Biology subjects

Menegidio, F. B.

Publications and source records attributed to Menegidio, F. B..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

When paleontology meets genomics: complete mitochondrial genomes of two saber-toothed cats' species (Felidae: Machairodontinae)

Within the Machairodontinae subfamily, commonly referred as saber-toothed cats, it is worth noting that only two species, namely Homotherium latidens, recognized as the scimitar-toothed cat, and Smilodon populator, renowned as the saber-toothed tiger, possess partial mitochondrial genomes accessible in the NCBI database. These sequences, however, do not include the mitogenome control region (D-loop) and have several gaps in their genes, including protein-coding genes (PCGs) that are widely used in phylogenetic analysis. In this study, we aimed to obtain a complete assembly of the mitogenomes of these two species from next-generation sequencing data available at NCBIs SRA. The de novo assemblies showed complete mitogenomes with 17,323bp (H. latidens) and 16,769 bp (S. populator), both with 13 PCGs, 22tRNAs, two rRNAs and the D-loop (Control region), with all genes following the standard order and position of most vertebrate mitogenomes. Our phylogeny and molecular dating, despite being generally very similar to previous studies, reveals an earliest divergence between North American and North Sea H. latidens specimens which may be related to an Early Pleistocene migration across Beringia.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

De novo transcriptome assembly and functional annotation of cobia (Rachycentron canadum): molecular approach as a base to nutritional studies

Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a marine teleost species with great productive potential worldwide. However, the genomic information currently available for this species in public databases is limited. Such lack of information hinders gene expression assessments that might bring forward novel insights into the physiology, ecology, evolution, and genetics of this potential aquaculture species. In this study, we report the first de novo transcriptome assembly of R. canadum liver, improving the availability of novel gene sequences for this species. Illumina sequencing of liver transcripts generated 1,761,965,794 raw reads, which were filtered into 1,652,319,304 high-quality reads. De novo assembly resulted in 101,789 unigenes and 163,096 isoforms, with an average length of 950.61 and 1,617.34 nt, respectively. Moreover, we found that 126,013 of these transcripts bear potentially coding sequences, and 125,993 of these elements (77.3%) correspond to functionally annotated genes found in six different databases. We also identified 701 putative ncRNA and 35,414 putative lncRNA. Interestingly, homologues for 410 of these putative lncRNAs have already been observed in previous analyzes with Danio rerio, Lates calcarifer, Seriola lalandi dorsalis, Seriola dumerili or Echeneis naucrates. Finally, we identified 7,894 microsatellites related to cobias putative lncRNAs. Thus, the information derived from the transcriptome assembly described herein will likely assist future nutrigenomics and breeding programs involving this important fish farming species.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2020

Ten complete mitochondrial genomes of Gymnocharacini (Stethaprioninae, Characiformes): evolutionary relationships and a repetitive element in the Control Region (D-loop)

We are presenting the complete mitogenomes of eight fish species/cytotypes from Neotropical region belonging to the Astyanax and Psalidodon genus: A. aeneus, A. altiparanae, P. fasciatus (from two locations - Upper Parana and Sao Francisco river basins), A. lacustris, P. rivularis (two cytotypes) and P. rioparanaibano. We perform the whole-genome sequencing for six of these species in a Novaseq 6000 - by Illumina, meanwhile two genomes were assembled from raw data available in databases. Plus, we reassembled and annotated the mitochondrial genomes for A. mexicanus and P. paranae, both already described and with raw data available online. All the genomes presented the same organization, with 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes and two rRNA genes. Aiming to contribute to the understanding of the several cryptic species complexes and phylogeny of the genus, we perform Bayesian analysis using the 13 protein-coding genes from these species, plus Deuterodon giton and using a Brycon species as outgroup.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

FUNGAL DYSBIOSIS CORRELATES WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF TUMOUR-INDUCED CACHEXIA IN MICE

Cachexia (CC) is a devastating metabolic syndrome associated with a series of underlying diseases that greatly affects life quality and expectancy among cancer patients. Studies involving mouse models, in which CC was induced through inoculation with tumor cells, originally suggested the existence of a direct correlation between the development of this syndrome and changes in the relative proportions of several bacterial groups present in the digestive tract. However, these analyses have focus solely on the characterization of bacterial dysbiosis, ignoring the possible existence of changes in the relative populations of fungi, during the development of CC. Thus, the present study sought to expand such analyses, by characterizing changes that occur in the gut fungal population (mycobiota) of mice, during the development of cancer-induced cachexia. Our results confirm that cachectic animals display significant differences in their gut mycobiota, when compared to healthy controls. Moreover, identification of dysbiotic fungi showed remarkable consistency across successive levels of taxonomic hierarchy. Many of these fungi have also been associated with dysbioses observed in a series of gut inflammatory diseases, such as obesity, Colorectal Cancer (CRC), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Nonetheless, the CC-associated dysbiosis seems to be unique, presenting features observed in both obesity (reduced proportion of Mucoromycota) and CRC/ME/IBD (increased proportions of Sordariomycetes, Saccharomycetaceae and Malassezia). One species of Mucoromycota (Rhyzopus oryzae) stands out as a promising probiotic candidate in adjuvant therapies, aimed at treating and/or preventing the development of CC.

microbiology↗