1
|
Roth S. Neofunctionalization of Toll Signaling in Insects: From Immunity to Dorsoventral Patterning. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2023; 39:1-22. [PMID: 37843930 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-120319-120223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Toll signaling plays a crucial role in pathogen defense throughout the animal kingdom. It was discovered, however, for its function in dorsoventral (DV) axis formation in Drosophila. In all other insects studied so far, but not outside the insects, Toll is also required for DV patterning. However, in insects more distantly related to Drosophila, Toll's patterning role is frequently reduced and substituted by an expanded influence of BMP signaling, the pathway implicated in DV axis formation in all major metazoan lineages. This suggests that Toll was integrated into an ancestral BMP-based patterning system at the base of the insects or during insect evolution. The observation that Toll signaling has an immune function in the extraembryonic serosa, an early differentiating tissue of most insect embryos, suggests a scenario of how Toll was co-opted from an ancestral immune function for its new role in axis formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siegfried Roth
- Institute of Zoology-Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kremnev SV. Evolutionary and Ontogenetic Plasticity of Conserved Signaling Pathways in Animals’ Development. Russ J Dev Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360422020114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
3
|
Bressan D, Araujo HM. Evolution of the dorsoventral axis in insects: the changing role of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 49:1-7. [PMID: 34607082 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic dorsal-ventral (DV) patterning by Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) is a conserved feature of Bilateria, based on graded BMP activity set up by diffusible BMP ligands and Chordin/Sog antagonists. In the fly Drosophila melanogaster BMP function is secondary to patterning by the Toll pathway, suggesting a more restricted role for BMPs in insects. With widespread genome sequencing technologies allied to functional analysis in a growing number of species, recent work has shown that BMP's role in DV patterning relative to Toll varies among insect orders. Further, the role of BMP antagonists to set up BMP gradients is also greatly diversified. Here we review the recent findings concerning the role of BMP in the DV patterning of insects and address the potential aspects that may have co-evolved with BMPs to attain this functional divergence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bressan
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helena Marcolla Araujo
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Expression and Function of Toll Pathway Components in the Early Development of the Wasp Nasonia vitripennis. J Dev Biol 2022; 10:jdb10010007. [PMID: 35225961 PMCID: PMC8883978 DOI: 10.3390/jdb10010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Toll signaling pathway is the main source of embryonic DV polarity in the fly Drosophila melanogaster. This pathway appears to have been co-opted from an ancestral innate immunity system within the insects and has been deployed in different ways among insect taxa. Here we report the expression and function of homologs of the important components of the D. melanogaster Toll pathway in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis. We found homologs for all the components; many components had one or more additional paralogs in the wasp relative the fly. We also found significant deviations in expression patterns of N. vitripennis homologs. Finally, we provide some preliminary functional analyses of the N. vitripennis homologs, where we find a mixture of conservation and divergence of function.
Collapse
|
5
|
Pechmann M, Kenny NJ, Pott L, Heger P, Chen YT, Buchta T, Özüak O, Lynch J, Roth S. Striking parallels between dorsoventral patterning in Drosophila and Gryllus reveal a complex evolutionary history behind a model gene regulatory network. eLife 2021; 10:e68287. [PMID: 33783353 PMCID: PMC8051952 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dorsoventral pattering relies on Toll and BMP signalling in all insects studied so far, with variations in the relative contributions of both pathways. Drosophila and the beetle Tribolium share extensive dependence on Toll, while representatives of more distantly related lineages like the wasp Nasonia and bug Oncopeltus rely more strongly on BMP signalling. Here, we show that in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, an evolutionarily distant outgroup, Toll has, like in Drosophila, a direct patterning role for the ventral half of the embryo. In addition, Toll polarises BMP signalling, although this does not involve the conserved BMP inhibitor Sog/Chordin. Finally, Toll activation relies on ovarian patterning mechanisms with striking similarity to Drosophila. Our data suggest two surprising hypotheses: (1) that Toll's patterning function in Gryllus and Drosophila is the result of convergent evolution or (2) a Drosophila-like system arose early in insect evolution and was extensively altered in multiple independent lineages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Pechmann
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of CologneKölnGermany
| | | | - Laura Pott
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of CologneKölnGermany
| | - Peter Heger
- Regional Computing Centre (RRZK), University of CologneKölnGermany
| | - Yen-Ta Chen
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of CologneKölnGermany
| | - Thomas Buchta
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of CologneKölnGermany
| | - Orhan Özüak
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of CologneKölnGermany
| | - Jeremy Lynch
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of CologneKölnGermany
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Siegfried Roth
