1
|
Microbiota mediated plasticity promotes thermal adaptation in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3804. [PMID: 35778405 PMCID: PMC9249911 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31350-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
At the current rate of climate change, it is unlikely that multicellular organisms will be able to adapt to changing environmental conditions through genetic recombination and natural selection alone. Thus, it is critical to understand alternative mechanisms that allow organisms to cope with rapid environmental changes. Here, we use the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, which has evolved the capability of surviving in a wide range of temperatures and salinities, as a model to investigate the microbiota as a source of rapid adaptation. We long-term acclimate polyps of Nematostella to low, medium, and high temperatures, to test the impact of microbiota-mediated plasticity on animal acclimation. Using the same animal clonal line, propagated from a single polyp, allows us to eliminate the effects of the host genotype. The higher thermal tolerance of animals acclimated to high temperature can be transferred to non-acclimated animals through microbiota transplantation. The offspring fitness is highest from F0 females acclimated to high temperature and specific members of the acclimated microbiota are transmitted to the next generation. These results indicate that microbiota plasticity can contribute to animal thermal acclimation and its transmission to the next generation may represent a rapid mechanism for thermal adaptation. This study shows that sea anemones acclimated to high temperatures exhibit increased resistance to thermal stress and that this improved fitness can be transferred by microbiome transplantation. These results indicate that plasticity mediated by the microbiota might be an important factor facilitating thermal adaptations in animals.
Collapse
|
2
|
Sachkova MY, Macrander J, Surm JM, Aharoni R, Menard-Harvey SS, Klock A, Leach WB, Reitzel AM, Moran Y. Some like it hot: population-specific adaptations in venom production to abiotic stressors in a widely distributed cnidarian. BMC Biol 2020; 18:121. [PMID: 32907568 PMCID: PMC7488265 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00855-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In cnidarians, antagonistic interactions with predators and prey are mediated by their venom, whose synthesis may be metabolically expensive. The potentially high cost of venom production has been hypothesized to drive population-specific variation in venom expression due to differences in abiotic conditions. However, the effects of environmental factors on venom production have been rarely demonstrated in animals. Here, we explore the impact of specific abiotic stresses on venom production of distinct populations of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (Actiniaria, Cnidaria) inhabiting estuaries over a broad geographic range where environmental conditions such as temperatures and salinity vary widely. RESULTS We challenged Nematostella polyps with heat, salinity, UV light stressors, and a combination of all three factors to determine how abiotic stressors impact toxin expression for individuals collected across this species' range. Transcriptomics and proteomics revealed that the highly abundant toxin Nv1 was the most downregulated gene under heat stress conditions in multiple populations. Physiological measurements demonstrated that venom is metabolically costly to produce. Strikingly, under a range of abiotic stressors, individuals from different geographic locations along this latitudinal cline modulate differently their venom production levels. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that abiotic stress results in venom regulation in Nematostella. Together with anecdotal observations from other cnidarian species, our results suggest this might be a universal phenomenon in Cnidaria. The decrease in venom production under stress conditions across species coupled with the evidence for its high metabolic cost in Nematostella suggests downregulation of venom production under certain conditions may be highly advantageous and adaptive. Furthermore, our results point towards local adaptation of this mechanism in Nematostella populations along a latitudinal cline, possibly resulting from distinct genetics and significant environmental differences between their habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Y Sachkova
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Jason Macrander
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
- Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL, USA
| | - Joachim M Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Reuven Aharoni
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shelcie S Menard-Harvey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Amy Klock
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Whitney B Leach
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Adam M Reitzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abstract
The diversified NF-κB transcription factor family has been extensively characterized in organisms ranging from flies to humans. However, homologs of NF-κB and many upstream signaling components have recently been characterized in basal phyla, including Cnidaria (sea anemones, corals, hydras, and jellyfish), Porifera (sponges), and single-celled protists, including Capsaspora owczarzaki and some choanoflagellates. Herein, we review what is known about basal NF-κBs and how that knowledge informs on the evolution and conservation of key sequences and domains in NF-κB, as well as the regulation of NF-κB activity. The structures and DNA-binding activities of basal NF-κB proteins resemble those of mammalian NF-κB p100 proteins, and their posttranslational activation appears to have aspects of both canonical and noncanonical pathways in mammals. Several studies suggest that the single NF-κB proteins found in some basal organisms have dual roles in development and immunity. Further research on NF-κB in invertebrates will reveal information about the evolutionary roots of this major signaling pathway, will shed light on the origins of regulated innate immunity, and may have relevance to our understanding of the responses of ecologically important organisms to changing environmental conditions and emerging pathogen-based diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Williams
