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Mouillet-Richard S, Gougelet A, Passet B, Brochard C, Le Corre D, Pitasi CL, Joubel C, Sroussi M, Gallois C, Lavergne J, Castille J, Vilotte M, Daniel-Carlier N, Pilati C, de Reyniès A, Djouadi F, Colnot S, André T, Taieb J, Vilotte JL, Romagnolo B, Laurent-Puig P. Wnt, glucocorticoid and cellular prion protein cooperate to drive a mesenchymal phenotype with poor prognosis in colon cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:337. [PMID: 38589873 PMCID: PMC11003154 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05164-0] [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: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mesenchymal subtype of colorectal cancer (CRC), associated with poor prognosis, is characterized by abundant expression of the cellular prion protein PrPC, which represents a candidate therapeutic target. How PrPC is induced in CRC remains elusive. This study aims to elucidate the signaling pathways governing PrPC expression and to shed light on the gene regulatory networks linked to PrPC. METHODS We performed in silico analyses on diverse datasets of in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models of mouse CRC and patient cohorts. We mined ChIPseq studies and performed promoter analysis. CRC cell lines were manipulated through genetic and pharmacological approaches. We created mice combining conditional inactivation of Apc in intestinal epithelial cells and overexpression of the human prion protein gene PRNP. Bio-informatic analyses were carried out in two randomized control trials totalizing over 3000 CRC patients. RESULTS In silico analyses combined with cell-based assays identified the Wnt-β-catenin and glucocorticoid pathways as upstream regulators of PRNP expression, with subtle differences between mouse and human. We uncover multiple feedback loops between PrPC and these two pathways, which translate into an aggravation of CRC pathogenesis in mouse. In stage III CRC patients, the signature defined by PRNP-CTNNB1-NR3C1, encoding PrPC, β-catenin and the glucocorticoid receptor respectively, is overrepresented in the poor-prognosis, mesenchymal subtype and associates with reduced time to recurrence. CONCLUSIONS An unleashed PrPC-dependent vicious circle is pathognomonic of poor prognosis, mesenchymal CRC. Patients from this aggressive subtype of CRC may benefit from therapies targeting the PRNP-CTNNB1-NR3C1 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Mouillet-Richard
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France.
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France.
| | - Angélique Gougelet
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Passet
- University of Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR1313 GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Camille Brochard
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, APHP, Department of Pathology, APHP.Centre-Université Paris Cité, Hôpital Européen G. Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Le Corre
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Caterina Luana Pitasi
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, Inserm, CNRS, F-75014, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Camille Joubel
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Marine Sroussi
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Claire Gallois
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
- Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, APHP, Hepatogastroenterology and GI Oncology Department, APHP.Centre-Université Paris Cité, Hôpital Européen G. Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Julien Lavergne
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Histology, Imaging and Cytometry Center (CHIC), Paris, France
| | - Johan Castille
- University of Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR1313 GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Marthe Vilotte
- University of Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR1313 GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Nathalie Daniel-Carlier
- University of Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR1313 GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Camilla Pilati
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Aurélien de Reyniès
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Fatima Djouadi
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Sabine Colnot
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Thierry André
- Saint-Antoine Hospital, INSERM, Unité Mixte de Recherche Scientifique 938, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Julien Taieb
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
- Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, APHP, Hepatogastroenterology and GI Oncology Department, APHP.Centre-Université Paris Cité, Hôpital Européen G. Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Luc Vilotte
- University of Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR1313 GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Béatrice Romagnolo
- Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, Inserm, CNRS, F-75014, Paris, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Laurent-Puig
- Centre de Recherche Des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France.
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre Le Cancer, Paris, France.
- Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, APHP, Department of Biology, APHP.Centre-Université Paris Cité, Hôpital Européen G. Pompidou, Paris, France.
