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Natural Variation in Freezing Tolerance and Cold Acclimation Response in Arabidopsis thaliana and Related Species

Zuther E, Lee YP, Erban A, Kopka J, Hincha DK

Adv Exp Med Biol, 2018 10 6;1081:81-98.
PMID: 30288705 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-1244-1_5

During low-temperature exposure, temperate plant species increase their freezing tolerance in a process termed cold acclimation. The molecular mechanisms involved in cold acclimation have been mostly investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition, other Brassicaceae species related to A. thaliana have been employed in recent years to study plant stress responses on a phylogenetically broader basis and in some cases with extremophile species with a much higher stress tolerance. In this paper, we briefly summarize cold acclimation responses in A. thaliana and current knowledge about cold acclimation in A. thaliana relatives with special emphasis on Eutrema salsugineum and two closely related Thellungiella species. We then present a transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of cold acclimation in five A. thaliana and two E. salsugineum accessions that differ widely in their freezing tolerance. Differences in the cold responses of the two species are discussed.
Analysis and functional annotation of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from multiple tissues of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

Ho CL, Kwan YY, Choi MC, Tee SS, Ng WH, Lim KA, et al.

BMC Genomics, 2007;8:381.
PMID: 17953740

Oil palm is the second largest source of edible oil which contributes to approximately 20% of the world's production of oils and fats. In order to understand the molecular biology involved in in vitro propagation, flowering, efficient utilization of nitrogen sources and root diseases, we have initiated an expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis on oil palm.
Fulltext The impact of infectious diseases consultation on the management and outcomes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia in adults: a retrospective cohort study

Chiong F, Wasef MS, Liew KC, Cowan R, Tsai D, Lee YP, et al.

BMC Infect Dis, 2021 Jul 09;21(1):671.
PMID: 34243714 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06372-5

BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia (PAB) is associated with high mortality. The benefits of infectious diseases consultation (IDC) has been demonstrated in Staphylococcal aureus bacteraemia and other complex infections. Impact of IDC in PAB is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of IDC on the management and outcomes in patients with PAB.
METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort single-centre study from 1 November 2006 to 29 May 2019, in all adult patients admitted with first episode of PAB. Data collected included demographics, clinical management and outcomes for PAB and whether IDC occurred. In addition, 29 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) stored isolates were available for Illumina whole genome sequencing to investigate if pathogen factors contributed to the mortality.
RESULTS: A total of 128 cases of PAB were identified, 71% received IDC. Patients who received IDC were less likely to receive inappropriate duration of antibiotic therapy (4.4%; vs 67.6%; p
Temporal changes in arthropod activity in tropical anthropogenic forests

Brandon-Mong GJ, Littlefair JE, Sing KW, Lee YP, Gan HM, Clare EL, et al.

Bull. Entomol. Res., 2018 Dec;108(6):792-799.
PMID: 29441836 DOI: 10.1017/S000748531800010X

Arthropod communities in the tropics are increasingly impacted by rapid changes in land use. Because species showing distinct seasonal patterns of activity are thought to be at higher risk of climate-related extirpation, global warming is generally considered a lower threat to arthropod biodiversity in the tropics than in temperate regions. To examine changes associated with land use and weather variables in tropical arthropod communities, we deployed Malaise traps at three major anthropogenic forests (secondary reserve forest, oil palm forest, and urban ornamental forest (UOF)) in Peninsular Malaysia and collected arthropods continuously for 12 months. We used metabarcoding protocols to characterize the diversity within weekly samples. We found that changes in the composition of arthropod communities were significantly associated with maximum temperature in all the three forests, but shifts were reversed in the UOF compared with the other forests. This suggests arthropods in forests in Peninsular Malaysia face a double threat: community shifts and biodiversity loss due to exploitation and disturbance of forests which consequently put species at further risk related to global warming. We highlight the positive feedback mechanism of land use and temperature, which pose threats to the arthropod communities and further implicates ecosystem functioning and human well-being. Consequently, conservation and mitigation plans are urgently needed.
Transcriptomic data of mature oil palm basal trunk tissue infected with Ganoderma boninense

Othman NQ, Sulaiman S, Lee YP, Tan JS

Data Brief, 2019 Aug;25:104288.
PMID: 31453289 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2019.104288

