| 1. |
- Birney, Ewan, et al.
(author)
-
Identification and analysis of functional elements in 1% of the human genome by the ENCODE pilot project
- 2007
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 447:7146, s. 799-816
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the generation and analysis of functional data from multiple, diverse experiments performed on a targeted 1% of the human genome as part of the pilot phase of the ENCODE Project. These data have been further integrated and augmented by a number of evolutionary and computational analyses. Together, our results advance the collective knowledge about human genome function in several major areas. First, our studies provide convincing evidence that the genome is pervasively transcribed, such that the majority of its bases can be found in primary transcripts, including non-protein-coding transcripts, and those that extensively overlap one another. Second, systematic examination of transcriptional regulation has yielded new understanding about transcription start sites, including their relationship to specific regulatory sequences and features of chromatin accessibility and histone modification. Third, a more sophisticated view of chromatin structure has emerged, including its inter-relationship with DNA replication and transcriptional regulation. Finally, integration of these new sources of information, in particular with respect to mammalian evolution based on inter- and intra-species sequence comparisons, has yielded new mechanistic and evolutionary insights concerning the functional landscape of the human genome. Together, these studies are defining a path for pursuit of a more comprehensive characterization of human genome function.
|
|
| 2. |
- Margulies, Elliott H, et al.
(author)
-
Analyses of deep mammalian sequence alignments and constraint predictions for 1% of the human genome
- 2007
-
In: Genome Research. - : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. - 1088-9051 .- 1549-5469. ; 17:6, s. 760-774
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A key component of the ongoing ENCODE project involves rigorous comparative sequence analyses for the initially targeted 1% of the human genome. Here, we present orthologous sequence generation, alignment, and evolutionary constraint analyses of 23 mammalian species for all ENCODE targets. Alignments were generated using four different methods; comparisons of these methods reveal large-scale consistency but substantial differences in terms of small genomic rearrangements, sensitivity (sequence coverage), and specificity (alignment accuracy). We describe the quantitative and qualitative trade-offs concomitant with alignment method choice and the levels of technical error that need to be accounted for in applications that require multisequence alignments. Using the generated alignments, we identified constrained regions using three different methods. While the different constraint-detecting methods are in general agreement, there are important discrepancies relating to both the underlying alignments and the specific algorithms. However, by integrating the results across the alignments and constraint-detecting methods, we produced constraint annotations that were found to be robust based on multiple independent measures. Analyses of these annotations illustrate that most classes of experimentally annotated functional elements are enriched for constrained sequences; however, large portions of each class (with the exception of protein-coding sequences) do not overlap constrained regions. The latter elements might not be under primary sequence constraint, might not be constrained across all mammals, or might have expendable molecular functions. Conversely, 40% of the constrained sequences do not overlap any of the functional elements that have been experimentally identified. Together, these findings demonstrate and quantify how many genomic functional elements await basic molecular characterization.
|
|
| 3. |
- Brawand, David, et al.
(author)
-
The genomic substrate for adaptive radiation in African cichlid fish
- 2014
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 513:7518, s. 375-381
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cichlid fishes are famous for large, diverse and replicated adaptive radiations in the Great Lakes of East Africa. To understand themolecular mechanisms underlying cichlid phenotypic diversity, we sequenced the genomes and transcriptomes of five lineages of African cichlids: the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), an ancestral lineage with low diversity; and four members of the East African lineage: Neolamprologus brichardi/pulcher (older radiation, Lake Tanganyika), Metriaclima zebra (recent radiation, Lake Malawi), Pundamilia nyererei (very recent radiation, Lake Victoria), and Astatotilapia burtoni (riverine species around Lake Tanganyika). We found an excess of gene duplications in the East African lineage compared to tilapia and other teleosts, an abundance of non-coding element divergence, accelerated coding sequence evolution, expression divergence associated with transposable element insertions, and regulation by novel microRNAs. In addition, we analysed sequence data from sixty individuals representing six closely related species from Lake Victoria, and show genome-wide diversifying selection on coding and regulatory variants, some of which were recruited from ancient polymorphisms. We conclude that a number of molecular mechanisms shaped East African cichlid genomes, and that amassing of standing variation during periods of relaxed purifying selection may have been important in facilitating subsequent evolutionary diversification.
|
|
| 4. |
- Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
-
A high-resolution map of human evolutionary constraint using 29 mammals
- 2011
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 478:7370, s. 476-482
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The comparison of related genomes has emerged as a powerful lens for genome interpretation. Here we report the sequencing and comparative analysis of 29 eutherian genomes. We confirm that at least 5.5% of the human genome has undergone purifying selection, and locate constrained elements covering similar to 4.2% of the genome. We use evolutionary signatures and comparisons with experimental data sets to suggest candidate functions for similar to 60% of constrained bases. These elements reveal a small number of new coding exons, candidate stop codon readthrough events and over 10,000 regions of overlapping synonymous constraint within protein-coding exons. We find 220 candidate RNA structural families, and nearly a million elements overlapping potential promoter, enhancer and insulator regions. We report specific amino acid residues that have undergone positive selection, 280,000 non-coding elements exapted from mobile elements and more than 1,000 primate-and human-accelerated elements. Overlap with disease-associated variants indicates that our findings will be relevant for studies of human biology, health and disease.
|
|
| 5. |
- Margulies, Elliott H., et al.
(author)
-
An initial strategy for the systematic identification of functional elements in the human genome by low-redundancy comparative sequencing
- 2005
-
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 102:13, s. 4795-4800
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With the recent completion of a high-quality sequence of the human genome, the challenge is now to understand the functional elements that it encodes. Comparative genomic analysis offers a powerful approach for finding such elements by identifying sequences that have been highly conserved during evolution. Here, we propose an initial strategy for detecting such regions by generating low-redundancy sequence from a collection of 16 eutherian mammals, beyond the 7 for which genome sequence data are already available. We show that such sequence can be accurately aligned to the human genome and used to identify most of the highly conserved regions. Although not a long-term substitute for generating high-quality genomic sequences from many mammalian species, this strategy represents a practical initial approach for rapidly annotating the most evolutionarily conserved sequences in the human genome, providing a key resource for the systematic study of human genome function.
|
|
| 6. |
- Myint, Si Lhyam, et al.
