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Skazina M, Ponomartsev N, Maiorova M, Khaitov V, Marchenko J, Lentsman N, Odintsova N, Strelkov P. Genetic features of bivalve transmissible neoplasia in blue mussels from the Kola Bay (Barents Sea) suggest a recent trans-Arctic migration of the cancer lineages. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5724-5741. [PMID: 37795906 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Ecology and biogeography of bivalve transmissible neoplasia (BTN) are underexplored due to its recent discovery and a challenging diagnostics. Blue mussels harbour two evolutionary lineages of BTN, MtrBTN1 and MtrBTN2, both derived from Mytilus trossulus. MtrBTN1 has been found only in M. trossulus from North Pacific. MtrBTN2 parasitizes different Mytilus spp. worldwide. BTN in M. trossulus in the Atlantic sector has never been studied. We looked for BTN in mussels from the Barents Sea using flow cytometry of cells, qPCR with primers specific to cancer-associated alleles and sequencing of mtDNA and nuclear loci. Both MtrBTN1 and MtrBTN2 were present in our material, though their prevalence was low (~0.4%). All cancers parasitized M. trossulus except one, MtrBTN1, which was found in a hybrid between M. trossulus and M. edulis. The mtDNA haplotypes found in both lineages were nearly identical to those known from the Northwest Pacific but not from elsewhere. Our results suggest that these two lineages may have arrived in the Barents Sea in recent decades with the maritime transport along the Northern Sea Route. A young evolutionary age of MtrBTN1 seems to indicate that it is an emerging disease in the process of niche expansion. Comparing the new and the published sequence data on tumour suppressor p53, we proved that the prevalence of BTN in mussels can reach epizootic levels. The finding of diverse recombinants between paternally and maternally inherited mtDNAs in somatic tissues of M. trossulus was an unexpected result of our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Skazina
- St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Mariia Maiorova
- National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Vadim Khaitov
- St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve, Kandalaksha, Russia
| | | | | | - Nelly Odintsova
- National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Petr Strelkov
- St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Monitoring and Conservation of Natural Arctic Ecosystems, Murmansk Arctic State University, Murmansk, Russia
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2
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Hernández Elizárraga VH, Ballantyne S, O'Brien LG, Americo JA, Suhr ST, Senut MC, Minerich B, Merkes CM, Edwards TM, Klymus K, Richter CA, Waller DL, Passamaneck YJ, Rebelo MF, Gohl DM. Toward invasive mussel genetic biocontrol: Approaches, challenges, and perspectives. iScience 2023; 26:108027. [PMID: 37860763 PMCID: PMC10583111 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive freshwater mussels, such as the zebra (Dreissena polymorpha), quagga (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis), and golden (Limnoperna fortunei) mussel have spread outside their native ranges throughout many regions of the North American, South American, and European continents in recent decades, damaging infrastructure and the environment. This review describes ongoing efforts by multiple groups to develop genetic biocontrol methods for invasive mussels. First, we provide an overview of genetic biocontrol strategies that have been applied in other invasive or pest species. Next, we summarize physical and chemical methods that are currently in use for invasive mussel control. We then describe the multidisciplinary approaches our groups are employing to develop genetic biocontrol tools for invasive mussels. Finally, we discuss the challenges and limitations of applying genetic biocontrol tools to invasive mussels. Collectively, we aim to openly share information and combine expertise to develop practical tools to enable the management of invasive freshwater mussels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott Ballantyne
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin River Falls, River Falls, WI, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher M. Merkes
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI, USA
| | - Thea M. Edwards
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Katy Klymus
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Catherine A. Richter
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Diane L. Waller
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI, USA
| | - Yale J. Passamaneck
- Bureau of Reclamation, Technical Service Center, Hydraulic Investigations and Laboratory Services, Ecological Research Laboratory, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Mauro F. Rebelo
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Daryl M. Gohl
- University of Minnesota Genomics Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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3
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Burioli EAV, Hammel M, Vignal E, Vidal-Dupiol J, Mitta G, Thomas F, Bierne N, Destoumieux-Garzón D, Charrière GM. Transcriptomics of mussel transmissible cancer MtrBTN2 suggests accumulation of multiple cancer traits and oncogenic pathways shared among bilaterians. Open Biol 2023; 13:230259. [PMID: 37816387 PMCID: PMC10564563 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmissible cancer cell lines are rare biological entities giving rise to diseases at the crossroads of cancer and parasitic diseases. These malignant cells have acquired the amazing capacity to spread from host to host. They have been described only in dogs, Tasmanian devils and marine bivalves. The Mytilus trossulus bivalve transmissible neoplasia 2 (MtrBTN2) lineage has even acquired the capacity to spread inter-specifically between marine mussels of the Mytilus edulis complex worldwide. To identify the oncogenic processes underpinning the biology of these atypical cancers we performed transcriptomics of MtrBTN2 cells. Differential expression, enrichment, protein-protein interaction network, and targeted analyses were used. Overall, our results suggest the accumulation of multiple cancerous traits that may be linked to the long-term evolution of MtrBTN2. We also highlight that vertebrate and lophotrochozoan cancers could share a large panel of common drivers, which supports the hypothesis of an ancient origin of oncogenic processes in bilaterians.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A V Burioli
