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Kulesza E, Thomas P, Prewitt SF, Shalit-Kaneh A, Wafula E, Knollenberg B, Winters N, Esteban E, Pasha A, Provart N, Praul C, Landherr L, dePamphilis C, Maximova SN, Guiltinan MJ. The cacao gene atlas: a transcriptome developmental atlas reveals highly tissue-specific and dynamically-regulated gene networks in Theobroma cacao L. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:601. [PMID: 38926852 PMCID: PMC11201900 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05171-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Theobroma cacao, the cocoa tree, is a tropical crop grown for its highly valuable cocoa solids and fat which are the basis of a 200-billion-dollar annual chocolate industry. However, the long generation time and difficulties associated with breeding a tropical tree crop have limited the progress of breeders to develop high-yielding disease-resistant varieties. Development of marker-assisted breeding methods for cacao requires discovery of genomic regions and specific alleles of genes encoding important traits of interest. To accelerate gene discovery, we developed a gene atlas composed of a large dataset of replicated transcriptomes with the long-term goal of progressing breeding towards developing high-yielding elite varieties of cacao. RESULTS We describe the creation of the Cacao Transcriptome Atlas, its global characterization and define sets of genes co-regulated in highly organ- and temporally-specific manners. RNAs were extracted and transcriptomes sequenced from 123 different tissues and stages of development representing major organs and developmental stages of the cacao lifecycle. In addition, several experimental treatments and time courses were performed to measure gene expression in tissues responding to biotic and abiotic stressors. Samples were collected in replicates (3-5) to enable statistical analysis of gene expression levels for a total of 390 transcriptomes. To promote wide use of these data, all raw sequencing data, expression read mapping matrices, scripts, and other information used to create the resource are freely available online. We verified our atlas by analyzing the expression of genes with known functions and expression patterns in Arabidopsis (ACT7, LEA19, AGL16, TIP13, LHY, MYB2) and found their expression profiles to be generally similar between both species. We also successfully identified tissue-specific genes at two thresholds in many tissue types represented and a set of genes highly conserved across all tissues. CONCLUSION The Cacao Gene Atlas consists of a gene expression browser with graphical user interface and open access to raw sequencing data files as well as the unnormalized and CPM normalized read count data mapped to several cacao genomes. The gene atlas is a publicly available resource to allow rapid mining of cacao gene expression profiles. We hope this resource will be used to help accelerate the discovery of important genes for key cacao traits such as disease resistance and contribute to the breeding of elite varieties to help farmers increase yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Kulesza
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Patrick Thomas
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Sarah F Prewitt
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Riverdale, MD, 20737, USA
| | - Akiva Shalit-Kaneh
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Plant Sciences, Volcani-ARO (Agricultural and Rural Organization), Gilat, Israel
| | - Eric Wafula
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Benjamin Knollenberg
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Mars Inc, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Noah Winters
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH, 43201, USA
| | - Eddi Esteban
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Asher Pasha
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas Provart
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Craig Praul
- Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Lena Landherr
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Claude dePamphilis
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Siela N Maximova
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Mark J Guiltinan
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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Rivera AM, Wilburn DB, Swanson WJ. Domain Expansion and Functional Diversification in Vertebrate Reproductive Proteins. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msac105. [PMID: 35587583 PMCID: PMC9154058 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac105] [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] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of fertilization proteins has generated remarkable diversity in molecular structure and function. Glycoproteins of vertebrate egg coats contain multiple zona pellucida (ZP)-N domains (1-6 copies) that facilitate multiple reproductive functions, including species-specific sperm recognition. In this report, we integrate phylogenetics and machine learning to investigate how ZP-N domains diversify in structure and function. The most C-terminal ZP-N domain of each paralog is associated with another domain type (ZP-C), which together form a "ZP module." All modular ZP-N domains are phylogenetically distinct from nonmodular or free ZP-N domains. Machine learning-based classification identifies eight residues that form a stabilizing network in modular ZP-N domains that is absent in free domains. Positive selection is identified in some free ZP-N domains. Our findings support that strong purifying selection has conserved an essential structural core in modular ZP-N domains, with the relaxation of this structural constraint allowing free N-terminal domains to functionally diversify.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto M. Rivera
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Damien B. Wilburn
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Willie J. Swanson
