1
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Divyanshi, Yang J. Germ plasm dynamics during oogenesis and early embryonic development in Xenopus and zebrafish. Mol Reprod Dev 2024; 91:e23718. [PMID: 38126950 PMCID: PMC11190040 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23718] [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: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Specification of the germline and its segregation from the soma mark one of the most crucial events in the lifetime of an organism. In different organisms, this specification can occur through either inheritance or inductive mechanisms. In species such as Xenopus and zebrafish, the specification of primordial germ cells relies on the inheritance of maternal germline determinants that are synthesized and sequestered in the germ plasm during oogenesis. In this review, we discuss the formation of the germ plasm, how germline determinants are recruited into the germ plasm during oogenesis, and the dynamics of the germ plasm during oogenesis and early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyanshi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
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2
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Shi DL. Interplay of RNA-binding proteins controls germ cell development in zebrafish. J Genet Genomics 2024:S1673-8527(24)00163-2. [PMID: 38969260 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
The specification of germ cells in zebrafish mostly relies on an inherited mechanism by which localized maternal determinants, called germ plasm, confer germline fate in the early embryo. Extensive studies have partially allowed the identification of key regulators governing germ plasm formation and subsequent germ cell development. RNA-binding proteins, acting in concert with other germ plasm components, play essential roles in the organization of the germ plasm and the specification, migration, maintenance, and differentiation of primordial germ cells. The loss of their functions impairs germ cell formation and causes sterility or sexual conversion. Evidence is emerging that they instruct germline development through differential regulation of mRNA fates in somatic and germ cells. However, the challenge remains to decipher the complex interplay of maternal germ plasm components in germ plasm compartmentalization and germ cell specification. Since failure to control the developmental outcome of germ cells disrupts the formation of gametes, it is important to gain a complete picture of regulatory mechanisms operating in the germ cell lineage. This review sheds light on the contributions of RNA-binding proteins to germ cell development in zebrafish and highlights intriguing questions that remain open for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Li Shi
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, CNRS-UMR7622, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne University, 75005 Paris, France.
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3
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Wang X, Zhu J, Wang H, Deng W, Jiao S, Wang Y, He M, Zhang F, Liu T, Hao Y, Ye D, Sun Y. Induced formation of primordial germ cells from zebrafish blastomeres by germplasm factors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7918. [PMID: 38097571 PMCID: PMC10721796 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43587-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The combination of genome editing and primordial germ cell (PGC) transplantation has enormous significance in the study of developmental biology and genetic breeding, despite its low efficiency due to limited number of donor PGCs. Here, we employ a combination of germplasm factors to convert blastoderm cells into induced PGCs (iPGCs) in zebrafish and obtain functional gametes either through iPGC transplantation or via the single blastomere overexpression of germplasm factors. Zebrafish-derived germplasm factors convert blastula cells of Gobiocypris rarus into iPGCs, and Gobiocypris rarus spermatozoa can be produced by iPGC-transplanted zebrafish. Moreover, the combination of genome knock-in and iPGC transplantation perfectly resolves the contradiction between high knock-in efficiency and early lethality during embryonic stages and greatly improves the efficiency of genome knock-in. Together, we present an efficient method for generating PGCs in a teleost, a technique that will have a strong impact in basic research and aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Junwen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Houpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Wenqi Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shengbo Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yaqing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Mudan He
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Fenghua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Tao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yongkang Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ding Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yonghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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4
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Razmi K, Mousavi SE, Patil JG. Paternal source of germ plasm determinants in the viviparous teleost, Gambusia holbrooki; dads do matter. Dev Biol 2023; 502:14-19. [PMID: 37385406 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
The identity of germ cells, the progenitors of life, is thought to be acquired by two modes; either by maternal signals (preformed) or induced de novo from pluripotent cells (epigenesis) in the developing embryos. However, paternal roles seem enshrouded or completely overlooked in this fundamental biological process. Hence, we investigated the presence of germplasm transcripts in the sperm of Gambusia holbrooki, a live-bearing fish, demonstrating their presence and suggesting paternal contributions. Interestingly, not all germplasm markers were present (nanos1 and tdrd6) in the sperm, but some were conspicuous (dazl, dnd-α, piwi II, and vasa), indicating that the latter is required for establishing germ cell identity in the progeny, with a possible parent-specific role. Furthermore, there were also spatial differences in the distribution of these determinants, suggesting additional roles in sperm physiology and/or fertility. Our results support the hypothesis that dads also play a vital role in establishing the germ cell identity, especially in G. holbrooki, which shares elements of both preformation and induction modes of germline determination. This, coupled with its life history traits, makes G. holbrooki an excellent system for dissecting evolutionary relationships between the two germline determination modes, their underpinning mechanisms and ultimately the perpetuity of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Komeil Razmi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Taroona, TAS, 7053, Australia
| | - Seyed Ehsan Mousavi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Taroona, TAS, 7053, Australia
| | - Jawahar G Patil
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Taroona, TAS, 7053, Australia.
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5
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Westerich KJ, Tarbashevich K, Schick J, Gupta A, Zhu M, Hull K, Romo D, Zeuschner D, Goudarzi M, Gross-Thebing T, Raz E. Spatial organization and function of RNA molecules within phase-separated condensates in zebrafish are controlled by Dnd1. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1578-1592.e5. [PMID: 37463577 PMCID: PMC10528888 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Germ granules, condensates of phase-separated RNA and protein, are organelles that are essential for germline development in different organisms. The patterning of the granules and their relevance for germ cell fate are not fully understood. Combining three-dimensional in vivo structural and functional analyses, we study the dynamic spatial organization of molecules within zebrafish germ granules. We find that the localization of RNA molecules to the periphery of the granules, where ribosomes are localized, depends on translational activity at this location. In addition, we find that the vertebrate-specific Dead end (Dnd1) protein is essential for nanos3 RNA localization at the condensates' periphery. Accordingly, in the absence of Dnd1, or when translation is inhibited, nanos3 RNA translocates into the granule interior, away from the ribosomes, a process that is correlated with the loss of germ cell fate. These findings highlight the relevance of sub-granule compartmentalization for post-transcriptional control and its importance for preserving germ cell totipotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Joana Westerich
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Katsiaryna Tarbashevich
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jan Schick
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Antra Gupta
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mingzhao Zhu
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Kenneth Hull
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Daniel Romo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Dagmar Zeuschner
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mohammad Goudarzi
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Theresa Gross-Thebing
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Erez Raz
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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6
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Yan J, Ding Y, Peng Z, Qin L, Gu J, Wan C. Systematic Proteomics Study on the Embryonic Development of Danio rerio. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:2814-2826. [PMID: 37500539 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The early development of zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a complex and dynamic physiological process involving cell division, differentiation, and movement. Currently, the genome and transcriptome techniques have been widely used to study the embryonic development of zebrafish. However, the research of proteomics based on proteins that directly execute functions is relatively vacant. In this work, we apply label-free quantitative proteomics to explore protein profiling during zebrafish's embryogenesis, and a total of 5961 proteins were identified at 10 stages of zebrafish's early development. The identified proteins were divided into 11 modules according to weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), and the characteristics between modules were significantly different. For example, mitochondria-related functions enriched the early development of zebrafish. Primordial germ cell-related proteins were identified at the 4-cell stage, while the eye development event is dominated at 5 days post fertilization (dpf). By combining with published transcriptomics data, we discovered some proteins that may be involved in activating zygotic genes. Meanwhile, 137 novel proteins were identified. This study comprehensively analyzed the dynamic processes in the embryonic development of zebrafish from the perspective of proteomics. It provided solid data support for further understanding of the molecular mechanism of its development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Yan
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhe Ding
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao Peng
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Qin
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingyu Gu
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Cuihong Wan
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, People's Republic of China
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7
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Šimčíková D, Gelles-Watnick S, Neugebauer KM. Tudor-dimethylarginine interactions: the condensed version. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:689-698. [PMID: 37156649 PMCID: PMC10524826 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.04.003] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates (BMCs) can facilitate or inhibit diverse cellular functions. BMC formation is driven by noncovalent protein-protein, protein-RNA, and RNA-RNA interactions. Here, we focus on Tudor domain-containing proteins - such as survival motor neuron protein (SMN) - that contribute to BMC formation by binding to dimethylarginine (DMA) modifications on protein ligands. SMN is present in RNA-rich BMCs, and its absence causes spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). SMN's Tudor domain forms cytoplasmic and nuclear BMCs, but its DMA ligands are largely unknown, highlighting open questions about the function of SMN. Moreover, DMA modification can alter intramolecular interactions and affect protein localization. Despite these emerging functions, the lack of direct methods of DMA detection remains an obstacle to understanding Tudor-DMA interactions in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Šimčíková
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Sara Gelles-Watnick
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Karla M Neugebauer
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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8
