Endoreplication: polyploidy with purpose. Genes Dev. 2009;23:2461-2477. [PMID: 19884253 DOI: 10.1101/gad.1829209]

Communal living: the role of polyploidy and syncytia in tissue biology

Multicellular organisms are composed of tissues with diverse cell sizes. Whether a tissue primarily consists of numerous, small cells as opposed to fewer, large cells can impact tissue development and function. The addition of nuclear genome copies within a common cytoplasm is a recurring strategy to manipulate cellular size within a tissue. Cells with more than two genomes can exist transiently, such as in developing germlines or embryos, or can be part of mature somatic tissues. Such nuclear collectives span multiple levels of organization, from mononuclear or binuclear polyploid cells to highly multinucleate structures known as syncytia. Here, we review the diversity of polyploid and syncytial tissues found throughout nature. We summarize current literature concerning tissue construction through syncytia and/or polyploidy and speculate why one or both strategies are advantageous.

Methods for Chromosome Doubling

The completely homozygous genetic background of doubled haploids (DHs) has many applications in breeding programs and research studies. Haploid induction and chromosome doubling of induced haploids are the two main steps of doubled haploid creation. Both steps have their own complexities. Chromosome doubling of induced haploids may happen spontaneously, although usually at a low rate. Therefore, artificial/induced chromosome doubling of haploid cells/plantlets is necessary to produce DHs at an acceptable level. The most common method is using some mitotic spindle poisons that target the organization of the microtubule system. Colchicine is a well-known and widely used antimitotic. However, there are substances alternative to colchicine in terms of efficiency, toxicity, safety, and genetic stability, which can be applied in in vitro and in vivo pathways. Both pathways have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, in vitro-induced chromosome doubling has been much preferred in recent years, maybe because of the dual effect of antimitotic agents (haploid induction and chromosome doubling) in just one step, and the reduced generation of chimeras. Plant genotype, the developmental stage of initial haploids, and type-concentration-duration of application of antimitotic agents, are top influential parameters on chromosome doubling efficiency. In this review, we highlight different aspects related to antimitotic agents and to plant parameters for successful chromosome doubling and high DH yield.

miRNA 146b mediates the regulation of nucleolar size and activity in polyploid megakaryocytes

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Megakaryocytes (MKs) follow a unique cell cycle duplication process, called endomitosis, resulting in polyploidisation of cells. It is hypothesised that polyploidy, as well as an increment in cytoplasm volume, allow more efficient platelets generation from MKs. Although polyploidy leads to an increase in the DNA amount, which impacts gene expression, little is known about ribosomal biogenesis in these polylobulated polyploid cells.

RESULTS

The nucleolus acts as a hub for ribosomal biogenesis, which in turn governs the protein synthesis rate of the cells. We therefore estimated the size and activity of the nucleolus in polyploid cells during megakaryopoiesis in vitro. Polyploid megakaryocytic cell lines and in vitro cultured MKs, which were obtained from human cord blood-derived CD 34⁺ cells, revealed that miRNA 146b regulated the activity of nucleolar and coiled-body phosphoprotein 1, which plays an integral role in determining nucleolar size and activity. Additionally, miRNA-146b was up-regulated during endomitosis and was found to promote megakaryopoiesis.

CONCLUSION

We propose that miRNA 146b regulates not only nucleolar size and activity, but also megakaryopoiesis.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study highlights the importance of nucleolar activity and miRNA in the progression of megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis.

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Endopolyploidy in Mosses

Somatic polyploidy or endopolyploidy is common in the plant kingdom; it ensures growth and allows adaptation to the environment. It is present in the majority of plant groups, including mosses. Endopolyploidy had only been previously studied in about 65 moss species, which represents less than 1% of known mosses. We analyzed 11 selected moss species to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of endopolyploidy using flow cytometry to identify patterns in ploidy levels among gametophytes and sporophytes. All of the studied mosses possessed cells with various ploidy levels in gametophytes, and four of six species investigated in sporophytic stage had endopolyploid sporophytes. The proportion of endopolyploid cells varied among organs, parts of gametophytes and sporophytes, and ontogenetic stages. Higher ploidy levels were seen in basal parts of gametophytes and sporophytes than in apical parts. Slight changes in ploidy levels were observed during ontogenesis in cultivated mosses; the youngest (apical) parts of thalli tend to have lower levels of endopolyploidy. Differences between parts of cauloid and phylloids of Plagiomnium ellipticum and Polytrichum formosum were also documented; proximal parts had higher levels of endopolyploidy than distal parts. Endopolyploidy is spatially and temporally differentiated in the gametophytes of endopolyploid mosses and follows a pattern similar to that seen in angiosperms.

The role of gene dosage in budding yeast centrosome scaling and spontaneous diploidization

Ploidy is the number of whole sets of chromosomes in a species. Ploidy is typically a stable cellular feature that is critical for survival. Polyploidization is a route recognized to increase gene dosage, improve fitness under stressful conditions and promote evolutionary diversity. However, the mechanism of regulation and maintenance of ploidy is not well characterized. Here, we examine the spontaneous diploidization associated with mutations in components of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae centrosome, known as the spindle pole body (SPB). Although SPB mutants are associated with defects in spindle formation, we show that two copies of the mutant in a haploid yeast favors diploidization in some cases, leading us to speculate that the increased gene dosage in diploids ‘rescues’ SPB duplication defects, allowing cells to successfully propagate with a stable diploid karyotype. This copy number-based rescue is linked to SPB scaling: certain SPB subcomplexes do not scale or only minimally scale with ploidy. We hypothesize that lesions in structures with incompatible allometries such as the centrosome may drive changes such as whole genome duplication, which have shaped the evolutionary landscape of many eukaryotes.

Ploidy is the number of whole sets of chromosomes in a species. Most eukaryotes alternate between a diploid (two copy) and haploid (one copy) state during their life and sexual cycle. However, as part of normal human development, specific tissues increase their DNA content. This gain of entire sets of chromosomes is known as polyploidization, and it is observed in invertebrates, plants and fungi, as well. Polyploidy is thought to improve fitness under stressful conditions and promote evolutionary diversity, but how ploidy is determined is poorly understood. Here, we use budding yeast to investigate mechanisms underlying the ploidy of wild-type cells and specific mutants that affect the centrosome, a conserved structure involved in chromosome segregation during cell division. Our work suggests that different scaling relationships (allometry) between the genome and cellular structures underlies alterations in ploidy. Furthermore, mutations in cellular structures with incompatible allometric relationships with the genome may drive genomic changes such duplications, which are underly the evolution of many species including both yeasts and humans.

Recruitment of BAF to the nuclear envelope couples the LINC complex to endoreplication

DNA endoreplication has been implicated as a cell strategy for cell growth and in tissue injury. Here, we demonstrate that barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) represses endoreplication in Drosophila myofibers. We show that BAF localization at the nuclear envelope is eliminated in flies with mutations of the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex in which the LEM-domain protein Otefin is excluded, or after disruption of the nucleus-sarcomere connections. Furthermore, BAF localization at the nuclear envelope requires the activity of the BAF kinase VRK1/Ball, and, consistently, non-phosphorylatable BAF-GFP is excluded from the nuclear envelope. Importantly, removal of BAF from the nuclear envelope correlates with increased DNA content in the myonuclei. E2F1, a key regulator of endoreplication, overlaps BAF localization at the myonuclear envelope, and BAF removal from the nuclear envelope results in increased E2F1 levels in the nucleoplasm and subsequent elevated DNA content. We suggest that LINC-dependent and phosphosensitive attachment of BAF to the nuclear envelope, through its binding to Otefin, tethers E2F1 to the nuclear envelope thus inhibiting its accumulation in the nucleoplasm.

