scholarly journals Protocol: Genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 Knockout and Transcriptional Activation Screening

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Joung ◽  
Silvana Konermann ◽  
Jonathan S. Gootenberg ◽  
Omar O. Abudayyeh ◽  
Randall J. Platt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Library Design ◽  
Genetic Screens ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Forward Genetic Screens ◽  
Genome Scale ◽  
Indel Rate

Forward genetic screens are powerful tools for the unbiased discovery and functional characterization of specific genetic elements associated with a phenotype of interest. Recently, the RNA-guided endonuclease Cas9 from the microbial immune system CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) has been adapted for genome-scale screening by combining Cas9 with guide RNA libraries. Here we describe a protocol for genome-scale knockout and transcriptional activation screening using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Custom-or ready-made guide RNA libraries are constructed and packaged into lentivirus for delivery into cells for screening. As each screen is unique, we provide guidelines for determining screening parameters and maintaining sufficient coverage. To validate candidate genes identified from the screen, we further describe strategies for confirming the screening phenotype as well as genetic perturbation through analysis of indel rate and transcriptional activation. Beginning with library design, a genome-scale screen can be completed in 6-10 weeks followed by 3-4 weeks of validation.

scholarly journals A Genome-Scale Resource for the Functional Characterization of Arabidopsis Transcription Factors

Cell Reports ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 622-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose L. Pruneda-Paz ◽  
Ghislain Breton ◽  
Dawn H. Nagel ◽  
S. Earl Kang ◽  
Katia Bonaldi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Genome Scale

scholarly journals Unsupervised Learning Approach for Comparing Multiple Transposon Insertion Sequencing Studies

mSphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Troy P. Hubbard ◽  
Jonathan D. D’Gama ◽  
Gabriel Billings ◽  
Brigid M. Davis ◽  
Matthew K. Waldor
Keyword(s):  
Unsupervised Learning ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Intestinal Colonization ◽  
Genetic Screens ◽  
Transposon Insertion ◽  
Screen Level ◽  
Forward Genetic Screens ◽  
Transposon Insertion Sequencing ◽  
Genome Scale

ABSTRACT Transposon insertion sequencing (TIS) is a widely used technique for conducting genome-scale forward genetic screens in bacteria. However, few methods enable comparison of TIS data across multiple replicates of a screen or across independent screens, including screens performed in different organisms. Here, we introduce a post hoc analytic framework, comparative TIS (CompTIS), which utilizes unsupervised learning to enable meta-analysis of multiple TIS data sets. CompTIS first implements screen-level principal-component analysis (PCA) and clustering to identify variation between the TIS screens. This initial screen-level analysis facilitates the selection of related screens for additional analyses, reveals the relatedness of complex environments based on growth phenotypes measured by TIS, and provides a useful quality control step. Subsequently, PCA is performed on genes to identify loci whose corresponding mutants lead to concordant/discordant phenotypes across all or in a subset of screens. We used CompTIS to analyze published intestinal colonization TIS data sets from two vibrio species. Gene-level analyses identified both pan-vibrio genes required for intestinal colonization and conserved genes that displayed species-specific requirements. CompTIS is applicable to virtually any combination of TIS screens and can be implemented without regard to either the number of screens or the methods used for upstream data analysis. IMPORTANCE Forward genetic screens are powerful tools for functional genomics. The comparison of similar forward genetic screens performed in different organisms enables the identification of genes with similar or different phenotypes across organisms. Transposon insertion sequencing is a widely used method for conducting genome-scale forward genetic screens in bacteria, yet few bioinformatic approaches have been developed to compare the results of screen replicates and different screens conducted across species or strains. Here, we used principal-component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering, two unsupervised learning approaches, to analyze the relatedness of multiple in vivo screens of pathogenic vibrios. This analytic framework reveals both shared pan-vibrio requirements for intestinal colonization and strain-specific dependencies. Our findings suggest that PCA-based analytics will be a straightforward widely applicable approach for comparing diverse transposon insertion sequencing screens.

scholarly journals Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of VQ Motif-containing Gene Family in Brassica napus and Functional Characterization of BnMKS1 in Response to Leptosphaeria maculans

