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Liu X, Xu H, Peng M, Zhou C, Wei C, Hong X, Li W, Chen C, Ji L, Zhu X. Screening of temperature-responsive signalling molecules during sex differentiation in Asian yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica). BMC Genomics 2024; 25:383. [PMID: 38637759 PMCID: PMC11025153 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10275-5] [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: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Asian yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica) is an important commercial freshwater aquaculture species in China. This species is a highly sexually dimorphic species, with males growing at a faster rate than females and exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), in which the incubation temperature during embryonic development determines the sexual fate. However, the mechanisms of the sex determination or sex differentiation in the Asian yellow pond turtle are remain a mystery. RESULTS Temperature-specific gonadal transcriptomics of the Asian yellow pond turtle were performed during the thermosensitive period (stage 15) using RNA-seq technology to identify candidate genes that initiate gonadal differentiation. We uncovered candidates that were the first to respond to temperature. These candidates were sexually dimorphic in expression, reflecting differences in gonadal (Cirbp, Runx1) and germline differentiation (Vasa, Nanos1, Piwil2), gametogenesis (Hmgb3, Zar1, Ovoinhibitor-like, Kif4), steroid hormone biosynthesis (Hsd17b5, Hsd17b6), heat shock (Dnajb6, Hsp90b1, Hsp90aa1) and transient receptor potential channel genes (Trpm1, Trpm4, Trpm6, Trpv1). CONCLUSIONS Our work will provide important genetic information to elucidate the mechanisms of sex control in the Asian yellow pond turtles, and will contribute important genetic resources for further studies of temperature-dependent sex determination in turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Science and Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, 201306, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoyang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Science and Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, 201306, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingwei Peng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
- School of Fishery, Zhejiang Ocean University, 316000, Zhoushan, China
| | - Chenyao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
- School of Fishery, Zhejiang Ocean University, 316000, Zhoushan, China
| | - Chengqing Wei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyou Hong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Science and Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, 201306, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liqin Ji
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinping Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 510380, Guangzhou, China.
- College of Life Science and Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, 201306, Shanghai, China.
- School of Fishery, Zhejiang Ocean University, 316000, Zhoushan, China.
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Napiórkowska T, Templin J, Napiórkowski P, Townley MA. Appendage abnormalities in spiders induced by an alternating temperature protocol in the context of recent advances in molecular spider embryology. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16011. [PMID: 37701827 PMCID: PMC10493090 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16011] [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: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In the literature there are numerous reports of developmental deformities in arthropods collected in their natural habitat. Since such teratogenically affected individuals are found purely by chance, the causes of their defects are unknown. Numerous potential physical, mechanical, chemical, and biological teratogens have been considered and tested in the laboratory. Thermal shocks, frequently used in teratological research on the spider Eratigena atrica, have led to deformities on both the prosoma and the opisthosoma. In the 2020/2021 breeding season, by applying alternating temperatures (14 °C and 32 °C, changed every 12 h) for the first 10 days of embryonic development, we obtained 212 postembryos (out of 3,007) with the following anomalies: oligomely, heterosymely, bicephaly, schistomely, symely, polymely, complex anomalies, and others. From these we selected six spiders with defects on the prosoma and two with short appendages on the pedicel for further consideration. The latter cases seem particularly interesting because appendages do not normally develop on this body part, viewed as the first segment of the opisthosoma, and appear to represent examples of atavism. In view of the ongoing development of molecular techniques and recent research on developmental mechanisms in spiders, we believe the observed phenotypes may result, at least in part, from the erroneous suppression or expression of segmentation or appendage patterning genes. We consider "knockdown" experiments described in the literature as a means for generating hypotheses about the sources of temperature-induced body abnormalities in E. atrica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Napiórkowska
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
| | - Julita Templin
- Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Toruń, Poland
| | - Paweł Napiórkowski
- Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Mark A. Townley
- University Instrumentation Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States
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3
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Bustos P, Schmitt P, Brown DI, Farlora R. Silencing of the Vasa gene by RNA Interference Affects Embryonic Development and Reproductive Output in the Sea Louse Caligus rogercresseyi. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 25:612-623. [PMID: 37526783 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-023-10232-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
The sea louse Caligus rogercresseyi is a major ectoparasitic copepod that causes significant economic losses in the salmon farming industry. Despite recent advancements, the mechanisms underlying germline and embryo development in this species remain poorly understood. The Vasa gene encodes a highly conserved DEAD box helicase that is required for germ cell formation and function in many species. In this study, the Vasa gene was characterized in C. rogercresseyi, and its expression and function were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Cr-Vasa gene product formed clusters in clades with Vasa proteins from closely related species of crustaceans. Cr-Vasa gene expression patterns were assessed by qPCR, and the results showed a significantly higher relative expression level in adult females compared to copepodid, chalimus, and adult male stages. Tissue-specific localization of Cr-Vasa mRNA in C. rogercresseyi was determined using chromogenic in situ hybridization, and strong positive signal was observed in male testes, but also in the intestine and cuticle, while in females, it was observed in the ovaries, oocytes, cuticle, intestine, and egg strings. RNAi-mediated gene silencing of Cr-Vasa impacted embryonic development and reproductive output in adult female lice. Females from the dsVasa-treated group displayed unusual phenotypes, including shorter egg strings with numerous extra-embryonic inclusions, irregularly shaped abnormal embryos, and aborted egg strings. This study provides insights into the role of the Vasa gene in C. rogercresseyi embryonic development and reproductive output, which may have implications for the control of this parasitic copepod in the salmon farming industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Bustos
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Acuática y Genómica Reproductiva (LABYGER), Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1111, 2360102, Valparaíso, Chile
- Doctorado en Acuicultura, Programa Cooperativo Universidad de Chile, Universidad Católica del Norte, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Paulina Schmitt
- Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Donald I Brown
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción y del Desarrollo, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Rodolfo Farlora
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Acuática y Genómica Reproductiva (LABYGER), Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1111, 2360102, Valparaíso, Chile.
- Centro de Investigación y Gestión de Recursos Naturales (CIGREN), Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.
