Review
Cell Biology
Kousik Sundararajan, Aaron F. Straight
Summary: Eukaryotes segregate their chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis by attaching them to the microtubules of the spindle using centromeres, with CENP-A playing a crucial role in centromere organization. Understanding and correcting errors in CENP-A organization is important for proper chromosome segregation during cell division.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Koei Okazaki, Megumi Nakano, Jun-ichirou Ohzeki, Koichiro Otake, Kazuto Kugou, Vladimir Larionov, William C. Earnshaw, Hiroshi Masumoto
Summary: Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) are formed by introducing large centromeric sequences into cells, and the balance of chromatin states on the alphoid DNA is crucial for HAC formation. Our study explores the relationship between chromatin architecture and de novo HAC formation efficiency, and found that a combination of mutated and wild-type alphoid repeats enhances HAC formation.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesca M. Piras, Eleonora Cappelletti, Marco Santagostino, Solomon G. Nergadze, Elena Giulotto, Elena Raimondi
Summary: The centromere is a crucial locus for proper chromosome segregation. Although its function is conserved and epigenetically regulated, centromeric DNA sequences are composed of rapidly evolving satellite DNA. The recent discovery of functional satellite-free centromeres in certain animal and plant species has provided new insights into the epigenetic nature of centromeres and their evolutionary requirements.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eleonora Cappelletti, Francesca M. Piras, Lorenzo Sola, Marco Santagostino, Wasma A. Abdelgadir, Elena Raimondi, Francesco Lescai, Solomon G. Nergadze, Elena Giulotto
Summary: Through ChIP-seq experiments on zebras, researchers discovered that a majority of centromeres in zebras lack satellite DNA, which challenges the role of satellite DNA in centromere function. They also found that satellite-free centromeres can arise from centromere repositioning, Robertsonian fusion, or inversion breakpoints.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biology
Yuting Liu, Kehui Wang, Li Huang, Jicheng Zhao, Xinpeng Chen, Qiang Wu, Zhouliang Yu, Guohong Li
Summary: The phosphorylation of CENP-A Ser68 is crucial for the cell-cycle-dependent deposition of CENP-A and cell viability.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chuanqi Jiang, Guangying Wang, Jing Zhang, Siyu Gu, Xueyan Wang, Weiwei Qin, Kai Chen, Dongxia Yuan, Xiaocui Chai, Mingkun Yang, Fang Zhou, Jie Xiong, Wei Miao
Summary: Researchers developed an integrated Genome Decontamination Pipeline (iGDP) to filter contaminated ciliate genome assemblies from wild specimens, resulting in high-quality ciliate genomes. iGDP showed good performance in filtering contaminants and can be applied to other microeukaryotes.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2023)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Glennis A. Logsdon, Evan E. Eichler
Summary: The complete sequence of a human genome has provided a comprehensive view of satellite DNA organization associated with heterochromatin. The understanding of human centromeric DNA's genetic architecture and epigenetic properties has advanced as a result. Preliminary studies of human and nonhuman ape centromeres reveal complex mutational changes organized around evolutionary layers, providing new insights into centromeric function and its implications for human biology and health.
Article
Cell Biology
Marina Murillo-Pineda, Luis P. Valente, Marie Dumont, Joao F. Mata, Daniele Fachinetti, Lars E. T. Jansen
Summary: A newly formed neocentromere in human cells was reported, which was formed purely epigenetically and showed the assembly of a functional kinetochore correlated with CENP-A seeding, eviction of H3K9me3, and local accumulation of mitotic cohesin and RNA polymerase II. Over time, the neocentromere showed increased CPC assembly and low-level transcription, indicating centromere maturation.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Laura Gaspa-Toneu, Antoine H. F. M. Peters
Summary: The genome of mammalian sperm is packaged by protamines, but some residual nucleosomes may contribute to paternal inheritance. Sperm nucleosomes carry important histone marks and can be found in gene-regulatory regions and intergenic regions. It is unclear whether sperm nucleosomes are retained in a deterministic or random manner. Recent studies suggest heterogeneity in chromatin packaging within sperm populations and extensive reprogramming of paternal histone marks post fertilization. Understanding the distribution of single-sperm nucleosomes is essential for assessing their role in mammalian embryonic development and the transmission of acquired phenotypes.
