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Frogs are an ecologically diverse and phylogenetically ancient group of living amphibians that include important vertebrate cell and developmental model systems, notably the genus Xenopus. Here we report a high-quality reference genome sequence for the western clawed frog, Xenopus tropicalis, along with draft chromosome-scale sequences of three distantly related emerging model frog species, Eleutherodactylus coqui, Engystomops pustulosus and Hymenochirus boettgeri. Frog chromosomes have remained remarkably stable since the Mesozoic Era, with limited Robertsonian (i.e., centric) translocations and end-to-end fusions found among the smaller chromosomes. Conservation of synteny includes conservation of centromere locations, marked by centromeric tandem repeats associated with Cenp-a binding, surrounded by pericentromeric LINE/L1 elements. We explored chromosome structure across frogs, using a dense meiotic linkage map for X. tropicalis and chromatin conformation capture (HiC) data for all species. Abundant satellite repeats occupy the unusually long (∼20 megabase) terminal regions of each chromosome that coincide with high rates of recombination. Both embryonic and differentiated cells show reproducible association of centromeric chromatin, and of telomeres, reflecting a Rabl configuration similar to the “bouquet” structure of meiotic cells. Our comparative analyses reveal 13 conserved ancestral anuran chromosomes from which contemporary frog genomes were constructed.

The skin secretions of many frogs have genetically-encoded, endogenous antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Other species, especially aposematic poison frogs, secrete exogenously derived alkaloids that serve as potent defense molecules. The origins of these defense systems are not clear, but a novel bile-acid derived metabolite, tauromantellic acid, was recently discovered and shown to be endogenous in poison frogs (Mantella, Dendrobates, and Epipedobates). These observations raise questions about the evolutionary history of AMP genetic elements, the mechanism and function of tauromatellic acid production, and links between these systems. To understand the diversity and expression of AMPs among frogs, we assembled skin transcriptomes of 13 species across the anuran phylogeny. Our analyses revealed a diversity of AMPs and AMP expression levels across the phylogenetic history of frogs, but no observations of AMPs in Mantella. We examined genes expressed in the bile-acid metabolic pathway and found that CYP7A1 (Cytochrome P450), BAAT (bile acid-CoA: amino acid N-acyltransferase), and AMACR (alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase) were highly expressed in the skin of M. betsileo and either lowly expressed or absent in other frog species. In particular, CYP7A1 catalyzes the first reaction in the cholesterol catabolic pathway and is the rate-limiting step in regulation of bile acid synthesis, suggesting unique activation of the bile acid pathway in Mantella skin. The activation of the bile acid pathway in the skin of Mantella and the lack of observed AMPs fuel new questions about the evolution of defense compounds and the ectopic expression of the bile-acid pathway.

Biological diversity sustains humanity. It is the nature of the evolutionary process for biodiversity to wax and wane over time, but biodiversity is currently declining at rates undocumented in human history and anthropogenic activities are the primary drivers of biodiversity losses. A variety of solutions have been proposed as means to protect nature and, more specifically, biodiversity. The book you hold posits an idea that may work: the commodification of nature through the lens of biomedical benefits. It remains to be proven whether our decisions and actions will follow this approach and, more so, whether we can pursue this approach in a sustainable relationship with nature, curbing the ongoing rapid species loss while maximizing medical benefits. The challenges are many, cross-cultural, and span engineering and scientific disciplines. The entire value chain iterating between biodiversity and biomedicine requires significant investments of time, money, and expertise if this endeavor is to work. Briefly, challenges include: (1) discovering and documenting species diversity; (2) cataloging traditional medicines developed from these species, including medicinal preparations (e.g., fermentation, desiccation, etc.); (3) assaying genetic and chemical diversity of natural products; (4) testing promising metabolites and other compounds for medical applicability and efficacy (and in turn developing drugs as appropriate); (5) determining why some conservation efforts succeed and others fail; (6) negotiating policies that incentivize and empower local communities to conserve the diversity in their vicinity, while also enacting policies that protect ecosystems from biopiracy and illicit harvesting and trade; and (7) strengthening and developing policy and institutional frameworks to codify and maintain working solutions. Sustainable solutions that bridge biodiversity to biomedicine may include the adoption of policies that shift paradigms around “ownership” of nature and the ecosystem services humans enjoy from diverse systems. Here we provide a context for the concept of commodifying ecosystem services as natural resources. Ozturk M, Dilfuza E, Pešić M, editors. Biodiversity and Biomedicine: Our Future provides. Cambridge (Massachusetts, United States): Academic Press - Elsevier; 2020. p. 525-37.