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Westerich KJ, Tarbashevich K, Schick J, Gupta A, Zhu M, Hull K, Romo D, Zeuschner D, Goudarzi M, Gross-Thebing T, Raz E. Spatial organization and function of RNA molecules within phase-separated condensates are controlled by Dnd1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.09.548244. [PMID: 37461638 PMCID: PMC10350045 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.09.548244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Germ granules, condensates of phase-separated RNA and protein, are organelles essential for germline development in different organisms The patterning of the granules and its relevance for germ cell fate are not fully understood. Combining three-dimensional in vivo structural and functional analyses, we study the dynamic spatial organization of molecules within zebrafish germ granules. We find that localization of RNA molecules to the periphery of the granules, where ribosomes are localized depends on translational activity at this location. In addition, we find that the vertebrate-specific Dead end (Dnd1) protein is essential for nanos3 RNA localization at the condensates' periphery. Accordingly, in the absence of Dnd1, or when translation is inhibited, nanos3 RNA translocates into the granule interior, away from the ribosomes, a process that is correlated with loss of germ cell fate. These findings highlight the relevance of sub-granule compartmentalization for posttranscriptional control, and its importance for preserving germ cell totipotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Joana Westerich
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Katsiaryna Tarbashevich
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jan Schick
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Antra Gupta
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mingzhao Zhu
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76706, United States
| | - Kenneth Hull
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76706, United States
| | - Daniel Romo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76706, United States
| | - Dagmar Zeuschner
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mohammad Goudarzi
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Theresa Gross-Thebing
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Erez Raz
- Institute of Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster; 48149 Münster, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
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9
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Li W, Liu W, Mo C, Yi M, Gui J. Two Novel lncRNAs Regulate Primordial Germ Cell Development in Zebrafish. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040672. [PMID: 36831339 PMCID: PMC9954370 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are regulatory transcripts in various biological processes. However, the role of lncRNAs in germline development remains poorly understood, especially for fish primordial germ cell (PGC) development. In this study, the lncRNA profile of zebrafish PGC was revealed by single cell RNA-sequencing and bioinformatic prediction. We established the regulation network of lncRNA-mRNA associated with PGC development, from which we identified three novel lncRNAs-lnc172, lnc196, and lnc304-highly expressing in PGCs and gonads. Fluorescent in situ hybridization indicated germline-specific localization of lnc196 and lnc304 in the cytoplasm and nucleus of spermatogonia, spermatocyte, and occyte, and they were co-localized with vasa in the cytoplasm of the spermatogonia. By contrast, lnc172 was localized in the cytoplasm of male germline, myoid cells and ovarian somatic cells. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that knockdown and PGC-specific overexpression of lnc304 as well as universal overexpression of lnc172 significantly disrupted PGC development. In summary, the present study revealed the lncRNA profile of zebrafish PGC and identified two novel lncRNAs associated with PGC development, providing new insights for understanding the regulatory mechanism of PGC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Li
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Wei Liu
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Chengyu Mo
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Meisheng Yi
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Correspondence: (M.Y.); (J.G.)
| | - Jianfang Gui
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 420072, China
- Correspondence: (M.Y.); (J.G.)
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10
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Thomas L, Putnam A, Folkmann A. Germ granules in development. Development 2023; 150:286764. [PMID: 36715566 PMCID: PMC10165536 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201037] [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: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
A hallmark of all germ cells is the presence of germ granules: assemblies of proteins and RNA that lack a delineating membrane and are proposed to form via condensation. Germ granules across organisms share several conserved components, including factors required for germ cell fate determination and maintenance, and are thought to be linked to germ cell development. The molecular functions of germ granules, however, remain incompletely understood. In this Development at a Glance article, we survey germ granules across organisms and developmental stages, and highlight emerging themes regarding granule regulation, dynamics and proposed functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Thomas
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Andrea Putnam
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Andrew Folkmann
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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11
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Chiappetta A, Liao J, Tian S, Trcek T. Structural and functional organization of germ plasm condensates. Biochem J 2022; 479:2477-2495. [PMID: 36534469 PMCID: PMC10722471 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210815] [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: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive success of metazoans relies on germ cells. These cells develop early during embryogenesis, divide and undergo meiosis in the adult to make sperm and oocytes. Unlike somatic cells, germ cells are immortal and transfer their genetic material to new generations. They are also totipotent, as they differentiate into different somatic cell types. The maintenance of immortality and totipotency of germ cells depends on extensive post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation coupled with epigenetic remodeling, processes that begin with the onset of embryogenesis [1, 2]. At the heart of this regulation lie germ granules, membraneless ribonucleoprotein condensates that are specific to the germline cytoplasm called the germ plasm. They are a hallmark of all germ cells and contain several proteins and RNAs that are conserved across species. Interestingly, germ granules are often structured and tend to change through development. In this review, we describe how the structure of germ granules becomes established and discuss possible functional outcomes these structures have during development.
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12
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Roelen BAJ, Chuva de Sousa Lopes SM. Stay on the road: from germ cell specification to gonadal colonization in mammals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210259. [PMID: 36252219 PMCID: PMC9574628 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The founder cells of the gametes are primordial germ cells (PGCs). In mammals, PGCs are specified early during embryonic development, at the boundary between embryonic and extraembryonic tissue, long before their later residences, the gonads, have developed. Despite the differences in form and behaviour when differentiated into oocytes or sperm cells, in the period between specification and gonadal colonization, male and female PGCs are morphologically indistinct and largely regulated by similar mechanisms. Here, we compare different modes and mechanisms that lead to the formation of PGCs, putting in context protocols that are in place to differentiate both human and mouse pluripotent stem cells into PGC-like cells. In addition, we review important aspects of the migration of PGCs to the gonadal ridges, where they undergo further sex-specific differentiation. Defects in migration need to be effectively corrected, as misplaced PGCs can become tumorigenic. Concluding, a combination of in vivo studies and the development of adequate innovative in vitro models, ensuring both robustness and standardization, are providing us with the tools for a greater understanding of the first steps of gametogenesis and to develop disease models to study the origin of germ cell tumours. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Extraembryonic tissues: exploring concepts, definitions and functions across the animal kingdom’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard A J Roelen
- Anatomy and Physiology, Department Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies & Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Susana M Chuva de Sousa Lopes
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies & Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.,Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
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13
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Zhang R, Tu Y, Ye D, Gu Z, Chen Z, Sun Y. A Germline-Specific Regulator of Mitochondrial Fusion is Required for Maintenance and Differentiation of Germline Stem and Progenitor Cells. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2203631. [PMID: 36257818 PMCID: PMC9798980 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Maintenance and differentiation of germline stem and progenitor cells (GSPCs) is important for sexual reproduction. Here, the authors identify zebrafish pld6 as a novel germline-specific gene by cross-analyzing different RNA sequencing results, and find that pld6 knockout mutants develop exclusively into infertile males. In pld6 mutants, GSPCs fail to differentiate and undergo apoptosis, leading to masculinization and infertility. Mitochondrial fusion in pld6-depleted GSPCs is severely impaired, and the mutants exhibit defects in piRNA biogenesis and transposon suppression. Overall, this work uncovers zebrafish Pld6 as a novel germline-specific regulator of mitochondrial fusion, and highlights its essential role in the maintenance and differentiation of GSPCs as well as gonadal development and gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and BiotechnologyInstitute of HydrobiologyInnovation Academy for Seed DesignChinese Academy of SciencesWuhan430072China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural BioinformaticsCollege of Life Science and TechnologyCollege of Biomedicine and HealthInterdisciplinary Sciences InstituteHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan430070China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhan430070China
| | - Yi‐Xuan Tu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural BioinformaticsCollege of Life Science and TechnologyCollege of Biomedicine and HealthInterdisciplinary Sciences InstituteHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan430070China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhan430070China
| | - Ding Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and BiotechnologyInstitute of HydrobiologyInnovation Academy for Seed DesignChinese Academy of SciencesWuhan430072China
| | - Zhenglong Gu
- Division of Nutritional SciencesCornell UniversityIthacaNY14853USA
- Center for Mitochondrial Genetics and HealthGreater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou)Fudan UniversityNansha DistrictGuangzhou511400China
| | - Zhen‐Xia Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural BioinformaticsCollege of Life Science and TechnologyCollege of Biomedicine and HealthInterdisciplinary Sciences InstituteHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan430070China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhan430070China
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and HealthHuazhong Agricultural UniversityShenzhen518000China
- Shenzhen BranchGuangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGenome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of AgricultureAgricultural Genomics Institute at ShenzhenChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesShenzhen518000China
| | - Yonghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and BiotechnologyInstitute of HydrobiologyInnovation Academy for Seed DesignChinese Academy of SciencesWuhan430072China
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhan430070China
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14
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Cassani M, Seydoux G. Specialized germline P-bodies are required to specify germ cell fate in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Development 2022; 149:dev200920. [PMID: 36196602 PMCID: PMC9686995 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
In animals with germ plasm, specification of the germline involves 'germ granules', cytoplasmic condensates that enrich maternal transcripts in the germline founder cells. In Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, P granules enrich maternal transcripts, but surprisingly P granules are not essential for germ cell fate specification. Here, we describe a second condensate in the C. elegans germ plasm. Like canonical P-bodies found in somatic cells, 'germline P-bodies' contain regulators of mRNA decapping and deadenylation and, in addition, the intrinsically-disordered proteins MEG-1 and MEG-2 and the TIS11-family RNA-binding protein POS-1. Embryos lacking meg-1 and meg-2 do not stabilize P-body components, misregulate POS-1 targets, mis-specify the germline founder cell and do not develop a germline. Our findings suggest that specification of the germ line involves at least two distinct condensates that independently enrich and regulate maternal mRNAs in the germline founder cells. This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline Cassani
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Geraldine Seydoux
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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15
