1
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Chen YR, Harel I, Singh PP, Ziv I, Moses E, Goshtchevsky U, Machado BE, Brunet A, Jarosz DF. Tissue-specific landscape of protein aggregation and quality control in an aging vertebrate. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00266-1. [PMID: 38810654 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a hallmark of age-related neurodegeneration. Yet, aggregation during normal aging and in tissues other than the brain is poorly understood. Here, we leverage the African turquoise killifish to systematically profile protein aggregates in seven tissues of an aging vertebrate. Age-dependent aggregation is strikingly tissue specific and not simply driven by protein expression differences. Experimental interrogation in killifish and yeast, combined with machine learning, indicates that this specificity is linked to protein-autonomous biophysical features and tissue-selective alterations in protein quality control. Co-aggregation of protein quality control machinery during aging may further reduce proteostasis capacity, exacerbating aggregate burden. A segmental progeria model with accelerated aging in specific tissues exhibits selectively increased aggregation in these same tissues. Intriguingly, many age-related protein aggregates arise in wild-type proteins that, when mutated, drive human diseases. Our data chart a comprehensive landscape of protein aggregation during vertebrate aging and identify strong, tissue-specific associations with dysfunction and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen R Chen
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Itamar Harel
- The Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Param Priya Singh
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Inbal Ziv
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eitan Moses
- The Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Uri Goshtchevsky
- The Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Ben E Machado
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Daniel F Jarosz
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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2
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Boos F, Chen J, Brunet A. The African Turquoise Killifish: A Scalable Vertebrate Model for Aging and Other Complex Phenotypes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2024; 2024:107737. [PMID: 37100468 PMCID: PMC10890783 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.over107737] [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] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri is currently the shortest-lived vertebrate that can be bred in captivity. Because of its short life span of only 4-6 months, rapid generation time, high fecundity, and low cost of maintenance, the African turquoise killifish has emerged as an attractive model organism that combines the scalability of invertebrate models with the unique features of vertebrate organisms. A growing community of researchers is using the African turquoise killifish for studies in diverse fields, including aging, organ regeneration, development, "suspended animation," evolution, neuroscience, and disease. A wide range of techniques is now available for killifish research, from genetic manipulations and genomic tools to specialized assays for studying life span, organ biology, response to injury, etc. This protocol collection provides detailed descriptions of the methods that are generally applicable to all killifish laboratories and those that are limited to specific disciplines. Here, we give an overview of the features that render the African turquoise killifish a unique fast-track vertebrate model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Boos
- Department of Genetics, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Jingxun Chen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging at Stanford, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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3
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Chui JS, Izuel‐Idoype T, Qualizza A, de Almeida RP, Piessens L, van der Veer BK, Vanmarcke G, Malesa A, Athanasouli P, Boon R, Vriens J, van Grunsven L, Koh KP, Verfaillie CM, Lluis F. Osmolar Modulation Drives Reversible Cell Cycle Exit and Human Pluripotent Cell Differentiation via NF-κВ and WNT Signaling. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307554. [PMID: 38037844 PMCID: PMC10870039 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307554] [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: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Terminally differentiated cells are commonly regarded as the most stable cell state in adult organisms, characterized by growth arrest while fulfilling their specialized functions. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in promoting cell cycle exit will improve the ability to differentiate pluripotent cells into mature tissues for both pharmacological and therapeutic use. Here, it demonstrates that a hyperosmolar environment enforces a protective p53-independent quiescent state in immature hepatoma cells and in pluripotent stem cell-derived models of human hepatocytes and endothelial cells. Prolonged culture in hyperosmolar conditions stimulates changes in gene expression promoting functional cell maturation. Interestingly, hyperosmolar conditions do not only trigger growth arrest and cellular maturation but are also necessary to maintain this maturated state, as switching back to plasma osmolarity reverses the changes in expression of maturation and proliferative markers. Transcriptome analysis revealed sequential stages of osmolarity-regulated growth arrest followed by cell maturation, mediated by activation of NF-κВ, and repression of WNT signaling, respectively. This study reveals that a modulated increase in osmolarity serves as a biochemical signal to promote long-term growth arrest and cellular maturation into different lineages, providing a practical method to generate differentiated hiPSCs that resemble their mature counterpart more closely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Sai‐Hong Chui
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Teresa Izuel‐Idoype
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Alessandra Qualizza
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Rita Pires de Almeida
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Lindsey Piessens
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Bernard K. van der Veer
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Gert Vanmarcke
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Aneta Malesa
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Paraskevi Athanasouli
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Ruben Boon
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Joris Vriens
