Project description:PURPOSE: To provide a detailed gene expression profile of the normal postnatal mouse cornea. METHODS: Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) was performed on postnatal day (PN)9 and adult mouse (6 week) total corneas. The expression of selected genes was analyzed by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: A total of 64,272 PN9 and 62,206 adult tags were sequenced. Mouse corneal transcriptomes are composed of at least 19,544 and 18,509 unique mRNAs, respectively. One third of the unique tags were expressed at both stages, whereas a third was identified exclusively in PN9 or adult corneas. Three hundred thirty-four PN9 and 339 adult tags were enriched more than fivefold over other published nonocular libraries. Abundant transcripts were associated with metabolic functions, redox activities, and barrier integrity. Three members of the Ly-6/uPAR family whose functions are unknown in the cornea constitute more than 1% of the total mRNA. Aquaporin 5, epithelial membrane protein and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) omega-1, and GST alpha-4 mRNAs were preferentially expressed in distinct corneal epithelial layers, providing new markers for stratification. More than 200 tags were differentially expressed, of which 25 mediate transcription. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to providing a detailed profile of expressed genes in the PN9 and mature mouse cornea, the present SAGE data demonstrate dynamic changes in gene expression after eye opening and provide new probes for exploring corneal epithelial cell stratification, development, and function and for exploring the intricate relationship between programmed and environmentally induced gene expression in the cornea. Keywords: other
Project description:The hair follicle bulb is the only site of pigment production for the hair shaft and melanogenically active melanocytes are located in the upper hair matrix. We conducted a microarray study to discover gene expression patterns that may be implicated in the lack of melanogenesis in gray hair follicles (HF). Pigmented and non-pigmented HFs collected from the same individuals were micro-dissected into the lower one third including the hair bulb (HB) and the upper hair shaft and sheaths (HS) including the bulge region. Microarray data was verified with qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Target effects were evaluated in vitro on human epidermal melanocytes (HEMs). In comparison to pigmented HS and HBs, several nucleotide excision repair (NER) family genes exhibited statistically significant lower expression both in non-pigmented HS and non-pigmented HB. These genes were identified as ERCC1, ERCC2, ERCC3, ERCC4, ERCC5, ERCC6, XPA, NTPBP, HCNP, DDB2 and POLH. Immunohistochemistry showed consistent results. By siRNA interference we also detected that a deficiency in ERCC3 in melanocytes reduced the ability to produce melanin in vitro. Our results suggest that loss of NER gene function may lead to DNA damage and mutation accumulation in melanocytes, which may possibly lead to cell death. Further, a loss of ERCC3 function may lead to reduced gene transcription and this in turn may lead to reduced melanin production ability. These results offer a new insight into the molecular changes that occur in non-pigmented HF and may also provide novel information with regard to melanogenesis and its regulation.
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:In order to facilitate understanding of pigment cell biology, we developed a method to concomitantly purify melanocytes, iridophores, and retinal pigmented epithelium from zebrafish, and analyzed their transcriptomes. Comparing expression data from these cell types and whole embryos allowed us to reveal gene expression co-enrichment in melanocytes and retinal pigmented epithelium, as well as in melanocytes and iridophores. We found 214 genes co-enriched in melanocytes and retinal pigmented epithelium, indicating the shared functions of melanin-producing cells. We found 62 genes significantly co-enriched in melanocytes and iridophores, illustrative of their shared developmental origins from the neural crest. This is also the first analysis of the iridophore transcriptome. Gene expression analysis for iridophores revealed extensive enrichment of specific enzymes to coordinate production of their guanine-based reflective pigment. We speculate the coordinated upregulation of specific enzymes from several metabolic pathways recycles the rate-limiting substrate for purine synthesis, phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate, thus constituting a guanine cycle. The purification procedure and expression analysis described here, along with the accompanying transcriptome-wide expression data, provide the first mRNA sequencing data for multiple purified zebrafish pigment cell types, and will be a useful resource for further studies of pigment cell biology.
Project description:Immortalized, amelanotic melanocytes isolted from skin of Balb/c express enzymatically-inactive tyrosinase due to a homozygous point mutation (TGT->TCT) in tyrosinase gene, resulting in a lack of melanin . To serve as a control cell line, pigmentation was restored in these cells by correcting the point mutation using an RNA-DNA oligonucleotide (kingly gift from Dr. Alexeev Y. Vitali). We used microarray to detail the effect of tyrosinase mutation on gene expression in normal versus mutant melanocytes. Pigmented and non-pigmented melanocytes were grown for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. We used both normal and mutant melanocyte in order to obtain expression profiles. We then examined variances in gene expression between the two cell lines.