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Tobita H, Kiuchi T. Knockout of cryptochrome 1 disrupts circadian rhythm and photoperiodic diapause induction in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 172:104153. [PMID: 38964485 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Most insects enter diapause, a state of physiological dormancy crucial for enduring harsh seasons, with photoperiod serving as the primary cue for its induction, ensuring proper seasonal timing of the process. Although the involvement of the circadian clock in the photoperiodic time measurement has been demonstrated through knockdown or knockout of clock genes, the involvement of clock gene cryptochrome 1 (cry1), which functions as a photoreceptor implicated in photoentrainment of the circadian clock across various insect species, remains unclear. In bivoltine strains of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, embryonic diapause is maternally controlled and affected by environmental conditions experienced by mother moths during embryonic and larval stages. Previous research highlighted the role of core clock genes, including period (per), timeless (tim), Clock (Clk) and cycle (cyc), in photoperiodic diapause induction in B. mori. In this study, we focused on the involvement of cry1 gene in B. mori photoperiodism. Phylogenetic analysis and conserved domain identification confirmed the presence of both Drosophila-type cry (cry1) and mammalian-type cry (cry2) genes in the B. mori genome, akin to other lepidopterans. Temporal expression analysis revealed higher cry1 gene expression during the photophase and lower expression during the scotophase, with knockouts of core clock genes (per, tim, Clk and cyc) disrupting this temporal expression pattern. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, we established a cry1 knockout strain in p50T, a bivoltine strain exhibiting clear photoperiodism during both embryonic and larval stages. Although the wild-type strain displayed circadian rhythm in eclosion under continuous darkness, the cry1 knockout strain exhibited arrhythmic eclosion, implicating B. mori cry1 in the circadian clock feedback loop governing behavior rhythms. Females of the cry1 knockout strain failed to control photoperiodic diapause induction during both embryonic and larval stages, mirroring the diapause phenotype of the wild-type individuals reared under constant darkness, indicating that B. mori CRY1 contributes to photoperiodic time measurement as a photoreceptor. Furthermore, photoperiodic diapause induction during the larval stage was abolished in a cry1/tim double-knockout strain, suggesting that photic information received by CRY1 is relayed to the circadian clock. Overall, this study represents the first evidence of cry1 involvement in insect photoperiodism, specifically in diapause induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Tobita
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
| | - Takashi Kiuchi
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
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2
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Chowdhury MAR, Haq MM, Lee JH, Jeong S. Multi-faceted regulation of CREB family transcription factors. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1408949. [PMID: 39165717 PMCID: PMC11333461 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1408949] [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: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear transcription factor, which can be constitutively activated regardless of external stimuli or be inducibly activated by external factors such as stressors, hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors. However, CREB controls diverse biological processes including cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, survival, apoptosis in a cell-type-specific manner. The diverse functions of CREB appear to be due to CREB-mediated differential gene expression that depends on cAMP response elements and multi-faceted regulation of CREB activity. Indeed, the transcriptional activity of CREB is controlled at several levels including alternative splicing, post-translational modification, dimerization, specific transcriptional co-activators, non-coding small RNAs, and epigenetic regulation. In this review, we present versatile regulatory modes of CREB family transcription factors and discuss their functional consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Arifur Rahman Chowdhury
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Molecular Biology, and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Md Mazedul Haq
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Molecular Biology, and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Hwan Lee
- Division of Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyun Jeong
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Molecular Biology, and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
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3
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Sharma PN, Sheeba V. Reorganization of circadian activity and the pacemaker circuit under novel light regimes. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20241190. [PMID: 39043245 PMCID: PMC11265910 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1190] [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: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Many environmental features are cyclic, with predictable changes across the day, seasons and latitudes. Additionally, anthropogenic, artificial-light-induced changes in photoperiod or shiftwork-driven novel light/dark cycles also occur. Endogenous timekeepers or circadian clocks help organisms cope with such changes. The remarkable plasticity of clocks is evident in the waveforms of behavioural and molecular rhythms they govern. Despite detailed mechanistic insights into the functioning of the circadian clock, practical means to manipulate activity waveform are lacking. Previous studies using a nocturnal rodent model showed that novel light regimes caused locomotor activity to bifurcate such that mice showed two bouts of activity restricted to the dimly lit phases. Here, we explore the generalizability of these findings and leverage the genetic toolkit of Drosophila melanogaster to obtain mechanistic insights into this unique phenomenon. We find that dim scotopic illumination of specific durations induces circadian photoreceptor CRYPTOCHROME-dependent activity bifurcation in male flies. We show circadian reorganization of the pacemaker circuit, wherein the 'evening' neurons regulate the timing of both bouts of activity under novel light regimes. Our findings indicate that such environmental regimes can be exploited to design light cycles, which can ease the circadian waveform into synchronizing with challenging conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Niraj Sharma
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Vasu Sheeba
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
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4
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Fishman B, Tauber E. Epigenetics and seasonal timing in animals: a concise review. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:565-574. [PMID: 37695537 PMCID: PMC11226475 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01673-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal adaptation in animals is a complex process that involves genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. The present review explores recent studies on epigenetic mechanisms implicated in seasonal adaptation in animals. The review is divided into three main sections, each focusing on a different epigenetic mechanism: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA. Additionally, the review delves into the current understanding of how these epigenetic factors contribute to the regulation of circadian and seasonal cycles. Understanding these molecular mechanisms provides the first step in deciphering the complex interplay between genetics, epigenetics, and the environment in driving seasonal adaptation in animals. By exploring these mechanisms, a better understanding of how animals adapt to changing environmental conditions can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Fishman
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eran Tauber
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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5
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Touitou Y, Cermakian N, Touitou C. The environment and the internal clocks: The study of their relationships from prehistoric to modern times. Chronobiol Int 2024; 41:859-887. [PMID: 38757600 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2024.2353857] [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: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The origin of biological rhythms goes back to the very beginning of life. They are observed in the animal and plant world at all levels of organization, from cells to ecosystems. As early as the 18th century, plant scientists were the first to explain the relationship between flowering cycles and environmental cycles, emphasizing the importance of daily light-dark cycles and the seasons. Our temporal structure is controlled by external and internal rhythmic signals. Light is the main synchronizer of the circadian system, as daily exposure to light entrains our clock over 24 hours, the endogenous period of the circadian system being close to, but not exactly, 24 hours. In 1960, a seminal scientific meeting, the Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Biological Rhythms, brought together all the biological rhythms scientists of the time, a number of whom are considered the founders of modern chronobiology. All aspects of biological rhythms were addressed, from the properties of circadian rhythms to their practical and ecological aspects. Birth of chronobiology dates from this period, with the definition of its vocabulary and specificities in metabolism, photoperiodism, animal physiology, etc. At around the same time, and right up to the present day, research has focused on melatonin, the circadian neurohormone of the pineal gland, with data on its pattern, metabolism, control by light and clinical applications. However, light has a double face, as it has positive effects as a circadian clock entraining agent, but also deleterious effects, as it can lead to chronodisruption when exposed chronically at night, which can increase the risk of cancer and other diseases. Finally, research over the past few decades has unraveled the anatomical location of circadian clocks and their cellular and molecular mechanisms. This recent research has in turn allowed us to explain how circadian rhythms control physiology and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvan Touitou
- Unité de Chronobiologie, Fondation A. de Rothschild, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Cermakian
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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6
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He J, Kang L. Regulation of insect behavior by non-coding RNAs. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:1106-1118. [PMID: 38443665 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2482-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The adaptation of insects to environments relies on a sophisticated set of behaviors controlled by molecular and physiological processes. Over the past several decades, accumulating studies have unveiled the roles of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating insect behaviors. ncRNAs assume particularly pivotal roles in the behavioral plasticity of insects by rapidly responding to environmental stimuli. ncRNAs also contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis of insects by fine-tuning the expression of target genes. However, a comprehensive review of ncRNAs' roles in regulating insect behaviors has yet to be conducted. Here, we present the recent progress in our understanding of how ncRNAs regulate various insect behaviors, including flight and movement, social behavior, reproduction, learning and memory, and feeding. We refine the intricate mechanisms by which ncRNAs modulate the function of neural, motor, reproductive, and other physiological systems, as well as gene expression in insects like fruit flies, social insects, locusts, and mosquitos. Furthermore, we discuss potential avenues for future studies in ncRNA-mediated insect behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing He
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Le Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Beijing Institutes of Life Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- College of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China.
