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Impact of growth stage, supplemental red LED, and salinity stress on the quality and aroma attributes of hydroponic fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)Liu, Jingsi 21 January 2025 (has links)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) is a widely used culinary herb valued for its distinct flavor, rich essential oil content, and health-promoting secondary metabolites. Due to its diverse culinary, medicinal, and industrial applications, optimizing fennel aroma, the key quality characteristic of fennel and its products, is of significant interest. The production of aroma compounds, which arise from secondary metabolism, is influenced by factors such as growth stage and environmental conditions. Understanding how secondary metabolite biosynthesis are affected by these factors is crucial for optimizing the quality and flavor of fennel. In particular, supplemental red light and salinity are known to modulate the production of aroma compounds in herbs, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain largely unexplored. Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) provides an ideal platform for studying plant responses to environmental stimuli. Accordingly, this dissertation aims to investigate the influences of growth stage, supplemental red LED light, and salinity stress on the quality and aroma compounds of fennel cultivated by CEA.
Fennel was cultivated with nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic systems under controlled conditions. Solid phase microextraction (SPME) - gas chromatography - mass spectrometry olfactometry (GC-MS-O) was utilized for aroma characterization. RNA sequencing was used to generate transcriptome profiles of fennel under different environmental treatments. A total of 32 aroma-active compounds were identified in fennel microgreens, compared to 28 in mature fennel. Compared to mature plants, fennel microgreens contained a significantly higher level of monoterpenes, showing an 81.4-98.1% increase when compared to mature fennel. Supplemental red LED significantly increased both fennel yield and aroma compounds accumulation, particularly phenylpropanoids such as (E)-anethole ("sweet", "anise"), estragole ("anise", "herbal"), and p-anisaldehyde ("floral", "sweet"). Transcriptome analysis showed upregulation of key genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, including eugenol synthase and isoeugenol synthase, which likely contributed to the increased phenylpropanoid concentrations under red LED light. Salinity stress, while significantly reducing plant growth, did not notably affect the overall content of aroma-active compounds. However, salinity triggered defense mechanisms in fennel, particularly through the activation of plant hormone signal transduction and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. The findings of this study enhanced understanding of aroma formation of fennel in response to environmental factors at molecular and transcriptomic levels. These results also offer opportunities for growers to optimize fennel flavor through precise control of environmental conditions. / Doctor of Philosophy / Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) is a popular herb known for its unique anise-like aroma. It's widely used in different cuisines, traditional medicine, and in industrial products due to its rich essential oils and health-promoting compounds. The aroma of fennel comes from natural chemicals produced by the plant, which can be influenced by factors such as growth stage and environmental conditions. This study explores how different factors, specifically growth stage, additional red LED light, and salt stress, affect the flavor chemistry of fennel grown in controlled environments.
Fennel was grown using hydroponic systems, which allowed precise control of water and nutrients, at Virginia Tech greenhouse. To identify important chemicals responsible for the aroma profile of fennel, instrumental analysis was used to pick out and measure the levels of these compounds. In addition, the gene expression of fennel under different treatments was quantified by RNA sequencing. The results showed that fennel microgreens had a higher level of aroma compounds compared to mature plants. Adding red LED light boosted both the yield and aroma content of fennel, especially those aroma compounds that are responsible for sweet, anise-like and herbal notes. In addition, red light activated certain genes in fennel that are responsible for producing these aroma compounds. On the other hand, exposing fennel to salt stress reduced its growth, but did not significantly affect its overall aroma content. Salinity triggered the defense mechanisms in fennel, which helped the plant adjust its responses to stress conditions. Overall, this study provides new insights into how different environmental conditions affect the flavor chemistry of fennel. The knowledge can help farmers and growers improve the quality of fennel and other herbs by fine-tuning their growing environments to produce more flavorful plants.
