1
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Ginley-Hidinger M, Abewe H, Osborne K, Richey A, Kitchen N, Mortenson KL, Wissink EM, Lis J, Zhang X, Gertz J. Cis-regulatory control of transcriptional timing and noise in response to estrogen. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100542. [PMID: 38663407 PMCID: PMC11099348 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Cis-regulatory elements control transcription levels, temporal dynamics, and cell-cell variation or transcriptional noise. However, the combination of regulatory features that control these different attributes is not fully understood. Here, we used single-cell RNA-seq during an estrogen treatment time course and machine learning to identify predictors of expression timing and noise. We found that genes with multiple active enhancers exhibit faster temporal responses. We verified this finding by showing that manipulation of enhancer activity changes the temporal response of estrogen target genes. Analysis of transcriptional noise uncovered a relationship between promoter and enhancer activity, with active promoters associated with low noise and active enhancers linked to high noise. Finally, we observed that co-expression across single cells is an emergent property associated with chromatin looping, timing, and noise. Overall, our results indicate a fundamental tradeoff between a gene's ability to quickly respond to incoming signals and maintain low variation across cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Ginley-Hidinger
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Hosiana Abewe
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Kyle Osborne
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Alexandra Richey
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Noel Kitchen
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Katelyn L Mortenson
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Erin M Wissink
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John Lis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Zhang
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jason Gertz
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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2
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Ginley-Hidinger M, Abewe H, Osborne K, Richey A, Kitchen N, Mortenson KL, Wissink EM, Lis J, Zhang X, Gertz J. Cis-regulatory control of transcriptional timing and noise in response to estrogen. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.03.14.532457. [PMID: 36993565 PMCID: PMC10054948 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.532457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Cis-regulatory elements control transcription levels, temporal dynamics, and cell-cell variation or transcriptional noise. However, the combination of regulatory features that control these different attributes is not fully understood. Here, we used single cell RNA-seq during an estrogen treatment time course and machine learning to identify predictors of expression timing and noise. We find that genes with multiple active enhancers exhibit faster temporal responses. We verified this finding by showing that manipulation of enhancer activity changes the temporal response of estrogen target genes. Analysis of transcriptional noise uncovered a relationship between promoter and enhancer activity, with active promoters associated with low noise and active enhancers linked to high noise. Finally, we observed that co-expression across single cells is an emergent property associated with chromatin looping, timing, and noise. Overall, our results indicate a fundamental tradeoff between a gene's ability to quickly respond to incoming signals and maintain low variation across cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Ginley-Hidinger
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Hosiana Abewe
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Kyle Osborne
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Alexandra Richey
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Noel Kitchen
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Katelyn L. Mortenson
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Erin M. Wissink
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John Lis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Zhang
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jason Gertz
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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3
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Gonuguntla S, Humphrey RK, Gorantla A, Hao E, Jhala US. Stress-induced pseudokinase TRB3 augments IL1β signaling by interacting with Flightless homolog 1. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104803. [PMID: 37172723 PMCID: PMC10432976 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-1β is one of the most potent inducers of beta cell inflammation in the lead-up to type 1 diabetes. We have previously reported that IL1β-stimulated pancreatic islets from mice with genetic ablation of stress-induced pseudokinase TRB3(TRB3KO) show attenuated activation kinetics for the MAP3K MLK3 and JNK stress kinases. However, JNK signaling constitutes only a portion of the cytokine-induced inflammatory response. Here we report that TRB3KO islets also show a decrease in amplitude and duration of IL1β-induced phosphorylation of TAK1 and IKK, kinases that drive the potent NF-κB proinflammatory signaling pathway. We observed that TRB3KO islets display decreased cytokine-induced beta cell death, preceded by a decrease in select downstream NF-κB targets, including iNOS/NOS2 (inducible nitric oxide synthase), a mediator of beta cell dysfunction and death. Thus, loss of TRB3 attenuates both pathways required for a cytokine-inducible, proapoptotic response in beta cells. In order to better understand the molecular basis of TRB3-enhanced, post-receptor IL1β signaling, we interrogated the TRB3 interactome using coimmunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry to identify immunomodulatory protein Flightless homolog 1 (Fli1) as a novel, TRB3-interacting protein. We show that TRB3 binds and disrupts Fli1-dependent sequestration of MyD88, thereby increasing availability of this most proximal adaptor required for IL1β receptor-dependent signaling. Fli1 sequesters MyD88 in a multiprotein complex resulting in a brake on the assembly of downstream signaling complexes. By interacting with Fli1, we propose that TRB3 lifts the brake on IL1β signaling to augment the proinflammatory response in beta cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumati Gonuguntla
- Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Rohan K Humphrey
- Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Akshita Gorantla
- Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Ergeng Hao
- Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Ulupi S Jhala
- Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
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4
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Sheu KM, Guru AA, Hoffmann A. Quantifying stimulus-response specificity to probe the functional state of macrophages. Cell Syst 2023; 14:180-195.e5. [PMID: 36657439 PMCID: PMC10023480 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Immune sentinel macrophages initiate responses to pathogens via hundreds of immune response genes. Each immune threat demands a tailored response, suggesting that the capacity for stimulus-specific gene expression is a key functional hallmark of healthy macrophages. To quantify this property, termed "stimulus-response specificity" (SRS), we developed a single-cell experimental workflow and analytical approaches based on information theory and machine learning. We found that the response specificity of macrophages is driven by combinations of specific immune genes that show low cell-to-cell heterogeneity and are targets of separate signaling pathways. The "response specificity profile," a systematic comparison of multiple stimulus-response distributions, was distinctly altered by polarizing cytokines, and it enabled an assessment of the functional state of macrophages. Indeed, the response specificity profile of peritoneal macrophages from old and obese mice showed characteristic differences, suggesting that SRS may be a basis for measuring the functional state of innate immune cells. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Sheu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, and Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093, USA
| | - Aditya A Guru
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, and Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093, USA
| | - Alexander Hoffmann
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, and Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093, USA.