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Janssen R, Budd GE. New insights into mesoderm and endoderm development, and the nature of the onychophoran blastopore. Front Zool 2024; 21:2. [PMID: 38267986 PMCID: PMC10809584 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-024-00521-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early during onychophoran development and prior to the formation of the germ band, a posterior tissue thickening forms the posterior pit. Anterior to this thickening forms a groove, the embryonic slit, that marks the anterior-posterior orientation of the developing embryo. This slit is by some authors considered the blastopore, and thus the origin of the endoderm, while others argue that the posterior pit represents the blastopore. This controversy is of evolutionary significance because if the slit represents the blastopore, then this would support the amphistomy hypothesis that suggests that a slit-like blastopore in the bilaterian ancestor evolved into protostomy and deuterostomy. RESULTS In this paper, we summarize our current knowledge about endoderm and mesoderm development in onychophorans and provide additional data on early endoderm- and mesoderm-determining marker genes such as Blimp, Mox, and the T-box genes. CONCLUSION We come to the conclusion that the endoderm of onychophorans forms prior to the development of the embryonic slit, and thus that the slit is not the primary origin of the endoderm. It is thus unlikely that the embryonic slit represents the blastopore. We suggest instead that the posterior pit indeed represents the lips of the blastopore, and that the embryonic slit (and surrounding tissue) represents a morphologically superficial archenteron-like structure. We conclude further that both endoderm and mesoderm development are under control of conserved gene regulatory networks, and that many of the features found in arthropods including the model Drosophila melanogaster are likely derived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Janssen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Graham E Budd
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
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Zhao F, Guo X, Li X, Liu F, Fu Y, Sun X, Yang Z, Zhang Z, Qin Z. Identification and Expressional Analysis of Putative PRDI-BF1 and RIZ Homology Domain-Containing Transcription Factors in Mulinia lateralis. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1059. [PMID: 37626944 PMCID: PMC10451705 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Mollusca represents one of the ancient bilaterian groups with high morphological diversity, while the formation mechanisms of the precursors of all germ cells, primordial germ cells (PGCs), have not yet been clarified in mollusks. PRDI-BF1 and RIZ homology domain-containing proteins (PRDMs) are a group of transcriptional repressors, and PRDM1 (also known as BLIMP1) and PRDM14 have been reported to be essential for the formation of PGCs. In the present study, we performed a genome-wide retrieval in Mulinia lateralis and identified 11 putative PRDMs, all of which possessed an N-terminal PR domain. Expressional profiles revealed that all these prdm genes showed specifically high expression levels in the given stages, implying that all PRDMs played important roles during early development stages. Specifically, Ml-prdm1 was highly expressed at the gastrula stage, the key period when PGCs arise, and was specifically localized in the cytoplasm of two or three cells of blastula, gastrula, or trochophore larvae, matching the typical characteristics of PGCs. These results suggested that Ml-prdm1-positive cells may be PGCs and that Ml-prdm1 could be a candidate marker for tracing the formation of PGCs in M. lateralis. In addition, the expression profiles of Ml-prdm14 hinted that it may not be associated with PGCs of M. lateralis. The present study provides insights into the evolution of the PRDM family in mollusks and offers a better understanding of the formation of PGCs in mollusks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Xiaolin Guo
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Xixi Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Fang Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Yifan Fu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zujing Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhifeng Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Zhenkui Qin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; (F.Z.); (X.G.); (X.L.); (F.L.); (Y.F.); (X.S.); (Z.Y.); (Z.Z.)
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A Krüppel-like factor is required for development and regeneration of germline and yolk cells from somatic stem cells in planarians. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001472. [PMID: 35839223 PMCID: PMC9286257 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually reproducing animals segregate their germline from their soma. In addition to gamete-producing gonads, planarian and parasitic flatworm reproduction relies on yolk cell–generating accessory reproductive organs (vitellaria) supporting development of yolkless oocytes. Despite the importance of vitellaria for flatworm reproduction (and parasite transmission), little is known about this unique evolutionary innovation. Here, we examine reproductive system development in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, in which pluripotent stem cells generate both somatic and germ cell lineages. We show that a homolog of the pluripotency factor Klf4 is expressed in primordial germ cells (PGCs), presumptive germline stem cells (GSCs), and yolk cell progenitors. Knockdown of this klf4-like (klf4l) gene results in animals that fail to specify or maintain germ cells; surprisingly, they also fail to maintain yolk cells. We find that yolk cells display germ cell–like attributes and that vitellaria are structurally analogous to gonads. In addition to identifying a new proliferative cell population in planarians (yolk cell progenitors) and defining its niche, our work provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that flatworm germ cells and yolk cells share a common evolutionary origin.
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Investigating chromatin accessibility during development and differentiation by ATAC-sequencing to guide the identification of cis-regulatory elements. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1167-1177. [PMID: 35604124 PMCID: PMC9246326 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mapping accessible chromatin across time scales can give insights into its dynamic nature, for example during cellular differentiation and tissue or organism development. Analysis of such data can be utilised to identify functional cis-regulatory elements (CRE) and transcription factor binding sites and, when combined with transcriptomics, can reveal gene regulatory networks (GRNs) of expressed genes. Chromatin accessibility mapping is a powerful approach and can be performed using ATAC-sequencing (ATAC-seq), whereby Tn5 transposase inserts sequencing adaptors into genomic DNA to identify differentially accessible regions of chromatin in different cell populations. It requires low sample input and can be performed and analysed relatively quickly compared with other methods. The data generated from ATAC-seq, along with other genomic approaches, can help uncover chromatin packaging and potential cis-regulatory elements that may be responsible for gene expression. Here, we describe the ATAC-seq approach and give examples from mainly vertebrate embryonic development, where such datasets have identified the highly dynamic nature of chromatin, with differing landscapes between cellular precursors for different lineages.
