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Harracksingh AN, Singh A, Mayorova T, Bejoy B, Hornbeck J, Elkhatib W, McEdwards G, Gauberg J, Taha ARW, Islam IM, Erclik T, Currie MA, Noyes M, Senatore A. Mint/X11 PDZ domains from non-bilaterian animals recognize and bind Ca V 2 calcium channel C-termini in vitro . BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.26.582151. [PMID: 38463976 PMCID: PMC10925089 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.582151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
PDZ domain mediated interactions with voltage-gated calcium (Ca V ) channel C-termini play important roles in localizing membrane Ca 2+ signaling. The first such interaction was described between the scaffolding protein Mint-1 and Ca V 2.2 in mammals. In this study, we show through various in silico analyses that Mint is an animal-specific gene with a highly divergent N-terminus but a strongly conserved C-terminus comprised of a phosphotyrosine binding domain, two tandem PDZ domains (PDZ-1 and PDZ-2), and a C-terminal auto-inhibitory element that binds and inhibits PDZ-1. In addition to Ca V 2 channels, most genes that interact with Mint are also deeply conserved including amyloid precursor proteins, presenilins, neurexin, and CASK and Veli which form a tripartite complex with Mint in bilaterians. Through yeast and bacterial 2-hybrid experiments, we show that Mint and Ca V 2 channels from cnidarians and placozoans interact in vitro , and in situ hybridization revealed co-expression in dissociated neurons from the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis . Unexpectedly, the Mint orthologue from the ctenophore Hormiphora californiensis strongly binds the divergent C-terminal ligands of cnidarian and placozoan Ca V 2 channels, despite neither the ctenophore Mint, nor the placozoan and cnidarian orthologues, binding the ctenophore Ca V 2 channel C-terminus. Altogether, our analyses suggest that the capacity of Mint to bind CaV2 channels predates pre-bilaterian animals, and that evolutionary changes in Ca V 2 channel C-terminal sequences resulted in altered binding modalities with Mint.
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Holmes G, Ferguson SR, Lewis PA, Echeverri K. LRRK2 kinase activity is necessary for development and regeneration in Nematostella vectensis. Neural Dev 2024; 19:16. [PMID: 39118162 PMCID: PMC11308222 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-024-00193-3] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, is an emerging model organism with a high regenerative capacity, which was recently found to possess an orthologue to the human Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene. Mutations in this gene are the most common cause of inherited Parkinson's Disease (PD), highlighting the importance of understanding its function. Despite two decades of research, however, the function of LRRK2 is not well established. METHODS To investigate the function of LRRKs in Nematostella vectensis, we applied small molecule inhibitors targeting the kinase activity of LRRK2 to examine its function in development, homeostasis and regeneration in Nematostella vectensis. RESULTS In vivo analyses inhibiting the kinase function of this enzyme demonstrated a role of nvLRRK2 in development and regeneration of N. vectensis. These findings implicate a developmental role of LRRK2 in Nematostella, adding to the expanding knowledge of its physiological function. CONCLUSIONS Our work introduces a new model organism with which to study LRRK biology. We report that LRRK kinase activity is necessary for the development and regeneration of Nematostella. Given the short generation time, genetic trackability and in vivo imaging capabilities, this work introduces Nematostella vectensis as a new model in which to study genes linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Holmes
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Camden, London, NW1 0TU, UK
| | - Sophie R Ferguson
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Patrick Alfryn Lewis
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Camden, London, NW1 0TU, UK.
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University of London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Karen Echeverri
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.
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3
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Surm JM, Landau M, Columbus-Shenkar YY, Moran Y. Sea Anemone Membrane Attack Complex/Perforin Superfamily Demonstrates an Evolutionary Transitional State between Venomous and Developmental Functions. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae082. [PMID: 38676945 PMCID: PMC11090067 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae082] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene duplication is a major force driving evolutionary innovation. A classic example is generating new animal toxins via duplication of physiological protein-encoding genes and recruitment into venom. While this process drives the innovation of many animal venoms, reverse recruitment of toxins into nonvenomous cells remains unresolved. Using comparative genomics, we find members of the Membrane Attack Complex and Perforin Family (MAC) have been recruited into venom-injecting cells (cnidocytes), in soft and stony corals and sea anemones, suggesting that the ancestral MAC was a cnidocyte expressed toxin. Further investigation into the model sea anemone Nematostella vectensis reveals that three members have undergone Nematostella-specific duplications leading to their reverse recruitment into endomesodermal cells. Furthermore, simultaneous knockdown of all three endomesodermally expressed MACs leads to mis-development, supporting that these paralogs have nonvenomous function. By resolving the evolutionary history and function of MACs in Nematostella, we provide the first proof for reverse recruitment from venom to organismal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim M Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Morani Landau
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yaara Y Columbus-Shenkar
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
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McCulloch KJ, Babonis LS, Liu A, Daly CM, Martindale MQ, Koenig KM. Nematostella vectensis exemplifies the exceptional expansion and diversity of opsins in the eyeless Hexacorallia. EvoDevo 2023; 14:14. [PMID: 37735470 PMCID: PMC10512536 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-023-00218-8] [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: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opsins are the primary proteins responsible for light detection in animals. Cnidarians (jellyfish, sea anemones, corals) have diverse visual systems that have evolved in parallel with bilaterians (squid, flies, fish) for hundreds of millions of years. Medusozoans (e.g., jellyfish, hydroids) have evolved eyes multiple times, each time independently incorporating distinct opsin orthologs. Anthozoans (e.g., corals, sea anemones,) have diverse light-mediated behaviors and, despite being eyeless, exhibit more extensive opsin duplications than medusozoans. To better understand the evolution of photosensitivity in animals without eyes, we increased anthozoan representation in the phylogeny of animal opsins and investigated the large but poorly characterized opsin family in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. RESULTS We analyzed genomic and transcriptomic data from 16 species of cnidarians to generate a large opsin phylogeny (708 sequences) with the largest sampling of anthozoan sequences to date. We identified 29 opsins from N. vectensis (NvOpsins) with high confidence, using transcriptomic and genomic datasets. We found that lineage-specific opsin duplications are common across Cnidaria, with anthozoan lineages exhibiting among the highest numbers of opsins in animals. To establish putative photosensory function of NvOpsins, we identified canonically conserved protein domains and amino acid sequences essential for opsin function in other animal species. We show high sequence diversity among NvOpsins at sites important for photoreception and transduction, suggesting potentially diverse functions. We further examined the spatiotemporal expression of NvOpsins and found both dynamic expression of opsins during embryonic development and sexually dimorphic opsin expression in adults. CONCLUSIONS These data show that lineage-specific duplication and divergence has led to expansive diversity of opsins in eyeless cnidarians, suggesting opsins from these animals may exhibit novel biochemical functions. The variable expression patterns of opsins in N. vectensis suggest opsin gene duplications allowed for a radiation of unique sensory cell types with tissue- and stage-specific functions. This diffuse network of distinct sensory cell types could be an adaptive solution for varied sensory tasks experienced in distinct life history stages in Anthozoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J McCulloch
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Leslie S Babonis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Whitney Lab for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Alicia Liu
- John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellowship Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA , 02138, , USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Christina M Daly
- John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellowship Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA , 02138, , USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Mark Q Martindale
- Whitney Lab for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Kristen M Koenig
- John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellowship Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA , 02138, , USA.