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Cheng S, Altmeppen G, So C, Welp LM, Penir S, Ruhwedel T, Menelaou K, Harasimov K, Stützer A, Blayney M, Elder K, Möbius W, Urlaub H, Schuh M. Mammalian oocytes store mRNAs in a mitochondria-associated membraneless compartment. Science 2022; 378:eabq4835. [PMID: 36264786 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq4835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Full-grown oocytes are transcriptionally silent and must stably maintain the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) needed for oocyte meiotic maturation and early embryonic development. However, where and how mammalian oocytes store maternal mRNAs is unclear. Here, we report that mammalian oocytes accumulate mRNAs in a mitochondria-associated ribonucleoprotein domain (MARDO). MARDO assembly around mitochondria was promoted by the RNA-binding protein ZAR1 and directed by an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential during oocyte growth. MARDO foci coalesced into hydrogel-like matrices that clustered mitochondria. Maternal mRNAs stored in the MARDO were translationally repressed. Loss of ZAR1 disrupted the MARDO, dispersed mitochondria, and caused a premature loss of MARDO-localized mRNAs. Thus, a mitochondria-associated membraneless compartment controls mitochondrial distribution and regulates maternal mRNA storage, translation, and decay to ensure fertility in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiya Cheng
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gerrit Altmeppen
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Chun So
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Luisa M Welp
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Penir
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Torben Ruhwedel
- Electron Microscopy City Campus, Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katerina Menelaou
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katarina Harasimov
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Stützer
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Wiebke Möbius
- Electron Microscopy City Campus, Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Bioanalytics Group, Institute for Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Melina Schuh
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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16
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Elaswad MT, Watkins BM, Sharp KG, Munderloh C, Schisa JA. Large RNP granules in Caenorhabditis elegans oocytes have distinct phases of RNA-binding proteins. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6639704. [PMID: 35816006 PMCID: PMC9434171 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The germ line provides an excellent in vivo system to study the regulation and function of RNP granules. Germ granules are conserved germ line-specific RNP granules that are positioned in the Caenorhabditis elegans adult gonad to function in RNA maintenance, regulation, and surveillance. In Caenorhabditis elegans, when oogenesis undergoes extended meiotic arrest, germ granule proteins and other RNA-binding proteins assemble into much larger RNP granules whose hypothesized function is to regulate RNA metabolism and maintain oocyte quality. To gain insight into the function of oocyte RNP granules, in this report, we characterize distinct phases for four protein components of RNP granules in arrested oocytes. We find that the RNA-binding protein PGL-1 is dynamic and has liquid-like properties, while the intrinsically disordered protein MEG-3 has gel-like properties, similar to the properties of the two proteins in small germ granules of embryos. We find that MEX-3 exhibits several gel-like properties but is more dynamic than MEG-3, while CGH-1 is dynamic but does not consistently exhibit liquid-like characteristics and may be an intermediate phase within RNP granules. These distinct phases of RNA-binding proteins correspond to, and may underlie, differential responses to stress. Interestingly, in oocyte RNP granules, MEG-3 is not required for the condensation of PGL-1 or other RNA-binding proteins, which differs from the role of MEG-3 in small, embryonic germ granules. Lastly, we show that the PUF-5 translational repressor appears to promote MEX-3 and MEG-3 condensation into large RNP granules; however, this role may be associated with regulation of oogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed T Elaswad
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Central Michigan University , Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University , Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Brooklynne M Watkins
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Central Michigan University , Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University , Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Katherine G Sharp
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University , Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Chloe Munderloh
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University , Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Jennifer A Schisa
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Central Michigan University , Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University , Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
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17
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Rostam N, Goloborodko A, Riemer S, Hertel A, Riedel D, Vorbrüggen G, Dosch R. The germ plasm is anchored at the cleavage furrows through interaction with tight junctions in the early zebrafish embryo. Development 2022; 149:275789. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.200465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The zebrafish germline is specified during early embryogenesis by inherited maternal RNAs and proteins collectively called germ plasm. Only the cells containing germ plasm will become part of the germline, whereas the other cells will commit to somatic cell fates. Therefore, proper localization of germ plasm is key for germ cell specification and its removal is crucial for the development of the soma. The molecular mechanism underlying this process in vertebrates is largely unknown. Here, we show that germ plasm localization in zebrafish is similar to that in Xenopus but distinct from Drosophila. We identified non muscle myosin II (NMII) and tight junction (TJ) components, such as ZO2 and claudin-d (Cldn-d) as interaction candidates of Bucky ball (Buc), which is the germ plasm organizer in zebrafish. Remarkably, we also found that TJ protein ZO1 colocalizes with germ plasm, and electron microscopy of zebrafish embryos uncovered TJ-like structures at the cleavage furrows where the germ plasm is anchored. In addition, injection of the TJ receptor Cldn-d produced extra germ plasm aggregates, whereas expression of a dominant-negative version inhibited germ plasm aggregate formation. Our findings support for the first time a role for TJs in germ plasm localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Rostam
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center 1 , 37073 Göttingen , Germany
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Göttingen Center of Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen 2 Department of Developmental Biology , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Alexander Goloborodko
- Institute for Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center 3 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Stephan Riemer
- Institute for Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center 3 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Andres Hertel
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry 4 Department of Molecular Developmental Biology , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Dietmar Riedel
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry 5 Laboratory of Electron Microscopy , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Gerd Vorbrüggen
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Göttingen Center of Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen 2 Department of Developmental Biology , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry 4 Department of Molecular Developmental Biology , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Roland Dosch
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center 1 , 37073 Göttingen , Germany
- Institute for Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center 3 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
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18
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Bogoch Y, Jamieson-Lucy A, Vejnar CE, Levy K, Giraldez AJ, Mullins MC, Elkouby YM. Stage Specific Transcriptomic Analysis and Database for Zebrafish Oogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:826892. [PMID: 35733854 PMCID: PMC9207522 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.826892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Oogenesis produces functional eggs and is essential for fertility, embryonic development, and reproduction. The zebrafish ovary is an excellent model to study oogenesis in vertebrates, and recent studies have identified multiple regulators in oocyte development through forward genetic screens, as well as reverse genetics by CRISPR mutagenesis. However, many developmental steps in oogenesis, in zebrafish and other species, remain poorly understood, and their underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we take a genomic approach to systematically uncover biological activities throughout oogenesis. We performed transcriptomic analysis on five stages of oogenesis, from the onset of oocyte differentiation through Stage III, which precedes oocyte maturation. These transcriptomes revealed thousands of differentially expressed genes across stages of oogenesis. We analyzed trends of gene expression dynamics along oogenesis, as well as their expression in pair-wise comparisons between stages. We determined their functionally enriched terms, identifying uniquely characteristic biological activities in each stage. These data identified two prominent developmental phases in oocyte differentiation and traced the accumulation of maternally deposited embryonic regulator transcripts in the developing oocyte. Our analysis provides the first molecular description for oogenesis in zebrafish, which we deposit online as a resource for the community. Further, the presence of multiple gene paralogs in zebrafish, and the exclusive curation by many bioinformatic tools of the single paralogs present in humans, challenge zebrafish genomic analyses. We offer an approach for converting zebrafish gene name nomenclature to the human nomenclature for supporting genomic analyses generally in zebrafish. Altogether, our work provides a valuable resource as a first step to uncover oogenesis mechanisms and candidate regulators and track accumulating transcripts of maternal regulators of embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoel Bogoch
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
- Institute for Biomedical Research, Israel-Canada, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Allison Jamieson-Lucy
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Karine Levy
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
- Institute for Biomedical Research, Israel-Canada, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Mary C. Mullins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yaniv M. Elkouby
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
- Institute for Biomedical Research, Israel-Canada, Jerusalem, Israel
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19
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Li J, Zhang M, Ma W, Yang B, Lu H, Zhou F, Zhang L. Post-translational modifications in liquid-liquid phase separation: a comprehensive review. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2022; 3:13. [PMID: 35543798 PMCID: PMC9092326 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-022-00075-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has received significant attention in recent biological studies. It refers to a phenomenon that biomolecule exceeds the solubility, condensates and separates itself from solution in liquid like droplets formation. Our understanding of it has also changed from memebraneless organelles to compartmentalization, muti-functional crucibles, and reaction regulators. Although this phenomenon has been employed for a variety of biological processes, recent studies mainly focus on its physiological significance, and the comprehensive research of the underlying physical mechanism is limited. The characteristics of side chains of amino acids and the interaction tendency of proteins function importantly in regulating LLPS thus should be pay more attention on. In addition, the importance of post-translational modifications (PTMs) has been underestimated, despite their abundance and crucial functions in maintaining the electrostatic balance. In this review, we first introduce the driving forces and protein secondary structures involved in LLPS and their different physical functions in cell life processes. Subsequently, we summarize the existing reports on PTM regulation related to LLPS and analyze the underlying basic principles, hoping to find some common relations between LLPS and PTM. Finally, we speculate several unreported PTMs that may have a significant impact on phase separation basing on the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxian Li
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Mengdi Zhang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, 310015, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weirui Ma
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Bing Yang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Huasong Lu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Fangfang Zhou
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China.
