Transcriptional profiling of a Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolate and its isogenic agr and sarA mutants reveals global differences in comparison to the laboratory strain RN6390

Microbiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 152 (10) ◽  
pp. 3075-3090 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Cassat ◽  
Paul M. Dunman ◽  
Ellen Murphy ◽  
Steven J. Projan ◽  
Karen E. Beenken ◽  
...  

The production of Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors is under the control of complex regulatory circuits. Most studies aimed at defining these regulatory networks have focused on derivatives of the strain NCTC 8325, most notably RN6390. However, all NCTC 8325 derivatives, including RN6390, possess an 11 bp deletion in rsbU. This deletion renders NCTC 8325 derivatives naturally sigma-factor-B deficient. Recent studies have shown that RN6390 is also deficient, in comparison to clinical isolates, with respect to biofilm formation, a process which is important for both pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance. Based on these considerations, the authors carried out genome-scale transcriptional profiling, comparing RN6390 with the virulent rsbU-positive clinical isolate UAMS-1. The results revealed significant genome-wide differences in expression patterns between RN6390 and UAMS-1, and suggested that the overall transcriptional profile of UAMS-1 is geared toward expression of factors that promote colonization and biofilm formation. In contrast, the transcriptional profile of RN6390 was heavily influenced by RNAIII expression, resulting in a phenotype characterized by increased production of exoproteins, and decreased capacity to form a biofilm. The greater influence of agr in RN6390 relative to UAMS-1 was also evident when the transcriptional profile of UAMS-1 was compared with that of its isogenic sarA and agr mutants. Specifically, the results indicate that, in contrast to NCTC 8325 derivatives, agr plays a limited role in overall regulation of gene expression in UAMS-1, when compared with sarA. Furthermore, by defining the sarA regulon in a biofilm-positive clinical isolate, and comparing the results with transcriptional profiling experiments defining biofilm-associated gene expression patterns in the same strain, the authors identified a sarA-regulated operon (alsSD) that is also induced in biofilms, and demonstrated that mutation of alsSD results in reduced capacity to form a biofilm.

2008 ◽  
Vol 414 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lezanne Ooi ◽  
Ian C. Wood

The nervous system contains a multitude of cell types which are specified during development by cascades of transcription factors acting combinatorially. Some of these transcription factors are only active during development, whereas others continue to function in the mature nervous system to maintain appropriate gene-expression patterns in differentiated cells. Underpinning the function of the nervous system is its plasticity in response to external stimuli, and many transcription factors are involved in regulating gene expression in response to neuronal activity, allowing us to learn, remember and make complex decisions. Here we review some of the recent findings that have uncovered the molecular mechanisms that underpin the control of gene regulatory networks within the nervous system. We highlight some recent insights into the gene-regulatory circuits in the development and differentiation of cells within the nervous system and discuss some of the mechanisms by which synaptic transmission influences transcription-factor activity in the mature nervous system. Mutations in genes that are important in epigenetic regulation (by influencing DNA methylation and post-translational histone modifications) have long been associated with neuronal disorders in humans such as Rett syndrome, Huntington's disease and some forms of mental retardation, and recent work has focused on unravelling their mechanisms of action. Finally, the discovery of microRNAs has produced a paradigm shift in gene expression, and we provide some examples and discuss the contribution of microRNAs to maintaining dynamic gene regulatory networks in the brain.


2003 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 4759-4766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keeta S. Gilmore ◽  
Pravina Srinivas ◽  
Darrin R. Akins ◽  
Kenneth L. Hatter ◽  
Michael S. Gilmore

ABSTRACT A model for the protracted (30-day) colonization of smooth surfaces by Streptococcus gordonii that incorporates the nutrient flux that occurs in the oral cavity was developed. This model was used to characterize the biphasic expansion of the adherent bacterial population, which corresponded with the emergence of higher-order architectures characteristic of biofilms. Biofilm formation by S. gordonii was observed to be influenced by the presence of simple sugars including sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Real-time PCR was used to quantify changes in expression of S. gordonii genes known or thought to be involved in biofilm formation. Morphological changes were accompanied by a significant shift in gene expression patterns. The majority of S. gordonii genes examined were observed to be downregulated in the biofilm phase. Genes found to be upregulated in the biofilm state were observed to encode products related to environmental sensing and signaling.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. e0168305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mara Baldry ◽  
Anita Nielsen ◽  
Martin S. Bojer ◽  
Yu Zhao ◽  
Cathrine Friberg ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Bryn Short ◽  
Christopher Delaney ◽  
Emily McKloud ◽  
Jason L. Brown ◽  
Ryan Kean ◽  
...  

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen found throughout multiple body sites and is frequently co-isolated from infections of the respiratory tract and oral cavity with Staphylococcus aureus. Herein we present the first report of the effects that S. aureus elicits on the C. albicans transcriptome. Dual-species biofilms containing S. aureus and C. albicans mutants defective in ALS3 or ECE1 were optimised and characterised, followed by transcriptional profiling of C. albicans by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). Altered phenotypes in C. albicans mutants revealed specific interaction profiles between fungus and bacteria. The major adhesion and virulence proteins Als3 and Ece1, respectively, were found to have substantial effects on the Candida transcriptome in early and mature biofilms. Despite this, deletion of ECE1 did not adversely affect biofilm formation or the ability of S. aureus to interact with C. albicans hyphae. Upregulated genes in dual-species biofilms corresponded to multiple gene ontology terms, including those attributed to virulence, biofilm formation and protein binding such as ACE2 and multiple heat-shock protein genes. This shows that S. aureus pushes C. albicans towards a more virulent genotype, helping us to understand the driving forces behind the increased severity of C. albicans-S. aureus infections.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengcheng Ma ◽  
Xingyan Liu ◽  
Huimin Liu ◽  
Zaoxu Xu ◽  
Xiangning Ding ◽  
...  

