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Using a unique dataset of FINRA-licenced individuals in Florida in 2015 that was enriched to include job classification information generally not contained in publicly-available regulatory data, a ...

Zinc metallopeptidase STE24 (ZMPSTE24) is essential for the conversion of farnesyl–prelamin A to mature lamin A, a key component of the nuclear lamina. In the absence of ZMPSTE24, farnesyl–prelamin A accumulates in the nucleus and exerts toxicity, causing a variety of disease phenotypes. By ∼4 months of age, both male and female Zmpste24(−/−) mice manifest a near-complete loss of adipose tissue, but it has never been clear whether this phenotype is a direct consequence of farnesyl–prelamin A toxicity in adipocytes. To address this question, we generated a conditional knockout Zmpste24 allele and used it to create adipocyte-specific Zmpste24–knockout mice. To boost farnesyl–prelamin A levels, we bred in the “prelamin A–only” Lmna allele. Gene expression, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry experiments revealed that adipose tissue in these mice had decreased Zmpste24 expression along with strikingly increased accumulation of prelamin A. In male mice, Zmpste24 deficiency in adipocytes was accompanied by modest changes in adipose stores (an 11% decrease in body weight, a 23% decrease in body fat mass, and significantly smaller gonadal and inguinal white adipose depots). No changes in adipose stores were detected in female mice, likely because prelamin A expression in adipose tissue is lower in female mice. Zmpste24 deficiency in adipocytes did not alter the number of macrophages in adipose tissue, nor did it alter plasma levels of glucose, triglycerides, or fatty acids. We conclude that ZMPSTE24 deficiency in adipocytes, and the accompanying accumulation of farnesyl–prelamin A, reduces adipose tissue stores, but only modestly and only in male mice.

The authors study two characteristics found to be associated with reduced financial advisor misconduct: gender and professional designations. Their findings suggest that consumer guidelines are helpful in avoiding adverse advisor experiences. These guidelines can be especially valuable given the advisory market’s absence of clear, uniform standards to assess financial advisory professionals. The authors find that female advisors are statistically less likely to engage in misconduct. In addition, they find that female advisors with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation are less likely to exhibit disclosed misconduct as compared to male and female advisors who have at least one of the CFP, ChFC, or Chartered Financial Analyst designations. Their findings offer another powerful reason why attracting women to the industry is important and why advanced financial planning training may improve consumer outcomes.

Mutation of conserved cysteines in proteins of the Ly6 family cause human disease—chylomicronemia in the case of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored HDL binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in the case of CD59. A mutation in a conserved cysteine in CD59 prevented the protein from reaching the surface of blood cells. In contrast, mutation of conserved cysteines in human GPIHBP1 had little effect on GPIHBP1 trafficking to the surface of cultured CHO cells. The latter findings were somewhat surprising and raised questions about whether CHO cell studies accurately model the fate of mutant GPIHBP1 proteins in vivo. To explore this concern, we created mice harboring a GPIHBP1 cysteine mutation (p.C63Y). The p.C63Y mutation abolished the ability of mouse GPIHBP1 to bind LPL, resulting in severe chylomicronemia. The mutant GPIHBP1 was detectable by immunohistochemistry on the surface of endothelial cells, but the level of expression was ∼70% lower than in WT mice. The mutant GPIHBP1 protein in mouse tissues was predominantly monomeric. We conclude that mutation of a conserved cysteine in GPIHBP1 abolishes the ability of GPIHBP1 to bind LPL, resulting in mislocalization of LPL and severe chylomicronemia. The mutation reduced but did not eliminate GPIHBP1 on the surface of endothelial cells in vivo.

Blushing-fearful individuals often expect that others will judge them negatively. In two studies, we tested if this could be explained by having relatively strict beliefs about what is appropriate social behaviour. Study 1 used a student sample (n = 74), whereas study 2 compared a clinical treatment-seeking sample of blushing-fearful individuals (n = 33) with a non-anxious control group (n = 31). In both studies, participants were asked to read descriptions of common behaviours that could be considered as breaching the prevailing social norms but not necessarily so. Participants indicated (i) to what extent they considered these behaviours as violating the prevailing norm and (ii) their expectation of observers' judgments. Study 1 showed that strict norms were indeed related to fear of blushing and that the tendency of fearful participants to expect negative judgments could at least partly explain this relationship. Study 2 showed that high-fearful and low-fearful individuals do indeed differ in the strictness of their norms and that especially the norms that individuals apply to themselves might be relevant. These findings may provide fresh clues for improving available treatment options. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Blushing-fearful individuals attribute relatively strict social norms to other people about which behaviours are appropriate and which are not and have stricter personal norms as well. Blushing-fearful individuals' tendency to expect overly negative judgments in ambivalent social situations can partly be explained by their relatively strict social norms. Having relatively strict social norms may (also) explain why blushing-fearful individuals report to blush often and intensely. It may be worthwhile to address strict social norms in therapy for fear of blushing.

