1
|
Smith M, Lesperance M, Herrmann A, Vernooy S, Cherian A, Kivlehan E, Whipple L, Portman DS, Mason DA. Two C. elegans DM domain proteins, DMD-3 and MAB-3, function in late stages of male somatic gonad development. Dev Biol 2024:S0012-1606(24)00158-1. [PMID: 38880276 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
To bring about sexual dimorphism in form, information from the sex determination pathway must trigger sex-specific modifications in developmental programs. DM-domain encoding genes have been found to be involved in sex determination in a multitude of animals, often at the level of male somatic gonad formation. Here we report our findings that the DM-domain transcription factors MAB-3 and DMD-3 function together in multiple steps during the late stages of C. elegans male somatic gonad development. Both mab-3 and dmd-3 are expressed in the linker cell and hindgut of L4 males and dmd-3 is also expressed in presumptive vas deferens cells. Furthermore, dmd-3, but not mab-3, expression in the linker cell is downstream of nhr-67, a nuclear hormone receptor that was previously shown to control late stages of linker cell migration. In mab-3 ; dmd-3 double mutant males, the last stage of linker cell migration is partially defective, resulting in aberrant linker cell shapes and often a failure of the linker cell to complete its migration to the hindgut. When mab-3 ; dmd-3 double mutant linker cells do complete their migration, they fail to be engulfed by the hindgut, indicating that dmd-3 and mab-3 activity are essential for this process . Furthermore, linker cell death and clearance are delayed in mab-3 ; dmd-3 double mutants, resulting in the linker cell persisting into adulthood. Finally, DMD-3 and MAB-3 function to activate expression of the bZIP transcription factor zip-5 and downregulate the expression of the zinc metalloprotease ZMP-1 in the linker cell. Taken together, these results demonstrate a requirement for DM-domain transcription factors in controlling C. elegans male gonad formation, supporting the notion that the earliest DM-domain genes were involved in male somatic gonad development in the last common ancestor of the bilaterians.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michele Smith
- Biology Department, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | | | | | | | - Asher Cherian
- Biology Department, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | - Emily Kivlehan
- Biology Department, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | - Lauren Whipple
- Biology Department, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | - Douglas S Portman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642; Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642; Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - D Adam Mason
- Biology Department, Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211; Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schvarzstein M, Alam F, Toure M, Yanowitz JL. An Emerging Animal Model for Querying the Role of Whole Genome Duplication in Development, Evolution, and Disease. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:26. [PMID: 37367480 PMCID: PMC10299280 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11020026] [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: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Whole genome duplication (WGD) or polyploidization can occur at the cellular, tissue, and organismal levels. At the cellular level, tetraploidization has been proposed as a driver of aneuploidy and genome instability and correlates strongly with cancer progression, metastasis, and the development of drug resistance. WGD is also a key developmental strategy for regulating cell size, metabolism, and cellular function. In specific tissues, WGD is involved in normal development (e.g., organogenesis), tissue homeostasis, wound healing, and regeneration. At the organismal level, WGD propels evolutionary processes such as adaptation, speciation, and crop domestication. An essential strategy to further our understanding of the mechanisms promoting WGD and its effects is to compare isogenic strains that differ only in their ploidy. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is emerging as an animal model for these comparisons, in part because relatively stable and fertile tetraploid strains can be produced rapidly from nearly any diploid strain. Here, we review the use of Caenorhabditis polyploids as tools to understand important developmental processes (e.g., sex determination, dosage compensation, and allometric relationships) and cellular processes (e.g., cell cycle regulation and chromosome dynamics during meiosis). We also discuss how the unique characteristics of the C. elegans WGD model will enable significant advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of polyploidization and its role in development and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mara Schvarzstein
- Biology Department, Brooklyn College at the City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA
- Biology Department, The Graduate Center at the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Biochemistry Department, The Graduate Center at the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Fatema Alam
- Biology Department, Brooklyn College at the City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA
| | - Muhammad Toure
- Biology Department, Brooklyn College at the City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA
| | - Judith L. Yanowitz
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA;
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yin J, Hong X, Wang J, Li W, Shi Y, Wang D, Liu R. DNA methylation 6 mA and histone methylation involved in multi-/trans-generational reproductive effects in Caenorhabditis elegans induced by Atrazine. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 249:114348. [PMID: 36508798 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Atrazine (ATR), a widely used triazine herbicide, is an environmental endocrine disruptor that can cause health problems. However, whether there are multi/trans-generational reproductive impacts of ATR have not been studied. Therefore, in this study, Caenorhabditis elegans was used as a preferable model organism to identify the multi/trans-generational reproductive toxicity of ATR. Only parental C.elegans (P0) were exposed to different concentrations (0.0004-40 mg/L) for 48 h and the subsequent offspring (F1-F5) were grown under ATR-free conditions and ATR conditions.The results showed that ATR exposure during P0 decreased fecundity, including a reduction in fertilized eggs, oocytes, and ovulation rate, delayed gonadal development, and decreased the relative area of gonad arm and germ cell number. Furthermore, continuous ATR exposure (P0-F5) causes a significant increase in reproductive toxicity in