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongwei Zou ◽  
Fei Liu ◽  
Shuanglong Huang ◽  
DILANTHA GERARD FERNANDO
Keyword(s):  
Brassica Napus ◽  
Gene Family ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Leptosphaeria Maculans ◽  
Defense Responses ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Blackleg Disease ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome

Proteins containing Valine-glutamine (VQ) motifs play important roles in plant growth and development, as well as in defense responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. Blackleg disease, which is caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, is the most important disease in canola (Brassica napus L.) worldwide. H; however, the identification of B. napus VQs and their functions in response to blackleg disease have not yet been reported. In this study, we conducted a genome genome-wide identification and characterization of the VQ gene family in B. napus, including chromosome location, phylogenetic relations, gene structure, motif domain, synteny analysis, and cis-elements categorization of their promoter regions. To understand B. napus VQ gene function in response to blackleg disease, we overexpressed BnVQ7 (BnaA01g36880D, also known as the mitogen-activated protein kinase4 substrate1 (MKS1) gene) in a blackleg-susceptible canola variety Westar. Overexpression The overexpression of BnMKS1 in canola did not improve its resistance to blackleg disease at the seedling stage. H; however, transgenic canola plants overexpressing BnMKS1 displayed an enhanced resistance to L. maculans infection at the adult plant stage. Expression levels of downstream and defense marker genes in cotyledons increased significantly at the necrotrophic stage of L. maculans infection in the overexpression line of BnMKS1, suggesting that the SA salicylic acid (SA)- and jasmonic acid (JA )-mediated signaling pathways were both involved in the defense responses. Together, these results suggest that BnMKS1 might play an important role in the defense against L. maculans.

scholarly journals Comparative Genomic Characterization of the Multimammate Mouse Mastomys coucha

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 2805-2812
Author(s):  
Aaron Hardin ◽  
Kimberly A Nevonen ◽  
Walter L Eckalbar ◽  
Lucia Carbone ◽  
Nadav Ahituv
Keyword(s):  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Mammary Glands ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Lassa Virus ◽  
Enhancer Activity ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Genomic Tool ◽  
Mastomys Coucha ◽  
Comparative Genomic Tool

Abstract Mastomys are the most widespread African rodent and carriers of various diseases such as the plague or Lassa virus. In addition, mastomys have rapidly gained a large number of mammary glands. Here, we generated a genome, variome, and transcriptomes for Mastomys coucha. As mastomys diverged at similar times from mouse and rat, we demonstrate their utility as a comparative genomic tool for these commonly used animal models. Furthermore, we identified over 500 mastomys accelerated regions, often residing near important mammary developmental genes or within their exons leading to protein sequence changes. Functional characterization of a noncoding mastomys accelerated region, located in the HoxD locus, showed enhancer activity in mouse developing mammary glands. Combined, our results provide genomic resources for mastomys and highlight their potential both as a comparative genomic tool and for the identification of mammary gland number determining factors.

scholarly journals Genome-wide identification of tomato xylem sap fitness factors for Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum and Ralstonia syzygii

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stratton Georgoulis ◽  
Katie E. Shalvarjian ◽  
Tyler C. Helmann ◽  
Corri D. Hamilton ◽  
Hans K. Carlson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Culture Media ◽  
Xylem Sap ◽  
Genetic Screens ◽  
Rich Medium ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Bacterial Membranes ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Ralstonia Pseudosolanacearum ◽  
Genome Scale

