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McCluskey KE, Stovell KM, Law K, Kostyanovskaya E, Schmidt J, Exner CRT, Dea J, Brimble E, State MW, Willsey AJ, Willsey HR. Autism gene variants disrupt enteric neuron migration and cause gastrointestinal dysmotility. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.28.593642. [PMID: 38854068 PMCID: PMC11160671 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.28.593642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The comorbidity of autism spectrum disorders and severe gastrointestinal symptoms is well-established, yet the molecular underpinnings remain unknown. The identification of high-confidence large-effect autism risk genes offers the opportunity to identify convergent, underlying biology by studying these genes in the context of the gastrointestinal system. Here we show that the expression of these genes is enriched in human prenatal gut neurons as well as their migratory progenitors, suggesting that the development and/or function of these neurons may be disrupted by autism-associated pathogenic variants, leading to gastrointestinal dysfunction. Here we document the prevalence of gastrointestinal issues in patients with large-effect variants in sixteen of these genes, highlighting dysmotility, consistent with potential enteric neuron dysfunction. Using the high-throughput diploid frog Xenopus tropicalis , we individually target five of these genes ( SYNGAP1, CHD8, SCN2A, CHD2 , and DYRK1A ) and observe disrupted enteric neuronal progenitor migration for each. More extensive analysis of DYRK1A reveals that perturbation causes gut dysmotility in vivo , which can be ameliorated by treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (escitalopram) or a serotonin receptor 6 agonist, identified by in vivo drug screening. This work suggests that atypical development of enteric neurons contributes to the gastrointestinal distress commonly seen in individuals with autism and that increasing serotonin signaling may be a productive therapeutic avenue.
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Neal SJ, Rajasekaran A, Jusić N, Taylor L, Read M, Alfandari D, Pignoni F, Moody SA. Using Xenopus to discover new candidate genes involved in BOR and other congenital hearing loss syndromes. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2024; 342:212-240. [PMID: 37830236 PMCID: PMC11014897 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Hearing in infants is essential for brain development, acquisition of verbal language skills, and development of social interactions. Therefore, it is important to diagnose hearing loss soon after birth so that interventions can be provided as early as possible. Most newborns in the United States are screened for hearing deficits and commercially available next-generation sequencing hearing loss panels often can identify the causative gene, which may also identify congenital defects in other organs. One of the most prevalent autosomal dominant congenital hearing loss syndromes is branchio-oto-renal syndrome (BOR), which also presents with defects in craniofacial structures and the kidney. Currently, mutations in three genes, SIX1, SIX5, and EYA1, are known to be causative in about half of the BOR patients that have been tested. To uncover new candidate genes that could be added to congenital hearing loss genetic screens, we have combined the power of Drosophila mutants and protein biochemical assays with the embryological advantages of Xenopus, a key aquatic animal model with a high level of genomic similarity to human, to identify potential Six1 transcriptional targets and interacting proteins that play a role during otic development. We review our transcriptomic, yeast 2-hybrid, and proteomic approaches that have revealed a large number of new candidates. We also discuss how we have begun to identify how Six1 and co-factors interact to direct developmental events necessary for normal otic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J. Neal
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Anindita Rajasekaran
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Nisveta Jusić
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Louis Taylor
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Mai Read
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Dominique Alfandari
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Francesca Pignoni
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Sally A. Moody
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
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3
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Kaiyrzhanov R, Rad A, Lin SJ, Bertoli-Avella A, Kallemeijn WW, Godwin A, Zaki MS, Huang K, Lau T, Petree C, Efthymiou S, Karimiani EG, Hempel M, Normand EA, Rudnik-Schöneborn S, Schatz UA, Baggelaar MP, Ilyas M, Sultan T, Alvi JR, Ganieva M, Fowler B, Aanicai R, Tayfun GA, Al Saman A, Alswaid A, Amiri N, Asilova N, Shotelersuk V, Yeetong P, Azam M, Babaei M, Monajemi GB, Mohammadi P, Samie S, Banu SH, Pinto Basto J, Kortüm F, Bauer M, Bauer P, Beetz C, Garshasbi M, Issa AH, Eyaid W, Ahmed H, Hashemi N, Hassanpour K, Herman I, Ibrohimov S, Abdul-Majeed BA, Imdad M, Isrofilov M, Kaiyal Q, Khan S, Kirmse B, Koster J, Lourenço CM, Mitani T, Moldovan O, Murphy D, Najafi M, Pehlivan D, Rocha ME, Salpietro V, Schmidts M, Shalata A, Mahroum M, Talbeya JK, Taylor RW, Vazquez D, Vetro A, Waterham HR, Zaman M, Schrader TA, Chung WK, Guerrini R, Lupski JR, Gleeson J, Suri M, Jamshidi Y, Bhatia KP, Vona B, Schrader M, Severino M, Guille M, Tate EW, Varshney GK, Houlden H, Maroofian R. Bi-allelic ACBD6 variants lead to a neurodevelopmental syndrome with progressive and complex movement disorders. Brain 2024; 147:1436-1456. [PMID: 37951597 PMCID: PMC10994533 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad380] [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] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The acyl-CoA-binding domain-containing protein 6 (ACBD6) is ubiquitously expressed, plays a role in the acylation of lipids and proteins and regulates the N-myristoylation of proteins via N-myristoyltransferase enzymes (NMTs). However, its precise function in cells is still unclear, as is the consequence of ACBD6 defects on human pathophysiology. Using exome sequencing and extensive international data sharing efforts, we identified 45 affected individuals from 28 unrelated families (consanguinity 93%) with bi-allelic pathogenic, predominantly loss-of-function (18/20) variants in ACBD6. We generated zebrafish and Xenopus tropicalis acbd6 knockouts by CRISPR/Cas9 and characterized the role of ACBD6 on protein N-myristoylation with myristic acid alkyne (YnMyr) chemical proteomics in the model organisms and human cells, with the latter also being subjected further to ACBD6 peroxisomal localization studies. The affected individuals (23 males and 22 females), aged 1-50 years, typically present with a complex and progressive disease involving moderate-to-severe global developmental delay/intellectual disability (100%) with significant expressive language impairment (98%), movement disorders (97%), facial dysmorphism (95%) and mild cerebellar ataxia (85%) associated with gait impairment (94%), limb spasticity/hypertonia (76%), oculomotor (71%) and behavioural abnormalities (65%), overweight (59%), microcephaly (39%) and epilepsy (33%). The most conspicuous and common movement disorder was dystonia (94%), frequently leading to early-onset progressive postural deformities (97%), limb dystonia (55%) and cervical dystonia (31%). A jerky tremor in the upper limbs (63%), a mild head tremor (59%), parkinsonism/hypokinesia developing with advancing age (32%) and simple motor and vocal tics were among other frequent movement disorders. Midline brain malformations including corpus callosum abnormalities (70%), hypoplasia/agenesis of the anterior commissure (66%), short midbrain and small inferior cerebellar vermis (38% each) as well as hypertrophy of the clava (24%) were common neuroimaging findings. Acbd6-deficient zebrafish and Xenopus models effectively recapitulated many clinical phenotypes reported in patients including movement disorders, progressive neuromotor impairment, seizures, microcephaly, craniofacial dysmorphism and midbrain defects accompanied by developmental delay with increased mortality over time. Unlike ACBD5, ACBD6 did not show a peroxisomal localization and ACBD6-deficiency was not associated with altered peroxisomal parameters in patient fibroblasts. Significant differences in YnMyr-labelling were observed for 68 co- and 18 post-translationally N-myristoylated proteins in patient-derived fibroblasts. N-myristoylation was similarly affected in acbd6-deficient zebrafish and X. tropicalis models, including Fus, Marcks and Chchd-related proteins implicated in neurological diseases. The present study provides evidence that bi-allelic pathogenic variants in ACBD6 lead to a distinct neurodevelopmental syndrome accompanied by complex and progressive cognitive and movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rauan Kaiyrzhanov
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Aboulfazl Rad
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar 009851, Iran
- Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sheng-Jia Lin
- Genes & Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | | | - Wouter W Kallemeijn
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, UK
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutic Discovery Lab, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Annie Godwin
- European Xenopus Resource Centre—XenMD, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK
| | - Maha S Zaki
- Clinical Genetics Department, Human Genetics and Genome Research Institute, National Research Centre, 12622 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Kevin Huang
- Genes & Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Tracy Lau
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Cassidy Petree
- Genes & Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Stephanie Efthymiou
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Ehsan Ghayoor Karimiani
- Genetics Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St George’s University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
- Department of Medical Genetics, Next Generation Genetic Polyclinic, Mashhad 1696700, Iran
| | - Maja Hempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | | | | | - Ulrich A Schatz
- Institute of Human Genetics, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, 81675, Germany
| | - Marc P Baggelaar
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, UK
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics Group, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Muhammad Ilyas
- Department of BioEngineering, University of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 19130 Swat, Pakistan
- Centre for Omic Sciences, Islamia College University, 25000 Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Tipu Sultan
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Institute of Child Health, Children Hospital, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
| | - Javeria Raza Alvi
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Institute of Child Health, Children Hospital, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
| | - Manizha Ganieva
- Department of Neurology, Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, 734063 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
| | - Ben Fowler
- Imaging Core, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Ruxandra Aanicai
- Department of Medical Genetics, CENTOGENE GmbH, 18055 Rostock, Germany
| | - Gulsen Akay Tayfun
- Department of Pediatric Genetics, Marmara University Medical School, 34722 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Abdulaziz Al Saman
- Pediatric Neurology Department, National Neuroscience Institute, King Fahad Medical City, 49046 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahman Alswaid
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nafise Amiri
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Nilufar Asilova
- Department of Neurology, Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, 734063 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
| | - Vorasuk Shotelersuk
- Center of Excellence for Medical Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Patra Yeetong
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Matloob Azam
- Pediatrics and Child Neurology, Wah Medical College, 47000 Wah Cantt, Pakistan
| | - Meisam Babaei
- Department of Pediatrics, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd 94149-74877, Iran
| | | | - Pouria Mohammadi
- Children’s Medical Center, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Ataxia Clinic, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1416634793, Iran
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Genetics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411944961, Iran
| | - Saeed Samie
- Pars Advanced and Minimally Invasive Medical Manners Research Center, Pars Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| | - Selina Husna Banu
- Department of Paediatric Neurology and Development, Dr. M.R. Khan Shishu (Children) Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh
| | - Jorge Pinto Basto
- Department of Medical Genetics, CENTOGENE GmbH, 18055 Rostock, Germany
| | - Fanny Kortüm
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mislen Bauer
- Division of Clinical Genetics and Metabolism, Nicklas Children's Hospital, Miami, FL 33155, USA
| | - Peter Bauer
- Department of Medical Genetics, CENTOGENE GmbH, 18055 Rostock, Germany
| | - Christian Beetz
- Department of Medical Genetics, CENTOGENE GmbH, 18055 Rostock, Germany
| | - Masoud Garshasbi
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Genetics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411944961, Iran
| | | | - Wafaa Eyaid
- Department of Genetics and Precision Medicine, King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (NGHA), Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hind Ahmed
- Department of Genetics and Precision Medicine, King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (NGHA), Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia
| | - Narges Hashemi
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 13131–99137 Mashhad, Iran
| | - Kazem Hassanpour
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, 319 Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Isabella Herman
- Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 68010, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Neurology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Pediatric Neurology, Neurogenetics and Rare Diseases, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE 68131, USA
| | - Sherozjon Ibrohimov
- Department of Neurology, Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, 734063 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
| | - Ban A Abdul-Majeed
- Molecular Pathology and Genetics, The Pioneer Molecular Pathology Lab, Baghdad 10044, Iraq
| | - Maria Imdad
- Centre for Human Genetics, Hazara University, 21300 Mansehra, Pakistan
| | - Maksudjon Isrofilov
- Department of Neurology, Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, 734063 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
| | - Qassem Kaiyal
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Clalit Health Care, 2510500 Haifa, Israel
| | - Suliman Khan
- Department of Medical Genetics, CENTOGENE GmbH, 18055 Rostock, Germany
| | - Brian Kirmse
- SOM-Peds-Genetics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson MS, 39216, USA
| | - Janet Koster
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers location AMC, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Charles Marques Lourenço
- Faculdade de Medicina, Centro Universitario Estácio de Ribeirão Preto, 14096-160 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tadahiro Mitani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Oana Moldovan
- Serviço de Genética Médica, Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Norte, 1649-035 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - David Murphy
