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Asad M, Liao J, Chen J, Munir F, Pang S, Abbas AN, Yang G. Exploring the role of the ovary-serine protease gene in the female fertility of the diamondback moth using CRISPR/Cas9. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:3194-3206. [PMID: 38348909 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8022] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oogenesis is a complex pathway necessary for proper female reproduction in insects. Ovary-serine protease (Osp) is a homologous gene of serine protease Nudel (SpNudel) and plays an essential role in the oogenesis and ovary development of Drosophila melanogaster. However, the function of Osp is not determined in Plutella xylostella, a highly destructive pest of cruciferous crops. RESULTS The PxOsp gene comprises a 5883-bp open-reading frame that encodes a protein consisting of 1994 amino acids, which contain four conserved domains. PxOsp exhibited a high relative expression in adult females with a specific expression in the ovary. Through the utilization of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, homozygous mutants of PxOsp were generated. These homozygous mutant females produced fewer eggs (average of 56 eggs/female) than wild-type (WT) females (average of 97 eggs/female) when crossed with WT males, and these eggs failed to hatch. Conversely, mutant males produced normal progeny when crossed with WT females. The ovarioles in homozygous mutant females were significantly shorter (5.02 mm in length) and contained fewer eggs (average of 3 eggs/ovariole) than WT ovarioles (8.09 mm in length with an average of 8 eggs/ovariole). Moreover, eggs laid by homozygous mutant females were fragile, with irregular shapes, and were unable to maintain structural integrity due to eggshell ruptures. However, no significant differences were observed between WT and mutant individuals regarding developmental duration, pupal weight, and mating behavior. CONCLUSION Our study suggesteds that PxOsp plays a vital role in female reproduction, particularly in ovary and egg development. Disrupting PxOsp results in recessive female sterility while leaving the male reproductive capability unaffected. This report represents the first study of a haplosufficient gene responsible for female fertility in lepidopteran insects. Additionally, these findings emphasize PxOsp as a potential target for genetically-based pest management of P. xylostella. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Asad
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian/Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pest Control, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jianying Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian/Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pest Control, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian/Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pest Control, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Faisal Munir
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian/Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pest Control, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Senbo Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian/Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pest Control, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Anam Noreen Abbas
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian/Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pest Control, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian/Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pest Control, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China
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Zhang P, Jialaliding Z, Gu J, Merchant A, Zhang Q, Zhou X. Knockout of ovary serine protease Leads to Ovary Deformation and Female Sterility in the Asian Corn Borer, Ostrinia furnacalis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16311. [PMID: 38003502 PMCID: PMC10671606 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216311] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Oogenesis in insects is a carefully orchestrated process, facilitating the formation of female gametes, which is regulated by multiple extrinsic and intrinsic factors, including ovary serine protease (Osp). As a member of the serine protease family, Osp is a homolog of Nudel, a maternally required protease defining embryonic dorsoventral polarity in Drosophila. In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis to functionally characterize Osp in the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, a devastating maize pest throughout Asia and Australia. Building on previous knowledge, we hypothesized that knockout of Osp would disrupt embryonic development in O. furnacalis females. To examine this overarching hypothesis, we (1) cloned and characterized Osp from O. furnacalis, (2) designed target sites on exons 1 and 4 to construct a CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis system, and (3) documented phenotypic impacts among O. furnacalis Osp mutants. As a result, we (1) examined the temporal-spatial expression profiles of OfOsp, which has an open reading frame of 5648 bp in length and encodes a protein of 1873 amino acids; (2) established O. furnacalis Osp mutants; and (3) documented recessive, female-specific sterility among OfOspF mutants, including absent or deformed oviducts and reduced fertility in female but not male mutants. Overall, the combined results support our initial hypothesis that Osp is required for embryonic development, specifically ovarian maturation, in O. furnacalis females. Given its substantial impacts on female sterility, Osp provides a potential target for the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to manage Lepidoptera pests in general and the species complex Ostrinia in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Porui Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (P.Z.); (Z.J.); (J.G.)
| | - Zuerdong Jialaliding
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (P.Z.); (Z.J.); (J.G.)
| | - Junwen Gu
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (P.Z.); (Z.J.); (J.G.)
| | - Austin Merchant
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA;
| | - Qi Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (P.Z.); (Z.J.); (J.G.)
