Project description:Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen that can cause meningitis and sepsis in both pigs and humans. In this study,we evaluated the genetic difference of 40 Streptococcus suis strains belonging to various sequence types by comparative genomic hybridization to identify genes associated with the variation in pathogenicity using NimbleGen’s tilling microarray platform. Application of Comparative Phylogenomics to Identify Genetic Differences Relating to Pathogenicity of Streptococcus suis
Project description:We used scRNA-seq to profile 75,218 single cell transcriptomes of Pristina leidyi, a highly regenerative and asexually-reproducing freshwater annelid. We characterized all major adult cell types, their transcription factors and gene networks, and uncovered an abundant population of putative stem cells with a pluripotent signature.
Project description:Here we use a whole-organism, single-cell transcriptomic approach to map larval cell types in the annelid Capitella teleta at 24- and 48-hours post gastrulation (stages 4 and 5). We identified eight unique cell clusters (undifferentiated precursors, ectoderm, muscle, ciliary-band, gut, neurons, neurosecretory cells and protonephridia), thus helping to identify previously uncharacterized molecular signatures such as novel myogenic and neurosecretory cell markers. Analysis of coregulatory programs in individual clusters revealed gene interactions that can be used for comparisons of cell types across taxa. We examined the neural and neurosecretory clusters more deeply and characterized a differentiation trajectory starting from dividing precursors to neurons using Monocle3 and velocyto. Pseudotime analysis along this trajectory identified temporally-distinct cell states undergoing progressive gene expression changes over time. Our data revealed two potentially distinct neural differentiation trajectories including an early trajectory for brain neurosecretory cells. This work provides a valuable resource for future functional investigations to better understanding neurogenesis and the transitions from neural precursors to neurons in an annelid.
Project description:Molecular phylogenomics investigates evolutionary relationships based on genomic data. However, despite genomic sequence conservation, changes in protein interactions can occur relatively rapidly and may cause strong functional diversification. To investigate such functional evolution, we here combine phylogenomics with interaction proteomics. We develop this concept by investigating the molecular evolution of the shelterin complex, which protects telomeres, across 16 vertebrate species from zebrafish to humans covering 450 million years of evolution. Our phylointeractomics screen discovers previously unknown telomere-associated proteins and reveals how homologous proteins undergo functional evolution. For instance, we show that TERF1 evolved as a telomere-binding protein in the common stem lineage of marsupial and placental mammals. Phylointeractomics is a versatile and scalable approach to investigate evolutionary changes in protein function and thus can provide experimental evidence for phylogenomic relationships.
2017-02-15 | PXD005517 | Pride
Project description:Wormnet: The Annelid Tree of Life
Project description:Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen that can cause meningitis and sepsis in both pigs and humans. In this study,we evaluated the genetic difference of 40 Streptococcus suis strains belonging to various sequence types by comparative genomic hybridization to identify genes associated with the variation in pathogenicity using NimbleGenM-bM-^@M-^Ys tilling microarray platform. Application of Comparative Phylogenomics to Identify Genetic Differences Relating to Pathogenicity of Streptococcus suis Comparative genomic analysis on the 40 S.suis strains of different serotypes and ST types through tilling arrays