1
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Alexanian AR. Epigenetic inheritance of acquired traits via stem cells dedifferentiation/differentiation or transdifferentiation cycles. Cells Dev 2024; 179:203928. [PMID: 38768658 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2024.203928] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Inheritance of acquired characteristics is the once widely accepted idea that multiple modifications acquired by an organism during its life, can be inherited by the offspring. This belief is at least as old as Hippocrates and became popular in early 19th century, leading Lamarck to suggest his theory of evolution. Charles Darwin, along with other thinkers of the time attempted to explain the mechanism of acquired traits' inheritance by proposing the theory of pangenesis. While later this and similar theories were rejected because of the lack of hard evidence, the studies aimed at revealing the mechanism by which somatic information can be passed to germ cells have continued up to the present. In this paper, we present a new theory and provide supporting literature to explain this phenomenon. We hypothesize existence of pluripotent adult stem cells that can serve as collectors and carriers of new epigenetic traits by entering different developmentally active organ/tissue compartments through blood circulation and acquiring new epigenetic marks though cycles of differentiation/dedifferentiation or transdifferentiation. During gametogenesis, these epigenetically modified cells are attracted by gonads, transdifferentiate into germ cells, and pass the acquired epigenetic modifications collected from the entire body's somatic cells to the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshak R Alexanian
- Cell Reprogramming & Therapeutics LLC, Wauwatosa (Milwaukee County), WI 53226, USA.
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2
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Zhang Y, Iino Y, Schafer WR. Behavioral plasticity. Genetics 2024:iyae105. [PMID: 39158469 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae105] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Behavioral plasticity allows animals to modulate their behavior based on experience and environmental conditions. Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits experience-dependent changes in its behavioral responses to various modalities of sensory cues, including odorants, salts, temperature, and mechanical stimulations. Most of these forms of behavioral plasticity, such as adaptation, habituation, associative learning, and imprinting, are shared with other animals. The C. elegans nervous system is considerably tractable for experimental studies-its function can be characterized and manipulated with molecular genetic methods, its activity can be visualized and analyzed with imaging approaches, and the connectivity of its relatively small number of neurons are well described. Therefore, C. elegans provides an opportunity to study molecular, neuronal, and circuit mechanisms underlying behavioral plasticity that are either conserved in other animals or unique to this species. These findings reveal insights into how the nervous system interacts with the environmental cues to generate behavioral changes with adaptive values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yuichi Iino
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - William R Schafer
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 0QH, UK
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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3
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Huang X, Ye Q, Dai W, Zheng J, Li Y, Wang C, Luo Z, Yang J, Zhuo W, Wan QL. Cadmium exposure induces multigenerational inheritance of germ cell apoptosis and fertility suppression in Caenorhabditis elegans. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 191:108952. [PMID: 39159515 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Cadmium is a significant environmental pollutant that poses a substantial health hazard to humans due to its propensity to accumulate in the body and resist excretion. We have a comprehensive understanding of the damage caused by Cd exposure and the mechanisms of tolerance, however, the intricate mechanisms underlying multigenerational effects resulting from Cd exposure remain poorly understood. In this study, Caenorhabditis elegans were used as a model organism to investigate Cd-induced multigenerational effects and its association with epigenetic modifications. The results showed that Cd exposure leads to an increase in germ cell apoptosis and a decrease in fertility, which can be passed down to subsequent generations. Further analysis revealed that transcription factors DAF-16/FOXO and SKN-1/Nrf2 play essential roles in responding to Cd exposure and in the transgenerational induction of germ cell apoptosis. Additionally, histone H3K4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) marks stress-responsive genes and enhances their transcription, ultimately triggering multigenerational germ cell apoptosis. This study provides compelling evidence that the detrimental effects of Cd on the reproductive system can be inherited across generations. These findings enhance our understanding of the multigenerational effects of environmental pollutants and may inform strategies for the prevention and control of such pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Huang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhuhai People's Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai 519000, Guangdong, China; The Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Qunshan Ye
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China; The Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenyu Dai
- The Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingming Zheng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China; The Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Yimin Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China; The Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- The Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenhuan Luo
- The Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Yang
- The Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenyan Zhuo
- Department of Neurology, Zhuhai People's Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai 519000, Guangdong, China
| | - Qin-Li Wan
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, China.
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4
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Seto R, Brown R, Kaletsky R, Parsons LR, Moore RS, Murphy CT. Pseudomonas fluorescens 15 small RNA Pfs1 mediates transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of pathogen avoidance in C. elegans through the Ephrin receptor VAB-1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.23.595334. [PMID: 38826453 PMCID: PMC11142145 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.23.595334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
C. elegans are exposed to a variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria species in their natural environment. Correspondingly, C. elegans has evolved an ability to discern between nutritive and infectious bacterial food sources. Here we show that C. elegans can learn to avoid the pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens 15 (PF15), and that this learned avoidance behavior is passed on to progeny for four generations, as we previously demonstrated for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA14) and Pseudomonas vranovensis, using similar mechanisms, including the involvement of both the TGF-β ligand DAF-7 and Cer1 retrotransposon-encoded virus-like particles. PF15 small RNAs are both necessary and sufficient to induce this transgenerational avoidance behavior. Unlike PA14 or P. vranovensis, PF15 does not use P11, Pv1, or a small RNA with maco-1 homology for this avoidance; instead, an unrelated PF15 small RNA, Pfs1, that targets the C. elegans vab-1 Ephrin receptor gene is necessary and sufficient for learned avoidance, suggesting the evolution of yet another bacterial sRNA/C. elegans gene target pair involved in transgenerational inheritance of pathogen avoidance. As VAB-2 Ephrin receptor ligand and MACO-1 knockdown also induce PF15 avoidance, we have begun to understand the genetic pathway involved in small RNA targeted pathogenic avoidance. Moreover, these data show that axon guidance pathway genes (VAB-1 and VAB-2) have previously unknown adult roles in regulating neuronal function. C. elegans may have evolved multiple bacterial specificity-encoded small RNA-dependent mechanisms to avoid different pathogenic bacteria species, thereby providing progeny with a survival advantage in a dynamic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Seto
- Department of Molecular Biology & LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Rachel Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology & LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Rachel Kaletsky
- Department of Molecular Biology & LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Lance R. Parsons
- Department of Molecular Biology & LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Rebecca S. Moore
- Department of Molecular Biology & LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
| | - Coleen T. Murphy
- Department of Molecular Biology & LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544
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5
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Schmidt AK, Schwartzkopf CM, Pourtois JD, Burgener EB, Faith DR, Joyce A, Lamma T, Kumar G, Bollyky PL, Secor PR. Targeted deletion of Pf prophages from diverse Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates has differential impacts on quorum sensing and virulence traits. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0040223. [PMID: 38687034 PMCID: PMC11112994 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00402-23] [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: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that commonly causes medical hardware, wound, and respiratory infections. Temperate filamentous Pf phages that infect P. aeruginosa impact numerous virulence phenotypes. Most work on Pf phages has focused on Pf4 and its host P. aeruginosa PAO1. Expanding from Pf4 and PAO1, this study explores diverse Pf phages infecting P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. We describe a simple technique targeting the Pf lysogeny maintenance gene, pflM (PA0718), that enables the effective elimination of Pf prophages from diverse P. aeruginosa hosts. The pflM gene shows diversity among different Pf phage isolates; however, all examined pflM alleles encode the DUF5447 domain. We demonstrate that pflM deletion results in prophage excision but not replication, leading to total prophage loss, indicating a role for lysis/lysogeny decisions for the DUF5447 domain. This study also assesses the effects different Pf phages have on host quorum sensing, biofilm formation, pigment production, and virulence against the bacterivorous nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that Pf phages have strain-specific impacts on quorum sensing and biofilm formation, but nearly all suppress pigment production and increase C. elegans avoidance behavior. Collectively, this research not only introduces a valuable tool for Pf prophage elimination from diverse P. aeruginosa isolates but also advances our understanding of the complex relationship between P. aeruginosa and filamentous Pf phages.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that is frequently infected by filamentous Pf phages (viruses) that integrate into its chromosome, affecting behavior. Although prior work has focused on Pf4 and PAO1, this study investigates diverse Pf in clinical isolates. A simple method targeting the deletion of the Pf lysogeny maintenance gene pflM (PA0718) effectively eliminates Pf prophages from clinical isolates. The research evaluates the impact Pf prophages have on bacterial quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and virulence phenotypes. This work introduces a valuable tool to eliminate Pf prophages from clinical isolates and advances our understanding of P. aeruginosa and filamentous Pf phage interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia K. Schmidt
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | | | - Julie D. Pourtois
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth B. Burgener
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for Excellence in Pulmonary Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Dominick R. Faith
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Alex Joyce
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Tyrza Lamma
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Geetha Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, Kerala, India
| | - Paul L. Bollyky
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Patrick R. Secor
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
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6