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Maryam Najafi
- Pediatrics Genetics Division, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg University, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Genome Research Division, Human Genetics Department, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Davut Pehlivan
- Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 68010, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Vincenzo Salpietro
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Miriam Schmidts
- Pediatrics Genetics Division, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg University, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Genome Research Division, Human Genetics Department, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- CIBSS-Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Adel Shalata
- Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, the Simon Winter Institute for Human Genetics, Bnai Zion Medical Center, 31048 Haifa, Israel
- Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, the Technion institution of Technology, 3200003 Haifa, Israel
| | - Mohammad Mahroum
- CIBSS-Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jawabreh Kassem Talbeya
- Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, the Simon Winter Institute for Human Genetics, Bnai Zion Medical Center, 31048 Haifa, Israel
- Department of Radiology, The Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa 31048, Israel
| | - Robert W Taylor
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
- NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK
| | - Dayana Vazquez
- Division of Clinical Genetics and Metabolism, Nicklas Children's Hospital, Miami, FL 33155, USA
| | - Annalisa Vetro
- Neuroscience Department, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Hans R Waterham
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers location AMC, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mashaya Zaman
- Department of Paediatric Neurology and Development, Dr. M.R. Khan Shishu (Children) Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh
| | - Tina A Schrader
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Wendy K Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Renzo Guerrini
- Neuroscience Department, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS, 50139 Florence, Italy
- Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Child Health Department, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - James R Lupski
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Neurology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joseph Gleeson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, San Diego, CA 92025, USA
| | - Mohnish Suri
- Clinical Genetics Service, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK
| | - Yalda Jamshidi
- Genetics Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St George’s University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
- Human Genetics Centre of Excellence, Novo Nordisk Research Centre Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Kailash P Bhatia
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Barbara Vona
- Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard Karls University, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and Inner Ear Lab, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Schrader
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | | | - Matthew Guille
- European Xenopus Resource Centre—XenMD, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK
| | - Edward W Tate
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, UK
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutic Discovery Lab, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gaurav K Varshney
- Genes & Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Reza Maroofian
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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Sakagami K, Igawa T, Saikawa K, Sakaguchi Y, Hossain N, Kato C, Kinemori K, Suzuki N, Suzuki M, Kawaguchi A, Ochi H, Tajika Y, Ogino H. Development of a heat-stable alkaline phosphatase reporter system for cis-regulatory analysis and its application to 3D digital imaging of Xenopus embryonic tissues. Dev Growth Differ 2024; 66:256-265. [PMID: 38439617 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12919] [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] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Xenopus is one of the essential model systems for studying vertebrate development. However, one drawback of this system is that, because of the opacity of Xenopus embryos, 3D imaging analysis is limited to surface structures, explant cultures, and post-embryonic tadpoles. To develop a technique for 3D tissue/organ imaging in whole Xenopus embryos, we identified optimal conditions for using placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) as a transgenic reporter and applied it to the correlative light microscopy and block-face imaging (CoMBI) method for visualization of PLAP-expressing tissues/organs. In embryos whose endogenous alkaline phosphatase activities were heat-inactivated, PLAP staining visualized various tissue-specific enhancer/promoter activities in a manner consistent with green fluorescent protein (GFP) fluorescence. Furthermore, PLAP staining appeared to be more sensitive than GFP fluorescence as a reporter, and the resulting expression patterns were not mosaic, in striking contrast to the mosaic staining pattern of β-galactosidase expressed from the lacZ gene that was introduced by the same transgenesis method. Owing to efficient penetration of alkaline phosphatase substrates, PLAP activity was detected in deep tissues, such as the developing brain, spinal cord, heart, and somites, by whole-mount staining. The stained embryos were analyzed by the CoMBI method, resulting in the digital reconstruction of 3D images of the PLAP-expressing tissues. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the PLAP reporter system for detecting enhancer/promoter activities driving deep tissue expression and its combination with the CoMBI method as a powerful approach for 3D digital imaging analysis of specific tissue/organ structures in Xenopus embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyo Sakagami
- Department of Animal Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Igawa
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kaori Saikawa
- Department of Animal Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Japan
| | - Yusuke Sakaguchi
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Nusrat Hossain
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Chiho Kato
- Department of Animal Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Kinemori
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Nanoka Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Makoto Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Akane Kawaguchi
- Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Haruki Ochi
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Yuki Tajika
- Department of Radiological Technology, Gunma Prefectural College of Health Sciences, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Hajime Ogino
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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Cumplido N, Arratia G, Desvignes T, Muñoz-Sánchez S, Postlethwait JH, Allende ML. Hox genes control homocercal caudal fin development and evolution. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj5991. [PMID: 38241378 PMCID: PMC10798566 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj5991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Ancient bony fishes had heterocercal tails, like modern sharks and sturgeons, with asymmetric caudal fins and a vertebral column extending into an elongated upper lobe. Teleost fishes, in contrast, developed a homocercal tail characterized by two separate equal-sized fin lobes and the body axis not extending into the caudal fin. A similar heterocercal-to-homocercal transition occurs during teleost ontogeny, although the underlying genetic and developmental mechanisms for either transition remain unresolved. Here, we investigated the role of hox13 genes in caudal fin formation as these genes control posterior identity in animals. Analysis of expression profiles of zebrafish hox13 paralogs and phenotypes of CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutants showed that double hoxb13a and hoxc13a mutants fail to form a caudal fin. Furthermore, single mutants display heterocercal-like morphologies not seen since Mesozoic fossil teleosteomorphs. Relaxation of functional constraints after the teleost genome duplication may have allowed hox13 duplicates to neo- or subfunctionalize, ultimately contributing to the evolution of a homocercal tail in teleost fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Cumplido
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gloria Arratia
- University of Kansas, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Thomas Desvignes
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Salomé Muñoz-Sánchez
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Miguel L. Allende
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Virk SM, Trujillo-Provencio C, Serrano EE. Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Candidate Genes for Differential Expression during Xenopus laevis Inner Ear Development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.29.573599. [PMID: 38260420 PMCID: PMC10802236 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.29.573599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Background The genes involved in inner ear development and maintenance of the adult organ have yet to be fully characterized. Previous genetic analysis has emphasized the early development that gives rise to the otic vesicle. This study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap and identify candidate genes that are expressed as the auditory and vestibular sensory organs continue to grow and develop until the systems reach postmetamorphic maturity. Methods Affymetrix microarrays were used to assess inner ear transcriptome profiles from three Xenopus laevis developmental ages where all eight endorgans comprise mechanosensory hair cells: larval stages 50 and 56, and the post-metamorphic juvenile. Pairwise comparisons were made between the three developmental stages and the resulting differentially expressed X. laevis Probe Set IDs (Xl-PSIDs) were assigned to four groups based on differential expression patterns. DAVID analysis was undertaken to impart functional annotation to the differentially regulated Xl-PSIDs. Results Analysis identified 1510 candidate genes for differential gene expression in one or more pairwise comparison. Annotated genes not previously associated with inner ear development emerged from this analysis, as well as annotated genes with established inner ear function, such as oncomodulin, neurod1, and sp7. Notably, 36% of differentially expressed Xl-PSIDs were unannotated. Conclusions Results draw attention to the complex gene regulatory patterns that characterize Xenopus inner ear development, and underscore the need for improved annotation of the X. laevis genome. Outcomes can be utilized to select candidate inner ear genes for functional analysis, and to promote Xenopus as a model organism for biomedical studies of hearing and balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene M Virk
- Biology Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM USA 88003
| | | | - Elba E Serrano
- Biology Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM USA 88003
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7
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Hossain N, Igawa T, Suzuki M, Tazawa I, Nakao Y, Hayashi T, Suzuki N, Ogino H. Phenotype-genotype relationships in Xenopus sox9 crispants provide insights into campomelic dysplasia and vertebrate jaw evolution. Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:481-497. [PMID: 37505799 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12884] [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] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Since CRISPR-based genome editing technology works effectively in the diploid frog Xenopus tropicalis, a growing number of studies have successfully modeled human genetic diseases in this species. However, most of their targets were limited to non-syndromic diseases that exhibit abnormalities in a small fraction of tissues or organs in the body. This is likely because of the complexity of interpreting the phenotypic variations resulting from somatic mosaic mutations generated in the founder animals (crispants). In this study, we attempted to model the syndromic disease campomelic dysplasia (CD) by generating sox9 crispants in X. tropicalis. The resulting crispants failed to form neural crest cells at neurula stages and exhibited various combinations of jaw, gill, ear, heart, and gut defects at tadpole stages, recapitulating part of the syndromic phenotype of CD patients. Genotyping of the crispants with a variety of allelic series of mutations suggested that the heart and gut defects depend primarily on frame-shift mutations expected to be null, whereas the jaw, gill, and ear defects could be induced not only by such mutations but also by in-frame deletion mutations expected to delete part of the jawed vertebrate-specific domain from the encoded Sox9 protein. These results demonstrate that Xenopus crispants are useful for investigating the phenotype-genotype relationships behind syndromic diseases and examining the tissue-specific role of each functional domain within a single protein, providing novel insights into vertebrate jaw evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nusrat Hossain
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takeshi Igawa
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Makoto Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Ichiro Tazawa
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yuta Nakao
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Toshinori Hayashi
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Nanoka Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hajime Ogino
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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8
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Shibata Y, Okumura A, Mochii M, Suzuki KIT. Protocols for transgenesis at a safe harbor site in the Xenopus laevis genome using CRISPR-Cas9. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102382. [PMID: 37389994 PMCID: PMC10511863 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102382] [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: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We have established a new transgenesis protocol based on CRISPR-Cas9, "New and Easy XenopusTransgenesis (NEXTrans)," and identified a novel safe harbor site in African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis. We describe steps in detail for the construction of NEXTrans plasmid and guide RNA, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated NEXTrans plasmid integration into the locus, and its validation by genomic PCR. This improved strategy allows us to simply generate transgenic animals that stably express the transgene. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Shibata et al. (2022).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Shibata
- Emerging Model Organisms Facility, Trans-scale Biology Center, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Akinori Okumura
- Emerging Model Organisms Facility, Trans-scale Biology Center, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Makoto Mochii
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School of Science, University of Hyogo, Akou-gun, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan.
| | - Ken-Ichi T Suzuki
- Emerging Model Organisms Facility, Trans-scale Biology Center, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.