subsequent generations, although no significant toxicity occurred in the P0 generation after exposure to environmental-related concentrations, suggesting that ATR exposure might have cumulative effects. Likewise, parental exposure to ATR caused transgenerational toxicity impairments. Interestingly, only reproductive toxicity, not development toxicity, was transmitted to several generations (F1-F4), and the F2 generation showed the most notable changes. QRT-PCR results showed that genes expression related to DNA methylation 6 mA (damt-1, nmad-1) and histone H3 methylation (mes-4, met-2, set-25, set-2, and utx-1) can also be passed on to offspring. The function of H3K4 and H3K9 methylation were explored by using loss-of-function mutants for set-2, set-25, and met-2. Transmissible reproductive toxicity was absent in met-2(n4256), set-2(ok952), and set-25(n5021) mutants, which suggests that the histone methyltransferases H3K4 and H3K9 activity are indispensable for the transgenerational effect of ATR. Finally, the downstream genes of DNA methylation and histone H3 methylation were determined. ATR upregulated the expression of ZC317.7, hsp-6, and hsp-60. Mitochondrial stress in parental generation dependent transcription 6 mA modifiers may establish these epigenetic marks in progeny.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiechen Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiang Hong
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Weixi Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yingchi Shi
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ran Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Agarwal P, Shemesh T, Zaidel-Bar R. Directed cell invasion and asymmetric adhesion drive tissue elongation and turning in C. elegans gonad morphogenesis. Dev Cell 2022; 57:2111-2126.e6. [PMID: 36049484 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Development of the C. elegans gonad has long been studied as a model of organogenesis driven by collective cell migration. A somatic cell named the distal tip cell (DTC) is thought to serve as the leader of following germ cells; yet, the mechanism for DTC propulsion and maneuvering remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the DTC is not self-propelled but rather is pushed by the proliferating germ cells. Proliferative pressure pushes the DTC forward, against the resistance of the basement membrane in front. The DTC locally secretes metalloproteases that degrade the impeding membrane, resulting in gonad elongation. Turning of the gonad is achieved by polarized DTC-matrix adhesions. The asymmetrical traction results in a bending moment on the DTC. Src and Cdc42 regulate integrin adhesion polarity, whereas an external netrin signal determines DTC orientation. Our findings challenge the current view of DTC migration and offer a distinct framework to understand organogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Priti Agarwal
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Tom Shemesh
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel.
| | - Ronen Zaidel-Bar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yamaguchi N, Knaut H. Focal adhesion-mediated cell anchoring and migration: from in vitro to in vivo. Development 2022; 149:275460. [PMID: 35587444 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cell-extracellular matrix interactions have been studied extensively using cells cultured in vitro. These studies indicate that focal adhesion (FA)-based cell-extracellular matrix interactions are essential for cell anchoring and cell migration. Whether FAs play a similarly important role in vivo is less clear. Here, we summarize the formation and function of FAs in cultured cells and review how FAs transmit and sense force in vitro. Using examples from animal studies, we also describe the role of FAs in cell anchoring during morphogenetic movements and cell migration in vivo. Finally, we conclude by discussing similarities and differences in how FAs function in vitro and in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Yamaguchi
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Holger Knaut
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Amran A, Pigatto L, Pocock R, Gopal S. Functions of the extracellular matrix in development: Lessons from Caenorhabditis elegans. Cell Signal 2021; 84:110006. [PMID: 33857577 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2021.110006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Cell-extracellular matrix interactions are crucial for the development of an organism from the earliest stages of embryogenesis. The main constituents of the extracellular matrix are collagens, laminins, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans that form a network of interactions. The extracellular matrix and its associated molecules provide developmental cues and structural support from the outside of cells during development. The complex nature of the extracellular matrix and its ability for continuous remodeling poses challenges when investigating extracellular matrix-based signaling during development. One way to address these challenges is to employ invertebrate models such as Caenorhabditis elegans, which are easy to genetically manipulate and have an invariant developmental program. C. elegans also expresses fewer extracellular matrix protein isoforms and exhibits reduced redundancy compared to mammalian models, thus providing a simpler platform for exploring development. This review summarizes our current understanding of how the extracellular matrix controls the development of neurons, muscles and the germline in C. elegans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aqilah Amran
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Lara Pigatto
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Roger Pocock
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Sandeep Gopal
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia; Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sênos Demarco R, Jones DL. Redox signaling as a modulator of germline stem cell behavior: Implications for regenerative medicine. Free Radic Biol Med 2021; 166:67-72. [PMID: 33592309 PMCID: PMC8021480 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Germline stem cells (GSCs) are crucial for the generation of gametes and propagation of the species. Both intrinsic signaling pathways and environmental cues are employed in order to tightly control GSC behavior, including mitotic divisions, the choice between self-renewal or onset of differentiation, and survival. Recently, oxidation-reduction (redox) signaling has emerged as an important regulator of GSC and gamete behavior across species. In this review, we will highlight the primary mechanisms through which redox signaling acts to influence GSC behavior in different model organisms (Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster and Mus musculus). In addition, we will summarize the latest research on the use of antioxidants to support mammalian spermatogenesis and discuss potential strategies for regenerative medicine in humans to enhance reproductive fitness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Sênos Demarco
