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Copley RR, Buttin J, Arguel MJ, Williaume G, Lebrigand K, Barbry P, Hudson C, Yasuo H. Early transcriptional similarities between two distinct neural lineages during ascidian embryogenesis. Dev Biol 2024; 514:1-11. [PMID: 38878991 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
In chordates, the central nervous system arises from precursors that have distinct developmental and transcriptional trajectories. Anterior nervous systems are ontogenically associated with ectodermal lineages while posterior nervous systems are associated with mesoderm. Taking advantage of the well-documented cell lineage of ascidian embryos, we asked to what extent the transcriptional states of the different neural lineages become similar during the course of progressive lineage restriction. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analyses on hand-dissected neural precursor cells of the two distinct lineages, together with those of their sister cell lineages, with a high temporal resolution covering five successive cell cycles from the 16-cell to neural plate stages. A transcription factor binding site enrichment analysis of neural specific genes at the neural plate stage revealed limited evidence for shared transcriptional control between the two neural lineages, consistent with their different ontogenies. Nevertheless, PCA analysis and hierarchical clustering showed that, by neural plate stages, the two neural lineages cluster together. Consistent with this, we identified a set of genes enriched in both neural lineages at the neural plate stage, including miR-124, Celf3.a, Zic.r-b, and Ets1/2. Altogether, the current study has revealed genome-wide transcriptional dynamics of neural progenitor cells of two distinct developmental origins. Our scRNA-seq dataset is unique and provides a valuable resource for future analyses, enabling a precise temporal resolution of cell types not previously described from dissociated embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard R Copley
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR7009, 06230, Villefranche-sur-mer, France.
| | - Julia Buttin
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR7009, 06230, Villefranche-sur-mer, France
| | - Marie-Jeanne Arguel
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7275, 06560, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Géraldine Williaume
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR7009, 06230, Villefranche-sur-mer, France
| | - Kevin Lebrigand
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7275, 06560, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Pascal Barbry
- Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7275, 06560, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Clare Hudson
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR7009, 06230, Villefranche-sur-mer, France
| | - Hitoyoshi Yasuo
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR7009, 06230, Villefranche-sur-mer, France.
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2
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Othonicar MF, Garcia GS, Oliveira MT. The alternative enzymes-bearing tunicates lack multiple widely distributed genes coding for peripheral OXPHOS subunits. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2024; 1865:149046. [PMID: 38642871 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2024.149046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
The respiratory chain alternative enzymes (AEs) NDX and AOX from the tunicate Ciona intestinalis (Ascidiacea) have been xenotopically expressed and characterized in human cells in culture and in the model organisms Drosophila melanogaster and mouse, with the purpose of developing bypass therapies to combat mitochondrial diseases in human patients with defective complexes I and III/IV, respectively. The fact that the genes coding for NDX and AOX have been lost from genomes of evolutionarily successful animal groups, such as vertebrates and insects, led us to investigate if the composition of the respiratory chain of Ciona and other tunicates differs significantly from that of humans and Drosophila, to accommodate the natural presence of AEs. We have failed to identify in tunicate genomes fifteen orthologous genes that code for subunits of the respiratory chain complexes; all of these putatively missing subunits are peripheral to complexes I, III and IV in mammals, and many are important for complex-complex interaction in supercomplexes (SCs), such as NDUFA11, UQCR11 and COX7A. Modeling of all respiratory chain subunit polypeptides of Ciona indicates significant structural divergence that is consistent with the lack of these fifteen clear orthologous subunits. We also provide evidence using Ciona AOX expressed in Drosophila that this AE cannot access the coenzyme Q pool reduced by complex I, but it is readily available to oxidize coenzyme Q molecules reduced by glycerophosphate oxidase, a mitochondrial inner membrane-bound dehydrogenase that is not involved in SCs. Altogether, our results suggest that Ciona AEs might have evolved in a mitochondrial inner membrane environment much different from that of mammals and insects, possibly without SCs; this correlates with the preferential functional interaction between these AEs and non-SC dehydrogenases in heterologous mammalian and insect systems. We discuss the implications of these findings for the applicability of Ciona AEs in human bypass therapies and for our understanding of the evolution of animal respiratory chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murilo F Othonicar
- Departamento de Biotecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Geovana S Garcia
- Departamento de Biotecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos T Oliveira
- Departamento de Biotecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
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3
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Buono L, Annona G, Magri MS, Negueruela S, Sepe RM, Caccavale F, Maeso I, Arnone MI, D’Aniello S. Conservation of cis-Regulatory Syntax Underlying Deuterostome Gastrulation. Cells 2024; 13:1121. [PMID: 38994973 PMCID: PMC11240583 DOI: 10.3390/cells13131121] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Throughout embryonic development, the shaping of the functional and morphological characteristics of embryos is orchestrated by an intricate interaction between transcription factors and cis-regulatory elements. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of deuterostome cis-regulatory landscapes during gastrulation, focusing on four paradigmatic species: the echinoderm Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, the cephalochordate Branchiostoma lanceolatum, the urochordate Ciona intestinalis, and the vertebrate Danio rerio. Our approach involved comparative computational analysis of ATAC-seq datasets to explore the genome-wide blueprint of conserved transcription factor binding motifs underlying gastrulation. We identified a core set of conserved DNA binding motifs associated with 62 known transcription factors, indicating the remarkable conservation of the gastrulation regulatory landscape across deuterostomes. Our findings offer valuable insights into the evolutionary molecular dynamics of embryonic development, shedding light on conserved regulatory subprograms and providing a comprehensive perspective on the conservation and divergence of gene regulation underlying the gastrulation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Buono
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
| | - Giovanni Annona
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
- Department of Research Infrastructure for Marine Biological Resources (RIMAR), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Marta Silvia Magri
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarollo (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain;
| | | | - Rosa Maria Sepe
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Ammiraglio Ferdinando Acton, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Filomena Caccavale
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
| | - Ignacio Maeso
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Ina Arnone
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
| | - Salvatore D’Aniello
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.A.); (R.M.S.); (F.C.); (M.I.A.)
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4
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Pennati A, Jakobi M, Zeng F, Ciampa L, Rothbächer U. Optimizing CRISPR/Cas9 approaches in the polymorphic tunicate Ciona intestinalis. Dev Biol 2024; 510:31-39. [PMID: 38490564 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.03.003] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 became a powerful tool for genetic engineering and in vivo knockout also in the invertebrate chordate Ciona intestinalis. Ciona (ascidians, tunicates) is an important model organism because it shares developmental features with the vertebrates, considered the sister group of tunicates, and offers outstanding experimental advantages: a compact genome and an invariant developmental cell lineage that, combined with electroporation mediated transgenesis allows for precise and cell type specific targeting in vivo. A high polymorphism and the mosaic expression of electroporated constructs, however, often hamper the efficient CRISPR knockout, and an optimization in Ciona is desirable. Furthermore, seasonality and artificial maintenance settings can profit from in vitro approaches that would save on animals. Here we present improvements for the CRISPR/Cas9 protocol in silico, in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, in designing sgRNAs, prior sequencing of target genomic regions from experimental animals and alignment with reference genomes of C. robusta and C. intestinalis render a correction possible of subspecies polymorphisms. Ideally, the screening for efficient and non-polymorphic sgRNAs will generate a database compatible for worldwide Ciona populations. Secondly, we challenged in vitro assays for sgRNA validation towards reduced in vivo experimentation and report their suitability but also overefficiency concerning mismatch tolerance. Thirdly, when comparing Cas9 with Cas9:Geminin, thought to synchronize editing and homology-direct repair, we could indeed increase the in vivo efficiency and notably the access to an early expressed gene. Finally, for in vivo CRISPR, genotyping by next generation sequencing (NGS) ex vivo streamlined the definition of efficient single guides. Double CRISPR then generates large deletions and reliable phenotypic excision effects. Overall, while these improvements render CRISPR more efficient in Ciona, they are useful when newly establishing the technique and very transferable to CRISPR in other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Pennati
- Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria; Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Miloš Jakobi
- Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria; Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Fan Zeng
- Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria; Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Luca Ciampa
- Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria; Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ute Rothbächer
- Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria; Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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5
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Yokomori R, Kusakabe TG, Nakai K. Characterization of trans-spliced chimeric RNAs: insights into the mechanism of trans-splicing. NAR Genom Bioinform 2024; 6:lqae067. [PMID: 38846348 PMCID: PMC11155486 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqae067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Trans-splicing is a post-transcriptional processing event that joins exons from separate RNAs to produce a chimeric RNA. However, the detailed mechanism of trans-splicing remains poorly understood. Here, we characterize trans-spliced genes and provide insights into the mechanism of trans-splicing in the tunicate Ciona. Tunicates are the closest invertebrates to humans, and their genes frequently undergo trans-splicing. Our analysis revealed that, in genes that give rise to both trans-spliced and non-trans-spliced messenger RNAs, trans-splice acceptor sites were preferentially located at the first functional acceptor site, and their paired donor sites were weak in both Ciona and humans. Additionally, we found that Ciona trans-spliced genes had GU- and AU-rich 5' transcribed regions. Our data and findings not only are useful for Ciona research community, but may also aid in a better understanding of the trans-splicing mechanism, potentially advancing the development of gene therapy based on trans-splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yokomori
- Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Takehiro G Kusakabe
- Institute for Integrative Neurobiology, Graduate School of Natural Science, Konan University, Kobe 658-8501, Japan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Konan University, Kobe 658-8501, Japan
| | - Kenta Nakai
- Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
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6
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Ishida T, Satou Y. Ascidian embryonic cells with properties of neural-crest cells and neuromesodermal progenitors of vertebrates. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:1154-1164. [PMID: 38565680 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02387-8] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Neural-crest cells and neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs) are multipotent cells that are important for development of vertebrate embryos. In embryos of ascidians, which are the closest invertebrate relatives of vertebrates, several cells located at the border between the neural plate and the epidermal region have neural-crest-like properties; hence, the last common ancestor of ascidians and vertebrates may have had ancestral cells similar to neural-crest cells. However, these ascidian neural-crest-like cells do not produce cells that are commonly of mesodermal origin. Here we showed that a cell population located in the lateral region of the neural plate has properties resembling those of vertebrate neural-crest cells and NMPs. Among them, cells with Tbx6-related expression contribute to muscle near the tip of the tail region and cells with Sox1/2/3 expression give rise to the nerve cord. These observations and cross-species transcriptome comparisons indicate that these cells have properties similar to those of NMPs. Meanwhile, transcription factor genes Dlx.b, Zic-r.b and Snai, which are reminiscent of a gene circuit in vertebrate neural-crest cells, are involved in activation of Tbx6-related.b. Thus, the last common ancestor of ascidians and vertebrates may have had cells with properties of neural-crest cells and NMPs and such ancestral cells may have produced cells commonly of ectodermal and mesodermal origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasuku Ishida
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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7
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Plessy C, Mansfield MJ, Bliznina A, Masunaga A, West C, Tan Y, Liu AW, Grašič J, Del Río Pisula MS, Sánchez-Serna G, Fabrega-Torrus M, Ferrández-Roldán A, Roncalli V, Navratilova P, Thompson EM, Onuma T, Nishida H, Cañestro C, Luscombe NM. Extreme genome scrambling in marine planktonic Oikopleura dioica cryptic species. Genome Res 2024; 34:426-440. [PMID: 38621828 PMCID: PMC11067885 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278295.123] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Genome structural variations within species are rare. How selective constraints preserve gene order and chromosome structure is a central question in evolutionary biology that remains unsolved. Our sequencing of several genomes of the appendicularian tunicate Oikopleura dioica around the globe reveals extreme genome scrambling caused by thousands of chromosomal rearrangements, although showing no obvious morphological differences between these animals. The breakpoint accumulation rate is an order of magnitude higher than in ascidian tunicates, nematodes, Drosophila, or mammals. Chromosome arms and sex-specific regions appear to be the primary unit of macrosynteny conservation. At the microsyntenic level, scrambling did not preserve operon structures, suggesting an absence of selective pressure to maintain them. The uncoupling of the genome scrambling with morphological conservation in O. dioica suggests the presence of previously unnoticed cryptic species and provides a new biological system that challenges our previous vision of speciation in which similar animals always share similar genome structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Plessy
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan;
| | - Michael J Mansfield
