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Karimi S, Gat A, Agazzi C, Oren-Suissa M, Krieg M. Automated dual olfactory device for studying head/tail chemosensation in Caenorhabditis elegans. APL Bioeng 2024; 8:026104. [PMID: 38655543 PMCID: PMC11036369 DOI: 10.1063/5.0187441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The correct interpretation of threat and reward is important for animal survival. Often, the decisions underlying these behavioral programs are mediated by volatile compounds in the animal's environment, which they detect and discriminate with specialized olfactory neurons along their body. Caenorhabditis (C.) elegans senses chemical stimuli with neurons located in the head and the tail of the animal, which mediate either attractive or aversive behaviors. How conflicting stimuli are processed in animals navigating different chemical gradients is poorly understood. Here, we conceived, created, and capitalized on a novel microfluidic device to enable automated and precise stimulation of head and tail neurons, either simultaneously or sequentially, while reading out neuronal activity in sensory and interneurons using genetically encoded calcium indicators. We achieve robust and programmable chemical pulses through the modulation of inlet pressures. To evaluate the device performance, we synchronized the flow control with microscopy data acquisition and characterized the flow properties in the fabricated devices. Together, our design has the potential to provide insight into the neural circuits and behavior of C. elegans simulating the experience of natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Asaf Gat
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Costanza Agazzi
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Castelldefels, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Michael Krieg
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Castelldefels, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Ma F, Zheng C. Transcriptome age of individual cell types in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2216351120. [PMID: 36812209 PMCID: PMC9992843 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2216351120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The phylotranscriptomic analysis of development in several species revealed the expression of older and more conserved genes in midembryonic stages and younger and more divergent genes in early and late embryonic stages, which supported the hourglass mode of development. However, previous work only studied the transcriptome age of whole embryos or embryonic sublineages, leaving the cellular basis of the hourglass pattern and the variation of transcriptome ages among cell types unexplored. By analyzing both bulk and single-cell transcriptomic data, we studied the transcriptome age of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans throughout development. Using the bulk RNA-seq data, we identified the morphogenesis phase in midembryonic development as the phylotypic stage with the oldest transcriptome and confirmed the results using whole-embryo transcriptome assembled from single-cell RNA-seq data. The variation in transcriptome ages among individual cell types remained small in early and midembryonic development and grew bigger in late embryonic and larval stages as cells and tissues differentiate. Lineages that give rise to certain tissues (e.g., hypodermis and some neurons) but not all recapitulated the hourglass pattern across development at the single-cell transcriptome level. Further analysis of the variation in transcriptome ages among the 128 neuron types in C. elegans nervous system found that a group of chemosensory neurons and their downstream interneurons expressed very young transcriptomes and may contribute to adaptation in recent evolution. Finally, the variation in transcriptome age among the neuron types, as well as the age of their cell fate regulators, led us to hypothesize the evolutionary history of some neuron types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuqiang Ma
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chaogu Zheng
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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3
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Differentiated dynamic response in C. elegans chemosensory cilia. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111471. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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4
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Distinct mechanisms underlie H2O2 sensing in C. elegans head and tail. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274226. [PMID: 36173997 PMCID: PMC9521893 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental oxidative stress threatens cellular integrity and should therefore be avoided by living organisms. Yet, relatively little is known about environmental oxidative stress perception. Here, using microfluidics, we showed that like I2 pharyngeal neurons, the tail phasmid PHA neurons function as oxidative stress sensing neurons in C. elegans, but display different responses to H2O2 and light. We uncovered that different but related receptors, GUR-3 and LITE-1, mediate H2O2 signaling in I2 and PHA neurons. Still, the peroxiredoxin PRDX-2 is essential for both, and might promote H2O2-mediated receptor activation. Our work demonstrates that C. elegans can sense a broad range of oxidative stressors using partially distinct H2O2 signaling pathways in head and tail sensillae, and paves the way for further understanding of how the integration of these inputs translates into the appropriate behavior.
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5
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Casado-Navarro R, Serrano-Saiz E. DMRT Transcription Factors in the Control of Nervous System Sexual Differentiation. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:937596. [PMID: 35958734 PMCID: PMC9361473 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.937596] [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: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual phenotypic differences in the nervous system are one of the most prevalent features across the animal kingdom. The molecular mechanisms responsible for sexual dimorphism throughout metazoan nervous systems are extremely diverse, ranging from intrinsic cell autonomous mechanisms to gonad-dependent endocrine control of sexual traits, or even extrinsic environmental cues. In recent years, the DMRT ancient family of transcription factors has emerged as being central in the development of sex-specific differentiation in all animals in which they have been studied. In this review, we provide an overview of the function of Dmrt genes in nervous system sexual regulation from an evolutionary perspective.
