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Yanagi KS, Jochim B, Kunjo SO, Breen P, Ruvkun G, Lehrbach N. Mutations in nucleotide metabolism genes bypass proteasome defects in png-1/NGLY1-deficient Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002720. [PMID: 38991033 PMCID: PMC11265709 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002720] [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: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The conserved SKN-1A/Nrf1 transcription factor regulates the expression of proteasome subunit genes and is essential for maintenance of adequate proteasome function in animal development, aging, and stress responses. Unusual among transcription factors, SKN-1A/Nrf1 is a glycoprotein synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). N-glycosylated SKN-1A/Nrf1 exits the ER and is deglycosylated in the cytosol by the PNG-1/NGLY1 peptide:N-glycanase. Deglycosylation edits the protein sequence of SKN-1A/Nrf1 by converting N-glycosylated asparagine residues to aspartate, which is necessary for SKN-1A/Nrf1 transcriptional activation of proteasome subunit genes. Homozygous loss-of-function mutations in the peptide:N-glycanase (NGLY1) gene cause NGLY1 deficiency, a congenital disorder of deglycosylation. There are no effective treatments for NGLY1 deficiency. Since SKN-1A/Nrf1 is a major client of NGLY1, the resulting proteasome deficit contributes to NGLY1 disease. We sought to identify targets for mitigation of proteasome dysfunction in NGLY1 deficiency that might indicate new avenues for treatment. We isolated mutations that suppress the sensitivity to proteasome inhibitors caused by inactivation of the NGLY1 ortholog PNG-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. We identified multiple suppressor mutations affecting 3 conserved genes: rsks-1, tald-1, and ent-4. We show that the suppressors act through a SKN-1/Nrf-independent mechanism and confer proteostasis benefits consistent with amelioration of proteasome dysfunction. ent-4 encodes an intestinal nucleoside/nucleotide transporter, and we show that restriction of nucleotide availability is beneficial, whereas a nucleotide-rich diet exacerbates proteasome dysfunction in PNG-1/NGLY1-deficient C. elegans. Our findings suggest that dietary or pharmacological interventions altering nucleotide availability have the potential to mitigate proteasome insufficiency in NGLY1 deficiency and other diseases associated with proteasome dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S. Yanagi
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Briar Jochim
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sheikh Omar Kunjo
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Peter Breen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gary Ruvkun
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Lehrbach
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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2
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Franco-Romero A, Morbidoni V, Milan G, Sartori R, Wulff J, Romanello V, Armani A, Salviati L, Conte M, Salvioli S, Franceschi C, Buonomo V, Swoboda CO, Grumati P, Pannone L, Martinelli S, Jefferies HB, Dikic I, van der Laan J, Cabreiro F, Millay DP, Tooze SA, Trevisson E, Sandri M. C16ORF70/MYTHO promotes healthy aging in C.elegans and prevents cellular senescence in mammals. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e165814. [PMID: 38869949 PMCID: PMC11291266 DOI: 10.1172/jci165814] [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: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The identification of genes that confer either extension of life span or accelerate age-related decline was a step forward in understanding the mechanisms of aging and revealed that it is partially controlled by genetics and transcriptional programs. Here, we discovered that the human DNA sequence C16ORF70 encodes a protein, named MYTHO (macroautophagy and youth optimizer), which controls life span and health span. MYTHO protein is conserved from Caenorhabditis elegans to humans and its mRNA was upregulated in aged mice and elderly people. Deletion of the orthologous myt-1 gene in C. elegans dramatically shortened life span and decreased animal survival upon exposure to oxidative stress. Mechanistically, MYTHO is required for autophagy likely because it acts as a scaffold that binds WIPI2 and BCAS3 to recruit and assemble the conjugation system at the phagophore, the nascent autophagosome. We conclude that MYTHO is a transcriptionally regulated initiator of autophagy that is central in promoting stress resistance and healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anais Franco-Romero
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy
| | - Valeria Morbidoni
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Pediatric Research Institute (IRP) - Fondazione Città della Speranza, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Milan
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Basel and Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roberta Sartori
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy
| | - Jesper Wulff
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe University Frankfurt - Medical Faculty, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Vanina Romanello
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Armani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy
| | - Leonardo Salviati
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Pediatric Research Institute (IRP) - Fondazione Città della Speranza, Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Conte
- Department of Medical and Surgical Science (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Salvioli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Science (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Viviana Buonomo
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Casey O. Swoboda
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Paolo Grumati
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Luca Pannone
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Martinelli
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Harold B.J. Jefferies
- The Francis Crick Institute, Molecular Cell Biology of Autophagy, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ivan Dikic
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe University Frankfurt - Medical Faculty, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt - Riedberg Campus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jennifer van der Laan
- CECAD Research Cluster, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Filipe Cabreiro
- CECAD Research Cluster, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Douglas P. Millay
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Sharon A. Tooze
- The Francis Crick Institute, Molecular Cell Biology of Autophagy, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Trevisson
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Pediatric Research Institute (IRP) - Fondazione Città della Speranza, Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Sandri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy
- Myology Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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3
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Jones M, Norman M, Tiet AM, Lee J, Lee MH. C. elegans Germline as Three Distinct Tumor Models. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:425. [PMID: 38927305 PMCID: PMC11200432 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Tumor cells display abnormal growth and division, avoiding the natural process of cell death. These cells can be benign (non-cancerous growth) or malignant (cancerous growth). Over the past few decades, numerous in vitro or in vivo tumor models have been employed to understand the molecular mechanisms associated with tumorigenesis in diverse regards. However, our comprehension of how non-tumor cells transform into tumor cells at molecular and cellular levels remains incomplete. The nematode C. elegans has emerged as an excellent model organism for exploring various phenomena, including tumorigenesis. Although C. elegans does not naturally develop cancer, it serves as a valuable platform for identifying oncogenes and the underlying mechanisms within a live organism. In this review, we describe three distinct germline tumor models in C. elegans, highlighting their associated mechanisms and related regulators: (1) ectopic proliferation due to aberrant activation of GLP-1/Notch signaling, (2) meiotic entry failure resulting from the loss of GLD-1/STAR RNA-binding protein, (3) spermatogenic dedifferentiation caused by the loss of PUF-8/PUF RNA-binding protein. Each model requires the mutations of specific genes (glp-1, gld-1, and puf-8) and operates through distinct molecular mechanisms. Despite these differences in the origins of tumorigenesis, the internal regulatory networks within each tumor model display shared features. Given the conservation of many of the regulators implicated in C. elegans tumorigenesis, it is proposed that these unique models hold significant potential for enhancing our comprehension of the broader control mechanisms governing tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariah Jones
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA; (M.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Mina Norman
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA; (M.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Alex Minh Tiet
- Neuroscience Program, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Jiwoo Lee
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Myon Hee Lee
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA; (M.J.); (M.N.)
