The genes of the human β-globin locus are located on chromosome 11 in the order of their expression during development: 5' ε, γ, β 3'. During development, silencing of the 5' gene occurs with activation of the immediate 3' gene. This process occurs twice and is termed hemoglobin switching. The exact mechanism(s) of this process have not been fully described. Herein, we describe a role for DNA methylation and methyl binding domain protein 2 in the transcriptional regulation of the human embryonic and fetal beta type globin genes. Adult mice containing the entire human β-globin locus as a yeast artificial chromosome (βYAC) express very low levels of the fetal γ-globin gene. However, treatment of adult βYAC transgenic mice with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, 5-azacytidine, induces a >10-fold increase γ-globin mRNA levels. In addition, βYAC transgenic mice null for methyl binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) express a similar level of γ-globin mRNA. DNA methylation and MBD2 appear to induce γ-globin expression via the same pathway(s), as treatment of MBD2 null βYAC transgenic mice do not show an additive boost in γ-globin expression. MBD2 does not bind to the γ-globin promoter region in vivo indicating MBD2 mediated transcriptional silencing does not occur by recruitment of transcriptional repression complexes to the γ-globin gene promoter. Additionally, these transgenic mice contain only the 5' portion of the β-globin locus through the ε-globin, and do not express the ε-globin genes as adults. However, treatment with 5-azacytidine or loss of MBD2 induces expression of the ε-globin gene in adult transgenic mice. A similar induction of ε-globin is seen in βYAC transgenic mice under the same conditions. The level of expression of the ε-globin gene is much lower than the γ-globin gene, indicating the powerful effect of the cis elements mediating transcriptional repression of the ε-globin gene. These studies indicate DNA methylation and MBD2 contribute to the transcriptional repression of the human embryonic and fetal β-type globin genes. Additionally, MBD2 has been identified as a potential target for the therapeutic induction of fetal hemoglobin for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies.

While age-related sex chromosomal aneuploidy is a well-characterized phenomenon, the relationship between autosomal loss and age remains unclear. The emergence of the specific and highly sensitive fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technology has enabled investigators to study interphase cells, thereby overcoming problems inherent with the study of metaphase spreads for acquired aneuploidy assessment. Despite all the advantages of this technique, there are some limitations that could be misleading when scoring interphase autosomal aneuploidy. In this study we show that sex chromosomal hypoploidy is correlated with age. By using a twin study design, we evaluated Y chromosome hypoploidy frequencies and found that loss of the Y chromosome is likely to be a multifactorial phenotype, being influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. An analysis of acquired aneuploidy frequencies for 13 autosomes in men showed that only one autosome, chromosome 3, had an age-related increase in acquired aberrations levels. Using a multi-probe study design, we determined that an apparent loss of fluorescent signal(s) could result from the coincident positioning (overlaying) of the repeat sequences targeted by the probes (due to either somatic homolog pairing or aggregation of the heterochromatic regions). Therefore, caution should be taken when performing autosomal FISH analysis to avoid overestimation of autosomal aneuploidy in uncultured leukocytes.

