Divergent clonal selection dominates medulloblastoma at recurrence.

The development of targeted anti-cancer therapies through the study of cancer genomes is intended to increase survival rates and decrease treatment-related toxicity. We treated a transposon-driven, functional genomic mouse model of medulloblastoma with 'humanized' in vivo therapy (microneurosurgical tumour resection followed by multi-fractionated, image-guided radiotherapy). Genetic events in recurrent murine medulloblastoma exhibit a very poor overlap with those in matched murine diagnostic samples (<5%). Whole-genome sequencing of 33 pairs of human diagnostic and post-therapy medulloblastomas demonstrated substantial genetic divergence of the dominant clone after therapy (<12% diagnostic events were retained at recurrence). In both mice and humans, the dominant clone at recurrence arose through clonal selection of a pre-existing minor clone present at diagnosis. Targeted therapy is unlikely to be effective in the absence of the target, therefore our results offer a simple, proximal, and remediable explanation for the failure of prior clinical trials of targeted therapy.

Slider--maximum use of probability information for alignment of short sequence reads and SNP detection.

MOTIVATION: A plethora of alignment tools have been created that are designed to best fit different types of alignment conditions. While some of these are made for aligning Illumina Sequence Analyzer reads, none of these are fully utilizing its probability (prb) output. In this article, we will introduce a new alignment approach (Slider) that reduces the alignment problem space by utilizing each read base's probabilities given in the prb files. RESULTS: Compared with other aligners, Slider has higher alignment accuracy and efficiency. In addition, given that Slider matches bases with probabilities other than the most probable, it significantly reduces the percentage of base mismatches. The result is that its SNP predictions are more accurate than other SNP prediction approaches used today that start from the most probable sequence, including those using base quality.

Systematic sequencing of cDNA clones using the transposon Tn5.

In parallel with the production of genomic sequence data, attention is being focused on the generation of comprehensive cDNA-sequence resources. Such efforts are increasingly emphasizing the production of high-accuracy sequence corresponding to the entire insert of cDNA clones, especially those presumed to reflect the full-length mRNA. The complete sequencing of cDNA clones on a large scale presents unique challenges because of the generally small, yet heterogeneous, sizes of the cloned inserts. We have developed a strategy for high-throughput sequencing of cDNA clones using the transposon Tn5. This approach has been tailored for implementation within an existing large-scale 'shotgun-style' sequencing program, although it could be readily adapted for use in virtually any sequencing environment. In addition, we have developed a modified version of our strategy that can be applied to cDNA clones with large cloning vectors, thereby overcoming a potential limitation of transposon-based approaches. Here we describe the details of our cDNA-sequencing pipeline, including a summary of the experience in sequencing more than 4200 cDNA clones to produce more than 8 million base pairs of high-accuracy cDNA sequence. These data provide both convincing evidence that the insertion of Tn5 into cDNA clones is sufficiently random for its effective use in large-scale cDNA sequencing as well as interesting insight about the sequence context preferred for insertion by Tn5.

An efficient strategy for large-scale high-throughput transposon-mediated sequencing of cDNA clones.

We describe an efficient high-throughput method for accurate DNA sequencing of entire cDNA clones. Developed as part of our involvement in the Mammalian Gene Collection full-length cDNA sequencing initiative, the method has been used and refined in our laboratory since September 2000. Amenable to large scale projects, we have used the method to generate >7 Mb of accurate sequence from 3695 candidate full-length cDNAs. Sequencing is accomplished through the insertion of Mu transposon into cDNAs, followed by sequencing reactions primed with Mu-specific sequencing primers. Transposon insertion reactions are not performed with individual cDNAs but rather on pools of up to 96 clones. This pooling strategy reduces the number of transposon insertion sequencing libraries that would otherwise be required, reducing the costs and enhancing the efficiency of the transposon library construction procedure. Sequences generated using transposon-specific sequencing primers are assembled to yield the full-length cDNA sequence, with sequence editing and other sequence finishing activities performed as required to resolve sequence ambiguities. Although analysis of the many thousands (22 785) of sequenced Mu transposon insertion events revealed a weak sequence preference for Mu insertion, we observed insertion of the Mu transposon into 1015 of the possible 1024 5mer candidate insertion sites.