With about 25% of life-saving pharmaceutical drugs derived from plants, unexplored flora offer much promise as a source of new pharmacologically active molecules. Despite the number of challenges associated with plants as a drug discovery source, the thousands to millions of different molecules that plants produce cannot be disregarded in the wake of drug resistance and emerging diseases. This book chapter thus provides an insight of the historical evidence of plants as a source of drugs, with a view to discussing the barriers that limit further research and development in this area, and provides an overview of how these challenges could be overcome. The importance of partnerships among scientists, pharmaceutical industries, and indigenous communities to identify species and isolate compounds, social scientists to assess community needs and ensure community empowerment, and policy makers to produce legislation to guide protection and to develop models for sustainable agriculture and research involving modern biotechnology and chemistry are proposed.

Background Animals with polyploid, hybrid nuclei offer a challenge for models of gene expression and regulation during embryogenesis. To understand how such organisms proceed through development, we examined the timing and prevalence of mortality among embryos of unisexual salamanders in the genus Ambystoma. Results Our regional field surveys suggested that heightened rates of embryo mortality among unisexual salamanders begin in the earliest stages of embryogenesis. Although we expected elevated mortality after zygotic genome activation in the blastula stage, this is not what we found among embryos which we reared in the laboratory. Once embryos entered the first cleavage stage, we found no difference in mortality rates between unisexual salamanders and their bisexual hosts. Our results are consistent with previous studies showing high rates of unisexual mortality, but counter to reports that heightened embryo mortality continues throughout embryo development. Conclusions Possible causes of embryonic mortality in early embryogenesis suggested by our results include abnormal maternal loading of RNA during meiosis and barriers to insemination. The surprising survival rates of embryos post-cleavage invites further study of how genes are regulated during development in such polyploid hybrid organisms.

Heteromorphic sex chromosomes have evolved repeatedly among vertebrate lineages despite largely deleterious reductions in gene dose. Understanding how this gene dose problem is overcome is hampered by the lack of genomic information at the base of tetrapods and comparisons across the evolutionary history of vertebrates. To address this problem, we produced a chromosome-level genome assembly for the African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)—an amphibian with heteromorphic ZW sex chromosomes—and discovered that the Bullfrog Z is surprisingly homologous to substantial portions of the human X. Using this new reference genome, we identified ancestral synteny among the sex chromosomes of major vertebrate lineages, showing that non-mammalian sex chromosomes are strongly associated with a single vertebrate ancestral chromosome, while mammals are associated with another that displays increased haploinsufficiency. The sex chromosomes of the African Bullfrog however, share genomic blocks with both humans and non-mammalian vertebrates, connecting the two ancestral chromosome sequences that repeatedly characterize vertebrate sex chromosomes. Our results highlight the consistency of sex-linked sequences despite sex determination system lability and reveal the repeated use of two major genomic sequence blocks during vertebrate sex chromosome evolution.

Looking to nature for medicine is nothing new – we have been doing it for tens of thousands of years and although modern pharmaceutical science has come a long way from those ancient roots, nature is and will always be an important source of useful compounds and inspiration. Dismissing nature in this regard is a huge mistake as evolution is the greatest problem solver and the myriad compounds produced by the immense variety of species we share the planet with have been honed by three billion years of trial and error. However, with every bit of habitat that disappears under the plough or concrete we impoverish nature and deprive ourselves of potential medicines., Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (6.7997.2017/8.9); Chancellor's Fellowship from University of Edinburgh

Amphibians inhabiting montane riparian zones in the Neotropics are particularly vulnerable to decline, but the reasons are poorly understood. Because environmental contaminants, endocrine disruption, and pathogens often figure prominently in amphibian declines it is imperative that we understand how these factors are potentially interrelated to affect montane populations. One possibility is that increased precipitation associated with global warming promotes the deposition of contaminants in montane regions. Increased exposure to contaminants, in turn, potentially elicits chronic elevations in circulating stress hormones that could contribute to montane population declines by compromising resistance to pathogens and/or production of sex steroids regulating reproduction. Here, we test this hypothesis by examining contaminant levels, stress and sex steroid levels, and nematode abundances in male drab treefrogs, Smilisca sordida, from lowland and montane populations in Costa Rica. We found no evidence that montane populations were more likely to possess contaminants (i.e., organochlorine, organophosphate and carbamate pesticides or benzidine and chlorophenoxy herbicides) than lowland populations. We also found no evidence of elevational differences in circulating levels of the stress hormone corticosterone, estradiol or progesterone. However, montane populations possessed lower androgen levels, hosted more nematode species, and had higher nematode abundances than lowland populations. Although these results suggested that nematodes contributed to lower androgens in montane populations, we were unable to detect a significant inverse relationship between nematode abundance and androgen level. Our results suggest that montane populations of this species are not at greater risk of exposure to contaminants or chronic stress, but implicate nematodes and compromised sex steroid levels as potential threats to montane populations.

