1
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Losurdo NA, Bibo A, Bedke J, Link N. A novel adipose loss-of-function mutant in Drosophila. Fly (Austin) 2024; 18:2352938. [PMID: 38741287 PMCID: PMC11095658 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2024.2352938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
To identify genes required for brain growth, we took an RNAi knockdown reverse genetic approach in Drosophila. One potential candidate isolated from this effort is the anti-lipogenic gene adipose (adp). Adp has an established role in the negative regulation of lipogenesis in the fat body of the fly and adipose tissue in mammals. While fat is key to proper development in general, adp has not been investigated during brain development. Here, we found that RNAi knockdown of adp in neuronal stem cells and neurons results in reduced brain lobe volume and sought to replicate this with a mutant fly. We generated a novel adp mutant that acts as a loss-of-function mutant based on buoyancy assay results. We found that despite a change in fat content in the body overall and a decrease in the number of larger (>5 µm) brain lipid droplets, there was no change in the brain lobe volume of mutant larvae. Overall, our work describes a novel adp mutant that can functionally replace the long-standing adp60 mutant and shows that the adp gene has no obvious involvement in brain growth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adriana Bibo
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake, UT, USA
| | - Jacob Bedke
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake, UT, USA
| | - Nichole Link
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake, UT, USA
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2
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Salvador-Garcia D, Jin L, Hensley A, Gölcük M, Gallaud E, Chaaban S, Port F, Vagnoni A, Planelles-Herrero VJ, McClintock MA, Derivery E, Carter AP, Giet R, Gür M, Yildiz A, Bullock SL. A force-sensitive mutation reveals a non-canonical role for dynein in anaphase progression. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202310022. [PMID: 38949648 PMCID: PMC11215527 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202310022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The diverse roles of the dynein motor in shaping microtubule networks and cargo transport complicate in vivo analysis of its functions significantly. To address this issue, we have generated a series of missense mutations in Drosophila Dynein heavy chain. We show that mutations associated with human neurological disease cause a range of defects, including impaired cargo trafficking in neurons. We also describe a novel microtubule-binding domain mutation that specifically blocks the metaphase-anaphase transition during mitosis in the embryo. This effect is independent from dynein's canonical role in silencing the spindle assembly checkpoint. Optical trapping of purified dynein complexes reveals that this mutation only compromises motor performance under load, a finding rationalized by the results of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. We propose that dynein has a novel function in anaphase progression that depends on it operating in a specific load regime. More broadly, our work illustrates how in vivo functions of motors can be dissected by manipulating their mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Salvador-Garcia
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Li Jin
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew Hensley
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Mert Gölcük
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Emmanuel Gallaud
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Université de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Sami Chaaban
- Structural Studies Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Fillip Port
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alessio Vagnoni
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Mark A. McClintock
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emmanuel Derivery
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew P. Carter
- Structural Studies Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Régis Giet
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Université de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - Mert Gür
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ahmet Yildiz
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Simon L. Bullock
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
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3
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Xu C, Li Z, Lyu C, Hu Y, McLaughlin CN, Wong KKL, Xie Q, Luginbuhl DJ, Li H, Udeshi ND, Svinkina T, Mani DR, Han S, Li T, Li Y, Guajardo R, Ting AY, Carr SA, Li J, Luo L. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of teneurin signaling in synaptic partner matching. Cell 2024; 187:5081-5101.e19. [PMID: 38996528 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
In developing brains, axons exhibit remarkable precision in selecting synaptic partners among many non-partner cells. Evolutionarily conserved teneurins are transmembrane proteins that instruct synaptic partner matching. However, how intracellular signaling pathways execute teneurins' functions is unclear. Here, we use in situ proximity labeling to obtain the intracellular interactome of a teneurin (Ten-m) in the Drosophila brain. Genetic interaction studies using quantitative partner matching assays in both olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and projection neurons (PNs) reveal a common pathway: Ten-m binds to and negatively regulates a RhoGAP, thus activating the Rac1 small GTPases to promote synaptic partner matching. Developmental analyses with single-axon resolution identify the cellular mechanism of synaptic partner matching: Ten-m signaling promotes local F-actin levels and stabilizes ORN axon branches that contact partner PN dendrites. Combining spatial proteomics and high-resolution phenotypic analyses, this study advanced our understanding of both cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic partner matching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanyun Xu
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Biology Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Zhuoran Li
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Biology Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Cheng Lyu
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yixin Hu
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Biology Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Colleen N McLaughlin
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kenneth Kin Lam Wong
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Qijing Xie
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Neurosciences Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David J Luginbuhl
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Hongjie Li
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Namrata D Udeshi
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Tanya Svinkina
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - D R Mani
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Shuo Han
- Departments of Genetics, Biology, and Chemistry, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tongchao Li
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Biology Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ricardo Guajardo
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alice Y Ting
- Departments of Genetics, Biology, and Chemistry, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steven A Carr
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Jiefu Li
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Biology Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
| | - Liqun Luo
- Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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4
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Lacin H, Zhu Y, DiPaola JT, Wilson BA, Zhu Y, Skeath JB. A genetic screen in Drosophila uncovers a role for senseless-2 in surface glia in the peripheral nervous system to regulate CNS morphology. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae152. [PMID: 38996053 PMCID: PMC11373656 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Despite increasing in mass approximately 100-fold during larval life, the Drosophila CNS maintains its characteristic form. Dynamic interactions between the overlying basement membrane and underlying surface glia are known to regulate CNS structure in Drosophila, but the genes and pathways that establish and maintain CNS morphology during development remain poorly characterized. To identify genes that regulate CNS shape in Drosophila, we conducted an EMS-based, forward genetic screen of the second chromosome, uncovered 50 mutations that disrupt CNS structure, and mapped these alleles to 17 genes. Analysis of whole genome sequencing data wedded to genetic studies uncovered the affected gene for all but 1 mutation. Identified genes include well-characterized regulators of tissue shape, like LanB1, viking, and Collagen type IV alpha1, and previously characterized genes, such as Toll-2 and Rme-8, with no known role in regulating CNS structure. We also uncovered that papilin and C1GalTA likely act in the same pathway to regulate CNS structure and found that the fly homolog of a glucuronosyltransferase, B4GAT1/LARGE1, that regulates Dystroglycan function in mammals is required to maintain CNS shape in Drosophila. Finally, we show that the senseless-2 transcription factor is expressed and functions specifically in surface glia found on peripheral nerves but not in the CNS to govern CNS structure, identifying a gene that functionally subdivides a glial subtype along the peripheral-central axis. Future work on these genes should clarify the genetic mechanisms that ensure the homeostasis of CNS form during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haluk Lacin
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Systems, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 5009 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Yuqing Zhu
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jose T DiPaola
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Beth A Wilson
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yi Zhu
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - James B Skeath
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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5
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Petrosky SJ, Williams TM, Rebeiz M. A genetic screen of transcription factors in the Drosophila melanogaster abdomen identifies novel pigmentation genes. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae097. [PMID: 38820091 PMCID: PMC11373662 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks specify the gene expression patterns needed for traits to develop. Differences in these networks can result in phenotypic differences between organisms. Although loss-of-function genetic screens can identify genes necessary for trait formation, gain-of-function screens can overcome genetic redundancy and identify loci whose expression is sufficient to alter trait formation. Here, we leveraged transgenic lines from the Transgenic RNAi Project at Harvard Medical School to perform both gain- and loss-of-function CRISPR/Cas9 screens for abdominal pigmentation phenotypes. We identified measurable effects on pigmentation patterns in the Drosophila melanogaster abdomen for 21 of 55 transcription factors in gain-of-function experiments and 7 of 16 tested by loss-of-function experiments. These included well-characterized pigmentation genes, such as bab1 and dsx, and transcription factors that had no known role in pigmentation, such as slp2. Finally, this screen was partially conducted by undergraduate students in a Genetics Laboratory course during the spring semesters of 2021 and 2022. We found this screen to be a successful model for student engagement in research in an undergraduate laboratory course that can be readily adapted to evaluate the effect of hundreds of genes on many different Drosophila traits, with minimal resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Petrosky
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | | | - Mark Rebeiz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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6
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Welch LG, Muschalik N, Munro S. The FAM114A proteins are adaptors for the recycling of Golgi enzymes. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs262160. [PMID: 39129673 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.262160] [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: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Golgi-resident enzymes remain in place while their substrates flow through from the endoplasmic reticulum to elsewhere in the cell. COPI-coated vesicles bud from the Golgi to recycle Golgi residents to earlier cisternae. Different enzymes are present in different parts of the stack, and one COPI adaptor protein, GOLPH3, acts to recruit enzymes into vesicles in part of the stack. Here, we used proximity biotinylation to identify further components of intra-Golgi vesicles and found FAM114A2, a cytosolic protein. Affinity chromatography with FAM114A2, and its paralogue FAM114A1, showed that they bind to Golgi-resident membrane proteins, with membrane-proximal basic residues in the cytoplasmic tail being sufficient for the interaction. Deletion of both proteins from U2OS cells did not cause substantial defects in Golgi function. However, a Drosophila orthologue of these proteins (CG9590/FAM114A) is also localised to the Golgi and binds directly to COPI. Drosophila mutants lacking FAM114A have defects in glycosylation of glue proteins in the salivary gland. Thus, the FAM114A proteins bind Golgi enzymes and are candidate adaptors to contribute specificity to COPI vesicle recycling in the Golgi stack.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence G Welch