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - D Leanne Jones
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Li J, Zhou Y, Zhou Z, Lin C, Wei J, Qin Y, Xiang Z, Ma H, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Yu Z. Comparative transcriptome analysis of three gonadal development stages reveals potential genes involved in gametogenesis of the fluted giant clam (Tridacna squamosa). BMC Genomics 2020; 21:872. [PMID: 33287701 PMCID: PMC7720611 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07276-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gonad development and differentiation is an essential function for all sexually reproducing species, and many aspects of these developmental processes are highly conserved among the metazoa. However, the mechanisms underlying gonad development and gametogenesis remain unclear in Tridacna squamosa, a large-size bivalve of great ecological value. They are protandrous simultaneous hermaphrodites, with the male gonad maturing first, eventually followed by the female gonads. In this study, nine gonad libraries representing resting, male and hermaphrodite stages in T. squamosa were performed to identify the molecular mechanisms. RESULTS Sixteen thousand four hundred ninety-one unigenes were annotated in the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Among the annotated unigenes, 5091 and 7328 unigenes were assigned to Gene Ontology categories and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Pathway database, respectively. A total of 4763 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing male to resting gonads, consisting of 3499 which were comparatively upregulated in males and 1264 which were downregulated in males. Six hundred-ninteen DEGs between male and hermaphroditic gonads were identified, with 518 DEGs more strongly expressed in hermaphrodites and 101 more strongly expressed in males. GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that various biological functions and processes, including functions related to the endocrine system, oocyte meiosis, carbon metabolism, and the cell cycle, were involved in regulating gonadal development and gametogenesis in T. squamosa. Testis-specific serine/threonine kinases 1 (TSSK1), TSSK4, TSSK5, Doublesex- and mab-3-related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1), SOX, Sperm surface protein 17 (SP17) and other genes were involved in male gonadal development in Tridacna squamosal. Both spermatogenesis- (TSSK4, spermatogenesis-associated protein 17, spermatogenesis-associated protein 8, sperm motility kinase X, SP17) and oogenesis-related genes (zona pellucida protein, Forkhead Box L2, Vitellogenin, Vitellogenin receptor, 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor) were simultaneously highly expressed in the hermaphroditic gonad to maintain the hermaphroditism of T. squamosa. CONCLUSION All these results from our study will facilitate better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying giant clam gonad development and gametogenesis, which can provided a base on obtaining excellent gametes during the seed production process for giant clams.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
- Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Yinyin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zihua Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chuanxu Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Jinkuan Wei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Yanpin Qin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Zhiming Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Haitao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Yuehuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China.
- Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
| | - Ziniu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China.
- Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ancestral function of Inhibitors-of-kappaB regulates Caenorhabditis elegans development. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16153. [PMID: 32999373 PMCID: PMC7527347 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73146-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian IκB proteins (IκBs) exert their main function as negative regulators of NF-κB, a central signaling pathway controlling immunity and inflammation. An alternative chromatin role for IκBs has been shown to affect stemness and cell differentiation. However, the involvement of NF-κB in this function has not been excluded. NFKI-1 and IKB-1 are IκB homologs in Caenorhabditis elegans, which lacks NF-κB nuclear effectors. We found that nfki-1 and ikb-1 mutants display developmental defects that phenocopy mutations in Polycomb and UTX-1 histone demethylase, suggesting a role for C. elegans IκBs in chromatin regulation. Further supporting this possibility (1) we detected NFKI-1 in the nucleus of cells; (2) NFKI-1 and IKB-1 bind to histones and Polycomb proteins, (3) and associate with chromatin in vivo, and (4) mutations in nfki-1 and ikb-1 alter chromatin marks. Based on these results, we propose that ancestral IκB inhibitors modulate Polycomb activity at specific gene subsets with an impact on development.
Collapse
|
10
|
Recent Advances in the Genetic, Anatomical, and Environmental Regulation of the C. elegans Germ Line Progenitor Zone. J Dev Biol 2020; 8:jdb8030014. [PMID: 32707774 PMCID: PMC7559772 DOI: 10.3390/jdb8030014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The C. elegans germ line and its gonadal support cells are well studied from a developmental genetics standpoint and have revealed many foundational principles of stem cell niche biology. Among these are the observations that a niche-like cell supports a self-renewing stem cell population with multipotential, differentiating daughter cells. While genetic features that distinguish stem-like cells from their differentiating progeny have been defined, the mechanisms that structure these populations in the germ line have yet to be explained. The spatial restriction of Notch activation has emerged as an important genetic principle acting in the distal germ line. Synthesizing recent findings, I present a model in which the germ stem cell population of the C. elegans adult hermaphrodite can be recognized as two distinct anatomical and genetic populations. This review describes the recent progress that has been made in characterizing the undifferentiated germ cells and gonad anatomy, and presents open questions in the field and new directions for research to pursue.
