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Jash E, Azhar AA, Mendoza H, Tan ZM, Escher HN, Kaufman DS, Csankovszki G. XOL-1 regulates developmental timing by modulating the H3K9 landscape in C. elegans early embryos. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011238. [PMID: 39146391 PMCID: PMC11349215 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex determination in the nematode C. elegans is controlled by the master regulator XOL-1 during embryogenesis. Expression of xol-1 is dependent on the ratio of X chromosomes and autosomes, which differs between XX hermaphrodites and XO males. In males, xol-1 is highly expressed and in hermaphrodites, xol-1 is expressed at very low levels. XOL-1 activity is known to be critical for the proper development of C. elegans males, but its low expression was considered to be of minimal importance in the development of hermaphrodite embryos. Our study reveals that XOL-1 plays an important role as a regulator of developmental timing during hermaphrodite embryogenesis. Using a combination of imaging and bioinformatics techniques, we found that hermaphrodite embryos have an accelerated rate of cell division, as well as a more developmentally advanced transcriptional program when xol-1 is lost. Further analyses reveal that XOL-1 is responsible for regulating the timing of initiation of dosage compensation on the X chromosomes, and the appropriate expression of sex-biased transcriptional programs in hermaphrodites. We found that xol-1 mutant embryos overexpress the H3K9 methyltransferase MET-2 and have an altered H3K9me landscape. Some of these effects of the loss of xol-1 gene were reversed by the loss of met-2. These findings demonstrate that XOL-1 plays an important role as a developmental regulator in embryos of both sexes, and that MET-2 acts as a downstream effector of XOL-1 activity in hermaphrodites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eshna Jash
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Anati Alyaa Azhar
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Hector Mendoza
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Zoey M. Tan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Halle Nicole Escher
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Dalia S. Kaufman
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Györgyi Csankovszki
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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Aguirre PAU, Martins KM, López CDD, Sánchez FO, Castaño AT, Velásquez CMR, Vidal AP. Effect of nanoformulation Azadirachta indica on some factors associated with the vectorial capacity and competence of Anopheles aquasalis experimentally infected with Plasmodium vivax. Acta Trop 2024; 255:107223. [PMID: 38642694 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Malaria remains a highly prevalent infectious disease worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Effectively controlling of mosquitoes transmitting of Plasmodium spp. is crucial in to control this disease. A promising strategy involves utilizing plant-derived products, such as the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica), known for its secondary metabolites with biological activity against various insect groups of agricultural and public health importance. This study investigated the effects of a nanoformulation prototype Neem on factors linked to the vector competence of Anopheles aquasalis, a malaria vector in Latin America. Different concentrations of the nanoformulation were supplied through sugar solution and blood feeding, assessing impacts on longevity, fecundity, fertility, and transgenerational survival from larvae to adults. Additionally, the effects of the Neem nanoformulation and NeemAZAL® formulation on the sporogonic cycle of P. vivax were evaluated. Overall, significant impacts were observed at 100 ppm and 1,000 ppm concentrations on adult survival patterns and on survival of the F1 generation. A trend of reduced oviposition and hatching rates was also noted in nanoformulation-consuming groups, with fertility and fecundity declining proportionally to the concentration. Additionally, a significant decrease in the infection rate and intensity of P. vivax was observed in the 1,000 ppm group, with a mean of 3 oocysts per female compared to the control's 27 oocysts per female. In the commercial formulation, the highest tested concentration of 3 ppm yielded 5.36 oocysts per female. Concerning sporozoite numbers, there was a reduction of 52 % and 87 % at the highest concentrations compared to the control group. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the A. indica nanoformulation is a potential as a tool for malaria control through reduction in the vector longevity and reproductive capacity, possibly leading to decreased vector population densities. Moreover, the nanoformulation interfered with the sporogonic development of P. vivax. However, further basic research on Neem formulations, their effects, and mechanisms of action is imperative to gain a more specific perspective for safe field implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Keillen Monick Martins
- Laboratório de Doenças Transmissíveis na Amazônia, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, FIOCRUZ Amazônia, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Adriana Pabón Vidal
- Grupo Malaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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Qian Q, Niwa R. Endocrine Regulation of Aging in the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster. Zoolog Sci 2024; 41:4-13. [PMID: 38587512 DOI: 10.2108/zs230056] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The past few decades have witnessed increasing research clarifying the role of endocrine signaling in the regulation of aging in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Studies using the model organism fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster have largely advanced our understanding of evolutionarily conserved mechanisms in the endocrinology of aging and anti-aging. Mutations in single genes involved in endocrine signaling modify lifespan, as do alterations of endocrine signaling in a tissue- or cell-specific manner, highlighting a central role of endocrine signaling in coordinating the crosstalk between tissues and cells to determine the pace of aging. Here, we review the current landscape of research in D. melanogaster that offers valuable insights into the endocrine-governed mechanisms which influence lifespan and age-related physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyin Qian
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan,
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Hoedjes KM, Kostic H, Flatt T, Keller L. A Single Nucleotide Variant in the PPARγ-homolog Eip75B Affects Fecundity in Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:7005670. [PMID: 36703226 PMCID: PMC9922802 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Single nucleotide polymorphisms are the most common type of genetic variation, but how these variants contribute to the adaptation of complex phenotypes is largely unknown. Experimental evolution and genome-wide association studies have demonstrated that variation in the PPARγ-homolog Eip75B has associated with longevity and life-history differences in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Using RNAi knockdown, we first demonstrate that reduced expression of Eip75B in adult flies affects lifespan, egg-laying rate, and egg volume. We then tested the effects of a naturally occurring SNP within a cis-regulatory domain of Eip75B by applying two complementary approaches: a Mendelian randomization approach using lines of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel, and allelic replacement using precise CRISPR/Cas9-induced genome editing. Our experiments reveal that this natural polymorphism has a significant pleiotropic effect on fecundity and egg-to-adult viability, but not on longevity or other life-history traits. Our results provide a rare functional validation at the nucleotide level and identify a natural allelic variant affecting fitness and life-history adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hristina Kostic
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Microbiota mediated plasticity promotes thermal adaptation in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3804. [PMID: 35778405 PMCID: PMC9249911 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31350-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
At the current rate of climate change, it is unlikely that multicellular organisms will be able to adapt to changing environmental conditions through genetic recombination and natural selection alone. Thus, it is critical to understand alternative mechanisms that allow organisms to cope with rapid environmental changes. Here, we use the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, which has evolved the capability of surviving in a wide range of temperatures and salinities, as a model to investigate the microbiota as a source of rapid adaptation. We long-term acclimate polyps of Nematostella to low, medium, and high temperatures, to test the impact of microbiota-mediated plasticity on animal acclimation. Using the same animal clonal line, propagated from a single polyp, allows us to eliminate the effects of the host genotype. The higher thermal tolerance of animals acclimated to high temperature can be transferred to non-acclimated animals through microbiota transplantation. The offspring fitness is highest from F0 females acclimated to high temperature and specific members of the acclimated microbiota are transmitted to the next generation. These results indicate that microbiota plasticity can contribute to animal thermal acclimation and its transmission to the next generation may represent a rapid mechanism for thermal adaptation. This study shows that sea anemones acclimated to high temperatures exhibit increased resistance to thermal stress and that this improved fitness can be transferred by microbiome transplantation. These results indicate that plasticity mediated by the microbiota might be an important factor facilitating thermal adaptations in animals.