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9
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Kitamura K, Yamamoto T, Ochi H, Suzuki M, Suzuki N, Igawa T, Yoshida T, Futakuchi M, Ogino H, Michiue T. Identification of tumor-related genes via RNA sequencing of tumor tissues in Xenopus tropicalis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13214. [PMID: 37580380 PMCID: PMC10425369 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40193-7] [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] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer treatment is still challenging because the disease is often caused by multiple mutations. Although genomic studies have identified many oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, gene sets involved in tumorigenesis remain poorly understood. Xenopus, a genus of aquatic frogs, is a useful model to identify gene sets because it can be genetically and experimentally analyzed. Here, we analyzed gene expression in tumor tissues of three individuals in Xenopus tropicalis and identified 55 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that the upregulated genes in the tumor tissues were enriched in GO terms related to the extracellular matrix and collagen fibril organization. Hierarchical clustering showed that the gene expression patterns of tumor tissues in X. tropicalis were comparable to those of human connective, soft, and subcutaneous tissue-derived cancers. Additionally, pathway analysis revealed that these DEGs were associated with multiple pathways, including the extracellular matrix, collagen fibril organization, MET signaling, and keratan sulfate. We also found that the expression tendency of some DEGs that have not been well analyzed in the cancer field clearly determines the prognosis of human cancer patients. This study provides a remarkable reference for future experimental work on X. tropicalis to identify gene sets involved in human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Kitamura
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Yamamoto
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Haruki Ochi
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, 2-2-2 Iida-Nishi, Yamagata City, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Makoto Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, 739-8511, Japan
| | - Nanoka Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, 739-8511, Japan
| | - Takeshi Igawa
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, 739-8511, Japan
| | - Tadashi Yoshida
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Futakuchi
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, 2-2-2 Iida-Nishi, Yamagata City, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Hajime Ogino
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, 739-8511, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Michiue
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
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10
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Parvez S, Brandt ZJ, Peterson RT. Large-scale F0 CRISPR screens in vivo using MIC-Drop. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:1841-1865. [PMID: 37069311 PMCID: PMC10419324 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-023-00821-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The zebrafish is a powerful model system for studying animal development, for modeling genetic diseases, and for large-scale in vivo functional genetics. Because of its ease of use and its high efficiency in targeted gene perturbation, CRISPR-Cas9 has recently gained prominence as the tool of choice for genetic manipulation in zebrafish. However, scaling up the technique for high-throughput in vivo functional genetics has been a challenge. We recently developed a method, Multiplexed Intermixed CRISPR Droplets (MIC-Drop), that makes large-scale CRISPR screening in zebrafish possible. Here, we outline the step-by-step protocol for performing functional genetic screens in zebrafish by using MIC-Drop. MIC-Drop uses multiplexed single-guide RNAs to generate biallelic mutations in injected zebrafish embryos, allowing genetic screens to be performed in F0 animals. Combining microfluidics and DNA barcoding enables simultaneous targeting of tens to hundreds of genes from a single injection needle, while also enabling retrospective and rapid identification of the genotype responsible for an observed phenotype. The primary target audiences for MIC-Drop are developmental biologists, zebrafish geneticists, and researchers interested in performing in vivo functional genetic screens in a vertebrate model system. MIC-Drop will also prove useful in the hands of chemical biologists seeking to identify targets of small molecules that cause phenotypic changes in zebrafish. By using MIC-Drop, a typical screen of 100 genes can be conducted within 2-3 weeks by a single user.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Parvez
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Zachary J Brandt
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Randall T Peterson
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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11
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Yoon J, Sun J, Lee M, Hwang YS, Daar IO. Wnt4 and ephrinB2 instruct apical constriction via Dishevelled and non-canonical signaling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:337. [PMID: 36670115 PMCID: PMC9860048 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35991-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Apical constriction is a cell shape change critical to vertebrate neural tube closure, and the contractile force required for this process is generated by actin-myosin networks. The signaling cue that instructs this process has remained elusive. Here, we identify Wnt4 and the transmembrane ephrinB2 protein as playing an instructive role in neural tube closure as members of a signaling complex we termed WERDS (Wnt4, EphrinB2, Ror2, Dishevelled (Dsh2), and Shroom3). Disruption of function or interaction among members of the WERDS complex results in defects of apical constriction and neural tube closure. The mechanism of action involves an interaction of ephrinB2 with the Dsh2 scaffold protein that enhances the formation of the WERDS complex, which in turn, activates Rho-associated kinase to induce apical constriction. Moreover, the ephrinB2/Dsh2 interaction promotes non-canonical Wnt signaling and shows how cross-talk between two major signal transduction pathways, Eph/ephrin and Wnt, coordinate morphogenesis of the neural tube.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeho Yoon
- Cancer & Developmental Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Jian Sun
- Cancer & Developmental Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Moonsup Lee
- Cancer & Developmental Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Yoo-Seok Hwang
- Cancer & Developmental Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Ira O Daar
- Cancer & Developmental Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
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12
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Nakayama T, Grainger RM, Cha SW. Homology-Directed Repair by CRISPR-Cas9 Mutagenesis in Xenopus Using Long Single-Stranded Donor DNA Templates via Simple Microinjection of Embryos. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2022; 2022:606-615. [PMID: 35953242 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot107599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
We describe a step-by-step procedure to perform homology-directed repair (HDR)-mediated precise gene editing in Xenopus embryos using long single-stranded DNA (lssDNA) as a donor template for HDR in conjunction with the CRISPR-Cas9 system. A key advantage of this method is that it relies on simple microinjection of fertilized Xenopus eggs, resulting in high yield of healthy founder embryos. These embryos are screened for those animals carrying the precisely mutated locus to then generate homozygous and/or heterozygous mutant lines in the F1 generation. Therefore, we can avoid the more challenging "oocyte host transfer" technique, which is particularly difficult for Xenopus tropicalis, that is required for an alternate HDR approach. Several key points of this protocol are (1) to use efficiently active single-guide RNAs for targeting, (2) to use properly designed lssDNAs, and (3) to use 5'-end phosphorothioate-modification to obtain higher-efficiency HDR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Nakayama
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Robert M Grainger
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Sang-Wook Cha
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri 64093, USA
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13
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Engraftment of Allotransplanted Tumor Cells in Adult rag2 Mutant Xenopus tropicalis. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194560. [PMID: 36230482 PMCID: PMC9559464 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194560] [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: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary While the mouse is without doubt the most studied animal for experimental cancer research, aquatic vertebrates such as zebrafish have also contributed to the field. More recently, thanks to the Nobel-prize winning technology of CRISPR/Cas mediated genomic engineering, the frog Xenopus tropicalis has emerged as an additional powerful model for studying human cancer. Via CRISPR-mediated genome editing, several models for different human cancers have been obtained in this animal. However, what has been lacking in Xenopus is the possibility to transplant tumor cells between different frogs. This is important to allow better characterization of the tumor cells and exploration of therapeutic opportunities. In this paper, we describe the generation of a genetic mutant in Xenopus tropicalis that has a compromised immune system, thereby allowing the grafting and expansion of tumors obtained in this species. In addition, an optimized protocol is provided for the irradiation of wild-type Xenopus frogs that subsequently are temporarily immunocompromised and during that period allow tumor engraftment. This work will expand the toolbox for modeling human cancer in Xenopus tropicalis, thereby further establishing it as a powerful experimental cancer model. Abstract Modeling human genetic diseases and cancer in lab animals has been greatly aided by the emergence of genetic engineering tools such as TALENs and CRISPR/Cas9. We have previously demonstrated the ease with which genetically engineered Xenopus models (GEXM) can be generated via injection of early embryos with Cas9 recombinant protein loaded with sgRNAs targeting single or multiple tumor suppressor genes. What has been lacking so far is the possibility to propagate and characterize the induced cancers via transplantation. Here, we describe the generation of a rag2 knockout line in Xenopus tropicalis that is deficient in functional T and B cells. This line was validated by means of allografting experiments with primary tp53−/− and apc+/−/tp53−/− donor tumors. In addition, we optimized available protocols for the sub-lethal irradiation of wild-type X. tropicalis froglets. Irradiated animals also allowed the stable, albeit transient, engraftment of transplanted X. tropicalis tumor cells. The novel rag2−/− line and the irradiated wild-type froglets will further expand the experimental toolbox in the diploid amphibian X. tropicalis and help to establish it as a versatile and relevant model for exploring human cancer.
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14
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Functions of block of proliferation 1 during anterior development in Xenopus laevis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273507. [PMID: 36007075 PMCID: PMC9409556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273507] [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: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Block of proliferation 1 (Bop1) is a nucleolar protein known to be necessary for the assembly of the 60S subunit of ribosomes. Here, we show a specific bop1 expression in the developing anterior tissue of the South African clawed frog Xenopus laevis. Morpholino oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown approaches demonstrated that Bop1 is required for proper development of the cranial cartilage, brain, and the eyes. Furthermore, we show that bop1 knockdown leads to impaired retinal lamination with disorganized cell layers. Expression of neural crest-, brain-, and eye-specific marker genes was disturbed. Apoptotic and proliferative processes, which are known to be affected during ribosomal biogenesis defects, are not hindered upon bop1 knockdown. Because early Xenopus embryos contain a large store of maternal ribosomes, we considered if Bop1 might have a role independent of de novo ribosomal biogenesis. At early embryonic stages, pax6 expression was strongly reduced in bop1 morphants and synergy experiments indicate a common signaling pathway of the two molecules, Bop1 and Pax6. Our studies imply a novel function of Bop1 independent of ribosomal biogenesis.