To date, Ganoderma boninense is known to be the causal agent of basal stem rot (BSR) disease in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). This disease causes rotting in the roots, basal and upper stem of oil palm. Infection causes progressive destruction of the basal tissues at the oil palm trunk and internal dry rotting, particularly at the intersection between the bole and trunk. Molecular responses of oil palm during infection are not well study although this information is crucial to strategize effective measures to control or eliminate BSR. Here we report three sets of transcriptome data from samples of near-rot section of basal stem tissue of oil palm tree infected with G. boninense (IPIT), healthy section of basal stem tissue of the same G. boninense infected palm (IPHT) and the healthy section of basal stem tissue of the healthy palm (HPHT). The raw reads were deposited into NCBI database and can be accessed via BioProject accession number PRJNA530030.
Fulltext Draft genome assembly dataset of the Basidiomycete pathogenic fungus, Ganoderma boninense

Sulaiman S, Othman NQ, Tan JS, Lee YP

Data Brief, 2020 Apr;29:105167.
PMID: 32025548 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.105167

Ganoderma boninense is a soil-borne Basidiomycete pathogenic fungus that eminent as the key causal of devastating disease in oil palm, named basal stem rot. Being a threat to sustainable palm oil production, it is essential to comprehend the fundamental view of this fungus. However, there is gap of information due to its limited number of genome sequence that is available for this pathogenic fungus. This implies the hitches in performing biological research to unravel the mechanism underlying the pathogen attack in oil palm. Therefore, here we report a dataset of draft genome of G. boninense that was sequenced using Illumina Hiseq 2000. The raw reads were deposited into NCBI database (SRX7136614 and SRX7136615) and can be accessed via Bioproject accession number PRJNA503786.
Fulltext Mitogenome data of Nycticebus coucang insularis Robinson, 1917 (Primate: Lorisidae)

Rovie-Ryan JJ, Gani M, Lee YP, Gan HM, Abdullah MT

Data Brief, 2019 Aug;25:104058.
PMID: 31211204 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2019.104058

This data article presents the first complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of an endangered slow loris subspecies, Nycticebus coucang insularis Robinson, 1917 from Tioman Island, Pahang. Once considered as extinct, an individual of the subspecies was captured alive from the island during the 2016 Biodiversity Inventory Programme as highlighted in the related research article entitled "Rediscovery of Nycticebus coucang insularis Robinson, 1917 (Primates: Lorisidae) at Tioman Island and its mitochondrial genetic assessment" Rovie-Ryan et al., 2018. Using MiSeq™ sequencing system, the entire mitogenome recovered is 16,765 bp in length, made up of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and one control region. The mitogenome has been deposited at DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank under the accession number NC_040292.1/MG515246.
Fulltext Nanopore Long-Read Guided Complete Genome Assembly of Hydrogenophaga intermedia, and Genomic Insights into 4-Aminobenzenesulfonate, p-Aminobenzoic Acid and Hydrogen Metabolism in the Genus Hydrogenophaga

Gan HM, Lee YP, Austin CM

Front Microbiol, 2017;8:1880.
PMID: 29046667 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01880

We improved upon the previously reported draft genome of Hydrogenophaga intermedia strain PBC, a 4-aminobenzenesulfonate-degrading bacterium, by supplementing the assembly with Nanopore long reads which enabled the reconstruction of the genome as a single contig. From the complete genome, major genes responsible for the catabolism of 4-aminobenzenesulfonate in strain PBC are clustered in two distinct genomic regions. Although the catabolic genes for 4-sulfocatechol, the deaminated product of 4-aminobenzenesulfonate, are only found in H. intermedia, the sad operon responsible for the first deamination step of 4-aminobenzenesulfonate is conserved in various Hydrogenophaga strains. The absence of pabB gene in the complete genome of H. intermedia PBC is consistent with its p-aminobenzoic acid (pABA) auxotrophy but surprisingly comparative genomics analysis of 14 Hydrogenophaga genomes indicate that pABA auxotrophy is not an uncommon feature among members of this genus. Of even more interest, several Hydrogenophaga strains do not possess the genomic potential for hydrogen oxidation, calling for a revision to the taxonomic description of Hydrogenophaga as "hydrogen eating bacteria."
About Ganoderma boninense in oil palm plantations of Sumatra and peninsular Malaysia: Ancient population expansion, extensive gene flow and large scale dispersion ability

Mercière M, Boulord R, Carasco-Lacombe C, Klopp C, Lee YP, Tan JS, et al.