- Laboratory of Endometrium, Endometriosis and Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Development and RegenerationKU LeuvenHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Leo van Grunsven
- Liver Cell Biology Research GroupVrije Universiteit BrusselLaarbeeklaan 103Brussels1090Belgium
| | - Kian Peng Koh
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Catherine M. Verfaillie
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
| | - Frederic Lluis
- KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and RegenerationStem Cell InstituteHerestraat 49Leuven3000Belgium
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4
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Borgonovo J, Allende-Castro C, Medinas DB, Cárdenas D, Cuevas MP, Hetz C, Concha ML. Immunohistochemical characterisation of the adult Nothobranchius furzeri intestine. Cell Tissue Res 2024; 395:21-38. [PMID: 38015266 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-023-03845-8] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Nothobranchius furzeri is emerging as an exciting vertebrate organism in the field of biomedicine, developmental biology and ecotoxicology research. Its short generation time, compressed lifespan and accelerated ageing make it a versatile model for longitudinal studies with high traceability. Although in recent years the use of this model has increased enormously, there is still little information on the anatomy, morphology and histology of its main organs. In this paper, we present a description of the digestive system of N. furzeri, with emphasis on the intestine. We note that the general architecture of the intestinal tissue is shared with other vertebrates, and includes a folding mucosa, an outer muscle layer and a myenteric plexus. By immunohistochemical analysis, we reveal that the mucosa harbours the same type of epithelial cells observed in mammals, including enterocytes, goblet cells and enteroendocrine cells, and that the myenteric neurons express neurotransmitters common to other species, such as serotonin, substance P and tyrosine hydroxylase. In addition, we detect the presence of a proliferative compartment at the base of the intestinal folds. The description of the normal intestinal morphology provided here constitutes a baseline information to contrast with tissue alterations in future lines of research assessing pathologies, ageing-related diseases or damage caused by toxic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Borgonovo
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | - Camilo Allende-Castro
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | - Danilo B Medinas
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Deyanira Cárdenas
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
- Medical Technology School, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Paz Cuevas
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
- Medical Technology School, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio Hetz
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
| | - Miguel L Concha
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile.
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile.
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5
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Durak R, Materowska M, Borowiak-Sobkowiak B, Bartoszewski S. Two distinct aphid diapause strategies: slow development or development arrest. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 150:104569. [PMID: 37734703 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Aphids adapt to unfavourable environmental conditions, such as low temperatures in winter, by laying diapausing eggs that overwinter. Diapause is a stress-resistant and developmentally arrested stage that can be adopted in order to increase the chance of survival in adverse environmental conditions. The diapause process of aphids is still very poorly understood. We followed the development of two species of aphids, Brachycorynella asparagi and Appendiseta robiniae, using the immunostained embryos of the aphids to identify mitotic cell divisions. Two different models of aphid diapause were demonstrated for the first time. In the first strategy, the embryo developed continuously during winter diapause, while in the second case, there was an embryonic arrest. The possibility of slow development of the whole body during diapause is a characteristic feature of aphids. The link to the plant's phenology appears to be a key factor in determining the diapause strategy in aphids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roma Durak
- Institute of Biology, University of Rzeszów, Pigonia 1, 35-310, Rzeszów, Poland.
| | - Martyna Materowska
- Institute of Biology, University of Rzeszów, Pigonia 1, 35-310, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Beata Borowiak-Sobkowiak
- Department of Entomology and Environmental Protection, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 159, PL-60-594 Poland
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6
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Vásquez-Sepúlveda S, Guerrero N, Lemus CG, Meynard M, Cerda M, Concha ML, Bertocchi C, Ravasio A. Protocol for extracting live blastoderm cells from embryos of annual killifish. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102344. [PMID: 37352104 PMCID: PMC10320274 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The implementation of in vitro approaches using undifferentiated embryonic cells from annual killifish to complement existing in vivo developmental studies has been hindered by a lack of efficient isolation techniques. Here, we present a protocol to isolate annual killifish blastoderm cells, at the epiboly and early dispersion phase, from embryos. We describe steps for hair removal, embryo cleaning, dechorionation, and cell purification. This protocol may also be used to develop strategies to isolate cells from embryos presenting similar challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Vásquez-Sepúlveda
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile; Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Department of Physiology Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320165, Chile
| | - Nestor Guerrero
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Carmen Gloria Lemus
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Margarita Meynard
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago 8380453, Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Mauricio Cerda
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Miguel Luis Concha
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago 8380453, Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Cristina Bertocchi
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Department of Physiology Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320165, Chile; Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile.
