DNA Sequence Similarity Research Articles

MarA, SoxS and Rob of Escherichia coli - Global regulators of multidrug resistance, virulence and stress response.

Bacteria have a great capacity for adjusting their metabolism in response to environmental changes by linking extracellular stimuli to the regulation of genes by transcription factors. By working in a co-operative manner, transcription factors provide a rapid response to external threats, allowing the bacteria to survive. This review will focus on transcription factors MarA, SoxS and Rob in Escherichia coli, three members of the AraC family of proteins. These homologous proteins exemplify the ability to respond to multiple threats such as oxidative stress, drugs and toxic compounds, acidic pH, and host antimicrobial peptides. MarA, SoxS and Rob recognize similar DNA sequences in the promoter region of more than 40 regulatory target genes. As their regulons overlap, a finely tuned adaptive response allows E. coli to survive in the presence of different assaults in a co-ordinated manner. These regulators are well conserved amongst Enterobacteriaceae and due to their broad involvement in bacterial adaptation in the host, have recently been explored as targets to develop new anti-virulence agents. The regulators are also being examined for their roles in novel technologies such as biofuel production.

Three New Loxophyllum Species (Ciliophora: Pleurostomatida) from China with a Brief Review of the Marine and Brackish Loxophyllum Species

Recent studies indicate that there is a high diversity of pleurostomatid ciliates in the coastal waters of China. Here, three new congeners of Loxophyllum, L. caudatum sp. n., L. rugosum sp. n., and L. chinense sp. n., are described following observations of live cells and protargol-impregnated specimens. All three species usually have two macronuclear nodules and prominent warts along the dorsal margin formed by clustered extrusomes. In addition, L. caudatum sp. n. is characterized by its long conspicuous tail, dot-like cortical granules, 4 or 5 left and 9 or 10 right kineties, and a single subterminal contractile vacuole. Loxophyllum rugosum sp. n. is distinguished by possessing three prominent ridges on the left side, 7-11 right and 5-7 left kineties. Loxophyllum chinense sp. n. is characterized by having several contractile vacuoles distributed along the ventral margin, 13-18 right and 6-8 left kineties. The small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequence similarities among six congeners range from 96.46% to 99.94%. Phylogenetic trees based on the SSU rDNA sequences indicate that all Loxophyllum spp. form a well-supported monophyletic group. A brief review of the marine and brackish Loxophyllum species is supplied and one new combination, Litonotus multiplicatus (Kahl 1931) comb. n. (basionym Loxophyllum multiplicatum Kahl 1931), and one new name, Litonotus dragescoi nom. n. (basionym L. fasciolatus Dragesco 1966), are suggested.

Prenatal diagnostic conundrum involving a novel ATP7A duplication

Prenatal diagnostic conundrum involving a novel <i><scp>ATP7A</scp></i> duplication

Neutralizing the function of a β-globin–associated cis -regulatory DNA element using an artificial zinc finger DNA-binding domain

Gene expression is primarily regulated by cis-regulatory DNA elements and trans-interacting proteins. Transcription factors bind in a DNA sequence-specific manner and recruit activities that modulate the association and activity of transcription complexes at specific genes. Often, transcription factors belong to families of related proteins that interact with similar DNA sequences. Furthermore, genes are regulated by multiple, sometimes redundant, cis-regulatory elements. Thus, the analysis of the role of a specific DNA regulatory sequence and the interacting proteins in the context of intact cells is challenging. In this study, we designed and functionally characterized an artificial DNA-binding domain that neutralizes the function of a cis-regulatory DNA element associated with adult β-globin gene expression. The zinc finger DNA-binding domain (ZF-DBD), comprising six ZFs, interacted specifically with a CACCC site located 90 bp upstream of the transcription start site (-90 β-ZF-DBD), which is normally occupied by KLF1, a major regulator of adult β-globin gene expression. Stable expression of the -90 β-ZF-DBD in mouse erythroleukemia cells reduced the binding of KLF1 with the β-globin gene, but not with locus control region element HS2, and led to reduced transcription. Transient transgenic embryos expressing the -90 β-ZF-DBD developed normally but revealed reduced expression of the adult β-globin gene. These results demonstrate that artificial DNA-binding proteins lacking effector domains are useful tools for studying and modulating the function of cis-regulatory DNA elements.