CURRENT OPINION IN GENETICS & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shumpei P. Yasuda, Yuki Miyasaka, Xuehan Hou, Yo Obara, Hiroshi Shitara, Yuta Seki, Kunie Matsuoka, Ai Takahashi, Eri Wakai, Hiroshi Hibino, Toyoyuki Takada, Toshihiko Shiroishi, Ryo Kominami, Yoshiaki Kikkawa
Summary: A new MSM/Ms strain with resistance to various age-related phenotypes was established using Japanese wild mice. The strain showed delayed age-related hearing loss and two loci associated with hearing resistance were mapped.
Article
Virology
Ashley Thommana, Migun Shakya, Jaykumar Gandhi, Christian K. Fung, Patrick S. G. Chain, Irina Maljkovic Berry, Matthew A. Conte
Summary: Despite global sequencing and surveillance efforts for SARS-CoV-2, the timely identification of novel variants of concern (VoCs) remains challenging. In this study, researchers developed a method called iSKIM to quickly screen and identify intrahost mutations belonging to VoCs from a large number of publicly available SARS-CoV-2 datasets. Certain mutations were found to increase in frequency as intrahost minor variants just prior to, or during the emergence of VoCs. This study provides a potential tool for early detection of novel variant spread.
Article
Biology
Rohini Bansal, Maximilian Nagel, Romana Stopkova, Yizhak Sofer, Tali Kimchi, Pavel Stopka, Marc Spehr, Yoram Ben-Shaul
Summary: Despite genetic variations, animals' olfactory systems are able to maintain stable representations of stimuli, providing a basis for common behaviors. Laboratory inbreeding does not always result in modifications that impact key ethological features related to wild animals.
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Martine Ammassari-Teule
Summary: Efforts have been made to increase the face validity of AD mouse models by generating AD mutations closer to those identified in humans and enhancing genetic diversity of wild-type backgrounds. However, the cognitive specialization of inbred strains and the importance of studying destabilization of memory circuits in pre-symptomatic mice have been less considered. Studies have shown that inbred mice differ in their innate predisposition to rely on episodic vs. procedural memory and investigating training-driven neural alterations in asymptomatic mutants unveils early synaptic damage.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Magdalena Kujawska, Aura Raulo, Molly Millar, Fred Warren, Laima Baltrunaite, Sarah C. L. Knowles, Lindsay J. Hall
Summary: This study provides a genome-level analysis of Bifidobacterium isolated from wild small mammals in the UK and Lithuania. The results show that most strains are specific to a single population and host specificity is not correlated with geographic location. Functional analysis reveals that these strains possess a diverse range of carbohydrate-active enzymes, possibly acquired via horizontal gene transfer.
ISME COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wen Luo, Jiahui Chen, Limin Li, Xueyi Ren, Tian Cheng, Shiyi Lu, Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Qinghua Nie, Xiquan Zhang, Olivier Hanotte
CELL DEATH AND DIFFERENTIATION
(2019)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Raman A. Lawal, Raed M. Al-Atiyat, Riyadh S. Aljumaah, Pradeepa Silva, Joram M. Mwacharo, Olivier Hanotte
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2018)
Article
Biology
Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Simon H. Martin, Koen Vanmechelen, Addie Vereijken, Pradeepa Silva, Raed Mahmoud Al-Atiyat, Riyadh Salah Aljumaah, Joram M. Mwacharo, Dong-Dong Wu, Ya-Ping Zhang, Paul M. Hocking, Jacqueline Smith, David Wragg, Olivier Hanotte
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natalie R. Powers, Beth L. Dumont, Chihiro Emori, Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Catherine Brunton, Kenneth Paigen, Mary Ann Handel, Ewelina Bolcun-Filas, Petko M. Petkov, Tanmoy Bhattacharyya
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Bolin Cai, Zhenhui Li, Manting Ma, Jing Zhang, Shaofen Kong, Bahareldin Ali Abdalla, Haiping Xu, Endashaw Jebessa, Xiquan Zhang, Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Qinghua Nie
Summary: 104 myogenic-associated lncRNAs were found to be translated into small peptides, and a novel muscle atrophy-associated lncRNA named SMUL was identified, which promoted myoblast proliferation and suppressed differentiation. SMUL restrained SMURF2 production via NMD, participating in the regulation of the TGF-beta/SMAD pathway.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS
(2021)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
R. A. Lawal, O. Hanotte
Summary: Chicken is the most numerous among domesticated livestock species, with strong adaptability to diverse environments, helping address food security challenges. Recent studies on chicken genomes have provided new knowledge and highlighted the role of human and natural selection in shaping species diversity.