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA;
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Wang K, Wu Y, Wang Y, Yang Z, Zhang Y, Liu Z. The effects of phosphate fertilizer on the growth and reproduction of Pardosa pseudoannulata and its potential mechanisms. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 265:109538. [PMID: 36563951 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2022.109538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In fields, the natural enemy spider, Pardosa pseudoannulata, plays important roles in insect pest control. Agrochemicals, such as phosphate fertilizer, disturb the ecosystem and weaken the pest control efficiency of the spider. According to the usual habitat of the spider in soil cracks, the soil-application of phosphate fertilizer was carried out to determine its effects on the growth and reproduction of P. pseudoannulata. Phosphate fertilizer treatment prolonged longevity and increased mortality in subadults. The treatment also negatively affected reproduction of P. pseudoannulata adults even with removing phosphate fertilizer stress before adult emergence, leading to a lower mating rate, fewer eggsacs and eggs per female, and fewer offsprings in the first eggsac. The transcriptomic sequencing analysis revealed the up-regulation of unigenes related to stress resistance and down-regulation of unigenes associated with protein processing and proteasomal degradation in phosphate fertilizer-treated P. pseudoannulata. Decline in proper protein processing by E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase complex and endopeptidase activity might provide a partial explanation for negative effects of phosphate fertilizer on the spider reproduction. The study put a notice on negative effects of phosphate fertilizer on beneficial arthropods, which provide a great potential in the protection of P. pseudoannulata and other predator spider species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yunchao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhiming Yang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yixi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zewen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.
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Xie M, Zhong Y, Lin L, Zhang G, Su W, Ni W, Qu M, Chen H. Transcriptome analysis of Holotrichia oblita reveals differentially expressed unigenes related to reproduction and development under different photoperiods. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2022; 42:100959. [PMID: 35033741 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2022.100959] [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: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Holotrichia oblita (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is an insect whose feeding and mating behaviors occur at night. A scotophase is necessary for H. oblita reproduction. We used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to compare the expression patterns of H. oblita at five photoperiods (0:24, 8:16, 12:12, 16:8, and 24:0 h) (L:D). Compared to the control (24:0) (L:D), 161-684 differentially expressed unigenes (DEUs) were found in female samples, while 698-2322 DEUs were found in male samples. For all DEUs, a total of 92-1143 DEUs were allocated to 116-662 categories of gene ontology (GO), and 81-1116 DEUs were assigned into 77-286 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. The iPath diagram showed that the DEUs generated by comparing female and male samples with photoperiods of 0:24 and 24:0, respectively, involved multiple metabolic pathways, such as carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, purine metabolism and glutathione metabolism. Most of these DEUs were upregulated. Finally, 13 DEUs related to reproduction and development were selected to confirm the consistency of relative expression between RNA-Seq and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Most of these comparison results agreed well, except for some qRT-PCR results that were not detected in male samples due to their low expression. These results provide useful information for understanding the dark-induced reproduction of H. oblita.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Xie
- Anhui-CABI Joint laboratory for Agricultural Pest Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Agro-Products Safety, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
| | - Yongzhi Zhong
- Anhui-CABI Joint laboratory for Agricultural Pest Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Agro-Products Safety, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
| | - Lulu Lin
- Anhui-CABI Joint laboratory for Agricultural Pest Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Agro-Products Safety, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
| | - Guangling Zhang
- Anhui-CABI Joint laboratory for Agricultural Pest Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Agro-Products Safety, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
| | - Weihua Su
- Anhui-CABI Joint laboratory for Agricultural Pest Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Agro-Products Safety, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
| | - WanLi Ni
- Crop Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
| | - Mingjing Qu
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao 266100, China.
