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Romero-Bueno R, Fragoso-Luna A, Ayuso C, Mellmann N, Kavsek A, Riedel CG, Ward JD, Askjaer P. A human progeria-associated BAF-1 mutation modulates gene expression and accelerates aging in C. elegans. EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00261-8. [PMID: 39367234 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00261-8] [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: 07/11/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/17/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the nuclear envelope are linked to a variety of rare diseases termed laminopathies. A single amino acid substitution at position 12 (A12T) of the human nuclear envelope protein BAF (Barrier to Autointegration Factor) causes Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome (NGPS). This premature ageing condition leads to growth retardation and severe skeletal defects, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we have generated a novel in vivo model for NGPS by modifying the baf-1 locus in C. elegans to mimic the human NGPS mutation. These baf-1(G12T) mutant worms displayed multiple phenotypes related to fertility, lifespan, and stress resistance. Importantly, nuclear morphology deteriorated faster during aging in baf-1(G12T) compared to wild-type animals, recapitulating an important hallmark of cells from progeria patients. Although localization of BAF-1(G12T) was similar to wild-type BAF-1, lamin accumulation at the nuclear envelope was reduced in mutant worms. Tissue-specific chromatin binding and transcriptome analyses showed reduced BAF-1 association in most genes deregulated by the baf-1(G12T) mutation, suggesting that altered BAF chromatin association induces NGPS phenotypes via altered gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Romero-Bueno
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Junta de Andalucía, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Adrián Fragoso-Luna
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Junta de Andalucía, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Cristina Ayuso
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Junta de Andalucía, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Nina Mellmann
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Junta de Andalucía, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Alan Kavsek
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 14157, Sweden
| | - Christian G Riedel
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 14157, Sweden
| | - Jordan D Ward
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Peter Askjaer
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Junta de Andalucía, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013, Sevilla, Spain.
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2
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Kiontke KC, Herrera RA, Mason DA, Woronik A, Vernooy S, Patel Y, Fitch DHA. Tissue-specific RNA-seq defines genes governing male tail tip morphogenesis in C. elegans. Development 2024; 151:dev202787. [PMID: 39253748 PMCID: PMC11449441 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202787] [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: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans males undergo sex-specific tail tip morphogenesis (TTM) under the control of the DM-domain transcription factor DMD-3. To find genes regulated by DMD-3, we performed RNA-seq of laser-dissected tail tips. We identified 564 genes differentially expressed (DE) in wild-type males versus dmd-3(-) males and hermaphrodites. The transcription profile of dmd-3(-) tail tips is similar to that in hermaphrodites. For validation, we analyzed transcriptional reporters for 49 genes and found male-specific or male-biased expression for 26 genes. Only 11 DE genes overlapped with genes found in a previous RNAi screen for defective TTM. GO enrichment analysis of DE genes finds upregulation of genes within the unfolded protein response pathway and downregulation of genes involved in cuticle maintenance. Of the DE genes, 40 are transcription factors, indicating that the gene network downstream of DMD-3 is complex and potentially modular. We propose modules of genes that act together in TTM and are co-regulated by DMD-3, among them the chondroitin synthesis pathway and the hypertonic stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin C. Kiontke
- Department of Biology, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | | | - D. Adam Mason
- Biology Department, Siena College, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211, USA
| | - Alyssa Woronik
- Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825, USA
| | - Stephanie Vernooy
- Biology Department, Siena College, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211, USA
| | - Yash Patel
- Department of Biology, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - David H. A. Fitch
- Department of Biology, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003, USA
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Eliad B, Schneider N, Ben-Naim Zgayer O, Amichan Y, Glaser F, Erdmann EA, Rajendren S, Hundley HA, Lamm AT. ADBP-1 regulates ADR-2 nuclear localization to control editing substrate selection. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:9501-9518. [PMID: 39036970 PMCID: PMC11381337 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae641] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, catalyzed by ADAR enzymes, is a prevalent and conserved RNA modification. While A-to-I RNA editing is essential in mammals, in Caenorhabditis elegans, it is not, making them invaluable for RNA editing research. In C. elegans, ADR-2 is the sole catalytic A-to-I editing enzyme, and ADR-1 is an RNA editing regulator. ADAR localization is well-studied in humans but not well-established in C. elegans. In this study, we examine the cellular and tissue-specific localization of ADR-2. We show that while ADR-2 is present in most cells in the embryo, at later developmental stages, its expression is both tissue- and cell-type-specific. Additionally, both ADARs are mainly in the nucleus. ADR-2 is adjacent to the chromosomes during the cell cycle. We show that the nuclear localization of endogenous ADR-2 depends on ADBP-1, not ADR-1. In adbp-1 mutant worms, ADR-2 is mislocalized, while ADR-1 is not, leading to decreased editing levels and de-novo editing, mostly in exons, suggesting that ADR-2 is also functional in the cytoplasm. Besides, mutated ADBP-1 affects gene expression. Furthermore, we show that ADR-2 targets adenosines with different surrounding nucleotides in exons and introns. Our findings indicate that ADR-2 cellular localization is highly regulated and affects its function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Eliad
- Faculty of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Noa Schneider
- Faculty of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Orna Ben-Naim Zgayer
- Faculty of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Yarden Amichan
- Faculty of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Fabian Glaser
- Technion Center for Structural Biology, Technion Human Health Initiative, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Emily A Erdmann
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Suba Rajendren
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Heather A Hundley
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Ayelet T Lamm
- Faculty of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 3200003, Israel
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4
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Dinep-Schneider O, Appiah E, Dapper A, Patterson S, Vermulst M, Gout JF. Effects of the glyphosate-based herbicide roundup on C. elegans and S. cerevisiae mortality, reproduction, and transcription fidelity. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124203. [PMID: 38830529 PMCID: PMC11321929 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Glyphosate-based weed killers such as Roundup have been implicated in detrimental effects on single- and multicellular eukaryotic model organism health and longevity. However, the mode(s) of action for these effects are currently unknown. In this study, we investigate the impact of exposure to Roundup on two model organisms: Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans and test the hypothesis that exposure to Roundup decreases transcription fidelity. Population growth assays and motility assays were performed in order to determine the phenotypic effects of Roundup exposure. We also used Rolling-Circle Amplification RNA sequencing to quantify the impact of exposure to Roundup on transcription fidelity in these two model organisms. Our results show that exposure to the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup increases mortality, reduces reproduction, and increases transcription error rates in C. elegans and S. cerevisiae. We suggest that these effects may be due in part to the involvement of inflammation and oxidative stress, conditions which may also contribute to increases in transcription error rates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eastilan Appiah
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computational Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
| | - Amy Dapper
- Department of Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
| | - Sarah Patterson
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computational Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
| | - Marc Vermulst
- University of Southern California, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Jean-Francois Gout
- Department of Biology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
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5
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Tiwari V, Buvarp E, Borbolis F, Puligilla C, Croteau DL, Palikaras K, Bohr VA. Loss of DNA glycosylases improves health and cognitive function in a C. elegans model of human tauopathy. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae705. [PMID: 39149885 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder representing a major burden on families and society. Some of the main pathological hallmarks of AD are the accumulation of amyloid plaques (Aβ) and tau neurofibrillary tangles. However, it is still unclear how Aβ and tau aggregates promote specific phenotypic outcomes and lead to excessive oxidative DNA damage, neuronal cell death and eventually to loss of memory. Here we utilized a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model of human tauopathy to investigate the role of DNA glycosylases in disease development and progression. Transgenic nematodes expressing a pro-aggregate form of tau displayed altered mitochondrial content, decreased lifespan, and cognitive dysfunction. Genetic ablation of either of the two DNA glycosylases found in C. elegans, NTH-1 and UNG-1, improved mitochondrial function, lifespan, and memory impairment. NTH-1 depletion resulted in a dramatic increase of differentially expressed genes, which was not apparent in UNG-1 deficient nematodes. Our findings clearly show that in addition to its enzymatic activity, NTH-1 has non-canonical functions highlighting its modulation as a potential therapeutic intervention to tackle tau-mediated pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinod Tiwari
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Elisabeth Buvarp
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Fivos Borbolis
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Chandrakala Puligilla
- Section for Telomere Maintenance, LGG, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Deborah L Croteau
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
- Computational Biology & Genomics Core, LGG, NIA, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Konstantinos Palikaras
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Vilhelm A Bohr
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
- Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N, Denmark
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6
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Woodruff GC, Willis JH, Johnson E, Phillips PC. Widespread changes in gene expression accompany body size evolution in nematodes. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae110. [PMID: 38775657 PMCID: PMC11304970 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Body size is a fundamental trait that drives multiple evolutionary and ecological patterns. Caenorhabditis inopinata is a fig-associated nematode that is exceptionally large relative to other members of the genus, including Caenorhabditis elegans. We previously showed that C. inopinata is large primarily due to postembryonic cell size expansion that occurs during the larval-to-adult transition. Here, we describe gene expression patterns in C. elegans and C. inopinata throughout this developmental period to understand the transcriptional basis of body size change. We performed RNA-seq in both species across the L3, L4, and adult stages. Most genes are differentially expressed across all developmental stages, consistent with C. inopinata's divergent ecology and morphology. We also used a model comparison approach to identify orthologues with divergent dynamics across this developmental period between the 2 species. This included genes connected to neurons, behavior, stress response, developmental timing, and small RNA/chromatin regulation. Multiple hypodermal collagens were also observed to harbor divergent developmental dynamics across this period, and genes important for molting and body morphology were also detected. Genes associated with transforming growth factor β signaling revealed idiosyncratic and unexpected transcriptional patterns given their role in body size regulation in C. elegans. This widespread transcriptional divergence between these species is unexpected and maybe a signature of the ecological and morphological divergence of C. inopinata. Alternatively, transcriptional turnover may be the rule in the Caenorhabditis genus, indicative of widespread developmental system drift among species. This work lays the foundation for future functional genetic studies interrogating the bases of body size evolution in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin C Woodruff
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - John H Willis
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Erik Johnson
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Patrick C Phillips
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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7
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Gao SM, Qi Y, Zhang Q, Guan Y, Lee YT, Ding L, Wang L, Mohammed AS, Li H, Fu Y, Wang MC. Aging atlas reveals cell-type-specific effects of pro-longevity strategies. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:998-1013. [PMID: 38816550 PMCID: PMC11257944 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00631-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Organismal aging involves functional declines in both somatic and reproductive tissues. Multiple strategies have been discovered to extend lifespan across species. However, how age-related molecular changes differ among various tissues and how those lifespan-extending strategies slow tissue aging in distinct manners remain unclear. Here we generated the transcriptomic Cell Atlas of Worm Aging (CAWA, http://mengwanglab.org/atlas ) of wild-type and long-lived strains. We discovered cell-specific, age-related molecular and functional signatures across all somatic and germ cell types. We developed transcriptomic aging clocks for different tissues and quantitatively determined how three different pro-longevity strategies slow tissue aging distinctively. Furthermore, through genome-wide profiling of alternative polyadenylation (APA) events in different tissues, we discovered cell-type-specific APA changes during aging and revealed how these changes are differentially affected by the pro-longevity strategies. Together, this study offers fundamental molecular insights into both somatic and reproductive aging and provides a valuable resource for in-depth understanding of the diversity of pro-longevity mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihong Max Gao
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yanyan Qi
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Qinghao Zhang
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Youchen Guan
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yi-Tang Lee
- Integrative Program of Molecular and Biochemical Science, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lang Ding
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
- Graduate Program in Chemical, Physical & Structural Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lihua Wang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Aaron S Mohammed
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Hongjie Li
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Yusi Fu
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA.
| | - Meng C Wang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA.
