1
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Merle M, Friedman L, Chureau C, Shoushtarizadeh A, Gregor T. Precise and scalable self-organization in mammalian pseudo-embryos. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:896-902. [PMID: 38491138 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01251-4] [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: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Gene expression is inherently noisy, posing a challenge to understanding how precise and reproducible patterns of gene expression emerge in mammals. Here we investigate this phenomenon using gastruloids, a three-dimensional in vitro model for early mammalian development. Our study reveals intrinsic reproducibility in the self-organization of gastruloids, encompassing growth dynamics and gene expression patterns. We observe a remarkable degree of control over gene expression along the main body axis, with pattern boundaries positioned with single-cell precision. Furthermore, as gastruloids grow, both their physical proportions and gene expression patterns scale proportionally with system size. Notably, these properties emerge spontaneously in self-organizing cell aggregates, distinct from many in vivo systems constrained by fixed boundary conditions. Our findings shed light on the intricacies of developmental precision, reproducibility and size scaling within a mammalian system, suggesting that these phenomena might constitute fundamental features of multicellularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélody Merle
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, CNRS UMR3738 Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Leah Friedman
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, CNRS UMR3738 Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Corinne Chureau
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, CNRS UMR3738 Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Armin Shoushtarizadeh
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, CNRS UMR3738 Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Gregor
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, CNRS UMR3738 Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
- Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics & Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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2
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Nikolić M, Antonetti V, Liu F, Muhaxheri G, Petkova MD, Scheeler M, Smith EM, Bialek W, Gregor T. Scale invariance in early embryonic development. ARXIV 2023:arXiv:2312.17684v1. [PMID: 38235065 PMCID: PMC10793483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The body plan of the fruit fly is determined by the expression of just a handful of genes. We show that the spatial patterns of expression for several of these genes scale precisely with the size of the embryo. Concretely, discrete positional markers such as the peaks in striped patterns have absolute positions along the anterior-posterior axis that are proportional to embryo length, with better than 1% accuracy. Further, the information (in bits) that graded patterns of expression provide about position can be decomposed into information about fractional or scaled position and information about absolute position or embryo length; all of the available information is about scaled position, again with ~ 1% accuracy. These observations suggest that the underlying genetic network exhibits scale invariance in a deeper mathematical sense. Taking this mathematical statement seriously requires that the network dynamics have a zero mode, which connects to many other observations on this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miloš Nikolić
- Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics and Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
| | - Victoria Antonetti
- Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics and Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Center for Quantitative Biology and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 China
| | - Feng Liu
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Center for Quantitative Biology and School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 China
| | - Gentian Muhaxheri
- Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics and Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Department of Physics, Lehman College, City University of New York, Bronx, NY 10468 USA
| | | | - Martin Scheeler
- Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics and Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
| | - Eric M Smith
- Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics and Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
| | - William Bialek
- Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics and Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Initiative for the Theoretical Sciences, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Thomas Gregor
- Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics and Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology UMR3738, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
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3
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Stojanovski K, Gheorghe I, Lenart P, Lanjuin A, Mair WB, Towbin BD. Maintenance of appropriate size scaling of the C. elegans pharynx by YAP-1. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7564. [PMID: 37985670 PMCID: PMC10661912 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43230-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Even slight imbalance between the growth rate of different organs can accumulate to a large deviation from their appropriate size during development. Here, we use live imaging of the pharynx of C. elegans to ask if and how organ size scaling nevertheless remains uniform among individuals. Growth trajectories of hundreds of individuals reveal that pharynxes grow by a near constant volume per larval stage that is independent of their initial size, such that undersized pharynxes catch-up in size during development. Tissue-specific depletion of RAGA-1, an activator of mTOR and growth, shows that maintaining correct pharynx-to-body size proportions involves a bi-directional coupling between pharynx size and body growth. In simulations, this coupling cannot be explained by limitation of food uptake alone, and genetic experiments reveal an involvement of the mechanotransducing transcriptional co-regulator yap-1. Our data suggests that mechanotransduction coordinates pharynx growth with other tissues, ensuring body plan uniformity among individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ioana Gheorghe
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Lenart
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne Lanjuin
- Department Molecular Metabolism, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William B Mair
- Department Molecular Metabolism, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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4
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McNamara HM, Ramm B, Toettcher JE. Synthetic developmental biology: New tools to deconstruct and rebuild developmental systems. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 141:33-42. [PMID: 35484026 PMCID: PMC10332110 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Technological advances have driven many recent advances in developmental biology. Light sheet imaging can reveal single-cell dynamics in living three-dimensional tissues, whereas single-cell genomic methods open the door to a complete catalogue of cell types and gene expression states. An equally powerful but complementary set of approaches are also becoming available to define development processes from the bottom up. These synthetic approaches aim to reconstruct the minimal developmental patterns, signaling processes, and gene networks that produce the basic set of developmental operations: spatial polarization, morphogen interpretation, tissue movement, and cellular memory. In this review we discuss recent approaches at the intersection of synthetic biology and development, including synthetic circuits to deliver and record signaling stimuli and synthetic reconstitution of pattern formation on multicellular scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold M McNamara
- Lewis Sigler Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Beatrice Ramm
