Dynamic regulation of caveolin-1 trafficking in the germ line and embryo of Caenorhabditis elegans

Dopey-dependent regulation of extracellular vesicles maintains neuronal morphology

Mature neurons maintain their distinctive morphology for extended periods in adult life. Compared to developmental neurite outgrowth, axon guidance, and target selection, relatively little is known of mechanisms that maintain mature neuron morphology. Loss of function in C. elegans DIP-2, a member of the conserved lipid metabolic regulator Dip2 family, results in progressive overgrowth of neurites in adults. We find that dip-2 mutants display specific genetic interactions with sax-2, the C. elegans ortholog of Drosophila Furry and mammalian FRY. Combined loss of DIP-2 and SAX-2 results in severe disruption of neuronal morphology maintenance accompanied by increased release of neuronal extracellular vesicles (EVs). By screening for suppressors of dip-2 sax-2 double mutant defects we identified gain-of-function (gf) mutations in the conserved Dopey family protein PAD-1 and its associated phospholipid flippase TAT-5/ATP9A. In dip-2 sax-2 double mutants carrying either pad-1(gf) or tat-5(gf) mutation, EV release is reduced and neuronal morphology across multiple neuron types is restored to largely normal. PAD-1(gf) acts cell autonomously in neurons. The domain containing pad-1(gf) is essential for PAD-1 function, and PAD-1(gf) protein displays increased association with the plasma membrane and inhibits EV release. Our findings uncover a novel functional network of DIP-2, SAX-2, PAD-1, and TAT-5 that maintains morphology of neurons and other types of cells, shedding light on the mechanistic basis of neurological disorders involving human orthologs of these genes.

MARC-3, a membrane-associated ubiquitin ligase, is required for fast polyspermy block in Caenorhabditis elegans

In many sexually reproducing organisms, oocytes are fundamentally fertilized with one sperm. In Caenorhabditis elegans, chitin layer formation after fertilization by the EGG complex is one of the mechanisms of polyspermy block, but other mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that MARC-3, a membrane-associated RING-CH-type ubiquitin ligase that localizes to the plasma membrane and cortical puncta in oocytes, is involved in fast polyspermy block. During polyspermy, the second sperm entry occurs within approximately 10 s after fertilization in MARC-3-deficient zygotes, whereas it occurs approximately 200 s after fertilization in egg-3 mutant zygotes defective in the chitin layer formation. MARC-3 also functions in the selective degradation of maternal plasma membrane proteins and the transient accumulation of endosomal lysine 63-linked polyubiquitin after fertilization. The RING-finger domain of MARC-3 is required for its in vitro ubiquitination activity and polyspermy block, suggesting that a ubiquitination-mediated mechanism sequentially regulates fast polyspermy block and maternal membrane protein degradation during the oocyte-to-embryo transition.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Exit Sites scale with somato-dendritic size in neurons

Nervous systems exhibit dramatic diversity in cell morphology and size. How neurons regulate their biosynthetic and secretory machinery to support such diversity is not well understood. Endoplasmic reticulum exit sites (ERESs) are essential for maintaining secretory flux, and are required for normal dendrite development, but how neurons of different size regulate secretory capacity remains unknown. In Caenorhabditis elegans, we find that the ERES number is strongly correlated with the size of a neuron's dendritic arbor. The elaborately branched sensory neuron, PVD, has especially high ERES numbers. Asymmetric cell division provides PVD with a large initial cell size critical for rapid establishment of PVD's high ERES number before neurite outgrowth, and these ERESs are maintained throughout development. Maintenance of ERES number requires the cell fate transcription factor MEC-3, C. elegans TOR (ceTOR/let-363), and nutrient availability, with mec-3 and ceTOR/let-363 mutant PVDs both displaying reductions in ERES number, soma size, and dendrite size. Notably, mec-3 mutant animals exhibit reduced expression of a ceTOR/let-363 reporter in PVD, and starvation reduces ERES number and somato-dendritic size in a manner genetically redundant with ceTOR/let-363 perturbation. Our data suggest that both asymmetric cell division and nutrient sensing pathways regulate secretory capacities to support elaborate dendritic arbors.

Reorganization, specialization, and degradation of oocyte maternal components for early development

Background

Oocyte components are maternally provided, solely determine oocyte quality, and coordinately determine embryo quality with zygotic gene expression. During oocyte maturation, maternal organelles are drastically reorganized and specialized to support oocyte characteristics. A large number of maternal components are actively degraded after fertilization and gradually replaced by zygotic gene products. The molecular basis and the significance of these processes on oocyte/embryo quality are not fully understood.

Methods

Firstly, recent findings in organelle characteristics of other cells or oocytes from model organisms are introduced for further understanding of oocyte organelle reorganization/specialization. Secondly, recent progress in studies on maternal components degradation and their molecular mechanisms are introduced. Finally, future applications of these advancements for predicting mammalian oocyte/embryo quality are discussed.

Main findings

The significance of cellular surface protein degradation via endocytosis for embryonic development, and involvement of biogenesis of lipid droplets in embryonic quality, were recently reported using mammalian model organisms.

Conclusion

Identifying key oocyte component characteristics and understanding their dynamics may lead to new applications in oocyte/embryo quality prediction and improvement. To implement these multidimensional concepts, development of new technical approaches that allow us to address the complexity and efficient studies using model organisms are required.

Lgd regulates ESCRT-III complex accumulation at multivesicular endosomes to control intralumenal vesicle formation

Membrane remodeling mediated by heteropolymeric filaments composed of ESCRT-III subunits is an essential process that occurs at a variety of organelles to maintain cellular homeostasis. Members of the evolutionarily conserved Lgd/CC2D1 protein family have been suggested to regulate ESCRT-III polymer assembly, although their specific roles, particularly in vivo, remain unclear. Using the Caenorhabditis elegans early embryo as a model system, we show that Lgd/CC2D1 localizes to endosomal membranes, and its loss impairs endolysosomal cargo sorting and degradation. At the ultrastructural level, the absence of Lgd/CC2D1 results in the accumulation of enlarged endosomal compartments that contain a reduced number of intralumenal vesicles (ILVs). However, unlike aberrant endosome morphology caused by depletion of other ESCRT components, ILV size is only modestly altered in embryos lacking Lgd/CC2D1. Instead, loss of Lgd/CC2D1 impairs normal accumulation of ESCRT-III on endosomal membranes, likely slowing the kinetics of ILV formation. Together, our findings suggest a role for Lgd/CC2D1 in the recruitment and/or stable assembly of ESCRT-III subunits on endosomal membranes to facilitate efficient ILV biogenesis.