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8
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Sala AJ, Grant RA, Imran G, Morton C, Brielmann RM, Gorgoń S, Watts J, Bott LC, Morimoto RI. Nuclear receptor signaling via NHR-49/MDT-15 regulates stress resilience and proteostasis in response to reproductive and metabolic cues. Genes Dev 2024; 38:380-392. [PMID: 38816072 PMCID: PMC11216168 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351829.124] [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: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The ability to sense and respond to proteotoxic insults declines with age, leaving cells vulnerable to chronic and acute stressors. Reproductive cues modulate this decline in cellular proteostasis to influence organismal stress resilience in Caenorhabditis elegans We previously uncovered a pathway that links the integrity of developing embryos to somatic health in reproductive adults. Here, we show that the nuclear receptor NHR-49, an ortholog of mammalian peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), regulates stress resilience and proteostasis downstream from embryo integrity and other pathways that influence lipid homeostasis and upstream of HSF-1. Disruption of the vitelline layer of the embryo envelope, which activates a proteostasis-enhancing intertissue pathway in somatic cells, triggers changes in lipid catabolism gene expression that are accompanied by an increase in fat stores. NHR-49, together with its coactivator, MDT-15, contributes to this remodeling of lipid metabolism and is also important for the elevated stress resilience mediated by inhibition of the embryonic vitelline layer. Our findings indicate that NHR-49 also contributes to stress resilience in other pathways known to change lipid homeostasis, including reduced insulin-like signaling and fasting, and that increased NHR-49 activity is sufficient to improve proteostasis and stress resilience in an HSF-1-dependent manner. Together, our results establish NHR-49 as a key regulator that links lipid homeostasis and cellular resilience to proteotoxic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambre J Sala
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA;
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et Aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - Rogan A Grant
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Ghania Imran
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Claire Morton
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Renee M Brielmann
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Szymon Gorgoń
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et Aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - Jennifer Watts
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA
| | - Laura C Bott
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Richard I Morimoto
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA;
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9
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Erdmann EA, Forbes M, Becker M, Perez S, Hundley HA. ADR-2 regulates fertility and oocyte fate in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.01.565157. [PMID: 37961348 PMCID: PMC10635048 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.01.565157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
RNA binding proteins play essential roles in coordinating germline gene expression and development in all organisms. Here, we report that loss of ADR-2, a member of the Adenosine DeAminase acting on RNA (ADAR) family of RNA binding proteins and the sole adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing enzyme in C. elegans, can improve fertility in multiple genetic backgrounds. First, we show that loss of RNA editing by ADR-2 restores normal embryo production to subfertile animals that transgenically express a vitellogenin (yolk protein) fusion to green fluorescent protein. Using this phenotype, a high-throughput screen was designed to identify RNA binding proteins that when depleted yield synthetic phenotypes with loss of adr-2. The screen uncovered a genetic interaction between ADR-2 and SQD-1, a member of the heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) family of RNA binding proteins. Microscopy, reproductive assays, and high-throughput sequencing reveal that sqd-1 is essential for the onset of oogenesis and oogenic gene expression in young adult animals, and that loss of adr-2 can counteract the effects of loss of sqd-1 on gene expression and rescue the switch from spermatogenesis to oogenesis. Together, these data demonstrate that ADR-2 can contribute to the suppression of fertility and suggest novel roles for both RNA editing-dependent and independent mechanisms in regulating embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A. Erdmann
- Genome, Cell and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Indiana University, Bloomington IN, US 47405
| | - Melanie Forbes
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington IN, US 47405
| | - Margaret Becker
- Medical Sciences Program, Indiana University School of Medicine-Bloomington, Bloomington IN, US 47405
| | - Sarina Perez
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington IN, US 47405
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10
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Haque R, Kurien SP, Setty H, Salzberg Y, Stelzer G, Litvak E, Gingold H, Rechavi O, Oren-Suissa M. Sex-specific developmental gene expression atlas unveils dimorphic gene networks in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4273. [PMID: 38769103 PMCID: PMC11106331 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48369-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific traits and behaviors emerge during development by the acquisition of unique properties in the nervous system of each sex. However, the genetic events responsible for introducing these sex-specific features remain poorly understood. In this study, we create a comprehensive gene expression atlas of pure populations of hermaphrodites and males of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans across development. We discover numerous differentially expressed genes, including neuronal gene families like transcription factors, neuropeptides, and G protein-coupled receptors. We identify INS-39, an insulin-like peptide, as a prominent male-biased gene expressed specifically in ciliated sensory neurons. We show that INS-39 serves as an early-stage male marker, facilitating the effective isolation of males in high-throughput experiments. Through complex and sex-specific regulation, ins-39 plays pleiotropic sexually dimorphic roles in various behaviors, while also playing a shared, dimorphic role in early life stress. This study offers a comparative sexual and developmental gene expression database for C. elegans. Furthermore, it highlights conserved genes that may underlie the sexually dimorphic manifestation of different human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rizwanul Haque
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sonu Peedikayil Kurien
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Hagar Setty
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yehuda Salzberg
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gil Stelzer
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Einav Litvak
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Hila Gingold
- Department of Neurobiology, Wise Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Oded Rechavi
- Department of Neurobiology, Wise Faculty of Life Sciences & Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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11
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Sternberg PW, Van Auken K, Wang Q, Wright A, Yook K, Zarowiecki M, Arnaboldi V, Becerra A, Brown S, Cain S, Chan J, Chen WJ, Cho J, Davis P, Diamantakis S, Dyer S, Grigoriadis D, Grove CA, Harris T, Howe K, Kishore R, Lee R, Longden I, Luypaert M, Müller HM, Nuin P, Quinton-Tulloch M, Raciti D, Schedl T, Schindelman G, Stein L. WormBase 2024: status and transitioning to Alliance infrastructure. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae050. [PMID: 38573366 PMCID: PMC11075546 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae050] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
WormBase has been the major repository and knowledgebase of information about the genome and genetics of Caenorhabditis elegans and other nematodes of experimental interest for over 2 decades. We have 3 goals: to keep current with the fast-paced C. elegans research, to provide better integration with other resources, and to be sustainable. Here, we discuss the current state of WormBase as well as progress and plans for moving core WormBase infrastructure to the Alliance of Genome Resources (the Alliance). As an Alliance member, WormBase will continue to interact with the C. elegans community, develop new features as needed, and curate key information from the literature and large-scale projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul W Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Kimberly Van Auken
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Qinghua Wang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Adam Wright
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Karen Yook
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Magdalena Zarowiecki
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Valerio Arnaboldi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Andrés Becerra
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Stephanie Brown
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Scott Cain
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Juancarlos Chan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Wen J Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Jaehyoung Cho
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Paul Davis
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Stavros Diamantakis
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Sarah Dyer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | | | - Christian A Grove
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Todd Harris
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Kevin Howe
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Ranjana Kishore
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Raymond Lee
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Ian Longden
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Manuel Luypaert
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Hans-Michael Müller
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Paulo Nuin
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Mark Quinton-Tulloch
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Daniela Raciti
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Tim Schedl
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Gary Schindelman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Lincoln Stein
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
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12
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Schön JL, Groß VE, Post WB, Daum A, Matúš D, Pilz J, Schnorr R, Horn S, Bäumers M, Weidtkamp-Peters S, Hughes S, Schöneberg T, Prömel S. The adhesion GPCR and PCP component flamingo (FMI-1) alters body size and regulates the composition of the extracellular matrix. Matrix Biol 2024; 128:1-10. [PMID: 38378098 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2024.02.005] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a network of macromolecules that presents a vital scaffold for cells and enables multiple ways of cellular communication. Thus, it is essential for many physiological processes such as development, tissue morphogenesis, homeostasis, the shape and partially the size of the body and its organs. To ensure these, the composition of the ECM is tissue-specific and highly dynamic. ECM homeostasis is therefore tightly controlled by several mechanisms. Here, we show that FMI-1, the homolog of the Adhesion GPCR Flamingo/CELSR/ADGRC in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, modulates the composition of the ECM by controlling the production both of ECM molecules such as collagens and also of ECM modifying enzymes. Thereby, FMI-1 affects the morphology and functionality of the nematode´s cuticle, which is mainly composed of ECM, and also modulates the body size. Mechanistic analyses highlight the fact that FMI-1 exerts its function from neurons non-cell autonomously (trans) solely via its extracellular N terminus. Our data support a model, by which the activity of the receptor, which has a well-described role in the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway, involves the PCP molecule VANG-1, but seems to be independent of the DBL-1/BMP pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Lena Schön
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Victoria Elisabeth Groß
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Willem Berend Post
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexandra Daum
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Daniel Matúš
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Johanna Pilz
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rene Schnorr
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Susanne Horn
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Miriam Bäumers
- Center for Advanced Imaging, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Samantha Hughes
- A-LIFE, Section Environmental Health and Toxicology, Free University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Torsten Schöneberg
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany; School of Medicine, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Simone Prömel
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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13
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Otarigho B, Butts AF, Aballay A. Neuronal NPR-15 modulates molecular and behavioral immune responses via the amphid sensory neuron-intestinal axis in C. elegans. eLife 2024; 12:RP90051. [PMID: 38446031 PMCID: PMC10942643 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90051] [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] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The survival of hosts during infections relies on their ability to mount effective molecular and behavioral immune responses. Despite extensive research on these defense strategies in various species, including the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, the neural mechanisms underlying their interaction remain poorly understood. Previous studies have highlighted the role of neural G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in regulating both immunity and pathogen avoidance, which is particularly dependent on aerotaxis. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a screen of mutants in neuropeptide receptor family genes. We found that loss-of-function mutations in npr-15 activated immunity while suppressing pathogen avoidance behavior. Through further analysis, NPR-15 was found to regulate immunity by modulating the activity of key transcription factors, namely GATA/ELT-2 and TFEB/HLH-30. Surprisingly, the lack of pathogen avoidance of npr-15 mutant animals was not influenced by oxygen levels. Moreover, our studies revealed that the amphid sensory neuron ASJ is involved in mediating the immune and behavioral responses orchestrated by NPR-15. Additionally, NPR-15 was found to regulate avoidance behavior via the TRPM (transient receptor potential melastatin) gene, GON-2, which may sense the intestinal distension caused by bacterial colonization to elicit pathogen avoidance. Our study contributes to a broader understanding of host defense strategies and mechanisms underlining the interaction between molecular and behavioral immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benson Otarigho
