Biology subjects

Meng, H.

Publications and source records attributed to Meng, H..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Landscape and regulation of m6A and m6Am methylome across human and mouse tissues

N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant internal mRNA modification, and N6,2-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am), found at the first-transcribed nucleotide, are two examples of dynamic and reversible epitranscriptomic marks. However, the profiles and distribution patterns of m6A and m6Am across different human and mouse tissues are poorly characterized. Here we report the m6A and m6Am methylome through an extensive profiling of 42 human tissues and 16 mouse tissue samples. Globally, the m6A and m6Am peaks in non-brain tissues demonstrates mild tissue-specificity but are correlated in general, whereas the m6A and m6Am methylomes of brain tissues are clearly resolved from the non-brain tissues. Nevertheless, we identified a small subset of tissue-specific m6A peaks that can readily classify the tissue types. The number of m6A and m6Am peaks are partially correlated with the expression levels of their writers and erasers. In addition, the m6A- and m6Am-containing regions are enriched for single nucleotide polymorphisms. Furthermore, cross-species analysis of m6A and m6Am methylomes revealed that species, rather than tissue types, is the primary determinant of methylation. Collectively, our study provides an in-depth resource for dissecting the landscape and regulation of the m6A and m6Am epitranscriptomic marks across mammalian tissues.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2019

12h-clock control of central dogma information flow by XBP1s

Our group recently discovered a cell-autonomous mammalian 12h-clock regulating physiological unfolded protein response. Xbp1s ablation impairs 12h-transcript oscillations in vitro, and we now show liver-specific deletion of XBP1s globally impaired murine 12h-transcriptome, but not the circadian rhythms in vivo. XBP1s-dependent 12h-transcriptome is enriched for transcription, mRNA processing, ribosome biogenesis, translation, and protein ER-Golgi processing/sorting in a temporal order consistent with the progressive molecular processing sequence described by the central dogma information flow (CEDIF). The 12h-rhythms of CEDIF are cell-autonomous and evolutionarily conserved in circatidal marine animals. Mechanistically, we found the motif stringency of promoter XBP1s binding sites, but not necessarily XBP1s expression, dictates its ability to drive 12h-rhythms of transcription and further identified GABP as putative novel transcriptional regulator of 12h-clock. We hypothesize the 12h-rhythms of CEDIF allows rush hours gene expression and processing, with the particular genes processed at each rush hour regulated by circadian and/or tissue specific pathways.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Whole-tree heartwood inducing technique for Dalbergia odorifera

The dried heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera is a very important traditional Chinese medicine. In nature, D. odorifera heartwood forms slowly over several decades, and excessive harvesting has caused large-scale reductions of its wild populations. To date, there have been no studies on artificial methods to induce heartwood formation in trees that have not already begun producing heartwood. We have published a patent for a whole-tree heartwood inducing technique for D. odorifera (the \"Dodor-Wit\" method); here, we describe and analyze its efficacy. Trees in four plantations in China were treated using this method. After two years, in 2016 and 2017, they were harvested and analyzed. Average heartwood yield per tree was 3,161.95 g. Heartwood induction rate (dry heartwood weight to total dry trunk weight after peeling) was 21.60%. Average volatile oil content per tree was 1.42%. Alcohol-soluble extract of the induced heartwood was 15.77%, exceeding the Chinese Pharmacopoeia standard. This is the first report on the Dodor-Wit method and heartwood induction in D. odorifera trees aged 5-8 years. The heartwood induced by Dodor-Wit satisfies the requirements of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The Dodor-Wit method has an important role in solving the extreme scarcity of Chinese medicinal herbs.

plant biology↗