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of CologneKölnGermany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wisotzkey RG, Newfeld SJ. TGF-β Prodomain Alignments Reveal Unexpected Cysteine Conservation Consistent with Phylogenetic Predictions of Cross-Subfamily Heterodimerization. Genetics 2020; 214:447-465. [PMID: 31843757 PMCID: PMC7017013 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary relationships between prodomains in the TGF-β family have gone unanalyzed due to a perceived lack of conservation. We developed a novel approach, identified these relationships, and suggest hypotheses for new regulatory mechanisms in TGF-β signaling. First, a quantitative analysis placed each family member from flies, mice, and nematodes into the Activin, BMP, or TGF-β subfamily. Second, we defined the prodomain and ligand via the consensus cleavage site. Third, we generated alignments and trees from the prodomain, ligand, and full-length sequences independently for each subfamily. Prodomain alignments revealed that six structural features of 17 are well conserved: three in the straitjacket and three in the arm. Alignments also revealed unexpected cysteine conservation in the "LTBP-Association region" upstream of the straitjacket and in β8 of the bowtie in 14 proteins from all three subfamilies. In prodomain trees, eight clusters across all three subfamilies were present that were not seen in the ligand or full-length trees, suggesting prodomain-mediated cross-subfamily heterodimerization. Consistency between cysteine conservation and prodomain clustering provides support for heterodimerization predictions. Overall, our analysis suggests that cross-subfamily interactions are more common than currently appreciated and our predictions generate numerous testable hypotheses about TGF-β function and evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stuart J Newfeld
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-4501
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Quan H, Arsala D, Lynch JA. Transcriptomic and functional analysis of the oosome, a unique form of germ plasm in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis. BMC Biol 2019; 17:78. [PMID: 31601213 PMCID: PMC6785909 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0696-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The oosome is the germline determinant in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis and is homologous to the polar granules of Drosophila. Despite a common evolutionary origin and developmental role, the oosome is morphologically quite distinct from polar granules. It is a solid sphere that migrates within the cytoplasm before budding out and forming pole cells. RESULTS To gain an understanding of both the molecular basis of oosome development and the conserved essential features of germ plasm, we quantified and compared transcript levels between embryo fragments that contained the oosome and those that did not. The identity of the differentially localized transcripts indicated that Nasonia uses a distinct set of molecules to carry out conserved germ plasm functions. In addition, functional testing of a sample of localized transcripts revealed potentially novel mechanisms of ribonucleoprotein assembly and pole cell cellularization in the wasp. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the composition of germ plasm varies significantly within Holometabola, as very few mRNAs share localization to the oosome and polar granules. Some of this variability appears to be related to the unique properties of the oosome relative to the polar granules in Drosophila, and some may be related to differences in pole formation between species. This work will serve as the basis for further investigation into the patterns of germline determinant evolution among insects, the molecular basis of the unique properties of the oosome, and the incorporation of novel components into developmental networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Honghu Quan
- Department of Pathology and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105 USA
| | - Deanna Arsala
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Jeremy A. Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wotton KR, Alcaine-Colet A, Jaeger J, Jiménez-Guri E. Non-canonical dorsoventral patterning in the moth midge Clogmia albipunctata. EvoDevo 2017; 8:20. [PMID: 29158889 PMCID: PMC5683363 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-017-0083-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are of central importance for dorsal–ventral (DV) axis specification. They are core components of a signalling cascade that includes the BMP ligand decapentaplegic (DPP) and its antagonist short gastrulation (SOG) in Drosophila melanogaster. These components are very ancient, with orthologs involved in DV patterning in both protostomes and deuterostomes. Despite such strong conservation, recent comparative work in insects has revealed interesting differences in the way the patterning function of the DV system is achieved in different species. Results In this paper, we characterise the expression patterns of the principal components of the BMP DV patterning system, as well as its signalling outputs and downstream targets, in the non-cyclorrhaphan moth midge Clogmia albipunctata (Diptera: Psychodidae). We previously reported ventral expression patterns of dpp in the pole regions of C. albipunctata blastoderm embryos. Strikingly, we also find ventral sog and posteriorly restricted tkv expression, as well as expanded polar activity of pMad. We use our results from gene knock-down by embryonic RNA interference to propose a mechanism of polar morphogen shuttling in C. albipunctata. We compare these results to available data from other species and discuss scenarios for the evolution of DV signalling in the holometabolan insects. Conclusions A comparison of gene expression patterns across hemipteran and holometabolan insects reveals that expression of upstream signalling factors in the DV system is very variable, while signalling output is highly conserved. This has two major implications: first, as long as ligand shuttling and other upstream regulatory mechanisms lead to an appropriately localised activation of BMP signalling at the dorsal midline, it is of less importance exactly where the upstream components of the DV system are expressed. This, in turn, explains why the early-acting components of the DV patterning system in insects exhibit extensive amounts of developmental systems drift constrained by highly conserved downstream signalling output.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karl R Wotton