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Aleksandra Bliznina
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Aki Masunaga
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Charlotte West
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Yongkai Tan
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Andrew W Liu
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Jan Grašič
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - María Sara Del Río Pisula
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Gaspar Sánchez-Serna
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Marc Fabrega-Torrus
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Alfonso Ferrández-Roldán
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Vittoria Roncalli
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Pavla Navratilova
- Centre of Plant Structural and Functional Genomics, Institute of Experimental Botany, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Sars International Centre, University of Bergen, Bergen N-5008, Norway
| | - Eric M Thompson
- Sars International Centre, University of Bergen, Bergen N-5008, Norway
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen N-5020, Norway
| | - Takeshi Onuma
- Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Hiroki Nishida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Cristian Cañestro
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Nicholas M Luscombe
- Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
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Frese AN, Mariossi A, Levine MS, Wühr M. Quantitative proteome dynamics across embryogenesis in a model chordate. iScience 2024; 27:109355. [PMID: 38510129 PMCID: PMC10951915 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolution of gene expression programs underlying the development of vertebrates remains poorly characterized. Here, we present a comprehensive proteome atlas of the model chordate Ciona, covering eight developmental stages and ∼7,000 translated genes, accompanied by a multi-omics analysis of co-evolution with the vertebrate Xenopus. Quantitative proteome comparisons argue against the widely held hourglass model, based solely on transcriptomic profiles, whereby peak conservation is observed during mid-developmental stages. Our analysis reveals maximal divergence at these stages, particularly gastrulation and neurulation. Together, our work provides a valuable resource for evaluating conservation and divergence of multi-omics profiles underlying the diversification of vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander N. Frese
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Andrea Mariossi
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Michael S. Levine
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Martin Wühr
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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9
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Negrón-Piñeiro LJ, Wu Y, Popsuj S, José-Edwards DS, Stolfi A, Di Gregorio A. Cis-regulatory interfaces reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the notochord gene regulatory network of Ciona. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3025. [PMID: 38589372 PMCID: PMC11001920 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46850-3] [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: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Tissue-specific gene expression is fundamental in development and evolution, and is mediated by transcription factors and by the cis-regulatory regions (enhancers) that they control. Transcription factors and their respective tissue-specific enhancers are essential components of gene regulatory networks responsible for the development of tissues and organs. Although numerous transcription factors have been characterized from different organisms, the knowledge of the enhancers responsible for their tissue-specific expression remains fragmentary. Here we use Ciona to study the enhancers associated with ten transcription factors expressed in the notochord, an evolutionary hallmark of the chordate phylum. Our results illustrate how two evolutionarily conserved transcription factors, Brachyury and Foxa2, coordinate the deployment of other notochord transcription factors. The results of these detailed cis-regulatory analyses delineate a high-resolution view of the essential notochord gene regulatory network of Ciona, and provide a reference for studies of transcription factors, enhancers, and their roles in development, disease, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenny J Negrón-Piñeiro
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Yushi Wu
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Sydney Popsuj
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Diana S José-Edwards
- Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Alberto Stolfi
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Anna Di Gregorio
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA.
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10
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Wei J, Zhang W, Jiang A, Peng H, Zhang Q, Li Y, Bi J, Wang L, Liu P, Wang J, Ge Y, Zhang L, Yu H, Li L, Wang S, Leng L, Chen K, Dong B. Temporospatial hierarchy and allele-specific expression of zygotic genome activation revealed by distant interspecific urochordate hybrids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2395. [PMID: 38493164 PMCID: PMC10944513 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46780-0] [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: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is a universal process in early embryogenesis of metazoan, when the quiescent zygotic nucleus initiates global transcription. However, the mechanisms related to massive genome activation and allele-specific expression (ASE) remain not well understood. Here, we develop hybrids from two deeply diverged (120 Mya) ascidian species to symmetrically document the dynamics of ZGA. We identify two coordinated ZGA waves represent early developmental and housekeeping gene reactivation, respectively. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals that the major expression wave exhibits spatial heterogeneity and significantly correlates with cell fate. Moreover, allele-specific expression occurs in a species- rather than parent-related manner, demonstrating the divergence of cis-regulatory elements between the two species. These findings provide insights into ZGA in chordates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankai Wei
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, China
- MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - An Jiang
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Hongzhe Peng
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Quanyong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research and Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China
| | - Yuting Li
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Jianqing Bi
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Linting Wang
- National Center of Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Penghui Liu
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Yonghang Ge
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Liya Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research and Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China
| | - Haiyan Yu
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Lei Li
- National Center of Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Shi Wang
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Liang Leng
- Institute of Herbgenomics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Kai Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research and Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No. 1119 Haibin Rd, Nansha Dist., Guangzhou, 511458, China.
| | - Bo Dong
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, China.
- MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
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11
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Johnson CJ, Zhang Z, Zhang H, Shang R, Piekarz KM, Bi P, Stolfi A. A change in cis-regulatory logic underlying obligate versus facultative muscle multinucleation in chordates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.06.583753. [PMID: 38559144 PMCID: PMC10979880 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.06.583753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Vertebrates and tunicates are sister groups that share a common fusogenic factor, Myomaker (Mymk), that drives myoblast fusion and muscle multinucleation. Yet they are divergent in when and where they express Mymk. In vertebrates, all developing skeletal muscles express Mymk and are obligately multinucleated. In tunicates, Mymk is only expressed in post-metamorphic multinucleated muscles, but is absent from mononucleated larval muscles. In this study, we demonstrate that cis-regulatory sequence differences in the promoter region of Mymk underlie the different spatiotemporal patterns of its transcriptional activation in tunicates and vertebrates. While in vertebrates Myogenic Regulatory Factors (MRFs) like MyoD1 alone are required and sufficient for Mymk transcription in all skeletal muscles, we show that transcription of Mymk in post-metamorphic muscles of the tunicate Ciona requires the combinatorial activity of MRF/MyoD and Early B-Cell Factor (Ebf). This macroevolutionary difference appears to be encoded in cis, likely due to the presence of a putative Ebf binding site adjacent to predicted MRF binding sites in the Ciona Mymk promoter. We further discuss how Mymk and myoblast fusion might have been regulated in the last common ancestor of tunicates and vertebrates, for which we propose two models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Haifeng Zhang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Renjie Shang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Katarzyna M Piekarz
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pengpeng Bi
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Alberto Stolfi
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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12
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Cheng J, Li S, Li X, Zhan A. Influence of calcium concentration on larval adhesion in a highly invasive fouling ascidian: From morphological changes to molecular mechanisms. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 200:116119. [PMID: 38325201 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Calcium ion (Ca2+) is involved in the protein-mediated larval adhesion of fouling ascidians, yet the effects of environmental Ca2+ on larval adhesion remain largely unexplored. Here, the larvae of fouling ascidian C. robusta were exposed to different concentrations of Ca2+. Exposures to low-concentration (0 mM and 5 mM) and high-concentration (20 mM and 40 mM) Ca2+ significantly decreased the adhesion rate of larvae, which was primarily attributed to the decreases in adhesive structure length and curvature. Changes in the expressions of genes encoding adhesion-, microvilli-, muscle contraction-, and collagen-related proteins provided a molecular-level explanation for adhesion rate reduction. Additionally, larvae likely prioritized their energy towards immunomodulation in response to Ca2+ stresses, ultimately leading to adhesion reduction. These findings advance our understanding of the influencing mechanisms of environmental Ca2+ on larval adhesion, which are expected to provide references for the development of precise antifouling strategies against ascidians and other fouling species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Cheng
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shiguo Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Xi Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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13
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He M, Li Y, Li Y, Dong B, Yu H. Dynamics of Chromatin Opening across Larval Development in the Urochordate Ascidian Ciona savignyi. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2793. [PMID: 38474039 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Ascidian larvae undergo tail elongation and notochord lumenogenesis, making them an ideal model for investigating tissue morphogenesis in embryogenesis. The cellular and mechanical mechanisms of these processes have been studied; however, the underlying molecular regulatory mechanism remains to be elucidated. In this study, assays for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were applied to investigate potential regulators of the development of ascidian Ciona savignyi larvae. Our results revealed 351 and 138 differentially accessible region genes through comparisons of ATAC-seq data between stages 21 and 24 and between stages 24 and 25, respectively. A joint analysis of RNA-seq and ATAC-seq data revealed a correlation between chromatin accessibility and gene transcription. We further verified the tissue expression patterns of 12 different genes. Among them, Cs-matrix metalloproteinase 24 (MMP24) and Cs-krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) were highly expressed in notochord cells. Functional assay results demonstrated that both genes are necessary for notochord lumen formation and expansion. Finally, we performed motif enrichment analysis of the differentially accessible regions in different tailbud stages and summarized the potential roles of these motif-bearing transcription factors in larval development. Overall, our study found a correlation between gene expression and chromatin accessibility and provided a vital resource for understanding the mechanisms of the development of ascidian embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muchun He
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Immunology, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Yuting Li
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yajuan Li
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Bo Dong
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
- MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Haiyan Yu
- Fang Zongxi Center for Marine EvoDevo, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
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14
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Sato A, Mihirogi Y, Wood C, Suzuki Y, Truebano M, Bishop J. Heterogeneity in maternal mRNAs within clutches of eggs in response to thermal stress during the embryonic stage. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:21. [PMID: 38347459 PMCID: PMC10860308 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02203-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The origin of variation is of central interest in evolutionary biology. Maternal mRNAs govern early embryogenesis in many animal species, and we investigated the possibility that heterogeneity in maternal mRNA provisioning of eggs can be modulated by environmental stimuli. RESULTS We employed two sibling species of the ascidian Ciona, called here types A and B, that are adapted to different temperature regimes and can be hybridized. Previous study showed that hybrids using type B eggs had higher susceptibility to thermal stress than hybrids using type A eggs. We conducted transcriptome analyses of multiple single eggs from crosses using eggs of the different species to compare the effects of maternal thermal stress on heterogeneity in egg provisioning, and followed the effects across generations. We found overall decreases of heterogeneity of egg maternal mRNAs associated with maternal thermal stress. When the eggs produced by the F1 AB generation were crossed with type B sperm and the progeny ('ABB' generation) reared unstressed until maturation, the overall heterogeneity of the eggs produced was greater in a clutch from an individual with a heat-stressed mother compared to one from a non-heat-stressed mother. By examining individual genes, we found no consistent overall effect of thermal stress on heterogeneity of expression in genes involved in developmental buffering. In contrast, heterogeneity of expression in signaling molecules was directly affected by thermal stress. CONCLUSIONS Due to the absence of batch replicates and variation in the number of reads obtained, our conclusions are very limited. However, contrary to the predictions of bet-hedging, the results suggest that maternal thermal stress at the embryo stage is associated with reduced heterogeneity of maternal mRNA provision in the eggs subsequently produced by the stressed individual, but there is then a large increase in heterogeneity in eggs of the next generation, although itself unstressed. Despite its limitations, our study presents a proof of concept, identifying a model system, experimental approach and analytical techniques capable of providing a significant advance in understanding the impact of maternal environment on developmental heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuko Sato
- Department of Biology, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan.
- Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK.
- Human Life Innovation Center, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan.
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3, Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan.
| | - Yukie Mihirogi
- Department of Biology, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan
| | - Christine Wood
- Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Yutaka Suzuki
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwano-Ha, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan
| | - Manuela Truebano
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Center, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - John Bishop
- Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
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15
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Matsubara S, Iguchi R, Ogasawara M, Nakamura H, Kataoka TR, Shiraishi A, Osugi T, Kawada T, Satake H. A Novel Hemocyte-Derived Peptide and Its Possible Roles in Immune Response of Ciona intestinalis Type A. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1979. [PMID: 38396656 PMCID: PMC10888236 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25041979] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
A wide variety of bioactive peptides have been identified in the central nervous system and several peripheral tissues in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis type A (Ciona robusta). However, hemocyte endocrine peptides have yet to be explored. Here, we report a novel 14-amino-acid peptide, CiEMa, that is predominant in the granular hemocytes and unilocular refractile granulocytes of Ciona. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR revealed the high CiEma expression in the adult pharynx and stomach. Immunohistochemistry further revealed the highly concentrated CiEMa in the hemolymph of the pharynx and epithelial cells of the stomach, suggesting biological roles in the immune response. Notably, bacterial lipopolysaccharide stimulation of isolated hemocytes for 1-4 h resulted in 1.9- to 2.4-fold increased CiEMa secretion. Furthermore, CiEMa-stimulated pharynx exhibited mRNA upregulation of the growth factor (Fgf3/7/10/22), vanadium binding proteins (CiVanabin1 and CiVanabin3), and forkhead and homeobox transcription factors (Foxl2, Hox3, and Dbx) but not antimicrobial peptides (CrPap-a and CrMam-a) or immune-related genes (Tgfbtun3, Tnfa, and Il17-2). Collectively, these results suggest that CiEMa plays roles in signal transduction involving tissue development or repair in the immune response, rather than in the direct regulation of immune response genes. The present study identified a novel Ciona hemocyte peptide, CiEMa, which paves the way for research on the biological roles of hemocyte peptides in chordates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Matsubara
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun 619-0284, Kyoto, Japan (H.S.)
| | - Rin Iguchi
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku 263-8522, Chiba, Japan
| | - Michio Ogasawara
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku 263-8522, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroya Nakamura
- Department of Pathology, Iwate Medical University, 2-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba-cho, Shiwa-gun 028-3695, Iwate, Japan (T.R.K.)
| | - Tatsuki R. Kataoka
- Department of Pathology, Iwate Medical University, 2-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba-cho, Shiwa-gun 028-3695, Iwate, Japan (T.R.K.)
| | - Akira Shiraishi
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun 619-0284, Kyoto, Japan (H.S.)
| | - Tomohiro Osugi
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun 619-0284, Kyoto, Japan (H.S.)
| | - Tsuyoshi Kawada
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun 619-0284, Kyoto, Japan (H.S.)
| | - Honoo Satake
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun 619-0284, Kyoto, Japan (H.S.)
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16
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Satake H, Kawada T, Osugi T, Sakai T, Shiraishi A, Yamamoto T, Matsubara S. Ovarian Follicle Development in Ascidians. Zoolog Sci 2024; 41:60-67. [PMID: 38587518 DOI: 10.2108/zs230054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Ovarian follicle development is an essential process for continuation of sexually reproductive animals, and is controlled by a wide variety of regulatory factors such as neuropeptides and peptide hormones in the endocrine, neuroendocrine, and nervous systems. Moreover, while some molecular mechanisms underlying follicle development are conserved, others vary among species. Consequently, follicle development processes are closely related to the evolution and diversity of species. Ciona intestinalis type A (Ciona rubusta) is a cosmopolitan species of ascidians, which are the closest relative of vertebrates. However, unlike vertebrates, ascidians are not endowed with the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis involving pituitary gonadotropins and sexual steroids. Combined with the phylogenetic position of ascidians as the closest relative of vertebrates, such morphological and endocrine features suggest that ascidians possess both common and species-specific regulatory mechanisms in follicle development. To date, several neuropeptides have been shown to participate in the growth of vitellogenic follicles, oocyte maturation of postvitellogenic follicles, and ovulation of fully mature follicles in a developmental stage-specific fashion. Furthermore, recent studies have shed light on the evolutionary processes of follicle development throughout chordates. In this review, we provide an overview of the neuropeptidergic molecular mechanism in the premature follicle growth, oocyte maturation, and ovulation in Ciona, and comparative views of the follicle development processes of mammals and teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honoo Satake
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan,
| | - Tsuyoshi Kawada
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Osugi
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tsubasa Sakai
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akira Shiraishi
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Yamamoto
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shin Matsubara
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
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17
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Chen Y, Ni P, Fu R, Murphy KJ, Wyeth RC, Bishop CD, Huang X, Li S, Zhan A. (Epi)genomic adaptation driven by fine geographical scale environmental heterogeneity after recent biological invasions. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2772. [PMID: 36316814 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Elucidating processes and mechanisms involved in rapid local adaptation to varied environments is a poorly understood but crucial component in management of invasive species. Recent studies have proposed that genetic and epigenetic variation could both contribute to ecological adaptation, yet it remains unclear on the interplay between these two components underpinning rapid adaptation in wild animal populations. To assess their respective contributions to local adaptation, we explored epigenomic and genomic responses to environmental heterogeneity in eight recently colonized ascidian (Ciona intestinalis) populations at a relatively fine geographical scale. Based on MethylRADseq data, we detected strong patterns of local environment-driven DNA methylation divergence among populations, significant epigenetic isolation by environment (IBE), and a large number of local environment-associated epigenetic loci. Meanwhile, multiple genetic analyses based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed genomic footprints of divergent selection. In addition, for five genetically similar populations, we detected significant methylation divergence and local environment-driven methylation patterns, indicating the strong effects of local environments on epigenetic variation. From a functional perspective, a majority of functional genes, Gene Ontology (GO) terms, and biological pathways were largely specific to one of these two types of variation, suggesting partial independence between epigenetic and genetic adaptation. The methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) analysis showed that the genetic variation explained only 18.67% of methylation variation, further confirming the autonomous relationship between these two types of variation. Altogether, we highlight the complementary interplay of genetic and epigenetic variation involved in local adaptation, which may jointly promote populations' rapid adaptive capacity and successful invasions in different environments. The findings here provide valuable insights into interactions between invaders and local environments to allow invasive species to rapidly spread, thus contributing to better prediction of invasion success and development of management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyong Chen
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Ni
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruiying Fu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kieran J Murphy
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Russell C Wyeth
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Cory D Bishop
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shiguo Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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18
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Jindal GA, Bantle AT, Solvason JJ, Grudzien JL, D'Antonio-Chronowska A, Lim F, Le SH, Song BP, Ragsac MF, Klie A, Larsen RO, Frazer KA, Farley EK. Single-nucleotide variants within heart enhancers increase binding affinity and disrupt heart development. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2206-2216.e5. [PMID: 37848026 PMCID: PMC10720985 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional enhancers direct precise gene expression patterns during development and harbor the majority of variants associated with phenotypic diversity, evolutionary adaptations, and disease. Pinpointing which enhancer variants contribute to changes in gene expression and phenotypes is a major challenge. Here, we find that suboptimal or low-affinity binding sites are necessary for precise gene expression during heart development. Single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) can optimize the affinity of ETS binding sites, causing gain-of-function (GOF) gene expression, cell migration defects, and phenotypes as severe as extra beating hearts in the marine chordate Ciona robusta. In human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes, a SNV within a human GATA4 enhancer increases ETS binding affinity and causes GOF enhancer activity. The prevalence of suboptimal-affinity sites within enhancers creates a vulnerability whereby affinity-optimizing SNVs can lead to GOF gene expression, changes in cellular identity, and organismal-level phenotypes that could contribute to the evolution of novel traits or diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Granton A Jindal
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Alexis T Bantle
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Joe J Solvason
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jessica L Grudzien
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Fabian Lim
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sophia H Le
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Benjamin P Song
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Michelle F Ragsac
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Adam Klie
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Reid O Larsen
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kelly A Frazer
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Institute for Genomic Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Emma K Farley
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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19
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Iguchi R, Nakayama S, Sasakura Y, Sekiguchi T, Ogasawara M. Repetitive and zonal expression profiles of absorption-related genes in the gastrointestinal tract of ascidian Ciona intestinalis type A. Cell Tissue Res 2023; 394:343-360. [PMID: 37670165 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-023-03828-9] [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: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Intestinal absorption is essential for heterotrophic bilaterians with a tubular gut. Although the fundamental features of the digestive system were shared among chordates with evolution, the gut morphologies of vertebrates diverged and adapted to different food habitats. The ascidian Ciona intestinalis type A, a genome-wide research model of basal chordates, is used to examine the functional morphology of the intestines because of its transparent juvenile body. In the present study, the characteristic gene expression patterns (GEP) of Ciona absorptive proteins, e.g., brush border membrane enzymes for terminal digestion (lactase, maltase, APA, and APN) and transporters (SGLT1, GLUT5, PEPT1, and B0AT1), were investigated in juveniles and young adults, with a special reference to the absorption of other nutrients by pinocytosis- and phagocytosis-related proteins (megalin, cubilin, amnionless, Dab2, Rab7, LAMP, cathepsins, and MRC1). Whole-mount in situ hybridization revealed that these GEP showed multi-regional and repetitive features along the Ciona gastrointestinal tract, mainly in the stomach and several regions of the intestines. In young adults, many absorption-related genes, including pinocytosis-/phagocytosis-related genes, were also expressed between the stomach and mid-intestine. In the gastrointestinal epithelium, absorption-related genes showed zonal GEP along the epithelial structure. Comparisons of GEP, including other intestinal functions, such as nutrient digestion and intestinal protection, indicated the repetitive assignment of a well-coordinated set of intestinal GEP in the Ciona gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rin Iguchi
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-Cho, Inage-Ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nakayama
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-Cho, Inage-Ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Yasunori Sasakura
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, 415-0025, Japan
| | - Toshio Sekiguchi
- The Noto Marine Laboratory, Division of Marine Environmental Studies, Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Housu-Gun, Ishikawa, 927-0553, Japan
| | - Michio Ogasawara
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-Cho, Inage-Ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
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20
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Lin B, Shi W, Lu Q, Shito TT, Yu H, Dong B. Establishment of a developmental atlas and transgenetic tools in the ascidian Styela clava. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 5:435-454. [PMID: 38045543 PMCID: PMC10689645 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00200-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The ascidian Styela clava is an ecologically important species that is distributed along coastal regions worldwide. It has a long history as a model animal for evolutionary and developmental biology research owing to its phylogenetic position between vertebrates and invertebrates, and its classical mosaic expression patterns. However, the standard developmental atlas and protocols and tools for molecular manipulation of this organism are inadequate. In this study, we established a standard developmental table and provided a web-based digital image resource for S. clava embryogenesis at each developmental stage from fertilized eggs to hatching larvae by utilizing confocal laser microscopy and 3D reconstruction images. It takes around 10 h for fertilized eggs to develop into swimming larvae and 20-30 min to complete the tail regression processes at the metamorphic stage. We observed that the notochord cells in S. clava embryos did not produce an extracellular lumen like Ciona robusta, but showed polarized elongation behaviors, providing us an ideal comparative model to study tissue morphogenesis. In addition, we established a chemical-washing procedure to remove the chorion easily from the fertilized eggs. Based on the dechorionation technique, we further realized transgenic manipulation by electroporation and successfully applied tissue-specific fluorescent labeling in S. clava embryos. Our work provides a standard imaging atlas and powerful genetic tools for investigating embryogenesis and evolution using S. clava as a model organism. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-023-00200-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyan Lin