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Etude des longs ARNs non codants dans la leucémie aiguë myéloblastique à caryotype normal / Study of long non coding RNAs in acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotypeDe Clara, Etienne 26 November 2015 (has links)
Les longs ARN non codants (lncRNAs) sont définis comme des transcrits de plus de 200nt et n'ayant pas de potentiel codant. Des études récentes ont démontré que les lncRNAs pouvaient être impliqués dans la régulation de la transcription, de la traduction, de la différenciation cellulaire, de l'expression génique, du cycle cellulaire et des modifications de la chromatine. De plus, il a été montré un impact fonctionnel de certains lncRNAs dans le processus de cancérogenèse mais nos connaissances actuelles sur ces molécules dans le cancer, et plus particulièrement dans la leucémie, restent extrêmement limitées. Au cours de cette étude, nous avons analysé l'expression des lncRNAs par RNA-sequencing sur 40 patients atteints de leucémie aiguë myéloblastique (LAM) à caryotype normal. Parmi les 11065 lncRNAs exprimés dans nos échantillons, nous avons identifié une signature de lncRNAs associée à la mutation de NPM1. Afin de mettre en évidence les fonctions putatives des lncRNAs sélectionnés, nous avons utilisé un algorithme de prédiction d'interaction protéine/ARN. De manière intéressante, plus de la moitié des lncRNAs présentent des sites d'interactions potentiels à SUZ12, une sous unité du complexe PRC2 (Polycomb repressive complex 2), connu pour être recruté par des lncRNAs pour la régulation épigénétique de gènes cibles. Par RNA immunoprécipitation (RIP) de SUZ12, nous avons pu démontrer que le lncRNA XLOC_087120 interagissait avec SUZ12. De plus, son expression est anti-corrélée avec celle des gènes voisins codants des histones, suggérant un rôle dans la régulation négative des histones par ce lncRNA. L'impact de la dérégulation de XLOC_087120 sur les histones a été confirmé par des expériences de surexpression et d'inhibition de ce lncRNA dans des lignées de LAM. De plus, même si la mutation NPM1 ne semble pas affecter directement l'expression de ce lncRNA, des expériences d'infection de la forme mutée de NPM1 dans une lignée LAM ont montré que NPM1 pourrait réguler la localisation nucléaire/cytoplasmique de XLOC_087120 et moduler sa fonction de répresseur. En conclusion, ces données suggèrent que les lncRNAs sont des facteurs clés dans la pathogenèse des LAMs. / Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are defined as RNA transcripts that are larger than 200 nt but do not appear to have protein- coding potential. Recent studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs regulate many processes such as transcription, translation, cellular differentiation, gene expression regulation, cell cycle regulation, and chromatin modification. Cumulative evidence points towards an important role of lncRNAs in cancer initiation, development, and progression. However, our overall knowledge of lncRNAs in cancer, including leukemia, remains extremely limited. In this study, we investigated lncRNA expression by RNA-sequencing in 40 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with normal karyotype. Among 11065 lncRNA expressed in our samples, we identified specific lncRNA signature associated with the presence of NPM1 mutation. To go further into the putative function of these lncRNAs, we used catRAPID Omics algorithm to predict potential protein partners. Interestingly, the majority of the selected lncRNAs contains putative SUZ12 binding sites, a PRC2 (Polycomb Repressive Complex 2) component known to be linked to lncRNAs and to epigenetically regulates target genes. By using SUZ12 RNA Immunoprecipitation, we identify one lncRNA named XLOC_087120 linked to SUZ12. XLOC_087120 is located in a region enriched in histone genes. Pearson correlation showed a significative anti-correlation between XLOC_087120 and histone neighboring coding gene expression suggesting a role of this lncRNA in the regulation of histone genes. The impact on histone genes expression was confirmed by overexpression and inhibition of XLOC_087120 in AML cell lines. Overexpression of NPM1 mutant in an AML cell line showed that NPM1 modulates the nuclear/cytoplasmic localization of XLOC_087120 and consequently its repressive function. Altogether, these data suggest that lncRNAs should be considered as key players in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemias.
