Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world’s largest tree genus Syzygium

Species radiations, despite immense phenotypic variation, can be difficult to resolve phylogenetically when genetic change poorly matches the rapidity of diversification. Genomic potential furnished by palaeopolyploidy, and relative roles for adaptation, random drift and hybridisation in the apportionment of genetic variation, remain poorly understood factors. Here, we study these aspects in a model radiation, Syzygium, the most species-rich tree genus worldwide. Genomes of 182 distinct species and 58 unidentified taxa are compared against a chromosome-level reference genome of the sea apple, Syzygium grande. We show that while Syzygium shares an ancient genome doubling event with other Myrtales, little evidence exists for recent polyploidy events. Phylogenomics confirms that Syzygium originated in Australia-New Guinea and diversified in multiple migrations, eastward to the Pacific and westward to India and Africa, in bursts of speciation visible as poorly resolved branches on phylogenies. Furthermore, some sublineages demonstrate genomic clines that recapitulate cladogenetic events, suggesting that stepwise geographic speciation, a neutral process, has been important in Syzygium diversification

Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world's largest tree genus Syzygium

Acknowledgements Y.W.L. was supported by a postgraduate scholarship research grant from the Ministry of National Development, Singapore awarded through the National Parks Board, Singapore (NParks; NParks’ Garden City Fund). Principal research funding from NParks and the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, is acknowledged. We thank Peter Preiser, Associate Vice President for Biomedical and Life Sciences, for facilitating NTU support, and Kenneth Er, CEO of NParks, for facilitating research funding through that organisation. V.A.A. and C.L. were funded by SBS, NTU for a one-year research leave. V.A.A. and C.L. also acknowledge support from the United States National Science Foundation (grants 2030871 and 1854550, respectively). S.R. was supported by a postdoctoral research fellowship under the NTU Strategic Plant Programme. S.R. and N.R.W.C. acknowledge funding from NTU start-up and the Academy of Finland (decisions 318288, 319947) grants to J.S. Fieldwork conducted by Y.W.L. was supported by an Indonesian Government RISTEK research permit (Application ID: 1517217008) and an Access License from the Sabah State government [JKM/MBS.1000-2/2JLD.7(84)]. T.N.C.V. is grateful to the Assemblée de la Province Nord and Assemblée de la Province Sud (New Caledonia) for facilitating relevant collection permits. A.N. was partly supported by the Research Project Promotion Grant (Strategic Research Grant No. 17SP01302) from the University of the Ryukyus, and partly by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (JPMEERF20204003) from the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan. Fieldwork in Fiji conducted by R.B. was hosted and facilitated by Elina Nabubuniyaka-Young (The Pacific Community’s Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees, Fiji). We thank the NTU-Smithsonian Partnership for tree data obtained for the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) long-term forest dynamics plots. Administrative support provided by Mui Hwang Khoo-Woon and Peter Ang at the molecular laboratory of the Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) is acknowledged. Rosie Woods and Imalka Kahandawala (DNA and Tissue Bank, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) facilitated additional DNA samples. Daniel Thomas (SBG) and Yan Yu (Sichuan University) commented on biogeographical analyses. NovogeneAIT in Singapore is acknowledged for personalised sequencing service.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world's largest tree genus Syzygium

The relative importance of the mechanisms underlying species radiation remains unclear. Here, the authors combine reference genome assembly and population genetics analyses to show that neutral forces have contributed to the radiation of the most species-rich tree genus Syzygium. Species radiations, despite immense phenotypic variation, can be difficult to resolve phylogenetically when genetic change poorly matches the rapidity of diversification. Genomic potential furnished by palaeopolyploidy, and relative roles for adaptation, random drift and hybridisation in the apportionment of genetic variation, remain poorly understood factors. Here, we study these aspects in a model radiation, Syzygium, the most species-rich tree genus worldwide. Genomes of 182 distinct species and 58 unidentified taxa are compared against a chromosome-level reference genome of the sea apple, Syzygium grande. We show that while Syzygium shares an ancient genome doubling event with other Myrtales, little evidence exists for recent polyploidy events. Phylogenomics confirms that Syzygium originated in Australia-New Guinea and diversified in multiple migrations, eastward to the Pacific and westward to India and Africa, in bursts of speciation visible as poorly resolved branches on phylogenies. Furthermore, some sublineages demonstrate genomic clines that recapitulate cladogenetic events, suggesting that stepwise geographic speciation, a neutral process, has been important in Syzygium diversification.Peer reviewe

Functional and structural studies of the flavivirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