- Fang Zongxi Center, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Wenjie Shi
- Fang Zongxi Center, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Qiongxuan Lu
- Fang Zongxi Center, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Takumi T. Shito
- Department of Bioscience and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama, 223-8522 Japan
| | - Haiyan Yu
- Fang Zongxi Center, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Bo Dong
- Fang Zongxi Center, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
- Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, 266237 China
- MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
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21
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Raghavan R, Coppola U, Wu Y, Ihewulezi C, Negrón-Piñeiro LJ, Maguire JE, Hong J, Cunningham M, Kim HJ, Albert TJ, Ali AM, Saint-Jeannet JP, Ristoratore F, Dahia CL, Di Gregorio A. Gene expression in notochord and nuclei pulposi: a study of gene families across the chordate phylum. BMC Ecol Evol 2023; 23:63. [PMID: 37891482 PMCID: PMC10605842 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-023-02167-1] [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: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The transition from notochord to vertebral column is a crucial milestone in chordate evolution and in prenatal development of all vertebrates. As ossification of the vertebral bodies proceeds, involutions of residual notochord cells into the intervertebral discs form the nuclei pulposi, shock-absorbing structures that confer flexibility to the spine. Numerous studies have outlined the developmental and evolutionary relationship between notochord and nuclei pulposi. However, the knowledge of the similarities and differences in the genetic repertoires of these two structures remains limited, also because comparative studies of notochord and nuclei pulposi across chordates are complicated by the gene/genome duplication events that led to extant vertebrates. Here we show the results of a pilot study aimed at bridging the information on these two structures. We have followed in different vertebrates the evolutionary trajectory of notochord genes identified in the invertebrate chordate Ciona, and we have evaluated the extent of conservation of their expression in notochord cells. Our results have uncovered evolutionarily conserved markers of both notochord development and aging/degeneration of the nuclei pulposi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Raghavan
- Hospital for Special Surgery, Orthopedic Soft Tissue Research Program, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Ugo Coppola
- Stazione Zoologica 'A. Dohrn', Villa Comunale 1, 80121, Naples, Italy
- Present Address: Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Yushi Wu
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Chibuike Ihewulezi
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Lenny J Negrón-Piñeiro
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Julie E Maguire
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Justin Hong
- Hospital for Special Surgery, Orthopedic Soft Tissue Research Program, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Matthew Cunningham
- Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Han Jo Kim
- Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Todd J Albert
- Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Abdullah M Ali
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Saint-Jeannet
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | | | - Chitra L Dahia
- Hospital for Special Surgery, Orthopedic Soft Tissue Research Program, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Anna Di Gregorio
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, 10010, USA.
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22
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Huang X, Li H, Zhan A. Interplays between cis- and trans-Acting Factors for Alternative Splicing in Response to Environmental Changes during Biological Invasions of Ascidians. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14921. [PMID: 37834365 PMCID: PMC10573349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914921] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS), a pivotal biological process contributing to phenotypic plasticity, creates a bridge linking genotypes with phenotypes. Despite its importance, the AS mechanisms underlying environmental response and adaptation have not been well studied, and more importantly, the cis- and trans-acting factors influencing AS variation remain unclear. Using the model invasive congeneric ascidians, Ciona robusta, and Ciona savignyi, we compared their AS responses to environmental changes and explored the potential determinants. Our findings unveiled swift and dynamic AS changes in response to environmental challenges, and differentially alternative spliced genes (DASGs) were functionally enriched in transmembrane transport processes. Interestingly, both the prevalence and level of AS in C. robusta were lower than those observed in C. savignyi. Furthermore, these two indices were higher under temperature stresses compared to salinity stresses in C. savignyi. All the observed patterns underscore the species-specific and environmental context-dependent AS responses to environmental challenges. The dissimilarities in genomic structure and exon/intron size distributions between these two species likely contributed to the observed AS variation. Moreover, we identified a total of 11 and 9 serine/arginine-rich splicing factors (SRSFs) with conserved domains and gene structures in the genomes of C. robusta and C. savignyi, respectively. Intriguingly, our analysis revealed that all detected SRSFs did not exhibit prevalent AS regulations. Instead, we observed AS control over a set of genes related to splicing factors and spliceosome components. Altogether, our results elucidate species-specific and environmental challenge-dependent AS response patterns in closely related invasive ascidians. The identified splicing factors and spliceosome components under AS control offer promising candidates for further investigations into AS-mediated rapid responses to environmental challenges complementary to SRSFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China; (X.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Hanxi Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China; (X.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China; (X.H.); (H.L.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
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23
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Sumner JT, Andrasz CL, Johnson CA, Wax S, Anderson P, Keeling EL, Davidson JM. De novo genome assembly and comparative genomics for the colonial ascidian Botrylloides violaceus. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad181. [PMID: 37555394 PMCID: PMC10542563 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Ascidians have the potential to reveal fundamental biological insights related to coloniality, regeneration, immune function, and the evolution of these traits. This study implements a hybrid assembly technique to produce a genome assembly and annotation for the botryllid ascidian, Botrylloides violaceus. A hybrid genome assembly was produced using Illumina, Inc. short and Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-read sequencing technologies. The resulting assembly is comprised of 831 contigs, has a total length of 121 Mbp, N50 of 1 Mbp, and a BUSCO score of 96.1%. Genome annotation identified 13 K protein-coding genes. Comparative genomic analysis with other tunicates reveals patterns of conservation and divergence within orthologous gene families even among closely related species. Characterization of the Wnt gene family, encoding signaling ligands involved in development and regeneration, reveals conserved patterns of subfamily presence and gene copy number among botryllids. This supports the use of genomic data from nonmodel organisms in the investigation of biological phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack T Sumner
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Cassidy L Andrasz
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Christine A Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Sarah Wax
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Paul Anderson
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Elena L Keeling
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Jean M Davidson
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
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24
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Watanabe K, Fujita M, Okamoto K, Yoshioka H, Moriwaki M, Tagashira H, Awazu A, Yamamoto T, Sakamoto N. The crucial role of CTCF in mitotic progression during early development of sea urchin. Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:395-407. [PMID: 37421304 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12875] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), an insulator protein with 11 zinc fingers, is enriched at the boundaries of topologically associated domains (TADs) in eukaryotic genomes. In this study, we isolated and analyzed the cDNAs encoding HpCTCF, the CTCF homolog in the sea urchin Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus, to investigate its expression patterns and functions during the early development of sea urchin. HpCTCF contains nine zinc fingers corresponding to fingers 2-10 of the vertebrate CTCF. Expression pattern analysis revealed that HpCTCF mRNA was detected at all developmental stages and in the entire embryo. Upon expressing the HpCTCF-GFP fusion protein in early embryos, we observed its uniform distribution within interphase nuclei. However, during mitosis, it disappeared from the chromosomes and subsequently reassembled on the chromosome during telophase. Moreover, the morpholino-mediated knockdown of HpCTCF resulted in mitotic arrest during the morula to blastula stage. Most of the arrested chromosomes were not phospholylated at serine 10 of histone H3, indicating that mitosis was arrested at the telophase by HpCTCF depletion. Furthermore, impaired sister chromatid segregation was observed using time-lapse imaging of HpCTCF-knockdown embryos. Thus, HpCTCF is essential for mitotic progression during the early development of sea urchins, especially during the telophase-to-interphase transition. However, the normal development of pluteus larvae in CRISPR-mediated HpCTCF-knockout embryos suggests that disruption of zygotic HpCTCF expression has little effect on embryonic and larval development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaichi Watanabe
- Division of Integrated Sciences for Life, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Megumi Fujita
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kazuko Okamoto
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hajime Yoshioka
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Miki Moriwaki
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hideki Tagashira
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Akinori Awazu
- Division of Integrated Sciences for Life, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
- Research Center for the Mathematics on Chromatin Live Dynamics, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamamoto
- Division of Integrated Sciences for Life, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
- Research Center for the Mathematics on Chromatin Live Dynamics, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Naoaki Sakamoto
- Division of Integrated Sciences for Life, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
- Research Center for the Mathematics on Chromatin Live Dynamics, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
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25
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Tokuoka M, Satou Y. A digital twin reproducing gene regulatory network dynamics of early Ciona embryos indicates robust buffers in the network. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010953. [PMID: 37756274 PMCID: PMC10530022 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010953] [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: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
How gene regulatory networks (GRNs) encode gene expression dynamics and how GRNs evolve are not well understood, although these problems have been studied extensively. We created a digital twin that accurately reproduces expression dynamics of 13 genes that initiate expression in 32-cell ascidian embryos. We first showed that gene expression patterns can be manipulated according to predictions by this digital model. Next, to simulate GRN rewiring, we changed regulatory functions that represented their regulatory mechanisms in the digital twin, and found that in 55 of 100 cases, removal of a single regulator from a conjunctive clause of Boolean functions did not theoretically alter qualitative expression patterns of these genes. In other words, we found that more than half the regulators gave theoretically redundant temporal or spatial information to target genes. We experimentally substantiated that the expression pattern of Nodal was maintained without one of these factors, Zfpm, by changing the upstream regulatory sequence of Nodal. Such robust buffers of regulatory mechanisms may provide a basis of enabling developmental system drift, or rewiring of GRNs without changing expression patterns of downstream genes, during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Tokuoka
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
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26
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Li KL, Nakashima K, Hisata K, Satoh N. Expression and possible functions of a horizontally transferred glycosyl hydrolase gene, GH6-1, in Ciona embryogenesis. EvoDevo 2023; 14:11. [PMID: 37434168 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-023-00215-x] [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: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Tunicata or Urochordata is the only animal group with the ability to synthesize cellulose directly and cellulose is a component of the tunic that covers the entire tunicate body. The genome of Ciona intestinalis type A contains a cellulose synthase gene, CesA, that it acquired via an ancient, horizontal gene transfer. CesA is expressed in embryonic epidermal cells and functions in cellulose production. Ciona CesA is composed of both a glycosyltransferase domain, GT2, and a glycosyl hydrolase domain, GH6, which shows a mutation at a key position and seems functionless. Interestingly, the Ciona genome contains a glycosyl hydrolase gene, GH6-1, in which the GH6 domain seems intact. This suggests expression and possible functions of GH6-1 during Ciona embryogenesis. Is GH6-1 expressed during embryogenesis? If so, in what tissues is the gene expressed? Does GH6-1 serve a function? If so, what is it? Answers to these questions may advance our understanding of evolution of this unique animal group. RESULTS Quantitative reverse transcription PCR and in situ hybridization revealed that GH6-1 is expressed in epidermis of tailbud embryos and in early swimming larvae, a pattern similar to that of CesA. Expression is downregulated at later stages and becomes undetectable in metamorphosed juveniles. The GH6-1 expression level is higher in the anterior-trunk region and caudal-tip regions of late embryos. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of the late tailbud stage showed that cells of three clusters with epidermal identity express GH6-1, and that some of them co-express CesA. TALEN-mediated genome editing was used to generate GH6-1 knockout Ciona larvae. Around half of TALEN-electroporated larvae showed abnormal development of adhesive papillae and altered distribution of surface cellulose. In addition, three-fourths of TALEN-electroporated animals failed to complete larval metamorphosis. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that tunicate GH6-1, a gene that originated by horizontal gene transfer of a prokaryote gene, is recruited into the ascidian genome, and that it is expressed and functions in epidermal cells of ascidian embryos. Although further research is required, this observation demonstrates that both CesA and GH6-1 are involved in tunicate cellulose metabolism, impacting tunicate morphology and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun-Lung Li
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei City, 115, Taiwan.