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6
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Pandey P, Kaur G, Babu K. Crosstalk between neurons and glia through G-protein coupled receptors: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 193:119-144. [PMID: 36357074 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The past decades have witnessed a dogmatic shift from glia as supporting cells in the nervous system to their active roles in neurocentric functions. Neurons and glia communicate and show bidirectional responses through tripartite synapses. Studies across species indicate that neurotransmitters released by neurons are perceived by glial receptors, which allow for gliotransmitter release. These gliotransmitters can result in activation of neurons via neuronal GPCR receptors. However, studies of these molecular interactions are in their infancy. Caenorhabditis elegans has a conserved neuron-glia architectural repertoire with molecular and functional resemblance to mammals. Further, glia in C. elegans can be manipulated through ablation and mutations allowing for deciphering of glial dependent processes in vivo at single glial resolutions. Here, we will review recent findings from vertebrate and invertebrate organisms with a focus on how C. elegans can be used to advance our understanding of neuron-glia interactions through GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratima Pandey
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, Punjab, India.
| | - Gazaldeep Kaur
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Kavita Babu
- Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
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7
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Queirós L, Marques C, Pereira JL, Gonçalves FJM, Aschner M, Pereira P. Overview of Chemotaxis Behavior Assays in Caenorhabditis elegans. Curr Protoc 2021; 1:e120. [PMID: 33974354 PMCID: PMC8162703 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Environmental pollution related to anthropogenic pressures, and the associated repercussions on public health, represent a worldwide problem. Thus, the study of the effects that environmental contaminants can pose to natural ecosystems and human health is of vital importance. Laboratory model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans have played a significant role in clarifying multilevel effects of those agents. Although the evaluation of contaminant effects at the behavioral level of organisms is an emerging approach in ecotoxicology, studies assessing chemotaxis behavior in C. elegans within the ecotoxicological research context are still scarce. Chemotaxis studies in C. elegans have contributed to the understanding of both the neuronal mechanisms involved in the behavioral effects triggered by environmental cues and the impact of contaminants on natural ecosystems. Its compact and well-characterized nervous system, as well as the availability of transgenic strains and molecular tools, allows a detailed examination of behavioral, molecular, and genetic chemosensation mechanisms. This overview provides a summary and general comparison of methods used to measure chemotaxis behavior in C. elegans, with the aim of helping researchers select the most suitable approach in their chemotaxis studies. We compare methods based on the type of chemical tested, advantages and drawbacks of the different approaches, and specific experimental goals. Lastly, we hope to encourage the evaluation of C. elegans chemotaxis behavior in ecotoxicology studies, as well as its potential integration in standardized protocols assessing environmental quality. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libânia Queirós
- Department of Biology & CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Carlos Marques
- Department of Biology & CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Joana L. Pereira
- Department of Biology & CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Fernando J. M. Gonçalves
- Department of Biology & CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Patrícia Pereira
- Department of Biology & CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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8
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Sakai N, Ohno H, Yoshida M, Iwamoto E, Kurogi A, Jiang D, Sato T, Miyazato M, Kojima M, Kato J, Ida T. Characterization of putative tachykinin peptides in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 559:197-202. [PMID: 33945998 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.04.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Tachykinin-like peptides, such as substance P, neurokinin A, and neurokinin B, are among the earliest discovered and best-studied neuropeptide families, and research on them has contributed greatly to our understanding of the endocrine control of many physiological processes. However, there are still many orphan tachykinin receptor homologs for which cognate ligands have not yet been identified, especially in small invertebrates, such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We here show that the C. elegans nlp-58 gene encodes putative ligands for the orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) TKR-1, which is a worm ortholog of tachykinin receptors. We first determine, through an unbiased biochemical screen, that a peptide derived from the NLP-58 preprotein stimulates TKR-1. Three mature peptides that are predicted to be generated from NLP-58 show potent agonist activity against TKR-1. We designate these peptides as C. elegans tachykinin (CeTK)-1, -2, and -3. The CeTK peptides contain the C-terminal sequence GLR-amide, which is shared by tachykinin-like peptides in other invertebrate species. nlp-58 exhibits a strongly restricted expression pattern in several neurons, implying that CeTKs behave as neuropeptides. The discovery of CeTKs provides important information to aid our understanding of tachykinin-like peptides and their functional interaction with GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoko Sakai
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Hayao Ohno
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Morikatsu Yoshida
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, 564-8565, Japan
| | - Eri Iwamoto
- Clinical Research Center, Kurume University Hospital, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Akito Kurogi
- Division for Identification and Analysis of Bioactive Peptides, Department of Bioactive Peptides, Frontier Science Research, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Danfeng Jiang
- Division for Identification and Analysis of Bioactive Peptides, Department of Bioactive Peptides, Frontier Science Research, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Takahiro Sato
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Kurume University, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Mikiya Miyazato
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, 564-8565, Japan
| | - Masayasu Kojima
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Kurume University, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan
| | - Johji Kato
- Division for Identification and Analysis of Bioactive Peptides, Department of Bioactive Peptides, Frontier Science Research, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Takanori Ida
- Division for Identification and Analysis of Bioactive Peptides, Department of Bioactive Peptides, Frontier Science Research, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan.
