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Zhen H, Huang M, Zheng M, Gao L, Guo Z, Pang Q, Jin G, Zhou Z. WTAP regulates stem cells via TRAF6 to maintain planarian homeostasis and regeneration. Int J Biol Macromol 2023:124932. [PMID: 37268082 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124932] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
WTAP, a highly conserved Wilms' tumor 1 interacting protein, is involved in a variety of biological processes. However, functional studies of WTAP in planarians have not been reported. In this study, we examined the spatiotemporal expression pattern of planarian DjWTAP and investigated its functions in planarians regeneration and homeostasis. Knocking-down DjWTAP resulted in severe morphological defects leading to lethality within 20 days. Silencing DjWTAP promoted the proliferation of PiwiA+ cells but impaired the lineage differentiation of epidermal, neural, digestive, and excretory cell types, suggesting a critical role for DjWTAP in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation in planarian. To further investigate the mechanisms underlying the defective differentiation, RNA-seq was employed to determine the transcriptomic alterations upon DjWTAP RNA interference. Histone 4 (H4), Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase-SETMAR like, and TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), were significantly upregulated in response to DjWTAP RNAi. Knocking-down TRAF6 largely rescued the defective tissue homeostasis and regeneration resulted from DjWTAP knockdown in planarians, suggesting that DjWTAP maintains planarian regeneration and homeostasis via TRAF6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhen
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Medical Research Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mujie Huang
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Medical Research Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingyue Zheng
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Medical Research Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lili Gao
- Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Zepeng Guo
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Medical Research Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiuxiang Pang
- Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China.
| | - Guoxiang Jin
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Medical Research Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Geriatrics Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China.
| | - Zhongjun Zhou
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Medical Research Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Reproductive Medicine Center, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, CHINA.
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Ye K, Liu X, Li D, Gao L, Zheng K, Qu J, Xing N, Yang F, Liu B, Li A, Pang Q. Extracellular matrix-regulator MMPA is required for the orderly proliferation of neoblasts and differentiation of ectodermal progenitor cells in the planarian Dugesia japonica. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 659:1-9. [PMID: 37030019 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are members of a family of zinc-dependent metallopeptidase proteins that are widely found in plants, animals, and microorganisms. As the regulators of the extracellular matrix and basement membrane, MMPs play an important role in embryogenesis, development, innate immunity, and regeneration. However, the function of MMP family in planarian, a model for regeneration research, is still ambiguous. Here, we cloned 5 MMPs genes from Dugesia japonica and found that DjMMPA was associated with the process of regeneration, neoblasts cell maintenance confusion and destruction. Loss of DjMMPA led to homeostasis confusion and eventually death, owing to neoblasts proliferation disorder. Additionally, DjMMPA RNAi-treated animals had impaired regeneration after amputation. Furthermore, knockdown of DjMMPA had noticeable defects in cell differentiation of ectoderm, especially in eyes and neural progenitor cells, possibly by inhibiting Wnt signaling. Our results suggest that extracellular matrix-regulator MMPA is required for the orderly proliferation of neoblasts and differentiation of ectodermal progenitor cells in the planarian, which provide valuable information for further explorations into the molecular mechanism of MMPS, stem cells, and regeneration.
