1
|
Bardan Sarmiento M, Gang SS, van Oosten-Hawle P, Troemel ER. CUL-6/cullin ubiquitin ligase-mediated degradation of HSP-90 by intestinal lysosomes promotes thermotolerance. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114279. [PMID: 38795346 PMCID: PMC11238739 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114279] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Heat shock can be a lethal stressor. Previously, we described a CUL-6/cullin-ring ubiquitin ligase complex in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that is induced by intracellular intestinal infection and proteotoxic stress and that promotes improved survival upon heat shock (thermotolerance). Here, we show that CUL-6 promotes thermotolerance by targeting the heat shock protein HSP-90 for degradation. We show that CUL-6-mediated lowering of HSP-90 protein levels, specifically in the intestine, improves thermotolerance. Furthermore, we show that lysosomal function is required for CUL-6-mediated promotion of thermotolerance and that CUL-6 directs HSP-90 to lysosome-related organelles upon heat shock. Altogether, these results indicate that a CUL-6 ubiquitin ligase promotes organismal survival upon heat shock by promoting HSP-90 degradation in intestinal lysosomes. Thus, HSP-90, a protein commonly associated with protection against heat shock and promoting degradation of other proteins, is itself degraded to protect against heat shock.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Spencer S Gang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Emily R Troemel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pal A, Vasudevan V, Houle F, Lantin M, Maniates K, Huberdeau MQ, Abbott A, Simard M. Defining the contribution of microRNA-specific Argonautes with slicer capability in animals. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5002-5015. [PMID: 38477356 PMCID: PMC11109967 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae173] [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: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
microRNAs regulate gene expression through interaction with an Argonaute protein. While some members of this protein family retain an enzymatic activity capable of cleaving RNA molecules complementary to Argonaute-bound small RNAs, the role of the slicer residues in the canonical microRNA pathway is still unclear in animals. To address this, we created Caenorhabditis elegans strains with mutated slicer residues in the endogenous ALG-1 and ALG-2, the only two slicing Argonautes essential for the miRNA pathway in this animal model. We observe that the mutation in ALG-1 and ALG-2 catalytic residues affects overall animal fitness and causes phenotypes reminiscent of miRNA defects only when grown and maintained at restrictive temperature. Furthermore, the analysis of global miRNA expression shows that the slicer residues of ALG-1 and ALG-2 contribute differentially to regulate the level of specific subsets of miRNAs in young adults. We also demonstrate that altering the catalytic tetrad of those miRNA-specific Argonautes does not result in any defect in the production of canonical miRNAs. Together, these data support that the slicer residues of miRNA-specific Argonautes contribute to maintaining levels of a set of miRNAs for optimal viability and fitness in animals particularly exposed to specific growing conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anisha Pal
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Vaishnav Vasudevan
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - François Houle
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Michael Lantin
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Katherine A Maniates
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology and Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, USA
| | - Miguel Quévillon Huberdeau
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Allison L Abbott
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Martin J Simard
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 3S3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Flis Ł, Malewski T, Dobosz R. Temperature Effects on Expression Levels of hsp Genes in Eggs and Second-Stage Juveniles of Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood, 1949. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4867. [PMID: 38732085 PMCID: PMC11084963 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094867] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Meloidogyne hapla is one of the most important nematode pathogens. It is a sedentary, biotrophic parasite of plants that overwinters in the soil or in diseased roots. The development of M. hapla is temperature dependent. Numerous studies have been performed on the effect of temperature on the development of M. hapla, but only a few of them analyzed the heat shock protein (hsp) genes. The aim of the study was to perform expression profiling of eight hsp genes (Mh-hsp90, Mh-hsp1, Mh-hsp4, Mh-hsp6, Mh-hsp60, Mh-dnj19, Mh-hsp43, and Mh-hsp12.2) at two development stages of M. hapla, i.e., in eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2). The eggs and J2 were incubated under cold stress (5 °C), heat stress (35 °C, 40 °C), and non-stress (10 °C, 20 °C, and 30 °C) conditions. Expression profiling was performed by qPCR. It was demonstrated that only two genes, Mh-hsp60 and Mh-dnj19, have been upregulated by heat and cold stress at both development stages. Heat stress upregulated the expression of more hsp genes than cold stress did. The level of upregulation of most hsp genes was more marked in J2 than in eggs. The obtained results suggest that the Mh-hsp90 and Mh-hsp1 genes can be used as bioindicators of environmental impacts on nematodes of the Meloidogyne genus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Flis
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Tadeusz Malewski
