1
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Shi DL. Interplay of RNA-binding proteins controls germ cell development in zebrafish. J Genet Genomics 2024:S1673-8527(24)00163-2. [PMID: 38969260 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
The specification of germ cells in zebrafish mostly relies on an inherited mechanism by which localized maternal determinants, called germ plasm, confer germline fate in the early embryo. Extensive studies have partially allowed the identification of key regulators governing germ plasm formation and subsequent germ cell development. RNA-binding proteins, acting in concert with other germ plasm components, play essential roles in the organization of the germ plasm and the specification, migration, maintenance, and differentiation of primordial germ cells. The loss of their functions impairs germ cell formation and causes sterility or sexual conversion. Evidence is emerging that they instruct germline development through differential regulation of mRNA fates in somatic and germ cells. However, the challenge remains to decipher the complex interplay of maternal germ plasm components in germ plasm compartmentalization and germ cell specification. Since failure to control the developmental outcome of germ cells disrupts the formation of gametes, it is important to gain a complete picture of regulatory mechanisms operating in the germ cell lineage. This review sheds light on the contributions of RNA-binding proteins to germ cell development in zebrafish and highlights intriguing questions that remain open for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Li Shi
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, CNRS-UMR7622, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne University, 75005 Paris, France.
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2
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Pamula MC, Lehmann R. How germ granules promote germ cell fate. Nat Rev Genet 2024:10.1038/s41576-024-00744-8. [PMID: 38890558 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00744-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Germ cells are the only cells in the body capable of giving rise to a new organism, and this totipotency hinges on their ability to assemble membraneless germ granules. These specialized RNA and protein complexes are hallmarks of germ cells throughout their life cycle: as embryonic germ granules in late oocytes and zygotes, Balbiani bodies in immature oocytes, and nuage in maturing gametes. Decades of developmental, genetic and biochemical studies have identified protein and RNA constituents unique to germ granules and have implicated these in germ cell identity, genome integrity and gamete differentiation. Now, emerging research is defining germ granules as biomolecular condensates that achieve high molecular concentrations by phase separation, and it is assigning distinct roles to germ granules during different stages of germline development. This organization of the germ cell cytoplasm into cellular subcompartments seems to be critical not only for the flawless continuity through the germline life cycle within the developing organism but also for the success of the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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3
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Mullins MC. A toast to a zebrafish germ cell induction cocktail. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:1314-1315. [PMID: 38376713 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-024-2530-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Mullins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, 19104, USA.
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4
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Sekula M, Tworzydlo W, Bilinski SM. Balbiani body of basal insects is potentially involved in multiplication and selective elimination of mitochondria. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8263. [PMID: 38594333 PMCID: PMC11004008 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58997-6] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Oocytes of both vertebrates and invertebrates often contain an intricate organelle assemblage, termed the Balbiani body (Bb). It has previously been suggested that this assemblage is involved in the delivery of organelles and macromolecules to the germ plasm, formation of oocyte reserve materials, and transfer of mitochondria to the next generation. To gain further insight into the function of the Bb, we performed a series of analyses and experiments, including computer-aided 3-dimensional reconstructions, detection of DNA (mtDNA) synthesis as well as immunolocalization studies. We showed that in orthopteran Meconema meridionale, the Bb comprises a network of mitochondria and perinuclear nuage aggregations. As oogenesis progresses, the network expands filling almost entire ooplasm, then partitions into several smaller entities, termed micro-networks, and ultimately into individual mitochondria. As in somatic cells, this process involves microfilaments and elements of endoplasmic reticulum. We showed also that at least some of the individual mitochondria are surrounded by phagophores and eliminated via mitophagy. These findings support the idea that the Bb is implicated in the multiplication and selective elimination of (defective) mitochondria and therefore may participate in the transfer of undamaged (healthy) mitochondria to the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata Sekula
- Department of Developmental Biology and Invertebrate Morphology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Waclaw Tworzydlo
- Department of Developmental Biology and Invertebrate Morphology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Szczepan M Bilinski
- Department of Developmental Biology and Invertebrate Morphology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.