| | - Long Zhang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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20
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Yang C, Dominique GM, Champion MM, Huber PW. Remnants of the Balbiani body are required for formation of RNA transport granules in Xenopus oocytes. iScience 2022; 25:103878. [PMID: 35243240 PMCID: PMC8861640 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Balbiani body (Bb), an organelle comprised of mitochondria, ER, and RNA, is found in the oocytes of most organisms. In Xenopus, the structure is initially positioned immediately adjacent to the nucleus, extends toward the vegetal pole, and eventually disperses, leaving behind a region highly enriched in mitochondria. This area is later transversed by RNP complexes that are being localized to the vegetal cortex. Inhibition of mitochondrial ATP synthesis prevents perinuclear formation of the transport complexes that can be reversed by a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, indicating the nucleotide is acting as a hydrotrope. The protein composition, sensitivity to hexanediol, and coalescence in the absence of transport provide evidence that the transport RNP complexes are biocondensates. The breakdown of the Bb engenders regions of clustered mitochondria that are used not to meet extraordinary energy demands, but rather to promote a liquid-liquid phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Gena M. Dominique
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Matthew M. Champion
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Paul W. Huber
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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21
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Razmi K, Patil JG. Primordial Germ Cell Development in the Poeciliid, Gambusia holbrooki, Reveals Shared Features Between Lecithotrophs and Matrotrophs. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:793498. [PMID: 35300414 PMCID: PMC8920993 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.793498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Metazoans exhibit two modes of primordial germ cell (PGC) specification that are interspersed across taxa. However, the evolutionary link between the two modes and the reproductive strategies of lecithotrophy and matrotrophy is poorly understood. As a first step to understand this, the spatio-temporal expression of teleostean germ plasm markers was investigated in Gambusia holbrooki, a poecilid with shared lecitho- and matrotrophy. A group of germ plasm components was detected in the ovum suggesting maternal inheritance mode of PGC specification. However, the strictly zygotic activation of dnd-β and nanos1 occurred relatively early, reminiscent of models with induction mode (e.g., mice). The PGC clustering, migration and colonisation patterns of G. holbrooki resembled those of zebrafish, medaka and mice at blastula, gastrula and somitogenesis, respectively-recapitulating features of advancing evolutionary nodes with progressive developmental stages. Moreover, the expression domains of PGC markers in G. holbrooki were either specific to teleost (vasa expression in developing PGCs), murine models (dnd spliced variants) or shared between the two taxa (germline and somatic expression of piwi and nanos1). Collectively, the results suggest that the reproductive developmental adaptations may reflect a transition from lecithotrophy to matrotrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Komeil Razmi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Taroona, TAS, Australia
| | - Jawahar G. Patil
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Taroona, TAS, Australia
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22
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The Novel Protease Activities of JMJD5–JMJD6–JMJD7 and Arginine Methylation Activities of Arginine Methyltransferases Are Likely Coupled. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030347. [PMID: 35327545 PMCID: PMC8945206 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The surreptitious discoveries of the protease activities on arginine-methylated targets of a subfamily of Jumonji domain-containing family including JMJD5, JMJD6, and JMJD7 pose several questions regarding their authenticity, function, purpose, and relations with others. At the same time, despite several decades of efforts and massive accumulating data regarding the roles of the arginine methyltransferase family (PRMTs), the exact function of this protein family still remains a mystery, though it seems to play critical roles in transcription regulation, including activation and inactivation of a large group of genes, as well as other biological activities. In this review, we aim to elucidate that the function of JMJD5/6/7 and PRMTs are likely coupled. Besides roles in the regulation of the biogenesis of membrane-less organelles in cells, they are major players in regulating stimulating transcription factors to control the activities of RNA Polymerase II in higher eukaryotes, especially in the animal kingdom. Furthermore, we propose that arginine methylation by PRMTs could be a ubiquitous action marked for destruction after missions by a subfamily of the Jumonji protein family.