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15
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Kayser N, Zaiser F, Veenstra AC, Wang H, Göcmen B, Eckert P, Franz H, Köttgen A, Walz G, Yakulov TA. Clock genes rescue nphp mutations in zebrafish. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:4143-4158. [PMID: 35861640 PMCID: PMC9759334 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac160] [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: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish pronephros model, using morpholino oligonucleotides (MO) to deplete target genes, has been extensively used to characterize human ciliopathy phenotypes. Recently, discrepancies between MO and genetically defined mutants have questioned this approach. We analyzed zebrafish with mutations in the nphp1-4-8 module to determine the validity of MO-based results. While MO-mediated depletion resulted in glomerular cyst and cloaca malformation, these ciliopathy-typical manifestations were observed at a much lower frequency in zebrafish embryos with defined nphp mutations. All nphp1-4-8 mutant zebrafish were viable and displayed decreased manifestations in the next (F2) generation, lacking maternal RNA contribution. While genetic compensation was further supported by the observation that nphp4-deficient mutants became partially refractory to MO-based nphp4 depletion, zebrafish embryos, lacking one nphp gene, became more sensitive to MO-based depletion of additional nphp genes. Transcriptome analysis of nphp8 mutant embryos revealed an upregulation of the circadian clock genes cry1a and cry5. MO-mediated depletion of cry1a and cry5 caused ciliopathy phenotypes in wild-type embryos, while cry1a and cry5 depletion in maternal zygotic nphp8 mutant embryos increased the frequency of glomerular cysts compared to controls. Importantly, cry1a and cry5 rescued the nephropathy-related phenotypes in nphp1, nphp4 or nphp8-depleted zebrafish embryos. Our results reveal that nphp mutant zebrafish resemble the MO-based phenotypes, albeit at a much lower frequency. Rapid adaption through upregulation of circadian clock genes seems to ameliorate the loss of nphp genes, contributing to phenotypic differences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Burulca Göcmen
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Priska Eckert
- Renal Division, University Freiburg Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Hugstetter Str. 55, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Henriette Franz
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Pestalozzistr. 20, Basel CH-4056, Switzerland
| | - Anna Köttgen
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Gerd Walz
- Renal Division, University Freiburg Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Hugstetter Str. 55, Freiburg 79106, Germany,Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 19, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Toma A Yakulov
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +49 76127063036;
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16
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Gorbsky GJ, Daum JR, Sapkota H, Summala K, Yoshida H, Georgescu C, Wren JD, Peshkin L, Horb ME. Developing immortal cell lines from Xenopus embryos , four novel cell lines derived from Xenopus tropicalis. Open Biol 2022; 12:220089. [PMID: 35857907 PMCID: PMC9256088 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The diploid anuran Xenopus tropicalis has emerged as a key research model in cell and developmental biology. To enhance the usefulness of this species, we developed methods for generating immortal cell lines from Nigerian strain (NXR_1018, RRID:SCR_013731) X. tropicalis embryos. We generated 14 cell lines that were propagated for several months. We selected four morphologically distinct lines, XTN-6, XTN-8, XTN-10 and XTN-12 for further characterization. Karyotype analysis revealed that three of the lines, XTN-8, XTN-10 and XTN-12 were primarily diploid. XTN-6 cultures showed a consistent mixed population of diploid cells, cells with chromosome 8 trisomy, and cells containing a tetraploid content of chromosomes. The lines were propagated using conventional culture methods as adherent cultures at 30°C in a simple, diluted L-15 medium containing fetal bovine serum without use of a high CO2 incubator. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the four lines were distinct lineages. These methods will be useful in the generation of cell lines from normal and mutant strains of X. tropicalis as well as other species of Xenopus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary J. Gorbsky
- Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA,Depatment of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - John R. Daum
- Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Hem Sapkota
- Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Katja Summala
- Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Hitoshi Yoshida
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regeneration Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Constantin Georgescu
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jonathan D. Wren
- Genes and Human Disease Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Leonid Peshkin
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regeneration Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA,Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marko E. Horb
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regeneration Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
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17
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Ismail V, Zachariassen LG, Godwin A, Sahakian M, Ellard S, Stals KL, Baple E, Brown KT, Foulds N, Wheway G, Parker MO, Lyngby SM, Pedersen MG, Desir J, Bayat A, Musgaard M, Guille M, Kristensen AS, Baralle D. Identification and functional evaluation of GRIA1 missense and truncation variants in individuals with ID: An emerging neurodevelopmental syndrome. Am J Hum Genet 2022; 109:1217-1241. [PMID: 35675825 PMCID: PMC9300760 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
GRIA1 encodes the GluA1 subunit of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) receptors, which are ligand-gated ion channels that act as excitatory receptors for the neurotransmitter L-glutamate (Glu). AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are homo- or heteromeric protein complexes with four subunits, each encoded by different genes, GRIA1 to GRIA4. Although GluA1-containing AMPARs have a crucial role in brain function, the human phenotype associated with deleterious GRIA1 sequence variants has not been established. Subjects with de novo missense and nonsense GRIA1 variants were identified through international collaboration. Detailed phenotypic and genetic assessments of the subjects were carried out and the pathogenicity of the variants was evaluated in vitro to characterize changes in AMPAR function and expression. In addition, two Xenopus gria1 CRISPR-Cas9 F0 models were established to characterize the in vivo consequences. Seven unrelated individuals with rare GRIA1 variants were identified. One individual carried a homozygous nonsense variant (p.Arg377Ter), and six had heterozygous missense variations (p.Arg345Gln, p.Ala636Thr, p.Ile627Thr, and p.Gly745Asp), of which the p.Ala636Thr variant was recurrent in three individuals. The cohort revealed subjects to have a recurrent neurodevelopmental disorder mostly affecting cognition and speech. Functional evaluation of major GluA1-containing AMPAR subtypes carrying the GRIA1 variant mutations showed that three of the four missense variants profoundly perturb receptor function. The homozygous stop-gain variant completely destroys the expression of GluA1-containing AMPARs. The Xenopus gria1 models show transient motor deficits, an intermittent seizure phenotype, and a significant impairment to working memory in mutants. These data support a developmental disorder caused by both heterozygous and homozygous variants in GRIA1 affecting AMPAR function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardha Ismail
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Coxford Rd, Southampton SO165YA, UK
| | - Linda G Zachariassen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Annie Godwin
- European Xenopus Resource Centre, School of Biological Sciences, King Henry Building, King Henry I Street, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Mane Sahakian
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sian Ellard
- Exeter Genomics Laboratory, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK; University of Exeter Medical School, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Karen L Stals
- Exeter Genomics Laboratory, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Emma Baple
- Exeter Genomics Laboratory, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK; University of Exeter Medical School, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Kate Tatton Brown
- South-West Thames Clinical Genetics Service, St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Nicola Foulds
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Coxford Rd, Southampton SO165YA, UK
| | - Gabrielle Wheway
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Duthie Building, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Matthew O Parker
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Old St Michael's Building, White Swan Road, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK
| | - Signe M Lyngby
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Miriam G Pedersen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Julie Desir
- Département de Génétique Clinique - Institut de Pathologie et de Génétique, Institut de Pathologie et de Génétique, Avenue Georges Lemaître, 25 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Allan Bayat
- Danish Epilepsy Centre, Department of Epilepsy Genetics and Personalized Medicine, 4293 Dianalund, Denmark; Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Maria Musgaard
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Matthew Guille
- European Xenopus Resource Centre, School of Biological Sciences, King Henry Building, King Henry I Street, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Anders S Kristensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Diana Baralle
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Coxford Rd, Southampton SO165YA, UK; Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Duthie Building, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK.
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18
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Li R, Meng Q, Qi J, Hu L, Huang J, Zhang Y, Yang J, Sun J. Microinjection-based CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis in the decapoda crustaceans, Neocaridina heteropoda and Eriocheir sinensis. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274276. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been applied to many arthropods. However, application of this technology to crustaceans remains limited due to the unique characteristics of embryos. Our group has developed a microinjection system to introduce the CRISPR/Cas9 system into Neocaridina heteropoda embryos (one-cell stage). Using the developed method, we mutated the target gene Nh-scarlet (N. heteropoda scarlet), which functions in eye development and pigmentation. The results showed that both eye color and shape were altered in individuals in which Nh-scarlet was knocked out. Furthermore, this system was also successfully applied to another decapod crustacean, Eriocheir sinensis. DNA sequencing revealed that the zoeae with red eyes had an edited version of Es-scarlet. This study provides a stable microinjection method for freshwater crustaceans, and will contribute to functional genomics studies in various decapods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghao Meng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiachen Qi
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
| | - Lezhen Hu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinwei Huang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
| | - Yichen Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiale Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinsheng Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, People's Republic of China
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Abstract
For four decades, genetically altered laboratory animals have provided invaluable information. Originally, genetic modifications were performed on only a few animal species, often chosen because of the ready accessibility of embryonic materials and short generation times. The methods were often slow, inefficient and expensive. In 2013, a new, extremely efficient technology, namely CRISPR/Cas9, not only made the production of genetically altered organisms faster and cheaper, but also opened it up to non-conventional laboratory animal species. CRISPR/Cas9 relies on a guide RNA as a 'location finder' to target DNA double strand breaks induced by the Cas9 enzyme. This is a prerequisite for non-homologous end joining repair to occur, an error prone mechanism often generating insertion or deletion of genetic material. If a DNA template is also provided, this can lead to homology directed repair, allowing precise insertions, deletions or substitutions. Due to its high efficiency in targeting DNA, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genetic modification is now possible in virtually all animal species for which we have genome sequence data. Furthermore, modifications of Cas9 have led to more refined genetic alterations from targeted single base-pair mutations to epigenetic modifications. The latter offer altered gene expression without genome alteration. With this ever growing genetic toolbox, the number and range of genetically altered conventional and non-conventional laboratory animals with simple or complex genetic modifications is growing exponentially.
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20
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Szenker-Ravi E, Ott T, Khatoo M, Moreau de Bellaing A, Goh WX, Chong YL, Beckers A, Kannesan D, Louvel G, Anujan P, Ravi V, Bonnard C, Moutton S, Schoen P, Fradin M, Colin E, Megarbane A, Daou L, Chehab G, Di Filippo S, Rooryck C, Deleuze JF, Boland A, Arribard N, Eker R, Tohari S, Ng AYJ, Rio M, Lim CT, Eisenhaber B, Eisenhaber F, Venkatesh B, Amiel J, Crollius HR, Gordon CT, Gossler A, Roy S, Attie-Bitach T, Blum M, Bouvagnet P, Reversade B. Discovery of a genetic module essential for assigning left-right asymmetry in humans and ancestral vertebrates. Nat Genet 2022; 54:62-72. [PMID: 34903892 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00970-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The vertebrate left-right axis is specified during embryogenesis by a transient organ: the left-right organizer (LRO). Species including fish, amphibians, rodents and humans deploy motile cilia in the LRO to break bilateral symmetry, while reptiles, birds, even-toed mammals and cetaceans are believed to have LROs without motile cilia. We searched for genes whose loss during vertebrate evolution follows this pattern and identified five genes encoding extracellular proteins, including a putative protease with hitherto unknown functions that we named ciliated left-right organizer metallopeptide (CIROP). Here, we show that CIROP is specifically expressed in ciliated LROs. In zebrafish and Xenopus, CIROP is required solely on the left side, downstream of the leftward flow, but upstream of DAND5, the first asymmetrically expressed gene. We further ascertained 21 human patients with loss-of-function CIROP mutations presenting with recessive situs anomalies. Our findings posit the existence of an ancestral genetic module that has twice disappeared during vertebrate evolution but remains essential for distinguishing left from right in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Szenker-Ravi
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Therapeutics, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Tim Ott
- Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Muznah Khatoo
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Therapeutics, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anne Moreau de Bellaing
- Laboratoire de Cardiogénétique, Groupe Hospitalier Est, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Wei Xuan Goh
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Therapeutics, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yan Ling Chong
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Pathology, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anja Beckers
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Darshini Kannesan
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Therapeutics, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Guillaume Louvel
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
- Écologie, Systématique et Évolution, UMR 8079 CNRS - Université Paris-Saclay - AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - Priyanka Anujan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Vydianathan Ravi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Carine Bonnard
- Skin Research Institute of Singapore (SRIS), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sébastien Moutton
- CPDPN, Pôle mère enfant, Maison de Santé Protestante Bordeaux Bagatelle, Talence, France
| | | | - Mélanie Fradin
- Service de Génétique Médicale, Hôpital Sud, CHU de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Estelle Colin
- Service de Génétique Médicale, CHU d'Angers, Angers, France
| | - André Megarbane
- Department of Human Genetics, Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Institut Jérôme LEJEUNE, Paris, France
| | - Linda Daou
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hôtel Dieu de France University Medical Center, Saint Joseph University, Alfred Naccache Boulevard, Achrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Ghassan Chehab
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hôtel Dieu de France University Medical Center, Saint Joseph University, Alfred Naccache Boulevard, Achrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Pediatrics, Lebanese University, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Hadath, Greater Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sylvie Di Filippo
- Service de Cardiologie Pédiatrique, Groupe Hospitalier Est, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France
| | - Caroline Rooryck
- Service de Génétique, University of Bordeaux, MRGM, INSERM U1211, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Jean-François Deleuze
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine (CNRGH), Evry, France
| | - Anne Boland
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine (CNRGH), Evry, France
| | - Nicolas Arribard
- Service de Cardiologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola (HUDERF), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rukiye Eker
- Pediatrics Department, Pediatric Cardiology Division, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sumanty Tohari
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alvin Yu-Jin Ng
- Molecular Diagnosis Centre (MDC), National University Hospital (NUH), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Marlène Rio
- Fédération de Génétique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Developmental Brain Disorders Laboratory, Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Chun Teck Lim
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Birgit Eisenhaber
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Frank Eisenhaber
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences (SBS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Byrappa Venkatesh
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Pediatrics, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jeanne Amiel
- Fédération de Génétique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Malformations, Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Hugues Roest Crollius
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Christopher T Gordon
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Malformations, Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Achim Gossler
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sudipto Roy
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Pediatrics, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tania Attie-Bitach
- Fédération de Génétique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Laboratory of Genetics and Development of the Cerebral Cortex, Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Martin Blum
- Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | | | - Bruno Reversade
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Therapeutics, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Pediatrics, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore.
- Medical Genetics Department, Koç University School of Medicine (KUSOM), Istanbul, Turkey.