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Williams LM, Inge MM, Mansfield KM, Rasmussen A, Afghani J, Agrba M, Albert C, Andersson C, Babaei M, Babaei M, Bagdasaryants A, Bonilla A, Browne A, Carpenter S, Chen T, Christie B, Cyr A, Dam K, Dulock N, Erdene G, Esau L, Esonwune S, Hanchate A, Huang X, Jennings T, Kasabwala A, Kehoe L, Kobayashi R, Lee M, LeVan A, Liu Y, Murphy E, Nambiar A, Olive M, Patel D, Pavesi F, Petty CA, Samofalova Y, Sanchez S, Stejskal C, Tang Y, Yapo A, Cleary JP, Yunes SA, Siggers T, Gilmore TD. Transcription factor NF-κB in a basal metazoan, the sponge, has conserved and unique sequences, activities, and regulation. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 104:103559. [PMID: 31751628 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.103559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we characterize transcription factor NF-κB from the demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica (Aq). Aq-NF-κB is most similar to NF-κB p100/p105 among vertebrate proteins, with an N-terminal DNA-binding domain, a C-terminal Ankyrin (ANK) repeat domain, and a DNA binding-site profile akin to human NF-κB proteins. Like mammalian NF-κB p100, C-terminal truncation allows nuclear translocation of Aq-NF-κB and increases its transcriptional activation activity. Expression of IκB kinases (IKKs) induces proteasome-dependent C-terminal processing of Aq-NF-κB in human cells, and processing requires C-terminal serines in Aq-NF-κB. Unlike NF-κB p100, C-terminal sequences of Aq-NF-κB do not inhibit its DNA-binding activity. Tissue of a black encrusting demosponge contains NF-κB site DNA-binding activity, as well as nuclear and processed NF-κB. Treatment of sponge tissue with LPS increases both DNA-binding activity and processing of NF-κB. A. queenslandica transcriptomes contain homologs to upstream NF-κB pathway components. This is first functional characterization of NF-κB in sponge, the most basal multicellular animal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Williams
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Melissa M Inge
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA; Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | | | - Anna Rasmussen
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jamie Afghani
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mikhail Agrba
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Colleen Albert
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Cecilia Andersson
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Milad Babaei
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mohammad Babaei
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Abigail Bagdasaryants
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Arianna Bonilla
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Amanda Browne
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Sheldon Carpenter
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Tiffany Chen
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Blake Christie
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Andrew Cyr
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Katie Dam
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Nicholas Dulock
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Galbadrakh Erdene
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Lindsie Esau
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Stephanie Esonwune
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Anvita Hanchate
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Xinli Huang
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Timothy Jennings
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Aarti Kasabwala
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Leanne Kehoe
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ryan Kobayashi
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Migi Lee
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Andre LeVan
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yuekun Liu
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Emily Murphy
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Avanti Nambiar
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Meagan Olive
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Devansh Patel
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Flaminio Pavesi
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Christopher A Petty
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yelena Samofalova
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Selma Sanchez
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Camilla Stejskal
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yinian Tang
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Alia Yapo
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - John P Cleary
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Sarah A Yunes
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Trevor Siggers