It has been shown that the key components of the hsp90 chaperone complex, including hsp90, p23, hsp70, hsp40, and HOP (p60), associate with telomerase; however, their specific roles in telomerase function and tumor progression have not yet been defined. HSF1, the primary mammalian heat shock protein transcription factor, may affect telomerase activity and transformation by regulating the expression of several hsp90 chaperone complex proteins in response to stress as well as regulating the transcription of hTERT, the protein subunit of telomerase.In our in vitro model of prostate cancer progression, as cells progress from immortal but non-tumorigenic (P69) to tumorigenic (M2182) and eventually metastatic (M12) capabilities, both telomerase activity and global chaperone protein levels increase. Our hypothesis is that HSF1 affects telomerase activity directly at the level of transcription and indirectly at the protein level via its regulation of proteins of the hsp90 chaperone complex. Furthermore, upregulation of HSF1 and/or members of the hsp90 chaperone complex directly contribute to prostate cell transformation and that introduction of chaperone-related genes will convert non-tumorigenic prostate cells to a tumorigenic state.We have shown that ectopic overexpression of HSF1 induces increased expression of endogenous hsp90 in P69 cells. Furthermore, telomerase activity in the overexpressing HSF1 cell lines is increased as well and is the end result of two disparate, yet ultimately cooperating pathways. However, the increased telomerase activity does not correlate with increased tumorigenicity.In conjunction with this study, we have overexpressed hTERT in the P69 cell lines and found that telomerase activity is markedly increased in the absence of chaperone upregulation. We propose that the demand for increased folding and stability of the exogenous hTERT leads to a recruitment of telomerase associated chaperone proteins, which can be measured by increased activity after immunoprecipitations and nuclear translocation of hsp90 chaperone complex proteins.Taken together, these projects indicate a significant role for HSF1 and the hsp90 chaperone complex proteins on telomerase activity, and provide evidence that each may be a viable target for therapeutic intervention.

Seven families of XX and YY homozygous Oreochromis niloticus were produced by mitotic gynogenesis from XY neofemales and their genetic status was verified by multilocus DNA fingerprinting and progeny testing. Two of these gynogenetic families and their corresponding diploid controls were used with 64 AFLP primer combinations in different levels of screening (XX/YY grand pool; XX/YY family pool; XX/YY gynogenetics and XX/XY control individuals) to search for sex-linked or sex-specific markers. Grand pool screening did not reveal any sex-linked markers. Subsequent family pool and individual level screening identified four sex-linked AFLP markers from two primer combinations, three Y-linked (OniY425, OniY382, OniY227) and one X-linked (OniX420). Two of these (OniX420, OniY425) were shown to be allelic. Single locus PCR markers were developed for all of those markers. Linkage analysis of these markers and the sex locus within the source families revealed tight linkage, with estimated map distances of 13cM, 17cM and 20cM for OniY382, OniY227 and OniX420/OniY425 respectively. However, these sex-linked AFLP markers failed to consistently identify sex in unrelated individuals. To develop an effective system for parentage analysis in normal and gynogenetic progeny, AFLPs and multiplexed polymorphic microsatellite loci were investigated. Both were found to be effective, but microsatellites were more appropriate since they are codominant and some loci showed high gene-centromere recombination rates, suitable for discriminating meiotic from mitotic gynogenetics, while AFLPs are dominant markers. Spontaneous diploidization of the maternal chromosome set (SDM) was observed in gynogenetic progeny of one XY neofemale. Maternal inheritance and ploidy status were verified by multilocus DNA fingerprinting and chromosome karyotyping. Close genetic linkage between the red gene and an autosomal sex-reversal gene(s) in gynogenetic progeny and influences of autosomal sex-reversal gene(s) producing males in a fully inbred XX clonal line were previously reported in O. niloticus. To test if the same autosomal sex-reversal locus was responsible in both cases, a series of test crosses was carried out involving XX clonal neomale(s) and homozygous red females. The results indicated the involvement of more than one autosomal sex-reversal locus, one of which is linked to red body colour.