Project description:We report the draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium elephantis strain Lipa from a sputum sample of a patient with pulmonary disease. This is the first draft genome sequence of M. elephantis, a rapidly growing mycobacterium.
Project description:RNA-seq of Mycobacteriophage Island3 infection of Mycolicibacterium smegmatis mc2155, Mycolicibacterium smegmatis mc2155(Butters), and Mycolicibacterium smegmatis mc2155(Buttersgp57r) to assess the impact of Butters lysogen and specifically Buttersgp57r on transcript levels of island3 during infection.
Project description:We identified a novel transcription factor, MsoA, in response to oxidative stress in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis. We hope to discover the regulatory network and target genes of transcription factor msoA by transcriptome sequencing of wild-type and msoA mutants, so as to help us further elucidate the molecular mechanism of msoA involved in regulation of Mycolicibacterium oxidation.
Project description:Using RNA-Seq, we examined the transcriptome profiles of human iPSC-derived macrophage (IPSDM) with knockout of the LIPA gene by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies.
Project description:Lysosomal acid lipase (Lipa), which is primarily produced in the liver, has been identified as one of the earliest and most impactful genetic factors linked to human coronary artery diseases. Despite its original source, it is also found to be highly expressed in macrophages. However, the functional importance of Lipa in macrophages has been largely unknown. Notably, individuals with certain risk alleles demonstrate elevated Lipa expression in monocytes and macrophages, but lower levels of hepatic and plasma Lipa, indicating a potential regulatory role of Lipa on atherosclerosis through its impact on macrophages. The development of atherosclerosis in genetic models lacking Lipa has presented challenges. Our hypothesis is that Lipa deficiency may influence atherosclerosis development by affecting macrophages. In order to investigate this, we established Lipa-deficient mice on an ApoE-knockout background, providing a model that enables us to evaluate the influence of Lipa on atherosclerosis. In our experiments, we observed hepatosplenomegaly and increased myeloid cell differentiation in Lipa−/−ApoE−/− mice fed a high-fat diet, which aligns with observations in humans with LIPA deficiency. Surprisingly, we also discovered that Lipa deficiency led to a significant inhibition of atherosclerosis in both Lipa+/−ApoE−/− and Lipa−/−ApoE−/− mice. Mechanistically, we found that such inhibition was linked to a notable reduction in foam cell formation and macrophage accumulation within atherosclerotic plaques. Notably, reduced Lipa expression in Lipa+/−ApoE−/− mice influenced foam cell formation and macrophage accumulation, but did not impact hepatic lipid metabolism or macrophage differentiation, as evidenced by flow cytometry and single-cell RNA-sequencing. These findings highlight a novel role for Lipa in modulating macrophage behavior during atherosclerosis, suggesting that Lipa may serve as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of atherosclerosis.