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Leach WB, Carrier TJ, Reitzel AM. Diel patterning in the bacterial community associated with the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9935-9947. [PMID: 31534705 PMCID: PMC6745676 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes can play an important role in the physiology of animals by providing essential nutrients, inducing immune pathways, and influencing the specific species that compose the microbiome through competitive or facilitatory interactions. The community of microbes associated with animals can be dynamic depending on the local environment, and factors that influence the composition of the microbiome are essential to our understanding of how microbes may influence the biology of their animal hosts. Regularly repeated changes in the environment, such as diel lighting, can result in two different organismal responses: a direct response to the presence and absence of exogenous light and endogenous rhythms resulting from a molecular circadian clock, both of which can influence the associated microbiota. Here, we report how diel lighting and a potential circadian clock impacts the diversity and relative abundance of bacteria in the model cnidarian Nematostella vectensis using an amplicon-based sequencing approach. Comparisons of bacterial communities associated with anemones cultured in constant darkness and in light:dark conditions revealed that individuals entrained in the dark had a more diverse microbiota. Overall community composition showed little variation over a 24-hr period in either treatment; however, abundances of individual bacterial OTUs showed significant cycling in each treatment. A comparative analysis of genes involved in the innate immune system of cnidarians showed differential expression between lighting conditions in N. vectensis, with significant up-regulation during long-term darkness for a subset of genes. Together, our studies support a hypothesis that the bacterial community associated with this species is relatively stable under diel light conditions when compared with static conditions and that particular bacterial members may have time-dependent abundance that coincides with the diel photoperiod in an otherwise stable community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Whitney B. Leach
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotteNCUSA
| | - Tyler J. Carrier
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotteNCUSA
| | - Adam M. Reitzel
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotteNCUSA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Staal J, Driege Y, Haegman M, Borghi A, Hulpiau P, Lievens L, Gul IS, Sundararaman S, Gonçalves A, Dhondt I, Pinzón JH, Braeckman BP, Technau U, Saeys Y, van Roy F, Beyaert R. Ancient Origin of the CARD-Coiled Coil/Bcl10/MALT1-Like Paracaspase Signaling Complex Indicates Unknown Critical Functions. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1136. [PMID: 29881386 PMCID: PMC5978004 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The CARD–coiled coil (CC)/Bcl10/MALT1-like paracaspase (CBM) signaling complexes composed of a CARD–CC family member (CARD-9, -10, -11, or -14), Bcl10, and the type 1 paracaspase MALT1 (PCASP1) play a pivotal role in immunity, inflammation, and cancer. Targeting MALT1 proteolytic activity is of potential therapeutic interest. However, little is known about the evolutionary origin and the original functions of the CBM complex. Type 1 paracaspases originated before the last common ancestor of planulozoa (bilaterians and cnidarians). Notably in bilaterians, Ecdysozoa (e.g., nematodes and insects) lacks Bcl10, whereas other lineages have a Bcl10 homolog. A survey of invertebrate CARD–CC homologs revealed such homologs only in species with Bcl10, indicating an ancient common origin of the entire CBM complex. Furthermore, vertebrate-like Syk/Zap70 tyrosine kinase homologs with the ITAM-binding SH2 domain were only found in invertebrate organisms with CARD–CC/Bcl10, indicating that this pathway might be related to the original function of the CBM complex. Moreover, the type 1 paracaspase sequences from invertebrate organisms that have CARD–CC/Bcl10 are more similar to vertebrate paracaspases. Functional analysis of protein–protein interactions, NF-κB signaling, and CYLD cleavage for selected invertebrate type 1 paracaspase and Bcl10 homologs supports this scenario and indicates an ancient origin of the CARD–CC/Bcl10/paracaspase signaling complex. By contrast, many of the known MALT1-associated activities evolved fairly recently, indicating that unknown functions are at the basis of the protein conservation. As a proof-of-concept, we provide initial evidence for a CBM- and NF-κB-independent neuronal function of the Caenorhabditis elegans type 1 paracaspase malt-1. In conclusion, this study shows how evolutionary insights may point at alternative functions of MALT1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jens Staal
- Unit of Molecular Signal Transduction in Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yasmine Driege
- Unit of Molecular Signal Transduction in Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mira Haegman
- Unit of Molecular Signal Transduction in Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alice Borghi
- Unit of Molecular Signal Transduction in Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paco Hulpiau
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Unit of Data Mining and Modeling for Biomedicine, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laurens Lievens
- Unit of Molecular Signal Transduction in Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ismail Sahin Gul
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Unit of Molecular Cell Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Srividhya Sundararaman
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Unit of Molecular Cell Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Amanda Gonçalves
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,VIB Bio Imaging Core Gent, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ineke Dhondt
- Laboratory for Aging Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jorge H Pinzón
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Bart P Braeckman
- Laboratory for Aging Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Development, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yvan Saeys
- Unit of Data Mining and Modeling for Biomedicine, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frans van Roy
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Unit of Molecular Cell Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rudi Beyaert
- Unit of Molecular Signal Transduction in Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Metaorganisms in extreme environments: do microbes play a role in organismal adaptation? ZOOLOGY 2018; 127:1-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
8
|
