Identification of genes differentially expressed during aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus

A complex regulatory network governs the biosynthesis of aflatoxin. While several genes involved in aflatoxin production are known, their action alone cannot account for its regulation. Arrays of clones from an Aspergillus flavus cDNA library and glass slide microarrays of ESTs were screened to identify additional genes. An initial screen of the cDNA clone arrays lead to the identification of 753 unique ESTs. Many showed sequence similarity to known metabolic and regulatory genes; however, no function could be ascribed to over 50% of the ESTs. Gene expression analysis of Aspergillus parasiticus grown under conditions conducive and non-conductive for aflatoxin production was evaluated using glass slide microarrays containing the 753 ESTs. Twenty-four genes were more highly expressed during aflatoxin biosynthesis and 18 genes were more highly expressed prior to aflatoxin biosynthesis. No predicted function could be ascribed to 18 of the 24 genes whose elevated expression was associated with aflatoxin biosynthesis.     

New experimental and computational approaches to the analysis of gene expression.

Public and private EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) programs provide access to a large number of ESTs from a number of plant species, including Arabidopsis, corn, soybean, rice, wheat. In addition to the homology of each EST to genes in GenBank, information about homology to all other ESTs in the data base can be obtained. To estimate expression levels of genes represented in the DuPont EST data base we count the number of times each gene has been seen in different cDNA libraries, from different tissues, developmental stages or induction conditions. This quantitation of message levels is quite accurate for highly expressed messages and, unlike conventional Northern blots, allows comparison of expression levels between different genes. Lists of most highly expresses genes in different libraries can be compiled. Also, if EST data is available for cDNA libraries derived from different developmental stages, gene expression profiles across development can be assembled. We present an example of such a profile for soybean seed development. Gene expression data obtained from Electronic Northern analysis can be confirmed and extended beyond the realm of highly expressed genes by using high density DNA arrays. The ESTs identified as interesting can be arrayed on nylon or glass and probed with total labeled cDNA first strand from the tissue of interest. Two-color fluorescent labeling allows accurate mRNA ratio measurements. We are currently using the DNA array technology to study chemical induction of gene expression and the biosynthesis of oil, carbohydrate and protein in developing seeds.     

Generation of expressed sequence tags from low-CO2 and high-CO2 adapted cells of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

To characterize genes whose expression is induced in carbon-stress conditions, 12,969 and 13,450 5'-end expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were generated from cells grown in low-CO2 and high-CO2 conditions of the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. These ESTs were clustered into 4436 and 3566 non-redundant EST groups, respectively. Comparison of their sequences with those of 3433 non-redundant ESTs previously generated from the cells under the standard growth condition indicated that 2665 and 1879 EST groups occurred only in the low-CO2 and high-CO2 populations, respectively. It was also noted that 96.2% and 96.0% of the cDNA species respectively obtained from the low-CO2 and high-CO2 conditions had no similar EST sequence deposited in the public databases. The EST species identified only in the low-CO2 treated cells included genes previously reported to be expressed specifically in low-CO2 acclimatized cells, suggesting that the ESTs generated in this study will be a useful source for analysis of genes related to carbon-stress acclimatization. The sequence information and search results of each clone will appear at the web site: http://www.kazusa.or.jp/en/plant/chlamy/EST/.     

Analysis of expressed sequence tags from the fungus Aspergillus oryzae cultured under different conditions.

We performed random sequencing of cDNAs from nine biologically or industrially important cultures of the industrially valuable fungus Aspergillus oryzae to obtain expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Consequently, 21 446 raw ESTs were accumulated and subsequently assembled to 7589 non-redundant consensus sequences (contigs). Among all contigs, 5491 (72.4%) were derived from only a particular culture. These included 4735 (62.4%) singletons, i.e. lone ESTs overlapping with no others. These data showed that consideration of culture grown under various conditions as cDNA sources enabled efficient collection of ESTs. BLAST searches against the public databases showed that 2953 (38.9%) of the EST contigs showed significant similarities to deposited sequences with known functions, 793 (10.5%) were similar to hypothetical proteins, and the remaining 3843 (50.6%) showed no significant similarity to sequences in the databases. Culture-specific contigs were extracted on the basis of the EST frequency normalized by the total number for each culture condition. In addition, contig sequences were compared with sequence sets in eukaryotic orthologous groups (KOGs), and classified into the KOG functional categories.     

DNA sequence-based "bar codes" for tracking the origins of expressed sequence tags from a maize cDNA library constructed using multiple mRNA sources

To enhance gene discovery, expressed sequence tag (EST) projects often make use of cDNA libraries produced using diverse mixtures of mRNAs. As such, expression data are lost because the origins of the resulting ESTs cannot be determined. Alternatively, multiple libraries can be prepared, each from a more restricted source of mRNAs. Although this approach allows the origins of ESTs to be determined, it requires the production of multiple libraries. A hybrid approach is reported here. A cDNA library was prepared using 21 different pools of maize (Zea mays) mRNAs. DNA sequence "bar codes" were added during first-strand cDNA synthesis to uniquely identify the mRNA source pool from which individual cDNAs were derived. Using a decoding algorithm that included error correction, it was possible to identify the source mRNA pool of more than 97% of the ESTs. The frequency at which a bar code is represented in an EST contig should be proportional to the abundance of the corresponding mRNA in the source pool. Consistent with this, all ESTs derived from several genes (zein and adh1) that are known to be exclusively expressed in kernels or preferentially expressed under anaerobic conditions, respectively, were exclusively tagged with bar codes associated with mRNA pools prepared from kernel and anaerobically treated seedlings, respectively. Hence, by allowing for the retention of expression data, the bar coding of cDNA libraries can enhance the value of EST projects.     