EGFR signal transduction is downregulated in C. elegans vulval precursor cells during dauer diapause

Caenorhabditis elegans larvae display developmental plasticity in response to environmental conditions: in adverse conditions, second-stage larvae enter a reversible, long-lived dauer stage instead of proceeding to reproductive adulthood. Dauer entry interrupts vulval induction and is associated with a reprogramming-like event that preserves the multipotency of vulval precursor cells (VPCs), allowing vulval development to reinitiate if conditions improve. Vulval induction requires the LIN-3/EGF-like signal from the gonad, which activates EGFR-Ras-ERK signal transduction in the nearest VPC, P6.p. Here, using a biosensor and live imaging we show that EGFR-Ras-ERK activity is downregulated in P6.p in dauers. We investigated this process using gene mutations or transgenes to manipulate different steps of the pathway, and by analyzing LET-23/EGFR subcellular localization during dauer life history. We found that the response to EGF is attenuated at or upstream of Ras activation, and discuss potential membrane-associated mechanisms that could achieve this. We also describe other findings pertaining to the maintenance of VPC competence and quiescence in dauer larvae. Our analysis indicates that VPCs have L2-like and unique dauer stage features rather than features of L3 VPCs in continuous development.

The ESCRT machinery directs quality control over inner nuclear membrane architecture

The late-acting endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery has been implicated in facilitating the resealing of the nuclear envelope (NE) after mitosis, enabling compartmentalization of the genome away from the cytoplasm. Here, we leverage the stereotypic first division of the C. elegans embryo to identify additional functions of the ESCRT machinery in maintaining the structure of the inner nuclear membrane. Specifically, impaired ESCRT function results in a defect in the pruning of inner nuclear membrane invaginations, which arise normally during NE reformation and expansion. Additionally, in combination with a hypomorphic mutation that interferes with assembly of the underlying nuclear lamina, inhibition of ESCRT function significantly perturbs NE architecture and increases chromosome segregation defects, resulting in penetrant embryonic lethality. Our findings highlight links between ESCRT-mediated inner nuclear membrane remodeling, maintenance of nuclear envelope morphology, and the preservation of the genome during early development.

In this study, Shankar et al. demonstrate that defects in ESCRT machinery functions impair pruning of inner nuclear membrane invaginations that form normally after mitotic exit as the nuclear envelope undergoes expansion. These findings highlight a critical role for the ESCRT machinery in the maintenance of inner nuclear membrane morphology.

Multiple roles of endocytosis and autophagy in intracellular remodeling during oocyte-to-embryo transition

Fertilization is the starting point for creating new progeny. At this time, the highly differentiated oocyte and sperm fuse to form one zygote, which is then converted into a pluripotent early embryo. Recent studies have shown that the lysosomal degradation system via autophagy and endocytosis plays important roles in the remodeling of intracellular components during oocyte-to-embryo transition. For example, in Caenorhabditis elegans, zygotes show high endocytic activity, and some populations of maternal membrane proteins are selectively internalized and delivered to lysosomes for degradation. Furthermore, fertilization triggers selective autophagy of sperm-derived paternal mitochondria, which establishes maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA. In addition, it has been shown that autophagy via liquid-liquid phase separation results in the selective degradation of some germ granule components, which are distributed to somatic cells of early embryos. This review outlines the physiological functions of the lysosomal degradation system and its molecular mechanisms in C. elegans and mouse embryos.

PDZD-8 and TEX-2 regulate endosomal PI(4,5)P2 homeostasis via lipid transport to promote embryogenesis in C. elegans

Different types of cellular membranes have unique lipid compositions that are important for their functional identity. PI(4,5)P2 is enriched in the plasma membrane where it contributes to local activation of key cellular events, including actomyosin contraction and cytokinesis. However, how cells prevent PI(4,5)P2 from accumulating in intracellular membrane compartments, despite constant intermixing and exchange of lipid membranes, is poorly understood. Using the C. elegans early embryo as our model system, we show that the evolutionarily conserved lipid transfer proteins, PDZD-8 and TEX-2, act together with the PI(4,5)P2 phosphatases, OCRL-1 and UNC-26/synaptojanin, to prevent the build-up of PI(4,5)P2 on endosomal membranes. In the absence of these four proteins, large amounts of PI(4,5)P2 accumulate on endosomes, leading to embryonic lethality due to ectopic recruitment of proteins involved in actomyosin contractility. PDZD-8 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and regulates endosomal PI(4,5)P2 levels via its lipid harboring SMP domain. Accumulation of PI(4,5)P2 on endosomes is accompanied by impairment of their degradative capacity. Thus, cells use multiple redundant systems to maintain endosomal PI(4,5)P2 homeostasis.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is essential for the selective degradation of maternal membrane proteins and preimplantation development

Fertilization triggers significant cellular remodeling through the oocyte-to-embryo transition. In this transition, the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy are essential for the degradation of maternal components; however, the significance of degradation of cell surface components remains unknown. In this study, we show that multiple maternal plasma membrane proteins, such as the glycine transporter GlyT1a, are selectively internalized from the plasma membrane to endosomes in mouse embryos by the late two-cell stage and then transported to lysosomes for degradation at the later stages. During this process, large amounts of ubiquitylated proteins accumulated on endosomes. Furthermore, the degradation of GlyT1a with mutations in potential ubiquitylation sites was delayed, suggesting that ubiquitylation may be involved in GlyT1a degradation. The clathrin inhibitor blocked GlyT1a internalization. Strikingly, the protein kinase C (PKC) activator triggered the heterochronic internalization of GlyT1a; the PKC inhibitor markedly blocked GlyT1a endocytosis. Lastly, clathrin inhibition completely blocked embryogenesis at the two-cell stage and inhibited cell division after the four-cell stage. These findings demonstrate that PKC-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis is essential for the selective degradation of maternal membrane proteins during oocyte-to-embryo transition and early embryogenesis.

M05B5.4 (Lysosomal phospholipase A2) promotes disintegration of autophagic vesicles to maintain C. elegans development

The autophagosome has two lipid bilayer membranes. The outer membrane fuses with the lysosome, while the inner membrane is degraded to release autophagic contents for degradation. It remains unclear how the inner vesicle of the autophagosome (called the autophagic vesicle) is disintegrated after autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Here, we identified C. elegans LPLA-2/M05B5.4 as a key enzyme that degrades membranous material in lysosomes. LPLA-2 is homologous to human PLA2G15, a lysosomal phospholipase A2 family protein that catalyzes cleavage of membrane phospholipids. We found that loss of LPLA-2 causes accumulation of large membrane whorls in enlarged lysosomes and both phenotypes are suppressed by blocking macroautophagy/autophagy. Moreover, autophagic vesicles persisted in enlarged lysosomes in PLA2G15 knockdown cells and lpla-2(lf) mutants, which suggests that the breakdown of the inner autophagosomal membrane in lysosomes is impaired. lpla-2(lf) mutants exhibit severe defects in both embryonic and larval development. Our data suggest that disintegration of the inner autophagosomal membrane by LPLA-2 promotes the release and subsequent degradation of autophagic contents in lysosomes, which is essential for C. elegans development.

AP2M1 Supports TGF-β Signals to Promote Collagen Expression by Inhibiting Caveolin Expression

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is important for normal development and disease states, including inflammation and fibrosis. To understand the complex regulation of ECM, we performed a suppressor screening using Caenorhabditis elegans expressing the mutant ROL-6 collagen protein. One cuticle mutant has a mutation in dpy-23 that encodes the μ2 adaptin (AP2M1) of clathrin-associated protein complex II (AP-2). The subsequent suppressor screening for dpy-23 revealed the lon-2 mutation. LON-2 functions to regulate body size through negative regulation of the tumor growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway responsible for ECM production. RNA-seq analysis showed a dominant change in the expression of collagen genes and cuticle components. We noted an increase in the cav-1 gene encoding caveolin-1, which functions in clathrin-independent endocytosis. By knockdown of cav-1, the reduced TGF-β signal was significantly restored in the dpy-23 mutant. In conclusion, the dpy-23 mutation upregulated cav-1 expression in the hypodermis, and increased CAV-1 resulted in a decrease of TβRI. Finally, the reduction of collagen expression including rol-6 by the reduced TGF-β signal influenced the cuticle formation of the dpy-23 mutant. These findings could help us to understand the complex process of ECM regulation in organism development and disease conditions.

