1
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Liu K, Xiao Y, Gan L, Li W, Zhang J, Min J. Structural basis for specific DNA sequence motif recognition by the TFAP2 transcription factors. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8270-8282. [PMID: 37409559 PMCID: PMC10450164 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The TFAP2 family regulates gene expression during differentiation, development, and organogenesis, and includes five homologs in humans. They all possess a highly conserved DNA binding domain (DBD) followed by a helix-span-helix (HSH) domain. The DBD-HSH tandem domain specifically binds to a GCC(N3)GGC consensus sequence, but the precise recognition mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we found that TFAP2 preferred binding to the GCC(N3)GGC sequence, and the pseudo-palindromic GCC and GGC motifs and the length of the central spacer between the two motifs determined their binding specificity. Structural studies revealed that the two flat amphipathic α-helical HSH domains of TFAP2A stacked with each other to form a dimer via hydrophobic interactions, while the stabilized loops from both DBD domains inserted into two neighboring major grooves of the DNA duplex to form base-specific interactions. This specific DNA binding mechanism controlled the length of the central spacer and determined the DNA sequence specificity of TFAP2. Mutations of the TFAP2 proteins are implicated in various diseases. We illustrated that reduction or disruption of the DNA binding ability of the TFAP2 proteins is the primary cause of TFAP2 mutation-associated diseases. Thus, our findings also offer valuable insights into the pathogenesis of disease-associated mutations in TFAP2 proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Yuqing Xiao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Linyao Gan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Weifang Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Jinrong Min
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
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2
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Nguyen TT, Mitchell JM, Kiel MD, Jones KL, Williams TJ, Nichols JT, Van Otterloo E. TFAP2 paralogs regulate midfacial development in part through a conserved ALX genetic pathway. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.16.545376. [PMID: 37398373 PMCID: PMC10312788 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.16.545376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Cranial neural crest development is governed by positional gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Fine-tuning of the GRN components underly facial shape variation, yet how those in the midface are connected and activated remain poorly understood. Here, we show that concerted inactivation of Tfap2a and Tfap2b in the murine neural crest even during the late migratory phase results in a midfacial cleft and skeletal abnormalities. Bulk and single-cell RNA-seq profiling reveal that loss of both Tfap2 members dysregulated numerous midface GRN components involved in midface fusion, patterning, and differentiation. Notably, Alx1/3/4 (Alx) transcript levels are reduced, while ChIP-seq analyses suggest TFAP2 directly and positively regulates Alx gene expression. TFAP2 and ALX co-expression in midfacial neural crest cells of both mouse and zebrafish further implies conservation of this regulatory axis across vertebrates. Consistent with this notion, tfap2a mutant zebrafish present abnormal alx3 expression patterns, and the two genes display a genetic interaction in this species. Together, these data demonstrate a critical role for TFAP2 in regulating vertebrate midfacial development in part through ALX transcription factor gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy T Nguyen
- Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Jennyfer M Mitchell
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Michaela D Kiel
- Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Kenneth L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Trevor J Williams
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - James T Nichols
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Eric Van Otterloo
- Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
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3
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Subkhankulova T, Camargo Sosa K, Uroshlev LA, Nikaido M, Shriever N, Kasianov AS, Yang X, Rodrigues FSLM, Carney TJ, Bavister G, Schwetlick H, Dawes JHP, Rocco A, Makeev VJ, Kelsh RN. Zebrafish pigment cells develop directly from persistent highly multipotent progenitors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1258. [PMID: 36878908 PMCID: PMC9988989 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36876-4] [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: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural crest cells are highly multipotent stem cells, but it remains unclear how their fate restriction to specific fates occurs. The direct fate restriction model hypothesises that migrating cells maintain full multipotency, whilst progressive fate restriction envisages fully multipotent cells transitioning to partially-restricted intermediates before committing to individual fates. Using zebrafish pigment cell development as a model, we show applying NanoString hybridization single cell transcriptional profiling and RNAscope in situ hybridization that neural crest cells retain broad multipotency throughout migration and even in post-migratory cells in vivo, with no evidence for partially-restricted intermediates. We find that leukocyte tyrosine kinase early expression marks a multipotent stage, with signalling driving iridophore differentiation through repression of fate-specific transcription factors for other fates. We reconcile the direct and progressive fate restriction models by proposing that pigment cell development occurs directly, but dynamically, from a highly multipotent state, consistent with our recently-proposed Cyclical Fate Restriction model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen Camargo Sosa
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Leonid A Uroshlev
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ul. Gubkina 3, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Masataka Nikaido
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- Graduate School of Science, University of Hyogo, Ako-gun, Hyogo Pref., 678-1297, Japan
| | - Noah Shriever
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Artem S Kasianov
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ul. Gubkina 3, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Department of Medical and Biological Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 9 Institutskiy per., Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russia
- A.A. Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems (IITP), Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoy Karetny per. 19, build.1, Moscow, 127051, Russia
| | - Xueyan Yang
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China
| | | | - Thomas J Carney
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Experimental Medicine Building, Yunnan Garden Campus, Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Yunnan Garden, 636921, Singapore
| | - Gemma Bavister
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Hartmut Schwetlick
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Jonathan H P Dawes
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Andrea Rocco
- Department of Microbial Sciences, FHMS, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, Guildford, UK
- Department of Physics, FEPS, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, Guildford, UK
| | - Vsevolod J Makeev
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ul. Gubkina 3, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Department of Medical and Biological Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 9 Institutskiy per., Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russia
- Laboratory 'Regulatory Genomics', Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 18 Kremlyovskaya street, Kazan, 420008, Russia
| | - Robert N Kelsh
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
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Kenny C, Dilshat R, Seberg HE, Van Otterloo E, Bonde G, Helverson A, Franke CM, Steingrímsson E, Cornell RA. TFAP2 paralogs facilitate chromatin access for MITF at pigmentation and cell proliferation genes. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010207. [PMID: 35580127 PMCID: PMC9159589 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In developing melanocytes and in melanoma cells, multiple paralogs of the Activating-enhancer-binding Protein 2 family of transcription factors (TFAP2) contribute to expression of genes encoding pigmentation regulators, but their interaction with Microphthalmia transcription factor (MITF), a master regulator of these cells, is unclear. Supporting the model that TFAP2 facilitates MITF's ability to activate expression of pigmentation genes, single-cell seq analysis of zebrafish embryos revealed that pigmentation genes are only expressed in the subset of mitfa-expressing cells that also express tfap2 paralogs. To test this model in SK-MEL-28 melanoma cells we deleted the two TFAP2 paralogs with highest expression, TFAP2A and TFAP2C, creating TFAP2 knockout (TFAP2-KO) cells. We then assessed gene expression, chromatin accessibility, binding of TFAP2A and of MITF, and the chromatin marks H3K27Ac and H3K27Me3 which are characteristic of active enhancers and silenced chromatin, respectively. Integrated analyses of these datasets indicate TFAP2 paralogs directly activate enhancers near genes enriched for roles in pigmentation and proliferation, and directly repress enhancers near genes enriched for roles in cell adhesion. Consistently, compared to WT cells, TFAP2-KO cells proliferate less and adhere to one another more. TFAP2 paralogs and MITF co-operatively activate a subset of enhancers, with the former necessary for MITF binding and chromatin accessibility. By contrast, TFAP2 paralogs and MITF do not appear to co-operatively inhibit enhancers. These studies reveal a mechanism by which TFAP2 profoundly influences the set of genes activated by MITF, and thereby the phenotype of pigment cells and melanoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Kenny
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Ramile Dilshat
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BioMedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Hannah E. Seberg
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Eric Van Otterloo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Gregory Bonde
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Annika Helverson
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Christopher M. Franke
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Eiríkur Steingrímsson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BioMedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Robert A. Cornell
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
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5
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Zebrafish Syndromic Albinism Models as Tools for Understanding and Treating Pigment Cell Disease in Humans. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071752. [PMID: 35406524 PMCID: PMC8997128 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an emerging model for studying many diseases, including disorders originating in black pigment cells, melanocytes. In this review of the melanocyte literature, we discuss the current knowledge of melanocyte biology relevant to understanding different forms of albinism and the potential of the zebrafish model system for finding novel mechanisms and treatments. Abstract Melanin is the pigment that protects DNA from ultraviolet (UV) damage by absorbing excess energy. Melanin is produced in a process called melanogenesis. When melanogenesis is altered, diseases such as albinism result. Albinism can result in an increased skin cancer risk. Conversely, black pigment cell (melanocyte) development pathways can be misregulated, causing excessive melanocyte growth that leads to melanoma (cancer of melanocytes). Zebrafish is an emerging model organism used to study pigment disorders due to their high fecundity, visible melanin development in melanophores (melanocytes in mammals) from 24 h post-fertilization, and conserved melanogenesis pathways. Here, we reviewed the conserved developmental pathways in zebrafish melanophores and mammalian melanocytes. Additionally, we summarized the progress made in understanding pigment cell disease and evidence supporting the strong potential for using zebrafish to find novel treatment options for albinism.
