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Barr J, Diegmiller R, Colonnetta MM, Ke W, Imran Alsous J, Stern T, Shvartsman SY, Schedl P. To be or not to be: orb, the fusome and oocyte specification in Drosophila. Genetics 2024; 226:iyae020. [PMID: 38345426 PMCID: PMC10990432 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, two cells in a cyst of 16 interconnected cells have the potential to become the oocyte, but only one of these will assume an oocyte fate as the cysts transition through regions 2a and 2b of the germarium. The mechanism of specification depends on a polarized microtubule network, a dynein dependent Egl:BicD mRNA cargo complex, a special membranous structure called the fusome and its associated proteins, and the translational regulator orb. In this work, we have investigated the role of orb and the fusome in oocyte specification. We show here that specification is a stepwise process. Initially, orb mRNAs accumulate in the two pro-oocytes in close association with the fusome. This association is accompanied by the activation of the orb autoregulatory loop, generating high levels of Orb. Subsequently, orb mRNAs become enriched in only one of the pro-oocytes, the presumptive oocyte, and this is followed, with a delay, by Orb localization to the oocyte. We find that fusome association of orb mRNAs is essential for oocyte specification in the germarium, is mediated by the orb 3' UTR, and requires Orb protein. We also show that the microtubule minus end binding protein Patronin functions downstream of orb in oocyte specification. Finally, in contrast to a previously proposed model for oocyte selection, we find that the choice of which pro-oocyte becomes the oocyte does not seem to be predetermined by the amount of fusome material in these two cells, but instead depends upon a competition for orb gene products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justinn Barr
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Rocky Diegmiller
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Megan M Colonnetta
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Wenfan Ke
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jasmin Imran Alsous
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Tomer Stern
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Paul Schedl
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Sirinakis G, Allgeyer ES, Nashchekin D, St Johnston D. User-friendly oblique plane microscopy on a fully functional commercially available microscope base. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2024; 15:2358-2376. [PMID: 38633100 PMCID: PMC11019673 DOI: 10.1364/boe.518856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
In this work we present an oblique plane microscope designed to work seamlessly with a commercially available microscope base. To support all the functionality offered by the microscope base, where the position of the objective lens is not fixed, we adopted a two-mirror scanning geometry that can compensate for changes to the position of the objective lens during routine microscope operation. We showed that within a ± 1 mm displacement range of the 100X, 1.35 NA objective lens away from its designed position, the PSF size increased by <3% and <11% in the lateral and axial dimensions, respectively, while the error in magnification was <0.5% within volumes extending ± 10 µm about the focal plane. Compared to the more traditional scan-lens/galvo-mirror combination, the two-mirror scanning geometry offers higher light efficiency and a more compact footprint, which could be beneficial to all OPM designs regardless of the use of a commercial base or not.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Sirinakis
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Edward S Allgeyer
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Dmitry Nashchekin
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel St Johnston
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
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3
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Nashchekin D, Squires I, Prokop A, St Johnston D. The Shot CH1 domain recognises a distinct form of F-actin during Drosophila oocyte determination. Development 2024; 151:dev202370. [PMID: 38564309 PMCID: PMC11058685 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202370] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
In Drosophila, only one cell in a multicellular female germline cyst is specified as an oocyte and a similar process occurs in mammals. The symmetry-breaking cue for oocyte selection is provided by the fusome, a tubular structure connecting all cells in the cyst. The Drosophila spectraplakin Shot localises to the fusome and translates its asymmetry into a polarised microtubule network that is essential for oocyte specification, but how Shot recognises the fusome is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the actin-binding domain (ABD) of Shot is necessary and sufficient to localise Shot to the fusome and mediates Shot function in oocyte specification together with the microtubule-binding domains. The calponin homology domain 1 of the Shot ABD recognises fusomal F-actin and requires calponin homology domain 2 to distinguish it from other forms of F-actin in the cyst. By contrast, the ABDs of utrophin, Fimbrin, Filamin, Lifeact and F-tractin do not recognise fusomal F-actin. We therefore propose that Shot propagates fusome asymmetry by recognising a specific conformational state of F-actin on the fusome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Nashchekin
