1
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Gu L, Sauceda R, Brar J, Fessahaye F, Joo M, Lee J, Nguyen J, Teng M, Weng M. A novel protein Moat prevents ectopic epithelial folding by limiting Bazooka/Par3-dependent adherens junctions. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar110. [PMID: 38922850 PMCID: PMC11321041 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e24-04-0177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Contractile myosin and cell adhesion work together to induce tissue shape changes, but how they are patterned to achieve diverse morphogenetic outcomes remains unclear. Epithelial folding occurs via apical constriction, mediated by apical contractile myosin engaged with adherens junctions, as in Drosophila ventral furrow formation. While it has been shown that a multicellular gradient of myosin contractility determines folding shape, the impact of multicellular patterning of adherens junction levels on tissue folding is unknown. We identified a novel Drosophila gene moat essential for differential apical constriction and folding behaviors across the ventral epithelium which contains both folding ventral furrow and nonfolding ectodermal anterior midgut (ectoAMG). We show that Moat functions to downregulate polarity-dependent adherens junctions through inhibiting cortical clustering of Bazooka/Par3 proteins. Such downregulation of polarity-dependent junctions is critical for establishing a myosin-dependent pattern of adherens junctions, which in turn mediates differential apical constriction in the ventral epithelium. In moat mutants, abnormally high levels of polarity-dependent junctions promote ectopic apical constriction in cells with low-level contractile myosin, resulting in expansion of infolding from ventral furrow to ectoAMG, and flattening of ventral furrow constriction gradient. Our results demonstrate that tissue-scale distribution of adhesion levels patterns apical constriction and establishes morphogenetic boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingkun Gu
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154
| | - Rolin Sauceda
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154
| | - Jasneet Brar
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154
| | - Ferdos Fessahaye
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154
| | - Minsang Joo
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154
| | - Joan Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | | | - Marissa Teng
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154
| | - Mo Weng
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154
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2
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Kim S, Shahab J, Vogelsang E, Wodarz A. Re-assessment of the subcellular localization of Bazooka/Par-3 in Drosophila: no evidence for localization to the nucleus and the neuromuscular junction. Biol Open 2024; 13:bio060544. [PMID: 38841912 PMCID: PMC11225583 DOI: 10.1242/bio.060544] [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: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Bazooka/Par-3 (Baz) is an evolutionarily conserved scaffold protein that functions as a master regulator for the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity in many different cell types. In the vast majority of published research papers Baz has been reported to localize at the cell cortex and at intercellular junctions. However, there have also been several reports showing localization and function of Baz at additional subcellular sites, in particular the nuclear envelope and the neuromuscular junction. In this study we have re-assessed the localization of Baz to these subcellular sites in a systematic manner. We used antibodies raised in different host animals against different epitopes of Baz for confocal imaging of Drosophila tissues. We tested the specificity of these antisera by mosaic analysis with null mutant baz alleles and tissue-specific RNAi against baz. In addition, we used a GFP-tagged gene trap line for Baz and a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) expressing GFP-tagged Baz under control of its endogenous promoter in a baz mutant background to compare the subcellular localization of the GFP-Baz fusion proteins to the staining with anti-Baz antisera. Together, these experiments did not provide evidence for specific localization of Baz to the nucleus or the neuromuscular junction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soya Kim
- Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Anatomy, University of Cologne and University Hospital Cologne, Weyertal 115c, 50931 Köln, Germany
| | - Jaffer Shahab
- Stem Cell Biology, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Vogelsang
- Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Anatomy, University of Cologne and University Hospital Cologne, Weyertal 115c, 50931 Köln, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne and University Hospital Cologne, Robert-Koch-Str. 21, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas Wodarz
- Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Anatomy, University of Cologne and University Hospital Cologne, Weyertal 115c, 50931 Köln, Germany
- Stem Cell Biology, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne and University Hospital Cologne, Robert-Koch-Str. 21, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence - Cellular stress response in aging-associated diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne and University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany
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3
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Packer J, Gubieda AG, Brooks A, Deutz LN, Squires I, Ellison S, Schneider C, Naganathan SR, Wollman AJ, Dickinson DJ, Rodriguez J. Atypical Protein Kinase C Promotes its own Asymmetric Localisation by Phosphorylating Cdc42 in the C. elegans zygote. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.27.563985. [PMID: 38009101 PMCID: PMC10675845 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.27.563985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) is a major regulator of cell polarity. Acting in conjunction with Par6, Par3 and the small GTPase Cdc42, aPKC becomes asymmetrically localised and drives the polarisation of cells. aPKC activity is crucial for its own asymmetric localisation, suggesting a hitherto unknown feedback mechanism contributing to polarisation. Here we show in the C. elegans zygote that the feedback relies on aPKC phosphorylation of Cdc42 at serine 71. The turnover of CDC-42 phosphorylation ensures optimal aPKC asymmetry and activity throughout polarisation by tuning Par6/aPKC association with Par3 and Cdc42. Moreover, turnover of Cdc42 phosphorylation regulates actomyosin cortex dynamics that are known to drive aPKC asymmetry. Given the widespread role of aPKC and Cdc42 in cell polarity, this form of self-regulation of aPKC may be vital for the robust control of polarisation in many cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Packer
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Alicia G. Gubieda
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Aaron Brooks
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Lars N. Deutz
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Iolo Squires
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | | | | | - Sundar Ram Naganathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Adam J.M. Wollman
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Daniel J. Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Josana Rodriguez
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
- Lead contact
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4
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Gu L, Sauceda R, Brar J, Fessahaye F, Joo M, Lee J, Nguyan J, Teng M, Weng M. A novel protein Moat prevents ectopic epithelial folding by limiting Bazooka/Par3-dependent adherens junctions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.05.583570. [PMID: 38496457 PMCID: PMC10942281 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.05.583570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Cortical myosin contraction and cell adhesion work together to promote tissue shape changes, but how they are modulated to achieve diverse morphogenetic outcomes remains unclear. Epithelial folding occurs via apical constriction, mediated by apical accumulation of contractile myosin engaged with adherens junctions, as in Drosophila ventral furrow formation. While levels of contractile myosin correlate with apical constriction, whether levels of adherens junctions modulate apical constriction is unknown. We identified a novel Drosophila gene moat that maintains low levels of Bazooka/Par3-dependent adherens junctions and thereby restricts apical constriction to ventral furrow cells with high-level contractile myosin. In moat mutants, abnormally high levels of Bazooka/Par3-dependent adherens junctions promote ectopic apical constriction in cells with low-level contractile myosin, insufficient for apical constriction in wild type. Such ectopic apical constriction expands infolding behavior from ventral furrow to ectodermal anterior midgut, which normally forms a later circular invagination. In moat mutant ventral furrow, a perturbed apical constriction gradient delays infolding. Our results indicate that levels of adherens junctions can modulate the outcome of apical constriction, providing an additional mechanism to define morphogenetic boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingkun Gu
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Rolin Sauceda
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Jasneet Brar
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Ferdos Fessahaye
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Minsang Joo
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Joan Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jacqueline Nguyan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Marissa Teng
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Mo Weng
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
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5
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Demouchy F, Nicolle O, Michaux G, Pacquelet A. PAR-4/LKB1 prevents intestinal hyperplasia by restricting endoderm specification in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Development 2024; 151:dev202205. [PMID: 38078543 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The kinase PAR-4/LKB1 is a major regulator of intestinal homeostasis, which prevents polyposis in humans. Moreover, its ectopic activation is sufficient to induce polarization and formation of microvilli-like structures in intestinal cell lines. Here, we use Caenorhabditis elegans to examine the role of PAR-4 during intestinal development in vivo. We show that it is not required to establish enterocyte polarity and plays only a minor role in brush border formation. By contrast, par-4 mutants display severe deformations of the intestinal lumen as well as supernumerary intestinal cells, thereby revealing a previously unappreciated function of PAR-4 in preventing intestinal hyperplasia. The presence of supernumerary enterocytes in par-4 mutants is not due to excessive cell proliferation, but rather to the abnormal expression of the intestinal cell fate factors end-1 and elt-2 outside the E lineage. Notably, par-4 mutants also display reduced expression of end-1 and elt-2 inside the E lineage. Our work thereby unveils an essential and dual role of PAR-4, which both restricts intestinal specification to the E lineage and ensures its robust differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Demouchy
- University of Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et de Développement de Rennes), UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Ophélie Nicolle
- University of Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et de Développement de Rennes), UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Grégoire Michaux
- University of Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et de Développement de Rennes), UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Anne Pacquelet
- University of Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et de Développement de Rennes), UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
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6
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Thottacherry JJ, Chen J, Johnston DS. Apical-basal polarity in the gut. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 150-151:15-22. [PMID: 36670034 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.12.007] [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: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Apical-Basal polarity is a fundamental property of all epithelial cells that underlies both their form and function. The gut is made up of a single layer of intestinal epithelial cells, with distinct apical, lateral and basal domains. Occluding junctions at the apical side of the lateral domains create a barrier between the gut lumen and the body, which is crucial for tissue homeostasis, protection against gastrointestinal pathogens and for the maintenance of the immune response. Apical-basal polarity in most epithelia is established by conserved polarity factors, but recent evidence suggests that the gut epithelium in at least some organisms polarises by novel mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in understanding polarity factors by focussing on work in C. elegans, Drosophila, Zebrafish and Mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Jose Thottacherry
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Jia Chen
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel St Johnston
- The Gurdon Institute and the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom.