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Wang H, Morrison CA, Ghosh N, Tea JS, Call GB, Treisman JE. The Blimp-1 transcription factor acts in non-neuronal cells to regulate terminal differentiation of the Drosophila eye. Development 2022; 149:dev200217. [PMID: 35297965 PMCID: PMC8995086 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The formation of a functional organ such as the eye requires specification of the correct cell types and their terminal differentiation into cells with the appropriate morphologies and functions. Here, we show that the zinc-finger transcription factor Blimp-1 acts in secondary and tertiary pigment cells in the Drosophila retina to promote the formation of a bi-convex corneal lens with normal refractive power, and in cone cells to enable complete extension of the photoreceptor rhabdomeres. Blimp-1 expression depends on the hormone ecdysone, and loss of ecdysone signaling causes similar differentiation defects. Timely termination of Blimp-1 expression is also important, as its overexpression in the eye has deleterious effects. Our transcriptomic analysis revealed that Blimp-1 regulates the expression of many structural and secreted proteins in the retina. Blimp-1 may function in part by repressing another transcription factor; Slow border cells is highly upregulated in the absence of Blimp-1, and its overexpression reproduces many of the effects of removing Blimp-1. This work provides insight into the transcriptional networks and cellular interactions that produce the structures necessary for visual function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongsu Wang
- Skirball Institutefor Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Carolyn A. Morrison
- Skirball Institutefor Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Neha Ghosh
- Skirball Institutefor Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Joy S. Tea
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Gerald B. Call
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jessica E. Treisman
- Skirball Institutefor Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Mito T, Ishimaru Y, Watanabe T, Nakamura T, Ylla G, Noji S, Extavour CG. Cricket: The third domesticated insect. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 147:291-306. [PMID: 35337452 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Many researchers are using crickets to conduct research on various topics related to development and regeneration in addition to brain function, behavior, and biological clocks, using advanced functional and perturbational technologies such as genome editing. Recently, crickets have also been attracting attention as a food source for the next generation of humans. In addition, crickets are increasingly being used as disease models and biological factories for pharmaceuticals. Cricket research has thus evolved over the last century from use primarily in highly important basic research, to use in a variety of applications and practical uses. These insects are now a state-of-the-art model animal that can be obtained and maintained in large quantities at low cost. We therefore suggest that crickets are useful as a third domesticated insect for scientific research, after honeybees and silkworms, contributing to the achievement of global sustainable development goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Mito
- Division of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima City, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yoshiyasu Ishimaru
- Division of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima City, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Takahito Watanabe
- Division of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima City, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Taro Nakamura
- Division of Evolutionary Developmental Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Guillem Ylla
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States; Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Sumihare Noji
- Division of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima City, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, United States.
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Post-transcriptional regulation of factors important for the germ line. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 146:49-78. [PMID: 35152986 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Echinoderms are a major model system for many general aspects of biology, including mechanisms of gene regulation. Analysis of transcriptional regulation (Gene regulatory networks, direct DNA-binding of proteins to specific cis-elements, and transgenesis) has contributed to our understanding of how an embryo works. This chapter looks at post-transcriptional gene regulation in the context of how the primordial germ cells are formed, and how the factors essential for this process are regulated. Important in echinoderms, as in many embryos, is that key steps of fate determination are made post-transcriptionally. This chapter highlights these steps uncovered in sea urchins and sea stars, and links them to a general theme of how the germ line may regulate its fate differently than many of the embryo's somatic cell lineages.
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Hansen CL, Pelegri F. Primordial Germ Cell Specification in Vertebrate Embryos: Phylogenetic Distribution and Conserved Molecular Features of Preformation and Induction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:730332. [PMID: 34604230 PMCID: PMC8481613 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.730332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The differentiation of primordial germ cells (PGCs) occurs during early embryonic development and is critical for the survival and fitness of sexually reproducing species. Here, we review the two main mechanisms of PGC specification, induction, and preformation, in the context of four model vertebrate species: mouse, axolotl, Xenopus frogs, and zebrafish. We additionally discuss some notable molecular characteristics shared across PGC specification pathways, including the shared expression of products from three conserved germline gene families, DAZ (Deleted in Azoospermia) genes, nanos-related genes, and DEAD-box RNA helicases. Then, we summarize the current state of knowledge of the distribution of germ cell determination systems across kingdom Animalia, with particular attention to vertebrate species, but include several categories of invertebrates - ranging from the "proto-vertebrate" cephalochordates to arthropods, cnidarians, and ctenophores. We also briefly highlight ongoing investigations and potential lines of inquiry that aim to understand the evolutionary relationships between these modes of specification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco Pelegri
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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10
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Nakao H. Early embryonic development of Bombyx. Dev Genes Evol 2021; 231:95-107. [PMID: 34296338 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-021-00679-8] [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: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Decades have passed since the early molecular embryogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster was outlined. During this period, the molecular mechanisms underlying early embryonic development in other insects, particularly the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, have been described in more detail. The information clearly demonstrated that Drosophila embryogenesis is not representative of other insects and has highly distinctive characteristics. At the same time, this new data has been gradually clarifying ancestral operating mechanisms. The silk moth, Bombyx mori, is a lepidopteran insect and, as a representative of the order, has many unique characteristics found in early embryonic development that have not been identified in other insect groups. Herein, some of these characteristics are introduced and discussed in the context of recent information obtained from other insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Nakao
- Insect Genome Research and Engineering Unit, Division of Applied Genetics, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan.