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Gems D, Kern CC, Nour J, Ezcurra M. Reproductive Suicide: Similar Mechanisms of Aging in C. elegans and Pacific Salmon. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:688788. [PMID: 34513830 PMCID: PMC8430333 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.688788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In some species of salmon, reproductive maturity triggers the development of massive pathology resulting from reproductive effort, leading to rapid post-reproductive death. Such reproductive death, which occurs in many semelparous organisms (with a single bout of reproduction), can be prevented by blocking reproductive maturation, and this can increase lifespan dramatically. Reproductive death is often viewed as distinct from senescence in iteroparous organisms (with multiple bouts of reproduction) such as humans. Here we review the evidence that reproductive death occurs in C. elegans and discuss what this means for its use as a model organism to study aging. Inhibiting insulin/IGF-1 signaling and germline removal suppresses reproductive death and greatly extends lifespan in C. elegans, but can also extend lifespan to a small extent in iteroparous organisms. We argue that mechanisms of senescence operative in reproductive death exist in a less catastrophic form in iteroparous organisms, particularly those that involve costly resource reallocation, and exhibit endocrine-regulated plasticity. Thus, mechanisms of senescence in semelparous organisms (including plants) and iteroparous ones form an etiological continuum. Therefore understanding mechanisms of reproductive death in C. elegans can teach us about some mechanisms of senescence that are operative in iteroparous organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gems
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carina C. Kern
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Nour
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marina Ezcurra
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
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Taubenheim J, Kortmann C, Fraune S. Function and Evolution of Nuclear Receptors in Environmental-Dependent Postembryonic Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:653792. [PMID: 34178983 PMCID: PMC8222990 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.653792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) fulfill key roles in the coordination of postembryonal developmental transitions in animal species. They control the metamorphosis and sexual maturation in virtually all animals and by that the two main environmental-dependent developmental decision points. Sexual maturation and metamorphosis are controlled by steroid receptors and thyroid receptors, respectively in vertebrates, while both processes are orchestrated by the ecdysone receptor (EcR) in insects. The regulation of these processes depends on environmental factors like nutrition, temperature, or photoperiods and by that NRs form evolutionary conserved mediators of phenotypic plasticity. While the mechanism of action for metamorphosis and sexual maturation are well studied in model organisms, the evolution of these systems is not entirely understood and requires further investigation. We here review the current knowledge of NR involvement in metamorphosis and sexual maturation across the animal tree of life with special attention to environmental integration and evolution of the signaling mechanism. Furthermore, we compare commonalities and differences of the different signaling systems. Finally, we identify key gaps in our knowledge of NR evolution, which, if sufficiently investigated, would lead to an importantly improved understanding of the evolution of complex signaling systems, the evolution of life history decision points, and, ultimately, speciation events in the metazoan kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Taubenheim
- Zoology and Organismic Interactions, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Constantin Kortmann
- Zoology and Organismic Interactions, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sebastian Fraune
- Zoology and Organismic Interactions, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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A conserved mechanism of sirtuin signalling through steroid hormone receptors. Biosci Rep 2020; 39:221190. [PMID: 31746335 PMCID: PMC6904774 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20193535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
SIRT1 and orthologous sirtuins regulate a universal mechanism of ageing and thus determine lifespan across taxa; however, the precise mechanism remains vexingly polemical. They also protect against many metabolic and ageing-related diseases by dynamically integrating several processes including autophagy, proteostasis, calorie restriction, circadian rhythmicity and metabolism. These sirtuins are therefore important drug targets particularly because they also transduce allosteric signals from sirtuin-activating compounds such as resveratrol into increased healthspan in evolutionarily diverse organisms. While many of these functions are apparently regulated by deacetylation, that mechanism may not be all-encompassing. Since gonadal signals have been shown to regulate ageing/lifespan in worms and flies, the present study hypothesized that these sirtuins may act as intermediary factors for steroid hormone signal transduction. Accordingly, SIRT1 and its orthologues, Sir2 and Sir-2.1, are shown to be veritable nuclear receptor coregulators that classically coactivate the oestrogen receptor in the absence of ligand; coactivation was further increased by 17β-oestradiol. Remarkably in response to the worm steroid hormone dafachronic acid, SIRT1 reciprocally coactivates DAF-12, the steroid receptor that regulates nematode lifespan. These results suggest that steroid hormones may co-opt and modulate a phyletically conserved mechanism of sirtuin signalling through steroid receptors. Hence, it is interesting to speculate that certain sirtuin functions including prolongevity and metabolic regulation may be mechanistically linked to this endocrine signalling pathway; this may also have implications for understanding the determinative role of gonadal steroids such as oestradiol in human ageing. At its simplest, this report shows evidence for a hitherto unknown deacetylation-independent mechanism of sirtuin signalling.
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9
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Mendelski MN, Dölling R, Feller FM, Hoffmann D, Ramos Fangmeier L, Ludwig KC, Yücel O, Mährlein A, Paul RJ, Philipp B. Steroids originating from bacterial bile acid degradation affect Caenorhabditis elegans and indicate potential risks for the fauna of manured soils. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11120. [PMID: 31366938 PMCID: PMC6668416 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47476-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bile acids are steroid compounds from the digestive tracts of vertebrates that enter agricultural environments in unusual high amounts with manure. Bacteria degrading bile acids can readily be isolated from soils and waters including agricultural areas. Under laboratory conditions, these bacteria transiently release steroid compounds as degradation intermediates into the environment. These compounds include androstadienediones (ADDs), which are C19-steroids with potential hormonal effects. Experiments with Caenorhabditis elegans showed that ADDs derived from bacterial bile acid degradation had effects on its tactile response, reproduction rate, and developmental speed. Additional experiments with a deletion mutant as well as transcriptomic analyses indicated that these effects might be conveyed by the putative testosterone receptor NHR-69. Soil microcosms showed that the natural microflora of agricultural soil is readily induced for bile acid degradation accompanied by the transient release of steroid intermediates. Establishment of a model system with a Pseudomonas strain and C. elegans in sand microcosms indicated transient release of ADDs during the course of bile acid degradation and negative effects on the reproduction rate of the nematode. This proof-of-principle study points at bacterial degradation of manure-derived bile acids as a potential and so-far overlooked risk for invertebrates in agricultural soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- M N Mendelski
- Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - R Dölling
- Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - F M Feller
- Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - D Hoffmann
- Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - L Ramos Fangmeier
- Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - K C Ludwig
- Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany.,Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - O Yücel
- Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - A Mährlein
- Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - R J Paul
- Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany
| | - B Philipp
- Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Münster (WWU), Münster, Germany.