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Khan S, Mishra RK. Multigenerational Effect of Heat Stress on the Drosophila melanogaster Sperm Proteome. J Proteome Res 2024. [PMID: 38743012 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The effect of the parental environment on offspring through non-DNA sequence-based mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, noncoding RNAs, and proteins, could only be established after the conception of "epigenetics". These effects are now broadly referred to as multigenerational epigenetic effects. Despite accumulating evidence of male gamete-mediated multigenerational epigenetic inheritance, little is known about the factors that underlie heat stress-induced multigenerational epigenetic inheritance via the male germline in Drosophila. In this study, we address this gap by utilizing an established heat stress paradigm in Drosophila and investigating its multigenerational effect on the sperm proteome. Our findings indicate that multigenerational heat stress during the early embryonic stage significantly influences proteins in the sperm associated with translation, chromatin organization, microtubule-based processes, and the generation of metabolites and energy. Assessment of life-history traits revealed that reproductive fitness and stress tolerance remained unaffected by multigenerational heat stress. Our study offers initial insights into the chromatin-based epigenetic mechanisms as a plausible means of transmitting heat stress memory through the male germline in Drosophila. Furthermore, it sheds light on the repercussions of early embryonic heat stress on male reproductive potential. The data sets from this study are available at the ProteomeXchange Consortium under the identifier PXD037488.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shagufta Khan
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500 007, Telangana, India
| | - Rakesh K Mishra
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500 007, Telangana, India
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, Bengaluru-560 065, Karnataka, India
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7
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Singh A, Luallen RJ. Understanding the factors regulating host-microbiome interactions using Caenorhabditis elegans. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230059. [PMID: 38497260 PMCID: PMC10945399 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0059] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The Human Microbiome Project was a research programme that successfully identified associations between microbial species and healthy or diseased individuals. However, a major challenge identified was the absence of model systems for studying host-microbiome interactions, which would increase our capacity to uncover molecular interactions, understand organ-specificity and discover new microbiome-altering health interventions. Caenorhabditis elegans has been a pioneering model organism for over 70 years but was largely studied in the absence of a microbiome. Recently, ecological sampling of wild nematodes has uncovered a large amount of natural genetic diversity as well as a slew of associated microbiota. The field has now explored the interactions of C. elegans with its associated gut microbiome, a defined and non-random microbial community, highlighting its suitability for dissecting host-microbiome interactions. This core microbiome is being used to study the impact of host genetics, age and stressors on microbiome composition. Furthermore, single microbiome species are being used to dissect molecular interactions between microbes and the animal gut. Being amenable to health altering genetic and non-genetic interventions, C. elegans has emerged as a promising system to generate and test new hypotheses regarding host-microbiome interactions, with the potential to uncover novel paradigms relevant to other systems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sculpting the microbiome: how host factors determine and respond to microbial colonization'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupama Singh
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Robert J. Luallen
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
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8
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Lei M, Tan Y, Tu H, Tan W. Neuronal basis and diverse mechanisms of pathogen avoidance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1353747. [PMID: 38751431 PMCID: PMC11094273 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1353747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogen avoidance behaviour has been observed across animal taxa as a vital host-microbe interaction mechanism. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has evolved multiple diverse mechanisms for pathogen avoidance under natural selection pressure. We summarise the current knowledge of the stimuli that trigger pathogen avoidance, including alterations in aerotaxis, intestinal bloating, and metabolites. We then survey the neural circuits involved in pathogen avoidance, transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of pathogen avoidance, signalling crosstalk between pathogen avoidance and innate immunity, and C. elegans avoidance of non-Pseudomonas bacteria. In this review, we highlight the latest advances in understanding host-microbe interactions and the gut-brain axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Lei
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine (AMT), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yanheng Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Haijun Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine (AMT), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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9
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Gowri V, Monteiro A. Haemolymph transfusions transfer heritable learned novel odour preferences to naive larvae of Bicyclus anynana butterflies. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230595. [PMID: 38747684 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms whereby environmental experiences of parents are transmitted to their offspring to impact their behaviour and fitness are poorly understood. Previously, we showed that naive Bicyclus anynana butterfly larvae, whose parents fed on a normal plant feed but coated with a novel odour, inherited an acquired preference towards that odour, which had initially elicited avoidance in the naive parents. Here, we performed simple haemolymph transfusions from odour-fed and control-fed larvae to naive larval recipients. We found that larvae injected with haemolymph from odour-fed donors stopped avoiding the novel odour, and their naive offspring preferred the odour more, compared to the offspring of larvae injected with control haemolymph. These results indicate that factors in the haemolymph, potentially the odour molecule itself, play an important role in odour learning and preference transmission across generations. Furthermore, this mechanism of odour preference inheritance, mediated by the haemolymph, bypasses the peripheral odour-sensing mechanisms taking place in the antennae, mouthparts or legs, and may mediate food plant switching and diversification in Lepidoptera or more broadly across insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Gowri
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Antonia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore , Singapore 117543, Singapore
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10
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Fernandes KA, Lim AI. Maternal-driven immune education in offspring. Immunol Rev 2024; 323:288-302. [PMID: 38445769 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13315] [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: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Maternal environmental exposures, particularly during gestation and lactation, significantly influence the immunological development and long-term immunity of offspring. Mammalian immune systems develop through crucial inputs from the environment, beginning in utero and continuing after birth. These critical developmental windows are essential for proper immune system development and, once closed, may not be reopened. This review focuses on the mechanisms by which maternal exposures, particularly to pathogens, diet, and microbiota, impact offspring immunity. Mechanisms driving maternal-offspring immune crosstalk include transfer of maternal antibodies, changes in the maternal microbiome and microbiota-derived metabolites, and transfer of immune cells and cytokines via the placenta and breastfeeding. We further discuss the role of transient maternal infections, which are common during pregnancy, in providing tissue-specific immune education to offspring. We propose a "maternal-driven immune education" hypothesis, which suggests that offspring can use maternal encounters that occur during a critical developmental window to develop optimal immune fitness against infection and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ai Ing Lim
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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11
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Dayal S, Chaubey D, Joshi DC, Ranmale S, Pillai B. Noncoding RNAs: Emerging regulators of behavioral complexity. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2024; 15:e1847. [PMID: 38702948 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
The mammalian genome encodes thousands of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), ranging in size from about 20 nucleotides (microRNAs or miRNAs) to kilobases (long non-coding RNAs or lncRNAs). ncRNAs contribute to a layer of gene regulation that could explain the evolution of massive phenotypic complexity even as the number of protein-coding genes remains unaltered. We propose that low conservation, poor expression, and highly restricted spatiotemporal expression patterns-conventionally considered ncRNAs may affect behavior through direct, rapid, and often sustained regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, or translational levels. Besides these direct roles, their effect during neurodevelopment may manifest as behavioral changes later in the organism's life, especially when exposed to environmental cues like stress and seasonal changes. The lncRNAs affect behavior through diverse mechanisms like sponging of miRNAs, recruitment of chromatin modifiers, and regulation of alternative splicing. We highlight the need for synthesis between rigorously designed behavioral paradigms in model organisms and the wide diversity of behaviors documented by ethologists through field studies on organisms exquisitely adapted to their environmental niche. Comparative genomics and the latest advancements in transcriptomics provide an unprecedented scope for merging field and lab studies on model and non-model organisms to shed light on the role of ncRNAs in driving the behavioral responses of individuals and groups. We touch upon the technical challenges and contentious issues that must be resolved to fully understand the role of ncRNAs in regulating complex behavioral traits. This article is categorized under: Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanovar Dayal
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Divya Chaubey
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Dheeraj Chandra Joshi
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Samruddhi Ranmale
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Beena Pillai
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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12
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Harris JC, Trigg NA, Goshu B, Yokoyama Y, Dohnalová L, White EK, Harman A, Murga-Garrido SM, Ting-Chun Pan J, Bhanap P, Thaiss CA, Grice EA, Conine CC, Kambayashi T. The microbiota and T cells non-genetically modulate inherited phenotypes transgenerationally. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114029. [PMID: 38573852 PMCID: PMC11102039 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114029] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The host-microbiota relationship has evolved to shape mammalian physiology, including immunity, metabolism, and development. Germ-free models are widely used to study microbial effects on host processes such as immunity. Here, we find that both germ-free and T cell-deficient mice exhibit a robust sebum secretion defect persisting across multiple generations despite microbial colonization and T cell repletion. These phenotypes are inherited by progeny conceived during in vitro fertilization using germ-free sperm and eggs, demonstrating that non-genetic information in the gametes is required for microbial-dependent phenotypic transmission. Accordingly, gene expression in early embryos derived from gametes from germ-free or T cell-deficient mice is strikingly and similarly altered. Our findings demonstrate that microbial- and immune-dependent regulation of non-genetic information in the gametes can transmit inherited phenotypes transgenerationally in mice. This mechanism could rapidly generate phenotypic diversity to enhance host adaptation to environmental perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan C Harris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Natalie A Trigg
- Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Departments of Genetics and Pediatrics - Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Bruktawit Goshu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yuichi Yokoyama
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lenka Dohnalová
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ellen K White
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Adele Harman
- Transgenic Core, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sofía M Murga-Garrido
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jamie Ting-Chun Pan