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23
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Kumar M, Michael S, Alvarado-Valverde J, Mészáros B, Sámano‐Sánchez H, Zeke A, Dobson L, Lazar T, Örd M, Nagpal A, Farahi N, Käser M, Kraleti R, Davey N, Pancsa R, Chemes L, Gibson T. The Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource: 2022 release. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:D497-D508. [PMID: 34718738 PMCID: PMC8728146 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Almost twenty years after its initial release, the Eukaryotic Linear Motif (ELM) resource remains an invaluable source of information for the study of motif-mediated protein-protein interactions. ELM provides a comprehensive, regularly updated and well-organised repository of manually curated, experimentally validated short linear motifs (SLiMs). An increasing number of SLiM-mediated interactions are discovered each year and keeping the resource up-to-date continues to be a great challenge. In the current update, 30 novel motif classes have been added and five existing classes have undergone major revisions. The update includes 411 new motif instances mostly focused on cell-cycle regulation, control of the actin cytoskeleton, membrane remodelling and vesicle trafficking pathways, liquid-liquid phase separation and integrin signalling. Many of the newly annotated motif-mediated interactions are targets of pathogenic motif mimicry by viral, bacterial or eukaryotic pathogens, providing invaluable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying infectious diseases. The current ELM release includes 317 motif classes incorporating 3934 individual motif instances manually curated from 3867 scientific publications. ELM is available at: http://elm.eu.org.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjeet Kumar
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Sushama Michael
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Jesús Alvarado-Valverde
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Collaboration for joint PhD degree between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Faculty of Biosciences
| | - Bálint Mészáros
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Hugo Sámano‐Sánchez
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Biomedical Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - András Zeke
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Laszlo Dobson
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Tamas Lazar
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Department of Bioengineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mihkel Örd
- Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Anurag Nagpal
- Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani, K. K. Birla Goa campus, Zuarinagar, Goa 403726, India
| | - Nazanin Farahi
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Department of Bioengineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Melanie Käser
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ramya Kraleti
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Ludwigstraße 23, 35390 Gießen, Germany
| | - Norman E Davey
- Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Rita Pancsa
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Lucía B Chemes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas “Dr. Rodolfo A. Ugalde”, IIB-UNSAM, IIBIO-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Av. 25 de Mayo y Francia, CP1650 San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Toby J Gibson
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
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24
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Chen X, Mayr C. A working model for condensate RNA-binding proteins as matchmakers for protein complex assembly. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 28:76-87. [PMID: 34706978 PMCID: PMC8675283 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078995.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Most cellular processes are carried out by protein complexes, but it is still largely unknown how the subunits of lowly expressed complexes find each other in the crowded cellular environment. Here, we will describe a working model where RNA-binding proteins in cytoplasmic condensates act as matchmakers between their bound proteins (called protein targets) and newly translated proteins of their RNA targets to promote their assembly into complexes. Different RNA-binding proteins act as scaffolds for various cytoplasmic condensates with several of them supporting translation. mRNAs and proteins are recruited into the cytoplasmic condensates through binding to specific domains in the RNA-binding proteins. Scaffold RNA-binding proteins have a high valency. In our model, they use homotypic interactions to assemble condensates and they use heterotypic interactions to recruit protein targets into the condensates. We propose that unoccupied binding sites in the scaffold RNA-binding proteins transiently retain recruited and newly translated proteins in the condensates, thus promoting their assembly into complexes. Taken together, we propose that lowly expressed subunits of protein complexes combine information in their mRNAs and proteins to colocalize in the cytoplasm. The efficiency of protein complex assembly is increased by transient entrapment accomplished by multivalent RNA-binding proteins within cytoplasmic condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuzhen Chen
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Christine Mayr
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, USA
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25
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Ouyang JPT, Seydoux G. Nuage condensates: accelerators or circuit breakers for sRNA silencing pathways? RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 28:58-66. [PMID: 34772788 PMCID: PMC8675287 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079003.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nuage are RNA-rich condensates that assemble around the nuclei of developing germ cells. Many proteins required for the biogenesis and function of silencing small RNAs (sRNAs) enrich in nuage, and it is often assumed that nuage is the cellular site where sRNAs are synthesized and encounter target transcripts for silencing. Using C. elegans as a model, we examine the complex multicondensate architecture of nuage and review evidence for compartmentalization of silencing pathways. We consider the possibility that nuage condensates balance the activity of competing sRNA pathways and serve to limit, rather than enhance, sRNA amplification to protect transcripts from dangerous runaway silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Paul Tsu Ouyang
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Geraldine Seydoux
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
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26
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Perera RP, Shaikhqasem A, Rostam N, Dickmanns A, Ficner R, Tittmann K, Dosch R. Bucky Ball Is a Novel Zebrafish Vasa ATPase Activator. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1507. [PMID: 34680140 PMCID: PMC8533965 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many multicellular organisms specify germ cells during early embryogenesis by the inheritance of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules known as germplasm. However, the role of complex interactions of RNP granules during germ cell specification remains elusive. This study characterizes the interaction of RNP granules, Buc, and zebrafish Vasa (zfVasa) during germ cell specification. We identify a novel zfVasa-binding motif (Buc-VBM) in Buc and a Buc-binding motif (zfVasa-BBM) in zfVasa. Moreover, we show that Buc and zfVasa directly bind in vitro and that this interaction is independent of the RNA. Our circular dichroism spectroscopy data reveal that the intrinsically disordered Buc-VBM peptide forms alpha-helices in the presence of the solvent trifluoroethanol. Intriguingly, we further demonstrate that Buc-VBM enhances zfVasa ATPase activity, thereby annotating the first biochemical function of Buc as a zfVasa ATPase activator. Collectively, these results propose a model in which the activity of zfVasa is a central regulator of primordial germ cell (PGC) formation and is tightly controlled by the germplasm organizer Buc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alaa Shaikhqasem
- Department for Molecular Structural Biology, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany; (A.S.); (A.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Nadia Rostam
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Achim Dickmanns
- Department for Molecular Structural Biology, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany; (A.S.); (A.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Ralf Ficner
- Department for Molecular Structural Biology, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany; (A.S.); (A.D.); (R.F.)
- deCluster of Excellence “Multiscale Bioimaging: From Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells” (MBExC), University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kai Tittmann
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Roland Dosch
- Department of Developmental Biochemistry, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany;
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27
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Hansen CL, Chamberlain TJ, Trevena RL, Kurek JE, Pelegri F. Conserved germ plasm characteristics across the Danio and Devario lineages. Genesis 2021; 59:e23452. [PMID: 34617657 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
In many animal species, germ cell specification requires the inheritance of germ plasm, a biomolecular condensate containing maternally derived RNAs and proteins. Most studies of germ plasm composition and function have been performed in widely evolutionarily divergent model organisms, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila, Xenopus laevis, and Danio rerio (zebrafish). In zebrafish, 12 RNAs localize to germ plasm at the furrows of the early embryo. Here, we tested for the presence of these RNAs in three additional species within the Danionin clade: Danio kyathit, Danio albolineatus, and Devario aequipinnatus. By visualizing nanos RNA, we find that germ plasm segregation patterns during early embryogenesis are conserved across these species. Ten additional germ plasm RNAs exhibit localization at the furrows of early embryos in all three non-zebrafish Danionin species, consistent with germ plasm localization. One component of zebrafish germ plasm, ca15b, lacked specific localization in embryos of the more distantly related D. aequipinnatus. Our findings show that within a subset of closely related Danionin species, the vast majority of germ plasm RNA components are conserved. At the same time, the lack of ca15b localization in D. aequipinnatus germ plasm highlights the potential for the divergence of germ plasm composition across a restricted phylogenetic space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina L Hansen
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Trevor J Chamberlain
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ryan L Trevena
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jacob E Kurek
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Francisco Pelegri
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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28
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Vong YH, Sivashanmugam L, Leech R, Zaucker A, Jones A, Sampath K. The RNA-binding protein Igf2bp3 is critical for embryonic and germline development in zebrafish. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009667. [PMID: 34214072 PMCID: PMC8282044 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to reproduce is essential in all branches of life. In metazoans, this process is initiated by formation of the germline, a group of cells that are destined to form the future gonads, the tissue that will produce the gametes. The molecular mechanisms underlying germline formation differs between species. In zebrafish, development of the germline is dependent on the specification, migration and proliferation of progenitors called the primordial germ cells (PGCs). PGC specification is dependent on a maternally provided cytoplasmic complex of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), the germplasm. Here, we show that the conserved RNA-binding protein (RBP), Igf2bp3, has an essential role during early embryonic development and germline development. Loss of Igf2bp3 leads to an expanded yolk syncytial layer (YSL) in early embryos, reduced germline RNA expression, and mis-regulated germline development. We show that loss of maternal Igf2bp3 function results in translational de-regulation of a Nodal reporter during the mid-blastula transition. Furthermore, maternal igf2bp3 mutants exhibit reduced expression of germplasm transcripts, defects in chemokine guidance, abnormal PGC behavior and germ cell death. Consistently, adult igf2bp3 mutants show a strong male bias. Our findings suggest that Igf2bp3 is essential for normal embryonic and germline development, and acts as a key regulator of sexual development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Ho Vong