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7
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Avila A, Zhang SL. A circadian clock regulates the blood-brain barrier across phylogeny. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2024; 126:241-287. [PMID: 39029975 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2024.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
As the central regulatory system of an organism, the brain is responsible for overseeing a wide variety of physiological processes essential for an organism's survival. To maintain the environment necessary for neurons to function, the brain requires highly selective uptake and elimination of specific molecules through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). As an organism's activities vary throughout the day, how does the BBB adapt to meet the changing needs of the brain? A mechanism is through temporal regulation of BBB permeability via its circadian clock, which will be the focal point of this chapter. To comprehend the circadian clock's role within the BBB, we will first examine the anatomy of the BBB and the transport mechanisms enabling it to fulfill its role as a restrictive barrier. Next, we will define the circadian clock, and the discussion will encompass an introduction to circadian rhythms, the Transcription-Translation Feedback Loop (TTFL) as the mechanistic basis of circadian timekeeping, and the organization of tissue clocks found in organisms. Then, we will cover the role of the circadian rhythms in regulating the cellular mechanisms and functions of the BBB. We discuss the implications of this regulation in influencing sleep behavior, the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and finally drug delivery for treatment of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Avila
- Cell Biology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Shirley L Zhang
- Cell Biology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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8
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Chen K, Wang Y, Li D, Wu R, Wang J, Wei W, Zhu W, Xie W, Feng D, He Y. Biological clock regulation by the PER gene family: a new perspective on tumor development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1332506. [PMID: 38813085 PMCID: PMC11133573 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1332506] [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: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The Period (PER) gene family is one of the core components of the circadian clock, with substantial correlations between the PER genes and cancers identified in extensive researches. Abnormal mutations in PER genes can influence cell function, metabolic activity, immunity, and therapy responses, thereby promoting the initiation and development of cancers. This ultimately results in unequal cancers progression and prognosis in patients. This leads to variable cancer progression and prognosis among patients. In-depth studies on the interactions between the PER genes and cancers can reveal novel strategies for cancer detection and treatment. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest research on the role of the PER gene family in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jia Xing, China
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Department of Urology, The Third Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dengxiong Li
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruicheng Wu
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wuran Wei
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jia Xing, China
| | - Wenhua Xie
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jia Xing, China
| | - Dechao Feng
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yi He
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jia Xing, China
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9
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Levy K, Barnea A, Tauber E, Ayali A. Crickets in the spotlight: exploring the impact of light on circadian behavior. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:267-279. [PMID: 38252321 PMCID: PMC10994875 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01686-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Crickets serve as a well-established model organism in biological research spanning various fields, such as behavior, physiology, neurobiology, and ecology. Cricket circadian behavior was first reported over a century ago and prompted a wealth of studies delving into their chronobiology. Circadian rhythms have been described in relation to fundamental cricket behaviors, encompassing stridulation and locomotion, but also in hormonal secretion and gene expression. Here we review how changes in illumination patterns and light intensity differentially impact the different cricket behaviors as well as circadian gene expression. We further describe the cricket's circadian pacemaker. Ample anatomical manipulations support the location of a major circadian pacemaker in the cricket optic lobes and another in the central brain, possibly interconnected via signaling of the neuropeptide PDF. The cricket circadian machinery comprises a molecular cascade based on two major transcriptional/translational negative feedback loops, deviating somewhat from the canonical model of Drosophila and emphasizing the significance of exploring alternative models. Finally, the nocturnal nature of crickets has provided a unique avenue for investigating the repercussions of artificial light at night on cricket behavior and ecology, underscoring the critical role played by natural light cycles in synchronizing cricket behaviors and populations, further supporting the use of the cricket model in the study of the effects of light on insects. Some gaps in our knowledge and challenges for future studies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Levy
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
| | - Anat Barnea
- Department of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Israel, 4353701, Ra'anana, Israel
| | - Eran Tauber
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, 3103301, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amir Ayali
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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10
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Li L, Yu Y, Zhuang Z, Wu Q, Lin S, Hu J. Circadian rhythm, ipRGCs, and dopamine signalling in myopia. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2024; 262:983-990. [PMID: 37864638 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-023-06276-x] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Myopia, a common ophthalmic disorder, places a high economic burden on individuals and society. Genetic and environmental factors influence myopia progression; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unelucidated. This paper reviews recent advances in circadian rhythm, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), and dopamine (DA) signalling in myopia and proposes the hypothesis of a circadian rhythm brain retinal circuit in myopia progression. The search of relevant English articles was conducted in the PubMed databases until June 2023. Based on the search, emerging evidence indicated that circadian rhythm was associated with myopia, including circadian genes Bmal1, Cycle, and Per. In both humans and animals, the ocular morphology and physiology show rhythmic oscillations. Theoretically, such ocular rhythms are regulated locally and indirectly via the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which receives signal from the ipRGCs. Compared with the conventional retinal ganglion cells, ipRGCs can sense the presence of light because of specific expression of melanopsin. Light, together with ipRGCs and DA signalling, plays a crucial role in both circadian rhythm and myopia. In summary, regarding myopia progression, a circadian rhythm brain retinal circuit involving ipRGCs and DA signalling has not been well established. However, based on the relationship between circadian rhythm, ipRGCs, and DA signalling in myopia, we hypothesised a circadian rhythm brain retinal circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Licheng Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Engineering Research Centre of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Engineering Research Centre of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zihao Zhuang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Engineering Research Centre of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Qi Wu
- Group of Neuroendocrinology, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St., Sydney, Australia
| | - Shu Lin
- Group of Neuroendocrinology, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St., Sydney, Australia.
- Centre of Neurological and Metabolic Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China.
| | - Jianmin Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Engineering Research Centre of Assistive Technology for Visual Impairment, Fujian Province University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China.
- The School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
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11
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Golijanin B, Malshy K, Khaleel S, Lagos G, Amin A, Cheng L, Golijanin D, Mega A. Evolution of the HIF targeted therapy in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Treat Rev 2023; 121:102645. [PMID: 37879247 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102645] [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: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer, affecting hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and can affect people of any age. The pathogenesis of ccRCC is most commonly due to biallelic loss of the tumor suppressor gene VHL. VHL is the recognition subunit of an E3-ubiquitin-ligase-complex essential for degradation of the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) 1α and 2α. Dysfunctional degradation of HIF results in overaccumulation, which is particularly concerning with the HIF2α subunit. This leads to nuclear translocation, dimerization, and transactivation of numerous HIF-regulated genes responsible for cell survival and proliferation in ccRCC. FDA-approved therapies for RCC have primarily focused on targeting downstream effectors of HIF, then incorporated immunotherapeutics, and now, novel approaches are moving back to HIF with a focus on interfering with upstream targets. This review summarizes the role of HIF in the pathogenesis of ccRCC, novel HIF2α-focused therapeutic approaches, and opportunities for ccRCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borivoj Golijanin
- The Minimally Invasive Urology Institute at The Miriam Hospital, Division of Urology, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, The Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States.
| | - Kamil Malshy
- The Minimally Invasive Urology Institute at The Miriam Hospital, Division of Urology, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, The Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States
| | - Sari Khaleel
- The Minimally Invasive Urology Institute at The Miriam Hospital, Division of Urology, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, The Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States
| | - Galina Lagos
- Lifespan Cancer Institute, Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Miriam Hospital, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, The Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States
| | - Ali Amin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, The Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States
| | - Liang Cheng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, The Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States
| | - Dragan Golijanin
- The Minimally Invasive Urology Institute at The Miriam Hospital, Division of Urology, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, The Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States
| | - Anthony Mega
- Lifespan Cancer Institute, Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Miriam Hospital, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, The Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States
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12
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Dhungana P, Wei X, Meuti M, Sim C. Identification of CYCLE targets that contribute diverse features of circadian rhythms in the mosquito Culex pipiens. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2023; 48:101140. [PMID: 37690215 PMCID: PMC10841209 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Culex pipiens demonstrates robust circadian rhythms in adult eclosion, flight activity, mating, and development. These rhythmic patterns are believed to be controlled by the endogenous light-entrainable circadian clock that consists of positive and negative regulators working in a transcription-translation feedback loop. Moreover, these mosquitoes undergo seasonal diapause in exposure to the short photoperiod of late summer or early fall. However, the exact genetic and cellular mechanism behind the clock gene-mediated activity pattern, seasonal time measurement, and subsequent diapause initiation still need to be unraveled. To determine the possible linkage between clock genes and downstream processes, here we employed ChIP-sequencing to identify the direct targets of one of the core clock proteins, Cycle (CYC). The nearest genes with peaks mapping to their 1Kb upstream region of the transcription start site were extracted and scanned for consensus E box sequences, resulting in a dataset comprising the target genes possibly regulated by CYC. Based on the highest fold enrichment and functional relevance, we identified genes relating to five gene categories of potential interest, including peptide/receptors, neurotransmission, olfaction, immunity, and reproductive growth. Of these, we validated fourteen genes with ChIP-qPCR and qRT-PCR. These genes showed a significantly high expression in dusk compared to dawn in concert with the activity level of the CYC transcription factor and are thus strong candidates for mediating circadian rhythmicity and possibly regulating seasonal shifts in mosquito reproductive activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabin Dhungana
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA. https://twitter.com/@Prabin_988
| | - Xueyan Wei
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA
| | - Megan Meuti
- Department of Entomology, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. https://twitter.com/@MeganMeuti
| | - Cheolho Sim
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA.
