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Razak MR, Wee SY, Yusoff FM, Yusof ZNB, Aris AZ. Zooplankton-based adverse outcome pathways: A tool for assessing endocrine disrupting compounds in aquatic environments. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:119045. [PMID: 38704014 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) pose a significant ecological risk, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. EDCs have become a focal point in ecotoxicology, and their identification and regulation have become a priority. Zooplankton have gained global recognition as bioindicators, benefiting from rigorous standardization and regulatory validation processes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of zooplankton-based adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) with a focus on EDCs as toxicants and the utilisation of freshwater zooplankton as bioindicators in ecotoxicological assessments. This review presents case studies in which zooplankton have been used in the development of AOPs, emphasizing the identification of molecular initiating events (MIEs) and key events (KEs) specific to zooplankton exposed to EDCs. Zooplankton-based AOPs may become an important resource for understanding the intricate processes by which EDCs impair the endocrine system. Furthermore, the data sources, experimental approaches, advantages, and challenges associated with zooplankton-based AOPs are discussed. Zooplankton-based AOPs framework can provide vital tools for consolidating toxicological knowledge into a structured toxicity pathway of EDCs, offering a transformative platform for facilitating enhanced risk assessment and chemical regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Raznisyafiq Razak
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sze Yee Wee
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Fatimah Md Yusoff
- International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 71050, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia; Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zetty Norhana Balia Yusof
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Zaharin Aris
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 71050, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
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2
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Kato Y, Nitta JH, Perez CAG, Adhitama N, Religia P, Toyoda A, Iwasaki W, Watanabe H. Identification of gene isoforms and their switching events between male and female embryos of the parthenogenetic crustacean Daphnia magna. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9407. [PMID: 38688940 PMCID: PMC11061156 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59774-1] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The cladoceran crustacean Daphnia exhibits phenotypic plasticity, a phenomenon that leads to diverse phenotypes from one genome. Alternative usage of gene isoforms has been considered a key gene regulation mechanism for controlling different phenotypes. However, to understand the phenotypic plasticity of Daphnia, gene isoforms have not been comprehensively analyzed. Here we identified 25,654 transcripts derived from the 9710 genes expressed during environmental sex determination of Daphnia magna using the long-read RNA-Seq with PacBio Iso-Seq. We found that 14,924 transcripts were previously unidentified and 5713 genes produced two or more isoforms. By a combination of Illumina short-read RNA-Seq, we detected 824 genes that implemented switching of the highest expressed isoform between females and males. Among the 824 genes, we found isoform switching of an ortholog of CREB-regulated transcription coactivator, a major regulator of carbohydrate metabolism in animals, and a correlation of this switching event with the sexually dimorphic expression of carbohydrate metabolic genes. These results suggest that a comprehensive catalog of isoforms may lead to understanding the molecular basis for environmental sex determination of Daphnia. We also infer the applicability of the full-length isoform analyses to the elucidation of phenotypic plasticity in Daphnia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiko Kato
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Joel H Nitta
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Nikko Adhitama
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Pijar Religia
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Atsushi Toyoda
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Wataru Iwasaki
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hajime Watanabe
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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3
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Kim T, Cho BK, Kim YH, Min J. Novel peptide identified from viable-cell based phage display technique regulates growth cycle of Daphnia magna. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 327:121556. [PMID: 37044252 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Phage display is a widely used technique for selecting specific binding peptides, but presenting antigens in their natural form can be challenging, as protein coating may induce structural changes. In this study, we employed a whole cell-based phage display technique without a coating step to select peptides that bind specifically to Daphnia magna eggs. Boiled eggs were used as a control to ensure that antigens were presented in their natural forms. We identified a peptide, DEP1 (LYALPLSHLKSHGGG), with the highest binding affinity to D. magna eggs. DEP1 did not affect zebrafish eggs, but it inhibited normal hatching and reproductive ability in D. magna eggs, and hindered growth in neonates before their first ecdysis. Morphological analysis revealed that DEP1 caused intestinal damage and tissue abnormalities. Our findings demonstrate that the whole cell-based phage display technique is successful in presenting antigens in their natural form, and that the DEP1 peptide can be applied to regulate the growth cycle of D. magna. These results have implications for the use of phage display in environmental research and the potential use of DEP1 for hazardous organisms in aquatic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehwan Kim
- Graduate School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Kwan Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yang-Hoon Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Chungdae-ro 1, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiho Min
- Graduate School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, 54896, Republic of Korea.
