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Talice S, Kozlovski I, Barkan SK, Snyder GA, Sharoni T, Levy T, Oisher S, Ottolenghi A, Eliachar S, Ben-Romano R, Berlyne K, Yannai R, Lewandowska M, Sultan E, Goldstein O, Aharoni R, Hadad U, Davis C, Moran Y, Gershoni-Yahalom O, Traylor-Knowles N, Rosental B. Candidate stem cell isolation and transplantation in Hexacorallia. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114944. [PMID: 39487989 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 10/17/2024] [Indexed: 11/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Stem cells are the foundation for cell therapy due to their ability to self-renew, differentiate into other cell types, and persist throughout the life of an organism. Stem cell isolation and transplantation have not yet been established in Hexacorallia, a cnidarian subclass containing stony corals and sea anemones. Here, we demonstrate that candidate stem cells in the hexacorallian Nematostella vectensis can be transplanted into adult animals. These cells exhibited the hallmarks of stem cell functional properties; they integrated into recipients' tissues and rescued them from lethal doses of chemotherapy. Additionally, these cells proliferated and survived serial transplantations. Notably, we showed that this cellular subpopulation can be enriched by sorting using species-non-specific cell markers and that similar subpopulations of cells can be isolated from other hexacorallians, including stony corals. This research establishes the basis for studying stem cell biology on a functional level in Hexacorallia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shani Talice
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; The Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Itamar Kozlovski
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shany K Barkan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; The Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Grace A Snyder
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ton Sharoni
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tom Levy
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - Shelly Oisher
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Aner Ottolenghi
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Shir Eliachar
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Ronit Ben-Romano
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Keren Berlyne
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Ronnie Yannai
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Magda Lewandowska
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eliya Sultan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Oron Goldstein
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Reuven Aharoni
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Uzi Hadad
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Claytus Davis
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Orly Gershoni-Yahalom
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Nikki Traylor-Knowles
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Benyamin Rosental
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
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2
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Plygawko AT, Stephan-Otto Attolini C, Pitsidianaki I, Cook DP, Darby AC, Campbell K. The Drosophila adult midgut progenitor cells arise from asymmetric divisions of neuroblast-like cells. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00630-0. [PMID: 39532106 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 10/18/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
The Drosophila adult midgut progenitor cells (AMPs) give rise to all cells in the adult midgut epithelium, including the intestinal stem cells (ISCs). While they share many characteristics with the ISCs, it remains unclear how they are generated in the early embryo. Here, we show that they arise from a population of endoderm cells, which exhibit multiple similarities with Drosophila neuroblasts. These cells, which we have termed endoblasts, are patterned by homothorax (Hth) and undergo asymmetric divisions using the same molecular machinery as neuroblasts. We also show that the conservation of this molecular machinery extends to the generation of the enteroendocrine lineages. Parallels have previously been drawn between the pupal ISCs and larval neuroblasts. Our results suggest that these commonalities exist from the earliest stages of specification of progenitor cells of the intestinal and nervous systems and may represent an ancestral pathway for multipotent progenitor cell specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Plygawko
- School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Camille Stephan-Otto Attolini
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ioanna Pitsidianaki
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - David P Cook
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Alistair C Darby
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Kyra Campbell
- School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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3
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Miramón-Puértolas P, Pascual-Carreras E, Steinmetz PRH. A population of Vasa2 and Piwi1 expressing cells generates germ cells and neurons in a sea anemone. Nat Commun 2024; 15:8765. [PMID: 39384751 PMCID: PMC11464780 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52806-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Germline segregation, essential for protecting germ cells against mutations, occurs during early embryogenesis in vertebrates, insects and nematodes. Highly regenerative animals (e.g., cnidarians), however, retain stem cells with both germinal and somatic potentials throughout adulthood, but their biology and evolution remain poorly understood. Among cnidarians (e.g., sea anemones, jellyfish), stem cells are only known in few hydrozoans (e.g., Hydra). Here, we identify and characterize a rare, multipotent population of stem and/or progenitor cells expressing the conserved germline and multipotency proteins Vasa2 and Piwi1 in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Using piwi1 and vasa2 transgenic reporter lines, we reveal that the Vasa2+/Piwi1+ cell population generates not only gametes, but also a diversity of proliferative somatic cells, including neural progenitors, in juveniles and adults. Our work has uncovered a multipotent population of Vasa2+/Piwi1+ stem/progenitor cells that forms the cellular basis to understand body plasticity and regenerative capacities in sea anemones and corals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patrick R H Steinmetz
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt. 55, N-5008, Bergen, Norway.
