Avian genomes exhibit compact organization and remarkable chromosomal stability.However,the extent and mechanisms by which structural variation in avian genomes differ from those in other vertebrate lineages are poorl...Avian genomes exhibit compact organization and remarkable chromosomal stability.However,the extent and mechanisms by which structural variation in avian genomes differ from those in other vertebrate lineages are poorly explored.This study generated a diploid genome assembly for the golden pheasant(Chrysolophus pictus),a species distinguished by the vibrant plumage of males.Each haploid genome assembly included complete chromosomalmodels,incorporatingall microchromosomes.Analysis revealed extensive tandem amplification of immune-related genes across the smallest microchromosomes(dot chromosomes),with an average copy number of 54.Structural variation between the haploid genomes was primarily shaped by large insertions and deletions(indels),with minimal contributions from inversions or duplications.Approximately 28%of these large indels were associated with recent insertions of transposable elements,despite their typically low activity in bird genomes.Evidence for significant effects of transposable elements on gene expression was minimal.Evolutionary strata on the sex chromosomes were identified,along with a drastic rearrangement of the W chromosome.These analyses of the high-quality diploid genome of the golden pheasant provide valuable insights into the evolutionary patterns of structural variation in avian genomes.展开更多
Regulatory sequences and transposable elements(TEs)account for a large proportion of the genomic sequences of species;however,their roles in gene transcription,especially tissue-specific expression,remain largely unkn...Regulatory sequences and transposable elements(TEs)account for a large proportion of the genomic sequences of species;however,their roles in gene transcription,especially tissue-specific expression,remain largely unknown.Pigs serve as an excellent animal model for studying genomic sequence biology due to the extensive diversity among their wild and domesticated populations.Here,we conducted an integrated analysis using H3K27ac ChIP-seq,H3K4me3 ChIP-seq,and RNA-seq data from 10 different tissues of seven fetuses and eight closely related adult pigs.We aimed to annotate the regulatory elements and TEs to elucidate their associations with histone modifications and mRNA expression across different tissues and developmental stages.Based on correlation analysis between mRNA expression and H3K27ac and H3K4me3 peak activity,results indicated that H3K27ac exhibited stronger associations with gene expression than H3K4me3.Furthermore,1.45%of TEs overlapped with either the H3K27ac or H3K4me3 peaks,with the majority displaying tissue-specific activity.Notably,a TE subfamily(LTR4C_SS),containing binding motifs for SIX1 and SIX4,showed specific enrichment in the H3K27ac peaks of the adult and fetal ovaries.RNA-seq analysis also revealed widespread expression of TEs in the exons or promoters of genes,including 4688 TE-containing transcripts with distinct development stage-specific and tissue-specific expression.Of note,1967 TE-containing transcripts were enriched in the testes.We identified a long terminal repeat(LTR),MLT1F1,acting as a testis-specific alternative promoter in SRPK2(a cell cycle-related protein kinase)in our pig dataset.This element was also conserved in humans and mice,suggesting either an ancient integration of TEs in genes specifically expressed in the testes or parallel evolutionary patterns.Collectively,our findings demonstrate that TEs are deeply embedded in the genome and exhibit important tissue-specific biological functions,particularly in the reproductive organs.展开更多
The fine-tuned expression dynamics of the effector genes are pivotal for the transition from vegetative growth to host colonization of pathogenic filamentous fungi.However,mechanisms underlying the dynamic regulation ...The fine-tuned expression dynamics of the effector genes are pivotal for the transition from vegetative growth to host colonization of pathogenic filamentous fungi.However,mechanisms underlying the dynamic regulation of these genes remain largely unknown.Here,through comparative transcriptome and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing(ChIP-seq)analyses of the methyltransferase PoKmt6 in rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae(syn.Magnaporthe oryzae),we found that PoKmt6-mediated H3K27me3 deposition was enriched mainly at fast-evolving regions and contributed to the silencing of a subset of secreted proteins(SP)and transposable element(TE)families during the vegetative growth of P.oryzae.Intriguingly,we observed that a group of SP genes,which were depleted of H3K27me3 modification,could also be silenced via the H3K27me3-mediated repression of the nearby TEs.In conclusion,our results indicate that H3K27me3 modification mediated by PoKmt6 regulates the expression of some SP genes in fast-evolving regions through the suppression of nearby TEs.展开更多
Palaeognathae includes ratite and tinamou species that are important for understanding early avian evolution.Here,we analyzed the whole-genome sequences of 15 paleognathous species to infer their demographic histories...Palaeognathae includes ratite and tinamou species that are important for understanding early avian evolution.Here,we analyzed the whole-genome sequences of 15 paleognathous species to infer their demographic histories,which are presently unknown.We found that most species showed a reduction of population size since the beginning of the last glacial period,except for those species distributed in Australasia and in the far south of South America.Different degrees of contraction and expansion of transposable elements(TE)have shaped the paleognathous genome architecture,with a higher transposon removal rate in tinamous than in ratites.One repeat family,AviRTE,likely underwent horizontal transfer from tropical parasites to the ancestor of little and undulated tinamous about 30 million years ago.Our analysis of gene families identified rapid turnover of immune and reproductionrelated genes but found no evidence of gene family changes underlying the convergent evolution of flightlessness among ratites.We also found that mitochondrial genes have experienced a faster evolutionary rate in tinamous than in ratites,with the former also showing more degenerated W chromosomes.This result can be explained by the Hill-Robertson interference affecting genetically linked W chromosomes and mitochondria.Overall,we reconstructed the evolutionary history of the Palaeognathae populations,genes,and TEs.Our findings of co-evolution between mitochondria and W chromosomes highlight the key difference in genome evolution between species with ZW sex chromosomes and those with XY sex chromosomes.展开更多