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Antagonisme de lactococcus garvieae vis-à-vis de Staphylococcus aureus : étude physiologique et transcriptomique des mécanismes / Lactococcus garvieae antagonism against Staphylococcus aureus : physiological and transcriptomic studies of the mechanismsDelpech, Pierre 10 November 2015 (has links)
Parmi les stratégies visant à contrôler la croissance de microorganismes pathogènes dans un aliment, la biopréservation qui s’appuie sur l’utilisation des capacités inhibitrices d’autres microorganismes offre une grande diversité d’opportunités. Il est cependant nécessaire de comprendre les mécanismes moléculaires et physiologiques régissant l’antagonisme du microorganisme protecteur vis-à-vis de la bactérie indésirable. L’objectif de cette thèse était de caractériser l’antagonisme de L. garvieae N201, isolé de fromage, vis-à-vis de souches de S. aureus par des approches in vitro : génomique, transcriptomique (ciblée concernant S. aureus, globale concernant L. garvieae) et phénotypique. Un acteur avait déjà été identifié : le peroxyde d’hydrogène (H2O2) produit par L. garvieae sous un niveau d’aération élevé. Lors de ces travaux de thèse, il a été montré que le peroxyde d’hydrogène serait également produit par L. garvieae sous une faible aération en quantité faible (indétectable par spectrophotométrie) mais suffisante pour induire une inhibition de S. aureus. Les gènes de production du H2O2 de L. garvieae (poxB, sodA) seraient exprimés constitutivement quel que soit le niveau d’aération. Les gènes de dégradation du H2O2 (katA, sodA, ahpC / ahpF) seraient plutôt surexprimés sous une faible aération, suggérant leur rôle dans un mode de contrôle de la concentration en H2O2 autogène par L. garvieae. En parallèle, trois autres mécanismes potentiellement impliqués dans l’antagonisme ont été mis en évidence : i) la répression de gènes de réponse au stress (clpC, ctsR, dnaK) de S. aureus par L. garvieae et l’aération, ii) la répression de gènes de division cellulaire de S. aureus (mraZ, mraW, potentiellement le cluster dcw) par L. garvieae, iii) la production d’un effecteur extracellulaire par L. garvieae dont la nature reste à caractériser. Ajouté à cela, la présence de L. garvieae modulerait l’expression des principaux gènes de virulence de S. aureus, réprimant ceux codant pour les entérotoxines sous une faible aération. Ainsi, la souche L. garvieae N201 s’est révélée être une candidate intéressante comme agent de biopréservation. Cependant, son innocuité pour l’Homme devra être vérifiée et son antagonisme sur S. aureus devra être évalué en matrice alimentaire. Les données générées ainsi que la démarche développée pourront être utilisées afin d’étudier des interactions entre d’autres espèces d’intérêt et dans des écosystèmes différents. / Among strategies aiming to control the growth of spoilage microorganisms in food, the biopreservation is based on the inhibitory capacities of other microorganisms and presents a considerable variety of opportunities. A good understanding of the molecular and physiologic mechanisms underlying the antagonism of the preservative microorganism against the spoilage bacterium is also required. This thesis aimed to characterize the antagonism of L. garvieae N201 dairy strain against S. aureus strains combining in vitro strategies: genomic, transcriptomic (targeted concerning S. aureus, global concerning L. garvieae) and phenotypic. The involvement of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) produced by L. garvieae under high aeration was already known. Although H2O2 concentration was undetectable using spectrophotometry method, it was produced by L. garvieae under low aeration at sufficient concentration to induce S. aureus inhibition. L. garvieae H2O2 -synthesis genes (poxB, sodA) seemed constitutively expressed whatever the aeration level. L. garvieae H2O2-degradation (katA, sodA, ahpC / ahpF) genes were overexpressed under low aeration, suggesting their involvement in control of autogenous H2O2 level. In parallel, three other mechanisms may be involved in this antagonistic relationship: i) the repression of S. aureus stress-response genes (clpC, ctsR, dnaK) by L. garvieae and / or under high aeration, ii) the repression of S. aureus cell-division genes (mraZ, mraW and probably the dcw cluster) by L. garvieae, iii), the production by L. garvieae of an extracellular effector which has to be characterized. Additionally, L. garvieae can modulate the expression of S. aureus major virulence genes, repressing those coding for enterotoxins under low aeration. Thus, L. garvieae N201 turned out to be an interesting candidate for biopreservative applications. However, its safety for humans should be approved and its antagonism against S. aureus has to be investigated in food matrices. The data resulting from this work may be used to study other interactions between other valuable species and in other ecosystems.