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Razak MR, Aris AZ, Yusoff FM, Yusof ZNB, Abidin AAZ, Kim SD, Kim KW. Risk assessment of bisphenol analogues towards mortality, heart rate and stress-mediated gene expression in cladocerans Moina micrura. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:3567-3583. [PMID: 36450975 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01442-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known endocrine-disrupting compound that causes several toxic effects on human and aquatic organisms. The restriction of BPA in several applications has increased the substituted toxic chemicals such as bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS). A native tropical freshwater cladoceran, Moina micrura, was used as a bioindicator to assess the adverse effects of bisphenol analogues at molecular, organ, individual and population levels. Bisphenol analogues significantly upregulated the expressions of stress-related genes, which are the haemoglobin and glutathione S-transferase genes, but the sex determination genes such as doublesex and juvenile hormone analogue genes were not significantly different. The results show that bisphenol analogues affect the heart rate and mortality rate of M. micrura. The 48-h lethal concentration (LC50) values based on acute toxicity for BPA, BPF and BPS were 611.6 µg L-1, 632.0 µg L-1 and 819.1 µg L-1, respectively. The order of toxicity based on the LC50 and predictive non-effect concentration values were as follows: BPA > BPF > BPS. Furthermore, the incorporated method combining the responses throughout the organisation levels can comprehensively interpret the toxic effects of bisphenol analogues, thus providing further understanding of the toxicity mechanisms. Moreover, the output of this study produces a comprehensive ecotoxicity assessment, which provides insights for the legislators regarding exposure management and mitigation of bisphenol analogues in riverine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Raznisyafiq Razak
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Zaharin Aris
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 71050, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
| | - Fatimah Md Yusoff
- International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 71050, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
- Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zetty Norhana Balia Yusof
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Aisamuddin Ardi Zainal Abidin
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sang Don Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Woong Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
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Tirta YK, Adachi S, Perez CAG, Adhitama N, Nong QD, Natsume T, Kato Y, Watanabe H. CELF1 represses Doublesex1 expression via its 5' UTR in the crustacean Daphnia magna. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275526. [PMID: 36240182 PMCID: PMC9565731 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In sex determination of the crustacean Daphnia magna, male-specific expression of DM-domain transcription factor Doublesex1 (Dsx1) orchestrates the male developmental program triggered by environmental stimuli. We previously identified the CELF1 ortholog as a candidate of proteins associated with the 5' UTR of the Dsx1α isoform. Here we report the CELF1-dependent suppression of Dsx1 expression in D. magna. During embryogenesis, CELF1 expression was not sexually dimorphic. Silencing of CELF1 led to the activation of Dsx1 expression both in female and male embryos. Overexpression of CELF1 in male embryos resulted in a reduction of Dsx1 expression. By these manipulations of CELF1 expression, the Dsx1 transcript level was not significantly changed. To investigate whether the CELF1 controls Dsx1 expression via its 5' UTR, we injected the GFP reporter mRNA having intact Dsx1α 5' UTR or mutated one lacking the GU-rich element (GRE) that is known as a binding site of the CELF1 ortholog. We found that deletion of the GRE significantly increased the reporter gene expression. These results indicate that CELF1 suppresses Dsx1 expression both in females and males, possibly at the post-transcriptional level. We speculate that CELF1 may avoid unintended Dsx1 expression and generation of sexual ambiguity by setting a threshold of Dsx1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shungo Adachi
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute (CMB), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Nikko Adhitama
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Quang Dang Nong
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Toru Natsume
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute (CMB), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kato
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka Univeristy, Suita, Japan
- * E-mail: (HW); (YK)
| | - Hajime Watanabe
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka Univeristy, Suita, Japan
- * E-mail: (HW); (YK)
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6