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Nadine Muschalik
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Sean Munro
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
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7
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Nair DM, Vajravelu LK, Thulukanam J, Paneerselvam V, Vimala PB, Lathakumari RH. Tackling hepatitis B Virus with CRISPR/Cas9: advances, challenges, and delivery strategies. Virus Genes 2024:10.1007/s11262-024-02105-3. [PMID: 39196289 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-024-02105-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant global health challenge, with chronic HBV leading to severe liver diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current treatments often fail to eradicate the virus, highlighting the need for innovative therapeutic strategies. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has emerged as a dynamic tool for precise genome editing and presents a promising approach to targeting and eliminating HBV infection. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advances, challenges, and delivery strategies associated with CRISPR/Cas9-based therapies for HBV. We begin by elucidating the mechanism of the CRISPR/Cas9 system and then explore HBV pathogenesis, focusing on the role of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and integrated HBV DNA in maintaining chronic infection. CRISPR/Cas9 can disrupt these key viral reservoirs, which are critical for persistent HBV replication and associated liver damage. The application of CRISPR/Cas9 in HBV treatment faces significant challenges, such as off-target effects, delivery efficiency, and immune responses. These challenges are addressed by examining current approaches to enhance the specificity, safety, and efficacy of CRISPR/Cas9. A future perspective on the development and clinical translation of CRISPR/Cas9 therapies for HBV is provided, emphasizing the requirement for further research to improve delivery methods and ensure durable safety and effectiveness. This review underscores the transformative potential of CRISPR/Cas9 in combating HBV and sets the stage for future breakthroughs in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakshina M Nair
- Department of Microbiology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Leela Kakithakara Vajravelu
- Department of Microbiology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jayaprakash Thulukanam
- Department of Microbiology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vishnupriya Paneerselvam
- Department of Microbiology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Poornima Baskar Vimala
- Department of Microbiology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rahul Harikumar Lathakumari
- Department of Microbiology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
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8
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Jansen G, Gebert D, Kumar TR, Simmons E, Murphy S, Teixeira FK. Tolerance thresholds underlie responses to DNA damage during germline development. Genes Dev 2024; 38:631-654. [PMID: 39054057 PMCID: PMC11368186 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351701.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Selfish DNA modules like transposable elements (TEs) are particularly active in the germline, the lineage that passes genetic information across generations. New TE insertions can disrupt genes and impair the functionality and viability of germ cells. However, we found that in P-M hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila, a sterility syndrome triggered by the P-element DNA transposon, germ cells harbor unexpectedly few new TE insertions despite accumulating DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and inducing cell cycle arrest. Using an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system, we show that generating DSBs at silenced P-elements or other noncoding sequences is sufficient to induce germ cell loss independently of gene disruption. Indeed, we demonstrate that both developing and adult mitotic germ cells are sensitive to DSBs in a dosage-dependent manner. Following the mitotic-to-meiotic transition, however, germ cells become more tolerant to DSBs, completing oogenesis regardless of the accumulated genome damage. Our findings establish DNA damage tolerance thresholds as crucial safeguards of genome integrity during germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Jansen
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Gebert
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Emily Simmons
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Murphy
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
| | - Felipe Karam Teixeira
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom;
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
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9
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Takagi S, Sancer G, Abuin L, Stupski SD, Roman Arguello J, Prieto-Godino LL, Stern DL, Cruchet S, Álvarez-Ocaña R, Wienecke CFR, van Breugel F, Jeanne JM, Auer TO, Benton R. Olfactory sensory neuron population expansions influence projection neuron adaptation and enhance odour tracking. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7041. [PMID: 39147786 PMCID: PMC11327376 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50808-w] [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: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary expansion of sensory neuron populations detecting important environmental cues is widespread, but functionally enigmatic. We investigated this phenomenon through comparison of homologous olfactory pathways of Drosophila melanogaster and its close relative Drosophila sechellia, an extreme specialist for Morinda citrifolia noni fruit. D. sechellia has evolved species-specific expansions in select, noni-detecting olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) populations, through multigenic changes. Activation and inhibition of defined proportions of neurons demonstrate that OSN number increases contribute to stronger, more persistent, noni-odour tracking behaviour. These expansions result in increased synaptic connections of sensory neurons with their projection neuron (PN) partners, which are conserved in number between species. Surprisingly, having more OSNs does not lead to greater odour-evoked PN sensitivity or reliability. Rather, pathways with increased sensory pooling exhibit reduced PN adaptation, likely through weakened lateral inhibition. Our work reveals an unexpected functional impact of sensory neuron population expansions to explain ecologically-relevant, species-specific behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suguru Takagi
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Gizem Sancer
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Liliane Abuin
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - S David Stupski
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - J Roman Arguello
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Lucia L Prieto-Godino
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Steeve Cruchet
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Raquel Álvarez-Ocaña
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl F R Wienecke
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Floris van Breugel
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - James M Jeanne
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Thomas O Auer
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Richard Benton
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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10
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Monastirioti M, Koltsaki I, Pitsidianaki I, Skafida E, Batsiotos N, Delidakis C. Notch-Dependent Expression of the Drosophila Hey Gene Is Supported by a Pair of Enhancers with Overlapping Activities. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:1071. [PMID: 39202431 PMCID: PMC11353301 DOI: 10.3390/genes15081071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Drosophila Hey is a basic helix-loop-helix-orange (bHLH-O) protein with an important role in the establishment of distinct identities of postmitotic cells. We have previously identified Hey as a transcriptional target and effector of Notch signalling during the asymmetric division of neuronal progenitors, generating neurons of two types, and we have shown that Notch-dependent expression of Hey also marks a subpopulation of the newborn enteroendocrine (EE) cells in the midgut primordium of the embryo. Here, we investigate the transcriptional regulation of Hey in neuronal and intestinal tissues. We isolated two genomic regions upstream of the promoter (HeyUP) and in the second intron (HeyIN2) of the Hey gene, based on the presence of binding motifs for Su(H), the transcription factor that mediates Notch activity. We found that both regions can direct the overlapping expression patterns of reporter transgenes recapitulating endogenous Hey expression. Moreover, we showed that while HeyIN2 represents a Notch-dependent enhancer, HeyUP confers both Notch-dependent and independent transcriptional regulation. We induced mutations that removed the Su(H) binding motifs in either region and then studied the enhancer functionality in the respective Hey mutant lines. Our results provide direct evidence that although both enhancers support Notch-dependent regulation of the Hey gene, their role is redundant, as a Hey loss-of-function lethal phenotype is observed only after deletion of all their Su(H) binding motifs by CRISPR/Cas9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Monastirioti
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
| | - Ioanna Koltsaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Division of Tumor Metabolism and Microenvironment, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ioanna Pitsidianaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London (UCL), London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Emilia Skafida
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Foundation Saint Lucia, Rome and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca (UniMiB), 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Nikolaos Batsiotos
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Evotec SE, 22419 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christos Delidakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Greece; (I.K.); (I.P.); (E.S.); (N.B.)
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
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11
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Park HS, Gross AC, Oh S, Kim NC. Orange maker: a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and screening project to generate orange-eyed DarkJedi GAL4 lines by undergraduate students. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18778. [PMID: 39138316 PMCID: PMC11322649 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69946-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the greatest strengths of Drosophila genetics is its easily observable and selectable phenotypic markers. The mini-white marker has been widely used as a transgenic marker for Drosophila transgenesis. Flies carrying a mini-white construct can exhibit various eye colors ranging from pale orange to intense red, depending on the insertion site and gene dosage. Because the two copies of the mini-white marker show a stronger orange color, this is often used for selecting progenies carrying two transgenes together in a single chromosome after chromosomal recombination. However, some GAL4 lines available in the fly community originally have very strong red eyes. Without employing another marker, such as GFP, generating a recombinant chromosome with the strong red-eyed GAL4 and a desired UAS-transgene construct may be difficult. Therefore, we decided to change the red eyes of GAL4 lines to orange color. To change the eye color of the fly, we tested the CRISPR/Cas9 method with a guide RNA targeting the white gene with OK371-GAL4 and elav-GAL4. After a simple screening, we have successfully obtained multiple lines of orange-eyed OK371-GAL4 and elav-GAL4 that still maintain their original expression patterns. All of these simple experiments were performed by undergraduate students, allowing them to learn about a variety of different genetic experiments and genome editing while contributing to the fly research community by creating fruit fly lines that will be used in real-world research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Su Park
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
| | - Anna C Gross
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
| | - Seungjae Oh
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
| | - Nam Chul Kim
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA.