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has rapidly advanced targeted genome editing technologies. However, its efficiency in targeting with constructs in mouse zygotes via homology directed repair (HDR) remains low. Here, we systematically explored optimal parameters for targeting constructs in mouse zygotes via HDR using mouse embryonic stem cells as a model system. We characterized several parameters, including single guide RNA cleavage activity and the length and symmetry of homology arms in the construct, and we compared the targeting efficiency between Cas9, Cas9nickase, and dCas9–FokI. We then applied the optimized conditions to zygotes, delivering Cas9 as either mRNA or protein. We found that Cas9 nucleo-protein complex promotes highly efficient, multiplexed targeting of circular constructs containing reporter genes and floxed exons. This approach allows for a one-step zygote injection procedure targeting multiple genes to generate conditional alleles via homologous recombination, and simultaneous knockout of corresponding genes in non-targeted alleles via non-homologous end joining. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11248-016-9998-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

We sequenced the MSY (male-specific region of the Y chromosome) of the C57BL/6J strain of the laboratory mouse Mus musculus. In contrast to theories that Y chromosomes are heterochromatic and gene poor, the mouse MSY is 99.9% euchromatic and contains about 700 protein-coding genes. Only 2% of the MSY derives from the ancestral autosomes that gave rise to the mammalian sex chromosomes. Instead, all but 45 of the MSY’s genes belong to three acquired, massively amplified gene families that have no homologs on primate MSYs but do have acquired, amplified homologs on the mouse X chromosome. The complete mouse MSY sequence brings to light dramatic forces in sex chromosome evolution: lineage-specific convergent acquisition and amplification of X-Y gene families, possibly fueled by antagonism between acquired X-Y homologs. The mouse MSY sequence presents opportunities for experimental studies of a sex-specific chromosome in its entirety, in a genetically tractable model organism., National Institutes of Health (U.S.), Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Growing evidence supports a link between inflammation and cancer; however, mediators of the transition between inflammation and carcinogenesis remain incompletely understood. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) lyase (SPL) irreversibly degrades the bioactive sphingolipid S1P and is highly expressed in enterocytes but downregulated in colon cancer. Here, we investigated the role of SPL in colitis-associated cancer (CAC). We generated mice with intestinal epithelium-specific Sgpl1 deletion and chemically induced colitis and tumor formation in these animals. Compared with control animals, mice lacking intestinal SPL exhibited greater disease activity, colon shortening, cytokine levels, S1P accumulation, tumors, STAT3 activation, STAT3-activated microRNAs (miRNAs), and suppression of miR-targeted anti-oncogene products. This phenotype was attenuated by STAT3 inhibition. In fibroblasts, silencing SPL promoted tumorigenic transformation through a pathway involving extracellular transport of S1P through S1P transporter spinster homolog 2 (SPNS2), S1P receptor activation, JAK2/STAT3-dependent miR-181b-1 induction, and silencing of miR-181b-1 target cylindromatosis (CYLD). Colon biopsies from patients with inflammatory bowel disease revealed enhanced S1P and STAT3 signaling. In mice with chemical-induced CAC, oral administration of plant-type sphingolipids called sphingadienes increased colonic SPL levels and reduced S1P levels, STAT3 signaling, cytokine levels, and tumorigenesis, indicating that SPL prevents transformation and carcinogenesis. Together, our results suggest that dietary sphingolipids can augment or prevent colon cancer, depending upon whether they are metabolized to S1P or promote S1P metabolism through the actions of SPL.

The Marmoset Genome Sequencing and Analysis Consortium.-- Worley, Kim C. et al., We report the whole-genome sequence of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). The 2.26-Gb genome of a female marmoset was assembled using Sanger read data (6×) and a whole-genome shotgun strategy. A first analysis has permitted comparison with the genomes of apes and Old World monkeys and the identification of specific features that might contribute to the unique biology of this diminutive primate, including genetic changes that may influence body size, frequent twinning and chimerism. We observed positive selection in growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor genes (growth pathways), respiratory complex I genes (metabolic pathways), and genes encoding immunobiological factors and proteases (reproductive and immunity pathways). In addition, both protein-coding and microRNA genes related to reproduction exhibited evidence of rapid sequence evolution. This genome sequence for a New World monkey enables increased power for comparative analyses among available primate genomes and facilitates biomedical research application. © 2014 Nature America, Inc., The marmoset genome project was funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), including from grants U54 HG003273 (R.A. Gibbs) and U54 HG003079 (R.K.W.), with additional support from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), including from grants R01 DK077639 (S.D.T.), R01 GM59290 (L.B.J. and M.A.B.), HG002385 (E.E.E.) and P51-OD011133 (Southwest NPRC), and support from the National Science Foundation (NSF BCS-0751508 to D.E.W.) and the VEGA grant agency: 1/0719/14 (T.V.) and 1/1085/12 (B.B.). C.C.F. and M.C.R. were supported in part by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant to Louisiana State University through the Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education program. J.X. was supported by NHGRI grant K99 HG005846. P.H.G. was supported by the Cullen Foundation. T.M.-B. was supported by European Research Council Starting Grant (260372) and MICINN (Spain) grant BFU2011-28549. B.L.-G. was supported by the Spanish National Institute of Bioinformatics (see URLs).

