1
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Chipman AD. The evolution of the gene regulatory networks patterning the Drosophila Blastoderm. Curr Top Dev Biol 2021; 139:297-324. [PMID: 32450964 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The Drosophila blastoderm gene regulatory network is one of the best studied networks in biology. It is composed of a series of tiered sub-networks that act sequentially to generate a primary segmental pattern. Many of these sub-networks have been studied in other arthropods, allowing us to reconstruct how each of them evolved over the transition from the arthropod ancestor to the situation seen in Drosophila today. I trace the evolution of each of these networks, showing how some of them have been modified significantly in Drosophila relative to the ancestral state while others are largely conserved across evolutionary timescales. I compare the putative ancestral arthropod segmentation network with that found in Drosophila and discuss how and why it has been modified throughout evolution, and to what extent this modification is unusual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel D Chipman
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, Israel.
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2
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Tidswell ORA, Benton MA, Akam M. The neuroblast timer gene nubbin exhibits functional redundancy with gap genes to regulate segment identity in Tribolium. Development 2021; 148:271199. [PMID: 34351412 PMCID: PMC8406537 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The neuroblast timer genes hunchback, Krüppel, nubbin and castor are expressed in temporal sequence in neural stem cells, and in corresponding spatial sequence along the Drosophila blastoderm. As canonical gap genes, hunchback and Krüppel play a crucial role in insect segmentation, but the roles of nubbin and castor in this process remain ambiguous. We have investigated the expression and functions of nubbin and castor during segmentation in the beetle Tribolium. We show that Tc-hunchback, Tc-Krüppel, Tc-nubbin and Tc-castor are expressed sequentially in the segment addition zone, and that Tc-nubbin regulates segment identity redundantly with two previously described gap/gap-like genes, Tc-giant and Tc-knirps. Simultaneous knockdown of Tc-nubbin, Tc-giant and Tc-knirps results in the formation of ectopic legs on abdominal segments. This homeotic transformation is caused by loss of abdominal Hox gene expression, likely due to expanded Tc-Krüppel expression. Our findings support the theory that the neuroblast timer series was co-opted for use in insect segment patterning, and contribute to our growing understanding of the evolution and function of the gap gene network outside of Drosophila. Summary:nubbin and the gap genes knirps and giant redundantly repress Krüppel expression during segmentation. Simultaneous knockdown of all three genes causes ectopic Krüppel expression and loss of abdominal segment identity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew A Benton
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Michael Akam
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
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3
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Miller S, Shippy TD, Hosmani PS, Flores-Gonzalez M, Mueller LA, Hunter WB, Brown SJ, D’Elia T, Saha S. Annotation of segmentation pathway genes in the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. GIGABYTE 2021; 2021:gigabyte26. [PMID: 36824338 PMCID: PMC9632033 DOI: 10.46471/gigabyte.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects have a segmented body plan that is established during embryogenesis when the anterior-posterior (A-P) axis is divided into repeated units by a cascade of gene expression. The cascade is initiated by protein gradients created by translation of maternally provided mRNAs, localized at the anterior and posterior poles of the embryo. Combinations of these proteins activate specific gap genes to divide the embryo into distinct regions along the anterior-posterior axis. Gap genes then activate pair-rule genes, which are usually expressed in parts of every other segment. The pair-rule genes, in turn, activate expression of segment polarity genes in a portion of each segment. The segmentation genes are generally conserved among insects, although there is considerable variation in how they are deployed. We annotated 25 segmentation gene homologs in the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. Most of the genes expected to be present in D. citri based on their phylogenetic distribution in other insects were identified and annotated. Two exceptions were eagle and invected, which are present in at least some hemipterans, but were not found in D. citri. Many of the segmentation pathway genes are likely to be essential for D. citri development, and thus they may be useful targets for gene-based pest control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry Miller
