Project description:Comparison of pre and post metamorphis phases of cane toad Keywords: Developmental Stages Samples were harvested at 9, 18, 28 (pre-metamorph), 30 and 53 (post-metamorph) days of age and RNA extracted using Trizol Reagent (Invitrogen). Total RNA (100 mg) was reverse transcribed (Qiagen) and labelled cDNA probes were generated using the fluorophores, Cy3 and Cy5 (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). Prehybridization of slides, application of the probe to the microarray slides, hybridisation, and subsequent washing steps were performed according to manufacturer's instructions (Corning Microarray Technology). Slides were scanned and analysed with a GenePix 4000B laser scanner and GenePix 3.0 and 4.0 software (Axon Instruments).
Project description:Purpose: To report a singular case of cataract caused by toad venom inoculation and to scrutinize the pathological mechanisms through proteomic sequencing of the lens specimen. Methods: A young Chinese male presented with progressively deteriorating vision in his right eye subsequent to a history of toad venom inoculation. He was diagnosed with a toxic cataract, and underwent phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Anterior capsule, nucleus, and cortex specimens from the patient (designated as PT_CAP, PT_PHACO, and PT_CTX, respectively) and age-related cataract controls (C_CAP, C_PHACO, and C_CTX, respectively) were collected and subjected to 4D label-free quantitative proteomics. Results: A multitude of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in the patient's lens compared to those in the controls. Specifically, a total of 204 DEPs were identified in PT_CAP compared to C_CAP, with MYH6, MYL2, MYL3, STAT1, and ANK1 among the foremost regulated DEPs. The DEPs of PT_CAP were principally affiliated with functions including "transportation of small molecules", "regulation of metal ion transport", and "import into cell". A sum of 109 DEPs were delineated in PT_CTX compared to C_CTX, with TPM1 among the top-10 downregulated DEPs. Ninety-five DEPs were pinpointed in PT_PHACO compared to C_PHACO, with hexokinase among the top 10 downregulated DEPs. These proteins were ascertained to be linked with Na+/K+-ATPase activity. Conclusion: This study introduced the first documented case of toxic cataract caused by toad venom inoculation. Proteomic sequencing indicated a correlation between cataract and alterations in Na+/K+-ATPase activity, providing insights for the clinical management of ocular toad venom inoculation in subsequent cases.
Project description:A ranavirus associated with mass mortalities in wild water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) and other amphibians in the Netherlands since 2010 was isolated, and its complete genome sequence was determined. The virus has a genome of 107,772 bp and shows 96.5% sequence identity with the common midwife toad virus from Spain.
Project description:Differential expression was determined in Calu-3 cells between mock infected and infected with H1N1 influenza virus A/Netherlands/602/2009 at nine time points post-infection. As a comparison, cells were also infected with A/CA/04/2009 H1N1 influenza virus at 4 time points post-infection.
Project description:Boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) of the Southern Rocky Mountain population are declining due to the introduction of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Boreal toads in Colorado are generally susceptible to Bd infection, but some Bd-tolerant populations persist in parts of the Southern Rocky Mountain and broader Eastern boreal toad population. We conducted a Bd challenge with lab-reared sibling toads from Bd-susceptible Colorado and purportedly Bd-tolerant Utah populations and report on transcriptomic responses to Bd during late infection in skin and liver tissue. Fewer immune genes were expressed in response to Bd in Colorado toads, but with greater upregulation compared to Utah toads, indicating a dysregulated immune response. Signatures of Bd-tolerance in Utah toads included more moderate upregulation in immune gene expression and a significantly enriched suite of gene functions related to innate and adaptive immune responses. Our transcriptomic results support the notion that Utah toads are tolerant to Bd, rather than resistant, carrying Bd loads similar to Colorado yet having a unique transcriptomic profile and presenting minimal clinical signs of chytridiomycosis. We conclude that closely related populations have divergent transcriptomic responses to Bd with a dysregulated immune response in Bd-susceptible toads.