Summary: Localization of BAF at the nuclear envelope of myonuclei depends on a functional LINC complex and on nucleus-sarcomere connections, and is shown to restrict E2F1 levels in the nucleoplasm.

Cancer cells employ an evolutionarily conserved polyploidization program to resist therapy

Unusually large cancer cells with abnormal nuclei have been documented in the cancer literature since 1858. For more than 100 years, they have been generally disregarded as irreversibly senescent or dying cells, too morphologically misshapen and chromatin too disorganized to be functional. Cell enlargement, accompanied by whole genome doubling or more, is observed across organisms, often associated with mitigation strategies against environmental change, severe stress, or the lack of nutrients. Our comparison of the mechanisms for polyploidization in other organisms and non-transformed tissues suggest that cancer cells draw from a conserved program for their survival, utilizing whole genome doubling and pausing proliferation to survive stress. These polyaneuploid cancer cells (PACCs) are the source of therapeutic resistance, responsible for cancer recurrence and, ultimately, cancer lethality.

Dengue virus infection impedes megakaryopoiesis in MEG-01 cells where the virus envelope protein interacts with the transcription factor TAL-1

Dengue virus (DENV) infection causes dengue fever in humans, which can lead to thrombocytopenia showing a marked reduction in platelet counts, and dengue hemorrhagic fever. The virus may cause thrombocytopenia either by destroying the platelets or by interfering with their generation via the process of megakaryopoiesis. MEG-01 is the human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line that can be differentiated in vitro by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) treatment to produce platelet-like-particles (PLPs). We have studied DENV infection of MEG-01 cells to understand its effect on megakaryopoiesis and the generation of PLPs. We observed that DENV could infect only naive MEG-01 cells, and differentiated cells were refractory to virus infection/replication. However, DENV-infected MEG-01 cells, when induced for differentiation with PMA, supported an enhanced viral replication. Following the virus infection, the MEG-01 cells showed a marked reduction in the surface expression of platelet markers (CD41, CD42a, and CD61), a decreased polyploidy, and significantly reduced PLP counts. DENV infection caused an enhanced Notch signaling in MEG-01 cells where the virus envelope protein was shown to interact with TAL-1, a host protein important for megakaryopoiesis. These observations provide new insight into the role of DENV in modulating the megakaryopoiesis and platelet production process.

Loss of Aurora Kinase Signaling Allows Lung Cancer Cells to Adopt Endoreplication and Form Polyploid Giant Cancer Cells That Resist Antimitotic Drugs

Polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCC) are common in tumors and have been associated with resistance to cancer therapy, tumor relapse, malignancy, immunosuppression, metastasis, cancer stem cell production, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. However, the molecular mechanisms that cause these cells to form are not yet known. In this study, we discover that Aurora kinases are synergistic determinants of a switch from the proliferative cell cycle to polyploid growth and multinucleation in lung cancer cell lines. When Aurora kinases were inhibited together, lung cancer cells uniformly grew into multinucleated PGCCs. These cells adopted an endoreplication in which the genome replicates, mitosis is omitted, and cells grow in size. Consequently, such cells continued to safely grow in the presence of antimitotic agents. These PGCC re-entered the proliferative cell cycle and grew in cell number when treatment was terminated. Thus, PGCC formation might represent a fundamental cellular response to Aurora kinase inhibitors and contributes to therapy resistance or tumor relapse. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings provide a novel insight about how cancer cells respond to Aurora kinase inhibitors and identify a new mechanism responsible for resistance to these agents and other antimitotic drugs.

DNA synthesis increases during the first hours post-emergence in Anopheles albimanus mosquito midgut

In hematophagous insects, the midgut is a fundamental barrier against infections and limits the development and transmission of pathogens. However, in mosquitoes, cell differentiation, proliferation, and cell cycle process in the midgut have not been characterized. Here we provide evidence of how cell cycle progression occurs in the newly emerged Anopheles albimanus mosquito midgut and describing cyclins expression as mediators of the cell cycle. The cell cycle at different post-emergence times was evaluated in disaggregated cells from midgut tissue using flow cytometry. Also, cyclins A, B, and E were identified by bioinformatics tools. These cyclins were used to analyze cell cycle progression. Flow cytometry data and the expression-pattern of the cyclins by qRT-PCR supported a polyploidy process, besides mitosis marker was marginally detected and only in newly emerged mosquitoes. Our results suggest that DNA increment in midguts occurs by polyploidy during the first hours post-emergence.

Comparing DNA replication programs reveals large timing shifts at centromeres of endocycling cells in maize roots

Plant cells undergo two types of cell cycles–the mitotic cycle in which DNA replication is coupled to mitosis, and the endocycle in which DNA replication occurs in the absence of cell division. To investigate DNA replication programs in these two types of cell cycles, we pulse labeled intact root tips of maize (Zea mays) with 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU) and used flow sorting of nuclei to examine DNA replication timing (RT) during the transition from a mitotic cycle to an endocycle. Comparison of the sequence-based RT profiles showed that most regions of the maize genome replicate at the same time during S phase in mitotic and endocycling cells, despite the need to replicate twice as much DNA in the endocycle and the fact that endocycling is typically associated with cell differentiation. However, regions collectively corresponding to 2% of the genome displayed significant changes in timing between the two types of cell cycles. The majority of these regions are small with a median size of 135 kb, shift to a later RT in the endocycle, and are enriched for genes expressed in the root tip. We found larger regions that shifted RT in centromeres of seven of the ten maize chromosomes. These regions covered the majority of the previously defined functional centromere, which ranged between 1 and 2 Mb in size in the reference genome. They replicate mainly during mid S phase in mitotic cells but primarily in late S phase of the endocycle. In contrast, the immediately adjacent pericentromere sequences are primarily late replicating in both cell cycles. Analysis of CENH3 enrichment levels in 8C vs 2C nuclei suggested that there is only a partial replacement of CENH3 nucleosomes after endocycle replication is complete. The shift to later replication of centromeres and possible reduction in CENH3 enrichment after endocycle replication is consistent with a hypothesis that centromeres are inactivated when their function is no longer needed.

In traditional cell division, or mitosis, a cell’s genetic material is duplicated and then split between two daughter cells. In contrast, in some specialized cell types, the DNA is duplicated a second time without an intervening division step, resulting in cells that carry twice as much DNA. This phenomenon, which is called the endocycle, is common during plant development. At each step, DNA replication follows an ordered program in which highly compacted DNA is unraveled and replicated in sections at different times during the synthesis (S) phase. In plants, it is unclear whether traditional and endocycle programs are the same, especially since endocycling cells are typically in the process of differentiation. Using root tips of maize, we found that in comparison to replication in the mitotic cell cycle, there is a small portion of the genome whose replication in the endocycle is shifted in time, usually to later in S phase. Some of these regions are scattered around the genome and mostly coincide with active genes. However, the most prominent shifts occur in centromeres. The shift to later replication in centromeres is noteworthy because they orchestrate the process of separating duplicated chromosomes into daughter cells, a function that is not needed in the endocycle.