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Kato Y, Watanabe H. Regulation of Doublesex1 Expression for Environmental Sex Determination in the Cladoceran Crustacean Daphnia. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:881255. [PMID: 35493103 PMCID: PMC9043111 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.881255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cladoceran crustacean Daphnia produces only females by parthenogenesis in a healthy population. However, in response to environmental declines such as crowding and lack of foods, it produces eggs destined to become males that are genetically identical to females. During the development of the sexually committed eggs, DM domain-containing transcription factor Doublesex1 (Dsx1) orchestrates male trait formation globally both in somatic and gonadal tissues. Recent studies have revealed that Dsx1 expression is tightly controlled at transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic levels to avoid sexual ambiguity. In this review, together with basic information on Dsx1 structure and expression, we introduce the multi-layered Dsx1 regulation and discuss how each regulation is interconnected for controlling male development in environmental sex-determining Daphnia.
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7
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Toyota K, Watanabe H, Hirano M, Abe R, Miyakawa H, Song Y, Sato T, Miyagawa S, Tollefsen KE, Yamamoto H, Tatarazako N, Iguchi T. Juvenile hormone synthesis and signaling disruption triggering male offspring induction and population decline in cladocerans (water flea): Review and adverse outcome pathway development. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2022; 243:106058. [PMID: 34965494 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.106058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Juvenile hormone (JH) are a family of multifunctional hormones regulating larval development, molting, metamorphosis, reproduction, and phenotypic plasticity in arthropods. Based on its importance in arthropod life histories, many insect growth regulators (IGRs) mimicking JH have been designed to control harmful insects in agriculture and aquaculture. These JH analogs (JHAs) may also pose hazards to nontarget species by causing unexpected endocrine-disrupting (ED) effects such as molting and metamorphosis defects, larval lethality, and disruption of the sexual identity. This critical review summarizes the current knowledge of the JH-mediated effects in the freshwater cladoceran crustaceans such as Daphnia species on JHA-triggered endocrine disruptive outputs to establish a systematic understanding of JHA effects. Based on the current knowledge, adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) addressing the JHA-mediated ED effects in cladoceran leading to male offspring production and subsequent population decline were developed. The weight of evidence (WoE) of AOPs was assessed according to established guidelines. The review and AOP development aim to present the current scientific understanding of the JH pathway and provide a robust reference for the development of tiered testing strategies and new risk assessment approaches for JHAs in future ecotoxicological research and regulatory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Toyota
- Marine Biological Station, Sado Center for Ecological Sustainability, Niigata University, 87 Tassha, Sado, Niigata 952-2135, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kanagawa University, 2946 Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293, Japan; Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan.
| | - Haruna Watanabe
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan.
| | - Masashi Hirano
- Department of Bioscience, School of Agriculture, Tokai University, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto 862-8652, Japan
| | - Ryoko Abe
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Miyakawa
- Center for Bioscience Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, 350 Mine-machi, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8505, Japan
| | - You Song
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Section of Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment, Gaustadalléen, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tomomi Sato
- Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, 22-2 Seto, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0027, Japan
| | - Shinichi Miyagawa
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8585, Japan
| | - Knut Erik Tollefsen
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Section of Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment, Gaustadalléen, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Sciences (IMV), Ås, Norway
| | - Hiroshi Yamamoto
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
| | - Norihisa Tatarazako
- Department of Science and Technology for Biological Resources and Environment, Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566, Japan
| | - Taisen Iguchi
- Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, 22-2 Seto, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0027, Japan.