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10
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Yoshinari Y, Kurogi Y, Ameku T, Niwa R. Endocrine regulation of female germline stem cells in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 31:14-19. [PMID: 31109668 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Germline stem cells (GSCs) are critical for the generation of sperms and eggs in most animals including the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. It is well known that self-renewal and differentiation of female D. melanogaster GSCs are regulated by local niche signals. However, little is known about whether and how the GSC number is regulated by paracrine signals. In the last decade, however, multiple humoral factors, including insulin and ecdysteroids, have been recognized as key regulators of female D. melanogaster GSCs. This review paper summarizes the role of humoral factors in female D. melanogaster GSC proliferation and maintenance in response to internal and external conditions, such as nutrients, mating stimuli, and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Yoshinari
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Yoshitomo Kurogi
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Tomotsune Ameku
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan.
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Farris M, Fang L, Aslamy A, Pineda V. Steroid signaling mediates longevity responses to the eat-2 genetic model of dietary restriction in Caenorhabditis elegans. TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE OF AGING 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tma.2019.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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Rodrigues CF, Salgueiro W, Bianchini M, Veit JC, Puntel RL, Emanuelli T, Dernadin CC, Ávila DS. Salvia hispanica L. (chia) seeds oil extracts reduce lipid accumulation and produce stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nutr Metab (Lond) 2018; 15:83. [PMID: 30505336 PMCID: PMC6260566 DOI: 10.1186/s12986-018-0317-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Salvia hispanica seeds have been commonly used by people that seek healthy habits through natural foods to reduce cholesterol and triacylglycerides levels, however, the evidences that support this assumption are still scarce in literature. Here, we aimed to evaluate the lipid lowering effects of chia by using Caenorhabditis elegans as animal model, a nematode that has proven its usefulness for lipid metabolism studies. Methods We prepared hexane (HE) and Bligh-Dyer (BDE) extracts, evaluated and compared their safety, antioxidant potential and their lipid-lowering activity in the worms. Results The characterization of both extracts demonstrated that there were no differences in their lipid composition; however, BDE depicted better antioxidant potential. Both extracts reduced worm’s survival from 2%, and reproduction was reduced following treatment with both extracts, though a more notable effect was observed in HE-treated worms. In addition, the non-toxic concentration of both extracts (1%) increased stress resistance against paraquat toxicity in an antidote paradigm. Notably, this same concentration of both extracts reduced lipid accumulation in obese worms, which was not caused by food deprivation. Conclusions Taken together, our data demonstrate that both extraction methods from chia seeds result in oils that are rich in mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may modulate lipid accumulation and provide antioxidant resistance in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiane Freitas Rodrigues
- 1UNIPAMPA-Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Pampa, BR 472 - Km 592, Caixa Postal 118, Uruguaiana, RS CEP 97500-970 Brazil
| | - Willian Salgueiro
- 1UNIPAMPA-Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Pampa, BR 472 - Km 592, Caixa Postal 118, Uruguaiana, RS CEP 97500-970 Brazil
| | - Matheus Bianchini
- 1UNIPAMPA-Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Pampa, BR 472 - Km 592, Caixa Postal 118, Uruguaiana, RS CEP 97500-970 Brazil
| | - Juliana Cristina Veit
- 2Departamento de Tecnologia e Ciência de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Centro de Ciências Rurais, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
| | - Robson Luiz Puntel
- 1UNIPAMPA-Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Pampa, BR 472 - Km 592, Caixa Postal 118, Uruguaiana, RS CEP 97500-970 Brazil
| | - Tatiana Emanuelli
- 2Departamento de Tecnologia e Ciência de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Centro de Ciências Rurais, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
| | - Cristiane Casagrande Dernadin
- 1UNIPAMPA-Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Pampa, BR 472 - Km 592, Caixa Postal 118, Uruguaiana, RS CEP 97500-970 Brazil
| | - Daiana Silva Ávila
- 1UNIPAMPA-Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Pampa, BR 472 - Km 592, Caixa Postal 118, Uruguaiana, RS CEP 97500-970 Brazil
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Bovier TF, Rossi S, Mita DG, Digilio FA. Effects of the synthetic estrogen 17-α-ethinylestradiol on Drosophila melanogaster: Dose and gender dependence. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 162:625-632. [PMID: 30036827 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
17-a-ethinylestradiol (EE2) belongs to the increasing list of Endocrine Disruptors Chemicals (EDCs), able to interfere with the endocrine system in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Regardless of its great dispersion in the environment, to date there is still little knowledge about its action mechanisms and harmful effects in invertebrates. To better evaluate its potential role in invertebrates, we used the model system Drosophila melanogaster, an insect in which the hormonal response has been widely described. The effects of EE2 in D.melanogaster adults have been evaluated by using life traits as well as molecular endpoints. It was found that EE2 significantly decreases survival and fertility in both sexes, with a higher effect in female flies, as well as affects the expression of the Ecdysone Receptor (EcR), Estrogen Related Receptor (ERR), Yolk protein2 (Yp2) and yolkless (yl) genes. In conclusion, our results suggest that EE2 treatment may have potential toxic and endocrine effects on Drosophila melanogaster adults of both sexes. In particular, our data provide an indication that, after EE2 treatment, two of the genes involved in the vitellogenesis process (yl and Yp2) are transcribed in adult males where are mostly silent, and suggest future studies forward their use as potential molecular markers to EDCs exposure in Drosophila male.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sergio Rossi
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "ABT" - CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Damiano Gustavo Mita
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "ABT" - CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; National Laboratory on Endocrine Disruptors of Interuniversity Consortium INBB - CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Filomena Anna Digilio
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources - CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Zhang JJ, Xi GS. Morphological changes in different caste adult ant specificities of Polyrhachis vicina Roger (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) caused in estrogen-related receptor. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 266:29-37. [PMID: 29746854 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The estrogen-related receptor (ERR) gene is a member of the nuclear receptor subfamily. Previous studies have indicated that ERR plays important roles in regulating insect growth and development. How ERR is associated with ant caste specificities remains unclear. In this study, we attempted to identify the role of ERR in the regulation of different adult caste specificities of Polyrhachis vicina Roger. Significant variations were detected in the ants including PvERR expressions, some physiological indexes and morphological traits including survival rate, body weight, body length, head width and abdominal appearance by different techniques. The results revealed that when PvERR expressions is up-regulated, boundaries of the abdominal segments were indistinct on the ventral side of the abdomen in males. Down-regulation of PvERR expressions caused abdominal swelling in males and a distended ventral abdomen in females and workers. Variation in PvERR expressions led to a remarkable decline in ant survival rates, particularly for males. These results indicated that different caste adults appeared to have different degrees of sensitivity in physiological response and morphological changes caused by variation in PvERR expressions. Thus, our data demonstrate that PvERR plays an important role in regulating the different adult caste specificities of P. vicina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan-Juan Zhang
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710119, PR China
| | - Geng-Si Xi
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710119, PR China.