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5
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Divyanshi, Yang J. Germ plasm dynamics during oogenesis and early embryonic development in Xenopus and zebrafish. Mol Reprod Dev 2023:10.1002/mrd.23718. [PMID: 38126950 PMCID: PMC11190040 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Specification of the germline and its segregation from the soma mark one of the most crucial events in the lifetime of an organism. In different organisms, this specification can occur through either inheritance or inductive mechanisms. In species such as Xenopus and zebrafish, the specification of primordial germ cells relies on the inheritance of maternal germline determinants that are synthesized and sequestered in the germ plasm during oogenesis. In this review, we discuss the formation of the germ plasm, how germline determinants are recruited into the germ plasm during oogenesis, and the dynamics of the germ plasm during oogenesis and early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyanshi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
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6
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Veen K, Krylov A, Yu S, He J, Boyd P, Hyde DR, Mantamadiotis T, Cheng LY, Jusuf PR. Her6 and Prox1a are novel regulators of photoreceptor regeneration in the zebrafish retina. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011010. [PMID: 37930995 PMCID: PMC10653607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Damage to light-sensing photoreceptors (PRs) occurs in highly prevalent retinal diseases. As humans cannot regenerate new PRs, these diseases often lead to irreversible blindness. Intriguingly, animals, such as the zebrafish, can regenerate PRs efficiently and restore functional vision. Upon injury, mature Müller glia (MG) undergo reprogramming to adopt a stem cell-like state. This process is similar to cellular dedifferentiation, and results in the generation of progenitor cells, which, in turn, proliferate and differentiate to replace lost retinal neurons. In this study, we tested whether factors involved in dedifferentiation of Drosophila CNS are implicated in the regenerative response in the zebrafish retina. We found that hairy-related 6 (her6) negatively regulates of PR production by regulating the rate of cell divisions in the MG-derived progenitors. prospero homeobox 1a (prox1a) is expressed in differentiated PRs and may promote PR differentiation through phase separation. Interestingly, upon Her6 downregulation, Prox1a is precociously upregulated in the PRs, to promote PR differentiation; conversely, loss of Prox1a also induces a downregulation of Her6. Together, we identified two novel candidates of PR regeneration that cross regulate each other; these may be exploited to promote human retinal regeneration and vision recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellie Veen
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aaron Krylov
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shuguang Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Centre for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie He
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Centre for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Patrick Boyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Zebrafish Research, and Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - David R. Hyde
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Zebrafish Research, and Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Theo Mantamadiotis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise Y. Cheng
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Patricia R. Jusuf
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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7
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Barkdull M, Moreau CS. Worker Reproduction and Caste Polymorphism Impact Genome Evolution and Social Genes Across the Ants. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad095. [PMID: 37243539 PMCID: PMC10287540 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad095] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Eusocial insects are characterized by several traits, including reproductive division of labor and caste polymorphisms, which likely modulate genome evolution. Concomitantly, evolution may act on specific genes and pathways underlying these novel, sociality-associated phenotypes. Reproductive division of labor should increase the magnitude of genetic drift and reduce the efficacy of selection by reducing effective population size. Caste polymorphism has been associated with relaxed selection and may facilitate directional selection on caste-specific genes. Here, we use comparative analyses of 22 ant genomes to test how reproductive division of labor and worker polymorphism influence positive selection and selection intensity across the genome. Our results demonstrate that worker reproductive capacity is associated with a reduction in the degree of relaxed selection but is not associated with any significant change to positive selection. We find decreases in positive selection in species with polymorphic workers, but no increase in the degree of relaxed selection. Finally, we explore evolutionary patterns in specific candidate genes associated with our focal traits in eusocial insects. Two oocyte patterning genes previously implicated in worker sterility evolve under intensified selection in species with reproductive workers. Behavioral caste genes generally experience relaxed selection associated with worker polymorphism, whereas vestigial and spalt, both associated with soldier development in Pheidole ants, experience intensified selection in worker polymorphic species. These findings expand our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying elaborations of sociality. The impacts of reproductive division of labor and caste polymorphisms on specific genes illuminate those genes' roles in generating complex eusocial phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Barkdull
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University
| | - Corrie S Moreau
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University
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8
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Carver JJ, Zhu Y. Metzincin metalloproteases in PGC migration and gonadal sex conversion. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 330:114137. [PMID: 36191636 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Development of a functional gonad includes migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs), differentiations of somatic and germ cells, formation of primary follicles or spermatogenic cysts with somatic gonadal cells, development and maturation of gametes, and subsequent releasing of mature germ cells. These processes require extensive cellular and tissue remodeling, as well as broad alterations of the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). Metalloproteases, including MMPs (matrix metalloproteases), ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinases), and ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs), are suggested to have critical roles in the remodeling of the ECM during gonad development. However, few research articles and reviews are available on the functions and mechanisms of metalloproteases in remodeling gonadal ECM, gonadal development, or gonadal differentiation. Moreover, most studies focused on the roles of transcription and growth factors in early gonad development and primary sex determination, leaving a significant knowledge gap on how differentially expressed metalloproteases exert effects on the ECM, cell migration, development, and survival of germ cells during the development and differentiation of ovaries or testes. We will review gonad development with focus on the evidence of metalloprotease involvements, and with an emphasis on zebrafish as a model for studying gonadal sex differentiation and metalloprotease functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Carver
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Yong Zhu
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.