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7
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Bedbrook CN, Nath RD, Nagvekar R, Deisseroth K, Brunet A. Rapid and precise genome engineering in a naturally short-lived vertebrate. eLife 2023; 12:80639. [PMID: 37191291 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80639] [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: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish is a powerful vertebrate system to study complex phenotypes at scale, including aging and age-related disease. Here, we develop a rapid and precise CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in approach in the killifish. We show its efficient application to precisely insert fluorescent reporters of different sizes at various genomic loci in order to drive cell-type- and tissue-specific expression. This knock-in method should allow the establishment of humanized disease models and the development of cell-type-specific molecular probes for studying complex vertebrate biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire N Bedbrook
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Ravi D Nath
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Rahul Nagvekar
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
- Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging at Stanford, Stanford, United States
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
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8
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Montenegro-Rojas I, Yañez G, Skog E, Guerrero-Calvo O, Andaur-Lobos M, Dolfi L, Cellerino A, Cerda M, Concha ML, Bertocchi C, Rojas NO, Ravasio A, Rudge TJ. A computational framework for testing hypotheses of the minimal mechanical requirements for cell aggregation using early annual killifish embryogenesis as a model. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:959611. [PMID: 37020464 PMCID: PMC10067630 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.959611] [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] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Deciphering the biological and physical requirements for the outset of multicellularity is limited to few experimental models. The early embryonic development of annual killifish represents an almost unique opportunity to investigate de novo cellular aggregation in a vertebrate model. As an adaptation to seasonal drought, annual killifish employs a unique developmental pattern in which embryogenesis occurs only after undifferentiated embryonic cells have completed epiboly and dispersed in low density on the egg surface. Therefore, the first stage of embryogenesis requires the congregation of embryonic cells at one pole of the egg to form a single aggregate that later gives rise to the embryo proper. This unique process presents an opportunity to dissect the self-organizing principles involved in early organization of embryonic stem cells. Indeed, the physical and biological processes required to form the aggregate of embryonic cells are currently unknown. Methods: Here, we developed an in silico, agent-based biophysical model that allows testing how cell-specific and environmental properties could determine the aggregation dynamics of early Killifish embryogenesis. In a forward engineering approach, we then proceeded to test two hypotheses for cell aggregation (cell-autonomous and a simple taxis model) as a proof of concept of modeling feasibility. In a first approach (cell autonomous system), we considered how intrinsic biophysical properties of the cells such as motility, polarity, density, and the interplay between cell adhesion and contact inhibition of locomotion drive cell aggregation into self-organized clusters. Second, we included guidance of cell migration through a simple taxis mechanism to resemble the activity of an organizing center found in several developmental models. Results: Our numerical simulations showed that random migration combined with low cell-cell adhesion is sufficient to maintain cells in dispersion and that aggregation can indeed arise spontaneously under a limited set of conditions, but, without environmental guidance, the dynamics and resulting structures do not recapitulate in vivo observations. Discussion: Thus, an environmental guidance cue seems to be required for correct execution of early aggregation in early killifish development. However, the nature of this cue (e.g., chemical or mechanical) can only be determined experimentally. Our model provides a predictive tool that could be used to better characterize the process and, importantly, to design informed experimental strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Montenegro-Rojas
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Guillermo Yañez
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Skog
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Oscar Guerrero-Calvo
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martin Andaur-Lobos
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luca Dolfi
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alessandro Cellerino
- BIO@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Mauricio Cerda
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Medical Informatics and Telemedicine, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel L. Concha
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristina Bertocchi
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Department of Physiology Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nicolás O. Rojas
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Timothy J. Rudge, ; Andrea Ravasio,
| | - Timothy J. Rudge
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Timothy J. Rudge, ; Andrea Ravasio,
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9
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Concha ML, Reig G. Origin, form and function of extraembryonic structures in teleost fishes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210264. [PMID: 36252221 PMCID: PMC9574637 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Teleost eggs have evolved a highly derived early developmental pattern within vertebrates as a result of the meroblastic cleavage pattern, giving rise to a polar stratified architecture containing a large acellular yolk and a small cellular blastoderm on top. Besides the acellular yolk, the teleost-specific yolk syncytial layer (YSL) and the superficial epithelial enveloping layer are recognized as extraembryonic structures that play critical roles throughout embryonic development. They provide enriched microenvironments in which molecular feedback loops, cellular interactions and mechanical signals emerge to sculpt, among other things, embryonic patterning along the dorsoventral and left-right axes, mesendodermal specification and the execution of morphogenetic movements in the early embryo and during organogenesis. An emerging concept points to a critical role of extraembryonic structures in reinforcing early genetic and morphogenetic programmes in reciprocal coordination with the embryonic blastoderm, providing the necessary boundary conditions for development to proceed. In addition, the role of the enveloping cell layer in providing mechanical, osmotic and immunological protection during early stages of development, and the autonomous nutritional support provided by the yolk and YSL, have probably been key aspects that have enabled the massive radiation of teleosts to colonize every ecological niche on the Earth. This article is part of the theme issue 'Extraembryonic tissues: exploring concepts, definitions and functions across the animal kingdom'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel L. Concha
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute (BNI), Santiago 8380453, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism (GERO), Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - Germán Reig
