1
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Hintermann A, Bolt CC, Hawkins MB, Valentin G, Lopez-Delisle L, Gitto S, Gómez PB, Mascrez B, Mansour TA, Nakamura T, Harris MP, Shubin NH, Duboule D. EVOLUTIONARY CO-OPTION OF AN ANCESTRAL CLOACAL REGULATORY LANDSCAPE DURING THE EMERGENCE OF DIGITS AND GENITALS. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.24.586442. [PMID: 38585989 PMCID: PMC10996561 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.24.586442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The transition from fins to limbs has been a rich source of discussion for more than a century. One open and important issue is understanding how the mechanisms that pattern digits arose during vertebrate evolution. In this context, the analysis of Hox gene expression and functions to infer evolutionary scenarios has been a productive approach to explain the changes in organ formation, particularly in limbs. In tetrapods, the transcription of Hoxd genes in developing digits depends on a well-characterized set of enhancers forming a large regulatory landscape1,2. This control system has a syntenic counterpart in zebrafish, even though they lack bona fide digits, suggestive of deep homology3 between distal fin and limb developmental mechanisms. We tested the global function of this landscape to assess ancestry and source of limb and fin variation. In contrast to results in mice, we show here that the deletion of the homologous control region in zebrafish has a limited effect on the transcription of hoxd genes during fin development. However, it fully abrogates hoxd expression within the developing cloaca, an ancestral structure related to the mammalian urogenital sinus. We show that similar to the limb, Hoxd gene function in the urogenital sinus of the mouse also depends on enhancers located in this same genomic domain. Thus, we conclude that the current regulation underlying Hoxd gene expression in distal limbs was co-opted in tetrapods from a preexisting cloacal program. The orthologous chromatin domain in fishes may illustrate a rudimentary or partial step in this evolutionary co-option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Hintermann
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christopher Chase Bolt
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - M. Brent Hawkins
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, Department of Orthopedic Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Guillaume Valentin
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Gitto
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Paula Barrera Gómez
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bénédicte Mascrez
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Tetsuya Nakamura
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Matthew P. Harris
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, Department of Orthopedic Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Neil H. Shubin
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Denis Duboule
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology CIRB, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
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2
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Hintermann A, Guerreiro I, Lopez-Delisle L, Bolt CC, Gitto S, Duboule D, Beccari L. Developmental and evolutionary comparative analysis of a regulatory landscape in mouse and chicken. Development 2022; 149:275867. [PMID: 35770682 PMCID: PMC9307994 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Modifications in gene regulation are driving forces in the evolution of organisms. Part of these changes involve cis-regulatory elements (CREs), which contact their target genes through higher-order chromatin structures. However, how such architectures and variations in CREs contribute to transcriptional evolvability remains elusive. We use Hoxd genes as a paradigm for the emergence of regulatory innovations, as many relevant enhancers are located in a regulatory landscape highly conserved in amniotes. Here, we analysed their regulation in murine vibrissae and chicken feather primordia, two skin appendages expressing different Hoxd gene subsets, and compared the regulation of these genes in these appendages with that in the elongation of the posterior trunk. In the two former structures, distinct subsets of Hoxd genes are contacted by different lineage-specific enhancers, probably as a result of using an ancestral chromatin topology as an evolutionary playground, whereas the gene regulation that occurs in the mouse and chicken embryonic trunk partially relies on conserved CREs. A high proportion of these non-coding sequences active in the trunk have functionally diverged between species, suggesting that transcriptional robustness is maintained, despite considerable divergence in enhancer sequences. Summary: Analyses of the relationships between chromatin architecture and regulatory activities at the HoxD locus show that ancestral transcription patterns can be maintained while new regulations evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Hintermann
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Isabel Guerreiro
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (EPFL ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Federal School of Technology (EPFL) 2 , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Christopher Chase Bolt
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (EPFL ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Federal School of Technology (EPFL) 2 , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Sandra Gitto