Conifer defence against insects: microarray gene expression profiling of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) induced by mechanical wounding or feeding by spruce budworms (Choristoneura occidentalis) or white pine weevils (Pissodes strobi) reveals large-scale changes of the host transcriptome.

Conifers are resistant to attack from a large number of potential herbivores or pathogens. Previous molecular and biochemical characterization of selected conifer defence systems support a model of multigenic, constitutive and induced defences that act on invading insects via physical, chemical, biochemical or ecological (multitrophic) mechanisms. However, the genomic foundation of the complex defence and resistance mechanisms of conifers is largely unknown. As part of a genomics strategy to characterize inducible defences and possible resistance mechanisms of conifers against insect herbivory, we developed a cDNA microarray building upon a new spruce (Picea spp.) expressed sequence tag resource. This first-generation spruce cDNA microarray contains 9720 cDNA elements representing c. 5500 unique genes. We used this array to monitor gene expression in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) bark in response to herbivory by white pine weevils (Pissodes strobi, Curculionidae) or wounding, and in young shoot tips in response to western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis, Lepidopterae) feeding. Weevils are stem-boring insects that feed on phloem, while budworms are foliage feeding larvae that consume needles and young shoot tips. Both insect species and wounding treatment caused substantial changes of the host plant transcriptome detected in each case by differential gene expression of several thousand array elements at 1 or 2 d after the onset of treatment. Overall, there was considerable overlap among differentially expressed gene sets from these three stress treatments. Functional classification of the induced transcripts revealed genes with roles in general plant defence, octadecanoid and ethylene signalling, transport, secondary metabolism, and transcriptional regulation. Several genes involved in primary metabolic processes such as photosynthesis were down-regulated upon insect feeding or wounding, fitting with the concept of dynamic resource allocation in plant defence. Refined expression analysis using gene-specific primers and real-time PCR for selected transcripts was in agreement with microarray results for most genes tested. This study provides the first large-scale survey of insect-induced defence transcripts in a gymnosperm and provides a platform for functional investigation of plant-insect interactions in spruce. Induction of spruce genes of octadecanoid and ethylene signalling, terpenoid biosynthesis, and phenolic secondary metabolism are discussed in more detail.

Genomics of hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpax deltoides) interacting with forest tent caterpillars (Malacosoma disstria): normalized and full-length cDNA libraries, expressed sequence tags, and a cDNA microarray for the study of insect-induced defences in poplar.

As part of a genomics strategy to characterize inducible defences against insect herbivory in poplar, we developed a comprehensive suite of functional genomics resources including cDNA libraries, expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and a cDNA microarray platform. These resources are designed to complement the existing poplar genome sequence and poplar (Populus spp.) ESTs by focusing on herbivore- and elicitor-treated tissues and incorporating normalization methods to capture rare transcripts. From a set of 15 standard, normalized or full-length cDNA libraries, we generated 139,007 3'- or 5'-end sequenced ESTs, representing more than one-third of the c. 385,000 publicly available Populus ESTs. Clustering and assembly of 107,519 3'-end ESTs resulted in 14,451 contigs and 20,560 singletons, altogether representing 35,011 putative unique transcripts, or potentially more than three-quarters of the predicted c. 45,000 genes in the poplar genome. Using this EST resource, we developed a cDNA microarray containing 15,496 unique genes, which was utilized to monitor gene expression in poplar leaves in response to herbivory by forest tent caterpillars (Malacosoma disstria). After 24 h of feeding, 1191 genes were classified as up-regulated, compared to only 537 down-regulated. Functional classification of this induced gene set revealed genes with roles in plant defence (e.g. endochitinases, Kunitz protease inhibitors), octadecanoid and ethylene signalling (e.g. lipoxygenase, allene oxide synthase, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase), transport (e.g. ABC proteins, calreticulin), secondary metabolism [e.g. polyphenol oxidase, isoflavone reductase, (-)-germacrene D synthase] and transcriptional regulation [e.g. leucine-rich repeat transmembrane kinase, several transcription factor classes (zinc finger C3H type, AP2/EREBP, WRKY, bHLH)]. This study provides the first genome-scale approach to characterize insect-induced defences in a woody perennial providing a solid platform for functional investigation of plant-insect interactions in poplar.

