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Edelbroek B, Kjellin J, Jerlström-Hultqvist J, Koskiniemi S, Söderbom F. Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the social amoeba Dictyostelium firmibasis. Sci Data 2024; 11:678. [PMID: 38909042 PMCID: PMC11193728 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03513-8] [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: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Dicytostelium firmibasis is a member of Dictyostelia, a group of social amoebae that upon starvation display aggregative multicellularity where the amoebae transition from uni- to multicellular life. The D. firmibasis genome assembly that is currently available is of limited use due to its low contiguity, large number of undetermined bases, and lack of annotations. Here we used Nanopore long read sequencing, complemented with Illumina sequencing, and developmental transcriptomics as well as small RNA-sequencing, to present a new, fully annotated, chromosome-level D. firmibasis genome assembly. The new assembly contains no undetermined bases, and consists mainly of six large contigs representing the chromosomes, as well as a complete mitochondrial genome. This new genome assembly will be a valuable tool, allowing comprehensive comparison to Dictyostelium discoideum, the dictyostelid genetically tractable model. Further, the new genome will be important for studies of evolutionary processes governing the transition from unicellular to multicellular organisms and will aid in the sequencing and annotation of other dictyostelids genomes, many of which are currently of poor quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Edelbroek
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, BMC, Uppsala University, SE-751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jonas Kjellin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, BMC, Uppsala University, SE-751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jon Jerlström-Hultqvist
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, BMC, Uppsala University, SE-751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sanna Koskiniemi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, BMC, Uppsala University, SE-751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Söderbom
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, BMC, Uppsala University, SE-751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Edelbroek B, Kjellin J, Biryukova I, Liao Z, Lundberg T, Noegel A, Eichinger L, Friedländer M, Söderbom F. Evolution of microRNAs in Amoebozoa and implications for the origin of multicellularity. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3121-3136. [PMID: 38375870 PMCID: PMC11014262 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important and ubiquitous regulators of gene expression in both plants and animals. They are thought to have evolved convergently in these lineages and hypothesized to have played a role in the evolution of multicellularity. In line with this hypothesis, miRNAs have so far only been described in few unicellular eukaryotes. Here, we investigate the presence and evolution of miRNAs in Amoebozoa, focusing on species belonging to Acanthamoeba, Physarum and dictyostelid taxonomic groups, representing a range of unicellular and multicellular lifestyles. miRNAs that adhere to both the stringent plant and animal miRNA criteria were identified in all examined amoebae, expanding the total number of protists harbouring miRNAs from 7 to 15. We found conserved miRNAs between closely related species, but the majority of species feature only unique miRNAs. This shows rapid gain and/or loss of miRNAs in Amoebozoa, further illustrated by a detailed comparison between two evolutionary closely related dictyostelids. Additionally, loss of miRNAs in the Dictyostelium discoideum drnB mutant did not seem to affect multicellular development and, hence, demonstrates that the presence of miRNAs does not appear to be a strict requirement for the transition from uni- to multicellular life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Edelbroek
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonas Kjellin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Inna Biryukova
- Science for Life Laboratory, The Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Zhen Liao
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Torgny Lundberg
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Angelika A Noegel
- Centre for Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Ludwig Eichinger
- Centre for Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Marc R Friedländer
- Science for Life Laboratory, The Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Söderbom
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
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Medina J, Larsen T, Queller DC, Strassmann JE. In the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, shortened stalks may limit obligate cheater success even when exploitable partners are available. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17118. [PMID: 38562996 PMCID: PMC10984163 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cooperation is widespread across life, but its existence can be threatened by exploitation. The rise of obligate social cheaters that are incapable of contributing to a necessary cooperative function can lead to the loss of that function. In the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, obligate social cheaters cannot form dead stalk cells and in chimeras instead form living spore cells. This gives them a competitive advantage within chimeras. However, obligate cheaters of this kind have thus far not been found in nature, probably because they are often enough in clonal populations that they need to retain the ability to produce stalks. In this study we discovered an additional cost to obligate cheaters. Even when there are wild-type cells to parasitize, the chimeric fruiting bodies that result have shorter stalks and these are disadvantaged in spore dispersal. The inability of obligate cheaters to form fruiting bodies when they are on their own combined with the lower functionality of fruiting bodies when they are not represent limits on obligate social cheating as a strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Medina