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhang X, Blockhuys S, Devkota R, Pilon M, Wittung-Stafshede P. The Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of human copper chaperone Atox1, CUC-1, aids in distal tip cell migration. Biometals 2020; 33:147-157. [PMID: 32506305 PMCID: PMC7295847 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-020-00239-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Cell migration is a fundamental biological process involved in for example embryonic development, immune system and wound healing. Cell migration is also a key step in cancer metastasis and the human copper chaperone Atox1 was recently found to facilitate this process in breast cancer cells. To explore the role of the copper chaperone in other cell migration processes, we here investigated the putative involvement of an Atox1 homolog in Caenorhabditis elegans, CUC-1, in distal tip cell migration, which is a key process during the development of the C. elegans gonad. Using knock-out worms, in which the cuc-1 gene was removed by CRISPR-Cas9 technology, we probed life span, brood size, as well as distal tip cell migration in the absence or presence of supplemented copper. Upon scoring of gonads, we found that cuc-1 knock-out, but not wild-type, worms exhibited distal tip cell migration defects in approximately 10–15% of animals and, had a significantly reduced brood size. Importantly, the distal tip cell migration defect was rescued by a wild-type cuc-1 transgene provided to cuc-1 knock-out worms. The results obtained here for C. elegans CUC-1 imply that Atox1 homologs, in addition to their well-known cytoplasmic copper transport, may contribute to developmental cell migration processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Stéphanie Blockhuys
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ranjan Devkota
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marc Pilon
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Foray V, Pérez-Jiménez MM, Fattouh N, Landmann F. Wolbachia Control Stem Cell Behavior and Stimulate Germline Proliferation in Filarial Nematodes. Dev Cell 2018; 45:198-211.e3. [PMID: 29689195 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Although symbiotic interactions are ubiquitous in the living world, examples of developmental symbioses are still scarce. We show here the crucial role of Wolbachia in the oogenesis of filarial nematodes, a class of parasites of biomedical and veterinary relevance. We applied newly developed techniques to demonstrate the earliest requirements of Wolbachia in the parasite germline preceding the production of faulty embryos in Wolbachia-depleted nematodes. We show that Wolbachia stimulate germline proliferation in a cell-autonomous manner, and not through nucleotide supplementation as previously hypothesized. We also found Wolbachia to maintain the quiescence of a pool of germline stem cells to ensure a constant delivery of about 1,400 eggs per day for many years. The loss of quiescence upon Wolbachia depletion as well as the disorganization of the distal germline suggest that Wolbachia are required to execute the proper germline stem cell developmental program in order to produce viable eggs and embryos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Foray
- CRBM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Nour Fattouh
- CRBM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Berger S, Lattmann E, Aegerter-Wilmsen T, Hengartner M, Hajnal A, deMello A, Casadevall i Solvas X. Long-term C. elegans immobilization enables high resolution developmental studies in vivo. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:1359-1368. [PMID: 29652050 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc01185g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Live-imaging of C. elegans is essential for the study of conserved cellular pathways (e.g. EGFR/Wnt signaling) and morphogenesis in vivo. However, the usefulness of live imaging as a research tool has been severely limited by the need to immobilize worms prior to and during imaging. Conventionally, immobilization is achieved by employing both physical and chemical interventions. These are known to significantly affect many physiological processes, and thus limit our understanding of dynamic developmental processes. Herein we present a novel, easy-to-use microfluidic platform for the long-term immobilization of viable, normally developing C. elegans, compatible with image acquisition at high resolution, thereby overcoming the limitations associated with conventional worm immobilization. The capabilities of the platform are demonstrated through the continuous assessment of anchor cell (AC) invasion and distal tip cell (DTC) migration in larval C. elegans and germ cell apoptosis in adult C. elegans in vivo for the first time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Berger
- Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
The dosage-dependent effect exerted by the NM23-H1/H2 homolog NDK-1 on distal tip cell migration in C. elegans. J Transl Med 2018; 98:182-189. [PMID: 28920944 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2017.99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal regulation of cell migration and altered rearrangement of the cytoskeleton are fundamental properties of metastatic cells. The first identified metastasis suppressor NM23-H1, which displays nucleoside-diphosphate kinase (NDPK) activity is involved in these processes. NM23-H1 inhibits the migratory and invasive potential of some cancer cells. Correspondingly, numerous invasive cancer cell lines (eg, breast, colon, oral, hepatocellular carcinoma, and melanoma) display low endogenous NM23 levels. In this review, we summarize mechanisms, which are linked to the anti-metastatic activity of NM23. In human cancer cell lines NM23-H1 was shown to regulate cytoskeleton dynamics through inactivation of Rho/Rac-type GTPases. The Drosophila melanogaster NM23 homolog abnormal wing disc (AWD) controls tracheal and border cell migration. The molecular function of AWD is well characterized in both processes as a GTP supplier of Shi/Dynamin whereby AWD regulates the level of chemotactic receptors on the surface of migrating cells through receptor internalization, by its endocytic function. Our group studied the role of the sole group I NDPK, NDK-1 in distal tip cell (DTC) migration in Caenorhabditis elegans. In the absence of NDK-1 the migration of DTCs is incomplete. A half dosage of NDPK as present in ndk-1 (+/-) heterozygotes results in extra turns and overshoots of migrating gonad arms. Conversely, an elevated NDPK level also leads to incomplete gonadal migration owing to a premature stop of DTCs in the third phase of migration, where NDK-1 acts. We propose that NDK-1 exerts a dosage-dependent effect on the migration of DTCs. Our data derived from DTC migration in C. elegans is consistent with data on AWD's function in Drosophila. The combined data suggest that NDPK enzymes control the availability of surface receptors to regulate cell-sensing cues during cell migration. The dosage of NDPKs may be a coupling factor in cell migration by modulating the efficiency of receptor recycling.