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Allen JM, Balagtas M, Barajas E, Cano Macip C, Alvarez Zepeda S, Iberkleid I, Duncan EM, Zayas RM. RNAi Screen of RING/U-Box Domain Ubiquitin Ligases Identifies Critical Regulators of Tissue Regeneration in Planarians. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:803419. [PMID: 35127720 PMCID: PMC8807557 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.803419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Regenerative processes depend on the interpretation of signals to coordinate cell behaviors. The role of ubiquitin-mediated signaling is known to be important in many cellular and biological contexts, but its role in regeneration is not well understood. To investigate how ubiquitylation impacts tissue regeneration in vivo, we are studying planarians that are capable of regenerating after nearly any injury using a population of stem cells. Here we used RNAi to screen RING/U-box E3 ubiquitin ligases that are highly expressed in planarian stem cells and stem cell progeny. RNAi screening identified nine genes with functions in regeneration, including the spliceosomal factor prpf19 and histone modifier rnf2; based on their known roles in developmental processes, we further investigated these two genes. We found that prpf19 was required for animal survival but not for stem cell maintenance, suggesting a role in promoting cell differentiation. Because RNF2 is the catalytic subunit of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1), we also examined other putative members of this complex (CBX and PHC). We observed a striking phenotype of regional tissue misspecification in cbx and phc RNAi planarians. To identify genes regulated by PRC1, we performed RNA-seq after knocking down rnf2 or phc. Although these proteins are predicted to function in the same complex, we found that the set of genes differentially expressed in rnf2 versus phc RNAi were largely non-overlapping. Using in situ hybridization, we showed that rnf2 regulates gene expression levels within a tissue type, whereas phc is necessary for the spatial restriction of gene expression, findings consistent with their respective in vivo phenotypes. This work not only uncovered roles for RING/U-box E3 ligases in stem cell regulation and regeneration, but also identified differential gene targets for two putative PRC1 factors required for maintaining cell-type-specific gene expression in planarians.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Allen
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
- Deparment of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Madison Balagtas
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Barajas
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Carolina Cano Macip
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Ionit Iberkleid
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth M Duncan
- Deparment of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Ricardo M Zayas
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
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Huang M, Gao S, Gao L, Liu D, Liu X, Sun Z, Deng H, Zhao B, Liu B, Li A, Pang Q. β-Thymosin is an essential regulator of stem cell proliferation and neuron regeneration in planarian (Dugesia japonica). DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 121:104097. [PMID: 33831480 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
β-Thymosin is a multifunctional peptide ubiquitously expressed in vertebrates and invertebrates. Many studies have found β-thymosin is critical for wound healing, angiogenesis, cardiac repair, hair regrowth, and anti-fibrosis in vertebrates, and plays an important role in antimicrobial immunity in invertebrates. However, whether β-thymosin participates in the regeneration of organisms is still poorly understood. In this study, we identified a β-thymosin gene in Dugesia japonica which played an important role in stem cell proliferation and neuron regeneration during the tissue repair process in D. japonica. Sequencing analysis showed that β-thymosin contained two conserved β-thymosin domains and two actin-binding motifs, and had a high similarity with other β-thymosins of invertebrates. In situ or fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed that Djβ-thymosin was co-localized with DjPiWi in the neoblast cells of intact adult planarians and the blastema of regenerating planarians, suggesting Djβ-thymosin has a potential function of regeneration. Disruption Djβ-thymosin by RNA interference results in a slightly curled up head of planarian and stem cell proliferation defects. Additionally, we found that, upon amputation, Djβ-thymosin RNAi-treated animals had impaired regeneration ability, including impaired blastema formation, delayed eyespot formation, decreased brain area, and disrupted central CNS formation, implying Djβ-thymosin is an essential regulator of stem cell proliferation and neuron regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mujie Huang
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China
| | - Sijia Gao
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China
| | - Lili Gao
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China
| | - Dongwu Liu
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China
| | - Xi Liu
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China
| | - Zhe Sun
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China
| | - Hongkuan Deng
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China
| | - Bosheng Zhao
- Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China
| | - Baohua Liu
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Shenzhen University of Health Science Center, District Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Ao Li
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China.
| | - Qiuxiang Pang
- Anti-aging & Regenerative Medicine Research Institution, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China; Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, PR China.
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Abstract
In the planarian field, two techniques are mostly used for protein detection: immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blotting. While IHC is great for visualizing the spatial distribution of proteins in whole organisms, it has limitations in antibody availability and issues related to nonspecific expression. The use of western blotting can circumvent nonspecific expression, providing a dependable way to quantify proteins of interest. Here, we present a standardized, easily reproducible protocol with details on protein extractions of whole planarians and western blotting. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Ziman et al. (2020a). Easy and dependable way to assess protein levels in planarians Extraction and measurements of total proteins from entire organisms Alternative approach to staining with high background in whole mount
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Ziman
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, CA, USA.,Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Néstor J Oviedo
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, CA, USA.,Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Merced, CA, USA.,Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
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