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PubMed2025

Cell-type-specific response to silicon treatment in soybean leaves revealed by single-nucleus RNA sequencing and targeted gene editing.

Mineral nutrient uptake and deposition profoundly influence plant development, stress resilience, and productivity. Silicon (Si), though classified as a non-essential element, significantly influences a plant's physiology, particularly in fortifying defense responses and mitigating stress. While the genetic and molecular mechanisms of Si uptake and transport are well studied in monocots, particularly rice, their role in dicot species, such as soybean, remains unclear at the cellular and molecular levels. In this study, we utilized single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to dissect cellular responses to Si accumulation in soybean leaves. We identified distinct cellular populations, including a unique Si-induced or Si-associated cell cluster within vascular cells, suggesting a specialized mechanism of Si distribution. Si treatment notably induced the expression of defense-related genes, with a pronounced enrichment in vascular cells, underscoring their pivotal role in activating plant defense mechanisms. Moreover, Si modulated the expression of genes involved in phytoalexin biosynthesis, salicylic acid, and immune receptor signaling, suggesting transcriptional priming of genes involved in defense responses. Further investigation of Si transporters revealed precise expression of an Si efflux gene in epidermal cells in response to Si treatment. We also validated the role of efflux Si transporters using a Xenopus oocyte assay and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of composite soybean plant roots. This study provides critical insights into the biotic stress regulatory networks influenced by Si treatment in soybean leaves at the single-cell level, thus laying the foundation for enhancing stress tolerance through optimized mineral nutrient uptake.

Glycine max↗

PubMed2026

KIT and FLT3-ITD mutations do not predict outcomes in pediatric core-binding factor acute myeloid leukemia: findings from the C-HUANAN-AML-15 multicenter cohort study.

Although core-binding factor acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML) is generally considered a favorable-risk subtype in children, disease relapse remains a significant concern. The prognostic relevance of co-occurring mutations, particularly KIT and FLT3-ITD, remains debatable, and treatment intensity may modulate their impact. This multicenter analysis included 289 children (< 14 years) with newly diagnosed CBF-AML enrolled in the C-HUANAN-AML-15 study (2015-2023). KIT and FLT3-ITD mutations were identified via cytogenetic analysis and targeted sequencing. Measurable residual disease (MRD) was evaluated by multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) following induction chemotherapy. Survival analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods. This multicenter analysis included 289 children (< 14 years) with newly diagnosed CBF-AML enrolled in the C-HUANAN-AML-15 study (2015-2023). KIT and FLT3-ITD mutations were identified via cytogenetic analysis and targeted sequencing. Measurable residual disease (MRD) was evaluated by multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) following induction chemotherapy. Survival analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods. KIT mutations were detected in 103 patients (35.6%), predominantly involving exon 17 (69.9%), and were associated with extramedullary disease, sex chromosome loss, and trisomy 22. No significant differences in 5-year event-free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), or cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) were observed between patients with and without KIT mutations. FLT3-ITD mutations (5.5% of patients) did not adversely affect outcomes. Neither mutation independently predicted survival. MRD positivity (MFC-MRD ≥ 0.1%) after the second induction cycle strongly predicted inferior EFS and OS and higher CIR, with corresponding results observed for molecular MRD and parallel findings for PCR-based MRD. In this large multicenter cohort, KIT and FLT3-ITD mutations did not adversely affect the prognosis of pediatric CBF-AML treated according to the C-HUANAN-AML-15 protocol. MRD after induction was the most powerful predictor of relapse and survival, underscoring its importance for risk stratification in future pediatric AML trials.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Genomic hallmarks of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate-associated meningiomas.