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21
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Orlov EE, Nesterenko AM, Korotkova DD, Parshina EA, Martynova NY, Zaraisky AG. Targeted search for scaling genes reveals matrixmetalloproteinase 3 as a scaler of the dorsal-ventral pattern in Xenopus laevis embryos. Dev Cell 2021; 57:95-111.e12. [PMID: 34919801 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
How embryos scale patterning according to size is still not fully understood. Through in silico screening and analysis of reaction-diffusion systems that could be responsible for scaling, we predicted the existence of genes whose expression is sensitive to embryo size and which regulate the scaling of embryonic patterning. To find these scalers, we identified genes with strongly altered expression in half-size Xenopus laevis embryos compared with full-size siblings at the gastrula stage. Among found genes, we investigated the role of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (mmp3), which was most strongly downregulated in half-size embryos. We show that Mmp3 scales dorsal-ventral patterning by degrading the slowly diffusing embryonic inducers Noggin1 and Noggin2 but preventing cleavage of the more rapidly diffusing inducer Chordin via degradation of a Tolloid-type proteinase. In addition to unraveling the mechanism underlying the scaling of dorsal-ventral patterning, this work provides proof of principal for scalers identification in embryos of other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugeny E Orlov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey M Nesterenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnology, Federal Medical Biological Agency, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Daria D Korotkova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elena A Parshina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia Yu Martynova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey G Zaraisky
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
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22
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Brun NR, Salanga MC, Mora-Zamorano FX, Lamb DC, Goldstone JV, Stegeman JJ. Orphan cytochrome P450 20a1 CRISPR/Cas9 mutants and neurobehavioral phenotypes in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23892. [PMID: 34903767 PMCID: PMC8669017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03068-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Orphan cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are those for which biological substrates and function(s) are unknown. Cytochrome P450 20A1 (CYP20A1) is the last human orphan P450 enzyme, and orthologs occur as single genes in every vertebrate genome sequenced to date. The occurrence of high levels of CYP20A1 transcripts in human substantia nigra and hippocampus and abundant maternal transcripts in zebrafish eggs strongly suggest roles both in the brain and during early embryonic development. Patients with chromosome 2 microdeletions including CYP20A1 show hyperactivity and bouts of anxiety, among other conditions. Here, we created zebrafish cyp20a1 mutants using CRISPR/Cas9, providing vertebrate models with which to study the role of CYP20A1 in behavior and other neurodevelopmental functions. The homozygous cyp20a1 null mutants exhibited significant behavioral differences from wild-type zebrafish, both in larval and adult animals. Larval cyp20a1-/- mutants exhibited a strong increase in light-simulated movement (i.e., light-dark assay), which was interpreted as hyperactivity. Further, the larvae exhibited mild hypoactivity during the adaptation period of the optomotor assays. Adult cyp20a1 null fish showed a pronounced delay in adapting to new environments, which is consistent with an anxiety paradigm. Taken together with our earlier morpholino cyp20a1 knockdown results, the results described herein suggest that the orphan CYP20A1 has a neurophysiological role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja R Brun
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Matthew C Salanga
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | | | - David C Lamb
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Jared V Goldstone
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - John J Stegeman
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.
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23
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Tagami Y, Nishiyama T, Omote M, Watanabe M. Application of the RNA interference technique to Xenopus embryos: Specific reduction of the β-catenin gene products by short double-stranded RNA produced by recombinant human Dicer. Dev Growth Differ 2021; 63:467-477. [PMID: 34817899 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a technique for suppressing the function of specific genes and is widely used in many organisms, including yeast, nematodes, flies, plants, mice, and cultured mammalian cells. As of date, this technique has not been successfully applied to Xenopus laevis embryos. In this study, we applied RNAi to Xenopus embryos using β-catenin as a model gene. Injection of long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) corresponding to the 3'-untranslated region of β-catenin mRNA into embryos induced embryonic lethality without any specific phenotype. However, injection of short dsRNA, generated from long dsRNA by treatment with recombinant human Dicer, into embryos resulted in decreased expression of endogenous β-catenin mRNA and protein, as well as decreased Wnt signaling activity in the embryos. The decrease in β-catenin mRNA and protein levels was observed only after mid-blastula transition. Embryos injected with short dsRNA showed a characteristic phenotype of enlarged anterior structures and loss of posterior structures. These phenotypes, as well as the increased expression of the anterior gene and decreased expression of the posterior gene, suggest that RNAi against the β-catenin gene suppresses the "late Wnt signaling" involved in proper anterior-posterior patterning of Xenopus embryos. The effect of RNAi on Xenopus embryos was also found to be sensitive to temperature. These results strongly suggest that the RNAi technique can be applied to Xenopus embryos using short dsRNAs, appropriate temperature control, and proper selection of target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Tagami
- Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nishiyama
- Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Michiko Omote
- Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Minoru Watanabe
- Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.,Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
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24
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Cha SW. Generating Nonmosaic Mutants in Xenopus Using CRISPR-Cas in Oocytes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2021; 2022:Pdb.prot106989. [PMID: 34244351 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot106989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) primarily undergo repair through nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), which produces insertion or deletion of random nucleotides within the targeted region (indels). As a result, frameshift mutation-mediated loss-of-function mutants are frequently produced. An alternative repair mechanism, homology-directed repair (HDR), can be used to fix DSBs at relatively low frequency. By injecting a DNA-homology repair construct with the CRISPR-Cas components, specific nucleotide sequences can be introduced within the target region by HDR. We have taken advantage of the fact that Xenopus oocytes have much higher levels of HDR than eggs to increase the effectiveness of creating precise mutations. We introduced the oocyte host transfer technique, well established for knockdown of maternal mRNA for loss-of-function experiments, to CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing. The host-transfer technique is based on the ability of Xenopus oocytes to be isolated, injected with CRISPR-Cas components, and cultured in vitro for up to 5 d before fertilization. During these 5 d, CRISPR-Cas components degrade, preventing further alterations to the paternal or maternal genomes after fertilization and resulting in heterozygous, nonmosaic embryos. Treatment of oocytes with a DNA ligase IV inhibitor, which blocks the NHEJ repair pathway, before fertilization further improves the efficiency of HDR. This method allows straightforward generation of either nonmosaic F0 heterozygous indel mutant Xenopus or Xenopus with efficient, targeted insertion of small DNA fragments (73-104 nt). The germline transmission of mutations in these animals allows homozygous mutants to be obtained one generation (F1) sooner than previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Wook Cha
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri 64093, USA
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25
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Blitz IL, Nakayama T. CRISPR-Cas9 Mutagenesis in Xenopus tropicalis for Phenotypic Analyses in the F 0 Generation and Beyond. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2021; 2022:pdb.prot106971. [PMID: 34244352 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot106971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis is being widely used to create targeted loss-of-function mutations in the diploid frog Xenopus tropicalis Here we describe a simple mutagenesis protocol using microinjection of Cas9 protein or mRNA, together with synthetic guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting specific DNA sequences, into the early embryo. Cas9-catalyzed double-strand breaks undergo error-prone repair, resulting in production of short insertions and/or deletions. Thus, careful selection of target sites can lead to mutations that impair normal function of the protein product. CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to create either mosaic loss-of-function Xenopus embryos that display F0 generation phenotypes or mutant lines for downstream analysis. In addition to describing how to mutagenize genes using CRISPR-Cas9, we also discuss a simple method to determine the mutagenesis efficiency, some potential problems that can arise, and possible solutions to overcome them. The protocol described here should be applicable to other amphibians and, in principle, many other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira L Blitz
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Takuya Nakayama
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
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Piller M, Werkman IL, Brown RI, Latimer AJ, Kucenas S. Glutamate Signaling via the AMPAR Subunit GluR4 Regulates Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cell Migration in the Developing Spinal Cord. J Neurosci 2021; 41:5353-5371. [PMID: 33975920 PMCID: PMC8221590 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2562-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are specified from discrete precursor populations during gliogenesis and migrate extensively from their origins, ultimately distributing throughout the brain and spinal cord during early development. Subsequently, a subset of OPCs differentiates into mature oligodendrocytes, which myelinate axons. This process is necessary for efficient neuronal signaling and organism survival. Previous studies have identified several factors that influence OPC development, including excitatory glutamatergic synapses that form between neurons and OPCs during myelination. However, little is known about how glutamate signaling affects OPC migration before myelination. In this study, we use in vivo, time-lapse imaging in zebrafish in conjunction with genetic and pharmacological perturbation to investigate OPC migration and myelination when the GluR4A ionotropic glutamate receptor subunit is disrupted. In our studies, we observed that gria4a mutant embryos and larvae displayed abnormal OPC migration and altered dorsoventral distribution in the spinal cord. Genetic mosaic analysis confirmed that these effects were cell-autonomous, and we identified that voltage-gated calcium channels were downstream of glutamate receptor signaling in OPCs and could rescue the migration and myelination defects we observed when glutamate signaling was perturbed. These results offer new insights into the complex system of neuron-OPC interactions and reveal a cell-autonomous role for glutamatergic signaling in OPCs during neural development.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The migration of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) is an essential process during development that leads to uniform oligodendrocyte distribution and sufficient myelination for central nervous system function. Here, we demonstrate that the AMPA receptor (AMPAR) subunit GluR4A is an important driver of OPC migration and myelination in vivo and that activated voltage-gated calcium channels are downstream of glutamate receptor signaling in mediating this migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Piller
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Inge L Werkman
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Robin Isadora Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Andrew J Latimer
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Sarah Kucenas
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
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Nakamura M, Yoshida H, Moriyama Y, Kawakita I, Wlizla M, Takebayashi-Suzuki K, Horb ME, Suzuki A. TGF-β1 signaling is essential for tissue regeneration in the Xenopus tadpole tail. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 565:91-96. [PMID: 34102475 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.05.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Amphibians such as Xenopus tropicalis exhibit a remarkable capacity for tissue regeneration after traumatic injury. Although transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) receptor signaling is known to be essential for tissue regeneration in fish and amphibians, the role of TGF-β ligands in this process is not well understood. Here, we show that inhibition of TGF-β1 function prevents tail regeneration in Xenopus tropicalis tadpoles. We found that expression of tgfb1 is present before tail amputation and is sustained throughout the regeneration process. CRISPR-mediated knock-out (KO) of tgfb1 retards tail regeneration; the phenotype of tgfb1 KO tadpoles can be rescued by injection of tgfb1 mRNA. Cell proliferation, a critical event for the success of tissue regeneration, is downregulated in tgfb1 KO tadpoles. In addition, tgfb1 KO reduces the expression of phosphorylated Smad2/3 (pSmad2/3) which is important for TGF-β signal-mediated cell proliferation. Collectively, our results show that TGF-β1 regulates cell proliferation through the activation of Smad2/3. We therefore propose that TGF-β1 plays a critical role in TGF-β receptor-dependent tadpole tail regeneration in Xenopus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Nakamura
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Yoshida
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Yuka Moriyama
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Itsuki Kawakita
- Amphibian Research Center, School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Marcin Wlizla
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Kimiko Takebayashi-Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Marko E Horb
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Atsushi Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan.
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28
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Salanga CM, Salanga MC. Genotype to Phenotype: CRISPR Gene Editing Reveals Genetic Compensation as a Mechanism for Phenotypic Disjunction of Morphants and Mutants. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073472. [PMID: 33801686 PMCID: PMC8036752 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Forward genetic screens have shown the consequences of deleterious mutations; however, they are best suited for model organisms with fast reproductive rates and large broods. Furthermore, investigators must faithfully identify changes in phenotype, even if subtle, to realize the full benefit of the screen. Reverse genetic approaches also probe genotype to phenotype relationships, except that the genetic targets are predefined. Until recently, reverse genetic approaches relied on non-genomic gene silencing or the relatively inefficient, homology-dependent gene targeting for loss-of-function generation. Fortunately, the flexibility and simplicity of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas system has revolutionized reverse genetics, allowing for the precise mutagenesis of virtually any gene in any organism at will. The successful integration of insertions/deletions (INDELs) and nonsense mutations that would, at face value, produce the expected loss-of-function phenotype, have been shown to have little to no effect, even if other methods of gene silencing demonstrate robust loss-of-function consequences. The disjunction between outcomes has raised important questions about our understanding of genotype to phenotype and highlights the capacity for compensation in the central dogma. This review describes recent studies in which genomic compensation appears to be at play, discusses the possible compensation mechanisms, and considers elements important for robust gene loss-of-function studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristy M. Salanga
- Office of the Vice President for Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA;
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Matthew C. Salanga
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
- Correspondence:
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29
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Ezawa M, Kouno F, Kubo H, Sakuma T, Yamamoto T, Kinoshita T. Pou5f3.3 is involved in establishment and maintenance of hematopoietic cells during Xenopus development. Tissue Cell 2021; 72:101531. [PMID: 33798831 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2021.101531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Three POU family class V gene homologues are expressed in the development of Xenopus. In contrast to the expression of Pou5f3.1 and Pou5f3.2 in organogenesis, Pou5f3.3 is expressed during oogenesis in ovary. We investigated the expression and function of Pou5f3.3 in organogenesis of Xenopus laevis. RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis indicated that Pou5f3.3 was expressed in a small number of adult liver cells and blood cells. Immunocytochemical investigation proved that Bmi1, a marker for hematopoietic progenitor cells, was co-expressed in Pou5f3.3-expressing small spherical cells in the peripheral blood. In anemic induction by intraperitoneal injection of phenyl hydrazine, the number of Pou5f3.3-expressing cells significantly increased within 3 days after phenyl hydrazine injection. In CRISPR/Cas mutagenesis of Pou5f3.3, Bmi1-positive hematopoietic progenitor cell count decreased in the hematopoietic dorsal-lateral plate (DLP) region, resulting in a considerable reduction in peripheral blood cells. CRISPR/Cas-induced hematopoietic deficiency was completely rescued by Pou5f3.3 supplementation, but not by Pou5f3.1 or Pou5f3.2. Transplantation experiments using the H2B-GFP transgenic line demonstrated that DLP-derived Pou5f3.3-positive and Bmi1-positive cells were translocated into the liver and bone through the bloodstream. These results suggest that Pou5f3.3 plays an essential role in the establishment and maintenance of hematopoietic progenitor cells during Xenopus development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minami Ezawa
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8501, Japan
| | - Fumika Kouno
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8501, Japan
| | - Hideo Kubo
- Department of Membrane Biochemistry, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Tetsushi Sakuma
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamamoto
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Kinoshita
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8501, Japan.
