1
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Sharma N, Marques F, Kratsios P. Protocol for auxin-inducible protein degradation in C. elegans using different auxins and TIR1-expressing strains. STAR Protoc 2024; 5:103133. [PMID: 38878287 PMCID: PMC11234035 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103133] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system is a powerful tool to deplete proteins in vivo. Here, we present a protocol for AID-mediated depletion of two proteins (CFI-1/AT-rich interaction domain 3 [ARID3] and Y47D3A.21/density-regulated re-initiation and release factor [DENR]) in C. elegans tissues using different auxins and transport inhibitor response 1 (TIR1)-expressing strains. We describe steps for genetic crossing, sample preparation, fluorescent microscopy, and treatment with either natural (indole-3-acetic acid [IAA]) or synthetic (1-naphthaleneacetic acid, potassium salt [K-NAA]) auxins. We then detail procedures for comparing the degree of CFI-1 depletion in C. elegans neurons upon panneuronal or pansomatic TIR1 expression. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Li et al.1,2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Sharma
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Filipe Marques
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Paschalis Kratsios
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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2
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Milne SM, Edeen PT, Fay DS. TAT-1, a phosphatidylserine flippase, affects molting and regulates membrane trafficking in the epidermis of C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.15.613099. [PMID: 39314363 PMCID: PMC11419146 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.15.613099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Membrane trafficking is a conserved process required for the movement and distribution of proteins and other macromolecules within cells. The Caenorhabditis elegans NIMA-related kinases NEKL-2 (human NEK8/9) and NEKL-3 (human NEK6/7) are conserved regulators of membrane trafficking and are required for the completion of molting. We used a genetic approach to identify reduction-of-function mutations in tat-1 that suppress nekl -associated molting defects. tat-1 encodes the C. elegans ortholog of mammalian ATP8A1/2, a phosphatidylserine (PS) flippase that promotes the asymmetric distribution of PS to the cytosolic leaflet of lipid membrane bilayers. CHAT-1 (human CDC50), a conserved chaperone, was required for the correct localization of TAT-1, and chat-1 inhibition strongly suppressed nekl defects. Using a PS sensor, we found that TAT-1 was required for the normal localization of PS at apical endosomes and that loss of TAT-1 led to aberrant endosomal morphologies. Consistent with this, TAT-1 localized to early endosomes and to recycling endosomes marked with RME-1, the C. elegans ortholog of the human EPS15 homology (EH) domain-containing protein, EHD1. TAT-1, PS biosynthesis, and the PS-binding protein RFIP-2 (human RAB11-FIP2) were all required for the normal localization of RME-1 to apical endosomes. Consistent with these proteins functioning together, inhibition of RFIP-2 or RME-1 led to the partial suppression of nekl molting defects, as did the inhibition of PS biosynthesis. Using the auxin-inducible degron system, we found that depletion of NEKL-2 or NEKL-3 led to defects in RME-1 localization and that a reduction in TAT-1 function partially restored RME-1 localization in NEKL-3-depleted cells. ARTICLE SUMMARY Endocytosis is an essential process required for the movement of proteins and lipids within cells. NEKL-2 and NEKL-3, two evolutionarily conserved proteins in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans , are important regulators of endocytosis. In the current study, the authors describe a new functional link between the NEKLs and several proteins with known roles in endocytosis including TAT-1, a conserved enzyme that moves lipids between the bilayers of cellular membranes. As previous work implicated NEKLs in developmental defects and cancer, the present study can provide new insights into how the misregulation of endocytosis affects human health and disease.
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3
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Yee C, Xiao Y, Chen H, Reddy AR, Xu B, Medwig-Kinney TN, Zhang W, Boyle AP, Herbst WA, Xiang YK, Matus DQ, Shen K. An activity-regulated transcriptional program directly drives synaptogenesis. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:1695-1707. [PMID: 39103556 PMCID: PMC11374667 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01728-x] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Although the molecular composition and architecture of synapses have been widely explored, much less is known about what genetic programs directly activate synaptic gene expression and how they are modulated. Here, using Caenorhabditis elegans dopaminergic neurons, we reveal that EGL-43/MECOM and FOS-1/FOS control an activity-dependent synaptogenesis program. Loss of either factor severely reduces presynaptic protein expression. Both factors bind directly to promoters of synaptic genes and act together with CUT homeobox transcription factors to activate transcription. egl-43 and fos-1 mutually promote each other's expression, and increasing the binding affinity of FOS-1 to the egl-43 locus results in increased presynaptic protein expression and synaptic function. EGL-43 regulates the expression of multiple transcription factors, including activity-regulated factors and developmental factors that define multiple aspects of dopaminergic identity. Together, we describe a robust genetic program underlying activity-regulated synapse formation during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callista Yee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yutong Xiao
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Hongwen Chen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Anay R Reddy
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- VA Northern California Healthcare System, Mather, CA, USA
| | - Taylor N Medwig-Kinney
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Wan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Alan P Boyle
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Wendy A Herbst
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yang Kevin Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- VA Northern California Healthcare System, Mather, CA, USA
| | - David Q Matus
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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4
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Correa E, Mialon M, Cizeron M, Bessereau JL, Pinan-Lucarre B, Kratsios P. UNC-30/PITX coordinates neurotransmitter identity with postsynaptic GABA receptor clustering. Development 2024; 151:dev202733. [PMID: 39190555 PMCID: PMC11385328 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202733] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Terminal selectors are transcription factors that control neuronal identity by regulating expression of key effector molecules, such as neurotransmitter biosynthesis proteins and ion channels. Whether and how terminal selectors control neuronal connectivity is poorly understood. Here, we report that UNC-30 (PITX2/3), the terminal selector of GABA nerve cord motor neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans, is required for neurotransmitter receptor clustering, a hallmark of postsynaptic differentiation. Animals lacking unc-30 or madd-4B, the short isoform of the motor neuron-secreted synapse organizer madd-4 (punctin/ADAMTSL), display severe GABA receptor type A (GABAAR) clustering defects in postsynaptic muscle cells. Mechanistically, UNC-30 acts directly to induce and maintain transcription of madd-4B and GABA biosynthesis genes (e.g. unc-25/GAD, unc-47/VGAT). Hence, UNC-30 controls GABAA receptor clustering in postsynaptic muscle cells and GABA biosynthesis in presynaptic cells, transcriptionally coordinating two crucial processes for GABA neurotransmission. Further, we uncover multiple target genes and a dual role for UNC-30 as both an activator and a repressor of gene transcription. Our findings on UNC-30 function may contribute to our molecular understanding of human conditions, such as Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome, caused by PITX2 and PITX3 gene variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Correa
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Morgane Mialon
- Melis, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, Institut NeuroMyoGene - Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Mélissa Cizeron
- Melis, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, Institut NeuroMyoGene - Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Louis Bessereau
- Melis, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, Institut NeuroMyoGene - Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Berangere Pinan-Lucarre
- Melis, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, Institut NeuroMyoGene - Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Paschalis Kratsios
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- University of Chicago Neuroscience Institute, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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5
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Ivanova M, Moss EG. A temporal sequence of heterochronic gene activities promotes stage-specific developmental events in Caenorhabditis elegans. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae130. [PMID: 38865472 PMCID: PMC11304605 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae130] [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: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The heterochronic genes of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans control the succession of postembryonic developmental events. The 4 core heterochronic genes lin-14, lin-28, hbl-1, and lin-41 act in a sequence to specify cell fates specific to each of the 4 larval stages. It was previously shown that lin-14 has 2 activities separated in time that promote L1 and L2 developmental events, respectively. Using the auxin-inducible degron system, we find that lin-28 and hbl-1 each have 2 activities that control L2 and L3 events which are also separated in time. Relative to events they control, both lin-28 and hbl-1 appear to act just prior to or concurrently with events of the L2. Relative to each other, lin-28 and hbl-1 appear to act simultaneously. By contrast, the lin-14 activity controlling L2 events precedes those of lin-28 and hbl-1 controlling the same events, suggesting that lin-14's regulation of lin-28 is responsible for the delay. Likewise, the activities of lin-28 and hbl-1 controlling L3 fates act well in advance of those fates, suggesting a similar regulatory gap. lin-41 acts early in the L3 to affect fates of the L4, although it was not possible to determine whether it too has 2 temporally separated activities. We also uncovered a feedback phenomenon that prevents the reactivation of heterochronic gene activity late in development after it has been downregulated. This study places the heterochronic gene activities into a timeline of postembryonic development relative to one another and to the developmental events whose timing they control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ivanova
- Department of Molecular Biology, Rowan-Virtua School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences, Rowan University, Stratford, NJ 08084, USA
| | - Eric G Moss
- Department of Molecular Biology, Rowan-Virtua School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences, Rowan University, Stratford, NJ 08084, USA
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6
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Frédérick PM, Jannot G, Banville I, Simard M. Interaction between a J-domain co-chaperone and a specific Argonaute protein contributes to microRNA function in animals. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6253-6268. [PMID: 38613392 PMCID: PMC11194074 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae272] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators of several biological processes. They are loaded onto Argonaute (AGO) proteins to achieve their repressive function, forming the microRNA-Induced Silencing Complex known as miRISC. While several AGO proteins are expressed in plants and animals, it is still unclear why specific AGOs are strictly binding miRNAs. Here, we identified the co-chaperone DNJ-12 as a new interactor of ALG-1, one of the two major miRNA-specific AGOs in Caenorhabditis elegans. DNJ-12 does not interact with ALG-2, the other major miRNA-specific AGO, and PRG-1 and RDE-1, two AGOs involved in other small RNA pathways, making it a specific actor in ALG-1-dependent miRNA-mediated gene silencing. The loss of DNJ-12 causes developmental defects associated with defective miRNA function. Using the Auxin Inducible Degron system, a powerful tool to acutely degrade proteins in specific tissues, we show that DNJ-12 depletion hampers ALG-1 interaction with HSP70, a chaperone required for miRISC loading in vitro. Moreover, DNJ-12 depletion leads to the decrease of several miRNAs and prevents their loading onto ALG-1. This study uncovers the importance of a co-chaperone for the miRNA function in vivo and provides insights to explain how different small RNAs associate with specific AGO in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Marc Frédérick
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Guillaume Jannot
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Isabelle Banville
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Martin J Simard
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