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12
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Zein-Sabatto H, Brockett JS, Jin L, Husbands CA, Lee J, Fang J, Buehler J, Bullock SL, Lerit DA. Centrocortin potentiates co-translational localization of its mRNA to the centrosome via dynein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.09.607365. [PMID: 39149256 PMCID: PMC11326273 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.09.607365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Centrosomes rely upon proteins within the pericentriolar material to nucleate and organize microtubules. Several mRNAs also reside at centrosomes, although less is known about how and why they accumulate there. We previously showed that local Centrocortin (Cen) mRNA supports centrosome separation, microtubule organization, and viability in Drosophila embryos. Here, using Cen mRNA as a model, we examine mechanisms of centrosomal mRNA localization. We find that while the Cen N'-terminus is sufficient for protein enrichment at centrosomes, multiple domains cooperate to concentrate Cen mRNA at this location. We further identify an N'-terminal motif within Cen that is conserved among dynein cargo adaptor proteins and test its contribution to RNA localization. Our results support a model whereby Cen protein enables the accumulation of its own mRNA to centrosomes through a mechanism requiring active translation, microtubules, and the dynein motor complex. Taken together, our data uncover the basis of translation-dependent localization of a centrosomal RNA required for mitotic integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala Zein-Sabatto
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Jovan S. Brockett
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Li Jin
- Division of Cell Biology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Jina Lee
- Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Present Address: University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Junnan Fang
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Joseph Buehler
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Simon L. Bullock
- Division of Cell Biology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- co-corresponding authors
| | - Dorothy A. Lerit
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- co-corresponding authors
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13
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Ke W, Fujioka M, Schedl P, Jaynes JB. Stem-loop and circle-loop TADs generated by directional pairing of boundary elements have distinct physical and regulatory properties. eLife 2024; 13:RP94114. [PMID: 39110491 PMCID: PMC11305674 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The chromosomes in multicellular eukaryotes are organized into a series of topologically independent loops called TADs. In flies, TADs are formed by physical interactions between neighboring boundaries. Fly boundaries exhibit distinct partner preferences, and pairing interactions between boundaries are typically orientation-dependent. Pairing can be head-to-tail or head-to-head. The former generates a stem-loop TAD, while the latter gives a circle-loop TAD. The TAD that encompasses the Drosophila even skipped (eve) gene is formed by the head-to-tail pairing of the nhomie and homie boundaries. To explore the relationship between loop topology and the physical and regulatory landscape, we flanked the nhomie boundary region with two attP sites. The attP sites were then used to generate four boundary replacements: λ DNA, nhomie forward (WT orientation), nhomie reverse (opposite of WT orientation), and homie forward (same orientation as WT homie). The nhomie forward replacement restores the WT physical and regulatory landscape: in MicroC experiments, the eve TAD is a 'volcano' triangle topped by a plume, and the eve gene and its regulatory elements are sequestered from interactions with neighbors. The λ DNA replacement lacks boundary function: the endpoint of the 'new' eve TAD on the nhomie side is ill-defined, and eve stripe enhancers activate a nearby gene, eIF3j. While nhomie reverse and homie forward restore the eve TAD, the topology is a circle-loop, and this changes the local physical and regulatory landscape. In MicroC experiments, the eve TAD interacts with its neighbors, and the plume at the top of the eve triangle peak is converted to a pair of 'clouds' of contacts with the next-door TADs. Consistent with the loss of isolation afforded by the stem-loop topology, the eve enhancers weakly activate genes in the neighboring TADs. Conversely, eve function is partially disrupted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfan Ke
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Miki Fujioka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Paul Schedl
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - James B Jaynes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaUnited States
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14
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Kubrak O, Jørgensen AF, Koyama T, Lassen M, Nagy S, Hald J, Mazzoni G, Madsen D, Hansen JB, Larsen MR, Texada MJ, Hansen JL, Halberg KV, Rewitz K. LGR signaling mediates muscle-adipose tissue crosstalk and protects against diet-induced insulin resistance. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6126. [PMID: 39033139 PMCID: PMC11271308 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50468-w] [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: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Obesity impairs tissue insulin sensitivity and signaling, promoting type-2 diabetes. Although improving insulin signaling is key to reversing diabetes, the multi-organ mechanisms regulating this process are poorly defined. Here, we screen the secretome and receptome in Drosophila to identify the hormonal crosstalk affecting diet-induced insulin resistance and obesity. We discover a complex interplay between muscle, neuronal, and adipose tissues, mediated by Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling and the hormone Bursicon, that enhances insulin signaling and sugar tolerance. Muscle-derived BMP signaling, induced by sugar, governs neuronal Bursicon signaling. Bursicon, through its receptor Rickets, a Leucine-rich-repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor (LGR), improves insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue, mitigating hyperglycemia. In mouse adipocytes, loss of the Rickets ortholog LGR4 blunts insulin responses, showing an essential role of LGR4 in adipocyte insulin sensitivity. Our findings reveal a muscle-neuronal-fat-tissue axis driving metabolic adaptation to high-sugar conditions, identifying LGR4 as a critical mediator in this regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kubrak
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Anne F Jørgensen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk Park, 2760, Maaløv, Denmark
| | - Takashi Koyama
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Mette Lassen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Stanislav Nagy
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Jacob Hald
- Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk Park, 2760, Maaløv, Denmark
| | | | - Dennis Madsen
- Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk Park, 2760, Maaløv, Denmark
| | - Jacob B Hansen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Martin Røssel Larsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Michael J Texada
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | | | - Kenneth V Halberg
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Kim Rewitz
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen O, Denmark.
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15
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Sokolov V, Kyrchanova O, Klimenko N, Fedotova A, Ibragimov A, Maksimenko O, Georgiev P. New Drosophila promoter-associated architectural protein Mzfp1 interacts with CP190 and is required for housekeeping gene expression and insulator activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6886-6905. [PMID: 38769058 PMCID: PMC11229372 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila, a group of zinc finger architectural proteins recruits the CP190 protein to the chromatin, an interaction that is essential for the functional activity of promoters and insulators. In this study, we describe a new architectural C2H2 protein called Madf and Zinc-Finger Protein 1 (Mzfp1) that interacts with CP190. Mzfp1 has an unusual structure that includes six C2H2 domains organized in a C-terminal cluster and two tandem MADF domains. Mzfp1 predominantly binds to housekeeping gene promoters located in both euchromatin and heterochromatin genome regions. In vivo mutagenesis studies showed that Mzfp1 is an essential protein, and both MADF domains and the CP190 interaction region are required for its functional activity. The C2H2 cluster is sufficient for the specific binding of Mzfp1 to regulatory elements, while the second MADF domain is required for Mzfp1 recruitment to heterochromatin. Mzfp1 binds to the proximal part of the Fub boundary that separates regulatory domains of the Ubx and abd-A genes in the Bithorax complex. Mzfp1 participates in Fub functions in cooperation with the architectural proteins Pita and Su(Hw). Thus, Mzfp1 is a new architectural C2H2 protein involved in the organization of active promoters and insulators in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Sokolov
- Department of the Control of Genetic Processes, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Olga Kyrchanova
- Department of the Control of Genetic Processes, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Natalia Klimenko
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Anna Fedotova
- Department of the Control of Genetic Processes, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Airat Ibragimov
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Oksana Maksimenko
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Pavel Georgiev
- Department of the Control of Genetic Processes, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
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16
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Aguilar G, Bauer M, Vigano MA, Schnider ST, Brügger L, Jiménez-Jiménez C, Guerrero I, Affolter M. Seamless knockins in Drosophila via CRISPR-triggered single-strand annealing. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00383-6. [PMID: 38971155 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas greatly facilitated the integration of exogenous sequences into specific loci. However, knockin generation in multicellular animals remains challenging, partially due to the complexity of insertion screening. Here, we describe SEED/Harvest, a method to generate knockins in Drosophila, based on CRISPR-Cas and the single-strand annealing (SSA) repair pathway. In SEED (from "scarless editing by element deletion"), a switchable cassette is first integrated into the target locus. In a subsequent CRISPR-triggered repair event, resolved by SSA, the cassette is seamlessly removed. Germline excision of SEED cassettes allows for fast and robust knockin generation of both fluorescent proteins and short protein tags in tandem. Tissue-specific expression of Cas9 results in somatic cassette excision, conferring spatiotemporal control of protein labeling and the conditional rescue of mutants. Finally, to achieve conditional protein labeling and manipulation of short tag knockins, we developed a genetic toolbox by functionalizing the ALFA nanobody.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Aguilar
- Growth & Development, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Milena Bauer
- Growth & Development, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - M Alessandra Vigano
- Growth & Development, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sophie T Schnider
- Growth & Development, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Brügger
- Growth & Development, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Carlos Jiménez-Jiménez
- Tissue and Organ Homeostasis, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Guerrero
- Tissue and Organ Homeostasis, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid, Spain
| | - Markus Affolter
- Growth & Development, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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17
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Atinbayeva N, Valent I, Zenk F, Loeser E, Rauer M, Herur S, Quarato P, Pyrowolakis G, Gomez-Auli A, Mittler G, Cecere G, Erhardt S, Tiana G, Zhan Y, Iovino N. Inheritance of H3K9 methylation regulates genome architecture in Drosophila early embryos. EMBO J 2024; 43:2685-2714. [PMID: 38831123 PMCID: PMC11217351 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00127-z] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Constitutive heterochromatin is essential for transcriptional silencing and genome integrity. The establishment of constitutive heterochromatin in early embryos and its role in early fruitfly development are unknown. Lysine 9 trimethylation of histone H3 (H3K9me3) and recruitment of its epigenetic reader, heterochromatin protein 1a (HP1a), are hallmarks of constitutive heterochromatin. Here, we show that H3K9me3 is transmitted from the maternal germline to the next generation. Maternally inherited H3K9me3, and the histone methyltransferases (HMT) depositing it, are required for the organization of constitutive heterochromatin: early embryos lacking H3K9 methylation display de-condensation of pericentromeric regions, centromere-centromere de-clustering, mitotic defects, and nuclear shape irregularities, resulting in embryo lethality. Unexpectedly, quantitative CUT&Tag and 4D microscopy measurements of HP1a coupled with biophysical modeling revealed that H3K9me2/3 is largely dispensable for HP1a recruitment. Instead, the main function of H3K9me2/3 at this developmental stage is to drive HP1a clustering and subsequent heterochromatin compaction. Our results show that HP1a binding to constitutive heterochromatin in the absence of H3K9me2/3 is not sufficient to promote proper embryo development and heterochromatin formation. The loss of H3K9 HMTs and H3K9 methylation alters genome organization and hinders embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazerke Atinbayeva
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Fahnenbergplatz, 79085, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Iris Valent
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Zoological Institute, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Fides Zenk
- Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences EPFL, SV3809, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eva Loeser
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Michael Rauer
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Shwetha Herur
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Piergiuseppe Quarato
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgos Pyrowolakis
- Centre for Biological signaling studies, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Alejandro Gomez-Auli
