1
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Sundaram MV, Pujol N. The Caenorhabditis elegans cuticle and precuticle: a model for studying dynamic apical extracellular matrices in vivo. Genetics 2024:iyae072. [PMID: 38995735 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) coat the exposed surfaces of animal bodies to shape tissues, influence social interactions, and protect against pathogens and other environmental challenges. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, collagenous cuticle and zona pellucida protein-rich precuticle aECMs alternately coat external epithelia across the molt cycle and play many important roles in the worm's development, behavior, and physiology. Both these types of aECMs contain many matrix proteins related to those in vertebrates, as well as some that are nematode-specific. Extensive differences observed among tissues and life stages demonstrate that aECMs are a major feature of epithelial cell identity. In addition to forming discrete layers, some cuticle components assemble into complex substructures such as ridges, furrows, and nanoscale pillars. The epidermis and cuticle are mechanically linked, allowing the epidermis to sense cuticle damage and induce protective innate immune and stress responses. The C. elegans model, with its optical transparency, facilitates the study of aECM cell biology and structure/function relationships and all the myriad ways by which aECM can influence an organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meera V Sundaram
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nathalie Pujol
- Aix Marseille University, INSERM, CNRS, CIML, Turing Centre for Living Systems, 13009 Marseille, France
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2
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Schön JL, Groß VE, Post WB, Daum A, Matúš D, Pilz J, Schnorr R, Horn S, Bäumers M, Weidtkamp-Peters S, Hughes S, Schöneberg T, Prömel S. The adhesion GPCR and PCP component flamingo (FMI-1) alters body size and regulates the composition of the extracellular matrix. Matrix Biol 2024; 128:1-10. [PMID: 38378098 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2024.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a network of macromolecules that presents a vital scaffold for cells and enables multiple ways of cellular communication. Thus, it is essential for many physiological processes such as development, tissue morphogenesis, homeostasis, the shape and partially the size of the body and its organs. To ensure these, the composition of the ECM is tissue-specific and highly dynamic. ECM homeostasis is therefore tightly controlled by several mechanisms. Here, we show that FMI-1, the homolog of the Adhesion GPCR Flamingo/CELSR/ADGRC in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, modulates the composition of the ECM by controlling the production both of ECM molecules such as collagens and also of ECM modifying enzymes. Thereby, FMI-1 affects the morphology and functionality of the nematode´s cuticle, which is mainly composed of ECM, and also modulates the body size. Mechanistic analyses highlight the fact that FMI-1 exerts its function from neurons non-cell autonomously (trans) solely via its extracellular N terminus. Our data support a model, by which the activity of the receptor, which has a well-described role in the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway, involves the PCP molecule VANG-1, but seems to be independent of the DBL-1/BMP pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Lena Schön
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Victoria Elisabeth Groß
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Willem Berend Post
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexandra Daum
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Daniel Matúš
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Johanna Pilz
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rene Schnorr
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Susanne Horn
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Miriam Bäumers
- Center for Advanced Imaging, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Samantha Hughes
- A-LIFE, Section Environmental Health and Toxicology, Free University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Torsten Schöneberg
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany; School of Medicine, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Simone Prömel
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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3
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Woodruff GC, Willis JH, Johnson E, Phillips PC. Widespread changes in gene expression accompany body size evolution in nematodes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.30.564729. [PMID: 37961435 PMCID: PMC10635002 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.30.564729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Body size is a fundamental trait that drives multiple evolutionary and ecological patterns. Caenorhabditis inopinata is a fig-associated nematode that is exceptionally large relative to other members of the genus, including C. elegans. We previously showed that C. inopinata is large primarily due to postembryonic cell size expansion that occurs during the larval-to-adult transition. Here, we describe gene expression patterns in C. elegans and C. inopinata throughout this developmental period to understand the transcriptional basis of body size change. We performed RNA-seq in both species across the L3, L4, and adult stages. Most genes are differentially expressed across all developmental stages, consistent with C. inopinata's divergent ecology and morphology. We also used a model comparison approach to identify orthologs with divergent