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Reis AH, Sokol SY. Rspo2 inhibits TCF3 phosphorylation to antagonize Wnt signaling during vertebrate anteroposterior axis specification. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13433. [PMID: 34183732 PMCID: PMC8239024 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92824-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Wnt pathway activates target genes by controlling the β-catenin-T-cell factor (TCF) transcriptional complex during embryonic development and cancer. This pathway can be potentiated by R-spondins, a family of proteins that bind RNF43/ZNRF3 E3 ubiquitin ligases and LGR4/5 receptors to prevent Frizzled degradation. Here we demonstrate that, during Xenopus anteroposterior axis specification, Rspo2 functions as a Wnt antagonist, both morphologically and at the level of gene targets and pathway mediators. Unexpectedly, the binding to RNF43/ZNRF3 and LGR4/5 was not required for the Wnt inhibitory activity. Moreover, Rspo2 did not influence Dishevelled phosphorylation in response to Wnt ligands, suggesting that Frizzled activity is not affected. Further analysis indicated that the Wnt antagonism is due to the inhibitory effect of Rspo2 on TCF3/TCF7L1 phosphorylation that normally leads to target gene activation. Consistent with this mechanism, Rspo2 anteriorizing activity has been rescued in TCF3-depleted embryos. These observations suggest that Rspo2 is a context-specific regulator of TCF3 phosphorylation and Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice H Reis
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
| | - Sergei Y Sokol
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
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Whittle CA, Kulkarni A, Chung N, Extavour CG. Adaptation of codon and amino acid use for translational functions in highly expressed cricket genes. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:234. [PMID: 33823803 PMCID: PMC8022432 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07411-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For multicellular organisms, much remains unknown about the dynamics of synonymous codon and amino acid use in highly expressed genes, including whether their use varies with expression in different tissue types and sexes. Moreover, specific codons and amino acids may have translational functions in highly transcribed genes, that largely depend on their relationships to tRNA gene copies in the genome. However, these relationships and putative functions are poorly understood, particularly in multicellular systems. RESULTS Here, we studied codon and amino acid use in highly expressed genes from reproductive and nervous system tissues (male and female gonad, somatic reproductive system, brain and ventral nerve cord, and male accessory glands) in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. We report an optimal codon, defined as the codon preferentially used in highly expressed genes, for each of the 18 amino acids with synonymous codons in this organism. The optimal codons were mostly shared among tissue types and both sexes. However, the frequency of optimal codons was highest in gonadal genes. Concordant with translational selection, a majority of the optimal codons had abundant matching tRNA gene copies in the genome, but sometimes obligately required wobble tRNAs. We suggest the latter may comprise a mechanism for slowing translation of abundant transcripts, particularly for cell-cycle genes. Non-optimal codons, defined as those least commonly used in highly transcribed genes, intriguingly often had abundant tRNAs, and had elevated use in a subset of genes with specialized functions (gametic and apoptosis genes), suggesting their use promotes the translational upregulation of particular mRNAs. In terms of amino acids, we found evidence suggesting that amino acid frequency, tRNA gene copy number, and amino acid biosynthetic costs (size/complexity) had all interdependently evolved in this insect model, potentially for translational optimization. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, the results suggest a model whereby codon use in highly expressed genes, including optimal, wobble, and non-optimal codons, and their tRNA abundances, as well as amino acid use, have been influenced by adaptation for various functional roles in translation within this cricket. The effects of expression in different tissue types and the two sexes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A Whittle
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Arpita Kulkarni
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Nina Chung
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, 02138, MA, USA.