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Preeti Bhanap
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Christoph A Thaiss
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Grice
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Colin C Conine
- Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Departments of Genetics and Pediatrics - Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Taku Kambayashi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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13
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Cooper JF, Nguyen K, Gates D, Wolfrum E, Capan C, Lee H, Williams D, Okoye C, Wojtovich AP, Burton NO. Oocyte mitochondria link maternal environment to offspring phenotype. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4087193. [PMID: 38585755 PMCID: PMC10996803 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4087193/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
During maturation oocytes undergo a recently discovered mitochondrial proteome remodeling event in flies1, frogs1, and humans2. This oocyte mitochondrial remodeling, which includes substantial changes in electron transport chain (ETC) subunit abundance1,2, is regulated by maternal insulin signaling1. Why oocytes undergo mitochondrial remodeling is unknown, with some speculating that it might be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to protect oocytes from genotoxic damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS)2. In Caenorhabditis elegans, we previously found that maternal exposure to osmotic stress drives a 50-fold increase in offspring survival in response to future osmotic stress3. Like mitochondrial remodeling, we found that this intergenerational adaptation is also regulated by insulin signaling to oocytes3. Here, we used proteomics and genetic manipulations to show that insulin signaling to oocytes regulates offspring's ability to adapt to future stress via a mechanism that depends on ETC composition in maternal oocytes. Specifically, we found that maternally expressed mutant alleles of nduf-7 (complex I subunit) or isp-1 (complex III subunit) altered offspring's response to osmotic stress at hatching independently of offspring genotype. Furthermore, we found that expressing wild-type isp-1 in germ cells (oocytes) was sufficient to restore offspring's normal response to osmotic stress. Chemical mutagenesis screens revealed that maternal ETC composition regulates offspring's response to stress by altering AMP kinase function in offspring which in turn regulates both ATP and glycerol metabolism in response to continued osmotic stress. To our knowledge, these data are the first to show that proper oocyte ETC composition is required to link a mother's environment to adaptive changes in offspring metabolism. The data also raise the possibility that the reason diverse animals exhibit insulin regulated remodeling of oocyte mitochondria is to tailor offspring metabolism to best match the environment of their mother.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason F. Cooper
- Van Andel Research Institute, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 49503
| | - Kim Nguyen
- Van Andel Research Institute, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 49503
| | - Darrick Gates
- Van Andel Research Institute, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 49503
| | - Emily Wolfrum
- Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 49503
| | - Colt Capan
- Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 49503
| | - Hyoungjoo Lee
- Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 49503
| | - Devia Williams
- Van Andel Research Institute, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 49503
| | - Chidozie Okoye
- University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, 575 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY, 14642, Box 711/604, USA
| | - Andrew P Wojtovich
- University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, 575 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY, 14642, Box 711/604, USA
| | - Nicholas O. Burton
- Van Andel Research Institute, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 49503
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14
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Sengupta T, St. Ange J, Kaletsky R, Moore RS, Seto RJ, Marogi J, Myhrvold C, Gitai Z, Murphy CT. A natural bacterial pathogen of C. elegans uses a small RNA to induce transgenerational inheritance of learned avoidance. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011178. [PMID: 38547071 PMCID: PMC10977744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
C. elegans can learn to avoid pathogenic bacteria through several mechanisms, including bacterial small RNA-induced learned avoidance behavior, which can be inherited transgenerationally. Previously, we discovered that a small RNA from a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, PA14, induces learned avoidance and transgenerational inheritance of that avoidance in C. elegans. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important human pathogen, and there are other Pseudomonads in C. elegans' natural habitat, but it is unclear whether C. elegans ever encounters PA14-like bacteria in the wild. Thus, it is not known if small RNAs from bacteria found in C. elegans' natural habitat can also regulate host behavior and produce heritable behavioral effects. Here we screened a set of wild habitat bacteria, and found that a pathogenic Pseudomonas vranovensis strain isolated from the C. elegans microbiota, GRb0427, regulates worm behavior: worms learn to avoid this pathogenic bacterium following exposure, and this learned avoidance is inherited for four generations. The learned response is entirely mediated by bacterially-produced small RNAs, which induce avoidance and transgenerational inheritance, providing further support that such mechanisms of learning and inheritance exist in the wild. We identified Pv1, a small RNA expressed in P. vranovensis, that has a 16-nucleotide match to an exon of the C. elegans gene maco-1. Pv1 is both necessary and sufficient to induce learned avoidance of Grb0427. However, Pv1 also results in avoidance of a beneficial microbiome strain, P. mendocina. Our findings suggest that bacterial small RNA-mediated regulation of host behavior and its transgenerational inheritance may be functional in C. elegans' natural environment, and that this potentially maladaptive response may favor reversal of the transgenerational memory after a few generations. Our data also suggest that different bacterial small RNA-mediated regulation systems evolved independently, but define shared molecular features of bacterial small RNAs that produce transgenerationally-inherited effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titas Sengupta
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Jonathan St. Ange
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Rachel Kaletsky
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Rebecca S. Moore
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Renee J. Seto
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Jacob Marogi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Cameron Myhrvold
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Zemer Gitai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Coleen T. Murphy
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
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15
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Dhakal A, Salim C, Skelly M, Amichan Y, Lamm AT, Hundley HA. ADARs regulate cuticle collagen expression and promote survival to pathogen infection. BMC Biol 2024; 22:37. [PMID: 38360623 PMCID: PMC10870475 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01840-1] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In all organisms, the innate immune system defends against pathogens through basal expression of molecules that provide critical barriers to invasion and inducible expression of effectors that combat infection. The adenosine deaminase that act on RNA (ADAR) family of RNA-binding proteins has been reported to influence innate immunity in metazoans. However, studies on the susceptibility of ADAR mutant animals to infection are largely lacking. RESULTS Here, by analyzing adr-1 and adr-2 null mutants in well-established slow-killing assays, we find that both Caenorhabditis elegans ADARs are important for organismal survival to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, all of which are pathogenic to humans. Furthermore, our high-throughput sequencing and genetic analysis reveal that ADR-1 and ADR-2 function in the same pathway to regulate collagen expression. Consistent with this finding, our scanning electron microscopy studies indicate adr-1;adr-2 mutant animals also have altered cuticle morphology prior to pathogen exposure. CONCLUSIONS Our data uncover a critical role of the C. elegans ADAR family of RNA-binding proteins in promoting cuticular collagen expression, which represents a new post-transcriptional regulatory node that influences the extracellular matrix. In addition, we provide the first evidence that ADAR mutant animals have altered susceptibility to infection with several opportunistic human pathogens, suggesting a broader role of ADARs in altering physical barriers to infection to influence innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfa Dhakal
- Cell, Molecular and Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Indiana University School of Medicine-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Chinnu Salim
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Mary Skelly
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Yarden Amichan
- Faculty of Biology, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ayelet T Lamm
- Faculty of Biology, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Heather A Hundley
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
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16
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Feng Q, Wu T, Wang H, Wu M, Dou B, Wang P. Two-step resonance-energy-transfer-based ratiometric biosensor for sensing and annihilation of Staphylococcus aureus. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:2046-2049. [PMID: 38287913 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc05300h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
A two-step resonance energy transfer (RET)-based fluorescence/electrochemiluminescence (FL/ECL) biosensor was developed for ratiometric measurement and annihilation of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Using coupled dual-recognition-triggered target conversion with the catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) technique, the monitoring of S. aureus was obtained at the single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiumei Feng
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Tao Wu
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Huan Wang
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Meisheng Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Baoting Dou
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Po Wang
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
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17
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Tran TD, Luallen RJ. An organismal understanding of C. elegans innate immune responses, from pathogen recognition to multigenerational resistance. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 154:77-84. [PMID: 36966075 PMCID: PMC10517082 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been a model for studying infection since the early 2000s and many major discoveries have been made regarding its innate immune responses. C. elegans has been found to utilize some key conserved aspects of immune responses and signaling, but new interesting features of innate immunity have also been discovered in the organism that might have broader implications in higher eukaryotes such as mammals. Some of the distinctive features of C. elegans innate immunity involve the mechanisms this bacterivore uses to detect infection and mount specific immune responses to different pathogens, despite lacking putative orthologs of many important innate immune components, including cellular immunity, the inflammasome, complement, or melanization. Even when orthologs of known immune factors exist, there appears to be an absence of canonical functions, most notably the lack of pattern recognition by its sole Toll-like receptor. Instead, recent research suggests that C. elegans senses infection by specific pathogens through contextual information, including unique products produced by the pathogen or infection-induced disruption of host physiology, similar to the proposed detection of patterns of pathogenesis in mammalian systems. Interestingly, C. elegans can also transfer information of past infection to their progeny, providing robust protection for their offspring in face of persisting pathogens, in part through the RNAi pathway as well as potential new mechanisms that remain to be elucidated. Altogether, some of these strategies employed by C. elegans share key conceptual features with vertebrate adaptive immunity, as the animal can differentiate specific microbial features, as well as propagate a form of immune memory to their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan D Tran
- Department of Biology San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Robert J Luallen
- Department of Biology San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182, USA.