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Développement de méthodes et d'algorithmes pour la caractérisation et l'annotation des transcriptomes avec les séquenceurs haut débit. / Development of methods and tools for the characterization and annotation of the transcriptomes with Next-Generation Sequencing technologies.Philippe, Nicolas 29 September 2011 (has links)
Depuis leur apparition, les séquenceurs haut débit ont révolutionné l'étude des transcriptomes à l'échelle du génome. En effet, ils offrent la possibilité de générer des millions, voire des milliards de séquences, appelées reads. Des nouvelles approches transcriptomiques, telles que la Digital Gene Expression (DGE) et le RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq), permettent aujourd'hui de répertorier, de quantifier, voire reconstruire tous les transcrits d'une cellule, même les plus rares. Parmi ce type de transcrits se trouvent des ARN non-codants régulateurs ; des variants d'épissages créateurs de protéines ; et aussi des chimères (par fusion de gènes ou trans-épissage). La caractérisation de l'ensemble de ces transcrits représente un réel défi algorithmique, mais suscite aussi un défi biologique car certains peuvent être impliqués dans de nombreux processus cellulaires physiologiques et pathologiques et sont fréquemment décrits dans les cancers.Dans ce travail, nous proposons des algorithmes et des méthodes pour la caractérisation et l'annotation des transcriptomes. Tout d'abord, nous proposons une étude statistique sur la DGE afin d'évaluer l'impact des erreurs de séquences lors de l'analyse des reads. À partir de cette analyse, nous avons développé un pipeline d'annotation pour la DGE. Par le biais de ce premier travail, nous avons pu démontrer que de nombreuses informations étaient partagées entre les reads. Cela nous a amené à concevoir la structure d'indexation Gk arrays qui permet d'organiser une quantité massive de reads de façon à pouvoir interroger rapidement la structure sous forme de requêtes. Enfin, en s'appuyant sur les Gk arrays, nous avons développé CRAC qui est un logiciel spécialisé dans le traitement du RNA-Seq. En intégrant sa propre phase de mapping, CRAC est capable de distinguer les phénomènes biologiques des erreurs de séquences. Ilpermet notamment l'identification de chimères qui sont souvent très faiblement exprimées dans un transcriptome et sont par nature complexe à détecter avec des parties localisées à différents endroits sur le génome. / Since their introduction, high-throughput sequencers have revolutionized transcriptomic studies at genome scale. Indeed, they have the ability to generate millions, or even billions of short sequences, called reads. New transcriptomic approaches, such as Digital Gene Expression (DGE) and RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq), enable the identification, quantification, and reconstitution of all transcripts of the cell, even rare ones. Among these transcripts are regulatory non-coding RNAs, alternative splice variants, which code for novel proteins, but also non colinear transcripts termed chimeras (generated by either gene fusion or trans-splicing). The characterization of these transcripts constitutes a sheer algorithmic,but also a biological challenge due to their differences in nature, their diverse implications in physiological and cellular processes, and for some their role in cancer development.In this work, we focus on algorithms and methods for the characterization and annotation of transcriptomes. First, we proposed a statistical study on DGE to assess the impact of sequence errors on the analysis. Therefrom, we developed a pipeline for the DGE annotation. Through this initial work,we demonstrated that a lot of information is shared between the reads. This property led us to design, the Gk arrays, an indexing data structure for organizing huge amounts of reads in memory and algorithms to quickly query this structure. Finally, based on the Gk arrays we have conceived, CRAC,a software specialised in the RNA-Seq processing. By integrating its own mapping process, CRAC is able to distinguish the biological phenomena from sequence errors. Moreover, it allows to identify chimeric RNAs, which may be weakly expressed in a transcriptome and are inherently complex to detect since their fragments originate from different places on the genome.
