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Li YR, Ling LB, Chao A, Fugmann SD, Yang SY. Transient chromatin decompaction at the start of D. melanogaster male embryonic germline development. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302401. [PMID: 38991729 PMCID: PMC11239976 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Embryonic germ cells develop rapidly to establish the foundation for future developmental trajectories, and in this process, they make critical lineage choices including the configuration of their unique identity and a decision on sex. Here, we use single-cell genomics patterns for the entire embryonic germline in Drosophila melanogaster along with the somatic gonadal precursors after embryonic gonad coalescence to investigate molecular mechanisms involved in the setting up and regulation of the germline program. Profiling of the early germline chromatin landscape revealed sex- and stage-specific features. In the male germline immediately after zygotic activation, the chromatin structure underwent a brief remodeling phase during which nucleosome density was lower and deconcentrated from promoter regions. These findings echoed enrichment analysis results of our genomics data in which top candidates were factors with the ability to mediate large-scale chromatin reorganization. Together, they point to the importance of chromatin regulation in the early germline and raise the possibility of a conserved epigenetic reprogramming-like process required for proper initiation of germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ru Li
- https://ror.org/00d80zx46 Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Li Bin Ling
- https://ror.org/00d80zx46 Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Angel Chao
- https://ror.org/02dnn6q67 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Sebastian D Fugmann
- https://ror.org/00d80zx46 Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- https://ror.org/00d80zx46 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- https://ror.org/02dnn6q67 Department of Nephrology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shu Yuan Yang
- https://ror.org/00d80zx46 Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- https://ror.org/00d80zx46 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- https://ror.org/02dnn6q67 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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2
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Zandawala M, Gera J. Leptin- and cytokine-like unpaired signaling in Drosophila. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 584:112165. [PMID: 38266772 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Animals have evolved a multitude of signaling pathways that enable them to orchestrate diverse physiological processes to tightly regulate systemic homeostasis. This signaling is mediated by various families of peptide hormones and cytokines that are conserved across the animal kingdom. In this review, we primarily focus on the unpaired (Upd) family of proteins in Drosophila which are evolutionarily related to mammalian leptin and the cytokine interleukin 6. We summarize expression patterns of Upd in Drosophila and discuss the parallels in structure, signaling pathway, and functions between Upd and their mammalian counterparts. In particular, we focus on the roles of Upd in governing metabolic homeostasis, growth and development, and immune responses. We aim to stimulate future studies on leptin-like signaling in other phyla which can help bridge the evolutionary gap between insect Upd and vertebrate leptin and cytokines like interleukin 6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meet Zandawala
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
| | - Jayati Gera
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
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3
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Barton LJ, Roa-de la Cruz L, Lehmann R, Lin B. The journey of a generation: advances and promises in the study of primordial germ cell migration. Development 2024; 151:dev201102. [PMID: 38607588 PMCID: PMC11165723 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201102] [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] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The germline provides the genetic and non-genetic information that passes from one generation to the next. Given this important role in species propagation, egg and sperm precursors, called primordial germ cells (PGCs), are one of the first cell types specified during embryogenesis. In fact, PGCs form well before the bipotential somatic gonad is specified. This common feature of germline development necessitates that PGCs migrate through many tissues to reach the somatic gonad. During their journey, PGCs must respond to select environmental cues while ignoring others in a dynamically developing embryo. The complex multi-tissue, combinatorial nature of PGC migration is an excellent model for understanding how cells navigate complex environments in vivo. Here, we discuss recent findings on the migratory path, the somatic cells that shepherd PGCs, the guidance cues somatic cells provide, and the PGC response to these cues to reach the gonad and establish the germline pool for future generations. We end by discussing the fate of wayward PGCs that fail to reach the gonad in diverse species. Collectively, this field is poised to yield important insights into emerging reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lacy J. Barton
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Lorena Roa-de la Cruz
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Whitehead Institute and Department of Biology, MIT, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Benjamin Lin
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
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4
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Ye J, Zeng J, Zheng H, Zhang C, Zhang H, Zheng H. Genome-wide identification of STATs and analysis of their role in sex determination in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 270:110933. [PMID: 38110171 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2023.110933] [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: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
STAT (signal transducer and activator of the transcription) proteins, are a group of highly conserved transcription factors and fundamental components of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. They play crucial roles in a variety of biological processes, such as immunity, proliferation, differentiation, and growth. However, little information is known regarding their role in gonad development and sex determination in mollusks. In this study, we identified 3 STAT genes in Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas. Phylogenetic analysis showed that STATs from mollusks were highly conserved, and most of them had four identical motif regions, except for the STAT1 and STAT3 predicted sequences from Crassostrea hongkongensis. Tissue expression analysis indicated CgSTAT1 had a high expression level in most tissues, while CgSTAT3 had a low expression level in most tissues. Expression analysis of early developmental stages showed CgSTAT1 had a higher expression level from egg to D shaped larva and a lower expression level in subsequent stages. In contrast CgSTAT1, CgSTAT2 had a reverse expression pattern. Expression analysis of different developmental stages of diploid gonads indicated that CgSTAT1 had a higher expression level at the S1 and S3 stages relative to the S2 stage in females, while in males the S3 stage had a higher expression than than the S2 stage. The expression level of CgSTAT1 between diploids and triploids in females differed significantly, but there were no significant differences in males. Expression of CgSTAT2 differed significantly between diploid and triploid males. These data suggest an important role for STATs in sex differentiation in diploid and triploid oysters. Our study is the first to explore the role of STATs in sex differentiation and gonadal development in oysters, and will help us better understand the molecular mechanisms of sex differentiation in shellfish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Ye
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Junxi Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Haiqian Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Chuanxu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Hongkuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China.
| | - Huaiping Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China.
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5
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Alnajem A, Al-Maghrebi M. The Regulatory Effects of JAK2/STAT3 on Spermatogenesis and the Redox Keap1/Nrf2 Axis in an Animal Model of Testicular Ischemia Reperfusion Injury. Cells 2023; 12:2292. [PMID: 37759514 PMCID: PMC10528395 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182292] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The male reproductive system requires the pleiotropic activity of JAK/STAT to maintain its function, especially spermatogenesis. The study aims to investigate the effect of JAK2 signaling on the expression of the Keap1/Nrf2 axis, spermatogenesis, and the Sertoli cells (Sc) junctions in an animal model of testicular ischemia reperfusion injury (tIRI). Testes subjected to tIRI exhibited increased JAK2/STAT3 activity associated with spermatogenic arrest and reduced expression of the Sc junctions. In addition, there was an increased protein expression of Keap1 and decreased Nrf2., which was coupled with the downregulation of gene expression of antioxidant enzymes. Reduced SOD and CAT activities were accompanied by increased lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation during tIRI. Increased caspase 9 activity and Bax/Bcl2 ratio indicated initiation of apoptosis. Inhibition of JAK2 activity by AG490 maintained the integrity of spermatogenesis and SC junctions, normalized the expression of the Keap1/Nrf2 axis and its downstream antioxidant enzymes, and prevented germ cell apoptosis. The results further emphasized the regulatory role of JAK2/STAT3 on spermatogenesis, Keap1/Nrf2 signaling, and maintenance of the testicular redox balance to combat testicular dysfunction and male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Alnajem
- Department of Medicine, Jaber Al-Ahmed Hospital, South Surra 47761, Kuwait;
| | - May Al-Maghrebi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat 13110, Kuwait
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6
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Ota R, Miura H, Masukawa M, Hayashi M, Kobayashi S. Identification of novel candidate genes leading to sex differentiation in primordial germ cells of Drosophila. Gene Expr Patterns 2023; 48:119321. [PMID: 37142099 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2023.119321] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Germline sex determination and differentiation are pivotal processes in reproduction. In Drosophila, sex determination of the germline occurs in primordial germ cells (PGCs), and the sex differentiation of these cells is initiated during embryogenesis. However, the molecular mechanism initiating sex differentiation remains elusive. To address this issue, we identified sex-biased genes using RNA-sequencing data of male and female PGCs. Our research revealed 497 genes that were differentially expressed more than twofold between sexes and expressed at high or moderate levels in either male or female PGCs. Among these genes, we used microarray data of PGCs and whole embryos to select 33 genes, which are predominantly expressed in PGCs compared to the soma, as candidate genes contributing to sex differentiation. Of 497 genes, 13 genes that were differentially expressed more than fourfold between sexes were also selected as candidates. Among the 46 (33 + 13) candidates, we confirmed the sex-biased expression of 15 genes by in situ hybridization and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. Six and nine genes were predominantly expressed in male and female PGCs, respectively. These results represent a first step toward elucidating the mechanisms that initiate sex differentiation in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoma Ota
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Teikyo University, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 320-8551, Japan; Division of Integrated Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Teikyo University, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 320-8551, Japan.
| | - Hiroki Miura
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.
| | - Masaki Masukawa
- Degree Programs in Life and Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.
| | - Makoto Hayashi
- Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.
| | - Satoru Kobayashi
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan; Degree Programs in Life and Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan; Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.
