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Molecular evolution of sex-biased genes in Drosophila.

Studies of morphology, interspecific hybridization, protein/DNA sequences, and levels of gene expression have suggested that sex-related characters (particularly those involved in male reproduction) evolve rapidly relative to non-sex-related characters. Here we report a general comparison of evolutionary rates of sex-biased genes using data from cDNA microarray experiments and comparative genomic studies of Drosophila. Comparisons of nonsynonymous/synonymous substitution rates (d(N)/d(S)) between species of the D. melanogaster subgroup revealed that genes with male-biased expression had significantly faster rates of evolution than genes with female-biased or unbiased expression. The difference was caused primarily by a higher d(N) in the male-biased genes. The same pattern was observed for comparisons among more distantly related species. In comparisons between D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura, genes with highly biased male expression were significantly more divergent than genes with highly biased female expression. In many cases, orthologs of D. melanogaster male-biased genes could not be identified in D. pseudoobscura through a Blast search. In contrast to the male-biased genes, there was no clear evidence for accelerated rates of evolution in female-biased genes, and most comparisons indicated a reduced rate of evolution in female-biased genes relative to unbiased genes. Male-biased genes did not show an increased ratio of nonsynonymous/synonymous polymorphism within D. melanogaster, and comparisons of polymorphism/divergence ratios suggest that the rapid evolution of male-biased genes is caused by positive selection.

Animals↗

Activation of peripheral blood and intestinal lamina propria lymphocytes in Crohn's disease. In vivo state of activation and in vitro response to stimulation as defined by the expression of early activation antigens.

In the present study the state of activation of either peripheral blood and intestinal lamina propria mononuclear cells in Crohn's disease was defined by investigating the expression of early activation antigens (namely the 4F2 antigen, the transferrin receptor and the interleukin-2 receptor). The expression of 4F2 and T9 antigens was greatly increased--in the peripheral blood and in the intestinal lamina propria whereas the proportion of interleukin-2 receptor bearing cells was much less pronounced. The counts of early activation antigens bearing cells in the lamina propria were quite comparable with those of the autologous peripheral cells. In the peripheral blood counts of 4F2 and T9 positive cells were very high in patients with active Crohn's disease but patients with quiescent disease also had a significantly raised proportion of 4F2 and T9 bearing cells. Only in those patients with no evidence of macroscopic disease (namely those resected without recurrence) the counts of early activation antigens bearing cells were within the normal range. The in vitro mitogen induced expression of early activation antigens on either peripheral and intestinal mononuclear cells of patients with Crohn's disease proved to be both quantitatively and qualitatively similar to that of the controls showing the full expression of 4F2, transferrin receptor, and interleukin-2 receptor. While demonstrating that in Crohn's disease there was no intrinsic defect of generation and expression of growth factors receptors by peripheral and intestinal lymphocytes, these results showed that there was a divergence in the expression of early activation antigens in vivo and in vitro. This would indicate that in Crohn's disease there is an in vivo increased population of preactivated rather than fully activated lymphocytes consisting of 4F2 and T9 bearing cells. The high proportion of these cells in the peripheral blood and in the intestine suggests that a chronic immune activation is present in these patients outside as well as within the affected bowel.

Adult↗

Divergence of beta-myosin heavy chain (betaMHC) expression in fetal rat cardiomyocytes in vitro and adult rat heart in vivo.

The myosin heavy chain gene products are an important determinant of myocardial functional properties. Although a strong positive element (beta f1) within the betaMHC promoter region has previously been identified, to date no species comparisons in promoter strength have been made. To examine this question, we have used betaMHC deletion constructs, containing the rat or human beta f1 enhancer region, to determine expression both in vitro using rat fetal cardiomyocytes and in vivo by direct injection into adult rat heart. When reporter constructs were transfected into cultured fetal rat cardiomyocytes, the human beta reporter was expressed more than 3 fold above the equivalent rat construct. Exchange of the beta f1 enhancer indicated that the human sequence of the beta f1 enhancer was largely responsible. However, these findings were not replicated when the reporters were injected into the adult rat heart. In the adult myocardium the levels of reporter expression were similar for the betaMHC promoter reporters studied. These findings demonstrate a divergence between primary cardiomyocytes maintained in culture and the cardiomyocytes found within the intact adult heart.

Animals↗

Expression of gangliosides in an immortalized neural progenitor/stem cell line.