AbstractPlant pathogenic Ralstonia spp. colonize plant xylem and cause wilt diseases on a broad range of host plants. To identify genes that promote growth of diverse Ralstonia strains in xylem sap from tomato plants, we performed genome-scale genetic screens (random barcoded transposon mutant sequencing screens; RB-TnSeq) in Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum GMI1000 and R. syzygii PSI07. Contrasting mutant fitness phenotypes in culture media versus in xylem sap suggest that Ralstonia strains are adapted to sap and that culture media impose foreign selective pressures. Although wild-type Ralstonia grew in sap and in rich medium with similar doubling times and to a similar carrying capacity, more genes were essential for growth in sap than in rich medium. Multiple mutants lacking amino acid biosynthesis and central metabolism functions had fitness defects in xylem sap and minimal medium. Our screen identified > 26 genes in each strain that contributed to growth in xylem sap but were dispensable for growth in culture media. Many sap-specific fitness factors are associated with bacterial stress responses: envelope remodeling and repair processes such as peptidoglycan peptide formation (murI and RSc1177), LPS O-antigen biosynthesis (RSc0684), periplasmic protein folding (dsbA), drug efflux (tolA and tolR), and stress responses (cspD3). Our genome-scale genetic screen identified Ralstonia fitness factors that promote growth in xylem sap, an ecologically relevant condition.ImportanceTraditional transposon mutagenesis genetic screens pioneered molecular plant pathology and identified core virulence traits like the type III secretion system. TnSeq approaches that leverage next-generation sequencing to rapidly quantify transposon mutant phenotypes are ushering in a new wave of biological discovery. Here we have adapted a genome-scale approach, random barcoded transposon mutant sequencing (RB-TnSeq), to discover fitness factors that promote growth of two related bacterial strains in a common niche, tomato xylem sap. Fitness of wild-type and mutants show that Ralstonia spp. are adapted to grow well in xylem sap from their natural host plant, tomato. Our screen identified multiple sap-specific fitness factors with roles in maintaining the bacterial envelope. These factors are putative adaptations to resist plant defenses, including antimicrobial proteins and specialized metabolites that damage bacterial membranes.

scholarly journals Identification and functional characterization of transcriptional activators in human cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nader Alerasool ◽  
Zhen-Yuan Lin ◽  
Anne-Claude Gingras ◽  
Mikko Taipale
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Transcriptional Activators ◽  
Transactivation Domains ◽  
Chemical Inhibitors ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Human Proteins ◽  
Interaction Proteomics ◽  
Genome Scale

Transcription is orchestrated by thousands of transcription factors and chromatin-associated proteins, but how these are causally connected to transcriptional activation or repression is poorly understood. Here, we conduct an unbiased proteome-scale screen to systematically uncover human proteins that activate transcription in a natural chromatin context. We also identify potent transactivation domains among the hits. By combining interaction proteomics and chemical inhibitors, we delineate the preference of both known and novel transcriptional activators for specific co-activators, highlighting how even closely related TFs can function via distinct co-factors. Finally, we show that many novel activators are partners in fusion events in tumors and functionally characterize a myofibroma-associated fusion between SRF and C3orf62, a potent activator. SRF-C3orf62 activates transcription in a CBP/p300-dependent manner and promotes proliferative and myogenic transcriptional programs. Our work provides a functional catalogue of potent transactivators in the human proteome and a platform for discovering transcriptional regulators at genome scale.

scholarly journals Diversification of Transcription Factor NF-κB in Protists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah M. Williams ◽  
Sainetra Sridhar ◽  
Jason Samaroo ◽  
Ebubechi K. Adindu ◽  
Anvitha Addanki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Dna Binding Activity ◽  
Inhibitory Domain

In this report, we investigate the evolution of transcription factor NF-κB by examining its structure, activity, and regulation in two protists using phylogenetic, cellular, and biochemical techniques. In Capsaspora owczarzaki (Co), we find that full-length NF-κB has an N-terminal DNA-binding domain and a C-terminal Ankyrin (ANK) repeat inhibitory domain, and its DNA-binding activity is more similar to metazoan NF-κB rather than Rel proteins. As with mammalian NF-κB proteins, removal of the ANK repeats is required for Co-NF-κB to enter the nucleus, bind DNA, and activate transcription. However, C-terminal processing of Co-NF-κB is not induced by co-expression of IKK in human cells. Exogenously expressed Co-NF-κB localizes to the nucleus in Co cells. NF-κB mRNA and DNA-binding levels differ across three life stages of Capsaspora, suggesting distinct roles for NF-κB in these life stages. RNA-seq and GO analyses identify possible gene targets and biological functions of Co-NF-κB. We also show that three NF-κB-like proteins from the choanoflagellate Acanthoeca spectabilis (As) all consist of primarily the N-terminal conserved Rel Homology domain sequences of NF-κB, and lack C-terminal ANK repeats. All three As-NF-κB proteins constitutively enter the nucleus of human and Co cells, but differ in their DNA-binding and transcriptional activation activities. Furthermore, all three As-NF-κB proteins can form heterodimers, indicating that NF-κB diversified into multi-subunit families at least two times during evolution. Overall, these results present the first functional characterization of NF-κB in a taxonomic kingdom other than Animalia and provide information about the evolution and diversification of this biologically important transcription factor.

