The distribution of repetitive DNAs along chromosomes is one of the crucial elements for understanding the organization and the evolution of plant genomes. Using a modified genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） proce...The distribution of repetitive DNAs along chromosomes is one of the crucial elements for understanding the organization and the evolution of plant genomes. Using a modified genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） procedure, fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） with genomic DNA to their own chromosomes （called self-genomic in situ hybridization, self-GISH） was carried out in six selected plant species with different genome size and amount of repetitive DNA. Nonuniform distribution of the fluorescent labeled probe DNA was observed on the chromosomes of all the species that were tested. The signal patterns varied among species and were related to the genome size. The chromosomes of the small Arabidopsis genome were labeled almost only in the pericentromeric regions and the nucleolus organizer regions （NORs）. The signals in the relatively small genomes, rice, sorghum, and Brassica oleracea var. capitata L., were dispersed along the chromosome lengths, with a predominant distribution in the pericentromeric or proximal regions and some heterochromatic arms. All chromosomes of the large genomes, maize and barley, were densely labeled with strongly labeled regions and weakly labeled or unlabeled regions being arranged alternatively throughout the lengths. In addition, enhanced signal bands were shown in all pericentromeres and the NORs in B. oleracea var. capitata, and in all pericentromeric regions and certain intercalary sites in barley. The enhanced signal band pattern in barley was found consistent with the N-banding pattern of this species. The GISH with self-genomic DNA was compared with FISH with Cot-1 DNA in rice, and their signal patterns are found to be basically consistent. Our results showed that the self-GISH signals actually reflected the hybridization of genomic repetitive DNAs to the chromosomes, thus the self-GISH technique would be useful for revealing the distribution of the regions where repetitive DNAs concentrate along chromosomes and some chromatin differentiation associated with repetitive DNAs in plants.展开更多
Segmental duplications on rice (Oryza sativa L.) chromosomes 8, 9, 11, and 12 were studied by examining the distributions of sequences resolved by 13 probes detecting multiple copies of DNA sequences. Four of the hyb...Segmental duplications on rice (Oryza sativa L.) chromosomes 8, 9, 11, and 12 were studied by examining the distributions of sequences resolved by 13 probes detecting multiple copies of DNA sequences. Four of the hybridization bands detected by a repetitive sequence probe, rTRS, were mapped to the ends of all the four chromosomes. Two or three of the bands detected by each of the other 12 probes were also mapped to different chromosomes. The bands detected by the same probe usually occurred in similar locations of different chromosomes. Loci detected by different DNA probes were often similarly arranged on different chromosomes. Chromosomes 8 and 9 showed colinearity of marker loci arrangement indicating a possible common origin. A segment on chromosome 9 was also very similar to the previously reported duplicated fragments on the ends of chromosomes 11 and 12 which were also detected in this study, indicating a likely common origin. Moreover, the various degrees of distributional similarity of the segments suggest a complex relationship among the chromosomes in the evolution of the rice genome. These results support the proposition that chromosome duplication and diversification may be a mechanism for the origin and evolution of the chromosomes in the rice genome.展开更多
Oocytes display a maternal-specific gene expression profile, which is switched to a zygotic profile when a haploid set of chromatin is passed on to the fertilized egg that develops into an embryo. The mechanism underl...Oocytes display a maternal-specific gene expression profile, which is switched to a zygotic profile when a haploid set of chromatin is passed on to the fertilized egg that develops into an embryo. The mechanism underlying this transcription reprogramming is currently unknown. Here we demonstrate that by the time when transcription is shut down in germinal vesicle oocytes, a range of general transcription factors and transcriptional regulators are dissociated from the chromatin. The global dissociation of chromatin factors （CFs） disrupts physical contacts between the chromatin and CFs and leads to erasure of the maternal transcription program at the functional level. Critical transcription factors and regulators remain separated from chromatin for a prolonged period, and become re-associated with chromatin shortly after pronuclear formation. This is followed temporally by the re-establishment of nuclear functions such as DNA replication and transcription. We propose that the maternal transcription program is erased during oogenesis to generate a relatively naive chromatin and the zygotic transcription program is rebuilt de novo after fertilization. This process is termed as the ＂erase-and-rebuild＂ process, which is used to reset the transcription program, and most likely other nuclear processes as well, from a maternal one to that of the embryo. We further show in the accompanying paper （Gao T, et al., Cell Res 2007; 17：135-150.） that the same strategy is also employed to reprogram transcriptional profiles in somatic cell nuclear transfer and parthenogenesis, suggesting that this model is universally applicable to all forms of transcriptional reprogramming during early embryogenesis. Displacement of CFs from chromatin also offers an explanation for the phenomenon of transcription silence during the maternal to zygotic transition.展开更多