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15
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Gáliková M, Klepsatel P. Obesity and Aging in the Drosophila Model. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19071896. [PMID: 29954158 PMCID: PMC6073435 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19071896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Being overweight increases the risk of many metabolic disorders, but how it affects lifespan is not completely clear. Not all obese people become ill, and the exact mechanism that turns excessive fat storage into a health-threatening state remains unknown. Drosophila melanogaster has served as an excellent model for many diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and hyperglycemia-associated disorders, such as cardiomyopathy or nephropathy. Here, we review the connections between fat storage and aging in different types of fly obesity. Whereas obesity induced by high-fat or high-sugar diet is associated with hyperglycemia, cardiomyopathy, and in some cases, shortening of lifespan, there are also examples in which obesity correlates with longevity. Transgenic lines with downregulations of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IIS) and target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathways, flies reared under dietary restriction, and even certain longevity selection lines are obese, yet long-lived. The mechanisms that underlie the differential lifespans in distinct types of obesity remain to be elucidated, but fat turnover, inflammatory pathways, and dysregulations of glucose metabolism may play key roles. Altogether, Drosophila is an excellent model to study the physiology of adiposity in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Gáliková
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Peter Klepsatel
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06 Bratislava, Slovakia.
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16
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Carvalho-Santos Z, Ribeiro C. Gonadal ecdysone titers are modulated by protein availability but do not impact protein appetite. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 106:30-35. [PMID: 28842196 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
How animals survey internal nutrient availability to modulate specific appetites is currently largely unknown. Dietary proteins have a profound impact on the reproductive capacity and the selection of food sources in insects. When deprived of dietary proteins, insects stop producing eggs and develop strong protein appetites. In many adult insects, the ovaries are the site of synthesis of the ecdysone hormone. Therefore, an attractive hypothesis is that protein availability changes the gonadal production of ecdysone, which instructs the brain to increase its preference for yeast. We combine quantitative feeding assays, dietary manipulations, hormonal measurements, and genetic germline manipulations to test this hypothesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Our results show that upon yeast deprivation mated adult female Drosophila develop a strong yeast appetite and strongly reduce their egg production. This dietary manipulation also leads to a drastic reduction in ecdysone titers. However, the drop in ecdysone is not linked to the increase in yeast appetite as mutants with impaired oogenesis are able to adapt yeast intake to their nutrient state while displaying a constitutive low ecdysone titer. Interestingly, a low ecdysone titer is correlated with a lower level of overall food intake. Our data therefore show that in mated females the level of ecdysone reflects the level of protein in the diet and the physiological state of the ovaries. While the ovaries and ecdysone are unlikely to instruct the brain to develop a yeast appetite upon protein deprivation, they seem to be able to control overall food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zita Carvalho-Santos
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal
| | - Carlos Ribeiro
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal.
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17
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Disrupting Mosquito Reproduction and Parasite Development for Malaria Control. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1006060. [PMID: 27977810 PMCID: PMC5158081 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The control of mosquito populations with insecticide treated bed nets and indoor residual sprays remains the cornerstone of malaria reduction and elimination programs. In light of widespread insecticide resistance in mosquitoes, however, alternative strategies for reducing transmission by the mosquito vector are urgently needed, including the identification of safe compounds that affect vectorial capacity via mechanisms that differ from fast-acting insecticides. Here, we show that compounds targeting steroid hormone signaling disrupt multiple biological processes that are key to the ability of mosquitoes to transmit malaria. When an agonist of the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is applied to Anopheles gambiae females, which are the dominant malaria mosquito vector in Sub Saharan Africa, it substantially shortens lifespan, prevents insemination and egg production, and significantly blocks Plasmodium falciparum development, three components that are crucial to malaria transmission. Modeling the impact of these effects on Anopheles population dynamics and Plasmodium transmission predicts that disrupting steroid hormone signaling using 20E agonists would affect malaria transmission to a similar extent as insecticides. Manipulating 20E pathways therefore provides a powerful new approach to tackle malaria transmission by the mosquito vector, particularly in areas affected by the spread of insecticide resistance.
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18
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Chen Q, Pan C, Li Y, Zhang M, Gu W. The Combined Effect of Methyl- and Ethyl-Paraben on Lifespan and Preadult Development Period of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2016; 16:iev146. [PMID: 28076277 PMCID: PMC5778983 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iev146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Parabens are widely used as preservative substances in foods, pharmaceuticals, industrial products, and cosmetics. But several studies have cautioned that parabens have estrogenic or endocrine-disrupting properties. Drosophila melanogaster is an ideal model in vivo to detect the toxic effects of chemistry. The study was designed to assess the potential additive toxic effects of methylparaben (MP) and ethylparaben (EP) mixture (MP + EP) on lifespan and preadult development period in D. melanogaster The data revealed that the MP + EP can reduce the longevity of flies compared with the control group, consistent with a significant reduction in malondialdehyde levels and an increase in superoxide dismutase activities. Furthermore, MP + EP may have a greater toxic effect on longevity of flies than separate using with the same concentration. Additionally, parabens had a nonmonotonic dose-response effect on D. melanogaster preadult development period, showing that MP + EP delayed preadult development period compared with control group while individual MP or EP significantly shortened (P < 0.01) at low concentration (300 mg/l). In conclusion, MP + EP had the potential additive toxicity on lifespan and preadult development period for D. melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620, West Chang'an Avenue, Chang'an District, Xi'an 710119, China (; ; ; ) and
| | - Chenguang Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620, West Chang'an Avenue, Chang'an District, Xi'an 710119, China (; ; ; ) and
| | - Yajuan Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620, West Chang'an Avenue, Chang'an District, Xi'an 710119, China (; ; ; ) and
| | - Min Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620, West Chang'an Avenue, Chang'an District, Xi'an 710119, China (; ; ; ) and
| | - Wei Gu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620, West Chang'an Avenue, Chang'an District, Xi'an 710119, China (; ; ; ) and
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19
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Uryu O, Ameku T, Niwa R. Recent progress in understanding the role of ecdysteroids in adult insects: Germline development and circadian clock in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. ZOOLOGICAL LETTERS 2015; 1:32. [PMID: 26605077 PMCID: PMC4657291 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-015-0031-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/27/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Steroid hormones are one of the major bioactive molecules responsible for the coordinated regulation of biological processes in multicellular organisms. In insects, the principal steroid hormones are ecdysteroids, including 20-hydroxyecdysone. A great deal of research has investigated the roles played by ecdysteroids during insect development, especially the regulatory role in inducing molting and metamorphosis. However, little attention has been paid to the roles of these hormones in post-developmental processes, despite their undisputed presence in the adult insect body. Recently, molecular genetics of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has revealed that ecdysteroid biosynthesis and signaling are indeed active in adult insects, and involved in diverse processes, including oogenesis, stress resistance, longevity, and neuronal activity. In this review, we focus on very recent progress in the understanding of two adult biological events that require ecdysteroid biosynthesis and/or signaling in Drosophila at the molecular level: germline development and the circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Outa Uryu
- />Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572 Japan
| | - Tomotsune Ameku
- />Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572 Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- />Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572 Japan
- />Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572 Japan
- />PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Honcho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012 Japan
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20