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonUnited States
| | - Anna Frances Butts
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonUnited States
| | - Alejandro Aballay
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonUnited States
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School at UTHealthHoustonUnited States
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14
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Napier-Jameson R, Marx O, Norris A. A pair of RNA binding proteins inhibit ion transporter expression to maintain lifespan. Genetics 2024; 226:iyad212. [PMID: 38112749 PMCID: PMC10847721 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of lifespan by transcription factors has been well established. More recently, a role for RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in regulating lifespan has also emerged. In both cases, a major challenge is to determine which regulatory targets are functionally responsible for the observed lifespan phenotype. We recently identified a pair of neuronal RBPs, exc-7/ELAVL and mbl-1/Muscleblind, which in Caenorhabditis elegans display synthetic (nonadditive) lifespan defects: single mutants do not affect lifespan, but exc-7; mbl-1 double mutants have strongly reduced lifespan. Such a strong synthetic phenotype represented an opportunity to use transcriptomics to search for potential causative targets that are synthetically regulated. Focus on such genes would allow us to narrow our target search by ignoring the hundreds of genes altered only in single mutants, and provide a shortlist of synthetically regulated candidate targets that might be responsible for the double mutant phenotype. We identified a small handful of genes synthetically dysregulated in double mutants and systematically tested each candidate gene for functional contribution to the exc-7; mbl-1 lifespan phenotype. We identified 1 such gene, the ion transporter nhx-6, which is highly upregulated in double mutants. Overexpression of nhx-6 causes reduced lifespan, and deletion of nhx-6 in an exc-7; mbl-1 background partially restores both lifespan and healthspan. Together, these results reveal that a pair of RBPs mediate lifespan in part by inhibiting expression of an ion transporter, and provide a template for how synthetic phenotypes (including lifespan) can be dissected at the transcriptomic level to reveal potential causative genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Napier-Jameson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, 6501 Airline Rd, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Olivia Marx
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, 6501 Airline Rd, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Adam Norris
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, 6501 Airline Rd, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
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15
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Otarigho B, Butts AF, Aballay A. Neuronal NPR-15 modulates molecular and behavioral immune responses via the amphid sensory neuron-intestinal axis in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.27.550570. [PMID: 37546751 PMCID: PMC10402133 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.27.550570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The survival of hosts during infections relies on their ability to mount effective molecular and behavioral immune responses. Despite extensive research on these defense strategies in various species, including the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, the neural mechanisms underlying their interaction remain poorly understood. Previous studies have highlighted the role of neural G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in regulating both immunity and pathogen avoidance, which is particularly dependent on aerotaxis. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a screen of mutants in neuropeptide receptor family genes. We found that loss-of-function mutations in npr-15 activated immunity while suppressing pathogen avoidance behavior. Through further analysis, NPR-15 was found to regulate immunity by modulating the activity of key transcription factors, namely GATA/ELT-2 and TFEB/HLH-30. Surprisingly, the lack of pathogen avoidance of npr-15 mutant animals was not influenced by oxygen levels. Moreover, our studies revealed that the amphid sensory neuron ASJ is involved in mediating the immune and behavioral responses orchestrated by NPR-15. Additionally, NPR-15 was found to regulate avoidance behavior via the TRPM gene, GON-2, which may sense the intestinal distension caused by bacterial colonization to elicit pathogen avoidance. Our study contributes to a broader understanding of host defense strategies and mechanisms underlining the interaction between molecular and behavioral immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benson Otarigho
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Anna Frances Butts
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Alejandro Aballay
- Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, TX
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16
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Kiontke K, Herrera RA, Mason DA, Woronik A, Vernooy S, Patel Y, Fitch DHA. Tissue-specific RNA-seq defines genes governing male tail tip morphogenesis in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.12.575210. [PMID: 38260477 PMCID: PMC10802606 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.12.575210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans males undergo sex-specific tail tip morphogenesis (TTM) under the control of the transcription factor DMD-3. To find genes regulated by DMD-3, We performed RNA-seq of laser-dissected tail tips. We identified 564 genes differentially expressed (DE) in wild-type males vs. dmd-3(-) males and hermaphrodites. The transcription profile of dmd-3(-) tail tips is similar to that in hermaphrodites. For validation, we analyzed transcriptional reporters for 49 genes and found male-specific or male-biased expression for 26 genes. Only 11 DE genes overlapped with genes found in a previous RNAi screen for defective TTM. GO enrichment analysis of DE genes finds upregulation of genes within the UPR (unfolded protein response) pathway and downregulation of genes involved in cuticle maintenance. Of the DE genes, 40 are transcription factors, indicating that the gene network downstream of DMD-3 is complex and potentially modular. We propose modules of genes that act together in TTM and are coregulated by DMD-3, among them the chondroitin synthesis pathway and the hypertonic stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Kiontke
- Department of Biology, New York University, 100 Washington Square E., New York, NY 10003
| | | | - D Adam Mason
- Biology Department, Siena College, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | - Alyssa Woronik
- Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825
| | - Stephanie Vernooy
- Biology Department, Siena College, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211
| | - Yash Patel
- Department of Biology, New York University, 100 Washington Square E., New York, NY 10003
| | - David H A Fitch
- Department of Biology, New York University, 100 Washington Square E., New York, NY 10003
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17
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Levenson MT, Barrere-Cain R, Truong L, Chen YW, Shuck K, Panter B, Reich E, Yang X, Allard P. Protocol for nuclear dissociation of the adult C. elegans for single-nucleus RNA sequencing and its application for mapping environmental responses. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102756. [PMID: 38043054 PMCID: PMC10730361 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102756] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is a valuable model to study organ, tissue, and cell-type responses to external cues. However, the nematode comprises multiple syncytial tissues with spatial coordinates corresponding to distinct nuclear transcriptomes. Here, we present a single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) protocol that aims to overcome difficulties encountered with single-cell RNA sequencing in C. elegans. We describe steps for isolating C. elegans nuclei for downstream applications including snRNA-seq applied to the context of alcohol exposure. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Truong et al. (2023).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max T Levenson
- Molecular Toxicology Inter-Departmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rio Barrere-Cain
- Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lisa Truong
- Human Genetics Graduate Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yen-Wei Chen
- Molecular Toxicology Inter-Departmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Karissa Shuck
- Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Blake Panter
- Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ella Reich
- Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xia Yang
- Molecular Toxicology Inter-Departmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Integrative Biology and Physiology Department, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Patrick Allard
- Molecular Toxicology Inter-Departmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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18
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Verbeeren J, Teixeira J, Garcia SMDA. The Muscleblind-like protein MBL-1 regulates microRNA expression in Caenorhabditis elegans through an evolutionarily conserved autoregulatory mechanism. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011109. [PMID: 38134228 PMCID: PMC10773944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011109] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Muscleblind-like (MBNL) family is a highly conserved set of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that regulate RNA metabolism during the differentiation of various animal tissues. Functional insufficiency of MBNL affects muscle and central nervous system development, and contributes to the myotonic dystrophies (DM), a set of incurable multisystemic disorders. Studies on the regulation of MBNL genes are essential to provide insight into the gene regulatory networks controlled by MBNL proteins and to understand how dysregulation within these networks causes disease. In this study, we demonstrate the evolutionary conservation of an autoregulatory mechanism that governs the function of MBNL proteins by generating two distinct protein isoform types through alternative splicing. Our aim was to further our understanding of the regulatory principles that underlie this conserved feedback loop in a whole-organismal context, and to address the biological significance of the respective isoforms. Using an alternative splicing reporter, our studies show that, during development of the Caenorhabditis elegans central nervous system, the orthologous mbl-1 gene shifts production from long protein isoforms that localize to the nucleus to short isoforms that also localize to the cytoplasm. Using isoform-specific CRISPR/Cas9-generated strains, we showed that expression of short MBL-1 protein isoforms is required for healthy neuromuscular function and neurodevelopment, while expression of long MBL-1 protein isoforms is dispensable, emphasizing a key role for cytoplasmic functionalities of the MBL-1 protein. Furthermore, RNA-seq and lifespan analyses indicated that short MBL-1 isoforms are crucial regulators of miRNA expression and, in consequence, required for normal lifespan. In conclusion, this study provides support for the disruption of cytoplasmic RNA metabolism as a contributor in myotonic dystrophy and paves the way for further exploration of miRNA regulation through MBNL proteins during development and in disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Verbeeren
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Joana Teixeira
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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19
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Woodruff GC, Willis JH, Johnson E, Phillips PC. Widespread changes in gene expression accompany body size evolution in nematodes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.30.564729. [PMID: 37961435 PMCID: PMC10635002 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.30.564729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Body size is a fundamental trait that drives multiple evolutionary and ecological patterns. Caenorhabditis inopinata is a fig-associated nematode that is exceptionally large relative to other members of the genus, including C. elegans. We previously showed that C. inopinata is large primarily due to postembryonic cell size expansion that occurs during the larval-to-adult transition. Here, we describe gene expression patterns in C. elegans and C. inopinata throughout this developmental period to understand the transcriptional basis of body size change. We performed RNA-seq in both species across the L3, L4, and adult stages. Most genes are differentially expressed across all developmental stages, consistent with C. inopinata's divergent ecology and morphology. We also used a model comparison approach to identify orthologs with divergent dynamics across this developmental period between the two species. This included genes connected to neurons, behavior, stress response, developmental timing, and small RNA/chromatin regulation. Multiple hypodermal collagens were also observed to harbor divergent developmental dynamics across this period, and genes important for molting and body morphology were also detected. Genes associated with TGF-β signaling revealed idiosyncratic and unexpected transcriptional patterns given their role in body size regulation in C. elegans. Widespread transcriptional divergence between these species is unexpected and may be a signature of the ecological and morphological divergence of C. inopinata. Alternatively, transcriptional turnover may be the rule in the Caenorhabditis genus, indicative of widespread developmental system drift among species. This work lays the foundation for future functional genetic studies interrogating the bases of body size evolution in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin C Woodruff
