1
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Buono L, Annona G, Magri MS, Negueruela S, Sepe RM, Caccavale F, Maeso I, Arnone MI, D’Aniello S. Conservation of cis-Regulatory Syntax Underlying Deuterostome Gastrulation. Cells 2024; 13:1121. [PMID: 38994973 PMCID: PMC11240583 DOI: 10.3390/cells13131121] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Throughout embryonic development, the shaping of the functional and morphological characteristics of embryos is orchestrated by an intricate interaction between transcription factors and cis-regulatory elements. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of deuterostome cis-regulatory landscapes during gastrulation, focusing on four paradigmatic species: the echinoderm Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, the cephalochordate Branchiostoma lanceolatum, the urochordate Ciona intestinalis, and the vertebrate Danio rerio. Our approach involved comparative computational analysis of ATAC-seq datasets to explore the genome-wide blueprint of conserved transcription factor binding motifs underlying gastrulation. We identified a core set of conserved DNA binding motifs associated with 62 known transcription factors, indicating the remarkable conservation of the gastrulation regulatory landscape across deuterostomes. Our findings offer valuable insights into the evolutionary molecular dynamics of embryonic development, shedding light on conserved regulatory subprograms and providing a comprehensive perspective on the conservation and divergence of gene regulation underlying the gastrulation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Buono
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
| | - Giovanni Annona
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
- Department of Research Infrastructure for Marine Biological Resources (RIMAR), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Marta Silvia Magri
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain;
| | | | - Rosa Maria Sepe
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Ammiraglio Ferdinando Acton, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Filomena Caccavale
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
| | - Ignacio Maeso
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Ina Arnone
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
| | - Salvatore D’Aniello
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
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2
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Gilbert E, Craggs J, Modepalli V. Gene Regulatory Network that Shaped the Evolution of Larval Apical Organ in Cnidaria. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msad285. [PMID: 38152864 PMCID: PMC10781443 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Among non-bilaterian animals, a larval apical sensory organ with integrated neurons is only found in cnidarians. Within cnidarians, an apical organ with a ciliary tuft is mainly found in Actiniaria. Whether this apical tuft has evolved independently in Actiniaria or alternatively originated in the common ancestor of Cnidaria and Bilateria and was lost in specific groups is uncertain. To test this hypothesis, we generated transcriptomes of the apical domain during the planula stage of four species representing three key groups of cnidarians: Aurelia aurita (Scyphozoa), Nematostella vectensis (Actiniaria), and Acropora millepora and Acropora tenuis (Scleractinia). We showed that the canonical genes implicated in patterning the apical domain of N. vectensis are largely absent in A. aurita. In contrast, the apical domain of the scleractinian planula shares gene expression pattern with N. vectensis. By comparing the larval single-cell transcriptomes, we revealed the apical organ cell type of Scleractinia and confirmed its homology to Actiniaria. However, Fgfa2, a vital regulator of the regionalization of the N. vectensis apical organ, is absent in the scleractinian genome. Likewise, we found that FoxJ1 and 245 genes associated with cilia are exclusively expressed in the N. vectensis apical domain, which is in line with the presence of ciliary apical tuft in Actiniaria and its absence in Scleractinia and Scyphozoa. Our findings suggest that the common ancestor of cnidarians lacked a ciliary apical tuft, and it could have evolved independently in the Actiniaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Gilbert
- Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Jamie Craggs
- Horniman Museum and Gardens, London SE23 3PQ, UK
| | - Vengamanaidu Modepalli
- Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
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3
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Drozdov A, Lebedev E, Adonin L. Comparative Analysis of Bivalve and Sea Urchin Genetics and Development: Investigating the Dichotomy in Bilateria. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17163. [PMID: 38138992 PMCID: PMC10742642 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
This comprehensive review presents a comparative analysis of early embryogenesis in Protostomia and Deuterostomia, the first of which exhibit a mosaic pattern of development, where cells are fated deterministically, while Deuterostomia display a regulatory pattern of development, where the fate of cells is indeterminate. Despite these fundamental differences, there are common transcriptional mechanisms that underline their evolutionary linkages, particularly in the field of functional genomics. By elucidating both conserved and unique regulatory strategies, this review provides essential insights into the comparative embryology and developmental dynamics of these groups. The objective of this review is to clarify the shared and distinctive characteristics of transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. This will contribute to the extensive areas of functional genomics, evolutionary biology and developmental biology, and possibly lay the foundation for future research and discussion on this seminal topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anatoliy Drozdov
- Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Egor Lebedev
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, 625003 Tyumen, Russia;
| | - Leonid Adonin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, 625003 Tyumen, Russia;
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia
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4
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Xu F, Deng S, Gavriouchkina D, Zhang G. Transcriptional regulation analysis reveals the complexity of metamorphosis in the Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas). MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 5:467-477. [PMID: 38045547 PMCID: PMC10689616 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00204-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Many marine invertebrate phyla are characterized by indirect development. These animals transit from planktonic larvae to benthic spats via settlement and metamorphosis, which contributes to their adaption to the marine environment. Studying the biological process of metamorphosis is, thus, key to understanding the origin and evolution of indirect development. Although numerous studies have been conducted on the relationship between metamorphosis and the marine environment, microorganisms, and neurohormones, little is known about gene regulation network (GRN) dynamics during metamorphosis. Metamorphosis-competent pediveligers of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas were assayed in this study. By assaying gene expression patterns and open chromatin region changes of different samples of larvae and spats, the dynamics of molecular regulation during metamorphosis were examined. The results indicated significantly different gene regulation networks before, during and post-metamorphosis. Genes encoding membrane-integrated receptors and those related to the remodeling of the nervous system were upregulated before the initiation of metamorphosis. Massive biogenesis, e.g., of various enzymes and structural proteins, occurred during metamorphosis as inferred from the comprehensive upregulation of the protein synthesis system post epinephrine stimulation. Hierarchical downstream gene networks were then stimulated. Some transcription factors, including homeobox, basic helix-loop-helix and nuclear receptors, showed different temporal response patterns, suggesting a complex GRN during the transition stage. Nuclear receptors, as well as their retinoid X receptor partner, may participate in the GRN controlling oyster metamorphosis, indicating an ancient role of the nuclear receptor regulation system in animal metamorphosis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-023-00204-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Xu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071 China
- Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, 266237 China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center of Oyster Seed Industry, Qingdao, 266105 China
| | - Shaoxi Deng
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071 China
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077 China
| | - Daria Gavriouchkina
- Molecular Genetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, 904-0495 Japan
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Guofan Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071 China
- Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, 266237 China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center of Oyster Seed Industry, Qingdao, 266105 China
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5
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Yaguchi J, Yaguchi S. Rx and its downstream factor, Musashi1, is required for establishment of the apical organ in sea urchin larvae. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1240767. [PMID: 37655161 PMCID: PMC10465340 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1240767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine, a vital neurotransmitter, plays a multifarious role in the brain and peripheral nervous system of various organisms. Previous research has demonstrated the proximity of cholinergic neurons to serotonergic neurons in the apical organ of sea urchin embryos. While several transcription factors have been identified as playing a role in the development of serotonergic neurons in this region of a sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus, comparatively little is known about the specific transcription factors and their spatiotemporal expression patterns that regulate the development of cholinergic neurons. In this study, we establish the requirement of the transcription factor Rx for the development of cholinergic neurons in the apical organ of the species. Furthermore, we investigate the role of the RNA-binding protein Musashi1, known to be involved in neurogenesis, including cholinergic neurons in other organisms, and demonstrate that it is a downstream factor of Rx, and that choline acetyltransferase expression is suppressed in Musashi1 downregulated embryos. Our research also highlights the intricate network formed by neurons and other cells in and around the apical organ of sea urchin larvae through axons and dendrites, providing possibility for a systematic and complexed neural pattern like those of the brain in other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junko Yaguchi
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yaguchi
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan
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6
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Sheng Y, Wan H, Zhang Z, Li S, Wang Y. A new insight into potential roles of Spfoxl-2 in the testicular development of Scylla paramamosain by RNAi and transcriptome analysis. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 280:111410. [PMID: 36842753 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111410] [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: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
In our previous study, we found that the Spfoxl-2 transcript was highly expressed in gonads and explored its potential target genes in the ovary of Scylla paramamosain. In the current study, we primally analyzed its potential target genes in the testis through RNAi and RNA-Seq technology and compared with that in the ovary. The results showed that a total of 7892 unigenes were differentially expressed after Spfoxl-2 silencing in the testis, including plenty of conserved genes involved in testicular development, such as Dmrt family genes, Sox family genes, Caspase family genes, Cdk family genes, Kinesin family genes, Fox family genes and other genes. Further analysis revealed that these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in crucial pathways involved in spermatogenesis, such as DNA replication, Cell cycle, Spliceosome, Homologous recombination, Meiosis and Apoptosis. The comparison results of potential target genes in the ovary and testis reveal 135 common potential target genes, including some genes involved in the immune response. According to our knowledge, the present work was the first to disclose the functions of foxl-2 in the testis of crustacean species using transcriptome analysis. It not only identifies key genes and pathways involved in the testicular development of S. paramamosain, but also reveals a new molecular-level understanding of the function of foxl-2 in testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinzhen Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Haifu Wan
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Ziping Zhang
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shengkang Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology, Shantou University, Shantou 515003, China
| | - Yilei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen 361021, China.
