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Tzani A, Haemmig S, Cheng HS, Perez-Cremades D, Augusto Heuschkel M, Jamaiyar A, Singh S, Aikawa M, Yu P, Wang T, Ye S, Feinberg MW, Plutzky J. FAM222A, Part of the BET-Regulated Basal Endothelial Transcriptome, Is a Novel Determinant of Endothelial Biology and Angiogenesis-Brief Report. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2024; 44:143-155. [PMID: 37942611 PMCID: PMC10840377 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.319909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND BETs (bromodomain and extraterminal domain-containing epigenetic reader proteins), including BRD4 (bromodomain-containing protein 4), orchestrate transcriptional programs induced by pathogenic stimuli, as intensively studied in cardiovascular disease and elsewhere. In endothelial cells (ECs), BRD4 directs induced proinflammatory, proatherosclerotic transcriptional responses; BET inhibitors, like JQ1, repress these effects and decrease atherosclerosis. While BET effects in pathogenic conditions have prompted therapeutic BET inhibitor development, BET action under basal conditions, including ECs, has remained understudied. To understand BET action in basal endothelial transcriptional programs, we first analyzed EC RNA-Seq data in the absence versus presence of JQ1 before using BET regulation to identify novel determinants of EC biology and function. METHODS RNA-Seq datasets of human umbilical vein ECs without and with JQ1 treatment were analyzed. After identifying C12orf34, also known as FAM222A (family with sequence similarity 222 member A), as a previously unreported, basally expressed, potently JQ1-induced EC gene, FAM222A was studied in endothelial and angiogenic responses in vitro using small-interference RNA silencing and lentiviral overexpression, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, including aortic sprouting, matrigel plug assays, and murine neonatal oxygen-induced retinopathy. RESULTS Resting EC RNA-Seq data indicate BETs direct transcriptional programs underlying core endothelial properties including migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis. BET inhibition in resting ECs also significantly induced a subset of mRNAs, including FAM222A-a unique BRD4-regulated gene with no reported EC role. Silencing endothelial FAM222A significantly decreased cellular proliferation, migration, network formation, aorta sprouting, and Matrigel plug vascularization through coordinated modulation of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and NOTCH mediator expression in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo; lentiviral FAM222A overexpression had opposite effects. In vivo, siFAM222A significantly repressed retinal revascularization in neonatal murine oxygen-induced retinopathy through similar angiogenic signaling modulation. CONCLUSIONS BET control over the basal endothelial transcriptome includes FAM222A, a novel, BRD4-regulated, key determinant of endothelial biology and angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aspasia Tzani
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Stefan Haemmig
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Henry S. Cheng
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Daniel Perez-Cremades
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Marina Augusto Heuschkel
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Anurag Jamaiyar
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Sasha Singh
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Masanori Aikawa
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Paul Yu
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Tianxi Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Sun Ye
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Mark W. Feinberg
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jorge Plutzky
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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Liu J, Murray JI. Mechanisms of lineage specification in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad174. [PMID: 37847877 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The studies of cell fate and lineage specification are fundamental to our understanding of the development of multicellular organisms. Caenorhabditis elegans has been one of the premiere systems for studying cell fate specification mechanisms at single cell resolution, due to its transparent nature, the invariant cell lineage, and fixed number of somatic cells. We discuss the general themes and regulatory mechanisms that have emerged from these studies, with a focus on somatic lineages and cell fates. We next review the key factors and pathways that regulate the specification of discrete cells and lineages during embryogenesis and postembryonic development; we focus on transcription factors and include numerous lineage diagrams that depict the expression of key factors that specify embryonic founder cells and postembryonic blast cells, and the diverse somatic cell fates they generate. We end by discussing some future perspectives in cell and lineage specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John Isaac Murray