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7
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Naturale VF, Pickett MA, Feldman JL. Persistent cell contacts enable E-cadherin/HMR-1- and PAR-3-based symmetry breaking within a developing C. elegans epithelium. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1830-1846.e12. [PMID: 37552986 PMCID: PMC10592304 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.07.008] [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: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Tissue-wide patterning is essential to multicellular development, requiring cells to individually generate polarity axes and coordinate them in space and time with neighbors. Using the C. elegans intestinal epithelium, we identified a patterning mechanism that is informed by cell contact lifetime asymmetry and executed via the scaffolding protein PAR-3 and the transmembrane protein E-cadherin/HMR-1. Intestinal cells break symmetry as PAR-3 and HMR-1 recruit apical determinants into punctate "local polarity complexes" (LPCs) at homotypic contacts. LPCs undergo an HMR-1-based migration to a common midline, thereby establishing tissue-wide polarity. Thus, symmetry breaking results from PAR-3-dependent intracellular polarization coupled to HMR-1-based tissue-level communication, which occurs through a non-adhesive signaling role for HMR-1. Differential lifetimes between homotypic and heterotypic cell contacts are created by neighbor exchanges and oriented divisions, patterning where LPCs perdure and thereby breaking symmetry. These cues offer a logical and likely conserved framework for how epithelia without obvious molecular asymmetries can polarize.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa A Pickett
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San José, CA 95192, USA
| | - Jessica L Feldman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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8
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Zhang N, Zhang H, Khan LA, Jafari G, Eun Y, Membreno E, Gobel V. The biosynthetic-secretory pathway, supplemented by recycling routes, determines epithelial membrane polarity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade4620. [PMID: 37379377 PMCID: PMC10306302 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade4620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
In prevailing epithelial polarity models, membrane-based polarity cues (e.g., the partitioning-defective PARs) position apicobasal cellular membrane domains. Intracellular vesicular trafficking expands these domains by sorting polarized cargo toward them. How the polarity cues themselves are polarized in epithelia and how sorting confers long-range apicobasal directionality to vesicles is still unclear. Here, a systems-based approach using two-tiered C. elegans genomics-genetics screens identifies trafficking molecules that are not implicated in apical sorting yet polarize apical membrane and PAR complex components. Live tracking of polarized membrane biogenesis indicates that the biosynthetic-secretory pathway, linked to recycling routes, is asymmetrically oriented toward the apical domain during this domain's biosynthesis, and that this directionality is regulated upstream of PARs and independent of polarized target membrane domains. This alternative mode of membrane polarization could offer solutions to open questions in current models of epithelial polarity and polarized trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research by the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Liakot A. Khan
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gholamali Jafari
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yong Eun
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYC Health & Hospitals/Harlem, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Edward Membreno
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Verena Gobel
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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9
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Jafari G, Khan LA, Zhang H, Membreno E, Yan S, Dempsey G, Gobel V. Branched-chain actin dynamics polarizes vesicle trajectories and partitions apicobasal epithelial membrane domains. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade4022. [PMID: 37379384 PMCID: PMC10306301 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade4022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
In prevailing epithelial polarity models, membrane- and junction-based polarity cues such as the partitioning-defective PARs specify the positions of apicobasal membrane domains. Recent findings indicate, however, that intracellular vesicular trafficking can determine the position of the apical domain, upstream of membrane-based polarity cues. These findings raise the question of how vesicular trafficking becomes polarized independent of apicobasal target membrane domains. Here, we show that the apical directionality of vesicle trajectories depends on actin dynamics during de novo polarized membrane biogenesis in the C. elegans intestine. We find that actin, powered by branched-chain actin modulators, determines the polarized distribution of apical membrane components, PARs, and itself. Using photomodulation, we demonstrate that F-actin travels through the cytoplasm and along the cortex toward the future apical domain. Our findings support an alternative polarity model where actin-directed trafficking asymmetrically inserts the nascent apical domain into the growing epithelial membrane to partition apicobasal membrane domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gholamali Jafari
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liakot A. Khan
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Edward Membreno
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Siyang Yan
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Graham Dempsey
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Verena Gobel
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Developmental Biology and Genetics Core, MGHfC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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10
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Gredler ML, Zallen JA. Multicellular rosettes link mesenchymal-epithelial transition to radial intercalation in the mouse axial mesoderm. Dev Cell 2023:S1534-5807(23)00134-X. [PMID: 37080203 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.03.018] [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: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Mesenchymal-epithelial transitions are fundamental drivers of development and disease, but how these behaviors generate epithelial structure is not well understood. Here, we show that mesenchymal-epithelial transitions promote epithelial organization in the mouse node and notochordal plate through the assembly and radial intercalation of three-dimensional rosettes. Axial mesoderm rosettes acquire junctional and apical polarity, develop a central lumen, and dynamically expand, coalesce, and radially intercalate into the surface epithelium, converting mesenchymal-epithelial transitions into higher-order tissue structure. In mouse Par3 mutants, axial mesoderm rosettes establish central tight junction polarity but fail to form an expanded apical domain and lumen. These defects are associated with altered rosette dynamics, delayed radial intercalation, and formation of a small, fragmented surface epithelial structure. These results demonstrate that three-dimensional rosette behaviors translate mesenchymal-epithelial transitions into collective radial intercalation and epithelial formation, providing a strategy for building epithelial sheets from individual self-organizing units in the mammalian embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa L Gredler
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer A Zallen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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11
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Naturale VF, Pickett MA, Feldman JL. Context matters: Lessons in epithelial polarity from the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine and other tissues. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 154:37-71. [PMID: 37100523 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Epithelia are tissues with diverse morphologies and functions across metazoans, ranging from vast cell sheets encasing internal organs to internal tubes facilitating nutrient uptake, all of which require establishment of apical-basolateral polarity axes. While all epithelia tend to polarize the same components, how these components are deployed to drive polarization is largely context-dependent and likely shaped by tissue-specific differences in development and ultimate functions of polarizing primordia. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) offers exceptional imaging and genetic tools and possesses unique epithelia with well-described origins and roles, making it an excellent model to investigate polarity mechanisms. In this review, we highlight the interplay between epithelial polarization, development, and function by describing symmetry breaking and polarity establishment in a particularly well-characterized epithelium, the C. elegans intestine. We compare intestinal polarization to polarity programs in two other C. elegans epithelia, the pharynx and epidermis, correlating divergent mechanisms with tissue-specific differences in geometry, embryonic environment, and function. Together, we emphasize the importance of investigating polarization mechanisms against the backdrop of tissue-specific contexts, while also underscoring the benefits of cross-tissue comparisons of polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor F Naturale
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Melissa A Pickett
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San José, CA, United States
| | - Jessica L Feldman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.