Article
Biology
Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Uma P. Arora, Beth L. Dumont
Summary: The study leveraged 154 whole-genome sequences from various wild house mouse populations to examine the geographic organization of functional variation and identify signals of positive selection. They found a significant proportion of unique variations in single populations, including many predicted functional alleles, and strong signals of positive selection at genes associated with human diseases. Additionally, they uncovered multiple signals of selection at genes involved in dietary adaptations, suggesting the role of adaptation in shaping genetic variation in wild mouse populations.
Article
Cell Biology
Bolin Cai, Manting Ma, Jing Zhang, Shaofen Kong, Zhen Zhou, Zhenhui Li, Bahareldin Ali Abdalla, Haiping Xu, Xiquan Zhang, Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Qinghua Nie
Summary: This study discovers a long non-coding RNA called ZFP36L2-AS that plays a crucial role in regulating muscle metabolism. It promotes myoblast differentiation while inhibiting myoblast proliferation, and also contributes to intramuscular fat deposition and muscle atrophy.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Uma P. Arora, Beth L. Dumont
Summary: This article discusses the existence and impact of meiotic drive in species, and highlights the importance of studying this phenomenon in the model system of house mice to understand the mechanisms and potential consequences of meiotic drive in humans.
CHROMOSOME RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Semiu Folaniyi Bello, Haiping Xu, Kan Li, Lijin Guo, Siyu Zhang, Ridwan Olawale Ahmed, Endashaw Jebessa Bekele, Ming Zheng, Mingjian Xian, Bahareldin Ali Abdalla, Adeniyi Charles Adeola, Adeyinka Abiola Adetula, Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Weijian Zhu, Dexiang Zhang, Xiquan Zhang, Congliang Ji, Qinghua Nie
Summary: This study investigates the role of AKT3 gene in egg production traits in Muscovy ducks. The mRNA expression of AKT3 was found to be significantly higher in high producing ducks compared to low producing ducks. Additionally, three variants in AKT3 were discovered to be associated with egg production traits. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanism of AKT3 in regulating egg production in Muscovy ducks.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Verity L. Mathis, Mary E. Barter, Jeremy R. Charette, Alexis Garretson, Beth L. Dumont
Summary: This study integrates genome sequencing data from different subspecies of house mice and finds that the secondary subspecies M. m. bactrianus and M. m. helgolandicus do not show genetic differentiation from the primary subspecies M. m. castaneus and M. m. domesticus, respectively. This suggests that the taxonomic designations of M. m. bactrianus and M. m. helgolandicus are not well-justified. The study also provides experimental procedures for generating whole genome sequences from air-dried mouse skins and offers genomic resources for future studies on wild mouse diversity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Semiu Folaniyi Bello, Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Adeniyi Charles Adeola, Qinghua Nie
Summary: Chicken is a valuable source of protein and the subject of research due to its genetic and phenotypic variations resulting from natural and artificial selection. Various approaches, including whole genome sequencing, have been used to detect selection signatures and identify candidate genes in different chicken breeds. In addition, gene enrichment analyses help determine pathways and gene ontology related to specific traits in chicken. This review summarizes different studies on selection signatures and provides suggestions for future research to strengthen the findings and understand the importance of selection in chicken conservation for the growing human population.