Fungal Biol, 2017 Jun-Jul;121(6-7):529-540.
PMID: 28606348 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2017.01.001

Wood rot fungi form one of the main classes of phytopathogenic fungus. The group includes many species, but has remained poorly studied. Many species belonging to the Ganoderma genus are well known for causing decay in a wide range of tree species around the world. Ganoderma boninense, causal agent of oil palm basal stem rot, is responsible for considerable yield losses in Southeast Asian oil palm plantations. In a large-scale sampling operation, 357 sporophores were collected from oil palm plantations spread over peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra and genotyped using 11 SSR markers. The genotyping of these samples made it possible to investigate the population structure and demographic history of G. boninense across the oldest known area of interaction between oil palm and G. boninense. Results show that G. boninense possesses a high degree of genetic diversity and no detectable genetic structure at the scale of Sumatra and peninsular Malaysia. The fact that few duplicate genotypes were found in several studies including this one supports the hypothesis of spore dispersal in the spread of G. boninense. Meanwhile, spatial autocorrelation analysis shows that G. boninense is able to disperse across both short and long distances. These results bring new insight into mechanisms by which G. boninense spreads in oil palm plantations. Finally, the use of approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) modelling indicates that G. boninense has undergone a demographic expansion in the past, probably before the oil palm was introduced into Southeast Asia.
Fulltext Whole-Genome Sequence and Classification of 11 Endophytic Bacteria from Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)

Tran PN, Tan NE, Lee YP, Gan HM, Polter SJ, Dailey LK, et al.

Genome Announc, 2015;3(6).
PMID: 26586879 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.01319-15

Here, we report the whole-genome sequences and annotation of 11 endophytic bacteria from poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) vine tissue. Five bacteria belong to the genus Pseudomonas, and six single members from other genera were found present in interior vine tissue of poison ivy.
Fulltext First High-Quality Draft Genome Sequence of Pasteurella multocida Sequence Type 128 Isolated from Infected Bone

Kavousi N, Eng WW, Lee YP, Tan LH, Thuraisingham R, Yule CM, et al.

Genome Announc, 2016;4(2).
PMID: 26941132 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00023-16

We report here the first high-quality draft genome sequence of Pasteurella multocida sequence type 128, which was isolated from the infected finger bone of an adult female who was bitten by a domestic dog. The draft genome will be a valuable addition to the scarce genomic resources available for P. multocida.
Fulltext Isolation, Identification, Whole-Genome Sequencing, and Annotation of Four Bacillus Species, B. anthracis RIT375, B. circulans RIT379, B. altitudinis RIT380, and B. megaterium RIT381, from Internal Stem Tissue of the Insulin Plant Costus igneus

Polter SJ, Caraballo AA, Lee YP, Eng WW, Gan HM, Wheatley MS, et al.

Genome Announc, 2015;3(4).
PMID: 26227604 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00847-15

Here, we report the isolation, identification, whole-genome sequencing, and annotation of four Bacillus species from internal stem tissue of the insulin plant Costus igneus, grown in Puerto Rico. The plant is of medicinal importance, as extracts from its leaves have been shown to lower blood sugar levels of hyperglycemic rats.
Fulltext New Sequence Types of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Isolated from a Malaysian Aquaculture Pond, as Revealed by Whole-Genome Sequencing

Foo SM, Eng WWH, Lee YP, Gui K, Gan HM

Genome Announc, 2017 May 11;5(19).
PMID: 28495773 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00302-17

The acquisition of Photorhabdus insect-related (Pir) toxin-like genes in Vibrio parahaemolyticus has been linked to hepatopancreatic necrosis disease in shrimp. We report the whole-genome sequences of genetically virulent and avirulent V. parahaemolyticus isolated from a Malaysian aquaculture pond and show that they represent previously unreported sequence types of V. parahaemolyticus.
Fulltext Finding Nemo: hybrid assembly with Oxford Nanopore and Illumina reads greatly improves the clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) genome assembly

Tan MH, Austin CM, Hammer MP, Lee YP, Croft LJ, Gan HM

Gigascience, 2018 03 01;7(3):1-6.
PMID: 29342277 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/gix137