(author)
-
Ecotin and LamB in Escherichia coli influence the susceptibility to Type VI secretion-mediated interbacterial competition and killing by Vibrio cholerae
- 2021
-
In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects. - : Elsevier. - 0304-4165 .- 1872-8006. ; 1865:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: A prevailing action of the Type VI secretion system (T6SS) in several Gram-negative bacterial species is inter-bacterial competition. In the past several years, many effectors of T6SS were identified in different bacterial species and their involvement in inter-bacterial interactions were described. However, possible defence mechanisms against T6SS attack among prey bacteria were not well clarified yet. Methods: Escherichia coli was assessed for susceptibility to T6SS-mediated killing by Vibrio cholerae. TheT6SS-mediated bacterial killing assays were performed in absence or presence of different protease inhibitors and with different mutant E. coli strains. Expression levels of selected proteins were monitored using SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analyses. Results: The T6SS-mediated killing of E. coli by V. cholerae was partly blocked when the serine protease inhibitor Pefabloc was present. E. coli lacking the periplasmic protease inhibitor Ecotin showed enhanced susceptibility to killing by V. cholerae. Mutations affecting E. coli membrane stability also caused increased susceptibility to killing by V. cholerae. E. coli lacking the maltodextrin porin protein LamB showed reduced susceptibility to killing by V. cholerae whereas E. coli with induced high levels of LamB showed reduced survival in inter-bacterial competition. Conclusions: Our study identified two proteins in E. coli, the intrinsic protease inhibitor Ecotin and the outer membrane porin LamB, that influenced E. coli susceptibility to T6SS-mediated killing by V. cholerae. General significance: We envision that it is feasible to explore these findings to target and modulate their expression to obtain desired changes in inter-bacterial competition in vivo, e.g. in the gastrointestinal microbiome.
|
|
| 7. |
- Nadeem, Aftab, et al.
(author)
-
A tripartite cytolytic toxin formed by Vibrio cholerae proteins with flagellum-facilitated secretion
- 2021
-
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 118:47
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Vibrio cholerae, responsible for outbreaks of cholera disease, is a highly motile organism by virtue of a single flagellum. We describe how the flagellum facilitates the secretion of three V. cholerae proteins encoded by a hitherto-unrecognized genomic island. The proteins MakA/B/E can form a tripartite toxin that lyses erythrocytes and is cytotoxic to cultured human cells. A structural basis for the cytolytic activity of the Mak proteins was obtained by X-ray crystallography. Flagellum-facilitated secretion ensuring spatially coordinated delivery of Mak proteins revealed a role for the V. cholerae flagellum considered of particular significance for the bacterial environmental persistence. Our findings will pave the way for the development of diagnostics and therapeutic strategies against pathogenic Vibrionaceae.
|
|
| 8. |
- Nadeem, Aftab, et al.
(author)
-
Phosphatidic acid-mediated binding and mammalian cell internalization of the Vibrio cholerae cytotoxin MakA
- 2021
-
In: PLoS Pathogens. - : Public Library of Science. - 1553-7366 .- 1553-7374. ; 17:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Vibrio cholerae is a noninvasive intestinal pathogen extensively studied as the causative agent of the human disease cholera. Our recent work identified MakA as a potent virulence factor of V. cholerae in both Caenorhabditis elegans and zebrafish, prompting us to investigate the potential contribution of MakA to pathogenesis also in mammalian hosts. In this study, we demonstrate that the MakA protein could induce autophagy and cytotoxicity of target cells. In addition, we observed that phosphatidic acid (PA)-mediated MakA-binding to the host cell plasma membranes promoted macropinocytosis resulting in the formation of an endomembrane-rich aggregate and vacuolation in intoxicated cells that lead to induction of autophagy and dysfunction of intracellular organelles. Moreover, we functionally characterized the molecular basis of the MakA interaction with PA and identified that the N-terminal domain of MakA is required for its binding to PA and thereby for cell toxicity. Furthermore, we observed that the ΔmakA mutant outcompeted the wild-type V. cholerae strain A1552 in the adult mouse infection model. Based on the findings revealing mechanistic insights into the dynamic process of MakA-induced autophagy and cytotoxicity we discuss the potential role played by the MakA protein during late stages of cholera infection as an anti-colonization factor.
|
|
| 9. |
- Nadeem, Aftab, et al.
(author)
-
Protein-lipid interaction at low pH induces oligomerization of the MakA cytotoxin from Vibrio cholerae
- 2022
-
In: eLIFE. - : eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The α-pore-forming toxins (α-PFTs) from pathogenic bacteria damage host cell membranes by pore formation. We demonstrate a remarkable, hitherto unknown mechanism by an α-PFT protein from Vibrio cholerae. As part of the MakA/B/E tripartite toxin, MakA is involved in membrane pore formation similar to other α-PFTs. In contrast, MakA in isolation induces tube-like structures in acidic endosomal compartments of epithelial cells in vitro. The present study unravels the dynamics of tubular growth, which occurs in a pH-, lipid-, and concentration-dependent manner. Within acidified organelle lumens or when incubated with cells in acidic media, MakA forms oligomers and remodels membranes into high-curvature tubes leading to loss of membrane integrity. A 3.7 Å cryo-electron microscopy structure of MakA filaments reveals a unique protein-lipid superstructure. MakA forms a pinecone-like spiral with a central cavity and a thin annular lipid bilayer embedded between the MakA transmembrane helices in its active α-PFT conformation. Our study provides insights into a novel tubulation mechanism of an α-PFT protein and a new mode of action by a secreted bacterial toxin.
|
|
| 10. |
- Toh, Eric, et al.