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6
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Van Otterloo E, Milanda I, Pike H, Thompson JA, Li H, Jones KL, Williams T. AP-2α and AP-2β cooperatively function in the craniofacial surface ectoderm to regulate chromatin and gene expression dynamics during facial development. eLife 2022; 11:e70511. [PMID: 35333176 PMCID: PMC9038197 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The facial surface ectoderm is essential for normal development of the underlying cranial neural crest cell populations, providing signals that direct appropriate growth, patterning, and morphogenesis. Despite the importance of the ectoderm as a signaling center, the molecular cues and genetic programs implemented within this tissue are understudied. Here, we show that removal of two members of the AP-2 transcription factor family, AP-2α and AP-2ß, within the early embryonic ectoderm of the mouse leads to major alterations in the craniofacial complex. Significantly, there are clefts in both the upper face and mandible, accompanied by fusion of the upper and lower jaws in the hinge region. Comparison of ATAC-seq and RNA-seq analyses between controls and mutants revealed significant changes in chromatin accessibility and gene expression centered on multiple AP-2 binding motifs associated with enhancer elements within these ectodermal lineages. In particular, loss of these AP-2 proteins affects both skin differentiation as well as multiple signaling pathways, most notably the WNT pathway. We also determined that the mutant clefting phenotypes that correlated with reduced WNT signaling could be rescued by Wnt1 ligand overexpression in the ectoderm. Collectively, these findings highlight a conserved ancestral function for AP-2 transcription factors in ectodermal development and signaling, and provide a framework from which to understand the gene regulatory network operating within this tissue that directs vertebrate craniofacial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Van Otterloo
- Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of IowaIowa CityUnited States
- Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of IowaIowa CityUnited States
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of IowaIowa CityUnited States
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Isaac Milanda
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Hamish Pike
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Jamie A Thompson
- Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics, University of IowaIowa CityUnited States
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of IowaIowa CityUnited States
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Kenneth L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
| | - Trevor Williams
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Children's Hospital ColoradoAuroraUnited States
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7
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Campbell NR, Rao A, Hunter MV, Sznurkowska MK, Briker L, Zhang M, Baron M, Heilmann S, Deforet M, Kenny C, Ferretti LP, Huang TH, Perlee S, Garg M, Nsengimana J, Saini M, Montal E, Tagore M, Newton-Bishop J, Middleton MR, Corrie P, Adams DJ, Rabbie R, Aceto N, Levesque MP, Cornell RA, Yanai I, Xavier JB, White RM. Cooperation between melanoma cell states promotes metastasis through heterotypic cluster formation. Dev Cell 2021; 56:2808-2825.e10. [PMID: 34529939 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Melanomas can have multiple coexisting cell states, including proliferative (PRO) versus invasive (INV) subpopulations that represent a "go or grow" trade-off; however, how these populations interact is poorly understood. Using a combination of zebrafish modeling and analysis of patient samples, we show that INV and PRO cells form spatially structured heterotypic clusters and cooperate in the seeding of metastasis, maintaining cell state heterogeneity. INV cells adhere tightly to each other and form clusters with a rim of PRO cells. Intravital imaging demonstrated cooperation in which INV cells facilitate dissemination of less metastatic PRO cells. We identified the TFAP2 neural crest transcription factor as a master regulator of clustering and PRO/INV states. Isolation of clusters from patients with metastatic melanoma revealed a subset with heterotypic PRO-INV clusters. Our data suggest a framework for the co-existence of these two divergent cell populations, in which heterotypic clusters promote metastasis via cell-cell cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel R Campbell
- Weill Cornell/Rockefeller Memorial Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, New York, NY 10065, USA; Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anjali Rao
- Institute for Computational Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Miranda V Hunter
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Magdalena K Sznurkowska
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luzia Briker
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zürich Hospital, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maomao Zhang
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Maayan Baron
- Institute for Computational Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Silja Heilmann
- Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Maxime Deforet
- Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Colin Kenny
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Lorenza P Ferretti
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zürich Hospital, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ting-Hsiang Huang
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sarah Perlee
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Manik Garg
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Jérémie Nsengimana
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St. James's, University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, UK
| | - Massimo Saini
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Emily Montal
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Mohita Tagore
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Julia Newton-Bishop
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St. James's, University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, UK
| | - Mark R Middleton
- Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre and Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Pippa Corrie
- Cambridge Cancer Centre, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - David J Adams
- Experimental Cancer Genetics, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Roy Rabbie
- Cambridge Cancer Centre, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK; Experimental Cancer Genetics, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mitchell P Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zürich Hospital, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robert A Cornell
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Itai Yanai
- Institute for Computational Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Joao B Xavier
- Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Richard M White
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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8
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Jang HS, Chen Y, Ge J, Wilkening AN, Hou Y, Lee HJ, Choi YR, Lowdon RF, Xing X, Li D, Kaufman CK, Johnson SL, Wang T. Epigenetic dynamics shaping melanophore and iridophore cell fate in zebrafish. Genome Biol 2021; 22:282. [PMID: 34607603 PMCID: PMC8489059 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02493-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zebrafish pigment cell differentiation provides an attractive model for studying cell fate progression as a neural crest progenitor engenders diverse cell types, including two morphologically distinct pigment cells: black melanophores and reflective iridophores. Nontrivial classical genetic and transcriptomic approaches have revealed essential molecular mechanisms and gene regulatory circuits that drive neural crest-derived cell fate decisions. However, how the epigenetic landscape contributes to pigment cell differentiation, especially in the context of iridophore cell fate, is poorly understood. RESULTS We chart the global changes in the epigenetic landscape, including DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility, during neural crest differentiation into melanophores and iridophores to identify epigenetic determinants shaping cell type-specific gene expression. Motif enrichment in the epigenetically dynamic regions reveals putative transcription factors that might be responsible for driving pigment cell identity. Through this effort, in the relatively uncharacterized iridophores, we validate alx4a as a necessary and sufficient transcription factor for iridophore differentiation and present evidence on alx4a's potential regulatory role in guanine synthesis pathway. CONCLUSIONS Pigment cell fate is marked by substantial DNA demethylation events coupled with dynamic chromatin accessibility to potentiate gene regulation through cis-regulatory control. Here, we provide a multi-omic resource for neural crest differentiation into melanophores and iridophores. This work led to the discovery and validation of iridophore-specific alx4a transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Sik Jang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
- Present address: Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI USA
| | - Yujie Chen
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Jiaxin Ge
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Alicia N. Wilkening
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Yiran Hou
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Hyung Joo Lee
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - You Rim Choi
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Rebecca F. Lowdon
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Xiaoyun Xing
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Daofeng Li
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Charles K. Kaufman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, and Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Stephen L. Johnson
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
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9
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Hosseini S, Schmitt AO, Tetens J, Brenig B, Simianer H, Sharifi AR, Gültas M. In Silico Prediction of Transcription Factor Collaborations Underlying Phenotypic Sexual Dimorphism in Zebrafish ( Danio rerio). Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:873. [PMID: 34200177 PMCID: PMC8227731 DOI: 10.3390/genes12060873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional regulation of gene expression in higher organisms is essential for different cellular and biological processes. These processes are controlled by transcription factors and their combinatorial interplay, which are crucial for complex genetic programs and transcriptional machinery. The regulation of sex-biased gene expression plays a major role in phenotypic sexual dimorphism in many species, causing dimorphic gene expression patterns between two different sexes. The role of transcription factor (TF) in gene regulatory mechanisms so far has not been studied for sex determination and sex-associated colour patterning in zebrafish with respect to phenotypic sexual dimorphism. To address this open biological issue, we applied bioinformatics approaches for identifying the predicted TF pairs based on their binding sites for sex and colour genes in zebrafish. In this study, we identified 25 (e.g., STAT6-GATA4; JUN-GATA4; SOX9-JUN) and 14 (e.g., IRF-STAT6; SOX9-JUN; STAT6-GATA4) potentially cooperating TFs based on their binding patterns in promoter regions for sex determination and colour pattern genes in zebrafish, respectively. The comparison between identified TFs for sex and colour genes revealed several predicted TF pairs (e.g., STAT6-GATA4; JUN-SOX9) are common for both phenotypes, which may play a pivotal role in phenotypic sexual dimorphism in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrbanou Hosseini
- Molecular Biology of Livestock and Molecular Diagnostics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Functional Breeding Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (A.O.S.); (H.S.); (A.R.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Armin Otto Schmitt
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (A.O.S.); (H.S.); (A.R.S.); (M.G.)
