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Huang AH, Galloway JL. Current and emerging technologies for defining and validating tendon cell fate. J Orthop Res 2023; 41:2082-2092. [PMID: 37211925 DOI: 10.1002/jor.25632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The tendon field has been flourishing in recent years with the advent of new tools and model systems. The recent ORS 2022 Tendon Section Conference brought together researchers from diverse disciplines and backgrounds, showcasing studies in biomechanics and tissue engineering to cell and developmental biology and using models from zebrafish and mouse to humans. This perspective aims to summarize progress in tendon research as it pertains to understanding and studying tendon cell fate. The successful integration of new technologies and approaches have the potential to further propel tendon research into a new renaissance of discovery. However, there are also limitations with the current methodologies that are important to consider when tackling research questions. Altogether, we will highlight recent advances and technologies and propose new avenues to explore tendon biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice H Huang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jenna L Galloway
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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2
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Shreesha L, Levin M. Cellular Competency during Development Alters Evolutionary Dynamics in an Artificial Embryogeny Model. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 25:e25010131. [PMID: 36673272 PMCID: PMC9858125 DOI: 10.3390/e25010131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Biological genotypes do not code directly for phenotypes; developmental physiology is the control layer that separates genomes from capacities ascertained by selection. A key aspect is cellular competency, since cells are not passive materials but descendants of unicellular organisms with complex context-sensitive behavioral capabilities. To probe the effects of different degrees of cellular competency on evolutionary dynamics, we used an evolutionary simulation in the context of minimal artificial embryogeny. Virtual embryos consisted of a single axis of positional information values provided by cells' 'structural genes', operated upon by an evolutionary cycle in which embryos' fitness was proportional to monotonicity of the axial gradient. Evolutionary dynamics were evaluated in two modes: hardwired development (genotype directly encodes phenotype), and a more realistic mode in which cells interact prior to evaluation by the fitness function ("regulative" development). We find that even minimal ability of cells with to improve their position in the embryo results in better performance of the evolutionary search. Crucially, we observed that increasing the behavioral competency masks the raw fitness encoded by structural genes, with selection favoring improvements to its developmental problem-solving capacities over improvements to its structural genome. This suggests the existence of a powerful ratchet mechanism: evolution progressively becomes locked in to improvements in the intelligence of its agential substrate, with reduced pressure on the structural genome. This kind of feedback loop in which evolution increasingly puts more effort into the developmental software than perfecting the hardware explains the very puzzling divergence of genome from anatomy in species like planaria. In addition, it identifies a possible driver for scaling intelligence over evolutionary time, and suggests strategies for engineering novel systems in silico and in bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakshwin Shreesha
- UFR Fundamental and Biomedical Sciences, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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3
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Desvignes T, Robbins AE, Carey AZ, Bailon-Zambrano R, Nichols JT, Postlethwait JH, Stankunas K. Coordinated patterning of zebrafish caudal fin symmetry by a central and two peripheral organizers. Dev Dyn 2022; 251:1306-1321. [PMID: 35403297 PMCID: PMC9357109 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.475] [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: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Caudal fin symmetry characterizes teleosts and likely contributes to their evolutionary success. However, the coordinated development and patterning of skeletal elements establishing external symmetry remains incompletely understood. We explore the spatiotemporal emergence of caudal skeletal elements in zebrafish to consider evolutionary and developmental origins of caudal fin symmetry. RESULTS Transgenic reporters and skeletal staining reveal that the hypural diastema-defining gap between hypurals 2 and 3 forms early and separates progenitors of two plates of connective tissue. Two sets of central principal rays (CPRs) synchronously, sequentially, and symmetrically emerge around the diastema. The two dorsal- and ventral-most rays (peripheral principal rays, PPRs) arise independently and earlier than adjacent CPRs. Muscle and tendon markers reveal that different muscles attach to CPR and PPR sets. CONCLUSIONS We propose that caudal fin symmetry originates from a central organizer that establishes the hypural diastema and bidirectionally patterns surrounding tissue into two plates of connective tissue and two mirrored sets of CPRs. Further, two peripheral organizers unidirectionally specify PPRs, forming a symmetric "composite" fin derived from three fields. Distinct CPR and PPR ontogenies may represent developmental modules conferring ray identities, muscle connections, and biomechanical properties. Our model contextualizes mechanistic studies of teleost fin morphological variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Desvignes
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403, USA
| | - Amy E. Robbins
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403, USA
| | - Andrew Z. Carey
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403, USA
| | - Raisa Bailon-Zambrano
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO 80045, USA
| | - James T. Nichols
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO 80045, USA
| | | | - Kryn Stankunas
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403, USA
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4