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
- Current institution: University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
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20
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Silva-García CG, Láscarez-Lagunas LI, Papsdorf K, Heintz C, Prabhakar A, Morrow CS, Pajuelo Torres L, Sharma A, Liu J, Colaiácovo MP, Brunet A, Mair WB. The CRTC-1 transcriptional domain is required for COMPASS complex-mediated longevity in C. elegans. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:1358-1371. [PMID: 37946042 PMCID: PMC10645585 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00517-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Loss of function during aging is accompanied by transcriptional drift, altering gene expression and contributing to a variety of age-related diseases. CREB-regulated transcriptional coactivators (CRTCs) have emerged as key regulators of gene expression that might be targeted to promote longevity. Here we define the role of the Caenorhabditis elegans CRTC-1 in the epigenetic regulation of longevity. Endogenous CRTC-1 binds chromatin factors, including components of the COMPASS complex, which trimethylates lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3). CRISPR editing of endogenous CRTC-1 reveals that the CREB-binding domain in neurons is specifically required for H3K4me3-dependent longevity. However, this effect is independent of CREB but instead acts via the transcription factor AP-1. Strikingly, CRTC-1 also mediates global histone acetylation levels, and this acetylation is essential for H3K4me3-dependent longevity. Indeed, overexpression of an acetyltransferase enzyme is sufficient to promote longevity in wild-type worms. CRTCs, therefore, link energetics to longevity by critically fine-tuning histone acetylation and methylation to promote healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos G Silva-García
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | | | - Caroline Heintz
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aditi Prabhakar
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher S Morrow
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lourdes Pajuelo Torres
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arpit Sharma
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jihe Liu
- Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Monica P Colaiácovo
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - William B Mair
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
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21
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Chipman LB, Luc S, Nicastro IA, Hulahan JJ, Dann DC, Bodas DM, Pasquinelli AE. Expression, not sequence, distinguishes miR-238 from its miR-239ab sister miRNAs in promoting longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011055. [PMID: 38011256 PMCID: PMC10703411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011055] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by base-pairing to target sequences in messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and recruiting factors that induce translational repression and mRNA decay. In animals, nucleotides 2-8 at the 5' end of the miRNA, called the seed region, are often necessary and sometimes sufficient for functional target interactions. MiRNAs that contain identical seed sequences are grouped into families where individual members have the potential to share targets and act redundantly. A rare exception seemed to be the miR-238/239ab family in Caenorhabditis elegans, as previous work indicated that loss of miR-238 reduced lifespan while deletion of the miR-239ab locus resulted in enhanced longevity and thermal stress resistance. Here, we re-examined these potentially opposing roles using new strains that individually disrupt each miRNA sister. We confirmed that loss of miR-238 is associated with a shortened lifespan but could detect no longevity or stress phenotypes in animals lacking miR-239a or miR-239b, individually or in combination. Additionally, dozens of genes were mis-regulated in miR-238 mutants but almost no gene expression changes were detected in either miR-239a or miR-239b mutants compared to wild type animals. We present evidence that the lack of redundancy between miR-238 and miR-239ab is independent of their sequence differences; miR-239a or miR-239b could substitute for the longevity role of miR-238 when expressed from the miR-238 locus. Altogether, these studies disqualify miR-239ab as negative regulators of aging and demonstrate that expression, not sequence, dictates the specific role of miR-238 in promoting longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B. Chipman
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - San Luc
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ian A. Nicastro
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jesse J. Hulahan
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Delaney C. Dann
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Devavrat M. Bodas
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Amy E. Pasquinelli
- Molecular Biology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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22
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Heydari F, Rodriguez-Crespo D, Wicky C. The New Nematicide Cyclobutrifluram Targets the Mitochondrial Succinate Dehydrogenase Complex in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:39. [PMID: 37873747 PMCID: PMC10594496 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11040039] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Today, agriculture around the world is challenged by parasitic nematode infections. Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) can cause significant damage and crop loss and are a threat to food security. For a long time, the management of PPN infection has relied on nematicides that impact not only parasitic nematodes but also other organisms. More recently, new nematicides have been developed that appear to specifically target PPN. Cyclobutrifluram belongs to this new category of nematicides. Using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, we show here that cyclobutrifluram strongly impacts the survival and fertility rates of the worm by decreasing the number of germ cells. Furthermore, using a genetic approach, we demonstrate that cyclobutrifluram functions by inhibiting the mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a strong response to cyclobutrifluram exposure. Among the deregulated genes, we found genes coding for detoxifying proteins, such as cytochrome P450s and UDP-glucuronosyl transferases (UGTs). Overall, our study contributes to the understanding of the molecular mode of action of cyclobutrifluram, to the finding of new approaches against nematicide resistance, and to the discovery of novel nematicides. Furthermore, this study confirms that C. elegans is a suitable model organism to study the mode of action of nematicides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chantal Wicky
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (F.H.); (D.R.-C.)
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23
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Price IF, Wagner JA, Pastore B, Hertz HL, Tang W. C. elegans germ granules sculpt both germline and somatic RNAome. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5965. [PMID: 37749091 PMCID: PMC10520050 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41556-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Germ granules are membrane-less organelles essential for small RNA biogenesis and germline development. Among the conserved properties of germ granules is their association with the nuclear membrane. Recent studies demonstrated that LOTUS domain proteins, EGGD-1 and EGGD-2 (also known as MIP-1 and MIP-2 respectively), promote the formation of perinuclear germ granules in C. elegans. This finding presents a unique opportunity to evaluate the significance of perinuclear localization of germ granules. Here we show that loss of eggd-1 causes the coalescence of germ granules and formation of abnormal cytoplasmic aggregates. Impairment of perinuclear granules affects certain germline classes of small RNAs including Piwi-interacting RNAs. Transcriptome profiling reveals overexpression of spermatogenic and cuticle-related genes in eggd-1 hermaphrodites. We further demonstrate that disruption of germ granules activates HLH-30-mediated transcriptional program in somatic tissues. Collectively, our findings underscore the essential role of EGGD-1 in germ granule organization and reveal an unexpected germ granule-to-soma communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian F Price
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Jillian A Wagner
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Benjamin Pastore
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Hannah L Hertz
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Wen Tang
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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24
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Bell AD, Chou HT, Valencia F, Paaby AB. Beyond the reference: gene expression variation and transcriptional response to RNA interference in Caenorhabditis elegans. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad112. [PMID: 37221008 PMCID: PMC10411595 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Though natural systems harbor genetic and phenotypic variation, research in model organisms is often restricted to a reference strain. Focusing on a reference strain yields a great depth of knowledge but potentially at the cost of breadth of understanding. Furthermore, tools developed in the reference context may introduce bias when applied to other strains, posing challenges to defining the scope of variation within model systems. Here, we evaluate how genetic differences among 5 wild Caenorhabditis elegans strains affect gene expression and its quantification, in general and after induction of the RNA interference (RNAi) response. Across strains, 34% of genes were differentially expressed in the control condition, including 411 genes that were not expressed at all in at least 1 strain; 49 of these were unexpressed in reference strain N2. Reference genome mapping bias caused limited concern: despite hyperdiverse hotspots throughout the genome, 92% of variably expressed genes were robust to mapping issues. The transcriptional response to RNAi was highly strain- and target-gene-specific and did not correlate with RNAi efficiency, as the 2 RNAi-insensitive strains showed more differentially expressed genes following RNAi treatment than the RNAi-sensitive reference strain. We conclude that gene expression, generally and in response to RNAi, differs across C. elegans strains such that the choice of strain may meaningfully influence scientific inferences. Finally, we introduce a resource for querying gene expression variation in this dataset at https://wildworm.biosci.gatech.edu/rnai/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery Davis Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr NW, EBB Building, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Han Ting Chou
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr NW, EBB Building, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Francisco Valencia
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr NW, EBB Building, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Annalise B Paaby
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr NW, EBB Building, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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25
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Xu F, Li R, von Gromoff ED, Drepper F, Knapp B, Warscheid B, Baumeister R, Qi W. Reprogramming of the transcriptome after heat stress mediates heat hormesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4176. [PMID: 37443152 PMCID: PMC10345090 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39882-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Transient stress experiences not only trigger acute stress responses, but can also have long-lasting effects on cellular functions. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a brief exposure to heat shock during early adulthood extends lifespan and improves stress resistance, a phenomenon known as heat hormesis. Here, we investigated the prolonged effect of hormetic heat stress on the transcriptome of worms and found that the canonical heat shock response is followed by a profound transcriptional reprogramming in the post-stress period. This reprogramming relies on the endoribonuclease ENDU-2 but not the heat shock factor 1. ENDU-2 co-localizes with chromatin and interacts with RNA polymerase II, enabling specific regulation of transcription after the stress period. Failure to activate the post-stress response does not affect the resistance of animals to heat shock but eliminates the beneficial effects of hormetic heat stress. In summary, our work discovers that the RNA-binding protein ENDU-2 mediates the long-term impacts of transient heat stress via reprogramming transcriptome after stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Xu
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Genetics (Faculty of Biology), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Ruoyao Li
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Genetics (Faculty of Biology), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Erika D von Gromoff
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Genetics (Faculty of Biology), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Friedel Drepper
- Biochemistry-Functional Proteomics, Institute of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Bettina Knapp
- Biochemistry-Functional Proteomics, Institute of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Bettina Warscheid
- Biochemistry-Functional Proteomics, Institute of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- Signalling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- Biochemistry II, Theodor Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Baumeister
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Genetics (Faculty of Biology), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- Signalling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Research (Faculty of Medicine), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Wenjing Qi
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Genetics (Faculty of Biology), Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany.