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Master of Science / Department of Agronomy / Allan K. Fritz / Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is an important cereal disease in humid and semi-humid wheat growing regions. In recent FHB epidemics in the USA, FHB dramatically reduced wheat yields and grain quality due to mycotoxin contamination. Five types of FHB resistance have been reported, but resistance to disease spread within a spike (Type II) and low deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation in infected kernels (Type III) have drawn the most attention. A Chinese Spring-Sumai3 chromosome 7A substitution line (CS-SM3-7ADSL) was reported to have a high level of Type II resistance, but quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 7A has never been mapped. To characterize QTL on chromosome 7A, we developed 191 Chinese Spring-Sumai3-7A chromosome recombinant inbred lines (CRIL) from a cross between Chinese Spring and CS-SM3-7ADSL and evaluated the CRIL in a greenhouse for both types of resistance in three experiments. Two major QTL with Sumai 3 (SM3) origin, conditioning Type II and Type III resistance were mapped in chromosomes 3BS and 7AC. QTL on chromosome 3BS corresponds to Fhb1, previously reported from SM3, whereas 7AC QTL, designated as Fhb5, is a novel QTL identified from SM3 in this study. Fhb5 explains 22% phenotypic variation for Type II resistance and 24% for Type III resistance. Marker Xwmc17 is the closest marker to Fhb5 for both types of resistance. Fhb1 and Fhb5 were additive and together explained 56% variation for Type II and 41% for Type III resistance and resulted in 66% reduction in FHB severity and 84% in DON content. Both QTL showed significant pleiotropy effects on Type II and Type III resistance, suggesting both types of resistance may be controlled by the same gene(s). Haplotype analysis of SM3’s parents revealed that Fhb5 originated from Funo, an Italian cultivar. A survey of worldwide germplasm collection of 400 accessions showed that Fhb5 is present mainly in Chinese cultivars, especially in Funo-related accessions. Further, Fhb5 is the second major QTL from SM3 and have potential to be used in improving wheat cultivars for both types of resistance.

Mosaicism is represented by two or more chromosomally different cell lines in an individual. Mosaics are most often caused by chromosome malsegregation during mitosis, resulting in the gain or loss of chromosomes, known as aneuploidy, but structural aberrations can also occur in mosaic form. The problem is the limitation of detection with standart cytogenetic methods. The present study was carried out to compare the efficiency of FISH, array CGH and cytogenetic techniques in detection of mosaicism. In the practical part the results of 45 patients with mosaicisms of aneuplody of gonosomes (26 patients) and mosaicisms of autosomes (19 patients) were compared. The data show that we have different peripheral blood karyotype and FISH results in 23 of 37 patients (62%). There was a case of failure of detection of the mosaicism on the karyotype and the FISH method revealed a abnormal cell lines with a percentage of less than 5%. The array CGH method confirmed the karyotype and FISH results in 10 out of 12 patients (83%) in peripheral blood tests. The work also dealt with artificially made mosaics. From the results, it is obvious that the FISH method has a more accurate percentage of mosaic capture compared to the karyotype. The results indicate that using the techniques in parallel allow in clinical...

Genes novos, definidos como aqueles presentes em um grupo ou espécie mas ausentes em seu grupo irmão e grupo externo, são conhecidos por terem mais marcadores de seleção positiva que genes antigos. Sabe-se também que a seleção positiva ocorre de forma mais rápida em sistemas haplóides do que em sistemas diplóides. Aqui unimos esses dois sistemas para propor um modelo de seleção haplóide de genes novos. Para isso utilizamos dados de expressão, idade evolutiva, e assinatura de seleção provenientes de genes de Drosophila melanogaster. Mostramos que genes novos adquirem uma vantagem seletiva se expressos nas fases tardias da espermatogênese, que são haplóides. Não só há mais genes novos com alta expressão nas fases haplóides (meiótica e pós-meiótica) da espermatogênese em relação à fase diplóide (mitótica), mas também os genes novos possuem expressão mais acentuada que genes antigos nessas fases haplóides. Mostramos que os genes com alta expressão nas fases haplóides possuem mais marcadores de seleção positiva, e.g. valores de dN/dS, alpha e para outros modelos que estimam seleção positiva. Dessa forma, propomos um modelo que explica a maior expressão de genes novos nos testículos (fases haplóides da espermatogênese) e como tais genes se fixam na espécie. Por fim, explicamos a maior incidência de genes extremamente novos ligados ao X e com expressão preferencial em machos. Isso ocorre por que genes ligados ao cromossomo X em