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Gerhard Mittler
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Germano Cecere
- Institute Pasteur, Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, UMR3738, CNRS, 75724, Cedex 15, Paris, France
| | - Sylvia Erhardt
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Zoological Institute, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Guido Tiana
- Università degli Studi di Milano and INFN, Milan, Italy
| | - Yinxiu Zhan
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology-IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
| | - Nicola Iovino
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, 79108, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
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18
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Ewen-Campen B, Perrimon N. Wnt signaling modulates the response to DNA damage in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc by regulating the EGFR pathway. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002547. [PMID: 39047051 PMCID: PMC11341097 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the deep conservation of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway, cells in different contexts vary widely in their susceptibility to DNA damage and their propensity to undergo apoptosis as a result of genomic lesions. One of the cell signaling pathways implicated in modulating the DDR is the highly conserved Wnt pathway, which is known to promote resistance to DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation in a variety of human cancers. However, the mechanisms linking Wnt signal transduction to the DDR remain unclear. Here, we use a genetically encoded system in Drosophila to reliably induce consistent levels of DNA damage in vivo, and demonstrate that canonical Wnt signaling in the wing imaginal disc buffers cells against apoptosis in the face of DNA double-strand breaks. We show that Wg, the primary Wnt ligand in Drosophila, activates epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling via the ligand-processing protease Rhomboid, which, in turn, modulates the DDR in a Chk2-, p53-, and E2F1-dependent manner. These studies provide mechanistic insight into the modulation of the DDR by the Wnt and EGFR pathways in vivo in a highly proliferative tissue. Furthermore, they reveal how the growth and patterning functions of Wnt signaling are coupled with prosurvival, antiapoptotic activities, thereby facilitating developmental robustness in the face of genomic damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Ewen-Campen
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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19
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Chen P, Pan KC, Park EH, Luo Y, Lee YCG, Aravin AA. Escalation of genome defense capacity enables control of an expanding meiotic driver. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598716. [PMID: 38915551 PMCID: PMC11195268 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
From RNA interference to chromatin silencing, diverse genome defense pathways silence selfish genetic elements to safeguard genome integrity1,2. Despite their diversity, different defense pathways share a modular organization, where numerous specificity factors identify diverse targets and common effectors silence them. In the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway, which controls selfish elements in the metazoan germline, diverse target RNAs are first identified by complementary base pairing with piRNAs and then silenced by PIWI-clade nucleases via enzymatic cleavage1,3. Such a binary architecture allows the defense systems to be readily adaptable, where new targets can be captured via the innovation of new specificity factors4,5. Thus, our current understanding of genome defense against lineage-specific selfish genes has been largely limited to the evolution of specificity factors, while it remains poorly understood whether other types of innovations are required. Here, we describe a new type of innovation, which escalates the defense capacity of the piRNA pathway to control a recently expanded selfish gene in Drosophila melanogaster. Through an in vivo RNAi screen for repressors of Stellate-a recently evolved and expanded selfish meiotic driver6-8-we discovered a novel defense factor, Trailblazer. Trailblazer is a transcription factor that promotes the expression of two PIWI-clade nucleases, Aub and AGO3, to match Stellate in abundance. Recent innovation in the DNA-binding domain of Trailblazer enabled it to drastically elevate Aub and AGO3 expression in the D. melanogaster lineage, thereby escalating the silencing capacity of the piRNA pathway to control expanded Stellate and safeguard fertility. As copy-number expansion is a recurrent feature of diverse selfish genes across the tree of life9-12, we envision that augmenting the defense capacity to quantitatively match selfish genes is likely a repeatedly employed defense strategy in evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwei Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Katherine C. Pan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Eunice H. Park
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Yicheng Luo
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Yuh Chwen G. Lee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Alexei A. Aravin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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20
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Falo-Sanjuan J, Diaz-Tirado Y, Turner MA, Davis J, Medrano C, Haines J, McKenna J, Eisen MB, Garcia HG. Targeted mutagenesis of specific genomic DNA sequences in animals for the in vivo generation of variant libraries. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.10.598328. [PMID: 38915503 PMCID: PMC11195090 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.10.598328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how the number, placement and affinity of transcription factor binding sites dictates gene regulatory programs remains a major unsolved challenge in biology, particularly in the context of multicellular organisms. To uncover these rules, it is first necessary to find the binding sites within a regulatory region with high precision, and then to systematically modulate this binding site arrangement while simultaneously measuring the effect of this modulation on output gene expression. Massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs), where the gene expression stemming from 10,000s of in vitro-generated regulatory sequences is measured, have made this feat possible in high-throughput in single cells in culture. However, because of lack of technologies to incorporate DNA libraries, MPRAs are limited in whole organisms. To enable MPRAs in multicellular organisms, we generated tools to create a high degree of mutagenesis in specific genomic loci in vivo using base editing. Targeting GFP integrated in genome of Drosophila cell culture and whole animals as a case study, we show that the base editor AIDevoCDA1 stemming from sea lamprey fused to nCas9 is highly mutagenic. Surprisingly, longer gRNAs increase mutation efficiency and expand the mutating window, which can allow the introduction of mutations in previously untargetable sequences. Finally, we demonstrate arrays of >20 gRNAs that can efficiently introduce mutations along a 200bp sequence, making it a promising tool to test enhancer function in vivo in a high throughput manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Falo-Sanjuan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yuliana Diaz-Tirado
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Meghan A. Turner
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Julian Davis
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Claudia Medrano
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jenna Haines
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joey McKenna
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Michael B. Eisen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Hernan G. Garcia
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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21
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Goins LM, Girard JR, Mondal BC, Buran S, Su CC, Tang R, Biswas T, Kissi JA, Banerjee U. Wnt signaling couples G2 phase control with differentiation during hematopoiesis in Drosophila. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00341-1. [PMID: 38866012 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
During homeostasis, a critical balance is maintained between myeloid-like progenitors and their differentiated progeny, which function to mitigate stress and innate immune challenges. The molecular mechanisms that help achieve this balance are not fully understood. Using genetic dissection in Drosophila, we show that a Wnt6/EGFR-signaling network simultaneously controls progenitor growth, proliferation, and differentiation. Unlike G1-quiescence of stem cells, hematopoietic progenitors are blocked in G2 phase by a β-catenin-independent (Wnt/STOP) Wnt6 pathway that restricts Cdc25 nuclear entry and promotes cell growth. Canonical β-catenin-dependent Wnt6 signaling is spatially confined to mature progenitors through localized activation of the tyrosine kinases EGFR and Abelson kinase (Abl), which promote nuclear entry of β-catenin and facilitate exit from G2. This strategy combines transcription-dependent and -independent forms of both Wnt6 and EGFR pathways to create a direct link between cell-cycle control and differentiation. This unique combinatorial strategy employing conserved components may underlie homeostatic balance and stress response in mammalian hematopoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Goins
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Juliet R Girard
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bama Charan Mondal
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Sausan Buran
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chloe C Su
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ruby Tang
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Titash Biswas
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica A Kissi
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Utpal Banerjee
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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22
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Agcaoili J, Evans TA. Drosophila Robo3 guides longitudinal axons partially independently of its cytodomain. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2024; 2024:10.17912/micropub.biology.001228. [PMID: 38882930 PMCID: PMC11179118 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Drosophila Robo3 is an axon guidance receptor that regulates longitudinal axon tract formation in the embryonic ventral nerve cord. Robo3 is thought to guide longitudinal axons by signaling repulsion in response to Slit. To test this, we modified the robo3 locus to express a version of the receptor lacking its cytoplasmic domain (Robo3∆C). We find that longitudinal axon guidance is reduced, but not eliminated, in embryos expressing Robo3∆C. Our results show that Robo3's cytodomain is partially dispensable for its axon guidance activity and suggest that it may guide axons via a mechanism other than direct transduction of Slit-dependent signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Agcaoili
- Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States
| | - Timothy A. Evans
- Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States
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23
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Lau NC, Macias VM. Transposon and Transgene Tribulations in Mosquitoes: A Perspective of piRNA Proportions. DNA 2024; 4:104-128. [PMID: 39076684 PMCID: PMC11286205 DOI: 10.3390/dna4020006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Mosquitoes, like Drosophila, are dipterans, the order of "true flies" characterized by a single set of two wings. Drosophila are prime model organisms for biomedical research, while mosquito researchers struggle to establish robust molecular biology in these that are arguably the most dangerous vectors of human pathogens. Both insects utilize the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway to generate small RNAs to silence transposons and viruses, yet details are emerging that several RNAi features are unique to each insect family, such as how culicine mosquitoes have evolved extreme genomic feature differences connected to their unique RNAi features. A major technical difference in the molecular genetic studies of these insects is that generating stable transgenic animals are routine in Drosophila but still variable in stability in mosquitoes, despite genomic DNA-editing advances. By comparing and contrasting the differences in the RNAi pathways of Drosophila and mosquitoes, in this review we propose a hypothesis that transgene DNAs are possibly more intensely targeted by mosquito RNAi pathways and chromatin regulatory pathways than in Drosophila. We review the latest findings on mosquito RNAi pathways, which are still much less well understood than in Drosophila, and we speculate that deeper study into how mosquitoes modulate transposons and viruses with Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) will yield clues to improving transgene DNA expression stability in transgenic mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson C. Lau
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Genome Science Institute and National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Vanessa M. Macias
- Department of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76205, USA
- Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76205, USA
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24
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Sun K, Fu K, Hu T, Shentu X, Yu X. Leveraging insect viruses and genetic manipulation for sustainable agricultural pest control. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2515-2527. [PMID: 37948321 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The potential of insect viruses in the biological control of agricultural pests is well-recognized, yet their practical application faces obstacles such as host specificity, variable virulence, and resource scarcity. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies have significantly advanced our capabilities in discovering and identifying new insect viruses, thereby enriching the arsenal for pest management. Concurrently, progress in reverse genetics has facilitated the development of versatile viral expression vectors. These vectors have enhanced the specificity and effectiveness of insect viruses in targeting specific pests, offering a more precise approach to pest control. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the methodologies employed in the identification of insect viruses using HTS. Additionally, it explores the domain of genetically modified insect viruses and their associated challenges in pest management. The adoption of these cutting-edge approaches holds great promise for developing environmentally sustainable and effective pest control solutions. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Sun