The neglected part of early embryonic development: maternal protein degradation

The degradation of maternally provided molecules is a very important process during early embryogenesis. However, the vast majority of studies deals with mRNA degradation and protein degradation is only a very little explored process yet. The aim of this article was to summarize current knowledge about the protein degradation during embryogenesis of mammals. In addition to resuming of known data concerning mammalian embryogenesis, we tried to fill the gaps in knowledge by comparison with facts known about protein degradation in early embryos of non-mammalian species. Maternal protein degradation seems to be driven by very strict rules in terms of specificity and timing. The degradation of some maternal proteins is certainly necessary for the normal course of embryonic genome activation (EGA) and several concrete proteins that need to be degraded before major EGA have been already found. Nevertheless, the most important period seems to take place even before preimplantation development-during oocyte maturation. The defects arisen during this period seems to be later irreparable.

The amino acid transporter SLC-36.1 cooperates with PtdIns3P 5-kinase to control phagocytic lysosome reformation

How lysosomes reform following phagolysosomal digestion of apoptotic cells is poorly understood. Gan et al. reveal that the amino acid transporter SLC-36.1 cooperates with PtdIns3P 5-kinase to control phagocygtic lysosome reformation in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos and autophagic lysosome reformation in adult animals.

Phagocytic removal of apoptotic cells involves formation, maturation, and digestion of cell corpse–containing phagosomes. The retrieval of lysosomal components following phagolysosomal digestion of cell corpses remains poorly understood. Here we reveal that the amino acid transporter SLC-36.1 is essential for lysosome reformation during cell corpse clearance in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Loss of slc-36.1 leads to formation of phagolysosomal vacuoles arising from cell corpse–containing phagosomes. In the absence of slc-36.1, phagosome maturation is not affected, but the retrieval of lysosomal components is inhibited. Moreover, loss of PPK-3, the C. elegans homologue of the PtdIns3P 5-kinase PIKfyve, similarly causes accumulation of phagolysosomal vacuoles that are defective in phagocytic lysosome reformation. SLC-36.1 and PPK-3 function in the same genetic pathway, and they directly interact with one another. In addition, loss of slc-36.1 and ppk-3 causes strong defects in autophagic lysosome reformation in adult animals. Our findings thus suggest that the PPK-3–SLC-36.1 axis plays a central role in both phagocytic and autophagic lysosome formation.

Disruption of RAB-5 Increases EFF-1 Fusogen Availability at the Cell Surface and Promotes the Regenerative Axonal Fusion Capacity of the Neuron

Following a transection injury to the axon, neurons from a number of species have the ability to undergo spontaneous repair via fusion of the two separated axonal fragments. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, this highly efficient regenerative axonal fusion is mediated by epithelial fusion failure-1 (EFF-1), a fusogenic protein that functions at the membrane to merge the two axonal fragments. Identifying modulators of axonal fusion and EFF-1 is an important step toward a better understanding of this repair process. Here, we present evidence that the small GTPase RAB-5 acts to inhibit axonal fusion, a function achieved via endocytosis of EFF-1 within the injured neuron. Therefore, we find that perturbing RAB-5 activity is sufficient to restore axonal fusion in mutant animals with decreased axonal fusion capacity. This is accompanied by enhanced membranous localization of EFF-1 and the production of extracellular EFF-1-containing vesicles. These findings identify RAB-5 as a novel regulator of axonal fusion in C. elegans hermaphrodites and the first regulator of EFF-1 in neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Peripheral and central nerve injuries cause life-long disabilities due to the fact that repair rarely leads to reinnervation of the target tissue. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, axonal regeneration can proceed through axonal fusion, whereby a regrowing axon reconnects and fuses with its own separated distal fragment, restoring the original axonal tract. We have characterized axonal fusion and established that the fusogen epithelial fusion failure-1 (EFF-1) is a key element for fusing the two separated axonal fragments back together. Here, we show that the small GTPase RAB-5 is a key cell-intrinsic regulator of the fusogen EFF-1 and can in turn regulate axonal fusion. Our findings expand the possibility for this process to be controlled and exploited to facilitate axonal repair in medical applications.

CBD-1 organizes two independent complexes required for eggshell vitelline layer formation and egg activation in C. elegans

Metazoan eggs have a specialized coat of extracellular matrix that aids in sperm-egg recognition. The coat is rapidly remodeled after fertilization to prevent polyspermy and establish a more permanent barrier to protect the developing embryo. In nematodes, this coat is called the vitelline layer, which is remodeled into the outermost layer of a rigid and impermeable eggshell. We have identified three key components of the vitelline layer structural scaffold - PERM-2, PERM-4 and CBD-1, the first such proteins to be described in the nematode C. elegans. CBD-1 tethered PERM-2 and PERM-4 to the nascent vitelline layer via two N-terminal chitin-binding domains. After fertilization, all three proteins redistributed from the zygote surface to the outer eggshell. Depletion of PERM-2 and PERM-4 from the scaffold led to a porous vitelline layer that permitted soluble factors to leak through the eggshell and resulted in embryonic death. In addition to its role in vitelline layer assembly, CBD-1 is also known to anchor a protein complex required for fertilization and egg activation (EGG-1-5/CHS-1/MBK-2). We found the PERM complex and EGG complex to be functionally independent, and structurally organized through distinct domains of CBD-1. CBD-1 is thus a multifaceted regulator that promotes distinct aspects of vitelline layer assembly and egg activation. In sum, our findings characterize the first vitelline layer components in nematodes, and provide a foundation through which to explore both conserved and species-specific strategies used by animals to build protective barriers following fertilization.

Autophagy-dependent ribosomal RNA degradation is essential for maintaining nucleotide homeostasis during C. elegans development

Ribosome degradation through the autophagy-lysosome pathway is crucial for cell survival during nutrient starvation, but whether it occurs under normal growth conditions and contributes to animal physiology remains unaddressed. In this study, we identified RNST-2, a C. elegans T2 family endoribonuclease, as the key enzyme that degrades ribosomal RNA in lysosomes. We found that loss of rnst-2 causes accumulation of rRNA and ribosomal proteins in enlarged lysosomes and both phenotypes are suppressed by blocking autophagy, which indicates that RNST-2 mediates autophagic degradation of ribosomal RNA in lysosomes. rnst-2(lf) mutants are defective in embryonic and larval development and are short-lived. Remarkably, simultaneous loss of RNST-2 and de novo synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides leads to complete embryonic lethality, which is suppressed by supplements of uridine or cytidine. Our study reveals an essential role of autophagy-dependent degradation of ribosomal RNA in maintaining nucleotide homeostasis during animal development.