scholarly journals Diversity and Function of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Microbiome

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary T. Pimentel ◽  
Keith Dufault-Thompson ◽  
Kayla T. Russo ◽  
Abigail K. Scro ◽  
Roxanna M. Smolowitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crassostrea Virginica ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Metabolic Reconstruction ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Shotgun Metagenomics ◽  
Community Profiling ◽  
Genome Scale

ABSTRACTMarine invertebrate microbiomes play important roles in various host and ecological processes. However, a mechanistic understanding of host-microbe interactions is so far only available for a handful of model organisms. Here, an integrated taxonomic and functional analysis of the microbiome of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, was performed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiling, shotgun metagenomics, and genome-scale metabolic reconstruction. A relatively low number of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were observed in oyster tissues compared to water samples, while high variability was observed across individual oysters and among different tissue types. Targeted metagenomic sequencing of the gut microbiota led to further characterization of a dominant bacterial taxon, the class Mollicutes, which was captured by the reconstruction of a metagenome-assembled genome (MAG). Genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of the oyster Mollicutes MAG revealed a reduced set of metabolic functions and a high reliance on the uptake of host-derived nutrients. A chitin degradation and an arginine deiminase pathway were unique to the MAG as compared to other closely related Mycoplasma genomes, indicating a distinct mechanism of carbon and energy acquisition by the oyster- associated Mollicutes. A systematic reanalysis of public eastern oyster-derived microbiome data revealed the Mollicutes as a ubiquitous taxon among adult oysters despite their general absence in larvae and biodeposit samples, suggesting potential horizontal transmission via an unknown mechanism.IMPORTANCEDespite well-documented biological significance of invertebrate microbiomes, a detailed taxonomic and functional characterization is frequently missing from many non-model marine invertebrates. By using 16S rRNA gene-based community profiling, shotgun metagenomics, and genome-scale metabolic reconstruction, this study provides an integrated taxonomic and functional analysis of the microbiome of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Community profiling revealed a surprisingly low richness, as compared to surrounding seawater, and high variability among different tissue types and individuals. Reconstruction of a Mollicutes MAG enabled the phylogenomic positioning and functional characterization of the oyster-associated Mollicutes. Comparative analysis of the adult oyster gut, biodeposits, and oyster larvae samples indicated the potentially ubiquitous associations of the Mollicutes taxon with adult oysters. To the best of our knowledge, this study represented the first metagenomics derived functional inference of the eastern oyster microbiome. An integrated analytical procedure was developed for the functional characterization of microbiomes in other non-model host species.

scholarly journals Identification and characterization of Hoxa9 binding sites in hematopoietic cells

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 388-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongsheng Huang ◽  
Kajal Sitwala ◽  
Joel Bronstein ◽  
Daniel Sanders ◽  
Monisha Dandekar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Enhancer Activity ◽  
Transcription Start Sites ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
P300 Binding ◽  
Histone H3k4

The clustered homeobox proteins play crucial roles in development, hematopoiesis, and leukemia, yet the targets they regulate and their mechanisms of action are poorly understood. Here, we identified the binding sites for Hoxa9 and the Hox cofactor Meis1 on a genome-wide level and profiled their associated epigenetic modifications and transcriptional targets. Hoxa9 and the Hox cofactor Meis1 cobind at hundreds of highly evolutionarily conserved sites, most of which are distant from transcription start sites. These sites show high levels of histone H3K4 monomethylation and CBP/P300 binding characteristic of enhancers. Furthermore, a subset of these sites shows enhancer activity in transient transfection assays. Many Hoxa9 and Meis1 binding sites are also bound by PU.1 and other lineage-restricted transcription factors previously implicated in establishment of myeloid enhancers. Conditional Hoxa9 activation is associated with CBP/P300 recruitment, histone acetylation, and transcriptional activation of a network of proto-oncogenes, including Erg, Flt3, Lmo2, Myb, and Sox4. Collectively, this work suggests that Hoxa9 regulates transcription by interacting with enhancers of genes important for hematopoiesis and leukemia.

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