Characterization of 954 bovine full-CDS cDNA sequences

Danggui Shaoyao San: comprehensive modulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis for attenuating Alzheimer's disease-related pathology

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder, currently lacks effective clinical therapeutics. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) holds promising potential in AD treatment, exemplified by Danggui Shaoyao San (DSS), a TCM formulation. The precise therapeutic mechanisms of DSS in AD remain to be fully elucidated. This study aims to uncover the therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms of DSS in AD, employing an integrative approach encompassing gut microbiota and metabolomic analyses. Methods: Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were allocated into three groups: Blank Control (Con), AD Model (M), and Danggui Shaoyao San (DSS). AD models were established via bilateral intracerebroventricular injections of streptozotocin (STZ). DSS was orally administered at 24 g·kg-1·d-1 (weight of raw herbal materials) for 14 days. Cognitive functions were evaluated using the Morris Water Maze (MWM) test. Pathological alterations were assessed through hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Bloodstream metabolites were characterized, gut microbiota profiled through 16S rDNA sequencing, and cortical metabolomics analyzed. Hippocampal proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) were quantified using RT-qPCR, and oxidative stress markers (SOD, CAT, GSH-PX, MDA) in brain tissues were measured with biochemical assays. Results: DSS identified a total of 1,625 bloodstream metabolites, predominantly Benzene derivatives, Carboxylic acids, and Fatty Acyls. DSS significantly improved learning and spatial memory in AD rats and ameliorated cerebral tissue pathology. The formulation enriched the probiotic Ligilactobacillus, modulating metabolites like Ophthalmic acid (OA), Phosphocreatine (PCr), Azacridone A, Inosine, and NAD. DSS regulated Purine and Nicotinate-nicotinamide metabolism, restoring balance in the Candidatus Saccharibacteria-OA interplay and stabilizing gut microbiota-metabolite homeostasis. Additionally, DSS reduced hippocampal IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α expression, attenuating the inflammatory state. It elevated antioxidative enzymes (SOD, CAT, GSH-PX) while reducing MDA levels, indicating diminished oxidative stress in AD rat brains. Conclusion: DSS addresses AD pathology through multifaceted mechanisms, encompassing gut microbiome regulation, specific metabolite modulation, and the mitigation of inflammation and oxidative stress within the brain. This holistic intervention through the Microbial-Gut-Brain Axis (MGBA) underscores DSS's potential as an integrative therapeutic agent in combatting AD.

Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the hidden EF-hand of EF-SAM as a possible key thermal sensor for STIM1 activation by temperature

Intracellular calcium signaling is essential for many cellular processes, including store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), which is initiated by stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) detecting endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ depletion. STIM1 is also activated by temperature independent of ER Ca2+ depletion. Here we provide evidence, from advanced molecular dynamics simulations, that EF-SAM may act as a true temperature sensor for STIM1, with the prompt and extended unfolding of the hidden EF-hand subdomain (hEF) even at slightly elevated temperatures, exposing a highly conserved hydrophobic Phe108. Our study also suggests an interplay between Ca2+ and temperature sensing, as both, the canonical EF-hand subdomain (cEF) and the hidden EF-hand subdomain (hEF), exhibit much higher thermal stability in the Ca2+-loaded form compared to the Ca2+-free form. The SAM domain, surprisingly, displays high thermal stability compared to the EF-hands and may act as a stabilizer for the latter. We propose a modular architecture for the EF-hand-SAM domain of STIM1 composed of a thermal sensor (hEF), a Ca2+ sensor (cEF), and a stabilizing domain (SAM). Our findings provide important insights into the mechanism of temperature-dependent regulation of STIM1, which has broad implications for understanding the role of temperature in cellular physiology.

Role of MOTS-c in the regulation of bone metabolism

MOTS-c, a mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP), is an essential regulatory mediator of cell protection and energy metabolism and is involved in the development of specific diseases. Recent studies have revealed that MOTS-c promotes osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization. Furthermore, it inhibits osteoclast production and mediates the regulation of bone metabolism and bone remodeling. Exercise effectively upregulates the expression of MOTS-c, but the specific mechanism of MOTS-c regulation in bone by exercise remains unclear. Therefore, this article reviewed the distribution and function of MOTS-c in the tissue, discussed the latest research developments in the regulation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and proposed potential molecular mechanisms for the effect of exercise on the regulation of bone metabolism. This review provides a theoretical reference for establishing methods to prevent and treat skeletal metabolic diseases.

