Hossein Fallahi

Differential expression of seven conserved microRNAs in response to abiotic stress and their regulatory network in Helianthus annuus

Biotic and abiotic stresses affect plant development and production through alternation of the gene expression pattern. Gene expression itself is under the control of different regulators such as miRNAs and transcription factors (TFs). MiRNAs are known to play important roles in regulation of stress responses via interacting with their target mRNAs. Here, for the first time, seven conserved miRNAs, associated with drought, heat, salt and cadmium stresses were characterized in sunflower. The expression profiles of miRNAs and their targets were comparatively analyzed between leaves and roots of plants grown under the mentioned stress conditions. Gene ontology analysis of target genes revealed that they are involved in several important pathways such as auxin and ethylene signaling, RNA mediated silencing and DNA methylation processes. Gene regulatory network highlighted the existence of cross-talks between these stress-responsive miRNAs and the other stress responsive genes in sunflower. Based on network analysis, we suggest that some of these miRNAs in sunflower such as miR172 and miR403 may play critical roles in epigenetic responses to stress. It seems that depending on the stress type, theses miRNAs target several pathways and cellular processes to help sunflower to cope with drought, heat, salt and cadmium stress conditions in a tissue-associated manner.

De Novo Transcriptome Assembly and Comparative Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes in Prunus dulcis Mill. in Response to Freezing Stress

Almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.), one of the most important nut crops, requires chilling during winter to develop fruiting buds. However, early spring chilling and late spring frost may damage the reproductive tissues leading to reduction in the rate of productivity. Despite the importance of transcriptional changes and regulation, little is known about the almond’s transcriptome under the cold stress conditions. In the current reserch, we used RNA-seq technique to study the response of the reporuductive tissues of almond (anther and ovary) to frost stress. RNA sequencing resulted in more than 20 million reads from anther and ovary tissues of almond, individually. About 40,000 contigs were assembled and annotated de novo in each tissue. Profile of gene expression in ovary showed significant alterations in 5,112 genes, whereas in anther 6,926 genes were affected by freezing stress. Around two thousands of these genes were common altered genes in both ovary and anther libraries. Gene ontology indicated the involvement of differentially expressed (DE) genes, responding to freezing stress, in metabolic and cellular processes. qRT-PCR analysis verified the expression pattern of eight genes randomley selected from the DE genes. In conclusion, the almond gene index assembled in this study and the reported DE genes can provide great insights on responses of almond and other Prunus species to abiotic stresses. The obtained results from current research would add to the limited available information on almond and Rosaceae. Besides, the findings would be very useful for comparative studies as the number of DE genes reported here is much higher than that of any previous reports in this plant.

Prediction of Potential Cancer-Risk Regions Based on Transcriptome Data: Towards a Comprehensive View

A novel integrative pipeline is presented for discovery of potential cancer-susceptibility regions (PCSRs) by calculating the number of altered genes at each chromosomal region, using expression microarray datasets of different human cancers (HCs). Our novel approach comprises primarily predicting PCSRs followed by identification of key genes in these regions to obtain potential regions harboring new cancer-associated variants. In addition to finding new cancer causal variants, another advantage in prediction of such risk regions is simultaneous study of different types of genomic variants in line with focusing on specific chromosomal regions. Using this pipeline we extracted numbers of regions with highly altered expression levels in cancer condition. Regulatory networks were also constructed for different types of cancers following the identification of altered mRNA and microRNAs. Interestingly, results showed that GAPDH, LIFR, ZEB2, mir-21, mir-30a, mir-141 and mir-200c, all located at PCSRs, are common altered factors in constructed networks. We found a number of clusters of altered mRNAs and miRNAs on predicted PCSRs (e.g.12p13.31) and their common regulators including KLF4 and SOX10. Large scale prediction of risk regions based on transcriptome data can open a window in comprehensive study of cancer risk factors and the other human diseases.

A combination of cis-2-decenoic acid and antibiotics eradicates pre-established catheter-associated biofilms.

The catheterized urinary tract provides ideal conditions for the development of biofilm populations. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are recalcitrant to existing antimicrobial treatments; therefore, established biofilms are not eradicated completely after treatment and surviving biofilm cells will carry on the infection. Cis-2-decenoic acid (CDA), an unsaturated fatty acid, is capable of inhibiting biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and of inducing the dispersion of established biofilms by multiple types of micro-organisms. Here, the ability of CDA to induce dispersal in pre-established single- and dual-species biofilms formed by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae was measured by using both semi-batch and continuous cultures bioassays. Removal of the biofilms by combined CDA and antibiotics (ciprofloxacin or ampicillin) was evaluated using microtitre plate assays (crystal violet staining). The c.f.u. counts were determined to assess the potential of combined CDA treatments to kill and eradicate pre-established biofilms formed on catheters. The effects of combined CDA treatments on biofilm surface area and bacteria viability were evaluated using fluorescence microscopy, digital image analysis and live/dead staining. To investigate the ability of CDA to prevent biofilm formation, single and mixed cultures were grown in the presence and absence of CDA. Treatment of pre-established biofilms with only 310 nM CDA resulted in at least threefold increase in the number of planktonic cells in all cultures tested. Whilst none of the antibiotics alone exerted a significant effect on c.f.u. counts and percentage of surface area covered by the biofilms, combined CDA treatments led to at least a 78% reduction in biofilm biomass in all cases. Moreover, most of the biofilm cells remaining on the surface were killed by antibiotics. The addition of 310 nM CDA significantly prevented biofilm formation by the tested micro-organisms, even within mixed cultures, indicating the ability of CDA to inhibit biofilm formation by other types of bacteria in addition to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These findings suggested that the biofilm-preventive characteristics of CDA make it a noble candidate for inhibition of biofilm-associated infections such as CAUTIs, which paves the way toward developing new strategies to control biofilms in clinical as well as industrial settings.

