1
|
Lin Y, Suyama R, Kawaguchi S, Iki T, Kai T. Tejas functions as a core component in nuage assembly and precursor processing in Drosophila piRNA biogenesis. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202303125. [PMID: 37555815 PMCID: PMC10412688 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202303125] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), which protect genome from the attack by transposons, are produced and amplified in membraneless granules called nuage. In Drosophila, PIWI family proteins, Tudor-domain-containing (Tdrd) proteins, and RNA helicases are assembled and form nuage to ensure piRNA production. However, the molecular functions of the Tdrd protein Tejas (Tej) in piRNA biogenesis remain unknown. Here, we conduct a detailed analysis of the subcellular localization of fluorescently tagged nuage proteins and behavior of piRNA precursors. Our results demonstrate that Tej functions as a core component that recruits Vasa (Vas) and Spindle-E (Spn-E) into nuage granules through distinct motifs, thereby assembling nuage and engaging precursors for further processing. Our study also reveals that the low-complexity region of Tej regulates the mobility of Vas. Based on these results, we propose that Tej plays a pivotal role in piRNA precursor processing by assembling Vas and Spn-E into nuage and modulating the mobility of nuage components.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Lin
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ritsuko Suyama
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Taichiro Iki
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshie Kai
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
TDRD5 Is Required for Spermatogenesis and Oogenesis in Locusta migratoria. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13030227. [PMID: 35323525 PMCID: PMC8953433 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Tudor family proteins exist in all eukaryotic organisms and play a role in many cellular processes by recognizing and binding to proteins with methylated arginine or lysine residues. TDRD5, a member of Tudor domain-containing proteins (TDRDs), has been implicated in the P-element-induced wimpy testis-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway and germ cell development in some model species, but little is known about its function in other species. Therefore, we identified and characterized LmTDRD5, the TDRD5 ortholog in Locusta migratoria, a hemimetabolous pest. The LmTdrd5 gene has 19 exons that encode a protein possessing a single copy of the Tudor domain and three LOTUS domains at its N-terminus. qRT-PCR analysis revealed a high LmTdrd5 expression level in genital glands. Using RNA interference, LmTdrd5 knockdown in males led to a lag in meiosis phase transition, decreased spermatid elongation and sperm production, and downregulated the expression of the two germ cell-specific transcription factors, LmCREM and LmACT, as well as the sperm tail marker gene LmQrich2.LmTdrd5 knockdown in females reduced the expression levels of vitellogenin (Vg) and Vg receptor (VgR) and impaired ovarian development and oocyte maturation, thus decreasing the hatchability rate. These results demonstrate that LmTdrd5 is essential for germ cell development and fertility in locusts, indicating a conserved function for TDRD5.
Collapse
|
3
|
Xu C, Cao Y, Bao J. Building RNA-protein germ granules: insights from the multifaceted functions of DEAD-box helicase Vasa/Ddx4 in germline development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:4. [PMID: 34921622 PMCID: PMC11072811 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04069-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The segregation and maintenance of a dedicated germline in multicellular organisms is essential for species propagation in the sexually reproducing metazoan kingdom. The germline is distinct from somatic cells in that it is ultimately dedicated to acquiring the "totipotency" and to regenerating the offspring after fertilization. The most striking feature of germ cells lies in the presence of characteristic membraneless germ granules that have recently proven to behave like liquid droplets resulting from liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Vasa/Ddx4, a faithful DEAD-box family germline marker highly conserved across metazoan species, harbors canonical DEAD-box motifs and typical intrinsically disordered sequences at both the N-terminus and C-terminus. This feature enables it to serve as a primary driving force behind germ granule formation and helicase-mediated RNA metabolism (e.g., piRNA biogenesis). Genetic ablation of Vasa/Ddx4 or the catalytic-dead mutations abolishing its helicase activity led to sexually dimorphic germline defects resulting in either male or female sterility among diverse species. While recent efforts have discovered pivotal functions of Vasa/Ddx4 in somatic cells, especially in multipotent stem cells, we herein summarize the helicase-dependent and -independent functions of Vasa/Ddx4 in the germline, and discuss recent findings of Vasa/Ddx4-mediated phase separation, germ granule formation and piRNA-dependent retrotransposon control essential for germline development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caoling Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Yuzhu Cao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Jianqiang Bao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
The birth of piRNAs: how mammalian piRNAs are produced, originated, and evolved. Mamm Genome 2021; 33:293-311. [PMID: 34724117 PMCID: PMC9114089 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-021-09927-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), small noncoding RNAs 24–35 nucleotides long, are essential for animal fertility. They play critical roles in a range of functions, including transposable element suppression, gene expression regulation, imprinting, and viral defense. In mammals, piRNAs are the most abundant small RNAs in adult testes and the only small RNAs that direct epigenetic modification of chromatin in the nucleus. The production of piRNAs is a complex process from transcription to post-transcription, requiring unique machinery often distinct from the biogenesis of other RNAs. In mice, piRNA biogenesis occurs in specialized subcellular locations, involves dynamic developmental regulation, and displays sexual dimorphism. Furthermore, the genomic loci and sequences of piRNAs evolve much more rapidly than most of the genomic regions. Understanding piRNA biogenesis should reveal novel RNA regulations recognizing and processing piRNA precursors and the forces driving the gain and loss of piRNAs during animal evolution. Such findings may provide the basis for the development of engineered piRNAs capable of modulating epigenetic regulation, thereby offering possible single-dose RNA therapy without changing the genomic DNA. In this review, we focus on the biogenesis of piRNAs in mammalian adult testes that are derived from long non-coding RNAs. Although piRNA biogenesis is believed to be evolutionarily conserved from fruit flies to humans, recent studies argue for the existence of diverse, mammalian-specific RNA-processing pathways that convert precursor RNAs into piRNAs, perhaps associated with the unique features of mammalian piRNAs or germ cell development. We end with the discussion of major questions in the field, including substrate recognition and the birth of new piRNAs.
