Pheromones play a pivotal role in chemical communication across various taxa, with protein-based pheromones being particularly significant in amphibian courtship and reproduction. In this study, we investigate the Emei music frog (Nidirana daunchina), which utilizes both acoustic and chemical signals for communication. Base on a de novo assembled genome of a male Emei music frog, we identify substantial expansion in four pheromone-related gene families associated with chemical communication.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Chinese sturgeon () is an ancient, complex autooctoploid fish species that is currently facing conservation challenges throughout its distribution. To comprehensively characterize the expression profiles of genes and their associated biological functions across different tissues, we performed a transcriptome-scale gene expression analysis, focusing on housekeeping genes (HKGs), tissue-specific genes (TSGs), and co-expressed gene modules in various tissues. We collected eleven tissues to establish a transcriptomic repository, including data from Pacific Biosciences isoform sequencing (PacBio Iso-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and then obtained 25,434 full-length transcripts, with lengths from 307 to 9515 bp and an N50 of 3195 bp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndemic to the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China, elongate loach (Leptobotia elongata) has become a vulnerable species mainly due to overfishing and habitat destruction. Thus far, no genome data of this species are reported. As a result, lacking of such genomic information has restricted practical conservation and utilization of this economic fish.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn our prior investigation, we discerned loss-of-function variants within the gene encoding glutamine-rich protein 2 (QRICH2) in two consanguineous families, leading to various morphological abnormalities in sperm flagella and male infertility. The Qrich2 knockout (KO) in mice also exhibits multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF) phenotype with a significantly decreased sperm motility. However, how ORICH2 regulates the formation of sperm flagella remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has the highest mortality rate among female reproductive system tumors. Accurate preoperative assessment is crucial for treatment planning. This study aims to develop multitask prediction models for HGSOC using radiomics analysis based on preoperative CT images.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmphibians, like the paddy frog (), have played a critical role in the transition from water to land. Hibernation is a vital survival adaptation in cold environments with limited food resources. We decoded the paddy frog genome to reveal the molecular adaptations linked to hibernation in ectotherms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) is one of the most venomous fishes, but its biomedical study has been restricted to molecular cloning and purification of its toxins, instead of high-throughput genetic research on related toxin genes. In this study, we constructed a chromosome-level haplotypic genome assembly for the reef stonefish. The genome was assembled into 24 pseudo-chromosomes, and the length totaled 689.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSnakes are a remarkable squamate lineage with unique morphological adaptations, especially those related to the evolution of vertebrate skeletons, organs, and sensory systems. To clarify the genetic underpinnings of snake phenotypes, we assembled and analyzed 14 de novo genomes from 12 snake families. We also investigated the genetic basis of the morphological characteristics of snakes using functional experiments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLimb loss shows recurrent phenotypic evolution across squamate lineages. Here, based on three de novo-assembled genomes of limbless lizards from different lineages, we showed that divergence of conserved non-coding elements (CNEs) played an important role in limb development. These CNEs were associated with genes required for limb initiation and outgrowth, and with regulatory signals in the early stage of limb development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Mudskippers are a large group of amphibious fishes that have developed many morphological and physiological capacities to live on land. Genomics comparisons of chromosome-level genome assemblies of three representative mudskippers, Boleophthalmus pectinirostris (BP), Periophthalmus magnuspinnatus (PM) and P. modestus (PMO), may be able to provide novel insights into the water-to-land evolution and adaptation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToll-like receptors (TLRs) are a class of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that can recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PMPs) and play important roles in the innate immune system in vertebrates. In this study, we identified a teleost-specific tlr22 gene from yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) and its immune roles in response to different pathogens were also determined. The open reading frame (ORF) of the tlr22 was 2892 bp in length, encoding a protein of 963 amino acids.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
September 2022
Understanding how and why species evolve requires knowledge on intraspecific divergence. In this study, we examined intraspecific divergence in the endangered hot-spring snake (Thermophis baileyi), an endemic species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Whole-genome resequencing of 58 sampled individuals from 15 populations was performed to identify the drivers of intraspecific divergence and explore the potential roles of genes under selection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInnovation (Camb)
September 2022
Animals have evolved sophisticated temperature-sensing systems and mechanisms to detect and respond to ambient temperature changes. As a relict species endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, hot-spring snake () survived the dramatic changes in climate that occurred during plateau uplift and ice ages, providing an excellent opportunity to explore the evolution of temperature sensation in ectotherms. Based on distributional information and behavioral experiments, we found that prefer hot-spring habitats and respond more quickly to warmth than other two snakes, suggesting that may evolve an efficient thermal-sensing system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBungarus multicinctus is a widely distributed and medically important elapid snake that produces lethal neurotoxic venom. To study and enhance existing antivenom, we explore the complete repertoire of its toxin genes based on de novo chromosome-level assembly and multi-tissue transcriptome data. Comparative genomic analyses suggest that the three-finger toxin family (3FTX) may evolve through the neofunctionalization of flanking LY6E.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAs an important economic and medicinal crop, is rich in volatile oils and widely used in food additives, essential oils, and traditional Chinese medicine. However, the lack of the genome remains a limiting factor for understanding its medicinal properties at the molecular level. Here, based on 288.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Hengduan Mountains region is an important hotspot of alpine plant diversity and endemism. Acanthochlamys bracteata is a species of a threatened monotypic genus endemic to the Hengduan Mountains. In this study, we present a high-quality, chromosome-level reference genome for A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Although almost all extant spider species live in terrestrial environments, a few species live fully submerged in freshwater or seawater. The intertidal spiders (genus Desis) built silk nests within coral crevices can survive submerged in high tides. The diving bell spider, Argyroneta aquatica, resides in a similar dynamic environment but exclusively in freshwater.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMitochondrial DNA B Resour
March 2021
The lizard , which belongs to the family Agamidae is endemic to China. Here, we determined the complete mitogenome of using an Illumina Hiseq X Ten sequencer. This mitogenome's structure is a typical circular molecule of 16,467 bp in length, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough there are various Conus species with publicly available transcriptome and proteome data, no genome assembly has been reported yet. Here, using Chinese tubular cone snail (C. betulinus) as a representative, we sequenced and assembled the first Conus genome with original identification of 133 genome-widely distributed conopeptide genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe uplift of the Tibetan Plateau altered the environmental conditions of the local area substantially. Here, we conducted a comprehensive investigation based on morphometrics, population genomics, and climatic factors to evaluate phenotypic and genome-level variations in a radiation of Chimarrichthys catfish endemic to the Plateau. Discriminant function analysis showed phenotypic differences of Chimarrichthys between rivers with respect to elevation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSturgeons and paddlefishes (Acipenseriformes) occupy the basal position of ray-finned fishes, although they have cartilaginous skeletons as in Chondrichthyes. This evolutionary status and their morphological specializations make them a research focus, but their complex genomes (polyploidy and the presence of microchromosomes) bring obstacles and challenges to molecular studies. Here, we generated the first high-quality genome assembly of the American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) at a chromosome level.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMelatonin receptors (MTNRs) play important roles in regulation of circadian rhythms and seasonal reproduction. However, their origin and evolution in vertebrates have not been investigated. Here, we performed a comprehensive examination by comparative genome mining of MTNRs in vertebrates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFhas been a widely used transparent mutant of zebrafish. It possesses a combined loss of reflective iridophores and light-absorbing melanophores, which gives rise to its almost transparent trunk throughout larval and adult stages. Nevertheless, genomic causal mutations of this transparent phenotype are poorly defined.
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