Dissection of the cis-2-decenoic acid signaling network in Pseudomonas aeruginosa using microarray technique.

Many bacterial pathogens use quorum-sensing (QS) signaling to regulate the expression of factors contributing to virulence and persistence. Bacteria produce signals of different chemical classes. The signal molecule, known as diffusible signal factor (DSF), is a cis-unsaturated fatty acid that was first described in the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris. Previous works have shown that human pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, also synthesizes a structurally related molecule, characterized as cis-2-decenoic acid (C10: Δ2, CDA) that induces biofilm dispersal by multiple types of bacteria. Furthermore, CDA has been shown to be involved in inter-kingdom signaling that modulates fungal behavior. Therefore, an understanding of its signaling mechanism could suggest strategies for interference, with consequences for disease control. To identify the components of CDA signaling pathway in this pathogen, a comparative transcritpome analysis was conducted, in the presence and absence of CDA. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for differentially expressed (DE) genes with known function was then constructed by STRING and Cytoscape. In addition, the effects of CDA in combination with antimicrobial agents on the biofilm surface area and bacteria viability were evaluated using fluorescence microscopy and digital image analysis. Microarray analysis identified 666 differentially expressed genes in the presence of CDA and gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that in P. aeruginosa, CDA mediates dispersion of biofilms through signaling pathways, including enhanced motility, metabolic activity, virulence as well as persistence at different temperatures. PPI data suggested that a cluster of five genes (PA4978, PA4979, PA4980, PA4982, PA4983) is involved in the CDA synthesis and perception. Combined treatments using both CDA and antimicrobial agents showed that following exposure of the biofilms to CDA, remaining cells on the surface were easily removed and killed by antimicrobials.[This corrects the article on p. 147 in vol. 7, PMID: 26904018.].

Predicting involvement of polycomb repressive complex 2 in direct conversion of mouse fibroblasts into induced neural stem cells

IntroductionMouse fibroblasts could be directly converted into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs), by introducing a set of known transcription factors (TFs). This process, known as direct reprogramming, is an alternative source of NSCs production for cell therapy applications, hence, more common sources for such cells including embryonic stem cell (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) are also in use. Despite their importance, the exact role of different TFs involved in the conversion of fibroblasts into iNSCs and the interactions between these factors has not been studied.MethodsHere, we have used available microarray data to construct a gene regulatory network to understand the dynamic of regulatory interactions during this conversion. We have implemented other types of data such as information regarding TFs binding sites and valid protein-protein interactions to improve the network reliability. The network contained 1857 differentially expressed (DE) genes, linked by11054 interactions. The most important TFs identified based on topology analysis of the network. Furthermore, in selecting such TFs, we have also considered their role in the regulation of nervous system development.ResultsBased on these analyses, we found that Ezh2, Jarid2, Mtf2, Nanog, Pou5f1, Sall4, Smarca4, Sox2, Suz12, and Tcf3 are the main regulators of direct conversion of mouse fibroblasts into iNSCs. Because, members of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) were present in the most effective TFs’ list, we have concluded that this complex is one of the major factors in this conversion. Additionally, gene expression profiling of iNSCs, obtained from a different data sets, showed that Sox2 and Ezh2 are two main regulators of the direct reprogramming process.ConclusionsOur results provide an insight into molecular events that occur during direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into iNSCs. This information could be useful in simplifying the production of iNSCs, by reducing the number of required factors, for use in regenerative medicine.

Gene regulatory network in almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) in response to frost stress

Regulatory networks govern the plant molecular responses against environmental stress. The underpinning regulatory networks of almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) in response to frost are largely unknown. Here, based on cold responsive genes in almond pistils, we constructed a gene regulatory network in response to cold stress. Some of the central genes in the regulatory network were further validated by RT-qPCR in frost-tolerant and frost-sensitive genotypes. Central genes in the regulatory network (SIZ1, ICE1, CBF/DREB1, WRKY21, HOS1, ANK) showed significant differential gene expression patterns between frost-tolerant and frost-sensitive genotypes. Among the key transcription factors, members of DOFF family were the central regulators of genes in the constructed network. In line with this observation, the Pddof4 transcript had significant over-expression in the tolerant genotypes compared to the sensitive genotypes during cold stress. These findings may highlight the importance of Pddof4 in conferring frost tolerance to almond. PdMIR7122-3p was predicted as a negative regulator of PdHOS1. PdMIR7122-3p/PdHOS1 was found to be the only post-transcriptional regulator of genes in the network. Taken together, our network model will be useful to unravel the mechanisms involved in almond tolerance to cold stress and to highlight the role of different regulatory factors and their interactions in response to this commonly occurring environmental condition.