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7
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Schwaiger M, Andrikou C, Dnyansagar R, Murguia PF, Paganos P, Voronov D, Zimmermann B, Lebedeva T, Schmidt HA, Genikhovich G, Benvenuto G, Arnone MI, Technau U. An ancestral Wnt-Brachyury feedback loop in axial patterning and recruitment of mesoderm-determining target genes. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1921-1939. [PMID: 36396969 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01905-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Transcription factors are crucial drivers of cellular differentiation during animal development and often share ancient evolutionary origins. The T-box transcription factor Brachyury plays a pivotal role as an early mesoderm determinant and neural repressor in vertebrates; yet, the ancestral function and key evolutionary transitions of the role of this transcription factor remain obscure. Here, we present a genome-wide target-gene screen using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, an early branching non-bilaterian, and the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, a representative of the sister lineage of chordates. Our analysis reveals an ancestral gene regulatory feedback loop connecting Brachyury, FoxA and canonical Wnt signalling involved in axial patterning that predates the cnidarian-bilaterian split about 700 million years ago. Surprisingly, we also found that part of the gene regulatory network controlling the fate of neuromesodermal progenitors in vertebrates was already present in the common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians. However, while several endodermal and neuronal Brachyury target genes are ancestrally shared, hardly any of the key mesodermal downstream targets in vertebrates are found in the sea anemone or the sea urchin. Our study suggests that a limited number of target genes involved in mesoderm formation were newly acquired in the vertebrate lineage, leading to a dramatic shift in the function of this ancestral developmental regulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Schwaiger
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Carmen Andrikou
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Rohit Dnyansagar
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patricio Ferrer Murguia
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Danila Voronov
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Bob Zimmermann
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tatiana Lebedeva
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Heiko A Schmidt
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Grigory Genikhovich
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences,University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Research Platform 'Single Cell Regulation of Stem Cells', University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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8
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Feuda R, Peter IS. Homologous gene regulatory networks control development of apical organs and brains in Bilateria. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo2416. [PMID: 36322649 PMCID: PMC9629743 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo2416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Apical organs are relatively simple larval nervous systems. The extent to which apical organs are evolutionarily related to the more complex nervous systems of other animals remains unclear. To identify common developmental mechanisms, we analyzed the gene regulatory network (GRN) controlling the development of the apical organ in sea urchins. We characterized the developmental expression of 30 transcription factors and identified key regulatory functions for FoxQ2, Hbn, Delta/Notch signaling, and SoxC in the patterning of the apical organ and the specification of neurons. Almost the entire set of apical transcription factors is expressed in the nervous system of worms, flies, zebrafish, frogs, and mice. Furthermore, a regulatory module controlling the axial patterning of the vertebrate brain is expressed in the ectoderm of sea urchin embryos. We conclude that GRNs controlling the formation of bilaterian nervous systems share a common origin and that the apical GRN likely resembles an ancestral regulatory program.
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9
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Gene Expression Detects the Factors Influencing the Reproductive Success and the Survival Rates of Paracentrotus lividus Offspring. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232112790. [DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The increase in the demand for Paracentrotus lividus roe, a food delicacy, causes increased pressure on its wild stocks. In this scenario, aquaculture facilities will mitigate the effects of anthropogenic pressures on the wild stocks of P. lividus. Consequently, experimental studies should be conducted to enhance techniques to improve efficient aquaculture practices for these animals. Here, we for the first time performed molecular investigations on cultured sea urchins. We aimed at understanding if maternal influences may significantly impact the life of future offspring, and how the culture conditions may impact the development and growth of cultured specimens. Our findings demonstrate that the outcomes of in vitro fertilization of P. lividus are influenced by maternal influences, but these effects are largely determined by culture conditions. In fact, twenty-three genes involved in the response to stress and skeletogenesis, whose expressions were measured by Real Time qPCR, were differently expressed in sea urchins cultured in two experimental conditions, and the results were largely modified in offspring deriving from two groups of females. The findings herein reported will be critical to develop protocols for the larval culture of the most common sea urchin, both for research and industrial production purposes for mass production.
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10
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Seudre O, Martín-Zamora FM, Rapisarda V, Luqman I, Carrillo-Baltodano AM, Martín-Durán JM. The Fox Gene Repertoire in the Annelid Owenia fusiformis Reveals Multiple Expansions of the foxQ2 Class in Spiralia. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:evac139. [PMID: 36099507 PMCID: PMC9539403 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Fox genes are a large and conserved family of transcription factors involved in many key biological processes, including embryogenesis and body patterning. Although the role of Fox genes has been studied in an array of model systems, comprehensive comparative studies in Spiralia-a large clade of invertebrate animals including molluscs and annelids-are scarce but much needed to better understand the evolutionary history of this gene family. Here, we reconstruct and functionally characterize the Fox gene complement in the annelid Owenia fusiformis, a slow evolving species and member of the sister group to all remaining annelids. The genome of O. fusiformis contains at least a single ortholog for 20 of the 22 Fox gene classes that are ancestral to Bilateria, including an ortholog of the recently discovered foxT class. Temporal and spatial expression dynamics reveal a conserved role of Fox genes in gut formation, mesoderm patterning, and apical organ and cilia formation in Annelida and Spiralia. Moreover, we uncover an ancestral expansion of foxQ2 genes in Spiralia, represented by 11 paralogs in O. fusiformis. Notably, although all foxQ2 copies have apical expression in O. fusiformis, they show variable spatial domains and staggered temporal activation, which suggest cooperation and sub-functionalization among foxQ2 genes for the development of apical fates in this annelid. Altogether, our study informs the evolution and developmental roles of Fox genes in Annelida and Spiralia generally, providing the basis to explore how regulatory changes in Fox gene expression might have contributed to developmental and morphological diversification in Spiralia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Océane Seudre
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NSUnited Kingdom
| | - Francisco M Martín-Zamora
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NSUnited Kingdom
| | - Valentina Rapisarda
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NSUnited Kingdom
| | - Imran Luqman
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NSUnited Kingdom
| | - Allan M Carrillo-Baltodano
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NSUnited Kingdom
| | - José M Martín-Durán
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NSUnited Kingdom
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11
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Yuan H, Hatleberg WL, Degnan BM, Degnan SM. Gene activation of metazoan Fox transcription factors at the onset of metamorphosis in the marine demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Dev Growth Differ 2022; 64:455-468. [PMID: 36155915 PMCID: PMC9828451 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12812] [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] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factors encoded by the Forkhead (Fox) gene family have diverse, sometimes conserved, regulatory roles in eumetazoan development, immunity, and physiology. Although this gene family includes members that predate the origin of the animal kingdom, the majority of metazoan Fox genes evolved after the divergence of animals and choanoflagellates. Here, we characterize the composition, structure, and expression of Fox genes in the marine demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica to better understand the origin and evolution of this family. The Fox gene repertoire in A. queenslandica appears to be similar to the ancestral metazoan Fox gene family. All 17 A. queenslandica Fox genes are differentially expressed during development and in adult cell types. Remarkably, eight of these, all of which appear to be metazoan-specific, are induced within just 1 h of larval settlement and commencement of metamorphosis. Gene co-expression analyses suggest that these eight Fox genes regulate developmental and physiological processes similar to their roles in other animals. These findings are consistent with Fox genes playing deeply ancestral roles in animal development and physiology, including in response to changes in the external environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huifang Yuan
- School of Biological Sciences and Centre for Marine ScienceUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - William L. Hatleberg
- School of Biological Sciences and Centre for Marine ScienceUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia,Present address:
Department of Biological SciencesCarnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Bernard M. Degnan
- School of Biological Sciences and Centre for Marine ScienceUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Sandie M. Degnan
- School of Biological Sciences and Centre for Marine ScienceUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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12
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Mashanov V, Machado DJ, Reid R, Brouwer C, Kofsky J, Janies DA. Twinkle twinkle brittle star: the draft genome of Ophioderma brevispinum (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) as a resource for regeneration research. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:574. [PMID: 35953768 PMCID: PMC9367165 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08750-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Echinoderms are established models in experimental and developmental biology, however genomic resources are still lacking for many species. Here, we present the draft genome of Ophioderma brevispinum, an emerging model organism in the field of regenerative biology. This new genomic resource provides a reference for experimental studies of regenerative mechanisms. Results We report a de novo nuclear genome assembly for the brittle star O. brevispinum and annotation facilitated by the transcriptome assembly. The final assembly is 2.68 Gb in length and contains 146,703 predicted protein-coding gene models. We also report a mitochondrial genome for this species, which is 15,831 bp in length, and contains 13 protein-coding, 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs genes, respectively. In addition, 29 genes of the Notch signaling pathway are identified to illustrate the practical utility of the assembly for studies of regeneration. Conclusions The sequenced and annotated genome of O. brevispinum presented here provides the first such resource for an ophiuroid model species. Considering the remarkable regenerative capacity of this species, this genome will be an essential resource in future research efforts on molecular mechanisms regulating regeneration. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at (10.1186/s12864-022-08750-y).
