1
|
Matsuka M, Otsune S, Sugimori S, Tsugita Y, Ueda H, Nakagoshi H. Fecundity is optimized by levels of nutrient signal-dependent expression of Dve and EcR in Drosophila male accessory gland. Dev Biol 2024; 508:8-23. [PMID: 38199580 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.01.004] [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] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Steroid hormones play various physiological roles including metabolism and reproduction. Steroid hormones in insects are ecdysteroids, and the major form in Drosophila melanogaster is ecdysone. In Drosophila males, the accessory gland is responsive to nutrient-dependent regulation of fertility/fecundity. The accessory gland is composed of two types of binucleated epithelial cells: a main cell and a secondary cell (SC). The transcription factors Defective proventriculus (Dve), Abdominal-B, and Ecdysone receptors (EcRs) are strongly expressed in adult SCs. We show that this EcR expression is regulated by parallel pathways of nutrient signaling and the Dve activity. Induction of Dve expression is also dependent on nutrient signaling, and it becomes nutrient signal-independent during a restricted period of development. Forced dve expression during the restricted period significantly increased the number of SCs. Here, we provide evidence that the level of nutrient signal-dependent Dve expression during the restricted period determines the number of SCs, and that ecdysone signaling is also crucial to optimize male fecundity through nutrient signal-dependent survival and maturation of SCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirai Matsuka
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Shinichi Otsune
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Seiko Sugimori
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Tsugita
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Ueda
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Hideki Nakagoshi
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chen J, Li C, Sheng Y, Zhang J, Pang L, Dong Z, Wu Z, Lu Y, Liu Z, Zhang Q, Guan X, Chen X, Huang J. Communication between the stem cell niche and an adjacent differentiation niche through miRNA and EGFR signaling orchestrates exit from the stem cell state in the Drosophila ovary. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002515. [PMID: 38512963 PMCID: PMC10986965 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The signaling environment, or niche, often governs the initial difference in behavior of an adult stem cell and a derivative that initiates a path towards differentiation. The transition between an instructive stem cell niche and differentiation niche must generally have single-cell resolution, suggesting that multiple mechanisms might be necessary to sharpen the transition. Here, we examined the Drosophila ovary and found that Cap cells, which are key constituents of the germline stem cell (GSC) niche, express a conserved microRNA (miR-124). Surprisingly, loss of miR-124 activity in Cap cells leads to a defect in differentiation of GSC derivatives. We present evidence that the direct functional target of miR-124 in Cap cells is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and that failure to limit EGFR expression leads to the ectopic expression of a key anti-differentiation BMP signal in neighboring somatic escort cells (ECs), which constitute a differentiation niche. We further found that Notch signaling connects EFGR activity in Cap cells to BMP expression in ECs. We deduce that the stem cell niche communicates with the differentiation niche through a mechanism that begins with the selective expression of a specific microRNA and culminates in the suppression of the major anti-differentiation signal in neighboring cells, with the functionally important overall role of sharpening the spatial distinction between self-renewal and differentiation environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiani Chen
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chaosqun Li
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yifeng Sheng
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Junwei Zhang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lan Pang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi Dong
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiwei Wu
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yueqi Lu
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiguo Liu
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qichao Zhang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xueying Guan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Sanya, China
| | - Xuexin Chen
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Sanya, China
| | - Jianhua Huang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sadanandappa MK, Bosco G. Parasitoid cues modulate Drosophila germline development and stem cell proliferation. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113657. [PMID: 38175752 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113657] [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] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors influence an organism's reproductive ability by regulating germline development and physiology. While the reproductive adaptations in response to extrinsic stress cues offer fitness and survival advantages to individuals, the mechanistic understanding of these modifications remains unclear. Here, we find that parasitoid wasps' stress signaling regulates Drosophila melanogaster oogenesis. We show that fruit flies dwelling in the wasp-infested area elevate their fecundity, and the observed reproductive response is specific to Pachycrepoideus sp., a pupal parasitoid wasp. Pachycrepoideus-specific olfactory and visual cues recruit the signaling pathways that promote germline stem cell proliferation and accelerate follicle development, increasing egg production in Drosophila females. Downregulation of signaling engaged in oocyte development by shifting flies to a non-wasp-infested environment increases apoptosis of the developing follicles. Thus, this study establishes host germline responsiveness to parasitoid-specific signals and supports a predator strategy to increase hosts for infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madhumala K Sadanandappa