Two miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements（MITEs）, MCLas-A and MCLas-B, were recently identified from ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus＇ known to be associated with citrus Huanglongbing（HLB, yellow shoo...Two miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements（MITEs）, MCLas-A and MCLas-B, were recently identified from ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus＇ known to be associated with citrus Huanglongbing（HLB, yellow shoot disease）. MCLas-A was suggested as an active MITE because of its mobility. The immediate upstream gene of the two MITEs was predicted to be a putative transposase. The goal of this study is to analyze the sequence variation in the upstream putative transposase of MITEs and explore the possible correlation between sequence variation of transposase gene and MITE activity. PCR and sequence analysis showed that 12 sequence types were found in six major amplicon types from 43 representative ‘Ca. L. asiaticus＇ isolates from China, the United States and Brazil. Out of the 12 sequence types, three（T4, T5-2, T6） were reported for the first time. Recombination events were found in the two unique sequence types（T5-2 and T6） which were detected in all Brazilian isolates. Notably, no sequence variation or recombination events were detected in the upstream putative transposase gene of MCLas-A, suggesting the conservation of the transposase gene might be closely related with the MITE activity. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated two well supported clades including five subclades were identified, clearly reflecting the geographical origins of isolates, especially that of Ruili isolates, S？o Paulo isolates and a few Florida isolates.展开更多
Mutator transposable element （Mu） has been used as an effective tool to clone maize （Zea mays L.） genes. One opaque endosperm mutant （miol6） was identified in a pool of Mu inserted mutants. A modified method, te...Mutator transposable element （Mu） has been used as an effective tool to clone maize （Zea mays L.） genes. One opaque endosperm mutant （miol6） was identified in a pool of Mu inserted mutants. A modified method, termed the double selected amplification of insertion flanking fragments （DSAIFF）, was employed to isolate the Mu flanking fragments （MFFs） of miol6. The target site duplications （TSDs） isolated from the Msp I and Mse I digested MFFs had a same 9-bp sequence and were confirmed to be the flanking sequence of one identically inserted gene. Co-segregation analysis suggested that the MFFs were associated with the mutant opaque endosperm, and miol6 was mapped in silico onto the physical position ranged from 229 965 021 to 229 965 409 bp of the maize chromosome 4.09 bin. The full-length cDNA of the wild-type gene was obtained by an RT-PCR primer-scanning technique, and Mio16 was found to putatively encode a homolog of the Arabidopsis MAP3K delta-1 protein kinase. RT-PCR result the mRNA expression of miol6 region anchored by primers Mu20 and af276 was not interrupted by Mu insertion. Further researches will be done to elucidate how the expression of miol6 is alternated by Mu insertion.展开更多
Miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements(MITEs)are a group of DNA transposable element(TE)which preferentially distributed with gene associated regions.Tens of MITEs families have been revealed in Brassica napu...Miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements(MITEs)are a group of DNA transposable element(TE)which preferentially distributed with gene associated regions.Tens of MITEs families have been revealed in Brassica napus genome,they scatter across the genome with tens of thousands copies and produce polymorphisms both intra-and inter-species.Our previous studies revealed a Tourist-like MITE,Monkey King,associated with vernalization requirement of B.napus,however there are still few studies reveal MITE association with agricultural traits in B.napus.In the present study,80 polymorphic markers were developed from 55 MITEs,and used to evaluate genetic diversity in a panel of B.napus accessions consisting of 101 natural and 25 synthetic genotypes.Five agricultural traits,oil content,glucosinolate content,erucic acid content,weight of thousand seeds(WTS)and plant height,were investigated across 3-years field experiments,in addition,two traits,hypocotyl length and root length,were evaluated at the 4-leaf stage in the laboratory.Correlations between the MITE-based markers and seven traits were analyzed,finally,10 polymorphic markers produced by 6 pairs of MITE specific primers were revealed relatively high correlation with 5 traits.Two polymorphic markers were anchored with two candidate genes,BnaA02g13530D and BnaA08g20010D,respectively,which may contribute to glucosinolate content and WTS.This research may contribute to genetic improvement through utilization of MITE-induced polymorphisms in Brassica species.展开更多
Dear Editor,The tea plant(Camellia sinensis)is an evergreen species.Past breeding efforts have created purple leaf tea varieties with enhanced health benefits,such as‘Zijuan’(C.sinensis var.assa-mica cv.Zijuan[ZJ])(...Dear Editor,The tea plant(Camellia sinensis)is an evergreen species.Past breeding efforts have created purple leaf tea varieties with enhanced health benefits,such as‘Zijuan’(C.sinensis var.assa-mica cv.Zijuan[ZJ])(Figure 1A).To understand the mechanisms underlying the purple trait,the genome of ZJ was assembled using PacBio and Hi-C technologies(Figure 1B).The assembled genome size is approximately 3.06 Gb,comprising 1344 scaffolds with a scaffold N50 size of approximately 214.76 Mb(Supplemental Table 1).In addition,99.12%of the assembled sequences were anchored to 15 chromosomes.展开更多
The domains rearranged methyltransferases(DRMs)play a critical role in the RNA-directed DNA methylation(RdDM)pathway in plants.However,the effects of inactivating the RdDM pathway on gene expression,transposable eleme...The domains rearranged methyltransferases(DRMs)play a critical role in the RNA-directed DNA methylation(RdDM)pathway in plants.However,the effects of inactivating the RdDM pathway on gene expression,transposable element(TE)activity,and phenotype in soybean remain unexplored.Here,we employed clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 gene editing to generate a quintuple mutant line in soybean(Gmdrm2a^(−/−)2b^(−/−)2c^(−/−)3a^(−/−)3b^(−/−),designated Gmdrm).Gmdrm exhibited severe developmental abnormalities,including dwarfism and delayed growth,albeit remaining viable and fertile;however,the fully homozygous mutant could be maintained for a limited number of generations(T0–T3).Whole genome bisulfite sequencing revealed a significant reduction in DNA methylation across all cytosine sequence contexts,with an average loss of 10%.The loss of mC was biased toward euchromatic regions,which is in contrast to the chromomethylase mutant.Transcriptome profiling identified 1,685 up-regulated genes,including photosynthesis-related genes,accompanied with altered chloroplast ultrastructure.Additionally,a cluster of resistance(R)genes on chromosome 16 was significantly up-regulated,coinciding with their reduced non-CG methylation.We also observed 3,164 differentially expressed TEs(DETs),of which,2,655 were up-regulated and hypomethylated along their entire length.A substantial reduction in the abundance of 24-nt small interfering RNAs(siRNAs)in the Gmdrm mutant was detected by small RNA sequencing.Of note,the DRM-targeted TEs typically display higher levels of 24-nt siRNA abundance,shorter lengths,and are more AT-rich compared to chromomethylase-targeted TEs,highlighting 24-nt siRNAs as key determinants of DRM-dependent TE regulation.Together,this study documents a critical role of DRM-mediated DNA methylation in regulating gene expression,TE silencing,and normal development in soybean.展开更多