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4
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Hehmeyer J, Plessier F, Marlow H. Adaptive Cellular Radiations and the Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Animal Nervous System Diversification. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2024; 40:407-425. [PMID: 39052757 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-111822-124041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
In animals, the nervous system evolved as the primary interface between multicellular organisms and the environment. As organisms became larger and more complex, the primary functions of the nervous system expanded to include the modulation and coordination of individual responsive cells via paracrine and synaptic functions as well as to monitor and maintain the organism's own internal environment. This was initially accomplished via paracrine signaling and eventually through the assembly of multicell circuits in some lineages. Cells with similar functions and centralized nervous systems have independently arisen in several lineages. We highlight the molecular mechanisms that underlie parallel diversifications of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenks Hehmeyer
- Integrative Biology Program, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA;
| | - Flora Plessier
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA;
| | - Heather Marlow
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA;
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5
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Kraus JEM, Busengdal H, Kraus Y, Hausen H, Rentzsch F. Doublecortin-like kinase is required for cnidocyte development in Nematostella vectensis. Neural Dev 2024; 19:11. [PMID: 38909268 PMCID: PMC11193195 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-024-00188-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The complex morphology of neurons requires precise control of their microtubule cytoskeleton. This is achieved by microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that regulate the assembly and stability of microtubules, and transport of molecules and vesicles along them. While many of these MAPs function in all cells, some are specifically or predominantly involved in regulating microtubules in neurons. Here we use the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis as a model organism to provide new insights into the early evolution of neural microtubule regulation. As a cnidarian, Nematostella belongs to an outgroup to all bilaterians and thus occupies an informative phylogenetic position for reconstructing the evolution of nervous system development. We identified an ortholog of the microtubule-binding protein doublecortin-like kinase (NvDclk1) as a gene that is predominantly expressed in neurons and cnidocytes (stinging cells), two classes of cells belonging to the neural lineage in cnidarians. A transgenic NvDclk1 reporter line revealed an elaborate network of neurite-like processes emerging from cnidocytes in the tentacles and the body column. A transgene expressing NvDclk1 under the control of the NvDclk1 promoter suggests that NvDclk1 localizes to microtubules and therefore likely functions as a microtubule-binding protein. Further, we generated a mutant for NvDclk1 using CRISPR/Cas9 and show that the mutants fail to generate mature cnidocytes. Our results support the hypothesis that the elaboration of programs for microtubule regulation occurred early in the evolution of nervous systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna E M Kraus
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, Bergen, 5006, Norway
| | - Henriette Busengdal
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, Bergen, 5006, Norway
| | - Yulia Kraus
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskiye gory 1/12, Moscow, 119234, Russia
| | - Harald Hausen
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, Bergen, 5006, Norway
- Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allégaten 41, Bergen, 5007, Norway
| | - Fabian Rentzsch
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, Bergen, 5006, Norway.
- Department for Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 53, Bergen, 5006, Norway.
