Construction of the model for the Genetic Analysis Workshop 14 simulated data: genotype-phenotype relationships,gene interaction,linkage, association,disequilibrium, and ascertainment effects for a complex phenotype

The Genetic Analysis Workshop 14 simulated dataset was designed 1) To test the ability to find genes related to a complex disease (such as alcoholism). Such a disease may be given a variety of definitions by different investigators, have associated endophenotypes that are common in the general population, and is likely to be not one disease but a heterogeneous collection of clinically similar, but genetically distinct, entities. 2) To observe the effect on genetic analysis and gene discovery of a complex set of gene x gene interactions. 3) To allow comparison of microsatellite vs. large-scale single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. 4) To allow testing of association to identify the disease gene and the effect of moderate marker x marker linkage disequilibrium. 5) To observe the effect of different ascertainment/disease definition schemes on the analysis. Data was distributed in two forms. Data distributed to participants contained about 1,000 SNPs and 400 microsatellite markers. Internet-obtainable data consisted of a finer 10,000 SNP map, which also contained data on controls. While disease characteristics and parameters were constant, four "studies" used varying ascertainment schemes based on differing beliefs about disease characteristics. One of the studies contained multiplex two- and three-generation pedigrees with at least four affected members. The simulated disease was a psychiatric condition with many associated behaviors (endophenotypes), almost all of which were genetic in origin. The underlying disease model contained four major genes and two modifier genes. The four major genes interacted with each other to produce three different phenotypes, which were themselves heterogeneous. The population parameters were calibrated so that the major genes could be discovered by linkage analysis in most datasets. The association evidence was more difficult to calibrate but was designed to find statistically significant association in 50% of datasets. We also simulated some marker x marker linkage disequilibrium around some of the genes and also in areas without disease genes. We tried two different methods to simulate the linkage disequilibrium.     

Identification of a small molecule activator of novel PKCs for promoting glucose-dependent insulin secretion

Using an image-based screen for small molecules that can affect Golgi morphology, we identify a small molecule, Sioc145, which can enlarge the Golgi compartments and promote protein secretion. More importantly, Sioc145 potentiates insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. We show that Sioc145 selectively activates novel protein kinase Cs (nPKCs; δ and ɛ) but not conventional PKCs (cPKCs; α, βI and βII) in INS-1E insulinoma cells. In contrast, PMA, a non-selective activator of cPKCs and nPKCs, promotes insulin secretion independent of glucose concentrations. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Sioc145 and PMA show differential abilities in depolarizing the cell membrane, and suggest that Sioc145 promotes insulin secretion in the amplifying pathway downstream of K_ATP channels. In pancreatic islets, the treatment with Sioc145 enhances the second phase of insulin secretion. Increased insulin granules close to the plasma membrane are observed after Sioc145 treatment. Finally, the administration of Sioc145 to diabetic GK rats increases their serum insulin levels and improves glucose tolerance. Collectively, our studies identify Sioc145 as a novel glucose-dependent insulinotropic compound via selectively activating nPKCs.     

基于比较转录组学分析NaCl胁迫影响德尔卑沙门氏菌的耐渗机制

【目的】研究高渗胁迫条件下德尔卑沙门氏菌(Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Derby, S. Derby)的转录组调控机制,分析差异表达基因(differentially expressed genes, DEGs)表达水平,探究在高渗胁迫影响下德尔卑沙门氏菌耐渗反应的相关代谢通路。【方法】通过高渗胁迫诱导德尔卑沙门氏菌的耐渗性,提取菌株的总RNA,去除rRNA,构建cDNA文库。利用转录组测序技术及生物学信息技术分析相关DEGs,并通过实时荧光定量PCR (real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, qRT-PCR)进行验证。【结果】胁迫组德尔卑沙门氏菌通过转录组测序结果发现有3 950个DEGs,其中具有显著上调的基因21个,显著下调基因38个。涉及到细胞膜蛋白、氨基酸的代谢等相关基因上调,协助德尔卑沙门氏菌在高渗环境中存活。与此同时,胁迫组德尔卑沙门氏菌的糖转运系统(sugar transport system, PTS)、糖酵解过程以及抗氧化性相关基因表达显著下调,这是由于高渗环境菌体需要在体内储存大量糖类等物质,从而降低了糖原的消耗,进而导致细胞外膜的脂多糖合成受到抑制,降低了高渗胁迫下德尔卑沙门氏菌细胞膜表面的O抗原的合成。【结论】高渗环境诱导后显著提高了德尔卑沙门氏菌的耐渗性,其中Na⁺/H⁺逆向转运蛋以及谷氨酸的代谢通路发挥着重要的作用,为进一步了解以及更好地控制其在食品中的污染提供了理论依据。     

Inducing autophagy harmlessly

An important role of autophagy in the clearance of misfolded proteins in neurons has been demonstrated. The challenge now is to see if we can develop small molecules that can induce autophagy without causing cellular damage.     