Screening mammal biodiversity using DNA from leeches

(Current Biology 22, R262–R263; April 24, 2012) Due to an author oversight, the online Supplemental Information for this Correspondence incorrectly states the geographic proximity (30 km) of the source of the most similar DNA sequence in GenBank to the muntjac DNA sequences we recovered from the leeches. The correct proximity is within 55 km. This error does not affect the results of our study. The authors apologize for any inconvenience this error may have caused. Screening mammal biodiversity using DNA from leechesSchnell et al.Current BiologyApril 24, 2012In BriefWith nearly one quarter of mammalian species threatened, an accurate description of their distribution and conservation status is needed [1]. For rare, shy or cryptic species, existing monitoring methods are often prohibitively expensive or unreliable. The problem is particularly acute in tropical forests, where a disproportionate number of species are listed by IUCN as ‘data deficient’ [2], due to the difficulty of monitoring with conventional approaches. This presents serious obstacles to conservation management. Full-Text PDF Open Archive

Revised Systematics of Holospora-Like Bacteria and Characterization of “Candidatus Gortzia infectiva”, a Novel Macronuclear Symbiont of Paramecium jenningsi

The genus Holospora (Rickettsiales) includes highly infectious nuclear symbionts of the ciliate Paramecium with unique morphology and life cycle. To date, nine species have been described, but a molecular characterization is lacking for most of them. In this study, we have characterized a novel Holospora-like bacterium (HLB) living in the macronuclei of a Paramecium jenningsi population. This bacterium was morphologically and ultrastructurally investigated in detail, and its life cycle and infection capabilities were described. We also obtained its 16S rRNA gene sequence and developed a specific probe for fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments. A new taxon, "Candidatus Gortzia infectiva", was established for this HLB according to its unique characteristics and the relatively low DNA sequence similarities shared with other bacteria. The phylogeny of the order Rickettsiales based on 16S rRNA gene sequences has been inferred, adding to the available data the sequence of the novel bacterium and those of two Holospora species (Holospora obtusa and Holospora undulata) characterized for the purpose. Our phylogenetic analysis provided molecular support for the monophyly of HLBs and showed a possible pattern of evolution for some of their features. We suggested to classify inside the family Holosporaceae only HLBs, excluding other more distantly related and phenotypically different Paramecium endosymbionts.

Identification and analysis of pig chimeric mRNAs using RNA sequencing data

BackgroundGene fusion is ubiquitous over the course of evolution. It is expected to increase the diversity and complexity of transcriptomes and proteomes through chimeric sequence segments or altered regulation. However, chimeric mRNAs in pigs remain unclear. Here we identified some chimeric mRNAs in pigs and analyzed the expression of them across individuals and breeds using RNA-sequencing data.ResultsThe present study identified 669 putative chimeric mRNAs in pigs, of which 251 chimeric candidates were detected in a set of RNA-sequencing data. The 618 candidates had clear trans-splicing sites, 537 of which obeyed the canonical GU-AG splice rule. Only two putative pig chimera variants whose fusion junction was overlapped with that of a known human chimeric mRNA were found. A set of unique chimeric events were considered middle variances in the expression across individuals and breeds, and revealed non-significant variance between sexes. Furthermore, the genomic region of the 5′ partner gene shares a similar DNA sequence with that of the 3′ partner gene for 458 putative chimeric mRNAs. The 81 of those shared DNA sequences significantly matched the known DNA-binding motifs in the JASPAR CORE database. Four DNA motifs shared in parental genomic regions had significant similarity with known human CTCF binding sites.ConclusionsThe present study provided detailed information on some pig chimeric mRNAs. We proposed a model that trans-acting factors, such as CTCF, induced the spatial organisation of parental genes to the same transcriptional factory so that parental genes were coordinatively transcribed to give birth to chimeric mRNAs.