Abstract Vertebrate evolution was accompanied with two rounds of whole genome duplication followed by functional divergence in terms of regulatory circuits and gene expression patterns. As a basal and slow-evolving chordate species, amphioxus is an ideal paradigm for exploring the origin and evolution of vertebrates. Single cell sequencing has been widely employed to construct the developmental cell atlas of several key species of vertebrates (human, mouse, zebrafish and frog) and tunicate (sea squirts). Here, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and single-cell assay for transposase accessible chromatin sequencing (scATAC-seq) for different stages of amphioxus (covering embryogenesis and adult tissues). With the datasets generated we constructed the developmental tree for amphioxus cell fate commitment and lineage specification, and revealed the underlying key regulators and genetic regulatory networks. The generated data were integrated into an online platform, AmphioxusAtlas, for public access at http://120.79.46.200:81/AmphioxusAtlas.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Calderwood ◽  
Jo Hepworth ◽  
Shannon Woodhouse ◽  
Lorelei Bilham ◽  
D. Marc Jones ◽  
...  

AbstractThe timing of the floral transition affects reproduction and yield, however its regulation in crops remains poorly understood. Here, we use RNA-Seq to determine and compare gene expression dynamics through the floral transition in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana and the closely related crop Brassica rapa. A direct comparison of gene expression over time between species shows little similarity, which could lead to the inference that different gene regulatory networks are at play. However, these differences can be largely resolved by synchronisation, through curve registration, of gene expression profiles. We find that different registration functions are required for different genes, indicating that there is no common ‘developmental time’ to which Arabidopsis and B. rapa can be mapped through gene expression. Instead, the expression patterns of different genes progress at different rates. We find that co-regulated genes show similar changes in synchronisation between species, suggesting that similar gene regulatory sub-network structures may be active with different wiring between them. A detailed comparison of the regulation of the floral transition between Arabidopsis and B. rapa, and between two B. rapa accessions reveals different modes of regulation of the key floral integrator SOC1, and that the floral transition in the B. rapa accessions is triggered by different pathways, even when grown under the same environmental conditions. Our study adds to the mechanistic understanding of the regulatory network of flowering time in rapid cycling B. rapa under long days and highlights the importance of registration methods for the comparison of developmental gene expression data.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin A. Sorg ◽  
Clement Gallay ◽  
Jan-Willem Veening

AbstractStreptococcus pneumoniae can cause disease in various human tissues and organs, including the ear, the brain, the blood and the lung, and thus in highly diverse and dynamic environments. It is challenging to study how pneumococci control virulence factor expression, because cues of natural environments and the presence of an immune system are difficult to simulate in vitro. Here, we apply synthetic biology methods to reverse-engineer gene expression control in S. pneumoniae. A selection platform is described that allows for straightforward identification of transcriptional regulatory elements out of combinatorial libraries. We present TetR- and LacI-regulated promoters that show expression ranges of four orders of magnitude. Based on these promoters, regulatory networks of higher complexity are assembled, such as logic AND and IMPLY gates. Finally, we demonstrate single-copy genome-integrated toggle switches that give rise to bimodal population distributions. The tools described here can be used to mimic complex expression patterns, such as the ones found for pneumococcal virulence factors, paving the way for in vivo investigations of the importance of gene expression control on the pathogenicity of S. pneumoniae.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devanshi Patel ◽  
Xiaoling Zhang ◽  
John J. Farrell ◽  
Jaeyoon Chung ◽  
Thor D. Stein ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBecause regulation of gene expression is heritable and context-dependent, we investigated AD-related gene expression patterns in cell-types in blood and brain. Cis-expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping was performed genome-wide in blood from 5,257 Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants and in brain donated by 475 Religious Orders Study/Memory & Aging Project (ROSMAP) participants. The association of gene expression with genotypes for all cis SNPs within 1Mb of genes was evaluated using linear regression models for unrelated subjects and linear mixed models for related subjects. Cell type-specific eQTL (ct-eQTL) models included an interaction term for expression of “proxy” genes that discriminate particular cell type. Ct-eQTL analysis identified 11,649 and 2,533 additional significant gene-SNP eQTL pairs in brain and blood, respectively, that were not detected in generic eQTL analysis. Of note, 386 unique target eGenes of significant eQTLs shared between blood and brain were enriched in apoptosis and Wnt signaling pathways. Five of these shared genes are established AD loci. The potential importance and relevance to AD of significant results in myeloid cell-types is supported by the observation that a large portion of GWS ct-eQTLs map within 1Mb of established AD loci and 58% (23/40) of the most significant eGenes in these eQTLs have previously been implicated in AD. This study identified cell-type specific expression patterns for established and potentially novel AD genes, found additional evidence for the role of myeloid cells in AD risk, and discovered potential novel blood and brain AD biomarkers that highlight the importance of cell-type specific analysis.


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