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Walker LM, Sherpa RN, Ivaturi S, Brock DA, Larsen TJ, Walker JR, Strassmann JE, Queller DC. Parallel evolution of the G protein-coupled receptor GrlG and the loss of fruiting body formation in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum evolved under low relatedness. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 14:jkad235. [PMID: 37832511 PMCID: PMC10755179 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Aggregative multicellularity relies on cooperation among formerly independent cells to form a multicellular body. Previous work with Dictyostelium discoideum showed that experimental evolution under low relatedness profoundly decreased cooperation, as indicated by the loss of fruiting body formation in many clones and an increase of cheaters that contribute proportionally more to spores than to the dead stalk. Using whole-genome sequencing and variant analysis of these lines, we identified 38 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 29 genes. Each gene had 1 variant except for grlG (encoding a G protein-coupled receptor), which had 10 unique SNPs and 5 structural variants. Variants in the 5' half of grlG-the region encoding the signal peptide and the extracellular binding domain-were significantly associated with the loss of fruiting body formation; the association was not significant in the 3' half of the gene. These results suggest that the loss of grlG was adaptive under low relatedness and that at least the 5' half of the gene is important for cooperation and multicellular development. This is surprising given some previous evidence that grlG encodes a folate receptor involved in predation, which occurs only during the single-celled stage. However, non-fruiting mutants showed little increase in a parallel evolution experiment where the multicellular stage was prevented from happening. This shows that non-fruiting mutants are not generally selected by any predation advantage but rather by something-likely cheating-during the multicellular stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Walker
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Rintsen N Sherpa
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sindhuri Ivaturi
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Debra A Brock
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Tyler J Larsen
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Jason R Walker
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Joan E Strassmann
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - David C Queller
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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Martín‐González J, Montero‐Bullón J, Lacal J. Dictyostelium discoideum as a non-mammalian biomedical model. Microb Biotechnol 2021; 14:111-125. [PMID: 33124755 PMCID: PMC7888446 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Dictyostelium discoideum is one of eight non-mammalian model organisms recognized by the National Institute of Health for the study of human pathology. The use of this slime mould is possible owing to similarities in cell structure, behaviour and intracellular signalling with mammalian cells. Its haploid set of chromosomes completely sequenced amenable to genetic manipulation, its unique and short life cycle with unicellular and multicellular stages, and phenotypic richness encoding many human orthologues, make Dictyostelium a representative and simple model organism to unveil cellular processes in human disease. Dictyostelium studies within the biomedical field have provided fundamental knowledge in the areas of bacterial infection, immune cell chemotaxis, autophagy/phagocytosis and mitochondrial and neurological disorders. Consequently, Dictyostelium has been used to the development of related pharmacological treatments. Herein, we review the utilization of Dictyostelium as a model organism in biomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martín‐González
- Molecular Genetics of Human Diseases GroupDepartment of Microbiology and GeneticsFaculty of BiologyUniversity of SalamancaCampus Miguel de UnamunoSalamancaE‐37007Spain
| | - Javier‐Fernando Montero‐Bullón
- Metabolic Engineering GroupDepartment of Microbiology and GeneticsUniversity of SalamancaCampus Miguel de UnamunoSalamancaE‐37007Spain
| | - Jesus Lacal
- Molecular Genetics of Human Diseases GroupDepartment of Microbiology and GeneticsFaculty of BiologyUniversity of SalamancaCampus Miguel de UnamunoSalamancaE‐37007Spain
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A method for visualizing fluorescence of flavonoid therapeutics in vivo in the model eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum. Biotechniques 2019; 66:65-71. [DOI: 10.2144/btn-2018-0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Naturstoff reagent A (diphenylboric acid 2-aminoethyl ester [DPBA]) has been used historically in plant science to observe polyphenolic pigments, such as flavonoids, whose fluorescence requires enhancement to be visible by microscopy. Flavonoids are common dietary constituents and are the focus of considerable attention because of their potential as novel therapies for numerous diseases. The molecular basis of therapeutic activity is only gradually being established, and one strand of such research is making use of the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. We extended the application of DPBA to flavonoid imaging in these preclinical studies, and report the first method for use of DPBA in this eukaryotic model microbe and its applicability alongside subcellular markers. This in vivo fluorescence imaging provided a useful adjunct to parallel chemical and genetic studies.
