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Monastirioti M, Koltsaki I, Pitsidianaki I, Skafida E, Batsiotos N, Delidakis C. Notch-Dependent Expression of the Drosophila Hey Gene Is Supported by a Pair of Enhancers with Overlapping Activities. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:1071. [PMID: 39202431 PMCID: PMC11353301 DOI: 10.3390/genes15081071] [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: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Drosophila Hey is a basic helix-loop-helix-orange (bHLH-O) protein with an important role in the establishment of distinct identities of postmitotic cells. We have previously identified Hey as a transcriptional target and effector of Notch signalling during the asymmetric division of neuronal progenitors, generating neurons of two types, and we have shown that Notch-dependent expression of Hey also marks a subpopulation of the newborn enteroendocrine (EE) cells in the midgut primordium of the embryo. Here, we investigate the transcriptional regulation of Hey in neuronal and intestinal tissues. We isolated two genomic regions upstream of the promoter (HeyUP) and in the second intron (HeyIN2) of the Hey gene, based on the presence of binding motifs for Su(H), the transcription factor that mediates Notch activity. We found that both regions can direct the overlapping expression patterns of reporter transgenes recapitulating endogenous Hey expression. Moreover, we showed that while HeyIN2 represents a Notch-dependent enhancer, HeyUP confers both Notch-dependent and independent transcriptional regulation. We induced mutations that removed the Su(H) binding motifs in either region and then studied the enhancer functionality in the respective Hey mutant lines. Our results provide direct evidence that although both enhancers support Notch-dependent regulation of the Hey gene, their role is redundant, as a Hey loss-of-function lethal phenotype is observed only after deletion of all their Su(H) binding motifs by CRISPR/Cas9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Monastirioti
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
| | - Ioanna Koltsaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Division of Tumor Metabolism and Microenvironment, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ioanna Pitsidianaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London (UCL), London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Emilia Skafida
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Foundation Saint Lucia, Rome and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca (UniMiB), 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Nikolaos Batsiotos
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Evotec SE, 22419 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christos Delidakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
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2
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Wani AR, Chowdhury B, Luong J, Chaya GM, Patel K, Isaacman-Beck J, Shafer O, Kayser MS, Syed MH. Stem cell-specific ecdysone signaling regulates the development and function of a Drosophila sleep homeostat. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.29.560022. [PMID: 37873323 PMCID: PMC10592846 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.29.560022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Complex behaviors arise from neural circuits that are assembled from diverse cell types. Sleep is a conserved and essential behavior, yet little is known regarding how the nervous system generates neuron types of the sleep-wake circuit. Here, we focus on the specification of Drosophila sleep-promoting neurons-long-field tangential input neurons that project to the dorsal layers of the fan-shaped body neuropil in the central complex (CX). We use lineage analysis and genetic birth dating to identify two bilateral Type II neural stem cells that generate these dorsal fan-shaped body (dFB) neurons. We show that adult dFB neurons express Ecdysone-induced protein E93, and loss of Ecdysone signaling or E93 in Type II NSCs results in the misspecification of the adult dFB neurons. Finally, we show that E93 knockdown in Type II NSCs affects adult sleep behavior. Our results provide insight into how extrinsic hormonal signaling acts on NSCs to generate neuronal diversity required for adult sleep behavior. These findings suggest that some adult sleep disorders might derive from defects in stem cell-specific temporal neurodevelopmental programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adil R Wani
- Neural Diversity Lab, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 219 Yale Blvd Ne, 87131 Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Budhaditya Chowdhury
- The Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Jenny Luong
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gonzalo Morales Chaya
- Neural Diversity Lab, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 219 Yale Blvd Ne, 87131 Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Krishna Patel
- Neural Diversity Lab, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 219 Yale Blvd Ne, 87131 Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Orie Shafer
- The Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Matthew S. Kayser
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Chronobiology Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Mubarak Hussain Syed