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Iolo Squires
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Andreas Prokop
- The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biology, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Daniel St Johnston
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
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4
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Hannaford MR, Rusan NM. Positioning centrioles and centrosomes. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202311140. [PMID: 38512059 PMCID: PMC10959756 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202311140] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Centrosomes are the primary microtubule organizer in eukaryotic cells. In addition to shaping the intracellular microtubule network and the mitotic spindle, centrosomes are responsible for positioning cilia and flagella. To fulfill these diverse functions, centrosomes must be properly located within cells, which requires that they undergo intracellular transport. Importantly, centrosome mispositioning has been linked to ciliopathies, cancer, and infertility. The mechanisms by which centrosomes migrate are diverse and context dependent. In many cells, centrosomes move via indirect motor transport, whereby centrosomal microtubules engage anchored motor proteins that exert forces on those microtubules, resulting in centrosome movement. However, in some cases, centrosomes move via direct motor transport, whereby the centrosome or centriole functions as cargo that directly binds molecular motors which then walk on stationary microtubules. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of centrosome motility and the consequences of centrosome mispositioning and identify key questions that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Hannaford
- Cell and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nasser M. Rusan
- Cell and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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5
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Lepesant JA, Roland-Gosselin F, Guillemet C, Bernard F, Guichet A. The Importance of the Position of the Nucleus in Drosophila Oocyte Development. Cells 2024; 13:201. [PMID: 38275826 PMCID: PMC10814754 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020201] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Oogenesis is a developmental process leading to the formation of an oocyte, a haploid gamete, which upon fertilisation and sperm entry allows the male and the female pronuclei to fuse and give rise to a zygote. In addition to forming a haploid gamete, oogenesis builds up a store of proteins, mRNAs, and organelles in the oocyte needed for the development of the future embryo. In several species, such as Drosophila, the polarity axes determinants of the future embryo must be asymmetrically distributed prior to fertilisation. In the Drosophila oocyte, the correct positioning of the nucleus is essential for establishing the dorsoventral polarity axis of the future embryo and allowing the meiotic spindles to be positioned in close vicinity to the unique sperm entry point into the oocyte.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Antoine Guichet
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, 75013 Paris, France; (J.-A.L.); (F.R.-G.); (C.G.); (F.B.)
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Wu D, Khan FA, Zhang K, Pandupuspitasari NS, Negara W, Guan K, Sun F, Huang C. Retinoic acid signaling in development and differentiation commitment and its regulatory topology. Chem Biol Interact 2024; 387:110773. [PMID: 37977248 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110773] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA), the derivative of vitamin A/retinol, is a signaling molecule with important implications in health and disease. It is a well-known developmental morphogen that functions mainly through the transcriptional activity of nuclear RA receptors (RARs) and, uncommonly, through other nuclear receptors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Intracellular RA is under spatiotemporally fine-tuned regulation by synthesis and degradation processes catalyzed by retinaldehyde dehydrogenases and P450 family enzymes, respectively. In addition to dictating the transcription architecture, RA also impinges on cell functioning through non-genomic mechanisms independent of RAR transcriptional activity. Although RA-based differentiation therapy has achieved impressive success in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, RA also has pro-tumor activity. Here, we highlight the relevance of RA signaling in cell-fate determination, neurogenesis, visual function, inflammatory responses and gametogenesis commitment. Genetic and post-translational modifications of RAR are also discussed. A better understanding of RA signaling will foster the development of precision medicine to improve the defects caused by deregulated RA signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Faheem Ahmed Khan
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta Pusat, 10340, Indonesia
| | - Kejia Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | | | - Windu Negara
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta Pusat, 10340, Indonesia
| | - Kaifeng Guan
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Fei Sun