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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5
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Carrión PJA, Desai N, Brennan JJ, Fifer JE, Siggers T, Davies SW, Gilmore TD. Starvation decreases immunity and immune regulatory factor NF-κB in the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Commun Biol 2023; 6:698. [PMID: 37420095 PMCID: PMC10329013 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05084-7] [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: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Lack of proper nutrition has important consequences for the physiology of all organisms, and nutritional status can affect immunity, based on many studies in terrestrial animals. Here we show a positive correlation between nutrition and immunity in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Gene expression profiling of adult anemones shows downregulation of genes involved in nutrient metabolism, cellular respiration, and immunity in starved animals. Starved adult anemones also have reduced protein levels and activity of immunity transcription factor NF-κB. Starved juvenile anemones have increased sensitivity to bacterial infection and also have lower NF-κB protein levels, as compared to fed controls. Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) is used to identify significantly correlated gene networks that were downregulated with starvation. These experiments demonstrate a correlation between nutrition and immunity in an early diverged marine metazoan, and the results have implications for the survival of marine organisms as they encounter changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Niharika Desai
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Joseph J Brennan
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Pfizer, Inc., 1 Portland St, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - James E Fifer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Trevor Siggers
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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6
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Litman T, Stein WD. Ancient lineages of the keratin-associated protein (KRTAP) genes and their co-option in the evolution of the hair follicle. BMC Ecol Evol 2023; 23:7. [PMID: 36941546 PMCID: PMC10029157 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-023-02107-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BLAST searches against the human genome showed that of the 93 keratin-associated proteins (KRTAPs) of Homo sapiens, 53 can be linked by sequence similarity to an H. sapiens metallothionein and 16 others can be linked similarly to occludin, while the remaining KRTAPs can themselves be linked to one or other of those 69 directly-linked proteins. The metallothionein-linked KRTAPs comprise the high-sulphur and ultrahigh-sulphur KRTAPs and are larger than the occludin-linked set, which includes the tyrosine- and glycine-containing KRTAPs. KRTAPs linked to metallothionein appeared in increasing numbers as evolution advanced from the deuterostomia, where KRTAP-like proteins with strong sequence similarity to their mammalian congeners were found in a sea anemone and a starfish. Those linked to occludins arose only with the later-evolved mollusca, where a KRTAP homologous with its mammalian congener was found in snails. The presence of antecedents of the mammalian KRTAPs in a starfish, a sea anemone, snails, fish, amphibia, reptiles and birds, all of them animals that lack hair, suggests that some KRTAPs may have a physiological role beyond that of determining the characteristics of hair fibres. We suggest that homologues of these KRTAPs found in non-hairy animals were co-opted by placodes, formed by the ectodysplasin pathway, to produce the first hair-producing cells, the trichocytes of the hair follicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Litman
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Mærsk Tower 07-12-70 Nørre Allé 14, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Wilfred D Stein
- Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel.
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7
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Xu J, Mead O, Moya A, Caglar C, Miller DJ, Adamski M, Adamska M. Wound healing and regeneration in the reef building coral Acropora millepora. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.979278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Branching scleractinian corals are niche-constructing organisms, providing continuously-growing, structural foundation for spectacularly biodiverse coral reef ecosystems. A large part of their success lies in the ability to quickly regenerate following mechanical damage. Even now, when the corals undergo great decline due to anthropogenic weather and storm extremes, it is surprising how little is known about molecular mechanisms governing regeneration in these iconic organisms. In this study, we used RNA-seq to identify genes involved in the regeneration of Acropora millepora, starting with the initial wound closure up to complete rebuilding of lost structures. Many of the differentially expressed genes we found in the wound healing steps are homologues of genes known to be involved in wound healing and regeneration of bilaterian and other cnidarian species, prominently including multiple components of FGF and Wnt signalling pathways. Comparison between genes involved in wound healing and continuous growth of the colony demonstrates both similarity and distinctiveness of the genetic programmes controlling these processes. A striking example is specific expression of c-Fos, a transcription factor with conserved role in early injury response, during the earliest stages of wound healing of A. millepora. By comparing results obtained in diverse experimental conditions including a closed-loop, recirculating aquarium and a flow-through system of marine station, we have demonstrated feasibility of using zooxanthellate scleractinian corals as experimental models in fundamental biology research, including studies of regeneration.