- EMBL/CRG Research Unit in Systems Biology, Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Present Address: Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ UK
| | - Anna Alcaine-Colet
- EMBL/CRG Research Unit in Systems Biology, Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Johannes Jaeger
- EMBL/CRG Research Unit in Systems Biology, Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Present Address: Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Josefstädter Straße 39, 1080 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Jiménez-Guri
- EMBL/CRG Research Unit in Systems Biology, Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Present Address: Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ UK
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Benton MA, Kenny NJ, Conrads KH, Roth S, Lynch JA. Deep, Staged Transcriptomic Resources for the Novel Coleopteran Models Atrachya menetriesi and Callosobruchus maculatus. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167431. [PMID: 27907180 PMCID: PMC5132259 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent efforts to sample broadly across metazoan and insect diversity, current sequence resources in the Coleoptera do not adequately describe the diversity of the clade. Here we present deep, staged transcriptomic data for two coleopteran species, Atrachya menetriesi (Faldermann 1835) and Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius 1775). Our sampling covered key stages in ovary and early embryonic development in each species. We utilized this data to build combined assemblies for each species which were then analysed in detail. The combined A. menetriesi assembly consists of 228,096 contigs with an N50 of 1,598 bp, while the combined C. maculatus assembly consists of 128,837 contigs with an N50 of 2,263 bp. For these assemblies, 34.6% and 32.4% of contigs were identified using Blast2GO, and 97% and 98.3% of the BUSCO set of metazoan orthologs were present, respectively. We also carried out manual annotation of developmental signalling pathways and found that nearly all expected genes were present in each transcriptome. Our analyses show that both transcriptomes are of high quality. Lastly, we performed read mapping utilising our timed, stage specific RNA samples to identify differentially expressed contigs. The resources presented here will provide a firm basis for a variety of experimentation, both in developmental biology and in comparative genomic studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A. Benton
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nathan J. Kenny
- Simon F.S. Li School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Kai H. Conrads
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Siegfried Roth
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail: (SR); (JAL)
| | - Jeremy A. Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SR); (JAL)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pers D, Buchta T, Özüak O, Wolff S, Pietsch JM, Memon MB, Roth S, Lynch JA. Global analysis of dorsoventral patterning in the wasp Nasonia reveals extensive incorporation of novelty in a regulatory network. BMC Biol 2016; 14:63. [PMID: 27480122 PMCID: PMC4968023 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-016-0285-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) underlie developmental patterning and morphogenetic processes, and changes in the interactions within the underlying GRNs are a major driver of evolutionary processes. In order to make meaningful comparisons that can provide significant insights into the evolution of regulatory networks, homologous networks from multiple taxa must be deeply characterized. One of the most thoroughly characterized GRNs is the dorsoventral (DV) patterning system of the Drosophila melanogaster embryo. We have developed the wasp Nasonia as a comparative DV patterning model because it has shown the convergent evolution of a mode of early embryonic patterning very similar to that of the fly, and it is of interest to know whether the similarity at the gross level also extends to the molecular level. Results We used RNAi to dorsalize and ventralize Nasonia embryos, RNAseq to quantify transcriptome-wide expression levels, and differential expression analysis to identify genes whose expression levels change in either RNAi case. This led to the identification of >100 genes differentially expressed and regulated along the DV axis. Only a handful of these genes are shared DV components in both fly and wasp. Many of those unique to Nasonia are cytoskeletal and adhesion molecules, which may be related to the divergent cell and tissue behavior observed at gastrulation. In addition, many transcription factors and signaling components are only DV regulated in Nasonia, likely reflecting the divergent upstream patterning mechanisms involved in producing the conserved pattern of cell fates observed at gastrulation. Finally, several genes that lack Drosophila orthologs show robust and distinct expression patterns. These include genes with vertebrate homologs that have been lost in the fly lineage, genes that are found only among Hymenoptera, and several genes that entered the Nasonia genome through lateral transfer from endosymbiotic bacteria. Conclusions Altogether, our results provide insights into how GRNs respond to new functional demands and how they can incorporate novel components. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-016-0285-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Pers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, MBRB 4020, 900 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60402, USA
| | - Thomas Buchta
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Orhan Özüak
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Selma Wolff
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jessica M Pietsch
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mohammad Bilal Memon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, MBRB 4020, 900 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60402, USA
| | - Siegfried Roth
