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Ma Y, Yan G, Zhang J, Xiong J, Miao W. Cip1, a CDK regulator, determines heterothallic mating or homothallic selfing in a protist. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315531121. [PMID: 38498704 PMCID: PMC10990102 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315531121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Mating type (sex) plays a crucial role in regulating sexual reproduction in most extant eukaryotes. One of the functions of mating types is ensuring self-incompatibility to some extent, thereby promoting genetic diversity. However, heterothallic mating is not always the best mating strategy. For example, in low-density populations or specific environments, such as parasitic ones, species may need to increase the ratio of potential mating partners. Consequently, many species allow homothallic selfing (i.e., self-fertility or intraclonal mating). Throughout the extensive evolutionary history of species, changes in environmental conditions have influenced mating strategies back and forth. However, the mechanisms through which mating-type recognition regulates sexual reproduction and the dynamics of mating strategy throughout evolution remain poorly understood. In this study, we show that the Cip1 protein is responsible for coupling sexual reproduction initiation to mating-type recognition in the protozoal eukaryote Tetrahymena thermophila. Deletion of the Cip1 protein leads to the loss of the selfing-avoidance function of mating-type recognition, resulting in selfing without mating-type recognition. Further experiments revealed that Cip1 is a regulatory subunit of the Cdk19-Cyc9 complex, which controls the initiation of sexual reproduction. These results reveal a mechanism that regulates the choice between mating and selfing. This mechanism also contributes to the debate about the ancestral state of sexual reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Ma
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan430072, China
| | - Guanxiong Yan
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan430072, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan430072, China
| | - Jie Xiong
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan430072, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan430072, China
| | - Wei Miao
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
- Key laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing210000, China
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan430000, China
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2
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Chuang CN, Liu HC, Woo TT, Chao JL, Chen CY, Hu HT, Hsueh YP, Wang TF. Noncanonical usage of stop codons in ciliates expands proteins with structurally flexible Q-rich motifs. eLife 2024; 12:RP91405. [PMID: 38393970 PMCID: PMC10942620 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Serine(S)/threonine(T)-glutamine(Q) cluster domains (SCDs), polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts and polyglutamine/asparagine (polyQ/N) tracts are Q-rich motifs found in many proteins. SCDs often are intrinsically disordered regions that mediate protein phosphorylation and protein-protein interactions. PolyQ and polyQ/N tracts are structurally flexible sequences that trigger protein aggregation. We report that due to their high percentages of STQ or STQN amino acid content, four SCDs and three prion-causing Q/N-rich motifs of yeast proteins possess autonomous protein expression-enhancing activities. Since these Q-rich motifs can endow proteins with structural and functional plasticity, we suggest that they represent useful toolkits for evolutionary novelty. Comparative Gene Ontology (GO) analyses of the near-complete proteomes of 26 representative model eukaryotes reveal that Q-rich motifs prevail in proteins involved in specialized biological processes, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA-mediated transposition and pseudohyphal growth, Candida albicans filamentous growth, ciliate peptidyl-glutamic acid modification and microtubule-based movement, Tetrahymena thermophila xylan catabolism and meiosis, Dictyostelium discoideum development and sexual cycles, Plasmodium falciparum infection, and the nervous systems of Drosophila melanogaster, Mus musculus and Homo sapiens. We also show that Q-rich-motif proteins are expanded massively in 10 ciliates with reassigned TAAQ and TAGQ codons. Notably, the usage frequency of CAGQ is much lower in ciliates with reassigned TAAQ and TAGQ codons than in organisms with expanded and unstable Q runs (e.g. D. melanogaster and H. sapiens), indicating that the use of noncanonical stop codons in ciliates may have coevolved with codon usage biases to avoid triplet repeat disorders mediated by CAG/GTC replication slippage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hou-Cheng Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Tai-Ting Woo
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Ju-Lan Chao
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Hisao-Tang Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Chiayi UniversityChiayiTaiwan
| | - Ting-Fang Wang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Chiayi UniversityChiayiTaiwan
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3
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Tian M, Cai X, Liu Y, Liucong M, Howard-Till R. A practical reference for studying meiosis in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 4:595-608. [PMID: 37078080 PMCID: PMC10077211 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-022-00149-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is a critical cell division program that produces haploid gametes for sexual reproduction. Abnormalities in meiosis are often causes of infertility and birth defects (e.g., Down syndrome). Most organisms use a highly specialized zipper-like protein complex, the synaptonemal complex (SC), to guide and stabilize pairing of homologous chromosomes in meiosis. Although the SC is critical for meiosis in many eukaryotes, there are organisms that perform meiosis without a functional SC. However, such SC-less meiosis is poorly characterized. To understand the features of SC-less meiosis and its adaptive significance, the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena was selected as a model. Meiosis research in Tetrahymena has revealed intriguing aspects of the regulatory programs utilized in its SC-less meiosis, yet additional efforts are needed for obtaining an in-depth comprehension of mechanisms that are associated with the absence of SC. Here, aiming at promoting a wider application of Tetrahymena for meiosis research, we introduce basic concepts and core techniques for studying meiosis in Tetrahymena and then suggest future directions for expanding the current Tetrahymena meiosis research toolbox. These methodologies could be adopted for dissecting meiosis in poorly characterized ciliates that might reveal novel features. Such data will hopefully provide insights into the function of the SC and the evolution of meiosis from a unique perspective. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-022-00149-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Tian
