基于PC/Linux的核酸序列分析系统的构建及其应用

基于PC机和Linux操作系统, 利用Phred/Phrap/Consed软件和Blast软件, 构建了核酸序列大规模自动分析系统. 该套系统可自动完成从测序峰图向核酸序列的转化、载体序列去除、序列自动拼接、重复序列鉴定以及序列的相似性分析, 可加速对大规模测序数据的分析和利用.     

基于Linux平台的林木EST序列分析系统的构建及应用

利用Phred/Phrap/Consed、cross.match、RepeatMasker、Blast等软件和自主开发程序,基于Linux操作系统,构建了林木EST序列分析系统,完成了从测序峰图向核酸序列的转化、载体序列的去除、重复序列鉴定、EST序列分类和组装、EST序列功能注释与功能分类以及SSR、SNP的发掘。并通过使用Perl语言结合bioperl模块写的脚本程序使分析过程自动化,从而可以快速地对大批林木EST数据进行分析,为林木的功能基因组学研究提供有用的信息。     

基于Cygwin实现生物信息学软件从Unix/Linux向Windows移植

Cygwin可在Windows环境下提供对Unix/Linux环境的模拟与支持,具有较为完善的Unix/Linux工具包和编程环境。利用Cygwin对常用的生物信息学数据分析软件如Sim4、FASTA、Phred/Phrap/RepeatMasker、EMBOSS、HMMER和ClustalW等进行重新编译,发现通过该方式能够获得可在Windows环境下运行的可执行代码,为利用Windows环境优势的同时进行跨平台生物信息学数据分析平台的开发提供重要参考价值。     

Phred/Phrap/Consed/Polyphred:类Unix平台的测序数据管理和SNP识别软件包

尽管二代基因组测序技术日渐流行,Sanger测序依旧是SNP识别和分析的金标准。传统对于Sanger测序结果的分析多依赖Seq Man等软件进行。然而这类软件大多依靠人工操作来识别和记录测序结果中的SNP位点,效率低下且容易发生错误。此外,当对多个个体进行序列测定时,这类软件无法完成对群体数据的管理和输出,给研究人员造成了一定的不便。Phred/Phrap/Consed/Polyphred是华盛顿大学开发的基于类Unix平台的软件包,在大规模测序数据的管理和SNP自动识别、标记与输出方面具有强大的功能。然而,由于其安装和使用较为复杂,在国内较少使用。本研究对该软件包的功能、使用流程、特点等进行了介绍,并将其安装于Ubuntu12.04操作系统并置于VMware虚拟机中,方便遗传学者的下载和使用。     

球毛壳菌循环肽HC-毒素基因的序列分析

为了验证Phrap软件是否适合在EST分析中应用,对球毛壳菌循环肽HC-毒素基因进行了序列分析。根据EST分析的结果,从cDNA文库中挑取循环肽HC-毒素基因的克隆进行了测序并序列分析。结果表明cDNA文库中循环肽HC-毒素基因的克隆插入片断大小为1217bp;用Phrap软件拼接出来的循环肽HC-毒素的表达序列标签拼接序列与实际序列不完全一致,因此Phrap软件不适合在EST分析中应用。     

油料作物EST资源的生物信息学分析

利用生物信息学方法,收集整理GenBank数据库中截至2008年5月收录的油料作物油菜、花生、芝麻、大豆、向日葵、蓖麻、亚麻、棕榈等八种油料作物的表达序列标签(EST)序列信息,共获得1,185,911条EST序列,使用Crosmatch、RepeatMask-er、Phrap、CAP3、EMBOSS、Blast、EST-pipeline、ORF finder、Interproscan、blast2go、IdentiCS等软件,基于Linux操作系统,进行了综合及分类分析。共获得289,892条UniEST序列,通过以上对EST序列信息的基因注释信息,筛选出与油脂代谢相关的基因信息,并以此为基础构建了油料作物油脂代谢途径比较结构图。本研究为油料作物油脂代谢相关基因数据库的构建和不同油料作物油脂代谢异同的比较打下基础。     