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13
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Galbraith DA, Ma R, Grozinger CM. Tissue-specific transcription patterns support the kinship theory of intragenomic conflict in honey bees (Apis mellifera). Mol Ecol 2021; 30:1029-1041. [PMID: 33326651 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Kin selection may act differently on genes inherited from parents (matrigenes and patrigenes), resulting in intragenomic conflict. This conflict can be observed as differential expression of matrigenes and patrigenes, or parent-specific gene expression (PSGE). In honey bees (Apis mellifera), intragenomic conflict is hypothesized to occur in multiple social contexts. Previously, we found that patrigene-biased expression in reproductive tissues was associated with increased reproductive potential in worker honey bees, consistent with the prediction that patrigenes are selected to promote selfish behaviour in this context. Here, we examined brain gene expression patterns to determine if PSGE is also found in other tissues. As before, the number of transcripts showing patrigene expression bias was significantly greater in the brains of reproductive vs. sterile workers, while the number of matrigene-biased transcripts was not significantly different. Twelve transcripts out of the 374 showing PSGE in either tissue showed PSGE in both brain and reproductive tissues; this overlap was significantly greater than expected by chance. However, the majority of transcripts show PSGE only in one tissue, suggesting the epigenetic mechanisms mediating PSGE exhibit plasticity between tissues. There was no significant overlap between transcripts that showed PSGE and transcripts that were significantly differentially expressed. Weighted gene correlation network analysis identified modules which were significantly enriched in both types of transcripts, suggesting that these genes may influence each other through gene networks. Our results provide further support for the kin selection theory of intragenomic conflict, and provide valuable insights into the mechanisms which may mediate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Galbraith
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Rong Ma
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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14
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Chen CY, McKinney SA, Ellington LR, Gibson MC. Hedgehog signaling is required for endomesodermal patterning and germ cell development in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. eLife 2020; 9:e54573. [PMID: 32969790 PMCID: PMC7515634 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54573] [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: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Two distinct mechanisms for primordial germ cell (PGC) specification are observed within Bilatera: early determination by maternal factors or late induction by zygotic cues. Here we investigate the molecular basis for PGC specification in Nematostella, a representative pre-bilaterian animal where PGCs arise as paired endomesodermal cell clusters during early development. We first present evidence that the putative PGCs delaminate from the endomesoderm upon feeding, migrate into the gonad primordia, and mature into germ cells. We then show that the PGC clusters arise at the interface between hedgehog1 and patched domains in the developing mesenteries and use gene knockdown, knockout and inhibitor experiments to demonstrate that Hh signaling is required for both PGC specification and general endomesodermal patterning. These results provide evidence that the Nematostella germline is specified by inductive signals rather than maternal factors, and support the existence of zygotically-induced PGCs in the eumetazoan common ancestor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Yi Chen
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | - Sean A McKinney
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | | | - Matthew C Gibson
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Kansas School of MedicineKansas CityUnited States
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15
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DuBuc TQ, Schnitzler CE, Chrysostomou E, McMahon ET, Febrimarsa, Gahan JM, Buggie T, Gornik SG, Hanley S, Barreira SN, Gonzalez P, Baxevanis AD, Frank U. Transcription factor AP2 controls cnidarian germ cell induction. Science 2020; 367:757-762. [PMID: 32054756 PMCID: PMC7025884 DOI: 10.1126/science.aay6782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Clonal animals do not sequester a germ line during embryogenesis. Instead, they have adult stem cells that contribute to somatic tissues or gametes. How germ fate is induced in these animals, and whether this process is related to bilaterian embryonic germline induction, is unknown. We show that transcription factor AP2 (Tfap2), a regulator of mammalian germ lines, acts to commit adult stem cells, known as i-cells, to the germ cell fate in the clonal cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus Tfap2 mutants lacked germ cells and gonads. Transplanted wild-type cells rescued gonad development but not germ cell induction in Tfap2 mutants. Forced expression of Tfap2 in i-cells converted them to germ cells. Therefore, Tfap2 is a regulator of germ cell commitment across germ line-sequestering and germ line-nonsequestering animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Q DuBuc
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Christine E Schnitzler
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Eleni Chrysostomou
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Emma T McMahon
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Febrimarsa
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - James M Gahan
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Tara Buggie
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Sebastian G Gornik
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Shirley Hanley
- National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Sofia N Barreira
- Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Paul Gonzalez
- Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Andreas D Baxevanis
- Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Uri Frank
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
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Chen D, Liu W, Zimmerman J, Pastor WA, Kim R, Hosohama L, Ho J, Aslanyan M, Gell JJ, Jacobsen SE, Clark AT. The TFAP2C-Regulated OCT4 Naive Enhancer Is Involved in Human Germline Formation. Cell Rep 2019; 25:3591-3602.e5. [PMID: 30590035 PMCID: PMC6342560 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Human primordial germ cells (hPGCs) are the first embryonic progenitors in the germ cell lineage, yet the molecular mechanisms required for hPGC formation are not well characterized. To identify regulatory regions in hPGC development, we used the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) to systematically characterize regions of open chromatin in hPGCs and hPGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We discovered regions of open chromatin unique to hPGCs and hPGCLCs that significantly overlap with TFAP2C-bound enhancers identified in the naive ground state of pluripotency. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we show that deleting the TFAP2C-bound naive enhancer at the OCT4 locus (also called POU5F1) results in impaired OCT4 expression and a negative effect on hPGCLC identity. Combining genomics and functional studies, Chen et al. identify the open chromatin state of human primordial germ cells (hPGCs), leading to the discovery that TFAP2C regulates hPGC development through the opening of naive enhancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Chen
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wanlu Liu
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jill Zimmerman
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - William A Pastor
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Kim
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linzi Hosohama
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jamie Ho
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marianna Aslanyan
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joanna J Gell
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Steven E Jacobsen
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Amander T Clark
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Wexler J, Delaney EK, Belles X, Schal C, Wada-Katsumata A, Amicucci MJ, Kopp A. Hemimetabolous insects elucidate the origin of sexual development via alternative splicing. eLife 2019; 8:e47490. [PMID: 31478483 PMCID: PMC6721801 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects are the only known animals in which sexual differentiation is controlled by sex-specific splicing. The doublesex transcription factor produces distinct male and female isoforms, which are both essential for sex-specific development. dsx splicing depends on transformer, which is also alternatively spliced such that functional Tra is only present in females. This pathway has evolved from an ancestral mechanism where dsx was independent of tra and expressed and required only in males. To reconstruct this transition, we examined three basal, hemimetabolous insect orders: Hemiptera, Phthiraptera, and Blattodea. We show that tra and dsx have distinct functions in these insects, reflecting different stages in the changeover from a transcription-based to a splicing-based mode of sexual differentiation. We propose that the canonical insect tra-dsx pathway evolved via merger between expanding dsx function (from males to both sexes) and narrowing tra function (from a general splicing factor to dedicated regulator of dsx).