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237 China
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Xia Cai
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237 China
| | - Yujie Liu
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237 China
| | - Mingmei Liucong
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237 China
| | - Rachel Howard-Till
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
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Zhang J, Tian M, Chen K, Yan G, Xiong J, Miao W. Zfp1, a Cys2His2 zinc finger protein is required for meiosis initiation in Tetrahymena thermophila. Cell Cycle 2022; 21:1422-1433. [PMID: 35293272 PMCID: PMC9345619 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2022.2053449] [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: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is an important and highly conserved process that occurs during eukaryotic sexual reproduction. Diverse mechanisms are responsible for meiosis initiation among eukaryotes, and transcription factors have been established to have an important role in many species. However, the specific function of transcription factors in initiating meiosis in ciliates is unknown. Here we show that a putative Cys2His2 zinc finger-containing transcription factor encoded by the ZFP1 gene is specifically expressed during sexual reproduction in Tetrahymena thermophila. Meiosis is not initiated in the cells lacking ZFP1. Transcriptome sequencing analyses reveal that Zfp1 is required for the expression of many meiosis-specific genes. Our results indicate that Zfp1 could be a transcriptional activator required for meiosis initiation in T. thermophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Miao Tian
- Department of Chromosome Biology and Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Center for Molecular Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Guanxiong Yan
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Miao
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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5
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Shi Z, Tian L, Qiang T, Li J, Xing Y, Ren X, Liu C, Liang C. From Structure Modification to Drug Launch: A Systematic Review of the Ongoing Development of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors for Multiple Cancer Therapy. J Med Chem 2022; 65:6390-6418. [PMID: 35485642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we discuss more than 50 cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors that have been approved or have undergone clinical trials and their therapeutic application in multiple cancers. This review discusses the design strategies, structure-activity relationships, and efficacy performances of these selective or nonselective CDK inhibitors. The theoretical basis of early broad-spectrum CDK inhibitors is similar to the scope of chemotherapy, but because their toxicity is greater than the benefit, there is no clinical therapeutic window. The notion that selective CDK inhibitors have a safer therapeutic potential than pan-CDK inhibitors has been widely recognized during the research process. Four CDK4/6 inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of breast cancer or for prophylactic administration during chemotherapy to protect bone marrow and immune system function. Furthermore, the emerging strategies in the field of CDK inhibitors are summarized briefly, and CDKs continue to be widely pursued as emerging anticancer drug targets for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfeng Shi
- Department of Urology Surgery Center, The People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830002, P. R. China
| | - Lei Tian
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
| | - Taotao Qiang
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
| | - Jingyi Li
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
| | - Yue Xing
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
| | - Xiaodong Ren
- Medical College, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Chang Liu
- Zhuhai Jinan Selenium Source Nanotechnology Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519030, P. R. China
| | - Chengyuan Liang
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
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6
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Cole E, Gaertig J. Anterior-posterior pattern formation in ciliates. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12890. [PMID: 35075744 PMCID: PMC9309198 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
As single cells, ciliates build, duplicate, and even regenerate complex cortical patterns by largely unknown mechanisms that precisely position organelles along two cell‐wide axes: anterior–posterior and circumferential (left–right). We review our current understanding of intracellular patterning along the anterior–posterior axis in ciliates, with emphasis on how the new pattern emerges during cell division. We focus on the recent progress at the molecular level that has been driven by the discovery of genes whose mutations cause organelle positioning defects in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. These investigations have revealed a network of highly conserved kinases that are confined to either anterior or posterior domains in the cell cortex. These pattern‐regulating kinases create zones of cortical inhibition that by exclusion determine the precise placement of organelles. We discuss observations and models derived from classical microsurgical experiments in large ciliates (including Stentor) and interpret them in light of recent molecular findings in Tetrahymena. In particular, we address the involvement of intracellular gradients as vehicles for positioning organelles along the anterior‐posterior axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Cole