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Denis Duboule
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (EPFL ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Federal School of Technology (EPFL) 2 , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
- Collège de France 3 , 11 Place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris , France
| | - Leonardo Beccari
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
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3
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Belpaire M, Taminiau A, Geerts D, Rezsohazy R. HOXA1, a breast cancer oncogene. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188747. [PMID: 35675857 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
More than 25 years ago, the first literature records mentioned HOXA1 expression in human breast cancer. A few years later, HOXA1 was confirmed as a proper oncogene in mammary tissue. In the following two decades, molecular data about the mode of action of the HOXA1 protein, the factors contributing to activate and maintain HOXA1 gene expression and the identity of its target genes have accumulated and provide a wider view on the association of this transcription factor to breast oncogenesis. Large-scale transcriptomic data gathered from wide cohorts of patients further allowed refining the relationship between breast cancer type and HOXA1 expression. Several recent reports have reviewed the connection between cancer hallmarks and the biology of HOX genes in general. Here we take HOXA1 as a paradigm and propose an extensive overview of the molecular data centered on this oncoprotein, from what its expression modulators, to the interactors contributing to its oncogenic activities, and to the pathways and genes it controls. The data converge to an intricate picture that answers questions on the multi-modality of its oncogene activities, point towards better understanding of breast cancer aetiology and thereby provides an appraisal for treatment opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Belpaire
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Arnaud Taminiau
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Dirk Geerts
- Heart Failure Research Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center (AMC), Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - René Rezsohazy
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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4
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Zeinali LI, Giuliano S, Lakshminrusimha S, Underwood MA. Intestinal Dysbiosis in the Infant and the Future of Lacto-Engineering to Shape the Developing Intestinal Microbiome. Clin Ther 2021; 44:193-214.e1. [PMID: 34922744 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The goal of this study was to review the role of human milk in shaping the infant intestinal microbiota and the potential of human milk bioactive molecules to reverse trends of increasing intestinal dysbiosis and dysbiosis-associated diseases. METHODS This narrative review was based on recent and historic literature. FINDINGS Human milk immunoglobulins, oligosaccharides, lactoferrin, lysozyme, milk fat globule membranes, and bile salt-stimulating lipase are complex multifunctional bioactive molecules that, among other important functions, shape the composition of the infant intestinal microbiota. IMPLICATIONS The co-evolution of human milk components and human milk-consuming commensal anaerobes many thousands of years ago resulted in a stable low-diversity infant microbiota. Over the past century, the introduction of antibiotics and modern hygiene practices plus changes in the care of newborns have led to significant alterations in the intestinal microbiota, with associated increases in risk of dysbiosis-associated disease. A better understanding of mechanisms by which human milk shapes the intestinal microbiota of the infant during a vulnerable period of development of the immune system is needed to alter the current trajectory and decrease intestinal dysbiosis and associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lida I Zeinali
- Department of Pediatrics, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Mark A Underwood
- Department of Pediatrics, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA.
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5
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Amândio AR, Beccari L, Lopez-Delisle L, Mascrez B, Zakany J, Gitto S, Duboule D. Sequential in cis mutagenesis in vivo reveals various functions for CTCF sites at the mouse HoxD cluster. Genes Dev 2021; 35:1490-1509. [PMID: 34711654 PMCID: PMC8559674 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348934.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian Hox gene clusters contain a range of CTCF binding sites. In addition to their importance in organizing a TAD border, which isolates the most posterior genes from the rest of the cluster, the positions and orientations of these sites suggest that CTCF may be instrumental in the selection of various subsets of contiguous genes, which are targets of distinct remote enhancers located in the flanking regulatory landscapes. We examined this possibility by producing an allelic series of cumulative in cis mutations in these sites, up to the abrogation of CTCF binding in the five sites located on one side of the TAD border. In the most impactful alleles, the global chromatin architecture of the locus was modified, yet not drastically, illustrating that CTCF sites located on one side of a strong TAD border are sufficient to organize at