{"title":"BeetleAtlas: An Ontogenetic and Tissue-specific Transcriptomic Atlas of the Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168520","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The red flour beetle <em>Tribolium castaneum</em> has emerged as a powerful model in insect functional genomics. However, a major limitation in the field is the lack of a detailed spatio-temporal view of the genetic signatures underpinning the function of distinct tissues and life stages. Here, we present an ontogenetic and tissue-specific web-based resource for <em>Tribolium</em> transcriptomics: BeetleAtlas (<span><span>https://www.beetleatlas.org</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>). This web application provides access to a database populated with quantitative expression data for nine adult and seven larval tissues, as well as for four embryonic stages of <em>Tribolium</em>. BeetleAtlas allows one to search for individual <em>Tribolium</em> genes to obtain values of both total gene expression and enrichment in different tissues, together with data for individual isoforms. To facilitate cross-species studies, one can also use <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em> gene identifiers to search for related <em>Tribolium</em> genes. For retrieved genes there are options to identify and display the tissue expression of related <em>Tribolium</em> genes or homologous <em>Drosophila</em> genes. Five additional search modes are available to find genes conforming to any of the following criteria: exhibiting high expression in a particular tissue; showing significant differences in expression between larva and adult; having a peak of expression at a specific stage of embryonic development; belonging to a particular functional category; and displaying a pattern of tissue expression similar to that of a query gene. We illustrate how the different feaures of BeetleAtlas can be used to illuminate our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underpinning the biology of what is the largest animal group on earth.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":369,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022283624001074/pdfft?md5=d43ca113651c6eb642cd449e3aad0011&pid=1-s2.0-S0022283624001074-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Molecular Biology","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022283624001074","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum has emerged as a powerful model in insect functional genomics. However, a major limitation in the field is the lack of a detailed spatio-temporal view of the genetic signatures underpinning the function of distinct tissues and life stages. Here, we present an ontogenetic and tissue-specific web-based resource for Tribolium transcriptomics: BeetleAtlas (https://www.beetleatlas.org). This web application provides access to a database populated with quantitative expression data for nine adult and seven larval tissues, as well as for four embryonic stages of Tribolium. BeetleAtlas allows one to search for individual Tribolium genes to obtain values of both total gene expression and enrichment in different tissues, together with data for individual isoforms. To facilitate cross-species studies, one can also use Drosophila melanogaster gene identifiers to search for related Tribolium genes. For retrieved genes there are options to identify and display the tissue expression of related Tribolium genes or homologous Drosophila genes. Five additional search modes are available to find genes conforming to any of the following criteria: exhibiting high expression in a particular tissue; showing significant differences in expression between larva and adult; having a peak of expression at a specific stage of embryonic development; belonging to a particular functional category; and displaying a pattern of tissue expression similar to that of a query gene. We illustrate how the different feaures of BeetleAtlas can be used to illuminate our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underpinning the biology of what is the largest animal group on earth.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Molecular Biology (JMB) provides high quality, comprehensive and broad coverage in all areas of molecular biology. The journal publishes original scientific research papers that provide mechanistic and functional insights and report a significant advance to the field. The journal encourages the submission of multidisciplinary studies that use complementary experimental and computational approaches to address challenging biological questions.
Research areas include but are not limited to: Biomolecular interactions, signaling networks, systems biology; Cell cycle, cell growth, cell differentiation; Cell death, autophagy; Cell signaling and regulation; Chemical biology; Computational biology, in combination with experimental studies; DNA replication, repair, and recombination; Development, regenerative biology, mechanistic and functional studies of stem cells; Epigenetics, chromatin structure and function; Gene expression; Membrane processes, cell surface proteins and cell-cell interactions; Methodological advances, both experimental and theoretical, including databases; Microbiology, virology, and interactions with the host or environment; Microbiota mechanistic and functional studies; Nuclear organization; Post-translational modifications, proteomics; Processing and function of biologically important macromolecules and complexes; Molecular basis of disease; RNA processing, structure and functions of non-coding RNAs, transcription; Sorting, spatiotemporal organization, trafficking; Structural biology; Synthetic biology; Translation, protein folding, chaperones, protein degradation and quality control.