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| | - Giovanni Bosco
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Weaver LN. Analysis of Physiological Control of Adult Drosophila Oogenesis by Interorgan Communication. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2626:89-107. [PMID: 36715901 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2970-3_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Tissue homeostasis is dependent on the interaction between various organs within an organism in response to physiological inputs. The adult Drosophila melanogaster ovary is sensitive to environmental challenges and has recently been shown to be regulated by signaling from peripheral organs. To dissect the intricate coordination between overall organism health and reproduction, it is necessary to meticulously characterize both experimental tools and oogenesis processes. This chapter provides a guide for the careful analysis of interorgan communication in regulating oogenesis in adult Drosophila melanogaster.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lesley N Weaver
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kamiyama T, Niwa R. Transcriptional Regulators of Ecdysteroid Biosynthetic Enzymes and Their Roles in Insect Development. Front Physiol 2022; 13:823418. [PMID: 35211033 PMCID: PMC8863297 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.823418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormones are responsible for coordinating many aspects of biological processes in most multicellular organisms, including insects. Ecdysteroid, the principal insect steroid hormone, is biosynthesized from dietary cholesterol or plant sterols. In the last 20 years, a number of ecdysteroidogenic enzymes, including Noppera-bo, Neverland, Shroud, Spook/Spookier, Cyp6t3, Phantom, Disembodied, Shadow, and Shade, have been identified and characterized in molecular genetic studies using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. These enzymes are encoded by genes collectively called the Halloween genes. The transcriptional regulatory network, governed by multiple regulators of transcription, chromatin remodeling, and endoreplication, has been shown to be essential for the spatiotemporal expression control of Halloween genes in D. melanogaster. In this review, we summarize the latest information on transcriptional regulators that are crucial for controlling the expression of ecdysteroid biosynthetic enzymes and their roles in insect development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Kamiyama
- College of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Beachum AN, Whitehead KM, McDonald SI, Phipps DN, Berghout HE, Ables ET. Orphan nuclear receptor ftz-f1 (NR5A3) promotes egg chamber survival in the Drosophila ovary. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6114459. [PMID: 33693603 PMCID: PMC8022936 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Gamete production in mammals and insects is controlled by cell signaling pathways that facilitate communication between germ cells and somatic cells. Nuclear receptor signaling is a key mediator of many aspects of reproduction, including gametogenesis. For example, the NR5A subfamily of nuclear receptors is essential for gonad development and sex steroid production in mammals. Despite the original identification of the NR5A subfamily in the model insect Drosophila melanogaster, it has been unclear whether Drosophila NR5A receptors directly control oocyte production. Ftz-f1 is expressed throughout the ovary, including in germline stem cells, germline cysts, and several populations of somatic cells. We show that ftz-f1 is required in follicle cells prior to stage 10 to promote egg chamber survival at the mid-oogenesis checkpoint. Our data suggest that egg chamber death in the absence of ftz-f1 is due, at least in part, to failure of follicle cells to exit the mitotic cell cycle or failure to accumulate oocyte-specific factors in the germline. Taken together, these results show that, as in mammals, the NR5A subfamily promotes maximal reproductive output in Drosophila. Our data underscore the importance of nuclear receptors in the control of reproduction and highlight the utility of Drosophila oogenesis as a key model for unraveling the complexity of nuclear receptor signaling in gametogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allison N Beachum
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel N Phipps
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Hanna E Berghout
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Elizabeth T Ables
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