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Matlosz S, Sigurgeirsson B, Franzdóttir SR, Pálsson A, Jónsson ZO. DNA methylation differences during development distinguish sympatric morphs of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4739-4761. [PMID: 35848921 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Changes in DNA methylation in specific coding or non-coding regions can influence development and potentially divergence in traits within species and groups. While the impact of epigenetic variation on developmental pathways associated with evolutionary divergence is the focus of intense investigation, few studies have looked at recently diverged systems. Phenotypic diversity between closely related populations of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), which diverged within the last 10 000 years, offers an interesting ecological model to address such effects. Using bisulfite sequencing, we studied general DNA methylation patterns during development in the four sympatric morphs of Arctic charr from Lake Thingvallavatn. The data revealed strong differences between developmental timepoints and between morphs (mainly along the benthic - limnetic axis), both at single CpG sites and in 1,000bp-regions. Genes located close to differentially methylated CpG sites were involved in nucleosome assembly, regulation of osteoclast differentiation, and cell-matrix adhesion. Differentially methylated regions were enriched in tRNA and rRNA sequences, and half of them were located close to transcription start sites. The expression of 14 genes showing methylation differences over time or between morphs was further investigated by qPCR and nine of these were found to be differentially expressed between morphs. Four genes (ARHGEF37-like, H3-like, MPP3 and MEGF9) showed a correlation between methylation and expression. Lastly, histone gene clusters displayed interesting methylation differences between timepoints and morphs, as well as intragenic methylation variation. The results presented here provide a motivation for further studies on the contribution of epigenetic traits, such as DNA methylation, to phenotypic diversity and developmental mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastien Matlosz
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | | | - Arnar Pálsson
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Zophonías O Jónsson
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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5
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Della Gaspera B, Weill L, Chanoine C. Evolution of Somite Compartmentalization: A View From Xenopus. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:790847. [PMID: 35111756 PMCID: PMC8802780 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.790847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Somites are transitory metameric structures at the basis of the axial organization of vertebrate musculoskeletal system. During evolution, somites appear in the chordate phylum and compartmentalize mainly into the dermomyotome, the myotome, and the sclerotome in vertebrates. In this review, we summarized the existing literature about somite compartmentalization in Xenopus and compared it with other anamniote and amniote vertebrates. We also present and discuss a model that describes the evolutionary history of somite compartmentalization from ancestral chordates to amniote vertebrates. We propose that the ancestral organization of chordate somite, subdivided into a lateral compartment of multipotent somitic cells (MSCs) and a medial primitive myotome, evolves through two major transitions. From ancestral chordates to vertebrates, the cell potency of MSCs may have evolved and gave rise to all new vertebrate compartments, i.e., the dermomyome, its hypaxial region, and the sclerotome. From anamniote to amniote vertebrates, the lateral MSC territory may expand to the whole somite at the expense of primitive myotome and may probably facilitate sclerotome formation. We propose that successive modifications of the cell potency of some type of embryonic progenitors could be one of major processes of the vertebrate evolution.
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6
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Stenzel A, Mumme-Monheit A, Sucharov J, Walker M, Mitchell JM, Appel B, Nichols JT. Distinct and redundant roles for zebrafish her genes during mineralization and craniofacial patterning. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1033843. [PMID: 36578958 PMCID: PMC9791542 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1033843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Notch pathway is a cell-cell communication system which is critical for many developmental processes, including craniofacial development. Notch receptor activation induces expression of several well-known canonical targets including those encoded by the hes and her genes in mammals and zebrafish, respectively. The function of these genes, individually and in combination, during craniofacial development is not well understood. Here, we used zebrafish genetics to investigate her9 and her6 gene function during craniofacial development. We found that her9 is required for osteoblasts to efficiently mineralize bone, while cartilage is largely unaffected. Strikingly, gene expression studies in her9 mutants indicate that although progenitor cells differentiate into osteoblasts at the appropriate time and place, they fail to efficiently lay down mineralized matrix. This mineralization role of her9 is likely independent of Notch activation. In contrast, her9 also functions redundantly with her6 downstream of Jagged1b-induced Notch activation during dorsoventral craniofacial patterning. These studies disentangle distinct and redundant her gene functions during craniofacial development, including an unexpected, Notch independent, requirement during bone mineralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Stenzel
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Abigail Mumme-Monheit
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Juliana Sucharov
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Macie Walker
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jennyfer M. Mitchell
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Bruce Appel
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - James T. Nichols
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- *Correspondence: James T. Nichols,
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7
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Lawler D, Tangredi B, Becker J, Widga C, Etnier M, Martin T, Schulz K, Kohn L. The nature of coxofemoral joint pathology across family Canidae. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:2119-2136. [PMID: 34837349 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated coxofemoral joints from museum specimens of: Vulpes lagopus; Vulpes vulpes; Vulpes velox; Nyctereutes procyonoides; Urocyon cinereoargenteus; Aenocyon [Canis] dirus; Canis latrans; Canis lupus lupus; Canis lupus familiaris; C. l. familiaris × latrans; and Canis dingo. Acetabular components included: fossa; articular surface; medial and lateral articular margins; and periarticular surfaces. Acetabular components variably revealed: osteophyte-like features; varying appearance of articular margin rims (especially contour changes); rough bone surfaces (especially fossa and articular surface); and surface wear. Proximal femoral components included: articular surface; articular margin; periarticular surfaces; and joint capsule attachment. Femoral components variably revealed: rough bone surface; bone loss; articular margin osteophyte-like features; caudal post-developmental mineralized prominence; and enthesophytes along the joint capsule attachment. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to analyze right-left asymmetric relationships between observed traits, across taxa. Significantly different acetabular trait asymmetry involved only C. latrans-C. l. familiaris; V. vulpes-N. procyonoides, and U. cinereoargenteus-N. procyonoides. There were no significant lateralized differences in proximal femoral traits involving modern canids, ancient and modern C. l. familiaris, or modern vulpines. Thus, the observations were strongly bilateral. We hypothesized high similarity of traits across taxa. The data confirm the hypothesis and strongly suggest broad and deep morphological and mechanistic conservation that almost certainly pre-existed (at least) all modern canids. Further zoological studies are needed to evaluate phylogenic implications in greater detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Lawler