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30
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Macken WL, Godwin A, Wheway G, Stals K, Nazlamova L, Ellard S, Alfares A, Aloraini T, AlSubaie L, Alfadhel M, Alajaji S, Wai HA, Self J, Douglas AGL, Kao AP, Guille M, Baralle D. Biallelic variants in COPB1 cause a novel, severe intellectual disability syndrome with cataracts and variable microcephaly. Genome Med 2021; 13:34. [PMID: 33632302 PMCID: PMC7908744 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-021-00850-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coat protein complex 1 (COPI) is integral in the sorting and retrograde trafficking of proteins and lipids from the Golgi apparatus to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In recent years, coat proteins have been implicated in human diseases known collectively as "coatopathies". METHODS Whole exome or genome sequencing of two families with a neuro-developmental syndrome, variable microcephaly and cataracts revealed biallelic variants in COPB1, which encodes the beta-subunit of COPI (β-COP). To investigate Family 1's splice donor site variant, we undertook patient blood RNA studies and CRISPR/Cas9 modelling of this variant in a homologous region of the Xenopus tropicalis genome. To investigate Family 2's missense variant, we studied cellular phenotypes of human retinal epithelium and embryonic kidney cell lines transfected with a COPB1 expression vector into which we had introduced Family 2's mutation. RESULTS We present a new recessive coatopathy typified by severe developmental delay and cataracts and variable microcephaly. A homozygous splice donor site variant in Family 1 results in two aberrant transcripts, one of which causes skipping of exon 8 in COPB1 pre-mRNA, and a 36 amino acid in-frame deletion, resulting in the loss of a motif at a small interaction interface between β-COP and β'-COP. Xenopus tropicalis animals with a homologous mutation, introduced by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, recapitulate features of the human syndrome including microcephaly and cataracts. In vitro modelling of the COPB1 c.1651T>G p.Phe551Val variant in Family 2 identifies defective Golgi to ER recycling of this mutant β-COP, with the mutant protein being retarded in the Golgi. CONCLUSIONS This adds to the growing body of evidence that COPI subunits are essential in brain development and human health and underlines the utility of exome and genome sequencing coupled with Xenopus tropicalis CRISPR/Cas modelling for the identification and characterisation of novel rare disease genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- William L Macken
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Coxford Rd, Southampton, SO165YA, UK
| | - Annie Godwin
- European Xenopus Resource Centre, University of Portsmouth School of Biological Sciences, King Henry Building, King Henry I Street, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Gabrielle Wheway
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Duthie Building, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Karen Stals
- Exeter Genomics Laboratory, Level 3 RILD building, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Liliya Nazlamova
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Duthie Building, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Sian Ellard
- Exeter Genomics Laboratory, Level 3 RILD building, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK
- University of Exeter Medical School, RILD building, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Ahmed Alfares
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Taghrid Aloraini
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lamia AlSubaie
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, King Abdullah Specialized Children Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Majid Alfadhel
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, King Abdullah Specialized Children Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sulaiman Alajaji
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, King Abdullah Specialized Children Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Htoo A Wai
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Duthie Building, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Jay Self
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Duthie Building, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Andrew G L Douglas
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Coxford Rd, Southampton, SO165YA, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Duthie Building, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Alexander P Kao
- Zeiss Global Centre, School of Mechanical and Design Engineering, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 3DJ, UK
| | - Matthew Guille
- European Xenopus Resource Centre, University of Portsmouth School of Biological Sciences, King Henry Building, King Henry I Street, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, UK.
| | - Diana Baralle
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Coxford Rd, Southampton, SO165YA, UK.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Duthie Building, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
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31
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Dubey A, Yu J, Liu T, Kane MA, Saint-Jeannet JP. Retinoic acid production, regulation and containment through Zic1, Pitx2c and Cyp26c1 control cranial placode specification. Development 2021; 148:dev193227. [PMID: 33531433 PMCID: PMC7903997 DOI: 10.1242/dev.193227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
All paired sensory organs arise from a common precursor domain called the pre-placodal region (PPR). In Xenopus, Zic1 non-cell autonomously regulates PPR formation by activating retinoic acid (RA) production. Here, we have identified two Zic1 targets, the RA catabolizing enzyme Cyp26c1 and the transcription factor Pitx2c, expressed in the vicinity of the PPR as being crucially required for maintaining low RA levels in a spatially restricted, PPR-adjacent domain. Morpholino- or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Cyp26c1 knockdown abrogated PPR gene expression, yielding defective cranial placodes. Direct measurement of RA levels revealed that this is mediated by a mechanism involving excess RA accumulation. Furthermore, we show that pitx2c is activated by RA and required for Cyp26c1 expression in a domain-specific manner through induction of FGF8. We propose that Zic1 anteriorly establishes a program of RA containment and regulation through activation of Cyp26c1 and Pitx2c that cooperates to promote PPR specification in a spatially restricted domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Dubey
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Jianshi Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Tian Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Maureen A Kane
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Saint-Jeannet
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY 10010, USA
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32
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Yoon J, Garo J, Lee M, Sun J, Hwang YS, Daar IO. Rab11fip5 regulates telencephalon development via ephrinB1 recycling. Development 2021; 148:dev196527. [PMID: 33462110 PMCID: PMC7875491 DOI: 10.1242/dev.196527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rab11 family-interacting protein 5 (Rab11fip5) is an adaptor protein that binds to the small GTPase Rab11, which has an important function in endosome recycling and trafficking of cellular proteins to the plasma membrane. Rab11fip5 is involved in many cellular processes, such as cytoskeleton rearrangement, iron uptake and exocytosis in neuroendocrine cells, and is also known as a candidate gene for autism-spectrum disorder. However, the role of Rab11fip5 during early embryonic development is not clearly understood. In this study, we identified Rab11fip5 as a protein that interacts with ephrinB1, a transmembrane ligand for Eph receptors. The PDZ binding motif in ephrinB1 and the Rab-binding domain in Rab11fip5 are necessary for their interaction in a complex. EphrinB1 and Rab11fip5 display overlapping expression in the telencephalon of developing amphibian embryos. The loss of Rab11fip5 function causes a reduction in telencephalon size and a decrease in the expression level of ephrinB1. Moreover, morpholino oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown of Rab11fip5 decreases cell proliferation in the telencephalon. The overexpression of ephrinB1 rescues these defects, suggesting that ephrinB1 recycling by the Rab11/Rab11fip5 complex is crucial for proper telencephalon development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeho Yoon
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory (CDBL), Center for Cancer Research (CCR) - Frederick, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Jerlin Garo
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory (CDBL), Center for Cancer Research (CCR) - Frederick, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Moonsup Lee
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory (CDBL), Center for Cancer Research (CCR) - Frederick, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Jian Sun
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory (CDBL), Center for Cancer Research (CCR) - Frederick, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Yoo-Seok Hwang
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory (CDBL), Center for Cancer Research (CCR) - Frederick, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ira O Daar
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory (CDBL), Center for Cancer Research (CCR) - Frederick, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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Aguillon R, Madelaine R, Aguirrebengoa M, Guturu H, Link S, Dufourcq P, Lecaudey V, Bejerano G, Blader P, Batut J. Morphogenesis is transcriptionally coupled to neurogenesis during peripheral olfactory organ development. Development 2020; 147:226001. [PMID: 33144399 DOI: 10.1242/dev.192971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Sense organs acquire their distinctive shapes concomitantly with the differentiation of sensory cells and neurons necessary for their function. Although our understanding of the mechanisms controlling morphogenesis and neurogenesis in these structures has grown, how these processes are coordinated remains largely unexplored. Neurogenesis in the zebrafish olfactory epithelium requires the bHLH proneural transcription factor Neurogenin 1 (Neurog1). To address whether Neurog1 also controls morphogenesis, we analysed the migratory behaviour of early olfactory neural progenitors in neurog1 mutant embryos. Our results indicate that the oriented movements of these progenitors are disrupted in this context. Morphogenesis is similarly affected by mutations in the chemokine receptor gene, cxcr4b, suggesting it is a potential Neurog1 target gene. We find that Neurog1 directly regulates cxcr4b through an E-box cluster located just upstream of the cxcr4b transcription start site. Our results suggest that proneural transcription factors, such as Neurog1, directly couple distinct aspects of nervous system development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Aguillon
- Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD, UMR5547), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062, France
| | - Romain Madelaine
- Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD, UMR5547), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062, France
| | - Marion Aguirrebengoa
- BigA Core Facility, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062, France
| | - Harendra Guturu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sandra Link
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Pascale Dufourcq
- Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD, UMR5547), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062, France
| | - Virginie Lecaudey
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Gill Bejerano
- Department of Developmental Biology, Department of Computer Science, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Patrick Blader
- Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD, UMR5547), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062, France
| | - Julie Batut
- Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD, UMR5547), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062, France
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34
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Martin SA, Page SJ, Piccinni MZ, Guille MJ. Confirming Antibody Specificity in Xenopus. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2020; 2020:pdb.prot105601. [PMID: 33037077 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot105601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Verifying that a new antibody recognizes its target can be difficult. In this protocol, expression of a target protein in Xenopus embryos is either knocked down using CRISPR-Cas9 technology (for zygotic proteins) or enhanced by microinjection of a synthetic mRNA (for maternal proteins). Western blotting analysis is then performed. If the antibody recognizes the target protein, the western blot will show a relatively weak band for CRISPR-injected embryos and a relatively strong band for RNA-injected embryos. This represents a straightforward, powerful strategy for confirming antibody specificity in Xenopus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sian A Martin
- Molecular Embryology Laboratory, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 2DY, United Kingdom
| | - Suzannah J Page
- Molecular Embryology Laboratory, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 2DY, United Kingdom
| | - Maya Z Piccinni
- European Xenopus Resource Centre, Institute of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 2DY, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J Guille
- Molecular Embryology Laboratory, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 2DY, United Kingdom; .,European Xenopus Resource Centre, Institute of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 2DY, United Kingdom
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35
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Lee H, Seidl C, Sun R, Glinka A, Niehrs C. R-spondins are BMP receptor antagonists in Xenopus early embryonic development. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5570. [PMID: 33149137 PMCID: PMC7642414 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19373-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BMP signaling plays key roles in development, stem cells, adult tissue homeostasis, and disease. How BMP receptors are extracellularly modulated and in which physiological context, is therefore of prime importance. R-spondins (RSPOs) are a small family of secreted proteins that co-activate WNT signaling and function as potent stem cell effectors and oncogenes. Evidence is mounting that RSPOs act WNT-independently but how and in which physiological processes remains enigmatic. Here we show that RSPO2 and RSPO3 also act as BMP antagonists. RSPO2 is a high affinity ligand for the type I BMP receptor BMPR1A/ALK3, and it engages ZNRF3 to trigger internalization and degradation of BMPR1A. In early Xenopus embryos, Rspo2 is a negative feedback inhibitor in the BMP4 synexpression group and regulates dorsoventral axis formation. We conclude that R-spondins are bifunctional ligands, which activate WNT- and inhibit BMP signaling via ZNRF3, with implications for development and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeyoon Lee
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carina Seidl
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rui Sun
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrey Glinka
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christof Niehrs
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), 55128, Mainz, Germany.