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
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Park Y, Gaddy M, Hyun M, Jones ME, Aslam HM, Lee MH. Genetic and Chemical Controls of Sperm Fate and Spermatocyte Dedifferentiation via PUF-8 and MPK-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030434. [PMID: 36766775 PMCID: PMC9913519 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030434] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Using the nematode C. elegans germline as a model system, we previously reported that PUF-8 (a PUF RNA-binding protein) and LIP-1 (a dual-specificity phosphatase) repress sperm fate at 20 °C and the dedifferentiation of spermatocytes into mitotic cells (termed "spermatocyte dedifferentiation") at 25 °C. Thus, double mutants lacking both PUF-8 and LIP-1 produce excess sperm at 20 °C, and their spermatocytes return to mitotically dividing cells via dedifferentiation at 25 °C, resulting in germline tumors. To gain insight into the molecular competence for spermatocyte dedifferentiation, we compared the germline phenotypes of three mutant strains that produce excess sperm-fem-3(q20gf), puf-8(q725); fem-3(q20gf), and puf-8(q725); lip-1(zh15). Spermatocyte dedifferentiation was not observed in fem-3(q20gf) mutants, but it was more severe in puf-8(q725); lip-1(zh15) than in puf-8(q725); fem-3(q20gf) mutants. These results suggest that MPK-1 (the C. elegans ERK1/2 MAPK ortholog) activation in the absence of PUF-8 is required to promote spermatocyte dedifferentiation. This idea was confirmed using Resveratrol (RSV), a potential activator of MPK-1 and ERK1/2 in C. elegans and human cells, respectively. Notably, spermatocyte dedifferentiation was significantly enhanced by RSV treatment in the absence of PUF-8, and its effect was blocked by mpk-1 RNAi. We, therefore, conclude that PUF-8 and MPK-1 are essential regulators for spermatocyte dedifferentiation and tumorigenesis. Since these regulators are broadly conserved, we suggest that similar regulatory circuitry may control cellular dedifferentiation and tumorigenesis in other organisms, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngyong Park
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Matthew Gaddy
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Moonjung Hyun
- Biological Resources Research Group, Bioenvironmental Science & Toxicology Division, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Jinju 52834, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Mariah E. Jones
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Hafiz M. Aslam
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Myon Hee Lee
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
- Correspondence:
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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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6
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Thangadurai S, Bajgiran M, Manickam S, Mohana-Kumaran N, Azzam G. CTP synthase: the hissing of the cellular serpent. Histochem Cell Biol 2022; 158:517-534. [PMID: 35881195 PMCID: PMC9314535 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-022-02133-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
CTP biosynthesis is carried out by two pathways: salvage and de novo. CTPsyn catalyzes the latter. The study of CTPsyn activity in mammalian cells began in the 1970s, and various fascinating discoveries were made regarding the role of CTPsyn in cancer and development. However, its ability to fit into a cellular serpent-like structure, termed 'cytoophidia,' was only discovered a decade ago by three independent groups of scientists. Although the self-assembly of CTPsyn into a filamentous structure is evolutionarily conserved, the enzyme activity upon this self-assembly varies in different species. CTPsyn is required for cellular development and homeostasis. Changes in the expression of CTPsyn cause developmental changes in Drosophila melanogaster. A high level of CTPsyn activity and formation of cytoophidia are often observed in rapidly proliferating cells such as in stem and cancer cells. Meanwhile, the deficiency of CTPsyn causes severe immunodeficiency leading to immunocompromised diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, making CTPsyn an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we provide an overview of the role of CTPsyn in cellular and disease perspectives along with its potential as a drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shallinie Thangadurai
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Morteza Bajgiran
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Sharvin Manickam
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Nethia Mohana-Kumaran
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Ghows Azzam
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia ,grid.454125.3Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute, National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia, Jalan Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Malaysia
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7
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Context-specific regulation of lysosomal lipolysis through network-level diverting of transcription factor interactions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2104832118. [PMID: 34607947 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2104832118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasticity in multicellular organisms involves signaling pathways converting contexts-either natural environmental challenges or laboratory perturbations-into context-specific changes in gene expression. Congruently, the interactions between the signaling molecules and transcription factors (TF) regulating these responses are also context specific. However, when a target gene responds across contexts, the upstream TF identified in one context is often inferred to regulate it across contexts. Reconciling these stable TF-target gene pair inferences with the context-specific nature of homeostatic responses is therefore needed. The induction of the Caenorhabditis elegans genes lipl-3 and lipl-4 is observed in many genetic contexts and is essential to survival during fasting. We find DAF-16/FOXO mediating lipl-4 induction in all contexts tested; hence, lipl-4 regulation seems context independent and compatible with across-context inferences. In contrast, DAF-16-mediated regulation of lipl-3 is context specific. DAF-16 reduces the induction of lipl-3 during fasting, yet it promotes it during oxidative stress. Through discrete dynamic modeling and genetic epistasis, we define that DAF-16 represses HLH-30/TFEB-the main TF activating lipl-3 during fasting. Contrastingly, DAF-16 activates the stress-responsive TF HSF-1 during oxidative stress, which promotes C. elegans survival through induction of lipl-3 Furthermore, the TF MXL-3 contributes to the dominance of HSF-1 at the expense of HLH-30 during oxidative stress but not during fasting. This study shows how context-specific diverting of functional interactions within a molecular network allows cells to specifically respond to a large number of contexts with a limited number of molecular players, a mode of transcriptional regulation we name "contextualized transcription."
