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Trigila AP, Castagna VC, Berasain L, Montini D, Rubinstein M, Gomez-Casati ME, Franchini LF. Accelerated Evolution Analysis Uncovers PKNOX2 as a Key Transcription Factor in the Mammalian Cochlea. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad128. [PMID: 37247388 PMCID: PMC10337857 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad128] [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: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic bases underlying the evolution of morphological and functional innovations of the mammalian inner ear are poorly understood. Gene regulatory regions are thought to play an important role in the evolution of form and function. To uncover crucial hearing genes whose regulatory machinery evolved specifically in mammalian lineages, we mapped accelerated noncoding elements (ANCEs) in inner ear transcription factor (TF) genes and found that PKNOX2 harbors the largest number of ANCEs within its transcriptional unit. Using reporter gene expression assays in transgenic zebrafish, we determined that four PKNOX2-ANCEs drive differential expression patterns when compared with ortholog sequences from close outgroup species. Because the functional role of PKNOX2 in cochlear hair cells has not been previously investigated, we decided to study Pknox2 null mice generated by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. We found that Pknox2-/- mice exhibit reduced distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds at high frequencies together with an increase in peak 1 amplitude, consistent with a higher number of inner hair cells (IHCs)-auditory nerve synapsis observed at the cochlear basal region. A comparative cochlear transcriptomic analysis of Pknox2-/- and Pknox2+/+ mice revealed that key auditory genes are under Pknox2 control. Hence, we report that PKNOX2 plays a critical role in cochlear sensitivity at higher frequencies and that its transcriptional regulation underwent lineage-specific evolution in mammals. Our results provide novel insights about the contribution of PKNOX2 to normal auditory function and to the evolution of high-frequency hearing in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabella P Trigila
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria C Castagna
- Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lara Berasain
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dante Montini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Rubinstein
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Lucía F Franchini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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2
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Barker TJ, Chan FY, Carvalho AX, Sundaram MV. Apical-basal polarity of the spectrin cytoskeleton in the C. elegans vulva. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000863. [PMID: 37396793 PMCID: PMC10308243 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The C. elegans vulva is a polarized epithelial tube that has been studied extensively as a model for cell-cell signaling, cell fate specification, and tubulogenesis. Here we used endogenous fusions to show that the spectrin cytoskeleton is polarized in this organ, with conventional beta-spectrin ( UNC-70 ) found only at basolateral membranes and beta heavy spectrin ( SMA-1 ) found only at apical membranes. The sole alpha-spectrin ( SPC-1 ) is present at both locations but requires SMA-1 for its apical localization. Thus, beta spectrins are excellent markers for vulva cell membranes and polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor J. Barker
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Fung-Yi Chan
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana X. Carvalho
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Meera V. Sundaram
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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3
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Ashmore JF, Oghalai JS, Dewey JB, Olson ES, Strimbu CE, Wang Y, Shera CA, Altoè A, Abdala C, Elgoyhen AB, Eatock RA, Raphael RM. The Remarkable Outer Hair Cell: Proceedings of a Symposium in Honour of W. E. Brownell. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2023; 24:117-127. [PMID: 36648734 PMCID: PMC10121982 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-022-00852-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In 1985, Bill Brownell and colleagues published the remarkable observation that cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) express voltage-driven mechanical motion: electromotility. They proposed OHC electromotility as the mechanism for the elusive "cochlear amplifier" required to explain the sensitivity of mammalian hearing. The finding and hypothesis stimulated an explosion of experiments that have transformed our understanding of cochlear mechanics and physiology, the evolution of hair cell structure and function, and audiology. Here, we bring together examples of current research that illustrate the continuing impact of the discovery of OHC electromotility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John S Oghalai
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - James B Dewey
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Olson
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, USA
| | - Clark E Strimbu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, USA
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City, USA
| | - Christopher A Shera
- Caruso Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Alessandro Altoè
- Caruso Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Carolina Abdala
- Caruso Department of Otolaryngology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Ana B Elgoyhen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Lipovsek M, Elgoyhen AB. The evolutionary tuning of hearing. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:110-123. [PMID: 36621369 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.12.002] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
After the transition to life on land, tympanic middle ears emerged separately in different groups of tetrapods, facilitating the efficient detection of airborne sounds and paving the way for high frequency sensitivity. The processes that brought about high-frequency hearing in mammals are tightly linked to the accumulation of coding sequence changes in inner ear genes; many of which were selected during evolution. These include proteins involved in hair bundle morphology, mechanotransduction and high endolymphatic potential, somatic electromotility for sound amplification, ribbon synapses for high-fidelity transmission of sound stimuli, and efferent synapses for the modulation of sound amplification. Here, we review the molecular evolutionary processes behind auditory functional innovation. Overall, the evidence to date supports the hypothesis that changes in inner ear proteins were central to the fine tuning of mammalian hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Lipovsek
