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Guo WB, Wu C, Pan K, Yang L, Miao AJ. Pre-exposure to Fe 2O 3 or TiO 2 Nanoparticles Inhibits Subsequent Biological Uptake of 55Fe-Labeled Fe 2O 3 Nanoparticles. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:4831-4840. [PMID: 36938933 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic organisms are frequently exposed to various nanoparticles (NPs) in the natural environment. Thus, studies of NP bioaccumulation should include organisms that have been previously exposed to NPs. Our study investigated the effects of pre-exposure of Tetrahymena thermophila (T. thermophila) to Fe2O3 or TiO2 NPs on the protozoan's subsequent uptake of 55Fe-labeled Fe2O3 (55Fe2O3) NPs. Molecular mechanisms underlying the pre-exposure effects were explored in transcriptomic and metabolomic experiments. Pre-exposure to either NPs inhibited the subsequent uptake of 55Fe2O3 NPs. The results of the transcriptomic experiment indicated that NP pre-exposure influenced the expression of genes related to phagosomes and lysosomes and physiological processes such as glutathione and lipid metabolism, which are closely associated with the endocytosis of 55Fe2O3 NPs. The differentially expressed metabolites obtained from the metabolomic experiments showed an enrichment of energy metabolism and antioxidation pathways in T. thermophila pre-exposed to NPs. Together, these results demonstrate that the pre-exposure of T. thermophila to Fe2O3 or TiO2 NPs inhibited the protozoan's subsequent uptake of 55Fe2O3 NPs, possibly by mechanisms involving the alteration of endocytosis-related organelles, the induction of oxidative stress, and a lowering of the intracellular energy supply. Thus, NP pre-exposure represents a scenario which can inform increasingly realistic estimates of NP bioaccumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Bo Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China PRC
| | - Chao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China PRC
| | - Ke Pan
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China PRC
| | - Liuyan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China PRC
| | - Ai-Jun Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China PRC
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Richardson E, Dacks JB. Distribution of Membrane Trafficking System Components Across Ciliate Diversity Highlights Heterogenous Organelle-Associated Machinery. Traffic 2022; 23:208-220. [PMID: 35128766 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The ciliate phylum is a group of protists noted for their unusual membrane trafficking system and apparent environmental ubiquity; as highly successful microbial predators, they are found in all manner of environments and the ability for specific species to adapt to extremely challenging conditions makes them valued as bioindicators. Ciliates have also been used for many years as cell biological models due to their large cell size and ease of culturing, and for many fundamental cell structures, particularly membrane-bound organelles, ciliates were some of the earliest organisms in which these were observed via microscopy. In this study, we carried out a comparative genomic survey of selected membrane trafficking proteins in a pan-ciliate transcriptome and genome dataset. We observed considerable loss of membrane trafficking system (MTS) proteins that would indicate a loss of machinery that is generally conserved across eukaryotic diversity, even after controlling for potentially incomplete genome representation. In particular, the DSL1 complex was missing in all surveyed ciliates. This protein complex has been shown as involved in peroxisome biogenesis in some model systems, and a paucity of DSL1 components has been indicative of degenerate peroxisome. However, Tetrahymena thermophila (formerly Tetrahymena pyroformis) was one of the original models for visualising peroxisomes. Conversely, the AP3 complex essential for mucocyst maturation in T. thermophila, is poorly conserved despite the presence of secretory lysosome-related organelles across ciliate diversity. We discuss potential resolutions for these apparent paradoxes in the context of the heterogenous distribution of MTS machinery across the diversity of ciliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Richardson
- University of Alberta School of Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
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3
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Cole E, Gaertig J. Anterior-posterior pattern formation in ciliates. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12890. [PMID: 35075744 PMCID: PMC9309198 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
As single cells, ciliates build, duplicate, and even regenerate complex cortical patterns by largely unknown mechanisms that precisely position organelles along two cell‐wide axes: anterior–posterior and circumferential (left–right). We review our current understanding of intracellular patterning along the anterior–posterior axis in ciliates, with emphasis on how the new pattern emerges during cell division. We focus on the recent progress at the molecular level that has been driven by the discovery of genes whose mutations cause organelle positioning defects in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. These investigations have revealed a network of highly conserved kinases that are confined to either anterior or posterior domains in the cell cortex. These pattern‐regulating kinases create zones of cortical inhibition that by exclusion determine the precise placement of organelles. We discuss observations and models derived from classical microsurgical experiments in large ciliates (including Stentor) and interpret them in light of recent molecular findings in Tetrahymena. In particular, we address the involvement of intracellular gradients as vehicles for positioning organelles along the anterior‐posterior axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Cole