Polyploidization is a fundamental evolutionary process in plants,including bread wheat.In the present study,we performed a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of dynamic homoeologous gene divergence in Aikang58(AK58),a...Polyploidization is a fundamental evolutionary process in plants,including bread wheat.In the present study,we performed a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of dynamic homoeologous gene divergence in Aikang58(AK58),a modern elite polyploid wheat cultivar with a recently released reference genome,and in other wheat genomes,including landraces,synthetic wheat,and several breeding lines.Over 40% of transposable element(TE)families exhibit biased distribution across the three wheat subgenomes.Approximately 95.0%(113421)of genes are co-located with TEs,and these variable TEs significantly contribute to homoeologous divergence.We found that about 80%of triad homoeologs are divergent due to differences in expression or sub-functionalization.In addition,subgenome divergence potentially promote polyploid wheat domestication and improvement by increasing favorable homoeoallele combinations.Our findings suggest that homoeolog divergence contributes to the adaptation,domestication,and improvement of hexaploid wheat.The contribution of subgenomic divergence to polyploid heterosis is also discussed.This study provides a valuable resource for the investigation of how TEs drive homoeologous divergence during wheat domestication and improvement.展开更多
The ultimate goal of genome assembly is a high-accuracy gapless genome.Here,we report a new assembly pipeline that is used to produce a gapless genome for the indica rice cultivar Minghui 63.The resulting 397.71-Mb fi...The ultimate goal of genome assembly is a high-accuracy gapless genome.Here,we report a new assembly pipeline that is used to produce a gapless genome for the indica rice cultivar Minghui 63.The resulting 397.71-Mb final assembly is composed of 12 contigs with a contig N50 size of 31.93 Mb.Each chromosome is represented by a single contig and the genomic sequences of all chromosomes are gapless.Quality evaluation of this gapless genome assembly showed that gene regions in our assembly have the highest completeness compared with the other 15 reported high-quality rice genomes.Further comparison with the japonica rice genome revealed that the gapless indica genome assembly contains more transposable elements(TEs)and segmental duplications(SDs),the latter of which produce many duplicated genes that can affect agronomic traits through dose effect or sub-/neo-functionalization.The insertion of TEs can also affect the expression of duplicated genes,which may drive the evolution of these genes.Furthermore,we found the expansion of nucleotide-binding site with leucine-rich repeat disease-resistance genes and cis-zeatin-O-glucosyltransferase growth-related genes in SDs in the gapless indica genome assembly,suggesting that SDs contribute to the adaptive evolution of rice disease resistance and developmental processes.Collectively,our findings suggest that active TEs and SDs synergistically contribute to rice genome evolution.展开更多
Transposable elements(TEs)usually occupy largest fractions of plant genome and are also the most variable part of the structure.Although traditionally it is hallmarked as"junk and selfish DNA",today more and...Transposable elements(TEs)usually occupy largest fractions of plant genome and are also the most variable part of the structure.Although traditionally it is hallmarked as"junk and selfish DNA",today more and more evidence points out TE’s participation in gene regulations including gene mutation,duplication,movement and novel gene creation via genetic and epigenetic mechanisms.The recently sequenced genomes of diploid cottons Gossypium arboreum(AA)and Gossypium raimondii(DD)together with their allotetraploid progeny Gossypium hirsutum(At At Dt Dt)provides a unique opportunity to compare genome variations in the Gossypium genus and to analyze the functions of TEs during its evolution.TEs accounted for 57%,68.5%and67.2%,respectively in DD,AA and At At Dt Dt genomes.The 1,694 Mb A-genome was found to harbor more LTR(long terminal repeat)-type retrotransposons that made cardinal contributions to the twofold increase in its genome size after evolution from the 775.2 Mb D-genome.Although the 2,173 Mb At At Dt Dt genome showed similar TE content to the A-genome,the total numbers of LTR-gypsy and LTR-copia type TEs varied significantly between these two genomes.Considering their roles on rewiring gene regulatory networks,we believe that TEs may somehow be involved in cotton fiber cell development.Indeed,the insertion or deletion of different TEs in the upstream region of two important transcription factor genes in At or Dt subgenomes resulted in qualitative differences in target gene expression.We suggest that our findings may open a window for improving cotton agronomic traits by editing TE activities.展开更多
Transposable elements(TEs), originally discovered in maize as controlling elements, are the main components of most eukaryotic genomes. TEs have been regarded as deleterious genomic parasites due to their ability to u...Transposable elements(TEs), originally discovered in maize as controlling elements, are the main components of most eukaryotic genomes. TEs have been regarded as deleterious genomic parasites due to their ability to undergo massive amplification. However, TEs can regulate gene expression and alter phenotypes. Also, emerging findings demonstrate that TEs can establish and rewire gene regulatory networks by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the key roles of TEs in fine-tuning the regulation of gene expression leading to phenotypic plasticity in plants and humans, and the implications for adaption and natural selection.展开更多
Transposable elements （TEs） are mobile genetic entities ubiquitously distributed in nearly all genomes. High frequency of codons ending in A/T in TEs has been previously observed in some species. In this study, the ...Transposable elements （TEs） are mobile genetic entities ubiquitously distributed in nearly all genomes. High frequency of codons ending in A/T in TEs has been previously observed in some species. In this study, the biases in nucleotide composition and codon usage of TE transposases and host nuclear genes were investigated in the AT-rich genome of Arabidopsis thaliana and the GC-rich genome of Oryza sativa. Codons ending in A/T are more frequently used by TEs compared with their host nuclear genes. A remarkable positive correlation between highly expressed nuclear genes and C/G-ending codons were detected in O. sativa （r=0.944 and 0.839, respectively, P〈0.0001） but not in A. thaliana, indicating a close association between the GC content and gene expression level in monocot species. In both species, TE codon usage biases are similar to that of weakly expressed genes. The expression and activity of TEs may be strictly controlled in plant genomes. Mutation bias and selection pressure have simultaneously acted on the TE evolution in A. thaliana and O. sativa. The consistently observed biases of nucleotide composition and codon usage of TEs may also provide a useful clue to accurately detect TE sequences in different species.展开更多
