Transcription Regulation of Sex-Biased Genes during Ontogeny in the Malaria Vector Anopheles gambiae

In Anopheles gambiae, sex-regulated genes are responsible for controlling gender dimorphism and are therefore crucial in determining the ability of female mosquitoes to transmit human malaria. The identification and functional characterization of these genes will shed light on the sexual development and maturation of mosquitoes and provide useful targets for genetic control measures aimed at reducing mosquito fertility and/or distorting the sex ratio

Comparative Developmental Expression Profiling of Two C. elegans Isolates

Gene expression is known to change during development and to vary among genetically diverse strains. Previous studies of temporal patterns of gene expression during C. elegans development were incomplete, and little is known about how these patterns change as a function of genetic background. We used microarrays that comprehensively cover known and predicted worm genes to compare the landscape of genetic variation over developmental time between two isolates of C. elegans. We show that most genes vary in expression during development from egg to young adult, many genes vary in expression between the two isolates, and a subset of these genes exhibit isolate-specific changes during some developmental stages. This subset is strongly enriched for genes with roles in innate immunity. We identify several novel motifs that appear to play a role in regulating gene expression during development, and we propose functional annotations for many previously unannotated genes. These results improve our understanding of gene expression and function during worm development and lay the foundation for linkage studies of the genetic basis of developmental variation in gene expression in this important model organism

Differential gene expression in male and female rainbow trout embryos prior to the onset of gross morphological differentiation of the gonads

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There are large differences between the sexes at the genetic level; these differences include heterogametic sex chromosomes and/or differences in expression of genes between the sexes. In rainbow trout (<it>Oncorhynchus mykiss</it>) qRT-PCR studies have found significant differences in expression of several candidate sex determining genes. However, these genes represent a very small fraction of the genome and research in other species suggests there are large portions of the transcriptome that are differentially expressed between the sexes. These differences are especially noticeable once gonad differentiation and maturation has occurred, but less is known at earlier stages of development. Here we use data from a microarray and qRT-PCR to identify genes differentially expressed between the sexes at three time points in pre-hatch embryos, prior to the known timing of sexual differentiation in this species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The microarray study revealed 883 differentially expressed features between the sexes with roughly equal numbers of male and female upregulated features across time points. Most of the differentially expressed genes on the microarray were not related to sex function, suggesting large scale differences in gene expression between the sexes are present early in development. Candidate gene analysis revealed <it>sox9</it>, <it>DMRT1</it>, <it>Nr5a1 </it>and <it>wt1 </it>were upregulated in males at some time points and <it>foxl2</it>, <it>ovol1</it>, <it>fst </it>and <it>cyp19a1a </it>were upregulated in females at some time points.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first study to identify sexual dimorphism in expression of the genome during embryogenesis in any fish and demonstrates that transcriptional differences are present before the completion of gonadogenesis.</p

Models of classroom assessment for course-based research experiences

Course-based research pedagogy involves positioning students as contributors to authentic research projects as part of an engaging educational experience that promotes their learning and persistence in science. To develop a model for assessing and grading students engaged in this type of learning experience, the assessment aims and practices of a community of experienced course-based research instructors were collected and analyzed. This approach defines four aims of course-based research assessment—(1) Assessing Laboratory Work and Scientific Thinking; (2) Evaluating Mastery of Concepts, Quantitative Thinking and Skills; (3) Appraising Forms of Scientific Communication; and (4) Metacognition of Learning—along with a set of practices for each aim. These aims and practices of assessment were then integrated with previously developed models of course-based research instruction to reveal an assessment program in which instructors provide extensive feedback to support productive student engagement in research while grading those aspects of research that are necessary for the student to succeed. Assessment conducted in this way delicately balances the need to facilitate students’ ongoing research with the requirement of a final grade without undercutting the important aims of a CRE education

Comparison of fingolimod with interferon beta-1a in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomised extension of the TRANSFORMS study

In a 12-month phase 3 study in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), TRANSFORMS, fingolimod showed greater efficacy on relapse rates and MRI outcomes compared with interferon beta-1a. We had two aims in our extension: to compare year 2 with year 1 in the switched patients to assess the effect of a change from interferon beta-1a to fingolimod, and to compare over 24 months the treatment groups as originally randomised to assess the effect of delaying the start of treatment with fingolimod