- Biology Department, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, USA
| | - Jacek Gaertig
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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7
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Abstract
The presence of meiosis, which is a conserved component of sexual reproduction, across organisms from all eukaryotic kingdoms, strongly argues that sex is a primordial feature of eukaryotes. However, extant meiotic structures and processes can vary considerably between organisms. The ciliated protist Tetrahymena thermophila, which diverged from animals, plants, and fungi early in evolution, provides one example of a rather unconventional meiosis. Tetrahymena has a simpler meiosis compared with most other organisms: It lacks both a synaptonemal complex (SC) and specialized meiotic machinery for chromosome cohesion and has a reduced capacity to regulate meiotic recombination. Despite this, it also features several unique mechanisms, including elongation of the nucleus to twice the cell length to promote homologous pairing and prevent recombination between sister chromatids. Comparison of the meiotic programs of Tetrahymena and higher multicellular organisms may reveal how extant meiosis evolved from proto-meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Loidl
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
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8
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Jiang YY, Maier W, Chukka UN, Choromanski M, Lee C, Joachimiak E, Wloga D, Yeung W, Kannan N, Frankel J, Gaertig J. Mutual antagonism between Hippo signaling and cyclin E drives intracellular pattern formation. J Cell Biol 2020; 219:e202002077. [PMID: 32642758 PMCID: PMC7480119 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202002077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Not much is known about how organelles organize into patterns. In ciliates, the cortical pattern is propagated during "tandem duplication," a cell division that remodels the parental cell into two daughter cells. A key step is the formation of the division boundary along the cell's equator. In Tetrahymena thermophila, the cdaA alleles prevent the formation of the division boundary. We find that the CDAA gene encodes a cyclin E that accumulates in the posterior cell half, concurrently with accumulation of CdaI, a Hippo/Mst kinase, in the anterior cell half. The division boundary forms between the margins of expression of CdaI and CdaA, which exclude each other from their own cortical domains. The activities of CdaA and CdaI must be balanced to initiate the division boundary and to position it along the cell's equator. CdaA and CdaI cooperate to position organelles near the new cell ends. Our data point to an intracellular positioning mechanism involving antagonistic Hippo signaling and cyclin E.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Yang Jiang
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Wolfgang Maier
- Bioinformatics, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Chinkyu Lee
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Ewa Joachimiak
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Wloga
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wayland Yeung
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Natarajan Kannan
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Joseph Frankel
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Jacek Gaertig
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
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Ma Y, Yan G, Han X, Zhang J, Xiong J, Miao W. Sexual cell cycle initiation is regulated by CDK19 and CYC9 in Tetrahymena thermophila. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs235721. [PMID: 32041901 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.235721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the mechanisms underlying initiation of the sexual cell cycle in eukaryotes, we have focused on cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) in the well-studied model ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila We identified two genes, CDK19 and CYC9, which are highly co-expressed with the mating-associated factors MTA, MTB and HAP2. Both CDK19 and CYC9 were found to be essential for mating in T. thermophila Subcellular localization experiments suggested that these proteins are located at the oral area, including the conjugation junction area, and that CDK19 or CYC9 knockout prevents mating. We found that CDK19 and CYC9 form a complex, and also identified several additional subunits, which may have regulatory or constitutive functions. RNA sequencing analyses and cytological experiments showed that mating is abnormal in both ΔCDK19 and ΔCYC9, mainly at the entry to the co-stimulation stage. These results indicate that the CDK19-CYC9 complex initiates the sexual cell cycle in T. thermophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Wuhan 430072, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guanxiong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Wuhan 430072, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaojie Han
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jie Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wei Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Wuhan 430072, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Kunming 650223, China
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10