Estimating the ploidy of Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis at both the cellular and genomic level1

The determination of the ploidy level of an organism is a prerequisite for studies of evolution, cellular function, and genomic construction. Identification of the ploidy of the economically important red alga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis has been hindered by its small genome and large number of chromosomes. Therefore, in the current study, PloidyNGS, a tool that calculates the number of reads supporting different alleles at each position along the genome sequence, and fluorescence in situ hybridization coupled with tyramide signal amplification (TSA-FISH) were used to clarify the ploidy of G. lemaneiformis. In addition, flow cytometry (FCM) was used to estimate the ploidy of different somatic cells. The PloidyNGS results showed that most of the alleles in the gametophyte were monomorphic, whereas the TSA-FISH results showed that one hybridization signal was observed in gametophytic nuclei and two in tetrasporophytic nuclei when the nuclei were hybridized by single copy gene probes. These results confirmed that G. lemaneiformis is a haploid in the gametophytic generation and diploid in the sporophytic generation. Moreover, the FCM result suggested that G. lemaneiformis was not an endopolyploid. Based on previous studies, we hypothesize that the nuclear number is important for the cellular differentiation and function of this species. We also suggest that G. lemaneiformis evolved from a paleopolyploid, the genome of which has been diploidized, and that traces of genomic doubling are no longer apparent. Thus, this study provides important evidence for further studies on the evolution and genomes of red algae.

The Tomato Guanylate-Binding Protein SlGBP1 Enables Fruit Tissue Differentiation by Maintaining Endopolyploid Cells in a Non-Proliferative State

Cell fate maintenance is an integral part of plant cell differentiation and the production of functional cells, tissues, and organs. Fleshy fruit development is characterized by the accumulation of water and solutes in the enlarging cells of parenchymatous tissues. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), this process is associated with endoreduplication in mesocarp cells. The mechanisms that preserve this developmental program, once initiated, remain unknown. We show here that analysis of a previously identified tomato ethyl methanesulfonate-induced mutant that exhibits abnormal mesocarp cell differentiation could help elucidate determinants of fruit cell fate maintenance. We identified and validated the causal locus through mapping-by-sequencing and gene editing, respectively, and performed metabolic, cellular, and transcriptomic analyses of the mutant phenotype. The data indicate that disruption of the SlGBP1 gene, encoding GUANYLATE BINDING PROTEIN1, induces early termination of endoreduplication followed by late divisions of polyploid mesocarp cells, which consequently acquire the characteristics of young proliferative cells. This study reveals a crucial role of plant GBPs in the control of cell cycle genes, and thus, in cell fate maintenance. We propose that SlGBP1 acts as an inhibitor of cell division, a function conserved with the human hGBP-1 protein.

Controversies Surrounding the Origin of Hepatocytes in Adult Livers and the in Vitro Generation or Propagation of Hepatocytes

Epithelial cells in the liver (known as hepatocytes) are high-performance engines of myriad metabolic functions and versatile responders to liver injury. As hepatocytes metabolize amino acids, alcohol, drugs, and other substrates, they produce and are exposed to a milieu of toxins and harmful byproducts that can damage themselves. In the healthy liver, hepatocytes generally divide slowly. However, after liver injury, hepatocytes can ramp up proliferation to regenerate the liver. Yet, on extensive injury, regeneration falters, and liver failure ensues. It is therefore critical to understand the mechanisms underlying liver regeneration and, in particular, which liver cells are mobilized during liver maintenance and repair. Controversies continue to surround the very existence of hepatic stem cells and, if they exist, their spatial location, multipotency, degree of contribution to regeneration, ploidy, and susceptibility to tumorigenesis. This review discusses these controversies. Finally, we highlight how insights into hepatocyte regeneration and biology in vivo can inform in vitro studies to propagate primary hepatocytes with liver regeneration-associated signals and to generate hepatocytes de novo from pluripotent stem cells.

Under-Replicated DNA: The Byproduct of Large Genomes?

In this review, we provide an overview of how proliferating eukaryotic cells overcome one of the main threats to genome stability: incomplete genomic DNA replication during S phase. We discuss why it is currently accepted that double fork stalling (DFS) events are unavoidable events in higher eukaryotes with large genomes and which responses have evolved to cope with its main consequence: the presence of under-replicated DNA (UR-DNA) outside S phase. Particular emphasis is placed on the processes that constrain the detrimental effects of UR-DNA. We discuss how mitotic DNA synthesis (MiDAS), mitotic end joining events and 53BP1 nuclear bodies (53BP1-NBs) deal with such specific S phase DNA replication remnants during the subsequent phases of the cell cycle.

CHRONOCRISIS: When Cell Cycle Asynchrony Generates DNA Damage in Polyploid Cells

Polyploid cells contain multiple copies of all chromosomes. Polyploidization can be developmentally programmed to sustain tissue barrier function or to increase metabolic potential and cell size. Programmed polyploidy is normally associated with terminal differentiation and poor proliferation capacity. Conversely, non-programmed polyploidy can give rise to cells that retain the ability to proliferate. This can fuel rapid genome rearrangements and lead to diseases like cancer. Here, the mechanisms that generate polyploidy are reviewed and the possible challenges upon polyploid cell division are discussed. The discussion is framed around a recent study showing that asynchronous cell cycle progression (an event that is named "chronocrisis") of different nuclei from a polyploid cell can generate DNA damage at mitotic entry. The potential mechanisms explaining how mitosis in non-programmed polyploid cells can generate abnormal karyotypes and genetic instability are highlighted.

The CDK Inhibitor SIAMESE Targets Both CDKA;1 and CDKB1 Complexes to Establish Endoreplication in Trichomes

Endoreplication, also known as endoreduplication, is a modified cell cycle in which DNA is replicated without subsequent cell division. Endoreplication plays important roles in both normal plant development and in stress responses. The SIAMESE (SIM) gene of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) encodes a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor that plays a central role in establishing endoreplication, and is the founding member of the SIAMESE-RELATED (SMR) family of plant-specific CDK inhibitor genes. However, there has been conflicting evidence regarding which specific cyclin/CDK complexes are inhibited by SIM in vivo. In this work, we use genetic evidence to show that SIM likely inhibits both CDKA;1- and CDKB1-containing CDK complexes in vivo, thus promoting endoreplication in developing Arabidopsis trichomes. We also show that SIM interacts with CYCA2;3, a binding partner of CDKB1;1, via SIM motif A, which we previously identified as a CDK-binding motif. By contrast, SIM motif C, which has been indicated as a cyclin binding motif in other contexts, appears to be relatively unimportant for interaction between SIM and CYCA2;3. Together with earlier results, our work suggests that SIM and other SMRs likely have a multivalent interaction with CYC/CDK complexes.