The C. elegans eggshell

In all animals, oocytes are surrounded by an extracellular matrix upon fertilization. This matrix serves similar purposes in each animal. It functions to mediate sperm binding, to prevent polyspermy, to control the chemical environment of the embryo, and to provide physical protection to the embryo as it developes. The synthesis of the C. elegans matrix, or eggshell, begins when the oocyte enters the spermatheca and is fertilized by a single sperm. The process of eggshell synthesis is thought to take place during the completion of the maternal meiotic divisions such that the multi-layered eggshell is completed by anaphase II. The synthesis of the eggshell occurs in a hierarchical pattern in which the outermost layers are synthesized first in order to capture and retain the innermost layers as they form. Recent studies have revealed that the lipid-rich permeability barrier is distinct from the outer trilaminar eggshell. These new findings alter our previous understanding of the eggshell. This chapter aims to define each of the eggshell layers and the molecules that are known to play significant roles in their formation.

PI(4,5)P2 forms dynamic cortical structures and directs actin distribution as well as polarity in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

Asymmetric division is crucial for embryonic development and stem cell lineages. In the one-cell Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, a contractile cortical actomyosin network contributes to asymmetric division by segregating partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins to discrete cortical domains. In the current study, we found that the plasma membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) localizes to polarized dynamic structures in C. elegans zygotes, distributing in a PAR-dependent manner along the anterior-posterior (A-P) embryonic axis. PIP₂ cortical structures overlap with F-actin, and coincide with the actin regulators RHO-1 and CDC-42, as well as ECT-2. Particle image velocimetry analysis revealed that PIP₂ and F-actin cortical movements are coupled, with PIP₂ structures moving slightly ahead of F-actin. Importantly, we established that PIP₂ cortical structure formation and movement is actin dependent. Moreover, we found that decreasing or increasing the level of PIP₂ resulted in severe F-actin disorganization, revealing interdependence between these components. Furthermore, we determined that PIP₂ and F-actin regulate the sizing of PAR cortical domains, including during the maintenance phase of polarization. Overall, our work establishes that a lipid membrane component, PIP₂, modulates actin organization and cell polarity in C. elegans embryos.

Post-translational regulation of the maternal-to-zygotic transition

The maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) is essential for the developmental control handed from maternal products to newly synthesized zygotic genome in the earliest stages of embryogenesis, including maternal component (mRNAs and proteins) degradation and zygotic genome activation (ZGA). Various protein post-translational modifications have been identified during the MZT, such as phosphorylation, methylation and ubiquitination. Precise post-translational regulation mechanisms are essential for the timely transition of early embryonic development. In this review, we summarize recent progress regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying post-translational regulation of maternal component degradation and ZGA during the MZT and discuss some important issues in the field.

SFT-4/Surf4 control ER export of soluble cargo proteins and participate in ER exit site organization

Saegusa et al. report that the SFT-4/Surf4 cargo receptor homologs mediate export of soluble proteins such as lipoproteins from the ER. Efficient export of yolk proteins in C. elegans intestinal cells, or apoliprotein trafficking in human hepatocytes, requires SFT-4/Surf4 so that they may enhance secretion by maintaining ER exit site organization.

Lipoproteins regulate the overall lipid homeostasis in animals. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying lipoprotein trafficking remain poorly understood. Here, we show that SFT-4, a Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of the yeast Erv29p, is essential for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export of the yolk protein VIT-2, which is synthesized as a lipoprotein complex. SFT-4 loss strongly inhibits the ER exit of yolk proteins and certain soluble cargo proteins in intestinal cells. SFT-4 predominantly localizes at ER exit sites (ERES) and physically interacts with VIT-2 in vivo, which suggests that SFT-4 promotes the ER export of soluble proteins as a cargo receptor. Notably, Surf4, a mammalian SFT-4 homologue, physically interacts with apolipoprotein B, a very-low-density lipoprotein core protein, and its loss causes ER accumulation of apolipoprotein B in human hepatic HepG2 cells. Interestingly, loss of SFT-4 and Surf4 reduced the number of COPII-positive ERES. Thus, SFT-4 and Surf4 regulate the export of soluble proteins, including lipoproteins, from the ER and participate in ERES organization in animals.

Ist1 regulates ESCRT-III assembly and function during multivesicular endosome biogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

Degradation of most integral membrane proteins is directed by the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery, which selectively targets ubiquitin-modified cargoes into intralumenal vesicles (ILVs) within multivesicular endosomes (MVEs). To better understand the mechanisms underlying ESCRT-mediated formation of ILVs, we exploited the rapid, de novo biogenesis of MVEs during the oocyte-to-embryo transition in C. elegans. In contrast to previous models suggesting that ILVs form individually, we demonstrate that they remain tethered to one another subsequent to internalization, arguing that they bud continuously from stable subdomains. In addition, we show that membrane bending and ILV formation are directed specifically by the ESCRT-III complex in vivo in a manner regulated by Ist1, which promotes ESCRT-III assembly and inhibits the incorporation of upstream ESCRT components into ILVs. Our findings underscore essential actions for ESCRT-III in membrane remodeling, cargo selection, and cargo retention, which act repetitively to maximize the rate of ILV formation.

Identification and characterization of molluscan caveolin-1 ortholog from Haliotis discus discus: Possible involvement in embryogenesis and host defense mechanism against pathogenic stress

Caveolins are principal membrane proteins of caveolae that play a central role in signal transduction, substrate transport, and membrane trafficking in various cell types. Numerous studies have reported the crucial role of caveolin-1 (CAV1) in response to invading microbes; yet, very little is known about molluscan CAV1. In this study, we identified and characterized CAV1 ortholog from the disk abalone, Haliotis discus discus (HdCAV1). The cDNA sequence of HdCAV1 is 826 bp long and encodes a 127-amino acid polypeptide. Characteristic caveolin superfamily domain (Glu³ - Lys¹²⁶) and two possible transmembrane domains (Cys⁴⁸ - Tyr⁶⁷ and Ile¹⁰³ - Phe¹²⁰) were identified in the HdCAV1 protein. Homology analysis revealed that HdCAV1 shared higher identity (>47%) with molluscans, but lower identity with other species. Phylogenetic tree constructed by the neighbor-joining (NJ) method revealed a distinct evolutionary pathway for molluscans. Transcriptional analysis by SYBR Green qPCR showed the highest expression of HdCAV1 mRNA in late veliger stage, as compared to that in other embryonic developmental stages of disk abalone. In adult animals, gill tissue showed highest HdCAV1 transcript levels under normal physiological condition. Stimulations with two bacteria (Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listeria monocytogenes), viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, and two pathogen-associated molecular patterns (LPS and poly I:C) significantly modulated the expression of HdCAV1 transcripts. Collectively, these data suggest that CAV1 plays an important role in embryogenesis and host immune defense in disk abalone.