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8
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Zhu M, Teng F, Li N, Zhang L, Zhang S, Xu F, Shao J, Sun H, Zhu H. Monomethyl branched-chain fatty acid mediates amino acid sensing upstream of mTORC1. Dev Cell 2021; 56:2692-2702.e5. [PMID: 34610328 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Animals have developed various nutrient-sensing mechanisms for survival under fluctuating environmental conditions. Although extensive cell-culture-based analyses have identified diverse mediators of amino acid sensing upstream of mTOR, studies using animal models to examine intestine-initiated amino acid sensing mechanisms under specific physiological conditions are lacking. Here, we developed a Caenorhabditis elegans model to examine the impact of amino acid deficiency on development. We discovered a leucine-derived monomethyl branched-chain fatty acid and its downstream metabolite, glycosphingolipid, which critically mediates the overall amino acid sensing by intestinal and neuronal mTORC1, which in turn regulates postembryonic development at least partly by controlling protein translation and ribosomal biogenesis. Additional data suggest that a similar mechanism may operate in mammals. This study uncovers an amino-acid-sensing mechanism mediated by a lipid biosynthesis pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengnan Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fukang Teng
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Na Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuxian Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fan Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Shao
- National Humanities Center Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300134, China
| | - Haipeng Sun
- National Humanities Center Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300134, China
| | - Huanhu Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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Backes C, Martinez-Martinez D, Cabreiro F. C. elegans: A biosensor for host-microbe interactions. Lab Anim (NY) 2021; 50:127-135. [PMID: 33649581 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-021-00724-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Microbes are an integral part of life on this planet. Microbes and their hosts influence each other in an endless dance that shapes how the meta-organism interacts with its environment. Although great advances have been made in microbiome research over the past 20 years, the mechanisms by which both hosts and their microbes interact with each other and the environment are still not well understood. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been widely used as a model organism to study a remarkable number of human-like processes. Recent evidence shows that the worm is a powerful tool to investigate in fine detail the complexity that exists in microbe-host interactions. By combining the large array of genetic tools available for both organisms together with deep phenotyping approaches, it has been possible to uncover key effectors in the complex relationship between microbes and their hosts. In this perspective, we survey the literature for insightful discoveries in the microbiome field using the worm as a model. We discuss the latest conceptual and technological advances in the field and highlight the strengths that make C. elegans a valuable biosensor tool for the study of microbe-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Backes
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | | | - Filipe Cabreiro
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK. .,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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10
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Robinson-Thiewes S, Dufour B, Martel PO, Lechasseur X, Brou AAD, Roy V, Chen Y, Kimble J, Narbonne P. Non-autonomous regulation of germline stem cell proliferation by somatic MPK-1/MAPK activity in C. elegans. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109162. [PMID: 34038716 PMCID: PMC8182673 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a major positive regulator of cell proliferation, which is often upregulated in cancer. However, few studies have addressed ERK/MAPK regulation of proliferation within a complete organism. The Caenorhabditis elegans ERK/MAPK ortholog MPK-1 is best known for its control of somatic organogenesis and germline differentiation, but it also stimulates germline stem cell proliferation. Here, we show that the germline-specific MPK-1B isoform promotes germline differentiation but has no apparent role in germline stem cell proliferation. By contrast, the soma-specific MPK-1A isoform promotes germline stem cell proliferation non-autonomously. Indeed, MPK-1A functions in the intestine or somatic gonad to promote germline proliferation independent of its other known roles. We propose that a non-autonomous role of ERK/MAPK in stem cell proliferation may be conserved across species and various tissue types, with major clinical implications for cancer and other diseases. The prevailing paradigm is that ERK/MAPK functions autonomously to promote cell proliferation upon mitogen stimulation. Robinson-Thiewes et al. now demonstrate that C. elegans ERK/MAPK acts within somatic tissues to non-autonomously promote the proliferation of germline stem cells. Germline ERK/MAPK is thus dispensable for germline stem cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Dufour
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Pier-Olivier Martel
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Xavier Lechasseur
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Amani Ange Danielle Brou
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Vincent Roy
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Yunqing Chen
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Judith Kimble
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1580, USA
| | - Patrick Narbonne
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada; Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC G1R 3S3, Canada.
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11
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Jia F, Chi C, Han M. Regulation of Nucleotide Metabolism and Germline Proliferation in Response to Nucleotide Imbalance and Genotoxic Stresses by EndoU Nuclease. Cell Rep 2021; 30:1848-1861.e5. [PMID: 32049015 PMCID: PMC7050212 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.01.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleotide deprivation and imbalance present detrimental conditions for animals and are thus expected to trigger cellular responses that direct protective changes in metabolic, developmental, and behavioral programs, albeit such mechanisms are vastly underexplored. Following our previous finding that Caenorhabditis elegans shut down germ cell proliferation in response to pyrimidine deprivation, we find in this study that endonuclease ENDU-2 regulates nucleotide metabolism and germ cell proliferation in response to nucleotide imbalance and other genotoxic stress, and that it affects mitotic chromosomal segregation in the intestine and lifespan. ENDU-2 expression is induced by nucleotide imbalance and genotoxic stress, and ENDU-2 exerts its function in the intestine, mostly by inhibiting the phosphorylation of CTPS-1 through repressing the PKA pathway and histone deacetylase HDA-1. Human EndoU also affects the response to genotoxic drugs. Our work reveals an unknown role of ENDU-2 in regulating nucleotide metabolism and animals' response to genotoxic stress, which may link EndoU function to cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Jia
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB), University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0347, USA.
| | - Congwu Chi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB), University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0347, USA
| | - Min Han
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB), University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0347, USA
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12
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Developmental plasticity and the response to nutrient stress in Caenorhabditis elegans. Dev Biol 2021; 475:265-276. [PMID: 33549550 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity refers the ability of an organism to adapt to various environmental stressors, one of which is nutritional stress. Caenorhabditis elegans require various nutrients to successfully progress through all the larval stages to become a reproductive adult. If nutritional criteria are not satisfied, development can slow or completely arrest. In poor growth conditions, the animal can enter various diapause stages, depending on its developmental progress. In C. elegans, there are three well-characterized diapauses: the L1 arrest, the dauer diapause, and adult reproductive diapause, each associated with drastic changes in metabolism and germline development. At the centre of these changes is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). AMPK is a metabolic regulator that maintains energy homeostasis, particularly during times of nutrient stress. Without AMPK, metabolism is disrupted during dauer, leading to the rapid consumption of lipid stores as well as misregulation of metabolic enzymes, leading to reduced survival. During the L1 arrest and dauer diapause, AMPK is responsible for ensuring germline quiescence by modifying the germline chromatin landscape to maintain germ cell integrity until conditions improve. Similar to classic hormonal signalling, small RNAs also play a critical role in regulating development and behaviour in a cell non-autonomous fashion. Thus, during the challenges associated with developmental plasticity, AMPK summons an army of signalling pathways to work collectively to preserve reproductive fitness during these periods of unprecedented uncertainty.