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Mashanov
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 391 Technology Way, Winston-Salem, 27101, NC, USA. .,University of North Florida, Department of Biology, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, 32224, FL, USA.
| | - Denis Jacob Machado
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, College of Computing and Informatics, Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, 28223, NC, USA
| | - Robert Reid
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, College of Computing and Informatics, North Carolina Research Campus, 150 Research Campus Drive, Kannapolis, 28081, NC, USA
| | - Cory Brouwer
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, College of Computing and Informatics, North Carolina Research Campus, 150 Research Campus Drive, Kannapolis, 28081, NC, USA
| | - Janice Kofsky
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, College of Computing and Informatics, Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, 28223, NC, USA
| | - Daniel A Janies
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, College of Computing and Informatics, Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, 28223, NC, USA
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13
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Janssen R, Schomburg C, Prpic NM, Budd GE. A comprehensive study of arthropod and onychophoran Fox gene expression patterns. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270790. [PMID: 35802758 PMCID: PMC9269926 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fox genes represent an evolutionary old class of transcription factor encoding genes that evolved in the last common ancestor of fungi and animals. They represent key-components of multiple gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that are essential for embryonic development. Most of our knowledge about the function of Fox genes comes from vertebrate research, and for arthropods the only comprehensive gene expression analysis is that of the fly Drosophila melanogaster. For other arthropods, only selected Fox genes have been investigated. In this study, we provide the first comprehensive gene expression analysis of arthropod Fox genes including representative species of all main groups of arthropods, Pancrustacea, Myriapoda and Chelicerata. We also provide the first comprehensive analysis of Fox gene expression in an onychophoran species. Our data show that many of the Fox genes likely retained their function during panarthropod evolution highlighting their importance in development. Comparison with published data from other groups of animals shows that this high degree of evolutionary conservation often dates back beyond the last common ancestor of Panarthropoda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Janssen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Christoph Schomburg
- AG Zoologie mit dem Schwerpunkt Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
- Fachgebiet Botanik, Institut für Biologie, Universität Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Nikola-Michael Prpic
- AG Zoologie mit dem Schwerpunkt Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Graham E. Budd
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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14
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Bonaventura R, Costa C, Deidda I, Zito F, Russo R. Gene Expression Analysis of the Stress Response to Lithium, Nickel, and Zinc in Paracentrotus lividus Embryos. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10060325. [PMID: 35736933 PMCID: PMC9231221 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10060325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Many anthropogenic pollutants such as metals are discharged into the marine environment through modern sources. Among these, lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) can interfere with biological processes in many organisms when their concentration rises. These metals are toxic to sea urchin embryos, affecting their development. Indeed, animal/vegetal and dorso/ventral embryonic axes are differently perturbed: Li is a vegetalizing agent, Ni can disrupt dorso-ventral axis, Zn can be animalizing. To address the molecular response adopted by embryos to cope with these metals or involved in the gene networks regulating embryogenesis, and to detect new biomarkers for evaluating hazards in polluted environments in a well-known in vivo model, we applied a high-throughput screening approach to sea urchin embryos. After fertilization, Paracentrotus lividus embryos were exposed to Li, Ni, and Zn for 24/48 h. At both endpoints, RNAs were analyzed by NanoString nCounter technology. By in silico analyses, we selected a panel of 127 transcripts encoding for regulatory and structural proteins, ranked in categories: Apoptosis, Defense, Immune, Nervous, Development, and Biomineralization. The data analysis highlighted the dysregulation of many genes in a metal-dependent manner. A functional annotation analysis was performed by the KEEG Orthology database. This study provides a platform for research on metals biomarkers in sea urchins.
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Wan H, Zhong J, Zhang Z, Zou P, Wang Y. Comparative Transcriptome Reveals the Potential Modulation Mechanisms of Spfoxl-2 Affecting Ovarian Development of Scylla paramamosain. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 24:125-135. [PMID: 35107659 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-022-10091-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we reported the identification, tissue distribution and confirmed the roles of Spfoxl-2 in regulating vitellogenin (vtg) expression in Scylla paramamosain. Here, we primally analyzed its potential target genes in the ovary with RNAi and RNA-Seq technology. By comparing the transcriptome data of two groups (ovaries that injected with EGFP and Foxl-2 siRNA, respectively), we found 645 DEGs (differentially expressed genes), including several conserved crucial genes involved in ovarian development, such as vtg, vitellogenin receptor (vtgR), adenylate cyclase (AC), cyclinB, and cell division cycle 2 (cdc2). In addition, these DEGs were also enriched in pathways related to ovary development, including relaxin signaling pathway, ovarian steroidogenesis, and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. Moreover, several genes were selected for qRT-PCR to validate the accuracy of the bioinformatic result. To the best of our knowledge, the current study was the first report about foxl-2 function through comparative transcriptome analysis in crustacean species, which identified not only relevant genes and pathways involved in ovarian development of S. paramamosain, but also provided new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of foxl-2 at the molecular level in crustacean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haifu Wan
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Jinying Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Ziping Zhang
- College of Marine Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Pengfei Zou
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Yilei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
- Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, 361021, China.
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16
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Schomburg C, Janssen R, Prpic NM. Phylogenetic analysis of forkhead transcription factors in the Panarthropoda. Dev Genes Evol 2022; 232:39-48. [PMID: 35230523 PMCID: PMC8918179 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-022-00686-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Fox genes encode transcription factors that contain a DNA binding domain, the forkhead domain, and are known from diverse animal species. The exact homology of the Fox genes of different species is debated and this makes inferences about the evolution of the Fox genes, and their duplications and losses difficult. We have performed phylogenetic analyses of the Fox gene complements of 32 panarthropod species. Our results confirm an ancestral complement of FoxA, FoxB, FoxC, FoxD, FoxF, FoxG, FoxJ1, FoxJ2/3, FoxK, FoxL1, FoxL2, FoxN1/4, FoxN2/3, FoxO, FoxP, and FoxQ2 in the Arthropoda, and additionally FoxH and FoxQ1 in the Panarthropoda (including tardigrades and onychophorans). We identify a novel Fox gene sub-family, that we designate as FoxT that includes two genes in Drosophila melanogaster, Circadianly Regulated Gene (Crg-1) and forkhead domain 3F (fd3F). In a very recent paper, the same new Fox gene sub-family was identified in insects (Lin et al. 2021). Our analysis confirms the presence of FoxT and shows that its members are present throughout Panarthropoda. We show that the hitherto unclassified gene CG32006 from the fly Drosophila melanogaster belongs to FoxJ1. We also detect gene losses: FoxE and FoxM were lost already in the panarthropod ancestor, whereas the loss of FoxH occurred in the arthropod ancestor. Finally, we find an ortholog of FoxQ1 in the bark scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus, confirmed not only by phylogenetic analysis, but also by forming an evolutionarily conserved gene cluster with FoxF, FoxC, and FoxL1. This suggests that FoxQ1 belongs to the ancestral Fox gene complement in panarthropods and also in chelicerates, but has been lost at the base of the mandibulate arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Schomburg
- Fachgebiet Botanik, Institut Für Biologie, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Straße 40, 34132, Kassel, Germany
- Institut Für Allgemeine Zoologie Und Entwicklungsbiologie, AG Zoologie Mit Dem Schwerpunkt Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38, 35392, Gießen, Germany
| | - Ralf Janssen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Nikola-Michael Prpic
- Institut Für Allgemeine Zoologie Und Entwicklungsbiologie, AG Zoologie Mit Dem Schwerpunkt Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38, 35392, Gießen, Germany
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17
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Su YH. Dorsal-ventral axis formation in sea urchin embryos. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 146:183-210. [PMID: 35152983 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Most sea urchin species produce planktonic feeding larvae with distinct dorsal-ventral polarity. Such morphological indicators of polarity arise after gastrulation, when several morphogenesis and cell differentiation events occur differentially along the dorsal-ventral axis. For instance, the gut bends toward the ventral side where the mouth will form, skeletogenesis occurs initially near the ventral side with the forming skeleton extending dorsally, and pigment cells differentiate and embed in the dorsal ectoderm. The patterning mechanisms and gene regulatory networks underlying these events have been extensively studied. Two opposing TGF-β signaling pathways, Nodal and BMP, play key roles in all three germ layers to respectively pattern the sea urchin ventral and dorsal sides. In this chapter, I describe our current understanding of sea urchin dorsal-ventral patterning mechanisms. Additionally, differences in the patterning mechanisms observed in lecithotrophic sea urchins (nonfeeding larvae) and in cidaroid sea urchins are also discussed, along with evolutionary insights gained from comparative analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hsien Su
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
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18
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Aase-Remedios ME, Coll-Lladó C, Ferrier DEK. Amphioxus muscle transcriptomes reveal vertebrate-like myoblast fusion genes and a highly conserved role of insulin signalling in the metabolism of muscle. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:93. [PMID: 35105312 PMCID: PMC8805411 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08222-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The formation and functioning of muscles are fundamental aspects of animal biology, and the evolution of 'muscle genes' is central to our understanding of this tissue. Feeding-fasting-refeeding experiments have been widely used to assess muscle cellular and metabolic responses to nutrition. Though these studies have focused on vertebrate models and only a few invertebrate systems, they have found similar processes are involved in muscle degradation and maintenance. Motivation for these studies stems from interest in diseases whose pathologies involve muscle atrophy, a symptom also triggered by fasting, as well as commercial interest in the muscle mass of animals kept for consumption. Experimentally modelling atrophy by manipulating nutritional state causes muscle mass to be depleted during starvation and replenished with refeeding so that the genetic mechanisms controlling muscle growth and degradation can be understood. RESULTS Using amphioxus, the earliest branching chordate lineage, we address the gap in previous work stemming from comparisons between distantly related vertebrate and invertebrate models. Our amphioxus feeding-fasting-refeeding muscle transcriptomes reveal a highly conserved myogenic program and that the pro-orthologues of many vertebrate myoblast fusion genes were present in the ancestral chordate, despite these invertebrate chordates having unfused mononucleate myocytes. We found that genes differentially expressed between fed and fasted amphioxus were orthologous to the genes that respond to nutritional state in vertebrates. This response is driven in a large part by the highly conserved IGF/Akt/FOXO pathway, where depleted nutrient levels result in activation of FOXO, a transcription factor with many autophagy-related gene targets. CONCLUSION Reconstruction of these gene networks and pathways in amphioxus muscle provides a key point of comparison between the distantly related groups assessed thus far, significantly refining the reconstruction of the ancestral state for chordate myoblast fusion genes and identifying the extensive role of duplicated genes in the IGF/Akt/FOXO pathway across animals. Our study elucidates the evolutionary trajectory of muscle genes as they relate to the increased complexity of vertebrate muscles and muscle development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine E Aase-Remedios
- The Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Clara Coll-Lladó
- The Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - David E K Ferrier
- The Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK.
