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Perillo M, Sepe RM, Paganos P, Toscano A, Annunziata R. Sea cucumbers: an emerging system in evo-devo. EvoDevo 2024; 15:3. [PMID: 38368336 PMCID: PMC10874539 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-023-00220-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
A challenge for evolutionary developmental (evo-devo) biology is to expand the breadth of research organisms used to investigate how animal diversity has evolved through changes in embryonic development. New experimental systems should couple a relevant phylogenetic position with available molecular tools and genomic resources. As a phylum of the sister group to chordates, echinoderms extensively contributed to our knowledge of embryonic patterning, organ development and cell-type evolution. Echinoderms display a variety of larval forms with diverse shapes, making them a suitable group to compare the evolution of embryonic developmental strategies. However, because of the laboratory accessibility and the already available techniques, most studies focus on sea urchins and sea stars mainly. As a comparative approach, the field would benefit from including information on other members of this group, like the sea cucumbers (holothuroids), for which little is known on the molecular basis of their development. Here, we review the spawning and culture methods, the available morphological and molecular information, and the current state of genomic and transcriptomic resources on sea cucumbers. With the goal of making this system accessible to the broader community, we discuss how sea cucumber embryos and larvae can be a powerful system to address the open questions in evo-devo, including understanding the origins of bilaterian structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Perillo
- Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL St., Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy.
| | - Rosa Maria Sepe
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Periklis Paganos
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Alfonso Toscano
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
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Ren Y, Xu Y, Wang Z, Wang Y, Zhang J, Li Z, Chen Y, Go W, Javed MT, Li Q. Molecular cloning, biological description, and functional analysis of Ajfos transcription factor in pathogen-induced Apostichopus japonicus. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 276:109814. [PMID: 38065305 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Activator protein-1 subfamily member c-Fos wields significant influence over cellular activities, such as regulation of cell growth and division, cell death, and immune responses under various extracellular situations. In this study, the full-length c-Fos of sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus (Ajfos) was successfully cloned and analyzed. The anticipated 306 amino acid sequences of Ajfos displayed a basic-leucine zipper (bZIP) domain, similar to invertebrate counterparts. In addition, the qPCR results suggested Ajfos expressed in all tissues, with the highest level in coelomocytes from polian vesicle (vesicle lumen cells), followed by coelomocytes from coelom (coelomocytes). Moreover, the expression levels of Ajfos in the coelomocytes and vesicle lumen cells of sea cucumber showed significant changes after the Vibrio splendidus challenge, especially reaching a peak at 6 h. Compared with the silencing negative control RNA interference (siNC) group, silencing Ajfos (siAjfos) in vivo decreased the downstream proliferation-related gene expression of vesicle lumen cells after infection with V. splendidus while no significant influence was observed on coelomocytes. Furthermore, the proliferation proportion of vesicle lumen cells in the siAjfos group was significantly reduced under pathogen stimulation conditions. Finally, based on the fluctuation trend of total coelomocyte density (TCD) from coelom and polian vesicle previously discovered, it is evident that Ajfos played a critical role in facilitating the swift proliferation of vesicle lumen cells in response to V. splendidus stimulation. Altogether, this research provided an initial reference of the function of Ajfos in echinoderms, unveiling its participation in host coelomocyte proliferation of sea cucumbers during bacterial challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Ren
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, PR China
| | - Yongping Xu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, PR China
| | - Zhenhui Wang
- College of Marine and Biology Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Yinan Wang
- College of Fisheries, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300392, PR China; College of Marine and Biology Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Jialin Zhang
- College of Marine and Biology Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Zhen Li
- College of Marine and Biology Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Yupeng Chen
- College of Marine and Biology Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Wei Go
- College of Marine and Biology Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Muhammad Tariq Javed
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Qiang Li
- College of Fisheries, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300392, PR China; College of Marine and Biology Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China.
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