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Hughes GL, Lones MA, Bedder M, Currie PD, Smith SL, Pownall ME. Machine learning discriminates a movement disorder in a zebrafish model of Parkinson's disease. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm045815. [PMID: 32859696 PMCID: PMC7578351 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.045815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models of human disease provide an in vivo system that can reveal molecular mechanisms by which mutations cause pathology, and, moreover, have the potential to provide a valuable tool for drug development. Here, we have developed a zebrafish model of Parkinson's disease (PD) together with a novel method to screen for movement disorders in adult fish, pioneering a more efficient drug-testing route. Mutation of the PARK7 gene (which encodes DJ-1) is known to cause monogenic autosomal recessive PD in humans, and, using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, we generated a Dj-1 loss-of-function zebrafish with molecular hallmarks of PD. To establish whether there is a human-relevant parkinsonian phenotype in our model, we adapted proven tools used to diagnose PD in clinics and developed a novel and unbiased computational method to classify movement disorders in adult zebrafish. Using high-resolution video capture and machine learning, we extracted novel features of movement from continuous data streams and used an evolutionary algorithm to classify parkinsonian fish. This method will be widely applicable for assessing zebrafish models of human motor diseases and provide a valuable asset for the therapeutics pipeline. In addition, interrogation of RNA-seq data indicate metabolic reprogramming of brains in the absence of Dj-1, adding to growing evidence that disruption of bioenergetics is a key feature of neurodegeneration.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gideon L Hughes
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Michael A Lones
- School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Matthew Bedder
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Peter D Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Stephen L Smith
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Mary Elizabeth Pownall
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
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Korotkova DD, Lyubetsky VA, Ivanova AS, Rubanov LI, Seliverstov AV, Zverkov OA, Martynova NY, Nesterenko AM, Tereshina MB, Peshkin L, Zaraisky AG. Bioinformatics Screening of Genes Specific for Well-Regenerating Vertebrates Reveals c-answer, a Regulator of Brain Development and Regeneration. Cell Rep 2020; 29:1027-1040.e6. [PMID: 31644900 PMCID: PMC6871517 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.09.038] [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: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular basis of higher regenerative capacity of cold-blooded animals comparing to warm-blooded ones is poorly understood. Although this difference in regenerative capacities is commonly thought to be a result of restructuring of the same regulatory gene network, we hypothesized that it may be due to loss of some genes essential for regeneration. We describe here a bioinformatic method that allowed us to identify such genes. For investigation in depth we selected one of them encoding transmembrane protein, named “c-Answer.” Using the Xenopus laevis frog as a model cold-blooded animal, we established that c-Answer regulates regeneration of body appendages and telencephalic development through binding to fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) and P2ry1 receptors and promoting MAPK/ERK and purinergic signaling. This suggests that elimination of c-answer in warm-blooded animals could lead to decreased activity of at least two signaling pathways, which in turn might contribute to changes in mechanisms regulating regeneration and telencephalic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria D Korotkova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Vassily A Lyubetsky
- The Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences (IITP RAS), 19 Bolshoy Karetny str., Moscow 127051, Russia
| | - Anastasia S Ivanova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Lev I Rubanov
- The Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences (IITP RAS), 19 Bolshoy Karetny str., Moscow 127051, Russia
| | - Alexander V Seliverstov
- The Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences (IITP RAS), 19 Bolshoy Karetny str., Moscow 127051, Russia
| | - Oleg A Zverkov
- The Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences (IITP RAS), 19 Bolshoy Karetny str., Moscow 127051, Russia
| | - Natalia Yu Martynova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Alexey M Nesterenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow 117997, Russia; Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1/40 Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Maria B Tereshina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Leonid Peshkin
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrey G Zaraisky
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCH RAS), 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow 117997, Russia.
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Wiechmann AF, Martin TA, Horb ME. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated mutation of the mtnr1a melatonin receptor gene causes rod photoreceptor degeneration in developing Xenopus tropicalis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13757. [PMID: 32792587 PMCID: PMC7426423 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70735-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nighttime surges in melatonin levels activate melatonin receptors, which synchronize cellular activities with the natural light/dark cycle. Melatonin receptors are expressed in several cell types in the retina, including the photon-sensitive rods and cones. Previous studies suggest that long-term photoreceptor survival and retinal health is in part reliant on melatonin orchestration of circadian homeostatic activities. This scenario would accordingly envisage that disruption of melatonin receptor signaling is detrimental to photoreceptor health. Using in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 genomic editing, we discovered that a small deletion mutation of the Mel1a melatonin receptor (mtnr1a) gene causes a loss of rod photoreceptors in retinas of developing Xenopus tropicalis heterozygous, but not homozygous mutant tadpoles. Cones were relatively spared from degeneration, and the rod loss phenotype was not obvious after metamorphosis. Localization of Mel1a receptor protein appeared to be about the same in wild type and mutant retinas, suggesting that the mutant protein is expressed at some level in mutant retinal cells. The severe impact on early rod photoreceptor viability may signify a previously underestimated critical role in circadian influences on long-term retinal health and preservation of sight. These data offer evidence that disturbance of homeostatic, circadian signaling, conveyed through a mutated melatonin receptor, is incompatible with rod photoreceptor survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan F Wiechmann
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
| | - Teryn A Martin
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Marko E Horb
- Marine Biological laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
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Viet J, Reboutier D, Hardy S, Lachke SA, Paillard L, Gautier-Courteille C. Modeling ocular lens disease in Xenopus. Dev Dyn 2020; 249:610-621. [PMID: 31872467 PMCID: PMC7759097 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ocular lens clouding is termed as cataract, which depending on the onset, is classified as congenital or age-related. Developing new cataract treatments requires new models. Thus far, Xenopus embryos have not been evaluated as a system for studying cataract. RESULTS We characterized the developmental process of lens formation in Xenopus laevis tailbuds and tadpoles, and we disrupted the orthologues of three mammalian cataract-linked genes in F0 by CRISPR/Cas9. We assessed the consequences of gene inactivation by combining external examination with histochemical analyses and functional vision assays. Inactivating the key metazoan eye development transcription factor gene pax6 produces a strong eye phenotype including an absence of eye tissue. Inactivating the genes for gap-junction protein and a nuclease, gja8 and dnase2b, produces lens defects that share several features of human cataracts, including impaired vision acuity, nuclei retention in lens fiber cells, and actin fibers disorganization. We tested the potential improvement of the visual acuity of gja8 crispant tadpoles upon treatment with the molecular chaperone 4-phenylbutyrate. CONCLUSION Xenopus is a valuable model organism to understand the molecular pathology of congenital eye defects, including cataracts, and to screen molecules with a potential to prevent or reverse cataracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Viet
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR-UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | | | - Serge Hardy
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR-UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Salil A. Lachke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Luc Paillard
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR-UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
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Nakayama T, Grainger RM, Cha SW. Simple embryo injection of long single-stranded donor templates with the CRISPR/Cas9 system leads to homology-directed repair in Xenopus tropicalis and Xenopus laevis. Genesis 2020; 58:e23366. [PMID: 32277804 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
We report model experiments in which simple microinjection of fertilized eggs has been used to effectively perform homology-directed repair (HDR)-mediated gene editing in the two Xenopus species used most frequently for research: X. tropicalis and X. laevis. We have used long single-stranded DNAs having phosphorothioate modifications as donor templates for HDR at targeted genomic sites using the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system. First, X. tropicalis tyr mutant (i.e., albino) embryos were successfully rescued: partially pigmented tadpoles were seen in up to 35% of injected embryos, demonstrating the potential for efficient insertion of targeted point mutations. Second, in order to demonstrate the ability to tag genes with fluorescent proteins (FPs), we targeted the melanocyte-specific gene slc45a2.L of X. laevis to label it with the Superfolder green FP (sfGFP), seeing mosaic expression of sfGFP in melanophores in up to 20% of injected tadpoles. Tadpoles generated by these two approaches were raised to sexual maturity, and shown to successfully transmit HDR constructs through the germline with precise targeting and seamless recombination. F1 embryos showed rescue of the tyr mutation (X. tropicalis) and tagging in the appropriate pigment cell-specific manner of slc45a2.L with sfGFP (X. laevis).
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Nakayama
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Robert M Grainger
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Sang-Wook Cha
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri
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Barbosa S, Greville-Heygate S, Bonnet M, Godwin A, Fagotto-Kaufmann C, Kajava AV, Laouteouet D, Mawby R, Wai HA, Dingemans AJ, Hehir-Kwa J, Willems M, Capri Y, Mehta SG, Cox H, Goudie D, Vansenne F, Turnpenny P, Vincent M, Cogné B, Lesca G, Hertecant J, Rodriguez D, Keren B, Burglen L, Gérard M, Putoux A, Cantagrel V, Siquier-Pernet K, Rio M, Banka S, Sarkar A, Steeves M, Parker M, Clement E, Moutton S, Tran Mau-Them F, Piton A, de Vries BB, Guille M, Debant A, Schmidt S, Baralle D, Baralle D. Opposite Modulation of RAC1 by Mutations in TRIO Is Associated with Distinct, Domain-Specific Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Am J Hum Genet 2020; 106:338-355. [PMID: 32109419 PMCID: PMC7058823 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2020.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Rho-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RhoGEF) TRIO acts as a key regulator of neuronal migration, axonal outgrowth, axon guidance, and synaptogenesis by activating the GTPase RAC1 and modulating actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Pathogenic variants in TRIO are associated with neurodevelopmental diseases, including intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Here, we report the largest international cohort of 24 individuals with confirmed pathogenic missense or nonsense variants in TRIO. The nonsense mutations are spread along the TRIO sequence, and affected individuals show variable neurodevelopmental phenotypes. In contrast, missense variants cluster into two mutational hotspots in the TRIO sequence, one in the seventh spectrin repeat and one in the RAC1-activating GEFD1. Although all individuals in this cohort present with developmental delay and a neuro-behavioral phenotype, individuals with a pathogenic variant in the seventh spectrin repeat have a more severe ID associated with macrocephaly than do most individuals with GEFD1 variants, who display milder ID and microcephaly. Functional studies show that the spectrin and GEFD1 variants cause a TRIO-mediated hyper- or hypo-activation of RAC1, respectively, and we observe a striking correlation between RAC1 activation levels and the head size of the affected individuals. In addition, truncations in TRIO GEFD1 in the vertebrate model X. tropicalis induce defects that are concordant with the human phenotype. This work demonstrates distinct clinical and molecular disorders clustering in the GEFD1 and seventh spectrin repeat domains and highlights the importance of tight control of TRIO-RAC1 signaling in neuronal development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Diana Baralle
- Wessex Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton SO16 5YA, UK; Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK.
