Project description:Understanding the genomic toolkit that enabled animal terrestrialization, the shift from aquatic to terrestrial habitats, is key to uncovering the evolutionary origins of land biodiversity. Yet, the genomic basis of the physiological and metabolic adaptations required for life on land remains poorly understood across most terrestrial animal phyla. Planarians (Platyhelminthes) offer a powerful model, as only one terrestrial lineage, the Geoplanidae (order Tricladida), is known. Here, we integrated genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics to explore the genetic changes potentially supporting terrestrial adaptation. We identified a major burst of gene gain in the lineage leading to Tricladida, preceding the radiation of terrestrial planarians. Upon abiotic stress exposure, terrestrial and freshwater species exhibited distinct responses: most differentially expressed genes belonged to orthogroups gained in Tricladida, with over half under strong directional selection in terrestrial flatworms, suggesting their adaptive relevance. Transcriptomic profiles revealed divergent strategies: terrestrial species upregulated ancient genes, while freshwater species downregulated a separate set of ancestral genes. Across all datasets, the abiotic stress response toolkit in terrestrial planarians was markedly different from freshwater relatives, with significant regulatory divergence. Our results highlight gene gain and co-option, rather than lineage-specific innovations, as key drivers of terrestrial flatworm evolution, emphasizing genomic exaptation and regulatory shifts as central to terrestrialization in Platyhelminthes. This study provides the first genome-wide view of the genetic basis of flatworm terrestrialization and sheds light on broader patterns of animal terrestrial adaptation.
2026-04-06 | PXD074775 | Pride
Project description:A phylogenomic investigation into the biogeography of Symphyotrichum.
Project description:Processing bodies (PBs) are dynamic, membraneless organelles consisting of RNAs and proteins. While PB proteins have been extensively characterized, the methods for systematically profiling PB-associated RNAs are limited. To address this, we developed PB-TRIBE-STAMP, a new tool based on two orthogonal RNA editing enzymes. Simultaneously applying APOBEC1-DDX6 and LSM14A-ADAR2dd, PB-TRIBE-STAMP identified 1,639 and 2,577 PB-associated mRNAs in HCT116 and HEK293T cells, respectively. Further biochemical isolation of PBs followed by RNA-seq validated that edited transcripts of these mRNAs were indeed enriched in PBs. Integration of PB-TRIBE-STAMP with long-read sequencing revealed that the PB-associated transcripts possessed shorter poly(A)-tails and mRNA isoforms with longer 3’ UTRs were more likely to be associated with PBs than those with shorter ones. Moreover, we established a TRIBE-ID-based tool to characterize the mRNA-PB association at high temporal resolution and unveiled a higher splicing efficiency of PB-associated XBP1 transcripts during unfolded protein response (UPR). Finally, based on single-cell LSM14A-TRIBE-ID (sc-LSM14A-TRIBE-ID), we demonstrated the dynamic pattern of mRNA-PB association during cell cycle progression.
Project description:Processing bodies (PBs) are dynamic, membraneless organelles consisting of RNAs and proteins. While PB proteins have been extensively characterized, the methods for systematically profiling PB-associated RNAs are limited. To address this, we developed PB-TRIBE-STAMP, a new tool based on two orthogonal RNA editing enzymes. Simultaneously applying APOBEC1-DDX6 and LSM14A-ADAR2dd, PB-TRIBE-STAMP identified 1,639 and 2,577 PB-associated mRNAs in HCT116 and HEK293T cells, respectively. Further genetic perturbation demonstrated that these transcripts were translationally repressed by PBs. Next, integration of PB-TRIBE-STAMP with long-read sequencing revealed that the PB-associated transcripts possessed shorter poly(A)-tails. Moreover, we established a TRIBE-ID-based tool to characterize the mRNA-PB association at high temporal resolution and unveiled a higher splicing efficiency of PB-associated XBP1 transcripts during unfolded protein response (UPR). Finally, based on sc-LSM14A-TRIBE-ID, we demonstrated the dynamic pattern of mRNA-PB interaction during cell cycle progression.
Project description:Most current methods to identify cell-specific RNA binding protein (RBP) targets require analyzing an extract, a strategy that is problematic with small amounts of material. We previously addressed this issue by developing TRIBE, a method that expresses an RBP of interest fused to the catalytic domain (cd) of the RNA editing enzyme ADAR. TRIBE performs Adenosine-to-Inosine editing on candidate RNA targets of the RBP. However, target identification is limited by the efficiency of the ADARcd. Here we describe HyperTRIBE, which carries a previously characterized hyperactive mutation (E488Q) of the ADARcd. HyperTRIBE identifies dramatically more editing sites than TRIBE, many of which are also edited by TRIBE but at a much lower editing frequency. The data have mechanistic implications for the enhanced editing activity of the HyperADARcd as part of a RBP fusion protein and also indicate that HyperTRIBE more faithfully recapitulates the known binding specificity of its RBP than TRIBE.
Project description:Processing bodies (PBs) are dynamic, membraneless organelles consisting of RNAs and proteins. While PB proteins have been extensively characterized, the methods for systematically profiling PB-associated RNAs are limited. To address this, we developed PB-TRIBE-STAMP, a new tool based on two orthogonal RNA editing enzymes. Simultaneously applying APOBEC1-DDX6 and LSM14A-ADAR2dd, PB-TRIBE-STAMP identified 1,639 and 2,577 PB-associated mRNAs in HCT116 and HEK293T cells, respectively. Further genetic perturbation demonstrated that these transcripts were translationally repressed by PBs. Next, integration of PB-TRIBE-STAMP with long-read sequencing revealed that the PB-associated transcripts possessed shorter poly(A)-tails. Moreover, we established a TRIBE-ID-based tool to characterize the mRNA-PB association at high temporal resolution and unveiled a higher splicing efficiency of PB-associated XBP1 transcripts during unfolded protein response (UPR). Finally, based on sc-LSM14A-TRIBE-ID, we demonstrated the dynamic pattern of mRNA-PB interaction during cell cycle progression.
Project description:RNA transcripts are bound and regulated by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Current methods for identifying in vivo targets of a RBP are imperfect and not amenable to examining small numbers of cells. To address these issues, we developed TRIBE (Targets of RNA-binding proteins Identified By Editing), a technique that couples an RBP to the catalytic domain of the Drosophila RNA editing enzyme ADAR and expresses the fusion protein in vivo. RBP targets are marked with novel RNA editing events and identified by sequencing RNA. We have used TRIBE to identify the targets of three RBPs (Hrp48, dFMR1 and NonA). TRIBE compares favorably to other methods, including CLIP, and we have identified RBP targets from as little as 150 specific fly neurons. TRIBE can be performed without an antibody and in small numbers of specific cells.
Project description:TRIBE/HyperTRIBE has been developed as an alternative method for transcriptome-wide mapping of the RNA targets of RBPs. This method involves fusing an RBP to the catalytic domain of the Drosophila RNA editing enzyme ADAR. When these fusion proteins are expressed in target cells, they direct A-to-I editing at residues in proximity to RNA binding sites. The control plasmid, mammalian expression plasmid, containing mCherry ADAR control and p2A GFP reporter can be obtained from Addgene (Plasmid #154786). As for RBP-TRIBE plasmid, using standard restriction enzyme-based cloning to clone RBP (DDX6, FUBP3, FXR2 or L1TD1) into TRIBE plasmid in hESCs.