least part of this insulation. Spatial colinearity in the expression of these genes along the major body axis was nevertheless maintained, despite abnormal expression boundaries. In contrast, strong effects were scored in the selection of target genes responding to particular enhancers, leading to the misregulation of Hoxd genes in specific structures. Altogether, while most enhancer-promoter interactions can occur in the absence of this series of CTCF sites, the binding of CTCF in the Hox cluster is required to properly transform a rather unprecise process into a highly discriminative mechanism of interactions, which is translated into various patterns of transcription accompanied by the distinctive chromatin topology found at this locus. Our allelic series also allowed us to reveal the distinct functional contributions for CTCF sites within this Hox cluster, some acting as insulator elements, others being necessary to anchor or stabilize enhancer-promoter interactions, and some doing both, whereas they all together contribute to the formation of a TAD border. This variety of tasks may explain the amazing evolutionary conservation in the distribution of these sites among paralogous Hox clusters or between various vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Amândio
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Beccari
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bénédicte Mascrez
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jozsef Zakany
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Gitto
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Denis Duboule
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Collège de France, 75231 Paris, France
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6
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Allais-Bonnet A, Hintermann A, Deloche MC, Cornette R, Bardou P, Naval-Sanchez M, Pinton A, Haruda A, Grohs C, Zakany J, Bigi D, Medugorac I, Putelat O, Greyvenstein O, Hadfield T, Jemaa SB, Bunevski G, Menzi F, Hirter N, Paris JM, Hedges J, Palhiere I, Rupp R, Lenstra JA, Gidney L, Lesur J, Schafberg R, Stache M, Wandhammer MD, Arbogast RM, Guintard C, Blin A, Boukadiri A, Rivière J, Esquerré D, Donnadieu C, Danchin-Burge C, Reich CM, Riley DG, Marle-Koster EV, Cockett N, Hayes BJ, Drögemüller C, Kijas J, Pailhoux E, Tosser-Klopp G, Duboule D, Capitan A. Analysis of Polycerate Mutants Reveals the Evolutionary Co-option of HOXD1 for Horn Patterning in Bovidae. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:2260-2272. [PMID: 33528505 PMCID: PMC8136503 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In the course of evolution, pecorans (i.e., higher ruminants) developed a remarkable diversity of osseous cranial appendages, collectively referred to as “headgear,” which likely share the same origin and genetic basis. However, the nature and function of the genetic determinants underlying their number and position remain elusive. Jacob and other rare populations of sheep and goats are characterized by polyceraty, the presence of more than two horns. Here, we characterize distinct POLYCERATE alleles in each species, both associated with defective HOXD1 function. We show that haploinsufficiency at this locus results in the splitting of horn bud primordia, likely following the abnormal extension of an initial morphogenetic field. These results highlight the key role played by this gene in headgear patterning and illustrate the evolutionary co-option of a gene involved in the early development of bilateria to properly fix the position and number of these distinctive organs of Bovidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Allais-Bonnet
- ALLICE, Paris, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Aurélie Hintermann
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Christine Deloche
- ALLICE, Paris, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Bardou
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,INRAE, Sigenae, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | | | - Alain Pinton
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Ashleigh Haruda
- Central Natural Science Collections, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Cécile Grohs
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jozsef Zakany
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daniele Bigi
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ivica Medugorac
- Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Olivier Putelat
- Archéologie Alsace, Sélestat, France.,UMR 7044, ARCHIMEDE, MISHA, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ockert Greyvenstein
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Tracy Hadfield
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Slim Ben Jemaa
- Laboratoire des Productions Animales et Fourragères, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie, Université de Carthage, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Gjoko Bunevski
- Livestock Department, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food Institute of Animal Biotechnology, University Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - Fiona Menzi
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Hirter
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Julia M Paris
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - John Hedges
- Manx Loaghtan Sheep Breeders' Group, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Isabelle Palhiere
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Rachel Rupp
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Johannes A Lenstra
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louisa Gidney
