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Sleigh JW, Morgan PG. Are Genome-wide Association Studies Worth the Trouble? Anesthesiology 2024; 141:214-216. [PMID: 38980159 PMCID: PMC11239121 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000005074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie W Sleigh
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Waikato Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Hamilton, NZ
| | - Philip G Morgan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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2
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Ahlström S, Reiterä P, Jokela R, Olkkola KT, Kaunisto MA, Kalso E. Influence of Clinical and Genetic Factors on Propofol Dose Requirements: A Genome-wide Association Study. Anesthesiology 2024; 141:300-312. [PMID: 38700459 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000005036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Propofol is a widely used intravenous hypnotic. Dosing is based mostly on weight, with great interindividual variation in consumption. Suggested factors affecting propofol requirements include age, sex, ethnicity, anxiety, alcohol consumption, smoking, and concomitant valproate use. Genetic factors have not been widely explored. METHODS This study considered 1,000 women undergoing breast cancer surgery under propofol and remifentanil anesthesia. Depth of anesthesia was monitored with State Entropy (GE Healthcare, Finland). Propofol requirements during surgery were recorded. DNA from blood was genotyped with a genome-wide array. A multivariable linear regression model was used to assess the relevance of clinical variables and select those to be used as covariates in a genome-wide association study. Imputed genotype data were used to explore selected loci further. In silico functional annotation was used to explore possible consequences of the discovered genetic variants. Additionally, previously reported genetic associations from candidate gene studies were tested. RESULTS Body mass index, smoking status, alcohol use, remifentanil dose (ln[mg · kg-1 · min-1]), and average State Entropy during surgery remained statistically significant in the multivariable model. Two loci reached genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8). The most significant associations were for single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs997989 (30 kb from ROBO3), likely affecting expression of another nearby gene, FEZ1, and rs9518419, close to NALCN (sodium leak channel); rs10512538 near KCNJ2 encoding the Kir2.1 potassium channel showed suggestive association (P = 4.7 × 10-7). None of these single-nucleotide polymorphisms are coding variants but possibly affect the regulation of nearby genes. None of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms previously reported as affecting propofol pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics showed association in the data. CONCLUSIONS In this first genome-wide association study exploring propofol requirements, This study discovered novel genetic associations suggesting new biologically relevant pathways for propofol and general anesthesia. The roles of the gene products of ROBO3/FEZ1, NALCN, and KCNJ2 in propofol anesthesia warrant further studies. EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirkku Ahlström
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paula Reiterä
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki and HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ritva Jokela
- HUS Shared Group Services, University of Helsinki and HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Klaus T Olkkola
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; INDIVIDRUG Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mari A Kaunisto
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eija Kalso
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; SleepWell Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
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3
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Igreja C, Sommer RJ. The Role of Sulfation in Nematode Development and Phenotypic Plasticity. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:838148. [PMID: 35223994 PMCID: PMC8869759 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.838148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfation is poorly understood in most invertebrates and a potential role of sulfation in the regulation of developmental and physiological processes of these organisms remains unclear. Also, animal model system approaches did not identify many sulfation-associated mechanisms, whereas phosphorylation and ubiquitination are regularly found in unbiased genetic and pharmacological studies. However, recent work in the two nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Pristionchus pacificus found a role of sulfatases and sulfotransferases in the regulation of development and phenotypic plasticity. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about the role of sulfation in nematodes and highlight future research opportunities made possible by the advanced experimental toolkit available in these organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catia Igreja