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jared E Toettcher
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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5
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Hartmann J, Mayor R. Self-organized collective cell behaviors as design principles for synthetic developmental biology. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 141:63-73. [PMID: 35450765 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.009] [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: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, molecular cell biology has graduated from a mostly analytic science to one with substantial synthetic capability. This success is built on a deep understanding of the structure and function of biomolecules and molecular mechanisms. For synthetic biology to achieve similar success at the scale of tissues and organs, an equally deep understanding of the principles of development is required. Here, we review some of the central concepts and recent progress in tissue patterning, morphogenesis and collective cell migration and discuss their value for synthetic developmental biology, emphasizing in particular the power of (guided) self-organization and the role of theoretical advances in making developmental insights applicable in synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Hartmann
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Roberto Mayor
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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6
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Kuhn T, Landge AN, Mörsdorf D, Coßmann J, Gerstenecker J, Čapek D, Müller P, Gebhardt JCM. Single-molecule tracking of Nodal and Lefty in live zebrafish embryos supports hindered diffusion model. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6101. [PMID: 36243734 PMCID: PMC9569377 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33704-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The hindered diffusion model postulates that the movement of a signaling molecule through an embryo is affected by tissue geometry and binding-mediated hindrance, but these effects have not been directly demonstrated in vivo. Here, we visualize extracellular movement and binding of individual molecules of the activator-inhibitor signaling pair Nodal and Lefty in live developing zebrafish embryos using reflected light-sheet microscopy. We observe that diffusion coefficients of molecules are high in extracellular cavities, whereas mobility is reduced and bound fractions are high within cell-cell interfaces. Counterintuitively, molecules nevertheless accumulate in cavities, which we attribute to the geometry of the extracellular space by agent-based simulations. We further find that Nodal has a larger bound fraction than Lefty and shows a binding time of tens of seconds. Together, our measurements and simulations provide direct support for the hindered diffusion model and yield insights into the nanometer-to-micrometer-scale mechanisms that lead to macroscopic signal dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Kuhn
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Amit N. Landge
- grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - David Mörsdorf
- grid.418026.90000 0004 0492 0357Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany ,grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424University of Vienna, Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jonas Coßmann
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Johanna Gerstenecker
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Čapek
- grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Patrick Müller
- grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany ,grid.418026.90000 0004 0492 0357Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - J. Christof M. Gebhardt
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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7
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Abstract
Metazoan embryos develop from a single cell into three-dimensional structured organisms while groups of genetically identical cells attain specialized identities. Cells of the developing embryo both create and accurately interpret morphogen gradients to determine their positions and make specific decisions in response. Here, we first cover intellectual roots of morphogen and positional information concepts. Focusing on animal embryos, we then provide a review of current understanding on how morphogen gradients are established and how their spans are controlled. Lastly, we cover how gradients evolve in time and space during development, and how they encode information to control patterning. In sum, we provide a list of patterning principles for morphogen gradients and review recent advances in quantitative methodologies elucidating information provided by morphogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Fethullah Simsek
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ertuğrul M. Özbudak
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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8
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Shen J, Liu F, Tang C. Scaling dictates the decoder structure. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2022; 67:1486-1495. [PMID: 36546192 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2022.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite fluctuations in embryo size within a species, the spatial gene expression pattern and hence the embryonic structure can nonetheless maintain the correct proportion to the embryo size. This is known as the scaling phenomenon. For morphogen-induced patterning of gene expression, the positional information encoded in the local morphogen concentrations is decoded by the downstream genetic network (the decoder). In this paper, we show that the requirement of scaling sets severe constraints on the geometric structure of such a local decoder, which in turn enables deduction of mutants' behavior and extraction of regulation information without going into any molecular details. We demonstrate that the Drosophila gap gene system achieves scaling in the way consistent with our theory-the decoder geometry required by scaling correctly accounts for the observed gap gene expression pattern in nearly all maternal morphogen mutants. Furthermore, the regulation logic and the coding/decoding strategy of the gap gene system can also be revealed from the decoder geometry. Our work provides a general theoretical framework for a large class of problems where scaling output is achieved by non-scaling inputs and a local decoder, as well as a unified understanding of scaling, mutants' behavior, and gene regulation for the Drosophila gap gene system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxiang Shen
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chao Tang
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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9
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Escárcega-Bobadilla MV, Maldonado-Domínguez M, Romero-Ávila M, Zelada-Guillén GA. Turing patterns by supramolecular self-assembly of a single salphen building block. iScience 2022; 25:104545. [PMID: 35747384 PMCID: PMC9209723 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104545] [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: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In the 1950s, Alan Turing showed that concerted reactions and diffusion of activating and inhibiting chemical species can autonomously generate patterns without previous positional information, thus providing a chemical basis for morphogenesis in Nature. However, access to these patterns from only one molecular component that contained all the necessary information to execute agonistic and antagonistic signaling is so far an elusive goal, since two or more participants with different diffusivities are a must. Here, we report on a single-molecule system that generates Turing patterns arrested in the solid state, where supramolecular interactions are used instead of chemical reactions, whereas diffusional differences arise from heterogeneously populated self-assembled products. We employ a family of hydroxylated organic salphen building blocks based on a bis-Schiff-base scaffold with portions responsible for either activation or inhibition of assemblies at different hierarchies through purely supramolecular reactions, only depending upon the solvent dielectric constant and evaporation as fuel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha V Escárcega-Bobadilla