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13
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Anna G, John M, Kannan NN. miR-277 regulates the phase of circadian activity-rest rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1082866. [PMID: 38089472 PMCID: PMC10714010 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1082866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks temporally organize behaviour and physiology of organisms with a rhythmicity of about 24 h. In Drosophila, the circadian clock is composed of mainly four clock genes: period (per), timeless (tim), Clock (Clk) and cycle (cyc) which constitutes the transcription-translation feedback loop. The circadian clock is further regulated via post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms among which microRNAs (miRNAs) are well known post-transcriptional regulatory molecules. Here, we identified and characterized the role of miRNA-277 (miR-277) expressed in the clock neurons in regulating the circadian rhythm. Downregulation of miR-277 in the pacemaker neurons expressing circadian neuropeptide, pigment dispersing factor (PDF) advanced the phase of the morning activity peak under 12 h light: 12 h dark cycles (LD) at lower light intensities and these flies exhibited less robust rhythms compared to the controls under constant darkness. In addition, downregulation of miR-277 in the PDF expressing neurons abolished the Clk gene transcript oscillation under LD. Our study points to the potential role of miR-277 in fine tuning the Clk expression and in maintaining the phase of the circadian rhythm in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nisha N. Kannan
- Chronobiology Laboratory, School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
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14
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Zhou Y, Liu H, Feng C, Lu Z, Liu J, Huang Y, Tang H, Xu Z, Pu Y, Zhang H. Genetic adaptations of sea anemone to hydrothermal environment. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh0474. [PMID: 37862424 PMCID: PMC10588955 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh0474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Hydrothermal vent habitats are characterized by high hydrostatic pressure, darkness, and the continuous release of toxic metal ions into the surrounding environment where sea anemones and other invertebrates thrive. Nevertheless, the understanding of metazoan metal ion tolerances and environmental adaptations remains limited. We assembled a chromosome-level genome for the vent sea anemone, Alvinactis idsseensis sp. nov. Comparative genomic analyses revealed gene family expansions and gene innovations in A. idsseensis sp. nov. as a response to high concentrations of metal ions. Impressively, the metal tolerance proteins MTPs is a unique evolutionary response to the high concentrations of Fe2+ and Mn2+ present in the environments of these anemones. We also found genes associated with high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids that may respond to high hydrostatic pressure and found sensory and circadian rhythm-regulated genes that were essential for adaptations to darkness. Overall, our results provide insights into metazoan adaptation to metal ions, high pressure, and darkness in hydrothermal vents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Helu Liu
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Chenguang Feng
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, China
| | - Zaiqing Lu
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Yanan Huang
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Huanhuan Tang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 570102, China
| | - Zehui Xu
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yujin Pu
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Haibin Zhang
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
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15
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Peng Z, Liang Y, Liu X, Shao J, Hu N, Zhang X. New insights into the mechanisms of diabetic kidney disease: Role of circadian rhythm and Bmal1. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 166:115422. [PMID: 37660646 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115422] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
It is common for diabetic kidney disease (DKD) to be complicated by abnormal blood glucose, blood lipids, and blood pressure rhythms. Thus, it is essential to examine diagnostic and treatment plans from the perspective of circadian disruption. This brief review discusses the clinical relevance of circadian rhythms in DKD and how the core clock gene encoding brain and muscle arnt-like protein 1 (BMAL1) functions owing to the importance of circadian rhythm disruption processes, including the excretion of urinary protein and irregular blood pressure, which occur in DKD. Exploring Bmal1 and its potential mechanisms and signaling pathways in DKD following contact with Sirt1 and NF-κB is novel and important. Finally, potential pharmacological and behavioral intervention strategies for DKD circadian rhythm disturbance are outlined. This review aids in unveiling novel, potential molecular targets for DKD based on circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimei Peng
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Clinical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, China.
| | - Yanting Liang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Clinical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xueying Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, China.
| | - Jie Shao
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Clinical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Nan Hu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xinzhou Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Clinical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, China.
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16
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Lin Z, Green EW, Webster SG, Hastings MH, Wilcockson DC, Kyriacou CP. The circadian clock gene bmal1 is necessary for co-ordinated circatidal rhythms in the marine isopod Eurydice pulchra (Leach). PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011011. [PMID: 37856540 PMCID: PMC10617734 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011011] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks in terrestrial animals are encoded by molecular feedback loops involving the negative regulators PERIOD, TIMELESS or CRYPTOCHROME2 and positive transcription factors CLOCK and BMAL1/CYCLE. The molecular basis of circatidal (~12.4 hour) or other lunar-mediated cycles (~15 day, ~29 day), widely expressed in coastal organisms, is unknown. Disrupting circadian clockworks does not appear to affect lunar-based rhythms in several organisms that inhabit the shoreline suggesting a molecular independence of the two cycles. Nevertheless, pharmacological inhibition of casein kinase 1 (CK1) that targets PERIOD stability in mammals and flies, affects both circadian and circatidal phenotypes in Eurydice pulchra (Ep), the speckled sea-louse. Here we show that these drug inhibitors of CK1 also affect the phosphorylation of EpCLK and EpBMAL1 and disrupt EpCLK-BMAL1-mediated transcription in Drosophila S2 cells, revealing a potential link between these two positive circadian regulators and circatidal behaviour. We therefore performed dsRNAi knockdown of Epbmal1 as well as the major negative regulator in Eurydice, Epcry2 in animals taken from the wild. Epcry2 and Epbmal1 knockdown disrupted Eurydice's circadian phenotypes of chromatophore dispersion, tim mRNA cycling and the circadian modulation of circatidal swimming, as expected. However, circatidal behaviour was particularly sensitive to Epbmal1 knockdown with consistent effects on the power, amplitude and rhythmicity of the circatidal swimming cycle. Thus, three Eurydice negative circadian regulators, EpCRY2, in addition to EpPER and EpTIM (from a previous study), do not appear to be required for the expression of robust circatidal behaviour, in contrast to the positive regulator EpBMAL1. We suggest a neurogenetic model whereby the positive circadian regulators EpBMAL1-CLK are shared between circadian and circatidal mechanisms in Eurydice but circatidal rhythms require a novel, as yet unknown negative regulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang Lin
- Department of Genetics & Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Edward W. Green
- German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Simon G. Webster
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | | | - David C. Wilcockson
- Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
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17
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Gao DM, Qiao JH, Gao Q, Zhang J, Zang Y, Xie L, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Fu J, Zhang H, Han C, Wang XB. A plant cytorhabdovirus modulates locomotor activity of insect vectors to enhance virus transmission. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5754. [PMID: 37717061 PMCID: PMC10505171 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41503-3] [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: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmission of many plant viruses relies on phloem-feeding insect vectors. However, how plant viruses directly modulate insect behavior is largely unknown. Barley yellow striate mosaic virus (BYSMV) is transmitted by the small brown planthopper (SBPH, Laodelphax striatellus). Here, we show that BYSMV infects the central nervous system (CNS) of SBPHs, induces insect hyperactivity, and prolongs phloem feeding duration. The BYSMV accessory protein P6 interacts with the COP9 signalosome subunit 5 (LsCSN5) of SBPHs and suppresses LsCSN5-regulated de-neddylation from the Cullin 1 (CUL1), hereby inhibiting CUL1-based E3 ligases-mediated degradation of the circadian clock protein Timeless (TIM). Thus, virus infection or knockdown of LsCSN5 compromises TIM oscillation and induces high insect locomotor activity for transmission. Additionally, expression of BYSMV P6 in the CNS of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster disturbs circadian rhythm and induces high locomotor activity. Together, our results suggest the molecular mechanisms whereby BYSMV modulates locomotor activity of insect vectors for transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Min Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ji-Hui Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jiawen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ying Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Liang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jingyan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Chenggui Han
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xian-Bing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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18
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Smykal V, Chodakova L, Hejnikova M, Briedikova K, Wu BCH, Vaneckova H, Chen P, Janovska A, Kyjakova P, Vacha M, Dolezel D. Steroid receptor coactivator TAIMAN is a new modulator of insect circadian clock. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010924. [PMID: 37683015 PMCID: PMC10511111 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
TAIMAN (TAI), the only insect ortholog of mammalian Steroid Receptor Coactivators (SRCs), is a critical modulator of ecdysone and juvenile hormone (JH) signaling pathways, which govern insect development and reproduction. The modulatory effect is mediated by JH-dependent TAI's heterodimerization with JH receptor Methoprene-tolerant and association with the Ecdysone Receptor complex. Insect hormones regulate insect physiology and development in concert with abiotic cues, such as photo- and thermoperiod. Here we tested the effects of JH and ecdysone signaling on the circadian clock by a combination of microsurgical operations, application of hormones and hormone mimics, and gene knockdowns in the linden bug Pyrrhocoris apterus males. Silencing taiman by each of three non-overlapping double-strand RNA fragments dramatically slowed the free-running period (FRP) to 27-29 hours, contrasting to 24 hours in controls. To further corroborate TAIMAN's clock modulatory function in the insect circadian clock, we performed taiman knockdown in the cockroach Blattella germanica. Although Blattella and Pyrrhocoris lineages separated ~380 mya, B. germanica taiman silencing slowed the FRP by more than 2 hours, suggesting a conserved TAI clock function in (at least) some insect groups. Interestingly, the pace of the linden bug circadian clock was neither changed by blocking JH and ecdysone synthesis, by application of the hormones or their mimics nor by the knockdown of corresponding hormone receptors. Our results promote TAI as a new circadian clock modulator, a role described for the first time in insects. We speculate that TAI participation in the clock is congruent with the mammalian SRC-2 role in orchestrating metabolism and circadian rhythms, and that TAI/SRCs might be conserved components of the circadian clock in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vlastimil Smykal
- Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Chodakova
- Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marketa Hejnikova
- Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Bulah Chia-Hsiang Wu
- Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Vaneckova
- Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ping Chen
- Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Janovska
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavlina Kyjakova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Vacha
- Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Dolezel
- Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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19
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He L, Wu B, Shi J, Du J, Zhao Z. Regulation of feeding and energy homeostasis by clock-mediated Gart in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112912. [PMID: 37531254 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112912] [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: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Feeding behavior is essential for growth and survival of animals; however, relatively little is known about its intrinsic mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that Gart is expressed in the glia, fat body, and gut and positively regulates feeding behavior via cooperation and coordination. Gart in the gut is crucial for maintaining endogenous feeding rhythms and food intake, while Gart in the glia and fat body regulates energy homeostasis between synthesis and metabolism. These roles of Gart further impact Drosophila lifespan. Importantly, Gart expression is directly regulated by the CLOCK/CYCLE heterodimer via canonical E-box, in which the CLOCKs (CLKs) in the glia, fat body, and gut positively regulate Gart of peripheral tissues, while the core CLK in brain negatively controls Gart of peripheral tissues. This study provides insight into the complex and subtle regulatory mechanisms of feeding and lifespan extension in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei He
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Binbin Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, University of Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Jian Shi
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Juan Du
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Zhangwu Zhao
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China; College of Life Science, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, P.R. China.