- *Correspondence: Catia Igreja, ; Ralf J. Sommer,
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4
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Hartman JH, Widmayer SJ, Bergemann CM, King DE, Morton KS, Romersi RF, Jameson LE, Leung MCK, Andersen EC, Taubert S, Meyer JN. Xenobiotic metabolism and transport in Caenorhabditis elegans. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2021; 24:51-94. [PMID: 33616007 PMCID: PMC7958427 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2021.1884921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans has emerged as a major model in biomedical and environmental toxicology. Numerous papers on toxicology and pharmacology in C. elegans have been published, and this species has now been adopted by investigators in academic toxicology, pharmacology, and drug discovery labs. C. elegans has also attracted the interest of governmental regulatory agencies charged with evaluating the safety of chemicals. However, a major, fundamental aspect of toxicological science remains underdeveloped in C. elegans: xenobiotic metabolism and transport processes that are critical to understanding toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics, and extrapolation to other species. The aim of this review was to initially briefly describe the history and trajectory of the use of C. elegans in toxicological and pharmacological studies. Subsequently, physical barriers to chemical uptake and the role of the worm microbiome in xenobiotic transformation were described. Then a review of what is and is not known regarding the classic Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III processes was performed. In addition, the following were discussed (1) regulation of xenobiotic metabolism; (2) review of published toxicokinetics for specific chemicals; and (3) genetic diversity of these processes in C. elegans. Finally, worm xenobiotic transport and metabolism was placed in an evolutionary context; key areas for future research highlighted; and implications for extrapolating C. elegans toxicity results to other species discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica H Hartman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Samuel J Widmayer
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States
| | | | - Dillon E King
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Katherine S Morton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Riccardo F Romersi
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Laura E Jameson
- School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University - West Campus, Glendale, Arizona, United States
| | - Maxwell C K Leung
- School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University - West Campus, Glendale, Arizona, United States
| | - Erik C Andersen
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States
| | - Stefan Taubert
- Dept. Of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, the University of British Colombia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joel N Meyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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5
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Steroid hormones sulfatase inactivation extends lifespan and ameliorates age-related diseases. Nat Commun 2021; 12:49. [PMID: 33397961 PMCID: PMC7782729 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20269-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging and fertility are two interconnected processes. From invertebrates to mammals, absence of the germline increases longevity. Here we show that loss of function of sul-2, the Caenorhabditis elegans steroid sulfatase (STS), raises the pool of sulfated steroid hormones, increases longevity and ameliorates protein aggregation diseases. This increased longevity requires factors involved in germline-mediated longevity (daf-16, daf-12, kri-1, tcer-1 and daf-36 genes) although sul-2 mutations do not affect fertility. Interestingly, sul-2 is only expressed in sensory neurons, suggesting a regulation of sulfated hormones state by environmental cues. Treatment with the specific STS inhibitor STX64, as well as with testosterone-derived sulfated hormones reproduces the longevity phenotype of sul-2 mutants. Remarkably, those treatments ameliorate protein aggregation diseases in C. elegans, and STX64 also Alzheimer’s disease in a mammalian model. These results open the possibility of reallocating steroid sulfatase inhibitors or derivates for the treatment of aging and aging related diseases. Sul-2 is a steroid sulfatase in c.elegans. Here the authors show that, in the absence of sul-2 enzymatic activity, worm lifespan is increased, and that chemical inhibition ameliorates symptoms of neurodegenerative disorders in worms and mice.