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies have linked progestin exposure to increased meningioma risk. However, the molecular basis of meningiomas associated with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA)-a common injectable contraceptive-remains undefined. METHODS: We performed an integrated clinicopathologic and genomic analysis of meningiomas from 10 women with long-term DMPA exposure. Tumors underwent histopathological analysis, targeted sequencing, and DNA methylation profiling. Data were integrated with reference cohorts (Baylor and Heidelberg) and analyzed through classifier assignment, consensus clustering, copy number analysis, differential methylation testing, and dimensionality reduction. RESULTS: Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate-associated meningiomas were all newly diagnosed, World Health Organization grade 1 tumors with a predilection for the anterior and central skull base (n = 6). Nine patients harbored multiple meningiomas. Four experienced regression of untreated meningiomas following DMPA cessation, while 5 demonstrated stabilization. Histopathology demonstrated relative overrepresentation of metaplastic morphology, an uncommon meningioma subtype. All DMPA-associated meningiomas mapped to benign molecular groups, and most exhibited low copy number alteration burden. Targeted sequencing revealed enrichment for TRAF7 mutations (n = 5), with no NF2 mutations detected. Eight tumors shared consensus cluster identity, with cohesive grouping on principal component analysis and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding. No differential methylation was identified at the progesterone receptor locus. CONCLUSIONS: Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate-associated meningiomas represent a recognizable phenotype within the broader NF2-wildtype/TRAF7-enriched spectrum of benign meningiomas, characterized by chromosomal stability, a shared methylation profile, tumor multiplicity, and regression or stabilization following DMPA cessation. While derived from a small single-institution cohort, these findings provide a molecular framework for understanding progestin-associated meningioma biology, reinterpreting epidemiologic literature, and informing population-level risk stratification.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Targeted Gene Sequencing in a Male Adult Diagnosed With X-Linked Osteoporosis Due to a Novel p.(Arg398Profs*2) PLS3 Variant.

Pathogenic loss-of-function variants in the plastin-3 gene (PLS3), encoding plastin-3 protein, are associated with early-onset X-linked osteoporosis. We present the case of a young adult male patient, with a history of multiple fragility fractures and blue sclerae, who was clinically diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type 1 in childhood. He has been managed with intravenous bisphosphonate therapy, leading to an increase in bone density at the spine, stable bone density at the femoral neck, and a period free of fractures while on antiresorptive therapy. Two decades later, with a focus on reproductive family planning, a novel PLS3 variant was identified on genetic testing. This case report highlights an important role for genetic testing in patients with early-onset osteoporosis or a clinical diagnosis of OI. With the emergence of new targeted therapeutics and advanced reproductive options, such as preimplantation genetic testing, obtaining an accurate molecular diagnosis is key.

PLS3↗

PubMed2024

Sex differences in MAGEL2 gene promoter methylation in high functioning autism - trends from a pilot study using nanopore Cas9 targeted long read sequencing.

BACKGROUND: MAGEL2 is an autism susceptibility gene whose deficiency has been associated with autism-related behaviors in animal models and in syndromic human autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) such as Schaaf-Yang syndrome, but has not been studied in the broader autism spectrum. Given the capabilities of long-read sequencing technologies, this pilot study used a targeted nanopore sequencing approach to simultaneously examine MAGEL2 DNA sequence and methylation in adults with high-functioning autism (HFA) compared to neurotypical controls (NC). METHODS: Using DNA extracted from peripheral blood, Cas9-targeted nanopore DNA sequencing was used to analyze MAGEL2, including its entire regulatory construct (chr15:23639316-23651466), for sequence variation and 5-methyl-cytosine (5mC) modification in a cohort of adults with HFA compared to sex- and age-matched NC. Given the known sex differences in ASD and MAGEL2 KO animal models, results were further analyzed by sex. RESULTS: 20 adults with HFA (10 males, 10 females) and 20 NC were included. While there were no overall differences in MAGEL2 DNA sequence and 5mC modification between HFA and NC, we found a significant difference in MAGEL2 gene promoter methylation between males and females with HFA and NC of both sexes, with HFA males tending to show hypomethylation in a 300 bp long differentially methylated region (chr15:23647640-23647939) around the MAGEL2 transcription start site. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study utilizing nanopore Cas9 targeted DNA sequencing, significant sex-specific differences in MAGEL2 gene promoter methylation were identified in male adults with HFA in comparison to control groups, suggesting the potential for sex-specific epigenetic differences. However, further replication in larger cohorts is required to validate these findings.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing in Rare Diseases.

Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) in rare disease focuses on genetic analysis of specific regions in genome that are linked to a rare disease. In addition to library preparation, sequencing, and data analysis, targeted NGS includes an additional step of target enrichment of selected genes and regions. It allows for more sensitive and profound sequencing, as it is a fast and cost-effective approach with less data burden and is therefore often a method of choice for identifying rare variants in known genes, especially in diagnostics of rare diseases. Several in silico tools address the pathogenicity predictions of rare variants of unknown significance (VUS) and can therefore facilitate clinical interpretation.

Rare Diseases↗

PubMed2026

CoMR: an integrative scoring pipeline for comprehensive mitochondrial proteome reconstruction across eukaryotes.

Mitochondrial proteome reconstruction from eukaryotic sequence data typically relies on prediction of mitochondrial targeting signals (MTSs). However, MTS predictors are primarily trained on model organisms and may perform poorly in phylogenetically divergent lineages or in organisms with atypical or reduced targeting sequences. Accurate reconstruction therefore requires integration of complementary sources of evidence beyond targeting prediction alone. We developed Comprehensive Mitochondrial Reconstructor (CoMR), an integrative workflow that combines targeting prediction, curated homology searches, large-scale similarity searches, and automated phylogenetic analysis within a unified scoring framework. Benchmarking on the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae yielded strong discriminatory performance [receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-area under the curve (AUC) = 0.92], exceeding standalone prediction with TargetP2, a predictor of N-terminal targeting peptides (ROC-AUC = 0.72). In the divergent anaerobic protist Paratrimastix pyriformis, CoMR maintained robust performance (ROC-AUC = 0.86) validated with an experimental proteome despite extreme class imbalance, achieving a precision-recall AUC of 0.183 (~78-fold enrichment over random expectation and ~10-fold improvement over TargetP2). Ablation analyses demonstrate that predictive performance is robust to individual evidence-layer removal, while overlap analyses showed that homology-based searches recovered candidates missed by targeting predictors, particularly in P. pyriformis. Overall, CoMR improves mitochondrial proteome reconstruction over targeting prediction alone and provides a reproducible workflow for predicting mitochondrial and mitochondrion-related organelle protein repertoires across eukaryotes to aid investigations of organelle evolution and proteome reduction.

Proteome↗

PubMed2026

Development and evaluation of a one-pot RPA-Cas12a assay based on a primer-driven reverse screening strategy for preliminary screening of megalocytivirus-related viruses.

A primer-driven reverse-screening strategy was used to identify an RPA-Cas12a target suitable for the rapid preliminary screening of megalocytivirus-related viruses. The ISKNV reference genome NC_003494.1 was used as the initial template, and candidate amplification units were designed according to RPA primer-design requirements, primer physicochemical properties, and the availability of Cas12a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) sites and crRNA target sequences. Following preliminary amplification assessment, the retained candidate primers were aligned individually against 75 complete genome sequences of megalocytivirus-related viruses. Of these, 67 sequences met the predefined criteria for target-region integrity, primer-binding-site compatibility, and Cas12a recognition. Retrospective mapping to the reference genome located the candidate amplification region within ORF057L. Based on the resulting candidate detection unit, a one-pot RPA-Cas12a assay incorporating a commercially available lyophilized RPA amplification module was developed. Optimization showed that 400 nM reporter and 80 nM crRNA-1 provided relatively stable fluorescence output. A cut-off value of 1281.6 relative fluorescence units (RFU) was established as the mean plus three standard deviations of the endpoint fluorescence values obtained from 20 qPCR-negative samples. In analytical sensitivity testing, the assay generated fluorescence signals above the negative control at low plasmid copy numbers. However, because only a limited number of replicates were tested at these low template concentrations, these findings were not used to define a formal limit of detection. ISKNV, RSIV, and TRBIV samples tested positive, whereas the MRV sample produced an endpoint fluorescence value below the cut-off. Repeatability analysis of the same sample in six independent reactions yielded a coefficient of variation of 8.03%. Among the 39 samples examined, no discordant qualitative results were observed between the RPA-Cas12a assay and qPCR. These findings support the use of the ORF057L-targeted one-pot RPA-Cas12a assay as a rapid preliminary screening tool for megalocytivirus-related viruses. Nevertheless, its formal limit of detection, inter-batch stability, cross-reactivity with additional non-target pathogens, and clinical diagnostic performance require further evaluation.