Collapse
|
5
|
Filanti B, Piccinini G, Bettini S, Lazzari M, Franceschini V, Maurizii MG, Milani L. Early germline differentiation in bivalves: TDRD7 as a candidate investigational unit for Ruditapes philippinarum germ granule assembly. Histochem Cell Biol 2021; 156:19-34. [PMID: 33770286 PMCID: PMC8277629 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-01983-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The germline is a key feature of sexual animals and the ways in which it separates from the soma differ widely across Metazoa. However, at least at some point during germline differentiation, some cytoplasmic supramolecular structures (collectively called germ plasm-related structures) are present and involved in its specification and/or differentiation. The factors involved in the assembly of these granular structures are various and non-ubiquitous among animals, even if some functional patterns and the presence of certain domains appear to be shared among some. For instance, the LOTUS domain is shared by Oskar, the Holometabola germ plasm master regulator, and some Tudor-family proteins assessed as being involved in the proper assembly of germ granules of different animals. Here, we looked for the presence of LOTUS-containing proteins in the transcriptome of Ruditapes philippinarum (Bivalvia). Such species is of particular interest because it displays annual renewal of gonads, sided by the renewal of germline differentiation pathways. Moreover, previous works have identified in its early germ cells cytoplasmic granules containing germline determinants. We selected the orthologue of TDRD7 as a candidate involved in the early steps of germline differentiation through bioinformatic predictions and immunohistological patterning (immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence). We observed the expression of the protein in putative precursors of germline cells, upstream to the germline marker Vasa. This, added to the fact that orthologues of this protein are involved in the assembly of germ granules in mouse, zebrafish, and fly, makes it a worthy study unit for investigations on the formation of such structures in bivalves.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Filanti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Piccinini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Bettini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maurizio Lazzari
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Franceschini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Maurizii
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Liliana Milani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Donsbach P, Klostermeier D. Regulation of RNA helicase activity: principles and examples. Biol Chem 2021; 402:529-559. [PMID: 33583161 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2020-0362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
RNA helicases are a ubiquitous class of enzymes involved in virtually all processes of RNA metabolism, from transcription, mRNA splicing and export, mRNA translation and RNA transport to RNA degradation. Although ATP-dependent unwinding of RNA duplexes is their hallmark reaction, not all helicases catalyze unwinding in vitro, and some in vivo functions do not depend on duplex unwinding. RNA helicases are divided into different families that share a common helicase core with a set of helicase signature motives. The core provides the active site for ATP hydrolysis, a binding site for non-sequence-specific interaction with RNA, and in many cases a basal unwinding activity. Its activity is often regulated by flanking domains, by interaction partners, or by self-association. In this review, we summarize the regulatory mechanisms that modulate the activities of the helicase core. Case studies on selected helicases with functions in translation, splicing, and RNA sensing illustrate the various modes and layers of regulation in time and space that harness the helicase core for a wide spectrum of cellular tasks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Donsbach
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse 30, D-48149Münster, Germany
| | - Dagmar Klostermeier
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse 30, D-48149Münster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lasko P. Patterning the Drosophila embryo: A paradigm for RNA-based developmental genetic regulation. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2020; 11:e1610. [PMID: 32543002 PMCID: PMC7583483 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic anterior–posterior patterning is established in Drosophila melanogaster by maternally expressed genes. The mRNAs of several of these genes accumulate at either the anterior or posterior pole of the oocyte via a number of mechanisms. Many of these mRNAs are also under elaborate translational regulation. Asymmetric RNA localization coupled with spatially restricted translation ensures that their proteins are restricted to the position necessary for the developmental process that they drive. Bicoid (Bcd), the anterior determinant, and Oskar (Osk), the determinant for primordial germ cells and posterior patterning, have been studied particularly closely. In early embryos an anterior–posterior gradient of Bcd is established, activating transcription of different sets of zygotic genes depending on local Bcd concentration. At the posterior pole, Osk seeds formation of polar granules, ribonucleoprotein complexes that accumulate further mRNAs and proteins involved in posterior patterning and germ cell specification. After fertilization, polar granules associate with posterior nuclei and mature into nuclear germ granules. Osk accumulates in these granules, and either by itself or as part of the granules, stimulates germ cell division. This article is categorized under:RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization Translation > Translation Regulation RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Lasko
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Drosophila MARF1 ensures proper oocyte maturation by regulating nanos expression. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231114. [PMID: 32243476 PMCID: PMC7122799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis and oocyte maturation are tightly regulated processes. The meiosis arrest female 1 (MARF1) gene is essential for meiotic progression in animals; however, its detailed function remains unclear. In this study, we examined the molecular mechanism of dMarf1, a Drosophila homolog of MARF1 encoding an OST and RNA Recognition Motif (RRM) -containing protein for meiotic progression and oocyte maturation. Although oogenesis progressed in females carrying a dMarf1 loss-of-function allele, the dMarf1 mutant oocytes were found to contain arrested meiotic spindles or disrupted microtubule structures, indicating that the transition from meiosis I to II was compromised in these oocytes. The expression of the full-length dMarf1 transgene, but none of the variants lacking the OST and RRM motifs or the 47 conserved C-terminal residues among insect groups, rescued the meiotic defect in dMarf1 mutant oocytes. Our results indicate that these conserved residues are important for dMarf1 function. Immunoprecipitation of Myc-dMarf1 revealed that several mRNAs are bound to dMarf1. Of those, the protein expression of nanos (nos), but not its mRNA, was affected in the absence of dMarf1. In the control, the expression of Nos protein became downregulated during the late stages of oogenesis, while it remained high in dMarf1 mutant oocytes. We propose that dMarf1 translationally represses nos by binding to its mRNA. Furthermore, the downregulation of Nos induces cycB expression, which in turn activates the CycB/Cdk1 complex at the onset of oocyte maturation.
