Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “genome composition”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Relationships between genomic G+C content, RNA secondary structures, and optimal growth temperature in prokaryotes.

G:C pairs are more stable than A:T pairs because they have an additional hydrogen bond. This has led to many studies on the correlation between the guanine+cytosine (G+C) content of nucleic acids and temperature over the last 20 years. We collected the optimal growth temperatures (Topt) and the G+C contents of genomic DNA; 23S, 16S, and 5S ribosomal RNAs; and transfer RNAs for 764 prokaryotic species. No correlation was found between genomic G+C content and Topt, but there were striking correlations between the G+C content of ribosomal and transfer RNA stems and Topt. Two explanations have been proposed-neutral evolution and selection pressure-for the approximate equalities of G and C (respectively, A and T) contents within each strand of DNA molecules. Our results do not support the notion that selection pressure induces complementary oligonucleotides in close proximity and therefore numerous secondary structures in prokaryotic DNA, as the genomic G+C content does not behave in the same way as that of folded RNA with respect to optimal growth temperature.

Bacteria↗

Genome sequence and organization of a nucleopolyhedrovirus that infects the tea looper caterpillar, Ectropis obliqua.

The complete nucleotide sequence of Ectropis obliqua nucleopolyhedrovirus (EcobNPV), which infects the tea looper caterpillar, was determined and analyzed. The double stranded circular genome is composed of 131,204 bp and is 37.6% G+C rich. The analysis predicted 126 putative, minimally overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) with 150 or more nucleotides that together compose 89.8% of the genome. The remaining 10.2% constitute non-coding and three homologous regions. Comparison with previously sequenced baculoviruses indicated that three ORFs were unique to EcobNPV, while the remaining 123 ORFs shared identity with other baculovirus genes. In addition to two bro homologues, three other repeat ORFs, including dbp, p26, and odv-e66, were identified. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that each member of the paired ORFs was acquired independently. Gene parity plot analysis and percent identity of gene homologues suggested that EcobNPV is a Group II NPV, although its genomic organization was highly distinct.

Animals↗

Molecular archeology of L1 insertions in the human genome.

BACKGROUND: As the rough draft of the human genome sequence nears a finished product and other genome-sequencing projects accumulate sequence data exponentially, bioinformatics is emerging as an important tool for studies of transposon biology. In particular, L1 elements exhibit a variety of sequence structures after insertion into the human genome that are amenable to computational analysis. We carried out a detailed analysis of the anatomy and distribution of L1 elements in the human genome using a new computer program, TSDfinder, designed to identify transposon boundaries precisely. RESULTS: Structural variants of L1 elements shared similar trends in the length and quality of their target site duplications (TSDs) and poly(A) tails. Furthermore, we found no correlation between the composition and genomic location of the pre-insertion locus and the resulting anatomy of the L1 insertion. We verified that L1 insertions with TSDs have the 5'-TTAAAA-3' cleavage site associated with L1 endonuclease activity. In addition, the second target DNA cut required for L1 insertion weakly matches the consensus pattern TTAAAA. On the other hand, the L1-internal breakpoints of deleted and inverted L1 elements do not resemble L1 endonuclease cleavage sites. Finally, the genome sequence data indicate that whereas singly inverted elements are common, doubly inverted elements are almost never found. CONCLUSIONS: The sequence data give no indication that the creation of L1 structural variants depends on characteristics of the insertion locus. In addition, the formation of 5' truncated and 5' inverted L1s are probably not due to the action of the L1 endonuclease.

Algorithms↗

Phenotypic stability of the P-M system in wild populations of Drosophila melanogaster.

The P element appears to be one of the most recently invaded transposons of D. melanogaster. To study the dynamics and long-term fate of P elements in natural populations of D. melanogaster, 472 isofemale lines newly collected from 27 localities of Japan were examined for the P element-associated characteristics (abilities to induce and repress of P element transposition) and genomic P element composition (size classes and their numbers). There was variation in the P element-related phenotypes among local populations, but genomic P composition did not correlate strongly with the phenotype of each line: full-size P and KP elements predominated in their genomes (FP+ KP predominance). Comparison with previous results suggests a stability in the P-M system in local populations over about 15 years. In some populations, phenotypic stability for particularly long times was found: for 30 years or more Q strains predominated in Hikone and Tanushimaru, P or Q strains around Inakadate, and M' or Q strains around Tozukawa. There was no clear evidence of structural destruction underlying functional variation of P elements during this period. These results suggest that the current evolutionary status of P elements in the gene pool of D. melanogaster is not intermediary stage predicted by the original recent invasion hypothesis, and that several other factors such as the position effect play important roles.

