A transmembrane guanylyl cyclase (DAF-11) and Hsp90 (DAF-21) regulate a common set of chemosensory behaviors in caenorhabditis elegans

The EGL-4 PKG acts with KIN-29 salt-inducible kinase and protein kinase A to regulate chemoreceptor gene expression and sensory behaviors in Caenorhabditis elegans

The regulation of chemoreceptor (CR) gene expression by environmental signals and internal cues may contribute to the modulation of multiple physiological processes and behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans. We previously showed that KIN-29, a homolog of salt-inducible kinase, acts in sensory neurons to regulate the expression of a subset of CR genes, as well as sensory behaviors. Here we show that the cGMP-dependent protein kinase EGL-4 acts partly in parallel with KIN-29 to regulate CR gene expression. Sensory inputs inhibit both EGL-4 and KIN-29 functions, and KIN-29 function is inhibited in turn by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) activation. EGL-4 and KIN-29 regulate CR gene expression by antagonizing the gene repression functions of the class II HDAC HDA-4 and the MEF-2 transcription factor, and KIN-29, EGL-4, and PKA target distinct residues in HDA-4 to regulate its function and subcellular localization. While KIN-29 acts primarily via MEF-2/HDA-4 to regulate additional sensory signal-regulated physiological processes and behaviors, EGL-4 acts via both MEF-2-dependent and -independent pathways. Our results suggest that integration of complex sensory inputs via multiple signaling pathways allows animals to precisely regulate sensory gene expression, thereby appropriately modulating physiology and behavior.

Investigation of the regulation of transcriptional changes in Ancylostoma caninum larvae following serum activation, with a focus on the insulin-like signalling pathway

The exit from dauer in the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is under the control of a single amphidial neuron (ASJ) of the insulin-like signalling pathway. Mutations of this pathway have the ability to suppress entry into the dauer stage. It has been postulated that insulin-like signalling plays a significant role in the response to serum stimulation in vitro of the third-stage larvae (L3s) of the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum. To test for the possible involvement of the insulin-like signalling cascade in the response to serum stimulation, the effects of two signalling stimulants (8-bromo cGMP and arecoline) and four inhibitors, namely 4,7-phenanthroline, phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K), Akt inhibitor IV and rapamycin on feeding and on levels of selected activation-associated mRNAs in serum-stimulated L3s were explored. L3s of A. caninum were pre-incubated with or without the appropriate inhibitor/agonist. Following serum-stimulation, the feeding activity was assessed. The transcription levels of a number of activation-associated mRNAs linked to particular expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were investigated by reverse transcription, real-time PCR (rtPCR). The treatment of worms with 4,7-phenanthroline completely suppressed feeding and significantly reduced the differential levels of most activation-associated mRNAs, whereas the treatment with cGMP resulted in the resumption of feeding in almost 85% of the L3s and yielded a specific transcriptional profile consistent with that following serum stimulation. The treatment of L3s with arecoline resulted in the resumption of feeding in approximately 85% of L3s, but did not result in a transcriptomic profile consistent with activation. A complete reduction in feeding was recorded in the presence of the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (1mM) and resulted in a pronounced dampening of differential transcription in response to serum stimulation for the molecules examined. Akt inhibitor IV resulted in a approximately 70% reduction in feeding but had almost no effect on the level of any of the activation-associated mRNAs studied. Rapamycin was shown to have a weak effect on feeding, and several of the mRNAs studied exhibited greater than expected transcription following treatment. The complexities of activation-associated transcription could not be addressed using the current approach. A larger number of mRNAs needs to be investigated in order to predict or identify regulatory mechanisms proposed to function in the insulin-like signalling pathway in A. caninum.

Protein-repair and hormone-signaling pathways specify dauer and adult longevity and dauer development in Caenorhabditis elegans

Protein damage that accumulates during aging can be mitigated by a repair methyltransferase, the l-isoaspartyl-O-methyltransferase. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the pcm-1 gene encodes this enzyme. In response to pheromone, we show that pcm-1 mutants form fewer dauer larvae with reduced survival due to loss of the methyltransferase activity. Mutations in daf-2, an insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1-like receptor, and daf-7, a transforming growth factor-beta-like ligand, modulate pcm-1 dauer defects. Additionally, daf-2 and daf-7 mutant dauer larvae live significantly longer than wild type. Although dauer larvae are resistant to many environmental stressors, a proportionately larger decrease in dauer larvae life spans occurred at 25 degrees C compared to 20 degrees C than in adult life span. At 25 degrees C, mutation of the daf-7 or pcm-1 genes does not change adult life span, whereas mutation of the daf-2 gene and overexpression of PCM-1 increases adult life span. Thus, there are both overlapping and distinct mechanisms that specify dauer and adult longevity.

A behavioral switch: cGMP and PKC signaling in olfactory neurons reverses odor preference in C. elegans

Innate chemosensory preferences are often encoded by sensory neurons that are specialized for attractive or avoidance behaviors. Here, we show that one olfactory neuron in Caenorhabditis elegans, AWC(ON), has the potential to direct both attraction and repulsion. Attraction, the typical AWC(ON) behavior, requires a receptor-like guanylate cyclase GCY-28 that acts in adults and localizes to AWC(ON) axons. gcy-28 mutants avoid AWC(ON)-sensed odors; they have normal odor-evoked calcium responses in AWC(ON) but reversed turning biases in odor gradients. In addition to gcy-28, a diacylglycerol/protein kinase C pathway that regulates neurotransmission switches AWC(ON) odor preferences. A behavioral switch in AWC(ON) may be part of normal olfactory plasticity, as odor conditioning can induce odor avoidance in wild-type animals. Genetic interactions, acute rescue, and calcium imaging suggest that the behavioral reversal results from presynaptic changes in AWC(ON). These results suggest that alternative modes of neurotransmission can couple one sensory neuron to opposite behavioral outputs.

A potent dauer pheromone component in Caenorhabditis elegans that acts synergistically with other components

In the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, the dauer pheromone is the primary cue for entry into the developmentally arrested, dauer larval stage. The dauer is specialized for survival under harsh environmental conditions and is considered "nonaging" because larvae that exit dauer have a normal life span. C. elegans constitutively secretes the dauer pheromone into its environment, enabling it to sense its population density. Several components of the dauer pheromone have been identified as derivatives of the dideoxy sugar ascarylose, but additional unidentified components of the dauer pheromone contribute to its activity. Here, we show that an ascaroside with a 3-hydroxypropionate side chain is a highly potent component of the dauer pheromone that acts synergistically with previously identified components. Furthermore, we show that the active dauer pheromone components that are produced by C. elegans vary depending on cultivation conditions. Identifying the active components of the dauer pheromone, the conditions under which they are produced, and their mechanisms of action will greatly extend our understanding of how chemosensory cues from the environment can influence such fundamental processes as development, metabolism, and aging in nematodes and in higher organisms.

C. elegans dauer formation and the molecular basis of plasticity

Because life is often unpredictable, dynamic, and complex, all animals have evolved remarkable abilities to cope with changes in their external environment and internal physiology. This regulatory plasticity leads to shifts in behavior and metabolism, as well as to changes in development, growth, and reproduction, which is thought to improve the chances of survival and reproductive success. In favorable environments, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans develops rapidly to reproductive maturity, but in adverse environments, animals arrest at the dauer diapause, a long-lived stress resistant stage. A molecular and genetic analysis of dauer formation has revealed key insights into how sensory and dietary cues are coupled to conserved endocrine pathways, including insulin/IGF, TGF-beta, serotonergic, and steroid hormone signal transduction, which govern the choice between reproduction and survival. These and other pathways reveal a molecular basis for metazoan plasticity in response to extrinsic and intrinsic signals.