(author)
-
Bacterial protein MakA causes suppression of tumour cell proliferation via inhibition of PIP5K1α/Akt signalling
- 2022
-
In: Cell Death and Disease. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-4889. ; 13:12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recently, we demonstrated that a novel bacterial cytotoxin, the protein MakA which is released by Vibrio cholerae, is a virulence factor, causing killing of Caenorhabditis elegans when the worms are grazing on the bacteria. Studies with mammalian cell cultures in vitro indicated that MakA could affect eukaryotic cell signalling pathways involved in lipid biosynthesis. MakA treatment of colon cancer cells in vitro caused inhibition of growth and loss of cell viability. These findings prompted us to investigate possible signalling pathways that could be targets of the MakA-mediated inhibition of tumour cell proliferation. Initial in vivo studies with MakA producing V. cholerae and C. elegans suggested that the MakA protein might target the PIP5K1α phospholipid-signalling pathway in the worms. Intriguingly, MakA was then found to inhibit the PIP5K1α lipid-signalling pathway in cancer cells, resulting in a decrease in PIP5K1α and pAkt expression. Further analyses revealed that MakA inhibited cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and induced p27 expression, resulting in G2/M cell cycle arrest. Moreover, MakA induced downregulation of Ki67 and cyclin D1, which led to inhibition of cell proliferation. This is the first report about a bacterial protein that may target signalling involving the cancer cell lipid modulator PIP5K1α in colon cancer cells, implying an anti-cancer effect.
|
|
| 11. |
- Toh, Eric, et al.
(author)
-
Sublytic activity of a pore-forming protein from commensal bacteria causes epigenetic modulation of tumor-affiliated protein expression
-
Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Cytolysin A (ClyA) is a pore-forming protein expressed at sublytic levels by a strongly silenced gene in non-pathogenic Escherichia coli, including typical commensal isolates in the intestinal microbiome of healthy mammalian hosts. Upon overproduction, the ClyA-expressing bacteria display a cytolytic phenotype. However, it remains unclear whether sublytic amounts of native ClyA play a role in commensal E. coli-host interactions in vivo. Here, we show that sublytic amounts of ClyA are released via outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and can affect host cells in a profound and remarkable manner. OMVs isolated from ClyA+ E. coli were rapidly internalised into cultured colon cancer cells. The OMV-associated ClyA inhibited the expression of cancer-activating proteins such as H3K27me3, CXCR4, STAT3, and MDM2 via the EZH2/H3K27me3/miR622/CXCR4 signalling axis. Our results demonstrate that sublytic amounts of ClyA in OMVs from non-pathogenic E. coli can target the stability of the EZH2 protein to modulate epigenetics of colon cancer cells
|
|
| 12. |
- Alfoeldi, Jessica, et al.
(author)
-
The genome of the green anole lizard and a comparative analysis with birds and mammals
- 2011
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 477:7366, s. 587-591
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The evolution of the amniotic egg was one of the great evolutionary innovations in the history of life, freeing vertebrates from an obligatory connection to water and thus permitting the conquest of terrestrial environments(1). Among amniotes, genome sequences are available for mammals and birds(2-4), but not for non-avian reptiles. Here we report the genome sequence of the North American green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis. We find that A. carolinensis microchromosomes are highly syntenic with chicken microchromosomes, yet do not exhibit the high GC and low repeat content that are characteristic of avian microchromosomes(2). Also, A. carolinensis mobile elements are very young and diverse-more so than in any other sequenced amniote genome. The GC content of this lizard genome is also unusual in its homogeneity, unlike the regionally variable GC content found in mammals and birds(5). We describe and assign sequence to the previously unknown A. carolinensis X chromosome. Comparative gene analysis shows that amniote egg proteins have evolved significantly more rapidly than other proteins. An anole phylogeny resolves basal branches to illuminate the history of their repeated adaptive radiations.
|
|
| 13. |
- Amemiya, Chris T., et al.
(author)
-
The African coelacanth genome provides insights into tetrapod evolution
- 2013
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 496:7445, s. 311-316
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The discovery of a living coelacanth specimen in 1938 was remarkable, as this lineage of lobe-finned fish was thought to have become extinct 70 million years ago. The modern coelacanth looks remarkably similar to many of its ancient relatives, and its evolutionary proximity to our own fish ancestors provides a glimpse of the fish that first walked on land. Here we report the genome sequence of the African coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae. Through a phylogenomic analysis, we conclude that the lungfish, and not the coelacanth, is the closest living relative of tetrapods. Coelacanth protein-coding genes are significantly more slowly evolving than those of tetrapods, unlike other genomic features. Analyses of changes in genes and regulatory elements during the vertebrate adaptation to land highlight genes involved in immunity, nitrogen excretion and the development of fins, tail, ear, eye, brain and olfaction. Functional assays of enhancers involved in the fin-to-limb transition and in the emergence of extra-embryonic tissues show the importance of the coelacanth genome as a blueprint for understanding tetrapod evolution.
|
|
| 14. |
- Bard-Chapeau, Emilie A, et al.
(author)
-
Transposon mutagenesis identifies genes driving hepatocellular carcinoma in a chronic hepatitis B mouse model.
- 2014
-
In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 46:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The most common risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). To better understand the evolutionary forces driving HCC, we performed a near-saturating transposon mutagenesis screen in a mouse HBV model of HCC. This screen identified 21 candidate early stage drivers and a very large number (2,860) of candidate later stage drivers that were enriched for genes that are mutated, deregulated or functioning in signaling pathways important for human HCC, with a striking 1,199 genes being linked to cellular metabolic processes. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic landscape of HCC.
|
|
| 15. |
|
|
| 16. |
- Carneiro, Miguel, et al.
