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Turgeon A, Fu J, Divyanshi, Ma M, Jin Z, Hwang H, Li M, Qiao H, Mei W, Yang J. Dzip1 is dynamically expressed in the vertebrate germline and regulates the development of Xenopus primordial germ cells. Dev Biol 2024; 514:28-36. [PMID: 38880277 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.06.003] [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: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the precursors of sperms and oocytes. Proper development of PGCs is crucial for the survival of the species. In many organisms, factors responsible for PGC development are synthesized during early oogenesis and assembled into the germ plasm. During early embryonic development, germ plasm is inherited by a few cells, leading to the formation of PGCs. While germline development has been extensively studied, how components of the germ plasm regulate PGC development is not fully understood. Here, we report that Dzip1 is dynamically expressed in vertebrate germline and is a novel component of the germ plasm in Xenopus and zebrafish. Knockdown of Dzip1 impairs PGC development in Xenopus embryos. At the molecular level, Dzip1 physically interacts with Dazl, an evolutionarily conserved RNA-binding protein that plays a multifaced role during germline development. We further showed that the sequence between amino acid residues 282 and 550 of Dzip1 is responsible for binding to Dazl. Disruption of the binding between Dzip1 and Dazl leads to defective PGC development. Taken together, our results presented here demonstrate that Dzip1 is dynamically expressed in the vertebrate germline and plays a novel function during Xenopus PGC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora Turgeon
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Jia Fu
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Divyanshi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Meng Ma
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Zhigang Jin
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Hyojeong Hwang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Meining Li
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Huanyu Qiao
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Wenyan Mei
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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Divyanshi, Yang J. Germ plasm dynamics during oogenesis and early embryonic development in Xenopus and zebrafish. Mol Reprod Dev 2024; 91:e23718. [PMID: 38126950 PMCID: PMC11190040 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Specification of the germline and its segregation from the soma mark one of the most crucial events in the lifetime of an organism. In different organisms, this specification can occur through either inheritance or inductive mechanisms. In species such as Xenopus and zebrafish, the specification of primordial germ cells relies on the inheritance of maternal germline determinants that are synthesized and sequestered in the germ plasm during oogenesis. In this review, we discuss the formation of the germ plasm, how germline determinants are recruited into the germ plasm during oogenesis, and the dynamics of the germ plasm during oogenesis and early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyanshi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
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Turgeon A, Fu J, Divyanshi, Ma M, Jin Z, Hwang H, Li M, Qiao H, Mei W, Yang J. Dzip1 is dynamically expressed in the vertebrate germline and regulates the development of Xenopus primordial germ cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.20.590349. [PMID: 38712275 PMCID: PMC11071414 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.20.590349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the precursors of sperms and oocytes. Proper development of PGCs is crucial for the survival of the species. In many organisms, factors responsible for PGC development are synthesized during early oogenesis and assembled into the germ plasm. During early embryonic development, germ plasm is inherited by a few cells, leading to the formation of PGCs. While germline development has been extensively studied, how components of the germ plasm regulate PGC development is not fully understood. Here, we report that Dzip1 is dynamically expressed in vertebrate germline and is a novel component of the germ plasm in Xenopus and zebrafish. Knockdown of Dzip1 impairs PGC development in Xenopus embryos. At the molecular level, Dzip1 physically interacts with Dazl, an evolutionarily conserved RNA-binding protein that plays a multifaced role during germline development. We further showed that the sequence between amino acid residues 282 and 550 of Dzip1 is responsible for binding to Dazl. Disruption of the binding between Dzip1 and Dazl leads to defective PGC development. Taken together, our results presented here demonstrate that Dzip1 is dynamically expressed in the vertebrate germline and plays a novel function during Xenopus PGC development.
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Hwang H, Chen S, Ma M, Divyanshi, Fan HC, Borwick E, Böke E, Mei W, Yang J. Solubility phase transition of maternal RNAs during vertebrate oocyte-to-embryo transition. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2776-2788.e5. [PMID: 37922909 PMCID: PMC10841985 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The oocyte-to-embryo transition (OET) is regulated by maternal products stored in the oocyte cytoplasm, independent of transcription. How maternal products are precisely remodeled to dictate the OET remains largely unclear. In this work, we discover the dynamic solubility phase transition of maternal RNAs during Xenopus OET. We have identified 863 maternal transcripts that transition from a soluble state to a detergent-insoluble one after oocyte maturation. These RNAs are enriched in the animal hemisphere, and many of them encode key cell cycle regulators. In contrast, 165 transcripts, including nearly all Xenopus germline RNAs and some vegetally localized somatic RNAs, undergo an insoluble-to-soluble phase transition. This phenomenon is conserved in zebrafish. Our results demonstrate that the phase transition of germline RNAs influences their susceptibility to RNA degradation machinery and is mediated by the remodeling of germ plasm. This work thus identifies important remodeling mechanisms that act on RNAs to control vertebrate OET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyojeong Hwang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Sijie Chen
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Meng Ma
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Divyanshi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Hao-Chun Fan
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Elizabeth Borwick
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Elvan Böke
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wenyan Mei
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