C. elegans anaplastic lymphoma kinase ortholog SCD-2 controls dauer formation by modulating TGF-beta signaling

BACKGROUND

Different environmental stimuli, including exposure to dauer pheromone, food deprivation, and high temperature, can induce C. elegans larvae to enter the dauer stage, a developmentally arrested diapause state. Although molecular and cellular pathways responsible for detecting dauer pheromone and temperature have been defined in part, other sensory inputs are poorly understood, as are the mechanisms by which these diverse sensory inputs are integrated to achieve a consistent developmental outcome.

RESULTS

In this paper, we analyze a wild C. elegans strain isolated from a desert oasis. Unlike wild-type laboratory strains, the desert strain fails to respond to dauer pheromone at 25 degrees C, but it does respond at higher temperatures, suggesting a unique adaptation to the hot desert environment. We map this defect in dauer response to a mutation in the scd-2 gene, which, we show, encodes the nematode anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) homolog, a proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase. scd-2 acts in a genetic pathway shown here to include the HEN-1 ligand, the RTK adaptor SOC-1, and the MAP kinase SMA-5. The SCD-2 pathway modulates TGF-beta signaling, which mediates the response to dauer pheromone, but SCD-2 might mediate a nonpheromone sensory input, such as food.

CONCLUSIONS

Our studies identify a new sensory pathway controlling dauer formation and shed light on ALK signaling, integration of signaling pathways, and adaptation to extreme environmental conditions.

Notch signalling is required for both dauer maintenance and recovery in C. elegans

The Notch signalling pathway is conserved among higher metazoans and is used repeatedly throughout development to specify distinct cell fates among populations of equipotent cells. Mounting evidence suggests that Notch signalling may also be crucial in neuronal function in postmitotic, differentiated neurons. Here, we demonstrate a novel role for the canonical Notch signalling pathway in postmitotic neurons during a specialised ;diapause-like' post-embryonic developmental stage in C. elegans called dauer. Our data suggest that cell signalling downstream of the developmental decision to enter dauer leads to the activation of Notch-responding genes in postmitotic neurons. Consistent with this, we demonstrate that glp-1, one of the two C. elegans Notch receptors, and its ligand lag-2 are expressed in neurons during the dauer stage, and both genes are required to maintain this stage in a daf-7/TGFbeta dauer constitutive background. Our genetic data also suggest that a second Notch receptor, lin-12, functions upstream of, or in parallel with, insulin-like signalling components in response to replete growth conditions to promote dauer recovery. Based on our findings, cues associated with the onset of dauer ultimately trigger a glp-1-dependent Notch signalling cascade in neurons to maintain this developmental state. Then, as growth conditions improve, activation of the LIN-12 Notch receptor cooperates with the insulin-like signalling pathway to signal recovery from the dauer stage.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe Hsp90/Git10 is required for glucose/cAMP signaling

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe senses environmental glucose through a cAMP-signaling pathway. Elevated cAMP levels activate protein kinase A (PKA) to inhibit transcription of genes involved in sexual development and gluconeogenesis, including the fbp1(+) gene, which encodes fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. Glucose-mediated activation of PKA requires the function of nine glucose-insensitive transcription (git) genes, encoding adenylate cyclase, the PKA catalytic subunit, and seven "upstream" proteins required for glucose-triggered adenylate cyclase activation. We describe the cloning and characterization of the git10(+) gene, which is identical to swo1(+) and encodes the S. pombe Hsp90 chaperone protein. Glucose repression of fbp1(+) transcription is impaired by both git10(-) and swo1(-) mutant alleles of the hsp90(+) gene, as well as by chemical inhibition of Hsp90 activity and temperature stress to wild-type cells. Unlike the swo1(-) mutant alleles, the git10-201 allele supports cell growth at 37 degrees , while severely reducing glucose repression of an fbp1-lacZ reporter, suggesting a separation-of-function defect. Sequence analyses of three swo1(-) alleles and the one git10(-) allele indicate that swo1(-) mutations alter core functional domains of Hsp90, while the git10(-) mutation affects the Hsp90 central domain involved in client protein binding. These results suggest that Hsp90 plays a specific role in the S. pombe glucose/cAMP pathway.

Ammonium-acetate is sensed by gustatory and olfactory neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans

Background

Caenorhabditis elegans chemosensation has been successfully studied using behavioral assays that treat detection of volatile and water soluble chemicals as separate senses, analogous to smell and taste. However, considerable ambiguity has been associated with the attractive properties of the compound ammonium-acetate (NH₄Ac). NH₄Ac has been used in behavioral assays both as a chemosensory neutral compound and as an attractant.

Methodology/Main Findings

Here we show that over a range of concentrations NH₄Ac can be detected both as a water soluble attractant and as an odorant, and that ammonia and acetic acid individually act as olfactory attractants. We use genetic analysis to show that NaCl and NH₄Ac sensation are mediated by separate pathways and that ammonium sensation depends on the cyclic nucleotide gated ion channel TAX-2/TAX-4, but acetate sensation does not. Furthermore we show that sodium-acetate (NaAc) and ammonium-chloride (NH₄Cl) are not detected as Na⁺ and Cl⁻ specific stimuli, respectively.

Conclusions/Significance

These findings clarify the behavioral response of C. elegans to NH₄Ac. The results should have an impact on the design and interpretation of chemosensory experiments studying detection and adaptation to soluble compounds in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Acute carbon dioxide avoidance in Caenorhabditis elegans

Carbon dioxide is produced as a by-product of cellular respiration by all aerobic organisms and thus serves for many animals as an important indicator of food, mates, and predators. However, whether free-living terrestrial nematodes such as Caenorhabditis elegans respond to CO2 was unclear. We have demonstrated that adult C. elegans display an acute avoidance response upon exposure to CO2 that is characterized by the cessation of forward movement and the rapid initiation of backward movement. This response is mediated by a cGMP signaling pathway that includes the cGMP-gated heteromeric channel TAX-2/TAX-4. CO2 avoidance is modulated by multiple signaling molecules, including the neuropeptide Y receptor NPR-1 and the calcineurin subunits TAX-6 and CNB-1. Nutritional status also modulates CO2 responsiveness via the insulin and TGFbeta signaling pathways. CO2 response is mediated by a neural circuit that includes the BAG neurons, a pair of sensory neurons of previously unknown function. TAX-2/TAX-4 function in the BAG neurons to mediate acute CO2 avoidance. Our results demonstrate that C. elegans senses and responds to CO2 using multiple signaling pathways and a neural network that includes the BAG neurons and that this response is modulated by the physiological state of the worm.

Sensory signaling-dependent remodeling of olfactory cilia architecture in C. elegans

Nonmotile primary cilia are sensory organelles composed of a microtubular axoneme and a surrounding membrane sheath that houses signaling molecules. Optimal cellular function requires the precise regulation of axoneme assembly, membrane biogenesis, and signaling protein targeting and localization via as yet poorly understood mechanisms. Here, we show that sensory signaling is required to maintain the architecture of the specialized AWB olfactory neuron cilia in C. elegans. Decreased sensory signaling results in alteration of axoneme length and expansion of a membraneous structure, thereby altering the topological distribution of a subset of ciliary transmembrane signaling molecules. Signaling-regulated alteration of ciliary structures can be bypassed by modulation of intracellular cGMP or calcium levels and requires kinesin-II-driven intraflagellar transport (IFT), as well as BBS- and RAB8-related proteins. Our results suggest that compensatory mechanisms in response to altered levels of sensory activity modulate AWB cilia architecture, revealing remarkable plasticity in the regulation of cilia structure.