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5
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Kumar P, Gangopadhyay G. Glycolytic Wave Patterns in a Simple Reaction-diffusion System with Inhomogeneous Influx: Dynamic Transitions. Chemphyschem 2023; 24:e202200643. [PMID: 36478341 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202200643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
An inhomogeneous profile of chemostatted species generates a rich variety of patterns in glycolytic waves depicted in a Selkov reaction-diffusion framework here. A key role played by diffusion amplitude and symmetry in the chemostatted species profile in dictating the fate of local spatial dynamics involving periodic, quasiperiodic, and chaotic patterns and transitions among them are investigated systematically. More importantly, various dynamic transitions, including wave propagation direction changes, are illustrated in interesting situations. Besides numerical results, our analytical formulation of the amplitude equation connecting complex Ginzburg-Landau and Lambda-omega representation shed light on the phase dynamics of the system. This systematic study of the glycolytic reaction-diffusion wave is in line with previous experimental results in open spatial reactor and will provide a knowledge about the dynamics that shape and control biological information processing and related phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premashis Kumar
- S. N. Bose National Centre For Basic Sciences, Block-JD, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata, 700 106, India
| | - Gautam Gangopadhyay
- S. N. Bose National Centre For Basic Sciences, Block-JD, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata, 700 106, India
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6
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Biswas S, Tikader B, Kar S, Viswanathan GA. Modulation of signaling cross-talk between pJNK and pAKT generates optimal apoptotic response. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010626. [PMID: 36240239 PMCID: PMC9604984 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010626] [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: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is a well-known modulator of apoptosis by maintaining a balance between proliferation and cell-death in normal cells. Cancer cells often evade apoptotic response following TNFα stimulation by altering signaling cross-talks. Thus, varying the extent of signaling cross-talk could enable optimal TNFα mediated apoptotic dynamics. Herein, we use an experimental data-driven mathematical modeling to quantitate the extent of synergistic signaling cross-talk between the intracellular entities phosphorylated JNK (pJNK) and phosphorylated AKT (pAKT) that orchestrate the phenotypic apoptosis level by modulating the activated Caspase3 dynamics. Our study reveals that this modulation is orchestrated by the distinct dynamic nature of the synergism at early and late phases. We show that this synergism in signal flow is governed by branches originating from either TNFα receptor and NFκB, which facilitates signaling through survival pathways. We demonstrate that the experimentally quantified apoptosis levels semi-quantitatively correlates with the model simulated Caspase3 transients. Interestingly, perturbing pJNK and pAKT transient dynamics fine-tunes this accumulated Caspase3 guided apoptotic response. Thus, our study offers useful insights for identifying potential targeted therapies for optimal apoptotic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharmila Biswas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Baishakhi Tikader
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Sandip Kar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
- * E-mail: (SK); (GAV)
| | - Ganesh A. Viswanathan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
- * E-mail: (SK); (GAV)
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7
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Encoding and decoding NF-κB nuclear dynamics. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2022; 77:102103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2022.102103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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8
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Kim J, Sheu KM, Cheng QJ, Hoffmann A, Enciso G. Stochastic models of nucleosome dynamics reveal regulatory rules of stimulus-induced epigenome remodeling. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111076. [PMID: 35830792 PMCID: PMC10074953 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomic positions of nucleosomes are a defining feature of the cell's epigenomic state, but signal-dependent transcription factors (SDTFs), upon activation, bind to specific genomic locations and modify nucleosome positioning. Here we leverage SDTFs as perturbation probes to learn about nucleosome dynamics in living cells. We develop Markov models of nucleosome dynamics and fit them to time course sequencing data of DNA accessibility. We find that (1) the dynamics of DNA unwrapping are significantly slower in cells than reported from cell-free experiments, (2) only models with cooperativity in wrapping and unwrapping fit the available data, (3) SDTF activity produces the highest eviction probability when its binding site is adjacent to but not on the nucleosome dyad, and (4) oscillatory SDTF activity results in high location variability. Our work uncovers the regulatory rules governing SDTF-induced nucleosome dynamics in live cells, which can predict chromatin accessibility alterations during inflammation at single-nucleosome resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsu Kim
- Department of Mathematics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea
| | - Katherine M Sheu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Quen J Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alexander Hoffmann
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - German Enciso
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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9
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Signaling oscillations in embryonic development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 149:341-372. [PMID: 35606060 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Tight spatiotemporal control of cellular behavior and cell fate decisions is paramount to the formation of multicellular organisms during embryonic development. Intercellular communication via signaling pathways mediates this control. Interestingly, these signaling pathways are not static, but dynamic and change in activity over time. Signaling oscillations as a specific type of dynamics are found in various signaling pathways and model systems. Functions of oscillations include the regulation of periodic events or the transmission of information by encoding signals in the dynamic properties of a signaling pathway. For instance, signaling oscillations in neural or pancreatic progenitor cells modulate their proliferation and differentiation. Oscillations between neighboring cells can also be synchronized, leading to the emergence of waves traveling through the tissue. Such population-wide signaling oscillations regulate for example the consecutive segmentation of vertebrate embryos, a process called somitogenesis. Here, we outline our current understanding of signaling oscillations in embryonic development, how signaling oscillations are generated, how they are studied and how they contribute to the regulation of embryonic development.
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10
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NfκB signaling dynamics and their target genes differ between mouse blood cell types and induce distinct cell behavior. Blood 2022; 140:99-111. [PMID: 35468185 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021012918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells can use signaling pathway activity over time (i.e., dynamics) to control cell fates. However, little is known about the potential existence and function of signaling dynamics in primary hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Here, we use time-lapse imaging and tracking of single murine HSPCs from GFP-p65/H2BmCherry reporter mice to quantify their nuclear factor κB (NfκB) activity dynamics in response to TNFα and IL1β. We find response dynamics to be heterogeneous between individual cells, with cell type specific dynamics distributions. Transcriptome sequencing of single cells physically isolated after live dynamics quantification shows activation of different target gene programs in cells with different dynamics. Finally, artificial induction of oscillatory NfκB activity causes changes in GMP behavior. Thus, HSPC behavior can be influenced by signaling dynamics, which are tightly regulated during hematopoietic differentiation and enable cell type specific responses to the same signaling inputs.
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11
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IκBα is required for full transcriptional induction of some NFκB-regulated genes in response to TNF in MCF-7 cells. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2021; 7:42. [PMID: 34853340 PMCID: PMC8636565 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-021-00204-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory stimuli triggers the degradation of three inhibitory κB (IκB) proteins, allowing for nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) for transcriptional induction of its target genes. Of these three, IκBα is a well-known negative feedback regulator that limits the duration of NFκB activity. We sought to determine whether IκBα's role in enabling or limiting NFκB activation is important for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced gene expression in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Contrary to our expectations, many more TNF-response genes showed reduced induction than enhanced induction in IκBα knockdown cells. Mathematical modeling was used to investigate the underlying mechanism. We found that the reduced activation of some NFκB target genes in IκBα-deficient cells could be explained by the incoherent feedforward loop (IFFL) model. In addition, for a subset of genes, prolonged NFκB activity due to loss of negative feedback control did not prolong their transient activation; this implied a multi-state transcription cycle control of gene induction. Genes encoding key inflammation-related transcription factors, such as JUNB and KLF10, were found to be best represented by a model that contained both the IFFL and the transcription cycle motif. Our analysis sheds light on the regulatory strategies that safeguard inflammatory gene expression from overproduction and repositions the function of IκBα not only as a negative feedback regulator of NFκB but also as an enabler of NFκB-regulated stimulus-responsive inflammatory gene expression. This study indicates the complex involvement of IκBα in the inflammatory response to TNF that is induced by radiation therapy in breast cancer.
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12
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Guo L, Zhu K, Pargett M, Contreras A, Tsai P, Qing Q, Losert W, Albeck J, Zhao M. Electrically synchronizing and modulating the dynamics of ERK activation to regulate cell fate. iScience 2021; 24:103240. [PMID: 34746704 PMCID: PMC8554532 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular signaling dynamics play fundamental roles in cell biology. Precise modulation of the amplitude, duration, and frequency of signaling activation will be a powerful approach to investigate molecular mechanisms as well as to engineer signaling to control cell behaviors. Here, we showed a practical approach to achieve precise amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), and duration modulation (DM) of MAP kinase activation. Alternating current (AC) electrical stimulation induced synchronized ERK activation. Amplitude and duration of ERK activation were controlled by varying stimulation strength and duration. ERK activation frequencies were arbitrarily modulated with trains of short AC applications with accurately defined intervals. Significantly, ERK dynamics coded by well-designed AC can rewire PC12 cell fate independent of growth factors. This technique can be used to synchronize and modulate ERK activation dynamics, thus would offer a practical way to control cell behaviors in vivo without the use of biochemical agents or genetic manipulation. Alternating-current (AC) electric field activates ERK independently of growth factors AC stimulation length modulates the amplitude and duration of ERK activation On-off time interval of AC modulates the frequency of ERK activation peaks Electrical modulation of ERK dynamics promotes neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Guo
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.,College of Intelligent Systems Science and Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
| | - Kan Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Michael Pargett
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Adam Contreras
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Patrick Tsai
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Quan Qing
- Department of Physics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Wolfgang Losert
- Department of Physics, Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - John Albeck
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Min Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
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13
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Lee JB, Caywood LM, Lo JY, Levering N, Keung AJ. Mapping the dynamic transfer functions of eukaryotic gene regulation. Cell Syst 2021; 12:1079-1093.e6. [PMID: 34469745 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2021.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Biological information can be encoded within the dynamics of signaling components, which has been implicated in a broad range of physiological processes including stress response, oncogenesis, and stem cell differentiation. To study the complexity of information transfer across the eukaryotic promoter, we screened 119 dynamic conditions-modulating the pulse frequency, amplitude, and pulse width of light-regulating the binding of an epigenome editor to a fluorescent reporter. This system revealed tunable gene expression and filtering behaviors and provided a quantification of the limit to the amount of information that can be reliably transferred across a single promoter as ∼1.7 bits. Using a library of over 100 orthogonal chromatin regulators, we further determined that chromatin state could be used to tune mutual information and expression levels, as well as completely alter the input-output transfer function of the promoter. This system unlocks the information-rich content of eukaryotic gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica B Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Leandra M Caywood
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Jennifer Y Lo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Nicholas Levering
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Albert J Keung
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
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14
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Stimulus-specific responses in innate immunity: Multilayered regulatory circuits. Immunity 2021; 54:1915-1932. [PMID: 34525335 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Immune sentinel cells initiate immune responses to pathogens and tissue injury and are capable of producing highly stimulus-specific responses. Insight into the mechanisms underlying such specificity has come from the identification of regulatory factors and biochemical pathways, as well as the definition of signaling circuits that enable combinatorial and temporal coding of information. Here, we review the multi-layered molecular mechanisms that underlie stimulus-specific gene expression in macrophages. We categorize components of inflammatory and anti-pathogenic signaling pathways into five layers of regulatory control and discuss unifying mechanisms determining signaling characteristics at each layer. In this context, we review mechanisms that enable combinatorial and temporal encoding of information, identify recurring regulatory motifs and principles, and present strategies for integrating experimental and computational approaches toward the understanding of signaling specificity in innate immunity.