MOTS-c, the Most Recent Mitochondrial Derived Peptide in Human Aging and Age-Related Diseases

MOTS-c, a 16 amino acid mitochondrial derived peptide, is encoded from the 12S rRNA region of the mitochondrial genome. Under stress conditions, MOTS-c translocates to the nucleus where it regulates a wide range of genes in response to metabolic dysfunction. It is colocalized to mitochondria in various tissues and is found in plasma, but the levels decline with age. Since MOTS-c has important cellular functions as well as a possible hormonal role, it has been shown to have beneficial effects on age-related diseases including Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, Osteoporosis, postmenopausal obesity and Alzheimer. Aging is characterized by gradual loss of (mitochondrial) metabolic balance, decreased muscle homeostasis and eventual diminished physical capability, which potentially can be reversed with MOTS-c treatment. This review examines the latest findings on biological effects of MOTS-c as a nuclear regulatory peptide and focuses on the role of MOTS-c in aging and age-related disorders, including mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential.

From celiac disease to coccidia infection and vice-versa: The polyQ peptide CXCR3-interaction axis

Zonulin is a physiological modulator of intercellular tight junctions, which upregulation is involved in several diseases like celiac disease (CeD). The polyQ gliadin fragment binds to the CXCR3 chemokine receptor that activates zonulin upregulation, leading to increased intestinal permeability in humans. Here, we report a general hypothesis based on the structural connection between the polyQ sequence of the immunogenic CeD protein, gliadin, and enteric coccidian parasites proteins. Firstly, a novel interaction pathway between the parasites and the host is described based on the structural similarities between polyQ gliadin fragments and the parasite proteins. Secondly, a potential connection between coccidial infections as a novel environmental trigger of CeD is hypothesized. Therefore, this report represents a promising breakthrough for coccidian research and points out the potential role of coccidian parasites as a novel trigger of CeD that might define a preventive strategy for gluten-related disorders in general. Also see the video abstract here: https://youtu.be/oMaQasStcFI.

Spliced genes in muscle from Nelore Cattle and their association with carcass and meat quality

Transcript data obtained by RNA-Seq were used to identify differentially expressed alternatively spliced genes in ribeye muscle tissue between Nelore cattle that differed in their ribeye area (REA) or intramuscular fat content (IF). A total of 166 alternatively spliced transcripts from 125 genes were significantly differentially expressed in ribeye muscle between the highest and lowest REA groups (p ≤ 0.05). For animals selected on their IF content, 269 alternatively spliced transcripts from 219 genes were differentially expressed in ribeye muscle between the highest and lowest IF animals. Cassette exons and alternative 3′ splice sites were the most frequently found alternatively spliced transcripts for REA and IF content. For both traits, some differentially expressed alternatively spliced transcripts belonged to myosin and myotilin gene families. The hub transcripts were identified for REA (LRRFIP1, RCAN1 and RHOBTB1) and IF (TRIP12, HSPE1 and MAP2K6) have an important role to play in muscle cell degradation, development and motility. In general, transcripts were found for both traits with biological process GO terms that were involved in pathways related to protein ubiquitination, muscle differentiation, lipids and hormonal systems. Our results reinforce the biological importance of these known processes but also reveal new insights into the complexity of the whole cell muscle mRNA of Nelore cattle.