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Tyler Larsen
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - David C. Queller
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Joan E. Strassmann
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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Pflanze S, Mukherji R, Ibrahim A, Günther M, Götze S, Chowdhury S, Reimer L, Regestein L, Stallforth P. Nonribosomal peptides protect Pseudomonas nunensis 4A2e from amoebal and nematodal predation. Chem Sci 2023; 14:11573-11581. [PMID: 37886094 PMCID: PMC10599466 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03335j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The rhizosphere is a highly competitive environment forcing bacteria to evolve strategies to oppose their enemies. The production of toxic secondary metabolites allows bacteria to counteract predators. In this study, we describe the anti-predator armamentarium of the soil-derived bacterium Pseudomonas nunensis 4A2e. Based on a genome mining approach, we identified several biosynthetic gene clusters coding for nonribosomal peptide synthetases. Generation of gene deletion mutants of the respective clusters shows a loss of defense capabilities. We isolated the novel lipopeptides keanumycin D and nunapeptins B and C, and fully elucidated their structures by a combination of in-depth mass spectrometry experiments, stable isotope labelling, and chemical synthesis. Additionally, investigation of the quorum sensing-dependent biosynthesis allowed us to elucidate parts of the underlying regulation of the biosynthetic machinery. Ecology-inspired bioassays highlight the role of these peptides as a defence strategy against protozoans and led us to find a previously unknown function against the bacterivorous nematode Oscheius myriophilus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Pflanze
- Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Ruchira Mukherji
- Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Anan Ibrahim
- Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Markus Günther
- Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Sebastian Götze
- Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Somak Chowdhury
- Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Lisa Reimer
- Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Lars Regestein
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
| | - Pierre Stallforth
- Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Leibniz-HKI Beutenbergstrasse 11a 07745 Jena Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University (FSU) Jena Germany
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Kawabe Y, Du Q, Narita TB, Bell C, Schilde C, Kin K, Schaap P. Emerging roles for diguanylate cyclase during the evolution of soma in dictyostelia. BMC Ecol Evol 2023; 23:60. [PMID: 37803310 PMCID: PMC10559540 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-023-02169-z] [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: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cyclic di-guanylate (c-di-GMP), synthesized by diguanylate cyclase, is a major second messenger in prokaryotes, where it triggers biofilm formation. The dictyostelid social amoebas acquired diguanylate cyclase (dgcA) by horizontal gene transfer. Dictyostelium discoideum (Ddis) in taxon group 4 uses c-di-GMP as a secreted signal to induce differentiation of stalk cells, the ancestral somatic cell type that supports the propagating spores. We here investigated how this role for c-di-GMP evolved in Dictyostelia by exploring dgcA function in the group 2 species Polysphondylium pallidum (Ppal) and in Polysphondylium violaceum (Pvio), which resides in a small sister clade to group 4. RESULTS Similar to Ddis, dgcA is upregulated after aggregation in Ppal and Pvio and predominantly expressed in the anterior region and stalks of emerging fruiting bodies. DgcA null mutants in Ppal and Pvio made fruiting bodies with very long and thin stalks and only few spores and showed delayed aggregation and larger aggregates, respectively. Ddis dgcA- cells cannot form stalks at all, but showed no aggregation defects. The long, thin stalks of Ppal and Pvio dgcA- mutants were also observed in acaA- mutants in these species. AcaA encodes adenylate cyclase A, which mediates the effects of c-di-GMP on stalk induction in Ddis. Other factors that promote stalk formation in Ddis are DIF-1, produced by the polyketide synthase StlB, low ammonia, facilitated by the ammonia transporter AmtC, and high oxygen, detected by the oxygen sensor PhyA (prolyl 4-hydroxylase). We deleted the single stlB, amtC and phyA genes in Pvio wild-type and dgcA- cells. Neither of these interventions affected stalk formation in Pvio wild-type and not or very mildly exacerbated the long thin stalk phenotype of Pvio dgcA- cells. CONCLUSIONS The study reveals a novel role for c-di-GMP in aggregation, while the reduced spore number in Pvio and Ppal dgcA- is likely an indirect effect, due to depletion of the cell pool by the extended stalk formation. The results indicate that in addition to c-di-GMP, Dictyostelia ancestrally used an as yet unknown factor for induction of stalk formation. The activation of AcaA by c-di-GMP is likely conserved throughout Dictyostelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinori Kawabe
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD15EH, UK
| | - Qingyou Du
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD15EH, UK
| | - Takaaki B Narita
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD15EH, UK
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, Chiba Institute of Technology, Chiba, 275-0016, Japan
| | - Craig Bell
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD15EH, UK
- West of Scotland Innovation Hub, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, G514LB, UK
| | - Christina Schilde
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD15EH, UK
- D'Arcy Thompson Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD14HN, UK
| | - Koryu Kin
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD15EH, UK
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Pauline Schaap
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD15EH, UK.