- Corresponding author: Department of Biology, East Carolina University, 1001 E. 10th St., Mailstop 551, 553 Science & Technology Building, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Weaver LN, Drummond-Barbosa D. Hormone receptor 4 is required in muscles and distinct ovarian cell types to regulate specific steps of Drosophila oogenesis. Development 2021; 148:dev.198663. [PMID: 33547134 DOI: 10.1242/dev.198663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The conserved nuclear receptor superfamily has crucial roles in many processes, including reproduction. Nuclear receptors with known roles in oogenesis have been studied mostly in the context of their ovary-intrinsic requirement. Recent studies in Drosophila, however, have begun to reveal new roles of nuclear receptor signaling in peripheral tissues in controlling reproduction. Here, we identified Hormone receptor 4 (Hr4) as an oogenesis regulator required in the ovary and muscles. Global Hr4 knockdown leads to increased germline stem cell (GSC) loss, reduced GSC proliferation, early germline cyst death, slowed follicle growth and vitellogenic follicle degeneration. Tissue-specific knockdown experiments uncovered ovary-intrinsic and peripheral tissue requirements for Hr4 In the ovary, Hr4 is required in the niche for GSC proliferation and in the germline for GSC maintenance. Hr4 functions in muscles to promote GSC maintenance and follicle growth. The specific tissues that require Hr4 for survival of early germline cysts and vitellogenic follicles remain unidentified. These results add to the few examples of muscles controlling gametogenesis and expand our understanding of the complexity of nuclear receptor regulation of various aspects of oogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lesley N Weaver
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Daniela Drummond-Barbosa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bazylev SS, Adashev VE, Shatskikh AS, Olenina LV, Kotov AA. Somatic Cyst Cells as a Microenvironment for the Maintenance and Differentiation of Germline Cells in Drosophila Spermatogenesis. Russ J Dev Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360421010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
|
9
|
Finger DS, Whitehead KM, Phipps DN, Ables ET. Nuclear receptors linking physiology and germline stem cells in Drosophila. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2021; 116:327-362. [PMID: 33752824 PMCID: PMC8063499 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2020.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Maternal nutrition and physiology are intimately associated with reproductive success in diverse organisms. Despite decades of study, the molecular mechanisms linking maternal diet to the production and quality of oocytes remain poorly defined. Nuclear receptors (NRs) link nutritional signals to cellular responses and are essential for oocyte development. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an excellent genetically tractable model to study the relationship between NR signaling and oocyte production. In this review, we explore how NRs in Drosophila regulate the earliest stages of oocyte development. Long-recognized as an essential mediator of developmental transitions, we focus on the intrinsic roles of the Ecdysone Receptor and its ligand, ecdysone, in oogenesis. We also review recent studies suggesting broader roles for NRs as regulators of maternal physiology and their impact specifically on oocyte production. We propose that NRs form the molecular basis of a broad physiological surveillance network linking maternal diet with oocyte production. Given the functional conservation between Drosophila and humans, continued experimental investigation into the molecular mechanisms by which NRs promote oogenesis will likely aid our understanding of human fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danielle S Finger
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Kaitlin M Whitehead
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Daniel N Phipps
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Elizabeth T Ables
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Weaver LN, Drummond-Barbosa D. The Nuclear Receptor Seven Up Regulates Genes Involved in Immunity and Xenobiotic Response in the Adult Drosophila Female Fat Body. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2020; 10:4625-4635. [PMID: 33087412 PMCID: PMC7718730 DOI: 10.1534/g3.120.401745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The physiology of organisms depends on inter-organ communication in response to changes in the environment. Nuclear receptors are broadly expressed transcription factors that respond to circulating molecules to control many biological processes, including immunity, detoxification, and reproduction. Although the tissue-intrinsic roles of nuclear receptors in reproduction have been extensively studied, there is increasing evidence that nuclear receptor signaling in peripheral tissues can also influence oogenesis. We previously showed that the Drosophila nuclear receptor Seven up (Svp) is required in the adult fat body to regulate distinct steps of oogenesis; however, the relevant downstream targets of Svp remain unknown. Here, we took an RNA sequencing approach to identify candidate Svp targets specifically in the adult female fat body that might mediate this response. svp knockdown in the adult female fat body significantly downregulated immune genes involved in the first line of pathogen defense, suggesting a role for Svp in stimulating early immunity. In addition, we found that Svp transcriptionally regulates genes involved in each step of the xenobiotic detoxification response. Based on these findings, we propose a testable model in which Svp functions in the adult female fat body to stimulate early defense against pathogens and facilitate detoxification as part of its mechanisms to promote oogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lesley N Weaver
