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Ciona intestinalis ParaHox genes: evolution of Hox/ParaHox cluster integrity, developmental mode, and temporal colinearity.

The Hox gene cluster, and its evolutionary sister the ParaHox gene cluster, pattern the anterior-posterior axis of animals. The spatial and temporal regulation of the genes seems to be intimately linked to the gene order within the clusters. In some animals the tight organisation of the clusters has disintegrated. We note that these animals develop in a derived fashion relative to the norm of their respective lineages. Here we present the genomic organisation of the ParaHox genes of Ciona intestinalis, and note that tight clustering has been lost in evolution. We present a hypothesis that the Hox and ParaHox clusters are constrained as ordered clusters by the mechanisms producing temporal colinearity; when temporal colinearity is no longer needed or used during development, the clusters can fall apart. This disintegration may be mediated by the invasion of transposable elements into the clusters, and subsequent genomic rearrangements.

Animals↗

A multivariate statistical approach to spatial representation of groundwater contamination using hydrochemistry and microbial community profiles.

Managers of landfill sites are faced with enormous challenges when attempting to detect and delineate leachate plumes with a limited number of monitoring wells, assess spatial and temporal trends for hundreds of contaminants, and design long-term monitoring (LTM) strategies. Subsurface microbial ecology is a unique source of data that has been historically underutilized in LTM groundwater designs. This paper provides a methodology for utilizing qualitative and quantitative information (specifically, multiple water quality measurements and genome-based data) from a landfill leachate contaminated aquifer in Banisveld, The Netherlands, to improve the estimation of parameters of concern. We used a principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce nonindependent hydrochemistry data, Bacteria and Archaea community profiles from 16S rDNA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), into six statistically independent variables, representing the majority of the original dataset variances. The PCA scores grouped samples based on the degree or class of contamination and were similar over considerable horizontal distances. Incorporation of the principal component scores with traditional subsurface information using cokriging improved the understanding of the contaminated area by reducing error variances and increasing detection efficiency. Combining these multiple types of data (e.g., genome-based information, hydrochemistry, borings) may be extremely useful at landfill or other LTM sites for designing cost-effective strategies to detect and monitor contaminants.

Archaea↗

Selectively enhanced contextual fear conditioning in mice lacking the transcriptional regulator CCAAT/enhancer binding protein delta.

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein delta (C/EBPdelta) is a transcriptional regulator implicated in the hepatic acute phase response and in adipogenic and myeloid cell differentiation. We found that C/EBPdelta is widely expressed in the peripheral and central nervous systems, including neurons of the hippocampal formation, indicating a role in neural functions. To examine the role of C/EBPdelta in vivo, we generated mice with a targeted deletion of the C/EBPdelta gene. This mutation does not interfere with normal embryonic and postnatal development. Performance in a battery of behavioral tests indicates that basic neurological functions are normal. Furthermore, performance in a Morris water maze task suggests that C/EBPdelta mutant mice have normal spatial learning. However, in the contextual and auditory-cue-conditioned fear task, C/EBPdelta null mice displayed significantly more conditioned freezing to the test context than did wild-type controls, but equivalent conditioning to the auditory cue. These data demonstrate a selectively enhanced contextual fear response in mice carrying a targeted genomic mutation and implicate C/EBPdelta in the regulation of a specific type of learning and memory.

Animals↗

Deep immune profiling of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with CODEX multiplexed imaging.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) may be genomically subclassified by the presence of potentially actionable molecular aberrations, of which pathogenic alterations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)1 and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)2 are the most frequently observed. The impact of these molecular alterations on the tumor immune microenvironment remains incompletely understood. METHODS: We performed a high-parameter spatial immune phenotyping of iCCA samples with pathogenic FGFR2 or IDH1 alterations and FGFR2/IDH1 wild-type controls at the single-cell level using CO-Detection by indEXing. RESULTS: A total of 24 tumors were examined. Tumors with FGFR2 alterations were characterized by fewer CD8+ T cells and "M2-like" macrophages but higher levels of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells as compared to FGFR2 wild-type tumors. Spatial relationships between polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells and multiple other cell types in the tumor microenvironment (including tumor cells, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells) were enriched in tumors with FGFR2 alterations. Tumors with IDH1 mutations had a trend toward more fibroblasts and were characterized by a closer proximity of tumor cells to CD4+ T cells, and between macrophages and multiple structural tumor microenvironment components as compared to other subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: iCCAs with pathogenic FGFR2 fusions/rearrangements and IDH1 mutations have distinct immunophenotypes. Tailoring immunotherapeutic approaches to specific molecular subsets could improve treatment outcomes across the divergent molecularly defined iCCA subtypes.