Wnt信号转导通路与神经发育研究进展

Wnt蛋白是一类分泌型糖蛋白家族,Wnt信号蛋白与细胞表面的多种受体相互作用,参与诸多生命过程。对神经系统发育的研究表明,Wnt信号通路在神经发生,神经祖细胞增值、分化,神经干细胞的自我更新,轴突导向等过程中起重要调控作用。多项研究已经证实,Wnt通路失调与诸多神经系统疾病有密切关系。Wnt信号通路的突变或异常,将会引起神经系统发育缺陷。然而,对Wnt非经典信号通路的研究,尤其是新受体Ryk的调控作用的认识迄今仍不全面。根据国内外相关研究,阐述了经典Wnt信号通路Wnt/β-catenin途径的同时也对Wnt/Ryk非经典信号途径这一研究新领域做了讨论。在非经典信号通路中,Ryk-ICD的剪接对于前体细胞的神经分化起重要作用。本文分析了Wnt/β-catenin和Wnt/Ryk信号通路在神经发育中的作用,有助于深入理解神经发育过程中Wnt信号通路的作用机制。然而,Ryk-ICD引导因子、分子机制等问题仍待进一步研究,而这将有利于理解神经干细胞分化机理。     

家蚕CRISPR/Cpf1基因编辑系统建立

自CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑系统成功应用于模式生物以来,因其快速、高效、便捷等特点,广泛应用于基因功能研究、基因治疗和基因工程等研究领域。与此同时,CRISPR/Cas系统不断在微生物界的发现也加速了新的基因编辑工具的不断涌现。CRISPR/Cpf1是第二类 (Ⅴ型) 能够编辑哺乳动物基因组的CRISPR系统,相比于CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑系统,能够利用5′T-PAM富集区增加基因组覆盖率,具有其切割位点为粘性末端和更不易同源重组修复等诸多优势。基于此,本研究构建了能够在家蚕细胞表达的3个不同来源的CRISPR/Cpf1 (AsCpf1、FnCpf1和LbCpf1) 表达载体,选择高度保守的家蚕热休克蛋白基因BmHSP60和家蚕ATP酶家族BmATAD3A基因分别设计靶标gRNA,构建gHSP60-266R和gATAD3A-346R基因编辑载体。通过T7E1酶切分析和T克隆测序,鉴定3个Cpf1基因编辑系统AsCpf1、FnCpf1和LbCpf1对靶标基因BmHSP60和BmATAD3A的编辑效率。同时,利用Western blotting分析不同基因编辑系统敲除靶基因后对其BmATAD3A和BmHSP60蛋白翻译的影响。本研究成功构建了家蚕CRISPR/Cpf1基因编辑系统,能够在家蚕细胞中有效编辑家蚕基因组,为家蚕基因功能研究、基因工程和遗传育种开发了新技术与新方法。     

水稻耐盐/碱性鉴定评价方法

土壤盐/碱化是盐/碱稻作区水稻生产稳定发展的主要限制因素.为了提高水稻耐盐/碱性,扩大水稻种植面积,减轻盐/碱胁迫导致的水稻减产,许多学者广泛开展了水稻耐盐/碱性的基因型差异、生理生化、遗传及定位等研究,并取得了显著成绩.但国内在耐盐/碱性鉴定评价方法方面还缺乏统一标准,这影响着水稻耐盐/碱性研究的深入开展.本文阐述了国内外至今所采用的水稻耐盐/碱性鉴定方法、耐盐/碱指标和分级标准等,以期为我国水稻耐盐/碱性鉴定评价技术规范的制定以及水稻耐盐/碱性种质资源鉴定、生理生化分析和遗传育种提供参考依据.     

