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Pereira J, Santos-Araujo S, Bomfim L, Gondim KC, Majerowicz D, Pane A, Ramos I. Gene identification and RNAi-silencing of p62/SQSTM1 in the vector Rhodnius prolixus reveals a high degree of sequence conservation but no apparent deficiency-related phenotypes in vitellogenic females. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287488. [PMID: 37486954 PMCID: PMC10365311 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) are important cellular mechanisms that coordinate protein degradation essential for proteostasis. P62/SQSTM1 is a receptor cargo protein able to deliver ubiquitinated targets to the proteasome proteolytic complex and/or to the autophagosome. In the insect vector of Chagas disease, Rhodnius prolixus, previous works have shown that the knockdown of different autophagy-related genes (ATGs) and ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes resulted in abnormal oogenesis phenotypes and embryo lethality. Here, we investigate the role of the autophagy/UPS adaptor protein p62 during the oogenesis and reproduction of this vector. We found that R. prolixus presents one isoform of p62 encoded by a non-annotated gene. The predicted protein presents the domain architecture anticipated for p62: PB1 (N-term), ZZ-finger, and UBA (C-term) domains, and phylogenetic analysis showed that this pattern is highly conserved within insects. Using parental RNAi, we found that although p62 is expressed in the ovary, midgut, and fat body of adult females, systemic silencing of this gene did not result in any apparent phenotypes under in-house conditions. The insects' overall levels of blood meal digestion, lifespan, yolk protein production, oviposition, and embryo viability were not altered when compared to controls. Because it is known that autophagy and UPS can undergo compensatory mechanisms, we asked whether the silencing of p62 was triggering adaptative changes in the expression of genes of the autophagy, UPS, and the unfolded protein response (UPR) and found that only ATG1 was slightly up regulated in the ovaries of silenced females. In addition, experiments to further investigate the role of p62 in insects previously silenced for the E1-conjugating enzyme (a condition known to trigger the upregulation of p62), also did not result in any apparent phenotypes in vitellogenic females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Pereira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Samara Santos-Araujo
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Larissa Bomfim
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Katia Calp Gondim
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - David Majerowicz
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Attilio Pane
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ramos
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Benoit I, Di Curzio D, Civetta A, Douville RN. Drosophila as a Model for Human Viral Neuroinfections. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172685. [PMID: 36078091 PMCID: PMC9454636 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of human neurological infection faces many technical and ethical challenges. While not as common as mammalian models, the use of Drosophila (fruit fly) in the investigation of virus–host dynamics is a powerful research tool. In this review, we focus on the benefits and caveats of using Drosophila as a model for neurological infections and neuroimmunity. Through the examination of in vitro, in vivo and transgenic systems, we highlight select examples to illustrate the use of flies for the study of exogenous and endogenous viruses associated with neurological disease. In each case, phenotypes in Drosophila are compared to those in human conditions. In addition, we discuss antiviral drug screening in flies and how investigating virus–host interactions may lead to novel antiviral drug targets. Together, we highlight standardized and reproducible readouts of fly behaviour, motor function and neurodegeneration that permit an accurate assessment of neurological outcomes for the study of viral infection in fly models. Adoption of Drosophila as a valuable model system for neurological infections has and will continue to guide the discovery of many novel virus–host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilena Benoit
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 599 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2G3, Canada
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, 351 Taché Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
| | - Domenico Di Curzio
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, 351 Taché Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
| | - Alberto Civetta
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 599 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2G3, Canada
| | - Renée N. Douville
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 599 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2G3, Canada
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, 351 Taché Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Fan X, Huang T, Tong Y, Fan Z, Yang Z, Yang D, Mao X, Yang M. p62 works as a hub modulation in the ageing process. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 73:101538. [PMID: 34890823 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
p62 (also known as SQSTM1) is widely used as a predictor of autophagic flux, a process that allows the degradation of harmful and unnecessary components through lysosomes to maintain protein homeostasis in cells. p62 is also a stress-induced scaffold protein that resists oxidative stress. The multiple domains in its structure allow it to be connected with a variety of vital signalling pathways, autophagy and the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), allowing p62 to play important roles in cell proliferation, apoptosis and survival. Recent studies have shown that p62 is also directly or indirectly involved in the ageing process. In this review, we summarize in detail the process by which p62 regulates ageing from multiple ageing-related signs with the aim of providing new insight for the study of p62 in ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolan Fan
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China; Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Tiantian Huang
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China
| | - Yingdong Tong
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China
| | - Ziqiang Fan
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China
| | - Ziyue Yang
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China
| | - Deying Yang
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China; Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Xueping Mao
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China; Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Mingyao Yang
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, PR China; Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China.
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