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Sundaram P, Rao K, Yajima M. Vasa, a regulator of localized mRNA translation on the spindle. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2300004. [PMID: 36825672 PMCID: PMC10023503 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300004] [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: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Localized mRNA translation is a biological process that allows mRNA to be translated on-site, which is proposed to provide fine control in protein regulation, both spatially and temporally within a cell. We recently reported that Vasa, an RNA-helicase, is a promising factor that appears to regulate this process on the spindle during the embryonic development of the sea urchin, yet the detailed roles and functional mechanisms of Vasa in this process are still largely unknown. In this review article, to elucidate these remaining questions, we first summarize the prior knowledge and our recent findings in the area of Vasa research and further discuss how Vasa may function in localized mRNA translation, contributing to efficient protein regulation during rapid embryogenesis and cancer cell regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Sundaram
- Department of Molecular Biology Cell Biology Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Kavya Rao
- Department of Molecular Biology Cell Biology Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Mamiko Yajima
- Department of Molecular Biology Cell Biology Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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5
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Noyes C, Kitajima S, Li F, Suita Y, Miriyala S, Isaac S, Ahsan N, Knelson E, Vajdi A, Tani T, Thai TC, Xu D, Murai J, Tapinos N, Takahashi C, Barbie DA, Yajima M. The germline factor DDX4 contributes to the chemoresistance of small cell lung cancer cells. Commun Biol 2023; 6:65. [PMID: 36653474 PMCID: PMC9849207 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04444-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Human cancers often re-express germline factors, yet their mechanistic role in oncogenesis and cancer progression remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that DEAD-box helicase 4 (DDX4), a germline factor and RNA helicase conserved in all multicellular organisms, contributes to increased cell motility and cisplatin-mediated drug resistance in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells. Proteomic analysis suggests that DDX4 expression upregulates proteins related to DNA repair and immune/inflammatory response. Consistent with these trends in cell lines, DDX4 depletion compromised in vivo tumor development while its overexpression enhanced tumor growth even after cisplatin treatment in nude mice. Further, the relatively higher DDX4 expression in SCLC patients correlates with decreased survival and shows increased expression of immune/inflammatory response markers. Taken together, we propose that DDX4 increases SCLC cell survival, by increasing the DNA damage and immune response pathways, especially under challenging conditions such as cisplatin treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Noyes
- Department of Molecular Biology Cell Biology Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Shunsuke Kitajima
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fengkai Li
- Division of Oncology and Molecular Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Yusuke Suita
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics and Plasticity, Department of Neurosurgery, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Saradha Miriyala
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics and Plasticity, Department of Neurosurgery, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Shakson Isaac
- Department of Molecular Biology Cell Biology Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Nagib Ahsan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
- Mass Spectrometry, Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Erik Knelson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Amir Vajdi
- Department of Informatics and Analytics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Tetsuo Tani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Tran C Thai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Derek Xu
- Department of Molecular Biology Cell Biology Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Junko Murai
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-0052, Japan
| | - Nikos Tapinos
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics and Plasticity, Department of Neurosurgery, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Chiaki Takahashi
- Division of Oncology and Molecular Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mamiko Yajima
- Department of Molecular Biology Cell Biology Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
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6
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Vasa nucleates asymmetric translation along the mitotic spindle during unequal cell divisions. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2145. [PMID: 35444184 PMCID: PMC9021227 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29855-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
mRNA translation on the spindle is hypothesized to be an essential strategy for the localized production of cell regulators. This mechanism may be important particularly in early embryonic cells, which have a large diffusion volume and that undergo rapid cell divisions. Evidence to test such a hypothesis has been, however, limited. Here, we use an embryo with both symmetric and asymmetric cell divisions and manipulate Vasa protein, an RNA-helicase, on the spindle in live sea urchin embryos. We learned that the spindle serves as a major site of translation and that protein synthesis within a single spindle can be unequal and help drive asymmetric cell divisions during embryogenesis. Recruiting Vasa to the ectopic sub-cellular region induced a new site of translation, disturbed asymmetric translation on the spindle, and changed the cell fate. Based on these observations, we conclude that Vasa functions in localized translation, which provides a spatiotemporal control in protein synthesis and is essential for rapidly developing embryonic cells. Association of mRNA translation with the mitotic spindle is thought to be involved in localized production of cell fate determinants. Here, the authors show Vasa facilitates asymmetric translation, which contributes to differential regulation during sea urchin embryogenesis.
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7
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Gainett G, Crawford AR, Klementz BC, So C, Baker CM, Setton EVW, Sharma PP. Eggs to long-legs: embryonic staging of the harvestman Phalangium opilio (Opiliones), an emerging model arachnid. Front Zool 2022; 19:11. [PMID: 35246168 PMCID: PMC8896363 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-022-00454-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The comparative embryology of Chelicerata has greatly advanced in recent years with the integration of classical studies and genetics, prominently spearheaded by developmental genetic works in spiders. Nonetheless, the understanding of the evolution of development and polarization of embryological characters in Chelicerata is presently limited, as few non-spider species have been well studied. A promising focal species for chelicerate evo-devo is the daddy-long-legs (harvestman) Phalangium opilio, a member of the order Opiliones. Phalangium opilio, breeds prolifically and is easily accessible in many parts of the world, as well as tractable in a laboratory setting. Resources for this species include developmental transcriptomes, a draft genome, and protocols for RNA interference, but a modern staging system is critically missing for this emerging model system. RESULTS We present a staging system of P. opilio embryogenesis that spans the most important morphogenetic events with respect to segment formation, appendage elongation and head development. Using time-lapse imaging, confocal microscopy, colorimetric in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry, we tracked the development of synchronous clutches from egg laying to adulthood. We describe key events in segmentation, myogenesis, neurogenesis, and germ cell formation. CONCLUSION Considering the phylogenetic position of Opiliones and the unduplicated condition of its genome (in contrast to groups like spiders and scorpions), this species is poised to serve as a linchpin for comparative studies in arthropod development and genome evolution. The staging system presented herein provides a valuable reference for P. opilio that we anticipate being useful to the arthropod evo-devo community, with the goal of revitalizing research in the comparative development of non-spider arachnids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Gainett
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 438 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Audrey R Crawford
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 438 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Benjamin C Klementz
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 438 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Calvin So
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 438 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Caitlin M Baker
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 438 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Emily V W Setton
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 438 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Prashant P Sharma
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 438 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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8
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Sun M, Liu JQ, Du XL, Liu SQ, Wang L. Cloning and expression analysis of Shvasa and the molecular regulatory pathways implicated in Cd-induced reproductive toxicity in the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 288:132437. [PMID: 34627817 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd), a widespread, severely toxic heavy metal, can cause serious reproductive toxicity in animals. However, the molecular pathways associated with Cd-induced effects remain unknown. In this study, we first cloned the vasa gene (Shvasa) and characterized the VASA protein (ShVASA) in Sinopotamon henanense. We then investigated the molecular mechanisms of Cd-induced reproductive toxicity. Shvasa was specifically expressed in the ovary and testis. ShVASA was abundant in early ovarian development and significantly less abundant in mature ovaries. During oogenesis, ShVASA was abundant and evenly distributed in the cytoplasm of the oogonium and previtellogenic oocytes, but gradually accumulated in the nuclear periphery of vitellogenic and mature oocytes. As Cd concentration increased, ShVASA abundance decreased gradually in proliferation-stage ovaries, and increased gradually in mature ovaries. Notably, at the small and large growth stages, ShVASA was upregulated following exposure to 14.5 mg/L Cd and downregulated following exposure to 29 mg/L Cd. In contrast to the unexposed control, ShVASA accumulated around the nuclear periphery in Cd-exposed previtellogenic oocytes and scattered gradually into the cytoplasm in Cd-exposed vitellogenic and mature oocytes. Shvasa RNA interference (RNAi) downregulated Shnanos and Shpiwi, but simultaneous Cd exposure and Shvasa RNAi significantly upregulated Shnanos and downregulated Shpiwi. These data suggested that Cd disrupted Shvasa expression and function, as well as the functions of Shnanos and Shpiwi, leading to severe reproductive toxicity in S. henanense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Sun
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Jun Qing Liu
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Xiao Lin Du
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Si Qi Liu
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Lan Wang
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China.