- Biology Department, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, USA
| | - Jacek Gaertig
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Guo WB, Yang LY, Miao AJ. Bacteria compete with hematite nanoparticles during their uptake by the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 411:125098. [PMID: 33858088 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial accumulation of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) result in their transfer along the food chain. However, there are a lot of NPs not associated with bacteria. Whether bacteria, as representative biotic particles, influence the biological uptake of these non-associated NPs in aquatic ecosystems is unclear. In the present study, we examined the effects of four bacterial species on the uptake kinetics of polyacrylate-coated hematite nanoparticles (HemNPs) by the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. The HemNPs were well dispersed. Their adsorption on the bacteria was low with negligible uptake by T. thermophila through bacterial ingestion. This result demonstrated the feasibility of examining the effects of bacteria on the uptake of non-associated HemNPs. Our study further showed that all four bacterial species inhibited the uptake of HemNPs by T. thermophila; however, the effects of the bacterial cells on the physiological activities of the ciliate with respect to its uptake of HemNPs were negligible. In the absence of phagocytosis by T. thermophila, none of the bacteria inhibited HemNP uptake. This observation suggested that bacterial cells competed with the HemNPs for uptake via phagocytosis. Therefore, in evaluations of the environmental risks of NPs, their competition with biotic particles should be taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Bo Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Liu-Yan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210046, People's Republic of China
| | - Ai-Jun Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210046, People's Republic of China.
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5
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Sparvoli D, Lebrun M. Unraveling the Elusive Rhoptry Exocytic Mechanism of Apicomplexa. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:622-637. [PMID: 34045149 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites are unicellular eukaryotes that invade the cells in which they proliferate. The development of genetic tools in Toxoplasma, and then in Plasmodium, in the 1990s allowed the first description of the molecular machinery used for motility and invasion, revealing a crucial role for two different secretory organelles, micronemes and rhoptries. Rhoptry proteins are injected directly into the host cytoplasm not only to promote invasion but also to manipulate host functions. Nonetheless, the injection machinery has remained mysterious, a major conundrum in the field. Here we review recent progress in uncovering structural components and proteins implicated in rhoptry exocytosis and explain how revisiting early findings and considering the evolutionary origins of Apicomplexa contributed to some of these discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Sparvoli
- LPHI UMR5235, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, F-34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- LPHI UMR5235, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, F-34095 Montpellier, France.
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Hernández J, Gabrielli M, Costa J, Uttaro AD. Phagocytic and pinocytic uptake of cholesterol in Tetrahymena thermophila impact differently on gene regulation for sterol homeostasis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9067. [PMID: 33907281 PMCID: PMC8079401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88737-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila can either synthesize tetrahymanol or when available, assimilate and modify sterols from its diet. This metabolic shift is mainly driven by transcriptional regulation of genes for tetrahymanol synthesis (TS) and sterol bioconversion (SB). The mechanistic details of sterol uptake, intracellular trafficking and the associated gene expression changes are unknown. By following cholesterol incorporation over time in a conditional phagocytosis-deficient mutant, we found that although phagocytosis is the main sterol intake route, a secondary endocytic pathway exists. Different expression patterns for TS and SB genes were associated with these entry mechanisms. Squalene synthase was down-regulated by a massive cholesterol intake only attainable by phagocytosis-proficient cells, whereas C22-sterol desaturase required ten times less cholesterol and was up-regulated in both wild-type and mutant cells. These patterns are suggestive of at least two different signaling pathways. Sterol trafficking beyond phagosomes and esterification was impaired by the NPC1 inhibitor U18666A. NPC1 is a protein that mediates cholesterol export from late endosomes/lysosomes in mammalian cells. U18666A also produced a delay in the transcriptional response to cholesterol, suggesting that the regulatory signals are triggered between lysosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum. These findings could hint at partial conservation of sterol homeostasis between eukaryote lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefina Hernández
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Matías Gabrielli
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Joaquín Costa
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Antonio D Uttaro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina.