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Byeon E, Kim MS, Kim DH, Lee Y, Jeong H, Lee JS, Hong SA, Park JC, Kang HM, Sayed AEDH, Kato Y, Bae S, Watanabe H, Lee YH, Lee JS. The freshwater water flea Daphnia magna NIES strain genome as a resource for CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting: The glutathione S-transferase omega 2 gene. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY 2022; 242:106021. [PMID: 34856461 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.106021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The water flea Daphnia magna is a small freshwater planktonic animal in the Cladocera. In this study, we assembled the genome of the D. magna NIES strain, which is widely used for gene targeting but has no reported genome. We used the long-read sequenced data of the Oxford nanopore sequencing tool for assembly. Using 3,231 genetic markers, the draft genome of the D. magna NIES strain was built into ten linkage groups (LGs) with 483 unanchored contigs, comprising a genome size of 173.47 Mb. The N50 value of the genome was 12.54 Mb and the benchmarking universal single-copy ortholog value was 98.8%. Repeat elements in the D. magna NIES genome were 40.8%, which was larger than other Daphnia spp. In the D. magna NIES genome, 15,684 genes were functionally annotated. To assess the genome of the D. magna NIES strain for CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting, we selected glutathione S-transferase omega 2 (GST-O2), which is an important gene for the biotransformation of arsenic in aquatic organisms, and targeted it with an efficient make-up (25.0%) of mutant lines. In addition, we measured reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymatic activity between wild type and a mutant of the GST-O2 targeted D. magna NIES strain in response to arsenic. In this study, we present the genome of the D. magna NIES strain using GST-O2 as an example of gene targeting, which will contribute to the construction of deletion mutants by CRISPR/Cas9 technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunjin Byeon
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Min-Sub Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Duck-Hyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Yoseop Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Haksoo Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Jin-Sol Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Sung-Ah Hong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Nature Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Jun Chul Park
- Département des Sciences, Université Sainte-Anne, Church Point, NS B0W 1M0, Canada
| | - Hye-Min Kang
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan 49111, South Korea
| | - Alaa El-Din H Sayed
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt
| | - Yasuhiko Kato
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Sangsu Bae
- Department of Chemistry, College of Nature Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Hajime Watanabe
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Young Hwan Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
| | - Jae-Seong Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
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Perez CAG, Adachi S, Nong QD, Adhitama N, Matsuura T, Natsume T, Wada T, Kato Y, Watanabe H. Sense-overlapping lncRNA as a decoy of translational repressor protein for dimorphic gene expression. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009683. [PMID: 34319983 PMCID: PMC8351930 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are vastly transcribed and extensively studied but lncRNAs overlapping with the sense orientation of mRNA have been poorly studied. We analyzed the lncRNA DAPALR overlapping with the 5´ UTR of the Doublesex1 (Dsx1), the male determining gene in Daphnia magna. By affinity purification, we identified an RNA binding protein, Shep as a DAPALR binding protein. Shep also binds to Dsx1 5´ UTR by recognizing the overlapping sequence and suppresses translation of the mRNA. In vitro and in vivo analyses indicated that DAPALR increased Dsx1 translation efficiency by sequestration of Shep. This regulation was impaired when the Shep binding site in DAPALR was deleted. These results suggest that Shep suppresses the unintentional translation of Dsx1 by setting a threshold; and when the sense lncRNA DAPALR is expressed, DAPALR cancels the suppression caused by Shep. This mechanism may be important to show dimorphic gene expressions such as sex determination and it may account for the binary expression in various developmental processes. Long noncoding RNAs are vastly transcribed throughout the genome. Among them, RNAs overlapping the protein-coding RNA in sense orientation have been poorly studied because of the difficulty in differentiating their sequences from their overlapping coding RNAs although this class of RNAs has been reported to comprise the majority of the long noncoding RNAs. In the crustacean Daphnia magna, a long noncoding RNA, called DAPALR, is transcribed from the male determining gene, Doublesex1, and overlaps with the Doublesex1 5´ UTR. DAPALR activates Doublesex1 but this regulatory mechanism remains unknown. We found the RNA binding protein Shep bound to the Doublesex1 5´ UTR. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that Shep suppresses translation of the mRNA and DAPALR increases Doublesex1 translation efficiency by sequestration of Shep. Since male-specific expression of Doublesex1 is also regulated at the transcriptional level, we propose that Shep cancels the unexpected expression of Doublesex1 and maintains the feminized state for sexual dimorphism but DAPALR suppresses this repression by sequestration of Shep. We infer that this mechanism is not only for binary sex regulation but could function in the binary regulation of other genes in various biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shungo Adachi
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute (CMB), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Quang Dang Nong
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Nikko Adhitama
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Matsuura
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Toru Natsume
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute (CMB), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tadashi Wada
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kato
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- * E-mail: (HW); (YK)
| | - Hajime Watanabe
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- * E-mail: (HW); (YK)
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Knigge T, LeBlanc GA, Ford AT. A Crab Is Not a Fish: Unique Aspects of the Crustacean Endocrine System and Considerations for Endocrine Toxicology. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:587608. [PMID: 33737907 PMCID: PMC7961072 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.587608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Crustaceans-and arthropods in general-exhibit many unique aspects to their physiology. These include the requirement to moult (ecdysis) in order to grow and reproduce, the ability to change color, and multiple strategies for sexual differentiation. Accordingly, the endocrine regulation of these processes involves hormones, receptors, and enzymes that differ from those utilized by vertebrates and other non-arthropod invertebrates. As a result, environmental chemicals known to disrupt endocrine processes in vertebrates are often not endocrine disruptors in crustaceans; while, chemicals that disrupt endocrine processes in crustaceans are often not endocrine disruptors in vertebrates. In this review, we present an overview of the evolution of the endocrine system of crustaceans, highlight endocrine endpoints known to be a target of disruption by chemicals, and identify other components of endocrine signaling that may prove to be targets of disruption. This review highlights that crustaceans need to be evaluated for endocrine disruption with consideration of their unique endocrine system and not with consideration of the endocrine system of vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Knigge
- Normandy University, FR CNRS 3730 SCALE, UMR-I 02 INERIS-URCA-ULH Environmental Stress and Aquatic Biomonitoring (SEBIO), Université Le Havre Normandie, Le Havre, France
- *Correspondence: Thomas Knigge,
| | - Gerald A. LeBlanc
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Alex T. Ford
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
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11
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Two Doublesex1 mutants revealed a tunable gene network underlying intersexuality in Daphnia magna. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238256. [PMID: 32866176 PMCID: PMC7458346 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the binary definition of sex is being challenged by repetitive reports about individuals with ambiguous sexual identity from various animal groups. This has created an urge to decode the molecular mechanism underlying sexual development. However, sexual ambiguities are extremely uncommon in nature, limiting their experimental value. Here, we report the establishment of a genetically modified clone of Daphnia magna from which intersex daphniids can be readily generated. By mutating the conserved central sex determining factor Doublesex1, body-wide feminization of male daphniid could be achieved. Comparative transcriptomic analysis also revealed a genetic network correlated with Doublesex1 activity which may account for the establishment of sexual identity in D. magna. We found that Dsx1 repressed genes related to growth and promoted genes related to signaling. We infer that different intersex phenotypes are the results of fluctuation in activity of these Dsx1 downstream factors. Our results demonstrated that the D. magna genome is capable of expressing sex in a continuous array, supporting the idea that sex is actually a spectrum.
