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Leite DJ, Schönauer A, Blakeley G, Harper A, Garcia-Castro H, Baudouin-Gonzalez L, Wang R, Sarkis N, Nikola AG, Koka VSP, Kenny NJ, Turetzek N, Pechmann M, Solana J, McGregor AP. An atlas of spider development at single-cell resolution provides new insights into arthropod embryogenesis. EvoDevo 2024; 15:5. [PMID: 38730509 PMCID: PMC11083766 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-024-00224-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Spiders are a diverse order of chelicerates that diverged from other arthropods over 500 million years ago. Research on spider embryogenesis, particularly studies using the common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum, has made important contributions to understanding the evolution of animal development, including axis formation, segmentation, and patterning. However, we lack knowledge about the cells that build spider embryos, their gene expression profiles and fate. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses have been revolutionary in describing these complex landscapes of cellular genetics in a range of animals. Therefore, we carried out single-cell RNA sequencing of P. tepidariorum embryos at stages 7, 8 and 9, which encompass the establishment and patterning of the body plan, and initial differentiation of many tissues and organs. We identified 20 cell clusters, from 18.5 k cells, which were marked by many developmental toolkit genes, as well as a plethora of genes not previously investigated. We found differences in the cell cycle transcriptional signatures, suggestive of different proliferation dynamics, which related to distinctions between endodermal and some mesodermal clusters, compared with ectodermal clusters. We identified many Hox genes as markers of cell clusters, and Hox gene ohnologs were often present in different clusters. This provided additional evidence of sub- and/or neo-functionalisation of these important developmental genes after the whole genome duplication in an arachnopulmonate ancestor (spiders, scorpions, and related orders). We also examined the spatial expression of marker genes for each cluster to generate a comprehensive cell atlas of these embryonic stages. This revealed new insights into the cellular basis and genetic regulation of head patterning, hematopoiesis, limb development, gut development, and posterior segmentation. This atlas will serve as a platform for future analysis of spider cell specification and fate, and studying the evolution of these processes among animals at cellular resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Leite
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
| | - Anna Schönauer
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Grace Blakeley
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Amber Harper
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Helena Garcia-Castro
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | | | - Ruixun Wang
- Institute for Zoology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47B, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Naïra Sarkis
- Institute for Zoology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47B, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexander Günther Nikola
- Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Venkata Sai Poojitha Koka
- Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Nathan J Kenny
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
- Department of Biochemistry Te Tari Matū Koiora, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Natascha Turetzek
- Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Matthias Pechmann
- Institute for Zoology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47B, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jordi Solana
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Alistair P McGregor
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
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Medina-Jiménez BI, Budd GE, Janssen R. Single-cell RNA sequencing of mid-to-late stage spider embryos: new insights into spider development. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:150. [PMID: 38326752 PMCID: PMC10848406 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09898-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum represents an emerging new model organism of arthropod evolutionary and developmental (EvoDevo) studies. Recent technical advances have resulted in the first single-cell sequencing (SCS) data on this species allowing deeper insights to be gained into its early development, but mid-to-late stage embryos were not included in these pioneering studies. RESULTS Therefore, we performed SCS on mid-to-late stage embryos of Parasteatoda and characterized resulting cell clusters by means of in-silico analysis (comparison of key markers of each cluster with previously published information on these genes). In-silico prediction of the nature of each cluster was then tested/verified by means of additional in-situ hybridization experiments with additional markers of each cluster. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that SCS data reliably group cells with similar genetic fingerprints into more or less distinct clusters, and thus allows identification of developing cell types on a broader level, such as the distinction of ectodermal, mesodermal and endodermal cell lineages, as well as the identification of distinct developing tissues such as subtypes of nervous tissue cells, the developing heart, or the ventral sulcus (VS). In comparison with recent other SCS studies on the same species, our data represent later developmental stages, and thus provide insights into different stages of developing cell types and tissues such as differentiating neurons and the VS that are only present at these later stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda I Medina-Jiménez
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Graham E Budd