Multiple Divergent ITS1 Copies Were Identified in Single Tomato Genome Using DGGE Analysis

The intra-genomic variation in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has led to misleading conclusions in the evolutionary analysis of plants; understanding this variation is critical for correct evolutionary analysis based on ITS sequences. To reveal the ITS variation in tomato, entire copies of ITS1 sequences within tomato species were separated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and DNA sequence analysis. ITS1 copies varied significantly in sequence composition, but not in sequence length within the same tomato cultivar. DNA sequence similarity of the ITS1 copies was 77–100 %. Moreover, AT and GC contents in ITS1 copies from each tomato cultivar were significantly different, ranging from 50.4 to 64.3 % for GC and from 35.7 to 49.6 % for AT. However, the length variation of ITS1 was insignificant, ranging from 279 to 282 bp. Multiple copies of divergent ITS1 present in the tomato genome indicate that some copies may be paralogues. In conclusion, DGGE technique is a reliable and novel approach to reveal the entire ITS copy variation and the possible evolutionary relationship of tomato.

Development and validation of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays to detect elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses-2, 3, 4, 5, and 6

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHVs) can cause lethal hemorrhagic disease in both African and Asian elephants. At least seven EEHV types have been described, and sensitive real-time PCR tests have been developed for EEHV1A and 1B, which are associated with the majority of characterized Asian elephant deaths. Despite growing knowledge of the different EEHV types, the prevalence of each type within African and Asian elephants remains to be determined and there is considerable need for diagnostic tests to detect and discriminate between each EEHV species for clinical management of African and Asian elephants that develop illness from one or more of these viruses. To begin to address these issues, we developed real-time PCR assays for EEHV2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Overall, each assay had robust PCR efficiency, a dynamic linear range over 5log(10) concentrations, a limit of detection of 10 copies/test reaction with 100% sensitivity, and low intra- and inter-assay variability. Each assay proved to be specific for the EEHV targets for which it was designed, with the exception of EEHV3 and EEHV4, which was expected because of greater DNA sequence similarity between these two EEHV species than the others. These new tools will be useful for conducting surveys of EEHV prevalence within captive and range country elephants, for diagnostic testing of elephants with suspected EEHV-associated disease, and for managing the treatment of elephants with EEHV-induced illness.

Movement of DNA sequence recognition domains between non-orthologous proteins

Comparisons of proteins show that they evolve through the movement of domains. However, in many cases, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we observed the movements of DNA recognition domains between non-orthologous proteins within a prokaryote genome. Restriction–modification (RM) systems, consisting of a sequence-specific DNA methyltransferase and a restriction enzyme, contribute to maintenance/evolution of genomes/epigenomes. RM systems limit horizontal gene transfer but are themselves mobile. We compared Type III RM systems in Helicobacter pylori genomes and found that target recognition domain (TRD) sequences are mobile, moving between different orthologous groups that occupy unique chromosomal locations. Sequence comparisons suggested that a likely underlying mechanism is movement through homologous recombination of similar DNA sequences that encode amino acid sequence motifs that are conserved among Type III DNA methyltransferases. Consistent with this movement, incongruence was observed between the phylogenetic trees of TRD regions and other regions in proteins. Horizontal acquisition of diverse TRD sequences was suggested by detection of homologs in other Helicobacter species and distantly related bacterial species. One of these RM systems in H. pylori was inactivated by insertion of another RM system that likely transferred from an oral bacterium. TRD movement represents a novel route for diversification of DNA-interacting proteins.

Sex dimorphic expression of five dmrt genes identified in the Atlantic cod genome. The fish-specific dmrt2b diverged from dmrt2a before the fish whole-genome duplication