dynamics across this developmental period between the two species. This included genes connected to neurons, behavior, stress response, developmental timing, and small RNA/chromatin regulation. Multiple hypodermal collagens were also observed to harbor divergent developmental dynamics across this period, and genes important for molting and body morphology were also detected. Genes associated with TGF-β signaling revealed idiosyncratic and unexpected transcriptional patterns given their role in body size regulation in C. elegans. Widespread transcriptional divergence between these species is unexpected and may be a signature of the ecological and morphological divergence of C. inopinata. Alternatively, transcriptional turnover may be the rule in the Caenorhabditis genus, indicative of widespread developmental system drift among species. This work lays the foundation for future functional genetic studies interrogating the bases of body size evolution in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin C Woodruff
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
- Current institution: University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
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4
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Reich H, Savage-Dunn C. Signaling circuits and the apical extracellular matrix in aging: connections identified in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2023; 325:C1201-C1211. [PMID: 37721005 PMCID: PMC10861026 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00195.2023] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Numerous conserved signaling pathways play critical roles in aging, including insulin/IGF-1, TGF-β, and Wnt pathways. Some of these pathways also play prominent roles in the formation and maintenance of the extracellular matrix. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been an enduringly productive system for the identification of conserved mechanisms of biological aging. Recent studies in C. elegans highlight the regulatory circuits between conserved signaling pathways and the extracellular matrix, revealing a bidirectional relationship between these factors and providing a platform to address how regulation of and by the extracellular matrix can impact lifespan and organismal health during aging. These discoveries provide new opportunities for clinical advances and novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Reich
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York, United States
| | - Cathy Savage-Dunn
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York, United States
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, United States
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5
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Yamamoto KK, Savage-Dunn C. TGF-β pathways in aging and immunity: lessons from Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Genet 2023; 14:1220068. [PMID: 37732316 PMCID: PMC10507863 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1220068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily of signaling molecules plays critical roles in development, differentiation, homeostasis, and disease. Due to the conservation of these ligands and their signaling pathways, genetic studies in invertebrate systems including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have been instrumental in identifying signaling mechanisms. C. elegans is also a premier organism for research in longevity and healthy aging. Here we summarize current knowledge on the roles of TGF-β signaling in aging and immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cathy Savage-Dunn
- Department of Biology, Queens College, and PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York City, NY, United States
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6
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Zhao Q, Rangan R, Weng S, Özdemir C, Sarinay Cenik E. Inhibition of ribosome biogenesis in the epidermis is sufficient to trigger organism-wide growth quiescence independently of nutritional status in C. elegans. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002276. [PMID: 37651423 PMCID: PMC10499265 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Interorgan communication is crucial for multicellular organismal growth, development, and homeostasis. Cell nonautonomous inhibitory cues, which limit tissue-specific growth alterations, are not well characterized due to cell ablation approach limitations. In this study, we employed the auxin-inducible degradation system in C. elegans to temporally and spatially modulate ribosome biogenesis, through depletion of essential factors (RPOA-2, GRWD-1, or TSR-2). Our findings reveal that embryo-wide inhibition of ribosome biogenesis induces a reversible early larval growth quiescence, distinguished by a unique gene expression signature that is different from starvation or dauer stages. When ribosome biogenesis is inhibited in volumetrically similar tissues, including body wall muscle, epidermis, pharynx, intestine, or germ line, it results in proportionally stunted growth across the organism to different degrees. We show that specifically inhibiting ribosome biogenesis in the epidermis is sufficient to trigger an organism-wide growth quiescence. Epidermis-specific ribosome depletion leads to larval growth quiescence at the L3 stage, reduces organism-wide protein synthesis, and induced cell nonautonomous gene expression alterations. Further molecular analysis reveals overexpression of secreted proteins, suggesting an organism-wide regulatory mechanism. We find that UNC-31, a dense-core vesicle (DCV) pathway component, plays a significant role in epidermal ribosome biogenesis-mediated growth quiescence. Our tissue-specific knockdown experiments reveal that the organism-wide growth quiescence induced by epidermal-specific ribosome biogenesis inhibition is suppressed by reducing unc-31 expression in the epidermis, but not in neurons or body wall muscles. Similarly, IDA-1, a membrane-associated protein of the DCV, is overexpressed, and its knockdown in epidermis suppresses the organism-wide growth quiescence in response to epidermal ribosome biogenesis inhibition. Finally, we observe an overall increase in DCV puncta labeled by IDA-1 when epidermal ribosome biogenesis is inhibited, and these puncta are present in or near epidermal cells. In conclusion, these findings suggest a novel mechanism of nutrition-independent multicellular growth coordination initiated from the epidermis tissue upon ribosome biogenesis inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxia Zhao