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8
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Nguyen NM, Merle T, Broders-Bondon F, Brunet AC, Battistella A, Land EBL, Sarron F, Jha A, Gennisson JL, Röttinger E, Fernández-Sánchez ME, Farge E. Mechano-biochemical marine stimulation of inversion, gastrulation, and endomesoderm specification in multicellular Eukaryota. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:992371. [PMID: 36531949 PMCID: PMC9754125 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.992371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary emergence of the primitive gut in Metazoa is one of the decisive events that conditioned the major evolutionary transition, leading to the origin of animal development. It is thought to have been induced by the specification of the endomesoderm (EM) into the multicellular tissue and its invagination (i.e., gastrulation). However, the biochemical signals underlying the evolutionary emergence of EM specification and gastrulation remain unknown. Herein, we find that hydrodynamic mechanical strains, reminiscent of soft marine flow, trigger active tissue invagination/gastrulation or curvature reversal via a Myo-II-dependent mechanotransductive process in both the metazoan Nematostella vectensis (cnidaria) and the multicellular choanoflagellate Choanoeca flexa. In the latter, our data suggest that the curvature reversal is associated with a sensory-behavioral feeding response. Additionally, like in bilaterian animals, gastrulation in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis is shown to participate in the biochemical specification of the EM through mechanical activation of the β-catenin pathway via the phosphorylation of Y654-βcatenin. Choanoflagellates are considered the closest living relative to metazoans, and the common ancestor of choanoflagellates and metazoans dates back at least 700 million years. Therefore, the present findings using these evolutionarily distant species suggest that the primitive emergence of the gut in Metazoa may have been initiated in response to marine mechanical stress already in multicellular pre-Metazoa. Then, the evolutionary transition may have been achieved by specifying the EM via a mechanosensitive Y654-βcatenin dependent mechanism, which appeared during early Metazoa evolution and is specifically conserved in all animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngoc Minh Nguyen
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Tatiana Merle
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Florence Broders-Bondon
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Christine Brunet
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Aude Battistella
- Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Cells Platform, Institut Curie, CNRS, UMR 168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Emelie Britt Linnea Land
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Florian Sarron
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7095, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Aditya Jha
- Laboratoire Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes (PMMH), CNRS, ESPCI ParisTech, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Luc Gennisson
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, Orsay, France
| | - Eric Röttinger
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, INSERM, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging (IRCAN), Nice, France
- Université Côte d’Azur, Institut Fédératif de Recherche Ressources Marines (IFR MARRES), Nice, France
| | - María Elena Fernández-Sánchez
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Farge
- Mechanics and Genetics of Embryonic Development Group, Institut Curie, Centre OCAV PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR168, Inserm, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
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9
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Hill EM, Chen CY, Del Viso F, Ellington LR, He S, Karabulut A, Paulson A, Gibson MC. Manipulation of Gene Activity in the Regenerative Model Sea Anemone, Nematostella vectensis. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2450:437-465. [PMID: 35359322 PMCID: PMC9761902 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2172-1_23] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With a surprisingly complex genome and an ever-expanding genetic toolkit, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis has become a powerful model system for the study of both development and whole-body regeneration. Here we provide the most current protocols for short-hairpin RNA (shRNA )-mediated gene knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis in this system. We further show that a simple Klenow reaction followed by in vitro transcription allows for the production of gene-specific shRNAs and single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) in a fast, affordable, and readily scalable manner. Together, shRNA knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis allow for rapid screens of gene function as well as the production of stable mutant lines that enable functional genetic analysis throughout the Nematostella life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Hill
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Cheng-Yi Chen
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | | | | | - Shuonan He
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Ahmet Karabulut
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Ariel Paulson
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Matthew C Gibson
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA.
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA.
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10
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Croce O, Röttinger E. Creating a User-Friendly and Open-Access Gene Expression Database for Comparing Embryonic Development and Regeneration in Nematostella vectensis. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2450:649-662. [PMID: 35359334 PMCID: PMC9761911 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2172-1_35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis has emerged as a powerful research model to understand at the gene regulatory network level, to what extend regeneration recapitulates embryonic development. Such comparison involves massive transcriptomic analysis, a routine approach for identifying differential gene expression. Here we present a workflow to build a user-friendly, mineable, and open-access database providing access to the scientific community to various RNAseq datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Croce
- Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging in Nice (IRCAN), Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, Nice, France
- Institut Fédératif de Recherche-Ressources Marines (IFR MARRES), Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Eric Röttinger
- Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging in Nice (IRCAN), Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, Nice, France.
- Institut Fédératif de Recherche-Ressources Marines (IFR MARRES), Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France.
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11
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Plessier F, Schmutz S, Novault S, Marlow H. Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis in the Regenerating Cnidarian Nematostella vectensis. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2450:565-581. [PMID: 35359329 PMCID: PMC9761532 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2172-1_30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cnidarians have historically served as excellent laboratory models for regenerative development given their capacity to regrow large portions of the adult organism. This capacity is notably absent or poorly developed in the powerful genetic laboratory models Drosophila, C. elegans, and mouse. Increasingly, development of genetic and genomic resources and the application of next-generation sequencing-based techniques in cnidarian systems has further expanded the potential of cnidarian regenerative models. Here, we present a workflow for the characterization of the regenerative response in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis utilizing fluorescence-activated cell sorting and a plate-based single-cell RNA-sequencing pipeline. This approach can characterize the transcriptional response during regeneration in distinct populations of cells, thus providing a quantitative view of a whole organism process at cellular resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Plessier
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- École Doctorale "Complexité du Vivant" ED515, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France
- (Epi)genomics of Animal Development, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sandrine Schmutz
- Cytometry and Biomarkers, Center for Technological Resources and Research, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Novault
- Cytometry and Biomarkers, Center for Technological Resources and Research, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Heather Marlow
- (Epi)genomics of Animal Development, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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12
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Klein S, Frazier V, Readdean T, Lucas E, Diaz-Jimenez EP, Sogin M, Ruff ES, Echeverri K. Common Environmental Pollutants Negatively Affect Development and Regeneration in the Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis Holobiont. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.786037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The anthozoan sea anemone Nematostella vectensis belongs to the phylum of cnidarians which also includes jellyfish and corals. Nematostella are native to United States East Coast marsh lands, where they constantly adapt to changes in salinity, temperature, oxygen concentration and pH. Its natural ability to continually acclimate to changing environments coupled with its genetic tractability render Nematostella a powerful model organism in which to study the effects of common pollutants on the natural development of these animals. Potassium nitrate, commonly used in fertilizers, and Phthalates, a component of plastics are frequent environmental stressors found in coastal and marsh waters. Here we present data showing how early exposure to these pollutants lead to dramatic defects in development of the embryos and eventual mortality possibly due to defects in feeding ability. Additionally, we examined the microbiome of the animals and identified shifts in the microbial community that correlated with the type of water that was used to grow the animals, and with their exposure to pollutants.
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13
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Nematostella vectensis, an Emerging Model for Deciphering the Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Whole-Body Regeneration. Cells 2021; 10:cells10102692. [PMID: 34685672 PMCID: PMC8534814 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity to regenerate lost or injured body parts is a widespread feature within metazoans and has intrigued scientists for centuries. One of the most extreme types of regeneration is the so-called whole body regenerative capacity, which enables regeneration of fully functional organisms from isolated body parts. While not exclusive to this habitat, whole body regeneration is widespread in aquatic/marine invertebrates. Over the past decade, new whole-body research models have emerged that complement the historical models Hydra and planarians. Among these, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis has attracted increasing interest in regard to deciphering the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the whole-body regeneration process. This manuscript will present an overview of the biological features of this anthozoan cnidarian as well as the available tools and resources that have been developed by the scientific community studying Nematostella. I will further review our current understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying whole-body regeneration in this marine organism, with emphasis on how comparing embryonic development and regeneration in the same organism provides insight into regeneration specific elements.