Biotic and abiotic factors have been proposed to explain patterns of reproductive character displacement, but which factor is most important to character displacement of acoustic signals is not clear. Male vocalizations of the frog Pseudacris feriarum are known to undergo reproductive character displacement in areas of sympatry with P. brimleyi and P. nigrita. Despite evidence for reinforcement as an important mechanism, local adaptation via sensory drive might explain this pattern because Pseudacris breed in different habitat types and mating signals are exposed to a variety of environments. We tested the sensory drive hypothesis by playing synthesized vocalizations representing the spectrum of variation in P. feriarum at 12 different study sites. If sensory drive has occurred, then vocalizations should transmit better in the site of origin or at ecologically similar sites. We found that variation in acoustic signals did not produce better transmission in particular sites, the effect of site was uniform, and acoustic signals often transmitted better in habitats external to their origin. Ecological variation among habitats did not explain signal degradation. Our playback experiments, ecological analyses, and comparisons of different habitat types provide no support for sensory drive as a process promoting reproductive character displacement in this system. Reinforcement is the more likely primary mechanism.

Frog sex chromosomes offer an ideal system for advancing our understanding of genome evolution and function because of the variety of sex determination systems in the group, the diversity of sex chromosome maturation states, the ease of experimental manipulation during early development. After briefly reviewing sex chromosome biology generally, we focus on what is known about frog sex determination, sex chromosome evolution, and recent, genomics-facilitated advances in the field. In closing we highlight gaps in our current knowledge of frog sex chromosomes, and suggest priorities for future research that can advance broad knowledge of gene dose and sex chromosome evolution.

Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most well studied genetic model organisms, nonetheless its genome still contains unannotated coding and non-coding genes, transcripts, exons, and RNA editing sites. Full discovery and annotation are prerequisites for understanding how the regulation of transcription, splicing, and RNA editing directs development of this complex organism. We used RNA-Seq, tiling microarrays, and cDNA sequencing to explore the transcriptome in 30 distinct developmental stages. We identified 111,195 new elements, including thousands of genes, coding and non-coding transcripts, exons, splicing and editing events and inferred protein isoforms that previously eluded discovery using established experimental, prediction and conservation-based approaches. Together, these data substantially expand the number of known transcribed elements in the Drosophila genome and provide a high-resolution view of transcriptome dynamics throughout development.

Male secondary sexual traits purportedly facilitate female choice of a potential mate's quality. One example of male quality is the ability to resist detrimental infections by parasites; sexual traits that reflect parasite infection can allow females to select for parasite resistance in future offspring. High parasite numbers can constrain the exaggeration of male traits, but few studies have examined the effects of parasites on female secondary traits. Female Mexican boulder spiny lizards Sceloporus pyrocephalus, undergo a change in secondary sexual coloration over their breeding season and express red gular regions and gray gular stripes in association with late stages of follicle maturation during the reproductive cycle, as well as blue ventral stripes. We examined if color change associated with the female reproductive cycle varied in hue, saturation and brightness in relation to high nematode loads. Our results suggest that high nematode loads of particular areas of the body are correlated with dull, as opposed to bright, secondary sexual coloration in females of S. pyrocephalus. One reason females could be most vulnerable to nematodes during late reproductive stages is because of corresponding high concentrations of circulating testosterone known to occur in this species at this time. Testosterone has demonstrated immunosuppressive effects in many species; however, results have varied and conclusive evidence for its role in immune function remains controversial. Using a subset of individuals from this study, we found that high concentrations of plasma testosterone were significantly related to high nematode loads. These findings prompt further studies examining the physiological attributes of parasite infestation, the honest signaling capabilities of nematode loads and their potential role in sexual selection for coloration in females.

Although changes in gene expression have long been recognized as critical to evolutionary processes, the extent of natural polymorphism in gene expression has yet to be assessed, thus opening a new area of active research. We present microarray and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) data from Cosmopolitan and Zimbabwe morphs of Drosophila melanogaster. These morphs provide a useful model for investigations into the incipient stages of speciation because Zimbabwe females tend to preferentially mate with their own males and discriminate against Cosmopolitan males, while Cosmopolitan females mate indiscriminately. We analysed expression profiles from heads of mated and nonmated females and identified 45 candidate genes whose expression levels were associated with the behavioural morphs and were modified by mating. Genes with altered transcription levels were randomly distributed across the genome and fell into diverse categories of biological activities. Several candidate genes, such as desaturase2 and Odorant receptor 63a, were additionally subjected to quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Notably, desaturase2, which has been invoked to play a role in sexual isolation between Cosmopolitan and Zimbabwe D. melanogaster/races/strains and predicted to be translational-inactive in Cosmopolitan due to a major deletion, was found to be up-regulated in Zimbabwe and down-regulated, but still expressed, in Cosmopolitan.