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jeremy A Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, MBRB 4020, 900 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60402, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Shuai B, Shen L, Zhu R, Zhou P. Effect of Qing'e formula on the in vitro differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells from proximal femurs of postmenopausal osteoporotic mice. Altern Ther Health Med 2015. [PMID: 26205885 PMCID: PMC4513391 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-015-0777-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Qing'e formula (QEF), prepared from an ancient Chinese recipe, was previously suggested to regulate bone metabolism and improve bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis. To study the effects of medicated serum containing QEF on the in vitro differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) isolated from the proximal femurs of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) mice. METHODS Using an established mouse model of PMOP, mononuclear cells were isolated from the bone marrow present in the proximal femurs and cultured. PMOP mice were also randomly divided into four groups: the untreated group (Group A) and the groups treated with respectively low (Group B), medium (Group C), and high (Group D) concentrations of QEF. Serum was isolated from each and used to treat the cultured BMSCs in conjunction with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2). Cell morphology, proliferation rates, intracellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) mRNA expression were evaluated. RESULTS QEF-treated serum, particularly that containing moderate and high concentrations, appears to enhance the rhBMP-2-mediated changes in cell morphology, proliferation, and differentiation (determined via the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA and ALP activity) observed in the BMSCs isolated from PMOP mice. CONCLUSIONS QEF may play a role in the prevention and treatment of PMOP by enhancing the activity of rhBMP-2.
Collapse
|
12
|
Sachs L, Chen YT, Drechsler A, Lynch JA, Panfilio KA, Lässig M, Berg J, Roth S. Dynamic BMP signaling polarized by Toll patterns the dorsoventral axis in a hemimetabolous insect. eLife 2015; 4:e05502. [PMID: 25962855 PMCID: PMC4423117 DOI: 10.7554/elife.05502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-dependent patterning of the dorsoventral axis in Drosophila represents one of the best understood gene regulatory networks. However, its evolutionary origin has remained elusive. Outside the insects Toll is not known for a patterning function, but rather for a role in pathogen defense. Here, we show that in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus, whose lineage split from Drosophila's more than 350 million years ago, Toll is only required to polarize a dynamic BMP signaling network. A theoretical model reveals that this network has self-regulatory properties and that shallow Toll signaling gradients are sufficient to initiate axis formation. Such gradients can account for the experimentally observed twinning of insect embryos upon egg fragmentation and might have evolved from a state of uniform Toll activity associated with protecting insect eggs against pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lena Sachs
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Yen-Ta Chen
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Axel Drechsler
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
- Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeremy A Lynch
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Kristen A Panfilio
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Michael Lässig
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Johannes Berg
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Siegfried Roth
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Genikhovich G, Fried P, Prünster MM, Schinko JB, Gilles AF, Fredman D, Meier K, Iber D, Technau U. Axis Patterning by BMPs: Cnidarian Network Reveals Evolutionary Constraints. Cell Rep 2015; 10:1646-1654. [PMID: 25772352 PMCID: PMC4460265 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BMP signaling plays a crucial role in the establishment of the dorso-ventral body axis in bilaterally symmetric animals. However, the topologies of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling networks vary drastically in different animal groups, raising questions about the evolutionary constraints and evolvability of BMP signaling systems. Using loss-of-function analysis and mathematical modeling, we show that two signaling centers expressing different BMPs and BMP antagonists maintain the secondary axis of the sea anemone Nematostella. We demonstrate that BMP signaling is required for asymmetric Hox gene expression and mesentery formation. Computational analysis reveals that network parameters related to BMP4 and Chordin are constrained both in Nematostella and Xenopus, while those describing the BMP signaling modulators can vary significantly. Notably, only chordin, but not bmp4 expression needs to be spatially restricted for robust signaling gradient formation. Our data provide an explanation of the evolvability of BMP signaling systems in axis formation throughout Eumetazoa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grigory Genikhovich
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick Fried
- Department for Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - M Mandela Prünster
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes B Schinko
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna F Gilles
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - David Fredman
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Computational Biology Unit, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt. 55, 5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Karin Meier
- Department for Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dagmar Iber
- Department for Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Özüak O, Buchta T, Roth S, Lynch J. Dorsoventral Polarity of the Nasonia Embryo Primarily Relies on a BMP Gradient Formed without Input from Toll. Curr Biol 2014; 24:2393-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2014] [Revised: 07/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|