Collapse
|
9
|
Quan H, Arsala D, Lynch JA. Transcriptomic and functional analysis of the oosome, a unique form of germ plasm in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis. BMC Biol 2019; 17:78. [PMID: 31601213 PMCID: PMC6785909 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0696-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The oosome is the germline determinant in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis and is homologous to the polar granules of Drosophila. Despite a common evolutionary origin and developmental role, the oosome is morphologically quite distinct from polar granules. It is a solid sphere that migrates within the cytoplasm before budding out and forming pole cells. RESULTS To gain an understanding of both the molecular basis of oosome development and the conserved essential features of germ plasm, we quantified and compared transcript levels between embryo fragments that contained the oosome and those that did not. The identity of the differentially localized transcripts indicated that Nasonia uses a distinct set of molecules to carry out conserved germ plasm functions. In addition, functional testing of a sample of localized transcripts revealed potentially novel mechanisms of ribonucleoprotein assembly and pole cell cellularization in the wasp. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the composition of germ plasm varies significantly within Holometabola, as very few mRNAs share localization to the oosome and polar granules. Some of this variability appears to be related to the unique properties of the oosome relative to the polar granules in Drosophila, and some may be related to differences in pole formation between species. This work will serve as the basis for further investigation into the patterns of germline determinant evolution among insects, the molecular basis of the unique properties of the oosome, and the incorporation of novel components into developmental networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Honghu Quan
- Department of Pathology and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105 USA
| | - Deanna Arsala
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Jeremy A. Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Benton MA, Frey N, Nunes da Fonseca R, von Levetzow C, Stappert D, Hakeemi MS, Conrads KH, Pechmann M, Panfilio KA, Lynch JA, Roth S. Fog signaling has diverse roles in epithelial morphogenesis in insects. eLife 2019; 8:47346. [PMID: 31573513 PMCID: PMC6794076 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila Fog pathway represents one of the best-understood signaling cascades controlling epithelial morphogenesis. During gastrulation, Fog induces apical cell constrictions that drive the invagination of mesoderm and posterior gut primordia. The cellular mechanisms underlying primordia internalization vary greatly among insects and recent work has suggested that Fog signaling is specific to the fast mode of gastrulation found in some flies. On the contrary, here we show in the beetle Tribolium, whose development is broadly representative for insects, that Fog has multiple morphogenetic functions. It modulates mesoderm internalization and controls a massive posterior infolding involved in gut and extraembryonic development. In addition, Fog signaling affects blastoderm cellularization, primordial germ cell positioning, and cuboidal-to-squamous cell shape transitions in the extraembryonic serosa. Comparative analyses with two other distantly related insect species reveals that Fog's role during cellularization is widely conserved and therefore might represent the ancestral function of the pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Alan Benton
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nadine Frey
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | | | - Cornelia von Levetzow
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Dominik Stappert
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Muhammad Salim Hakeemi
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Kai H Conrads
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Matthias Pechmann
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - Kristen A Panfilio
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.,School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy A Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, United States
| | - Siegfried Roth
- Institute for Zoology/Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Tudor-domain containing protein 5-like promotes male sexual identity in the Drosophila germline and is repressed in females by Sex lethal. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007617. [PMID: 31329582 PMCID: PMC6645463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
For sexually reproducing organisms, production of male or female gametes depends on specifying the correct sexual identity in the germline. In D. melanogaster, Sex lethal (Sxl) is the key gene that controls sex determination in both the soma and the germline, but how it does so in the germline is unknown, other than that it is different than in the soma. We conducted an RNA expression profiling experiment to identify direct and indirect germline targets of Sxl specifically in the undifferentiated germline. We find that, in these cells, Sxl loss does not lead to a global masculinization observed at the whole-genome level. In contrast, Sxl appears to affect a discrete set of genes required in the male germline, such as Phf7. We also identify Tudor domain containing protein 5-like (Tdrd5l) as a target for Sxl regulation that is important for male germline identity. Tdrd5l is repressed by Sxl in female germ cells, but is highly expressed in male germ cells where it promotes proper male fertility and germline differentiation. Additionally, Tdrd5l localizes to cytoplasmic granules with some characteristics of RNA Processing (P-) Bodies, suggesting that it promotes male identity in the germline by regulating post-transcriptional gene expression.