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9
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Ferkey DM, Sengupta P, L’Etoile ND. Chemosensory signal transduction in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2021; 217:iyab004. [PMID: 33693646 PMCID: PMC8045692 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemosensory neurons translate perception of external chemical cues, including odorants, tastants, and pheromones, into information that drives attraction or avoidance motor programs. In the laboratory, robust behavioral assays, coupled with powerful genetic, molecular and optical tools, have made Caenorhabditis elegans an ideal experimental system in which to dissect the contributions of individual genes and neurons to ethologically relevant chemosensory behaviors. Here, we review current knowledge of the neurons, signal transduction molecules and regulatory mechanisms that underlie the response of C. elegans to chemicals, including pheromones. The majority of identified molecules and pathways share remarkable homology with sensory mechanisms in other organisms. With the development of new tools and technologies, we anticipate that continued study of chemosensory signal transduction and processing in C. elegans will yield additional new insights into the mechanisms by which this animal is able to detect and discriminate among thousands of chemical cues with a limited sensory neuron repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise M Ferkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Piali Sengupta
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Noelle D L’Etoile
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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10
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Fan Y, Zou W, Liu J, Al-Sheikh U, Cheng H, Duan D, Du Chen, Liu S, Chen L, Xu J, Ruhomutally F, Kang L. Polymodal Functionality of C. elegans OLL Neurons in Mechanosensation and Thermosensation. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:611-622. [PMID: 33555565 PMCID: PMC8099987 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00629-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory modalities are important for survival but the molecular mechanisms remain challenging due to the polymodal functionality of sensory neurons. Here, we report the C. elegans outer labial lateral (OLL) sensilla sensory neurons respond to touch and cold. Mechanosensation of OLL neurons resulted in cell-autonomous mechanically-evoked Ca2+ transients and rapidly-adapting mechanoreceptor currents with a very short latency. Mechanotransduction of OLL neurons might be carried by a novel Na+ conductance channel, which is insensitive to amiloride. The bona fide mechano-gated Na+-selective degenerin/epithelial Na+ channels, TRP-4, TMC, and Piezo proteins are not involved in this mechanosensation. Interestingly, OLL neurons also mediated cold but not warm responses in a cell-autonomous manner. We further showed that the cold response of OLL neurons is not mediated by the cold receptor TRPA-1 or the temperature-sensitive glutamate receptor GLR-3. Thus, we propose the polymodal functionality of OLL neurons in mechanosensation and cold sensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuedan Fan
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Wenjuan Zou
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Umar Al-Sheikh
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Hankui Cheng
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Duo Duan
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Du Chen
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Siyan Liu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Luyi Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China
| | - Jilei Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China
| | - Firdosh Ruhomutally
- Department of Human Sciences and Psychology, University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, 0003, South Africa
| | - Lijun Kang
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310053, China. .,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
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11
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The G-Protein-Coupled Receptor SRX-97 Is Required for Concentration-Dependent Sensing of Benzaldehyde in Caenorhabditis elegans. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0011-20.2020. [PMID: 33397797 PMCID: PMC7877458 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0011-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The G-protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the olfactory system function to sense the surrounding environment and respond to various odorants. The genes coding for olfactory receptors in Caenorhabditis elegans are larger in number in comparison to those in mammals, suggesting complexity in the receptor-odorant relationships. Recent studies have shown that the same odorant in different concentrations could act on multiple receptors in different neurons to induce attractive or repulsive responses. The ASH neurons are known to be responsible for responding to high concentrations of volatile odorants. Here, we characterize a new GPCR, SRX-97. We found that the srx-97 promoter drives expression specifically in the head ASH and tail PHB chemosensory neurons of C. elegans. Moreover, the SRX-97 protein localizes to the ciliary ends of the ASH neurons. Analysis of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based deletion mutants of the srx-97 locus suggests that this gene is involved in recognition of high concentrations of benzaldehyde. This was further confirmed through rescue and neuronal ablation experiments. Our work brings novel insights into concentration-dependent receptor function in the olfactory system, and provides details of an additional molecule that helps the animal navigate its surroundings.