- Escuela de Tecnología Médica y del Centro Integrativo de Biología y Química Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago 7800003, Chile
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10
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Oginuma M, Nishida M, Ohmura-Adachi T, Abe K, Ogamino S, Mogi C, Matsui H, Ishitani T. Rapid reverse genetics systems for Nothobranchius furzeri, a suitable model organism to study vertebrate aging. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11628. [PMID: 35804091 PMCID: PMC9270483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15972-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri (N. furzeri) is a useful model organism for studying aging, age-related diseases, and embryonic diapause. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout and Tol2 transposon-mediated transgenesis in N. furzeri have been reported previously. However, these methods take time to generate knockout and transgenic fish. In addition, knock-in technology that inserts large DNA fragments as fluorescent reporter constructs into the target gene in N. furzeri has not yet been established. Here, we show that triple-target CRISPR-mediated single gene disruption efficiently produces whole-body biallelic knockout and enables the examination of gene function in the F0 generation. In addition, we developed a method for creating the knock-in reporter N. furzeri without crossing by optimizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system. These methods drastically reduce the duration of experiments, and we think that these advances will accelerate aging and developmental studies using N. furzeri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Oginuma
- Department of Homeostatic Regulation, Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Moana Nishida
- Department of Homeostatic Regulation, Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tomomi Ohmura-Adachi
- Department of Homeostatic Regulation, Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kota Abe
- Department of Homeostatic Regulation, Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shohei Ogamino
- Department of Homeostatic Regulation, Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Gunma, 371-8512, Japan
| | - Chihiro Mogi
- Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Gunma, 371-8512, Japan
| | - Hideaki Matsui
- Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan
| | - Tohru Ishitani
- Department of Homeostatic Regulation, Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. .,Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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11
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CDK activity sensors: genetically encoded ratiometric biosensors for live analysis of the cell cycle. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1081-1090. [PMID: 35674434 PMCID: PMC9661961 DOI: 10.1042/bst20211131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) sensors have facilitated investigations of the cell cycle in living cells. These genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors change their subcellular location upon activation of CDKs. Activation is primarily regulated by their association with cyclins, which in turn trigger cell-cycle progression. In the absence of CDK activity, cells exit the cell cycle and become quiescent, a key step in stem cell maintenance and cancer cell dormancy. The evolutionary conservation of CDKs has allowed for the rapid development of CDK activity sensors for cell lines and several research organisms, including nematodes, fish, and flies. CDK activity sensors are utilized for their ability to visualize the exact moment of cell-cycle commitment. This has provided a breakthrough in understanding the proliferation-quiescence decision. Further adoption of these biosensors will usher in new discoveries focused on the cell-cycle regulation of development, ageing, and cancer.
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12
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Fulton T, Verd B, Steventon B. The unappreciated generative role of cell movements in pattern formation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211293. [PMID: 35601454 PMCID: PMC9043703 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms underpinning the formation of patterned cellular landscapes has been the subject of extensive study as a fundamental problem of developmental biology. In most cases, attention has been given to situations in which cell movements are negligible, allowing researchers to focus on the cell-extrinsic signalling mechanisms, and intrinsic gene regulatory interactions that lead to pattern emergence at the tissue level. However, in many scenarios during development, cells rapidly change their neighbour relationships in order to drive tissue morphogenesis, while also undergoing patterning. To draw attention to the ubiquity of this problem and propose methodologies that will accommodate morphogenesis into the study of pattern formation, we review the current approaches to studying pattern formation in both static and motile cellular environments. We then consider how the cell movements themselves may contribute to the generation of pattern, rather than hinder it, with both a species specific and evolutionary viewpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Fulton
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Berta Verd
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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13
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HREM, RNAseq and Cell Cycle Analyses Reveal the Role of the G2/M-Regulatory Protein, WEE1, on the Survivability of Chicken Embryos during Diapause. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040779. [PMID: 35453529 PMCID: PMC9033001 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian blastoderm can enter into diapause when kept at low temperatures and successfully resume development (SRD) when re-incubated in body temperature. These abilities, which are largely affected by the temperature and duration of the diapause, are poorly understood at the cellular and molecular level. To determine how temperature affects embryonic morphology during diapause, high-resolution episcopic microscopy (HREM) analysis was utilized. While blastoderms diapausing at 12 °C for 28 days presented typical cytoarchitecture, similar to non-diapaused embryos, at 18 °C, much thicker blastoderms with higher cell number were observed. RNAseq was conducted to discover the genes underlying these phenotypes, revealing differentially expressed cell cycle regulatory genes. Among them, WEE1, a negative regulator of G2/M transition, was highly expressed at 12 °C compared to 18 °C. This finding suggested that cells at 12 °C are arrested at the G2/M phase, as supported by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation (BrdU) assay and phospho-histone H3 (pH 3) immunostaining. Inhibition of WEE1 during diapause at 12 °C resulted in cell cycle progression beyond the G2/M and augmented tissue volume, resembling the morphology of 18 °C-diapaused embryos. These findings suggest that diapause at low temperatures leads to WEE1 upregulation, which arrests the cell cycle at the G2/M phase, promoting the perseverance of embryonic cytoarchitecture and future SRD. In contrast, WEE1 is not upregulated during diapause at higher temperature, leading to continuous proliferation and maladaptive morphology associated with poor survivability. Combining HREM-based analysis with RNAseq and molecular manipulations, we present a novel mechanism that regulates the ability of diapaused avian embryos to maintain their cytoarchitecture via cell cycle arrest, which enables their SRD.