- Breeding Informatics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jens Tetens
- Functional Breeding Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (A.O.S.); (H.S.); (A.R.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Bertram Brenig
- Molecular Biology of Livestock and Molecular Diagnostics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (A.O.S.); (H.S.); (A.R.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Henner Simianer
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (A.O.S.); (H.S.); (A.R.S.); (M.G.)
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ahmad Reza Sharifi
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (A.O.S.); (H.S.); (A.R.S.); (M.G.)
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mehmet Gültas
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (A.O.S.); (H.S.); (A.R.S.); (M.G.)
- Breeding Informatics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Agriculture, South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, 59494 Soest, Germany
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10
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Urban S, Nater A, Meyer A, Kratochwil CF. Different Sources of Allelic Variation Drove Repeated Color Pattern Divergence in Cichlid Fishes. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:465-477. [PMID: 32941629 PMCID: PMC7826197 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The adaptive radiations of East African cichlid fish in the Great Lakes Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika are well known for their diversity and repeatedly evolved phenotypes. Convergent evolution of melanic horizontal stripes has been linked to a single locus harboring the gene agouti-related peptide 2 (agrp2). However, where and when the causal variants underlying this trait evolved and how they drove phenotypic divergence remained unknown. To test the alternative hypotheses of standing genetic variation versus de novo mutations (independently originating in each radiation), we searched for shared signals of genomic divergence at the agrp2 locus. Although we discovered similar signatures of differentiation at the locus level, the haplotypes associated with stripe patterns are surprisingly different. In Lake Malawi, the highest associated alleles are located within and close to the 5' untranslated region of agrp2 and likely evolved through recent de novo mutations. In the younger Lake Victoria radiation, stripes are associated with two intronic regions overlapping with a previously reported cis-regulatory interval. The origin of these segregating haplotypes predates the Lake Victoria radiation because they are also found in more basal riverine and Lake Kivu species. This suggests that both segregating haplotypes were present as standing genetic variation at the onset of the Lake Victoria adaptive radiation with its more than 500 species and drove phenotypic divergence within the species flock. Therefore, both new (Lake Malawi) and ancient (Lake Victoria) allelic variation at the same locus fueled rapid and convergent phenotypic evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Urban
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Alexander Nater
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Axel Meyer
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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11
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Petratou K, Spencer SA, Kelsh RN, Lister JA. The MITF paralog tfec is required in neural crest development for fate specification of the iridophore lineage from a multipotent pigment cell progenitor. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244794. [PMID: 33439865 PMCID: PMC7806166 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how fate specification of distinct cell-types from multipotent progenitors occurs is a fundamental question in embryology. Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) generate extraordinarily diverse derivatives, including multiple neural, skeletogenic and pigment cell fates. Key transcription factors and extracellular signals specifying NCSC lineages remain to be identified, and we have only a little idea of how and when they function together to control fate. Zebrafish have three neural crest-derived pigment cell types, black melanocytes, light-reflecting iridophores and yellow xanthophores, which offer a powerful model for studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms of fate segregation. Mitfa has been identified as the master regulator of melanocyte fate. Here, we show that an Mitf-related transcription factor, Tfec, functions as master regulator of the iridophore fate. Surprisingly, our phenotypic analysis of tfec mutants demonstrates that Tfec also functions in the initial specification of all three pigment cell-types, although the melanocyte and xanthophore lineages recover later. We show that Mitfa represses tfec expression, revealing a likely mechanism contributing to the decision between melanocyte and iridophore fate. Our data are consistent with the long-standing proposal of a tripotent progenitor restricted to pigment cell fates. Moreover, we investigate activation, maintenance and function of tfec in multipotent NCSCs, demonstrating for the first time its role in the gene regulatory network forming and maintaining early neural crest cells. In summary, we build on our previous work to characterise the gene regulatory network governing iridophore development, establishing Tfec as the master regulator driving iridophore specification from multipotent progenitors, while shedding light on possible cellular mechanisms of progressive fate restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kleio Petratou
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry and Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha A. Spencer
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Robert N. Kelsh
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry and Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - James A. Lister
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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12
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Mandal SC, Tripathy PS, Khatei A, Behera DU, Ghosh A, Pandey PK, Parhi J. Genetics of colour variation in wild versus cultured queen loach, Botia dario (Hamilton, 1822). Genomics 2020; 112:3256-3267. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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13
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Raja DA, Subramaniam Y, Aggarwal A, Gotherwal V, Babu A, Tanwar J, Motiani RK, Sivasubbu S, Gokhale RS, Natarajan VT. Histone variant dictates fate biasing of neural crest cells to melanocyte lineage. Development 2020; 147:dev.182576. [PMID: 32098766 DOI: 10.1242/dev.182576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In the neural crest lineage, progressive fate restriction and stem cell assignment are crucial for both development and regeneration. Whereas fate commitment events have distinct transcriptional footprints, fate biasing is often transitory and metastable, and is thought to be moulded by epigenetic programmes. Therefore, the molecular basis of specification is difficult to define. In this study, we established a role for a histone variant, H2a.z.2, in specification of the melanocyte lineage from multipotent neural crest cells. H2a.z.2 silencing reduces the number of melanocyte precursors in developing zebrafish embryos and from mouse embryonic stem cells in vitro We demonstrate that this histone variant occupies nucleosomes in the promoter of the key melanocyte determinant mitf, and enhances its induction. CRISPR/Cas9-based targeted mutagenesis of this gene in zebrafish drastically reduces adult melanocytes, as well as their regeneration. Thereby, our study establishes the role of a histone variant upstream of the core gene regulatory network in the neural crest lineage. This epigenetic mark is a key determinant of cell fate and facilitates gene activation by external instructive signals, thereby establishing melanocyte fate identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desingu Ayyappa Raja
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Yogaspoorthi Subramaniam
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Ayush Aggarwal
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Vishvabandhu Gotherwal
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Aswini Babu
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Jyoti Tanwar
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
| | - Rajender K Motiani
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Sridhar Sivasubbu
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Rajesh S Gokhale
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Vivek T Natarajan
- Pigment Cell Biology Group, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India
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14
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Wang H, Meng Z, Liu F, Zhou L, Su M, Meng Y, Zhang S, Liao X, Cao Z, Lu H. Characterization of boscalid-induced oxidative stress and neurodevelopmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 238:124753. [PMID: 31545217 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Boscalid is a widely used fungicide in agriculture and has been frequently detected in both environments and agricultural products. However, evidence on the neurotoxic effect of boscalid is scarce. In this study, zebrafish served as an animal model to investigate the toxic effects and mechanisms of boscalid on aquatic vertebrates or higher animals. And we unravelled that boscalid induced developmental defects associated with oxidative stress. Developmental defects, including head deformity, hypopigmentation, decreased number of newborn neurons, structural defects around the ventricle, enlarged intercellular space in the brain, and nuclear concentration, were observed in zebrafish embryos after boscalid exposure at 48 hpf. Interestingly, we found that boscalid might directly induce oxidative stress and alter the activity of ATPase, which in turn disrupted the expression of genes involved in neurodevelopment and transmitter-transmitting signalings and melanocyte differentiation and melanin synthesis signalings. Ultimately, the differentiation of nerve cells and melanocytes were both impacted and the synthesis of melanin was inhibited, leading to morphological abnormalities. Additionally, exposure to boscalid led to less and imbalance motion and altered tendency of locomotor in larval fish. Collectively, our results provide new evidences for a comprehensive assessment of its toxicity and a warning for its residues in environment and agricultural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglei Wang
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhen Meng
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Fasheng Liu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Liqun Zhou
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Meile Su
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yunlong Meng
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shouhua Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Nanchang, 330006, PR China
| | - Xinjun Liao
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zigang Cao
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China
| | - Huiqiang Lu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China.