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Lavanya Sivashanmugam
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Leech
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Zaucker
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Jones
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Karuna Sampath
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Centre for Early Life, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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29
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Ren F, Miao R, Xiao R, Mei J. m 6A reader Igf2bp3 enables germ plasm assembly by m 6A-dependent regulation of gene expression in zebrafish. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2021; 66:1119-1128. [PMID: 36654345 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Bucky ball (Buc) is involved in germ plasm (GP) assembly during early zebrafish development by regulating GP mRNA expression via an unknown mechanism. The present study demonstrates that an m6A reader Igf2bp3 interacts and colocalizes with Buc in the GP. Similar to the loss of Buc, the genetic deletion of maternal igf2bp3 in zebrafish leads to abnormal GP assembly and insufficient germ cell specification, which can be partially restored by the injection of igf2bp3 mRNA. Igf2bp3 binds to m6A-modified GP-organizer and GP mRNAs in an m6A-dependent manner and prevents their degradation. These findings indicate that the functions of Igf2bp3, a direct effector protein of Buc, in GP mRNA expression and GP assembly involve m6A-dependent regulation; these results emphasize a critical role of m6A modification in the process of GP assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Ren
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ran Miao
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Rui Xiao
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Jie Mei
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
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30
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Schmidt H, Putnam A, Rasoloson D, Seydoux G. Protein-based condensation mechanisms drive the assembly of RNA-rich P granules. eLife 2021; 10:63698. [PMID: 34106046 PMCID: PMC8238508 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ granules are protein-RNA condensates that segregate with the embryonic germline. In Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, germ (P) granule assembly requires MEG-3, an intrinsically disordered protein that forms RNA-rich condensates on the surface of PGL condensates at the core of P granules. MEG-3 is related to the GCNA family and contains an N-terminal disordered region (IDR) and a predicted ordered C-terminus featuring an HMG-like motif (HMGL). We find that MEG-3 is a modular protein that uses its IDR to bind RNA and its C-terminus to drive condensation. The HMGL motif mediates binding to PGL-3 and is required for co-assembly of MEG-3 and PGL-3 condensates in vivo. Mutations in HMGL cause MEG-3 and PGL-3 to form separate condensates that no longer co-segregate to the germline or recruit RNA. Our findings highlight the importance of protein-based condensation mechanisms and condensate-condensate interactions in the assembly of RNA-rich germ granules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Schmidt
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Andrea Putnam
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Dominique Rasoloson
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Geraldine Seydoux
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
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31
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Schisa JA, Elaswad MT. An Emerging Role for Post-translational Modifications in Regulating RNP Condensates in the Germ Line. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:658020. [PMID: 33898525 PMCID: PMC8060454 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.658020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins undergo regulated phase transitions in an array of cell types. The phase separation of RNA-binding proteins, and subsequent formation of RNP condensates or granules, occurs during physiological conditions and can also be induced by stress. Some RNP granules have roles in post-transcriptionally regulating mRNAs, and mutations that prevent the condensation of RNA-binding proteins can reduce an organism's fitness. The reversible and multivalent interactions among RNP granule components can result in RNP complexes that transition among diffuse and condensed states, the latter of which can be pathological; for example, in neurons solid RNP aggregates contribute to disease states such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and the dysregulation of RNP granules in human germ cells may be involved in Fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency. Thus, regulating the assembly of mRNAs and RNA-binding proteins into discrete granules appears to provide important functions at both cellular and physiological levels. Here we review our current understanding of the role of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in regulating the condensation of RNA-binding proteins in the germ line. We compare and contrast the in vitro evidence that methylation inhibits phase separation of RNA binding proteins, with the extent to which these results apply to the in vivo germ line environment of several model systems. We also focus on the role of phosphorylation in modulating the dynamics of RNP granules in the germ line. Finally, we consider the gaps that exist in our understanding of the role of PTMs in regulating germ line RNP granules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Schisa
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, United States
| | - Mohamed T Elaswad
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, United States
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32
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Mytlis A, Elkouby YM. Live and Time-Lapse Imaging of Early Oogenesis and Meiotic Chromosomal Dynamics in Cultured Juvenile Zebrafish Ovaries. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2218:137-155. [PMID: 33606229 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0970-5_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
Oocyte production is crucial for sexual reproduction. Recent findings in zebrafish and other established model organisms emphasize that the early steps of oogenesis involve the coordination of simultaneous and tightly sequential processes across cellular compartments and between sister cells. To fully understand the mechanistic framework of these coordinated processes, cellular and morphological analysis in high temporal resolution is required. Here, we provide a protocol for four-dimensional live time-lapse analysis of cultured juvenile zebrafish ovaries. We describe how multiple-stage oocytes can be simultaneously analyzed in single ovaries, and several ovaries can be processed in single experiments. In addition, we detail adequate conditions for quantitative image acquisition. Finally, we demonstrate that using this protocol, we successfully capture rapid meiotic chromosomal movements in early prophase for the first time in zebrafish oocytes, in four dimensions and in vivo. Our protocol expands the use of the zebrafish as a model system to understand germ cell and ovarian development in postembryonic stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avishag Mytlis
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Research - Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yaniv M Elkouby
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Research - Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Jerusalem, Israel.
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33
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D'Orazio FM, Balwierz PJ, González AJ, Guo Y, Hernández-Rodríguez B, Wheatley L, Jasiulewicz A, Hadzhiev Y, Vaquerizas JM, Cairns B, Lenhard B, Müller F. Germ cell differentiation requires Tdrd7-dependent chromatin and transcriptome reprogramming marked by germ plasm relocalization. Dev Cell 2021; 56:641-656.e5. [PMID: 33651978 PMCID: PMC7957325 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
In many animal models, primordial germ cell (PGC) development depends on maternally deposited germ plasm, which prevents somatic cell fate. Here, we show that PGCs respond to regulatory information from the germ plasm in two distinct phases using two distinct mechanisms in zebrafish. We demonstrate that PGCs commence zygotic genome activation together with the somatic blastocysts with no demonstrable differences in transcriptional and chromatin opening. Unexpectedly, both PGC and somatic blastocysts activate germ-cell-specific genes, which are only stabilized in PGCs by cytoplasmic germ plasm determinants. Disaggregated perinuclear relocalization of germ plasm during PGC migration is regulated by the germ plasm determinant Tdrd7 and is coupled to dramatic divergence between PGC and somatic transcriptomes. This transcriptional divergence relies on PGC-specific cis-regulatory elements characterized by promoter-proximal distribution. We show that Tdrd7-dependent reconfiguration of chromatin accessibility is required for elaboration of PGC fate but not for PGC migration. No evidence for transcriptional activation delay in zebrafish PGCs Germ-plasm-associated post-transcriptional divergence during ZGA Epigenetic reprogramming marks onset of PGC migration Epigenetic reprogramming in PGCs relies on Tdrd7, coupled to germ plasm relocalization
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio M D'Orazio
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Piotr J Balwierz
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Ada Jimenez González
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Yixuan Guo
- Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Lucy Wheatley
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Aleksandra Jasiulewicz
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Yavor Hadzhiev
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Juan M Vaquerizas
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Roentgenstrasse 20, Muenster, Germany
| | - Bradley Cairns
- Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Boris Lenhard
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK.
| | - Ferenc Müller
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
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34
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Mukherjee N, Mukherjee C. Germ cell ribonucleoprotein granules in different clades of life: From insects to mammals. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2021; 12:e1642. [PMID: 33555143 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules are no newcomers in biology. Found in all life forms, ranging across taxa, these membrane-less "organelles" have been classified into different categories based on their composition, structure, behavior, function, and localization. Broadly, they can be listed as stress granules (SGs), processing bodies (PBs), neuronal granules (NGs), and germ cell granules (GCGs). Keeping in line with the topic of this review, RNP granules present in the germ cells have been implicated in a wide range of cellular functions including cellular specification, differentiation, proliferation, and so forth. The mechanisms used by them can be diverse and many of them remain partly obscure and active areas of research. GCGs can be of different types in different organisms and at different stages of development, with multiple types coexisting in the same cell. In this review, the different known subcategories of GCGs have been studied with respect to five distinct model organisms, namely, Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, Xenopus, Zebrafish, and mammals. Of them, the cytoplasmic polar granules in Drosophila, P granules in C. elegans, balbiani body in Xenopus and Zebrafish, and chromatoid bodies in mammals have been specifically emphasized upon. A descriptive account of the same has been provided along with insights into our current understanding of their functional significance with respect to cellular events relating to different developmental and reproductive processes. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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35