Modulation of longevity and diapause by redox regulation mechanisms under the insulin-like signaling control in Caenorhabditis elegans

In Caenorhabditis elegans, the downregulation of insulin-like signaling induces lifespan extension (Age) and the constitutive formation of dauer larvae (Daf-c). This also causes resistance to oxidative stress (Oxr) and other stress stimuli and enhances the expression of many stress-defense-related enzymes such as Mn superoxide dismutase (SOD) that functions to remove reactive oxygen species in mitochondria. To elucidate the roles of the two isoforms of MnSOD, SOD-2 and SOD-3, in the Age, Daf-c and Oxr phenotypes, we investigated the effects of a gene knockout of MnSODs on them in the daf-2 (insulin-like receptor) mutants that lower insulin-like signaling. In our current report, we demonstrate that double deletions of two MnSOD genes induce oxidative-stress sensitivity and thus ablate Oxr, but do not abolish Age in the daf-2 mutant background. This indicates that Oxr is not the underlying cause of Age and that oxidative stress is not necessarily a limiting factor for longevity. Interestingly, deletions in the sod-2 and sod-3 genes suppressed and stimulated, respectively, both Age and Daf-c. In addition, the sod-2/sod-3 double deletions stimulated these phenotypes in a similar manner to the sod-3 deletion, suggesting that the regulatory pathway consists of two MnSOD isoforms. Furthermore, hyperoxic and hypoxic conditions affected Daf-c in the MnSOD-deleted daf-2 mutants. We thus conclude that the MnSOD systems in C. elegans fine-tune the insulin-like-signaling based regulation of both longevity and dauer formation by acting not as antioxidants but as physiological-redox-signaling modulators.

Insulin, cGMP, and TGF-beta signals regulate food intake and quiescence in C. elegans: a model for satiety

Despite the prevalence of obesity and its related diseases, the signaling pathways for appetite control and satiety are not clearly understood. Here we report C. elegans quiescence behavior, a cessation of food intake and movement that is possibly a result of satiety. C. elegans quiescence shares several characteristics of satiety in mammals. It is induced by high-quality food, it requires nutritional signals from the intestine, and it depends on prior feeding history: fasting enhances quiescence after refeeding. During refeeding after fasting, quiescence is evoked, causing gradual inhibition of food intake and movement, mimicking the behavioral sequence of satiety in mammals. Based on these similarities, we propose that quiescence results from satiety. This hypothesized satiety-induced quiescence is regulated by peptide signals such as insulin and TGF-beta. The EGL-4 cGMP-dependent protein kinase functions downstream of insulin and TGF-beta in sensory neurons including ASI to control quiescence in response to food intake.

The ATPase cycle of the mitochondrial Hsp90 analog Trap1

Hsp90 is an ATP-dependent molecular chaperone whose mechanism is not yet understood in detail. Here, we present the first ATPase cycle for the mitochondrial member of the Hsp90 family called Trap1 (tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1). Using biochemical, thermodynamic, and rapid kinetic methods we dissected the kinetics of the nucleotide-regulated rearrangements between the open and the closed conformations. Surprisingly, upon ATP binding, Trap1 shifts predominantly to the closed conformation (70%), but, unlike cytosolic Hsp90 from yeast, this process is rather slow at 0.076 s(-1). Because reopening (0.034 s(-1)) is about ten times faster than hydrolysis (k(hyd) = 0.0039 s(-1)), which is the rate-limiting step, Trap1 is not able to commit ATP to hydrolysis. The proposed ATPase cycle was further scrutinized by a global fitting procedure that utilizes all relevant experimental data simultaneously. This analysis corroborates our model of a two-step binding mechanism of ATP followed by irreversible ATP hydrolysis and a one-step product (ADP) release.

The Hsp90 capacitor, developmental remodeling, and evolution: the robustness of gene networks and the curious evolvability of metamorphosis

Genetic capacitors moderate expression of heritable variation and provide a novel mechanism for rapid evolution. The prototypic genetic capacitor, Hsp90, interfaces stress responses, developmental networks, trait thresholds and expression of wide-ranging morphological changes in Drosophila and other organisms. The Hsp90 capacitor hypothesis, that stress-sensitive storage and release of genetic variation through Hsp90 facilitates adaptive evolution in unpredictable environments, has been challenged by the belief that Hsp90-buffered variation is unconditionally deleterious. Here we review recent results supporting the Hsp90 capacitor hypothesis, highlighting the heritability, selectability, and potential evolvability of Hsp90-buffered traits. Despite a surprising bias toward morphological novelty and typically invariable quantitative traits, Hsp90-buffered changes are remarkably modular, and can be selected to high frequency independent of the expected negative side-effects or obvious correlated changes in other, unselected traits. Recent dissection of cryptic signal transduction variation involved in one Hsp90-buffered trait reveals potentially dozens of normally silent polymorphisms embedded in cell cycle, differentiation and growth control networks. Reduced function of Hsp90 substrates during environmental stress would destabilize robust developmental processes, relieve developmental constraints and plausibly enables genetic network remodeling by abundant cryptic alleles. We speculate that morphological transitions controlled by Hsp90 may fuel the incredible evolutionary lability of metazoan life-cycles.

Caenorhabditis elegans EAK-3 inhibits dauer arrest via nonautonomous regulation of nuclear DAF-16/FoxO activity

Insulin regulates development, metabolism, and lifespan via a conserved PI3K/Akt pathway that promotes cytoplasmic sequestration of FoxO transcription factors. The regulation of nuclear FoxO is poorly understood. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, insulin-like signaling functions in larvae to inhibit dauer arrest and acts during adulthood to regulate lifespan. In a screen for genes that modulate C. elegans insulin-like signaling, we identified eak-3, which encodes a novel protein that is specifically expressed in the two endocrine XXX cells. The dauer arrest phenotype of eak-3 mutants is fully suppressed by mutations in daf-16/FoxO, which encodes the major target of C. elegans insulin-like signaling, and daf-12, which encodes a nuclear receptor regulated by steroid hormones known as dafachronic acids. eak-3 mutation does not affect DAF-16/FoxO subcellular localization but enhances expression of the direct DAF-16/FoxO target sod-3 in a daf-16/FoxO- and daf-12-dependent manner. eak-3 mutants have normal lifespans, suggesting that EAK-3 decouples insulin-like regulation of development and longevity. We propose that EAK-3 activity in the XXX cells promotes the synthesis and/or secretion of a hormone that acts in parallel to AKT-1 to inhibit the expression of DAF-16/FoxO target genes. Similar hormonal pathways may regulate FoxO target gene expression in mammals.

Structural characterization of the medfly hsp83 gene and functional analysis of its proximal promoter region in vivo by germ-line transformation

In order to define the regulatory elements responsible for the expression of the medfly hsp83 (Cchsp83) gene, we determined the sequence of a genomic region of the gene that included 3,536 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site, the first untranslated exon of 144 bp, a 275-bp intron, and 516 bp of the second coding exon. Structural analysis of the 5' flanking region revealed the presence of a typical TATA box, 28 bp upstream of the transcription start site, and seven putative heat shock elements (HSEs) further upstream. The 5' untranslated region of the Cchsp83 mRNA was found to contain extensive secondary structure in the first 126 nucleotides. We carried out deletion functional analysis of the proximal promoter region (-380/+139) in vivo by germ line transformation using the lacZ as a reporter gene. We found that sequences in the -380/-86 region are essential for the constitutive expression of the Cchsp83 gene. Under normal conditions, the -380/+139 region was able to drive significant levels of transgene expression in all developmental stages of the medfly as well as in the ovaries and testis. In most stages, the temporal expression pattern of the reporter gene was similar to the respective pattern of the endogenous Cchsp83 gene. Although the -380/+139 promoter region contained two putative HSEs, it was found unable to confer any heat-induced expression in the reporter gene.