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12
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Pickett MA, Sallee MD, Cote L, Naturale VF, Akpinaroglu D, Lee J, Shen K, Feldman JL. Separable mechanisms drive local and global polarity establishment in the Caenorhabditiselegans intestinal epithelium. Development 2022; 149:dev200325. [PMID: 36264257 PMCID: PMC9845746 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Apico-basolateral polarization is essential for epithelial cells to function as selective barriers and transporters, and to provide mechanical resilience to organs. Epithelial polarity is established locally, within individual cells to establish distinct apical, junctional and basolateral domains, and globally, within a tissue where cells coordinately orient their apico-basolateral axes. Using live imaging of endogenously tagged proteins and tissue-specific protein depletion in the Caenorhabditiselegans embryonic intestine, we found that local and global polarity establishment are temporally and genetically separable. Local polarity is initiated prior to global polarity and is robust to perturbation. PAR-3 is required for global polarization across the intestine but local polarity can arise in its absence, as small groups of cells eventually established polarized domains in PAR-3-depleted intestines in a HMR-1 (E-cadherin)-dependent manner. Despite the role of PAR-3 in localizing PKC-3 to the apical surface, we additionally found that PAR-3 and PKC-3/aPKC have distinct roles in the establishment and maintenance of local and global polarity. Taken together, our results indicate that different mechanisms are required for local and global polarity establishment in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Pickett
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95112, USA
| | - Maria D. Sallee
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lauren Cote
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | | | - Joo Lee
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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13
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Huang Y, Gui J, Myllymäki SM, Roy K, Tõnissoo T, Mikkola ML, Shimmi O. Scribble and α-Catenin cooperatively regulate epithelial homeostasis and growth. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:912001. [PMID: 36211469 PMCID: PMC9532510 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.912001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial homeostasis is an emergent property of both physical and biochemical signals emanating from neighboring cells and across tissue. A recent study reveals that Scribble, an apico-basal polarity determinant, cooperates with α-Catenin, an adherens junction component, to regulate tissue homeostasis in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc. However, it remains to be addressed whether similar mechanisms are utilized in vertebrates. In this study, we first address how α-Catenin cooperates with Scribble to regulate epithelial homeostasis and growth in mammalian cells. Our data show that α-Catenin and Scribble interact physically in mammalian cells. We then found that both α-Catenin and Scribble are required for regulating nuclear translocation of YAP, an effector of the Hippo signaling pathway. Furthermore, ectopic Scribble suffices to suppress YAP in an α-Catenin-dependent manner. Then, to test our hypothesis that Scribble amounts impact epithelial growth, we use the Drosophila wing imaginal disc. We show that Scribble expression is complementary to Yorkie signal, the Drosophila ortholog of YAP. Ectopic expression of full-length Scribble or Scribble Leucine Rich Region (LRR):α-Catenin chimera sufficiently down-regulates Yorkie signal, leading to smaller wing size. Moreover, Scribble LRR:α-Catenin chimera rescues scribble mutant clones in the wing imaginal disc to maintain tissue homeostasis. Taken together, our studies suggest that the association of cell polarity component Scribble with α-Catenin plays a conserved role in epithelial homeostasis and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxian Huang
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jinghua Gui
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Kallol Roy
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tambet Tõnissoo
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Marja L. Mikkola
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Osamu Shimmi
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- *Correspondence: Osamu Shimmi,
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14
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Cote LE, Feldman JL. Won't You be My Neighbor: How Epithelial Cells Connect Together to Build Global Tissue Polarity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:887107. [PMID: 35800889 PMCID: PMC9253303 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.887107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial tissues form continuous barriers to protect against external environments. Within these tissues, epithelial cells build environment-facing apical membranes, junction complexes that anchor neighbors together, and basolateral surfaces that face other cells. Critically, to form a continuous apical barrier, neighboring epithelial cells must align their apico-basolateral axes to create global polarity along the entire tissue. Here, we will review mechanisms of global tissue-level polarity establishment, with a focus on how neighboring epithelial cells of different origins align their apical surfaces. Epithelial cells with different developmental origins and/or that polarize at different times and places must align their respective apico-basolateral axes. Connecting different epithelial tissues into continuous sheets or tubes, termed epithelial fusion, has been most extensively studied in cases where neighboring cells initially dock at an apical-to-apical interface. However, epithelial cells can also meet basal-to-basal, posing several challenges for apical continuity. Pre-existing basement membrane between the tissues must be remodeled and/or removed, the cells involved in docking are specialized, and new cell-cell adhesions are formed. Each of these challenges can involve changes to apico-basolateral polarity of epithelial cells. This minireview highlights several in vivo examples of basal docking and how apico-basolateral polarity changes during epithelial fusion. Understanding the specific molecular mechanisms of basal docking is an area ripe for further exploration that will shed light on complex morphogenetic events that sculpt developing organisms and on the cellular mechanisms that can go awry during diseases involving the formation of cysts, fistulas, atresias, and metastases.
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15
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Gomes TL, de Oliveira-Marques V, Hampson RJ, Jacinto A, de Moraes LV, Martinho RG. theLiTE™: A Screening Platform to Identify Compounds that Reinforce Tight Junctions. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:752787. [PMID: 35069190 PMCID: PMC8771259 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.752787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tight junctions (TJ) are formed by transmembrane and intracellular proteins that seal the intercellular space and control selective permeability of epithelia. Integrity of the epithelial barrier is central to tissue homeostasis and barrier dysfunction has been linked to many pathological conditions. TJ support the maintenance of cell polarity through interactions with the Par complex (Cdc42-Par-6-Par-3-aPKC) in which Par-6 is an adaptor and links the proteins of the complex together. Studies have shown that Par-6 overexpression delays the assembly of TJ proteins suggesting that Par-6 negatively regulates TJ assembly. Because restoring barrier integrity is of key therapeutic and prophylactic value, we focus on finding compounds that have epithelial barrier reinforcement properties; we developed a screening platform (theLiTE™) to identify compounds that modulate Par-6 expression in follicular epithelial cells from Par-6-GFP Drosophila melanogaster egg chambers. Hits identified were then tested whether they improve epithelial barrier function, using measurements of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) or dye efflux to evaluate paracellular permeability. We tested 2,400 compounds, found in total 10 hits. Here we present data on six of them: the first four hits allowed us to sequentially build confidence in theLiTE™ and two compounds that were shortlisted for further development (myricetin and quercetin). We selected quercetin due to its clinical and scientific validation as a compound that regulates TJ; food supplement formulated on the basis of this discovery is currently undergoing clinical evaluation in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) sufferers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Lopes Gomes
- Thelial Technologies SA, Parque Tecnológico de Cantanhede, Cantanhede, Portugal
| | | | - Richard John Hampson
- Thelial Technologies SA, Parque Tecnológico de Cantanhede, Cantanhede, Portugal
- Thelial BV (Epinutra), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - António Jacinto
- iNOVA4Health, Chronic Diseases Research Centre - CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Luciana Vieira de Moraes
- Thelial Technologies SA, Parque Tecnológico de Cantanhede, Cantanhede, Portugal
- Thelial BV (Epinutra), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Rui Gonçalo Martinho
- Thelial Technologies SA, Parque Tecnológico de Cantanhede, Cantanhede, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, and Center for Biomedical Research, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Department of Medical Sciences and Institute for Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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16
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Hardin J, Serre J, King R, Walck-Shannon E, Reiner D. Imaging Epidermal Cell Rearrangement in the C. elegans Embryo. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2438:345-376. [PMID: 35147953 PMCID: PMC9528972 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2035-9_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans embryo is well suited for analysis of directed cell rearrangement via modern microscopy, due to its simple organization, short generation time, transparency, invariant lineage, and the ability to generate engineered embryos expressing various fluorescent proteins. This chapter provides an overview of routine microscopy techniques for imaging dorsal intercalation, a convergent extension-like morphogenetic movement in the embryonic epidermis of C. elegans, including making agar mounts, low-cost four-dimensional (4D) Nomarski microscopy, laser microsurgery, and 4D fluorescence microscopy using actin and junctional fusion proteins, as well as tissue-specific promoters useful for studying dorsal intercalation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Hardin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Joel Serre
- Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ryan King
- Department of Biology, St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI, USA
| | - Elise Walck-Shannon
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David Reiner
- Texas A&M Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
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17
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Brandt JN, Voss L, Rambo FM, Nicholson K, Thein JR, Fairchild L, Seabrook L, Lewis D, Guevara-Hernandez L, White ML, Sax L, Eichten V, Harper L, Hermann GJ. Asymmetric organelle positioning during epithelial polarization of C. elegans intestinal cells. Dev Biol 2022; 481:75-94. [PMID: 34597675 PMCID: PMC8665101 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