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15
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Kumar P, Gangopadhyay G. Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of glycolytic traveling wave: Benjamin-Feir instability. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:014221. [PMID: 34412344 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.014221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Evolution of the nonequilibrium thermodynamic entities corresponding to dynamics of the Hopf instabilities and traveling waves at a nonequilibrium steady state of a spatially extended glycolysis model is assessed here by implementing an analytically tractable scheme incorporating a complex Ginzburg-Landau equation (CGLE). In the presence of self and cross diffusion, a more general amplitude equation exploiting the multiscale Krylov-Bogoliubov averaging method serves as an essential tool to reveal the various dynamical instability criteria, especially Benjamin-Feir (BF) instability, to estimate the corresponding nonlinear dispersion relation of the traveling wave pattern. The critical control parameter, wave-number selection criteria, and magnitude of the complex amplitude for traveling waves are modified by self- and cross-diffusion coefficients within the oscillatory regime, and their variabilities are exhibited against the amplitude equation. Unlike the traveling waves, a low-amplitude broad region appears for the Hopf instability in the concentration dynamics as the system phase passes through minima during its variation with the control parameter. The total entropy production rate of the uniform Hopf oscillation and glycolysis wave not only qualitatively reflects the global dynamics of concentrations of intermediate species but almost quantitatively. Despite the crucial role of diffusion in generating and shaping the traveling waves, the diffusive part of the entropy production rate has a negligible contribution to the system's total entropy production rate. The Hopf instability shows a more complex and colossal change in the energy profile of the open nonlinear system than in the traveling waves. A detailed analysis of BF instability shows a contrary nature of the semigrand Gibbs free energy with discrete and continuous wave numbers for the traveling wave. We hope the Hopf and traveling wave pattern around the BF instability in terms of energetics and dissipation will open up new applications of such dynamical phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premashis Kumar
- S. N. Bose National Centre For Basic Sciences, Block-JD, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 106, India
| | - Gautam Gangopadhyay
- S. N. Bose National Centre For Basic Sciences, Block-JD, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 106, India
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16
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Parsons AM, Darling EM. Temporal responsiveness of adipose-derived stem/stromal cell immune plasticity. Exp Cell Res 2021; 406:112738. [PMID: 34270981 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We determined the role of time in adipose-derived stem/stromal cell (ASC) response to a model inflammatory environment. ASCs and other mesenchymal stem/stromal cells exhibit immune plasticity. We evaluated the persistence of pro- and anti-inflammatory phenotypes for ASCs exposed to a sustained or pulse inflammatory stimulus. Using qPCR, flow cytometry, and immunocytochemistry, we monitored the temporal expression and up-regulation patterns of a pro-inflammatory gene (caspase 1), a pleiotropic gene/protein (interleukin 6, IL-6), and an anti-inflammatory gene/protein (indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase, IDO1) after exposing ASCs to the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ. In response to sustained cytokine stimulation, we discovered that time played a role in the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory ASC phenotypes. IL-6 was present at all time points for both cytokine-stimulated and non-stimulated conditions, whereas IDO1 was heterogeneously up-regulated in stimulated conditions at later time points. After a pulse stimulus, ASC immunoresponse remained consistent for 96-168 h. As a final measure of immune plasticity, we cultured cytokine-stimulated ASCs with blood-derived macrophages to observe macrophage polarization. While the presence of ASCs altered macrophage phenotype, there was no dependency on the length of ASC cytokine exposure time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric M Darling
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, United States; Center for Biomedical Engineering, Brown University, United States; School of Engineering, Brown University, United States; Department of Orthopaedics, Brown University, United States.
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17
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Kearney AL, Norris DM, Ghomlaghi M, Kin Lok Wong M, Humphrey SJ, Carroll L, Yang G, Cooke KC, Yang P, Geddes TA, Shin S, Fazakerley DJ, Nguyen LK, James DE, Burchfield JG. Akt phosphorylates insulin receptor substrate to limit PI3K-mediated PIP3 synthesis. eLife 2021; 10:e66942. [PMID: 34253290 PMCID: PMC8277355 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt network is tightly controlled by feedback mechanisms that regulate signal flow and ensure signal fidelity. A rapid overshoot in insulin-stimulated recruitment of Akt to the plasma membrane has previously been reported, which is indicative of negative feedback operating on acute timescales. Here, we show that Akt itself engages this negative feedback by phosphorylating insulin receptor substrate (IRS) 1 and 2 on a number of residues. Phosphorylation results in the depletion of plasma membrane-localised IRS1/2, reducing the pool available for interaction with the insulin receptor. Together these events limit plasma membrane-associated PI3K and phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3) synthesis. We identified two Akt-dependent phosphorylation sites in IRS2 at S306 (S303 in mouse) and S577 (S573 in mouse) that are key drivers of this negative feedback. These findings establish a novel mechanism by which the kinase Akt acutely controls PIP3 abundance, through post-translational modification of the IRS scaffold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison L Kearney
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Dougall M Norris
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
- Metabolic Research Laboratories, Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Milad Ghomlaghi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Martin Kin Lok Wong
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Sean J Humphrey
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Luke Carroll
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Guang Yang
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Kristen C Cooke
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Pengyi Yang
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
- Computational Systems Biology Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of SydneyWestmeadAustralia
| | - Thomas A Geddes
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
- Computational Systems Biology Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of SydneyWestmeadAustralia
| | - Sungyoung Shin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Daniel J Fazakerley
- Metabolic Research Laboratories, Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Lan K Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - David E James
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
- School of Medical Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - James G Burchfield
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
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18
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Kull T, Schroeder T. Analyzing signaling activity and function in hematopoietic cells. J Exp Med 2021; 218:e20201546. [PMID: 34129015 PMCID: PMC8210623 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20201546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells constantly sense their environment, allowing the adaption of cell behavior to changing needs. Fine-tuned responses to complex inputs are computed by signaling pathways, which are wired in complex connected networks. Their activity is highly context-dependent, dynamic, and heterogeneous even between closely related individual cells. Despite lots of progress, our understanding of the precise implementation, relevance, and possible manipulation of cellular signaling in health and disease therefore remains limited. Here, we discuss the requirements, potential, and limitations of the different current technologies for the analysis of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell signaling and its effect on cell fates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timm Schroeder
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
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19
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Watson J, Schwartz JM, Francavilla C. Using Multilayer Heterogeneous Networks to Infer Functions of Phosphorylated Sites. J Proteome Res 2021; 20:3532-3548. [PMID: 34164982 PMCID: PMC8256419 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Mass spectrometry-based quantitative phosphoproteomics has become an essential approach in the study of cellular processes such as signaling. Commonly used methods to analyze phosphoproteomics datasets depend on generic, gene-centric annotations such as Gene Ontology terms, which do not account for the function of a protein in a particular phosphorylation state. Analysis of phosphoproteomics data is hampered by a lack of phosphorylated site-specific annotations. We propose a method that combines shotgun phosphoproteomics data, protein-protein interactions, and functional annotations into a heterogeneous multilayer network. Phosphorylation sites are associated to potential functions using a random walk on the heterogeneous network (RWHN) algorithm. We validated our approach against a model of the MAPK/ERK pathway and functional annotations from PhosphoSitePlus and were able to associate differentially regulated sites on the same proteins to their previously described specific functions. We further tested the algorithm on three previously published datasets and were able to reproduce their experimentally validated conclusions and to associate phosphorylation sites with known functions based on their regulatory patterns. Our approach provides a refinement of commonly used analysis methods and accurately predicts context-specific functions for sites with similar phosphorylation profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Watson
- Division
of Evolution & Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K.