- School of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Circuito Escolar s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Maldonado-Domínguez
- School of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Circuito Escolar s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.,Department of Computational Chemistry, J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Margarita Romero-Ávila
- School of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Circuito Escolar s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gustavo A Zelada-Guillén
- School of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Circuito Escolar s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
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10
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Nogueira Alves A, Oliveira MM, Koyama T, Shingleton A, Mirth CK. Ecdysone coordinates plastic growth with robust pattern in the developing wing. eLife 2022; 11:72666. [PMID: 35261337 PMCID: PMC8947767 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals develop in unpredictable, variable environments. In response to environmental change, some aspects of development adjust to generate plastic phenotypes. Other aspects of development, however, are buffered against environmental change to produce robust phenotypes. How organ development is coordinated to accommodate both plastic and robust developmental responses is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the steroid hormone ecdysone coordinates both plasticity of organ size and robustness of organ pattern in the developing wings of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Using fed and starved larvae that lack prothoracic glands, which synthesize ecdysone, we show that nutrition regulates growth both via ecdysone and via an ecdysone-independent mechanism, while nutrition regulates patterning only via ecdysone. We then demonstrate that growth shows a graded response to ecdysone concentration, while patterning shows a threshold response. Collectively, these data support a model where nutritionally regulated ecdysone fluctuations confer plasticity by regulating disc growth in response to basal ecdysone levels and confer robustness by initiating patterning only once ecdysone peaks exceed a threshold concentration. This could represent a generalizable mechanism through which hormones coordinate plastic growth with robust patterning in the face of environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alexander Shingleton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Christen K Mirth
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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11
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Liu L, Nemashkalo A, Rezende L, Jung JY, Chhabra S, Guerra MC, Heemskerk I, Warmflash A. Nodal is a short-range morphogen with activity that spreads through a relay mechanism in human gastruloids. Nat Commun 2022; 13:497. [PMID: 35079017 PMCID: PMC8789905 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28149-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogens are signaling molecules that convey positional information and dictate cell fates during development. Although ectopic expression in model organisms suggests that morphogen gradients form through diffusion, little is known about how morphogen gradients are created and interpreted during mammalian embryogenesis due to the combined difficulties of measuring endogenous morphogen levels and observing development in utero. Here we take advantage of a human gastruloid model to visualize endogenous Nodal protein in living cells, during specification of germ layers. We show that Nodal is extremely short range so that Nodal protein is limited to the immediate neighborhood of source cells. Nodal activity spreads through a relay mechanism in which Nodal production induces neighboring cells to transcribe Nodal. We further show that the Nodal inhibitor Lefty, while biochemically capable of long-range diffusion, also acts locally to control the timing of Nodal spread and therefore of mesoderm differentiation during patterning. Our study establishes a paradigm for tissue patterning by an activator-inhibitor pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhong Liu
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Luisa Rezende
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ji Yoon Jung
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sapna Chhabra
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Developmental Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Idse Heemskerk
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Aryeh Warmflash
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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12
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Orlov EE, Nesterenko AM, Korotkova DD, Parshina EA, Martynova NY, Zaraisky AG. Targeted search for scaling genes reveals matrixmetalloproteinase 3 as a scaler of the dorsal-ventral pattern in Xenopus laevis embryos. Dev Cell 2021; 57:95-111.e12. [PMID: 34919801 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
How embryos scale patterning according to size is still not fully understood. Through in silico screening and analysis of reaction-diffusion systems that could be responsible for scaling, we predicted the existence of genes whose expression is sensitive to embryo size and which regulate the scaling of embryonic patterning. To find these scalers, we identified genes with strongly altered expression in half-size Xenopus laevis embryos compared with full-size siblings at the gastrula stage. Among found genes, we investigated the role of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (mmp3), which was most strongly downregulated in half-size embryos. We show that Mmp3 scales dorsal-ventral patterning by degrading the slowly diffusing embryonic inducers Noggin1 and Noggin2 but preventing cleavage of the more rapidly diffusing inducer Chordin via degradation of a Tolloid-type proteinase. In addition to unraveling the mechanism underlying the scaling of dorsal-ventral patterning, this work provides proof of principal for scalers identification in embryos of other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugeny E Orlov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey M Nesterenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnology, Federal Medical Biological Agency, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Daria D Korotkova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elena A Parshina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia Yu Martynova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey G Zaraisky
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
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13
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Abstract
Spatial organisation through localisation/compartmentalisation of species is a ubiquitous but poorly understood feature of cellular biomolecular networks. Current technologies in systems and synthetic biology (spatial proteomics, imaging, synthetic compartmentalisation) necessitate a systematic approach to elucidating the interplay of networks and spatial organisation. We develop a systems framework towards this end and focus on the effect of spatial localisation of network components revealing its multiple facets: (i) As a key distinct regulator of network behaviour, and an enabler of new network capabilities (ii) As a potent new regulator of pattern formation and self-organisation (iii) As an often hidden factor impacting inference of temporal networks from data (iv) As an engineering tool for rewiring networks and network/circuit design. These insights, transparently arising from the most basic considerations of networks and spatial organisation, have broad relevance in natural and engineered biology and in related areas such as cell-free systems, systems chemistry and bionanotechnology. Complex biomolecular networks are fundamental to the functioning of living systems, both at the cellular level and beyond. In this paper, the authors develop a systems framework to elucidate the interplay of networks and the spatial localisation of network components.