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9
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Identification of chicken LOC420478 as Bucky ball equivalent and potential germ plasm organizer in birds. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16858. [PMID: 36207377 PMCID: PMC9546911 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21239-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bucky ball was identified as germ plasm organizer in zebrafish and has proven crucial for Balbiani body condensation. A synteny comparison identified an uncharacterized gene locus in the chicken genome as predicted avian counterpart. Here, we present experimental evidence that this gene locus indeed encodes a ‘Bucky ball’ equivalent in matured oocytes and early embryos of chicken. Heterologous expression of Bucky ball fusion proteins both from zebrafish and chicken with a fluorescent reporter revealed unique patterns indicative for liquid–liquid phase separation of intrinsically disordered proteins. Immuno-labeling detected Bucky ball from oocytes to blastoderms with diffuse distribution in matured oocytes, aggregation in first cleavage furrows, and co-localization to the chicken vasa homolog (CVH). Later, Bucky ball translocated to the cytoplasm of first established cells, and showed nuclear translocation during the major zygotic activation together with CVH. Remarkably, during the phase of area pellucida formation, Bucky ball translocated back into the cytoplasm at stage EGK VI, whereas CVH remained within the nuclei. The condensation of Bucky ball and co-localization with CVH in cleavage furrows and nuclei of the centrally located cells strongly suggests chicken Bucky ball as a germ plasm organizer in birds, and indicate a special importance of the major zygotic activation for germline specification.
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10
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Rostam N, Goloborodko A, Riemer S, Hertel A, Riedel D, Vorbrüggen G, Dosch R. The germ plasm is anchored at the cleavage furrows through interaction with tight junctions in the early zebrafish embryo. Development 2022; 149:275789. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.200465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The zebrafish germline is specified during early embryogenesis by inherited maternal RNAs and proteins collectively called germ plasm. Only the cells containing germ plasm will become part of the germline, whereas the other cells will commit to somatic cell fates. Therefore, proper localization of germ plasm is key for germ cell specification and its removal is crucial for the development of the soma. The molecular mechanism underlying this process in vertebrates is largely unknown. Here, we show that germ plasm localization in zebrafish is similar to that in Xenopus but distinct from Drosophila. We identified non muscle myosin II (NMII) and tight junction (TJ) components, such as ZO2 and claudin-d (Cldn-d) as interaction candidates of Bucky ball (Buc), which is the germ plasm organizer in zebrafish. Remarkably, we also found that TJ protein ZO1 colocalizes with germ plasm, and electron microscopy of zebrafish embryos uncovered TJ-like structures at the cleavage furrows where the germ plasm is anchored. In addition, injection of the TJ receptor Cldn-d produced extra germ plasm aggregates, whereas expression of a dominant-negative version inhibited germ plasm aggregate formation. Our findings support for the first time a role for TJs in germ plasm localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Rostam
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center 1 , 37073 Göttingen , Germany
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Göttingen Center of Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen 2 Department of Developmental Biology , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Alexander Goloborodko
- Institute for Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center 3 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Stephan Riemer
- Institute for Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center 3 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Andres Hertel
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry 4 Department of Molecular Developmental Biology , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Dietmar Riedel
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry 5 Laboratory of Electron Microscopy , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Gerd Vorbrüggen
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Göttingen Center of Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen 2 Department of Developmental Biology , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry 4 Department of Molecular Developmental Biology , , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Roland Dosch
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center 1 , 37073 Göttingen , Germany
- Institute for Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center 3 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
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11
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Parker DM, Winkenbach LP, Osborne Nishimura E. It’s Just a Phase: Exploring the Relationship Between mRNA, Biomolecular Condensates, and Translational Control. Front Genet 2022; 13:931220. [PMID: 35832192 PMCID: PMC9271857 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.931220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells spatially organize their molecular components to carry out fundamental biological processes and guide proper development. The spatial organization of RNA within the cell can both promote and result from gene expression regulatory control. Recent studies have demonstrated diverse associations between RNA spatial patterning and translation regulatory control. One form of patterning, compartmentalization in biomolecular condensates, has been of particular interest. Generally, transcripts associated with cytoplasmic biomolecular condensates—such as germ granules, stress granules, and P-bodies—are linked with low translational status. However, recent studies have identified new biomolecular condensates with diverse roles associated with active translation. This review outlines RNA compartmentalization in various condensates that occur in association with repressed or active translational states, highlights recent findings in well-studied condensates, and explores novel condensate behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan M. Parker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Lindsay P. Winkenbach
