Project description:To investigate the cellular basis of parental species bias at birdsong, we performed single nuclei RNA-seq for six zebra finch and owl finch F1 hybrid juvenile birds.
Project description:To investigate the cellular basis of parental species bias at birdsong, we performed single nuclei RNA-seq for six zebra finch and owl finch F1 hybrid juvenile birds.
Project description:DNA methylation is tightly linked with gene expression regulation and has long been regarded a stable epigenetic mark in postmitotic cells. However, it recently became clear that postnatal brains appear to show stimulus-induced de novo CpG methylation or active demethylation related to neuronal plasticity. Due to striking homologies between the brains of birds and mammals, songbirds, especially the zebra finch, propose an attractive model for investigating the genome-wide DNA methylation profile and DNA methylation reconfiguration during brain development. In order to obtain a first genome-wide compendium of genes under putative DNA methylation control, we performed MethyCap-seq experiments on two recently cultured zebra finch cell lines, G266 and ZFTMA, also upon AZA-induced demethylation. First, the MethylCap-seq methodology in zebra finch was validated by comparison with RRBS generated data. Subsequently, quantitative analysis identified 30,700 significantly demethylated loci upon AZA-treatment. Further examination revealed enrichment of these regions in exons and promoters. To assess the influence of methylation on gene expression, RNA-seq experiments were performed. Comparison of the RNA-seq and MethylCap-seq results showed that at least 357 of the 3,457 AZA-upregulated genes are putatively regulated by methylation in the promoter region, for which a pathway analysis showed obvious enrichment for neurological networks. The ZF exon-arrays analysis validated the RNA-seq expression result for 75% and 62%, of the down and up-regulated genes, respectively. A subset of genes was validated also using qPCR and CpG pyrosequencing. To our knowledge, this study provides the first genome-wide DNA methylation map of the zebra finch genome as well as a comprehensive set of genes of which transcription is under putative methylation control
Project description:We have conducted a Cross-Species Microarray analysis by hybridizing genomic DNA from the common whitethroat (Sylivia communis) on a newly developed Affymetrix costum array designed for the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), the Lund-zf array. We have also quality tested the Lund-zf array by hybridizing zebra finch genomic DNA to the platform.
Project description:The zebra finch is one of the most commonly studied songbirds in biology, particularly in genomics, neuroscience and vocal communication. However, this species lacks a robust cell line for molecular biology research and reagent optimization. We generated a cell line from zebra finch embryonic fibroblasts using the SV40 large and small T antigens, designated CFS414. This cell line demonstrates an improvement over previous songbird cell lines through continuous and density-independent growth, allowing for indefinite culture and monoclonal line derivation. Cytogenetic, genomic, and transcriptomic profiling established the provenance of this cell line and identified the expression of genes relevant to ongoing songbird research. This single-cell RNA sequencing experiment provided information on the gene expression landscape of the cell line, informing on its cell type, transcriptomic stability, and value to researchers utilizing the zebra finch as a model organism.
Project description:DNA methylation is tightly linked with gene expression regulation and has long been regarded a stable epigenetic mark in postmitotic cells. However, it recently became clear that postnatal brains appear to show stimulus-induced de novo CpG methylation or active demethylation related to neuronal plasticity. Due to striking homologies between the brains of birds and mammals, songbirds, especially the zebra finch, propose an attractive model for investigating the genome-wide DNA methylation profile and DNA methylation reconfiguration during brain development. In order to obtain a first genome-wide compendium of genes under putative DNA methylation control, we performed MethyCap-seq experiments on two recently cultured zebra finch cell lines, G266 and ZFTMA, also upon AZA-induced demethylation. First, the MethylCap-seq methodology in zebra finch was validated by comparison with RRBS generated data. Subsequently, quantitative analysis identified 30,700 significantly demethylated loci upon AZA-treatment. Further examination revealed enrichment of these regions in exons and promoters. To assess the influence of methylation on gene expression, RNA-seq experiments were performed. Comparison of the RNA-seq and MethylCap-seq results showed that at least 357 of the 3,457 AZA-upregulated genes are putatively regulated by methylation in the promoter region, for which a pathway analysis showed obvious enrichment for neurological networks. The ZF exon-arrays analysis validated the RNA-seq expression result for 75% and 62%, of the down and up-regulated genes, respectively. A subset of genes was validated also using qPCR and CpG pyrosequencing. To our knowledge, this study provides the first genome-wide DNA methylation map of the zebra finch genome as well as a comprehensive set of genes of which transcription is under putative methylation control Within the overall project, we performed a set of microarrays to validate RNAseq data (Series accession number GSE61060) . DMSO- and AZA-treated zebra finch cell lines, i.e. G266 and ZFTMA. ChipInspector carries out significance analysis on the single probe level. Normalized probe set level data not provided for individual Sample records. Processed data is available on Series record.
Project description:We applied single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate inter-species differences in germ cell development between chicken and zebra finch (Taeniopygia castanotis, formerly Taeniopygia guttata castanotis), a Neoaves songbird species and a common model of vocal learning.
Project description:We have performed a comparison of global patterns of gene expression between two bird species, the chicken and zebra finch, especially with regard to sex bias of autosomal vs. Z chromosome genes, dosage compensation and evolution of sex bias. Both species appear to lack a Z chromosome-wide mechanism of dosage compensation, because both have a similar pattern of significantly higher expression of Z genes in males relative to females. Unlike the chicken Z chromosome, which has female-specific expression of the non-coding RNA MHM (male hypermethylated), and acetylation of histone 4 lysine 16 (H4K16) near MHM, the zebra finch Z chromosome appears to lack the MHM sequence and acetylation of H4K16. The zebra finch also does not show the reduced male to female (M:F) ratio of gene expression near MHM similar to that found in the chicken. Although the M:F ratios of Z chromosome gene expression are similar across tissues and ages within each species, they differ between the two species. Z genes showing the greatest species difference in M:F ratio were concentrated near the MHM region of the chicken Z chromosome. The current study shows that the zebra finch differs from the chicken because it lacks a specialized region of greater dosage compensation along the Z chromosome, and shows dosage compensation for a different set of Z genes than the chicken. These patterns suggest that different avian taxa may have evolved specific compensatory mechanisms.