1
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Wopat S, Adhyapok P, Daga B, Crawford JM, Norman J, Bagwell J, Peskin B, Magre I, Fogerson SM, Levic DS, Di Talia S, Kiehart DP, Charbonneau P, Bagnat M. Notochord segmentation in zebrafish controlled by iterative mechanical signaling. Dev Cell 2024; 59:1860-1875.e5. [PMID: 38697108 PMCID: PMC11265980 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
In bony fishes, patterning of the vertebral column, or spine, is guided by a metameric blueprint established in the notochord sheath. Notochord segmentation begins days after somitogenesis concludes and can occur in its absence. However, somite patterning defects lead to imprecise notochord segmentation, suggesting that these processes are linked. Here, we identify that interactions between the notochord and the axial musculature ensure precise spatiotemporal segmentation of the zebrafish spine. We demonstrate that myoseptum-notochord linkages drive notochord segment initiation by locally deforming the notochord extracellular matrix and recruiting focal adhesion machinery at these contact points. Irregular somite patterning alters this mechanical signaling, causing non-sequential and dysmorphic notochord segmentation, leading to altered spine development. Using a model that captures myoseptum-notochord interactions, we find that a fixed spatial interval is critical for driving sequential segment initiation. Thus, mechanical coupling of axial tissues facilitates spatiotemporal spine patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Wopat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Priyom Adhyapok
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bijoy Daga
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - James Norman
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Jennifer Bagwell
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Brianna Peskin
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Indrasen Magre
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - Daniel S Levic
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Stefano Di Talia
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - Patrick Charbonneau
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Michel Bagnat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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2
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Qi M, Clark J, Moody ERR, Pisani D, Donoghue PCJ. Molecular Dating of the Teleost Whole Genome Duplication (3R) Is Compatible With the Expectations of Delayed Rediploidization. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae128. [PMID: 38913570 PMCID: PMC11259977 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae128] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate evolution has been punctuated by three whole genome duplication events that have been implicated causally in phenotypic evolution, from the origin of phenotypic novelties to explosive diversification. Arguably, the most dramatic of these is the 3R whole genome duplication event associated with the origin of teleost fishes which comprise more than half of all living vertebrate species. However, tests of a causal relationship between whole genome duplication and teleost diversification have proven difficult due to the challenge of establishing the timing of these phenomena. Here we show, based on molecular clock dating of concatenated gene alignments, that the 3R whole genome duplication event occurred in the early-middle Permian (286.18 to 267.20 million years ago; Ma), 52.02 to 12.84 million years (Myr) before the divergence of crown-teleosts in the latest Permian-earliest Late Triassic (254.36 to 234.16 Ma) and long before the major pulses of teleost diversification in Ostariophysi and Percomorpha (56.37 to 100.17 Myr and at least 139.24 to 183.29 Myr later, respectively). The extent of this temporal gap between putative cause and effect precludes 3R as a deterministic driver of teleost diversification. However, these age constraints remain compatible with the expectations of a prolonged rediploidization process following whole genome duplication which, through the effects of chromosome rearrangement and gene loss, remains a viable mechanism to explain the evolution of teleost novelties and diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minbo Qi
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - James Clark
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Edmund R R Moody
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Davide Pisani
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Philip C J Donoghue
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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3
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Serra KM, Vyzas C, Shehreen S, Chipendo I, Clifford KM, Youngstrom DW, Devoto SH. Vertebral pattern and morphology is determined during embryonic segmentation. Dev Dyn 2024; 253:204-214. [PMID: 37688793 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.649] [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: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The segmented nature of the adult vertebral column is based on segmentation of the paraxial mesoderm during early embryogenesis. Disruptions to embryonic segmentation, whether caused by genetic lesions or environmental stress, result in adult vertebral pathologies. However, the mechanisms linking embryonic segmentation and the details of adult vertebral morphology are poorly understood. RESULTS We induced border defects using two approaches in zebrafish: heat stress and misregulation of embryonic segmentation genes tbx6, mesp-ba, and ripply1. We assayed vertebral length, regularity, and polarity using microscopic and radiological imaging. In population studies, we find a correlation between specific embryonic border defects and specific vertebral defects, and within individual fish, we trace specific adult vertebral defects to specific embryonic border defects. CONCLUSIONS Our data reveal that transient disruptions of embryonic segment border formation led to significant vertebral anomalies that persist through adulthood. The spacing of embryonic borders controls the length of the vertebra. The positions of embryonic borders control the positions of ribs and arches. Embryonic borders underlie fusions and divisions between adjacent spines and ribs. These data suggest that segment borders have a dominant role in vertebral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Serra
- Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA
| | - Christina Vyzas
- Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah Shehreen
- Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA
| | - Iris Chipendo
- Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA
| | - Katherine M Clifford
- Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Daniel W Youngstrom
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Stephen H Devoto
- Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA
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4
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Martini A, Sahd L, Rücklin M, Huysseune A, Hall BK, Boglione C, Witten PE. Deformity or variation? Phenotypic diversity in the zebrafish vertebral column. J Anat 2023; 243:960-981. [PMID: 37424444 PMCID: PMC10641053 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebral bodies are composed of two types of metameric elements, centra and arches, each of which is considered as a developmental module. Most parts of the teleost vertebral column have a one-to-one relationship between centra and arches, although, in all teleosts, this one-to-one relationship is lost in the caudal fin endoskeleton. Deviation from the one-to-one relationship occurs in most vertebrates, related to changes in the number of vertebral centra or to a change in the number of arches. In zebrafish, deviations also occur predominantly in the caudal region of the vertebral column. In-depth phenotypic analysis of wild-type zebrafish was performed using whole-mount stained samples, histological analyses and synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy 3D reconstructions. Three deviant centra phenotypes were observed: (i) fusion of two vertebral centra, (ii) wedge-shaped hemivertebrae and (iii) centra with reduced length. Neural and haemal arches and their spines displayed bilateral and unilateral variations that resemble vertebral column phenotypes of stem-ward actinopterygians or other gnathostomes as well as pathological conditions in extant species. Whether it is possible to distinguish variations from pathological alterations and whether alterations resemble ancestral conditions is discussed in the context of centra and arch variations in other vertebrate groups and basal actinopterygian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Martini
- Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Research Group Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Lauren Sahd
- Research Group Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Martin Rücklin
- Department of Vertebrate Evolution, Development and Ecology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ann Huysseune
- Research Group Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Brian K Hall
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Clara Boglione
- Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - P Eckhard Witten
- Research Group Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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5
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Peskin B, Norman J, Bagwell J, Lin A, Adhyapok P, Di Talia S, Bagnat M. Dynamic BMP signaling mediates notochord segmentation in zebrafish. Curr Biol 2023:S0960-9822(23)00671-1. [PMID: 37285843 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.039] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The vertebrate spine is a metameric structure composed of alternating vertebral bodies (centra) and intervertebral discs.1 Recent studies in zebrafish have shown that the epithelial sheath surrounding the notochord differentiates into alternating cartilage-like (col2a1/col9a2+) and mineralizing (entpd5a+) segments which serve as a blueprint for centra formation.2,3,4,5 This process also defines the trajectories of migrating sclerotomal cells that form the mature vertebral bodies.4 Previous work demonstrated that notochord segmentation is typically sequential and involves the segmented activation of Notch signaling.2 However, it is unclear how Notch is activated in an alternating and sequential fashion. Furthermore, the molecular components that define segment size, regulate segment growth, and produce sharp segment boundaries have not been identified. In this study, we uncover that a BMP signaling wave acts upstream of Notch during zebrafish notochord segmentation. Using genetically encoded reporters of BMP activity and signaling pathway components, we show that BMP signaling is dynamic as axial patterning progresses, leading to the sequential formation of mineralizing domains in the notochord sheath. Genetic manipulations reveal that type I BMP receptor activation is sufficient to ectopically trigger Notch signaling. Moreover, loss of Bmpr1ba and Bmpr1aa or Bmp3 function disrupts ordered segment formation and growth, which is recapitulated by notochord-specific overexpression of the BMP antagonist, Noggin3. Our data suggest that BMP signaling in the notochord sheath precedes Notch activation and instructs segment growth, facilitating proper spine morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Peskin
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - James Norman
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Jennifer Bagwell
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Adam Lin
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Priyom Adhyapok
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Stefano Di Talia
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Michel Bagnat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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6
