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Pieplow C, Furze A, Gregory P, Oulhen N, Wessel GM. Sex specific gene expression is present prior to metamorphosis in the sea urchin. Dev Biol 2025; 517:217-233. [PMID: 39427857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Accepted: 10/14/2024] [Indexed: 10/22/2024]
Abstract
A profound collaboration between the germline and somatic cells of an organism is the creation of a functional gonad. Here we establish a foundation for studying molecular gonadogenesis in the sea urchin by use of RNA-seq, quantitative mRNA measurements, and in-situ hybridizations throughout the life cycle of the variegated sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus (Lv). We found through three distinct analyses that the ovary and testis of this echinoderm expresses unique transcripts involved in gametogenesis, and also discovered uncharacterized gene products unique to each gonad. We further developed a pipeline integrating timepoint RNA-seq data throughout development to identify hallmark gene expression in gonads. We found that meiotic and candidate genes involved in sex determination are first expressed surprisingly early during larval growth, and well before metamorphosis. We further discovered that individual larvae express varying amounts of male- or female-hallmarks before metamorphosis, including germline, oocyte, sperm, and meiotic related genes. These distinct male- or female-gonad gene profiles may indicate the onset of, and commitment to, development of a bipotential gonad primordium, and may include metabolic differences, supported by the observation that transcripts involved in glycolysis are highly enriched in the ovary compared to the testis. Together these data support a hypothesis that sex determination is initiated prior to metamorphosis in the sea urchin and that the many uncharacterized genes unique to each gonad type characterized herein may reveal unique pathways and mechanisms in echinoderm reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosmo Pieplow
- Department of Molecular, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, BioMed Division, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Aidan Furze
- Department of Molecular, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, BioMed Division, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Pauline Gregory
- Department of Molecular, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, BioMed Division, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Nathalie Oulhen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, BioMed Division, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Gary M Wessel
- Department of Molecular, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, BioMed Division, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
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2
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Wise M, Silvia M, Reyes G, Dunn R, Onorato TM, Pieplow C, Furze A, Hebert E, Oulhen N, Ritschoff D, McClay DR, Wessel G. A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:28518. [PMID: 39557917 PMCID: PMC11574130 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-79312-3] [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: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 11/07/2024] [Indexed: 11/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals of the phylum Echinodermata are characterized by a pentaradially symmetric endoskeleton in adults. Echinoids also have endoskeletal spines ranging in length from several millimeters (sand dollars e.g. Mellita quinquiesperforata of the order Clypeasteroida) to 30 cm (the black sea urchin, Diadema antillarum of the order Euechinoidea). Here we integrate an analysis of genetic, structural and molecular properties of spines from the variegated sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus. Through genetic crosses we learned that white is dominant over red and green colors, and that pigmentation follows classic Mendelian genetics. The abundance of mRNAs encoding flavin mono-oxygenase variancts and polyketide synthase was predictive of the color of the adult and antibodies identified their histological location in the spine cells. By RNA in situ hybridization, candidate genes important for spine biomineralization and pigmentation were mapped onto the spine epithelia, and MicroCT scans of spines from different color morphs concluded that color morphs are entirely due to pigmentation and not to structural variations of the endoskeleton. By confocal microscopy we localized gene expression along and within the spines and learned that genes involved in pigment biosynthesis showed selective distribution along the spine. Spine epidermis is mitotically active and red spherule immunocytes are highly migratory within the spine. Overall the results provide a key foundation for examining the mechanisms of molecular diversity and patterning in the name sake of the phylum Echinodermata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Wise
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, 28516, USA
| | - Madison Silvia
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Gerardo Reyes
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Rushane Dunn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Thomas M Onorato
- Department of Natural Sciences, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY, 31-10 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Cosmo Pieplow
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Aidan Furze
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - El Hebert
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Nathalie Oulhen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Dan Ritschoff
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, 28516, USA
| | - David R McClay
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Gary Wessel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
