Identification of miRNAs and their targets from Brassica napus by high-throughput sequencing and degradome analysis

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous regulators of a broad range of physiological processes and act by either degrading mRNA or blocking its translation. Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is one of the most important crops in China, Europe and other Asian countries with publicly available expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and genomic survey sequence (GSS) databases, but little is known about its miRNAs and their targets. To date, only 46 miRNAs have been identified in B. napus. RESULTS: Forty-one conserved and 62 brassica-specific candidate B. napus miRNAs, including 20 miRNA* sequences, were identified using Solexa sequencing technology. Furthermore, 33 non-redundant mRNA targets of conserved brassica miRNAs and 19 new non-redundant mRNA targets of novel brassica-specific miRNAs were identified by genome-scale sequencing of mRNA degradome. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes large scale cloning and characterization of B. napus miRNAs and their potential targets, providing the foundation for further characterization of miRNA function in the regulation of diverse physiological processes in B. napus.     

高通量DNA甲基化数据的处理和分析方法

DNA甲基化作为一种表观遗传学修饰,在调控基因表达、X染色体失活、印记基因等方面都发挥着重要的作用.不同的DNA甲基化的预处理方法结合二代测序产生了大量的高通量甲基化数据,这些数据的存储、处理和分析是当前亟需解决的问题.在本文中,总结了目前存在的三种高通量DNA甲基化检测技术（限制性内切酶法,亲和纯化法,重亚硫酸盐转换法）,以及针对这些技术产生的高通量数据开发的存储、处理和分析工具.另外,还注重介绍了单碱基水平的DNA甲基化检测技术,BS-Seq的测序原理、数据处理流程以及后续的分析工具.     

拟态弧菌溶血素基因的克隆测序与生物信息学分析

目的对拟态弧菌安徽分离株HX4(V.mimicusHX4株)的全长溶血素基因(vmh)进行克隆测序和生物信息学分析,为表达溶血素蛋白(VMH)奠定基础。方法采用PCR法扩增V.mimicusHX4菌株全长vmh基因,将其克隆至pMD18-Tvector并进行测序,应用生物信息学软件分析vmh基因的同源性及其编码蛋白的分子特征。结果V.mimicusHX4菌株vmh基因全长序列2235 bp,编码由744个氨基酸组成的分子量约为82.85 kDa的VMH蛋白。V.mimicusHX4菌株vmh基因的核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列与参考株相应序列的同源性分别介于98.9%~99.1%和96.6%~97.3%。VMH蛋白N端前25个氨基酸组成信号肽,7~27位氨基酸之间存在一个跨膜区域,蛋白二级结构中无规卷曲含量最高,达39.52%,其次为α-螺旋和β-折叠,分别占25.81%和26.75%,β转角含量最低,仅占7.93%。VMH蛋白含有多个T细胞和B细胞抗原表位,同时存在T、B细胞抗原表位的区域最有可能位于肽链第86~95、193~211、419~440和459~501位区段。结论拟态弧菌VMH蛋白是一种高度保守的毒素蛋白,对HX4菌株vmh基因及其编码蛋白信息特征的了解,有助于进一步表达VMH蛋白。     

雄兔垂体GnRHR的序列测定与生物信息学分析

目的探讨GnRH-A激动剂(阿拉瑞林)主动免疫对垂体GnRHR基因表达的影响和生物信息学特性。方法 30只日本大耳白兔(Oryctolagus cuniculus)随机均分为三组,在EG-Ⅰ和EG-Ⅱ皮下注射1.0 mL(100μg/mL)阿拉瑞林抗原,EG-Ⅱ于20 d以原剂量加强免疫1次;从兔垂体中提取总RNA,PCR扩增GnRHR基因,进行反转录、克隆和测序;实时荧光定量PCR分析垂体中GnRHR、FSH-β和LH-βmRNA的表达,用DNAman、Tm-pred、Signal P 3.0、Target P 1.1、Expasy、PSORT II prediction等生物信息学分析软件和在线工具,对GnRHR序列及其蛋白的理化特性、跨膜结构、信号肽和二级结构等进行分析与预测。结果①雄兔GnRHR的核苷酸为1179 bp,同源性达96%。ssDNA分子量362.66×103,dsDNA 726.78×103。②GnRHR二级结构中151(40.27%)个氨基酸组成α-螺旋,15(4.00%)个氨基酸组成β-折叠。③GnRHR由389个氨基酸组成,蛋白质的序列长度为375;理论等电点(pI)5.02,不稳定指数58.08,脂肪指数28.67,疏水性平均值(GRAVY)0.869,表明该蛋白为不稳定的疏水性蛋白。④GnRHR蛋白TM螺旋长度为17～23,有34个强跨膜螺旋区,从内到外有35个螺旋。⑤GnRHR信号肽的概率0.999,最可能的酶切部位在17和18位点。结论阿拉瑞林免疫可以明显降低垂体GnRHR、FSH-β和LH-β基因表达,加强免疫效果更佳。GnRHR是一种含有信号肽序列的不稳定的疏水性跨膜蛋白,具有明显的生物信息学特征。     