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7
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Rothi MH, Haddad JA, Sarkar GC, Mitchell W, Ying K, Pohl N, Sotomayor R, Natale J, Dellacono S, Gladyshev VN, Greer EL. The 18S rRNA Methyltransferase DIMT-1 Regulates Lifespan in the Germline Later in Life. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4421268. [PMID: 38946979 PMCID: PMC11213213 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4421268/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Ribosome heterogeneity has emerged as an important regulatory control feature for determining which proteins are synthesized, however, the influence of age on ribosome heterogeneity is not fully understood. Whether mRNA transcripts are selectively translated in young versus old cells and whether dysregulation of this process drives organismal aging is unknown. Here we examined the role of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) methylation in maintaining appropriate translation as organisms age. In a directed RNAi screen, we identified the 18S rRNA N6'-dimethyl adenosine (m6,2A) methyltransferase, dimt-1, as a regulator of C. elegans lifespan and stress resistance. Lifespan extension induced by dimt-1 deficiency required a functional germline and was dependent on the known regulator of protein translation, the Rag GTPase, raga-1, which links amino acid sensing to the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex (mTORC)1. Using an auxin-inducible degron tagged version of dimt-1, we demonstrate that DIMT-1 functions in the germline after mid-life to regulate lifespan. We further found that knock-down of dimt-1 leads to selective translation of transcripts important for stress resistance and lifespan regulation in the C. elegans germline in mid-life including the cytochrome P450 daf-9, which synthesizes a steroid that signals from the germline to the soma to regulate lifespan. We found that dimt-1 induced lifespan extension was dependent on the daf-9 signaling pathway. This finding reveals a new layer of proteome dysfunction, beyond protein synthesis and degradation, as an important regulator of aging. Our findings highlight a new role for ribosome heterogeneity, and specific rRNA modifications, in maintaining appropriate translation later in life to promote healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Hafiz Rothi
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Joseph Al Haddad
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Gautam Chandra Sarkar
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wayne Mitchell
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115, USA
| | - Kejun Ying
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Nancy Pohl
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Roberto Sotomayor
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Julia Natale
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Scarlett Dellacono
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Vadim N. Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115, USA
| | - Eric Lieberman Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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8
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Lamberti ML, Spangler RK, Cerdeira V, Ares M, Rivollet L, Ashley GE, Coronado AR, Tripathi S, Spiousas I, Ward JD, Partch CL, Bénard CY, Goya ME, Golombek DA. Clock gene homologs lin-42 and kin-20 regulate circadian rhythms in C. elegans. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12936. [PMID: 38839826 PMCID: PMC11153552 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62303-9] [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: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are endogenous oscillations in nearly all organisms, from prokaryotes to humans, allowing them to adapt to cyclical environments for close to 24 h. Circadian rhythms are regulated by a central clock, based on a transcription-translation feedback loop. One important protein in the central loop in metazoan clocks is PERIOD, which is regulated in part by Casein kinase 1ε/δ (CK1ε/δ) phosphorylation. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, period and casein kinase 1ε/δ are conserved as lin-42 and kin-20, respectively. Here, we studied the involvement of lin-42 and kin-20 in the circadian rhythms of the adult nematode using a bioluminescence-based circadian transcriptional reporter. We show that mutations of lin-42 and kin-20 generate a significantly longer endogenous period, suggesting a role for both genes in the nematode circadian clock, as in other organisms. These phenotypes can be partially rescued by overexpression of either gene under their native promoter. Both proteins are expressed in neurons and epidermal seam cells, as well as in other cells. Depletion of LIN-42 and KIN-20, specifically in neuronal cells after development, was sufficient to lengthen the period of oscillating sur-5 expression. Therefore, we conclude that LIN-42 and KIN-20 are critical regulators of the adult nematode circadian clock through neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melisa L Lamberti
- Laboratorio de Cronobiología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rebecca K Spangler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA
| | - Victoria Cerdeira
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, CERMO-FC Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Myriam Ares
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, CERMO-FC Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Lise Rivollet
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, CERMO-FC Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Guinevere E Ashley
- Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA
| | - Andrea Ramos Coronado
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA
| | - Sarvind Tripathi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA
| | - Ignacio Spiousas
- Laboratorio Interdisciplinario del Tiempo (LITERA), Universidad de San Andrés/CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jordan D Ward
- Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA
| | - Carrie L Partch
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA
- Center for Circadian Biology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Claire Y Bénard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, CERMO-FC Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - M Eugenia Goya
- European Institute for the Biology of Aging, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Diego A Golombek
- Laboratorio de Cronobiología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Laboratorio Interdisciplinario del Tiempo (LITERA), Universidad de San Andrés/CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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9
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Hafiz Rothi M, Sarkar GC, Haddad JA, Mitchell W, Ying K, Pohl N, Sotomayor-Mena RG, Natale J, Dellacono S, Gladyshev VN, Lieberman Greer E. The 18S rRNA Methyltransferase DIMT-1 Regulates Lifespan in the Germline Later in Life. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.14.594211. [PMID: 38798397 PMCID: PMC11118296 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.14.594211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Ribosome heterogeneity has emerged as an important regulatory control feature for determining which proteins are synthesized, however, the influence of age on ribosome heterogeneity is not fully understood. Whether mRNA transcripts are selectively translated in young versus old cells and whether dysregulation of this process drives organismal aging is unknown. Here we examined the role of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) methylation in maintaining appropriate translation as organisms age. In a directed RNAi screen, we identified the 18S rRNA N6'-dimethyl adenosine (m6,2A) methyltransferase, dimt-1, as a regulator of C. elegans lifespan and stress resistance. Lifespan extension induced by dimt-1 deficiency required a functional germline and was dependent on the known regulator of protein translation, the Rag GTPase, raga-1, which links amino acid sensing to the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex (mTORC)1. Using an auxin-inducible degron tagged version of dimt-1, we demonstrate that DIMT-1 functions in the germline after mid-life to regulate lifespan. We further found that knock-down of dimt-1 leads to selective translation of transcripts important for stress resistance and lifespan regulation in the C. elegans germline in mid-life including the cytochrome P450 daf-9, which synthesizes a steroid that signals from the germline to the soma to regulate lifespan. We found that dimt-1 induced lifespan extension was dependent on the daf-9 signaling pathway. This finding reveals a new layer of proteome dysfunction, beyond protein synthesis and degradation, as an important regulator of aging. Our findings highlight a new role for ribosome heterogeneity, and specific rRNA modifications, in maintaining appropriate translation later in life to promote healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Hafiz Rothi
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Gautam Chandra Sarkar
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joseph Al Haddad
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Wayne Mitchell
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115, USA
| | - Kejun Ying
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Nancy Pohl
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Roberto G. Sotomayor-Mena
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Julia Natale
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Scarlett Dellacono
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Vadim N. Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115, USA
| | - Eric Lieberman Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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10
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Ragle JM, Turzo A, Levenson MT, Jonnalagadda K, Jackson A, Vo AA, Pham VT, Ward JD. MLT-11 is a transient apical extracellular matrix component required for cuticle patterning and function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.12.593762. [PMID: 38766248 PMCID: PMC11100798 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.12.593762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) are associated with all epithelia and form a protective layer against biotic and abiotic threats in the environment. Despite their importance, we lack a deep understanding of their structure and dynamics in development and disease. C. elegans molting offers a powerful entry point to understanding developmentally programmed aECM remodeling. A transient matrix is formed in embryos and at the end of each larval stage, presumably to pattern the new cuticle. Focusing on targets of NHR-23, a key transcription factor which drives molting, we identified the Kunitz family protease inhibitor gene mlt-11 as an NHR-23 target. We identified NHR-23-binding sites that are necessary and sufficient for epithelial expression. mlt-11 is necessary to pattern every layer of the adult cuticle, suggesting a broad patterning role prior to the formation of the mature cuticle. MLT-11::mNeonGreen::3xFLAG transiently localized to the aECM in the cuticle and embryo. It was also detected in lining openings to the exterior (vulva, rectum, mouth). Reduction of mlt-11 function disrupted the barrier function of the cuticle. Tissue-specific RNAi suggested mlt-11 activity is primarily necessary in seam cells and we observed alae and seam cell fusion defects upon mlt-11 inactivation. Predicted mlt-11 null mutations caused fully penetrant embryonic lethality and elongation defects suggesting mlt-11 also plays an important role in patterning the embryonic sheath. Finally, we found that mlt-11 inactivation suppressed the blistered cuticle phenotype of mutants of bli-4 mutants, a subtilisin protease gene but did not affect BLI-4::sfGFP expression. These data could suggest that MLT-11 may be necessary to assure proper levels of BLI-4 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Matthew Ragle
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Ariela Turzo
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Max T. Levenson
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Keya Jonnalagadda
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Anton Jackson
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - An A. Vo
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Vivian T. Pham
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Jordan D. Ward
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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11
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Waddell BM, Wu CW. A role for the C. elegans Argonaute protein CSR-1 in small nuclear RNA 3' processing. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011284. [PMID: 38743783 PMCID: PMC11125478 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The Integrator is a multi-subunit protein complex that catalyzes the maturation of snRNA transcripts via 3' cleavage, a step required for snRNA incorporation with snRNP for spliceosome biogenesis. Here we developed a GFP based in vivo snRNA misprocessing reporter as a readout of Integrator function and performed a genome-wide RNAi screen for Integrator regulators. We found that loss of the Argonaute encoding csr-1 gene resulted in widespread 3' misprocessing of snRNA transcripts that is accompanied by a significant increase in alternative splicing. Loss of the csr-1 gene down-regulates the germline expression of Integrator subunits 4 and 6 and is accompanied by a reduced protein translation efficiency of multiple Integrator catalytic and non-catalytic subunits. Through isoform and motif mutant analysis, we determined that CSR-1's effect on snRNA processing is dependent on its catalytic slicer activity but does not involve the CSR-1a isoform. Moreover, mRNA-sequencing revealed high similarity in the transcriptome profile between csr-1 and Integrator subunit knockdown via RNAi. Together, our findings reveal CSR-1 as a new regulator of the Integrator complex and implicate a novel role of this Argonaute protein in snRNA 3' processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon M. Waddell