While the epithelial cell cortex displays profound asymmetries in protein distribution and morphology along the apico-basal axis, the extent to which the cytoplasm is similarly polarized within epithelial cells remains relatively unexplored. We show that cytoplasmic organelles within C. elegans embryonic intestinal cells develop extensive apico-basal polarity at the time they establish cortical asymmetry. Nuclei and conventional endosomes, including early endosomes, late endosomes, and lysosomes, become polarized apically. Lysosome-related gut granules, yolk platelets, and lipid droplets become basally enriched. Removal of par-3 activity does not disrupt organelle positioning, indicating that cytoplasmic apico-basal asymmetry is independent of the PAR polarity pathway. Blocking the apical migration of nuclei leads to the apical positioning of gut granules and yolk platelets, whereas the asymmetric localization of conventional endosomes and lipid droplets is unaltered. This suggests that nuclear positioning organizes some, but not all, cytoplasmic asymmetries in this cell type. We show that gut granules become apically enriched when WHT-2 and WHT-7 function is disrupted, identifying a novel role for ABCG transporters in gut granule positioning during epithelial polarization. Analysis of WHT-2 and WHT-7 ATPase mutants is consistent with a WHT-2/WHT-7 heterodimer acting as a transporter in gut granule positioning. In wht-2(-) mutants, the polarized distribution of other organelles is not altered and gut granules do not take on characteristics of conventional endosomes that could have explained their apical mispositioning. During epithelial polarization wht-2(-) gut granules exhibit a loss of the Rab32/38 family member GLO-1 and ectopic expression of GLO-1 is sufficient to rescue the basal positioning of wht-2(-) and wht-7(-) gut granules. Furthermore, depletion of GLO-1 causes the mislocalization of the endolysosomal RAB-7 to gut granules and RAB-7 drives the apical mispositioning of gut granules when GLO-1, WHT-2, or WHT-7 function is disrupted. We suggest that ABC transporters residing on gut granules can regulate Rab dynamics to control organelle positioning during epithelial polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Greg J. Hermann
- Corresponding author. Department of Biology, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR, USA, (G.J. Hermann)
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18
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Kroll JR, Remmelzwaal S, Boxem M. CeLINC, a fluorescence-based protein-protein interaction assay in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2021; 219:6380436. [PMID: 34849800 PMCID: PMC8664570 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions among proteins are fundamental for life and determining whether two particular proteins physically interact can be essential for fully understanding a protein’s function. We present Caenorhabditis elegans light-induced coclustering (CeLINC), an optical binary protein–protein interaction assay to determine whether two proteins interact in vivo. Based on CRY2/CIB1 light-dependent oligomerization, CeLINC can rapidly and unambiguously identify protein–protein interactions between pairs of fluorescently tagged proteins. A fluorescently tagged bait protein is captured using a nanobody directed against the fluorescent protein (GFP or mCherry) and brought into artificial clusters within the cell. Colocalization of a fluorescently tagged prey protein in the cluster indicates a protein interaction. We tested the system with an array of positive and negative reference protein pairs. Assay performance was extremely robust with no false positives detected in the negative reference pairs. We then used the system to test for interactions among apical and basolateral polarity regulators. We confirmed interactions seen between PAR-6, PKC-3, and PAR-3, but observed no physical interactions among the basolateral Scribble module proteins LET-413, DLG-1, and LGL-1. We have generated a plasmid toolkit that allows use of custom promoters or CRY2 variants to promote flexibility of the system. The CeLINC assay is a powerful and rapid technique that can be widely applied in C. elegans due to the universal plasmids that can be used with existing fluorescently tagged strains without need for additional cloning or genetic modification of the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Kroll
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sanne Remmelzwaal
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Mike Boxem
- Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
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19
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Bidaud-Meynard A, Demouchy F, Nicolle O, Pacquelet A, Suman SK, Plancke CN, Robin FB, Michaux G. High-resolution dynamic mapping of the C. elegans intestinal brush border. Development 2021; 148:dev200029. [PMID: 34704594 PMCID: PMC10659032 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The intestinal brush border is made of an array of microvilli that increases the membrane surface area for nutrient processing, absorption and host defense. Studies on mammalian cultured epithelial cells have uncovered some of the molecular players and physical constraints required to establish this apical specialized membrane. However, the building and maintenance of a brush border in vivo has not yet been investigated in detail. Here, we combined super-resolution imaging, transmission electron microscopy and genome editing in the developing nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to build a high-resolution and dynamic localization map of known and new brush border markers. Notably, we show that microvilli components are dynamically enriched at the apical membrane during microvilli outgrowth and maturation, but become highly stable once microvilli are built. This new toolbox will be instrumental for understanding the molecular processes of microvilli growth and maintenance in vivo, as well as the effect of genetic perturbations, notably in the context of disorders affecting brush border integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Bidaud-Meynard
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Flora Demouchy
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Ophélie Nicolle
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Anne Pacquelet
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Shashi Kumar Suman
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Biologie Paris Seine, CNRS UMR7622, Developmental Biology Laboratory, Inserm U1156, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Camille N Plancke
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Biologie Paris Seine, CNRS UMR7622, Developmental Biology Laboratory, Inserm U1156, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - François B Robin
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Biologie Paris Seine, CNRS UMR7622, Developmental Biology Laboratory, Inserm U1156, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Grégoire Michaux
- Université de Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France
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20
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Sanchez AD, Branon TC, Cote LE, Papagiannakis A, Liang X, Pickett MA, Shen K, Jacobs-Wagner C, Ting AY, Feldman JL. Proximity labeling reveals non-centrosomal microtubule-organizing center components required for microtubule growth and localization. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3586-3600.e11. [PMID: 34242576 PMCID: PMC8478408 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are polarized intracellular polymers that play key roles in the cell, including in transport, polarity, and cell division. Across eukaryotic cell types, microtubules adopt diverse intracellular organization to accommodate these distinct functions coordinated by specific cellular sites called microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs). Over 50 years of research on MTOC biology has focused mainly on the centrosome; however, most differentiated cells employ non-centrosomal MTOCs (ncMTOCs) to organize their microtubules into diverse arrays, which are critical to cell function. To identify essential ncMTOC components, we developed the biotin ligase-based, proximity-labeling approach TurboID for use in C. elegans. We identified proteins proximal to the microtubule minus end protein PTRN-1/Patronin at the apical ncMTOC of intestinal epithelial cells, focusing on two conserved proteins: spectraplakin protein VAB-10B/MACF1 and WDR-62, a protein we identify as homologous to vertebrate primary microcephaly disease protein WDR62. VAB-10B and WDR-62 do not associate with the centrosome and instead specifically regulate non-centrosomal microtubules and the apical targeting of microtubule minus-end proteins. Depletion of VAB-10B resulted in microtubule mislocalization and delayed localization of a microtubule nucleation complex ɣ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), while loss of WDR-62 decreased the number of dynamic microtubules and abolished γ-TuRC localization. This regulation occurs downstream of cell polarity and in conjunction with actin. As this is the first report for non-centrosomal roles of WDR62 family proteins, we expand the basic cell biological roles of this important disease protein. Our studies identify essential ncMTOC components and suggest a division of labor where microtubule growth and localization are distinctly regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana D Sanchez
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tess C Branon
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Departments of Genetics and Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lauren E Cote
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Xing Liang
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Melissa A Pickett
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christine Jacobs-Wagner
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Biology and ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alice Y Ting
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Departments of Genetics and Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jessica L Feldman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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21
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Sallee MD, Pickett MA, Feldman JL. Apical PAR complex proteins protect against programmed epithelial assaults to create a continuous and functional intestinal lumen. eLife 2021; 10:64437. [PMID: 34137371 PMCID: PMC8245128 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sustained polarity and adhesion of epithelial cells is essential for the protection of our organs and bodies, and this epithelial integrity emerges during organ development amidst numerous programmed morphogenetic assaults. Using the developing Caenorhabditis elegans intestine as an in vivo model, we investigated how epithelia maintain their integrity through cell division and elongation to build a functional tube. Live imaging revealed that apical PAR complex proteins PAR-6/Par6 and PKC-3/aPkc remained apical during mitosis while apical microtubules and microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) proteins were transiently removed. Intestine-specific depletion of PAR-6, PKC-3, and the aPkc regulator CDC-42/Cdc42 caused persistent gaps in the apical MTOC as well as in other apical and junctional proteins after cell division and in non-dividing cells that elongated. Upon hatching, gaps coincided with luminal constrictions that blocked food, and larvae arrested and died. Thus, the apical PAR complex maintains apical and junctional continuity to construct a functional intestinal tube.
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22
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Cordova-Burgos L, Patel FB, Soto MC. E-Cadherin/HMR-1 Membrane Enrichment Is Polarized by WAVE-Dependent Branched Actin. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:19. [PMID: 34067000 PMCID: PMC8162361 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9020019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Polarized epithelial cells adhere to each other at apical junctions that connect to the apical F-actin belt. Regulated remodeling of apical junctions supports morphogenesis, while dysregulated remodeling promotes diseases such as cancer. We have documented that branched actin regulator, WAVE, and apical junction protein, Cadherin, assemble together in developing C. elegans embryonic junctions. If WAVE is missing in embryonic epithelia, too much Cadherin assembles at apical membranes, and yet apical F-actin is reduced, suggesting the excess Cadherin is not fully functional. We proposed that WAVE supports apical junctions by regulating the dynamic accumulation of Cadherin at membranes. To test this model, here we examine if WAVE is required for Cadherin membrane enrichment and apical-basal polarity in a maturing epithelium, the post-embryonic C. elegans intestine. We find that larval and adult intestines have distinct apicobasal populations of Cadherin, each with distinct dependence on WAVE branched actin. In vivo imaging shows that loss of WAVE components alters post-embryonic E-cadherin membrane enrichment, especially at apicolateral regions, and alters the lateral membrane. Analysis of a biosensor for PI(4,5)P2 suggests loss of WAVE or Cadherin alters the polarity of the epithelial membrane. EM (electron microscopy) illustrates lateral membrane changes including separations. These findings have implications for understanding how mutations in WAVE and Cadherin may alter cell polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Martha C. Soto
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers—RWJMS, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; (L.C.-B.); (F.B.P.)