Hsp90-downregulation influences the heat-shock response, innate immune response and onset of oocyte development in nematodes

Hsp90 is a molecular chaperone involved in the regulation and maturation of kinases and transcription factors. In Caenorhabditis elegans, it contributes to the development of fertility, maintenance of muscle structure, the regulation of heat-shock response and dauer state. To understand the consequences of Hsp90-depletion, we studied Hsp90 RNAi-treated nematodes by DNA microarrays and mass spectrometry. We find that upon development of phenotypes the levels of chaperones and Hsp90 cofactors are increased, while specific proteins related to the innate immune response are depleted. In microarrays, we further find many differentially expressed genes related to gonad and larval development. These genes form an expression cluster that is regulated independently from the immune response implying separate pathways of Hsp90-involvement. Using fluorescent reporter strains for the differentially expressed immune response genes skr-5, dod-24 and clec-60 we observe that their activity in intestinal tissues is influenced by Hsp90-depletion. Instead, effects on the development are evident in both gonad arms. After Hsp90-depletion, changes can be observed in early embryos and adults containing fluorescence-tagged versions of SEPA-1, CAV-1 or PUD-1, all of which are downregulated after Hsp90-depletion. Our observations identify molecular events for Hsp90-RNAi induced phenotypes during development and immune responses, which may help to separately investigate independent Hsp90-influenced processes that are relevant during the nematode’s life and development.

Systematic functional analysis of the Ras GTPase family unveils a conserved network required for anterograde protein trafficking

Phylogeny is often used to compare entire families of genes/proteins. We previously showed that classification of Caenorhabditis elegans Rho GTPases on the basis of their enzymatic properties was significantly different from sequence alignments. To further develop this concept, we have developed an integrated approach to classify C. elegans small GTPases based on functional data comprising affinity for GTP, sub-cellular localization, tissue distribution and silencing impact. This analysis led to establish a novel functional classification for small GTPases. To test the relevance of this classification in mammals, we focused our attention on the human orthologs of small GTPases from a specific group comprising arf-1.2, evl-20, arl-1, Y54E10BR.2, unc-108 and rab-7. We then tested their involvement in protein secretion and membrane traffic in mammalian systems. Using this approach we identify a novel network containing 18 GTPases, and 23 functionally interacting proteins, conserved between C. elegans and mammals, which is involved in membrane traffic and protein secretion.

Mechanisms and functions of extracellular vesicle release in vivo-What we can learn from flies and worms

Cells from bacteria to man release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that contain signaling molecules like proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. The content, formation, and signaling roles of these conserved vesicles are diverse, but the physiological relevance of EV signaling in vivo is still debated. Studies in classical genetic model organisms like C. elegans and Drosophila have begun to reveal the developmental and behavioral roles for EVs. In this review, we discuss the emerging evidence for the in vivo signaling roles of EVs. Significant effort has also been made to understand the mechanisms behind the formation and release of EVs, specifically of exosomes derived from exocytosis of multivesicular bodies and of microvesicles derived from plasma membrane budding called ectocytosis. In this review, we detail the impact of flies and worms on understanding the proteins and lipids involved in EV biogenesis and highlight the open questions in the field.

REI-1, a Novel Rab11 GEF with a SH3BP5 domain

The small GTPase Rab proteins are key regulators of membrane trafficking. Rab11 is one of the best-characterized molecules among the Rab family proteins and it plays multiple roles in endocytic recycling, exocytosis, and cytokinesis. However, it remains unclear how Rab11 is activated at a precise timing and location and regulates its diverse functions. Specifically, our knowledge of the upstream regulatory factors that activate Rab11 is limited. In this regard, we have identified the RAB-11-interacting protein-1 (REI-1) as a novel guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for RAB-11 in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). REI-1 family proteins are conserved among metazoans, and its human homolog, SH3BP5, also exhibits strong GEF activity toward human Rab11. In C. elegans, REI-1 is expressed in the germline and co-localizes with RAB-11 on late-Golgi membranes. The loss of REI-1 impaired the targeting of RAB-11 to the late-Golgi compartment, as well as the recycling endosomes in embryos and further reduced the recruitment of RAB-11 to the cleavage furrow, resulting in the delay of cytokinesis. We suggest that REI-1 is the GEF responsible for regulating RAB-11 localization and function in early embryos.

A novel small molecule that disrupts a key event during the oocyte-to-embryo transition in C. elegans

The complex cellular events that occur in response to fertilization are essential for mediating the oocyte-to-embryo transition. Here, we describe a comprehensive small-molecule screen focused on identifying compounds that affect early embryonic events in Caenorhabditis elegans We identify a single novel compound that disrupts early embryogenesis with remarkable stage and species specificity. The compound, named C22, primarily impairs eggshell integrity, leading to osmotic sensitivity and embryonic lethality. The C22-induced phenotype is dependent upon the upregulation of the LET-607/CREBH transcription factor and its candidate target genes, which primarily encode factors involved in diverse aspects of protein trafficking. Together, our data suggest that in the presence of C22, one or more key components of the eggshell are inappropriately processed, leading to permeable, inviable embryos. The remarkable specificity and reversibility of this compound will facilitate further investigation into the role and regulation of protein trafficking in the early embryo, as well as serve as a tool for manipulating the life cycle for other studies such as those involving aging.

REI-1 Is a Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Regulating RAB-11 Localization and Function in C. elegans Embryos

The small GTPase Rab11 dynamically changes its location to regulate various cellular processes such as endocytic recycling, secretion, and cytokinesis. However, our knowledge of its upstream regulators is still limited. Here, we identify the RAB-11-interacting protein-1 (REI-1) as a unique family of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) for RAB-11 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Although REI-1 and its human homolog SH3-binding protein 5 do not contain any known Rab-GEF domains, they exhibited strong GEF activity toward Rab11 in vitro. In C. elegans, REI-1 is expressed in the germline and co-localizes with RAB-11 on the late-Golgi membranes. The loss of REI-1 specifically impaired the targeting of RAB-11 to the late-Golgi compartment and the recycling endosomes in embryos and further reduced the RAB-11 distribution to the cleavage furrow, which resulted in cytokinesis delay. These results suggest that REI-1 is a GEF specifically regulating the RAB-11 localization and functions in early embryos.

High-Throughput Cloning of Temperature-Sensitive Caenorhabditis elegans Mutants with Adult Syncytial Germline Membrane Architecture Defects

The adult Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite gonad consists of two mirror-symmetric U-shaped arms, with germline nuclei located peripherally in the distal regions of each arm. The nuclei are housed within membrane cubicles that are open to the center, forming a syncytium with a shared cytoplasmic core called the rachis. As the distal germline nuclei progress through meiotic prophase, they move proximally and eventually cellularize as their compartments grow in size. The development and maintenance of this complex and dynamic germline membrane architecture are relatively unexplored, and we have used a forward genetic screen to identify 20 temperature-sensitive mutations in 19 essential genes that cause defects in the germline membrane architecture. Using a combined genome-wide SNP mapping and whole genome sequencing strategy, we have identified the causal mutations in 10 of these mutants. Four of the genes we have identified are conserved, with orthologs known to be involved in membrane biology, and are required for proper development or maintenance of the adult germline membrane architecture. This work provides a starting point for further investigation of the mechanisms that control the dynamics of syncytial membrane architecture during adult oogenesis.