关键蛋白酶激活因子Apaf-2/CytC在细胞凋亡中的作用

描述了Apaf-2/CytC在细胞凋亡中的作用,主要阐述了细胞凋亡相关因子Apaf-2/CytC的发现,Apaf-2与Apaf-1及Apaf-3在细胞凋亡中的作用及相互关系,CytC介导细胞凋亡的方式。探讨了线粒体CytC的泄漏机制,对MPTP假说、专一性通道假说和线粒体膨胀假说进行了阐述,并对细胞凋亡信号转导途径,如CytC途径、Fas/FasL途径、蛋白激酶途径、AIF凋亡途径及这些信号转导途径间的对话进行了分析,最后分析了研究CytC与细胞凋亡分子机制的意义并提出细胞凋亡分子机制中一些未完全研究清楚的问题。     

Genquire: genome annotation browser/editor

We present a software package, Genquire, that allows visualization, querying, hand editing, and de novo markup of complete or partially annotated genomes. The system is written in Perl/Tk and uses, where possible, existing BioPerl data models and methods for representation and manipulation of the sequence and annotation objects. An adaptor API is provided to allow Genquire to display a wide range of databases and flat files, and a plugins API provides an interface to other sequence analysis software. AVAILABILITY: Genquire v3.03 is open-source software. The code is available for download and/or contribution at http://www.bioinformatics.org/Genquire     

CRISPR/Cas9系统中sgRNA设计与脱靶效应评估

基于CRISPR/Cas9系统介导的第三代基因组编辑技术,已成功应用于动物、植物和微生物等诸多物种的基因组改造。如何提高CRISPR/Cas9技术的基因组编辑效率和最大限度降低脱靶风险一直是本领域的研究热点,而使用高效且特异的sgRNA(Small guide RNA)是基因组改造成功的关键性因素之一。目前,已有多款针对CRISPR/Cas9技术的sgRNA设计和/或脱靶效应评估软件,但不同的软件各有优缺点。本文重点对16款sgRNA 设计和脱靶效应评估在线和单机版软件的特点进行了阐述,通过制定38项评估指标对不同软件进行了比较分析,最后对11种用于检测基因组编辑效率和脱靶的实验方法,以及如何筛选高效且特异的sgRNA进行了归纳总结。     

Differential expression analysis of Escherichia coli proteins using a novel software for relative quantitation of LC-MS/MS data

The study of changes in protein levels between samples derived from cells representing different biological conditions is a key to the understanding of cellular function. There are two main methods available that allow both for global scanning for significantly varying proteins and targeted profiling of proteins of interest. One method is based on 2-D gel electrophoresis and image analysis of labelled proteins. The other method is based on LC-MS/MS analysis of either unlabelled peptides or peptides derived from isotopically labelled proteins or peptides. In this study, the non-labelling approach was used involving a new software, DeCyder MS Differential Analysis Software (DeCyder MS) intended for automated detection and relative quantitation of unlabelled peptides in LC-MS/MS data.Total protein extracts of E. coli strains expressing varying levels of dihydrofolate reductase and integron integrase were digested with trypsin and analyzed using a nanoscale liquid chromatography system, Ettan MDLC, online connected to an LTQTM linear ion-trap mass spectrometer fitted with a nanospray interface. Acquired MS data were subjected to DeCyder MS analysis where 2-D representations of the peptide patterns from individual LC-MS/MS analyses were matched and compared.This approach to unlabelled quantitative analysis of the E. coli proteome resulted in relative protein abundances that were in good agreement with results obtained from traditional methods for measuring protein levels.     

R453Plus1Toolbox: an R/Bioconductor package for analyzing Roche 454 Sequencing data

The R453Plus1Toolbox is an R/Bioconductor package for the analysis of 454 Sequencing data. Projects generated with Roche's data analysis software can be imported into R allowing advanced and customized analyses within the R/Bioconductor environment for sequencing data. Several methods were implemented extending the current functionality of Roche's software. These extensions include methods for quality assurance and annotation of detected variants. Further, a pipeline for the detection of structural variants, e.g. balanced chromosomal translocations, is provided. AVAILABILITY: The R453Plus1Toolbox is implemented in R and available at http://www.bioconductor.org/. A vignette outlining typical workflows is included in the package. CONTACT: h.klein@uni-muenster.de SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.     