Williams LM, Fuess LE, Brennan JJ, Mansfield KM, Salas-Rodriguez E, Welsh J, Awtry J, Banic S, Chacko C, Chezian A, Dowers D, Estrada F, Hsieh YH, Kang J, Li W, Malchiodi Z, Malinowski J, Matuszak S, McTigue T, Mueller D, Nguyen B, Nguyen M, Nguyen P, Nguyen S, Njoku N, Patel K, Pellegrini W, Pliakas T, Qadir D, Ryan E, Schiffer A, Thiel A, Yunes SA, Spilios KE, Pinzón C JH, Mydlarz LD, Gilmore TD. A conserved Toll-like receptor-to-NF-κB signaling pathway in the endangered coral Orbicella faveolata. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 79:128-136. [PMID: 29080785 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we characterize the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-to-NF-κB innate immune pathway of Orbicella faveolata (Of), which is an ecologically important, disease-susceptible, reef-building coral. As compared to human TLRs, the intracellular TIR domain of Of-TLR is most similar to TLR4, and it can interact in vitro with the human TLR4 adapter MYD88. Treatment of O. faveolata tissue with lipopolysaccharide, a ligand for mammalian TLR4, resulted in gene expression changes consistent with NF-κB pathway mobilization. Biochemical and cell-based assays revealed that Of-NF-κB resembles the mammalian non-canonical NF-κB protein p100 in that C-terminal truncation results in translocation of Of-NF-κB to the nucleus and increases its DNA-binding and transcriptional activation activities. Moreover, human IκB kinase (IKK) and Of-IKK can both phosphorylate conserved residues in Of-NF-κB in vitro and induce C-terminal processing of Of-NF-κB in vivo. These results are the first characterization of TLR-to-NF-κB signaling proteins in an endangered coral, and suggest that these corals have conserved innate immune pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Williams
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Lauren E Fuess
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | | | | | | | - Julianne Welsh
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jake Awtry
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sarah Banic
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Cecilia Chacko
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Aarthia Chezian
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Donovan Dowers
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Felicia Estrada
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yu-Hsuan Hsieh
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jiawen Kang
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Wanwen Li
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Zoe Malchiodi
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - John Malinowski
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sean Matuszak
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Thomas McTigue
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - David Mueller
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Brian Nguyen
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Michelle Nguyen
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Phuong Nguyen
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sinead Nguyen
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ndidi Njoku
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Khusbu Patel
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - William Pellegrini
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Tessa Pliakas
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Deena Qadir
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Emma Ryan
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Alex Schiffer
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Amber Thiel
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sarah A Yunes
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kathryn E Spilios
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jorge H Pinzón C
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Laura D Mydlarz
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Intraspecific variation in oxidative stress tolerance in a model cnidarian: Differences in peroxide sensitivity between and within populations of Nematostella vectensis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0188265. [PMID: 29373572 PMCID: PMC5786289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Nematostella vectensis is a member of the phylum Cnidaria, a lineage that includes anemones, corals, hydras, and jellyfishes. This estuarine anemone is an excellent model system for investigating the evolution of stress tolerance because it is easy to collect in its natural habitat and to culture in the laboratory, and it has a sequenced genome. Additionally, there is evidence of local adaptation to environmental stress in different N. vectensis populations, and abundant protein-coding polymorphisms have been identified, including polymorphisms in proteins that are implicated in stress responses. N. vectensis can tolerate a wide range of environmental parameters, and has recently been shown to have substantial intraspecific variation in temperature preference. We investigated whether different clonal lines of anemones also exhibit differential tolerance to oxidative stress. N. vectensis populations are continually exposed to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during cellular metabolism and by other environmental factors. Fifteen clonal lines of N. vectensis collected from four different estuaries were exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Pronounced differences in survival and regeneration were apparent between clonal lines collected from Meadowlands, NJ, Baruch, SC, and Kingsport, NS, as well as among 12 clonal lines collected from a single Cape Cod marsh. To our knowledge, this is the first example of intraspecific variability in oxidative stress resistance in cnidarians or in any marine animal. As oxidative stress often accompanies heat stress in marine organisms, resistance to oxidative stress could strongly influence survival in warming oceans. For example, while elevated temperatures trigger bleaching in corals, oxidative stress is thought to be the proximal trigger of bleaching at the cellular level.