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Renata Dobosz
- Department of Entomology and Animal Pests, Institute of Plant Protection-National Research Institute, Węgorka 20, 60-318 Poznan, Poland;
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Vergani-Junior CA, Moro RDP, Pinto S, De-Souza EA, Camara H, Braga DL, Tonon-da-Silva G, Knittel TL, Ruiz GP, Ludwig RG, Massirer KB, Mair WB, Mori MA. An Intricate Network Involving the Argonaute ALG-1 Modulates Organismal Resistance to Oxidative Stress. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3070. [PMID: 38594249 PMCID: PMC11003958 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47306-4] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular response to redox imbalance is crucial for organismal health. microRNAs are implicated in stress responses. ALG-1, the C. elegans ortholog of human AGO2, plays an essential role in microRNA processing and function. Here we investigated the mechanisms governing ALG-1 expression in C. elegans and the players controlling lifespan and stress resistance downstream of ALG-1. We show that upregulation of ALG-1 is a shared feature in conditions linked to increased longevity (e.g., germline-deficient glp-1 mutants). ALG-1 knockdown reduces lifespan and oxidative stress resistance, while overexpression enhances survival against pro-oxidant agents but not heat or reductive stress. R02D3.7 represses alg-1 expression, impacting oxidative stress resistance at least in part via ALG-1. microRNAs upregulated in glp-1 mutants (miR-87-3p, miR-230-3p, and miR-235-3p) can target genes in the protein disulfide isomerase pathway and protect against oxidative stress. This study unveils a tightly regulated network involving transcription factors and microRNAs which controls organisms' ability to withstand oxidative stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Vergani-Junior
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raíssa De P Moro
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Silas Pinto
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Evandro A De-Souza
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Henrique Camara
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Section on Integrative Physiology & Metabolism, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deisi L Braga
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Tonon-da-Silva
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago L Knittel
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriel P Ruiz
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raissa G Ludwig
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Katlin B Massirer
- Center for Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Center of Medicinal Chemistry (CQMED), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - William B Mair
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marcelo A Mori
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Experimental Medicine Research Cluster (EMRC), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kotagama K, McJunkin K. Recent advances in understanding microRNA function and regulation in C. elegans. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 154:4-13. [PMID: 37055330 PMCID: PMC10564972 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.03.011] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) were first discovered in C. elegans as essential post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Since their initial discovery, miRNAs have been implicated in numerous areas of physiology and disease in all animals examined. In recent years, the C. elegans model continues to contribute important advances to all areas of miRNA research. Technological advances in tissue-specific miRNA profiling and genome editing have driven breakthroughs in understanding biological functions of miRNAs, mechanism of miRNA action, and regulation of miRNAs. In this review, we highlight these new C. elegans findings from the past five to seven years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kasuen Kotagama
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Katherine McJunkin
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chou HT, Valencia F, Alexander JC, Bell AD, Deb D, Pollard DA, Paaby AB. Diversification of small RNA pathways underlies germline RNA interference incompetence in wild Caenorhabditis elegans strains. Genetics 2024; 226:iyad191. [PMID: 37865119 PMCID: PMC10763538 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad191] [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: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery that experimental delivery of dsRNA can induce gene silencing at target genes revolutionized genetics research, by both uncovering essential biological processes and creating new tools for developmental geneticists. However, the efficacy of exogenous RNA interference (RNAi) varies dramatically within the Caenorhabditis elegans natural population, raising questions about our understanding of RNAi in the lab relative to its activity and significance in nature. Here, we investigate why some wild strains fail to mount a robust RNAi response to germline targets. We observe diversity in mechanism: in some strains, the response is stochastic, either on or off among individuals, while in others, the response is consistent but delayed. Increased activity of the Argonaute PPW-1, which is required for germline RNAi in the laboratory strain N2, rescues the response in some strains but dampens it further in others. Among wild strains, genes known to mediate RNAi exhibited very high expression variation relative to other genes in the genome as well as allelic divergence and strain-specific instances of pseudogenization at the sequence level. Our results demonstrate functional diversification in the small RNA pathways in C. elegans and suggest that RNAi processes are evolving rapidly and dynamically in nature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Han Ting Chou