Background: Some of the most widely recognized coral reef fishes are clownfish or anemonefish, members of the family Pomacentridae (subfamily: Amphiprioninae). They are popular aquarium species due to their bright colours, adaptability to captivity, and fascinating behavior. Their breeding biology (sequential hermaphrodites) and symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones have attracted much scientific interest. Moreover, there are some curious geographic-based phenotypes that warrant investigation. Leveraging on the advancement in Nanopore long read technology, we report the first hybrid assembly of the clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) genome utilizing Illumina and Nanopore reads, further demonstrating the substantial impact of modest long read sequencing data sets on improving genome assembly statistics.
Results: We generated 43 Gb of short Illumina reads and 9 Gb of long Nanopore reads, representing approximate genome coverage of 54× and 11×, respectively, based on the range of estimated k-mer-predicted genome sizes of between 791 and 967 Mbp. The final assembled genome is contained in 6404 scaffolds with an accumulated length of 880 Mb (96.3% BUSCO-calculated genome completeness). Compared with the Illumina-only assembly, the hybrid approach generated 94% fewer scaffolds with an 18-fold increase in N50 length (401 kb) and increased the genome completeness by an additional 16%. A total of 27 240 high-quality protein-coding genes were predicted from the clown anemonefish, 26 211 (96%) of which were annotated functionally with information from either sequence homology or protein signature searches.
Conclusions: We present the first genome of any anemonefish and demonstrate the value of low coverage (∼11×) long Nanopore read sequencing in improving both genome assembly contiguity and completeness. The near-complete assembly of the A. ocellaris genome will be an invaluable molecular resource for supporting a range of genetic, genomic, and phylogenetic studies specifically for clownfish and more generally for other related fish species of the family Pomacentridae.
Fulltext De novo genome assembly and annotation of Australia's largest freshwater fish, the Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), from Illumina and Nanopore sequencing read

Austin CM, Tan MH, Harrisson KA, Lee YP, Croft LJ, Sunnucks P, et al.

Gigascience, 2017 08 01;6(8):1-6.
PMID: 28873963 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/gix063

One of the most iconic Australian fish is the Murray cod, Maccullochella peelii (Mitchell 1838), a freshwater species that can grow to ∼1.8 metres in length and live to age ≥48 years. The Murray cod is of a conservation concern as a result of strong population contractions, but it is also popular for recreational fishing and is of growing aquaculture interest. In this study, we report the whole genome sequence of the Murray cod to support ongoing population genetics, conservation, and management research, as well as to better understand the evolutionary ecology and history of the species. A draft Murray cod genome of 633 Mbp (N50 = 109 974bp; BUSCO and CEGMA completeness of 94.2% and 91.9%, respectively) with an estimated 148 Mbp of putative repetitive sequences was assembled from the combined sequencing data of 2 fish individuals with an identical maternal lineage; 47.2 Gb of Illumina HiSeq data and 804 Mb of Nanopore data were generated from the first individual while 23.2 Gb of Illumina MiSeq data were generated from the second individual. The inclusion of Nanopore reads for scaffolding followed by subsequent gap-closing using Illumina data led to a 29% reduction in the number of scaffolds and a 55% and 54% increase in the scaffold and contig N50, respectively. We also report the first transcriptome of Murray cod that was subsequently used to annotate the Murray cod genome, leading to the identification of 26 539 protein-coding genes. We present the whole genome of the Murray cod and anticipate this will be a catalyst for a range of genetic, genomic, and phylogenetic studies of the Murray cod and more generally other fish species of the Percichthydae family.
Fulltext Pleistocene divergence across a mountain range and the influence of selection on mitogenome evolution in threatened Australian freshwater cod species

Harrisson K, Pavlova A, Gan HM, Lee YP, Austin CM, Sunnucks P

Heredity (Edinb), 2016 Jun;116(6):506-15.
PMID: 26883183 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2016.8

Climatic differences across a taxon's range may be associated with specific bioenergetic demands and may result in genetics-based metabolic adaptation, particularly in aquatic ectothermic organisms that rely on heat exchange with the environment to regulate key physiological processes. Extending down the east coast of Australia, the Great Dividing Range (GDR) has a strong influence on climate and the evolutionary history of freshwater fish species. Despite the GDR acting as a strong contemporary barrier to fish movement, many species, and species with shared ancestries, are found on both sides of the GDR, indicative of historical dispersal events. We sequenced complete mitogenomes from the four extant species of the freshwater cod genus Maccullochella, two of which occur on the semi-arid, inland side of the GDR, and two on the mesic coastal side. We constructed a dated phylogeny and explored the relative influences of purifying and positive selection in the evolution of mitogenome divergence among species. Results supported mid- to late-Pleistocene divergence of Maccullochella across the GDR (220-710 thousand years ago), bringing forward previously reported dates. Against a background of pervasive purifying selection, we detected potentially functionally relevant fixed amino acid differences across the GDR. Although many amino acid differences between inland and coastal species may have become fixed under relaxed purifying selection in coastal environments rather than positive selection, there was evidence of episodic positive selection acting on specific codons in the Mary River coastal lineage, which has consistently experienced the warmest and least extreme climate in the genus.
Fulltext Purifying selection and genetic drift shaped Pleistocene evolution of the mitochondrial genome in an endangered Australian freshwater fish

Pavlova A, Gan HM, Lee YP, Austin CM, Gilligan DM, Lintermans M, et al.