Insights from the cDNA and EST analysis of Antrodia cinnamomea

It is of interest to document the insights gleaned from the cDNA and EST analysis of Antrodia cinnamomea (a fungal species). Hence a library of sequences was constructed and analysed using standard procedures to gain new insights. Therefore, 65 ESTs, with size ranging from 300-2000 bp, were constructed. This included 46 ESTs with definite annotation, 18 ESTs were hypothetical and 1 new protein derived from BLAST analysis. We assigned 227 Gene Ontology terms linked to cell composition, transport, catalytic activity, and regulation functions in these sequences. Moreover, 56 matching genes were found in 8 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. Data also showed 271 SSRs from Antrodia cinnamomea ESTs with an occurrence frequency of 96.82%. The STRING data analysis showed 29 genes encoded enzymes highly involved in protein-to-protein interactions linked to expression of regulation function. Thus, we documented some insights from the cDNA and EST analysis of Antrodia cinnamomea for further data mining.     

Gene expression profiling of hereditary exencephaly in chickens

In this preliminary study, differentially expressed genes were investigated in cranial tissues from chickens with hereditary exencephaly using cDNA microarrays containing 1,152 genes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Genes showing twofold or greater differences at P < 0.05 between affected and normal cranial cells were considered to be candidates for hereditary exencephaly in chicken. Eighteen ESTs (11 known genes/homologues) were upregulated and 108 ESTs (51 known genes/homologues) were downregulated. The EST AL584231 (ROS006C9), orthologous to human MTHFD1, a known candidate gene for human neural tube defects (NTDs), was expressed at the same level both in normal and affected chicken cranial tissues. ESTs AL584253 (ROS006F7, thioredoxin reductase 1) and AL585511 (ROS024H9, thioredoxin), both involved in NTD pathogenic pathways in mice, were downregulated and had mean ratios of 0.41 and 0.04 for expression in affected vs. normal cells respectively. Expression differences of these two ESTs were confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. These data indicate that ESTs AL584253 and AL585511 are candidates for hereditary exencephaly in chickens.     

白叶枯病菌胁迫下云南普通野生稻SSH文库的构建及抗病相关基因分析

以云南普通野生稻为材料,利用抑制差减杂交技术（SSH）,构建了白叶枯病菌胁迫的云南普通野生稻特异表达基因的差减文库.通过对文库所有阳性单克隆进行测序,聚类分析后共获得494条高质量的表达序列标签（EST）.经过BlastN分析,有417条与已知功能的序列有较高同源性;经BlastX分析,有104条EST与未知功能蛋白或假定蛋白有较高相似性,49条EST未能找到同源匹配,341条EST与已知功能蛋白有较高同源性.初步分析发现,这些基因主要涉及能量代谢、蛋白质代谢、核酸代谢、防御与抗逆应答反应、信号转导、光合作用及膜运输等代谢过程.使用半定量RT-PCR研究了7个可能与白叶枯病抗性相关的EST序列在云南普通野生稻对照和白叶枯病菌处理的叶片中的表达情况,并获得这些基因的表达谱.结果发现,克隆编号为OR7,OR68和OR826的EST受白叶枯病菌胁迫诱导上调表达,其中OR826 EST在蛋白数据库中无同源序列,可能是一类新的白叶枯病抗性基因,而组成型表达的OR143 EST在对照和接菌处理的叶片中均能检测到其mRNA的表达,但其表达量在白叶枯病菌胁迫48 h后逐渐增强,推测这些基因直接参与了云南普通野生稻抗病防御反应.本研究为从云南普通野生稻中发掘和克隆新的白叶枯病抗性基因提供了理论依据,为进一步研究云南普通野生稻抗白叶枯病的分子机制奠定了基础.     

Aspergillus flavus expressed sequence tags and microarray as tools in understanding aflatoxin biosynthesis

Aflatoxins are the most toxic and carcinogenic naturally occurring mycotoxins. They are produced primarily byAspergillus flavus andA. parasiticus. In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms that control aflatoxin production, identification of genes usingA. flavus expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and microarrays is currently being performed. Sequencing and annotation ofA. flavus ESTs from a normalizedA. flavus cDNA library identified 7,218 unique EST sequences. Genes that are putatively involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis, regulation and signal transduction, fungal virulence or pathogenicity, stress response or antioxidation, and fungal development were identified from these ESTs. Microarrays containing over 5,000 uniqueA. flavus gene amplicons were constructed at The Institute for Genomic Research. Gene expression profiling under aflatoxin-producing and non-producing conditions using this microarray has identified hundreds of genes that are potentially involved in aflatoxin production. Further investigations on the functions of these genes by gene knockout experiments are underway. This research is expected to provide information for developing new strategies for controlling aflatoxin contamination of agricultural commodities.     

A survey of genes in Eimeria tenella merozoites by EST sequencing

A study of about 500 expressed sequence tags (ESTs), derived from a merozoite cDNA library, was initiated as an approach to generate a larger pool of gene information on Eimeria tenella. Of the ESTs, 47.7% had matches with entries in the databases, including ribosomal proteins, metabolic enzymes and proteins with other functions, of which 14.3% represented previously known E. tenella genes. Thus over 50% of the ESTs had no significant database matches. The E. tenella EST dataset contained a range of highly abundant genes comparable with that found in the EST dataset of T. gondii and may thus reflect the importance of such molecules in the biology of the apicomplexan organisms. However, comparison of the two datasets revealed very few homologies between sequences of apical organelle molecules, and provides evidence for sequence divergence between these closely-related parasites. The data presented underpin the potential value of the EST strategy for the discovery of novel genes and may allow for a more rapid increase in the knowledge and understanding of gene expression in the merozoite life cycle stage of Eimeria spp.