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Chang LS, Kim M, Glinka A, Reinhard C, Niehrs C. The tumor suppressor PTPRK promotes ZNRF3 internalization and is required for Wnt inhibition in the Spemann organizer. eLife 2020; 9:51248. [PMID: 31934854 PMCID: PMC6996932 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of Spemann organizer function is its expression of Wnt antagonists that regulate axial embryonic patterning. Here we identify the tumor suppressor Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type kappa (PTPRK), as a Wnt inhibitor in human cancer cells and in the Spemann organizer of Xenopus embryos. We show that PTPRK acts via the transmembrane E3 ubiquitin ligase ZNRF3, a negative regulator of Wnt signaling promoting Wnt receptor degradation, which is also expressed in the organizer. Deficiency of Xenopus Ptprk increases Wnt signaling, leading to reduced expression of Spemann organizer effector genes and inducing head and axial defects. We identify a '4Y' endocytic signal in ZNRF3, which PTPRK maintains unphosphorylated to promote Wnt receptor depletion. Our discovery of PTPRK as a negative regulator of Wnt receptor turnover provides a rationale for its tumor suppressive function and reveals that in PTPRK-RSPO3 recurrent cancer fusions both fusion partners, in fact, encode ZNRF3 regulators. How human and other animals form distinct head- and tail-ends as embryos is a fundamental question in biology. The fertilized eggs of the African clawed frog (also known as Xenopus) become embryos and grow into tadpoles within two days. This rapid growth makes Xenopus particularly suitable as a model to study how animals with backbones form their body plans. In Xenopus embryos, a small group of cells known as the Spemann organizer plays a pivotal role in forming the body plan. It produces several enzymes known as Wnt inhibitors that repress a signal pathway known as Wnt signaling to determine the head- and tail-ends of the embryo. Chang, Kim et al. searched for new Wnt inhibitors in the Spemann organizer of Xenopus embryos. The experiments revealed that the Spemann organizer produced an enzyme known as PTPRK that was essential to permit the head-to-tail patterning of the brain. PTPRK inhibited Wnt signaling by activating another enzyme known as ZNRF3. Previous studies have shown that defects in Wnt signaling and in the activities of PTPRK and ZNRF3 are involved in colon cancer in mammals. Thus, these findings may help to develop new approaches for treating cancer in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Shih Chang
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Minseong Kim
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrey Glinka
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carmen Reinhard
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christof Niehrs
- Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
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Vermeulen C, Allahyar A, Bouwman BAM, Krijger PHL, Verstegen MJAM, Geeven G, Valdes-Quezada C, Renkens I, Straver R, Kloosterman WP, de Ridder J, de Laat W. Multi-contact 4C: long-molecule sequencing of complex proximity ligation products to uncover local cooperative and competitive chromatin topologies. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:364-397. [DOI: 10.1038/s41596-019-0242-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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The AP-1 transcription factor JunB functions in Xenopus tail regeneration by positively regulating cell proliferation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 522:990-995. [PMID: 31812242 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.11.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Xenopus tropicalis tadpoles can regenerate an amputated tail, including spinal cord, muscle and notochord, through cell proliferation and differentiation. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate cell proliferation during tail regeneration are largely unknown. Here we show that JunB plays an important role in tail regeneration by regulating cell proliferation. The expression of junb is rapidly activated and sustained during tail regeneration. Knockout (KO) of junb causes a delay in tail regeneration and tissue differentiation. In junb KO tadpoles, cell proliferation is prevented before tissue differentiation. Furthermore, TGF-β signaling, which is activated just after tail amputation, regulates the induction and maintenance of junb expression. These findings demonstrate that JunB, a downstream component of TGF-β signaling, works as a positive regulator of cell proliferation during Xenopus tail regeneration.
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45
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Dnd1 Knockout in Sturgeons By CRISPR/Cas9 Generates Germ Cell Free Host for Surrogate Production. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9040174. [PMID: 30999629 PMCID: PMC6523263 DOI: 10.3390/ani9040174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Sturgeons, also called archaic giants, are critically endangered fish species due to overfishing for caviar and interference in their natural habitats. Some sturgeon species have life spans of over 100 years and sexual maturity is attained between 20 to 25 years. Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) has fastest reproductive cycle; thus, this species can be used for surrogate production in sturgeons. Primordial germ cells are the origin of all germ cells in developing embryos. Dnd1 is essential for formation and migration of primordial germ cells and its inactivation results in sterility in fish. In our study, we have used a cutting-edge genome editing technology known as CRISPR/Cas9 to knockout dnd1 and to prepare a sterile sterlet host. CRISPR/Cas9 knocked-out embryos lacked primordial germ cells and can be used as a sterile host for surrogate production in sturgeons. Abstract Sturgeons also known as living fossils are facing threats to their survival due to overfishing and interference in natural habitats. Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) due to its rapid reproductive cycle and small body size can be used as a sterile host for surrogate production for late maturing and large sturgeon species. Dead end protein (dnd1) is essential for migration of Primordial Germ Cells (PGCs), the origin of all germ cells in developing embryos. Knockout or knockdown of dnd1 can be done in order to mismigrate PGCs. Previously we have used MO and UV for the aforementioned purpose, and in our present study we have used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knockout dnd1. No or a smaller number of PGCs were detected in crispants, and we also observed malformations in some CRISPR/Cas9 injected embryos. Furthermore, we compared three established methods to achieve sterility in sterlet, and we found higher embryo survival and hatching rates in CRISPR/Cas9, UV and MO, respectively.
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46
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Fontenas L, Welsh TG, Piller M, Coughenour P, Gandhi AV, Prober DA, Kucenas S. The Neuromodulator Adenosine Regulates Oligodendrocyte Migration at Motor Exit Point Transition Zones. Cell Rep 2019; 27:115-128.e5. [PMID: 30943395 PMCID: PMC6461400 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) migrate extensively throughout the spinal cord. However, their migration is restricted at transition zones (TZs). At these specialized locations, unique glial cells in both zebrafish and mice play a role in preventing peripheral OPC migration, but the mechanisms of this regulation are not understood. To elucidate the mechanisms that mediate OPC segregation at motor exit point (MEP) TZs, we performed an unbiased small-molecule screen. Using chemical screening and in vivo imaging, we discovered that inhibition of A2a adenosine receptors (ARs) causes ectopic OPC migration out of the spinal cord. We provide in vivo evidence that neuromodulation, partially mediated by adenosine, influences OPC migration specifically at the MEP TZ. This work opens exciting possibilities for understanding how OPCs reach their final destinations during development and identifies mechanisms that could promote their migration in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fontenas
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Taylor G Welsh
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Melanie Piller
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Patricia Coughenour
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Avni V Gandhi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - David A Prober
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Sarah Kucenas
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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Abstract
At this time, no molecular targeted therapies exist for treatment of retinoblastoma. This can be, in part, attributed to the lack of animal models that allow for both rapid identification of novel therapeutic targets and hypothesis driven drug testing. Within this scope, we have recently reported the first genuine genetic nonmammalian retinoblastoma cancer model within the aquatic model organism Xenopus tropicalis (Naert et al., Sci Rep 6: 35263, 2016). Here we describe the methods to generate rb1 mosaic mutant Xenopus tropicalis by employing the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. In depth, we discuss short guide RNA (sgRNA) design parameters, generation, quality control, quantification, and delivery followed by several methods for assessing genome editing efficiencies. As such the reader should be capable, by minor changes to the methods described here, to (co-) target rb1 or any one or multiple gene(s) within the Xenopus tropicalis genome by multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Naert
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kris Vleminckx
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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48
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Wang S, Liu L, Liu J, Zhu W, Tanizaki Y, Fu L, Bao L, Shi YB, Jiang J. Gene Expression Program Underlying Tail Resorption During Thyroid Hormone-Dependent Metamorphosis of the Ornamented Pygmy Frog Microhyla fissipes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:11. [PMID: 30740088 PMCID: PMC6357680 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormone (T3) is essential for vertebrate development, especially during the so-called postembryonic development, a period around birth in mammals when plasma T3 level peaks and many organs mature into their adult form. Compared to embryogenesis, postembryonic development is poorly studied in mammals largely because of the difficulty to manipulate the uterus-enclosed embryos and neonates. Amphibian metamorphosis is independent of maternal influence and can be easily manipulated for molecular and genetic studies, making it a valuable model to study postembryonic development in vertebrates. Studies on amphibian metamorphosis have been largely focused on the two highly related species Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis. However, adult X. laevis and X. tropicalis animals remain aquatic. This makes important to study metamorphosis in a species in which postmetamorphic frogs live on land. In this regard, the anuran Microhyla fissipes represents an alternative model for developmental and genetic studies. Here we have made use of the advances in sequencing technologies to investigate the gene expression profiles underlying the tail resorption program during metamorphosis in M. fissipes. We first used single molecule real-time sequencing to obtain 67, 939 expressed transcripts in M. fissipes. We next identified 4,555 differentially expressed transcripts during tail resorption by using Illumina sequencing on RNA samples from tails at different metamorphic stages. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that 11 up-regulated KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways and 88 Gene Ontology (GO) terms as well as 21 down-regulated KEGG pathways and 499 GO terms were associated with tail resorption. Our findings suggest that tail resorption in M. fissipes and X. laevis shares many programs. Future investigations on function and regulation of these genes and pathways should help to reveal the mechanisms governing amphibian tail resorption and adaptive evolution from aquatic to terrestrial life. Furthermore, analysis of the M. fissipes model, especially, on the changes in other organs associated with the transition from aquatic to terrestrial living, should help to reveal important mechanistic insights governing mammalian postembryonic developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shouhong Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
- Section on Molecular Morphogenesis, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology (CIB), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lusha Liu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Lusha Liu
| | - Jiongyu Liu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuta Tanizaki
- Section on Molecular Morphogenesis, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Liezhen Fu
- Section on Molecular Morphogenesis, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Lingyu Bao
- Section on Molecular Morphogenesis, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yun-Bo Shi
- Section on Molecular Morphogenesis, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
- Yun-Bo Shi
| | - Jianping Jiang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
- Jianping Jiang
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Functional Studies of Transcriptional Cofactors via Microinjection-Mediated Gene Editing in Xenopus. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1874:507-524. [PMID: 30353533 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8831-0_29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The anuran Xenopus laevis has been studied for decades as a model for vertebrate cell and developmental biology. More recently, the highly related species Xenopus tropicalis has offered the opportunity to carry out genetic studies due to its diploid genome as compared to the pseudo-tetraploid Xenopus laevis. Amphibians undergo a biphasic development: embryogenesis to produce a free-living tadpoles and subsequent metamorphosis to transform the tadpole to a frog. This second phase mimics the so-called postembryonic development in mammals when many organs/tissues mature into their adult form in the presence of high levels of plasma thyroid hormone (T3). The total dependence of amphibian metamorphosis on T3 offers a unique opportunity to study postembryonic development in vertebrates, especially with the recent development gene editing technologies that function in amphibians. Here, we first review the basic molecular understanding of the regulation of Xenopus metamorphosis by T3 and T3 receptors (TRs), and then describe a detailed method to use CRISPR to knock out the TR-coactivator SRC3 (steroid receptor coactivator 3), a histone acetyltransferase, in order to study its involvement in gene regulation by T3 in vivo and Xenopus development.
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50
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TBC1d24-ephrinB2 interaction regulates contact inhibition of locomotion in neural crest cell migration. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3491. [PMID: 30154457 PMCID: PMC6113226 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05924-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Eph-ephrin signalling has been implicated in the migration of cranial neural crest (CNC) cells, it is still unclear how ephrinB transduces signals regulating this event. We provide evidence that TBC1d24, a putative Rab35-GTPase activating protein (Rab35 GAP), complexes with ephrinB2 via the scaffold Dishevelled (Dsh) and mediates a signal affecting contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL) in CNC cells. Moreover, we found that, in migrating CNC, the interaction between ephrinB2 and TBC1d24 negatively regulates E-cadherin recycling in these cells via Rab35. Upon engagement of the cognate Eph receptor, ephrinB2 is tyrosine phosphorylated, which disrupts the ephrinB2/Dsh/TBC1d24 complex. The dissolution of this complex leads to increasing E-cadherin levels at the plasma membrane, resulting in loss of CIL and disrupted CNC migration. Our results indicate that TBC1d24 is a critical player in ephrinB2 control of CNC cell migration via CIL.
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