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are known to play important roles in cellular growth and differentiation in the nervous system. The change in expression of gangliosides is correlated with crucial developmental events and is evolutionarily conserved among many vertebrate species. The emergence of neural progenitors represents a crucial step in neural development, but little is known about the exact composition and subcellular localization of gangliosides in neural progenitor cells. The C17.2 cell line was derived after v-myc transformation of neural progenitor cells isolated from neonatal mouse cerebellar cortex. The developmental potential of C17.2 cells is similar to that of endogenous neural progenitor/stem cells in that they are multipotential and capable of differentiating into all neural cell types. We characterized the GSL composition of C17.2 cells and found the presence of only a-series gangliosides. Subcellular localization studies revealed that GM1 and GD1a are localized mainly on the plasma membrane and partly in the cytoplasm, both as punctate clusters. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed the absence of ST-II transcripts in C17 cells, which most likely accounts for the lack of expression of b- and c-series complex gangliosides in this cell line. These data suggest that the divergence in ganglioside expression in C17.2 cells is regulated at the transcriptional level.

Animals↗

Evidence for transcriptional and posttranscriptional alterations of the sodium/iodide symporter expression in hypofunctioning benign and malignant thyroid tumors.

The uptake of iodide by epithelial thyroid cells requires the expression of a specific transporter, the Na(+)/I(-) symporter, NIS. Benign and malignant thyroid tumors of epithelial origin show a decrease up to a loss of iodide uptake activity. Previous studies of the human NIS (hNIS) gene expression in these tumors, based on the amplification of transcripts and/or immunohistochemical detection of the protein, have yielded divergent data; hNIS expression was found either increased or decreased. To get a new and integrated view of the alterations of hNIS expression in hypofunctioning thyroid tumors, we performed investigations of hNIS transcript and hNIS protein levels on the same tumors and paired normal tissue samples. HNIS, identified as a 75- to 80-kd species, was present in all normal tissue samples from euthyroid patients, but was undetectable, even at high membrane protein input, in all benign and malignant hypofunctioning thyroid tumors. By contrast, approximately 50% of tumors contained hNIS transcripts. This dissociation between transcript and protein levels was not found for the transcript and protein encoded by the PDS gene assayed in the same tumors. The hNIS transcript-positive tumors contained small amounts of low-molecular mass hNIS-immunoreactive species identified as nonglycosylated hNIS. Tumors containing the nonmature form of hNIS exhibited a predominant intracellular immunolabeling. In conclusion, our data show that benign and malignant hypofunctioning thyroid tumors either no longer express hNIS protein or express only a very low amount of nonglycosylated hNIS and indicate that the impairment of hNIS gene expression might result from alterations at both transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels.

Blotting, Western↗

Heterologous expression of mammalian Plk1 in Drosophila reveals divergence from Polo during late mitosis.

Drosophila Polo kinase is the founder member of a conserved kinase family required for multiple stages of mitosis. We assessed the ability of mouse Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) to perform the multiple mitotic functions of Polo kinase, by expressing a Plk1-GFP fusion in Drosophila. Consistent with the previously reported localization of Polo kinase, Plk1-GFP was strongly localized to centrosomes and recruited to the centromeric regions of condensing chromosomes during early mitosis. However, in contrast to a functional Polo-GFP fusion, Plk1-GFP failed to localize to the central spindle midzone in both syncytial embryo mitosis and the conventional mitoses of cellularized embryos and S2 cells. Moreover, unlike endogenous Polo kinase and Polo-GFP, Plk1-GFP failed to associate with the contractile ring. Expression of Plk1-GFP enhanced the lethality of hypomorphic polo mutants and disrupted the organization of the actinomyosin cytoskeleton in a dominant-negative manner. Taken together, our results suggest that endogenous Polo kinase has specific roles in regulating actinomyosin rearrangements during Drosophila mitoses that its mammalian counterpart, Plk1, cannot fulfill. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observed defects in the cortical recruitment of myosin and myosin regulatory light chain in Polo deficient cells.

Animals↗

New members of the ctrA regulon: the major chemotaxis operon in Caulobacter is CtrA dependent.