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18
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Camara H, Inan MD, Vergani-Junior CA, Pinto S, Knittel TL, Salgueiro WG, Tonon-da-Silva G, Ramirez J, de Moraes D, Braga DL, De-Souza EA, Mori MA. Tissue-specific overexpression of systemic RNA interference components limits lifespan in C. elegans. Gene 2024; 895:148014. [PMID: 37984536 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.148014] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Intertissue RNA transport recently emerged as a novel signaling mechanism. In mammals, mounting evidence suggests that small RNA transfer between cells is widespread and used in various physiological contexts. In the nematode C. elegans, a similar mechanism is conferred by the systemic RNAi pathway. Members of the Systemic RNA Interference Defective (SID) family act at different steps of cellular RNA uptake and export. The limiting step in systemic RNA interference (RNAi) is the import of extracellular RNAs via the conserved double-stranded (dsRNA)-gated dsRNA channel SID-1. To better understand the role of RNAs as intertissue signaling molecules, we modified the function of SID-1 in specific tissues of C. elegans. We observed that sid-1 loss-of-function mutants are as healthy as wild-type worms. Conversely, overexpression of sid-1 in C. elegans intestine, muscle, or neurons rendered worms short-lived. The effects of intestinal sid-1 overexpression were attenuated by silencing the components of systemic RNAi sid-1, sid-2 and sid-5, implicating systemic RNA signaling in the lifespan reduction. Accordingly, tissue-specific overexpression of sid-2 and sid-5 also reduced worm lifespan. Additionally, an RNAi screen for components of several non-coding RNA pathways revealed that silencing the miRNA biogenesis proteins PASH-1 and DCR-1 rendered the lifespan of worms with intestinal sid-1 overexpression similar to controls. Collectively, our data support the notion that systemic RNA signaling must be tightly regulated, and unbalancing that process provokes a reduction in lifespan. We termed this phenomenon Intercellular/Extracellular Systemic RNA imbalance (InExS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Camara
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Program in Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mehmet Dinçer Inan
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Carlos A Vergani-Junior
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Silas Pinto
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Program in Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago L Knittel
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Willian G Salgueiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Tonon-da-Silva
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana Ramirez
- Program in Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diogo de Moraes
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Deisi L Braga
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Evandro A De-Souza
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil; Program in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelo A Mori
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil; Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Program in Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil; Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Experimental Medicine Research Cluster (EMRC), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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19
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Nair T, Weathers BA, Stuhr NL, Nhan JD, Curran SP. Serotonin deficiency from constitutive SKN-1 activation drives pathogen apathy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.10.579755. [PMID: 38405962 PMCID: PMC10888766 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.10.579755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
When an organism encounters a pathogen, the host innate immune system activates to defend against pathogen colonization and toxic xenobiotics produced. C. elegans employ multiple defense systems to ensure survival when exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa including activation of the cytoprotective transcription factor SKN-1/NRF2. Although wildtype C. elegans quickly learn to avoid pathogens, here we describe a peculiar apathy-like behavior towards PA14 in animals with constitutive activation of SKN-1, whereby animals choose not to leave and continue to feed on the pathogen even when a non-pathogenic and healthspan-promoting food option is available. Although lacking the urgency to escape the infectious environment, animals with constitutive SKN-1 activity are not oblivious to the presence of the pathogen and display the typical pathogen-induced intestinal distension and eventual demise. SKN-1 activation, specifically in neurons and intestinal tissues, orchestrates a unique transcriptional program which leads to defects in serotonin signaling that is required from both neurons and non-neuronal tissues. Serotonin depletion from SKN-1 activation limits pathogen defense capacity, drives the pathogen-associated apathy behaviors and induces a synthetic sensitivity to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Taken together, our work reveals new insights into how animals perceive environmental pathogens and subsequently alter behavior and cellular programs to promote survival. KEY POINTS Identify an apathy-like behavioral response for pathogens resulting from the constitutive activation of the cytoprotective transcription factor SKN-1.Uncover the obligate role for serotonin synthesis in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells for the apathy-like state and ability of serotonin treatment to restore normal behaviors.Characterize the timing and tissue specificity of SKN-1 nuclear localization in neurons and intestinal cells in response to pathogen exposure.Define the unique and context-specific transcriptional signatures of animals with constitutive SKN-1 activation when exposed to pathogenic environments.Reveal necessity for both neuronal and non-neuronal serotonin signaling in host survival from pathogen infection.
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20
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Webster AK, Phillips PC. Heritable epigenetic variation facilitates long-term maintenance of epigenetic and genetic variation. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkad287. [PMID: 38113034 PMCID: PMC10849368 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
How genetic and phenotypic variation are maintained has long been one of the fundamental questions in population and quantitative genetics. A variety of factors have been implicated to explain the maintenance of genetic variation in some contexts (e.g. balancing selection), but the potential role of epigenetic regulation to influence population dynamics has been understudied. It is well recognized that epigenetic regulation, including histone methylation, small RNA expression, and DNA methylation, helps to define differences between cell types and facilitate phenotypic plasticity. In recent years, empirical studies have shown the potential for epigenetic regulation to also be heritable for at least a few generations without selection, raising the possibility that differences in epigenetic regulation can act alongside genetic variation to shape evolutionary trajectories. Heritable differences in epigenetic regulation that arise spontaneously are termed "epimutations." Epimutations differ from genetic mutations in 2 key ways-they occur at a higher rate and the loci at which they occur often revert back to their original state within a few generations. Here, we present an extension of the standard population genetic model with selection to incorporate epigenetic variation arising via epimutation. Our model assumes a diploid, sexually reproducing population with random mating. In addition to spontaneous genetic mutation, we included parameters for spontaneous epimutation and back-epimutation, allowing for 4 potential epialleles at a single locus (2 genetic alleles, each with 2 epigenetic states), each of which affect fitness. We then analyzed the conditions under which stable epialleles were maintained. Our results show that highly reversible epialleles can be maintained in long-term equilibrium under neutral conditions in a manner that depends on the epimutation and back-epimutation rates, which we term epimutation-back-epimutation equilibrium. On the other hand, epialleles that compensate for deleterious mutations cause deviations from the expectations of mutation-selection balance by a simple factor that depends on the epimutation and back-epimutation rates. We also numerically analyze several sets of fitness parameters for which large deviations from mutation-selection balance occur. Together, these results demonstrate that transient epigenetic regulation may be an important factor in the maintenance of both epigenetic and genetic variation in populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K Webster
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Patrick C Phillips
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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21
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Gowri V, Monteiro A. Acquired preferences for a novel food odor do not become stronger or stable after multiple generations of odor feeding in Bicyclus anynana butterfly larvae. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1531:84-94. [PMID: 38113288 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Many herbivorous insects have specific host-plant preferences, and it is unclear how these preferences evolved. Previously, we found that Bicyclus anynana larvae can learn to prefer novel food odors from eating leaves with those odors and transmit those learned preferences to the next generation. It is uncertain whether such acquired odor preferences can increase across generations of repeated odor feeding and be maintained even in the absence of odor. In this study, we fed larvae with novel banana odor-coated leaves (odor-fed larvae) for five consecutive generations, without selection on behavioral choices, and measured how larval innate preferences changed over time. Then, we removed the odor stimulus from a larval subgroup, while the other group continued to be odor-fed. Our results show that larvae learned to prefer the novel odor within a generation of odor feeding and transmitted the learned preference to the next generation, as previously found. Odor-fed larvae preferred odor significantly more compared to control larvae across five generations of repeated odor or control feeding. However, this led neither to increased odor preference, nor its stabilization. This suggests that when butterfly larvae feed on a new host, a preference for that novel food plant may develop and be transmitted to the next generation, but this preference lasts for a single generation and disappears once the odor stimulus is removed.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Gowri
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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22
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Dias BG. Legacies of salient environmental experiences-insights from chemosensation. Chem Senses 2024; 49:bjae002. [PMID: 38219073 PMCID: PMC10825851 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence for parental environments profoundly influencing the physiology, biology, and neurobiology of future generations has been accumulating in the literature. Recent efforts to understand this phenomenon and its underlying mechanisms have sought to use species like rodents and insects to model multi-generational legacies of parental experiences like stress and nutritional exposures. From these studies, we have come to appreciate that parental exposure to salient environmental experiences impacts the cadence of brain development, hormonal responses to stress, and the expression of genes that govern cellular responses to stress in offspring. Recent studies using chemosensory exposure have emerged as a powerful tool to shed new light on how future generations come to be influenced by environments to which parents are exposed. With a specific focus on studies that have leveraged such use of salient chemosensory experiences, this review synthesizes our current understanding of the concept, causes, and consequences of the inheritance of chemosensory legacies by future generations and how this field of inquiry informs the larger picture of how parental experiences can influence offspring biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian G Dias
- Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Program, The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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23
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Nava S, Palma W, Wan X, Oh JY, Gharib S, Wang H, Revanna JS, Tan M, Zhang M, Liu J, Chen CH, Lee JS, Perry B, Sternberg PW. A cGAL-UAS bipartite expression toolkit for Caenorhabditis elegans sensory neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221680120. [PMID: 38096407 PMCID: PMC10743456 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221680120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals integrate sensory information from the environment and display various behaviors in response to external stimuli. In Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites, 33 types of sensory neurons are responsible for chemosensation, olfaction, and mechanosensation. However, the functional roles of all sensory neurons have not been systematically studied due to the lack of facile genetic accessibility. A bipartite cGAL-UAS system has been previously developed to study tissue- or cell-specific functions in C. elegans. Here, we report a toolkit of new cGAL drivers that can facilitate the analysis of a vast majority of the 60 sensory neurons in C. elegans hermaphrodites. We generated 37 sensory neuronal cGAL drivers that drive cGAL expression by cell-specific regulatory sequences or intersection of two distinct regulatory regions with overlapping expression (split cGAL). Most cGAL-drivers exhibit expression in single types of cells. We also constructed 28 UAS effectors that allow expression of proteins to perturb or interrogate sensory neurons of choice. This cGAL-UAS sensory neuron toolkit provides a genetic platform to systematically study the functions of C. elegans sensory neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Nava
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Wilber Palma
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Xuan Wan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Jun Young Oh
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Shahla Gharib
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Han Wang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Jasmin S. Revanna
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Minyi Tan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Mark Zhang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Jonathan Liu
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Chun-Hao Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - James S. Lee
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Barbara Perry
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Paul W. Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
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24
