Project description:During cold acclimation plants increase their freezing tolerance in response to low non-freezing temperatures. This is accompanied by many physiological, biochemical and molecular changes that have been extensively investigated. In addition, many cold acclimated plants become more freezing tolerant during exposure to mild, non-damaging sub-zero temperatures. There is hardly any information available about the molecular basis of this adaptation. However, Arabidopsis thaliana is among the species that acclimate to sub-zero temperatures. This makes it possible to use the molecular and genetic tools available in this species to identify components of sub-zero signal transduction and acclimation. Here, we have used microarrays and a qRT-PCR primer platform covering 1880 genes encoding transcription factors to monitor changes in gene expression in the accessions Columbia-0, Rschew and Tenela during the first three days of sub-zero acclimation at -3°C. The results indicate that gene expression during sub-zero acclimation follows a tighly controlled time-course. Especially AP2/EREBP and WRKY transcription factors may be important regulators of sub-zero acclimation, although the CBF signal transduction pathway seems to be less important during sub-zero than during cold acclimation. Globally, we estimate that approximately 5% of all Arabidopsis genes are regulated during sub-zero acclimation. Particularly photosynthesis-related genes were down-regulated and genes belonging to the functional classes of cell wall biosynthesis, hormone metabolism and RNA regulation of transcription were up-regulated. Collectively, these data provide the first global analysis of gene expression during sub-zero acclimation and allow the identification of candidate genes for forward and reverse genetic studies into the molecular mechanisms of sub-zero acclimation. We used whole genome microarrays to monitor changes in gene expression in the Arabidopsis thaliana accessions Columbia-0, Rschew and Tenela during three days of acclimation to sub-zero temperature at -3°C after cold acclimation
Project description:This paper describes the molecular and physiological adaptations of Lactococcus lactis during the transition from a growing to a near-zero growth state using carbon-limited retentostat cultivation. Metabolic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that metabolic patterns shifted between homolactic and mixed-acid fermentation during the retentostat cultivation, which appeared to be controlled at the transcription level of the corresponding pyruvate-dissipation enzyme pathway encoding genes. Furthermore, during extended retentostat cultivation, cells continued to consume several amino acids, but also produced specific amino acids subsets, which may derive from the conversion of glycolytic intermediates. Under conditions of extremely low carbon availability, carbon catabolite repression was progressively relieved and alternative catabolic functions were found to be highly up-regulated, which was confirmed by enhanced initial acidification rates on various sugar substrates in cells obtained from near-zero growth cultures. Moreover, the expression of genes involved in multiple stress response mechanisms was gradually induced during extended retentostat cultivation, supporting the strong molecular focus on maintenance of cellular function and viability. The present integrated transcriptome and metabolome study provides molecular understanding of the adaptation of Lactococcus lactis KF147 to near-zero growth rate conditions, and expands our earlier analysis of the quantitative physiology of this bacterium at near-zero growth rates.
Project description:The use of hybrid-poplar tree plantations as a source for biofuels and biomass production in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere has also, unintentionally, increased forest isoprene emissions to the atmosphere. The consequences of increased isoprene emissions include higher rates of tropospheric ozone production and increases in atmospheric aerosol production. Using RNA interference (RNAi) to suppress isoprene emission in several gene insertion events of hybrid-poplars, we show that this trait, which has been assumed as a requisite for the tolerance of abiotic stress, is not required for high rates of woody biomass production, even in extremely hot and dry climates. Biomass production over four years in experimental poplar plantations in Arizona and Oregon was similar among genetic lines that emitted or did not emit significant amounts of isoprene. Lines that had substantially reduced isoprene emission rates also showed decreases in flavonol pigments, which reduce oxidative damage during extremes of abiotic stress; a pattern that would be expected to amplify metabolic dysfunction during abiotic stress. Compensatory increases in the expression of other proteomic components, however, such as those that disable superoxide and other free radicals, and the fact that most biomass is produced during the spring, prior to the hottest and driest part of the growing season, explains the apparent paradox of high biomass production with low isoprene emission. The results of this study provide optimism for designing agroforest plantations of the future that provide high rates of lignocellulose production while eliminating detrimental effects of isoprene emission on atmospheric quality.
Project description:Background: Primary luminal breast cancers lose hormone receptors rapidly in standard tissue culture. Breast cancer organoids are thought to retain tumor characteristics better, but long-term viability of luminal-subtype cases is a persistent challenge. Methods: We freshly isolated patient-derived cells from luminal tumor scrapes, miniaturized the organoid format into 5 µl replicates to increase throughput, and set an endpoint of 14 days to minimize drift. Therapeutic hormone targeting was mimicked in these “zero–passage” organoids by withdrawing β-estradiol and adding tamoxifen. We tested sulforaphane as an electrophilic stress and commercial neutraceutical. Genetic perturbations were introduced by lentiviral transduction of two complementary sgRNAs and Cas9 stabilization for the first week of organoid culture. Transcriptional changes were measured by RT-qPCR or RNA sequencing; organoid phenotypes were quantified by serial brightfield imaging, digital image segmentation, and regression modeling of cellular doubling times. Results: We achieved >50% success in initiating luminal breast cancer organoids from tumor scrapes and maintaining them to the 14-day zero-passage endpoint. Few clinical parameters reliably impacted success. Abundance of ESR1 and PGR in zero-passage organoids consistently remained within the range of patient variability at the endpoint. However, responsiveness to hormone withdrawal and blockade was highly variable among luminal breast cancer cases. Combining sulforaphane with knockout of NQO1 (a phase II enzyme) also yielded a breadth of growth phenotypes, including growth inhibition with sulforaphane, growth promotion with NQO1 knockout, and growth antagonism when combined. Conclusions: Zero-passage organoids are a rapid and scalable way to interrogate properties of luminal breast cancer cells from patient-derived material.
