Similarity Estimation Between DNA Sequences Based on Local Pattern Histograms of Binary Images

Graphical representation of DNA sequences is one of the most popular techniques for alignment-free sequence comparison. Here, we propose a new method for the feature extraction of DNA sequences represented by binary images, by estimating the similarity between DNA sequences using the frequency histograms of local bitmap patterns of images. Our method shows linear time complexity for the length of DNA sequences, which is practical even when long sequences, such as whole genome sequences, are compared. We tested five distance measures for the estimation of sequence similarities, and found that the histogram intersection and Manhattan distance are the most appropriate ones for phylogenetic analyses.     

基于高通量测序的慈竹笋转录组分析与基因功能注释

慈竹是我国四川当地的优势丛生竹种之一,其纤维长度和质量较优异,是造纸、纺织等工业的良好原料。本文利用Illumina Hi SeqTM 2000平台,对10、50、100和150 cm高的慈竹笋进行转录组分析,共得到69.28 M条读长(Reads),经从头拼接、组装和聚类后得到111 137条非重复序列基因Unigene,其中共有63 094条注释到COG、GO、KEGG、Swiss-Prot和Nr数据库中。这些Unigene不仅具有一般的功能,如转录和信号转导等,还涉及到蔗糖转运与代谢、次级代谢产物及细胞壁的生物合成等方面。不同高度慈竹笋的纤维素合成酶基因存在差异表达,发现了可能调控慈竹生长发育以及纤维素和木质素生物合成的相关基因,为慈竹品种改良提供一定的理论基础。     

利用eQTL构建基因-基因网络挖掘类风湿性关节炎风险基因*

摘要目的：类风湿性关节炎是一种全身的慢性炎症型疾病，可能影响许多组织和器官，主要发作于灵活的关节。全世界人群中大 约有1%会患有类风湿性关节炎。目前已经证实了一些基因与类风湿性关节炎相关，但是这些基因只能解释一小部分遗传风险， 因此我们需要新的策略和方法来解决这个问题。方法：表达数量性状位点（eQTL）是指能够调控基因或蛋白质表达的基因组位点， 本文采用了eQTL数据构建基因- 基因网络并挖掘候选类风湿性关节炎风险基因。结果：首先，利用eQTL 数据,基于基因之间的 共调控系数，建立基因- 基因网络，我们建立了5 个不同阈值(0、0.2、0.4、0.6和0.8)的基因-基因网络；然后，在OMIM 和GAD数 据库中搜索已经证实的与类风湿性关节炎相关的186 个基因；最后我们将已证实与类风湿性关节炎相关的186 个基因分别投入 到这5 个网络中，利用基因与基因之间的相关性来挖掘到一些可能与类风湿性关节炎相关的候选风险基因。结论：本文基于 eQTL构建了基因-基因网络，结合已知类风湿性关节炎风险基因，挖掘未知风险基因，得到了较好的结果，证明了本方法的有效 性，且对于类风湿性关节炎的发病机制研究具有重要价值。除了类风湿性关节炎外，本方法还可推广到其它复杂疾病中，因此本 方法对人类复杂疾病的研究具有很强的学术理论价值和应用价值。     

Structural and functional relationships of FAN1

FANCD2/FANCI-associated nuclease (FAN1) is a 5′ flap structure-specific endonuclease and 5′ to 3′ exonuclease. This nuclease can resolve interstrand cross-links (ICLs) independently of the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway and controls the progression of stalled replication forks in an FA-dependent manner, thereby maintaining chromosomal stability. Several FAN1 mutations are observed in various cancers and degenerative diseases. Recently, several crystal structures of the FAN1-DNA complexes have been reported, and to date, these represent the only structures for a DNA bound ICL-repair nuclease. Puzzlingly, human FAN1 forms two different quaternary structures with different DNA binding modes, and based on these structures, two ICL-repair mechanisms have been proposed. In one mechanism, monomeric FAN1 recognizes the 5′ flap terminal phosphate via a basic pocket and successively cleaves at every third nucleotide of the DNA substrates. In the other mechanism, dimeric FAN1 scans, latches, and unwinds the postnick duplex of the substrate DNA to direct the scissile phosphodiester group to the active site. In this review, we discuss the structures, function, and proposed mechanisms of FAN1 nuclease, and provide the insights into its role in ICL repair and in processing of stalled replication forks.     

