Can WRKY transcription factors help plants to overcome environmental challenges?
Abstract WRKY transcription factors (TFs) are responsible for the regulation of genes responsive to many plant growth and developmental cues, as well as to biotic and abiotic stresses. The modulation of gene expression by WRKY proteins primarily occurs by DNA binding at specific cis-regulatory elements, the W-box elements, which are short sequences located in the promoter region of certain genes. In addition, their action can occur through interaction with other TFs and the cellular transcription machinery. The current genome sequences available reveal a relatively large number of WRKY genes, reaching hundreds of copies. R...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - September 6, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
The microbiome and inborn errors of metabolism: Why we should look carefully at their interplay?
Abstract Research into the influence of the microbiome on the human body has been shedding new light on diseases long known to be multifactorial, such as obesity, mood disorders, autism, and inflammatory bowel disease. Although inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are monogenic diseases, genotype alone is not enough to explain the wide phenotypic variability observed in patients with these conditions. Genetics and diet exert a strong influence on the microbiome, and diet is used (alone or as an adjuvant) in the treatment of many IEMs. This review will describe how the effects of the microbiome on the host can interfere with ...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - September 6, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
The genome sequence of Dyella jiangningensis FCAV SCS01 from a lignocellulose-decomposing microbial consortium metagenome reveals potential for biotechnological applications
Abstract Cellulose and its associated polymers are structural components of the plant cell wall, constituting one of the major sources of carbon and energy in nature. The carbon cycle is dependent on cellulose- and lignin-decomposing microbial communities and their enzymatic systems acting as consortia. These microbial consortia are under constant exploration for their potential biotechnological use. Herein, we describe the characterization of the genome of Dyella jiangningensis FCAV SCS01, recovered from the metagenome of a lignocellulose-degrading microbial consortium, which was isolated from a sugarcane crop soil under ...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
The genomes of three Bradyrhizobium sp. isolated from root nodules of Lupinus albescens grown in extremely poor soils display important genes for resistance to environmental stress
Abstract Lupinus albescens is a resistant cover plant that establishes symbiotic relationships with bacteria belonging to the Bradyrhizobium genus. This symbiosis helps the development of these plants in adverse environmental conditions, such as the ones found in arenized areas of Southern Brazil. This work studied three Bradyrhizobium sp. (AS23, NAS80 and NAS96) isolated from L. albescens plants that grow in extremely poor soils (arenized areas and adjacent grasslands). The genomes of these three strains were sequenced in the Ion Torrent platform using the IonXpress library preparation kit, and presented a total number of...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
COX-2 gene expression and methylation profile in Sapajus apella as an experimental model for gastric adenocarcinoma
Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the main causes of cancer-related death worldwide. There are two distinct histological types of GC: diffuse and intestinal. The latter is characterized by the presence of pre-neoplastic lesions. One of the most frequently altered enzymes in intestinal GC is COX-2, an important lesion marker. This work aimed to study COX-2 methylation and expression in N-methyl-N-Nitrosurea (MNU)-induced intestinal GC in six Sapajus apella animals. The partial promoter sequence of S. apella COX-2 gene was obtained and used to identify transcription factors and cis-regulatory element binding sites....
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Identification of potential target genes of USP22 via ChIP-seq and RNA-seq analysis in HeLa cells
In this study, we characterized the potential genomic binding sites of UPS22 and GCN5 by ChIP-seq using specific antibodies in HeLa cells. There were 408 overlapping putative target genes bound by both USP22 and GCN5. Motif analysis showed that the sequences bound by USP22 and GCN5 shared two common motifs. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis indicated that the genes targeted by USP22 and GCN5 were involved in different physiological processes and pathways. Further RNA-seq, GO and pathway analyses revealed that knockdown of UPS22 induced differential expression of many genes that participated in diverse physiological p...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Glutathione depletion triggers actin cytoskeleton changes via actin-binding proteins
Abstract The importance of glutathione (GSH) in alternative cellular roles to the canonically proposed, were analyzed in a model unable to synthesize GSH. Gene expression analysis shows that the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton pathway is strongly impacted by the absence of GSH. To test this hypothesis, we evaluate the effect of GSH depletion via buthionine sulfoximine (5 and 12.5 mM) in human neuroblastoma MSN cells. In the present study, 70% of GSH reduction did not induce reactive oxygen species, lipoperoxidation, or cytotoxicity, which enabled us to evaluate the effect of glutathione in the absence of oxidative str...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Assessment of genetic mutation frequency induced by oxidative stress in Trypanosoma cruzi
