Project description:In the search for renewable sources of energy, bioethanol stands out as a benchmark biofuel because its production is based on a proven technological platform. Bioethanol is produced mainly from the fermentation of carbohydrates derived from agricultural feedstocks by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. One of the most widely adopted strains is PE-2, a heterothallic diploid naturally adapted to the sugar cane fermentation process used in Brazil. Here we report the molecular genetic analysis of a PE-2 derived diploid (JAY270), and the complete genome sequence of a haploid derivative (JAY291). The JAY270 genome is highly heterozygous (~2 SNPs per kilobase), and has several structural polymorphisms between homologous chromosomes. These chromosomal rearrangements are confined to the peripheral regions of the chromosomes, and appear to reflect ectopic homologous recombination between repetitive DNA sequences. Despite the complex karyotype of JAY270, this diploid, when sporulated, had a high frequency of viable spores (~93%). Crosses of haploids derived from JAY270 to a haploid of the unrelated laboratory strain S288c also resulted in diploids that had good spore viability (75-95%). Thus, the rearrangements that exist near the ends of chromosomes do not impair meiosis and spore viability, as they do not span regions that contain essential genes. This observation is consistent with a model in which the peripheral regions of chromosomes represent plastic domains of the genome that are free to recombine ectopically and experiment with alternative structures that may be associated with a fitness benefit. We also explore features of the JAY270 and JAY291 genomes that help explain their high adaptation to industrial environments, exhibiting desirable phenotypes such as high cell mass production and fermentation kinetics, high temperature growth and oxidative stress tolerance. The genomic manipulation of such strains could enable the creation a new generation of industrial organisms, ideally suited for use as delivery vehicles for future bioenergy technologies.

Project description:In the search for renewable sources of energy, bioethanol stands out as a benchmark biofuel because its production is based on a proven technological platform. Bioethanol is produced mainly from the fermentation of carbohydrates derived from agricultural feedstocks by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. One of the most widely adopted strains is PE-2, a heterothallic diploid naturally adapted to the sugar cane fermentation process used in Brazil. Here we report the molecular genetic analysis of a PE-2 derived diploid (JAY270), and the complete genome sequence of a haploid derivative (JAY291). The JAY270 genome is highly heterozygous (~2 SNPs per kilobase), and has several structural polymorphisms between homologous chromosomes. These chromosomal rearrangements are confined to the peripheral regions of the chromosomes, and appear to reflect ectopic homologous recombination between repetitive DNA sequences. Despite the complex karyotype of JAY270, this diploid, when sporulated, had a high frequency of viable spores (~93%). Crosses of haploids derived from JAY270 to a haploid of the unrelated laboratory strain S288c also resulted in diploids that had good spore viability (75-95%). Thus, the rearrangements that exist near the ends of chromosomes do not impair meiosis and spore viability, as they do not span regions that contain essential genes. This observation is consistent with a model in which the peripheral regions of chromosomes represent plastic domains of the genome that are free to recombine ectopically and experiment with alternative structures that may be associated with a fitness benefit. We also explore features of the JAY270 and JAY291 genomes that help explain their high adaptation to industrial environments, exhibiting desirable phenotypes such as high cell mass production and fermentation kinetics, high temperature growth and oxidative stress tolerance. The genomic manipulation of such strains could enable the creation a new generation of industrial organisms, ideally suited for use as delivery vehicles for future bioenergy technologies. This microarray experiment was used to compare the relative gene expression levels between two unrelated S. cerevisiae strain backgrounds: JAY270 and JAY309. Total RNA from each strain was prepared and used to synthesize differentially labeled cDNAs (Cy5 and C3 respectively). A positive Log2 (Red/Green) ratio indicates transcripts more abundant in JAY270, while a negative Log2 (Red/Green) ration indicates transcripts more abundant in JAY309.