- IHPE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
| | - M Hammel
- IHPE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
- ISEM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - E Vignal
- IHPE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
| | - J Vidal-Dupiol
- IHPE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
| | - G Mitta
- IFREMER, UMR 241 Écosystèmes Insulaires Océaniens, Labex Corail, Centre Ifremer du Pacifique, Tahiti, Polynésie française
| | - F Thomas
- CREEC/CANECEV (CREES), MIVEGEC, Unité Mixte de Recherches, IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - N Bierne
- ISEM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - D Destoumieux-Garzón
- IHPE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
| | - G M Charrière
- IHPE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
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4
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Nascimento‐Schulze JC, Bean TP, Peñaloza C, Paris JR, Whiting JR, Simon A, Fraser BA, Houston RD, Bierne N, Ellis RP. SNP discovery and genetic structure in blue mussel species using low coverage sequencing and a medium density 60 K SNP-array. Evol Appl 2023; 16:1044-1060. [PMID: 37216031 PMCID: PMC10197230 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Blue mussels from the genus Mytilus are an abundant component of the benthic community, found in the high latitude habitats. These foundation species are relevant to the aquaculture industry, with over 2 million tonnes produced globally each year. Mussels withstand a wide range of environmental conditions and species from the Mytilus edulis complex readily hybridize in regions where their distributions overlap. Significant effort has been made to investigate the consequences of environmental stress on mussel physiology, reproductive isolation, and local adaptation. Yet our understanding on the genomic mechanisms underlying such processes remains limited. In this study, we developed a multi species medium-density 60 K SNP-array including four species of the Mytilus genus. SNPs included in the platform were called from 138 mussels from 23 globally distributed mussel populations, sequenced using a whole-genome low coverage approach. The array contains polymorphic SNPs which capture the genetic diversity present in mussel populations thriving across a gradient of environmental conditions (~59 K SNPs) and a set of published and validated SNPs informative for species identification and for diagnosis of transmissible cancer (610 SNPs). The array will allow the consistent genotyping of individuals, facilitating the investigation of ecological and evolutionary processes in these taxa. The applications of this array extend to shellfish aquaculture, contributing to the optimization of this industry via genomic selection of blue mussels, parentage assignment, inbreeding assessment and traceability. Further applications such as genome wide association studies (GWAS) for key production traits and those related to environmental resilience are especially relevant to safeguard aquaculture production under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C. Nascimento‐Schulze
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture ScienceWeymouth LaboratoryWeymouthUK
| | - Tim P. Bean
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary StudiesUniversity of EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | - Carolina Peñaloza
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary StudiesUniversity of EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | - Josephine R. Paris
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - James R. Whiting
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - Alexis Simon
- ISEMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Bonnie A. Fraser
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | | | - Nicolas Bierne
- ISEMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Robert P. Ellis
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
- Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture FuturesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
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5
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Skazina M, Odintsova N, Maiorova M, Ivanova A, Väinölä R, Strelkov P. First description of a widespread Mytilus trossulus-derived bivalve transmissible cancer lineage in M. trossulus itself. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5809. [PMID: 33707525 PMCID: PMC7970980 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85098-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Two lineages of bivalve transmissible neoplasia (BTN), BTN1 and BTN2, are known in blue mussels Mytilus. Both lineages derive from the Pacific mussel M. trossulus and are identified primarily by their unique genotypes of the nuclear gene EF1α. BTN1 is found in populations of M. trossulus from the Northeast Pacific, while BTN2 has been detected in populations of other Mytilus species worldwide but not in M. trossulus itself. Here we examined M. trossulus from the Sea of Japan (Northwest Pacific) for the presence of BTN. Using hemocytology and flow cytometry of the hemolymph, we confirmed the presence of disseminated neoplasia in our specimens. Cancerous mussels possessed the BTN2 EF1α genotype and two mitochondrial haplotypes with different recombinant control regions, similar to that of common BTN2 lineages. This is the first report of BTN2 in its original host species M. trossulus. A comparison of all available BTN and M. trossulus COI sequences suggests a common and recent origin of BTN2 diversity in populations of M. trossulus outside the Northeast Pacific, possibly in the Northwest Pacific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Skazina
- Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199178.