Dimerization of Hsp90 is required for in vivo function. Design and analysis of monomers and dimers

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) plays a central role in signal transduction and has emerged as a promising target for anti-cancer therapeutics, but its molecular mechanism is poorly understood. At physiological concentration, Hsp90 predominantly forms dimers, but the function of full-length monomers in cells is not clear. Hsp90 contains three domains: the N-terminal and middle domains contribute directly to ATP binding and hydrolysis and the C domain mediates dimerization. To study the function of Hsp90 monomers, we used a single-chain strategy that duplicated the C-terminal dimerization domain. This novel monomerization strategy had the dual effect of stabilizing the C domain to denaturation and hindering intermolecular association of the ATPase domain. The resulting construct was predominantly monomeric at physiological concentration and did not function to support yeast viability as the sole Hsp90. The monomeric construct was also defective at ATP hydrolysis and the activation of a kinase and steroid receptor substrate in yeast cells. The ability to support yeast growth was rescued by the addition of a coiled-coil dimerization domain, indicating that the parental single-chain construct is functionally defective because it is monomeric.

Postembryonic RNAi in Heterorhabditis bacteriophora: a nematode insect parasite and host for insect pathogenic symbionts

Background

Heterorhabditis bacteriophora is applied throughout the world for the biological control of insects and is an animal model to study interspecies interactions, e.g. mutualism, parasitism and vector-borne disease. H. bacteriophora nematodes are mutually associated with the insect pathogen, Photorhabdus luminescens. The developmentally arrested infective juvenile (IJ) stage nematode (vector) specifically transmits Photorhabdus luminescens bacteria (pathogen) in its gut mucosa to the haemocoel of insects (host). The nematode vector and pathogen alone are not known to cause insect disease. RNA interference is an excellent reverse genetic tool to study gene function in C. elegans, and it would be useful in H. bacteriophora to exploit the H. bacteriophora genome project, currently in progress.

Results

Soaking L1 stage H. bacteriophora with seven dsRNAs of genes whose C. elegans orthologs had severe RNAi phenotypes resulted in highly penetrant and obvious developmental and reproductive abnormalities. The efficacy of postembryonic double strand RNA interference (RNAi) was evident by abnormal gonad morphology and sterility of adult H. bacteriophora and C. elegans presumable due to defects in germ cell proliferation and gonad development. The penetrance of RNAi phenotypes in H. bacteriophora was high for five genes (87–100%; Hba-cct-2, Hba-daf-21, Hba-icd-1; Hba-nol-5, and Hba-W01G7.3) and moderate for two genes (usually 30–50%; Hba-rack-1 and Hba-arf-1). RNAi of three additional C. elegans orthologs for which RNAi phenotypes were not previously detected in C. elegans, also did not result in any apparent phenotypes in H. bacteriophora. Specific and severe reduction in transcript levels in RNAi treated L1s was determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. These results suggest that postembryonic RNAi by soaking is potent and specific.

Conclusion

Although RNAi is conserved in animals and plants, RNAi using long dsRNA is not. These results demonstrate that RNAi can be used effectively in H. bacteriophora and can be applied for analyses of nematode genes involved in symbiosis and parasitism. It is likely that RNAi will be an important tool for functional genomics utilizing the high quality draft H. bacteriophora genome sequence.

Expressed as the sole Hsp90 of yeast, the alpha and beta isoforms of human Hsp90 differ with regard to their capacities for activation of certain client proteins, whereas only Hsp90beta generates sensitivity to the Hsp90 inhibitor radicicol

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a molecular chaperone required for the activity of many of the most important regulatory proteins of eukaryotic cells (the Hsp90 'clients'). Vertebrates have two isoforms of cytosolic Hsp90, Hsp90alpha and Hsp90beta. Hsp90beta is expressed constitutively to a high level in most tissues and is generally more abundant than Hsp90alpha, whereas Hsp90alpha is stress-inducible and overexpressed in many cancerous cells. Expressed as the sole Hsp90 of yeast, human Hsp90alpha and Hsp90beta are both able to provide essential Hsp90 functions. Activations of certain Hsp90 clients (heat shock transcription factor, v-src) were more efficient with Hsp90alpha, rather than Hsp90beta, present in the yeast. In contrast, activation of certain other clients (glucocorticoid receptor; extracellular signal-regulated kinase-5 mitogen-activated protein kinase) was less affected by the human Hsp90 isoform present in these cells. Remarkably, whereas expression of Hsp90beta as the sole Hsp90 of yeast rendered cells highly sensitive to the Hsp90 inhibitor radicicol, comparable expression of Hsp90alpha did not. This raises the distinct possibility that, also for mammalian systems, alterations to the Hsp90alpha/Hsp90beta ratio (as with heat shock) might be a significant factor affecting cellular susceptibility to Hsp90 inhibitors.

Caenorhabditis elegans SDF-9 enhances insulin/insulin-like signaling through interaction with DAF-2

SDF-9 is a modulator of Caenorhabditis elegans insulin/IGF-1 signaling that may interact directly with the DAF-2 receptor. SDF-9 is a tyrosine phosphatase-like protein that, when mutated, enhances many partial loss-of-function mutants in the dauer pathway except for the temperature-sensitive mutant daf-2(m41). We propose that SDF-9 stabilizes the active phosphorylated state of DAF-2 or acts as an adaptor protein to enhance insulin-like signaling.

Genetic analysis of dauer formation in Caenorhabditis briggsae

Molecular changes that underlie evolutionary changes in behavior and physiology are not well understood. Dauer formation in Caenorhabditis elegans is a temperature-sensitive process controlled through a network of signaling pathways associated with sensory neurons and is potentially an excellent system in which to investigate molecular changes in neuronal function during evolution. To begin to investigate the evolution of dauer formation in the genus Caenorhabditis at the molecular level, we isolated dauer-formation mutations in C. briggsae, a species closely related to the model organism C. elegans. We identified mutations in orthologs of C. elegans genes daf-2 (insulin receptor), daf-3 (Smad), and daf-4 (TGF-beta type 2 receptor), as well as genes required for formation of sensory cilia. Phenotypic analyses revealed that functions of these genes are conserved between C. elegans and C. briggsae. Analysis of C. briggsae mutations also revealed a significant difference between the two species in their responses to high temperatures (>26 degrees). C. elegans is strongly induced to form dauers at temperatures above 26 degrees, near the upper limit for growth of C. elegans. In contrast, C. briggsae, which is capable of growth at higher temperatures than C. elegans, lacks this response.

Cloning, expression and characterisation of FKB-6, the sole large TPR-containing immunophilin from C. elegans

We have cloned, expressed, purified and characterised ceFKB-6, the only large tetratricopeptide repeat motif-containing immunophilin in Caenorhabditis elegans which is similar to the human orthologues FKBP51 and FKBP52. It shows increased peptidyl prolyl isomerase activity, the measured k(cat)/K(m) of 1.3 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)is twofold greater than that of hFKBP12 and hFKBP51. NMR studies of the interaction between FKB-6 and the C-terminal DAF-21 pentapeptide MEEVD show interactions consistent with those found between the large human immunophilin TPR domains and human Hsp90. In vivo localisation studies show that the fkb-6 gene is expressed in all stages from embryo to adult with predominant expression being noted in the adult dorsal and ventral nerve cords.