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9
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Mokarram P, Niknam M, Sadeghdoust M, Aligolighasemabadi F, Siri M, Dastghaib S, Brim H, Ashktorab H. PIWI interacting RNAs perspectives: a new avenues in future cancer investigations. Bioengineered 2021; 12:10401-10419. [PMID: 34723746 PMCID: PMC8809986 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1997078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As a currently identified small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) category, the PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are crucial mediators of cell biology. The human genome comprises over 30.000 piRNA genes. Although considered a new field in cancer research, the piRNA pathway is shown by the existing evidence as an active pathway in a variety of different types of cancers with critical impacts on main aspects of cancer progression. Among the regulatory molecules that contribute to maintaining the dynamics of cancer cells, the P-element Induced WImpy testis (PIWI) proteins and piRNAs, as new players, have not been broadly studied so far. Therefore, the identification of cancer-related piRNAs and the assessment of target genes of piRNAs may lead to better cancer prevention and therapy strategies. This review articleaimed to highlight the role and function of piRNAs based on existing data. Understanding the role of piRNA in cancer may provide perspectives on their applications as particular biomarker signature in diagnosis in early stage, prognosis and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooneh Mokarram
- Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran,Department of Biochemistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran,CONTACT Pooneh Mokarram Department of Biochemistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Maryam Niknam
- Department of Biochemistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammadamin Sadeghdoust
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mashhad Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Farnaz Aligolighasemabadi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mashhad Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Morvarid Siri
- Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sanaz Dastghaib
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hassan Brim
- Pathology and Cancer Center, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Hassan Ashktorab
- Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology Division and Cancer Center, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, Dc, USA
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10
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Liu X, Zhu Y, Zhao Y, Wang Y, Li W, Hong X, Yu L, Chen C, Xu H, Zhu X. Vasa expression is associated with sex differentiation in the Asian yellow pond turtle, Mauremys mutica. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2021; 336:431-442. [PMID: 34101984 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Vasa, one of the best-studied germ cell markers plays a critical role in germ cell development and differentiation in animals. Vasa deficiency would lead to male-specific sterility in most vertebrates, but female sterility in the fly. However, the role of the vasa gene involved in germ cell differentiation is largely elusive. Here, we first characterized the expression profile of vasa products in the Asian yellow pond turtle by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence immunostaining. The results showed that vasa messenger RNA (mRNA) is initially detected in embryos at stage 16, and then dramatically increased in embryos at stage 19. In particular, like the sex-related genes, vasa mRNA exhibited differential expression in embryos between the male-producing temperature (MPT, 25°C) and the female-producing temperature (FPT, 33°C), whereas there was no difference in methylation levels of vasa promoter detected between FPT and MPT. In contrast, in the adult Asian yellow pond, the level of vasa mRNA was much higher in the testis than ovary. Moreover, the immunostaining on testicular sections and cells showed that Vasa protein was exclusively expressed in germ cells: Weak but detectable in spermatogonia, highest in spermatocytes, moderate and concentrated in chromatid bodies in spermatids and spermatozoa, and bare in somatic cells. The expression profile of Vasa protein is similar in turtle species studied so far but distinct from those in fish species in this study. The findings of this study would provide new insights into our understanding of the conservation and divergence of the vasa gene, even other germ cell genes across phyla.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanyu Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yakun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyou Hong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lingyun Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinping Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
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11
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Baudouin-Gonzalez L, Schoenauer A, Harper A, Blakeley G, Seiter M, Arif S, Sumner-Rooney L, Russell S, Sharma PP, McGregor AP. The Evolution of Sox Gene Repertoires and Regulation of Segmentation in Arachnids. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:3153-3169. [PMID: 33755150 PMCID: PMC8661403 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The Sox family of transcription factors regulates many processes during metazoan development, including stem cell maintenance and nervous system specification. Characterizing the repertoires and roles of these genes can therefore provide important insights into animal evolution and development. We further characterized the Sox repertoires of several arachnid species with and without an ancestral whole-genome duplication and compared their expression between the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum and the harvestman Phalangium opilio. We found that most Sox families have been retained as ohnologs after whole-genome duplication and evidence for potential subfunctionalization and/or neofunctionalization events. Our results also suggest that Sox21b-1 likely regulated segmentation ancestrally in arachnids, playing a similar role to the closely related SoxB gene, Dichaete, in insects. We previously showed that Sox21b-1 is required for the simultaneous formation of prosomal segments and sequential addition of opisthosomal segments in P. tepidariorum. We studied the expression and function of Sox21b-1 further in this spider and found that although this gene regulates the generation of both prosomal and opisthosomal segments, it plays different roles in the formation of these tagmata reflecting their contrasting modes of segmentation and deployment of gene regulatory networks with different architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Baudouin-Gonzalez
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Schoenauer
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Amber Harper
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Grace Blakeley
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Seiter
- Unit Integrative Zoology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Saad Arif
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Centre for Functional Genomics, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Steven Russell
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Prashant P Sharma
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Alistair P McGregor
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Centre for Functional Genomics, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
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12
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Azizi H, NiaziTabar A, Mohammadi A, Skutella T. Characterization of DDX4 Gene Expression in Human Cases with Non-Obstructive Azoospermia and in Sterile and Fertile Mice. J Reprod Infertil 2021; 22:85-91. [PMID: 34041004 PMCID: PMC8143011 DOI: 10.18502/jri.v22i2.5793] [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] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In mammals, spermatogenesis is the main process for male fertility that is initiated by spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) proliferation. SSCs are unipotent progenitor cells accountable for transferring the genetic information to the following generation by differentiating to haploid cells during spermato-and spermiogenesis. DEAD-box helicase 4 (DDX4) is a specific germ cell marker and its expression pattern is localized to, spermatocytes, and spermatids. The expression in the SSCs on the basement membrane of the seminiferous tubules is low. Methods Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Fluidigm reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to analyze the expression of DDX4 in testis tissue of fertile and sterile mice and human cases with non-obstructive azoospermia. Results Our immunohistochemical findings of fertile and busulfan-treated mice showed expression of DDX4 in the basal and luminal compartment of seminiferous tubules of fertile mice whereas no expression was detected in busulfan-treated mice. The immunohistochemical analysis of two human cases with different levels of non-obstructive azoospermia revealed more luminal DDX4 positive cells. Conclusion Our findings indicate that DDX4 might be a valuable germ cell marker for analyzing the pathology of germ cell tumors and infertility as global urological problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Azizi
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
| | - Amirreza NiaziTabar
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
| | - Atiyeh Mohammadi
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
| | - Thomas Skutella
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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13
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Setton EVW, Sharma PP. A conserved role for arrow in posterior axis patterning across Arthropoda. Dev Biol 2021; 475:91-105. [PMID: 33607111 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Segmentation is a key characteristic of Arthropoda that is linked to the evolutionary success of this lineage. It has previously been shown in both vertebrates and short germ insects that posterior segmentation requires canonical Wnt (cWnt) signaling, which maintains the expression of Caudal and the posterior growth zone; disruption of cWnt signaling incurs posterior truncations in these lineages due to the loss of the tail bud. However, comparable datasets for Wnt signaling are limited outside of holometabolous insects, due to incomparable phenotypic spectra and inefficacy of gene misexpression methods in certain model species. We applied RNA interference (RNAi) against the Wnt co-receptor arrow (arr), a key member of the cWnt signaling pathway in holometabolous insects and vertebrates, to examine posterior axis elongation of the cobweb spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum (short germ embryogenesis; one Wnt8 homolog), the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus (intermediate germ; one Wnt8 homolog), and the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus (short germ; two Wnt8 homologs). Knockdown of arr in insects resulted in posterior truncations affecting the gnathos through the abdomen in O. fasciatus, whereas posterior truncations only affected the T3 segment through the abdomen in G. bimaculatus. Spider embryos with disrupted arr expression exhibited defects along the entire axis, including segmentation defects throughout the germband. RNA-Seq-based differential gene expression analysis of severe Ptep-arr loss-of-function phenotypes at two developmental stages was used to confirm that knockdown of Ptep-arr results in systemic disruption of the Wnt pathway. Intriguingly, we found that knockdown of arr did not abrogate Wnt8 expression in any of the three species, with cad expression additionally retained in severe loss-of-function phenotypes in the cricket and the spider. Together with data from a holometabolous insect, our results suggest that cWnt signaling is not required for maintenance of Wnt8 expression across Arthropoda. These outcomes underscore the diagnostic power of differential gene expression analyses in characterizing catastrophic phenotypes in emerging model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily V W Setton
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA 53706.