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6
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Sabin KZ, Chen S, Hill EM, Weaver KJ, Yonke J, Kirkman M, Redwine WB, Klompen AML, Zhao X, Guo F, McKinney MC, Dewey JL, Gibson MC. Graded FGF activity patterns distinct cell types within the apical sensory organ of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Dev Biol 2024; 510:50-65. [PMID: 38521499 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Bilaterian animals have evolved complex sensory organs comprised of distinct cell types that function coordinately to sense the environment. Each sensory unit has a defined architecture built from component cell types, including sensory cells, non-sensory support cells, and dedicated sensory neurons. Whether this characteristic cellular composition is present in the sensory organs of non-bilaterian animals is unknown. Here, we interrogate the cell type composition and gene regulatory networks controlling development of the larval apical sensory organ in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Using single cell RNA sequencing and imaging approaches, we reveal two unique cell types in the Nematostella apical sensory organ, GABAergic sensory cells and a putative non-sensory support cell population. Further, we identify the paired-like (PRD) homeodomain gene prd146 as a specific sensory cell marker and show that Prd146+ sensory cells become post-mitotic after gastrulation. Genetic loss of function approaches show that Prd146 is essential for apical sensory organ development. Using a candidate gene knockdown approach, we place prd146 downstream of FGF signaling in the apical sensory organ gene regulatory network. Further, we demonstrate that an aboral FGF activity gradient coordinately regulates the specification of both sensory and support cells. Collectively, these experiments define the genetic basis for apical sensory organ development in a non-bilaterian animal and reveal an unanticipated degree of complexity in a prototypic sensory structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Z Sabin
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Shiyuan Chen
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Eric M Hill
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Kyle J Weaver
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Jacob Yonke
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | | | | | | | - Xia Zhao
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Fengli Guo
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | | | | | - Matthew C Gibson
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
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7
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Surm JM, Landau M, Columbus-Shenkar YY, Moran Y. Sea Anemone Membrane Attack Complex/Perforin Superfamily Demonstrates an Evolutionary Transitional State between Venomous and Developmental Functions. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae082. [PMID: 38676945 PMCID: PMC11090067 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene duplication is a major force driving evolutionary innovation. A classic example is generating new animal toxins via duplication of physiological protein-encoding genes and recruitment into venom. While this process drives the innovation of many animal venoms, reverse recruitment of toxins into nonvenomous cells remains unresolved. Using comparative genomics, we find members of the Membrane Attack Complex and Perforin Family (MAC) have been recruited into venom-injecting cells (cnidocytes), in soft and stony corals and sea anemones, suggesting that the ancestral MAC was a cnidocyte expressed toxin. Further investigation into the model sea anemone Nematostella vectensis reveals that three members have undergone Nematostella-specific duplications leading to their reverse recruitment into endomesodermal cells. Furthermore, simultaneous knockdown of all three endomesodermally expressed MACs leads to mis-development, supporting that these paralogs have nonvenomous function. By resolving the evolutionary history and function of MACs in Nematostella, we provide the first proof for reverse recruitment from venom to organismal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim M Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Morani Landau
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yaara Y Columbus-Shenkar
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
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8
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Cole AG, Steger J, Hagauer J, Denner A, Ferrer Murguia P, Knabl P, Narayanaswamy S, Wick B, Montenegro JD, Technau U. Updated single cell reference atlas for the starlet anemone Nematostella vectensis. Front Zool 2024; 21:8. [PMID: 38500146 PMCID: PMC10946136 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-024-00529-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent combination of genomics and single cell transcriptomics has allowed to assess a variety of non-conventional model organisms in much more depth. Single cell transcriptomes can uncover hidden cellular complexity and cell lineage relationships within organisms. The recent developmental cell atlases of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a representative of the basally branching Cnidaria, has provided new insights into the development of all cell types (Steger et al Cell Rep 40(12):111370, 2022; Sebé-Pedrós et al. Cell 173(6):1520-1534.e20). However, the mapping of the single cell reads still suffers from relatively poor gene annotations and a draft genome consisting of many scaffolds. RESULTS Here we present a new wildtype resource of the developmental single cell atlas, by re-mapping of sequence data first published in Steger et al. (2022) and Cole et al. (Nat Commun 14(1):1747, 2023), to the new chromosome-level genome assembly and corresponding gene models in Zimmermann et al. (Nat Commun 14, 8270 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44080-7 ). We expand the pre-existing dataset through the incorporation of additional sequence data derived from the capture and sequencing of cell suspensions from four additional samples: 24 h gastrula, 2d planula, an inter-parietal region of the bodywall from a young unsexed animal, and another adult mesentery from a mature male animal. CONCLUSION Our analyses of the full cell-state inventory provide transcriptomic signatures for 127 distinct cell states, of which 47 correspond to neuroglandular subtypes. We also identify two distinct putatively immune-related transcriptomic profiles that segregate between the inner and outer cell layers. Furthermore, the new gene annotation Nv2 has markedly improved the mapping on the single cell transcriptome data and will therefore be of great value for the community and anyone using the dataset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison G Cole
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
- Research Platform Single Cell Regulation of Stem Cells, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Julia Steger
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Hagauer
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Denner
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patricio Ferrer Murguia
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paul Knabl
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sanjay Narayanaswamy
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Brittney Wick
- UCSC Cellbrowser, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA
| | - Juan D Montenegro
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
- Research Platform Single Cell Regulation of Stem Cells, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
- Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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9