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kang Fu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tao Hu
- Zhejinag Seed Industry Group Xinchuang Bio-breeding Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuping Shentu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
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25
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Androniciuc AM, Tate EW, Vincent JP. Engineering of TurboID-Wingless for the identification of Wingless interactors through in vivo proximity labelling. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2024; 2024:10.17912/micropub.biology.001210. [PMID: 38872844 PMCID: PMC11170289 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Wnt signalling coordinates growth and cell fate decisions during development and mis-regulation of Wnt signalling in adults is associated with a range of conditions, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, means of modulating Wnt proteins and/or cofactors could have significant therapeutic potential. As a first step towards enumerating the Wnt interactome, we devised an in vivo proximity labelling strategy to identify proteins that interact with Wingless (Wg), the main Drosophila Wnt. We engineered the wingless locus to express a functional TurboID-Wg fusion at endogenous levels and identified in vivo interactors by streptavidin pull-down from embryos, followed by mass spectrometry. Further analysis may in future extend the screen coverage and deliver functional validation of the newly identified interactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana-Miruna Androniciuc
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, England, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Edward W. Tate
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, England, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, England, United Kingdom
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26
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Singh A, Abhilasha KV, Acharya KR, Liu H, Nirala NK, Parthibane V, Kunduri G, Abimannan T, Tantalla J, Zhu LJ, Acharya JK, Acharya UR. A nutrient responsive lipase mediates gut-brain communication to regulate insulin secretion in Drosophila. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4410. [PMID: 38782979 PMCID: PMC11116528 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48851-8] [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: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic β cells secrete insulin in response to glucose elevation to maintain glucose homeostasis. A complex network of inter-organ communication operates to modulate insulin secretion and regulate glucose levels after a meal. Lipids obtained from diet or generated intracellularly are known to amplify glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, however, the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. Here, we show that a Drosophila secretory lipase, Vaha (CG8093), is synthesized in the midgut and moves to the brain where it concentrates in the insulin-producing cells in a process requiring Lipid Transfer Particle, a lipoprotein originating in the fat body. In response to dietary fat, Vaha stimulates insulin-like peptide release (ILP), and Vaha deficiency results in reduced circulatory ILP and diabetic features including hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Our findings suggest Vaha functions as a diacylglycerol lipase physiologically, by being a molecular link between dietary fat and lipid amplified insulin secretion in a gut-brain axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alka Singh
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | | | - Kathya R Acharya
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - Haibo Liu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Niraj K Nirala
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Velayoudame Parthibane
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Govind Kunduri
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Thiruvaimozhi Abimannan
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Jacob Tantalla
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Lihua Julie Zhu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Jairaj K Acharya
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Usha R Acharya
- Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
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27
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Bustillo ME, Douthit J, Astigarraga S, Treisman JE. Two distinct mechanisms of Plexin A function in Drosophila optic lobe lamination and morphogenesis. Development 2024; 151:dev202237. [PMID: 38738602 PMCID: PMC11190435 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Visual circuit development is characterized by subdivision of neuropils into layers that house distinct sets of synaptic connections. We find that, in the Drosophila medulla, this layered organization depends on the axon guidance regulator Plexin A. In Plexin A null mutants, synaptic layers of the medulla neuropil and arborizations of individual neurons are wider and less distinct than in controls. Analysis of semaphorin function indicates that Semaphorin 1a, acting in a subset of medulla neurons, is the primary partner for Plexin A in medulla lamination. Removal of the cytoplasmic domain of endogenous Plexin A has little effect on the formation of medulla layers; however, both null and cytoplasmic domain deletion mutations of Plexin A result in an altered overall shape of the medulla neuropil. These data suggest that Plexin A acts as a receptor to mediate morphogenesis of the medulla neuropil, and as a ligand for Semaphorin 1a to subdivide it into layers. Its two independent functions illustrate how a few guidance molecules can organize complex brain structures by each playing multiple roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E. Bustillo
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 E. 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jessica Douthit
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 E. 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Sergio Astigarraga
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 E. 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jessica E. Treisman
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 E. 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
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28
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Mao R, Yu J, Deng B, Dai X, Du Y, Du S, Zhang W, Rao Y. Conditional chemoconnectomics (cCCTomics) as a strategy for efficient and conditional targeting of chemical transmission. eLife 2024; 12:RP91927. [PMID: 38686992 PMCID: PMC11060718 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Dissection of neural circuitry underlying behaviors is a central theme in neurobiology. We have previously proposed the concept of chemoconnectome (CCT) to cover the entire chemical transmission between neurons and target cells in an organism and created tools for studying it (CCTomics) by targeting all genes related to the CCT in Drosophila. Here we have created lines targeting the CCT in a conditional manner after modifying GFP RNA interference, Flp-out, and CRISPR/Cas9 technologies. All three strategies have been validated to be highly effective, with the best using chromatin-peptide fused Cas9 variants and scaffold optimized sgRNAs. As a proof of principle, we conducted a comprehensive intersection analysis of CCT genes expression profiles in the clock neurons, uncovering 43 CCT genes present in clock neurons. Specific elimination of each from clock neurons revealed that loss of the neuropeptide CNMa in two posterior dorsal clock neurons (DN1ps) or its receptor (CNMaR) caused advanced morning activity, indicating a suppressive role of CNMa-CNMaR on morning anticipation, opposite to the promoting role of PDF-PDFR on morning anticipation. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of conditional CCTomics and its tools created here and establish an antagonistic relationship between CNMa-CNMaR and PDF-PDFR signaling in regulating morning anticipation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renbo Mao
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Biology, Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Capital Medical University; Changping LaboratoryChangpingChina
- Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Jianjun Yu
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Biology, Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Capital Medical University; Changping LaboratoryChangpingChina
- Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Bowen Deng
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Biology, Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Capital Medical University; Changping LaboratoryChangpingChina
- Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xihuimin Dai
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Biology, Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Capital Medical University; Changping LaboratoryChangpingChina
- Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yuyao Du
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Biology, Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Capital Medical University; Changping LaboratoryChangpingChina
- Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Sujie Du
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Biology, Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Capital Medical University; Changping LaboratoryChangpingChina
- Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Wenxia Zhang
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Biology, Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Capital Medical University; Changping LaboratoryChangpingChina
- Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yi Rao
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Biology, Chinese Institute for Brain ResearchBeijingChina
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijingChina
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Capital Medical University; Changping LaboratoryChangpingChina
- Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingChina
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29
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Ahmed-de-Prado S, Estella C, Baonza A. Temporal dynamics of apoptosis-induced proliferation in pupal wing development: implications for regenerative ability. BMC Biol 2024; 22:98. [PMID: 38679694 PMCID: PMC11057159 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01894-1] [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: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability of animals to regenerate damaged tissue is a complex process that involves various cellular mechanisms. As animals age, they lose their regenerative abilities, making it essential to understand the underlying mechanisms that limit regenerative ability during aging. Drosophila melanogaster wing imaginal discs are epithelial structures that can regenerate after tissue injury. While significant research has focused on investigating regenerative responses during larval stages our comprehension of the regenerative potential of pupal wings and the underlying mechanisms contributing to the decline of regenerative responses remains limited. RESULTS Here, we explore the temporal dynamics during pupal development of the proliferative response triggered by the induction of cell death, a typical regenerative response. Our results indicate that the apoptosis-induced proliferative response can continue until 34 h after puparium formation (APF), beyond this point cell death alone is not sufficient to induce a regenerative response. Under normal circumstances, cell proliferation ceases around 24 h APF. Interestingly, the failure of reinitiating the cell cycle beyond this time point is not attributed to an incapacity to activate the JNK pathway. Instead, our results suggest that the function of the ecdysone-responsive transcription factor E93 is involved in limiting the apoptosis-induced proliferative response during pupal development. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that apoptosis can prolong the proliferative period of cells in the wing during pupal development as late as 34 h APF, at least 10 h longer than during normal development. After this time point, the regenerative response is diminished, a process mediated in part by the ecdysone-responsive transcription factor E93.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Estella
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC/UAM), C/Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Antonio Baonza
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC/UAM), C/Nicolás Cabrera 1, Madrid, 28049, Spain.
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30
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Crain AT, Nevil M, Leatham-Jensen MP, Reeves KB, Matera AG, McKay DJ, Duronio RJ. Redesigning the Drosophila histone gene cluster: An improved genetic platform for spatiotemporal manipulation of histone function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.25.591202. [PMID: 38712307 PMCID: PMC11071459 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.591202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Mutating replication-dependent (RD) histone genes is an important tool for understanding chromatin-based epigenetic regulation. Deploying this tool in metazoan models is particularly challenging because RD histones in these organisms are typically encoded by many genes, often located at multiple loci. Such RD histone gene arrangements make the ability to generate homogenous histone mutant genotypes by site-specific gene editing quite difficult. Drosophila melanogaster provides a solution to this problem because the RD histone genes are organized into a single large tandem array that can be deleted and replaced with transgenes containing mutant histone genes. In the last ∼15 years several different RD histone gene replacement platforms have been developed using this simple strategy. However, each platform contains weaknesses that preclude full use of the powerful developmental genetic capabilities available to Drosophila researchers. Here we describe the development of a newly engineered platform that rectifies many of these weaknesses. We used CRISPR to precisely delete the RD histone gene array ( HisC ), replacing it with a multifunctional cassette that permits site-specific insertion of either one or two synthetic gene arrays using selectable markers. We designed this cassette with the ability to selectively delete each of the integrated gene arrays in specific tissues using site-specific recombinases. We also present a method for rapidly synthesizing histone gene arrays of any genotype using Golden Gate cloning technologies. These improvements facilitate generation of histone mutant cells in various tissues at different stages of Drosophila development and provide an opportunity to apply forward genetic strategies to interrogate chromatin structure and gene regulation.