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Funk J, Merino F, Schaks M, Rottner K, Raunser S, Bieling P. A barbed end interference mechanism reveals how capping protein promotes nucleation in branched actin networks. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5329. [PMID: 34504078 PMCID: PMC8429771 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25682-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterodimeric capping protein (CP/CapZ) is an essential factor for the assembly of branched actin networks, which push against cellular membranes to drive a large variety of cellular processes. Aside from terminating filament growth, CP potentiates the nucleation of actin filaments by the Arp2/3 complex in branched actin networks through an unclear mechanism. Here, we combine structural biology with in vitro reconstitution to demonstrate that CP not only terminates filament elongation, but indirectly stimulates the activity of Arp2/3 activating nucleation promoting factors (NPFs) by preventing their association to filament barbed ends. Key to this function is one of CP's C-terminal "tentacle" extensions, which sterically masks the main interaction site of the terminal actin protomer. Deletion of the β tentacle only modestly impairs capping. However, in the context of a growing branched actin network, its removal potently inhibits nucleation promoting factors by tethering them to capped filament ends. End tethering of NPFs prevents their loading with actin monomers required for activation of the Arp2/3 complex and thus strongly inhibits branched network assembly both in cells and reconstituted motility assays. Our results mechanistically explain how CP couples two opposed processes-capping and nucleation-in branched actin network assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Funk
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Felipe Merino
- Department of Structural Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.,Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schaks
- Division of Molecular Cell Biology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Department of Cell Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Klemens Rottner
- Division of Molecular Cell Biology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Department of Cell Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Raunser
- Department of Structural Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Peter Bieling
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.
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4
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Mwangangi DM, Manser E, Robinson RC. The structure of the actin filament uncapping complex mediated by twinfilin. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabd5271. [PMID: 33571120 PMCID: PMC7840138 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd5271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Uncapping of actin filaments is essential for driving polymerization and depolymerization dynamics from capping protein-associated filaments; however, the mechanisms of uncapping leading to rapid disassembly are unknown. Here, we elucidated the x-ray crystal structure of the actin/twinfilin/capping protein complex to address the mechanisms of twinfilin uncapping of actin filaments. The twinfilin/capping protein complex binds to two G-actin subunits in an orientation that resembles the actin filament barbed end. This suggests an unanticipated mechanism by which twinfilin disrupts the stable capping of actin filaments by inducing a G-actin conformation in the two terminal actin subunits. Furthermore, twinfilin disorders critical actin-capping protein interactions, which will assist in the dissociation of capping protein, and may promote filament uncapping through a second mechanism involving V-1 competition for an actin-binding surface on capping protein. The extensive interactions with capping protein indicate that the evolutionary conserved role of twinfilin is to uncap actin filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis M Mwangangi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Biopolis, Singapore 138673, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Edward Manser
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Biopolis, Singapore 138673, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Robert C Robinson
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Biopolis, Singapore 138673, Singapore.
- School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BSE), Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Rayong 21210, Thailand
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (RIIS), Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
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5
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Abstract
Protein function can be regulated via post-translational modifications by numerous enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms, including oxidation of cysteine and methionine residues. Redox-dependent regulatory mechanisms have been identified for nearly every cellular process, but the major paradigm has been that cellular components are oxidized (damaged) by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a relatively unspecific way, and then reduced (repaired) by designated reductases. While this scheme may work with cysteine, it cannot be ascribed to other residues, such as methionine, whose reaction with ROS is too slow to be biologically relevant. However, methionine is clearly oxidized in vivo and enzymes for its stereoselective reduction are present in all three domains of life. Here, we revisit the chemistry and biology of methionine oxidation, with emphasis on its generation by enzymes from the monooxygenase family. Particular attention is placed on MICALs, a recently discovered family of proteins that harbor an unusual flavin-monooxygenase domain with an NADPH-dependent methionine sulfoxidase activity. Based on structural and kinetic information we provide a rational framework to explain MICAL mechanism, inhibition, and regulation. Methionine residues that are targeted by MICALs are reduced back by methionine sulfoxide reductases, suggesting that reversible methionine oxidation may be a general mechanism analogous to the regulation by phosphorylation by kinases/phosphatases. The identification of new enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of methionine will open a new area of research at the forefront of redox signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Manta