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
| | - Chunjie Huang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
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Świątek P, Thounaojam RS, Singh TB, James S, Gajda Ł, Małota K, Raś D, Urbisz AZ. Ovary organization and ultrastructure in six species of Amynthas and Metaphire earthworms (Annelida, Crassiclitellata, Megascolecidae). ZOOLOGY 2023; 160:126109. [PMID: 37586295 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2023.126109] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Ovaries in earthworms belonging to the family Megascolecidae are paired structures attached to the septum in the anterior part of the XIII segment. They are fan to rosette shaped with numerous rows of growing oocytes, known as egg strings, radiating from the ovary center towards the segmental cavity. The histological and ultrastructural ovary organization in megascolecids and the course of oogenesis remain unknown. The paper presents the results of light and electron microscopy analyses of ovaries in six megascolecid species, three from the genus Amynthas and three from Metaphire. Both parthenogenetic and sexually reproducing species were included in the study. The organization and ultrastructure of ovaries in all studied species are broadly similar. Considering the histological organization of ovaries, they could be divided into two zones. Zone I (proximal, close to the connection with the septum) is tightly packed with germline and somatic cells. Germ cells are interconnected via intercellular bridges and thin strands of the central cytoplasm (known as cytophore) and form syncytial cysts. Cysts unite oogonia, early meiotic cells (till diplotene), and clustering cells develop synchronously. During diplotene, interconnected cells lose developmental synchrony; most probably, one cell per cyst grows faster than others, detaches from the cysts, and becomes an oocyte. The remaining cells grow slightly and are still interconnected via the thin and reticular cytophore; these cells are considered nurse cells. Zone II has a form of egg strings where growing oocytes are isolated one from another by thin somatic cells and form short cords. We present the ultrastructural details of germline and somatic cells. We propose the term "Amynthas" type of ovaries for this ovary organization. We suppose that such ovaries are characteristic of other megascolecids and related families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Świątek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Rojen Singh Thounaojam
- Department of Life Sciences (Zoology), Manipur University, Canchipur 795003, Manipur, India
| | - Th Binoy Singh
- Department of Life Sciences (Zoology), Manipur University, Canchipur 795003, Manipur, India
| | - Samuel James
- Regenerative Organic Agriculture Department, Maharishi International University, Fairfield, IA 52557, USA
| | - Łukasz Gajda
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Karol Małota
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Dominika Raś
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Anna Z Urbisz
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
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8
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Lu W, Lakonishok M, Gelfand VI. The dynamic duo of microtubule polymerase Mini spindles/XMAP215 and cytoplasmic dynein is essential for maintaining Drosophila oocyte fate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303376120. [PMID: 37722034 PMCID: PMC10523470 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303376120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In many species, only one oocyte is specified among a group of interconnected germline sister cells. In Drosophila melanogaster, 16 interconnected cells form a germline cyst, where one cell differentiates into an oocyte, while the rest become nurse cells that supply the oocyte with mRNAs, proteins, and organelles through intercellular cytoplasmic bridges named ring canals via microtubule-based transport. In this study, we find that a microtubule polymerase Mini spindles (Msps), the Drosophila homolog of XMAP215, is essential for maintenance of the oocyte specification. mRNA encoding Msps is transported and concentrated in the oocyte by dynein-dependent transport along microtubules. Translated Msps stimulates microtubule polymerization in the oocyte, causing more microtubule plus ends to grow from the oocyte through the ring canals into nurse cells, further enhancing nurse cell-to-oocyte transport by dynein. Knockdown of msps blocks the oocyte growth and causes gradual loss of oocyte determinants. Thus, the Msps-dynein duo creates a positive feedback loop, ensuring oocyte fate maintenance by promoting high microtubule polymerization activity in the oocyte, and enhancing dynein-dependent nurse cell-to-oocyte transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Lu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Margot Lakonishok
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Vladimir I. Gelfand
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL60611
