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Kostyuchenko RP, Smirnova NP. Vasa, Piwi, and Pl10 Expression during Sexual Maturation and Asexual Reproduction in the Annelid Pristina longiseta. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:34. [PMID: 37606490 PMCID: PMC10443295 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11030034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Naidids are tiny, transparent freshwater oligochaetes, which are well known for their ability to propagate asexually. Despite the fact that sexually mature individuals and cocoons with embryos are sometimes found in nature, in long-period laboratory cultures, worms reproduce agametically only. In this paper, we showed, for the first time, the expression of Vasa, Piwi, and Pl10 homologs in mature Pristina longiseta worms with well-developed reproductive system structures and germ cells. Although the animals have been propagated asexually by paratomic fission for over 20 years in our lab, some individuals become sexualized under standard conditions for our laboratory culture and demonstrate various stages of maturation. The fully matured animals developed a complete set of sexual apparatus including spermatheca, atrium, seminal vesicles, and ovisac. They also had a clitellum and were able to form cocoons. The cues for the initiation of sexual maturation are still unknown for P. longiseta; nevertheless, our data suggest that the laboratory strain of P. longiseta maintains the ability to become fully sexually mature and to establish germline products even after a long period of agametic reproduction. On the other hand, many of the sexualized worms formed a fission zone and continued to reproduce asexually. Thus, in this species, the processes of asexual reproduction and sexual maturation do not preclude each other, and Vasa, Piwi, and Pl10 homologs are expressed in both somatic and germline tissue including the posterior growth zone, fission zone, nervous system, germline cells, and gametes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman P. Kostyuchenko
- Department of Embryology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7-9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Natalia P. Smirnova
- Department of Embryology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7-9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
- Unit for Cell Signaling, Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, 0317 Oslo, Norway
- Hybrid Technology Hub-Centre for Organ on a Chip-Technology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway
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2
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Hirano-Maeda Y, Ojima D, Kanematsu M. Molecular characterization of Vasa homolog in the pen shell Atrina pectinata: cDNA cloning and expression analysis during gonadal development. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 263:110798. [PMID: 36064136 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2022.110798] [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: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Vasa is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase of the DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box family and a representative component of the germ plasm. In this study, we cloned the full-length vasa homolog in the bivalve Atrina pectinata (psvasa), and performed phylogenetic analysis, mRNA expression analysis for tissue-specific distributions, and immunostaining analysis to reveal its histological localization. The sequence of psvasa was 3587 bp in length and contained a 5' untranslated region of 150 bp, an open reading frame of 2214 bp, and a 3' untranslated region of 1223 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence of psvasa was 737 amino acids long and contained evolutionarily conserved sequences reported in other animals. The mRNA expression analysis showed the highest expression levels in the gonads. Expression was especially high in the ovaries, followed by the testes. The immunostaining analysis showed Vasa-positive cells in the developing gonads, suggesting the presence of putative germ stem cells contributing to the supply of germ cells. Furthermore, characteristic Vasa signals were observed in the basophilic nuclei of the oocytes, suggesting that psvasa plays an important role in the progression of meiosis in oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Hirano-Maeda
- Momoshima Field Station, Fisheries Technology Institute (FTI), Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0061, Japan.