Lyophilized RPA↗

PubMed2025

Analysis of targeted and whole genome sequencing of PacBio HiFi reads for a comprehensive genotyping of gene-proximal and phenotype-associated Variable Number Tandem Repeats.

Variable Number Tandem repeats (VNTRs) refer to repeating motifs of size greater than five bp. VNTRs are an important source of genetic variation, and have been associated with multiple Mendelian and complex phenotypes. However, the highly repetitive structures require reads to span the region for accurate genotyping. Pacific Biosciences HiFi sequencing spans large regions and is highly accurate but relatively expensive. Therefore, targeted sequencing approaches coupled with long-read sequencing have been proposed to improve efficiency and throughput. In this paper, we systematically explored the trade-off between targeted and whole genome HiFi sequencing for genotyping VNTRs. We curated a set of 10 , 787 gene-proximal (G-)VNTRs, and 48 phenotype-associated (P-)VNTRs of interest. Illumina reads only spanned 46% of the G-VNTRs and 71% of P-VNTRs, motivating the use of HiFi sequencing. We performed targeted sequencing with hybridization by designing custom probes for 9,999 VNTRs and sequenced 8 samples using HiFi and Illumina sequencing, followed by adVNTR genotyping. We compared these results against HiFi whole genome sequencing (WGS) data from 28 samples in the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium (HPRC). With the targeted approach only 4,091 (41%) G-VNTRs and only 4 (8%) of P-VNTRs were spanned with at least 15 reads. A smaller subset of 3,579 (36%) G-VNTRs had higher median coverage of at least 63 spanning reads. The spanning behavior was consistent across all 8 samples. Among 5,638 VNTRs with low-coverage ( < 15), 67% were located within GC-rich regions ( > 60%). In contrast, the 40X WGS HiFi dataset spanned 98% of all VNTRs and 49 (98%) of P-VNTRs with at least 15 spanning reads, albeit with lower coverage. Spanning reads were sufficient for accurate genotyping in both cases. Our findings demonstrate that targeted sequencing provides consistently high coverage for a small subset of low-GC VNTRs, but WGS is more effective for broad and sufficient sampling of a large number of VNTRs.

Minisatellite Repeats↗

PubMed2026

Integrated phytochemical and bioactivity profiling of Xanthium strumarium fruits from Korea and China: Implications for origin-specific quality specification.

BACKGROUND: Geographic origin influences the phytochemical composition and biological activities of medicinal plant resources. Xanthium strumarium L. (XS) fruit is widely used in East Asian traditional medicine. However, current pharmacopeial standards primarily recognize Chinese-derived material, despite the availability and traditional use of XS in Korea. To address this gap and support origin-informed quality specification, we compared fruits from Korea (XS-K) and China (XS-C) using chloroplast genome sequencing, targeted phytochemical profiling (high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for selected phenolics and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) for fatty acids and phytosterols, and multivariate chemometric analysis. RESULTS: Chloroplast genome analysis revealed high overall similarity but localized divergence around the rpoC2 locus and a greater mutation burden in XS-C, supporting origin-associated genomic differentiation. Phytochemical profiling revealed distinct origin-dependent metabolic signatures. XS-K showed higher levels of phytosterols, chlorogenic acid, 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (4,5-DCQ), and xanthatin was detected only in XS-K, whereas XS-C exhibited greater abundance of total fatty acids, particularly oleic acid. Unsupervised clustering and log2 fold-change ranking confirmed clear compositional separation, and variable importance in projection (VIP) analysis identified chlorogenic acid, β-sitosterol, oleic acid, 4,5-DCQ, and xanthatin as major discriminators between origins. Bioactivity assays demonstrated that XS-K exerted stronger antioxidant effects in ABTS, DPPH and FRAP assays, stronger skin-related enzyme inhibition, and greater antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, consistent with its enriched phenolic and sterol profile. CONCLUSION: Together, chloroplast sequence variation, targeted metabolite quantification, and screening bioassays consistently distinguished XS-K from XS-C. These findings support the use of candidate markers for the origin-based authentication and quality control of XS fruit-derived ingredients. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Fruit↗

PubMed2026

Cross-target and cell-preferential CRISPR-Cas9 inhibition with carbohydrate-tagged oligonucleotides.