Systematic recovery and analysis of full-ORF human cDNA clones.

The Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC) consortium (http://mgc.nci.nih.gov) seeks to establish publicly available collections of full-ORF cDNAs for several organisms of significance to biomedical research, including human. To date over 15,200 human cDNA clones containing full-length open reading frames (ORFs) have been identified via systematic expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis of a diverse set of cDNA libraries; however, further systematic EST analysis is no longer an efficient method for identifying new cDNAs. As part of our involvement in the MGC program, we have developed a scalable method for targeted recovery of cDNA clones to facilitate recovery of genes absent from the MGC collection. First, cDNA is synthesized from various RNAs, followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of transcripts in 96-well plates using gene-specific primer pairs flanking the ORFs. Amplicons are cloned into a sequencing vector, and full-length sequences are obtained. Sequences are processed and assembled using Phred and Phrap, and analyzed using Consed and a number of bioinformatics methods we have developed. Sequences are compared with the Reference Sequence (RefSeq) database, and validation of sequence discrepancies is attempted using other sequence databases including dbEST and dbSNP. Clones with identical sequence to RefSeq or containing only validated changes will become part of the MGC human gene collection. Clones containing novel splice variants or polymorphisms have also been identified. Our approach to clone recovery, applied at large scale, has the potential to recover many and possibly most of the genes absent from the MGC collection.

Development and application of a salmonid EST database and cDNA microarray: data mining and interspecific hybridization characteristics.

We report 80,388 ESTs from 23 Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) cDNA libraries (61,819 ESTs), 6 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cDNA libraries (14,544 ESTs), 2 chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) cDNA libraries (1317 ESTs), 2 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) cDNA libraries (1243 ESTs), and 2 lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) cDNA libraries (1465 ESTs). The majority of these are 3' sequences, allowing discrimination between paralogs arising from a recent genome duplication in the salmonid lineage. Sequence assembly reveals 28,710 different S. salar, 8981 O. mykiss, 1085 O. tshawytscha, 520 O. nerka, and 1176 C. clupeaformis putative transcripts. We annotate the submitted portion of our EST database by molecular function. Higher- and lower-molecular-weight fractions of libraries are shown to contain distinct gene sets, and higher rates of gene discovery are associated with higher-molecular weight libraries. Pyloric caecum library group annotations indicate this organ may function in redox control and as a barrier against systemic uptake of xenobiotics. A microarray is described, containing 7356 salmonid elements representing 3557 different cDNAs. Analyses of cross-species hybridizations to this cDNA microarray indicate that this resource may be used for studies involving all salmonids.

The Genome sequence of the SARS-associated coronavirus.

We sequenced the 29,751-base genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus known as the Tor2 isolate. The genome sequence reveals that this coronavirus is only moderately related to other known coronaviruses, including two human coronaviruses, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E. Phylogenetic analysis of the predicted viral proteins indicates that the virus does not closely resemble any of the three previously known groups of coronaviruses. The genome sequence will aid in the diagnosis of SARS virus infection in humans and potential animal hosts (using polymerase chain reaction and immunological tests), in the development of antivirals (including neutralizing antibodies), and in the identification of putative epitopes for vaccine development.