Background Although the mammalian X and Y chromosomes evolved from a single pair of autosomes, they are highly differentiated: the Y chromosome is dramatically smaller than the X and has lost most of its genes. The surviving genes are a specialized set with extraordinary evolutionary longevity. Most mammalian lineages have experienced delayed, or relatively recent, loss of at least one conserved Y-linked gene. An extreme example of this phenomenon is in the Japanese spiny rat, where the Y chromosome has disappeared altogether. In this species, many Y-linked genes were rescued by transposition to new genomic locations, but until our work presented here, this has been considered an isolated case. Results We describe eight cases of genes that have relocated to autosomes in mammalian lineages where the corresponding Y-linked gene has been lost. These gene transpositions originated from either the X or Y chromosomes, and are observed in diverse mammalian lineages: occurring at least once in marsupials, apes, and cattle, and at least twice in rodents and marmoset. For two genes - EIF1AX/Y and RPS4X/Y - transposition to autosomes occurred independently in three distinct lineages. Conclusions Rescue of Y-linked gene loss through transposition to autosomes has previously been reported for a single isolated rodent species. However, our findings indicate that this compensatory mechanism is widespread among mammalian species. Thus, Y-linked gene loss emerges as an additional driver of gene transposition from the sex chromosomes, a phenomenon thought to be driven primarily by meiotic sex chromosome inactivation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-015-0667-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Studies of the transcriptome have shown that a substantial fraction of interspecific differences in gene expression is the result of sex-biased gene expression. These results suggest that sex-dependent selection may be an important force in generating differences between species but to date all studies have focused on Drosophila. We examined a sample of the transcriptome in the gonads of two species of Xenopus to provide an additional test of how sex-biased gene expression may contribute to differences in gene expression between species. In contrast to Drosophila, Xenopus provides an example of a ZW system with morphologically indistinguishable sex chromosomes. About 81% of the transcriptome was differentially expressed between X. laevis and X. muelleri and there were more genes that were male-biased compared to the number of genes that were female-biased or non-sex-biased. While there were more genes up-regulated in males of Xenopus, the largest magnitude difference in expression between species occurred in female-biased genes, and male-biased genes were proportionally more abundant for the smallest changes in expression between species. Our results suggest that more genes have a role in the function of the testis compared to the ovary and female-biased genes play a principle role in expression divergence between species. These results differ from those in the Drosophila XY system in that more female-biased genes had >4-fold difference of expression between species than male-biased genes, suggesting that ZW sex chromosomes may facilitate enhanced gene expression divergence between species.

Basin building, a rare reproductive strategy used by frogs, consists of constructing a depression in the substrate (a basin) and depositing eggs within the basin. The stream breeding Neotropical hylid frog, Smilisca sordida, constructs several types of basins; specifically, eggs deposited in a circular depression either with eggs floating on the surface of the water or with eggs attached to the substrate (open basins) or eggs buried beneath the substrate (a buried basin). Two hypotheses were tested to explain the selective forces maintaining the basin construction reproductive mode in S. sordida. The microenvironment modification hypothesis proposes that basins modify the environment in ways beneficial to developing young. The predator avoidance hypothesis proposes that basins separate and therefore protect embryos and larvae from predators. The thermal prediction of the microenvironment modification hypothesis is supported but only for open basins: buried basins do not modify the thermal environment relative to streams. Fish consume eggs of S. sordida, suggesting that basins provide refuge from fish predation. Field data on predation rates show that, although basin building may reduce predation by fish, planarians, other invertebrate species, and conspecific tadpoles, all colonize basins and consume eggs of S. sordida. Of 230 clutches, 37.4% experienced total mortality and of clutches that failed, 74.4% were solely caused by predators that colonized basins. The distribution of predators along the stream was nonrandom and the distribution of predators strongly influenced the fate of clutches. Basin desiccation, as well as flooding, caused additional mortality to young and are additional consequences of depositing eggs in basins for S. sordida.

Barking frogs (Eleutherodactylus augusti) are distributed from southern Mexico along the Sierra Madre Occidental into Arizona and the Sierra Madre Oriental into Texas and New Mexico. Barking frogs in Arizona and most of Texas live in rocky areas in oak woodland, while those in New Mexico and far western Texas live in rodent burrows in desertscrub. Barking frogs in each of the three states have distinct coloration and differ in sexually dimorphic characters, female vocalization, and skin toxicity. We analyzed advertisement call variation and conducted a phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial DNA sequences (ND2 and tRNA regions) for barking frogs from these three states. Advertisement calls of frogs from Arizona were significantly longer in duration, higher in frequency, and had longer duration pulses than those of frogs from either New Mexico or Texas; frogs from these latter two sites were indistinguishable in these call variables. Phylogenetic analysis showed deep divisions among barking frogs from th...

The reproductive modes for Smilisca puma, Smilisca sila, and Smilisca sordida are reported for the first time. Smilisca puma has the generalized reproductive mode of anurans with eggs deposited as a surface film in lentic water. Smilisca sila and S. sordida have the basin construction reproductive mode. Smilisca sila constructs an open depression and deposits eggs within the depression. Basins of S. sordida consist of three types: (1) basins with eggs attached to the substrate (AE); (2) basins with eggs floating on the surface of the water (FE); and (3) eggs buried beneath the substrate. Length of AE basins was, on average 10% longer than FE basins. The area in which eggs were buried was about 1.5 times greater in basins with buried eggs than other basins. Eggs of S. sordida are also deposited in streams indicating that basin building is a facultative behavior for this species. The frequency of basin types varied spatially and temporally during the reproductive season. More basins were constructe...