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Warren EC, Walker MC, Williams RSB. All You Need Is Fats-for Seizure Control: Using Amoeba to Advance Epilepsy Research. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:199. [PMID: 30050411 PMCID: PMC6050470 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the original report of seizure control through starvation in the 1920s, the ketogenic diet has been considered an energy-related therapy. The diet was assumed to be functioning through the effect of reduced carbohydrate intake regulating cellular energy state, thus giving rise to seizure control. From this assumption, the generation of ketones during starvation provided an attractive mechanism for this altered energy state; however, many years of research has sought and largely failed to correlate seizure control and ketone levels. Due to this focus on ketones, few studies have examined a role for free fatty acids, as metabolic intermediates between the triglycerides provided in the diet and ketones, in seizure control. Recent discoveries have now suggested that the medium-chain fats, delivered through the medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic diet, may provide a key therapeutic mechanism of the diet in seizure control. Here we describe an unusual pathway leading to this discovery, beginning with the use of a tractable non-animal model—Dictyostelium, through to the demonstration that medium-chain fats play a direct role in seizure control, and finally the identification of a mechanism of action of these fats and related congeners leading to reduced neural excitability and seizure control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor C Warren
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew C Walker
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robin S B Williams
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
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Cocorocchio M, Baldwin AJ, Stewart B, Kim L, Harwood AJ, Thompson CRL, Andrews PLR, Williams RSB. Curcumin and derivatives function through protein phosphatase 2A and presenilin orthologues in Dictyostelium discoideum. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:dmm.032375. [PMID: 29361519 PMCID: PMC5818083 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.032375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural compounds often have complex molecular structures and unknown molecular targets. These characteristics make them difficult to analyse using a classical pharmacological approach. Curcumin, the main curcuminoid of turmeric, is a complex molecule possessing wide-ranging biological activities, cellular mechanisms and roles in potential therapeutic treatment, including Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Here, we investigate the physiological effects and molecular targets of curcumin in Dictyostelium discoideum. We show that curcumin exerts acute effects on cell behaviour, reduces cell growth and slows multicellular development. We employed a range of structurally related compounds to show the distinct role of different structural groups in curcumin's effects on cell behaviour, growth and development, highlighting active moieties in cell function, and showing that these cellular effects are unrelated to the well-known antioxidant activity of curcumin. Molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of curcumin and one synthetic analogue (EF24) were then investigated to identify a curcumin-resistant mutant lacking the protein phosphatase 2A regulatory subunit (PsrA) and an EF24-resistant mutant lacking the presenilin 1 orthologue (PsenB). Using in silico docking analysis, we then showed that curcumin might function through direct binding to a key regulatory region of PsrA. These findings reveal novel cellular and molecular mechanisms for the function of curcumin and related compounds. Summary: To unlock the therapeutic potential of curcumin and related compounds, we employ a tractable model system to characterise their cellular and molecular effects and propose novel targets implicated in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Cocorocchio
- Centre of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX UK
| | - Amy J Baldwin
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Balint Stewart
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lou Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Adrian J Harwood
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Christopher R L Thompson
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Paul L R Andrews
- Division of Biomedical Science, St George's University of London, SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Robin S B Williams
- Centre of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX UK
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Pergolizzi B, Bozzaro S, Bracco E. G-Protein Dependent Signal Transduction and Ubiquitination in Dictyostelium. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18102180. [PMID: 29048338 PMCID: PMC5666861 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18102180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Signal transduction through G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is central for the regulation of virtually all cellular functions, and it has been widely implicated in human diseases. These receptors activate a common molecular switch that is represented by the heterotrimeric G-protein generating a number of second messengers (cAMP, cGMP, DAG, IP3, Ca2+ etc.), leading to a plethora of diverse cellular responses. Spatiotemporal regulation of signals generated by a given GPCR is crucial for proper signalling and is accomplished by a series of biochemical modifications. Over the past few years, it has become evident that many signalling proteins also undergo ubiquitination, a posttranslational modification that typically leads to protein degradation, but also mediates processes such as protein-protein interaction and protein subcellular localization. The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum has proven to be an excellent model to investigate signal transduction triggered by GPCR activation, as cAMP signalling via GPCR is a major regulator of chemotaxis, cell differentiation, and multicellular morphogenesis. Ubiquitin ligases have been recently involved in these processes. In the present review, we will summarize the most significant pathways activated upon GPCRs stimulation and discuss the role played by ubiquitination in Dictyostelium cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Pergolizzi
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, AOUS. Luigi, 10043 Orbassano TO, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Bozzaro
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, AOUS. Luigi, 10043 Orbassano TO, Italy.
| | - Enrico Bracco
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, AOU S. Luigi, 10043 Orbassano TO, Italy.