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31
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Melnikova L, Molodina V, Georgiev P, Golovnin A. Development of a New Model System to Study Long-Distance Interactions Supported by Architectural Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4617. [PMID: 38731837 PMCID: PMC11083095 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094617] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Chromatin architecture is critical for the temporal and tissue-specific activation of genes that determine eukaryotic development. The functional interaction between enhancers and promoters is controlled by insulators and tethering elements that support specific long-distance interactions. However, the mechanisms of the formation and maintenance of long-range interactions between genome regulatory elements remain poorly understood, primarily due to the lack of convenient model systems. Drosophila became the first model organism in which architectural proteins that determine the activity of insulators were described. In Drosophila, one of the best-studied DNA-binding architectural proteins, Su(Hw), forms a complex with Mod(mdg4)-67.2 and CP190 proteins. Using a combination of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and attP-dependent integration technologies, we created a model system in which the promoters and enhancers of two reporter genes are separated by 28 kb. In this case, enhancers effectively stimulate reporter gene promoters in cis and trans only in the presence of artificial Su(Hw) binding sites (SBS), in both constructs. The expression of the mutant Su(Hw) protein, which cannot interact with CP190, and the mutation inactivating Mod(mdg4)-67.2, lead to the complete loss or significant weakening of enhancer-promoter interactions, respectively. The results indicate that the new model system effectively identifies the role of individual subunits of architectural protein complexes in forming and maintaining specific long-distance interactions in the D. melanogaster model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larisa Melnikova
- Department of Drosophila Molecular Genetics, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, Moscow 119334, Russia;
| | - Varvara Molodina
- Department of Drosophila Molecular Genetics, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, Moscow 119334, Russia;
| | - Pavel Georgiev
- Department of the Control of Genetic Processes, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, Moscow 119334, Russia;
| | - Anton Golovnin
- Department of Drosophila Molecular Genetics, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, Moscow 119334, Russia;
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32
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Liu Z, Zhang H, Lemaitre B, Li X. Duox activation in Drosophila Malpighian tubules stimulates intestinal epithelial renewal through a countercurrent flow. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114109. [PMID: 38613782 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut must perform a dual role of protecting the host against toxins and pathogens while harboring mutualistic microbiota. Previous studies suggested that the NADPH oxidase Duox contributes to intestinal homeostasis in Drosophila by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the gut that stimulate epithelial renewal. We find instead that the ROS generated by Duox in the Malpighian tubules leads to the production of Upd3, which enters the gut and stimulates stem cell proliferation. We describe in Drosophila the existence of a countercurrent flow system, which pushes tubule-derived Upd3 to the anterior part of the gut and stimulates epithelial renewal at a distance. Thus, our paper clarifies the role of Duox in gut homeostasis and describes the existence of retrograde fluid flow in the gut, collectively revealing a fascinating example of inter-organ communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonggeng Liu
- Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Bruno Lemaitre
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Xiaoxue Li
- Institute of Urban and Horticultural Entomology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China; Global Health Institute, School of Life Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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33
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Pan X, Tao AM, Lu S, Ma M, Hannan SB, Slaugh R, Drewes Williams S, O'Grady L, Kanca O, Person R, Carter MT, Platzer K, Schnabel F, Abou Jamra R, Roberts AE, Newburger JW, Revah-Politi A, Granadillo JL, Stegmann APA, Sinnema M, Accogli A, Salpietro V, Capra V, Ghaloul-Gonzalez L, Brueckner M, Simon MEH, Sweetser DA, Glinton KE, Kirk SE, Wangler MF, Yamamoto S, Chung WK, Bellen HJ. De novo variants in FRYL are associated with developmental delay, intellectual disability, and dysmorphic features. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:742-760. [PMID: 38479391 PMCID: PMC11023917 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
FRY-like transcription coactivator (FRYL) belongs to a Furry protein family that is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to humans. The functions of FRYL in mammals are largely unknown, and variants in FRYL have not previously been associated with a Mendelian disease. Here, we report fourteen individuals with heterozygous variants in FRYL who present with developmental delay, intellectual disability, dysmorphic features, and other congenital anomalies in multiple systems. The variants are confirmed de novo in all individuals except one. Human genetic data suggest that FRYL is intolerant to loss of function (LoF). We find that the fly FRYL ortholog, furry (fry), is expressed in multiple tissues, including the central nervous system where it is present in neurons but not in glia. Homozygous fry LoF mutation is lethal at various developmental stages, and loss of fry in mutant clones causes defects in wings and compound eyes. We next modeled four out of the five missense variants found in affected individuals using fry knockin alleles. One variant behaves as a severe LoF variant, whereas two others behave as partial LoF variants. One variant does not cause any observable defect in flies, and the corresponding human variant is not confirmed to be de novo, suggesting that this is a variant of uncertain significance. In summary, our findings support that fry is required for proper development in flies and that the LoF variants in FRYL cause a dominant disorder with developmental and neurological symptoms due to haploinsufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Pan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alice M Tao
- Vagelos School of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shenzhao Lu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mengqi Ma
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shabab B Hannan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rachel Slaugh
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sarah Drewes Williams
- Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lauren O'Grady
- Division of Medical Genetics & Metabolism, Massachusetts General for Children, Boston, MA, USA; MGH Institute of Health Professions, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Oguz Kanca
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Melissa T Carter
- Department of Genetics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Konrad Platzer
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Franziska Schnabel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rami Abou Jamra
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Amy E Roberts
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Genetics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jane W Newburger
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anya Revah-Politi
- Institute for Genomic Medicine and Precision Genomics Laboratory, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jorge L Granadillo
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Alexander P A Stegmann
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Margje Sinnema
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea Accogli
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Vincenzo Salpietro
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, University College London Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Valeria Capra
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Genomics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lina Ghaloul-Gonzalez
- Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Martina Brueckner
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marleen E H Simon
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - David A Sweetser
- Division of Medical Genetics & Metabolism, Massachusetts General for Children, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin E Glinton
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Genetics, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Susan E Kirk
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael F Wangler
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Wendy K Chung
- Departments of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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Zirin J, Jusiak B, Lopes R, Ewen-Campen B, Bosch JA, Risbeck A, Forman C, Villalta C, Hu Y, Perrimon N. Expanding the Drosophila toolkit for dual control of gene expression. eLife 2024; 12:RP94073. [PMID: 38569007 PMCID: PMC10990484 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability to independently control gene expression in two different tissues in the same animal is emerging as a major need, especially in the context of inter-organ communication studies. This type of study is made possible by technologies combining the GAL4/UAS and a second binary expression system such as the LexA system or QF system. Here, we describe a resource of reagents that facilitate combined use of the GAL4/UAS and a second binary system in various Drosophila tissues. Focusing on genes with well-characterized GAL4 expression patterns, we generated a set of more than 40 LexA-GAD and QF2 insertions by CRISPR knock-in and verified their tissue specificity in larvae. We also built constructs that encode QF2 and LexA-GAD transcription factors in a single vector. Following successful integration of this construct into the fly genome, FLP/FRT recombination is used to isolate fly lines that express only QF2 or LexA-GAD. Finally, using new compatible shRNA vectors, we evaluated both LexA and QF systems for in vivo gene knockdown and are generating a library of such RNAi fly lines as a community resource. Together, these LexA and QF system vectors and fly lines will provide a new set of tools for researchers who need to activate or repress two different genes in an orthogonal manner in the same animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Zirin
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Barbara Jusiak
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, IrvineIrvineUnited States
| | - Raphael Lopes
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | | | - Justin A Bosch
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | | | - Corey Forman
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | | | - Yanhui Hu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteBostonUnited States
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Ma S, Ni X, Chen S, Qiao X, Xu X, Chen W, Champer J, Huang J. A small-molecule approach to restore female sterility phenotype targeted by a homing suppression gene drive in the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011226. [PMID: 38578788 PMCID: PMC11023630 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-based gene drives offer promising prospects for controlling disease-transmitting vectors and agricultural pests. A significant challenge for successful suppression-type drive is the rapid evolution of resistance alleles. One approach to mitigate the development of resistance involves targeting functionally constrained regions using multiple gRNAs. In this study, we constructed a 3-gRNA homing gene drive system targeting the recessive female fertility gene Tyrosine decarboxylase 2 (Tdc2) in Drosophila suzukii, a notorious fruit pest. Our investigation revealed only a low level of homing in the germline, but feeding octopamine restored the egg-laying defects in Tdc2 mutant females, allowing easier line maintenance than for other suppression drive targets. We tested the effectiveness of a similar system in Drosophila melanogaster and constructed additional split drive systems by introducing promoter-Cas9 transgenes to improve homing efficiency. Our findings show that genetic polymorphisms in wild populations may limit the spread of gene drive alleles, and the position effect profoundly influences Cas9 activity. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential of conditionally rescuing the female infertility caused by the gene drive, offering a valuable tool for the industrial-scale production of gene drive transgenic insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhan Ma
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuyang Ni
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shimin Chen
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Xuejiao Xu
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Weizhe Chen
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- PTN program, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jackson Champer
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Huang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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36
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Schleutker R, Luschnig S. Palmitoylation of proteolipid protein M6 promotes tricellular junction assembly in epithelia of Drosophila. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261916. [PMID: 38345097 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Tricellular junctions (TCJs) seal epithelial cell vertices and are essential for tissue integrity and physiology, but how TCJs are assembled and maintained is poorly understood. In Drosophila, the transmembrane proteins Anakonda (Aka, also known as Bark), Gliotactin (Gli) and M6 organize occluding TCJs. Aka and M6 localize in an interdependent manner to vertices and act jointly to localize Gli, but how these proteins interact to assemble TCJs was not previously known. Here, we show that the proteolipid protein M6 physically interacts with Aka and with itself, and that M6 is palmitoylated on conserved juxta-membrane cysteine residues. This modification promotes vertex localization of M6 and binding to Aka, but not to itself, and becomes essential when TCJ protein levels are reduced. Abolishing M6 palmitoylation leads to delayed localization of M6 and Aka but does not affect the rate of TCJ growth or mobility of M6 or Aka. Our findings suggest that palmitoylation-dependent recruitment of Aka by M6 promotes initiation of TCJ assembly, whereas subsequent TCJ growth relies on different mechanisms that are independent of M6 palmitoylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Schleutker
- Institute of Integrative Cell Biology and Physiology, Cells in Motion (CiM) Interfaculty Centre, University of Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Stefan Luschnig
- Institute of Integrative Cell Biology and Physiology, Cells in Motion (CiM) Interfaculty Centre, University of Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany
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37
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McGee AV, Liu YV, Griffith AL, Szegletes ZM, Wen B, Kraus C, Miller NW, Steger RJ, Escude Velasco B, Bosch JA, Zirin JD, Viswanatha R, Sontheimer EJ, Goodale A, Greene MA, Green TM, Doench JG. Modular vector assembly enables rapid assessment of emerging CRISPR technologies. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100519. [PMID: 38484704 PMCID: PMC10943585 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The diversity of CRISPR systems, coupled with scientific ingenuity, has led to an explosion of applications; however, to test newly described innovations in their model systems, researchers typically embark on cumbersome, one-off cloning projects to generate custom reagents that are optimized for their biological questions. Here, we leverage Golden Gate cloning to create the Fragmid toolkit, a modular set of CRISPR cassettes and delivery technologies, along with a web portal, resulting in a combinatorial platform that enables scalable vector assembly within days. We further demonstrate that multiple CRISPR technologies can be assessed in parallel in a pooled screening format using this resource, enabling the rapid optimization of both novel technologies and cellular models. These results establish Fragmid as a robust system for the rapid design of CRISPR vectors, and we anticipate that this assembly approach will be broadly useful for systematic development, comparison, and dissemination of CRISPR technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby V McGee
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Yanjing V Liu
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Audrey L Griffith
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Zsofia M Szegletes
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Bronte Wen
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Carolyn Kraus
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nathan W Miller
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ryan J Steger
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Berta Escude Velasco
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Justin A Bosch
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan D Zirin
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Raghuvir Viswanatha
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erik J Sontheimer
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Amy Goodale
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Matthew A Greene
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Thomas M Green
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - John G Doench
- Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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38
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Kogenaru V, Isalan M, Kogenaru M. A drug stabilizable GAL80 ds for conditional control of gene expression via GAL4-UAS and CRISPR-Cas9 systems in Drosophila. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5893. [PMID: 38467687 PMCID: PMC10928143 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56343-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The binary GAL4-UAS expression system has been widely used in Drosophila to achieve tissue-specific expression of genes. To further allow for simultaneous spatial and conditional control of gene expression in existing GAL4 expression lines backgrounds, temperature and chemical controllable GAL80 variants have been engineered. Here we add a new drug stabilizable GAL80ds variant, by fusing it to a low-background DHFR-22-DD. We first quantify both single (DD-GAL80) and double (DD-GAL80-DD) architectures and show varied background and activation levels. Next, we demonstrate the utility of GAL80ds Drosophila line to regulate a cell death gene ectopically, in a drug-dependent manner, by utilizing an existing tissue-specific GAL4 driver that regulates the expression of a cell death gene under a UAS. Finally, we showcase the usefulness of GAL80ds in tight drug-mediated regulation of a target gene, from an endogenous locus, by utilizing an existing tissue-specific GAL4 to drive the expression of a dead Cas9 variant fused to the transcriptional coactivator nejire, under a UAS and in gRNA lines. Overall, these new GAL80ds lines expand the use of the wide variety of existing tissue-specific GAL4 and gene-specific gRNA lines. This enables conditional control of genes, both ectopically and endogenously, for a broad array of gene expression control applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishnavi Kogenaru
- Ricards Lodge High School, Lake Road, Wimbledon, London, SW19 7HB, UK
- West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, 346 Clarksville Rd, Princeton Junction, NJ, 08550, USA
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Manjunatha Kogenaru
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, 435 E 30th St., New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Langone Medical Center, 435 E 30th St., New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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Zirin J, Jusiak B, Lopes R, Ewen-Campen B, Bosch JA, Risbeck A, Forman C, Villalta C, Hu Y, Perrimon N. Expanding the Drosophila toolkit for dual control of gene expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.15.553399. [PMID: 37645802 PMCID: PMC10461983 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.15.553399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The ability to independently control gene expression in two different tissues in the same animal is emerging as a major need, especially in the context of inter-organ communication studies. This type of study is made possible by technologies combining the GAL4/UAS and a second binary expression system such as the LexA-system or QF-system. Here, we describe a resource of reagents that facilitate combined use of the GAL4/UAS and a second binary system in various Drosophila tissues. Focusing on genes with well-characterizsed GAL4 expression patterns, we generated a set of more than 40 LexA-GAD and QF2 insertions by CRISPR knock-in and verified their tissue-specificity in larvae. We also built constructs that encode QF2 and LexA-GAD transcription factors in a single vector. Following successful integration of this construct into the fly genome, FLP/FRT recombination is used to isolate fly lines that express only QF2 or LexA-GAD. Finally, using new compatible shRNA vectors, we evaluated both LexA and QF systems for in vivo gene knockdown and are generating a library of such RNAi fly lines as a community resource. Together, these LexA and QF system vectors and fly lines will provide a new set of tools for researchers who need to activate or repress two different genes in an orthogonal manner in the same animal.