Precise control of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) activity is important for limiting off-target effects and chromosomal rearrangements. Existing inhibitors, including anti-CRISPR proteins and spacer-targeting oligonucleotides, can be constrained by immunogenicity, target-sequence dependence, or delivery challenges. Here, we developed single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides that target conserved regions of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 single-guide RNA (sgRNA) scaffold rather than the variable spacer. Screening identified single-stranded DNA 7 (ssDNA7), which targets stem-loop-1 and the adjacent linker and inhibits Cas9 activity across multiple tested spacer sequences and genomic loci without redesigning the inhibitor. Carbohydrate conjugation improved oligonucleotide stability and preferentially enhanced inhibitory activity in selected liver-derived or cancer cell models. Amplicon sequencing confirmed inhibition of endogenous editing in multiple cell models and normal liver-derived organoids, and supported cell-preferential inhibition in matched cell comparisons. These findings establish sgRNA-scaffold targeting as a strategy for cross-target inhibition of Cas9 and show that carbohydrate conjugation can tune its cellular activity.

CRISPR-Cas9↗

PubMed2025

Integrating RNA sequencing with deep learning-based metabolic toxicity prediction: A new perspective on screening prioritized liquid crystal monomers.

Nearly 99 % of liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) toxicological data remains gaps, especially to aquatic organisms. Herein, this study proposes a rapid and high-throughput screening method for identifying priority LCMs in natural water. Using six fluorinated LCMs (LCMsF) with significant enrichment characteristics in zebrafish as examples, RNA sequencing revealed that LCMsF-induced metabolic disturbances are predominant, including 28 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway abnormalities attributed to 498 differentially expressed genes. Notably, the intricate sequencing process resulted in the inability to rapid identify additional 857 LCMsF that may induce metabolic disturbances. To address this, LCMsT-MTP, a predictive deep learning model based on RNA sequencing, was developed. This model integrates a comprehensive representation of LCMsF structures and metabolic toxicity target sequences. LCMsT-MTP improves upon traditional methods that are limited to single targets and mechanisms by facilitating the simultaneous identification of 21 metabolic toxicities induced by LCMsF. In addition, the LCMsT-MTP model was further applied to non-fluorinated LCMs (LCMsNone F) that satisfy the applicability domains test. Accordingly, a metabolic toxicity priority list of LCMs was proposed, with ∼95 % of LCMs classified as high or medium risk. Priority list validation by molecular dynamics confirmed that the interactions of LCMsF/LCMsNone F and metabolic toxicity targets in representative KEGG pathways were distinct.

Animals↗

PubMed2024

Deep-Learning Model for Tumor-Type Prediction Using Targeted Clinical Genomic Sequencing Data.

UNLABELLED: Tumor type guides clinical treatment decisions in cancer, but histology-based diagnosis remains challenging. Genomic alterations are highly diagnostic of tumor type, and tumor-type classifiers trained on genomic features have been explored, but the most accurate methods are not clinically feasible, relying on features derived from whole-genome sequencing (WGS), or predicting across limited cancer types. We use genomic features from a data set of 39,787 solid tumors sequenced using a clinically targeted cancer gene panel to develop Genome-Derived-Diagnosis Ensemble (GDD-ENS): a hyperparameter ensemble for classifying tumor type using deep neural networks. GDD-ENS achieves 93% accuracy for high-confidence predictions across 38 cancer types, rivaling the performance of WGS-based methods. GDD-ENS can also guide diagnoses of rare type and cancers of unknown primary and incorporate patient-specific clinical information for improved predictions. Overall, integrating GDD-ENS into prospective clinical sequencing workflows could provide clinically relevant tumor-type predictions to guide treatment decisions in real time. SIGNIFICANCE: We describe a highly accurate tumor-type prediction model, designed specifically for clinical implementation. Our model relies only on widely used cancer gene panel sequencing data, predicts across 38 distinct cancer types, and supports integration of patient-specific nongenomic information for enhanced decision support in challenging diagnostic situations. See related commentary by Garg, p. 906. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 897.

Humans↗

PubMed2023

FLASH-TB: an Application of Next-Generation CRISPR to Detect Drug Resistant Tuberculosis from Direct Sputum.