- Ear Institute, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Ana Belén Elgoyhen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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5
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Taiber S, Gozlan O, Cohen R, Andrade LR, Gregory EF, Starr DA, Moran Y, Hipp R, Kelley MW, Manor U, Sprinzak D, Avraham KB. A Nesprin-4/kinesin-1 cargo model for nuclear positioning in cochlear outer hair cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:974168. [PMID: 36211453 PMCID: PMC9537699 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.974168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear positioning is important for the functionality of many cell types and is mediated by interactions of cytoskeletal elements and nucleoskeleton proteins. Nesprin proteins, part of the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex, have been shown to participate in nuclear positioning in multiple cell types. Outer hair cells (OHCs) in the inner ear are specialized sensory epithelial cells that utilize somatic electromotility to amplify auditory signals in the cochlea. Recently, Nesprin-4 (encoded by Syne4) was shown to play a crucial role in nuclear positioning in OHCs. Syne4 deficiency in humans and mice leads to mislocalization of the OHC nuclei and cell death resulting in deafness. However, it is unknown how Nesprin-4 mediates the position of the nucleus, and which other molecular components are involved in this process. Here, we show that the interaction of Nesprin-4 and the microtubule motor kinesin-1 is mediated by a conserved 4 amino-acid motif. Using in vivo AAV gene delivery, we show that this interaction is critical for nuclear positioning and hearing in mice. Nuclear mislocalization and cell death of OHCs coincide with the onset of hearing and electromotility and are solely restricted to outer, but not inner, hair cells. Likewise, the C. elegans functional homolog of Nesprin-4, UNC-83, uses a similar motif to mediate interactions between migrating nuclei and kinesin-1. Overall, our results suggest that OHCs require unique cellular machinery for proper nuclear positioning at the onset of electromotility. This machinery relies on the interaction between Nesprin-4 and kinesin-1 motors supporting a microtubule cargo model for nuclear positioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahar Taiber
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Oren Gozlan
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Roie Cohen
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Leonardo R. Andrade
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Ellen F. Gregory
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Daniel A. Starr
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rebecca Hipp
- Laboratory of Cochlear Development, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Matthew W. Kelley
- Laboratory of Cochlear Development, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Uri Manor
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - David Sprinzak
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,*Correspondence: David Sprinzak, ; Karen B. Avraham,
| | - Karen B. Avraham
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,*Correspondence: David Sprinzak, ; Karen B. Avraham,
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Outer Hair Cell Function is Normal in βV Spectrin Knockout Mice. Hear Res 2022; 423:108564. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Bieniussa L, Jain I, Bosch Grau M, Juergens L, Hagen R, Janke C, Rak K. Microtubule and auditory function - an underestimated connection. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 137:74-86. [PMID: 35144861 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.02.004] [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: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The organ of Corti, located in the cochlea within the inner ear is the receptor organ for hearing. It converts auditory signals into neuronal action potentials that are transmitted to the brain for further processing. The mature organ of Corti consists of a variety of highly differentiated sensory cells that fulfil unique tasks in the processing of auditory signals. The actin and microtubule cytoskeleton play essential function in hearing, however so far, more attention has been paid to the role of actin. Microtubules play important roles in maintaining cellular structure and intracellular transport in virtually all eukaryotic cells. Their functions are controlled by interactions with a large variety of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) and molecular motors. Current advances show that tubulin posttranslational modifications, as well as tubulin isotypes could play key roles in modulating microtubule properties and functions in cells. These mechanisms could have various effects on the stability and functions of microtubules in the highly specialised cells of the cochlea. Here, we review the current understanding of the role of microtubule-regulating mechanisms in the function of the cochlea and their implications for hearing, which highlights the importance of microtubules in the field of hearing research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Bieniussa
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery and the Comprehensive Hearing Center, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ipsa Jain
- Institute of Stem cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore, India
| | - Montserrat Bosch Grau
- Genetics and Physiology of Hearing Laboratory, Institute Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Lukas Juergens
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Rudolf Hagen
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery and the Comprehensive Hearing Center, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Carsten Janke
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3348, Orsay, France; Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, Orsay, France
| | - Kristen Rak
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery and the Comprehensive Hearing Center, University of Würzburg, Germany.