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Cheng-Wei Wu
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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12
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Sural S, Botero JQ, Hobert O, Tekle-Smith M. Protocol to synthesize the auxin analog 5-Ph-IAA for conditional protein depletion in C. elegans using the AID2 system. STAR Protoc 2024; 5:102901. [PMID: 38377002 PMCID: PMC10884774 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.102901] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system is a broadly used tool for spatiotemporal and reversible control of protein depletion in multiple experimental model systems. AID2 technology relies on a synthetic ligand, 5-phenyl-indole-3-acetic acid (5-Ph-IAA), for improved specificity and efficiency of protein degradation. Here, we provide a protocol for cost-effective 5-Ph-IAA synthesis utilizing the Suzuki coupling of 5-chloroindole and phenylboronic acid. We describe steps for evaluating the quality of lab-synthesized 5-Ph-IAA using a C. elegans AID2 tester strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surojit Sural
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Oliver Hobert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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13
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Hiroki S, Yoshitane H. Ror homolog nhr-23 is essential for both developmental clock and circadian clock in C. elegans. Commun Biol 2024; 7:243. [PMID: 38418700 PMCID: PMC10902330 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05894-3] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals have internal clocks that generate biological rhythms. In mammals, clock genes such as Period form the circadian clock to generate approximately 24-h biological rhythms. In C. elegans, the clock gene homologs constitute the "developmental clock", which has an 8-h period during larval development to determine the timing of molting. Thus, the ancestral circadian clock has been believed to evolve into the oscillator with a shorter period in C. elegans. However, circadian rhythms have also been observed in adult C. elegans, albeit relatively weak. This prompts the question: if the clock gene homologs drive the developmental rhythm with 8-h period, which genes generate the circadian rhythms in C. elegans? In this study, we discovered that nhr-23, a homolog of the mammalian circadian clock gene Ror, is essential for circadian transcriptional rhythms in adult C. elegans. Interestingly, nhr-23 was also known to be essential for the molting clock. The bilaterian ancestral circadian clock genes might have evolved to function over multiple periods depending on developmental contexts rather than a single 8-h period in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shingo Hiroki
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hikari Yoshitane
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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14
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Bai X, Smith HE, Romero LO, Bell B, Vásquez V, Golden A. A mutation in F-actin polymerization factor suppresses the distal arthrogryposis type 5 PIEZO2 pathogenic variant in Caenorhabditis elegans. Development 2024; 151:dev202214. [PMID: 38349741 PMCID: PMC10911111 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202214] [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: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The mechanosensitive PIEZO channel family has been linked to over 26 disorders and diseases. Although progress has been made in understanding these channels at the structural and functional levels, the underlying mechanisms of PIEZO-associated diseases remain elusive. In this study, we engineered four PIEZO-based disease models using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. We performed an unbiased chemical mutagen-based genetic suppressor screen to identify putative suppressors of a conserved gain-of-function variant pezo-1[R2405P] that in human PIEZO2 causes distal arthrogryposis type 5 (DA5; p. R2718P). Electrophysiological analyses indicate that pezo-1(R2405P) is a gain-of-function allele. Using genomic mapping and whole-genome sequencing approaches, we identified a candidate suppressor allele in the C. elegans gene gex-3. This gene is an ortholog of human NCKAP1 (NCK-associated protein 1), a subunit of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP)-verprolin homologous protein (WAVE/SCAR) complex, which regulates F-actin polymerization. Depletion of gex-3 by RNAi, or with the suppressor allele gex-3(av259[L353F]), significantly increased brood size and ovulation rate, as well as alleviating the crushed oocyte phenotype of the pezo-1(R2405P) mutant. Expression of GEX-3 in the soma is required to rescue the brood size defects in pezo-1(R2405P) animals. Actin organization and orientation were disrupted and distorted in the pezo-1 mutants. Mutation of gex-3(L353F) partially alleviated these defects. The identification of gex-3 as a suppressor of the pathogenic variant pezo-1(R2405P) suggests that the PIEZO coordinates with the cytoskeleton regulator to maintain the F-actin network and provides insight into the molecular mechanisms of DA5 and other PIEZO-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Bai
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Harold E. Smith
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Luis O. Romero
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Graduate Health Sciences, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Briar Bell
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Graduate Health Sciences, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Valeria Vásquez
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Andy Golden
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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15
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Correa E, Mialon M, Cizeron M, Bessereau JL, Pinan-Lucarre B, Kratsios P. UNC-30/PITX coordinates neurotransmitter identity with postsynaptic GABA receptor clustering. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.14.580278. [PMID: 38405977 PMCID: PMC10888783 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Terminal selectors are transcription factors that control neuronal identity by regulating the expression of key effector molecules, such as neurotransmitter (NT) biosynthesis proteins, ion channels and neuropeptides. Whether and how terminal selectors control neuronal connectivity is poorly understood. Here, we report that UNC-30 (PITX2/3), the terminal selector of GABA motor neuron identity in C. elegans , is required for NT receptor clustering, a hallmark of postsynaptic differentiation. Animals lacking unc-30 or madd-4B, the short isoform of the MN-secreted synapse organizer madd-4 ( Punctin/ADAMTSL ), display severe GABA receptor type A (GABA A R) clustering defects in postsynaptic muscle cells. Mechanistically, UNC-30 acts directly to induce and maintain transcription of madd-4B and GABA biosynthesis genes (e.g., unc-25/GAD , unc-47/VGAT ). Hence, UNC-30 controls GABA A R clustering on postsynaptic muscle cells and GABA biosynthesis in presynaptic cells, transcriptionally coordinating two critical processes for GABA neurotransmission. Further, we uncover multiple target genes and a dual role for UNC-30 both as an activator and repressor of gene transcription. Our findings on UNC-30 function may contribute to our molecular understanding of human conditions, such as Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome, caused by PITX2 and PITX3 gene mutations.
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16
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Rahi A, Sodhi DK, Magdongon CB, Shakya R, Varma D. Methodology to Create Auxin-Inducible Degron Tagging System to Control Expression of a Target Protein in Mammalian Cell Lines. Bio Protoc 2024; 14:e4923. [PMID: 38268977 PMCID: PMC10804242 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4923] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system is a versatile tool in cell biology and genetics, enabling conditional protein regulation through auxin-induced degradation. Integrating CRISPR/Cas9 with AID expedites tagging and depletion of a required protein in human and mouse cells. The mechanism of AID involves interactions between receptors like TIR1 and the AID tag fused to the target protein. The presence of auxin triggers protein ubiquitination, leading to proteasome-mediated degradation. We have used AID to explore the mitotic functions of the replication licensing protein CDT1. Swift CDT1 degradation via AID upon auxin addition achieves precise mitotic inhibition, revealing defects in mitotic spindle structure and chromosome misalignment. Using live imaging, we found that mitosis-specific degradation of CDT1 delayed progression and chromosome mis-segregation. AID-mediated CDT1 inhibition surpasses siRNA-based methods, offering a robust approach to probe CDT1's mitotic roles. The advantages of AID include targeted degradation and temporal control, facilitating rapid induction and reversal of degradation-contrasting siRNA's delayed RNA degradation and protein turnover. In summary, the AID technique enhances precision, control, and efficiency in studying protein function and regulation across diverse cellular contexts. In this article, we provide a step-by-step methodology for generating an efficient AID-tagging system, keeping in mind the important considerations that need to be adopted to use it for investigating or characterizing protein function in a temporally controlled manner. Key features • The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system serves as a versatile tool, enabling conditional protein regulation through auxin-induced degradation in cell biology and genetics. • Integration of CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in technology with AID expedites the tagging and depletion of essential proteins in mammalian cells. • AID's application extends to exploring the mitotic functions of the replication licensing protein CDT1, achieving precise mitotic inhibition and revealing spindle defects and chromosome misalignment. • The AID system and its diverse applications advance the understanding of protein function and cellular processes, contributing to the study of protein regulation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Rahi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of
Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Deepika K. Sodhi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of
Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Christine B. Magdongon
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of
Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Rajina Shakya
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of
Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Dileep Varma
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of
Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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17
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Sharma N, Marques F, Kratsios P. Efficacy of auxin-inducible protein degradation in C. elegans tissues using different auxins and TIR1-expressing strains. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.16.575916. [PMID: 38293206 PMCID: PMC10827146 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.16.575916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The auxin-inducible degradation system has emerged as a powerful tool to deplete proteins of interest in cells and tissues of various model organisms, including C. elegans 2-5 . Here, we present a detailed protocol to perform AID-driven spatiotemporal depletion of specific proteins in C. elegans tissues. First, we introduced the AID degron and a fluorescent reporter at two conserved proteins: (a) the transcription factor CFI-1 (human ARID3), which is expressed in the nucleus of multiple C. elegans neurons and head muscle cells 6,7 , and (b) the broadly expressed translation initiation factor Y47D3A.21 (human DENR) that localizes in the cytoplasm. Second, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to generate C. elegans strains suitable for AID-mediated protein (CFI-1 and DENR) depletion. Third, we find that the degree of CFI-1 and DENR depletion in C. elegans tissues is comparable upon treatment with either natural auxin (indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or a water-soluble synthetic auxin analog (K-NAA). Last, we compare the degree of AID-mediated CFI-1 depletion in C. elegans neurons when the transport inhibitor response 1 (TIR1), component of the SCF ubiquitin ligase complex, is provided in neurons or all somatic cells. Altogether, this protocol provides side-by-side comparisons of different auxins and TIR1-expressing lines. Such comparisons may benefit future studies of AID-mediated protein depletion in C. elegans . Graphical abstract Image provided as pdf (together with Figures). Highlights Efficient protein depletion in C. elegans tissues upon treatment with either natural or synthetic auxins. Pansomatic TIR1 expression leads to efficient depletion of CFI-1 and DENR.Panneuronal TIR1 expression leads to neuron-specific, yet variable CFI-1 depletion.The AID system is compatible with fluorescence microscopy, Western blotting and behavioral assays.