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Su L, Zhao T, Li H, Li H, Su X, Ba X, Zhang Y, Huang B, Lu J, Li X. ELT-2 promotes O-GlcNAc transferase OGT-1 expression to modulate Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan. J Cell Biochem 2020; 121:4898-4907. [PMID: 32628333 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.29817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is the enzyme catalyzing protein O-GlcNAcylation by addition of a single O-linked-β-N-acetylglucosamine molecule (O-GlcNAc) to nuclear and cytoplasmic targets, and it uses uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) as a donor. As UDP-GlcNAc is the final product of the nutrient-sensing hexosamine signaling pathway, overexpression or knockout of ogt in mammals or invertebrate models influences cellular nutrient-response signals and increases susceptibility to chronic diseases of aging. Evidence shows that OGT expression levels decrease in tissues of older mice and rats. However, how OGT expression is modulated in the aging process remains poorly understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the exclusive mammalian OGT ortholog OGT-1 is crucial for lifespan control. Here, we observe that worm OGT-1 expression gradually reduces during aging. By combining prediction via the "MATCH" algorithm and luciferase reporter assays, GATA factor ELT-2, the homolog of human GATA4, is identified as a transcriptional factor driving OGT-1 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and electrophoretic mobility shift assays show ELT-2 directly binds to and activates the ogt-1 promoter. Knockdown of elt-2 decreases the global O-GlcNAc modification level and reduces the lifespan of wild-type worms. The reduction in lifespan caused by elt-2 RNA interference is abrogated by the loss of ogt-1. These results imply that GATA factors are able to activate OGT expression, which could be beneficial for longevity and the development of therapeutic treatment for aging-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangping Su
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tingting Zhao
- The Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongyuan Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Hongmei Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xin Su
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xueqing Ba
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- The Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Baiqu Huang
- The Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jun Lu
- The Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoxue Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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Zhan Y, Li J, Sun J, Zhang W, Li Y, Cui D, Hu W, Chang Y. The Impact of Chronic Heat Stress on the Growth, Survival, Feeding, and Differential Gene Expression in the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius. Front Genet 2019; 10:301. [PMID: 31019527 PMCID: PMC6458246 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
To explore the impact of chronic heat stress on commercial echinoderms, the present study assessed the effects of chronic high temperature on the growth, survival, feeding, and differential gene expression in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius cultured in northern Yellow Sea in China. One suitable seawater condition (20°C) and one laboratory-controlled high temperature condition (25°C) were set up. After 28 days incubation, our results showed that: (1) The specific growth, survival, and ingestion rates of S. intermedius reared under high temperature (25°C) decreased compared to those reared under optimal temperature (20°C) conditions; (2) comparative transcriptome analysis identified 2,125 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in S. intermedius reared under high temperature (25°C) compared to those subjected to optimal temperature condition (20°C), which included 1,015 upregulated and 1,100 downregulated genes. The accuracy of the transcriptome profiles was verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Further Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways analyses revealed that these DEGs mainly enriched the functional categories of ribosome, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and prion diseases. A total of 732 temperature-induced expressed genes, such as ATP5, heat shock protein 70, and heat shock protein 90, were identified as candidates that were closely correlated with heat resistance in S. intermedius. Differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs), such as AP-1, Fos, CREB, and ZNF, were also identified as potential regulators that regulate the molecular network that was associated with responses to heat stress in sea urchins. Observations in the present study provide additional information that improves our understanding of the molecular mechanism of temperate echinoid species in response to heat stress, as well as theoretical basis for the molecular-assisted breeding of heat-resistant sea urchins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China
| | - Jiaxiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China
| | - Jingxian Sun