| | - Nelly Odintsova
- National Scientific Center of Marine Biology of the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia, 690041
| | - Maria Maiorova
- National Scientific Center of Marine Biology of the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia, 690041
| | - Angelina Ivanova
- Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199178
| | - Risto Väinölä
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 17, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petr Strelkov
- Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199178
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6
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Fujii Y, Gerdol M, Hasan I, Koide Y, Matsuzaki R, Ikeda M, Rajia S, Ogawa Y, Kawsar SMA, Ozeki Y. Phylogeny and Properties of a Novel Lectin Family with β-Trefoil Folding in Mussels. TRENDS GLYCOSCI GLYC 2018. [DOI: 10.4052/tigg.1717.1e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Fujii
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University
| | - Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
| | - Imtiaj Hasan
- Department of Life and Environmental System Science, Yokohama City University
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi
| | - Yasuhiro Koide
- Department of Life and Environmental System Science, Yokohama City University
| | - Risa Matsuzaki
- Department of Life and Environmental System Science, Yokohama City University
| | - Mayu Ikeda
- Department of Life and Environmental System Science, Yokohama City University
| | - Sultana Rajia
- Department of Life and Environmental System Science, Yokohama City University
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Varendra University
| | - Yukiko Ogawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University
| | - S. M. Abe Kawsar
- Department of Life and Environmental System Science, Yokohama City University
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Chittagong
| | - Yasuhiro Ozeki
- Department of Life and Environmental System Science, Yokohama City University
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7
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Metzger MJ, Goff SP. A Sixth Modality of Infectious Disease: Contagious Cancer from Devils to Clams and Beyond. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005904. [PMID: 27788268 PMCID: PMC5082865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Metzger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Stephen P. Goff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
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8
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Metzger MJ, Villalba A, Carballal MJ, Iglesias D, Sherry J, Reinisch C, Muttray AF, Baldwin SA, Goff SP. Widespread transmission of independent cancer lineages within multiple bivalve species. Nature 2016; 534:705-9. [PMID: 27338791 PMCID: PMC4939143 DOI: 10.1038/nature18599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Most cancers arise from oncogenic changes in the genomes of somatic cells, and while the cells may migrate by metastasis, they remain within that single individual. Natural transmission of cancer cells from one individual to another has been observed in two distinctive cases in mammals (Tasmanian devils1 and dogs2,3), but these are generally considered to be rare exceptions in nature. The discovery of transmissible cancer in soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria)4 suggested that this phenomenon might be more widespread. Here we analyzed disseminated neoplasia in mussels (Mytilus trossulus), cockles (Cerastoderma edule), and golden carpet shell clams (Polititapes aureus) and found that neoplasias in all three species are attributable to independent transmissible cancer lineages. In mussels and cockles, the cancer lineages are derived from their respective host species, but unexpectedly, cancer cells in P. aureus are all derived from Venerupis corrugata, a different species living in the same geographic area. No cases of disseminated neoplasia have thus far been found in V. corrugata from the same region. These findings show that transmission of cancer cells in the marine environment is common in multiple species, that it has originated many times, and that while most transmissible cancers were found spreading within the species of origin, cross-species transmission of cancer cells can occur.