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Redl S, de Jesus Domingues AM, Caspani E, Möckel S, Salvenmoser W, Mendez-Lago M, Ketting RF. Extensive nuclear gyration and pervasive non-genic transcription during primordial germ cell development in zebrafish. Development 2021; 148:dev193060. [PMID: 33298460 PMCID: PMC7847270 DOI: 10.1242/dev.193060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the precursors of germ cells, which migrate to the genital ridge during early development. Relatively little is known about PGCs after their migration. We studied this post-migratory stage using microscopy and sequencing techniques, and found that many PGC-specific genes, including genes known to induce PGC fate in the mouse, are only activated several days after migration. At this same time point, PGC nuclei become extremely gyrated, displaying general broad opening of chromatin and high levels of intergenic transcription. This is accompanied by changes in nuage morphology, expression of large loci (PGC-expressed non-coding RNA loci, PERLs) that are enriched for retro-transposons and piRNAs, and a rise in piRNA biogenesis signatures. Interestingly, no nuclear Piwi protein could be detected at any time point, indicating that the zebrafish piRNA pathway is fully cytoplasmic. Our data show that the post-migratory stage of zebrafish PGCs holds many cues to both germ cell fate establishment and piRNA pathway activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Redl
- Biology of Non-coding RNA Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Edoardo Caspani
- Biology of Non-coding RNA Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- International PhD Programme on Gene Regulation, Epigenetics & Genome Stability, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefanie Möckel
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Willi Salvenmoser
- Institute of Zoology, Evolution and Developmental Biology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraβe 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Maria Mendez-Lago
- Genomics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - René F Ketting
- Biology of Non-coding RNA Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099 Mainz, Germany
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36
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So C, Cheng S, Schuh M. Phase Separation during Germline Development. Trends Cell Biol 2021; 31:254-268. [PMID: 33455855 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Phase separation has emerged as a new key principle of intracellular organization. Phase-separated structures play diverse roles in various biological processes and pathogenesis of protein aggregation diseases. Recent work has revealed crucial functions for phase separation during germline development. Phase separation controls the assembly and segregation of germ granules that determine which embryonic cells become germ cells. Phase separation promotes the formation of the Balbiani body, a structure that stores organelles and RNAs during the prolonged prophase arrest of oocytes. Phase separation also facilitates meiotic recombination that prepares homologous chromosomes for segregation, and drives the formation of a liquid-like spindle domain that promotes spindle assembly in mammalian oocytes. We review how phase separation drives these essential steps during germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun So
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shiya Cheng
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Melina Schuh
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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37
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Sankaranarayanan M, Weil TT. Granule regulation by phase separation during Drosophila oogenesis. Emerg Top Life Sci 2020; 4:343-352. [PMID: 32573699 PMCID: PMC7733668 DOI: 10.1042/etls20190155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila eggs are highly polarised cells that use RNA-protein complexes to regulate storage and translational control of maternal RNAs. Ribonucleoprotein granules are a class of biological condensates that form predominantly by intracellular phase separation. Despite extensive in vitro studies testing the physical principles regulating condensates, how phase separation translates to biological function remains largely unanswered. In this perspective, we discuss granules in Drosophila oogenesis as a model system for investigating the physiological role of phase separation. We review key maternal granules and their properties while highlighting ribonucleoprotein phase separation behaviours observed during development. Finally, we discuss how concepts and models from liquid-liquid phase separation could be used to test mechanisms underlying granule assembly, regulation and function in Drosophila oogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Sankaranarayanan
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, U.K
| | - Timothy T Weil
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, U.K
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38
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Song P, Sun B, Zhu Y, Zhong Y, Guo J, Gui L, Li M. Bucky ball induces primordial germ cell increase in medaka. Gene 2020; 768:145317. [PMID: 33221537 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.145317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Balbaini body (Bb) plays a vital role in germ plasm (GP) assembly and dorsoventral pattern, which is of critical important in germline specification and development. Bucky ball (buc) is reported to be essential for boosting primordial germ cell (PGC) through Bb in previous research. In the present study, a buc homolog (Olbuc) was identified in medaka (Oryzias latipes), and the roles of Olbuc on PGC development were further elucidated. The full length of Olbuc was 2148 bp, which contains a 1724 bp CDS (Coding sequence), a 167 bp 5' UTR (Untranslated region), and a 257 bp 3' UTR. By RT-PCR, the Olbuc RNA expression was maternally provided during embryogenesis and was restricted in the ovary of adult tissues. By in situ hybridization, Olbuc RNA was abundant in oocyte of meiotic stage, but gradually decreased as the oogenesis proceeded. Surprisingly, Olbuc was not co-localized with dazl, the marker gene of Bb. Interestingly, GFP can be specifically and stably expressed through the induction of Olbuc 3'UTR in PGCs. Furthermore, overexpression of Olbuc mRNA could increase PGC number and generate ectopic PGC in medaka and zebrafish embryos. In summary, our results showed that Olbuc performs a conserved function in PGC development in medaka.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Song
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Bingyan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yefei Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Ying Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Jing Guo
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Lang Gui
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
| | - Mingyou Li
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
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39
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Dodson AE, Kennedy S. Phase Separation in Germ Cells and Development. Dev Cell 2020; 55:4-17. [PMID: 33007213 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The animal germline is an immortal cell lineage that gives rise to eggs and/or sperm each generation. Fusion of an egg and sperm, or fertilization, sets off a cascade of developmental events capable of producing an array of different cell types and body plans. How germ cells develop, function, and eventually give rise to entirely new organisms is an important question in biology. A growing body of evidence suggests that phase separation events likely play a significant and multifaceted role in germ cells and development. Here, we discuss the organization, dynamics, and potential functions of phase-separated compartments in germ cells and examine the various ways in which phase separation might contribute to the development of multicellular organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Dodson
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Scott Kennedy
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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40
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Phase Separation in Membrane Biology: The Interplay between Membrane-Bound Organelles and Membraneless Condensates. Dev Cell 2020; 55:30-44. [PMID: 32726575 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, various membrane-bound organelles compartmentalize diverse cellular activities in a spatially and temporally controlled manner. Numerous membraneless organelles assembled via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), known as condensates, also facilitate compartmentalization of cellular functions. Emerging evidence shows that these two organelle types interact in many biological processes. Membranes modulate the biogenesis and dynamics of phase-separated condensates by serving as assembly platforms or by forming direct contacts. Phase separation of membrane-associated proteins participates in various trafficking events, such as clustering of vesicles for temporally controlled fusion and storage, and transport of membraneless condensates on membrane-bound organelles. Phase separation also acts in cargo trafficking pathways by sorting and docking cargos for translocon-mediated transport across membranes, by shuttling cargos through the nuclear pore complex, and by triggering the formation of surrounding autophagosomes for delivery to lysosomes. The coordinated actions of membrane-bound and membraneless organelles ensure spatiotemporal control of various cellular functions.
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41
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Tian S, Curnutte HA, Trcek T. RNA Granules: A View from the RNA Perspective. Molecules 2020; 25:E3130. [PMID: 32650583 PMCID: PMC7397151 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25143130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA granules are ubiquitous. Composed of RNA-binding proteins and RNAs, they provide functional compartmentalization within cells. They are inextricably linked with RNA biology and as such are often referred to as the hubs for post-transcriptional regulation. Much of the attention has been given to the proteins that form these condensates and thus many fundamental questions about the biology of RNA granules remain poorly understood: How and which RNAs enrich in RNA granules, how are transcripts regulated in them, and how do granule-enriched mRNAs shape the biology of a cell? In this review, we discuss the imaging, genetic, and biochemical data, which have revealed that some aspects of the RNA biology within granules are carried out by the RNA itself rather than the granule proteins. Interestingly, the RNA structure has emerged as an important feature in the post-transcriptional control of granule transcripts. This review is part of the Special Issue in the Frontiers in RNA structure in the journal Molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tatjana Trcek
- Homewood Campus, Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (S.T.); (H.A.C.)
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42
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Moravec CE, Pelegri F. The role of the cytoskeleton in germ plasm aggregation and compaction in the zebrafish embryo. Curr Top Dev Biol 2020; 140:145-179. [PMID: 32591073 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The transmission of genetic information from one generation to another is crucial for survival of animal species. This is accomplished by the induction of primordial germ cells (PGCs) that will eventually establish the germline. In some animals the germline is induced by signals in gastrula, whereas in others it is specified by inheritance of maternal determinants, known as germ plasm. In zebrafish, aggregation and compaction of maternally derived germ plasm during the first several embryonic cell cycles is essential for generation of PGCs. These processes are controlled by cellular functions associated with the cellular division apparatus. Ribonucleoparticles containing germ plasm components are bound to both the ends of astral microtubules and a dynamic F-actin network through a mechanism integrated with that which drives the cell division program. In this chapter we discuss the role that modifications of the cell division apparatus, including the cytoskeleton and cytoskeleton-associated proteins, play in the regulation of zebrafish germ plasm assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara E Moravec
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Francisco Pelegri
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.