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Ow MC, Hall SE. Inheritance of Stress Responses via Small Non-Coding RNAs in Invertebrates and Mammals. EPIGENOMES 2023; 8:1. [PMID: 38534792 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes8010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
While reports on the generational inheritance of a parental response to stress have been widely reported in animals, the molecular mechanisms behind this phenomenon have only recently emerged. The booming interest in epigenetic inheritance has been facilitated in part by the discovery that small non-coding RNAs are one of its principal conduits. Discovered 30 years ago in the Caenorhabditis elegans nematode, these small molecules have since cemented their critical roles in regulating virtually all aspects of eukaryotic development. Here, we provide an overview on the current understanding of epigenetic inheritance in animals, including mice and C. elegans, as it pertains to stresses such as temperature, nutritional, and pathogenic encounters. We focus on C. elegans to address the mechanistic complexity of how small RNAs target their cohort mRNAs to effect gene expression and how they govern the propagation or termination of generational perdurance in epigenetic inheritance. Presently, while a great amount has been learned regarding the heritability of gene expression states, many more questions remain unanswered and warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Ow
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Sarah E Hall
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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25
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Frézal L, Saglio M, Zhang G, Noble L, Richaud A, Félix MA. Genome-wide association and environmental suppression of the mortal germline phenotype of wild C. elegans. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e58116. [PMID: 37983674 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202358116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The animal germline lineage needs to be maintained along generations. However, some Caenorhabditis elegans wild isolates display a mortal germline phenotype, leading to sterility after several generations at 25°C. Using a genome-wide association approach, we detect a significant peak on chromosome III around 5 Mb, confirmed by introgressions. Thus, a seemingly deleterious genotype is maintained at intermediate frequency in the species. Environmental rescue is a likely explanation, and indeed associated bacteria and microsporidia suppress the phenotype of wild isolates as well as mutants in small RNA inheritance (nrde-2) and histone modifications (set-2). Escherichia coli strains of the K-12 lineage suppress the phenotype compared to B strains. By shifting a wild strain from E. coli K-12 to E. coli B, we find that memory of the suppressing condition is maintained over several generations. Thus, the mortal germline phenotype of wild C. elegans is in part revealed by laboratory conditions and may represent variation in epigenetic inheritance and environmental interactions. This study also points to the importance of non-genetic memory in the face of environmental variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Frézal
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Marie Saglio
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Gaotian Zhang
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Luke Noble
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Aurélien Richaud
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Anne Félix
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France
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26
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Marogi JG, Murphy CT, Myhrvold C, Gitai Z. P. aeruginosa controls both C. elegans attraction and pathogenesis by regulating nitrogen assimilation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569279. [PMID: 38077073 PMCID: PMC10705433 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
Detecting chemical signals is important for identifying food sources and avoiding harmful agents. Like most animals, C. elegans use olfaction to chemotax towards their main food source, bacteria. However, little is known about the bacterial compounds governing C. elegans attraction to bacteria and the physiological importance of these compounds to bacteria. Here, we address these questions by investigating the function of a small RNA, P11, in the pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, that was previously shown to mediate learned pathogen avoidance. We discovered that this RNA also affects the attraction of untrained C. elegans to P. aeruginosa and does so by controlling production of ammonia, a volatile odorant produced during nitrogen assimilation. We untangle the complex regulation of P. aeruginosa nitrogen assimilation, which is mediated by a partner-switching mechanism involving environmental nitrates, sensor proteins, and P11. In addition to mediating C. elegans attraction, nitrogen assimilation is important for bacterial fitness and pathogenesis during C. elegans infection by P. aeruginosa . These studies define ammonia as a major mediator of trans-kingdom signaling, reveal the physiological importance of nitrogen assimilation for both bacteria and host organisms, and highlight how a bacterial metabolic pathway can either benefit or harm a host in different contexts.
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27
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Tando Y, Matsui Y. Inheritance of environment-induced phenotypic changes through epigenetic mechanisms. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2023; 9:dvad008. [PMID: 38094661 PMCID: PMC10719065 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvad008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that epigenetic changes through various parental environmental factors alter the phenotypes of descendants in various organisms. Environmental factors, including exposure to chemicals, stress and abnormal nutrition, affect the epigenome in parental germ cells by different epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone modification as well as small RNAs via metabolites. Some current remaining questions are the causal relationship between environment-induced epigenetic changes in germ cells and altered phenotypes of descendants, and the molecular basis of how the abnormal epigenetic changes escape reprogramming in germ cells. In this review, we introduce representative examples of intergenerational and transgenerational inheritance of phenotypic changes through parental environmental factors and the accompanied epigenetic and metabolic changes, with a focus on animal species. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms of epigenomic inheritance and their possible biological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Tando
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yasuhisa Matsui
- Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
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28
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Yoshida K, Suehiro Y, Dejima K, Yoshina S, Mitani S. Distinct pathways for export of silencing RNA in Caenorhabditis elegans systemic RNAi. iScience 2023; 26:108067. [PMID: 37854694 PMCID: PMC10579535 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Dietary supplied double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) can trigger RNA interference (RNAi) systemically in some animals, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Although this phenomenon has been utilized as a major tool for gene silencing in C. elegans, how cells spread the silencing RNA throughout the organism is largely unknown. Here, we identify two novel systemic RNAi-related factors, REXD-1 and TBC-3, and show that these two factors together with SID-5 act redundantly to promote systemic spreading of dsRNA. Animals that are defective in all REXD-1, TBC-3, and SID-5 functions show strong deficiency in export of dsRNA from intestinal cells, whereas cellular uptake and processing of dsRNA and general secretion events other than dsRNA secretion are still functional in the triple mutant animals. Our findings reveal pathways that specifically regulate the export of dsRNA in parallel, implying the importance of spreading RNA molecules for intercellular communication in organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Yoshida
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Yuji Suehiro
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Katsufumi Dejima
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Sawako Yoshina
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Shohei Mitani
- Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
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29
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Zhang X, Wang Y, Cai Z, Wan Z, Aihemaiti Y, Tu H. A gonadal gap junction INX-14/Notch GLP-1 signaling axis suppresses gut defense through an intestinal lysosome pathway. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1249436. [PMID: 37928537 PMCID: PMC10620905 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1249436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gap junctions mediate intercellular communications across cellular networks in the nervous and immune systems. Yet their roles in intestinal innate immunity are poorly understood. Here, we show that the gap junction/innexin subunit inx-14 acts in the C. elegans gonad to attenuate intestinal defenses to Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 infection through the PMK-1/p38 pathway. RNA-Seq analyses revealed that germline-specific inx-14 RNAi downregulated Notch/GLP-1 signaling, while lysosome and PMK-1/p38 pathways were upregulated. Consistently, disruption of inx-14 or glp-1 in the germline enhanced resistance to PA14 infection and upregulated lysosome and PMK-1/p38 activity. We show that lysosome signaling functions downstream of the INX-14/GLP-1 signaling axis and upstream of PMK-1/p38 pathway to facilitate intestinal defense. Our findings expand the understanding of the links between the reproductive system and intestinal defense, which may be evolutionarily conserved in higher organism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Haijun Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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30
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Sengupta T, St. Ange J, Moore R, Kaletsky R, Marogi J, Myhrvold C, Gitai Z, Murphy CT. A natural bacterial pathogen of C. elegans uses a small RNA to induce transgenerational inheritance of learned avoidance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.20.549962. [PMID: 37503135 PMCID: PMC10370180 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.20.549962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we discovered that a small RNA from a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, PA14, induces learned avoidance and its transgenerational inheritance in C. elegans. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important human pathogen, and there are other Pseudomonads in C. elegans' natural habitat, but it is unclear whether C. elegans ever encounters PA14-like bacteria in the wild. Thus, it is not known if small RNAs from bacteria found in C. elegans' natural habitat can also regulate host behavior and produce heritable behavioral effects. Here we found that a pathogenic Pseudomonas vranovensis strain isolated from the C. elegans microbiota, GRb0427, like PA14, regulates worm behavior: worms learn to avoid this pathogenic bacterium following exposure to GRb0427, and this learned avoidance is inherited for four generations. The learned response is entirely mediated by bacterially-produced small RNAs, which induce avoidance and transgenerational inheritance, providing further support that such mechanisms of learning and inheritance exist in the wild. Using bacterial small RNA sequencing, we identified Pv1, a small RNA from GRb0427, that matches the sequence of C. elegans maco-1. We find that Pv1 is both necessary and sufficient to induce learned avoidance of Grb0427. However, Pv1 also results in avoidance of a beneficial microbiome strain, P. mendocina; this potentially maladaptive response may favor reversal of the transgenerational memory after a few generations. Our findings suggest that bacterial small RNA-mediated regulation of host behavior and its transgenerational inheritance are functional in C. elegans' natural environment, and that different bacterial small RNA-mediated regulation systems evolved independently but define shared molecular features of bacterial small RNAs that produce transgenerationally-inherited effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titas Sengupta
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jonathan St. Ange
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Rebecca Moore
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Rachel Kaletsky
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jacob Marogi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Cameron Myhrvold
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Zemer Gitai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Coleen T. Murphy
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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31
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Webster AK, Willis JH, Johnson E, Sarkies P, Phillips PC. Epigenetic context predicts gene expression variation and reproductive traits across genetically identical individuals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.13.562270. [PMID: 37873136 PMCID: PMC10592811 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.13.562270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been the major approach to understand the biological basis of individual differences in traits and diseases. However, GWAS approaches have proven to have limited predictive power to explain individual differences, particularly for complex traits and diseases in which environmental factors play a substantial role in their etiology. Indeed, individual differences persist even in genetically identical individuals, although fully separating genetic and environmental causation is difficult or impossible in most organisms. To understand the basis of individual differences in the absence of genetic differences, we measured two quantitative reproductive traits in 180 genetically identical young adult Caenorhabditis elegans roundworms in a shared environment and performed single-individual transcriptomics on each worm. We identified hundreds of genes for which expression variation was strongly associated with reproductive traits, some of which depended on prior environmental experience and some of which was random. Multiple small sets of genes together were highly predictive of reproductive traits across individuals, explaining on average over half and over a quarter of variation in the two traits. We manipulated mRNA levels of predictive genes using RNA interference to identify a set of causal genes, demonstrating the utility of this approach for both prediction and understanding underlying biology. Finally, we found that the chromatin environment of predictive genes was enriched for H3K27 trimethylation, suggesting that individual gene expression differences underlying critical traits may be driven in part by chromatin structure. Together, this work shows that individual differences in gene expression that arise independently of underlying genetic differences are both predictive and causal in shaping reproductive traits at levels that equal or exceed genetic variation.