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20
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Wang D, Chen J, Yuan Y, Yu L, Yang G, Chen W. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of period reveals its function in the circadian rhythms of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:637-649. [PMID: 36377278 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Circadian clocks control the rhythmicity of many behaviors and physiological features of insects. To study the circadian clock of the moth Plutella xylostella, we employed CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to investigate the effect of loss of the clock gene period on the circadian rhythms. P. xylostella harbors a single copy of period. Phylogenetic analysis showed that P. xylostella PERIOD is more homologous to mouse PERIOD than the PERIOD proteins from bees, flies, mosquitos, and many other Lepidoptera, such as Danaus plexippus and Bombyx mori. The circadian rhythms in adult locomotor activity were altered in the period knockout strain of P. xylostella under light-dark (LD) and continuous dark (DD) conditions. Under the LD cycle, the wild-type moths displayed nocturnal activity with activity peaking very early after lights off and quickly declining after lights on. In contrast, the period knockout strain had no peak in activity when the lights were turned off and exhibited steady activity throughout the hours of darkness. Interestingly, under DD conditions, our results showed that the locomotor rhythm can be maintained without period gene, but at a lower rhythmicity ratio than wild-type. In addition, knockout of period in P. xylostella changed circadian rhythms patterns related to pupal eclosion, mating, egg-laying, and egg hatching. Mechanistically, loss of PERIOD disrupted the molecular rhythm of period and changed the clock transcription rhythm in the heads of the moths under LD and DD conditions. Together, our study indicates that the PERIOD is required for normal expression of many behavioral rhythms in P. xylostella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Control of Insect Pests, (Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Control of Insect Pests, (Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yao Yuan
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lingqi Yu
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Control of Insect Pests, (Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wenfeng Chen
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
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21
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Raghavan V, Eichele G, Larink O, Karin EL, Söding J. RNA sequencing indicates widespread conservation of circadian clocks in marine zooplankton. NAR Genom Bioinform 2023; 5:lqad007. [PMID: 36814456 PMCID: PMC9939569 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqad007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Zooplankton are important eukaryotic constituents of marine ecosystems characterized by limited motility in the water. These metazoans predominantly occupy intermediate trophic levels and energetically link primary producers to higher trophic levels. Through processes including diel vertical migration (DVM) and production of sinking pellets they also contribute to the biological carbon pump which regulates atmospheric CO2 levels. Despite their prominent role in marine ecosystems, and perhaps, because of their staggering diversity, much remains to be discovered about zooplankton biology. In particular, the circadian clock, which is known to affect important processes such as DVM has been characterized only in a handful of zooplankton species. We present annotated de novo assembled transcriptomes from a diverse, representative cohort of 17 marine zooplankton representing six phyla and eight classes. These transcriptomes represent the first sequencing data for a number of these species. Subsequently, using translated proteomes derived from this data, we demonstrate in silico the presence of orthologs to most core circadian clock proteins from model metazoans in all sequenced species. Our findings, bolstered by sequence searches against publicly available data, indicate that the molecular machinery underpinning endogenous circadian clocks is widespread and potentially well conserved across marine zooplankton taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Otto Larink
- Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, Technical University Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Eli Levy Karin
- Quantitative and Computational Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
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22
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Thakkar N, Giesecke A, Bazalova O, Martinek J, Smykal V, Stanewsky R, Dolezel D. Evolution of casein kinase 1 and functional analysis of new doubletime mutants in Drosophila. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1062632. [PMID: 36589447 PMCID: PMC9794997 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1062632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks are timing devices that rhythmically adjust organism's behavior, physiology, and metabolism to the 24-h day-night cycle. Eukaryotic circadian clocks rely on several interlocked transcription-translation feedback loops, where protein stability is the key part of the delay between transcription and the appearance of the mature proteins within the feedback loops. In bilaterian animals, including mammals and insects, the circadian clock depends on a homologous set of proteins. Despite mostly conserved clock components among the fruit fly Drosophila and mammals, several lineage-specific differences exist. Here we have systematically explored the evolution and sequence variability of insect DBT proteins and their vertebrate homologs casein kinase 1 delta (CKIδ) and epsilon (CKIε), dated the origin and separation of CKIδ from CKIε, and identified at least three additional independent duplications of the CKIδ/ε gene in Petromyzon, Danio, and Xenopus. We determined conserved regions in DBT specific to Diptera, and functionally tested a subset of those in D. melanogaster. Replacement of Lysine K224 with acidic residues strongly impacts the free-running period even in heterozygous flies, whereas homozygous mutants are not viable. K224D mutants have a temperature compensation defect with longer free-running periods at higher temperatures, which is exactly the opposite trend of what was reported for corresponding mammalian mutants. All DBTs of dipteran insects contain the NKRQK motif at positions 220-224. The occurrence of this motif perfectly correlates with the presence of BRIDE OF DOUBLETIME, BDBT, in Diptera. BDBT is a non-canonical FK506-binding protein that physically interacts with Drosophila DBT. The phylogeny of FK506-binding proteins suggests that BDBT is either absent or highly modified in non-dipteran insects. In addition to in silico analysis of DBT/CKIδ/ε evolution and diversity, we have identified four novel casein kinase 1 genes specific to the Drosophila genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirav Thakkar
- Biology Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Astrid Giesecke
- Institute of Neuro- and Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - Olga Bazalova
- Biology Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Jan Martinek
- Biology Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Vlastimil Smykal
- Biology Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Ralf Stanewsky
- Institute of Neuro- and Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - David Dolezel
- Biology Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
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23
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Sebastian B, Fey RM, Morar P, Lasher B, Giebultowicz JM, Hendrix DA. Discovery and Visualization of Age-Dependent Patterns in the Diurnal Transcriptome of Drosophila. J Circadian Rhythms 2022; 20:1. [PMID: 36561348 PMCID: PMC9733130 DOI: 10.5334/jcr.218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many critical life processes are regulated by input from 24-hour external light/dark cycles, such as metabolism, cellular homeostasis, and detoxification. The circadian clock, which helps coordinate the response to these diurnal light/dark cycles, remains rhythmic across lifespan; however, rhythmic transcript expression is altered during normal aging. To better understand how aging impacts diurnal expression, we present an improved Fourier-based method for detecting and visualizing rhythmicity that is based on the relative power of the 24-hour period compared to other periods (RP24). We apply RP24 to transcript-level expression profiles from the heads of young (5-day) and old (55-day) Drosophila melanogaster, and reveal novel age-dependent rhythmicity changes that may be masked at the gene level. We show that core clock transcripts phase advance during aging, while most rhythmic transcripts phase delay. Transcripts rhythmic only in young flies tend to peak before lights on, while transcripts only rhythmic in old peak after lights on. We show that several pathways, including glutathione metabolism, gain or lose coordinated rhythmic expression with age, providing insight into possible mechanisms of age-onset neurodegeneration. Remarkably, we find that many pathways show very robust coordinated rhythms across lifespan, highlighting their putative roles in promoting neural health. We investigate statistically enriched transcription factor binding site motifs that may be involved in these rhythmicity changes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosalyn M. Fey
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, US
| | - Patrick Morar
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, US
| | - Brittany Lasher
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, US
| | | | - David A. Hendrix
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, US
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, US
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24
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Males of Aedes aegypti show different clock gene expression profiles in the presence of conspecific females. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:374. [PMID: 36258200 PMCID: PMC9578191 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05529-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The study of behavioral and physiological traits in mosquitoes has been mainly focused on females since males are not hematophagous and thus do not transfer the parasites that cause diseases in human populations. However, the performance of male mosquitoes is key for the expansion of populations and the perpetuation of mosquito species. Pre-copulatory communication between males and females is the initial and essential step for the success of copulation and studying the male facet of this interaction provides fertile ground for the improvement of vector control strategies. Like in most animals, reproduction, feeding, and oviposition are closely associated with locomotor activity in mosquitoes. Rhythmic cycles of locomotor activity have been previously described in Aedes aegypti, and in females, they are known to be altered by blood-feeding and arbovirus infection. In previous work, we found that males in the presence of females significantly change their locomotor activity profiles, with a shift in the phase of the activity peak. Here, we investigated whether this shift is associated with changes in the expression level of three central circadian clock genes. Methods Real-time PCR reactions were performed for the gene period, cycle, and cryptochrome 2 in samples of heads, antennae, and abdominal tips of solitary males and males in the presence of females. Assays with antennae-ablated males were also performed, asking whether this is an essential organ mediating the communication and the variation in activity profiles. Results The gene period showed a conserved expression pattern in all tissues and conditions, while the other two genes varied according to the male condition. A remarking pattern was observed in cry2, where the difference between the amplitude of expression at the beginning of photophase and the expression peak in the scotophase was greater when males were in the presence of females. Antennae ablation in males did not have a significant effect on the expression profiles, suggesting that female recognition may involve other senses besides hearing and olfaction. Conclusion Our results suggest that the expression of gene cryptochrome 2 varies in association with the interaction between males and females. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05529-8.