| | - Daisuke Ojima
- Momoshima Field Station, Fisheries Technology Institute (FTI), Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0061, Japan
| | - Masaei Kanematsu
- Momoshima Field Station, Fisheries Technology Institute (FTI), Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0061, Japan
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3
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Gallardi D, Xue X, Mercier E, Mills T, Lefebvre F, Rise ML, Murray HM. RNA-seq analysis of the mantle transcriptome from Mytilus edulis during a seasonal spawning event in deep and shallow water culture sites on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Mar Genomics 2021; 60:100865. [PMID: 33933383 DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2021.100865] [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: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) has global commercial and ecological importance both in wild and cultured conditions. However there is a qualitative and quantitative lack of knowledge of the molecular mechanisms associated with its reproductive physiology, especially with reference to environmental interactions. Here we initiated a transcriptomic analysis (RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq)) of the mantle from both sexes sampled during a seasonal spawning event and from two culture depths (shallow-5 m; deep- 15 m). Mantle libraries were produced from 3 males and 3 females sampled from each of two shallow sites and two deep sites for a total of 12 replicate male and 12 replicate female libraries (24 total libraries). Overall a total of 2.3 billion raw 100 base reads with an average of 96.5 million reads/library were obtained and assembled into 296,118 transcripts with an average length of 568 bp. Overall, 315 transcripts from male libraries and 25 from female libraries were found to be upregulated in deep water as compared to shallow (edgeR adjusted p value ≤ 0.05). Conversely, 126 transcripts from male libraries and 135 from female libraries were found to be significantly downregulated at the same depth. Thirteen transcripts were selected for qPCR validation based on importance in reproduction, antimicrobial defense and metabolism. Of these, 9 RNA-seq identified transcripts were shown by qPCR to be differentially expressed between groups: 2 were upregulated in deep compared with shallow water (dhx38, mt-co1), 2 were upregulated for female compared with male mantle (pias2, mapkap1) and 6 genes (fndc3a, acbd3, klhl10, ccnb3, armc4, mt-co1) showed to be upregulated in males compared to females. The majority of qPCR studied transcripts were identified as involved in gamete development based on the UniProt database. This study further characterizes the importance of the mantle transcriptome during reproductive activities of M. edulis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Gallardi
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 80 East White Hills Road, PO Box 5667, St. John's, NL A1C 5X1, Canada.
| | - Xi Xue
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Eloi Mercier
- Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics - Montreal Node, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Center, 740 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montréal, Québec H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Terry Mills
- Norlantic Processors Limited, P.O. Box 381, Botwood, NL A0H 1E0, Canada
| | - Francois Lefebvre
- Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics - Montreal Node, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Center, 740 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montréal, Québec H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Matthew L Rise
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Harry M Murray
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 80 East White Hills Road, PO Box 5667, St. John's, NL A1C 5X1, Canada
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4
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Filanti B, Piccinini G, Bettini S, Lazzari M, Franceschini V, Maurizii MG, Milani L. Early germline differentiation in bivalves: TDRD7 as a candidate investigational unit for Ruditapes philippinarum germ granule assembly. Histochem Cell Biol 2021; 156:19-34. [PMID: 33770286 PMCID: PMC8277629 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-01983-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The germline is a key feature of sexual animals and the ways in which it separates from the soma differ widely across Metazoa. However, at least at some point during germline differentiation, some cytoplasmic supramolecular structures (collectively called germ plasm-related structures) are present and involved in its specification and/or differentiation. The factors involved in the assembly of these granular structures are various and non-ubiquitous among animals, even if some functional patterns and the presence of certain domains appear to be shared among some. For instance, the LOTUS domain is shared by Oskar, the Holometabola germ plasm master regulator, and some Tudor-family proteins assessed as being involved in the proper assembly of germ granules of different animals. Here, we looked for the presence of LOTUS-containing proteins in the transcriptome of Ruditapes philippinarum (Bivalvia). Such species is of particular interest because it displays annual renewal of gonads, sided by the renewal of germline differentiation pathways. Moreover, previous works have identified in its early germ cells cytoplasmic granules containing germline determinants. We selected the orthologue of TDRD7 as a candidate involved in the early steps of germline differentiation through bioinformatic predictions and immunohistological patterning (immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence). We observed the expression of the protein in putative precursors of germline cells, upstream to the germline marker Vasa. This, added to the fact that orthologues of this protein are involved in the assembly of germ granules in mouse, zebrafish, and fly, makes it a worthy study unit for investigations on the formation of such structures in bivalves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Filanti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Piccinini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Bettini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maurizio Lazzari
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Franceschini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Maurizii