The Caulobacter crescentus che promoter region consists of two divergent promoters, directing expression of the major chemotaxis operon and a novel gene cagA (chemotaxis associated gene A). Analyses of start sites by primer extension and alignment of the divergent promoters revealed significant similarities between them at the -35 promoter region. Both mcpA and cagA are differentially expressed in the cell cycle, with maximal activation of transcription in predivisional cells. The main difference between the mcpA and cagA promoters is that, in common with the fljK flagellin, cagA is expressed in swarmer cells. A cagA--lacZ promoter fusion that contains 36 bases of untranslated mRNA has sufficient information to segregate the lacZ transcript to swarmer cells. Expression of mcpA and cagA was dependent on DNA replication. Transcriptional epistasis experiments were performed to identify potential regulators in the flagellar hierarchy. The sigma factor RpoN, which is required for flagellar biogenesis, is not required for mcpA and cagA expression. Mutations in the genes for the MS-ring and the switch complex (flagellar class II mutants) do not affect expression of mcpA and cagA. However, CtrA, an essential response regulator of flagellar gene transcription, is required.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Differential disruption of genomic integrity and cell cycle regulation in normal human fibroblasts by the HPV oncoproteins.

Genomic integrity is maintained by a network of cellular activities that assess the status of the genome at a given point in time, provide signals to proceed with or halt cell cycle progression, and provide for repair of damaged DNA. Mutations in any part of these pathways can have the ultimate effect of disturbing chromosomal integrity. Recent work suggests that p53 performs this integrator function in mammalian cells. Our present study demonstrates that in mortal cells, the expression of E6 and E7 viral oncoproteins of type 16 human papillomavirus each disrupts the integration of these signals by diverged pathways. Cells expressing E6 protein, which binds and degrades the p53 protein, exhibited alterations in cell cycle control when placed in drug and displayed the ability to amplify the CAD gene. The expression of E7, which binds different cellular proteins important for transformation, including Rb, led to a p53-independent alteration in cell cycle control, a widespread cytocidal response, and polyploidy as a mechanism of drug resistance. These results demonstrate that diverse perturbations of molecular pathways can have different effects on chromosomal integrity.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Conservation and divergence of BMP2/4 genes in the lamprey: expression and phylogenetic analysis suggest a single ancestral vertebrate gene.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) molecules are members of a large family of signaling molecules important in numerous developmental pathways throughout the metazoa. Single members of the BMP2/4 class have been found in invertebrates such as cnidarians, arthropods, nematodes, echinoderms, ascidians, and cephalochordates. In all vertebrates studied, there are at least two copies, BMP2 and BMP4, that play important roles in axial patterning, tissue specification, and organogenesis. The basal vertebrate, lamprey, diverged near the time of vertebrate origins and is useful for understanding the gene duplication events that led to the increased complexity of the vertebrate genome. We characterized the sequence and expression pattern of BMP2/4 class genes in the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus. We uncovered three genes that we named PmBMP2/4A, PmBMP2/4B, and PmBMP2/4C. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that PmBMP2/4A is closer than PmBMP2/4B or PmBMP2/4C in sequence identity to both BMP2 and BMP4 of gnathostomes. The developmental expression pattern of PmBMP2/4A also more closely resembles the combined early expression patterns of gnathostome BMP2 and BMP4, whereas PmBMP2/4B and PmBMP2/4C appear to play roles only later in development. Cell labeling showed that the BMP-expressing cells in the branchial arches of lampreys are of neural crest origin. Taken together, our sequence and expression data support the duplication of BMP2/4 genes in the lamprey from a single ancestral vertebrate BMP2/4 gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Recently evolved genes identified from Drosophila yakuba and D. erecta accessory gland expressed sequence tags.

The fraction of the genome associated with male reproduction in Drosophila may be unusually dynamic. For example, male reproduction-related genes show higher-than-average rates of protein divergence and gene expression evolution compared to most Drosophila genes. Drosophila male reproduction may also be enriched for novel genetic functions. Our earlier work, based on accessory gland protein genes (Acp's) in D. simulans and D. melanogaster, suggested that the melanogaster subgroup Acp's may be lost and/or gained on a relatively rapid timescale. Here we investigate this possibility more thoroughly through description of the accessory gland transcriptome in two melanogaster subgroup species, D. yakuba and D. erecta. A genomic analysis of previously unknown genes isolated from cDNA libraries of these species revealed several cases of genes present in one or both species, yet absent from ingroup and outgroup species. We found no evidence that these novel genes are attributable primarily to duplication and divergence, which suggests the possibility that Acp's or other genes coding for small proteins may originate from ancestrally noncoding DNA.

Animals↗

Evolutionary conservation of DNA sequences expressed in sea urchin eggs and early embryos.

DNA sequence divergence measurements indicate that Strongylocentrotus franciscanus is more distinct from S. purpuratus and S. drobachiensis than these two species are from each other, in agreement with paleontological and morphological evidence. The evolutionary divergence of several classes of expressed DNA sequences was compared with that of total single-copy DNA. Between S. franciscanus and S. purpuratus the divergence of cDNA made from gastrula cytoplasmic poly(A)+ RNA is about half that of total single-copy DNA. Similar results were obtained for cDNA made from unfertilized egg poly(A)+ RNA. In contrast, sequences expressed in gastrula nuclear RNA have diverged almost as much as total single-copy DNA.