Collapse
|
12
|
Primus S, Pozmanter C, Baxter K, Van Doren M. Tudor-domain containing protein 5-like promotes male sexual identity in the Drosophila germline and is repressed in females by Sex lethal. PLoS Genet 2019. [PMID: 31329582 DOI: 10.1101/388850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
For sexually reproducing organisms, production of male or female gametes depends on specifying the correct sexual identity in the germline. In D. melanogaster, Sex lethal (Sxl) is the key gene that controls sex determination in both the soma and the germline, but how it does so in the germline is unknown, other than that it is different than in the soma. We conducted an RNA expression profiling experiment to identify direct and indirect germline targets of Sxl specifically in the undifferentiated germline. We find that, in these cells, Sxl loss does not lead to a global masculinization observed at the whole-genome level. In contrast, Sxl appears to affect a discrete set of genes required in the male germline, such as Phf7. We also identify Tudor domain containing protein 5-like (Tdrd5l) as a target for Sxl regulation that is important for male germline identity. Tdrd5l is repressed by Sxl in female germ cells, but is highly expressed in male germ cells where it promotes proper male fertility and germline differentiation. Additionally, Tdrd5l localizes to cytoplasmic granules with some characteristics of RNA Processing (P-) Bodies, suggesting that it promotes male identity in the germline by regulating post-transcriptional gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shekerah Primus
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Caitlin Pozmanter
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kelly Baxter
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Mark Van Doren
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ge DT, Wang W, Tipping C, Gainetdinov I, Weng Z, Zamore PD. The RNA-Binding ATPase, Armitage, Couples piRNA Amplification in Nuage to Phased piRNA Production on Mitochondria. Mol Cell 2019; 74:982-995.e6. [PMID: 31076285 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) silence transposons in Drosophila ovaries, ensuring female fertility. Two coupled pathways generate germline piRNAs: the ping-pong cycle, in which the PIWI proteins Aubergine and Ago3 increase the abundance of pre-existing piRNAs, and the phased piRNA pathway, which generates strings of tail-to-head piRNAs, one after another. Proteins acting in the ping-pong cycle localize to nuage, whereas phased piRNA production requires Zucchini, an endonuclease on the mitochondrial surface. Here, we report that Armitage (Armi), an RNA-binding ATPase localized to both nuage and mitochondria, links the ping-pong cycle to the phased piRNA pathway. Mutations that block phased piRNA production deplete Armi from nuage. Armi ATPase mutants cannot support phased piRNA production and inappropriately bind mRNA instead of piRNA precursors. We propose that Armi shuttles between nuage and mitochondria, feeding precursor piRNAs generated by Ago3 cleavage into the Zucchini-dependent production of Aubergine- and Piwi-bound piRNAs on the mitochondrial surface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Tianfang Ge
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Cindy Tipping
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ildar Gainetdinov
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
| | - Phillip D Zamore
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
LOTUS domain protein MARF1 binds CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex to post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression in oocytes. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4031. [PMID: 30279526 PMCID: PMC6168497 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06404-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression plays an essential role during oocyte maturation. Here we report that Drosophila MARF1 (Meiosis Regulator And mRNA Stability Factor 1), which consists of one RNA-recognition motif and six tandem LOTUS domains with unknown molecular function, is essential for oocyte maturation. When tethered to a reporter mRNA, MARF1 post-transcriptionally silences reporter expression by shortening reporter mRNA poly-A tail length and thereby reducing reporter protein level. This activity is mediated by the MARF1 LOTUS domain, which binds the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex. MARF1 binds cyclin A mRNA and shortens its poly-A tail to reduce Cyclin A protein level during oocyte maturation. This study identifies MARF1 as a regulator in oocyte maturation and defines the conserved LOTUS domain as a post-transcriptional effector domain that recruits CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex to shorten target mRNA poly-A tails and suppress their translation. The RNA-binding protein MARF1 is required for post-transcriptional regulation of mRNAs during mouse oogenesis. Here, by analyzing a Drosophila MARF1 mutant, the authors show that MARF1 recruits CCR4-NOT deadenylase to shorten the poly-A tails of target mRNAs such as cyclin A and suppress their translation during Drosophila oogenesis.
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
Gametogenesis represents the most dramatic cellular differentiation pathways in both female and male flies. At the genome level, meiosis ensures that diploid germ cells become haploid gametes. At the epigenome level, extensive changes are required to turn on and shut off gene expression in a precise spatiotemporally controlled manner. Research applying conventional molecular genetics and cell biology, in combination with rapidly advancing genomic tools have helped us to investigate (1) how germ cells maintain lineage specificity throughout their adult reproductive lifetime; (2) what molecular mechanisms ensure proper oogenesis and spermatogenesis, as well as protect genome integrity of the germline; (3) how signaling pathways contribute to germline-soma communication; and (4) if such communication is important. In this chapter, we highlight recent discoveries that have improved our understanding of these questions. On the other hand, restarting a new life cycle upon fertilization is a unique challenge faced by gametes, raising questions that involve intergenerational and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Therefore, we also discuss new developments that link changes during gametogenesis to early embryonic development-a rapidly growing field that promises to bring more understanding to some fundamental questions regarding metazoan development.