Collapse
|
10
|
Mansfield KM, Carter NM, Nguyen L, Cleves PA, Alshanbayeva A, Williams LM, Crowder C, Penvose AR, Finnerty JR, Weis VM, Siggers TW, Gilmore TD. Transcription factor NF-κB is modulated by symbiotic status in a sea anemone model of cnidarian bleaching. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16025. [PMID: 29167511 PMCID: PMC5700166 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16168-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor NF-κB plays a central role in immunity from fruit flies to humans, and NF-κB activity is altered in many human diseases. To investigate a role for NF-κB in immunity and disease on a broader evolutionary scale we have characterized NF-κB in a sea anemone (Exaiptasia pallida; called Aiptasia herein) model for cnidarian symbiosis and dysbiosis (i.e., “bleaching”). We show that the DNA-binding site specificity of Aiptasia NF-κB is similar to NF-κB proteins from a broad expanse of organisms. Analyses of NF-κB and IκB kinase proteins from Aiptasia suggest that non-canonical NF-κB processing is an evolutionarily ancient pathway, which can be reconstituted in human cells. In Aiptasia, NF-κB protein levels, DNA-binding activity, and tissue expression increase when loss of the algal symbiont Symbiodinium is induced by heat or chemical treatment. Kinetic analysis of NF-κB levels following loss of symbiosis show that NF-κB levels increase only after Symbiodinium is cleared. Moreover, introduction of Symbiodinium into naïve Aiptasia larvae results in a decrease in NF-κB expression. Our results suggest that Symbiodinium suppresses NF-κB in order to enable establishment of symbiosis in Aiptasia. These results are the first to demonstrate a link between changes in the conserved immune regulatory protein NF-κB and cnidarian symbiotic status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole M Carter
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - Linda Nguyen
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - Phillip A Cleves
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Anar Alshanbayeva
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - Leah M Williams
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - Camerron Crowder
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA
| | - Ashley R Penvose
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - John R Finnerty
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA
| | - Trevor W Siggers
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Brennan JJ, Messerschmidt JL, Williams LM, Matthews BJ, Reynoso M, Gilmore TD. Sea anemone model has a single Toll-like receptor that can function in pathogen detection, NF-κB signal transduction, and development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E10122-E10131. [PMID: 29109290 PMCID: PMC5703304 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1711530114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In organisms from insects to vertebrates, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are primary pathogen detectors that activate downstream pathways, specifically those that direct expression of innate immune effector genes. TLRs also have roles in development in many species. The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is a useful cnidarian model to study the origins of TLR signaling because its genome encodes a single TLR and homologs of many downstream signaling components, including the NF-κB pathway. We have characterized the single N. vectensis TLR (Nv-TLR) and demonstrated that it can activate canonical NF-κB signaling in human cells. Furthermore, we show that the intracellular Toll/IL-1 receptor (TIR) domain of Nv-TLR can interact with the human TLR adapter proteins MAL and MYD88. We demonstrate that the coral pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus causes a rapidly lethal disease in N. vectensis and that heat-inactivated V. coralliilyticus and bacterial flagellin can activate a reconstituted Nv-TLR-to-NF-κB pathway in human cells. By immunostaining of anemones, we show that Nv-TLR is expressed in a subset of cnidocytes and that many of these Nv-TLR-expressing cells also express Nv-NF-κB. Additionally, the nematosome, which is a Nematostella-specific multicellular structure, expresses Nv-TLR and many innate immune pathway homologs and can engulf V. coralliilyticus Morpholino knockdown indicates that Nv-TLR also has an essential role during early embryonic development. Our characterization of this primitive TLR and identification of a bacterial pathogen for N. vectensis reveal ancient TLR functions and provide a model for studying the molecular basis of cnidarian disease and immunity.