The largest genus in the conifer family Pinaceae is Pinus, with over 100 species. The size and complexity of their genomes (∼20–40 Gb, 2n = 24) have delayed the arrival of a well-annotated reference sequence. In this study, we present the annotation of the first whole-genome shotgun assembly of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), which comprises 20.1 Gb of sequence. The MAKER-P annotation pipeline combined evidence-based alignments and ab initio predictions to generate 50,172 gene models, of which 15,653 are classified as high confidence. Clustering these gene models with 13 other plant species resulted in 20,646 gene families, of which 1554 are predicted to be unique to conifers. Among the conifer gene families, 159 are composed exclusively of loblolly pine members. The gene models for loblolly pine have the highest median and mean intron lengths of 24 fully sequenced plant genomes. Conifer genomes are full of repetitive DNA, with the most significant contributions from long-terminal-repeat retrotransposons. In depth analysis of the tandem and interspersed repetitive content yielded a combined estimate of 82%.

Until very recently, complete characterization of the megagenomes of conifers has remained elusive. The diploid genome of sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Dougl.) has a highly repetitive, 31 billion bp genome. It is the largest genome sequenced and assembled to date, and the first from the subgenus Strobus, or white pines, a group that is notable for having the largest genomes among the pines. The genome represents a unique opportunity to investigate genome “obesity” in conifers and white pines. Comparative analysis of P. lambertiana and P. taeda L. reveals new insights on the conservation, age, and diversity of the highly abundant transposable elements, the primary factor determining genome size. Like most North American white pines, the principal pathogen of P. lambertiana is white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola J.C. Fischer ex Raben.). Identification of candidate genes for resistance to this pathogen is of great ecological importance. The genome sequence afforded us the opportunity to make substantial progress on locating the major dominant gene for simple resistance hypersensitive response, Cr1. We describe new markers and gene annotation that are both tightly linked to Cr1 in a mapping population, and associated with Cr1 in unrelated sugar pine individuals sampled throughout the species’ range, creating a solid foundation for future mapping. This genomic variation and annotated candidate genes characterized in our study of the Cr1 region are resources for future marker-assisted breeding efforts as well as for investigations of fundamental mechanisms of invasive disease and evolutionary response.

BAC transgenic mammalian systems offer an important platform for recapitulating human gene expression and disease modeling. While the larger body mass, and greater genetic and physiologic similarity to humans render rats well suited for reproducing human immune diseases and evaluating therapeutic strategies, difficulties of generating BAC transgenic rats have hindered progress. Thus, an efficient method for BAC transgenesis in rats would be valuable. Immunodeficient mice carrying a human SIRPA transgene have previously been shown to support improved human cell hematopoiesis. Here, we have generated for the first time, human SIRPA BAC transgenic rats, for which the gene is faithfully expressed, functionally active, and germline transmissible. To do this, human SIRPA BAC was modified with elements to work in coordination with genome engineering technologies-piggyBac, CRISPR/Cas9 or TALEN. Our findings show that piggyBac transposition is a more efficient approach than the classical BAC transgenesis, resulting in complete BAC integration with predictable end sequences, thereby permitting precise assessment of the integration site. Neither CRISPR/Cas9 nor TALEN increased BAC transgenesis. Therefore, an efficient generation of human SIRPA transgenic rats using piggyBac opens opportunities for expansion of humanized transgenic rat models in the future to advance biomedical research and therapeutic applications.

Scally, A. et al., Gorillas are humans' closest living relatives after chimpanzees, and are of comparable importance for the study of human origins and evolution. Here we present the assembly and analysis of a genome sequence for the western lowland gorilla, and compare the whole genomes of all extant great ape genera. We propose a synthesis of genetic and fossil evidence consistent with placing the human-chimpanzee and human-chimpanzee-gorilla speciation events at approximately 6 and 10 million years ago. In 30% of the genome, gorilla is closer to human or chimpanzee than the latter are to each other; this is rarer around coding genes, indicating pervasive selection throughout great ape evolution, and has functional consequences in gene expression. A comparison of protein coding genes reveals approximately 500 genes showing accelerated evolution on each of the gorilla, human and chimpanzee lineages, and evidence for parallel acceleration, particularly of genes involved in hearing. We also compare the western and eastern gorilla species, estimating an average sequence divergence time 1.75 million years ago, but with evidence for more recent genetic exchange and a population bottleneck in the eastern species. The use of the genome sequence in these and future analyses will promote a deeper understanding of great ape biology and evolution. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved., This research was supported in part by Wellcome Trust grants WT062023(toJ.H.,K.B.,S.F.,A.J.V.,P.F.),WT089066(toR.D.),WT077192(toR.D.,S.M., A.K.-K., J.T.S., W.W.), WT077009 (to Y.X., B.Y., Q.A., Y.C., C.T.-S.), WT077198 (to G.K.L.) and 075491/Z/04 (to G.L.); EMBL grants (to P.C.S., P.F.); scholarships from the Gates Cambridge Trust (to G.E.J. and T.D.O’C.); an MRC Special Fellowship in Biomedical Informatics (toA.S.);funding from the Lundbeck Foundation(toA.H.);the Academy of Finland and the Emil Aaltonen Foundation(toT.L.);a Marie Curie fellowship(toT.M.-B.); the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ ERC Starting Grant(StG_20091118)(toT.M.-B.);an FPI grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education (BES-2010-032251) (to J.P.-M.); a BBSRC Doctoral Training Grant (to S.H.M.); grants from the UK Medical Research Council (to A.H., S.M., C.P.P.); the Intramural Research Program of the National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health(to J.C.M.);the Danish Council for Independent Research, Natural Sciences,grant no.09-062535(toK.M.,M.H.S.);a Commonwealth Scholarship (to M.C.W.); the Swiss National Science Foundation, Louis Jeantet Foundation (to E.T.D.); an ERC Starting Grant and an EMBO Young Investigator Award, Hutchinson Whampoa (to D.T.O.); NHGRI support (to W.C.W.); support from BIOBASE GmbH (to E.V.B., P.D.S., M.M., A.D.P., K.S., D.N.C.); US National Science Foundation grant DGE-0739133(toW.W.);NHGRIU54HG003079(toR.K.W.);NIHgrantHG002385(to E.E.E). E.E.E. is an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