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14
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Song Y, Hyeon C. Cost-precision trade-off relation determines the optimal morphogen gradient for accurate biological pattern formation. eLife 2021; 10:70034. [PMID: 34402427 PMCID: PMC8457829 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70034] [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: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial boundaries formed during animal development originate from the pre-patterning of tissues by signaling molecules, called morphogens. The accuracy of boundary location is limited by the fluctuations of morphogen concentration that thresholds the expression level of target gene. Producing more morphogen molecules, which gives rise to smaller relative fluctuations, would better serve to shape more precise target boundaries; however, it incurs more thermodynamic cost. In the classical diffusion-depletion model of morphogen profile formation, the morphogen molecules synthesized from a local source display an exponentially decaying concentration profile with a characteristic length λ. Our theory suggests that in order to attain a precise profile with the minimal cost, λ should be roughly half the distance to the target boundary position from the source. Remarkably, we find that the profiles of morphogens that pattern the Drosophila embryo and wing imaginal disk are formed with nearly optimal λ. Our finding underscores the cost-effectiveness of precise morphogen profile formation in Drosophila development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghyun Song
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Changbong Hyeon
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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15
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Scheel A, Stevens A, Tenbrock C. Signaling gradients in surface dynamics as basis for planarian regeneration. J Math Biol 2021; 83:6. [PMID: 34173885 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-021-01627-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Based on experimental data, we introduce and analyze a system of reaction-diffusion equations for the regeneration of planarian flatworms. We model dynamics of head and tail cells expressing positional control genes that translate into localized signals which in turn guide stem cell differentiation. Tissue orientation and positional information are encoded in a long range wnt-related signaling gradient. Our system correctly reproduces typical cut and graft experiments, and improves on previous models by preserving polarity in regeneration over orders of magnitude in body size during growth phases. Key to polarity preservation in our model flatworm is the sensitivity of cell differentiation to gradients of wnt-related signals relative to the tissue surface. This process is particularly relevant in small tissue layers close to cuts during their healing, and modeled in a robust fashion through dynamic boundary conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnd Scheel
- School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, 206 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Angela Stevens
- Applied Mathematics, University of Münster (WWU), Einsteinstr. 62, D-48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Christoph Tenbrock
- Applied Mathematics, University of Münster (WWU), Einsteinstr. 62, D-48149, Münster, Germany
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16
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Reassembling gastrulation. Dev Biol 2021; 474:71-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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17
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Lord ND, Carte AN, Abitua PB, Schier AF. The pattern of nodal morphogen signaling is shaped by co-receptor expression. eLife 2021; 10:e54894. [PMID: 34036935 PMCID: PMC8266389 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryos must communicate instructions to their constituent cells over long distances. These instructions are often encoded in the concentration of signals called morphogens. In the textbook view, morphogen molecules diffuse from a localized source to form a concentration gradient, and target cells adopt fates by measuring the local morphogen concentration. However, natural patterning systems often incorporate numerous co-factors and extensive signaling feedback, suggesting that embryos require additional mechanisms to generate signaling patterns. Here, we examine the mechanisms of signaling pattern formation for the mesendoderm inducer Nodal during zebrafish embryogenesis. We find that Nodal signaling activity spans a normal range in the absence of signaling feedback and relay, suggesting that diffusion is sufficient for Nodal gradient formation. We further show that the range of endogenous Nodal ligands is set by the EGF-CFC co-receptor Oep: in the absence of Oep, Nodal activity spreads to form a nearly uniform distribution throughout the embryo. In turn, increasing Oep levels sensitizes cells to Nodal ligands. We recapitulate these experimental results with a computational model in which Oep regulates the diffusive spread of Nodal ligands by setting the rate of capture by target cells. This model predicts, and we confirm in vivo, the surprising observation that a failure to replenish Oep transforms the Nodal signaling gradient into a travelling wave. These results reveal that patterns of Nodal morphogen signaling are shaped by co-receptor-mediated restriction of ligand spread and sensitization of responding cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Lord
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Adam N Carte
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology PhD Program, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Biozentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Philip B Abitua
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Alexander F Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Biozentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
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18
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Integration of Nodal and BMP Signaling by Mutual Signaling Effector Antagonism. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107487. [PMID: 32268105 PMCID: PMC7166084 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Opposing sources of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and Nodal signaling molecules are sufficient to induce the formation of a full axis in zebrafish embryos. To address how these signals orchestrate patterning, we transplant sources of fluorescently tagged Nodal and BMP into zebrafish embryos, robustly inducing the formation of secondary axes. Nodal and BMP signal non-cell-autonomously and form similar protein gradients in this context, but the signaling range of Nodal (pSmad2) is shorter than the BMP range (pSmad5). This yields a localized region of pSmad2 activity around the Nodal source, overlapping with a broad domain of pSmad5 activity across the embryo. Cell fates induced in various regions stereotypically correlate with pSmad2-to-pSmad5 ratios and can even be induced BMP- and Nodal-independently with different ratios of constitutively active Smad2 and Smad5. Strikingly, we find that Smad2 and Smad5 antagonize each other for specific cell fates, providing a mechanism for how cells integrate and discriminate between overlapping signals during development. Nodal induces pSmad at a shorter range than BMP due to slower activation kinetics Different ratios of active Smad2 and Smad5 can induce different embryonic structures Smad2 and Smad5 inhibit each other or act synergistically to induce specific cell fates
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Rogers KW, ElGamacy M, Jordan BM, Müller P. Optogenetic investigation of BMP target gene expression diversity. eLife 2020; 9:58641. [PMID: 33174840 PMCID: PMC7728441 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Signaling molecules activate distinct patterns of gene expression to coordinate embryogenesis, but how spatiotemporal expression diversity is generated is an open question. In zebrafish, a BMP signaling gradient patterns the dorsal-ventral axis. We systematically identified target genes responding to BMP and found that they have diverse spatiotemporal expression patterns. Transcriptional responses to optogenetically delivered high- and low-amplitude BMP signaling pulses indicate that spatiotemporal expression is not fully defined by different BMP signaling activation thresholds. Additionally, we observed negligible correlations between spatiotemporal expression and transcription kinetics for the majority of analyzed genes in response to BMP signaling pulses. In contrast, spatial differences between BMP target genes largely collapsed when FGF and Nodal signaling were inhibited. Our results suggest that, similar to other patterning systems, combinatorial signaling is likely to be a major driver of spatial diversity in BMP-dependent gene expression in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine W Rogers