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Kin K, Chen ZH, Forbes G, Lawal H, Schilde C, Singh R, Cole C, Barton GJ, Schaap P. The protein kinases of Dictyostelia and their incorporation into a signalome. Cell Signal 2023; 108:110714. [PMID: 37187217 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Protein kinases are major regulators of cellular processes, but the roles of most kinases remain unresolved. Dictyostelid social amoebas have been useful in identifying functions for 30% of its kinases in cell migration, cytokinesis, vesicle trafficking, gene regulation and other processes but their upstream regulators and downstream effectors are mostly unknown. Comparative genomics can assist to distinguish between genes involved in deeply conserved core processes and those involved in species-specific innovations, while co-expression of genes as evident from comparative transcriptomics can provide cues to the protein complement of regulatory networks. Genomes and developmental and cell-type specific transcriptomes are available for species that span the 0.5 billion years of evolution of Dictyostelia from their unicellular ancestors. In this work we analysed conservation and change in the abundance, functional domain architecture and developmental regulation of protein kinases across the 4 major taxon groups of Dictyostelia. All data are summarized in annotated phylogenetic trees of the kinase subtypes and accompanied by functional information of all kinases that were experimentally studied. We detected 393 different protein kinase domains across the five studied genomes, of which 212 were fully conserved. Conservation was highest (71%) in the previously defined AGC, CAMK, CK1, CMCG, STE and TKL groups and lowest (26%) in the "other" group of typical protein kinases. This was mostly due to species-specific single gene amplification of "other" kinases. Apart from the AFK and α-kinases, the atypical protein kinases, such as the PIKK and histidine kinases were also almost fully conserved. The phylogeny-wide developmental and cell-type specific expression profiles of the protein kinase genes were combined with profiles from the same transcriptomic experiments for the families of G-protein coupled receptors, small GTPases and their GEFs and GAPs, the transcription factors and for all genes that upon lesion generate a developmental defect. This dataset was subjected to hierarchical clustering to identify clusters of co-expressed genes that potentially act together in a signalling network. The work provides a valuable resource that allows researchers to identify protein kinases and other regulatory proteins that are likely to act as intermediates in a network of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koryu Kin
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom; Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Zhi-Hui Chen
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian Forbes
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom; Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon (IGFL), CNRS, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon and Université Claude Bernard Lyon-1, Lyon 69007, France.
| | - Hajara Lawal
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Christina Schilde
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom; D'Arcy Thompson Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD1 4HN, United Kingdom.
| | - Reema Singh
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom; Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan,120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada.
| | - Christian Cole
- Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom; Population Health and Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD1 9SY, United Kingdom
| | - Geoffrey J Barton
- Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Pauline Schaap
- Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom.
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Kawabe Y, Schaap P. Development of the dictyostelid Polysphondylium violaceum does not require secreted cAMP. Biol Open 2023; 12:286712. [PMID: 36688866 PMCID: PMC9922732 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Group 4 Dictyostelia, like Dictyostelium discoideum, self-organize into aggregates and fruiting bodies using propagating waves of the chemoattractant cAMP, which are produced by a network containing the adenylate cyclase AcaA, cAMP receptors (Cars) and the extracellular cAMP phosphodiesterase PdsA. Additionally, AcaA and the adenylate cyclases AcrA and AcgA produce secreted cAMP for induction of aggregative and prespore gene expression and intracellular cAMP for PKA activation, with PKA triggering initiation of development and spore and stalk maturation. Non-group 4 species also use secreted cAMP to coordinate post-aggregative morphogenesis and prespore induction but use other attractants to aggregate. To understand how cAMP's role in aggregation evolved, we deleted the acaA, carA and pdsA genes of Polysphondylium violaceum, a sister species to group 4. acaA- fruiting bodies had thinner stalks but otherwise developed normally. Deletion of acrA, which was similarly expressed as acaA, reduced aggregation centre initiation and, as also occurred after D. discoideum acrA deletion, caused spore instability. Double acaA-acrA- mutants failed to form stable aggregates, a defect that was overcome by exposure to the PKA agonist 8Br-cAMP, and therefore likely due to reduced intracellular cAMP. The carA- and pdsA- mutants showed normal aggregation and fruiting body development. Together, the data showed that P. violaceum development does not critically require secreted cAMP, while roles of intracellular cAMP in initiation of development and spore maturation are conserved. Apparently, cell-cell communication underwent major taxon-group specific innovation in Dictyostelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinori Kawabe
- School of Life Sciences, Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Dundee, Dundee DD15EH, UK
| | - Pauline Schaap
- School of Life Sciences, Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Dundee, Dundee DD15EH, UK,Author for correspondence ()