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23
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Abrams J, Nance J. A polarity pathway for exocyst-dependent intracellular tube extension. eLife 2021; 10:65169. [PMID: 33687331 PMCID: PMC8021397 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Lumen extension in intracellular tubes can occur when vesicles fuse with an invading apical membrane. Within the Caenorhabditis elegans excretory cell, which forms an intracellular tube, the exocyst vesicle-tethering complex is enriched at the lumenal membrane and is required for its outgrowth, suggesting that exocyst-targeted vesicles extend the lumen. Here, we identify a pathway that promotes intracellular tube extension by enriching the exocyst at the lumenal membrane. We show that PAR-6 and PKC-3/aPKC concentrate at the lumenal membrane and promote lumen extension. Using acute protein depletion, we find that PAR-6 is required for exocyst membrane recruitment, whereas PAR-3, which can recruit the exocyst in mammals, appears dispensable for exocyst localization and lumen extension. Finally, we show that CDC-42 and RhoGEF EXC-5/FGD regulate lumen extension by recruiting PAR-6 and PKC-3 to the lumenal membrane. Our findings reveal a pathway that connects CDC-42, PAR proteins, and the exocyst to extend intracellular tubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Abrams
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Jeremy Nance
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, United States.,Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, United States
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24
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Abstract
As multi-cellular organisms evolved from small clusters of cells to complex metazoans, biological tubes became essential for life. Tubes are typically thought of as mainly playing a role in transport, with the hollow space (lumen) acting as a conduit to distribute nutrients and waste, or for gas exchange. However, biological tubes also provide a platform for physiological, mechanical, and structural functions. Indeed, tubulogenesis is often a critical aspect of morphogenesis and organogenesis. C. elegans is made up of tubes that provide structural support and protection (the epidermis), perform the mechanical and enzymatic processes of digestion (the buccal cavity, pharynx, intestine, and rectum), transport fluids for osmoregulation (the excretory system), and execute the functions necessary for reproduction (the germline, spermatheca, uterus and vulva). Here we review our current understanding of the genetic regulation, molecular processes, and physical forces involved in tubulogenesis and morphogenesis of the epidermal, digestive and excretory systems in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D Shaye
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago-College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States.
| | - Martha C Soto
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
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25
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Castiglioni VG, Pires HR, Rosas Bertolini R, Riga A, Kerver J, Boxem M. Epidermal PAR-6 and PKC-3 are essential for larval development of C. elegans and organize non-centrosomal microtubules. eLife 2020; 9:e62067. [PMID: 33300872 PMCID: PMC7755398 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cortical polarity regulators PAR-6, PKC-3, and PAR-3 are essential for the polarization of a broad variety of cell types in multicellular animals. In C. elegans, the roles of the PAR proteins in embryonic development have been extensively studied, yet little is known about their functions during larval development. Using inducible protein degradation, we show that PAR-6 and PKC-3, but not PAR-3, are essential for postembryonic development. PAR-6 and PKC-3 are required in the epidermal epithelium for animal growth, molting, and the proper pattern of seam-cell divisions. Finally, we uncovered a novel role for PAR-6 in organizing non-centrosomal microtubule arrays in the epidermis. PAR-6 was required for the localization of the microtubule organizer NOCA-1/Ninein, and defects in a noca-1 mutant are highly similar to those caused by epidermal PAR-6 depletion. As NOCA-1 physically interacts with PAR-6, we propose that PAR-6 promotes non-centrosomal microtubule organization through localization of NOCA-1/Ninein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria G Castiglioni
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Helena R Pires
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Rodrigo Rosas Bertolini
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Amalia Riga
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Jana Kerver
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Mike Boxem
- Division of Developmental Biology, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
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26
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Barnes KM, Fan L, Moyle MW, Brittin CA, Xu Y, Colón-Ramos DA, Santella A, Bao Z. Cadherin preserves cohesion across involuting tissues during C. elegans neurulation. eLife 2020; 9:e58626. [PMID: 33030428 PMCID: PMC7544503 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The internalization of the central nervous system, termed neurulation in vertebrates, is a critical step in embryogenesis. Open questions remain regarding how force propels coordinated tissue movement during the process, and little is known as to how internalization happens in invertebrates. We show that in C. elegans morphogenesis, apical constriction in the retracting pharynx drives involution of the adjacent neuroectoderm. HMR-1/cadherin mediates this process via inter-tissue attachment, as well as cohesion within the neuroectoderm. Our results demonstrate that HMR-1 is capable of mediating embryo-wide reorganization driven by a centrally located force generator, and indicate a non-canonical use of cadherin on the basal side of an epithelium that may apply to vertebrate neurulation. Additionally, we highlight shared morphology and gene expression in tissues driving involution, which suggests that neuroectoderm involution in C. elegans is potentially homologous with vertebrate neurulation and thus may help elucidate the evolutionary origin of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristopher M Barnes
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Weill Cornell MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Li Fan
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Mark W Moyle
- Department of Neuroscience and Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Christopher A Brittin
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Yichi Xu
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Daniel A Colón-Ramos
- Department of Neuroscience and Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto RicoSan JuanUnited States
| | - Anthony Santella
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Molecular Cytology Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Zhirong Bao
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkUnited States
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27
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The Role of pkc-3 and Genetic Suppressors in Caenorhabditis elegans Epithelial Cell Junction Formation. Genetics 2020; 214:941-959. [PMID: 32005655 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial cells form intercellular junctions to strengthen cell-cell adhesion and limit diffusion, allowing epithelia to function as dynamic tissues and barriers separating internal and external environments. Junctions form as epithelial cells differentiate; clusters of junction proteins first concentrate apically, then mature into continuous junctional belts that encircle and connect each cell. In mammals and Drosophila, atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) is required for junction maturation, although how it contributes to this process is poorly understood. A role for the Caenorhabditis elegans aPKC homolog PKC-3 in junction formation has not been described previously. Here, we show that PKC-3 is essential for junction maturation as epithelia first differentiate. Using a temperature-sensitive allele of pkc-3 that causes junction breaks in the spermatheca and leads to sterility, we identify intragenic and extragenic suppressors that render pkc-3 mutants fertile. Intragenic suppressors include an unanticipated stop-to-stop mutation in the pkc-3 gene, providing evidence for the importance of stop codon identity in gene activity. One extragenic pkc-3 suppressor is a loss-of-function allele of the lethal(2) giant larvae homolog lgl-1, which antagonizes aPKC within epithelia of Drosophila and mammals, but was not known previously to function in C. elegans epithelia. Finally, two extragenic suppressors are loss-of-function alleles of sups-1-a previously uncharacterized gene. We show that SUPS-1 is an apical extracellular matrix protein expressed in epidermal cells, suggesting that it nonautonomously regulates junction formation in the spermatheca. These findings establish a foundation for dissecting the role of PKC-3 and interacting genes in epithelial junction maturation.
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28
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Bai X, Melesse M, Sorensen Turpin CG, Sloan DE, Chen CY, Wang WC, Lee PY, Simmons JR, Nebenfuehr B, Mitchell D, Klebanow LR, Mattson N, Betzig E, Chen BC, Cheerambathur D, Bembenek JN. Aurora B functions at the apical surface after specialized cytokinesis during morphogenesis in C. elegans. Development 2020; 147:dev.181099. [PMID: 31806662 PMCID: PMC6983721 DOI: 10.1242/dev.181099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Although cytokinesis has been intensely studied, the way it is executed during development is not well understood, despite a long-standing appreciation that various aspects of cytokinesis vary across cell and tissue types. To address this, we investigated cytokinesis during the invariant Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic divisions and found several parameters that are altered at different stages in a reproducible manner. During early divisions, furrow ingression asymmetry and midbody inheritance is consistent, suggesting specific regulation of these events. During morphogenesis, we found several unexpected alterations to cytokinesis, including apical midbody migration in polarizing epithelial cells of the gut, pharynx and sensory neurons. Aurora B kinase, which is essential for several aspects of cytokinesis, remains apically localized in each of these tissues after internalization of midbody ring components. Aurora B inactivation disrupts cytokinesis and causes defects in apical structures, even if inactivated post-mitotically. Therefore, we demonstrate that cytokinesis is implemented in a specialized way during epithelial polarization and that Aurora B has a role in the formation of the apical surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Bai
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Michael Melesse
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | | | - Dillon E. Sloan
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA,Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Chin-Yi Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Cheng Wang
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Yi Lee
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - James R. Simmons
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Benjamin Nebenfuehr
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Diana Mitchell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lindsey R. Klebanow
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Nicholas Mattson
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Eric Betzig
- Janelia Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Bi-Chang Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan,Janelia Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Dhanya Cheerambathur
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Joshua N. Bembenek
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA,Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA,Author for correspondence ()
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29
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New insights into apical-basal polarization in epithelia. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2019; 62:1-8. [PMID: 31505411 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2019.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The establishment of an apical-basal axis of polarity is essential for the organization and functioning of epithelial cells. Polarization of epithelial cells is orchestrated by a network of conserved polarity regulators that establish opposing cortical domains through mutually antagonistic interactions and positive feedback loops. While our understanding is still far from complete, the molecular details behind these interactions continue to be worked out. Here, we highlight recent findings on the mechanisms that control the activity and localization of apical-basal polarity regulators, including oligomerization and higher-order complex formation, auto-inhibitory interactions, and electrostatic interactions with the plasma membrane.
