An Sp185/333 gene cluster from the purple sea urchin and putative microsatellite-mediated gene diversification

Abstract Background The immune system of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, is complex and sophisticated. An important component of sea urchin immunity is the Sp185/333 gene family, which is significantly upregulated in immunologically challenged animals. The Sp185/333 genes are less than 2 kb with two exons and are members of a large diverse family composed of greater than 40 genes. The S. purpuratus genome assembly, however, contains only six Sp185/333 genes. This underrepresentation could be due to the difficulties that large gene families present in shotgun assembly, where multiple similar genes can be collapsed into a single consensus gene. Results To understand the genomic organization of the Sp185/333 gene family, a BAC insert containing Sp185/333 genes was assembled, with careful attention to avoiding artifacts resulting from collapse or artificial duplication/expansion of very similar genes. Twelve candidate BAC assemblies were generated with varying parameters and the optimal assembly was identified by PCR, restriction digests, and subclone sequencing. The validated assembly contained six Sp185/333 genes that were clustered in a 34 kb region at one end of the BAC with five of the six genes tightly clustered within 20 kb. The Sp185/333 genes in this cluster were no more similar to each other than to previously sequenced Sp185/333 genes isolated from three different animals. This was unexpected given their proximity and putative effects of gene homogenization in closely linked, similar genes. All six genes displayed significant similarity including both 5' and 3' flanking regions, which were bounded by microsatellites. Three of the Sp185/333 genes and their flanking regions were tandemly duplicated such that each repeated segment consisted of a gene plus 0.7 kb 5' and 2.4 kb 3' of the gene (4.5 kb total). Both edges of the segmental duplications were bounded by different microsatellites. Conclusions The high sequence similarity of the Sp185/333 genes and flanking regions, suggests that the microsatellites may promote genomic instability and are involved with gene duplication and/or gene conversion and the extraordinary sequence diversity of this family

Direct Detection of Diverse Metabolic Changes in Virally Transformed and Tax-Expressing Cells by Mass Spectrometry

International audiencen.

Long-term Site Fidelity and Individual Home Range Shifts in Lophocebus albigena

We investigated long-term site fidelity of gray-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena) groups in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Concurrently, we monitored shifts in home range by individual females and subadult and adult males. We documented home range stability by calculating the area of overlap in successive years, and by recording the drift of each group’s monthly centroid from its initial location. Home ranges remained stable for 3 of our 4 groups (overlap over 10 yr >60%). Core areas were more labile, but group centroids drifted an average of only 530 m over the entire decade. Deviations from site fidelity were associated with dispersal or group fission. During natal dispersal, subadult males expanded their home ranges over many months, settling ≤4 home ranges away. Adult males, in contrast, typically dispersed within a few days to an adjacent group in an area of home range overlap. Adult males made solitary forays, but nearly always into areas used by their current group or by a group to which they had previously belonged. After secondary dispersal, they expanded their ranging in the company of their new group, apparently without prior solitary exploration of the new area. Some females also participated in home range shifts. Females shifted home ranges only within social groups, in association with temporary or permanent group splits. Our observations raise the possibility that male mangabeys use a finder-joiner mechanism when moving into new home ranges during secondary dispersal. Similarly, females might learn new resource locations from male immigrants before or during group fission

Metabolite abundance ratios indicating up or down regulation for HTLV1 transformed T cells (C81, HUT102), and HTLV3 transfected and Tax1 or Tax3 expressing cells (293-HTLV3, H9-Tax1, 293-Tax3, respectively).

a<p>The metabolite numbers are according to the list provided in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0012590#pone-0012590-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>.</p

Positive ion LAESI mass spectra of T lymphocytes.

<p>Peaks marked in A) non-HTLV1 transformed CEM T lymphocytes and B) HTLV1 transformed C81 T lymphocytes with an asterisk (*) indicate multiply charged ions of a peptide. Inset in panel A) shows the isotope pattern of the peak at m/z 993.5 with five charges.</p

Expanded positive ion LAESI mass spectra showing glycerophosphocholine lipid peaks.

<p>Peaks marked with an asterisk (*) in A) CEM T lymphocytes B) HTLV1 transformed C81 T lymphocytes indicate multiply charged ions of a peptide.</p

Metabolites related to A) adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and B) dopamine detected by LAESI-MS in T lymphocytes.

<p>Metabolites related to A) adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and B) dopamine detected by LAESI-MS in T lymphocytes.</p

Metabolites in the creatine and polyamine biosynthesis pathways detected by LAESI-MS in T lymphocytes.

<p>Metabolites in the creatine and polyamine biosynthesis pathways detected by LAESI-MS in T lymphocytes.</p