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18
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Hicks T, Silva N, Smolikove S. Temporal Analysis of DSB Repair Outcome in Caenorhabditis elegans Meiosis. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2818:195-212. [PMID: 39126476 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3906-1_13] [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] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans germline is arranged spatiotemporally and is therefore a powerful model system for the interrogation of meiotic molecular dynamics. Coupling this property with the temporal control that the auxin-inducible degron (AID) system allows can unveil new/unappreciated roles for critical meiotic factors in specific germline regions. Here we describe a widely used approach for the introduction of degron tags to specific targets and provide a procedure for applying the AID system to C. elegans meiotic DSB repair dynamics in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Hicks
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Nicola Silva
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Sarit Smolikove
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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19
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Turner CD, Stuhr NL, Ramos CM, Van Camp BT, Curran SP. A dicer-related helicase opposes the age-related pathology from SKN-1 activation in ASI neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308565120. [PMID: 38113255 PMCID: PMC10756303 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308565120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Coordination of cellular responses to stress is essential for health across the lifespan. The transcription factor SKN-1 is an essential homeostat that mediates survival in stress-inducing environments and cellular dysfunction, but constitutive activation of SKN-1 drives premature aging thus revealing the importance of turning off cytoprotective pathways. Here, we identify how SKN-1 activation in two ciliated ASI neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans results in an increase in organismal transcriptional capacity that drives pleiotropic outcomes in peripheral tissues. An increase in the expression of established SKN-1 stress response and lipid metabolism gene classes of RNA in the ASI neurons, in addition to the increased expression of several classes of noncoding RNA, define a molecular signature of animals with constitutive SKN-1 activation and diminished healthspan. We reveal neddylation as a unique regulator of the SKN-1 homeostat that mediates SKN-1 abundance within intestinal cells. Moreover, RNAi-independent activity of the dicer-related DExD/H-box helicase, drh-1, in the intestine, can oppose the effects of aberrant SKN-1 transcriptional activation and delays age-dependent decline in health. Taken together, our results uncover a cell nonautonomous circuit to maintain organism-level homeostasis in response to excessive SKN-1 transcriptional activity in the sensory nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris D. Turner
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
| | - Nicole L. Stuhr
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
| | - Carmen M. Ramos
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
| | - Bennett T. Van Camp
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
| | - Sean P. Curran
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
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20
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Lamberti ML, Spangler RK, Cerdeira V, Ares M, Rivollet L, Ashley GE, Coronado AR, Tripathi S, Spiousas I, Ward JD, Partch CL, Bénard CY, Goya ME, Golombek DA. Regulation of the circadian clock in C. elegans by clock gene homologs kin-20 and lin-42. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.13.536481. [PMID: 38105938 PMCID: PMC10723253 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.13.536481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are endogenous oscillations present in nearly all organisms from prokaryotes to humans, allowing them to adapt to cyclical environments close to 24 hours. Circadian rhythms are regulated by a central clock, which is based on a transcription-translation feedback loop. One important protein in the central loop in metazoan clocks is PERIOD, which is regulated in part by Casein kinase 1 ε/δ (CK1 ε/δ ) phosphorylation. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans , period and casein kinase 1ε/δ are conserved as lin-42 and kin-20 , respectively. Here we studied the involvement of lin-42 and kin-20 in circadian rhythms of the adult nematode using a bioluminescence-based circadian transcriptional reporter. We show that mutations of lin-42 and kin-20 generate a significantly longer endogenous period, suggesting a role for both genes in the nematode circadian clock, as in other organisms. These phenotypes can be partially rescued by overexpression of either gene under their native promoter. Both proteins are expressed in neurons and seam cells, a population of epidermal stem cells in C. elegans that undergo multiple divisions during development. Depletion of LIN-42 and KIN-20 specifically in neuronal cells after development was sufficient to lengthen the period of oscillating sur-5 expression. Therefore, we conclude that LIN-42 and KIN-20 are critical regulators of the adult nematode circadian clock through neuronal cells.
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21
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Tabarraei H, Waddell BM, Wu CW. Investigation of PAL-1 requirement in C. elegans physiology using the auxin-inducible degradation system. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.001057. [PMID: 38125784 PMCID: PMC10731474 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The C. elegans PAL-1 protein encodes a caudal-like transcription factor that is required for posterior development and was recently implicated in stress response. We generated a transgenic strain of C. elegans with AID*::3xFLAG::wrmScarlet cassette knocked in at the C-terminal end of the pal-1 locus to enable an auxin-inducible degradation of PAL-1 . We found that auxin-induced degradation of PAL-1 starting from the L1 larval stage does not affect body length development but renders the animal sterile and shortens lifespan. This pal-1 ::AID*::3xFLAG::wrmScarlet strain will be a valuable resource for studying the requirement of PAL-1 in a temporal and tissue-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadi Tabarraei
- Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Brandon M. Waddell
- Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Cheng-Wei Wu
- Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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22
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Stojanovski K, Gheorghe I, Lenart P, Lanjuin A, Mair WB, Towbin BD. Maintenance of appropriate size scaling of the C. elegans pharynx by YAP-1. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7564. [PMID: 37985670 PMCID: PMC10661912 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43230-1] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Even slight imbalance between the growth rate of different organs can accumulate to a large deviation from their appropriate size during development. Here, we use live imaging of the pharynx of C. elegans to ask if and how organ size scaling nevertheless remains uniform among individuals. Growth trajectories of hundreds of individuals reveal that pharynxes grow by a near constant volume per larval stage that is independent of their initial size, such that undersized pharynxes catch-up in size during development. Tissue-specific depletion of RAGA-1, an activator of mTOR and growth, shows that maintaining correct pharynx-to-body size proportions involves a bi-directional coupling between pharynx size and body growth. In simulations, this coupling cannot be explained by limitation of food uptake alone, and genetic experiments reveal an involvement of the mechanotransducing transcriptional co-regulator yap-1. Our data suggests that mechanotransduction coordinates pharynx growth with other tissues, ensuring body plan uniformity among individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ioana Gheorghe
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Lenart
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne Lanjuin
- Department Molecular Metabolism, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William B Mair
- Department Molecular Metabolism, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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23
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Schwartz AZA, Abdu Y, Nance J. ZIF-1-mediated degradation of zinc finger proteins in the Caenorhabditis elegans germ line. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad160. [PMID: 37647858 PMCID: PMC10627257 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad160] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid and conditional protein depletion is the gold standard genetic tool for deciphering the molecular basis of developmental processes. Previously, we showed that by conditionally expressing the E3 ligase substrate adaptor ZIF-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans somatic cells, proteins tagged with the first CCCH Zn finger 1 (ZF1) domain from the germline regulator PIE-1 degrade rapidly, resulting in loss-of-function phenotypes. The described role of ZIF-1 is to clear PIE-1 and several other CCCH Zn finger proteins from early somatic cells, helping to enrich them in germline precursor cells. Here, we show that proteins tagged with the PIE-1 ZF1 domain are subsequently cleared from primordial germ cells (PGCs) in embryos and from undifferentiated germ cells in larvae and adults by ZIF-1. We harness germline ZIF-1 activity to degrade a ZF1-tagged fusion protein from PGCs and show that its depletion produces phenotypes equivalent to those of a null mutation. Our findings reveal that ZIF-1 transitions from degrading CCCH Zn finger proteins in somatic cells to clearing them from undifferentiated germ cells, and that ZIF-1 activity can be harnessed as a new genetic tool to study the early germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Z A Schwartz
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yusuff Abdu
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jeremy Nance
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Myles KM, Clancy JC, Johnson LC, Ashley G, Manzano J, Ragle JM, Ward JD. An nhr-85::GFP::AID*::3xFLAG knock-in allele for investigation of molting and oscillatory gene regulation. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000993. [PMID: 37927911 PMCID: PMC10620605 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
C. elegans NHR-85 is a poorly characterized nuclear hormone receptor transcription factor with an emerging role in regulating microRNA expression to control developmental timing. We generated the first NHR-85 translational fusion by knocking a GFP::AID*::3xFLAG cassette into the endogenous locus to tag all known isoforms. nhr-85 ::GFP::AID*::3xFLAG animals have wild-type broodsizes and NHR-85 ::GFP peaks in expression at the start of the L4 stage in epithelial cells. NHR-85 is not expressed in the germline, suggesting that while it might cooperate with the NHR-23 transcription factor to control microRNA expression, NHR-23 promotes spermatogenesis independent of NHR-85 . This nhr-85 ::GFP::AID*::3xFLAG strain will be a valuable resource for studying when and where NHR-85 acts to promote developmental timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista M. Myles
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - John C. Clancy
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Londen C. Johnson
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Guinevere Ashley
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Jesus Manzano
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - James Matthew Ragle
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Jordan D. Ward
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