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Tournière O, Busengdal H, Gahan JM, Rentzsch F. Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization as a Tool for Studying the Specification and Differentiation of Cell Types in Nematostella vectensis. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2784:59-75. [PMID: 38502478 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3766-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is a genetically tractable cnidarian species that has become a model organism for studying the evolution of developmental processes and genome regulation, resilience to fluctuations in environmental conditions, and the response to pollutants. Gene expression analyses are central to many of these studies, and in situ hybridization has been an important method for obtaining spatial information, in particular during embryonic development. Like other cnidarians, Nematostella embryos are of comparably low morphological complexity, but they possess many cell types that are dispersed throughout the tissue and originate from broad and overlapping areas. These features have made two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization an important method to determine potential co-expression of genes and to generate hypotheses for their functions in cell fate specification. We here share protocols for single and double fluorescence in situ hybridization in Nematostella and for the combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Océane Tournière
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Institut de Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, Nice, France
| | | | - James M Gahan
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Fabian Rentzsch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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10
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Lemaître QIB, Bartsch N, Kouzel IU, Busengdal H, Richards GS, Steinmetz PRH, Rentzsch F. NvPrdm14d-expressing neural progenitor cells contribute to non-ectodermal neurogenesis in Nematostella vectensis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4854. [PMID: 37563174 PMCID: PMC10415408 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39789-4] [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: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis has been studied extensively in the ectoderm, from which most animals generate the majority of their neurons. Neurogenesis from non-ectodermal tissue is, in contrast, poorly understood. Here we use the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis as a model to provide new insights into the molecular regulation of non-ectodermal neurogenesis. We show that the transcription factor NvPrdm14d is expressed in a subpopulation of NvSoxB(2)-expressing endodermal progenitor cells and their NvPOU4-expressing progeny. Using a new transgenic reporter line, we show that NvPrdm14d-expressing cells give rise to neurons in the body wall and in close vicinity of the longitudinal retractor muscles. RNA-sequencing of NvPrdm14d::GFP-expressing cells and gene knockdown experiments provide candidate genes for the development and function of these neurons. Together, the identification of a population of endoderm-specific neural progenitor cells and of previously undescribed putative motoneurons in Nematostella provide new insights into the regulation of non-ectodermal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin I B Lemaître
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
| | - Natascha Bartsch
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
- Department for Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ian U Kouzel
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
| | - Henriette Busengdal
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
| | - Gemma Sian Richards
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Fabian Rentzsch
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway.
- Department for Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway.
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Vandepas LE, Tassia MG, Halanych KM, Amemiya CT. Unexpected Distribution of Chitin and Chitin Synthase across Soft-Bodied Cnidarians. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050777. [PMID: 37238647 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cnidarians are commonly recognized as sea jellies, corals, or complex colonies such as the Portuguese man-of-war. While some cnidarians possess rigid internal calcareous skeletons (e.g., corals), many are soft-bodied. Intriguingly, genes coding for the chitin-biosynthetic enzyme, chitin synthase (CHS), were recently identified in the model anemone Nematostella vectensis, a species lacking hard structures. Here we report the prevalence and diversity of CHS across Cnidaria and show that cnidarian chitin synthase genes display diverse protein domain organizations. We found that CHS is expressed in cnidarian species and/or developmental stages with no reported chitinous or rigid morphological structures. Chitin affinity histochemistry indicates that chitin is present in soft tissues of some scyphozoan and hydrozoan medusae. To further elucidate the biology of chitin in cnidarian soft tissues, we focused on CHS expression in N. vectensis. Spatial expression data show that three CHS orthologs are differentially expressed in Nematostella embryos and larvae during development, suggesting that chitin has an integral role in the biology of this species. Understanding how a non-bilaterian lineage such as Cnidaria employs chitin may provide new insight into hitherto unknown functions of polysaccharides in animals, as well as their role in the evolution of biological novelty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Vandepas
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael G Tassia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Kenneth M Halanych
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- Departments of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA
| | - Chris T Amemiya
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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12
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Delás MJ, Kalaitzis CM, Fawzi T, Demuth M, Zhang I, Stuart HT, Costantini E, Ivanovitch K, Tanaka EM, Briscoe J. Developmental cell fate choice in neural tube progenitors employs two distinct cis-regulatory strategies. Dev Cell 2023; 58:3-17.e8. [PMID: 36516856 PMCID: PMC7614300 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In many developing tissues, the patterns of gene expression that assign cell fate are organized by graded secreted signals. Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) interpret these signals to control gene expression, but how this is accomplished remains poorly understood. In the neural tube, a gradient of the morphogen sonic hedgehog (Shh) patterns neural progenitors. We identify two distinct ways in which CREs translate graded Shh into differential gene expression in mouse neural progenitors. In most progenitors, a common set of CREs control gene activity by integrating cell-type-specific inputs. By contrast, the most ventral progenitors use a unique set of CREs, established by the pioneer factor FOXA2. This parallels the role of FOXA2 in endoderm, where FOXA2 binds some of the same sites. Together, the data identify distinct cis-regulatory strategies for the interpretation of morphogen signaling and raise the possibility of an evolutionarily conserved role for FOXA2 across tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tamara Fawzi
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Isabel Zhang
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Hannah T Stuart
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Elena Costantini
- Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Elly M Tanaka
- Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - James Briscoe
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK.
