Comparing genomic and epigenomic features across species using the WashU Comparative Epigenome Browser.

Genome browsers have become an intuitive and critical tool to visualize and analyze genomic features and data. Conventional genome browsers display data/annotations on a single reference genome/assembly; there are also genomic alignment viewer/browsers that help users visualize alignment, mismatch, and rearrangement between syntenic regions. However, there is a growing need for a comparative epigenome browser that can display genomic and epigenomic data sets across different species and enable users to compare them between syntenic regions. Here, we present the WashU Comparative Epigenome Browser. It allows users to load functional genomic data sets/annotations mapped to different genomes and display them over syntenic regions simultaneously. The browser also displays genetic differences between the genomes from single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) to structural variants (SVs) to visualize the association between epigenomic differences and genetic differences. Instead of anchoring all data sets to the reference genome coordinates, it creates independent coordinates of different genome assemblies to faithfully present features and data mapped to different genomes. It uses a simple, intuitive genome-align track to illustrate the syntenic relationship between different species. It extends the widely used WashU Epigenome Browser infrastructure and can be expanded to support multiple species. This new browser function will greatly facilitate comparative genomic/epigenomic research, as well as support the recent growing needs to directly compare and benchmark the T2T CHM13 assembly and other human genome assemblies.

CNAViz: An interactive webtool for user-guided segmentation of tumor DNA sequencing data.

Copy-number aberrations (CNAs) are genetic alterations that amplify or delete the number of copies of large genomic segments. Although they are ubiquitous in cancer and, thus, a critical area of current cancer research, CNA identification from DNA sequencing data is challenging because it requires partitioning of the genome into complex segments with the same copy-number states that may not be contiguous. Existing segmentation algorithms address these challenges either by leveraging the local information among neighboring genomic regions, or by globally grouping genomic regions that are affected by similar CNAs across the entire genome. However, both approaches have limitations: overclustering in the case of local segmentation, or the omission of clusters corresponding to focal CNAs in the case of global segmentation. Importantly, inaccurate segmentation will lead to inaccurate identification of CNAs. For this reason, most pan-cancer research studies rely on manual procedures of quality control and anomaly correction. To improve copy-number segmentation, we introduce CNAViz, a web-based tool that enables the user to simultaneously perform local and global segmentation, thus overcoming the limitations of each approach. Using simulated data, we demonstrate that by several metrics, CNAViz allows the user to obtain more accurate segmentation relative to existing local and global segmentation methods. Moreover, we analyze six bulk DNA sequencing samples from three breast cancer patients. By validating with parallel single-cell DNA sequencing data from the same samples, we show that by using CNAViz, our user was able to obtain more accurate segmentation and improved accuracy in downstream copy-number calling.

WashU Epigenome Browser update 2022.

WashU Epigenome Browser (https://epigenomegateway.wustl.edu/browser/) is a web-based genomic data exploration tool that provides visualization, integration, and analysis of epigenomic datasets. The newly renovated user interface and functions have enabled researchers to engage with the browser and genomic data more efficiently and effectively since 2018. Here, we introduce a new integrated panel design in the browser that allows users to interact with 1D (genomic features), 2D (such as Hi-C), 3D (genome structure), and 4D (time series) data in a single web page. The browser can display three-dimensional chromatin structures with the 3D viewer module. The 4D tracks, called 'Dynamic' tracks, animatedly display time-series data, allowing for a more striking visual impact to identify the gene or genomic region candidates as a function of time. Genomic data, such as annotation features, numerical values, and chromatin interaction data can all be viewed in the dynamic track mode. Imaging data from microscopy experiments can also be displayed in the browser. In addition to software development, we continue to service and expand the data hubs we host for large consortia including 4DN, Roadmap Epigenomics, TaRGET and ENCODE, among others. Our growing user/developer community developed additional track types as plugins, such as qBed and dynseq tracks, which extend the utility of the browser. The browser serves as a foundation for additional genomics platforms including the WashU Virus Genome Browser (for COVID-19 research) and the Comparative Genome Browser. The WashU Epigenome Browser can also be accessed freely through Amazon Web Services at https://epigenomegateway.org/.