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8
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Lipovsek M, Marcovich I, Elgoyhen AB. The Hair Cell α9α10 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor: Odd Cousin in an Old Family. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:785265. [PMID: 34867208 PMCID: PMC8634148 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.785265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a subfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels with members identified in most eumetazoan clades. In vertebrates, they are divided into three subgroups, according to their main tissue of expression: neuronal, muscle and hair cell nAChRs. Each receptor subtype is composed of different subunits, encoded by paralogous genes. The latest to be identified are the α9 and α10 subunits, expressed in the mechanosensory hair cells of the inner ear and the lateral line, where they mediate efferent modulation. α9α10 nAChRs are the most divergent amongst all nicotinic receptors, showing marked differences in their degree of sequence conservation, their expression pattern, their subunit co-assembly rules and, most importantly, their functional properties. Here, we review recent advances in the understanding of the structure and evolution of nAChRs. We discuss the functional consequences of sequence divergence and conservation, with special emphasis on the hair cell α9α10 receptor, a seemingly distant cousin of neuronal and muscle nicotinic receptors. Finally, we highlight potential links between the evolution of the octavolateral system and the extreme divergence of vertebrate α9α10 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Lipovsek
- Ear Institute, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Irina Marcovich
- Departments of Otolaryngology & Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ana Belén Elgoyhen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Raphael RM. Outer Hair Cell Electromechanics as a Problem in Soft Matter Physics: Prestin, the Membrane and the Cytoskeleton. Hear Res 2021; 423:108426. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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11
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Ballesteros A, Fitzgerald TS, Swartz KJ. Expression of a membrane-targeted fluorescent reporter disrupts auditory hair cell mechanoelectrical transduction and causes profound deafness. Hear Res 2021; 404:108212. [PMID: 33667877 PMCID: PMC8035305 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The reporter mT/mG mice expressing a membrane-targeted fluorescent protein are becoming widely used to study the auditory and vestibular system due to its versatility. Here we show that high expression levels of the fluorescent mtdTomato reporter affect the function of the sensory hair cells and the auditory performance of mT/mG transgenic mice. Auditory brainstem responses and distortion product otoacoustic emissions revealed that adult mT/mG homozygous mice are profoundly deaf, whereas heterozygous mice present high frequency loss. We explore whether this line would be useful for studying and visualizing the membrane of auditory hair cells by airyscan super-resolution confocal microscopy. Membrane localization of the reporter was observed in hair cells of the cochlea, facilitating imaging of both cell bodies and stereocilia bundles without altering cellular architecture or the expression of the integral membrane motor protein prestin. Remarkably, hair cells from mT/mG homozygous mice failed to uptake the FM1-43 dye and to locate TMC1 at the stereocilia, indicating defective mechanotransduction machinery. Our work emphasizes that precautions must be considered when working with reporter mice and highlights the potential role of the cellular membrane in maintaining functional hair cells and ensuring proper hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Ballesteros
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Tracy S Fitzgerald
- Mouse Auditory Testing Core, National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Kenton J Swartz
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
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Marcovich I, Moglie MJ, Carpaneto Freixas AE, Trigila AP, Franchini LF, Plazas PV, Lipovsek M, Elgoyhen AB. Distinct Evolutionary Trajectories of Neuronal and Hair Cell Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:1070-1089. [PMID: 31821508 PMCID: PMC7086180 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The expansion and pruning of ion channel families has played a crucial role in the evolution of nervous systems. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels with distinct roles in synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction, the central and peripheral nervous system, and the inner ear. Remarkably, the complement of nAChR subunits has been highly conserved along vertebrate phylogeny. To ask whether the different subtypes of receptors underwent different evolutionary trajectories, we performed a comprehensive analysis of vertebrate nAChRs coding sequences, mouse single-cell expression patterns, and comparative functional properties of receptors from three representative tetrapod species. We found significant differences between hair cell and neuronal receptors that were most likely shaped by the differences in coexpression patterns and coassembly rules of component subunits. Thus, neuronal nAChRs showed high degree of coding sequence conservation, coupled to greater coexpression variance and conservation of functional properties across tetrapod clades. In contrast, hair cell α9α10 nAChRs exhibited greater sequence divergence, narrow coexpression pattern, and great variability of functional properties across species. These results point to differential substrates for random change within the family of gene paralogs that relate to the segregated roles of nAChRs in synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Marcovich
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo J Moglie
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín E Carpaneto Freixas
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Anabella P Trigila
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucia F Franchini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paola V Plazas
- Instituto de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcela Lipovsek
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Guy's Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Belén Elgoyhen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Effertz T, Moser T, Oliver D. Recent advances in cochlear hair cell nanophysiology: subcellular compartmentalization of electrical signaling in compact sensory cells. Fac Rev 2021; 9:24. [PMID: 33659956 PMCID: PMC7886071 DOI: 10.12703/r/9-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, genetics, physiology, and structural biology have advanced into the molecular details of the sensory physiology of auditory hair cells. Inner hair cells (IHCs) and outer hair cells (OHCs) mediate two key functions: active amplification and non-linear compression of cochlear vibrations by OHCs and sound encoding by IHCs at their afferent synapses with the spiral ganglion neurons. OHCs and IHCs share some molecular physiology, e.g. mechanotransduction at the apical hair bundles, ribbon-type presynaptic active zones, and ionic conductances in the basolateral membrane. Unique features enabling their specific function include prestin-based electromotility of OHCs and indefatigable transmitter release at the highest known rates by ribbon-type IHC active zones. Despite their compact morphology, the molecular machineries that either generate electrical signals or are driven by these signals are essentially all segregated into local subcellular structures. This review provides a brief account on recent insights into the molecular physiology of cochlear hair cells with a specific focus on organization into membrane domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Effertz
- InnerEarLab, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Moser
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
- Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Multiscale Bioimaging Cluster of Excellence (MBExC), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dominik Oliver
- Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University, Deutschhausstraße 2, 35037 Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Universities of Marburg and Giessen, Germany
- DFG Research Training Group, Membrane Plasticity in Tissue Development and Remodelling, GRK 2213, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany
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14
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Marcovich I, Holt JR. Evolution and function of Tmc genes in mammalian hearing. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2020.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Zhou H, Huang B, Qu K, Liu J, Zhang J, Lei C. The distribution of four missense mutations in SPTBN5 gene across native Chinese breeds. Anim Biotechnol 2020; 33:796-800. [PMID: 33063596 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2020.1831521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Modern cattle belong to two subspecies, Bos taurus and Bos indicus. Since divergence, cattle types have accumulated different genetic variations, which have contributed to highly differentiated phenotypes. The mammalian inner ear possesses functional and morphological innovations that contribute to its unique hearing capacities. The spectrin beta, non-erythrocytic 5 (SPTBN5) gene has been shown to play an important function in the inner ear. Four missense mutations: rs522333459 (c.7232G > C:p.Cys2411Ser), rs718838405 (c.6568A > C:p.Met2190Leu), rs516536785 (c.6283C > T:p.Leu2095Phe) and rs480278206 (c.4201T > C:p.Cys1401Arg) were identified in the bovine SPTBN5 gene by whole genome resequencing (http://animal.nwsuaf.edu.cn/code/index.php/BosVar), which might be candidate mutations related with hearing of both taurine and indicine cattle. In our study, PCR and DNA sequencing were used to explore the allele frequencies of four mutations of 971 individuals belonging to 38 native Chinese cattle breeds. We find that four mutant alleles showing strong geographic distribution, consisting with the ancestry distribution of taurine and indicine in China. In addition, we identified four mutations of SPTBN5 were diverged in taurine and indicine cattle showing signatures of adaptive evolution in two subspecies, which might participate in bovine inner ear development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongchao Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bizhi Huang