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Hwang H, Chen S, Ma M, Divyanshi, Fan HC, Borwick E, Böke E, Mei W, Yang J. Phase transition of maternal RNAs during vertebrate oocyte-to-embryo transition. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.11.540463. [PMID: 37214813 PMCID: PMC10197690 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.11.540463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The oocyte-to-embryo transition (OET) is regulated by maternal products stored in the oocyte cytoplasm, independent of transcription. How maternal products are precisely remodeled to dictate the OET remains an open question. In this work, we discover the dynamic phase transition of maternal RNAs during Xenopus OET. We have identified 863 maternal transcripts that transition from a soluble state to a detergent-insoluble one after oocyte maturation. These RNAs are enriched in the animal hemisphere and many of them encode key cell cycle regulators. In contrast, 165 transcripts, including nearly all Xenopus germline RNAs and some vegetally localized somatic RNAs, undergo an insoluble-to-soluble phase transition. This phenomenon is conserved in zebrafish. Our results demonstrate that the phase transition of germline RNAs influences their susceptibility to RNA degradation machinery and is mediated by the remodeling of germ plasm. This work thus uncovers novel remodeling mechanisms that act on RNAs to regulate vertebrate OET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyojeong Hwang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Sijie Chen
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Meng Ma
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Divyanshi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Hao-Chun Fan
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Elizabeth Borwick
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Elvan Böke
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wenyan Mei
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61802, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
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Cheng H, Shang D, Zhou R. Germline stem cells in human. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:345. [PMID: 36184610 PMCID: PMC9527259 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01197-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The germline cells are essential for the propagation of human beings, thus essential for the survival of mankind. The germline stem cells, as a unique cell type, generate various states of germ stem cells and then differentiate into specialized cells, spermatozoa and ova, for producing offspring, while self-renew to generate more stem cells. Abnormal development of germline stem cells often causes severe diseases in humans, including infertility and cancer. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) first emerge during early embryonic development, migrate into the gentile ridge, and then join in the formation of gonads. In males, they differentiate into spermatogonial stem cells, which give rise to spermatozoa via meiosis from the onset of puberty, while in females, the female germline stem cells (FGSCs) retain stemness in the ovary and initiate meiosis to generate oocytes. Primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) can be induced in vitro from embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells. In this review, we focus on current advances in these embryonic and adult germline stem cells, and the induced PGCLCs in humans, provide an overview of molecular mechanisms underlying the development and differentiation of the germline stem cells and outline their physiological functions, pathological implications, and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanhua Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, 430072, Wuhan, China.
| | - Dantong Shang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, 430072, Wuhan, China
| | - Rongjia Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, 430072, Wuhan, China.
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Houston DW, Elliott KL, Coppenrath K, Wlizla M, Horb ME. Maternal Wnt11b regulates cortical rotation during Xenopus axis formation: analysis of maternal-effect wnt11b mutants. Development 2022; 149:dev200552. [PMID: 35946588 PMCID: PMC9515810 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Asymmetric signalling centres in the early embryo are essential for axis formation in vertebrates. These regions (e.g. amphibian dorsal morula, mammalian anterior visceral endoderm) require stabilised nuclear β-catenin, but the role of localised Wnt ligand signalling activity in their establishment remains unclear. In Xenopus, dorsal β-catenin is initiated by vegetal microtubule-mediated symmetry breaking in the fertilised egg, known as 'cortical rotation'. Localised wnt11b mRNA and ligand-independent activators of β-catenin have been implicated in dorsal β-catenin activation, but the extent to which each contributes to axis formation in this paradigm remains unclear. Here, we describe a CRISPR-mediated maternal-effect mutation in Xenopus laevis wnt11b.L. We find that wnt11b is maternally required for robust dorsal axis formation and for timely gastrulation, and zygotically for left-right asymmetry. Importantly, we show that vegetal microtubule assembly and cortical rotation are reduced in wnt11b mutant eggs. In addition, we show that activated Wnt coreceptor Lrp6 and Dishevelled lack behaviour consistent with roles in early β-catenin stabilisation, and that neither is regulated by Wnt11b. This work thus implicates Wnt11b in the distribution of putative dorsal determinants rather than in comprising the determinants themselves. This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas W. Houston
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, 257 BB, Iowa City, IA 52242-1324, USA
| | - Karen L. Elliott
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, 257 BB, Iowa City, IA 52242-1324, USA
| | - Kelsey Coppenrath
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Marcin Wlizla
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Marko E. Horb
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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Hansen CL, Pelegri F. Primordial Germ Cell Specification in Vertebrate Embryos: Phylogenetic Distribution and Conserved Molecular Features of Preformation and Induction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:730332. [PMID: 34604230 PMCID: PMC8481613 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.730332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The differentiation of primordial germ cells (PGCs) occurs during early embryonic development and is critical for the survival and fitness of sexually reproducing species. Here, we review the two main mechanisms of PGC specification, induction, and preformation, in the context of four model vertebrate species: mouse, axolotl, Xenopus frogs, and zebrafish. We additionally discuss some notable molecular characteristics shared across PGC specification pathways, including the shared expression of products from three conserved germline gene families, DAZ (Deleted in Azoospermia) genes, nanos-related genes, and DEAD-box RNA helicases. Then, we summarize the current state of knowledge of the distribution of germ cell determination systems across kingdom Animalia, with particular attention to vertebrate species, but include several categories of invertebrates - ranging from the "proto-vertebrate" cephalochordates to arthropods, cnidarians, and ctenophores. We also briefly highlight ongoing investigations and potential lines of inquiry that aim to understand the evolutionary relationships between these modes of specification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco Pelegri
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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The multiple functions of kinesin-4 family motor protein KIF4 and its clinical potential. Gene 2018; 678:90-99. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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