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Clarke DN, Kane A, Perillo M, Lowe CJ, Swartz SZ. VitelloTag: a tool for high-throughput cargo delivery into oocytes. Development 2024; 151:dev202857. [PMID: 39171380 PMCID: PMC11423919 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202857] [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: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Delivering molecular tools into oocytes is essential for developmental and reproductive biology. Microinjection, the conventional method, is equipment intensive, often technically challenging and has a low yield, and is impractical in species with delicate oocytes or restricted spawning seasons. To overcome these limitations, we developed VitelloTag, a cost-effective, high-throughput system using vitellogenin-derived fusion proteins to enable efficient cargo delivery via receptor-mediated endocytosis. We demonstrate its utility by delivering Cas9/sgRNA complexes in two distantly related species for gene knockout.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Nathaniel Clarke
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142,USA
| | - Akshay Kane
- The Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1015, USA
| | - Margherita Perillo
- The Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1015, USA
| | | | - S. Zachary Swartz
- The Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1015, USA
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Polinski JM, Castellano KR, Buckley KM, Bodnar AG. Genomic signatures of exceptional longevity and negligible aging in the long-lived red sea urchin. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114021. [PMID: 38564335 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The red sea urchin (Mesocentrotus franciscanus) is one of the Earth's longest-living animals, reported to live more than 100 years with indeterminate growth, life-long reproduction, and no increase in mortality rate with age. To understand the genetic underpinnings of longevity and negligible aging, we constructed a chromosome-level assembly of the red sea urchin genome and compared it to that of short-lived sea urchin species. Genome-wide syntenic alignments identified chromosome rearrangements that distinguish short- and long-lived species. Expanded gene families in long-lived species play a role in innate immunity, sensory nervous system, and genome stability. An integrated network of genes under positive selection in the red sea urchin was involved in genomic regulation, mRNA fidelity, protein homeostasis, and mitochondrial function. Our results implicated known longevity genes in sea urchin longevity but also revealed distinct molecular signatures that may promote long-term maintenance of tissue homeostasis, disease resistance, and negligible aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Andrea G Bodnar
- Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA.
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Chess MM, Douglas W, Saunders J, Ettensohn CA. Genome-wide identification and spatiotemporal expression analysis of cadherin superfamily members in echinoderms. EvoDevo 2023; 14:15. [PMID: 38124068 PMCID: PMC10734073 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-023-00219-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cadherins are calcium-dependent transmembrane cell-cell adhesion proteins that are essential for metazoan development. They consist of three subfamilies: classical cadherins, which bind catenin, protocadherins, which contain 6-7 calcium-binding repeat domains, and atypical cadherins. Their functions include forming adherens junctions, establishing planar cell polarity (PCP), and regulating cell shape, proliferation, and migration. Because they are basal deuterostomes, echinoderms provide important insights into bilaterian evolution, but their only well-characterized cadherin is G-cadherin, a classical cadherin that is expressed by many embryonic epithelia. We aimed to better characterize echinoderm cadherins by conducting phylogenetic analyses and examining the spatiotemporal expression patterns of cadherin-encoding genes during Strongylocentrotus purpuratus development. RESULTS Our phylogenetic analyses conducted on two echinoid, three asteroid, and one crinoid species identified ten echinoderm cadherins, including one deuterostome-specific ortholog, cadherin-23, and an echinoderm-specific atypical cadherin that possibly arose in an echinoid-asteroid ancestor. Catenin-binding domains in dachsous-2 orthologs were found to be a deuterostome-specific innovation that was selectively lost in mouse, while those in Fat4 orthologs appeared to be Ambulacraria-specific and were selectively lost in non-crinoid echinoderms. The identified suite of echinoderm cadherins lacks vertebrate-specific innovations but contains two proteins that are present in protostomes and absent from mouse. The spatiotemporal expression patterns of four embryonically expressed cadherins (fat atypical cadherins 1 and 4, dachsous-2, and protocadherin-9) were dynamic and mirrored the expression pattern of Frizzled 5/8, a non-canonical Wnt PCP pathway receptor protein essential for archenteron morphogenesis. CONCLUSIONS The echinoderm cadherin toolkit is more similar to that of an ancient bilaterian predating protostomes and deuterostomes than it is to the suite of cadherins found in extant vertebrates. However, it also appears that deuterostomes underwent several cadherin-related innovations. Based on their similar spatiotemporal expression patterns and orthologous relationships to PCP-related and tumor-suppressing proteins, we hypothesize that sea urchin cadherins may play a role in regulating the shape and growth of embryonic epithelia and organs. Future experiments will examine cadherin expression in non-echinoid echinoderms and explore the functions of cadherins during echinoderm development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macie M Chess
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - William Douglas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Josiah Saunders