An important step toward improving the annotation of the human genome is to identify cis-acting regulatory elements from primary DNA sequence. One approach is to compare sequences from multiple, divergent species. This approach distinguishes multispecies conserved sequences (MCS) in noncoding regions from more rapidly evolving neutral DNA. Here, we have analyzed a region of approximately 238kb containing the human alpha globin cluster that was sequenced and/or annotated across the syntenic region in 22 species spanning 500 million years of evolution. Using a variety of bioinformatic approaches and correlating the results with many aspects of chromosome structure and function in this region, we were able to identify and evaluate the importance of 24 individual MCSs. This approach sensitively and accurately identified previously characterized regulatory elements but also discovered unidentified promoters, exons, splicing, and transcriptional regulatory elements. Together, these studies demonstrate an integrated approach by which to identify, subclassify, and predict the potential importance of MCSs.

The evolution of the amniotic egg was one of the great evolutionary innovations in the history of life, freeing vertebrates from an obligatory connection to water and thus permitting the conquest of terrestrial environments. Among amniotes, genome sequences are available for mammals and birds, but not for non-avian reptiles. Here we report the genome sequence of the North American green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis. We find that A. carolinensis microchromosomes are highly syntenic with chicken microchromosomes, yet do not exhibit the high GC and low repeat content that are characteristic of avian microchromosomes. Also, A. carolinensis mobile elements are very young and diverse—more so than in any other sequenced amniote genome. The GC content of this lizard genome is also unusual in its homogeneity, unlike the regionally variable GC content found in mammals and birds. We describe and assign sequence to the previously unknown A. carolinensis X chromosome. Comparative gene analysis shows that amniote egg proteins have evolved significantly more rapidly than other proteins. An anole phylogeny resolves basal branches to illuminate the history of their repeated adaptive radiations., National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF grant DEB-0920892), National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF grant DEB-0844624), National Human Genome Research Institute (U.S.)

Hexanucleotide expansions in C9ORF72 are the most frequent genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Disease mechanisms were evaluated in mice expressing C9ORF72 RNAs with up to 450 GGGGCC repeats or with one or both C9orf72 alleles inactivated. Chronic 50% reduction of C9ORF72 did not provoke disease, while its absence produced splenomegaly, enlarged lymph nodes, and mild social interaction deficits, but not motor dysfunction. Hexanucleotide expansions caused age-, repeat-length-, and expression-level-dependent accumulation of RNA foci and dipeptide-repeat proteins synthesized by AUG-independent translation, accompanied by loss of hippocampal neurons, increased anxiety, and impaired cognitive function. Single-dose injection of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that target repeat-containing RNAs but preserve levels of mRNAs encoding C9ORF72 produced sustained reductions in RNA foci and dipeptide-repeat proteins, and ameliorated behavioral deficits. These efforts identify gain of toxicity as a central disease mechanism caused by repeat-expanded C9ORF72 and establish the feasibility of ASO-mediated therapy. publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Gain of Toxicity from ALS/FTD-Linked Repeat Expansions in C9ORF72 Is Alleviated by Antisense Oligonucleotides Targeting GGGGCC-Containing RNAs journaltitle: Neuron articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2016.04.006 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 Elsevier Inc. ispartof: Neuron vol:90 issue:3 pages:535-550 ispartof: location:United States status: published

The unintended consequences of gene targeting in mouse models have not been thoroughly studied and a more systematic analysis is needed to understand the frequency and characteristics of off-target effects. Using RNA-seq, we evaluated targeted and neighboring gene expression in tissues from 44 homozygous mutants compared with C57BL/6N control mice. Two allele types were evaluated: 15 targeted trap mutations (TRAP); and 29 deletion alleles (DEL), usually a deletion between the translational start and the 3’ UTR. Both targeting strategies insert a bacterial beta-galactosidase reporter (LacZ) and a neomycin resistance selection cassette. Evaluating transcription of genes in +/- 500 kb of flanking DNA around the targeted gene, we found up-regulated genes more frequently around DEL compared with TRAP alleles, however the frequency of alleles with local down-regulated genes flanking DEL and TRAP targets was similar. Down-regulated genes around both DEL and TRAP targets were found at a higher frequency than expected from a genome-wide survey. However, only around DEL targets were up-regulated genes found with a significantly higher frequency compared with genome-wide sampling. Transcriptome analysis confirms targeting in 97% of DEL alleles, but in only 47% of TRAP alleles probably due to non-functional splice variants, and some splicing around the gene trap. Local effects on gene expression are likely due to a number of factors including compensatory regulation, loss or disruption of intragenic regulatory elements, the exogenous promoter in the neo selection cassette, removal of insulating DNA in the DEL mutants, and local silencing due to disruption of normal chromatin organization or presence of exogenous DNA. An understanding of local position effects is important for understanding and interpreting any phenotype attributed to targeted gene mutations, or to spontaneous indels., Author Summary Insertion of foreign DNA into mammalian genomes, and the deletion of DNA, may have unintended consequences extending beyond the site of the mutation. In the mouse, the insertion of foreign DNA, including foreign regulatory DNA, combined with the deletion of part of the targeted gene, had striking effects on the regulation of neighboring genes. And this ectopic local gene dysregulation occurred at high frequency in regions of high gene density. These findings emphasize the importance of evaluating the local effects on gene regulation following spontaneous insertions and deletions, and after engineering mutations, in mammalian systems. Phenotypes associated with mutations in a specific gene may be partially or entirely due to effects on neighboring genes.