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Wopat S, Adhyapok P, Daga B, Crawford JM, Peskin B, Norman J, Bagwell J, Fogerson SM, Di Talia S, Kiehart DP, Charbonneau P, Bagnat M. Axial segmentation by iterative mechanical signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.27.534101. [PMID: 37034817 PMCID: PMC10081202 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.27.534101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In bony fishes, formation of the vertebral column, or spine, is guided by a metameric blueprint established in the epithelial sheath of the notochord. Generation of the notochord template begins days after somitogenesis and even occurs in the absence of somite segmentation. However, patterning defects in the somites lead to imprecise notochord segmentation, suggesting these processes are linked. Here, we reveal that spatial coordination between the notochord and the axial musculature is necessary to ensure segmentation of the zebrafish spine both in time and space. We find that the connective tissues that anchor the axial skeletal musculature, known as the myosepta in zebrafish, transmit spatial patterning cues necessary to initiate notochord segment formation, a critical pre-patterning step in spine morphogenesis. When an irregular pattern of muscle segments and myosepta interact with the notochord sheath, segments form non-sequentially, initiate at atypical locations, and eventually display altered morphology later in development. We determine that locations of myoseptum-notochord connections are hubs for mechanical signal transmission, which are characterized by localized sites of deformation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) layer encasing the notochord. The notochord sheath responds to the external mechanical changes by locally augmenting focal adhesion machinery to define the initiation site for segmentation. Using a coarse-grained mathematical model that captures the spatial patterns of myoseptum-notochord interactions, we find that a fixed-length scale of external cues is critical for driving sequential segment patterning in the notochord. Together, this work identifies a robust segmentation mechanism that hinges upon mechanical coupling of adjacent tissues to control patterning dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Wopat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
- Present address: Department of Physics, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
- Authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Priyom Adhyapok
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
- Authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Bijoy Daga
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
- Present address: Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill Health Campus, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
- Authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Janice M. Crawford
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Brianna Peskin
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - James Norman
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Jennifer Bagwell
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | | | - Stefano Di Talia
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Daniel P. Kiehart
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Patrick Charbonneau
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Michel Bagnat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
- Lead contact
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7
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Leafy and weedy seadragon genomes connect genic and repetitive DNA features to the extravagant biology of syngnathid fishes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2119602119. [PMID: 35733255 PMCID: PMC9245644 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2119602119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Seadragons are widely recognized for their derived traits, which include leaf-like appendages and extreme spinal curvature. Efforts to understand the genetic basis of these unique traits and conserve these species and their relatives have been limited by genomic resource gaps. In this paper we present full, annotated genomes of leafy and weedy seadragons, which we use to uncover surprising features of gene family and genome architecture evolution that likely relate to the extravagant phenotypic traits of seadragons and their pipefish and seahorse relatives. These genomes and their analyses are important advances for the study of elaborate vertebrate traits, leveraging this diverse, morphologically exceptional group of fishes. Seadragons are a remarkable lineage of teleost fishes in the family Syngnathidae, renowned for having evolved male pregnancy. Comprising three known species, seadragons are widely recognized and admired for their fantastical body forms and coloration, and their specific habitat requirements have made them flagship representatives for marine conservation and natural history interests. Until recently, a gap has been the lack of significant genomic resources for seadragons. We have produced gene-annotated, chromosome-scale genome models for the leafy and weedy seadragon to advance investigations of evolutionary innovation and elaboration of morphological traits in seadragons as well as their pipefish and seahorse relatives. We identified several interesting features specific to seadragon genomes, including divergent noncoding regions near a developmental gene important for integumentary outgrowth, a high genome-wide density of repetitive DNA, and recent expansions of transposable elements and a vesicular trafficking gene family. Surprisingly, comparative analyses leveraging the seadragon genomes and additional syngnathid and outgroup genomes revealed striking, syngnathid-specific losses in the family of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), which likely involve reorganization of highly conserved gene regulatory networks in ways that have not previously been documented in natural populations. The resources presented here serve as important tools for future evolutionary studies of developmental processes in syngnathids and hold value for conservation of the extravagant seadragons and their relatives.
