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Federspiel JD, Tandon P, Wilczewski CM, Wasson L, Herring LE, Venkatesh SS, Cristea IM, Conlon FL. Conservation and divergence of protein pathways in the vertebrate heart. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000437. [PMID: 31490923 PMCID: PMC6750614 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the western world. Attaining a mechanistic understanding of human heart development and homeostasis and the molecular basis of associated disease states relies on the use of animal models. Here, we present the cardiac proteomes of 4 model vertebrates with dual circulatory systems: the pig (Sus scrofa), the mouse (Mus musculus), and 2 frogs (Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis). Determination of which proteins and protein pathways are conserved and which have diverged within these species will aid in our ability to choose the appropriate models for determining protein function and to model human disease. We uncover mammalian- and amphibian-specific, as well as species-specific, enriched proteins and protein pathways. Among these, we find and validate an enrichment in cell-cycle-associated proteins within Xenopus laevis. To further investigate functional units within cardiac proteomes, we develop a computational approach to profile the abundance of protein complexes across species. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of these data sets for predicting appropriate model systems for studying given cardiac conditions by testing the role of Kielin/chordin-like protein (Kcp), a protein found as enriched in frog hearts compared to mammals. We establish that germ-line mutations in Kcp in Xenopus lead to valve defects and, ultimately, cardiac failure and death. Thus, integrating these findings with data on proteins responsible for cardiac disease should lead to the development of refined, species-specific models for protein function and disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Panna Tandon
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Caralynn M. Wilczewski
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Lauren Wasson
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Laura E. Herring
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | | | - Ileana M. Cristea
- Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Frank L. Conlon
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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Sojka S, Amin NM, Gibbs D, Christine KS, Charpentier MS, Conlon FL. Congenital heart disease protein 5 associates with CASZ1 to maintain myocardial tissue integrity. Development 2014; 141:3040-9. [PMID: 24993940 DOI: 10.1242/dev.106518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The identification and characterization of the cellular and molecular pathways involved in the differentiation and morphogenesis of specific cell types of the developing heart are crucial to understanding the process of cardiac development and the pathology associated with human congenital heart disease. Here, we show that the cardiac transcription factor CASTOR (CASZ1) directly interacts with congenital heart disease 5 protein (CHD5), which is also known as tryptophan-rich basic protein (WRB), a gene located on chromosome 21 in the proposed region responsible for congenital heart disease in individuals with Down's syndrome. We demonstrate that loss of CHD5 in Xenopus leads to compromised myocardial integrity, improper deposition of basement membrane, and a resultant failure of hearts to undergo cell movements associated with cardiac formation. We further report that CHD5 is essential for CASZ1 function and that the CHD5-CASZ1 interaction is necessary for cardiac morphogenesis. Collectively, these results establish a role for CHD5 and CASZ1 in the early stages of vertebrate cardiac development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Sojka
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Nirav M Amin
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Devin Gibbs
- Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Kathleen S Christine
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Marta S Charpentier
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Frank L Conlon
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA Department of Genetics, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
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Amin NM, Greco TM, Kuchenbrod LM, Rigney MM, Chung MI, Wallingford JB, Cristea IM, Conlon FL. Proteomic profiling of cardiac tissue by isolation of nuclei tagged in specific cell types (INTACT). Development 2014; 141:962-73. [PMID: 24496632 DOI: 10.1242/dev.098327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The proper dissection of the molecular mechanisms governing the specification and differentiation of specific cell types requires isolation of pure cell populations from heterogeneous tissues and whole organisms. Here, we describe a method for purification of nuclei from defined cell or tissue types in vertebrate embryos using INTACT (isolation of nuclei tagged in specific cell types). This method, previously developed in plants, flies and worms, utilizes in vivo tagging of the nuclear envelope with biotin and the subsequent affinity purification of the labeled nuclei. In this study we successfully purified nuclei of cardiac and skeletal muscle from Xenopus using this strategy. We went on to demonstrate the utility of this approach by coupling the INTACT approach with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) proteomic methodologies to profile proteins expressed in the nuclei of developing hearts. From these studies we have identified the Xenopus orthologs of 12 human proteins encoded by genes, which when mutated in human lead to congenital heart disease. Thus, by combining these technologies we are able to identify tissue-specific proteins that are expressed and required for normal vertebrate organ development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirav M Amin
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
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Tandon P, Miteva YV, Kuchenbrod LM, Cristea IM, Conlon FL. Tcf21 regulates the specification and maturation of proepicardial cells. Development 2013; 140:2409-21. [PMID: 23637334 DOI: 10.1242/dev.093385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The epicardium is a mesothelial cell layer essential for vertebrate heart development and pertinent for cardiac repair post-injury in the adult. The epicardium initially forms from a dynamic precursor structure, the proepicardial organ, from which cells migrate onto the heart surface. During the initial stage of epicardial development crucial epicardial-derived cell lineages are thought to be determined. Here, we define an essential requirement for transcription factor Tcf21 during early stages of epicardial development in Xenopus, and show that depletion of Tcf21 results in a disruption in proepicardial cell specification and failure to form a mature epithelial epicardium. Using a mass spectrometry-based approach we defined Tcf21 interactions and established its association with proteins that function as transcriptional co-repressors. Furthermore, using an in vivo systems-based approach, we identified a panel of previously unreported proepicardial precursor genes that are persistently expressed in the epicardial layer upon Tcf21 depletion, thereby confirming a primary role for Tcf21 in the correct determination of the proepicardial lineage. Collectively, these studies lead us to propose that Tcf21 functions as a transcriptional repressor to regulate proepicardial cell specification and the correct formation of a mature epithelial epicardium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panna Tandon
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
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Abstract
The study of gene function in developmental biology has been significantly furthered by advances in antisense technology made in the early 2000s. This was achieved, in particular, by the introduction of morpholino (MO) oligonucleotides. The introduction of antisense MO oligonucleotides into cells enables researchers to readily reduce the levels of their protein of interest without investing huge financial or temporal resources, in both in vivo and in vitro model systems. Historically, the African clawed frog Xenopus has been used to study vertebrate embryological development, due to its ability to produce vast numbers of offspring that develop rapidly, in synchrony, and can be cultured in buffers with ease. The developmental progress of Xenopus embryos has been extensively characterized and this model organism is very easy to maintain. It is these attributes that enable MO-based knockdown strategies to be so effective in Xenopus. In this chapter, we will detail the methods of microinjecting MO oligonucleotides into early embryos of X. laevis and X. tropicalis. We will discuss how MOs can be used to prevent either pre-mRNA splicing or translation of the specific gene of interest resulting in abrogation of that gene's function and advise on what control experiments should be undertaken to verify their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panna Tandon
- Department of Genetics, UNC McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Kaltenbrun E, Tandon P, Amin NM, Waldron L, Showell C, Conlon FL. Xenopus: An emerging model for studying congenital heart disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 91:495-510. [PMID: 21538812 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2010] [Revised: 01/18/2011] [Accepted: 01/28/2011] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects affect nearly 1% of all newborns and are a significant cause of infant death. Clinical studies have identified a number of congenital heart syndromes associated with mutations in genes that are involved in the complex process of cardiogenesis. The African clawed frog, Xenopus, has been instrumental in studies of vertebrate heart development and provides a valuable tool to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying human congenital heart diseases. In this review, we discuss the methodologies that make Xenopus an ideal model system to investigate heart development and disease. We also outline congenital heart conditions linked to cardiac genes that have been well studied in Xenopus and describe some emerging technologies that will further aid in the study of these complex syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Kaltenbrun
- University of North Carolina McAllister Heart Institute, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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