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Genovesio, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Genovesio, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Active fluctuations modulate gene expression in mouse oocytes

In mammals, the nucleus is central in oocytes, not defining the future embryo axis. Nucleus centring depends on an F-actin mediated pressure gradient. In Fmn2-/- oocytes, lacking the F-actin nucleator Formin 2, the nucleus is off-centre and can be centred by re-expressing Formin 2. Here, we addressed the biological significance of nucleus positioning in mammalian oocytes. Using a dedicated computational 3D imaging approach, we observed nuclear architecture alterations in mouse Fmn2-/- oocytes. RNA sequencing of control versus Fmn2-/- oocytes detected 2285 mis-regulated genes. Rescue experiments showed that the process of nuclear positioning impacts nuclear architecture and gene expression. Using signal processing methods coupled to biophysical modelling allowing the extraction of in vivo mechanical properties of the nuclear envelope, we showed that F-actin-mediated activity promotes nuclear envelope shape fluctuations and chromatin motion. We thus propose a mechano-transduction model whereby nucleus positioning via microfilaments modulates oocyte transcriptome, essential for further embryo development.

cell biology

DET1-mediated degradation of a SAGA-like deubiquitination module controls H2Bub homeostasis

DE-ETIOLATED 1 (DET1) is an evolutionarily conserved component of the ubiquitination machinery that mediates the destabilization of key regulators of cell differentiation and proliferation in multicellular organisms. In this study, we provide evidence from Arabidopsis that DET1 is essential for the regulation of histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub) over most genes by controlling the stability of a plant deubiquitination module (DUBm). In contrast with yeast and metazoan DUB modules that are associated with the large SAGA complex, the Arabidopsis DUBm only comprises three proteins (hereafter named SGF11, ENY2 and UBP22) and appears to act independently as a major H2Bub deubiquitinase activity. Our study further unveils that DET1-DDB1-Associated-1 (DDA1) protein interacts with SGF11 in vivo, linking the DET1 complex to light-dependent ubiquitin-mediated proteolytic degradation of the DUBm. Collectively, these findings uncover a signaling path controlling DUBm availability, potentially adjusting H2Bub turnover capacity to the cell transcriptional status.

plant biology

High-throughput optical mapping of replicating DNA

DNA replication is a crucial process for the universal ability of living organisms to reproduce. Existing methods to map replication genome-wide use large cell populations and therefore smooth out variability between chromosomal copies. Single-molecule methods may in principle reveal this variability. However, current methods remain refractory to automated molecule detection and measurements. Their low throughput has therefore precluded genome-wide analyses. Here, we have repurposed a commercial optical DNA mapping device, the Bionano Genomics Irys system, to map the replication signal of single DNA molecules onto genomic position at high throughput. Our methodology (HOMARD) combines fluorescent labelling of replication tracks and nicking endonuclease (NE) sites with DNA linearization in nanochannel arrays and dedicated image processing. We demonstrate the robustness of our approach by providing an ultra-high coverage (23,311 x) replication map of bacteriophage {lambda} DNA in Xenopus egg extracts. HOMARD opens the way to genome-wide analysis of DNA replication at the single-molecule level.

genomics