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Wexler
- Department of Evolution and EcologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Emily Kay Delaney
- Department of Evolution and EcologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Xavier Belles
- Institut de Biologia EvolutivaConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Universitat Pompeu FabraBarcelonaSpain
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant PathologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighUnited States
| | - Ayako Wada-Katsumata
- Department of Entomology and Plant PathologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighUnited States
| | - Matthew J Amicucci
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Artyom Kopp
- Department of Evolution and EcologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisUnited States
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18
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Hox genes limit germ cell formation in the short germ insect Gryllus bimaculatus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:16430-16435. [PMID: 31346080 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1816024116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hox genes are conserved transcription factor-encoding genes that specify the identity of body regions in bilaterally symmetrical animals. In the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, a member of the hemimetabolous insect group Orthoptera, the induction of a subset of mesodermal cells to form the primordial germ cells (PGCs) is restricted to the second through the fourth abdominal segments (A2 to A4). In numerous insect species, the Hox genes Sex-combs reduced (Scr), Antennapedia (Antp), Ultrabithorax (Ubx), and abdominal-A (abd-A) jointly regulate the identities of middle and posterior body segments, suggesting that these genes may restrict PGC formation to specific abdominal segments in G. bimaculatus Here we show that reducing transcript levels of some or all of these Hox genes results in supernumerary and/or ectopic PGCs, either individually or in segment-specific combinations, suggesting that the role of these Hox genes is to limit PGC development with respect to their number, segmental location, or both. These data provide evidence of a role for this ancient group of genes in PGC development.
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19
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Guglielmi G. The biologist using insect eggs to overturn evolutionary doctrine. Nature 2019; 571:24-26. [PMID: 31270490 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-019-02040-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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20
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Whittle CA, Extavour CG. Contrasting patterns of molecular evolution in metazoan germ line genes. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:53. [PMID: 30744572 PMCID: PMC6371493 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1363-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Germ lines are the cell lineages that give rise to the sperm and eggs in animals. The germ lines first arise from primordial germ cells (PGCs) during embryogenesis: these form from either a presumed derived mode of preformed germ plasm (inheritance) or from an ancestral mechanism of inductive cell-cell signalling (induction). Numerous genes involved in germ line specification and development have been identified and functionally studied. However, little is known about the molecular evolutionary dynamics of germ line genes in metazoan model systems. RESULTS Here, we studied the molecular evolution of germ line genes within three metazoan model systems. These include the genus Drosophila (N=34 genes, inheritance), the fellow insect Apis (N=30, induction), and their more distant relative Caenorhabditis (N=23, inheritance). Using multiple species and established phylogenies in each genus, we report that germ line genes exhibited marked variation in the constraint on protein sequence divergence (dN/dS) and codon usage bias (CUB) within each genus. Importantly, we found that de novo lineage-specific inheritance (LSI) genes in Drosophila (osk, pgc) and in Caenorhabditis (pie-1, pgl-1), which are essential to germ plasm functions under the derived inheritance mode, displayed rapid protein sequence divergence relative to the other germ line genes within each respective genus. We show this may reflect the evolution of specialized germ plasm functions and/or low pleiotropy of LSI genes, features not shared with other germ line genes. In addition, we observed that the relative ranking of dN/dS and of CUB between genera were each more strongly correlated between Drosophila and Caenorhabditis, from different phyla, than between Drosophila and its insect relative Apis, suggesting taxonomic differences in how germ line genes have evolved. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, the present results advance our understanding of the evolution of animal germ line genes within three well-known metazoan models. Further, the findings provide insights to the molecular evolution of germ line genes with respect to LSI status, pleiotropy, adaptive evolution as well as PGC-specification mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A Whittle
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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21
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Di Natale M, Bennici C, Biondo G, Masullo T, Monastero C, Tagliavia M, Torri M, Costa S, Ragusa MA, Cuttitta A, Nicosia A. Aberrant gene expression profiles in Mediterranean sea urchin reproductive tissues after metal exposures. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 216:48-58. [PMID: 30359916 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.10.137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Marine organisms are simultaneously exposed to numerous pollutants, among which metals probably represent the most abundant in marine environments. In order to evaluate the effects of metal exposure at molecular level in reproductive tissues, we profiled the sea urchin transcriptional response after non-lethal exposures using pathway-focused mRNA expression analyses. Herein, we show that exposures to relatively high concentrations of both essential and toxic metals hugely affected the gonadic expression of several genes involved in stress-response, detoxification, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, without significant changes in gonadosomatic indices. Even though treatments did not result in reproductive tissues visible alterations, metal exposures negatively affected the main mechanisms of stress-response, detoxification and survival of adult P. lividus. Additionally, transcriptional changes observed in P. lividus gonads may cause altered gametogenesis and maintenance of heritable aberrant epigenetic effects. This study leads to the conclusion that exposures to metals, as usually occurs in polluted coastal areas, may affect sea urchin gametogenesis, thus supporting the hypothesis that parental exposure to environmental stressors affects the phenotype of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Di Natale