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13
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Hauser F, Koch TL, Grimmelikhuijzen CJP. Review: The evolution of peptidergic signaling in Cnidaria and Placozoa, including a comparison with Bilateria. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:973862. [PMID: 36213267 PMCID: PMC9545775 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.973862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bilateria have bilateral symmetry and are subdivided into Deuterostomia (animals like vertebrates) and Protostomia (animals like insects and mollusks). Neuropeptides occur in both Proto- and Deuterostomia and they are frequently structurally related across these two lineages. For example, peptides belonging to the oxytocin/vasopressin family exist in both clades. The same is true for the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) of these peptides. These observations suggest that these neuropeptides and their GPCRs were already present in the common ancestor of Proto- and Deuterostomia, which lived about 700 million years ago (MYA). Furthermore, neuropeptides and their GPCRs occur in two early-branching phyla that diverged before the emergence of Bilateria: Cnidaria (animals like corals and sea anemones), and Placozoa (small disk-like animals, feeding on algae). The sequences of these neuropeptides and their GPCRs, however, are not closely related to those from Bilateria. In addition, cnidarian neuropeptides and their receptors are not closely related to those from Placozoa. We propose that the divergence times between Cnidaria, Placozoa, and Bilateria might be too long for recognizing sequence identities. Leucine-rich repeats-containing GPCRs (LGRs) are a special class of GPCRs that are characterized by a long N-terminus containing 10-20 leucine-rich domains, which are used for ligand binding. Among the ligands for LGRs are dimeric glycoprotein hormones, and insulin-like peptides, such as relaxin. LGRs have been found not only in Proto- and Deuterostomia, but also in early emerging phyla, such as Cnidaria and Placozoa. Humans have eight LGRs. In our current review, we have revisited the annotations of LGRs from the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis and the placozoan Trichoplax adhaerens. We identified 13 sea anemone LGRs and no less than 46 LGRs from T. adhaerens. All eight human LGRs appear to have orthologues in sea anemones and placozoans. LGRs and their ligands, therefore, have a long evolutionary history, going back to the common ancestor of Cnidaria and Placozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Hauser
- Section for Cell and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas L. Koch
- Section for Cell and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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14
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Steger J, Cole AG, Denner A, Lebedeva T, Genikhovich G, Ries A, Reischl R, Taudes E, Lassnig M, Technau U. Single-cell transcriptomics identifies conserved regulators of neuroglandular lineages. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111370. [PMID: 36130520 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication in bilaterian nervous systems is mediated by electrical and secreted signals; however, the evolutionary origin and relation of neurons to other secretory cell types has not been elucidated. Here, we use developmental single-cell RNA sequencing in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, representing an early evolutionary lineage with a simple nervous system. Validated by transgenics, we demonstrate that neurons, stinging cells, and gland cells arise from a common multipotent progenitor population. We identify the conserved transcription factor gene SoxC as a key upstream regulator of all neuroglandular lineages and demonstrate that SoxC knockdown eliminates both neuronal and secretory cell types. While in vertebrates and many other bilaterians neurogenesis is largely restricted to early developmental stages, we show that in the sea anemone, differentiation of neuroglandular cells is maintained throughout all life stages, and follows the same molecular trajectories from embryo to adulthood, ensuring lifelong homeostasis of neuroglandular cell lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Steger
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alison G Cole
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Research Platform "SinCeReSt: Single Cell Regulation of Stem Cells," University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Andreas Denner
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tatiana Lebedeva
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Grigory Genikhovich
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Ries
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert Reischl
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Taudes
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark Lassnig
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Max-Perutz Labs, Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Research Platform "SinCeReSt: Single Cell Regulation of Stem Cells," University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
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