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Zhao YT, Yan S, Huang B, Yang L, Ding HM, Wang P, Miao AJ. Unbound Natural Organic Matter Competes with Nanoparticles for Internalization Receptors During Cell Uptake. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:15215-15224. [PMID: 33169997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Natural organic matter (NOM) that forms coronas on the surface of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) affects their stability, bio-uptake, and toxicity. After corona formation, a large amount of unbound NOM remains in the environment and their effects on organismal uptake of NPs remain unknown. Here, the effects of unbound NOM on the uptake of polyacrylate-coated hematite NPs (HemNPs) by the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila were examined. HemNPs were well-dispersed without any detectable NOM adsorption. Kinetics experiments showed that unbound NOM decreased the uptake of HemNPs with greater inhibition at lower concentrations of the particles in the presence of NOM of higher molecular weight. The unbound NOM suppressed clathrin-mediated endocytosis but not the phagocytosis of HemNPs. Confirmation of these events was obtained using label-free hyperspectral stimulated Raman spectroscopy imaging and dissipative particle dynamics simulation. Overall, the present study demonstrates that unbound NOM can compete with HemNPs for internalization receptors on the surface of T. thermophila and inhibit particle uptake, highlighting the need to consider the direct effects of unbound NOM in bioapplication studies and in safety evaluations of NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Tong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210046, P. R. China
| | - Shuai Yan
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430074, P. R. China
| | - Bin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210046, P. R. China
| | - Liuyan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210046, P. R. China
| | - Hong-Ming Ding
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research, School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215006, P. R. China
| | - Ping Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430074, P. R. China
| | - Ai-Jun Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210046, P. R. China
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8
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Tetrahymena as a Unicellular Model Eukaryote: Genetic and Genomic Tools. Genetics 2017; 203:649-65. [PMID: 27270699 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.114.169748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetrahymena thermophila is a ciliate model organism whose study has led to important discoveries and insights into both conserved and divergent biological processes. In this review, we describe the tools for the use of Tetrahymena as a model eukaryote, including an overview of its life cycle, orientation to its evolutionary roots, and methodological approaches to forward and reverse genetics. Recent genomic tools have expanded Tetrahymena's utility as a genetic model system. With the unique advantages that Tetrahymena provide, we argue that it will continue to be a model organism of choice.
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Boehm CM, Obado S, Gadelha C, Kaupisch A, Manna PT, Gould GW, Munson M, Chait BT, Rout MP, Field MC. The Trypanosome Exocyst: A Conserved Structure Revealing a New Role in Endocytosis. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006063. [PMID: 28114397 PMCID: PMC5256885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane transport is an essential component of pathogenesis for most infectious organisms. In African trypanosomes, transport to and from the plasma membrane is closely coupled to immune evasion and antigenic variation. In mammals and fungi an octameric exocyst complex mediates late steps in exocytosis, but comparative genomics suggested that trypanosomes retain only six canonical subunits, implying mechanistic divergence. We directly determined the composition of the Trypanosoma brucei exocyst by affinity isolation and demonstrate that the parasite complex is nonameric, retaining all eight canonical subunits (albeit highly divergent at the sequence level) plus a novel essential subunit, Exo99. Exo99 and Sec15 knockdowns have remarkably similar phenotypes in terms of viability and impact on morphology and trafficking pathways. Significantly, both Sec15 and Exo99 have a clear function in endocytosis, and global proteomic analysis indicates an important role in maintaining the surface proteome. Taken together these data indicate additional exocyst functions in trypanosomes, which likely include endocytosis, recycling and control of surface composition. Knockdowns in HeLa cells suggest that the role in endocytosis is shared with metazoan cells. We conclude that, whilst the trypanosome exocyst has novel components, overall functionality appears conserved, and suggest that the unique subunit may provide therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cordula M. Boehm
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Samson Obado
- The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Catarina Gadelha
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra Kaupisch
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Paul T. Manna
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Gwyn W. Gould
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Mary Munson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Brian T. Chait
- The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Michael P. Rout
- The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Mark C. Field
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