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Du Q, Schaap P. Autophagy of the somatic stalk cells likely nurses the propagating spores of Dictyostelid social amoebas. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2022; 2:104. [PMID: 36860212 PMCID: PMC7614253 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.14947.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background: Autophagy (self-feeding) assists survival of starving cells by partial self-digestion, while dormancy as cysts, spores or seeds enables long-term survival. Starving Dictyostelium amoebas construct multicellular fruiting bodies with spores and stalk cells, with many Dictyostelia still able to encyst individually like their single-celled ancestors. While autophagy mostly occurs in the somatic stalk cells, autophagy gene knock-outs in Dictyostelium discoideum ( D. discoideum) formed no spores and lacked cAMP induction of prespore gene expression. Methods: To investigate whether autophagy also prevents encystation, we knocked-out autophagy genes atg5 and atg7 in the dictyostelid Polysphondylium pallidum, which forms both spores and cysts. We measured spore and cyst differentiation and viability in the knock-out as well as stalk and spore gene expression and its regulation by cAMP. We tested a hypothesis that spores require materials derived from autophagy in stalk cells. Sporulation requires secreted cAMP acting on receptors and intracellular cAMP acting on PKA. We compared the morphology and viability of spores developed in fruiting bodies with spores induced from single cells by stimulation with cAMP and 8Br-cAMP, a membrane-permeant PKA agonist. Results: Loss of autophagy in P. pallidum reduced but did not prevent encystation. Stalk cells still differentiated but stalks were disorganised. However, no spores were formed at all and cAMP-induced prespore gene expression was lost. D. discoideum spores induced in vitro by cAMP and 8Br-cAMP were smaller and rounder than spores formed multicellularly and while they were not lysed by detergent they germinated not (strain Ax2) or poorly (strain NC4), unlike spores formed in fruiting bodies. Conclusions: The stringent requirement of sporulation on both multicellularity and autophagy, which occurs mostly in stalk cells, suggests that stalk cells nurse the spores through autophagy. This highlights autophagy as a major cause for somatic cell evolution in early multicellularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyou Du
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Angus, DD15EH, UK
| | - Pauline Schaap
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Angus, DD15EH, UK
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Yamasaki DT, Araki T, Narita TB. The polyketide synthase StlA is involved in inducing aggregation in Polysphondylium violaceum. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2022; 86:1590-1598. [PMID: 35998316 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbac144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
In the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, the polyketide MPBD (4-methyl-5-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol) regulates the gene expressions of cAMP signaling to make cells aggregation-competent and also induces spore maturation. The polyketide synthase StlA is responsible for MPBD biosynthesis in D. discoideum and appears to be conserved throughout the major groups of the social amoeba (Dictyostelia). In this study, we analyzed the function of StlA in Polysphondylium violaceum by identifying the gene sequence and creating the knockout mutants. We found that Pv-stlA- mutants had defects only in cell aggregation but not in spore maturation, indicating that the function of StlA in inducing spore maturation is species-specific. We also found that MPBD could rescue the aggregation defect in Pv-stlA- mutants whereas the mutants normally exhibited chemotaxis to their chemoattractant, glorin. Our data suggest that StlA is involved in inducing aggregation in P. violaceum by acting on signaling pathways other than chemotaxis in P. violaceum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki T Yamasaki
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba Institute of Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Araki
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takaaki B Narita
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, Chiba Institute of Technology, Chiba, Japan
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10
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Kin K, Chen ZH, Forbes G, Schaap P. Evolution of a novel cell type in Dictyostelia required gene duplication of a cudA-like transcription factor. Curr Biol 2022; 32:428-437.e4. [PMID: 34883046 PMCID: PMC8808424 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.047] [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: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of novel cell types has been proposed to result from duplication of gene regulatory networks, but proven examples are rare. In addition to stalk cells and spores that make up the fruiting bodies of three major groups of Dictyostelia, those in group 4 additionally evolved basal disc and cup cells that respectively anchor the stalk to the substratum and the spore mass to the stalk. We noted a putative group-4-specific duplication of a cudA-like transcription factor (TF) in a comparative analysis of group-representative genomes. Using increased taxon sampling, we here confirmed that this TF, cdl1, duplicated into cdl1a and cdl1b in the common ancestor to group 4. cdl1a, but not cdl1b, showed signatures of positive selection, indicative of functional innovation. Deletion of cdl1a in Dictyostelium discoideum resulted in fruiting bodies with sagging spore heads that lacked the supporting cup cells and expression of cup-specific genes. Deletion of cdl1b resulted in thinner fruiting body stalks, while a cdl1b-cdl1a- double knockout showed more severe stalk defects, suggesting an ancestral role of cdl1 in stalk formation. This was confirmed in a closely related non-group 4 species, Polysphondylium violaceum, where cdl1 knockout caused defective stalk formation. These data indicate that the group-specific duplication of cdl1 and subsequent diversification of cdl1a played a pivotal role in the evolution of a novel somatic cell type in group 4 Dictyostelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koryu Kin
- University of Dundee, School of Life Sciences, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK; Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Zhi-Hui Chen
- University of Dundee, School of Life Sciences, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Gillian Forbes
- University of Dundee, School of Life Sciences, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Pauline Schaap
- University of Dundee, School of Life Sciences, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK.