Abstract Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease, a public health challenge due to its morbidity and mortality rates, which affects around 6-7 million people worldwide. Symptoms, response to chemotherapy, and the course of Chagas disease are greatly influenced by T. cruzi ‘ s intra-specific variability. Thus, DNA mutations in this parasite possibly play a key role in the wide range of clinical manifestations and in drug sensitivity. Indeed, the environmental conditions of oxidative stress faced by T. cruzi during its life cycle can generate genetic mutations. However, the lack of an established exper...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Leaf-associated bacterial microbiota of coffee and its correlation with manganese and calcium levels on leaves
Abstract Coffee is one of the most valuable agricultural commodities and the plants ’ leaves are the primary site of infection for most coffee diseases, such as the devastating coffee leaf rust. Therefore, the use of bacterial microbiota that inhabits coffee leaves to fight infections could be an alternative agricultural method to protect against coffee diseases. Here, we report the leaf-associated bacteria in three coffee genotypes over the course of a year, with the aim to determine the diversity of bacterial microbiota. The results indicate a prevalence of Enterobacteriales in Coffea canephora, Pseudomonadales in C. ...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
pGVG: a new Gateway-compatible vector for transformation of sugarcane and other monocot crops
Abstract The successful development of genetically engineered monocots using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation has created an increasing demand for compatible vectors. We have developed a new expression vector, pGVG, for efficient transformation and expression of different constructs for gene overexpression and silencing in sugarcane. The pCAMBIA2300 binary vector was modified by adding Gateway recombination sites for fast gene transfer between vectors and the maize polyubiquitin promoter Ubi-1 (ZmUbi1), which is known to drive high gene expression levels in monocots. Transformation efficiency using the pGVG vector rea...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Karyotype and genome size comparative analyses among six species of the oilseed-bearing genus Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae)
Abstract Jatropha is an important genus of Euphorbiaceae, with species largely used for various purposes, including the manufacturing of soaps and pharmaceutical products and applications in the bioenergetic industry. Although there have been several studies focusing J. curcas in various aspects, the karyotype features of Jatropha species are poorly known. Therefore, we analyzed six Jatropha species through fluorochrome staining (CMA/DAPI), fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with 5S and 45S rDNA probes and genome size estimation by flow cytometry. Our results revealed several chromosome markers by both CMA/DAPI and F...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Cytotaxonomic study of the Chilean endemic complex Alstroemeria magnifica Herb. (Alstroemeriaceae)
Abstract Alstroemeria L. (Alstroemeriaceae) represents one of the most diverse genera of vascular plants in Chile. It contains approximately 54 taxa, 40 of which are endemic. The “ complex ” Alstroemeria magnifica is endemic to Chile, and it comprises four varieties: A. magnifica var. magenta, A. magnifica var. magnifica, A. magnifica var. sierrae, and A. magnifica var. tofoensis. It is distributed from Coquimbo to the Valpara íso Region. We analyzed karyotypes of 10 populations along its natural distribution. All the populations presented an asymmetric karyotype, with 2n = 16 chromosomes but with three different kar...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Linkage disequilibrium levels and allele frequency distribution in Blanco Orejinegro and Romosinuano Creole cattle using medium density SNP chip data
This study evaluated the distribution of minor allele frequencies (MAF) and the level of LD in the Colombian Creole cattle breeds Blanco Orejinegro (BON) and Romosinuano (ROMO) using a medium density SNP panel (BovineSNP50K_v2). The LD decay in these breeds was lower than those reported for other taurine breeds, achieving optimal LD values (r2 ≥ 0.3) up to a distance of 70 kb in BON and 100 kb in ROMO, which is possibly associated with the conservation status of these cattle populations and their effective population size. The average MAF for both breeds was 0.27 ± 0.14 with a higher SNP proportion having high MAF valu...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Characterization and chromosomal mapping of the DgmarMITE transposon in populations of Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) sericeus species complex (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
Abstract Transposable elements are dispersed repetitive DNA sequences that can move within the genome and are related to genome and chromosome evolution, adaptation, and speciation. The aim of this study was to characterize and determine the chromosomal location and accumulation of a Mariner-like element in populations of four phylogenetically related species of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) sericeus complex. Mapping of the isolated element was performed by fluorescent in situ hybridization in different populations of analyzed species. Characterization of the isolated element revealed a degenerated transposon, named Dg...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
Letter to the Editor regarding Hubacek et al.’s report “Lack of an association between SNPs within the cholinergic receptor genes and smoking behavior in a Czech post-MONICA study”
We describe the initial results of a neonatal screening program for four lysosomal storage diseases (MPS I, Pompe, Gaucher and Fabry) using the digital microfluidics methodology. The method successfully identified patients previously diagnosed with these diseases and was used to test dried blood spot samples obtained from 10,527 newborns aged 2 to 14 days. The digital microfluidic technology shows potential for a simple, rapid and high-throughput screening for these four diseases in a standard neonatal screening laboratory. (Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology)
Source: Genetics and Molecular Biology - June 25, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research
