scholarly journals Soya isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, induce differential transcriptional modulation in the ovary and testis of zebrafish Danio rerio

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 79-91
Author(s):  
C Sarasquete ◽  
M Úbeda-Manzanaro ◽  
JB Ortiz-Delgado

Most research into the effects of phytochemical isoflavones has focussed on endocrine disruptions, and especially on oestrogenic imbalances; however, little is known about their effects on other molecular signals such as transcriptional coregulators and choriolytic enzymatic pathways, which are also important in reproductive processes. In male and female zebrafish Danio rerio, the soya isoflavones genistein and daidzein (provided at 10 mg l-1 for 15 d) modulated the basal expression levels of oestrogen receptor transcripts (ERβ) in variable and differential ways. Exposure to genistein resulted in decreased levels of ERβ in the zebrafish ovary; conversely, this isoflavone increased the basal expression levels of the hatching enzyme (HE1) in both gonads. On the other hand, daidzein increased the basal expression levels of the bromodomain testis-specific gene (BRDT) in the male gonad, but not in the ovary. Both isoflavones also differentially modulated (up-down regulations) the basal expression patterns of the 3 molecular signals studied in other regions of the body (e.g. head, digestive system, skeletal musculature). Despite all these transcriptional imbalances, neither of the phytoestrogens modified gonadal histomorphology or the baseline histochemical pattern of proteins, carbohydrates and glycoconjugates distributed in either the vitelline structures or in the developing and maturing germ cells of Danio rerio.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Wentao Lyu ◽  
Long Zhang ◽  
Yujie Gong ◽  
Xueting Wen ◽  
Yingping Xiao ◽  
...  

Defensins are a class of antimicrobial peptides in vertebrates that function as the first line of innate immunity with potent antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. Fourteen defensins, namely, avian β-defensin 1 to 14 (AvBD1-14), have been identified in chickens. Before characterizing the role of AvBDs in innate immunity during the early development of chickens, we collected tissue segments from the liver, spleen, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract including the esophagus, crop, proventriculus, gizzard, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon from broilers at days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28. After RNA isolation and reverse transcription, we determined the expression levels of the 14 AvBD genes in these tissues during the first 28 days after hatching by real-time PCR. The results suggested the AvBDs were widely expressed in the chicken liver, spleen, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Interestingly, we did not detect AvBD11 expressed in the GI tract, even in the liver and spleen. Additionally, AvBDs were differentially expressed in the chicken GI tract. AvBD5 and AvBD14 were expressed most abundantly in the proximal GI tract, especially the esophagus and crop. Moreover, AvBD5, AvBD7, AvBD9, and AvBD14 were expressed in an inverted-V pattern with the peak being the observed expression at days 3, 7, or 14 in the chicken spleen, esophagus, duodenum, and cecum. Other AvBDs presented biphasic or inverted-V expression patterns in different tissues. The expression levels of all detected AvBDs were strengthened after hatching rather than decreasing steadily. Therefore, AvBDs were found to be expressed widely in the chicken liver, spleen, and GI tract and their expression levels were primarily up regulated during the early development of chicken, implying the potential essential roles of AvBDs in early innate defense and infection resistance of chickens.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsty J. Flower ◽  
Sadaf Ghaem-Maghami ◽  
Robert Brown

The efficacy of cancer immunotherapy relies on the ability of the host immune system to recognise the cancer as non-self and eliminate it from the body. Whilst this is an extremely fertile area of medical research, with positive clinical trials showing durable responses, attention must be paid to the subset of patients that do not respond to these treatments. Immune surveillance and immunoediting by the host could itself select for immune-evasive tumour cells during tumour development leading to immunotherapy resistance. One such mechanism of non-efficacy or resistance is the epigenetic silencing of a specific gene required in the immunotherapy response pathway. Epigenetics is the study of the control of expression patterns in a cell via mechanisms not involving a change in DNA sequence. All tumour types show aberrant epigenetic regulation of genes involved in all the hallmarks of cancer, including immunomodulation. Inhibition of key enzymes involved in maintenance of epigenetic states is another important area of research for new treatment strategies for cancer. Could epigenetic therapies be used to successfully enhance the action of immunomodulatory agents in cancer, and are they acting in the way we imagine? An understanding of the effects of epigenetic therapies on immunological pathways in both the tumour and host cells, especially the tumour microenvironment, will be essential to further develop such combination approaches.