- Rent a Peasant, Tow Law, Bishop Auckland, Durham County, United Kingdom
| | - Joséphine Lesur
- Unité Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique, Sociétés Pratiques et Environnements (AASPE), CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Renate Schafberg
- Central Natural Science Collections, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Michael Stache
- Central Natural Science Collections, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | | | | | - Claude Guintard
- Unité d'Anatomie Comparée, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de l'Agroalimentaire et de l'Alimentation, Nantes Atlantique-ONIRIS, Nantes, France.,Groupe d'Études Remodelage Osseux et bioMatériaux (GEROM), Université d'Angers, Unité INSERM 922, LHEA/IRIS-IBS, CHU d'Angers, Angers, France
| | - Amandine Blin
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, UMS 2700 2AD, Paris, France
| | - Abdelhak Boukadiri
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Julie Rivière
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,INRAE, Micalis Institute, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Diane Esquerré
- INRAE, US, 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | | | | | - Coralie M Reich
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - David G Riley
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | | | - Noelle Cockett
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Benjamin J Hayes
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Animal Science, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Cord Drögemüller
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - James Kijas
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Eric Pailhoux
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Denis Duboule
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Cancer Research Institute, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Aurélien Capitan
- ALLICE, Paris, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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7
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Willemin A, Lopez-Delisle L, Bolt CC, Gadolini ML, Duboule D, Rodriguez-Carballo E. Induction of a chromatin boundary in vivo upon insertion of a TAD border. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009691. [PMID: 34292939 PMCID: PMC8330945 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian genomes are partitioned into sub-megabase to megabase-sized units of preferential interactions called topologically associating domains or TADs, which are likely important for the proper implementation of gene regulatory processes. These domains provide structural scaffolds for distant cis regulatory elements to interact with their target genes within the three-dimensional nuclear space and architectural proteins such as CTCF as well as the cohesin complex participate in the formation of the boundaries between them. However, the importance of the genomic context in providing a given DNA sequence the capacity to act as a boundary element remains to be fully investigated. To address this question, we randomly relocated a topological boundary functionally associated with the mouse HoxD gene cluster and show that it can indeed act similarly outside its initial genomic context. In particular, the relocated DNA segment recruited the required architectural proteins and induced a significant depletion of contacts between genomic regions located across the integration site. The host chromatin landscape was re-organized, with the splitting of the TAD wherein the boundary had integrated. These results provide evidence that topological boundaries can function independently of their site of origin, under physiological conditions during mouse development. During development, enhancer sequences tightly regulate the spatio-temporal expression of target genes often located hundreds of kilobases away. This complex process is made possible by the folding of chromatin into domains, which are separated from one another by specific genomic regions referred to as boundaries. In order to understand whether such boundary sequences require their particular genomic contexts to achieve their isolating effect, we analyzed the impact of introducing one such boundary, taken from the HoxD locus, into a distinct topological domain. We show that this ectopic boundary splits the host domain into two sub-domains and affects the expression levels of a neighboring gene. We conclude that this sequence can work independently from its genomic context and thus carries all the information necessary to act as a boundary element.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréa Willemin
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christopher Chase Bolt
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Laure Gadolini
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Denis Duboule
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Collège de France, Paris, France
- * E-mail: (DD); (ER-C)
| | - Eddie Rodriguez-Carballo
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (DD); (ER-C)
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8