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Liu R, Mu X, Gao R, Geng Y, Zhang Y, Chen X, Yin X, Wang H, Li F, He J. Maternal exposure to cetylpyridinium chloride impairs oogenesis by causing mitochondria disorder in neonates. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2023; 102:104239. [PMID: 37541639 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC) is a common disinfectant with potential mitochondrial toxicity. However, the effects of CPC on female reproduction remains unclear. In the present study, pregnant mice were exposed to environmentally relevant doses of CPC for 3 days, the effects were evaluated in the female offspring. Maternal exposure to CPC caused loss of oocytes in neonatal ovaries. TEM analysis of neonatal ovaries showed CPC caused aberrant mitochondrial morphology including vacuolated and disorganized structure, reduced functional cristae. In addition, CPC decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in neonatal oocytes. Seahorse analysis showed that CPC hampered mitochondrial reserve, manifested as reduced spare respiratory capacity. Furthermore, CPC damaged mitochondrial function and impaired developmental competence of MII oocytes, suggesting a persisting impact into adulthood. In summary, this is the first known demonstration that maternal exposure to CPC caused mitochondrial disorders in neonatal ovaries and had long-term effects on fertility of the female offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronglu Liu
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyi Mu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Rufei Gao
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanqing Geng
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; School of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuemei Chen
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Yin
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fangfang Li
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junlin He
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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10
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Cabrita B, Martinho RG. Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Drosophila Oocyte Determination. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:21. [PMID: 37367475 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11020021] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary oocyte determination occurs in many organisms within a germ line cyst, a multicellular structure composed of interconnected germ cells. However, the structure of the cyst is itself highly diverse, which raises intriguing questions about the benefits of this stereotypical multicellular environment for female gametogenesis. Drosophila melanogaster is a well-studied model for female gametogenesis, and numerous genes and pathways critical for the determination and differentiation of a viable female gamete have been identified. This review provides an up-to-date overview of Drosophila oocyte determination, with a particular emphasis on the mechanisms that regulate germ line gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigite Cabrita
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Agra do Crasto, Edifício 30, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Rui Gonçalo Martinho
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Agra do Crasto, Edifício 30, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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11
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Derdak A, Jędrzejowska I, Mąkol J. An overview of chelicerate ovaries, with special reference to mites - myths and facts. Micron 2023; 167:103417. [PMID: 36773594 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2023.103417] [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: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In arthropods of the subphylum Chelicerata a panoistic ovary, in which all germline cells differentiate into oocytes, prevails. Among the chelicerates, mites are believed to show a great variety of the structure of the female gonads. In general, the knowledge of the ovarian structure in mites is fragmentary and patchy. In both evolutionary lines, Acariformes and Parasitiformes, apart from the panoistic ovary, the meroistic ovary, in which the oocytes grow supported by their sibling cells, the nurse cells, occurs. The presence of the meroistic ovary is considered an apomorphic state. Previous studies revealed a various structure of the meroistic ovary in different mite taxa, and the differences came down, inter alia, to a different number and location of the nurse cells in relation to the oocytes. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the structure of the Chelicerata ovary, with special reference to the mite ovary. We also provide our preliminary results of the analysis of ovarian structure in two representatives of terrestrial Parasitengona (Acariformes), Allothrombium fuliginosum (Trombidiidae) and Erythraeus cinereus (Erythraeidae), performed using light, confocal and electron transmission microscopy. The analyses allowed for verification of data published before. In A. fuliginosum we showed the presence of the nurse cells in the ovarian wall, so the ovary should be classified as meroistic. In meroistic ovary of E. cinereus we found that each oocyte is connected to several mononucleated nurse cells. The verification of literature data and broadening the knowledge of the structure of the female gonad in mites, will result in estimating the usefulness of the ovary traits in phylogenetic analyses and will provide the basis for inference about the directions of evolutionary changes of female gonad at lower systematic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Derdak
- Department of Animal Developmental Biology, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław, Poland,.