(author)
-
Rabbit genome analysis reveals a polygenic basis for phenotypic change during domestication
- 2014
-
In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 345:6200, s. 1074-1079
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The genetic changes underlying the initial steps of animal domestication are still poorly understood. We generated a high-quality reference genome for the rabbit and compared it to resequencing data from populations of wild and domestic rabbits. We identified more than 100 selective sweeps specific to domestic rabbits but only a relatively small number of fixed (or nearly fixed) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for derived alleles. SNPs with marked allele frequency differences between wild and domestic rabbits were enriched for conserved noncoding sites. Enrichment analyses suggest that genes affecting brain and neuronal development have often been targeted during domestication. We propose that because of a truly complex genetic background, tame behavior in rabbits and other domestic animals evolved by shifts in allele frequencies at many loci, rather than by critical changes at only a few domestication loci.
|
|
| 17. |
- Clamp, Michele, et al.
(author)
-
Distinguishing protein-coding and noncoding genes in the human genome
- 2007
-
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 104:49, s. 19428-19433
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although the Human Genome Project was completed 4 years ago, the catalog of human protein-coding genes remains a matter of controversy. Current catalogs list a total of ≈24,500 putative protein-coding genes. It is broadly suspected that a large fraction of these entries are functionally meaningless ORFs present by chance in RNA transcripts, because they show no evidence of evolutionary conservation with mouse or dog. However, there is currently no scientific justification for excluding ORFs simply because they fail to show evolutionary conservation: the alternative hypothesis is that most of these ORFs are actually valid human genes that reflect gene innovation in the primate lineage or gene loss in the other lineages. Here, we reject this hypothesis by carefully analyzing the nonconserved ORFs—specifically, their properties in other primates. We show that the vast majority of these ORFs are random occurrences. The analysis yields, as a by-product, a major revision of the current human catalogs, cutting the number of protein-coding genes to ≈20,500. Specifically, it suggests that nonconserved ORFs should be added to the human gene catalog only if there is clear evidence of an encoded protein. It also provides a principled methodology for evaluating future proposed additions to the human gene catalog. Finally, the results indicate that there has been relatively little true innovation in mammalian protein-coding genes.
|
|
| 18. |
- Clark, Andrew G., et al.
(author)
-
Evolution of genes and genomes on the Drosophila phylogeny
- 2007
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 450:7167, s. 203-218
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Comparative analysis of multiple genomes in a phylogenetic framework dramatically improves the precision and sensitivity of evolutionary inference, producing more robust results than single-genome analyses can provide. The genomes of 12 Drosophila species, ten of which are presented here for the first time (sechellia, simulans, yakuba, erecta, ananassae, persimilis, willistoni, mojavensis, virilis and grimshawi), illustrate how rates and patterns of sequence divergence across taxa can illuminate evolutionary processes on a genomic scale. These genome sequences augment the formidable genetic tools that have made Drosophila melanogaster a pre-eminent model for animal genetics, and will further catalyse fundamental research on mechanisms of development, cell biology, genetics, disease, neurobiology, behaviour, physiology and evolution. Despite remarkable similarities among these Drosophila species, we identified many putatively non-neutral changes in protein-coding genes, non-coding RNA genes, and cis-regulatory regions. These may prove to underlie differences in the ecology and behaviour of these diverse species.
|
|
| 19. |
- Genereux, Diane P., et al.
(author)
-
A comparative genomics multitool for scientific discovery and conservation
- 2020
-
In: Nature. - : NATURE RESEARCH. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 587:7833, s. 240-245
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A whole-genome alignment of 240 phylogenetically diverse species of eutherian mammal-including 131 previously uncharacterized species-from the Zoonomia Project provides data that support biological discovery, medical research and conservation. The Zoonomia Project is investigating the genomics of shared and specialized traits in eutherian mammals. Here we provide genome assemblies for 131 species, of which all but 9 are previously uncharacterized, and describe a whole-genome alignment of 240 species of considerable phylogenetic diversity, comprising representatives from more than 80% of mammalian families. We find that regions of reduced genetic diversity are more abundant in species at a high risk of extinction, discern signals of evolutionary selection at high resolution and provide insights from individual reference genomes. By prioritizing phylogenetic diversity and making data available quickly and without restriction, the Zoonomia Project aims to support biological discovery, medical research and the conservation of biodiversity.
|
|
| 20. |
- Gnerre, Sante, et al.
(author)
-
Assisted assembly : how to improve a de novo genome assembly by using related species
- 2009
-
In: Genome Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1465-6906 .- 1474-760X. ; 10:8, s. R88-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We describe a new assembly algorithm, where a genome assembly with low sequence coverage, either throughout the genome or locally, due to cloning bias, is considerably improved through an assisting process via a related genome. We show that the information provided by aligning the whole-genome shotgun reads of the target against a reference genome can be used to substantially improve the quality of the resulting assembly.
|
|
| 21. |
- Höppner, Marc P., et al.