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Myles KM, Vo AA, Ragle JM, Ward JD. A spontaneous TIR1 loss-of-function allele in C. elegans. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000994. [PMID: 37908494 PMCID: PMC10613879 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system is a widely-used system for conditional protein depletion. During the course of an experiment, we depleted the nuclear hormone receptor transcription factor NHR-23 to study molting, and we recovered a spontaneous suppressor allele that bypassed the L1 larval arrest caused by NHR-23 depletion. These mutants also failed to deplete a BFP::AID reporter in the strain background, suggesting a broader defect in the AID system. These animals carried an in-frame 18 base pair insertion that produced a 6 amino acid repeat in TIR1. The larval arrest in these animals could be restored by expressing a wild-type TIR1 transgene from an extrachromosomal array. Sister siblings that lost this array developed normally on auxin. Together, these experiments indicate that the TIR1 mutation was causing the loss of developmental arrest in the nhr-23::AID strain. This result highlights the importance of setting up a robust secondary screen to detect such mutants if performing forward genetic screens in conjunction with the AID system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista M. Myles
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - An A. Vo
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - James Matthew Ragle
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Jordan D. Ward
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
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26
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Turner CD, Stuhr NL, Ramos CM, Van Camp BT, Curran SP. A dicer-related helicase opposes the age-related pathology from SKN-1 activation in ASI neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.01.560409. [PMID: 37873147 PMCID: PMC10592859 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.01.560409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Coordination of cellular responses to stress are essential for health across the lifespan. The transcription factor SKN-1 is an essential homeostat that mediates survival in stress-inducing environments and cellular dysfunction, but constitutive activation of SKN-1 drives premature aging thus revealing the importance of turning off cytoprotective pathways. Here we identify how SKN-1 activation in two ciliated ASI neurons in C. elegans results in an increase in organismal transcriptional capacity that drives pleiotropic outcomes in peripheral tissues. An increase in the expression of established SKN-1 stress response and lipid metabolism gene classes of RNA in the ASI neurons, in addition to the increased expression of several classes of non-coding RNA, define a molecular signature of animals with constitutive SKN-1 activation and diminished healthspan. We reveal neddylation as a novel regulator of the SKN-1 homeostat that mediates SKN-1 abundance within intestinal cells. Moreover, RNAi-independent activity of the dicer-related DExD/H-box helicase, drh-1 , in the intestine, can oppose the e2ffects of aberrant SKN-1 transcriptional activation and delays age-dependent decline in health. Taken together, our results uncover a cell non-autonomous circuit to maintain organism-level homeostasis in response to excessive SKN-1 transcriptional activity in the sensory nervous system. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Unlike activation, an understudied fundamental question across biological systems is how to deactivate a pathway, process, or enzyme after it has been turned on. The irony that the activation of a transcription factor that is meant to be protective can diminish health was first documented by us at the organismal level over a decade ago, but it has long been appreciated that chronic activation of the human ortholog of SKN-1, NRF2, could lead to chemo- and radiation resistance in cancer cells. A colloquial analogy to this biological idea is a sink faucet that has an on valve without a mechanism to shut the water off, which will cause the sink to overflow. Here, we define this off valve.
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27
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Myles KM, Ragle JM, Ward JD. An nhr-23::mScarlet::3xMyc knock-in allele for studying spermatogenesis and molting. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000996. [PMID: 37854098 PMCID: PMC10580079 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
C. elegans NHR-23 is a nuclear hormone receptor transcription factor involved in molting, apical extracellular matrix structure, and spermatogenesis. To determine NHR-23 expression dynamics, we previously tagged the endogenous nhr-23 locus with a GFP::AID*::3xFLAG tag. To allow co-localization of NHR-23 with green fluorescent protein-tagged factors of interest, we generated an equivalent strain carrying an mScarlet::3xMyc tag to produce a C-terminal fusion. Similar to the GFP::AID*::3xFLAG knock-in, NHR-23 ::mScarlet::3xMyc was expressed in seam and hypodermal cells, vulval precursor cells, and the spermatogenic germline. We also observed a diffuse NHR-23::mScarlet expression pattern in spermatids and residual bodies after NHR-23 ceased to localize on chromatin. Further examination of this novel localization may provide insight into NHR-23 regulation of spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista M. Myles
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
| | - James Matthew Ragle
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
| | - Jordan D. Ward
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
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28
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Torzone SK, Park AY, Breen PC, Cohen NR, Dowen RH. Opposing action of the FLR-2 glycoprotein hormone and DRL-1/FLR-4 MAP kinases balance p38-mediated growth and lipid homeostasis in C. elegans. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002320. [PMID: 37773960 PMCID: PMC10566725 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals integrate developmental and nutritional signals before committing crucial resources to growth and reproduction; however, the pathways that perceive and respond to these inputs remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that DRL-1 and FLR-4, which share similarity with mammalian mitogen-activated protein kinases, maintain lipid homeostasis in the C. elegans intestine. DRL-1 and FLR-4 function in a protein complex at the plasma membrane to promote development, as mutations in drl-1 or flr-4 confer slow growth, small body size, and impaired lipid homeostasis. To identify factors that oppose DRL-1/FLR-4, we performed a forward genetic screen for suppressors of the drl-1 mutant phenotypes and identified mutations in flr-2 and fshr-1, which encode the orthologues of follicle stimulating hormone and its putative G protein-coupled receptor, respectively. In the absence of DRL-1/FLR-4, neuronal FLR-2 acts through intestinal FSHR-1 and protein kinase A signaling to restrict growth. Furthermore, we show that opposing signaling through DRL-1 and FLR-2 coordinates TIR-1 oligomerization, which modulates downstream p38/PMK-1 activity, lipid homeostasis, and development. Finally, we identify a surprising noncanonical role for the developmental transcription factor PHA-4/FOXA in the intestine where it restricts growth in response to impaired DRL-1 signaling. Our work uncovers a complex multi-tissue signaling network that converges on p38 signaling to maintain homeostasis during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Torzone
- Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Aaron Y. Park
- Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Peter C. Breen
- Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Natalie R. Cohen
- Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robert H. Dowen
- Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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29
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Freeman TF, Zhao Q, Surya A, Rothe R, Cenik ES. Ribosome biogenesis disruption mediated chromatin structure changes revealed by SRAtac, a customizable end to end analysis pipeline for ATAC-seq. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:512. [PMID: 37658321 PMCID: PMC10472662 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09576-y] [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: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleolus is a large nuclear body that serves as the primary site for ribosome biogenesis. Recent studies have suggested that it also plays an important role in organizing chromatin architecture. However, to establish a causal relationship between nucleolar ribosome assembly and chromatin architecture, genetic tools are required to disrupt nucleolar ribosome biogenesis. In this study, we used ATAC-seq to investigate changes in chromatin accessibility upon specific depletion of two ribosome biogenesis components, RPOA-2 and GRWD-1, in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. To facilitate the analysis of ATAC-seq data, we introduced two tools: SRAlign, an extensible NGS data processing workflow, and SRAtac, a customizable end-to-end ATAC-seq analysis pipeline. Our results revealed highly comparable changes in chromatin accessibility following both RPOA-2 and GRWD-1 perturbations. However, we observed a weak correlation between changes in chromatin accessibility and gene expression. While our findings corroborate the idea of a feedback mechanism between ribosomal RNA synthesis, nucleolar ribosome large subunit biogenesis, and chromatin structure during the L1 stage of C. elegans development, they also prompt questions regarding the functional impact of these alterations on gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor F Freeman
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Qiuxia Zhao
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Agustian Surya
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Reed Rothe
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Elif Sarinay Cenik
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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30
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Le E, McCarthy T, Honer M, Curtin CE, Fingerut J, Nelson MD. The neuropeptide receptor npr-38 regulates avoidance and stress-induced sleep in Caenorhabditis elegans. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3155-3168.e9. [PMID: 37419114 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Although essential and conserved, sleep is not without its challenges that must be overcome; most notably, it renders animals vulnerable to threats in the environment. Infection and injury increase sleep demand, which dampens sensory responsiveness to stimuli, including those responsible for the initial insult. Stress-induced sleep in Caenorhabditis elegans occurs in response to cellular damage following noxious exposures the animals attempted to avoid. Here, we describe a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) encoded by npr-38, which is required for stress-related responses including avoidance, sleep, and arousal. Overexpression of npr-38 shortens the avoidance phase and causes animals to initiate movement quiescence and arouse early. npr-38 functions in the ADL sensory neurons, which express neuropeptides encoded by nlp-50, also required for movement quiescence. npr-38 regulates arousal by acting on the DVA and RIS interneurons. Our work demonstrates that this single GPCR regulates multiple aspects of the stress response by functioning in sensory and sleep interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Le
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Teagan McCarthy
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Madison Honer
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Caroline E Curtin
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Jonathan Fingerut
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Matthew D Nelson
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA.