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Hoffmann JM, Partridge L. Nuclear hormone receptors: Roles of xenobiotic detoxification and sterol homeostasis in healthy aging. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2015; 50:380-92. [PMID: 26383043 DOI: 10.3109/10409238.2015.1067186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Health during aging can be improved by genetic, dietary and pharmacological interventions. Many of these increase resistance to various stressors, including xenobiotics. Up-regulation of xenobiotic detoxification genes is a transcriptomic signature shared by long-lived nematodes, flies and mice, suggesting that protection of cells from toxicity of xenobiotics may contribute to longevity. Expression of genes involved in xenobiotic detoxification is controlled by evolutionarily conserved transcriptional regulators. Three closely related subgroups of nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) have a major role, and these include DAF-12 and NHR-8 in C. elegans, DHR96 in Drosophila and FXR, LXRs, PXR, CAR and VDR in mammals. In the invertebrates, these NHRs have been experimentally demonstrated to play a role in extension of lifespan by genetic and environmental interventions. NHRs represent critical hubs in that they regulate detoxification enzymes with broad substrate specificities, metabolizing both endo- and xeno-biotics. They also modulate homeostasis of steroid hormones and other endogenous cholesterol derivatives and lipid metabolism, and these roles, as well as xenobiotic detoxification, may contribute to the effects of NHRs on lifespan and health during aging, an issue that is being increasingly addressed in C. elegans and Drosophila. Disentangling the contribution of these processes to longevity will require more precise understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which each is effected, including identification of ligands and co-regulators of NHRs, patterns of tissue-specificity and mechanisms of interaction between tissues. The roles of vertebrate NHRs in determination of health during aging and lifespan have yet to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda Partridge
- a Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing , Cologne , Germany and.,b Institute of Healthy Ageing, and GEE (Genetics, Evolution and Environment), University College , London , UK
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21
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Tower J. Mitochondrial maintenance failure in aging and role of sexual dimorphism. Arch Biochem Biophys 2015; 576:17-31. [PMID: 25447815 PMCID: PMC4409928 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Revised: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Gene expression changes during aging are partly conserved across species, and suggest that oxidative stress, inflammation and proteotoxicity result from mitochondrial malfunction and abnormal mitochondrial-nuclear signaling. Mitochondrial maintenance failure may result from trade-offs between mitochondrial turnover versus growth and reproduction, sexual antagonistic pleiotropy and genetic conflicts resulting from uni-parental mitochondrial transmission, as well as mitochondrial and nuclear mutations and loss of epigenetic regulation. Aging phenotypes and interventions are often sex-specific, indicating that both male and female sexual differentiation promote mitochondrial failure and aging. Studies in mammals and invertebrates implicate autophagy, apoptosis, AKT, PARP, p53 and FOXO in mediating sex-specific differences in stress resistance and aging. The data support a model where the genes Sxl in Drosophila, sdc-2 in Caenorhabditis elegans, and Xist in mammals regulate mitochondrial maintenance across generations and in aging. Several interventions that increase life span cause a mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt), and UPRmt is also observed during normal aging, indicating hormesis. The UPRmt may increase life span by stimulating mitochondrial turnover through autophagy, and/or by inhibiting the production of hormones and toxic metabolites. The data suggest that metazoan life span interventions may act through a common hormesis mechanism involving liver UPRmt, mitochondrial maintenance and sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Tower
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States.
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22
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Krøll J. Dehydroepiandrosterone, molecular chaperones and the epigenetics of primate longevity. Rejuvenation Res 2015; 18:341-346. [PMID: 25706901 DOI: 10.1089/rej.2014.1641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAS) are the most abundant circulating adrenal steroid hormones. The plasma level of DHEAS correlates with longevity in primates and varies during human development with a maximum in early adulthood and a marked decline during aging. DHEA promotes the expression of molecular chaperones which are housekeeping stress response proteins essential for the processes of folding, translocation, maintenance and repair of proteins, RNA and DNA, as well as for homeostasis, immune response and cancer resistance. The level of chaperone expression correlates with longevity and shows a decline during aging. DHEA-induced promotion of chaperone expression could contribute to the epigenetic evolution of primate longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Krøll
- Hafnia Unit of Biogerontology , Godthåbsvej 111,3 , Frederiksberg, Denmark , DK 2000 , +45 38862220 ;
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23
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Mello TRP, Aleixo AC, Pinheiro DG, Nunes FMF, Bitondi MMG, Hartfelder K, Barchuk AR, Simões ZLP. Developmental regulation of ecdysone receptor (EcR) and EcR-controlled gene expression during pharate-adult development of honeybees (Apis mellifera). Front Genet 2014; 5:445. [PMID: 25566327 PMCID: PMC4273664 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Major developmental transitions in multicellular organisms are driven by steroid hormones. In insects, these, together with juvenile hormone (JH), control development, metamorphosis, reproduction and aging, and are also suggested to play an important role in caste differentiation of social insects. Here, we aimed to determine how EcR transcription and ecdysteroid titers are related during honeybee postembryonic development and what may actually be the role of EcR in caste development of this social insect. In addition, we expected that knocking-down EcR gene expression would give us information on the participation of the respective protein in regulating downstream targets of EcR. We found that in Apis mellifera females, EcR-A is the predominantly expressed variant in postembryonic development, while EcR-B transcript levels are higher in embryos, indicating an early developmental switch in EcR function. During larval and pupal stages, EcR-B expression levels are very low, while EcR-A transcripts are more variable and abundant in workers compared to queens. Strikingly, these transcript levels are opposite to the ecdysteroid titer profile. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) application experiments revealed that low 20E levels induce EcR expression during development, whereas high ecdysteroid titers seem to be repressive. By means of RNAi-mediated knockdown (KD) of both EcR transcript variants we detected the differential expression of 234 poly-A+ transcripts encoding genes such as CYPs, MRJPs and certain hormone response genes (Kr-h1 and ftz-f1). EcR-KD also promoted the differential expression of 70 miRNAs, including highly conserved ones (e.g., miR-133 and miR-375), as well honeybee-specific ones (e.g., miR-3745 and miR-3761). Our results put in evidence a broad spectrum of EcR-controlled gene expression during postembryonic development of honeybees, revealing new facets of EcR biology in this social insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tathyana R P Mello
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aline C Aleixo
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel G Pinheiro
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francis M F Nunes
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Márcia M G Bitondi
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Klaus Hartfelder
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Molecular e de Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Angel R Barchuk
- Laboratório de Biologia Animal Integrativa, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Tecidual e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas Alfenas, Brazil
| | - Zilá L P Simões
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
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24
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Witting M, Rudloff HC, Thondamal M, Aguilaniu H, Schmitt-Kopplin P. Fast separation and quantification of steroid hormones Δ4- and Δ7-dafachronic acid in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2014; 978-979:118-21. [PMID: 25544008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Revised: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Separation of isomeric molecular species, e.g. double bond position isomers, is a challenging task for liquid chromatography. The two steroid hormones Δ4- and Δ7-dafachronic acid (DA) represent such an isomeric pair. DAs are 3-ketosteroids found in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and generated from cholesterol. Δ4- and Δ7-DA have important biological activities and are produced by two different biological pathways in C. elegans. Here we have described a fast separation method for these two isomers using a 1.3 μm core-shell particle in less than 10 min together with a simple MeOH extraction. Using this method we were able to independently quantify Δ4- and Δ7-DA in C. elegans independently from each other and limits of detection of about 5 ng/ml for each isomer were achieved with a good day-to-day reproducibility. As proof-of-principle the method has been applied to the quantification of DAs in worms fed ad libitum or under bacterial deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Witting
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Department of Environmental Sciences, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Hans-Christian Rudloff
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Department of Environmental Sciences, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Manjunatha Thondamal
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon - CNRS - Université de Lyon Claude Bernard - Molecular Biology of the Cell Laboratory/UMR5239 46, Allee d'Italie, 69364 Lyon cedex 07, France
| | - Hugo Aguilaniu
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon - CNRS - Université de Lyon Claude Bernard - Molecular Biology of the Cell Laboratory/UMR5239 46, Allee d'Italie, 69364 Lyon cedex 07, France
| | - Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Department of Environmental Sciences, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Chair of Analytical Food Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 10, D-85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
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25
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Baniahmad A. Why do we need to age? Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2014; 16:3-5. [PMID: 25436741 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2013-0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract A key question remains: why do multicellular organisms have a limited lifespan? The aging process is considered to be a decline of keeping the molecular, cellular and organ structure and interactions upright. It is hypothesized here that an evolutionary force has actively selected for limited lifespan and prior to that there is the process of aging. Many theories exist, including the endocrine theory of aging and reproduction-based aging. Here, a hypothesis is deduced for the driving force of the evolution of aging and lifespan limitation.
