Project description:Long-read RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a powerful technology for transcriptome analysis, but the relatively low throughput of current long-read sequencing platforms limits transcript coverage. We present TEQUILA-seq, a versatile, easy-to-implement, and low-cost method for targeted long-read RNA-seq. TEQUILA-seq can be broadly used for targeted sequencing of full-length transcripts in diverse biomedical research settings.
Project description:We performed targeted long-read and short-read RNA sequencing to identify and quantify NRXN1 isoforms in human post-mortem dlPFC and hiPSC-neurons derived from controls and NRXN1+/- individuals.
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs.
Project description:Single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) was used to profile the transcriptome of 16,015 nuclei in human adult testis. This dataset includes five samples from two different individuals. This dataset is part of a larger evolutionary study of adult testis at the single-nucleus level (97,521 single-nuclei in total) across mammals including 10 representatives of the three main mammalian lineages: human, chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, gibbon, rhesus macaque, marmoset, mouse (placental mammals); grey short-tailed opossum (marsupials); and platypus (egg-laying monotremes). Corresponding data were generated for a bird (red junglefowl, the progenitor of domestic chicken), to be used as an evolutionary outgroup.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells comparing normoxic MSCs cells with hypoxic MSCs cells. Hypoxia may inhibit senescence of MSCs during expansion. Goal was to determine the effects of hypoxia on global MSCs gene expression.
Project description:Kynureninase is a member of a large family of catalytically diverse but structurally homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes known as the aspartate aminotransferase superfamily or alpha-family. The Homo sapiens and other eukaryotic constitutive kynureninases preferentially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine to produce 3-hydroxyanthranilate and l-alanine, while l-kynurenine is the substrate of many prokaryotic inducible kynureninases. The human enzyme was cloned with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag, expressed, and purified from a bacterial expression system using Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Kinetic characterization of the recombinant enzyme reveals classic Michaelis-Menten behavior, with a Km of 28.3 +/- 1.9 microM and a specific activity of 1.75 micromol min-1 mg-1 for 3-hydroxy-dl-kynurenine. Crystals of recombinant kynureninase that diffracted to 2.0 A were obtained, and the atomic structure of the PLP-bound holoenzyme was determined by molecular replacement using the Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase structure (PDB entry 1qz9) as the phasing model. A structural superposition with the P. fluorescens kynureninase revealed that these two structures resemble the "open" and "closed" conformations of aspartate aminotransferase. The comparison illustrates the dynamic nature of these proteins' small domains and reveals a role for Arg-434 similar to its role in other AAT alpha-family members. Docking of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine into the human kynureninase active site suggests that Asn-333 and His-102 are involved in substrate binding and molecular discrimination between inducible and constitutive kynureninase substrates.
Project description:Adenovirus is a common human pathogen that relies on host cell processes for transcription and processing of viral RNA and protein production. Although adenoviral promoters, splice junctions, and cleavage and polyadenylation sites have been characterized using low-throughput biochemical techniques or short read cDNA-based sequencing, these technologies do not fully capture the complexity of the adenoviral transcriptome. By combining Illumina short-read and nanopore long-read direct RNA sequencing approaches, we mapped transcription start sites and cleavage and polyadenylation sites across the adenovirus genome. In addition to confirming the known canonical viral early and late RNA cassettes, our analysis of splice junctions within long RNA reads revealed an additional 35 novel viral transcripts. These RNAs include fourteen new splice junctions which lead to expression of canonical open reading frames (ORF), six novel ORF-containing transcripts, and fifteen transcripts encoding for messages that potentially alter protein functions through truncations or fusion of canonical ORFs. In addition, we also detect RNAs that bypass canonical cleavage sites and generate potential chimeric proteins by linking separate gene transcription units. Of these, an evolutionary conserved protein was detected containing the N-terminus of E4orf6 fused to the downstream DBP/E2A ORF. Loss of this novel protein, E4orf6/DBP, was associated with aberrant viral replication center morphology and poor viral spread. Our work highlights how long-read sequencing technologies can reveal further complexity within viral transcriptomes.
Project description:We performed targeted long-read and short-read RNA sequencing to identify and quantify NRXN1 isoforms in human post-mortem dlPFC and hiPSC-neurons derived from controls and NRXN1+/- individuals. We also performed whole transcriptome RNA seuqencing and 10x genomics single cell sequencing to determine transcriptional changes in NRXN1+/- hiPSC-neurons compared to controls.