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Erin Osborne Nishimura
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- *Correspondence: Erin Osborne Nishimura,
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12
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Tao B, Hu H, Chen J, Chen L, Luo D, Sun Y, Ge F, Zhu Z, Trudeau VL, Hu W. Sinhcaf‐dependent histone deacetylation is essential for primordial germ cell specification. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e54387. [PMID: 35532311 PMCID: PMC9171691 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202154387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the progenitor cells that give rise to sperm and eggs. Sinhcaf is a recently identified subunit of the Sin3 histone deacetylase complex (SIN3A-HDAC). Here, we provide evidence that Sinhcaf-dependent histone deacetylation is essential for germ plasm aggregation and primordial germ cell specification. Specifically, maternal-zygotic sinhcaf zebrafish mutants exhibit germ plasm aggregation defects, decreased PGC abundance and male-biased sex ratio, which can be rescued by re-expressing sinhcaf. Overexpression of sinhcaf results in excess PGCs and a female-biased sex ratio. Sinhcaf binds to the promoter region of kif26ab. Loss of sinhcaf epigenetically switches off kif26ab expression by increasing histone 3 acetylation in the promoter region. Injection of kif26ab mRNA could partially rescue the germ plasm aggregation defects in sinhcaf mutant embryos. Taken together, we demonstrate a role of Sinhcaf in germ plasm aggregation and PGC specialization that is mediated by regulating the histone acetylation status of the kif26ab promoter to activate its transcription. Our findings provide novel insights into the function and regulatory mechanisms of Sinhcaf-mediated histone deacetylation in PGC specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
| | - Hongling Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
| | - Ji Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
| | - Lu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Daji Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
| | - Yonghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
| | - Feng Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
| | - Zuoyan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
| | | | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology Institute of Hydrobiology The Innovation Academy of Seed Design Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology Qingdao China
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13
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Jamieson-Lucy AH, Kobayashi M, James Aykit Y, Elkouby YM, Escobar-Aguirre M, Vejnar CE, Giraldez AJ, Mullins MC. A proteomics approach identifies novel resident zebrafish Balbiani body proteins Cirbpa and Cirbpb. Dev Biol 2022; 484:1-11. [PMID: 35065906 PMCID: PMC8967276 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The Balbiani body (Bb) is the first marker of polarity in vertebrate oocytes. The Bb is a conserved structure found in diverse animals including insects, fish, amphibians, and mammals. During early zebrafish oogenesis, the Bb assembles as a transient aggregate of mRNA, proteins, and membrane-bound organelles at the presumptive vegetal side of the oocyte. As the early oocyte develops, the Bb appears to grow slowly, until at the end of stage I of oogenesis it disassembles and deposits its cargo of localized mRNAs and proteins. In fish and frogs, this cargo includes the germ plasm as well as gene products required to specify dorsal tissues of the future embryo. We demonstrate that the Bb is a stable, solid structure that forms a size exclusion barrier similar to other biological hydrogels. Despite its central role in oocyte polarity, little is known about the mechanism behind the Bb's action. Analysis of the few known protein components of the Bb is insufficient to explain how the Bb assembles, translocates, and disassembles. We isolated Bbs from zebrafish oocytes and performed mass spectrometry to define the Bb proteome. We successfully identified 77 proteins associated with the Bb sample, including known Bb proteins and novel RNA-binding proteins. In particular, we identified Cirbpa and Cirbpb, which have both an RNA-binding domain and a predicted self-aggregation domain. In stage I oocytes, Cirbpa and Cirbpb localize to the Bb rather than the nucleus (as in somatic cells), indicating that they may have a specialized function in the germ line. Both the RNA-binding domain and the self-aggregation domain are sufficient to localize to the Bb, suggesting that Cirbpa and Cirbpb interact with more than just their mRNA targets within the Bb. We propose that Cirbp proteins crosslink mRNA cargo and proteinaceous components of the Bb as it grows. Beyond Cirbpa and Cirbpb, our proteomics dataset presents many candidates for further study, making it a valuable resource for building a comprehensive mechanism for Bb function at a protein level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison H Jamieson-Lucy
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Manami Kobayashi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Y James Aykit
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yaniv M Elkouby
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matias Escobar-Aguirre
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Charles E Vejnar
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Antonio J Giraldez
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mary C Mullins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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14
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Dhandapani L, Salzer MC, Duran JM, Zaffagnini G, De Guirior C, Martínez-Zamora MA, Böke E. Comparative analysis of vertebrates reveals that mouse primordial oocytes do not contain a Balbiani body. J Cell Sci 2021; 135:273712. [PMID: 34897463 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oocytes spend the majority of their lifetime in a primordial state. The cellular and molecular biology of primordial oocytes is largely unexplored; yet, studying these is necessary to understand the mechanisms through which oocytes maintain cellular fitness for decades, and why they eventually fail with age. Here, we develop enabling methods for live-imaging based comparative characterization of Xenopus, mouse and human primordial oocytes. We show that primordial oocytes in all three vertebrate species contain active mitochondria, Golgi apparatus and lysosomes. We further demonstrate that human and Xenopus oocytes have a Balbiani body characterized by a dense accumulation of mitochondria in their cytoplasm. However, despite previous reports, we did not find a Balbiani body in mouse oocytes. Instead, we demonstrate what was previously used as a marker for the Balbiani body in mouse primordial oocytes is in fact a ring-shaped Golgi apparatus that is not functionally associated with oocyte dormancy. Our work provides the first insights into the organisation of the cytoplasm in mammalian primordial oocytes, and clarifies relative advantages and limitations of choosing different model organisms for studying oocyte dormancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laasya Dhandapani