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Tian M, Loidl J. A chromatin-associated protein required for inducing and limiting meiotic DNA double-strand break formation. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:11822-11834. [PMID: 30357385 PMCID: PMC6294514 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are required for meiotic recombination, but the number is strictly controlled because they are potentially harmful. Here we report a novel protein, Pars11, which is required for Spo11-dependent DSB formation in the protist Tetrahymena. Pars11 localizes to chromatin early in meiotic prophase in a Spo11-independent manner and is removed before the end of prophase. Pars11 removal depends on DSB formation and ATR-dependent phosphorylation. In the absence of the DNA damage sensor kinase ATR, Pars11 is retained on chromatin and excess DSBs are generated. Similar levels of Pars11 persistence and DSB overproduction occur in a non-phosphorylatable pars11 mutant. We conclude that Pars11 supports DSB formation by Spo11 until enough DSBs are formed; thereafter, DSB production stops in response to ATR-dependent degradation of Pars11 or its removal from chromatin. A similar DSB control mechanism involving a Rec114-Tel1/ATM-dependent negative feedback loop regulates DSB formation in budding yeast. However, there is no detectable sequence homology between Pars11 and Rec114, and DSB numbers are more tightly controlled by Pars11 than by Rec114. The discovery of this mechanism for DSB regulation in the evolutionarily distant protist and fungal lineages suggests that it is conserved across eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Tian
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Josef Loidl
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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11
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Zhang B, Meng M, Xiang S, Cao Z, Xu X, Zhao Z, Zhang T, Chen B, Yang P, Li Y, Zhou Q. Selective activation of tumor-suppressive MAPKP signaling pathway by triptonide effectively inhibits pancreatic cancer cell tumorigenicity and tumor growth. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 166:70-81. [PMID: 31075266 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK, 1K) family members ERK, JNK, and p38 play a divergent role in either promoting tumorigenesis or tumor-suppression. Activation of ERK and JNK promotes tumorigenesis; whereas, escalation of p38 inhibits carcinogenesis. As these three MAPK members are controlled by the common up-stream MAPK signaling proteins which consist of MAPK kinases (2K) and MAPK kinase kinases (3K), how to selectively actuate tumor-suppressive p38, not concurrently stimulate tumorigenic ERK and JNK, in cancer cells is a challenge for cancer researchers, and a new opportunity for novel anti-cancer drug discovery. Using human pancreatic cancer cells and xenograft mice as models, we found that a small molecule triptonide first discerningly activated the up-stream MAPK kinase kinase MEKK4, not the other two 3K members ASK1 and GADD45; and then selectively actuated the middle stream MAPK kinase MKK4, not the other two 2K members MKK3 and MKK6; and followed by activation of the MAPK member p38, not the other two members ERK and JNK. These data suggest that triptonide is a selective MEKK4-MKK4-p38 axis agonist. Consequently, selective activation of the MEKK4-MKK4-p38 signaling axis by triptonide activated tumor suppressor p21 and inhibited CDK3 expression, resulting in cancer cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and marked inhibition of pancreatic cancer cell tumorigenic capability in vitro and tumor growth in xenograft mice. Our findings support the notion that selective activation of tumor-suppressive MEKK4-MKK4-p38-p21signaling pathway by triptonide is a new approach for pancreatic cancer therapy, providing a new drug candidate for development of novel anti-cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhang
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Mei Meng
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Shufen Xiang
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Zhifei Cao
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Xingdong Xu
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Zhe Zhao
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Bowen Chen
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Ping Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226000, PR China
| | - Ye Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Quansheng Zhou
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Ministry of Health, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
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Xu J, Li X, Song W, Wang W, Gao S. Cyclin Cyc2p is required for micronuclear bouquet formation in Tetrahymena thermophila. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2019; 62:668-680. [PMID: 30820856 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-018-9369-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic bouquet formation (known as crescent formation in Tetrahymena thermophila) is indispensable for homologous pairing and recombination, but the regulatory mechanism of bouquet formation remains largely unknown. As a conjugation specific cyclin gene, CYC2 knockout mutants failed to form an elongated crescent structure and aborted meiosis progress in T. thermophila. γ-H2A.X staining revealed fewer micronuclear DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in cyc2Δ cells than in wild-type cells. Furthermore, cyc2Δ cells still failed to form a crescent structure even though DSBs were induced by exogenous agents, indicating that a lack of DSBs was not completely responsible for failure to enter the crescent stage. Tubulin staining showed that impaired perinuclear microtubule structure may contribute to the blockage in micronuclear elongation. At the same time, expression of microtubule-associated kinesin genes, KIN11 and KIN141, was significantly downregulated in cyc2Δ cells. Moreover, micronuclear specific accumulation of heterochromatin marker trimethylated H3K23 abnormally increased in the cyc2Δ mutants. Together, these results show that cyclin Cyc2p is required for micronuclear bouquet formation via controlling microtubule-directed nuclear elongation in Tetrahymena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xu
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- College of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Biotechnology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Xiaoxiong Li
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Biotechnology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Weibo Song
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Biotechnology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China.