| | - Izabela Jędrzejowska
- Department of Animal Developmental Biology, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Joanna Mąkol
- Department of Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 5b, 51-631 Wrocław, Poland
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12
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Lu W, Lakonishok M, Gelfand VI. Drosophila oocyte specification is maintained by the dynamic duo of microtubule polymerase Mini spindles/XMAP215 and dynein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.09.531953. [PMID: 36945460 PMCID: PMC10028982 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.09.531953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
In many species, only one oocyte is specified among a group of interconnected germline sister cells. In Drosophila melanogaster , 16-cell interconnected cells form a germline cyst, where one cell differentiates into an oocyte, while the rest become nurse cells that supply the oocyte with mRNAs, proteins, and organelles through intercellular cytoplasmic bridges named ring canals via microtubule-based transport. In this study, we find that a microtubule polymerase Mini spindles (Msps), the Drosophila homolog of XMAP215, is essential for the oocyte fate determination. mRNA encoding Msps is concentrated in the oocyte by dynein-dependent transport along microtubules. Translated Msps stimulates microtubule polymerization in the oocyte, causing more microtubule plus ends to grow from the oocyte through the ring canals into nurse cells, further enhancing nurse cell-to-oocyte transport by dynein. Knockdown of msps blocks the oocyte growth and causes gradual loss of oocyte determinants. Thus, the Msps-dynein duo creates a positive feedback loop, enhancing dynein-dependent nurse cell-to-oocyte transport and transforming a small stochastic difference in microtubule polarity among sister cells into a clear oocyte fate determination. Significance statement Oocyte determination in Drosophila melanogaster provides a valuable model for studying cell fate specification. We describe the crucial role of the duo of microtubule polymerase Mini spindles (Msps) and cytoplasmic dynein in this process. We show that Msps is essential for oocyte fate determination. Msps concentration in the oocyte is achieved through dynein-dependent transport of msps mRNA along microtubules. Translated Msps stimulates microtubule polymerization in the oocyte, further enhancing nurse cell-to-oocyte transport by dynein. This creates a positive feedback loop that transforms a small stochastic difference in microtubule polarity among sister cells into a clear oocyte fate determination. Our findings provide important insights into the mechanisms of oocyte specification and have implications for understanding the development of multicellular organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Lu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Margot Lakonishok
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Vladimir I Gelfand
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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13
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Diegmiller R, Imran Alsous J, Li D, Yamashita YM, Shvartsman SY. Fusome topology and inheritance during insect gametogenesis. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010875. [PMID: 36821548 PMCID: PMC9949678 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
From insects to mammals, oocytes and sperm develop within germline cysts comprising cells connected by intercellular bridges (ICBs). In numerous insects, formation of the cyst is accompanied by growth of the fusome-a membranous organelle that permeates the cyst. Fusome composition and function are best understood in Drosophila melanogaster: during oogenesis, the fusome dictates cyst topology and size and facilitates oocyte selection, while during spermatogenesis, the fusome synchronizes the cyst's response to DNA damage. Despite its distinct and sex-specific roles during insect gametogenesis, elucidating fusome growth and inheritance in females and its structure and connectivity in males has remained challenging. Here, we take advantage of advances in three-dimensional (3D) confocal microscopy and computational image processing tools to reconstruct the topology, growth, and distribution of the fusome in both sexes. In females, our experimental findings inform a theoretical model for fusome assembly and inheritance and suggest that oocyte selection proceeds through an 'equivalency with a bias' mechanism. In males, we find that cell divisions can deviate from the maximally branched pattern observed in females, leading to greater topological variability. Our work consolidates existing disjointed experimental observations and contributes a readily generalizable computational approach for quantitative studies of gametogenesis within and across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocky Diegmiller
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Jasmin Imran Alsous
- Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Duojia Li
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yukiko M. Yamashita
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Stanislav Y. Shvartsman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
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14
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Abstract
By the time a Drosophila egg is laid, both major body axes have already been defined and it contains all the nutrients needed to develop into a free-living larva in 24 h. By contrast, it takes almost a week to make an egg from a female germline stem cell, during the complex process of oogenesis. This review will discuss key symmetry-breaking steps in Drosophila oogenesis that lead to the polarisation of both body axes: the asymmetric divisions of the germline stem cells; the selection of the oocyte from the 16-cell germline cyst; the positioning of the oocyte at the posterior of the cyst; Gurken signalling from the oocyte to polarise the anterior-posterior axis of the somatic follicle cell epithelium around the developing germline cyst; the signalling back from the posterior follicle cells to polarise the anterior-posterior axis of the oocyte; and the migration of the oocyte nucleus that specifies the dorsal-ventral axis. Since each event creates the preconditions for the next, I will focus on the mechanisms that drive these symmetry-breaking steps, how they are linked and the outstanding questions that remain to be answered.