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Marion C Salzer
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Juan M Duran
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Gabriele Zaffagnini
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Cristian De Guirior
- Gynaecology Department, Institute Clinic of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Angeles Martínez-Zamora
- Gynaecology Department, Institute Clinic of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elvan Böke
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
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15
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Perera RP, Shaikhqasem A, Rostam N, Dickmanns A, Ficner R, Tittmann K, Dosch R. Bucky Ball Is a Novel Zebrafish Vasa ATPase Activator. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1507. [PMID: 34680140 PMCID: PMC8533965 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many multicellular organisms specify germ cells during early embryogenesis by the inheritance of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules known as germplasm. However, the role of complex interactions of RNP granules during germ cell specification remains elusive. This study characterizes the interaction of RNP granules, Buc, and zebrafish Vasa (zfVasa) during germ cell specification. We identify a novel zfVasa-binding motif (Buc-VBM) in Buc and a Buc-binding motif (zfVasa-BBM) in zfVasa. Moreover, we show that Buc and zfVasa directly bind in vitro and that this interaction is independent of the RNA. Our circular dichroism spectroscopy data reveal that the intrinsically disordered Buc-VBM peptide forms alpha-helices in the presence of the solvent trifluoroethanol. Intriguingly, we further demonstrate that Buc-VBM enhances zfVasa ATPase activity, thereby annotating the first biochemical function of Buc as a zfVasa ATPase activator. Collectively, these results propose a model in which the activity of zfVasa is a central regulator of primordial germ cell (PGC) formation and is tightly controlled by the germplasm organizer Buc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alaa Shaikhqasem
- Department for Molecular Structural Biology, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany; (A.S.); (A.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Nadia Rostam
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Achim Dickmanns
- Department for Molecular Structural Biology, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany; (A.S.); (A.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Ralf Ficner
- Department for Molecular Structural Biology, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany; (A.S.); (A.D.); (R.F.)
- deCluster of Excellence “Multiscale Bioimaging: From Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells” (MBExC), University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kai Tittmann
- Department of Molecular Enzymology, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Roland Dosch
- Department of Developmental Biochemistry, University of Goettingen, 37077 Goettingen, Germany;
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16
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Hansen CL, Pelegri F. Primordial Germ Cell Specification in Vertebrate Embryos: Phylogenetic Distribution and Conserved Molecular Features of Preformation and Induction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:730332. [PMID: 34604230 PMCID: PMC8481613 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.730332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The differentiation of primordial germ cells (PGCs) occurs during early embryonic development and is critical for the survival and fitness of sexually reproducing species. Here, we review the two main mechanisms of PGC specification, induction, and preformation, in the context of four model vertebrate species: mouse, axolotl, Xenopus frogs, and zebrafish. We additionally discuss some notable molecular characteristics shared across PGC specification pathways, including the shared expression of products from three conserved germline gene families, DAZ (Deleted in Azoospermia) genes, nanos-related genes, and DEAD-box RNA helicases. Then, we summarize the current state of knowledge of the distribution of germ cell determination systems across kingdom Animalia, with particular attention to vertebrate species, but include several categories of invertebrates - ranging from the "proto-vertebrate" cephalochordates to arthropods, cnidarians, and ctenophores. We also briefly highlight ongoing investigations and potential lines of inquiry that aim to understand the evolutionary relationships between these modes of specification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco Pelegri
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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17
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Membraneless organelles: phasing out of equilibrium. Emerg Top Life Sci 2021; 4:331-342. [PMID: 32744309 DOI: 10.1042/etls20190190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Over the past years, liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has emerged as a ubiquitous principle of cellular organization implicated in many biological processes ranging from gene expression to cell division. The formation of biological condensates, like the nucleolus or stress granules, by LLPS is at its core a thermodynamic equilibrium process. However, life does not operate at equilibrium, and cells have evolved multiple strategies to keep condensates in a non-equilibrium state. In this review, we discuss how these non-equilibrium drivers counteract solidification and potentially detrimental aggregation, and at the same time enable biological condensates to perform work and control the flux of substrates and information in a spatial and temporal manner.