- Yunnan Academy of Grassland Animal Science, Kunming, China
| | - Kaixing Qu
- Yunnan Academy of Grassland Animal Science, Kunming, China
| | - Jianyong Liu
- Yunnan Academy of Grassland Animal Science, Kunming, China
| | - Jicai Zhang
- Yunnan Academy of Grassland Animal Science, Kunming, China
| | - Chuzhao Lei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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17
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Pisciottano F, Cinalli AR, Stopiello JM, Castagna VC, Elgoyhen AB, Rubinstein M, Gómez-Casati ME, Franchini LF. Inner Ear Genes Underwent Positive Selection and Adaptation in the Mammalian Lineage. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 36:1653-1670. [PMID: 31137036 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian inner ear possesses functional and morphological innovations that contribute to its unique hearing capacities. The genetic bases underlying the evolution of this mammalian landmark are poorly understood. We propose that the emergence of morphological and functional innovations in the mammalian inner ear could have been driven by adaptive molecular evolution. In this work, we performed a meta-analysis of available inner ear gene expression data sets in order to identify genes that show signatures of adaptive evolution in the mammalian lineage. We analyzed ∼1,300 inner ear expressed genes and found that 13% show signatures of positive selection in the mammalian lineage. Several of these genes are known to play an important function in the inner ear. In addition, we identified that a significant proportion of genes showing signatures of adaptive evolution in mammals have not been previously reported to participate in inner ear development and/or physiology. We focused our analysis in two of these genes: STRIP2 and ABLIM2 by generating null mutant mice and analyzed their auditory function. We found that mice lacking Strip2 displayed a decrease in neural response amplitudes. In addition, we observed a reduction in the number of afferent synapses, suggesting a potential cochlear neuropathy. Thus, this study shows the usefulness of pursuing a high-throughput evolutionary approach followed by functional studies to track down genes that are important for inner ear function. Moreover, this approach sheds light on the genetic bases underlying the evolution of the mammalian inner ear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Pisciottano
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro R Cinalli
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Matías Stopiello
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria C Castagna
- Instituto de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - Ana Belén Elgoyhen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Rubinstein
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEN), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - María Eugenia Gómez-Casati
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires,Argentina
| | - Lucía F Franchini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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18
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Abstract
Outer hair cells (OHCs) of the mammalian cochlea behave like actuators: they feed energy into the cochlear partition and determine the overall mechanics of hearing. They do this by generating voltage-dependent axial forces. The resulting change in the cell length, observed by microscopy, has been termed "electromotility." The mechanism of force generation OHCs can be traced to a specific protein, prestin, a member of a superfamily SLC26 of transporters. This short review will identify some of the more recent findings on prestin. Although the tertiary structure of prestin has yet to be determined, results from the presence of its homologs in nonmammalian species suggest a possible conformation in mammalian OHCs, how it can act like a transport protein, and how it may have evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Ashmore
- University College London Ear Institute, London WC1X8EE, United Kingdom
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19