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Carmelo Bennici
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Girolama Biondo
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Tiziana Masullo
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Calogera Monastero
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Marcello Tagliavia
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Marco Torri
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Costa
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 16, 90128, Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
| | - Maria Antonietta Ragusa
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 16, 90128, Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
| | - Angela Cuttitta
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
| | - Aldo Nicosia
- National Research Council-Istituto per lo studio degli impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS-CNR), Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Biotechnology, Detached Unit of Capo Granitola, Via del mare, 91021, Torretta Granitola (TP), Sicily, Italy.
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22
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Nakao H, Takasu Y. Complexities in Bombyx germ cell formation process revealed by Bm-nosO (a Bombyx homolog of nanos) knockout. Dev Biol 2018; 445:29-36. [PMID: 30367845 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Inheritance (sequestration of a localized determinant: germplasm) and zygotic induction are two modes of metazoan primordial germ cell (PGC) specification. vasa and nanos homologs are evolutionarily conserved germline marker genes that have been used to examine the ontogeny of germ cells in various animals. In the lepidopteran insect Bombyx mori, although the lack of vasa homolog (BmVLG) protein localization as well as microscopic observation suggested the lack of germplasm, classical embryo manipulation studies and the localization pattern of Bm-nosO (one of the four nanos genes in Bombyx) maternal mRNA in the egg raised the possibility that an inheritance mode is operating in Bombyx. Here, we generated Bm-nosO knockouts to examine whether the localized mRNA acts as a localized germ cell determinant. Contrary to our expectations, Bm-nosO knockout lines could be established. However, these lines frequently produced abnormal eggs, which failed to hatch, to various extent depending on the individuals. We also found that Bm-nosO positively regulated BmVLG expression at least during embryonic stage, directly or indirectly, indicating that these genes were on the same developmental pathway for germ cell formation in Bombyx. These results suggest that these conserved genes are concerned with stable germ cell production. On the other hand, from the aspect of BmVLG as a PGC marker, we showed that maternal Bm-nosO product(s) as well as early zygotic Bm-nosO activity were redundantly involved in PGC specification; elimination of both maternal and zygotic gene activities (as in knockout lines) resulted in the apparent lack of PGCs, indicating that an inheritance mechanism indeed operates in Bombyx. This, however, together with the fact that germ cells are produced at all in Bm-nosO knockout lines, also suggests the possibility that, in Bombyx, not only this inheritance mechanism but also an inductive mechanism acts in concert to form germ cells or that loss of early PGCs are compensated for by germline regeneration: mechanisms that could enable the evolution of preformation. Thus, Bombyx could serve as an important organism in understanding the evolution of germ cell formation mechanisms; transition between preformation and inductive modes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Nakao
- Insect Genome Research and Engineering Unit, Division of Applied Genetics, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan.
| | - Yoko Takasu
- Silk Materials Research Unit, Division of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
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23
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Causes and evolutionary consequences of primordial germ-cell specification mode in metazoans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 114:5784-5791. [PMID: 28584112 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1610600114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In animals, primordial germ cells (PGCs) give rise to the germ lines, the cell lineages that produce sperm and eggs. PGCs form in embryogenesis, typically by one of two modes: a likely ancestral mode wherein germ cells are induced during embryogenesis by cell-cell signaling (induction) or a derived mechanism whereby germ cells are specified by using germ plasm-that is, maternally specified germ-line determinants (inheritance). The causes of the shift to germ plasm for PGC specification in some animal clades remain largely unknown, but its repeated convergent evolution raises the question of whether it may result from or confer an innate selective advantage. It has been hypothesized that the acquisition of germ plasm confers enhanced evolvability, resulting from the release of selective constraint on somatic gene networks in embryogenesis, thus leading to acceleration of an organism's protein-sequence evolution, particularly for genes expressed at early developmental stages, and resulting in high speciation rates in germ plasm-containing lineages (denoted herein as the "PGC-specification hypothesis"). Although that hypothesis, if supported, could have major implications for animal evolution, our recent large-scale coding-sequence analyses from vertebrates and invertebrates provided important examples of genera that do not support the hypothesis of liberated constraint under germ plasm. Here, we consider reasons why germ plasm might be neither a direct target of selection nor causally linked to accelerated animal evolution. We explore alternate scenarios that could explain the repeated evolution of germ plasm and propose potential consequences of the inheritance and induction modes to animal evolutionary biology.