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18
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Ren F, Miao R, Xiao R, Mei J. m 6A reader Igf2bp3 enables germ plasm assembly by m 6A-dependent regulation of gene expression in zebrafish. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2021; 66:1119-1128. [PMID: 36654345 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Bucky ball (Buc) is involved in germ plasm (GP) assembly during early zebrafish development by regulating GP mRNA expression via an unknown mechanism. The present study demonstrates that an m6A reader Igf2bp3 interacts and colocalizes with Buc in the GP. Similar to the loss of Buc, the genetic deletion of maternal igf2bp3 in zebrafish leads to abnormal GP assembly and insufficient germ cell specification, which can be partially restored by the injection of igf2bp3 mRNA. Igf2bp3 binds to m6A-modified GP-organizer and GP mRNAs in an m6A-dependent manner and prevents their degradation. These findings indicate that the functions of Igf2bp3, a direct effector protein of Buc, in GP mRNA expression and GP assembly involve m6A-dependent regulation; these results emphasize a critical role of m6A modification in the process of GP assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Ren
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ran Miao
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Rui Xiao
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Jie Mei
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
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19
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Tikhomirova MA, Sheval EV. Formation of Biomolecular Condensates: Regulation of Embryogenesis at the Cellular Level. Russ J Dev Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360421020077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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20
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Don EK, Maschirow A, Radford RAW, Scherer NM, Vidal-Itriago A, Hogan A, Maurel C, Formella I, Stoddart JJ, Hall TE, Lee A, Shi B, Cole NJ, Laird AS, Badrock AP, Chung RS, Morsch M. In vivo Validation of Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) to Investigate Aggregate Formation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:2061-2074. [PMID: 33415684 PMCID: PMC8018926 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02238-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a form of motor neuron disease (MND) that is characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons within the spinal cord, brainstem, and motor cortex. Although ALS clinically manifests as a heterogeneous disease, with varying disease onset and survival, a unifying feature is the presence of ubiquitinated cytoplasmic protein inclusion aggregates containing TDP-43. However, the precise mechanisms linking protein inclusions and aggregation to neuronal loss are currently poorly understood. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) takes advantage of the association of fluorophore fragments (non-fluorescent on their own) that are attached to an aggregation-prone protein of interest. Interaction of the proteins of interest allows for the fluorescent reporter protein to fold into its native state and emit a fluorescent signal. Here, we combined the power of BiFC with the advantages of the zebrafish system to validate, optimize, and visualize the formation of ALS-linked aggregates in real time in a vertebrate model. We further provide in vivo validation of the selectivity of this technique and demonstrate reduced spontaneous self-assembly of the non-fluorescent fragments in vivo by introducing a fluorophore mutation. Additionally, we report preliminary findings on the dynamic aggregation of the ALS-linked hallmark proteins Fus and TDP-43 in their corresponding nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments using BiFC. Overall, our data demonstrates the suitability of this BiFC approach to study and characterize ALS-linked aggregate formation in vivo. Importantly, the same principle can be applied in the context of other neurodegenerative diseases and has therefore critical implications to advance our understanding of pathologies that underlie aberrant protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Don
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Alina Maschirow
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Rowan A W Radford
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Natalie M Scherer
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Andrés Vidal-Itriago
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Alison Hogan
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Cindy Maurel
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Isabel Formella
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Jack J Stoddart
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Thomas E Hall
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, QLD, St Lucia, 4072, Australia
| | - Albert Lee
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Bingyang Shi
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Cole
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Angela S Laird
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Andrew P Badrock
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
| | - Roger S Chung
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Marco Morsch
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
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21
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Mytlis A, Elkouby YM. Live and Time-Lapse Imaging of Early Oogenesis and Meiotic Chromosomal Dynamics in Cultured Juvenile Zebrafish Ovaries. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2218:137-155. [PMID: 33606229 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0970-5_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
Oocyte production is crucial for sexual reproduction. Recent findings in zebrafish and other established model organisms emphasize that the early steps of oogenesis involve the coordination of simultaneous and tightly sequential processes across cellular compartments and between sister cells. To fully understand the mechanistic framework of these coordinated processes, cellular and morphological analysis in high temporal resolution is required. Here, we provide a protocol for four-dimensional live time-lapse analysis of cultured juvenile zebrafish ovaries. We describe how multiple-stage oocytes can be simultaneously analyzed in single ovaries, and several ovaries can be processed in single experiments. In addition, we detail adequate conditions for quantitative image acquisition. Finally, we demonstrate that using this protocol, we successfully capture rapid meiotic chromosomal movements in early prophase for the first time in zebrafish oocytes, in four dimensions and in vivo. Our protocol expands the use of the zebrafish as a model system to understand germ cell and ovarian development in postembryonic stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avishag Mytlis
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Research - Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yaniv M Elkouby
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Research - Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Jerusalem, Israel.