- Neural Diversity Lab, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 219 Yale Blvd Ne, 87131 Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Hamid A, Gutierrez A, Munroe J, Syed MH. The Drivers of Diversity: Integrated genetic and hormonal cues regulate neural diversity. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 142:23-35. [PMID: 35915026 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Proper functioning of the nervous system relies not only on the generation of a vast repertoire of distinct neural cell types but also on the precise neural circuitry within them. How the generation of highly diverse neural populations is regulated during development remains a topic of interest. Landmark studies in Drosophila have identified the genetic and temporal cues regulating neural diversity and thus have provided valuable insights into our understanding of temporal patterning of the central nervous system. The development of the Drosophila central complex, which is mostly derived from type II neural stem cell (NSC) lineages, showcases how a small pool of NSCs can give rise to vast and distinct progeny. Similar to the human outer subventricular zone (OSVZ) neural progenitors, type II NSCs generate intermediate neural progenitors (INPs) to expand and diversify lineages that populate higher brain centers. Each type II NSC has a distinct spatial identity and timely regulated expression of many transcription factors and mRNA binding proteins. Additionally, INPs derived from them show differential expression of genes depending on their birth order. Together type II NSCs and INPs display a combinatorial temporal patterning that expands neural diversity of the central brain lineages. We cover advances in current understanding of type II NSC temporal patterning and discuss similarities and differences in temporal patterning mechanisms of various NSCs with a focus on how cell-intrinsic and extrinsic hormonal cues regulate temporal transitions in NSCs during larval development. Cell extrinsic ligands activate conserved signaling pathways and extrinsic hormonal cues act as a temporal switch that regulate temporal progression of the NSCs. We conclude by elaborating on how a progenitor's temporal code regulates the fate specification and identity of distinct neural types. At the end, we also discuss open questions in linking developmental cues to neural identity, circuits, and underlying behaviors in the adult fly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha Hamid
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87113, USA
| | - Andrew Gutierrez
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87113, USA
| | - Jordan Munroe
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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4
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Kandimalla P, Omoto JJ, Hong EJ, Hartenstein V. Lineages to circuits: the developmental and evolutionary architecture of information channels into the central complex. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2023:10.1007/s00359-023-01616-y. [PMID: 36932234 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01616-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
The representation and integration of internal and external cues is crucial for any organism to execute appropriate behaviors. In insects, a highly conserved region of the brain, the central complex (CX), functions in the representation of spatial information and behavioral states, as well as the transformation of this information into desired navigational commands. How does this relatively invariant structure enable the incorporation of information from the diversity of anatomical, behavioral, and ecological niches occupied by insects? Here, we examine the input channels to the CX in the context of their development and evolution. Insect brains develop from ~ 100 neuroblasts per hemisphere that divide systematically to form "lineages" of sister neurons, that project to their target neuropils along anatomically characteristic tracts. Overlaying this developmental tract information onto the recently generated Drosophila "hemibrain" connectome and integrating this information with the anatomical and physiological recording of neurons in other species, we observe neuropil and lineage-specific innervation, connectivity, and activity profiles in CX input channels. We posit that the proliferative potential of neuroblasts and the lineage-based architecture of information channels enable the modification of neural networks across existing, novel, and deprecated modalities in a species-specific manner, thus forming the substrate for the evolution and diversification of insect navigational circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratyush Kandimalla
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA. .,Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Jaison Jiro Omoto
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.,Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Hong
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Volker Hartenstein
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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5
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Farnworth MS, Bucher G, Hartenstein V. An atlas of the developing Tribolium castaneum brain reveals conservation in anatomy and divergence in timing to Drosophila melanogaster. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:2335-2371. [PMID: 35535818 PMCID: PMC9646932 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Insect brains are formed by conserved sets of neural lineages whose fibers form cohesive bundles with characteristic projection patterns. Within the brain neuropil, these bundles establish a system of fascicles constituting the macrocircuitry of the brain. The overall architecture of the neuropils and the macrocircuitry appear to be conserved. However, variation is observed, for example, in size, shape, and timing of development. Unfortunately, the developmental and genetic basis of this variation is poorly understood, although the rise of new genetically tractable model organisms such as the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum allows the possibility to gain mechanistic insights. To facilitate such work, we present an atlas of the developing brain of T. castaneum, covering the first larval instar, the prepupal stage, and the adult, by combining wholemount immunohistochemical labeling of fiber bundles (acetylated tubulin) and neuropils (synapsin) with digital 3D reconstruction using the TrakEM2 software package. Upon comparing this anatomical dataset with the published work in Drosophila melanogaster, we confirm an overall high degree of conservation. Fiber tracts and neuropil fascicles, which can be visualized by global neuronal antibodies like antiacetylated tubulin in all invertebrate brains, create a rich anatomical framework to which individual neurons or other regions of interest can be referred to. The framework of a largely conserved pattern allowed us to describe differences between the two species with respect to parameters such as timing of neuron proliferation and maturation. These features likely reflect adaptive changes in developmental timing that govern the change from larval to adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max S Farnworth
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute, GZMB, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Evolution of Brains and Behaviour lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Gregor Bucher
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute, GZMB, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Volker Hartenstein
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California/Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
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6
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Haddadi M, Ataei R. wde, calpA, if, dap160, and poe genes knock down Drosophila models exhibit neurofunctional deficit. Gene 2022; 829:146499. [PMID: 35447243 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146499] [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: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Intellectual disability (ID) is a heterogeneous disorder with high prevalence and remarkable social and cost burdens. Novel genetic variants of ATF7IP, CAPN9, ITGAV, ITSN1, and UBR4 genes are reported to be associated with the ID among Iranian families. However, in vivo validation is required to confirm the functional role of these variants in ID development. Drosophila melanogaster is a convenient model for such functional investigations as its genome bears ortholog of more than 75% of the disease-causing genes in human and represents numerous approaches to study defects in neuronal function. In this connection, RNAi gene silencing was applied to wde, calpA, if, dap160, and poe genes, the Drosophila ortholog of the selected human genes, and then consequent structural and functional changes in neurons were studied by means of immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy of mushroom bodies (MBs) and validated behavioural assays including larvae and adult conditioning learning and memories, and ethanol sensitivity. Down-regulation of these genes led to neuronal loss which was evident by decline in total fluorescent signal intensity in micrographs of MBs structure. The gene silencing caused neuronal dysfunction and induction of ID-like symptoms manifested by deficits in larval preference learning, and short-term olfactory memory and courtship suppression learning in adults. Moreover, the RNAi flies showed higher sensitivity to ethanol vapour. Interestingly, the poe knock-down flies exhibited the most severe phenotypes among other genes. Altogether, we believe this study is first-of-its-kind and findings are highly applicable to confirm pathogenecity of the selected ID gene variants in Iranian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Haddadi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran.
| | - Reza Ataei
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
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7
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Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of temporal patterning in neural progenitors. Dev Biol 2021; 481:116-128. [PMID: 34666024 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
During development, neural progenitors undergo temporal patterning as they age to sequentially generate differently fated progeny. Temporal patterning of neural progenitors is relatively well-studied in Drosophila. Temporal cascades of transcription factors or opposing temporal gradients of RNA-binding proteins are expressed in neural progenitors as they age to control the fates of the progeny. The temporal progression is mostly driven by intrinsic mechanisms including cross-regulations between temporal genes, but environmental cues also play important roles in certain transitions. Vertebrate neural progenitors demonstrate greater plasticity in response to extrinsic cues. Recent studies suggest that vertebrate neural progenitors are also temporally patterned by a combination of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms in response to extracellular signaling to regulate neural fate specification. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the study of temporal patterning of neural progenitors in Drosophila and vertebrates. We also discuss the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms, specifically the Polycomb group complexes and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes, in the temporal patterning of neural progenitors.
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8
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Goodwin SF, Hobert O. Molecular Mechanisms of Sexually Dimorphic Nervous System Patterning in Flies and Worms. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2021; 37:519-547. [PMID: 34613817 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-120319-115237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Male and female brains display anatomical and functional differences. Such differences are observed in species across the animal kingdom, including humans, but have been particularly well-studied in two classic animal model systems, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we summarize recent advances in understanding how the worm and fly brain acquire sexually dimorphic features during development. We highlight the advantages of each system, illustrating how the precise anatomical delineation of sexual dimorphisms in worms has enabled recent analysis into how these dimorphisms become specified during development, and how focusing on sexually dimorphic neurons in the fly has enabled an increasingly detailed understanding of sex-specific behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen F Goodwin
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SR, United Kingdom;
| | - Oliver Hobert
- Department of Biological Sciences and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA;
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9
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Chow KHK, Budde MW, Granados AA, Cabrera M, Yoon S, Cho S, Huang TH, Koulena N, Frieda KL, Cai L, Lois C, Elowitz MB. Imaging cell lineage with a synthetic digital recording system. Science 2021; 372:eabb3099. [PMID: 33833095 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb3099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
During multicellular development, spatial position and lineage history play powerful roles in controlling cell fate decisions. Using a serine integrase-based recording system, we engineered cells to record lineage information in a format that can be read out in situ. The system, termed integrase-editable memory by engineered mutagenesis with optical in situ readout (intMEMOIR), allowed in situ reconstruction of lineage relationships in cultured mouse cells and flies. intMEMOIR uses an array of independent three-state genetic memory elements that can recombine stochastically and irreversibly, allowing up to 59,049 distinct digital states. It reconstructed lineage trees in stem cells and enabled simultaneous analysis of single-cell clonal history, spatial position, and gene expression in Drosophila brain sections. These results establish a foundation for microscopy-readable lineage recording and analysis in diverse systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Huan K Chow
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mark W Budde
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Alejandro A Granados
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Maria Cabrera
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Shinae Yoon
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Soomin Cho
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Ting-Hao Huang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Noushin Koulena
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | | | - Long Cai
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Carlos Lois
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
| | - Michael B Elowitz
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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10
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Magadi SS, Voutyraki C, Anagnostopoulos G, Zacharioudaki E, Poutakidou IK, Efraimoglou C, Stapountzi M, Theodorou V, Nikolaou C, Koumbanakis KA, Fullard JF, Delidakis C. Dissecting Hes-centred transcriptional networks in neural stem cell maintenance and tumorigenesis in Drosophila. Development 2020; 147:147/22/dev191544. [PMID: 33229432 DOI: 10.1242/dev.191544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Neural stem cells divide during embryogenesis and juvenile life to generate the entire complement of neurons and glia in the nervous system of vertebrates and invertebrates. Studies of the mechanisms controlling the fine balance between neural stem cells and more differentiated progenitors have shown that, in every asymmetric cell division, progenitors send a Delta-Notch signal to their sibling stem cells. Here, we show that excessive activation of Notch or overexpression of its direct targets of the Hes family causes stem-cell hyperplasias in the Drosophila larval central nervous system, which can progress to malignant tumours after allografting to adult hosts. We combined transcriptomic data from these hyperplasias with chromatin occupancy data for Dpn, a Hes transcription factor, to identify genes regulated by Hes factors in this process. We show that the Notch/Hes axis represses a cohort of transcription factor genes. These are excluded from the stem cells and promote early differentiation steps, most likely by preventing the reversion of immature progenitors to a stem-cell fate. We describe the impact of two of these 'anti-stemness' factors, Zfh1 and Gcm, on Notch/Hes-triggered tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srivathsa S Magadi
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Chrysanthi Voutyraki
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Gerasimos Anagnostopoulos
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Evanthia Zacharioudaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Ioanna K Poutakidou
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Christina Efraimoglou
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Margarita Stapountzi
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Theodorou
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Christoforos Nikolaou
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Konstantinos A Koumbanakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - John F Fullard
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Christos Delidakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece .,Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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11
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Aponte-Santiago NA, Ormerod KG, Akbergenova Y, Littleton JT. Synaptic Plasticity Induced by Differential Manipulation of Tonic and Phasic Motoneurons in Drosophila. J Neurosci 2020; 40:6270-6288. [PMID: 32631939 PMCID: PMC7424871 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0925-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [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: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural and functional plasticity induced by neuronal competition is a common feature of developing nervous systems. However, the rules governing how postsynaptic cells differentiate between presynaptic inputs are unclear. In this study, we characterized synaptic interactions following manipulations of tonic Ib or phasic Is glutamatergic motoneurons that coinnervate postsynaptic muscles of male or female Drosophila melanogaster larvae. After identifying drivers for each neuronal subtype, we performed ablation or genetic manipulations to alter neuronal activity and examined the effects on synaptic innervation and function at neuromuscular junctions. Ablation of either Ib or Is resulted in decreased muscle response, with some functional compensation occurring in the Ib input when Is was missing. In contrast, the Is terminal failed to show functional or structural changes following loss of the coinnervating Ib input. Decreasing the activity of the Ib or Is neuron with tetanus toxin light chain resulted in structural changes in muscle innervation. Decreased Ib activity resulted in reduced active zone (AZ) number and decreased postsynaptic subsynaptic reticulum volume, with the emergence of filopodial-like protrusions from synaptic boutons of the Ib input. Decreased Is activity did not induce structural changes at its own synapses, but the coinnervating Ib motoneuron increased the number of synaptic boutons and AZs it formed. These findings indicate that tonic Ib and phasic Is motoneurons respond independently to changes in activity, with either functional or structural alterations in the Ib neuron occurring following ablation or reduced activity of the coinnervating Is input, respectively.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Both invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems display synaptic plasticity in response to behavioral experiences, indicating that underlying mechanisms emerged early in evolution. How specific neuronal classes innervating the same postsynaptic target display distinct types of plasticity is unclear. Here, we examined whether Drosophila tonic Ib and phasic Is motoneurons display competitive or cooperative interactions during innervation of the same muscle, or compensatory changes when the output of one motoneuron is altered. We established a system to differentially manipulate the motoneurons and examined the effects of cell type-specific changes to one of the inputs. Our findings indicate Ib and Is motoneurons respond differently to activity mismatch or loss of the coinnervating input, with the Ib subclass responding robustly compared with Is motoneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Aponte-Santiago
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Kiel G Ormerod
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Yulia Akbergenova
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
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12
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Veling MW, Li Y, Veling MT, Litts C, Michki N, Liu H, Ye B, Cai D. Identification of Neuronal Lineages in the Drosophila Peripheral Nervous System with a "Digital" Multi-spectral Lineage Tracing System. Cell Rep 2019; 29:3303-3312.e3. [PMID: 31801091 PMCID: PMC6913890 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Elucidating cell lineages provides crucial understanding of development. Recently developed sequencing-based techniques enhance the scale of lineage tracing but eliminate the spatial information offered by conventional approaches. Multi-spectral labeling techniques, such as Brainbow, have the potential to identify lineage-related cells in situ. Here, we report nuclear Bitbow (nBitbow), a "digital" version of Brainbow that greatly expands the color diversity for scoring cells, and a suite of statistical methods for quantifying the lineage relationship of any two cells. Applying these tools to the Drosophila peripheral nervous system (PNS), we determined lineage relationship between all neuronal pairs. This study demonstrates nBitbow as an efficient tool for in situ lineage mapping, and the complete lineage relationship among larval PNS neurons opens new possibilities for studying how neurons gain specific features and circuit connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macy W Veling
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ye Li
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Mike T Veling
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christopher Litts
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nigel Michki
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Hao Liu
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Bing Ye
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Dawen Cai
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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13
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Bellen HJ, Wangler MF, Yamamoto S. The fruit fly at the interface of diagnosis and pathogenic mechanisms of rare and common human diseases. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:R207-R214. [PMID: 31227826 PMCID: PMC6872428 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is a unique, powerful genetic model organism for studying a broad range of biological questions. Human studies that probe the genetic causes of rare and undiagnosed diseases using massive-parallel sequencing often require complementary gene function studies to determine if and how rare variants affect gene function. These studies also provide inroads to disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets. In this review we discuss strategies for functional studies of rare human variants in Drosophila. We focus on our experience in establishing a Drosophila core of the Model Organisms Screening Center for the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) and concurrent fly studies with other large genomic rare disease research efforts such as the Centers for Mendelian Genomics. We outline four major strategies that use the latest technology in fly genetics to understand the impact of human variants on gene function. We also mention general concepts in probing disease mechanisms, therapeutics and using rare disease to understand common diseases. Drosophila is and will continue to be a fundamental genetic model to identify new disease-causing variants, pathogenic mechanisms and drugs that will impact medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo J Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX , USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael F Wangler
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX , USA
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX , USA
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14
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Coelho DS, Moreno E. Emerging links between cell competition and Alzheimer's disease. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:132/13/jcs231258. [PMID: 31263078 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.231258] [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] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) causes a progressive loss of memory and other cognitive functions, which inexorably debilitates patients. There is still no cure for AD and effective treatments to delay or revert AD are urgently needed. On a molecular level, the excessive accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides triggers a complex cascade of pathological events underlying neuronal death, whose details are not yet completely understood. Our laboratory recently discovered that cell competition may play a protective role against AD by eliminating less fit neurons from the brain of Aβ-transgenic flies. Loss of Aβ-damaged neurons through fitness comparison with healthy counterparts is beneficial for the organism, delaying cognitive decline and motor disability. In this Review, we introduce the molecular mechanisms of cell competition, including seminal works on the field and latest advances regarding genetic triggers and effectors of cell elimination. We then describe the biological relevance of competition in the nervous system and discuss how competitive interactions between neurons may arise and be exacerbated in the context of AD. Selection of neurons through fitness comparison is a promising, but still emerging, research field that may open new avenues for the treatment of neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina S Coelho
- Cell Fitness Laboratory, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Av. Brasília., 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eduardo Moreno
- Cell Fitness Laboratory, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Av. Brasília., 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
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15
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Venkatasubramanian L, Mann RS. The development and assembly of the Drosophila adult ventral nerve cord. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 56:135-143. [PMID: 30826502 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In order to generate complex motor outputs, the nervous system integrates multiple sources of sensory information that ultimately controls motor neurons to generate coordinated movements. The neural circuits that integrate higher order commands from the brain and generate motor outputs are located in the nerve cord of the central nervous system. Recently, genetic access to distinct functional subtypes that make up the Drosophila adult ventral nerve cord has significantly begun to advance our understanding of the structural organization and functions of the neural circuits coordinating motor outputs. Moreover, lineage-tracing and genetic intersection tools have been instrumental in deciphering the developmental mechanisms that generate and assemble the functional units of the adult nerve cord. Together, the Drosophila adult ventral nerve cord is emerging as a powerful system to understand the development and function of neural circuits that are responsible for coordinating complex motor outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalanti Venkatasubramanian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Department of Neuroscience, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Richard S Mann
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Department of Neuroscience, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States.
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16
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Chai PC, Cruchet S, Wigger L, Benton R. Sensory neuron lineage mapping and manipulation in the Drosophila olfactory system. Nat Commun 2019; 10:643. [PMID: 30733440 PMCID: PMC6367400 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08345-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nervous systems exhibit myriad cell types, but understanding how this diversity arises is hampered by the difficulty to visualize and genetically-probe specific lineages, especially at early developmental stages prior to expression of unique molecular markers. Here, we use a genetic immortalization method to analyze the development of sensory neuron lineages in the Drosophila olfactory system, from their origin to terminal differentiation. We apply this approach to define a fate map of nearly all olfactory lineages and refine the model of temporal patterns of lineage divisions. Taking advantage of a selective marker for the lineage that gives rise to Or67d pheromone-sensing neurons and a genome-wide transcription factor RNAi screen, we identify the spatial and temporal requirements for Pointed, an ETS family member, in this developmental pathway. Transcriptomic analysis of wild-type and Pointed-depleted olfactory tissue reveals a universal requirement for this factor as a switch-like determinant of fates in these sensory lineages. Few tools exist to study molecular diversity during neurodevelopment. Here the authors apply a genetic immortalization method in Drosophila to generate a fate map of olfactory sensory lineages, examine the relationships of this map and the neuroanatomical, molecular and evolutionary properties of the mature circuits, and identify a novel factor controlling lineage development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phing Chian Chai
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Génopode Building, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Steeve Cruchet
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Génopode Building, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Leonore Wigger
- Lausanne Genomic Technologies Facility, Génopode Building, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Vital-IT Group, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Richard Benton
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Génopode Building, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Abstract
Stem cells self-renew and produce progenitors with limited proliferative potential. Reporting in Developmental Cell, Liu et al. (2017) demonstrate that in some neural stem cells, Notch activity is asymmetrically amplified by a positive feedback loop with the super elongation complex (SEC) to quickly differentiate between stem cells and progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M Rossi
- Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, 1009 Silver Center, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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