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Yokomizo T, Takahashi Y. Plasticity of circadian and circatidal rhythms in activity and transcriptomic dynamics in a freshwater snail. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 132:267-274. [PMID: 38538720 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-024-00680-7] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Organisms have diverse biological clocks synchronised with environmental cycles depending on their habitats. Anticipation of tidal changes has driven the evolution of circatidal rhythms in some marine species. In the freshwater snail, Semisulcospira reiniana, individuals in nontidal areas exhibit circadian rhythms, whereas those in tidal areas exhibit both circadian and circatidal rhythms. We investigated whether the circatidal rhythms are genetically determined or induced by environmental cycles. The exposure to a simulated tidal cycle did not change the intensity of circatidal rhythm in individuals in the nontidal population. However, snails in the tidal population showed different activity rhythms depending on the presence or absence of the exposure. Transcriptome analysis revealed that genes with circatidal oscillation increased due to entrainment to the tidal cycle in both populations and dominant rhythmicity was consistent with the environmental cycle. These results suggest plasticity in the endogenous rhythm in the gene expression in both populations. Note that circatidal oscillating genes were more abundant in the tidal population than in the nontidal population, suggesting that a greater number of genes are associated with circatidal clocks in the tidal population compared to the nontidal population. This increase of circatidal clock-controlled genes in the tidal population could be caused by genetic changes in the biological clock or the experience of tidal cycle in the early life stage. Our findings suggest that the plasticity of biological rhythms may have contributed to the adaptation to the tidal environment in S. reiniana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Yokomizo
- Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Yuma Takahashi
- Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan.
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Valim HF, Grande FD, Wong ELY, Schmitt I. Circadian clock- and temperature-associated genes contribute to overall genomic differentiation along elevation in lichenized fungi. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17252. [PMID: 38146927 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17252] [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: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Circadian regulation is linked to local environmental adaptation, and many species with broad climatic niches display variation in circadian genes. Here, we hypothesize that lichenizing fungi occupying different climate zones tune their metabolism to local environmental conditions with the help of their circadian systems. We study two species of the genus Umbilicaria occupying similar climatic niches (Mediterranean and the cold temperate) in different continents. Using homology to Neurospora crassa genes, we identify gene sets associated with circadian rhythms (11 core, 39 peripheral genes) as well as temperature response (37 genes). Nucleotide diversity of these genes is significantly correlated with mean annual temperature, minimum temperature of the coldest month and mean temperature of the coldest quarter. Furthermore, we identify altitudinal clines in allele frequencies in several non-synonymous substitutions in core clock components, for example, white collar-like, frh-like and various ccg-like genes. A dN/dS approach revealed a few significant peripheral clock- and temperature-associated genes (e.g. ras-1-like, gna-1-like) that may play a role in fine-tuning the circadian clock and temperature-response machinery. An analysis of allele frequency changes demonstrated the strongest evidence for differentiation above the genomic background in the clock-associated genes in U. pustulata. These results highlight the likely relevance of the circadian clock in environmental adaptation, particularly frost tolerance, of lichens. Whether or not the fungal clock modulates the symbiotic interaction within the lichen consortium remains to be investigated. We corroborate the finding of genetic variation in clock components along altitude-not only latitude-as has been reported in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique F Valim
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Francesco Dal Grande
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Edgar L Y Wong
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Imke Schmitt
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Marshall CM, Thompson VL, Creux NM, Harmer SL. The circadian clock controls temporal and spatial patterns of floral development in sunflower. eLife 2023; 12:80984. [PMID: 36637156 PMCID: PMC9977281 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological rhythms are ubiquitous. They can be generated by circadian oscillators, which produce daily rhythms in physiology and behavior, as well as by developmental oscillators such as the segmentation clock, which periodically produces modular developmental units. Here, we show that the circadian clock controls the timing of late-stage floret development, or anthesis, in domesticated sunflowers. In these plants, up to thousands of individual florets are tightly packed onto a capitulum disk. While early floret development occurs continuously across capitula to generate iconic spiral phyllotaxy, during anthesis floret development occurs in discrete ring-like pseudowhorls with up to hundreds of florets undergoing simultaneous maturation. We demonstrate circadian regulation of floral organ growth and show that the effects of light on this process are time-of-day dependent. Delays in the phase of floral anthesis delay morning visits by pollinators, while disruption of circadian rhythms in floral organ development causes loss of pseudowhorl formation and large reductions in pollinator visits. We therefore show that the sunflower circadian clock acts in concert with environmental response pathways to tightly synchronize the anthesis of hundreds of florets each day, generating spatial patterns on the developing capitulum disk. This coordinated mass release of floral rewards at predictable times of day likely promotes pollinator visits and plant reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine M Marshall