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
- Allen County Community College, Burlingame, KS 66413, USA
| | - Teresa D. Shippy
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | | | | | | | - Wayne B. Hunter
- USDA-ARS, U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA
| | - Susan J. Brown
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Tom D’Elia
- Indian River State College, Fort Pierce, FL 34981, USA
| | - Surya Saha
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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Novikova AV, Auman T, Cohen M, Oleynik O, Stahi-Hitin R, Gil E, Weisbrod A, Chipman AD. The multiple roles of caudal in early development of the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus. Dev Biol 2020; 467:66-76. [PMID: 32891622 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The homeobox transcription factor Caudal has conserved roles in all Bilateria in defining the posterior pole and in controlling posterior elongation. These roles are seemingly similar and are difficult to disentangle. We have carried out a detailed analysis of the expression, function and interactions of the caudal ortholog of the milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, a hemimetabolous insect with a conservative early development process, in order to understand its different functions throughout development. In Oncopeltus, caudal is not maternally deposited, but has a sequence of roles in the posterior of the embryos throughout early development. It defines and maintains a posterior-anterior gradient in the blastoderm and modulates the activity of segmentation genes in simultaneous segmentation during the blastoderm stage. It later defines the invagination site and the posterior segment addition zone (SAZ) in the germband. It maintains the posterior SAZ cells in an undifferentiated proliferative state, while promoting dynamic expression of segmentation genes in the anterior SAZ. We show that rather than being a simple posterior determinant, Caudal is involved in several distinct regulatory networks, each with a distinct developmental role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asya V Novikova
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tzach Auman
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Mira Cohen
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Olesya Oleynik
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Reut Stahi-Hitin
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ella Gil
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Anat Weisbrod
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ariel D Chipman
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
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5
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Janssen R. The embryonic expression pattern of a second, hitherto unrecognized, paralog of the pair-rule gene sloppy-paired in the beetle Tribolium castaneum. Dev Genes Evol 2020; 230:247-256. [PMID: 32430691 PMCID: PMC7260273 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-020-00660-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In the fly Drosophila melanogaster, a hierarchic segmentation gene cascade patterns the anterior-posterior body axis of the developing embryo. Within this cascade, the pair-rule genes (PRGs) transform the more uniform patterning of the higher-level genes into a metameric pattern that first represents double-segmental units, and then, in a second step, represents a true segmental pattern. Within the PRG network, primary PRGs regulate secondary PRGs that are directly involved in the regulation of the next lower level, the segment-polarity genes (SPGs). While the complement of primary PRGs is different in Drosophila and the beetle Tribolium, another arthropod model organism, both paired (prd) and sloppy-paired (slp), acts as secondary PRGs. In earlier studies, the interaction of PRGs and the role of the single slp ortholog in Tribolium have been investigated in some detail revealing conserved and diverged aspects of PRG function. In this study, I present the identification and the analysis of embryonic expression patterns of a second slp gene (called slp2) in Tribolium. While the previously identified gene, slp, is expressed in a typical PRG pattern, expression of slp2 is more similar to that of the downstream-acting SPGs, and shows expression similarities to slp2 in Drosophila. The previously reported differences between the function of slp in Drosophila and Tribolium may partially account for the function of the newly identified second slp paralog in Tribolium, and it may therefore be advised to conduct further studies on PRG function in the beetle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Janssen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden.