全基因组测序与生物信息学分析在细菌耐药性研究中的应用

随着耐药细菌的大量出现及广泛传播,细菌耐药性成为全球备受关注的问题。耐药细菌的特征如耐药基因、毒力因子、质粒分型等以及不同菌株间亲缘关系对于细菌耐药性流行病学及分子生物学的研究有着十分重要的意义。但是传统的技术手段如聚合酶链式反应(Polymerase chain reaction,PCR)和脉冲场凝胶电泳(Pulsed field gel electrophoresis,PFGE)等得到的结果不够全面且精确度低,对于现有的研究存在很大的局限性。全基因组测序技术(Whole genome sequencing,WGS)和生物信息学分析(Bioinformatics analysis)由于能够快速详尽地得到耐药细菌的特征,也能更加精细地判断不同菌株间的进化关系,逐渐成为更加有效的技术手段,为耐药性研究提供了有效的帮助。因此,文中系统地介绍全基因组测序分析流程中的各个步骤,主要包括文库构建、平台测序以及后期数据分析三大方面的不同方法和其相应的特点,期望相关研究人员对此能够有更全面的了解,并得到一定的帮助。     

纤维素降解菌烟曲霉HZ1的基因组测序及生物信息学分析

[目的]烟曲霉Aspergillus fumigatus作为一类具有纤维素降解能力的真菌,对其基因组的研究,将有利于从A.fumigatus中挖掘和开发利用与纤维素降解相关的酶资源.[方法]利用CMC选择培养基和刚果红染色法从长足大竹象肠道中分离和筛选出纤维素降解菌A.fumigatus HZ1,同时采用Illumin...     

Somatic mutation profiles of MSI and MSS colorectal cancer identified by whole exome next generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is with approximately 1 million cases the third most common cancer worldwide. Extensive research is ongoing to decipher the underlying genetic patterns with the hope to improve early cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this direction, the recent progress in next generation sequencing technologies has revolutionized the field of cancer genomics. However, one caveat of these studies remains the large amount of genetic variations identified and their interpretation.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here we present the first work on whole exome NGS of primary colon cancers. We performed 454 whole exome pyrosequencing of tumor as well as adjacent not affected normal colonic tissue from microsatellite stable (MSS) and microsatellite instable (MSI) colon cancer patients and identified more than 50,000 small nucleotide variations for each tissue. According to predictions based on MSS and MSI pathomechanisms we identified eight times more somatic non-synonymous variations in MSI cancers than in MSS and we were able to reproduce the result in four additional CRCs. Our bioinformatics filtering approach narrowed down the rate of most significant mutations to 359 for MSI and 45 for MSS CRCs with predicted altered protein functions. In both CRCs, MSI and MSS, we found somatic mutations in the intracellular kinase domain of bone morphogenetic protein receptor 1A, BMPR1A, a gene where so far germline mutations are associated with juvenile polyposis syndrome, and show that the mutations functionally impair the protein function.

Conclusions/Significance

We conclude that with deep sequencing of tumor exomes one may be able to predict the microsatellite status of CRC and in addition identify potentially clinically relevant mutations.     

Characterization of structural unit of phospholamban by amino acid sequencing and electrophoretic analysis

The partial amino acid sequence of phospholamban from canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum was determined by sequence analysis of the peptides obtained from the protein cleaved by cyanogen bromide and with TPCK-trypsin. The sequence determined initiated with N alpha-acetylated methionine followed by 44 amino acid residues intervening two unidentified residues. This polypeptide would represent a structural unit (protomer) of phospholamban. Analysis of temperature-dependent conversion of phospholamban from 26 kDa to lower molecular weight form (6 kDa) suggested that phospholamban holoprotein is composed of five identical protomers.     