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26
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Athanasouli M, Akduman N, Röseler W, Theam P, Rödelsperger C. Thousands of Pristionchus pacificus orphan genes were integrated into developmental networks that respond to diverse environmental microbiota. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010832. [PMID: 37399201 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Adaptation of organisms to environmental change may be facilitated by the creation of new genes. New genes without homologs in other lineages are known as taxonomically-restricted orphan genes and may result from divergence or de novo formation. Previously, we have extensively characterized the evolution and origin of such orphan genes in the nematode model organism Pristionchus pacificus. Here, we employ large-scale transcriptomics to establish potential functional associations and to measure the degree of transcriptional plasticity among orphan genes. Specifically, we analyzed 24 RNA-seq samples from adult P. pacificus worms raised on 24 different monoxenic bacterial cultures. Based on coexpression analysis, we identified 28 large modules that harbor 3,727 diplogastrid-specific orphan genes and that respond dynamically to different bacteria. These coexpression modules have distinct regulatory architecture and also exhibit differential expression patterns across development suggesting a link between bacterial response networks and development. Phylostratigraphy revealed a considerably high number of family- and even species-specific orphan genes in certain coexpression modules. This suggests that new genes are not attached randomly to existing cellular networks and that integration can happen very fast. Integrative analysis of protein domains, gene expression and ortholog data facilitated the assignments of biological labels for 22 coexpression modules with one of the largest, fast-evolving module being associated with spermatogenesis. In summary, this work presents the first functional annotation for thousands of P. pacificus orphan genes and reveals insights into their integration into environmentally responsive gene networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Athanasouli
- Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nermin Akduman
- Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Waltraud Röseler
- Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Penghieng Theam
- Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Rödelsperger
- Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
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27
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Truong L, Chen YW, Barrere-Cain R, Levenson MT, Shuck K, Xiao W, da Veiga Beltrame E, Panter B, Reich E, Sternberg PW, Yang X, Allard P. Single-nucleus resolution mapping of the adult C. elegans and its application to elucidate inter- and trans-generational response to alcohol. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112535. [PMID: 37227821 PMCID: PMC10592506 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell transcriptomic platforms provide an opportunity to map an organism's response to environmental cues with high resolution. Here, we applied single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to establish the tissue and cell type-resolved transcriptome of the adult C. elegans and characterize the inter- and trans-generational transcriptional impact of ethanol. We profiled the transcriptome of 41,749 nuclei resolving into 31 clusters, representing a diverse array of adult cell types including syncytial tissues. Following exposure to human-relevant doses of alcohol, several germline, striated muscle, and neuronal clusters were identified as being the most transcriptionally impacted at the F1 and F3 generations. The effect on germline clusters was confirmed by phenotypic enrichment analysis as well as by functional validation, which revealed a remarkable inter- and trans-generational increase in germline apoptosis, aneuploidy, and embryonic lethality. Together, snRNA-seq represents a valuable approach for the detailed examination of an adult organism's response to environmental exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Truong
- Human Genetics Graduate Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yen-Wei Chen
- Molecular Toxicology Inter-Departmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rio Barrere-Cain
- Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Max T Levenson
- Molecular Toxicology Inter-Departmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Karissa Shuck
- Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Wen Xiao
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | | | - Blake Panter
- Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ella Reich
- Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Paul W Sternberg
- Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Xia Yang
- Integrative Biology and Physiology Department, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Patrick Allard
- Molecular Toxicology Inter-Departmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Society & Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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28
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Starr LA, McKay LE, Peter KN, Seyfarth LM, Berkowitz LA, Caldwell KA, Caldwell GA. Attenuation of Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration in a C. elegans Parkinson's Model through Regulation of Xanthine Dehydrogenase (XDH-1) Expression by the RNA Editase, ADR-2. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:jdb11020020. [PMID: 37218814 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11020020] [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: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Differential RNA editing by adenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADARs) has been implicated in several neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we report results of a RNAi screen of genes differentially regulated in adr-2 mutants, normally encoding the only catalytically active ADAR in Caenorhabditis elegans, ADR-2. Subsequent analysis of candidate genes that alter the misfolding of human α-synuclein (α-syn) and dopaminergic neurodegeneration, two PD pathologies, reveal that reduced expression of xdh-1, the ortholog of human xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH), is protective against α-synuclein-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Further, RNAi experiments show that WHT-2, the worm ortholog of the human ABCG2 transporter and a predicted interactor of XDH-1, is the rate-limiting factor in the ADR-2, XDH-1, WHT-2 system for dopaminergic neuroprotection. In silico structural modeling of WHT-2 indicates that the editing of one nucleotide in the wht-2 mRNA leads to the substitution of threonine with alanine at residue 124 in the WHT-2 protein, changing hydrogen bonds in this region. Thus, we propose a model where wht-2 is edited by ADR-2, which promotes optimal export of uric acid, a known substrate of WHT-2 and a product of XDH-1 activity. In the absence of editing, uric acid export is limited, provoking a reduction in xdh-1 transcription to limit uric acid production and maintain cellular homeostasis. As a result, elevation of uric acid is protective against dopaminergic neuronal cell death. In turn, increased levels of uric acid are associated with a decrease in ROS production. Further, downregulation of xdh-1 is protective against PD pathologies because decreased levels of XDH-1 correlate to a concomitant reduction in xanthine oxidase (XO), the form of the protein whose by-product is superoxide anion. These data indicate that modifying specific targets of RNA editing may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey A Starr
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Convergent Biomedicine, Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Luke E McKay
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Convergent Biomedicine, Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Kylie N Peter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Convergent Biomedicine, Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Lena M Seyfarth
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Convergent Biomedicine, Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Laura A Berkowitz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Convergent Biomedicine, Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Kim A Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Convergent Biomedicine, Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Nathan Shock Center of Excellence for the Basic Biology of Aging, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Guy A Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Convergent Biomedicine, Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Nathan Shock Center of Excellence for the Basic Biology of Aging, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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29
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Sala AJ, Grant RA, Imran G, Morton C, Brielmann RM, Bott LC, Watts J, Morimoto RI. Nuclear receptor signaling via NHR-49/MDT-15 regulates stress resilience and proteostasis in response to reproductive and metabolic cues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.25.537803. [PMID: 37162952 PMCID: PMC10168274 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.25.537803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The ability to sense and respond to proteotoxic insults declines with age, leaving cells vulnerable to chronic and acute stressors. Reproductive cues modulate this decline in cellular proteostasis to influence organismal stress resilience in C. elegans. We previously uncovered a pathway that links the integrity of developing embryos to somatic health in reproductive adults. Here, we show that the nuclear receptor NHR-49, a functional homolog of mammalian peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), regulates stress resilience and proteostasis downstream of embryo integrity and other pathways that influence lipid homeostasis, and upstream of HSF-1. Disruption of the vitelline layer of the embryo envelope, which activates a proteostasis-enhancing inter-tissue pathway in somatic tissues, also triggers changes in lipid catabolism gene expression that are accompanied by an increase in fat stores. NHR-49 together with its co-activator MDT-15 contributes to this remodeling of lipid metabolism and is also important for the elevated stress resilience mediated by inhibition of the embryonic vitelline layer as well as by other pathways known to change lipid homeostasis, including reduced insulin-like signaling and fasting. Further, we show that increased NHR-49 activity is sufficient to suppress polyglutamine aggregation and improve stress resilience in an HSF-1-dependent manner. Together, our results establish NHR-49 as a key regulator that links lipid homeostasis and cellular resilience to proteotoxic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambre J. Sala
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston IL, USA
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gifsur-Yvette, France
| | - Rogan A. Grant
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston IL, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ghania Imran
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston IL, USA
| | - Claire Morton
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston IL, USA
| | - Renee M. Brielmann
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston IL, USA
| | - Laura C. Bott
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston IL, USA
| | - Jennifer Watts
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman WA, USA
| | - Richard I. Morimoto
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston IL, USA
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30
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Vogt MC, Hobert O. Starvation-induced changes in somatic insulin/IGF-1R signaling drive metabolic programming across generations. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade1817. [PMID: 37027477 PMCID: PMC10081852 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade1817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to adverse nutritional and metabolic environments during critical periods of development can exert long-lasting effects on health outcomes of an individual and its descendants. Although such metabolic programming has been observed in multiple species and in response to distinct nutritional stressors, conclusive insights into signaling pathways and mechanisms responsible for initiating, mediating, and manifesting changes to metabolism and behavior across generations remain scarce. By using a starvation paradigm in Caenorhabditis elegans, we show that starvation-induced changes in dauer formation-16/forkhead box transcription factor class O (DAF-16/FoxO) activity, the main downstream target of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptor signaling, are responsible for metabolic programming phenotypes. Tissue-specific depletion of DAF-16/FoxO during distinct developmental time points demonstrates that DAF-16/FoxO acts in somatic tissues, but not directly in the germline, to both initiate and manifest metabolic programming. In conclusion, our study deciphers multifaceted and critical roles of highly conserved insulin/IGF-1 receptor signaling in determining health outcomes and behavior across generations.