| | - Keisuke Nakashima
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Kanako Hisata
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Satoh
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
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27
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Liu B, Ren X, Satou Y. BMP signaling is required to form the anterior neural plate border in ascidian embryos. Dev Genes Evol 2023:10.1007/s00427-023-00702-0. [PMID: 37079132 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-023-00702-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Cranial neurogenic placodes have been considered vertebrate innovations. However, anterior neural plate border (ANB) cells of ascidian embryos share many properties with vertebrate neurogenic placodes; therefore, it is now believed that the last common ancestor of vertebrates and ascidians had embryonic structures similar to neurogenic placodes of vertebrate embryos. Because BMP signaling is important for specifying the placode region in vertebrate embryos, we examined whether BMP signaling is also involved in gene expression in the ANB region of ascidian embryos. Our data indicated that Admp, a divergent BMP family member, is mainly responsible for BMP signaling in the ANB region, and that two BMP-antagonists, Noggin and Chordin, restrict the domain, in which BMP signaling is activated, to the ANB region, and prevent it from expanding to the neural plate. BMP signaling is required for expression of Foxg and Six1/2 at the late gastrula stage, and also for expression of Zf220, which encodes a zinc finger transcription factor in late neurula embryos. Because Zf220 negatively regulates Foxg, when we downregulated Zf220 by inhibiting BMP signaling, Foxg was upregulated, resulting in one large palp instead of three palps (adhesive organs derived from ANB cells). Functions of BMP signaling in specification of the ANB region give further support to the hypothesis that ascidian ANB cells share an evolutionary origin with vertebrate cranial placodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boqi Liu
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ximan Ren
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
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28
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Huang Z, Xu L, Cai C, Zhou Y, Liu J, Xu Z, Zhu Z, Kang W, Cen W, Pei S, Chen D, Shi C, Wu X, Huang Y, Xu C, Yan Y, Yang Y, Xue T, He W, Hu X, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Bi C, He C, Xue L, Xiao S, Yue Z, Jiang Y, Yu JK, Jarvis E, Li G, Lin G, Zhang Q, Zhou Q. Three amphioxus reference genomes reveal gene and chromosome evolution of chordates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2201504120. [PMID: 36867684 PMCID: PMC10013865 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201504120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The slow-evolving invertebrate amphioxus has an irreplaceable role in advancing our understanding of the vertebrate origin and innovations. Here we resolve the nearly complete chromosomal genomes of three amphioxus species, one of which best recapitulates the 17 chordate ancestor linkage groups. We reconstruct the fusions, retention, or rearrangements between descendants of whole-genome duplications, which gave rise to the extant microchromosomes likely existed in the vertebrate ancestor. Similar to vertebrates, the amphioxus genome gradually establishes its three-dimensional chromatin architecture at the onset of zygotic activation and forms two topologically associated domains at the Hox gene cluster. We find that all three amphioxus species have ZW sex chromosomes with little sequence differentiation, and their putative sex-determining regions are nonhomologous to each other. Our results illuminate the unappreciated interspecific diversity and developmental dynamics of amphioxus genomes and provide high-quality references for understanding the mechanisms of chordate functional genome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Huang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- Fujian-Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Oriented Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment, Innovation and Transformation Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian350108, China
| | - Luohao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing400715, China
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Chongqing400715, China
- Department of Neuroscience and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna1090, Austria
| | - Cheng Cai
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Yitao Zhou
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- The Public Service Platform for Industrialization Development Technology of Marine Biological Medicine and Product of State Oceanic Administration, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Neuroscience and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna1090, Austria
| | - Zaoxu Xu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing400715, China
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Chongqing400715, China
| | - Zexian Zhu
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Wen Kang
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
| | - Wan Cen
- The Public Service Platform for Industrialization Development Technology of Marine Biological Medicine and Product of State Oceanic Administration, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Surui Pei
- Annoroad Gene Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing100180, China
| | - Duo Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- The Public Service Platform for Industrialization Development Technology of Marine Biological Medicine and Product of State Oceanic Administration, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- Center of Engineering Technology Research for Microalgae Germplasm Improvement of Fujian, Southern Institute of Oceanography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Chenggang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian361102, China
| | - Xiaotong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian361102, China
| | - Yongji Huang
- Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, Fujian350108, China
| | - Chaohua Xu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Yanan Yan
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Ting Xue
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- The Public Service Platform for Industrialization Development Technology of Marine Biological Medicine and Product of State Oceanic Administration, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- Center of Engineering Technology Research for Microalgae Germplasm Improvement of Fujian, Southern Institute of Oceanography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Wenjin He
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Xuefeng Hu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Yanding Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Youqiang Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- The Public Service Platform for Industrialization Development Technology of Marine Biological Medicine and Product of State Oceanic Administration, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- Center of Engineering Technology Research for Microalgae Germplasm Improvement of Fujian, Southern Institute of Oceanography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Changwei Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210096, China
| | - Chunpeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210096, China
| | - Lingzhan Xue
- Aquaculture and Genetic breeding laboratory, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Fuzhou, Fujian350002, China
| | - Shijun Xiao
- College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin130118, China
| | - Zhicao Yue
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Carson International Cancer Center, and Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability and Disease Prevention, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong518060, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- Annoroad Gene Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing100180, China
| | - Jr-Kai Yu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei11529, Taiwan
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Yilan26242, Taiwan
| | - Erich D. Jarvis
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY10065
- HHMI, Chevy Chase, MD20815
| | - Guang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian361102, China
| | - Gang Lin
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- Annoroad Gene Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing100180, China
- Center of Engineering Technology Research for Microalgae Germplasm Improvement of Fujian, Southern Institute of Oceanography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Qiujin Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Special Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization & Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neurobiology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
- Annoroad Gene Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing100180, China
- Center of Engineering Technology Research for Microalgae Germplasm Improvement of Fujian, Southern Institute of Oceanography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian350117, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310052, China
- Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Research Center, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310058, China
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29
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Song BP, Ragsac MF, Tellez K, Jindal GA, Grudzien JL, Le SH, Farley EK. Diverse logics and grammar encode notochord enhancers. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112052. [PMID: 36729834 PMCID: PMC10387507 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The notochord is a defining feature of all chordates. The transcription factors Zic and ETS regulate enhancer activity within the notochord. We conduct high-throughput screens of genomic elements within developing Ciona embryos to understand how Zic and ETS sites encode notochord activity. Our screen discovers an enhancer located near Lama, a gene critical for notochord development. Reversing the orientation of an ETS site within this enhancer abolishes expression, indicating that enhancer grammar is critical for notochord activity. Similarly organized clusters of Zic and ETS sites occur within mouse and human Lama1 introns. Within a Brachyury (Bra) enhancer, FoxA and Bra, in combination with Zic and ETS binding sites, are necessary and sufficient for notochord expression. This binding site logic also occurs within other Ciona and vertebrate Bra enhancers. Collectively, this study uncovers the importance of grammar within notochord enhancers and discovers signatures of enhancer logic and grammar conserved across chordates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P Song
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Michelle F Ragsac
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Krissie Tellez
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Granton A Jindal
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jessica L Grudzien
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sophia H Le
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Emma K Farley
- Department of Medicine, Health Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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30
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Improved Genome Editing in the Ascidian Ciona with CRISPR/Cas9 and TALEN. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2637:375-388. [PMID: 36773161 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3016-7_28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
The ascidian Ciona intestinalis type A (or Ciona robusta) is an important organism for elucidating the mechanisms that make the chordate body plan. CRISPR/Cas9 and TAL effector nuclease (TALEN) are widely used to quickly address genetic functions in Ciona. Our previously reported method of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis in this animal has inferior mutation rates compared to those of TALENs. We here describe an updated way to effectively mutate genes with CRISPR/Cas9 in Ciona. Although the construction of TALENs is much more laborious than that of CRISPR/Cas9, this technique is useful for tissue-specific knockouts that are not easy even by the optimized CRISPR/Cas9 method.
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31
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Acemel RD, Lupiáñez DG. Evolution of 3D chromatin organization at different scales. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 78:102019. [PMID: 36603519 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2022.102019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Most animal genomes fold in 3D chromatin domains called topologically associated domains (TADs) that facilitate interactions between cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and promoters. Owing to their critical role in the control of developmental gene expression, we explore how TADs have shaped animal evolution. In the light of recent studies that profile TADs in disparate animal lineages, we discuss their phylogenetic distribution and the mechanisms that underlie their formation. We present evidence indicating that TADs are plastic entities composed of genomic strata of different ages: ancient cores are combined with newer regions and brought into extant TADs through genomic rearrangements. We highlight that newly incorporated TAD strata enable the establishment of new CRE-promoter interactions and in turn new expression patterns that can drive phenotypical innovation. We further highlight how subtle changes in chromatin folding may fine-tune the expression levels of developmental genes and hold a potential for evolutionary significance.