Collapse
|
12
|
van der Burg CA, Prentis PJ, Surm JM, Pavasovic A. Insights into the innate immunome of actiniarians using a comparative genomic approach. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:850. [PMID: 27806695 PMCID: PMC5094078 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3204-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Innate immune genes tend to be highly conserved in metazoans, even in early divergent lineages such as Cnidaria (jellyfish, corals, hydroids and sea anemones) and Porifera (sponges). However, constant and diverse selection pressures on the immune system have driven the expansion and diversification of different immune gene families in a lineage-specific manner. To investigate how the innate immune system has evolved in a subset of sea anemone species (Order: Actiniaria), we performed a comprehensive and comparative study using 10 newly sequenced transcriptomes, as well as three publically available transcriptomes, to identify the origins, expansions and contractions of candidate and novel immune gene families. Results We characterised five conserved genes and gene families, as well as multiple novel innate immune genes, including the newly recognised putative pattern recognition receptor CniFL. Single copies of TLR, MyD88 and NF-κB were found in most species, and several copies of IL-1R-like, NLR and CniFL were found in almost all species. Multiple novel immune genes were identified with domain architectures including the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) homology domain, which is well documented as functioning in protein-protein interactions and signal transduction in immune pathways. We hypothesise that these genes may interact as novel proteins in immune pathways of cnidarian species. Novelty in the actiniarian immunome is not restricted to only TIR-domain-containing proteins, as we identify a subset of NLRs which have undergone neofunctionalisation and contain 3–5 N-terminal transmembrane domains, which have so far only been identified in two anthozoan species. Conclusions This research has significance in understanding the evolution and origin of the core eumetazoan gene set, including how novel innate immune genes evolve. For example, the evolution of transmembrane domain containing NLRs indicates that these NLRs may be membrane-bound, while all other metazoan and plant NLRs are exclusively cytosolic receptors. This is one example of how species without an adaptive immune system may evolve innovative solutions to detect pathogens or interact with native microbiota. Overall, these results provide an insight into the evolution of the innate immune system, and show that early divergent lineages, such as actiniarians, have a diverse repertoire of conserved and novel innate immune genes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3204-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chloé A van der Burg
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia. .,Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia.
| | - Peter J Prentis
- School of Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia.,Institute of Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia
| | - Joachim M Surm
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia.,Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia
| | - Ana Pavasovic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia.,Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sharma V, Monti P, Fronza G, Inga A. Human transcription factors in yeast: the fruitful examples of P53 and NF-кB. FEMS Yeast Res 2016; 16:fow083. [PMID: 27683095 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/fow083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The observation that human transcription factors (TFs) can function when expressed in yeast cells has stimulated the development of various functional assays to investigate (i) the role of binding site sequences (herein referred to as response elements, REs) in transactivation specificity, (ii) the impact of polymorphic nucleotide variants on transactivation potential, (iii) the functional consequences of mutations in TFs and (iv) the impact of cofactors or small molecules. These approaches have found applications in basic as well as applied research, including the identification and the characterisation of mutant TF alleles from clinical samples. The ease of genome editing of yeast cells and the availability of regulated systems for ectopic protein expression enabled the development of quantitative reporter systems, integrated at a chosen chromosomal locus in isogenic yeast strains that differ only at the level of a specific RE targeted by a TF or for the expression of distinct TF alleles. In many cases, these assays were proven predictive of results in higher eukaryotes. The potential to work in small volume formats and the availability of yeast strains with modified chemical uptake have enhanced the scalability of these approaches. Next to well-established one-, two-, three-hybrid assays, the functional assays with non-chimeric human TFs enrich the palette of opportunities for functional characterisation. We review ∼25 years of research on human sequence-specific TFs expressed in yeast, with an emphasis on the P53 and NF-кB family of proteins, highlighting outcomes, advantages, challenges and limitations of these heterologous assays.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vasundhara Sharma