兰州熊蜂蜂王头部产卵相关microRNA生物信息学分析

【目的】头部是熊蜂感觉和取食中心,也是生理行为的指挥中心。microRNA（miRNA）参与重要生理行为的调控。本研究初步探索了产卵和未产卵兰州熊蜂Bombus lantschouensis蜂王头部差异表达miRNA及其靶基因,以期探明蜂王头部miRNA在产卵过程中作用。【方法】以本土优良蜂种兰州熊蜂 B. lantschouensis 为材料,利用Solexa高通量测序技术对产卵和未产卵蜂王头部miRNA进行测序,运用生物信息学软件对miRNA及其靶基因进行预测;并应用qPCR技术验证极显著差异表达的miRNA。【结果】共获得兰州熊蜂产卵和未产卵蜂王头部miRNA的clean data数,分别为14 228 864和21 431 031 条reads;长度分析表明,在19~24 nt序列中22 nt序列数量最多,分别占产卵和未产卵蜂王序列的45.8%和45.1%。miRNA预测结果显示,共获得297个miRNA,其中270个为已知miRNA,有92个存在于蜜蜂中,其余178个分别存在于蜜蜂以外的其他物种中;另外27个为新的miRNA。在蜜蜂92个已知的miRNA中,在产卵蜂王头部中表达的共有91个,特异表达的有2个;在未产卵蜂王头部中表达的共有90个,特异表达的有1个。27个新的miRNA中,在产卵蜂王头部中表达的共有22个,特异表达的有2个;未产卵蜂王头部中表达的共有25个,特异表达的有5个。miRNA差异表达分析表明,在产卵与未产卵蜂王头部,共有8个已知miRNA表达量达到差异极显著水平（P<0.01）。qPCR结果表明,这8个表达差异极显著的miRNA均存在于熊蜂体内。在8个差异极显著的miRNA中,3个miRNA进行靶基因预测,发现它们共同调控9个靶基因,这些基因主要参与GTP结合和转录调控。【结论】本研究首次利用高通量测序技术鉴定了熊蜂头部组织的miRNA,并发现蜂王产卵与否受到miRNA差异表达的调控。结果为今后深入开展熊蜂miRNA功能验证及产卵调控机制研究奠定了基础。     

miRNAs调控lincRNAs的生物信息学预测与功能分析

基因间长链非编码RNAs(Long intergenic non-coding RNAs, lincRNAs)是位于蛋白编码基因之间的长度超过200 nt的非编码RNAs, 在动物中参与细胞周期调控、免疫监视、胚胎干细胞分化等多种生物学过程, 但是lincRNAs在大多数植物中的功能尚不清楚。MicroRNAs(miRNAs)是真核生物中一类在转录水平和转录后水平介导基因沉默的21 nt左右的内源性单链小非编码RNAs分子, 通过序列互补的方式调控靶标基因的表达。目前miRNAs的靶标研究主要集中于编码蛋白的基因, 而对于靶标为非编码RNAs的研究较少, 尤其在植物中的研究更为少见。为了系统挖掘植物中lincRNAs的功能, 文章整合miRNAs数据、cDNAs数据和降解组数据, 利用生物信息学方法找到拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)337个成熟miRNAs在2708个lincRNAs上的可能结合位点, 构建了miRNAs-mRNAs-lincRNAs调控网络, 并根据竞争性内源(ceRNA)假说预测lincRNAs的功能, 为进一步阐明植物中miRNAs对lincRNAs的调控机制以及lincRNAs的功能奠定了基础。     

ESTWeb: bioinformatics services for EST sequencing projects

ESTWeb is an internet based software package designed for uniform data processing and storage for large-scale EST sequencing projects. The package provides for: (a) reception of sequencing chromatograms; (b) sequence processing such as base-calling, vector screening, comparison with public databases; (c) storage of data and analysis in a relational database, (d) generation of a graphical report of individual sequence quality; and (e) issuing of reports with statistics of productivity and redundancy. The software facilitates real-time monitoring and evaluation of EST sequence acquisition progress along an EST sequencing project.     

水产品中河流弧菌分离株OmpU基因的克隆测序与生物信息学分析

目的 对河流弧菌(Vibrio fluvialis)水产品分离株OmpU基因进行克隆测序和生物信息学分析,为建立该菌的检测方法和研制疫苗奠定基础.方法 从市售水产品中分离细菌,采用表型和分子鉴定方法确定其种属,并测定其致病性和药物敏感性.根据弧菌属OmpU基因的序列特点,设计引物扩增河流弧菌OmpU基因,将其克隆到T载体上,筛选重组质粒并对其进行序列测定及生物信息学分析.结果 从水产品中分离的2个菌株(Vf1和Vt2)经鉴定确认为河流弧菌,它们均具有致病性,对15种测试抗菌药物敏感.2株河流弧菌OmpU基因全长分别为1 044和1 005 bp,含有1个开放性阅读框,分别编码由348和335个氨基酸组成的OmpU蛋白,该蛋白N端前22个氨基酸为信号肽.序列比对结果显示2株河流弧菌OmpU基因的核苷酸及其推导的氨基酸序列相似性分别为82.6％和81.2％.OmpU蛋白序列在6种弧菌种内和种间的相似性分别为81.4％ ～ 99.2％和71.2％ ～78.1％.表位预测结果显示河流弧菌OmpU蛋白的B细胞线性表位主要集中在第24 ～ 28、45～ 53、113～116、153～156、215～ 221和242～254位氨基酸区域,6种弧菌具有1个共同的抗原表位基序KDG-A-D-S.结论 OmpU蛋白是弧菌属中较为保守的一类功能蛋白,共同的抗原表位基序有望成为检测多种弧菌的靶标和研制多表位疫苗的靶位.