Major Capsid Protein Synthesis from the Genomic RNA of Feline Calicivirus

Caliciviruses have a positive-strand RNA genome with a length of about 7.5 kb that contains 2, 3, or 4 functional open reading frames (ORFs). A subgenomic mRNA (sg-RNA) is transcribed in the infected cell, and both major capsid protein viral protein 1 (VP1) and minor capsid protein VP2 are translated from the sg-RNA. Translation of proteins from the genomic RNA (g-RNA) and from the sg-RNA is mediated by the RNA-linked viral protein VPg (virus protein, genome linked). Most of the calicivirus genera have translation mechanisms leading to VP1 expression from the g-RNA. VP1 is part of the polyprotein for sapoviruses, lagoviruses, and neboviruses, and a termination/reinitiation mechanism was described for noroviruses. Vesiviruses have no known mechanism for the expression of VP1 from the g-RNA, and the Vesivirus genus is the only genus of the Caliciviridae that generates VP1 via a precursor capsid leader protein (LC-VP1). Analyses of feline calicivirus (FCV) g-RNA translation showed a low level of VP1 expression with an initiation downstream of the original start codon of LC-VP1, leading to a smaller, truncated LC-VP1 (tLC-VP1) protein. Deletion and substitution analyses of the region surrounding the LC-VP1 start codon allowed the identification of sequences within the leader protein coding region of FCV that have an impact on VP1 translation frequency from the g-RNA. Introduction of such mutations into the virus showed an impact of strongly reduced tLC-VP1 levels translated from the g-RNA on viral replication.IMPORTANCE Caliciviruses are a cause of important diseases in humans and animals. It is crucial to understand the prerequisites of efficient replication of these viruses in order to develop strategies for prevention and treatment of these diseases. It was shown before that all caliciviruses except vesiviruses have established mechanisms to achieve major capsid protein (VP1) translation from the genomic RNA. Here, we show for the first time that a member of the genus Vesivirus also has a translation initiation mechanism by which a precursor protein of the VP1 protein is expressed from the genomic RNA. This finding clearly points at a functional role of the calicivirus VP1 capsid protein in early replication, and we provide experimental data supporting this hypothesis.

Role of the mitochondrial stress response in human cancer progression

IMPACT STATEMENT

Dysregulated mitochondria often occurred in cancers. Mitochondrial dysfunction might contribute to cancer progression. We reviewed several mitochondrial stresses in cancers. Mitochondrial stress responses might contribute to cancer progression. Several mitochondrion-derived molecules (ROS, Ca2+, oncometabolites, exported mtDNA, mitochondrial double-stranded RNA, humanin, and MOTS-c), integrated stress response, and mitochondrial unfolded protein response act as retrograde signaling pathways and might be critical in the development and progression of cancer. Targeting these mitochondrial stress responses may be an important strategy for cancer treatment.

Picomolar inhibition of β-galactosidase (bovine liver) attributed to loop closure

In an effort to examine similarities in the active sites of glycosidases within the GH35 family, we performed a structure-activity-relationship study using our recently described library of galactonoamidines. The kinetic evaluation based on UV/Vis spectroscopy disclosed inhibition of β-galactosidase (bovine liver) in the picomolar concentration range indicating significantly higher inhibitor affinity than previously determined for β-galactosidase (A. oryzae). Possible alterations in the secondary protein structure or folding were excluded after further examination of the inhibitor binding using CD spectroscopy. Molecular dynamics studies suggested loop closing interactions as a rationale for the disparity of the active sites in the β-galactosidases under investigation.

Chemical and structural characterization of α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase I and II from starfish, asterina amurensis

BACKGROUND

The marine invertebrate starfish was found to contain a novel α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, α-GalNAcase II, which catalyzes removal of terminal α-N-acetylgalactosamine (α-GalNAc), in addition to a typical α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, α-GalNAcase I, which catalyzes removal of terminal α-N-acetylgalactosamine (α-GalNAc) and, to a lesser extent, galactose. The interrelationship between α-GalNAcase I and α-GalNAcase II and the molecular basis of their differences in substrate specificity remain unknown.

RESULTS

Chemical and structural comparisons between α-GalNAcase I and II using immunostaining, N-terminal amino acid sequencing and peptide analysis showed high homology to each other and also to other glycoside hydrolase family (GHF) 27 members. The amino acid sequence of peptides showed conserved residues at the active site as seen in typical α-GalNAcase. Some substitutions of conserved amino acid residues were found in α-GalNAcase II that were located near catalytic site. Among them G171 and A173, in place of C171 and W173, respectively in α-GalNAcase were identified to be responsible for lacking intrinsic α-galactosidase activity of α-GalNAcase II. Chemical modifications supported the presence of serine, aspartate and tryptophan as active site residues. Two tryptophan residues (W16 and W173) were involved in α-galactosidase activity, and one (W16) of them was involved in α-GalNAcase activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that α-GalNAcase I and II are closely related with respect to primary and higher order structure and that their structural differences are responsible for difference in substrate specificities.