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14
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The Tentacular Spectacular: Evolution of Regeneration in Sea Anemones. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12071072. [PMID: 34356088 PMCID: PMC8306839 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea anemones vary immensely in life history strategies, environmental niches and their ability to regenerate. While the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is the starlet of many key regeneration studies, recent work is emerging on the diverse regeneration strategies employed by other sea anemones. This manuscript will explore current molecular mechanisms of regeneration employed by non-model sea anemones Exaiptasia diaphana (an emerging model species for coral symbiosis studies) and Calliactis polypus (a less well-studied species) and examine how these species compare to the model sea anemone N. vectensis. We summarize the field of regeneration within sea anemones, within the greater context of phylum Cnidaria and in other invertebrate models of regeneration. We also address the current knowledge on two key systems that may be implemented in regeneration: the innate immune system and developmental pathways, including future aspects of work and current limitations.
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15
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Czarkwiani A, Dylus DV, Carballo L, Oliveri P. FGF signalling plays similar roles in development and regeneration of the skeleton in the brittle star Amphiura filiformis. Development 2021; 148:dev180760. [PMID: 34042967 PMCID: PMC8180256 DOI: 10.1242/dev.180760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Regeneration as an adult developmental process is in many aspects similar to embryonic development. Although many studies point out similarities and differences, no large-scale, direct and functional comparative analyses between development and regeneration of a specific cell type or structure in one animal exist. Here, we use the brittle star Amphiura filiformis to characterise the role of the FGF signalling pathway during skeletal development in embryos and arm regeneration. In both processes, we find ligands expressed in ectodermal cells that flank underlying skeletal mesenchymal cells, which express the receptors. Perturbation of FGF signalling showed inhibited skeleton formation in both embryogenesis and regeneration, without affecting other key developmental processes. Differential transcriptome analysis finds mostly differentiation genes rather than transcription factors to be downregulated in both contexts. Moreover, comparative gene analysis allowed us to discover brittle star-specific differentiation genes. In conclusion, our results show that the FGF pathway is crucial for skeletogenesis in the brittle star, as in other deuterostomes, and provide evidence for the re-deployment of a developmental gene regulatory module during regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Czarkwiani
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - David V. Dylus
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Centre for Mathematics, Physics and Engineering in the Life Sciences and Experimental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Luisana Carballo
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Paola Oliveri
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Centre for Life's Origin and Evolution (CLOE), University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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16
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Bideau L, Kerner P, Hui J, Vervoort M, Gazave E. Animal regeneration in the era of transcriptomics. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:3941-3956. [PMID: 33515282 PMCID: PMC11072743 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03760-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Animal regeneration, the ability to restore a lost body part, is a process that has fascinated scientists for centuries. In this review, we first present what regeneration is and how it relates to development, as well as the widespread and diverse nature of regeneration in animals. Despite this diversity, animal regeneration includes three common mechanistic steps: initiation, induction and activation of progenitors, and morphogenesis. In this review article, we summarize and discuss, from an evolutionary perspective, the recent data obtained for a variety of regeneration models which have allowed to identify key shared mechanisms that control these main steps of animal regeneration. This review also synthesizes the wealth of high-throughput mRNA sequencing data (bulk mRNA-seq) concerning regeneration which have been obtained in recent years, highlighting the major advances in the regeneration field that these studies have revealed. We stress out that, through a comparative approach, these data provide opportunities to further shed light on the evolution of regeneration in animals. Finally, we point out how the use of single-cell mRNA-seq technology and integration with epigenomic approaches may further help researchers to decipher mechanisms controlling regeneration and their evolution in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïc Bideau
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Kerner
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Jerome Hui
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Michel Vervoort
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, 75006, Paris, France.
| | - Eve Gazave
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, 75006, Paris, France.
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17
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Dwaraka VB, Voss SR. Towards comparative analyses of salamander limb regeneration. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2021; 336:129-144. [PMID: 31584252 PMCID: PMC8908358 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Among tetrapods, only salamanders can regenerate their limbs and tails throughout life. This amazing regenerative ability has attracted the attention of scientists for hundreds of years. Now that large, salamander genomes are beginning to be sequenced for the first time, omics tools and approaches can be used to integrate new perspectives into the study of tissue regeneration. Here we argue the need to move beyond the primary salamander models to investigate regeneration in other species. Salamanders at first glance come across as a phylogenetically conservative group that has not diverged greatly from their ancestors. While salamanders do present ancestral characteristics of basal tetrapods, including the ability to regenerate limbs, data from fossils and data from studies that have tested for species differences suggest there may be considerable variation in how salamanders develop and regenerate their limbs. We review the case for expanded studies of salamander tissue regeneration and identify questions and approaches that are most likely to reveal commonalities and differences in regeneration among species. We also address challenges that confront such an initiative, some of which are regulatory and not scientific. The time is right to gain evolutionary perspective about mechanisms of tissue regeneration from comparative studies of salamander species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun B. Dwaraka
- Department of Neuroscience, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - S. Randal Voss
- Department of Neuroscience, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
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18
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Amiel AR, Michel V, Carvalho JE, Shkreli M, Petit C, Röttinger E. [The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, an emerging model for biomedical research: Mechano-sensitivity, extreme regeneration and longevity]. Med Sci (Paris) 2021; 37:167-177. [PMID: 33591260 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2020282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Nematostella has fascinating features such as whole-body regeneration, the absence of signs of aging and importantly, the absence of age-related diseases. Easy to culture and spawn, this little sea anemone in spite of its "simple" aspect, displays interesting morphological characteristics similar to vertebrates and an unexpected similarity in gene content/genome organization. Importantly, the scientific community working on Nematostella is developing a variety of functional genomics tools that enable scientists to use this anemone in the field of regenerative medicine, longevity and mecano-sensory diseases. As a complementary research model to vertebrates, this marine invertebrate is emerging and promising to dig deeper into those fields of research in an integrative manner (entire organism) and provides new opportunities for scientists to lift specific barriers that can be encountered with other commonly used animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldine R Amiel
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm - Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer et le Vieillissement (IRCAN), 06107 Nice, France - Université Côte d'Azur - Institut fédératif de recherche - ressources marines, 06107 Nice, France
| | - Vincent Michel
- Institut de l'audition, Institut Pasteur, Inserm UMRS 1120, 75012 Paris, France