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19
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Paganos P, Voronov D, Musser JM, Arendt D, Arnone MI. Single-cell RNA sequencing of the Strongylocentrotus purpuratus larva reveals the blueprint of major cell types and nervous system of a non-chordate deuterostome. eLife 2021; 10:70416. [PMID: 34821556 PMCID: PMC8683087 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the molecular fingerprint of organismal cell types is key for understanding their function and evolution. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to survey the cell types of the sea urchin early pluteus larva, representing an important developmental transition from non-feeding to feeding larva. We identify 21 distinct cell clusters, representing cells of the digestive, skeletal, immune, and nervous systems. Further subclustering of these reveal a highly detailed portrait of cell diversity across the larva, including the identification of neuronal cell types. We then validate important gene regulatory networks driving sea urchin development and reveal new domains of activity within the larval body. Focusing on neurons that co-express Pdx-1 and Brn1/2/4, we identify an unprecedented number of genes shared by this population of neurons in sea urchin and vertebrate endocrine pancreatic cells. Using differential expression results from Pdx-1 knockdown experiments, we show that Pdx1 is necessary for the acquisition of the neuronal identity of these cells. We hypothesize that a network similar to the one orchestrated by Pdx1 in the sea urchin neurons was active in an ancestral cell type and then inherited by neuronal and pancreatic developmental lineages in sea urchins and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Periklis Paganos
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Naples, Italy
| | - Danila Voronov
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Naples, Italy
| | - Jacob M Musser
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Developmental Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Detlev Arendt
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Developmental Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Ina Arnone
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Naples, Italy
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20
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Panyushev N, Okorokova L, Danilov L, Adonin L. Pattern of Repetitive Element Transcription Segregate Cell Lineages during the Embryogenesis of Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1736. [PMID: 34829966 PMCID: PMC8615465 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Repetitive elements (REs) occupy a significant part of eukaryotic genomes and are shown to play diverse roles in genome regulation. During embryogenesis of the sea urchin, a large number of REs are expressed, but the role of these elements in the regulation of biological processes remains unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the RE expression at different stages of embryogenesis. REs occupied 44% of genomic DNA of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The most prevalent among these elements were the unknown elements-in total, they contributed 78.5% of REs (35% in total genome occupancy). It was revealed that the transcription pattern of genes and REs changes significantly during gastrulation. Using the de novo transcriptome assembly, we showed that the expression of RE is independent of its copy number in the genome. We also identified copies that are expressed. Only active RE copies were used for mapping and quantification of RE expression in the single-cell RNA sequencing data. REs expression was observed in all cell lineages and they were detected as population markers. Moreover, the primary mesenchyme cell (PMC) line had the greatest diversity of REs among the markers. Our data suggest a role for RE in the organization of developmental domains during the sea urchin embryogenesis at the single-cell resolution level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Panyushev
- Bioinformatics Institute, 197342 St. Petersburg, Russia; (N.P.); (L.O.)
| | - Larisa Okorokova
- Bioinformatics Institute, 197342 St. Petersburg, Russia; (N.P.); (L.O.)
| | - Lavrentii Danilov
- St. Petersburg State University, Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Leonid Adonin
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Group of Mechanisms for Nanosystems Targeted Delivery, 119121 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, 625003 Tyumen, Russia
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21
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Ning J, Cao W, Lu X, Chen M, Liu B, Wang C. Identification and functional analysis of a sex-biased transcriptional factor Foxl2 in the bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 256:110638. [PMID: 34171478 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Transcription factor Foxl2 is an evolutionarily conserved gene playing pivotal roles in regulation of early ovarian differentiation and maintenance in animals. However, the Foxl2 gene has not been thoroughly studied in hermaphroditic scallops. In this study, we cloned and characterized a Foxl2 (designated as AiFoxl2) from the bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians. The open reading frame of AiFoxl2 was 1122 bp encoding 373 amino acids residues and contained a conserved forkhead box domain. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that AiFoxl2 was mainly expressed in the ovary. Moreover, the highest expression of AiFoxl2 in the ovary was detected at proliferative stage and growing stage, while the lowest level was found at resting stage. During the embryonic and larval development, expression of AiFoxl2 was found first in fertilized eggs, increased significantly at the blastula stage, and reached peak value at the D-larvae stage. When AiFoxl2 was knocked down, testis development-related genes (Dmrt1, Sox7 and Sox9) were up-regulated significantly while the ovary development-related genes (Vg, HSD14, and GATA-1) were down-regulated manifestly. These findings suggested that AiFoxl2 was a female-related gene in A. i. irradians and may be involved in regulation of ovarian development and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Ning
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
| | - Weian Cao
- College of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Xia Lu
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Min Chen
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Bo Liu
- College of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Chunde Wang
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China; College of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.
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22
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Variance in expression and localization of sex-related genes CgDsx, CgBHMG1 and CgFoxl2 during diploid and triploid Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas gonad differentiation. Gene 2021; 790:145692. [PMID: 33961972 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Several evolutionarily conserved classes of transcriptional regulators were involved in diverse sex determination and differentiation pathways across taxa, whereas their roles in most mollusks is still limited. The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, a dioecious bivalve with sex reversal, could be an ideal model for this issue because of its complex sexuality and potential disruption of sex differentiation in triploid individuals. Here, two mRNA splicing isoforms of a DM domain gene CgDsx and two isoforms of a novel sex-related CgBHMG1 (ortholog of BHMG1 in mammals) were identified in C. gigas. Real time PCR showed that two isoforms of CgDsx and one isoform of CgBHMG1 displayed male-specific expression in diploid oysters, opposite with the female-specific CgFoxl2 (a potential factor of female gonadic differentiation). Interestingly, the four sex-specific transcripts in diploid oyster were expressed in triploid oysters with opposite sex, triploid hermaphrodites and individuals at stage I that sex could not be determined. Subsequent in situ hybridization analysis on gonads of diploid oysters revealed predominant expression of CgDsx in spermatogonia of testes, CgBHMG1 in spermatocytes of testes and follicle cells of ovaries, and CgFoxl2 in follicle cells of ovaries and some male germ cells in testes. And aberrant co-expression of the three genes in triploid oysters was localized in gonadal tubules of gonads at stage I, ovarian follicle cells and undetermined gonial cells in nontypical hermaphroditic gonads with rare female materials. From the above, temporal and spatial expression of sex-related genes in diploid and triploid gonads indicated that CgDsx and CgFoxl2 might mainly function in C. gigas sex differentiation, and CgBHMG1 appeared as a factor involved in meiosis. This work will help to illuminate the gene network of sex differentiation in bivalves and provides new sight on this issue from comparison between diploid and triploid individuals.
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Zhang J, Wei J, Yu H, Dong B. Genome-Wide Identification, Comparison, and Expression Analysis of Transcription Factors in Ascidian Styela clava. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4317. [PMID: 33919240 PMCID: PMC8122590 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Tunicates include diverse species, as they are model animals for evolutionary developmental biology study. The embryonic development of tunicates is known to be extensively regulated by transcription factors (TFs). Styela clava, the globally distributed invasive tunicate, exhibits a strong capacity for environmental adaptation. However, the TFs were not systematically identified and analyzed. In this study, we reported 553 TFs categorized into 60 families from S. clava, based on the whole genome data. Comparison of TFs analysis among the tunicate species revealed that the gene number in the zinc finger superfamily displayed the most significant discrepancy, indicating this family was under the highly evolutionary selection and might be related to species differentiation and environmental adaptation. The greatest number of TFs was discovered in the Cys2His2-type zinc finger protein (zf-C2H2) family in S. clava. From the point of temporal view, more than half the TFs were expressed at the early embryonic stage. The expression correlation analysis revealed the existence of a transition for TFs expression from early embryogenesis to the later larval development in S. clava. Eight Hox genes were identified to be located on one chromosome, exhibiting different arrangement and expression patterns, compared to Ciona robusta (C. intestinalis type A). In addition, a total of 23 forkhead box (fox) genes were identified in S. clava, and their expression profiles referred to their potential roles in neurodevelopment and sensory organ development. Our data, thus, provides crucial clues to the potential functions of TFs in development and environmental adaptation in the leathery sea squirt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Sars-Fang Centre, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (J.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Jiankai Wei
- Sars-Fang Centre, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (J.Z.); (J.W.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Haiyan Yu
- Sars-Fang Centre, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (J.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Bo Dong
- Sars-Fang Centre, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (J.Z.); (J.W.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
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24
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Analysis of Fox genes in Schmidtea mediterranea reveals new families and a conserved role of Smed-foxO in controlling cell death. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2947. [PMID: 33536473 PMCID: PMC7859237 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80627-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The forkhead box (Fox) genes encode transcription factors that control several key aspects of development. Present in the ancestor of all eukaryotes, Fox genes underwent several duplications followed by loss and diversification events that gave rise to the current 25 families. However, few Fox members have been identified from the Lophotrochozoa clade, and specifically from planarians, which are a unique model for understanding development, due to the striking plasticity of the adult. The aim of this study was to identify and perform evolutionary and functional studies of the Fox genes of lophotrochozoan species and, specifically, of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. Generating a pipeline for identifying Forkhead domains and using phylogenetics allowed us the phylogenetic reconstruction of Fox genes. We corrected the annotation for misannotated genes and uncovered a new family, the QD, present in all metazoans. According to the new phylogeny, the 27 Fox genes found in Schmidtea mediterranea were classified into 12 families. In Platyhelminthes, family losses were accompanied by extensive gene diversification and the appearance of specific families, the A(P) and N(P). Among the newly identified planarian Fox genes, we found a single copy of foxO, which shows an evolutionary conserved role in controlling cell death.