Accurate gene model annotation of reference genomes is critical for making them useful. The modENCODE project has improved the D. melanogaster genome annotation by using deep and diverse high-throughput data. Since transcriptional activity that has been evolutionarily conserved is likely to have an advantageous function, we have performed large-scale interspecific comparisons to increase confidence in predicted annotations. To support comparative genomics, we filled in divergence gaps in the Drosophila phylogeny by generating draft genomes for eight new species. For comparative transcriptome analysis, we generated mRNA expression profiles on 81 samples from multiple tissues and developmental stages of 15 Drosophila species, and we performed cap analysis of gene expression in D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura. We also describe conservation of four distinct core promoter structures composed of combinations of elements at three positions. Overall, each type of genomic feature shows a characteristic divergence rate relative to neutral models, highlighting the value of multispecies alignment in annotating a target genome that should prove useful in the annotation of other high priority genomes, especially human and other mammalian genomes that are rich in noncoding sequences. We report that the vast majority of elements in the annotation are evolutionarily conserved, indicating that the annotation will be an important springboard for functional genetic testing by the Drosophila community., National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIDDK (DK015600-18)), National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Extramural program (1ROIGM082843)), National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Extramural program (U01HB004271))

Modern biomedical research demands that investigators become familiar with deep sequencing data analysis, yet the vast nature of deep sequencing data creates a variety of roadblocks for biologists not familiar with the analysis of such large datasets. In this chapter, we provide an introduction to data analysis for biologists, review first principles, point out areas of concern, and suggest software tools that are becoming standards for analysis of deep sequencing data. Perhaps the biggest challenge in the analysis of deep sequencing data will be data management and storage and repeating complex, multitier computational analyses. The future of deep sequencing data analysis will be likely data-driven and rely on principles gleaned from “big data” analysis.

Ecologists recognize the balance of nature as a complex system that arises from interacting and connected parts; disturbing the balance can affect other species in nonlinear and dynamic ways. Like ecosystems, the cell and genome are extensively connected by an abundance of molecular interactions. Upsetting the molecular balance, through changes in gene regulation, abnormal copy number variants, and changes in cell size can create consequences for genome and organismal function (1, 2). In PNAS, Gibbons et al. (3) advance the idea of genome balance further by identifying a new source of genetic variation that results in balancing transcriptional subunits of the ribosome. Using data from human and mouse, the authors characterized copy number variation (CNV) in tandemly repeated ribosomal DNA (rDNA) arrays and found that subunits of the array vary together in what they define as concerted copy number variation (cCNV). cCNV raises new questions about how CNV can function to restore balance in eukaryotic genomes, especially on the assembly and function of the ribosome.

Young species complexes that are widespread across ecologically disparate regions offer important insights into the process of speciation because of their relevance to how local adaptation and gene flow influence diversification. We used mitochondrial DNA and up to 28 152 genomewide single nucleotide polymorphisms from polytypic barking frogs (Craugastor augusti complex) to infer phylogenetic relationships and test for the signature of introgressive hybridization among diverging lineages. Our phylogenetic reconstructions suggest (i) a rapid Pliocene-Pleistocene radiation that produced at least nine distinct lineages and (ii) that geographic features of the arid Central Mexican Plateau contributed to two independent northward expansions. Despite clear lineage differentiation (many private alleles and high between-lineage FST scores), D-statistic tests, which differentiate introgression from ancestral polymorphism, allowed us to identify two putative instances of reticulate gene flow. Partitioned D-statistics provided evidence that these events occurred in the same direction between clades but at different points in time. After correcting for geographic distance, we found that lineages involved in hybrid gene flow interactions had higher levels of genetic variation than independently evolving lineages. These findings suggest that the nature of hybrid compatibility can be conserved overlong periods of evolutionary time and that hybridization between diverging lineages may contribute to standing levels of genetic variation.

Biotic and abiotic factors have been proposed to explain patterns of reproductive character displacement, but which factor is most important to character displacement of acoustic signals is not clear. Male vocalizations of the frog Pseudacris feriarum are known to undergo reproductive character displacement in areas of sympatry with P. brimleyi and P. nigrita. Despite evidence for reinforcement as an important mechanism, local adaptation via sensory drive might explain this pattern because Pseudacris breed in different habitat types and mating signals are exposed to a variety of environments. We tested the sensory drive hypothesis by playing synthesized vocalizations representing the spectrum of variation in P. feriarum at 12 different study sites. If sensory drive has occurred, then vocalizations should transmit better in the site of origin or at ecologically similar sites. We found that variation in acoustic signals did not produce better transmission in particular sites, the effect of site was uniform, and acoustic signals often transmitted better in habitats external to their origin. Ecological variation among habitats did not explain signal degradation. Our playback experiments, ecological analyses, and comparisons of different habitat types provide no support for sensory drive as a process promoting reproductive character displacement in this system. Reinforcement is the more likely primary mechanism.