| | - João E Carvalho
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm - Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer et le Vieillissement (IRCAN), 06107 Nice, France - Université Côte d'Azur - Institut fédératif de recherche - ressources marines, 06107 Nice, France
| | - Marina Shkreli
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm - Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer et le Vieillissement (IRCAN), 06107 Nice, France
| | - Christine Petit
- Institut de l'audition, Institut Pasteur, Inserm UMRS 1120, 75012 Paris, France - Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Eric Röttinger
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm - Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer et le Vieillissement (IRCAN), 06107 Nice, France - Université Côte d'Azur - Institut fédératif de recherche - ressources marines, 06107 Nice, France
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19
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Luz BLP, Miller DJ, Kitahara MV. High regenerative capacity is a general feature within colonial dendrophylliid corals (Anthozoa, Scleractinia). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2021; 336:281-292. [PMID: 33503321 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The regenerative capacity of cnidarians plays an essential role in the maintenance and restoration of coral reef ecosystems by allowing faster recovery from disturbances and more efficient small-scale dispersal. However, in the case of invasive species, this property may contribute to their dispersal and success in nonnative habitats. Given that four Indo-Pacific members of the coral genus Tubastraea have invaded the Atlantic, here we evaluated the ability of three of these species (Tubastraea coccinea, Tubastraea diaphana, and Tubastraea micranthus) to regenerate from fragments of undifferentiated coral tissue to fully functional polyps in response to differences in food supply and fragment size. For comparative purposes, another colonial dendrophylliid (Dendrophyllia sp.) was included in the analyses. All dendrophylliids displayed regenerative ability and high survival rates that were independent of whether or not food was supplied or fragment size. However, regeneration rates varied between species and were influenced by fragment size. Temporal expression of key genes of the regenerative process (Wnt and FGF) was profiled during whole-body regeneration of T. coccinea, suggesting a remarkable regenerative ability of T. coccinea that points to its potential use as a laboratory model for the investigation of regeneration in colonial calcified anthozoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Louise Pereira Luz
- Coastal and Ocean Systems Graduate Program, Federal University of Paraná, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, Paraná, Brazil.,Center for Marine Biology, University of São Paulo, Praia do Cabelo Gordo, São Sebastião, Brazil.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - David John Miller
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Marcelo Visentini Kitahara
- Coastal and Ocean Systems Graduate Program, Federal University of Paraná, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, Paraná, Brazil.,Center for Marine Biology, University of São Paulo, Praia do Cabelo Gordo, São Sebastião, Brazil.,Department of Marine Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
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20
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Leclère L, Nir TS, Bazarsky M, Braitbard M, Schneidman-Duhovny D, Gat U. Dynamic Evolution of the Cthrc1 Genes, a Newly Defined Collagen-Like Family. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 12:3957-3970. [PMID: 32022859 PMCID: PMC7058181 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Collagen triple helix repeat containing protein 1 (Cthrc1) is a secreted glycoprotein reported to regulate collagen deposition and to be linked to the Transforming growth factor β/Bone morphogenetic protein and the Wnt/planar cell polarity pathways. It was first identified as being induced upon injury to rat arteries and was found to be highly expressed in multiple human cancer types. Here, we explore the phylogenetic and evolutionary trends of this metazoan gene family, previously studied only in vertebrates. We identify Cthrc1 orthologs in two distant cnidarian species, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis and the hydrozoan Clytia hemisphaerica, both of which harbor multiple copies of this gene. We find that Cthrc1 clade-specific diversification occurred multiple times in cnidarians as well as in most metazoan clades where we detected this gene. Many other groups, such as arthropods and nematodes, have entirely lost this gene family. Most vertebrates display a single highly conserved gene, and we show that the sequence evolutionary rate of Cthrc1 drastically decreased within the gnathostome lineage. Interestingly, this reduction coincided with the origin of its conserved upstream neighboring gene, Frizzled 6 (FZD6), which in mice has been shown to functionally interact with Cthrc1. Structural modeling methods further reveal that the yet uncharacterized C-terminal domain of Cthrc1 is similar in structure to the globular C1q superfamily domain, also found in the C-termini of collagens VIII and X. Thus, our studies show that the Cthrc1 genes are a collagen-like family with a variable short collagen triple helix domain and a highly conserved C-terminal domain structure resembling the C1q family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Leclère
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Tal S Nir
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Silberman Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michael Bazarsky
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Silberman Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Merav Braitbard
- Department of Biochemistry, Silberman Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dina Schneidman-Duhovny
- Department of Biochemistry, Silberman Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.,School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Uri Gat
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Silberman Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
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21
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Experimental Tools to Study Regeneration in the Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis. Methods Mol Biol 2020. [PMID: 33074534 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0974-3_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Animal regeneration is a biological process leading to the reformation of injured or lost tissues/body parts. One of the most fascinating regenerative phenomena is the so-called whole-body regeneration, leading to the reformation of fully functional organisms within days after bisection. The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is currently emerging as novel whole-body regeneration model. Here we describe the methods of inducing the regenerative process in this cnidarian as well as the fixation and staining protocols for morphological, molecular, and cellular analysis.
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22
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Toxin-like neuropeptides in the sea anemone Nematostella unravel recruitment from the nervous system to venom. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:27481-27492. [PMID: 33060291 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011120117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (Anthozoa, Cnidaria) is a powerful model for characterizing the evolution of genes functioning in venom and nervous systems. Although venom has evolved independently numerous times in animals, the evolutionary origin of many toxins remains unknown. In this work, we pinpoint an ancestral gene giving rise to a new toxin and functionally characterize both genes in the same species. Thus, we report a case of protein recruitment from the cnidarian nervous to venom system. The ShK-like1 peptide has a ShKT cysteine motif, is lethal for fish larvae and packaged into nematocysts, the cnidarian venom-producing stinging capsules. Thus, ShK-like1 is a toxic venom component. Its paralog, ShK-like2, is a neuropeptide localized to neurons and is involved in development. Both peptides exhibit similarities in their functional activities: They provoke contraction in Nematostella polyps and are toxic to fish. Because ShK-like2 but not ShK-like1 is conserved throughout sea anemone phylogeny, we conclude that the two paralogs originated due to a Nematostella-specific duplication of a ShK-like2 ancestor, a neuropeptide-encoding gene, followed by diversification and partial functional specialization. ShK-like2 is represented by two gene isoforms controlled by alternative promoters conferring regulatory flexibility throughout development. Additionally, we characterized the expression patterns of four other peptides with structural similarities to studied venom components and revealed their unexpected neuronal localization. Thus, we employed genomics, transcriptomics, and functional approaches to reveal one venom component, five neuropeptides with two different cysteine motifs, and an evolutionary pathway from nervous to venom system in Cnidaria.