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13
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Wan QL, Meng X, Fu X, Chen B, Yang J, Yang H, Zhou Q. Intermediate metabolites of the pyrimidine metabolism pathway extend the lifespan of C. elegans through regulating reproductive signals. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 11:3993-4010. [PMID: 31232697 PMCID: PMC6629003 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The pyrimidine metabolism pathway has important biological functions; it not only maintains appropriate pyrimidine pools but also produces bioactive intermediate metabolites. In a previous study, we identified that the pyrimidine metabolism pathway is associated with aging regulation. However, the molecular mechanism by which the pyrimidine metabolism pathway regulates aging remains unclear. Here, we investigated the longevity effect of pyrimidine intermediates on Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Our results demonstrated that the supplementation of some pyrimidine intermediates could extend the lifespan of C. elegans. In addition, the RNAi knockdown of essential enzymes involved in pyrimidine metabolism could also significantly affect lifespan. We further investigated the molecular mechanism by which a representative intermediate metabolite, thymine, extends the lifespan of worms and found that thymine-induced longevity required the nuclear receptors DAF-12 and NHR-49, and the transcription factor DAF-16/FOXO. Further pathway analysis revealed that the longevity effect of thymine depended on the inhibition of reproductive signals. Additionally, we found that other pyrimidine intermediates functioned in a manner similar to thymine to prolong lifespan in C. elegans. Taken together, our results revealed that pyrimidine intermediates increased lifespan by inhibiting reproductive signals and subsequently inducing the function of DAF-12, NHR-49 and DAF-16 in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin-Li Wan
- The Center for Precision Medicine of First Affiliated Hospital, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiao Meng
- The Center for Precision Medicine of First Affiliated Hospital, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaodie Fu
- The Center for Precision Medicine of First Affiliated Hospital, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Bohui Chen
- The Center for Precision Medicine of First Affiliated Hospital, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jing Yang
- The Center for Precision Medicine of First Affiliated Hospital, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hengwen Yang
- The Center for Precision Medicine of First Affiliated Hospital, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- The Center for Precision Medicine of First Affiliated Hospital, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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14
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Gordon K. Recent Advances in the Genetic, Anatomical, and Environmental Regulation of the C. elegans Germ Line Progenitor Zone. J Dev Biol 2020; 8:E14. [PMID: 32707774 PMCID: PMC7559772 DOI: 10.3390/jdb8030014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The C. elegans germ line and its gonadal support cells are well studied from a developmental genetics standpoint and have revealed many foundational principles of stem cell niche biology. Among these are the observations that a niche-like cell supports a self-renewing stem cell population with multipotential, differentiating daughter cells. While genetic features that distinguish stem-like cells from their differentiating progeny have been defined, the mechanisms that structure these populations in the germ line have yet to be explained. The spatial restriction of Notch activation has emerged as an important genetic principle acting in the distal germ line. Synthesizing recent findings, I present a model in which the germ stem cell population of the C. elegans adult hermaphrodite can be recognized as two distinct anatomical and genetic populations. This review describes the recent progress that has been made in characterizing the undifferentiated germ cells and gonad anatomy, and presents open questions in the field and new directions for research to pursue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kacy Gordon
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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15
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Arribere JA, Kuroyanagi H, Hundley HA. mRNA Editing, Processing and Quality Control in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2020; 215:531-568. [PMID: 32632025 PMCID: PMC7337075 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.301807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
While DNA serves as the blueprint of life, the distinct functions of each cell are determined by the dynamic expression of genes from the static genome. The amount and specific sequences of RNAs expressed in a given cell involves a number of regulated processes including RNA synthesis (transcription), processing, splicing, modification, polyadenylation, stability, translation, and degradation. As errors during mRNA production can create gene products that are deleterious to the organism, quality control mechanisms exist to survey and remove errors in mRNA expression and processing. Here, we will provide an overview of mRNA processing and quality control mechanisms that occur in Caenorhabditis elegans, with a focus on those that occur on protein-coding genes after transcription initiation. In addition, we will describe the genetic and technical approaches that have allowed studies in C. elegans to reveal important mechanistic insight into these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hidehito Kuroyanagi
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan, and
| | - Heather A Hundley
- Medical Sciences Program, Indiana University School of Medicine-Bloomington, Indiana 47405
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16
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Ke W, Saba JA, Yao CH, Hilzendeger MA, Drangowska-Way A, Joshi C, Mony VK, Benjamin SB, Zhang S, Locasale J, Patti GJ, Lewis N, O'Rourke EJ. Dietary serine-microbiota interaction enhances chemotherapeutic toxicity without altering drug conversion. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2587. [PMID: 32444616 PMCID: PMC7244588 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16220-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota metabolizes drugs and alters their efficacy and toxicity. Diet alters drugs, the metabolism of the microbiota, and the host. However, whether diet-triggered metabolic changes in the microbiota can alter drug responses in the host has been largely unexplored. Here we show that dietary thymidine and serine enhance 5-fluoro 2'deoxyuridine (FUdR) toxicity in C. elegans through different microbial mechanisms. Thymidine promotes microbial conversion of the prodrug FUdR into toxic 5-fluorouridine-5'-monophosphate (FUMP), leading to enhanced host death associated with mitochondrial RNA and DNA depletion, and lethal activation of autophagy. By contrast, serine does not alter FUdR metabolism. Instead, serine alters E. coli's 1C-metabolism, reduces the provision of nucleotides to the host, and exacerbates DNA toxicity and host death without mitochondrial RNA or DNA depletion; moreover, autophagy promotes survival in this condition. This work implies that diet-microbe interactions can alter the host response to drugs without altering the drug or the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfan Ke