A phylogenetic analysis of the British flora sheds light on the evolutionary and ecological factors driving plant invasions

Darwin's naturalization hypothesis predicts that invasive species should perform better in their novel range in the absence of close relatives in the native flora due to reduced competition. Evidence from recent taxonomic and phylogenetic‐based studies, however, is equivocal. We test Darwin's naturalization hypothesis at two different spatial scales using a fossil‐dated molecular phylogenetic tree of the British native and alien flora (ca. 1600 species) and extensive, fine‐scale survey data from the 1998 Countryside Survey. At both landscape and local scales, invasive species were neither significantly more nor less related to the native flora than their non‐invasive alien counterparts. Species invasiveness was instead correlated with higher nitrogen and moisture preference, but not other life history traits such as life‐form and height. We argue that invasive species spread in Britain is hence more likely determined by changes in land use and other anthropogenic factors, rather than evolutionary history. Synthesis. The transition from non‐invasive to invasive is not related to phylogenetic distinctiveness to the native community, but instead to their environmental preferences. Therefore, combating biological invasions in the Britain and other industrialized countries need entirely different strategies than in more natural environments.     

Enrichment of phosphopeptides by Fe3+-immobilized magnetic nanoparticles for phosphoproteome analysis of the plasma membrane of mouse liver

Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) is a commonly used technique for phosphoprotein analysis due to its specific affinity for phosphopeptides. In this study, Fe3+-immobilized magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3+-IMAN) with an average diameter of 15 nm were synthesized and applied to enrich phosphopeptides. Compared with commercial microscale IMAC beads, Fe3+-IMAN has a larger surface area and better dispersibility in buffer solutions which improved the specific interaction with phosphopeptides. Using tryptic digests of the phosphoprotein alpha-casein as a model sample, the number and signal-to-noise ratios of the phosphopeptides identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) following Fe3+-IMAN enrichment greatly increased relative to results obtained with direct MALDI-TOFMS analysis. The lowest detectable concentration is 5 x 10(-11) M for 100 microL of pure standard phosphopeptide (FLTEpYVATR) following Fe3+-IMAN enrichment. We presented a phosphopeptide enrichment scheme using simple Fe3+-IMAN and also a combined approach of strong cation exchange chromatography and Fe3+-IMAN for phosphoproteome analysis of the plasma membrane of mouse liver. In total, 217 unique phosphorylation sites corresponding to 158 phosphoproteins were identified by nano-LC-MS/MS. This efficient approach will be very useful in large-scale phosphoproteome analysis.     

RNA-binding properties and translation repression in vitro by germ cell-specific MSY2 protein

The large amount of MSY2 protein, a mouse germ cell-specific Y-box protein, in oocytes and its degradation by the late two-cell stage suggest that MSY2 may stabilize and/or regulate the translation of maternal mRNAs. We report here the ability of bacterially expressed recombinant MSY2 protein to bind to mRNA and repress translation in vitro. Although MSY2 displays some sequence specificity in binding to short RNA sequences derived from the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the protamine 1 (Prm1) mRNA, as determined by both gel shift and filter binding assays, essentially no sequence specificity is observed when full-length Prm1 mRNA is used. The binding of MSY2 is approximately 10-fold greater to the full-length Prm1 mRNA than to a 37-nucleotide sequence derived from the 3' UTR, and gel shift assays indicate that multiple MSY2 molecules bind to a single Prm1 mRNA. MSY2 binding to luciferase mRNA at ratios of protein to mRNA that are likely to exist in the oocyte also leads to a moderate inhibition of protein synthesis in vitro. Given the abundance of MSY2 in mouse oocytes (2% of total oocyte protein), these data suggest that MSY2 packages mRNAs in vivo with relatively little sequence specificity, which may lead to both stabilization and translation repression of maternal mRNAs.     

Ⅱ型内含子及其生物技术应用研究进展北大核心CSCD

型内含子(groupⅡintrons)是一类具有自我剪接功能的核酶,能够通过“归巢”(retrohoming)机制高频插入到DNA靶位点。Ⅱ型内含子对DNA靶位点的识别和剪接具有高度专一性和高效性,这种特性使其在基因工程中具有重要的应用价值。文中首先综述了Ⅱ型内含子基因打靶原理及其在微生物遗传改造中的应用;然后,根据Ⅱ型内含子“归巢”特点及其依赖高浓度Mg2+的特性,分析了Ⅱ型内含子在多功能基因编辑及真核生物应用中的局限性;最后,以笔者课题组研究工作为基础,结合Ⅱ型内含子自身结构特点,分析了Ⅱ型内含子在新型基因编辑工具开发方面的潜能,为Ⅱ型内含子生物技术应用提供借鉴。