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rekha Rangan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Shinuo Weng
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cem Özdemir
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Elif Sarinay Cenik
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
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7
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Greiffer L, Liebau E, Herrmann FC, Spiegler V. Condensed tannins act as anthelmintics by increasing the rigidity of the nematode cuticle. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18850. [PMID: 36344622 PMCID: PMC9640668 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23566-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Tannins and tanniferous plant extracts have been discussed as sustainable means for helminth control in the past two decades in response to a dramatic increase of resistances towards standard anthelmintics. While their bioactivities have been broadly investigated in vitro and in vivo, less is known about their mode of action in nematodes, apart from their protein binding properties. In the current study we therefore investigated the impact of a phytochemically well characterized plant extract from Combretum mucronatum, known to contain procyanidins as the active compounds, on the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. By different microscopic techniques, the cuticle was identified as the main binding site for tannins, whereas underlying tissues did not seem to be affected. In addition to disruptions of the cuticle structure, molting defects occurred at all larval stages. Finally, an increased rigidity of the nematodes' cuticle due to binding of tannins was confirmed by force spectroscopic measurements. This could be a key finding to explain several anthelmintic activities reported for tannins, especially impairment of molting or exsheathment as well as locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Greiffer
- grid.5949.10000 0001 2172 9288Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Eva Liebau
- grid.5949.10000 0001 2172 9288Institute of Integrative Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Fabian C. Herrmann
- grid.5949.10000 0001 2172 9288Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Verena Spiegler
- grid.5949.10000 0001 2172 9288Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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8
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Changes in body shape implicate cuticle stretch in C. elegans growth control. Cells Dev 2022; 170:203780. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2022.203780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Jofré DM, Hoffman DK, Cervino AS, Hahn GM, Grundy M, Yun S, Amrit FRG, Stolz DB, Godoy LF, Salvatore E, Rossi FA, Ghazi A, Cirio MC, Yanowitz JL, Hochbaum D. The CHARGE syndrome ortholog CHD-7 regulates TGF-β pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2109508119. [PMID: 35394881 PMCID: PMC9169646 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109508119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
CHARGE syndrome is a complex developmental disorder caused by mutations in the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein-7 (CHD7) and characterized by retarded growth and malformations in the heart and nervous system. Despite the public health relevance of this disorder, relevant cellular pathways and targets of CHD7 that relate to disease pathology are still poorly understood. Here we report that chd-7, the nematode ortholog of Chd7, is required for dauer morphogenesis, lifespan determination, stress response, and body size determination. Consistent with our discoveries, we found chd-7 to be allelic to scd-3, a previously identified dauer suppressor from the DAF-7/ tumor growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway. Epistatic analysis places CHD-7 at the level of the DAF-3/DAF-5 complex, but we found that CHD-7 also directly impacts the expression of multiple components of this pathway. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that chd-7 mutants fail to repress daf-9 for execution of the dauer program. In addition, CHD-7 regulates the DBL-1/BMP pathway components and shares roles in male tail development and cuticle synthesis. To explore a potential conserved function for chd-7 in vertebrates, we used Xenopus laevis embryos, an established model to study craniofacial development. Morpholino-mediated knockdown of Chd7 led to a reduction in col2a1 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, a collagen whose expression depends on TGF-β signaling. Both embryonic lethality and craniofacial defects in Chd7-depleted tadpoles were partially rescued by overexpression of col2a1 mRNA. We suggest that Chd7 has conserved roles in regulation of the TGF-β signaling pathway and pathogenic Chd7 could lead to a defective extracellular matrix deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego M. Jofré