The whole-genome duplication 80 million years ago of the common ancestor of salmonids (salmonid-specific fourth vertebrate whole-genome duplication, Ss4R) provides unique opportunities to learn about the evolutionary fate of a duplicated vertebrate genome in 70 extant lineages. Here we present a high-quality genome assembly for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), and show that large genomic reorganizations, coinciding with bursts of transposon-mediated repeat expansions, were crucial for the post-Ss4R rediploidization process. Comparisons of duplicate gene expression patterns across a wide range of tissues with orthologous genes from a pre-Ss4R outgroup unexpectedly demonstrate far more instances of neofunctionalization than subfunctionalization. Surprisingly, we find that genes that were retained as duplicates after the teleost-specific whole-genome duplication 320 million years ago were not more likely to be retained after the Ss4R, and that the duplicate retention was not influenced to a great extent by the nature of the predicted protein interactions of the gene products. Finally, we demonstrate that the Atlantic salmon assembly can serve as a reference sequence for the study of other salmonids for a range of purposes. Supplementary information The online version of this article (doi:10.1038/nature17164) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users., The genome sequence is presented for the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), providing information about a rediploidization following a salmonid-specific whole-genome duplication event that resulted in an autotetraploidization. Supplementary information The online version of this article (doi:10.1038/nature17164) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users., A window on salmonid genome evolution William Davidson and colleagues report sequencing and assembly of the Atlantic salmon genome, which they demonstrate as a useful reference to also improve the genome assembly of other salmanoids. Their analyses provide insights into duplicate retention patterns across two rounds of whole-genome duplication that have occurred in this lineage. Supplementary information The online version of this article (doi:10.1038/nature17164) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid involved in immunity, inflammation, angiogenesis, and cancer. S1P lyase (SPL) is the essential enzyme responsible for S1P degradation. SPL augments apoptosis and is down-regulated in cancer. SPL generates a S1P chemical gradient that promotes lymphocyte trafficking and as such is being targeted to treat autoimmune diseases. Despite growing interest in SPL as a disease marker, antioncogene, and pharmacological target, no comprehensive characterization of SPL expression in mammalian tissues has been reported. We investigated SPL expression in developing and adult mouse tissues by generating and characterizing a β-galactosidase-SPL reporter mouse combined with immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and enzyme assays. SPL was expressed in thymic and splenic stromal cells, splenocytes, Peyer's Patches, colonic lymphoid aggregates, circulating T and B lymphocytes, granulocytes, and monocytes, with lowest expression in thymocytes. SPL was highly expressed within the CNS, including arachnoid lining cells, spinal cord, choroid plexus, trigeminal nerve ganglion, and specific neurons of the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, midbrain, hindbrain, and cerebellum. Expression was detected in brown adipose tissue, female gonads, adrenal cortex, bladder epithelium, Harderian and preputial glands, and hair follicles. This unique expression pattern suggests SPL has many undiscovered physiological functions apart from its role in immunity.

Chromosome rearrangements in small apes are up to 20 times more frequent than in most mammals. Because of their complexity, the full extent of chromosome evolution in these hominoids is not yet fully documented. However, previous work with array painting, BAC-FISH, and selective sequencing in two of the four karyomorphs has shown that high-resolution methods can precisely define chromosome breakpoints and map the complex flow of evolutionary chromosome rearrangements. Here we use these tools to precisely define the rearrangements that have occurred in the remaining two karyomorphs, genera Symphalangus (2n = 50) and Hoolock (2n = 38). This research provides the most comprehensive insight into the evolutionary origins of chromosome rearrangements involved in transforming small apes genome. Bioinformatics analyses of the human–gibbon synteny breakpoints revealed association with transposable elements and segmental duplications, providing some insight into the mechanisms that might have promoted rearrangements in small apes. In the near future, the comparison of gibbon genome sequences will provide novel insights to test hypotheses concerning the mechanisms of chromosome evolution. The precise definition of synteny block boundaries and orientation, chromosomal fusions, and centromere repositioning events presented here will facilitate genome sequence assembly for these close relatives of humans.