Project description:During cold acclimation plants increase their freezing tolerance in response to low non-freezing temperatures. This is accompanied by many physiological, biochemical and molecular changes that have been extensively investigated. In addition, many cold acclimated plants become more freezing tolerant during exposure to mild, non-damaging sub-zero temperatures. There is hardly any information available about the molecular basis of this adaptation. However, Arabidopsis thaliana is among the species that acclimate to sub-zero temperatures. This makes it possible to use the molecular and genetic tools available in this species to identify components of sub-zero signal transduction and acclimation. Here, we have used microarrays and a qRT-PCR primer platform covering 1880 genes encoding transcription factors to monitor changes in gene expression in the accessions Columbia-0, Rschew and Tenela during the first three days of sub-zero acclimation at -3°C. The results indicate that gene expression during sub-zero acclimation follows a tighly controlled time-course. Especially AP2/EREBP and WRKY transcription factors may be important regulators of sub-zero acclimation, although the CBF signal transduction pathway seems to be less important during sub-zero than during cold acclimation. Globally, we estimate that approximately 5% of all Arabidopsis genes are regulated during sub-zero acclimation. Particularly photosynthesis-related genes were down-regulated and genes belonging to the functional classes of cell wall biosynthesis, hormone metabolism and RNA regulation of transcription were up-regulated. Collectively, these data provide the first global analysis of gene expression during sub-zero acclimation and allow the identification of candidate genes for forward and reverse genetic studies into the molecular mechanisms of sub-zero acclimation. We used whole genome microarrays to monitor changes in gene expression in the Arabidopsis thaliana accessions Columbia-0, Rschew and Tenela during three days of acclimation to sub-zero temperature at -3°C after cold acclimation Plants from Arabidopsis thaliana accessions Columbia-0, Rschew and Tenela were cold acclimated at 4°C for two weeks. Detached leaves were then sub-zero acclimated at -3°C for 8 h, 1 d or 3 d at -3°C. Leaves of cold acclimated plants and sub-zero acclimated leaves were collected for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix ATH1 microarrays in order to explore temporal transcriptome changes during sub-zero acclimation. For each sample total RNA was isolated from a pool of three leaves from three different plants. The experiment was performed in three idenpendent biological replicates.
Project description:During sub-zero (cryophilic) growth, nodular features appear on the cell surface of Planococcus halocryophilus; however, the biochemical composition of these features as well as any cold-adaptive benefits they may offer are not understood. This study aimed to identify differences in the surfaceome of P. halocryophilus cells grown under optimal (24°C) and sub-zero (-5°C and -10°C) culture conditions, for the purpose of gaining insight into cold-adapted proteomic traits at the cell surface.
Project description:Extremely low specific growth rates (below 0.01 h-1) represent a largely unexplored area of microbial physiology. Retentostats enable controlled, energy-limited cultivation at near-zero specific growth rates while avoiding starvation. In this study, anaerobic, glucose-limited retentostats were used to analyze physiological and genome-wide transcriptional responses of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to cultivation at near-zero specific growth rates. Cultures at near-zero specific growth rates exhibited several characteristics previously associated with quiescence, including accumulation of storage polymers and an increased expression of genes involved in storage metabolism, autophagy and exit from the replicative cell cycle into G0. Analysis of transcriptome data from glucose-limited retentostat and chemostat cultures showed, as specific growth rate was decreased, quiescence-related transcriptional responses already set in at specific growth rates above 0.025 h-1. Many genes involved in mitochondrial processes were specifically upregulated at near-zero specific growth rates, possibly reflecting an increased turn-over of organelles under these conditions. Prolonged (> 2 weeks) cultivation in retentostat cultures led to induction of several genes that were previously implicated in chronological ageing. These observations stress the need for systematic dissection of physiological responses to slow growth, quiescence, ageing and starvation and indicate that controlled cultivation systems such as retentostats can contribute to this goal.
Project description:Ruminant livestock are one of the major contributors to carbon emission contributing the global warming issue. Methane (CH4) produced from enteric microbial fermentation of feed in the reticulo-rumen are known to differ between sheep with different digestive function and fermentation products such as metabolites. However, the molecular mechanism underpinning differences in methane emission remains to be fully elucidated. We extracted a membrane and cytosolic protein fraction of rumen epithelium proteins from both high (H) and low (L) CH4 emitting sheep. Protein abundance differences between the phenotypes were quantified using SWATH-mass spectrometry. We identified 92 proteins annotated as cell surface transporters, of which only solute carrier family (SLC) 40A1 had a greater fold change of protein expression in the high methane emission phenotype. The main difference in protein abundance we found were related to the metabolism of glucose, lactate and processes of cell defence against microbes in the epithelium of sheep in each group. To best of our knowledge, this represents one of the most comprehensive proteomes of ovine rumen epithelium to date.