(author)
-
An Improved Canine Genome and a Comprehensive Catalogue of Coding Genes and Non-Coding Transcripts
- 2014
-
In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:3, s. e91172-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, is a well-established model system for mapping trait and disease loci. While the original draft sequence was of good quality, gaps were abundant particularly in promoter regions of the genome, negatively impacting the annotation and study of candidate genes. Here, we present an improved genome build, canFam3.1, which includes 85 MB of novel sequence and now covers 99.8% of the euchromatic portion of the genome. We also present multiple RNA-Sequencing data sets from 10 different canine tissues to catalog similar to 175,000 expressed loci. While about 90% of the coding genes previously annotated by EnsEMBL have measurable expression in at least one sample, the number of transcript isoforms detected by our data expands the EnsEMBL annotations by a factor of four. Syntenic comparison with the human genome revealed an additional similar to 3,000 loci that are characterized as protein coding in human and were also expressed in the dog, suggesting that those were previously not annotated in the EnsEMBL canine gene set. In addition to,20,700 high-confidence protein coding loci, we found,4,600 antisense transcripts overlapping exons of protein coding genes, similar to 7,200 intergenic multi-exon transcripts without coding potential, likely candidates for long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) and,11,000 transcripts were reported by two different library construction methods but did not fit any of the above categories. Of the lincRNAs, about 6,000 have no annotated orthologs in human or mouse. Functional analysis of two novel transcripts with shRNA in a mouse kidney cell line altered cell morphology and motility. All in all, we provide a much-improved annotation of the canine genome and suggest regulatory functions for several of the novel non-coding transcripts.
|
|
| 22. |
- Jaffe, David B., et al.
(author)
-
Whole-Genome Sequence Assembly for Mammalian Genomes: Arachne 2
- 2003
-
In: Genome Research. - : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. - 1088-9051 .- 1549-5469. ; 13:1, s. 91-96
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We previously described the whole-genome assembly program Arachne, presenting assemblies of simulated data for small to mid-sized genomes. Here we describe algorithmic adaptations to the program, allowing for assembly of mammalian-size genomes, and also improving the assembly of smaller genomes. Three principal changes were simultaneously made and applied to the assembly of the mouse genome, during a six-month period of development: (1) Supercontigs (scaffolds) were iteratively broken and rejoined using several criteria, yielding a 64-fold increase in length (N50), and apparent elimination of all global misjoins; (2) gaps between contigs in supercontigs were filled (partially or completely) by insertion of reads, as suggested by pairing within the supercontig, increasing the N50 contig length by 50%; (3) memory usage was reduced fourfold. The outcome of this mouse assembly and its analysis are described in (Mouse Genome Sequencing Consortium 2002).
|
|
| 23. |
- Jones, Felicity C., et al.
(author)
-
The genomic basis of adaptive evolution in threespine sticklebacks
- 2012
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 484:7392, s. 55-61
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Marine stickleback fish have colonized and adapted to thousands of streams and lakes formed since the last ice age, providing an exceptional opportunity to characterize genomic mechanisms underlying repeated ecological adaptation in nature. Here we develop a high-quality reference genome assembly for threespine sticklebacks. By sequencing the genomes of twenty additional individuals from a global set of marine and freshwater populations, we identify a genome-wide set of loci that are consistently associated with marine-freshwater divergence. Our results indicate that reuse of globally shared standing genetic variation, including chromosomal inversions, has an important role in repeated evolution of distinct marine and freshwater sticklebacks, and in the maintenance of divergent ecotypes during early stages of reproductive isolation. Both coding and regulatory changes occur in the set of loci underlying marine-freshwater evolution, but regulatory changes appear to predominate in this well known example of repeated adaptive evolution in nature.
|
|
| 24. |
- Karlsson, Elinor K., et al.
(author)
-
Efficient mapping of mendelian traits in dogs through genome-wide association
- 2007
-
In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 39:11, s. 1321-1328
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With several hundred genetic diseases and an advantageous genome structure, dogs are ideal for mapping genes that cause disease. Here we report the development of a genotyping array with |[sim]|27,000 SNPs and show that genome-wide association mapping of mendelian traits in dog breeds can be achieved with only |[sim]|20 dogs. Specifically, we map two traits with mendelian inheritance: the major white spotting (S) locus and the hair ridge in Rhodesian ridgebacks. For both traits, we map the loci to discrete regions of <1 Mb. Fine-mapping of the S locus in two breeds refines the localization to a region of |[sim]|100 kb contained within the pigmentation-related gene MITF. Complete sequencing of the white and solid haplotypes identifies candidate regulatory mutations in the melanocyte-specific promoter of MITF. Our results show that genome-wide association mapping within dog breeds, followed by fine-mapping across multiple breeds, will be highly efficient and generally applicable to trait mapping, providing insights into canine and human health.
|
|
| 25. |
- Karlsson, Elinor K, et al.
(author)
-
Genome-wide analyses implicate 33 loci in heritable dog osteosarcoma, including regulatory variants near CDKN2A/B
- 2013
-
In: Genome Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1465-6906 .- 1474-760X .- 1474-7596. ; 14:12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Canine osteosarcoma is clinically nearly identical to the human disease, but is common and highly heritable, making genetic dissection feasible.RESULTS: Through genome-wide association analyses in three breeds (greyhounds, Rottweilers, and Irish wolfhounds), we identify 33 inherited risk loci explaining 55% to 85% of phenotype variance in each breed. The greyhound locus exhibiting the strongest association, located 150 kilobases upstream of the genes CDKN2A/B, is also the most rearranged locus in canine osteosarcoma tumors. The top germline candidate variant is found at a >90% frequency in Rottweilers and Irish wolfhounds, and alters an evolutionarily constrained element that we show has strong enhancer activity in human osteosarcoma cells. In all three breeds, osteosarcoma-associated loci and regions of reduced heterozygosity are enriched for genes in pathways connected to bone differentiation and growth. Several pathways, including one of genes regulated by miR124, are also enriched for somatic copy-number changes in tumors.CONCLUSIONS: Mapping a complex cancer in multiple dog breeds reveals a polygenic spectrum of germline risk factors pointing to specific pathways as drivers of disease.
|
|
| 26. |
- Kirby, Andrew, et al.