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6
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Lorenzo R, Onizuka M, Defrance M, Laurent P. Combining single-cell RNA-sequencing with a molecular atlas unveils new markers for Caenorhabditis elegans neuron classes. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:7119-7134. [PMID: 32542321 PMCID: PMC7367206 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of the Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system offers the unique opportunity to obtain a partial expression profile for each neuron within a known connectome. Building on recent scRNA-seq data and on a molecular atlas describing the expression pattern of ∼800 genes at the single cell resolution, we designed an iterative clustering analysis aiming to match each cell-cluster to the ∼100 anatomically defined neuron classes of C. elegans. This heuristic approach successfully assigned 97 of the 118 neuron classes to a cluster. Sixty two clusters were assigned to a single neuron class and 15 clusters grouped neuron classes sharing close molecular signatures. Pseudotime analysis revealed a maturation process occurring in some neurons (e.g. PDA) during the L2 stage. Based on the molecular profiles of all identified neurons, we predicted cell fate regulators and experimentally validated unc-86 for the normal differentiation of RMG neurons. Furthermore, we observed that different classes of genes functionally diversify sensory neurons, interneurons and motorneurons. Finally, we designed 15 new neuron class-specific promoters validated in vivo. Amongst them, 10 represent the only specific promoter reported to this day, expanding the list of neurons amenable to genetic manipulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramiro Lorenzo
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil (CIVETAN), CONICET-CICPBA-UNCPBA, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro (FCV-UNCPBA), Tandil, Argentina
| | - Michiho Onizuka
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Defrance
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Patrick Laurent
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
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7
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Biddle JF, Ragsdale EJ. Regulators of an ancient polyphenism evolved through episodic protein divergence and parallel gene radiations. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192595. [PMID: 32098612 PMCID: PMC7062019 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyphenism is a form of developmental plasticity that transduces environmental cues into discontinuous, often disparate phenotypes. In some cases, polyphenism has been attributed to facilitating morphological diversification and even the evolution of novel traits. However, this process is predicated on the origins and evolutionary maintenance of genetic mechanisms that specify alternate developmental networks. When and how regulatory loci arise and change, specifically before and throughout the history of a polyphenism, is little understood. Here, we establish a phylogenetic and comparative molecular context for two dynamically evolving genes, eud-1 and seud-1, which regulate polyphenism in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus. This species is dimorphic in its adult feeding-structures, allowing individuals to become microbivores or facultative predators depending on the environment. Although polyphenism regulation is increasingly well understood in P. pacificus, the polyphenism is far older than this species and has diversified morphologically to enable an array of ecological functions across polyphenic lineages. To bring this taxonomic diversity into a comparative context, we reconstructed the histories of eud-1 and seud-1 relative to the origin and diversification of polyphenism, finding that homologues of both genes have undergone lineage-specific radiations across polyphenic taxa. Further, we detected signatures of episodic diversifying selection on eud-1, particularly in early diplogastrid lineages. Lastly, transgenic rescue experiments suggest that the gene's product has functionally diverged from its orthologue's in a non-polyphenic outgroup. In summary, we provide a comparative framework for the molecular components of a plasticity switch, enabling studies of how polyphenism, its regulation, and ultimately its targets evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erik J. Ragsdale
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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8
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The NALCN Channel Regulator UNC-80 Functions in a Subset of Interneurons To Regulate Caenorhabditis elegans Reversal Behavior. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:199-210. [PMID: 31690562 PMCID: PMC6945035 DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
NALCN (Na+leak channel, non-selective) is a conserved, voltage-insensitive cation channel that regulates resting membrane potential and neuronal excitability. UNC79 and UNC80 are key regulators of the channel function. However, the behavioral effects of the channel complex are not entirely clear and the neurons in which the channel functions remain to be identified. In a forward genetic screen for C. elegans mutants with defective avoidance response to the plant hormone methyl salicylate (MeSa), we isolated multiple loss-of-function mutations in unc-80 and unc-79. C. elegans NALCN mutants exhibited similarly defective MeSa avoidance. Interestingly, NALCN, unc-80 and unc-79 mutants all showed wild type-like responses to other attractive or repelling odorants, suggesting that NALCN does not broadly affect odor detection or related forward and reversal behaviors. To understand in which neurons the channel functions, we determined the identities of a subset of unc-80-expressing neurons. We found that unc-79 and unc-80 are expressed and function in overlapping neurons, which verified previous assumptions. Neuron-specific transgene rescue and knockdown experiments suggest that the command interneurons AVA and AVE and the anterior guidepost neuron AVG can play a sufficient role in mediating unc-80 regulation of the MeSa avoidance. Though primarily based on genetic analyses, our results further imply that MeSa might activate NALCN by direct or indirect actions. Altogether, we provide an initial look into the key neurons in which the NALCN channel complex functions and identify a novel function of the channel in regulating C. elegans reversal behavior through command interneurons.