Both transcription and post-transcriptional processes, such as alternative splicing, play crucial roles in controlling developmental programs in metazoans. Recently emerged RNA-seq method has brought our understanding...Both transcription and post-transcriptional processes, such as alternative splicing, play crucial roles in controlling developmental programs in metazoans. Recently emerged RNA-seq method has brought our understanding of eukaryotic transcriptomes to a new level, because it can resolve both gene expression level and alternative splicing events simultaneously. To gain a better understanding of cellular differentiation in gonads, we analyzed mRNA profiles from Drosophila testes and ovaries using RNA-seq. We identified a set of genes that have sex-specific isoforms in wild-type （WT） gonads, including several transcription factors. We found that differentiation of sperms from undifferentiated germ cells induced a dramatic downregulation of RNA splicing factors. Our data confirmed that RNA splicing events are significantly more frequent in the undifferentiated cell-enriched bag of marbles （barn） mutant testis, but downregulated upon differentiation in WT testis. Consistent with this, we showed that genes required for meiosis and terminal differentiation in WT testis were mainly regulated at the transcriptional level, but not by alternative splicing. Unexpectedly, we observed an increase in expression of all families of chromatin remodeling factors and histone modifying enzymes in the undifferentiated cell-enriched bam testis. More interestingly, chromatin regulators and histone modifying enzymes with opposite enzymatic activities are coenriched in undifferentiated cells in testis, suggesting that these cells may possess dynamic chromatin architecture. Finally, our data revealed many new features of the Drosophila gonadal transcriptomes, and will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how differential gene expression and splicing regulate gametogenesis in Drosophila. Our data provided a foundation for the systematic study of gene expression and alternative splicing in many interesting areas of germ cell biology in Droso- phila, such as the molecular basis for sexual dimorphism and the regulation of the proliferation vs terminal differentiation programs in germline stem cell lineages. The GEO accession number for the raw and analyzed RNA-seq data is GSE16960.展开更多
AIM： To identify molecular markers shared across South African esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） cell lines using o/togenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） and single nucleotide polymorphism...AIM： To identify molecular markers shared across South African esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） cell lines using o/togenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） and single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） array copy number analysis. METHODS： We used conventional cytogenetics, FISH, and multicolor FISH to characterize the chromosomal rearrangements of five ESCC cell lines established in South Africa. The whole genome copy number profile was established from 250K SNP arrays, and data was analyzed with the CNAT 4.0 and GISTIC software. tions involved the following chromosomal regions and genes： 11q13.3 （CCND1, FGF3, FGF4, FGF19, MYEOV）, 8q24.21（C-MYC, FAM84B）, 11q22.1-q22.3 （B[RC2, BIRC3）, 5p15.2 （CTNND2）, 3qll.2-q12.2 （MINA） and 18p11.32 （TYMS, YES1）. The significant deletions included 1p31.2-p31.1 （CTH, GADD45a, DIRAS3）, 2q22.1 （LRPIB）, 3p12.1-p14.2 （FHIT）, 4q22.1-q32.1 （CASP6, SMAD1）, 8p23.2-q11.1 （BNIP3L） and 18q21.1-q21.2 （SMAD4, DCC）. The 3p11.2 translocation breakpoint was shared across four cell lines, supporting a role for genes involved at this site, in particular, the EPHA3 gene which has previously been reported to be deleted in ESCC.CONCLUSION： The finding that a significant number of genes that were amplified （FGF3, FGF4, FGF19, CCND1 and C-MYC） or deleted （SFRP2 gene） are involved in the Wnt and fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways, suggests that these pathways may be activated in these cell lines.展开更多
Experiments were designed to expose the filter-feeding bivalve Perna viridis to different Cd-contaminated water environments in order to compare the different pathways through which Cd is accumulated. Results show tha...Experiments were designed to expose the filter-feeding bivalve Perna viridis to different Cd-contaminated water environments in order to compare the different pathways through which Cd is accumulated. Results show that mussels can accumulate Cd through seawater, food, sediment and suspended particle pathways in a short period of time. Mussels＇ uptake of Cd through the seawater pathway reaches the highest concentration approximately 3 and 9 times larger than through the algae and sediment pathways respectively after 7 d. This indicates that the Cd-accumulation through seawater is most efficient. Results also indicate that the uptake directly through contaminated algae, particles or sediments ingested by mussels is less important when compared with the uptake of Cd by mussels through the seawater pathway. Metal uptake pathways and mechanisms of bioaccumulation by marine bivalve are also discussed in this paper.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 39870423).