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14
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Louka A, Bagnoli S, Rupert J, Esapa B, Tartaglia GG, Cellerino A, Pastore A, Terzibasi Tozzini E. New lessons on TDP-43 from old N. furzeri killifish. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13517. [PMID: 34939315 PMCID: PMC8761016 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are fatal and incurable neurodegenerative diseases linked to the pathological aggregation of the TDP-43 protein. This is an essential DNA/RNA-binding protein involved in transcription regulation, pre-RNA processing, and RNA transport. Having suitable animal models to study the mechanisms of TDP-43 aggregation is crucial to develop treatments against disease. We have previously demonstrated that the killifish Nothobranchius furzeri offers the advantage of being the shortest-lived vertebrate with a clear aging phenotype. Here, we show that the two N. furzeri paralogs of TDP-43 share high sequence homology with the human protein and recapitulate its cellular and biophysical behavior. During aging, N. furzeri TDP-43 spontaneously forms insoluble intracellular aggregates with amyloid characteristics and colocalizes with stress granules. Our results propose this organism as a valuable new model of TDP-43-related pathologies making it a powerful tool for the study of disease mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Louka
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience King's College London UK‐DRI Centre at the Maurice Wohl Institute London UK
| | | | - Jakob Rupert
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience King's College London UK‐DRI Centre at the Maurice Wohl Institute London UK
- Universita' di Roma “La Sapienza” Rome Italy
| | - Benjamin Esapa
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience King's College London UK‐DRI Centre at the Maurice Wohl Institute London UK
| | | | - Alessandro Cellerino
- Bio@SNS Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa Italy
- Leibniz Institute on Aging Fritz Lipmann Institute Jena Germany
| | - Annalisa Pastore
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience King's College London UK‐DRI Centre at the Maurice Wohl Institute London UK
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility Grenoble France
| | - Eva Terzibasi Tozzini
- Bio@SNS Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN) Naples Italy
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15
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Seleit A, Aulehla A, Paix A. Endogenous protein tagging in medaka using a simplified CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in approach. eLife 2021; 10:75050. [PMID: 34870593 PMCID: PMC8691840 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been used to generate fluorescently labelled fusion proteins by homology-directed repair in a variety of species. Despite its revolutionary success, there remains an urgent need for increased simplicity and efficiency of genome editing in research organisms. Here, we establish a simplified, highly efficient, and precise strategy for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated endogenous protein tagging in medaka (Oryzias latipes). We use a cloning-free approach that relies on PCR-amplified donor fragments containing the fluorescent reporter sequences flanked by short homology arms (30–40 bp), a synthetic single-guide RNA and Cas9 mRNA. We generate eight novel knock-in lines with high efficiency of F0 targeting and germline transmission. Whole genome sequencing results reveal single-copy integration events only at the targeted loci. We provide an initial characterization of these fusion protein lines, significantly expanding the repertoire of genetic tools available in medaka. In particular, we show that the mScarlet-pcna line has the potential to serve as an organismal-wide label for proliferative zones and an endogenous cell cycle reporter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Seleit
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Aulehla
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexandre Paix
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
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16
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Karp X. Hormonal Regulation of Diapause and Development in Nematodes, Insects, and Fishes. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.735924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Diapause is a state of developmental arrest adopted in response to or in anticipation of environmental conditions that are unfavorable for growth. In many cases, diapause is facultative, such that animals may undergo either a diapause or a non-diapause developmental trajectory, depending on environmental cues. Diapause is characterized by enhanced stress resistance, reduced metabolism, and increased longevity. The ability to postpone reproduction until suitable conditions are found is important to the survival of many animals, and both vertebrate and invertebrate species can undergo diapause. The decision to enter diapause occurs at the level of the whole animal, and thus hormonal signaling pathways are common regulators of the diapause decision. Unlike other types of developmental arrest, diapause is programmed, such that the diapause developmental trajectory includes a pre-diapause preparatory phase, diapause itself, recovery from diapause, and post-diapause development. Therefore, developmental pathways are profoundly affected by diapause. Here, I review two conserved hormonal pathways, insulin/IGF signaling (IIS) and nuclear hormone receptor signaling (NHR), and their role in regulating diapause across three animal phyla. Specifically, the species reviewed are Austrofundulus limnaeus and Nothobranchius furzeri annual killifishes, Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, and insect species including Drosophila melanogaster, Culex pipiens, and Bombyx mori. In addition, the developmental changes that occur as a result of diapause are discussed, with a focus on how IIS and NHR pathways interact with core developmental pathways in C. elegans larvae that undergo diapause.