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ralf Janssen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Lüddecke T, Paas A, Harris RJ, Talmann L, Kirchhoff KN, Billion A, Hardes K, Steinbrink A, Gerlach D, Fry BG, Vilcinskas A. Venom biotechnology: casting light on nature's deadliest weapons using synthetic biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1166601. [PMID: 37207126 PMCID: PMC10188951 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1166601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Venoms are complex chemical arsenals that have evolved independently many times in the animal kingdom. Venoms have attracted the interest of researchers because they are an important innovation that has contributed greatly to the evolutionary success of many animals, and their medical relevance offers significant potential for drug discovery. During the last decade, venom research has been revolutionized by the application of systems biology, giving rise to a novel field known as venomics. More recently, biotechnology has also made an increasing impact in this field. Its methods provide the means to disentangle and study venom systems across all levels of biological organization and, given their tremendous impact on the life sciences, these pivotal tools greatly facilitate the coherent understanding of venom system organization, development, biochemistry, and therapeutic activity. Even so, we lack a comprehensive overview of major advances achieved by applying biotechnology to venom systems. This review therefore considers the methods, insights, and potential future developments of biotechnological applications in the field of venom research. We follow the levels of biological organization and structure, starting with the methods used to study the genomic blueprint and genetic machinery of venoms, followed gene products and their functional phenotypes. We argue that biotechnology can answer some of the most urgent questions in venom research, particularly when multiple approaches are combined together, and with other venomics technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lüddecke
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- *Correspondence: Tim Lüddecke,
| | - Anne Paas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Richard J. Harris
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences (IMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Lea Talmann
- Syngenta Crop Protection, Stein, Switzerland
| | - Kim N. Kirchhoff
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - André Billion
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research “ASCRIBE”, Giessen, Germany
| | - Antje Steinbrink
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Doreen Gerlach
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Bryan G. Fry
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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Prpic NM, Pechmann M. Extraembryonic tissue in chelicerates: a review and outlook. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210269. [PMID: 36252223 PMCID: PMC9574639 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The formation of extraembryonic membranes (EEMs) contributes to the proper development of many animals. In arthropods, the formation and function of EEMs have been studied best in insects. Regarding the development of extraembryonic tissue in chelicerates (spiders and relatives), most information is available for spiders (Araneae). Especially two populations of cells have been considered to represent EEMs in spiders. The first of these potential EEMs develops shortly after egg deposition, opposite to a radially symmetrical germ disc that forms in one hemisphere of the egg and encloses the yolk. The second tissue, which has been described as being extraembryonic is the so-called dorsal field, which is required to cover the dorsal part of the developing spider germ rudiment before proper dorsal closure. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the formation of potential extraembryonic structures in the Chelicerata. We describe the early embryogenesis of spiders and other chelicerates, with a special focus on the formation of the potential extraembryonic tissues. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Extraembryonic tissues: exploring concepts, definitions and functions across the animal kingdom’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikola-Michael Prpic
- Justus-Liebig-Universitaet Giessen, Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, AG Zoologie mit dem Schwerpunkt Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Matthias Pechmann
- Institute for Zoology, University of Cologne, Biocenter, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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Treffkorn S, Mayer G, Janssen R. Review of extra-embryonic tissues in the closest arthropod relatives, onychophorans and tardigrades. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210270. [PMID: 36252224 PMCID: PMC9574629 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The so-called extra-embryonic tissues are important for embryonic development in many animals, although they are not considered to be part of the germ band or the embryo proper. They can serve a variety of functions, such as nutrient uptake and waste removal, protection of the embryo against mechanical stress, immune response and morphogenesis. In insects, a subgroup of arthropods, extra-embryonic tissues have been studied extensively and there is increasing evidence that they might contribute more to embryonic development than previously thought. In this review, we provide an assessment of the occurrence and possible functions of extra-embryonic tissues in the closest arthropod relatives, onychophorans (velvet worms) and tardigrades (water bears). While there is no evidence for their existence in tardigrades, these tissues show a remarkable diversity across the onychophoran subgroups. A comparison of extra-embryonic tissues of onychophorans to those of arthropods suggests shared functions in embryonic nutrition and morphogenesis. Apparent contribution to the final form of the embryo in onychophorans and at least some arthropods supports the hypothesis that extra-embryonic tissues are involved in organogenesis. In order to account for this role, the commonly used definition of these tissues as 'extra-embryonic' should be reconsidered. This article is part of the theme issue 'Extraembryonic tissues: exploring concepts, definitions and functions across the animal kingdom'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Treffkorn
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany
| | - Ralf Janssen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Geocentrum, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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Iwasaki-Yokozawa S, Nanjo R, Akiyama-Oda Y, Oda H. Lineage-specific, fast-evolving GATA-like gene regulates zygotic gene activation to promote endoderm specification and pattern formation in the Theridiidae spider. BMC Biol 2022; 20:223. [PMID: 36203191 PMCID: PMC9535882 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01421-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