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25
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Tobita H, Kiuchi T. Knockouts of positive and negative elements of the circadian clock disrupt photoperiodic diapause induction in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 149:103842. [PMID: 36115518 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Diapause is one of the most important traits that have sustained insects to thrive. To survive harsh seasons, most insects can arrest their development and enter diapause. The photoperiod is the signal that indicates insects the proper timing to enter diapause. Circadian clock genes are shown to be involved in photoperiodic diapause induction in various insect species. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, enters diapause at the embryonic stage. In bivoltine strains, diapause determination is under maternal control and affected by temperature and photoperiodic conditions that mothers experienced during embryonic and larval stages. Two independent studies showed that knocking out the core clock gene, period, perturb photoperiodic diapause induction in B. mori. However, whether the circadian clock as whole or individual clock genes are responsible for the photoperiodic diapause induction remains unknown. In this study, using CRISPR/Cas9 we knocked out negative (period and timeless) and positive elements (Clock and cycle) in p50T, a bivoltine strain which exhibits photoperiodic diapause induction during both embryonic and larval stages. The temporal expression patterns of clock genes changed in each core clock gene knockout strain, suggesting disruption of normal feedback loops produced by circadian clock genes. Furthermore, the ability of female moths to appropriately produce diapause or non-diapause eggs in response to photoperiod in both embryonic and larval stages was lost in all knockout strains. Our results indicate the involvement of circadian clock in photoperiodic diapause induction in B. mori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Tobita
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Takashi Kiuchi
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan.
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26
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Abdalla OHMH, Mascarenhas B, Cheng HYM. Death of a Protein: The Role of E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in Circadian Rhythms of Mice and Flies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810569. [PMID: 36142478 PMCID: PMC9502492 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks evolved to enable organisms to anticipate and prepare for periodic environmental changes driven by the day–night cycle. This internal timekeeping mechanism is built on autoregulatory transcription–translation feedback loops that control the rhythmic expression of core clock genes and their protein products. The levels of clock proteins rise and ebb throughout a 24-h period through their rhythmic synthesis and destruction. In the ubiquitin–proteasome system, the process of polyubiquitination, or the covalent attachment of a ubiquitin chain, marks a protein for degradation by the 26S proteasome. The process is regulated by E3 ubiquitin ligases, which recognize specific substrates for ubiquitination. In this review, we summarize the roles that known E3 ubiquitin ligases play in the circadian clocks of two popular model organisms: mice and fruit flies. We also discuss emerging evidence that implicates the N-degron pathway, an alternative proteolytic system, in the regulation of circadian rhythms. We conclude the review with our perspectives on the potential for the proteolytic and non-proteolytic functions of E3 ubiquitin ligases within the circadian clock system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama Hasan Mustafa Hasan Abdalla
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Brittany Mascarenhas
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Hai-Ying Mary Cheng
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
- Correspondence:
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27
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Deppisch P, Helfrich-Förster C, Senthilan PR. The Gain and Loss of Cryptochrome/Photolyase Family Members during Evolution. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1613. [PMID: 36140781 PMCID: PMC9498864 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The cryptochrome/photolyase (CRY/PL) family represents an ancient group of proteins fulfilling two fundamental functions. While photolyases repair UV-induced DNA damages, cryptochromes mainly influence the circadian clock. In this study, we took advantage of the large number of already sequenced and annotated genes available in databases and systematically searched for the protein sequences of CRY/PL family members in all taxonomic groups primarily focusing on metazoans and limiting the number of species per taxonomic order to five. Using BLASTP searches and subsequent phylogenetic tree and motif analyses, we identified five distinct photolyases (CPDI, CPDII, CPDIII, 6-4 photolyase, and the plant photolyase PPL) and six cryptochrome subfamilies (DASH-CRY, mammalian-type MCRY, Drosophila-type DCRY, cnidarian-specific ACRY, plant-specific PCRY, and the putative magnetoreceptor CRY4. Manually assigning the CRY/PL subfamilies to the species studied, we have noted that over evolutionary history, an initial increase of various CRY/PL subfamilies was followed by a decrease and specialization. Thus, in more primitive organisms (e.g., bacteria, archaea, simple eukaryotes, and in basal metazoans), we find relatively few CRY/PL members. As species become more evolved (e.g., cnidarians, mollusks, echinoderms, etc.), the CRY/PL repertoire also increases, whereas it appears to decrease again in more recent organisms (humans, fruit flies, etc.). Moreover, our study indicates that all cryptochromes, although largely active in the circadian clock, arose independently from different photolyases, explaining their different modes of action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pingkalai R. Senthilan
- Neurobiology & Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, 97074 Wurzburg, Germany
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28
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Peffers C, Meuti ME. Characterizing the relative abundance of circadian transcription factors in diapausing and nondiapausing Northern house mosquitoes. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 140:104404. [PMID: 35691331 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Northern house mosquito (Culex pipiens) is a major vector of West Nile virus. To survive harsh conditions in winter adult females of Cx. pipiens enter a state of arrested reproductive development called diapause. Diapause is triggered by the short daylengths of late summer and early fall. The methods by which Cx. pipiens measures daylength are still unknown. However, it is suspected that clock genes, which provide information on daylength, may also regulate diapause. The proteins produced by these genes often cycle in abundance throughout the day in diapausing and nondiapausing insects. Two clock genes suspected to control diapause are cycle (cyc) and Par domain protein1 (Pdp1) as they encode circadian transcription factors that may regulate genes that are involved in diapause. Using Western blotting we measured the relative protein abundance of CYC and PDP1 throughout the day in the whole bodies and the heads of Cx. pipiens reared under either long-day, diapause-averting conditions or short-day, diapause-inducing conditions. We found that in whole bodies there was no significant oscillation of CYC or PDP1 abundance in both long day and short day-reared mosquitoes. In the heads of long day-reared mosquitoes both CYC and PDP1 cycled. In contrast, only PDP1 abundance showed diel differences in abundance in the heads of short day-reared mosquitoes. These data bring us one step closer to understanding the role that CYC and PDP1 may play in regulating diapause and other biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Peffers
- The Ohio State University, Department of Entomology, 216 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Megan E Meuti
- The Ohio State University, Department of Entomology, 216 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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29
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Edwards HE, Gorelick DA. The evolution and structure/function of bHLH-PAS transcription factor family. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1227-1243. [PMID: 35695677 PMCID: PMC10584024 DOI: 10.1042/bst20211225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Proteins that contain basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) and Per-Arnt-Sim motifs (PAS) function as transcription factors. bHLH-PAS proteins exhibit essential and diverse functions throughout the body, from cell specification and differentiation in embryonic development to the proper function of organs like the brain and liver in adulthood. bHLH-PAS proteins are divided into two classes, which form heterodimers to regulate transcription. Class I bHLH-PAS proteins are typically activated in response to specific stimuli, while class II proteins are expressed more ubiquitously. Here, we discuss the general structure and functions of bHLH-PAS proteins throughout the animal kingdom, including family members that do not fit neatly into the class I-class II organization. We review heterodimerization between class I and class II bHLH-PAS proteins, binding partner selectivity and functional redundancy. Finally, we discuss the evolution of bHLH-PAS proteins, and why a class I protein essential for cardiovascular development in vertebrates like chicken and fish is absent from mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey E Edwards
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, U.S.A
| | - Daniel A Gorelick
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, U.S.A
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30
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Ukita Y, Okumura M, Chihara T. Ubiquitin proteasome system in circadian rhythm and sleep homeostasis: Lessons from Drosophila. Genes Cells 2022; 27:381-391. [PMID: 35438236 PMCID: PMC9322287 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is regulated by two main processes: the circadian clock and sleep homeostasis. Circadian rhythms have been well studied at the molecular level. In the Drosophila circadian clock neurons, the core clock proteins are precisely regulated by post-translational modifications and degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Sleep homeostasis, however, is less understood; nevertheless, recent reports suggest that proteasome-mediated degradation of core clock proteins or synaptic proteins contributes to the regulation of sleep amount. Here, we review the molecular mechanism of the UPS and summarize the role of protein degradation in the regulation of circadian clock and homeostatic sleep in Drosophila. Moreover, we discuss the potential interaction between circadian clock and homeostatic sleep regulation with a prime focus on E3 ubiquitin ligases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumiko Ukita
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Misako Okumura
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Program of Basic Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takahiro Chihara
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Program of Basic Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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31
