Project description:Purpose: To investigate the quaternary structures of Rhodopsin-family GPCRs. Method: Analyzed 60 receptors from HEK 293T cells. Results: 1) Most of these receptors are monomers. 2) The phylogenetic distribution of dimers suggests that monomers have an evolutionary advantage due to constraints imposed by dimerization on rates of receptor diversification.
Project description:Encoded in the hundreds by the human genome, KRAB-containing zinc finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs) constitute a rapidly evolving family of transcription factors with largely undefined functions. Here, by a combination of phylogenetic and genomic approaches, we retrace the evolutionary history of KRAB-ZFP genes and define the genomic targets of their human products. Through in silico analysis of 207 vertebrate genomes and chromatin immunoprecipitation / deep sequencing characterization of 257 human KRAB-ZFPs, we identify the root of the family in an early Devonian ancestor of tetrapods, describe its diversity amongst these species, and reveal that the majority of its human members primarily recognize transposable elements. Furthermore, by dissecting the timeline and modalities of interactions between human KRAB-ZFPs and their targets, we provide evidence strongly suggesting that these proteins, rather than just engaged in an evolutionary arms race against transposable elements, exploit these invaders as regulatory platforms for the benefit of the host.
Project description:Genome profiling of primary tumors and matched metastases from a BALB-NeuT murine breast cancer transplantation model. The first goal of this study was to investigate the differences of primary tumors and metastases with regard to copy number alterations. The second goal was to infer phylogenetic trees reflecting the evolutionary paths of primary tumors and their derived metastases (only mice with at least one metastasis were used for phylogenetic analyses).
2016-09-30 | GSE87469 | GEO
Project description:Phylogenetic studies on Pteridophytes
Project description:During the over 300 million years of co-evolution between herbivorous insects and their host plants, a dynamic equilibrium of evolutionary arms race has been established. However, the co-adaptation between insects and their host plants is a complex process, often driven by multiple evolutionary mechanisms. We found that various lepidopteran pests that use maize as a host exhibit differential adaptation to the plant secondary metabolites, benzoxazinoids (BXs). Notably, the Spodoptera genus, including Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) and Spodoptera litura (cotton leafworm), demonstrate greater tolerance to BXs compared to other insects. Through comparative transcriptomic analysis of the midgut, we identified four candidate genes potentially involved in BXs detoxification in S. frugiperda. Subsequently, we confirmed two UGT genes, Sfru33T10 and Sfru33F32, as key players in BXs detoxification using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Sfru33T10 evolved independently within the Noctuidae family and is involved in the glycosylation of HDMBOA, while Sfru33F32 evolved independently within the Spodoptera genus and functions as a key detoxification enzyme responsible for the glycosylation of both DIMBOA and HMBOA. Our study demonstrates that the UGT gene family plays a crucial role in the adaptation of noctuid insects to maize, with multiple independent evolutionary events within the Noctuidae family and the Spodoptera genus contributing significantly to host adaptation.
Project description:Molecular clocks are the basis for dating the divergence between lineages over macro-evolutionary timescales (~104-108 years). However, classical DNA-based clocks tick too slowly to inform us about the recent past. Here, we demonstrate that stochastic DNA methylation changes at a subset of cytosines in plant genomes possess a clock-like behavior. This ‘epimutation-clock’ is orders of magnitude faster than DNA-based clocks and enables phylogenetic explorations on a scale of years to centuries. We show experimentally that epimutation-clocks recapitulate known topologies and branching times of intra-species phylogenetic trees in the selfing plant A. thaliana and the clonal seagrass Z. marina, which represent the two primary modes of plant reproduction. This discovery will open new possibilities for high-resolution temporal studies of plant biodiversity.
Project description:Molecular clocks are the basis for dating the divergence between lineages over macro-evolutionary timescales (~104-108 years). However, classical DNA-based clocks tick too slowly to inform us about the recent past. Here, we demonstrate that stochastic DNA methylation changes at a subset of cytosines in plant genomes possess a clock-like behavior. This ‘epimutation-clock’ is orders of magnitude faster than DNA-based clocks and enables phylogenetic explorations on a scale of years to centuries. We show experimentally that epimutation-clocks recapitulate known topologies and branching times of intra-species phylogenetic trees in the selfing plant A. thaliana and the clonal seagrass Z. marina, which represent the two primary modes of plant reproduction. This discovery will open new possibilities for high-resolution temporal studies of plant biodiversity.
Project description:Nematodes comprise an abundant and diverse invertebrate phylum with members inhabiting nearly every ecological niche. Panagrellus redivivus (the M-bM-^@M-^YmicrowormM-bM-^@M-^Y) is a free-living nematode frequently used to understand the evolution of developmental and behavioral processes given its phylogenetic distance to Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we report the de novo sequencing of the genome, transcriptome, and small RNAs of P. redivivus. Using a combination of automated gene finders and RNAM-bM-^@M-^Qseq data, we predict 24249 genes and 32676 transcripts. Small RNA analysis revealed 248 micro RNA hairpins, of which 63 had orthologs in other species. Fourteen miRNA clusters containing 42 miRNA precursors were found. P. redivivus has a full complement of genes for regulation of dauer formation despite the apparent absence of dauer juveniles in this species. The RNAi and programmed cell death pathways are largely conserved. Analysis of protein family domain abundance revealed that P. redivivus has experienced a striking expansion of BTB domainM-bM-^@M-^Qcontaining proteins and an unprecedented expansion of the cullin scaffold family of proteins involved in multiM-bM-^@M-^Qsubunit ubiquitin ligases, suggesting proteolytic plasticity and/or tighter regulation of protein turnover. The eukaryotic release factor (eRF1) protein family has also been dramatically expanded and suggests an ongoing evolutionary arms race with viruses and transposons. The P. redivivus genome provides a resource to advance our understanding of nematode evolution and biology and to further elucidate the genomic architecture leading to free-living lineages, taking advantage of the many fascinating features of this worm revealed by comparative studies. Mixed-stage poly-A selected RNA