The process of early development varies across the species-rich phylum Arthropoda. Owing to the limited research strategies for dissecting lineage-specific processes of development in arthropods, little is known about the variations in early arthropod development at molecular resolution. The Theridiidae spider, Parasteatoda tepidariorum, has its genome sequenced and could potentially contribute to dissecting early embryonic processes. Results We present genome-wide identification of candidate genes that exhibit locally restricted expression in germ disc forming stage embryos of P. tepidariorum, based on comparative transcriptomes of isolated cells from different regions of the embryo. A subsequent pilot screen by parental RNA interference identifies three genes required for body axis formation. One of them is a GATA-like gene that has been fast evolving after duplication and divergence from a canonical GATA family gene. This gene is designated fuchi nashi (fuchi) after its knockdown phenotypes, where the cell movement toward the formation of a germ disc was reversed. fuchi expression occurs in cells outside a forming germ disc and persists in the endoderm. Transcriptome and chromatin accessibility analyses of fuchi pRNAi embryos suggest that early fuchi activity regulates chromatin state and zygotic gene activation to promote endoderm specification and pattern formation. We also show that there are many uncharacterized genes regulated by fuchi. Conclusions Our genome-based research using an arthropod phylogenetically distant from Drosophila identifies a lineage-specific, fast-evolving gene with key developmental roles in one of the earliest, genome-wide regulatory events, and allows for molecular exploration of the developmental variations in early arthropod embryos. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01421-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawa Iwasaki-Yokozawa
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Cell and Developmental Biology, JT Biohistory Research Hall, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-1125, Japan
| | - Ryota Nanjo
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Cell and Developmental Biology, JT Biohistory Research Hall, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-1125, Japan.,Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Yasuko Akiyama-Oda
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Cell and Developmental Biology, JT Biohistory Research Hall, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-1125, Japan.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan.,Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki, Japan
| | - Hiroki Oda
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Cell and Developmental Biology, JT Biohistory Research Hall, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-1125, Japan. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan.
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Pechmann M. Embryonic development and secondary axis induction in the Brazilian white knee tarantula Acanthoscurria geniculata, C. L. Koch, 1841 (Araneae; Mygalomorphae; Theraphosidae). Dev Genes Evol 2020; 230:75-94. [PMID: 32076811 PMCID: PMC7128004 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-020-00653-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tarantulas represent some of the heaviest and most famous spiders. However, there is little information about the embryonic development of these spiders or their relatives (infraorder Mygalomorphae) and time-lapse recording of the embryonic development is entirely missing. I here describe the complete development of the Brazilian white knee tarantula, Acanthoscurria geniculata, in fixed and live embryos. The establishment of the blastoderm, the formation, migration and signalling of the cumulus and the shape changes that occur in the segment addition zone are analysed in detail. In addition, I show that there might be differences in the contraction process of early embryos of different theraphosid spider species. A new embryonic reference transcriptome was generated for this study and was used to clone and analyse the expression of several important developmental genes. Finally, I show that embryos of A. geniculata are amenable to tissue transplantation and bead insertion experiments. Using these functional approaches, I induced axis duplication in embryos via cumulus transplantation and ectopic activation of BMP signalling. Overall, the mygalomorph spider A. geniculata is a useful laboratory system to analyse evolutionary developmental questions, and the availability of such a system will help understanding conserved and divergent aspects of spider/chelicerate development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Pechmann
- Institute for Zoology, Department for Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany.
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8
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Schomburg C, Turetzek N, Prpic NM. Candidate gene screen for potential interaction partners and regulatory targets of the Hox gene labial in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. Dev Genes Evol 2020; 230:105-120. [PMID: 32036446 PMCID: PMC7128011 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-020-00656-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The Hox gene labial (lab) governs the formation of the tritocerebral head segment in insects and spiders. However, the morphology that results from lab action is very different in the two groups. In insects, the tritocerebral segment (intercalary segment) is reduced and lacks appendages, whereas in spiders the corresponding segment (pedipalpal segment) is a proper segment including a pair of appendages (pedipalps). It is likely that this difference between lab action in insects and spiders is mediated by regulatory targets or interacting partners of lab. However, only a few such genes are known in insects and none in spiders. We have conducted a candidate gene screen in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum using as candidates Drosophila melanogaster genes known to (potentially) interact with lab or to be expressed in the intercalary segment. We have studied 75 P. tepidariorum genes (including previously published and duplicated genes). Only 3 of these (proboscipedia-A (pb-A) and two paralogs of extradenticle (exd)) showed differential expression between leg and pedipalp. The low success rate points to a weakness of the candidate gene approach when it is applied to lineage specific organs. The spider pedipalp has no counterpart in insects, and therefore relying on insect data apparently cannot identify larger numbers of factors implicated in its specification and formation. We argue that in these cases a de novo approach to gene discovery might be superior to the candidate gene approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Schomburg
- Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, AG Zoologie mit dem Schwerpunkt Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38, 35392, Gießen, Germany
| | - Natascha Turetzek
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Lehrstuhl für Evolutionäre Ökologie, Biozentrum II, Großhadernerstraße 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Nikola-Michael Prpic
- Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, AG Zoologie mit dem Schwerpunkt Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38, 35392, Gießen, Germany.