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12
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Abstract
Mechanosensation such as touch, hearing and proprioception, is functionally regulated by mechano-gated ion channels through the process of transduction. Mechano-gated channels are a subtype of gated ion channels engaged in converting mechanical stimuli to chemical or electrical signals thereby modulating sensation. To date, a few families of mechano-gated channels (DEG/ENaC, TRPN, K2P, TMC and Piezo) have been identified in eukaryotes. Using a tractable genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, the molecular mechanism of mechanosensation have been the focus of much research to comprehend the process of mechanotransduction. Comprising of almost all metazoans classes of ion channels, transporters and receptors, C. elegans is a powerful genetic model to explore mechanosensitive behaviors such as touch sensation and proprioception. The nematode relies primarily on its sensory abilities to survive in its natural environment. Genetic screening, calcium imaging and electrophysiological analysis have established that ENaC proteins and TRPN channel (TRP-4 protein) can characterize mechano-gated channels in C. elegans. A recent study reported that TMCs are likely the pore-forming subunit of a mechano-gated channel in C. elegans. Nevertheless, it still remains unclear whether Piezo as well as other candidate proteins can form mechano-gated channels in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umar Al-Sheikh
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lijun Kang
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
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13
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Bayer EA, Stecky RC, Neal L, Katsamba PS, Ahlsen G, Balaji V, Hoppe T, Shapiro L, Oren-Suissa M, Hobert O. Ubiquitin-dependent regulation of a conserved DMRT protein controls sexually dimorphic synaptic connectivity and behavior. eLife 2020; 9:59614. [PMID: 33021200 PMCID: PMC7538159 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific synaptic connectivity is beginning to emerge as a remarkable, but little explored feature of animal brains. We describe here a novel mechanism that promotes sexually dimorphic neuronal function and synaptic connectivity in the nervous system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that a phylogenetically conserved, but previously uncharacterized Doublesex/Mab-3 related transcription factor (DMRT), dmd-4, is expressed in two classes of sex-shared phasmid neurons specifically in hermaphrodites but not in males. We find dmd-4 to promote hermaphrodite-specific synaptic connectivity and neuronal function of phasmid sensory neurons. Sex-specificity of DMD-4 function is conferred by a novel mode of posttranslational regulation that involves sex-specific protein stabilization through ubiquitin binding to a phylogenetically conserved but previously unstudied protein domain, the DMA domain. A human DMRT homolog of DMD-4 is controlled in a similar manner, indicating that our findings may have implications for the control of sexual differentiation in other animals as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Bayer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Rebecca C Stecky
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Lauren Neal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Phinikoula S Katsamba
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Goran Ahlsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Vishnu Balaji
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thorsten Hoppe
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lawrence Shapiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Neurobiology, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Oliver Hobert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United States
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14
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How Caenorhabditis elegans Senses Mechanical Stress, Temperature, and Other Physical Stimuli. Genetics 2019; 212:25-51. [PMID: 31053616 PMCID: PMC6499529 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.118.300241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans lives in a complex habitat in which they routinely experience large fluctuations in temperature, and encounter physical obstacles that vary in size and composition. Their habitat is shared by other nematodes, by beneficial and harmful bacteria, and nematode-trapping fungi. Not surprisingly, these nematodes can detect and discriminate among diverse environmental cues, and exhibit sensory-evoked behaviors that are readily quantifiable in the laboratory at high resolution. Their ability to perform these behaviors depends on <100 sensory neurons, and this compact sensory nervous system together with powerful molecular genetic tools has allowed individual neuron types to be linked to specific sensory responses. Here, we describe the sensory neurons and molecules that enable C. elegans to sense and respond to physical stimuli. We focus primarily on the pathways that allow sensation of mechanical and thermal stimuli, and briefly consider this animal’s ability to sense magnetic and electrical fields, light, and relative humidity. As the study of sensory transduction is critically dependent upon the techniques for stimulus delivery, we also include a section on appropriate laboratory methods for such studies. This chapter summarizes current knowledge about the sensitivity and response dynamics of individual classes of C. elegans mechano- and thermosensory neurons from in vivo calcium imaging and whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology studies. We also describe the roles of conserved molecules and signaling pathways in mediating the remarkably sensitive responses of these nematodes to mechanical and thermal cues. These studies have shown that the protein partners that form mechanotransduction channels are drawn from multiple superfamilies of ion channel proteins, and that signal transduction pathways responsible for temperature sensing in C. elegans share many features with those responsible for phototransduction in vertebrates.