- Division
of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K.
| | - Jean-Marc Schwartz
- Division
of Evolution & Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K.
| | - Chiara Francavilla
- Division
of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K.
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20
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Dowbaj AM, Jenkins RP, Williamson D, Heddleston JM, Ciccarelli A, Fallesen T, Hahn KM, O'Dea RD, King JR, Montagner M, Sahai E. An optogenetic method for interrogating YAP1 and TAZ nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:jcs253484. [PMID: 34060624 PMCID: PMC8313864 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.253484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The shuttling of transcription factors and transcriptional regulators into and out of the nucleus is central to the regulation of many biological processes. Here we describe a new method for studying the rates of nuclear entry and exit of transcriptional regulators. A photo-responsive LOV (light-oxygen-voltage) domain from Avena sativa is used to sequester fluorescently labelled transcriptional regulators YAP1 and TAZ (also known as WWTR1) on the surface of mitochondria and to reversibly release them upon blue light illumination. After dissociation, fluorescent signals from the mitochondria, cytoplasm and nucleus are extracted by a bespoke app and used to generate rates of nuclear entry and exit. Using this method, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of YAP1 on canonical sites enhances its rate of nuclear export. Moreover, we provide evidence that, despite high intercellular variability, YAP1 import and export rates correlate within the same cell. By simultaneously releasing YAP1 and TAZ from sequestration, we show that their rates of entry and exit are correlated. Furthermore, combining the optogenetic release of YAP1 with lattice light-sheet microscopy reveals high heterogeneity of YAP1 dynamics within different cytoplasmic regions, demonstrating the utility and versatility of our tool to study protein dynamics. This article has an associated First Person interview with Anna M. Dowbaj, joint first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Dowbaj
- Tumour Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Robert P. Jenkins
- Tumour Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Daniel Williamson
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - John M. Heddleston
- Advanced Imaging Center, Janelia Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Alessandro Ciccarelli
- Advanced Light Microscopy, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT, London, UK
| | - Todd Fallesen
- Advanced Light Microscopy, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT, London, UK
| | - Klaus M. Hahn
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7365, USA
| | - Reuben D. O'Dea
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - John R. King
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Marco Montagner
- Tumour Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35126 Padova, Italy
| | - Erik Sahai
- Tumour Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
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21
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Cheng QJ, Ohta S, Sheu KM, Spreafico R, Adelaja A, Taylor B, Hoffmann A. NF-κB dynamics determine the stimulus specificity of epigenomic reprogramming in macrophages. Science 2021; 372:1349-1353. [PMID: 34140389 PMCID: PMC8489855 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc0269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The epigenome of macrophages can be reprogrammed by extracellular cues, but the extent to which different stimuli achieve this is unclear. Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is a transcription factor that is activated by all pathogen-associated stimuli and can reprogram the epigenome by activating latent enhancers. However, we show that NF-κB does so only in response to a subset of stimuli. This stimulus specificity depends on the temporal dynamics of NF-κB activity, in particular whether it is oscillatory or non-oscillatory. Non-oscillatory NF-κB opens chromatin by sustained disruption of nucleosomal histone-DNA interactions, enabling activation of latent enhancers that modulate expression of immune response genes. Thus, temporal dynamics can determine a transcription factor's capacity to reprogram the epigenome in a stimulus-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quen J Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of Infectious, Diseases Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Sho Ohta
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Katherine M Sheu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Roberto Spreafico
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Adewunmi Adelaja
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Brooks Taylor
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Alexander Hoffmann
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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22
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Jaeger J, Monk N. Dynamical modules in metabolism, cell and developmental biology. Interface Focus 2021; 11:20210011. [PMID: 34055307 PMCID: PMC8086940 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2021.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Modularity is an essential feature of any adaptive complex system. Phenotypic traits are modules in the sense that they have a distinguishable structure or function, which can vary (quasi-)independently from its context. Since all phenotypic traits are the product of some underlying regulatory dynamics, the generative processes that constitute the genotype-phenotype map must also be functionally modular. Traditionally, modular processes have been identified as structural modules in regulatory networks. However, structure only constrains, but does not determine, the dynamics of a process. Here, we propose an alternative approach that decomposes the behaviour of a complex regulatory system into elementary activity-functions. Modular activities can occur in networks that show no structural modularity, making dynamical modularity more widely applicable than structural decomposition. Furthermore, the behaviour of a regulatory system closely mirrors its functional contribution to the outcome of a process, which makes dynamical modularity particularly suited for functional decomposition. We illustrate our approach with numerous examples from the study of metabolism, cellular processes, as well as development and pattern formation. We argue that dynamical modules provide a shared conceptual foundation for developmental and evolutionary biology, and serve as the foundation for a new account of process homology, which is presented in a separate contribution by DiFrisco and Jaeger to this focus issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Jaeger
- Complexity Science Hub (CSH) Vienna, Josefstädter Strasse 39, 1080 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nick Monk
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
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23
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Wu Y, Wu J, Deng M, Lin Y. Yeast cell fate control by temporal redundancy modulation of transcription factor paralogs. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3145. [PMID: 34035307 PMCID: PMC8149833 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23425-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent single-cell studies have revealed that yeast stress response involves transcription factors that are activated in pulses. However, it remains unclear whether and how these dynamic transcription factors temporally interact to regulate stress survival. Here we show that budding yeast cells can exploit the temporal relationship between paralogous general stress regulators, Msn2 and Msn4, during stress response. We find that individual pulses of Msn2 and Msn4 are largely redundant, and cells can enhance the expression of their shared targets by increasing their temporal divergence. Thus, functional redundancy between these two paralogs is modulated in a dynamic manner to confer fitness advantages for yeast cells, which might feed back to promote the preservation of their redundancy. This evolutionary implication is supported by evidence from Msn2/Msn4 orthologs and analyses of other transcription factor paralogs. Together, we show a cell fate control mechanism through temporal redundancy modulation in yeast, which may represent an evolutionarily important strategy for maintaining functional redundancy between gene duplicates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wu
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaqi Wu
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Minghua Deng
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Center for Statistical Science, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yihan Lin
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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24
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Adelaja A, Taylor B, Sheu KM, Liu Y, Luecke S, Hoffmann A. Six distinct NFκB signaling codons convey discrete information to distinguish stimuli and enable appropriate macrophage responses. Immunity 2021; 54:916-930.e7. [PMID: 33979588 PMCID: PMC8184127 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages initiate inflammatory responses via the transcription factor NFκB. The temporal pattern of NFκB activity determines which genes are expressed and thus, the type of response that ensues. Here, we examined how information about the stimulus is encoded in the dynamics of NFκB activity. We generated an mVenus-RelA reporter mouse line to enable high-throughput live-cell analysis of primary macrophages responding to host- and pathogen-derived stimuli. An information-theoretic workflow identified six dynamical features-termed signaling codons-that convey stimulus information to the nucleus. In particular, oscillatory trajectories were a hallmark of responses to cytokine but not pathogen-derived stimuli. Single-cell imaging and RNA sequencing of macrophages from a mouse model of Sjögren's syndrome revealed inappropriate responses to stimuli, suggestive of confusion of two NFκB signaling codons. Thus, the dynamics of NFκB signaling classify immune threats through six signaling codons, and signal confusion based on defective codon deployment may underlie the etiology of some inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adewunmi Adelaja
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio), Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), and Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093
| | - Brooks Taylor
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio), Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), and Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093
| | - Katherine M Sheu
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio), Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), and Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093
| | - Yi Liu
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio), Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), and Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093
| | - Stefanie Luecke
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio), Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), and Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093
| | - Alexander Hoffmann
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCBio), Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), and Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 611 Charles E. Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90093.