Transposable elements(TEs) are mobile genomic sequences of DNA capable of autonomous and nonautonomous duplication. TEs have been highly successful,and nearly half of the human genome now consists of various families ...Transposable elements(TEs) are mobile genomic sequences of DNA capable of autonomous and nonautonomous duplication. TEs have been highly successful,and nearly half of the human genome now consists of various families of TEs. Originally thought to be non-functional,these elements have been co-opted by animal genomes to perform a variety of physiological functions ranging from TE-derived proteins acting directly in normal biological functions, to innovations in transcription factor logic and influence on epigenetic control of gene expression. During embryonic development, when the genome is epigenetically reprogrammed and DNA-demethylated, TEs are released from repression and show embryonic stage-specific expression, and in human and mouse embryos, intact TEderived endogenous viral particles can even be detected. Asimilar process occurs during the reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotent cells: When the somatic DNA is demethylated, TEs are released from repression. In embryonic stem cells(ESCs), where DNA is hypomethylated, an elaborate system of epigenetic control is employed to suppress TEs, a system that often overlaps with normal epigenetic control of ESC gene expression. Finally, many long non-coding RNAs(lnc RNAs) involved in normal ESC function and those assisting or impairing reprogramming contain multiple TEs in their RNA. These TEs may act as regulatory units to recruit RNA-binding proteins and epigenetic modifiers. This review covers how TEs are interlinked with the epigenetic machinery and lnc RNAs, and how these links influence each other to modulate aspects of ESCs,embryogenesis, and somatic cell reprogramming.展开更多
Dear Editor ：The sustainable cultivation of rice, which serves as staple food crop for more than half of the world＇s population, is under serious threat due to the huge yield losses inflicted by rice blast disease c...Dear Editor ：The sustainable cultivation of rice, which serves as staple food crop for more than half of the world＇s population, is under serious threat due to the huge yield losses inflicted by rice blast disease caused by the globally destructive fungus Magnaporthe oryzae （Pyricularia oryzae） （Dean et al., 2012; Nalley et al., 2016; Deng et al., 2017）. This filamentous ascomycete fungus is also capable of causing blast infection on other economically important cereal crops, including wheat, millet, and barley, making it the world＇s most important plant pathogenic fungus （Zhong et al., 2016）.展开更多
In the present study, we report a survey on a Miniature Inverted Transposable Element （MITE） system known as mPing in 102 varieties of Asian cultivated rice （Oryza sativa L.）. We found that mPing populations could...In the present study, we report a survey on a Miniature Inverted Transposable Element （MITE） system known as mPing in 102 varieties of Asian cultivated rice （Oryza sativa L.）. We found that mPing populations could be generalized Into two families, mPing-1 and mPing-2, according to their sequence structures. Further analysis showed that these two families of mPing had significant bias in their distribution pattern in two subspecies of rice, namely O. sativa ssp. japonica and indica. 0. sativa japonica has a higher proportion of mPing-1 as a general trait, whereas 0. sativa indica has a higher proportion of roPing-2. We also examined the mPing system In a doubled haploid （DH） cross-breeding population of jingxi 17 （japonica） and zhaiyeqing 8 （indica） varieties and observed that the mPing system was not tightly linked to major subspecies-determining genes. Furthermore, we checked the mPing system in 28 accessions of Asian common wild rice O. rufipogon and found the roPing system in 0. rufipogon. The distribution pattern of the roPing system in O. rufipogon indicated a diphyletlc origin of the Asian cultivated rice O. sativa species. We did not find the mPing system in another 20 Oryza species. These results substantiated a previous hypothesis that O. ruflpogon and O. nivara species were the closest relatives of O. sativa and that the two extant subspecies of O. sativa were evolved independently from corresponding ecotypes of O. ruflpogon.展开更多
Induction and mobilization of transposable elements （TEs） following DNA damage or other stresses has been reported in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Recently it was discovered that eukaryotic TEs are frequently associa...Induction and mobilization of transposable elements （TEs） following DNA damage or other stresses has been reported in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Recently it was discovered that eukaryotic TEs are frequently associated with long non-coding RNAs （IncRNAs）, many of which are also upregulated by stress. Yet, it is unknown whether DNA damage-induced transcriptional activation of TEs and IncRNAs occurs sporadically or is a synchronized, genome-wide response. Here we investigated the transcriptome of Arabidopsis wild- type （WT） and ataxia telangiectasia mutated （atm） mutant plants 3 h after induction of DNA damage. In WT, expression of 5.2% of the protein-coding genes is 〉 2-fold changed, whereas in atm plants, only 2.6% of these genes are regulated, and the response of genes associated with DNA repair, replication, and cell cy- cle is largely lost. In contrast, only less than 0.6% of TEs and IncRNAs respond to DNA damage in WT plants, and the regulation of 〉95% of them is ATM-dependent. The ATM-downstream factors BRCA1, DRM1, JMJ30, AGO2, and the ATM-independent AGO4 participate in the regulation of individual TEs and IncRNAs. Remarkably, protein-coding genes located adjacent to DNA damage-responsive TEs and IncRNAs are frequently coexpressed, which is consistent with the hypothesis that TEs and IncRNAs located close to genes commonly function as controlling elements.展开更多
基金supported by the Foundation of Gansu Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization for Biological Resources and Ecological Restoration in Longdong (LDSWZY202103)Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province (22JR5RM210)to B.P.L.Gansu Ziwuling Ecosystem Observation and Research Station (20JR10RA658)。