Small-molecule pheromones that control dauer development in Caenorhabditis elegans

In response to high population density or low food supply, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans enters an alternative larval stage, known as the dauer, that can withstand adverse conditions for prolonged periods. C. elegans senses its population density through a small-molecule signal, traditionally called the dauer pheromone, that it secretes into its surroundings. Here we show that the dauer pheromone consists of several structurally related ascarosides-derivatives of the dideoxysugar ascarylose-and that two of these ascarosides (1 and 2) are roughly two orders of magnitude more potent at inducing dauer formation than a previously reported dauer pheromone component (3) and constitute a physiologically relevant signal. The identification of dauer pheromone components 1 and 2 will facilitate the identification of target receptors and downstream signaling proteins.

Nematodes, bacteria, and flies: a tripartite model for nematode parasitism

More than a quarter of the world's population is infected with nematode parasites, and more than a hundred species of nematodes are parasites of humans [1-3]. Despite extensive morbidity and mortality caused by nematode parasites, the biological mechanisms of host-parasite interactions are poorly understood, largely because of the lack of genetically tractable model systems. We have demonstrated that the insect parasitic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, its bacterial symbiont Photorhabdus luminescens, and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster constitute a tripartite model for nematode parasitism and parasitic infection. We find that infective juveniles (IJs) of Heterorhabditis, which contain Photorhabdus in their gut, can infect and kill Drosophila larvae. We show that infection activates an immune response in Drosophila that results in the temporally dynamic expression of a subset of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes, and that this immune response is induced specifically by Photorhabdus. We also investigated the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying IJ recovery, the developmental process that occurs in parasitic nematodes upon host invasion and that is necessary for successful parasitism. We find that the chemosensory neurons and signaling pathways that control dauer recovery in Caenorhabditis elegans also control IJ recovery in Heterorhabditis, suggesting conservation of these developmental processes across free-living and parasitic nematodes.

Public and private mechanisms of life extension in Caenorhabditis elegans

Model organisms have been widely used to study the ageing phenomenon in order to learn about human ageing. Although the phylogenetic diversity between vertebrates and some of the most commonly used model systems could hardly be greater, several mechanisms of life extension are public (common characteristic in divergent species) and likely share a common ancestry. Dietary restriction, reduced IGF-signaling and, seemingly, reduced ROS-induced damage are the best known mechanisms for extending longevity in a variety of organisms. In this review, we summarize the knowledge of ageing in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and compare the mechanisms of life extension with knowledge from other model organisms.

A Rac-cGMP signaling pathway

The small GTPase Rac and the second messenger cGMP (guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate) are critical regulators of diverse cell functions. When activated by extracellular signals via membrane signaling receptors, Rac executes its functions through engaging downstream effectors such as p21-activated kinase (PAK), a serine/threonine protein kinase. However, the molecular mechanism by which membrane signaling receptors regulate cGMP levels is not known. Here we have uncovered a signaling pathway linking Rac to the increase of cellular cGMP. We show that Rac uses PAK to directly activate transmembrane guanylyl cyclases (GCs), leading to increased cellular cGMP levels. This Rac/PAK/GC/cGMP pathway is involved in platelet-derived growth factor-induced fibroblast cell migration and lamellipodium formation. Our findings connect two important regulators of cellular physiological functions and provide a general mechanism for diverse receptors to modulate physiological responses through elevating cellular cGMP levels.

C. elegans G protein regulator RGS-3 controls sensitivity to sensory stimuli

Signal transduction through heterotrimeric G proteins is critical for sensory response across species. Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are negative regulators of signal transduction. Herein we describe a role for C. elegans RGS-3 in the regulation of sensory behaviors. rgs-3 mutant animals fail to respond to intense sensory stimuli but respond normally to low concentrations of specific odorants. We find that loss of RGS-3 leads to aberrantly increased G protein-coupled calcium signaling but decreased synaptic output, ultimately leading to behavioral defects. Thus, rgs-3 responses are restored by decreasing G protein-coupled signal transduction, either genetically or by exogenous dopamine, by expressing a calcium-binding protein to buffer calcium levels in sensory neurons or by enhancing glutamatergic synaptic transmission from sensory neurons. Therefore, while RGS proteins generally act to downregulate signaling, loss of a specific RGS protein in sensory neurons can lead to defective responses to external stimuli.

Generation and modulation of chemosensory behaviors in C. elegans

C. elegans recognizes and discriminates among hundreds of chemical cues using a relatively compact chemosensory nervous system. Chemosensory behaviors are also modulated by prior experience and contextual cues. Because of the facile genetics and genomics possible in this organism, C. elegans provides an excellent system in which to explore the generation of chemosensory behaviors from the level of a single gene to the motor output. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the molecular and neuronal substrates of chemosensory behaviors and chemosensory behavioral plasticity in C. elegans.

Mos1 mutagenesis reveals a diversity of mechanisms affecting response of Caenorhabditis elegans to the bacterial pathogen Microbacterium nematophilum

A specific host-pathogen interaction exists between Caenorhabditis elegans and the gram-positive bacterium Microbacterium nematophilum. This bacterium is able to colonize the rectum of susceptible worms and induces a defensive tail-swelling response in the host. Previous mutant screens have identified multiple loci that affect this interaction. Some of these loci correspond to known genes, but many bus genes [those with a bacterially unswollen (Bus) mutant phenotype] have yet to be cloned. We employed Mos1 transposon mutagenesis as a means of more rapidly cloning bus genes and identifying new mutants with altered pathogen response. This approach revealed new infection-related roles for two well-characterized and much-studied genes, egl-8 and tax-4. It also allowed the cloning of a known bus gene, bus-17, which encodes a predicted galactosyltransferase, and of a new bus gene, bus-19, which encodes a novel, albeit ancient, protein. The results illustrate advantages and disadvantages of Mos1 transposon mutagenesis in this system.

cDNA cloning, heat shock regulation and developmental expression of the hsp83 gene in the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata

This report presents the cDNA cloning, heat shock regulation and developmental expression of the hsp90 gene homologue of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (medfly). The isolated cDNA contained the coding region, the 3'UTR and most of the 5'UTR of the medfly hsp90 homologue, which was named Cchsp83. The deduced CcHSP83 polypeptide contained all the highly conserved amino acid segments that characterize the cytosolic members of the HSP90 family. Genomic analysis showed that the Cchsp83 gene is unique and was mapped at the 94C division of the sixth polytene chromosome. The size of the Cchsp83 mRNA was found to be approximately 2.7 kb. The predicted molecular mass of the CcHSP83 protein was 81.4 kDa, while the apparent molecular weight estimated by SDS-PAGE was approximately 90 kDa. Phylogenetic analysis based on 14 insect HSP90 amino acid sequences was consistent with the known phylogeny at low taxonomic level. The Cchsp83 gene is constitutively expressed in all stages of medfly development and is induced from a low level to several-fold by heat, depending on the developmental stage. Heat shock induction begins at 30 degrees C, reaching a maximum between 35 and 41 degrees C. Cchsp83 RNA expression is highly regulated during embryonic development; however, the temporal fluctuations in RNA levels during embryogenesis were not followed by similar fluctuations in the levels of the protein.

