Quantitative Genomics and Computational Systems Biology in Agricultural Species

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Technologies and Resources for Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2020) | Viewed by 7907

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
Interests: quantitative genomics; statistical genetics; computational biology; animal genetics; integrative systems genomics

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Quantitative genetics and epigenetics has seen a paradigm shift moving from microarray-based technologies to next generation sequencing (NGS)-based genomics/epigenomics in studying (epi)genetic variation in quantitative traits and complex diseases. Furthermore, the phenotypic data collected in farms/breeding herds go well beyond conventional traits included in breeding goals. They include highly dense observations on, for example, green house gas emissions, feeding/eating behavior, metabolic health, resource use efficiency, including feed efficiency, antimicrobial resistsance, and other sustainability traits. Thus, there is increasing need for introducing big data analysis methods that can handle massively parallel phenotypic and epigenomics/genomics data while studying (epi)genetic variation. It is also increasingly emphasised to include functionally relevant targets/features that explain large proporion of (epi)genetic variance. Current statistical–quantitative geneticists have begun to adapt to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) methods in tackling these challenges.

By virtue of NGS-based omics data and phenomics, it is essential that researchers and practitioners in this field also be well aquainted with bioinformatics and computational systems biology approaches.

The current Special Issue calls for original articles, review papers, perspectives and/or opinion articles. The topic that covers may include:

  • Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using NGS based (epi)genomic data with phenotype/disease data for quantitative traits and diseases;
  • Genomic selection in any agricultural species (animal, plant, fish and poultry) with a focus on using high throughput phenotyping;
  • AI/machine learning methods for analysis of genomic/epigenomic datasets in any agricultural species (animal, plant, fish and poultry);
  • Computational methods and tools for multiomics data integration and multiomics prediction models for quantitative traits and diseases;
  • Network biology/systems biology for quantitative traits and diseases.
Prof. Haja N. Kadarmideen
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Quantitative (epi)genetics
  • Genetic traits
  • (Epi)genetic variation
  • Phenotypic data
  • Computational systems biology
  • Genome wide association studies (GWAS)
  • Next-generation sequencing (NGS)
  • Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Network biology
  • Multiomics data analysis and integration
  • High throughput phenotyping

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 8590 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Analysis of LysM-Containing Gene Family in Wheat: Structural and Phylogenetic Analysis during Development and Defense
by Zheng Chen, Zijie Shen, Da Zhao, Lei Xu, Lijun Zhang and Quan Zou
Genes 2021, 12(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12010031 - 29 Dec 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4425
Abstract
The lysin motif (LysM) family comprise a number of defense proteins that play important roles in plant immunity. The LysM family includes LysM-containing receptor-like proteins (LYP) and LysM-containing receptor-like kinase (LYK). LysM generally recognizes the chitin and peptidoglycan derived from bacteria and fungi. [...] Read more.
The lysin motif (LysM) family comprise a number of defense proteins that play important roles in plant immunity. The LysM family includes LysM-containing receptor-like proteins (LYP) and LysM-containing receptor-like kinase (LYK). LysM generally recognizes the chitin and peptidoglycan derived from bacteria and fungi. Approximately 4000 proteins with the lysin motif (Pfam PF01476) are found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Our study identified 57 LysM genes and 60 LysM proteins in wheat and renamed these genes and proteins based on chromosome distribution. According to the phylogenetic and gene structure of intron–exon distribution analysis, the 60 LysM proteins were classified into seven groups. Gene duplication events had occurred among the LysM family members during the evolution process, resulting in an increase in the LysM gene family. Synteny analysis suggested the characteristics of evolution of the LysM family in wheat and other species. Systematic analysis of these species provided a foundation of LysM genes in crop defense. A comprehensive analysis of the expression and cis-elements of LysM gene family members suggested that they play an essential role in defending against plant pathogens. The present study provides an overview of the LysM family in the wheat genome as well as information on systematic, phylogenetic, gene duplication, and intron–exon distribution analyses that will be helpful for future functional analysis of this important protein family, especially in Gramineae species. Full article
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20 pages, 2491 KiB  
Article
Gene Networks Driving Genetic Variation in Milk and Cheese-Making Traits of Spanish Assaf Sheep
by Héctor Marina, Antonio Reverter, Beatriz Gutiérrez-Gil, Pâmela Almeida Alexandre, Laercio R. Porto-Neto, Aroa Suárez-Vega, Yutao Li, Cristina Esteban-Blanco and Juan-José Arranz
Genes 2020, 11(7), 715; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11070715 - 27 Jun 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3057
Abstract
Most of the milk produced by sheep is used for the production of high-quality cheese. Consequently, traits related to milk coagulation properties and cheese yield are economically important to the Spanish dairy industry. The present study aims to identify candidate genes and their [...] Read more.
Most of the milk produced by sheep is used for the production of high-quality cheese. Consequently, traits related to milk coagulation properties and cheese yield are economically important to the Spanish dairy industry. The present study aims to identify candidate genes and their regulators related to 14 milk and cheese-making traits and to develop a low-density panel of markers that could be used to predict an individual’s genetic potential for cheese-making efficiency. In this study, we performed a combination of the classical genome-wide association study (GWAS) with a stepwise regression method and a pleiotropy analysis to determine the best combination of the variants located within the confidence intervals of the potential candidate genes that may explain the greatest genetic variance for milk and cheese-making traits. Two gene networks related to milk and cheese-making traits were created using the genomic relationship matrices built through a stepwise multiple regression approach. Several co-associated genes in these networks are involved in biological processes previously found to be associated with milk synthesis and cheese-making efficiency. The methodology applied in this study enabled the selection of a co-association network comprised of 374 variants located in the surrounding of genes showing a potential influence on milk synthesis and cheese-making efficiency. Full article
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