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Shetty V, Meyers JI, Zhang Y, Merlin C, Slotman MA. Impact of disabled circadian clock on yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti fitness and behaviors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6899. [PMID: 35478212 PMCID: PMC9046260 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10825-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Like other insects, Aedes aegypti displays strong daily patterns in host seeking and mating. Much of these behaviors are believed to be under the control of a circadian clock, an endogenous timekeeping mechanism relying on transcriptional/translational negative feedback loops that drive rhythmic physiology and behavior. To examine the connection between the circadian clock and various Ae. aegypti behaviors, we knocked out the core clock gene cycle using CRISPR/Cas9. We found that the rhythmic pattern and intensity of mRNA expression of seven circadian genes, including AeCyc−/−, were altered across the day/night cycle as well as in constant darkness conditions. We further show that the mutant CYC protein is incapable of forming a dimer with CLK to stimulate per expression and that the endogenous clock is disabled in AeCyc−/− mosquitoes. AeCyc−/− do not display the bimodal locomotor activity pattern of wild type, have a significantly reduced response to host odor, reduced egg hatching rates, delayed embryonic development and reduced adult survival and mating success. Surprisingly however, the propensity to blood feed in AeCyc−/− females is significantly higher than in wildtype females. Together with other recent work on the circadian clock control of key aspects of mosquito biology, our data on how cycle KO affects mosquito behavior and fitness provides a basis for further work into the pathways that connect the mosquito endogenous clock to its vector competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinaya Shetty
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Jacob I Meyers
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Christine Merlin
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Michel A Slotman
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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32
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Vaca-Dempere M, Kumar A, Sica V, Muñoz-Cánoves P. Running skeletal muscle clocks on time- the determining factors. Exp Cell Res 2022; 413:112989. [PMID: 35081395 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112989] [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: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms generate 24 h-long oscillations, which are key regulators of many aspects of behavior and physiology. Recent circadian transcriptome studies have discovered rhythmicity at the transcriptional level of hundreds of skeletal muscle genes, with roles in skeletal muscle growth, maintenance, and metabolic functions. These rhythms allow this tissue to perform molecular functions at the appropriate time of the day in order to anticipate environmental changes. However, while the last decade of research has characterized several aspects of the skeletal muscle molecular clock, many still are unexplored, including its functions, regulatory mechanisms, and interactions with other tissues. The central clock is believed to be located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the brain hypothalamus, providing entrainment to peripheral organs through humoral and neuronal signals. However, these mechanisms of action are still unknown. Conversely, muscle tissue can be entrained through extrinsic, SCN-independent factors, such as feeding and physical activity. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent research about the extrinsic and intrinsic factors required for skeletal muscle clock regulation. Furthermore, we discuss the need for future studies to elucidate the mechanisms behind this regulation, which will in turn help dissect the role of circadian disruption at the onset of aging and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireia Vaca-Dempere
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), CIBER on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arun Kumar
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), CIBER on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valentina Sica
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), CIBER on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pura Muñoz-Cánoves
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), CIBER on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08003, Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, 08010, Barcelona, Spain; Spanish National Center on Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), 28029, Madrid, Spain.
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33
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Sheardown E, Mech AM, Petrazzini MEM, Leggieri A, Gidziela A, Hosseinian S, Sealy IM, Torres-Perez JV, Busch-Nentwich EM, Malanchini M, Brennan CH. Translational relevance of forward genetic screens in animal models for the study of psychiatric disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104559. [PMID: 35124155 PMCID: PMC9016269 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders represent a significant burden in our societies. Despite the convincing evidence pointing at gene and gene-environment interaction contributions, the role of genetics in the etiology of psychiatric disease is still poorly understood. Forward genetic screens in animal models have helped elucidate causal links. Here we discuss the application of mutagenesis-based forward genetic approaches in common animal model species: two invertebrates, nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans) and fruit flies (Drosophila sp.); and two vertebrates, zebrafish (Danio rerio) and mice (Mus musculus), in relation to psychiatric disease. We also discuss the use of large scale genomic studies in human populations. Despite the advances using data from human populations, animal models coupled with next-generation sequencing strategies are still needed. Although with its own limitations, zebrafish possess characteristics that make them especially well-suited to forward genetic studies exploring the etiology of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sheardown
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Aleksandra M Mech
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | | | - Adele Leggieri
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Agnieszka Gidziela
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Saeedeh Hosseinian
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Ian M Sealy
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jose V Torres-Perez
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London and Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, 86 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Elisabeth M Busch-Nentwich
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Margherita Malanchini
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Caroline H Brennan
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK.
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Jabbur ML, Johnson CH. Spectres of Clock Evolution: Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Front Physiol 2022; 12:815847. [PMID: 35222066 PMCID: PMC8874327 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.815847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks are phylogenetically widespread biological oscillators that allow organisms to entrain to environmental cycles and use their steady-state phase relationship to anticipate predictable daily phenomena – such as the light-dark transitions of a day – and prepare accordingly. Present from cyanobacteria to mammals, circadian clocks are evolutionarily ancient and are thought to increase the fitness of the organisms that possess them by allowing for better resource usage and/or proper internal temporal order. Here, we review literature with respect to the ecology and evolution of circadian clocks, with a special focus on cyanobacteria as model organisms. We first discuss what can be inferred about future clock evolution in response to climate change, based on data from latitudinal clines and domestication. We then address our current understanding of the role that circadian clocks might be contributing to the adaptive fitness of cyanobacteria at the present time. Lastly, we discuss what is currently known about the oldest known circadian clock, and the early Earth conditions that could have led to its evolution.
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35
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Yildirim E, Curtis R, Hwangbo DS. Roles of peripheral clocks: lessons from the fly. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:263-293. [PMID: 34862983 PMCID: PMC8844272 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
To adapt to and anticipate rhythmic changes in the environment such as daily light-dark and temperature cycles, internal timekeeping mechanisms called biological clocks evolved in a diverse set of organisms, from unicellular bacteria to humans. These biological clocks play critical roles in organisms' fitness and survival by temporally aligning physiological and behavioral processes to the external cues. The central clock is located in a small subset of neurons in the brain and drives daily activity rhythms, whereas most peripheral tissues harbor their own clock systems, which generate metabolic and physiological rhythms. Since the discovery of Drosophila melanogaster clock mutants in the early 1970s, the fruit fly has become an extensively studied model organism to investigate the mechanism and functions of circadian clocks. In this review, we primarily focus on D. melanogaster to survey key discoveries and progresses made over the past two decades in our understanding of peripheral clocks. We discuss physiological roles and molecular mechanisms of peripheral clocks in several different peripheral tissues of the fly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel Curtis
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Dae-Sung Hwangbo
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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Parasram K, Bachetti D, Carmona-Alcocer V, Karpowicz P. Fluorescent Reporters for Studying Circadian Rhythms in Drosophila melanogaster. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2482:353-371. [PMID: 35610439 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2249-0_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are daily oscillations in physiology and gene expression that are governed by a molecular feedback loop known as the circadian clock. In Drosophila melanogaster, the core clock consists of transcription factors clock (Clk) and cycle (cyc) which form protein heterodimers that activate transcription of their repressors, period (per) and timeless (tim). Once produced, protein heterodimers of per/tim repress Clk/cyc activity. One cycle of activation and repression takes approximately ("circa") 24-h ("diem") and repeats even in the absence of external stimuli. The circadian clock is active in many cells throughout the body; however, tracking it dynamically represents a challenge. Traditional fluorescent reporters are slowly degraded and consequently cannot be used to assess dynamic temporal changes exhibited by the circadian clock. The use of rapidly degraded fluorescent protein reporters containing destabilized GFP (dGFP) that report transcriptional activity in vivo at a single-cell level with ~1-h temporal resolution can circumvent this problem. Here we describe the use of circadian clock reporter strains of Drosophila melanogaster, ClockPER and ClockTIM, to track clock transcriptional activity using the intestine as a tissue of interest. These methods may be extended to other tissues in the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathyani Parasram
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Daniela Bachetti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | | | - Phillip Karpowicz
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada.