文摘The distribution of repetitive DNAs along chromosomes is one of the crucial elements for understanding the organization and the evolution of plant genomes. Using a modified genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） procedure, fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） with genomic DNA to their own chromosomes （called self-genomic in situ hybridization, self-GISH） was carried out in six selected plant species with different genome size and amount of repetitive DNA. Nonuniform distribution of the fluorescent labeled probe DNA was observed on the chromosomes of all the species that were tested. The signal patterns varied among species and were related to the genome size. The chromosomes of the small Arabidopsis genome were labeled almost only in the pericentromeric regions and the nucleolus organizer regions （NORs）. The signals in the relatively small genomes, rice, sorghum, and Brassica oleracea var. capitata L., were dispersed along the chromosome lengths, with a predominant distribution in the pericentromeric or proximal regions and some heterochromatic arms. All chromosomes of the large genomes, maize and barley, were densely labeled with strongly labeled regions and weakly labeled or unlabeled regions being arranged alternatively throughout the lengths. In addition, enhanced signal bands were shown in all pericentromeres and the NORs in B. oleracea var. capitata, and in all pericentromeric regions and certain intercalary sites in barley. The enhanced signal band pattern in barley was found consistent with the N-banding pattern of this species. The GISH with self-genomic DNA was compared with FISH with Cot-1 DNA in rice, and their signal patterns are found to be basically consistent. Our results showed that the self-GISH signals actually reflected the hybridization of genomic repetitive DNAs to the chromosomes, thus the self-GISH technique would be useful for revealing the distribution of the regions where repetitive DNAs concentrate along chromosomes and some chromatin differentiation associated with repetitive DNAs in plants.
文摘Segmental duplications on rice (Oryza sativa L.) chromosomes 8, 9, 11, and 12 were studied by examining the distributions of sequences resolved by 13 probes detecting multiple copies of DNA sequences. Four of the hybridization bands detected by a repetitive sequence probe, rTRS, were mapped to the ends of all the four chromosomes. Two or three of the bands detected by each of the other 12 probes were also mapped to different chromosomes. The bands detected by the same probe usually occurred in similar locations of different chromosomes. Loci detected by different DNA probes were often similarly arranged on different chromosomes. Chromosomes 8 and 9 showed colinearity of marker loci arrangement indicating a possible common origin. A segment on chromosome 9 was also very similar to the previously reported duplicated fragments on the ends of chromosomes 11 and 12 which were also detected in this study, indicating a likely common origin. Moreover, the various degrees of distributional similarity of the segments suggest a complex relationship among the chromosomes in the evolution of the rice genome. These results support the proposition that chromosome duplication and diversification may be a mechanism for the origin and evolution of the chromosomes in the rice genome.
文摘Oocytes display a maternal-specific gene expression profile, which is switched to a zygotic profile when a haploid set of chromatin is passed on to the fertilized egg that develops into an embryo. The mechanism underlying this transcription reprogramming is currently unknown. Here we demonstrate that by the time when transcription is shut down in germinal vesicle oocytes, a range of general transcription factors and transcriptional regulators are dissociated from the chromatin. The global dissociation of chromatin factors （CFs） disrupts physical contacts between the chromatin and CFs and leads to erasure of the maternal transcription program at the functional level. Critical transcription factors and regulators remain separated from chromatin for a prolonged period, and become re-associated with chromatin shortly after pronuclear formation. This is followed temporally by the re-establishment of nuclear functions such as DNA replication and transcription. We propose that the maternal transcription program is erased during oogenesis to generate a relatively naive chromatin and the zygotic transcription program is rebuilt de novo after fertilization. This process is termed as the ＂erase-and-rebuild＂ process, which is used to reset the transcription program, and most likely other nuclear processes as well, from a maternal one to that of the embryo. We further show in the accompanying paper （Gao T, et al., Cell Res 2007; 17：135-150.） that the same strategy is also employed to reprogram transcriptional profiles in somatic cell nuclear transfer and parthenogenesis, suggesting that this model is universally applicable to all forms of transcriptional reprogramming during early embryogenesis. Displacement of CFs from chromatin also offers an explanation for the phenomenon of transcription silence during the maternal to zygotic transition.
