Project description:Small RNA pathways play evolutionarily conserved roles in gene regulation and in defense from pathogenic and parasitic nucleic acids. The character and expression patterns of small RNAs show conservation throughout animal lineages, but specific animal clades also show variations on these recurring themes, including species-specific small RNAs. The monotremes, with only platypus and four species of echidna as extant members, represent the basal branch of the mammalian lineage. Here, we examine the small RNA pathways of monotremes by deep sequencing of six platypus and echidna tissues. We find that highly conserved microRNA species display their signature tissue-specific expression patterns. In addition, we find a large rapidly-evolving cluster of miRNAs on platypus chromosome X1 which is unique to monotremes. Platypus and echidna testes contain a robust piRNA system which appears to be participating in ongoing transposon defense. Keywords: piRNA
Project description:The sea-ice dwelling diatom Fragilariopsis Cylindrus was cultured for 4 months under dark or light exposed conditions to mimic the effects of Antarctic winter growth conditions. Cells were harvested periodically and LFQ proteomics used to investigate the molecular mechanisms of dark survival.