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32
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Treen N, Chavarria E, Weaver CJ, Brangwynne CP, Levine M. An FGF timer for zygotic genome activation. Genes Dev 2023; 37:80-85. [PMID: 36801820 PMCID: PMC10069452 DOI: 10.1101/gad.350164.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Zygotic genome activation has been extensively studied in a variety of systems including flies, frogs, and mammals. However, there is comparatively little known about the precise timing of gene induction during the earliest phases of embryogenesis. Here we used high-resolution in situ detection methods, along with genetic and experimental manipulations, to study the timing of zygotic activation in the simple model chordate Ciona with minute-scale temporal precision. We found that two Prdm1 homologs in Ciona are the earliest genes that respond to FGF signaling. We present evidence for a FGF timing mechanism that is driven by ERK-mediated derepression of the ERF repressor. Depletion of ERF results in ectopic activation of FGF target genes throughout the embryo. A highlight of this timer is the sharp transition in FGF responsiveness between the eight- and 16-cell stages of development. We propose that this timer is an innovation of chordates that is also used by vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Treen
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA;
| | - Emily Chavarria
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Claire J Weaver
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Clifford P Brangwynne
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, USA
| | - Michael Levine
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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33
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Kobayashi K, Tokuoka M, Sato H, Ariyoshi M, Kawahara S, Fujiwara S, Kishimoto T, Satou Y. Regulators specifying cell fate activate cell cycle regulator genes to determine cell numbers in ascidian larval tissues. Development 2022; 149:282402. [PMID: 36278804 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201218] [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: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In animal development, most cell types stop dividing before terminal differentiation; thus, cell cycle control is tightly linked to cell differentiation programmes. In ascidian embryos, cell lineages do not vary among individuals, and rounds of the cell cycle are determined according to cell lineages. Notochord and muscle cells stop dividing after eight or nine rounds of cell division depending on their lineages. In the present study, we showed that a Cdk inhibitor, Cdkn1.b, is responsible for stopping cell cycle progression in these lineages. Cdkn1.b is also necessary for epidermal cells to stop dividing. In contrast, mesenchymal and endodermal cells continue to divide even after hatching, and Myc is responsible for maintaining cell cycle progression in these tissues. Expression of Cdkn1.b in notochord and muscle is controlled by transcription factors that specify the developmental fate of notochord and muscle. Likewise, expression of Myc in mesenchyme and endoderm is under control of transcription factors that specify the developmental fate of mesenchyme and endoderm. Thus, cell fate specification and cell cycle control are linked by these transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Bioscience, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Miki Tokuoka
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Bioscience, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.,Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Sato
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Bioscience, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Manami Ariyoshi
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Kochi University, Kochi 780-8520, Japan
| | - Shiori Kawahara
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Kochi University, Kochi 780-8520, Japan
| | - Shigeki Fujiwara
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Kochi University, Kochi 780-8520, Japan
| | - Takeo Kishimoto
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Bioscience, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
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Yamagishi M, Huang T, Hozumi A, Onuma TA, Sasakura Y, Ogasawara M. Differentiation of endostyle cells by Nkx2-1 and FoxE in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis type A: insights into shared gene regulation in glandular- and thyroid-equivalent elements of the chordate endostyle. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 390:189-205. [PMID: 36048302 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03679-w] [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: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Due to similarities in iodine concentrations and peroxidase activities, the thyroid in vertebrates is considered to originate from the endostyle of invertebrate chordates even though it is a glandular (mucus-producing) organ for aquatic suspension feeding. Among chordates with an endostyle, urochordates are useful evolutionary research models for the study of vertebrate traits. The ascidian Ciona intestinalis forms an endostyle with specific components of glandular- and thyroid-related elements, and molecular markers have been identified for these components. Since we previously examined a simple endostyle in the larvacean Oikopleura dioica, the expression of the thyroid-related transcription factor genes, Ciona Nkx2-1 and FoxE, was perturbed by TALEN-mediated gene knockout in the present study to elucidate the shared and/or divergent features of a complex ascidian endostyle. The knockout of Ciona Nkx2-1 and FoxE exerted different effects on the morphology of the developing endostyle. The knockout of Nkx2-1 eliminated the expression of both glandular and thyroidal differentiation marker genes, e.g., vWFL1, vWFL2, CiEnds1, TPO, and Duox, while that of FoxE eliminated the expression of the differentiation marker genes, TPO and CiEnds1. The supporting element-related expression of Pax2/5/8a, Pax2/5/8b, FoxQ1, and β-tubulin persisted in the hypoplastic endostyles of Nkx2-1- and FoxE-knockout juveniles. Although the gene regulation of ascidian-specific CiEnds1 remains unclear, these results provide insights into the evolution of the vertebrate thyroid as well as the urochordate endostyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Yamagishi
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Taoruo Huang
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, 415-0025, Japan
| | - Akiko Hozumi
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, 415-0025, Japan
| | - Takeshi A Onuma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan
| | - Yasunori Sasakura
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, 415-0025, Japan
| | - Michio Ogasawara
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
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35
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Zhang J, Dong B, Yang L. Molecular Characterization and Expression Analysis of Putative Class C (Glutamate Family) G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Ascidian Styela clava. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:782. [PMID: 35625509 PMCID: PMC9138782 DOI: 10.3390/biology11050782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we performed the genome-wide domain analysis and sequence alignment on the genome of Styela clava, and obtained a repertoire of 204 putative GPCRs, which exhibited a highly reduced gene number compared to vertebrates and cephalochordates. In this repertoire, six Class C GPCRs, including four metabotropic glutamate receptors (Sc-GRMs), one calcium-sensing receptor (Sc-CaSR), and one gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type B receptor 2-like (Sc-GABABR2-like) were identified, with the absence of type 1 taste and vomeronasal receptors. All the Sc-GRMs and Sc-CaSR contained the typical "Venus flytrap" and cysteine-rich domains required for ligand binding and subsequent propagation of conformational changes. In swimming larvae, Sc-grm3 and Sc-casr were mainly expressed at the junction of the sensory vesicle and tail nerve cord while the transcripts of Sc-grm4, Sc-grm7a, and Sc-grm7b appeared at the anterior trunk, which suggested their important functions in neurotransmission. The high expression of these Class C receptors at tail-regression and metamorphic juvenile stages hinted at their potential involvement in regulating metamorphosis. In adults, the transcripts were highly expressed in several peripheral tissues, raising the possibility that S. clava Class C GPCRs might function as neurotransmission modulators peripherally after metamorphosis. Our study systematically characterized the ancestral chordate Class C GPCRs to provide insights into the origin and evolution of these receptors in chordates and their roles in regulating physiological and morphogenetic changes relevant to the development and environmental adaption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Sars-Fang Centre, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China;
| | - Bo Dong
- Sars-Fang Centre, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China;
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Likun Yang
- Sars-Fang Centre, MoE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China;
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36
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Sato A, Oba GM, Aubert-Kato N, Yura K, Bishop J. Co-expression network analysis of environmental canalization in the ascidian Ciona. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:53. [PMID: 35484499 PMCID: PMC9052645 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02006-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Canalization, or buffering, is defined as developmental stability in the face of genetic and/or environmental perturbations. Understanding how canalization works is important in predicting how species survive environmental change, as well as deciphering how development can be altered in the evolutionary process. However, how developmental gene expression is linked to buffering remains unclear. We addressed this by co-expression network analysis, comparing gene expression changes caused by heat stress during development at a whole-embryonic scale in reciprocal hybrid crosses of sibling species of the ascidian Ciona that are adapted to different thermal environments. RESULTS Since our previous work showed that developmental buffering in this group is maternally inherited, we first identified maternal developmental buffering genes (MDBGs) in which the expression level in embryos is both correlated to the level of environmental canalization and also differentially expressed depending on the species' gender roles in hybrid crosses. We found only 15 MDBGs, all of which showed high correlation coefficient values for expression with a large number of other genes, and 14 of these belonged to a single co-expression module. We then calculated correlation coefficients of expression between MDBGs and transcription factors in the central nervous system (CNS) developmental gene network that had previously been identified experimentally. We found that, compared to the correlation coefficients between MDBGs, which had an average of 0.96, the MDBGs are loosely linked to the CNS developmental genes (average correlation coefficient 0.45). Further, we investigated the correlation of each developmental to MDBGs, showing that only four out of 62 CNS developmental genes showed correlation coefficient > 0.9, comparable to the values between MDBGs, and three of these four genes were signaling molecules: BMP2/4, Wnt7, and Delta-like. CONCLUSIONS We show that the developmental pathway is not centrally located within the buffering network. We found that out of 62 genes in the developmental gene network, only four genes showed correlation coefficients as high as between MDBGs. We propose that loose links to MDBGs stabilize spatiotemporally dynamic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuko Sato
- Department of Biology, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan.
- The Laboratory, Marine Biological Association of the UK, Plymouth, UK.
- Human Life Innovation Center, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan.
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Gina M Oba
- Department of Biology, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan
- The Laboratory, Marine Biological Association of the UK, Plymouth, UK
| | - Nathanael Aubert-Kato
- Department of Information Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kei Yura
- Department of Biology, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Life Science & Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science & Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Human Life Innovation Center, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - John Bishop
- The Laboratory, Marine Biological Association of the UK, Plymouth, UK
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37
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Tokuoka M, Kobayashi K, Lemaire P, Satou Y. Protein kinases and protein phosphatases encoded in the Ciona robusta genome. Genesis 2022; 60:e23471. [PMID: 35261143 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23471] [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: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinases (PKs) and protein phosphatases (PPs) regulate the phosphorylation of proteins that are involved in a variety of biological processes. To study such biological processes systematically, it is important to know the whole repertoire of PKs and PPs encoded in a genome. In the present study, we surveyed the genome of an ascidian (Ciona robusta or Ciona intestinalis type A) to comprehensively identify the genes that encoded PKs and PPs. Because ascidians belong to the sister group of vertebrates, a comparison of the whole repertoire of PKs and PPs of ascidians with those of vertebrates may help to delineate the complements of these proteins that were present in the last common ancestor of these two groups of animals. Our results show that the repertory of PPs was much more expanded in vertebrates than the repertory of PKs. We also showed that approximately 75% of PKs and PPs were expressed during development from eggs to larvae. Thus, the present study provides catalogs for PKs and PPs encoded in the ascidian genome. These catalogs will be useful for systematic studies of biological processes that involve phosphorylation and for evolutionary studies of the origin of vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Tokuoka
- Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille (IBDM), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.,Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kenji Kobayashi
- Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille (IBDM), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.,Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Patrick Lemaire
- Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille (IBDM), CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.,Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier (CRBM), CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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38
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Satou Y, Tokuoka M, Oda-Ishii I, Tokuhiro S, Ishida T, Liu B, Iwamura Y. A Manually Curated Gene Model Set for an Ascidian, Ciona robusta (Ciona intestinalis Type A). Zoolog Sci 2022; 39:253-260. [DOI: 10.2108/zs210102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Miki Tokuoka
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Izumi Oda-Ishii
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Sinichi Tokuhiro
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Tasuku Ishida
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Boqi Liu
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yuri Iwamura
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
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39
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Simakov O, Bredeson J, Berkoff K, Marletaz F, Mitros T, Schultz DT, O’Connell BL, Dear P, Martinez DE, Steele RE, Green RE, David CN, Rokhsar DS. Deeply conserved synteny and the evolution of metazoan chromosomes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabi5884. [PMID: 35108053 PMCID: PMC8809688 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi5884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Animal genomes show networks of deeply conserved gene linkages whose phylogenetic scope and chromosomal context remain unclear. Here, we report chromosome-scale conservation of synteny among bilaterians, cnidarians, and sponges and use comparative analysis to reconstruct ancestral chromosomes across major animal groups. Comparisons among diverse metazoans reveal the processes of chromosome evolution that produced contemporary karyotypes from their Precambrian progenitors. On the basis of these findings, we introduce a simple algebraic representation of chromosomal change and use it to establish a unified systematic framework for metazoan chromosome evolution. We find that fusion-with-mixing, a previously unappreciated mode of chromosome change, has played a central role. We find that relicts of several metazoan chromosomal units are preserved in unicellular eukaryotes. These conserved pre-metazoan linkages include the chromosomal unit that encodes the most diverse set of metazoan homeobox genes, suggesting a candidate genomic context for the early diversification of this key gene family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg Simakov
- Department for Neurosciences and Developmental
Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Jessen Bredeson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kodiak Berkoff
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ferdinand Marletaz
- Molecular Genetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science
and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1, Tancha, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495,
Japan
- Division of Biosciences, University College London,
Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Therese Mitros
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Darrin T. Schultz
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of
California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss
Landing, CA 95039, USA
| | - Brendan L. O’Connell
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of
California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Paul Dear
- Mote Research Ltd, Babraham Hall, Babraham, Cambridge
CB2 4AT, UK
| | | | - Robert E. Steele
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of
California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-1700, USA
| | - Richard E. Green
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of
California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Charles N. David
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University of
Munich, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Daniel S. Rokhsar
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Molecular Genetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science
and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1, Tancha, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495,
Japan
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, 499 Illinois St., San
Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720,
USA
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40
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Kawada T, Osugi T, Matsubara S, Sakai T, Shiraishi A, Yamamoto T, Satake H. Omics Studies for the Identification of Ascidian Peptides, Cognate Receptors, and Their Relevant Roles in Ovarian Follicular Development. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:858885. [PMID: 35321341 PMCID: PMC8936170 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.858885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Omics studies contribute to the elucidation of genomes and profiles of gene expression. In the ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta), mass spectrometry (MS)-based peptidomic studies have detected numerous Ciona-specific (nonhomologous) neuropeptides as well as Ciona homologs of typical vertebrate neuropeptides and hypothalamic peptide hormones. Candidates for cognate G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for these peptides have been found in the Ciona transcriptome by two ways. First, Ciona homologous GPCRs of vertebrate counterparts have been detected by sequence homology searches of cognate transcriptomes. Second, the transcriptome-derived GPCR candidates have been used for machine learning-based systematic prediction of interactions not only between Ciona homologous peptides and GPCRs but also between novel Ciona peptides and GPCRs. These data have ultimately led to experimental evidence for various Ciona peptide-GPCR interactions. Comparative transcriptomics between the wildtype and Ciona vasopressin (CiVP) gene-edited Ciona provide clues to the biological functions of CiVP in ovarian follicular development and whole body growth. Furthermore, the transcriptomes of follicles treated with peptides, such as Ciona tachykinin and cionin (a Ciona cholecystokinin homolog), have revealed key regulatory genes for Ciona follicle growth, maturation, and ovulation, eventually leading to the verification of essential and novel molecular mechanisms underlying these biological events. These findings indicate that omics studies, combined with artificial intelligence and single-cell technologies, pave the way for investigating in greater details the nervous, neuroendocrine, and endocrine systems of ascidians and the molecular and functional evolution and diversity of peptidergic regulatory networks throughout chordates.