| | - Prashant P Sharma
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA 53706.
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14
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Gainett G, Ballesteros JA, Kanzler CR, Zehms JT, Zern JM, Aharon S, Gavish-Regev E, Sharma PP. Systemic paralogy and function of retinal determination network homologs in arachnids. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:811. [PMID: 33225889 PMCID: PMC7681978 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07149-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arachnids are important components of cave ecosystems and display many examples of troglomorphisms, such as blindness, depigmentation, and elongate appendages. Little is known about how the eyes of arachnids are specified genetically, let alone the mechanisms for eye reduction and loss in troglomorphic arachnids. Additionally, duplication of Retinal Determination Gene Network (RDGN) homologs in spiders has convoluted functional inferences extrapolated from single-copy homologs in pancrustacean models. RESULTS We investigated a sister species pair of Israeli cave whip spiders, Charinus ioanniticus and C. israelensis (Arachnopulmonata, Amblypygi), of which one species has reduced eyes. We generated embryonic transcriptomes for both Amblypygi species, and discovered that several RDGN homologs exhibit duplications. We show that duplication of RDGN homologs is systemic across arachnopulmonates (arachnid orders that bear book lungs), rather than being a spider-specific phenomenon. A differential gene expression (DGE) analysis comparing the expression of RDGN genes in field-collected embryos of both species identified candidate RDGN genes involved in the formation and reduction of eyes in whip spiders. To ground bioinformatic inference of expression patterns with functional experiments, we interrogated the function of three candidate RDGN genes identified from DGE using RNAi in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. We provide functional evidence that one of these paralogs, sine oculis/Six1 A (soA), is necessary for the development of all arachnid eye types. CONCLUSIONS Our work establishes a foundation to investigate the genetics of troglomorphic adaptations in cave arachnids, and links differential gene expression to an arthropod eye phenotype for the first time outside of Pancrustacea. Our results support the conservation of at least one RDGN component across Arthropoda and provide a framework for identifying the role of gene duplications in generating arachnid eye diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Gainett
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Jesús A Ballesteros
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Charlotte R Kanzler
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Jakob T Zehms
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - John M Zern
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Shlomi Aharon
- National Natural History Collections, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Efrat Gavish-Regev
- National Natural History Collections, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Prashant P Sharma
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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15
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Kulkarni A, Lopez DH, Extavour CG. Shared Cell Biological Functions May Underlie Pleiotropy of Molecular Interactions in the Germ Lines and Nervous Systems of Animals. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
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16
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Oda H, Akiyama-Oda Y. The common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. EvoDevo 2020; 11:6. [PMID: 32206294 PMCID: PMC7082966 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-020-00152-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum, belonging to the Chelicerata in the phylum Arthropoda, has emerged as an experimental system for studying mechanisms of development from an evolutionary standpoint. In this article, we review the distinct characteristics of P. tepidariorum, the major research questions relevant to this organism, and the available key methods and resources. P. tepidariorum has a relatively short lifecycle and, once mated, periodically lays eggs. The morphogenetic field of the P. tepidariorum embryo is cellular from an early stage and exhibits stepwise symmetry-breaking events and stripe-forming processes that are associated with body axes formation and segmentation, respectively, before reaching the arthropod phylotypic stage. Self-regulatory capabilities of the embryonic field are a prominent feature in P. tepidariorum. The mechanisms and logic underlying the evolvability of heritable patterning systems at the phylum level could be one of the major avenues of research investigated using this animal. The sequenced genome reveals whole genome duplication (WGD) within chelicerates, which offers an invertebrate platform for investigating the potential roles of WGD in animal diversification and evolution. The development and evolution of lineage-specific organs, including the book lungs and the union of spinnerets and silk glands, are attractive subjects of study. Studies using P. tepidariorum can benefit from the use of parental RNA interference, microinjection applications (including cell labeling and embryonic RNA interference), multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization, and laser ablation as well as rich genomic and transcriptomic resources. These techniques enable functional gene discoveries and the uncovering of cellular and molecular insights.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Oda
- 1Laboratory of Evolutionary Cell and Developmental Biology, JT Biohistory Research Hall, 1-1 Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125 Japan.,2Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka Japan
| | - Yasuko Akiyama-Oda
- 1Laboratory of Evolutionary Cell and Developmental Biology, JT Biohistory Research Hall, 1-1 Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125 Japan.,3Microbiology and Infection Control, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki, Osaka Japan
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17
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Chen D, Liu W, Zimmerman J, Pastor WA, Kim R, Hosohama L, Ho J, Aslanyan M, Gell JJ, Jacobsen SE, Clark AT. The TFAP2C-Regulated OCT4 Naive Enhancer Is Involved in Human Germline Formation. Cell Rep 2019; 25:3591-3602.e5. [PMID: 30590035 PMCID: PMC6342560 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Human primordial germ cells (hPGCs) are the first embryonic progenitors in the germ cell lineage, yet the molecular mechanisms required for hPGC formation are not well characterized. To identify regulatory regions in hPGC development, we used the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) to systematically characterize regions of open chromatin in hPGCs and hPGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We discovered regions of open chromatin unique to hPGCs and hPGCLCs that significantly overlap with TFAP2C-bound enhancers identified in the naive ground state of pluripotency. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we show that deleting the TFAP2C-bound naive enhancer at the OCT4 locus (also called POU5F1) results in impaired OCT4 expression and a negative effect on hPGCLC identity. Combining genomics and functional studies, Chen et al. identify the open chromatin state of human primordial germ cells (hPGCs), leading to the discovery that TFAP2C regulates hPGC development through the opening of naive enhancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Chen
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wanlu Liu
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jill Zimmerman
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - William A Pastor
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Kim
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linzi Hosohama
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jamie Ho
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marianna Aslanyan
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joanna J Gell
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Steven E Jacobsen
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Amander T Clark
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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18
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Hox genes limit germ cell formation in the short germ insect Gryllus bimaculatus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:16430-16435. [PMID: 31346080 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1816024116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hox genes are conserved transcription factor-encoding genes that specify the identity of body regions in bilaterally symmetrical animals. In the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, a member of the hemimetabolous insect group Orthoptera, the induction of a subset of mesodermal cells to form the primordial germ cells (PGCs) is restricted to the second through the fourth abdominal segments (A2 to A4). In numerous insect species, the Hox genes Sex-combs reduced (Scr), Antennapedia (Antp), Ultrabithorax (Ubx), and abdominal-A (abd-A) jointly regulate the identities of middle and posterior body segments, suggesting that these genes may restrict PGC formation to specific abdominal segments in G. bimaculatus Here we show that reducing transcript levels of some or all of these Hox genes results in supernumerary and/or ectopic PGCs, either individually or in segment-specific combinations, suggesting that the role of these Hox genes is to limit PGC development with respect to their number, segmental location, or both. These data provide evidence of a role for this ancient group of genes in PGC development.