RNA-Seq SSRs and small RNA-Seq SSRs: New approaches in cancer biomarker discovery

The recent exponential increase in the number of next generation sequencing studies provides a new source of data for the discovery of functional genomics based markers. The RNA-seq and small RNA-seq provide a new source for the discovery of differentially expressed SSRs (simple sequence repeats) as biomarkers in various diseases. In the present study, for the first time, we applied RNA-seq SSR to find new biomarkers for pancreatic cancer (PC) diagnosis. Analysis of RNA-seq data revealed a significant alternation in the frequency of SSR motifs during cancer progression. In particular, RNA-seq SSR showed an increase in the frequencies of GCC/GGC and GCG/CGC motifs in PC samples compared to healthy pancreas. These findings were further confirmed using meta-analysis of EST-SSR data in 11 different cancers. Interestingly, the genes containing GCC/GGC and GCG/CGC motifs in their sequences were involved in many cancer-related biological processes, particularly regulation processes. The small RNA-seq data were also mined for the conserved patterns in SSR frequencies (sRNA-seq SSR) during cancer progression. Based on the results, we suggest the potential use of GCC/GGC and GCG/CGC motifs as biomarkers in PC. Based on the findings of this study, it seems that RNA-seq SSR and sRNA-seq SSR could open a new paradigm in the diagnostic and even therapeutic strategies for PC along the other types of cancers.

The Small-RNA Profiles of Almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) Reproductive Tissues in Response to Cold Stress.

Spring frost is an important environmental stress that threatens the production of Prunus trees. However, little information is available regarding molecular response of these plants to the frost stress. Using high throughput sequencing, this study was conducted to identify differentially expressed miRNAs, both the conserved and the non-conserved ones, in the reproductive tissues of almond tolerant H genotype under cold stress. Analysis of 50 to 58 million raw reads led to identification of 174 unique conserved and 59 novel microRNAs (miRNAs). Differential expression pattern analysis showed that 50 miRNA families were expressed differentially in one or both of almond reproductive tissues (anther and ovary). Out of these 50 miRNA families, 12 and 15 displayed up-regulation and down-regulation, respectively. The distribution of conserved miRNA families indicated that miR482f harbor the highest number of members. Confirmation of miRNAs expression patterns by quantitative real- time PCR (qPCR) was performed in cold tolerant (H genotype) alongside a sensitive variety (Sh12 genotype). Our analysis revealed differential expression for 9 miRNAs in anther and 3 miRNAs in ovary between these two varieties. Target prediction of miRNAs followed by differential expression analysis resulted in identification of 83 target genes, mostly transcription factors. This study comprehensively catalogued expressed miRNAs under different temperatures in two reproductive tissues (anther and ovary). Results of current study and the previous RNA-seq study, which was conducted in the same tissues by our group, provide a unique opportunity to understand the molecular basis of responses of almond to cold stress. The results can also enhance the possibility for gene manipulation to develop cold tolerant plants.

Dissection of Regulatory Elements During Direct Conversion of Somatic Cells Into Neurons

A revolutionary approach that involves direct conversion of somatic cells into almost any other types of cells showed promising results for regenerative medicine. Currently, producing valuable cell types including neurons, cardiomyocytes, and hepatocytes through direct conversion of somatic cells appear to be a feasible option for regenerative medicine. The process involves inducing the cells by chemical cocktails or by expression of different types of transcription factors. In this concept, in vitro neurogenesis considered to be able to produce neuron cells to replace damaged neurons especially in Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. However, early successful experiments followed by major drawbacks such as low differentiation efficiency in producing neurons and detection of various undesirable types of cells in the culture. Therefore, there is not a single optimized common protocol for producing high quality neurons in vitro so far. This is partly due to the lack of our understanding about the precise cellular, genetic, and molecular mechanisms underlying neurogenesis via direct conversion. In the current work, we have employed meta‐analysis tools and extensive gene regulatory network analysis on the high throughput gene expression data obtained from previous reprogramming protocols to identify central gene regulatory components involved in direct conversion of fibroblasts into neurons. Our results identified miR‐9, miR‐30 as the most important miRNA and TP53, MYC, JUN, SP1, and SMAD2 considered to be the most important transcription factors. These findings would be useful for direct targeting these hub regulatory elements in order to increase the efficacy and specificity of the conversion protocols. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 3158–3170, 2017.