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - James A Saba
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Cong-Hui Yao
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael A Hilzendeger
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Anna Drangowska-Way
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Chintan Joshi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Vinod K Mony
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Shawna B Benjamin
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Sisi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jason Locasale
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gary J Patti
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Nathan Lewis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Eyleen J O'Rourke
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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17
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Hubbard EJA, Schedl T. Biology of the Caenorhabditis elegans Germline Stem Cell System. Genetics 2019; 213:1145-1188. [PMID: 31796552 PMCID: PMC6893382 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.300238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cell systems regulate tissue development and maintenance. The germline stem cell system is essential for animal reproduction, controlling both the timing and number of progeny through its influence on gamete production. In this review, we first draw general comparisons to stem cell systems in other organisms, and then present our current understanding of the germline stem cell system in Caenorhabditis elegans In contrast to stereotypic somatic development and cell number stasis of adult somatic cells in C. elegans, the germline stem cell system has a variable division pattern, and the system differs between larval development, early adult peak reproduction and age-related decline. We discuss the cell and developmental biology of the stem cell system and the Notch regulated genetic network that controls the key decision between the stem cell fate and meiotic development, as it occurs under optimal laboratory conditions in adult and larval stages. We then discuss alterations of the stem cell system in response to environmental perturbations and aging. A recurring distinction is between processes that control stem cell fate and those that control cell cycle regulation. C. elegans is a powerful model for understanding germline stem cells and stem cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Jane Albert Hubbard
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Departments of Cell Biology and Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016
| | - Tim Schedl
- and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
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18
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Wei Y, Bettedi L, Ting CY, Kim K, Zhang Y, Cai J, Lilly MA. The GATOR complex regulates an essential response to meiotic double-stranded breaks in Drosophila. eLife 2019; 8:e42149. [PMID: 31650955 PMCID: PMC6834368 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The TORC1 regulator GATOR1/SEACIT controls meiotic entry and early meiotic events in yeast. However, how metabolic pathways influence meiotic progression in metazoans remains poorly understood. Here we examine the role of the TORC1 regulators GATOR1 and GATOR2 in the response to meiotic double-stranded breaks (DSB) during Drosophila oogenesis. We find that in mutants of the GATOR2 component mio, meiotic DSBs trigger the constitutive downregulation of TORC1 activity and a permanent arrest in oocyte growth. Conversely, in GATOR1 mutants, high TORC1 activity results in the delayed repair of meiotic DSBs and the hyperactivation of p53. Unexpectedly, we found that GATOR1 inhibits retrotransposon expression in the presence of meiotic DSBs in a pathway that functions in parallel to p53. Thus, our studies have revealed a link between oocyte metabolism, the repair of meiotic DSBs and retrotransposon expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youheng Wei
- Cell Biology and Neurobiology BranchNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
- College of Bioscience and BiotechnologyYangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
| | - Lucia Bettedi
- Cell Biology and Neurobiology BranchNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Chun-Yuan Ting
- Cell Biology and Neurobiology BranchNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Kuikwon Kim
- Cell Biology and Neurobiology BranchNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Yingbiao Zhang
- Cell Biology and Neurobiology BranchNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jiadong Cai
- College of Bioscience and BiotechnologyYangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
| | - Mary A Lilly
- Cell Biology and Neurobiology BranchNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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19
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Abstract
It is believed that the Bcl-2 family protein Bok has a redundant role similar to Bax and Bak in regulating apoptosis. We report that this protein interacts with the key enzyme involved in uridine biosynthesis, uridine monophosphate synthetase, and positively regulates uridine biosynthesis and chemoconversion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Bok-deficient cell lines are resistant to 5-FU. Bok down-regulation is a key feature of cell lines and primary colorectal tumor tissues that are resistant to 5-FU. Our data also show that through its impact on nucleotide metabolism, Bok regulates p53 level and cellular proliferation. Our results have implications for developing Bok as a biomarker for 5-FU resistance and for the development of BOK mimetics for sensitizing 5-FU-resistant cancers. BCL-2 family proteins regulate the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. BOK, a multidomain BCL-2 family protein, is generally believed to be an adaptor protein similar to BAK and BAX, regulating the mitochondrial permeability transition during apoptosis. Here we report that BOK is a positive regulator of a key enzyme involved in uridine biosynthesis; namely, uridine monophosphate synthetase (UMPS). Our data suggest that BOK expression enhances UMPS activity, cell proliferation, and chemosensitivity. Genetic deletion of Bok results in chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in different cell lines and in mice. Conversely, cancer cells and primary tissues that acquire resistance to 5-FU down-regulate BOK expression. Furthermore, we also provide evidence for a role for BOK in nucleotide metabolism and cell cycle regulation. Our results have implications in developing BOK as a biomarker for 5-FU resistance and have the potential for the development of BOK-mimetics for sensitizing 5-FU-resistant cancers.