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Foster S, Oulhen N, Wessel G. A single cell RNA sequencing resource for early sea urchin development. Development 2020; 147:dev.191528. [PMID: 32816969 DOI: 10.1242/dev.191528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Identifying cell states during development from their mRNA profiles provides insight into their gene regulatory network. Here, we leverage the sea urchin embryo for its well-established gene regulatory network to interrogate the embryo using single cell RNA sequencing. We tested eight developmental stages in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, from the eight-cell stage to late in gastrulation. We used these datasets to parse out 22 major cell states of the embryo, focusing on key transition stages for cell type specification of each germ layer. Subclustering of these major embryonic domains revealed over 50 cell states with distinct transcript profiles. Furthermore, we identified the transcript profile of two cell states expressing germ cell factors, one we conclude represents the primordial germ cells and the other state is transiently present during gastrulation. We hypothesize that these cells of the Veg2 tier of the early embryo represent a lineage that converts to the germ line when the primordial germ cells are deleted. This broad resource will hopefully enable the community to identify other cell states and genes of interest to expose the underpinning of developmental mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephany Foster
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Division of BioMedicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Nathalie Oulhen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Division of BioMedicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Gary Wessel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Division of BioMedicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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Kipryushina YO, Yakovlev KV. Maternal control of early patterning in sea urchin embryos. Differentiation 2020; 113:28-37. [PMID: 32371341 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2020.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Sea urchin development has been studied extensively for more than a century and considered regulative since the first experimental evidence. Further investigations have repeatedly supported this standpoint by revealing the presence of inductive mechanisms that alter cell fate decisions at early cleavage stages and flexibility of development in response to environmental conditions. Some features indicate that sea urchin development is not completely regulative, but actually includes determinative events. In 16-cell embryos, mesomeres and macromeres represent multipotency, while the cell fate of most vegetal micromeres is restricted. It is known that the mature sea urchin eggs are polarized by the asymmetrical distribution of some maternal mRNAs and proteins. Spatially-distributed maternal factors are necessary for the orientation of the primary animal-vegetal axis, which is established by both maternal and zygotic mechanisms later in development. The secondary dorsal-ventral axis is conditionally specified later in development. Dorsal-ventral polarity is very liable during the early cleavages, though more recent data argue that its direction may be oriented by maternal asymmetry. In this review, we focus on the role of maternal factors in initial embryonic patterning during the first cleavages of sea urchin embryos before activation of the embryonic genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia O Kipryushina
- Laboratory of Cytotechnology, National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Palchevsky St. 17, 690041, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Konstantin V Yakovlev
- Laboratory of Cytotechnology, National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Palchevsky St. 17, 690041, Vladivostok, Russia; Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
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Ettensohn CA. The gene regulatory control of sea urchin gastrulation. Mech Dev 2020; 162:103599. [PMID: 32119908 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2020.103599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The cell behaviors associated with gastrulation in sea urchins have been well described. More recently, considerable progress has been made in elucidating gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that underlie the specification of early embryonic territories in this experimental model. This review integrates information from these two avenues of work. I discuss the principal cell movements that take place during sea urchin gastrulation, with an emphasis on molecular effectors of the movements, and summarize our current understanding of the gene regulatory circuitry upstream of those effectors. A case is made that GRN biology can provide a causal explanation of gastrulation, although additional analysis is needed at several levels of biological organization in order to provide a deeper understanding of this complex morphogenetic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Schacht MI, Schomburg C, Bucher G. six3 acts upstream of foxQ2 in labrum and neural development in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. Dev Genes Evol 2020; 230:95-104. [PMID: 32040712 PMCID: PMC7128001 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-020-00654-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Anterior patterning in animals is based on a gene regulatory network, which comprises highly conserved transcription factors like six3, pax6 and otx. More recently, foxQ2 was found to be an ancestral component of this network but its regulatory interactions showed evolutionary differences. In most animals, foxQ2 is a downstream target of six3 and knockdown leads to mild or no epidermal phenotypes. In contrast, in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, foxQ2 gained a more prominent role in patterning leading to strong epidermal and brain phenotypes and being required for six3 expression. However, it has remained unclear which of these novel aspects were insect or arthropod specific. Here, we study expression and RNAi phenotype of the single foxQ2 ortholog of the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. We find early anterior expression similar to the one of insects. Further, we show an epidermal phenotype in the labrum similar to the insect phenotype. However, our data indicate that foxQ2 is positioned downstream of six3 like in other animals but unlike insects. Hence, the epidermal and neural pattering function of foxQ2 is ancestral for arthropods while the upstream role of foxQ2 may have evolved in the lineage leading to the insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Ines Schacht
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, GZMB, University of Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Christoph Schomburg
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, GZMB, University of Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Gregor Bucher
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, GZMB, University of Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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Wu S, Zhang Y, Li Y, Wei H, Guo Z, Wang S, Zhang L, Bao Z. Identification and expression profiles of Fox transcription factors in the Yesso scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis). Gene 2020; 733:144387. [PMID: 31972308 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The forkhead box (Fox) gene family is a family of transcription factors that play important roles in a variety of biological processes in vertebrates, including early development and cell proliferation and differentiation. However, at present, studies on the mollusk Fox family are relatively lacking. In the present study, the Fox gene family of the Yesso scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) was systematically identified. In addition, the expression profiles of the Fox gene family in early development and adult tissues were analyzed. The results showed that there were 26 Fox genes in P. yessoensis. Of the 26 genes, 24 belonged to 20 subfamilies. The Fox genes belonging to the I, Q1, R and S subfamilies were absent in P. yessoensis. The other 2 genes formed 2 independent clades with the Fox genes of other mollusks and protostomes. They might be new members of the Fox family and were named FoxY and FoxZ. P. yessoensis contained a FoxC-FoxL1 gene cluster similar in structure to that of Branchiostoma floridae, suggesting that the cluster might already exist in the ancestors of bilaterally symmetrical animals. The gene expression analysis of Fox showed that most of the genes were continuously expressed in multiple stages of early development, suggesting that Fox genes might be widely involved in the regulation of embryo and larval development of P. yessoensis. Nine Fox genes were specifically expressed in certain tissues, such as the nerve ganglia, foot, ovary, testis, and gills. For the 9 genes that were differentially expressed between the testis and ovary, their expression levels were analyzed during the 4 developmental stages of gonads. The results showed that FoxL2, FoxE and FoxY were highly expressed in the ovary during all developmental stages, while FoxZ was highly expressed in the testis during all developmental stages. The results suggested that these genes might play an important role in sex maintenance or gametogenesis. The present study could provide a reference for evolutionary and functional studies of the Fox family in metazoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoxuan Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yajuan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Huilan Wei
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Zhenyi Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Shi Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, Shandong, China
| | - Lingling Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, Shandong, China.
| | - Zhenmin Bao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, Shandong, China
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Russo R, Chiaramonte M, Lampiasi N, Zito F. MITF: an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Genetica 2019; 147:369-379. [PMID: 31625006 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-019-00077-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is a member of MYC superfamily, associated with melanocyte cells, as it was discovered in depigmented mice. However, over the last years it was found to be involved in many cellular signaling pathways, among which oncogenesis, osteoclast differentiation, and stress response. In mammals, Mitf gene mutations can cause diverse syndromes affecting pigmentation of eyes or skin, bone defects and melanomas. As MITF protein homologs were also found in some invertebrates, we have isolated and characterized the MITF cDNAs from the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, referred to as Pl-Mitf. The in silico study of the secondary and tertiary structure of Pl-Mitf protein showed high conserved regions mostly lying in the DNA binding domain. To understand the degree of evolutionary conservation of MITF, a phylogenetic analysis was performed comparing the Pl-Mitf deduced protein with proteins from different animal species. Moreover, the analysis of temporal and spatial expression pattern of Pl-Mitf mRNA showed that it was expressed from the onset of gastrulation of the sea urchin embryo to the pluteus larva, specifically in primary mesenchymes cells (PMCs), the sea urchin skeletogenic cells, and in the forming archenteron, the larval gut precursor. In silico protein-protein interactions analysis was used to understand the association of MITF with other proteins. Our results put in evidence the conservation of the MITF protein among vertebrates and invertebrates and may provide new perspectives on the pathways underlying sea urchin development, even if further functional analyses are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Russo
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Marco Chiaramonte
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Nadia Lampiasi
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Zito
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy.
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PI3K inhibition highlights new molecular interactions involved in the skeletogenesis of Paracentrotus lividus embryos. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2019; 1867:118558. [PMID: 31525406 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2019.118558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The sea urchin embryo develops a well-defined biomineralized endoskeleton, synthesized exclusively by the skeletogenic cells, supported by ectodermal cues for the correct skeleton patterning. The biomineralization process is tightly regulated via a hierarchical order of gene expression, including transcription and growth factors, biomineralization proteins. Recently, the role of kinases and intracellular signaling pathways in sea urchin skeletogenesis has been addressed, although the downstream components still remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-mediated signaling pathway in Paracentrotus lividus, to identify its genes/proteins targets. The effects of LY294002 (LY), a PI3K-specific inhibitor, were evaluated at morphological and molecular levels. Treatment with 40 μM LY from the blastula stage completely blocked skeleton deposition, which was reversed by wash out experiments. Besides, LY caused a slight delay in the tripartite gut development. Despite the skeleton absence, a few skeleton-specific proteins/mRNAs were regularly expressed and localized in LY-treated embryos, as shown for MSP130 and SM50 by immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization experiments. QPCR analyses showed that LY differently affected the expression of genes coding for other biomineralization proteins, transcription and growth factors. SM30 and carbonic anhydrase expression was severely downregulated, while almost all the transcription factors analyzed were upregulated. Based on the present results and in silico analyses, we propose an "interactomic" model simulating PI3K connections in P. lividus embryos. Our findings define a novel regulatory step in the embryonic skeletogenesis, and provide valuable molecular data for further studies on the role of PI3K signaling in invertebrate biomineralization.
