Project description:Diversity of cortical radial glia cells (RGCs) and their complex relationships to generate neurons in species with expanded germinal zones and a folded cortex, remains unclear. We used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of microdissected cortical germinal layers (ventricular zone (VZ) and outer subventricular zone (OSVZ)), from two cortical regions (splenial gyrus (SG) and neighboring lateral sulcus (LS)) at two critical time points for ferret cortex development (embryonic day (E) 34 and postnatal day (P) 1) to distinguish the molecular diversity of progenitors and newborn neurons, and study their transcriptomic trajectories.
Project description:Groundwater-derived microorganisms are known to play an important role in biogeochemical C, S and N cycling. Thereby, the presence and majorly the activity of microorganisms in aquifers affect enormously the nutrient cycling. However, the diversity and their functional capability in natural aquifers are still rare and therefore a better knowledge of the core microbial communities is urgently needed. Metaproteome analysis was applied to characterize the repertoire of microbes in the depth and to identify the key drivers of major biogeochemical processes. Therefore, 1000 L water from the aquifer was sampled by filtration on 0.3 µm glass filters. After protein extraction, proteolytic cleavage and mass spectrometric analysis (Ultimate 3000 nanoRSLC coupled to Q Exactive HF instrument), 3808 protein groups (2371 proteins with ≥2 peptides) were identified from 13,204 peptides. The findings of our study have broad implications for the understanding of aquifer cycling’s which finally leads to a greatly improved understanding of the ecosystem services provided by the microbial communities present in aquifers. In the future, functional results would allow to monitor and to assess pollution effects which would beneficially assist groundwater resource management.
2016-12-23 | PXD004351 | Pride
Project description:Fungal diversity in response to root-zone restricted grapevines
Project description:Lysine acetylation is critical in regulating important biological processes in many organisms, yet little is known about acetylome evolution and its contribution to phenotypic diversity. Here, we compare the acetylomes of baker’s yeast and the three deadliest human fungal pathogens, Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus fumigatus. Using mass spectrometry enriched for acetylated peptides together with public data from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we show that fungal acetylomes are characterized by dramatic evolutionary dynamics and limited conservation in core biological processes. Notably, the levels of protein acetylation in pathogenic fungi correlate with their pathogenicity. Using gene knockouts and pathogenity assays in mice, we identify deacetylases with critical roles in virulence and protein translation elongation. Finally, through mutational analysis of deactylation motifs we find evidence of positive selection at specific acetylation motifs in fungal pathogens. These results shed new light on the pathogenicity regulation mechanisms underlying the evolution of fungal acetylomes.
Project description:<p>Understanding biogeochemical conversions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquifers is paramount for the effective management of groundwater supplies. On its passage through the critical zone, DOM is subject to biogeochemical conversions and therefore carries cross-habitat information useful for monitoring and predicting the stability of groundwater ecosystem services. Groundwater metabolomics assesses this information. However, challenges arise from insufficient knowledge on groundwater metabolite composition and dynamics, and the necessity to maintain analytical conditions for long-term monitoring. We explored fractured sedimentary bedrock by 5-year untargeted metabolomics monitoring for oxic perched and anoxic phreatic sites along a hillslope recharge area, to evaluate DOM as groundwater tracer. Dimension reduction by principal component analysis revealed that metabolome dissimilarities between distant wells coincide with transient cross-stratal flow indicated by groundwater levels and environmental tracers. The metabolome was highly variable lacking seasonal patterns, and did not segregate by geographic location of sampling wells thus ruling out surface vegetation or (agricultura) land use as driving factor. The metabolome time series provide detailed insights into subsurface responses to recharge dynamics. Metabolomics monitoring provides information on groundwater flows, and allows concluding about below ground ecology and water quality evolution, required to understand the impact of interannual wet-dry cycles.</p>