Glutathione: A key player in metal chelation, nutrient homeostasis, cell cycle regulation and the DNA damage response in cadmium-exposed Arabidopsis thaliana

Glutathione (GSH) is an important player in plant responses to cadmium (Cd) through its dual function as an antioxidant and precursor for metal-chelating phytochelatins (PCs). In addition, it was shown to be involved in cell cycle regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana roots, but its involvement in this process in leaves is largely unknown and has never been evaluated in Cd-exposed plants. This study aimed to elucidate the role of GSH in leaf growth and development, metal chelation, nutrient homeostasis and cell cycle regulation in A. thaliana plants upon prolonged Cd exposure. Responses were compared between wild-type (WT) plants and three GSH-deficient mutants. Our results indicate that PC production remains important in plants exposed to Cd for an extended duration. Furthermore, an important role for GSH in regulating nutrient homeostasis in Cd-exposed plants was revealed. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that negative effects of Cd exposure on cell division and endoreplication were more pronounced in leaves of the GSH-deficient cadmium-sensitive 2-1 (cad2-1) mutant in comparison to the WT, indicating the involvement of GSH in cell cycle regulation. Finally, a crucial role for GSH in transcriptional activation of the Cd-induced DNA damage response (DDR) was revealed, as the Cd-induced upregulation of DDR-related genes was either less pronounced or completely abolished in leaves of the GSH-deficient mutants.

Polyploidy in the adult Drosophila brain

Long-lived cells such as terminally differentiated postmitotic neurons and glia must cope with the accumulation of damage over the course of an animal's lifespan. How long-lived cells deal with ageing-related damage is poorly understood. Here we show that polyploid cells accumulate in the adult fly brain and that polyploidy protects against DNA damage-induced cell death. Multiple types of neurons and glia that are diploid at eclosion, become polyploid in the adult Drosophila brain. The optic lobes exhibit the highest levels of polyploidy, associated with an elevated DNA damage response in this brain region. Inducing oxidative stress or exogenous DNA damage leads to an earlier onset of polyploidy, and polyploid cells in the adult brain are more resistant to DNA damage-induced cell death than diploid cells. Our results suggest polyploidy may serve a protective role for neurons and glia in adult Drosophila melanogaster brains.

The roles of jim lovell and uninflatable in different endopolyploid larval tissues of Drosophila melanogaster

The larvae of Drosophila melanogaster grow rapidly through use of a highly truncated cell cycle in which mitosis is entirely eliminated. The Drosophila homolog of the protooncogene transcription factor Myc plays a major role in promoting this endopolyploid (EP) growth. We have previously determined that the gene jim lovell (lov), which encodes a member of the BTB/POZ (Bric-a-brac, Tramtrack, Broad/Pox virus zinc finger) domain family of transcription factors, is also required for EP growth in one larval tissue, the trachea. Here we show that lov promotes EP growth in three further tissues indicating a fundamental role in this process. However, epistasis experiments revealed heterogeneity in lov's action in these tissues. Whereas in the tracheae and salivary glands lov acts downstream of Myc, in the fat body, reduced expression of lov does not impede the action of Myc, indicating an upstream action for the gene. We show here that lov's regulation of the gene uninflatable (uif) in the tracheae is a component of this difference. uif is required for tracheal EP growth downstream of Myc and lov but has no equivalent role in the fat body. Although Uif is a transmembrane component of the plasma membrane in the tracheae, its action downstream of Myc suggests an intracellular role for the protein in the tracheae. In addition to regulating uif expression in some tissues we also show that lov locates to the nucleolus, indicating it can function in both polymerase I and polymerase II transcriptional events. Our major finding is that tissue-specific mechanisms can interact with universal growth promotion by Myc to generate the individual endopolyploid organs of the larvae.

Polyploid Giant Cancer Cells (PGCCs): The Evil Roots of Cancer

Polyploidy is associated with increased cell size and is commonly found in a subset of adult organs and blastomere stage of the human embryo. The polyploidy is formed through endoreplication or cell fusion to support the specific need of development including earliest embryogenesis. Recent data demonstrated that Polyploid Giant Cancer Cells (PGCCs) may have acquired an activated early embryonic-like program in response to oncogenic and therapeutic stress to generate reprogrammed cancer cells for drug resistance and metastasis. Targeting PGCCs may open up new opportunities for cancer therapy.

Cyclin E2 Promotes Whole Genome Doubling in Breast Cancer

Genome doubling is an underlying cause of cancer cell aneuploidy and genomic instability, but few drivers have been identified for this process. Due to their physiological roles in the genome reduplication of normal cells, we hypothesised that the oncogenes cyclins E1 and E2 may be drivers of genome doubling in cancer. We show that both cyclin E1 (CCNE1) and cyclin E2 (CCNE2) mRNA are significantly associated with high genome ploidy in breast cancers. By live cell imaging and flow cytometry, we show that cyclin E2 overexpression promotes aberrant mitosis without causing mitotic slippage, and it increases ploidy with negative feedback on the replication licensing protein, Cdt1. We demonstrate that cyclin E2 localises with core preRC (pre-replication complex) proteins (MCM2, MCM7) on the chromatin of cancer cells. Low CCNE2 is associated with improved overall survival in breast cancers, and we demonstrate that low cyclin E2 protects from excess genome rereplication. This occurs regardless of p53 status, consistent with the association of high cyclin E2 with genome doubling in both p53 null/mutant and p53 wildtype cancers. In contrast, while cyclin E1 can localise to the preRC, its downregulation does not prevent rereplication, and overexpression promotes polyploidy via mitotic slippage. Thus, in breast cancer, cyclin E2 has a strong association with genome doubling, and likely contributes to highly proliferative and genomically unstable breast cancers.

Insect mitochondria as targets of freezing-induced injury

Many insects survive internal freezing, but the great complexity of freezing stress hinders progress in understanding the ultimate nature of freezing-induced injury. Here, we use larvae of the drosophilid fly, Chymomyza costata to assess the role of mitochondrial responses to freezing stress. Respiration analysis revealed that fat body mitochondria of the freeze-sensitive (non-diapause) phenotype significantly decrease oxygen consumption upon lethal freezing stress, while mitochondria of the freeze-tolerant (diapausing, cold-acclimated) phenotype do not lose respiratory capacity upon the same stress. Using transmission electron microscopy, we show that fat body and hindgut mitochondria swell, and occasionally burst, upon exposure of the freeze-sensitive phenotype to lethal freezing stress. By contrast, mitochondrial swelling is not observed in the freeze-tolerant phenotype exposed to the same stress. We hypothesize that mitochondrial swelling results from permeability transition of the inner mitochondrial membrane and loss of its barrier function, which causes osmotic influx of cytosolic water into the matrix. We therefore suggest that the phenotypic transition to diapause and cold acclimation could be associated with adaptive changes that include the protection of the inner mitochondrial membrane against permeability transition and subsequent mitochondrial swelling. Accumulation of high concentrations of proline and other cryoprotective substances might be a part of such adaptive changes as we have shown that freezing-induced mitochondrial swelling was abolished by feeding the freeze-sensitive phenotype larvae on a proline-augmented diet.