| | - Haoliang Chen
- Anhui-CABI Joint laboratory for Agricultural Pest Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Agro-Products Safety, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
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Huang X, Zhu B, Zhang W, Chen L. Cloning and reproductive regulation of a trypsin precursor gene in Adelphocorissuturalis. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 192:38-44. [PMID: 34597701 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.158] [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: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Adelphocoris suturalis is a major pest of cotton. Here, we identified a trypsin precursor gene (AsTryP) in A. suturali, which has an open reading frame region of 873 bp and belongs to the trypsin superfamily. The mRNA of the AsTryP gene was detectable in every life stage and different tissues of 8-day-old females, and the gene was highly expressed in fourth-instar nymphs and the thorax of 8-day-old females. Down-regulation of AsTryP by the injection of double-stranded RNA suppressed the ovarian development and female fertility. These results reveal that trypsin precursor is involved in the reproductive process of A. suturali, and may facilitate the development of new strategies for a better control of A. suturalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China; Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Bangqin Zhu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China; Guiyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang 550003, Guizhou, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China; College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - Lizhen Chen
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China.
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Xu X, Bi H, Wang Y, Li X, Xu J, Liu Z, He L, Li K, Huang Y. Disruption of the ovarian serine protease (Osp) gene causes female sterility in Bombyx mori and Spodoptera litura. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2020; 76:1245-1255. [PMID: 31595658 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Precise regulation of oogenesis is crucial to female reproduction. Seventy percent of pests belong to lepidopteran species, so it would be interesting to explore the highly conserved genes involved in oogenesis that do not affect growth and development in the lepidopteran model, Bombyx mori. This can provide potential target genes for pest control and promote the development of insect sterility technology. RESULTS In lepidopteran species, ovarian serine protease (Osp), which encodes a member of the serine protease family, is essential for oogenesis. In this study, we used transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 technology to obtain Osp mutants in the model lepidopteran insect Bombyx mori and in the lepidopteran agricultural pest Spodoptera litura. Sequence analysis of mutants revealed an array of deletions in Osp loci in both species. We found that the deletion of Osp resulted in female sterility, whereas male fertility was not affected. Although B. mori and S. litura mutant females mated normally, they laid fewer eggs than wild-type females and eggs did not hatch. CONCLUSION Osp is crucial for female reproductive success in two species of Lepidoptera. As the Osp gene is highly conserved in insect species, this gene is a potential molecular target for genetic-based pest management. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Xu
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Honglun Bi
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowei Li
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zulian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin He
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Li
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Schloop AE, Bandodkar PU, Reeves GT. Formation, interpretation, and regulation of the Drosophila Dorsal/NF-κB gradient. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 137:143-191. [PMID: 32143742 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The morphogen gradient of the transcription factor Dorsal in the early Drosophila embryo has become one of the most widely studied tissue patterning systems. Dorsal is a Drosophila homolog of mammalian NF-κB and patterns the dorsal-ventral axis of the blastoderm embryo into several tissue types by spatially regulating upwards of 100 zygotic genes. Recent studies using fluorescence microscopy and live imaging have quantified the Dorsal gradient and its target genes, which has paved the way for mechanistic modeling of the gradient. In this review, we describe the mechanisms behind the initiation of the Dorsal gradient and its regulation of target genes. The main focus of the review is a discussion of quantitative and computational studies of the Dl gradient system, including regulation of the Dl gradient. We conclude with a discussion of potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison E Schloop
- Genetics Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Prasad U Bandodkar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Gregory T Reeves
- Genetics Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
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Transfer of Dorsoventral and Terminal Information from the Ovary to the Embryo by a Common Group of Eggshell Proteins in Drosophila. Genetics 2017; 205:1529-1536. [PMID: 28179368 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.197574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila eggshell is an extracellular matrix that confers protection to the egg and also plays a role in transferring positional information from the ovary to pattern the embryo. Among the constituents of the Drosophila eggshell, Nasrat, Polehole, and Closca form a group of proteins related by sequence, secreted by the oocyte, and mutually required for their incorporation into the eggshell. Besides their role in eggshell integrity, Nasrat, Polehole, and Closca are also required for embryonic terminal patterning by anchoring or stabilizing Torso-like at the eggshell. Here, we show that they are also required for dorsoventral patterning, thereby unveiling that the dorsoventral and terminal systems, hitherto considered independent, share a common extracellular step. Furthermore, we show that Nasrat, Polehole, and Closca are required for proper Nudel activity, a protease acting both in embryonic dorsoventral patterning and eggshell integrity, thus providing a means to account for the role of Nasrat, Polehole, and Closca. We propose that a Nasrat/Polehole/Closca complex acts as a multifunctional hub to anchor various proteins synthesized at oogenesis, ensuring their spatial and temporal restricted function.