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7
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Zamfirescu AM, Yatsenko AS, Shcherbata HR. Notch signaling sculpts the stem cell niche. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1027222. [PMID: 36605720 PMCID: PMC9810114 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1027222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult stem cells depend on their niches for regulatory signaling that controls their maintenance, division, and their progeny differentiation. While communication between various types of stem cells and their niches is becoming clearer, the process of stem cell niche establishment is still not very well understood. Model genetic organisms provide simplified systems to address various complex questions, for example, how is a stem cell niche formed? What signaling cascades induce the stem cell niche formation? Are the mechanisms of stem cell niche formation conserved? Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway first identified in fruit flies, crucial in fate acquisition and spatiotemporal patterning. While the core logic behind its activity is fairly simple and requires direct cell-cell interaction, it reaches an astonishing complexity and versatility by combining its different modes of action. Subtleties such as equivalency between communicating cells, their physical distance, receptor and ligand processing, and endocytosis can have an effect on the way the events unfold, and this review explores some important general mechanisms of action, later on focusing on its involvement in stem cell niche formation. First, looking at invertebrates, we will examine how Notch signaling induces the formation of germline stem cell niche in male and female Drosophila. In the developing testis, a group of somatic gonadal precursor cells receive Delta signals from the gut, activating Notch signaling and sealing their fate as niche cells even before larval hatching. Meanwhile, the ovarian germline stem cell niche is built later during late larval stages and requires a two-step process that involves terminal filament formation and cap cell specification. Intriguingly, double security mechanisms of Notch signaling activation coordinated by the soma or the germline control both steps to ensure the robustness of niche assembly. Second, in the vast domains of mammalian cellular signaling, there is an emerging picture of Notch being an active player in a variety of tissues in health and disease. Notch involvement has been shown in stem cell niche establishment in multiple organs, including the brain, muscle, and intestine, where the stem cell niches are essential for the maintenance of adult stem cells. But adult stem cells are not the only cells looking for a home. Cancer stem cells use Notch signaling at specific stages to gain an advantage over endogenous tissue and overpower it, at the same time acquiring migratory and invasive abilities to claim new tissues (e.g., bone) as their territory. Moreover, in vitro models such as organoids reveal similar Notch employment when it comes to the developing stem cell niches. Therefore, a better understanding of the processes regulating stem cell niche assembly is key for the fields of stem cell biology and regenerative medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Halyna R. Shcherbata
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States,*Correspondence: Halyna R. Shcherbata,
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8
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Antel M, Raj R, Masoud MYG, Pan Z, Li S, Mellone BG, Inaba M. Interchromosomal interaction of homologous Stat92E alleles regulates transcriptional switch during stem-cell differentiation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3981. [PMID: 35810185 PMCID: PMC9271046 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31737-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pairing of homologous chromosomes in somatic cells provides the opportunity of interchromosomal interaction between homologous gene regions. In the Drosophila male germline, the Stat92E gene is highly expressed in a germline stem cell (GSC) and gradually downregulated during the differentiation. Here we show that the pairing of Stat92E is always tight in GSCs and immediately loosened in differentiating daughter cells, gonialblasts (GBs). Disturbance of Stat92E pairing by relocation of one locus to another chromosome or by knockdown of global pairing/anti-pairing factors both result in a failure of Stat92E downregulation, suggesting that the pairing is required for the decline in transcription. Furthermore, the Stat92E enhancer, but not its transcription, is required for the change in pairing state, indicating that pairing is not a consequence of transcriptional changes. Finally, we show that the change in Stat92E pairing is dependent on asymmetric histone inheritance during the asymmetric division of GSCs. Taken together, we propose that the changes in Stat92E pairing status is an intrinsically programmed mechanism for enabling prompt cell fate switch during the differentiation of stem cells. Asymmetric inheritance of organelles, proteins and RNAs occurs during stem cell division. Here the authors show the strength of pairing of homologous Stat92E loci, a stem cell-specific gene, changes immediately after the asymmetric division due to asymmetric inheritance of new histones to one of the daughter cells and is important for turning off gene expression in this cell as it differentiates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Antel
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Romir Raj
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Madona Y G Masoud
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ziwei Pan
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Sheng Li
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Barbara G Mellone
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Mayu Inaba
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA.
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9
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Bhaskar PK, Southard S, Baxter K, Van Doren M. Germline sex determination regulates sex-specific signaling between germline stem cells and their niche. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110620. [PMID: 35385723 PMCID: PMC10462394 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishing germ cell sexual identity is critical for development of male and female germline stem cells (GSCs) and production of sperm or eggs. Germ cells depend on signals from the somatic gonad to determine sex, but in organisms such as flies, mice, and humans, the sex chromosome genotype of the germ cells is also important for germline sexual development. How somatic signals and germ-cell-intrinsic cues combine to regulate germline sex determination is thus a key question. We find that JAK/STAT signaling in the GSC niche promotes male identity in germ cells, in part by activating the chromatin reader Phf7. Further, we find that JAK/STAT signaling is blocked in XX (female) germ cells through the action of the sex determination gene Sex lethal to preserve female identity. Thus, an important function of germline sexual identity is to control how GSCs respond to signals in their niche environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Kumar Bhaskar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Sheryl Southard
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Kelly Baxter
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Mark Van Doren
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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10
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Shore T, Levi T, Kalifa R, Dreifuss A, Rekler D, Weinberg-Shukron A, Nevo Y, Bialistoky T, Moyal V, Gold MY, Leebhoff S, Zangen D, Deshpande G, Gerlitz O. Nucleoporin107 mediates female sexual differentiation via Dsx. eLife 2022; 11:72632. [PMID: 35311642 PMCID: PMC8975549 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently identified a missense mutation in Nucleoporin107 (Nup107; D447N) underlying XX-ovarian-dysgenesis, a rare disorder characterized by underdeveloped and dysfunctional ovaries. Modeling of the human mutation in Drosophila or specific knockdown of Nup107 in the gonadal soma resulted in ovarian-dysgenesis-like phenotypes. Transcriptomic analysis identified the somatic sex-determination gene doublesex (dsx) as a target of Nup107. Establishing Dsx as a primary relevant target of Nup107, either loss or gain of Dsx in the gonadal soma is sufficient to mimic or rescue the phenotypes induced by Nup107 loss. Importantly, the aberrant phenotypes induced by compromising either Nup107 or dsx are reminiscent of BMP signaling hyperactivation. Remarkably, in this context, the metalloprotease AdamTS-A, a transcriptional target of both Dsx and Nup107, is necessary for the calibration of BMP signaling. As modulation of BMP signaling is a conserved critical determinant of soma-germline interaction, the sex and tissue specific deployment of Dsx-F by Nup107 seems crucial for the maintenance of the homeostatic balance between the germ cells and somatic gonadal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tikva Shore
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tgst Levi
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rachel Kalifa
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amatzia Dreifuss
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dina Rekler
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Yuval Nevo
- Bioinformatics Unit of the I-CORE Computation Center, The Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tzofia Bialistoky
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Victoria Moyal
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Merav Yaffa Gold
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shira Leebhoff
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - David Zangen
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Girish Deshpande
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Offer Gerlitz
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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11
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Grmai L, Pozmanter C, Van Doren M. The Regulation of Germline Sex Determination in Drosophila by Sex lethal. Sex Dev 2022; 16:323-328. [PMID: 35259743 PMCID: PMC10540089 DOI: 10.1159/000521235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The establishment of male or female identity (sex determination) is essential for creating the anatomical, physiological, and behavioral differences between 2 sexes of the same species (sexual dimorphism). In many organisms, including mammals and Drosophila, sex is determined by inheritance of sex chromosomes, while in other animals, sex is determined by environmental factors. Arguably the most important consequence of sex determination is the production of healthy gametes necessary for reproduction: female oocytes and male spermatids. SUMMARY The generation of sperm and oocytes requires cooperation between 2 different cell types within the gonad: germ cells and somatic cells. Defects in sex determination in either the somatic gonad or germline lead to disorders of sexual development and infertility. In Drosophila, the gene Sex lethal (Sxl) is the key determinant of sex in both the soma and the germline. However, how Sxl controls sex determination is much more well understood in the soma than the germline. Key Mesage: This review will focus on Sxl in the germline, how it is activated specifically in female germ cells, and how it regulates germline sex determination and sexual development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Grmai
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Caitlin Pozmanter
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Van Doren
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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12
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Male-biased protein expression in primordial germ cells, identified through a comparative study of UAS vectors in Drosophila. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21482. [PMID: 34728669 PMCID: PMC8564522 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00729-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila, three types of UAS vectors (UASt, UASp, and UASz) are currently available for use with the Gal4-UAS system. They have been used successfully in somatic cells and germline cells from ovaries. However, it remains unclear whether they are functional in the germline cells of embryos, larvae, and adult testes. In this study, we found that all three types of UAS vectors were functional in the germline cells of embryos and larvae and that the UASt and UASz vectors were active in the germline of the distal tip region in adult testes. Moreover, we observed that protein expression from the UAS vectors was male-biased in germline cells of late embryos, whereas their respective mRNA expression levels were not. Furthermore, O-propargyl-puromycin (OPP) staining revealed that protein synthesis was male-biased in these germline cells. In addition, GO terms related to translation and ribosomal maturation were significantly enriched in the male germline. These observations show that translational activity is higher in male than in female germline cells. Therefore, we propose that male-biased protein synthesis may be responsible for the sex differences observed in the early germline.