A detailed thermodynamic analysis of ras/effector complex interfaces

Many cellular functions are based on the interaction and crosstalk of various signaling proteins. Among these, members of the Ras family of small GTP-binding proteins are important for communicating signals into different pathways. In order to answer the question of how binding affinity and specificity is achieved, we analyzed binding energetics on the molecular level, with reference to the available structural data. The interaction of two members of the Ras subfamily with two different effector proteins, namely Raf and RalGDS, were investigated using isothermal titration calorimetry and a fluorescence-based method. Experiments with alanine mutants, located in the complex interfaces, yielded an energy map for the contact areas of the Ras/effector complexes, which could be differentiated into enthalpy and entropy contributions. In addition, by using double mutant cycle analysis, we probed the energetic contribution of selected pairs of amino acid residues. The resulting energy landscapes of the Ras/effector interface areas show a highly different topology when comparing the two effectors, Raf and RalGDS, demonstrating the specificity of the respective interactions. Particularly, we observe a high degree of compensating effects between enthalpy and entropy; differences between these components are much greater than the overall free energy differences. This is observed also when using the software FOLD-X to predict the effect of point mutations on the crystal structures of the different complexes. Prediction of the free energy changes shows a very good correlation with the experimentally observed energies. Furthermore, in line with experimental data, energy decomposition indicates that many different components of large magnitude counteract each other to produce a smaller change in overall free energy, illustrating the importance of long-range electrostatic forces in complex formation.     

HTAPP: High‐throughput autonomous proteomic pipeline

Recent advances in the speed and sensitivity of mass spectrometers and in analytical methods, the exponential acceleration of computer processing speeds, and the availability of genomic databases from an array of species and protein information databases have led to a deluge of proteomic data. The development of a lab‐based automated proteomic software platform for the automated collection, processing, storage, and visualization of expansive proteomic data sets is critically important. The high‐throughput autonomous proteomic pipeline described here is designed from the ground up to provide critically important flexibility for diverse proteomic workflows and to streamline the total analysis of a complex proteomic sample. This tool is composed of a software that controls the acquisition of mass spectral data along with automation of post‐acquisition tasks such as peptide quantification, clustered MS/MS spectral database searching, statistical validation, and data exploration within a user‐configurable lab‐based relational database. The software design of high‐throughput autonomous proteomic pipeline focuses on accommodating diverse workflows and providing missing software functionality to a wide range of proteomic researchers to accelerate the extraction of biological meaning from immense proteomic data sets. Although individual software modules in our integrated technology platform may have some similarities to existing tools, the true novelty of the approach described here is in the synergistic and flexible combination of these tools to provide an integrated and efficient analysis of proteomic samples.     

Sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation and SEDFIT/c(s): limits of quantitation for a monoclonal antibody system

Sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (SV-AUC) has emerged in the biopharmaceutical industry as a technique to detect small quantities of protein aggregates. However, the limits of detection and quantitation of these aggregates are not yet well understood. Although diverse factors (molecule, instrument, technique, and software dependent) preclude an all-encompassing measurement of these limits for the complete system, it is possible to use simulated data to determine the quantitation limits of the data analysis software aspect. The current study examines the performance of the SEDFIT/c(s) data analysis tool with simulated antibody monomer/dimer and monomer/aggregate systems. Under completely ideal conditions (zero noise, known meniscus, and shape factor homogeneity), the software limit of quantitation was 0.01% for the monomer/aggregate system and 0.03% for the less well-resolved monomer/dimer system. Under more realistic conditions (0.005 OD root mean square [RMS] noise, shape factor variability, and long solution column), the software limits of quantitation were 0.2 and 0.6% (0.002 and 0.006 OD) for the monomer/aggregate and monomer/dimer systems, respectively. Interestingly, diminished quantitation accuracy at very low levels of oligomer was not accompanied by deterioration of fit quality (as measured by root mean square deviation [RMSD] and residuals bitmap images).