Project description:a comparison of brain gene expression patterns between several species pairs of domesticated and wild animals. Each pair consists of 5-6 wild and domesticated animals.
Project description:Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes are associated with phenotypes and disease. To understand how mtDNA haplotypes induce these characteristics, we used four embryonic stem cell lines that have the same set of chromosomes but possess different mtDNA haplotypes. We show that mtDNA haplotypes influence changes in chromosomal gene expression and affinity for nuclear-encoded mtDNA replication factors to modulate mtDNA copy number, two events that act synchronously during differentiation. Global DNA methylation analysis showed that each haplotype induces distinct DNA methylation patterns, which, when modulated by DNA demethylation agents resulted in skewed gene expression patterns that highlight the effectiveness of the new DNA methylation patterns established by each haplotype. The haplotypes differentially regulate α-ketoglutarate, a metabolite from the TCA cycle that modulates the TET family of proteins, which catalyse the transition from 5-methylcytosine (DNA methylation) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (DNA demethylation). Our outcomes show a direct link between mtDNA haplotypes and DNA methylation profiles.
Project description:Hybrid sturgeon, an ancient fish, has great economic and nutritional value as a source of caviar. Although significant differences exist in the female reproductive capacity under artificial breeding conditions, differential gene expression associated to domesticated female reproductive capacity have never been investigated. In this study, we conducted reference genome-based transcriptome sequencing of 16 individuals from high-yield (H) and low-yield (L) populations, respectively.
Project description:Domesticated animals share a unique set of morphological and behavioural traits, jointly referred to as the domesticated phenotype. These include modified growth, reproduction, metabolism, pubertal development and stress response. Striking similarities amongst a range of unrelated domesticated species suggest that similar regulatory mechanisms may underlie the domesticated phenotype. Several previous studies have focused on the brain to find mechanisms underlying domestication effects on the stress response, whereas the potential role of the pituitary gland as a target of domestication is highly overlooked. Here, we study gene expression in the pituitary gland of the domesticated White Leghorn chicken and its ancestor, the Red Junglefowl. We exposed chicken of both breeds to 15 minutes of restraint stress. We then culled the animals and dissected out the pituitary gland and snap froze them. RNA was later extracted from the pituitaries and gene expression was measured using Agilent microarray.
Project description:Environmental isolates of Vibrio cholerae from California coastal water compared to reference strain N16961. A genotyping experiment design type classifies an individual or group of individuals on the basis of alleles, haplotypes, SNP's. Keywords: genotyping_design; array CGH
Project description:Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a prominent role in signal transduction and cellular homeostasis in plants. However, imbalances between generation and elimination of ROS can give rise to oxidative stress in growing cells. Because ROS are important to cell growth, ROS modulation could be responsive to natural or human-mediated selection pressure in plants. To study the evolution of oxidative stress related genes in a single plant cell, we conducted comparative expression profiling analyses of the elongated seed trichomes (‘‘fibers’’) of cotton (Gossypium), using a phylogenetic approach. We measured expression changes during diploid progenitor species divergence, allopolyploid formation and parallel domestication of diploid and allopolyploid species, using a microarray platform that interrogates 42,429 unigenes. The distribution of differentially expressed genes in progenitor diploid species revealed significant up-regulation of ROS scavenging and potential signaling processes in domesticated G. arboreum. Similarly, in two independently domesticated allopolyploid species (G. barbadense and G. hirsutum) antioxidant genes were substantially up-regulated in comparison to antecedent wild forms. In contrast, analyses of three wild allopolyploid species indicate that genomic merger and ancient allopolyploid formation had no significant influences on regulation of ROS related genes. Remarkably, many of the ROS-related processes diagnosed as possible targets of selection were shared among diploid and allopolyploid cultigens, but involved different sets of antioxidant genes. Our data suggests that parallel human selection for enhanced fiber growth in several geographically widely dispersed species of domesticated cotton resulted in similar and overlapping metabolic transformations of the manner in which cellular redox levels have become modulated. We measured expression changes during diploid progenitor species divergence, allopolyploid formation and parallel domestication of diploid and allopolyploid species, using a microarray platform that interrogates 42,429 unigenes. The distribution of differentially expressed genes was studied for domesticated G. arboreum and two independently domesticated allopolyploid species (G. barbadense and G. hirsutum). These were compared to three wild allopolyploid species. Three biological replicates were performed.