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vadim N Gladyshev
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Jékely G. Origin and evolution of the self-organizing cytoskeleton in the network of eukaryotic organelles. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2014; 6:a016030. [PMID: 25183829 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a016030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The eukaryotic cytoskeleton evolved from prokaryotic cytomotive filaments. Prokaryotic filament systems show bewildering structural and dynamic complexity and, in many aspects, prefigure the self-organizing properties of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Here, the dynamic properties of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cytoskeleton are compared, and how these relate to function and evolution of organellar networks is discussed. The evolution of new aspects of filament dynamics in eukaryotes, including severing and branching, and the advent of molecular motors converted the eukaryotic cytoskeleton into a self-organizing "active gel," the dynamics of which can only be described with computational models. Advances in modeling and comparative genomics hold promise of a better understanding of the evolution of the self-organizing cytoskeleton in early eukaryotes, and its role in the evolution of novel eukaryotic functions, such as amoeboid motility, mitosis, and ciliary swimming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gáspár Jékely
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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Vaškovičová K, Žárský V, Rösel D, Nikolič M, Buccione R, Cvrčková F, Brábek J. Invasive cells in animals and plants: searching for LECA machineries in later eukaryotic life. Biol Direct 2013; 8:8. [PMID: 23557484 PMCID: PMC3663805 DOI: 10.1186/1745-6150-8-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive cell growth and migration is usually considered a specifically metazoan phenomenon. However, common features and mechanisms of cytoskeletal rearrangements, membrane trafficking and signalling processes contribute to cellular invasiveness in organisms as diverse as metazoans and plants – two eukaryotic realms genealogically connected only through the last common eukaryotic ancestor (LECA). By comparing current understanding of cell invasiveness in model cell types of both metazoan and plant origin (invadopodia of transformed metazoan cells, neurites, pollen tubes and root hairs), we document that invasive cell behavior in both lineages depends on similar mechanisms. While some superficially analogous processes may have arisen independently by convergent evolution (e.g. secretion of substrate- or tissue-macerating enzymes by both animal and plant cells), at the heart of cell invasion is an evolutionarily conserved machinery of cellular polarization and oriented cell mobilization, involving the actin cytoskeleton and the secretory pathway. Its central components - small GTPases (in particular RHO, but also ARF and Rab), their specialized effectors, actin and associated proteins, the exocyst complex essential for polarized secretion, or components of the phospholipid- and redox- based signalling circuits (inositol-phospholipid kinases/PIP2, NADPH oxidases) are aparently homologous among plants and metazoans, indicating that they were present already in LECA. Reviewer: This article was reviewed by Arcady Mushegian, Valerian Dolja and Purificacion Lopez-Garcia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarína Vaškovičová
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Vinicna 7, 128 43, Prague 2, Czech Republic
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8
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The Long Journey: Actin on the Road to Pro- and Eukaryotic Cells. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 2011; 161:67-85. [DOI: 10.1007/112_2011_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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9
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Friedberg F, Rivero F. Single and multiple CH (calponin homology) domain containing multidomain proteins in Dictyostelium discoideum: an inventory. Mol Biol Rep 2009; 37:2853-62. [PMID: 19779846 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-009-9839-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2009] [Accepted: 09/15/2009] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
We present an inventory of single or multiple calponin homology (CH) domain containing proteins of Dictyostelium discoideum. A multiple alignment and a phylogenetic tree of all 60 CH domains found in 36 proteins showed that most CH domains can be assigned to one of 6 types. We have then distributed the proteins into several classes according to the type and arrangement of the CH domains. Most proteins belong to the class of ABD (actin-binding domain)-forming CH tandems (CH1-CH2) of the alpha-actinin and fimbrin families or to the class of CH3 domain-bearing proteins. There are a few examples of proteins with a single CH1 or CH2 domain, one with a CH1-CH1 doublet and a single representative of the CHe class of microtubule-binding proteins. A comparison with CH domain proteins in Homo sapiens suggests that while the individual domains are available in both species, the existence of identical multidomain proteins in toto is rare. Fimbrin 1, alpha-actinin and EB1 appear as perfect orthologs in both species, whereas filamin and interaptin may represent ancestral forms of human filamin and nesprins. In four more cases (NAV/Unc-53-, smoothelin-, transgelin- and Gas2-related proteins) functional data are needed in order to establish a potential relationship with a human counterpart. Although extensive data exist for a few of the D. discoideum CH proteins, most remain to be characterized and our analysis may help predicting some of their properties.