The qBED track: a novel genome browser visualization for point processes.

SUMMARY: Transposon calling cards is a genomic assay for identifying transcription factor binding sites in both bulk and single cell experiments. Here, we describe the qBED format, an open, text-based standard for encoding and analyzing calling card data. In parallel, we introduce the qBED track on the WashU Epigenome Browser, a novel visualization that enables researchers to inspect calling card data in their genomic context. Finally, through examples, we demonstrate that qBED files can be used to visualize non-calling card datasets, such as Combined Annotation-Dependent Depletion scores and GWAS/eQTL hits, and thus may have broad utility to the genomics community. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The qBED track is available on the WashU Epigenome Browser (http://epigenomegateway.wustl.edu/browser), beginning with version 46. Source code for the WashU Epigenome Browser with qBED support is available on GitHub (http://github.com/arnavm/eg-react and http://github.com/lidaof/eg-react). A complete definition of the qBED format is available as part of the WashU Epigenome Browser documentation (https://eg.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tracks.html#qbed-track). We have also released a tutorial on how to upload qBED data to the browser (http://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bca8ishw).

WashU Epigenome Browser update 2019.

The WashU Epigenome Browser (https://epigenomegateway.wustl.edu/) provides visualization, integration and analysis tools for epigenomic datasets. Since 2010, it has provided the scientific community with data from large consortia including the Roadmap Epigenomics and the ENCODE projects. Recently, we refactored the codebase, redesigned the user interface, and developed various novel features. New features include: (i) visualization using virtual reality (VR), which has implications in biology education and the study of 3D chromatin structure; (ii) expanded public data hubs, including data from the 4DN, ENCODE, Roadmap Epigenomics, TaRGET, IHEC and TCGA consortia; (iii) a more responsive user interface; (iv) a history of interactions, which enables undo and redo; (v) a feature we call Live Browsing, which allows multiple users to collaborate remotely on the same session; (vi) the ability to visualize local tracks and data hubs. Amazon Web Services also hosts the redesign at https://epigenomegateway.org/.

New mutations in flagellar motors identified by whole genome sequencing in Chlamydomonas.

BACKGROUND: The building of a cilium or flagellum requires molecular motors and associated proteins that allow the relocation of proteins from the cell body to the distal end and the return of proteins to the cell body in a process termed intraflagellar transport (IFT). IFT trains are carried out by kinesin and back to the cell body by dynein. METHODS: We used whole genome sequencing to identify the causative mutations for two temperature-sensitive flagellar assembly mutants in Chlamydomonas and validated the changes using reversion analysis. We examined the effect of these mutations on the localization of IFT81, an IFT complex B protein, the cytoplasmic dynein heavy chain (DHC1b), and the dynein light intermediate chain (D1bLIC). RESULTS: The strains, fla18 and fla24, have mutations in kinesin-2 and cytoplasmic dynein, respectively. The fla18 mutation alters the same glutamic acid (E24G) mutated in the fla10-14 allele (E24K). The fla18 strain loses flagella at 32?C more rapidly than the E24K allele but less rapidly than the fla10-1 allele. The fla18 mutant loses its flagella by detachment rather than by shortening. The fla24 mutation falls in cytoplasmic dynein and changes a completely conserved amino acid (L3243P) in an alpha helix in the AAA5 domain. The fla24 mutant loses its flagella by shortening within 6 hours at 32?C. DHC1b protein is reduced by 18-fold and D1bLIC is reduced by 16-fold at 21?C compared to wild-type cells. We identified two pseudorevertants (L3243S and L3243R), which remain flagellated at 32?C. Although fla24 cells assemble full-length flagella at 21?C, IFT81 protein localization is dramatically altered. Instead of localizing at the basal body and along the flagella, IFT81 is concentrated at the proximal end of the flagella. The pseudorevertants show wild-type IFT81 localization at 21?C, but proximal end localization of IFT81 at 32?C. CONCLUSIONS: The change in the AAA5 domain of the cytoplasmic dynein in fla24 may block the recycling of IFT trains after retrograde transport. It is clear that different alleles in the flagellar motors reveal different functions and roles. Multiple alleles will be important for understanding structure-function relationships.