Animals↗

Characterization of the divergent eosinophil ribonuclease, mEar 6, and its expression in response to Schistosoma mansoni infection in vivo.

The eosinophil-associated ribonucleases (Ears) are rapidly evolving proteins found in multigene clusters that are unique to each rodent species. Of the 15 independent genes in the Mus musculus cluster, only mEars 1 and 2 are expressed at significant levels at homeostasis. Here we characterize the expression of mEar 6 in the liver and spleen in mice in response to infection with the helminthic parasite, Schistosoma mansoni. Interestingly, expression of mEar 6 is not directly related to the elevated levels of serum IL-5 or tissue eosinophilia characteristic of this disease, as no mEar 6 transcripts were detected in the liver or the spleen from uninfected IL-5-transgenic mice. The coding sequence of mEar 6 has diverged under positive selection pressure (K(a)/K(s) > 1.0) and has a unique unpaired cysteine near the carboxy-terminus of the protein. The high catalytic efficiency of recombinant mEar 6 (k(cat)/K(m) = 0.9 x 10(6)/M/s) is similar to that of the cluster's closest human ortholog, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN/RNase 2). In summary, we have identified mEar 6 as one of only two RNase A superfamily ribonucleases known to be expressed specifically in response to pathophysiologic stress in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dissection of cis-regulatory elements in the C. elegans Hox gene egl-5 promoter.

Hox genes are highly conserved segmental identity genes well known for their complex expression patterns and divergent targets. Here we present an analysis of cis-regulatory elements in the Caenorhabditis elegans Hox gene egl-5, which is expressed in multiple tissues in the posterior region of the nematode. We have utilized phylogenetic footprinting to efficiently identify cis-regulatory elements and have characterized these with gfp reporters and tissue-specific rescue experiments. We have found that the complex expression pattern of egl-5 is the cumulative result of the activities of multiple tissue or local region-specific activator sequences that are conserved both in sequence and near-perfect order in the related nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae. Two conserved regulatory blocks analyzed in detail contain multiple sites for both positively and negatively acting factors. One of these regions may promote activation of egl-5 in certain cells via the Wnt pathway. Positively acting regions are repressed in inappropriate tissues by additional negative pathways acting at other sites within the promoter. Our analysis has allowed us to implicate several new regulatory factors significant to the control of egl-5 expression.

Animals↗

No accelerated rate of protein evolution in male-biased Drosophila pseudoobscura genes.

Sexually dimorphic traits are often subject to diversifying selection. Genes with a male-biased gene expression also are probably affected by sexual selection and have a high rate of protein evolution. We used SAGE to measure sex-biased gene expression in Drosophila pseudoobscura. Consistent with previous results from D. melanogaster, a larger number of genes were male biased (402 genes) than female biased (138 genes). About 34% of the genes changed the sex-related expression pattern between D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura. Combining gene expression with protein divergence between both species, we observed a striking difference in the rate of evolution for genes with a male-biased gene expression in one species only. Contrary to expectations, D. pseudoobscura genes in this category showed no accelerated rate of protein evolution, while D. melanogaster genes did. If sexual selection is driving molecular evolution of male-biased genes, our data imply a radically different selection regime in D. pseudoobscura.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Floral organ identity genes in the orchid Dendrobium crumenatum.

Orchids are members of Orchidaceae, one of the largest families in the flowering plants. Among the angiosperms, orchids are unique in their floral patterning, particularly in floral structures and organ identity. The ABCDE model was proposed as a general model to explain flower development in diverse plant groups, however the extent to which this model is applicable to orchids is still unknown. To investigate the regulatory mechanisms underlying orchid flower development, we isolated candidates for A, B, C, D and E function genes from Dendrobium crumenatum. These include AP2-, PI/GLO-, AP3/DEF-, AG- and SEP-like genes. The expression profiles of these genes exhibited different patterns from their Arabidopsis orthologs in floral patterning. Functional studies showed that DcOPI and DcOAG1 could replace the functions of PI and AG in Arabidopsis, respectively. By using chimeric repressor silencing technology, DcOAP3A was found to be another putative B function gene. Yeast two-hybrid analysis demonstrated that DcOAP3A/B and DcOPI could form heterodimers. These heterodimers could further interact with DcOSEP to form higher protein complexes, similar to their orthologs in eudicots. Our findings suggested that there is partial conservation in the B and C function genes between Arabidopsis and orchid. However, gene duplication might have led to the divergence in gene expression and regulation, possibly followed by functional divergence, resulting in the unique floral ontogeny in orchids.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Genetic divergence does not predict change in ornament expression among populations of stalk-eyed flies.