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Woldemariam S, Nagpal J, Hill T, Li J, Schneider MW, Shankar R, Futey M, Varshney A, Ali N, Mitchell J, Andersen K, Barsi-Rhyne B, Tran A, Costa WS, Krzyzanowski MC, Yu YV, Brueggemann C, Hamilton OS, Ferkey DM, VanHoven M, Sengupta P, Gottschalk A, L'Etoile N. Using a Robust and Sensitive GFP-Based cGMP Sensor for Real-Time Imaging in Intact Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2019; 213:59-77. [PMID: 31331946 PMCID: PMC6727795 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
cGMP plays a role in sensory signaling and plasticity by regulating ion channels, phosphodiesterases, and kinases. Studies that primarily used genetic and biochemical tools suggest that cGMP is spatiotemporally regulated in multiple sensory modalities. FRET- and GFP-based cGMP sensors were developed to visualize cGMP in primary cell culture and Caenorhabditis elegans to corroborate these findings. While a FRET-based sensor has been used in an intact animal to visualize cGMP, the requirement of a multiple emission system limits its ability to be used on its own as well as with other fluorophores. Here, we demonstrate that a C. elegans codon-optimized version of the cpEGFP-based cGMP sensor FlincG3 can be used to visualize rapidly changing cGMP levels in living, behaving C. elegans We coexpressed FlincG3 with the blue-light-activated guanylyl cyclases BeCyclOp and bPGC in body wall muscles, and found that the rate of change in FlincG3 fluorescence correlated with the rate of cGMP production by each cyclase. Furthermore, we show that FlincG3 responds to cultivation temperature, NaCl concentration changes, and sodium dodecyl sulfate in the sensory neurons AFD, ASEL/R, and PHB, respectively. Intriguingly, FlincG3 fluorescence in ASEL and ASER decreased in response to a NaCl concentration upstep and downstep, respectively, which is opposite in sign to the coexpressed calcium sensor jRGECO1a and previously published calcium recordings. These results illustrate that FlincG3 can be used to report rapidly changing cGMP levels in an intact animal, and that the reporter can potentially reveal unexpected spatiotemporal landscapes of cGMP in response to stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Woldemariam
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Jatin Nagpal
- Department of Molecular Membrane Biology and Neurobiology, The Goethe University, 60323 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Tyler Hill
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454
| | - Joy Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, California 95192
| | - Martin W Schneider
- Department of Molecular Membrane Biology and Neurobiology, The Goethe University, 60323 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Raakhee Shankar
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, California 95192
| | - Mary Futey
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Aruna Varshney
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, California 95192
| | - Nebat Ali
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, California 95192
| | - Jordan Mitchell
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, California 95192
| | - Kristine Andersen
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, California 95192
| | | | - Alan Tran
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, California 95192
| | - Wagner Steuer Costa
- Department of Molecular Membrane Biology and Neurobiology, The Goethe University, 60323 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Michelle C Krzyzanowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, New York 14260
| | - Yanxun V Yu
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454
| | - Chantal Brueggemann
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - O Scott Hamilton
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California 95618
| | - Denise M Ferkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, New York 14260
| | - Miri VanHoven
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, California 95192
| | - Piali Sengupta
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454
| | - Alexander Gottschalk
- Department of Molecular Membrane Biology and Neurobiology, The Goethe University, 60323 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Noelle L'Etoile
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
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16
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Whole-animal connectomes of both Caenorhabditis elegans sexes. Nature 2019; 571:63-71. [PMID: 31270481 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1352-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 370] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of connectivity in the nervous system is essential to understanding its function. Here we describe connectomes for both adult sexes of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, an important model organism for neuroscience research. We present quantitative connectivity matrices that encompass all connections from sensory input to end-organ output across the entire animal, information that is necessary to model behaviour. Serial electron microscopy reconstructions that are based on the analysis of both new and previously published electron micrographs update previous results and include data on the male head. The nervous system differs between sexes at multiple levels. Several sex-shared neurons that function in circuits for sexual behaviour are sexually dimorphic in structure and connectivity. Inputs from sex-specific circuitry to central circuitry reveal points at which sexual and non-sexual pathways converge. In sex-shared central pathways, a substantial number of connections differ in strength between the sexes. Quantitative connectomes that include all connections serve as the basis for understanding how complex, adaptive behavior is generated.