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20
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Marsac R, Pinson B, Saint-Marc C, Olmedo M, Artal-Sanz M, Daignan-Fornier B, Gomes JE. Purine Homeostasis Is Necessary for Developmental Timing, Germline Maintenance and Muscle Integrity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2019; 211:1297-1313. [PMID: 30700528 PMCID: PMC6456310 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.118.301062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purine homeostasis is ensured through a metabolic network widely conserved from prokaryotes to humans. Purines can either be synthesized de novo, reused, or produced by interconversion of extant metabolites using the so-called recycling pathway. Although thoroughly characterized in microorganisms, such as yeast or bacteria, little is known about regulation of the purine biosynthesis network in metazoans. In humans, several diseases are linked to purine metabolism through as yet poorly understood etiologies. Particularly, the deficiency in adenylosuccinate lyase (ADSL)-an enzyme involved both in the purine de novo and recycling pathways-causes severe muscular and neuronal symptoms. In order to address the mechanisms underlying this deficiency, we established Caenorhabditis elegans as a metazoan model organism to study purine metabolism, while focusing on ADSL. We show that the purine biosynthesis network is functionally conserved in C. elegans Moreover, adsl-1 (the gene encoding ADSL in C. elegans) is required for developmental timing, germline stem cell maintenance and muscle integrity. Importantly, these traits are not affected when solely the de novo pathway is abolished, and we present evidence that germline maintenance is linked specifically to ADSL activity in the recycling pathway. Hence, our results allow developmental and tissue specific phenotypes to be ascribed to separable steps of the purine metabolic network in an animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxane Marsac
- Institut de Biochimie et Génétique Cellulaires, Université de Bordeaux and CNRS UMR5095, 33077 Bordeaux cedex, France
| | - Benoît Pinson
- Institut de Biochimie et Génétique Cellulaires, Université de Bordeaux and CNRS UMR5095, 33077 Bordeaux cedex, France
| | - Christelle Saint-Marc
- Institut de Biochimie et Génétique Cellulaires, Université de Bordeaux and CNRS UMR5095, 33077 Bordeaux cedex, France
| | - María Olmedo
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Marta Artal-Sanz
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía/Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Bertrand Daignan-Fornier
- Institut de Biochimie et Génétique Cellulaires, Université de Bordeaux and CNRS UMR5095, 33077 Bordeaux cedex, France
| | - José-Eduardo Gomes
- Institut de Biochimie et Génétique Cellulaires, Université de Bordeaux and CNRS UMR5095, 33077 Bordeaux cedex, France
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21
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Revtovich AV, Lee R, Kirienko NV. Interplay between mitochondria and diet mediates pathogen and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008011. [PMID: 30865620 PMCID: PMC6415812 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet is a crucial determinant of organismal biology; interactions between the host, its diet, and its microbiota are critical to determining the health of an organism. A variety of genetic and biochemical means were used to assay stress sensitivity in C. elegans reared on two standard laboratory diets: E. coli OP50, the most commonly used food for C. elegans, or E. coli HT115, which is typically used for RNAi-mediated gene knockdown. We demonstrated that the relatively subtle shift to a diet of E. coli HT115 had a dramatic impact on C. elegans's survival after exposure to pathogenic or abiotic stresses. Interestingly, this was independent of canonical host defense pathways. Instead the change arises from improvements in mitochondrial health, likely due to alleviation of a vitamin B12 deficiency exhibited by worms reared on an E. coli OP50 diet. Increasing B12 availability, by feeding on E. coli HT115, supplementing E. coli OP50 with exogenous vitamin B12, or overexpression of the B12 transporter, improved mitochondrial homeostasis and increased resistance. Loss of the methylmalonyl-CoA mutase gene mmcm-1/MUT, which requires vitamin B12 as a cofactor, abolished these improvements, establishing a genetic basis for the E. coli OP50-incurred sensitivity. Our study forges a mechanistic link between a dietary deficiency (nutrition/microbiota) and a physiological consequence (host sensitivity), using the host-microbiota-diet framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey V. Revtovich
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston TX, United States of America
| | - Ryan Lee
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston TX, United States of America
| | - Natalia V. Kirienko
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston TX, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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22
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Zhong H, Wang P, Song Y, Zhang X, Che L, Feng B, Lin Y, Xu S, Li J, Wu D, Wu Q, Fang Z. Mammary cell proliferation and catabolism of adipose tissues in nutrition-restricted lactating sows were associated with extracellular high glutamate levels. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2018; 9:78. [PMID: 30410753 PMCID: PMC6217789 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-018-0293-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Persistent lactation, as the result of mammary cellular anabolism and secreting function, is dependent on substantial mobilization or catabolism of body reserves under nutritional deficiency. However, little is known about the biochemical mechanisms for nutrition-restricted lactating animals to simultaneously maintain the anabolism of mammary cells while catabolism of body reserves. In present study, lactating sows with restricted feed allowance (RFA) (n = 6), 24% feed restriction compared with the control (CON) group (n = 6), were used as the nutrition-restricted model. Microdialysis and mammary venous cannulas methods were used to monitor postprandial dynamic changes of metabolites in adipose and mammary tissues. Results At lactation d 28, the RFA group showed higher (P < 0.05) loss of body weight and backfat than the CON group. Compared with the CON group, the adipose tissue of the RFA group had higher (P < 0.05) extracellular glutamate and insulin levels, increased (P < 0.05) lipolysis related genes (HSL and ATGL) expression, and decreased (P < 0.05) glucose transport and metabolism related genes (VAMP8, PKLR and LDHB) expression. These results indicated that under nutritional restriction, reduced insulin-mediated glucose uptake and metabolism and increased lipolysis in adipose tissues was related to extracellular high glutamate concentration. As for mammary glands, compared with the CON group, the RFA group had up-regulated (P < 0.05) expression of Notch signaling ligand (DLL3) and receptors (NOTCH2 and NOTCH4), higher (P < 0.05) extracellular glutamate concentration, while expression of cell proliferation related genes and concentrations of most metabolites in mammary veins were not different (P > 0.05) between groups. Accordingly, piglet performance and milk yield did not differ (P > 0.05) between groups. It would appear that activation of Notch signaling and adequate supply of glutamate might assist mammogenesis. Conclusions Mammary cell proliferation and catabolism of adipose tissues in nutrition-restricted lactating sows were associated with extracellular high glutamate levels. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40104-018-0293-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heju Zhong
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Peng Wang
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Yumo Song
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Lianqiang Che
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Bin Feng
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Yan Lin
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Shengyu Xu
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Jian Li
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - De Wu
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
| | - Qiaofeng Wu
- 2Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137 China
| | - Zhengfeng Fang
- 1Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 China
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Kanzaki N, Tsai IJ, Tanaka R, Hunt VL, Liu D, Tsuyama K, Maeda Y, Namai S, Kumagai R, Tracey A, Holroyd N, Doyle SR, Woodruff GC, Murase K, Kitazume H, Chai C, Akagi A, Panda O, Ke HM, Schroeder FC, Wang J, Berriman M, Sternberg PW, Sugimoto A, Kikuchi T. Biology and genome of a newly discovered sibling species of Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3216. [PMID: 30097582 PMCID: PMC6086898 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05712-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A 'sibling' species of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans has long been sought for use in comparative analyses that would enable deep evolutionary interpretations of biological phenomena. Here, we describe the first sibling species of C. elegans, C. inopinata n. sp., isolated from fig syconia in Okinawa, Japan. We investigate the morphology, developmental processes and behaviour of C. inopinata, which differ significantly from those of C. elegans. The 123-Mb C. inopinata genome was sequenced and assembled into six nuclear chromosomes, allowing delineation of Caenorhabditis genome evolution and revealing unique characteristics, such as highly expanded transposable elements that might have contributed to the genome evolution of C. inopinata. In addition, C. inopinata exhibits massive gene losses in chemoreceptor gene families, which could be correlated with its limited habitat area. We have developed genetic and molecular techniques for C. inopinata; thus C. inopinata provides an exciting new platform for comparative evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsumi Kanzaki
- Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, 305-8687, Japan
- Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 68 Nagaikyutaroh, Momoyama, Fushimi, Kyoto, 612-0855, Japan
| | - Isheng J Tsai
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei city, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Ryusei Tanaka
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Vicky L Hunt
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Dang Liu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei city, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Kenji Tsuyama
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
| | - Yasunobu Maeda
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Satoshi Namai
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
| | - Ryohei Kumagai
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
| | - Alan Tracey
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Nancy Holroyd
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Stephen R Doyle
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Gavin C Woodruff
- Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, 305-8687, Japan
- Department of Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403-5289, USA
| | - Kazunori Murase
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Hiromi Kitazume
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Cynthia Chai
- HHMI and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Allison Akagi
- HHMI and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Oishika Panda
- Boyce Thompson Institute, and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Huei-Mien Ke
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei city, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute, and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - John Wang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei city, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Paul W Sternberg
- HHMI and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Asako Sugimoto
- Laboratory of Developmental Dynamics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan.