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30
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Zheleva A, Gómez-Orte E, Sáenz-Narciso B, Ezcurra B, Kassahun H, de Toro M, Miranda-Vizuete A, Schnabel R, Nilsen H, Cabello J. Reduction of mRNA export unmasks different tissue sensitivities to low mRNA levels during Caenorhabditis elegans development. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008338. [PMID: 31525188 PMCID: PMC6762213 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal development requires the execution of specific transcriptional programs in different sets of cells to build tissues and functional organs. Transcripts are exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm where they are translated into proteins that, ultimately, carry out the cellular functions. Here we show that in Caenorhabditis elegans, reduction of mRNA export strongly affects epithelial morphogenesis and germline proliferation while other tissues remain relatively unaffected. Epithelialization and gamete formation demand a large number of transcripts in the cytoplasm for the duration of these processes. In addition, our findings highlight the existence of a regulatory feedback mechanism that activates gene expression in response to low levels of cytoplasmic mRNA. We expand the genetic characterization of nuclear export factor NXF-1 to other members of the mRNA export pathway to model mRNA export and recycling of NXF-1 back to the nucleus. Our model explains how mutations in genes involved in general processes, such as mRNA export, may result in tissue-specific developmental phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina Zheleva
- CIBIR (Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja), Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
| | - Eva Gómez-Orte
- CIBIR (Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja), Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
| | | | - Begoña Ezcurra
- CIBIR (Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja), Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
| | - Henok Kassahun
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - María de Toro
- CIBIR (Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja), Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
| | - Antonio Miranda-Vizuete
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ralf Schnabel
- Institute of Genetics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Hilde Nilsen
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Juan Cabello
- CIBIR (Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja), Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
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31
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Pickett MA, Naturale VF, Feldman JL. A Polarizing Issue: Diversity in the Mechanisms Underlying Apico-Basolateral Polarization In Vivo. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2019; 35:285-308. [PMID: 31461314 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100818-125134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Polarization along an apico-basolateral axis is a hallmark of epithelial cells and is essential for their selective barrier and transporter functions, as well as for their ability to provide mechanical resiliency to organs. Loss of polarity along this axis perturbs development and is associated with a wide number of diseases. We describe three steps involved in polarization: symmetry breaking, polarity establishment, and polarity maintenance. While the proteins involved in these processes are highly conserved among epithelial tissues and species, the execution of these steps varies widely and is context dependent. We review both theoretical principles underlying these steps and recent work demonstrating how apico-basolateral polarity is established in vivo in different tissues, highlighting how developmental and physiological contexts play major roles in the execution of the epithelial polarity program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Pickett
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
| | - Victor F Naturale
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
| | - Jessica L Feldman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
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32
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Nance J, Frøkjær-Jensen C. The Caenorhabditis elegans Transgenic Toolbox. Genetics 2019; 212:959-990. [PMID: 31405997 PMCID: PMC6707460 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.301506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The power of any genetic model organism is derived, in part, from the ease with which gene expression can be manipulated. The short generation time and invariant developmental lineage have made Caenorhabditis elegans very useful for understanding, e.g., developmental programs, basic cell biology, neurobiology, and aging. Over the last decade, the C. elegans transgenic toolbox has expanded considerably, with the addition of a variety of methods to control expression and modify genes with unprecedented resolution. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of transgenic methods in C. elegans, with an emphasis on recent advances in transposon-mediated transgenesis, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, conditional gene and protein inactivation, and bipartite systems for temporal and spatial control of expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Nance
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016
| | - Christian Frøkjær-Jensen
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program (KEEP), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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33
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Hegsted A, Votra S, Christophe AM, Yingling CV, Sundaramurthy S, Pruyne D. Functional importance of an inverted formin C-terminal tail at morphologically dynamic epithelial junctions. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2019; 76:322-336. [PMID: 31215743 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21547] [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: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial cell-cell junctions have dual roles of accommodating morphological changes in an epithelium, while maintaining cohesion during those changes. An abundance of junction proteins has been identified, but many details on how intercellular junctions respond to morphological changes remain unclear. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the spermatheca is an epithelial sac that repeatedly dilates and constricts to allow ovulation. It is thought that the junctions between spermatheca epithelial cells undergo reversible partial unzipping to allow rapid dilation. Previously, we found that EXC-6, a C. elegans protein homolog of the human disease-associated formin INF2, is expressed in the spermatheca and promotes oocyte entry. We show here that EXC-6 localizes toward the apical aspect of the spermatheca epithelial junctions, and that the EXC-6-labeled junction domains "unzip" and dramatically flatten with oocyte entry into the spermatheca. We demonstrate that the C-terminal tail of EXC-6 is necessary and sufficient for junction localization. Moreover, expression of the tail alone worsens ovulation defects, suggesting this region not only mediates EXC-6 localization, but also interacts with other components important for junction remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Hegsted
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - SarahBeth Votra
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Amylisa M Christophe
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Curtis V Yingling
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Sumana Sundaramurthy
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - David Pruyne
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
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34
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Nowotschin S, Hadjantonakis AK, Campbell K. The endoderm: a divergent cell lineage with many commonalities. Development 2019; 146:146/11/dev150920. [PMID: 31160415 PMCID: PMC6589075 DOI: 10.1242/dev.150920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The endoderm is a progenitor tissue that, in humans, gives rise to the majority of internal organs. Over the past few decades, genetic studies have identified many of the upstream signals specifying endoderm identity in different model systems, revealing them to be divergent from invertebrates to vertebrates. However, more recent studies of the cell behaviours driving endodermal morphogenesis have revealed a surprising number of shared features, including cells undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs), collective cell migration, and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transitions (METs). In this Review, we highlight how cross-organismal studies of endoderm morphogenesis provide a useful perspective that can move our understanding of this fascinating tissue forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Nowotschin
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anna-Katerina Hadjantonakis
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kyra Campbell
- Bateson Centre, Firth Court, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK .,Department of Biomedical Science, Firth Court, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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35
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Force Transmission between Three Tissues Controls Bipolar Planar Polarity Establishment and Morphogenesis. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1360-1368.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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36
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Fan L, Kovacevic I, Heiman MG, Bao Z. A multicellular rosette-mediated collective dendrite extension. eLife 2019; 8:38065. [PMID: 30767892 PMCID: PMC6400498 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Coordination of neurite morphogenesis with surrounding tissues is crucial to the establishment of neural circuits, but the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. We show that neurons in a C. elegans sensory organ, called the amphid, undergo a collective dendrite extension to form the sensory nerve. The amphid neurons first assemble into a multicellular rosette. The vertex of the rosette, which becomes the dendrite tips, is attached to the anteriorly migrating epidermis and carried to the sensory depression, extruding the dendrites away from the neuronal cell bodies. Multiple adhesion molecules including DYF-7, SAX-7, HMR-1 and DLG-1 function redundantly in rosette-to-epidermis attachment. PAR-6 is localized to the rosette vertex and dendrite tips, and promotes DYF-7 localization and dendrite extension. Our results suggest a collective mechanism of neurite extension that is distinct from the classical pioneer-follower model and highlight the role of mechanical cues from surrounding tissues in shaping neurites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Fan
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
| | - Ismar Kovacevic
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
| | - Maxwell G Heiman
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Zhirong Bao
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
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37
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Chuykin I, Ossipova O, Sokol SY. Par3 interacts with Prickle3 to generate apical PCP complexes in the vertebrate neural plate. eLife 2018; 7:37881. [PMID: 30256191 PMCID: PMC6175575 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate neural tube formation depends on the coordinated orientation of cells in the tissue known as planar cell polarity (PCP). In the Xenopus neural plate, PCP is marked by the enrichment of the conserved proteins Prickle3 and Vangl2 at anterior cell boundaries. Here we show that the apical determinant Par3 is also planar polarized in the neuroepithelium, suggesting a role for Par3 in PCP. Consistent with this hypothesis, interference with Par3 activity inhibited asymmetric distribution of PCP junctional complexes and caused neural tube defects. Importantly, Par3 physically associated with Prickle3 and promoted its apical localization, whereas overexpression of a Prickle3-binding Par3 fragment disrupted PCP in the neural plate. We also adapted proximity biotinylation assay for use in Xenopus embryos and show that Par3 functions by enhancing the formation of the anterior apical PCP complex. These findings describe a mechanistic link between the apical localization of PCP components and morphogenetic movements underlying neurulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Chuykin
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, United States
| | - Olga Ossipova
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, United States
| | - Sergei Y Sokol
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, United States
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38