Noncell- and cell-autonomous G-protein-signaling converges with Ca2+/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling to regulate str-2 receptor gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans

In the sensory system of C. elegans, the candidate odorant receptor gene str-2 is strongly expressed in one of the two AWC neurons and weakly in both ASI neurons. Asymmetric AWC expression results from suppression of str-2 expression by a Ca2+/MAPK signaling pathway in one of the AWC neurons early in development. Here we show that the same Ca2+/MAPK pathway promotes str-2 expression in the AWC and ASI neurons together with multiple cell-autonomous and noncell-autonomous G-protein-signaling pathways. In first-stage larvae and adult animals, signals mediated by the Galpha subunits ODR-3, GPA-2, GPA-5, and GPA-6 and a Ca2+/MAPK pathway involving the Ca2+ channel subunit UNC-36, the CaMKII UNC-43, and the MAPKK kinase NSY-1 induce strong str-2 expression. Cell-specific rescue experiments suggest that ODR-3 and the Ca2+/MAPK genes function in the AWC neurons, but that GPA-5 and GPA-6 function in the AWA and ADL neurons, respectively. In Dauer larvae, the same network of genes promotes strong str-2 expression in the ASI neurons, but ODR-3 functions in AWB and ASH and GPA-6 in AWB. Our results reveal a complex signaling network, encompassing signals from multiple cells, that controls the level of receptor gene expression at different developmental stages.

Activated AKT/PKB signaling in C. elegans uncouples temporally distinct outputs of DAF-2/insulin-like signaling

Background

In the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, a conserved insulin-like signaling pathway controls larval development, stress resistance and adult lifespan. AGE-1, a homolog of the p110 catalytic subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) comprises the major known effector pathway downstream of the insulin receptor, DAF-2. Phospholipid products of AGE-1/PI3K activate AKT/PKB kinase signaling via PDK-1. AKT/PKB signaling antagonizes nuclear translocation of the DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor. Reduced AGE-1/PI3K signaling permits DAF-16 to direct dauer larval arrest and promote long lifespan in adult animals. In order to study the downstream effectors of AGE-1/PI3K signaling in C. elegans, we conducted a genetic screen for mutations that suppress the constitutive dauer arrest phenotype of age-1(mg109) animals.

Results

This report describes mutations recovered in a screen for suppressors of the constitutive dauer arrest (daf-C) phenotype of age-1(mg109). Two mutations corresponded to alleles of daf-16. Two mutations were gain-of-function alleles in the genes, akt-1 and pdk-1, encoding phosphoinositide-dependent serine/threonine kinases. A fifth mutation, mg227, located on chromosome X, did not correspond to any known dauer genes, suggesting that mg227 may represent a new component of the insulin pathway. Genetic epistasis analysis by RNAi showed that reproductive development in age-1(mg109);akt-1(mg247) animals was dependent on the presence of pdk-1. Similarly, reproductive development in age-1(mg109);pdk-1(mg261) animals was dependent on akt-1. However, reproductive development in age-1(mg109); mg227 animals required only akt-1, and pdk-1 activity was dispensable in this background. Interestingly, while mg227 suppressed dauer arrest in age-1(mg109) animals, it enhanced the long lifespan phenotype. In contrast, akt-1(mg247) and pdk-1(mg261) did not affect lifespan or stress resistance, while both daf-16 alleles fully suppressed these phenotypes.

Conclusion

A screen for suppressors of PI3K mutant phenotypes identified activating mutations in two known pathway components, providing insights into their regulation. In particular, the interdependence of akt-1 and pdk-1, even in activated forms, supports the existence of AGE-1-independent pathways for these phospholipid-dependent kinases. Phenotypic analysis of these alleles shows that the larval and adult outputs of AGE-1/PI3K are fully separable in these mutants.

Chemosensory control of surface antigen switching in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Nematodes change their surface compositions in response to environmental signals, which may allow them to survive attacks from microbial pathogens or host immune systems. In the free-living species Caenorhabditis elegans, wild-type worms are induced to display an L1 (first larval stage) surface epitope at later larval stages when grown on an extract of spent culture medium (Inducible Larval Display or ILD). Before this study, it was not known whether ILD was regulated by the well-characterized, neurologically based chemical senses of C. elegans, which mediate other behavioural and developmental responses to environmental signals such as chemotaxis and formation of the facultatively arrested dauer larva stage. We show here that ILD requires the activities of three genes that are essential for the function of the C. elegans chemosensory neurons. ILD was abolished in chemotaxis-defective che-3, osm-3 and tax-4 mutants. In contrast, chemotaxis-defective mutants altered in a different gene, srf-6, show constitutive display of the L1 epitope on all four larval stages. The ILD-defective che-3, osm-3 and tax-4 mutations blocked the constitutive larval display of an srf-6 mutant. Combining srf-6 and certain dauer-constitutive mutations in double mutants enhanced constitutive dauer formation, consistent with the idea that srf-6 acts in parallel with specific components of the dauer formation pathway. These results taken together are consistent with the hypothesis that ILD is triggered by environmental signals detected by the nematode's chemosensory neurons.

The Caenorhabditis elegans AHR-1 transcription complex controls expression of soluble guanylate cyclase genes in the URX neurons and regulates aggregation behavior

C. elegans ahr-1 is orthologous to the mammalian aryl hydrocarbon receptor, and it functions as a transcription factor to regulate the development of certain neurons. Here, we describe the role of ahr-1 in a specific behavior: the aggregation of C. elegans on lawns of bacterial food. This behavior is modulated by nutritional cues and ambient oxygen levels, and aggregation is inhibited by the npr-1 G protein-coupled neuropeptide receptor gene. Loss-of-function mutations in ahr-1 or its transcription partner aha-1 (ARNT) suppress aggregation behavior in npr-1-deficient animals. This behavioral defect is not irreparable. Aggregation behavior can be restored to ahr-1-deficient animals by heat-shock induction of ahr-1 transcription several hours after ahr-1-expressing neurons have normally differentiated. We show that ahr-1 and aha-1 promote cell-type-specific expression of soluble guanylate cyclase genes that have key roles in aggregation behavior and hyperoxia avoidance. Aggregation behavior can be partially restored to ahr-1 mutant animals by expression of ahr-1 in only 4 neurons, including URXR and URXL. We conclude that the AHR-1:AHA-1 transcription complex regulates the expression of soluble guanylate cyclase genes and other unidentified genes that are essential for acute regulation of aggregation behavior.

The molecular phylogeny of a nematode-specific clade of heterotrimeric G-protein alpha-subunit genes

In animal olfactory systems, odorant molecules are detected by olfactory receptors (ORs). ORs are part of the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding G-proteins (G-proteins) relay signals from GPCRs to intracellular effectors. G-proteins are comprised of three peptides. The G-protein alpha subunit confers functional specificity to G-proteins. Vertebrate and insect Galpha-subunit genes are divided into four subfamilies based on functional and sequence attributes. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contains 21 Galpha genes, 14 of which are exclusively expressed in sensory neurons. Most individual mammalian cells express multiple distinct GPCR gene products, however, individual mammalian and insect olfactory neurons express only one functional odorant OR. By contrast C. elegans expresses multiple ORs and multiple Galpha subunits within each olfactory neuron. Here we show that, in addition to having at least one member of each of the four mammalian Galpha gene classes, C. elegans and other nematodes also possess two lineage-specific Galpha gene expansions, homologues of which are not found in any other organisms examined. We hypothesize that these novel nematode-specific Galpha genes increase the functional complexity of individual chemosensory neurons, enabling them to integrate odor signals from the multiple distinct ORs expressed on their membranes. This neuronal gene expansion most likely occurred in nematodes to enable them to compensate for the small number of chemosensory cells and the limited emphasis on cephalization during nematode evolution.