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31
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Zhao Q, Rangan R, Weng S, Özdemir C, Sarinay Cenik E. Inhibition of ribosome biogenesis in the epidermis is sufficient to trigger organism-wide growth quiescence independently of nutritional status in C. elegans. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002276. [PMID: 37651423 PMCID: PMC10499265 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Interorgan communication is crucial for multicellular organismal growth, development, and homeostasis. Cell nonautonomous inhibitory cues, which limit tissue-specific growth alterations, are not well characterized due to cell ablation approach limitations. In this study, we employed the auxin-inducible degradation system in C. elegans to temporally and spatially modulate ribosome biogenesis, through depletion of essential factors (RPOA-2, GRWD-1, or TSR-2). Our findings reveal that embryo-wide inhibition of ribosome biogenesis induces a reversible early larval growth quiescence, distinguished by a unique gene expression signature that is different from starvation or dauer stages. When ribosome biogenesis is inhibited in volumetrically similar tissues, including body wall muscle, epidermis, pharynx, intestine, or germ line, it results in proportionally stunted growth across the organism to different degrees. We show that specifically inhibiting ribosome biogenesis in the epidermis is sufficient to trigger an organism-wide growth quiescence. Epidermis-specific ribosome depletion leads to larval growth quiescence at the L3 stage, reduces organism-wide protein synthesis, and induced cell nonautonomous gene expression alterations. Further molecular analysis reveals overexpression of secreted proteins, suggesting an organism-wide regulatory mechanism. We find that UNC-31, a dense-core vesicle (DCV) pathway component, plays a significant role in epidermal ribosome biogenesis-mediated growth quiescence. Our tissue-specific knockdown experiments reveal that the organism-wide growth quiescence induced by epidermal-specific ribosome biogenesis inhibition is suppressed by reducing unc-31 expression in the epidermis, but not in neurons or body wall muscles. Similarly, IDA-1, a membrane-associated protein of the DCV, is overexpressed, and its knockdown in epidermis suppresses the organism-wide growth quiescence in response to epidermal ribosome biogenesis inhibition. Finally, we observe an overall increase in DCV puncta labeled by IDA-1 when epidermal ribosome biogenesis is inhibited, and these puncta are present in or near epidermal cells. In conclusion, these findings suggest a novel mechanism of nutrition-independent multicellular growth coordination initiated from the epidermis tissue upon ribosome biogenesis inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxia Zhao
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rekha Rangan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Shinuo Weng
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cem Özdemir
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Elif Sarinay Cenik
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
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32
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Yuan W, Weaver YM, Earnest S, Taylor CA, Cobb MH, Weaver BP. Modulating p38 MAPK signaling by proteostasis mechanisms supports tissue integrity during growth and aging. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4543. [PMID: 37507441 PMCID: PMC10382525 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40317-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The conserved p38 MAPK family is activated by phosphorylation during stress responses and inactivated by phosphatases. C. elegans PMK-1 p38 MAPK initiates innate immune responses and blocks development when hyperactivated. Here we show that PMK-1 signaling is enhanced during early aging by modulating the stoichiometry of non-phospho-PMK-1 to promote tissue integrity and longevity. Loss of pmk-1 function accelerates progressive declines in neuronal integrity and lysosome function compromising longevity which has both cell autonomous and cell non-autonomous contributions. CED-3 caspase cleavage limits phosphorylated PMK-1. Enhancing p38 signaling with caspase cleavage-resistant PMK-1 protects lysosomal and neuronal integrity extending a youthful phase. PMK-1 works through a complex transcriptional program to regulate lysosome formation. During early aging, the absolute phospho-p38 amount is maintained but the reservoir of non-phospho-p38 diminishes to enhance signaling without hyperactivation. Our findings show that modulating the stoichiometry of non-phospho-p38 dynamically supports tissue-homeostasis during aging without hyper-activation of stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yi M Weaver
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Svetlana Earnest
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Clinton A Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Melanie H Cobb
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin P Weaver
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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33
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Bai X, Smith HE, Romero LO, Bell B, Vásquez V, Golden A. Mutation in F-actin Polymerization Factor Suppresses Distal Arthrogryposis Type 5 (DA5) PIEZO2 Pathogenic Variant in Caenorhabditis elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.24.550416. [PMID: 37546771 PMCID: PMC10402071 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.24.550416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The mechanosensitive PIEZO channel family has been linked to over 26 disorders and diseases. Although progress has been made in understanding these channels at the structural and functional levels, the underlying mechanisms of PIEZO-associated diseases remain elusive. In this study, we engineered four PIEZO-based disease models using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. We performed an unbiased chemical mutagen-based genetic suppressor screen to identify putative suppressors of a conserved gain-of-function variant pezo-1[R2405P] that in human PIEZO2 causes distal arthrogryposis type 5 (DA5; p. R2718P). Electrophysiological analyses indicate that pezo-1(R2405P) is a gain-of-function allele. Using genomic mapping and whole genome sequencing approaches, we identified a candidate suppressor allele in the C. elegans gene gex-3. This gene is an ortholog of human NCKAP1 (NCK-associated protein 1), a subunit of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP)-verprolin homologous protein (WAVE/SCAR) complex, which regulates F-actin polymerization. Depletion of gex-3 by RNAi, or with the suppressor allele gex-3(av259[L353F]) , significantly restored the small brood size and low ovulation rate, as well as alleviated the crushed oocyte phenotype of the pezo-1(R2405P) mutant. Auxin-inducible degradation of GEX-3 revealed that only somatic-specific degradation of GEX-3 restored the reduced brood size in the pezo-1(R2405P) mutants. Additionally, actin organization and orientation were disrupted and distorted in the pezo-1 mutants. Mutation of gex-3(L353F) partially alleviated these defects. The identification of gex-3 as a suppressor of the pathogenic variant pezo-1(R2405P) suggests that the cytoskeleton plays an important role in regulating PIEZO channel activity and provides insight into the molecular mechanisms of DA5 and other PIEZO-associated diseases.
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34
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Schwartz AZ, Abdu Y, Nance J. ZIF-1-mediated degradation of endogenous and heterologous zinc finger proteins in the C. elegans germ line. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.10.548405. [PMID: 37502839 PMCID: PMC10369855 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.10.548405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Rapid and conditional protein depletion is the gold standard genetic tool for deciphering the molecular basis of developmental processes. Previously, we showed that by conditionally expressing the E3 ligase substrate adaptor ZIF-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans somatic cells, proteins tagged with the first CCCH Zn finger (ZF1) domain from the germline regulator PIE-1 degrade rapidly, resulting in loss-of-function phenotypes. The described role of ZIF-1 is to clear PIE-1 and several other CCCH Zn finger proteins from early somatic cells, helping to enrich them in germline precursor cells. Here, we show that proteins tagged with the PIE-1 ZF1 domain are subsequently cleared from primordial germ cells in embryos and from undifferentiated germ cells in larvae and adults by ZIF-1. We harness germline ZIF-1 activity to degrade a ZF1-tagged heterologous protein from PGCs and show that its depletion produces phenotypes equivalent to those of a null mutation. Our findings reveal that ZIF-1 switches roles from degrading CCCH Zn finger proteins in somatic cells to clearing them from undifferentiated germ cells, and that ZIF-1 activity can be harnessed as a new genetic tool to study the early germ line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Z.A. Schwartz
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York NY 10016
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York NY 10016
| | - Yusuff Abdu
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York NY 10016
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York NY 10016
| | - Jeremy Nance
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York NY 10016
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York NY 10016
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35
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Pitayu-Nugroho L, Aubry M, Laband K, Geoffroy H, Ganeswaran T, Primadhanty A, Canman JC, Dumont J. Kinetochore component function in C. elegans oocytes revealed by 4D tracking of holocentric chromosomes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4032. [PMID: 37419936 PMCID: PMC10329006 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39702-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
During cell division, chromosome congression to the spindle center, their orientation along the spindle long axis and alignment at the metaphase plate depend on interactions between spindle microtubules and kinetochores, and are pre-requisite for chromosome bi-orientation and accurate segregation. How these successive phases are controlled during oocyte meiosis remains elusive. Here we provide 4D live imaging during the first meiotic division in C. elegans oocytes with wild-type or disrupted kinetochore protein function. We show that, unlike in monocentric organisms, holocentric chromosome bi-orientation is not strictly required for accurate chromosome segregation. Instead, we propose a model in which initial kinetochore-localized BHC module (comprised of BUB-1Bub1, HCP-1/2CENP-F and CLS-2CLASP)-dependent pushing acts redundantly with Ndc80 complex-mediated pulling for accurate chromosome segregation in meiosis. In absence of both mechanisms, homologous chromosomes tend to co-segregate in anaphase, especially when initially mis-oriented. Our results highlight how different kinetochore components cooperate to promote accurate holocentric chromosome segregation in oocytes of C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mélanie Aubry
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Kimberley Laband
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Hélène Geoffroy
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Julie C Canman
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Julien Dumont
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013, Paris, France.