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Daniela Drummond-Barbosa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yoshinari Y, Ameku T, Kondo S, Tanimoto H, Kuraishi T, Shimada-Niwa Y, Niwa R. Neuronal octopamine signaling regulates mating-induced germline stem cell increase in female Drosophila melanogaster. eLife 2020; 9:57101. [PMID: 33077027 PMCID: PMC7591258 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells fuel the development and maintenance of tissues. Many studies have addressed how local signals from neighboring niche cells regulate stem cell identity and their proliferative potential. However, the regulation of stem cells by tissue-extrinsic signals in response to environmental cues remains poorly understood. Here we report that efferent octopaminergic neurons projecting to the ovary are essential for germline stem cell (GSC) increase in response to mating in female Drosophila. The neuronal activity of the octopaminergic neurons is required for mating-induced GSC increase as they relay the mating signal from sex peptide receptor-positive cholinergic neurons. Octopamine and its receptor Oamb are also required for mating-induced GSC increase via intracellular Ca2+ signaling. Moreover, we identified Matrix metalloproteinase-2 as a downstream component of the octopamine-Ca2+ signaling to induce GSC increase. Our study provides a mechanism describing how neuronal system couples stem cell behavior to environmental cues through stem cell niche signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Yoshinari
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tomotsune Ameku
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shu Kondo
- Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Hiromu Tanimoto
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kuraishi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.,AMED-PRIME, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Shimada-Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kumar T, Blondel L, Extavour CG. Topology-driven protein-protein interaction network analysis detects genetic sub-networks regulating reproductive capacity. eLife 2020; 9:54082. [PMID: 32901612 PMCID: PMC7550192 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic regulation of organ structure is a fundamental problem in developmental biology. Here, we use egg-producing structures of insect ovaries, called ovarioles, to deduce systems-level gene regulatory relationships from quantitative functional genetic analysis. We previously showed that Hippo signalling, a conserved regulator of animal organ size, regulates ovariole number in Drosophila melanogaster. To comprehensively determine how Hippo signalling interacts with other pathways in this regulation, we screened all known signalling pathway genes, and identified Hpo-dependent and Hpo-independent signalling requirements. Network analysis of known protein-protein interactions among screen results identified independent gene regulatory sub-networks regulating one or both of ovariole number and egg laying. These sub-networks predict involvement of previously uncharacterised genes with higher accuracy than the original candidate screen. This shows that network analysis combining functional genetic and large-scale interaction data can predict function of novel genes regulating development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tarun Kumar
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Leo Blondel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Two distinct pathways of pregranulosa cell differentiation support follicle formation in the mouse ovary. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:20015-20026. [PMID: 32759216 PMCID: PMC7443898 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2005570117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper improves knowledge of the somatic and germ cells of the developing mouse ovary that assemble into ovarian follicles, by determining cellular gene expression, and tracing lineage relationships. The study covers the last week of fetal development through the first five days of postnatal development. During this time, many critically important processes take place, including sex determination, follicle assembly, and the initial events of meiosis. We report expression differences between pregranulosa cells of wave 1 follicles that function at puberty and wave 2 follicles that sustain fertility. These studies illuminate ovarian somatic cells and provide a resource to study the development, physiology, and evolutionary conservation of mammalian ovarian follicle formation. We sequenced more than 52,500 single cells from embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) postembryonic day 5 (P5) gonads and performed lineage tracing to analyze primordial follicles and wave 1 medullar follicles during mouse fetal and perinatal oogenesis. Germ cells clustered into six meiotic substages, as well as dying/nurse cells. Wnt-expressing bipotential precursors already present at E11.5 are followed at each developmental stage by two groups of ovarian pregranulosa (PG) cells. One PG group, bipotential pregranulosa (BPG) cells, derives directly from bipotential precursors, expresses Foxl2 early, and associates with cysts throughout the ovary by E12.5. A second PG group, epithelial pregranulosa (EPG) cells, arises in the ovarian surface epithelium, ingresses cortically by E12.5 or earlier, expresses Lgr5, but delays robust Foxl2 expression until after birth. By E19.5, EPG cells predominate in the cortex and differentiate into granulosa cells of quiescent primordial follicles. In contrast, medullar BPG cells differentiate along a distinct pathway to become wave 1 granulosa cells. Reflecting their separate somatic cellular lineages, second wave follicles were ablated by diptheria toxin treatment of Lgr5-DTR-EGFP mice at E16.5 while first wave follicles developed normally and supported fertility. These studies provide insights into ovarian somatic cells and a resource to study the development, physiology, and evolutionary conservation of mammalian ovarian follicles.