The proteasome activator PA28 functions in collaboration with Hsp90 in vivo

We have previously shown that the proteasome activator PA28 is essential to Hsp90-dependent protein refolding in vitro, where PA28 mediates transfer of the Hsp90-bound substrate protein to the Hsc70/Hsp40 chaperone machine for its correct refolding. This observation suggests that PA28 may also collaborate with Hsp90 in cells. To examine this possibility, here we have used double-stranded RNA interference (RNAi) against PA28 in Caenorhabditis elegans mutants of daf-21, which encodes Hsp90. We show that C. elegans PA28 facilitates Hsp90-initiated protein refolding, albeit with an activity lower than that of mouse PA28 proteins. RNAi-mediated knockdown of PA28 significantly suppresses the Daf-c (dauer formation constitutive) phenotype of the daf-21 mutant, but it has no affect on the distinct defects of this mutant in sensing odorants. Taking these results together, we conclude that PA28 is likely to function in collaboration with Hsp90 in vivo.

Two membrane-associated tyrosine phosphatase homologs potentiate C. elegans AKT-1/PKB signaling

Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) functions in conserved signaling cascades that regulate growth and metabolism. In humans, Akt/PKB is dysregulated in diabetes and cancer; in Caenorhabditis elegans, Akt/PKB functions in an insulin-like signaling pathway to regulate larval development. To identify molecules that modulate C. elegans Akt/PKB signaling, we performed a genetic screen for enhancers of the akt-1 mutant phenotype (eak). We report the analysis of three eak genes. eak-6 and eak-5/sdf-9 encode protein tyrosine phosphatase homologs; eak-4 encodes a novel protein with an N-myristoylation signal. All three genes are expressed primarily in the two endocrine XXX cells, and their predicted gene products localize to the plasma membrane. Genetic evidence indicates that these proteins function in parallel to AKT-1 to inhibit the FoxO transcription factor DAF-16. These results define two membrane-associated protein tyrosine phosphatase homologs that may potentiate C. elegans Akt/PKB signaling by cell autonomous and cell nonautonomous mechanisms. Similar molecules may modulate Akt/PKB signaling in human endocrine tissues.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling regulates critical physiological processes in a wide variety of multicellular organisms. In humans, dysregulation of IGF signaling underlies the pathogenesis of cancer and diabetes. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the DAF-2 insulin-like pathway regulates development, metabolism, and longevity. All known components of DAF-2 insulin-like signaling are structurally and functionally conserved in mammals, suggesting that insights gained from studying this pathway in C. elegans may shed light on pathogenetic mechanisms underlying cancer and diabetes. In this study, the authors describe a genetic screen designed to identify novel components of DAF-2 insulin-like signaling in C. elegans. They have characterized three genes that may encode parts of a novel multimolecular membrane-associated complex that potentiates DAF-2 insulin-like signaling in two neuroendocrine cells, the XXX cells. Two of these genes encode proteins similar to mammalian protein tyrosine phosphatases. These results suggest that protein tyrosine phosphatase–like molecules may transduce IGF signals in mammalian endocrine cells and highlight the role of endocrine circuits in the pathogenesis of cancer and diabetes.

Cell cycle control by daf-21/Hsp90 at the first meiotic prophase/metaphase boundary during oogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

DAF-21, a Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of Hsp90, is expressed primarily in germline cells. Although mutations in the daf-21 gene affect animal fertility, its cellular roles have remained elusive. To phenocopy daf-21 mutations, we impaired the daf-21 function by RNA interference (RNAi), and found that oocytes skipped the diakinesis arrest and displayed a defective diakinesis arrest, which led to the production of endomitotic oocytes with polyploid chromosomes (Emo phenotype). The same Emo phenotype was also observed with RNAi against wee-1.3. To identify a cause for Emo, we examined the CDK-1 (Cdc2) phosphorylation status in Emo animals, since CDK-1 is a key regulator of the prophase/metaphase transition and is kept inactivated by WEE-1.3 kinase during prophase. We immunostained both daf-21(RNAi) and wee-1.3(RNAi) animals with anti-phosphorylated-CDK-1 antibody and observed no detectable phosphates on CDK-1 in either of the animals. We also examined WEE-1.3 expression in daf-21(RNAi) and found a significant reduction of WEE-1.3. These results indicate that CDK-1 was not phosphorylated in either daf-21(RNAi) or wee-1.3(RNAi) animals, and suggest that daf-21 was necessary for producing functional WEE-1.3. Thus, all together, we propose that DAF-21 indirectly regulates the meiotic prophase/metaphase transition during oocyte development by ensuring the normal function of WEE-1.3.

Direct and heterologous approaches to identify the LET-756/FGF interactome

Background

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are multifunctional proteins that play important roles in cell communication, proliferation and differentiation. However, many aspects of their activities are not well defined. LET-756, one of the two C. elegans FGFs, is expressed throughout development and is essential for worm development. It is both expressed in the nucleus and secreted.

Results

To identify nuclear factors associated with LET-756, we used three approaches. First, we screened a two-hybrid cDNA library derived from mixed stages worms and from a normalized library, using LET-756 as bait. This direct approach allowed the identification of several binding partners that play various roles in the nucleus/nucleolus, such as PAL-1, a transcription regulator, or RPS-16, a component of the small ribosomal subunit. The interactions were validated by co-immunoprecipitation and determination of their site of occurrence in mammalian cells. Second, because patterns of protein interactions may be conserved throughout species, we searched for orthologs of known mammalian interactors and measured binary interaction with these predicted candidates. We found KIN-3 and KIN-10, the orthologs of CK2α and CK2β, as new partners of LET-756. Third, following the assumption that recognition motifs mediating protein interaction may be conserved between species, we screened a two-hybrid cDNA human library using LET-756 as bait. Among the few FGF partners detected was 14-3-3β. In support of this interaction we showed that the two 14-3-3β orthologous proteins, FTT-1 and FTT-2/PAR-5, interacted with LET-756.

Conclusion

We have conducted the first extensive search for LET-756 interactors using a multi-directional approach and established the first interaction map of LET-756/FGF with other FGF binding proteins from other species. The interactors identified play various roles in developmental process or basic biochemical events such as ribosome biogenesis.

Searching for neuronal left/right asymmetry: genomewide analysis of nematode receptor-type guanylyl cyclases

Functional left/right asymmetry ("laterality") is a fundamental feature of many nervous systems, but only very few molecular correlates to functional laterality are known. At least two classes of chemosensory neurons in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans are functionally lateralized. The gustatory neurons ASE left (ASEL) and ASE right (ASER) are two bilaterally symmetric neurons that sense distinct chemosensory cues and express a distinct set of four known chemoreceptors of the guanylyl cyclase (gcy) gene family. To examine the extent of lateralization of gcy gene expression patterns in the ASE neurons, we have undertaken a genomewide analysis of all gcy genes. We report the existence of a total of 27 gcy genes encoding receptor-type guanylyl cyclases and of 7 gcy genes encoding soluble guanylyl cyclases in the complete genome sequence of C. elegans. We describe the expression pattern of all previously uncharacterized receptor-type guanylyl cyclases and find them to be highly biased but not exclusively restricted to the nervous system. We find that >41% (11/27) of all receptor-type guanylyl cyclases are expressed in the ASE gustatory neurons and that one-third of all gcy genes (9/27) are expressed in a lateral, left/right asymmetric manner in the ASE neurons. The expression of all laterally expressed gcy genes is under the control of a gene regulatory network composed of several transcription factors and miRNAs. The complement of gcy genes in the related nematode C. briggsae differs from C. elegans as evidenced by differences in chromosomal localization, number of gcy genes, and expression patterns. Differences in gcy expression patterns in the ASE neurons of C. briggsae arise from a difference in cis-regulatory elements and trans-acting factors that control ASE laterality. In sum, our results indicate the existence of a surprising multitude of putative chemoreceptors in the gustatory ASE neurons and suggest the existence of a substantial degree of laterality in gustatory signaling mechanisms in nematodes.