Dengue fever, a neglected emerging disease for which no vaccine or antiviral agents exist at present, is caused by dengue virus, a member of the Flavivirus genus. The NS5 protein from dengue virus (DENV) is bi-functional and contains 900 amino acids. The S-adenosyl methionine transferase activity resides within its N-terminal domain, and residues 270 to 900 form the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) catalytic domain. Viral replication begins with the synthesis of minus-strand RNA from the dengue virus positive-strand RNA genome, which is subsequently used as a template for synthesizing additional plus-stand RNA genomes. This essential function is catalyzed by the NS5 RdRp and thus the protein represents an interesting target for the development of specific antiviral compounds. Therefore, this work set out to investigate the structural basis of DENV RdRp in order to provide clues to understand the molecular details of its role and function in viral genome replication. This thesis work presents three aspects of study that consists: (1) the protein expression strategy and characterization of NS5 polymerase, (2) a multi-step strategy to obtain crystal of DENV RdRp for high resolution diffraction and soaking studies and (3) structural insight of the DENV RdRp. To obtain soluble proteins for structural and functional studied, an extensive array of approaches has been explored, which comprises (1) expression hosts and conditions, (2) refolding, (3) limited proteolysis and (4) homologous protein screening. The enzymatic activity shows that the RdRp domain is less active than the full length (FL) NS5, which is also supported insights from the limited proteolysis experiments and Fab epitope mapping. The limited proteolysis results indicate that the catalytic domain RdRp protein adopts a more open and flexible conformation than the FLNS5.Antibody Fab fragments that were obtained in this study and found to recognize conformational epitope interacted more weakly with the RdRp domain compared with the FLNS5. Together these two approaches imply conformational difference between the RdRp and FLNS5 that possibly account for the difference in activity. For structural studies, a very intensive campaign to crystallize the FL protein has been attempted in this working using proteins expressed from both insect baculovirus expression system and E.coli expression. NS5 from two different strains belonging to serotype 2 and WNV were investigated. Complex of NS5 with Fab fragment and also NS3 were investigated for crystal production. In parallel, truncated constructs expressing various parts of NS5 were also exhaustively studied with the information gleaned from limited proteolysis. These studies led to the first successful crystallization of a DENV RdRp from serotype 3. Initially the crystals diffracted poorly were markedly improved by the addition of divalent metal ions and air hydration, whichled to crystals with high resolution diffraction (1.85 A) thus making is possible to use molecular replacement to solve the structure.DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (SBS

A multi-step strategy to obtain crystals of the dengue virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that diffract to high resolution

Crystals of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase catalytic domain from the dengue virus NS5 protein have been obtained using a strategy that included expression screening of naturally occurring serotype variants of the protein, the addition of divalent metal ions and crystal dehydration. These crystals diffract to 1.85 Å resolution and are thus suitable for a structure-based drug-design program

A scintillation proximity assay for dengue virus NS5 2'-O-methyltransferase-kinetic and inhibition analyses.

Dengue virus (DENV) NS5 possesses methyltransferase (MTase) activity at its N-terminal amino acid sequence and is responsible for formation of a type 1 cap structure, m(7)GpppAm(2'-O) in the viral genomic RNA. Optimal in vitro conditions for DENV2 2'-O-MTase activity were characterized using purified recombinant protein and a short biotinylated GTP-capped RNA template. Steady-state kinetics parameters derived from initial velocities were used to establish a robust scintillation proximity assay for compound testing. Pre-incubation studies showed that MTase-AdoMet and MTase-RNA complexes were equally catalytically competent and the enzyme supports a random bi bi kinetic mechanism. The assay was validated with competitive inhibitory agents, S-adenosyl-homocysteine and two homologues, sinefungin and dehydrosinefungin. A GTP-binding pocket present at the N-terminal of DENV2 MTase was previously postulated to be the cap-binding site. Interestingly, inhibition of the enzyme by GTP was two-fold lower than with RNA cap analogues, G[5']ppp[5']A and m(7)G[5']ppp[5']A and about three-fold poorer than a two-way methylated analogue, m(7)G[5']ppp[5']m(7)G. This assay allows rapid and highly sensitive detection of 2'-O-MTase activity and can be readily adapted for high-throughput screening for inhibitory compounds. It is suitable for determination of enzymatic activities of a wide variety of RNA capping MTases

Crystal structure of the dengue virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase catalytic domain at 1.85-angstrom resolution.

Dengue fever, a neglected emerging disease for which no vaccine or antiviral agents exist at present, is caused by dengue virus, a member of the Flavivirus genus, which includes several important human pathogens, such as yellow fever and West Nile viruses. The NS5 protein from dengue virus is bifunctional and contains 900 amino acids. The S-adenosyl methionine transferase activity resides within its N-terminal domain, and residues 270 to 900 form the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) catalytic domain. Viral replication begins with the synthesis of minus-strand RNA from the dengue virus positive-strand RNA genome, which is subsequently used as a template for synthesizing additional plus-strand RNA genomes. This essential function for the production of new viral particles is catalyzed by the NS5 RdRp. Here we present a high-throughput in vitro assay partly recapitulating this activity and the crystallographic structure of an enzymatically active fragment of the dengue virus RdRp refined at 1.85-A resolution. The NS5 nuclear localization sequences, previously thought to fold into a separate domain, form an integral part of the polymerase subdomains. The structure also reveals the presence of two zinc ion binding motifs. In the absence of a template strand, a chain-terminating nucleoside analogue binds to the priming loop site. These results should inform and accelerate the structure-based design of antiviral compounds against dengue virus

Saposin C Protects Glucocerebrosidase against α‑Synuclein Inhibition

Mutations in <i>GBA1</i>, the gene for glucocerebrosidase (GCase), are genetic risk factors for Parkinson disease (PD). α-Synuclein (α-Syn), a protein implicated in PD, interacts with GCase and efficiently inhibits enzyme activity. GCase deficiency causes the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease (GD). We show that saposin C (Sap C), a protein vital for GCase activity <i>in vivo</i>, protects GCase against α-syn inhibition. Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, site-specific fluorescence, and Förster energy transfer probes, Sap C was observed to displace α-syn from GCase in solution and on lipid vesicles. Our results suggest that Sap C might play a crucial role in GD-related PD