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15
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Gramann AK, Venkatesan AM, Guerin M, Ceol CJ. Regulation of zebrafish melanocyte development by ligand-dependent BMP signaling. eLife 2019; 8:50047. [PMID: 31868592 PMCID: PMC6968919 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Preventing terminal differentiation is important in the development and progression of many cancers including melanoma. Recent identification of the BMP ligand GDF6 as a novel melanoma oncogene showed GDF6-activated BMP signaling suppresses differentiation of melanoma cells. Previous studies have identified roles for GDF6 orthologs during early embryonic and neural crest development, but have not identified direct regulation of melanocyte development by GDF6. Here, we investigate the BMP ligand gdf6a, a zebrafish ortholog of human GDF6, during the development of melanocytes from the neural crest. We establish that the loss of gdf6a or inhibition of BMP signaling during neural crest development disrupts normal pigment cell development, leading to an increase in the number of melanocytes and a corresponding decrease in iridophores, another neural crest-derived pigment cell type in zebrafish. This shift occurs as pigment cells arise from the neural crest and depends on mitfa, an ortholog of MITF, a key regulator of melanocyte development that is also targeted by oncogenic BMP signaling. Together, these results indicate that the oncogenic role ligand-dependent BMP signaling plays in suppressing differentiation in melanoma is a reiteration of its physiological roles during melanocyte development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec K Gramann
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Department of Molecular Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Arvind M Venkatesan
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Department of Molecular Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Melissa Guerin
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Department of Molecular Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Craig J Ceol
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Department of Molecular Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
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16
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Chambers BE, Gerlach GF, Clark EG, Chen KH, Levesque AE, Leshchiner I, Goessling W, Wingert RA. Tfap2a is a novel gatekeeper of nephron differentiation during kidney development. Development 2019; 146:dev.172387. [PMID: 31160420 DOI: 10.1242/dev.172387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Renal functional units known as nephrons undergo patterning events during development that create a segmental array of cellular compartments with discrete physiological identities. Here, from a forward genetic screen using zebrafish, we report the discovery that transcription factor AP-2 alpha (tfap2a) coordinates a gene regulatory network that activates the terminal differentiation program of distal segments in the pronephros. We found that tfap2a acts downstream of Iroquois homeobox 3b (irx3b), a distal lineage transcription factor, to operate a circuit consisting of tfap2b, irx1a and genes encoding solute transporters that dictate the specialized metabolic functions of distal nephron segments. Interestingly, this regulatory node is distinct from other checkpoints of differentiation, such as polarity establishment and ciliogenesis. Thus, our studies reveal insights into the genetic control of differentiation, where tfap2a is essential for regulating a suite of segment transporter traits at the final tier of zebrafish pronephros ontogeny. These findings have relevance for understanding renal birth defects, as well as efforts to recapitulate nephrogenesis in vivo to facilitate drug discovery and regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E Chambers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Gary F Gerlach
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Eleanor G Clark
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Karen H Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Anna E Levesque
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Ignaty Leshchiner
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Genetics and Gastroenterology Division, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Wolfram Goessling
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Genetics and Gastroenterology Division, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Rebecca A Wingert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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17
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Dooley CM, Wali N, Sealy IM, White RJ, Stemple DL, Collins JE, Busch-Nentwich EM. The gene regulatory basis of genetic compensation during neural crest induction. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008213. [PMID: 31199790 PMCID: PMC6594659 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest (NC) is a vertebrate-specific cell type that contributes to a wide range of different tissues across all three germ layers. The gene regulatory network (GRN) responsible for the formation of neural crest is conserved across vertebrates. Central to the induction of the NC GRN are AP-2 and SoxE transcription factors. NC induction robustness is ensured through the ability of some of these transcription factors to compensate loss of function of gene family members. However the gene regulatory events underlying compensation are poorly understood. We have used gene knockout and RNA sequencing strategies to dissect NC induction and compensation in zebrafish. We genetically ablate the NC using double mutants of tfap2a;tfap2c or remove specific subsets of the NC with sox10 and mitfa knockouts and characterise genome-wide gene expression levels across multiple time points. We find that compensation through a single wild-type allele of tfap2c is capable of maintaining early NC induction and differentiation in the absence of tfap2a function, but many target genes have abnormal expression levels and therefore show sensitivity to the reduced tfap2 dosage. This separation of morphological and molecular phenotypes identifies a core set of genes required for early NC development. We also identify the 15 somites stage as the peak of the molecular phenotype which strongly diminishes at 24 hpf even as the morphological phenotype becomes more apparent. Using gene knockouts, we associate previously uncharacterised genes with pigment cell development and establish a role for maternal Hippo signalling in melanocyte differentiation. This work extends and refines the NC GRN while also uncovering the transcriptional basis of genetic compensation via paralogues. Embryonic development is an intricate process that requires genes to be active at the right time and place. Organisms have evolved mechanisms that ensure faithful execution of developmental programmes even if genes fail to function. For example, in a process called genetic compensation, one or more genes become activated in response to loss of function of another. In this work we use the zebrafish model to investigate how two related genes, tfap2a and tfap2c, interact to ensure establishment of the neural crest, a vertebrate-specific cell type that contributes to many different tissues. Losing tfap2a activity causes mild morphological defects and losing tfap2c has no visible effect. Yet when both are inactive, embryos are severely abnormal due to lack of neural crest-derived tissues. Here we show that loss of tfap2a triggers upregulation of tfap2c which prevents the loss of neural crest tissue. However, the genes normally regulated by tfap2a respond differently to tfap2c allowing us to identify the first tier of the Ap2 network and new players in neural crest biology. Our work demonstrates that the expression signature of partial, but morphologically sufficient, genetic compensation provides an opportunity to dissect gene regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Neha Wali
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Ian M. Sealy
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. White
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Derek L. Stemple
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - John E. Collins
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Elisabeth M. Busch-Nentwich
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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18
