Project description:Blood feeding is an integral process of the malaria vector Anopheles required for its physiological functions and its propagation. During blood feeding, presence of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium in the blood induces several host effector molecules including microRNAs which play important roles in the development and maturation of the parasite within the mosquito. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the dynamic expression of miRNAs during gonotrophic cycle and parasite development in Anopheles stephensi.For this purpose, small RNA sequencing was done in sugar fed, 42 hours and 5 days post blood fed and infected blood fed female mosquitoes to identify regulated miRNAs under these conditions.
Project description:A small number of transcription factors, including Oct-3/4 and Sox2, constitute the transcriptional network that maintains pluripotency in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Previous reports suggested that some of these factors form a complex that binds the Oct-Sox element, a composite sequence consisting of closely juxtaposed Oct-3/4-binding and Sox2-binding sites. However, little is known regarding the components of the complex. In this study, we show that Sall4, a member of the Spalt-like family of proteins, directly interacts with Sox2 and Oct-3/4. Sall4 in combination with Sox2 or Oct-3/4 simultaneously occupies the Oct-Sox elements in mouse ES cells. Sall4 knockdown led to differentiation of ES cells. Overexpression of Sall4 in ES cells increased reporter activities in a luciferase assay when the Pou5f1- or Nanog-derived Oct-Sox element was included in the reporter. Microarray analyses revealed that Sall4 and Sox2 bound to the same genes in ES cells significantly more frequently than expected from random coincidence. These factors appeared to bind the promoter regions of a subset of the Sall4- and Sox2-double-positive genes in precisely similar distribution patterns along the promoter regions, suggesting that Sall4 and Sox2 associate with such Sall4/Sox2-overlapping genes as a complex. Importantly, gene ontology analyses indicated that the Sall4/Sox2-overlapping gene set is enriched for genes involved in maintaining pluripotency. Sall4/Sox2/Oct-3/4-triple-positive genes identified by referring to a previous study identifying Oct-3/4-bound genes in ES cells were further enriched for pluripotency genes than Sall4/Sox2-double-positive genes. These results demonstrate that Sall4 contributes to the transcriptional network operating in pluripotent cells, together with Oct-3/4 and Sox2.
Project description:Blood feeding is an integral process of the malaria vector Anopheles required for its physiological functions and its propagation. During blood feeding, presence of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium in the blood induces several host effector molecules including microRNAs which play important roles in the development and maturation of the parasite within the mosquito. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the dynamic expression of miRNAs during gonotrophic cycle and parasite development in Anopheles stephensi.For this purpose, miRNA microarray was done in sugar fed, 42 hours post blood fed and 42 hours post infected blood fed female mosquitoes to identify regulated miRNAs under these conditions.
Project description:A new method for proteomic studies of OCT-embedded samples based on ultrasound energy is proposed. The cleaning of OCT from mouse kidney embedded tissues were evaluated through the aid of ultrasound energy, with two different frequencies. Simultaneously, vortex agitation was used as control. The optimized method obtained was then applied in human tumor kidney biopsies including chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (chRCC) and renal oncocytomas (RO).
Project description:A small number of transcription factors, including Oct-3/4 and Sox2, constitute the transcriptional network that maintains pluripotency in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Previous reports suggested that some of these factors form a complex that binds the Oct-Sox element, a composite sequence consisting of closely juxtaposed Oct-3/4-binding and Sox2-binding sites. However, little is known regarding the components of the complex. In this study, we show that Sall4, a member of the Spalt-like family of proteins, directly interacts with Sox2 and Oct-3/4. Sall4 in combination with Sox2 or Oct-3/4 simultaneously occupies the Oct-Sox elements in mouse ES cells. Sall4 knockdown led to differentiation of ES cells. Overexpression of Sall4 in ES cells increased reporter activities in a luciferase assay when the Pou5f1- or Nanog-derived Oct-Sox element was included in the reporter. Microarray analyses revealed that Sall4 and Sox2 bound to the same genes in ES cells significantly more frequently than expected from random coincidence. These factors appeared to bind the promoter regions of a subset of the Sall4- and Sox2-double-positive genes in precisely similar distribution patterns along the promoter regions, suggesting that Sall4 and Sox2 associate with such Sall4/Sox2-overlapping genes as a complex. Importantly, gene ontology analyses indicated that the Sall4/Sox2-overlapping gene set is enriched for genes involved in maintaining pluripotency. Sall4/Sox2/Oct-3/4-triple-positive genes identified by referring to a previous study identifying Oct-3/4-bound genes in ES cells were further enriched for pluripotency genes than Sall4/Sox2-double-positive genes. These results demonstrate that Sall4 contributes to the transcriptional network operating in pluripotent cells, together with Oct-3/4 and Sox2. ChIP-on-chip experiments using anti-Sall4 or anti-Sox2 antibody were performed.
Project description:MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Here, we show that miR-210 is induced by Oct-2, a key transcriptional mediator of B-cell activation. Germline deletion of miR-210 results in the development of autoantibodies from 5 months of age. Overexpression of miR-210 in vivo resulted in cell autonomous expansion of the B1 lineage and impaired fitness of B2 cells. Mice over-expressing miR-210 exhibited impaired class-switched antibody responses, a finding confirmed in wild-type B-cells transfected with a miR-210 mimic. In vitro studies demonstrated a defect in cellular proliferation and cell-cycle entry, which was consistent with the transcriptomic analysis demonstrating down-regulation of genes involved in cellular proliferation and B cell activation. These findings indicate that Oct-2 induction of miR-210 provides a novel inhibitory mechanism for the control of B cells and autoantibody production.
Project description:Identification of target genes of the POU-transcription factor Oct-6 in macrophages after poly(I:C) treatment WT and Oct-6-/- fetal-liver macrophages were treated with poly(I:C) for 8 hours or were left untreated (3 independent expreiments = biological replicates). 200 genes differentially regulated in the absence of Oct-6 could be identified.