Collapse
|
14
|
Chebbo S, Josway S, Belote JM, Manier MK. A putative novel role for Eip74EF in male reproduction in promoting sperm elongation at the cost of male fecundity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2020; 336:620-628. [PMID: 32725718 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Spermatozoa are the most morphologically variable cell type, yet little is known about genes controlling natural variation in sperm shape. Drosophila fruit flies have the longest sperm known, which are evolving under postcopulatory sexual selection, driven by sperm competition and cryptic female choice. Long sperm outcompete short sperm but primarily when females have a long seminal receptacle (SR), the primary sperm storage organ. Thus, the selection on sperm length is mediated by SR length, and the two traits are coevolving across the Drosophila lineage, driven by a genetic correlation and fitness advantage of long sperm and long SR genotypes in both males and females. Ecdysone-induced protein 74EF (Eip74EF) is expressed during postmeiotic stages of spermatogenesis when spermatid elongation occurs, and we found that it is rapidly evolving under positive selection in Drosophila. Hypomorphic knockout of the E74A isoform leads to shorter sperm but does not affect SR length, suggesting that E74A may be involved in promoting spermatid elongation but is not a genetic driver of male-female coevolution. We also found that E74A knockout has opposing effects on fecundity in males and females, with an increase in fecundity for males but a decrease in females, consistent with its documented role in oocyte maturation. Our results suggest a novel function of Eip74EF in spermatogenesis and demonstrates that this gene influences both male and female reproductive success. We speculate on possible roles for E74A in spermatogenesis and male reproductive success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharif Chebbo
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sarah Josway
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - John M Belote
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Mollie K Manier
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
The Drosophila Post-mating Response: Gene Expression and Behavioral Changes Reveal Perdurance and Variation in Cross-Tissue Interactions. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:967-983. [PMID: 31907222 PMCID: PMC7056969 DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Examining cross-tissue interactions is important for understanding physiology and homeostasis. In animals, the female gonad produces signaling molecules that act distally. We examine gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster female head tissues in 1) virgins without a germline compared to virgins with a germline, 2) post-mated females with and without a germline compared to virgins, and 3) post-mated females mated to males with and without a germline compared to virgins. In virgins, the absence of a female germline results in expression changes in genes with known roles in nutrient homeostasis. At one- and three-day(s) post-mating, genes that change expression are enriched with those that function in metabolic pathways, in all conditions. We systematically examine female post-mating impacts on sleep, food preference and re-mating, in the strains and time points used for gene expression analyses and compare to published studies. We show that post-mating, gene expression changes vary by strain, prompting us to examine variation in female re-mating. We perform a genome-wide association study that identifies several DNA polymorphisms, including four in/near Wnt signaling pathway genes. Together, these data reveal how gene expression and behavior in females are influenced by cross-tissue interactions, by examining the impact of mating, fertility, and genotype.