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6
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Lim J, Choe CP. Functional analysis of engrailed in Tribolium segmentation. Mech Dev 2019; 161:103594. [PMID: 31778794 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2019.103594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The segment-polarity gene engrailed is required for segmentation in the early Drosophila embryo. Loss of Engrailed function results in segmentation defects that vary in severity from pair-rule phenotypes to a lawn phenotype lacking in obvious of segmentation. During segmentation, Engrailed is expressed in stripes with a single segmental periodicity in Drosophila, which is conserved in all arthropods examined so far. To define segments, the segmental stripes of Engrailed induce the segmental stripes of wingless at each parasegmental boundary. However, segmentation functions of orthologs of engrailed in non-Drosophila arthropods have yet to be reported. Here, we analyzed functions of the Tribolium ortholog of engrailed (Tc-engrailed) during embryonic segmentation. Larval cuticles with Tc-engrailed being knocked down had segmentation phenotypes including incomplete segment formation and loss of a group of segments. In agreement with the cuticle segmentation defects, segments developed incompletely and irregularly or did not form in Tribolium germbands where Tc-engrailed was knocked down. Furthermore, knock-down of Tc-engrailed did not properly express the segmental stripes of wingless in Tribolium germbands. Taken together with the conserved expression patterns of Engrailed in arthropod segmentation, our data suggest that Tc-engrailed is required for embryonic segmentation in Tribolium, and the genetic mechanism of Engrailed inducing wingless expression is conserved at least between Drosophila and Tribolium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsung Lim
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Plus Program), Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Chong Pyo Choe
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Plus Program), Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea; Division of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Auman T, Chipman AD. Growth zone segmentation in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus sheds light on the evolution of insect segmentation. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:178. [PMID: 30486779 PMCID: PMC6262967 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1293-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background One of the best studied developmental processes is the Drosophila segmentation cascade. However, this cascade is generally considered to be highly derived and unusual, with segments being patterned simultaneously, rather than the ancestral sequential segmentation mode. We present a detailed analysis of the segmentation cascade of the milkweed bug Oncopletus fasciatus, an insect with a more primitive segmentation mode, as a comparison to Drosophila, with the aim of reconstructing the evolution of insect segmentation modes. Results We document the expression of 12 genes, representing different phases in the segmentation process. Using double staining we reconstruct the spatio-temporal relationships among these genes. We then show knock-down phenotypes of representative genes in order to uncover their roles and position in the cascade. Conclusions We conclude that sequential segmentation in the Oncopeltus germband includes three slightly overlapping phases: Primary pair-rule genes generate the first segmental gene expression in the anterior growth zone. This pattern is carried anteriorly by a series of secondary pair-rule genes, expressed in the transition between the growth zone and the segmented germband. Segment polarity genes are expressed in the segmented germband with conserved relationships. Unlike most holometabolous insects, this process generates a single-segment periodicity, and does not have a double-segment pattern at any stage. We suggest that the evolutionary transition to double-segment patterning lies in mutually exclusive expression patterns of secondary pair-rule genes. The fact that many aspects of the putative Oncopeltus segmentation network are similar to those of Drosophila, is consistent with a simple transition between sequential and simultaneous segmentation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-018-1293-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzach Auman
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ariel D Chipman
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel.
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8
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Auman T, Chipman AD. The Evolution of Gene Regulatory Networks that Define Arthropod Body Plans. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 57:523-532. [PMID: 28957519 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the genetics of arthropod body plan development originally stems from work on Drosophila melanogaster from the late 1970s and onward. In Drosophila, there is a relatively detailed model for the network of gene interactions that proceeds in a sequential-hierarchical fashion to define the main features of the body plan. Over the years, we have a growing understanding of the networks involved in defining the body plan in an increasing number of arthropod species. It is now becoming possible to tease out the conserved aspects of these networks and to try to reconstruct their evolution. In this contribution, we focus on several key nodes of these networks, starting from early patterning in which the main axes are determined and the broad morphological domains of the embryo are defined, and on to later stage wherein the growth zone network is active in sequential addition of posterior segments. The pattern of conservation of networks is very patchy, with some key aspects being highly conserved in all arthropods and others being very labile. Many aspects of early axis patterning are highly conserved, as are some aspects of sequential segment generation. In contrast, regional patterning varies among different taxa, and some networks, such as the terminal patterning network, are only found in a limited range of taxa. The growth zone segmentation network is ancient and is probably plesiomorphic to all arthropods. In some insects, it has undergone significant modification to give rise to a more hardwired network that generates individual segments separately. In other insects and in most arthropods, the sequential segmentation network has undergone a significant amount of systems drift, wherein many of the genes have changed. However, it maintains a conserved underlying logic and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzach Auman
