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Wang T, Gao J, Xu J, Hong Y, Du R, Zheng X, Wang P. Identification and functional characterization of a novel cystatin in amphioxus, ancient origin of vertebrate type-2 cystatin homologues. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 277:134429. [PMID: 39097064 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134429] [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: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Cystatins are well known as a vast superfamily of functional proteins participated in the reversible competitive inhibition of cysteine proteases. Currently, increasing evidences point to the extensive phylogenetic diversity and crucial immune roles of type-2 cystatins in the vertebrate species. However, no information is available regarding the homologue in cephalochordate amphioxus, the representative of most basal living chordates, whose immune regulation are still ambiguous. Here, we clearly identified the presence of type-2 cystatin gene in amphioxus Branchiostoma japonicum, termed Bjcystatin-2, which was structurally characterized by typical wedge-shaped cystatin feature. Evolutionary analyses revealed that Bjcystatin-2 is the putative ancestral type-2 cystatin for chordates, with gene diversity emerging through duplication events. The expression of Bjcystatin-2 showed tissue-specific profile and was inducible upon invasive pathogens. Significantly, the recombinant Bjcystatin-2 exhibited not merely cathepsin L inhibitory activity, but also the ability to bind with bacteria and their characteristic molecules. Furthermore, Bjcystatin-2 also showed the capacity to enhance the macrophage-driven bacterial phagocytosis and to attenuate the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines within macrophages. In summary, these findings demonstrate that Bjcystatin-2 exhibits dual role acting as both a protease inhibitor and an immunoactive molecule, greatly enriching our understanding of immune defense mechanisms of type-2 cystatin within the amphioxus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianren Wang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Qingdao University, Ning Xia Road 308, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Jingru Gao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Qingdao University, Ning Xia Road 308, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Jinghan Xu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Qingdao University, Ning Xia Road 308, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yuxiang Hong
- Zhejiang Fangyuan Testing Group Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
| | - Ronghuan Du
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Qingdao University, Ning Xia Road 308, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Xian Zheng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Qingdao University, Ning Xia Road 308, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Qingdao University, Ning Xia Road 308, Qingdao 266071, China.
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Wu B, Xu W, Wu K, Li Y, Hu M, Feng C, Zhu C, Zheng J, Cui X, Li J, Fan D, Zhang F, Liu Y, Chen J, Liu C, Li G, Qiu Q, Qu K, Wang W, Wang K. Single-cell analysis of the amphioxus hepatic caecum and vertebrate liver reveals genetic mechanisms of vertebrate liver evolution. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:1972-1990. [PMID: 39152328 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02510-9] [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: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of the vertebrate liver is a prime example of the evolution of complex organs, yet the driving genetic factors behind it remain unknown. Here we study the evolutionary genetics of liver by comparing the amphioxus hepatic caecum and the vertebrate liver, as well as examining the functional transition within vertebrates. Using in vivo and in vitro experiments, single-cell/nucleus RNA-seq data and gene knockout experiments, we confirm that the amphioxus hepatic caecum and vertebrate liver are homologous organs and show that the emergence of ohnologues from two rounds of whole-genome duplications greatly contributed to the functional complexity of the vertebrate liver. Two ohnologues, kdr and flt4, play an important role in the development of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. In addition, we found that liver-related functions such as coagulation and bile production evolved in a step-by-step manner, with gene duplicates playing a crucial role. We reconstructed the genetic footprint of the transfer of haem detoxification from the liver to the spleen during vertebrate evolution. Together, these findings challenge the previous hypothesis that organ evolution is primarily driven by regulatory elements, underscoring the importance of gene duplicates in the emergence and diversification of a complex organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baosheng Wu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjie Xu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kunjin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Surgical Critical Care and Life Support (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ye Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Mingliang Hu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chenguang Feng
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chenglong Zhu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiangmin Zheng
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xinxin Cui
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Surgical Critical Care and Life Support (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Deqian Fan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fenghua Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuxuan Liu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jinping Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Surgical Critical Care and Life Support (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Guang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
| | - Qiang Qiu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Kai Qu
- Key Laboratory of Surgical Critical Care and Life Support (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi'an, China.
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Wen Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Xi'an, China.
| | - Kun Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China.
