Project description:Purpose:To uncover the related mechanisms underlie virulence attenuation of Brucella canis MucR mutant strain. Methods:Three Brucella canis RM6/66 strains and three Brucella canis ΔmucR strains were grown in TSB at 37℃ until the log phase was reached, total RNA was isolated using the TRIzol according to the manufacturer’s instructions.The sequencing library of each RNA sample was prepared by using NEB Next Ultra Directional RNA Library Prep Kit for Illumina as recommended by the manufacturer. An Illumina platform was used to perform the transcriptome sequencing. Results: The results revealed that expressions of 694 genes were significantly different between RM6/66 and ΔmucR. Data analysis showed that in the COG term, the different expressed genes involved in translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis, signal transduction mechanisms, energy production and conversion, intracellular trafficking, secretion, and vesicular transport, and extracellular structures were significantly affected. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the genes involved in ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and protein export were significantly enriched.
Project description:Toxocariasis is an important, neglected zoonosis caused mainly by Toxocara canis. Although our knowledge of helminth molecular biology is improving through completed draft genome projects, there is limited detailed information on the molecular biology of Toxocara species. Here, transcriptomic sequencing of male and female adult T. canis and comparative analyses were conducted. For each sex, two-thirds (66-67%) of quality-filtered reads mapped to the gene set of T. canis, and at least five reads mapped to each of 16,196 (87.1%) of all 18,596 genes, and 321 genes were specifically transcribed in female and 1467 in male T. canis. Genes differentially transcribed between the two sexes were identified, enriched biological processes and pathways linked to these genes established, and molecules associated with reproduction and development predicted. In addition, small RNA pathways involved in reproduction were characterized, but there was no evidence for piwi RNA pathways in adult T. canis. The results of this transcriptomic study should provide a useful basis to support investigations of the reproductive biology of T. canis and related nematodes.
Project description:Pneumocystis pneumonia is the most common serious opportunistic infection in patients with HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, Pneumocystis pneumonia is a feared complication of the immunosuppressive drug regimens used to treat autoimmunity, malignancy, and post-transplantation rejection. With an increasing at-risk population, there is a strong need for novel approaches to discover diagnostic and vaccine targets. There are multiple challenges to finding these targets, however. First, Pneumocystis has a largely unannotated genome. To address this, we evaluated each protein encoded within the Pneumocystis genome to that of other fungi using NCBI Blast. Second, Pneumocystis relies on a multiphasic life cycle, as both the transmissible form, the ascus, and the replicative form, the troph, reside within the alveolar space of the host. Towards that end, we purified asci and trophs from Pneumocystis murina and utilized transcriptomics to identify differentially regulated genes. Two such genes, Arp9 and Sp, are differentially regulated in the ascus and the troph, respectively, and can be utilized to characterize the state of the Pneumocystis life cycle in vivo. Gsc1, a β-1,3-glucan synthase with a large extracellular domain previously identified using surface proteomics, was more highly expressed on the ascus form of Pneumocystis. GSC-1 ectodomain immunization generated a strong antibody response capable of recognizing the surface of the Pneumocystis asci. GSC-1 ectodomain immunization was also capable of reducing ascus burden following primary challenge with Pneumocystis murina. Finally, mice immunized with the GSC-1 ectodomain had limited burden following natural transmission of Pneumocystis using a co-housing model. Pneumocystis asci and trophs were separated via flow cytometry and the transcriptome was sequenced, allowing to further understand the differential expression of various RNA transcripts. These data can be mined for life-form specific diagnostics and therapeutic targets.