Project description:Stimulus predictability can lead to substantial modulations of brain activity, such as shifts in sustained magnetic field amplitude, measured with magnetoencephalography (MEG). Here, we provide a mechanistic explanation of these effects using MEG data acquired from healthy human volunteers (N = 13, 7 female). In a source-level analysis of induced responses, we established the effects of orthogonal predictability manipulations of rapid tone-pip sequences (namely, sequence regularity and alphabet size) along the auditory processing stream. In auditory cortex, regular sequences with smaller alphabets induced greater gamma activity. Furthermore, sequence regularity shifted induced activity in frontal regions toward higher frequencies. To model these effects in terms of the underlying neurophysiology, we used dynamic causal modeling for cross-spectral density and estimated slow fluctuations in neural (postsynaptic) gain. Using the model-based parameters, we accurately explain the sensor-level sustained field amplitude, demonstrating that slow changes in synaptic efficacy, combined with sustained sensory input, can result in profound and sustained effects on neural responses to predictable sensory streams.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Brain activity can be strongly modulated by the predictability of stimuli it is currently processing. An example of such a modulation is a shift in sustained magnetic field amplitude, measured with magnetoencephalography. Here, we provide a mechanistic explanation of these effects. First, we establish the oscillatory neural correlates of independent predictability manipulations in hierarchically distinct areas of the auditory processing stream. Next, we use a biophysically realistic computational model to explain these effects in terms of the underlying neurophysiology. Finally, using the model-based parameters describing neural gain modulation, we can explain the previously unexplained effects observed at the sensor level. This demonstrates that slow modulations of synaptic gain can result in profound and sustained effects on neural activity.

Project description:While the misuse of antibiotics has clearly contributed to the emergence and proliferation of resistant bacterial pathogens, with major health consequences, it remains less clear if the widespread use of disinfectants, such as benzalkonium chlorides (BAC), a different class of biocides than antibiotics, has contributed to this problem. Here, we provide evidence that exposure to BAC coselects for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and describe the underlying genetic mechanisms. After inoculation with river sediment, BAC-fed bioreactors selected for several bacterial taxa, including the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, that were more resistant to several antibiotics than their counterparts in a control (no BAC) bioreactor. A metagenomic analysis of the bioreactor microbial communities, confirmed by gene cloning experiments with the derived isolates, suggested that integrative and conjugative elements encoding a BAC efflux pump together with antibiotic resistance genes were responsible for these results. Furthermore, the exposure of the P. aeruginosa isolates to increasing concentrations of BAC selected for mutations in pmrB (polymyxin resistance) and physiological adaptations that contributed to a higher tolerance to polymyxin B and other antibiotics. The physiological adaptations included the overexpression of mexCD-oprJ multidrug efflux pump genes when BAC was added in the growth medium at subinhibitory concentrations. Collectively, our results demonstrated that disinfectants promote antibiotic resistance via several mechanisms and highlight the need to remediate (degrade) disinfectants in nontarget environments to further restrain the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.IMPORTANCE Benzalkonium chlorides (BAC) are biocides broadly used in disinfectant solutions. Disinfectants are widely used in food processing lines, domestic households, and pharmaceutical products and are typically designed to have a different mode of action than antibiotics to avoid interfering with the use of the latter. Whether exposure to BAC makes bacteria more resistant to antibiotics remains an unresolved issue of obvious practical consequences for public health. Using an integrated approach that combines metagenomics of natural microbial communities with gene cloning experiments with isolates and experimental evolution assays, we show that the widely used benzalkonium chloride disinfectants promote clinically relevant antibiotic resistance. Therefore, more attention should be given to the usage of these disinfectants, and their fate in nontarget environments should be monitored more tightly.

Dataset Information

Competitive androgen receptor antagonism as a factor determining the predictability of cumulative antiandrogenic effects of widely used pesticides.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Competitive androgen receptor antagonism as a factor determining the predictability of cumulative antiandrogenic effects of widely used pesticides.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets