Project description:The dietary specialist fruit fly Drosophila sechellia evolved to feed primarily on the toxic fruit of Morinda citrifolia. Seeking the basis of adaptations to the unique chemistry of its host plant, we profiled genome-wide gene expression response to L-DOPA because it is highly abundant in M. citrifolia, critical for reproductive success of D. sechellia, and may influence toxin resistance in this species. Here we used a combination of functional genetics and genomics to identify a new gene, Esterase 6 (Est6) that is important for D. sechellia ecological adaptation to this new niche.
Project description:Adaptations relating to how nutrients are acquired and processed play a central role in the colonization of novel ecological niches and, therefore, in organismal diversification. While the evolution of feeding structures has been studied extensively in this context, the nature of dietary adaptations in the digestive tract remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate the cellular and molecular basis of dietary adaptations in the massive radiation of cichlid fishes in Lake Tanganyika using comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic data derived from the intestines of 25 African cichlid species with distinct habitats and diets. We show that, at the cellular level, dietary adaptations are primarily driven by anterior enterocytes, and that both the abundance and gene expression profiles of these cells have evolved in response to dietary specializations. These dietary adaptations in enterocytes are driven by rapidly evolving cell population-specific genes, suggesting that alterations in gene regulatory programmes and cell-state specification promote ecological diversification.
Project description:Adaptations relating to how nutrients are acquired and processed play a central role in the colonization of novel ecological niches and, therefore, in organismal diversification. While the evolution of feeding structures has been studied extensively in this context, the nature of dietary adaptations in the digestive tract remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate the cellular and molecular basis of dietary adaptations in the massive radiation of cichlid fishes in Lake Tanganyika using comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic data derived from the intestines of 25 African cichlid species with distinct habitats and diets. We show that, at the cellular level, dietary adaptations are primarily driven by anterior enterocytes, and that both the abundance and gene expression profiles of these cells have evolved in response to dietary specializations. These dietary adaptations in enterocytes are driven by rapidly evolving cell population-specific genes, suggesting that alterations in gene regulatory programmes and cell-state specification promote ecological diversification.
Project description:Vasculogenic mimicry has been generally accepted as a new form of tumor vascularization and regarded as an unfavorable prognostic factor in multiple aggressive malignancies. We previously reported the presence of vasculogenic mimicry in osteosarcoma patients. The mechanistic basis for osteosarcoma VM remains unclear. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression between 143B cells and HOS cells exposed to Matrigel which showed greatly different vasculogenic mimicry formation potential and identified distinct classes of vasculogenic mimicry-realted genes during this process.
2018-09-15 | GSE119975 | GEO
Project description:A high quality genome for Mus spicilegus, a close relative of house mice with unique social and ecological adaptations
Project description:We used transcriptomic information from the whole blood of migrating Garden warblers (Sylvia borin) to identify key regulatory pathways related to adaptations for migration. Birds were temporarily caged during stopover and then sampled twice at different refuelling states (lean vs fat), reflecting different migratory stages (stopover arrival vs departure) after the crossing of an extended ecological barrier.
2023-04-12 | GSE225337 | GEO
Project description:Species Identification Method via Unique Genetic Markers for termite
Project description:Examination of aging in social insects. Differential gene expression between old and young individuals of four castes of the termite Macrotermes bellicosus. Minor workers, major workers, kings, queens. Collected in January 2015 in Ivory Coast.