Animals↗

A translocation within the Ogataea species complex alters local subtelomeric chromatin while maintaining overall genome organization.

Eukaryotic genomic DNA is packaged in the nucleus as chromatin-a DNA-protein aggregate regulating genome function, including transcription. Chromatin is classified as either active euchromatin or silent heterochromatin, with each marked by distinct histone post-translational modifications (PTMs). Chromatin composition also mediates genome organization, including how heterochromatin aggregates at the nuclear periphery while euchromatin localizes to the nucleus center. In fungi, heterochromatic loci cluster, including independent centromere and telomere clusters that form the Rabl chromosome conformation. However, it is unknown if chromatin composition and genome organization are conserved in closely related fungi, and how these features are impacted by large-scale chromosomal rearrangements. Here, we examined differences in histone PTM deposition, gene expression, and genome organization in 2 yeast species from the order Pichiales, which diverged from the common ancestor shared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae more than 200 million years ago. We focused on Ogataea polymorpha, which is used for industrial protein production, and Ogataea haglerorum, an isolate of which harbors a translocation between chromosomes 1 and 6. We show that the enrichment of 3 activating PTMs-the trimethylation of lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4me3) and the acetylation of lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9ac) or lysine 16 of histone H4 (H4K16ac)-are similar genome-wide, yet gene orthologs have distinct chromatin and expression patterns. While both Ogataea genomes organize into a Rabl conformation, the O. haglerorum translocation alters subtelomeric chromatin composition and expression of genes affected by the translocation. Our work highlights the genome function differences that occur on a microevolutionary scale.

Genome, Fungal↗

A Translocation within the Ogataea Species Complex Alters Local Subtelomeric Chromatin while Maintaining Overall Genome Organization.

Eukaryotic genomic DNA is packaged in the nucleus as chromatin - a DNA-protein aggregate regulating genome function, including transcription. Chromatin is classified as either active euchromatin or silent heterochromatin, with each marked by distinct histone post-translational modifications (PTMs). Chromatin composition also mediates genome organization, including how heterochromatin aggregates at the nuclear periphery while euchromatin localizes to the nucleus center. In fungi, heterochromatic loci cluster, including independent centromere and telomere clusters that form the Rabl chromosome conformation. However, it is unknown if chromatin composition and genome organization are conserved in closely related fungi, and how they are impacted by large-scale chromosomal rearrangements. Here, we examined differences in histone PTM deposition, gene expression, and genome organization in two yeast species from the order Pichiales, which diverged from the common ancestor shared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae more than 200 million years ago. We focused on Ogataea polymorpha, which is used for industrial protein production, and Ogataea haglerorum, an isolate of which harbors a translocation between chromosomes 1 and 6. We show that the enrichment of three activating PTMs - the trimethylation of lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4me3) and the acetylation of lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9ac) or lysine 16 of histone H4 (H4K16ac) - are similar genome-wide yet individual gene orthologs have distinct chromatin and expression patterns. While both Ogataea genomes organize into a Rabl conformation, the O. haglerorum translocation alters subtelomeric chromatin composition and expression of genes affected by the translocation. Our work highlights the genome function differences that occur on a microevolutionary scale.

Ogataea↗

Genome size and qualitative and quantitative characteristics of C-heterochromatic DNA in Eulemur species and in a viable hybrid.

The amounts of nuclear DNA and the AT and GC content of four Eulemur (Prosimii, Lemuridae) species and of an E. coronatus x E. macaco hybrid were measured by flow cytometry in peripheral blood leukocytes, following propidium iodide, Hoechst 33258, and mithramycin staining. Hoechst 33258 and mithramycin were also used to evaluate the base composition of genomic DNA in the chromosomes. The amount of DNA resisting C-banding pretreatment (C-heterochromatic DNA) was measured in metaphase chromosomes by static fluorometry. The genome of E. coronatus was significantly larger than the genomes of all other species examined, due to a higher content of pericentromeric, mainly GC-rich, heterochromatic DNA. The restriction banding patterns produced by BamHI digestion and ethidium bromide staining on extracted DNA were studied in the hybrid and its parental species (E. coronatus and E. macaco). The restriction banding pattern of the sole E. coronatus individual showed two bands which were repeated in the restriction banding pattern of the hybrid. The qualitative and quantitative differences of C-heterochromatic DNA in E. coronatus confirm the "splitting" processes and the phylogenetic relationships in the genus Eulemur suggested by Jung et al. (1992) on the basis of the restriction banding patterns produced by endonuclease digestion.

Animals↗

CoMoDis: composite motif discovery in mammalian genomes.