Stalk-eyed flies (Diptera: Diopsidae) possess eyes at the ends of elongated peduncles, and exhibit dramatic variation in eye span, relative to body length, among species. In some sexually dimorphic species, evidence indicates that eye span is under both intra- and intersexual selection. Theory predicts that isolated populations should evolve differences in sexually selected traits due to drift. To determine if eye span changes as a function of divergence time, 1370 flies from 10 populations of the sexually dimorphic species, Cyrtodiopsis dalmanni and Cyrtodiopsis whitei, and one population of the sexually monomorphic congener, Cyrtodiopsis quinqueguttata, were collected from Southeast Asia and measured. Genetic differentiation was used to assess divergence time by comparing mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase II and 16S ribosomal RNA gene fragments) and nuclear (wingless gene fragment) DNA sequences for c. five individuals per population. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that most populations cluster as monophyletic units with up to 9% nucleotide substitutions between populations within a species. Analyses of molecular variance suggest a high degree of genetic structure within and among the populations; > 97% of the genetic variance occurs between populations and species while < 3% is distributed within populations, indicating that most populations have been isolated for thousands of years. Nevertheless, significant change in the allometric slope of male eye span on body length was detected for only one population of either dimorphic species. These results are not consistent with genetic drift. Rather, relative eye span appears to be under net stabilizing selection in most populations of stalk-eyed flies. Given that one population exhibited dramatic evolutionary change, selection, rather than genetic variation, appears to constrain eye span evolution.

Animals↗

Characterization of two divergent endo-beta-1,4-glucanase cDNA clones highly expressed in the nonclimacteric strawberry fruit.

Two cDNAs clones (Cel1 and Cel2) encoding divergent endo-beta-1, 4-glucanases (EGases) have been isolated from a cDNA library obtained from ripe strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch) fruit. The analysis of the amino acid sequence suggests that Cel1 and Cel2 EGases have different secondary and tertiary structures and that they differ in the presence of potential N-glycosylation sites. By in vitro translation we show that Cel1 and Cel2 bear a functional signal peptide, the cleavage of which yields mature proteins of 52 and 60 kD, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Cel2 EGase diverged early in evolution from other plant EGases. Northern analysis showed that both EGases are highly expressed in fruit and that they have different temporal patterns of accumulation. The Cel2 EGase was expressed in green fruit, accumulating as the fruit turned from green to white and remaining at an elevated, constant level throughout fruit ripening. In contrast, the Cel1 transcript was not detected in green fruit and only a low level of expression was observed in white fruit. The level of Cel1 mRNA increased gradually during ripening, reaching a maximum in fully ripe fruit. The high levels of Cel1 and Cel2 mRNA in ripe fruit and their overlapping patterns of expression suggest that these EGases play an important role in softening during ripening. In addition, the early expression of Cel2 in green fruit, well before significant softening begins, suggests that the product of this gene may also be involved in processes other than fruit softening, e.g. cell wall expansion.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Surface triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 expression patterns in septic shock.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the pattern of cell-surface expression of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM) 1 during septic shock. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective clinical study in an adult 16-bed medical ICU. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 25 septic shock patients, 15 patients with shock of noninfectious origin and 7 healthy volunteers. Arterial blood was drawn within 12 h of admission and subjected to flow cytometry analysis after staining with anti-TREM-1 and anti-CD14 antibodies. Repeated sampling was performed on days 2, 3, 5, 7, and 14 in septic shock patients. RESULTS: Monocytic TREM-1 expression was significantly higher in septic shock patients (mean fluorescence intensity 2.3+/-0.2) than in nonseptic patients (1.0+/-0.1), and healthy volunteers (1.0+/-0.1). There was no difference in monocytic TREM-1 expression between nonseptic patients and healthy volunteers or between any of the three groups with respect to TREM-1 expression on neutrophils. The time course of TREM-1 expression on monocytes diverged significantly by day 3 between survivors and ns. CONCLUSIONS: The specificity of TREM-1 regulation by infection is highlighted. Moreover, surface TREM-1 expression on monocytes may prove useful in allowing the follow-up of septic patients during the course of the disease.

Aged↗