Parent and offspring genotypes influence gene expression in early life
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY
Authors: Newhouse, Daniel J.; Barcelo-Serra, Margarida; Tuttle, Elaina M.; Gonser, Rusty A.; Balakrishnan, Christopher N.
Abstract
Parents can have profound effects on offspring fitness. Little, however, is known about the mechanisms through which parental genetic variation influences offspring physiology in natural systems. White-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis, WTSP) exist in two genetic morphs, tan and white, controlled by a large polymorphic supergene. Morphs mate disassortatively, resulting in two pair types: tan male x white female (T x W) pairs, which provide biparental care and white male x tan female (W x T) pairs, which provide female-biased care. To investigate how parental composition impacts offspring, we performed RNA-seq on whole blood of WTSP nestlings sampled from nests of both pair types. Parental pair type had a large effect on nestling gene expression, with 881 genes differentially expressed (DE) and seven correlated gene coexpression modules. The DE genes and modules expressed at higher levels in W x T nests with female-biased parental care function in metabolism and stress-related pathways resulting from the overrepresentation of proteolysis and stress-response genes (e.g., SOD2, NR3C1). These results show that parental genotypes and/or associated behaviours influence nestling physiology, and highlight avenues of further research investigating the ultimate implications for the maintenance of this polymorphism. Nestlings also exhibited morph-specific gene expression, with 92 differentially expressed genes, comprising immunity genes and genes encompassed by the supergene. Remarkably, we identified the same regulatory hub genes in these blood-derived expression networks as were previously identified in adult WTSP brains (EPM2A, BPNT1, TAF5L). These hub genes were located within the supergene, highlighting the importance of this gene complex in structuring regulatory networks across diverse tissues.
Radioprotective effect of newly synthesized toll-like receptor 5 agonist, KMRC011, in mice exposed to total-body irradiation
JOURNAL OF RADIATION RESEARCH
Authors: Kim, Jun-Young; Park, Jong-Hyung; Seo, Sun-Min; Park, Jin-Il; Jeon, Hee-Yeon; Lee, Han-Kyul; Yoo, Ran-Ji; Lee, Yong-Jin; Woo, Sang-Keun; Lee, Woo-Jong; Choi, Chi-Min; Choi, Yang-Kyu
Abstract
Exposure to ionizing radiation leads to severe damages in radiosensitive organs and induces acute radiation syndrome, including effects on the hematopoietic system and gastrointestinal system. In this study, the radioprotective ability of KMRC011, a novel toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) agonist, was investigated in C57BL6/N mice exposed to lethal total-body gamma-irradiation. In a 30-day survival study, KMRC011-treated mice had a significantly improved survival rate compared with control after 11 Gy total-body irradiation (TBI), and it was found that the radioprotective activity of KMRC011 depended on its dosage and repeated treatment. In a 5-day short-term study, we demonstrated that KMRC011 treatment stimulated cell proliferation and had an anti-apoptotic effect. Furthermore, KMRC011 increased the expressions of genes related to DNA repair, such as Rad21, Gadd45b, Sod2 and Irg1, in the small intestine of lethally irradiated mice. Interestingly, downregulation of NF-kappa B p65 in the mouse intestine by KMRC011 treatment was observed. This data indicated that KMRC011 exerted a radioprotective activity partially by regulating NF-kappa B signaling. Finally, peak expression levels of G-CSF, IL-6, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IP-10 induced by KMRC011 treatment were different depending on the route of administration and type of cytokine. These cytokines could be used as candidate biomarkers for the evaluation of KMRC011 clinical efficacy. Our data indicated that KMRC011 has radioprotective activity in lethally irradiated mice and may be developed as a therapeutic agent for radioprotection.