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31
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Memedovski R, Preza M, Müller J, Kämpfer T, Rufener R, de Souza MVN, da Silva ET, de Andrade GF, Braga S, Uldry AC, Buchs N, Heller M, Lundström-Stadelmann B. Investigation of the mechanism of action of mefloquine and derivatives against the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2023; 21:114-124. [PMID: 36921443 PMCID: PMC10025029 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is caused by infection with the fox tapeworm E. multilocularis. The disease affects humans, dogs, captive monkeys, and other mammals, and it is caused by the metacestode stage of the parasite growing invasively in the liver. The current drug treatment is based on non-parasiticidal benzimidazoles. Thus, they are only limitedly curative and can cause severe side effects. Therefore, novel and improved treatment options for AE are needed. Mefloquine (MEF), an antimalarial agent, was previously shown to be effective against E. multilocularis in vitro and in experimentally infected mice. However, MEF is not parasiticidal and needs improvement for successful treatment of patients, and it can induce strong neuropsychiatric side-effects. In this study, the structure-activity relationship and mode of action of MEF was investigated by comparative analysis of 14 MEF derivatives. None of them showed higher activity against E. multilocularis metacestodes compared to MEF, but four compounds caused limited damage. In order to identify molecular targets of MEF and effective derivatives, differential affinity chromatography combined with mass spectrometry was performed with two effective compounds (MEF, MEF-3) and two ineffective compounds (MEF-13, MEF-22). 1'681 proteins were identified that bound specifically to MEF or derivatives. 216 proteins were identified as binding only to MEF and MEF-3. GO term enrichment analysis of these proteins and functional grouping of the 25 most abundant MEF and MEF-3 specific binding proteins revealed the key processes energy metabolism and cellular transport and structure, as well as stress responses and nucleic acid binding to be involved. The previously described ferritin was confirmed as an exclusively MEF-binding protein that could be relevant for its efficacy against E. multilocularis. The here identified potential targets of MEF will be further investigated in the future for a clear understanding of the pleiotropic effects of MEF, and improved therapeutic options against AE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Memedovski
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matías Preza
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joachim Müller
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Kämpfer
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Reto Rufener
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Emerson Teixeira da Silva
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos - Far Manguinhos, 21041-250, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Sophie Braga
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Christine Uldry
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Natasha Buchs
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Manfred Heller
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Britta Lundström-Stadelmann
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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Bell AD, Chou HT, Paaby AB. Beyond the reference: gene expression variation and transcriptional response to RNAi in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.24.533964. [PMID: 36993640 PMCID: PMC10055391 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.24.533964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A universal feature of living systems is that natural variation in genotype underpins variation in phenotype. Yet, research in model organisms is often constrained to a single genetic background, the reference strain. Further, genomic studies that do evaluate wild strains typically rely on the reference strain genome for read alignment, leading to the possibility of biased inferences based on incomplete or inaccurate mapping; the extent of reference bias can be difficult to quantify. As an intermediary between genome and organismal traits, gene expression is well positioned to describe natural variability across genotypes generally and in the context of environmental responses, which can represent complex adaptive phenotypes. C. elegans sits at the forefront of investigation into small-RNA gene regulatory mechanisms, or RNA interference (RNAi), and wild strains exhibit natural variation in RNAi competency following environmental triggers. Here, we examine how genetic differences among five wild strains affect the C. elegans transcriptome in general and after inducing RNAi responses to two germline target genes. Approximately 34% of genes were differentially expressed across strains; 411 genes were not expressed at all in at least one strain despite robust expression in others, including 49 genes not expressed in reference strain N2. Despite the presence of hyper-diverse hotspots throughout the C. elegans genome, reference mapping bias was of limited concern: over 92% of variably expressed genes were robust to mapping issues. Overall, the transcriptional response to RNAi was strongly strain-specific and highly specific to the target gene, and the laboratory strain N2 was not representative of the other strains. Moreover, the transcriptional response to RNAi was not correlated with RNAi phenotypic penetrance; the two germline RNAi incompetent strains exhibited substantial differential gene expression following RNAi treatment, indicating an RNAi response despite failure to reduce expression of the target gene. We conclude that gene expression, both generally and in response to RNAi, differs across C. elegans strains such that choice of strain may meaningfully influence scientific conclusions. To provide a public, easily accessible resource for querying gene expression variation in this dataset, we introduce an interactive website at https://wildworm.biosci.gatech.edu/rnai/ .
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery Davis Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Han Ting Chou
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Annalise B. Paaby
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
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Goswamy D, Gonzalez X, Labed SA, Irazoqui JE. C. elegans orphan nuclear receptor NHR-42 represses innate immunity and promotes lipid loss downstream of HLH-30/TFEB. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1094145. [PMID: 36860863 PMCID: PMC9968933 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1094145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, transcription factors of the Microphthalmia-TFE (MiT) family, including TFEB and TFE3 in mammals and HLH-30 in Caenorhabditis elegans, have emerged as important regulators of innate immunity and inflammation in invertebrates and vertebrates. Despite great strides in knowledge, the mechanisms that mediate downstream actions of MiT transcription factors in the context of innate host defense remain poorly understood. Here, we report that HLH-30, which promotes lipid droplet mobilization and host defense, induces the expression of orphan nuclear receptor NHR-42 during infection with Staphylococcus aureus. Remarkably, NHR-42 loss of function promoted host infection resistance, genetically defining NHR-42 as an HLH-30-controlled negative regulator of innate immunity. During infection, NHR-42 was required for lipid droplet loss, suggesting that it is an important effector of HLH-30 in lipid immunometabolism. Moreover, transcriptional profiling of nhr-42 mutants revealed wholesale activation of an antimicrobial signature, of which abf-2, cnc-2, and lec-11 were important for the enhanced survival of infection of nhr-42 mutants. These results advance our knowledge of the mechanisms by which MiT transcription factors promote host defense, and by analogy suggest that TFEB and TFE3 may similarly promote host defense via NHR-42-homologous nuclear receptors in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Javier E. Irazoqui
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
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Çelen İ, Jayasinghe A, Doh JH, Sabanayagam CR. Transcriptomic Signature of the Simulated Microgravity Response in Caenorhabditis elegans and Comparison to Spaceflight Experiments. Cells 2023; 12:270. [PMID: 36672205 PMCID: PMC9856674 DOI: 10.3390/cells12020270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the growing interest in human exploration of space, it is crucial to identify the effects of space conditions on biological processes. Here, we analyze the transcriptomic response of Caenorhabditis elegans to simulated microgravity and observe the maintained transcriptomic response after returning to ground conditions for four, eight, and twelve days. We show that 75% of the simulated microgravity-induced changes on gene expression persist after returning to ground conditions for four days while most of these changes are reverted after twelve days. Our results from integrative RNA-seq and mass spectrometry analyses suggest that simulated microgravity affects longevity-regulating insulin/IGF-1 and sphingolipid signaling pathways. Finally, we identified 118 genes that are commonly differentially expressed in simulated microgravity- and space-exposed worms. Overall, this work provides insight into the effect of microgravity on biological systems during and after exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- İrem Çelen
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA
- Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA
| | - Aroshan Jayasinghe
- Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA
| | - Jung H. Doh
- Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA
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Lim CY, Lin HT, Kumsta C, Lu TC, Wang FY, Kang YH, Hansen M, Ching TT, Hsu AL. SAMS-1 coordinates HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA activities through histone methylation to mediate dietary restriction-induced autophagy and longevity. Autophagy 2023; 19:224-240. [PMID: 35503435 PMCID: PMC9809948 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2022.2068267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dietary restriction (DR) is known to promote autophagy to exert its longevity effect. While SAMS-1 (S-adenosyl methionine synthetase-1) has been shown to be a key mediator of the DR response, little is known about the roles of S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) and SAM-dependent methyltransferase in autophagy and DR-induced longevity. In this study, we show that DR and SAMS-1 repress the activity of SET-2, a histone H3K4 methyltransferase, by limiting the availability of SAM. Consequently, the reduced H3K4me3 levels promote the expression and activity of two transcription factors, HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA, which both regulate the transcription of autophagy-related genes. We then find that HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA act collaboratively on their common target genes to mediate the transcriptional response of autophagy-related genes and consequently the lifespan of the animals. Our study thus shows that the SAMS-1-SET-2 axis serves as a nutrient-sensing module to epigenetically coordinate the activation of HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA transcription factors to control macroautophagy/autophagy and longevity in response to DR.Abbreviations: ChIP: chromatin immunoprecipitation; ChIP-seq: chromatin immuno precipitation-sequencing; COMPASS: complex of proteins associated with Set1; DR: dietary restriction; GO: gene ontology; SAM: S-adenosyl methionine; SAMS-1: S-adenosyl methionine synthetase-1; TSS: transcription start site; WT: wild-type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiao-Yin Lim
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Huan-Ting Lin
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Caroline Kumsta
- Program of Development, Aging and Regeneration, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Tzu-Chiao Lu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Yung Wang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Hsuan Kang
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Malene Hansen
- Program of Development, Aging and Regeneration, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Tsui-Ting Ching
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ao-Lin Hsu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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36
