Mobile genetic elements and gene regulatory networks of small non-coding RNAs in mosquitoes: The interface between functional genomics, comparative genomics & bioinformatics
Mosquito transmitted diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, and encephalitis claim millions of lives worldwide each year. My laboratory is using modern genomics and bioinformatics tools to study the basic genetics and physiology of mosquitoes with the long-term goal of reducing the burden of vector-borne infectious diseases. My research program includes three areas.
We are interested in mosquito transposable
elements (TEs), which are a group of mobile genetic elements that are
able to replicate and spread in the genome. Our objectives are to understand the
fundamental biology, the genomic context, and evolutionary impact of
TEs as well as to explore the applications of TEs as molecular tools to
manipulate mosquito genomes for the purpose of interrupting
transmission of pathogens. Secondly, we are conducting comparative
genomics research using a range of mosquitoes to provide
high-resolution identification of regulatory elements, uncover gene expansion/loss/rearrangements.
Finally, we have recently identified a
number of mosquito-specific microRNAs (miRNAs), which are a novel class
of gene modulating molecules. miRNAs are ~22 nucleotide long non-coding
RNAs that modulate the expression of cellular genes by binding to
cognate mRNAs for cleavage or translational repression. miRNAs are
widely distributed in metazoans and plants. Many miRNAs exhibit finely
controlled spatio-temporal expression profiles. Several of these have
been shown to be key regulatory molecules during embryonic development,
stem cell division, and cell death. miRNAs are also implicated in
cancer and control of viral infection. Several mosquito miRNAs display
temporal and tissue-specific expression. We areinvestigating the
functions of some of these miRNAs.
Selected Publications
Biedler, J and Tu, Z. (2007) The Juan non-LTR retrotransposons in mosquitoes:
genomic impact, vertical transmission and indications of recent and wide-spread
activity. BMC Evol. Biol. 7, 112.
[Abstract]
Nene, V. Wortman, J.R. Lawson, D. Haas, B. Kodira, C. Tu, Z. et al., (total 95 co-authors) (2007). Genome sequence of Aedes aegypti, a major arbovirus vector. Science,316, 1718-1723 (Co-authors from Tu laboratory: Tu, Z. Biedler, J. Coy, M. and Li, S.)
Coy, M. and Tu, Z. (2007) Genomic and Evolutionary analyses of Tango transposons
in Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae and other mosquito species. Insect Mol.
Biol. 16, 411-421.
[Abstract]
Wang X., Cooper, K., Wang, A., Wang, Z., Zhang, Y., and Tu, Z. (2006)
Label-free DNA sequence detection using oligonucleotide functionalized optical
fiber. Applied Physics Letters. 89, 163901.
[Abstract]
Tu, Z. (2005) Insect Transposable Elements. Pp395-436, in: Comprehensive
Molecular Insect Science (eds., L. Gilbert, K. Iatrous, and S. Gill),
Elsevier, Oxford, UK.
Coy, M. and Tu, Z. (2005). Gambol and Tc1 are two distinct families of DD34E transposons--Analysis of the Anopheles gambiae genome expands the diversity of the IS630-Tc1-mariner superfamily. Insect Mol. Biol. 14, 537-546.
Tu, Z., Coates, C. (2004) Mosquito transposable elements. Insect Biochem Mol Biol. Jul;34(7):631-44 [Abstract]
Tu, Z., Li, S. and Mao, C. (2004). The changing tails of a novel short interspersed element (SINE): genomic evidence for slippage retrotransposition and the relationship between 3’ tandem repeats and the poly(dA) tail. Genetics. 168, 2037-2047.
Biedler, J., Qi, Y., Holligan, D., della Torre, A., Wessler, S. and Tu, Z. (2003). Transposable element (TE) display and rapid detection of TE insertion polymorphism in the Anopheles gambiae species complex. Insect Mol. Biol. 12, 211-216.
Holt et al. 2002. The genome sequence of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Science 298, 129-149. Co-authors from the Tu laboratory: Biedler J., Shao, H., and Tu, Z. [Abstract]