文摘Avian genomes exhibit compact organization and remarkable chromosomal stability.However,the extent and mechanisms by which structural variation in avian genomes differ from those in other vertebrate lineages are poorly explored.This study generated a diploid genome assembly for the golden pheasant(Chrysolophus pictus),a species distinguished by the vibrant plumage of males.Each haploid genome assembly included complete chromosomalmodels,incorporatingall microchromosomes.Analysis revealed extensive tandem amplification of immune-related genes across the smallest microchromosomes(dot chromosomes),with an average copy number of 54.Structural variation between the haploid genomes was primarily shaped by large insertions and deletions(indels),with minimal contributions from inversions or duplications.Approximately 28%of these large indels were associated with recent insertions of transposable elements,despite their typically low activity in bird genomes.Evidence for significant effects of transposable elements on gene expression was minimal.Evolutionary strata on the sex chromosomes were identified,along with a drastic rearrangement of the W chromosome.These analyses of the high-quality diploid genome of the golden pheasant provide valuable insights into the evolutionary patterns of structural variation in avian genomes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32160781)。
文摘Regulatory sequences and transposable elements(TEs)account for a large proportion of the genomic sequences of species;however,their roles in gene transcription,especially tissue-specific expression,remain largely unknown.Pigs serve as an excellent animal model for studying genomic sequence biology due to the extensive diversity among their wild and domesticated populations.Here,we conducted an integrated analysis using H3K27ac ChIP-seq,H3K4me3 ChIP-seq,and RNA-seq data from 10 different tissues of seven fetuses and eight closely related adult pigs.We aimed to annotate the regulatory elements and TEs to elucidate their associations with histone modifications and mRNA expression across different tissues and developmental stages.Based on correlation analysis between mRNA expression and H3K27ac and H3K4me3 peak activity,results indicated that H3K27ac exhibited stronger associations with gene expression than H3K4me3.Furthermore,1.45%of TEs overlapped with either the H3K27ac or H3K4me3 peaks,with the majority displaying tissue-specific activity.Notably,a TE subfamily(LTR4C_SS),containing binding motifs for SIX1 and SIX4,showed specific enrichment in the H3K27ac peaks of the adult and fetal ovaries.RNA-seq analysis also revealed widespread expression of TEs in the exons or promoters of genes,including 4688 TE-containing transcripts with distinct development stage-specific and tissue-specific expression.Of note,1967 TE-containing transcripts were enriched in the testes.We identified a long terminal repeat(LTR),MLT1F1,acting as a testis-specific alternative promoter in SRPK2(a cell cycle-related protein kinase)in our pig dataset.This element was also conserved in humans and mice,suggesting either an ancient integration of TEs in genes specifically expressed in the testes or parallel evolutionary patterns.Collectively,our findings demonstrate that TEs are deeply embedded in the genome and exhibit important tissue-specific biological functions,particularly in the reproductive organs.
基金the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1805232,31770156,and 32172365)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M690637)。
文摘The fine-tuned expression dynamics of the effector genes are pivotal for the transition from vegetative growth to host colonization of pathogenic filamentous fungi.However,mechanisms underlying the dynamic regulation of these genes remain largely unknown.Here,through comparative transcriptome and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing(ChIP-seq)analyses of the methyltransferase PoKmt6 in rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae(syn.Magnaporthe oryzae),we found that PoKmt6-mediated H3K27me3 deposition was enriched mainly at fast-evolving regions and contributed to the silencing of a subset of secreted proteins(SP)and transposable element(TE)families during the vegetative growth of P.oryzae.Intriguingly,we observed that a group of SP genes,which were depleted of H3K27me3 modification,could also be silenced via the H3K27me3-mediated repression of the nearby TEs.In conclusion,our results indicate that H3K27me3 modification mediated by PoKmt6 regulates the expression of some SP genes in fast-evolving regions through the suppression of nearby TEs.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31671319,31722050,32061130208)Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LD19C190001)+5 种基金European Research Council Starting Grant(grant agreement 677696)to Q.Z.the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB31020000,XDB13000000)International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(152453KYSB20170002)Carlsberg Foundation(CF16-0663)Villum Foundation(25900)to G.J.ZWe thank China National Genebank at BGI for contributing to the sequencing.We would like to thank Christopher C.Witt,Mariel L.Campbell and Ariel M.Gaffney from the Museum of Southwestern Biology,Gary Graves from Smithsonian Institute,Robb T.Brumfield and Donna L.Dittman from Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science,Jack Withrow and Andy Kratter from Florida Museum of Natural History,University of New Mexico for providing bird DNA samples for this work.
文摘Palaeognathae includes ratite and tinamou species that are important for understanding early avian evolution.Here,we analyzed the whole-genome sequences of 15 paleognathous species to infer their demographic histories,which are presently unknown.We found that most species showed a reduction of population size since the beginning of the last glacial period,except for those species distributed in Australasia and in the far south of South America.Different degrees of contraction and expansion of transposable elements(TE)have shaped the paleognathous genome architecture,with a higher transposon removal rate in tinamous than in ratites.One repeat family,AviRTE,likely underwent horizontal transfer from tropical parasites to the ancestor of little and undulated tinamous about 30 million years ago.Our analysis of gene families identified rapid turnover of immune and reproductionrelated genes but found no evidence of gene family changes underlying the convergent evolution of flightlessness among ratites.We also found that mitochondrial genes have experienced a faster evolutionary rate in tinamous than in ratites,with the former also showing more degenerated W chromosomes.This result can be explained by the Hill-Robertson interference affecting genetically linked W chromosomes and mitochondria.Overall,we reconstructed the evolutionary history of the Palaeognathae populations,genes,and TEs.Our findings of co-evolution between mitochondria and W chromosomes highlight the key difference in genome evolution between species with ZW sex chromosomes and those with XY sex chromosomes.