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ariel D Chipman
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
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9
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Stahi R, Chipman AD. Blastoderm segmentation in Oncopeltus fasciatus and the evolution of insect segmentation mechanisms. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.1745. [PMID: 27708151 PMCID: PMC5069518 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Segments are formed simultaneously in the blastoderm of the fly Drosophila melanogaster through a hierarchical cascade of interacting transcription factors. Conversely, in many insects and in all non-insect arthropods most segments are formed sequentially from the posterior. We have looked at segmentation in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus. Posterior segments are formed sequentially, through what is probably the ancestral arthropod mechanism. Formation of anterior segments bears many similarities to the Drosophila segmentation mode. These segments appear nearly simultaneously in the blastoderm, via a segmentation cascade that involves orthologues of Drosophila gap genes working through a functionally similar mechanism. We suggest that simultaneous blastoderm segmentation evolved at or close to the origin of holometabolous insects, and formed the basis for the evolution of the segmentation mode seen in Drosophila. We discuss the changes in segmentation mechanisms throughout insect evolution, and suggest that the appearance of simultaneous segmentation as a novel feature of holometabolous insects may have contributed to the phenomenal success of this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reut Stahi
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ariel D Chipman
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
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10
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Simon S, Sagasser S, Saccenti E, Brugler MR, Schranz ME, Hadrys H, Amato G, DeSalle R. Comparative transcriptomics reveal developmental turning points during embryogenesis of a hemimetabolous insect, the damselfly Ischnura elegans. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13547. [PMID: 29051502 PMCID: PMC5648782 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13176-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying transcriptional changes during embryogenesis is of crucial importance for unravelling evolutionary, molecular and cellular mechanisms that underpin patterning and morphogenesis. However, comparative studies focusing on early/embryonic stages during insect development are limited to a few taxa. Drosophila melanogaster is the paradigm for insect development, whereas comparative transcriptomic studies of embryonic stages of hemimetabolous insects are completely lacking. We reconstructed the first comparative transcriptome covering the daily embryonic developmental progression of the blue-tailed damselfly Ischnura elegans (Odonata), an ancient hemimetabolous representative. We identified a "core" set of 6,794 transcripts - shared by all embryonic stages - which are mainly involved in anatomical structure development and cellular nitrogen compound metabolic processes. We further used weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify transcriptional changes during Odonata embryogenesis. Based on these analyses distinct clusters of transcriptional active sequences could be revealed, indicating that embryos at different development stages have their own transcriptomic profile according to the developmental events and leading to sequential reprogramming of metabolic and developmental genes. Interestingly, a major change in transcriptionally active sequences is correlated with katatrepsis (revolution) during mid-embryogenesis, a 180° rotation of the embryo within the egg and specific to hemimetabolous insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Simon
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St., New York, NY, 10024, USA.
| | - Sven Sagasser
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Karolinska Institutet, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Edoardo Saccenti
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mercer R Brugler
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St., New York, NY, 10024, USA
- Biological Sciences Department, NYC College of Technology, City University of New York, 300 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
| | - M Eric Schranz
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Heike Hadrys
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St., New York, NY, 10024, USA
- ITZ, Ecology&Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Buenteweg 17d, D-30559, Hannover, Germany
- Yale University, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 165 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - George Amato
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St., New York, NY, 10024, USA
| | - Rob DeSalle
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St., New York, NY, 10024, USA
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11
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Janssen R. A molecular view of onychophoran segmentation. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2017; 46:341-353. [PMID: 27725255 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2016.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper summarizes our current knowledge on the expression and assumed function of Drosophila and (other) arthropod segmentation gene orthologs in Onychophora, a closely related outgroup to Arthropoda. This includes orthologs of the so-called Drosophila segmentation gene cascade including the Hox genes, as well as other genetic factors and pathways involved in non-drosophilid arthropods. Open questions about and around the topic are addressed, such as the definition of segments in onychophorans, the unclear regulation of conserved expression patterns downstream of non-conserved factors, and the potential role of mesodermal patterning in onychophoran segmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Janssen
- Uppsala University, Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Villavägen 16, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden.