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9
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Panara V, Budd GE, Janssen R. Phylogenetic analysis and embryonic expression of panarthropod Dmrt genes. Front Zool 2019; 16:23. [PMID: 31303887 PMCID: PMC6604209 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0322-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background One set of the developmentally important Doublesex and Male-abnormal-3 Related Transcription factors (Dmrt) is subject of intense research, because of their role in sex-determination and sexual differentiation. This likely non-monophyletic group of Dmrt genes is represented by the Drosophila melanogaster gene Doublesex (Dsx), the Caenorhabditis elegans Male-abnormal-3 (Mab-3) gene, and vertebrate Dmrt1 genes. However, other members of the Dmrt family are much less well studied, and in arthropods, including the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, data on these genes are virtually absent with respect to their embryonic expression and function. Results Here we investigate the complete set of Dmrt genes in members of all main groups of Arthropoda and a member of Onychophora, extending our data to Panarthropoda as a whole. We confirm the presence of at least four families of Dmrt genes (including Dsx-like genes) in Panarthropoda and study their expression profiles during embryogenesis. Our work shows that the expression patterns of Dmrt11E, Dmrt93B, and Dmrt99B orthologs are highly conserved among panarthropods. Embryonic expression of Dsx-like genes, however, is more derived, likely as a result of neo-functionalization after duplication. Conclusions Our data suggest deep homology of most of the panarthropod Dmrt genes with respect to their function that likely dates back to their last common ancestor. The function of Dsx and Dsx-like genes which are critical for sexual differentiation in animals, however, appears to be much less conserved. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12983-019-0322-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Panara
- 1Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Sweden.,Present address: Department for Immunology, Genetic and Pathology, Rudbeckslaboratoriet, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Graham E Budd
- 1Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ralf Janssen
- 1Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Sweden
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10
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Paese CLB, Schoenauer A, Leite DJ, Russell S, McGregor AP. A SoxB gene acts as an anterior gap gene and regulates posterior segment addition in a spider. eLife 2018; 7:e37567. [PMID: 30126532 PMCID: PMC6167052 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sox genes encode a set of highly conserved transcription factors that regulate many developmental processes. In insects, the SoxB gene Dichaete is the only Sox gene known to be involved in segmentation. To determine if similar mechanisms are used in other arthropods, we investigated the role of Sox genes during segmentation in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. While Dichaete does not appear to be involved in spider segmentation, we found that the closely related Sox21b-1 gene acts as a gap gene during formation of anterior segments and is also part of the segmentation clock for development of the segment addition zone and sequential addition of opisthosomal segments. Thus, we have found that two different mechanisms of segmentation in a non-mandibulate arthropod are regulated by a SoxB gene. Our work provides new insights into the function of an important and conserved gene family, and the evolution of the regulation of segmentation in arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Louis Bonatto Paese
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Developmental BiologyDepartment of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Anna Schoenauer
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Developmental BiologyDepartment of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Daniel J Leite
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Developmental BiologyDepartment of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Steven Russell
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Alistair P McGregor
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Developmental BiologyDepartment of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxfordUnited Kingdom
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11
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Kumagai H, Matsuura T, Kato Y, Watanabe H. Development of a bicistronic expression system in the branchiopod crustacean Daphnia magna. Genesis 2017; 55. [PMID: 29086479 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The viral 2A peptides have recently been used for bicistronic expression in various organisms. In this system, a single mRNA that codes for two proteins flanking the 2A peptide can be translated simultaneously into each protein by ribosomal skipping at this peptide sequence. Here, we tested the function of the Thosea asigna insect virus 2A (T2A) peptide in the branchiopod crustacean Daphnia magna-an emerging model of evolutionary developmental biology. First, we used transgenic Daphnia that expresses a potential bicistronic RNA containing mCherry and histone H2B- green fluorescent protein (GFP) open reading frames upstream and downstream of the T2A sequence, respectively. Microscopic observation revealed difference of localization of the two proteins in the cell, homogenous distribution of mCherry and nuclear localization of H2B-GFP. Second, we changed localization of mCherry from cytoplasm to plasma membrane by attachment of a consensus myristoylation motif in the bicistronic reporter. RNA that codes for this new bicistronic reporter was injected into eggs. At gastrulation stage, we found spectrally distinct fluorescence with enough intensity and resolution to detect membrane localized mCherry and nuclear GFP. These results indicate that the T2A peptide functions in D. magna and T2A-mediated bicistronic expression would be a promising tool for evo-devo studies of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Kumagai
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Matsuura
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kato
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan.,Frontier Research Base for Global Young Researchers, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hajime Watanabe
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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