0000000000165015
AUTHOR
Bipin Balan
Deploying Genome Editing Tools for Dissecting the Biology of Nut Trees
Walnuts are among the most important nut crops grown in temperate regions of the world. Commercial production in California, and increasingly worldwide, relies on only few clonally grafted scion genotypes, particularly “Chandler,” and more recently clonally propagated disease-resistant rootstocks. Diseases, nematodes, insect pests, abiotic stresses, and other nutritional and environmental factors, can reduce walnut productivity and quality, affecting grower profitability. The California Walnut Breeding Program at UC Davis has developed and released scion cultivars and rootstocks to help address some of these problems. Sequencing of the walnut genome is expected to speed walnut breeding by f…
INVESTIGATION OF BIOTIC STRESS RESPONSES IN FRUIT TREE CROPS USING META-ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES.
In recent years, RNA sequencing and analysis using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) methods have enabled to understand the gene expression pertaining to plant biotic and abiotic stress conditions in both quantitative and qualitative manner. The large number of transcriptomic works published in plants requires more meta-analysis studies that would identify common and specific features in relation of the high number of objective studies performed at different developmental and environmental conditions. Meta-analysis of transcriptomic data will identify commonalities and differences between differentially regulated gene lists and will allow screen which genes are key players in gene-gene and p…
Identifying Host Molecular Features Strongly Linked With Responses to Huanglongbing Disease in Citrus Leaves
© 2018 Balan, Ibáñez, Dandekar, Caruso and Martinelli. A bioinformatic analysis of previously published RNA-Seq studies on Huanglongbing (HLB) response and tolerance in leaf tissues was performed. The aim was to identify genes commonly modulated between studies and genes, pathways and gene set categories strongly associated with this devastating Citrus disease. Bioinformatic analysis of expression data of four datasets present in NCBI provided 46–68 million reads with an alignment percentage of 72.95–86.76%. Only 16 HLB-regulated genes were commonly identified between the three leaf datasets. Among them were key genes encoding proteins involved in cell wall modification such as CESA8, pecti…
Identification of miRNAs linked with the drought response of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], a staple food crop in the Horn of Africa and particularly in Ethiopia, has several beneficial agronomical and nutritional properties, including waterlogging and drought tolerance. In this study, we performed microRNA profiling of tef using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform, analyzing both shoots and roots of two tef genotypes, one drought-tolerant (Tsedey) and one drought-susceptible (Alba). We obtained more than 10 million filtered reads for each of the 24 sequenced small cDNA libraries. Reads mapping to known miRNAs were more abundant in the root than shoot tissues. Thirteen and 35 miRNAs were significantly modulated in response to drought, in Alba and…
RNA-Seq analysis to investigate alternate bearing mechanism in Pistacia vera L
Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) production suffers a high level of alternate bearing. The mechanism underlying this negative phenomenon is different from other species, such as apple and olive. Pistachio produces a high number of inflorescence buds every year that in heavy cropping trees (“ON”) mostly fall during the kernel development phase, which occurs in July-August. Primary metabolites (i.e., carbohydrates) play a key role in the signaling related to inflorescence bud abscission. In this work, RNA-Seq was used as a tool to investigate transcriptome of inflorescence buds and fruits, sampled from branches with low (“OFF”) and high (“ON”) crop load. Reference based RNA-Seq analysis using Ara…
Transcriptome Analysis of Pistacia vera Inflorescence Buds in Bearing and Non-Bearing Shoots Reveals the Molecular Mechanism Causing Premature Flower Bud Abscission
The alteration of heavy (&ldquo
Transcriptomic responses to biotic stresses in Malus x domestica: a meta-analysis study.
AbstractRNA-Seq analysis is a strong tool to gain insight into the molecular responses to biotic stresses in plants. The objective of this work is to identify specific and common molecular responses between different transcriptomic data related to fungi, virus and bacteria attacks in Malus x domestica. We analyzed seven transcriptomic datasets in Malus x domestica divided in responses to fungal pathogens, virus (Apple Stem Grooving Virus) and bacteria (Erwinia amylovora). Data were dissected using an integrated approach of pathway- and gene- set enrichment analysis, Mapman visualization tool, gene ontology analysis and inferred protein-protein interaction network. Our meta-analysis revealed…
Gut germinal center regeneration and enhanced antiviral immunity by mesenchymal stem/stromal cells in SIV infection.