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26
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Liu T, Li Y, Zhao X, Zhang M, Gu W. Ethylparaben affects lifespan, fecundity, and the expression levels of ERR, EcR and YPR in Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 71:1-7. [PMID: 25265034 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2014] [Revised: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 09/18/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Parabens, which mainly include methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), and butylparaben (BP), are widely used as cosmetic and food preservatives. Although these chemicals, when used as preservatives, are thought to be safe for humans, many studies have demonstrated that they have estrogenic effects, and can affect the normal development and functions of the reproductive systems in a number of animal species. By treating fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) with EP, here we show that lower concentration of EP (0.02%) enhanced fertility while higher concentration of EP (0.10% and 0.20%) shortened the lifespan and reduced the fecundity of fruit flies. When we analyzed the expression levels of the estrogen-related receptor gene (ERR), ecdysone receptor gene (EcR) and Yolk protein receptor gene (YPR) from control and EP-treated fruit flies by using quantitative real-time PCR, we found that the expression levels of all three genes were significantly changed by EP treatment, and that female fruit flies are more sensitive to EP than males. Our data suggests that the estrogenic and the toxic effects of EP to fruit flies may have a molecular basis through the hormonal effect of EP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, PR China
| | - Yajuan Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, PR China
| | - Xiaojun Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, PR China
| | - Min Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, PR China
| | - Wei Gu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, PR China.
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27
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Niwa R, Niwa YS. Enzymes for ecdysteroid biosynthesis: their biological functions in insects and beyond. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2014; 78:1283-92. [DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2014.942250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Steroid hormones are responsible for the coordinated regulation of many aspects of biological processes in multicellular organisms. Since the last century, many studies have identified and characterized steroidogenic enzymes in vertebrates, including mammals. However, much less is known about invertebrate steroidogenic enzymes. In the last 15 years, a number of steroidogenic enzymes and their functions have been characterized in ecdysozoan animals, especially in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. In this review, we summarize the latest knowledge of enzymes crucial for synthesizing ecdysteroids, the principal insect steroid hormones. We also discuss the functional conservation and diversity of ecdysteroidogenic enzymes in other insects and even non-insect species, such as nematodes, vertebrates, and lower eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | - Yuko S Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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Gámez-Del-Estal MM, Contreras I, Prieto-Pérez R, Ruiz-Rubio M. Epigenetic effect of testosterone in the behavior of C. elegans. A clue to explain androgen-dependent autistic traits? Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:69. [PMID: 24624060 PMCID: PMC3940884 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Current research indicates that the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are multifactorial and include both genetic and environmental factors. To date, several works have associated ASDs with mutations in genes that encode proteins involved in neuronal synapses; however other factors and the way they can interact with the development of the nervous system remain largely unknown. Some studies have established a direct relationship between risk for ASDs and the exposure of the fetus to high testosterone levels during the prenatal stage. In this work, in order to explain possible mechanisms by which this androgenic hormone may interact with the nervous system, C. elegans was used as an experimental model. We observed that testosterone was able to alter the behavioral pattern of the worm, including the gentle touch response and the pharyngeal pumping rate. This impairment of the behavior was abolished using specific RNAi against genes orthologous to the human androgen receptor gene. The effect of testosterone was eliminated in the nhr-69 (ok1926) deficient mutant, a putative ortholog of human AR gene, suggesting that this gene encodes a receptor able to interact with the hormone. On the other hand the testosterone effect remained in the gentle touch response during four generations in the absence of the hormone, indicating that some epigenetic mechanisms could be involved. Sodium butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, was able to abolish the effect of testosterone. In addition, the lasting effect of testosterone was eliminated after the dauer stage. These results suggest that testosterone may impair the nervous system function generating transgenerational epigenetic marks in the genome. This work may provide new paradigms for understanding biological mechanisms involved in ASDs traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Mar Gámez-Del-Estal
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba Córdoba, Spain
| | - Israel Contreras
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba Córdoba, Spain
| | - Rocío Prieto-Pérez
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba Córdoba, Spain
| | - Manuel Ruiz-Rubio
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba Córdoba, Spain
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Flatt T, Amdam GV, Kirkwood TBL, Omholt SW. Life-history evolution and the polyphenic regulation of somatic maintenance and survival. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2013; 88:185-218. [PMID: 24053071 DOI: 10.1086/671484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Here we discuss life-history evolution from the perspective of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, with a focus on polyphenisms for somatic maintenance and survival. Polyphenisms are adaptive discrete alternative phenotypes that develop in response to changes in the environment. We suggest that dauer larval diapause and its associated adult phenotypes in the nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans), reproductive dormancy in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and other insects, and the worker castes of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) are examples of what may be viewed as the polyphenic regulation of somatic maintenance and survival. In these and other cases, the same genotype can--depending upon its environment--express either of two alternative sets of life-history phenotypes that differ markedly with respect to somatic maintenance, survival ability, and thus life span. This plastic modulation of somatic maintenance and survival has traditionally been underappreciated by researchers working on aging and life history. We review the current evidence for such adaptive life-history switches and their molecular regulation and suggest that they are caused by temporally and/or spatially varying, stressful environments that impose diversifying selection, thereby favoring the evolution of plasticity of somatic maintenance and survival under strong regulatory control. By considering somatic maintenance and survivorship from the perspective of adaptive life-history switches, we may gain novel insights into the mechanisms and evolution of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Flatt
- Institut für Populationsgenetik, Vetmeduni Vienna, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
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30