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Liu Y, Qi J, Chen X, Tang M, Chu C, Zhu W, Li H, Tian C, Yang G, Zhong C, Zhang Y, Ni G, He S, Chai R, Zhong G. Critical role of spectrin in hearing development and deafness. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaav7803. [PMID: 31001589 PMCID: PMC6469942 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav7803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Inner ear hair cells (HCs) detect sound through the deflection of mechanosensory stereocilia. Stereocilia are inserted into the cuticular plate of HCs by parallel actin rootlets, where they convert sound-induced mechanical vibrations into electrical signals. The molecules that support these rootlets and enable them to withstand constant mechanical stresses underpin our ability to hear. However, the structures of these molecules have remained unknown. We hypothesized that αII- and βII-spectrin subunits fulfill this role, and investigated their structural organization in rodent HCs. Using super-resolution fluorescence imaging, we found that spectrin formed ring-like structures around the base of stereocilia rootlets. These spectrin rings were associated with the hearing ability of mice. Further, HC-specific, βII-spectrin knockout mice displayed profound deafness. Overall, our work has identified and characterized structures of spectrin that play a crucial role in mammalian hearing development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jieyu Qi
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingliang Tang
- Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Cenfeng Chu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weijie Zhu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Hui Li
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cuiping Tian
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Zhong
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, Canada
| | - Guangjian Ni
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Laboratory of Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuijin He
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Renjie Chai
- Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Research Institute of Otolaryngology, No.321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Guisheng Zhong
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Takahashi S, Sun W, Zhou Y, Homma K, Kachar B, Cheatham MA, Zheng J. Prestin Contributes to Membrane Compartmentalization and Is Required for Normal Innervation of Outer Hair Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:211. [PMID: 30079013 PMCID: PMC6062617 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Outer hair cells (OHC) act as amplifiers and their function is modified by medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents. The unique OHC motor protein, prestin, provides the molecular basis for somatic electromotility, which is required for sensitivity and frequency selectivity, the hallmarks of mammalian hearing. Prestin proteins are the major component of the lateral membrane of mature OHCs, which separates apical and basal domains. To investigate the contribution of prestin to this unique arrangement, we compared the distribution of membrane proteins in OHCs of wildtype (WT) and prestin-knockout (KO) mice. In WT, the apical protein PMCA2 was exclusively localized to the hair bundles, while it was also found at the lateral membrane in KOs. Similarly, a basal protein KCNQ4 did not coalesce at the base of OHCs but was widely dispersed in mice lacking prestin. Since the expression levels of PMCA2 and KCNQ4 remained unchanged in KOs, the data indicate that prestin is required for the normal distribution of apical and basal membrane proteins in OHCs. Since OHC synapses predominate in the basal subnuclear region, we also examined the synaptic architecture in prestin-KO mice. Although neurite densities were not affected, MOC efferent terminals in prestin-KO mice were no longer constrained to the basal pole as in WT. This trend was evident as early as at postnatal day 12. Furthermore, terminals were often enlarged and frequently appeared as singlets when compared to the multiple clusters of individual terminals in WT. This abnormality in MOC synaptic morphology in prestin-KO mice is similar to defects in mice lacking MOC pathway proteins such as α9/α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and BK channels, indicating a role for prestin in the proper establishment of MOC synapses. To investigate the contribution of prestin’s electromotility, we also examined OHCs from a mouse model that expresses non-functional prestin (499-prestin). We found no changes in PMCA2 localization and MOC synaptic morphology in OHCs from 499-prestin mice. Taken together, these results indicate that prestin, independent of its motile function, plays an important structural role in membrane compartmentalization, which is required for the formation of normal efferent-OHC synapses in mature OHCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoe Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Willy Sun
- Section on Structural Cell Biology, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yingjie Zhou
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Kazuaki Homma
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,The Knowles Hearing Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Bechara Kachar
- Section on Structural Cell Biology, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Mary Ann Cheatham
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States.,The Knowles Hearing Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Jing Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States.,The Knowles Hearing Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
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