Shaping Organs: Shared Structural Principles Across Kingdoms

Development encapsulates the morphogenesis of an organism from a single fertilized cell to a functional adult. A critical part of development is the specification of organ forms. Beyond the molecular control of morphogenesis, shape in essence entails structural constraints and thus mechanics. Revisiting recent results in biophysics and development, and comparing animal and plant model systems, we derive key overarching principles behind the formation of organs across kingdoms. In particular, we highlight how growing organs are active rather than passive systems and how such behavior plays a role in shaping the organ. We discuss the importance of considering different scales in understanding how organs form. Such an integrative view of organ development generates new questions while calling for more cross-fertilization between scientific fields and model system communities.

Polyploidy in liver development, homeostasis and disease

Polyploidy (or whole-genome duplication) is the condition of having more than two basic sets of chromosomes. Polyploidization is well tolerated in many species and can lead to specific biological functions. In mammals, programmed polyploidization takes place during development in certain tissues, such as the heart and placenta, and is considered a feature of differentiation. However, unscheduled polyploidization can cause genomic instability and has been observed in pathological conditions, such as cancer. Polyploidy of the liver parenchyma was first described more than 100 years ago. The liver is one of the few mammalian organs that display changes in polyploidy during homeostasis, regeneration and in response to damage. In the human liver, approximately 30% of hepatocytes are polyploid. The polyploidy of hepatocytes results from both nuclear polyploidy (an increase in the amount of DNA per nucleus) and cellular polyploidy (an increase in the number of nuclei per cell). In this Review, we discuss the regulation of polyploidy in liver development and pathophysiology. We also provide an overview of current knowledge about the mechanisms of hepatocyte polyploidization, its biological importance and the fate of polyploid hepatocytes during liver tumorigenesis.

Effects of Mutations in the Drosophila melanogaster Rif1 Gene on the Replication and Underreplication of Pericentromeric Heterochromatin in Salivary Gland Polytene Chromosomes

In Drosophila salivary gland polytene chromosomes, a substantial portion of heterochromatin is underreplicated. The combination of mutations SuUR^ES and Su(var)3-9⁰⁶ results in the polytenization of a substantial fraction of unique and moderately repeated sequences but has almost no effect on satellite DNA replication. The Rap1 interacting factor 1 (Rif) protein is a conserved regulator of replication timing, and in Drosophila, it affects underreplication in polytene chromosomes. We compared the morphology of pericentromeric regions and labeling patterns of in situ hybridization of heterochromatin-specific DNA probes between wild-type salivary gland polytene chromosomes and the chromosomes of Rif1 mutants and SuUR Su(var)3-9⁰⁶ double mutants. We show that, despite general similarities, heterochromatin zones exist that are polytenized only in the Rif1 mutants, and that there are zones that are under specific control of Su(var)3-9. In the Rif1 mutants, we found additional polytenization of the largest blocks of satellite DNA (in particular, satellite 1.688 of chromosome X and simple satellites in chromosomes X and 4) as well as partial polytenization of chromosome Y. Data on pulsed incorporation of 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) into polytene chromosomes indicated that in the Rif1 mutants, just as in the wild type, most of the heterochromatin becomes replicated during the late S phase. Nevertheless, a significantly increased number of heterochromatin replicons was noted. These results suggest that Rif1 regulates the activation probability of heterochromatic origins in the satellite DNA region.

Persistent DNA Damage and Senescence in the Placenta Impacts Developmental Outcomes of Embryos

Cohesin is an evolutionarily conserved chromosome-associated protein complex essential for chromosome segregation, gene expression, and repair of DNA damage. Mutations that affect this complex cause the human developmental disorder Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS), thought to arise from defective embryonic transcription. We establish a significant role for placental defects in the development of CdLS mouse embryos (Nipbl and Hdac8). Placenta is a naturally senescent tissue; we demonstrate that persistent DNA damage potentiates senescence and activates cytokine signaling. Mutant embryo developmental outcomes are significantly improved in the context of a wild-type placenta or by genetically restricting cytokine signaling. Our study highlights that cohesin is required for maintaining ploidy and the repair of spontaneous DNA damage in placental cells, suggesting that genotoxic stress and ensuing placental senescence and cytokine production could represent a broad theme in embryo health and viability.

Genomic instability and cancer: lessons from Drosophila

Cancer is a genetic disease that involves the gradual accumulation of mutations. Human tumours are genetically unstable. However, the current knowledge about the origins and implications of genomic instability in this disease is limited. Understanding the biology of cancer requires the use of animal models. Here, we review relevant studies addressing the implications of genomic instability in cancer by using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model system. We discuss how this invertebrate has helped us to expand the current knowledge about the mechanisms involved in genomic instability and how this hallmark of cancer influences disease progression.

Regulatory Mechanisms of Cell Polyploidy in Insects

Polyploidy cells undergo the endocycle to generate DNA amplification without cell division and have important biological functions in growth, development, reproduction, immune response, nutrient support, and conferring resistance to DNA damage in animals. In this paper, we have specially summarized current research progresses in the regulatory mechanisms of cell polyploidy in insects. First, insect hormones including juvenile hormone and 20-hydroxyecdysone regulate the endocycle of variant cells in diverse insect species. Second, cells skip mitotic division in response to developmental programming and conditional stimuli such as wound healing, regeneration, and aging. Third, the reported regulatory pathways of mitotic to endocycle switch (MES), including Notch, Hippo, and JNK signaling pathways, are summarized and constructed into genetic network. Thus, we think that the studies in crosstalk of hormones and their effects on canonical pathways will shed light on the mechanism of cell polyploidy and elucidate the evolutionary adaptions of MES through diverse insect species.

Mechanisms used by DNA MMR system to cope with Cadmium-induced DNA damage in plants

Cadmium (Cd) is found widely in soil and is severely toxic for plants, causing oxidative damage in plant cells because of its heavy metal characteristics. The DNA damage response (DDR) is triggered in plants to cope with the Cd stress. The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system known for its mismatch repair function determines DDR, as mispairs are easily generated by a translesional synthesis under Cd-induced genomic instability. Cd-induced mismatches are recognized by three heterodimeric complexes including MutSα (MSH2/MSH6), MutSβ (MSH2/MSH3), and MutSγ (MSH2/MSH7). MutLα (MLH1/PMS1), PCNA/RFC, EXO1, DNA polymerase δ and DNA ligase participate in mismatch repair in turn. Meanwhile, ATR is preferentially activated by MSH2 to trigger DDR including the regulation of the cell cycle, endoreduplication, cell death, and recruitment of other DNA repair, which enhances plant tolerance to Cd. However, plants with deficient MutS will bypass MMR-mediated DDR and release the multiple-effect MLH1 from requisition of the MMR system, which leads to weak tolerance to Cd in plants. In this review, we systematically illustrate how the plant DNA MMR system works in a Cd-induced DDR, and how MMR genes regulate plant tolerance to Cd. Additionally, we also reviewed multiple epigenetic regulation systems acting on MMR genes under stress.