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9
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Carballal MJ, Barber BJ, Iglesias D, Villalba A. Neoplastic diseases of marine bivalves. J Invertebr Pathol 2015; 131:83-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2015.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Revised: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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10
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Metzger MJ, Reinisch C, Sherry J, Goff SP. Horizontal transmission of clonal cancer cells causes leukemia in soft-shell clams. Cell 2015; 161:255-63. [PMID: 25860608 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.02.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Outbreaks of fatal leukemia-like cancers of marine bivalves throughout the world have led to massive population loss. The cause of the disease is unknown. We recently identified a retrotransposon, Steamer, that is highly expressed and amplified to high copy number in neoplastic cells of soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria). Through analysis of Steamer integration sites, mitochondrial DNA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and polymorphic microsatellite alleles, we show that the genotypes of neoplastic cells do not match those of the host animal. Instead, neoplastic cells from dispersed locations in New York, Maine, and Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, all have nearly identical genotypes that differ from those of the host. These results indicate that the cancer is spreading between animals in the marine environment as a clonal transmissible cell derived from a single original clam. Our findings suggest that horizontal transmission of cancer cells is more widespread in nature than previously supposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Metzger
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Carol Reinisch
- Environment Canada, Water Science & Technology Directorate, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - James Sherry
- Environment Canada, Water Science & Technology Directorate, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Stephen P Goff
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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11
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Vassilenko E, Baldwin SA. Using flow cytometry to detect haemic neoplasia in mussels (Mytilus trossulus) from the Pacific Coast of Southern British Columbia, Canada. J Invertebr Pathol 2014; 117:68-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2014.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Revised: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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12
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Di Y, Schroeder DC, Highfield A, Readman JW, Jha AN. Tissue-specific expression of p53 and ras genes in response to the environmental genotoxicant benzo(α)pyrene in marine mussels. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2011; 45:8974-8981. [PMID: 21899289 DOI: 10.1021/es201547x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Marine mussels can develop hemeic and gonadal neoplasia in the natural environment. Associated with these diseases are the tumor suppressor (TS) p53 and the proto-oncogene ras coded proteins, both of which are highly conserved among molluscs and vertebrates. We report, for the first time, tissue-specific expression analysis of p53 and ras genes in Mytilus edulis by means of quantitative RT-PCR. A tissue-specific response was observed after 6 and 12 days exposure to a sublethal concentration of a model Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH), benzo(α)pyrene (B(α)P). This sublethal concentration (56 μg/L) was selected based on an integrated biomarker analysis carried out prior to gene expression analysis, which included a 'clearance rate' assay, histopathological analysis, and DNA strand break measurements. The results indicated that the selected concentration of B(α)P can lead to the induction of DNA strand breaks, tissue damage, and expression of tumor-regulating genes. Both p53 and ras are expressed in a tissue-specific manner, which collaborate with tissue-specific function in response to genotoxic stress. The integrated biological responses in Mytilus edulis strengthen the use of this organism to investigate the fundamental mechanism of development of malignancy in invertebrate which could be translated to other organisms including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Di
- School of Biomedical and Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK
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13
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Walker CW, Van Beneden RJ, Muttray AF, Böttger SA, Kelley ML, Tucker AE, Thomas WK. p53 Superfamily proteins in marine bivalve cancer and stress biology. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2011; 59:1-36. [PMID: 21724017 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385536-7.00001-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The human p53 tumour suppressor protein is inactivated in many cancers and is also a major player in apoptotic responses to cellular stress. The p53 protein and the two other members of this protein family (p63, p73) are encoded by distinct genes and their functions have been extensively documented for humans and some other vertebrates. The structure and relative expression levels for members of the p53 superfamily have also been reported for most major invertebrate taxa. The functions of homologous proteins have been investigated for only a few invertebrates (specifically, p53 in flies, nematodes and recently a sea anemone). These studies of classical model organisms all suggest that the gene family originally evolved to mediate apoptosis of damaged germ cells or to protect germ cells from genotoxic stress. Here, we have correlated data from a number of molluscan and other invertebrate sequencing projects to provide a framework for understanding p53 signalling pathways in marine bivalve cancer and stress biology. These data suggest that (a) the two identified p53 and p63/73-like proteins in soft shell clam (Mya arenaria), blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and Northern European squid (Loligo forbesi) have identical core sequences and may be splice variants of a single gene, while some molluscs and most other invertebrates have two or more distinct genes expressing different p53 family members; (b) transcriptional activation domains (TADs) in bivalve p53 and p63/73-like protein sequences are 67-69% conserved with human p53, while those in ecdysozoan, cnidarian, placozoan and choanozoan eukaryotes are ≤33% conserved; (c) the Mdm2 binding site in the transcriptional activation domain is 100% conserved in all sequenced bivalve p53 proteins (e.g. Mya, Mytilus, Crassostrea and Spisula) but is not present in other non-deuterostome invertebrates; (d) an Mdm2 homologue has been cloned for Mytilus trossulus; (e) homologues for both human p53 upstream regulatory and transcriptional target genes exist in molluscan genomes (missing are ARF, CIP1 and BH3 only proteins) and (f) p53 is demonstrably involved in bivalve haemocyte and germinoma cancers. We usually do not know enough about the molecular biology of marine invertebrates to address molecular mechanisms that characterize particular diseases. Understanding the molecular basis of naturally occurring diseases in marine bivalves is a virtually unexplored aspect of toxicoproteomics and genomics and related drug discovery. Additionally, increases in coastal development and concomitant increases in aquatic pollutants have driven interest in developing models appropriate for evaluating potential hazardous compounds or conditions found in the aquatic environment. Data reviewed in this study are coupled with recent developments in our understanding the molecular biology of the marine bivalve p53 superfamily. Taken together, they suggest that both structurally and functionally, bivalve p53 family proteins are the most highly conserved members of this gene superfamily so far identified outside of higher vertebrates and invertebrate chordates. Marine bivalves provide some of the most relevant and best understood models currently available for experimental studies by biomedical and marine environmental researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles W Walker
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
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