Heredity (Edinb), 2017 05;118(5):466-476.
PMID: 28051058 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2016.120

Genetic variation in mitochondrial genes could underlie metabolic adaptations because mitochondrially encoded proteins are directly involved in a pathway supplying energy to metabolism. Macquarie perch from river basins exposed to different climates differ in size and growth rate, suggesting potential presence of adaptive metabolic differences. We used complete mitochondrial genome sequences to build a phylogeny, estimate lineage divergence times and identify signatures of purifying and positive selection acting on mitochondrial genes for 25 Macquarie perch from three basins: Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), Hawkesbury-Nepean Basin (HNB) and Shoalhaven Basin (SB). Phylogenetic analysis resolved basin-level clades, supporting incipient speciation previously inferred from differentiation in allozymes, microsatellites and mitochondrial control region. The estimated time of lineage divergence suggested an early- to mid-Pleistocene split between SB and the common ancestor of HNB+MDB, followed by mid-to-late Pleistocene splitting between HNB and MDB. These divergence estimates are more recent than previous ones. Our analyses suggested that evolutionary drivers differed between inland MDB and coastal HNB. In the cooler and more climatically variable MDB, mitogenomes evolved under strong purifying selection, whereas in the warmer and more climatically stable HNB, purifying selection was relaxed. Evidence for relaxed selection in the HNB includes elevated transfer RNA and 16S ribosomal RNA polymorphism, presence of potentially mildly deleterious mutations and a codon (ATP6113) displaying signatures of positive selection (ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rates (dN/dS) >1, radical change of an amino-acid property and phylogenetic conservation across the Percichthyidae). In addition, the difference could be because of stronger genetic drift in the smaller and historically more subdivided HNB with low per-population effective population sizes.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in Asian patients: a multinational, multicenter, prospective registry study in Asia

Lee YP, Yoon SE, Song Y, Kim SJ, Yoon DH, Chen TY, et al.

Int J Hematol, 2021 Sep;114(3):355-362.
PMID: 34302593 DOI: 10.1007/s12185-021-03179-7

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a group of T-cell lymphomas with low incidence. Due to their indolent characteristics, treatment strategies have not yet been established for advanced CTCLs. In this study, relative incidence of CTCLs in Asia was estimated and the therapeutic outcomes presented based on various treatments currently used in clinics for advanced CTCLs. As part of a prospective registry study of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) conducted across Asia, including Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, subgroup analysis was performed for patients with CTCLs. Among 486 patients with PTCL, 37 with CTCL (7.6%) were identified between April 2016 and February 2019. Primary cutaneous ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL, 35.1%) was the most common subtype. With a median follow-up period of 32.1 months, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 53.5 months (95% CI 0.0-122.5), and overall survival was not reached. 14 patients (48.2%) underwent subsequent treatment after the first relapse, but the response rate was 20% with a PFS of 2.2 months (95% CI 0.3-4.0). Six patients received autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT). However, auto-SCT did not result in better outcomes. Additional studies are needed on standard care treatment of advanced or refractory and relapsed CTCLs.
Heart failure mortality in Southeast Asian patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Seow SC, Chai P, Lee YP, Chan YH, Kwok BW, Yeo TC, et al.

J. Card. Fail., 2007 Aug;13(6):476-81.
PMID: 17675062

Prognostic indicators and mortality in multiethnic Southeast Asian patients with heart failure (HF) may be different.
The complete mitogenome of the Australian land crayfish Engaeus lyelli (Clark 1936) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Parastacidae)

Gan HM, Tan MH, Lee YP, Schultz MB, Austin CM

Mitochondrial DNA, 2016;27(1):595-6.
PMID: 24730605 DOI: 10.3109/19401736.2014.908361

The complete mitochondrial genome of the enigmatic freshwater crayfish Engaeus lyelli was sequenced using the MiSeq Personal Sequencer (Illumina, San Diego, CA). The mitogenome has 16,027 bp consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 23 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of E. lyelli is 29.01% for T, 27.13% for C, 31.43% for A, and 12.44% for G, with an AT bias of 60.44%. The species has the distinctive gene order characteristic of parastacid crayfish with the exception of some minor rearrangements involving the tRNA genes.

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