Project description:To characterize the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility in detail, we used a systems genetics approach, integrating mapping of gene expression traits with sterility phenotypes and QTL. We measured genome-wide testis expression in 305 male F2s from a cross between wild-derived inbred strains of M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. We identified several thousand cis- and trans-acting QTL contributing to expression variation (eQTL). Many trans eQTL cluster into eleven ‘hotspots,’ seven of which co-localize with QTL for sterility phenotypes identified in the cross. The number and clustering of trans eQTL - but not cis eQTL - were substantially lower when mapping was restricted to a ‘fertile’ subset of mice, providing evidence that trans eQTL hotspots are related to sterility. Functional annotation of transcripts with eQTL provides insights into the biological processes disrupted by sterility loci and guides prioritization of candidate genes. Using a conditional mapping approach, we identified eQTL dependent on interactions between loci, revealing a complex system of epistasis. Our results illuminate established patterns, including the role of the X chromosome in hybrid sterility.
Project description:To characterize the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility in detail, we used a systems genetics approach, integrating mapping of gene expression traits with sterility phenotypes and QTL. We measured genome-wide testis expression in 305 male F2s from a cross between wild-derived inbred strains of M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. We identified several thousand cis- and trans-acting QTL contributing to expression variation (eQTL). Many trans eQTL cluster into eleven M-bM-^@M-^Xhotspots,M-bM-^@M-^Y seven of which co-localize with QTL for sterility phenotypes identified in the cross. The number and clustering of trans eQTL - but not cis eQTL - were substantially lower when mapping was restricted to a M-bM-^@M-^XfertileM-bM-^@M-^Y subset of mice, providing evidence that trans eQTL hotspots are related to sterility. Functional annotation of transcripts with eQTL provides insights into the biological processes disrupted by sterility loci and guides prioritization of candidate genes. Using a conditional mapping approach, we identified eQTL dependent on interactions between loci, revealing a complex system of epistasis. Our results illuminate established patterns, including the role of the X chromosome in hybrid sterility. Gene expression was measured in whole testis in males aged 70(M-BM-15) days. Samples include 294 WSB/EiJ x PWD/PhJ F2s, 11 PWD/PhJ x WSB/EiJ F2s, 8 WSB/EiJ, 8 PWD/PhJ, 6 PWD/PhJ x WSB/EiJ F1s and 4 WSB/EiJ x PWD/PhJ F1s.
Project description:The highest frequencies of KRAS mutations occur in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Therapeutically targeting downstream pathways mediating oncogenic properties of KRAS mutant cancers is limited by an incomplete understanding of the contextual cues modulating the signaling output of activated KRAS. We performed mass spectrometry on mouse tissues expressing wild-type or mutant KRAS to determine how tissue context and genetic background modulate oncogenic signaling. Mutant KRAS dramatically altered the proteomes and phosphoproteomes of pre-neoplastic and neoplastic colons and pancreases in a largely context-specific manner. We developed an approach to humanize the mouse networks with data from human cancer and identified genes within the CRC and PDAC networks synthetically lethal with mutant KRAS. Our studies demonstrate the context-dependent plasticity of oncogenic signaling, identify non-canonical mediators of KRAS oncogenicity within the KRAS-regulated signaling network, and demonstrate how statistical integration of mouse and human datasets can reveal cross-species therapeutic insights.
Project description:Small RNAs are emerging as important molecules for cross-species communication. Thanks to available and affordable sequencing technologies it is now possible to sequence small RNAs (sRNA-Seq) present in samples of interacting organisms. A first step when analyzing sRNA-Seq of two interacting species is to determine which sequences are being produced by which organism. Due to their small size (18-30), small RNAs could easily map to both host and parasite genomes. Here we produced data for Mus musculus intestinal epithelial cells treated with Extracellular Vesicles (EV) produced by the parasitic nematode Heligmosomoides bakeri.
Project description:We collected whole genome testis expression data from hybrid zone mice. We integrated GWAS mapping of testis expression traits and low testis weight to gain insight into the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility.