1
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Garfinkel AM, Ilker E, Miyazawa H, Schmeisser K, Tennessen JM. Historic obstacles and emerging opportunities in the field of developmental metabolism - lessons from Heidelberg. Development 2024; 151:dev202937. [PMID: 38912552 PMCID: PMC11299503 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
The field of developmental metabolism is experiencing a technological revolution that is opening entirely new fields of inquiry. Advances in metabolomics, small-molecule sensors, single-cell RNA sequencing and computational modeling present new opportunities for exploring cell-specific and tissue-specific metabolic networks, interorgan metabolic communication, and gene-by-metabolite interactions in time and space. Together, these advances not only present a means by which developmental biologists can tackle questions that have challenged the field for centuries, but also present young scientists with opportunities to define new areas of inquiry. These emerging frontiers of developmental metabolism were at the center of a highly interactive 2023 EMBO workshop 'Developmental metabolism: flows of energy, matter, and information'. Here, we summarize key discussions from this forum, emphasizing modern developmental biology's challenges and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M. Garfinkel
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics and Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Efe Ilker
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden 01187, Germany
| | - Hidenobu Miyazawa
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Kathrin Schmeisser
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany
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2
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Schindler-Johnson M, Petridou NI. Collective effects of cell cleavage dynamics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1358971. [PMID: 38559810 PMCID: PMC10978805 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1358971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
A conserved process of early embryonic development in metazoans is the reductive cell divisions following oocyte fertilization, termed cell cleavages. Cell cleavage cycles usually start synchronously, lengthen differentially between the embryonic cells becoming asynchronous, and cease before major morphogenetic events, such as germ layer formation and gastrulation. Despite exhibiting species-specific characteristics, the regulation of cell cleavage dynamics comes down to common controllers acting mostly at the single cell/nucleus level, such as nucleus-to-cytoplasmic ratio and zygotic genome activation. Remarkably, recent work has linked cell cleavage dynamics to the emergence of collective behavior during embryogenesis, including pattern formation and changes in embryo-scale mechanics, raising the question how single-cell controllers coordinate embryo-scale processes. In this review, we summarize studies across species where an association between cell cleavages and collective behavior was made, discuss the underlying mechanisms, and propose that cell-to-cell variability in cell cleavage dynamics can serve as a mechanism of long-range coordination in developing embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Schindler-Johnson
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicoletta I. Petridou
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
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3
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Zhang Y, Yu H, Wang D, Lei X, Meng Y, Zhang N, Chen F, Lv L, Pan Q, Qin H, Zhang Z, van Aalten DMF, Yuan K. Protein O-GlcNAcylation homeostasis regulates facultative heterochromatin to fine-tune sog-Dpp signaling during Drosophila early embryogenesis. J Genet Genomics 2023; 50:948-959. [PMID: 37286164 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Protein O-GlcNAcylation is a monosaccharide post-translational modification maintained by two evolutionarily conserved enzymes, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA). Mutations in human OGT have recently been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, although the mechanisms linking O-GlcNAc homeostasis to neurodevelopment are not understood. Here, we investigate the effects of perturbing protein O-GlcNAcylation using transgenic Drosophila lines that overexpress a highly active OGA. We reveal that temporal reduction of protein O-GlcNAcylation in early embryos leads to reduced brain size and olfactory learning in adult Drosophila. Downregulation of O-GlcNAcylation induced by the exogenous OGA activity promotes nuclear foci formation of Polycomb-group protein Polyhomeotic and the accumulation of excess K27 trimethylation of histone H3 (H3K27me3) at the mid-blastula transition. These changes interfere with the zygotic expression of several neurodevelopmental genes, particularly shortgastrulation (sog), a component of an evolutionarily conserved sog-Decapentaplegic (Dpp) signaling system required for neuroectoderm specification. Our findings highlight the importance of early embryonic O-GlcNAcylation homeostasis for the fidelity of facultative heterochromatin redeployment and initial cell fate commitment of neuronal lineages, suggesting a possible mechanism underpinning OGT-associated intellectual disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaowen Zhang
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Haibin Yu
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Xiaoyun Lei
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yang Meng
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Fang Chen
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Lu Lv
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Qian Pan
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Hongtao Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Zhuohua Zhang
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Daan M F van Aalten
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Aarhus 8000, Denmark.
| | - Kai Yuan
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences & Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; The Biobank of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
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4
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Harrison MM, Marsh AJ, Rushlow CA. Setting the stage for development: the maternal-to-zygotic transition in Drosophila. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad142. [PMID: 37616526 PMCID: PMC10550319 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad142] [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] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The zygote has a daunting task ahead of itself; it must develop from a single cell (fertilized egg) into a fully functioning adult with a multitude of different cell types. In the beginning, the zygote has help from its mother, in the form of gene products deposited into the egg, but eventually, it must rely on its own resources to proceed through development. The transfer of developmental control from the mother to the embryo is called the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT). All animals undergo this transition, which is defined by two main processes-the degradation of maternal RNAs and the synthesis of new RNAs from the zygote's own genome. Here, we review the regulation of the MZT in Drosophila, but given the broad conservation of this essential process, much of the regulation is shared among metazoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa M Harrison
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706USA
| | - Audrey J Marsh
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706USA
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5
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Nakatani T, Torres-Padilla ME. Regulation of mammalian totipotency: a molecular perspective from in vivo and in vitro studies. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 81:102083. [PMID: 37421903 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, cells acquire totipotency at fertilization. Embryonic genome activation (EGA), which occurs at the 2-cell stage in the mouse and 4- to 8-cell stage in humans, occurs during the time window at which embryonic cells are totipotent and thus it is thought that EGA is mechanistically linked to the foundations of totipotency. The molecular mechanisms that lead to the establishment of totipotency and EGA had been elusive for a long time, however, recent advances have been achieved with the establishment of new cell lines with greater developmental potential and the application of novel low-input high-throughput techniques in embryos. These have unveiled several principles of totipotency related to its epigenetic makeup but also to characteristic features of totipotent cells. In this review, we summarize and discuss current views exploring some of the key drivers of totipotency from both in vitro cell culture models and embryogenesis in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsunetoshi Nakatani
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-81377 München, Germany
| | - Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-81377 München, Germany; Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, München, Germany.
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6
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Olivetta M, Dudin O. The nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio drives cellularization in the close animal relative Sphaeroforma arctica. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1597-1605.e3. [PMID: 36996815 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The ratio of nuclear content to cytoplasmic volume (N/C ratio) is a key regulator driving the maternal-to-zygotic transition in most animal embryos. Altering this ratio often impacts zygotic genome activation and deregulates the timing and outcome of embryogenesis.1,2,3 Despite being ubiquitous across animals, little is known about when the N/C ratio evolved to control multicellular development. Such capacity either originated with the emergence of animal multicellularity or was co-opted from the mechanisms present in unicellular organisms.4 An effective strategy to tackle this question is to investigate the close relatives of animals exhibiting life cycles with transient multicellular stages.5 Among these are ichthyosporeans, a lineage of protists undergoing coenocytic development followed by cellularization and cell release.6,7,8 During cellularization, a transient multicellular stage resembling animal epithelia is generated, offering a unique opportunity to examine whether the N/C ratio regulates multicellular development. Here, we use time-lapse microscopy to characterize how the N/C ratio affects the life cycle of the best-studied ichthyosporean model, Sphaeroforma arctica. We uncover that the last stages of cellularization coincide with a significant increase in the N/C ratio. Increasing the N/C ratio by reducing the coenocytic volume accelerates cellularization, whereas decreasing the N/C ratio by lowering the nuclear content halts it. Moreover, centrifugation and pharmacological inhibitor experiments suggest that the N/C ratio is locally sensed at the cortex and relies on phosphatase activity. Altogether, our results show that the N/C ratio drives cellularization in S. arctica, suggesting that its capacity to control multicellular development predates animal emergence.
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7
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Balachandra S, Sarkar S, Amodeo AA. The Nuclear-to-Cytoplasmic Ratio: Coupling DNA Content to Cell Size, Cell Cycle, and Biosynthetic Capacity. Annu Rev Genet 2022; 56:165-185. [PMID: 35977407 PMCID: PMC10165727 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-080320-030537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Though cell size varies between different cells and across species, the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio is largely maintained across species and within cell types. A cell maintains a relatively constant N/C ratio by coupling DNA content, nuclear size, and cell size. We explore how cells couple cell division and growth to DNA content. In some cases, cells use DNA as a molecular yardstick to control the availability of cell cycle regulators. In other cases, DNA sets a limit for biosynthetic capacity. Developmentally programmed variations in the N/C ratio for a given cell type suggest that a specific N/C ratio is required to respond to given physiological demands. Recent observations connecting decreased N/C ratios with cellular senescence indicate that maintaining the proper N/C ratio is essential for proper cellular functioning. Together, these findings suggest a causative, not simply correlative, role for the N/C ratio in regulating cell growth and cell cycle progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruthi Balachandra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA; ,
| | - Sharanya Sarkar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA;
| | - Amanda A Amodeo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA; ,
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8
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Hayden L, Chao A, Deneke VE, Vergassola M, Puliafito A, Di Talia S. Cullin-5 mutants reveal collective sensing of the nucleocytoplasmic ratio in Drosophila embryogenesis. Curr Biol 2022; 32:2084-2092.e4. [PMID: 35334230 PMCID: PMC9090985 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In most metazoans, early embryonic development is characterized by rapid division cycles that pause before gastrulation at the midblastula transition (MBT).1 These cleavage divisions are accompanied by cytoskeletal rearrangements that ensure proper nuclear positioning. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling nuclear positioning are not fully elucidated. In Drosophila, early embryogenesis unfolds in a multinucleated syncytium. Nuclei rapidly move across the anterior-posterior (AP) axis at cell cycles 4-6 in a process driven by actomyosin contractility and cytoplasmic flows.2,3 In shackleton (shkl) mutants, this axial spreading is impaired.4 Here, we show that shkl mutants carry mutations in the cullin-5 (cul-5) gene. Live imaging experiments show that Cul-5 is downstream of the cell cycle but is required for cortical actomyosin contractility. The nuclear spreading phenotype of cul-5 mutants can be rescued by reducing Src activity, suggesting that a major target of cul-5 is Src kinase. cul-5 mutants display gradients of nuclear density across the AP axis that we exploit to study cell-cycle control as a function of the N/C ratio. We found that the N/C ratio is sensed collectively in neighborhoods of about 100 μm, and such collective sensing is required for a precise MBT, in which all the nuclei in the embryo pause their division cycle. Moreover, we found that the response to the N/C ratio is slightly graded along the AP axis. These two features can be linked to Cdk1 dynamics. Collectively, we reveal a new pathway controlling nuclear positioning and provide a dissection of how nuclear cycles respond to the N/C ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Hayden
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Anna Chao
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Victoria E Deneke
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Massimo Vergassola
- Laboratoire de physique de l'École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alberto Puliafito
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Laboratory of Cell Migration, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; Department of Oncology, Università di Torino, 10060 Candiolo, Italy
| | - Stefano Di Talia
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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9
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Miyazawa H, Snaebjornsson MT, Prior N, Kafkia E, Hammarén HM, Tsuchida-Straeten N, Patil KR, Beck M, Aulehla A. Glycolytic flux-signaling controls mouse embryo mesoderm development. eLife 2022; 11:83299. [PMID: 36469462 PMCID: PMC9771359 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
How cellular metabolic state impacts cellular programs is a fundamental, unresolved question. Here, we investigated how glycolytic flux impacts embryonic development, using presomitic mesoderm (PSM) patterning as the experimental model. First, we identified fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) as an in vivo sentinel metabolite that mirrors glycolytic flux within PSM cells of post-implantation mouse embryos. We found that medium-supplementation with FBP, but not with other glycolytic metabolites, such as fructose 6-phosphate and 3-phosphoglycerate, impaired mesoderm segmentation. To genetically manipulate glycolytic flux and FBP levels, we generated a mouse model enabling the conditional overexpression of dominant active, cytoplasmic PFKFB3 (cytoPFKFB3). Overexpression of cytoPFKFB3 indeed led to increased glycolytic flux/FBP levels and caused an impairment of mesoderm segmentation, paralleled by the downregulation of Wnt-signaling, reminiscent of the effects seen upon FBP-supplementation. To probe for mechanisms underlying glycolytic flux-signaling, we performed subcellular proteome analysis and revealed that cytoPFKFB3 overexpression altered subcellular localization of certain proteins, including glycolytic enzymes, in PSM cells. Specifically, we revealed that FBP supplementation caused depletion of Pfkl and Aldoa from the nuclear-soluble fraction. Combined, we propose that FBP functions as a flux-signaling metabolite connecting glycolysis and PSM patterning, potentially through modulating subcellular protein localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidenobu Miyazawa
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Nicole Prior
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryHeidelbergGermany
| | - Eleni Kafkia
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryHeidelbergGermany
| | - Henrik M Hammarén
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Kiran R Patil
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryHeidelbergGermany
| | - Martin Beck
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryHeidelbergGermany
| | - Alexander Aulehla
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryHeidelbergGermany
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10
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Abou Chakra M, Isserlin R, Tran TN, Bader GD. Control of tissue development and cell diversity by cell cycle-dependent transcriptional filtering. eLife 2021; 10:64951. [PMID: 34212855 PMCID: PMC8279763 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell cycle duration changes dramatically during development, starting out fast to generate cells quickly and slowing down over time as the organism matures. The cell cycle can also act as a transcriptional filter to control the expression of long gene transcripts, which are partially transcribed in short cycles. Using mathematical simulations of cell proliferation, we identify an emergent property that this filter can act as a tuning knob to control gene transcript expression, cell diversity, and the number and proportion of different cell types in a tissue. Our predictions are supported by comparison to single-cell RNA-seq data captured over embryonic development. Additionally, evolutionary genome analysis shows that fast-developing organisms have a narrow genomic distribution of gene lengths while slower developers have an expanded number of long genes. Our results support the idea that cell cycle dynamics may be important across multicellular animals for controlling gene transcript expression and cell fate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruth Isserlin
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Thinh N Tran
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Gary D Bader
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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11
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Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of embryonic cell cycles is a central goal of developmental biology, as the regulation of the cell cycle must be closely coordinated with other events during early embryogenesis. Quantitative imaging approaches have recently begun to reveal how the cell cycle oscillator is controlled in space and time, and how it is integrated with mechanical signals to drive morphogenesis. Here, we discuss how the Drosophila embryo has served as an excellent model for addressing the molecular and physical mechanisms of embryonic cell cycles, with comparisons to other model systems to highlight conserved and species-specific mechanisms. We describe how the rapid cleavage divisions characteristic of most metazoan embryos require chemical waves and cytoplasmic flows to coordinate morphogenesis across the large expanse of the embryo. We also outline how, in the late cleavage divisions, the cell cycle is inter-regulated with the activation of gene expression to ensure a reliable maternal-to-zygotic transition. Finally, we discuss how precise transcriptional regulation of the timing of mitosis ensures that tissue morphogenesis and cell proliferation are tightly controlled during gastrulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefano Di Talia
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA
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12
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Gillette CM, Tennessen JM, Reis T. Balancing energy expenditure and storage with growth and biosynthesis during Drosophila development. Dev Biol 2021; 475:234-244. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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13
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Liu B, Zhao H, Wu K, Großhans J. Temporal Gradients Controlling Embryonic Cell Cycle. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10060513. [PMID: 34207742 PMCID: PMC8228447 DOI: 10.3390/biology10060513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Embryonic cells sense temporal gradients of regulatory signals to determine whether and when to proceed or remodel the cell cycle. Such a control mechanism is allowed to accurately link the cell cycle with the developmental program, including cell differentiation, morphogenesis, and gene expression. The mid-blastula transition has been a paradigm for timing in early embryogenesis in frog, fish, and fly, among others. It has been argued for decades now if the events associated with the mid-blastula transition, i.e., the onset of zygotic gene expression, remodeling of the cell cycle, and morphological changes, are determined by a control mechanism or by absolute time. Recent studies indicate that multiple independent signals and mechanisms contribute to the timing of these different processes. Here, we focus on the mechanisms for cell cycle remodeling, specifically in Drosophila, which relies on gradual changes of the signal over time. We discuss pathways for checkpoint activation, decay of Cdc25 protein levels, as well as depletion of deoxyribonucleotide metabolites and histone proteins. The gradual changes of these signals are linked to Cdk1 activity by readout mechanisms involving thresholds. Abstract Cell proliferation in early embryos by rapid cell cycles and its abrupt pause after a stereotypic number of divisions present an attractive system to study the timing mechanism in general and its coordination with developmental progression. In animals with large eggs, such as Xenopus, zebrafish, or Drosophila, 11–13 very fast and synchronous cycles are followed by a pause or slowdown of the cell cycle. The stage when the cell cycle is remodeled falls together with changes in cell behavior and activation of the zygotic genome and is often referred to as mid-blastula transition. The number of fast embryonic cell cycles represents a clear and binary readout of timing. Several factors controlling the cell cycle undergo dynamics and gradual changes in activity or concentration and thus may serve as temporal gradients. Recent studies have revealed that the gradual loss of Cdc25 protein, gradual depletion of free deoxyribonucleotide metabolites, or gradual depletion of free histone proteins impinge on Cdk1 activity in a threshold-like manner. In this review, we will highlight with a focus on Drosophila studies our current understanding and recent findings on the generation and readout of these temporal gradients, as well as their position within the regulatory network of the embryonic cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; (B.L.); (H.Z.); (K.W.)
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Han Zhao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; (B.L.); (H.Z.); (K.W.)
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Keliang Wu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; (B.L.); (H.Z.); (K.W.)
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Jörg Großhans
- Department of Biology, Philipps University, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
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14
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Modeling the role for nuclear import dynamics in the early embryonic cell cycle. Biophys J 2021; 120:4277-4286. [PMID: 34022240 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear composition determines nuclear function. The early embryos of many species begin life with large pools of maternally provided components that become rapidly imported into an increasing number of nuclei as the cells undergo repeated cleavage divisions. Because early cell cycles are too fast for nuclei to achieve steady-state nucleocytoplasmic partitioning, the composition of cleavage stage nuclei is likely dominated by nuclear import. The end of the rapid cleavage stage and onset of major zygotic transcription, known as the mid-blastula transition (MBT), is controlled by the ratio of nuclei/cytoplasm, indicating that changes in nuclear composition likely mediate MBT timing. Here, we explore how different nuclear import regimes can affect protein accumulation in the nucleus in the early Drosophila embryo. We find that nuclear import differs dramatically for a general nuclear cargo (NLS (nuclear localization signal)-mRFP) and a proposed MBT regulator (histone H3). We show that nuclear import rates of NLS-mRFP in a given nucleus remain relatively unchanged throughout the cleavage cycles, whereas those of H3 halve with each cycle. We model these two distinct modes of nuclear import as "nucleus-limited" and "import-limited" and examine how the two different modes can contribute to different protein accumulation dynamics. Finally, we incorporate these distinct modes of nuclear import into a model for cell-cycle regulation at the MBT and find that the import-limited H3 dynamics contribute to increased robustness and allow for stepwise cell-cycle slowing at the MBT.
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15
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Shindo Y, Amodeo AA. Excess histone H3 is a competitive Chk1 inhibitor that controls cell-cycle remodeling in the early Drosophila embryo. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2633-2642.e6. [PMID: 33848457 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.035] [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: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The DNA damage checkpoint is crucial to protect genome integrity.1,2 However, the early embryos of many metazoans sacrifice this safeguard to allow for rapid cleavage divisions that are required for speedy development. At the mid-blastula transition (MBT), embryos switch from rapid cleavage divisions to slower, patterned divisions with the addition of gap phases and acquisition of DNA damage checkpoints. The timing of the MBT is dependent on the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C ratio)3-7 and the activation of the checkpoint kinase, Chk1.8-17 How Chk1 activity is coupled to the N/C ratio has remained poorly understood. Here, we show that dynamic changes in histone H3 availability in response to the increasing N/C ratio control Chk1 activity and thus time the MBT in the Drosophila embryo. We show that excess H3 in the early cycles interferes with cell-cycle slowing independent of chromatin incorporation. We find that the N-terminal tail of H3 acts as a competitive inhibitor of Chk1 in vitro and reduces Chk1 activity in vivo. Using a H3-tail mutant that has reduced Chk1 inhibitor activity, we show that the amount of available Chk1 sites in the H3 pool controls the dynamics of cell-cycle progression. Mathematical modeling quantitatively supports a mechanism where titration of H3 during early cleavage cycles regulates Chk1-dependent cell-cycle slowing. This study defines Chk1 regulation by H3 as a key mechanism that coordinates cell-cycle remodeling with developmental progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Shindo
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Amanda A Amodeo
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
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16
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Song Y, Hyeon C. Thermodynamic uncertainty relation to assess biological processes. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:130901. [PMID: 33832251 DOI: 10.1063/5.0043671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We review the trade-offs between speed, fluctuations, and thermodynamic cost involved with biological processes in nonequilibrium states and discuss how optimal these processes are in light of the universal bound set by the thermodynamic uncertainty relation (TUR). The values of the uncertainty product Q of TUR, which can be used as a measure of the precision of enzymatic processes realized for a given thermodynamic cost, are suboptimal when the substrate concentration is at the Michaelis constant, and some of the key biological processes are found to work around this condition. We illustrate the utility of Q in assessing how close the molecular motors and biomass producing machineries are to the TUR bound, and for the cases of biomass production (or biological copying processes), we discuss how their optimality quantified in terms of Q is balanced with the error rate in the information transfer process. We also touch upon the trade-offs in other error-minimizing processes in biology, such as gene regulation and chaperone-assisted protein folding. A spectrum of Q recapitulating the biological processes surveyed here provides glimpses into how biological systems are evolved to optimize and balance the conflicting functional requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghyun Song
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 02455, South Korea
| | - Changbong Hyeon
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 02455, South Korea
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17
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The nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio directly regulates zygotic transcription in Drosophila through multiple modalities. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2010210118. [PMID: 33790005 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2010210118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Early embryos must rapidly generate large numbers of cells to form an organism. Many species accomplish this through a series of rapid, reductive, and transcriptionally silent cleavage divisions. Previous work has demonstrated that the number of divisions before both cell cycle elongation and zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is regulated by the ratio of nuclear content to cytoplasm (N/C). To understand how the N/C ratio affects the timing of ZGA, we directly assayed the behavior of several previously identified N/C ratio-dependent genes using the MS2-MCP reporter system in living Drosophila embryos with altered ploidy and cell cycle durations. For every gene that we examined, we found that nascent RNA output per cycle is delayed in haploid embryos. Moreover, we found that the N/C ratio influences transcription through three overlapping modes of action. For some genes (knirps, fushi tarazu, and snail), the effect of ploidy can be primarily attributed to changes in cell cycle duration. However, additional N/C ratio-mediated mechanisms contribute significantly to transcription delays for other genes. For giant and bottleneck, the kinetics of transcription activation are significantly disrupted in haploids, while for frühstart and Krüppel, the N/C ratio controls the probability of transcription initiation. Our data demonstrate that the regulatory elements of N/C ratio-dependent genes respond directly to the N/C ratio through multiple modes of regulation.