Collapse
|
16
|
Teo RYW, Anand A, Sridhar V, Okamura K, Kai T. Heterochromatin protein 1a functions for piRNA biogenesis predominantly from pericentric and telomeric regions in Drosophila. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1735. [PMID: 29728561 PMCID: PMC5935673 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03908-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In metazoan germline, Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) provide defence against transposons. Piwi-piRNA complex mediates transcriptional silencing of transposons in nucleus. Heterochromatin protein 1a (HP1a) has been proposed to function downstream of Piwi-piRNA complex in Drosophila. Here we show that HP1a germline knockdown (HP1a-GLKD) leads to a reduction in the total and Piwi-bound piRNAs mapping to clusters and transposons insertions, predominantly in the regions close to telomeres and centromeres, resulting in derepression of a limited number of transposons from these regions. In addition, HP1a-GLKD increases the splicing of transcripts arising from clusters in above regions, suggesting HP1a also functions upstream to piRNA processing. Evolutionarily old transposons enriched in the pericentric regions exhibit significant loss in piRNAs targeting these transposons upon HP1a-GLKD. Our study suggests that HP1a functions to repress transposons in a chromosomal compartmentalised manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Yee Wei Teo
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Pathology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore, 308433, Singapore
| | - Amit Anand
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Vishweshwaren Sridhar
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Katsutomo Okamura
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Toshie Kai
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Calender A, Rollat Farnier PA, Buisson A, Pinson S, Bentaher A, Lebecque S, Corvol H, Abou Taam R, Houdouin V, Bardel C, Roy P, Devouassoux G, Cottin V, Seve P, Bernaudin JF, Lim CX, Weichhart T, Valeyre D, Pacheco Y, Clement A, Nathan N. Whole exome sequencing in three families segregating a pediatric case of sarcoidosis. BMC Med Genomics 2018; 11:23. [PMID: 29510755 PMCID: PMC5839022 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-018-0338-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [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: 08/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sarcoidosis (OMIM 181000) is a multi-systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown origin. Despite multiple genome-wide association (GWAS) studies, no major pathogenic pathways have been identified to date. To find out relevant sarcoidosis predisposing genes, we searched for de novo and recessive mutations in 3 young probands with sarcoidosis and their healthy parents using a whole-exome sequencing (WES) methodology. METHODS From the SARCFAM project based on a national network collecting familial cases of sarcoidosis, we selected three families (trios) in which a child, despite healthy parents, develop the disease before age 15 yr. Each trio was genotyped by WES (Illumina HiSEQ 2500) and we selected the gene variants segregating as 1) new mutations only occurring in affected children and 2) as recessive traits transmitted from each parents. The identified coding variants were compared between the three families. Allelic frequencies and in silico functional results were analyzed using ExAC, SIFT and Polyphenv2 databases. The clinical and genetic studies were registered by the ClinicalTrials.gov - Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS) ( https://clinicaltrials.gov ) receipt under the reference NCT02829853 and has been approved by the ethical committee (CPP LYON SUD EST - 2 - REF IRB 00009118 - September 21, 2016). RESULTS We identified 37 genes sharing coding variants occurring either as recessive mutations in at least 2 trios or de novo mutations in one of the three affected children. The genes were classified according to their potential roles in immunity related pathways: 9 to autophagy and intracellular trafficking, 6 to G-proteins regulation, 4 to T-cell activation, 4 to cell cycle and immune synapse, 2 to innate immunity. Ten of the 37 genes were studied in a bibliographic way to evaluate the functional link with sarcoidosis. CONCLUSIONS Whole exome analysis of case-parent trios is useful for the identification of genes predisposing to complex genetic diseases as sarcoidosis. Our data identified 37 genes that could be putatively linked to a pediatric form of sarcoidosis in three trios. Our in-depth focus on 10 of these 37 genes may suggest that the formation of the characteristic lesion in sarcoidosis, granuloma, results from combined deficits in autophagy and intracellular trafficking (ex: Sec16A, AP5B1 and RREB1), G-proteins regulation (ex: OBSCN, CTTND2 and DNAH11), T-cell activation (ex: IDO2, IGSF3), mitosis and/or immune synapse (ex: SPICE1 and KNL1). The significance of these findings needs to be confirmed by functional tests on selected gene variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alain Calender
- Genetics Department, Hospices Civils de LYON (HCL), University Hospital, East Pathology Center, LYON, B-A3, 59 Bld Pinel, 69677 BRON Cedex, France
- Inflammation & Immunity of the Respiratory Epithelium - EA7426 (PI3) – South Medical University Hospital – Lyon 1 Claude Bernard University, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, 69310 Pierre-Bénite, France
| | | | - Adrien Buisson
- Genetics Department, Hospices Civils de LYON (HCL), University Hospital, East Pathology Center, LYON, B-A3, 59 Bld Pinel, 69677 BRON Cedex, France
| | - Stéphane Pinson
- Genetics Department, Hospices Civils de LYON (HCL), University Hospital, East Pathology Center, LYON, B-A3, 59 Bld Pinel, 69677 BRON Cedex, France
| | - Abderrazzaq Bentaher
- Inflammation & Immunity of the Respiratory Epithelium - EA7426 (PI3) – South Medical University Hospital – Lyon 1 Claude Bernard University, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, 69310 Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Serge Lebecque
- Cancer Research Center, INSERM U-1052, CNRS 5286, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Harriet Corvol
- Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, INSERM UMR-S938, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Rola Abou Taam
- Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France
| | - Véronique Houdouin
- Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Robert Debré, INSERM U-1142, University Paris Diderot VII, Paris, France
| | - Claire Bardel
- Department of biostatistics, University Hospital, Hospices Civils de LYON (HCL), Lyon, France
| | - Pascal Roy