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37
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Goodenow D, Greer AJ, Cone SJ, Gaddameedhi S. Circadian effects on UV-induced damage and mutations. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2022; 789:108413. [PMID: 35690416 PMCID: PMC9188652 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2022.108413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Skin cancer is the most diagnosed type of cancer in the United States, and while most of these malignancies are highly treatable, treatment costs still exceed $8 billion annually. Over the last 50 years, the annual incidence of skin cancer has steadily grown; therefore, understanding the environmental factors driving these types of cancer is a prominent research-focus. A causality between ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure and skin cancer is well-established, but exposure to UVR alone is not necessarily sufficient to induce carcinogenesis. The emerging field of circadian biology intersects strongly with the physiological systems of the mammalian body and introduces a unique opportunity for analyzing mechanisms of homeostatic disruption. The circadian clock refers to the approximate 24-hour cycle, in which protein levels of specific clock-controlled genes (CCGs) fluctuate based on the time of day. Though these CCGs are tissue specific, the skin has been observed to have a robust circadian clock that plays a role in its response to UVR exposure. This in-depth review will detail the mechanisms of the circadian clock and its role in cellular homeostasis. Next, the skin's response to UVR exposure and its induction of DNA damage and mutations will be covered - with an additional focus placed on how the circadian clock influences this response through nucleotide excision repair. Lastly, this review will discuss current models for studying UVR-induced skin lesions and perturbations of the circadian clock, as well as the impact of these factors on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna Goodenow
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Adam J Greer
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Sean J Cone
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Shobhan Gaddameedhi
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
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Brady D, Saviane A, Cappellozza S, Sandrelli F. The Circadian Clock in Lepidoptera. Front Physiol 2021; 12:776826. [PMID: 34867483 PMCID: PMC8635995 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.776826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
With approximately 160,000 identified species of butterflies and moths, Lepidoptera are among the most species-rich and diverse insect orders. Lepidopteran insects have fundamental ecosystem functions as pollinators and valuable food sources for countless animals. Furthermore, Lepidoptera have a significant impact on the economy and global food security because many species in their larval stage are harmful pests of staple food crops. Moreover, domesticated species such as the silkworm Bombyx mori produce silk and silk byproducts that are utilized by the luxury textile, biomedical, and cosmetics sectors. Several Lepidoptera have been fundamental as model organisms for basic biological research, from formal genetics to evolutionary studies. Regarding chronobiology, in the 1970s, Truman's seminal transplantation experiments on different lepidopteran species were the first to show that the circadian clock resides in the brain. With the implementation of molecular genetics, subsequent studies identified key differences in core components of the molecular circadian clock of Lepidoptera compared to the dipteran Drosophila melanogaster, the dominant insect species in chronobiological research. More recently, studies on the butterfly Danaus plexippus have been fundamental in characterizing the interplay between the circadian clock and navigation during the seasonal migration of this species. Moreover, the advent of Next Generation Omic technologies has resulted in the production of many publicly available datasets regarding circadian clocks in pest and beneficial Lepidoptera. This review presents an updated overview of the molecular and anatomical organization of the circadian clock in Lepidoptera. We report different behavioral circadian rhythms currently identified, focusing on the importance of the circadian clock in controlling developmental, mating and migration phenotypes. We then describe the ecological importance of circadian clocks detailing the complex interplay between the feeding behavior of these organisms and plants. Finally, we discuss how the characterization of these features could be useful in both pest control, and in optimizing rearing of beneficial Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Brady
- Department of Biology, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessio Saviane
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Padova, Italy
| | - Silvia Cappellozza
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Padova, Italy
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Kotwica-Rolinska J, Chodáková L, Smýkal V, Damulewicz M, Provazník J, Wu BCH, Hejníková M, Chvalová D, Doležel D. Loss of Timeless Underlies an Evolutionary Transition within the Circadian Clock. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 39:6454103. [PMID: 34893879 PMCID: PMC8789273 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Most organisms possess time-keeping devices called circadian clocks. At the molecular level, circadian clocks consist of transcription-translation feedback loops. Although some components of the negative transcription-translation feedback loop are conserved across the animals, important differences exist between typical models, such as mouse and the fruit fly. In Drosophila, the key components are PERIOD (PER) and TIMELESS (TIM-d) proteins, whereas the mammalian clock relies on PER and CRYPTOCHROME (CRY-m). Importantly, how the clock has maintained functionality during evolutionary transitions between different states remains elusive. Therefore, we systematically described the circadian clock gene setup in major bilaterian lineages and identified marked lineage-specific differences in their clock constitution. Then we performed a thorough functional analysis of the linden bug Pyrrhocoris apterus, an insect species comprising features characteristic of both the Drosophila and the mammalian clocks. Unexpectedly, the knockout of timeless-d, a gene essential for the clock ticking in Drosophila, did not compromise rhythmicity in P. apterus, it only accelerated its pace. Furthermore, silencing timeless-m, the ancestral timeless type ubiquitously present across animals, resulted in a mild gradual loss of rhythmicity, supporting its possible participation in the linden bug clock, which is consistent with timeless-m role suggested by research on mammalian models. The dispensability of timeless-d in P. apterus allows drawing a scenario in which the clock has remained functional at each step of transition from an ancestral state to the TIM-d-independent PER+CRY-mammalian system operating in extant vertebrates, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lenka Chodáková
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Vlastimil Smýkal
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Milena Damulewicz
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Provazník
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Bulah Chia-Hsiang Wu
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Hejníková
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Chvalová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - David Doležel
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
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40
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The E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor Tango10 links the core circadian clock to neuropeptide and behavioral rhythms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2110767118. [PMID: 34799448 PMCID: PMC8617488 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110767118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian transcriptional timekeepers in pacemaker neurons drive profound daily rhythms in sleep and wake. Here we reveal a molecular pathway that links core transcriptional oscillators to neuronal and behavioral rhythms. Using two independent genetic screens, we identified mutants of Transport and Golgi organization 10 (Tango10) with poor behavioral rhythmicity. Tango10 expression in pacemaker neurons expressing the neuropeptide PIGMENT-DISPERSING FACTOR (PDF) is required for robust rhythms. Loss of Tango10 results in elevated PDF accumulation in nerve terminals even in mutants lacking a functional core clock. TANGO10 protein itself is rhythmically expressed in PDF terminals. Mass spectrometry of TANGO10 complexes reveals interactions with the E3 ubiquitin ligase CULLIN 3 (CUL3). CUL3 depletion phenocopies Tango10 mutant effects on PDF even in the absence of the core clock gene timeless Patch clamp electrophysiology in Tango10 mutant neurons demonstrates elevated spontaneous firing potentially due to reduced voltage-gated Shaker-like potassium currents. We propose that Tango10/Cul3 transduces molecular oscillations from the core clock to neuropeptide release important for behavioral rhythms.