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Francisco Valencia
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Jacqueline C Alexander
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Avery Davis Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Diptodip Deb
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Daniel A Pollard
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Annalise B Paaby
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Verbeeren J, Teixeira J, Garcia SMDA. The Muscleblind-like protein MBL-1 regulates microRNA expression in Caenorhabditis elegans through an evolutionarily conserved autoregulatory mechanism. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011109. [PMID: 38134228 PMCID: PMC10773944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011109] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Muscleblind-like (MBNL) family is a highly conserved set of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that regulate RNA metabolism during the differentiation of various animal tissues. Functional insufficiency of MBNL affects muscle and central nervous system development, and contributes to the myotonic dystrophies (DM), a set of incurable multisystemic disorders. Studies on the regulation of MBNL genes are essential to provide insight into the gene regulatory networks controlled by MBNL proteins and to understand how dysregulation within these networks causes disease. In this study, we demonstrate the evolutionary conservation of an autoregulatory mechanism that governs the function of MBNL proteins by generating two distinct protein isoform types through alternative splicing. Our aim was to further our understanding of the regulatory principles that underlie this conserved feedback loop in a whole-organismal context, and to address the biological significance of the respective isoforms. Using an alternative splicing reporter, our studies show that, during development of the Caenorhabditis elegans central nervous system, the orthologous mbl-1 gene shifts production from long protein isoforms that localize to the nucleus to short isoforms that also localize to the cytoplasm. Using isoform-specific CRISPR/Cas9-generated strains, we showed that expression of short MBL-1 protein isoforms is required for healthy neuromuscular function and neurodevelopment, while expression of long MBL-1 protein isoforms is dispensable, emphasizing a key role for cytoplasmic functionalities of the MBL-1 protein. Furthermore, RNA-seq and lifespan analyses indicated that short MBL-1 isoforms are crucial regulators of miRNA expression and, in consequence, required for normal lifespan. In conclusion, this study provides support for the disruption of cytoplasmic RNA metabolism as a contributor in myotonic dystrophy and paves the way for further exploration of miRNA regulation through MBNL proteins during development and in disease models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jens Verbeeren
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Joana Teixeira
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lu L, Abbott AL. Male gonad-enriched microRNAs function to control sperm production in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.10.561762. [PMID: 37873419 PMCID: PMC10592766 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.10.561762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Germ cell development and gamete production in animals require small RNA pathways. While studies indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) are necessary for normal sperm production and function, the specific roles for individual miRNAs are largely unknown. Here, we use small RNA sequencing of dissected gonads and functional analysis of new loss of function alleles to identify functions for miRNAs in the control of fecundity and sperm production in Caenorhabditis elegans males and hermaphrodites. We describe a set of 29 male gonad-enriched miRNAs and identify a set of 3 individual miRNAs (mir-58.1, mir-83, and mir-235) and a miRNA cluster (mir-4807-4810.1) that are required for optimal sperm production at 20°C and 5 additional miRNAs (mir-49, mir-57, mir-261, and mir-357/358) that are required for sperm production at 25°C. We observed defects in meiotic progression in mir-58.1, mir-83, mir-235, and mir-4807-4810.1 mutants that may contribute to the reduced number of sperm. Further, analysis of multiple mutants of these miRNAs suggested complex genetic interactions between these miRNAs for sperm production. This study provides insights on the regulatory roles of miRNAs that promote optimal sperm production and fecundity in males and hermaphrodites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Lu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 53201 USA
| | - Allison L. Abbott
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 53201 USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Cubillas C, Sandoval Del Prado LE, Goldacker S, Fujii C, Pinski AN, Zielke J, Wang D. The alg-1 Gene Is Necessary for Orsay Virus Replication in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Virol 2023; 97:e0006523. [PMID: 37017532 PMCID: PMC10134801 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00065-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The establishment of the Orsay virus-Caenorhabditis elegans infection model has enabled the identification of host factors essential for virus infection. Argonautes are RNA interacting proteins evolutionary conserved in the three domains of life that are key components of small RNA pathways. C. elegans encodes 27 argonautes or argonaute-like proteins. Here, we determined that mutation of the argonaute-like gene 1, alg-1, results in a greater than 10,000-fold reduction in Orsay