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Wu W, Hou B, Tang C, Liu F, Yang J, Pan T, Si K, Lu D, Wang X, Wang J, Xiong X, Liu J, Xie C. (+)-Usnic Acid Inhibits Migration of c-KIT Positive Cells in Human Colorectal Cancer. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2018; 2018:5149436. [PMID: 30298093 PMCID: PMC6157178 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5149436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Revised: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of tumor cell migration is a treatment strategy for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). SCF-dependent activation of c-KIT is responsible for migration of c-KIT positive [c-KIT(+)] cells of CRC. Drug resistance to Imatinib Mesylate (c-KIT inhibitor) has emerged. Inhibition of mTOR can induce autophagic degradation of c-KIT. (+)-usnic acid [(+)-UA], isolated from lichens, has two major functions including induction of proton shuttle and targeting inhibition of mTOR. To reduce hepatotoxicity, the treatment concentration of (+)-UA should be lower than 10 μM. HCT116 cells and LS174 cells were employed to investigate the inhibiting effect of (+)-UA (<10 μM) on SCF-mediated migration of c-KIT(+) CRC cells. HCT116 cells were employed to investigate the molecular mechanisms. The results indicated that firstly, 8 μM (+)-UA decreased ATP content via uncoupling; secondly, 8 μM (+)-UA induced mTOR inhibition, thereby mediated activation suppression of PKC-A, and induced the autophagy of the completed autophagic flux that resulted in the autophagic degradation and transcriptional inhibition of c-KIT and the increase in LDH release; ultimately, 8 μM (+)-UA inhibited SCF-mediated migration of CRC c-KIT(+) cells. Taken together, 8 μM could be determined as the effective concentration for (+)-UA to inhibit SCF-mediated migration of CRC c-KIT(+) cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
- School of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
- Chengdu Easton Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Chengdu 611731, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Science and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Remeadjohn Technology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610044, China
| | - Bing Hou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Changli Tang
- Chengdu Easton Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Chengdu 611731, China
- Pharmacy Department, Xichang People's Hospital, Xichang 615000, China
| | - Fucheng Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Tao Pan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ke Si
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Deyun Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xing Xiong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ji Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610041, China
- Chengdu Easton Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Chengdu 611731, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Science and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chunguang Xie
- School of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
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19
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Lajis AFB. A Zebrafish Embryo as an Animal Model for the Treatment of Hyperpigmentation in Cosmetic Dermatology Medicine. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 54:medicina54030035. [PMID: 30344266 PMCID: PMC6122095 DOI: 10.3390/medicina54030035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Revised: 05/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
For years, clinical studies involving human volunteers and several known pre-clinical in vivo models (i.e., mice, guinea pigs) have demonstrated their reliability in evaluating the effectiveness of a number of depigmenting agents. Although these models have great advantages, they also suffer from several drawbacks, especially involving ethical issues regarding experimentation. At present, a new depigmenting model using zebrafish has been proposed and demonstrated. The application of this model for screening and studying the depigmenting activity of many bioactive compounds has been given great attention in genetics, medicinal chemistry and even the cosmetic industry. Depigmenting studies using this model have been recognized as noteworthy approaches to investigating the antimelanogenic activity of bioactive compounds in vivo. This article details the current knowledge of zebrafish pigmentation and its reliability as a model for the screening and development of depigmenting agents. Several methods to quantify the antimelanogenic activity of bioactive compounds in this model, such as phenotype-based screening, melanin content, tyrosinase inhibitory activity, other related proteins and transcription genes, are reviewed. Depigmenting activity of several bioactive compounds which have been reported towards this model are compared in terms of their molecular structure and possible mode of actions. This includes patented materials with regard to the application of zebrafish as a depigmenting model, in order to give an insight of its intellectual value. At the end of this article, some limitations are highlighted and several recommendations are suggested for improvement of future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Firdaus B Lajis
- Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Bioprocessing and Biomanufacturing Research Center, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
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20
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Seberg HE, Van Otterloo E, Cornell RA. Beyond MITF: Multiple transcription factors directly regulate the cellular phenotype in melanocytes and melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2018. [PMID: 28649789 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
MITF governs multiple steps in the development of melanocytes, including specification from neural crest, growth, survival, and terminal differentiation. In addition, the level of MITF activity determines the phenotype adopted by melanoma cells, whether invasive, proliferative, or differentiated. However, MITF does not act alone. Here, we review literature on the transcription factors that co-regulate MITF-dependent genes. ChIP-seq studies have indicated that the transcription factors SOX10, YY1, and TFAP2A co-occupy subsets of regulatory elements bound by MITF in melanocytes. Analyses at single loci also support roles for LEF1, RB1, IRF4, and PAX3 acting in combination with MITF, while sequence motif analyses suggest that additional transcription factors colocalize with MITF at many melanocyte-specific regulatory elements. However, the precise biochemical functions of each of these MITF collaborators and their contributions to gene expression remain to be elucidated. Analogous to the transcriptional networks in morphogen-patterned tissues during embryogenesis, we anticipate that the level of MITF activity is controlled not only by the concentration of activated MITF, but also by additional transcription factors that either quantitatively or qualitatively influence the expression of MITF-target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E Seberg
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Eric Van Otterloo
- SDM-Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Robert A Cornell
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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21
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AP-2ε Expression in Developing Retina: Contributing to the Molecular Diversity of Amacrine Cells. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3386. [PMID: 29467543 PMCID: PMC5821864 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21822-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
AP-2 transcription factors play important roles in the regulation of gene expression during development. Four of the five members of the AP-2 family (AP-2α, AP-2β, AP-2γ and AP-2δ) have previously been shown to be expressed in developing retina. Mouse knockouts have revealed roles for AP-2α, AP-2β and AP-2δ in retinal cell specification and function. Here, we show that the fifth member of the AP-2 family, AP-2ε, is also expressed in amacrine cells in developing mammalian and chicken retina. Our data indicate that there are considerably fewer AP-2ε-positive cells in the developing mouse retina compared to AP-2α, AP-2β and AP-2γ-positive cells, suggesting a specialized role for AP-2ε in a subset of amacrine cells. AP-2ε, which is restricted to the GABAergic amacrine lineage, is most commonly co-expressed with AP-2α and AP-2β, especially at early stages of retinal development. Co-expression of AP-2ε and AP-2γ increases with differentiation. Analysis of previously published Drop-seq data from single retinal cells supports co-expression of multiple AP-2s in the same cell. Since AP-2s bind to their target sequences as either homodimers or heterodimers, our work suggests spatially- and temporally-coordinated roles for combinations of AP-2 transcription factors in amacrine cells during retinal development.