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Veronica L Thompson
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Nicky M Creux
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, FABI, Innovation Africa, University of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Stacey L Harmer
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
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Valim HF, Dal Grande F, Otte J, Singh G, Merges D, Schmitt I. Identification and expression of functionally conserved circadian clock genes in lichen-forming fungi. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15884. [PMID: 36151124 PMCID: PMC9508176 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19646-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Lichen-forming fungi establish stable symbioses with green algae or cyanobacteria. Many species have broad distributions, both in geographic and ecological space, making them ideal subjects to study organism-environment interactions. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms that contribute to environmental adaptation in lichen-forming fungi. The circadian clock provides a well-described mechanism that contributes to regional adaptation across a variety of species, including fungi. Here, we identify the putative circadian clock components in phylogenetically divergent lichen-forming fungi. The core circadian genes (frq, wc-1, wc-2, frh) are present across the Fungi, including 31 lichen-forming species, and their evolutionary trajectories mirror overall fungal evolution. Comparative analyses of the clock genes indicate conserved domain architecture among lichen- and non-lichen-forming taxa. We used RT-qPCR to examine the core circadian loop of two unrelated lichen-forming fungi, Umbilicaria pustulata (Lecanoromycetes) and Dermatocarpon miniatum (Eurotiomycetes), to determine that the putative frq gene is activated in a light-dependent manner similar to the model fungus Neurospora crassa. Together, these results demonstrate that lichen-forming fungi retain functional light-responsive mechanisms, including a functioning circadian clock. Our findings provide a stepping stone into investigating the circadian clock in the lichen symbiosis, e.g. its role in adaptation, and in synchronizing the symbiotic interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique F Valim
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Francesco Dal Grande
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Via U. Bassi 58/B, Padua, Italy
| | - Jürgen Otte
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Garima Singh
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Via U. Bassi 58/B, Padua, Italy
| | - Dominik Merges
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7070, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Imke Schmitt
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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An Z, Piccoli B, Merrow M, Lee K. A Unified Model for Entrainment by Circadian Clocks: Dynamic Circadian Integrated Response Characteristic (dCiRC). J Biol Rhythms 2022; 37:202-215. [DOI: 10.1177/07487304211069454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous and are observed in all biological kingdoms. In nature, their primary characteristic or phenotype is the phase of entrainment. There are two main hypotheses related to how circadian clocks entrain, parametric and non-parametric models. The parametric model focuses on the gradual changes of the clock parameters in response to the changing ambient condition, whereas the non-parametric model focuses on the instantaneous change of the phase of the clock in response to the zeitgeber. There are ample empirical data supporting both models. However, only recently has a unifying model been proposed, the circadian integrated response characteristic (CiRC). In the current study, we developed a system of ordinary differential equations, dynamic CiRC (dCiRC), that describes parameters of circadian rhythms and predicts the phase of entrainment in zeitgeber cycles. dCiRC mathematically extracts the underlying information of velocity changes of the internal clock that reflects the parametric model and the phase shift trajectory that reflects the non-parametric model from phase data under entraining conditions. As a proof of concept, we measured clock parameters of 26 Neurospora crassa ecotypes in both cycling and constant conditions using dCiRC. Our data showed that the morning light shortens the period of the clock while the afternoon light lengthens it. We also found that individual ecotypes have different strategies of integrating light effects to accomplish the optimal phase of entrainment, a model feature that is consistent with our knowledge of how circadian clocks are organized and encoded. The unified model dCiRC will provide new insights into how circadian clocks function under different zeitgeber conditions. We suggest that this type of model may be useful in the advent of chronotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheming An
- Department of Mathematics, Rutgers–The State University of New Jersey, Camden, New Jersey, USA
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers–The State University of New Jersey, Camden, New Jersey, USA
| | - Benedetto Piccoli
- Department of Mathematics, Rutgers–The State University of New Jersey, Camden, New Jersey, USA
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers–The State University of New Jersey, Camden, New Jersey, USA
| | - Martha Merrow
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kwangwon Lee
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers–The State University of New Jersey, Camden, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Biology, Rutgers–The State University of New Jersey, Camden, New Jersey, USA
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