An AGEF-1/Arf GTPase/AP-1 ensemble antagonizes LET-23 EGFR basolateral localization and signaling during C. elegans vulva induction

LET-23 Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling specifies the vulval cell fates during C. elegans larval development. LET-23 EGFR localization on the basolateral membrane of the vulval precursor cells (VPCs) is required to engage the LIN-3 EGF-like inductive signal. The LIN-2 Cask/LIN-7 Veli/LIN-10 Mint (LIN-2/7/10) complex binds LET-23 EGFR, is required for its basolateral membrane localization, and therefore, vulva induction. Besides the LIN-2/7/10 complex, the trafficking pathways that regulate LET-23 EGFR localization have not been defined. Here we identify vh4, a hypomorphic allele of agef-1, as a strong suppressor of the lin-2 mutant Vulvaless (Vul) phenotype. AGEF-1 is homologous to the mammalian BIG1 and BIG2 Arf GTPase guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), which regulate secretory traffic between the Trans-Golgi network, endosomes and the plasma membrane via activation of Arf GTPases and recruitment of the AP-1 clathrin adaptor complex. Consistent with a role in trafficking we show that AGEF-1 is required for protein secretion and that AGEF-1 and the AP-1 complex regulate endosome size in coelomocytes. The AP-1 complex has previously been implicated in negative regulation of LET-23 EGFR, however the mechanism was not known. Our genetic data indicate that AGEF-1 is a strong negative regulator of LET-23 EGFR signaling that functions in the VPCs at the level of the receptor. In line with AGEF-1 being an Arf GEF, we identify the ARF-1.2 and ARF-3 GTPases as also negatively regulating signaling. We find that the agef-1(vh4) mutation results in increased LET-23 EGFR on the basolateral membrane in both wild-type and lin-2 mutant animals. Furthermore, unc-101(RNAi), a component of the AP-1 complex, increased LET-23 EGFR on the basolateral membrane in lin-2 and agef-1(vh4); lin-2 mutant animals. Thus, an AGEF-1/Arf GTPase/AP-1 ensemble functions opposite the LIN-2/7/10 complex to antagonize LET-23 EGFR basolateral membrane localization and signaling.

An RNAi-based suppressor screen identifies interactors of the Myt1 ortholog of Caenorhabditis elegans

Oocyte maturation in all species is controlled by a protein complex termed the maturation promoting factor (MPF). MPF comprises a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) and its partner cyclin, and it is regulated by dueling regulatory phosphorylation events on the CDK. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the Wee1/Myt1 ortholog WEE-1.3 provides the inhibitory phosphorylations on CDK-1 that keep MPF inactive and halt meiosis. Prior work has shown that depletion of WEE-1.3 in C. elegans results in precocious oocyte maturation in vivo and a highly penetrant infertility phenotype. This study sought to further define the precocious maturation phenotype and to identify novel interactors with WEE-1.3. We found that WEE-1.3 is expressed throughout the germline and in developing embryos in a perinuclear pattern, and demonstrated that oocytes in WEE-1.3–depleted germlines have begun to transcribe embryonic genes and exhibit inappropriate expression of proteins normally restricted to fertilized eggs. In addition, we performed an RNAi suppressor screen of the infertile phenotype to identify novel factors that, when co-depleted with WEE-1.3, restore fertility to these animals. We screened ∼1900 essential genes by RNAi feeding and identified 44 (∼2% of the tested genes) that are suppressors of the WEE-1.3 depletion phenotype. The suppressors include many previously unidentified players in the meiotic cell cycle and represent a pool of potential WEE-1.3 interacting proteins that function during C. elegans oocyte maturation and zygotic development.

The small GTPase Arf1 modulates mitochondrial morphology and function

The small GTPase Arf1 plays critical roles in membrane traffic by initiating the recruitment of coat proteins and by modulating the activity of lipid-modifying enzymes. Here, we report an unexpected but evolutionarily conserved role for Arf1 and the ArfGEF GBF1 at mitochondria. Loss of function of ARF-1 or GBF-1 impaired mitochondrial morphology and activity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Similarly, mitochondrial defects were observed in mammalian and yeast cells. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, aberrant clusters of the mitofusin Fzo1 accumulated in arf1-11 mutants and were resolved by overexpression of Cdc48, an AAA-ATPase involved in ER and mitochondria-associated degradation processes. Yeast Arf1 co-fractionated with ER and mitochondrial membranes and interacted genetically with the contact site component Gem1. Furthermore, similar mitochondrial abnormalities resulted from knockdown of either GBF-1 or contact site components in worms, suggesting that the role of Arf1 in mitochondrial functioning is linked to ER-mitochondrial contacts. Thus, Arf1 is involved in mitochondrial homeostasis and dynamics, independent of its role in vesicular traffic.

Caenorhabditis elegans chaperonin CCT/TRiC is required for actin and tubulin biogenesis and microvillus formation in intestinal epithelial cells

Intestinal epithelial cells have unique apical membrane structures, known as microvilli, that contain bundles of actin microfilaments. In this study, we report that Caenorhabditis elegans cytosolic chaperonin containing TCP-1 (CCT) is essential for proper formation of microvilli in intestinal cells. In intestinal cells of cct-5(RNAi) animals, a substantial amount of actin is lost from the apical area, forming large aggregates in the cytoplasm, and the apical membrane is deformed into abnormal, bubble-like structures. The length of the intestinal microvilli is decreased in these animals. However, the overall actin protein levels remain relatively unchanged when CCT is depleted. We also found that CCT depletion causes a reduction in the tubulin levels and disorganization of the microtubule network. In contrast, the stability and localization of intermediate filament protein IFB-2, which forms a dense filamentous network underneath the apical surface, appears to be superficially normal in CCT-deficient cells, suggesting substrate specificity of CCT in the folding of filamentous cytoskeletons in vivo. Our findings demonstrate physiological functions of CCT in epithelial cell morphogenesis using whole animals.

In vivo imaging of C. elegans endocytosis

Over the past decade, the early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo has proven to be a useful animal model to study a variety of membrane trafficking events, at least in part due to its large size, optical transparency, and ease of manipulation. Importantly, the stereotypic nature of membrane remodeling that occurs during early embryogenesis has enabled quantitative measurement of endocytic flux. In the absence of exogenous stimulation, resumption of the cell cycle triggered by fertilization is coupled to a dramatic redistribution of plasma membrane content. Numerous proteins are rapidly internalized via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, and the fate of these cargoes can be followed precisely using live imaging in utero. Key to these studies is the maintenance of animal health and their immobilization, which can become technically challenging during extended imaging sessions. Here we highlight recent advances in live imaging techniques that have facilitated the interrogation of endocytic transport in live animals. We focus on the use of transgenic C. elegans strains that stably express fluorescently-tagged proteins, including components of the endosomal system and cargo molecules that traverse this network of membranes. Our findings demonstrate the utility of the C. elegans embryo in defining regulatory mechanisms that control the numerous steps of endocytic trafficking.