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mohammad ElGamacy
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.,Modeling Tumorigenesis Group, Translational Oncology Division, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Heliopolis Biotechnology Ltd, London, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin M Jordan
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Patrick Müller
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.,Modeling Tumorigenesis Group, Translational Oncology Division, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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20
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de Beer MA, Giepmans BNG. Nanobody-Based Probes for Subcellular Protein Identification and Visualization. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:573278. [PMID: 33240044 PMCID: PMC7667270 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.573278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how building blocks of life contribute to physiology is greatly aided by protein identification and cellular localization. The two main labeling approaches developed over the past decades are labeling with antibodies such as immunoglobulin G (IgGs) or use of genetically encoded tags such as fluorescent proteins. However, IgGs are large proteins (150 kDa), which limits penetration depth and uncertainty of target position caused by up to ∼25 nm distance of the label created by the chosen targeting approach. Additionally, IgGs cannot be easily recombinantly modulated and engineered as part of fusion proteins because they consist of multiple independent translated chains. In the last decade single domain antigen binding proteins are being explored in bioscience as a tool in revealing molecular identity and localization to overcome limitations by IgGs. These nanobodies have several potential benefits over routine applications. Because of their small size (15 kDa), nanobodies better penetrate during labeling procedures and improve resolution. Moreover, nanobodies cDNA can easily be fused with other cDNA. Multidomain proteins can thus be easily engineered consisting of domains for targeting (nanobodies) and visualization by fluorescence microscopy (fluorescent proteins) or electron microscopy (based on certain enzymes). Additional modules for e.g., purification are also easily added. These nanobody-based probes can be applied in cells for live-cell endogenous protein detection or may be purified prior to use on molecules, cells or tissues. Here, we present the current state of nanobody-based probes and their implementation in microscopy, including pitfalls and potential future opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marit A de Beer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Ben N G Giepmans
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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21
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Abstract
Abstract
Background
Organisms show an incredibly diverse array of body and organ shapes that are both unique to their taxon and important for adapting to their environment. Achieving these specific shapes involves coordinating the many processes that transform single cells into complex organs, and regulating their growth so that they can function within a fully-formed body.
Main text
Conceptually, body and organ shape can be separated in two categories, although in practice these categories need not be mutually exclusive. Body shape results from the extent to which organs, or parts of organs, grow relative to each other. The patterns of relative organ size are characterized using allometry. Organ shape, on the other hand, is defined as the geometric features of an organ’s component parts excluding its size. Characterization of organ shape is frequently described by the relative position of homologous features, known as landmarks, distributed throughout the organ. These descriptions fall into the domain of geometric morphometrics.
Conclusion
In this review, we discuss the methods of characterizing body and organ shape, the developmental programs thought to underlie each, highlight when and how the mechanisms regulating body and organ shape might overlap, and provide our perspective on future avenues of research.
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Axis Specification in Zebrafish Is Robust to Cell Mixing and Reveals a Regulation of Pattern Formation by Morphogenesis. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2984-2994.e3. [PMID: 32559447 PMCID: PMC7416079 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A fundamental question in developmental biology is how the early embryo establishes the spatial coordinate system that is later important for the organization of the embryonic body plan. Although we know a lot about the signaling and gene-regulatory networks required for this process, much less is understood about how these can operate to pattern tissues in the context of the extensive cell movements that drive gastrulation. In zebrafish, germ layer specification depends on the inheritance of maternal mRNAs [1, 2, 3], cortical rotation to generate a dorsal pole of β-catenin activity [4, 5, 6, 7, 8], and the release of Nodal signals from the yolk syncytial layer (YSL) [9, 10, 11, 12]. To determine whether germ layer specification is robust to altered cell-to-cell positioning, we separated embryonic cells from the yolk and allowed them to develop as spherical aggregates. These aggregates break symmetry autonomously to form elongated structures with an anterior-posterior pattern. Both forced reaggregation and endogenous cell mixing reveals how robust early axis specification is to spatial disruption of maternal pre-patterning. During these movements, a pole of Nodal signaling emerges that is required for explant elongation via the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway. Blocking of PCP-dependent elongation disrupts the shaping of opposing poles of BMP and Wnt/TCF activity and the anterior-posterior patterning of neural tissue. These results lead us to suggest that embryo elongation plays a causal role in timing the exposure of cells to changes in BMP and Wnt signal activity during zebrafish gastrulation. Video Abstract
Whole-zebrafish 256-cell stage embryo explants elongate Patterned germ layers are established Mesoderm formation is robust to extensive cell mixing Inhibition of morphogenesis blocks formation of signaling gradients
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Leibovich A, Edri T, Klein SL, Moody SA, Fainsod A. Natural size variation among embryos leads to the corresponding scaling in gene expression. Dev Biol 2020; 462:165-179. [PMID: 32259520 PMCID: PMC8073595 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Xenopus laevis frogs from laboratory stocks normally lay eggs exhibiting extensive size variability. We find that these initial size differences subsequently affect the size of the embryos prior to the onset of growth, and the size of tadpoles during the growth period. Even though these tadpoles differ in size, their tissues, organs, and structures always seem to be properly proportioned, i.e. they display static allometry. Initial axial patterning events in Xenopus occur in a spherical embryo, allowing easy documentation of their size-dependent features. We examined the size distribution of early Xenopus laevis embryos and measured diameters that differed by about 38% with a median of about 1.43 mm. This range of embryo sizes corresponds to about a 1.9-fold difference in surface area and a 2.6-fold difference in volume. We examined the relationship between embryo size and gene expression and observed a significant correlation between diameter and RNA content during gastrula stages. In addition, we investigated the expression levels of genes that pattern the mesoderm, induce the nervous system and mediate the progression of ectodermal cells to neural precursors in large and small embryos. We found that most of these factors were expressed at levels that scaled with the different embryo sizes and total embryo RNA content. In agreement with the changes in transcript levels, the expression domains in larger embryos increased proportionally with the increase in surface area, maintaining their relative expression domain size in relation to the total size of the embryo. Thus, our study identified a mechanism for adapting gene expression domains to embryo size by adjusting the transcript levels of the genes regulating mesoderm induction and patterning. In the neural plate, besides the scaling of the expression domains, we observed similar cell sizes and cell densities in small and large embryos suggesting that additional cell divisions took place in large embryos to compensate for the increased size. Our results show in detail the size variability among Xenopus laevis embryos and the transcriptional adaptation to scale gene expression with size. The observations further support the involvement of BMP/ADMP signaling in the scaling process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avi Leibovich
