Project description:Circulating hemocytes in the hemolymph represent the backbone of innate immunity in bivalves. Hemocytes are also found in the extrapallial fluid (EPF), the space delimited between the shell and the mantle, which is the site of shell biomineralization. This study investigated the transcriptome, proteome, and function of hemocytes found in the EPF and hemolymph in the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria. Total and differential hemocyte counts were similar between EPF and hemolymph. Overexpressed genes in the EPF were found to have domains previously identified as being part of the biomineralization toolkit and involved in bivalve shell formation. Biomineralization related genes included chitin-metabolism genes, carbonic anhydrase, perlucin, and insoluble shell matrix protein genes. Overexpressed genes in the EPF encoded proteins present at higher abundances in the EPF proteome, specifically those related to shell formation such as carbonic anhydrase and insoluble shell matrix proteins. Genes coding for bicarbonate and ion transporters were also overexpressed, suggesting that EPF hemocytes are involved in regulating the availability of ions critical for biomineralization. Functional assays also showed that Ca2+ content of hemocytes in the EPF were significantly higher than those in hemolymph, supporting the idea that hemocytes serve as a source of Ca2+ during biomineralization. Overexpressed genes and proteins also contained domains such as C1q that have dual functions in biomineralization and immune response. The percent of phagocytic granulocytes was not significantly different between EPF and hemolymph. Together, these findings suggest that hemocytes in EPF have dual functions of biomineralization and immunity.
Project description:To elucidate the modulatory participation of miRNAs in mollusk biomineralization, we have employed high-throughput sequencing to identify miRNAs of pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata. Our study focused on the miRNA expression profile of the mantle, an organ responsible for shell formation of the oyster. The pearl oysters were cultured in the tank with the maintaining conditions of temperature 19 ℃, PH 8.1 and salinity 33‰ in recirculating seawater.
Project description:Molluscan larval ontogeny is a highly conserved process typical of 3 principal developmental stages. A characteristic unique to each of these stages is shell design, termed prodissoconch I, prodissoconch II and dissoconch. These shells vary in morphology, mineralogy and microstructure. The discrete temporal transitions in shell biomineralization between these larval stages are utilized in this study to investigate transcriptional involvement in several distinct biomineralization events. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis of P. maxima larvae and juveniles collected throughout post-embryonic ontogenesis, document the mineralogy and microstructure of each shelled stage as well as establishing a timeline for transitions in biomineralization. P. maxima larval samples most representative of these biomineralization distinctions and transitions were analyzed for differential gene expression on the microarray platform PmaxArray 1.0. A number of transcripts are reported as differentially expressed in correlation to the mineralization events of P. maxima larval ontogeny. Some of those isolated are known shell matrix genes while others are novel, these are discussed in relation to potential shell formation roles. This interdisciplinary investigation has married the shell developments of P. maxima larval ontogeny with corresponding gene expression profiles, furthering the elucidation of shell biomineralization. Keywords: Temporal expression profiling by array
Project description:Permanent nerve damage caused by anesthesia is a rare but critical issue, and the mechanism of it remains unclear. Large-scale analysis of changes in noncoding RNA such as circRNA and microRNA in anesthesia-related nerve damage may provide insight into the mechanism of anesthesia-induced nerve injury.
Project description:The plasma levels of tissue-specific microRNAs can be used as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers for chronic and acute diseases. Thereby, the combination of diverse miRNAs into biomarker signatures using multivariate statistics seems especially powerful in view to tissue and condition specific miRNA shedding into the plasma. Although Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology enables to analyse circulating microRNAs on a genome-scale level, it suffers from potential biases (e.g. adapter ligation bias) and lacks absolute transcript quantitation. In order to develop a robust NGS discovery assay for genome-scale quantitation of circulating microRNAs we first evaluated the sensitivity, repeatability and ligation bias of four commercially available small RNA library preparation protocols. The protocol from RealSeq Biosciences was selected based on its performance and usability, and coupled with a novel panel of exogenous small RNA spike-in controls to enable absolute quantitation and ensure comparability of data across independent NGS experiments. The established MicroRNA Next-Generation-Sequencing Discovery Assay (miND) was validated for its relative accuracy, precision, analytical measurement range and sequencing bias and was considered fit-for-purpose for microRNA biomarker discovery. Summarized, all these criteria were met and thus our analytical platform is considered fit-for-purpose for microRNA biomarker discovery from plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), synovial fluid (SF), or extracellular vesicles (EV) extracted from cell culture medium in the setting of any diagnostic, prognostic or patient stratification need.