文摘Both transcription and post-transcriptional processes, such as alternative splicing, play crucial roles in controlling developmental programs in metazoans. Recently emerged RNA-seq method has brought our understanding of eukaryotic transcriptomes to a new level, because it can resolve both gene expression level and alternative splicing events simultaneously. To gain a better understanding of cellular differentiation in gonads, we analyzed mRNA profiles from Drosophila testes and ovaries using RNA-seq. We identified a set of genes that have sex-specific isoforms in wild-type （WT） gonads, including several transcription factors. We found that differentiation of sperms from undifferentiated germ cells induced a dramatic downregulation of RNA splicing factors. Our data confirmed that RNA splicing events are significantly more frequent in the undifferentiated cell-enriched bag of marbles （barn） mutant testis, but downregulated upon differentiation in WT testis. Consistent with this, we showed that genes required for meiosis and terminal differentiation in WT testis were mainly regulated at the transcriptional level, but not by alternative splicing. Unexpectedly, we observed an increase in expression of all families of chromatin remodeling factors and histone modifying enzymes in the undifferentiated cell-enriched bam testis. More interestingly, chromatin regulators and histone modifying enzymes with opposite enzymatic activities are coenriched in undifferentiated cells in testis, suggesting that these cells may possess dynamic chromatin architecture. Finally, our data revealed many new features of the Drosophila gonadal transcriptomes, and will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how differential gene expression and splicing regulate gametogenesis in Drosophila. Our data provided a foundation for the systematic study of gene expression and alternative splicing in many interesting areas of germ cell biology in Droso- phila, such as the molecular basis for sexual dimorphism and the regulation of the proliferation vs terminal differentiation programs in germline stem cell lineages. The GEO accession number for the raw and analyzed RNA-seq data is GSE16960.
文摘AIM： To identify molecular markers shared across South African esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） cell lines using o/togenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） and single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） array copy number analysis. METHODS： We used conventional cytogenetics, FISH, and multicolor FISH to characterize the chromosomal rearrangements of five ESCC cell lines established in South Africa. The whole genome copy number profile was established from 250K SNP arrays, and data was analyzed with the CNAT 4.0 and GISTIC software. tions involved the following chromosomal regions and genes： 11q13.3 （CCND1, FGF3, FGF4, FGF19, MYEOV）, 8q24.21（C-MYC, FAM84B）, 11q22.1-q22.3 （B[RC2, BIRC3）, 5p15.2 （CTNND2）, 3qll.2-q12.2 （MINA） and 18p11.32 （TYMS, YES1）. The significant deletions included 1p31.2-p31.1 （CTH, GADD45a, DIRAS3）, 2q22.1 （LRPIB）, 3p12.1-p14.2 （FHIT）, 4q22.1-q32.1 （CASP6, SMAD1）, 8p23.2-q11.1 （BNIP3L） and 18q21.1-q21.2 （SMAD4, DCC）. The 3p11.2 translocation breakpoint was shared across four cell lines, supporting a role for genes involved at this site, in particular, the EPHA3 gene which has previously been reported to be deleted in ESCC.CONCLUSION： The finding that a significant number of genes that were amplified （FGF3, FGF4, FGF19, CCND1 and C-MYC） or deleted （SFRP2 gene） are involved in the Wnt and fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways, suggests that these pathways may be activated in these cell lines.
文摘Experiments were designed to expose the filter-feeding bivalve Perna viridis to different Cd-contaminated water environments in order to compare the different pathways through which Cd is accumulated. Results show that mussels can accumulate Cd through seawater, food, sediment and suspended particle pathways in a short period of time. Mussels＇ uptake of Cd through the seawater pathway reaches the highest concentration approximately 3 and 9 times larger than through the algae and sediment pathways respectively after 7 d. This indicates that the Cd-accumulation through seawater is most efficient. Results also indicate that the uptake directly through contaminated algae, particles or sediments ingested by mussels is less important when compared with the uptake of Cd by mussels through the seawater pathway. Metal uptake pathways and mechanisms of bioaccumulation by marine bivalve are also discussed in this paper.