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tamir Edri
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Steven L Klein
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, USA
| | - Sally A Moody
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, USA
| | - Abraham Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
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24
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Abstract
Tracing cell lineages is fundamental for understanding the rules governing development in multicellular organisms and delineating complex biological processes involving the differentiation of multiple cell types with distinct lineage hierarchies. In humans, experimental lineage tracing is unethical, and one has to rely on natural-mutation markers that are created within cells as they proliferate and age. Recent studies have demonstrated that it is now possible to trace lineages in normal, noncancerous cells with a variety of data types using natural variations in the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA as well as variations in DNA methylation status. It is also apparent that the scientific community is on the verge of being able to make a comprehensive and detailed cell lineage map of human embryonic and fetal development. In this review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches and markers for lineage tracing. We also describe the general conceptual design for how to derive a lineage map for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexej Abyzov
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA;
| | - Flora M Vaccarino
- Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA;
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25
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Heemskerk I. Full of potential: Pluripotent stem cells for the systems biology of embryonic patterning. Dev Biol 2020; 460:86-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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26
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Mateus R, Holtzer L, Seum C, Hadjivasiliou Z, Dubois M, Jülicher F, Gonzalez-Gaitan M. BMP Signaling Gradient Scaling in the Zebrafish Pectoral Fin. Cell Rep 2020; 30:4292-4302.e7. [PMID: 32209485 PMCID: PMC7109522 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Secreted growth factors can act as morphogens that form spatial concentration gradients in developing organs, thereby controlling growth and patterning. For some morphogens, adaptation of the gradients to tissue size allows morphological patterns to remain proportioned as the organs grow. In the zebrafish pectoral fin, we found that BMP signaling forms a two-dimensional gradient. The length of the gradient scales with tissue length and its amplitude increases with fin size according to a power-law. Gradient scaling and amplitude power-laws are signatures of growth control by time derivatives of morphogenetic signaling: cell division correlates with the fold change over time of the cellular signaling levels. We show that Smoc1 regulates BMP gradient scaling and growth in the fin. Smoc1 scales the gradient by means of a feedback loop: Smoc1 is a BMP agonist and BMP signaling represses Smoc1 expression. Our work uncovers a layer of morphogen regulation during vertebrate appendage development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Mateus
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Holtzer
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Carole Seum
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Zena Hadjivasiliou
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marine Dubois
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Frank Jülicher
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
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HAMADA H. Molecular and cellular basis of left-right asymmetry in vertebrates. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2020; 96:273-296. [PMID: 32788551 PMCID: PMC7443379 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.96.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Although the human body appears superficially symmetrical with regard to the left-right (L-R) axis, most visceral organs are asymmetric in terms of their size, shape, or position. Such morphological asymmetries of visceral organs, which are essential for their proper function, are under the control of a genetic pathway that operates in the developing embryo. In many vertebrates including mammals, the breaking of L-R symmetry occurs at a structure known as the L-R organizer (LRO) located at the midline of the developing embryo. This symmetry breaking is followed by transfer of an active form of the signaling molecule Nodal from the LRO to the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) on the left side, which results in asymmetric expression of Nodal (a left-side determinant) in the left LPM. Finally, L-R asymmetric morphogenesis of visceral organs is induced by Nodal-Pitx2 signaling. This review will describe our current understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the generation of L-R asymmetry in vertebrates, with a focus on mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi HAMADA
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
- Correspondence should be addressed: H. Hamada, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan (e-mail: )
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29
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Čapek D, Müller P. Positional information and tissue scaling during development and regeneration. Development 2019; 146:146/24/dev177709. [PMID: 31862792 DOI: 10.1242/dev.177709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In order to contribute to the appropriate tissues during development, cells need to know their position within the embryo. This positional information is conveyed by gradients of signaling molecules, termed morphogens, that are produced in specific regions of the embryo and induce concentration-dependent responses in target tissues. Positional information is remarkably robust, and embryos often develop with the correct proportions even if large parts of the embryo are removed. In this Review, we discuss classical embryological experiments and modern quantitative analyses that have led to mechanistic insights into how morphogen gradients adapt, scale and properly pattern differently sized domains. We analyze these experimental findings in the context of mathematical models and synthesize general principles that apply to multiple systems across species and developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Čapek
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tübingen Germany
| | - Patrick Müller
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tübingen Germany .,Modeling Tumorigenesis Group, Translational Oncology Division, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strasse 10, 72076 Tübingen Germany
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30
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Rogers KW, Müller P. Optogenetic approaches to investigate spatiotemporal signaling during development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 137:37-77. [PMID: 32143750 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Embryogenesis is coordinated by signaling pathways that pattern the developing organism. Many aspects of this process are not fully understood, including how signaling molecules spread through embryonic tissues, how signaling amplitude and dynamics are decoded, and how multiple signaling pathways cooperate to pattern the body plan. Optogenetic approaches can be used to address these questions by providing precise experimental control over a variety of biological processes. Here, we review how these strategies have provided new insights into developmental signaling and discuss how they could contribute to future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine W Rogers