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41
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Onuma TA, Nishida H. Developmental biology of the larvacean Oikopleura dioica: Genome resources, functional screening, and imaging. Dev Growth Differ 2021; 64:67-82. [PMID: 34964127 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The larvacean Oikopleura dioica is a cosmopolitan planktonic chordate and is closely related to vertebrates. It is characterized by a tadpole-shaped morphology with notochord flanked by muscle in the tail and brain on the dorsal side, a short life cycle of five days, a compact genome of approximately 56 Mb, a simple and transparent body with a small number of cells (~4000 in functional juveniles), invariant embryonic cell lineages, and fast development that ensures complete morphogenesis and organ formation 10 h after fertilization. With these features, this marine chordate is a promising and advantageous animal model in which genetic manipulation is feasible. In this review, we introduce relevant resources and modern techniques that have been developed: (1) Genome and transcriptomes. Oikopleura dioica has the smallest genome among non-parasitic metazoans. Its genome databases have been generated using three geographically distant O. dioica populations, and several intra-species sequence differences are becoming evident; (2) Functional genetic knockdown techniques. Comprehensive screening of genes is feasible using ovarian microinjection and double-strand DNA-induced gene knockdown; and (3) Live imaging of embryos and larvae. Application of these techniques has uncovered novel aspects of development, including meiotic cell arrest, left-right patterning, epidermal cell patterning, and mouth formation involving the connection of ectoderm and endoderm sheets. Oikopleura dioca has become very useful for developmental and evolutionary studies in chordates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi A Onuma
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.,Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Hiroki Nishida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
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42
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Yu D, Iwamura Y, Satou Y, Oda-Ishii I. Tbx15/18/22 shares a binding site with Tbx6-r.b to maintain expression of a muscle structural gene in ascidian late embryos. Dev Biol 2021; 483:1-12. [PMID: 34963554 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The ascidian larval tail contains muscle cells for swimming. Most of these muscle cells differentiate autonomously. The genetic program behind this autonomy has been studied extensively and the genetic cascade from maternal factors to initiation of expression of a muscle structural gene, Myl.c, has been uncovered; Myl.c expression is directed initially by transcription factor Tbx6-r.b at the 64-cell stage and then by the combined actions of Tbx6-r.b and Mrf from the gastrula to early tailbud stages. In the present study, we showed that transcription of Myl.c continued in late tailbud embryos and larvae, although a fusion protein of Tbx6-r.b and GFP was hardly detectable in late tailbud embryos. A knockdown experiment, reporter assay, and in vitro binding assay indicated that an essential cis-regulatory element of Myl.c that bound Tbx6-r.b in early embryos bound Tbx15/18/22 in late embryos to maintain expression of Myl.c. We also found that Tbx15/18/22 was controlled by Mrf, which constitutes a regulatory loop with Tbx6-r.b. Therefore, our data indicated that Tbx15/18/22 was activated initially under control of this regulatory loop as in the case of Myl.c, and then Tbx15/18/22 maintained the expression of Myl.c after Tbx6-r.b had disappeared. RNA-sequencing of Tbx15/18/22 morphant embryos revealed that many muscle structural genes were regulated similarly by Tbx15/18/22. Thus, the present study revealed the mechanisms of maintenance of transcription of muscle structural genes in late embryos in which Tbx15/18/22 takes the place of Tbx6-r.b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deli Yu
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yuri Iwamura
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
| | - Izumi Oda-Ishii
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
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43
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Parra-Rincón E, Velandia-Huerto CA, Gittenberger A, Fallmann J, Gatter T, Brown FD, Stadler PF, Bermúdez-Santana CI. The Genome of the "Sea Vomit" Didemnum vexillum. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11121377. [PMID: 34947908 PMCID: PMC8704543 DOI: 10.3390/life11121377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tunicates are the sister group of vertebrates and thus occupy a key position for investigations into vertebrate innovations as well as into the consequences of the vertebrate-specific genome duplications. Nevertheless, tunicate genomes have not been studied extensively in the past, and comparative studies of tunicate genomes have remained scarce. The carpet sea squirt Didemnum vexillum, commonly known as “sea vomit”, is a colonial tunicate considered an invasive species with substantial ecological and economical risk. We report the assembly of the D. vexillum genome using a hybrid approach that combines 28.5 Gb Illumina and 12.35 Gb of PacBio data. The new hybrid scaffolded assembly has a total size of 517.55 Mb that increases contig length about eightfold compared to previous, Illumina-only assembly. As a consequence of an unusually high genetic diversity of the colonies and the moderate length of the PacBio reads, presumably caused by the unusually acidic milieu of the tunic, the assembly is highly fragmented (L50 = 25,284, N50 = 6539). It is sufficient, however, for comprehensive annotations of both protein-coding genes and non-coding RNAs. Despite its shortcomings, the draft assembly of the “sea vomit” genome provides a valuable resource for comparative tunicate genomics and for the study of the specific properties of colonial ascidians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Parra-Rincón
- Biology Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 # 26-85, Edif. Uriel Gutiérrez, Bogotá D.C 111321, Colombia; (E.P.-R.); (P.F.S.)
| | - Cristian A. Velandia-Huerto
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (J.F.); (T.G.)
- Correspondence: (C.A.V.-H.); (C.I.B.-S.)
| | - Adriaan Gittenberger
- GiMaRIS, Rijksstraatweg 75, 2171 AK Sassenheim, The Netherlands;
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jörg Fallmann
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (J.F.); (T.G.)
| | - Thomas Gatter
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (J.F.); (T.G.)
| | - Federico D. Brown
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, Tr. 14 no. 101, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil;
- Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, Rod. Manuel Hypólito do Rego km. 131.5, São Sebastião 11612-109, Brazil
| | - Peter F. Stadler
- Biology Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 # 26-85, Edif. Uriel Gutiérrez, Bogotá D.C 111321, Colombia; (E.P.-R.); (P.F.S.)
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (J.F.); (T.G.)
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87506, USA
| | - Clara I. Bermúdez-Santana
- Biology Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 # 26-85, Edif. Uriel Gutiérrez, Bogotá D.C 111321, Colombia; (E.P.-R.); (P.F.S.)
- Correspondence: (C.A.V.-H.); (C.I.B.-S.)
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44
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Williaume G, de Buyl S, Sirour C, Haupaix N, Bettoni R, Imai KS, Satou Y, Dupont G, Hudson C, Yasuo H. Cell geometry, signal dampening, and a bimodal transcriptional response underlie the spatial precision of an ERK-mediated embryonic induction. Dev Cell 2021; 56:2966-2979.e10. [PMID: 34672970 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Precise control of lineage segregation is critical for the development of multicellular organisms, but our quantitative understanding of how variable signaling inputs are integrated to activate lineage-specific gene programs remains limited. Here, we show how precisely two out of eight ectoderm cells adopt neural fates in response to ephrin and FGF signals during ascidian neural induction. In each ectoderm cell, FGF signals activate ERK to a level that mirrors its cell contact surface with FGF-expressing mesendoderm cells. This gradual interpretation of FGF inputs is followed by a bimodal transcriptional response of the immediate early gene, Otx, resulting in its activation specifically in the neural precursors. At low levels of ERK, Otx is repressed by an ETS family transcriptional repressor, ERF2. Ephrin signals are critical for dampening ERK activation levels across ectoderm cells so that only neural precursors exhibit above-threshold levels, evade ERF repression, and "switch on" Otx transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géraldine Williaume
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Sophie de Buyl
- Applied Physics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, ULB-VUB, La Plaine Campus, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cathy Sirour
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Nicolas Haupaix
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Rossana Bettoni
- Applied Physics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, ULB-VUB, La Plaine Campus, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Unité de Chronobiologie Théorique, Faculté des Sciences, CP231, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kaoru S Imai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Geneviève Dupont
- Unité de Chronobiologie Théorique, Faculté des Sciences, CP231, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Clare Hudson
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.
| | - Hitoyoshi Yasuo
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.
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45
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Matsubara S, Osugi T, Shiraishi A, Wada A, Satake H. Comparative analysis of transcriptomic profiles among ascidians, zebrafish, and mice: Insights from tissue-specific gene expression. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254308. [PMID: 34559810 PMCID: PMC8462739 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue/organ-specific genes (TSGs) are important not only for understanding organ development and function, but also for investigating the evolutionary lineages of organs in animals. Here, we investigate the TSGs of 9 adult tissues of an ascidian, Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta), which lies in the important position of being the sister group of vertebrates. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR identified the Ciona TSGs in each tissue, and BLAST searches identified their homologs in zebrafish and mice. Tissue distributions of the vertebrate homologs were analyzed and clustered using public RNA-seq data for 12 zebrafish and 30 mouse tissues. Among the vertebrate homologs of the Ciona TSGs in the neural complex, 48% and 63% showed high expression in the zebrafish and mouse brain, respectively, suggesting that the central nervous system is evolutionarily conserved in chordates. In contrast, vertebrate homologs of Ciona TSGs in the ovary, pharynx, and intestine were not consistently highly expressed in the corresponding tissues of vertebrates, suggesting that these organs have evolved in Ciona-specific lineages. Intriguingly, more TSG homologs of the Ciona stomach were highly expressed in the vertebrate liver (17-29%) and intestine (22-33%) than in the mouse stomach (5%). Expression profiles for these genes suggest that the biological roles of the Ciona stomach are distinct from those of their vertebrate counterparts. Collectively, Ciona tissues were categorized into 3 groups: i) high similarity to the corresponding vertebrate tissues (neural complex and heart), ii) low similarity to the corresponding vertebrate tissues (ovary, pharynx, and intestine), and iii) low similarity to the corresponding vertebrate tissues, but high similarity to other vertebrate tissues (stomach, endostyle, and siphons). The present study provides transcriptomic catalogs of adult ascidian tissues and significant insights into the evolutionary lineages of the brain, heart, and digestive tract of chordates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Matsubara
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Tomohiro Osugi
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akira Shiraishi
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Azumi Wada
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Honoo Satake
- Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, Japan
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46
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Conservative and Atypical Ferritins of Sponges. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168635. [PMID: 34445356 PMCID: PMC8395497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferritins comprise a conservative family of proteins found in all species and play an essential role in resistance to redox stress, immune response, and cell differentiation. Sponges (Porifera) are the oldest Metazoa that show unique plasticity and regenerative potential. Here, we characterize the ferritins of two cold-water sponges using proteomics, spectral microscopy, and bioinformatic analysis. The recently duplicated conservative HdF1a/b and atypical HdF2 genes were found in the Halisarca dujardini genome. Multiple related transcripts of HpF1 were identified in the Halichondria panicea transcriptome. Expression of HdF1a/b was much higher than that of HdF2 in all annual seasons and regulated differently during the sponge dissociation/reaggregation. The presence of the MRE and HRE motifs in the HdF1 and HdF2 promotor regions and the IRE motif in mRNAs of HdF1 and HpF indicates that sponge ferritins expression depends on the cellular iron and oxygen levels. The gel electrophoresis combined with specific staining and mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of ferric ions and ferritins in multi-subunit complexes. The 3D modeling predicts the iron-binding capacity of HdF1 and HpF1 at the ferroxidase center and the absence of iron-binding in atypical HdF2. Interestingly, atypical ferritins lacking iron-binding capacity were found in genomes of many invertebrate species. Their function deserves further research.
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47
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Onuma TA, Nakanishi R, Sasakura Y, Ogasawara M. Nkx2-1 and FoxE regionalize glandular (mucus-producing) and thyroid-equivalent traits in the endostyle of the chordate Oikopleura dioica. Dev Biol 2021; 477:219-231. [PMID: 34107272 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The endostyle is a ventral pharyngeal organ used for internal filter feeding of basal chordates and is considered homologous to the follicular thyroid of vertebrates. It contains mucus-producing (glandular) and thyroid-equivalent regions organized along the dorsoventral (DV) axis. Although thyroid-related genes (Nkx2-1, FoxE, and thyroid peroxidase (TPO)) are known to be expressed in the endostyle, their roles in establishing regionalization within the organ have not been demonstrated. We report that Nkx2-1 and FoxE are essential for establishing DV axial identity in the endostyle of Oikopleura dioica. Genome and expression analyses showed von Willebrand factor-like (vWFL) and TPO/dual oxidase (Duox)/Nkx2-1/FoxE as orthologs of glandular and thyroid-related genes, respectively. Knockdown experiments showed that Nkx2-1 is necessary for the expression of glandular and thyroid-related genes, whereas FoxE is necessary only for thyroid-related genes. Moreover, Nkx2-1 expression is necessary for FoxE expression in larvae during organogenesis. The results demonstrate the essential roles of Nkx2-1 and FoxE in establishing regionalization in the endostyle, including (1) the Nkx2-1-dependent glandular region, and (2) the Nkx2-1/FoxE-dependent thyroid-equivalent region. DV axial regionalization may be responsible for organizing glandular and thyroid-equivalent traits of the pharynx along the DV axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi A Onuma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan.
| | - Rina Nakanishi
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Yasunori Sasakura
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, 415-0025, Japan
| | - Michio Ogasawara
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
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48
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Oda-Ishii I, Yu D, Satou Y. Two distinct motifs for Zic-r.a drive specific gene expression in two cell lineages. Development 2021; 148:269043. [PMID: 34100063 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Zic-r.a, a maternal transcription factor, specifies posterior fate in ascidian embryos. However, its direct target, Tbx6-r.b, does not contain typical Zic-r.a-binding sites in its regulatory region. Using an in vitro selection assay, we found that Zic-r.a binds to sites dissimilar to the canonical motif, by which it activates Tbx6-r.b in a sub-lineage of muscle cells. These sites with non-canonical motifs have weak affinity for Zic-r.a; therefore, it activates Tbx6-r.b only in cells expressing Zic-r.a abundantly. Meanwhile, we found that Zic-r.a expressed zygotically in late embryos activates neural genes through canonical sites. Because different zinc-finger domains of Zic-r.a are important for driving reporters with canonical and non-canonical sites, it is likely that the non-canonical motif is not a divergent version of the canonical motif. In other words, our data indicate that the non-canonical motif represents a motif distinct from the canonical motif. Thus, Zic-r.a recognizes two distinct motifs to activate two sets of genes at two timepoints in development. This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izumi Oda-Ishii
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Deli Yu
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
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49
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Tokuoka M, Maeda K, Kobayashi K, Mochizuki A, Satou Y. The gene regulatory system for specifying germ layers in early embryos of the simple chordate. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/24/eabf8210. [PMID: 34108211 PMCID: PMC8189585 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf8210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In animal embryos, gene regulatory networks control the dynamics of gene expression in cells and coordinate such dynamics among cells. In ascidian embryos, gene expression dynamics have been dissected at the single-cell resolution. Here, we revealed mathematical functions that represent the regulatory logics of all regulatory genes expressed at the 32-cell stage when the germ layers are largely specified. These functions collectively explain the entire mechanism by which gene expression dynamics are controlled coordinately in early embryos. We found that regulatory functions for genes expressed in each of the specific lineages contain a common core regulatory mechanism. Last, we showed that the expression of the regulatory genes became reproducible by calculation and controllable by experimental manipulations. Thus, these regulatory functions represent an architectural design for the germ layer specification of this chordate and provide a platform for simulations and experiments to understand the operating principles of gene regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Tokuoka
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kazuki Maeda
- Faculty of Informatics, University of Fukuchiyama, 3370 Hori, Fukuchiyama, Kyoto 620-0886, Japan
| | - Kenji Kobayashi
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Atsushi Mochizuki
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yutaka Satou
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
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50
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Hoencamp C, Dudchenko O, Elbatsh AMO, Brahmachari S, Raaijmakers JA, van Schaik T, Sedeño Cacciatore Á, Contessoto VG, van Heesbeen RGHP, van den Broek B, Mhaskar AN, Teunissen H, St Hilaire BG, Weisz D, Omer AD, Pham M, Colaric Z, Yang Z, Rao SSP, Mitra N, Lui C, Yao W, Khan R, Moroz LL, Kohn A, St Leger J, Mena A, Holcroft K, Gambetta MC, Lim F, Farley E, Stein N, Haddad A, Chauss D, Mutlu AS, Wang MC, Young ND, Hildebrandt E, Cheng HH, Knight CJ, Burnham TLU, Hovel KA, Beel AJ, Mattei PJ, Kornberg RD, Warren WC, Cary G, Gómez-Skarmeta JL, Hinman V, Lindblad-Toh K, Di Palma F, Maeshima K, Multani AS, Pathak S, Nel-Themaat L, Behringer RR, Kaur P, Medema RH, van Steensel B, de Wit E, Onuchic JN, Di Pierro M, Lieberman Aiden E, Rowland BD. 3D genomics across the tree of life reveals condensin II as a determinant of architecture type. Science 2021; 372:984-989. [PMID: 34045355 PMCID: PMC8172041 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe2218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We investigated genome folding across the eukaryotic tree of life. We find two types of three-dimensional (3D) genome architectures at the chromosome scale. Each type appears and disappears repeatedly during eukaryotic evolution. The type of genome architecture that an organism exhibits correlates with the absence of condensin II subunits. Moreover, condensin II depletion converts the architecture of the human genome to a state resembling that seen in organisms such as fungi or mosquitoes. In this state, centromeres cluster together at nucleoli, and heterochromatin domains merge. We propose a physical model in which lengthwise compaction of chromosomes by condensin II during mitosis determines chromosome-scale genome architecture, with effects that are retained during the subsequent interphase. This mechanism likely has been conserved since the last common ancestor of all eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Hoencamp
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Ahmed M O Elbatsh
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Jonne A Raaijmakers
- Division of Cell Biology, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tom van Schaik
- Division of Gene Regulation, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Vinícius G Contessoto
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Physics, Institute of Biosciences, Letters and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto - SP, 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Roy G H P van Heesbeen
- Division of Cell Biology, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bram van den Broek
- BioImaging Facility, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Aditya N Mhaskar
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hans Teunissen
- Division of Gene Regulation, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Brian Glenn St Hilaire
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - David Weisz
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Arina D Omer
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Melanie Pham
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zane Colaric
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhenzhen Yang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech, Pudong 201210, China
| | - Suhas S P Rao
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Namita Mitra
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Christopher Lui
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Weijie Yao
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ruqayya Khan
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Leonid L Moroz
- Whitney Laboratory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Andrea Kohn
- Whitney Laboratory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Judy St Leger
- Department of Biosciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | | | | | | | - Fabian Lim
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Emma Farley
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nils Stein
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK Gatersleben), 06466 Seeland, Germany
- Center of Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), Department of Crop Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Alexander Haddad
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Daniel Chauss
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ayse Sena Mutlu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Meng C Wang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Neil D Young
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Evin Hildebrandt
- Avian Diseases and Oncology Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Hans H Cheng
- Avian Diseases and Oncology Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | | | - Theresa L U Burnham
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Coastal and Marine Institute and Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Kevin A Hovel
- Coastal and Marine Institute and Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Andrew J Beel
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Pierre-Jean Mattei
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Roger D Kornberg
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Wesley C Warren
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Gregory Cary
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - José Luis Gómez-Skarmeta
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo CSIC, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Veronica Hinman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kerstin Lindblad-Toh
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Federica Di Palma
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Kazuhiro Maeshima
- Genome Dynamics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Genetics, Sokendai (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Asha S Multani
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sen Pathak
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Liesl Nel-Themaat
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Parwinder Kaur
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - René H Medema
- Division of Cell Biology, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bas van Steensel
- Division of Gene Regulation, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Elzo de Wit
- Division of Gene Regulation, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - José N Onuchic
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Departments of Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry, and Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Michele Di Pierro
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech, Pudong 201210, China
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Benjamin D Rowland
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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