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32
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Huang X, Wang C, Zhang T, Li R, Chen L, Leung KL, Lakso M, Zhou Q, Zhang H, Wong G. PIWI-interacting RNA expression regulates pathogenesis in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Lewy body disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6137. [PMID: 37783675 PMCID: PMC10545829 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41881-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression, yet their molecular functions in neurobiology are unclear. While investigating neurodegeneration mechanisms using human α-syn(A53T)Tg and AβTg;α-syn(A53T)Tg pan-neuronal overexpressing strains, we unexpectedly observed dysregulation of piRNAs. RNAi screening revealed that knock down of piRNA biogenesis genes improved thrashing behavior; further, a tofu-1 gene deletion ameliorated phenotypic deficits in α-syn(A53T)Tg and AβTg;α-syn(A53T)Tg transgenic strains. piRNA expression was extensively downregulated and H3K9me3 marks were decreased after tofu-1 deletion in α-syn(A53T)Tg and AβTg;α-syn(A53T)Tg strains. Dysregulated piRNAs targeted protein degradation genes suggesting that a decrease of piRNA expression leads to an increase of degradation ability in C. elegans. Finally, we interrogated piRNA expression in brain samples from PD patients. piRNAs were observed to be widely overexpressed at late motor stage. In this work, our results provide evidence that piRNAs are mediators in pathogenesis of Lewy body diseases and suggest a molecular mechanism for neurodegeneration in these and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhuhai People's Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Jinan University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Changliang Wang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510799, China
| | - Tianjiao Zhang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Rongzhen Li
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Ka Lai Leung
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Merja Lakso
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China
| | - Garry Wong
- Cancer Centre, Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, 999078, Macau, China.
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33
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Liberman N, Rothi MH, Gerashchenko MV, Zorbas C, Boulias K, MacWhinnie FG, Ying AK, Flood Taylor A, Al Haddad J, Shibuya H, Roach L, Dong A, Dellacona S, Lafontaine DLJ, Gladyshev VN, Greer EL. 18S rRNA methyltransferases DIMT1 and BUD23 drive intergenerational hormesis. Mol Cell 2023; 83:3268-3282.e7. [PMID: 37689068 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.08.014] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Heritable non-genetic information can regulate a variety of complex phenotypes. However, what specific non-genetic cues are transmitted from parents to their descendants are poorly understood. Here, we perform metabolic methyl-labeling experiments to track the heritable transmission of methylation from ancestors to their descendants in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We find heritable methylation in DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids. We find that parental starvation elicits reduced fertility, increased heat stress resistance, and extended longevity in fed, naïve progeny. This intergenerational hormesis is accompanied by a heritable increase in N6'-dimethyl adenosine (m6,2A) on the 18S ribosomal RNA at adenosines 1735 and 1736. We identified DIMT-1/DIMT1 as the m6,2A and BUD-23/BUD23 as the m7G methyltransferases in C. elegans that are both required for intergenerational hormesis, while other rRNA methyltransferases are dispensable. This study labels and tracks heritable non-genetic material across generations and demonstrates the importance of rRNA methylation for regulating epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Liberman
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Hafiz Rothi
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maxim V Gerashchenko
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christiane Zorbas
- RNA Molecular Biology, Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S./FNRS), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Biopark Campus, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Konstantinos Boulias
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fiona G MacWhinnie
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Albert Kejun Ying
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anya Flood Taylor
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Al Haddad
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hiroki Shibuya
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lara Roach
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna Dong
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scarlett Dellacona
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Denis L J Lafontaine
- RNA Molecular Biology, Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S./FNRS), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Biopark Campus, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Vadim N Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Eric Lieberman Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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34
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Yamamoto KK, Savage-Dunn C. TGF-β pathways in aging and immunity: lessons from Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Genet 2023; 14:1220068. [PMID: 37732316 PMCID: PMC10507863 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1220068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily of signaling molecules plays critical roles in development, differentiation, homeostasis, and disease. Due to the conservation of these ligands and their signaling pathways, genetic studies in invertebrate systems including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have been instrumental in identifying signaling mechanisms. C. elegans is also a premier organism for research in longevity and healthy aging. Here we summarize current knowledge on the roles of TGF-β signaling in aging and immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cathy Savage-Dunn
- Department of Biology, Queens College, and PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York City, NY, United States
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35
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Guskjolen A, Cembrowski MS. Engram neurons: Encoding, consolidation, retrieval, and forgetting of memory. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3207-3219. [PMID: 37369721 PMCID: PMC10618102 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02137-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Tremendous strides have been made in our understanding of the neurobiological substrates of memory - the so-called memory "engram". Here, we integrate recent progress in the engram field to illustrate how engram neurons transform across the "lifespan" of a memory - from initial memory encoding, to consolidation and retrieval, and ultimately to forgetting. To do so, we first describe how cell-intrinsic properties shape the initial emergence of the engram at memory encoding. Second, we highlight how these encoding neurons preferentially participate in synaptic- and systems-level consolidation of memory. Third, we describe how these changes during encoding and consolidation guide neural reactivation during retrieval, and facilitate memory recall. Fourth, we describe neurobiological mechanisms of forgetting, and how these mechanisms can counteract engram properties established during memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. Motivated by recent experimental results across these four sections, we conclude by proposing some conceptual extensions to the traditional view of the engram, including broadening the view of cell-type participation within engrams and across memory stages. In collection, our review synthesizes general principles of the engram across memory stages, and describes future avenues to further understand the dynamic engram.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Guskjolen
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Mark S Cembrowski
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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36
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Wang W, Sherry T, Cheng X, Fan Q, Cornell R, Liu J, Xiao Z, Pocock R. An intestinal sphingolipid confers intergenerational neuroprotection. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:1196-1207. [PMID: 37537365 PMCID: PMC10415181 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01195-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
In animals, maternal diet and environment can influence the health of offspring. Whether and how maternal dietary choice impacts the nervous system across multiple generations is not well understood. Here we show that feeding Caenorhabditis elegans with ursolic acid, a natural plant product, improves axon transport and reduces adult-onset axon fragility intergenerationally. Ursolic acid provides neuroprotection by enhancing maternal provisioning of sphingosine-1-phosphate, a bioactive sphingolipid. Intestine-to-oocyte sphingosine-1-phosphate transfer is required for intergenerational neuroprotection and is dependent on the RME-2 lipoprotein yolk receptor. Sphingosine-1-phosphate acts intergenerationally by upregulating the transcription of the acid ceramidase-1 (asah-1) gene in the intestine. Spatial regulation of sphingolipid metabolism is critical, as inappropriate asah-1 expression in neurons causes developmental axon outgrowth defects. Our results show that sphingolipid homeostasis impacts the development and intergenerational health of the nervous system. The ability of specific lipid metabolites to act as messengers between generations may have broad implications for dietary choice during reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyue Wang
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tessa Sherry
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xinran Cheng
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Qi Fan
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca Cornell
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jie Liu
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zhicheng Xiao
- Neuroscience Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Roger Pocock
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Deshe N, Eliezer Y, Hoch L, Itskovits E, Bokman E, Ben-Ezra S, Zaslaver A. Inheritance of associative memories and acquired cellular changes in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4232. [PMID: 37454110 PMCID: PMC10349803 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39804-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Experiences have been shown to modulate behavior and physiology of future generations in some contexts, but there is limited evidence for inheritance of associative memory in different species. Here, we trained C. elegans nematodes to associate an attractive odorant with stressful starvation conditions and revealed that this associative memory was transmitted to the F1 progeny who showed odor-evoked avoidance behavior. Moreover, the F1 and the F2 descendants of trained animals exhibited odor-evoked cellular stress responses, manifested by the translocation of DAF-16/FOXO to cells' nuclei. Sperm, but not oocytes, transmitted these odor-evoked cellular stress responses which involved H3K9 and H3K36 methylations, the small RNA pathway machinery, and intact neuropeptide secretion. Activation of a single chemosensory neuron sufficed to induce a serotonin-mediated systemic stress response in both the parental trained generation and in its progeny. Moreover, inheritance of the cellular stress responses increased survival chances of the progeny as exposure to the training odorant allowed the animals to prepare in advance for an impending adversity. These findings suggest that in C. elegans associative memories and cellular changes may be transferred across generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Deshe
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Yifat Eliezer
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Lihi Hoch
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Eyal Itskovits
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Eduard Bokman
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Shachaf Ben-Ezra
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Alon Zaslaver
- Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Science, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel.