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China
| | - Weijie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China
| | - Yingying Li
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China
| | - Donyao Cui
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China
| | - Wanbin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China
| | - Yaqing Chang
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China
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Bodofsky S, Liberatore K, Pioppo L, Lapadula D, Thompson L, Birnbaum S, McClung G, Kartik A, Clever S, Wightman B. A tissue-specific enhancer of the C. elegans nhr-67/tailless gene drives coordinated expression in uterine stem cells and the differentiated anchor cell. Gene Expr Patterns 2018; 30:71-81. [PMID: 30404043 PMCID: PMC6373727 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The nhr-67 nuclear receptor gene of Caenorhabditis elegans encodes the ortholog of the Drosophila tailless and vertebrate Tlx genes. In C. elegans, nhr-67 plays multiple roles in the development of the uterus during L2 and L3 larval stages. Four pre-VU cells are born in the L2 stage and form the precursor complement for the ventral surface of the mature uterus. One of the four pre-VU cells becomes the anchor cell (AC), which exits the cell cycle and differentiates, while the remaining three VU cells serve as stem cells that populate the ventral uterus. The nhr-67 gene functions in the development of both VU cell lineages and AC differentiation. Hypomorphic mutations in nhr-67 identify a 276bp region of the distal promoter that is sufficient to activate nhr-67 expression in pre-VU cells and the AC. The 276bp region includes 8 conserved potential cis-acting sites, including two E boxes and a nuclear receptor binding site. Mutational analysis demonstrates that the two E boxes are required for expression of nhr-67 in uterine precursor cells. The E/daughterless ortholog HLH-2 binds these sites as a homodimer, thus playing a central role in activating nhr-67 expression in the uterine precursors. At least two other binding activities, one of which may be the nhr-25/Ftz-F1 nuclear receptor transcription factor, also contribute to uterine precursor cell expression. The organization of the nhr-67 uterine precursor enhancer is compared to similar conserved enhancers in the egl-43, lag-2, and lin-3 genes, which contain the same HLH-2-binding E boxes and are similarly expressed in both pre-VU cells and the AC. This basic regulatory module allows the coordinated expression of at least four genes. Expression of genes in different cells that must coordinate to form a mature organ is driven by a shared set of promoter elements, which integrate multiple transcription factor inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shari Bodofsky
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
| | | | - Lauren Pioppo
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
| | - Dominic Lapadula
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
| | - Lily Thompson
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
| | - Susanna Birnbaum
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
| | - George McClung
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
| | - Akshara Kartik
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
| | - Sheila Clever
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
| | - Bruce Wightman
- Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104, USA.
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Dobrzynska A, Askjaer P. Vaccinia-related kinase 1 is required for early uterine development in Caenorhabditis elegans. Dev Biol 2016; 411:246-256. [PMID: 26827901 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinases regulate a multitude of processes by reversible phosphorylation of target molecules. Induction of cell proliferation and differentiation are fundamental to development and rely on tightly controlled kinase activities. Vaccinia-Related Kinases (VRKs) have emerged as a multifunctional family of kinases with essential functions conserved, from nematodes and fruit flies, to humans. VRK substrates include chromatin and transcription factors, whereas deregulation of VRKs is implicated in sterility, cancer and neurological defects. In contrast to previous observations, we describe here that Caenorhabditis elegans VRK-1 is expressed in all cell types, including proliferating and post-mitotic cells. Despite the ubiquitous expression pattern, we find that vrk-1 mutants are particularly impaired in uterine development. Our data show that VRK-1 is required for uterine cell proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, the anchor cell, a specialized uterine cell, fails to fuse with neighboring cells to form the utse syncytium in vrk-1 mutants, thus providing further insight on the role of VRKs in organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Dobrzynska
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, CSIC-Junta de Andalucia-Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Peter Askjaer
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, CSIC-Junta de Andalucia-Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, 41013 Seville, Spain.