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40
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Williams AM, Horne-Badovinac S. Fat2 polarizes Lar and Sema5c to coordinate the motility of collectively migrating epithelial cells. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261173. [PMID: 37593878 PMCID: PMC10508692 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261173] [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: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Migrating epithelial cells globally align their migration machinery to achieve tissue-level movement. Biochemical signaling across leading-trailing cell-cell interfaces can promote this alignment by partitioning migratory behaviors like protrusion and retraction to opposite sides of the interface. However, how signaling proteins become organized at interfaces to accomplish this is poorly understood. The follicular epithelial cells of Drosophila melanogaster have two signaling modules at their leading-trailing interfaces - one composed of the atypical cadherin Fat2 (also known as Kugelei) and the receptor tyrosine phosphatase Lar, and one composed of Semaphorin5c and its receptor Plexin A. Here, we show that these modules form one interface signaling system with Fat2 at its core. Trailing edge-enriched Fat2 concentrates both Lar and Semaphorin5c at leading edges of cells, but Lar and Semaphorin5c play little role in the localization of Fat2. Fat2 is also more stable at interfaces than Lar or Semaphorin5c. Once localized, Lar and Semaphorin5c act in parallel to promote collective migration. We propose that Fat2 serves as the organizer of this interface signaling system by coupling and polarizing the distributions of multiple effectors that work together to align the migration machinery of neighboring cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Miller Williams
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Sally Horne-Badovinac
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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41
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Pignataro E, Pini F, Barbanente A, Arnesano F, Palazzo A, Marsano RM. Flying toward a plastic-free world: Can Drosophila serve as a model organism to develop new strategies of plastic waste management? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169942. [PMID: 38199375 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169942] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The last century was dominated by the widespread use of plastics, both in terms of invention and increased usage. The environmental challenge we currently face is not just about reducing plastic usage but finding new ways to manage plastic waste. Recycling is growing but remains a small part of the solution. There is increasing focus on studying organisms and processes that can break down plastics, offering a modern approach to addressing the environmental crisis. Here, we provide an overview of the organisms associated with plastics biodegradation, and we explore the potential of harnessing and integrating their genetic and biochemical features into a single organism, such as Drosophila melanogaster. The remarkable genetic engineering and microbiota manipulation tools available for this organism suggest that multiple features could be amalgamated and modeled in the fruit fly. We outline feasible genetic engineering and gut microbiome engraftment strategies to develop a new class of plastic-degrading organisms and discuss of both the potential benefits and the limitations of developing such engineered Drosophila melanogaster strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Pignataro
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Francesco Pini
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Barbanente
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Fabio Arnesano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Antonio Palazzo
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - René Massimiliano Marsano
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
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42
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Takagi S, Sancer G, Abuin L, Stupski SD, Arguello JR, Prieto-Godino LL, Stern DL, Cruchet S, Alvarez-Ocana R, Wienecke CFR, van Breugel F, Jeanne JM, Auer TO, Benton R. Sensory neuron population expansion enhances odor tracking without sensitizing projection neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.15.556782. [PMID: 37745467 PMCID: PMC10515935 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.15.556782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary expansion of sensory neuron populations detecting important environmental cues is widespread, but functionally enigmatic. We investigated this phenomenon through comparison of homologous neural pathways of Drosophila melanogaster and its close relative Drosophila sechellia , an extreme specialist for Morinda citrifolia noni fruit. D. sechellia has evolved species-specific expansions in select, noni-detecting olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) populations, through multigenic changes. Activation and inhibition of defined proportions of neurons demonstrate that OSN population increases contribute to stronger, more persistent, noni-odor tracking behavior. These sensory neuron expansions result in increased synaptic connections with their projection neuron (PN) partners, which are conserved in number between species. Surprisingly, having more OSNs does not lead to greater odor-evoked PN sensitivity or reliability. Rather, pathways with increased sensory pooling exhibit reduced PN adaptation, likely through weakened lateral inhibition. Our work reveals an unexpected functional impact of sensory neuron expansions to explain ecologically-relevant, species-specific behavior.
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Yamamoto-Hino M, Ariura M, Tanaka M, Iwasaki YW, Kawaguchi K, Shimamoto Y, Goto S. PIGB maintains nuclear lamina organization in skeletal muscle of Drosophila. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202301062. [PMID: 38261271 PMCID: PMC10808031 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202301062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The nuclear lamina (NL) plays various roles and participates in nuclear integrity, chromatin organization, and transcriptional regulation. Lamin proteins, the main components of the NL, form a homogeneous meshwork structure under the nuclear envelope. Lamins are essential, but it is unknown whether their homogeneous distribution is important for nuclear function. Here, we found that PIGB, an enzyme involved in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) synthesis, is responsible for the homogeneous lamin meshwork in Drosophila. Loss of PIGB resulted in heterogeneous distributions of B-type lamin and lamin-binding proteins in larval muscles. These phenotypes were rescued by expression of PIGB lacking GPI synthesis activity. The PIGB mutant exhibited changes in lamina-associated domains that are large heterochromatic genomic regions in the NL, reduction of nuclear stiffness, and deformation of muscle fibers. These results suggest that PIGB maintains the homogeneous meshwork of the NL, which may be essential for chromatin distribution and nuclear mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Yamamoto-Hino
- Department of Life Science, College of Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaru Ariura
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahito Tanaka
- Department of Chromosome Science, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Yuka W. Iwasaki
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory for Functional Non-Coding Genomics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Saitama, Japan
| | - Kohei Kawaguchi
- Department of Life Science, College of Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuta Shimamoto
- Department of Chromosome Science, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Satoshi Goto
- Department of Life Science, College of Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
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Busseau I, Mockly S, Houbron É, Somaï H, Seitz H. Evaluation of microRNA variant maturation prior to genome edition. Biochimie 2024; 217:86-94. [PMID: 37385398 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of the functionality of individual microRNA/target sites is a crucial issue. Genome editing techniques should theoretically permit a fine functional exploration of such interactions, allowing the mutation of microRNAs or individual binding sites in a complete in vivo setting, therefore abrogating or restoring individual interactions on demand. A major limitation to this experimental strategy is the influence of microRNA sequence on its accumulation level, which introduces a confounding effect when assessing phenotypic rescue by compensatorily mutated microRNA and target site. Here we describe a simple assay to identify microRNA variants most likely to accumulate at wild-type levels even though their sequence has been mutated. In this assay, quantification of a reporter construct in cultured cells predicts the efficiency of an early biogenesis step, the Drosha-dependent cleavage of microRNA precursors, which appears to be a major determinant of microRNA accumulation in our variant collection. This system allowed the generation of a mutant Drosophila strain expressing a bantam microRNA variant at wild-type levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Busseau
- Institut de Génétique Humaine, UMR 9002, CNRS and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Sophie Mockly
- Institut de Génétique Humaine, UMR 9002, CNRS and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Élisabeth Houbron
- Institut de Génétique Humaine, UMR 9002, CNRS and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Hedi Somaï
- Institut de Génétique Humaine, UMR 9002, CNRS and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Hervé Seitz
- Institut de Génétique Humaine, UMR 9002, CNRS and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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45
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Zhang S, Wu S, Yao R, Wei X, Ohlstein B, Guo Z. Eclosion muscles secrete ecdysteroids to initiate asymmetric intestinal stem cell division in Drosophila. Dev Cell 2024; 59:125-140.e12. [PMID: 38096823 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.11.016] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
During organ development, tissue stem cells first expand via symmetric divisions and then switch to asymmetric divisions to minimize the time to obtain a mature tissue. In the Drosophila midgut, intestinal stem cells switch their divisions from symmetric to asymmetric at midpupal development to produce enteroendocrine cells. However, the signals that initiate this switch are unknown. Here, we identify the signal as ecdysteroids. In the presence of ecdysone, EcR and Usp promote the expression of E93 to suppress Br expression, resulting in asymmetric divisions. Surprisingly, the primary source of pupal ecdysone is not from the prothoracic gland but from dorsal internal oblique muscles (DIOMs), a group of transient skeletal muscles that are required for eclosion. Genetic analysis shows that DIOMs secrete ecdysteroids during mTOR-mediated muscle remodeling. Our findings identify sequential endocrine and mechanical roles for skeletal muscle, which ensure the timely asymmetric divisions of intestinal stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Zhang
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medicine, Institute for Brain Research, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Song Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medicine, Institute for Brain Research, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Ruining Yao
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medicine, Institute for Brain Research, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xueying Wei
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medicine, Institute for Brain Research, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Benjamin Ohlstein
- Children's Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zheng Guo
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medicine, Institute for Brain Research, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Cell Architecture Research Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China.
