Project description:The complexity of environmental systems requires the use of holistic methodologies to conduct studies of contamination effects over individuals who inhabit specific polluted areas. Microarrays are an appropriate tool since they allow the simultaneous expression analysis of thousand genes. As an omic and unbiased technology, it allows for the identification of novel biological responses within certain environmental conditions. A commercial microarray based on probes of the Mus musculus entire genome has been used in order to study transcriptional changes in M. spretus mice exposed to p,p’-DDE, a metabolic by-product of the organochlorine pesticide DDT, whose use is nowadays limited due to the hazardous environmental impact it causes. The success of this approach lies in the high phylogenetic closeness between M. spretus, a species of large environmental interest, whose genome is not sequenced, and the laboratory mouse M. musculus. The results obtained with these heterologous microarrays, verified by qRT-PCR, indicate that the exposed mice to this compound present alterations in their gene expression profiles relative to control animals. Based on the data obtained herein, it can be inferred that mice exposed to p,p’-DDE show alterations in lipids and carbohydrates metabolism, in the immune response, cell cycle control and signaling and molecular transport processes.
Project description:We evaluated the suitability of high-throughput transcriptomics approach to monitor terrestrial ecosystems. Free-living Mus spretus from several polluted sites of Huelva (Andalusia, SW Spain) were compared with mice from Doñana Biological Reserve (“Santa Olalla” lagoon (SOL) used as negative control). As most popular bioindicators, M. spretus is poorly represented in gene databases, therefore limiting the use of genomics in ecotoxicological studies. To solve this problem, we used microarrays produced from mRNAs of M. musculus. Specifically we used the One-Color Gene Expression Platform commercialized by Agilent.
Project description:We evaluated the suitability of high-throughput transcriptomics approach to monitor terrestrial ecosystems. Free-living Mus spretus from several polluted sites of Huelva (Andalusia, SW Spain) were compared with mice from DoM-CM-1ana Biological Reserve (M-bM-^@M-^\Santa OlallaM-bM-^@M-^] lagoon (SOL) used as negative control). As most popular bioindicators, M. spretus is poorly represented in gene databases, therefore limiting the use of genomics in ecotoxicological studies. To solve this problem, we used microarrays produced from mRNAs of M. musculus. Specifically we used the One-Color Gene Expression Platform commercialized by Agilent. Gene expression in Mus spretus liver was assessed in mice from 5 sites of the Spanish Southwest. Five independent experiments were performed. The arrays were hybridized with labelled cRNA samples made from pooled livers of 9 mice per sampling site. We made 4 technichal repetitions per sample.
Project description:The increase of aged population makes it necessary to find effective prevention and treatment procedures to help the elderly to enjoy a healthy and long life. The organochlorine compound p,p´-DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene) is a DDT metabolic byproduct that generates great concern because its deleterious effects on both human and environment health. It is an endocrine disruptor agent and causes alterations in immune response, reproductive system, development, nervous system and endocrine homeostasis. Nutritional interventions may improve health and prolong life. A transcriptional study was carried on in order to analyze the biological responses caused by p,p´-DDE exposure in the liver of aged Mus spretus mice. Data showed that the elderly are especially sensitive to the toxicity of environmental contaminants. This work also evaluated the possible hepatoprotective effect of including sun-dried Pedro Ximenez must in the diet when p,p´-DDE exposure happens simultaneously. Our results showed that this dietary intervention controls the hepatic metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids through restoring bile acid homeostasis, improving the overall health in the elderly.
Project description:This experiment is one of a series of experiments on interspecific recombinant congenic strain (IRCS) mice that aimed to identify novel genes involved in male or female hyporfertility by comparing characteristics of the sperm, number of offspring, quality of implantation etc. in C57B6/J and IRCS mice. <br>The goal of this experiment was to understand the basis of female hypofertility/embryonic resorption in a mouse model of congenic strains. The IRCS strain used in this experiment is the 66H Ch13 mouse. This strain was derived by introgression of a ~6 Mb fragment of mus spretus origin inside the genome of Mus musculus (C57B6/J) (L'hôte et al, Bioessays, 2010. PMID:20091755 ) Previous ultrasonographic analysis of this line revealed an increased rate of embryonic resorption compared to the C57B6/J parent (Laissue et al, Int. J . Dev. Biol, 2009 PMID: 19488966 ). <br>In this experiment we measured gene expression in the tissues that are relevant for implantation and early development, i.e. the uterus and the placenta, in C57B6/J and 66H Chr13 mice at 12 days post-coïtus with C57B6/J males. Pools of RNA from four mice per sample were obtained and analysed using a Nimblegen mouse expression array.
Project description:We studied the evolution of alternative splicing in the early stages of species divergence in the house mouse. We sequenced the testis transcriptomes of three Mus musculus subspecies and Mus spretus using Illumina technology. On the basis of a genome-wide analysis of read coverage differences among subspecies, we identified several hundred candidate alternatively spliced regions.