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Zuo Q, Jin K, Song J, Zhang Y, Chen G, Li B. Interaction of the primordial germ cell-specific protein C2EIP with PTCH2 directs differentiation of embryonic stem cells via HH signaling activation. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:497. [PMID: 29703892 PMCID: PMC5923244 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0557-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Although many marker genes for germ cell differentiation have been identified, genes that specifically regulate primordial germ cell (PGC) generation are more difficult to determine. In the current study, we confirmed that C2EIP is a PGC marker gene that regulates differentiation by influencing the expression of pluripotency-associated genes such as Oct4 and Sox2. Knockout of C2EIP during embryonic development reduced PGC generation efficiency 1.5-fold, whereas C2EIP overexpression nearly doubled the generation efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. C2EIP encodes a cytoplasmic protein that interacted with PTCH2 at the intracellular membrane, promoted PTCH2 ubiquitination, activated the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway via competitive inhibition of the GPCR-like protein SMO, and positively regulated PGC generation. Activation and expression of C2EIP are regulated by the transcription factor STAT1, histone acetylation, and promoter methylation. Our data suggest that C2EIP is a novel, specific indicator of PGC generation whose gene product regulates embryonic stem cell differentiation by activating the HH signaling pathway via PTCH2 modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qisheng Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, P.R. China
| | - Kai Jin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, P.R. China
| | - Jiuzhou Song
- Animal & Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, 20741, USA
| | - Yani Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, P.R. China
| | - Guohong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, P.R. China
| | - Bichun Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, P.R. China.
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Zhang W, Bi Y, Wang Y, Li D, He N, Wang M, Jin J, Zuo Q, Zhang Y, Li B. Nanos2 promotes differentiation of chicken (Gallus gallus) embryonic stem cells to male germ cells. J Cell Biochem 2018; 119:4435-4446. [PMID: 29143989 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.26528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Nanos2 is an evolutionarily conserved RNA-binding protein containing 2 CCHC-type zinc finger motives. Here, we report that Nanos2 is strongly expressed in the testis compared to other tissues in chicken (Gallus gallus). Overexpression and knockout plasmid vectors were constructed, and in-vitro Cas9/gRNA digestion and T7 endonuclease I (T7E1) assay indicated that Nanos2-g1 possessed the highest knockout activity. In vitro and in vivo, Nanos2 overexpression accelerated the production of embryoid bodies (EBs) and SSC-like cells and promoted cvh, c-kit, and integrin α6 expression. Immunofluorescence staining, periodic acid schiff (PAS) and flow cytometry (FCM) assay showed that primordial germ cells (PGCs) and spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) formation were significantly promoted. On the contrary, Nanos2 knockout delayed the production of EBs and SSC-like cells and correspondingly reduced cvh, c-kit, and integrin α6 expression. Simultaneously, the quantity of PGCs and SSCs was blocked. Collectively, these results uncovered a novel function of Nanos2 involved in chicken male germ cell differentiation, where it acts as a facilitator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yulin Bi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yingjie Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dong Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Drum Tower Clinic Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Nana He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Man Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Jin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qisheng Zuo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yani Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bichun Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling in animal reproductive system development and function. Dev Biol 2017; 427:258-269. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Gholami M, Ahmadi SAY, Abaszadeh A, Khaki A. Protective effects of melatonin and ghrelin on spermatogenesis: A narrative review of the literature. Int J Reprod Biomed 2017. [DOI: 10.29252/ijrm.15.5.265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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28
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Quan H, Lynch JA. The evolution of insect germline specification strategies. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 13:99-105. [PMID: 27088076 PMCID: PMC4827259 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2016.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of the germline is essential for sexually reproducing organisms. In animals, there are two major strategies to specify the germline: maternal provision and zygotic induction. The molecular basis of the maternal provision mode has been well characterized in several model organisms (fly, frog, fish, and nematode), while that of the zygotic induction mode has mainly been studied in mammalian models such as the mouse. Shifts in germline determination modes occur unexpectedly frequently and many such shifts have occurred several times among insects. Given their general tractability and rapidly increasing genomic and genetic tools applicable to many species, the insects present a uniquely powerful model system for understanding major transitions in reproductive strategies, and developmental processes in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghu Quan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
| | - Jeremy A Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
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