The Doublesex and Mab-3 related transcription factors (Dmrt) are characterised by the zinc finger-like DM domain binding similar DNA sequences, but show different spatio-temporal expression patterns and functions throughout ontogenesis. Dmrt1 is the master regulator of sex determination in very distant metazoans, while Dmrt2 and Dmrt4 are of crucial importance in vertebrate somitogenesis and neurogenesis, respectively. To elucidate the evolutionary divergence of the fish dmrt genes, we examined the expression patterns and the chromosomal synteny of the five dmrt genes identified in the Atlantic cod genome. Quantitative PCR analyses of cod dmrt1, dmrt2a, dmrt3, dmrt4 and dmrt5 revealed distinct expression patterns in the embryo and larvae, and indicated conserved extragonadal functions during early development. Several dmrt genes seem to be involved in the sexual differentiation of gonads and brain, but the sex-dimorphic expression patterns differed substantially between teleosts, suggesting functional switch between Dmrt members. The dmrt2a–dmrt3–dmrt1 cluster was found to be located in a conserved syntenic region, and the flanking genes have become duplicated in teleosts and are closely linked in a paralogous region lacking the dmrt cluster. Similarly, the region containing the fish-specific dmrt2b gene was found to have a paralogous region without a dmrt2b duplicate in a separate linkage group in the teleost genomes. We propose that the teleost segments paralogous to the dmrt2a- and dmrt2b regions, respectively, were formed through the fish-specific whole genome duplication (3R), while dmrt2a and dmrt2b originated from the second round (2R) of whole genome duplication of the ancestral dmrt2. The dmrt2b paralog seems to have been lost in Atlantic cod as in tetrapods and may be a pseudogene in pufferfish, while dmrt2a and dmrt2b have acquired different functions in zebrafish. Contrasting with the retained duplicates of dmrt flanking genes, the massive losses of dmrt duplicates in the vertebrate tetraploidizations suggest that their functions are exquisitely sensitive to gene dosage.

Genetic diversity of symbiotic cyanobacteria in Cycas revoluta (Cycadaceae)

The diversity of cyanobacterial species within the coralloid roots of an individual and populations of Cycas revoluta was investigated based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Sixty-six coralloid roots were collected from nine natural populations of cycads on Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands, covering the entire distribution range of the species. Approximately 400 bp of the 5'-end of 16S rRNA genes was amplified, and each was identified by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Most coralloid roots harbored only one cyanobiont, Nostoc, whereas some contained two or three, representing cyanobiont diversity within a single coralloid root isolated from a natural habitat. Genotypes of Nostoc within a natural population were occasionally highly diverged and lacked DNA sequence similarity, implying genetic divergence of Nostoc. On the other hand, Nostoc genotypes showed no phylogeographic structure across the distribution range, while host cycads exhibited distinct north-south differentiation. Cycads may exist in symbiosis with either single or multiple Nostoc strains in natural soil habitats.

Clonostachys rhizophaga and other fungi from chickpea debris in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest, USA.

In 2003, 2008 and 2009 isolates of Clonostachys sp.were recovered from post-harvest chickpea debris. Representative isolates were identified as C. rhizophaga on the basis of 99% similarity of β-tubulin DNA sequences to those of the type strain and 100% similarity to representative strains, including isolates reported as highly aggressive on chickpea in Syria. In strong contrast to the report from Syria, our isolates of C. rhizophaga from the U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) did not induce severe wilt when artificially inoculated on seed of chickpea line ICC 12004, even at elevated temperatures. Two instances of wilt (1.3 % of all inoculated plants) and occasional, usually transient, negative effects on emergence were documented. Chickpea debris was dominated by common saprobic fungi in Alternaria , Cladosporium and Ulocladium . Mycoparasitic fungi isolated from chickpea debris included C. rhizophaga , Cephalotrichum stemonitis and Harzia verrucosa , the latter two documented from chickpea for the first time. C. rhizophaga is already proven as mycoparasitic on Ascochyta rabiei (the primary fungal pathogen of chickpea), but C. stemonitis did not prove mycoparasitic on that fungus, and H. verrucosa did not remain viable in culture.

