Recursos de bioinformática aplicados às ciências ômicas como genômica, transcriptômica, proteômica, interatômica e metabolômica / Bioinformatic resources applied on the omic sciences as genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, interatomic and metabolomic

As ciências ômicas tratam da análise global dos sistemas biológicos, integrando diferentes áreas do conhecimento, como a bioquímica, genética, fisiologia e computação, com o objetivo de isolar e caracterizar genes, proteínas e metabólitos, assim como estudar as interações entre eles, com base em técnicas experimentais, softwares e bancos de dados. A bioinformática por sua vez, propõe novas formas de ciência baseada na experimentação in silico, sendo muito dinâmica na sua atualização e fornecendo a base para geração de novos dados e conhecimentos que podem ser aplicados na pesquisa básica e na aplicada com o desenvolvimento de novos produtos e soluções. Este processo está intimamente relacionado à inovação tecnológica, que é conseguida unindo-se a biotecnologia e a bioinformática. Contudo, o objetivo desta revisão é apresentar uma pequena abordagem dos recursos de bioinformática aplicados às ciências ômicas, como genômica, transcriptômica, proteômica, interatômica, metabolômica, farmacogenômica, dentre outras.

The omic sciences had a wide point of view of the biological systems, integrating different knowledgement areas, as biochemistry, genetics and physiology, with the aim of isolation and characterization of genes, proteins and metabolites as well study their interactions, based on experimental techniques, softwares and data banks. Bioinformatics proposes a new science, which is based on in silico experimentation, being very dynamic in its update and also can provides the basis for generation of new data and knowledge that can be applied in basic research and applied to the development of new products and solutions. This process is closely related to technological innovation, which is achieved joining biotechnology and bioinformatics. However, the objective of this review is to present a small approach of bioinformatics resources applied to the omics science, like genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, interatomics, metabolomics, pharmacogenomics, among others.

Effect of juvenile hormone III on the ultrastructure of the corpora allata in Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera,. Apidae, Meliponýný)

Changes in hormonal levels can produce alternative phenotypes. Juvenile hormone III plays an importantrole in the regulation of metamorphosis, caste determination and age in bees. In this work, we examined theultrastructure of corpora allata cells from stingless bees (Melipona quadrifasciata) treated with juvenilehormone during development. The corpora allata cells of M. quadrifasciata queens showed greater activitythan those of workers. The topical application of juvenile hormone III altered the cellular ultrastructureand either delayed development (as shown by fewer mitochondria and greater chromatin condensation) orenhanced development (looser chromatin and numerous mitochondria) when compared to untreated (control)bees. Our results show that corpora allata cells differ in their ultrastructural characteristics and that thecessation of juvenile hormone production by these cells in M. quadrifasciata is not synchronous.

Differential gene expression in Melipona scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Meliponini): effect of juvenile hormone III

The objective of the present study was to determine by differential display reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) the effects of juvenile hormone (JH) III applied during the late larval 3 (L3) phase on gene expression in Melipona scutellaris. A temporal window of expression of feminizing genes exists during the late L3 and pre-defecating larval phases when these genes can be turned on or off by the action of JH, which is able to mediate the differentiation of female larvae into queens. Combination of the HT11A-AP4 primers revealed differential expression in L3 individuals treated with JH III for 1 h, with weak expression of the transcript, while intense expression was observed for controls and individuals treated for 4 h. Combination of the HT11G-AP4 and HT11G-AP5 primers showed suppression of the gene products for each primer combination in 1-h treated larvae compared to untreated control individuals of the same age and individuals treated for 4 h. Differential gene expression was also observed during development. These results demonstrate that the JH III may suppress or alter gene expression profiles during phase L3 of M. scutellaris.

Polimorfismo do 16S mtDNA por LIS-SSCP em Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) / Polymorphism of the 16S mtDNA for LIS-SSCP in Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

A técnica de Low Ionic Strength Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism (LIS-SSCP) foi desenvolvida, como forma de detectar mutação em fita simples de DNA. Esta técnica consiste basicamente na separação de fragmentos de DNA de fita simples por desnaturação, por meio de uma solução de baixa força iônica (LIS) a base de sacarose. Utilizou-se a técnica de LIS-SSCP para estudar populações de Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 quanto à presença de variações do 16S mtDNA. Estas populações foram introduzidas no Meliponário Uberlândia, Uberlândia-MG, em diferentes período de tempo, colônias K (introduzidas em 1987) e colônias AB e N (introduzidas em 1999 e 2000 respectivamente). Os resultados não mostraram variações no 16S mtDNA entre as colônias K e colônias AB e N, embora houvesse nítidas diferenças morfológicas e comportamentais entre elas.

The Single Strand Conformation Polymorphim (SSCP) is a technique that was developed to detect mutations in single strande DNAs. This technique consistes in separating the single strand DNA fragments by their desnaturation using a low ionic stregth (LIS) solution which is composed of sucrose. We use the LIS-SSCP technique with the purpose to study populations of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811, about the presence of 16SmtDNA variations. The populations were introduced in the Uberlândia Meliponary (Uberlândia-MG, Brazil) in different periods of time, colonies K (introduced in 1987) and colonies AB and N (introduced in 1999 and 2000 respectively). The results had not shown variations between the colonies K, AB and N, although in had clear morphologic and behavioral difference between these colonies.