Biology subjects

Hubbard, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Hubbard, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

Interaction of modified oligonucleotides with nuclear proteins, formation of novel nuclear structures and sequence-independent effects on RNA processing

Oligonucleotides and nucleic acid analogues that alter gene expression are showing therapeutic promise for selected human diseases. The modification of synthetic nucleic acids to protect against nuclease degradation and to influence drug function is common practice, however, such modifications may also confer unexpected physicochemical and biological properties. Here we report backbone-specific effects of modified oligonucleotides on subnuclear organelles, altered distribution of nuclear proteins, the appearance of novel structured nuclear inclusions, and modification of RNA processing in cultured cells transfected with antisense oligonucleotides on a phosphorothioate backbone. Phosphodiester and phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers elicited no such consequences. Disruption of subnuclear structures and proteins elicit severe phenotypic disturbances, revealed by transcriptomic analysis of fibroblasts exhibiting such disruption. These data suggest that the toxic effects and adverse events reported after clinical evaluation of phosphorothioate nucleic acid drugs may be mediated, at least in part, by non-specific interaction of nuclear components with the phosphorothioate backbone.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Identifying Mechanisms of Regulation to Model Carbon Flux During Heat Stress And Generate Testable Hypotheses

Understanding biological response to stimuli requires identifying mechanisms that coordinate changes across pathways. One of the promises of multi-omics studies is achieving this level of insight by simultaneously identifying different levels of regulation. However, computational approaches to integrate multiple types of data are lacking. An effective systems biology approach would be one that uses statistical methods to detect signatures of relevant network motifs and then builds metabolic circuits from these components to model shifting regulatory dynamics. For example, transcriptome and metabolome data complement one another in terms of their ability to describe shifts in physiology. Here, we extend a previously described method used to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) associated with metabolic changes (Gieger et al., 2008). We apply this strategy to link changes in sulfur, amino acid and lipid production under heat stress by relating ratios of compounds to potential precursors and regulators. This approach provides integration of multi-omics data to link previously described, discrete units of regulation into functional pathways and hypothesizes novel biology relevant to the heat stress response.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2016

Defining the genetic architecture of stripe rust resistance in the barley accession HOR1428

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei, the causal agent of barley stripe rust, is a destructive fungal pathogen that significantly affects barley cultivation. A major constraint in breeding resistant cultivars is the lack of mapping information of resistance (R) genes and their introgression into adapted germplasm. A considerable number of R genes have been described in barley to P. striiformis f. sp. hordei, but only a few loci have been mapped. Previously, Chen and Line (1999) reported two recessive seedling resistance loci in the Ethiopian landrace HOR 1428. In this study, we map two loci that confer resistance to P. striiformis f. sp. hordei in HOR 1428, which are located on chromosomes 3H and 5H. Both loci act as additive effect QTLs, each explaining approximately 20% of the phenotypic variation. We backcrossed HOR 1428 to the cv. Manchuria and selected based on markers flanking the RpsHOR128-5H locus. Saturation of the RpsHOR1428-5H locus with markers in the region found KASP marker K_1_0292 in complete coupling with resistance to P. striiformis f. sp. hordei and was designated Rps9. Isolation of Rps9 and flanking markers will facilitate the deployment of this genetic resource into existing programs for P. striiformis f. sp. hordei resistance.

plant biology↗