An investigation of horizontal transfer of feed introduced DNA to the aerobic microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract of rats

BackgroundHorizontal gene transfer through natural transformation of members of the microbiota of the lower gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of mammals has not yet been described. Insufficient DNA sequence similarity for homologous recombination to occur has been identified as the major barrier to interspecies transfer of chromosomal DNA in bacteria. In this study we determined if regions of high DNA similarity between the genomes of the indigenous bacteria in the GIT of rats and feed introduced DNA could lead to homologous recombination and acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes.ResultsPlasmid DNA with two resistance genes (nptI and aadA) and regions of high DNA similarity to 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA genes present in a broad range of bacterial species present in the GIT, were constructed and added to standard rat feed. Six rats, with a normal microbiota, were fed DNA containing pellets daily over four days before sampling of the microbiota from the different GI compartments (stomach, small intestine, cecum and colon). In addition, two rats were included as negative controls. Antibiotic resistant colonies growing on selective media were screened for recombination with feed introduced DNA by PCR targeting unique sites in the putatively recombined regions. No transformants were identified among 441 tested isolates.ConclusionsThe analyses showed that extensive ingestion of DNA (100 μg plasmid) per day did not lead to increased proportions of kanamycin resistant bacteria, nor did it produce detectable transformants among the aerobic microbiota examined for 6 rats (detection limit < 1 transformant per 1,1 × 108 cultured bacteria). The key methodological challenges to HGT detection in animal feedings trials are identified and discussed. This study is consistent with other studies suggesting natural transformation is not detectable in the GIT of mammals.

Transcriptome Atlases of Mouse Brain Reveals Differential Expression Across Brain Regions and Genetic Backgrounds

Mouse models play a crucial role in the study of human behavioral traits and diseases. Variation of gene expression in brain may play a critical role in behavioral phenotypes, and thus it is of great importance to understand regulation of transcription in mouse brain. In this study, we analyzed the role of two important factors influencing steady-state transcriptional variation in mouse brain. First we considered the effect of assessing whole brain vs. discrete regions of the brain. Second, we investigated the genetic basis of strain effects on gene expression. We examined the transcriptome of three brain regions using Affymetrix expression arrays: whole brain, forebrain, and hindbrain in adult mice from two common inbred strains (C57BL/6J vs. NOD/ShiLtJ) with eight replicates for each brain region and strain combination. We observed significant differences between the transcriptomes of forebrain and hindbrain. In contrast, the transcriptomes of whole brain and forebrain were very similar. Using 4.3 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified through whole-genome sequencing of C57BL/6J and NOD/ShiLtJ strains, we investigated the relationship between strain effect in gene expression and DNA sequence similarity. We found that cis-regulatory effects play an important role in gene expression differences between strains and that the cis-regulatory elements are more often located in 5′ and/or 3′ transcript boundaries, with no apparent preference on either 5′ or 3′ ends.

Genomic Stability of Genotyping Markers in Chlamydia trachomatis

Genomic Stability of Genotyping Markers in Chlamydia trachomatis

Diagnosis of Liposcelis entomophila (Insecta: Psocodea: Liposcelididae) based on morphological characteristics and DNA barcodes

Liposcelis entomophila infests stored grain and is one of the most important psocid species worldwide. Six geographically isolated strains of L. entomophila from Asia, Europe, and United States of America (USA) were compared based on morphological attributes and by molecular methods. Decisive characters of morphological diagnosis were studied using body size measurements and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Molecular identification of the six strains was performed via identification of DNA sequence similarities and phylogenetic analyses based on a 655-bp fragment from the 5′ end of the standard mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) barcode region. The results showed that both morphological and molecular approaches were able to accurately identify this species. Kimura-2-Parameter (K2P) divergence between geographically isolated strains was on average 1.75% for the COI sequence. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that sequences of L. entomophila strains' COI barcodes formed clusters with tight cohesion that were clearly distinct from those of allied species.