viral RNA levels, which could be rescued by ectopic expression of alg-1. Mutation in ain-1, a known interactor of ALG-1 and component of the RNA-induced silencing complex, also resulted in a significant reduction in Orsay virus levels. Viral RNA replication from an endogenous transgene replicon system was impaired by the lack of ALG-1, suggesting that ALG-1 plays a role during the replication stage of the virus life cycle. Orsay virus RNA levels were unaffected by mutations in the ALG-1 RNase H-like motif that ablate the slicer activity of ALG-1. These findings demonstrate a novel function of ALG-1 in promoting Orsay virus replication in C. elegans. IMPORTANCE All viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that recruit the cellular machinery of the host they infect to support their own proliferation. We used Caenorhabditis elegans and its only known infecting virus, Orsay virus, to identify host proteins relevant for virus infection. We determined that ALG-1, a protein previously known to be important in influencing worm life span and the expression levels of thousands of genes, is required for Orsay virus infection of C. elegans. This is a new function attributed to ALG-1 that was not recognized before. In humans, it has been shown that AGO2, a close relative protein to ALG-1, is essential for hepatitis C virus replication. This demonstrates that through evolution from worms to humans, some proteins have maintained similar functions, and consequently, this suggests that studying virus infection in a simple worm model has the potential to provide novel insights into strategies used by viruses to proliferate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ciro Cubillas
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Luis Enrique Sandoval Del Prado
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sydney Goldacker
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Chika Fujii
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Amanda N. Pinski
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jon Zielke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David Wang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Matai L, Slack FJ. MicroRNAs in Age-Related Proteostasis and Stress Responses. Noncoding RNA 2023; 9:26. [PMID: 37104008 PMCID: PMC10143298 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna9020026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with the accumulation of damaged and misfolded proteins through a decline in the protein homeostasis (proteostasis) machinery, leading to various age-associated protein misfolding diseases such as Huntington's or Parkinson's. The efficiency of cellular stress response pathways also weakens with age, further contributing to the failure to maintain proteostasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are a class of small, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that bind target messenger RNAs at their 3'UTR, resulting in the post-transcriptional repression of gene expression. From the discovery of aging roles for lin-4 in C. elegans, the role of numerous miRNAs in controlling the aging process has been uncovered in different organisms. Recent studies have also shown that miRNAs regulate different components of proteostasis machinery as well as cellular response pathways to proteotoxic stress, some of which are very important during aging or in age-related pathologies. Here, we present a review of these findings, highlighting the role of individual miRNAs in age-associated protein folding and degradation across different organisms. We also broadly summarize the relationships between miRNAs and organelle-specific stress response pathways during aging and in various age-associated diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Frank J. Slack
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Chen L, Wang Y, Zhou X, Wang T, Zhan H, Wu F, Li H, Bian P, Xie Z. Investigation into the communication between unheated and heat-stressed Caenorhabditis elegans via volatile stress signals. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3225. [PMID: 36828837 PMCID: PMC9958180 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26554-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Our research group has recently found that radiation-induced airborne stress signals can be used for communication among Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). This paper addresses the question of whether heat stress can also induce the emission of airborne stress signals to alert neighboring C. elegans and elicit their subsequent stress response. Here, we report that heat-stressed C. elegans produces volatile stress signals that trigger an increase in radiation resistance in neighboring unheated C. elegans. When several loss-of-function mutations affecting thermosensory neuron (AFD), heat shock factor-1, HSP-4, and small heat-shock proteins were used to test heat-stressed C. elegans, we found that the production of volatile stress signals was blocked, demonstrating that the heat shock response and ER pathway are involved in controlling the production of volatile stress signals. Our data further indicated that mutations affecting the DNA damage response (DDR) also inhibited the increase in radiation resistance in neighboring unheated C. elegans that might have received volatile stress signals, indicating that the DDR might contribute to radioadaptive responses induction by volatile stress signals. In addition, the regulatory pattern of signal production and action was preliminarily clarified. Together, the results of this study demonstrated that heat-stressed nematodes communicate with unheated nematodes via volatile stress signals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liangwen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea and Food Sciences and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, 232001, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, 232001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiuhong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea and Food Sciences and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Wang