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Slepicka PF, Somasundara AVH, Dos Santos CO. The molecular basis of mammary gland development and epithelial differentiation. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 114:93-112. [PMID: 33082117 PMCID: PMC8052380 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the molecular events underpinning the development of mammalian organ systems has been increasing rapidly in recent years. With the advent of new and improved next-generation sequencing methods, we are now able to dig deeper than ever before into the genomic and epigenomic events that play critical roles in determining the fates of stem and progenitor cells during the development of an embryo into an adult. In this review, we detail and discuss the genes and pathways that are involved in mammary gland development, from embryogenesis, through maturation into an adult gland, to the role of pregnancy signals in directing the terminal maturation of the mammary gland into a milk producing organ that can nurture the offspring. We also provide an overview of the latest research in the single-cell genomics of mammary gland development, which may help us to understand the lineage commitment of mammary stem cells (MaSCs) into luminal or basal epithelial cells that constitute the mammary gland. Finally, we summarize the use of 3D organoid cultures as a model system to study the molecular events during mammary gland development. Our increased investigation of the molecular requirements for normal mammary gland development will advance the discovery of targets to predict breast cancer risk and the development of new breast cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Ferreira Slepicka
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Camila O Dos Santos
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
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9
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10
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Rodríguez-Carballo E, Lopez-Delisle L, Willemin A, Beccari L, Gitto S, Mascrez B, Duboule D. Chromatin topology and the timing of enhancer function at the HoxD locus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:31231-31241. [PMID: 33229569 PMCID: PMC7733857 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015083117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The HoxD gene cluster is critical for proper limb formation in tetrapods. In the emerging limb buds, different subgroups of Hoxd genes respond first to a proximal regulatory signal, then to a distal signal that organizes digits. These two regulations are exclusive from one another and emanate from two distinct topologically associating domains (TADs) flanking HoxD, both containing a range of appropriate enhancer sequences. The telomeric TAD (T-DOM) contains several enhancers active in presumptive forearm cells and is divided into two sub-TADs separated by a CTCF-rich boundary, which defines two regulatory submodules. To understand the importance of this particular regulatory topology to control Hoxd gene transcription in time and space, we either deleted or inverted this sub-TAD boundary, eliminated the CTCF binding sites, or inverted the entire T-DOM to exchange the respective positions of the two sub-TADs. The effects of such perturbations on the transcriptional regulation of Hoxd genes illustrate the requirement of this regulatory topology for the precise timing of gene activation. However, the spatial distribution of transcripts was eventually resumed, showing that the presence of enhancer sequences, rather than either their exact topology or a particular chromatin architecture, is the key factor. We also show that the affinity of enhancers to find their natural target genes can overcome the presence of both a strong TAD border and an unfavorable orientation of CTCF sites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andréa Willemin
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Beccari
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Gitto
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bénédicte Mascrez
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Denis Duboule
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
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11
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Mammalian-specific ectodermal enhancers control the expression of Hoxc genes in developing nails and hair follicles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:30509-30519. [PMID: 33199643 PMCID: PMC7720164 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011078117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate Hox genes are critical for the establishment of structures during the development of the main body axis. Subsequently, they play important roles either in organizing secondary axial structures such as the appendages, or during homeostasis in postnatal stages and adulthood. Here, we set up to analyze their elusive function in the ectodermal compartment, using the mouse limb bud as a model. We report that the HoxC gene cluster was co-opted to be transcribed in the distal limb ectoderm, where it is activated following the rule of temporal colinearity. These ectodermal cells subsequently produce various keratinized organs such as nails or claws. Accordingly, deletion of the HoxC cluster led to mice lacking nails (anonychia), a condition stronger than the previously reported loss of function of Hoxc13, which is the causative gene of the ectodermal dysplasia 9 (ECTD9) in human patients. We further identified two mammalian-specific ectodermal enhancers located upstream of the HoxC gene cluster, which together regulate Hoxc gene expression in the hair and nail ectodermal organs. Deletion of these regulatory elements alone or in combination revealed a strong quantitative component in the regulation of Hoxc genes in the ectoderm, suggesting that these two enhancers may have evolved along with the mammalian taxon to provide the level of HOXC proteins necessary for the full development of hair and nail.