Offering patients with tuberculosis (TB) an optimal and timely treatment regimen depends on the rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) drug resistance from clinical samples. Finding Low Abundance Sequences by Hybridization (FLASH) is a technique that harnesses the efficiency, specificity, and flexibility of the Cas9 enzyme to enrich targeted sequences. Here, we used FLASH to amplify 52 candidate genes probably associated with resistance to first- and second-line drugs in the Mtb reference strain (H37Rv), then detect drug resistance mutations in cultured Mtb isolates, and in sputum samples. 92% of H37Rv reads mapped to Mtb targets, with 97.8% of target regions covered at a depth ≥ 10X. Among cultured isolates, FLASH-TB detected the same 17 drug resistance mutations as whole genome sequencing (WGS) did, but with much greater depth. Among the 16 sputum samples, FLASH-TB increased recovery of Mtb DNA compared with WGS (from 1.4% [IQR 0.5-7.5] to 33% [IQR 4.6-66.3]) and average depth reads of targets (from 6.3 [IQR 3.8-10.5] to 1991 [IQR 254.4-3623.7]). FLASH-TB identified Mtb complex in all 16 samples based on IS1081 and IS6110 copies. Drug resistance predictions for 15/16 (93.7%) clinical samples were highly concordant with phenotypic DST for isoniazid, rifampicin, amikacin, and kanamycin [15/15 (100%)], ethambutol [12/15 (80%)] and moxifloxacin [14/15 (93.3%)]. These results highlighted the potential of FLASH-TB for detecting Mtb drug resistance from sputum samples.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

SMART-RNA-Metavirome: a practical RNA metavirome platform compatible with high-throughput sequencing of both short and long reads.

BACKGROUND: The RNA virosphere's extensive diversity and its role in emerging infectious diseases underscore the importance of non-targeted sequencing for identifying unknown or rare pathogens, including co-infections. However, enriching low-abundance viral sequences in RNA metaviromics, particularly in the preparation of cDNA libraries and their compatibility with next-generation sequencing (NGS) and third-generation sequencing (TGS), remains challenging. Therefore, our objective is to develop and systematically assess a practical RNA metavirome methodology specifically tailored for the enrichment of low-abundance viral sequences within samples. METHODS: We developed the SMART-RNA-Metavirome platform, integrating SMART-9n library preparation with NGS and TGS technologies. Total RNA was extracted from two field-collected wild Aedes albopictus pools, along with one laboratory-infected Ae. albopictus pool harboring dengue virus (DENV). This RNA was subjected to reverse transcription using both this optimized protocol and random primer-based methods, followed by high-throughput sequencing on Illumina, Oxford Nanopore, and QitanTech Nanopore technologies. Welch's t-test was employed for comparative analysis of the subsequent RNA metavirome data, specifically to evaluate differences in viral species composition and abundance of viral reads between experimental groups. Furthermore, the effectiveness of this platform was systematically validated via RT-qPCR and SMART-RNA-Metavirome-based Oxford Nanopore sequencing across multiple sample types, including mosquito specimens from DENV-infected Ae. albopictus, serum samples from dengue patients and viral isolates of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and Zika virus (ZIKV). RESULTS: The SMART-RNA-Metavirome platform has been systematically validated to excel in enriching the composition and diversity of the RNA virome (P = 0.04), providing sufficient coverage for the complete reconstruction of viral genomes. When employed in the detection of DENV-infected Ae. albopictus, clinical serum samples, and viral isolates of JEV and ZIKV, this technique exhibits a robust correlation with RT-qPCR (r2 > 0.95). Notably, it demonstrates exceptional sensitivity, ensuring sufficient coverage even in samples of DENV-infected Ae. albopictus with a Ct-value of 35.3, attaining an impressive 99.88% genome coverage. Furthermore, this platform possesses the capability to identify virus species and determine their serotypes. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the SMART-RNA-Metavirome platform outperforms traditional methods, enriching RNA virome composition and diversity, enabling practical compatibility with both NGS and TGS technologies. It demonstrates significant proficiency in detecting both known and unknown arboviruses, even in low-titer samples such as those from wild mosquitoes and clinical sera. This platform facilitates comprehensive monitoring, risk assessment, and early warning of RNA virus transmissions, enhancing our understanding of RNA virome diversity and ecological patterns.