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22
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Van Otterloo E, Li H, Jones KL, Williams T. AP-2α and AP-2β cooperatively orchestrate homeobox gene expression during branchial arch patterning. Development 2018; 145:dev.157438. [PMID: 29229773 DOI: 10.1242/dev.157438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of a hinged moveable jaw with variable morphology is considered a major factor behind the successful expansion of the vertebrates. DLX homeobox transcription factors are crucial for establishing the positional code that patterns the mandible, maxilla and intervening hinge domain, but how the genes encoding these proteins are regulated remains unclear. Herein, we demonstrate that the concerted action of the AP-2α and AP-2β transcription factors within the mouse neural crest is essential for jaw patterning. In the absence of these two proteins, the hinge domain is lost and there are alterations in the size and patterning of the jaws correlating with dysregulation of homeobox gene expression, with reduced levels of Emx, Msx and Dlx paralogs accompanied by an expansion of Six1 expression. Moreover, detailed analysis of morphological features and gene expression changes indicate significant overlap with various compound Dlx gene mutants. Together, these findings reveal that the AP-2 genes have a major function in mammalian neural crest development, influencing patterning of the craniofacial skeleton via the DLX code, an effect that has implications for vertebrate facial evolution, as well as for human craniofacial disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Van Otterloo
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kenneth L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Trevor Williams
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA .,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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23
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Zainolabidin N, Kamath SP, Thanawalla AR, Chen AI. Distinct Activities of Tfap2A and Tfap2B in the Specification of GABAergic Interneurons in the Developing Cerebellum. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:281. [PMID: 28912684 PMCID: PMC5583517 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
GABAergic inhibitory neurons in the cerebellum are subdivided into Purkinje cells and distinct subtypes of interneurons from the same pool of progenitors, but the determinants of this diversification process are not well defined. To explore the transcriptional regulation of the development of cerebellar inhibitory neurons, we examined the role of Tfap2A and Tfap2B in the specification of GABAergic neuronal subtypes in mice. We show that Tfap2A and Tfap2B are expressed in inhibitory precursors during embryonic development and that their expression persists into adulthood. The onset of their expression follows Ptf1a and Olig2, key determinants of GABAergic neuronal fate in the cerebellum; and, their expression precedes Pax2, an interneuron-specific factor. Tfap2A is expressed by all GABAergic neurons, whereas Tfap2B is selectively expressed by interneurons. Genetic manipulation via in utero electroporation (IUE) reveals that Tfap2B is necessary for interneuron specification and is capable of suppressing the generation of excitatory cells. Tfap2A, but not Tfap2B, is capable of inducing the generation of interneurons when misexpressed in the ventricular neuroepithelium. Together, our results demonstrate that the differential expression of Tfap2A and Tfap2B defines subtypes of GABAergic neurons and plays specific, but complementary roles in the specification of interneurons in the developing cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norliyana Zainolabidin
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)Singapore, Singapore.,School of Life Sciences, University of WarwickCoventry, United Kingdom
| | - Sandhya P Kamath
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)Singapore, Singapore.,School of Life Sciences, University of WarwickCoventry, United Kingdom
| | - Ayesha R Thanawalla
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)Singapore, Singapore.,School of Life Sciences, University of WarwickCoventry, United Kingdom
| | - Albert I Chen
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)Singapore, Singapore.,School of Life Sciences, University of WarwickCoventry, United Kingdom.,ASTAR, Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologySingapore, Singapore
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24
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Cooper CD. Insights from zebrafish on human pigment cell disease and treatment. Dev Dyn 2017; 246:889-896. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia D. Cooper
- School of Molecular Biosciences; Washington State University Vancouver; Vancouver Washington
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25
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Khedgikar V, Abbruzzese G, Mathavan K, Szydlo H, Cousin H, Alfandari D. Dual control of pcdh8l/PCNS expression and function in Xenopus laevis neural crest cells by adam13/33 via the transcription factors tfap2α and arid3a. eLife 2017; 6:26898. [PMID: 28829038 PMCID: PMC5601995 DOI: 10.7554/elife.26898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Adam13/33 is a cell surface metalloprotease critical for cranial neural crest (CNC) cell migration. It can cleave multiple substrates including itself, fibronectin, ephrinB, cadherin-11, pcdh8 and pcdh8l (this work). Cleavage of cadherin-11 produces an extracellular fragment that promotes CNC migration. In addition, the adam13 cytoplasmic domain is cleaved by gamma secretase, translocates into the nucleus and regulates multiple genes. Here, we show that adam13 interacts with the arid3a/dril1/Bright transcription factor. This interaction promotes a proteolytic cleavage of arid3a and its translocation to the nucleus where it regulates another transcription factor: tfap2α. Tfap2α in turn activates multiple genes including the protocadherin pcdh8l (PCNS). The proteolytic activity of adam13 is critical for the release of arid3a from the plasma membrane while the cytoplasmic domain appears critical for the cleavage of arid3a. In addition to this transcriptional control of pcdh8l, adam13 cleaves pcdh8l generating an extracellular fragment that also regulates cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Khedgikar
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States
| | - Genevieve Abbruzzese
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Ketan Mathavan
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States.,Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States
| | - Hannah Szydlo
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States
| | - Helene Cousin
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States
| | - Dominique Alfandari
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States.,Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States
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26
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Lee IJ, Yang YC, Hsu JW, Chang WT, Chuang YJ, Liau I. Zebrafish model of photochemical thrombosis for translational research and thrombolytic screening in vivo. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2017; 10:494-502. [PMID: 27174426 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201500287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Acute thromboembolic diseases remain the major global cause of death or disability. Although an array of thrombolytic and antithrombotic drugs has been approved to treat or prevent thromboembolic diseases, many more drugs that target specific clotting mechanisms are under development. Here a novel zebrafish model of photochemical thrombosis is reported and its prospective application for the screening and preclinical testing of thrombolytic agents in vivo is demonstrated. Through photochemical excitation, a thrombus was induced to form at a selected section of the dorsal aorta of larval zebrafish, which had been injected with photosensitizers. Such photochemical thrombosis can be consistently controlled to occlude partially or completely the targeted blood vessel. Detailed mechanistic tests indicate that the zebrafish model of photochemical thrombosis exhibits essential features of classical coagulation and a thrombolytic pathway. For demonstration, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clinically feasible thrombolytic agent, was shown to effectively dissolve photochemically induced blood clots. In light of the numerous unique advantages of zebrafish as a model organism, our approach is expected to benefit not only the development of novel thrombolytic and antithrombotic strategies but also the fundamental or translational research targeting hereditary thrombotic or coagulation disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Ju Lee
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Cyun Yang
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Wen Hsu
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Tien Chang
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Cardiovascular Center, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Jen Chuang
- Department of Medical Science and Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Ian Liau
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
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27
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Vibert L, Aquino G, Gehring I, Subkankulova T, Schilling TF, Rocco A, Kelsh RN. An ongoing role for Wnt signaling in differentiating melanocytes in vivo. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2017; 30:219-232. [PMID: 27977907 PMCID: PMC5360516 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A role for Wnt signaling in melanocyte specification from neural crest is conserved across vertebrates, but possible ongoing roles in melanocyte differentiation have received little attention. Using a systems biology approach to investigate the gene regulatory network underlying stable melanocyte differentiation in zebrafish highlighted a requirement for a positive-feedback loop involving the melanocyte master regulator Mitfa. Here, we test the hypothesis that Wnt signaling contributes to that positive feedback. We show firstly that Wnt signaling remains active in differentiating melanocytes and secondly that enhanced Wnt signaling drives elevated transcription of mitfa. We show that chemical activation of the Wnt signaling pathway at early stages of melanocyte development enhances melanocyte specification as expected, but importantly that at later (differentiation) stages, it results in altered melanocyte morphology, although melanisation is not obviously affected. Downregulation of Wnt signaling also results in altered melanocyte morphology and organization. We conclude that Wnt signaling plays a role in regulating ongoing aspects of melanocyte differentiation in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Vibert