The production of multiple transcript isoforms from one gene is a major source of transcriptome complexity. RNA-Seq experiments, in which transcripts are converted to cDNA and sequenced, allow the resolution and quantification of alternative transcript isoforms. However, methods to analyze splicing are underdeveloped and errors resulting in incorrect splicing calls occur in every experiment. We used RNA-Seq data to develop sequencing and aligner error models. By applying these error models to known input from simulations, we found that errors result from false alignment to minor splice motifs and antisense stands, shifted junction positions, paralog joining, and repeat induced gaps. By using a series of quantitative and qualitative filters, we eliminated diagnosed errors in the simulation, and applied this to RNA-Seq data from Drosophila melanogaster heads. We used high-confidence junction detections to specifically interrogate local splicing differences between transcripts. This method out-performed commonly used RNA-seq methods to identify known alternative splicing events in the Drosophila sex determination pathway. We describe a flexible software package to perform these tasks called Splicing Analysis Kit (Spanki), available at http://www.cbcb.umd.edu/software/spanki . Splice-junction centric analysis of RNA-Seq data provides advantages in specificity for detection of alternative splicing. Our software provides tools to better understand error profiles in RNA-Seq data and improve inference from this new technology. The splice-junction centric approach that this software enables will provide more accurate estimates of differentially regulated splicing than current tools.

X chromosomes are preferentially transmitted through females, which may favor the accumulation of X-linked alleles/genes with female-beneficial effects. Numerous studies have shown that genes with sex-biased expression are under- or over-represented on the X chromosomes of a wide variety of organisms. The patterns, however, vary between different animal species, and the causes of these differences are unresolved. Additionally, genes with sex-biased expression tend to be narrowly expressed in a limited number of tissues, and narrowly expressed genes are also non-randomly X-linked in a taxon-specific manner. It is therefore unclear whether the unique gene content of the X chromosome is the result of selection on genes with sex-biased expression, narrowly expressed genes, or some combination of the two. To address this problem, we measured sex-biased expression in multiple Drosophila species and at different developmental time points. These data were combined with available expression measurements from Drosophila melanogaster and mouse to reconcile the inconsistencies in X-chromosome content among taxa. Our results suggest that most of the differences between Drosophila and mammals are confounded by disparate data collection/analysis approaches as well as the correlation between sex bias and expression breadth. Both the Drosophila and mouse X chromosomes harbor an excess of genes with female-biased expression after controlling for the confounding factors, suggesting that the asymmetrical transmission of the X chromosome favors the accumulation of female-beneficial mutations in X-linked genes. However, some taxon-specific patterns remain, and we provide evidence that these are in part a consequence of constraints imposed by the dosage compensation mechanism in Drosophila.

Microarrays first made the analysis of the transcriptome possible, and have produced much important information. Today, however, researchers are increasingly turning to direct high-throughput sequencing - RNA-Seq - which has considerable advantages for examining transcriptome fine structure - for example in the detection of allele-specific expression and splice junctions. In this article, we discuss the relative merits of the two techniques, the inherent biases in each, and whether all of the vast body of array work needs to be revisited using the newer technology. We conclude that microarrays remain useful and accurate tools for measuring expression levels, and RNA-Seq complements and extends microarray measurements.

Analysis of the relationship between gene copy number and gene expression in aneuploid male Drosophila cells reveals a global compensation mechanism in addition to X chromosome-specific dosage compensation., Extensive departures from balanced gene dose in aneuploids are highly deleterious. However, we know very little about the relationship between gene copy number and expression in aneuploid cells. We determined copy number and transcript abundance (expression) genome-wide in Drosophila S2 cells by DNA-Seq and RNA-Seq. We found that S2 cells are aneuploid for >43 Mb of the genome, primarily in the range of one to five copies, and show a male genotype (∼ two X chromosomes and four sets of autosomes, or 2X;4A). Both X chromosomes and autosomes showed expression dosage compensation. X chromosome expression was elevated in a fixed-fold manner regardless of actual gene dose. In engineering terms, the system “anticipates” the perturbation caused by X dose, rather than responding to an error caused by the perturbation. This feed-forward regulation resulted in precise dosage compensation only when X dose was half of the autosome dose. Insufficient compensation occurred at lower X chromosome dose and excessive expression occurred at higher doses. RNAi knockdown of the Male Specific Lethal complex abolished feed-forward regulation. Both autosome and X chromosome genes show Male Specific Lethal–independent compensation that fits a first order dose-response curve. Our data indicate that expression dosage compensation dampens the effect of altered DNA copy number genome-wide. For the X chromosome, compensation includes fixed and dose-dependent components., Author Summary While it is widely recognized that mutations in protein coding genes can have harmful consequences, one can also have too much or too little of a good thing. Except for the sex chromosomes, genes come in sets of two in diploid organisms. Extra or missing copies of genes or chromosomes result in an imbalance that can lead to cancers, miscarriages, and disease susceptibility. We have examined what happens to gene expression in Drosophila cells with the types of gross copy number changes that are typical of cancers. We have compared the response of autosomes and sex chromosomes and show that there is some compensation for copy number change in both cases. One response is universal and acts to correct copy number changes by changing transcript abundance. The other is specific to the X chromosome and acts to increase expression regardless of gene dose. Our data highlight how important gene expression balance is for cell function.