Specificity of mammalian gene regulatory regions is achieved to a large extent through the combinatorial binding of sets of transcription factors to distinct binding sites, discrete combinations of which are often referred to as regulatory modules. Identification and subsequent characterization of gene regulatory modules will be a key step in assembling transcriptional regulatory networks from gene expression profiling data, with the ultimate goal of unravelling the regulatory codes that govern gene expression in various cell types. Here we describe the new bioinformatics tool, Composite Motif Discovery (CoMoDis), which streamlines computational identification of novel regulatory modules starting from a single seed motif. Seed motifs represent binding sites conserved across mammalian species. CoMoDis facilitates novel motif discovery by automating the extraction of DNA sequences flanking seed motifs and streamlining downstream motif discovery using a variety of tools, including several that utilize phylogenetic conservation criteria. CoMoDis is available at http://hscl.cimr.cam.ac.uk/CoMoDis_portal.html.

Animals↗

The 'DNA-membrane complex' of Escherichia coli B/r. Its composition and properties and the fate of nascent and genome DNA during DNA synthesis.

The composition and properties of 'DNA-membrane complex' of Escherichia coli B/r have been investigated. The 'complexes' contain most of the DNA and membrane of the cells, and about 50% and 25% of the RNA and protein respectively. The properties of DNA synthesized by the 'complexes' are described and the process is concluded to be largely mediated through polymerase I. Nascent DNA synthesized by the 'DNA-membrane complexes' was of two main classes, one of molecular weight around 600,000--800,000 and the other of higher molecular weight. Polynucleotide ligase activity was not detectable. The onset of synthesis coincided with the dissociation of at least 70% of the genome DNA and all of the nascent DNA from the 'complexes' and was concomitant with the action of a nuclease on parental DNA. This nuclease activity was not ATP-dependent.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Genome sequence of an enhancin gene-rich nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) from Agrotis segetum: collinearity with Spodoptera exigua multiple NPV.

The genome sequence of a Polish isolate of Agrotis segetum nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgseNPV-A) was determined and analysed. The circular genome is composed of 147,544 bp and has a G+C content of 45.7 mol%. It contains 153 putative, non-overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) encoding predicted proteins of more than 50 aa, together making up 89.8 % of the genome. The remaining 10.2 % of the DNA constitutes non-coding regions and homologous-repeat regions. One hundred and forty-three AgseNPV-A ORFs are homologues of previously reported baculovirus gene sequences. There are ten unique ORFs and they account for 3 % of the genome in total. All 62 lepidopteran baculovirus genes, including the 29 core baculovirus genes, were found in the AgseNPV-A genome. The gene content and gene order of AgseNPV-A are most similar to those of Spodoptera exigua (Se) multiple NPV and their shared homologous genes are 100 % collinear. Three putative enhancin genes were identified in the AgseNPV-A genome. In phylogenetic analysis, the AgseNPV-A enhancins form a cluster separated from enhancins of the Mamestra species NPVs.

Animals↗

Identification of genomic islands in the genome of Bacillus cereus by comparative analysis with Bacillus anthracis.

Horizontal gene transfer has been recognized as a universal event throughout bacterial evolution. The availability of both complete genome sequences of Bacillus cereus and B. anthracis provides the possibility to perform comparative analysis based on their genomes. By using a windowless method to display the distribution of the genomic GC content of B. cereus and B. anthracis, we have found three genomic islands in the genome of B. cereus, i.e., BCGI-1, BCGI-2, and BCGI-3, respectively, which are absent in the genome of B. anthracis. All the genomic islands have abrupt changes in GC content compared with that of surrounding regions. BCGI-1 has many conserved features of genomic islands, e.g., a Val-tRNA gene is utilized as the integration site, and a site-specific recombinase gene is located at the 3' end. BCGI-2 has a large percentage of phage protein, suggesting a phage-related recombination is involved. BCGI-3 contains a ferric anguibactin transport system, which is likely to be involved in the iron transport that enables the bacterium to overcome the iron limitation in the host. In addition, BCGI-3 also contains a cluster of genes related to lantibiotics, which may play a role during the evolution of the genome. Furthermore, the integrations of the genomic islands, BCGI-1 and BCGI-3, result in deletions of DNA sequence fragments; therefore, such integrations lead to both gene gain and gene loss simultaneously.

Bacillus anthracis↗

Chloroplast genes transferred to the nuclear plant genome have adjusted to nuclear base composition and codon usage.