CLN3 deficient cells display defects in the ARF1-Cdc42 pathway and actin-dependent events

Juvenile Batten disease (juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, JNCL) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in CLN3, a protein of undefined function. Cell lines derived from patients or mice with CLN3 deficiency have impairments in actin-regulated processes such as endocytosis, autophagy, vesicular trafficking, and cell migration. Here we demonstrate the small GTPase Cdc42 is misregulated in the absence of CLN3, and thus may be a common link to multiple cellular defects. We discover that active Cdc42 (Cdc42-GTP) is elevated in endothelial cells from CLN3 deficient mouse brain, and correlates with enhanced PAK-1 phosphorylation, LIMK membrane recruitment, and altered actin-driven events. We also demonstrate dramatically reduced plasma membrane recruitment of the Cdc42 GTPase activating protein, ARHGAP21. In line with this, GTP-loaded ARF1, an effector of ARHGAP21 recruitment, is depressed. Together these data implicate misregulated ARF1-Cdc42 signaling as a central defect in JNCL cells, which in-turn impairs various cell functions. Furthermore our findings support concerted action of ARF1, ARHGAP21, and Cdc42 to regulate fluid phase endocytosis in mammalian cells. The ARF1-Cdc42 pathway presents a promising new avenue for JNCL therapeutic development.

C. elegans as a model for membrane traffic

The counterbalancing action of the endocytosis and secretory pathways maintains a dynamic equilibrium that regulates the composition of the plasma membrane, allowing it to maintain homeostasis and to change rapidly in response to alterations in the extracellular environment and/or intracellular metabolism. These pathways are intimately integrated with intercellular signaling systems and play critical roles in all cells. Studies in Caenorhabditis elegans have revealed diverse roles of membrane trafficking in physiology and development and have also provided molecular insight into the fundamental mechanisms that direct cargo sorting, vesicle budding, and membrane fisson and fusion. In this review, we summarize progress in understanding membrane trafficking mechanisms derived from work in C. elegans, focusing mainly on work done in non-neuronal cell-types, especially the germline, early embryo, coelomocytes, and intestine.

Fertilization-induced K63-linked ubiquitylation mediates clearance of maternal membrane proteins

In Caenorhabditis elegans, fertilization triggers endocytosis and rapid turnover of maternal surface membrane proteins in lysosomes, although the precise mechanism of this inducible endocytosis is unknown. We found that high levels of K63-linked ubiquitin chains transiently accumulated on endosomes upon fertilization. Endocytosis and the endosomal accumulation of ubiquitin were both regulated downstream of the anaphase-promoting complex, which drives the oocyte’s meiotic cell cycle after fertilization. The clearance of maternal membrane proteins and the accumulation of K63-linked ubiquitin on endosomes depended on UBC-13 and UEV-1, which function as an E2 complex that specifically mediates chain elongation of K63-linked polyubiquitin. CAV-1-GFP, an endocytic cargo protein, was modified with K63-linked polyubiquitin in a UBC-13/UEV-1-dependent manner. In ubc-13 or uev-1 mutants, CAV-1-GFP and other membrane proteins were internalized from the plasma membrane normally after fertilization. However, they were not efficiently targeted to the multivesicular body (MVB) pathway but recycled to the cell surface. Our results suggest that UBC-13-dependent K63-linked ubiquitylation is required for proper MVB sorting rather than for internalization. These results also demonstrate a developmentally controlled function of K63-linked ubiquitylation.

Vasopressin induces apical expression of caveolin in rat kidney collecting duct principal cells

Caveolin (Cav)1 is expressed in the basolateral membrane domain of renal collecting duct (CD) principal cells (PCs), where it is associated with caveolae. To reveal any potential involvement of Cav1 in vasopressin signaling, we used specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to examine its localization in CD PCs of Brattleboro (BB) rats treated with vasopressin (DDAVP). Compared with controls, immunofluorescence revealed a time-dependent increase in Cav1 expression in the apical membrane domain of PCs, where it overlapped with aquaporin-2 (AQP2). After 24 h of DDAVP treatment, Cav1 was visible as an increased number of small apical spots. The staining gradually became more extensive, and, after 2 wk of DDAVP, it occupied the majority of the apical membrane domain of many PCs. Cav1 also assumed an apical localization in PCs of DDAVP-treated Sprague-Dawley and Long-Evans rats. Similarly, Cav2 appeared at the apical pole of PCs after DDAVP treatment of BB, Sprague-Dawley, and Long-Evans rats. Immunogold electron microscopy confirmed bipolar Cav1 membrane expression in DDAVP-treated BB rats, whereas caveolae were only detected on the basolateral membrane. Immunoblot analysis of BB rat whole kidney homogenates revealed no significant increase in Cav1 levels in DDAVP-treated rats, suggesting that DDAVP induces Cav1 relocalization or modifies its targeting. We conclude that Cav1 and Cav2 trafficking and membrane localization are dramatically altered by the action of DDAVP. Importantly, the absence of apical caveolae indicates that while Cavs may have an as yet undetermined role in vasopressin-regulated signaling processes, this is probably unrelated to AQP2 internalization by caveolae.

Regulation of ubiquitin-dependent cargo sorting by multiple endocytic adaptors at the plasma membrane

Endocytic protein trafficking is directed by sorting signals on cargo molecules that are recognized by cytosolic adaptor proteins. However, the steps necessary to segregate the variety of cargoes during endocytosis remain poorly defined. Using Caenorhabditis elegans, we demonstrate that multiple plasma membrane endocytic adaptors function redundantly to regulate clathrin-mediated endocytosis and to recruit components of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery to the cell surface to direct the sorting of ubiquitin-modified substrates. Moreover, our data suggest that preassembly of cargoes with the ESCRT-0 complex at the plasma membrane enhances the efficiency of downstream sorting events in the endolysosomal system. In the absence of a heterooligomeric adaptor complex composed of FCHO, Eps15, and intersectin, ESCRT-0 accumulation at the cell surface is diminished, and the degradation of a ubiquitin-modified cargo slows significantly without affecting the rate of its clathrin-mediated internalization. Consistent with a role for the ESCRT machinery during cargo endocytosis, we further show that the ESCRT-0 complex accumulates at a subset of clathrin-coated pits on the surface of human cells. Our findings suggest a unique mechanism by which ubiquitin-modified cargoes are sequestered into the endolysosomal pathway.

The ArfGEF GBF-1 Is Required for ER Structure, Secretion and Endocytic Transport in C. elegans

Small GTPases of the Sar/Arf family are essential to generate transport containers that mediate communication between organelles of the secretory pathway. Guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEFs) activate the small GTPases and help their anchorage in the membrane. Thus, GEFs in a way temporally and spatially control Sar1/Arf1 GTPase activation. We investigated the role of the ArfGEF GBF-1 in C. elegans oocytes and intestinal epithelial cells. GBF-1 localizes to the cis-Golgi and is part of the t-ER-Golgi elements. GBF-1 is required for secretion and Golgi integrity. In addition, gbf-1(RNAi) causes the ER reticular structure to become dispersed, without destroying ER exit sites (ERES) because the ERES protein SEC-16 was still localized in distinct punctae at t-ER-Golgi units. Moreover, GBF-1 plays a role in receptor-mediated endocytosis in oocytes, without affecting recycling pathways. We find that both the yolk receptor RME-2 and the recycling endosome-associated RAB-11 localize similarly in control and gbf-1(RNAi) oocytes. While RAB5-positive early endosomes appear to be less prominent and the RAB-5 levels are reduced by gbf-1(RNAi) in the intestine, RAB-7-positive late endosomes were more abundant and formed aggregates and tubular structures. Our data suggest a role for GBF-1 in ER structure and endosomal traffic.