Fermentation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 164
Author(s):  
Chiara Nadai ◽  
Giulia Crosato ◽  
Alessio Giacomini ◽  
Viviana Corich

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the fermentation rate and the ability to complete the sugar transformation process depend on the glucose and fructose transporter set-up. Hexose transport mainly occurs via facilitated diffusion carriers and these are encoded by the HXT gene family and GAL2. In addition, FSY1, coding a fructose/H+ symporter, was identified in some wine strains. This little-known transporter could be relevant in the last part of the fermentation process when fructose is the most abundant sugar. In this work, we investigated the gene expression of the hexose transporters during late fermentation phase, by means of qPCR. Four S. cerevisiae strains (P301.9, R31.3, R008, isolated from vineyard, and the commercial EC1118) were considered and the transporter gene expression levels were determined to evaluate how the strain gene expression pattern modulated the late fermentation process. The very low global gene expression and the poor fermentation performance of R008 suggested that the overall expression level is a determinant to obtain the total sugar consumption. Each strain showed a specific gene expression profile that was strongly variable. This led to rethinking the importance of the HXT3 gene that was previously considered to play a major role in sugar transport. In vineyard strains, other transporter genes, such as HXT6/7, HXT8, and FSY1, showed higher expression levels, and the resulting gene expression patterns properly supported the late fermentation process.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingze He ◽  
Peng Liu ◽  
Carolyn J. Lawrence-Dill

AbstractGenome-wide molecular gene expression studies generally compare expression values for each gene across multiple conditions followed by cluster and gene set enrichment analysis to determine whether differentially expressed genes are enriched in specific biochemical pathways, cellular components, biological processes, and/or molecular functions, etc. This approach to analyzing differences in gene expression enables discovery of gene function, but is not useful to determine whether pre-defined groups of genes share or diverge in their expression patterns in response to treatments nor to assess the correctness of pre-defined gene set groupings. Here we present a simple method that changes the dimension of comparison by treating genes as variable traits to directly assess significance of differences in expression levels among pre-defined gene groups. Because expression distributions are typically skewed (thus unfit for direct assessment using Gaussian statistical methods) our method involves transforming expression data to approximate a normal distribution followed by dividing the genes into groups, then applying Gaussian parametric methods to assess significance of observed differences. This method enables the assessment of differences in gene expression distributions within and across samples, enabling hypothesis-based comparison among groups of genes. We demonstrate this method by assessing the significance of specific gene groups’ differential response to heat stress conditions in maize.AbbreviationsGO– gene ontology HSP – heat shock proteinKEGG– Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and GenomesHSF TF– heat shock factor transcription factorHSBP– heat shock binding proteinRNA– ribonucleic acidTE– transposable elementTF– transcription factorTPM– transcripts per kilobase millions