(author)
-
Mutations causing medullary cystic kidney disease type 1 lie in a large VNTR in MUC1 missed by massively parallel sequencing
- 2013
-
In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 45:3, s. 299-303
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although genetic lesions responsible for some mendelian disorders can be rapidly discovered through massively parallel sequencing of whole genomes or exomes, not all diseases readily yield to such efforts. We describe the illustrative case of the simple mendelian disorder medullary cystic kidney disease type 1 (MCKD1), mapped more than a decade ago to a 2-Mb region on chromosome 1. Ultimately, only by cloning, capillary sequencing and de novo assembly did we find that each of six families with MCKD1 harbors an equivalent but apparently independently arising mutation in sequence markedly under-represented in massively parallel sequencing data: the insertion of a single cytosine in one copy (but a different copy in each family) of the repeat unit comprising the extremely long (similar to 1.5-5 kb), GC-rich (>80%) coding variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) sequence in the MUC1 gene encoding mucin 1. These results provide a cautionary tale about the challenges in identifying the genes responsible for mendelian, let alone more complex, disorders through massively parallel sequencing.
|
|
| 27. |
- Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
-
Genome sequence, comparative analysis and haplotype structure of the domestic dog.
- 2005
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 438:7069, s. 803-19
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Here we report a high-quality draft genome sequence of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris), together with a dense map of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across breeds. The dog is of particular interest because it provides important evolutionary information and because existing breeds show great phenotypic diversity for morphological, physiological and behavioural traits. We use sequence comparison with the primate and rodent lineages to shed light on the structure and evolution of genomes and genes. Notably, the majority of the most highly conserved non-coding sequences in mammalian genomes are clustered near a small subset of genes with important roles in development. Analysis of SNPs reveals long-range haplotypes across the entire dog genome, and defines the nature of genetic diversity within and across breeds. The current SNP map now makes it possible for genome-wide association studies to identify genes responsible for diseases and traits, with important consequences for human and companion animal health.
|
|
| 28. |
- Markljung, Ellen, et al.
(author)
-
ZBED6, a novel transcription factor derived from a domesticated DNA transposon regulates IGF2 expression and muscle growth
- 2009
-
In: PLoS biology. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1544-9173 .- 1545-7885. ; 7:12, s. e1000256-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A single nucleotide substitution in intron 3 of IGF2 in pigs abrogates a binding site for a repressor and leads to a 3-fold up-regulation of IGF2 in skeletal muscle. The mutation has major effects on muscle growth, size of the heart, and fat deposition. Here, we have identified the repressor and find that the protein, named ZBED6, is previously unknown, specific for placental mammals, and derived from an exapted DNA transposon. Silencing of Zbed6 in mouse C2C12 myoblasts affected Igf2 expression, cell proliferation, wound healing, and myotube formation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing using C2C12 cells identified about 2,500 ZBED6 binding sites in the genome, and the deduced consensus motif gave a perfect match with the established binding site in Igf2. Genes associated with ZBED6 binding sites showed a highly significant enrichment for certain Gene Ontology classifications, including development and transcriptional regulation. The phenotypic effects in mutant pigs and ZBED6-silenced C2C12 myoblasts, the extreme sequence conservation, its nucleolar localization, the broad tissue distribution, and the many target genes with essential biological functions suggest that ZBED6 is an important transcription factor in placental mammals, affecting development, cell proliferation, and growth.
|
|
| 29. |
- Mikkelsen, Tarjei, et al.
(author)
-
Initial sequence of the chimpanzee genome and comparison with the human genome
- 2005
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 437:7055, s. 69-87
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Here we present a draft genome sequence of the common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). Through comparison with the human genome, we have generated a largely complete catalogue of the genetic differences that have accumulated since the human and chimpanzee species diverged from our common ancestor, constituting approximately thirty-five million single-nucleotide changes, five million insertion/deletion events, and various chromosomal rearrangements. We use this catalogue to explore the magnitude and regional variation of mutational forces shaping these two genomes, and the strength of positive and negative selection acting on their genes. In particular, we find that the patterns of evolution in human and chimpanzee protein-coding genes are highly correlated and dominated by the fixation of neutral and slightly deleterious alleles. We also use the chimpanzee genome as an outgroup to investigate human population genetics and identify signatures of selective sweeps in recent human evolution.
|
|
| 30. |
- Mikkelsen, Tarjei S, et al.
(author)
-
Genome of the marsupial Monodelphis domestica reveals innovation in non-coding sequences
- 2007
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 447:7141, s. 167-177
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report a high-quality draft of the genome sequence of the grey, short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica). As the first metatherian ('marsupial') species to be sequenced, the opossum provides a unique perspective on the organization and evolution of mammalian genomes. Distinctive features of the opossum chromosomes provide support for recent theories about genome evolution and function, including a strong influence of biased gene conversion on nucleotide sequence composition, and a relationship between chromosomal characteristics and X chromosome inactivation. Comparison of opossum and eutherian genomes also reveals a sharp difference in evolutionary innovation between protein-coding and non-coding functional elements. True innovation in protein-coding genes seems to be relatively rare, with lineage-specific differences being largely due to diversification and rapid turnover in gene families involved in environmental interactions. In contrast, about 20% of eutherian conserved non-coding elements (CNEs) are recent inventions that postdate the divergence of Eutheria and Metatheria. A substantial proportion of these eutherian-specific CNEs arose from sequence inserted by transposable elements, pointing to transposons as a major creative force in the evolution of mammalian gene regulation.
|
|
| 31. |
- Miller, Webb, et al.