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9
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Burton NO, Dwivedi VK, Burkhart KB, Kaplan REW, Baugh LR, Horvitz HR. Neurohormonal signaling via a sulfotransferase antagonizes insulin-like signaling to regulate a Caenorhabditis elegans stress response. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5152. [PMID: 30514845 PMCID: PMC6279808 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07640-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Insulin and insulin-like signaling regulates a broad spectrum of growth and metabolic responses to a variety of internal and environmental stimuli. For example, the inhibition of insulin-like signaling in C. elegans mediates its response to both osmotic stress and starvation. We report that in response to osmotic stress the cytosolic sulfotransferase SSU-1 antagonizes insulin-like signaling and promotes developmental arrest. Both SSU-1 and the DAF-16 FOXO transcription factor, which is activated when insulin signaling is low, are needed to drive specific responses to reduced insulin-like signaling. We demonstrate that SSU-1 functions in a single pair of sensory neurons to control intercellular signaling via the nuclear hormone receptor NHR-1 and promote both the specific transcriptional response to osmotic stress and altered lysophosphatidylcholine metabolism. Our results show the requirement of a sulfotransferase-nuclear hormone receptor neurohormonal signaling pathway for some but not all consequences of reduced insulin-like signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas O Burton
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK.
| | - Vivek K Dwivedi
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Kirk B Burkhart
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - L Ryan Baugh
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - H Robert Horvitz
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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10
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Bui LT, Ivers NA, Ragsdale EJ. A sulfotransferase dosage-dependently regulates mouthpart polyphenism in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4119. [PMID: 30297689 PMCID: PMC6175886 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05612-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyphenism, the extreme form of developmental plasticity, is the ability of a genotype to produce discrete morphologies matched to alternative environments. Because polyphenism is likely to be under switch-like molecular control, a comparative genetic approach could reveal the molecular targets of plasticity evolution. Here we report that the lineage-specific sulfotransferase SEUD-1, which responds to environmental cues, dosage-dependently regulates polyphenism of mouthparts in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus. SEUD-1 is expressed in cells producing dimorphic morphologies, thereby integrating an intercellular signalling mechanism at its ultimate target. Additionally, multiple alterations of seud-1 support it as a potential target for plasticity evolution. First, a recent duplication of seud-1 in a sister species reveals a direct correlation between genomic dosage and polyphenism threshold. Second, inbreeding to produce divergent polyphenism thresholds resulted in changes in transcriptional dosage of seud-1. Our study thus offers a genetic explanation for how plastic responses evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linh T Bui
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 915 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Nicholas A Ivers
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 915 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Erik J Ragsdale
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 915 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
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11
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Namdeo S, Moreno E, Rödelsperger C, Baskaran P, Witte H, Sommer RJ. Two independent sulfation processes regulate mouth-form plasticity in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus. Development 2018; 145:145/13/dev166272. [PMID: 29967123 DOI: 10.1242/dev.166272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sulfation of biomolecules, like phosphorylation, is one of the most fundamental and ubiquitous biochemical modifications with important functions during detoxification. This process is reversible, involving two enzyme classes: a sulfotransferase, which adds a sulfo group to a substrate; and a sulfatase that removes the sulfo group. However, unlike phosphorylation, the role of sulfation in organismal development is poorly understood. In this study, we find that two independent sulfation events regulate the development of mouth morphology in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus. This nematode has the ability to form two alternative mouth morphologies depending on environmental cues, an example of phenotypic plasticity. We found that, in addition to a previously described sulfatase, a sulfotransferase is involved in regulating the mouth-form dimorphism in P. pacificus However, it is unlikely that both of these sulfation-associated enzymes act upon the same substrates, as they are expressed in different cell types. Furthermore, animals mutant in genes encoding both enzymes show condition-dependent epistatic interactions. Thus, our study highlights the role of sulfation-associated enzymes in phenotypic plasticity of mouth structures in Pristionchus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suryesh Namdeo