Collapse
|
15
|
Sherwood DR, Plastino J. Invading, Leading and Navigating Cells in Caenorhabditis elegans: Insights into Cell Movement in Vivo. Genetics 2018; 208:53-78. [PMID: 29301948 PMCID: PMC5753875 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.300082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly regulated cell migration events are crucial during animal tissue formation and the trafficking of cells to sites of infection and injury. Misregulation of cell movement underlies numerous human diseases, including cancer. Although originally studied primarily in two-dimensional in vitro assays, most cell migrations in vivo occur in complex three-dimensional tissue environments that are difficult to recapitulate in cell culture or ex vivo Further, it is now known that cells can mobilize a diverse repertoire of migration modes and subcellular structures to move through and around tissues. This review provides an overview of three distinct cellular movement events in Caenorhabditis elegans-cell invasion through basement membrane, leader cell migration during organ formation, and individual cell migration around tissues-which together illustrate powerful experimental models of diverse modes of movement in vivo We discuss new insights into migration that are emerging from these in vivo studies and important future directions toward understanding the remarkable and assorted ways that cells move in animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David R Sherwood
- Department of Biology, Regeneration Next, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705
| | - Julie Plastino
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 168, F-75005 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 168, F-75005 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Pandey A, Yadav V, Sharma A, Khurana JP, Pandey GK. The unc-53 gene negatively regulates rac GTPases to inhibit unc-5 activity during Distal tip cell migrations in C. elegans. Cell Adh Migr 2017; 12:195-203. [PMID: 28678595 DOI: 10.1080/19336918.2017.1345413] [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] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The unc-53/NAV2 gene encodes for an adaptor protein required for cell migrations along the anteroposterior (AP) axes of C. elegans. This study identifies unc-53 as a novel component of signaling pathways regulating Distal tip cell (DTC) migrations along the AP and dorsoventral (DV) axes. unc-53 negatively regulates and functions downstream of ced-10/Rac pathway genes; ced-10/Rac and mig-2/RhoG, which are required for proper DTC migration. Moreover, unc-53 exhibits genetic interaction with abl-1 and unc-5, the 2 known negative regulators of ced-10/Rac signaling. Our genetic analysis supports the model, where abl-1 negatively regulates unc-53 during DTC migrations and requirement of unc-53 function during both AP and DV DTC migrations could be due to unc-53 mediated regulation of unc-5 activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amita Pandey
- a Department of Plant Molecular Biology , University of Delhi South Campus , New Delhi , India
| | - Vipul Yadav
- b Department of Genetics , University of Delhi South Campus , New Delhi , India
| | - Aditi Sharma
- a Department of Plant Molecular Biology , University of Delhi South Campus , New Delhi , India
| | - Jitendra P Khurana
- a Department of Plant Molecular Biology , University of Delhi South Campus , New Delhi , India
| | - Girdhar K Pandey
- a Department of Plant Molecular Biology , University of Delhi South Campus , New Delhi , India
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sallee MD, Littleford HE, Greenwald I. A bHLH Code for Sexually Dimorphic Form and Function of the C. elegans Somatic Gonad. Curr Biol 2017; 27:1853-1860.e5. [PMID: 28602651 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
How sexually dimorphic gonads are generated is a fundamental question at the interface of developmental and evolutionary biology [1-3]. In C. elegans, sexual dimorphism in gonad form and function largely originates in different apportionment of roles to three regulatory cells of the somatic gonad primordium in young larvae. Their essential roles include leading gonad arm outgrowth, serving as the germline niche, connecting to epithelial openings, and organizing reproductive organ development. The development and function of the regulatory cells in both sexes requires the basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor HLH-2, the sole ortholog of the E proteins mammalian E2A and Drosophila Daughterless [4-8], yet how they adopt different fates to execute their different roles has been unknown. Here, we show that each regulatory cell expresses a distinct complement of bHLH-encoding genes-and therefore distinct HLH-2:bHLH dimers-and formulate a "bHLH code" hypothesis for regulatory cell identity. We support this hypothesis by showing that the bHLH gene complement is both necessary and sufficient to confer particular regulatory cell fates. Strikingly, prospective regulatory cells can be directly reprogrammed into other regulatory cell types simply by loss or ectopic expression of bHLH genes, and male-to-female and female-to-male transformations indicate that the code is instructive for sexual dimorphism. The bHLH code appears to be embedded in a bow-tie regulatory architecture [9, 10], wherein sexual, positional, temporal, and lineage inputs connect through bHLH genes to diverse outputs for terminal features and provides a plausible mechanism for the evolutionary plasticity of gonad form seen in nematodes [11-15].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria D Sallee
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Hana E Littleford
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Iva Greenwald
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Cecchetelli AD, Cram EJ. Regulating distal tip cell migration in space and time. Mech Dev 2017; 148:11-17. [PMID: 28442366 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Gonad morphogenesis in the nematode C. elegans is guided by two leader cells, the distal tip cells (DTC). The DTCs migrate along a stereotyped path, executing two 90° turns before stopping at the midpoint of the animal. This migratory path determines the double-U shape of the adult gonad, therefore, the path taken by the DTCs can be inferred from the final shape of the organ. In this review, we focus on the mechanism by which the DTC executes the first 90° turn from the ventral to dorsal side of the animal, and how it finds its correct stopping place at the midpoint of the animal. We discuss the role of heterochronic genes in coordinating DTC migration with larval development, the role of feedback loops and miRNA regulation in phenotypic robustness, and the role of RNA binding proteins in the cessation of DTC migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa D Cecchetelli
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 134 Mugar Hall, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Erin J Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 134 Mugar Hall, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Levy-Strumpf N. Orchestrating A/P and D/V guidance - A Wnt/Netrin tale. WORM 2016; 5:e1146857. [PMID: 27073738 PMCID: PMC4805361 DOI: 10.1080/21624054.2016.1146857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
While ample information was gathered in identifying guidance cues and their downstream mediators, very little is known about how the information from multiple extracellular cues is intracellularly to generate normal patterning. Netrin and Wnt signaling pathways play key roles in normal development as well as in malignancies. In C. elegans, as in vertebrates, dorso-ventral (D/V) graded distributions of UNC-6/Netrin and antero-posterior (A/P) graded distributions of Wnts provide instructive polarity information to guide cells and axons along their respective gradients. In this commentary, I will discuss recent findings demonstrating that these 2 signaling pathways also function redundantly to regulate polarity orthogonal to the axis of their gradation. Thus, Wnt signaling components contribute to D/V polarity, while Netrin signaling components contribute to A/P polarity and their joint action collaboratively governs migratory transitions from one axis to the other. These findings pave the way to unraveling broader roles of Wnt and Netrin signaling pathways, roles that are masked due to their redundant nature, and provide a conceptually novel view of how antero-posterior and dorso-ventral guidance mechanisms are orchestrated to establish polarity in multiple biological processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Levy-Strumpf
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital , Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Functional and Genetic Analysis of VAB-10 Spectraplakin in Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods Enzymol 2016; 569:407-30. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2015.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
21
|
Basement Membranes in the Worm: A Dynamic Scaffolding that Instructs Cellular Behaviors and Shapes Tissues. CURRENT TOPICS IN MEMBRANES 2015; 76:337-71. [PMID: 26610919 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctm.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans has all the major basement membrane proteins found in vertebrates, usually with a smaller gene family encoding each component. With its powerful forward genetics, optical clarity, simple tissue organization, and the capability to functionally tag most basement membrane components with fluorescent proteins, C. elegans has facilitated novel insights into the assembly and function of basement membranes. Although basement membranes are generally thought of as static structures, studies in C. elegans have revealed their active properties and essential functions in tissue formation and maintenance. Here, we review discoveries from C. elegans development that highlight dynamic aspects of basement membrane assembly, function, and regulation during organ growth, tissue polarity, cell migration, cell invasion, and tissue attachment. These studies have helped transform our view of basement membranes from static support structures to dynamic scaffoldings that play broad roles in regulating tissue organization and cellular behavior that are essential for development and have important implications in human diseases.