- Department of biostatistics, University Hospital, Hospices Civils de LYON (HCL), Lyon, France
| | - Gilles Devouassoux
- Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital, Hôpital Croix Rousse, Lyon, France
| | - Vincent Cottin
- Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital, Hôpital Louis Pradel, Lyon, France
| | - Pascal Seve
- Department of Internal medicine, University Hospital, Hôpital Croix Rousse, Lyon, France
| | | | - Clarice X. Lim
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Währinger Straße 10, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Weichhart
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Währinger Straße 10, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominique Valeyre
- EA2363, University Paris 13, COMUE Sorbonne-Paris-Cité, 74 rue Marcel Cachin, 93009 Bobigny, France
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Department of Pulmonology, Avicenne University Hospital, 93009 Bobigny, France
| | - Yves Pacheco
- Inflammation & Immunity of the Respiratory Epithelium - EA7426 (PI3) – South Medical University Hospital – Lyon 1 Claude Bernard University, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, 69310 Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Annick Clement
- AP-HP Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Trousseau, INSERM UMR-S933, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Nadia Nathan
- AP-HP Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Trousseau, INSERM UMR-S933, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - in the frame of GSF (Groupe Sarcoïdose France)
- Genetics Department, Hospices Civils de LYON (HCL), University Hospital, East Pathology Center, LYON, B-A3, 59 Bld Pinel, 69677 BRON Cedex, France
- Department of biostatistics, University Hospital, Hospices Civils de LYON (HCL), Lyon, France
- Inflammation & Immunity of the Respiratory Epithelium - EA7426 (PI3) – South Medical University Hospital – Lyon 1 Claude Bernard University, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, 69310 Pierre-Bénite, France
- Cancer Research Center, INSERM U-1052, CNRS 5286, 69008 Lyon, France
- Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, INSERM UMR-S938, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France
- Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Robert Debré, INSERM U-1142, University Paris Diderot VII, Paris, France
- Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital, Hôpital Croix Rousse, Lyon, France
- Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital, Hôpital Louis Pradel, Lyon, France
- Department of Internal medicine, University Hospital, Hôpital Croix Rousse, Lyon, France
- Histology and Tumor Biology, ER2 UPMC, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Währinger Straße 10, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- EA2363, University Paris 13, COMUE Sorbonne-Paris-Cité, 74 rue Marcel Cachin, 93009 Bobigny, France
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Department of Pulmonology, Avicenne University Hospital, 93009 Bobigny, France
- AP-HP Pediatric pulmonology and Reference Center for rare lung diseases RespiRare, Hôpital Trousseau, INSERM UMR-S933, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Spindle-E Acts Antivirally Against Alphaviruses in Mosquito Cells. Viruses 2018; 10:v10020088. [PMID: 29463033 PMCID: PMC5850395 DOI: 10.3390/v10020088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes transmit several human- and animal-pathogenic alphaviruses (Togaviridae family). In alphavirus-infected mosquito cells two different types of virus-specific small RNAs are produced as part of the RNA interference response: short-interfering (si)RNAs and PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs. The siRNA pathway is generally thought to be the main antiviral pathway. Although an antiviral activity has been suggested for the piRNA pathway its role in host defences is not clear. Knock down of key proteins of the piRNA pathway (Ago3 and Piwi5) in Aedes aegypti-derived cells reduced the production of alphavirus chikungunya virus (CHIKV)-specific piRNAs but had no effect on virus replication. In contrast, knock down of the siRNA pathway key protein Ago2 resulted in an increase in virus replication. Similar results were obtained when expression of Piwi4 was silenced. Knock down of the helicase Spindle-E (SpnE), an essential co-factor of the piRNA pathway in Drosophila melanogaster, resulted in increased virus replication indicating that SpnE acts as an antiviral against alphaviruses such as CHIKV and the related Semliki Forest virus (SFV). Surprisingly, this effect was found to be independent of the siRNA and piRNA pathways in Ae. aegypti cells and specific for alphaviruses. This suggests a small RNA-independent antiviral function for this protein in mosquitoes.
Collapse
|
19
|
Silencing of Transposable Elements by piRNAs in Drosophila: An Evolutionary Perspective. GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2017; 15:164-176. [PMID: 28602845 PMCID: PMC5487533 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences that can move within the genome. TEs have greatly shaped the genomes, transcriptomes, and proteomes of the host organisms through a variety of mechanisms. However, TEs generally disrupt genes and destabilize the host genomes, which substantially reduce fitness of the host organisms. Understanding the genomic distribution and evolutionary dynamics of TEs will greatly deepen our understanding of the TE-mediated biological processes. Most TE insertions are highly polymorphic in Drosophila melanogaster, providing us a good system to investigate the evolution of TEs at the population level. Decades of theoretical and experimental studies have well established “transposition-selection” population genetics model, which assumes that the equilibrium between TE replication and purifying selection determines the copy number of TEs in the genome. In the last decade, P-element-induced wimpy testis (PIWI)-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) were demonstrated to be master repressors of TE activities in Drosophila. The discovery of piRNAs revolutionized our understanding of TE repression, because it reveals that the host organisms have evolved an adaptive mechanism to defend against TE invasion. Tremendous progress has been made to understand the molecular mechanisms by which piRNAs repress active TEs, although many details in this process remain to be further explored. The interaction between piRNAs and TEs well explains the molecular mechanisms underlying hybrid dysgenesis for the I-R and P-M systems in Drosophila, which have puzzled evolutionary biologists for decades. The piRNA repression pathway provides us an unparalleled system to study the co-evolutionary process between parasites and host organisms.