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17
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Annibal A, Ripa R, Ballhysa E, Latza C, Hochhard N, Antebi A. Mass spectrometric characterization of cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) in vivo. Anal Bioanal Chem 2021; 413:6457-6468. [PMID: 34476522 PMCID: PMC8412381 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03628-6] [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: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) are key secondary messenger molecules produced by cyclic dinucleotide synthases that trigger various cellular signaling cascades from bacteria to vertebrates. In mammals, cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) has been shown to bind to intracellular DNA and catalyze the production of the dinucleotide 2′3′ cGAMP, which signals downstream effectors to regulate immune function, interferon signaling, and the antiviral response. Despite the importance of CDNs, sensitive and accurate methods to measure their levels in vivo are lacking. Here, we report a novel LC-MS/MS method to quantify CDNs in vivo. We characterized the mass spectrometric behavior of four different biologically relevant CDNs (c-di-AMP, c-di-GMP, 3′3′ cGAMP, 2′3′ cGAMP) and provided a means of visually representing fragmentation resulting from collision-induced dissociation at different energies using collision energy breakdown graphs. We then validated the method and quantified CDNs in two in vivo systems, the bacteria Escherichia coli OP50 and the killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. We found that optimization of LC-MS/MS parameters is crucial to sensitivity and accuracy. These technical advances should help illuminate physiological and pathological roles of these CDNs in in vivo settings. Graphical abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Annibal
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Roberto Ripa
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Eugen Ballhysa
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christian Latza
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nadine Hochhard
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Adam Antebi
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany. .,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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18
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van der Weijden VA, Bulut-Karslioglu A. Molecular Regulation of Paused Pluripotency in Early Mammalian Embryos and Stem Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:708318. [PMID: 34386497 PMCID: PMC8353277 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.708318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The energetically costly mammalian investment in gestation and lactation requires plentiful nutritional sources and thus links the environmental conditions to reproductive success. Flexibility in adjusting developmental timing enhances chances of survival in adverse conditions. Over 130 mammalian species can reversibly pause early embryonic development by switching to a near dormant state that can be sustained for months, a phenomenon called embryonic diapause. Lineage-specific cells are retained during diapause, and they proliferate and differentiate upon activation. Studying diapause thus reveals principles of pluripotency and dormancy and is not only relevant for development, but also for regeneration and cancer. In this review, we focus on the molecular regulation of diapause in early mammalian embryos and relate it to maintenance of potency in stem cells in vitro. Diapause is established and maintained by active rewiring of the embryonic metabolome, epigenome, and gene expression in communication with maternal tissues. Herein, we particularly discuss factors required at distinct stages of diapause to induce, maintain, and terminate dormancy.
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19
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Bagnoli S, Terzibasi Tozzini E. Age-Dependent Regulation of Notch Family Members in the Neuronal Stem Cell Niches of the Short-Lived Killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:640958. [PMID: 34307342 PMCID: PMC8299727 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.640958] [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: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The annual killifish Nothobranchius furzeri is a new experimental model organism in biology, since it represents the vertebrate species with the shortest captive life span and also shows the fastest maturation and senescence recorded in the laboratory. Here, we use this model to investigate the age-dependent decay of neurogenesis in the telencephalon (brain region sharing the same embryonic origin with the mammalian adult niches), focusing on the expression of the Notch pathway genes. Results: We observed that the major ligands/receptors of the pathway showed a negative correlation with age, indicating age-dependent downregulation of the Notch pathway. Moreover, expression of notch1a was clearly limited to active neurogenic niches and declined during aging, without changing its regional patterning. Expression of notch3 is not visibly influenced by aging. Conclusion: Both expression pattern and regulation differ between notch1a and notch3, with the former being limited to mitotically active regions and reduced by aging and the latter being present in all cells with a neurogenic potential, regardless of the level of their actual mitotic activity, and so is less influenced by age. This finally suggests a possible differential role of the two receptors in the regulation of the niche proliferative potential throughout the entire fish life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Bagnoli
- Laboratory of Biology (BIO@SNS), Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eva Terzibasi Tozzini
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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20