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Sallee MD, Zonka JC, Skokan TD, Raftrey BC, Feldman JL. Tissue-specific degradation of essential centrosome components reveals distinct microtubule populations at microtubule organizing centers. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2005189. [PMID: 30080857 PMCID: PMC6103517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2005189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-centrosomal microtubule organizing centers (ncMTOCs) are found in most differentiated cells, but how these structures regulate microtubule organization and dynamics is largely unknown. We optimized a tissue-specific degradation system to test the role of the essential centrosomal microtubule nucleators γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) and AIR-1/Aurora A at the apical ncMTOC, where they both localize in Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic intestinal epithelial cells. As at the centrosome, the core γ-TuRC component GIP-1/GCP3 is required to recruit other γ-TuRC components to the apical ncMTOC, including MZT-1/MZT1, characterized here for the first time in animal development. In contrast, AIR-1 and MZT-1 were specifically required to recruit γ-TuRC to the centrosome, but not to centrioles or to the apical ncMTOC. Surprisingly, microtubules remain robustly organized at the apical ncMTOC upon γ-TuRC and AIR-1 co-depletion, and upon depletion of other known microtubule regulators, including TPXL-1/TPX2, ZYG-9/ch-TOG, PTRN-1/CAMSAP, and NOCA-1/Ninein. However, loss of GIP-1 removed a subset of dynamic EBP-2/EB1-marked microtubules, and the remaining dynamic microtubules grew faster. Together, these results suggest that different microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) use discrete proteins for their function, and that the apical ncMTOC is composed of distinct populations of γ-TuRC-dependent and -independent microtubules that compete for a limited pool of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria D. Sallee
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Jennifer C. Zonka
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Taylor D. Skokan
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Brian C. Raftrey
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Jessica L. Feldman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
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39
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Sasidharan S, Borinskaya S, Patel F, Bernadskaya Y, Mandalapu S, Agapito M, Soto MC. WAVE regulates Cadherin junction assembly and turnover during epithelial polarization. Dev Biol 2017; 434:133-148. [PMID: 29223862 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Actin is an integral component of epithelial apical junctions, yet the interactions of branched actin regulators with apical junction components are still not clear. Biochemical data have shown that α-catenin inhibits Arp2/3-dependent branched actin. These results suggested that branched actin is only needed at earliest stages of apical junction development. We use live imaging in developing C. elegans embryos to test models for how WAVE-induced branched actin collaborates with other apical junction proteins during the essential process of junction formation and maturation. We uncover both early and late essential roles for WAVE in apical junction formation. Early, as the C. elegans intestinal epithelium becomes polarized, we find that WAVE components become enriched concurrently with the Cadherin components and before the DLG-1 apical accumulation. Live imaging of F-actin accumulation in polarizing intestine supports that the Cadherin complex components and branched actin regulators work together for apical actin enrichment. Later in junction development, the apical accumulation of WAVE and Cadherin components is shown to be interdependent: Cadherin complex loss alters WAVE accumulation, and WAVE complex loss increases Cadherin accumulation. To determine why Cadherin levels rise when WVE-1 is depleted, we use FRAP to analyze Cadherin dynamics and find that loss of WAVE as well as of the trafficking protein EHD-1/RME-1 increases Cadherin dynamics. EM studies in adults depleted of branched actin regulators support that WVE-1 maintains established junctions, presumably through its trafficking effect on Cadherin. Thus we propose a developmental model for junction formation where branched actin regulators are tightly interconnected with Cadherin junctions through their previously unappreciated role in Cadherin transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashikala Sasidharan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Sofya Borinskaya
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Falshruti Patel
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Yelena Bernadskaya
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Sailaja Mandalapu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Maria Agapito
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Martha C Soto
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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40
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Zilberman Y, Abrams J, Anderson DC, Nance J. Cdc42 regulates junctional actin but not cell polarization in the Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis. J Cell Biol 2017; 216:3729-3744. [PMID: 28903999 PMCID: PMC5674880 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201611061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
During morphogenesis, adherens junctions (AJs) remodel to allow changes in cell shape and position while preserving adhesion. Here, we examine the function of Rho guanosine triphosphatase CDC-42 in AJ formation and regulation during Caenorhabditis elegans embryo elongation, a process driven by asymmetric epidermal cell shape changes. cdc-42 mutant embryos arrest during elongation with epidermal ruptures. Unexpectedly, we find using time-lapse fluorescence imaging that cdc-42 is not required for epidermal cell polarization or junction assembly, but rather is needed for proper junctional actin regulation during elongation. We show that the RhoGAP PAC-1/ARHGAP21 inhibits CDC-42 activity at AJs, and loss of PAC-1 or the interacting linker protein PICC-1/CCDC85A-C blocks elongation in embryos with compromised AJ function. pac-1 embryos exhibit dynamic accumulations of junctional F-actin and an increase in AJ protein levels. Our findings identify a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism for inhibiting junctional CDC-42 to control actin organization and AJ protein levels during epithelial morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliya Zilberman
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Joshua Abrams
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Dorian C Anderson
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Jeremy Nance
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
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41
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Lang CF, Munro E. The PAR proteins: from molecular circuits to dynamic self-stabilizing cell polarity. Development 2017; 144:3405-3416. [PMID: 28974638 DOI: 10.1242/dev.139063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
PAR proteins constitute a highly conserved network of scaffolding proteins, adaptors and enzymes that form and stabilize cortical asymmetries in response to diverse inputs. They function throughout development and across the metazoa to regulate cell polarity. In recent years, traditional approaches to identifying and characterizing molecular players and interactions in the PAR network have begun to merge with biophysical, theoretical and computational efforts to understand the network as a pattern-forming biochemical circuit. Here, we summarize recent progress in the field, focusing on recent studies that have characterized the core molecular circuitry, circuit design and spatiotemporal dynamics. We also consider some of the ways in which the PAR network has evolved to polarize cells in different contexts and in response to different cues and functional constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles F Lang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.,Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Edwin Munro
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA .,Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Rodriguez J, Peglion F, Martin J, Hubatsch L, Reich J, Hirani N, Gubieda AG, Roffey J, Fernandes AR, St Johnston D, Ahringer J, Goehring NW. aPKC Cycles between Functionally Distinct PAR Protein Assemblies to Drive Cell Polarity. Dev Cell 2017; 42:400-415.e9. [PMID: 28781174 PMCID: PMC5563072 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The conserved polarity effector proteins PAR-3, PAR-6, CDC-42, and atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) form a core unit of the PAR protein network, which plays a central role in polarizing a broad range of animal cell types. To functionally polarize cells, these proteins must activate aPKC within a spatially defined membrane domain on one side of the cell in response to symmetry-breaking cues. Using the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote as a model, we find that the localization and activation of aPKC involve distinct, specialized aPKC-containing assemblies: a PAR-3-dependent assembly that responds to polarity cues and promotes efficient segregation of aPKC toward the anterior but holds aPKC in an inactive state, and a CDC-42-dependent assembly in which aPKC is active but poorly segregated. Cycling of aPKC between these distinct functional assemblies, which appears to depend on aPKC activity, effectively links cue-sensing and effector roles within the PAR network to ensure robust establishment of polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josana Rodriguez
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK; Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK.
| | | | - Jack Martin
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | | | - Jacob Reich
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Alicia G Gubieda
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Jon Roffey
- Cancer Research Technology, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Daniel St Johnston
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Julie Ahringer
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Nathan W Goehring
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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43
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Von Stetina SE, Liang J, Marnellos G, Mango SE. Temporal regulation of epithelium formation mediated by FoxA, MKLP1, MgcRacGAP, and PAR-6. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28:2042-2065. [PMID: 28539408 PMCID: PMC5509419 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e16-09-0644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryo morphogenesis, minor epithelia are generated after, and then form bridges between, major epithelia (e.g., epidermis and gut). In Caenorhabditis elegans, this delay is regulated by four proteins that control production and localization of polarity proteins: the pioneer factor PHA-4/FoxA, kinesin ZEN-4/MKLP1, its partner CYK-4/MgcRacGAP, and PAR-6. To establish the animal body plan, embryos link the external epidermis to the internal digestive tract. In Caenorhabditis elegans, this linkage is achieved by the arcade cells, which form an epithelial bridge between the foregut and epidermis, but little is known about how development of these three epithelia is coordinated temporally. The arcade cell epithelium is generated after the epidermis and digestive tract epithelia have matured, ensuring that both organs can withstand the mechanical stress of embryo elongation; mistiming of epithelium formation leads to defects in morphogenesis. Using a combination of genetic, bioinformatic, and imaging approaches, we find that temporal regulation of the arcade cell epithelium is mediated by the pioneer transcription factor and master regulator PHA-4/FoxA, followed by the cytoskeletal regulator and kinesin ZEN-4/MKLP1 and the polarity protein PAR-6. We show that PHA-4 directly activates mRNA expression of a broad cohort of epithelial genes, including junctional factor dlg-1. Accumulation of DLG-1 protein is delayed by ZEN-4, acting in concert with its binding partner CYK-4/MgcRacGAP. Our structure–function analysis suggests that nuclear and kinesin functions are dispensable, whereas binding to CYK-4 is essential, for ZEN-4 function in polarity. Finally, PAR-6 is necessary to localize polarity proteins such as DLG-1 within adherens junctions and at the apical surface, thereby generating arcade cell polarity. Our results reveal that the timing of a landmark event during embryonic morphogenesis is mediated by the concerted action of four proteins that delay the formation of an epithelial bridge until the appropriate time. In addition, we find that mammalian FoxA associates with many epithelial genes, suggesting that direct regulation of epithelial identity may be a conserved feature of FoxA factors and a contributor to FoxA function in development and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen E Von Stetina
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge; MA 02138
| | - Jennifer Liang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge; MA 02138
| | - Georgios Marnellos
- Informatics and Scientific Applications, Science Division, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge; MA 02138
| | - Susan E Mango
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge; MA 02138
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The Caenorhabditis elegans Excretory System: A Model for Tubulogenesis, Cell Fate Specification, and Plasticity. Genetics 2017; 203:35-63. [PMID: 27183565 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.189357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The excretory system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a superb model of tubular organogenesis involving a minimum of cells. The system consists of just three unicellular tubes (canal, duct, and pore), a secretory gland, and two associated neurons. Just as in more complex organs, cells of the excretory system must first adopt specific identities and then coordinate diverse processes to form tubes of appropriate topology, shape, connectivity, and physiological function. The unicellular topology of excretory tubes, their varied and sometimes complex shapes, and the dynamic reprogramming of cell identity and remodeling of tube connectivity that occur during larval development are particularly fascinating features of this organ. The physiological roles of the excretory system in osmoregulation and other aspects of the animal's life cycle are only beginning to be explored. The cellular mechanisms and molecular pathways used to build and shape excretory tubes appear similar to those used in both unicellular and multicellular tubes in more complex organs, such as the vertebrate vascular system and kidney, making this simple organ system a useful model for understanding disease processes.