- Center for American Archaeology, Kampsville, Illinois, USA.,Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna Beach, California, USA.,Department of Landscape History, Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Basil Tangredi
- Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna Beach, California, USA.,Green Mountain College, Poultney, Vermont, USA.,Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences, Quechee, Vermont, USA
| | - Julia Becker
- Tippecanoe Animal Hospital, Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Christopher Widga
- Don Sunquist Center for Excellence in Paleontology, East Tennessee State University, Gray, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michael Etnier
- Department of Anthropology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, USA
| | - Terrance Martin
- Department of Landscape History, Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Kurt Schulz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois, USA
| | - Luci Kohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois, USA
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8
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Choe CP, Choi SY, Kee Y, Kim MJ, Kim SH, Lee Y, Park HC, Ro H. Transgenic fluorescent zebrafish lines that have revolutionized biomedical research. Lab Anim Res 2021; 37:26. [PMID: 34496973 PMCID: PMC8424172 DOI: 10.1186/s42826-021-00103-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its debut in the biomedical research fields in 1981, zebrafish have been used as a vertebrate model organism in more than 40,000 biomedical research studies. Especially useful are zebrafish lines expressing fluorescent proteins in a molecule, intracellular organelle, cell or tissue specific manner because they allow the visualization and tracking of molecules, intracellular organelles, cells or tissues of interest in real time and in vivo. In this review, we summarize representative transgenic fluorescent zebrafish lines that have revolutionized biomedical research on signal transduction, the craniofacial skeletal system, the hematopoietic system, the nervous system, the urogenital system, the digestive system and intracellular organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Pyo Choe
- Division of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea.,Division of Applied Life Science, Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Yong Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, 58128, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Kee
- Division of Biomedical Convergence, College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
| | - Min Jung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, 04310, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Hyung Kim
- Department of Marine Life Sciences and Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonsung Lee
- Center for Genomic Integrity, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Chul Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Ansan, 15355, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunju Ro
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
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9
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Lencer E, McCune AR. Differences in Cell Proliferation and Craniofacial Phenotype of Closely Related Species in the Pupfish Genus Cyprinodon. J Hered 2021; 111:237-247. [PMID: 31811714 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic basis for phenotypic differences is fundamental to the study of macroevolutionary patterns of biological diversity. While technological advances in DNA sequencing have made researching genetic variation in wild taxa routine, fully understanding how these variants affect phenotype requires taking the next step to investigate how genetic changes alter cell and tissue interactions that ultimately produce phenotypes. In this article, we investigate a role for cell proliferation as a developmental source of craniofacial diversity in a radiation of 3 species of Cyprinodon from San Salvador Island, Bahamas. Patterns of cell proliferation in the heads of hatching-age fish differ among species of Cyprinodon, and correlate with differences in allometric growth rate among the jaws of 3 distinct species. Regional patterns of cell proliferation in the head are complex, resulting in an unintuitive result in which lower levels of cell proliferation in the posterior head region are associated with the development of relatively larger jaws in one species. We combine these data with previously published morphological and genomic data to show how studying the mechanisms generating phenotype at the cellular and tissue levels of biological organization can help mechanistically link genomic studies with classic morphological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezra Lencer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.,Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Denver-Anschutz, RC, Aurora, CO
| | - Amy R McCune
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
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10
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Swartz ME, Lovely CB, Eberhart JK. Variation in phenotypes from a Bmp-Gata3 genetic pathway is modulated by Shh signaling. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009579. [PMID: 34033651 PMCID: PMC8184005 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We sought to understand how perturbation of signaling pathways and their targets generates variable phenotypes. In humans, GATA3 associates with highly variable defects, such as HDR syndrome, microsomia and choanal atresia. We previously characterized a zebrafish point mutation in gata3 with highly variable craniofacial defects to the posterior palate. This variability could be due to residual Gata3 function, however, we observe the same phenotypic variability in gata3 null mutants. Using hsp:GATA3-GFP transgenics, we demonstrate that Gata3 function is required between 24 and 30 hpf. At this time maxillary neural crest cells fated to generate the palate express gata3. Transplantation experiments show that neural crest cells require Gata3 function for palatal development. Via a candidate approach, we determined if Bmp signaling was upstream of gata3 and if this pathway explained the mutant's phenotypic variation. Using BRE:d2EGFP transgenics, we demonstrate that maxillary neural crest cells are Bmp responsive by 24 hpf. We find that gata3 expression in maxillary neural crest requires Bmp signaling and that blocking Bmp signaling, in hsp:DN-Bmpr1a-GFP embryos, can phenocopy gata3 mutants. Palatal defects are rescued in hsp:DN-Bmpr1a-GFP;hsp:GATA3-GFP double transgenic embryos, collectively demonstrating that gata3 is downstream of Bmp signaling. However, Bmp attenuation does not alter phenotypic variability in gata3 loss-of-function embryos, implicating a different pathway. Due to phenotypes observed in hypomorphic shha mutants, the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathway was a promising candidate for this pathway. Small molecule activators and inhibitors of the Shh pathway lessen and exacerbate, respectively, the phenotypic severity of gata3 mutants. Importantly, inhibition of Shh can cause gata3 haploinsufficiency, as observed in humans. We find that gata3 mutants in a less expressive genetic background have a compensatory upregulation of Shh signaling. These results demonstrate that the level of Shh signaling can modulate the phenotypes observed in gata3 mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E. Swartz