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12
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Kvist J, Athanàsio CG, Pfrender ME, Brown JB, Colbourne JK, Mirbahai L. A comprehensive epigenomic analysis of phenotypically distinguishable, genetically identical female and male Daphnia pulex. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:17. [PMID: 31906859 PMCID: PMC6945601 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6415-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Daphnia species reproduce by cyclic parthenogenesis involving both sexual and asexual reproduction. The sex of the offspring is environmentally determined and mediated via endocrine signalling by the mother. Interestingly, male and female Daphnia can be genetically identical, yet display large differences in behaviour, morphology, lifespan and metabolic activity. Our goal was to integrate multiple omics datasets, including gene expression, splicing, histone modification and DNA methylation data generated from genetically identical female and male Daphnia pulex under controlled laboratory settings with the aim of achieving a better understanding of the underlying epigenetic factors that may contribute to the phenotypic differences observed between the two genders. RESULTS In this study we demonstrate that gene expression level is positively correlated with increased DNA methylation, and histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) at predicted promoter regions. Conversely, elevated histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 27 (H3K27me3), distributed across the entire transcript length, is negatively correlated with gene expression level. Interestingly, male Daphnia are dominated with epigenetic modifications that globally promote elevated gene expression, while female Daphnia are dominated with epigenetic modifications that reduce gene expression globally. For examples, CpG methylation (positively correlated with gene expression level) is significantly higher in almost all differentially methylated sites in male compared to female Daphnia. Furthermore, H3K4me3 modifications are higher in male compared to female Daphnia in more than 3/4 of the differentially regulated promoters. On the other hand, H3K27me3 is higher in female compared to male Daphnia in more than 5/6 of differentially modified sites. However, both sexes demonstrate roughly equal number of genes that are up-regulated in one gender compared to the other sex. Since, gene expression analyses typically assume that most genes are expressed at equal level among samples and different conditions, and thus cannot detect global changes affecting most genes. CONCLUSIONS The epigenetic differences between male and female in Daphnia pulex are vast and dominated by changes that promote elevated gene expression in male Daphnia. Furthermore, the differences observed in both gene expression changes and epigenetic modifications between the genders relate to pathways that are physiologically relevant to the observed phenotypic differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jouni Kvist
- Research Program for Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | | | - Michael E Pfrender
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - James B Brown
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA
- Centre for Computational Biology (CCB), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Leda Mirbahai
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
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13
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Gruzin M, Mekheal M, Ruhlman K, Winkowski M, Petko J. Developmental expression of doublesex-related transcripts in the common house spider, Parasteatoda tepidariorum. Gene Expr Patterns 2020; 35:119101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2020.119101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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14
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Panara V, Budd GE, Janssen R. Phylogenetic analysis and embryonic expression of panarthropod Dmrt genes. Front Zool 2019; 16:23. [PMID: 31303887 PMCID: PMC6604209 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0322-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background One set of the developmentally important Doublesex and Male-abnormal-3 Related Transcription factors (Dmrt) is subject of intense research, because of their role in sex-determination and sexual differentiation. This likely non-monophyletic group of Dmrt genes is represented by the Drosophila melanogaster gene Doublesex (Dsx), the Caenorhabditis elegans Male-abnormal-3 (Mab-3) gene, and vertebrate Dmrt1 genes. However, other members of the Dmrt family are much less well studied, and in arthropods, including the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, data on these genes are virtually absent with respect to their embryonic expression and function. Results Here we investigate the complete set of Dmrt genes in members of all main groups of Arthropoda and a member of Onychophora, extending our data to Panarthropoda as a whole. We confirm the presence of at least four families of Dmrt genes (including Dsx-like genes) in Panarthropoda and study their expression profiles during embryogenesis. Our work shows that the expression patterns of Dmrt11E, Dmrt93B, and Dmrt99B orthologs are highly conserved among panarthropods. Embryonic expression of Dsx-like genes, however, is more derived, likely as a result of neo-functionalization after duplication. Conclusions Our data suggest deep homology of most of the panarthropod Dmrt genes with respect to their function that likely dates back to their last common ancestor. The function of Dsx and Dsx-like genes which are critical for sexual differentiation in animals, however, appears to be much less conserved. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12983-019-0322-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Panara