Endoreduplication in Drosophila melanogaster progeny after exposure to acute γ-irradiation

The purpose of this investigation was to study the effect of acute γ-irradiation of parent adults on the endoreduplication of giant chromosomes in F₁ generation of Drosophila melanogaster Meig. A wild-type Oregon-R strain was used as the material. Virgin females and males of Drosophila adults at the age of 3 days were irradiated with doses of 8, 16 and 25 Gy. Giant chromosomes were studied by cytomorphometry on squashed preparations of Drosophila salivary glands stained with acetoorsein. The preparations were obtained at late third instar larvae. The mean values of the polyteny degree of chromosomes (PDC) in males increased after 8 Gy by 10.6%, after 25 Gy by 7.4%, and did not change after the dose of 16 Gy. In females, the PDC did not differ from the control irrespective of the irradiation dose. An increase in endoreduplication was also evidenced by the accelerated development of offsprings of both sexes after irradiation of parents with 25 Gy, and in males also at a dose of 16 Gy. The statistical impact of power of radiation on polyteny was 26.8%, while the impact of sex was 4.9%. The impact of power of radiation on the developmental rate of offspring was 4.4% in males and 7.5% in females. The enhancement of endoreduplication is considered as a consequence of increasing selection pressure after irradiation. The possible involvement of epigenetic effects in the effect of ionizing radiation on endoreduplication is discussed.

Endoreplication - a means to an end in cell growth and stress response

Endoreplication, also called endoreduplication or endopolyploidization, is a cell cycle variant in which the genome is re-replicated in the absence of mitosis causing cellular polyploidization. Despite the common occurrence of endoreplication in plants and the tremendous extent in specific tissues and cell types such as the endosperm, the underlying molecular regulation and the physiological consequences have only now started to be understood. Endoreplication is often associated with cell differentiation and withdrawal from mitotic cycles. Recent studies have underlined the importance of endoreplication as a stress response and we summarize here this progress with particular focus on future perspectives offered by the recent advances in genomics and biotechnology.

Triploidy in zebrafish larvae: Effects on gene expression, cell size and cell number, growth, development and swimming performance

There is renewed interest in the regulation and consequences of cell size adaptations in studies on understanding the ecophysiology of ectotherms. Here we test if induction of triploidy, which increases cell size in zebrafish (Danio rerio), makes for a good model system to study consequences of cell size. Ideally, diploid and triploid zebrafish should differ in cell size, but should otherwise be comparable in order to be suitable as a model. We induced triploidy by cold shock and compared diploid and triploid zebrafish larvae under standard rearing conditions for differences in genome size, cell size and cell number, development, growth and swimming performance and expression of housekeeping genes and hsp70.1. Triploid zebrafish have larger but fewer cells, and the increase in cell size matched the increase in genome size (+ 50%). Under standard conditions, patterns in gene expression, ontogenetic development and larval growth were near identical between triploids and diploids. However, under demanding conditions (i.e. the maximum swimming velocity during an escape response), triploid larvae performed poorer than their diploid counterparts, especially after repeated stimuli to induce swimming. This result is consistent with the idea that larger cells have less capacity to generate energy, which becomes manifest during repeated physical exertion resulting in increased fatigue. Triploidy induction in zebrafish appears a valid method to increase specifically cell size and this provides a model system to test for consequences of cell size adaptation for the energy budget and swimming performance of this ectothermic vertebrate.

Flying High-Muscle-Specific Underreplication in Drosophila

Drosophila underreplicate the DNA of thoracic nuclei, stalling during S phase at a point that is proportional to the total genome size in each species. In polytene tissues, such as the Drosophila salivary glands, all of the nuclei initiate multiple rounds of DNA synthesis and underreplicate. Yet, only half of the nuclei isolated from the thorax stall; the other half do not initiate S phase. Our question was, why half? To address this question, we use flow cytometry to compare underreplication phenotypes between thoracic tissues. When individual thoracic tissues are dissected and the proportion of stalled DNA synthesis is scored in each tissue type, we find that underreplication occurs in the indirect flight muscle, with the majority of underreplicated nuclei in the dorsal longitudinal muscles (DLM). Half of the DNA in the DLM nuclei stall at S phase between the unreplicated G0 and fully replicated G1. The dorsal ventral flight muscle provides the other source of underreplication, and yet, there, the replication stall point is earlier (less DNA replicated), and the endocycle is initiated. The differences in underreplication and ploidy in the indirect flight muscles provide a new tool to study heterochromatin, underreplication and endocycle control.

Coordinating Proliferation, Polarity, and Cell Fate in the Drosophila Female Germline

Gametes are highly specialized cell types produced by a complex differentiation process. Production of viable oocytes requires a series of precise and coordinated molecular events. Early in their development, germ cells are an interconnected group of mitotically dividing cells. Key regulatory events lead to the specification of mature oocytes and initiate a switch to the meiotic cell cycle program. Though the chromosomal events of meiosis have been extensively studied, it is unclear how other aspects of oocyte specification are temporally coordinated. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has long been at the forefront as a model system for genetics and cell biology research. The adult Drosophila ovary continuously produces germ cells throughout the organism’s lifetime, and many of the cellular processes that occur to establish oocyte fate are conserved with mammalian gamete development. Here, we review recent discoveries from Drosophila that advance our understanding of how early germ cells balance mitotic exit with meiotic initiation. We discuss cell cycle control and establishment of cell polarity as major themes in oocyte specification. We also highlight a germline-specific organelle, the fusome, as integral to the coordination of cell division, cell polarity, and cell fate in ovarian germ cells. Finally, we discuss how the molecular controls of the cell cycle might be integrated with cell polarity and cell fate to maintain oocyte production.

The "life code": A theory that unifies the human life cycle and the origin of human tumors

Tumors arise from the transformation of normal stem cells or mature somatic cells. Intriguingly, two types of tumors have been observed by pathologists for centuries: well-differentiated tumors and undifferentiated tumors. Well-differentiated tumors are architecturally similar to the tissues from which they originate, whereas undifferentiated tumors exhibit high nuclear atypia and do not resemble their tissue of origin. The relationship between these two tumor types and the human life cycle has not been clear. Here I propose a unifying theory that explains the processes of transformation of both tumor types with our life cycle. Human life starts with fertilization of an egg by a sperm to form a zygote. The zygote undergoes successive rounds of cleavage division to form blastomeres within the zona pellucida, with progressive decreases in cell size, and the cleaved blastomeres then compact to form a 32-cell or a "64n" morula [n = 1 full set of chromosomes]. Thus early embryogenesis can be interpreted as a progressive increase in ploidy, and if the zona pellucida is considered a cell membrane and cleavage is interpreted as endomitosis, then the 32-cell morula can be considered a multinucleated giant cell (or 64n syncytium). The decrease in cell size is accompanied by an increase in the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio, which then selectively activates a combined set of embryonic transcription factors that dedifferentiate the parental genome to a zygotic genome. This process is associated with a morphologic transition from a morula to a blastocyst and formation of an inner cell mass that gives rise to a new embryonic life. If the subsequent differentiation proceeds to complete maturation, then a normal life results. However, if differentiation is blocked at any point along the continuum of primordial germ cell to embryonic maturation to fetal organ maturation, a well-differentiated tumor will develop. Depending on the level of developmental hierarchy at which the stem cell differentiation is blocked, the resulting tumor can range from highly malignant to benign. Undifferentiated tumors are derived from mature somatic cells through dedifferentiation via a recently described reprogramming mechanism named the giant cell life cycle or the giant cell cycle. This mechanism can initiate "somatic embryogenesis" via an increase in ploidy ranging from 4n to 64n or more, similar to that in normal embryogenesis. This dedifferentiation mechanism is initiated through an endocycle and is followed by endomitosis, which leads to the formation of mononucleated or multinucleated polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs), that is, cancer stem-like cells that mimic the blastomere-stage embryo. The giant cell life cycle leads to progressive increases in the N/C ratio and awakens the suppressed embryonic reprogram, resulting in mature somatic transformation into undifferentiated tumors. Thus, the increase in ploidy explains not only normal embryogenesis for well-differentiated tumors but also "somatic embryogenesis" for undifferentiated tumors. I refer to this ploidy increase as the 'life code". The concept of the "life code" may provide a simple theoretical framework to guide our immense efforts to understand cancer and fight this disease.

Time-Series Single-Cell RNA-Seq Data Reveal Auxin Fluctuation during Endocycle

Appropriate cell cycle regulation is crucial for achieving coordinated development and cell differentiation in multicellular organisms. In Arabidopsis, endoreduplication is often observed in terminally differentiated cells and several reports have shown its molecular mechanisms. Auxin is a key factor for the mode transition from mitotic cell cycle to endocycle; however, it remains unclear if and how auxin maintains the endocycle mode. In this study, we reanalyzed root single-cell transcriptome data and reconstructed cell cycle trajectories of the mitotic cell cycle and endocycle. With progression of the endocycle, genes involved in auxin synthesis, influx and efflux were induced at the specific cell phase, suggesting that auxin concentration fluctuated dynamically. Such induction of auxin-related genes was not observed in the mitotic cell cycle, suggesting that the auxin fluctuation plays some roles in maintaining the endocycle stage. In addition, the expression level of CYCB1;1, which is required for cell division in the M phase, coincided with the expected amount of auxin and cell division. Our analysis also provided a set of genes expressed in specific phases of the cell cycle. Taking these findings together, reconstruction of single-cell transcriptome data enables us to identify properties of the cell cycle more accurately.

Tissue-Specific DNA Replication Defects in Drosophila melanogaster Caused by a Meier-Gorlin Syndrome Mutation in Orc4

Meier-Gorlin syndrome is a rare recessive disorder characterized by a number of distinct tissue-specific developmental defects. Genes encoding members of the origin recognition complex (ORC) and additional proteins essential for DNA replication (CDC6, CDT1, GMNN, CDC45, MCM5, and DONSON) are mutated in individuals diagnosed with MGS. The essential role of ORC is to license origins during the G1 phase of the cell cycle, but ORC has also been implicated in several nonreplicative functions. Because of its essential role in DNA replication, ORC is required for every cell division during development. Thus, it is unclear how the Meier-Gorlin syndrome mutations in genes encoding ORC lead to the tissue-specific defects associated with the disease. To begin to address these issues, we used Cas9-mediated genome engineering to generate a Drosophila melanogaster model of individuals carrying a specific Meier-Gorlin syndrome mutation in ORC4 along with control strains. Together these strains provide the first metazoan model for an MGS mutation in which the mutation was engineered at the endogenous locus along with precisely defined control strains. Flies homozygous for the engineered MGS allele reach adulthood, but with several tissue-specific defects. Genetic analysis revealed that this Orc4 allele was a hypomorph. Mutant females were sterile, and phenotypic analyses suggested that defects in DNA replication was an underlying cause. By leveraging the well-studied Drosophila system, we provide evidence that a disease-causing mutation in Orc4 disrupts DNA replication, and we propose that in individuals with MGS defects arise preferentially in tissues with a high-replication demand.

Coupled cycling and regulation of metazoan morphogenesis

Metazoan animals are characterized by restricted phenotypic heterogeneity (i.e. morphological disparity) of organisms within various species, a feature that contrasts sharply with intra-species morphological diversity observed in the plant kingdom. Robust emergence of morphogenic blueprint in metazoan animals reflects restricted autonomy of individual cells in adoption of fate outcomes such as differentiation. Fates of individual cells are linked to and influenced by fates of neighboring cells at the population level. Such coupling is a common property of all self-organising systems and propels emergence of order from simple interactions between individual cells without supervision by external directing forces. As a consequence of coupling, expected functional relationship between the constituent cells of an organ system is robustly established concurrent with multiple rounds of cell division during morphogenesis. Notably, the molecular regulation of multicellular coupling during morphogenic self-organisation remains largely unexplored. Here, we review the existing literature on multicellular self-organisation with particular emphasis on recent discovery that β-catenin is the key coupling factor that programs emergence of multi-cellular self-organisation by regulating synchronised cycling of individual cells.

Anatomy, Flow Cytometry, and X-Ray Tomography Reveal Tissue Organization and Ploidy Distribution in Long-Term In Vitro Cultures of Melocactus Species

Cacti have a highly specialized stem that enables survival during extended dry periods. Despite the ornamental value of cacti and the fact that stems represent the main source of explants in tissue culture, there are no studies on their morpho-anatomical and cytological characteristics in Melocactus. The present study seeks to address the occurrence of cells with mixed ploidy level in cacti tissues. Specifically, we aim to understand how Melocactus stem tissue is organized, how mixoploidy is distributed when present, and whether detected patterns of ploidy change after long periods of in vitro culture. To analyze tissue organization, Melocactus glaucescens and Melocactus paucispinus plants that had been germinated and cultivated in vitro were analyzed for stem structure using toluidine blue, Xylidine Ponceau, Periodic Acid Schiff, ruthenium red, and acid floroglucin. To investigate patterns of ploidy, apical, medial, and basal zones of the stem, as well as, periphery, cortex, and stele (vascular tissue and pith) regions of the stem and root apexes from four- and ten-year old cultured in vitro were analyzed by flow cytometry. X-ray micro-computed tomography (XRµCT) was performed with fragments of stems from both species. The scarcity of support elements (i.e., sclereids and fibers) indicates that epidermis, hypodermis, and wide-band tracheids present in cortical vascular bundles and stele, as well as water stored in aquifer parenchyma cells along the cortex, provide mechanical support to the stem. Parenchyma cells increase in volume with a four-fold increase in ploidy. M. glaucescens and M. paucispinus exhibit the same pattern of cell ploidy irrespective of topophysical region or age, but there is a marked difference in ploidy between the stem periphery (epidermis and hypodermis), cortex, stele, and roots. Mixoploidy in Melocactus is not related to the age of the culture, but is a developmental trait, whereby endocycles promote cell differentiation to accumulate valuable water.

Polyploid Superficial Cells that Maintain the Urothelial Barrier Are Produced via Incomplete Cytokinesis and Endoreplication

The urothelium is an epithelia barrier lined by a luminal layer of binucleated, octoploid, superficial cells. Superficial cells are critical for production and transport of uroplakins, a family of proteins that assemble into a waterproof crystalline plaque that helps protect against infection and toxic substances. Adult urothelium is nearly quiescent, but rapidly regenerates in response to injury. Yet the mechanism by which binucleated, polyploid, superficial cells are produced remains unclear. Here, we show that superficial cells are likely to be derived from a population of binucleated intermediate cells, which are produced from mononucleated intermediate cells via incomplete cytokinesis. We show that binucleated intermediate and superficial cells increase DNA content via endoreplication, passing through S phase without entering mitosis. The urothelium can be permanently damaged by repetitive or chronic injury or disease. Identification of the mechanism by which superficial cells are produced may be important for developing strategies for urothelial repair.