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23
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Admoni Y, Kozlovski I, Lewandowska M, Moran Y. TATA Binding Protein (TBP) Promoter Drives Ubiquitous Expression of Marker Transgene in the Adult Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1081. [PMID: 32948049 PMCID: PMC7565589 DOI: 10.3390/genes11091081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nematostella vectensis has emerged as one as the most established models of the phylum Cnidaria (sea anemones, corals, hydroids and jellyfish) for studying animal evolution. The availability of a reference genome and the relative ease of culturing and genetically manipulating this organism make it an attractive model for addressing questions regarding the evolution of venom, development, regeneration and other interesting understudied questions. We and others have previously reported the use of tissue-specific promoters for investigating the function of a tissue or a cell type of interest in vivo. However, to our knowledge, genetic regulators at the whole organism level have not been reported yet. Here we report the identification and utilization of a ubiquitous promoter to drive a wide and robust expression of the fluorescent protein mCherry. We generated animals containing a TATA binding protein (TBP) promoter upstream of the mCherry gene. Flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy revealed expression of mCherry in diverse cell types, accounting for more than 90% of adult animal cells. Furthermore, we detected a stable mCherry expression at different life stages and throughout generations. This tool will expand the existing experimental toolbox to facilitate genetic engineering and functional studies at the whole organism level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel; (Y.A.); (I.K.); (M.L.)
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24
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The genetic basis for PRC1 complex diversity emerged early in animal evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:22880-22889. [PMID: 32868440 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2005136117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycomb group proteins are essential regulators of developmental processes across animals. Despite their importance, studies on Polycomb are often restricted to classical model systems and, as such, little is known about the evolution of these important chromatin regulators. Here we focus on Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and trace the evolution of core components of canonical and non-canonical PRC1 complexes in animals. Previous work suggested that a major expansion in the number of PRC1 complexes occurred in the vertebrate lineage. We show that the expansion of the Polycomb Group RING Finger (PCGF) protein family, an essential step for the establishment of the large diversity of PRC1 complexes found in vertebrates, predates the bilaterian-cnidarian ancestor. This means that the genetic repertoire necessary to form all major vertebrate PRC1 complexes emerged early in animal evolution, over 550 million years ago. We further show that PCGF5, a gene conserved in cnidarians and vertebrates but lost in all other studied groups, is expressed in the nervous system in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, similar to its mammalian counterpart. Together this work provides a framework for understanding the evolution of PRC1 complex diversity and it establishes Nematostella as a promising model system in which the functional ramifications of this diversification can be further explored.
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25
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Zullo L, Bozzo M, Daya A, Di Clemente A, Mancini FP, Megighian A, Nesher N, Röttinger E, Shomrat T, Tiozzo S, Zullo A, Candiani S. The Diversity of Muscles and Their Regenerative Potential across Animals. Cells 2020; 9:cells9091925. [PMID: 32825163 PMCID: PMC7563492 DOI: 10.3390/cells9091925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells with contractile functions are present in almost all metazoans, and so are the related processes of muscle homeostasis and regeneration. Regeneration itself is a complex process unevenly spread across metazoans that ranges from full-body regeneration to partial reconstruction of damaged organs or body tissues, including muscles. The cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in regenerative processes can be homologous, co-opted, and/or evolved independently. By comparing the mechanisms of muscle homeostasis and regeneration throughout the diversity of animal body-plans and life cycles, it is possible to identify conserved and divergent cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying muscle plasticity. In this review we aim at providing an overview of muscle regeneration studies in metazoans, highlighting the major regenerative strategies and molecular pathways involved. By gathering these findings, we wish to advocate a comparative and evolutionary approach to prompt a wider use of “non-canonical” animal models for molecular and even pharmacological studies in the field of muscle regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Zullo
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology (NSYN), 16132 Genova, Italy;
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (A.Z.)
| | - Matteo Bozzo
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV 5, 16132 Genova, Italy; (M.B.); (S.C.)
| | - Alon Daya
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel; (A.D.); (N.N.); (T.S.)
| | - Alessio Di Clemente
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology (NSYN), 16132 Genova, Italy;
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | | | - Aram Megighian
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy;
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Nir Nesher
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel; (A.D.); (N.N.); (T.S.)
| | - Eric Röttinger
- Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging (IRCAN), Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, INSERM, 06107 Nice, France;
| | - Tal Shomrat
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel; (A.D.); (N.N.); (T.S.)
| | - Stefano Tiozzo
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Paris, France;
| | - Alberto Zullo
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy;
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (A.Z.)
| | - Simona Candiani
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV 5, 16132 Genova, Italy; (M.B.); (S.C.)
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26
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Abstract
The diversified NF-κB transcription factor family has been extensively characterized in organisms ranging from flies to humans. However, homologs of NF-κB and many upstream signaling components have recently been characterized in basal phyla, including Cnidaria (sea anemones, corals, hydras, and jellyfish), Porifera (sponges), and single-celled protists, including Capsaspora owczarzaki and some choanoflagellates. Herein, we review what is known about basal NF-κBs and how that knowledge informs on the evolution and conservation of key sequences and domains in NF-κB, as well as the regulation of NF-κB activity. The structures and DNA-binding activities of basal NF-κB proteins resemble those of mammalian NF-κB p100 proteins, and their posttranslational activation appears to have aspects of both canonical and noncanonical pathways in mammals. Several studies suggest that the single NF-κB proteins found in some basal organisms have dual roles in development and immunity. Further research on NF-κB in invertebrates will reveal information about the evolutionary roots of this major signaling pathway, will shed light on the origins of regulated innate immunity, and may have relevance to our understanding of the responses of ecologically important organisms to changing environmental conditions and emerging pathogen-based diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Williams
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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27
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Frank U, Nicotra ML, Schnitzler CE. The colonial cnidarian Hydractinia. EvoDevo 2020; 11:7. [PMID: 32226598 PMCID: PMC7098123 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-020-00151-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydractinia, a genus of colonial marine cnidarians, has been used as a model organism for developmental biology and comparative immunology for over a century. It was this animal where stem cells and germ cells were first studied. However, protocols for efficient genetic engineering have only recently been established by a small but interactive community of researchers. The animal grows well in the lab, spawns daily, and its relatively short life cycle allows genetic studies. The availability of genomic tools and resources opens further opportunities for research using this animal. Its accessibility to experimental manipulation, growth- and cellular-plasticity, regenerative ability, and resistance to aging and cancer place Hydractinia as an emerging model for research in many biological and environmental disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uri Frank
- 1Centre for Chromosome Biology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Matthew L Nicotra
- 2Departments of Surgery and Immunology, Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA
| | - Christine E Schnitzler
- 3Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 320803 USA.,4Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
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Initial Virome Characterization of the Common Cnidarian Lab Model Nematostella vectensis. Viruses 2020; 12:v12020218. [PMID: 32075325 PMCID: PMC7077227 DOI: 10.3390/v12020218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of viruses in forming a stable holobiont has been the subject of extensive research in recent years. However, many emerging model organisms still lack any data on the composition of the associated viral communities. Here, we re-analyzed seven publicly available transcriptome datasets of the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, the most commonly used anthozoan lab model, and searched for viral sequences. We applied a straightforward, yet powerful approach of de novo assembly followed by homology-based virus identification and a multi-step, thorough taxonomic validation. The comparison of different lab populations of N. vectensis revealed the existence of the core virome composed of 21 viral sequences, present in all adult datasets. Unexpectedly, we observed an almost complete lack of viruses in the samples from the early developmental stages, which together with the identification of the viruses shared with the major source of the food in the lab, the brine shrimp Artemia salina, shed new light on the course of viral species acquisition in N. vectensis. Our study provides an initial, yet comprehensive insight into N. vectensis virome and sets the first foundation for the functional studies of viruses and antiviral systems in this lab model cnidarian.