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12
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Panta M, Kump AJ, Dalloul JM, Schwab KR, Ahmad SM. Three distinct mechanisms, Notch instructive, permissive, and independent, regulate the expression of two different pericardial genes to specify cardiac cell subtypes. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241191. [PMID: 33108408 PMCID: PMC7591092 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of a complex organ involves the specification and differentiation of diverse cell types constituting that organ. Two major cell subtypes, contractile cardial cells (CCs) and nephrocytic pericardial cells (PCs), comprise the Drosophila heart. Binding sites for Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)], an integral transcription factor in the Notch signaling pathway, are enriched in the enhancers of PC-specific genes. Here we show three distinct mechanisms regulating the expression of two different PC-specific genes, Holes in muscle (Him), and Zn finger homeodomain 1 (zfh1). Him transcription is activated in PCs in a permissive manner by Notch signaling: in the absence of Notch signaling, Su(H) forms a repressor complex with co-repressors and binds to the Him enhancer, repressing its transcription; upon alleviation of this repression by Notch signaling, Him transcription is activated. In contrast, zfh1 is transcribed by a Notch-instructive mechanism in most PCs, where mere alleviation of repression by preventing the binding of Su(H)-co-repressor complex is not sufficient to activate transcription. Our results suggest that upon activation of Notch signaling, the Notch intracellular domain associates with Su(H) to form an activator complex that binds to the zfh1 enhancer, and that this activator complex is necessary for bringing about zfh1 transcription in these PCs. Finally, a third, Notch-independent mechanism activates zfh1 transcription in the remaining, even skipped-expressing, PCs. Collectively, our data show how the same feature, enrichment of Su(H) binding sites in PC-specific gene enhancers, is utilized by two very distinct mechanisms, one permissive, the other instructive, to contribute to the same overall goal: the specification and differentiation of a cardiac cell subtype by activation of the pericardial gene program. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that the zfh1 enhancer drives expression in two different domains using distinct Notch-instructive and Notch-independent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Panta
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
- The Center for Genomic Advocacy, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Kump
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
- The Center for Genomic Advocacy, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
| | - John M. Dalloul
- The Center for Genomic Advocacy, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
- Terre Haute South Vigo High School, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
- Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Kristopher R. Schwab
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
- The Center for Genomic Advocacy, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Shaad M. Ahmad
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
- The Center for Genomic Advocacy, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
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13
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Gentile C, Kmita M. Polycomb Repressive Complexes in Hox Gene Regulation: Silencing and Beyond: The Functional Dynamics of Polycomb Repressive Complexes in Hox Gene Regulation. Bioessays 2020; 42:e1900249. [PMID: 32743818 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201900249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The coordinated expression of the Hox gene family encoding transcription factors is critical for proper embryonic development and patterning. Major efforts have thus been dedicated to understanding mechanisms controlling Hox expression. In addition to the temporal and spatial sequential activation of Hox genes, proper embryonic development requires that Hox genes get differentially silenced in a cell-type specific manner as development proceeds. Factors contributing to Hox silencing include the polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs), which control gene expression through epigenetic modifications. This review focuses on PRC-dependent regulation of the Hox genes and is aimed at integrating the growing complexity of PRC functional properties in the context of Hox regulation. In particular, mechanisms underlying PRC binding dynamics as well as a series of studies that have revealed the impact of PRC on the 3D organization of the genome is discussed, which has a significant role on Hox regulation during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Gentile
- Genetics and Development Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, H2W 1R7, Canada.,Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Marie Kmita
- Genetics and Development Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, H2W 1R7, Canada.,Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada.,Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada
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14
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de Bessa Garcia SA, Araújo M, Pereira T, Mouta J, Freitas R. HOX genes function in Breast Cancer development. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1873:188358. [PMID: 32147544 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer develops in the mammary glands during mammalian adulthood and is considered the second most common type of human carcinoma and the most incident and mortal in the female population. In contrast to other human structures, the female mammary glands continue to develop after birth, undergoing various modifications during pregnancy, lactation and involution under the regulation of hormones and transcription factors, including those encoded by the HOX clusters (A, B, C, and D). Interestingly, HOX gene deregulation is often associated to breast cancer development. Within the HOXB cluster, 8 out of the 10 genes present altered expression levels in breast cancer with an impact in its aggressiveness and resistance to hormone therapy, which highlights the importance of HOXB genes as potential therapeutic targets used to overcome the limitations of tamoxifen-resistant cancer treatments. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the role of HOX genes in breast cancer, specially focus on HOXB, discussing the causes and consequences of HOXB gene deregulation and their relevance as prognostic factors and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Aparecida de Bessa Garcia
- IBMC- Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, I3S- Institute for Innovation and Health Research, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Mafalda Araújo
- IBMC- Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, I3S- Institute for Innovation and Health Research, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Tiago Pereira
- IBMC- Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, I3S- Institute for Innovation and Health Research, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - João Mouta
- IBMC- Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, I3S- Institute for Innovation and Health Research, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Renata Freitas
- IBMC- Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, I3S- Institute for Innovation and Health Research, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.; ICBAS- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Portugal..