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15
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Tracking the dynamics of female germ cell development during peri-hatch periods using a gene-edited chicken model. Poult Sci 2022; 102:102377. [PMID: 36586387 PMCID: PMC9811252 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.102377] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In hens, egg production depends on the development of germ cells in the ovary. Germ cells are established before birth, and their number gradually decreases during their lifespan. Therefore, it is essential to determine the time points of massive germ cell loss and the underlying mechanism. In this study, a gene-edited chicken with mCherry fluorescence specifically expressed in the germline was generated by the integration of the mCherry gene into the 3'-end of the DAZL locus, which facilitated the isolation of germ cells from the gonads of DAZL-mCherry embryos or chicks and quantification using flow cytometry based on the observation of red fluorescence. The results demonstrated the dynamics of germ cell development from embryos at 17 d of hatching (dh) to chickens at 7 d post-hatch (dph) and revealed a substantial loss of germ cells in the late embryonic stage (18 -19 dh) and post-hatch period (2 -3 dph). Additionally, the number of germ cells in DAZL × Guangxi Ma chicken was significantly higher than that in DAZL × Lohmann Pink chicken at 19 dh and 3 dph (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the numbers of germ cells positively correlated with the body weight in DAZL × Lohmann Pink chicken. In conclusion, our results showed the dynamics of germ cell development in chicken ovaries during peri-hatch periods and indicated the time point of substantial germ cell loss. The results provide evidence for further exploration of the underlying mechanism and serve as a reference for chicken breeding and management.
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16
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Spradling AC, Niu W, Yin Q, Pathak M, Maurya B. Conservation of oocyte development in germline cysts from Drosophila to mouse. eLife 2022; 11:83230. [PMID: 36445738 PMCID: PMC9708067 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies show that pre-follicular mouse oogenesis takes place in germline cysts, highly conserved groups of oogonial cells connected by intercellular bridges that develop as nurse cells as well as an oocyte. Long studied in Drosophila and insect gametogenesis, female germline cysts acquire cytoskeletal polarity and traffic centrosomes and organelles between nurse cells and the oocyte to form the Balbiani body, a conserved marker of polarity. Mouse oocyte development and nurse cell dumping are supported by dynamic, cell-specific programs of germline gene expression. High levels of perinatal germ cell death in this species primarily result from programmed nurse cell turnover after transfer rather than defective oocyte production. The striking evolutionary conservation of early oogenesis mechanisms between distant animal groups strongly suggests that gametogenesis and early embryonic development in vertebrates and invertebrates share even more in common than currently believed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan C Spradling
- Carnegie Institution for Science/Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, United States
| | - Wanbao Niu
- Carnegie Institution for Science/Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, United States
| | - Qi Yin
- Carnegie Institution for Science/Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, United States
| | - Madhulika Pathak
- Carnegie Institution for Science/Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, United States
| | - Bhawana Maurya
- Carnegie Institution for Science/Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, United States
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17
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The programmed death of fetal oocytes and the correlated surveillance mechanisms. REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.1097/rd9.0000000000000016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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18
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Diegmiller R, Nunley H, Shvartsman SY, Imran Alsous J. Quantitative models for building and growing fated small cell networks. Interface Focus 2022; 12:20210082. [PMID: 35865502 PMCID: PMC9184967 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2021.0082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Small cell clusters exhibit numerous phenomena typically associated with complex systems, such as division of labour and programmed cell death. A conserved class of such clusters occurs during oogenesis in the form of germline cysts that give rise to oocytes. Germline cysts form through cell divisions with incomplete cytokinesis, leaving cells intimately connected through intercellular bridges that facilitate cyst generation, cell fate determination and collective growth dynamics. Using the well-characterized Drosophila melanogaster female germline cyst as a foundation, we present mathematical models rooted in the dynamics of cell cycle proteins and their interactions to explain the generation of germline cell lineage trees (CLTs) and highlight the diversity of observed CLT sizes and topologies across species. We analyse competing models of symmetry breaking in CLTs to rationalize the observed dynamics and robustness of oocyte fate specification, and highlight remaining gaps in knowledge. We also explore how CLT topology affects cell cycle dynamics and synchronization and highlight mechanisms of intercellular coupling that underlie the observed collective growth patterns during oogenesis. Throughout, we point to similarities across organisms that warrant further investigation and comment on the extent to which experimental and theoretical findings made in model systems extend to other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocky Diegmiller