Cholesterol depletion disorganizes oocyte membrane rafts altering mouse fertilization

Drastic membrane reorganization occurs when mammalian sperm binds to and fuses with the oocyte membrane. Two oocyte protein families are essential for fertilization, tetraspanins and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins. The firsts are associated to tetraspanin-enriched microdomains and the seconds to lipid rafts. Here we report membrane raft involvement in mouse fertilization assessed by cholesterol modulation using methyl-β-cyclodextrin. Cholesterol removal induced: (1) a decrease of the fertilization rate and index; and (2) a delay in the extrusion of the second polar body. Cholesterol repletion recovered the fertilization ability of cholesterol-depleted oocytes, indicating reversibility of these effects. In vivo time-lapse analyses using fluorescent cholesterol permitted to identify the time-point at which the probe is mainly located at the plasma membrane enabling the estimation of the extent of the cholesterol depletion. We confirmed that the mouse oocyte is rich in rafts according to the presence of the raft marker lipid, ganglioside GM1 on the membrane of living oocytes and we identified the coexistence of two types of microdomains, planar rafts and caveolae-like structures, by terms of two differential rafts markers, flotillin-2 and caveolin-1, respectively. Moreover, this is the first report that shows characteristic caveolae-like invaginations in the mouse oocyte identified by electron microscopy. Raft disruption by cholesterol depletion disturbed the subcellular localization of the signal molecule c-Src and the inhibition of Src kinase proteins prevented second polar body extrusion, consistent with a role of Src-related kinases in fertilization via signaling complexes. Our data highlight the functional importance of intact membrane rafts for mouse fertilization and its dependence on cholesterol.

Dynamic regulation of autophagy and endocytosis for cell remodeling during early development

Fertilization triggers cell remodeling from each gamete to a totipotent zygote. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system, it has been revealed that lysosomal degradation pathways play important roles in cellular remodeling during this developmental transition. Endocytosis and autophagy, two pathways leading to the lysosomes, are highly upregulated during this period. A subset of maternal membrane proteins is selectively endocytosed and degraded in the lysosomes before the first mitotic cell division. Autophagy is also induced shortly after fertilization and executes the degradation of paternally inherited embryonic organelles, e.g. mitochondria and membranous organelles. This mechanism underlies the maternal inheritance of the mitochondrial genome. Autophagy is also required for the removal of extra P-granule (germ granules in C. elegans) components in somatic cells of early embryos and thereby for the specific distribution of P-granules to germ cells. This review focuses on recent advances in the study of the physiological roles and mechanisms of lysosomal pathways during early development in C. elegans.

Worming our way in and out of the Caenorhabditis elegans germline and developing embryo

The germline and embryo of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have emerged as powerful model systems to study membrane dynamics in an intact, developing animal. In large part, this is due to the architecture of the reproductive system, which necessitates de novo membrane and organelle biogenesis within the stem cell niche to drive compartmentalization throughout the gonad syncytium. Additionally, membrane reorganization events during oocyte maturation and fertilization have been demonstrated to be highly stereotypic, facilitating the development of quantitative assays to measure the impact of perturbations on protein transport. This review will focus on regulatory mechanisms that govern protein trafficking, which have been elucidated using a combination of C. elegans genetics, biochemistry and high-resolution microscopy. Collectively, studies using the simple worm highlight an important niche that the organism holds to define new pathways that regulate vesicle transport, many of which appear to be absent in unicellular systems but remain highly conserved in mammals.

Control of oocyte growth and meiotic maturation in Caenorhabditis elegans

In sexually reproducing animals, oocytes arrest at diplotene or diakinesis and resume meiosis (meiotic maturation) in response to hormones. Chromosome segregation errors in female meiosis I are the leading cause of human birth defects, and age-related changes in the hormonal environment of the ovary are a suggested cause. Caenorhabditis elegans is emerging as a genetic paradigm for studying hormonal control of meiotic maturation. The meiotic maturation processes in C. elegans and mammals share a number of biological and molecular similarities. Major sperm protein (MSP) and luteinizing hormone (LH), though unrelated in sequence, both trigger meiotic resumption using somatic Gα(s)-adenylate cyclase pathways and soma-germline gap-junctional communication. At a molecular level, the oocyte responses apparently involve the control of conserved protein kinase pathways and post-transcriptional gene regulation in the oocyte. At a cellular level, the responses include cortical cytoskeletal rearrangement, nuclear envelope breakdown, assembly of the acentriolar meiotic spindle, chromosome segregation, and likely changes important for fertilization and the oocyte-to-embryo transition. This chapter focuses on signaling mechanisms required for oocyte growth and meiotic maturation in C. elegans and discusses how these mechanisms coordinate the completion of meiosis and the oocyte-to-embryo transition.

Studying membrane trafficking in the worm C. elegans by RNA interference

A powerful approach to gain understanding of molecular machinery responsible for membrane trafficking is through inactivation of gene function by RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi-mediated gene silencing occurs when a double-stranded RNA is introduced into cells and targets a complementary mRNA for degradation. The subsequent lack of mRNA prevents the synthesis of the corresponding protein and ultimately causes depletion of a particular gene product from the cell. The effects of such depletion can then by analyzed by functional, morphological, and biochemical assays. RNAi-mediated knockdowns of numerous gene products in cultured cells of mammalian and other species origins have provided significant new insight into traffic regulation and represent standard approaches in current cell biology. However, RNAi in the multicellular nematode Caenorhabditis elegans model allows RNAi studies within the context of a whole organism, and thus provides an unprecedented opportunity to explore effects of specific trafficking regulators within the context of distinct developmental stages and diverse cell types. In addition, various transgenic C. elegans strains have been developed that express marker proteins tagged with fluorescent proteins to facilitate the analysis of trafficking within the secretory and endocytic pathways. This chapter provides a detailed description of a basic RNAi approach that can be used to analyze the function of any gene of interest in secretory and endosomal trafficking in C. elegans.

Hierarchical assembly of the eggshell and permeability barrier in C. elegans

Assembly of the trilaminar eggshell and development of the permeability barrier after fertilization in C. elegans are distinct in their timing and mechanism.

In metazoans, fertilization triggers the assembly of an extracellular coat that constitutes the interface between the embryo and its environment. In nematodes, this coat is the eggshell, which provides mechanical rigidity, prevents polyspermy, and is impermeable to small molecules. Using immunoelectron microscopy, we found that the Caenorhabditis elegans eggshell was composed of an outer vitelline layer, a middle chitin layer, and an inner layer containing chondroitin proteoglycans. The switch between the chitin and proteoglycan layers was achieved by internalization of chitin synthase coincident with exocytosis of proteoglycan-containing cortical granules. Inner layer assembly did not make the zygote impermeable as previously proposed. Instead, correlative light and electron microscopy demonstrated that the permeability barrier was a distinct envelope that formed in a separate step that required fatty acid synthesis, the sugar-modifying enzyme PERM-1, and the acyl chain transfer enzyme DGTR-1. These findings delineate the hierarchy of eggshell assembly and define key molecular mechanisms at each step.