- 1Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Sweden.,Present address: Department for Immunology, Genetic and Pathology, Rudbeckslaboratoriet, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Graham E Budd
- 1Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ralf Janssen
- 1Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Sweden
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15
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Molinier C, Reisser CMO, Fields PD, Ségard A, Galimov Y, Haag CR. Evolution of Gene Expression during a Transition from Environmental to Genetic Sex Determination. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 36:1551-1564. [PMID: 31173134 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic sex determination (GSD) can evolve from environmental sex determination (ESD) via an intermediate state in which both coexist in the same population. Such mixed populations are found in the crustacean Daphnia magna, where non-male producers (NMP, genetically determined females) coexist with male producers (MP), in which male production is environmentally inducible and can also artificially be triggered by exposure to juvenile hormone. This makes Daphnia magna a rare model species for the study of evolutionary transitions from ESD to GSD. Although the chromosomal location of the NMP-determining mutation has been mapped, the actual genes and pathways involved in the evolution of GSD from ESD remain unknown. Here, we present a transcriptomic analysis of MP and NMP females under control (female producing) and under hormone exposure conditions. We found ∼100 differentially expressed genes between MP and NMP under control conditions. Genes in the NMP-determining chromosome region were especially likely to show such constitutive expression differences. Hormone exposure led to expression changes of an additional ∼100 (MP) to ∼600 (NMP) genes, with an almost systematic upregulation of those genes in NMP. These observations suggest that the NMP phenotype is not determined by a simple "loss-of-function" mutation. Rather, homeostasis of female offspring production under hormone exposure appears to be an active state, tightly regulated by complex mechanisms involving many genes. In a broader view, this illustrates that the evolution of GSD, while potentially initiated by a single mutation, likely leads to secondary integration involving many genes and pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Molinier
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Céline M O Reisser
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.,Université de Fribourg, Ecology and Evolution, Fribourg, Switzerland.,IFREMER Centre du Pacifique, UMR 241 EIO, Labex CORAIL, Taravao, Tahiti, Polynésie Française
| | - Peter D Fields
- Universität Basel, Zoology Institute, Evolutionary Biology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adeline Ségard
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Yan Galimov
- Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology, RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Christoph R Haag
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.,Université de Fribourg, Ecology and Evolution, Fribourg, Switzerland
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16
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Weiss LC. Sensory Ecology of Predator-Induced Phenotypic Plasticity. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 12:330. [PMID: 30713490 PMCID: PMC6345714 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological communities are organized in trophic levels that share manifold interactions forming complex food webs. Infochemicals can further modify these interactions, e.g., by inducing defenses in prey. The micro-crustacean Daphnia is able to respond to predator-specific chemical cues indicating an increased predation risk. Daphnia shows plastic responses by adapting its morphology, behavior, and physiology, increasing organism, and population fitness. This stabilizes community structures. This review will describe the progress that has been made in understanding the high degree of plasticity observed in the model crustacean Daphnia. I summarize current knowledge on the processes of predator detection, ranging from the nature of biologically active chemical cues to the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. With this, I aim to provide a comprehensive overview on the molecular mechanisms of ad hoc environmental phenotypic adaptation. In times of climate change and pollution understanding information transfer in aquatic systems is valuable as it will allow us to predict whether and how community structures are being affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda C. Weiss
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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17