| | - Taisei Kikuchi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan.
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24
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Foray V, Pérez-Jiménez MM, Fattouh N, Landmann F. Wolbachia Control Stem Cell Behavior and Stimulate Germline Proliferation in Filarial Nematodes. Dev Cell 2018; 45:198-211.e3. [PMID: 29689195 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Although symbiotic interactions are ubiquitous in the living world, examples of developmental symbioses are still scarce. We show here the crucial role of Wolbachia in the oogenesis of filarial nematodes, a class of parasites of biomedical and veterinary relevance. We applied newly developed techniques to demonstrate the earliest requirements of Wolbachia in the parasite germline preceding the production of faulty embryos in Wolbachia-depleted nematodes. We show that Wolbachia stimulate germline proliferation in a cell-autonomous manner, and not through nucleotide supplementation as previously hypothesized. We also found Wolbachia to maintain the quiescence of a pool of germline stem cells to ensure a constant delivery of about 1,400 eggs per day for many years. The loss of quiescence upon Wolbachia depletion as well as the disorganization of the distal germline suggest that Wolbachia are required to execute the proper germline stem cell developmental program in order to produce viable eggs and embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Foray
- CRBM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Nour Fattouh
- CRBM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
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25
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Murphey AC, Mavridou DAI, Hodgkin J, Ferguson SJ. The heme auxotroph Caenorhabditis elegans can cleave the thioether bonds of c-type cytochromes. FEBS Lett 2018; 592:928-938. [PMID: 29430660 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Heme is essential and synthesized via highly regulated processes. For this reason, most organisms strive to recycle it or acquire it from their environment. When heme is bound to proteins noncovalently, degradation of the polypeptide is sufficient to release it. However, in some hemoproteins, such as c-type cytochromes, heme is covalently bound to the protein backbone. We use the heme auxotroph Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate if cytochromes c can be a heme source, and we show that this organism must encode a novel system which specifically cleaves the thioether bonds of c-type cytochromes. We also find that at limiting heme concentrations, while somatic tissues develop normally the germline fails to proliferate, suggesting the presence of a heme-sensing checkpoint in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Despoina A I Mavridou
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Kensington, UK
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26
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Templeman NM, Murphy CT. Regulation of reproduction and longevity by nutrient-sensing pathways. J Cell Biol 2018; 217:93-106. [PMID: 29074705 PMCID: PMC5748989 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201707168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrients are necessary for life, as they are a crucial requirement for biological processes including reproduction, somatic growth, and tissue maintenance. Therefore, signaling systems involved in detecting and interpreting nutrient or energy levels-most notably, the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-play important roles in regulating physiological decisions to reproduce, grow, and age. In this review, we discuss the connections between reproductive senescence and somatic aging and give an overview of the involvement of nutrient-sensing pathways in controlling both reproductive function and lifespan. Although the molecular mechanisms that affect these processes can be influenced by distinct tissue-, temporal-, and pathway-specific signaling events, the progression of reproductive aging and somatic aging is systemically coordinated by integrated nutrient-sensing signaling pathways regulating somatic tissue maintenance in conjunction with reproductive capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Templeman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
| | - Coleen T Murphy
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
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27
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Tang H, Han M. Fatty Acids Regulate Germline Sex Determination through ACS-4-Dependent Myristoylation. Cell 2017; 169:457-469.e13. [PMID: 28431246 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.03.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Fat metabolism has been linked to fertility and reproductive adaptation in animals and humans, and environmental sex determination potentially plays a role in the process. To investigate the impact of fatty acids (FA) on sex determination and reproductive development, we examined and observed an impact of FA synthesis and mobilization by lipolysis in somatic tissues on oocyte fate in Caenorhabditis elegans. The subsequent genetic analysis identified ACS-4, an acyl-CoA synthetase and its FA-CoA product, as key germline factors that mediate the role of FA in promoting oocyte fate through protein myristoylation. Further tests indicated that ACS-4-dependent protein myristoylation perceives and translates the FA level into regulatory cues that modulate the activities of MPK-1/MAPK and key factors in the germline sex-determination pathway. These findings, including a similar role of ACS-4 in a male/female species, uncover a likely conserved mechanism by which FA, an environmental factor, regulates sex determination and reproductive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyun Tang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of MCDB of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Min Han
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of MCDB of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
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28
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Qi B, Kniazeva M, Han M. A vitamin-B2-sensing mechanism that regulates gut protease activity to impact animal's food behavior and growth. eLife 2017; 6:e26243. [PMID: 28569665 PMCID: PMC5478268 DOI: 10.7554/elife.26243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
To survive challenging environments, animals acquired the ability to evaluate food quality in the intestine and respond to nutrient deficiencies with changes in food-response behavior, metabolism and development. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying intestinal sensing of specific nutrients, especially micronutrients such as vitamins, and the connections to downstream physiological responses in animals remain underexplored. We have established a system to analyze the intestinal response to vitamin B2 (VB2) deficiency in Caenorhabditis elegans, and demonstrated that VB2 level critically impacts food uptake and foraging behavior by regulating specific protease gene expression and intestinal protease activity. We show that this impact is mediated by TORC1 signaling through reading the FAD-dependent ATP level. Thus, our study in live animals uncovers a VB2-sensing/response pathway that regulates food-uptake, a mechanism by which a common signaling pathway translates a specific nutrient signal into physiological activities, and the importance of gut microbiota in supplying micronutrients to animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Qi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, United States
| | - Marina Kniazeva
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, United States
| | - Min Han
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, United States
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29