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Raj D, Kraish B, Martikainen J, Podraza-Farhanieh A, Kao G, Naredi P. Cisplatin toxicity is counteracted by the activation of the p38/ATF-7 signaling pathway in post-mitotic C. elegans. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2886. [PMID: 37210583 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38568-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin kills proliferating cells via DNA damage but also has profound effects on post-mitotic cells in tumors, kidneys, and neurons. However, the effects of cisplatin on post-mitotic cells are still poorly understood. Among model systems, C. elegans adults are unique in having completely post-mitotic somatic tissues. The p38 MAPK pathway controls ROS detoxification via SKN-1/NRF and immune responses via ATF-7/ATF2. Here, we show that p38 MAPK pathway mutants are sensitive to cisplatin, but while cisplatin exposure increases ROS levels, skn-1 mutants are resistant. Cisplatin exposure leads to phosphorylation of PMK-1/MAPK and ATF-7 and the IRE-1/TRF-1 signaling module functions upstream of the p38 MAPK pathway to activate signaling. We identify the response proteins whose increased abundance depends on IRE-1/p38 MAPK activity as well as cisplatin exposure. Four of these proteins are necessary for protection from cisplatin toxicity, which is characterized by necrotic death. We conclude that the p38 MAPK pathway-driven proteins are crucial for adult cisplatin resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Raj
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bashar Kraish
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jari Martikainen
- Bioinformatics and Data Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SE413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Agnieszka Podraza-Farhanieh
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Lundberg Laboratory for Diabetes Research, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gautam Kao
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Peter Naredi
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Johnson LC, Vo AA, Clancy JC, Myles KM, Pooranachithra M, Aguilera J, Levenson MT, Wohlenberg C, Rechtsteiner A, Ragle JM, Chisholm AD, Ward JD. NHR-23 activity is necessary for C. elegans developmental progression and apical extracellular matrix structure and function. Development 2023; 150:dev201085. [PMID: 37129010 PMCID: PMC10233720 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Nematode molting is a remarkable process where animals must repeatedly build a new apical extracellular matrix (aECM) beneath a previously built aECM that is subsequently shed. The nuclear hormone receptor NHR-23 (also known as NR1F1) is an important regulator of C. elegans molting. NHR-23 expression oscillates in the epidermal epithelium, and soma-specific NHR-23 depletion causes severe developmental delay and death. Tissue-specific RNAi suggests that nhr-23 acts primarily in seam and hypodermal cells. NHR-23 coordinates the expression of factors involved in molting, lipid transport/metabolism and remodeling of the aECM. NHR-23 depletion causes dampened expression of a nas-37 promoter reporter and a loss of reporter oscillation. The cuticle collagen ROL-6 and zona pellucida protein NOAH-1 display aberrant annular localization and severe disorganization over the seam cells after NHR-23 depletion, while the expression of the adult-specific cuticle collagen BLI-1 is diminished and frequently found in patches. Consistent with these localization defects, the cuticle barrier is severely compromised when NHR-23 is depleted. Together, this work provides insight into how NHR-23 acts in the seam and hypodermal cells to coordinate aECM regeneration during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Londen C. Johnson
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - An A. Vo
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - John C. Clancy
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Krista M. Myles
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Murugesan Pooranachithra
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Joseph Aguilera
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Max T. Levenson
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Chloe Wohlenberg
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Andreas Rechtsteiner
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - James Matthew Ragle
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Andrew D. Chisholm
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jordan D. Ward
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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Urso SJ, Sathaseevan A, Brent Derry W, Lamitina T. Regulation of the hypertonic stress response by the 3' mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation complex. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad051. [PMID: 36972377 PMCID: PMC10490458 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad051] [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: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of osmotic homeostasis is one of the most aggressively defended homeostatic set points in physiology. One major mechanism of osmotic homeostasis involves the upregulation of proteins that catalyze the accumulation of solutes called organic osmolytes. To better understand how osmolyte accumulation proteins are regulated, we conducted a forward genetic screen in Caenorhabditis elegans for mutants with no induction of osmolyte biosynthesis gene expression (Nio mutants). The nio-3 mutant encoded a missense mutation in cpf-2/CstF64, while the nio-7 mutant encoded a missense mutation in symk-1/Symplekin. Both cpf-2 and symk-1 are nuclear components of the highly conserved 3' mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation complex. cpf-2 and symk-1 block the hypertonic induction of gpdh-1 and other osmotically induced mRNAs, suggesting they act at the transcriptional level. We generated a functional auxin-inducible degron (AID) allele for symk-1 and found that acute, post-developmental degradation in the intestine and hypodermis was sufficient to cause the Nio phenotype. symk-1 and cpf-2 exhibit genetic interactions that strongly suggest they function through alterations in 3' mRNA cleavage and/or alternative polyadenylation. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that inhibition of several other components of the mRNA cleavage complex also cause a Nio phenotype. cpf-2 and symk-1 specifically affect the osmotic stress response since heat shock-induced upregulation of a hsp-16.2::GFP reporter is normal in these mutants. Our data suggest a model in which alternative polyadenylation of 1 or more mRNAs is essential to regulate the hypertonic stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarel J Urso
- Graduate Program in Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Anson Sathaseevan
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - W Brent Derry
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Todd Lamitina
- Graduate Program in Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
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39
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Clancy JC, Vo AA, Myles KM, Levenson MT, Ragle JM, Ward JD. Experimental considerations for study of C. elegans lysosomal proteins. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad032. [PMID: 36748711 PMCID: PMC10085801 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad032] [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: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Lysosomes are an important organelle required for the degradation of a range of cellular components. Lysosome function is critical for development and homeostasis as dysfunction can lead to inherited genetic disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. The acidic and protease-rich environment of lysosomes poses experimental challenges. Many fluorescent proteins are quenched or degraded, while specific red fluorescent proteins can be cleaved from translational fusion partners and accumulate. While studying MLT-11, a Caenorhabditis elegans molting factor that localizes to lysosomes and the cuticle, we sought to optimize several experimental parameters. We found that, in contrast to mNeonGreen fusions, mScarlet fusions to MLT-11 missed cuticular and rectal epithelial localization. Rapid sample lysis and denaturation were critical for preventing MLT-11 fragmentation while preparing lysates for western blots. Using a model lysosomal substrate (NUC-1), we found that rigid polyproline linkers and truncated mCherry constructs do not prevent cleavage of mCherry from NUC-1. We provide evidence that extended localization in lysosomal environments prevents the detection of FLAG epitopes in western blots. Finally, we optimize an acid-tolerant green fluorescent protein (Gamillus) for use in C. elegans. These experiments provide important experimental considerations and new reagents for the study of C. elegans lysosomal proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Clancy
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - An A Vo
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Krista M Myles
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Max T Levenson
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - James Matthew Ragle
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Jordan D Ward
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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40
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Vogt MC, Hobert O. Starvation-induced changes in somatic insulin/IGF-1R signaling drive metabolic programming across generations. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade1817. [PMID: 37027477 PMCID: PMC10081852 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade1817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to adverse nutritional and metabolic environments during critical periods of development can exert long-lasting effects on health outcomes of an individual and its descendants. Although such metabolic programming has been observed in multiple species and in response to distinct nutritional stressors, conclusive insights into signaling pathways and mechanisms responsible for initiating, mediating, and manifesting changes to metabolism and behavior across generations remain scarce. By using a starvation paradigm in Caenorhabditis elegans, we show that starvation-induced changes in dauer formation-16/forkhead box transcription factor class O (DAF-16/FoxO) activity, the main downstream target of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptor signaling, are responsible for metabolic programming phenotypes. Tissue-specific depletion of DAF-16/FoxO during distinct developmental time points demonstrates that DAF-16/FoxO acts in somatic tissues, but not directly in the germline, to both initiate and manifest metabolic programming. In conclusion, our study deciphers multifaceted and critical roles of highly conserved insulin/IGF-1 receptor signaling in determining health outcomes and behavior across generations.
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41
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Xiao Y, Yee C, Zhao CZ, Martinez MAQ, Zhang W, Shen K, Matus DQ, Hammell C. An expandable FLP-ON::TIR1 system for precise spatiotemporal protein degradation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2023; 223:iyad013. [PMID: 36722258 PMCID: PMC10319979 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad013] [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: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The auxin-inducible degradation system has been widely adopted in the Caenorhabditis elegans research community for its ability to empirically control the spatiotemporal expression of target proteins. This system can efficiently degrade auxin-inducible degron (AID)-tagged proteins via the expression of a ligand-activatable AtTIR1 protein derived from A. thaliana that adapts target proteins to the endogenous C. elegans proteasome. While broad expression of AtTIR1 using strong, ubiquitous promoters can lead to rapid degradation of AID-tagged proteins, cell type-specific expression of AtTIR1 using spatially restricted promoters often results in less efficient target protein degradation. To circumvent this limitation, we have developed an FLP/FRT3-based system that functions to reanimate a dormant, high-powered promoter that can drive sufficient AtTIR1 expression in a cell type-specific manner. We benchmark the utility of this system by generating a number of tissue-specific FLP-ON::TIR1 drivers to reveal genetically separable cell type-specific phenotypes for several target proteins. We also demonstrate that the FLP-ON::TIR1 system is compatible with enhanced degron epitopes. Finally, we provide an expandable toolkit utilizing the basic FLP-ON::TIR1 system that can be adapted to drive optimized AtTIR1 expression in any tissue or cell type of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Xiao
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Callista Yee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chris Z Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Michael A Q Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Wan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David Q Matus
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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42
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Kurashina M, Mizumoto K. Targeting endogenous proteins for spatial and temporal knockdown using auxin-inducible degron in Caenorhabditis elegans. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102028. [PMID: 36640369 PMCID: PMC9860162 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.102028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The auxin-inducible degron (AID) provides reversible, spatiotemporal control for the knockdown of target proteins. Here, we present a protocol for AID-mediated protein knockdown in Caenorhabditis elegans. We describe steps for generating the knock-in mutants using two CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing techniques and preparing the auxin-containing nematode growth media (NGM) plates. We also detail AID-mediated spatiotemporal protein knockdown. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Kurashina et al. (2021).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizuki Kurashina
- Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Graduate Program in Cell & Developmental Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; The Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Kota Mizumoto
- Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Graduate Program in Cell & Developmental Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; The Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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43