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13
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Mank JE, Rideout EJ. Developmental mechanisms of sex differences: from cells to organisms. Development 2021; 148:272484. [PMID: 34647574 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Male-female differences in many developmental mechanisms lead to the formation of two morphologically and physiologically distinct sexes. Although this is expected for traits with prominent differences between the sexes, such as the gonads, sex-specific processes also contribute to traits without obvious male-female differences, such as the intestine. Here, we review sex differences in developmental mechanisms that operate at several levels of biological complexity - molecular, cellular, organ and organismal - and discuss how these differences influence organ formation, function and whole-body physiology. Together, the examples we highlight show that one simple way to gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of animal development is to include both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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14
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Gonzalez LE, Tang X, Lin H. Maternal Piwi regulates primordial germ cell development to ensure the fertility of female progeny in Drosophila. Genetics 2021; 219:iyab091. [PMID: 34142134 PMCID: PMC8757300 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In many animals, germline development is initiated by proteins and RNAs that are expressed maternally. PIWI proteins and their associated small noncoding PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), which guide PIWI to target RNAs by base-pairing, are among the maternal components deposited into the germline of the Drosophila early embryo. Piwi has been extensively studied in the adult ovary and testis, where it is required for transposon suppression, germline stem cell self-renewal, and fertility. Consequently, loss of Piwi in the adult ovary using piwi-null alleles or knockdown from early oogenesis results in complete sterility, limiting investigation into possible embryonic functions of maternal Piwi. In this study, we show that the maternal Piwi protein persists in the embryonic germline through gonad coalescence, suggesting that maternal Piwi can regulate germline development beyond early embryogenesis. Using a maternal knockdown strategy, we find that maternal Piwi is required for the fertility and normal gonad morphology of female, but not male, progeny. Following maternal piwi knockdown, transposons were mildly derepressed in the early embryo but were fully repressed in the ovaries of adult progeny. Furthermore, the maternal piRNA pool was diminished, reducing the capacity of the PIWI/piRNA complex to target zygotic genes during embryogenesis. Examination of embryonic germ cell proliferation and ovarian gene expression showed that the germline of female progeny was partially masculinized by maternal piwi knockdown. Our study reveals a novel role for maternal Piwi in the germline development of female progeny and suggests that the PIWI/piRNA pathway is involved in germline sex determination in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Gonzalez
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Xiongzhuo Tang
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Haifan Lin
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
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15
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Grmai L, Harsh S, Lu S, Korman A, Deb IB, Bach EA. Transcriptomic analysis of feminizing somatic stem cells in the Drosophila testis reveals putative downstream effectors of the transcription factor Chinmo. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2021; 11:jkab067. [PMID: 33751104 PMCID: PMC8759813 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
One of the best examples of sexual dimorphism is the development and function of the gonads, ovaries and testes, which produce sex-specific gametes, oocytes, and spermatids, respectively. The development of these specialized germ cells requires sex-matched somatic support cells. The sexual identity of somatic gonadal cells is specified during development and must be actively maintained during adulthood. We previously showed that the transcription factor Chinmo is required to ensure the male sexual identity of somatic support cells in the Drosophila melanogaster testis. Loss of chinmo from male somatic gonadal cells results in feminization: they transform from squamous to epithelial-like cells that resemble somatic cells in the female gonad but fail to properly ensheath the male germline, causing infertility. To identify potential target genes of Chinmo, we purified somatic cells deficient for chinmo from the adult Drosophila testis and performed next-generation sequencing to compare their transcriptome to that of control somatic cells. Bioinformatics revealed 304 and 1549 differentially upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively, upon loss of chinmo in early somatic cells. Using a combination of methods, we validated several differentially expressed genes. These data sets will be useful resources to the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Grmai
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Sneh Harsh
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Sean Lu
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Aryeh Korman
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Ishan B Deb
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Erika A Bach
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
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16
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Li YR, Lai HW, Huang HH, Chen HC, Fugmann SD, Yang SY. Trajectory mapping of the early Drosophila germline reveals controls of zygotic activation and sex differentiation. Genome Res 2021; 31:1011-1023. [PMID: 33858841 PMCID: PMC8168578 DOI: 10.1101/gr.271148.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Germ cells in Drosophila melanogaster are specified maternally shortly after fertilization and are transcriptionally quiescent until their zygotic genome is activated to sustain further development. To understand the molecular basis of this process, we analyzed the progressing transcriptomes of early male and female germ cells at the single-cell level between germline specification and coalescence with somatic gonadal cells. Our data comprehensively cover zygotic activation in the germline genome, and analyses on genes that exhibit germline-restricted expression reveal that polymerase pausing and differential RNA stability are important mechanisms that establish gene expression differences between the germline and soma. In addition, we observe an immediate bifurcation between the male and female germ cells as zygotic transcription begins. The main difference between the two sexes is an elevation in X Chromosome expression in females relative to males, signifying incomplete dosage compensation, with a few select genes exhibiting even higher expression increases. These indicate that the male program is the default mode in the germline that is driven to female development with a second X Chromosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ru Li
- Department and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan
| | - Hsiao Wen Lai
- Department and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan
| | - Hsiao Han Huang
- Department and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Chun Chen
- Department and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan
| | - Sebastian D Fugmann
- Department and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan.,Department of Nephrology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan
| | - Shu Yuan Yang
- Department and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan.,Department of Gynecology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kweishan, Taoyuan 333 Taiwan
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17
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Yang SY. Germline masculinization by Phf7 in D. melanogaster requires its evolutionarily novel C-terminus and the HP1-family protein HP1D3csd. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6308. [PMID: 33737548 PMCID: PMC7973481 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85560-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ cells in Drosophila melanogaster need intrinsic factors along with somatic signals to activate proper sexual programs. A key factor for male germline sex determination is PHD finger protein 7 (Phf7), a histone reader expressed in the male germline that can trigger sex reversal in female germ cells and is also important for efficient spermatogenesis. Here we find that the evolutionarily novel C-terminus in Phf7 is necessary to turn on the complete male program in the early germline of D. melanogaster, suggesting that this domain may have been uniquely acquired to regulate sexual differentiation. We further looked for genes regulated by Phf7 related to sex determination in the embryonic germline by transcriptome profiling of FACS-purified embryonic gonads. One of the genes positively-regulated by Phf7 in the embryonic germline was an HP1family member, Heterochromatin Protein 1D3 chromoshadow domain (HP1D3csd). We find that this gene is needed for Phf7 to induce male-like development in the female germline, indicating that HP1D3csd is an important factor acting downstream of Phf7 to regulate germline masculinization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Yuan Yang
- Department and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan. .,Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.
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18
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Absence of X-chromosome dosage compensation in the primordial germ cells of Drosophila embryos. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4890. [PMID: 33649478 PMCID: PMC7921590 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84402-7] [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] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Dosage compensation is a mechanism that equalizes sex chromosome gene expression between the sexes. In Drosophila, individuals with two X chromosomes (XX) become female, whereas males have one X chromosome (XY). In males, dosage compensation of the X chromosome in the soma is achieved by five proteins and two non-coding RNAs, which assemble into the male-specific lethal (MSL) complex to upregulate X-linked genes twofold. By contrast, it remains unclear whether dosage compensation occurs in the germline. To address this issue, we performed transcriptome analysis of male and female primordial germ cells (PGCs). We found that the expression levels of X-linked genes were approximately twofold higher in female PGCs than in male PGCs. Acetylation of lysine residue 16 on histone H4 (H4K16ac), which is catalyzed by the MSL complex, was undetectable in these cells. In male PGCs, hyperactivation of X-linked genes and H4K16ac were induced by overexpression of the essential components of the MSL complex, which were expressed at very low levels in PGCs. Together, these findings indicate that failure of MSL complex formation results in the absence of X-chromosome dosage compensation in male PGCs.