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Joseph JM, Fey P, Ramalingam N, Liu XI, Rohlfs M, Noegel AA, Müller-Taubenberger A, Glöckner G, Schleicher M. The actinome of Dictyostelium discoideum in comparison to actins and actin-related proteins from other organisms. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2654. [PMID: 18612387 PMCID: PMC2441452 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2008] [Accepted: 06/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin belongs to the most abundant proteins in eukaryotic cells which harbor usually many conventional actin isoforms as well as actin-related proteins (Arps). To get an overview over the sometimes confusing multitude of actins and Arps, we analyzed the Dictyostelium discoideum actinome in detail and compared it with the genomes from other model organisms. The D. discoideum actinome comprises 41 actins and actin-related proteins. The genome contains 17 actin genes which most likely arose from consecutive gene duplications, are all active, in some cases developmentally regulated and coding for identical proteins (Act8-group). According to published data, the actin fraction in a D. discoideum cell consists of more than 95% of these Act8-type proteins. The other 16 actin isoforms contain a conventional actin motif profile as well but differ in their protein sequences. Seven actin genes are potential pseudogenes. A homology search of the human genome using the most typical D. discoideum actin (Act8) as query sequence finds the major actin isoforms such as cytoplasmic beta-actin as best hit. This suggests that the Act8-group represents a nearly perfect actin throughout evolution. Interestingly, limited data from D. fasciculatum, a more ancient member among the social amoebae, show different relationships between conventional actins. The Act8-type isoform is most conserved throughout evolution. Modeling of the putative structures suggests that the majority of the actin-related proteins is functionally unrelated to canonical actin. The data suggest that the other actin variants are not necessary for the cytoskeleton itself but rather regulators of its dynamical features or subunits in larger protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayabalan M. Joseph
- Adolf Butenandt Inst./Cell Biology and Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM), Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Muenchen, Germany
| | - Petra Fey
- dictyBase, Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Nagendran Ramalingam
- Adolf Butenandt Inst./Cell Biology and Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM), Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Muenchen, Germany
| | - Xiao I. Liu
- Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Muenchen, Germany
| | - Meino Rohlfs
- Adolf Butenandt Inst./Cell Biology and Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM), Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Muenchen, Germany
| | - Angelika A. Noegel
- Institute for Biochemistry I, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC) and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Koeln, Germany
| | - Annette Müller-Taubenberger
- Adolf Butenandt Inst./Cell Biology and Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM), Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Muenchen, Germany
| | - Gernot Glöckner
- Leibniz-Institute for Age Research - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Schleicher
- Adolf Butenandt Inst./Cell Biology and Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM), Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Muenchen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Grunt M, Žárský V, Cvrčková F. Roots of angiosperm formins: the evolutionary history of plant FH2 domain-containing proteins. BMC Evol Biol 2008; 8:115. [PMID: 18430232 PMCID: PMC2386819 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-8-115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2007] [Accepted: 04/22/2008] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shuffling of modular protein domains is an important source of evolutionary innovation. Formins are a family of actin-organizing proteins that share a conserved FH2 domain but their overall domain architecture differs dramatically between opisthokonts (metazoans and fungi) and plants. We performed a phylogenomic analysis of formins in most eukaryotic kingdoms, aiming to reconstruct an evolutionary scenario that may have produced the current diversity of domain combinations with focus on the origin of the angiosperm formin architectures. RESULTS The Rho GTPase-binding domain (GBD/FH3) reported from opisthokont and Dictyostelium formins was found in all lineages except plants, suggesting its ancestral character. Instead, mosses and vascular plants possess the two formin classes known from angiosperms: membrane-anchored Class I formins and Class II formins carrying a PTEN-like domain. PTEN-related domains were found also in stramenopile formins, where they have been probably acquired independently rather than by horizontal transfer, following a burst of domain rearrangements in the chromalveolate lineage. A novel RhoGAP-related domain was identified in some algal, moss and lycophyte (but not angiosperm) formins that define a specific branch (Class III) of the formin family. CONCLUSION We propose a scenario where formins underwent multiple domain rearrangements in several eukaryotic lineages, especially plants and chromalveolates. In plants this replaced GBD/FH3 by a probably inactive RhoGAP-like domain, preserving a formin-mediated association between (membrane-anchored) Rho GTPases and the actin cytoskeleton. Subsequent amplification of formin genes, possibly coincident with the expansion of plants to dry land, was followed by acquisition of alternative membrane attachment mechanisms present in extant Class I and Class II formins, allowing later loss of the RhoGAP-like domain-containing formins in angiosperms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Grunt
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Vinièná 5, CZ 128 43 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Viktor Žárský
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Vinièná 5, CZ 128 43 Praha 2, Czech Republic
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Rozvojová 135, CZ 165 02 Praha 6, Czech Republic
| | - Fatima Cvrčková
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Vinièná 5, CZ 128 43 Praha 2, Czech Republic
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