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Eduardo Moreno
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christian Rödelsperger
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Praveen Baskaran
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Hanh Witte
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ralf J Sommer
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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12
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Ragsdale EJ, Ivers NA. Specialization of a polyphenism switch gene following serial duplications in Pristionchus nematodes. Evolution 2016; 70:2155-66. [PMID: 27436344 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Polyphenism is an extreme manifestation of developmental plasticity, requiring distinct developmental programs and the addition of a switch mechanism. Because the genetic basis of polyphenism switches has only begun to be understood, how their mechanisms arise is unclear. In the nematode Pristionchus pacificus, which has a mouthpart polyphenism specialized for alternative diets, a gene (eud-1) executing the polyphenism switch was recently identified as the product of lineage-specific duplications. Here, we infer the role of gene duplications in producing a switch gene. Using reverse genetics and population genetic analyses, we examine evidence for competing scenarios of degeneration and complementation, neutral evolution, and functional specialization. Of the daughter genes, eud-1 alone has assumed switch-like regulation of the mouth polyphenism. Measurements of life-history traits in single, double, and triple sulfatase mutants did not, given a benign environment, identify alternative or complementary roles for eud-1 paralogs. Although possible roles are still unknown, selection analyses of the sister species and 104 natural isolates of P. pacificus detected purifying selection on the genes, suggesting their functionality by their fixation and evolutionary maintenance. Our approach shows the tractability of reverse genetics in a nontraditional model system to study evolution by gene duplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik J Ragsdale
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405.
| | - Nicholas A Ivers
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405
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13
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Meisel JD, Kim DH. Inhibition of Lithium-Sensitive Phosphatase BPNT-1 Causes Selective Neuronal Dysfunction in C. elegans. Curr Biol 2016; 26:1922-8. [PMID: 27397889 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.05.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Lithium has been a mainstay for the treatment of bipolar disorder, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying its action remain enigmatic. Bisphosphate 3'-nucleotidase (BPNT-1) is a lithium-sensitive phosphatase that catalyzes the breakdown of cytosolic 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate (PAP), a byproduct of sulfation reactions utilizing the universal sulfate group donor 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) [1-3]. Loss of BPNT-1 leads to the toxic accumulation of PAP in yeast and non-neuronal cell types in mice [4, 5]. Intriguingly, BPNT-1 is expressed throughout the mammalian brain [4], and it has been hypothesized that inhibition of BPNT-1 could contribute to the effects of lithium on behavior [5]. Here, we show that loss of BPNT-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans results in the selective dysfunction of two neurons, the bilaterally symmetric pair of ASJ chemosensory neurons. As a result, BPNT-1 mutants are defective in behaviors dependent on the ASJ neurons, such as dauer exit and pathogen avoidance. Acute treatment with lithium also causes dysfunction of the ASJ neurons, and we show that this effect is reversible and mediated specifically through inhibition of BPNT-1. Finally, we show that the selective effect of lithium on the nervous system is due in part to the limited expression of the cytosolic sulfotransferase SSU-1 in the ASJ neuron pair. Our data suggest that lithium, through inhibition of BPNT-1 in the nervous system, can cause selective toxicity to specific neurons, resulting in corresponding effects on behavior of C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Meisel
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Dennis H Kim
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA.
