Project description:The Pomacea canaliculata were exposed to two different heavy metal solutions, Cu and Pb, and through proteomics research, the molecular mechanism of tolerance of juveniles of Pomacea canaliculata to two different heavy metals was explored.
Project description:Eyes are complex, delicate sensory organs that can be irreversibly damaged by disease or aging. Finding solutions to repair eyes has been difficult because no animal model has been available to study the complete regeneration of a camera-type eye. To study camera-type eye regeneration we can study partial or limited regeneration in vertebrates or complete regeneration of different types of eyes with simpler structure in animals with higher regenerative potential. I discovered an invertebrate organism, the freshwater apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, with camera-type eyes, yet capable of full regeneration after complete amputation. After cellular and molecular study of P. canaliculata eye and their regeneration dynamic, we developed tools to edit genes and test their functions. We found that, like in humans, eye development in these animals is controlled by the expression of the gene pax6. It is now possible to unravel the genetic basis of camera-type eye regeneration, which may provide new opportunities for therapeutic interventions. This work represents the foundation to use P. canaliculata as a valuable research system in the field of regeneration, not only to bring more knowledge about complex organs regeneration, but also to shed light, for the first time, on the process of complete camera-type eye regeneration.
Project description:Eyes are complex, delicate sensory organs that can be irreversibly damaged by disease or aging. Finding solutions to repair eyes has been difficult because no animal model has been available to study the complete regeneration of a camera-type eye. To study camera-type eye regeneration we can study partial or limited regeneration in vertebrates or complete regeneration of different types of eyes with simpler structure in animals with higher regenerative potential. I discovered an invertebrate organism, the freshwater apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, with camera-type eyes, yet capable of full regeneration after complete amputation. After cellular and molecular study of P. canaliculata eye and their regeneration dynamic, we developed tools to edit genes and test their functions. We found that, like in humans, eye development in these animals is controlled by the expression of the gene pax6. It is now possible to unravel the genetic basis of camera-type eye regeneration, which may provide new opportunities for therapeutic interventions. This work represents the foundation to use P. canaliculata as a valuable research system in the field of regeneration, not only to bring more knowledge about complex organs regeneration, but also to shed light, for the first time, on the process of complete camera-type eye regeneration.
Project description:Eyes are complex, delicate sensory organs that can be irreversibly damaged by disease or aging. Finding solutions to repair eyes has been difficult because no animal model has been available to study the complete regeneration of a camera-type eye. To study camera-type eye regeneration we can study partial or limited regeneration in vertebrates or complete regeneration of different types of eyes with simpler structure in animals with higher regenerative potential. I discovered an invertebrate organism, the freshwater apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, with camera-type eyes, yet capable of full regeneration after complete amputation. After cellular and molecular study of P. canaliculata eye and their regeneration dynamic, we developed tools to edit genes and test their functions. We found that, like in humans, eye development in these animals is controlled by the expression of the gene pax6. It is now possible to unravel the genetic basis of camera-type eye regeneration, which may provide new opportunities for therapeutic interventions. This work represents the foundation to use P. canaliculata as a valuable research system in the field of regeneration, not only to bring more knowledge about complex organs regeneration, but also to shed light, for the first time, on the process of complete camera-type eye regeneration.
Project description:Analyses of new genomic, transcriptomic or proteomic data commonly result in trashing many unidentified data escaping the ‘canonical’ DNA-RNA-protein scheme. Testing systematic exchanges of nucleotides over long stretches produces inversed RNA pieces (here named “swinger” RNA) differing from their template DNA. These may explain some trashed data. Here analyses of genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic data of the pathogenic Tropheryma whipplei according to canonical genomic, transcriptomic and translational 'rules' resulted in trashing 58.9% of DNA, 37.7% RNA and about 85% of mass spectra (corresponding to peptides). In the trash, we found numerous DNA/RNA fragments compatible with “swinger” polymerization. Genomic sequences covered by «swinger» DNA and RNA are 3X more frequent than expected by chance and explained 12.4 and 20.8% of the rejected DNA and RNA sequences, respectively. As for peptides, several match with “swinger” RNAs, including some chimera, translated from both regular, and «swinger» transcripts, notably for ribosomal RNAs. Congruence of DNA, RNA and peptides resulting from the same swinging process suggest that systematic nucleotide exchanges increase coding potential, and may add to evolutionary diversification of bacterial populations.