Author(s):  
Ruben Plöger ◽  
Christoph Viebahn

AbstractThe anterior-posterior axis is a central element of the body plan and, during amniote gastrulation, forms through several transient domains with specific morphogenetic activities. In the chick, experimentally proven activity of signalling molecules and transcription factors lead to the concept of a ‘global positioning system’ for initial axis formation whereas in the (mammotypical) rabbit embryo, a series of morphological or molecular domains are part of a putative ‘three-anchor-point model’. Because circular expression patterns of genes involved in axis formation exist in both amniote groups prior to, and during, gastrulation and may thus be suited to reconcile these models, the expression patterns of selected genes known in the chick, namely the ones coding for the transcription factors eomes and tbx6, the signalling molecule wnt3 and the wnt inhibitor pkdcc, were analysed in the rabbit embryonic disc using in situ hybridisation and placing emphasis on their germ layer location. Peripheral wnt3 and eomes expression in all layers is found initially to be complementary to central pkdcc expression in the hypoblast during early axis formation. Pkdcc then appears — together with a posterior-anterior gradient in wnt3 and eomes domains — in the epiblast posteriorly before the emerging primitive streak is marked by pkdcc and tbx6 at its anterior and posterior extremities, respectively. Conserved circular expression patterns deduced from some of this data may point to shared mechanisms in amniote axis formation while the reshaping of localised gene expression patterns is discussed as part of the ‘three-anchor-point model’ for establishing the mammalian body plan.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruifeng Cui ◽  
Xiaoge Wang ◽  
Waqar Afzal Malik ◽  
Xuke Lu ◽  
Xiugui Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The Raffinose synthetase (RAFS) genes superfamily is critical for the synthesis of raffinose, which accumulates in plant leaves under abiotic stress. However, it remains unclear whether RAFS contributes to resistance to abiotic stress in plants, specifically in the Gossypium species. Results In this study, we identified 74 RAFS genes from G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum and G. raimondii by using a series of bioinformatic methods. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the RAFS gene family in the four Gossypium species could be divided into four major clades; the relatively uniform distribution of the gene number in each species ranged from 12 to 25 based on species ploidy, most likely resulting from an ancient whole-genome polyploidization. Gene motif analysis showed that the RAFS gene structure was relatively conservative. Promoter analysis for cis-regulatory elements showed that some RAFS genes might be regulated by gibberellins and abscisic acid, which might influence their expression levels. Moreover, we further examined the functions of RAFS under cold, heat, salt and drought stress conditions, based on the expression profile and co-expression network of RAFS genes in Gossypium species. Transcriptome analysis suggested that RAFS genes in clade III are highly expressed in organs such as seed, root, cotyledon, ovule and fiber, and under abiotic stress in particular, indicating the involvement of genes belonging to clade III in resistance to abiotic stress. Gene co-expressed network analysis showed that GhRFS2A-GhRFS6A, GhRFS6D, GhRFS7D and GhRFS8A-GhRFS11A were key genes, with high expression levels under salt, drought, cold and heat stress. Conclusion The findings may provide insights into the evolutionary relationships and expression patterns of RAFS genes in Gossypium species and a theoretical basis for the identification of stress resistance materials in cotton.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peirong Li ◽  
Tongbing Su ◽  
Deshuang Zhang ◽  
Weihong Wang ◽  
Xiaoyun Xin ◽  
...  

AbstractHeterosis is a complex phenomenon in which hybrids show better phenotypic characteristics than their parents do. Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. spp. pekinensis) is a popular leafy crop species, hybrids of which are widely used in commercial production; however, the molecular basis of heterosis for biomass of Chinese cabbage is poorly understood. We characterized heterosis in a Chinese cabbage F1 hybrid cultivar and its parental lines from the seedling stage to the heading stage; marked heterosis of leaf weight and biomass yield were observed. Small RNA sequencing revealed 63 and 50 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) at the seedling and early-heading stages, respectively. The expression levels of the majority of miRNA clusters in the F1 hybrid were lower than the mid-parent values (MPVs). Using degradome sequencing, we identified 1,819 miRNA target genes. Gene ontology (GO) analyses demonstrated that the target genes of the MPV-DEMs and low parental expression level dominance (ELD) miRNAs were significantly enriched in leaf morphogenesis, leaf development, and leaf shaping. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression levels of photosynthesis and chlorophyll synthesis-related MPV-DEGs (differentially expressed genes) were significantly different in the F1 hybrid compared to the parental lines, resulting in increased photosynthesis capacity and chlorophyll content in the former. Furthermore, expression of genes known to regulate leaf development was also observed at the seedling stage. Arabidopsis plants overexpressing BrGRF4.2 and bra-miR396 presented increased and decreased leaf sizes, respectively. These results provide new insight into the regulation of target genes and miRNA expression patterns in leaf size and heterosis for biomass of B. rapa.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002203452110120
Author(s):  
C. Gluck ◽  
S. Min ◽  
A. Oyelakin ◽  
M. Che ◽  
E. Horeth ◽  
...  

The parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands represent a trio of oral secretory glands whose primary function is to produce saliva, facilitate digestion of food, provide protection against microbes, and maintain oral health. While recent studies have begun to shed light on the global gene expression patterns and profiles of salivary glands, particularly those of mice, relatively little is known about the location and identity of transcriptional control elements. Here we have established the epigenomic landscape of the mouse submandibular salivary gland (SMG) by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing experiments for 4 key histone marks. Our analysis of the comprehensive SMG data sets and comparisons with those from other adult organs have identified critical enhancers and super-enhancers of the mouse SMG. By further integrating these findings with complementary RNA-sequencing based gene expression data, we have unearthed a number of molecular regulators such as members of the Fox family of transcription factors that are enriched and likely to be functionally relevant for SMG biology. Overall, our studies provide a powerful atlas of cis-regulatory elements that can be leveraged for better understanding the transcriptional control mechanisms of the mouse SMG, discovery of novel genetic switches, and modulating tissue-specific gene expression in a targeted fashion.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 373
Author(s):  
Joshua J. Scammahorn ◽  
Isabel T. N. Nguyen ◽  
Eelke M. Bos ◽  
Harry Van Goor ◽  
Jaap A. Joles

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an essential gaseous signaling molecule. Research on its role in physiological and pathophysiological processes has greatly expanded. Endogenous enzymatic production through the transsulfuration and cysteine catabolism pathways can occur in the kidneys and blood vessels. Furthermore, non-enzymatic pathways are present throughout the body. In the renal and cardiovascular system, H2S plays an important role in maintaining the redox status at safe levels by promoting scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). H2S also modifies cysteine residues on key signaling molecules such as keap1/Nrf2, NFκB, and HIF-1α, thereby promoting anti-oxidant mechanisms. Depletion of H2S is implicated in many age-related and cardiorenal diseases, all having oxidative stress as a major contributor. Current research suggests potential for H2S-based therapies, however, therapeutic interventions have been limited to studies in animal models. Beyond H2S use as direct treatment, it could improve procedures such as transplantation, stem cell therapy, and the safety and efficacy of drugs including NSAIDs and ACE inhibitors. All in all, H2S is a prime subject for further research with potential for clinical use.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Zhao ◽  
Song Chen ◽  
Wenjing Yao ◽  
Zihan Cheng ◽  
Boru Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The bZIP gene family, which is widely present in plants, participates in varied biological processes including growth and development and stress responses. How do the genes regulate such biological processes? Systems biology is powerful for mechanistic understanding of gene functions. However, such studies have not yet been reported in poplar. Results In this study, we identified 86 poplar bZIP transcription factors and described their conserved domains. According to the results of phylogenetic tree, we divided these members into 12 groups with specific gene structures and motif compositions. The corresponding genes that harbor a large number of segmental duplication events are unevenly distributed on the 17 poplar chromosomes. In addition, we further examined collinearity between these genes and the related genes from six other species. Evidence from transcriptomic data indicated that the bZIP genes in poplar displayed different expression patterns in roots, stems, and leaves. Furthermore, we identified 45 bZIP genes that respond to salt stress in the three tissues. We performed co-expression analysis on the representative genes, followed by gene set enrichment analysis. The results demonstrated that tissue differentially expressed genes, especially the co-expressing genes, are mainly involved in secondary metabolic and secondary metabolite biosynthetic processes. However, salt stress responsive genes and their co-expressing genes mainly participate in the regulation of metal ion transport, and methionine biosynthetic. Conclusions Using comparative genomics and systems biology approaches, we, for the first time, systematically explore the structures and functions of the bZIP gene family in poplar. It appears that the bZIP gene family plays significant roles in regulation of poplar development and growth and salt stress responses through differential gene networks or biological processes. These findings provide the foundation for genetic breeding by engineering target regulators and corresponding gene networks into poplar lines.


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