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Hayden Nunley
- Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stanislav Y. Shvartsman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA,Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA,Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY, USA
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19
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Niu W, Spradling AC. Mouse oocytes develop in cysts with the help of nurse cells. Cell 2022; 185:2576-2590.e12. [PMID: 35623357 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Mouse germline cysts, on average, develop into six oocytes supported by 24 nurse cells that transfer cytoplasm and organelles to generate a Balbiani body. We showed that between E14.5 and P5, cysts periodically activate some nurse cells to begin cytoplasmic transfer, which causes them to shrink and turnover within 2 days. Nurse cells die by a programmed cell death (PCD) pathway involving acidification, similar to Drosophila nurse cells, and only infrequently by apoptosis. Prior to initiating transfer, nurse cells co-cluster by scRNA-seq with their pro-oocyte sisters, but during their final 2 days, they cluster separately. The genes promoting oocyte development and nurse cell PCD are upregulated, whereas the genes that repress transfer, such as Tex14, and oocyte factors, such as Nobox and Lhx8, are under-expressed. The transferred nurse cell centrosomes build a cytocentrum that establishes a large microtubule aster in the primordial oocyte that organizes the Balbiani body, defining the earliest oocyte polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanbao Niu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Laboratories, Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Allan C Spradling
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Laboratories, Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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20
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Milas A, Telley IA. Polarity Events in the Drosophila melanogaster Oocyte. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:895876. [PMID: 35602591 PMCID: PMC9117655 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.895876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity is a pre-requirement for many fundamental processes in animal cells, such as asymmetric cell division, axon specification, morphogenesis and epithelial tissue formation. For all these different processes, polarization is established by the same set of proteins, called partitioning defective (Par) proteins. During development in Drosophila melanogaster, decision making on the cellular and organism level is achieved with temporally controlled cell polarization events. The initial polarization of Par proteins occurs as early as in the germline cyst, when one of the 16 cells becomes the oocyte. Another marked event occurs when the anterior–posterior axis of the future organism is defined by Par redistribution in the oocyte, requiring external signaling from somatic cells. Here, we review the current literature on cell polarity events that constitute the oogenesis from the stem cell to the mature egg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Milas
- *Correspondence: Ana Milas, ; Ivo A. Telley,
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21
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Lu W, Lakonishok M, Serpinskaya AS, Gelfand VI. A novel mechanism of bulk cytoplasmic transport by cortical dynein in Drosophila ovary. eLife 2022; 11:75538. [PMID: 35170428 PMCID: PMC8896832 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytoplasmic dynein, a major minus-end directed microtubule motor, plays essential roles in eukaryotic cells. Drosophila oocyte growth is mainly dependent on the contribution of cytoplasmic contents from the interconnected sister cells, nurse cells. We have previously shown that cytoplasmic dynein is required for Drosophila oocyte growth and assumed that it simply transports cargoes along microtubule tracks from nurse cells to the oocyte. Here, we report that instead of transporting individual cargoes along stationary microtubules into the oocyte, cortical dynein actively moves microtubules within nurse cells and from nurse cells to the oocyte via the cytoplasmic bridges, the ring canals. This robust microtubule movement is sufficient to drag even inert cytoplasmic particles through the ring canals to the oocyte. Furthermore, replacing dynein with a minus-end directed plant kinesin linked to the actin cortex is sufficient for transporting organelles and cytoplasm to the oocyte and driving its growth. These experiments show that cortical dynein performs bulk cytoplasmic transport by gliding microtubules along the cell cortex and through the ring canals to the oocyte. We propose that the dynein-driven microtubule flow could serve as a novel mode of fast cytoplasmic transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Lu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, United States
| | - Margot Lakonishok
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, United States
| | - Anna S Serpinskaya
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, United States
| | - Vladimir I Gelfand
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, United States
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