Project description:Metriaclima estherae, Protomelas similis, Rhamphochromis "chilingali", and Astatotilapia tweddlei genomic DNA hybridized with Astatotilapia burtoni genomic DNA
Project description:Metriaclima estherae, Protomelas similis, Rhamphochromis "chilingali", and Astatotilapia tweddlei genomic DNA hybridized with Astatotilapia burtoni genomic DNA 2 Metriaclima estherae vs Astatotilapia burtoni, 2 Protomelas similis vs Astatotilapia burtoni, 2 Rhamphochromis "chilingali" vs Astatotilapia burtoni, and 2 Astatotilapia tweddlei vs Astatotilapia burtoni hybs, all in balanced dye swaps
Project description:Whole-genome methylomes and total transcriptomes for muscle and liver tissues of Lake Malawi cichlid species characterised in the context of phenotypic diversification.
Project description:Tandem duplication of carbapenemase genes amplifies the gene copy number and enhances carbapenem resistance. These amplifications are often heterogenous, transient, locate in plasmids, which often also contribute to heteroresistance. The duplication is especially important for low-hydrolysis activity enzymes, which is often overlooked or even under controversy. Here we reported an intrinsic oxacillinase duplication mediated by two neighbor ISAba1inserted in the same orientation. The duplication is relatively stable, located in chromosome, and the duplication times is up to twenty-five, much larger than previous reports. We provided genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic evidence that the duplication resulted oxacillinase overproduction and thus contribute to carbapenem resistance. No other possible carbapenem resistance related changes (point mutations of oxaAb, disturbed expression of porin protein and efflux pump) were found during the duplication process. Furthermore, introducing oxaAb flanked by two ISAba1 to A. baumannii via plasmids, mimicked the in vivo duplication process under carbapenem stress. Taken together, ISAba1 mediated duplication of low activity intrinsic antibiotic hydrolysis enzymes could lead to antibiotic resistance for advanced-generation antibiotics.
Project description:Most behaviors are associated with heritable genetic variation. Genetic mapping has revealed genomic regions or, in a few cases, specific genes explaining part of this variation. However, understanding how genetic divergence shapes behavioral evolution remains unclear. Here we analyze the evolution of an innate extended phenotype: bower building among male cichlid fish of Lake Malawi, which build bowers of two types, pits and castles. F1 hybrids of pit-digging and castle-building species perform sequential construction of first pit and then castle bowers. Analysis of brain gene expression in these hybrids showed that genes near behavior-associated variants display behavior-dependent allele-specific expression with preferential expression of the pit-species allele during pit digging, and of the castle-species allele during castle building. These genes are highly enriched for functions and pathways involved in neurodevelopment and neural plasticity. Our results suggest that natural behaviors can be associated with complex genetic architectures that alter behavior via cis-regulatory differences whose effects on gene expression are specific to the behavior itself.
Project description:Resistance to pyrethroids, the only insecticide approved for bednets, threatens control of the major malaria vector, Anopheles funestus, in Malawi. To improve the management of such resistance countrywide, it is crucial to understand the dynamics and mechanisms driving resistance in the field. In this study the levels of insecticide resistance were determined across the highly endemic densely populated lake and southern agricultural area. Insecticide resistance to pyrethoids was assessed using standardized WHO bioassay methods and resistant mosquitoes were hybridized to susceptible mosquitoes. This microarray analysis revealed the key role of cytochrome P450 genes such as CYP6P9a, CYP6P9b and CYP6M7. However, a significant shift in the over-expression of these CYP450s was detected across a south/north transect, with CYP6M7 more highly over-transcribed in the two northern collection sites and the tandemly duplicated genes, CYP6P9a and CYP6P9b, more greatly over-transcribed in the south.