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Shi C, Murphy CT. piRNAs regulate a Hedgehog germline-to-soma pro-aging signal. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:47-63. [PMID: 37118518 PMCID: PMC10154208 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-022-00329-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The reproductive system regulates somatic aging through competing anti- and pro-aging signals. Germline removal extends somatic lifespan through conserved pathways including insulin and mammalian target-of-rapamycin signaling, while germline hyperactivity shortens lifespan through unknown mechanisms. Here we show that mating-induced germline hyperactivity downregulates piRNAs, in turn desilencing their targets, including the Hedgehog-like ligand-encoding genes wrt-1 and wrt-10, ultimately causing somatic collapse and death. Germline-produced Hedgehog signals require PTR-6 and PTR-16 receptors for mating-induced shrinking and death. Our results reveal an unconventional role of the piRNA pathway in transcriptional regulation of Hedgehog signaling and a new role of Hedgehog signaling in the regulation of longevity and somatic maintenance: Hedgehog signaling is controlled by the tunable piRNA pathway to encode the previously unknown germline-to-soma pro-aging signal. Mating-induced piRNA downregulation in the germline and subsequent Hedgehog signaling to the soma enable the animal to tune somatic resource allocation to germline needs, optimizing reproductive timing and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Shi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Coleen T Murphy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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Dockendorff TC, Estrem B, Reed J, Simmons JR, Zadegan SB, Zagoskin MV, Terta V, Villalobos E, Seaberry EM, Wang J. The nematode Oscheius tipulae as a genetic model for programmed DNA elimination. Curr Biol 2022; 32:5083-5098.e6. [PMID: 36379215 PMCID: PMC9729473 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Programmed DNA elimination (PDE) is a notable exception to the paradigm of genome integrity. In metazoa, PDE often occurs coincident with germline to somatic cell differentiation. During PDE, portions of genomic DNA are lost, resulting in reduced somatic genomes. Prior studies have described the sequences lost, as well as chromosome behavior, during metazoan PDE. However, a system for studying the mechanisms and consequences of PDE in metazoa is lacking. Here, we present a functional and genetic model for PDE in the free-living Rhabditidae nematode Oscheius tipulae, a family that also includes Caenorhabditis elegans. O. tipulae was recently suggested to eliminate DNA. Using staged embryos and DNA FISH, we showed that O. tipulae PDE occurs during embryogenesis at the 8-16 cell stages. We identified a conserved motif, named Sequence For Elimination (SFE), for all 12 break sites on the six chromosomes at the junctions of retained and eliminated DNA. SFE mutants exhibited a "fail-to-eliminate" phenotype only at the modified sites. END-seq revealed that breaks can occur at multiple positions within the SFE, with extensive end resection followed by telomere addition to both retained and eliminated ends. We identified many functional SFEs at the chromosome ends through END-seq in the wild-type embryos, genome sequencing of SFE mutants, and comparative genomics of 23 wild isolates. We suggest that these alternative SFEs provide flexibility in the sequences eliminated and a fail-safe mechanism for PDE. These studies establish O. tipulae as a new, attractive model for studying the mechanisms and consequences of PDE in a metazoan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Dockendorff
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Brandon Estrem
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Jordan Reed
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - James R Simmons
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Sobhan Bahrami Zadegan
- UT-ORNL Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Maxim V Zagoskin
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Vincent Terta
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Eduardo Villalobos
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Erin M Seaberry
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Jianbin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; UT-ORNL Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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Mangu JCK, Stylianou M, Olsson PE, Jass J. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances enhance Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity and impair host immune response. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 314:120294. [PMID: 36181932 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are major persistent environmental contaminants. Epidemiological studies have linked PFAS exposures to altered immunity and increased occurrence of infections in children. However, the mechanisms leading to immune susceptibility to bacterial infections remains unclear. To elucidate the mechanism, transcriptional alteration in the Caenorhabditis elegans model caused by a PFAS contaminated environmental water and two reconstituted PFAS solutions were evaluated using RNA-sequencing. PFAS affected the expression of several genes involved in C. elegans immune surveillance to Gram-positive bacteria (cpr-2, tag-38, spp-1, spp-5, clec-7, clec-172). The combined exposure to PFAS and Staphylococcus aureus significantly reduced C. elegans survival and increased intestinal membrane permeability. Furthermore, the growth of S. aureus in the presence of PFAS increased the expression of virulence genes, specifically, the virulence gene regulator saeR and α-hemolysin, hla, which resulted in increased hemolytic activity. The present study demonstrated that PFAS exposure not only increased C. elegans susceptibility to pathogens by reducing host immunity and increasing intestinal membrane permeability, but also increased bacteria virulence. This presents a broader implication for humans and other animals, where environmental contaminants simultaneously reduce host resilience, while, increasing microbial pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marios Stylianou
- The Life Science Centre-Biology, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Per-Erik Olsson
- The Life Science Centre-Biology, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Jana Jass
- The Life Science Centre-Biology, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
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Liudkovska V, Krawczyk PS, Brouze A, Gumińska N, Wegierski T, Cysewski D, Mackiewicz Z, Ewbank JJ, Drabikowski K, Mroczek S, Dziembowski A. TENT5 cytoplasmic noncanonical poly(A) polymerases regulate the innate immune response in animals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd9468. [PMID: 36383655 PMCID: PMC9668313 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add9468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Innate immunity is the first line of host defense against pathogens. Here, through global transcriptome and proteome analyses, we uncover that newly described cytoplasmic poly(A) polymerase TENT-5 (terminal nucleotidyltransferase 5) enhances the expression of secreted innate immunity effector proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans. Direct RNA sequencing revealed that multiple mRNAs with signal peptide-encoding sequences have shorter poly(A) tails in tent-5-deficient worms. Those mRNAs are translated at the endoplasmic reticulum where a fraction of TENT-5 is present, implying that they represent its direct substrates. Loss of tent-5 makes worms more susceptible to bacterial infection. Notably, the role of TENT-5 in innate immunity is evolutionarily conserved. Its orthologs, TENT5A and TENT5C, are expressed in macrophages and induced during their activation. Analysis of macrophages devoid of TENT5A/C revealed their role in the regulation of secreted proteins involved in defense response. In summary, our study reveals cytoplasmic polyadenylation to be a previously unknown component of the posttranscriptional regulation of innate immunity in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladyslava Liudkovska
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł S Krawczyk
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Brouze
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Gumińska
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Wegierski
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dominik Cysewski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Mackiewicz
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jonathan J Ewbank
- Aix Marseille University, INSERM, CNRS, CIML, Turing Centre for Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | - Krzysztof Drabikowski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Seweryn Mroczek
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Dziembowski
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
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Navarro IC, Suen KM, Bensaddek D, Tanpure A, Lamond A, Balasubramanian S, Miska EA. Identification of putative reader proteins of 5-methylcytosine and its derivatives in Caenorhabditis elegans RNA. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 7:282. [PMID: 37475875 PMCID: PMC10354459 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17893.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Methylation of carbon-5 of cytosines (m 5C) is a conserved post-transcriptional nucleotide modification of RNA with widespread distribution across organisms. It can be further modified to yield 5-hydroxymethylcytidine (hm 5C), 5-formylcytidine (f 5C), 2´-O-methyl-5-hydroxymethylcytidine (hm 5Cm) and 2´-O-methyl-5-formylcytidine (f 5Cm). How m 5C, and specially its derivates, contribute to biology mechanistically is poorly understood. We recently showed that m 5C is required for Caenorhabditis elegans development and fertility under heat stress. m 5C has been shown to participate in mRNA transport and maintain mRNA stability through its recognition by the reader proteins ALYREF and YBX1, respectively. Hence, identifying readers for RNA modifications can enhance our understanding in the biological roles of these modifications. Methods: To contribute to the understanding of how m 5C and its oxidative derivatives mediate their functions, we developed RNA baits bearing modified cytosines in diverse structural contexts to pulldown potential readers in C. elegans. Potential readers were identified using mass spectrometry. The interaction of two of the putative readers with m 5C was validated using immunoblotting. Results: Our mass spectrometry analyses revealed unique binding proteins for each of the modifications. In silico analysis for phenotype enrichments suggested that hm 5Cm unique readers are enriched in proteins involved in RNA processing, while readers for m 5C, hm 5C and f 5C are involved in germline processes. We validated our dataset by demonstrating that the nematode ALYREF homologues ALY-1 and ALY-2 preferentially bind m 5C in vitro. Finally, sequence alignment analysis showed that several of the putative m 5C readers contain the conserved RNA recognition motif (RRM), including ALY-1 and ALY-2. Conclusions: The dataset presented here serves as an important scientific resource that will support the discovery of new functions of m 5C and its derivatives. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ALY-1 and ALY-2 bind to m 5C in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- IC Navarro
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Kin Man Suen
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, LC Miall Building, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Dalila Bensaddek
- Laboratory for Quantitative Proteomics, Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
- Bioscience Core Labs, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arun Tanpure
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Angus Lamond
- Laboratory for Quantitative Proteomics, Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Shankar Balasubramanian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- Cancer Research (UK), Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SP, UK
| | - Eric A Miska
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
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Further Extension of Lifespan by Unc-43/CaMKII and Egl-8/PLCβ Mutations in Germline-Deficient Caenorhabditis elegans. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223527. [PMID: 36428956 PMCID: PMC9688844 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduction of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signaling (IIS) promotes longevity across species. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, ablation of germline stem cells (GSCs) and activity changes of the conserved signaling mediators unc-43/CaMKII (calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase type II) and egl-8/PLCβ (phospholipase Cβ) also increase lifespan. Like IIS, these pathways depend on the conserved transcription factor daf-16/FOXO for lifespan extension, but how they functionally interact is unknown. Here, we show that altered unc-43/egl-8 activity further increases the lifespan of long-lived GSC-deficient worms, but not of worms that are long-lived due to a strong reduction-of-function mutation in the insulin/IGF1-like receptor daf-2. Additionally, we provide evidence for unc-43 and, to a lesser extent, egl-8 modulating the expression of certain collagen genes, which were reported to be dispensable for longevity of these particular daf-2 mutant worms, but not for other forms of longevity. Together, these results provide new insights into the conditions and potential mechanisms by which CaMKII- and PLCβ-signals modulate C. elegans lifespan.