Depletion of hsp90beta induces multiple defects in B cell receptor signaling

Hsp90 participates in many distinct aspects of cellular functions and accomplishes these roles by interacting with multiple client proteins. To gain insight into the interactions between Hsp90 and its clients, here we have reduced the protein level of Hsp90 in avian cells by gene targeting in an attempt to elicit the otherwise undetectable (because of the vast amount of cellular Hsp90) Hsp90-interacting proteins. Hsp90beta-deficient cells can grow, albeit more slowly than wild-type cells. B cell antigen receptor signaling is multiply impaired in these mutant cells; in particular, the amount of immunoglobulin M heavy chain protein is markedly reduced. Furthermore, serum activation does not promote ERK phosphorylation in Hsp90beta-deficient cells. These multifaceted depressive effects seem to be provoked independently of each other and possibly recapitulate the proteome-wide in vivo functions of Hsp90. Reintroduction of the Hsp90beta gene efficiently restores all of the defects. Unexpectedly, however, introducing the Hsp90alpha gene is also effective in restoration; thus, these defects might be caused by a reduction in the total expression of Hsp90 rather than by loss of Hsp90beta-specific function.

Hormonal Control of C. elegans Dauer Formation and Life Span by a Rieske-like Oxygenase

C. elegans diapause, gonadal outgrowth, and life span are regulated by a lipophilic hormone, which serves as a ligand to the nuclear hormone receptor DAF-12. A key step in hormone production is catalyzed by the CYP450 DAF-9, but the extent of the biosynthetic pathway is unknown. Here, we identify a conserved Rieske-like oxygenase, DAF-36, as a component in hormone metabolism. Mutants display larval developmental and adult aging phenotypes, as well as patterns of epistasis similar to that of daf-9. Larval phenotypes are potently reversed by crude lipid extracts, 7-dehydrocholesterol, and a recently identified DAF-12 sterol ligand, suggesting that DAF-36 works early in the hormone biosynthetic pathway. DAF-36 is expressed primarily within the intestine, a major organ of metabolic and endocrine control, distinct from DAF-9. These results imply that C. elegans hormone production has multiple steps and is distributed, and that it may provide one way that tissues register their current physiological state during organismal commitments.

Multiple lineage specific expansions within the guanylyl cyclase gene family

BACKGROUND

Guanylyl cyclases (GCs) are responsible for the production of the secondary messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate, which plays important roles in a variety of physiological responses such as vision, olfaction, muscle contraction, homeostatic regulation, cardiovascular and nervous function. There are two types of GCs in animals, soluble (sGCs) which are found ubiquitously in cell cytoplasm, and receptor (rGC) forms which span cell membranes. The complete genomes of several vertebrate and invertebrate species are now available. These data provide a platform to investigate the evolution of GCs across a diverse range of animal phyla.

RESULTS

In this analysis we located GC genes from a broad spectrum of vertebrate and invertebrate animals and reconstructed molecular phylogenies for both sGC and rGC proteins. The most notable features of the resulting phylogenies are the number of lineage specific rGC and sGC expansions that have occurred during metazoan evolution. Among these expansions is a large nematode specific rGC clade comprising 21 genes in C. elegans alone; a vertebrate specific expansion in the natriuretic receptors GC-A and GC-B; a vertebrate specific expansion in the guanylyl GC-C receptors, an echinoderm specific expansion in the sperm rGC genes and a nematode specific sGC clade. Our phylogenetic reconstruction also shows the existence of a basal group of nitric oxide (NO) insensitive insect and nematode sGCs which are regulated by O2. This suggests that the primordial eukaryotes probably utilized sGC as an O2 sensor, with the ligand specificity of sGC later switching to NO which provides a very effective local cell-to-cell signalling system. Phylogenetic analysis of the sGC and bacterial heme nitric oxide/oxygen binding protein domain supports the hypothesis that this domain originated from a cyanobacterial source.

CONCLUSION

The most salient feature of our phylogenies is the number of lineage specific expansions, which have occurred within the GC gene family during metazoan evolution. Our phylogenetic analyses reveal that the rGC and sGC multi-domain proteins evolved early in eumetazoan evolution. Subsequent gene duplications, tissue specific expression patterns and lineage specific expansions resulted in the evolution of new networks of interaction and new biological functions associated with the maintenance of organismal complexity and homeostasis.

Thermoregulation in the life cycle of nematodes

An unanswered question in the biology of many parasites is the mechanism by which environmental (or external) and intrinsic signals are integrated to determine the switch from one developmental stage to the next. This is particularly pertinent for nematode parasites, many of which have a free-living stage in the environment prior to infection of the mammalian host, or for parasites such as filarial nematodes, which utilise an insect vector for transmission. The environmental changes experienced by a parasite upon infection of a mammalian host are extremely complex and poorly understood. However, the ability of a parasite to sense its new environment must be intrinsically linked to its developmental programme, as progression of the life cycle is dependent upon the infection event. In this review, the relationship between temperature and development in filarial nematodes and in the free-living species Caenorhabditis elegans is summarised, with a focus on the role of heat shock factor and heat shock protein 90 in the nematode life cycle.

Identification of guanylyl cyclases that function in thermosensory neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans senses temperature primarily via the AFD thermosensory neurons in the head. The response to temperature can be observed as a behavior called thermotaxis on thermal gradients. It has been shown that a cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel (CNG channel) plays a critical role in thermosensation in AFD. To further identify the thermosensory mechanisms in AFD, we attempted to identify components that function upstream of the CNG channel by a reverse genetic approach. Genetic and behavioral analyses showed that three members of a subfamily of gcy genes (gcy-8, gcy-18, and gcy-23) encoding guanylyl cyclases were essential for thermotaxis in C. elegans. Promoters of each gene drove reporter gene expression exclusively in the AFD neurons and, moreover, tagged proteins were localized to the sensory endings of AFD. Single mutants of each gcy gene showed almost normal thermotaxis. However, animals carrying double and triple mutations in these genes showed defective thermotaxis behavior. The abnormal phenotype of the gcy triple mutants was rescued by expression of any one of the three GCY proteins in the AFD neurons. These results suggest that three guanylyl cyclases function redundantly in the AFD neurons to mediate thermosensation by C. elegans.

Antagonistic sensory cues generate gustatory plasticity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans shows chemoattraction to 0.1-200 mM NaCl, avoidance of higher NaCl concentrations, and avoidance of otherwise attractive NaCl concentrations after prolonged exposure to NaCl (gustatory plasticity). Previous studies have shown that the ASE and ASH sensory neurons primarily mediate attraction and avoidance of NaCl, respectively. Here we show that balances between at least four sensory cell types, ASE, ASI, ASH, ADF and perhaps ADL, modulate the response to NaCl. Our results suggest that two NaCl-attraction signalling pathways exist, one of which uses Ca(2+)/cGMP signalling. In addition, we provide evidence that attraction to NaCl is antagonised by G-protein signalling in the ASH neurons, which is desensitised by the G-protein-coupled receptor kinase GRK-2. Finally, the response to NaCl is modulated by G-protein signalling in the ASI and ADF neurons, a second G-protein pathway in ASH and cGMP signalling in neurons exposed to the body fluid.