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Patrick Müller
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany; Modeling Tumorigenesis Group, Translational Oncology Division, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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31
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Economou AD, Hill CS. Temporal dynamics in the formation and interpretation of Nodal and BMP morphogen gradients. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 137:363-389. [PMID: 32143749 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
One of the most powerful ideas in developmental biology has been that of the morphogen gradient. In the classical view, a signaling molecule is produced at a local source from where it diffuses, resulting in graded levels across the tissue. This gradient provides positional information, with thresholds in the level of the morphogen determining the position of different cell fates. While experimental studies have uncovered numerous potential morphogens in biological systems, it is becoming increasingly apparent that one important feature, not captured in the simple model, is the role of time in both the formation and interpretation of morphogen gradients. We will focus on two members of the transforming growth factor-β family that are known to play a vital role as morphogens in early vertebrate development: the Nodals and the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Primarily drawing on the early zebrafish embryo, we will show how recent studies have demonstrated the importance of feedback and other interactions that evolve through time, in shaping morphogen gradients. We will further show how rather than simply reading out levels of a morphogen, the duration of ligand exposure can be a crucial determinant of how cells interpret morphogens, in particular through the unfolding of downstream transcriptional events and in their interactions with other pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Economou
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
Soon after fertilization the zebrafish embryo generates the pool of cells that will give rise to the germline and the three somatic germ layers of the embryo (ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm). As the basic body plan of the vertebrate embryo emerges, evolutionarily conserved developmental signaling pathways, including Bmp, Nodal, Wnt, and Fgf, direct the nearly totipotent cells of the early embryo to adopt gene expression profiles and patterns of cell behavior specific to their eventual fates. Several decades of molecular genetics research in zebrafish has yielded significant insight into the maternal and zygotic contributions and mechanisms that pattern this vertebrate embryo. This new understanding is the product of advances in genetic manipulations and imaging technologies that have allowed the field to probe the cellular, molecular and biophysical aspects underlying early patterning. The current state of the field indicates that patterning is governed by the integration of key signaling pathways and physical interactions between cells, rather than a patterning system in which distinct pathways are deployed to specify a particular cell fate. This chapter focuses on recent advances in our understanding of the genetic and molecular control of the events that impart cell identity and initiate the patterning of tissues that are prerequisites for or concurrent with movements of gastrulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence L Marlow
- Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, New York, NY, United States.
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Aguilar G, Vigano MA, Affolter M, Matsuda S. Reflections on the use of protein binders to study protein function in developmental biology. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2019; 8:e356. [PMID: 31265212 PMCID: PMC6851689 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Studies in the field of developmental biology aim to unravel how a fertilized egg develops into an adult organism and how proteins and other macromolecules work together during this process. With regard to protein function, most of the developmental studies have used genetic and RNA interference approaches, combined with biochemical analyses, to reach this goal. However, there always remains much room for interpretation on how a given protein functions, because proteins work together with many other molecules in complex regulatory networks and it is not easy to reveal the function of one given protein without affecting the networks. Likewise, it has remained difficult to experimentally challenge and/or validate the proposed concepts derived from mutant analyses without tools that directly manipulate protein function in a predictable manner. Recently, synthetic tools based on protein binders such as scFvs, nanobodies, DARPins, and others have been applied in developmental biology to directly manipulate target proteins in a predicted manner. Although such tools would have a great impact in filling the gap of knowledge between mutant phenotypes and protein functions, careful investigations are required when applying functionalized protein binders to fundamental questions in developmental biology. In this review, we first summarize how protein binders have been used in the field, and then reflect on possible guidelines for applying such tools to study protein functions in developmental biology. This article is categorized under: Technologies > Analysis of Proteins Establishment of Spatial and Temporal Patterns > Gradients Invertebrate Organogenesis > Flies.
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Regier MC, Tokar JJ, Warrick JW, Pabon L, Berthier E, Beebe DJ, Stevens KR. User-defined morphogen patterning for directing human cell fate stratification. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6433. [PMID: 31015521 PMCID: PMC6478938 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42874-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Concentration gradients of biochemical stimuli such as morphogens play a critical role in directing cell fate patterning across species and throughout development but are not commonly recapitulated in vitro. While in vitro biomolecule gradients have been generated using customized microfluidic platforms, broad implementation has been limited because these platforms introduce new variables to cell culture such as externally driven flow, culture in a specialized matrix, or extended time for in situ long range diffusion. Here we introduce a method that enables preforming and then transferring user-controlled gradients to cells in standard "open" cultures. Our gradient patterning devices are modular and decoupled from the culture substrate. We find that gradient generation and transfer are predictable by finite element modeling and that device and loading parameters can be used to tune the stimulus pattern. Furthermore, we demonstrate use of these devices to spatially define morphogen signal gradients and direct peri-gastrulation fate stratification of human pluripotent stem cells. This method for extrinsic application of biochemical signal gradients can thus be used to spatially influence cellular fate decisions in a user-controlled manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Regier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, 98109, Seattle, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53706, Madison, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53792, Madison, USA
| | - Jacob J Tokar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53706, Madison, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53792, Madison, USA
| | - Jay W Warrick
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53706, Madison, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53792, Madison, USA
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53705, Madison, USA
| | - Lil Pabon
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, 98109, Seattle, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA
| | - Erwin Berthier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA
| | - David J Beebe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53706, Madison, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53792, Madison, USA
| | - Kelly R Stevens
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA.