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18
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Strong IJT, Lei X, Chen F, Yuan K, O’Farrell PH. Interphase-arrested Drosophila embryos activate zygotic gene expression and initiate mid-blastula transition events at a low nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000891. [PMID: 33090988 PMCID: PMC7608951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Externally deposited eggs begin development with an immense cytoplasm and a single overwhelmed nucleus. Rapid mitotic cycles restore normality as the ratio of nuclei to cytoplasm (N/C) increases. A threshold N/C has been widely proposed to activate zygotic genome transcription and onset of morphogenesis at the mid-blastula transition (MBT). To test whether a threshold N/C is required for these events, we blocked N/C increase by down-regulating cyclin/Cdk1 to arrest early cell cycles in Drosophila. Embryos that were arrested two cell cycles prior to the normal MBT activated widespread transcription of the zygotic genome including genes previously described as N/C dependent. Zygotic transcription of these genes largely retained features of their regulation in space and time. Furthermore, zygotically regulated post-MBT events such as cellularization and gastrulation movements occurred in these cell cycle-arrested embryos. These results are not compatible with models suggesting that these MBT events are directly coupled to N/C. Cyclin/Cdk1 activity normally declines in tight association with increasing N/C and is regulated by N/C. By experimentally promoting the decrease in cyclin/Cdk1, we uncoupled MBT from N/C increase, arguing that N/C-guided down-regulation of cyclin/Cdk1 is sufficient for genome activation and MBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac J. T. Strong
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Xiaoyun Lei
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fang Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Patrick H. O’Farrell
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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19
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Carvalho-Santos Z, Cardoso-Figueiredo R, Elias AP, Tastekin I, Baltazar C, Ribeiro C. Cellular metabolic reprogramming controls sugar appetite in Drosophila. Nat Metab 2020; 2:958-973. [PMID: 32868922 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-020-0266-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cellular metabolic reprogramming is an important mechanism by which cells rewire their metabolism to promote proliferation and cell growth. This process has been mostly studied in the context of tumorigenesis, but less is known about its relevance for nonpathological processes and how it affects whole-animal physiology. Here, we show that metabolic reprogramming in Drosophila female germline cells affects nutrient preferences of animals. Egg production depends on the upregulation of the activity of the pentose phosphate pathway in the germline, which also specifically increases the animal's appetite for sugar, the key nutrient fuelling this metabolic pathway. We provide functional evidence that the germline alters sugar appetite by regulating the expression of the fat-body-secreted satiety factor Fit. Our findings demonstrate that the cellular metabolic program of a small set of cells is able to increase the animal's preference for specific nutrients through inter-organ communication to promote specific metabolic and cellular outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zita Carvalho-Santos
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Rita Cardoso-Figueiredo
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Paula Elias
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ibrahim Tastekin
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Célia Baltazar
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlos Ribeiro
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
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20
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Song Y, Shvartsman SY. Chemical Embryology Redux: Metabolic Control of Development. Trends Genet 2020; 36:577-586. [PMID: 32532533 PMCID: PMC10947471 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
New studies of metabolic reactions and networks in embryos are making important additions to regulatory models of development, so far dominated by genes and signals. Metabolic control of development is not a new idea and can be traced back to Joseph Needham's 'Chemical Embryology', published in the 1930s. Even though Needham's ideas fell by the wayside with the advent of genetic studies of embryogenesis, they demonstrated that embryos provide convenient models for addressing fundamental questions in biochemistry and are now experiencing a comeback, enabled by the powerful merger of detailed mechanistic studies and systems-level techniques. Here we review recent results from studies that quantified the energy budget of embryogenesis in Drosophila and started to untangle the intricate connections between core anabolic processes and developmental transitions. Dynamic coordination of metabolic, genetic, and signaling networks appears to be essential for seamless progression of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghyun Song
- Computational Sciences Department, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 02455, Republic of Korea
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute - Simons Foundation, New York, NY 10010, USA.
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21
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Toralova T, Kinterova V, Chmelikova E, Kanka J. The neglected part of early embryonic development: maternal protein degradation. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:3177-3194. [PMID: 32095869 PMCID: PMC11104927 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03482-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The degradation of maternally provided molecules is a very important process during early embryogenesis. However, the vast majority of studies deals with mRNA degradation and protein degradation is only a very little explored process yet. The aim of this article was to summarize current knowledge about the protein degradation during embryogenesis of mammals. In addition to resuming of known data concerning mammalian embryogenesis, we tried to fill the gaps in knowledge by comparison with facts known about protein degradation in early embryos of non-mammalian species. Maternal protein degradation seems to be driven by very strict rules in terms of specificity and timing. The degradation of some maternal proteins is certainly necessary for the normal course of embryonic genome activation (EGA) and several concrete proteins that need to be degraded before major EGA have been already found. Nevertheless, the most important period seems to take place even before preimplantation development-during oocyte maturation. The defects arisen during this period seems to be later irreparable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Toralova
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Kinterova
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Eva Chmelikova
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Kanka
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
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22
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Dutta S, Djabrayan NJV, Smits CM, Rowley CW, Shvartsman SY. Excess dNTPs Trigger Oscillatory Surface Flow in the Early Drosophila Embryo. Biophys J 2020; 118:2349-2353. [PMID: 32247330 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During the first 2 hours of Drosophila development, precisely orchestrated nuclear cleavages, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and directed membrane growth lead to the formation of an epithelial sheet around the yolk. The newly formed epithelium remains relatively quiescent during the next hour as it is patterned by maternal inductive signals and zygotic gene products. We discovered that this mechanically quiet period is disrupted in embryos with high levels of dNTPs, which have been recently shown to cause abnormally fast nuclear cleavages and interfere with zygotic transcription. High levels of dNTPs are associated with robust onset of oscillatory two-dimensional flows during the third hour of development. Tissue cartography, particle image velocimetry, and dimensionality reduction techniques reveal that these oscillatory flows are low dimensional and are characterized by the presence of spiral vortices. We speculate that these aberrant flows emerge through an instability triggered by deregulated mechanical coupling between the nascent epithelium and three-dimensional yolk. These results highlight an unexplored connection between a core metabolic process and large-scale mechanics in a rapidly developing embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayantan Dutta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Nareg J-V Djabrayan
- Lewis Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Celia M Smits
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Clarence W Rowley
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Lewis Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, New York, New York.