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CELL TYPE EMERGENCE AND CIRCUIT DISRUPTIONS IN FETAL MODELS OF 15q13.3 MICRODELETION BRAIN DEVELOPMENTKilpatrick, Savannah January 2023 (has links)
The 15q13.3 microdeletion is a common genetic disorder associated with multiple
neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, and
schizophrenia. Patients have diverse clinical presentations, often prompting genetic
assays that identify the CNV in the clinic. This late-stage screening leaves a considerable
gap in our understanding of the prenatal and prediagnostic developmental impairments in
these individuals, providing a barrier to understanding the disease pathobiology. We
provide the first investigation into embryonic brain development of individuals with the
15q13.3 microdeletion by generating multiple 3D neural organoid models from the
largest clinical cohort in reported literature. We incorporated unguided and guided
forebrain organoid models into our multi-transcriptomic phenotyping pipeline to uncover
changes in cell type emergence and disruptions to circuit development, all of which had
underlying changes to cell adhesion pathways.
Specifically, we identified accelerated growth trajectories in 15q13.3del unguided
neural organoids and used single cell RNA sequencing to identify changes in radial glia
dynamics that affect neurogenesis. We measured changes in the pseudotemporal
trajectory of matured unguided neural organoids, and later identified disruptions in
synaptic signaling modules amongst the primary constituents to neural circuitry,
excitatory and inhibitory neurons.
We leveraged dorsal and ventral forebrain organoid models to better assess circuit
dynamics, as they faithfully produce the excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the pallium
and subpallium, respectively. We then used the entire 15q13.3del cohort and performed
bulk RNA sequencing on each tissue type at two timepoints and discovered convergence on transcriptional dysregulation and disruptions to human-specific zinc finger proteins
localized to chromosome 19. We also identified cell type-specific vulnerabilities to DNA
damage and cell migration amongst the dorsal and ventral organoids, respectively, which
was consistent with the excitatory and inhibitory neural subpopulations amongst the
unguided neural organoids scRNA Seq, respectively.
We then examined neuron migration in a 3D assembloid model by sparsely
labeling dorsal-ventral forebrain organoids from multiple genotype-lineage combinations.
Light sheet microscopy identified deficits in inhibitory neuron migration and
morphology, but not migration distance, suggesting a complex disruption to cortical
circuitry. This novel combination of cell type characterization, pathway identification,
and circuitry phenotyping provides a novel perspective of how the 15q13.3 deletions
impair prenatal development and can be applied to other NDD models to leverage
understanding of early disease pathogenesis. / Dissertation / Doctor of Science (PhD) / The development of the human brain is a highly complex and tightly regulated
process that requires the participation of multiple cell types throughout development.
Disturbances to the emergence, differentiation, or placement of these cell types can cause
disruptions and local miswiring of neural circuits, which is often associated with
neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome is a highly
complex condition associated with multiple NDDs and has seldom been studied in a
human context. To address this, we used stem cells derived from a 15q13.3 microdeletion
syndrome cohort and their typically developing familial controls to generate unguided
(“whole brain”) and region-specific organoids to investigate early fetal development
across time.