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25
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Jurado M, Castaño Ó, Zorzano A. Stochastic modulation evidences a transitory EGF-Ras-ERK MAPK activity induced by PRMT5. Comput Biol Med 2021; 133:104339. [PMID: 33910125 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway involves a three-step cascade of kinases that transduce signals and promote processes such as cell growth, development, and apoptosis. An aberrant response of this pathway is related to the proliferation of cell diseases and tumors. By using simulation modeling, we document that the protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) modulates the MAPK pathway and thus avoids an aberrant behavior. PRMT5 methylates the Raf kinase, reducing its catalytic activity and thereby, reducing the activation of ERK in time and amplitude. Two minimal computational models of the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-Ras-ERK MAPK pathway influenced by PRMT5 were proposed: a first model in which PRMT5 is activated by EGF and a second one in which PRMT5 is stimulated by the cascade response. The reported results show that PRMT5 reduces the time duration and the expression of the activated ERK in both cases, but only in the first model PRMT5 limits the EGF range that generates an ERK activation. Based on our data, we propose the protein PRMT5 as a regulatory factor to develop strategies to fight against an excessive activity of the MAPK pathway, which could be of use in chronic diseases and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Jurado
- Biotechnology Ph.D. Programme, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Óscar Castaño
- Electronics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN, Madrid, Spain; Bioelectronics Unit and Nanobioengineering Lab., Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology of the University of Barcelona (IN2UB), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Antonio Zorzano
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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26
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Boussard A, Fessel A, Oettmeier C, Briard L, Döbereiner HG, Dussutour A. Adaptive behaviour and learning in slime moulds: the role of oscillations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190757. [PMID: 33487112 PMCID: PMC7935053 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The slime mould Physarum polycephalum, an aneural organism, uses information from previous experiences to adjust its behaviour, but the mechanisms by which this is accomplished remain unknown. This article examines the possible role of oscillations in learning and memory in slime moulds. Slime moulds share surprising similarities with the network of synaptic connections in animal brains. First, their topology derives from a network of interconnected, vein-like tubes in which signalling molecules are transported. Second, network motility, which generates slime mould behaviour, is driven by distinct oscillations that organize into spatio-temporal wave patterns. Likewise, neural activity in the brain is organized in a variety of oscillations characterized by different frequencies. Interestingly, the oscillating networks of slime moulds are not precursors of nervous systems but, rather, an alternative architecture. Here, we argue that comparable information-processing operations can be realized on different architectures sharing similar oscillatory properties. After describing learning abilities and oscillatory activities of P. polycephalum, we explore the relation between network oscillations and learning, and evaluate the organism's global architecture with respect to information-processing potential. We hypothesize that, as in the brain, modulation of spontaneous oscillations may sustain learning in slime mould. This article is part of the theme issue 'Basal cognition: conceptual tools and the view from the single cell'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurèle Boussard
- Research Centre on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse 31062, France
| | - Adrian Fessel
- Institut für Biophysik, Universität Bremen, Otto-Hahn-Allee 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Christina Oettmeier
- Institut für Biophysik, Universität Bremen, Otto-Hahn-Allee 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Léa Briard
- Research Centre on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse 31062, France
| | | | - Audrey Dussutour
- Research Centre on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse 31062, France
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27
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Haggerty RA, Purvis JE. Inferring the structures of signaling motifs from paired dynamic traces of single cells. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008657. [PMID: 33539338 PMCID: PMC7889133 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual cells show variability in their signaling dynamics that often correlates with phenotypic responses, indicating that cell-to-cell variability is not merely noise but can have functional consequences. Based on this observation, we reasoned that cell-to-cell variability under the same treatment condition could be explained in part by a single signaling motif that maps different upstream signals into a corresponding set of downstream responses. If this assumption holds, then repeated measurements of upstream and downstream signaling dynamics in a population of cells could provide information about the underlying signaling motif for a given pathway, even when no prior knowledge of that motif exists. To test these two hypotheses, we developed a computer algorithm called MISC (Motif Inference from Single Cells) that infers the underlying signaling motif from paired time-series measurements from individual cells. When applied to measurements of transcription factor and reporter gene expression in the yeast stress response, MISC predicted signaling motifs that were consistent with previous mechanistic models of transcription. The ability to detect the underlying mechanism became less certain when a cell's upstream signal was randomly paired with another cell's downstream response, demonstrating how averaging time-series measurements across a population obscures information about the underlying signaling mechanism. In some cases, motif predictions improved as more cells were added to the analysis. These results provide evidence that mechanistic information about cellular signaling networks can be systematically extracted from the dynamical patterns of single cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond A. Haggerty
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Computational Medicine Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Curriculum for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jeremy E. Purvis
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Computational Medicine Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Curriculum for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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28
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SoRelle ED, Dai J, Bonglack EN, Heckenberg EM, Zhou JY, Giamberardino SN, Bailey JA, Gregory SG, Chan C, Luftig MA. Single-cell RNA-seq reveals transcriptomic heterogeneity mediated by host-pathogen dynamics in lymphoblastoid cell lines. eLife 2021; 10:62586. [PMID: 33501914 PMCID: PMC7867410 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) are generated by transforming primary B cells with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and are used extensively as model systems in viral oncology, immunology, and human genetics research. In this study, we characterized single-cell transcriptomic profiles of five LCLs and present a simple discrete-time simulation to explore the influence of stochasticity on LCL clonal evolution. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed substantial phenotypic heterogeneity within and across LCLs with respect to immunoglobulin isotype; virus-modulated host pathways involved in survival, activation, and differentiation; viral replication state; and oxidative stress. This heterogeneity is likely attributable to intrinsic variance in primary B cells and host–pathogen dynamics. Stochastic simulations demonstrate that initial primary cell heterogeneity, random sampling, time in culture, and even mild differences in phenotype-specific fitness can contribute substantially to dynamic diversity in populations of nominally clonal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliott D SoRelle
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States.,Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
| | - Joanne Dai
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
| | - Emmanuela N Bonglack
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
| | - Emma M Heckenberg
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
| | - Jeffrey Y Zhou
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Stephanie N Giamberardino
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
| | - Jeffrey A Bailey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, United States
| | - Simon G Gregory
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
| | - Cliburn Chan
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
| | - Micah A Luftig
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States
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29
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Guillemin A, Stumpf MPH. Noise and the molecular processes underlying cell fate decision-making. Phys Biol 2021; 18:011002. [PMID: 33181489 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/abc9d1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cell fate decision-making events involve the interplay of many molecular processes, ranging from signal transduction to genetic regulation, as well as a set of molecular and physiological feedback loops. Each aspect offers a rich field of investigation in its own right, but to understand the whole process, even in simple terms, we need to consider them together. Here we attempt to characterise this process by focussing on the roles of noise during cell fate decisions. We use a range of recent results to develop a view of the sequence of events by which a cell progresses from a pluripotent or multipotent to a differentiated state: chromatin organisation, transcription factor stoichiometry, and cellular signalling all change during this progression, and all shape cellular variability, which becomes maximal at the transition state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Guillemin
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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30
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York HM, Coyle J, Arumugam S. To be more precise: the role of intracellular trafficking in development and pattern formation. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:2051-2066. [PMID: 32915197 PMCID: PMC7609031 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Living cells interpret a variety of signals in different contexts to elucidate functional responses. While the understanding of signalling molecules, their respective receptors and response at the gene transcription level have been relatively well-explored, how exactly does a single cell interpret a plethora of time-varying signals? Furthermore, how their subsequent responses at the single cell level manifest in the larger context of a developing tissue is unknown. At the same time, the biophysics and chemistry of how receptors are trafficked through the complex dynamic transport network between the plasma membrane-endosome-lysosome-Golgi-endoplasmic reticulum are much more well-studied. How the intracellular organisation of the cell and inter-organellar contacts aid in orchestrating trafficking, as well as signal interpretation and modulation by the cells are beginning to be uncovered. In this review, we highlight the significant developments that have strived to integrate endosomal trafficking, signal interpretation in the context of developmental biology and relevant open questions with a few chosen examples. Furthermore, we will discuss the imaging technologies that have been developed in the recent past that have the potential to tremendously accelerate knowledge gain in this direction while shedding light on some of the many challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison M. York
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Joanne Coyle
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Senthil Arumugam
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- European Molecular Biological Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
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31
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Mudla A, Jiang Y, Arimoto KI, Xu B, Rajesh A, Ryan AP, Wang W, Daugherty MD, Zhang DE, Hao N. Cell-cycle-gated feedback control mediates desensitization to interferon stimulation. eLife 2020; 9:58825. [PMID: 32945770 PMCID: PMC7500952 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells use molecular circuits to interpret and respond to extracellular cues, such as hormones and cytokines, which are often released in a temporally varying fashion. In this study, we combine microfluidics, time-lapse microscopy, and computational modeling to investigate how the type I interferon (IFN)-responsive regulatory network operates in single human cells to process repetitive IFN stimulation. We found that IFN-α pretreatments lead to opposite effects, priming versus desensitization, depending on input durations. These effects are governed by a regulatory network composed of a fast-acting positive feedback loop and a delayed negative feedback loop, mediated by upregulation of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 18 (USP18). We further revealed that USP18 upregulation can only be initiated at the G1/early S phases of cell cycle upon the treatment onset, resulting in heterogeneous and delayed induction kinetics in single cells. This cell cycle gating provides a temporal compartmentalization of feedback loops, enabling duration-dependent desensitization to repetitive stimulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusorn Mudla