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The Long Noncoding RNA Transcriptome of Dictyostelium discoideum Development. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2017; 7:387-398. [PMID: 27932387 PMCID: PMC5295588 DOI: 10.1534/g3.116.037150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Dictyostelium discoideum live in the soil as single cells, engulfing bacteria and growing vegetatively. Upon starvation, tens of thousands of amoebae enter a developmental program that includes aggregation, multicellular differentiation, and sporulation. Major shifts across the protein-coding transcriptome accompany these developmental changes. However, no study has presented a global survey of long noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in D. discoideum To characterize the antisense and long intergenic noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcriptome, we analyzed previously published developmental time course samples using an RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) library preparation method that selectively depletes ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs). We detected the accumulation of transcripts for 9833 protein-coding messenger RNAs (mRNAs), 621 lncRNAs, and 162 putative antisense RNAs (asRNAs). The noncoding RNAs were interspersed throughout the genome, and were distinct in expression level, length, and nucleotide composition. The noncoding transcriptome displayed a temporal profile similar to the coding transcriptome, with stages of gradual change interspersed with larger leaps. The transcription profiles of some noncoding RNAs were strongly correlated with known differentially expressed coding RNAs, hinting at a functional role for these molecules during development. Examining the mitochondrial transcriptome, we modeled two novel antisense transcripts. We applied yet another ribosomal depletion method to a subset of the samples to better retain transfer RNA (tRNA) transcripts. We observed polymorphisms in tRNA anticodons that suggested a post-transcriptional means by which D. discoideum compensates for codons missing in the genomic complement of tRNAs. We concluded that the prevalence and characteristics of long ncRNAs indicate that these molecules are relevant to the progression of molecular and cellular phenotypes during development.
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Frej AD, Clark J, Le Roy CI, Lilla S, Thomason PA, Otto GP, Churchill G, Insall RH, Claus SP, Hawkins P, Stephens L, Williams RSB. The Inositol-3-Phosphate Synthase Biosynthetic Enzyme Has Distinct Catalytic and Metabolic Roles. Mol Cell Biol 2016; 36:1464-79. [PMID: 26951199 PMCID: PMC4859692 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00039-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [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: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Inositol levels, maintained by the biosynthetic enzyme inositol-3-phosphate synthase (Ino1), are altered in a range of disorders, including bipolar disorder and Alzheimer's disease. To date, most inositol studies have focused on the molecular and cellular effects of inositol depletion without considering Ino1 levels. Here we employ a simple eukaryote, Dictyostelium discoideum, to demonstrate distinct effects of loss of Ino1 and inositol depletion. We show that loss of Ino1 results in an inositol auxotrophy that can be rescued only partially by exogenous inositol. Removal of inositol supplementation from the ino1(-) mutant resulted in a rapid 56% reduction in inositol levels, triggering the induction of autophagy, reduced cytokinesis, and substrate adhesion. Inositol depletion also caused a dramatic generalized decrease in phosphoinositide levels that was rescued by inositol supplementation. However, loss of Ino1 triggered broad metabolic changes consistent with the induction of a catabolic state that was not rescued by inositol supplementation. These data suggest a metabolic role for Ino1 that is independent of inositol biosynthesis. To characterize this role, an Ino1 binding partner containing SEL1L1 domains (Q54IX5) and having homology to mammalian macromolecular complex adaptor proteins was identified. Our findings therefore identify a new role for Ino1, independent of inositol biosynthesis, with broad effects on cell metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna D Frej
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Clark
- The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline I Le Roy
- Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Sergio Lilla
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Peter A Thomason
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Grant P Otto
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Grant Churchill
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Robert H Insall
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Sandrine P Claus
- Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Phillip Hawkins
- The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Len Stephens
- The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Robin S B Williams
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom
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Otto GP, Cocorocchio M, Munoz L, Tyson RA, Bretschneider T, Williams RSB. Employing Dictyostelium as an Advantageous 3Rs Model for Pharmacogenetic Research. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1407:123-30. [PMID: 27271898 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3480-5_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Increasing concern regarding the use of animals in research has triggered a growing need for non-animal research models in a range of fields. The development of 3Rs (replacement, refinement, and reduction) approaches in research, to reduce the reliance on the use of animal tissue and whole-animal experiments, has recently included the use of Dictyostelium. In addition to not feeling pain and thus being relatively free of ethical constraints, Dictyostelium provides a range of distinct methodological advantages for researchers that has led to a number of breakthroughs. These methodologies include using cell behavior (cell movement and shape) as a rapid indicator of sensitivity to poorly characterized medicines, natural products, and other chemicals to help understand the molecular mechanism of action of compounds. Here, we outline a general approach to employing Dictyostelium as a 3Rs research model, using cell behavior as a readout to better understand how compounds, such as the active ingredient in chilli peppers, capsaicin, function at a cellular level. This chapter helps scientists unfamiliar with Dictyostelium to rapidly employ it as an advantageous model system for research, to reduce the use of animals in research, and to make paradigm shift advances in our understanding of biological chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant P Otto
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 OEX, UK
| | - Marco Cocorocchio
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 OEX, UK
| | - Laura Munoz
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 OEX, UK
| | - Richard A Tyson
- Warwick Systems Biology Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | | | - Robin S B Williams
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 OEX, UK.
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