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - C. Ben Lovely
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Johann K. Eberhart
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
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11
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Kimmel CB, Wind AL, Oliva W, Ahlquist SD, Walker C, Dowd J, Blanco-Sánchez B, Titus TA, Batzel P, Talbot JC, Postlethwait JH, Nichols JT. Transgene-mediated skeletal phenotypic variation in zebrafish. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 98:956-970. [PMID: 32112658 PMCID: PMC7483860 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
When considering relationships between genotype and phenotype we frequently ignore the fact that the genome of a typical animal, notably including that of a fish and a human, harbours a huge amount of foreign DNA. Such DNA, in the form of transposable elements, can affect genome function in a major way, and transgene biology needs to be included in our understanding of the genome. Here we examine an unexpected phenotypic effect of the chromosomally integrated transgene fli1a-F-hsp70l:Gal4VP16 that serves as a model for transgene function generally. We examine larval fras1 mutant zebrafish (Danio rerio). Gal4VP16 is a potent transcriptional activator that is already well known for toxicity and mediating unusual transcriptional effects. In the presence of the transgene, phenotypes in the neural crest-derived craniofacial skeleton, notably fusions and shape changes associated with loss of function fras1 mutations, are made more severe, as we quantify by scoring phenotypic penetrance, the fraction of mutants expressing the trait. A very interesting feature is that the enhancements are highly specific for fras1 mutant phenotypes, occurring in the apparent absence of more widespread changes. Except for the features due to the fras1 mutation, the transgene-bearing larvae appear generally healthy and to be developing normally. The transgene behaves as a genetic partial dominant: a single copy is sufficient for the enhancements, yet, for some traits, two copies may exert a stronger effect. We made new strains bearing independent insertions of the fli1a-F-hsp70l:Gal4VP16 transgene in new locations in the genome, and observed increased severities of the same phenotypes as observed for the original insertion. This finding suggests that sequences within the transgene, for example Gal4VP16, are responsible for the enhancements, rather than the effect on neighbouring host sequences (such as an insertional mutation). The specificity and biological action underlying the traits are subjects of considerable interest for further investigation, as we discuss. Our findings show that work with transgenes needs to be undertaken with caution and attention to detail.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Whitney Oliva
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | | | - Charline Walker
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - John Dowd
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Bernardo Blanco-Sánchez
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
- Current address: Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, INSERM UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Tom A. Titus
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Peter Batzel
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Jared C. Talbot
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | | | - James T. Nichols
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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12
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Mitchell JM, Sucharov J, Pulvino AT, Brooks EP, Gillen AE, Nichols JT. The alx3 gene shapes the zebrafish neurocranium by regulating frontonasal neural crest cell differentiation timing. Development 2021; 148:dev197483. [PMID: 33741714 PMCID: PMC8077506 DOI: 10.1242/dev.197483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
During craniofacial development, different populations of cartilage- and bone-forming cells develop in precise locations in the head. Most of these cells are derived from pluripotent cranial neural crest cells and differentiate with distinct developmental timing and cellular morphologies. The mechanisms that divide neural crest cells into discrete populations are not fully understood. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to transcriptomically define different populations of cranial neural crest cells. We discovered that the gene family encoding the Alx transcription factors is enriched in the frontonasal population of neural crest cells. Genetic mutant analyses indicate that alx3 functions to regulate the distinct differentiation timing and cellular morphologies among frontonasal neural crest cell subpopulations. This study furthers our understanding of how genes controlling developmental timing shape craniofacial skeletal elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennyfer M. Mitchell
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Juliana Sucharov
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Anthony T. Pulvino
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Elliott P. Brooks
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Austin E. Gillen
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - James T. Nichols
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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13
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Mef2c factors are required for early but not late addition of cardiomyocytes to the ventricle. Dev Biol 2020; 470:95-107. [PMID: 33245870 PMCID: PMC7819464 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
During heart formation, the heart grows and undergoes dramatic morphogenesis to achieve efficient embryonic function. Both in fish and amniotes, much of the growth occurring after initial heart tube formation arises from second heart field (SHF)-derived progenitor cell addition to the arterial pole, allowing chamber formation. In zebrafish, this process has been extensively studied during embryonic life, but it is unclear how larval cardiac growth occurs beyond 3 days post-fertilisation (dpf). By quantifying zebrafish myocardial growth using live imaging of GFP-labelled myocardium we show that the heart grows extensively between 3 and 5 dpf. Using methods to assess cell division, cellular development timing assay and Kaede photoconversion, we demonstrate that proliferation, CM addition, and hypertrophy contribute to ventricle growth. Mechanistically, we show that reduction in Mef2c activity (mef2ca+/-;mef2cb-/-), downstream or in parallel with Nkx2.5 and upstream of Ltbp3, prevents some CM addition and differentiation, resulting in a significantly smaller ventricle by 3 dpf. After 3 dpf, however, CM addition in mef2ca+/-;mef2cb-/- mutants recovers to a normal pace, and the heart size gap between mutants and their siblings diminishes into adulthood. Thus, as in mice, there is an early time window when SHF contribution to the myocardium is particularly sensitive to loss of Mef2c activity.