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhang H, Cai Y. Signal transduction pathways regulating Drosophila ovarian germline stem cells. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 37:1-7. [PMID: 31726320 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila female germline stem cells (GSCs) serve as one of the best understood stem cell types. GSCs reside in a special microenvironment, the stem cell niche, and their activity is tightly regulated by niche-derived signals. In addition to the stemness-promoting signaling molecules, the niche also generates other signaling molecules that regulate GSC differentiation. Recent studies are beginning to appreciate the intricate interactions among these signaling molecules in the niche and their effects on GSC behaviour. This review summarizes recent advances to demonstrate how the niche functions as a signaling hub to integrate these niche-derived local signals as well as other organ-produced systemic signals to control GSC self-renewal and differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Yu Cai
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117558, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Weaver LN, Drummond-Barbosa D. The nuclear receptor seven up functions in adipocytes and oenocytes to control distinct steps of Drosophila oogenesis. Dev Biol 2019; 456:179-189. [PMID: 31470019 PMCID: PMC6884690 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Reproduction is intimately linked to the physiology of an organism. Nuclear receptors are widely expressed transcription factors that mediate the effects of many circulating molecules on physiology and reproduction. While multiple studies have focused on the roles of nuclear receptors intrinsically in the ovary, it remains largely unknown how the actions of nuclear receptors in peripheral tissues influence oogenesis. We identified the nuclear receptor encoded by svp as a novel regulator of oogenesis in adult Drosophila. Global somatic knockdown of svp reduces egg production by increasing GSC loss, death of early germline cysts, and degeneration of vitellogenic follicles. Tissue-specific knockdown experiments revealed that svp remotely controls these different steps of oogenesis through separate mechanisms involving distinct tissues. Specifically, adipocyte-specific svp knockdown impairs GSC maintenance and early germline cyst survival, whereas oenocyte-specific svp knockdown increases the death of vitellogenic follicles without any effects on GSCs or early cysts. These results illustrate that nuclear receptors can control reproduction through a variety of mechanisms involving peripheral tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lesley N Weaver
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Daniela Drummond-Barbosa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
McDonald SI, Beachum AN, Hinnant TD, Blake AJ, Bynum T, Hickman EP, Barnes J, Churchill KL, Roberts TS, Zangwill DE, Ables ET. Novel cis-regulatory regions in ecdysone responsive genes are sufficient to promote gene expression in Drosophila ovarian cells. Gene Expr Patterns 2019; 34:119074. [PMID: 31563631 PMCID: PMC6996244 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2019.119074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The insect steroid hormone ecdysone is a key regulator of oogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster and many other species. Despite the diversity of cellular functions of ecdysone in oogenesis, the molecular regulation of most ecdysone-responsive genes in ovarian cells remains largely unexplored. We performed a functional screen using the UAS/Gal4 system to identify non-coding cis-regulatory elements within well-characterized ecdysone-response genes capable of driving transcription of an indelible reporter in ovarian cells. Using two publicly available transgenic collections (the FlyLight and Vienna Tiles resources), we tested 62 Gal4 drivers corresponding to ecdysone-response genes EcR, usp, E75, br, ftz-f1 and Hr3. We observed 31 lines that were sufficient to drive a UAS-lacZ reporter in discrete cell populations in the ovary. Reporter expression was reproducibly observed in both somatic and germ cells at distinct stages of oogenesis, including those previously characterized as critical points of ecdysone regulation. Our studies identified several useful new reagents, adding to the UAS/Gal4 toolkit available for genetic analysis of oogenesis in Drosophila. Further, our study provides novel insight into the molecular regulation of ecdysone signaling in oogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison N Beachum
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Taylor D Hinnant
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Amelia J Blake
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Tierra Bynum
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - E Parris Hickman
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Joseph Barnes
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Kaely L Churchill
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Tamesia S Roberts
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Denise E Zangwill
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Elizabeth T Ables
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Drummond-Barbosa D. Local and Physiological Control of Germline Stem Cell Lineages in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2019; 213:9-26. [PMID: 31488592 PMCID: PMC6727809 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.300234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The long-term survival of any multicellular species depends on the success of its germline in producing high-quality gametes and maximizing survival of the offspring. Studies in Drosophila melanogaster have led our growing understanding of how germline stem cell (GSC) lineages maintain their function and adjust their behavior according to varying environmental and/or physiological conditions. This review compares and contrasts the local regulation of GSCs by their specialized microenvironments, or niches; discusses how diet and diet-dependent factors, mating, and microorganisms modulate GSCs and their developing progeny; and briefly describes the tie between physiology and development during the larval phase of the germline cycle. Finally, it concludes with broad comparisons with other organisms and some future directions for further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Drummond-Barbosa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Kahney EW, Snedeker JC, Chen X. Regulation of Drosophila germline stem cells. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2019; 60:27-35. [PMID: 31014993 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2019.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The asymmetric division of adult stem cells into one self-renewing stem cell and one differentiating cell is critical for maintaining homeostasis in many tissues. One paradigmatic model of this division is the Drosophila male and female germline stem cell, which provides two model systems not only sharing common features but also having distinct characteristics for studying asymmetric stem cell division in vivo. This asymmetric division is controlled by a combination of extrinsic signaling molecules and intrinsic factors that are either asymmetrically segregated or regulated differentially following division. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms guiding this asymmetric outcome, including extrinsic cues, intrinsic factors governing cell fate specification, and cell cycle control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth W Kahney