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8
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Muñoz-Montecinos C, Romero A, Sepúlveda V, Vira MÁ, Fehrmann-Cartes K, Marcellini S, Aguilera F, Caprile T, Fuentes R. Turning the Curve Into Straight: Phenogenetics of the Spine Morphology and Coordinate Maintenance in the Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:801652. [PMID: 35155449 PMCID: PMC8826430 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.801652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebral column, or spine, provides mechanical support and determines body axis posture and motion. The most common malformation altering spine morphology and function is adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), a three-dimensional spinal deformity that affects approximately 4% of the population worldwide. Due to AIS genetic heterogenicity and the lack of suitable animal models for its study, the etiology of this condition remains unclear, thus limiting treatment options. We here review current advances in zebrafish phenogenetics concerning AIS-like models and highlight the recently discovered biological processes leading to spine malformations. First, we focus on gene functions and phenotypes controlling critical aspects of postembryonic aspects that prime in spine architecture development and straightening. Second, we summarize how primary cilia assembly and biomechanical stimulus transduction, cerebrospinal fluid components and flow driven by motile cilia have been implicated in the pathogenesis of AIS-like phenotypes. Third, we highlight the inflammatory responses associated with scoliosis. We finally discuss recent innovations and methodologies for morphometrically characterize and analyze the zebrafish spine. Ongoing phenotyping projects are expected to identify novel and unprecedented postembryonic gene functions controlling spine morphology and mutant models of AIS. Importantly, imaging and gene editing technologies are allowing deep phenotyping studies in the zebrafish, opening new experimental paradigms in the morphometric and three-dimensional assessment of spinal malformations. In the future, fully elucidating the phenogenetic underpinnings of AIS etiology in zebrafish and humans will undoubtedly lead to innovative pharmacological treatments against spinal deformities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Muñoz-Montecinos
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Adrián Romero
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Vania Sepúlveda
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - María Ángela Vira
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Karen Fehrmann-Cartes
- Núcleo de Investigaciones Aplicadas en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Universidad de las Américas, Concepción, Chile
| | - Sylvain Marcellini
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Felipe Aguilera
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Teresa Caprile
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- *Correspondence: Teresa Caprile, ; Ricardo Fuentes,
| | - Ricardo Fuentes
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Grupo de Procesos en Biología del Desarrollo (GDeP), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- *Correspondence: Teresa Caprile, ; Ricardo Fuentes,
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9
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Fölsz O, Lin CC, Task D, Riabinina O, Potter CJ. The Q-system: A Versatile Repressible Binary Expression System. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2540:35-78. [PMID: 35980572 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2541-5_2] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Binary expression systems are useful genetic tools for experimentally labeling or manipulating the function of defined cells. The Q-system is a repressible binary expression system that consists of a transcription factor QF (and the recently improved QF2/QF2w), the inhibitor QS, a QUAS-geneX effector, and a drug that inhibits QS (quinic acid). The Q-system can be used alone or in combination with other binary expression systems, such as GAL4/UAS and LexA/LexAop. In this review chapter, we discuss the past, present, and future of the Q-system for applications in Drosophila and other organisms. We discuss the in vivo application of the Q-system for transgenic labeling, the modular nature of QF that allows chimeric or split transcriptional activators to be developed, its temporal control by quinic acid, new methods to generate QF2 reagents, intersectional expression labeling, and its recent adoption into many emerging experimental species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Fölsz
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Chun-Chieh Lin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Giesel School of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Darya Task
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Christopher J Potter
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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10
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Le Pabic P, Dranow DB, Hoyle DJ, Schilling TF. Zebrafish endochondral growth zones as they relate to human bone size, shape and disease. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1060187. [PMID: 36561564 PMCID: PMC9763315 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1060187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on the genetic mechanisms underlying human skeletal development and disease have largely relied on studies in mice. However, recently the zebrafish has emerged as a popular model for skeletal research. Despite anatomical differences such as a lack of long bones in their limbs and no hematopoietic bone marrow, both the cell types in cartilage and bone as well as the genetic pathways that regulate their development are remarkably conserved between teleost fish and humans. Here we review recent studies that highlight this conservation, focusing specifically on the cartilaginous growth zones (GZs) of endochondral bones. GZs can be unidirectional such as the growth plates (GPs) of long bones in tetrapod limbs or bidirectional, such as in the synchondroses of the mammalian skull base. In addition to endochondral growth, GZs play key roles in cartilage maturation and replacement by bone. Recent studies in zebrafish suggest key roles for cartilage polarity in GZ function, surprisingly early establishment of signaling systems that regulate cartilage during embryonic development, and important roles for cartilage proliferation rather than hypertrophy in bone size. Despite anatomical differences, there are now many zebrafish models for human skeletal disorders including mutations in genes that cause defects in cartilage associated with endochondral GZs. These point to conserved developmental mechanisms, some of which operate both in cranial GZs and limb GPs, as well as others that act earlier or in parallel to known GP regulators. Experimental advantages of zebrafish for genetic screens, high resolution live imaging and drug screens, set the stage for many novel insights into causes and potential therapies for human endochondral bone diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Le Pabic
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Willmington, NC, United States
- *Correspondence: Pierre Le Pabic, ; Thomas F. Schilling,
| | - Daniel B. Dranow
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Diego J. Hoyle
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Thomas F. Schilling
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Pierre Le Pabic, ; Thomas F. Schilling,
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11
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Lv X, Xu J, Jiang J, Wu P, Tan R, Wang B. Genetic animal models of scoliosis: A systematical review. Bone 2021; 152:116075. [PMID: 34174503 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2021.116075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Scoliosis is a complex disease with undetermined pathogenesis and has a strong relationship with genetics. Models of scoliosis in animals have been established for better comprehending its pathogenesis and treatment. In this review, we searched all the genetic animal models with body curvature in databases, and reviewed the related genes and scoliosis types. Meanwhile, we also summarized the pathogenesis of scoliosis reported so far. Summarizing the positive phenotypic animal models contributes to a better understanding on the pathogenesis of scoliosis and facilitates the selection of experimental models when a possible pathogenic factor is concerned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Lv
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Jinghong Xu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Jiajiong Jiang
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Pengfei Wu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Renchun Tan
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China.