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14
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Chen JW, Niu X, King MJ, Noedl MT, Tabin CJ, Galloway JL. The mevalonate pathway is a crucial regulator of tendon cell specification. Development 2020; 147:dev.185389. [PMID: 32467241 DOI: 10.1242/dev.185389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Tendons and ligaments are crucial components of the musculoskeletal system, yet the pathways specifying these fates remain poorly defined. Through a screen of known bioactive chemicals in zebrafish, we identified a new pathway regulating tendon cell induction. We established that statin, through inhibition of the mevalonate pathway, causes an expansion of the tendon progenitor population. Co-expression and live imaging studies indicate that the expansion does not involve an increase in cell proliferation, but rather results from re-specification of cells from the neural crest-derived sox9a+/sox10+ skeletal lineage. The effect on tendon cell expansion is specific to the geranylgeranylation branch of the mevalonate pathway and is mediated by inhibition of Rac activity. This work establishes a novel role for the mevalonate pathway and Rac activity in regulating specification of the tendon lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica W Chen
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Xubo Niu
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Matthew J King
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Marie-Therese Noedl
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Clifford J Tabin
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jenna L Galloway
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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15
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Sucharov J, Ray K, Brooks EP, Nichols JT. Selective breeding modifies mef2ca mutant incomplete penetrance by tuning the opposing Notch pathway. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008507. [PMID: 31790396 PMCID: PMC6907857 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Deleterious genetic mutations allow developmental biologists to understand how genes control development. However, not all loss of function genetic mutants develop phenotypic changes. Many deleterious mutations only produce a phenotype in a subset of mutant individuals, a phenomenon known as incomplete penetrance. Incomplete penetrance can confound analyses of gene function and our understanding of this widespread phenomenon remains inadequate. To better understand what controls penetrance, we capitalized on the zebrafish mef2ca mutant which produces craniofacial phenotypes with variable penetrance. Starting with a characterized mef2ca loss of function mutant allele, we used classical selective breeding methods to generate zebrafish strains in which mutant-associated phenotypes consistently appear with low or high penetrance. Strikingly, our selective breeding for low penetrance converted the mef2ca mutant allele behavior from homozygous lethal to homozygous viable. Meanwhile, selective breeding for high penetrance converted the mef2ca mutant allele from fully recessive to partially dominant. Comparing the selectively-bred low- and high-penetrance strains revealed that the strains initially respond similarly to the mutation, but then gene expression differences between strains emerge during development. Thus, altered temporal genetic circuitry can manifest through selective pressure to modify mutant penetrance. Specifically, we demonstrate differences in Notch signaling between strains, and further show that experimental manipulation of the Notch pathway phenocopies penetrance changes occurring through selective breeding. This study provides evidence that penetrance is inherited as a liability-threshold trait. Our finding that vertebrate animals can overcome a deleterious mutation by tuning genetic circuitry complements other reported mechanisms of overcoming deleterious mutations such as transcriptional adaptation of compensatory genes, alternative mRNA splicing, and maternal deposition of wild-type transcripts, which are not observed in our system. The selective breeding approach and the resultant genetic circuitry change we uncovered advances and expands our current understanding of genetic and developmental resilience. Some deleterious gene mutations only affect a subset of genetically mutant animals. This widespread phenomenon, known as mutant incomplete penetrance, complicates discovery of causative gene mutations in both model organisms and human disease. This study utilized the zebrafish mef2ca transcription factor mutant that produces craniofacial skeleton defects with incomplete penetrance. Selectively breeding zebrafish families for low- or high-penetrance mutants for many generations created different zebrafish strains with consistently low or high penetrance. Comparing these strains allowed us to gain insight into the mechanisms that control penetrance. Specifically, genes under the control of mef2ca are initially similarly expressed between the two strains, but differences between strains emerge during development. We found that genetic manipulation of these downstream genes mimics the effects of our selective breeding. Thus, selective breeding for penetrance can change the genetic circuitry downstream of the mutated gene. We propose that small differences in gene circuitry between individuals is one mechanism underlying susceptibility or resilience to genetic mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Sucharov
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Kuval Ray
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Elliott P. Brooks
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - James T. Nichols
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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16
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Seelan RS, Pisano M, Greene RM. Nucleic acid methylation and orofacial morphogenesis. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:1593-1610. [PMID: 31385455 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we highlight the current state of knowledge of the diverse roles nucleic acid methylation plays in the embryonic development of the orofacial region and how aberrant methylation may contribute to orofacial clefts. We also consider the role of methylation in the regulation of neural crest cell function as it pertains to orofacial ontogeny. Changes in DNA methylation, as a consequence of environmental effects, have been observed in the regulatory regions of several genes, potentially identifying new candidate genes for orofacial clefting and opening promising new avenues for further research. While the focus of this review is primarily on the nonsyndromic forms of orofacial clefting, syndromic forms are briefly discussed in the context of aberrant nucleic acid methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratnam S Seelan
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Craniofacial Development and Anomalies, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Michele Pisano
