Project description:The goal of the study is to assess whether inflammation-induced oxidative and nitrosative stress modulates miRNA expression in mouse model deficient in either p53 or NOS2 RNA was extracted from the spleen of C57BL mice (WT, NOS2 knockout, and p53 knockout) that were C. Parvum treated or saline control treated. 4 or 5 mice were utilized for each grouping.
Project description:We collected whole genome testis expression data from hybrid zone mice. We integrated GWAS mapping of testis expression traits and low testis weight to gain insight into the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility.
Project description:We identified the gene Far2, encoding the fatty acyl-coA reductase 2, to be associated with mesangial matrix expansion (MME) in the mouse (PMID: 24009241). In order to verify this association we obtained the C57BL/6N-Far2tm2a(KOMP)Wtsi/2J (JR#018805) strain from The Jackson Laboratory's KOMP2 program and compared this strain to it's control strain (C57BL/6N) for several renal characteristics. At 6 months of age the knockout mice have a significantly better kidney function (measured as glomerular filtration rate) but the MME is at a comparable level. However, as MME increases in the control strain at 12 months of age, MME does not increase in the knockout until 18 months of age. In order to explore changes at the gene expression level, we compared RNA sequence reads from 6-month old kidneys. Our analysis showed a decrease of RNA expression for several tubular damage markers (NGAL, KIM-1) and an increase in several genes in the fatty acid metabolism pathway.
Project description:To characterize the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility in detail, we used a systems genetics approach, integrating mapping of gene expression traits with sterility phenotypes and QTL. We measured genome-wide testis expression in 305 male F2s from a cross between wild-derived inbred strains of M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. We identified several thousand cis- and trans-acting QTL contributing to expression variation (eQTL). Many trans eQTL cluster into eleven ‘hotspots,’ seven of which co-localize with QTL for sterility phenotypes identified in the cross. The number and clustering of trans eQTL - but not cis eQTL - were substantially lower when mapping was restricted to a ‘fertile’ subset of mice, providing evidence that trans eQTL hotspots are related to sterility. Functional annotation of transcripts with eQTL provides insights into the biological processes disrupted by sterility loci and guides prioritization of candidate genes. Using a conditional mapping approach, we identified eQTL dependent on interactions between loci, revealing a complex system of epistasis. Our results illuminate established patterns, including the role of the X chromosome in hybrid sterility.