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Regan JC, Partridge L. Gender and longevity: why do men die earlier than women? Comparative and experimental evidence. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2013; 27:467-79. [PMID: 24054925 DOI: 10.1016/j.beem.2013.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in lifespan exist world-wide, with women outliving men by more than a decade in some countries. The gender gap is not a uniquely human phenomenon; most sexually reproducing species examined show sex differences in patterns of ageing, yet a comprehensive explanation does not exist. Here, we discuss how ageing responds to natural selection on traits that arise as a consequence of sexuality. Sexual dimorphisms in vertebrates are mediated by sex-steroids, such as androgens and oestrogens, and we examine their regulation of biological processes that can affect ageing and lifespan. The sexes can respond differently to dietary restriction and altered activity of nutrient-sensing pathways, with females showing a greater plasticity for life extension. We suggest that the cross-regulation of steroid hormone and nutrient-sensing signalling pathways is a promising process for further study in understanding the biological basis for the gender gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Regan
- The Institute of Healthy Ageing, UCL, Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, UK
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31
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De Loof A, Boerjan B, Ernst UR, Schoofs L. The mode of action of juvenile hormone and ecdysone: towards an epi-endocrinological paradigm? Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 188:35-45. [PMID: 23454668 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Revised: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In some insect species, two sites of juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis have been reported: the very well documented corpora allata that secrete JH for "general use", and the reproductive system, in particular the male accessory glands, in which the function of the sometimes huge amounts of JH (e.g. in Hyalophora cecropia) remains to be clarified. A recent finding in Schistocerca gregaria, namely that suppression of the ecdysteroid peak preceding a molt by RNAi of the Halloween genes spook, phantom and shade does not impede normal molting, challenges the (never experimentally proven) classical concept that such a peak is causally linked to a molt. Recent developments in epigenetic control of gene expression in both the honey bee and in locusts suggest that, in addition to the classical scheme of hormone-receptor (membrane- and/or nuclear) mode of action, there may be a third way. Upon combining these and other orphan data that do not fit in the commonly accepted textbook schemes, we here advance the working hypothesis that both JH and ecdysone might be important but overlooked players in epigenetic control of gene expression, in particular at extreme concentrations (peak values or total absence). In this review, we put forward how epi-endocrinology can complement classical arthropod endocrinology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnold De Loof
- Research Group of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, Bus 2465, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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32
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Veverytsa L, Allan DW. Subtype-specific neuronal remodeling during Drosophila metamorphosis. Fly (Austin) 2013; 7:78-86. [PMID: 23579264 DOI: 10.4161/fly.23969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
During metamorphosis in holometabolous insects, the nervous system undergoes dramatic remodeling as it transitions from its larval to its adult form. Many neurons are generated through post-embryonic neurogenesis to have adult-specific roles, but perhaps more striking is the dramatic remodeling that occurs to transition neurons from functioning in the larval to the adult nervous system. These neurons exhibit a remarkable degree of plasticity during this transition; many subsets undergo programmed cell death, others remodel their axonal and dendritic arbors extensively, whereas others undergo trans-differentiation to alter their terminal differentiation gene expression profiles. Yet other neurons appear to be developmentally frozen in an immature state throughout larval life, to be awakened at metamorphosis by a process we term temporally-tuned differentiation. These multiple forms of remodeling arise from subtype-specific responses to a single metamorphic trigger, ecdysone. Here, we discuss recent progress in Drosophila melanogaster that is shedding light on how subtype-specific programs of neuronal remodeling are generated during metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyubov Veverytsa
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Centre, Health Sciences Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
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33
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Hansen M, Flatt T, Aguilaniu H. Reproduction, fat metabolism, and life span: what is the connection? Cell Metab 2013; 17:10-9. [PMID: 23312280 PMCID: PMC3567776 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2012.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2012] [Revised: 10/23/2012] [Accepted: 12/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Reduced reproduction is associated with increased fat storage and prolonged life span in multiple organisms, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent studies in several species provide evidence that reproduction, fat metabolism, and longevity are directly coupled. For instance, germline removal in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans promotes longevity in part by modulating lipid metabolism through effects on fatty acid desaturation, lipolysis, and autophagy. Here, we review these recent studies and discuss the mechanisms by which reproduction modulates fat metabolism and life span. Elucidating the relationship between these processes could contribute to our understanding of age-related diseases including metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malene Hansen
- Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging and StemCell Research Center, Program of Development and Aging, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Thomas Flatt
- Institute of Population Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin, Germany
- As of December 2012: Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hugo Aguilaniu
- Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon; CNRS; Université de Lyon Claude Bernard; Molecular Biology of the Cell Laboratory/UMR5239, Lyon, France
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34
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Danielsen ET, Moeller ME, Rewitz KF. Nutrient Signaling and Developmental Timing of Maturation. Curr Top Dev Biol 2013; 105:37-67. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-396968-2.00002-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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35
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Overexpression of fatty-acid-β-oxidation-related genes extends the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2012; 2012:854502. [PMID: 22997544 PMCID: PMC3446750 DOI: 10.1155/2012/854502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2012] [Revised: 07/23/2012] [Accepted: 08/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A better understanding of the aging process is necessary to ensure that the healthcare needs of an aging population are met. With the trend toward increased human life expectancies, identification of candidate genes affecting the regulation of lifespan and its relationship to environmental factors is essential. Through misexpression screening of EP mutant lines, we previously isolated several genes extending lifespan when ubiquitously overexpressed, including the two genes encoding the fatty-acid-binding protein and dodecenoyl-CoA delta-isomerase involved in fatty-acid β-oxidation, which is the main energy resource pathway in eukaryotic cells. In this study, we analyzed flies overexpressing the two main components of fatty-acid β-oxidation, and found that overexpression of fatty-acid-β-oxidation-related genes extended the Drosophila lifespan. Furthermore, we found that the ability of dietary restriction to extend lifespan was reduced by the overexpression of fatty-acid-β-oxidation-related genes. Moreover, the overexpression of fatty-acid-β-oxidation-related genes enhanced stress tolerance to oxidative and starvation stresses and activated the dFOXO signal, indicating translocation to the nucleus and transcriptional activation of the dFOXO target genes. Overall, the results of this study suggest that overexpression of fatty-acid-β-oxidation-related genes extends lifespan in a dietary-restriction-related manner, and that the mechanism of this process may be related to FOXO activation.