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Craniofacial Development and Anomalies, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Robert M Greene
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Craniofacial Development and Anomalies, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, Kentucky
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17
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Kague E, Hughes SM, Lawrence EA, Cross S, Martin-Silverstone E, Hammond CL, Hinits Y. Scleraxis genes are required for normal musculoskeletal development and for rib growth and mineralization in zebrafish. FASEB J 2019; 33:9116-9130. [PMID: 31100023 PMCID: PMC6662971 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201802654rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Tendons are an essential part of the musculoskeletal system, connecting muscle and skeletal elements to enable force generation. The transcription factor scleraxis marks vertebrate tendons from early specification. Scleraxis-null mice are viable and have a range of tendon and bone defects in the trunk and limbs but no described cranial phenotype. We report the expression of zebrafish scleraxis orthologs: scleraxis homolog (scx)-a and scxb in cranial and intramuscular tendons and in other skeletal elements. Single mutants for either scxa or scxb, generated by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), are viable and fertile as adult fish. Although scxb mutants show no obvious phenotype, scxa mutant embryos have defects in cranial tendon maturation and muscle misalignment. Mutation of both scleraxis genes results in more severe defects in cranial tendon differentiation, muscle and cartilage dysmorphogenesis and paralysis, and lethality by 2-5 wk, which indicates an essential function of scleraxis for craniofacial development. At juvenile and adult stages, ribs in scxa mutants fail to mineralize and/or are small and heavily fractured. Scxa mutants also have smaller muscle volume, abnormal swim movement, and defects in bone growth and composition. Scleraxis function is therefore essential for normal craniofacial form and function and vital for fish development.-Kague, E., Hughes, S. M., Lawrence, E. A., Cross, S., Martin-Silverstone, E., Hammond, C. L., Hinits, Y. Scleraxis genes are required for normal musculoskeletal development and for rib growth and mineralization in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Kague
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Simon M. Hughes
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawrence
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Cross
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Martin-Silverstone
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Chrissy L. Hammond
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Yaniv Hinits
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Bergen DJM, Kague E, Hammond CL. Zebrafish as an Emerging Model for Osteoporosis: A Primary Testing Platform for Screening New Osteo-Active Compounds. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:6. [PMID: 30761080 PMCID: PMC6361756 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoporosis is metabolic bone disease caused by an altered balance between bone anabolism and catabolism. This dysregulated balance is responsible for fragile bones that fracture easily after minor falls. With an aging population, the incidence is rising and as yet pharmaceutical options to restore this imbalance is limited, especially stimulating osteoblast bone-building activity. Excitingly, output from large genetic studies on people with high bone mass (HBM) cases and genome wide association studies (GWAS) on the population, yielded new insights into pathways containing osteo-anabolic players that have potential for drug target development. However, a bottleneck in development of new treatments targeting these putative osteo-anabolic genes is the lack of animal models for rapid and affordable testing to generate functional data and that simultaneously can be used as a compound testing platform. Zebrafish, a small teleost fish, are increasingly used in functional genomics and drug screening assays which resulted in new treatments in the clinic for other diseases. In this review we outline the zebrafish as a powerful model for osteoporosis research to validate potential therapeutic candidates, describe the tools and assays that can be used to study bone homeostasis, and affordable (semi-)high-throughput compound testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan J. M. Bergen
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Translational Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Southmead Hospital, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Erika Kague
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Chrissy L. Hammond
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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19
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Wang ZB, Du ZQ, Na W, Jing JH, Li YM, Leng L, Luan P, Wu CY, Zhang K, Wang YX, Liu WL, Yuan H, Liu ZH, Mu YS, Meng QW, Wang N, Yang CX, Li H. Production of transgenic broilers by non-viral vectors via optimizing egg windowing and screening transgenic roosters. Poult Sci 2019; 98:430-439. [PMID: 30085302 DOI: 10.3382/ps/pey321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The generation of transgenic chickens is of both biomedical and agricultural significance, and recently chicken transgenesis technology has been greatly advanced. However, major issues still exist in the efficient production of transgenic chickens. This study was designed to optimize the production of enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-transgenic broilers, including egg windowing at the blunt end (air cell) of egg, and the direct transfection of circulating primordial germ cells by microinjection of the Tol2 plasmid-liposome complex into the early embryonic dorsal aorta. For egg windowing, we discovered that proper manipulation of the inner shell membrane at the blunt end could improve the rate of producing G0 transgenic roosters. From 27 G0 roosters, we successfully collected semen with EGFP-positive sperms from 16 and 19 roosters after direct fluorescence observation and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analyses (13 detected by both methods), respectively. After artificial insemination using the G0 rooster with the highest number of EGFP fluorescent sperm, one G1 EGFP transgenic broiler (1/81, 1.23%) was generated. Our results indicate that appropriate egg windowing and screening of potentially transgene-positive roosters can improve the production of germline-transmitted transgenic birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Bin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Du
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Wei Na
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jun-Hong Jing
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yu-Mao Li
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Li Leng
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Peng Luan