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Generation of white-eyed Daphnia magna mutants lacking scarlet function. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205609. [PMID: 30427863 PMCID: PMC6235260 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The crustacean Daphnia magna is an important model in multi-disciplinary scientific fields such as genetics, evolutionary developmental biology, toxicology, and ecology. Recently, the draft genome sequence and transcriptome data became publicly available for this species. Genetic transformation has also been achieved via the introduction of plasmid DNA into the genome. The identification of a screenable marker gene and generation of mutant strains are essential to further advance D. magna functional genomics. Because crustaceans are closely related to insects, we hypothesized that, similar to Drosophila genetic studies, eye color-related genes can function as marker genes in Daphnia. We searched orthologs of Drosophila eye pigment transporters White, Scarlet, and Brown in the genome of D. magna. Amino acid sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis suggested that D. magna has six white and one scarlet orthologs, but lacks the brown ortholog. Due to the multiplicity of white orthologs, we analyzed the function of the scarlet ortholog, DapmaSt, using RNA interference. DapmaSt RNAi embryos showed disappearance of black pigments both in the compound eye and in the ocellus, suggesting that DapmaSt is necessary for black pigmentation in Daphnia eyes. To disrupt DapmaSt using the Crispr/Cas9 system, we co-injected DapmaSt-targeting gRNAs with Cas9 mRNAs into eggs and established white-eyed DapmaSt mutant lines that lack eye pigments throughout their lifespan. Our results suggest that DapmaSt can be used as a transformation marker in D. magna and the DapmaSt mutants would be an important resource for genetic transformation of this species in the future.
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Martin-Creuzburg D, Massier T, Wacker A. Sex-Specific Differences in Essential Lipid Requirements of Daphnia magna. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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19
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Kato Y, Perez CAG, Mohamad Ishak NS, Nong QD, Sudo Y, Matsuura T, Wada T, Watanabe H. A 5′ UTR-Overlapping LncRNA Activates the Male-Determining Gene doublesex1 in the Crustacean Daphnia magna. Curr Biol 2018; 28:1811-1817.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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20
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Mohamad Ishak NS, Nong QD, Matsuura T, Kato Y, Watanabe H. Co-option of the bZIP transcription factor Vrille as the activator of Doublesex1 in environmental sex determination of the crustacean Daphnia magna. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006953. [PMID: 29095827 PMCID: PMC5667737 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Divergence of upstream regulatory pathways of the transcription factor Doublesex (Dsx) serves as a basis for evolution of sex-determining mechanisms in animals. However, little is known about the regulation of Dsx in environmental sex determination. In the crustacean Daphnia magna, environmental sex determination is implemented by male-specific expression of the Dsx ortholog, Dsx1. Transcriptional regulation of Dsx1 comprises at least three phases during embryogenesis: non-sex-specific initiation, male-specific up-regulation, and its maintenance. Herein, we demonstrate that the male-specific up-regulation is controlled by the bZIP transcription factor, Vrille (Vri), an ortholog of the circadian clock genes-Drosophila Vri and mammalian E4BP4/NFIL3. Sequence analysis of the Dsx1 promoter/enhancer revealed a conserved element among two Daphnia species (D. magna and D. pulex), which contains a potential enhancer harboring a consensus Vri binding site overlapped with a consensus Dsx binding site. Besides non-sex-specific expression of Vri in late embryos, we found male-specific expression in early gastrula before the Dsx1 up-regulation phase begins. Knockdown of Vri in male embryos showed reduction of Dsx1 expression. In addition, transient overexpression of Vri in early female embryos up-regulated the expression of Dsx1 and induced male-specific trait. Targeted mutagenesis using CRISPR/Cas9 disrupted the enhancer on genome in males, which led to the reduction of Dsx1 expression. These results indicate that Vri was co-opted as a transcriptional activator of Dsx1 in environmental sex determination of D. magna. The data suggests the remarkably plastic nature of gene regulatory network in sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Syafiqah Mohamad Ishak
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Biotechnology Global Human Resource Development Program, Division of Advanced Science and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Quang Dang Nong
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Biotechnology Global Human Resource Development Program, Division of Advanced Science and Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Matsuura
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kato
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Frontier Research Base of Global Young Researchers, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Hajime Watanabe
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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