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46
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Chakraborty M, Powichrowski J, Bruder MR, Nielsen L, Sung C, Boegel SJ, Aucoin MG. Probing Baculovirus Vector Gene Essentiality for Foreign Gene Expression Using a CRISPR-Cas9 System. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2829:127-156. [PMID: 38951331 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3961-0_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) has now found acceptance in both research laboratories and industry, which can be attributed to many of its key features including the limited host range of the vectors, their non-pathogenicity to humans, and the mammalian-like post-translational modification (PTMs) that can be achieved in insect cells. In fact, this system acts as a middle ground between prokaryotes and higher eukaryotes to produce complex biologics. Still, industrial use of the BEVS lags compared to other platforms. We have postulated that one reason for this has been a lack of genetic tools that can complement the study of baculovirus vectors, while a second reason is the co-production of the baculovirus vector with the desired product. While some genetic enhancements have been made to improve the BEVS as a production platform, the genome remains under-scrutinized. This chapter outlines the methodology for a CRISPR-Cas9-based transfection-infection assay to probe the baculovirus genome for essential/nonessential genes that can potentially maximize foreign gene expression under a promoter of choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhuja Chakraborty
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Powichrowski
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Mark R Bruder
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa Nielsen
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher Sung
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Scott J Boegel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Marc G Aucoin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
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Kefi M, Konstantinos P, Balabanidou V, Sarafoglou C, Tsakireli D, Douris V, Monastirioti M, Maréchal JD, Feyereisen R, Vontas J. Insights into unique features of Drosophila CYP4G enzymes. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 164:104041. [PMID: 38008364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104041] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
The cytochrome P450 enzymes of the CYP4G subfamily are some of the most intriguing insect P450s in terms of structure and function. In Drosophila, CYP4G1 is highly expressed in the oenocytes and is the last enzyme in the biosynthesis of cuticular hydrocarbons, while CYP4G15 is expressed in the brain and is of unknown function. Both proteins have a CYP4G-specific and characteristic amino acid sequence insertion corresponding to a loop between the G and H helices whose function is unclear. Here we address these enigmatic structural and functional features of Drosophila CYP4Gs. First, we used reverse genetics to generate D. melanogaster strains in which all or part of the CYP4G-specific loop was removed from CYP4G1. We showed that the full loop was not needed for proper folding of the P450, but it is essential for function, and that just a short stretch of six amino acids is required for the enzyme's ability to make hydrocarbons. Second, we confirmed by immunocytochemistry that CYP4G15 is expressed in the brain and showed that it is specifically associated with the cortex glia cell subtype. We then expressed CYP4G15 ectopically in oenocytes, revealing that it can produce of a blend of hydrocarbons, albeit to quantitatively lower levels resulting in only a partial rescue of CYP4G1 knockdown flies. The CYP4G1 structural variants studied here should facilitate the biochemical characterization of CYP4G enzymes. Our results also raise the question of the putative role of hydrocarbons and their synthesis by cortex glial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kefi
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Parasyris Konstantinos
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Vasileia Balabanidou
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Chara Sarafoglou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Dimitra Tsakireli
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Greece; Pesticide Science Laboratory, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilis Douris
- Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece; Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH), University Campus, 451 10, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Maria Monastirioti
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Jean-Didier Maréchal
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici C.n., Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - René Feyereisen
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium.
| | - John Vontas
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Nikolaou Plastira Street 100, 70013, Heraklion, Greece; Pesticide Science Laboratory, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece.
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Stromberg KA, Spain T, Tomlin SA, Powell J, Amarillo KD, Schroeder CM. Evolutionary diversification reveals distinct somatic versus germline cytoskeletal functions of the Arp2 branched actin nucleator protein. Curr Biol 2023; 33:5326-5339.e7. [PMID: 37977138 PMCID: PMC10785674 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Branched actin networks are critical in many cellular processes, including cell motility and division. Arp2, a protein within the seven-membered Arp2/3 complex, is responsible for generating branched actin. Given its essential roles, Arp2 evolves under stringent sequence conservation throughout eukaryotic evolution. We unexpectedly discovered recurrent evolutionary diversification of Arp2 in Drosophila, yielding independently arising paralogs Arp2D in obscura species and Arp2D2 in montium species. Both paralogs are unusually testis-enriched in expression relative to Arp2. We investigated whether their sequence divergence from canonical Arp2 led to functional specialization by replacing Arp2 in D. melanogaster with either Arp2D or Arp2D2. Despite their divergence, we surprisingly found that both complement Arp2's essential function in somatic tissue, suggesting they have preserved the ability to polymerize branched actin even in a non-native species. However, we found that Arp2D- and Arp2D2-expressing males display defects throughout sperm development, with Arp2D resulting in more pronounced deficiencies and subfertility, suggesting the Arp2 paralogs are cross-species incompatible in the testis. We focused on Arp2D and pinpointed two highly diverged structural regions-the D-loop and C terminus-and found that they contribute to germline defects in D. melanogaster sperm development. However, while the Arp2D C terminus is suboptimal in the D. melanogaster testis, it is essential for Arp2D somatic function. Testis cytology of the paralogs' native species revealed striking differences in germline actin structures, indicating unique cytoskeletal requirements. Our findings suggest canonical Arp2 function differs between somatic versus germline contexts, and Arp2 paralogs may have recurrently evolved for species-specialized actin branching in the testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin A Stromberg
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Tristan Spain
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sarah A Tomlin
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Jordan Powell
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kristen Dominique Amarillo
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Courtney M Schroeder
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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49
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Farkas A, Zsindely N, Nagy G, Kovács L, Deák P, Bodai L. The ubiquitin thioesterase YOD1 ameliorates mutant Huntingtin induced pathology in Drosophila. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21951. [PMID: 38081944 PMCID: PMC10713573 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49241-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a dominant gain-of-function mutation in the huntingtin gene, resulting in an elongated polyglutamine repeat in the mutant Huntingtin (mHtt) that mediates aberrant protein interactions. Previous studies implicated the ubiquitin-proteasome system in HD, suggesting that restoring cellular proteostasis might be a key element in suppressing pathology. We applied genetic interaction tests in a Drosophila model to ask whether modulating the levels of deubiquitinase enzymes affect HD pathology. By testing 32 deubiquitinase genes we found that overexpression of Yod1 ameliorated all analyzed phenotypes, including neurodegeneration, motor activity, viability, and longevity. Yod1 did not have a similar effect in amyloid beta overexpressing flies, suggesting that the observed effects might be specific to mHtt. Yod1 overexpression did not alter the number of mHtt aggregates but moderately increased the ratio of larger aggregates. Transcriptome analysis showed that Yod1 suppressed the transcriptional effects of mHtt and restored the expression of genes involved in neuronal plasticity, vesicular transport, antimicrobial defense, and protein synthesis, modifications, and clearance. Furthermore, Yod1 overexpression in HD flies leads to the upregulation of genes involved in transcriptional regulation and synaptic transmission, which might be part of a response mechanism to mHtt-induced stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Farkas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School in Biology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Nóra Zsindely
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Nagy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Levente Kovács
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
- Divison of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, 91125, USA
| | - Péter Deák
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Bodai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary.
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50
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Pan X, Alvarez AN, Ma M, Lu S, Crawford MW, Briere LC, Kanca O, Yamamoto S, Sweetser DA, Wilson JL, Napier RJ, Pruneda JN, Bellen HJ. Allelic strengths of encephalopathy-associated UBA5 variants correlate between in vivo and in vitro assays. eLife 2023; 12:RP89891. [PMID: 38079206 PMCID: PMC10712953 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein UFMylation downstream of the E1 enzyme UBA5 plays essential roles in development and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Variants in the UBA5 gene are associated with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 44 (DEE44), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early-onset encephalopathy, movement abnormalities, global developmental delay, intellectual disability, and seizures. DEE44 is caused by at least 12 different missense variants described as loss of function (LoF), but the relationships between genotypes and molecular or clinical phenotypes remain to be established. We developed a humanized UBA5 fly model and biochemical activity assays in order to describe in vivo and in vitro genotype-phenotype relationships across the UBA5 allelic series. In vivo, we observed a broad spectrum of phenotypes in viability, developmental timing, lifespan, locomotor activity, and bang sensitivity. A range of functional effects was also observed in vitro across comprehensive biochemical assays for protein stability, ATP binding, UFM1 activation, and UFM1 transthiolation. Importantly, there is a strong correlation between in vivo and in vitro phenotypes, establishing a classification of LoF variants into mild, intermediate, and severe allelic strengths. By systemically evaluating UBA5 variants across in vivo and in vitro platforms, this study provides a foundation for more basic and translational UBA5 research, as well as a basis for evaluating current and future individuals afflicted with this rare disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Pan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Albert N Alvarez
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Mengqi Ma
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Shenzhao Lu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Michael W Crawford
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Lauren C Briere
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Oguz Kanca
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - David A Sweetser
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Division of Medical Genetics & Metabolism, Massachusetts General Hospital for ChildrenBostonUnited States
| | - Jenny L Wilson
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Ruth J Napier
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
- VA Portland Health Care SystemPortlandUnited States
- Division of Arthritis & Rheumatic Diseases, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Jonathan N Pruneda
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
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