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, 98109, Seattle, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA.
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Abstract
The formation of self-organized patterns is key to the morphogenesis of multicellular organisms, although a comprehensive theory of biological pattern formation is still lacking. Here, we propose a minimal model combining tissue mechanics with morphogen turnover and transport to explore routes to patterning. Our active description couples morphogen reaction and diffusion, which impact cell differentiation and tissue mechanics, to a two-phase poroelastic rheology, where one tissue phase consists of a poroelastic cell network and the other one of a permeating extracellular fluid, which provides a feedback by actively transporting morphogens. While this model encompasses previous theories approximating tissues to inert monophasic media, such as Turing's reaction-diffusion model, it overcomes some of their key limitations permitting pattern formation via any two-species biochemical kinetics due to mechanically induced cross-diffusion flows. Moreover, we describe a qualitatively different advection-driven Keller-Segel instability which allows for the formation of patterns with a single morphogen and whose fundamental mode pattern robustly scales with tissue size. We discuss the potential relevance of these findings for tissue morphogenesis.
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Using Nanobodies to Study Protein Function in Developing Organisms. Antibodies (Basel) 2019; 8:antib8010016. [PMID: 31544822 PMCID: PMC6640693 DOI: 10.3390/antib8010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies have been invaluable tools to study proteins over the past decades. While indispensable for most biological studies including developmental biology, antibodies have been used mostly in fixed tissues or as binding reagents in the extracellular milieu. For functional studies and for clinical applications, antibodies have been functionalized by covalently fusing them to heterologous partners (i.e., chemicals, proteins or other moieties). Such functionalized antibodies have been less widely used in developmental biology studies. In the past few years, the discovery and application of small functional binding fragments derived from single-chain antibodies, so-called nanobodies, has resulted in novel approaches to study proteins during the development of multicellular animals in vivo. Expression of functionalized nanobody fusions from integrated transgenes allows manipulating proteins of interest in the extracellular and the intracellular milieu in a tissue- and time-dependent manner in an unprecedented manner. Here, we describe how nanobodies have been used in the field of developmental biology and look into the future to imagine how else nanobody-based reagents could be further developed to study the proteome in living organisms.
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Mörsdorf D, Müller P. Tuning Protein Diffusivity with Membrane Tethers. Biochemistry 2019; 58:177-181. [PMID: 30562001 PMCID: PMC6344912 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b01150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Diffusion is essential for biochemical processes because it dominates molecular movement on small scales. Enzymatic reactions, for example, require fast exchange of substrate and product molecules in the local environment of the enzyme to ensure efficient turnover. On larger spatial scales, diffusion of secreted signaling proteins is thought to limit the spatial extent of tissue differentiation during embryonic development. While it is possible to measure diffusion in vivo, specifically interfering with diffusion processes and testing diffusion models directly remains challenging. The development of genetically encoded nanobodies that bind specific proteins has provided the opportunity to alter protein localization and reduce protein mobility. Here, we extend the nanobody toolbox with a membrane-tethered low-affinity diffusion regulator that can be used to tune the effective diffusivity of extracellular molecules over an order of magnitude in living embryos. This opens new avenues for future applications to functionally interfere with diffusion-dependent processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mörsdorf
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the
Max Planck Society, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Patrick Müller
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the
Max Planck Society, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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39
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Sekine R, Shibata T, Ebisuya M. Synthetic mammalian pattern formation driven by differential diffusivity of Nodal and Lefty. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5456. [PMID: 30575724 PMCID: PMC6303393 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07847-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A synthetic mammalian reaction-diffusion pattern has yet to be created, and Nodal-Lefty signaling has been proposed to meet conditions for pattern formation: Nodal is a short-range activator whereas Lefty is a long-range inhibitor. However, this pattern forming possibility has never been directly tested, and the underlying mechanisms of differential diffusivity of Nodal and Lefty remain unclear. Here, through a combination of synthetic and theoretical approaches, we show that a reconstituted Nodal-Lefty network in mammalian cells spontaneously gives rise to a pattern. Surprisingly, extracellular Nodal is confined underneath the cells, resulting in a narrow distribution compared with Lefty. The short-range distribution requires the finger 1 domain of Nodal, and transplantation of the finger 1 domain into Lefty shortens the distribution of Lefty, successfully preventing pattern formation. These results indicate that the differences in localization and domain structures between Nodal and Lefty, combined with the activator-inhibitor topology, are sufficient for reaction-diffusion patterning. Nodal-Lefty signaling combines a short-range activator and a long-range inhibitor for axis formation and left-right patterning. Here the authors reconstitute a synthetic biology activator-inhibitor circuit of Nodal-Lefty to drive pattern formation in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoji Sekine
- Laboratory for Reconstitutive Developmental Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (RIKEN BDR), 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, 650-0047, Kobe, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Shibata
- Laboratory for Physical Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (RIKEN BDR), 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, 650-0047, Kobe, Japan
| | - Miki Ebisuya
- Laboratory for Reconstitutive Developmental Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (RIKEN BDR), 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, 650-0047, Kobe, Japan. .,European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Dr. Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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40
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Marshall WF. A Dilution Model for Embryonic Scaling. Dev Cell 2018; 46:529-530. [PMID: 30205035 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
A recent study in Nature Cell Biology (Almuedo-Castillo et al., 2018) describes a mechanism for tissue scaling in zebrafish embryos. The authors show that a fixed relative amount of the diffusible Nodal inhibitor Lefty produces an extended gradient in larger embryos, ensuring proportionally scaled germ layers, irrespective of embryo size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallace F Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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