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Yanfei Jiang
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Kei-Ichiro Arimoto
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Bingxian Xu
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Adarsh Rajesh
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Andy P Ryan
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Matthew D Daugherty
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Dong-Er Zhang
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States.,Department of Pathology, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Nan Hao
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
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32
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Maity A, Wollman R. Information transmission from NFkB signaling dynamics to gene expression. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008011. [PMID: 32797040 PMCID: PMC7478807 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic signal encoding paradigm suggests that information flows from the extracellular environment into specific signaling patterns (encoding) that are then read by downstream effectors to control cellular behavior. Previous work empirically quantified the information content of dynamic signaling patterns. However, whether this information can be faithfully transmitted to the gene expression level is unclear. Here we used NFkB signaling as a model to understand the accuracy of information transmission from signaling dynamics into gene expression. Using a detailed mathematical model, we simulated realistic NFkB signaling patterns with different degrees of variability. The NFkB patterns were used as an input to a simple gene expression model. Analysis of information transmission between ligand and NFkB and ligand and gene expression allows us to determine information loss in transmission between receptors to dynamic signaling patterns and between signaling dynamics to gene expression. Information loss could occur due to biochemical noise or due to a lack of specificity. We found that noise-free gene expression has very little information loss suggesting that gene expression can preserve specificity in NFkB patterns. As expected, the addition of noise to the gene expression model results in information loss. Interestingly, this effect can be mitigated by a specific choice of parameters that can substantially reduce information loss due to biochemical noise during gene expression. Overall our results show that the cellular capacity for information transmission from dynamic signaling patterns to gene expression can be high enough to preserve ligand specificity and thereby the accuracy of cellular response to environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok Maity
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Roy Wollman
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Departments of Integrative Biology and Physiology and Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California UCLA, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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33
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Vázquez-Ibarra A, Rodríguez-Martínez G, Guerrero-Serrano G, Kawasaki L, Ongay-Larios L, Coria R. Negative feedback-loop mechanisms regulating HOG- and pheromone-MAPK signaling in yeast. Curr Genet 2020; 66:867-880. [PMID: 32564133 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-020-01089-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The pheromone response and the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathways are considered the prototypical MAPK signaling systems. They are the best-understood pathways in eukaryotic cells, yet they continue to provide insights in how cells relate with the environment. These systems are subjected to tight regulatory circuits to prevent hyperactivation in length and intensity. Failure to do this may be a matter of life or death specially for unicellular organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The signaling pathways are fine-tuned by positive and negative feedback loops exerted by pivotal control elements that allow precise responses to specific stimuli, despite the fact that some elements of the systems are common to different signaling pathways. Here we describe the experimentally proven negative feedback loops that modulate the pheromone response and the HOG pathways. As described in this review, MAP kinases are central mechanistic components of these feedback loops. They have the capacity to modulate basal signaling activity, a fast extranuclear response, and a longer-lasting transcriptional process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Araceli Vázquez-Ibarra
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, México City, México
| | - Griselda Rodríguez-Martínez
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, México City, México
| | | | - Laura Kawasaki
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, México City, México
| | - Laura Ongay-Larios
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, México City, México
| | - Roberto Coria
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, México City, México.
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34
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Jiang Y, AkhavanAghdam Z, Li Y, Zid BM, Hao N. A protein kinase A-regulated network encodes short- and long-lived cellular memories. Sci Signal 2020; 13:13/632/eaay3585. [PMID: 32430291 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aay3585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cells can store memories of prior experiences to modulate their responses to subsequent stresses, as seen for the protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated general stress response in yeast, which is required for resistance against future stressful conditions. Using microfluidics and time-lapse microscopy, we quantitatively analyzed how the cellular memory of stress adaptation is encoded in single yeast cells. We found that cellular memory was biphasic. Short-lived memory was mediated by trehalose synthase and trehalose metabolism. Long-lived memory was mediated by PKA-regulated stress-responsive transcription factors and cytoplasmic messenger ribonucleoprotein granules. Short- and long-lived memory could be selectively induced by different priming input dynamics. Computational modeling revealed how the PKA-mediated regulatory network could encode previous stimuli into memories with distinct dynamics. This biphasic memory-encoding scheme might represent a general strategy to prepare for future challenges in rapidly changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfei Jiang
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Zohreh AkhavanAghdam
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Yutian Li
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Brian M Zid
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nan Hao
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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35
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Sen S, Cheng Z, Sheu KM, Chen YH, Hoffmann A. Gene Regulatory Strategies that Decode the Duration of NFκB Dynamics Contribute to LPS- versus TNF-Specific Gene Expression. Cell Syst 2020; 10:169-182.e5. [PMID: 31972132 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2019.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pathogen-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activate NFκB with distinct duration dynamics, but how immune response genes decode NFκB duration to produce stimulus-specific expression remains unclear. Here, detailed transcriptomic profiling of combinatorial and temporal control mutants identified 81 genes that depend on stimulus-specific NFκB duration for their stimulus-specificity. Combining quantitative experimentation with mathematical modeling, we found that for some genes a long mRNA half-life allowed effective decoding, but for many genes this was insufficient to account for the data; instead, we found that chromatin mechanisms, such as a slow transition rate between inactive and RelA-bound enhancer states, could also decode NFκB dynamics. Chromatin-mediated decoding is favored by genes acting as immune effectors (e.g., tissue remodelers and T cell recruiters) rather than immune regulators (e.g., signaling proteins and monocyte recruiters). Overall, our results delineate two gene regulatory strategies that decode stimulus-specific NFκB dynamics and determine distinct biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriya Sen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Zhang Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCB), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Katherine M Sheu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yu Hsin Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Alexander Hoffmann
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences (QCB), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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36
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Avanzini
- Complex Systems and Statistical Mechanics, Physics and Materials Science Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, L-1511 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
| | - Gianmaria Falasco
- Complex Systems and Statistical Mechanics, Physics and Materials Science Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, L-1511 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
| | - Massimiliano Esposito
- Complex Systems and Statistical Mechanics, Physics and Materials Science Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, L-1511 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
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37
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Jayaprakash C, Das J. Stochastic Sequestration Promotes Specificity in Decision Making in Single Cells. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:10323-10330. [PMID: 31577902 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b05722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cellular functions are mediated by specific molecular interactions; however, often competing nonspecific interactions can occur instead, for example, in noncoding regions of genes during transcription or in the response of cell receptors to external signals. Various functional roles have been proposed for such interactions. Motivated by these considerations, we study the time-dependent behavior of a class of discrete, stochastic models in which decoy molecules mediate nonspecific reactions that sequester activated molecules. It is shown that such nonspecific interactions can lead to a time delay in the completion of the specific reaction by the activated molecule, thus permitting discrimination between signals of different duration. We study the effect of stochastic fluctuations in a simple model of gene transcription by numerical solution of the Master Equation and find that the distribution of first passage times for the specific reaction shows surprising nonexponential (non-Debye) behavior over a range of time scales. The mathematical mechanism underlying this behavior is explained in terms of the behavior of the eigensystem of the linear operator associated with the time evolution. Our results demonstrate that stochastic sequestration can be used to enhance the specificity achieved by the well-known kinetic proofreading mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciriyam Jayaprakash
- Department of Physics , The Ohio State University , Columbus , Ohio 43210 , United States
| | - Jayajit Das
- Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicine , The Research Institute at the Nationwide Children's Hospital , Columbus , Ohio 43205 , United States.,Department of Pediatrics, The Wexner College of Medicine , The Ohio State University , Columbus , Ohio 43210 , United States
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38
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Vazquez-Jimenez A, Rodriguez-Gonzalez J. On Information Extraction and Decoding Mechanisms Improved by Noisy Amplification in Signaling Pathways. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14365. [PMID: 31591406 PMCID: PMC6779762 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50631-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The cells need to process information about extracellular stimuli. They encode, transmit and decode the information to elicit an appropriate response. Studies aimed at understanding how such information is decoded in the signaling pathways to generate a specific cellular response have become essential. Eukaryotic cells decode information through two different mechanisms: the feed-forward loop and the promoter affinity. Here, we investigate how these two mechanisms improve information transmission. A detailed comparison is made between the stochastic model of the MAPK/ERK pathway and a stochastic minimal decoding model. The maximal amount of transmittable information was computed. The results suggest that the decoding mechanism of the MAPK/ERK pathway improve the channel capacity because it behaves as a noisy amplifier. We show a positive dependence between the noisy amplification and the amount of information extracted. Additionally, we show that the extrinsic noise can be tuned to improve information transmission. This investigation has revealed that the feed-forward loop and the promoter affinity motifs extract information thanks to processes of amplification and noise addition. Moreover, the channel capacity is enhanced when both decoding mechanisms are coupled. Altogether, these findings suggest novel characteristics in how decoding mechanisms improve information transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Vazquez-Jimenez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Vía del conocimiento 201, Parque de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica, 66600, Apodaca, NL, Mexico.