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14
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TRX-1 Regulates SKN-1 Nuclear Localization Cell Non-autonomously in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2016; 203:387-402. [PMID: 26920757 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.185272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans oxidative stress response transcription factor, SKN-1, is essential for the maintenance of redox homeostasis and is a functional ortholog of the Nrf family of transcription factors. The numerous levels of regulation that govern these transcription factors underscore their importance. Here, we add a thioredoxin, encoded by trx-1, to the expansive list of SKN-1 regulators. We report that loss of trx-1 promotes nuclear localization of intestinal SKN-1 in a redox-independent, cell non-autonomous fashion from the ASJ neurons. Furthermore, this regulation is not general to the thioredoxin family, as two other C. elegans thioredoxins, TRX-2 and TRX-3, do not play a role in this process. Moreover, TRX-1-dependent regulation requires signaling from the p38 MAPK-signaling pathway. However, while TRX-1 regulates SKN-1 nuclear localization, classical SKN-1 transcriptional activity associated with stress response remains largely unaffected. Interestingly, RNA-Seq analysis revealed that loss of trx-1 elicits a general, organism-wide down-regulation of several classes of genes; those encoding for collagens and lipid transport being most prevalent. Together, these results uncover a novel role for a thioredoxin in regulating intestinal SKN-1 nuclear localization in a cell non-autonomous manner, thereby contributing to the understanding of the processes involved in maintaining redox homeostasis throughout an organism.
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González-Barrios M, Fierro-González JC, Krpelanova E, Mora-Lorca JA, Pedrajas JR, Peñate X, Chavez S, Swoboda P, Jansen G, Miranda-Vizuete A. Cis- and trans-regulatory mechanisms of gene expression in the ASJ sensory neuron of Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2015; 200:123-34. [PMID: 25769980 PMCID: PMC4423358 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.176172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The identity of a given cell type is determined by the expression of a set of genes sharing common cis-regulatory motifs and being regulated by shared transcription factors. Here, we identify cis and trans regulatory elements that drive gene expression in the bilateral sensory neuron ASJ, located in the head of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. For this purpose, we have dissected the promoters of the only two genes so far reported to be exclusively expressed in ASJ, trx-1 and ssu-1. We hereby identify the ASJ motif, a functional cis-regulatory bipartite promoter region composed of two individual 6 bp elements separated by a 3 bp linker. The first element is a 6 bp CG-rich sequence that presumably binds the Sp family member zinc-finger transcription factor SPTF-1. Interestingly, within the C. elegans nervous system SPTF-1 is also found to be expressed only in ASJ neurons where it regulates expression of other genes in these neurons and ASJ cell fate. The second element of the bipartite motif is a 6 bp AT-rich sequence that is predicted to potentially bind a transcription factor of the homeobox family. Together, our findings identify a specific promoter signature and SPTF-1 as a transcription factor that functions as a terminal selector gene to regulate gene expression in C. elegans ASJ sensory neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- María González-Barrios
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Sevilla, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Eva Krpelanova
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - José Antonio Mora-Lorca
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Sevilla, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, E-41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - José Rafael Pedrajas
- Grupo de Bioquímica y Señalización Celular, Departamento de Biología Experimental, Universidad de Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain
| | - Xenia Peñate
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Sevilla, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, E-41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Sebastián Chavez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Sevilla, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, E-41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Peter Swoboda
- Karolinska Institute, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, S-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Gert Jansen
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Miranda-Vizuete
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Sevilla, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain
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16
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Ragsdale EJ, Müller MR, Rödelsperger C, Sommer RJ. A developmental switch coupled to the evolution of plasticity acts through a sulfatase. Cell 2014; 155:922-33. [PMID: 24209628 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.09.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Revised: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity has been suggested to facilitate phenotypic diversity, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this relationship are little understood. We analyzed a feeding dimorphism in Pristionchus nematodes whereby one of two alternative adult mouth forms is executed after an irreversible developmental decision. By integrating developmental genetics with functional tests in phenotypically divergent populations and species, we identified a regulator of plasticity, eud-1, that acts in a developmental switch. eud-1 mutations eliminate one mouth form, whereas overexpression of eud-1 fixes it. EUD-1 is a sulfatase that acts dosage dependently, is necessary and sufficient to control the sexual dimorphism of feeding forms, and has a conserved function in Pristionchus evolution. It is epistatic to known signaling cascades and results from lineage-specific gene duplications. EUD-1 thus executes a developmental switch for morphological plasticity in the adult stage, showing that regulatory pathways can evolve by terminal addition of new genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik J Ragsdale