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12
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Waldmann L, Leyhr J, Zhang H, Öhman-Mägi C, Allalou A, Haitina T. The broad role of Nkx3.2 in the development of the zebrafish axial skeleton. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255953. [PMID: 34411150 PMCID: PMC8376051 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor Nkx3.2 (Bapx1) is an important chondrocyte maturation inhibitor. Previous Nkx3.2 knockdown and overexpression studies in non-mammalian gnathostomes have focused on its role in primary jaw joint development, while the function of this gene in broader skeletal development is not fully described. We generated a mutant allele of nkx3.2 in zebrafish with CRISPR/Cas9 and applied a range of techniques to characterize skeletal phenotypes at developmental stages from larva to adult, revealing loss of the jaw joint, fusions in bones of the occiput, morphological changes in the Weberian apparatus, and the loss or deformation of bony elements derived from basiventral cartilages of the vertebrae. Axial phenotypes are reminiscent of Nkx3.2 knockout in mammals, suggesting that the function of this gene in axial skeletal development is ancestral to osteichthyans. Our results highlight the broad role of nkx3.2 in zebrafish skeletal development and its context-specific functions in different skeletal elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Waldmann
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jake Leyhr
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hanqing Zhang
- Division of Visual Information and Interaction, Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory BioImage Informatics Facility, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Caroline Öhman-Mägi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Amin Allalou
- Division of Visual Information and Interaction, Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory BioImage Informatics Facility, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tatjana Haitina
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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13
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Carter AM, Hsieh ST, Dodson P, Sallan L. Early amphibians evolved distinct vertebrae for habitat invasions. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251983. [PMID: 34106947 PMCID: PMC8189462 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Living tetrapods owe their existence to a critical moment 360-340 million years ago when their ancestors walked on land. Vertebrae are central to locomotion, yet systematic testing of correlations between vertebral form and terrestriality and subsequent reinvasions of aquatic habitats is lacking, obscuring our understanding of movement capabilities in early tetrapods. Here, we quantified vertebral shape across a diverse group of Paleozoic amphibians (Temnospondyli) encompassing different habitats and nearly the full range of early tetrapod vertebral shapes. We demonstrate that temnospondyls were likely ancestrally terrestrial and had several early reinvasions of aquatic habitats. We find a greater diversity in temnospondyl vertebrae than previously known. We also overturn long-held hypotheses centered on weight-bearing, showing that neural arch features, including muscle attachment, were plastic across the water-land divide and do not provide a clear signal of habitat preferences. In contrast, intercentra traits were critical, with temnospondyls repeatedly converging on distinct forms in terrestrial and aquatic taxa, with little overlap between. Through our geometric morphometric study, we have been able to document associations between vertebral shape and environmental preferences in Paleozoic tetrapods and to reveal morphological constraints imposed by vertebrae to locomotion, independent of ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aja Mia Carter
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - S. Tonia Hsieh
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Peter Dodson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Lauren Sallan
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
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14
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Post-translational activation of Mmp2 correlates with patterns of active collagen degradation during the development of the zebrafish tail. Dev Biol 2021; 477:155-163. [PMID: 34058190 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.05.016] [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: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (a.k.a. Gelatinase A, or Mmp2 in zebrafish) is known to have roles in pathologies such as arthritis, in which its function is protective, as well as in cancer metastasis, in which it is activated as part of the migration and invasion of metastatic cells. It is also required during development and the regeneration of tissue architecture after wound healing, but its roles in tissue remodelling are not well understood. Gelatinase A is activated post-translationally by proteolytic cleavage, making information about its transcription and even patterns of protein accumulation difficult to relate to biologically relevant activity. Using a transgenic reporter of endogenous Mmp2 activation in zebrafish, we describe its accumulation and post-translational proteolytic activation during the embryonic development of the tail. Though Mmp2 is expressed relatively ubiquitously, it seems to be active only at specific locations and times. Mmp2 is activated robustly in the neural tube and in maturing myotome boundaries. It is also activated in the notochord during body axis straightening, in patches scattered throughout the epidermal epithelium, in the gut, and on cellular protrusions extending from mesenchymal cells in the fin folds. The activation of Mmp2 in the notochord, somite boundaries and fin folds associates with collagen remodelling in the notochord sheath, myotome boundary ECM and actinotrichia respectively. Mmp2 is likely an important effector of ECM remodelling during the morphogenesis of the notochord, a driving structure in vertebrate development. It also appears to function in remodelling the ECM associated with growing epithelia and the maturation of actinotrichia in the fin folds, mediated by mesenchymal cell podosomes.