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Zhou Y, Yang Y, Zhao D, Yi M, Ma Z, Gao Z. Ribosomal protein L17 functions as an antimicrobial protein in amphioxus. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 152:109791. [PMID: 39067494 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), characterized by their cationic nature and amphiphilic properties, play a pivotal role in inhibiting the biological activity of microbes. Currently, only a fraction of the antimicrobial potential within the ribosomal protein family has been explored, despite its extensive membership and resemblance to AMPs. Herein we demonstrated that amphioxus RPL17 (BjRPL17) exhibited not only upregulated expression upon bacterial stimulation but also possessed bactericidal capabilities against both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria through combined action mechanisms including interaction with cell surface molecules LPS, LTA, and PGN, disruption of cell membrane integrity, promotion of membrane depolarization, and induction of intracellular ROS production. Furthermore, a peptide derived from residues 127-141 of BjRPL17 (termed BjRPL17-1) showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and its methicillin-resistant strain via the same mechanism observed for the full-length protein. Additionally, the rpl17 gene was highly conserved in Metazoa, hinting it may play a universal role in the antibacterial defense system in different animals. Importantly, neither BjRPL17 nor peptide BjRPL17-1 exhibited toxicity towards mammalian cells thereby offering prospects for designing novel AMP agents based on these findings. Collectively, our results establish RPL17 as a novel member of AMPs with remarkable evolutionary conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Dongchu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Mengmeng Yi
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Zengyu Ma
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China.
| | - Zhan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity (Ministry of Education), Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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Huang L, Guo H, Liu Z, Chen C, Wang K, Huang X, Chen W, Zhu Y, Yan M, Zhang D. Contrasting patterns of bacterial communities in the rearing water and gut of Penaeus vannamei in response to exogenous glucose addition. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 4:222-236. [PMID: 37073217 PMCID: PMC10077327 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-021-00124-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Supplementing exogenous carbon sources is a practical approach to improving shrimp health by manipulating the microbial communities of aquaculture systems. However, little is known about the microbiological processes and mechanisms of these systems. Here, the effects of glucose addition on shrimp growth performance and bacterial communities of the rearing water and the shrimp gut were investigated to address this knowledge gap. The results showed that glucose addition significantly improved the growth and survival of shrimp. Although the α-diversity indices of both bacterioplankton communities and gut microbiota were significantly decreased by adding glucose, both bacterial communities exhibited divergent response patterns to glucose addition. Glucose addition induced a dispersive bacterioplankton community but a more stable gut bacterial community. Bacterial taxa belonging to Ruegeria were significantly enriched by glucose in the guts, especially the operational taxonomic unit 2575 (OTU2575), which showed the highest relative importance to the survival rate and individual weight of shrimp, with the values of 43.8 and 40.6%, respectively. In addition, glucose addition increased the complexity of interspecies interactions within gut bacterial communities and the network nodes from Rhodobacteraceae accounted for higher proportions and linked more with the nodes from other taxa in the glucose addition group than that in control. These findings suggest that glucose addition may provide a more stable gut microbiota for shrimp by increasing the abundance of certain bacterial taxa, such as Ruegeria. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-021-00124-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313001 China
| | - Haipeng Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Zidan Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Chen Chen
- Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, 325005 China
| | - Kai Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Xiaolin Huang
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, 325005 China
| | - Wei Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Yueyue Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Mengchen Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Demin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
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Chen C, Yuan J, Ji G, Zhang S, Gao Z. Amphioxus ribosomal proteins RPS15, RPS18, RPS19 and RPS30-precursor act as immune effectors via killing or agglutinating bacteria. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 118:147-154. [PMID: 34487827 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies show that some ribosomal proteins perform immune effector functions via killing bacteria directly. However, it remains largely unknown about other effector functions of ribosomal proteins during a bacterial infection. In this study, we expressed and purified four ribosomal proteins of the amphioxus Branchiostoma japonicum, termed rBjRPS15, rBjRPS18, rBjRPS19 and rBjRPS30-precursor (rBjRPS30P). They all exhibited bactericidal activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, and with the exception of rBjRPS19 and rBjRPS30P, were capable of killing Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Importantly, rBjRPS15, rBjRPS19 and rBjRPS30P were able to agglutinate S. aureus in the presence of Mg2+, but none of them could agglutinate E. coli even in the presence of Mg2+ or Ca2+. Moreover, the S. aureus agglutination was achieved by the binding of these three proteins to the peptidoglycan component of the bacterial cell wall. This is the first report showing that some ribosomal proteins possess bacterial agglutinating activity, and these data provide a new angle to the roles of ribosomal proteins in immune defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyi Chen
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Jianrui Yuan
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Guangdong Ji
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Shicui Zhang
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Zhan Gao
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity and Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
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