Collapse
|
22
|
Lowry J, Yochem J, Chuang CH, Sugioka K, Connolly AA, Bowerman B. High-Throughput Cloning of Temperature-Sensitive Caenorhabditis elegans Mutants with Adult Syncytial Germline Membrane Architecture Defects. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2015; 5:2241-55. [PMID: 26311651 PMCID: PMC4632044 DOI: 10.1534/g3.115.021451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The adult Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite gonad consists of two mirror-symmetric U-shaped arms, with germline nuclei located peripherally in the distal regions of each arm. The nuclei are housed within membrane cubicles that are open to the center, forming a syncytium with a shared cytoplasmic core called the rachis. As the distal germline nuclei progress through meiotic prophase, they move proximally and eventually cellularize as their compartments grow in size. The development and maintenance of this complex and dynamic germline membrane architecture are relatively unexplored, and we have used a forward genetic screen to identify 20 temperature-sensitive mutations in 19 essential genes that cause defects in the germline membrane architecture. Using a combined genome-wide SNP mapping and whole genome sequencing strategy, we have identified the causal mutations in 10 of these mutants. Four of the genes we have identified are conserved, with orthologs known to be involved in membrane biology, and are required for proper development or maintenance of the adult germline membrane architecture. This work provides a starting point for further investigation of the mechanisms that control the dynamics of syncytial membrane architecture during adult oogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josh Lowry
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - John Yochem
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Chien-Hui Chuang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Kenji Sugioka
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Amy A Connolly
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Bruce Bowerman
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Levy-Strumpf N, Krizus M, Zheng H, Brown L, Culotti JG. The Wnt Frizzled Receptor MOM-5 Regulates the UNC-5 Netrin Receptor through Small GTPase-Dependent Signaling to Determine the Polarity of Migrating Cells. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005446. [PMID: 26292279 PMCID: PMC4546399 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt and Netrin signaling regulate diverse essential functions. Using a genetic approach combined with temporal gene expression analysis, we found a regulatory link between the Wnt receptor MOM-5/Frizzled and the UNC-6/Netrin receptor UNC-5. These two receptors play key roles in guiding cell and axon migrations, including the migration of the C. elegans Distal Tip Cells (DTCs). DTCs migrate post-embryonically in three sequential phases: in the first phase along the Antero-Posterior (A/P) axis, in the second, along the Dorso-Ventral (D/V) axis, and in the third, along the A/P axis. Loss of MOM-5/Frizzled function causes third phase A/P polarity reversals of the migrating DTCs. We show that an over-expression of UNC-5 causes similar DTC A/P polarity reversals and that unc-5 deficits markedly suppress the A/P polarity reversals caused by mutations in mom-5/frizzled. This implicates MOM-5/Frizzled as a negative regulator of unc-5. We provide further evidence that small GTPases mediate MOM-5's regulation of unc-5 such that one outcome of impaired function of small GTPases like CED-10/Rac and MIG-2/RhoG is an increase in unc-5 function. The work presented here demonstrates the existence of cross talk between components of the Netrin and Wnt signaling pathways and provides further insights into the way guidance signaling mechanisms are integrated to orchestrate directed cell migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Levy-Strumpf
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Meghan Krizus
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hong Zheng
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Louise Brown
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joseph G. Culotti
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Burke SL, Hammell M, Ambros V. Robust Distal Tip Cell Pathfinding in the Face of Temperature Stress Is Ensured by Two Conserved microRNAS in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2015; 200:1201-18. [PMID: 26078280 PMCID: PMC4574240 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.179184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological robustness, the ability of an organism to maintain a steady-state output as genetic or environmental inputs change, is critical for proper development. MicroRNAs have been implicated in biological robustness mechanisms through their post-transcriptional regulation of genes and gene networks. Previous research has illustrated examples of microRNAs promoting robustness as part of feedback loops and genetic switches and by buffering noisy gene expression resulting from environmental and/or internal changes. Here we show that the evolutionarily conserved microRNAs mir-34 and mir-83 (homolog of mammalian mir-29) contribute to the robust migration pattern of the distal tip cells in Caenorhabditis elegans by specifically protecting against stress from temperature changes. Furthermore, our results indicate that mir-34 and mir-83 may modulate the integrin signaling involved in distal tip cell migration by potentially targeting the GTPase cdc-42 and the beta-integrin pat-3. Our findings suggest a role for mir-34 and mir-83 in integrin-controlled cell migrations that may be conserved through higher organisms. They also provide yet another example of microRNA-based developmental robustness in response to a specific environmental stress, rapid temperature fluctuations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Burke
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Molly Hammell
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724
| | - Victor Ambros