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41
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Cai YD, Chiu JC. Timeless in animal circadian clocks and beyond. FEBS J 2021; 289:6559-6575. [PMID: 34699674 PMCID: PMC9038958 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
TIMELESS (TIM) was first identified as a molecular cog in the Drosophila circadian clock. Almost three decades of investigations have resulted in an insightful model describing the critical role of Drosophila TIM (dTIM) in circadian timekeeping in insects, including its function in mediating light entrainment and temperature compensation of the molecular clock. Furthermore, exciting discoveries on its sequence polymorphism and thermosensitive alternative RNA splicing have also established its role in regulating seasonal biology. Although mammalian TIM (mTIM), its mammalian paralog, was first identified as a potential circadian clock component in 1990s due to sequence similarity to dTIM, its role in clock regulation has been more controversial. Mammalian TIM has now been characterized as a DNA replication fork component and has been shown to promote fork progression and participate in cell cycle checkpoint signaling in response to DNA damage. Despite defective circadian rhythms displayed by mtim mutants, it remains controversial whether the regulation of circadian clocks by mTIM is direct, especially given the interconnection between the cell cycle and circadian clocks. In this review, we provide a historical perspective on the identification of animal tim genes, summarize the roles of TIM proteins in biological timing and genomic stability, and draw parallels between dTIM and mTIM despite apparent functional divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao D Cai
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California Davis, CA, USA
| | - Joanna C Chiu
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California Davis, CA, USA
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42
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Nartey MA, Sun X, Qin S, Hou CX, Li MW. CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout reveals that the clock gene timeless is indispensable for regulating circadian behavioral rhythms in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1414-1425. [PMID: 32830431 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms, which are ubiquitous and adaptive, occur across all species, from microbes to humans, in which they organize and modify behavior and physiology. timeless (tim) is a canonical clock gene. The core composition of the Drosophila melanogaster endogenous circadian clock has been extensively investigated; however, in lepidopteran insects, including Bombyx mori, the mechanism is complicated and little is known regarding the participation of tim in the negative feedback loop responsible for behavioral activities. To arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the role of tim in the B. mori endogenous circadian clock, we exploited the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 gene editing system. We attempted to elucidate the functions of tim in the circadian clock of B. mori using Bmtim mutants. The knockouts affected two circadian behavioral activities: adult emergence and embryo hatching rhythms. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results confirmed that tim-knockouts induced relative reductions in the expression levels, and thereby the oscillation amplitudes, of Bmper and Bmclk messenger RNAs during both the photophase and scotophase. Additionally, the daily rhythmic expression of Bmdbt was upregulated in the photophase and downregulated in the scotophase in a tim-knockout. Our study reveals that tim is integral to the B. mori circadian clock and may be involved in regulating eclosion and hatching rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moses Addo Nartey
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xia Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Sheng Qin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Cheng-Xiang Hou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mu-Wang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
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43
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The 50th anniversary of the Konopka and Benzer 1971 paper in PNAS: "Clock Mutants of Drosophila melanogaster". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2110171118. [PMID: 34507977 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110171118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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44
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Anna G, Kannan NN. Post-transcriptional modulators and mediators of the circadian clock. Chronobiol Int 2021; 38:1244-1261. [PMID: 34056966 PMCID: PMC7611477 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1928159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The endogenous circadian timekeeping system drives ~24-h rhythms in gene expression and rhythmically coordinates the physiology, metabolism and behavior in a wide range of organisms. Regulation at various levels is important for the accurate functioning of this circadian timing system. The core circadian oscillator consists of an interlocked transcriptional-translational negative feedback loop (TTFL) that imposes a substantial delay between the accumulation of clock gene mRNA and its protein to generate 24-h oscillations. This TTFL mediated daily oscillation of clock proteins is further fine-tuned by post-translational modifications that regulate the clock protein stability, interaction with other proteins and subcellular localization. Emerging evidence from various studies indicates that besides TTFL and post-translational modifications, post-transcriptional regulation plays a key role in shaping the rhythmicity of mRNAs and to delay the accumulation of clock proteins in relation to their mRNAs. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the importance of post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms such as splicing, polyadenylation, the role of RNA-binding proteins, RNA methylation and microRNAs in the context of shaping the circadian rhythmicity in Drosophila and mammals. In particular, we discuss microRNAs, an important player in post-transcriptional regulation of core-clock machinery, circadian neural circuit, clock input, and output pathways. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the microRNAs that exhibit diurnal rhythm in expression and their role in mediating rhythmic physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geo Anna
- Chronobiology Laboratory, School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Nisha N Kannan
- Chronobiology Laboratory, School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
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45
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Rego NDFC, Chahad-Ehlers S, Campanini EB, Torres FR, de Brito RA. VRILLE shows high divergence among Higher Diptera flies but may retain role as transcriptional repressor of clock. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 133:104284. [PMID: 34256034 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In the circadian system, the clock gene vrille (vri) is an essential component of the second feedback loop, being responsible in Drosophila for the rhythmicity of the Clock (Clk) gene transcription by its repression. Here we studied vri in a fruit fly pest, the Tephritidae Anastrepha fraterculus, aimingtoinvestigate its molecular evolution and expression patterns from whole-head extracts. We used a combination of transcriptomic, genomic and gene walking strategies to sequence and characterize Afravri in male and female head transcriptomes of A. fraterculus and detected two putative isoforms that may correspond to A and D vri isoforms of Drosophila. Both isoforms produced a full-length sequence that translates to 842 amino acids. While the protein sequence showed significant divergence to orthologous sequences from other organisms, the bZIP domain was highly conserved. Molecular evolutionary analyses showed that vri in higher Diptera flies has been evolving under positive selection. A more detailed analysis showed positive selection also in Tephritidae with 29 sites evolving under positive selection in comparison with Drosophilidae. Real time expression analysis in LD and DD conditions showed cyclic expression of Afravri mRNA with oscillation opposite to AfraClk, suggesting that VRI may also behave in Anastrepha as a transcriptional repressor of Clk, providing another indication that higher Diptera might share common interlocked transcript-translation feedback loops (TTFLs) mechanisms that differ from other insects in target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samira Chahad-Ehlers
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos 13565-905, Brazil.
| | - Emeline Boni Campanini
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Felipe Rafael Torres
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
| | - Reinaldo Alves de Brito
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos 13565-905, Brazil.
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Palm D, Uzoni A, Simon F, Fischer M, Coogan A, Tucha O, Thome J, Faltraco F. Evolutionary conservations, changes of circadian rhythms and their effect on circadian disturbances and therapeutic approaches. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:21-34. [PMID: 34102148 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The circadian rhythm is essential for the interaction of all living organisms with their environments. Several processes, such as thermoregulation, metabolism, cognition and memory, are regulated by the internal clock. Disturbances in the circadian rhythm have been shown to lead to the development of neuropsychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Interestingly, the mechanism of the circadian rhythms has been conserved in many different species, and misalignment between circadian rhythms and the environment results in evolutionary regression and lifespan reduction. This review summarises the conserved mechanism of the internal clock and its major interspecies differences. In addition, it focuses on effects the circadian rhythm disturbances, especially in cases of ADHD, and describes the possibility of recombinant proteins generated by eukaryotic expression systems as therapeutic agents as well as CRISPR/Cas9 technology as a potential tool for research and therapy. The aim is to give an overview about the evolutionary conserved mechanism as well as the changes of the circadian clock. Furthermore, current knowledge about circadian rhythm disturbances and therapeutic approaches is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Palm
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany
| | - Adriana Uzoni
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany
| | - Frederick Simon
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany
| | - Matthias Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany
| | - Andrew Coogan
- Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, Ireland
| | - Oliver Tucha
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany
| | - Johannes Thome
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany
| | - Frank Faltraco
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany.
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Abstract
Circadian clocks are biochemical time-keeping machines that synchronize animal behavior and physiology with planetary rhythms. In Drosophila, the core components of the clock comprise a transcription/translation feedback loop and are expressed in seven neuronal clusters in the brain. Although it is increasingly evident that the clocks in each of the neuronal clusters are regulated differently, how these clocks communicate with each other across the circadian neuronal network is less clear. Here, we review the latest evidence that describes the physical connectivity of the circadian neuronal network . Using small ventral lateral neurons as a starting point, we summarize how one clock may communicate with another, highlighting the signaling pathways that are both upstream and downstream of these clocks. We propose that additional efforts are required to understand how temporal information generated in each circadian neuron is integrated across a neuronal circuit to regulate rhythmic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myra Ahmad
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Wanhe Li
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Deniz Top
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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48
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Rosbash M. Circadian Rhythms and the Transcriptional Feedback Loop (Nobel Lecture)**. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202015199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Rosbash
- Department of Biology Howard Hughes Medical Institute Brandeis University Waltham MA USA
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49
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Parnell AA, De Nobrega AK, Lyons LC. Translating around the clock: Multi-level regulation of post-transcriptional processes by the circadian clock. Cell Signal 2021; 80:109904. [PMID: 33370580 PMCID: PMC8054296 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2020.109904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The endogenous circadian clock functions to maintain optimal physiological health through the tissue specific coordination of gene expression and synchronization between tissues of metabolic processes throughout the 24 hour day. Individuals face numerous challenges to circadian function on a daily basis resulting in significant incidences of circadian disorders in the United States and worldwide. Dysfunction of the circadian clock has been implicated in numerous diseases including cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and hepatic abnormalities, mood disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. The circadian clock regulates molecular, metabolic and physiological processes through rhythmic gene expression via transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. Mounting evidence indicates that post-transcriptional regulation by the circadian clock plays a crucial role in maintaining tissue specific biological rhythms. Circadian regulation affecting RNA stability and localization through RNA processing, mRNA degradation, and RNA availability for translation can result in rhythmic protein synthesis, even when the mRNA transcripts themselves do not exhibit rhythms in abundance. The circadian clock also targets the initiation and elongation steps of translation through multiple pathways. In this review, the influence of the circadian clock across the levels of post-transcriptional, translation, and post-translational modifications are examined using examples from humans to cyanobacteria demonstrating the phylogenetic conservation of circadian regulation. Lastly, we briefly discuss chronotherapies and pharmacological treatments that target circadian function. Understanding the complexity and levels through which the circadian clock regulates molecular and physiological processes is important for future advancement of therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber A Parnell
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Aliza K De Nobrega
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Lisa C Lyons
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
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50
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Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model organism used to study circadian rhythms, historically for elucidating the molecular basis of the clock and, more recently, for allowing for dissection of neural circuits underlying rhythmic behavior. The fly can be used to investigate the neuronal basis of complex behaviors at single-neuron resolution. Patch clamp electrophysiology permits single-neuron recording of resting membrane potential and action potential firing in response to genetic or environmental manipulations or application of drugs and neurotransmitters. Here we describe a protocol for dissecting Drosophila brains for electrophysiology, setting up and using a patch clamp system, and analyzing firing data around the circadian day and in stimulation-response experiments to test for functional neuronal connectivity in circadian circuits.
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