Effect of genome combinations on stability of yield and yield components in wheats and triticales

Summary The data on number of grains/spike, 100 grain weight and grain yield/plant in eighteen genotypes of four genome combinations (AABB- 4 genotypes, AABBDD- 6 genotypes, AABBRR- 5 genotypes and AABBDDRR- 3 genotypes) were recorded for eight environments created by combining two dates of sowing, two fertilizer regimes and two spacings. Two stability parameters-regression coefficient (b) and deviation from regression (S_d ²) were computed. Joint regression analyses revealed that the genotypes differed significantly for these characters. A significant variation due to environments was also found. A comparative study of performance of genotypes belonging to four genome combinations revealed that the genes for stability are not uniformly distributed in these genome combinations. Stability may largely depend on gene combination rather than on genome combination.     

Identification and chromosomal distribution of DNA sequence segments conserved since divergence of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

DNA sequence segments conserved since divergence of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis were identified, using the GenBank sequence database. Chromosomal locations of the conserved segments were compared between the two bacteria, and the following three features were observed. (1) Although the two genomes are nearly identical in size, chromosomal arrangements of the conserved segments are considerably different from each other. (2) In many cases, chromosomal locations of a conserved segment in the two species have deviated from each other by a multiple of 60°. (3) There are many instances in which a contiguous segment in one genome is split into two or more segments located at distinct positions in the other genome, and these split segments were found to tend to lie on the E. coli or B. subtilis genome separated by distances of multiples of 60°. On the basis of these observations, genome organizations of the two bacteria were discussed in terms of genome doublings as well as random chromosomal rearrangements.     

A highly polymorphic region in the X chromosome of Drosophila

Summary Many cloned regions of the Drosophila genome show minimal variation between strains in overall sequence arrangement. While restriction site polymorphisms occur and the location of transposable elements may vary from one strain to another, such changes appear to be relatively minor variations, superimposed on overall genome stability. In contrast to this general situation, we describe here a segment of the X chromosome that is highly polymorphic in four strains of D. melanogaster and in D. simulans. The strains differ in the presence and extent of a short duplication and the presence of repetitive DNA. These results suggest that different regions of the genome may be subject to different evolutionary constraints, with some regions being particularly prone to extensive changes, even within a single species.     

Structural and functional characterization of solute binding proteins for aromatic compounds derived from lignin: p‐Coumaric acid and related aromatic acids

Lignin comprises 15–25% of plant biomass and represents a major environmental carbon source for utilization by soil microorganisms. Access to this energy resource requires the action of fungal and bacterial enzymes to break down the lignin polymer into a complex assortment of aromatic compounds that can be transported into the cells. To improve our understanding of the utilization of lignin by microorganisms, we characterized the molecular properties of solute binding proteins of ATP‐binding cassette transporter proteins that interact with these compounds. A combination of functional screens and structural studies characterized the binding specificity of the solute binding proteins for aromatic compounds derived from lignin such as p‐coumarate, 3‐phenylpropionic acid and compounds with more complex ring substitutions. A ligand screen based on thermal stabilization identified several binding protein clusters that exhibit preferences based on the size or number of aromatic ring substituents. Multiple X‐ray crystal structures of protein–ligand complexes for these clusters identified the molecular basis of the binding specificity for the lignin‐derived aromatic compounds. The screens and structural data provide new functional assignments for these solute‐binding proteins which can be used to infer their transport specificity. This knowledge of the functional roles and molecular binding specificity of these proteins will support the identification of the specific enzymes and regulatory proteins of peripheral pathways that funnel these compounds to central metabolic pathways and will improve the predictive power of sequence‐based functional annotation methods for this family of proteins.Proteins 2013; 81:1709–1726. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.