Humans↗

Mapping neuronal activation and the influence of adrenergic signaling during contextual memory retrieval.

We recently described a critical role for adrenergic signaling in the hippocampus during contextual and spatial memory retrieval. To determine which neurons are activated by contextual memory retrieval and its sequelae in the presence and absence of adrenergic signaling, transcriptional imaging for the immediate-early gene Arc was used in control and mutant mice lacking norepinephrine and epinephrine. This imaging approach permits the identification of neuronal genomic activation specific to one of two behavioral epochs in the same animal. Analysis revealed several brain regions that were more greatly activated by re-exposure to a salient versus neutral context 1 d after training in control mice (e.g., hippocampal CA3 and CA1, the amygdala, the dorsolateral caudate/putamen, the primary motor cortex, and parts of the rhinal cortices). In mice lacking norepinephrine and epinephrine, many of these regions exhibited significantly reduced activation (e.g., hippocampal CA1), while other regions did not (e.g., hippocampal CA3). In consideration with previous results, the current findings suggest a hypothesis in which adrenergic signaling may be critical for the transfer of retrieved contextual information from CA3 to CA1, where it would be compared to online sensory information coming directly from the cortex.

Animals↗

Ecology and evolution of bacterial microdiversity.

Using high resolution molecular fingerprinting techniques like random amplification of polymorphic DNA, repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, a high bacterial diversity below the species and subspecies level (microdiversity) is revealed. It became apparent that bacteria of a certain species living in close association with different plants either as associated rhizosphere bacteria or as plant pathogens or symbiotic organisms, typically reflect this relationship in their genetic relatedness. The strain composition within a population of soil bacterial species at a given field site, which can be identified by these high resolution fingerprinting techniques, was markedly influenced by soil management and soil features. The observed bacterial microdiversity reflected the conditions of the habitat, which select for better adapted forms. In addition, influences of spatial separation on specific groupings of bacteria were found, which argue for the occurrence of isolated microevolution. In this review, examples are presented of bacterial microdiversity as influenced by different ecological factors, with the main emphasis on bacteria from the natural environment. In addition, information available from some of the first complete genome sequences of bacteria (Helicobacter pylori and Escherichia coli) was used to highlight possible mechanisms of molecular evolution through which mutations are created; these include mutator enzymes. Definitions of bacterial species and subspecies ranks are discussed in the light of detailed information from whole genome typing approaches.

Bacteria↗

Forward and reverse genetic approaches to behavior in the mouse.

Modern molecular genetic and genomic approaches are revolutionizing the study of behavior in the mouse. "Reverse genetics" (from gene to phenotype) with targeted gene transfer provides a powerful tool to dissect behavior and has been used successfully to study the effects of null mutations in genes implicated in the regulation of long-term potentiation and spatial learning in mice. In addition, "forward genetics" (from phenotype to gene) with high-efficiency mutagenesis in the mouse can uncover unknown genes and has been used to isolate a behavioral mutant of the circadian system. With the recent availability of high-density genetic maps and physical mapping resources, positional cloning of virtually any mutation is now feasible in the mouse. Together, these approaches permit a molecular analysis of both known and previously unknown genes regulating behavior.

Animals↗

Role of glycosylation in development.

Researchers have long predicted that complex carbohydrates on cell surfaces would play important roles in developmental processes because of the observation that specific carbohydrate structures appear in specific spatial and temporal patterns throughout development. The astounding number and complexity of carbohydrate structures on cell surfaces added support to the concept that glycoconjugates would function in cellular communication during development. Although the structural complexity inherent in glycoconjugates has slowed advances in our understanding of their functions, the complete sequencing of the genomes of organisms classically used in developmental studies (e.g., mice, Drosophila melanogaster, and Caenorhabditis elegans) has led to demonstration of essential functions for a number of glycoconjugates in developmental processes. Here we present a review of recent studies analyzing function of a variety of glycoconjugates (O-fucose, O-mannose, N-glycans, mucin-type O-glycans, proteoglycans, glycosphingolipids), focusing on lessons learned from human disease and genetic studies in mice, D. melanogaster, and C. elegans.

Animals↗

The function of nuclear architecture: a genetic approach.

Eukaryotic genomes are distributed on linear chromosomes that are grouped together in the nucleus, an organelle separated from the cytoplasm by a characteristic double membrane studded with large proteinaceous pores. The chromatin within chromosomes has an as yet poorly characterized higher-order structure, but in addition to this, chromosomes and specific subchromosomal domains are nonrandomly positioned in nuclei. This review examines functional implications of the long-range organization of the genome in interphase nuclei. A rigorous test of the physiological importance of nuclear architecture is achieved by introducing mutations that compromise both structure and function. Focussing on such genetic approaches, we address general concepts of interphase nuclear order, the role of the nuclear envelope (NE) and lamins, and finally the importance of spatial organization for DNA replication and heritable gene expression.