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22
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D'Orazio FM, Balwierz PJ, González AJ, Guo Y, Hernández-Rodríguez B, Wheatley L, Jasiulewicz A, Hadzhiev Y, Vaquerizas JM, Cairns B, Lenhard B, Müller F. Germ cell differentiation requires Tdrd7-dependent chromatin and transcriptome reprogramming marked by germ plasm relocalization. Dev Cell 2021; 56:641-656.e5. [PMID: 33651978 PMCID: PMC7957325 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
In many animal models, primordial germ cell (PGC) development depends on maternally deposited germ plasm, which prevents somatic cell fate. Here, we show that PGCs respond to regulatory information from the germ plasm in two distinct phases using two distinct mechanisms in zebrafish. We demonstrate that PGCs commence zygotic genome activation together with the somatic blastocysts with no demonstrable differences in transcriptional and chromatin opening. Unexpectedly, both PGC and somatic blastocysts activate germ-cell-specific genes, which are only stabilized in PGCs by cytoplasmic germ plasm determinants. Disaggregated perinuclear relocalization of germ plasm during PGC migration is regulated by the germ plasm determinant Tdrd7 and is coupled to dramatic divergence between PGC and somatic transcriptomes. This transcriptional divergence relies on PGC-specific cis-regulatory elements characterized by promoter-proximal distribution. We show that Tdrd7-dependent reconfiguration of chromatin accessibility is required for elaboration of PGC fate but not for PGC migration. No evidence for transcriptional activation delay in zebrafish PGCs Germ-plasm-associated post-transcriptional divergence during ZGA Epigenetic reprogramming marks onset of PGC migration Epigenetic reprogramming in PGCs relies on Tdrd7, coupled to germ plasm relocalization
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio M D'Orazio
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Piotr J Balwierz
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Ada Jimenez González
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Yixuan Guo
- Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Lucy Wheatley
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Aleksandra Jasiulewicz
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Yavor Hadzhiev
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Juan M Vaquerizas
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Roentgenstrasse 20, Muenster, Germany
| | - Bradley Cairns
- Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Boris Lenhard
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK.
| | - Ferenc Müller
- Institute of Cancer and Genomics Sciences, Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
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23
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In Vivo Imaging of Protein Interactions in the Germplasm with Bimolecular Fluorescent Complementation. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2218:303-317. [PMID: 33606241 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0970-5_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play a central role in all cellular processes. The discovery of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and split varieties, which are functionally reconstituted by complementation, led to the development of the bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay for the investigation of PPI in vivo. BiFC became a popular tool, as it is a convenient and quick technology to directly visualize PPI in a wide variety of living cells. In combination with the transparency of the early zebrafish embryo, it also permits detection of PPI in the context of an entire living organism, which performs all spatial and temporal regulations missing in in vitro systems like tissue culture. However, the application of BiFC in some research areas including the study of zebrafish is limited due to the lack of efficient and convenient BiFC expression vectors. Here, we describe the engineering of a novel set of Gateway®-adapted BiFC destination vectors to investigate PPI with all possible permutations for BiFC experiments. Moreover, we demonstrate the versatility of these destination vectors by confirming the interaction between zebrafish Bucky ball and RNA helicase Vasa in living embryos.
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24
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Lee CYS, Putnam A, Lu T, He S, Ouyang JPT, Seydoux G. Recruitment of mRNAs to P granules by condensation with intrinsically-disordered proteins. eLife 2020; 9:e52896. [PMID: 31975687 PMCID: PMC7007223 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA granules are protein/RNA condensates. How specific mRNAs are recruited to cytoplasmic RNA granules is not known. Here, we characterize the transcriptome and assembly of P granules, RNA granules in the C. elegans germ plasm. We find that P granules recruit mRNAs by condensation with the disordered protein MEG-3. MEG-3 traps mRNAs into non-dynamic condensates in vitro and binds to ~500 mRNAs in vivo in a sequence-independent manner that favors embryonic mRNAs with low ribosome coverage. Translational stress causes additional mRNAs to localize to P granules and translational activation correlates with P granule exit for two mRNAs coding for germ cell fate regulators. Localization to P granules is not required for translational repression but is required to enrich mRNAs in the germ lineage for robust germline development. Our observations reveal similarities between P granules and stress granules and identify intrinsically-disordered proteins as drivers of RNA condensation during P granule assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Yung S Lee
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Andrea Putnam
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Tu Lu
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - ShuaiXin He
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical ChemistryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - John Paul T Ouyang
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Geraldine Seydoux
- HHMI and Department of Molecular Biology and GeneticsJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
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25