- Centre for Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, 38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Paola Monti
- U.O.C. Mutagenesi, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Largo R. Benzi, 10, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Gilberto Fronza
- U.O.C. Mutagenesi, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Largo R. Benzi, 10, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Alberto Inga
- Centre for Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, 38123, Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
GPCRs in invertebrate innate immunity. Biochem Pharmacol 2016; 114:82-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2016.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
15
|
Kühn FJP, Kühn C, Winking M, Hoffmann DC, Lückhoff A. ADP-Ribose Activates the TRPM2 Channel from the Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis Independently of the NUDT9H Domain. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158060. [PMID: 27333281 PMCID: PMC4917252 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The human redox-sensitive Transient receptor potential melastatin type 2 (hTRPM2) channel contains the C-terminal Nudix hydrolase domain NUDT9H which most likely binds ADP-ribose. During oxidative stress, the intracellular release of ADP-ribose triggers the activation of hTRPM2. The TRPM2 orthologue from Nematostella vectensis (nv) is also stimulated by ADP-ribose but not by the oxidant hydrogen peroxide. For further clarification of the structure-function relationships of these two distantly related channel orthologues, we performed whole-cell as well as single channel patch-clamp recordings, Ca2+-imaging and Western blot analysis after heterologous expression of wild-type and mutated channels in HEK-293 cells. We demonstrate that the removal of the entire NUDT9H domain does not disturb the response of nvTRPM2 to ADP-ribose. The deletion, however, created channels that were activated by hydrogen peroxide, as did mutations within the NUDT9H domain of nvTRPM2 that presumably suppress its enzymatic function. The same findings were obtained with the nvTRPM2 channel when the NUDT9H domain was replaced by the corresponding sequences of the original hNUDT9 enzyme. Whenever the enzyme domain was mutated to presumably inactive variants, channel activation by hydrogen peroxide could be achieved. Moreover, we found strong evidences for ADPRase activity of the isolated NUDT9H domain of nvTRPM2 in co-expression experiments with the C-terminally truncated nvTRPM2 channel. Thus, there is a clear correlation between the loss of enzymatic activity and the capability of nvTRPM2 to respond to oxidative stress. In striking contrast, the channel function of the hTRPM2 orthologue, in particular its sensitivity to ADP-ribose, was abrogated by already small changes of the NUDT9H domain. These findings establish nvTRPM2 as a channel gated by ADP-ribose through a novel mechanism. We conclude that the endogenous NUDT9H domain does not directly affect ADP-ribose-dependent gating of the nvTRPM2 channel; instead it exerts an independent catalytic function which possibly controls the intracellular availability of ADP-ribose.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank J. P. Kühn
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, D-52057 Aachen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Cornelia Kühn
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, D-52057 Aachen, Germany
| | - Mathis Winking
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, D-52057 Aachen, Germany
| | - Daniel C. Hoffmann
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, D-52057 Aachen, Germany
| | - Andreas Lückhoff
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, D-52057 Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Mortzfeld BM, Urbanski S, Reitzel AM, Künzel S, Technau U, Fraune S. Response of bacterial colonization inNematostella vectensisto development, environment and biogeography. Environ Microbiol 2015; 18:1764-81. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Revised: 05/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt M. Mortzfeld
- Zoological Institute; Christian-Albrechts University Kiel; Olshausenstrasse 40 Kiel 24098 Germany
| | - Szymon Urbanski
- Zoological Institute; Christian-Albrechts University Kiel; Olshausenstrasse 40 Kiel 24098 Germany
| | - Adam M. Reitzel
- Department of Biological Sciences; The University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Woodward Hall 245 Charlotte NC 28223 USA
| | - Sven Künzel
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology; Plön 24306 Germany
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre for Organismal Systems Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences; University of Vienna; Althanstrasse 14 Wien 1090 Austria
| | - Sebastian Fraune