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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17
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Chung SH, Schmalz A, Ruiz RCH, Gabel CV, Mazur E. Femtosecond laser ablation reveals antagonistic sensory and neuroendocrine signaling that underlie C. elegans behavior and development. Cell Rep 2013; 4:316-326. [PMID: 23871668 PMCID: PMC4780052 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2013.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2012] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The specific roles of neuronal subcellular components in behavior and development remain largely unknown, even though advances in molecular biology and conventional whole-cell laser ablation have greatly accelerated the identification of contributors at the molecular and cellular levels. We systematically applied femtosecond laser ablation, which has submicrometer resolution in vivo, to dissect the cell bodies, dendrites, or axons of a sensory neuron (ASJ) in Caenorhabditis elegans to determine their roles in modulating locomotion and the developmental decisions for dauer, a facultative, stress-resistant life stage. Our results indicate that the cell body sends out axonally mediated and hormonal signals in order to mediate these functions. Furthermore, our results suggest that antagonistic sensory dendritic signals primarily drive and switch polarity between the decisions to enter and exit dauer. Thus, the improved resolution of femtosecond laser ablation reveals a rich complexity of neuronal signaling at the subcellular level, including multiple neurite and hormonally mediated pathways dependent on life stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel H Chung
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 9 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,Boston University Photonics Center, 8 Saint Mary's Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Anja Schmalz
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 9 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Roanna C H Ruiz
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 9 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, 101 Weill Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Christopher V Gabel
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,Boston University Photonics Center, 8 Saint Mary's Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Eric Mazur
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 9 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Physics, Harvard University, 9 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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18
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Fierro-González JC, Cornils A, Alcedo J, Miranda-Vizuete A, Swoboda P. The thioredoxin TRX-1 modulates the function of the insulin-like neuropeptide DAF-28 during dauer formation in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS One 2011; 6:e16561. [PMID: 21304598 PMCID: PMC3029385 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2010] [Accepted: 12/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Thioredoxins comprise a conserved family of redox regulators involved in many biological processes, including stress resistance and aging. We report that the C. elegans thioredoxin TRX-1 acts in ASJ head sensory neurons as a novel modulator of the insulin-like neuropeptide DAF-28 during dauer formation. We show that increased formation of stress-resistant, long-lived dauer larvae in mutants for the gene encoding the insulin-like neuropeptide DAF-28 requires TRX-1 acting in ASJ neurons, upstream of the insulin-like receptor DAF-2. Genetic rescue experiments demonstrate that redox-independent functions of TRX-1 specifically in ASJ neurons are needed for the dauer formation constitutive (Daf-c) phenotype of daf-28 mutants. GFP reporters of trx-1 and daf-28 show opposing expression patterns in dauers (i.e. trx-1 is up-regulated and daf-28 is down-regulated), an effect that is not observed in growing L2/L3 larvae. In addition, functional TRX-1 is required for the down-regulation of a GFP reporter of daf-28 during dauer formation, a process that is likely subject to DAF-28-mediated feedback regulation. Our findings demonstrate that TRX-1 modulates DAF-28 signaling by contributing to the down-regulation of daf-28 expression during dauer formation. We propose that TRX-1 acts as a fluctuating neuronal signaling modulator within ASJ neurons to monitor the adjustment of neuropeptide expression, including insulin-like proteins, during dauer formation in response to adverse environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Fierro-González
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Center for Biosciences at NOVUM, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Astrid Cornils
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joy Alcedo
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antonio Miranda-Vizuete
- Departamento de Fisiología, Anatomía y Biología Celular, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CABD-CSIC), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Peter Swoboda
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Center for Biosciences at NOVUM, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
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19
