Project description:Triticum aestivum cultivars Scorpion 25 and Xi 19 were grown under both normal and hot/dry conditions. We compared the effect of these two growth conditions on these two closely related varieties. We sequenced two biological replicates each for both Scorpion 25 and Xi19 grown under normal conditions. One library for hot/dry growth conditions was sequenced for each of these two cultivars.
Project description:Triticum aestivum cultivars Scorpion 25 and Xi 19 were grown under both normal and hot/dry conditions. We compared the effect of these two growth conditions on these two closely related varieties.
Project description:Adult female three-spined stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) were exposed to 10 individual chemicals, 26 mixtures of these chemicals, or control conditions in a flow-through system for 4 days. Transcriptomics was performed on liver samples by microarray. The main aims were to determine molecular signatures induced by these chemicals in the three-spined stickleback, discover whether these persisted in chemical mixtures and identify non-additive molecular responses in chemical mixtures exposures.
Project description:Here we describe a genome-wide analysis of copy number variations (CNVs) in Chinese domestic cattle by using array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). We conducted array CGH analysis on 30 male cattle individuals, animals from consisting of 12 breeds of Bos taurus/Bos indicus, 1 Bos grunniens and and two ones of Bubalus bubalis breeds for with beef, and/or dairy or dual purpose. We identified over 470 candidate CNV regions (CNVRs) in Bos B. taurus/B. indicus; 118 candidate CNV regions (CNVRs) in B. grunniens, 139 CNVRs in B. bubalis. Furthermore, based on the Y haplotypes of B. taurus/ B. indicus, Wwe also identified 69, 337, and 251 candidate CNV regions (CNVRs) in the sub-groups of Y1, Y2 and Y3 haplotypes.
Project description:Vibrio species represent one of the most diverse genera of marine bacteria known for their ubiquitous presence in natural aquatic systems. Several members of this genus including Vibrio harveyi are receiving increasing attention lately because they are becoming a source of health problems, especially for some marine organisms widely used in sea food industry. To learn about adaptation changes triggered by V. harveyi during its long-term persistence at elevated temperatures, we studied adaptation of this marine bacterium in sea water microcosms at 30 oC that closely mimicks the upper limits of sea surface temperatures recorded around the globe.
Project description:The recent COVID-19 pandemic shows the critical need for novel broad spectrum antiviral agents. Scorpion venoms are known to contain highly bioactive peptides, several of which have demonstrated strong antiviral activity against a range of viruses. We have generated the first annotated reference transcriptome for the Androctonus amoreuxi venom gland and used high performance liquid chromatography, transcriptome mining, circular dichroism and mass spectrometric analysis to purify and characterize twelve previously undescribed venom peptides. Selected peptides were tested for binding to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and inhibition of the spike RBD – human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) interaction using surface plasmon resonance-based assays. Seven peptides showed dose-dependent inhibitory effects, albeit with IC50 in the high micromolar range (117–1202 μM). The most active peptide was synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis and tested for its antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 (Lineage B.1.1.7). On exposure to the synthetic peptide of a human lung cell line infected with replication-competent SARS-CoV-2, we observed an IC50 of 200 nM, which was nearly 600-fold lower than that observed in the RBD – hACE2 binding inhibition assay. Our results show that scorpion venom peptides can inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 replication although unlikely through inhibition of spike RBD – hACE2 interaction as the primary mode of action. Scorpion venom peptides represent excellent scaffolds for design of novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 constrained peptides. Future studies should fully explore their antiviral mode of action as well as the structural dynamics of inhibition of target virus-host interactions.