Rat liver epigenome programing by perinatal exposure to 2,2',4'4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether

Perinatal exposures to polybrominated diphenyl ethers permanently reprogram liver metabolism and induce a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-like phenotype and insulin resistance in rodents. Aim: To test if these changes are associated with altered liver epigenome. Materials & methods: Expression of small RNA and changes in DNA methylation in livers of adult rats were analyzed following perinatal exposure to 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether, the polybrominated diphenyl ether congener most prevalent in human tissues. Results: We identified 33 differentially methylated DNA regions and 15 differentially expressed miRNAs. These changes were enriched for terms related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, insulin signaling, Type-2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusion: Changes in the liver epigenome are a likely candidate mechanism of long-term maintenance of an aberrant metabolic phenotype.

Telomerase activity is upregulated in the fat bodies of pre-diapause bumblebee queens (Bombus terrestris)

The attrition of telomeres, the ends of eukaryote chromosomes, and activity of telomerase, the enzyme that restores telomere length, play a role in the ageing process and act as indicators of biological age. A notable feature of advanced eusocial insects is the longevity of reproductive individuals (queens and kings) compared to those from non-reproductive castes (workers and soldiers) within a given species, with a proposed link towards upregulation of telomerase activity in the somatic tissues of reproductive individuals. Given this, eusocial insects provide excellent model systems for research into ageing. We tested telomerase activity and measured telomere length in Bombus terrestris, which is a primitively eusocial insect species with several distinct features compared to advanced social insects. In somatic tissues, telomerase activity was upregulated only in the fat bodies of pre-diapause queens, and this upregulation was linked to heightened DNA synthesis. Telomere length was shorter in old queens compared to that in younger queens or workers. We speculate that (1) the upregulation of telomerase activity, together with DNA synthesis, is the essential step for intensifying metabolic activity in the fat body to build up a sufficient energy reserve prior to diapause, and that (2) the lifespan differences between B. terrestris workers and queens are related to the long diapause period of the queen. A possible relationship between telomere length regulation and TOR, FOXO, and InR as cell signaling components, was tested.

Residual Diploidy in Polyploid Tissues: A Cellular State with Enhanced Proliferative Capacity for Tissue Regeneration?

A major objective of modern biomedical research aims to promote tissue self-regeneration after injury, obviating the need for whole organ transplantation and avoiding mortality due to organ failure. Identifying the population of cells capable of regeneration, alongside understanding the molecular mechanisms that activate that population to re-enter the cell cycle, are two important steps to advancing the field of endogenous tissue regeneration toward the clinic. In recent years, an emerging trend has been observed, whereby polyploidy of relevant parenchymal cells, arising from alternative cell cycles as part of a normal developmental process, is linked to restricted proliferative capacity of those cells. An accompanying hypothesis, therefore, is that a residual subpopulation of diploid parenchymal cells retains proliferative competence and is the major driver for any detected postnatal cell turnover. In this perspective review, we examine the emerging literature on residual diploid parenchymal cells and the possible link of this population to endogenous tissue regeneration, in the context of both heart and liver. We speculate on additional cell types that may play a similar role in their respective tissues and discuss outstanding questions for the field.

Irrigation-Induced Changes in Chemical Composition and Quality of Seeds of Yellow Lupine (Lupinus luteus L.)

The quality and amount of yellow lupine yield depend on water availability. Water scarcity negatively affects germination, flowering, and pod formation, and thus introduction of an artificial irrigation system is needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of irrigation on the quality of yellow lupine seeds. Raining was applied with a semi-solid device with sprinklers during periods of greatest water demand. It was shown that watered plants produced seeds of lesser quality, having smaller size and weight. To find out why seeds of irrigated plants were of poor quality, interdisciplinary research at the cellular level was carried out. DNA cytophotometry evidenced the presence of nuclei with lower polyploidy in the apical zone of mature seeds. This may lead to formation of smaller cells and reduce depositing of storage materials. The electrophoretic and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses revealed differences in protein and cuticular wax profiles, while scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy revealed, among various chemical elements, decreased calcium content in one of seed zones (near plumule). Seeds from irrigated plants showed slightly higher germination dynamics but growth rate of seedlings was slightly lower. The studies showed that irrigation of lupine affected seed features and their chemical composition, an ability to germination and seedlings growth.

The E3-ligases SCFPpa and APC/CCdh1 co-operate to regulate CENP-ACID expression across the cell cycle

Centromere identity is determined by the specific deposition of CENP-A, a histone H3 variant localizing exclusively at centromeres. Increased CENP-A expression, which is a frequent event in cancer, causes mislocalization, ectopic kinetochore assembly and genomic instability. Proteolysis regulates CENP-A expression and prevents its misincorporation across chromatin. How proteolysis restricts CENP-A localization to centromeres is not well understood. Here we report that, in Drosophila, CENP-A^CID expression levels are regulated throughout the cell cycle by the combined action of SCF^Ppa and APC/C^Cdh1. We show that SCF^Ppa regulates CENP-A^CID expression in G1 and, importantly, in S-phase preventing its promiscuous incorporation across chromatin during replication. In G1, CENP-A^CID expression is also regulated by APC/C^Cdh1. We also show that Cal1, the specific chaperone that deposits CENP-A^CID at centromeres, protects CENP-A^CID from SCF^Ppa-mediated degradation but not from APC/C^Cdh1-mediated degradation. These results suggest that, whereas SCF^Ppa targets the fraction of CENP-A^CID that is not in complex with Cal1, APC/C^Cdh1 mediates also degradation of the Cal1-CENP-A^CID complex and, thus, likely contributes to the regulation of centromeric CENP-A^CID deposition.

Evolutionary relationship of fat body endoreduplication and queen fecundity in termites

Endoreduplication or nuclear genome replication without cell division is widely observed in the metabolically active tissues of plants and animals. The fat body cells of adult female insects produce abundant yolk proteins and become polyploid, which is assumed to accelerate egg production. Recently, it was reported that in termites, endopolyploidy in the fat body occurs only in queens but not in the other females; however, the relationship between the fecundity and ploidy level in the fat body remains unclear. Termite queens exhibit a huge variation in their egg-producing capacity among different species; queens in the species with a foraging lifestyle, in which workers leave the nest to forage outside, are much more fecund than those in the species living in a single piece of wood. In this study, we conducted ploidy analyses on three foragings and three wood-dwelling termites via flow cytometry. In all the species, the fat body of queens contained significantly more polyploid cells than that of other nonreproductive females, considering their body size effect. However, the male fat body, which is not involved in yolk production, did not show consistency in polyploid cell numbers among the species studied. Moreover, highly fecund queens in foraging termites exhibit higher levels of endopolyploidy in their fat body than those with less fecundity in wood-dwelling termites. These results suggest that endopolyploidy in the fat body of termite queens can boost their egg production, and the level of endopolyploidy in their fat body is linked to their fecundity. Our study provides a novel insight into the evolutionary relationship between endoreduplication and caste specialization in social insects.