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15
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Hardin A, Nevonen KA, Eckalbar WL, Carbone L, Ahituv N. Comparative Genomic Characterization of the Multimammate Mouse Mastomys coucha. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 36:2805-2812. [PMID: 31424545 PMCID: PMC6878952 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mastomys are the most widespread African rodent and carriers of various diseases such as the plague or Lassa virus. In addition, mastomys have rapidly gained a large number of mammary glands. Here, we generated a genome, variome, and transcriptomes for Mastomys coucha. As mastomys diverged at similar times from mouse and rat, we demonstrate their utility as a comparative genomic tool for these commonly used animal models. Furthermore, we identified over 500 mastomys accelerated regions, often residing near important mammary developmental genes or within their exons leading to protein sequence changes. Functional characterization of a noncoding mastomys accelerated region, located in the HoxD locus, showed enhancer activity in mouse developing mammary glands. Combined, our results provide genomic resources for mastomys and highlight their potential both as a comparative genomic tool and for the identification of mammary gland number determining factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Hardin
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.,Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Kimberly A Nevonen
- Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Walter L Eckalbar
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.,Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Lucia Carbone
- Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.,Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.,Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.,Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR
| | - Nadav Ahituv
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.,Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
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16
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Rodríguez-Carballo E, Lopez-Delisle L, Yakushiji-Kaminatsui N, Ullate-Agote A, Duboule D. Impact of genome architecture on the functional activation and repression of Hox regulatory landscapes. BMC Biol 2019; 17:55. [PMID: 31299961 PMCID: PMC6626364 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0677-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The spatial organization of the mammalian genome relies upon the formation of chromatin domains of various scales. At the level of gene regulation in cis, collections of enhancer sequences define large regulatory landscapes that usually match with the presence of topologically associating domains (TADs). These domains often contain ranges of enhancers displaying similar or related tissue specificity, suggesting that in some cases, such domains may act as coherent regulatory units, with a global on or off state. By using the HoxD gene cluster, which specifies the topology of the developing limbs via highly orchestrated regulation of gene expression, as a paradigm, we investigated how the arrangement of regulatory domains determines their activity and function. RESULTS Proximal and distal cells in the developing limb express different levels of Hoxd genes, regulated by flanking 3' and 5' TADs, respectively. We characterized the effect of large genomic rearrangements affecting these two TADs, including their fusion into a single chromatin domain. We show that, within a single hybrid TAD, the activation of both proximal and distal limb enhancers globally occurred as when both TADs are intact. However, the activity of the 3' TAD in distal cells is generally increased in the fused TAD, when compared to wild type where it is silenced. Also, target gene activity in distal cells depends on whether or not these genes had previously responded to proximal enhancers, which determines the presence or absence of H3K27me3 marks. We also show that the polycomb repressive complex 2 is mainly recruited at the Hox gene cluster and can extend its coverage to far-cis regulatory sequences as long as confined to the neighboring TAD structure. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that antagonistic limb proximal and distal enhancers can exert their specific effects when positioned into the same TAD and in the absence of their genuine target genes. We also conclude that removing these target genes reduced the coverage of a regulatory landscape by chromatin marks associated with silencing, which correlates with its prolonged activity in time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eddie Rodríguez-Carballo
- Laboratory of Developmental Genomics, Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- School of Life Sciences, Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nayuta Yakushiji-Kaminatsui
- School of Life Sciences, Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Present Address: Laboratory for Developmental Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohoma, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Asier Ullate-Agote
- Laboratory of Artificial and Natural Evolution, Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Denis Duboule
- Laboratory of Developmental Genomics, Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland.
- School of Life Sciences, Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Collège de France, 75005, Paris, France.