| | - Shan Gao
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266003, China.
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
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Zhang J, Yan G, Tian M, Ma Y, Xiong J, Miao W. A DP-like transcription factor protein interacts with E2fl1 to regulate meiosis in Tetrahymena thermophila. Cell Cycle 2018; 17:634-642. [PMID: 29417875 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2018.1431595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionarily conserved E2F family transcription factors regulate the cell cycle via controlling gene expression in a wide range of eukaryotes. We previously demonstrated that the meiosis-specific transcription factor E2fl1 had an important role in meiosis in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. Here, we report that expression of another E2F family transcription factor gene DPL2 correlates highly with that of E2FL1. Similar to e2fl1Δ cells, dpl2Δ cells undergo meiotic arrest prior to anaphase I, with the five chromosomes adopting an abnormal tandem arrangement. Immunofluorescence staining and immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that Dpl2 and E2fl1 form a complex during meiosis. We previously identified several meiotic regulatory proteins in T. thermophila. Cyc2 and Tcdk3 may cooperate to initiate meiosis and Cyc17 is essential for initiating meiotic anaphase. We investigate the relationship of these regulators with Dpl2 and E2fl1, and then construct a meiotic regulatory network by measuring changes in meiotic genes expression in knockout cells. We conclude that the E2fl1/Dpl2 complex plays a central role in meiosis in T. thermophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation , Institute of Hydrobiology , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China.,b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing , People's Republic of China
| | - Guanxiong Yan
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation , Institute of Hydrobiology , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China.,b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing , People's Republic of China
| | - Miao Tian
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation , Institute of Hydrobiology , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Ma
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation , Institute of Hydrobiology , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China.,b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing , People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Xiong
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation , Institute of Hydrobiology , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Miao
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation , Institute of Hydrobiology , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China
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Yan GX, Zhang J, Shodhan A, Tian M, Miao W. Cdk3, a conjugation-specific cyclin-dependent kinase, is essential for the initiation of meiosis in Tetrahymena thermophila. Cell Cycle 2016; 15:2506-14. [PMID: 27420775 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2016.1207838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is an important process in sexual reproduction. Meiosis initiation has been found to be highly diverse among species. In yeast, it has been established that cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) and cyclins are essential components in the meiosis initiation pathway. In this study, we identified 4 Cdks in the model ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila, and we found one of them, Cdk3, which is specifically expressed during early conjugation, to be essential for meiosis initiation. Cdk3 deletion led to arrest at the pair formation stage of conjugation. We then confirmed that Cdk3 acts upstream of double-strand break (DSB) formation. Moreover, we detected that Cdk3 is necessary for the expression of many genes involved in early meiotic events. Through proteomic quantification of phosphorylation, co-expression analysis and RNA-Seq analyses, we identified a conjugation-specific cyclin, Cyc2, which most likely partners with Cdk3 to initiate meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Xiong Yan
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China.,b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing , People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Zhang
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China.,b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing , People's Republic of China
| | - Anura Shodhan
- c Department of Chromosome Biology and Max F. Perutz Laboratories , Center for Molecular Biology, University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
| | - Miao Tian
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China.,c Department of Chromosome Biology and Max F. Perutz Laboratories , Center for Molecular Biology, University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
| | - Wei Miao
- a Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan , People's Republic of China
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