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jonathan C Snedeker
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Swevers L. An update on ecdysone signaling during insect oogenesis. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 31:8-13. [PMID: 31109678 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
An overview is presented of the different functions of ecdysone signaling during insect oogenesis. An extensive genetic toolkit allowed analysis with unprecedented temporal and spatial detail in Drosophila where functions were revealed in stem cell proliferation and niche maintenance, germline cyst differentiation and follicle formation, integration of nutrient and lipid signaling, follicle maturation and ovulation. Besides putative autocrine/paracrine signaling, hormonal networks were identified that integrate ecdysone with other endocrine signaling pathways. In other insects, progress in oogenesis has lagged behind although recently RNAi emerged as a new tool to analyze gene function in ovaries in hemimetabolous insects and Tribolium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences & Applications, NCSR "Demokritos", Aghia Paraskevi, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Yoshinari Y, Kurogi Y, Ameku T, Niwa R. Endocrine regulation of female germline stem cells in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 31:14-19. [PMID: 31109668 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Germline stem cells (GSCs) are critical for the generation of sperms and eggs in most animals including the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. It is well known that self-renewal and differentiation of female D. melanogaster GSCs are regulated by local niche signals. However, little is known about whether and how the GSC number is regulated by paracrine signals. In the last decade, however, multiple humoral factors, including insulin and ecdysteroids, have been recognized as key regulators of female D. melanogaster GSCs. This review paper summarizes the role of humoral factors in female D. melanogaster GSC proliferation and maintenance in response to internal and external conditions, such as nutrients, mating stimuli, and aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Yoshinari
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Yoshitomo Kurogi
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Tomotsune Ameku
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Ameku T, Yoshinari Y, Texada MJ, Kondo S, Amezawa K, Yoshizaki G, Shimada-Niwa Y, Niwa R. Midgut-derived neuropeptide F controls germline stem cell proliferation in a mating-dependent manner. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2005004. [PMID: 30248087 PMCID: PMC6152996 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2005004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem cell maintenance is established by neighboring niche cells that promote stem cell self-renewal. However, it is poorly understood how stem cell activity is regulated by systemic, tissue-extrinsic signals in response to environmental cues and changes in physiological status. Here, we show that neuropeptide F (NPF) signaling plays an important role in the pathway regulating mating-induced germline stem cell (GSC) proliferation in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. NPF expressed in enteroendocrine cells (EECs) of the midgut is released in response to the seminal-fluid protein sex peptide (SP) upon mating. This midgut-derived NPF controls mating-induced GSC proliferation via ovarian NPF receptor (NPFR) activity, which modulates bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling levels in GSCs. Our study provides a molecular mechanism that describes how a gut-derived systemic factor couples stem cell behavior to physiological status, such as mating, through interorgan communication. Communication between different organs is essential to respond quickly to environmental cues or changes in the physiological status of an organism. Recent studies have shown the existence of humoral factors or hormones, which are transported by the circulatory system to different organs and achieve coordination between them. Here, we have analyzed the communication mechanism between organs that regulates proliferation of germline stem cells (GSCs) in the ovary of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We show that a peptide hormone called neuropeptide F (NPF) is a key player in this process. This peptide is produced in both the brain and the midgut, and, remarkably, we find that only NPF released from the midgut is crucial for controlling post-mating GSC proliferation. Our data suggest that mating stimulates the release of NPF from the endocrine cells of the midgut stimulated by the presence of a seminal peptide. Midgut-derived NPF is then transduced through an NPF-specific G-protein–coupled receptor expressed in the ovary, and this triggers GSC proliferation. Our study identifies an essential interaction between the digestive system and the ovary that regulates the size of stem cell populations in flies depending on mating.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomotsune Ameku
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yuto Yoshinari
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Michael J Texada
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Shu Kondo
- Genetic Strains Research Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Kotaro Amezawa
- Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Goro Yoshizaki
- Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Shimada-Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan.,AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|