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11
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Forbes G, Schilde C, Lawal H, Kin K, Du Q, Chen ZH, Rivero F, Schaap P. Interactome and evolutionary conservation of Dictyostelid small GTPases and their direct regulators. Small GTPases 2022; 13:239-254. [PMID: 34565293 PMCID: PMC8923023 DOI: 10.1080/21541248.2021.1984829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
GTP binding proteins known as small GTPases make up one of the largest groups of regulatory proteins and control almost all functions of living cells. Their activity is under, respectively, positive and negative regulation by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase activating proteins (GAPs), which together with their upstream regulators and the downstream targets of the small GTPases form formidable signalling networks. While genomics has revealed the large size of the GTPase, GEF and GAP repertoires, only a small fraction of their interactions and functions have yet been experimentally explored. Dictyostelid social amoebas have been particularly useful in unravelling the roles of many proteins in the Rac-Rho and Ras-Rap families of GTPases in directional cell migration and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Genomes and cell-type specific and developmental transcriptomes are available for Dictyostelium species that span the 0.5 billion years of evolution of the group from their unicellular ancestors. In this work, we identified all GTPases, GEFs and GAPs from genomes representative of the four major taxon groups and investigated their phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary conservation and changes in their functional domain architecture and in their developmental and cell-type specific expression. We performed a hierarchical cluster analysis of the expression profiles of the ~2000 analysed genes to identify putative interacting sets of GTPases, GEFs and GAPs, which highlight sets known to interact experimentally and many novel combinations. This work represents a valuable resource for research into all fields of cellular regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Forbes
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | | | - Hajara Lawal
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Koryu Kin
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK,CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (Csic-universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Qingyou Du
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Zhi-hui Chen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Francisco Rivero
- Centre for Atherothrombosis and Metabolic Disease, Hull York Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Pauline Schaap
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK,CONTACT Pauline Schaap ; School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Msi/wtb Complex, Dundee, DD15EH, UK
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12
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Porfírio-Sousa AL, Tice AK, Brown MW, J. G. Lahr D. Phylogenetic reconstruction and evolution of the Rab GTPase gene family in Amoebozoa. Small GTPases 2022; 13:100-113. [PMID: 33779495 PMCID: PMC9707542 DOI: 10.1080/21541248.2021.1903794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Rab GTPase is a paralog-rich gene family that controls the maintenance of the eukaryotic cell compartmentalization system. Diverse eukaryotes have varying numbers of Rab paralogs. Currently, little is known about the evolutionary pattern of Rab GTPase in most major eukaryotic 'supergroups'. Here, we present a comprehensive phylogenetic reconstruction of the Rab GTPase gene family in the eukaryotic 'supergroup' Amoebozoa, a diverse lineage represented by unicellular and multicellular organisms. We demonstrate that Amoebozoa conserved 20 of the 23 ancestral Rab GTPases predicted to be present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor and massively expanded several 'novel' in-paralogs. Due to these 'novel' in-paralogs, the Rab family composition dramatically varies between the members of Amoebozoa; as a consequence, 'supergroup'-based studies may significantly change our current understanding of the evolution and diversity of this gene family. The high diversity of the Rab GTPase gene family in Amoebozoa makes this 'supergroup' a key lineage to study and advance our knowledge of the evolution of Rab in Eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander K. Tice
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA,Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA
| | - Matthew W. Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA,Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel J. G. Lahr
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,CONTACT Daniel J. G. Lahr Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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13
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Bai W, Wells ML, Lai WS, Hicks SN, Burkholder AB, Perera L, Kimmel AR, Blackshear PJ. A post-transcriptional regulon controlled by TtpA, the single tristetraprolin family member expressed in Dictyostelium discoideum. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:11920-11937. [PMID: 34718768 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional processes mediated by mRNA binding proteins represent important control points in gene expression. In eukaryotes, mRNAs containing specific AU-rich motifs are regulated by binding of tristetraprolin (TTP) family tandem zinc finger proteins, which promote mRNA deadenylation and decay, partly through interaction of a conserved C-terminal CNOT1 binding (CNB) domain with CCR4-NOT protein complexes. The social ameba Dictyostelium discoideum shared a common ancestor with humans more than a billion years ago, and expresses only one TTP family protein, TtpA, in contrast to three members expressed in humans. Evaluation of ttpA null-mutants identified six transcripts that were consistently upregulated compared to WT during growth and early development. The 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) of all six 'TtpA-target' mRNAs contained multiple TTP binding motifs (UUAUUUAUU), and one 3'-UTR conferred TtpA post-transcriptional stability regulation to a heterologous mRNA that was abrogated by mutations in the core TTP-binding motifs. All six target transcripts were upregulated to similar extents in a C-terminal truncation mutant, in contrast to less severe effects of analogous mutants in mice. All six target transcripts encoded probable membrane proteins. In Dictyostelium, TtpA may control an 'RNA regulon', where a single RNA binding protein, TtpA, post-transcriptionally co-regulates expression of several functionally related proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenli Bai