基金provided by the Special Fund for Agro-Scientific Research in the Public Interest, China (201003067-02)the Natural Science Foundation Project of CQ CSTC (cstc2012jj A80025)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (XDJK2014A001, XDJK2014D004)
文摘Two miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements（MITEs）, MCLas-A and MCLas-B, were recently identified from ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus＇ known to be associated with citrus Huanglongbing（HLB, yellow shoot disease）. MCLas-A was suggested as an active MITE because of its mobility. The immediate upstream gene of the two MITEs was predicted to be a putative transposase. The goal of this study is to analyze the sequence variation in the upstream putative transposase of MITEs and explore the possible correlation between sequence variation of transposase gene and MITE activity. PCR and sequence analysis showed that 12 sequence types were found in six major amplicon types from 43 representative ‘Ca. L. asiaticus＇ isolates from China, the United States and Brazil. Out of the 12 sequence types, three（T4, T5-2, T6） were reported for the first time. Recombination events were found in the two unique sequence types（T5-2 and T6） which were detected in all Brazilian isolates. Notably, no sequence variation or recombination events were detected in the upstream putative transposase gene of MCLas-A, suggesting the conservation of the transposase gene might be closely related with the MITE activity. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated two well supported clades including five subclades were identified, clearly reflecting the geographical origins of isolates, especially that of Ruili isolates, S？o Paulo isolates and a few Florida isolates.
基金supported by the High-Tech R&D Program of China(2006AA10A106)the open funds of the National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and China National Fundamental Fund of Personnel Training (J0730649)
文摘Mutator transposable element （Mu） has been used as an effective tool to clone maize （Zea mays L.） genes. One opaque endosperm mutant （miol6） was identified in a pool of Mu inserted mutants. A modified method, termed the double selected amplification of insertion flanking fragments （DSAIFF）, was employed to isolate the Mu flanking fragments （MFFs） of miol6. The target site duplications （TSDs） isolated from the Msp I and Mse I digested MFFs had a same 9-bp sequence and were confirmed to be the flanking sequence of one identically inserted gene. Co-segregation analysis suggested that the MFFs were associated with the mutant opaque endosperm, and miol6 was mapped in silico onto the physical position ranged from 229 965 021 to 229 965 409 bp of the maize chromosome 4.09 bin. The full-length cDNA of the wild-type gene was obtained by an RT-PCR primer-scanning technique, and Mio16 was found to putatively encode a homolog of the Arabidopsis MAP3K delta-1 protein kinase. RT-PCR result the mRNA expression of miol6 region anchored by primers Mu20 and af276 was not interrupted by Mu insertion. Further researches will be done to elucidate how the expression of miol6 is alternated by Mu insertion.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31501341)Outstanding Youth Foundation of Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences(No.2016YQ29).
文摘Miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements(MITEs)are a group of DNA transposable element(TE)which preferentially distributed with gene associated regions.Tens of MITEs families have been revealed in Brassica napus genome,they scatter across the genome with tens of thousands copies and produce polymorphisms both intra-and inter-species.Our previous studies revealed a Tourist-like MITE,Monkey King,associated with vernalization requirement of B.napus,however there are still few studies reveal MITE association with agricultural traits in B.napus.In the present study,80 polymorphic markers were developed from 55 MITEs,and used to evaluate genetic diversity in a panel of B.napus accessions consisting of 101 natural and 25 synthetic genotypes.Five agricultural traits,oil content,glucosinolate content,erucic acid content,weight of thousand seeds(WTS)and plant height,were investigated across 3-years field experiments,in addition,two traits,hypocotyl length and root length,were evaluated at the 4-leaf stage in the laboratory.Correlations between the MITE-based markers and seven traits were analyzed,finally,10 polymorphic markers produced by 6 pairs of MITE specific primers were revealed relatively high correlation with 5 traits.Two polymorphic markers were anchored with two candidate genes,BnaA02g13530D and BnaA08g20010D,respectively,which may contribute to glucosinolate content and WTS.This research may contribute to genetic improvement through utilization of MITE-induced polymorphisms in Brassica species.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U20A2045)the Base of Introducing Talents for Tea Plant Biology and Quality Chemistry(D20026)the Science and Technology Project of Yunnan Province(grant no.202102AE090038).
文摘Dear Editor,The tea plant(Camellia sinensis)is an evergreen species.Past breeding efforts have created purple leaf tea varieties with enhanced health benefits,such as‘Zijuan’(C.sinensis var.assa-mica cv.Zijuan[ZJ])(Figure 1A).To understand the mechanisms underlying the purple trait,the genome of ZJ was assembled using PacBio and Hi-C technologies(Figure 1B).The assembled genome size is approximately 3.06 Gb,comprising 1344 scaffolds with a scaffold N50 size of approximately 214.76 Mb(Supplemental Table 1).In addition,99.12%of the assembled sequences were anchored to 15 chromosomes.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFF1003303,2022YFD1201400)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32301796,32272064)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2412023QD021,2412023YQ005)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation grant(2019M651236).