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45
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Non-junctional E-Cadherin Clusters Regulate the Actomyosin Cortex in the C. elegans Zygote. Curr Biol 2017; 27:103-112. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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46
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Walck-Shannon E, Lucas B, Chin-Sang I, Reiner D, Kumfer K, Cochran H, Bothfeld W, Hardin J. CDC-42 Orients Cell Migration during Epithelial Intercalation in the Caenorhabditis elegans Epidermis. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006415. [PMID: 27861585 PMCID: PMC5127194 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell intercalation is a highly directed cell rearrangement that is essential for animal morphogenesis. As such, intercalation requires orchestration of cell polarity across the plane of the tissue. CDC-42 is a Rho family GTPase with key functions in cell polarity, yet its role during epithelial intercalation has not been established because its roles early in embryogenesis have historically made it difficult to study. To circumvent these early requirements, in this paper we use tissue-specific and conditional loss-of-function approaches to identify a role for CDC-42 during intercalation of the Caenorhabditis elegans dorsal embryonic epidermis. CDC-42 activity is enriched in the medial tips of intercalating cells, which extend as cells migrate past one another. Moreover, CDC-42 is involved in both the efficient formation and orientation of cell tips during cell rearrangement. Using conditional loss-of-function we also show that the PAR complex functions in tip formation and orientation. Additionally, we find that the sole C. elegans Eph receptor, VAB-1, functions during this process in an Ephrin-independent manner. Using epistasis analysis, we find that vab-1 lies in the same genetic pathway as cdc-42 and is responsible for polarizing CDC-42 activity to the medial tip. Together, these data establish a previously uncharacterized role for polarized CDC-42, in conjunction with PAR-6, PAR-3 and an Eph receptor, during epithelial intercalation. As embryos develop, tissues must change shape to establish an animal’s form. One key form-shaping movement, cell intercalation, often occurs when a tissue elongates in a preferred direction. How cells in epithelial sheets can intercalate while maintaining tissue integrity is not well understood. Here we use the dorsal epidermis in embryos of the nematode worm, C. elegans, to study cell intercalation. As cells begin to intercalate, they form highly polarized tips that lead their migration. While some mechanisms that polarize intercalating cells have been established in other systems, our work identifies a new role for CDC-42—a highly conserved, highly regulated protein that controls the actin cytoskeleton. We previously established that a related protein, Rac, is involved in tip extension during dorsal intercalation. CDC-42 also contributes to this process in addition to helping orient the extending tip. CDC-42 appears to work in conjunction with two other known cell polarity proteins, PAR-3 and PAR-6, and the cell surface receptor, VAB-1. Our work identifies a novel pathway involving proteins conserved from worms to humans that regulates a ubiquitous process during animal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Walck-Shannon
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Bethany Lucas
- Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Ian Chin-Sang
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Reiner
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology and Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kraig Kumfer
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Hunter Cochran
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - William Bothfeld
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Jeff Hardin
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Program in Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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47
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Nakamura H, Nagasaka K, Kawana K, Taguchi A, Uehara Y, Yoshida M, Sato M, Nishida H, Fujimoto A, Inoue T, Adachi K, Nagamatsu T, Arimoto T, Oda K, Osuga Y, Fujii T. Expression of Par3 polarity protein correlates with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer. BMC Cancer 2016; 16:897. [PMID: 27855669 PMCID: PMC5114836 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2929-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/06/2016] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that the cell polarity protein partitioning defective 3 (Par3) plays an essential role in the formation of tight junctions and definition of apical-basal polarity. Aberrant function of this protein has been reported to be involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer invasion. The aim of this study was to examine the functional mechanism of Par3 in ovarian cancer. METHODS First, we investigated the association between Par3 expression level and survival of 50 ovarian cancer patients. Next, we conducted an in vitro analysis of ovarian cancer cell lines, focusing on the cell line JHOC5, to investigate Par3 function. To investigate the function of Par3 in invasion, the IL-6/STAT3 pathway was analyzed upon Par3 knockdown with siRNA. The effect of siRNA treatment was assessed by qPCR, ELISA, and western blotting. Invasiveness and cell proliferation following treatment with siRNA against Par3 were investigated using Matrigel chamber, wound healing, and cell proliferation assays. RESULTS Expression array data for ovarian cancer patient samples revealed low Par3 expression was significantly associated with good prognosis. Univariate analysis of clinicopathological factors revealed significant association between high Par3 levels and peritoneal dissemination at the time of diagnosis. Knockdown of Par3 in JHOC5 cells suppressed cell invasiveness, migration, and cell proliferation with deregulation of IL-6/STAT3 activity. CONCLUSION Taken together, these results suggest that Par3 expression is likely involved in ovarian cancer progression, especially in peritoneal metastasis. The underlying mechanism may be that Par3 modulates IL-6 /STAT3 signaling. Here, we propose that the expression of Par3 in ovarian cancer may control disease outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroe Nakamura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Kazunori Nagasaka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Kei Kawana
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Ayumi Taguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Yuriko Uehara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Mitsuyo Yoshida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Masakazu Sato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Haruka Nishida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Asaha Fujimoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Tomoko Inoue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Adachi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Takeshi Nagamatsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Takahide Arimoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Oda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Yutaka Osuga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Fujii
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan
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48
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Sanchez AD, Feldman JL. Microtubule-organizing centers: from the centrosome to non-centrosomal sites. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2016; 44:93-101. [PMID: 27666167 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2016.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The process of cellular differentiation requires the distinct spatial organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton, the arrangement of which is specific to cell type. Microtubule patterning does not occur randomly, but is imparted by distinct subcellular sites called microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs). Since the discovery of MTOCs fifty years ago, their study has largely focused on the centrosome. All animal cells use centrosomes as MTOCs during mitosis. However in many differentiated cells, MTOC function is reassigned to non-centrosomal sites to generate non-radial microtubule organization better suited for new cell functions, such as mechanical support or intracellular transport. Here, we review the current understanding of non-centrosomal MTOCs (ncMTOCs) and the mechanisms by which they form in differentiating animal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana D Sanchez
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jessica L Feldman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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49
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Coch RA, Leube RE. Intermediate Filaments and Polarization in the Intestinal Epithelium. Cells 2016; 5:E32. [PMID: 27429003 PMCID: PMC5040974 DOI: 10.3390/cells5030032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The cytoplasmic intermediate filament cytoskeleton provides a tissue-specific three-dimensional scaffolding with unique context-dependent organizational features. This is particularly apparent in the intestinal epithelium, in which the intermediate filament network is localized below the apical terminal web region and is anchored to the apical junction complex. This arrangement is conserved from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to humans. The review summarizes compositional, morphological and functional features of the polarized intermediate filament cytoskeleton in intestinal cells of nematodes and mammals. We emphasize the cross talk of intermediate filaments with the actin- and tubulin-based cytoskeleton. Possible links of the intermediate filament system to the distribution of apical membrane proteins and the cell polarity complex are highlighted. Finally, we discuss how these properties relate to the establishment and maintenance of polarity in the intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Coch
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, Aachen 52074, Germany.
| | - Rudolf E Leube
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, Aachen 52074, Germany.
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50
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Anllo L, Schüpbach T. Signaling through the G-protein-coupled receptor Rickets is important for polarity, detachment, and migration of the border cells in Drosophila. Dev Biol 2016; 414:193-206. [PMID: 27130192 PMCID: PMC4887387 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Cell migration plays crucial roles during development. An excellent model to study coordinated cell movements is provided by the migration of border cell clusters within a developing Drosophila egg chamber. In a mutagenesis screen, we isolated two alleles of the gene rickets (rk) encoding a G-protein-coupled receptor. The rk alleles result in border cell migration defects in a significant fraction of egg chambers. In rk mutants, border cells are properly specified and express the marker Slbo. Yet, analysis of both fixed as well as live samples revealed that some single border cells lag behind the main border cell cluster during migration, or, in other cases, the entire border cell cluster can remain tethered to the anterior epithelium as it migrates. These defects are observed significantly more often in mosaic border cell clusters, than in full mutant clusters. Reduction of the Rk ligand, Bursicon, in the border cell cluster also resulted in migration defects, strongly suggesting that Rk signaling is utilized for communication within the border cell cluster itself. The mutant border cell clusters show defects in localization of the adhesion protein E-cadherin, and apical polarity proteins during migration. E-cadherin mislocalization occurs in mosaic clusters, but not in full mutant clusters, correlating well with the rk border cell migration phenotype. Our work has identified a receptor with a previously unknown role in border cell migration that appears to regulate detachment and polarity of the border cell cluster coordinating processes within the cells of the cluster themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Anllo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Trudi Schüpbach
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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