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Melissa L Wells
- The Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Wi S Lai
- The Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Stephanie N Hicks
- The Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Adam B Burkholder
- Integrative Bioinformatics Support Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Lalith Perera
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Alan R Kimmel
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Perry J Blackshear
- The Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.,The Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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14
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Prommarit K, Wonnapinij P. The complete mitochondrial genome of Dictyostelium intermedium. MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES 2021; 6:3174-3176. [PMID: 34746396 PMCID: PMC8567905 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2021.1989332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Dictyostelium intermedium is a member of dictyostelids, the unicellular eukaryotes with a unique life cycle, including a social cycle. Despite the high diversity of dictyostelids, only five species' complete mitochondrial genome sequences were reported. This study aimed to add the D. intermedium mitochondrial genome sequence to the list. The size of this genome is 58,627 bp, with 73.99% A/T, containing 62 genes located on one strand: 41 protein-coding genes, three ribosomal RNA genes, and 18 transfer RNA genes. The 41 protein-coding genes comprised 18 oxidative phosphorylation-related, 16 ribosomal, and seven hypothetical protein-coding genes. The cox1/2 and rnl gene contained introns, similar to other species of Dictyostelium. The phylogenetic tree built based on 34 protein sequences supported the monophyletic clade of Dictyostelium and the dictyostelids' ancestor's position between the two dictyostelids orders: Dictyosteliales and Acytosteliales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamonchat Prommarit
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Passorn Wonnapinij
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Advanced Studies in Tropical Natural Resources, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Omics Center for Agriculture, Bioresources, Food and Health, Kasetsart University (OmiKU), Bangkok, Thailand
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15
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Kin K, Schaap P. Evolution of Multicellular Complexity in The Dictyostelid Social Amoebas. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:487. [PMID: 33801615 PMCID: PMC8067170 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellularity evolved repeatedly in the history of life, but how it unfolded varies greatly between different lineages. Dictyostelid social amoebas offer a good system to study the evolution of multicellular complexity, with a well-resolved phylogeny and molecular genetic tools being available. We compare the life cycles of the Dictyostelids with closely related amoebozoans to show that complex life cycles were already present in the unicellular common ancestor of Dictyostelids. We propose frost resistance as an early driver of multicellular evolution in Dictyostelids and show that the cell signalling pathways for differentiating spore and stalk cells evolved from that for encystation. The stalk cell differentiation program was further modified, possibly through gene duplication, to evolve a new cell type, cup cells, in Group 4 Dictyostelids. Studies in various multicellular organisms, including Dictyostelids, volvocine algae, and metazoans, suggest as a common principle in the evolution of multicellular complexity that unicellular regulatory programs for adapting to environmental change serve as "proto-cell types" for subsequent evolution of multicellular organisms. Later, new cell types could further evolve by duplicating and diversifying the "proto-cell type" gene regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koryu Kin
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK;
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37–49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pauline Schaap
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK;
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16
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Kjellin J, Avesson L, Reimegård J, Liao Z, Eichinger L, Noegel A, Glöckner G, Schaap P, Söderbom F. Abundantly expressed class of noncoding RNAs conserved through the multicellular evolution of dictyostelid social amoebas. Genome Res 2021; 31:436-447. [PMID: 33479022 PMCID: PMC7919456 DOI: 10.1101/gr.272856.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Aggregative multicellularity has evolved multiple times in diverse groups of eukaryotes, exemplified by the well-studied development of dictyostelid social amoebas, for example, Dictyostelium discoideum However, it is still poorly understood why multicellularity emerged in these amoebas while the majority of other members of Amoebozoa are unicellular. Previously, a novel type of noncoding RNA, Class I RNAs, was identified in D. discoideum and shown to be important for normal multicellular development. Here, we investigated Class I RNA evolution and its connection to multicellular development. We identified a large number of new Class I RNA genes by constructing a covariance model combined with a scoring system based on conserved upstream sequences. Multiple genes were predicted in representatives of each major group of Dictyostelia and expression analysis confirmed that our search approach identifies expressed Class I RNA genes with high accuracy and sensitivity and that the RNAs are developmentally regulated. Further studies showed that Class I RNAs are ubiquitous in Dictyostelia and share highly conserved structure and sequence motifs. In addition, Class I RNA genes appear to be unique to dictyostelid social amoebas because they could not be identified in outgroup genomes, including their closest known relatives. Our results show that Class I RNA is an ancient class of ncRNAs, likely to have been present in the last common ancestor of Dictyostelia dating back at least 600 million years. Based on previous functional analyses and the presented evolutionary investigation, we hypothesize that Class I RNAs were involved in evolution of multicellularity in Dictyostelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Kjellin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala S-75124, Sweden