The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance

Mitochondria are known to be functional organelles, but their role as a signaling unit is increasingly being appreciated. The identification of a short open reading frame (sORF) in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that encodes a signaling peptide, humanin, suggests the possible existence of additional sORFs in the mtDNA. Here we report a sORF within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA encoding a 16-amino-acid peptide named MOTS-c (mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c) that regulates insulin sensitivity and metabolic homeostasis. Its primary target organ appears to be the skeletal muscle, and its cellular actions inhibit the folate cycle and its tethered de novo purine biosynthesis, leading to AMPK activation. MOTS-c treatment in mice prevented age-dependent and high-fat-diet-induced insulin resistance, as well as diet-induced obesity. These results suggest that mitochondria may actively regulate metabolic homeostasis at the cellular and organismal level via peptides encoded within their genome.

Differential transcriptome analysis between Paulownia fortunei and its synthesized autopolyploid

Paulownia fortunei is an ecologically and economically important tree species that is widely used as timber and chemical pulp. Its autotetraploid, which carries a number of valuable traits, was successfully induced with colchicine. To identify differences in gene expression between P. fortunei and its synthesized autotetraploid, we performed transcriptome sequencing using an Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx (GAIIx). About 94.8 million reads were generated and assembled into 383,056 transcripts, including 18,984 transcripts with a complete open reading frame. A conducted Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) search indicated that 16,004 complete transcripts had significant hits in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) non-redundant database. The complete transcripts were given functional assignments using three public protein databases. One thousand one hundred fifty eight differentially expressed complete transcripts were screened through a digital abundance analysis, including transcripts involved in energy metabolism and epigenetic regulation. Finally, the expression levels of several transcripts were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. Our results suggested that polyploidization caused epigenetic-related changes, which subsequently resulted in gene expression variation between diploid and autotetraploid P. fortunei. This might be the main mechanism affected by the polyploidization. Our results represent an extensive survey of the P. fortunei transcriptome and will facilitate subsequent functional genomics research in P. fortunei. Moreover, the gene expression profiles of P. fortunei and its autopolyploid will provide a valuable resource for the study of polyploidization.

Mice carrying a hypomorphic Evi1 allele are embryonic viable but exhibit severe congenital heart defects

The ecotropic viral integration site 1 (Evi1) oncogenic transcription factor is one of a number of alternative transcripts encoded by the Mds1 and Evi1 complex locus (Mecom). Overexpression of Evi1 has been observed in a number of myeloid disorders and is associated with poor patient survival. It is also amplified and/or overexpressed in many epithelial cancers including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, ependymomas, and lung and colorectal cancers. Two murine knockout models have also demonstrated Evi1's critical role in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cell renewal with its absence resulting in the death of mutant embryos due to hematopoietic failure. Here we characterize a novel mouse model (designated Evi1^fl3) in which Evi1 exon 3, which carries the ATG start, is flanked by loxP sites. Unexpectedly, we found that germline deletion of exon3 produces a hypomorphic allele due to the use of an alternative ATG start site located in exon 4, resulting in a minor Evi1 N-terminal truncation and a block in expression of the Mds1-Evi1 fusion transcript. Evi1^δex3/δex3 mutant embryos showed only a mild non-lethal hematopoietic phenotype and bone marrow failure was only observed in adult Vav-iCre/+, Evi1^fl3/fl3 mice in which exon 3 was specifically deleted in the hematopoietic system. Evi1^δex3/δex3 knockout pups are born in normal numbers but die during the perinatal period from congenital heart defects. Database searches identified 143 genes with similar mutant heart phenotypes as those observed in Evi1^δex3/δex3 mutant pups. Interestingly, 42 of these congenital heart defect genes contain known Evi1-binding sites, and expression of 18 of these genes are also effected by Evi1 siRNA knockdown. These results show a potential functional involvement of Evi1 target genes in heart development and indicate that Evi1 is part of a transcriptional program that regulates cardiac development in addition to the development of blood.