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Lebaron K, Mechiri L, Richard S, Austruy A, Boudenne JL, Coupé S. Assessment of individual and mixed toxicity of bromoform, tribromoacetic-acid and 2,4,6 tribromophenol, on the embryo-larval development of Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:20573-20580. [PMID: 31104232 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-05279-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Water chlorination is the most widely used technique to avoid microbial contamination and biofouling. Adding chlorine to bromide-rich waters leads to the rapid oxidation of bromide ions and leads to the formation of brominated disinfection by-products (bromo-DBPs) that exert adverse effects on various biological models. Bromo-DBPs are regularly encountered within industrialized embayments, potentially impacting marine organisms. Of these, bromoform, tribromoacetic acid and tribromophenol are among the most prevalent. In the present study, we tested the potential toxicity and genotoxicity of these disinfection by-products, using sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus, embryos. We highlighted that tribromophenol showed higher toxicity compared to bromoform and tribromoacetic acid. Furthermore, a synergistic effect was detected when tested in combination. Pluteus cells exposed for 1 h to mixtures of DBPs at several concentrations demonstrated significant DNA damage. Finally, when compared to a non-exposed population, sea urchins living in a bromo-DPB-polluted area produced more resistant progenies, as if they were locally adapted. This hypothesis remains to be tested in order to better understand the obvious impact of complex bromo-DBPs environments on marine wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Lebaron
- CNRS/INSU, IRD, MIO UM 110, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Université Toulon, La Garde, France.
- CNRS, LCE UMR7476, Aix-Marseille-Université, 13331, Marseille, France.
| | - Lilia Mechiri
- CNRS/INSU, IRD, MIO UM 110, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Université Toulon, La Garde, France
| | - Simone Richard
- CNRS/INSU, IRD, MIO UM 110, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Université Toulon, La Garde, France
| | - Annabelle Austruy
- Centre de Vie La Fossette, Institut Ecocitoyen pour la Connaissance des Pollutions, 13270, Fos-sur-Mer, France
| | - Jean-Luc Boudenne
- CNRS, LCE UMR7476, Aix-Marseille-Université, 13331, Marseille, France
| | - Stéphane Coupé
- CNRS/INSU, IRD, MIO UM 110, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Université Toulon, La Garde, France
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Gonadal transcriptomic analysis and identification of candidate sex-related genes in Mesocentrotus nudus. Gene 2019; 698:72-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.02.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Yamazaki A, Yamamoto A, Yaguchi J, Yaguchi S. cis-Regulatory analysis for later phase of anterior neuroectoderm-specific foxQ2 expression in sea urchin embryos. Genesis 2019; 57:e23302. [PMID: 31025827 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23302] [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: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The specification of anterior neuroectoderm is controlled by a highly conserved molecular mechanism in bilaterians. A forkhead family gene, foxQ2, is known to be one of the pivotal regulators, which is zygotically expressed in this region during embryogenesis of a broad range of bilaterians. However, what controls the expression of this essential factor has remained unclear to date. To reveal the regulatory mechanism of foxQ2, we performed cis-regulatory analysis of two foxQ2 genes, foxQ2a and foxQ2b, in a sea urchin Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. In sea urchin embryos, foxQ2 is initially expressed in the entire animal hemisphere and subsequently shows narrower expression restricted to the anterior pole region. In this study, as a first step to understand the foxQ2 regulation, we focused on the later restricted expression and analyzed the upstream cis-regulatory sequences of foxQ2a and foxQ2b by using the constructs fused to short half-life green fluorescent protein. Based on deletion and mutation analyses of both foxQ2, we identified each of the five regulatory sequences, which were 4-9 bp long. Neither of the regulatory sequences contains any motifs for ectopic activation or spatial repression, suggesting that later mRNA localization is regulated in situ. We also suggest that the three amino acid loop extension-class homeobox gene Meis is involved in the maintenance of foxQ2b, the expression of which is dominant during embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuko Yamazaki
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Akane Yamamoto
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Junko Yaguchi
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yaguchi
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
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Kostyuchenko RP, Kozin VV, Filippova NA, Sorokina EV. FoxA expression pattern in two polychaete species, Alitta virens and Platynereis dumerilii: Examination of the conserved key regulator of the gut development from cleavage through larval life, postlarval growth, and regeneration. Dev Dyn 2019; 248:728-743. [PMID: 30566266 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND foxA orthologs are involved in various processes from embryo patterning to regulation of metabolism. Since foxA conserved role in the development of the gut of errant annelids has never been thoroughly studied, we used a candidate gene approach to unravel the molecular profile of the alimentary canal in two closely related nereid worms with a trochophore-type lecithotrophic larva. RESULTS The character of foxA expression in the two polychaetes was similar but not identical. The genes were successively activated first in blastoporal cells, then in the stomodeum, the midgut, and hindgut primordia, and in the cells of central and peripheral nervous system. Before the start of active feeding of nectochaetes, we observed a short phase of foxA expression in the entire digestive tract. After amputation of posterior segments, foxA expression was established de novo in the new terminal part of the intestine, and then in the developing hindgut and the anus. CONCLUSIONS We discovered an early marker of endoderm formation previously unknown in errant annelids. Its expression dynamics provided valuable insights into the gut development. Comparative analysis of foxA activity suggests its primary role in gastrulation morphogenesis independently of its type and in midgut and foregut specification. Developmental Dynamics 248:728-743, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman P Kostyuchenko
- Department of Embryology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vitaly V Kozin
- Department of Embryology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Nadezhda A Filippova
- Department of Embryology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina V Sorokina
- Department of Embryology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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Wang L, Koppitch K, Cutting A, Dong P, Kudtarkar P, Zeng J, Cameron RA, Davidson EH. Developmental effector gene regulation: Multiplexed strategies for functional analysis. Dev Biol 2019; 445:68-79. [PMID: 30392838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The staggering complexity of the genome controls for developmental processes is revealed through massively parallel cis-regulatory analysis using new methods of perturbation and readout. The choice of combinations of these new methods is tailored to the system, question and resources at hand. Our focus is on issues that include the necessity or sufficiency of given cis-regulatory modules, cis-regulatory function in the normal spatial genomic context, and easily accessible high throughput and multiplexed analysis methods. In the sea urchin embryonic model, recombineered BACs offer new opportunities for consecutive modes of cis-regulatory analyses that answer these requirements, as we here demonstrate on a diverse suite of previously unstudied sea urchin effector genes expressed in skeletogenic cells. Positively active cis-regulatory modules were located in single Nanostring experiments per BAC containing the gene of interest, by application of our previously reported "barcode" tag vectors of which> 100 can be analyzed at one time. Computational analysis of DNA sequences that drive expression, based on the known skeletogenic regulatory state, then permitted effective identification of functional target site clusters. Deletion of these sub-regions from the parent BACs revealed module necessity, as simultaneous tests of the same regions in short constructs revealed sufficiency. Predicted functional inputs were then confirmed by site mutations, all generated and tested in multiplex formats. There emerged the simple conclusion that each effector gene utilizes a small subset of inputs from the skeletogenic GRN. These inputs may function to only adjust expression levels or in some cases necessary for expression. Since we know the GRN architecture upstream of the effector genes, we could then conceptually isolate and compare the wiring of the effector gene driver sub-circuits and identify the inputs whose removal abolish expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Wang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Kari Koppitch
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Ann Cutting
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Ping Dong
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Parul Kudtarkar
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Jenny Zeng
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - R Andrew Cameron
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States.
| | - Eric H Davidson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
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37
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Peter IS. Methods for the experimental and computational analysis of gene regulatory networks in sea urchins. Methods Cell Biol 2018; 151:89-113. [PMID: 30948033 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) has opened a gate to access the genomic mechanisms controlling development. GRNs are systems of transcriptional regulatory circuits that control the differential specification of cell fates during development by regulating gene expression. The experimental analysis of GRNs involves a collection of methods, each revealing aspects of the overall control process. This review provides an overview of experimental and computational methods that have been successfully applied for solving developmental GRNs in the sea urchin embryo. The key in this approach is to obtain experimental evidence for functional interactions between transcription factors and regulatory DNA. In the second part of this review, a more generally applicable strategy is discussed that shows a path from experimental evidence to annotation of regulatory linkages to the generation of GRN models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle S Peter
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States.
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Yaguchi J, Yamazaki A, Yaguchi S. Meis transcription factor maintains the neurogenic ectoderm and regulates the anterior-posterior patterning in embryos of a sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. Dev Biol 2018; 444:1-8. [PMID: 30266259 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Precise body axis formation is an essential step in the development of multicellular organisms, for most of which the molecular gradient and/or specifically biased localization of cell-fate determinants in eggs play important roles. In sea urchins, however, any biased proteins and mRNAs have not yet been identified in the egg except for vegetal cortex molecules, suggesting that sea urchin development is mostly regulated by uniformly distributed maternal molecules with contributions to axis formation that are not well characterized. Here, we describe that the maternal Meis transcription factor regulates anterior-posterior axis formation through maintenance of the most anterior territory in embryos of a sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. Loss-of-function experiments revealed that Meis is intrinsically required for maintenance of the anterior neuroectoderm specifier foxQ2 after hatching and, consequently, the morphant lost anterior neuroectoderm characteristics. In addition, the expression patterns of univin and VEGF, the lateral ectoderm markers, and the mesenchyme-cell pattern shifted toward the anterior side in Meis morphants more than they did in control embryos, indicating that Meis contributes to the precise anteroposterior patterning by regulating the anterior neuroectodermal fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junko Yaguchi
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1, Shimoda, Shizuoka 415-0025, Japan
| | - Atsuko Yamazaki
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1, Shimoda, Shizuoka 415-0025, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yaguchi
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1, Shimoda, Shizuoka 415-0025, Japan.