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chun-Yan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yu-Xiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Wen-Li Liu
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hui Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhong-Hua Liu
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yan-Shuang Mu
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Qing-Wen Meng
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Cai-Xia Yang
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hui Li
- Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
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20
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DeLaurier A. Evolution and development of the fish jaw skeleton. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2018; 8:e337. [PMID: 30378758 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of the jaw represents a key innovation in driving the diversification of vertebrate body plans and behavior. The pharyngeal apparatus originated as gill bars separated by slits in chordate ancestors to vertebrates. Later, with the acquisition of neural crest, pharyngeal arches gave rise to branchial basket cartilages in jawless vertebrates (agnathans), and later bone and cartilage of the jaw, jaw support, and gills of jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes). Major events in the evolution of jaw structure from agnathans to gnathostomes include axial regionalization of pharyngeal elements and formation of a jaw joint. Hox genes specify the anterior-posterior identity of arches, and edn1, dlx, hand2, Jag1b-Notch2 signaling, and Nr2f factors specify dorsal-ventral identity. The formation of a jaw joint, an important step in the transition from an un-jointed pharynx in agnathans to a hinged jaw in gnathostomes involves interaction between nkx3.2, hand2, and barx1 factors. Major events in jaw patterning between fishes and reptiles include changes to elements of the second pharyngeal arch, including a loss of opercular and branchiostegal ray bones and transformation of the hyomandibula into the stapes. Further changes occurred between reptiles and mammals, including the transformation of the articular and quadrate elements of the jaw joint into the malleus and incus of the middle ear. Fossils of transitional jaw phenotypes can be analyzed from a developmental perspective, and there exists potential to use genetic manipulation techniques in extant taxa to test hypotheses about the evolution of jaw patterning in ancient vertebrates. This article is categorized under: Comparative Development and Evolution > Evolutionary Novelties Early Embryonic Development > Development to the Basic Body Plan Comparative Development and Evolution > Body Plan Evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- April DeLaurier
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, South Carolina
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21
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Merkuri F, Fish JL. Developmental processes regulate craniofacial variation in disease and evolution. Genesis 2018; 57:e23249. [PMID: 30207415 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Variation in development mediates phenotypic differences observed in evolution and disease. Although the mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation are still largely unknown, recent research suggests that variation in developmental processes may play a key role. Developmental processes mediate genotype-phenotype relationships and consequently play an important role regulating phenotypes. In this review, we provide an example of how shared and interacting developmental processes may explain convergence of phenotypes in spliceosomopathies and ribosomopathies. These data also suggest a shared pathway to disease treatment. We then discuss three major mechanisms that contribute to variation in developmental processes: genetic background (gene-gene interactions), gene-environment interactions, and developmental stochasticity. Finally, we comment on evolutionary alterations to developmental processes, and the evolution of disease buffering mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fjodor Merkuri
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer L Fish
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts
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22
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Hallgrimsson B, Green RM, Katz DC, Fish JL, Bernier FP, Roseman CC, Young NM, Cheverud JM, Marcucio RS. The developmental-genetics of canalization. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 88:67-79. [PMID: 29782925 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Canalization, or robustness to genetic or environmental perturbations, is fundamental to complex organisms. While there is strong evidence for canalization as an evolved property that varies among genotypes, the developmental and genetic mechanisms that produce this phenomenon are very poorly understood. For evolutionary biology, understanding how canalization arises is important because, by modulating the phenotypic variation that arises in response to genetic differences, canalization is a determinant of evolvability. For genetics of disease in humans and for economically important traits in agriculture, this subject is important because canalization is a potentially significant cause of missing heritability that confounds genomic prediction of phenotypes. We review the major lines of thought on the developmental-genetic basis for canalization. These fall into two groups. One proposes specific evolved molecular mechanisms while the other deals with robustness or canalization as a more general feature of development. These explanations for canalization are not mutually exclusive and they overlap in several ways. General explanations for canalization are more likely to involve emergent features of development than specific molecular mechanisms. Disentangling these explanations is also complicated by differences in perspectives between genetics and developmental biology. Understanding canalization at a mechanistic level will require conceptual and methodological approaches that integrate quantitative genetics and developmental biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Hallgrimsson
- Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Rebecca M Green
- Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - David C Katz
- Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and McCaig Bone and Joint Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jennifer L Fish
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA
| | - Francois P Bernier
- Dept of Medical Genetics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Charles C Roseman
- Dept. of Animal Biology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Nathan M Young
- Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94110, USA
| | - James M Cheverud
- Dept. of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60660, USA
| | - Ralph S Marcucio
- Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94110, USA.