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Dejima K, Murata D, Mizuguchi S, Nomura KH, Izumikawa T, Kitagawa H, Gengyo-Ando K, Yoshina S, Ichimiya T, Nishihara S, Mitani S, Nomura K. Two Golgi-resident 3'-Phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate transporters play distinct roles in heparan sulfate modifications and embryonic and larval development in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:24717-28. [PMID: 20529843 PMCID: PMC2915708 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.088229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2009] [Revised: 04/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthesis of extracellular sulfated molecules requires active 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS). For sulfation to occur, PAPS must pass through the Golgi membrane, which is facilitated by Golgi-resident PAPS transporters. Caenorhabditis elegans PAPS transporters are encoded by two genes, pst-1 and pst-2. Using the yeast heterologous expression system, we characterized PST-1 and PST-2 as PAPS transporters. We created deletion mutants to study the importance of PAPS transporter activity. The pst-1 deletion mutant exhibited defects in cuticle formation, post-embryonic seam cell development, vulval morphogenesis, cell migration, and embryogenesis. The pst-2 mutant exhibited a wild-type phenotype. The defects observed in the pst-1 mutant could be rescued by transgenic expression of pst-1 and hPAPST1 but not pst-2 or hPAPST2. Moreover, the phenotype of a pst-1;pst-2 double mutant were similar to those of the pst-1 single mutant, except that larval cuticle formation was more severely defected. Disaccharide analysis revealed that heparan sulfate from these mutants was undersulfated. Gene expression reporter analysis revealed that these PAPS transporters exhibited different tissue distributions and subcellular localizations. These data suggest that pst-1 and pst-2 play different physiological roles in heparan sulfate modification and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsufumi Dejima
- From the Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 33, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Daisuke Murata
- From the Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 33, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Souhei Mizuguchi
- From the Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 33, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Kazuko H. Nomura
- From the Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 33, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Tomomi Izumikawa
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
- the Department of Biochemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-8558, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kitagawa
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
- the Department of Biochemistry, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-8558, Japan
| | - Keiko Gengyo-Ando
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
- the Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan, and
| | - Sawako Yoshina
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
- the Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan, and
| | - Tomomi Ichimiya
- the Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan
| | - Shoko Nishihara
- the Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan
| | - Shohei Mitani
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
- the Department of Physiology, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan, and
| | - Kazuya Nomura
- From the Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 33, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
- the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
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20
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Bhattacharya R, Townley RA, Berry KL, Bülow HE. The PAPS transporter PST-1 is required for heparan sulfation and is essential for viability and neural development in C. elegans. J Cell Sci 2009; 122:4492-504. [PMID: 19920077 PMCID: PMC2787461 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.050732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2009] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfations of sugars, such as heparan sulfates (HS), or tyrosines require the universal sulfate donor 3'-phospho-adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to be transported from the cytosol into the Golgi. Metazoan genomes encode two putative PAPS transporters (PAPST1 and PAPST2), which have been shown in vitro to preferentially transport PAPS across membranes. We have identified the C. elegans orthologs of PAPST1 and PAPST2 and named them pst-1 and pst-2, respectively. We show that pst-1 is essential for viability in C. elegans, functions non-redundantly with pst-2, and can act non-autonomously to mediate essential functions. Additionally, pst-1 is required for specific aspects of nervous system development rather than for formation of the major neuronal ganglia or fascicles. Neuronal defects correlate with reduced complexity of HS modification patterns, as measured by direct biochemical analysis. Our results suggest that pst-1 functions in metazoans to establish the complex HS modification patterns that are required for the development of neuronal connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raja Bhattacharya
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461,
USA
| | - Robert A. Townley
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461,
USA
| | - Katherine L. Berry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University
Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Hannes E. Bülow
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461,
USA
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of
Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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