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19
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Bonatto Paese CL, Leite DJ, Schönauer A, McGregor AP, Russell S. Duplication and expression of Sox genes in spiders. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:205. [PMID: 30587109 PMCID: PMC6307133 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1337-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Sox family of transcription factors is an important part of the genetic 'toolbox' of all metazoans examined to date and is known to play important developmental roles in vertebrates and insects. However, outside the commonly studied Drosophila model little is known about the repertoire of Sox family transcription factors in other arthropod species. Here we characterise the Sox family in two chelicerate species, the spiders Parasteatoda tepidariorum and Stegodyphus mimosarum, which have experienced a whole genome duplication (WGD) in their evolutionary history. RESULTS We find that virtually all of the duplicate Sox genes have been retained in these spiders after the WGD. Analysis of the expression of Sox genes in P. tepidariorum embryos suggests that it is likely that some of these genes have neofunctionalised after duplication. Our expression analysis also strengthens the view that an orthologue of vertebrate Group B1 genes, SoxNeuro, is implicated in the earliest events of CNS specification in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In addition, a gene in the Dichaete/Sox21b class is dynamically expressed in the spider segment addition zone, suggestive of an ancient regulatory mechanism controlling arthropod segmentation as recently suggested for flies and beetles. Together with the recent analysis of Sox gene expression in the embryos of other arthropods, our findings support the idea of conserved functions for some of these genes, including a potential role for SoxC and SoxD genes in CNS development and SoxF in limb development. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a new chelicerate perspective to understanding the evolution and function of Sox genes and how the retention of duplicates of such important tool-box genes after WGD has contributed to different aspects of spider embryogenesis. Future characterisation of the function of these genes in spiders will help us to better understand the evolution of the regulation of important developmental processes in arthropods and other metazoans including neurogenesis and segmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian L Bonatto Paese
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Daniel J Leite
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Anna Schönauer
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Alistair P McGregor
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Steven Russell
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK.
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20
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Paese CLB, Schoenauer A, Leite DJ, Russell S, McGregor AP. A SoxB gene acts as an anterior gap gene and regulates posterior segment addition in a spider. eLife 2018; 7:e37567. [PMID: 30126532 PMCID: PMC6167052 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sox genes encode a set of highly conserved transcription factors that regulate many developmental processes. In insects, the SoxB gene Dichaete is the only Sox gene known to be involved in segmentation. To determine if similar mechanisms are used in other arthropods, we investigated the role of Sox genes during segmentation in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. While Dichaete does not appear to be involved in spider segmentation, we found that the closely related Sox21b-1 gene acts as a gap gene during formation of anterior segments and is also part of the segmentation clock for development of the segment addition zone and sequential addition of opisthosomal segments. Thus, we have found that two different mechanisms of segmentation in a non-mandibulate arthropod are regulated by a SoxB gene. Our work provides new insights into the function of an important and conserved gene family, and the evolution of the regulation of segmentation in arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Louis Bonatto Paese
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Developmental BiologyDepartment of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Anna Schoenauer
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Developmental BiologyDepartment of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Daniel J Leite
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Developmental BiologyDepartment of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Steven Russell
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Alistair P McGregor
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Developmental BiologyDepartment of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes UniversityOxfordUnited Kingdom
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21
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Zhu W, Wang T, Zhao C, Wang D, Zhang X, Zhang H, Chi M, Yin S, Jia Y. Evolutionary conservation and divergence of Vasa, Dazl and Nanos1 during embryogenesis and gametogenesis in dark sleeper (Odontobutis potamophila). Gene 2018; 672:21-33. [PMID: 29885464 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Germline-specific genes, Vasa, Dazl and Nanos1, have highly conserved functions in germline development and fertility across animal phyla. In this study, the full-length sequences of Opvasa, Opdazl and Opnanos1 were cloned and characterized from the dark sleeper (Odontobutis potamophila). Gonad-specific expression patterns of Opvasa and Opdazl were confirmed in adult tissues by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Different from Opvasa and Opdazl, the expression of Opnanos1 was ubiquitously detected in all examined tissues except for the liver and spleen. Time-course dynamic expressions during embryogenesis were assessed, and all three genes (Opvasa, Opdazl and Opnanos1) persisted at a high level until gastrulation. qRT-PCR and Western blotting analyses revealed that all three genes were highly expressed throughout gametogenesis. In testis, the expressions of all three genes at the mRNA and protein levels were down-regulated during spermatogenesis. In ovary, different expression patterns were found, and all three genes had a differential role in translational regulation during oogenesis. The expressions of Opvasa, Opdazl and Opnanos1 at the mRNA but not the protein level were high in stage IV. Different expression patterns were found in premeiotic gonads treated by HPG axis hormones (HCG and LHRH-A). Immunolocalization analysis demonstrated that in testis, Opvasa, Opdazl and Opnanos1 were detected in spermatogonia and spermatocytes but absent in the meiotic products, such as spermatids and spermatozoa. In ovary, Opvasa, Opdazl and Opnanos1 persisted at a high level throughout oogenesis. These findings indicated that Opvasa, Opdazl and Opnanos1 played an important role in mitotic and early meiotic phases of oogenesis and spermatogenesis, and they functioned as maternal factors in early embryogenesis. Their proteins could be used as three new markers for germ cells during gametogenesis in O. potamophila gonad. Our data laid a good foundation for improving the breeding efficiency of O. potamophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxu Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology of Jiangsu Province, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, China
| | - Tao Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology of Jiangsu Province, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, China
| | - Cheng Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology of Jiangsu Province, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, China
| | - Dan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology of Jiangsu Province, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology of Jiangsu Province, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology of Jiangsu Province, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, China
| | - Meili Chi
- Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou 313001, China
| | - Shaowu Yin
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology of Jiangsu Province, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, China.
| | - Yongyi Jia
- Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou 313001, China.