During plant evolution, some plastid genes have been moved to the nuclear genome. These transferred genes are now correctly expressed in the nucleus, their products being transported into the chloroplast. We compared the base compositions, the distributions of some dinucleotides and codon usages of transferred, nuclear and chloroplast genes in two dicots and two monocots plant species. Our results indicate that transferred genes have adjusted to nuclear base composition and codon usage, being now more similar to the nuclear genes than to the chloroplast ones in every species analyzed.

Base Composition↗

A growing family of receptor genes for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and other lysophospholipids (LPs).

A missing component in the experimental analysis of cell signaling by extracellular lysophospholipids such as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) or sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has been cloned receptors. Through studies on the developing brain, the first such receptor gene (referred to as vzg-1) was identified, representing a member of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) super family (1). Here we review the neurobiological approach that led to both its cloning and identification as a receptor for LPA, along with related expression data. Summarized sequence and genomic structure analyses indicate that this first, functionally identified receptor is encoded by a member of a growing gene family that divides into at least two subgroups: genes most homologous to the high-affinity LPA receptor encoded by vzg-1, and those more homologous to an orphan receptor gene edg-1 that has recently been identified as a S1P receptor. A provisional nomenclature is proposed, based on published functional ligand actions, amino acid composition and genomic structure whereby the receptors encoded by these genes are referred to as lysophospholipid (LP) receptors, with subgroups distinguished by letter and number subscripts (e.g., LPA1 for Vzg-1, and LPB1 for Edg-1). Presented expression data support the recently published work indicating that members of the LPB1 subgroup are receptors for the structurally-related molecule, S1P. The availability of cloned LP receptors will enhance the analysis of the many documented LP effects, while their prominent expression in the nervous system indicates significant but as yet unknown roles in development, normal function, and neuropathology.

Base Sequence↗

Population, evolutionary and genomic consequences of interference selection.

Weakly selected mutations are most likely to be physically clustered across genomes and, when sufficiently linked, they alter each others' fixation probability, a process we call interference selection (IS). Here we study population genetics and evolutionary consequences of IS on the selected mutations themselves and on adjacent selectively neutral variation. We show that IS reduces levels of polymorphism and increases low-frequency variants and linkage disequilibrium, in both selected and adjacent neutral mutations. IS can account for several well-documented patterns of variation and composition in genomic regions with low rates of crossing over in Drosophila. IS cannot be described simply as a reduction in the efficacy of selection and effective population size in standard models of selection and drift. Rather, IS can be better understood with models that incorporate a constant "traffic" of competing alleles. Our simulations also allow us to make genome-wide predictions that are specific to IS. We show that IS will be more severe at sites in the center of a region containing weakly selected mutations than at sites located close to the edge of the region. Drosophila melanogaster genomic data strongly support this prediction, with genes without introns showing significantly reduced codon bias in the center of coding regions. As expected, if introns relieve IS, genes with centrally located introns do not show reduced codon bias in the center of the coding region. We also show that reasonably small differences in the length of intermediate "neutral" sequences embedded in a region under selection increase the effectiveness of selection on the adjacent selected sequences. Hence, the presence and length of sequences such as introns or intergenic regions can be a trait subject to selection in recombining genomes. In support of this prediction, intron presence is positively correlated with a gene's codon bias in D. melanogaster. Finally, the study of temporal dynamics of IS after a change of recombination rate shows that nonequilibrium codon usage may be the norm rather than the exception.

Animals↗

Streptomyces huangiella sp. nov., an endophytic actinomycete isolated from Pheretima aspergillum, a promising candidate for biological pathogen control.

UNLABELLED: Pheretima aspergillum (E. Perrier) is an annelid of the genus Pheretima in the family Megascolecidae, a species of earthworm, whose dried body (Guang Dilong) is a traditional Chinese animal medicine. A new actinobacterium strain, named HD1123-B1T, was isolated from the gut contents of Pheretima aspergillum caught in the wild in Guangzhou, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strain was primarily identified as a member of the genus Streptomyces, sharing more than 98% sequence identity to Streptomyces endocoffeicus CA3R110T (98.80%), Streptomyces coffeae CA1R205T (98.47%), and Streptomyces iranensis HM35T (97.93%). The whole genome size of strain HD1123-B1T was approximately 8.9 Mbp, with 7,464 predicted genes and 71.42 mol% DNA C+G content. Comparative genomic analyses based on digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values revealed that strain HD1123-B1T represents a novel species within the genus Streptomyces. Additionally, 38 biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites were also predicted in the genome of strain HD1123-B1T. Based on LC-MS/MS analysis, the nigericin biosynthesis gene cluster has been completely characterized. The ethyl acetate crude extract of strain HD1123-B1T exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25213, etc) and gram-negative bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum GIM 1.70. Based on these results, HD1123-B1T could be confirmed as an isolate that represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces huangiella sp. nov. is proposed. IMPORTANCE: As the largest genus of the phylum Actinomycetes, Streptomyces is a kind of microbial resources with great practical and economic value. Due to their unique physiological properties and metabolic capacity, Streptomyces have become an important source of bioactive compounds in the world and play an indispensable role in medical and industrial fields. With the advancement of molecular biology and genomics, researchers can more deeply explore the metabolic potential of Actinomycetes, discovering and developing new biologically active compounds. These new compounds may possess various biological activities, such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties, further promoting the development of medicine and related industries. Based on genomic analysis and antibacterial activity, the strain HD1123-B1T was indicated to be a promising candidate for biological pathogen control.