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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Yamakawa S, Sasakura Y, Morino Y, Wada H. Detection of TALEN-mediated genome cleavage during the early embryonic stage of the starfish Patiria pectinifera. Dev Dyn 2023; 252:1471-1481. [PMID: 37431812 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.641] [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: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Echinoderms have long been utilized as experimental materials to study the genetic control of developmental processes and their evolution. Among echinoderms, the molecular study of starfish embryos has received considerable attention across research topics such as gene regulatory network evolution and larval regeneration. Recently, experimental techniques to manipulate gene functions have been gradually established in starfish as the feasibility of genome editing methods was reported. However, it is still unclear when these techniques cause genome cleavage during the development of starfish, which is critical to understand the timeframe and applicability of the experiment during early development of starfish. RESULTS We herein reported that gene functions can be analyzed by the genome editing method TALEN in early embryos, such as the blastula of the starfish Patiria pectinifera. We injected the mRNA of TALEN targeting rar, which was previously constructed, into eggs of P. pectinifera and examined the efficiency of genome cleavage through developmental stages from 6 to 48 hours post fertilization. CONCLUSION The results will be key knowledge not only when designing TALEN-based experiments but also when assessing the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumpei Yamakawa
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yasunori Sasakura
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Morino
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Wada
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Warner JF, Besemer R, Schickle A, Borbee E, Changsut IV, Sharp K, Babonis LS. Microinjection, gene knockdown, and CRISPR-mediated gene knock-in in the hard coral, Astrangia poculata. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.16.567385. [PMID: 38948709 PMCID: PMC11213136 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.16.567385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Cnidarians have become valuable models for understanding many aspects of developmental biology including the evolution of body plan diversity, novel cell type specification, and regeneration. Most of our understanding of gene function during early development in cnidarians comes from a small number of experimental systems including the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. Few molecular tools have been developed for use in hard corals, limiting our understanding of this diverse and ecologically important clade. Here, we report the development of a suite of tools for manipulating and analyzing gene expression during early development in the northern star coral, Astrangia poculata. We present methods for gene knockdown using short hairpin RNAs, gene overexpression using exogenous mRNAs, and endogenous gene tagging using CRISPR-mediated gene knock-in. Combined with our ability to control spawning in the laboratory, these tools make A. poculata a tractable experimental system for investigative studies of coral development. Further application of these tools will enable functional analyses of embryonic patterning and morphogenesis across Anthozoa and open new frontiers in coral biology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob F. Warner
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, UNC Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, 28409
| | - Ryan Besemer
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, UNC Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, 28409
| | - Alicia Schickle
- Feinstein School of Social and Natural Sciences, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI 02871
| | - Erin Borbee
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666
| | | | - Koty Sharp
- Feinstein School of Social and Natural Sciences, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI 02871
| | - Leslie S. Babonis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853
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Perillo M, Swartz SZ, Pieplow C, Wessel GM. Molecular mechanisms of tubulogenesis revealed in the sea star hydro-vascular organ. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2402. [PMID: 37160908 PMCID: PMC10170166 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37947-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
A fundamental goal in the organogenesis field is to understand how cells organize into tubular shapes. Toward this aim, we have established the hydro-vascular organ in the sea star Patiria miniata as a model for tubulogenesis. In this animal, bilateral tubes grow out from the tip of the developing gut, and precisely extend to specific sites in the larva. This growth involves cell migration coupled with mitosis in distinct zones. Cell proliferation requires FGF signaling, whereas the three-dimensional orientation of the organ depends on Wnt signaling. Specification and maintenance of tube cell fate requires Delta/Notch signaling. Moreover, we identify target genes of the FGF pathway that contribute to tube morphology, revealing molecular mechanisms for tube outgrowth. Finally, we report that FGF activates the Six1/2 transcription factor, which serves as an evolutionarily ancient regulator of branching morphogenesis. This study uncovers distinct mechanisms of tubulogenesis in vivo and we propose that cellular dynamics in the sea star hydro-vascular organ represents a key comparison for understanding the evolution of vertebrate organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Perillo
- Department of Molecular, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, BioMed Division, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
- Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.
| | - S Zachary Swartz
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Cosmo Pieplow
- Department of Molecular, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, BioMed Division, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Gary M Wessel
- Department of Molecular, Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, BioMed Division, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
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Oulhen N, Morita S, Warner JF, Wessel G. CRISPR/Cas9 knockin methodology for the sea urchin embryo. Mol Reprod Dev 2023; 90:69-72. [PMID: 36719060 PMCID: PMC9979971 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Oulhen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Shumpei Morita
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
- Present Address: Asamushi Research Center for Marine Biology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Aomori, Aomori, 039-3501, Japan
| | - Jacob F. Warner
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology. University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403
| | - Gary Wessel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
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