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19
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Zhang XJ, Li DD, Xu GF, Chen YQ, Zheng SC. Signal transducer and activator of transcription is involved in the expression regulation of ecdysteroid-induced insulin-like growth factor-like peptide in the pupal wing disc of silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 27:1186-1197. [PMID: 31724818 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12736] [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: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In insects, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and insulin-like growth factor-like peptides (IGFLPs) regulate the development of imaginal discs. However, how IGFLPs are up-regulated to impact the development of the pupal wing disc is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression regulation of IGFLP in the pupal wing disc of silkworm, Bombyx mori. We confirmed that B. mori IGFLP (BmIGFLP) was mainly expressed in the pupal wing disc and the expression of BmIGFLP could be significantly induced by 20E. Bioinformatics analysis of BmIGFLP promoter sequence revealed three cis-regulation elements (CREs) of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), which is a key component in the Janus-activated kinase / STAT pathway. Luciferase activity assays showed that two CREs enhanced the transcriptional activity of BmIGFLP. Electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that BmSTAT proteins in the nuclear extracts of B. mori pupal wing discs and BmN cells could only bind to the STAT CRE3, indicating that STAT CRE3 activated by BmSTAT enhances BmIGFLP expression at pupal stages. Although 20E could not enhance the expression of BmSTAT, 20E enhanced the nucleus translocation of BmSTAT to bind with the STAT CRE3 in the BmIGFLP promoter. The increase of transcriptional activity of the STAT CRE3 by overexpression of BmSTAT and addition of 20E in BmN cells confirmed this result. Taken together, all data indicate that BmSTAT is one of the transcription factors activating 20E-induced BmIGFLP expression in the pupal wing disc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Juan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dong-Dong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guan-Feng Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ya-Qing Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Si-Chun Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Applied Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Lu T, Mar JC. Investigating transcriptome-wide sex dimorphism by multi-level analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data in ten mouse cell types. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:61. [PMID: 33153500 PMCID: PMC7643324 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00335-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is a long established fact that sex is an important factor that influences the transcriptional regulatory processes of an organism. However, understanding sex-based differences in gene expression has been limited because existing studies typically sequence and analyze bulk tissue from female or male individuals. Such analyses average cell-specific gene expression levels where cell-to-cell variation can easily be concealed. We therefore sought to utilize data generated by the rapidly developing single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology to explore sex dimorphism and its functional consequences at the single cell level. METHODS Our study included scRNA-seq data of ten well-defined cell types from the brain and heart of female and male young adult mice in the publicly available tissue atlas dataset, Tabula Muris. We combined standard differential expression analysis with the identification of differential distributions in single cell transcriptomes to test for sex-based gene expression differences in each cell type. The marker genes that had sex-specific inter-cellular changes in gene expression formed the basis for further characterization of the cellular functions that were differentially regulated between the female and male cells. We also inferred activities of transcription factor-driven gene regulatory networks by leveraging knowledge of multidimensional protein-to-genome and protein-to-protein interactions and analyzed pathways that were potential modulators of sex differentiation and dimorphism. RESULTS For each cell type in this study, we identified marker genes with significantly different mean expression levels or inter-cellular distribution characteristics between female and male cells. These marker genes were enriched in pathways that were closely related to the biological functions of each cell type. We also identified sub-cell types that possibly carry out distinct biological functions that displayed discrepancies between female and male cells. Additionally, we found that while genes under differential transcriptional regulation exhibited strong cell type specificity, six core transcription factor families responsible for most sex-dimorphic transcriptional regulation activities were conserved across the cell types, including ASCL2, EGR, GABPA, KLF/SP, RXRα, and ZF. CONCLUSIONS We explored novel gene expression-based biomarkers, functional cell group compositions, and transcriptional regulatory networks associated with sex dimorphism with a novel computational pipeline. Our findings indicated that sex dimorphism might be widespread across the transcriptomes of cell types, cell type-specific, and impactful for regulating cellular activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyuan Lu
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.,Quantitative Life Sciences Program, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Jessica C Mar
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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21
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Smolko AE, Shapiro-Kulnane L, Salz HK. An autoregulatory switch in sex-specific phf7 transcription causes loss of sexual identity and tumors in the Drosophila female germline. Development 2020; 147:dev.192856. [PMID: 32816970 DOI: 10.1242/dev.192856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Maintenance of germ cell sexual identity is essential for reproduction. Entry into the spermatogenesis or oogenesis pathway requires that the appropriate gene network is activated and the antagonist network is silenced. For example, in Drosophila female germ cells, forced expression of the testis-specific PHD finger protein 7 (PHF7) disrupts oogenesis, leading to either an agametic or germ cell tumor phenotype. Here, we show that PHF7-expressing ovarian germ cells inappropriately express hundreds of genes, many of which are male germline genes. We find that the majority of genes under PHF7 control in female germ cells are not under PHF7 control in male germ cells, suggesting that PHF7 is acting in a tissue-specific manner. Remarkably, transcriptional reprogramming includes a positive autoregulatory feedback mechanism in which ectopic PHF7 overcomes its own transcriptional repression through promoter switching. Furthermore, we find that tumorigenic capacity is dependent on the dosage of phf7 This study reveals that ectopic PHF7 in female germ cells leads to a loss of sexual identity and the promotion of a regulatory circuit that is beneficial for tumor initiation and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Smolko
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-4955, USA
| | - Laura Shapiro-Kulnane
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-4955, USA
| | - Helen K Salz
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-4955, USA
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22
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Idrees M, Oh SH, Muhammad T, El-Sheikh M, Song SH, Lee KL, Kong IK. Growth Factors, and Cytokines; Understanding the Role of Tyrosine Phosphatase SHP2 in Gametogenesis and Early Embryo Development. Cells 2020; 9:cells9081798. [PMID: 32751109 PMCID: PMC7465981 DOI: 10.3390/cells9081798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth factors and cytokines have vital roles in germ cell development, gamete maturation, and early embryo development. Cell surface receptors are present for growth factors and cytokines to integrate with and trigger protein signaling in the germ and embryo intracellular milieu. Src-homology-2-containing phosphotyrosine phosphatase (SHP2) is a ubiquitously expressed, multifunctional protein that plays a central role in the signaling pathways involved in growth factor receptors, cytokine receptors, integrins, and G protein-coupled receptors. Over recent decades, researchers have recapitulated the protein signaling networks that influence gamete progenitor specification as well as gamete differentiation and maturation. SHP2 plays an indispensable role in cellular growth, survival, proliferation, differentiation, and migration, as well as the basic events in gametogenesis and early embryo development. SHP2, a classic cytosolic protein and a key regulator of signal transduction, displays unconventional nuclear expression in the genital organs. Several observations provided shreds of evidence that this behavior is essential for fertility. The growth factor and cytokine-dependent roles of SHP2 and its nuclear/cytoplasmic presence during gamete maturation, early embryonic development and embryo implantation are fascinating and complex subjects. This review is intended to summarize the previous and recent knowledge about the SHP2 functions in gametogenesis and early embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Idrees
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Plus), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (M.I.); (S.-H.O.); (M.E.-S.)
| | - Seon-Hwa Oh
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Plus), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (M.I.); (S.-H.O.); (M.E.-S.)
| | - Tahir Muhammad
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada;
| | - Marwa El-Sheikh
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Plus), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (M.I.); (S.-H.O.); (M.E.-S.)
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt
| | - Seok-Hwan Song
- The King Kong Ltd., Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (S.-H.S.); (K.-L.L.)
| | - Kyeong-Lim Lee
- The King Kong Ltd., Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (S.-H.S.); (K.-L.L.)
| | - Il-Keun Kong
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Plus), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (M.I.); (S.-H.O.); (M.E.-S.)
- The King Kong Ltd., Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Korea; (S.-H.S.); (K.-L.L.)
- Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Gyeongnam Province, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-55-772-1942
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23
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Jin K, Li D, Jin J, Song J, Zhang Y, Chang G, Chen G, Li B. C1EIP Functions as an Activator of ENO1 to Promote Chicken PGCs Formation via Inhibition of the Notch Signaling Pathway. Front Genet 2020; 11:751. [PMID: 32849782 PMCID: PMC7396672 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The production of germ cells, especially primordial germ cells (PGCs), is important for avian stem cells and reproduction biology. However, key factors involved in the regulation of PGCs remain unknown. Here, we report a PGC-related marker gene: C1EIP (Chromosome 1 Expression in PGCs), whose activation and expression are regulated by the transcription factor STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3), histone acetylation, and promoter methylation. C1EIP regulates PGCs formation by mediating the expression of PGC-associated genes, such as CVH (Chicken Vasa Homologous) and CKIT (Chicken KIT proto-oncogene). C1EIP knockdown during embryonic development reduces PGC generation efficiency both in vitro and in ovo. Conversely, C1EIP overexpression increases the formation efficiency of PGCs. C1EIP encodes a cytoplasmic protein that interacts with ENO1 (Enolase 1) in the cytoplasm, inhibits the Notch signaling pathway, and positively regulates PGC generation. Collectively, our findings demonstrate C1EIP as a novel gene involved in PGC formation, which regulates genes involved in embryonic stem cell differentiation through interaction with ENO1 and subsequent inhibition of the Notch signaling pathway by the impression of Myc (MYC proto-oncogene).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Jin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Dong Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Jin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jiuzhou Song
- Animal & Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Yani Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Guobing Chang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Guohong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Bichun Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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24
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Paternal restraint stress affects offspring metabolism via ATF-2 dependent mechanisms in Drosophila melanogaster germ cells. Commun Biol 2020; 3:208. [PMID: 32367035 PMCID: PMC7198565 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-0935-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Paternal environmental factors can epigenetically influence gene expressions in offspring. We demonstrate that restraint stress, an experimental model for strong psychological stress, to fathers affects the epigenome, transcriptome, and metabolome of offspring in a MEKK1-dATF2 pathway-dependent manner in Drosophila melanogaster. Genes involved in amino acid metabolism are upregulated by paternal restraint stress, while genes involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle are downregulated. The effects of paternal restraint stress are also confirmed by metabolome analysis. dATF-2 is highly expressed in testicular germ cells, and restraint stress also induces p38 activation in the testes. Restraint stress induces Unpaired 3 (Upd3), a Drosophila homolog of Interleukin 6 (IL-6). Moreover, paternal overexpression of upd3 in somatic cells disrupts heterochromatin in offspring but not in offspring from dATF-2 mutant fathers. These results indicate that paternal restraint stress affects metabolism in offspring via inheritance of dATF-2-dependent epigenetic changes. Ki-Hyeon Seong et al. report that paternal environmental stress affects the metabolism of their offspring in Drosophila melanogaster. They exposed male flies to stress by preventing them from moving for 10 hours at a time and then measured gene expression and metabolite levels in their offspring, who showed increased expression of amino acid and one-carbon metabolism-related genes and downregulation of glycolysis and the TCA cycle.