| | - Jesus Rodriguez-Gonzalez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Vía del conocimiento 201, Parque de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica, 66600, Apodaca, NL, Mexico.
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39
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Nakashima A, Ihara N, Shigeta M, Kiyonari H, Ikegaya Y, Takeuchi H. Structured spike series specify gene expression patterns for olfactory circuit formation. Science 2019; 365:science.aaw5030. [PMID: 31171707 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw5030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neural circuits emerge through the interplay of genetic programming and activity-dependent processes. During the development of the mouse olfactory map, axons segregate into distinct glomeruli in an olfactory receptor (OR)-dependent manner. ORs generate a combinatorial code of axon-sorting molecules whose expression is regulated by neural activity. However, it remains unclear how neural activity induces OR-specific expression patterns of axon-sorting molecules. We found that the temporal patterns of spontaneous neuronal spikes were not spatially organized but were correlated with the OR types. Receptor substitution experiments demonstrated that ORs determine spontaneous activity patterns. Moreover, optogenetically differentiated patterns of neuronal activity induced specific expression of the corresponding axon-sorting molecules and regulated axonal segregation. Thus, OR-dependent temporal patterns of spontaneous activity play instructive roles in generating the combinatorial code of axon-sorting molecules during olfactory map formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Nakashima
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Naoki Ihara
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Mayo Shigeta
- Laboratory for Animal Resource Development, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima Minami-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kiyonari
- Laboratory for Animal Resource Development, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima Minami-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.,Laboratory for Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima Minami-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yuji Ikegaya
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.,Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Haruki Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. .,Social Cooperation Program of Evolutional Chemical Safety Assessment System, LECSAS, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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40
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Jeknić S, Kudo T, Covert MW. Techniques for Studying Decoding of Single Cell Dynamics. Front Immunol 2019; 10:755. [PMID: 31031756 PMCID: PMC6470274 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells must be able to interpret signals they encounter and reliably generate an appropriate response. It has long been known that the dynamics of transcription factor and kinase activation can play a crucial role in selecting an individual cell's response. The study of cellular dynamics has expanded dramatically in the last few years, with dynamics being discovered in novel pathways, new insights being revealed about the importance of dynamics, and technological improvements increasing the throughput and capabilities of single cell measurements. In this review, we highlight the important developments in this field, with a focus on the methods used to make new discoveries. We also include a discussion on improvements in methods for engineering and measuring single cell dynamics and responses. Finally, we will briefly highlight some of the many challenges and avenues of research that are still open.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stevan Jeknić
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.,Allen Discovery Center for Systems Modeling of Infection, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Takamasa Kudo
- Allen Discovery Center for Systems Modeling of Infection, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Markus W Covert
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.,Allen Discovery Center for Systems Modeling of Infection, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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41
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Grabowski F, Czyż P, Kochańczyk M, Lipniacki T. Limits to the rate of information transmission through the MAPK pathway. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20180792. [PMID: 30836891 PMCID: PMC6451410 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Two important signalling pathways of NF-κB and ERK transmit merely 1 bit of information about the level of extracellular stimulation. It is thus unclear how such systems can coordinate complex cell responses to external cues. We analyse information transmission in the MAPK/ERK pathway that converts both constant and pulsatile EGF stimulation into pulses of ERK activity. Based on an experimentally verified computational model, we demonstrate that, when input consists of sequences of EGF pulses, transmitted information increases nearly linearly with time. Thus, pulse-interval transcoding allows more information to be relayed than the amplitude–amplitude transcoding considered previously for the ERK and NF-κB pathways. Moreover, the information channel capacity C, or simply bitrate, is not limited by the bandwidth B = 1/τ, where τ ≈ 1 h is the relaxation time. Specifically, when the input is provided in the form of sequences of short binary EGF pulses separated by intervals that are multiples of τ/n (but not shorter than τ), then for n = 2, C ≈ 1.39 bit h−1; and for n = 4, C ≈ 1.86 bit h−1. The capability to respond to random sequences of EGF pulses enables cells to propagate spontaneous ERK activity waves across tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Grabowski
- 1 Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, University of Warsaw , Warsaw , Poland
| | - Paweł Czyż
- 2 Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division, University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
| | - Marek Kochańczyk
- 3 Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland
| | - Tomasz Lipniacki
- 3 Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland
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42
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Yang Y, Wu M. Rhythmicity and waves in the cortex of single cells. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0116. [PMID: 29632268 PMCID: PMC5904302 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Emergence of dynamic patterns in the form of oscillations and waves on the cortex of single cells is a fascinating and enigmatic phenomenon. Here we outline various theoretical frameworks used to model pattern formation with the goal of reducing complex, heterogeneous patterns into key parameters that are biologically tractable. We also review progress made in recent years on the quantitative and molecular definitions of these terms, which we believe have begun to transform single-cell dynamic patterns from a purely observational and descriptive subject to more mechanistic studies. Specifically, we focus on the nature of local excitable and oscillation events, their spatial couplings leading to propagating waves and the role of active membrane. Instead of arguing for their functional importance, we prefer to consider such patterns as basic properties of dynamic systems. We discuss how knowledge of these patterns could be used to dissect the structure of cellular organization and how the network-centric view could help define cellular functions as transitions between different dynamical states. Last, we speculate on how these patterns could encode temporal and spatial information. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Self-organization in cell biology’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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43
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Komorowski M, Tawfik DS. The Limited Information Capacity of Cross-Reactive Sensors Drives the Evolutionary Expansion of Signaling. Cell Syst 2019; 8:76-85.e6. [PMID: 30660612 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Signaling systems expand by duplications of various components, be it receptors or downstream effectors. However, whether and how duplicated components contribute to higher signaling capacity is unclear, especially because in most cases, their specificities overlap. Using information theory, we found that augmentation of capacity by an increase in the copy number is strongly limited by logarithmic diminishing returns. Moreover, counter to conventional biochemical wisdom, refinements of the response mechanism, e.g., by cooperativity or allostery, do not increase the overall signaling capacity. However, signaling capacity nearly doubles when a promiscuous, non-cognate ligand becomes explicitly recognized via duplication and partial divergence of signaling components. Our findings suggest that expansion of signaling components via duplication and enlistment of promiscuously acting cues is virtually the only accessible evolutionary strategy to achieve overall high-signaling capacity despite overlapping specificities and molecular noise. This mode of expansion also explains the highly cross-wired architecture of signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Komorowski
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw 02-106, Poland.