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Scott TA, Quintaneiro LM, Norvaisas P, Lui PP, Wilson MP, Leung KY, Herrera-Dominguez L, Sudiwala S, Pessia A, Clayton PT, Bryson K, Velagapudi V, Mills PB, Typas A, Greene NDE, Cabreiro F. Host-Microbe Co-metabolism Dictates Cancer Drug Efficacy in C. elegans. Cell 2017; 169:442-456.e18. [PMID: 28431245 PMCID: PMC5406385 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.03.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Fluoropyrimidines are the first-line treatment for colorectal cancer, but their efficacy is highly variable between patients. We queried whether gut microbes, a known source of inter-individual variability, impacted drug efficacy. Combining two tractable genetic models, the bacterium E. coli and the nematode C. elegans, we performed three-way high-throughput screens that unraveled the complexity underlying host-microbe-drug interactions. We report that microbes can bolster or suppress the effects of fluoropyrimidines through metabolic drug interconversion involving bacterial vitamin B6, B9, and ribonucleotide metabolism. Also, disturbances in bacterial deoxynucleotide pools amplify 5-FU-induced autophagy and cell death in host cells, an effect regulated by the nucleoside diphosphate kinase ndk-1. Our data suggest a two-way bacterial mediation of fluoropyrimidine effects on host metabolism, which contributes to drug efficacy. These findings highlight the potential therapeutic power of manipulating intestinal microbiota to ensure host metabolic health and treat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A Scott
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London and Birkbeck, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Leonor M Quintaneiro
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London and Birkbeck, London WC1E 6BT, UK; UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Povilas Norvaisas
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London and Birkbeck, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Department of Computer Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Prudence P Lui
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London and Birkbeck, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Matthew P Wilson
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Kit-Yi Leung
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Lucia Herrera-Dominguez
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Heidelberg, Genome Biology, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sonia Sudiwala
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Alberto Pessia
- Metabolomics Unit, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Peter T Clayton
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Kevin Bryson
- Department of Computer Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Vidya Velagapudi
- Metabolomics Unit, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Philippa B Mills
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Athanasios Typas
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Heidelberg, Genome Biology, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicholas D E Greene
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Filipe Cabreiro
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London and Birkbeck, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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30
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Wan QL, Shi X, Liu J, Ding AJ, Pu YZ, Li Z, Wu GS, Luo HR. Metabolomic signature associated with reproduction-regulated aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. Aging (Albany NY) 2017; 9:447-474. [PMID: 28177875 PMCID: PMC5361674 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), ablation of germline stem cells (GSCs) leads to infertility, which extends lifespan. It has been reported that aging and reproduction are both inextricably associated with metabolism. However, few studies have investigated the roles of polar small molecules metabolism in regulating longevity by reproduction. In this work, we combined the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) to profile the water-soluble metabolome in C. elegans. Comparing the metabolic fingerprint between two physiological ages among different mutants, our results demonstrate that aging is characterized by metabolome remodeling and metabolic decline. In addition, by analyzing the metabolic profiles of long-lived germline-less glp-1 mutants, we discovered that glp-1 mutants regulate the levels of many age-variant metabolites to attenuate aging, including elevated concentrations of the pyrimidine and purine metabolism intermediates and decreased concentrations of the citric acid cycle intermediates. Interestingly, by analyzing the metabolome of daf-16;glp-1 double mutants, our results revealed that some metabolic exchange contributing to germline-mediated longevity was mediated by transcription factor FOXO/DAF-16, including pyrimidine metabolism and the TCA cycle. Based on a comprehensive metabolic analysis, we provide novel insight into the relationship between longevity and metabolism regulated by germline signals in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin-Li Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Xiaohuo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Jiangxin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Ai-Jun Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Yuan-Zhu Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Zhigang Li
- Shineway Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Sanhe, Hebei 065201, China
| | - Gui-Sheng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Key Laboratory for Aging and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Huai-Rong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Key Laboratory for Aging and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
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31
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Notch signaling is an evolutionary conserved pathway critical for cardiovascular development and angiogenesis. More recently, the contribution of Notch signaling to the homeostasis of the adult vasculature has emerged as an important novel paradigm, but much remains to be understood. RECENT FINDINGS Recent findings shed light on the impact of Notch in vascular and immune responses to microenvironmental signals as well as on the onset of atherosclerosis. In the past year, studies in human and mice explored the role of Notch in the maintenance of a nonactivated endothelium. Novel pieces of evidence suggest that this pathway is sensitive to environmental factors, including inflammatory mediators and diet-derived by-products. SUMMARY An emerging theme is the ability of Notch to respond to changes in the microenvironment, including glucose and lipid metabolites. In turn, alterations in Notch enable an important link between metabolism and transcriptional changes, thus this receptor appears to function as a metabolic sensor with direct implications to gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Briot
- I2MC, Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, Team 1, Toulouse, France
| | - Anne Bouloumié
- I2MC, Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, Team 1, Toulouse, France
| | - M. Luisa Iruela-Arispe
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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32
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Abstract
This outlook highlights the accompanying paper by Chi et al. on a nucleotide nutrient-sensing pathway to regulate germline proliferation in C. elegans. Nucleotides are required in order to replicate DNA in the developing germline. Here, Chi and colleagues (pp. 307–320) have used Caernohabditis elegans to identify a GLP-1-dependent checkpoint that senses food (bacterially)-supplied nucleotide levels, arresting reproductive development in the absence of sufficient nucleotide supplies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Shi
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Coleen T Murphy
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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33
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Affiliation(s)
- Congwu Chi
- a Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora , CO , USA
| | - Min Han
- b Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of MCDB, University of Colorado at Boulder , Boulder , CO , USA
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