High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing↗

PubMed2025

Uveal Melanoma and the Lynch Syndrome Tumor Spectrum.

IMPORTANCE: To date, no environmental factors and few therapeutic options are known for uveal melanoma (UM), the most common malignant intraocular primary tumor in adults. Identification of new predisposition factors could lead to better monitoring and possibly improved treatments of patients with UM. OBJECTIVE: To identify new genetic alterations predisposing for UM. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a prospective cohort study conducted at Institut Curie in Paris, France, among 381 consecutive patients diagnosed with UM between July 2021 and February 2023. UM was diagnosed clinically by ophthalmologists, and a senior pathologist confirmed the diagnosis when tumor or biopsy was available. All participants received genetic counseling and consented to extended genetic testing. A panel of 122 genes predisposing to cancer were analyzed by targeted sequencing on germline DNA from these patients. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Frequency of pathogenic variants (PVs) in genes from a targeted panel, with classification of germline PVs done according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines and the French Unicancer Genetics Group. RESULTS: A total of 79 PVs were identified in 70 participants (41 female and 29 male; mean [SD] age, 60.6 [15.3] years). Among them, 21 were found in clinically relevant genes, with an enrichment in the mismatch repair (MMR) genes, involved in Lynch syndrome, a frequent predisposition to colon and endometrial cancers. This finding suggested MMR germline PVs could also predispose to UM. One tumor was available from a participant carrying a MLH1 germline PV. The tumor exhibited a monosomy 3 with loss of the wild-type allele of MLH1, located on chromosome 3. Loss of expression of MLH1 was observed by immunohistochemistry, and MMR variant signatures SBS6, ID1, and ID2 were identified from the whole-genome sequencing of this tumor, supporting the possibility that MLH1 contributes to the oncogenesis of this UM. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This prospective germline study on patients with UM provided evidence supporting the notion that MMR germline alterations are enriched among patients with UM and may contribute to oncogenesis of UM, and that UM may therefore be a rare tumor manifestation of Lynch syndrome.

Humans↗

PubMed1978

IS1 insertion generates duplication of a nine base pair sequence at its target site.

Three independent integrations of the E. coli insertion sequence, IS1, into the gal operon have been analyzed. DNA sequences of portions of the wild-type galT gene which act as the target sites for these insertions, as well as the corresponding gal/IS1 junctions, are reported. Two features are particularly noteworthy. First, similar sequences appearing in inverted orientation consitute the ends of IS1: 18 of the terminal 23 base pairs at each end are identical. Second, in all three insertions, a 9 base pair segment found once in the wild-type sequence at the site of insertion is duplicated and appears in the same orientation at each end of the inserted element. The sequence of this 9 base pair repeat is different for each insertion analyzed. No homology between the inverted repeat sequences at the ends of IS1 and the sequences of the target sites is observed. Models for the mechanism of IS1 insertion are proposed.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2019

Targeted delivery of CRISPR interference system against Fabp4 to white adipocytes ameliorates obesity, inflammation, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance.

Obesity is an increasing pathophysiological problem in developed societies. Despite all major progress in understanding molecular mechanisms of obesity, currently available anti-obesity drugs have shown limited efficacy with severe side effects. CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) mechanism based on catalytically dead Cas9 (dCas9) and single guide RNA (sgRNA) was combined with a targeted nonviral gene delivery system to treat obesity and obesity-induced type 2 diabetes. A fusion peptide targeting a vascular and cellular marker of adipose tissue, prohibitin, was developed by conjugation of adipocyte targeting sequence (CKGGRAKDC) to 9-mer arginine (ATS-9R). (dCas9/sgFabp4) + ATS-9R oligoplexes showed effective condensation and selective delivery into mature adipocytes. Targeted delivery of the CRISPRi system against Fabp4 to white adipocytes by ATS-9R induced effective silencing of Fabp4, resulting in reduction of body weight and inflammation and restoration of hepatic steatosis in obese mice. This RNA-guided DNA recognition platform provides a simple and safe approach to regress and treat obesity and obesity-induced metabolic syndromes.

3T3 Cells↗