This thesis presents short DNA alignment tools optimization. These short DNA reads are products of next\nobreakdash-generation sequencing technologies. The results produced by existing align\-ment tools can be influenced by various parameters. For this purpose, an optimization framework to find the optimal values of selected parameters was developed. This framework is based on differencial evolution algorithm and its main goal is to maximize the alignment accuracy. The functionality of the framework was tested on both real and generated data sets of short DNA reads. An accurate alignment is crucial for correct prediction of various genetic characteristics.

Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons au problème de recherche incrémentale de motifs dans des séquences fortement similaires (On-line Pattern Matching on Highly Similar Sequences), issues de technologies de séquençage à haut débit (SHD). Ces séquences ne diffèrent que par de très petites quantités de variations et présentent un niveau de similarité très élevé. Il y a donc un fort besoin d'algorithmes efficaces pour effectuer la recherche rapide de motifs dans de tels ensembles de séquences spécifiques. Nous développons de nouveaux algorithmes pour traiter ce problème. Cette thèse est répartie en cinq parties. Dans la première partie, nous présentons un état de l'art sur les algorithmes les plus connus du problème de recherche de motifs et les index associés. Puis, dans les trois parties suivantes, nous développons trois algorithmes directement dédiés à la recherche incrémentale de motifs dans un ensemble de séquences fortement similaires. Enfin, dans la cinquième partie, nous effectuons une étude expérimentale sur ces algorithmes. Cette étude a montré que nos algorithmes sont efficaces en pratique en terme de temps de calcul / In this thesis, we are interested in the problem of on-line pattern matching in highly similar sequences, On-line Pattern Matching on Highly Similar Sequences, outcoming from Next Generation Sequencing technologies (NGS). These sequences only differ by a very small amount. There is thus a strong need for efficient algorithms for performing fast pattern matching in such specific sets of sequences. We develop new algorithms to process this problem. This thesis is partitioned into five parts. In the first part, we present a state of the art on the most popular algorithms of finding problem and the related indexes. Then, in the three following parts, we develop three algorithms directly dedicated to the on-line search for patterns in a set of highly similar sequences. Finally, in the fifth part, we conduct an experimental study on these algorithms. This study shows that our algorithms are efficient in practice in terms of computation time.

MSc (Zoology) / Department of Zoology / See the attached abstract below

Background: Lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) often manifest with cherry red macular spots. Diagnosis is based on clinical features and specific biochemical and enzymatic patterns. In uncertain cases, genetic testing with next generation sequencing can establish a diagnosis, especially in milder or atypical phenotypes. We report on the diagnostic work-up in a boy with sialidosis type I, presenting initially with marked cherry red macular spots but non-specific urinary oligosaccharide patterns and unusually mild excretion of bound sialic acid. Methods: Biochemical, enzymatic and genetic tests were performed in the patient. The clinical and electrophysiological data was reviewed and a genotype-phenotype analysis was performed. In addition a systematic literature review was carried out. Case report and results: Cherry red macular spotswere first noted at 6 years of age after routine screening myopia. Physical examination, psychometric testing, laboratory investigations aswell as cerebralMRIwere unremarkable at 9 years of age. So far no clinical myoclonic seizures occurred, but EEG displays generalized epileptic discharges and visual evoked potentials are prolonged bilaterally. Urine thin layer chromatography showed an oligosaccharide pattern compatible with different LSD including sialidosis, galactosialidosis, GM1 gangliosidosis or mucopolysaccharidosis type IV B. Urinary bound sialic acid excretion was mildly elevated in spontaneous and 24 h urine samples. In cultured fibroblasts, α-sialidase activity was markedly decreased to b1%; however, bound and free sialic acid were within normal range. Diagnosis was eventually established by multigene panel next generation sequencing of genes associated to LSD, identifying two novel, compound heterozygous variants in NEU1 gene (c.699CNA, p.S233R in exon 4 and c.803ANG; p.Y268C in Exon 5 in NEU1 transcriptNM_000434.3), leading to amino acid changes predicted to impair protein function. Discussion: Sialidosis should be suspected in patients with cherry red macular spots, even with non-significant urinary sialic acid excretion. Multigene panel next generation sequencing can establish a definite diagnosis, allowing for counseling of the patient and family.

TITLE: Mutation and substitution rates in sexual and asexual forms: a clue to the persistence of sex in a model group of Cobitis? AUTOR: Jan Röslein DEPARTMENT: Ústav živočišné fyziologie a genetiky AVČR, v.v.i. SUPERVISOR: Mgr. Karel Janko, Ph.D. ABSTRACT: Subject of this thesis is to test several hypotheses about the evolution of asexual reproduction in model group of fish family Cobitis and its mutual competition among sexual and asexual forms, which touches one of the oldest unresolved issues of biology. Specifically, the work deals with the accumulation of non-synonymous mutations, which accelerated accumulation in the genome of clonal lineages theoretically leads to increased extinction compared with sexually reproducing populations (so-called. The theory of Muller's ratchet and Kondrashov's hatchet). This thesis is based on a normalized cDNA sequencing data from oocytes and liver tissue, which has served as a base matrix (generated based on non-normalized cDNA data) for transcriptome sequencing (RNAseq). Consequently, the RNAseq data have served as validation for acquired polymorphisms, detection of differential expression of allele- specific expression (ASE) hybrid biotypes. This diploma thesis balances among the edges of vast spectrum of hypotheses regarding the evolution of the genus hybrid...