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Camara N, Whitworth C, Dove A, Van Doren M. Doublesex controls specification and maintenance of the gonad stem cell niches in Drosophila. Development 2019; 146:dev.170001. [PMID: 31043421 DOI: 10.1242/dev.170001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sex-specific development of the gonads is a key aspect of sexual dimorphism that is regulated by Doublesex/Mab3-related transcription factors (DMRTs) in diverse animal species. We find that in mutants for Drosophila dsx, important components of the male and female gonad stem cell niches (hubs and terminal filaments/cap cells, respectively) still form. Initially, gonads in all dsx mutants (both XX and XY) initiate the male program of development, but later half of these gonads switch to form female stem cell niche structures. One individual can have both male-type and female-type gonad niches; however, male and female niches are usually not observed in the same gonad, indicating that cells make a 'group decision' about which program to follow. We conclude that dsx does not act in an instructive manner to regulate male versus female niche formation, as these structures form in the absence of dsx function. Instead, dsx acts to 'tip the balance' between the male or female programs, which are then executed independently of dsx We show that bric a brac acts downstream of dsx to control the male versus female niche decision. These results indicate that, in both flies and mammals, the sexual fate of the somatic gonad is remarkably plastic and is controlled by a combination of autonomous and non-autonomous cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Camara
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Cale Whitworth
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Abigail Dove
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Mark Van Doren
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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Li X, Jin B, Dong Y, Chen X, Tu Z, Gu J. Two of the three Transformer-2 genes are required for ovarian development in Aedes albopictus. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 109:92-105. [PMID: 30914323 PMCID: PMC6636634 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, transformer-2 (tra2) plays an essential role in the sex-specific splicing of doublesex (dsx) and fruitless (fru), two key transcription factor genes that program sexual differentiation and regulate sexual behavior. In the present study, the sequences and expression profiles of three tra2 (Aalbtra2) genes in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Ae. albopictus) were characterized. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these paralogs resulted from two duplication events. The first occurred in the common ancestor of Culicidae, giving rise to the tra2-α and tra2-β clades that are found across divergent mosquito genera, including Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles. The second occurred within the tra2-α clade, giving rise to tra2-γ in Ae. albopictus. In addition to the conserved RNA recognition motif (RRM), arginine-rich/serine-rich regions (RS domains) and a linker region, a glycine-rich region located between the RRM and RS2 was observed in Tra2-α and Tra2-γ of Ae. albopictus that has not yet been described in the Tra2 proteins of dipteran insects. Quantitative real-time PCR detected relatively high levels of transcripts from all three tra2 paralogs in 0-2 h embryos, suggesting maternal deposition of these transcripts. All three Aalbtra2 genes were highly expressed in the ovary, while Aalbtra2-β was also highly expressed in the testis. RNAi-mediated knockdown of any or all Aalbtra2 genes did not result in an obvious switch of the sex-specificity in dsx and fru splicing in the whole-body samples. However, knockdown of transcripts from all three tra2 genes significantly reduced the female isoform of dsx mRNA and increased the male isoform of the dsx mRNA in both the ovary and the fat body in adult females. Furthermore, knockdown of either Aalbtra2-α or Aalbtra2-γ or all three Aalbtra2 led to a decrease in ovariole number and ovary size after a blood meal. Taken together, these results indicate that two of the three tra2 genes affect female ovarian development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaocong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China
| | - Binbin Jin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China
| | - Yunqiao Dong
- Reproductive Medical Centre of Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511442, China
| | - Xiaoguang Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China.
| | - Zhijian Tu
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
| | - Jinbao Gu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China.
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Herrera SC, Bach EA. JAK/STAT signaling in stem cells and regeneration: from Drosophila to vertebrates. Development 2019; 146:dev167643. [PMID: 30696713 PMCID: PMC6361132 DOI: 10.1242/dev.167643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The JAK/STAT pathway is a conserved metazoan signaling system that transduces cues from extracellular cytokines into transcriptional changes in the nucleus. JAK/STAT signaling is best known for its roles in immunity. However, recent work has demonstrated that it also regulates critical homeostatic processes in germline and somatic stem cells, as well as regenerative processes in several tissues, including the gonad, intestine and appendages. Here, we provide an overview of JAK/STAT signaling in stem cells and regeneration, focusing on Drosophila and highlighting JAK/STAT pathway functions in proliferation, survival and cell competition that are conserved between Drosophila and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvador C Herrera
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Erika A Bach
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Stem Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Trivedi S, Starz-Gaiano M. Drosophila Jak/STAT Signaling: Regulation and Relevance in Human Cancer and Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19124056. [PMID: 30558204 PMCID: PMC6320922 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19124056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past three-decades, Janus kinase (Jak) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling has emerged as a paradigm to understand the involvement of signal transduction in development and disease pathology. At the molecular level, cytokines and interleukins steer Jak/STAT signaling to transcriptional regulation of target genes, which are involved in cell differentiation, migration, and proliferation. Jak/STAT signaling is involved in various types of blood cell disorders and cancers in humans, and its activation is associated with carcinomas that are more invasive or likely to become metastatic. Despite immense information regarding Jak/STAT regulation, the signaling network has numerous missing links, which is slowing the progress towards developing drug therapies. In mammals, many components act in this cascade, with substantial cross-talk with other signaling pathways. In Drosophila, there are fewer pathway components, which has enabled significant discoveries regarding well-conserved regulatory mechanisms. Work across species illustrates the relevance of these regulators in humans. In this review, we showcase fundamental Jak/STAT regulation mechanisms in blood cells, stem cells, and cell motility. We examine the functional relevance of key conserved regulators from Drosophila to human cancer stem cells and metastasis. Finally, we spotlight less characterized regulators of Drosophila Jak/STAT signaling, which stand as promising candidates to be investigated in cancer biology. These comparisons illustrate the value of using Drosophila as a model for uncovering the roles of Jak/STAT signaling and the molecular means by which the pathway is controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny Trivedi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA.
| | - Michelle Starz-Gaiano
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA.
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Anllo L, Plasschaert LW, Sui J, DiNardo S. Live imaging reveals hub cell assembly and compaction dynamics during morphogenesis of the Drosophila testis niche. Dev Biol 2018; 446:102-118. [PMID: 30553808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Adult stem cells are often found in specialized niches, where the constituent cells direct self-renewal of their stem cell pool. The niche is therefore crucial for both normal homeostasis and tissue regeneration. In many mammalian tissues, niche cells have classically been difficult to identify, which has hampered any understanding of how tissues first construct niches during development. Fortunately, the Drosophila germline stem cell (GSC) niche is well defined, allowing for unambiguous identification of both niche cells and resident stem cells. The testis niche first forms in the early embryo, during a late stage of gonadogenesis. Here, using live-imaging both in vivo and ex vivo, we follow pro-niche cells as they assemble and assume their final form. We show that after ex vivo culture the niche appears fully functional, as judged by enrichment of adhesion proteins, the ability to activate STAT in adjacent GSCs, and to direct GSCs to divide orthogonally to the niche, just as they would in situ. Collectively, our imaging has generated several novel insights on niche morphogenesis that could not be inferred from fixed images alone. We identify dynamic processes that constitute an assembly phase and a compaction phase during morphogenesis. The compaction phase correlates with cell neighbor exchange among the assembled pro-niche cells, as well as a burst of divisions among newly recruited stem cells. Before compaction, an assembly phase involves the movement of pro-niche cells along the outer periphery of the gonad, using the extracellular matrix (ECM) to assemble at the anterior of the gonad. Finally, live-imaging in integrin mutants allows us to define the role of pro-niche cell-ECM interaction with regard to the new assembly and compaction dynamics revealed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Anllo
- The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; The Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
| | - Lindsey W Plasschaert
- The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; The Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
| | - Justin Sui
- The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; The Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
| | - Stephen DiNardo
- The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; The Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 421 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
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Wang L, Jiang Z, Huang D, Duan J, Huang C, Sullivan S, Vali K, Yin Y, Zhang M, Wegrzyn J, Tian XC, Tang Y. JAK/STAT3 regulated global gene expression dynamics during late-stage reprogramming process. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:183. [PMID: 29510661 PMCID: PMC5840728 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4507-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has underdefined mechanisms. In addition, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) activated Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) pathway is the master regulator for naïve-state pluripotency achievement and maintenance. However, the regulatory process to attain naïve pluripotent iPSCs is not well understood. Results We performed transcriptome analysis to dissect the genomic expression during mouse iPSC induction, with or without blocking the JAK/STAT3 activity. We describe JAK/STAT3 signaling-specific biological events such as gametogenesis, meiotic/mitotic cell cycle, and DNA repair, and JAK/STAT3-dependent expression of key transcription factors such as the naïve pluripotency-specific genes, developmental pluripotency associated (Dppa) family, along with histone modifiers and non-coding RNAs in reprogramming. We discover that JAK/STAT3 activity does not affect early phase mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) but is necessary for proper imprinting of the Dlk1-Dio3 region, an essential event for pluripotency achievement at late-reprogramming stage. This correlates with the JAK/STAT3-dependent stimulation of Dppa3 and Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) genes. We further demonstrate that JAK/STAT3 activity is essential for DNA demethylation of pluripotent loci including Oct4, Nanog, and the Dlk1-Dio3 regions. These findings correlate well with the previously identified STAT3 direct targets. We further propose a model of pluripotency achievement regulated by JAK/STAT3 signaling during the reprogramming process. Conclusions Our study illustrates novel insights for JAK/STAT3 promoted pluripotency establishment, which are valuable for further improving the naïve-pluripotent iPSC generation across different species including humans. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4507-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wang