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Vera A, Recabal A, Saldivia N, Stanic K, Torrejón M, Montecinos H, Caprile T. Interaction between SCO-spondin and low density lipoproteins from embryonic cerebrospinal fluid modulates their roles in early neurogenesis. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:72. [PMID: 26074785 PMCID: PMC4446542 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
During early stages of development, encephalic vesicles are composed by a layer of neuroepithelial cells surrounding a central cavity filled with embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (eCSF). This fluid contains several morphogens that regulate proliferation and differentiation of neuroepithelial cells. One of these neurogenic factors is SCO-spondin, a giant protein secreted to the eCSF from early stages of development. Inhibition of this protein in vivo or in vitro drastically decreases the neurodifferentiation process. Other important neurogenic factors of the eCSF are low density lipoproteins (LDL), the depletion of which generates a 60% decrease in mesencephalic explant neurodifferentiation. The presence of several LDL receptor class A (LDLrA) domains (responsible for LDL binding in other proteins) in the SCO-spondin sequence suggests a possible interaction between both molecules. This possibility was analyzed using three different experimental approaches: (1) Bioinformatics analyses of the SCO-spondin region, that contains eight LDLrA domains in tandem, and of comparisons with the LDL receptor consensus sequence; (2) Analysis of the physical interactions of both molecules through immunohistochemical colocalization in embryonic chick brains and through the immunoprecipitation of LDL with anti-SCO-spondin antibodies; and (3) Analysis of functional interactions during the neurodifferentiation process when these molecules were added to a culture medium of mesencephalic explants. The results revealed that LDL and SCO-spondin interact to form a complex that diminishes the neurogenic capacities that both molecules have separately. Our work suggests that the eCSF is an active signaling center with a complex regulation system that allows for correct brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- América Vera
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepción Concepción, Chile
| | - Antonia Recabal
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepción Concepción, Chile
| | - Natalia Saldivia
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepción Concepción, Chile
| | - Karen Stanic
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepción Concepción, Chile
| | - Marcela Torrejón
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Concepción Concepción, Chile
| | - Hernán Montecinos
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepción Concepción, Chile
| | - Teresa Caprile
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepción Concepción, Chile
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Stein DS, Stevens LM. Maternal control of the Drosophila dorsal-ventral body axis. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2014; 3:301-30. [PMID: 25124754 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The pathway that generates the dorsal-ventral (DV) axis of the Drosophila embryo has been the subject of intense investigation over the previous three decades. The initial asymmetric signal originates during oogenesis by the movement of the oocyte nucleus to an anterior corner of the oocyte, which establishes DV polarity within the follicle through signaling between Gurken, the Drosophila Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-α homologue secreted from the oocyte, and the Drosophila Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) that is expressed by the follicular epithelium cells that envelop the oocyte. Follicle cells that are not exposed to Gurken follow a ventral fate and express Pipe, a sulfotransferase that enzymatically modifies components of the inner vitelline membrane layer of the eggshell, thereby transferring DV spatial information from the follicle to the egg. These ventrally sulfated eggshell proteins comprise a localized cue that directs the ventrally restricted formation of the active Spätzle ligand within the perivitelline space between the eggshell and the embryonic membrane. Spätzle activates Toll, a transmembrane receptor in the embryonic membrane. Transmission of the Toll signal into the embryo leads to the formation of a ventral-to-dorsal gradient of the transcription factor Dorsal within the nuclei of the syncytial blastoderm stage embryo. Dorsal controls the spatially specific expression of a large constellation of zygotic target genes, the Dorsal gene regulatory network, along the embryonic DV circumference. This article reviews classic studies and integrates them with the details of more recent work that has advanced our understanding of the complex pathway that establishes Drosophila embryo DV polarity. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Stein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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11