| | - Lotta Avesson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Biomedical Center, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala S-75124, Sweden
| | - Johan Reimegård
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala S-75124, Sweden
| | - Zhen Liao
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala S-75124, Sweden
| | - Ludwig Eichinger
- Centre for Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Angelika Noegel
- Centre for Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Gernot Glöckner
- Centre for Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Pauline Schaap
- College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Fredrik Söderbom
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala S-75124, Sweden
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17
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Perrigo AL, Vadell EM, Cavender JC, Landolt JC, Liu P, Stephenson SL. Additional new species suggest high dictyostelid diversity on Madagascar. Mycologia 2020; 112:1026-1042. [PMID: 33006910 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2020.1802641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Dictyostelids are a monophyletic group of sorocarp-forming social amoebae in the major eukaryotic division Amoebozoa. Members of this taxon, which is made up of almost 200 described species, are common in terrestrial soils globally. Still, the alpha diversity is not well known in many areas, and new species are frequently recovered. The highest species richness is found in the tropics. Here, five new species are described from soil samples collected in Madagascar. These species-Cavenderia basinodulosa, C. canoespora, Heterostelium radiatum, H. versatile, and Raperostelium stabile-are described based on both morphological characteristics and molecular data, with sequence data from the rDNA small subunit (SSU). The five new species are morphologically disparate, ranging from relatively small, robust taxa such as R. stabile to taxa with variable morphologies such as the larger H. radiatum and H. versatile and the yellow-tinted and irregularly branched species C. canoespora and C. basinulosa. These new species, together with earlier work where 13 other species were described from the island, suggest that there is a range of genetically diverse and highly morphologically variable dictyostelid taxa occurring on Madagascar, suggesting biogeographic patterns even within these very small organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison L Perrigo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg, Sweden.,Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre , Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eduardo M Vadell
- Escuela de Farmacia and Bioquímica, J. F. Kennedy University Sarmiento 4564 / Museo de Historia Nat. R.S.V. Viamonte 1716 , Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - James C Cavender
- Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University , Athens, Ohio 45701
| | - John C Landolt
- Department of Biology, Shepherd University , Shepherdstown, West Virginia 25443
| | - Pu Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University , Changchun 130118, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Steven L Stephenson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville , Arkansas 72701
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18
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Kawabe Y, Du Q, Schilde C, Schaap P. Evolution of multicellularity in Dictyostelia. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2020; 63:359-369. [PMID: 31840775 PMCID: PMC6978153 DOI: 10.1387/ijdb.190108ps] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The well-orchestrated multicellular life cycle of Dictyostelium discoideum has fascinated biologists for over a century. Self-organisation of its amoebas into aggregates, migrating slugs and fruiting structures by pulsatile cAMP signalling and their ability to follow separate differentiation pathways in well-regulated proportions continue to be topics under investigation. A striking aspect of D. discoideum development is the recurrent use of cAMP as chemoattractant, differentiation inducing signal and second messenger for other signals that control the developmental programme. D. discoideum is one of >150 species of Dictyostelia and aggregative life styles similar to those of Dictyostelia evolved many times in eukaryotes. Here we review experimental studies investigating how phenotypic complexity and cAMP signalling co-evolved in Dictyostelia. In addition, we summarize comparative genomic studies of multicellular Dictyostelia and unicellular Amoebozoa aimed to identify evolutionary conservation and change in all genes known to be essential for D. discoideum development.
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19
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Cold climate adaptation is a plausible cause for evolution of multicellular sporulation in Dictyostelia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8797. [PMID: 32472019 PMCID: PMC7260361 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65709-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Unicellular protozoa that encyst individually upon starvation evolved at least eight times into organisms that instead form multicellular fruiting bodies with spores. The Dictyostelia are the largest and most complex group of such organisms. They can be subdivided into 4 major groups, with many species in groups 1–3 having additionally retained encystment. To understand fitness differences between spores and cysts, we measured long-term survival of spores and cysts under climate-mimicking conditions, investigated spore and cyst ultrastructure, and related fitness characteristics to species ecology. We found that spores and cysts survived 22 °C equally well, but that spores survived wet and dry frost better than cysts, with group 4 spores being most resilient. Spore walls consist of three layers and those of cysts of maximally two, while spores were also more compacted than cysts, with group 4 spores being the most compacted. Group 4 species were frequently isolated from arctic and alpine zones, which was rarely the case for group 1–3 species. We inferred a fossil-calibrated phylogeny of Dictyostelia, which showed that its two major branches diverged 0.52 billion years ago, following several global glaciations. Our results suggest that Dictyostelium multicellular sporulation was a likely adaptation to a cold climate.