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Zongliang Jiang
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.,Present address: School of Animal Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Delun Huang
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingyue Duan
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Chang Huang
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Shannon Sullivan
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Kaneha Vali
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Yexuan Yin
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jill Wegrzyn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Computational Biology Core, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Xiuchun Cindy Tian
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - Young Tang
- Department of Animal Science, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
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Grmai L, Hudry B, Miguel-Aliaga I, Bach EA. Chinmo prevents transformer alternative splicing to maintain male sex identity. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007203. [PMID: 29389999 PMCID: PMC5811060 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproduction in sexually dimorphic animals relies on successful gamete production, executed by the germline and aided by somatic support cells. Somatic sex identity in Drosophila is instructed by sex-specific isoforms of the DMRT1 ortholog Doublesex (Dsx). Female-specific expression of Sex-lethal (Sxl) causes alternative splicing of transformer (tra) to the female isoform traF. In turn, TraF alternatively splices dsx to the female isoform dsxF. Loss of the transcriptional repressor Chinmo in male somatic stem cells (CySCs) of the testis causes them to "feminize", resembling female somatic stem cells in the ovary. This somatic sex transformation causes a collapse of germline differentiation and male infertility. We demonstrate this feminization occurs by transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of traF. We find that chinmo-deficient CySCs upregulate tra mRNA as well as transcripts encoding tra-splice factors Virilizer (Vir) and Female lethal (2)d (Fl(2)d). traF splicing in chinmo-deficient CySCs leads to the production of DsxF at the expense of the male isoform DsxM, and both TraF and DsxF are required for CySC sex transformation. Surprisingly, CySC feminization upon loss of chinmo does not require Sxl but does require Vir and Fl(2)d. Consistent with this, we show that both Vir and Fl(2)d are required for tra alternative splicing in the female somatic gonad. Our work reveals the need for transcriptional regulation of tra in adult male stem cells and highlights a previously unobserved Sxl-independent mechanism of traF production in vivo. In sum, transcriptional control of the sex determination hierarchy by Chinmo is critical for sex maintenance in sexually dimorphic tissues and is vital in the preservation of fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Grmai
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Bruno Hudry
- MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Irene Miguel-Aliaga
- MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Erika A. Bach
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Kimmel Stem Cell Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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32
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Salz HK, Dawson EP, Heaney JD. Germ cell tumors: Insights from the Drosophila ovary and the mouse testis. Mol Reprod Dev 2017; 84:200-211. [PMID: 28079292 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian and testicular germ cell tumors of young adults are thought to arise from defects in germ cell development, but the molecular mechanisms underlying malignant transformation are poorly understood. In this review, we focus on the biology of germ cell tumor formation in the Drosophila ovary and the mouse testis, for which evidence supports common underlying mechanisms, such as blocking initiation into the differentiation pathway, impaired lineage progression, and sexual identity instability. We then discuss how these concepts inform our understanding of the disease in humans. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 84: 200-211, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen K Salz
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Emily P Dawson
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Jason D Heaney
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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Ota R, Morita S, Sato M, Shigenobu S, Hayashi M, Kobayashi S. Transcripts immunoprecipitated with Sxl protein in primordial germ cells of Drosophila embryos. Dev Growth Differ 2017; 59:713-723. [PMID: 29124738 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In Drosophila, Sex lethal (Sxl), an RNA binding protein, is required for induction of female sexual identity in both somatic and germline cells. Although the Sxl-dependent feminizing pathway in the soma was previously elucidated, the downstream targets for Sxl in the germline remained elusive. To identify these target genes, we selected transcripts associated with Sxl in primordial germ cells (PGCs) of embryos using RNA immunoprecipitation coupled to sequencing (RIP-seq) analysis. A total of 308 transcripts encoded by 282 genes were obtained. Seven of these genes, expressed at higher levels in PGCs as determined by microarray and in situ hybridization analyses, were subjected to RNAi-mediated functional analyses. Knockdown of Neos, Kap-alpha3, and CG32075 throughout germline development caused gonadal dysgenesis in a sex-dependent manner, and Su(var)2-10 knockdown caused gonadal dysgenesis in both sexes. Moreover, as with knockdown of Sxl, knockdown of Su(var)2-10 in PGCs gave rise to a tumorous phenotype of germline cells in ovaries. Because this phenotype indicates loss of female identity of germline cells, we consider Su(var)2-10 to be a strong candidate target of Sxl in PGCs. Our results represent a first step toward elucidating the Sxl-dependent feminizing pathway in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoma Ota
- Life Science Center of Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA Center), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Shumpei Morita
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Masanao Sato
- Laboratory of Applied Molecular Entomology, Division of Applied Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan
| | - Shuji Shigenobu
- Functional Genomics Facility, NIBB Core Research Facilities, National Institute for Basic Biology, Nishigo-naka 38, Myodaiji, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Makoto Hayashi
- Life Science Center of Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA Center), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Satoru Kobayashi
- Life Science Center of Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA Center), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8577, Japan.,Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8572, Japan
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Eun SH, Feng L, Cedeno-Rosario L, Gan Q, Wei G, Cui K, Zhao K, Chen X. Polycomb Group Gene E(z) Is Required for Spermatogonial Dedifferentiation in Drosophila Adult Testis. J Mol Biol 2017; 429:2030-2041. [PMID: 28434938 PMCID: PMC5516936 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2017.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Dedifferentiation is an important process to replenish lost stem cells during aging or regeneration after injury to maintain tissue homeostasis. Here, we report that Enhancer of Zeste [E(z)], a component of the Polycomb repression complex 2 (PRC2), is required to maintain a stable pool of germline stem cells (GSCs) within the niche microenvironment. During aging, germ cells with reduced E(z) activity cannot meet that requirement, but the defect arises from neither increased GSC death nor premature differentiation. Instead, we found evidence that the decrease of GSCs upon the inactivation of E(z) in the germline could be attributed to defective dedifferentiation. During recovery from genetically manipulated GSC depletion, E(z) knockdown germ cells also fail to replenish lost GSCs. Taken together, our data suggest that E(z) acts intrinsically in germ cells to activate dedifferentiation and thus replenish lost GSCs during both aging and tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk Ho Eun
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Lijuan Feng
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Luis Cedeno-Rosario
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Qiang Gan
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Gang Wei
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kairong Cui
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Keji Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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35
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JAK-STAT signaling regulation of chicken embryonic stem cell differentiation into male germ cells. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2017; 53:728-743. [PMID: 28597334 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-017-0167-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling is crucial in chicken germ stem cell differentiation, but its role in the regulation of germ cell differentiation is unknown. To address this, cucurbitacin I or interleukin 6 was used to inhibit or activate JAK-STAT signaling during embryonic stem cells (ESCs) differentiation. The expression of downstream JAK-STAT signaling molecules was assessed by Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). PAS, and immunohistochemical staining of frozen sections was used to determine the appearance of primordial germ cells (PGCs) and, later, spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) during gonadal development. Inhibition of the JAK-STAT signaling resulted in decreased expression of JAK2 and STAT3 as well as of PGCs markers; moreover, the proportion of CVH and C-KIT positive cells as well as the yield of PGCs were remarkably decreased, and the gonad was smaller than that of control samples. Conversely, activation of JAK-STAT resulted in increased expression of JAK2 and STAT3 as well as that of PGC marker CVH. In addition, the proportion of CVH and C-KIT-positive cells as well as the PGC yield was increased, and the gonad was significantly larger than that from control samples. Collectively, our results suggested that JAK-STAT effectively promoted the formation of PGCs in the genital ridge during early embryogenesis in vivo and played a positive role in the regulation of ESC to SSC differentiation in vitro, with JAK2 and STAT3 functioning as pivotal factors for intracellular signal transduction.
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Control of a Novel Spermatocyte-Promoting Factor by the Male Germline Sex Determination Factor PHF7 of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2017; 206:1939-1949. [PMID: 28588035 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.199935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A key aspect of germ cell development is to establish germline sexual identity and initiate a sex-specific developmental program to promote spermatogenesis or oogenesis. Previously, we have identified the histone reader Plant Homeodomain Finger 7 (PHF7) as an important regulator of male germline identity. To understand how PHF7 directs sexual differentiation of the male germline, we investigated the downstream targets of PHF7 by combining transcriptome analyses, which reveal genes regulated by Phf7, with genomic profiling of histone H3K4me2, the chromatin mark that is bound by PHF7. Through these genomic experiments, we identify a novel spermatocyte factor Receptor Accessory Protein Like 1 (REEPL1) that can promote spermatogenesis and whose expression is kept off by PHF7 in the spermatogonial stage. Loss of Reepl1 significantly rescues the spermatogenesis defects in Phf7 mutants, indicating that regulation of Reepl1 is an essential aspect of PHF7 function. Further, increasing REEPL1 expression facilitates spermatogenic differentiation. These results indicate that PHF7 controls spermatogenesis by regulating the expression patterns of important male germline genes.