Although antiretroviral therapy suppresses HIV replication, it does not eliminate viral reservoirs or restore damaged lymphoid tissue, posing obstacles to HIV eradication. Using the SIV model of AIDS, we investigated the effect of mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) infusions on gut mucosal recovery, antiviral immunity, and viral suppression and determined associated molecular/metabolic signatures. MSC administration to SIV-infected macaques resulted in viral reduction and heightened virus-specific responses. Marked clearance of SIV-positive cells from gut mucosal effector sites was correlated with robust regeneration of germinal centers, restoration of follicular B cells and T follicular h…
Genome-Wide Profiling and Phylogenetic Analysis of the SWEET Sugar Transporter Gene Family in Walnut and Their Lack of Responsiveness to Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis Infection
Following photosynthesis, sucrose is translocated to sink organs, where it provides the primary source of carbon and energy to sustain plant growth and development. Sugar transporters from the SWEET (sugar will eventually be exported transporter) family are rate-limiting factors that mediate sucrose transport across concentration gradients, sustain yields, and participate in reproductive development, plant senescence, stress responses, as well as support plant&ndash
Holocene selection for variants associated with cognitive ability: Comparing ancient and modern genomes
ABSTRACTHuman populations living in Eurasia during the Holocene experienced considerable microevolutionary change. It has been predicted that the transition of Holocene populations into agrarianism and urbanization brought about culture-gene coevolution that favoured via directional selection genetic variants associated with higher general cognitive ability (GCA). To examine whether GCA might have risen during the Holocene, we compare a sample of 99 ancient Eurasian genomes (ranging from 4.56 to 1.21 kyr BP) with a sample of 503 modern European genomes, using three different cognitive polygenic scores. Significant differences favouring the modern genomes were found for all three polygenic s…
Gaining Insight into Exclusive and Common Transcriptomic Features Linked with Biotic Stress Responses in Malus
Identifying key information in transcriptomic data is very important, especially when the “omic” study deals with plant responses to stresses in field conditions where a high number of variables and disturbing factors may affect the analysis. In this meta-analysis we collected 12 transcriptomic works in Malus in order to identify which key genes, proteins, gene categories are involved in general plant pathological conditions and those features linked with exclusive biotic stress responses. Those genes that are only related with molecular responses to pathogen attacks and those linked with other plant physiological processes were identified. A pipeline composed by pathway and gene set enrich…
Transcriptomic Analysis of the Pistacia vera (L.) Fruits Enable the Identification of Genes and Hormone-Related Gene Linked to Inflorescence Bud Abscission
Pistacia vera (L.) is an alternate bearing species. The tree produces axillary inflorescence buds every year. Still, they abscise in “ON” overloaded shoots, causing a limited production in the following “OFF” year, causing a significant and unfavorable production fluctuation. In this work, we carried out de novo discovery and transcriptomic analysis in fruits of “ON” and “OFF” shoots of the cultivar Bianca. We also investigated whether the fruit signaling pathway and hormone biosynthesis directly or indirectly linked to the premature fall of the inflorescence buds causing alternate bearing. We identified 1536 differentially expressed genes (DE…
Holocene Selection for Variants Associated With General Cognitive Ability: Comparing Ancient and Modern Genomes
Human populations living during the Holocene underwent considerable microevolutionary change. It has been theorized that the transition of Holocene populations into agrarianism and urbanization brought about culture-gene co-evolution that favored via directional selection genetic variants associated with higher general cognitive ability (GCA). To examine whether GCA might have risen during the Holocene, we compare a sample of 99 ancient Eurasian genomes (ranging from 4.56 to 1.21 kyr BP) with a sample of 503 modern European genomes (Fst= 0.013), using three different cognitive polygenic scores (130 SNP, 9 SNP and 11 SNP). Significant differences favoring the modern genomes were found for al…