We used the largest 15q13.3 microdeletion cohort in reported literature to identify
shared disruptions in early developmental milestones such as neurogenesis, neural
migration, and neural patterning. We identified expansion of specific cell populations,
including progenitors that later give rise to mature neurons. Abnormalities persisted in
more mature cell populations, including the inhibitory neurons responsible for
establishing critical microcircuitry in the human cortex. By generating guided organoids
that enrich for excitatory and inhibitory neural populations, we were able to merge the
models to form assembloids, where we captured early migratory and morphological
deficits in inhibitory neuron populations, which is supported by the multi-transcriptomics
experiments performed in both organoid models. This study provides a framework for
examining fetal development in a neurodevelopmental disorder context. By using the
15q13.3 microdeletion background, we found novel disruptions in cell type emergence and circuit formation previously unreported in mouse or 2D neuron models, highlighting
the utility of the phenotyping platform for disease modeling.
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Analysis of RNA and DNA sequencing data : Improved bioinformatics applicationsSigurgeirsson, Benjamín January 2016 (has links)
Massively parallel sequencing has rapidly revolutionized DNA and RNA research. Sample preparations are steadfastly advancing, sequencing costs have plummeted and throughput is ever growing. This progress has resulted in exponential growth in data generation with a corresponding demand for bioinformatic solutions. This thesis addresses methodological aspects of this sequencing revolution and applies it to selected biological topics. Papers I and II are technical in nature and concern sample preparation and data anal- ysis of RNA sequencing data. Paper I is focused on RNA degradation and paper II on generating strand specific RNA-seq libraries. Paper III and IV deal with current biological issues. In paper III, whole exomes of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are sequenced and their genetic variants associ- ated to their toxicity induced adverse drug reactions. In paper IV a comprehensive view of the gene expression of the endometrium is assessed from two time points of the menstrual cycle. Together these papers show relevant aspects of contemporary sequencing technologies and how it can be applied to diverse biological topics. / <p>QC 20160329</p>
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IL RUOLO DELL’AUXINA NEGLI STADI PRECOCI DI SVILUPPO DELL’ENDOSPERMA DI MAIS: IL CASO DEL MUTANTE defective endosperm 18 (de18) / IL RUOLO DEL'AUXINA NEGLI STADI PRECOCI DI SVILUPPO DELL'ENDOSPERMA DI MAIS: IL CASO DEL MUTANTE DEFECTIVE ENDOSPERM 18 (DE 18)PANCINI, SARA 17 March 2016 (has links)
Il mais è uno dei cereali maggiormente diffusi perché utilizzato in ambito alimentare umano e animale, per la produzione di materiale biodegradabile e di bioetanolo. I processi fisiologici che coordinano la crescita della cariosside vengono regolati principalmente dall’auxina che agisce a livello trascrizionale e post-traduzionale. Attraverso analisi comparative tra il mutante de18 (defective endosperm 18), deficitario nella produzione di acido indolo-3-acetico (IAA), e del suo corrispettivo wild-type, è stato possibile individuare i geni coinvolti nella determinazione delle dimensioni della cariosside. In particolare, sono state effettuate analisi morfologiche e di quantificazione dell’amido su cariossidi de18 e wild type negli stadi precoci di sviluppo. E’ stato inoltre allestito un esperimento di RNA sequencing sull’endosperma dei due genotipi a 8 e 12 DAP (Days After Pollination). L’analisi dei geni differenzialmente espressi attraverso la classificazione GO (Gene Ontology) ha permesso di studiare l’effetto della carenza di auxina sull’espressione genica. Nel mutante si riscontra l’attivazione tardiva della sintesi dell’amido e l’incremento delle proteine di riserva. Inoltre, la carenza di auxina determina una riduzione dell’attività mitotica ed endoreduplicativa, confermata dalla repressione dell’attività di geni legati al ciclo cellulare. / Maize is one of the world’s leading cereal grains due to its diverse functionality as a food source for both humans and animals, as well as a source of raw materials and biofuel. The physiological processes responsible for the growth of the kernel are regulated mainly by auxin acting at the transcriptional and post-translational level. Through comparative analysis between mutant de18 (defective endosperm 18), defective in indol-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, and its wild-type B37, it has been possible to identify the genes involved in the determination of the final seed size. Morphological analysis and quantification of starch were done on seed mutant and wild-type in the early stages of their development. Finally, an RNA sequencing analysis was carried out on mutant and wild-type endosperm at 8 and 12 DAP (Days After Pollination) and differentially expressed genes were classified by Gene Ontology. Down-regulation of genes related to sugar metabolism suggested a delayed activation of starch biosynthesis. This finding was confirmed by the determination of starch content that was lower in the mutant endosperms respect to the normal in the early stages of gran filling (12 and 16 DAP). The reduced auxin level affected the mitotic and endoreduplication activities as suggested by the repression of genes involved in the cell cycle.