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Shao J, Zhang X, Cheng H, Yue X, Zou W, Kang L. Serotonergic neuron ADF modulates avoidance behaviors by inhibiting sensory neurons in C. elegans. Pflugers Arch 2018; 471:357-363. [PMID: 30206705 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-018-2202-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin plays an essential role in both the invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems. ADF, an amphid neuron with dual ciliated sensory endings, is considered to be the only serotonergic sensory neuron in the hermaphroditic Caenorhabditis elegans. This neuron is known to be involved in a range of behaviors including pharyngeal pumping, dauer formation, sensory transduction, and memory. However, whether ADF neuron is directly activated by environmental cues and how it processes these information remains unknown. In this study, we found that ADF neuron responds reliably to noxious stimuli such as repulsive odors, copper, sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS), and mechanical perturbation. This response is mediated by cell-autonomous and non-cell autonomous mechanisms. Furthermore, we show that ADF can modulate avoidance behaviors by inhibiting ASH, an amphid neuron with single ciliated ending. This work greatly furthers our understanding of 5-HT's contributions to sensory information perception, processing, and the resulting behavioral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajie Shao
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yu Hang Tang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yu Hang Tang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Hankui Cheng
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yu Hang Tang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaomin Yue
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yu Hang Tang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjuan Zou
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yu Hang Tang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Lijun Kang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yu Hang Tang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
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Mirzakhalili E, Epureanu BI, Gourgou E. A mathematical and computational model of the calcium dynamics in Caenorhabditis elegans ASH sensory neuron. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201302. [PMID: 30048509 PMCID: PMC6062085 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose a mathematical and computational model that captures the stimulus-generated Ca2+ transients in the C. elegans ASH sensory neuron. The rationale is to develop a tool that will enable a cross-talk between modeling and experiments, using modeling results to guide targeted experimental efforts. The model is built based on biophysical events and molecular cascades known to unfold as part of neurons' Ca2+ homeostasis mechanism, as well as on Ca2+ signaling events. The state of ion channels is described by their probability of being activated or inactivated, and the remaining molecular states are based on biochemically defined kinetic equations or known biochemical motifs. We estimate the parameters of the model using experimental data of hyperosmotic stimulus-evoked Ca2+ transients detected with a FRET sensor in young and aged worms, unstressed and exposed to oxidative stress. We use a hybrid optimization method composed of a multi-objective genetic algorithm and nonlinear least-squares to estimate the model parameters. We first obtain the model parameters for young unstressed worms. Next, we use these values of the parameters as a starting point to identify the model parameters for stressed and aged worms. We show that the model, in combination with experimental data, corroborates literature results. In addition, we demonstrate that our model can be used to predict ASH response to complex combinations of stimulation pulses. The proposed model includes for the first time the ASH Ca2+ dynamics observed during both "on" and "off" responses. This mathematical and computational effort is the first to propose a dynamic model of the Ca2+ transients' mechanism in C. elegans neurons, based on biochemical pathways of the cell's Ca2+ homeostasis machinery. We believe that the proposed model can be used to further elucidate the Ca2+ dynamics of a key C. elegans neuron, to guide future experiments on C. elegans neurobiology, and to pave the way for the development of more mathematical models for neuronal Ca2+ dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Mirzakhalili
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Bogdan I. Epureanu
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Eleni Gourgou
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Varshney A, Benedetti K, Watters K, Shankar R, Tatarakis D, Coto Villa D, Magallanes K, Agenor V, Wung W, Farah F, Ali N, Le N, Pyle J, Farooqi A, Kieu Z, Bremer M, VanHoven M. The receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase CLR-1 is required for synaptic partner recognition. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007312. [PMID: 29742100 PMCID: PMC5942785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During neural circuit formation, most axons are guided to complex environments, coming into contact with multiple potential synaptic partners. However, it is critical that they recognize specific neurons with which to form synapses. Here, we utilize the split GFP-based marker Neuroligin-1 GFP Reconstitution Across Synaptic Partners (NLG-1 GRASP) to visualize specific synapses in live animals, and a circuit-specific behavioral assay to probe circuit function. We demonstrate that the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP) clr-1 is necessary for synaptic partner recognition (SPR) between the PHB sensory neurons and the AVA interneurons in C. elegans. Mutations in clr-1/RPTP result in reduced NLG-1 GRASP fluorescence and impaired behavioral output of the PHB circuit. Temperature-shift experiments demonstrate that clr-1/RPTP acts early in development, consistent with a role in SPR. Expression and cell-specific rescue experiments indicate that clr-1/RPTP functions in postsynaptic AVA neurons, and overexpression of clr-1/RPTP in AVA neurons is sufficient to direct additional PHB-AVA synaptogenesis. Genetic analysis reveals that clr-1/RPTP acts in the same pathway as the unc-6/Netrin ligand and the unc-40/DCC receptor, which act in AVA and PHB neurons, respectively. This study defines a new mechanism by which SPR is governed, and demonstrates that these three conserved families of molecules, with roles in neurological disorders and cancer, can act together to regulate communication between cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aruna Varshney
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Kelli Benedetti
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Katherine Watters
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Raakhee Shankar
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - David Tatarakis
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Doris Coto Villa
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Khristina Magallanes
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Venia Agenor