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Liliana Milani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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5
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Iannello M, Bettinazzi S, Breton S, Ghiselli F, Milani L. A Naturally Heteroplasmic Clam Provides Clues about the Effects of Genetic Bottleneck on Paternal mtDNA. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6130822. [PMID: 33555290 PMCID: PMC7936021 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is present in multiple copies within an organism. Since these copies are not identical, a single individual carries a heterogeneous population of mtDNAs, a condition known as heteroplasmy. Several factors play a role in the dynamics of the within-organism mtDNA population: among them, genetic bottlenecks, selection, and strictly maternal inheritance are known to shape the levels of heteroplasmy across mtDNAs. In Metazoa, the only evolutionarily stable exception to the strictly maternal inheritance of mitochondria is the doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI), reported in 100+ bivalve species. In DUI species, there are two highly divergent mtDNA lineages, one inherited through oocyte mitochondria (F-type) and the other through sperm mitochondria (M-type). Having both parents contributing to the mtDNA pool of the progeny makes DUI a unique system to study the dynamics of mtDNA populations. Since, in bivalves, the spermatozoon has few mitochondria (4–5), M-type mtDNA faces a tight bottleneck during embryo segregation, one of the narrowest mitochondrial bottlenecks investigated so far. Here, we analyzed the F- and M-type mtDNA variability within individuals of the DUI species Ruditapes philippinarum and investigated for the first time the effects of such a narrow bottleneck affecting mtDNA populations. As a potential consequence of this narrow bottleneck, the M-type mtDNA shows a large variability in different tissues, a condition so pronounced that it leads to genotypes from different tissues of the same individual not to cluster together. We believe that such results may help understanding the effect of low population size on mtDNA bottleneck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Iannello
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Bettinazzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sophie Breton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Fabrizio Ghiselli
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Liliana Milani
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
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6
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Ortalli M, Varani S, Cimato G, Veronesi R, Quintavalla A, Lombardo M, Monari M, Trombini C. Evaluation of the Pharmacophoric Role of the O-O Bond in Synthetic Antileishmanial Compounds: Comparison between 1,2-Dioxanes and Tetrahydropyrans. J Med Chem 2020; 63:13140-13158. [PMID: 33091297 PMCID: PMC8018184 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniases are neglected diseases that can be treated with a limited drug arsenal; the development of new molecules is therefore a priority. Recent evidence indicates that endoperoxides, including artemisinin and its derivatives, possess antileishmanial activity. Here, 1,2-dioxanes were synthesized with their corresponding tetrahydropyrans lacking the peroxide bridge, to ascertain if this group is a key pharmacophoric requirement for the antileishmanial bioactivity. Newly synthesized compounds were examined in vitro, and their mechanism of action was preliminarily investigated. Three endoperoxides and their corresponding tetrahydropyrans effectively inhibited the growth of Leishmania donovani promastigotes and amastigotes, and iron did not play a significant role in their activation. Further, reactive oxygen species were produced in both endoperoxide- and tetrahydropyran-treated promastigotes. In conclusion, the peroxide group proved not to be crucial for the antileishmanial bioactivity of endoperoxides, under the tested conditions. Our findings reveal the potential of both 1,2-dioxanes and tetrahydropyrans as lead compounds for novel therapies against Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Ortalli
- Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Regional Reference
Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), St. Orsola-Malpighi
University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna,
Italy
| | - Stefania Varani
- Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Regional Reference
Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), St. Orsola-Malpighi
University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna,
Italy
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty
Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via
Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Cimato
- Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Regional Reference
Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), St. Orsola-Malpighi
University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna,
Italy
| | - Ruben Veronesi
- Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”,
Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna Via Selmi 2,
40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Arianna Quintavalla
- Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”,
Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna Via Selmi 2,
40126 Bologna, Italy
- Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria
(CIRM) - Italian Malaria Network (IMN), University of Milan,
20100 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Lombardo
- Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”,
Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna Via Selmi 2,
40126 Bologna, Italy
- Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria
(CIRM) - Italian Malaria Network (IMN), University of Milan,
20100 Milan, Italy
| | - Magda Monari
- Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”,
Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna Via Selmi 2,
40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Trombini
- Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”,
Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna Via Selmi 2,
40126 Bologna, Italy
- Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria
(CIRM) - Italian Malaria Network (IMN), University of Milan,
20100 Milan, Italy
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7
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Passamonti M, Plazzi F. Doubly Uniparental Inheritance and beyond: The contribution of the Manila clamRuditapes philippinarum. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Passamonti