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Liu J, Zhang P, Zheng Z, Afridi MI, Zhang S, Wan Z, Zhang X, Stingelin L, Wang Y, Tu H. GABAergic signaling between enteric neurons and intestinal smooth muscle promotes innate immunity and gut defense in Caenorhabditis elegans. Immunity 2023; 56:1515-1532.e9. [PMID: 37437538 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.06.004] [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: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The nervous system is critical for intestinal homeostasis and function, but questions remain regarding its impact on gut immune defense. By screening the major neurotransmitters of C. elegans, we found that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) deficiency enhanced susceptibility to pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 infection. GABAergic signaling between enteric neurons and intestinal smooth muscle promoted gut defense in a PMK-1/p38-dependent, but IIS/DAF-16- and DBL-1/TGF-β-independent, pathway. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that the neuropeptide, FLP-6, acted downstream of enteric GABAergic signaling. Further data determined that FLP-6 was expressed and secreted by intestinal smooth muscle cells and functioned as a paracrine molecule on the intestinal epithelium. FLP-6 suppressed the transcription factors ZIP-10 and KLF-1 that worked in parallel and converged to the PMK-1/p38 pathway in the intestinal epithelia for innate immunity and gut defense. Collectively, these findings uncover an enteric neuron-muscle-epithelium axis that may be evolutionarily conserved in higher organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Zhongfan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Muhammad Irfan Afridi
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Shan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Zhiqing Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Xiumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Lukas Stingelin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Yirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Haijun Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China.
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Gaeta AL, Willicott K, Willicott CW, McKay LE, Keogh CM, Altman TJ, Kimble LC, Yarbrough AL, Caldwell KA, Caldwell GA. Mechanistic impacts of bacterial diet on dopaminergic neurodegeneration in a Caenorhabditis elegans α-synuclein model of Parkinson's disease. iScience 2023; 26:106859. [PMID: 37260751 PMCID: PMC10227375 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106859] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Failure of inherently protective cellular processes and misfolded protein-associated stress contribute to the progressive loss of dopamine (DA) neurons characteristic of Parkinson's disease (PD). A disease-modifying role for the microbiome has recently emerged in PD, representing an impetus to employ the soil-dwelling nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, as a preclinical model to correlate changes in gene expression with neurodegeneration in transgenic animals grown on distinct bacterial food sources. Even under tightly controlled conditions, hundreds of differentially expressed genes and a robust neuroprotective response were discerned between clonal C. elegans strains overexpressing human alpha-synuclein in the DA neurons fed either one of only two subspecies of Escherichia coli. Moreover, this neuroprotection persisted in a transgenerational manner. Genetic analysis revealed a requirement for the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated gene silencing machinery in conferring neuroprotection. In delineating the contribution of individual genes, evidence emerged for endopeptidase activity and heme-associated pathway(s) as mechanistic components for modulating dopaminergic neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L. Gaeta
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Karolina Willicott
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Corey W. Willicott
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Luke E. McKay
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Candice M. Keogh
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Tyler J. Altman
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Logan C. Kimble
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Abigail L. Yarbrough
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Kim A. Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
- Center for Convergent Bioscience and Medicine, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
- Alabama Research Institute on Aging, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Nathan Shock Center of Excellence for Basic Research in the Biology of Aging, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Guy A. Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
- Center for Convergent Bioscience and Medicine, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Nathan Shock Center of Excellence for Basic Research in the Biology of Aging, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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40
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Liu L, Wang X, Zhao W, Li Q, Li J, Chen H, Shan G. Systematic characterization of small RNAs associated with C. elegans Argonautes. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023:10.1007/s11427-022-2304-8. [PMID: 37154856 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2304-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Argonaute proteins generally play regulatory roles by forming complexes with the corresponding small RNAs (sRNAs). An expanded Argonaute family with 20 potentially functional members has been identified in Caenorhabditis elegans. Canonical sRNAs in C. elegans are miRNAs, small interfering RNAs including 22G-RNAs and 26G-RNAs, and 21U-RNAs, which are C. elegans piRNAs. Previous studies have only covered some of these Argonautes for their sRNA partners, and thus, a systematic study is needed to reveal the comprehensive regulatory networks formed by C. elegans Argonautes and their associated sRNAs. We obtained in situ knockin (KI) strains of all C. elegans Argonautes with fusion tags by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. RNA immunoprecipitation against these endogenously expressed Argonautes and high-throughput sequencing acquired the sRNA profiles of individual Argonautes. The sRNA partners for each Argonaute were then analyzed. We found that there were 10 Argonautes enriched miRNAs, 17 Argonautes bound to 22G-RNAs, 8 Argonautes bound to 26G-RNAs, and 1 Argonaute PRG-1 bound to piRNAs. Uridylated 22G-RNAs were bound by four Argonautes HRDE-1, WAGO-4, CSR-1, and PPW-2. We found that all four Argonautes played a role in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Regulatory roles of the corresponding Argonaute-sRNA complex in managing levels of long transcripts and interspecies regulation were also demonstrated. In this study, we portrayed the sRNAs bound to each functional Argonaute in C. elegans. Bioinformatics analyses together with experimental investigations provided perceptions in the overall view of the regulatory network formed by C. elegans Argonautes and sRNAs. The sRNA profiles bound to individual Argonautes reported here will be valuable resources for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
| | - Wenfang Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Qiqi Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Jingxin Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - He Chen
- Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Ge Shan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Regional Medical Center for National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
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41
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Pita T, Feliciano JR, Leitão JH. Identification of Burkholderia cenocepacia non-coding RNAs expressed during Caenorhabditis elegans infection. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:3653-3671. [PMID: 37097504 PMCID: PMC10175445 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12530-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are key regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression in bacteria. Despite the identification of hundreds of bacterial sRNAs, their roles on bacterial physiology and virulence remain largely unknown, as is the case of bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). Bcc is a group of opportunistic pathogens with relatively large genomes that can cause lethal lung infections amongst cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. To characterise sRNAs expressed by Bcc bacteria when infecting a host, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was used as an infection model by the epidemic CF strain B. cenocepacia J2315. A total of 108 new and 31 previously described sRNAs with a predicted Rho independent terminator were identified, most of them located on chromosome 1. RIT11b, a sRNA downregulated under C. elegans infection conditions, was shown to directly affect B. cenocepacia virulence, biofilm formation, and swimming motility. RIT11b overexpression reduced the expression of the direct targets dusA and pyrC, involved in biofilm formation, epithelial cell adherence, and chronic infections in other organisms. The in vitro direct interaction of RIT11b with the dusA and pyrC messengers was demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the functional characterization of a sRNA directly involved in B. cenocepacia virulence. KEY POINTS: • 139 sRNAs expressed by B. cenocepacia during C. elegans infection were identified • The sRNA RIT11b affects B. cenocepacia virulence, biofilm formation, and motility • RIT11b directly binds to and regulates dusA and pyrC mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Pita
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, and Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana R Feliciano
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, and Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Jorge H Leitão
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, and Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal.