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7
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Lacroix B, Maddox AS. Microtubule dynamics followed through cell differentiation and tissue biogenesis in C. elegans. WORM 2014; 3:e967611. [PMID: 26430551 DOI: 10.4161/21624046.2014.967611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Revised: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Microtubules (MTs) are cytoskeletal filaments essential for many processes in eukaryotic cells. Assembled of tubulin subunits, MTs are dynamic structures that undergo successive and stochastic phases of polymerization and depolymerization, a behavior called dynamic instability. Dynamic instability has been extensively studied in cultured cells and in vitro using cytoplasmic extracts or reconstituted MTs. However, how MTs behave in intact tissues and how their dynamics are affected by or affect tissue function are poorly understood. Recent advances in high-resolution live imaging have helped overcome technical limitation in order to visualize MTs in intact living organisms including Drosophila or Caenorhabditis elegans. We recently took advantage of the well-characterized development, small size and transparency of C. elegans to monitor MT dynamics throughout tissue biogenesis with high spatial and temporal resolution. Using the sex myoblast lineage that generates the egg-laying muscles from 2 mitotic precursors, we identified selective dynamics in precursor versus differentiated cells, and molecular regulation of MT dynamics changes that occur during cell differentiation. We discuss here how this approach led to novel insights into the regulation of MTs dynamics and organization in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Lacroix
- Institut Jacques Monod; CNRS; University Paris Diderot ; Paris, France
| | - Amy S Maddox
- Department of Biology; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ; Chapel Hill, NC USA
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8
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Spatial and molecular cues for cell outgrowth during C. elegans uterine development. Dev Biol 2014; 396:121-35. [PMID: 25281934 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Revised: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 09/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans uterine seam cell (utse) is an H-shaped syncytium that connects the uterus to the body wall. Comprising nine nuclei that move outward in a bidirectional manner, this synctium undergoes remarkable shape change during development. Using cell ablation experiments, we show that three surrounding cell types affect utse development: the uterine toroids, the anchor cell and the sex myoblasts. The presence of the anchor cell (AC) nucleus within the utse is necessary for proper utse development and AC invasion genes fos-1, cdh-3, him-4, egl-43, zmp-1 and mig-10 promote utse cell outgrowth. Two types of uterine lumen epithelial cells, uterine toroid 1 (ut1) and uterine toroid 2 (ut2), mediate proper utse outgrowth and we show roles in utse development for two genes expressed in the uterine toroids: the RASEF ortholog rsef-1 and Trio/unc-73. The SM expressed gene unc-53/NAV regulates utse cell shape; ablation of sex myoblasts (SMs), which generate uterine and vulval muscles, cause defects in utse morphology. Our results clarify the nature of the interactions that exist between utse and surrounding tissue, identify new roles for genes involved in cell outgrowth, and present the utse as a new model system for understanding cell shape change and, putatively, diseases associated with cell shape change.
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Wong MC, Kennedy WP, Schwarzbauer JE. Transcriptionally regulated cell adhesion network dictates distal tip cell directionality. Dev Dyn 2014; 243:999-1010. [PMID: 24811939 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanisms that govern directional changes in cell migration are poorly understood. The migratory paths of two distal tip cells (DTC) determine the U-shape of the C. elegans hermaphroditic gonad. The morphogenesis of this organ provides a model system to identify genes necessary for the DTCs to execute two stereotyped turns. RESULTS Using candidate genes for RNAi knockdown in a DTC-specific strain, we identified two transcriptional regulators required for DTC turning: cbp-1, the CBP/p300 transcriptional coactivator homologue, and let-607, a CREBH transcription factor homologue. Further screening of potential target genes uncovered a network of integrin adhesion-related genes that have roles in turning and are dependent on cbp-1 and let-607 for expression. These genes include src-1/Src kinase, tln-1/talin, pat-2/α integrin and nmy-2, a nonmuscle myosin heavy chain. CONCLUSIONS Transcriptional regulation by means of cbp-1 and let-607 is crucial for determining directional changes during DTC migration. These regulators coordinate a gene network that is necessary for integrin-mediated adhesion. Overall, these results suggest that directional changes in cell migration rely on the precise gene regulation of adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Ching Wong
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
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10