An American mink (Neovison vison) transcriptome

HiSeq2000 Illumina pair-end sequenced transcript data originating from a pool of four different tissues of a wild-type American mink yielded approximately 90 Gb of raw data. Subsequently, unique contigs were assembled by a combined approach using velvet and phrap. Of these assembled contigs, about 136 000 match the dog genome and nearly 30 000 contigs match the human transcriptome at more than 17 000 unique gene locations. Gene annotation for these contigs was performed employing custom-made scripts run in combination with comparative sequence similarity search and alignment in the dog and human genome using blast algorithms. Transcripts representing five genes known to be associated with pigmentation were reliably aligned against large mink genomic contigs derived from BAC clones. Sequence comparison between transcript and genomic data revealed seven SNPs. In this study, we generated and annotated mink transcript sequences representing more than 16 000 known genes. This is the first comprehensive transcriptome for the American mink genome, which will facilitate further development in mink expression profiling studies and provide a good annotation basis in the perspectives of a whole genome sequencing project. The project was deposited at EMBL database with the accession number PRJEB1260.

Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of coagulation factor VII gene in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Coagulation factor VII has been studied in several species but, to date, not in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), a commercially important freshwater fish found in China. In this study, the full-length cDNA of grass carp coagulation factor VII (GcCFVII) was cloned using a RACE-Ready cDNA Kit, grass carp were challenged with a hemorrhagic virus, and temporal expression profiles of GcCFVII in the thymus, gills, liver, spleen, and head kidney were examined at 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, and 138 h using fluorescence quantitative PCR. The results showed the 1480 bp GcCFVII to contain three conservative motifs: Gla, EGF-CA, and Tryp-SPc, similar to other species. Phylogenetic analysis showed the evolution of GcCFVII gene to be consistent with the evolution of the species. After viral challenge, GcCFVII expression in five tissues of grass carp showed different patterns of fluctuation. These results provide a solid basis for further investigation of GcCFVII and its relationship with grass carp hemorrhage.

Efficient assembly and annotation of the transcriptome of catfish by RNA-Seq analysis of a doubled haploid homozygote

Background

Upon the completion of whole genome sequencing, thorough genome annotation that associates genome sequences with biological meanings is essential. Genome annotation depends on the availability of transcript information as well as orthology information. In teleost fish, genome annotation is seriously hindered by genome duplication. Because of gene duplications, one cannot establish orthologies simply by homology comparisons. Rather intense phylogenetic analysis or structural analysis of orthologies is required for the identification of genes. To conduct phylogenetic analysis and orthology analysis, full-length transcripts are essential. Generation of large numbers of full-length transcripts using traditional transcript sequencing is very difficult and extremely costly.

Results

In this work, we took advantage of a doubled haploid catfish, which has two sets of identical chromosomes and in theory there should be no allelic variations. As such, transcript sequences generated from next-generation sequencing can be favorably assembled into full-length transcripts. Deep sequencing of the doubled haploid channel catfish transcriptome was performed using Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform, yielding over 300 million high-quality trimmed reads totaling 27 Gbp. Assembly of these reads generated 370,798 non-redundant transcript-derived contigs. Functional annotation of the assembly allowed identification of 25,144 unique protein-encoding genes. A total of 2,659 unique genes were identified as putative duplicated genes in the catfish genome because the assembly of the corresponding transcripts harbored PSVs or MSVs (in the form of pseudo-SNPs in the assembly). Of the 25,144 contigs with unique protein hits, around 20,000 contigs matched 50% length of reference proteins, and over 14,000 transcripts were identified as full-length with complete open reading frames. The characterization of consensus sequences surrounding start codon and the stop codon confirmed the correct assembly of the full-length transcripts.

Conclusions

The large set of transcripts assembled in this study is the most comprehensive set of genome resources ever developed from catfish, which will provide the much needed resources for functional genome research in catfish, serving as a reference transcriptome for genome annotation, analysis of gene duplication, gene family structures, and digital gene expression analysis. The putative set of duplicated genes provide a starting point for genome scale analysis of gene duplication in the catfish genome, and should be a valuable resource for comparative genome analysis, genome evolution, and genome function studies.

Increasing internodal distance in myelinated nerves accelerates nerve conduction to a flat maximum

Predictions that conduction velocities are sensitive to the distance between nodes of Ranvier in myelinated axons have implications for nervous system function during growth and repair. Internodal lengths defined by Schwann cells in hindlimb nerves, for example, can undergo a 4-fold increase during mouse development, and regenerated nerves have internodes that are uniformly short. Nevertheless, the influence of internodal length on conduction speed has limited experimental support. Here, we examined this problem in mice expressing a mutant version of periaxin, a protein required for Schwann cell elongation. Importantly, elongation of mutant Schwann cells was retarded without significant derangements to myelination or axon caliber. In young mice with short mutant Schwann cells, nerve conduction velocity was reduced and motor function was impaired. This demonstrates a functional relationship between internodal distance and conduction speed. Moreover, as internodes lengthened during postnatal growth, conduction velocities recovered to normal values and mutant mice exhibited normal motor and sensory behavior. This restoration of function confirms a further prediction by Huxley and Stämpfli that conduction speeds should increase as internodal distances lengthen until a "flat maximum" is reached, beyond which no further gains in conduction velocity accrue.