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - William Wung
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Fatima Farah
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Nebat Ali
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Nghi Le
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline Pyle
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Amber Farooqi
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Zanett Kieu
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Martina Bremer
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
| | - Miri VanHoven
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Zhang H, Yue X, Cheng H, Zhang X, Cai Y, Zou W, Huang G, Cheng L, Ye F, Kang L. OSM-9 and an amiloride-sensitive channel, but not PKD-2, are involved in mechanosensation in C. elegans male ray neurons. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7192. [PMID: 29740060 PMCID: PMC5940728 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25542-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanotransduction is crucial for touch sensation, hearing, proprioception, and pain sensing. In C. elegans, male ray neurons have been implicated to be involved in the mechanosensation required for mating behavior. However, whether ray neurons directly sense mechanical stimulation is not yet known, and the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been identified. Using in vivo calcium imaging, we recorded the touch-induced calcium responses in male ray neurons. Our data demonstrated that ray neurons are sensitive to mechanical stimulation in a neurotransmitter-independent manner. PKD-2, a putative sensor component for both mechanosensation and chemosensation in male-specific neurons, was not required for the touch-induced calcium responses in RnB neurons, whereas the TRPV channel OSM-9 shaped the kinetics of the responses. We further showed that RnB-neuron mechanosensation is likely mediated by an amiloride-sensitive DEG/ENaC channel. These observations lay a foundation for better understanding the molecular mechanisms of mechanosensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaomin Yue
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hankui Cheng
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Cai
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Wenjuan Zou
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guifang Huang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lufeng Cheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Fang Ye
- Department of Immunology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
| | - Lijun Kang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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Mitochondrial Dysfunctions Contribute to Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Patient iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes with MT-RNR2 Mutation. Stem Cell Reports 2018; 10:808-821. [PMID: 29456182 PMCID: PMC5918198 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young individuals. A potential role of mtDNA mutations in HCM is known. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms linking mtDNA mutations to HCM remain poorly understood due to lack of cell and animal models. Here, we generated induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (HCM-iPSC-CMs) from human patients in a maternally inherited HCM family who carry the m.2336T>C mutation in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene (MT-RNR2). The results showed that the m.2336T>C mutation resulted in mitochondrial dysfunctions and ultrastructure defects by decreasing the stability of 16S rRNA, which led to reduced levels of mitochondrial proteins. The ATP/ADP ratio and mitochondrial membrane potential were also reduced, thereby elevating the intracellular Ca2+ concentration, which was associated with numerous HCM-specific electrophysiological abnormalities. Our findings therefore provide an innovative insight into the pathogenesis of maternally inherited HCM. Generation of HCM-specific iPSC-CMs carrying the m.2336T>C mutation in MT-RNR2 m.2336T>C mutation results in mitochondrial dysfunctions Mitochondrial dysfunctions lead to increased [Ca2+]i and decreased ICaL Abnormal Ca2+ homeostasis is associated with HCM-specific abnormalities
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Yue X, Zhao J, Li X, Fan Y, Duan D, Zhang X, Zou W, Sheng Y, Zhang T, Yang Q, Luo J, Duan S, Xiao R, Kang L. TMC Proteins Modulate Egg Laying and Membrane Excitability through a Background Leak Conductance in C. elegans. Neuron 2018; 97:571-585.e5. [PMID: 29395910 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.12.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Membrane excitability is a fundamentally important feature for all excitable cells including both neurons and muscle cells. However, the background depolarizing conductances in excitable cells, especially in muscle cells, are not well characterized. Although mutations in transmembrane channel-like (TMC) proteins TMC1 and TMC2 cause deafness and vestibular defects in mammals, their precise action modes are elusive. Here, we discover that both TMC-1 and TMC-2 are required for normal egg laying in C. elegans. Mutations in these TMC proteins cause membrane hyperpolarization and disrupt the rhythmic calcium activities in both neurons and muscles involved in egg laying. Mechanistically, TMC proteins enhance membrane depolarization through background leak currents and ectopic expression of both C. elegans and mammalian TMC proteins results in membrane depolarization. Therefore, we have identified an unexpected role of TMC proteins in modulating membrane excitability. Our results may provide mechanistic insights into the functions of TMC proteins in hearing loss and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Yue
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Zhao
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuedan Fan
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Duo Duan
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenjuan Zou
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Sheng
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianhong Luo
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shumin Duan
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rui Xiao
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Lijun Kang
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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23
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Vidal B, Aghayeva U, Sun H, Wang C, Glenwinkel L, Bayer EA, Hobert O. An atlas of Caenorhabditis elegans chemoreceptor expression. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2004218. [PMID: 29293491 PMCID: PMC5749674 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2004218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