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23
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Song Y, Hyeon C. Thermodynamic Cost, Speed, Fluctuations, and Error Reduction of Biological Copy Machines. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:3136-3143. [PMID: 32227999 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Due to large fluctuations in cellular environments, transfer of information in biological processes without regulation is error-prone. The mechanistic details of error-reducing mechanisms in biological copying processes have been a subject of active research; however, how error reduction of a process is balanced with its thermodynamic cost and dynamical properties remain largely unexplored. Here, we study the error reducing strategies in light of the recently discovered thermodynamic uncertainty relation (TUR) that sets a physical bound to the cost-precision trade-off for dissipative processes. We found that the two representative copying processes, DNA replication by the exonuclease-deficient T7 DNA polymerase and mRNA translation by the E. coli ribosome, reduce the error rates to biologically acceptable levels while also optimizing the processes close to the physical limit dictated by TUR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghyun Song
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 02455, Korea
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24
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Liu B, Gregor I, Müller HA, Großhans J. Fluorescence fluctuation analysis reveals PpV dependent Cdc25 protein dynamics in living embryos. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008735. [PMID: 32251417 PMCID: PMC7162543 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The protein phosphatase Cdc25 is a key regulator of the cell cycle by activating Cdk-cyclin complexes. Cdc25 is regulated by its expression levels and post-translational mechanisms. In early Drosophila embryogenesis, Cdc25/Twine drives the fast and synchronous nuclear cycles. A pause in the cell cycle and the remodeling to a more generic cell cycle mode with a gap phase are determined by Twine inactivation and destruction in early interphase 14, in response to zygotic genome activation. Although the pseudokinase Tribbles contributes to the timely degradation of Twine, Twine levels are controlled by additional yet unknown post-translational mechanisms. Here, we apply a non-invasive method based on fluorescence fluctuation analysis (FFA) to record the absolute concentration profiles of Twine with minute-scale resolution in single living embryos. Employing this assay, we found that Protein phosphatase V (PpV), the homologue of the catalytic subunit of human PP6, ensures appropriately low Twine protein levels at the onset of interphase 14. PpV controls directly or indirectly the phosphorylation of Twine at multiple serine and threonine residues as revealed by phosphosite mapping. Mutational analysis confirmed that these sites are involved in control of Twine protein dynamics, and cell cycle remodeling is delayed in a fraction of the phosphosite mutant embryos. Our data reveal a novel mechanism for control of Twine protein levels and their significance for embryonic cell cycle remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Liu
- Fachbereich Biologie (FB17), Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiochemie, Universitätsmedizin, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ingo Gregor
- Drittes Physikalisches Institut, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - H.-Arno Müller
- Fachgebiet Entwicklungsgenetik, Institut für Biologie, Universität Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Jörg Großhans
- Fachbereich Biologie (FB17), Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiochemie, Universitätsmedizin, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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25
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Arnaoutov A, Lee H, Plevock Haase K, Aksenova V, Jarnik M, Oliver B, Serpe M, Dasso M. IRBIT Directs Differentiation of Intestinal Stem Cell Progeny to Maintain Tissue Homeostasis. iScience 2020; 23:100954. [PMID: 32179478 PMCID: PMC7068126 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The maintenance of the intestinal epithelium is ensured by the controlled proliferation of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and differentiation of their progeny into various cell types, including enterocytes (ECs) that both mediate nutrient absorption and provide a barrier against pathogens. The signals that regulate transition of proliferative ISCs into differentiated ECs are not fully understood. IRBIT is an evolutionarily conserved protein that regulates ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), an enzyme critical for the generation of DNA precursors. Here, we show that IRBIT expression in ISC progeny within the Drosophila midgut epithelium cells regulates their differentiation via suppression of RNR activity. Disruption of this IRBIT-RNR regulatory circuit causes a premature loss of intestinal tissue integrity. Furthermore, age-related dysplasia can be reversed by suppression of RNR activity in ISC progeny. Collectively, our findings demonstrate a role of the IRBIT-RNR pathway in gut homeostasis. IRBIT is required for homeostasis of the intestinal epithelium IRBIT inhibition of RNR ensures proper intestinal stem cell differentiation Suppression of RNR in intestinal stem cell progeny reverses age-related dysplasia
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Arnaoutov
- Section on Cell Cycle Regulation, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Hangnoh Lee
- Section on Cell Cycle Regulation, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - Vasilisa Aksenova
- Section on Cell Cycle Regulation, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michal Jarnik
- Cell Biology and Metabolism Program, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Brian Oliver
- Developmental Genomics Section, Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Mihaela Serpe
