additionally, proteomics data from enriched human leukocyte antigen complexes validates the translation of hundreds of smORFs and positions them as a source of novel antigens. Thus, smORFs represent a significant number of important, yet unexplored human genes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (13) ◽  
pp. 2543-2559
Author(s):  
Janka Widzgowski ◽  
Alexander Vogel ◽  
Lena Altrogge ◽  
Julia Pfaff ◽  
Heiko Schoof ◽  
...  

Algae have evolved several mechanisms to adjust to changing environmental conditions. To separate from their surroundings, algal cell membranes form a hydrophobic barrier that is critical for life. Thus, it is important to maintain or adjust the physical and biochemical properties of cell membranes which are exposed to environmental factors. Especially glycerolipids of thylakoid membranes, the site of photosynthesis and photoprotection within chloroplasts, are affected by different light conditions. Since little is known about membrane lipid remodeling upon different light treatments, we examined light induced alterations in the glycerolipid composition of the two Chlorella species, C. vulgaris and C. sorokiniana, which differ strongly in their ability to cope with different light intensities. Lipidomic analysis and isotopic labeling experiments revealed differences in the composition of their galactolipid species, although both species likely utilize galactolipid precursors originated from the endoplasmic reticulum. However, in silico research of de novo sequenced genomes and ortholog mapping of proteins putatively involved in lipid metabolism showed largely conserved lipid biosynthesis pathways suggesting species specific lipid remodeling mechanisms, which possibly have an impact on the response to different light conditions.


Author(s):  
Gary C. Longo ◽  
John Harms ◽  
John R. Hyde ◽  
Matthew T. Craig ◽  
Ana Ramón-Laca ◽  
...  

AbstractThe vermilion rockfish complex, which consists of the cryptic sister species vermilion and sunset rockfish, is one of the most valuable recreational fisheries on the U.S. West Coast. These species are currently managed as a single complex, and because of uncertainty surrounding the relative contribution of each species within existing data sources, the stock status of each species is not fully known. A reliable and cost-effective method is needed to disentangle these species that will allow for the development of abundance indices, life history profiles, and catch histories that may potentially support species-specific stock assessments. Using restriction-site associated DNA sequence (RADseq) markers we generated 10,003 polymorphic loci to characterize the vermilion rockfish complex. PCA and Bayesian clustering approaches based on these loci clearly distinguished between sunset and vermilion rockfishes and identified hybrid individuals. These loci included 203 highly differentiated (FST ≥ 0.99) single nucleotide polymorphisms, which we consider candidates in the planned development of a diagnostic assay capable of distinguishing between these cryptic species. In addition to clearly delineating to species, subsets of the interspecific markers allowed for insight into intraspecific differentiation in both species. Population genetic analyses for sunset rockfish identified two weakly divergent genetic groups with similar levels of genetic diversity. Vermilion rockfish, however, were characterized by three distinct genetic groups with much stronger signals of differentiation and significantly different genetic diversities. Collectively, these data will contribute to well-informed, species-specific management strategies to protect this valuable species complex.


2002 ◽  
Vol 127 (6) ◽  
pp. 963-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chieri Kubota ◽  
Makiko Ezawa ◽  
Toyoki Kozai ◽  
Sandra B. Wilson

The effects of initial sucrose (suc) concentrations in the medium (S0) on the carbon balance and growth of sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. `Beniazuma'] and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. `HanaQueen') plantlets were studied under controlled environmental conditions. Plantlets were cultured with 0, 7.5, 15, or 30 g·L-1 of S0 under high photosynthetic photon flux (160 to 200 μmol·m-2·s-1) and CO2 enriched (1400 to 2050 μmol·mol-1) conditions. Net photosynthetic rate per leaf area (Pl) decreased and dry weight per plantlet (Wd) increased with increasing S0, but did not differ significantly between S0 of 7.5 to 30 g·L-1 for sweetpotato or 15 to 30 g·L-1 for tomato. Carbon influxes and effluxes of the plantlets by metabolism of medium suc and/or photosynthesis, and respiration were estimated based on measurements of in situ and steady state CO2 exchange rates and sugar uptake during culture. At S0 from 7.5 to 30 g·L-1, photosynthesis was responsible for 82% to 92% and 60% to 67% of carbohydrate assimilation for sweetpotato and tomato, respectively. Estimated carbon balances of plantlets based on the estimated and actual increases of moles of carbon in plant tissue demonstrated that in situ estimation of carbon balance was reasonably accurate for sweetpotato at S0 of 0 to 15 g·L-1 and for tomato at S0 of 0 g·L-1 and that the actual contribution of photosynthesis for tomato at high S0 might be lower than the values estimated in the present experiment. Results showed that initial suc concentration affected the relative contribution of photosynthesis on their carbon balances and that the responses were species specific. The failure of validation at S0 in a range specific to each species suggested the need for further study on carbon metabolism of in vitro plantlets cultured with sugar in the medium.


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