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Wang H, Wang B, Liu J, Li A, Zhu H, Wang X, Zhang Q. Piwil1 gene is regulated by hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus): A different effect in ovaries and testes. Gene 2018. [PMID: 29524575 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
As constituent factors of Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathways, Piwi proteins are essential for germline maintenance and gonadal development. Previous studies show that Piwi-piRNA pathways could be regulated by hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, however, related studies have not been reported in marine species. Here we reported the identification of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) piwil1 gene, which was abundantly expressed in testis and ovary in a tissue-specific manner. Phylogenetic and genomic structure analyses revealed that piwil1 was conserved in its sequence and function during vertebrate evolution. We also investigated the effects of HPG axis hormones, including human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), estradiol-17β (E2) and 17α-methyltestosterone (MT), on gonadal piwil1 expression via in vivo and in vitro approaches. In ovary, hCG and E2 suppressed piwil1 expression both in vivo and in vitro, and MT increased piwil1 expression in vivo. In testis, hCG had upregulating effects on piwil1 expression in vivo and in vitro, and MT also increased piwil1 expression in vitro. In addition, E2 suppressed expression of piwil1 in vivo. These results indicated that the decreased or increased expression of piwil1 regulated by hormones might play a crucial role during gonadal differentiation and development in S. maximus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding (MGB), Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding (MGB), Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jinxiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding (MGB), Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Aoyun Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding (MGB), Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - He Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding (MGB), Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - XuBo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding (MGB), Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
| | - Quanqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding (MGB), Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, 266237, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
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Garb JE, Sharma PP, Ayoub NA. Recent progress and prospects for advancing arachnid genomics. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:51-57. [PMID: 29602362 PMCID: PMC6658092 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Arachnids exhibit tremendous species richness and adaptations of biomedical, industrial, and agricultural importance. Yet genomic resources for arachnids are limited, with the first few spider and scorpion genomes becoming accessible in the last four years. We review key insights from these genome projects, and recommend additional genomes for sequencing, emphasizing taxa of greatest value to the scientific community. We suggest greater sampling of spiders whose genomes are understudied but hold important protein recipes for silk and venom production. We further recommend arachnid genomes to address significant evolutionary topics, including the phenotypic impact of genome duplications. A barrier to high-quality arachnid genomes are assemblies based solely on short-read data, which may be overcome by long-range sequencing and other emerging methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Garb
- Department of Biological Sciences, 198 Riverside Street, Olsen Hall 414, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
| | - Prashant P Sharma
- Department of Integrative Biology, 352 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Nadia A Ayoub
- Department of Biology, 204 West Washington Street, Howe Hall, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450, USA
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Shimaoka K, Mukumoto Y, Tanigawa Y, Komiya T. Xenopus Vasa Homolog XVLG1 is Essential for Migration and Survival of Primordial Germ Cells. Zoolog Sci 2017; 34:93-104. [PMID: 28397605 DOI: 10.2108/zs160198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Xenopus vasa-like gene 1 (XVLG1), a DEAD-Box Helicase 4 (DDX4) gene identified as a vertebrate vasa homologue, is required for the formation of primordial germ cells (PGCs). However, it remains to be clarified when and how XVLG1 functions in the formation of the germ cells. To gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying XVLG1 during PGC development, we injected XVLG1 morpholino oligos into germ-plasm containing blastomeres of 32-cell stage of Xenopus embryos, and traced cell fates of the injected blastomere-derived PGCs. As a result of this procedure, migration of the PGCs was impaired and the number of PGCs derived from the blastomeres was significantly decreased. In addition, TUNEL staining in combination with in situ hybridization revealed that the loss of PGCs peaked at stage 27 was caused by apoptosis. This data strongly suggests an essential role for XVLG1 in migration and survival of the germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumi Shimaoka
- 1 Department of Biological Function, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi, Osaka 558-0022, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Mukumoto
- 1 Department of Biological Function, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi, Osaka 558-0022, Japan.,2 Genetic Engineering Team, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Minatojimaminamimachi, Chuou-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yoko Tanigawa
- 1 Department of Biological Function, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi, Osaka 558-0022, Japan
| | - Tohru Komiya
- 1 Department of Biological Function, Faculty of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi, Osaka 558-0022, Japan
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25
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Kulkarni A, Extavour CG. Convergent evolution of germ granule nucleators: A hypothesis. Stem Cell Res 2017; 24:188-194. [PMID: 28801028 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2017.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 06/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ cells have been considered "the ultimate stem cell" because they alone, during normal development of sexually reproducing organisms, are able to give rise to all organismal cell types. Morphological descriptions of a specialized cytoplasm termed 'germ plasm' and associated electron dense ribonucleoprotein (RNP) structures called 'germ granules' within germ cells date back as early as the 1800s. Both germ plasm and germ granules are implicated in germ line specification across metazoans. However, at a molecular level, little is currently understood about the molecular mechanisms that assemble these entities in germ cells. The discovery that in some animals, the gene products of a small number of lineage-specific genes initiate the assembly (also termed nucleation) of germ granules and/or germ plasm is the first step towards facilitating a better understanding of these complex biological processes. Here, we draw on research spanning over 100years that supports the hypothesis that these nucleator genes may have evolved convergently, allowing them to perform analogous roles across animal lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpita Kulkarni
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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Schudrowitz N, Takagi S, Wessel GM, Yajima M. Germline factor DDX4 functions in blood-derived cancer cell phenotypes. Cancer Sci 2017; 108:1612-1619. [PMID: 28612512 PMCID: PMC5543511 DOI: 10.1111/cas.13299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
DDX4 (the human ortholog of Drosophila Vasa) is an RNA helicase and is present in the germ lines of all metazoans tested. It was historically thought to be expressed specifically in germline, but with additional organisms studied, it is now clear that in some animals DDX4/Vasa functions outside of the germline, in a variety of somatic cells in the embryo and in the adult. In this report, we document that DDX4 is widely expressed in soma-derived cancer cell lines, including myeloma (IM-9) and leukemia (THP-1) cells. In these cells, the DDX4 protein localized to the mitotic spindle, consistent with findings in other somatic cell functions, and its knockout in IM-9 cells compromised cell proliferation and migration activities, and downregulated several cell cycle/oncogene factors such as CyclinB and the transcription factor E2F1. These results suggest that DDX4 positively regulates cell cycle progression of diverse somatic-derived blood cancer cells, implying its broad contributions to the cancer cell phenotype and serves as a potential new target for chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Schudrowitz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Satoshi Takagi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gary M Wessel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Mamiko Yajima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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Abstract
Males and females exhibit highly dimorphic phenotypes, particularly in their gonads, which is believed to be driven largely by differential gene expression. Typically, the protein sequences of genes upregulated in males, or male-biased genes, evolve rapidly as compared to female-biased and unbiased genes. To date, the specific study of gonad-biased genes remains uncommon in metazoans. Here, we identified and studied a total of 2927, 2013, and 4449 coding sequences (CDS) with ovary-biased, testis-biased, and unbiased expression, respectively, in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti The results showed that ovary-biased and unbiased CDS had higher nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rates (dN/dS) and lower optimal codon usage (those codons that promote efficient translation) than testis-biased genes. Further, we observed higher dN/dS in ovary-biased genes than in testis-biased genes, even for genes coexpressed in nonsexual (embryo) tissues. Ovary-specific genes evolved exceptionally fast, as compared to testis- or embryo-specific genes, and exhibited higher frequency of positive selection. Genes with ovary expression were preferentially involved in olfactory binding and reception. We hypothesize that at least two potential mechanisms could explain rapid evolution of ovary-biased genes in this mosquito: (1) the evolutionary rate of ovary-biased genes may be accelerated by sexual selection (including female-female competition or male-mate choice) affecting olfactory genes during female swarming by males, and/or by adaptive evolution of olfactory signaling within the female reproductive system (e.g., sperm-ovary signaling); and/or (2) testis-biased genes may exhibit decelerated evolutionary rates due to the formation of mating plugs in the female after copulation, which limits male-male sperm competition.