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is genetically conditioned, autosomal recessive disease that occurs in the European population with a prevalence of about 1:2500 - 1:1800. In this disease we observe a mutation of the CTFR gene with subsequent fault in chloride channels. Such afflicted individuals usually suffer from chronic respiratory problems, pancreatic insufficiency, high concentration of chloride ions in sweat and obstructive azoospermia. Genetic testing of CFTR gene is indicated in individuals who meet the CF clinical picture and a positive sweat test (increased concentration of chlorides in the sweat). Genetic testing of the CFTR gene is usually done by using commercial kits detecting the most common mutations of the CFTR gene in the Czech Republic. If the testing results are negative, it is further performed an MLPA method that captures the larger deletions and duplications of gene, eventually a sequencing of all exons is. Despite the well-established algorithm of the testing, some patients suffering from symptoms of CF are left without genetic findings. Thanks to development of next generation sequencing, it is possible to make the diagnosis of CF more effective and uncover the variants that were not captured by previous methods.

Next generation sequencing technologies are changing the way scientific experiments and diseases diagnostics are performed and thus will allow what is called personalized medicine. The sense of presented thesis is to make survey of new approaches to DNA sequencing and demonstrate usage and constraints of bioinformatic analytical tools available to day. Discussed techniques are then applied to the case study of finding molecular basis for rare hereditary disease. Introductory part deals with overview of commercially available sequencing techniques (454 Life Science, Applied Biosystems, Illumina, Helicos). Fundamentals of each method are described and possible further development is outlined. Post sequencing data analysis is than discussed in details. In practical section we demonstrate genome analysis techniques successfully used to reveal causal mutation in the gene responsible for adult form of autozomal neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (ANCL). Combination of linkage analysis (Merlin), copy number variant analysis (Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0), analysis of expression profiles (HumanRef-8 v2 Expression BeadChips) and exome sequencing (SOLiD™ 4 System) has been applied to members of one ANCL family. We also paid attention to comparison, evaluation and selection of available mapping algorithms used in...

(English) Meiotic homologous recombination, homologous chromosomes synapsis, and F1 hybrid sterility (enabling formation of species) are mutually interconnected phenomenons, one being the prerequisite to the latter. In the present thesis, these phenomenons were investigated on a genetic and mechanistic level using a mouse subspecies as a model. Noncrossovers (NCOs, gene conversions), 90% prevalent resolution of Prdm9- determined meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs), were uniquely identified and characterized on a chromosome-wide level. The mean gene conversion tract length, based on 94 NCOs events, was calculated to be 32 bp. On a local level, the NCOs overlapped the known hotspots of PRDM9-controlled histone trimethylation and DSB formation, indicating their origin in the standard meiotic DSB repair pathway. On chromosome-wide level, NCO and CO distributions differed, in particular COs being relatively preferred over NCOs in subtelomeric regions. A specific subset of nonparental/asymmetric NCOs and COs was underrepresented in our datasets, proposing their problematic repair, hypothetically enabled by sister chromatids, and thus not contributing to indispensable homologous synapsis. Genome-wide crossover (CO) rates, genetically and mechanistically crucial ~10% of DSB repair, were proven to be...

Massive parallel sequencing (NGS) is useful in detecting and later classifying somatic driver mutations in cancer tumours. False-positive variants occur in the NGS workflow and they may be mistaken for low frequency somatic cancer mutations in a patient sample. This pushes the need for decreasing the noise rate in the NGS workflow since it may improve the detection of rare allele frequency variants, in particular cancer mutations. In this project, the aim was to reduce the level of false-positive variants in an NGS workflow. The scope was limited to looking at substitution errors and their neighbouring nucleotides. Alongside this, it was also a way to understand how different types of substitution errors are distributed in the data, if their frequencies are affected by neighbouring nucleotides and how data processing may affect these substitution rates. A bioinformatic pipeline was set up where a commercially available genomic DNA sample with known variants was subjected to different trimming and filtering settings. The goal was to reduce the substitution error rate as much as possible, without removing any true variants from the data. The optimised settings were trimming the sequencing reads with 5 bp from the tail and filtering sequencing reads that contained 5 or more substitutions. Three additional samples, whereof two were clinical and the third commercial, were tested with these settings. The results showed that in all samples, C:G>T:A substitutions were of a higher frequency compared to the rest of the substitution types. For all samples, A:T>C:G substitutions, where the neighbouring nucleotide was a C or a G on each side, had a higher frequency compared to A:T>C:G substitutions with other neighbouring nucleotides on both sides. Those substitution types were especially targeted by the trimming. For the two commercial samples, substitutions that resulted in the nucleotide combinations >XAA or >XTT were of a higher frequency compared to the same substitution types that did not result in those nucleotide combinations. Filtering reads with 5 or more substitutions particularly targeted these substitution types. Consequently, filtering had a greater effect on the commercial samples, compared to the clinical samples. Overall, trimming and filtering helped reduce transversions more than the transitions, increasing the transition/transversion ratio after processing the data. The results suggest that trimming and filtering can be a useful method to computationally reduce the transversion errors introduced in an NGS workflow, but transition errors to a lesser extent, in particular A:T>G:C transitions. To confirm these findings, more samples should be tested using this methodology. To better understand the effect of trimming and filtering on variant calling, the scope could in the future be expanded to also look at small insertions and deletions.

The field of vector-borne disease research uses multidisciplinary approaches to help understand complicated interactions. This dissertation, covers three different aspects of tick-borne disease research which all focus on exploring tick-borne diseases in the non-endemic areas of Denton, County Texas and the state of Texas with a focus on Rickettsia spp. These aspects include tick sampling, testing ticks for the presence of Rickettsia spp., and creating species distribution maps of the Rickettsia spp. Rickettsia amblyommatis and tick species Amblyomma americanum.