(author)
-
28-Way vertebrate alignment and conservation track in the UCSC Genome Browser
- 2007
-
In: Genome Research. - : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. - 1088-9051 .- 1549-5469. ; 17:12, s. 1797-1808
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article describes a set of alignments of 28 vertebrate genome sequences that is provided by the UCSC Genome Browser. The alignments can be viewed on the Human Genome Browser (March 2006 assembly) at http://genome.ucsc.edu, downloaded in bulk by anonymous FTP from http://hgdownload.cse.ucsc.edu/goldenPath/hg18/multiz28way, or analyzed with the Galaxy server at http://g2.bx.psu.edu. This article illustrates the power of this resource for exploring vertebrate and mammalian evolution, using three examples. First, we present several vignettes involving insertions and deletions within protein-coding regions, including a look at some human-specific indels. Then we study the extent to which start codons and stop codons in the human sequence are conserved in other species, showing that start codons are in general more poorly conserved than stop codons. Finally, an investigation of the phylogenetic depth of conservation for several classes of functional elements in the human genome reveals striking differences in the rates and modes of decay in alignability. Each functional class has a distinctive period of stringent constraint, followed by decays that allow (for the case of regulatory regions) or reject (for coding regions and ultraconserved elements) insertions and deletions.
|
|
| 32. |
- Miller, Webb, et al.
(author)
-
Sequencing the nuclear genome of the extinct woolly mammoth.
- 2008
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 456:7220, s. 387-390
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 1994, two independent groups extracted DNA from several Pleistocene epoch mammoths and noted differences among individual specimens. Subsequently, DNA sequences have been published for a number of extinct species. However, such ancient DNA is often fragmented and damaged, and studies to date have typically focused on short mitochondrial sequences, never yielding more than a fraction of a per cent of any nuclear genome. Here we describe 4.17 billion bases (Gb) of sequence from several mammoth specimens, 3.3 billion (80%) of which are from the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) genome and thus comprise an extensive set of genome-wide sequence from an extinct species. Our data support earlier reports that elephantid genomes exceed 4 Gb. The estimated divergence rate between mammoth and African elephant is half of that between human and chimpanzee. The observed number of nucleotide differences between two particular mammoths was approximately one-eighth of that between one of them and the African elephant, corresponding to a separation between the mammoths of 1.5-2.0 Myr. The estimated probability that orthologous elephant and mammoth amino acids differ is 0.002, corresponding to about one residue per protein. Differences were discovered between mammoth and African elephant in amino-acid positions that are otherwise invariant over several billion years of combined mammalian evolution. This study shows that nuclear genome sequencing of extinct species can reveal population differences not evident from the fossil record, and perhaps even discover genetic factors that affect extinction.
|
|
| 33. |
|
|
| 34. |
- Tengvall, Katarina, 1980-, et al.
(author)
-
Bayesian model and selection signature analyses reveal risk factors for canine atopic dermatitis
- 2022
-
In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Nature. - 2399-3642. ; 5:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Canine atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease with clinical similarities to human atopic dermatitis. Several dog breeds are at increased risk for developing this disease but previous genetic associations are poorly defined. To identify additional genetic risk factors for canine atopic dermatitis, we here apply a Bayesian mixture model adapted for mapping complex traits and a cross-population extended haplotype test to search for disease-associated loci and selective sweeps in four dog breeds at risk for atopic dermatitis. We define 15 associated loci and eight candidate regions under selection by comparing cases with controls. One associated locus is syntenic to the major genetic risk locus (Filaggrin locus) in human atopic dermatitis. One selection signal in common type Labrador retriever cases positions across the TBC1D1 gene (body weight) and one signal of selection in working type German shepherd controls overlaps the LRP1B gene (brain), near the KYNU gene (psoriasis). In conclusion, we identify candidate genes, including genes belonging to the same biological pathways across multiple loci, with potential relevance to the pathogenesis of canine atopic dermatitis. The results show genetic similarities between dog and human atopic dermatitis, and future across-species genetic comparisons are hereby further motivated.
|
|
| 35. |
|
|
| 36. |
- Thomas, Rachael, et al.
(author)
-
Refining tumor-associated aneuploidy through 'genomic recoding' of recurrent DNA copy number aberrations in 150 canine non-Hodgkin lymphomas
- 2011
-
In: Leukemia and Lymphoma. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1042-8194 .- 1029-2403. ; 52:7, s. 1321-1335
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Identification of the genomic regions most intimately associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) pathogenesis is confounded by the genetic heterogeneity of human populations. We hypothesize that the restricted genetic variation of purebred dogs, combined with the contrasting architecture of the human and canine karyotypes, will increase the penetrance of fundamental NHL-associated chromosomal aberrations in both species. We surveyed non-random aneuploidy in 150 canine NHL cases, revealing limited genomic instability compared to their human counterparts and no evidence for CDKN2A/B deletion in canine B-cell NHL. 'Genomic recoding' of canine NHL data into a 'virtual human' chromosome format showed remarkably few regions of copy number aberration (CNA) shared between both species, restricted to regions of dog chromosomes 13 and 31, and human chromosomes 8 and 21. Our data suggest that gene discovery in NHL may be enhanced through comparative studies exploiting the less complex association between CNAs and tumor pathogenesis in canine patients.