Targeted SNP discovery in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) genes using a 3'UTR-primed SNP detection approach

Background

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) represent the most widespread type of DNA variation in vertebrates and may be used as genetic markers for a range of applications. This has led to an increased interest in identification of SNP markers in non-model species and farmed animals. The in silico SNP mining method used for discovery of most known SNPs in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) has applied a global (genome-wide) approach. In this study we present a targeted 3'UTR-primed SNP discovery strategy that utilizes sequence data from Salmo salar full length sequenced cDNAs (FLIcs). We compare the efficiency of this new strategy to the in silico SNP mining method when using both methods for targeted SNP discovery.

Results

The SNP discovery efficiency of the two methods was tested in a set of FLIc target genes. The 3'UTR-primed SNP discovery method detected novel SNPs in 35% of the target genes while the in silico SNP mining method detected novel SNPs in 15% of the target genes. Furthermore, the 3'UTR-primed SNP discovery strategy was the less labor intensive one and revealed a higher success rate than the in silico SNP mining method in the initial amplification step. When testing the methods we discovered 112 novel bi-allelic polymorphisms (type I markers) in 88 salmon genes [dbSNP: ss179319972-179320081, ss250608647-250608648], and three of the SNPs discovered were missense substitutions.

Conclusions

Full length insert cDNAs (FLIcs) are important genomic resources that have been developed in many farmed animals. The 3'UTR-primed SNP discovery strategy successfully utilized FLIc data to detect novel SNPs in the partially tetraploid Atlantic salmon. This strategy may therefore be useful for targeted SNP discovery in several species, and particularly useful in species that, like salmonids, have duplicated genomes.

Identification and characterization of full-length cDNAs in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)

BACKGROUND

Genome annotation projects, gene functional studies, and phylogenetic analyses for a given organism all greatly benefit from access to a validated full-length cDNA resource. While increasingly common in model species, full-length cDNA resources in aquaculture species are scarce.

METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Through in silico analysis of catfish (Ictalurus spp.) ESTs, a total of 10,037 channel catfish and 7,382 blue catfish cDNA clones were identified as potentially encoding full-length cDNAs. Of this set, a total of 1,169 channel catfish and 933 blue catfish full-length cDNA clones were selected for re-sequencing to provide additional coverage and ensure sequence accuracy. A total of 1,745 unique gene transcripts were identified from the full-length cDNA set, including 1,064 gene transcripts from channel catfish and 681 gene transcripts from blue catfish, with 416 transcripts shared between the two closely related species. Full-length sequence characteristics (ortholog conservation, UTR length, Kozak sequence, and conserved motifs) of the channel and blue catfish were examined in detail. Comparison of gene ontology composition between full-length cDNAs and all catfish ESTs revealed that the full-length cDNA set is representative of the gene diversity encoded in the catfish transcriptome.

CONCLUSIONS

This study describes the first catfish full-length cDNA set constructed from several cDNA libraries. The catfish full-length cDNA sequences, and data gleaned from sequence characteristics analysis, will be a valuable resource for ongoing catfish whole-genome sequencing and future gene-based studies of function and evolution in teleost fishes.

Eukaryotic transcriptomics in silico: optimizing cDNA-AFLP efficiency

Background

Complementary-DNA based amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) is a commonly used tool for assessing the genetic regulation of traits through the correlation of trait expression with cDNA expression profiles. In spite of the frequent application of this method, studies on the optimization of the cDNA-AFLP assay design are rare and have typically been taxonomically restricted. Here, we model cDNA-AFLPs on all 92 eukaryotic species for which cDNA pools are currently available, using all combinations of eight restriction enzymes standard in cDNA-AFLP screens.