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42
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Kyani-Rogers T, Philbrook A, McLachlan IG, Flavell SW, O’Donnell MP, Sengupta P. Developmental history modulates adult olfactory behavioral preferences via regulation of chemoreceptor expression in Caenorhabditiselegans. Genetics 2022; 222:iyac143. [PMID: 36094348 PMCID: PMC9630977 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental experiences play critical roles in shaping adult physiology and behavior. We and others previously showed that adult Caenorhabditiselegans which transiently experienced dauer arrest during development (postdauer) exhibit distinct gene expression profiles as compared to control adults which bypassed the dauer stage. In particular, the expression patterns of subsets of chemoreceptor genes are markedly altered in postdauer adults. Whether altered chemoreceptor levels drive behavioral plasticity in postdauer adults is unknown. Here, we show that postdauer adults exhibit enhanced attraction to a panel of food-related attractive volatile odorants including the bacterially produced chemical diacetyl. Diacetyl-evoked responses in the AWA olfactory neuron pair are increased in both dauer larvae and postdauer adults, and we find that these increased responses are correlated with upregulation of the diacetyl receptor ODR-10 in AWA likely via both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. We show that transcriptional upregulation of odr-10 expression in dauer larvae is in part mediated by the DAF-16 FOXO transcription factor. Via transcriptional profiling of sorted populations of AWA neurons from control and postdauer animals, we further show that the expression of a subset of additional chemoreceptor genes in AWA is regulated similarly to odr-10 in postdauer animals. Our results suggest that developmental experiences may be encoded at the level of olfactory receptor regulation, and provide a simple mechanism by which C. elegans is able to precisely modulate its behavioral preferences as a function of its current and past experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alison Philbrook
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Ian G McLachlan
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Steven W Flavell
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Piali Sengupta
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
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43
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Servello FA, Fernandes R, Eder M, Harris N, Martin OMF, Oswal N, Lindberg A, Derosiers N, Sengupta P, Stroustrup N, Apfeld J. Neuronal temperature perception induces specific defenses that enable C. elegans to cope with the enhanced reactivity of hydrogen peroxide at high temperature. eLife 2022; 11:e78941. [PMID: 36226814 PMCID: PMC9635881 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen peroxide is the most common reactive chemical that organisms face on the microbial battlefield. The rate with which hydrogen peroxide damages biomolecules required for life increases with temperature, yet little is known about how organisms cope with this temperature-dependent threat. Here, we show that Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes use temperature information perceived by sensory neurons to cope with the temperature-dependent threat of hydrogen peroxide produced by the pathogenic bacterium Enterococcus faecium. These nematodes preemptively induce the expression of specific hydrogen peroxide defenses in response to perception of high temperature by a pair of sensory neurons. These neurons communicate temperature information to target tissues expressing those defenses via an insulin/IGF1 hormone. This is the first example of a multicellular organism inducing their defenses to a chemical when they sense an inherent enhancer of the reactivity of that chemical.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rute Fernandes
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Matthias Eder
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Nathan Harris
- Department of Biology, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Olivier MF Martin
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Natasha Oswal
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Anders Lindberg
- Biology Department, Northeastern UniversityBostonUnited States
| | | | - Piali Sengupta
- Department of Biology, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Nicholas Stroustrup
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Javier Apfeld
- Biology Department, Northeastern UniversityBostonUnited States
- Bioengineering Department, Northeastern UniversityBostonUnited States
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44
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Webster AK, Chitrakar R, Taylor SM, Baugh LR. Alternative somatic and germline gene-regulatory strategies during starvation-induced developmental arrest. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111473. [PMID: 36223742 PMCID: PMC9608353 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111473] [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: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrient availability governs growth and quiescence, and many animals arrest development when starved. Using C. elegans L1 arrest as a model, we show that gene expression changes deep into starvation. Surprisingly, relative expression of germline-enriched genes increases for days. We conditionally degrade the large subunit of RNA polymerase II using the auxin-inducible degron system and analyze absolute expression levels. We find that somatic transcription is required for survival, but the germline maintains transcriptional quiescence. Thousands of genes are continuously transcribed in the soma, though their absolute abundance declines, such that relative expression of germline transcripts increases given extreme transcript stability. Aberrantly activating transcription in starved germ cells compromises reproduction, demonstrating important physiological function of transcriptional quiescence. This work reveals alternative somatic and germline gene-regulatory strategies during starvation, with the soma maintaining a robust transcriptional response to support survival and the germline maintaining transcriptional quiescence to support future reproductive success. Webster et al. show that the transcriptional response to starvation is mounted early in larval somatic cells supporting survival but that it wanes over time. In contrast, they show that the germline remains transcriptionally quiescent deep into starvation, supporting reproductive potential, while maintaining its transcriptome via transcript stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K. Webster
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA,Present address: Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Rojin Chitrakar
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Seth M. Taylor
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - L. Ryan Baugh
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA,Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA,Lead contact,Correspondence:
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45
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Ragipani B, Albritton SE, Morao AK, Mesquita D, Kramer M, Ercan S. Increased gene dosage and mRNA expression from chromosomal duplications in Caenorhabditis elegans. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:jkac151. [PMID: 35731207 PMCID: PMC9339279 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac151] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Isolation of copy number variations and chromosomal duplications at high frequency in the laboratory suggested that Caenorhabditis elegans tolerates increased gene dosage. Here, we addressed if a general dosage compensation mechanism acts at the level of mRNA expression in C. elegans. We characterized gene dosage and mRNA expression in 3 chromosomal duplications and a fosmid integration strain using DNA-seq and mRNA-seq. Our results show that on average, increased gene dosage leads to increased mRNA expression, pointing to a lack of genome-wide dosage compensation. Different genes within the same chromosomal duplication show variable levels of mRNA increase, suggesting feedback regulation of individual genes. Somatic dosage compensation and germline repression reduce the level of mRNA increase from X chromosomal duplications. Together, our results show a lack of genome-wide dosage compensation mechanism acting at the mRNA level in C. elegans and highlight the role of epigenetic and individual gene regulation contributing to the varied consequences of increased gene dosage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavana Ragipani
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Sarah Elizabeth Albritton
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Ana Karina Morao
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Diogo Mesquita
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Maxwell Kramer
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Sevinç Ercan
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
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46
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A systematic characterization of microglia-like cell occurrence during retinal organoid differentiation. iScience 2022; 25:104580. [PMID: 35789843 PMCID: PMC9250027 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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47
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Laing R, Doyle SR, McIntyre J, Maitland K, Morrison A, Bartley DJ, Kaplan R, Chaudhry U, Sargison N, Tait A, Cotton JA, Britton C, Devaney E. Transcriptomic analyses implicate neuronal plasticity and chloride homeostasis in ivermectin resistance and response to treatment in a parasitic nematode. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010545. [PMID: 35696434 PMCID: PMC9232149 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The antiparasitic drug ivermectin plays an essential role in human and animal health globally. However, ivermectin resistance is widespread in veterinary helminths and there are growing concerns of sub-optimal responses to treatment in related helminths of humans. Despite decades of research, the genetic mechanisms underlying ivermectin resistance are poorly understood in parasitic helminths. This reflects significant uncertainty regarding the mode of action of ivermectin in parasitic helminths, and the genetic complexity of these organisms; parasitic helminths have large, rapidly evolving genomes and differences in evolutionary history and genetic background can confound comparisons between resistant and susceptible populations. We undertook a controlled genetic cross of a multi-drug resistant and a susceptible reference isolate of Haemonchus contortus, an economically important gastrointestinal nematode of sheep, and ivermectin-selected the F2 population for comparison with an untreated F2 control. RNA-seq analyses of male and female adults of all populations identified high transcriptomic differentiation between parental isolates, which was significantly reduced in the F2, allowing differences associated specifically with ivermectin resistance to be identified. In all resistant populations, there was constitutive upregulation of a single gene, HCON_00155390:cky-1, a putative pharyngeal-expressed transcription factor, in a narrow locus on chromosome V previously shown to be under ivermectin selection. In addition, we detected sex-specific differences in gene expression between resistant and susceptible populations, including constitutive upregulation of a P-glycoprotein, HCON_00162780:pgp-11, in resistant males only. After ivermectin selection, we identified differential expression of genes with roles in neuronal function and chloride homeostasis, which is consistent with an adaptive response to ivermectin-induced hyperpolarisation of neuromuscular cells. Overall, we show the utility of a genetic cross to identify differences in gene expression that are specific to ivermectin selection and provide a framework to better understand ivermectin resistance and response to treatment in parasitic helminths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roz Laing
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jennifer McIntyre
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Kirsty Maitland
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Ray Kaplan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Umer Chaudhry
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Sargison
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Andy Tait
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Collette Britton
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Eileen Devaney
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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48
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Intracellular lipid surveillance by small G protein geranylgeranylation. Nature 2022; 605:736-740. [PMID: 35585236 PMCID: PMC9885440 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04729-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Imbalances in lipid homeostasis can have deleterious effects on health1,2. Yet how cells sense metabolic demand due to lipid depletion and respond by increasing nutrient absorption remains unclear. Here we describe a mechanism for intracellular lipid surveillance in Caenorhabditis elegans that involves transcriptional inactivation of the nuclear hormone receptor NHR-49 through its cytosolic sequestration to endocytic vesicles via geranylgeranyl conjugation to the small G protein RAB-11.1. Defective de novo isoprenoid synthesis caused by lipid depletion limits RAB-11.1 geranylgeranylation, which promotes nuclear translocation of NHR-49 and activation of rab-11.2 transcription to enhance transporter residency at the plasma membrane. Thus, we identify a critical lipid sensed by the cell, its conjugated G protein, and the nuclear receptor whose dynamic interactions enable cells to sense metabolic demand due to lipid depletion and respond by increasing nutrient absorption and lipid metabolism.
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49
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Leyva-Díaz E, Hobert O. Robust regulatory architecture of pan-neuronal gene expression. Curr Biol 2022; 32:1715-1727.e8. [PMID: 35259341 PMCID: PMC9050922 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pan-neuronally expressed genes, such as genes involved in the synaptic vesicle cycle or in neuropeptide maturation, are critical for proper function of all neurons, but the transcriptional control mechanisms that direct such genes to all neurons of a nervous system remain poorly understood. We show here that six members of the CUT family of homeobox genes control pan-neuronal identity specification in Caenorhabditis elegans. Single CUT mutants show barely any effects on pan-neuronal gene expression or global nervous system function, but such effects become apparent and progressively worsen upon removal of additional CUT family members, indicating a critical role of gene dosage. Overexpression of each individual CUT gene rescued the phenotype of compound mutants, corroborating that gene dosage, rather than the activity of specific members of the gene family, is critical for CUT gene family function. Genome-wide binding profiles, as well as mutation of CUT homeodomain binding sites by CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering show that CUT genes directly control the expression of pan-neuronal features. Moreover, CUT genes act in conjunction with neuron-type-specific transcription factors to control pan-neuronal gene expression. Our study, therefore, provides a previously missing key insight into how neuronal gene expression programs are specified and reveals a highly buffered and robust mechanism that controls the most critical functional features of all neuronal cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Leyva-Díaz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Oliver Hobert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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50
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Sang Y, Ren J, Aballay A. The transcription factor HLH-26 controls probiotic-mediated protection against intestinal infection through up-regulation of the Wnt/BAR-1 pathway. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001581. [PMID: 35263319 PMCID: PMC8936500 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Probiotics play a critical role in the control of host intestinal microbial balance, protecting the host from gastrointestinal pathogens, modulating the host immune response, and decreasing host susceptibility to infection. To understand the mechanism underlying the protective effect of probiotics against infections through immune regulation, we examined protection against Salmonella enterica infection following exposure to nonpathogenic Enterococcus faecium in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that the transcription factor HLH-26, a REF-1 family member of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, was required in the intestine for E. faecium-mediated protection of C. elegans against a lethal S. enterica infection. In addition, we uncovered that defense response genes controlled by the canonical Wnt/BAR-1 pathway were activated upon exposure to E. faecium in an HLH-26-dependent manner. Our findings highlight a role for REF-1/HLH-26 in the control of the Wnt/BAR-1 pathway in probiotic-mediated protection against gut infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Sang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Alejandro Aballay
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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