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15
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Abstract
Solid vertebrae evolved multiple times across vertebrates, but the origins and relationships of different spine forms remain unclear. A new study reveals teleost fishes evolved their solid vertebrae following genome duplication, when a novel gene repressed ancestral spine programming.
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16
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López-Cuevas P, Deane L, Yang Y, Hammond CL, Kague E. Transformed notochordal cells trigger chronic wounds destabilizing the vertebral column and bone homeostasis. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:dmm.047001. [PMID: 33579726 PMCID: PMC7988777 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.047001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Notochordal cells play a pivotal role in vertebral column patterning, contributing to the formation of the inner architecture of intervertebral discs (IVDs). Their disappearance during development has been associated with reduced repair capacity and IVD degeneration. Notochord cells can give rise to chordomas, a highly invasive bone cancer associated with late diagnosis. Understanding the impact of neoplastic cells during development and on the surrounding vertebral column could open avenues for earlier intervention and therapeutics. We investigated the impact of transformed notochord cells in the zebrafish skeleton using a line expressing RAS in the notochord under the control of the kita promoter, with the advantage of adulthood endurance. Transformed cells caused damage in the notochord and destabilised the sheath layer, triggering a wound repair mechanism, with enrolment of sheath cells (col9a2+) and expression of wt1b, similar to induced notochord wounds. Moreover, increased recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages, displaying abnormal behaviour in proximity to the notochord sheath and transformed cells, supported parallels between chordomas, wound and inflammation. Cancerous notochordal cells interfere with differentiation of sheath cells to form chordacentra domains, leading to fusions and vertebral clefts during development. Adults displayed IVD irregularities reminiscent of degeneration, including reduced bone mineral density and increased osteoclast activity, along with disorganised osteoblasts and collagen, indicating impaired bone homeostasis. By depleting inflammatory cells, we abrogated chordoma development and rescued the skeletal features of the vertebral column. Therefore, we showed that transformed notochord cells alter the skeleton during life, causing a wound-like phenotype and activating chronic wound response, suggesting parallels between chordoma, wound, IVD degeneration and inflammation, highlighting inflammation as a promising target for future therapeutics. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Analyses using a zebrafish line expressing RAS in the notochord, under the control of the kita promoter, revealed that transformed notochord cells alter the skeleton during life, causing a wound-like phenotype and activating chronic wound response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paco López-Cuevas
- The School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Luke Deane
- The School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Yushi Yang
- School of Physics, HH Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, BS8 1TL, UK.,Centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1FD, UK.,Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TL, UK
| | - Chrissy L Hammond
- The School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Erika Kague
- The School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
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Abstract
The vertebrate body plan is characterized by the presence of a segmented spine along its main axis. Here, we examine the current understanding of how the axial tissues that are formed during embryonic development give rise to the adult spine and summarize recent advances in the field, largely focused on recent studies in zebrafish, with comparisons to amniotes where appropriate. We discuss recent work illuminating the genetics and biological mechanisms mediating extension and straightening of the body axis during development, and highlight open questions. We specifically focus on the processes of notochord development and cerebrospinal fluid physiology, and how defects in those processes may lead to scoliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Bagnat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Ryan S Gray
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Dell Pediatrics Research Institute, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
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