- Developmental Biology ProgrammeDepartment of Biology and BiochemistryCentre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of BathBathUK
| | - Gerardo Aquino
- Department of Microbial and Cellular SciencesFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordUK
| | - Ines Gehring
- Developmental and Cell Biology School of Biological SciencesUniversity of California, IrvineCAUSA
| | - Tatiana Subkankulova
- Developmental Biology ProgrammeDepartment of Biology and BiochemistryCentre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of BathBathUK
| | - Thomas F. Schilling
- Developmental and Cell Biology School of Biological SciencesUniversity of California, IrvineCAUSA
| | - Andrea Rocco
- Department of Microbial and Cellular SciencesFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordUK
| | - Robert N. Kelsh
- Developmental Biology ProgrammeDepartment of Biology and BiochemistryCentre for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of BathBathUK
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28
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Seberg HE, Van Otterloo E, Loftus SK, Liu H, Bonde G, Sompallae R, Gildea DE, Santana JF, Manak JR, Pavan WJ, Williams T, Cornell RA. TFAP2 paralogs regulate melanocyte differentiation in parallel with MITF. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006636. [PMID: 28249010 PMCID: PMC5352137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding transcription factor TFAP2A result in pigmentation anomalies in model organisms and premature hair graying in humans. However, the pleiotropic functions of TFAP2A and its redundantly-acting paralogs have made the precise contribution of TFAP2-type activity to melanocyte differentiation unclear. Defining this contribution may help to explain why TFAP2A expression is reduced in advanced-stage melanoma compared to benign nevi. To identify genes with TFAP2A-dependent expression in melanocytes, we profile zebrafish tissue and mouse melanocytes deficient in Tfap2a, and find that expression of a small subset of genes underlying pigmentation phenotypes is TFAP2A-dependent, including Dct, Mc1r, Mlph, and Pmel. We then conduct TFAP2A ChIP-seq in mouse and human melanocytes and find that a much larger subset of pigmentation genes is associated with active regulatory elements bound by TFAP2A. These elements are also frequently bound by MITF, which is considered the "master regulator" of melanocyte development. For example, the promoter of TRPM1 is bound by both TFAP2A and MITF, and we show that the activity of a minimal TRPM1 promoter is lost upon deletion of the TFAP2A binding sites. However, the expression of Trpm1 is not TFAP2A-dependent, implying that additional TFAP2 paralogs function redundantly to drive melanocyte differentiation, which is consistent with previous results from zebrafish. Paralogs Tfap2a and Tfap2b are both expressed in mouse melanocytes, and we show that mouse embryos with Wnt1-Cre-mediated deletion of Tfap2a and Tfap2b in the neural crest almost completely lack melanocytes but retain neural crest-derived sensory ganglia. These results suggest that TFAP2 paralogs, like MITF, are also necessary for induction of the melanocyte lineage. Finally, we observe a genetic interaction between tfap2a and mitfa in zebrafish, but find that artificially elevating expression of tfap2a does not increase levels of melanin in mitfa hypomorphic or loss-of-function mutants. Collectively, these results show that TFAP2 paralogs, operating alongside lineage-specific transcription factors such as MITF, directly regulate effectors of terminal differentiation in melanocytes. In addition, they suggest that TFAP2A activity, like MITF activity, has the potential to modulate the phenotype of melanoma cells.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Binding Sites/genetics
- Cell Differentiation/genetics
- Cell Line
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cells, Cultured
- Embryo, Mammalian/embryology
- Embryo, Mammalian/metabolism
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/embryology
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
- Gene Expression Profiling/methods
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Humans
- Melanocytes/metabolism
- Mice, Knockout
- Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor/genetics
- Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor/metabolism
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Mutation
- Pigmentation/genetics
- RNA Interference
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
- Transcription Factor AP-2/genetics
- Transcription Factor AP-2/metabolism
- Zebrafish
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E. Seberg
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Eric Van Otterloo
- SDM-Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Stacie K. Loftus
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Huan Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Greg Bonde
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Ramakrishna Sompallae
- Bioinformatics Division, Iowa Institute of Human Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Derek E. Gildea
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Programming Core, Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Juan F. Santana
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - J. Robert Manak
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - William J. Pavan
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Trevor Williams
- SDM-Craniofacial Biology, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Robert A. Cornell
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
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29
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Kelsh RN, Sosa KC, Owen JP, Yates CA. Zebrafish adult pigment stem cells are multipotent and form pigment cells by a progressive fate restriction process: Clonal analysis identifies shared origin of all pigment cell types. Bioessays 2016; 39. [PMID: 28009049 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201600234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Skin pigment pattern formation is a paradigmatic example of pattern formation. In zebrafish, the adult body stripes are generated by coordinated rearrangement of three distinct pigment cell-types, black melanocytes, shiny iridophores and yellow xanthophores. A stem cell origin of melanocytes and iridophores has been proposed although the potency of those stem cells has remained unclear. Xanthophores, however, seemed to originate predominantly from proliferation of embryonic xanthophores. Now, data from Singh et al. shows that all three cell-types derive from shared stem cells, and that these cells generate peripheral neural cell-types too. Furthermore, clonal compositions are best explained by a progressive fate restriction model generating the individual cell-types. The numbers of adult pigment stem cells associated with the dorsal root ganglia remain low, but progenitor numbers increase significantly during larval development up to metamorphosis, likely via production of partially restricted progenitors on the spinal nerves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert N Kelsh
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK
| | - Karen C Sosa
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK
| | - Jennifer P Owen
- Department of Mathematical Sciences and Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK
| | - Christian A Yates
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK
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30
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Hallberg AR, Vorrink SU, Hudachek DR, Cramer-Morales K, Milhem MM, Cornell RA, Domann FE. Aberrant CpG methylation of the TFAP2A gene constitutes a mechanism for loss of TFAP2A expression in human metastatic melanoma. Epigenetics 2015; 9:1641-7. [PMID: 25625848 DOI: 10.4161/15592294.2014.988062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic melanoma is a deadly treatment-resistant form of skin cancer whose global incidence is on the rise. During melanocyte transformation and melanoma progression the expression profile of many genes changes. Among these, a gene implicated in several steps of melanocyte development, TFAP2A, is frequently silenced; however, the molecular mechanism of TFAP2A silencing in human melanoma remains unknown. In this study, we measured TFAP2A mRNA expression in primary human melanocytes compared to 11 human melanoma samples by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. In addition, we assessed CpG DNA methylation of the TFAP2A promoter in these samples using bisulfite sequencing. Compared to primary melanocytes, which showed high TFAP2A mRNA expression and no promoter methylation, human melanoma samples showed decreased TFAP2A mRNA expression and increased promoter methylation. We further show that increased CpG methylation correlates with decreased TFAP2A mRNA expression. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas, we further identified TFAP2A as a gene displaying among the most decreased expression in stage 4 melanomas vs. non-stage 4 melanomas, and whose CpG methylation was frequently associated with lack of mRNA expression. Based on our data, we conclude that TFAP2A expression in human melanomas can be silenced by aberrant CpG methylation of the TFAP2A promoter. We have identified aberrant CpG DNA methylation as an epigenetic mark associated with TFAP2A silencing in human melanoma that could have significant implications for the therapy of human melanoma using epigenetic modifying drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea R Hallberg
- a Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology; Graduate College ; The University of Iowa ; Iowa City , IA USA
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Laurette P, Strub T, Koludrovic D, Keime C, Le Gras S, Seberg H, Van Otterloo E, Imrichova H, Siddaway R, Aerts S, Cornell RA, Mengus G, Davidson I. Transcription factor MITF and remodeller BRG1 define chromatin organisation at regulatory elements in melanoma cells. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 25803486 PMCID: PMC4407272 DOI: 10.7554/elife.06857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is the master regulator of the melanocyte lineage. To understand how MITF regulates transcription, we used tandem affinity purification and mass spectrometry to define a comprehensive MITF interactome identifying novel cofactors involved in transcription, DNA replication and repair, and chromatin organisation. We show that MITF interacts with a PBAF chromatin remodelling complex comprising BRG1 and CHD7. BRG1 is essential for melanoma cell proliferation in vitro and for normal melanocyte development in vivo. MITF and SOX10 actively recruit BRG1 to a set of MITF-associated regulatory elements (MAREs) at active enhancers. Combinations of MITF, SOX10, TFAP2A, and YY1 bind between two BRG1-occupied nucleosomes thus defining both a signature of transcription factors essential for the melanocyte lineage and a specific chromatin organisation of the regulatory elements they occupy. BRG1 also regulates the dynamics of MITF genomic occupancy. MITF-BRG1 interplay thus plays an essential role in transcription regulation in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Laurette