Gibbons (Hylobatidae) shared a common ancestor with the other hominoids only 15-18 million years ago. Nevertheless, gibbons show very distinctive features that include heavily rearranged chromosomes. Previous observations indicate that this phenomenon may be linked to the attenuated epigenetic repression of transposable elements (TEs) in gibbon species. Here we describe the massive expansion of a repeat in almost all the centromeres of the eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys). We discovered that this repeat is a new composite TE originating from the combination of portions of three other elements (L1ME5, AluSz6, and SVA_A) and thus named it LAVA. We determined that this repeat is found in all the gibbons but does not occur in other hominoids. Detailed investigation of 46 different LAVA elements revealed that the majority of them have target site duplications (TSDs) and a poly-A tail, suggesting that they have been retrotransposing in the gibbon genome. Although we did not find a direct correlation between the emergence of LAVA elements and human-gibbon synteny breakpoints, this new composite transposable element is another mark of the great plasticity of the gibbon genome. Moreover, the centromeric expansion of LAVA insertions in the hoolock closely resembles the massive centromeric expansion of the KERV-1 retroelement reported for wallaby (marsupial) interspecific hybrids. The similarity between the two phenomena is consistent with the hypothesis that evolution of the gibbons is characterized by defects in epigenetic repression of TEs, perhaps triggered by interspecific hybridization.

Cancer genomes frequently undergo genomic instability resulting in accumulation of chromosomal rearrangement. To date, one of the main challenges has been to confidently and accurately identify these rearrangements by using short-read massively parallel sequencing. We were able to improve cancer rearrangement detection by combining two distinct massively parallel sequencing strategies: fosmid-sized (36 kb on average) and standard 5 kb mate pair libraries. We applied this combined strategy to map rearrangements in two breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and HCC1954. We detected and validated a total of 91 somatic rearrangements in MCF7 and 25 in HCC1954, including genomic alterations corresponding to previously reported transcript aberrations in these two cell lines. Each of the genomes contains two types of breakpoints: clustered and dispersed. In both cell lines, the dispersed breakpoints show enrichment for low copy repeats, while the clustered breakpoints associate with high copy number amplifications. Comparing the two genomes, we observed highly similar structural mutational spectra affecting different sets of genes, pointing to similar histories of genomic instability against the background of very different gene network perturbations.

Nuclear lamins are usually classified as A-type (lamins A and C) or B-type (lamins B1 and B2). A-type lamins have been implicated in multiple genetic diseases but are not required for cell growth or development. In contrast, B-type lamins have been considered essential in eukaryotic cells, with crucial roles in DNA replication and in the formation of the mitotic spindle. Knocking down the genes for B-type lamins (LMNB1, LMNB2) in HeLa cells has been reported to cause apoptosis. In the current study, we created conditional knockout alleles for mouse Lmnb1 and Lmnb2, with the goal of testing the hypothesis that B-type lamins are crucial for the growth and viability of mammalian cells in vivo. Using the keratin 14-Cre transgene, we bred mice lacking the expression of both Lmnb1 and Lmnb2 in skin keratinocytes (Lmnb1(Δ/Δ)Lmnb2(Δ/Δ)). Lmnb1 and Lmnb2 transcripts were absent in keratinocytes of Lmnb1(Δ/Δ)Lmnb2(Δ/Δ) mice, and lamin B1 and lamin B2 proteins were undetectable. But despite an absence of B-type lamins in keratinocytes, the skin and hair of Lmnb1(Δ/Δ)Lmnb2(Δ/Δ) mice developed normally and were free of histological abnormalities, even in 2-year-old mice. After an intraperitoneal injection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), similar numbers of BrdU-positive keratinocytes were observed in the skin of wild-type and Lmnb1(Δ/Δ)Lmnb2(Δ/Δ) mice. Lmnb1(Δ/Δ)Lmnb2(Δ/Δ) keratinocytes did not exhibit aneuploidy, and their growth rate was normal in culture. These studies challenge the concept that B-type lamins are essential for proliferation and vitality of eukaryotic cells.

Previously, we identified the E3 ubiquitin ligase Idol (inducible degrader of the low-density lipoprotein [LDL] receptor [LDLR]) as a posttranscriptional regulator of the LDLR pathway. Idol stimulates LDLR degradation through ubiquitination of its C-terminal domain, thereby limiting cholesterol uptake. Here we report the generation and characterization of mouse embryonic stem cells homozygous for a null mutation in the Idol gene. Cells lacking Idol exhibit markedly elevated levels of the LDLR protein and increased rates of LDL uptake. Furthermore, despite an intact sterol responsive element-binding protein (SREBP) pathway, Idol-null cells exhibit an altered response to multiple regulators of sterol metabolism, including serum, oxysterols, and synthetic liver X receptor (LXR) agonists. The ability of oxysterols and lipoprotein-containing serum to suppress LDLR protein levels is reduced, and the time course of suppression is delayed, in cells lacking Idol. LXR ligands have no effect on LDLR levels in Idol-null cells, indicating that Idol is required for LXR-dependent inhibition of the LDLR pathway. In line with these results, the half-life of the LDLR protein is prolonged in the absence of Idol. Finally, the ability of statins and PCSK9 to alter LDLR levels is independent of, and additive with, the LXR-Idol pathway. These results demonstrate that the LXR-Idol pathway is an important contributor to feedback inhibition of the LDLR by sterols and a biological determinant of cellular LDL uptake.