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Zhang F, Li X, He M, Ye D, Xiong F, Amin G, Zhu Z, Sun Y. Efficient generation of zebrafish maternal-zygotic mutants through transplantation of ectopically induced and Cas9/gRNA targeted primordial germ cells. J Genet Genomics 2020; 47:37-47. [PMID: 32094061 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2019.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology has been widely utilized for knocking out genes involved in various biological processes in zebrafish. Despite this technology is efficient for generating different mutations, one of the main drawbacks is low survival rate during embryogenesis when knocking out some embryonic lethal genes. To overcome this problem, we developed a novel strategy using a combination of CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene knockout with primordial germ cell (PGC) transplantation (PGCT) to facilitate and speed up the process of zebrafish mutant generation, particularly for embryonic lethal genes. Firstly, we optimized the procedure for CRISPR/Cas9 targeted PGCT by increasing the efficiencies of genome mutation in PGCs and induction of PGC fates in donor embryos for PGCT. Secondly, the optimized CRISPR/Cas9 targeted PGCT was utilized for generation of maternal-zygotic (MZ) mutants of tcf7l1a (gene essential for head development), pou5f3 (gene essential for zygotic genome activation) and chd (gene essential for dorsal development) at F1 generation with relatively high efficiency. Finally, we revealed some novel phenotypes in MZ mutants of tcf7l1a and chd, as MZtcf7l1a showed elevated neural crest development while MZchd had much severer ventralization than its zygotic counterparts. Therefore, this study presents an efficient and powerful method for generating MZ mutants of embryonic lethal genes in zebrafish. It is also feasible to speed up the genome editing in commercial fishes by utilizing a similar approach by surrogate production of CRISPR/Cas9 targeted germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenghua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xianmei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Mudan He
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ding Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Feng Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Golpour Amin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zuoyan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yonghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Comparative Proteomics Reveal Me31B's Interactome Dynamics, Expression Regulation, and Assembly Mechanism into Germ Granules during Drosophila Germline Development. Sci Rep 2020; 10:564. [PMID: 31953495 PMCID: PMC6969142 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57492-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Me31B is a protein component of Drosophila germ granules and plays an important role in germline development by interacting with other proteins and RNAs. To understand the dynamic changes that the Me31B interactome undergoes from oogenesis to early embryogenesis, we characterized the early embryo Me31B interactome and compared it to the known ovary interactome. The two interactomes shared RNA regulation proteins, glycolytic enzymes, and cytoskeleton/motor proteins, but the core germ plasm proteins Vas, Tud, and Aub were significantly decreased in the embryo interactome. Our follow-up on two RNA regulations proteins present in both interactomes, Tral and Cup, revealed that they colocalize with Me31B in nuage granules, P-bodies/sponge bodies, and possibly in germ plasm granules. We further show that Tral and Cup are both needed for maintaining Me31B protein level and mRNA stability, with Tral’s effect being more specific. In addition, we provide evidence that Me31B likely colocalizes and interacts with germ plasm marker Vas in the ovaries and early embryo germ granules. Finally, we show that Me31B’s localization in germ plasm is likely independent of the Osk-Vas-Tud-Aub germ plasm assembly pathway although its proper enrichment in the germ plasm may still rely on certain conserved germ plasm proteins.
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Quan H, Arsala D, Lynch JA. Transcriptomic and functional analysis of the oosome, a unique form of germ plasm in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis. BMC Biol 2019; 17:78. [PMID: 31601213 PMCID: PMC6785909 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0696-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The oosome is the germline determinant in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis and is homologous to the polar granules of Drosophila. Despite a common evolutionary origin and developmental role, the oosome is morphologically quite distinct from polar granules. It is a solid sphere that migrates within the cytoplasm before budding out and forming pole cells. RESULTS To gain an understanding of both the molecular basis of oosome development and the conserved essential features of germ plasm, we quantified and compared transcript levels between embryo fragments that contained the oosome and those that did not. The identity of the differentially localized transcripts indicated that Nasonia uses a distinct set of molecules to carry out conserved germ plasm functions. In addition, functional testing of a sample of localized transcripts revealed potentially novel mechanisms of ribonucleoprotein assembly and pole cell cellularization in the wasp. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the composition of germ plasm varies significantly within Holometabola, as very few mRNAs share localization to the oosome and polar granules. Some of this variability appears to be related to the unique properties of the oosome relative to the polar granules in Drosophila, and some may be related to differences in pole formation between species. This work will serve as the basis for further investigation into the patterns of germline determinant evolution among insects, the molecular basis of the unique properties of the oosome, and the incorporation of novel components into developmental networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghu Quan
- Department of Pathology and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105 USA
| | - Deanna Arsala
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Jeremy A. Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
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A state-of-the-art review of surrogate propagation in fish. Theriogenology 2019; 133:216-227. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.03.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Jamieson-Lucy A, Mullins MC. The vertebrate Balbiani body, germ plasm, and oocyte polarity. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 135:1-34. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Dosch R. Workshop on Germ Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2018; 6:157. [PMID: 30525036 PMCID: PMC6258713 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2018.00157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ cell research in vertebrates has traditionally been challenging, but recent breakthroughs have overcome technical difficulties, demonstrating and expanding the power of the zebrafish experimental system for their analysis in vivo. Exploiting the transparency of the zebrafish embryo, germ cell migration was the first topic that moved the germ cells of this organism into the spotlight of modern research. In recent years, research on teleost germ cells has expanded into additional fields, manifested by a session dedicated to this cell type at the European Zebrafish PI meeting in Trento.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Dosch
- Institute for Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
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