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China
| | - Huimin Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, 232001, People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, 232001, People's Republic of China
| | - Haolan Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioresource and Environmental Biotechnology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Bioengineering, Huainan Normal University, Huainan, 232001, People's Republic of China
| | - Po Bian
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhongwen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea and Food Sciences and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Huo D, Su F, Yang H, Sun L. Exosomal microRNAs regulate the heat stress response in sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 249:114419. [PMID: 36527848 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that contain nucleic acids such as microRNAs and may participate in important biological processes. We made the initial report of exosomes from sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, that were classically cup-shaped and had an average size of 74.65 nm, and identified specific exosome biomarkers (HSP70, TSG101, and CD9). We explored changes in the global expression of microRNAs in exosomes from the commercially important A. japonicus under normal conditions and heat-stressed conditions for 3 and 7 d. We found that heat stress increased exosome production and modified the expression profiles of the microRNAs that they contained. Novel_mir31, novel_mir132, novel_mir26, miR-92_1, and novel_mir27 were commonly found to be differentially expressed in three comparison groups, indicating their importance in the heat stress response. The microRNA expression levels were validated by qPCR. Function analysis of the target genes of these microRNAs indicated they were involved mainly in replication and repair in the initial response of A. japonicus to heat stress exposure. Conversely, during acclimation to the high temperature conditions, the target genes of the differentially expressed microRNAs were primarily involved in metabolism adjustments. Our results will contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory roles of exosomes in sea cucumber, and provide insights into the functions of sea cucumber exosome-shuttled microRNAs against environmental stresses exacerbated by global warming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Da Huo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Fang Su
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Hongsheng Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China; The Innovation of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Lina Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; CAS Engineering Laboratory for Marine Ranching, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Qingdao 266071, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
The Thermal Stress Coping Network of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314907. [PMID: 36499234 PMCID: PMC9737000 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Response to hyperthermia, highly conserved from bacteria to humans, involves transcriptional upregulation of genes involved in battling the cytotoxicity caused by misfolded and denatured proteins, with the aim of proteostasis restoration. C. elegans senses and responds to changes in growth temperature or noxious thermal stress by well-defined signaling pathways. Under adverse conditions, regulation of the heat shock response (HSR) in C. elegans is controlled by a single transcription factor, heat-shock factor 1 (HSF-1). HSR and HSF-1 in particular are proven to be central to survival under proteotoxic stress, with additional roles in normal physiological processes. For years, it was a common belief that upregulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) by HSF-1 was the main and most important step toward thermotolerance. However, an ever-growing number of studies have shown that targets of HSF-1 involved in cytoskeletal and exoskeletal integrity preservation as well as other HSF-1 dependent and independent pathways are equally important. In this review, we follow the thermal stimulus from reception by the nematode nerve endings till the activation of cellular response programs. We analyze the different HSF-1 functions in HSR as well as all the recently discovered mechanisms that add to the knowledge of the heat stress coping network of C. elegans.
Collapse
|
14
|
Elder CR, Pasquinelli AE. New Roles for MicroRNAs in Old Worms. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2022; 3:871226. [PMID: 35821862 PMCID: PMC9261348 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2022.871226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The use of Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism in aging research has been integral to our understanding of genes and pathways involved in this process. Several well-conserved signaling pathways that respond to insulin signaling, diet, and assaults to proteostasis have defined roles in controlling lifespan. New evidence shows that microRNAs (miRNAs) play prominent roles in regulating these pathways. In some cases, key aging-related genes have been established as direct targets of specific miRNAs. However, the precise functions of other miRNAs and their protein cofactors in promoting or antagonizing longevity still need to be determined. Here, we highlight recently uncovered roles of miRNAs in common aging pathways, as well as new techniques for the ongoing discovery of miRNA functions in aging C. elegans.
Collapse
|