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10
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Klinger CM, Ramirez-Macias I, Herman EK, Turkewitz AP, Field MC, Dacks JB. Resolving the homology-function relationship through comparative genomics of membrane-trafficking machinery and parasite cell biology. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2016; 209:88-103. [PMID: 27444378 PMCID: PMC5140719 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
With advances in DNA sequencing technology, it is increasingly common and tractable to informatically look for genes of interest in the genomic databases of parasitic organisms and infer cellular states. Assignment of a putative gene function based on homology to functionally characterized genes in other organisms, though powerful, relies on the implicit assumption of functional homology, i.e. that orthology indicates conserved function. Eukaryotes reveal a dazzling array of cellular features and structural organization, suggesting a concomitant diversity in their underlying molecular machinery. Significantly, examples of novel functions for pre-existing or new paralogues are not uncommon. Do these examples undermine the basic assumption of functional homology, especially in parasitic protists, which are often highly derived? Here we examine the extent to which functional homology exists between organisms spanning the eukaryotic lineage. By comparing membrane trafficking proteins between parasitic protists and traditional model organisms, where direct functional evidence is available, we find that function is indeed largely conserved between orthologues, albeit with significant adaptation arising from the unique biological features within each lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christen M Klinger
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Emily K Herman
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Aaron P Turkewitz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mark C Field
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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Whole Genome Sequencing Identifies a Novel Factor Required for Secretory Granule Maturation in Tetrahymena thermophila. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2016; 6:2505-16. [PMID: 27317773 PMCID: PMC4978903 DOI: 10.1534/g3.116.028878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Unbiased genetic approaches have a unique ability to identify novel genes associated with specific biological pathways. Thanks to next generation sequencing, forward genetic strategies can be expanded to a wider range of model organisms. The formation of secretory granules, called mucocysts, in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila relies, in part, on ancestral lysosomal sorting machinery, but is also likely to involve novel factors. In prior work, multiple strains with defects in mucocyst biogenesis were generated by nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, and characterized using genetic and cell biological approaches, but the genetic lesions themselves were unknown. Here, we show that analyzing one such mutant by whole genome sequencing reveals a novel factor in mucocyst formation. Strain UC620 has both morphological and biochemical defects in mucocyst maturation-a process analogous to dense core granule maturation in animals. Illumina sequencing of a pool of UC620 F2 clones identified a missense mutation in a novel gene called MMA1 (Mucocyst maturation). The defects in UC620 were rescued by expression of a wild-type copy of MMA1, and disrupting MMA1 in an otherwise wild-type strain phenocopies UC620. The product of MMA1, characterized as a CFP-tagged copy, encodes a large soluble cytosolic protein. A small fraction of Mma1p-CFP is pelletable, which may reflect association with endosomes. The gene has no identifiable homologs except in other Tetrahymena species, and therefore represents an evolutionarily recent innovation that is required for granule maturation.
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Diversity of extracellular proteins during the transition from the ‘proto-apicomplexan’ alveolates to the apicomplexan obligate parasites. Parasitology 2015; 143:1-17. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182015001213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
SUMMARYThe recent completion of high-coverage draft genome sequences for several alveolate protozoans – namely, the chromerids, Chromera velia and Vitrella brassicaformis; the perkinsid Perkinsus marinus; the apicomplexan, Gregarina niphandrodes, as well as high coverage transcriptome sequence information for several colpodellids, allows for new genome-scale comparisons across a rich landscape of apicomplexans and other alveolates. Genome annotations can now be used to help interpret fine ultrastructure and cell biology, and guide new studies to describe a variety of alveolate life strategies, such as symbiosis or free living, predation, and obligate intracellular parasitism, as well to provide foundations to dissect the evolutionary transitions between these niches. This review focuses on the attempt to identify extracellular proteins which might mediate the physical interface of cell–cell interactions within the above life strategies, aided by annotation of the repertoires of predicted surface and secreted proteins encoded within alveolate genomes. In particular, we discuss what descriptions of the predicted extracellular proteomes reveal regarding a hypothetical last common ancestor of a pre-apicomplexan alveolate – guided by ultrastructure, life strategies and phylogenetic relationships – in an attempt to understand the evolution of obligate parasitism in apicomplexans.
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