Gibbons are small, arboreal, highly endangered apes that are understudied compared with other hominoids. At present, there are four recognized genera and approximately 17 species, all likely to have diverged from each other within the last 5–6 My. Although the gibbon phylogeny has been investigated using various approaches (i.e., vocalization, morphology, mitochondrial DNA, karyotype, etc.), the precise taxonomic relationships are still highly debated. Here, we present the first survey of nuclear sequence variation within and between gibbon species with the goal of estimating basic population genetic parameters. We gathered ∼60 kb of sequence data from a panel of 19 gibbons representing nine species and all four genera. We observe high levels of nucleotide diversity within species, indicative of large historical population sizes. In addition, we find low levels of genetic differentiation between species within a genus comparable to what has been estimated for human populations. This is likely due to ongoing or episodic gene flow between species, and we estimate a migration rate between Nomascus leucogenys and N. gabriellae of roughly one migrant every two generations. Together, our findings suggest that gibbons have had a complex demographic history involving hybridization or mixing between diverged populations.

In mammals, X-linked genes are regulated by special epigenetic mechanisms, because females have two X chromosomes and males only have one, while autosomes are present in two copies. These regulatory mechanisms are (1) X up-regulation in both sexes to balance expression between X-linked and autosomal genes (Gupta et al. 2006; Nguyen and Disteche 2006) and (2) X inactivation in females (Lyon 1961). Ohno (1967) predicted that due to these unique regulatory mechanisms the gene content of the X chromosome would be highly conserved between mammalian species. The chloride channel 4 gene (hereafter called Clcn4 when considering multiple mammalian species) illustrates a rare exception to this conservation, since it is X-linked in most mammals including human, primates, dog, cow, and horse (CLCN4), as well as rat (Clcn4-2), but located on chromosome 7 in the laboratory mouse (Clcn4-2) (derived from a mixture of M. musculus musculus and M. musculus domesticus and thereafter referred to as M. musculus) (Palmer et al. 1995; Rugarli et al. 1995; Flicek et al. 2010). Clcn4-2 is X-linked in the wild-derived mouse M. spretus, suggesting that it was translocated to an autosome in one branch of Mus (musculus) during evolution (Palmer et al. 1995; Rugarli et al. 1995). We have previously used F1 mice from crosses between Mus species to show that Clcn4-2 is subject to X inactivation (Rugarli et al. 1995) and that its expression is doubled on the active X from M. spretus compared with each autosomal allele from M. musculus (Adler et al. 1997). Thus, Clcn4-2 is subject to both types of dosage-compensation mechanisms, X up-regulation, and X inactivation. The different location of this gene in closely related mouse species provides a system to explore whether X-linked genes differ from autosomal genes in terms of DNA sequence and epigenetic modifications. Our hypothesis based on studies in other organisms is that specific sequence motifs may be enriched on the mammalian X to facilitate its regulation. For example, the Drosophila melanogaster X chromosome is enriched in specific motifs as entry points for the male-specific lethal complex that up-regulates X-linked genes in males (Alekseyenko et al. 2008). The Caenorhabditis elegans X is also enriched in specific motifs, in this case to recruit the complex that silences both X chromosomes in hermaphrodites (McDonel et al. 2006). In this study we sequenced the M. spretus Clcn4-2 X-linked locus for comparison to the M. musculus autosomal locus. By defining the breakpoints of the translocation in the Mus lineage, we determined that the evolutionary rearrangement is complex. We established that the promoter regions and the chromatin structure of the autosomal and X-linked loci differed between M. musculus and M. spretus, consistent with increased expression on the X. Dramatic deletions of intronic sequences were observed in the autosomal gene from M. musculus compared with seven other eutherian species. Examination of intronic sequences conserved within the X-linked Clcn4 loci in human, rat, cow, dog, and M. spretus, but deleted in the autosomal gene, led to the identification of AT-rich motifs enriched on the entire X chromosome, where these motifs could play a role in its regulation.

I test the rationality of analysts' revenue forecasts for a sample of value and growth stocks, which have been shown to have different valuation properties in previous research. Using one-quarter-ahead revenue forecasts and actual sales figures in a firm-by-firm and panel setting in the period 1997 to 2007, I find that all revenue forecasts are rational and actually improved after the introduction of regulation fair disclosure, albeit in larger proportion for value stocks.

Both managers and investors are increasingly concerned with the impact of advertising spending on shareholder returns. This study investigates the analyst-based processes by which advertising may create firm value. Using a large longitudinal dataset with 1,052 firms over 20 years, we find that firms decreasing from the top 20% to the bottom 20% of advertising spending group when compared to all industry competitors would experience a drop of abnormal return by 4.08% in 1 year and a cumulative total of 81.6% in 20 years. Also, analyst activities partially mediate the impact of advertising on firm return and risk. These findings indicate that analysts may act to externally validate the business logic underlying the advertising expense. The more analysts factor in firm advertising spending and reflect it in their earnings forecasts, the more likely the benefits of advertising are channeled into firm value. The results bridge research interests across marketing, accounting, and finance disciplines and help managers understand how product and financial markets are united. Main Street could better align with Wall Street via corporate disclosure of advertising spending to equity analysts.

Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice spontaneously develop type 1 diabetes (T1D) due to the progressive loss of insulin-secreting β-cells by an autoimmune driven process. NOD mice represent a valuable tool for studying the genetics of T1D and for evaluating therapeutic interventions. Here we describe the development and characterization by end-sequencing of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries derived from NOD/MrkTac (DIL NOD) and NOD/ShiLtJ (CHORI-29), two commonly used NOD substrains. The DIL NOD library is composed of 196,032 BACs and the CHORI-29 library is composed of 110,976 BACs. The average depth of genome coverage of the DIL NOD library, estimated from mapping the BAC end-sequences to the reference mouse genome sequence, was 7.1-fold across the autosomes and 6.6-fold across the X chromosome. Clones from this library have an average insert size of 150 kb and map to over 95.6% of the reference mouse genome assembly (NCBIm37), covering 98.8% of Ensembl mouse genes. By the same metric, the CHORI-29 library has an average depth over the autosomes of 5.0-fold and 2.8-fold coverage of the X chromosome, the reduced X chromosome coverage being due to the use of a male donor for this library. Clones from this library have an average insert size of 205 kb and map to 93.9% of the reference mouse genome assembly, covering 95.7% of Ensembl genes. We have identified and validated 191,841 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for DIL NOD and 114,380 SNPs for CHORI-29. In total we generated 229,736,133 bp of sequence for the DIL NOD and 121,963,211 bp for the CHORI-29. These BAC libraries represent a powerful resource for functional studies, such as gene targeting in NOD embryonic stem (ES) cell lines, and for sequencing and mapping experiments.

Bitter taste perception likely evolved as a protective mechanism against the ingestion of harmful compounds in food. The evolution of the taste receptor type 2 (TAS2R) gene family, which encodes the chemoreceptors that are directly responsible for the detection of bitter compounds, has therefore been of considerable interest. Though TAS2R repertoires have been characterized for a number of species, to date the complement of TAS2Rs from just one bird, the chicken, which had a notably small number of TAS2Rs, has been established. Here, we used targeted mapping and genomic sequencing in the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) and sample sequencing in other closely related birds to reconstruct the history of a TAS2R gene cluster physically linked to the break points of an evolutionary chromosomal rearrangement. In the white-throated sparrow, this TAS2R cluster encodes up to 18 functional bitter taste receptors and likely underwent a large expansion that predates and/or coincides with the radiation of the Emberizinae subfamily into the New World. In addition to signatures of gene birth-and-death evolution within this cluster, estimates of Ka/Ks for the songbird TAS2Rs were similar to those previously observed in mammals, including humans. Finally, comparison of the complete genomic sequence of the cluster from two common haplotypes in the white-throated sparrow revealed a number of nonsynonymous variants and differences in functional gene content within this species. These results suggest that interspecies and intraspecies genetic variability does exist in avian TAS2Rs and that these differences could contribute to variation in bitter taste perception in birds.

Forward genetic screens with ENU ( N -ethyl- N -nitrosourea) mutagenesis can facilitate gene discovery, but mutation identification is often difficult. We present the first study in which an ENU- induced mutation was identified by massively parallel DNA sequencing. This mutation causes heterotaxy and complex congenital heart defects and was mapped to a 2.2-Mb interval on mouse chromosome 7. Massively parallel sequencing of the entire 2.2-Mb interval identified 2 single-base substitutions, one in an intergenic region and a second causing replacement of a highly conserved cysteine with arginine (C193R) in the gene Megf8. Megf8 is evolutionarily conserved from human to fruit fly, and is observed to be ubiquitously expressed. Morpholino knockdown of Megf8 in zebrafish embryos resulted in a high incidence of heterotaxy, indicating a conserved role in laterality specification. Megf8 C193R mouse mutants show normal breaking of symmetry at the node, but Nodal signaling failed to be propagated to the left lateral plate mesoderm. Videomicroscopy showed nodal cilia motility, which is required for left–right patterning, is unaffected. Although this protein is predicted to have receptor function based on its amino acid sequence, surprisingly confocal imaging showed it is translocated into the nucleus, where it is colocalized with Gfi1b and Baf60C, two proteins involved in chromatin remodeling. Overall, through the recovery of an ENU-induced mutation, we uncovered Megf8 as an essential regulator of left–right patterning.

Subtelomeres are concentrations of interchromosomal segmental duplications capped by telomeric repeats at the ends of chromosomes. The nature of the segments shared by different sets of human subtelomeres reflects their high rate of recent interchromosomal exchange. Here, we characterize the rearrangements incurred by the 15q subtelomere after it arose from a chromosome fission event in the common ancestor of great apes. We used FISH, sequencing of genomic clones, and PCR to map the breakpoint of this fission and track the fate of flanking sequence in human, chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, and macaque genomes. The ancestral locus, a cluster of olfactory receptor (OR) genes, lies internally on macaque chromosome 7. Sequence originating from this fission site is split between the terminus of 15q and the pericentromere of 14q in the great apes. Numerous structural rearrangements, including interstitial deletions and transfers of material to or from other subtelomeres, occurred subsequent to the fission, such that each species has a unique 15q structure and unique collection of ORs derived from the fission locus. The most striking rearrangement involved transfer of at least 200 kb from the fission-site region to the end of chromosome 4q, where much still resides in chimpanzee and gorilla, but not in human. This gross structural difference places the subtelomeric defect underlying facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) much closer to the telomere in human 4q than in the hybrid 4q–15q subtelomere of chimpanzee.