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Doherty MF, Adelmant G, Cecchetelli AD, Marto JA, Cram EJ. Proteomic analysis reveals CACN-1 is a component of the spliceosome in Caenorhabditis elegans. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2014; 4:1555-64. [PMID: 24948787 PMCID: PMC4132184 DOI: 10.1534/g3.114.012013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Cell migration is essential for embryonic development and tissue formation in all animals. cacn-1 is a conserved gene of unknown molecular function identified in a genome-wide screen for genes that regulate distal tip cell migration in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study we take a proteomics approach to understand CACN-1 function. To isolate CACN-1-interacting proteins, we used an in vivo tandem-affinity purification strategy. Tandem-affinity purification-tagged CACN-1 complexes were isolated from C. elegans lysate, analyzed by mass spectrometry, and characterized bioinformatically. Results suggest significant interaction of CACN-1 with the C. elegans spliceosome. All of the identified interactors were screened for distal tip cell migration phenotypes using RNAi. Depletion of many of these factors led to distal tip cell migration defects, particularly a failure to stop migrating, a phenotype commonly seen in cacn-1 deficient animals. The results of this screen identify eight novel regulators of cell migration and suggest CACN-1 may participate in a protein network dedicated to high-fidelity gonad development. The composition of proteins comprising the CACN-1 network suggests that this critical developmental module may exert its influence through alternative splicing or other post-transcriptional gene regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Doherty
- Biology Department, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Guillaume Adelmant
- Department of Cancer Biology and Blais Proteomics Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | | | - Jarrod A Marto
- Department of Cancer Biology and Blais Proteomics Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Erin J Cram
- Biology Department, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Levy-Strumpf N, Culotti JG. Netrins and Wnts function redundantly to regulate antero-posterior and dorso-ventral guidance in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004381. [PMID: 24901837 PMCID: PMC4046927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2013] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Guided migrations of cells and developing axons along the dorso-ventral (D/V) and antero-posterior (A/P) body axes govern tissue patterning and neuronal connections. In C. elegans, as in vertebrates, D/V and A/P graded distributions of UNC-6/Netrin and Wnts, respectively, provide instructive polarity information to guide cells and axons migrating along these axes. By means of a comprehensive genetic analysis, we found that simultaneous loss of Wnt and Netrin signaling components reveals previously unknown and unexpected redundant roles for Wnt and Netrin signaling pathways in both D/V and A/P guidance of migrating cells and axons in C. elegans, as well as in processes essential for organ function and viability. Thus, in addition to providing polarity information for migration along the axis of their gradation, Wnts and Netrin are each able to guide migrations orthogonal to the axis of their gradation. Netrin signaling not only functions redundantly with some Wnts, but also counterbalances the effects of others to guide A/P migrations, while the involvement of Wnt signaling in D/V guidance identifies Wnt signaling as one of the long sought mechanisms that functions in parallel to Netrin signaling to promote D/V guidance of cells and axons. These findings provide new avenues for deciphering how A/P and D/V guidance signals are integrated within the cell to establish polarity in multiple biological processes, and implicate broader roles for Netrin and Wnt signaling - roles that are currently masked due to prevalent redundancy. While ample information was gathered in past decades on identifying guidance cues and their downstream mediators, very little is known about how the information from multiple extracellular cues is integrated within the cell to generate normal patterning. Netrin and Wnt signaling pathways are both critical to multiple developmental processes and play key roles in normal development as well as in malignancies. The UNC-6/Netrin guidance cue has a conserved role in guiding cell and growth cone migrations along the dorso-ventral axis, whereas Wnts are critical for determining polarity and guidance along the antero-posterior axis. In this study we show that these two signaling pathways function redundantly in both antero-posterior and dorso-ventral guidance as well as in processes essential for viability. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a fine balance between Wnt and Netrin signaling pathways is critical for proper polarity establishment and identify Wnt signaling as one of the long sought mechanisms that signal in parallel to Netrin to promote dorso-ventral guidance of cells and axons in Caenorhabditis elegans. These findings pave the way to unraveling the broader roles of Wnt and Netrin signaling pathways and provide a conceptually novel view of how antero-posterior and dorso-ventral guidance mechanisms are orchestrated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Levy-Strumpf
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joseph G. Culotti
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Wong MC, Kennedy WP, Schwarzbauer JE. Transcriptionally regulated cell adhesion network dictates distal tip cell directionality. Dev Dyn 2014; 243:999-1010. [PMID: 24811939 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanisms that govern directional changes in cell migration are poorly understood. The migratory paths of two distal tip cells (DTC) determine the U-shape of the C. elegans hermaphroditic gonad. The morphogenesis of this organ provides a model system to identify genes necessary for the DTCs to execute two stereotyped turns. RESULTS Using candidate genes for RNAi knockdown in a DTC-specific strain, we identified two transcriptional regulators required for DTC turning: cbp-1, the CBP/p300 transcriptional coactivator homologue, and let-607, a CREBH transcription factor homologue. Further screening of potential target genes uncovered a network of integrin adhesion-related genes that have roles in turning and are dependent on cbp-1 and let-607 for expression. These genes include src-1/Src kinase, tln-1/talin, pat-2/α integrin and nmy-2, a nonmuscle myosin heavy chain. CONCLUSIONS Transcriptional regulation by means of cbp-1 and let-607 is crucial for determining directional changes during DTC migration. These regulators coordinate a gene network that is necessary for integrin-mediated adhesion. Overall, these results suggest that directional changes in cell migration rely on the precise gene regulation of adhesion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Ching Wong