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20
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Narita TB, Kawabe Y, Kin K, Gibbs RA, Kuspa A, Muzny DM, Richards S, Strassmann JE, Sucgang R, Worley KC, Schaap P. Loss of the Polyketide Synthase StlB Results in Stalk Cell Overproduction in Polysphondylium violaceum. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 12:674-683. [PMID: 32386295 PMCID: PMC7259674 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Major phenotypic innovations in social amoeba evolution occurred at the transition between the Polysphondylia and group 4 Dictyostelia, which comprise the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum, such as the formation of a new structure, the basal disk. Basal disk differentiation and robust stalk formation require the morphogen DIF-1, synthesized by the polyketide synthase StlB, the des-methyl-DIF-1 methyltransferase DmtA, and the chlorinase ChlA, which are conserved throughout Dictyostelia. To understand how the basal disk and other innovations evolved in group 4, we sequenced and annotated the Polysphondylium violaceum (Pvio) genome, performed cell type-specific transcriptomics to identify cell-type marker genes, and developed transformation and gene knock-out procedures for Pvio. We used the novel methods to delete the Pvio stlB gene. The Pvio stlB- mutants formed misshapen curly sorogens with thick and irregular stalks. As fruiting body formation continued, the upper stalks became more regular, but structures contained 40% less spores. The stlB- sorogens overexpressed a stalk gene and underexpressed a (pre)spore gene. Normal fruiting body formation and sporulation were restored in Pvio stlB- by including DIF-1 in the supporting agar. These data indicate that, although conserved, stlB and its product(s) acquired both a novel role in the group 4 Dictyostelia and a role opposite to that in its sister group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takaaki B Narita
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, United Kingdom,Department of Life Science, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, Chiba Institute of Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Koryu Kin
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A Gibbs
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Adam Kuspa
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas,Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas,The Welch Foundation, Houston, TX
| | - Donna M Muzny
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Stephen Richards
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas,Genome Sequencing Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA
| | | | - Richard Sucgang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas,Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kim C Worley
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Pauline Schaap
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, United Kingdom,Corresponding author: E-mail:
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21
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Forbes G, Chen ZH, Kin K, Lawal HM, Schilde C, Yamada Y, Schaap P. Phylogeny-wide conservation and change in developmental expression, cell-type specificity and functional domains of the transcriptional regulators of social amoebas. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:890. [PMID: 31752673 PMCID: PMC6873476 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6239-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dictyostelid social amoebas self-organize into fruiting bodies, consisting of spores and up to four supporting cell types in the phenotypically most complex taxon group 4. High quality genomes and stage- and cell-type specific transcriptomes are available for representative species of each of the four taxon groups. To understand how evolution of gene regulation in Dictyostelia contributed to evolution of phenotypic complexity, we analysed conservation and change in abundance, functional domain architecture and developmental regulation of their transcription factors (TFs). Results We detected 440 sequence-specific TFs across 33 families, of which 68% were upregulated in multicellular development and about half conserved throughout Dictyostelia. Prespore cells expressed two times more TFs than prestalk cells, but stalk cells expressed more TFs than spores, suggesting that gene expression events that define spores occur earlier than those that define stalk cells. Changes in TF developmental expression, but not in TF abundance or functional domains occurred more frequently between group 4 and groups 1–3, than between the more distant branches formed by groups 1 + 2 and 3 + 4. Conclusions Phenotypic innovation is correlated with changes in TF regulation, rather than functional domain- or TF acquisition. The function of only 34 TFs is known. Of 12 TFs essential for cell differentiation, 9 are expressed in the cell type for which they are required. The information acquired here on conserved cell type specifity of 120 additional TFs can effectively guide further functional analysis, while observed evolutionary change in TF developmental expression may highlight how genotypic change caused phenotypic innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Forbes
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD15EH, Dundee, UK
| | - Zhi-Hui Chen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD15EH, Dundee, UK
| | - Koryu Kin
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD15EH, Dundee, UK
| | - Hajara M Lawal
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD15EH, Dundee, UK
| | | | - Yoko Yamada
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD15EH, Dundee, UK
| | - Pauline Schaap
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD15EH, Dundee, UK.
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