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Moussian B, Roth S. Dorsoventral axis formation in the Drosophila embryo--shaping and transducing a morphogen gradient. Curr Biol 2006; 15:R887-99. [PMID: 16271864 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2005.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The graded nuclear location of the transcription factor Dorsal along the dorsoventral axis of the early Drosophila embryo provides positional information for the determination of different cell fates. Nuclear uptake of Dorsal depends on a complex signalling pathway comprising two parts: an extracellular proteolytic cascade transmits the dorsoventral polarity of the egg chamber to the early embryo and generates a gradient of active Spätzle protein, the ligand of the receptor Toll; an intracellular cascade downstream of Toll relays this graded signal to embryonic nuclei. The slope of the Dorsal gradient is not determined by diffusion of extracellular or intracellular components from a local source, but results from self-organised patterning, in which positive and negative feedback is essential to create and maintain the ratio of key factors at different levels, thereby establishing and stabilising the graded spatial information for Dorsal nuclear uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Moussian
- Department of Genetics, Max-Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstr. 35, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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12
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Tadros W, Houston SA, Bashirullah A, Cooperstock RL, Semotok JL, Reed BH, Lipshitz HD. Regulation of maternal transcript destabilization during egg activation in Drosophila. Genetics 2003; 164:989-1001. [PMID: 12871909 PMCID: PMC1462612 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/164.3.989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In animals, the transfer of developmental control from maternal RNAs and proteins to zygotically derived products occurs at the midblastula transition. This is accompanied by the destabilization of a subset of maternal transcripts. In Drosophila, maternal transcript destabilization occurs in the absence of fertilization and requires specific cis-acting instability elements. We show here that egg activation is necessary and sufficient to trigger transcript destabilization. We have identified 13 maternal-effect lethal loci that, when mutated, result in failure of maternal transcript degradation. All mutants identified are defective in one or more additional processes associated with egg activation. These include vitelline membrane reorganization, cortical microtubule depolymerization, translation of maternal mRNA, completion of meiosis, and chromosome condensation (the S-to-M transition) after meiosis. The least pleiotropic class of transcript destabilization mutants consists of three genes: pan gu, plutonium, and giant nuclei. These three genes regulate the S-to-M transition at the end of meiosis and are thought to be required for the maintenance of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity during this cell cycle transition. Consistent with a possible functional connection between this S-to-M transition and transcript destabilization, we show that in vitro-activated eggs, which exhibit aberrant postmeiotic chromosome condensation, fail to initiate transcript degradation. Several genetic tests exclude the possibility that reduction of CDK/cyclin complex activity per se is responsible for the failure to trigger transcript destabilization in these mutants. We propose that the trigger for transcript destabilization occurs coincidently with the S-to-M transition at the end of meiosis and that pan gu, plutonium, and giant nuclei regulate maternal transcript destabilization independent of their role in cell cycle regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Tadros
- Program in Developmental Biology, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
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13
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Rose T, LeMosy EK, Cantwell AM, Banerjee-Roy D, Skeath JB, Di Cera E. Three-dimensional models of proteases involved in patterning of the Drosophila Embryo. Crucial role of predicted cation binding sites. J Biol Chem 2003; 278:11320-30. [PMID: 12493753 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m211820200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional models of the catalytic domains of Nudel (Ndl), Gastrulation Defective (Gd), Snake (Snk), and Easter (Ea), and their complexes with substrate suggest a possible organization of the enzyme cascade controlling the dorsoventral fate of the fruit fly embryo. The models predict that Gd activates Snk, which in turn activates Ea. Gd can be activated either autoproteolytically or by Ndl. The three-dimensional models of each enzyme-substrate complex in the cascade rationalize existing mutagenesis data and the associated phenotypes. The models also predict unanticipated features like a Ca(2+) binding site in Ea and a Na(+) binding site in Ndl and Gd. These binding sites are likely to play a crucial role in vivo as suggested by mutant enzymes introduced into embryos as mRNAs. The mutations in Gd that eliminate Na(+) binding cause an apparent increase in activity, whereas mutations in Ea that abrogate Ca(2+) binding result in complete loss of activity. A mutation in Ea predicted to introduce Na(+) binding results in apparently increased activity with ventralization of the embryo, an effect not observed with wild-type Ea mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Rose