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23
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Kimmel CB, Small CM, Knope ML. A rich diversity of opercle bone shape among teleost fishes. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188888. [PMID: 29281662 PMCID: PMC5744915 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The opercle is a prominent craniofacial bone supporting the gill cover in all bony fish and has been the subject of morphological, developmental, and genetic investigation. We surveyed the shapes of this bone among 110 families spanning the teleost tree and examined its pattern of occupancy in a principal component-based morphospace. Contrasting with expectations from the literature that suggest the local morphospace would be only sparsely occupied, we find primarily dense, broad filling of the morphological landscape, indicating rich diversity. Phylomorphospace plots suggest that dynamic evolution underlies the observed spatial patterning. Evolutionary transits through the morphospaces are sometimes long, and occur in a variety of directions. The trajectories seem to represent both evolutionary divergences and convergences, the latter supported by convevol analysis. We suggest that that this pattern of occupancy reflects the various adaptations of different groups of fishes, seemingly paralleling their diverse marine and freshwater ecologies and life histories. Opercle shape evolution within the acanthomorphs, spiny ray-finned fishes, appears to have been especially dynamic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles B. Kimmel
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Clayton M. Small
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Matthew L. Knope
- Department of Biology, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii, United States of America
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Gordon C, Tessier A, Demir Z, Goldenberg A, Oufadem M, Voisin N, Pingault V, Bienvenu T, Lyonnet S, de Pontual L, Amiel J. The association of severe encephalopathy and question mark ear is highly suggestive of loss of MEF2C
function. Clin Genet 2017; 93:356-359. [DOI: 10.1111/cge.13046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C.T. Gordon
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University; Institut Imagine; Paris France
| | - A. Tessier
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University; Institut Imagine; Paris France
| | - Z. Demir
- Département de Génétique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades; Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP); Paris France
| | - A. Goldenberg
- Service de Génétique, CHU de Rouen; Centre Normand de Génomique Médicale et Médecine Personnalisée; Rouen France
| | - M. Oufadem
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University; Institut Imagine; Paris France
| | - N. Voisin
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University; Institut Imagine; Paris France
| | - V. Pingault
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Département de Génétique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades; Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP); Paris France
| | - T. Bienvenu
- Laboratoire de biochimie et génétique moléculaire; Hôpital Cochin; Paris France
| | - S. Lyonnet
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Département de Génétique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades; Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP); Paris France
| | - L. de Pontual
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Service de pédiatrie; Hôpital Jean Verdier; Bondy France
| | - J. Amiel
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University; Institut Imagine; Paris France
- Département de Génétique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades; Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP); Paris France
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25
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Brooks EP, Nichols JT. Shifting Zebrafish Lethal Skeletal Mutant Penetrance by Progeny Testing. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 28892034 DOI: 10.3791/56200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish mutant phenotypes are often incompletely penetrant, only manifesting in some mutants. Interesting phenotypes that inconsistently appear can be difficult to study, and can lead to confounding results. The protocol described here is a straightforward breeding paradigm to increase and decrease penetrance in lethal zebrafish skeletal mutants. Because lethal mutants cannot be selectively bred directly, the classic selective breeding strategy of progeny testing is employed. This method also includes protocols for Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) genotyping zebrafish and staining larval zebrafish cartilage and bone. Applying the husbandry strategy described here can increase the penetrance of an interesting skeletal phenotype enabling more reproducible results in downstream applications. In addition, decreasing the mutant penetrance through this selective breeding strategy can reveal the developmental processes that most crucially require the function of the mutated gene. While the skeleton is specifically considered here, we propose that this methodology will be useful for all zebrafish mutant lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliott P Brooks
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - James T Nichols
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus;
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Askary A, Xu P, Barske L, Bay M, Bump P, Balczerski B, Bonaguidi MA, Crump JG. Genome-wide analysis of facial skeletal regionalization in zebrafish. Development 2017; 144:2994-3005. [PMID: 28705894 DOI: 10.1242/dev.151712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Patterning of the facial skeleton involves the precise deployment of thousands of genes in distinct regions of the pharyngeal arches. Despite the significance for craniofacial development, how genetic programs drive this regionalization remains incompletely understood. Here we use combinatorial labeling of zebrafish cranial neural crest-derived cells (CNCCs) to define global gene expression along the dorsoventral axis of the developing arches. Intersection of region-specific transcriptomes with expression changes in response to signaling perturbations demonstrates complex roles for Endothelin 1 (Edn1) signaling in the intermediate joint-forming region, yet a surprisingly minor role in ventralmost regions. Analysis of co-variance across multiple sequencing experiments further reveals clusters of co-regulated genes, with in situ hybridization confirming the domain-specific expression of novel genes. We then created loss-of-function alleles for 12 genes and uncovered antagonistic functions of two new Edn1 targets, follistatin a (fsta) and emx2, in regulating cartilaginous joints in the hyoid arch. Our unbiased discovery and functional analysis of genes with regional expression in zebrafish arch CNCCs reveals complex regulation by Edn1 and points to novel candidates for craniofacial disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amjad Askary
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Pengfei Xu
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Lindsey Barske
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Maxwell Bay
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Paul Bump
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Bartosz Balczerski
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Michael A Bonaguidi
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - J Gage Crump
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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