Chromosomes that harbor dominant sex determination loci are predicted to erode over time—losing genes, accumulating transposable elements, degenerating into a functional wasteland and ultimately becoming extinct. The Drosophila melanogaster Y chromosome is fairly far along this path to oblivion. The few genes on largely heterochromatic Y chromosome are required for spermatocyte-specific functions, but have no role in other tissues. Surprisingly, a recent paper shows that divergent Y chromosomes can substantially influence gene expression throughout the D. melanogaster genome.1 These results show that variation on Y has an important influence on the deployment of the genome. BioEssays 30:409–411, 2008. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background Interspecific hybrids of frogs of the genus Xenopus result in sterile hybrid males and fertile hybrid females. Previous work has demonstrated a dramatic asymmetrical pattern of misexpression in hybrid males compared to the two parental species with relatively few genes misexpressed in comparisons of hybrids and the maternal species (X. laevis) and dramatically more genes misexpressed in hybrids compared to the paternal species (X. muelleri). In this work, we examine the gene expression pattern in hybrid females of X. laevis × X. muelleri to determine if this asymmetrical pattern of expression also occurs in hybrid females. Results We find a similar pattern of asymmetry in expression compared to males in that there were more genes differentially expressed between hybrids and X. muelleri compared to hybrids and X. laevis. We also found a dramatic increase in the number of misexpressed genes with hybrid females having about 20 times more genes misexpressed in ovaries compared to testes of hybrid males and therefore the match between phenotype and expression pattern is not supported. Conclusion We discuss these intriguing findings in the context of reproductive isolation and suggest that divergence in female expression may be involved in sterility of hybrid males due to the inherent sensitivity of spermatogenesis as defined by the faster male evolution hypothesis for Haldane's rule.

Reproductive isolation between biological species is characterized by Haldane's rule, which states that the heterogametic sex (XY or ZW) suffers the most dysfunctional effects of hybridization. It has been hypothesized that, in addition to X-linked recessive genes, Haldane's rule also reflects the faster evolution of genes related to male reproduction (faster-male evolution). We used sex-reversed hybrid Xenopus to test faster-male evolution by examining the fertility of sex-reversed individuals with the genotype of the inverse phenotypic sex. Hybrid males are sterile and hybrid females are fertile irrespective of their genotypic sex. Gene expression profiles match these adult phenotypes, and our results demonstrate that faster-male evolution is the most likely mechanism producing hybrid male sterility.

Understanding the general features of speciation is an important goal in evolutionary biology, and despite significant progress, several unresolved questions remain. We analyzed an extensive comparative dataset consisting of more than 1900 crosses between 92 species of toads to infer patterns of reproductive isolation. This unique dataset provides an opportunity to examine the strength of reproductive isolation, the development and sex ratios of hybrid offspring, patterns of fertility and infertility, and polyploidization in hybrids all in the context of genetic divergence between parental species. We found that the strength of intrinsic postzygotic isolation increases with genetic divergence, but relatively high levels of divergence are necessary before reproductive isolation is complete in toads. Fertilization rates were not correlated to genetic divergence, but hatching success, the number of larvae produced, and the percentage of tadpoles reaching metamorphosis were all inversely related with genetic divergence. Hybrids between species with lower levels of divergence developed to metamorphosis, while hybrids with higher levels of divergence stopped developing in gastrula and larval stages. Sex ratios of hybrid offspring were biased towards males in 70% of crosses and biased towards females in 30% of crosses. Hybrid females from crosses between closely related species were completely fertile, while approximately half (53%) of hybrid males were sterile, with sterility predicted by genetic divergence. The degree of abnormal ploidy in hybrids was positively related to genetic divergence between parental species, but surprisingly, polyploidization had no effect on patterns of asymmetrical inviability. We discuss explanations for these patterns, including the role of Haldane's rule in toads and anurans in general, and suggest mechanisms generating patterns of reproductive isolation in anurans.