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12
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Hunding A, Baumgartner S. Ancient role of ten-m/ odz in segmentation and the transition from sequential to syncytial segmentation. Hereditas 2017; 154:8. [PMID: 28461810 PMCID: PMC5408475 DOI: 10.1186/s41065-017-0029-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Until recently, mechanisms of segmentation established for Drosophila served as a paradigm for arthropod segmentation. However, with the discovery of gene expression waves in vertebrate segmentation, another paradigm based on oscillations linked to axial growth was established. The Notch pathway and hairy delay oscillator are basic components of this mechanism, as is the wnt pathway. With the establishment of oscillations during segmentation of the beetle Tribolium, a common segmentation mechanism may have been present in the last common ancestor of vertebrates and arthropods. However, the Notch pathway is not involved in segmentation of the initial Drosophila embryo. In arthropods, the engrailed, wingless pair has a much more conserved function in segmentation than most of the hierarchy established for Drosophila. Results Here, we work backwards from this conserved pair by discussing possible mechanisms which could have taken over the role of the Notch pathway. We propose a pivotal role for the large transmembrane protein Ten-m/Odz. Ten-m/Odz may have had an ancient role in cell-cell communication, parallel to the Notch and wnt pathways. The Ten-m protein binds to the membrane with properties which resemble other membrane-based biochemical oscillators. Conclusion We propose that such a simple transition could have formed the initial scaffold, on top of which the hierarchy, observed in the syncytium of dipterans, could have evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Hunding
- Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry S01, H. C. 0rsted Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stefan Baumgartner
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, BMC D10, 22184 Lund, Sweden
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13
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Chipman AD. Oncopeltus fasciatus
as an evo-devo research organism. Genesis 2017; 55. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ariel D. Chipman
- The Department of Ecology; Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus; Givat Ram Jerusalem 91904 Israel
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14
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Ginzburg N, Cohen M, Chipman AD. Factors involved in early polarization of the anterior-posterior axis in the milkweed bugOncopeltus fasciatus. Genesis 2017; 55. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Neta Ginzburg
- The Department of Ecology; Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus; Givat Ram Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Mira Cohen
- The Department of Ecology; Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus; Givat Ram Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Ariel D. Chipman
- The Department of Ecology; Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus; Givat Ram Jerusalem 91904 Israel
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15
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Nunes-da-Fonseca R, Berni M, Tobias-Santos V, Pane A, Araujo HM. Rhodnius prolixus: From classical physiology to modern developmental biology. Genesis 2017; 55. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Nunes-da-Fonseca
- Laboratório Integrado de Ciências Morfofuncionais; Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Socio-Ambiental de Macaé, Campus Macaé, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Mateus Berni
- Institute of Molecular Entomology; INCT-EM
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Vitória Tobias-Santos
- Laboratório Integrado de Ciências Morfofuncionais; Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Socio-Ambiental de Macaé, Campus Macaé, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Institute of Molecular Entomology; INCT-EM
| | - Attilio Pane
- Institute of Molecular Entomology; INCT-EM
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Helena Marcolla Araujo
- Institute of Molecular Entomology; INCT-EM
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
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16
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Auman T, Vreede BMI, Weiss A, Hester SD, Williams TA, Nagy LM, Chipman AD. Dynamics of growth zone patterning in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus. Development 2017; 144:1896-1905. [PMID: 28432218 PMCID: PMC5450833 DOI: 10.1242/dev.142091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