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De novo Transcriptome Analysis of the Marine Sponge Cinachyrella spp: A Potential Model Organism for Oil and Dispersant EcotoxicologySmith, Emily 01 May 2013 (has links)
In order to study the potential effects of an oil spill on coral reef organisms, the marine sponge, Cinachyrella spp. was investigated. In this study, Cinachyrella spp. was placed in a closed aquaculture system and exposed to sub-lethal water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of Macondo crude oil and chemically-enhanced water accommodated fractions (CE-WAFs) of the dispersant, Corexit 9500, over a 24-hour time course, in order to model the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and oil spill sponge response. Illumina RNA sequencing and gene expression analysis utilizing hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and KEGG bioinformatic database generated 34,147 unique transcripts with differential expression of 483 transcripts across all samples related to metabolism, genetic, environmental, and cellular processes, and associations with pathways involved in human disease development and progression. These pathways highlight the induction of Rac1, a GTPase in the Ras superfamily responsible for cell proliferation, differentiation, and senescence and SOS, a set of specialized Ras-GTP activators. These Ras-regulated signaling proteins are thought to play a significant role in the development of human malignancies, specifically Rac1. The data reported here helps support the possible role of Cinachyrella spp. as an ecotoxicological model for oil and dispersant pollution as well as the identification of potential biomarkers of stress and environmental perturbation. These results have important implications in identifying stress response in coral reef associated communities, and will ultimately be useful in coral reef conservation, management, and oil spill mitigation activities.
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Anatomical and transcriptomic characterization of the canola (Brassica napus) maternal seed subregions during ovule and seed development.Millar, Jenna 12 1900 (has links)
Canola (Brassica napus) contributes $19.3 billion dollars to the Canadian economy each year as a result of its oil- and protein-rich seeds. These economically important seed products are produced in highest concentration in the embryo. Embryo development is supported nutritionally and structurally by the maternal subregions, which include the inner (ISC) and outer distal seed coat (OSC), the chalazal seed coat (CZSC), and the chalazal proliferating tissue (CPT). Research on the maternal seed subregions is limited to the SC as a result of its accessibility; the embedded CZSC and CPT subregions have yet to be characterized in canola. Using light and transmission electron microscopy, I found the CZSC and CPT to be anatomically distinct and experience profound changes throughout seed development. To understand these changes at the RNA level, laser microdissection and RNA sequencing were used to profile these subregions spatially and temporally from the ovule to mature green stage of seed development. Employing vigorous bioinformatics analyses, I found that the maternal subregions are transcriptomically distinct and possess unique RNA populations. From here I began to elucidate the biological processes operating within the maternal subregions. As a whole, the maternal subregions appear to have a critical role in transporting nutrients to the filial subregions as well as in coping with oxidative stress produced during these energy-rich processes. Additionally, using CanEnrich, I was able to generate predictive transcriptional circuits regulating the biological processes occurring within the maternal seed. This research has produced the most comprehensive dataset on the canola seed to date and will provide a valuable resource for research on seed development as well as seed improvement. / October 2016
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Diversity and function of root-associated fungal communities in relation to nitrogen nutrition in temperate forestsNguyen, Quang Dung 18 July 2018 (has links)
No description available.
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