One goal of modern day neuroscience is the establishment of molecular maps that assign unique features to individual neuron types. Such maps provide important starting points for neuron classification, for functional analysis, and for developmental studies aimed at defining the molecular mechanisms of neuron identity acquisition and neuron identity diversification. In this resource paper, we describe a nervous system-wide map of the potential expression sites of 244 members of the largest gene family in the C. elegans genome, rhodopsin-like (class A) G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) chemoreceptors, using classic gfp reporter gene technology. We cover representatives of all sequence families of chemoreceptor GPCRs, some of which were previously entirely uncharacterized. Most reporters are expressed in a very restricted number of cells, often just in single cells. We assign GPCR reporter expression to all but two of the 37 sensory neuron classes of the sex-shared, core nervous system. Some sensory neurons express a very small number of receptors, while others, particularly nociceptive neurons, coexpress several dozen GPCR reporter genes. GPCR reporters are also expressed in a wide range of inter- and motorneurons, as well as non-neuronal cells, suggesting that GPCRs may constitute receptors not just for environmental signals, but also for internal cues. We observe only one notable, frequent association of coexpression patterns, namely in one nociceptive amphid (ASH) and two nociceptive phasmid sensory neurons (PHA, PHB). We identified GPCRs with sexually dimorphic expression and several GPCR reporters that are expressed in a left/right asymmetric manner. We identified a substantial degree of GPCR expression plasticity; particularly in the context of the environmentally-induced dauer diapause stage when one third of all tested GPCRs alter the cellular specificity of their expression within and outside the nervous system. Intriguingly, in a number of cases, the dauer-specific alterations of GPCR reporter expression in specific neuron classes are maintained during postdauer life and in some case new patterns are induced post-dauer, demonstrating that GPCR gene expression may serve as traits of life history. Taken together, our resource provides an entry point for functional studies and also offers a host of molecular markers for studying molecular patterning and plasticity of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Vidal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ulkar Aghayeva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Haosheng Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lori Glenwinkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Emily A. Bayer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Oliver Hobert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
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24
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Zhou W, Wang J, Wang K, Huang B, Niu L, Li F, Cai F, Chen Y, Liu X, Zhang X, Cheng H, Kang L, Meng L, Zheng H. Ultrasound neuro-modulation chip: activation of sensory neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans by surface acoustic waves. LAB ON A CHIP 2017; 17:1725-1731. [PMID: 28447086 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc00163k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound neuro-modulation has gained increasing attention as a non-invasive method. In this paper, we present an ultrasound neuro-modulation chip, capable of initiating reversal behaviour and activating neurons of C. elegans under the stimulation of a single-shot, short-pulsed ultrasound. About 85.29% ± 6.17% of worms respond to the ultrasound stimulation exhibiting reversal behaviour. Furthermore, the worms can adapt to the ultrasound stimulation with a lower acoustic pulse duration of stimulation. In vivo calcium imaging shows that the activity of ASH, a polymodal sensory neuron in C. elegans, can be directly evoked by the ultrasound stimulation. On the other hand, AFD, a thermal sensitive neuron, cannot be activated by the ultrasound stimulation using the same parameter and the temperature elevation during the stimulation process is relatively small. Consistent with the calcium imaging results, the tax-4 mutants, which are insensitive to temperature increase, do not show a significant difference in avoidance probability compared to the wild type. Therefore, the mechanical effects induced by ultrasound are the main reason for neural and behavioural modulation of C. elegans. With the advantages of confined acoustic energy on the surface, compatible with standard calcium imaging, this neuro-modulation chip could be a powerful tool for revealing the molecular mechanisms of ultrasound neuro-modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen, China.
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25
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Han M, Zou W, Chang H, Yu Y, Zhang H, Li S, Cheng H, Wei G, Chen Y, Reinke V, Xu T, Kang L. A Systematic RNAi Screen Reveals a Novel Role of a Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Protein BuGZ in Synaptic Transmission in C. elegans. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:141. [PMID: 28553202 PMCID: PMC5425591 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic vesicles (SV) store various neurotransmitters that are released at the synapse. The molecular mechanisms of biogenesis, exocytosis, and endocytosis for SV, however, remain largely elusive. In this study, using Complex Object Parametric Analysis and Sorter (COPAS) to monitor the fluorescence of synapto-pHluorin (SpH), we performed a whole-genome RNAi screen in C. elegans to identify novel genetic modulators in SV cycling. One hundred seventy six genes that up-regulating SpH fluorescence and 96 genes that down-regulating SpH fluorescence were identified after multi-round screen. Among these genes, B0035.1 (bugz-1) encodes ortholog of mammalian C2H2 zinc-finger protein BuGZ/ZNF207, which is a spindle assembly checkpoint protein essential for mitosis in human cells. Combining electrophysiology, imaging and behavioral assays, we reveal that depletion of BuGZ-1 results in defects in locomotion. We further demonstrate that BuGZ-1 promotes SV recycling by regulating the expression levels of endocytosis-related genes such as rab11.1. Therefore, we have identified a bunch of potential genetic modulators in SV cycling, and revealed an unexpected role of BuGZ-1 in regulating synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Han
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhou, China.,National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China.,Department of Genetics, Yale University School of MedicineNew Haven, CT, USA
| | - Wenjuan Zou
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhou, China
| | - Hao Chang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China.,Department of Genetics, Yale University School of MedicineNew Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yong Yu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Haining Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Shitian Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhou, China
| | - Hankui Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhou, China
| | - Guifeng Wei
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Yan Chen
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Valerie Reinke
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of MedicineNew Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tao Xu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Lijun Kang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhou, China
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