Results

In silco simulations reveal that cDNA pool coverage is largely determined by the choice of individual restriction enzymes and that, through the choice of optimal enzyme combinations, coverage can be increased from <40% to 75% without changing the underlying experimental design. We find evidence of phylogenetic signal in the coverage data, which is largely mediated by organismal GC content. There is nonetheless a high degree of consistency in cDNA pool coverage for particular enzyme combinations, indicating that our recommendations should be applicable to most eukaryotic systems. We also explore the relationship between the average observed fragment number per selective AFLP-PCR reaction and the size of the underlying cDNA pool, and show how AFLP experiments can be used to estimate the number of genes expressed in a target tissue.

Conclusion

The insights gained from in silico screening of cDNA-AFLPs from a broad sampling of eukaryotes provide a set of guidelines that should help to substantially increase the efficiency of future cDNA-AFLP experiments in eukaryotes. In silico simulations also suggest a novel use of cDNA-AFLP screens to determine the number of transcripts expressed in a target tissue, an application that should be invaluable as next-generation sequencing technologies are adapted for differential display.

Characterization of full-length sequenced cDNA inserts (FLIcs) from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Background

Sequencing of the Atlantic salmon genome is now being planned by an international research consortium. Full-length sequenced inserts from cDNAs (FLIcs) are an important tool for correct annotation and clustering of the genomic sequence in any species. The large amount of highly similar duplicate sequences caused by the relatively recent genome duplication in the salmonid ancestor represents a particular challenge for the genome project. FLIcs will therefore be an extremely useful resource for the Atlantic salmon sequencing project. In addition to be helpful in order to distinguish between duplicate genome regions and in determining correct gene structures, FLIcs are an important resource for functional genomic studies and for investigation of regulatory elements controlling gene expression. In contrast to the large number of ESTs available, including the ESTs from 23 developmental and tissue specific cDNA libraries contributed by the Salmon Genome Project (SGP), the number of sequences where the full-length of the cDNA insert has been determined has been small.

Results

High quality full-length insert sequences from 560 pre-smolt white muscle tissue specific cDNAs were generated, accession numbers [GenBank: BT043497 - BT044056]. Five hundred and ten (91%) of the transcripts were annotated using Gene Ontology (GO) terms and 440 of the FLIcs are likely to contain a complete coding sequence (cCDS). The sequence information was used to identify putative paralogs, characterize salmon Kozak motifs, polyadenylation signal variation and to identify motifs likely to be involved in the regulation of particular genes. Finally, conserved 7-mers in the 3'UTRs were identified, of which some were identical to miRNA target sequences.

Conclusion

This paper describes the first Atlantic salmon FLIcs from a tissue and developmental stage specific cDNA library. We have demonstrated that many FLIcs contained a complete coding sequence (cCDS). This suggests that the remaining cDNA libraries generated by SGP represent a valuable cCDS FLIc source. The conservation of 7-mers in 3'UTRs indicates that these motifs are functionally important. Identity between some of these 7-mers and miRNA target sequences suggests that they are miRNA targets in Salmo salar transcripts as well.

Serial analysis of gene expression

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) is a method used to obtain comprehensive, unbiased and quantitative gene-expression profiles. Its major advantage over arrays is that it does not require a priori knowledge of the genes to be analyzed and reflects absolute mRNA levels. Since the original SAGE protocol was developed in a short-tag (10-bp) format, several modifications have been made to produce longer SAGE tags for more precise gene identification and to decrease the amount of starting material necessary. Several SAGE-like methods have also been developed for the genome-wide analysis of DNA copy-number changes and methylation patterns, chromatin structure and transcription factor targets. In this protocol, we describe the 17-bp longSAGE method for transcriptome profiling optimized for a small amount of starting material. The generation of such libraries can be completed in 7-10 d, whereas sequencing and data analysis require an additional 2-3 wk.

Compositional properties of human cDNA libraries: practical implications

The strikingly wide and bimodal gene distribution exhibited by the human genome has prompted us to study the correlations between EST-counts (expression levels) and base composition of genes, especially since existing data are contradictory. Here we investigate how cDNA library preparation affects the GC distributions of ESTs and/or genes found in the library, and address consequences for expression studies. We observe that strongly anomalous GC distributions often indicate experimental biases or deficits during their preparation. We propose the use of compositional distributions of raw ESTs from a cDNA library, and/or of the genes they represent, as a simple and effective tool for quality control.