| | - Dan S Tawfik
- Weizmann Institute of Science, The Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
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44
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Nené NR, Rivington J, Zaikin A. Sensitivity of asymmetric rate-dependent critical systems to initial conditions: Insights into cellular decision making. Phys Rev E 2018; 98:022317. [PMID: 30253525 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.98.022317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The work reported here aims to address the effects of time-dependent parameters and stochasticity on decision making in biological systems. We achieve this by extending previous studies that resorted to simple bifurcation normal forms, although in the present case we focus primarily on the issue of the system's sensitivity to initial conditions in the presence of two different noise distributions, Gaussian and Lévy. In addition, we also assess the impact of two-way sweeping at different rates through the critical region of a canonical Pitchfork bifurcation with a constant external asymmetry. The parallel with decision making in biocircuits is performed on this simple system since it is equivalent in its available states and dynamics to more complex genetic circuits published previously. Overall we verify that rate-dependent effects, previously reported as being important features of bifurcating systems, are specific to particular initial conditions. Processing of each starting state, which for the normal form underlying this study is akin to a classification task, is affected by the balance between sweeping speed through critical regions and the type of fluctuations added. For the heavy-tailed noise, two-way dynamic bifurcations are more efficient in processing the external signals, here understood to be jointly represented by the critical parameter profile and the external asymmetry amplitude, when compared to the system relying on escape dynamics. This is particular to the case when the system starts at an attractor not favored by the asymmetry and, in conjunction, when the sweeping amplitude is large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno R Nené
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EH Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Institute for Women's Health, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom
| | - James Rivington
- Department of Mathematics, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexey Zaikin
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom.,Department of Mathematics, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom.,Department of Applied Mathematics, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
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45
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Martin EW, Sung MH. Challenges of Decoding Transcription Factor Dynamics in Terms of Gene Regulation. Cells 2018; 7:cells7090132. [PMID: 30205475 PMCID: PMC6162420 DOI: 10.3390/cells7090132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 09/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Technological advances are continually improving our ability to obtain more accurate views about the inner workings of biological systems. One such rapidly evolving area is single cell biology, and in particular gene expression and its regulation by transcription factors in response to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Regarding the study of transcription factors, we discuss some of the promises and pitfalls associated with investigating how individual cells regulate gene expression through modulation of transcription factor activities. Specifically, we discuss four leading experimental approaches, the data that can be obtained from each, and important considerations that investigators should be aware of when drawing conclusions from such data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik W Martin
- Transcription Systems Dynamics and Biology Unit, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Myong-Hee Sung
- Transcription Systems Dynamics and Biology Unit, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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46
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Tyrovola JB. The "mechanostat" principle in cell differentiation. The osteochondroprogenitor paradigm. J Cell Biochem 2018; 120:37-44. [PMID: 30144147 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.27509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The "mechanostat" principle may be depicted as an oscillating signal of a signaling molecule, in which the amplitude, frequency, cumulative level, delay, and duration of the curve encode the information for concrete cellular responses and biological activities. When the oscillating signal is kept sustained (present delay), cell exit may be performed, whereas when the oscillating signal remains robust, cell proliferation may take place. B-catenin-Wnt signaling pathway has a key role in the differentiation of osteochondroprogenitor cells. Sustained downregulation of the β-catenin-Wnt pathway forces osteochondroprogenitors to a chondrogenic fate instead of an osteoblastic one. Other signaling, for example, bone morphogenetic protein and Notch signaling pathways interact with the Wnt pathway. The crosstalk between biochemical and mechanical stimuli produces the final information that leads to the final cell fate decisions, through the "mechanostat" principle.
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47
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Gonzalez-Suarez AM, Peña-del Castillo JG, Hernández-Cruz A, Garcia-Cordero JL. Dynamic Generation of Concentration- and Temporal-Dependent Chemical Signals in an Integrated Microfluidic Device for Single-Cell Analysis. Anal Chem 2018; 90:8331-8336. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b02442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan M. Gonzalez-Suarez
- Unidad Monterrey, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Parque PIIT, Apodaca, Nuevo León, 66628, México
| | - Johanna G. Peña-del Castillo
- Departamento de Neurociencia Cognitiva y Laboratorio Nacional de Canalopatías, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - Arturo Hernández-Cruz
- Departamento de Neurociencia Cognitiva y Laboratorio Nacional de Canalopatías, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - Jose L. Garcia-Cordero
- Unidad Monterrey, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Parque PIIT, Apodaca, Nuevo León, 66628, México
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48
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Zhang J, Tian XJ, Chen YJ, Wang W, Watkins S, Xing J. Pathway crosstalk enables cells to interpret TGF-β duration. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2018; 4:18. [PMID: 29872541 PMCID: PMC5972147 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-018-0060-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The detection and transmission of the temporal quality of intracellular and extracellular signals is an essential cellular mechanism. It remains largely unexplored how cells interpret the duration information of a stimulus. In this paper, we performed an integrated quantitative and computational analysis on TGF-β induced activation of SNAIL1, a key transcription factor that regulates several subsequent cell fate decisions such as apoptosis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. We demonstrate that crosstalk among multiple TGF-β activated pathways forms a relay from SMAD to GLI1 that initializes and maintains SNAILl expression, respectively. SNAIL1 functions as a key integrator of information from TGF-β signaling distributed through upstream divergent pathways. The intertwined network serves as a temporal checkpoint, so that cells can generate a transient or sustained expression of SNAIL1 depending on TGF-β duration. Furthermore, we observed that TGF-β treatment leads to an unexpected accumulation of GSK3 molecules in an enzymatically active tyrosine phosphorylation form in Golgi apparatus and ER, followed by accumulation of GSK3 molecules in an enzymatically inhibitive serine phosphorylation in the nucleus. Subsequent model analysis and inhibition experiments revealed that the initial localized increase of GSK3 enzymatic activity couples to the positive feedback loop of the substrate Gli1 to form a network motif with multi-objective functions. That is, the motif is robust against stochastic fluctuations, and has a narrow distribution of response time that is insensitive to initial conditions. Specifically for TGF-β signaling, the motif ensures a smooth relay from SMAD to GLI1 on regulating SNAIL1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Zhang
- 1Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
| | - Xiao-Jun Tian
- 1Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA.,4Present Address: School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| | - Yi-Jiun Chen
- 1Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
| | - Weikang Wang
- 1Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
| | - Simon Watkins
- 2Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
| | - Jianhua Xing
- 1Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA.,3UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 USA
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49
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Huang PH, Chan CY, Li P, Wang Y, Nama N, Bachman H, Huang TJ. A sharp-edge-based acoustofluidic chemical signal generator. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:1411-1421. [PMID: 29668002 PMCID: PMC6064650 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00193f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Resolving the temporal dynamics of cell signaling pathways is essential for regulating numerous downstream functions, from gene expression to cellular responses. Mapping these signaling pathways requires the exposure of cells to time-varying chemical signals; these are difficult to generate and control over a wide temporal range. Herein, we present an acoustofluidic chemical signal generator based on a sharp-edge-based micromixing strategy. The device, simply by modulating the driving signals of an acoustic transducer including the ON/OFF switching frequency, actuation time and duty cycle, is capable of generating both single-pulse and periodic chemical signals that are temporally controllable in terms of stimulation period, stimulation duration and duty cycle. We also demonstrate the device's applicability and versatility for cell signaling studies by probing the calcium (Ca2+) release dynamics of three different types of cells stimulated by ionomycin signals of different shapes. Upon short single-pulse ionomycin stimulation (∼100 ms) generated by our device, we discover that cells tend to dynamically adjust the intracellular level of Ca2+ through constantly releasing and accepting Ca2+ to the cytoplasm and from the extracellular environment, respectively. With advantages such as simple fabrication and operation, compact device design, and reliability and versatility, our device will enable decoding of the temporal characteristics of signaling dynamics for various physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Hsun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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50
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Molecular mechanisms of detection and discrimination of dynamic signals. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2480. [PMID: 29410522 PMCID: PMC5802782 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20842-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Many molecules decode not only the concentration of cellular signals, but also their temporal dynamics. However, little is known about the mechanisms that underlie the detection and discrimination of dynamic signals. We used computational modelling of the interaction of a ligand with multiple targets to investigate how kinetic and thermodynamic parameters regulate their capabilities to respond to dynamic signals. Our results demonstrated that the detection and discrimination of temporal features of signal inputs occur for reactions proceeding outside mass-action equilibrium. For these reactions, thermodynamic parameters such as affinity do not predict their outcomes. Additionally, we showed that, at non-equilibrium, the association rate constants determine the amount of product formed in reversible reactions. In contrast, the dissociation rate constants regulate the time interval required for reversible reactions to achieve equilibrium and, consequently, control their ability to detect and discriminate dynamic features of cellular signals.
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