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences University of Bologna Bologna Italy
| | - Federico Plazzi
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences University of Bologna Bologna Italy
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8
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Ghiselli F, Maurizii MG, Reunov A, Ariño-Bassols H, Cifaldi C, Pecci A, Alexandrova Y, Bettini S, Passamonti M, Franceschini V, Milani L. Natural Heteroplasmy and Mitochondrial Inheritance in Bivalve Molluscs. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 59:1016-1032. [PMID: 31120503 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Heteroplasmy is the presence of more than one type of mitochondrial genome within an individual, a condition commonly reported as unfavorable and affecting mitonuclear interactions. So far, no study has investigated heteroplasmy at protein level, and whether it occurs within tissues, cells, or even organelles. The only known evolutionarily stable and natural heteroplasmic system in Metazoa is the Doubly Uniparental Inheritance (DUI)-reported so far in ∼100 bivalve species-in which two mitochondrial lineages are present: one transmitted through eggs (F-type) and the other through sperm (M-type). Because of such segregation, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation proteins reach a high amino acid sequence divergence (up to 52%) between the two lineages in the same species. Natural heteroplasmy coupled with high sequence divergence between F- and M-type proteins provides a unique opportunity to study their expression and assess the level and extent of heteroplasmy. Here, for the first time, we immunolocalized F- and M-type variants of three mitochondrially-encoded proteins in the DUI species Ruditapes philippinarum, in germline and somatic tissues at different developmental stages. We found heteroplasmy at organelle level in undifferentiated germ cells of both sexes, and in male soma, whereas gametes were homoplasmic: eggs for the F-type and sperm for the M-type. Thus, during gametogenesis, only the sex-specific mitochondrial variant is maintained, likely due to a process of meiotic drive. We examine the implications of our results for DUI proposing a revised model, and we discuss interactions of mitochondria with germ plasm and their role in germline development. Molecular and phylogenetic evidence suggests that DUI evolved from the common Strictly Maternal Inheritance, so the two systems likely share the same underlying molecular mechanism, making DUI a useful system for studying mitochondrial biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Ghiselli
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Maurizii
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Arkadiy Reunov
- National Scientific Centre of Marine Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences Far Eastern Branch, Vladivostok 690041, Russia.,Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish N.S. B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Helena Ariño-Bassols
- Departamento de Fisiología e Inmunología, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Carmine Cifaldi
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Andrea Pecci
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Yana Alexandrova
- National Scientific Centre of Marine Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences Far Eastern Branch, Vladivostok 690041, Russia
| | - Simone Bettini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Marco Passamonti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Valeria Franceschini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Liliana Milani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
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9
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Attaallah A, Marchionni S, El-Beltagy A, Abdelaziz K, Lorenzini A, Milani L. Cell cultures of the Manila clam and their possible use in biomonitoring and species preservation. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1827052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A. Attaallah
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - S. Marchionni
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - A. El-Beltagy
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - K. Abdelaziz
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - A. Lorenzini
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - L. Milani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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10
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11
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Germ plasm-related structures in marine medaka gametogenesis; novel sites of Vasa localization and the unique mechanism of germ plasm granule arising. ZYGOTE 2019; 28:9-23. [PMID: 31590697 DOI: 10.1017/s0967199419000546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Germ plasm, a cytoplasmic factor of germline cell differentiation, is suggested to be a perspective tool for in vitro meiotic differentiation. To discriminate between the: (1) germ plasm-related structures (GPRS) involved in meiosis triggering; and (2) GPRS involved in the germ plasm storage phase, we investigated gametogenesis in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma. The GPRS of the mitosis-to-meiosis period are similar in males and females. In both sexes, five events typically occur: (1) turning of the primary Vasa-positive germ plasm granules into the Vasa-positive intermitochondrial cement (IMC); (2) aggregation of some mitochondria by IMC followed by arising of mitochondrial clusters; (3) intramitochondrial localization of IMC-originated Vasa; followed by (4) mitochondrial cluster degradation; and (5) intranuclear localization of Vasa followed by this protein entering the nuclei (gonial cells) and synaptonemal complexes (zygotene-pachytene meiotic cells). In post-zygotene/pachytene gametogenesis, the GPRS are sex specific; the Vasa-positive chromatoid bodies are found during spermatogenesis, but oogenesis is characterized by secondary arising of Vasa-positive germ plasm granules followed by secondary formation and degradation of mitochondrial clusters. A complex type of germ plasm generation, 'the follicle cell assigned germ plasm formation', was found in late oogenesis. The mechanisms discovered are recommended to be taken into account for possible reconstruction of those under in vitro conditions.