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1053 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Ailen S. Cervino
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1053 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriella M. Hahn
- Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | | | - Sijung Yun
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Francis R. G. Amrit
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Donna B. Stolz
- Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Luciana F. Godoy
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1053 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Esteban Salvatore
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1053 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fabiana A. Rossi
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, Universidad Austral, B1630 Pilar, Argentina
| | - Arjumand Ghazi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - M. Cecilia Cirio
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1053 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Judith L. Yanowitz
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Daniel Hochbaum
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1053 Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10
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Goodman MB, Savage-Dunn C. Reciprocal interactions between transforming growth factor beta signaling and collagens: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans. Dev Dyn 2022; 251:47-60. [PMID: 34537996 PMCID: PMC8982858 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in genetically tractable organisms such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have led to pioneering insights into conserved developmental regulatory mechanisms. For example, Smad signal transducers for the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily were first identified in C. elegans and in the fruit fly Drosophila. Recent studies of TGF-β signaling and the extracellular matrix (ECM) in C. elegans have forged unexpected links between signaling and the ECM, yielding novel insights into the reciprocal interactions that occur across tissues and spatial scales, and potentially providing new opportunities for the study of biomechanical regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam B. Goodman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, CA 94304
| | - Cathy Savage-Dunn
- Department of Biology, Queens College at the City University of New York, 11367,Correspondence to: >
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11
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Li Zheng S, Adams JG, Chisholm AD. Form and function of the apical extracellular matrix: new insights from Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and the vertebrate inner ear. Fac Rev 2020; 9:27. [PMID: 33659959 PMCID: PMC7886070 DOI: 10.12703/r/9-27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) are the extracellular layers on the apical sides of epithelia. aECMs form the outer layer of the skin in most animals and line the luminal surface of internal tubular epithelia. Compared to the more conserved basal ECMs (basement membranes), aECMs are highly diverse between tissues and between organisms and have been more challenging to understand at mechanistic levels. Studies in several genetic model organisms are revealing new insights into aECM composition, biogenesis, and function and have begun to illuminate common principles and themes of aECM organization. There is emerging evidence that, in addition to mechanical or structural roles, aECMs can participate in reciprocal signaling with associated epithelia and other cell types. Studies are also revealing mechanisms underlying the intricate nanopatterns exhibited by many aECMs. In this review, we highlight recent findings from well-studied model systems, including the external cuticle and ductal aECMs of Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and other insects and the internal aECMs of the vertebrate inner ear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry Li Zheng
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jennifer Gotenstein Adams
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Andrew D Chisholm
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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12
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Cohen JD, Sundaram MV. C. elegans Apical Extracellular Matrices Shape Epithelia. J Dev Biol 2020; 8:E23. [PMID: 33036165 PMCID: PMC7712855 DOI: 10.3390/jdb8040023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) coat exposed surfaces of epithelia to shape developing tissues and protect them from environmental insults. Despite their widespread importance for human health, aECMs are poorly understood compared to basal and stromal ECMs. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contains a variety of distinct aECMs, some of which share many of the same types of components (lipids, lipoproteins, collagens, zona pellucida domain proteins, chondroitin glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans) with mammalian aECMs. These aECMs include the eggshell, a glycocalyx-like pre-cuticle, both collagenous and chitin-based cuticles, and other understudied aECMs of internal epithelia. C. elegans allows rapid genetic manipulations and live imaging of fluorescently-tagged aECM components, and is therefore providing new insights into aECM structure, trafficking, assembly, and functions in tissue shaping.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meera V. Sundaram
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine 415 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6145, USA;
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