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Feng L, Shi Z, Chen X. Enhancer of polycomb coordinates multiple signaling pathways to promote both cyst and germline stem cell differentiation in the Drosophila adult testis. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006571. [PMID: 28196077 PMCID: PMC5308785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells reside in a particular microenvironment known as a niche. The interaction between extrinsic cues originating from the niche and intrinsic factors in stem cells determines their identity and activity. Maintenance of stem cell identity and stem cell self-renewal are known to be controlled by chromatin factors. Herein, we use the Drosophila adult testis which has two adult stem cell lineages, the germline stem cell (GSC) lineage and the cyst stem cell (CySC) lineage, to study how chromatin factors regulate stem cell differentiation. We find that the chromatin factor Enhancer of Polycomb [E(Pc)] acts in the CySC lineage to negatively control transcription of genes associated with multiple signaling pathways, including JAK-STAT and EGF, to promote cellular differentiation in the CySC lineage. E(Pc) also has a non-cell-autonomous role in regulating GSC lineage differentiation. When E(Pc) is specifically inactivated in the CySC lineage, defects occur in both germ cell differentiation and maintenance of germline identity. Furthermore, compromising Tip60 histone acetyltransferase activity in the CySC lineage recapitulates loss-of-function phenotypes of E(Pc), suggesting that Tip60 and E(Pc) act together, consistent with published biochemical data. In summary, our results demonstrate that E(Pc) plays a central role in coordinating differentiation between the two adult stem cell lineages in Drosophila testes. Tissue maintenance and repair rely on adult stem cells, which can divide to generate new stem cells as well as cells committed for becoming specific cell types. Stem cell activity needs to be tightly controlled because insufficient or unlimited stem cell division may lead to tissue degeneration or tumorigenesis. This control depends not only on stem cells themselves, but also on the microenvironment where stem cells reside. The chromatin structure of stem cells is crucial to determine their activities. The signaling pathways connecting stem cells with their microenvironment is also important. Here we ask how chromatin factors interact with signaling pathways in determining stem cell activity. We use Drosophila adult testis as a model system, in which two types of stem cells co-exist and interact: germline stem cells and somatic stem cells. We find that a chromatin regulator called Enhancer of Polycomb [E(Pc)] acts in somatic cells to promote germ cell differentiation and maintain germ cell fate. This regulation is mediated by several signaling pathways, such as EGF and JAK-STAT pathways. E(Pc) also works with another chromatin regulator, the histone acetyltransferase Tip60, in somatic cells. Insufficient activity of the E(Pc) homolog in human leads to cancers. Our studies of E(Pc) may help understanding its roles as a tumor suppressor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Feng
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Zhen Shi
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Li J, Zhang L, Li B. Correlative study on the JAK-STAT/PSMβ3 signal transduction pathway in asthenozoospermia. Exp Ther Med 2016; 13:127-130. [PMID: 28123480 PMCID: PMC5245151 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2016.3959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible mechanism of Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transduction and activator of transcription (STAT)/PSMβ3 signaling in the occurrence of asthenozoospermia. We examined seminal fluid samples from 30 cases of asthenozoospermia and 30 healthy controls. Sperm was collected using the Percoll density gradient centrifugation method. The expression of JAK, STAT and PSMβ3 mRNA was assessed by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR and the protein levels of p-JAK, p-STAT and PSMβ3 were measured by western blot analysis. The PSMβ3 mRNA and protein expression levels were also measured after application of a JAK inhibitor, AG-490, to the control group, with a FITC-labeled monoclonal rabbit anti-human PSMβ3 primary antibody. The cells were observed under a laser confocal microscope. The mRNA levels of JAK, STAT and PSMβ3 in asthenozoospermia were decreased significantly (P<0.05). The protein levels of p-JAK, p-STAT and PSMβ3 in asthenozoospermia were also reduced and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The PSMβ3 mRNA and protein expression levels were decreased in the control group after treatment with the JAK inhibitor, and levels were approximately equal to those of the asthenozoospermia group. PSMβ3 was mainly expressed in round-headed sperm, and less in asthenozoospermia. In conclusion, the JAK-STAT/PSMβ3 signaling transduction pathway may be involved in the pathogenic mechanism of asthenozoospermia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junguo Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, General Hospital of Beijing Military Region, Beijing 100700, P.R. China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Information, General Hospital of Beijing Military Region, Beijing 100700, P.R. China
| | - Bing Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital of Beijing Military Region, Beijing 100700, P.R. China
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Li D, Ji Y, Wang F, Wang Y, Wang M, Zhang C, Zhang W, Lu Z, Sun C, Ahmed MF, He N, Jin K, Cheng S, Wang Y, He Y, Song J, Zhang Y, Li B. Regulation of crucial lncRNAs in differentiation of chicken embryonic stem cells to spermatogonia stem cells. Anim Genet 2016; 48:191-204. [PMID: 27862128 DOI: 10.1111/age.12510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of crucial lncRNAs involved in differentiation of chicken embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to spermatogonia stem cells (SSCs) was explored by sequencing the transcriptome of ESCs, primordial germ cells (PGCs) and SSCs with RNA-Seq; analytical bioinformatic methods were used to excavate candidate lncRNAs. We detected expression of candidate lncRNAs in ESCs, PGCs and SSCs and forecasted related target genes. Utilizing wego, david and string, function and protein-protein interactions of target genes were analyzed. Finally, based on string analysis, interaction diagrams and relevant signaling pathways were established. Our results indicate a total of 9657 lncRNAs in ESCs, PGCs and SSCs, with 3549 defined as significantly different. We screened 20 candidate lncRNAs, each demonstrating a greater than eight-fold difference in |logFC| value between groups (ESCs vs. PGCs, ESCs vs. SSCs and PGCs vs. SSCs) or specifically expressed in an individual cell type. qRT-PCR results indicated that expression tendencies of candidate lncRNAs were consistent with RNA-Seq. Fifteen cis and four trans target genes were forecasted. Based on wego and string analyses, we found lnc-SSC1, lnc-SSC5, lnc-SSC2 and lnc-ESC2 negatively regulated target genes SUFU, EPHA3, KLF3, ARL3 and TRIM8, whereas SHH, NOTCH, TGF-β, cAMP/cGMP and JAK/STAT signaling pathways were promoted, causing differentiation of ESCs into SSCs. Our findings represent a preliminary unveiling of lncRNA-associated regulatory mechanisms during differentiation of chicken ESCs into SSCs, filling a research void in male germ cell differentiation related to lncRNA. Our results also provide basic information for improving in vitro induction systems for differentiation of chicken ESCs into SSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Li
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Y Ji
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - F Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Y Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - M Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - C Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - W Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Z Lu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - C Sun
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - M F Ahmed
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - N He
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - K Jin
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - S Cheng
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Y Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Y He
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - J Song
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Y Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - B Li
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
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Ma Q, de Cuevas M, Matunis EL. Chinmo is sufficient to induce male fate in somatic cells of the adult Drosophila ovary. Development 2016; 143:754-63. [PMID: 26811385 DOI: 10.1242/dev.129627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Sexual identity is continuously maintained in specific differentiated cell types long after sex determination occurs during development. In the adult Drosophila testis, the putative transcription factor Chronologically inappropriate morphogenesis (Chinmo) acts with the canonical male sex determinant DoublesexM (Dsx(M)) to maintain the male identity of somatic cyst stem cells and their progeny. Here we find that ectopic expression of chinmo is sufficient to induce a male identity in adult ovarian somatic cells, but it acts through a Dsx(M)-independent mechanism. Conversely, the feminization of the testis somatic stem cell lineage caused by loss of chinmo is enhanced by expression of the canonical female sex determinant Dsx(F), indicating that chinmo acts in parallel with the canonical sex determination pathway to maintain the male identity of testis somatic cells. Consistent with this finding, ectopic expression of female sex determinants in the adult testis disrupts tissue morphology. The miRNA let-7 downregulates chinmo in many contexts, and ectopic expression of let-7 in the adult testis is sufficient to recapitulate the chinmo loss-of-function phenotype, but we find no apparent phenotypes upon removal of let-7 in the adult ovary or testis. Our finding that chinmo is necessary and sufficient to promote a male identity in adult gonadal somatic cells suggests that the sexual identity of somatic cells can be reprogrammed in the adult Drosophila ovary as well as in the testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ma
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Margaret de Cuevas
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Erika L Matunis
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Noble DC, Aoki ST, Ortiz MA, Kim KW, Verheyden JM, Kimble J. Genomic Analyses of Sperm Fate Regulator Targets Reveal a Common Set of Oogenic mRNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2016; 202:221-34. [PMID: 26564160 PMCID: PMC4701086 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.182592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ cell specification as sperm or oocyte is an ancient cell fate decision, but its molecular regulation is poorly understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the FOG-1 and FOG-3 proteins behave genetically as terminal regulators of sperm fate specification. Both are homologous to well-established RNA regulators, suggesting that FOG-1 and FOG-3 specify the sperm fate post-transcriptionally. We predicted that FOG-1 and FOG-3, as terminal regulators of the sperm fate, might regulate a battery of gamete-specific differentiation genes. Here we test that prediction by exploring on a genomic scale the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) associated with FOG-1 and FOG-3. Immunoprecipitation of the proteins and their associated mRNAs from spermatogenic germlines identifies 81 FOG-1 and 722 FOG-3 putative targets. Importantly, almost all FOG-1 targets are also FOG-3 targets, and these common targets are strongly biased for oogenic mRNAs. The discovery of common target mRNAs suggested that FOG-1 and FOG-3 work together. Consistent with that idea, we find that FOG-1 and FOG-3 proteins co-immunoprecipitate from both intact nematodes and mammalian tissue culture cells and that they colocalize in germ cells. Taking our results together, we propose a model in which FOG-1 and FOG-3 work in a complex to repress oogenic transcripts and thereby promote the sperm fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Noble
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Scott T Aoki
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Marco A Ortiz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Kyung Won Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Jamie M Verheyden
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Judith Kimble
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
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Abstract
The embryonic gonad of Drosophila melanogaster begins to display sexually dimorphic traits soon after its formation. Here we demonstrate the involvement of a wnt family ligand, wnt-2, in the induction of these sex-specific differences. We show that wnt-2 contributes to the survival of a male-specific population of somatic gonadal precursor cells (SGPs), the male-specific SGPs that are located at the posterior of the male gonad. We also show that the Wnt-2 ligand synergizes with the JAK-STAT ligand Upd, which is produced by SGPs at the anterior of the gonad to activate the STAT pathway in male germ cells. We suggest that the use of two spatially separated signaling systems to initiate the JAK-STAT stem cell maintenance pathway in germ cells provides a mechanism for increasing the pool of potential progenitors of the germline stem cells in the adult testes. Finally, we present evidence indicating that, like the JAK-STAT pathway, wnt-2 stimulates germ cells in male embryos to re-enter the cell cycle.
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Identification, gene expression and immune function of the novel Bm-STAT gene in virus-infected Bombyx mori. Gene 2015; 577:82-8. [PMID: 26592694 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2015.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Genes in the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family are vital for activities including gene expression and immune response. To investigate the functions of the silkworm Bombyx mori STAT (Bm-STAT) gene in antiviral immunity, two Bm-STAT gene isoforms, Bm-STAT-L for long form and Bm-STAT-S for short form, were cloned. Sequencing showed that the open reading frames were 2313 bp encoding 770 amino acid residues for Bm-STAT-L and 2202 bp encoding 734 amino acid residues for Bm-STAT-S. The C-terminal 42 amino acid residues of Bm-STAT-L were different from the last 7 amino acid residues of Bm-STAT-S. Immunofluorescence showed that Bm-STAT was primarily distributed in the nucleus. Transcription levels of Bm-STAT in different tissues were determined by quantitative PCR, and the results revealed Bm-STAT was mainly expressed in testes. Western blots showed two bands with molecular weights of 70 kDa and 130 kDa in testes, but no bands were detected in ovaries by using anti-Bm-STAT antibody as the primary antibody. Expression of Bm-STAT in hemolymph at 48 h post infection with B. mori macula-like virus (BmMLV) was slightly enhanced compared with controls, suggesting a weak response induced by infection with BmMLV. Hemocyte immunofluorescence showed that Bm-STAT expression was elevated in B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV)-infected cells. Moreover, resistance of BmN cells to BmNPV was reduced by downregulation of Bm-STAT expression and increased by upregulation. Resistance of BmN cells to BmCPV was not significantly improved by upregulating Bm-STAT expression. Therefore, we concluded that Bm-STAT is a newly identified insect gene of the STAT family. The JAK-STAT pathway has a more specialized role in antiviral defense in silkworms, but JAK-STAT pathway is not triggered in response to all viruses.