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Gissendanner CR, Cardin D, Dubose CJ, El Sayed M, Harmson JS, Praslicka B, Rowan BG. C. elegans nuclear receptor NHR-6 functionally interacts with the jun-1 transcription factor during spermatheca development. Genesis 2013; 52:29-38. [PMID: 24178943 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Revised: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The NR4A nuclear receptor NHR-6 is an essential regulator of spermatheca organogenesis in C. elegans. In this study, we perform a focused, RNAi-based screen to identify modifiers of partial nhr-6 loss of function. Ninety-eight genes that encode signaling proteins expressed in the spermatheca were screened for enhancement of the nhr-6 RNAi phenotype. We identify the C. elegans gene jun-1, which encodes the homolog of the Jun transcription factor, as a strong enhancer of nhr-6 partial loss of function. We show that nhr-6 and jun-1 function together to regulate development of the spermatheca and are necessary for generating an organ with the normal number of cells. jun-1 is expressed in all cells of the developing spermatheca. We also provide evidence that NHR-6 and JUN-1 can physically interact in a yeast two-hybrid assay. Our results provide in vivo evidence that NR4A nuclear receptor and Jun transcription factor interactions are essential in regulating developmental processes in metazoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris R Gissendanner
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana, 71209
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Ranawade AV, Cumbo P, Gupta BP. Caenorhabditis elegans histone deacetylase hda-1 is required for morphogenesis of the vulva and LIN-12/Notch-mediated specification of uterine cell fates. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2013; 3:1363-74. [PMID: 23797102 PMCID: PMC3737176 DOI: 10.1534/g3.113.006999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2012] [Accepted: 06/02/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Chromatin modification genes play crucial roles in development and disease. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the class I histone deacetylase family member hda-1, a component of the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylation complex, has been shown to control cell proliferation. We recovered hda-1 in an RNA interference screen for genes involved in the morphogenesis of the egg-laying system. We found that hda-1 mutants have abnormal vulva morphology and vulval-uterine connections (i.e., no uterine-seam cell). We characterized the vulval defects by using cell fate-specific markers and found that hda-1 is necessary for the specification of all seven vulval cell types. The analysis of the vulval-uterine connection defect revealed that hda-1 is required for the differentiation of the gonadal anchor cell (AC), which in turn induces ventral uterine granddaughters to adopt π fates, leading to the formation of the uterine-seam cell. Consistent with these results, hda-1 is expressed in the vulva and AC. A search for hda-1 target genes revealed that fos-1 (fos proto-oncogene family) acts downstream of hda-1 in vulval cells, whereas egl-43 (evi1 proto-oncogene family) and nhr-67 (tailless homolog, NHR family) mediate hda-1 function in the AC. Furthermore, we showed that AC expression of hda-1 plays a crucial role in the regulation of the lin-12/Notch ligand lag-2 to specify π cell fates. These results demonstrate the pivotal role of hda-1 in the formation of the vulva and the vulval-uterine connection. Given that hda-1 homologs are conserved across the phyla, our findings are likely to provide a better understanding of HDAC1 function in development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philip Cumbo
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - Bhagwati P. Gupta
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 Canada
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Reinke V, Krause M, Okkema P. Transcriptional regulation of gene expression in C. elegans. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013:1-34. [PMID: 23801596 DOI: 10.1895/wormbook.1.45.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Protein coding gene sequences are converted to mRNA by the highly regulated process of transcription. The precise temporal and spatial control of transcription for many genes is an essential part of development in metazoans. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying transcriptional control is essential to understanding cell fate determination during embryogenesis, post-embryonic development, many environmental interactions, and disease-related processes. Studies of transcriptional regulation in C. elegans exploit its genomic simplicity and physical characteristics to define regulatory events with single-cell and minute-time-scale resolution. When combined with the genetics of the system, C. elegans offers a unique and powerful vantage point from which to study how chromatin-associated proteins and their modifications interact with transcription factors and their binding sites to yield precise control of gene expression through transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Reinke
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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The Caenorhabditis elegans JNK signaling pathway activates expression of stress response genes by derepressing the Fos/HDAC repressor complex. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003315. [PMID: 23437011 PMCID: PMC3578760 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2012] [Accepted: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
MAP kinases are integral to the mechanisms by which cells respond to a wide variety of environmental stresses. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the KGB-1 JNK signaling pathway regulates the response to heavy metal stress. In this study, we identified FOS-1, a bZIP transcription factor, as a target of KGB-1-mediated phosphorylation. We further identified two transcriptional targets of the KGB-1 pathway, kreg-1 and kreg-2/lys-3, which are required for the defense against heavy metal stress. FOS-1 plays a critical role in the transcriptional repression of the kreg-1 gene by recruiting histone deacetylase (HDAC) to its promoter. KGB-1 phosphorylation prevents FOS-1 dimerization and promoter binding, resulting in promoter derepression. Thus, HDAC behaves as a co-repressor modulating FOS-1-mediated transcriptional regulation. This study describes the direct link from JNK signaling, Fos phosphorylation, and regulation of kreg gene transcription, which modulates the stress response in C. elegans.
