Project description:Tardigrades are microscopic organisms, famous for their tolerance against extreme environments. The establishment of rearing systems of multiple species has allowed for comparison of tardigrade physiology, in particular in embryogenesis. Interestingly, in-lab cultures of limnic species showed smaller variation in hatching timing than terrestrial species, suggesting a hatching regulation mechanism acquired by adaptation to their habitat. To this end, we screened for coordinated gene expression during the development of two species of tardigrades, Hypsibius exemplaris and Ramazzottius varieornatus, and observed induction of the arthropod molting pathway. Exposure of ecdysteroids and juvenile hormone analog affected egg hatching but not embryonic development in only the limnic H. exemplaris. These observations suggest a hatching regulation mechanism by the molting pathway in H. exemplaris.
Project description:Obesity is associated with the development of type 2 diabetes. In recent years, incretin analogs are prescribed at a high rate for treatment of obesity and diabetes due to their potent effects on lowering bodyweight and improving glucose homeostasis. However, many patients do not stay on incretin analog therapy and thereby rapidly regain bodyweight. The non-compliance of patients to incretin analog therapy is not only due to drug shortage but also insufficient knowledge on the long-term effects of the therapy. To address this knowledge gap, we examined the effects of incretin analog treatment and withdrawal on adipose tissue functions in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. Our transcriptome data suggest that incretin analog treatment restored most of obesity-mediated deregulated gene expression in adipose tissue. However, genes encoding lipogenic enzymes, downregulated by HFD, were not restored by incretin analog treatment. Interestingly, a dietary intervention with normal chow diet (ND) feeding, but not calorie-matched HFD feeding, restored the expression of lipogenic enzymes. Upon incretin therapy withdrawal, mice displayed rapid bodyweight regain, impaired adipose tissue function, and glucose intolerance. In contrast, a ND intervention following incretin analog therapy withdrawal restored lipogenic gene expression in adipose tissue, maintained glucose homeostasis, and minimized body weight regain. This study revealed the effects of incretin analog therapy and therapy withdrawal on adipose tissue and highlights the importance of the dietary composition during and after incretin analog therapy. Thus, our findings may contribute to the development of long-term therapy guidelines of incretin analog therapy for patients with obesity.
Project description:We treated PTENpe-/- mice, in which PTEN is selectively ablated in prostatic epithelial cells, with a Vitamin D analog. We extracted RNA from the prostate of oil (vehicle) and Vitamin D analog-treated mice.
Project description:We have compared allelic and gene expression variation using individual-based RNA-seq data from four regional populations of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) in northern Europe. Two of the populations represent fragmented habitat and two continuous habitat. Based on sequence information, we constructed genealogy for four populations. Based on gene expression, we found 1841 genes to be differentially expressed between two different landscape types. Our results demonstrate genomic adaptations to living in fragmented landscapes, which are likely to be related to phenotypic life-history adaptations that have been documented for many species.
Project description:We have compared allelic and gene expression variation using individual-based RNA-seq data from four regional populations of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) in northern Europe. Two of the populations represent fragmented habitat and two continuous habitat. Based on sequence information, we constructed genealogy for four populations. Based on gene expression, we found 1841 genes to be differentially expressed between two different landscape types. Our results demonstrate genomic adaptations to living in fragmented landscapes, which are likely to be related to phenotypic life-history adaptations that have been documented for many species. RNA-seq from thorax, 174 individuals from four populations.
Project description:In this study, we analyze the role of Lsr2 as a transcription factor in M. smegmatis, a saprophytic bacterium whose natural habitat (soil and water) substantially differs from that of the obligatory mycobacterial pathogens. In summary, the combined RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data revealed that Lsr2 controls gene expression either directly by binding their promoter regions or indirectly through DNA loop formation.
Project description:Comparative hybridization analysis Microarray-based genomic hybridization was used here as a high-throughput analog to traditional southern hybridization, which is the classical standard method for detecting specific DNA fragments in a genome.