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McClay DR, Miranda E, Feinberg SL. Neurogenesis in the sea urchin embryo is initiated uniquely in three domains. Development 2018; 145:dev167742. [PMID: 30413529 PMCID: PMC6240313 DOI: 10.1242/dev.167742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Many marine larvae begin feeding within a day of fertilization, thus requiring rapid development of a nervous system to coordinate feeding activities. Here, we examine the patterning and specification of early neurogenesis in sea urchin embryos. Lineage analysis indicates that neurons arise locally in three regions of the embryo. Perturbation analyses showed that when patterning is disrupted, neurogenesis in the three regions is differentially affected, indicating distinct patterning requirements for each neural domain. Six transcription factors that function during proneural specification were identified and studied in detail. Perturbations of these proneural transcription factors showed that specification occurs differently in each neural domain prior to the Delta-Notch restriction signal. Though gene regulatory network state changes beyond the proneural restriction are largely unresolved, the data here show that the three neural regions already differ from each other significantly early in specification. Future studies that define the larval nervous system in the sea urchin must therefore separately characterize the three populations of neurons that enable the larva to feed, to navigate, and to move food particles through the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R McClay
- Department of Biology, 124 Science Drive, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Esther Miranda
- Department of Biology, 124 Science Drive, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Stacy L Feinberg
- Department of Biology, 124 Science Drive, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Kwak HJ, Ryu KB, Medina Jiménez BI, Park SC, Cho SJ. Temporal and spatial expression of the Fox gene family in the Leech Helobdella austinensis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2018; 330:341-350. [PMID: 30280505 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The Forkhead box (Fox) gene family is an evolutionarily ancient gene family named after the Drosophila melanogaster forkhead gene (fkh). Fox genes are highly conserved transcription factors critical for embryogenesis and carcinogenesis. In the current study, we report a whole-genome survey of Fox genes and their expression patterns in the leech Helobdella austienesis. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that some Fox genes of leeches are correlated with other Lophotrochozoa and vertebrate Fox genes. Here we have performed semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and whole-mount in situ hybridization of Fox genes throughout the embryonic development of H. austinensis. We found that each one of the leech Fox genes (FoxA1, FoxA3, FoxC, FoxL2, FoxO1, and FoxO2) is expressed in a specific set of cells or tissue type. From Stages 9-11, Hau-FoxA1 was expressed in the foregut of the anterior region, and Hau-FoxL2 was expressed in mesodermal muscle fiber. Hau-FoxA3 was temporally expressed in the ventral neuroectoderm. At Stage 11, Hau-FoxC was expressed in the foregut. Hau-FoxO genes have a ubiquitous expression. Our results provide more insight on the evolutionary linkage and role of the Fox gene function in Bilateria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee-Jin Kwak
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Bin Ryu
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Brenda Irene Medina Jiménez
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Soon Cheol Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Jin Cho
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
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Fadl AEA, Mahfouz ME, El-Gamal MMT, Heyland A. Onset of feeding in juvenile sea urchins and its relation to nutrient signalling. INVERTEBR REPROD DEV 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/07924259.2018.1513873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alyaa Elsaid Abdelaziz Fadl
- Department of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Biological science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Kafrelsheikh, Kafr Elsheikh, Egypt
| | - Magdy Elsayed Mahfouz
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Kafrelsheikh, Kafr Elsheikh, Egypt
| | | | - Andreas Heyland
- Department of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Biological science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Molina MD, Quirin M, Haillot E, De Crozé N, Range R, Rouel M, Jimenez F, Amrouche R, Chessel A, Lepage T. MAPK and GSK3/ß-TRCP-mediated degradation of the maternal Ets domain transcriptional repressor Yan/Tel controls the spatial expression of nodal in the sea urchin embryo. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007621. [PMID: 30222786 PMCID: PMC6160229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the sea urchin embryo, specification of the dorsal-ventral axis critically relies on the spatially restricted expression of nodal in the presumptive ventral ectoderm. The ventral restriction of nodal expression requires the activity of the maternal TGF-β ligand Panda but the mechanism by which Panda restricts nodal expression is unknown. Similarly, what initiates expression of nodal in the ectoderm and what are the mechanisms that link patterning along the primary and secondary axes is not well understood. We report that in Paracentrotus lividus, the activity of the maternally expressed ETS-domain transcription factor Yan/Tel is essential for the spatial restriction of nodal. Inhibiting translation of maternal yan/tel mRNA disrupted dorsal-ventral patterning in all germ layers by causing a massive ectopic expression of nodal starting from cleavage stages, mimicking the phenotype caused by inactivation of the maternal Nodal antagonist Panda. We show that like in the fly or in vertebrates, the activity of sea urchin Yan/Tel is regulated by phosphorylation by MAP kinases. However, unlike in the fly or in vertebrates, phosphorylation by GSK3 plays a central role in the regulation Yan/Tel stability in the sea urchin. We show that GSK3 phosphorylates Yan/Tel in vitro at two different sites including a β-TRCP ubiquitin ligase degradation motif and a C-terminal Ser/Thr rich cluster and that phosphorylation of Yan/Tel by GSK3 triggers its degradation by a β-TRCP/proteasome pathway. Finally, we show that, Yan is epistatic to Panda and that the activity of Yan/Tel is required downstream of Panda to restrict nodal expression. Our results identify Yan/Tel as a central regulator of the spatial expression of nodal in Paracentrotus lividus and uncover a key interaction between the gene regulatory networks responsible for patterning the embryo along the dorsal-ventral and animal-vegetal axes. Specification of the embryonic axes is an essential step during early development of metazoa. In the sea urchin embryo, specification of the dorsal-ventral axis critically relies on the spatial restriction of the expression of the TGF-ß family member Nodal in ventral cells, a process that requires the activity of the maternal determinant Panda. How the spatially restricted expression of nodal is established downstream of Panda is not well understood. We have discovered that, in the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, the spatial restriction of nodal on the ventral side of the embryo requires the inhibitory activity of a transcriptional repressor named Yan/Tel. This finding suggests a molecular mechanism for the control of nodal expression by the release of a repression. We found that this release requires the activity of two families of kinases that we identified as the MAP kinases and GSK3, a kinase which, intriguingly, was previously known as a key regulator of patterning along the animal-vegetal axis. We discovered that phosphorylation by MAPK and GSK3 triggers degradation of Yan/Tel by a β-TRCP proteasome pathway. Finally, we find that Yan/Tel likely acts downstream of Panda in the hierarchy of genes required for nodal restriction. Our study therefore identifies Yan/Tel as a new essential regulator of nodal expression downstream of Panda and identifies a novel key interaction between the gene regulatory networks responsible for patterning along the primary and secondary axis of polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Dolores Molina
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Magali Quirin
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Emmanuel Haillot
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Noémie De Crozé
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Ryan Range
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Mathieu Rouel
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Felipe Jimenez
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Radja Amrouche
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Aline Chessel
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Thierry Lepage
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institut Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
- * E-mail:
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Bonaventura R, Zito F, Chiaramonte M, Costa C, Russo R. Nickel toxicity in P. lividus embryos: Dose dependent effects and gene expression analysis. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 139:113-121. [PMID: 29773318 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Many industrial activities release Nickel (Ni) in the environment with harmful effects for terrestrial and marine organisms. Despite many studies on the mechanisms of Ni toxicity are available, the understanding about its toxic effects on marine organisms is more limited. We used Paracentrotus lividus as a model to analyze the effects on the stress pathways in embryos continuously exposed to different Ni doses, ranging from 0.03 to 0.5 mM. We deeply examined the altered embryonic morphologies at 24 and 48 h after Ni exposure. Some different phenotypes have been classified, showing alterations at the expenses of the dorso-ventral axis as well as the skeleton and/or the pigment cells. At the lowest dose used, Ni mainly induced a multi-spicule phenotype observed at 24 h after treatment. On the contrary, at the highest dose of Ni (0.5 mM), 90% of embryos showed no skeleton and no pigment cells. Therefore, we focused on this dose to study protein and gene expression patterns at 24 and 48 h after exposure. Among the proteins analyzed, i.e. p38MAPK, Grp78 and Mn-SOD, only p38MAPK was induced by Ni treatment. Moreover, we analyzed the mRNA profiles of a pool of genes that are involved in stress response and in development mechanisms, i.e. the transcription factors Pl-NFkB and Pl-FOXO; a marker of DNA repair, Pl-XPB/ERCC3; a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Pl-p38; an ER stress gene, Pl-grp78; an adapter protein, Pl-14-3-3ε; two markers of pigment cells, Pl-PKS1 and Pl-gcm. The spatial expression of mesenchymal marker genes has been evaluated in Ni-treated embryos at both 24 and 48 h after exposure. Our results indicated that Ni acts at several levels in P. lividus sea urchin, by affecting embryo development, influencing the embryonic immune response and activating stress response pathways to counteract the suffered injury and to promote embryos surviving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bonaventura
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "A. Monroy", Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Francesca Zito
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "A. Monroy", Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marco Chiaramonte
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "A. Monroy", Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Caterina Costa
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "A. Monroy", Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Roberta Russo
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "A. Monroy", Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
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Abstract
A growing body of evidence shows that gene expression in multicellular organisms is controlled by the combinatorial function of multiple transcription factors. This indicates that not the individual transcription factors or signaling molecules, but the combination of expressed regulatory molecules, the regulatory state, should be viewed as the functional unit in gene regulation. Here, I discuss the concept of the regulatory state and its proposed role in the genome-wide control of gene expression. Recent analyses of regulatory gene expression in sea urchin embryos have been instrumental for solving the genomic control of cell fate specification in this system. Some of the approaches that were used to determine the expression of regulatory states during sea urchin embryogenesis are reviewed. Significant developmental changes in regulatory state expression leading to the distinct specification of cell fates are regulated by gene regulatory network circuits. How these regulatory state transitions are encoded in the genome is illuminated using the sea urchin endoderm-mesoderms cell fate decision circuit as an example. These observations highlight the importance of considering developmental gene regulation, and the function of individual transcription factors, in the context of regulatory states.