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42
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Peedicayil J. Genome-Environment Interactions and Psychiatric Disorders. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041209. [PMID: 37189827 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors are known to interact with the genome by altering epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression and contributing to the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. This article is a narrative review of how the major environmental factors contribute to the pathogenesis of common psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder this way. The cited articles were published between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2022 and were obtained from PubMed and Google Scholar. The search terms used were as follows: gene or genetic; genome; environment; mental or psychiatric disorder; epigenetic; and interaction. The following environmental factors were found to act epigenetically on the genome to influence the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders: social determinants of mental health, maternal prenatal psychological stress, poverty, migration, urban dwelling, pregnancy and birth complications, alcohol and substance abuse, microbiota, and prenatal and postnatal infections. The article also discusses the ways by which factors such as drugs, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and physical exercise act epigenetically to alleviate the symptoms of psychiatric disorders in affected patients. These data will be useful information for clinical psychiatrists and those researching the pathogenesis and treatment of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Peedicayil
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632 002, India
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43
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González-Rodríguez P, Füllgrabe J, Joseph B. The hunger strikes back: an epigenetic memory for autophagy. Cell Death Differ 2023:10.1038/s41418-023-01159-4. [PMID: 37031275 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01159-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Historical and demographical human cohorts of populations exposed to famine, as well as animal studies, revealed that exposure to food deprivation is associated to lasting health-related effects for the exposed individuals, as well as transgenerational effects in their offspring that affect their diseases' risk and overall longevity. Autophagy, an evolutionary conserved catabolic process, serves as cellular response to cope with nutrient starvation, allowing the mobilization of an internal source of stored nutrients and the production of energy. We review the evidence obtained in multiple model organisms that support the idea that autophagy induction, including through dietary regimes based on reduced food intake, is in fact associated to improved health span and extended lifespan. Thereafter, we expose autophagy-induced chromatin remodeling, such as DNA methylation and histone posttranslational modifications that are known heritable epigenetic marks, as a plausible mechanism for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of hunger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia González-Rodríguez
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jens Füllgrabe
- Cambridge Epigenetix Ltd, The Trinity Building, Chesterford Research Park, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bertrand Joseph
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Harris JC, Trigg NA, Goshu B, Yokoyama Y, Dohnalová L, White EK, Harman A, Thaiss CA, Grice EA, Conine CC, Kambayashi T. The microbiota and immune system non-genetically affect offspring phenotypes transgenerationally. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.06.535940. [PMID: 37066207 PMCID: PMC10104111 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.06.535940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The host-microbiota relationship has evolved to shape mammalian processes, including immunity, metabolism, and development 1-3 . Host phenotypes change in direct response to microbial exposures by the individual. Here we show that the microbiota induces phenotypic change not only in the individual but also in their succeeding generations of progeny. We found that germ-free mice exhibit a robust sebum secretion defect and transcriptional changes in various organs, persisting across multiple generations despite microbial colonization and breeding with conventional mice. Host-microbe interactions could be involved in this process, since T cell-deficient mice, which display defective sebum secretion 4 , also transgenerationally transmit their phenotype to progeny. These phenotypes are inherited by progeny conceived during in vitro fertilization using germ-free sperm and eggs, demonstrating that epigenetic information in the gametes is required for phenotypic transmission. Accordingly, small non-coding RNAs that can regulate embryonic gene expression 5 were strikingly and similarly altered in gametes of germ-free and T cell-deficient mice. Thus, we have uncovered a novel mechanism whereby the microbiota and immune system induce phenotypic changes in successive generations of offspring. This epigenetic form of inheritance could be advantageous for host adaptation to environmental perturbation, where phenotypic diversity can be introduced more rapidly than by genetic mutation.
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Santilli F, Boskovic A. Mechanisms of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: lessons from animal model organisms. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 79:102024. [PMID: 36893483 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic inheritance is a phenomenon whereby stochastic or signal-induced changes to parental germline epigenome modulate phenotypic output in one or more subsequent generations, independently of mutations in the genomic DNA. While the number of reported epigenetic inheritance phenomena across phyla is exponentially growing, much remains to be elucidated about their mechanistic underpinnings, and their significance for organismal homeostasis and adaptation. Here, we review the most recent epigenetic inheritance examples in animal models, outlining molecular details behind environmental sensing by the germline, and the functional relationships connecting epigenetic mechanisms and phenotypic traits after fertilization. We touch upon the experimental challenges associated with studying the scope of environmental input on phenotypic outcomes between generations. Finally, we discuss the implications of mechanistic findings from model organisms for the emergent examples of parental effects in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio Santilli
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Epigenetics & Neurobiology Unit, Monterotondo, RM, Italy. https://twitter.com/@santilli_flavio
| | - Ana Boskovic
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Epigenetics & Neurobiology Unit, Monterotondo, RM, Italy.
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46
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Ewe CK, Rechavi O. The third barrier to transgenerational inheritance in animals: somatic epigenetic resetting. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56615. [PMID: 36862326 PMCID: PMC10074133 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202256615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
After early controversy, it is now increasingly clear that acquired responses to environmental factors may perpetuate across multiple generations-a phenomenon termed transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (TEI). Experiments with Caenorhabditis elegans, which exhibits robust heritable epigenetic effects, demonstrated small RNAs as key factors of TEI. Here, we discuss three major barriers to TEI in animals, two of which, the "Weismann barrier" and germline epigenetic reprogramming, have been known for decades. These are thought to effectively prevent TEI in mammals but not to the same extent in C. elegans. We argue that a third barrier-that we termed "somatic epigenetic resetting"-may further inhibit TEI and, unlike the other two, restricts TEI in C. elegans as well. While epigenetic information can overcome the Weismann barrier and transmit from the soma to the germline, it usually cannot "travel back" directly from the germline to the soma in subsequent generations. Nevertheless, heritable germline memory may still influence the animal's physiology by indirectly modifying gene expression in somatic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chee Kiang Ewe
- Department of Neurobiology, Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Oded Rechavi
- Department of Neurobiology, Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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47
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Croft JC, Colunga A, Solh L, Dillon MK, Lee TWS. Pharyngeal pumping rate does not reflect lifespan extension in C. elegans transgenerational longevity mutants. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000719. [PMID: 36793895 PMCID: PMC9923420 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications must be reprogrammed with each new generation. In Caenorhabditis elegans , defects in histone methylation reprogramming allow for the transgenerational acquisition of longevity. For example, mutations in the putative H3K9 demethylase JHDM-1 extend lifespan after six to ten generations. We noticed that long-lived jhdm-1 mutants appear healthier than wild-type animals from the same generation. To quantify health, we compared the common metric of pharyngeal pumping rate at specific adult ages between early-gen populations with normal lifespans and late-gen populations with long lifespans. Longevity did not affect pumping rate, but long-lived mutants stop pumping at a younger age, suggesting a possible conservation of energy to extend lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime C. Croft
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Arthur Colunga
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Lea Solh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Michaela K. Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Teresa Wei-sy Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA
,
Correspondence to: Teresa Wei-sy Lee (
)
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48
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Seroussi U, Lugowski A, Wadi L, Lao RX, Willis AR, Zhao W, Sundby AE, Charlesworth AG, Reinke AW, Claycomb JM. A comprehensive survey of C. elegans argonaute proteins reveals organism-wide gene regulatory networks and functions. eLife 2023; 12:e83853. [PMID: 36790166 PMCID: PMC10101689 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Argonaute (AGO) proteins associate with small RNAs to direct their effector function on complementary transcripts. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contains an expanded family of 19 functional AGO proteins, many of which have not been fully characterized. In this work, we systematically analyzed every C. elegans AGO using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to introduce GFP::3xFLAG tags. We have characterized the expression patterns of each AGO throughout development, identified small RNA binding complements, and determined the effects of ago loss on small RNA populations and developmental phenotypes. Our analysis indicates stratification of subsets of AGOs into distinct regulatory modules, and integration of our data led us to uncover novel stress-induced fertility and pathogen response phenotypes due to ago loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uri Seroussi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Andrew Lugowski
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Lina Wadi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Robert X Lao
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | | | - Winnie Zhao
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Adam E Sundby
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | | | - Aaron W Reinke
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Julie M Claycomb
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
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49
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Wang X, Ramat A, Simonelig M, Liu MF. Emerging roles and functional mechanisms of PIWI-interacting RNAs. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:123-141. [PMID: 36104626 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00528-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that associate with proteins of the PIWI clade of the Argonaute family. First identified in animal germ line cells, piRNAs have essential roles in germ line development. The first function of PIWI-piRNA complexes to be described was the silencing of transposable elements, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the germ line genome. Later studies provided new insights into the functions of PIWI-piRNA complexes by demonstrating that they regulate protein-coding genes. Recent studies of piRNA biology, including in new model organisms such as golden hamsters, have deepened our understanding of both piRNA biogenesis and piRNA function. In this Review, we discuss the most recent advances in our understanding of piRNA biogenesis, the molecular mechanisms of piRNA function and the emerging roles of piRNAs in germ line development mainly in flies and mice, and in infertility, cancer and neurological diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Anne Ramat
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Martine Simonelig
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - Mo-Fang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China.
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50
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The molecular memory code and synaptic plasticity: A synthesis. Biosystems 2023; 224:104825. [PMID: 36610586 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2022.104825] [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: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The most widely accepted view of memory in the brain holds that synapses are the storage sites of memory, and that memories are formed through associative modification of synapses. This view has been challenged on conceptual and empirical grounds. As an alternative, it has been proposed that molecules within the cell body are the storage sites of memory, and that memories are formed through biochemical operations on these molecules. This paper proposes a synthesis of these two views, grounded in a computational model of memory. Synapses are conceived as storage sites for the parameters of an approximate posterior probability distribution over latent causes. Intracellular molecules are conceived as storage sites for the parameters of a generative model. The model stipulates how these two components work together as part of an integrated algorithm for learning and inference.
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