- Section on Cellular Communications, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mary Dasso
- Section on Cell Cycle Regulation, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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26
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Ferree P, Di Talia S. Developmental Biology: Embryos Need to Control Their Nucleotides Just Right. Curr Biol 2019; 29:R252-R254. [PMID: 30939309 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The maternal-to-zygotic transition in the Drosophila embryo requires accurate control of the levels of free nucleotides, arguing for an essential role of nucleotide metabolism in the regulation of the cell cycle during early embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Ferree
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Stefano Di Talia
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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27
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Liu B, Großhans J. The role of dNTP metabolites in control of the embryonic cell cycle. Cell Cycle 2019; 18:2817-2827. [PMID: 31544596 PMCID: PMC6791698 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2019.1665948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Deoxyribonucleotide metabolites (dNTPs) are the substrates for DNA synthesis. It has been proposed that their availability influences the progression of the cell cycle during development and pathological situations such as tumor growth. The mechanism has remained unclear for the link between cell cycle and dNTP levels beyond their role as substrates. Here, we review recent studies concerned with the dynamics of dNTP levels in early embryos and the role of DNA replication checkpoint as a sensor of dNTP levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Liu
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiochemie, Universitätsmedizin, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Großhans
- Institut für Entwicklungsbiochemie, Universitätsmedizin, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany
- Entwicklungsgenetik, Fachbereich Biologie, Philipps-Universität, Marburg, Germany
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28
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Chari S, Wilky H, Govindan J, Amodeo AA. Histone concentration regulates the cell cycle and transcription in early development. Development 2019; 146:dev.177402. [PMID: 31511251 DOI: 10.1242/dev.177402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The early embryos of many animals, including flies, fish and frogs, have unusually rapid cell cycles and delayed onset of transcription. These divisions are dependent on maternally supplied RNAs and proteins including histones. Previous work suggests that the pool size of maternally provided histones can alter the timing of zygotic genome activation (ZGA) in frogs and fish. Here, we examine the effects of under- and overexpression of maternal histones in Drosophila embryogenesis. Decreasing histone concentration advances zygotic transcription, cell cycle elongation, Chk1 activation and gastrulation. Conversely, increasing histone concentration delays transcription and results in an additional nuclear cycle before gastrulation. Numerous zygotic transcripts are sensitive to histone concentration, and the promoters of histone-sensitive genes are associated with specific chromatin features linked to increased histone turnover. These include enrichment of the pioneer transcription factor Zelda, and lack of SIN3A and associated histone deacetylases. Our findings uncover a crucial regulatory role for histone concentrations in ZGA of Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudarshan Chari
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Henry Wilky
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jayalakshmi Govindan
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Amanda A Amodeo
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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29
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Dutta S, Djabrayan NJV, Torquato S, Shvartsman SY, Krajnc M. Self-Similar Dynamics of Nuclear Packing in the Early Drosophila Embryo. Biophys J 2019; 117:743-750. [PMID: 31378311 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic development starts with cleavages, a rapid sequence of reductive divisions that result in an exponential increase of cell number without changing the overall size of the embryo. In Drosophila, the final four rounds of cleavages occur at the surface of the embryo and give rise to ∼6000 nuclei under a common plasma membrane. We use live imaging to study the dynamics of this process and to characterize the emergent nuclear packing in this system. We show that the characteristic length scale of the internuclear interaction scales with the density, which allows the densifying embryo to sustain the level of structural order at progressively smaller length scales. This is different from nonliving materials, which typically undergo disorder-order transition upon compression. To explain this dynamics, we use a particle-based model that accounts for density-dependent nuclear interactions and synchronous divisions. We reproduce the pair statistics of the disordered packings observed in embryos and recover the scaling relation between the characteristic length scale and the density both in real and reciprocal space. This result reveals how the embryo can robustly preserve the nuclear-packing structure while being densified. In addition to providing quantitative description of self-similar dynamics of nuclear packings, this model generates dynamic meshes for the computational analysis of pattern formation and tissue morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayantan Dutta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Nareg J-V Djabrayan
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Salvatore Torquato
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.
| | - Matej Krajnc
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.
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