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12
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Milani L, Maurizii MG. Insights into Germline Development and Differentiation in Molluscs and Reptiles: The Use of Molecular Markers in the Study of Non-model Animals. Results Probl Cell Differ 2019; 68:321-353. [PMID: 31598863 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23459-1_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
When shifting research focus from model to non-model species, many differences in the working approach should be taken into account and usually methodological modifications are required because of the lack of genetics/genomics and developmental information for the vast majority of organisms. This lack of data accounts for the largely incomplete understanding of how the two components-genes and developmental programs-are intermingled in the process of evolution. A deeper level of knowledge was reached for a few model animals, making it possible to understand some of the processes that guide developmental changes during evolutionary time. However, it is often difficult to transfer the obtained information to other, even closely related, animals. In this chapter, we present and discuss some examples, such as the choice of molecular markers to be used to characterize differentiation and developmental processes. The chosen examples pertain to the study of germline in molluscs, reptiles, and other non-model animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Milani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Maria Gabriella Maurizii
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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13
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Germ plasm provides clues on meiosis: the concerted action of germ plasm granules and mitochondria in gametogenesis of the clam Ruditapes philippinarum. ZYGOTE 2018; 27:25-35. [PMID: 30523771 DOI: 10.1017/s0967199418000588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
SummaryGerm plasm-related structures (GPRS) are known to accompany meiotic cell differentiation but their dynamics are still poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the ultrastructural mechanisms of GPRS transformation during oogenesis and spermatogenesis of the bivalve mollusc Ruditapes philippinarum (Manila clam), exploring patterns of GPRS activity occurring at meiosis onset, sex-specific difference/similarity of such patterns, and the involvement of mitochondria during GPRS-assigned events. In the two sexes, the zygotene-pachytene stage of meiosis is anticipated by three shared steps. First, the dispersion of germ plasm granules containing the germ line determinant VASA occurs. Second, the VASA protein deriving from germ plasm granules enters neighbouring mitochondria and appears to induce mitochondrial matter release, as supported by cytochrome B localization outside the mitochondria. Third, intranuclear VASA entrance occurs and the protein appears involved in chromatin reorganization, as supported by VASA localization in synaptonemal complexes. In spermatogenesis, these three steps are sufficient for the normal course of meiosis. In oogenesis, these are followed by the action of 'germ plasm granule formation complex', a novel type of structure that appears alternative to the Balbiani body. The possibility of germ plasm involvement in reproductive technologies is also suggested.
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14
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Cherif-Feildel M, Kellner K, Goux D, Elie N, Adeline B, Lelong C, Heude Berthelin C. Morphological and molecular criteria allow the identification of putative germ stem cells in a lophotrochozoan, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Histochem Cell Biol 2018; 151:419-433. [PMID: 30318560 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-018-1740-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
While our knowledge of bivalve gametogenesis recently progressed, data on early stages of gametogenesis remain to be developed, especially when dealing with germinal stem cells (GSC) and their niche in these organisms. Here, we wish to develop a strategy to identify putative GSC in Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas based on morphological criteria combined with vasa marker expression. A histological quantitative approach, based on stereology, allowed us to identify two types of early germ cells in the germinal epithelium, one presenting round nuclei and the other irregular ones. Both early germ cell types present slightly condensed chromatin in nucleus, are vasa-positive and the Oyvlg (oyster vasa-like gene) expression in these cells is recorded throughout the whole gametogenesis process. The microenvironment of an early germ cell in oyster includes an associated somatic cell presenting an immunolabeling for BMP2/4 and a close myoid cell. In agreement with the GSC characteristics in other species, we postulate that putative germ stem cells in C. gigas correspond to the early germ cell type with irregular nucleus shape; those early germ cells with a round nucleus may consist in progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maëva Cherif-Feildel
- Normandy University, Caen, France.,Université de Caen Normandie, Unité mixte de recherche Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques MNHN, Sorbonne Université, UCN, CNRS-7208, IRD-207, UA, Caen, France
| | - Kristell Kellner
- Normandy University, Caen, France.,Université de Caen Normandie, Unité mixte de recherche Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques MNHN, Sorbonne Université, UCN, CNRS-7208, IRD-207, UA, Caen, France
| | - Didier Goux
- Normandy University, Caen, France.,Université de Caen Normandie, UNICAEN, SF 4206 ICORE, CMABIO3, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Nicolas Elie
- Normandy University, Caen, France.,Université de Caen Normandie, UNICAEN, SF 4206 ICORE, CMABIO3, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Béatrice Adeline
- Normandy University, Caen, France.,Université de Caen Normandie, Unité mixte de recherche Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques MNHN, Sorbonne Université, UCN, CNRS-7208, IRD-207, UA, Caen, France
| | - Christophe Lelong
- Normandy University, Caen, France.,Université de Caen Normandie, Unité mixte de recherche Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques MNHN, Sorbonne Université, UCN, CNRS-7208, IRD-207, UA, Caen, France
| | - Clothilde Heude Berthelin
- Normandy University, Caen, France. .,Université de Caen Normandie, Unité mixte de recherche Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques MNHN, Sorbonne Université, UCN, CNRS-7208, IRD-207, UA, Caen, France.