Animals↗

The sex determination in Ellobius lutescens remains bizarre.

Mammalian sex determination and gonad differentiation are the result of a complex interaction of fine-tuned spatial and temporal gene expression with threshold levels of individual genes. The male pathway is initiated by SRY. Some exceptional mammals determine male sex without the SRY gene and even without a Y chromosome. Ellobius lutescens in this report is one example of this "weird" species. We provide key data on the genomic level that there are no coarse differences in the genomes of male and female animals by comparative genomic hybridization. On the gene level we studied the gene Nr5a1 for the orphan nuclear receptor, steroidogenic factor SF-1, a central constituent for gonad differentiation and adrenal gland development. The Ellobius lutescens Nr5a1 gene was mapped to the proximal short arm of chromosome 2 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In addition, we provide evidence by linkage analysis in two E. lutescens pedigrees that Nr5a1 is not the key male sex-determining gene in Ellobius lutescens.

Animals↗

Protein domain of unknown function DUF1023 is an alpha/beta hydrolase.

Pfam family DUF1023 consists entirely of uncharacterized proteins generated by sequencing the genomes of Actinobacteria (Bateman A., et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 2004;32 Database issue:D138-141.) Utilizing sequence similarity detection methods, we infer homology between DUF1023 and alpha/beta hydrolases. DUF1023 proteins conserve the core secondary structures in alpha/beta hydrolase fold, and share similar catalytic machinery as that of alpha/beta hydrolases. We predict DUF1023 spatial structure and deduce that they function as hydrolases utilizing catalytic Ser-His-Asp triad with the serine as a nucleophile.

Animals↗

Endodermal Organoids Along Two Axes: Single-Organ Fidelity, Inter-Organ Reconstruction, and the Unbuilt Gut-Lung Frontier.

Three-dimensional organoids of the gut, liver, and lung have become mainstream models of human development, disease, and therapy. These organs share an embryonic endodermal origin, yet the field measures their progress inconsistently because the word "maturity" carries two unrelated meanings. Herein, we review the organoid work across all three organs and propose that the two orthogonal axes of advancement be analyzed separately. The first axis is single-organ fidelity. Adult stem cell organoids are faithful but partial, reproducing the adult epithelium of their source tissue with genomic stability yet lacking stromal, vascular, immune, and neural compartments. Human pluripotent stem cell organoids are complete but immature, co-emerging with multiple lineages yet arrested in a fetal-like state. The cost of each limitation is organ-dependent, smallest in the intestine, largest for hepatic drug metabolism, and most spatially defined across the proximal and distal lungs. The second axis is inter-organ reconstruction, where progress is strongly asymmetric. The gut-liver axis is comparatively advanced and sustained by linked organoid and microphysiological systems. The gut-lung axis, by contrast, remains the least-developed frontier, and no such linked organoid has yet been built. We therefore frame it as a proposal, using in vivo and correlative evidence to outline the design principles for such a model. Four bottlenecks recur across both axes: limited vascularization; batch-to-batch variability; organ-skewed immune, microbial, and stromal microenvironments; and unidirectional signaling. We argue that benchmarking models against single-cell developmental atlases and prioritizing construction of the gut-lung frontier should guide the field over the next decade.

Intestines↗

R11: a cis-regulatory node of the sea urchin embryo gene network that controls early expression of SpDelta in micromeres.

A gene regulatory network (GRN) controls the process by which the endomesoderm of the sea urchin embryo is specified. In this GRN, the program of gene expression unique to the skeletogenic micromere lineage is set in train by activation of the pmar1 gene. Through a double repression system, this gene is responsible for localization of expression of downstream regulatory and signaling genes to cells of this lineage. One of these genes, delta, encodes a Notch ligand, and its expression in the right place and time is crucial to the specification of the endomesoderm. Here we report a cis-regulatory element R11 that is responsible for localizing the expression of delta by means of its response to the pmar1 repression system. R11 was identified as an evolutionarily conserved genomic sequence located about 13 kb downstream of the last exon of the delta gene. We demonstrate here that this cis-regulatory element is able to drive the expression of a reporter gene in the same cells and at the same time that the endogenous delta gene is expressed, and that temporally, spatially, and quantitatively it responds to the pmar1 repression system just as predicted for the delta gene in the endomesoderm GRN. This work illustrates the application of cis-regulatory analysis to the validation of predictions of the GRN model. In addition, we introduce new methodological tools for quantitative measurement of the output of expression constructs that promise to be of general value for cis-regulatory analysis in sea urchin embryos.