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Feitosa NM, Pechmann M, Schwager EE, Tobias-Santos V, McGregor AP, Damen WGM, Nunes da Fonseca R. Molecular control of gut formation in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. Genesis 2017; 55. [PMID: 28432834 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The development of a digestive system is an essential feature of bilaterians. Studies of the molecular control of gut formation in arthropods have been studied in detail in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. However, little is known in other arthropods, especially in noninsect arthropods. To better understand the evolution of arthropod alimentary system, we investigate the molecular control of gut development in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum (Pt), the primary chelicerate model species for developmental studies. Orthologs of the ectodermal genes Pt-wingless (Pt-wg) and Pt-hedgehog (Pt-hh), of the endodermal genes, Pt-serpent (Pt-srp) and Pt-hepatocyte-nuclear factor-4 (Pt-hnf4) and of the mesodermal gene Pt-twist (Pt-twi) are expressed in the same germ layers during spider gut development as in D. melanogaster. Thus, our expression data suggest that the downstream molecular components involved in gut development in arthropods are conserved. However, Pt-forkhead (Pt-fkh) expression and function in spiders is considerably different from its D. melanogaster ortholog. Pt-fkh is expressed before gastrulation in a cell population that gives rise to endodermal and mesodermal precursors, suggesting a possible role for this factor in specification of both germ layers. To test this hypothesis, we knocked down Pt-fkh via RNA interference. Pt-fkh RNAi embryos not only fail to develop a proper gut, but also lack the mesodermal Pt-twi expressing cells. Thus, in spiders Pt-fkh specifies endodermal and mesodermal germ layers. We discuss the implications of these findings for the evolution and development of gut formation in Ecdysozoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Martins Feitosa
- Laboratório Integrado de Ciências Morfofuncionais, Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Socio-Ambiental de Macaé (NUPEM), Campus Macaé, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, 27920-560, Brazil
| | - Matthias Pechmann
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, North-Rhine Westphalia, 50674, Germany
| | - Evelyn E Schwager
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 198 Riverside Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, 01854
| | - Vitória Tobias-Santos
- Laboratório Integrado de Ciências Morfofuncionais, Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Socio-Ambiental de Macaé (NUPEM), Campus Macaé, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, 27920-560, Brazil
| | - Alistair P McGregor
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, United Kingdom
| | - Wim G M Damen
- Department of Genetics, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Philosophenweg 12, Jena, 07743, Germany
| | - Rodrigo Nunes da Fonseca
- Laboratório Integrado de Ciências Morfofuncionais, Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Socio-Ambiental de Macaé (NUPEM), Campus Macaé, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, 27920-560, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), 21941-599 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Wang H, Wang B, Liu X, Liu Y, Du X, Zhang Q, Wang X. Identification and expression of piwil2 in turbot Scophthalmus maximus, with implications of the involvement in embryonic and gonadal development. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2017; 208-209:84-93. [PMID: 28438683 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2017.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Piwil2, a member of the Argonaute family, is involved in the biogenesis of PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and plays an important role in regulating gametogenesis. In the present study, we identified turbot Scophthalmus maximus piwil2 gene, named Smpiwil2, which contained a PAZ domain and a PIWI domain. Sequence comparison, genomic structure and phylogenetic analyses showed that Smpiwil2 is homologous to that of teleosts and tetrapods. The Smpiwil2 transcript showed higher expression in the ovary than in the testis, demonstrating a sexually dimorphic gene expression pattern. In situ hybridization (ISH) showed that Smpiwil2 was expressed in the oogonia and all the stages of oocytes in the ovary as well as in spermatogonia and spermatocytes in the testis. Embryonic expression profile revealed that Smpiwil2 was maternally inherited, and its level was higher from the zygote to the blastula stage and subsequently decreased until hatching. Moreover, a CpG island was predicted to locate in the 5'-flanking region of Smpiwil2 gene, and its methylation levels detected by sodium bisulfite sequencing showed significant disparity between females and males, implying that the sexually dimorphic expression of Smpiwil2 might be regulated by methylation. These results indicated that Smpiwil2 had potentially vital functions in embryonic and gonadal development in this species. In addition, the temporal and sex differences in Smpiwil2 expression indicated that this gene may play different roles in gonadal development of different sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaobing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yuezhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Xinxin Du
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Quanqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - XuBo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China.