|
|
| 37. |
- Toh, Eric, 1988-
(author)
-
Roles of secreted bacterial factors in modulation of host cell signalling
- 2023
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Pathogenic bacteria employ several secretion systems to release or inject virulence factors that may alter host cell processes, generate a replicative niche, and aid bacterial survival in adverse environments. This thesis presents my investigations on how bacterial factors can modulate host cell signalling mechanisms. We investigated possible signalling pathways involved in targets of the Vibrio cholerae protein MakA that was found to mediate inhibition of tumour cell proliferation. Caenorhabditis elegans grazing on MakA-producing bacteria revealed that MakA may affect lipid-mediated signalling in the nematodes by affecting the level of PPK-1, a homologue of eukaryotic PIP5K1α. We studied the possible effects of MakA on eukaryotic PIP5K1α in human colon cancer cell lines and found decreased levels of PIP5K1α and pAkt in the lipid-signalling pathway. Immunoblot analyses demonstrated that MakA inhibited cyclin-dependent kinase 1 and increased p27 expression in the colon cancer cells, resulting in G2/M cell cycle arrest. MakA also caused downregulation of Ki67 and cyclin D1, limiting cancer cell proliferation. MakA is the first reported bacterial protein targeting the PIP5K1α lipid signalling pathway, thereby displaying anti-cancer capabilities. We discovered that phosphatidic acid (PA)-mediated MakA binding to host cell plasma membranes generated endomembrane-rich aggregates that caused host target cell autophagy and cytotoxicity. PA binding and cell toxicity by MakA required its N-terminal domain. The MakA genetic determinant is located within a novel pathogenicity island that also encodes the MakB, MakC, MakD, and MakE proteins. In most V. cholerae and Vibrio anguillarum genomes, mak genes form an operon, makCDBAE. The immunoblot analyses showed that wild-type V. cholerae A1552 released the MakA, MakB, and MakE proteins via the flagellum, while a flagellum-deficient mutant released very little or none. Structurally, MakA, MakB, and MakE belong to a superfamily of bacterial alpha-pore-forming toxins. Identification and structural analysis of V. cholerae Mak proteins revealed that the MakA/B/E toxin is common to several pathogenic Vibrionaceae strains, and this previously unrecognised tripartite toxin may increase their fitness and pathogenicity in various environments and host organisms. Bacteria release spherical lipid nanostructures, extracellular membrane vesicles, that may play many biological roles. Previously, Escherichia coli was shown to release physiologically active cytolysin A (ClyA) via outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). ClyA, the first recognised member of the bacterial alpha-pore-forming proteins, has become a model for how oligomerization and pore formation occur in membranes. The clyA gene is cryptic in commensal non-pathogenic E. coli bacteria displaying no cytolytic activity. We found that the sublytic concentration of ClyA released via OMVs by non-pathogenic E. coli profoundly affected host cells. The ClyA+ OMVs were rapidly internalised into colon cancer cells by macropinocytosis and clathrin-mediated, dynamin-dependent endocytosis. The OMV-associated ClyA caused reduced levels of cancer-activating proteins like EZH2, H3K27me3, CXCR4, STAT3, and MDM2 via the EZH2/H3K27me3/miR622/CXCR4 signalling axis. Evidently, sublytic levels of ClyA in OMVs from non-pathogenic E. coli can modulate epigenetics by targeting EZH2 protein stability and we hypothesised that E. coli in colorectal cancer microbiomes may preferentially lack this protein. Given our current understanding of ClyA interactions in cancer cell signalling, it will be intriguing to determine if and how the status of the clyA locus is involved in the aetiology of colorectal cancer.
|
|
| 38. |
- Tonomura, Noriko, et al.
(author)
-
Genome-wide Association Study Identifies Shared Risk Loci Common to Two Malignancies in Golden Retrievers
- 2015
-
In: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 11:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dogs, with their breed-determined limited genetic background, are great models of human disease including cancer. Canine B-cell lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma are both malignancies of the hematologic system that are clinically and histologically similar to human B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and angiosarcoma, respectively. Golden retrievers in the US show significantly elevated lifetime risk for both B-cell lymphoma (6%) and hemangiosarcoma (20%). We conducted genome-wide association studies for hemangiosarcoma and B-cell lymphoma, identifying two shared predisposing loci. The two associated loci are located on chromosome 5, and together contribute similar to 20% of the risk of developing these cancers. Genome-wide p-values for the top SNP of each locus are 4.6x10(-7) and 2.7x10(-6), respectively. Whole genome resequencing of nine cases and controls followed by genotyping and detailed analysis identified three shared and one B-cell lymphoma specific risk haplotypes within the two loci, but no coding changes were associated with the risk haplotypes. Gene expression analysis of B-cell lymphoma tumors revealed that carrying the risk haplotypes at the first locus is associated with down-regulation of several nearby genes including the proximal gene TRPC6, a transient receptor Ca2+-channel involved in T-cell activation, among other functions. The shared risk haplotype in the second locus overlaps the vesicle transport and release gene STX8. Carrying the shared risk haplotype is associated with gene expression changes of 100 genes enriched for pathways involved in immune cell activation. Thus, the predisposing germ-line mutations in B-cell lymphoma and hemangio-sarcoma appear to be regulatory, and affect pathways involved in T-cell mediated immune response in the tumor. This suggests that the interaction between the immune system and malignant cells plays a common role in the tumorigenesis of these relatively different cancers.
|
|
| 39. |
- Xie, Xiaohui, et al.
(author)
-
Systematic discovery of regulatory motifs in conserved regions of the human genome, including thousands of CTCF insulator sites
- 2007
-
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 104:17, s. 7145-7150
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Conserved noncoding elements (CNEs) constitute the majority of sequences under purifying selection in the human genome, yet their function remains largely unknown. Experimental evidence suggests that many of these elements play regulatory roles, but little is known about regulatory motifs contained within them. Here we describe a systematic approach to discover and characterize regulatory motifs within mammalian CNEs by searching for long motifs (12-22 nt) with significant enrichment in CNEs and studying their biochemical and genomic properties. Our analysis identifies 233 long motifs (LMs), matching a total of approximately 60,000 conserved instances across the human genome. These motifs include 16 previously known regulatory elements, such as the histone 3'-UTR motif and the neuron-restrictive silencer element, as well as striking examples of novel functional elements. The most highly enriched motif (LM1) corresponds to the X-box motif known from yeast and nematode. We show that it is bound by the RFX1 protein and identify thousands of conserved motif instances, suggesting a broad role for the RFX family in gene regulation. A second group of motifs (LM2*) does not match any previously known motif. We demonstrate by biochemical and computational methods that it defines a binding site for the CTCF protein, which is involved in insulator function to limit the spread of gene activation. We identify nearly 15,000 conserved sites that likely serve as insulators, and we show that nearby genes separated by predicted CTCF sites show markedly reduced correlation in gene expression. These sites may thus partition the human genome into domains of expression.
|
|
| 40. |
|
|