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Zupkovitz G, Kabiljo J, Kothmayer M, Schlick K, Schöfer C, Lagger S, Pusch O. Analysis of Methylation Dynamics Reveals a Tissue-Specific, Age-Dependent Decline in 5-Methylcytosine Within the Genome of the Vertebrate Aging Model Nothobranchius furzeri. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:627143. [PMID: 34222326 PMCID: PMC8242171 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.627143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Erosion of the epigenetic DNA methylation landscape is a widely recognized hallmark of aging. Emerging advances in high throughput sequencing techniques, in particular DNA methylation data analysis, have resulted in the establishment of precise human and murine age prediction tools. In vertebrates, methylation of cytosine at the C5 position of CpG dinucleotides is executed by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) whereas the process of enzymatic demethylation is highly dependent on the activity of the ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase (TET) family of enzymes. Here, we report the identification of the key players constituting the DNA methylation machinery in the short-lived teleost aging model Nothobranchius furzeri. We present a comprehensive spatio-temporal expression profile of the methylation-associated enzymes from embryogenesis into late adulthood, thereby covering the complete killifish life cycle. Data mining of the N. furzeri genome produced five dnmt gene family orthologues corresponding to the mammalian DNMTs (DNMT1, 2, 3A, and 3B). Comparable to other teleost species, N. furzeri harbors multiple genomic copies of the de novo DNA methylation subfamily. A related search for the DNMT1 recruitment factor UHRF1 and TET family members resulted in the identification of N. furzeri uhrf1, tet1, tet2, and tet3. Phylogenetic analysis revealed high cross-species similarity on the amino acid level of all individual dnmts, tets, and uhrf1, emphasizing a high degree of functional conservation. During early killifish development all analyzed dnmts and tets showed a similar expression profile characterized by a strong increase in transcript levels after fertilization, peaking either at embryonic day 6 or at the black eye stage of embryonic development. In adult N. furzeri, DNA methylation regulating enzymes showed a ubiquitous tissue distribution. Specifically, we observed an age-dependent downregulation of dnmts, and to some extent uhrf1, which correlated with a significant decrease in global DNA methylation levels in the aging killifish liver and muscle. The age-dependent DNA methylation profile and spatio-temporal expression characteristics of its enzymatic machinery reported here may serve as an essential platform for the identification of an epigenetic aging clock in the new vertebrate model system N. furzeri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordin Zupkovitz
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Life Science Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Vienna, Austria.,City of Vienna Competence Team Aging Tissue, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julijan Kabiljo
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of General Surgery, Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Kothmayer
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Schlick
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Schöfer
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabine Lagger
- Unit of Laboratory Animal Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Oliver Pusch
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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21
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Cui R, Tyers AM, Malubhoy ZJ, Wisotsky S, Valdesalici S, Henriette E, Kosakovsky Pond SL, Valenzano DR. Ancestral transoceanic colonization and recent population reduction in a nonannual killifish from the Seychelles archipelago. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:3610-3623. [PMID: 33998095 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Whether freshwater fish colonize remote islands following tectonic or transoceanic dispersal remains an evolutionary puzzle. Integrating dating of known tectonic events with phylogenomics and current species distribution, we find that killifish species distribution is not explained by species dispersal by tectonic drift only. Investigating the colonization of a nonannual killifish (golden panchax, Pachypanchax playfairii) on the Seychelle islands, we found genetic support for transoceanic dispersal and experimentally discovered an adaptation to complete tolerance to seawater. At the macroevolutionary scale, despite their long-lasting isolation, nonannual golden panchax show stronger genome-wide purifying selection than annual killifishes from continental Africa. However, progressive decline in effective population size over a more recent timescale has probably led to the segregation of slightly deleterious mutations across golden panchax populations, which represents a potential threat for species preservation in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongfeng Cui
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.,School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | | | - Sadie Wisotsky
- Department of Biology, Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, Temple University, Temple, CA, USA
| | | | - Elvina Henriette
- Island Biodiversity Conservation Centre, University of Seychelles, Anse Royale, Mahe, Seychelles
| | - Sergei L Kosakovsky Pond
- Department of Biology, Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, Temple University, Temple, CA, USA
| | - Dario Riccardo Valenzano
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.,CECAD, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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22
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Polačik M, Vrtílek M, Reichard M, Žák J, Blažek R, Podrabsky J. Embryo ecology: Developmental synchrony and asynchrony in the embryonic development of wild annual fish populations. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4945-4956. [PMID: 33976861 PMCID: PMC8093744 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryo-environment interactions are of paramount importance during the development of all organisms, and impacts during this period can echo far into later stages of ontogeny. African annual fish of the genus Nothobranchius live in temporary pools and their eggs survive the dry season in the dry bottom substrate of the pools by entering a facultative developmental arrest termed diapause. Uniquely among animals, the embryos (encased in eggs) may enter diapause at three different developmental stages. Such a system allows for the potential to employ different regulation mechanisms for each diapause. We sampled multiple Nothobranchius embryo banks across the progressing season, species, and populations. We present important baseline field data and examine the role of environmental regulation in the embryonic development of this unique system. We describe the course of embryo development in the wild and find it to be very different from the typical development under laboratory conditions. Development across the embryo banks was synchronized within and across the sampled populations with all embryos entering diapause I during the rainy season and diapause II during the dry season. Asynchrony occurred at transient phases of the habitat, during the process of habitat desiccation, and at the end of the dry season. Our findings reveal the significance of environmental conditions in the serial character of the annual fish diapauses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matej Polačik