Animals↗

Gene therapy progress and prospects--vectorology: design and production of expression cassettes in AAV vectors.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) derived vectors are considered highly eligible vehicles for human gene therapy. Not only do they possess many great potential for clinical applications due to their wide range of tissue targets but also their excellent preclinical safety profile makes them particularly suitable candidates for treating serious diseases. Initial clinical trials have yielded encouraging results and prompted further improvements in their design and methods of production. Many studies have been performed to modify the tropism of recombinant (r)AAV by capsid modification. However, the precise control of spatial and temporal gene expression, which may be important in determining the safety and efficacy of gene transfer, lies in a rational choice and a subtle combination of various regulatory genetic elements to be inserted into the expression cassette. Moreover, new strategies based on such genetic sequences open new perspectives for enhancing vector genome persistence, disrupting or reducing pathogenic gene expression and even targeting genes.

Animals↗

Oligonucleotide arrays: information from replication and spatial structure.

MOTIVATION: The introduction of oligonucleotide DNA arrays has resulted in much debate concerning appropriate models for the measurement of gene expression. By contrast, little account has been taken of the possibility of identifying the physical imperfections in the raw data. RESULTS: This paper demonstrates that, with the use of replicates and an awareness of the spatial structure, deficiencies in the data can be identified, the possibility of their correction can be ascertained and correction can be effected (by use of local scaling) where possible. The procedures were motivated by data from replicates of Arabidopsis thaliana using the GeneChip ATH1-121501 microarray. Similar problems are illustrated for GeneChip Human Genome U133 arrays and for the newer and larger GeneChip Wheat Genome microarray. AVAILABILITY: R code is freely available on request.

Algorithms↗

The gene Serrate encodes a putative EGF-like transmembrane protein essential for proper ectodermal development in Drosophila melanogaster.

Mutations in the third chromosome gene Serrate are shown to display genetic interactions with specific alleles of the neurogenic locus Notch, which encodes a transmembrane protein with epidermal growth factor (EGF) homology. Embryonic lethal Serrate mutations exhibit epidermal and neuronal defects, which are reminiscent of those produced by mutations in the Drosophila EGF receptor homolog gene. We present the molecular cloning of Serrate and show that it encodes two coordinately expressed transcripts from a genomic interval greater than 30 kb in length. The deduced protein product of 1404 amino acids contains a single transmembrane domain and 14 EGF-like repeats. Thus, Serrate represents another member of the group of EGF-containing loci in Drosophila. Whole-mount in situ hybridization analysis reveals complex temporal and spatial patterns of RNA expression consistent with the epidermal and neuronal defects observed in mutant embryos. Finally, we discuss the implications of Serrate function within the context of other cell-surface molecules known to be involved in the differentiation of ectodermally derived tissues.

Alleles↗

Bacterial extracellular DNA forming a defined network-like structure.

It is generally assumed that nucleic acids are localized inside of living cells and that their primary function is the storage of information. In contrast, extracellular DNA is mainly considered as a remnant of lysed cells. Here, we report the formation of extracellular bacterial DNA as a spatial structure. An aquatic bacterium, strain F8, was isolated, which produced a stable filamentous network of extracellular DNA. Different staining and enzymatic techniques confirmed that it was DNA. We were able to amplify the 16S rRNA gene from the extracellular DNA. Restriction endonuclease cleavage and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of extracellular and genomic DNAs revealed major similarities, but also some differences in both sequences. Our data demonstrate a new function and relevance for extracellular DNA.

Bacteria↗

Localization of nuclear retained mRNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a common conditional phenotype associated with deletion or mutation of genes encoding mRNA export factors is the rapid accumulation of mRNAs in intranuclear foci, suggested to be near transcription sites. The nuclear RNA exosome has been implicated in retaining RNAs in these foci; on deletion of the exosome component Rrp6p, the RNA is released. To determine the exact nuclear location of retained as well as released mRNAs, we have used mRNA export mutant strains to analyze the spatial relationship between newly synthesized heat shock mRNA, the chromosomal site of transcription, and known S. cerevisiae nuclear structures such as the nucleolus and the nucleolar body. Our results show that retained SSA4 RNA localizes to an area in close proximity to the SSA4 locus. On deletion of Rrp6p and release from the genomic locus, heat shock mRNAs produced in the rat7-1 strain colocalize predominantly with nucleolar antigens. Bulk poly(A)(+) RNA, on the other hand, is localized primarily to the nuclear rim. Interestingly, the RNA binding nucleocytoplasmic shuttle protein Npl3p shows strong colocalization with bulk poly(A)(+) RNA, regardless of its nuclear location. Taken together, our data show that retention occurs close to the gene and indicate distinct nuclear fates of different mRNAs.

Cell Nucleus↗