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Whittle CA, Extavour CG. Expression-Linked Patterns of Codon Usage, Amino Acid Frequency, and Protein Length in the Basally Branching Arthropod Parasteatoda tepidariorum. Genome Biol Evol 2016; 8:2722-36. [PMID: 27017527 PMCID: PMC5630913 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evw068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Spiders belong to the Chelicerata, the most basally branching arthropod subphylum. The common house spider, Parasteatoda tepidariorum, is an emerging model and provides a valuable system to address key questions in molecular evolution in an arthropod system that is distinct from traditionally studied insects. Here, we provide evidence suggesting that codon usage, amino acid frequency, and protein lengths are each influenced by expression-mediated selection in P. tepidariorum. First, highly expressed genes exhibited preferential usage of T3 codons in this spider, suggestive of selection. Second, genes with elevated transcription favored amino acids with low or intermediate size/complexity (S/C) scores (glycine and alanine) and disfavored those with large S/C scores (such as cysteine), consistent with the minimization of biosynthesis costs of abundant proteins. Third, we observed a negative correlation between expression level and coding sequence length. Together, we conclude that protein-coding genes exhibit signals of expression-related selection in this emerging, noninsect, arthropod model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A Whittle
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
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32
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Pechmann M. Formation of the germ-disc in spider embryos by a condensation-like mechanism. Front Zool 2016; 13:35. [PMID: 27525029 PMCID: PMC4982120 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-016-0166-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Determination of the embryonic body axes is a crucial developmental process in all animals. The establishment of the embryonic axes of spiders has been best studied in the common-house-spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. Here, anteroposterior (AP) polarity arises during germ disc formation; the centre of the germ-disc marks the future posterior pole, and the rim of the disc the future anterior pole of the spider embryo. The centre of the germ disc is also needed for the formation of the cumulus, a group of migratory cells needed to establish dorsoventral (DV) polarity. Thus, both body axes depend on proper germ disc formation and patterning. However, these processes have not been fully analysed at the cellular and molecular level. Results Here I present new techniques to stain the cell membranes/outlines in live and fixed spider embryos. I show that the germ-disc is formed from a regular and contiguous blastoderm and that co-ordinated cell shape changes, rather than migration of single cells, are required to drive germ-disc formation in P. tepidariorum embryos. Furthermore, I show that the rate of cell divisions within the embryonic and extra-embryonic region is not involved in the rapid establishment of the germ-disc. Finally, I show that the process of germ-disc formation is dependent on the initiation of zygotic transcription. Conclusions The presented data provide new insights in to the formation of the germ-disc in spider embryos. The establishment of the germ-disc in Parasteatoda embryos is a highly dynamic process that involves wide scale cell-shape changes. While most of the blastodermal cells become cuboidal to form the dense germ-disc, the remaining blastodermal cells stay squamous and develop into huge extra-embryonic, yolk rich cells. In addition, this study shows that the onset of zygotic transcription is needed to establish the germ-disc itself, and that the mid-blastula transition of Parasteatoda tepidariorum embryos is prior to any overt axis establishment. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12983-016-0166-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Pechmann
- University of Cologne, Cologne Biocenter, Zülpicher Str. 47B, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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Fresques T, Swartz SZ, Juliano C, Morino Y, Kikuchi M, Akasaka K, Wada H, Yajima M, Wessel GM. The diversity of nanos expression in echinoderm embryos supports different mechanisms in germ cell specification. Evol Dev 2016; 18:267-78. [PMID: 27402572 PMCID: PMC4943673 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Specification of the germ cell lineage is required for sexual reproduction in all animals. However, the timing and mechanisms of germ cell specification is remarkably diverse in animal development. Echinoderms, such as sea urchins and sea stars, are excellent model systems to study the molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to germ cell specification. In several echinoderm embryos tested, the germ cell factor Vasa accumulates broadly during early development and is restricted after gastrulation to cells that contribute to the germ cell lineage. In the sea urchin, however, the germ cell factor Vasa is restricted to a specific lineage by the 32-cell stage. We therefore hypothesized that the germ cell specification program in the sea urchin/Euechinoid lineage has evolved to an earlier developmental time point. To test this hypothesis we determined the expression pattern of a second germ cell factor, Nanos, in four out of five extant echinoderm clades. Here we find that Nanos mRNA does not accumulate until the blastula stage or later during the development of all other echinoderm embryos except those that belong to the Echinoid lineage. Instead, Nanos is expressed in a restricted domain at the 32-128 cell stage in Echinoid embryos. Our results support the model that the germ cell specification program underwent a heterochronic shift in the Echinoid lineage. A comparison of Echinoid and non-Echinoid germ cell specification mechanisms will contribute to our understanding of how these mechanisms have changed during animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Fresques
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, 185 Meeting Street, Brown University, Providence RI 02912
| | - S. Zachary Swartz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, 185 Meeting Street, Brown University, Providence RI 02912
| | - Celina Juliano
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, 185 Meeting Street, Brown University, Providence RI 02912
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Sciences, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, Davis CA 95616
| | - Yoshiaki Morino
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
| | - Mani Kikuchi
- Misaki Marine Biological Station, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Koajiro 1024, Misaki, Miura 238-0225, Japan
| | - Koji Akasaka
- Misaki Marine Biological Station, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Koajiro 1024, Misaki, Miura 238-0225, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Wada
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
| | - Mamiko Yajima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, 185 Meeting Street, Brown University, Providence RI 02912
| | - Gary M. Wessel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, 185 Meeting Street, Brown University, Providence RI 02912
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Poon J, Wessel GM, Yajima M. An unregulated regulator: Vasa expression in the development of somatic cells and in tumorigenesis. Dev Biol 2016; 415:24-32. [PMID: 27179696 PMCID: PMC4902722 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2015] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence in diverse organisms shows that genes originally thought to function uniquely in the germ line may also function in somatic cells, and in some cases even contribute to tumorigenesis. Here we review the somatic functions of Vasa, one of the most conserved "germ line" factors among metazoans. Vasa expression in somatic cells is tightly regulated and often transient during normal development, and appears to play essential roles in regulation of embryonic cells and regenerative tissues. Its dysregulation, however, is believed to be an important element of tumorigenic cell regulation. In this perspectives paper, we propose how some conserved functions of Vasa may be selected for somatic cell regulation, including its potential impact on efficient and localized translational activities and in some cases on cellular malfunctioning and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Poon
- MCB Department, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL173, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Gary M Wessel
- MCB Department, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL173, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Mamiko Yajima
- MCB Department, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL173, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
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Quan H, Lynch JA. The evolution of insect germline specification strategies. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 13:99-105. [PMID: 27088076 PMCID: PMC4827259 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2016.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of the germline is essential for sexually reproducing organisms. In animals, there are two major strategies to specify the germline: maternal provision and zygotic induction. The molecular basis of the maternal provision mode has been well characterized in several model organisms (fly, frog, fish, and nematode), while that of the zygotic induction mode has mainly been studied in mammalian models such as the mouse. Shifts in germline determination modes occur unexpectedly frequently and many such shifts have occurred several times among insects. Given their general tractability and rapidly increasing genomic and genetic tools applicable to many species, the insects present a uniquely powerful model system for understanding major transitions in reproductive strategies, and developmental processes in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghu Quan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
| | - Jeremy A Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
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Yajima M, Wessel GM. Essential elements for translation: the germline factor Vasa functions broadly in somatic cells. Development 2015; 142:1960-70. [PMID: 25977366 PMCID: PMC4460737 DOI: 10.1242/dev.118448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Vasa is a conserved RNA-helicase found in the germ lines of all metazoans tested. Whereas Vasa presence is often indicated as a metric for germline determination in animals, it is also expressed in stem cells of diverse origin. Recent research suggests, however, that Vasa has a much broader function, including a significant role in cell cycle regulation. Results herein indicate that Vasa is utilized widely, and often induced transiently, during development in diverse somatic cells and adult precursor tissues. We identified that Vasa in the sea urchin is essential for: (1) general mRNA translation during embryogenesis, (2) developmental re-programming upon manipulations to the embryo and (3) larval wound healing. We also learned that Vasa interacted with mRNAs in the perinuclear area and at the spindle in an Importin-dependent manner during cell cycle progression. These results suggest that, when present, Vasa functions are essential to contributing to developmental regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamiko Yajima
- MCB Department, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL173, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Gary M Wessel
- MCB Department, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL173, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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