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyThe Czech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Milan Vrtílek
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyThe Czech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Martin Reichard
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyThe Czech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Jakub Žák
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyThe Czech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of ZoologyCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Radim Blažek
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyThe Czech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Jason Podrabsky
- Center for Life in Extreme EnvironmentsPortland State UniversityPortlandORUSA
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23
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Riddle MR, Hu CK. Fish models for investigating nutritional regulation of embryonic development. Dev Biol 2021; 476:101-111. [PMID: 33831748 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, biologist have focused on the spatiotemporal regulation and function of genes to understand embryogenesis. It is clear that maternal diet impacts fetal development but how nutrients, like lipids and vitamins, modify developmental programs is not completely understood. Fish are useful research organisms for such investigations. Most species of fish produce eggs that develop outside the mother, dependent on a finite amount of yolk to form and grow. The developing embryo is a closed system that can be readily biochemically analyzed, easily visualized, and manipulated to understand the role of nutrients in tissue specification, organogenesis, and growth. Natural variation in yolk composition observed across fish species may be related to unique developmental strategies. In this review, we discuss the reasons that teleost fishes are powerful models to understand nutritional control of development and highlight three species that are particularly valuable for future investigations: the zebrafish, Danio rerio, the African Killifish, Nothobranchius furzeri, and the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus. This review is a part of a special issue on nutritional, hormonal, and metabolic drivers of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misty R Riddle
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA.
| | - Chi-Kuo Hu
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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24
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Terzibasi Tozzini E, Cellerino A. Nothobranchius annual killifishes. EvoDevo 2020; 11:25. [PMID: 33323125 PMCID: PMC7739477 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-020-00170-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Annual fishes of the genus Nothobranchius inhabit ephemeral habitats in Eastern and Southeastern Africa. Their life cycle is characterized by very rapid maturation, a posthatch lifespan of a few weeks to months and embryonic diapause to survive the dry season. The species N. furzeri holds the record of the fastest-maturing vertebrate and of the vertebrate with the shortest captive lifespan and is emerging as model organism in biomedical research, evolutionary biology, and developmental biology. Extensive characterization of age-related phenotypes in the laboratory and of ecology, distribution, and demography in the wild are available. Species/populations from habitats differing in precipitation intensity show parallel evolution of lifespan and age-related traits that conform to the classical theories on aging. Genome sequencing and the establishment of CRISPR/Cas9 techniques made this species particularly attractive to investigate the effects genetic and non-genetic intervention on lifespan and aging-related phenotypes. At the same time, annual fishes are a very interesting subject for comparative approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. The N. furzeri community is highly diverse and rapidly expanding and organizes a biannual meeting.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alessandro Cellerino
- Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy. .,Leibniz Institute on Aging-Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany.
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Poeschla M, Valenzano DR. The turquoise killifish: a genetically tractable model for the study of aging. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/Suppl_1/jeb209296. [PMID: 32034047 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.209296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Lifespan is a remarkably diverse trait in nature, ranging from just hours in adult mayflies to hundreds of years in the Greenland shark and quahog clam. Great disparities in lifespan are often observed even among somewhat closely related species; for example, in the laboratory, wild-derived strains of the common house mouse have a maximum observed lifespan of approximately 6 years, while a similarly sized rodent, the naked mole rat, can live for over 30 years. Comparative biology of aging across the tree of life provides a tremendous opportunity for understanding the molecular and genetic basis underlying lifespan and aging. However, a lack of molecular and laboratory tools has limited the ability of researchers to take full advantage of the incredible diversity of aging phenotypes in nature. Recent developments in genomic technology have made it increasingly possible to study non-canonical model organisms for aging. One promising new genetic model organism amenable to a range of experimental interventions is the turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri). This fish species has a naturally short lifespan and undergoes a wide range of aging-related transformations. These fish have a fully sequenced genome and transcriptome, and killifish embryos are accessible to transgenesis and genome editing. Furthermore, different killifish species and populations show striking differences in lifespan, providing the opportunity for comparative analysis of aging. This Review introduces the natural life history of the turquoise killifish, its emerging applicability as an aging model system, the genetic tools that have been developed to study aging for this species and a summary of recent studies facilitated by these new tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Poeschla
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany.,CECAD, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Dario R Valenzano
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany .,CECAD, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
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