文摘The domains rearranged methyltransferases(DRMs)play a critical role in the RNA-directed DNA methylation(RdDM)pathway in plants.However,the effects of inactivating the RdDM pathway on gene expression,transposable element(TE)activity,and phenotype in soybean remain unexplored.Here,we employed clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 gene editing to generate a quintuple mutant line in soybean(Gmdrm2a^(−/−)2b^(−/−)2c^(−/−)3a^(−/−)3b^(−/−),designated Gmdrm).Gmdrm exhibited severe developmental abnormalities,including dwarfism and delayed growth,albeit remaining viable and fertile;however,the fully homozygous mutant could be maintained for a limited number of generations(T0–T3).Whole genome bisulfite sequencing revealed a significant reduction in DNA methylation across all cytosine sequence contexts,with an average loss of 10%.The loss of mC was biased toward euchromatic regions,which is in contrast to the chromomethylase mutant.Transcriptome profiling identified 1,685 up-regulated genes,including photosynthesis-related genes,accompanied with altered chloroplast ultrastructure.Additionally,a cluster of resistance(R)genes on chromosome 16 was significantly up-regulated,coinciding with their reduced non-CG methylation.We also observed 3,164 differentially expressed TEs(DETs),of which,2,655 were up-regulated and hypomethylated along their entire length.A substantial reduction in the abundance of 24-nt small interfering RNAs(siRNAs)in the Gmdrm mutant was detected by small RNA sequencing.Of note,the DRM-targeted TEs typically display higher levels of 24-nt siRNA abundance,shorter lengths,and are more AT-rich compared to chromomethylase-targeted TEs,highlighting 24-nt siRNAs as key determinants of DRM-dependent TE regulation.Together,this study documents a critical role of DRM-mediated DNA methylation in regulating gene expression,TE silencing,and normal development in soybean.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(91940301,32441002,32370341,and 32201844)the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China(2022JQ-172)+2 种基金Zhongyuan Scholar Program(234000510002)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFD1200601-04)the Hundred-Talent Program of Zhejiang University.
文摘Polyploidization is a fundamental evolutionary process in plants,including bread wheat.In the present study,we performed a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of dynamic homoeologous gene divergence in Aikang58(AK58),a modern elite polyploid wheat cultivar with a recently released reference genome,and in other wheat genomes,including landraces,synthetic wheat,and several breeding lines.Over 40% of transposable element(TE)families exhibit biased distribution across the three wheat subgenomes.Approximately 95.0%(113421)of genes are co-located with TEs,and these variable TEs significantly contribute to homoeologous divergence.We found that about 80%of triad homoeologs are divergent due to differences in expression or sub-functionalization.In addition,subgenome divergence potentially promote polyploid wheat domestication and improvement by increasing favorable homoeoallele combinations.Our findings suggest that homoeolog divergence contributes to the adaptation,domestication,and improvement of hexaploid wheat.The contribution of subgenomic divergence to polyploid heterosis is also discussed.This study provides a valuable resource for the investigation of how TEs drive homoeologous divergence during wheat domestication and improvement.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC,nos.31770331 and 31970318)Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(no.2020B1515120023).
文摘The ultimate goal of genome assembly is a high-accuracy gapless genome.Here,we report a new assembly pipeline that is used to produce a gapless genome for the indica rice cultivar Minghui 63.The resulting 397.71-Mb final assembly is composed of 12 contigs with a contig N50 size of 31.93 Mb.Each chromosome is represented by a single contig and the genomic sequences of all chromosomes are gapless.Quality evaluation of this gapless genome assembly showed that gene regions in our assembly have the highest completeness compared with the other 15 reported high-quality rice genomes.Further comparison with the japonica rice genome revealed that the gapless indica genome assembly contains more transposable elements(TEs)and segmental duplications(SDs),the latter of which produce many duplicated genes that can affect agronomic traits through dose effect or sub-/neo-functionalization.The insertion of TEs can also affect the expression of duplicated genes,which may drive the evolution of these genes.Furthermore,we found the expansion of nucleotide-binding site with leucine-rich repeat disease-resistance genes and cis-zeatin-O-glucosyltransferase growth-related genes in SDs in the gapless indica genome assembly,suggesting that SDs contribute to the adaptive evolution of rice disease resistance and developmental processes.Collectively,our findings suggest that active TEs and SDs synergistically contribute to rice genome evolution.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(90717009)the Chinese National Basic Research Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2010CB126000)
文摘Transposable elements(TEs)usually occupy largest fractions of plant genome and are also the most variable part of the structure.Although traditionally it is hallmarked as"junk and selfish DNA",today more and more evidence points out TE’s participation in gene regulations including gene mutation,duplication,movement and novel gene creation via genetic and epigenetic mechanisms.The recently sequenced genomes of diploid cottons Gossypium arboreum(AA)and Gossypium raimondii(DD)together with their allotetraploid progeny Gossypium hirsutum(At At Dt Dt)provides a unique opportunity to compare genome variations in the Gossypium genus and to analyze the functions of TEs during its evolution.TEs accounted for 57%,68.5%and67.2%,respectively in DD,AA and At At Dt Dt genomes.The 1,694 Mb A-genome was found to harbor more LTR(long terminal repeat)-type retrotransposons that made cardinal contributions to the twofold increase in its genome size after evolution from the 775.2 Mb D-genome.Although the 2,173 Mb At At Dt Dt genome showed similar TE content to the A-genome,the total numbers of LTR-gypsy and LTR-copia type TEs varied significantly between these two genomes.Considering their roles on rewiring gene regulatory networks,we believe that TEs may somehow be involved in cotton fiber cell development.Indeed,the insertion or deletion of different TEs in the upstream region of two important transcription factor genes in At or Dt subgenomes resulted in qualitative differences in target gene expression.We suggest that our findings may open a window for improving cotton agronomic traits by editing TE activities.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(3121010390131123007)+2 种基金the National Basic Research Program of China(2013CB835200)the State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics(2015B0129-01)Liya Wei was supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2015M570170)