Streptomyces↗

A phylogenetic comparison of gene trees constructed from plastid, mitochondrial and genomic DNA of Plasmodium species.

Gene trees of Plasmodium species have been reported for the nuclear encoded genes (e.g. the Small Subunit rRNA) and a mitochondrial encoded gene, cytochrome b. Here, we have analyzed a plastid gene coding for caseinolytic protease ClpC, whose structure, function and evolutionary history have been studied in various organisms. This protein possesses a 220-250 amino acid long AAA domain (ATPases associated with a variety of cellular activities) that belongs to the Walker super family of ATPases and GTPases. We have sequenced the AAA motif of this gene, encoding the protein from nine different species of Plasmodium infecting rodents, birds, monkeys, and humans. The codon usage and GC content of each gene were nearly identical in contrast to the widely varying nucleotide composition of genomic DNAs. Phylogenetic trees derived from both DNA and inferred protein sequences have consistent topologies. We have used the ClpC sequence to analyze the phylogenetic relationship among Plasmodium species and compared it with those derived from mitochondrial and genomic sequences. The results corroborate well with the trees constructed using the mitochondrially encoded cytochrome b. However, an important element distinguishes the trees: the placement of Plasmodium elongatum near the base of the plastid tree, indicating an ancient lineage of parasites in birds that branches from the tree prior to other lineages of avian malaria and the human parasite, P. falciparum.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Negative dataset selection impacts machine learning-based predictors for multiple bacterial species promoters.

MOTIVATION: Advances in bacterial promoter predictors based on machine learning have greatly improved identification metrics. However, existing models overlooked the impact of negative datasets, previously identified in GC-content discrepancies between positive and negative datasets in single-species models. This study aims to investigate whether multiple-species models for promoter classification are inherently biased due to the selection criteria of negative datasets. We further explore whether the generation of synthetic random sequences (SRS) that mimic GC-content distribution of promoters can partly reduce this bias. RESULTS: Multiple-species predictors exhibited GC-content bias when using CDS as a negative dataset, suggested by specificity and sensibility metrics in a species-specific manner, and investigated by dimensionality reduction. We demonstrated a reduction in this bias by using the SRS dataset, with less detection of background noise in real genomic data. In both scenarios DNABERT showed the best metrics. These findings suggest that GC-balanced datasets can enhance the generalizability of promoter predictors across Bacteria. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The source code of the experiments is freely available at https://github.com/maigonzalezh/MultispeciesPromoterClassifier.

Machine Learning↗

Secondary structure of the self-cleaving RNA of hepatitis delta virus: applications to catalytic RNA design.

A model for the secondary structure of the self-cleaving RNA from hepatitis delta virus was tested. Specific base changes were introduced in each of four regions with the potential for base-pairing (stems I-IV), and for each variant sequence, a rate constant for cleavage was determined. In each stem, mutations that would interfere with Watson-Crick base-pairing also reduced the first-order rate constants by 10-10(4)-fold relative to the unmodified version. Within stems I and II and a shortened form of stem IV, compensatory changes resulted in rates of cleavage equal to or greater than the unaltered ribozyme sequence. Stem III compensatory mutants cleaved faster than the uncompensated mutants although they were not as active as the natural sequence, suggesting additional sequence-dependent requirements within this region. Structure probing of RNA containing the stem II mutations provided an independent confirmation of stem II in the ribozyme. The predictive value of the model was tested by designing two trans-acting ribozymes which were circularly permuted composites of genomic, antigenomic, and unique sequences. The core of these two catalytic RNAs was the same, but they otherwise differed in that, in one of them, a constraining tetraloop sequence was added to stem II. Both ribozymes catalyzed the trans cleavage of a substrate oligoribonucleotide, thus providing additional evidence for stem II and the proposed structure in general.

Base Composition↗