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17
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Gentile C, Berlivet S, Mayran A, Paquette D, Guerard-Millet F, Bajon E, Dostie J, Kmita M. PRC2-Associated Chromatin Contacts in the Developing Limb Reveal a Possible Mechanism for the Atypical Role of PRC2 in HoxA Gene Expression. Dev Cell 2019; 50:184-196.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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18
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Sabarís G, Laiker I, Preger-Ben Noon E, Frankel N. Actors with Multiple Roles: Pleiotropic Enhancers and the Paradigm of Enhancer Modularity. Trends Genet 2019; 35:423-433. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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19
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20
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Abstract
Collinear regulation of Hox genes in space and time has been an outstanding question ever since the initial work of Ed Lewis in 1978. Here we discuss recent advances in our understanding of this phenomenon in relation to novel concepts associated with large-scale regulation and chromatin structure during the development of both axial and limb patterns. We further discuss how this sequential transcriptional activation marks embryonic stem cell-like axial progenitors in mammals and, consequently, how a temporal genetic system is further translated into spatial coordinates via the fate of these progenitors. In this context, we argue the benefit and necessity of implementing this unique mechanism as well as the difficulty in evolving an alternative strategy to deliver this critical positional information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Deschamps
- Hubrecht Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Denis Duboule
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale, Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
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21
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Rodríguez-Carballo E, Lopez-Delisle L, Zhan Y, Fabre PJ, Beccari L, El-Idrissi I, Huynh THN, Ozadam H, Dekker J, Duboule D. The HoxD cluster is a dynamic and resilient TAD boundary controlling the segregation of antagonistic regulatory landscapes. Genes Dev 2017; 31:2264-2281. [PMID: 29273679 PMCID: PMC5769770 DOI: 10.1101/gad.307769.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian HoxD cluster lies between two topologically associating domains (TADs) matching distinct enhancer-rich regulatory landscapes. During limb development, the telomeric TAD controls the early transcription of Hoxd genes in forearm cells, whereas the centromeric TAD subsequently regulates more posterior Hoxd genes in digit cells. Therefore, the TAD boundary prevents the terminal Hoxd13 gene from responding to forearm enhancers, thereby allowing proper limb patterning. To assess the nature and function of this CTCF-rich DNA region in embryos, we compared chromatin interaction profiles between proximal and distal limb bud cells isolated from mutant stocks where various parts of this boundary region were removed. The resulting progressive release in boundary effect triggered inter-TAD contacts, favored by the activity of the newly accessed enhancers. However, the boundary was highly resilient, and only a 400-kb deletion, including the whole-gene cluster, was eventually able to merge the neighboring TADs into a single structure. In this unified TAD, both proximal and distal limb enhancers nevertheless continued to work independently over a targeted transgenic reporter construct. We propose that the whole HoxD cluster is a dynamic TAD border and that the exact boundary position varies depending on both the transcriptional status and the developmental context.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ye Zhan
- Program in Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
| | - Pierre J Fabre
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Beccari
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Imane El-Idrissi
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thi Hanh Nguyen Huynh
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hakan Ozadam
- Program in Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
| | - Job Dekker
- Program in Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
| | - Denis Duboule
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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22
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Abstract
During embryonic development, Hox genes participate in the building of a functional digestive system in metazoans, and genetic conditions involving these genes lead to important, sometimes lethal, growth retardation. Recently, this phenotype was obtained after deletion of Haglr, the Hoxd antisense growth-associated long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) located between Hoxd1 and Hoxd3 In this study, we have analyzed the function of Hoxd genes in delayed growth trajectories by looking at several nested targeted deficiencies of the mouse HoxD cluster. Mutant pups were severely stunted during the suckling period, but many recovered after weaning. After comparing seven distinct HoxD alleles, including CRISPR/Cas9 deletions involving Haglr, we identified Hoxd3 as the critical component for the gut to maintain milk-digestive competence. This essential function could be abrogated by the dominant-negative effect of HOXD10 as shown by a genetic rescue approach, thus further illustrating the importance of posterior prevalence in Hox gene function. A role for the lncRNA Haglr in the control of postnatal growth could not be corroborated.
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23
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Griffith OW, Wagner GP. The placenta as a model for understanding the origin and evolution of vertebrate organs. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:72. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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