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Podraza-Farhanieh A, Raj D, Kao G, Naredi P. A proinsulin-dependent interaction between ENPL-1 and ASNA-1 in neurons is required to maintain insulin secretion in C. elegans. Development 2023; 150:dev201035. [PMID: 36939052 PMCID: PMC10112894 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201035] [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: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptides, including insulin, are important regulators of physiological functions of the organisms. Trafficking through the Golgi is crucial for the regulation of secretion of insulin-like peptides. ASNA-1 (TRC40) and ENPL-1 (GRP94) are conserved insulin secretion regulators in Caenorhabditis elegans (and mammals), and mouse Grp94 mutants display type 2 diabetes. ENPL-1/GRP94 binds proinsulin and regulates proinsulin levels in C. elegans and mammalian cells. Here, we have found that ASNA-1 and ENPL-1 cooperate to regulate insulin secretion in worms via a physical interaction that is independent of the insulin-binding site of ENPL-1. The interaction occurs in DAF-28/insulin-expressing neurons and is sensitive to changes in DAF-28 pro-peptide levels. Consistently, ASNA-1 acted in neurons to promote DAF-28/insulin secretion. The chaperone form of ASNA-1 was likely the interaction partner of ENPL-1. Loss of asna-1 disrupted Golgi trafficking pathways. ASNA-1 localization to the Golgi was affected in enpl-1 mutants and ENPL-1 overexpression partially bypassed the ASNA-1 requirement. Taken together, we find a functional interaction between ENPL-1 and ASNA-1 that is necessary to maintain proper insulin secretion in C. elegans and provides insights into how their loss might cause diabetes in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Podraza-Farhanieh
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Dorota Raj
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gautam Kao
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter Naredi
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
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44
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Lignieres L, Sénécaut N, Dang T, Bellutti L, Hamon M, Terrier S, Legros V, Chevreux G, Lelandais G, Mège RM, Dumont J, Camadro JM. Extending the Range of SLIM-Labeling Applications: From Human Cell Lines in Culture to Caenorhabditis elegans Whole-Organism Labeling. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:996-1002. [PMID: 36748112 PMCID: PMC9990122 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00699] [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: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The simple light isotope metabolic-labeling technique relies on the in vivo biosynthesis of amino acids from U-[12C]-labeled molecules provided as the sole carbon source. The incorporation of the resulting U-[12C]-amino acids into proteins presents several key advantages for mass-spectrometry-based proteomics analysis, as it results in more intense monoisotopic ions, with a better signal-to-noise ratio in bottom-up analysis. In our initial studies, we developed the simple light isotope metabolic (SLIM)-labeling strategy using prototrophic eukaryotic microorganisms, the yeasts Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as well as strains with genetic markers that lead to amino-acid auxotrophy. To extend the range of SLIM-labeling applications, we evaluated (i) the incorporation of U-[12C]-glucose into proteins of human cells grown in a complex RPMI-based medium containing the labeled molecule, considering that human cell lines require a large number of essential amino-acids to support their growth, and (ii) an indirect labeling strategy in which the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans grown on plates was fed U-[12C]-labeled bacteria (Escherichia coli) and the worm proteome analyzed for 12C incorporation into proteins. In both cases, we were able to demonstrate efficient incorporation of 12C into the newly synthesized proteins, opening the way for original approaches in quantitative proteomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Lignieres
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Sénécaut
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Tien Dang
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Laura Bellutti
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Marion Hamon
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Samuel Terrier
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Véronique Legros
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Chevreux
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Gaëlle Lelandais
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule, F-91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - René-Marc Mège
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Julien Dumont
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
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Brandel-Ankrapp KL, Arey RN. Uncovering novel regulators of memory using C. elegans genetic and genomic analysis. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:161-171. [PMID: 36744642 PMCID: PMC10518207 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220455] [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: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
How organisms learn and encode memory is an outstanding question in neuroscience research. Specifically, how memories are acquired and consolidated at the level of molecular and gene pathways remains unclear. In addition, memory is disrupted in a wide variety of neurological disorders; therefore, discovering molecular regulators of memory may reveal therapeutic targets for these disorders. C. elegans are an excellent model to uncover molecular and genetic regulators of memory. Indeed, the nematode's invariant neuronal lineage, fully mapped genome, and conserved associative behaviors have allowed the development of a breadth of genetic and genomic tools to examine learning and memory. In this mini-review, we discuss novel and exciting genetic and genomic techniques used to examine molecular and genetic underpinnings of memory from the level of the whole-worm to tissue-specific and cell-type specific approaches with high spatiotemporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L. Brandel-Ankrapp
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, U.S.A
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, U.S.A
| | - Rachel N. Arey
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, U.S.A
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, U.S.A
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46
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Woodruff GC. Developmental genetics: The structural basis of malleable teeth. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R106-R108. [PMID: 36750020 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
A chitin synthase is required for tooth development in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus, revealing the structural basis of phenotypically plastic feeding structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin C Woodruff
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.
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47
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Crittenden SL, Seidel HS, Kimble J. Analysis of the C. elegans Germline Stem Cell Pool. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2677:1-36. [PMID: 37464233 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3259-8_1] [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: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans germline is an excellent model for studying the genetic and molecular regulation of stem cell self-renewal and progression of cells from a stem cell state to a differentiated state. The germline tissue is organized in an assembly line with the germline stem cell (GSC) pool at one end and differentiated gametes at the other. A simple mesenchymal niche caps the GSC pool and maintains GSCs in an undifferentiated state by signaling through the conserved Notch pathway. Notch signaling activates transcription of the key GSC regulators lst-1 and sygl-1 proteins in a gradient through the GSC pool. LST-1 and SYGL-1 proteins work with PUF RNA regulators in a self-renewal hub to maintain the GSC pool. In this chapter, we present methods for characterizing the C. elegans GSC pool and early stages of germ cell differentiation. The methods include examination of germlines in living and fixed worms, cell cycle analysis, and analysis of markers. We also discuss assays to separate mutant phenotypes that affect the stem cell vs. differentiation decision from those that affect germ cell processes more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Crittenden
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Hannah S Seidel
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA
| | - Judith Kimble
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Li Q, Kaur A, Okada K, McKenney RJ, Engebrecht J. Differential requirement for BRCA1-BARD1 E3 ubiquitin ligase activity in DNA damage repair and meiosis in the Caenorhabditis elegans germ line. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010457. [PMID: 36716349 PMCID: PMC9910797 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor suppressor BRCA1-BARD1 complex regulates many cellular processes; of critical importance to its tumor suppressor function is its role in genome integrity. Although RING E3 ubiquitin ligase activity is the only known enzymatic activity of the complex, the in vivo requirement for BRCA1-BARD1 E3 ubiquitin ligase activity has been controversial. Here we probe the role of BRCA1-BARD1 E3 ubiquitin ligase activity in vivo using C. elegans. Genetic, cell biological, and biochemical analyses of mutants defective for E3 ligase activity suggest there is both E3 ligase-dependent and independent functions of the complex in the context of DNA damage repair and meiosis. We show that E3 ligase activity is important for nuclear accumulation of the complex and specifically to concentrate at meiotic recombination sites but not at DNA damage sites in proliferating germ cells. While BRCA1 alone is capable of monoubiquitylation, BARD1 is required with BRCA1 to promote polyubiquitylation. We find that the requirement for E3 ligase activity and BARD1 in DNA damage signaling and repair can be partially alleviated by driving the nuclear accumulation and self-association of BRCA1. Our data suggest that in addition to E3 ligase activity, BRCA1 may serve a structural role for DNA damage signaling and repair while BARD1 plays an accessory role to enhance BRCA1 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyan Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Arshdeep Kaur
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Kyoko Okada
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Richard J. McKenney
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - JoAnne Engebrecht
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
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Martinez MAQ, Mullarkey AA, Yee C, Zhao CZ, Zhang W, Shen K, Matus DQ. Reevaluating the relationship between EGL-43 (EVI1) and LIN-12 (Notch) during C. elegans anchor cell invasion. Biol Open 2022; 11:bio059668. [PMID: 36445013 PMCID: PMC9751802 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059668] [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: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of the Caenorhabditis elegans reproductive tract is orchestrated by the anchor cell (AC). This occurs in part through a cell invasion event that connects the uterine and vulval tissues. Several key transcription factors regulate AC invasion, such as EGL-43, HLH-2, and NHR-67. Specifically, these transcription factors function together to maintain the post-mitotic state of the AC, a requirement for AC invasion. Recently, a mechanistic connection has been made between loss of EGL-43 and AC cell-cycle entry. The current model states that EGL-43 represses LIN-12 (Notch) expression to prevent AC proliferation, suggesting that Notch signaling has mitogenic effects in the invasive AC. To reexamine the relationship between EGL-43 and LIN-12, we first designed and implemented a heterologous co-expression system called AIDHB that combines the auxin-inducible degron (AID) system of plants with a live cell-cycle sensor based on human DNA helicase B (DHB). After validating AIDHB using AID-tagged GFP, we sought to test it by using AID-tagged alleles of egl-43 and lin-12. Auxin-induced degradation of either EGL-43 or LIN-12 resulted in the expected AC phenotypes. Lastly, we seized the opportunity to pair AIDHB with RNAi to co-deplete LIN-12 and EGL-43, respectively, which revealed that LIN-12 is not required for AC proliferation following loss of EGL-43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Q. Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Angelina A. Mullarkey
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Callista Yee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chris Z. Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Wan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David Q. Matus
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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Raj D, Podraza-Farhanieh A, Gallego P, Kao G, Naredi P. Identification of C. elegans ASNA-1 domains and tissue requirements that differentially influence platinum sensitivity and growth control. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010538. [PMID: 36480541 PMCID: PMC9803280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ASNA1 plays an essential role in cisplatin chemotherapy response, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It is also an important biomarker in the treatment response of many diseases. Biochemically, ASNA1 has two mutually exclusive redox-modulated roles: a tail-anchored protein (TAP) targeting function in the reduced state and a holdase/chaperone function in the oxidized state. Assigning biochemical roles of mammalian ASNA1 to biomedical functions is crucial for successful therapy development. Our previous work showed the relevance of the C. elegans ASNA-1 homolog in modeling cisplatin response and insulin secretion. Here we analyzed two-point mutants in highly conserved residues in C. elegans ASNA-1 and determined their importance in separating the cisplatin response function from its roles in insulin secretion. asna-1(ΔHis164) and asna-1(A63V) point mutants, which both preferentially exist in the oxidized state, displayed cisplatin sensitivity phenotype as well as TAP insertion defect but not an insulin secretion defect. Further, using targeted depletion we analyzed the tissue requirements of asna-1 for C. elegans growth and development. Somatic depletion of ASNA-1 as well as simultaneous depletion of ASNA-1 in neurons and intestines resulted in an L1 arrest. We concluded that, targeting single residues in ASNA-1 affecting Switch I/Switch II domain function, in comparison to complete knockdown counteracted cisplatin resistance without jeopardizing other important biological functions. Taken together, our study shows that effects on health caused by ASNA1 mutations can have different biochemical bases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Raj
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Agnieszka Podraza-Farhanieh
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pablo Gallego
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gautam Kao
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter Naredi
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
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