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Strub
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Dana Koludrovic
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Céline Keime
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stéphanie Le Gras
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Hannah Seberg
- University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, United States
| | | | - Hana Imrichova
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robert Siddaway
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Stein Aerts
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, Center for Human Genetics, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robert A Cornell
- University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, United States
| | - Gabrielle Mengus
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Irwin Davidson
- Department of Functional Genomics and Cancer, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
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Hong CS, Devotta A, Lee YH, Park BY, Saint-Jeannet JP. Transcription factor AP2 epsilon (Tfap2e) regulates neural crest specification in Xenopus. Dev Neurobiol 2014; 74:894-906. [PMID: 24616412 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factors Pax3 and Zic1 are two important regulators of cell fate decision at the neural plate border, where they act synergistically to promote neural crest (NC) formation. To understand the role of these factors in NC development, we performed a microarray analysis to identify downstream targets of Pax3 and Zic1 in Xenopus embryos. Among the genes identified was a member of transcription factor activator protein 2 (Tfap2) family, Tfap2 epsilon (Tfap2e). Tfap2e is first expressed at early neurula stage in NC progenitors and Rohon-Beard sensory neurons, and persists in a subset of migrating cranial NC cells as they populate the pharyngeal arches. This is in contrast to other species in which Tfap2e is not detected in the early NC lineage. Tfap2e morpholino-mediated knockdown results in a loss of NC progenitors and an expansion of the neural plate. Tfap2e is also sufficient to activate NC-specific genes in animal cap explants, and gain-of-function experiments in the whole embryo indicate that Tfap2e can promote NC formation. We propose that Tfap2e is a novel player in the gene regulatory network controlling NC specification in Xenopus downstream of Pax3 and Zic1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Soo Hong
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea; Department of Basic Science and Craniofacial Biology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, New York
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Praetorius C, Grill C, Stacey SN, Metcalf AM, Gorkin DU, Robinson KC, Van Otterloo E, Kim RSQ, Bergsteinsdottir K, Ogmundsdottir MH, Magnusdottir E, Mishra PJ, Davis SR, Guo T, Zaidi MR, Helgason AS, Sigurdsson MI, Meltzer PS, Merlino G, Petit V, Larue L, Loftus SK, Adams DR, Sobhiafshar U, Emre NCT, Pavan WJ, Cornell R, Smith AG, McCallion AS, Fisher DE, Stefansson K, Sturm RA, Steingrimsson E. A polymorphism in IRF4 affects human pigmentation through a tyrosinase-dependent MITF/TFAP2A pathway. Cell 2014; 155:1022-33. [PMID: 24267888 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2013] [Revised: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Sequence polymorphisms linked to human diseases and phenotypes in genome-wide association studies often affect noncoding regions. A SNP within an intron of the gene encoding Interferon Regulatory Factor 4 (IRF4), a transcription factor with no known role in melanocyte biology, is strongly associated with sensitivity of skin to sun exposure, freckles, blue eyes, and brown hair color. Here, we demonstrate that this SNP lies within an enhancer of IRF4 transcription in melanocytes. The allele associated with this pigmentation phenotype impairs binding of the TFAP2A transcription factor that, together with the melanocyte master regulator MITF, regulates activity of the enhancer. Assays in zebrafish and mice reveal that IRF4 cooperates with MITF to activate expression of Tyrosinase (TYR), an essential enzyme in melanin synthesis. Our findings provide a clear example of a noncoding polymorphism that affects a phenotype by modulating a developmental gene regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Praetorius
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Vatnsmyrarvegur 16, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
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Human Melanoma cells over-express extracellular matrix 1 (ECM1) which is regulated by TFAP2C. PLoS One 2013; 8:e73953. [PMID: 24023917 PMCID: PMC3759440 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular matrix 1 (ECM1) is over-expressed in multiple epithelial malignancies. However, knowledge regarding the expression of ECM1 in melanomas and the mechanisms of ECM1 regulation is limited. In this study, we found that ECM1 is over-expressed in several melanoma cell lines, when compared to primary melanocytes, and furthermore, that ECM1 expression paralleled that of TFAP2C levels in multiple cell lines. Knockdown of TFAP2C in the A375 cell line with siRNA led to a reduction in ECM1 expression, and upregulation of TFAP2C with adenoviral vectors in the WM793 cell line resulted in ECM1 upregulation. Utilizing 5’ RACE to identify transcription start sites (TSS) and luciferase reporter assays in the ECM1-overexpressing A375 cell line, we identified the minimal promoter region of human ECM1 and demonstrate that an approximately 100bp fragment upstream of the TSS containing a TATA box and binding sites for AP1, SP1 and Ets is sufficient for promoter activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and direct sequencing (ChIP-seq) for TFAP2C in the A375 cell line identified an AP2 regulatory region in the promoter of the ECM1 gene. Gelshift assays further confirmed binding of TFAP2C to this site. ECM1 knockdown reduces melanoma cell attachment and is consistent with findings that ECM1 overexpression has been associated with a poor prognosis. Our investigations show an as yet unrecognized role for TFAP2C in melanoma via its regulation of ECM1.
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Ferriero R, Manco G, Lamantea E, Nusco E, Ferrante MI, Sordino P, Stacpoole PW, Lee B, Zeviani M, Brunetti-Pierri N. Phenylbutyrate therapy for pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency and lactic acidosis. Sci Transl Med 2013; 5:175ra31. [PMID: 23467562 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3004986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Lactic acidosis is a buildup of lactic acid in the blood and tissues, which can be due to several inborn errors of metabolism as well as nongenetic conditions. Deficiency of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC) is the most common genetic disorder leading to lactic acidosis. Phosphorylation of specific serine residues of the E1α subunit of PDHC by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) inactivates the enzyme, whereas dephosphorylation restores PDHC activity. We found that phenylbutyrate enhances PDHC enzymatic activity in vitro and in vivo by increasing the proportion of unphosphorylated enzyme through inhibition of PDK. Phenylbutyrate given to C57BL/6 wild-type mice results in a significant increase in PDHC enzyme activity and a reduction of phosphorylated E1α in brain, muscle, and liver compared to saline-treated mice. By means of recombinant enzymes, we showed that phenylbutyrate prevents phosphorylation of E1α through binding and inhibition of PDK, providing a molecular explanation for the effect of phenylbutyrate on PDHC activity. Phenylbutyrate increases PDHC activity in fibroblasts from PDHC-deficient patients harboring various molecular defects and corrects the morphological, locomotor, and biochemical abnormalities in the noa(m631) zebrafish model of PDHC deficiency. In mice, phenylbutyrate prevents systemic lactic acidosis induced by partial hepatectomy. Because phenylbutyrate is already approved for human use in other diseases, the findings of this study have the potential to be rapidly translated for treatment of patients with PDHC deficiency and other forms of primary and secondary lactic acidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Ferriero
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples 80131, Italy
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Van Otterloo E, Li W, Garnett A, Cattell M, Medeiros DM, Cornell RA. Novel Tfap2-mediated control of soxE expression facilitated the evolutionary emergence of the neural crest. Development 2012; 139:720-30. [PMID: 22241841 DOI: 10.1242/dev.071308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Gene duplication has been proposed to drive the evolution of novel morphologies. After gene duplication, it is unclear whether changes in the resulting paralogs' coding-regions, or in their cis-regulatory elements, contribute most significantly to the assembly of novel gene regulatory networks. The Transcription Factor Activator Protein 2 (Tfap2) was duplicated in the chordate lineage and is essential for development of the neural crest, a tissue that emerged with vertebrates. Using a tfap2-depleted zebrafish background, we test the ability of available gnathostome, agnathan, cephalochordate and insect tfap2 paralogs to drive neural crest development. With the exception of tfap2d (lamprey and zebrafish), all are able to do so. Together with expression analyses, these results indicate that sub-functionalization has occurred among Tfap2 paralogs, but that neo-functionalization of the Tfap2 protein did not drive the emergence of the neural crest. We investigate whether acquisition of novel target genes for Tfap2 might have done so. We show that in neural crest cells Tfap2 directly activates expression of sox10, which encodes a transcription factor essential for neural crest development. The appearance of this regulatory interaction is likely to have coincided with that of the neural crest, because AP2 and SoxE are not co-expressed in amphioxus, and because neural crest enhancers are not detected proximal to amphioxus soxE. We find that sox10 has limited ability to restore the neural crest in Tfap2-deficient embryos. Together, these results show that mutations resulting in novel Tfap2-mediated regulation of sox10 and other targets contributed to the evolution of the neural crest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Van Otterloo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, IA 52242, USA
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