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lee MH, Cha DS, Mamillapalli SS, Kwon YC, Koo HS. Transgene-mediated co-suppression of DNA topoisomerase-1 gene in Caenorhabditis elegans. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 5:11-20. [PMID: 24955284 PMCID: PMC4058960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2014] [Accepted: 04/12/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Ectopic expression of multi-transgenic copies can result in reduced expression of the transgene and can induce silence of endogenous gene; this process is called as co-suppression. Using a transgene-mediated co-suppression technique, we demonstrated the biological function of DNA topoisomerase-1 (top-1) in C. elegans development. Introduction of full-length top-1 transgene sufficiently induced the co-suppression of endogenous top-1 gene, causing embryonic lethality and abnormal germline development. We also found that the co-suppression of top-1 gene affected morphogenesis, lifespan and larval growth that were not observed in top-1 (RNAi) animals. Strikingly, co-suppression effects were significantly reduced by the elimination of top-1 introns, suggesting that efficient co-suppression may require intron(s) in C. elegans. Sequence analysis revealed that the introns 1 and 2 of top-1 gene possess consensus binding sites for several transcription factors, including MAB-3, LIN-14, TTX-3/CEH-10, CEH-1, and CEH-22. Among them, we examined a genetic link between ceh-22 and top-1. The ceh-22 is partially required for the specification of distal tip cells (DTC), which functions as a stem cell niche in the C. elegans gonad. Intriguingly, top-1 (RNAi) significantly enhanced DTC loss in ceh-22 mutant gonads, indicating that top-1 may play an important role in CEH-22-mediated DTC fate specification. Therefore, our findings suggest that transgene-mediated co-suppression facilitates the silencing of the specific genes and the study of gene function in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myon-Hee Lee
- Department of Oncology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC 27834, USA
- Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC 27834, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Dong Seok Cha
- Department of Oncology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC 27834, USA
- Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Woosuk UniversityJeonbuk 565-701, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Young Chul Kwon
- Department of Oncology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Hyeon-Sook Koo
- Department of Biochemistry, Yonsei UniversitySeoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Weavers H, Skaer H. Tip cells: master regulators of tubulogenesis? Semin Cell Dev Biol 2014; 31:91-9. [PMID: 24721475 PMCID: PMC4071413 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2014.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Revised: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Single tip cells or groups of leading cells develop at the forefront of growing tissues. Tip cells regulate tubule growth and morphogenesis. Tip cells develop distinctive patterns of gene expression and specialised characteristics. Tip cells are required for health and may be involved in the progression of cancer.
The normal development of an organ depends on the coordinated regulation of multiple cell activities. Focusing on tubulogenesis, we review the role of specialised cells or groups of cells that are selected from within tissue primordia and differentiate at the outgrowing tips or leading edge of developing tubules. Tip or leading cells develop distinctive patterns of gene expression that enable them to act both as sensors and transmitters of intercellular signalling. This enables them to explore the environment, respond to both tissue intrinsic signals and extrinsic cues from surrounding tissues and to regulate the behaviour of their neighbours, including the setting of cell fate, patterning cell division, inducing polarity and promoting cell movement and cell rearrangements by neighbour exchange. Tip cells are also able to transmit mechanical tension to promote tissue remodelling and, by interacting with the extracellular matrix, they can dictate migratory pathways and organ shape. Where separate tubular structures fuse to form networks, as in the airways of insects or the vascular system of vertebrates, specialised fusion tip cells act to interconnect disparate elements of the developing network. Finally, we consider their importance in the maturation of mature physiological function and in the development of disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helen Weavers
- Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Helen Skaer
- Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
A DTC niche plexus surrounds the germline stem cell pool in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88372. [PMID: 24586318 PMCID: PMC3929564 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Accepted: 01/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The mesenchymal distal tip cell (DTC) provides the niche for Caenorhabditis elegans germline stem cells (GSCs). The DTC has a complex cellular architecture: its cell body caps the distal gonadal end and contacts germ cells extensively, but it also includes multiple cellular processes that extend along the germline tube and intercalate between germ cells. Here we use the lag-2 DTC promoter to drive expression of myristoylated GFP, which highlights DTC membranes and permits a more detailed view of DTC architecture. We find that short processes intercalating between germ cells contact more germ cells than seen previously. We define this region of extensive niche contact with germ cells as the DTC plexus. The extent of the DTC plexus corresponds well with the previously determined extent of the GSC pool. Moreover, expression of a differentiation marker increases as germ cells move out of the plexus. Maintenance of this DTC plexus depends on the presence of undifferentiated germ cells, suggesting that germ cell state can influence niche architecture. The roles of this DTC architecture remain an open question. One idea is that the DTC plexus delivers Notch signaling to the cluster of germ cells comprising the GSC pool; another idea is that the plexus anchors GSCs at the distal end.
Collapse
|