Project description:The aim of the study was to investigate whether the trefoil peptide genes, in concerted action with a miRNA regulatory network, were contributing to nutritional maintrenance. Using a Tff3 knock-out mouse model, 21 specific miRNAs were noted to be significantly deregulated when compared to the wild type strain.
Project description:The aim of the study was to investigate whether the trefoil peptide genes, in concerted action with a miRNA regulatory network, were contributing to nutritional maintrenance. Using a Tff2 knock-out mouse model, 48 specific miRNAs were noted to be significantly deregulated when compared to the wild type strain.
Project description:The aim of the study was to investigate whether the trefoil peptide genes, in concerted action with a miRNA regulatory network, were contributing to nutritional maintrenance. Using a Tff3 knock-out mouse model, 21 specific miRNAs were noted to be significantly deregulated when compared to the wild type strain. n = 6 mus musculus wild type samples and n = 6 knock-down experiments have been screened for a currently known mus musculus miRNAs and validated by TaqMan
Project description:The aim of the study was to investigate whether the trefoil peptide genes, in concerted action with a miRNA regulatory network, were contributing to nutritional maintrenance. Using a Tff2 knock-out mouse model, 48 specific miRNAs were noted to be significantly deregulated when compared to the wild type strain. n = 6 mus musculus wild type samples and n = 6 knock-down experiments have been screened for a currently known mus musculus miRNAs and validated by TaqMan
Project description:The transcription factor Foxp3 is indispensible for the differentiation and function of regulatory T cells (Treg cells). To gain insights into the molecular mechanisms of Foxp3 mediated gene expression we purified Foxp3 complexes and explored their composition. Biochemical and mass-spectrometric analyses revealed that Foxp3 forms multi-protein complexes of 400-800 kDa or larger and identified 361 associated proteins ~30% of which are transcription-related. Foxp3 directly regulates expression of a large proportion of the genes encoding its co-factors. Reciprocally, some transcription factor partners of Foxp3 facilitate its expression. Functional analysis of Foxp3 cooperation with one such partner, Gata3, provided further evidence for a network of transcriptional regulation afforded by Foxp3 and its associates to control distinct aspects of Treg cell biology. Gene expression profile of Treg specific knock-out of Gata3 vs. their littermate controls were analyzed to gain insight into Gata3 dependendent genes in Treg cells. Treg cells (CD4+CD25+YFP+) sorted from Gata3F/FFoxp3YFP-Cre and Gata3F/+Foxp3YFP-Cre mice (three mice in each group) followed by microarray analyses.
Project description:The transcription factor Foxp3 is indispensible for the differentiation and function of regulatory T cells (Treg cells). To gain insights into the molecular mechanisms of Foxp3 mediated gene expression we purified Foxp3 complexes and explored their composition. Biochemical and mass-spectrometric analyses revealed that Foxp3 forms multi-protein complexes of 400-800 kDa or larger and identified 361 associated proteins ~30% of which are transcription-related. Foxp3 directly regulates expression of a large proportion of the genes encoding its co-factors. Reciprocally, some transcription factor partners of Foxp3 facilitate its expression. Functional analysis of Foxp3 cooperation with one such partner, Gata3, provided further evidence for a network of transcriptional regulation afforded by Foxp3 and its associates to control distinct aspects of Treg cell biology. Gene expression profile of Treg specific knock-out of Gata3 vs. their littermate controls were analyzed to gain insight into Gata3 dependendent genes in Treg cells.
Project description:Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles-including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.
Project description:Translational research is commonly performed in the C57B6/J mouse strain, chosen for its genetic homogeneity and phenotypic uniformity. Here, we evaluate the suitability of the white-footed deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) as a model organism for aging research, offering a comparative analysis against C57B6/J and diversity outbred (DO) Mus musculus strains. Our study includes comparisons of body composition, skeletal muscle function, and cardiovascular parameters, shedding light on potential applications and limitations of P. leucopus in aging studies. Notably, P. leucopus exhibits distinct body composition characteristics, emphasizing reduced muscle force exertion and a unique metabolism, particularly in fat mass. Cardiovascular assessments showed changes in arterial stiffness, challenging conventional assumptions and highlighting the need for a nuanced interpretation of aging-related phenotypes. Our study also highlights inherent challenges associated with maintaining and phenotyping P. leucopus cohorts. Behavioral considerations, including anxiety-induced responses during handling and phenotyping assessment, pose obstacles in acquiring meaningful data. Moreover, the unique anatomy of P. leucopus necessitates careful adaptation of protocols designed for Mus musculus. While showcasing potential benefits, further extensive analyses across broader age ranges and larger cohorts are necessary to establish the reliability of P. leucopus as a robust and translatable model for aging studies.