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36
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Fabian DK, Kapun M, Nolte V, Kofler R, Schmidt PS, Schlötterer C, Flatt T. Genome-wide patterns of latitudinal differentiation among populations of Drosophila melanogaster from North America. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:4748-69. [PMID: 22913798 PMCID: PMC3482935 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2012.05731.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2012] [Revised: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/04/2012] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the genetic underpinnings of adaptive change is a fundamental but largely unresolved problem in evolutionary biology. Drosophila melanogaster, an ancestrally tropical insect that has spread to temperate regions and become cosmopolitan, offers a powerful opportunity for identifying the molecular polymorphisms underlying clinal adaptation. Here, we use genome-wide next-generation sequencing of DNA pools ('pool-seq') from three populations collected along the North American east coast to examine patterns of latitudinal differentiation. Comparing the genomes of these populations is particularly interesting since they exhibit clinal variation in a number of important life history traits. We find extensive latitudinal differentiation, with many of the most strongly differentiated genes involved in major functional pathways such as the insulin/TOR, ecdysone, torso, EGFR, TGFβ/BMP, JAK/STAT, immunity and circadian rhythm pathways. We observe particularly strong differentiation on chromosome 3R, especially within the cosmopolitan inversion In(3R)Payne, which contains a large number of clinally varying genes. While much of the differentiation might be driven by clinal differences in the frequency of In(3R)P, we also identify genes that are likely independent of this inversion. Our results provide genome-wide evidence consistent with pervasive spatially variable selection acting on numerous loci and pathways along the well-known North American cline, with many candidates implicated in life history regulation and exhibiting parallel differentiation along the previously investigated Australian cline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel K Fabian
- Institut für Populationsgenetik, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210, Vienna, Austria
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37
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Chawla G, Sokol NS. Hormonal activation of let-7-C microRNAs via EcR is required for adult Drosophila melanogaster morphology and function. Development 2012; 139:1788-97. [PMID: 22510985 DOI: 10.1242/dev.077743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones and their nuclear receptors drive developmental transitions in diverse organisms, including mammals. In this study, we show that the Drosophila steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and its nuclear receptor directly activate transcription of the evolutionarily conserved let-7-complex (let-7-C) locus, which encodes the co-transcribed microRNAs miR-100, let-7 and miR-125. These small RNAs post-transcriptionally regulate the expression of target genes, and are required for the remodeling of the Drosophila neuromusculature during the larval-to-adult transition. Deletion of three 20E responsive elements located in the let-7-C locus results in reduced levels of let-7-C microRNAs, leading to neuromuscular and behavioral defects in adults. Given the evolutionary conservation of let-7-C microRNA sequences and temporal expression profiles, these findings indicate that steroid hormone-coupled control of let-7-C microRNAs is part of an ancestral pathway controlling the transition from larval-to-reproductive animal forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetanjali Chawla
- Jordan Hall A502, Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
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38
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Hou NS, Taubert S. Function and Regulation of Lipid Biology in Caenorhabditis elegans Aging. Front Physiol 2012; 3:143. [PMID: 22629250 PMCID: PMC3355469 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2012.00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2012] [Accepted: 04/27/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapidly expanding aging populations and a concomitant increase in the prevalence of age-related diseases are global health problems today. Over the past three decades, a large body of work has led to the identification of genes and regulatory networks that affect longevity and health span, often benefiting from the tremendous power of genetics in vertebrate and invertebrate model organisms. Interestingly, many of these factors appear linked to lipids, important molecules that participate in cellular signaling, energy metabolism, and structural compartmentalization. Despite the putative link between lipids and longevity, the role of lipids in aging remains poorly understood. Emerging data from the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans suggest that lipid composition may change during aging, as several pathways that influence aging also regulate lipid metabolism enzymes; moreover, some of these enzymes apparently play key roles in the pathways that affect the rate of aging. By understanding how lipid biology is regulated during C. elegans aging, and how it impacts molecular, cellular, and organismal function, we may gain insight into novel ways to delay aging using genetic or pharmacological interventions. In the present review we discuss recent insights into the roles of lipids in C. elegans aging, including regulatory roles played by lipids themselves, the regulation of lipid metabolic enzymes, and the roles of lipid metabolism genes in the pathways that affect aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Shangming Hou
- Graduate Program in Cell and Developmental Biology, University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada
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39
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Small temporal RNAs in animal development. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2012; 22:368-73. [PMID: 22578317 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2012.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2012] [Revised: 04/03/2012] [Accepted: 04/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The lin-4/miR-125 and let-7 microRNAs are at the heart of the heterochronic pathway, which controls temporal cell fate determination during Caenorhabditis elegans development. These small temporal RNAs are clustered along with a third microRNA, miR-100, in the genomes of most animals. Their conserved temporal and neural expression profile suggests a general role in cell fate determination during nervous system differentiation. By triggering consecutive differentiation programs, these microRNAs probably help to determine birth-order dependent temporal identity and thereby contribute to neural stem cell multipotency.
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Abstract
Understanding why and how senescence evolved is of great importance in investigating the multiple, complex mechanisms that influence the course of ageing in humans and other organisms. Compelling arguments eliminate the idea that death is generally programmed by genes for ageing, but there is still a widespread tendency to interpret data in terms of loosely defined 'age regulation', which does not usually make either evolutionary or mechanistic sense. This review critically addresses the role of natural selection in shaping ageing within the life history and examines the implications for research on genetic pathways that influence the life span. It is recognised that in exceptional circumstances the possibility exists for selection to favour limiting survival. In acknowledging that, at least in theory, ageing might occasionally be adaptive, however, the high barriers to validating actual instances of adaptive ageing are made clear.
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41
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Parisi M, Li R, Oliver B. Lipid profiles of female and male Drosophila. BMC Res Notes 2011; 4:198. [PMID: 21676256 PMCID: PMC3146437 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-4-198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 06/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background D. melanogaster is increasingly used as a lipid metabolism model, but the D. melanogaster metabolome is not well studied. A number of studies strongly suggest that lipid metabolism is linked to sexual behavior and gametogenesis. Findings We determined the levels of 400 different lipids in the non-gonadal soma of D. melanogaster females and males. We found higher levels of saturated cholesterol esters and lysophosphatidylcholine in males, and higher levels of polyunsaturated cholesterol esters in females. We also determined the levels of these lipids in females and males without a germline to determine if the absence of gamete "sinks" for metabolic products, such as yolk and lipid deposits in eggs, altered somatic lipid profiles. We observed little change in lipid profiles between these samples. Conclusions Overall lipid compositions are similar between the sexes, although there are differences in saturation states of two lipid classes, where saturated fatty acids were male-biased and polyunsaturated fatty acids were female-biased. The presence of a germline did not significantly influence lipid profiles, raising the possibility that germline-dependent changes in metabolic gene expression patterns serve a homeostatic purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Parisi
- Section of Developmental Genomics, Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 50 South Drive, Bethesda MD 20892, USA.
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42
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Allard JB, Duan C. Comparative endocrinology of aging and longevity regulation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2011; 2:75. [PMID: 22654825 PMCID: PMC3356063 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2011.00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2011] [Accepted: 10/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hormones regulate growth, development, metabolism, and other complex processes in multicellular animals. For many years it has been suggested that hormones may also influence the rate of the aging process. Aging is a multifactorial process that causes biological systems to break down and cease to function in adult organisms as time passes, eventually leading to death. The exact underlying causes of the aging process remain a topic for debate, and clues that may shed light on these causes are eagerly sought after. In the last two decades, gene mutations that result in delayed aging and extended longevity have been discovered, and many of the affected genes have been components of endocrine signaling pathways. In this review we summarize the current knowledge on the roles of endocrine signaling in the regulation of aging and longevity in various animals. We begin by discussing the notion that conserved systems, including endocrine signaling pathways, "regulate" the aging process. Findings from the major model organisms: worms, flies, and rodents, are then outlined. Unique lessons from studies of non-traditional models: bees, salmon, and naked mole rats, are also discussed. Finally, we summarize the endocrinology of aging in humans, including changes in hormone levels with age, and the involvement of hormones in aging-related diseases. The most well studied and widely conserved endocrine pathway that affects aging is the insulin/insulin-like growth factor system. Mutations in genes of this pathway increase the lifespan of worms, flies, and mice. Population genetic evidence also suggests this pathway's involvement in human aging. Other hormones including steroids have been linked to aging only in a subset of the models studied. Because of the value of comparative studies, it is suggested that the aging field could benefit from adoption of additional model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B. Allard
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Cunming Duan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI, USA
- *Correspondence: Cunming Duan, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Natural Science Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. e-mail:
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