machos tem expressão funcionalmente haplóide, visto que o X está em hemizigose em todas as células somáticas de machos. Essa situação torna benéfico para genes muito novos ligados ao X que sua seleção em machos ocorra, pois em todas as células tais genes tem o benefício da seleção haplóide. Em particular, genes extremamente novos, ao contrário de genes antigos, do cromossomo X são capazes de burlar a inativação do cromossomo sexual durante a meiose. Isso os torna um bom sistema para novos alelos recessivos e com antagonismo sexual serem expressos e selecionados / New genes, those present in one group or species but absent in their sister group and outgroup, are frequently under positive selection, as shown by their higher rates and values of positive selection markers. It is also known that beneficial genes in haploid systems tend to be fixed more quickly than in diploid ones. Here we propose to merge this two systems by proposing a model for new genes selection in haploid systems. To do so we use Drosophila melanogaster\'s spermatogenesis process. We show that new genes have a selective advantage if they are expressed in the haploid (meiotic and post-meiotic) phases of spermatogenesis. This is shown not only by the greater proportion of new genes with high expression in those phases against the diploid (mitotic) phase, but also by the intensity of the expression of new genes being greater than that of old genes during the haploid phases. We also show that genes with higher expression in the haploid phases present more markers of positive selection. They have both a greater value of dN/dS, alpha and a greater proportion of genes that best fit a model with selection than one without it. Therefore, we propose a model explaining the higher expression of new genes in the testis (haploid phases of spermatogenesis) and how those genes become fixed in the population and species. At last we explain the abundance of new male-biased genes on the X. This enrichement is due to the functionally haploid expression of the X-linked genes in males. This assures an advantage to those genes, as they will benefit from haploid selection system in the X on males. It is then beneficial for X-linked genes to be selected uppon in the males, as it will resemble haploid selection. Also, extremely new X-linked genes, as opposed to old ones, can bypass the sex cromosome inactivation, being a good system for new antagonistic recessive alleles to be expressed and sellected upon

A incidência do melanoma, tumor maligno que se origina dos melanócitos, vem crescendo em todo o mundo. História familial positiva da doença tem sido relatada em 8 a 14% dos pacientes afetados. Muitos estudos sugeriram o envolvimento da região 9p21, onde se encontra o gene CDKN2A, no surgimento dessa neoplasia. Este é um gene supressor tumoral clássico e a inativação dos dois alelos tem sido detectadas em linhagens celulares tumorais de famílias com melanoma hereditário e esporádico. Mutações em linhagens germinativas do gene CDKN2A têm sido identificadas em aproximadamente 20% das famílias com melanoma familial. Utilizando técnicas de biologia molecular como Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR), Conformação Estrutural de Fita Simples (SSCP) e seqüenciamento, este projeto estudou 22 pacientes com critérios clínicos de melanoma hereditário e encontrou uma mutação (P48T) em um paciente numa família de três afetados. Em 13 casos foi identificado pelo menos um dos três polimorfismos: 500 C>G (31,9%), 540 C>T (27,3%) e A148T (4,5%). Os resultados demonstram a importância da pesquisa de mutações no gene CDKN2A principalmente em famílias com dois ou mais membros afetados pela doença. / The incidence of melanoma, malign tumor that originates from melanocytes, is increasing all over the world. Positive familial history of disease has been related in 8 to 14% of affected patients. Several studies have suggest the 9p21 region evolvement, where is located the CDKN2A gene, in the arising of this neoplasia. It is a classic tumor suppressor gene and the inactivation of two alleles has been detected in tumor cells lines of families with hereditary and sporadic melanoma. Nowadays germeline mutations in CDKN2A gene have been identified in almost 20% of families with familial melanoma. Using molecular biology techniques like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Single Strand Conformational Polymorphism (SSCP) and sequencing, this project studied 22 patients with clinical pattern of hereditary melanoma and it found one mutation (P48T) in one patient belonged to a three affected family. Thirteen cases had at least one of the three polymorphisms: 500 C>G (31,9%), 540 C>T (27,3%) e A148T (4,5%). The results show the importance of the search for mutations in the CDKN2A gene mainly in families with two or more affected by disease.