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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14
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Turcotte CL, Hashimoto C. Evidence for a glycosaminoglycan on the nudel protein important for dorsoventral patterning of the drosophila embryo. Dev Dyn 2002; 224:51-7. [PMID: 11984873 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.10081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Dorsoventral patterning of the Drosophila embryo requires Nudel, a large mosaic protein with a protease domain. Previous studies have implicated Nudel's protease domain as the trigger of a proteolytic cascade that activates the Toll signaling pathway to establish dorsoventral polarity in the embryo. However, the function of other regions of Nudel has been unclear. By using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and site-directed mutagenesis, we have obtained evidence that the N-terminal region of Nudel contains a site for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) attachment that is required for dorsoventral patterning. Disruption of this site blocks a disulfide-based association between N- and C-terminal Nudel polypeptides and proteolytic activation of Nudel's protease domain. We discuss how a GAG chain on Nudel might be required for Nudel protease activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia L Turcotte
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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15
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Han JH, Lee SH, Tan YQ, LeMosy EK, Hashimoto C. Gastrulation defective is a serine protease involved in activating the receptor toll to polarize the Drosophila embryo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2000; 97:9093-7. [PMID: 10922064 PMCID: PMC16827 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.97.16.9093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsoventral axis of the Drosophila embryo is induced by a ventrally restricted ligand for the receptor Toll. The Toll ligand is generated by a proteolytic processing reaction, which occurs at the end of a proteolytic cascade and requires the gastrulation defective (gd), nudel, pipe, and windbeutel genes. Here we demonstrate that the GD protein is a serine protease and that the three other genes act to restrict GD activity to the ventral side of the embryo. Our data support a model in which the GD protease catalyzes the ventral activation of the proteolytic cascade that produces the Toll ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
- J H Han
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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16
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LeMosy EK, Hashimoto C. The nudel protease of Drosophila is required for eggshell biogenesis in addition to embryonic patterning. Dev Biol 2000; 217:352-61. [PMID: 10625559 DOI: 10.1006/dbio.1999.9562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The dorsoventral axis of the Drosophila embryo is defined by a ventral signal that arises within the perivitelline space, an extracellular compartment between the embryo plasma membrane and the vitelline membrane layer of the eggshell. Production of the ventral signal requires four members of the serine protease family, including a large modular protein with a protease domain encoded by the nudel gene. Here we provide evidence that the Nudel protease has an integral role in eggshell biogenesis. Mutations in nudel that disrupt Nudel protease function produce eggs having vitelline membranes that are abnormally permeable to the dye neutral red. Permeability varies among mutant nudel alleles but correlates with levels of Nudel protease catalytic activity and function in embryonic dorsoventral patterning. These mutations also block cross-linking of vitelline membrane proteins that normally occurs upon egg activation, just prior to fertilization. In addition, Nudel protease autoactivation temporally coincides with vitelline membrane cross-linking and can be triggered in mature eggs in vitro by conditions that lead to egg activation. We discuss how the Nudel protease might be involved in both eggshell biogenesis and embryonic patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- E K LeMosy
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
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