Collapse
|
20
|
Jeske M, Müller CW, Ephrussi A. The LOTUS domain is a conserved DEAD-box RNA helicase regulator essential for the recruitment of Vasa to the germ plasm and nuage. Genes Dev 2017; 31:939-952. [PMID: 28536148 PMCID: PMC5458760 DOI: 10.1101/gad.297051.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
DEAD-box RNA helicases play important roles in a wide range of metabolic processes. Regulatory proteins can stimulate or block the activity of DEAD-box helicases. Here, we show that LOTUS (Limkain, Oskar, and Tudor containing proteins 5 and 7) domains present in the germline proteins Oskar, TDRD5 (Tudor domain-containing 5), and TDRD7 bind and stimulate the germline-specific DEAD-box RNA helicase Vasa. Our crystal structure of the LOTUS domain of Oskar in complex with the C-terminal RecA-like domain of Vasa reveals that the LOTUS domain occupies a surface on a DEAD-box helicase not implicated previously in the regulation of the enzyme's activity. We show that, in vivo, the localization of Drosophila Vasa to the nuage and germ plasm depends on its interaction with LOTUS domain proteins. The binding and stimulation of Vasa DEAD-box helicases by LOTUS domains are widely conserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Jeske
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.,Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph W Müller
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anne Ephrussi
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Specchia V, D'Attis S, Puricella A, Bozzetti MP. dFmr1 Plays Roles in Small RNA Pathways of Drosophila melanogaster. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18051066. [PMID: 28509881 PMCID: PMC5454977 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18051066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragile-X syndrome is the most common form of inherited mental retardation accompanied by other phenotypes, including macroorchidism. The disorder originates with mutations in the Fmr1 gene coding for the FMRP protein, which, with its paralogs FXR1 and FXR2, constitute a well-conserved family of RNA-binding proteins. Drosophila melanogaster is a good model for the syndrome because it has a unique fragile X-related gene: dFmr1. Recently, in addition to its confirmed role in the miRNA pathway, a function for dFmr1 in the piRNA pathway, operating in Drosophila gonads, has been established. In this review we report a summary of the piRNA pathways occurring in gonads with a special emphasis on the relationship between the piRNA genes and the crystal-Stellate system; we also analyze the roles of dFmr1 in the Drosophila gonads, exploring their genetic and biochemical interactions to reveal some unexpected connections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Specchia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (DiSTeBA)-University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Simona D'Attis
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (DiSTeBA)-University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Antonietta Puricella
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (DiSTeBA)-University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Maria Pia Bozzetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (DiSTeBA)-University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sumiyoshi T, Sato K, Yamamoto H, Iwasaki YW, Siomi H, Siomi MC. Loss of l(3)mbt leads to acquisition of the ping-pong cycle in Drosophila ovarian somatic cells. Genes Dev 2017; 30:1617-22. [PMID: 27474440 PMCID: PMC4973291 DOI: 10.1101/gad.283929.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sumiyoshi et al. show that CRISPR-mediated loss of function of lethal (3) malignant brain tumor [l(3)mbt] leads to ectopic activation of the germ-specific ping-pong cycle in ovarian somatic cells. Perinuclear foci resembling nuage, the ping-pong center, appeared following l(3)mbt mutation. In Drosophila germ cells, PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are amplified through a PIWI slicer-dependent feed-forward loop termed the ping-pong cycle, yielding secondary piRNAs. However, the detailed mechanism remains poorly understood, largely because an ex vivo model system amenable to biochemical analyses has not been available. Here, we show that CRISPR-mediated loss of function of lethal (3) malignant brain tumor [l(3)mbt] leads to ectopic activation of the germ-specific ping-pong cycle in ovarian somatic cells. Perinuclear foci resembling nuage, the ping-pong center, appeared following l(3)mbt mutation. This activation of the ping-pong machinery in cultured cells will greatly facilitate elucidation of the mechanism underlying secondary piRNA biogenesis in Drosophila.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tetsutaro Sumiyoshi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Kaoru Sato
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Hitomi Yamamoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Yuka W Iwasaki
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 162-8582, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Siomi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 162-8582, Japan
| | - Mikiko C Siomi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Pers D, Buchta T, Özüak O, Wolff S, Pietsch JM, Memon MB, Roth S, Lynch JA. Global analysis of dorsoventral patterning in the wasp Nasonia reveals extensive incorporation of novelty in a regulatory network. BMC Biol 2016; 14:63. [PMID: 27480122 PMCID: PMC4968023 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-016-0285-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) underlie developmental patterning and morphogenetic processes, and changes in the interactions within the underlying GRNs are a major driver of evolutionary processes. In order to make meaningful comparisons that can provide significant insights into the evolution of regulatory networks, homologous networks from multiple taxa must be deeply characterized. One of the most thoroughly characterized GRNs is the dorsoventral (DV) patterning system of the Drosophila melanogaster embryo. We have developed the wasp Nasonia as a comparative DV patterning model because it has shown the convergent evolution of a mode of early embryonic patterning very similar to that of the fly, and it is of interest to know whether the similarity at the gross level also extends to the molecular level. Results We used RNAi to dorsalize and ventralize Nasonia embryos, RNAseq to quantify transcriptome-wide expression levels, and differential expression analysis to identify genes whose expression levels change in either RNAi case. This led to the identification of >100 genes differentially expressed and regulated along the DV axis. Only a handful of these genes are shared DV components in both fly and wasp. Many of those unique to Nasonia are cytoskeletal and adhesion molecules, which may be related to the divergent cell and tissue behavior observed at gastrulation. In addition, many transcription factors and signaling components are only DV regulated in Nasonia, likely reflecting the divergent upstream patterning mechanisms involved in producing the conserved pattern of cell fates observed at gastrulation. Finally, several genes that lack Drosophila orthologs show robust and distinct expression patterns. These include genes with vertebrate homologs that have been lost in the fly lineage, genes that are found only among Hymenoptera, and several genes that entered the Nasonia genome through lateral transfer from endosymbiotic bacteria. Conclusions Altogether, our results provide insights into how GRNs respond to new functional demands and how they can incorporate novel components. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-016-0285-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Pers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, MBRB 4020, 900 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60402, USA