We describe the dynamic process of abdominal segment generation in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus. We present detailed morphological measurements of the growing germband throughout segmentation. Our data are complemented by cell division profiles and expression patterns of key genes, including invected and even-skipped as markers for different stages of segment formation. We describe morphological and mechanistic changes in the growth zone and in nascent segments during the generation of individual segments and throughout segmentation, and examine the relative contribution of newly formed versus existing tissue to segment formation. Although abdominal segment addition is primarily generated through the rearrangement of a pool of undifferentiated cells, there is nonetheless proliferation in the posterior. By correlating proliferation with gene expression in the growth zone, we propose a model for growth zone dynamics during segmentation in which the growth zone is functionally subdivided into two distinct regions: a posterior region devoted to a slow rate of growth among undifferentiated cells, and an anterior region in which segmental differentiation is initiated and proliferation inhibited. Summary: A detailed analysis of posterior segment addition in an insect reveals that the growth zone is divided into two functional domains responsible for growth and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzach Auman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Barbara M I Vreede
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Aryeh Weiss
- Faculty of Engineering and The Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel.,Bio-Imaging Unit, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Susan D Hester
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | | | - Lisa M Nagy
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Ariel D Chipman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
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Lavore A, Esponda-Behrens N, Pagola L, Rivera-Pomar R. The gap gene Krüppel of Rhodnius prolixus is required for segmentation and for repression of the homeotic gene sex comb-reduced. Dev Biol 2014; 387:121-9. [PMID: 24406318 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The establishment of the anterior-posterior segmentation in insects requires the concerted action of a hierarchical gene network. Here, we study the orthologue of Krüppel gap gene in the hemipteran Rhodnius prolixus (Rp-Kr). We characterized its structure, expression pattern and function. The genomic sequence upstream of the Rp-Kr transcriptional unit shows a putative regulatory region conserved in the orthologue genes from Drosophila melanogaster and Tribolium castaneum. Rp-Kr expression is zygotic and it is expressed in the anterior half of the embryo (the posterior half of the egg) during the blastoderm stage and germ band formation; later, during germ band extension, it is expressed in a central domain, from T2 to A3. The Rp-Kr loss of function phenotypes shows disrupted thoracic and abdominal segmentation. Embryos with weak segmentation phenotypes show homeotic transformations, in which an ectopic tibial comb, typical of T1 leg, appears in T2, which correlates with the ectopic expression of Rp-sex-comb reduced in this leg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Lavore
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenue Calchaqui Km 23.5, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Natalia Esponda-Behrens
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenue Calchaqui Km 23.5, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucía Pagola
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenue Calchaqui Km 23.5, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Avenue Calchaqui Km 23.5, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.
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18
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Lavore A, Pagola L, Esponda-Behrens N, Rivera-Pomar R. The gap gene giant of Rhodnius prolixus is maternally expressed and required for proper head and abdomen formation. Dev Biol 2011; 361:147-55. [PMID: 21763688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2011] [Revised: 06/09/2011] [Accepted: 06/11/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The segmentation process in insects depends on a hierarchical cascade of gene activity. The first effectors downstream of the maternal activation are the gap genes, which divide the embryo in broad fields. We discovered a sequence corresponding to the leucine-zipper domain of the orthologue of the gene giant (Rp-gt) in traces from the genome of Rhodnius prolixus, a hemipteran with intermediate germ-band development. We cloned the Rp-gt gene from a normalized cDNA library and characterized its expression and function. Bioinformatic analysis of 12.5 kbp of genomic sequence containing the Rp-gt transcriptional unit shows a cluster of bona fide regulatory binding sites, which is similar in location and structure to the predicted posterior expression domain of the Drosophila orthologue. Rp-gt is expressed in ovaries and maternally supplied in the early embryo. The maternal contribution forms a gradient of scattered patches of mRNA in the preblastoderm embryo. Zygotic Rp-gt is expressed in two domains that after germ band extension are restricted to the head and the posterior growth zone. Parental RNAi shows that Rp-gt is required for proper head and abdomen formation. The head lacks mandibulary and maxillary appendages and shows reduced clypeus-labrum, while the abdomen lacks anterior segments. We conclude that Rp-gt is a gap gene on the head and abdomen and, in addition, has a function in patterning the anterior head capsule suggesting that the function of gt in hemipterans is more similar to dipterans than expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Lavore
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Florencio Varela, Argentina
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19
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Abstract