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Funayama N, Frank U. Meeting Report on “At the Roots of Bilaterian Complexity: Insights from Early Emerging Metazoans,” Tutzing (Germany) September 16–19, 2019. Bioessays 2019; 42:e1900236. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201900236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Funayama
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto University Kitashirakawaoiwake, Sakyo‐ku Kyoto 606‐8502 Japan
| | - Uri Frank
- Centre for Chromosome BiologySchool of Natural SciencesNational University of Ireland Galway University Road Galway H91 W2TYIreland
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Faltine-Gonzalez DZ, Layden MJ. Characterization of nAChRs in Nematostella vectensis supports neuronal and non-neuronal roles in the cnidarian-bilaterian common ancestor. EvoDevo 2019; 10:27. [PMID: 31700598 PMCID: PMC6825365 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-019-0136-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors likely evolved in the cnidarian–bilaterian common ancestor. Both receptor families are best known for their role at chemical synapses in bilaterian animals, but they also have described roles as non-neuronal signaling receptors within the bilaterians. It is not clear when either of the functions for nicotinic or muscarinic receptors evolved. Previous studies in cnidarians suggest that acetylcholine’s neuronal role existed prior to the cnidarian–bilaterian divergence, but did not address potential non-neuronal functions. To determine the origins of neuronal and non-neuronal functions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, we investigated the phylogenetic position of cnidarian acetylcholine receptors, characterized the spatiotemporal expression patterns of nicotinic receptors in N. vectensis, and compared pharmacological studies in N. vectensis to the previous work in other cnidarians. Results Consistent with described activity in other cnidarians, treatment with acetylcholine-induced tentacular contractions in the cnidarian sea anemone N. vectensis. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the N. vectensis genome encodes 26 nicotinic (nAChRs) and no muscarinic (mAChRs) acetylcholine receptors and that nAChRs independently radiated in cnidarian and bilaterian linages. The namesake nAChR agonist, nicotine, induced tentacular contractions similar to those observed with acetylcholine, and the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine suppressed tentacular contractions induced by both acetylcholine and nicotine. This indicated that tentacle contractions are in fact mediated by nAChRs. Nicotine also induced the contraction of radial muscles, which contract as part of the peristaltic waves that propagate along the oral–aboral axis of the trunk. Radial contractions and peristaltic waves were suppressed by mecamylamine. The ability of nicotine to mimic acetylcholine responses, and of mecamylamine to suppress acetylcholine and nicotine-induced contractions, supports a neuronal function for acetylcholine in cnidarians. Examination of the spatiotemporal expression of N. vectensis nAChRs (NvnAChRs) during development and in juvenile polyps identified that NvnAChRs are expressed in neurons, muscles, gonads, and large domains known to be consistent with a role in developmental patterning. These patterns are consistent with nAChRs functioning in both a neuronal and non-neuronal capacity in N. vectensis. Conclusion Our data suggest that nAChR receptors functioned at chemical synapses in N. vectensis to regulate tentacle contraction. Similar responses to acetylcholine are well documented in cnidarians, suggesting that the neuronal function represents an ancestral role for nAChRs. Expression patterns of nAChRs are consistent with both neuronal and non-neuronal roles for acetylcholine in cnidarians. Together, these observations suggest that both neuronal and non-neuronal functions for the ancestral nAChRs were present in the cnidarian–bilaterian common ancestor. Thus, both roles described in bilaterian species likely arose at or near the base of nAChR evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael J Layden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA
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Gazave E, Röttinger E. 7th Euro Evo Devo meeting: Report on the "Evolution of regeneration in Metazoa" symposium. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2019; 336:89-93. [PMID: 31461214 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Regeneration, the ability to restore lost parts of the body, is a widespread phenomenon in animals. While this ability is somehow limited in classical developmental model organisms, a variety of animals are able to regenerate complex structures such as limbs or important parts of their body, upon injury. Despite the recent emergence of regenerative studies using a large variety of metazoans, we still lack a general view of the evolution of animal regeneration. In the context of the 7th EvoDevo meeting that took place in June 2018 in Galway, Ireland, the "Evolution of regeneration in Metazoa" symposium gathered scientists studying the regenerative potential of evolutionarily distant animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve Gazave
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Eric Röttinger
- UCNRS, INSERM, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice (IRCAN), Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
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33
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Hambleton EA, Jones VAS, Maegele I, Kvaskoff D, Sachsenheimer T, Guse A. Sterol transfer by atypical cholesterol-binding NPC2 proteins in coral-algal symbiosis. eLife 2019; 8:43923. [PMID: 31159921 PMCID: PMC6548501 DOI: 10.7554/elife.43923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Reef-building corals depend on intracellular dinoflagellate symbionts that provide nutrients. Besides sugars, the transfer of sterols is essential for corals and other sterol-auxotrophic cnidarians. Sterols are important cell components, and variants of the conserved Niemann-Pick Type C2 (NPC2) sterol transporter are vastly up-regulated in symbiotic cnidarians. Types and proportions of transferred sterols and the mechanism of their transfer, however, remain unknown. Using different pairings of symbiont strains with lines of Aiptasia anemones or Acropora corals, we observe both symbiont- and host-driven patterns of sterol transfer, revealing plasticity of sterol use and functional substitution. We propose that sterol transfer is mediated by the symbiosis-specific, non-canonical NPC2 proteins, which gradually accumulate in the symbiosome. Our data suggest that non-canonical NPCs are adapted to the symbiosome environment, including low pH, and play an important role in allowing corals to dominate nutrient-poor shallow tropical seas worldwide. Coral reefs are the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on our planet. Their immense productivity is driven by friendly relationships, or symbioses, between microbes called algae and the corals. Related organisms, such as anemones, also rely on these close associations. The algae use energy from sunlight to make sugars, cholesterol and other molecules that they supply to their host. In exchange, the host’s cells provide homes for the algae inside specialist, acidic structures called symbiosomes. Corals and anemones particularly need cholesterol and other ‘sterol’ molecules from the algae, because they are unable to create these building blocks themselves. In mammals, a protein known as Niemann-Pick Type C2 (NPC2) transports cholesterol out of storage structures into the main body of the cell. Corals and anemones have many different, ‘atypical’ NPC2 proteins: some are produced more during