文摘Transposable elements(TEs), originally discovered in maize as controlling elements, are the main components of most eukaryotic genomes. TEs have been regarded as deleterious genomic parasites due to their ability to undergo massive amplification. However, TEs can regulate gene expression and alter phenotypes. Also, emerging findings demonstrate that TEs can establish and rewire gene regulatory networks by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the key roles of TEs in fine-tuning the regulation of gene expression leading to phenotypic plasticity in plants and humans, and the implications for adaption and natural selection.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.30571146)the Rice Project(04–06) of Zhejiang Province of China
文摘Transposable elements （TEs） are mobile genetic entities ubiquitously distributed in nearly all genomes. High frequency of codons ending in A/T in TEs has been previously observed in some species. In this study, the biases in nucleotide composition and codon usage of TE transposases and host nuclear genes were investigated in the AT-rich genome of Arabidopsis thaliana and the GC-rich genome of Oryza sativa. Codons ending in A/T are more frequently used by TEs compared with their host nuclear genes. A remarkable positive correlation between highly expressed nuclear genes and C/G-ending codons were detected in O. sativa （r=0.944 and 0.839, respectively, P〈0.0001） but not in A. thaliana, indicating a close association between the GC content and gene expression level in monocot species. In both species, TE codon usage biases are similar to that of weakly expressed genes. The expression and activity of TEs may be strictly controlled in plant genomes. Mutation bias and selection pressure have simultaneously acted on the TE evolution in A. thaliana and O. sativa. The consistently observed biases of nucleotide composition and codon usage of TEs may also provide a useful clue to accurately detect TE sequences in different species.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31471242,31550110206)China Postdoctoral Association(2014M552250)the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province,China(2014B030301058)
文摘Transposable elements(TEs) are mobile genomic sequences of DNA capable of autonomous and nonautonomous duplication. TEs have been highly successful,and nearly half of the human genome now consists of various families of TEs. Originally thought to be non-functional,these elements have been co-opted by animal genomes to perform a variety of physiological functions ranging from TE-derived proteins acting directly in normal biological functions, to innovations in transcription factor logic and influence on epigenetic control of gene expression. During embryonic development, when the genome is epigenetically reprogrammed and DNA-demethylated, TEs are released from repression and show embryonic stage-specific expression, and in human and mouse embryos, intact TEderived endogenous viral particles can even be detected. Asimilar process occurs during the reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotent cells: When the somatic DNA is demethylated, TEs are released from repression. In embryonic stem cells(ESCs), where DNA is hypomethylated, an elaborate system of epigenetic control is employed to suppress TEs, a system that often overlaps with normal epigenetic control of ESC gene expression. Finally, many long non-coding RNAs(lnc RNAs) involved in normal ESC function and those assisting or impairing reprogramming contain multiple TEs in their RNA. These TEs may act as regulatory units to recruit RNA-binding proteins and epigenetic modifiers. This review covers how TEs are interlinked with the epigenetic machinery and lnc RNAs, and how these links influence each other to modulate aspects of ESCs,embryogenesis, and somatic cell reprogramming.
文摘Dear Editor ：The sustainable cultivation of rice, which serves as staple food crop for more than half of the world＇s population, is under serious threat due to the huge yield losses inflicted by rice blast disease caused by the globally destructive fungus Magnaporthe oryzae （Pyricularia oryzae） （Dean et al., 2012; Nalley et al., 2016; Deng et al., 2017）. This filamentous ascomycete fungus is also capable of causing blast infection on other economically important cereal crops, including wheat, millet, and barley, making it the world＇s most important plant pathogenic fungus （Zhong et al., 2016）.
基金Supported by Grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China （2002AA2Z1003 and 2003AA222091 ）, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology （038019315）, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China （30325014）.
文摘In the present study, we report a survey on a Miniature Inverted Transposable Element （MITE） system known as mPing in 102 varieties of Asian cultivated rice （Oryza sativa L.）. We found that mPing populations could be generalized Into two families, mPing-1 and mPing-2, according to their sequence structures. Further analysis showed that these two families of mPing had significant bias in their distribution pattern in two subspecies of rice, namely O. sativa ssp. japonica and indica. 0. sativa japonica has a higher proportion of mPing-1 as a general trait, whereas 0. sativa indica has a higher proportion of roPing-2. We also examined the mPing system In a doubled haploid （DH） cross-breeding population of jingxi 17 （japonica） and zhaiyeqing 8 （indica） varieties and observed that the mPing system was not tightly linked to major subspecies-determining genes. Furthermore, we checked the mPing system in 28 accessions of Asian common wild rice O. rufipogon and found the roPing system in 0. rufipogon. The distribution pattern of the roPing system in O. rufipogon indicated a diphyletlc origin of the Asian cultivated rice O. sativa species. We did not find the mPing system in another 20 Oryza species. These results substantiated a previous hypothesis that O. ruflpogon and O. nivara species were the closest relatives of O. sativa and that the two extant subspecies of O. sativa were evolved independently from corresponding ecotypes of O. ruflpogon.
文摘Induction and mobilization of transposable elements （TEs） following DNA damage or other stresses has been reported in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Recently it was discovered that eukaryotic TEs are frequently associated with long non-coding RNAs （IncRNAs）, many of which are also upregulated by stress. Yet, it is unknown whether DNA damage-induced transcriptional activation of TEs and IncRNAs occurs sporadically or is a synchronized, genome-wide response. Here we investigated the transcriptome of Arabidopsis wild- type （WT） and ataxia telangiectasia mutated （atm） mutant plants 3 h after induction of DNA damage. In WT, expression of 5.2% of the protein-coding genes is 〉 2-fold changed, whereas in atm plants, only 2.6% of these genes are regulated, and the response of genes associated with DNA repair, replication, and cell cy- cle is largely lost. In contrast, only less than 0.6% of TEs and IncRNAs respond to DNA damage in WT plants, and the regulation of 〉95% of them is ATM-dependent. The ATM-downstream factors BRCA1, DRM1, JMJ30, AGO2, and the ATM-independent AGO4 participate in the regulation of individual TEs and IncRNAs. Remarkably, protein-coding genes located adjacent to DNA damage-responsive TEs and IncRNAs are frequently coexpressed, which is consistent with the hypothesis that TEs and IncRNAs located close to genes commonly function as controlling elements.