| | - Thomas Buchta
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Orhan Özüak
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Selma Wolff
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jessica M Pietsch
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mohammad Bilal Memon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, MBRB 4020, 900 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60402, USA
| | - Siegfried Roth
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University at Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jeremy A Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, MBRB 4020, 900 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60402, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Quénerch'du E, Anand A, Kai T. The piRNA pathway is developmentally regulated during spermatogenesis in Drosophila. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2016; 22:1044-1054. [PMID: 27208314 PMCID: PMC4911912 DOI: 10.1261/rna.055996.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are predominantly produced in animal gonads to suppress transposons during germline development. Our understanding about the piRNA biogenesis and function is predominantly from studies of the Drosophila female germline. piRNA pathway function in the male germline, however, remains poorly understood. To study overall and stage-specific features of piRNAs during spermatogenesis, we analyzed small RNAs extracted from entire wild-type testes and stage-specific arrest mutant testes enriched with spermatogonia or primary spermatocytes. We show that most active piRNA clusters in the female germline do not majorly contribute to piRNAs in testes, and abundance patterns of piRNAs mapping to different transposon families also differ between male and female germlines. piRNA production is regulated in a stage-specific manner during spermatogenesis. The piRNAs in spermatogonia-enriched testes are predominantly transposon-mapping piRNAs, and almost half of those exhibit a ping-pong signature. In contrast, the primary spermatocyte-enriched testes have a dramatically high amount of piRNAs targeting repeats like suppressor of stellate and AT-chX The transposon-mapping piRNAs in the primary spermatocyte stages lacking Argonaute3 expression also show a ping-pong signature, albeit to a lesser extent. Consistently, argonaute3 mutant testes also retain ping-pong signature-bearing piRNAs, suggesting that a noncanonical ping-pong cycle might act during spermatogenesis. Our study shows stage-specific regulation of piRNA biogenesis during spermatogenesis: An active ping-pong cycle produces abundant transposon-mapping piRNAs in spermatogonia, while in primary spermatocytes, piRNAs act to suppress the repeats and transposons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Quénerch'du
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, 117604 Singapore, Singapore Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117543 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Amit Anand
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, 117604 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Toshie Kai
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, 117604 Singapore, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
Primordial germ cells are the progenitor cells that give rise to the gametes. In some animals, the germline is induced by zygotic transcription factors, whereas in others, primordial germ cell specification occurs via inheritance of maternally provided gene products known as germ plasm. Once specified, the primordial germ cells of some animals must acquire motility and migrate to the gonad in order to survive. In all animals examined, perinuclear structures called germ granules form within germ cells. This review focuses on some of the recent studies, conducted by several groups using diverse systems, from invertebrates to vertebrates, which have provided mechanistic insight into the molecular regulation of germ cell specification and migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florence Marlow
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Théron E, Dennis C, Brasset E, Vaury C. Distinct features of the piRNA pathway in somatic and germ cells: from piRNA cluster transcription to piRNA processing and amplification. Mob DNA 2014; 5:28. [PMID: 25525472 PMCID: PMC4269861 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-014-0028-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are major components of genomes. Their mobilization may affect genomic expression and be a threat to genetic stability. This is why they have to be tightly regulated by a dedicated system. In the reproductive tissues of a large range of organisms, they are repressed by a subclass of small interfering RNAs called piRNAs (PIWI interacting RNAs). In Drosophila melanogaster, piRNAs are produced both in the ovarian germline cells and in their surrounding somatic cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that germinal and somatic piRNA pathways are far more different than previously thought. Here we review the current knowledge on piRNA production in both these cell types, and explore their similarities and differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Théron
- Laboratoire GReD, Faculté de Médecine, Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, 28 Place H Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Inserm, U 1103, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.,CNRS, UMR 6293, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Cynthia Dennis
- Laboratoire GReD, Faculté de Médecine, Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, 28 Place H Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Inserm, U 1103, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.,CNRS, UMR 6293, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Emilie Brasset
- Laboratoire GReD, Faculté de Médecine, Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, 28 Place H Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Inserm, U 1103, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.,CNRS, UMR 6293, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Chantal Vaury
- Laboratoire GReD, Faculté de Médecine, Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, 28 Place H Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Inserm, U 1103, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.,CNRS, UMR 6293, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Abstract
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) protect animal germlines from the deleterious effects of transposon activity. Unlike other small RNA classes like microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), an exceptionally large number of factors are implicated in the biogenesis of piRNAs. Kai et al. have now added another one to this growing list, which we discuss in the overall context of our current knowledge of the piRNA biogenesis pathway in the Drosophila ovarian germline. See research article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/12/61.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ramesh S Pillai
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Grenoble Outstation, University Grenoble Alpes-EMBL-CNRS, 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38042, France.
| |
Collapse
|