PolyA_DB is a database cataloging cleavage and polyadenylation sites (PASs) in several genomes. Previous versions were based mainly on expressed sequence tags (ESTs), which had a limited amount and could lead to inaccurate PAS identification due to the presence of internal A-rich sequences in transcripts. Here, we present an updated version of the database based solely on deep sequencing data. First, PASs are mapped by the 3′ region extraction and deep sequencing (3′READS) method, ensuring unequivocal PAS identification. Second, a large volume of data based on diverse biological samples increases PAS coverage by 3.5-fold over the EST-based version and provides PAS usage information. Third, strand-specific RNA-seq data are used to extend annotated 3′ ends of genes to obtain more thorough annotations of alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites. Fourth, conservation information of PAS across mammals sheds light on significance of APA sites. The database (URL: http://www.polya-db.org/v3) currently holds PASs in human, mouse, rat and chicken, and has links to the UCSC genome browser for further visualization and for integration with other genomic data.
We investigated a small outbreak of varicella in a long-term-care facility after a case of herpes zoster. Clinical specimens and environmental samples were collected from all case patients and from surfaces in the case patients' rooms and other common-use areas. Wild-type varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA was identified in all 3 varicella case patients, and high concentrations of VZV DNA were detected in environmental samples from the room of the herpes zoster case patient. Genotypic analysis showed that the identical VZV strain was present in all samples; moreover, the strain was a unique Mosaic genotype isolate that included a stable Oka vaccine marker that had hitherto never been observed in a wild-type strain of VZV. This study provides evidence for the value of including environmental sampling during the investigation of varicella outbreaks and illustrates the importance of evaluating multiple vaccine-associated markers for the discrimination of vaccine virus from wild-type VZV.
The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene (RB1) plays a critical role in coordinating multiple pathways that impact cancer initiation, disease progression, and therapeutic responses. Here we probed molecular features associated with the RB-pathway across 31 tumor-types. While the RB-pathway has been purported to exhibit multiple mutually exclusive genetic events, only RB1 alteration is mutually exclusive with deregulation of CDK4/6 activity. An ER+ breast cancer model with targeted RB1 deletion was used to identify signatures of CDK4/6 activity and RB-dependency (CDK4/6-RB integrated signature). This signature was prognostic in tumor-types with gene expression features indicative of slower growth. Single copy loss on chromosome 13q encompassing the RB1 locus is prevalent in many cancers, yielding reduced expression of multiple genes in cis, and is inversely related to the CDK4/6-RB integrated signature supporting a cause-effect relationship. Genes that are positively and inversely correlated with the CDK4/6-RB integrated signature define new tumor-specific pathways associated with RB-pathway activity.
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