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43
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Mészáros B, Erdős G, Szabó B, Schád É, Tantos Á, Abukhairan R, Horváth T, Murvai N, Kovács OP, Kovács M, Tosatto SCE, Tompa P, Dosztányi Z, Pancsa R. PhaSePro: the database of proteins driving liquid-liquid phase separation. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:D360-D367. [PMID: 31612960 PMCID: PMC7145634 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Membraneless organelles (MOs) are dynamic liquid condensates that host a variety of specific cellular processes, such as ribosome biogenesis or RNA degradation. MOs form through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), a process that relies on multivalent weak interactions of the constituent proteins and other macromolecules. Since the first discoveries of certain proteins being able to drive LLPS, it emerged as a general mechanism for the effective organization of cellular space that is exploited in all kingdoms of life. While numerous experimental studies report novel cases, the computational identification of LLPS drivers is lagging behind, and many open questions remain about the sequence determinants, composition, regulation and biological relevance of the resulting condensates. Our limited ability to overcome these issues is largely due to the lack of a dedicated LLPS database. Therefore, here we introduce PhaSePro (https://phasepro.elte.hu), an openly accessible, comprehensive, manually curated database of experimentally validated LLPS driver proteins/protein regions. It not only provides a wealth of information on such systems, but improves the standardization of data by introducing novel LLPS-specific controlled vocabularies. PhaSePro can be accessed through an appealing, user-friendly interface and thus has definite potential to become the central resource in this dynamically developing field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bálint Mészáros
- MTA-ELTE Momentum Bioinformatics Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Gábor Erdős
- MTA-ELTE Momentum Bioinformatics Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Beáta Szabó
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Éva Schád
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Tantos
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Rawan Abukhairan
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Tamás Horváth
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Nikoletta Murvai
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Orsolya P Kovács
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Márton Kovács
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Silvio C E Tosatto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy
| | - Péter Tompa
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary.,Structural Biology (CSB), Brussels, Belgium; Structural Biology Brussels (SBB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1050, Belgium
| | - Zsuzsanna Dosztányi
- MTA-ELTE Momentum Bioinformatics Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Rita Pancsa
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
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44
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Trcek T, Douglas TE, Grosch M, Yin Y, Eagle WVI, Gavis ER, Shroff H, Rothenberg E, Lehmann R. Sequence-Independent Self-Assembly of Germ Granule mRNAs into Homotypic Clusters. Mol Cell 2020; 78:941-950.e12. [PMID: 32464092 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
mRNAs enriched in membraneless condensates provide functional compartmentalization within cells. The mechanisms that recruit transcripts to condensates are under intense study; however, how mRNAs organize once they reach a granule remains poorly understood. Here, we report on a self-sorting mechanism by which multiple mRNAs derived from the same gene assemble into discrete homotypic clusters. We demonstrate that in vivo mRNA localization to granules and self-assembly within granules are governed by different mRNA features: localization is encoded by specific RNA regions, whereas self-assembly involves the entire mRNA, does not involve sequence-specific, ordered intermolecular RNA:RNA interactions, and is thus RNA sequence independent. We propose that the ability of mRNAs to self-sort into homotypic assemblies is an inherent property of an messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) that is augmented under conditions that increase RNA concentration, such as upon enrichment in RNA-protein granules, a process that appears conserved in diverse cellular contexts and organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Trcek
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tyler E Douglas
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Markus Grosch
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yandong Yin
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Whitby V I Eagle
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Gavis
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Hari Shroff
- Section on High Resolution Optical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eli Rothenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- HHMI, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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45
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Bratek-Skicki A, Pancsa R, Meszaros B, Van Lindt J, Tompa P. A guide to regulation of the formation of biomolecular condensates. FEBS J 2020; 287:1924-1935. [PMID: 32080961 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cellular organelles that lack a surrounding lipid bilayer, such as the nucleolus and stress granule, represent a newly recognized, general paradigm of cellular organization. The formation of such biomolecular condensates that include 'membraneless organelles' (MLOs) by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has been in the focus of a surge of recent studies. Through a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches, thousands of potential phase-separating proteins have been identified, and it was found that different cellular MLOs share many common components. These perplexing observations raise the question of how cells regulate the timing and specificity of LLPS, and ensure that different MLOs form and disperse at the right moment and cellular location and can preserve their identity and physical separation. This guide gives an overview of basic regulatory mechanisms, which manifest through the action of intrinsic regulatory elements, alternative splicing, post-translational modifications, and a broad range of phase-separating partners. We also elaborate on the cellular integration of these different mechanisms and highlight how complex regulation can orchestrate the parallel functioning of a dozen or so different MLOs in the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rita Pancsa
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balint Meszaros
- Department of Biochemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Joris Van Lindt
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology (CSB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter Tompa
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology (CSB), Brussels, Belgium.,Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Structural Biology Brussels (SBB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
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46
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Westerich KJ, Chandrasekaran KS, Gross-Thebing T, Kueck N, Raz E, Rentmeister A. Bioorthogonal mRNA labeling at the poly(A) tail for imaging localization and dynamics in live zebrafish embryos. Chem Sci 2020; 11:3089-3095. [PMID: 33623655 PMCID: PMC7879197 DOI: 10.1039/c9sc05981d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Live imaging of mRNA in cells and organisms is important for understanding the dynamic aspects underlying its function.
Live imaging of mRNA in cells and organisms is important for understanding the dynamic aspects underlying its function. Ideally, labeling of mRNA should not alter its structure or function, nor affect the biological system. However, most methods applied in vivo make use of genetically encoded tags and reporters that significantly enhance the size of the mRNA of interest. Alternately, we utilize the 3′ poly(A) tail as a non-coding repetitive hallmark to covalently label mRNAs via bioorthogonal chemistry with different fluorophores from a wide range of spectra without significantly changing the size. We demonstrate that the labeled mRNAs can be visualized in cells and zebrafish embryos, and that they are efficiently translated. Importantly, the labeled mRNAs acquired the proper subcellular localization in developing zebrafish embryos and their dynamics could be tracked in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim J Westerich
- Institute of Cell Biology Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation , University of Münster , D-48149 Münster , Germany .
| | - Karthik S Chandrasekaran
- Institut für Biochemie , Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster , Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 2 , 48149 Münster , Germany .
| | - Theresa Gross-Thebing
- Institute of Cell Biology Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation , University of Münster , D-48149 Münster , Germany .
| | - Nadine Kueck
- Institut für Biochemie , Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster , Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 2 , 48149 Münster , Germany .
| | - Erez Raz
- Cells in Motion Interfaculty Centre (CiMIC) , Waldeyerstraße 15 , D-48149 Münster , Germany.,Institute of Cell Biology Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation , University of Münster , D-48149 Münster , Germany .
| | - Andrea Rentmeister
- Cells in Motion Interfaculty Centre (CiMIC) , Waldeyerstraße 15 , D-48149 Münster , Germany.,Institut für Biochemie , Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster , Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 2 , 48149 Münster , Germany .
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47
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Zebrafish embryogenesis – A framework to study regulatory RNA elements in development and disease. Dev Biol 2020; 457:172-180. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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48
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Spannl S, Tereshchenko M, Mastromarco GJ, Ihn SJ, Lee HO. Biomolecular condensates in neurodegeneration and cancer. Traffic 2019; 20:890-911. [PMID: 31606941 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The intracellular environment is partitioned into functionally distinct compartments containing specific sets of molecules and reactions. Biomolecular condensates, also referred to as membrane-less organelles, are diverse and abundant cellular compartments that lack membranous enclosures. Molecules assemble into condensates by phase separation; multivalent weak interactions drive molecules to separate from their surroundings and concentrate in discrete locations. Biomolecular condensates exist in all eukaryotes and in some prokaryotes, and participate in various essential house-keeping, stress-response and cell type-specific processes. An increasing number of recent studies link abnormal condensate formation, composition and material properties to a number of disease states. In this review, we discuss current knowledge and models describing the regulation of condensates and how they become dysregulated in neurodegeneration and cancer. Further research on the regulation of biomolecular phase separation will help us to better understand their role in cell physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Spannl
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maria Tereshchenko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Sean J Ihn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hyun O Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Canada Research Chairs Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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49
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Eno C, Hansen CL, Pelegri F. Aggregation, segregation, and dispersal of homotypic germ plasm RNPs in the early zebrafish embryo. Dev Dyn 2019; 248:306-318. [PMID: 30741457 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.18] [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: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In zebrafish and many other organisms, specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs) requires the transmission of maternally-derived germ plasm. Zebrafish germ plasm ribonucleoparticles (RNPs) aggregate along the cleavage furrows during the first several cell cycles, segregate asymmetrically during the cleavage stages, and undergo cytoplasmic dispersal in the late blastula. RESULTS For all tested germ plasm RNAs [carbonic anhydrase 15b (ca15b), deleted in azoospermia-like (dazl), dead end (dnd), nanos 3 (nos3), regulator of G-protein signaling14a (rgs14a), and vasa/DEAD box polypeptide 4 (vasa/ddx4)], RNPs are homotypic (containing a single RNA type), with RNPs packing tightly yet remaining distinct within germ plasm aggregates. Homotypic clustering of RNAs within RNPs is observed before aggregation in the cortex and is maintained through germ plasm recruitment, asymmetric segregation and RNP dispersal. We also identify a step of germ plasm fragmentation during the cleavage stages that precedes RNP dispersal. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that germ plasm aggregates act as subcellular compartments that temporarily collect and carry single RNA-type RNPs from fertilization until their cytoplasmic dispersal in PGCs at the end of the blastula period, and describe a previously unknown fragmentation step that allows for an increase in the pool of germ plasm-carrying cells, presumably PGCs. Developmental Dynamics 248:306-318, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Eno
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Christina L Hansen
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Francisco Pelegri
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
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50
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Jamieson-Lucy A, Mullins MC. The vertebrate Balbiani body, germ plasm, and oocyte polarity. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 135:1-34. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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