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Wingert L, DiNardo S. Traffic jam functions in a branched pathway from Notch activation to niche cell fate. Development 2015; 142:2268-77. [PMID: 26092848 DOI: 10.1242/dev.124230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The niche directs key behaviors of its resident stem cells, and is thus crucial for tissue maintenance, repair and longevity. However, little is known about the genetic pathways that guide niche specification and development. The male germline stem cell niche in Drosophila houses two stem cell populations and is specified within the embryonic gonad, thus making it an excellent model for studying niche development. The hub cells that form the niche are specified early by Notch activation. Over the next few hours, these individual cells then cluster together and take up a defined position before expressing markers of hub cell differentiation. This timing suggests that there are other factors for niche development yet to be defined. Here, we have identified a role for the large Maf transcription factor Traffic jam (Tj) in hub cell specification downstream of Notch. Tj downregulation is the first detectable effect of Notch activation in hub cells. Furthermore, Tj depletion is sufficient to generate ectopic hub cells that can recruit stem cells. Surprisingly, ectopic niche cells in tj mutants remain dispersed in the absence of Notch activation. This led us to uncover a branched pathway downstream of Notch in which Bowl functions to direct hub cell assembly in parallel to Tj downregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Wingert
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Stephen DiNardo
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Liu W, Liu J, Lu Y, Gong Y, Zhu M, Chen F, Liang Z, Zhu L, Kuang S, Hu X, Cao G, Xue R, Gong C. Immune signaling pathways activated in response to different pathogenic micro-organisms in Bombyx mori. Mol Immunol 2015; 65:391-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2015.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2014] [Revised: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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46
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Shapiro-Kulnane L, Smolko AE, Salz HK. Maintenance of Drosophila germline stem cell sexual identity in oogenesis and tumorigenesis. Development 2015; 142:1073-82. [PMID: 25758221 DOI: 10.1242/dev.116590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Adult stem cells maintain tissue homeostasis by balancing self-renewal and differentiation. In Drosophila females, germline stem cells (GSCs) require Sex lethal (Sxl) to exit the stem cell state and to enter the differentiation pathway. Without Sxl GSCs do not differentiate and instead form tumors. Previous studies have shown that these tumors are not caused by a failure in the self-renewal/differentiation switch. Here, we show that Sxl is also necessary for the cell-autonomous maintenance of germ cell female identity and demonstrate that tumors are caused by the acquisition of male characteristics. Germ cells without Sxl protein exhibit a global derepression of testis genes, including Phf7, a male germline sexual identity gene. Phf7 is a key effector of the tumor-forming pathway, as it is both necessary and sufficient for tumor formation. In the absence of Sxl protein, inappropriate Phf7 expression drives tumor formation through a cell-autonomous mechanism that includes sex-inappropriate activation of Jak/Stat signaling. Remarkably, tumor formation requires a novel response to external signals emanating from the GSC niche, highlighting the importance of interactions between mutant cells and the surrounding normal cells that make up the tumor microenvironment. Derepression of testis genes, and inappropriate Phf7 expression, is also observed in germ cell tumors arising from the loss of bag of marbles (bam), demonstrating that maintenance of female sexual identity requires the concerted actions of Sxl and bam. Our work reveals that GSCs must maintain their sexual identity as they are reprogrammed into a differentiated cell, or risk tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Shapiro-Kulnane
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-4955, USA
| | - Anne Elizabeth Smolko
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-4955, USA
| | - Helen Karen Salz
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-4955, USA
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Ren W, Zhang Y, Li M, Wu L, Wang G, Baeg GH, You J, Li Z, Lin X. Windpipe controls Drosophila intestinal homeostasis by regulating JAK/STAT pathway via promoting receptor endocytosis and lysosomal degradation. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005180. [PMID: 25923769 PMCID: PMC4414558 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The adult intestinal homeostasis is tightly controlled by proper proliferation and differentiation of intestinal stem cells. The JAK/STAT (Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription) signaling pathway is essential for the regulation of adult stem cell activities and maintenance of intestinal homeostasis. Currently, it remains largely unknown how JAK/STAT signaling activities are regulated in these processes. Here we have identified windpipe (wdp) as a novel component of the JAK/STAT pathway. We demonstrate that Wdp is positively regulated by JAK/STAT signaling in Drosophila adult intestines. Loss of wdp activity results in the disruption of midgut homeostasis under normal and regenerative conditions. Conversely, ectopic expression of Wdp inhibits JAK/STAT signaling activity. Importantly, we show that Wdp interacts with the receptor Domeless (Dome), and promotes its internalization for subsequent lysosomal degradation. Together, these data led us to propose that Wdp acts as a novel negative feedback regulator of the JAK/STAT pathway in regulating intestinal homeostasis. Effective tissue homeostasis requires a proper balance between the removal of dead cells and production of new cells. Due to environmental challenges, the Drosophila midgut epithelial cells are damaged from time to time and intestinal stem cells (ISC) can accelerate their proliferative rate to replace the lost midgut epithelium. The JAK/STAT pathway plays essential roles in these progresses. Upon damage, Upd ligands produced by dying enterocytes (ECs) activate JAK/STAT signaling in ISCs to promote their proliferation and differentiation. However, after damage how JAK/STAT signaling is switched from a highly active state to a homeostatic state is not yet fully understood. In this study, we identified the leucine rich repeats (LRR) protein Windpipe (Wdp) as a novel negative feedback regulator of JAK/STAT signaling during intestinal development. Wdp expression was induced by high levels of JAK/STAT signaling in intestines. And loss of Wdp leads to midgut homeostasis loss and increased ISC proliferation. Furthermore, we found Wdp in turn negatively regulates JAK/STAT signaling activity through promoting Domeless receptor endocytosis and lysosomal degradation. In this way, high levels of JAK/STAT signaling is switched off by Wdp, which ensure ISCs return to the homeostatic state after tissue damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyan Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Li
- School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China
| | - Longfei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guolun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gyeong-Hun Baeg
- Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jia You
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Zhouhua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (ZL); (XL)
| | - Xinhua Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail: (ZL); (XL)
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48
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Sex- and tissue-specific functions of Drosophila doublesex transcription factor target genes. Dev Cell 2015; 31:761-73. [PMID: 25535918 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 11/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Primary sex-determination "switches" evolve rapidly, but Doublesex (DSX)-related transcription factors (DMRTs) act downstream of these switches to control sexual development in most animal species. Drosophila dsx encodes female- and male-specific isoforms (DSX(F) and DSX(M)), but little is known about how dsx controls sexual development, whether DSX(F) and DSX(M) bind different targets, or how DSX proteins direct different outcomes in diverse tissues. We undertook genome-wide analyses to identify DSX targets using in vivo occupancy, binding site prediction, and evolutionary conservation. We find that DSX(F) and DSX(M) bind thousands of the same targets in multiple tissues in both sexes, yet these targets have sex- and tissue-specific functions. Interestingly, DSX targets show considerable overlap with targets identified for mouse DMRT1. DSX targets include transcription factors and signaling pathway components providing for direct and indirect regulation of sex-biased expression.
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The Jak-STAT target Chinmo prevents sex transformation of adult stem cells in the Drosophila testis niche. Dev Cell 2014; 31:474-86. [PMID: 25453558 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Local signals maintain adult stem cells in many tissues. Whether the sexual identity of adult stem cells must also be maintained was not known. In the adult Drosophila testis niche, local Jak-STAT signaling promotes somatic cyst stem cell (CySC) renewal through several effectors, including the putative transcription factor Chronologically inappropriate morphogenesis (Chinmo). Here, we find that Chinmo also prevents feminization of CySCs. Chinmo promotes expression of the canonical male sex determination factor DoublesexM (Dsx(M)) within CySCs and their progeny, and ectopic expression of DsxM in the CySC lineage partially rescues the chinmo sex transformation phenotype, placing Chinmo upstream of Dsx(M). The Dsx homolog DMRT1 prevents the male-to-female conversion of differentiated somatic cells in the adult mammalian testis, but its regulation is not well understood. Our work indicates that sex maintenance occurs in adult somatic stem cells and that this highly conserved process is governed by effectors of niche signals. PAPERCLIP:
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Whitworth C, Jimenez E, Van Doren M. Development of sexual dimorphism in the Drosophila testis. SPERMATOGENESIS 2014; 2:129-136. [PMID: 23087832 PMCID: PMC3469436 DOI: 10.4161/spmg.21780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The creation of sexual dimorphism in the gonads is essential for producing the male and female gametes required for sexual reproduction. Sexual development of the gonads involves both somatic cells and germ cells, which often undergo sex determination by different mechanisms. While many sex-specific characteristics evolve rapidly and are very different between animal species, gonad function and the formation of sperm and eggs appear more similar and may be more conserved. Consistent with this, the doublesex/mab3 Related Transcription factors (DMRTs) are important for gonad sexual dimorphism in a wide range of animals, including flies, worms and mammals. Here we explore how sexual dimorphism is regulated in the Drosophila gonad, focusing on recent discoveries relating to testis development. We will discuss how sex determination in both the germline and the soma are utilized to create a testis, including the role of the key somatic sex determination factor doublesex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cale Whitworth
- Department of Biology; The Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD USA
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