Phylogeny and Biogeography of Ivies (Hedera spp., Araliaceae), a Polyploid Complex of Woody Vines

Ivy ( Hedera spp., Araliaceae) is a polyploid complex of woody vines. Native to Eurasia and northern Africa, ivy is cultivated worldwide and has become an aggressive invader of North American forests. Despite its ecological impacts and economic significance to the horticultural industry, the taxonomy of Hedera is controversial and historical relationships are poorly defined. Here we characterize the phylogeny of Hedera based on the low-copy nuclear locus Granule-bound starch synthase I ( GBSSI ) and twelve non-coding cpDNA regions. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of both data sets identified Hedera as monophyletic. For GBSSI , we isolated eighteen haplotypes that were widely shared across species. There was no evidence of fixed heterozygosity or haplotype additivity in polyploids, suggesting pos- sible autopolyploid origins. For cpDNA, we isolated sixteen haplotypes that were highly structured by geography. Haplotype diversity and phylogenetic structure were greatest in northern Africa and southern Europe. Thus, while most members of the Araliaceae reside in tropi- cal and subtropical Asia, the early diversification of Hedera probably occurred in the Mediterranean Basin. Geographically-structured clades included diploid and polyploid species, suggesting that genome duplication has occurred repeatedly in the genus. Closely-related ivies often differed in leaf size and trichome morphology, indicating evolutionary lability of traits traditionally used for classification. Nonetheless, we recovered similar or identical DNA sequences within morphologically-defined species. Notable exceptions included southern populations of H. helix ( H. helix subsp. caucasigena and H. helix subsp. rhizomatifera ) that had cpDNA haplotypes distinct from those of central and northern Europe ( H. helix subsp. helix ).

Research Resource: Enhanced Genome-Wide Occupancy of Estrogen Receptor α by the Cochaperone p23 in Breast Cancer Cells

p23 is a chaperone with multiple heat shock protein 90 dependent and independent cellular functions, including stabilizing unliganded steroid receptors and modulating receptor-DNA dynamics. p23 protein is also up-regulated in several cancers, notably breast cancer. We previously demonstrated that higher expression of p23 in the estrogen-dependent breast cancer line MCF-7 (MCF-7+p23) selectively increased estrogen receptor (ER) target gene transcription and ER recruitment to regulatory elements, promoted cell invasion, and predicted a poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. To probe the impact of p23 on ER binding throughout the human genome, we compared ER occupancy in MCF-7+p23 cells relative to MCF-7-control cells by using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by ultrahigh-throughput DNA sequencing in the absence and presence of 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment. We found that increased expression of p23 resulted in a 230% increase in the number of E2-induced ER-binding sites throughout the genome compared with control cells and also increased ER binding under basal conditions. Motif analysis indicated that ER binds to a similar DNA sequence regardless of p23 status. We also observed that ER tends to bind closer to genes that were induced, rather than repressed by either E2 treatment or p23 overexpression. Interestingly, we also found that the increased invasion of MCF-7+p23 cells was not only p23 dependent but also ER dependent. Thus, a small increase in the expression of p23 amplifies ER-binding genome wide and, in combination with ER, elicits an invasive phenotype. This makes p23 an attractive target for combating tumor cell metastasis in breast cancer patients.

C-terminal domain of MEIS1 converts PKNOX1 (PREP1) into a HOXA9-collaborating oncoprotein

AbstractThe three-amino-acid loop extension (TALE) class homeodomain proteins MEIS1 and PKNOX1 (PREP1) share the ability to interact with PBX and HOX family members and bind similar DNA sequences but appear to play opposing roles in tumor development. Elevated levels of MEIS1 accelerate development of HOX- and MLL-induced leukemias, and this pro-tumorigenic property has been associated with transcriptional activity of MEIS1. In contrast, reduction of PKNOX1 levels has been linked with cancer development despite the absence of an identifiable transactivating domain. In this report, we show that a chimeric protein generated by fusion of the MEIS1 C-terminal region encompassing the transactivating domain with the full-length PKNOX1 (PKNOX1-MC) acquired the ability to accelerate the onset of Hoxa9-induced leukemia in the mouse bone marrow transduction/transplantation model. Gene expression profiling of primary bone marrow cells transduced with Hoxa9 plus Meis1, or Hoxa9 plus Pknox1-MC revealed perturbations in overlapping functional gene subsets implicated in DNA packaging, chromosome organization, and in cell cycle regulation. Together, results presented in this report suggest that the C-terminal domain of MEIS1 confers to PKNOX1 an ectopic transactivating function that promotes leukemogenesis by regulating expression of genes involved in chromatin accessibility and cell cycle progression.