Project description:An Infinium microarray platform (GPL28271, HorvathMammalMethylChip40) was used to generate DNA methylation data from many tissues of 3 species of mole rats: Cape mole rat (Georychus capensis), Damaraland mole rat (Cryptomys damarensis), Naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber). We generated DNA methylation data from n=94 tissues from 3 species: Cryptomys damarensis (n=10), Georychus capensis (n=6), Heterocephalus glaber (n=78). All tissues ewere obtained from frozen tissue collection that were euthanized for other studies. Kidney (n=6), liver (n=61), skin (n=27). The tissues used in this study were obtained from post-mortem specimens from animals free from disease in compliance. Sample collection was from post-mortem material. Tissue samples were snap frozen in liquid nitrogen following dissection and transferred for storage at -80ºC. Genomic DNA was extracted using Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit and quantified using Nanodrop and Qubit.als
Project description:Body temperature (T(b)) is an important physiological component that affects endotherms from the cellular to whole organism level, but measurements of T(b) in the field have been noticeably skewed towards heterothermic species and seasonal comparisons are largely lacking. Thus, we investigated patterns of T(b) patterns in a homeothermic, free-ranging small mammal, the Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) during both the summer and winter. Variation in T(b) was significantly greater during winter than summer, and greater among males than females. Interestingly, body mass had only a small effect on variation in T(b) and there was no consistent pattern relating ambient temperature to variation in T(b). Generally speaking, it appears that variation in T(b) patterns varies between seasons in much the same way as in heterothermic species, just to a lesser degree. Both cosinor analysis and Fast Fourier Transform analysis revealed substantial individual variation in T(b) rhythms, even within a single colony. Some individuals had no T(b) rhythms, while others appeared to exhibit multiple rhythms. These data corroborate previous laboratory work showing multiplicity of rhythms in mole-rats and suggest the variation seen in the laboratory is a true indicator of the variation seen in the wild.
Project description:Saccharomonospora azurea Runmao et al. 1987 is a member of the genus Saccharomonospora, which is in the family Pseudonocardiaceae and thus far poorly characterized genomically. Members of the genus Saccharomonospora are of interest because they originate from diverse habitats, such as leaf litter, manure, compost, the surface of peat, and moist and over-heated grain, and may play a role in the primary degradation of plant material by attacking hemicellulose. Next to S. viridis, S. azurea is only the second member in the genus Saccharomonospora for which a completely sequenced type strain genome will be published. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence with project status 'Improved high quality draft', and the annotation. The 4,763,832 bp long chromosome with its 4,472 protein-coding and 58 RNA genes was sequenced as part of the DOE funded Community Sequencing Program (CSP) 2010 at the Joint Genome Institute (JGI).