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15
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Milani L, Pecci A, Ghiselli F, Passamonti M, Lazzari M, Franceschini V, Maurizii MG. Germ cell line during the seasonal sexual rest of clams: finding niches of cells for gonad renewal. Histochem Cell Biol 2017; 149:105-110. [PMID: 28875375 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-017-1607-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Reconstitution and renewal of tissues are key topics in developmental biology. In this brief work, we analyzed the wintry spent phase of the reproductive cycle in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum (Bivalvia, Veneridae) in order to study the gonad rebuilding that in this species occurs at the beginning of the warmer months. We labeled VASA homolog protein-a germ cell marker-and compared the histological observations of the spent phase with those of the previously analyzed gametogenic phase. In R. philippinarum, during the reproductive season, most of the body mass is represented by sack-like structures (acini) full of developing gametes. In that period, VASA-stained cells are present at the basal pole of the gut epithelium, in the connective tissue, and around the acini. We here show that during the spent phase large portions of the intestine lack such cell type, except for some areas showing a few faintly VASA-stained cells. Cells with similar nuclear morphology are present among loosely organized cells of connective tissue, sometimes as single units, sometimes in small groups, rarely partially organized in primordial gonadic structures. These observations match the findings of RNA-targeting studies that during the spent phase identified the source of bivalve germ cells within the connective tissue in the form of quiescent units and add new information on the possible maintenance of VASA-stained, multipotent cells among the batiprismatic cells of the intestine during the whole life span of these bivalves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Milani
- Department of Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Andrea Pecci
- Department of Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ghiselli
- Department of Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Passamonti
- Department of Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maurizio Lazzari
- Department of Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Franceschini
- Department of Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Maurizii
- Department of Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy
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16
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Cavelier P, Cau J, Morin N, Delsert C. Early gametogenesis in the Pacific oyster: new insights using stem cell and mitotic markers. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:3988-3996. [PMID: 28860120 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.167734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
While our knowledge of bivalve gametogenesis has progressed in recent times, more molecular markers are needed in order to develop tissue imaging. Here, we identified stem cell and mitotic markers to further characterize oyster early gametogenesis, mainly through immunofluorescence microscopy. Intense alkaline phosphatase activity, a non-specific marker for stem cells, was detected on the outer edge of the gonad ducts at the post-spawning stage, suggesting an abundance of undifferentiated cells very early during the sexual cycle. This observation was confirmed using an antibody against Sox2, a transcription factor specific for stem or germline cells, which labeled cells in the gonad duct inner mass and ciliated epithelium early during the initial oyster sexual cycle. Moreover, Vasa, a cytoplasmic marker for germline cells, was also detected in the gonad acini and duct cells, thus confirming that germline cells were abundant early on. In addition, the binding of the minichromosome maintenance MCM6 protein to chromatin indicated the gonad acini and duct cells were engaged in the cell cycle. DNA replication was indeed confirmed by an abundant in vivo incorporation of BrdU into the duct cell chromatin. Finally, proliferation of acini and duct cells was demonstrated by the chromatin-bound Ser10-phosphorylated histone H3, a mitotic marker. The markers for the cell cycle and mitosis used here thus indicate that acini and duct cells were already actively dividing early during the oyster sexual cycle. In addition, together with the stem cell markers, these data reveal that the epithelium delimiting the duct outer edge contains a dynamic population of undifferentiated cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Cavelier
- Université de Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier, France.,IGMM CNRS UMR 5535, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Julien Cau
- Université de Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier, France.,IGH CNRS UPR 1142, 34396 Montpellier, France
| | - Nathalie Morin
- Université de Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier, France.,CRBM CNRS UMR5237, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Claude Delsert
- Université de Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier, France .,CRBM CNRS UMR5237, 34293 Montpellier, France.,3AS Ifremer, 34250 Palavas-les-Flots, France
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