Gap genes are involved in segment determination during the early development of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as well as in other insects. This review attempts to synthesize the current knowledge of the gap gene network through a comprehensive survey of the experimental literature. I focus on genetic and molecular evidence, which provides us with an almost-complete picture of the regulatory interactions responsible for trunk gap gene expression. I discuss the regulatory mechanisms involved, and highlight the remaining ambiguities and gaps in the evidence. This is followed by a brief discussion of molecular regulatory mechanisms for transcriptional regulation, as well as precision and size-regulation provided by the system. Finally, I discuss evidence on the evolution of gap gene expression from species other than Drosophila. My survey concludes that studies of the gap gene system continue to reveal interesting and important new insights into the role of gene regulatory networks in development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Jaeger
- Centre de Regulació Genòmica, Universtitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
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20
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Mutual regulatory interactions of the trunk gap genes during blastoderm patterning in the hemipteran Oncopeltus fasciatus. Dev Biol 2010; 346:140-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2010] [Revised: 07/01/2010] [Accepted: 07/07/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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21
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Lemke S, Busch SE, Antonopoulos DA, Meyer F, Domanus MH, Schmidt-Ott U. Maternal activation of gap genes in the hover fly Episyrphus. Development 2010; 137:1709-19. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.046649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The metameric organization of the insect body plan is initiated with the activation of gap genes, a set of transcription-factor-encoding genes that are zygotically expressed in broad and partially overlapping domains along the anteroposterior (AP) axis of the early embryo. The spatial pattern of gap gene expression domains along the AP axis is generally conserved, but the maternal genes that regulate their expression are not. Building on the comprehensive knowledge of maternal gap gene activation in Drosophila, we used loss- and gain-of-function experiments in the hover fly Episyrphus balteatus (Syrphidae) to address the question of how the maternal regulation of gap genes evolved. We find that, in Episyrphus, a highly diverged bicoid ortholog is solely responsible for the AP polarity of the embryo. Episyrphus bicoid represses anterior zygotic expression of caudal and activates the anterior and central gap genes orthodenticle, hunchback and Krüppel. In bicoid-deficient Episyrphus embryos, nanos is insufficient to generate morphological asymmetry along the AP axis. Furthermore, we find that torso transiently regulates anterior repression of caudal and is required for the activation of orthodenticle, whereas all posterior gap gene domains of knirps, giant, hunchback, tailless and huckebein depend on caudal. We conclude that all maternal coordinate genes have altered their specific functions during the radiation of higher flies (Cyclorrhapha).
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Lemke
- University of Chicago, Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, CLSC 921B, 920 E. 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Stephanie E. Busch
- University of Chicago, Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, CLSC 921B, 920 E. 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Dionysios A. Antonopoulos
- Argonne National Laboratory, Institute for Genomics & Systems Biology, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Folker Meyer
- Argonne National Laboratory, Institute for Genomics & Systems Biology, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Marc H. Domanus
- Argonne National Laboratory, Institute for Genomics & Systems Biology, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Urs Schmidt-Ott
- University of Chicago, Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, CLSC 921B, 920 E. 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Evolution of insect development: to the hemimetabolous paradigm. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2010; 20:355-61. [PMID: 20462751 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2010.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2010] [Revised: 04/09/2010] [Accepted: 04/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Mechanisms of insect development have been extensively studied in Drosophila melanogaster, a holometabolous insect. However, recent studies on other insects have gradually revealed that there exist new developmental paradigms. In this review, we focus on the new hemimetabolous paradigm. We highlight how hemimetabolous short-germ or intermediate-germ embryos establish the anterior/posterior (A/P) pattern and the importance of dynamic cell movement during germband formation. In hemimetabolous insects, orthodenticle, encoding a homeodomain-containing transcription factor, and wingless/Wnt signaling could play crucial roles in the A/P pattern formation. We also discuss recent evidence suggesting that insect developmental modes may have evolved by heterochronic shifts, while retaining certain universal metazoan features.
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