Project description:Bivalves are well known sentinel organism in the detection of environmental pollutants. Bioaccumulation of these contaminants in bivalves often manifests as specific alterations of their biological processes, which are used as biomarkers for environmental pollution. Tributyltin (TBT) is one such pollutant previously used as a biocide in marine antifouling paints, it now causes a number deleterious effects in bivalves leaching out of sediments in marine ecosystems. One effect extensively documented is shell abnormalities, including shell thickening and chambering. Changes in amino acid compositions of the shell matrix are associated with these deformations suggesting that TBT mode of action influences the biological control of shell biomineralization. This environmental toxicants effect on shell biomineralization was analyzed in this investigation at a transcriptional level in order to elucidate the normal shell biomineralization process. P. maxima animals were exposed to TBT in laboratory conditions and a concentration range for chronic and acute toxicity has been established. Animals exposed to chronic concentrations were analyzed for differential gene expression using PmaxArray 1.0 microarray platform and compared against control animals. Genes indentified as differentially expressed in association with TBT exposure included up-regulation of immunity and detoxification related genes and down-regulation of several shell matrix genes. A number of novel transcripts were additionally identified. The potential actions of these genes are discussed with reference to TBT toxicity and shell biomineralization. This investigation has used a microarray to determine transcriptional effects of TBT on P. maxima and proposed the involvement of novel components in shell formation, aiding the elucidation of the process. Keywords: Expression profiling by array, stress response
Project description:Using the highly sensitive miRNA array, we determined the serum miRNAs profiles of 10 non-smokers, 10 smokers and 10 lung cancer patients by miRCURY LNA™ microRNA Arrays. Differential expressed miRNAs were further validated in a larger scale samples. We found that let-7i-3p and miR-154-5p were significantly downregulation in serum of smokers and lung cancer patients. The serum level of let-7i-3p and miR-154-5p is associated with smoking and smoking-related lung cancer.
Project description:Differentiation of CD4+T-cells into effector subsets is a critical component of the adaptive immune system and an incorrect response can lead to autoimmunity or immune deficiency. Cellular differentiation including T-cell differentiation is accompanied by large-scale transcriptional changes, including expression of microRNAs involved in suppressing mRNA expression. We combined time-series microRNA and mRNA expression to construct a CD4+T-cell microRNA/mRNA regulatory network and identified 25 subnetworks (modules) which were associated with multiple T-cell related diseases. This dataset was designed to assess how microRNA expression changes over time during human CD4+T-cell differentiation and used to construct a microRNA/mRNA regulatory network. Matching mRNA expression profiling is available in E-GEOD-60678.
Project description:Nacre, the iridescent material found in pearls and shells of molluscs, is formed through an extraordinary process of matrix-assisted biomineralization. Despite recent advances, many parts of the biomineralization process and its evolutionary origin remain a mystery. The pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii is a well-known master of biomineralization, but the molecular mechanisms underlie its production of remarkable shells and pearls is not fully understood. We sequenced the highly polymorphic genome of the pearl oyster and conducted multi-omic and biochemical studies to probe nacre formation. We identified a large set of novel proteins participating in matrix-framework formation, many in expanded families, including components similar to that found in vertebrate bones such as collagen-related VWA-containing proteins (VWAP), chondroitin sulfotransferases and regulatory elements.Considering that there are only collagen-based matrices in vertebrate bones and chitin-based matrices in most invertebrate skeletons, the presence of both chitin and elements of collagen-based matrices in nacre matrices suggests that elements of chitin- and collagen-based matrices are deeply rooted and might be part of an ancient biomineralizing matrix. Our results expand the current shell matrix-framework model and provide new insights into the evolution of diverse biomineralization systems.