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Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Fox Genes in the Honeybee, Apis cerana, and Comparative Analysis with Other Bee Fox Genes. Int J Genomics 2018; 2018:5702061. [PMID: 29850474 PMCID: PMC5926511 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5702061] [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: 09/16/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The forkhead box (Fox) gene family, one of the most important families of transcription factors, participates in various biological processes. However, Fox genes in Hymenoptera are still poorly known. In this study, 14 Fox genes were identified in the genome of Apis cerana. In addition, 16 (Apis mellifera), 13 (Apis dorsata), 16 (Apis florea), 17 (Bombus terrestris), 16 (Bombus impatiens), and 18 (Megachile rotundata) Fox genes were identified in their genomes, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that FoxA is absent in the genome of A. dorsata genome. Similarly, FoxG is missing in the genomes A. cerana and A. dorsata. Temporal expression profiles obtained by quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Fox genes have distinct expression patterns in A. cerana, especially for three genes ACSNU03719T0 (AcFoxN4), ACSNU05765T0 (AcFoxB), and ACSNU07465T0 (AcFoxL2), which displayed high expression at the egg stage. Tissue expression patterns showed that FoxJ1 is significantly higher in the antennae of A. cerana and A. mellifera compared to other tissues. These results may facilitate a better understanding of the potential physiological functions of the Fox gene family in A. cerana and provide valuable information for a comprehensive functional analysis of the Fox gene family in Hymenopterans.
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Shi Y, Liu W, He M. Proteome and Transcriptome Analysis of Ovary, Intersex Gonads, and Testis Reveals Potential Key Sex Reversal/Differentiation Genes and Mechanism in Scallop Chlamys nobilis. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2018; 20:220-245. [PMID: 29546597 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-018-9800-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Bivalve mollusks exhibit hermaphroditism and sex reversal/differentiation. Studies generally focus on transcriptional profiling and specific genes related to sex determination and differentiation. Few studies on sex reversal/differentiation have been reported. A combination analysis of gonad proteomics and transcriptomics was conducted on Chlamys nobilis to provide a systematic understanding of sex reversal/differentiation in bivalves. We obtained 4258 unique peptides and 93,731 unigenes with good correlation between messenger RNA and protein levels. Candidate genes in sex reversal/differentiation were found: 15 genes differentially expressed between sexes were identified and 12 had obvious sexual functions. Three novel genes (foxl2, β-catenin, and sry) were expressed highly in intersex individuals and were likely involved in the control of gonadal sex in C. nobilis. High expression of foxl2 or β-catenin may inhibit sry and activate 5-HT receptor and vitellogenin to maintain female development. High expression of sry may inhibit foxl2 and β-catenin and activate dmrt2, fem-1, sfp2, sa6, Amy-1, APCP4, and PLK to maintain male function. High expression of sry, foxl2, and β-catenin in C. nobilis may be involved in promoting and maintaining sex reversal/differentiation. The downstream regulator may not be dimorphic expressed genes, but genes expressed in intersex individuals, males and females. Different expression patterns of sex-related genes and gonadal histological characteristics suggested that C. nobilis may change its sex from male to female. These findings suggest highly conserved sex reversal/differentiation with diverged regulatory pathways during C. nobilis evolution. This study provides valuable genetic resources for understanding sex reversal/differentiation (intersex) mechanisms and pathways underlying bivalve reproductive regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Wenguang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Maoxian He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
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Soukup V, Mrstakova S, Kozmik Z. Asymmetric pitx2 expression in medaka epithalamus is regulated by nodal signaling through an intronic enhancer. Dev Genes Evol 2018; 228:131-139. [PMID: 29663064 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-018-0611-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The epithalamic region of fishes shows prominent left-right asymmetries that are executed by nodal signaling upstream of the asymmetry-determining transcription factor pitx2. Previous reports have identified that nodal controls the left-sided pitx2 expression in the lateral plate mesoderm through an enhancer present in the last intron of this gene. However, whether similar regulation occurs also in the case of epithalamic asymmetry is currently unresolved. Here, we address some of the cis-regulatory information that control asymmetric pitx2 expression in epithalamus by presenting a Tg(pitx2:EGFP) 116-17 transgenic medaka model, which expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under control of an intronic enhancer. We show that this transgene recapitulates epithalamic expression of the endogenous pitx2 and that it responds to nodal signaling inhibition. Further, we identify that three foxh1-binding sites present in this enhancer modulate expression of the transgene and that the second site is absolutely necessary for the left-sided epithalamic expression while the other two sites may have subtler regulative roles. We provide evidence that left-sided epithalamic pitx2 expression is controlled through an enhancer present in the last intron of this gene and that the regulatory logic underlying asymmetric pitx2 expression is shared between epithalamic and lateral plate mesoderm regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Soukup
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Vinicna 7, 128 44, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Simona Mrstakova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zbynek Kozmik
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
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Hinman VF, Burke RD. Embryonic neurogenesis in echinoderms. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2018; 7:e316. [PMID: 29470839 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The phylogenetic position of echinoderms is well suited to revealing shared features of deuterostomes that distinguish them from other bilaterians. Although echinoderm neurobiology remains understudied, genomic resources, molecular methods, and systems approaches have enabled progress in understanding mechanisms of embryonic neurogenesis. Even though the morphology of echinoderm larvae is diverse, larval nervous systems, which arise during gastrulation, have numerous similarities in their organization. Diverse neural subtypes and specialized sensory neurons have been identified and details of neuroanatomy using neuron-specific labels provide hypotheses for neural function. The early patterning of ectoderm and specification of axes has been well studied in several species and underlying gene regulatory networks have been established. The cells giving rise to central and peripheral neural components have been identified in urchins and sea stars. Neurogenesis includes typical metazoan features of asymmetric division of neural progenitors and in some cases limited proliferation of neural precursors. Delta/Notch signaling has been identified as having critical roles in regulating neural patterning and differentiation. Several transcription factors functioning in pro-neural phases of specification, neural differentiation, and sub-type specification have been identified and structural or functional components of neurons are used as differentiation markers. Several methods for altering expression in embryos have revealed aspects of a regulatory hierarchy of transcription factors in neurogenesis. Interfacing neurogenic gene regulatory networks to the networks regulating ectodermal domains and identifying the spatial and temporal inputs that pattern the larval nervous system is a major challenge that will contribute substantially to our understanding of the evolution of metazoan nervous systems. This article is categorized under: Comparative Development and Evolution > Model Systems Comparative Development and Evolution > Body Plan Evolution Early Embryonic Development > Gastrulation and Neurulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica F Hinman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert D Burke
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
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Kuo DH, Hsiao YH. Duplicated FoxA genes in the leech Helobdella: Insights into the evolution of direct development in clitellate annelids. Dev Dyn 2018; 247:763-778. [PMID: 29396890 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As an adaptation to the land, the clitellate annelid had reorganized its embryogenesis to develop "directly" without the ancestral planktonic larval stage. To study the evolution of gut development in the directly developing clitellates, we characterized the expression pattern of the conserved gut gene, FoxA, in the embryonic development of the leech. RESULTS The leech has three FoxA paralogs. Hau-FoxA1 is first expressed in a subset of endoderm cells and then in the foregut and the midgut. Hau-FoxA2 is expressed in the stomodeum, which is secondarily derived from the anterior ectoderm in the clitellates rather than the tissue around the blastopore, the ancestral site of mouth formation in Phylum Annelida. Hau-FoxA3 is expressed during the morphogenesis of segmental ganglia from the ectodermal teloblast lineages, a clitellate-specific trait. Hau-FoxA1 and Hau-FoxA2 are also expressed during the morphogenesis of the leech-specific front sucker. CONCLUSIONS The expression patterns suggested that Hau-FoxA1 carries out most of the conserved function in the endoderm and gut development, while the other two duplicates appear to have evolved unique novel functions in the directly developing clitellate embryos. Therefore, neofunctionalization and co-option of FoxA might have made a significant contribution to the evolution of direct development in Clitellata. Developmental Dynamics 247:763-778, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dian-Han Kuo
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsiang Hsiao
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Fadl AEA, Mahfouz ME, El-Gamal MMT, Heyland A. New biomarkers of post-settlement growth in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Heliyon 2017; 3:e00412. [PMID: 29034337 PMCID: PMC5635345 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Some sea urchins, including the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, have been successfully used in aquaculture, but their slow growth and late reproduction are challenging to overcome when developing efficient aquaculture production techniques. S. purpuratus develops via an indirect life history that is characterized by a drastic settlement process at the end of a larval period that lasts for several weeks. During this transition, the bilateral larva is transformed into a pentaradial juvenile, which will start feeding and growing in the benthic habitat. Due to predation and other ecological factors, settlement is typically associated with high mortality rates in juvenile populations. Additionally, juveniles require several days to develop a functional mouth and digestive system. During this perimetamorphic period, juveniles use up larval resources until they are capable to digest adult food. Mechanisms underlying the onset of juvenile feeding and metabolism have implications for the recruitment of natural populations as well as aquaculture and are relatively poorly understood in S. purpuratus. The insulin/insulin-like growth factor signalling (IIS)/Target of Rapamycin (TOR) pathway (IIS/TOR) is well conserved among animal phyla and regulates physiological and developmental functions, such as growth, reproduction, aging and nutritional status. We analyzed the expression of FoxO, TOR, and ILPs in post-settlement juveniles in conjunction with their early growth trajectories. We also tested how pre-settlement starvation affected post-settlement expression of IIS. We found that FoxO provides a useful molecular marker in early juveniles as its expression is strongly correlated with juvenile growth. We also found that pre-settlement starvation affects juvenile growth trajectories as well as IIS. Our findings provide preliminary insights into the mechanisms underlying post-settlement growth and metabolism in S. purpuratus. They also have important implications for sea urchin aquaculture, as they show that pre-settlement nutrient environment significantly affects both early growth trajectories and gene expression. This information can be used to develop new biomarkers for juvenile health in sea urchin population ecology and aquaculture aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyaa Elsaid Abdelaziz Fadl
- Department of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Kafrelsheikh, Kafr Elsheikh, Egypt
| | - Magdy Elsayed Mahfouz
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Kafrelsheikh, Kafr Elsheikh, Egypt
| | | | - Andreas Heyland
- Department of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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