Although changes in gene expression have long been recognized as critical to evolutionary processes, the extent of natural polymorphism in gene expression has yet to be assessed, thus opening a new area of active research. We present microarray and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) data from Cosmopolitan and Zimbabwe morphs of Drosophila melanogaster. These morphs provide a useful model for investigations into the incipient stages of speciation because Zimbabwe females tend to preferentially mate with their own males and discriminate against Cosmopolitan males, while Cosmopolitan females mate indiscriminately. We analysed expression profiles from heads of mated and nonmated females and identified 45 candidate genes whose expression levels were associated with the behavioural morphs and were modified by mating. Genes with altered transcription levels were randomly distributed across the genome and fell into diverse categories of biological activities. Several candidate genes, such as desaturase2 and Odorant receptor 63a, were additionally subjected to quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Notably, desaturase2, which has been invoked to play a role in sexual isolation between Cosmopolitan and Zimbabwe D. melanogaster/races/strains and predicted to be translational-inactive in Cosmopolitan due to a major deletion, was found to be up-regulated in Zimbabwe and down-regulated, but still expressed, in Cosmopolitan.

Background Drosophila females commit tremendous resources to egg production and males produce some of the longest sperm in the animal kingdom. We know little about the coordinated regulation of gene expression patterns in distant somatic tissues that support the developmental cost of gamete production. Results We determined the non-gonadal gene expression patterns of Drosophila females and males with or without a germline. Our results show that germline-dependent expression in the non-gonadal soma is extensive. Interestingly, gene expression patterns and hormone titers are consistent with a hormone axis between the gonads and non-gonadal soma. Conclusions The germline has a long-range influence on gene expression in the Drosophila sexes. We suggest that this is the result of a germline/soma hormonal axis.

Information on how genomic information from fish to human encodes the same tissues has until now emerged one gene at a time. The study published in this issue now provides lists of genes and their expression levels for 20 vertebrate tissues spanning 450 million years of vertebrate evolution. It reveals a core set of genes with similar tissue-expression patterns yet no common regulatory signatures – a gene-expression paradox.

BACKGROUND: Reproductive isolation is a defining characteristic of populations that represent unique biological species, yet we know very little about the gene expression basis for reproductive isolation. The advent of powerful molecular biology tools provides the ability to identify genes involved in reproductive isolation and focuses attention on the molecular mechanisms that separate biological species. Herein we quantify the sterility pattern of hybrid males in African Clawed Frogs (Xenopus) and apply microarray analysis of the expression pattern found in testes to identify genes that are misexpressed in hybrid males relative to their two parental species (Xenopus laevis and X. muelleri). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Phenotypic characteristics of spermatogenesis in sterile male hybrids (X. laevis x X. muelleri) were examined using a novel sperm assay that allowed quantification of live, dead, and undifferentiated sperm cells, the number of motile vs. immotile sperm, and sperm morphology. Hybrids exhibited a dramatically lower abundance of mature sperm relative to the parental species. Hybrid spermatozoa were larger in size and accompanied by numerous undifferentiated sperm cells. Microarray analysis of gene expression in testes was combined with a correction for sequence divergence derived from genomic hybridizations to identify candidate genes involved in the sterility phenotype. Analysis of the transcriptome revealed a striking asymmetric pattern of misexpression. There were only about 140 genes misexpressed in hybrids compared to X. laevis but nearly 4,000 genes misexpressed in hybrids compared to X. muelleri. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results provide an important correlation between phenotypic characteristics of sperm and gene expression in sterile hybrid males. The broad pattern of gene misexpression suggests intriguing mechanisms creating the dominance pattern of the X. laevis genome in hybrids. These findings significantly contribute to growing evidence for allelic dominance in hybrids and have implications for the mechanism of species differentiation at the transcriptome level.

Gene regulation was long predicted to play a vital role in speciation and species divergence. Only recently with the advent of new technologies, however, has it been possible to address the question of the relative contributions of different mechanisms of gene expression to the evolution of phenotypic diversity. Here we broaden the question and ask whether microRNAs, a large class of small regulatory RNAs, play a role in reproductive isolation between species by contributing to hybrid male sterility. MicroRNAs from the testes of clawed frogs (Xenopus) were extracted and the expression profiles of sterile hybrids were compared with males of a parental species. Hybrid testes were largely microRNA-depleted relative to those of nonhybrids, and this pattern was validated with quantitative RT-PCR. A number of candidate differential microRNAs from this study have previously been described as testis-specific in the mouse, suggesting that microRNA structural conservation may be associated with functional retention.

Background Gene dosage change is a mild perturbation that is a valuable tool for pathway reconstruction in Drosophila. While it is often assumed that reducing gene dose by half leads to two-fold less expression, there is partial autosomal dosage compensation in Drosophila, which may be mediated by feedback or buffering in expression networks. Results We profiled expression in engineered flies where gene dose was reduced from two to one. While expression of most one-dose genes was reduced, the gene-specific dose responses were heterogeneous. Expression of two-dose genes that are first-degree neighbors of one-dose genes in novel network models also changed, and the directionality of change depended on the response of one-dose genes. Conclusions Our data indicate that expression perturbation propagates in network space. Autosomal compensation, or the lack thereof, is a gene-specific response, largely mediated by interactions with the rest of the transcriptome.