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Verghese E, Schocken J, Jacob S, Wimer AM, Royce R, Nesmith JE, Baer GM, Clever S, McCain E, Lakowski B, Wightman B. The tailless ortholog nhr-67 functions in the development of the C. elegans ventral uterus. Dev Biol 2011; 356:516-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2011] [Revised: 05/13/2011] [Accepted: 06/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Hiatt SM, Duren HM, Shyu YJ, Ellis RE, Hisamoto N, Matsumoto K, Kariya KI, Kerppola TK, Hu CD. Caenorhabditis elegans FOS-1 and JUN-1 regulate plc-1 expression in the spermatheca to control ovulation. Mol Biol Cell 2009; 20:3888-95. [PMID: 19570917 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e08-08-0833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fos and Jun are components of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and play crucial roles in the regulation of many cellular, developmental, and physiological processes. Caenorhabditis elegans fos-1 has been shown to act in uterine and vulval development. Here, we provide evidence that C. elegans fos-1 and jun-1 control ovulation, a tightly regulated rhythmic program in animals. Knockdown of fos-1 or jun-1 blocks dilation of the distal spermathecal valve, a critical step for the entry of mature oocytes into the spermatheca for fertilization. Furthermore, fos-1 and jun-1 regulate the spermathecal-specific expression of plc-1, a gene that encodes a phospholipase C (PLC) isozyme that is rate-limiting for inositol triphosphate production and ovulation, and overexpression of PLC-1 rescues the ovulation defect in fos-1(RNAi) worms. Unlike fos-1, regulation of ovulation by jun-1 requires genetic interactions with eri-1 and lin-15B, which are involved in the RNA interference pathway and chromatin remodeling, respectively. At least two isoforms of jun-1 are coexpressed with fos-1b in the spermatheca, and different AP-1 dimers formed between these isoforms have distinct effects on the activation of a reporter gene. These findings uncover a novel role for FOS-1 and JUN-1 in the reproductive system and establish C. elegans as a model for studying AP-1 dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Hiatt
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Marri S, Gupta BP. Dissection of lin-11 enhancer regions in Caenorhabditis elegans and other nematodes. Dev Biol 2008; 325:402-11. [PMID: 18950616 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2008] [Revised: 09/16/2008] [Accepted: 09/16/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans LIM homeobox gene lin-11 plays crucial roles in the morphogenesis of the reproductive system and differentiation of several neurons. The expression of lin-11 in different tissues is regulated by enhancer regions located upstream as well as within lin-11 introns. These regions are functionally separable suggesting that multiple regulatory inputs operate to control the spatiotemporal pattern of lin-11 expression. To further dissect apart the nature of lin-11 regulation we focused on three Caenorhabditis species C. briggsae, C. remanei, and C. brenneri that are substantially diverged from C. elegans but share almost identical vulval morphology. We show that, in these species, the 5' region of lin-11 possesses conserved sequences to activate lin-11 expression in the reproductive system. Analysis of the in vivo role of these sequences in C. elegans has led to the identification of three functionally distinct enhancers for the vulva, VC neurons, and uterine pi lineage cells. We found that the pi enhancer is regulated by FOS homolog FOS-1 and LIN-12/Notch pathway effectors, LAG-1 (Su(H)/CBF1 family) and EGL-43 (EVI1 family). These results indicate that multiple factors cooperate to regulate pi-specific expression of lin-11 and together with other findings suggest that the mechanism of lin-11 regulation by LIN-12/Notch signaling is evolutionarily conserved in Caenorhabditis species. Our work demonstrates that 4-way comparison is a powerful tool to study conserved mechanisms of gene regulation in C. elegans and other nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujatha Marri
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
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