symbiosis, and these are mainly found in symbiosomes. However, it was not known what role these NPC2 proteins play during symbioses. Here, Hambleton et al. studied the symbioses that the anemone Aiptasia and the coral Acropora create with different strains of Symbiodiniaceae algae. The experiments found that the strain of algae dictated the mixture of sterols inside their hosts. The hosts could flexibly use different mixes of sterols and even replace cholesterol with other types of sterols produced by the algae. Atypical NPC2 proteins accumulated over time within the symbiosome and directly bound to cholesterol and various sterols the way other NPC2 proteins normally do. Further experiments suggest that, compared to other NPC2s, atypical NPC2 proteins may be better adapted to the acidic conditions in the symbiosome. Taken together, Hambleton et al. propose that atypical NPC2 proteins may play an important role in allowing corals to thrive in environments poor in nutrients. The first coral reefs emerged over 200 million years ago, when the Earth still only had one continent. Having built-in algae that provide the organisms with nutrients is thought to be the main driver for the formation of coral reefs and the explosion of diversity in coral species. Yet these ancient relationships are now under threat all around the world: environmental stress is causing the algae to be expelled from the corals, leading to the reefs ‘bleaching’ and starving. The more is known about the details of the symbiosis, the more we can understand how corals have evolved, and how we could help them survive the crisis that they are currently facing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ira Maegele
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Kvaskoff
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Timo Sachsenheimer
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annika Guse
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Shoemark DK, Ziegler B, Watanabe H, Strompen J, Tucker RP, Özbek S, Adams JC. Emergence of a Thrombospondin Superfamily at the Origin of Metazoans. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 36:1220-1238. [PMID: 30863851 PMCID: PMC6526912 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz060] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular matrix (ECM) is considered central to the evolution of metazoan multicellularity; however, the repertoire of ECM proteins in nonbilaterians remains unclear. Thrombospondins (TSPs) are known to be well conserved from cnidarians to vertebrates, yet to date have been considered a unique family, principally studied for matricellular functions in vertebrates. Through searches utilizing the highly conserved C-terminal region of TSPs, we identify undisclosed new families of TSP-related proteins in metazoans, designated mega-TSP, sushi-TSP, and poriferan-TSP, each with a distinctive phylogenetic distribution. These proteins share the TSP C-terminal region domain architecture, as determined by domain composition and analysis of molecular models against known structures. Mega-TSPs, the only form identified in ctenophores, are typically >2,700 aa and are also characterized by N-terminal leucine-rich repeats and central cadherin/immunoglobulin domains. In cnidarians, which have a well-defined ECM, Mega-TSP was expressed throughout embryogenesis in Nematostella vectensis, with dynamic endodermal expression in larvae and primary polyps and widespread ectodermal expression in adult Nematostella vectensis and Hydra magnipapillata polyps. Hydra Mega-TSP was also expressed during regeneration and siRNA-silencing of Mega-TSP in Hydra caused specific blockade of head regeneration. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the conserved TSP C-terminal region identified each of the TSP-related groups to form clades distinct from the canonical TSPs. We discuss models for the evolution of the newly defined TSP superfamily by gene duplications, radiation, and gene losses from a debut in the last metazoan common ancestor. Together, the data provide new insight into the evolution of ECM and tissue organization in metazoans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Berenice Ziegler
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hiroshi Watanabe
- Evolutionary Neurobiology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Jennifer Strompen
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard P Tucker
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Suat Özbek
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Josephine C Adams
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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The Birth and Death of Toxins with Distinct Functions: A Case Study in the Sea Anemone Nematostella. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 36:2001-2012. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The cnidarian Nematostella vectensis has become an established lab model, providing unique opportunities for venom evolution research. The Nematostella venom system is multimodal: involving both nematocytes and ectodermal gland cells, which produce a toxin mixture whose composition changes throughout the life cycle. Additionally, their modes of interaction with predators and prey vary between eggs, larvae, and adults, which is likely shaped by the dynamics of the venom system.
Nv1 is a major component of adult venom, with activity against arthropods (through specific inhibition of sodium channel inactivation) and fish. Nv1 is encoded by a cluster of at least 12 nearly identical genes that were proposed to be undergoing concerted evolution. Surprisingly, we found that Nematostella venom includes several Nv1 paralogs escaping a pattern of general concerted evolution, despite belonging to the Nv1-like family. Here, we show two of these new toxins, Nv4 and Nv5, are lethal for zebrafish larvae but harmless to arthropods, unlike Nv1. Furthermore, unlike Nv1, the newly identified toxins are expressed in early life stages. Using transgenesis and immunostaining, we demonstrate that Nv4 and Nv5 are localized to ectodermal gland cells in larvae.
The evolution of Nv4 and Nv5 can be described either as neofunctionalization or as subfunctionalization. Additionally, the Nv1-like family includes several pseudogenes being an example of nonfunctionalization and venom evolution through birth-and-death mechanism. Our findings reveal the evolutionary history for a toxin radiation and point toward the ecological function of the novel toxins constituting a complex cnidarian venom.
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Reuter H, Vogg MC, Serras F. Repair, regenerate and reconstruct: meeting the state-of-the-art. Development 2019; 146:146/9/dev176974. [PMID: 31068375 DOI: 10.1242/dev.176974] [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] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The seventh EMBO meeting on the Molecular and Cellular Basis of Regeneration and Tissue Repair took place in Valletta, Malta, in September 2018. Researchers from all over the world gathered together with the aim of sharing the latest advances in wound healing, repair and regeneration. The meeting covered a wide range of regeneration models and tissues, identification of regulatory genes and signals, and striking advances toward regenerative therapies. Here, we report some of the exciting topics discussed during this conference, highlighting important discoveries in regeneration and the perspectives for regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Reuter
- Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena 07745, Germany
| | | | - Florenci Serras
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology, and Statistics, School of Biology and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain
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