Project description:In this study we applied RNA-sequencing to a set of larvae-challenged elm trees that had either been untreated before or been exposed to prior egg deposition by elm leaf beetles. This dataset allowed us to characterize the global transcriptional response of egg-primed and non-primed elm trees at different time points after the priming stimulus itself and after the onset of larval feeding.
Project description:Gene expression estimates detected by RNA-sequencing technology vary with the updates of reference genome and gene annotation, which might confound existing expression-based prognostic signatures, making them inapplicable to clinical practice. In this study, we proposed a method to decrease these effects and developed a qualitative signature for stage I lung adenocarcinoma, whose classification was based on within-sample relative expression orderings (REOs) of gene pairs. The signature was validated in 471 stage I samples derived from public RNA-sequencing and microarray data (both log-rank p < 0.001). Notably, our signature could effectively predict prognosis for 30 stage I patients with severely degraded FFPE tissues (log-rank p = 0.0177). More important, the risk classification was stable in the latest annotation. In summary, our signature would be a promising signature for clinical individualized application because of its excellent prognostic performance and classification robustness.
Project description:Fireflies and their luminous courtships have inspired centuries of scientific study. Today firefly luciferase is widely used in biotechnology, but the evolutionary origin of bioluminescence within beetles remains unclear. To shed light on this long-standing question, we sequenced the genomes of two firefly species that diverged over 100 million-years-ago: the North American Photinus pyralis and Japanese Aquatica lateralis. To compare bioluminescent origins, we also sequenced the genome of a related click beetle, the Caribbean Ignelater luminosus, with bioluminescent biochemistry near-identical to fireflies, but anatomically unique light organs, suggesting the intriguing hypothesis of parallel gains of bioluminescence. Our analyses support independent gains of bioluminescence in fireflies and click beetles, and provide new insights into the genes, chemical defenses, and symbionts that evolved alongside their luminous lifestyle.