- Zoological Institute; Christian-Albrechts University Kiel; Olshausenstrasse 40 Kiel 24098 Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sinkovics JG. The cnidarian origin of the proto-oncogenes NF-κB/STAT and WNT-like oncogenic pathway drives the ctenophores (Review). Int J Oncol 2015; 47:1211-29. [PMID: 26239915 PMCID: PMC4583530 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2015.3102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell survival pathways of the diploblastic early multicellular eukaryotic hosts contain and operate the molecular machinery resembling those of malignantly transformed individual cells of highly advanced multicellular hosts (including Homo). In the present review, the STAT/NF-κB pathway of the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis is compared with that of human tumors (malignant lymphomas, including Reed-Sternberg cells) pointing out similarities, including possible viral initiation in both cases. In the ctenophore genome and proteome, β-catenin gains intranuclear advantages due to a physiologically weak destructive complex in the cytoplasm, and lack of natural inhibitors (the Dickkopfs). Thus, a scenario similar to what tumor cells initiate and achieve is presented through several constitutive loss-of-function type mutations in the destructive complex and in the elimination of inhibitors. Vice versa, malignantly transformed individual cells of advanced multicellular hosts assume pheno-genotypic resemblance to cells of unicellular or early multicellular hosts, and presumably to their ancient predecessors, by returning to the semblance of immortality and to the resumption of the state of high degree of resistance to physicochemical insults. Human leukemogenic and oncogenic pathways are presented for comparisons. The supreme bioengineers RNA/DNA complex encoded both the malignantly transformed immortal cell and the human cerebral cortex. The former generates molecules for the immortality of cellular life in the Universe. The latter invents the inhibitors of the process in order to gain control over it.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Sinkovics
- St. Joseph Hospital's Cancer Institute Affiliated with the H.L. Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Center; Department of Molecular Medicine, The University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Sharma V, Jordan JJ, Ciribilli Y, Resnick MA, Bisio A, Inga A. Quantitative Analysis of NF-κB Transactivation Specificity Using a Yeast-Based Functional Assay. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130170. [PMID: 26147604 PMCID: PMC4493129 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2014] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The NF-κB transcription factor family plays a central role in innate immunity and inflammation processes and is frequently dysregulated in cancer. We developed an NF-κB functional assay in yeast to investigate the following issues: transactivation specificity of NF-κB proteins acting as homodimers or heterodimers; correlation between transactivation capacity and in vitro DNA binding measurements; impact of co-expressed interacting proteins or of small molecule inhibitors on NF-κB-dependent transactivation. Full-length p65 and p50 cDNAs were cloned into centromeric expression vectors under inducible GAL1 promoter in order to vary their expression levels. Since p50 lacks a transactivation domain (TAD), a chimeric construct containing the TAD derived from p65 was also generated (p50TAD) to address its binding and transactivation potential. The p50TAD and p65 had distinct transactivation specificities towards seventeen different κB response elements (κB-REs) where single nucleotide changes could greatly impact transactivation. For four κB-REs, results in yeast were predictive of transactivation potential measured in the human MCF7 cell lines treated with the NF-κB activator TNFα. Transactivation results in yeast correlated only partially with in vitro measured DNA binding affinities, suggesting that features other than strength of interaction with naked DNA affect transactivation, although factors such as chromatin context are kept constant in our isogenic yeast assay. The small molecules BAY11-7082 and ethyl-pyruvate as well as expressed IkBα protein acted as NF-κB inhibitors in yeast, more strongly towards p65. Thus, the yeast-based system can recapitulate NF-κB features found in human cells, thereby providing opportunities to address various NF-κB functions, interactions and chemical modulators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vasundhara Sharma
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Networks, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Jennifer J. Jordan
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Networks, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Yari Ciribilli
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Networks, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Michael A. Resnick
- Chromosome Stability Group; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Alessandra Bisio
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Networks, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Alberto Inga
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Networks, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Finnerty JR, Gilmore TD. Methods for analyzing the evolutionary relationship of NF-κB proteins using free, web-driven bioinformatics and phylogenetic tools. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1280:631-46. [PMID: 25736776 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2422-6_37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Phylogenetic analysis enables one to reconstruct the functional evolution of proteins. Current understanding of NF-κB signaling derives primarily from studies of a relatively small number of laboratory models-mainly vertebrates and insects-that represent a tiny fraction of animal evolution. As such, NF-κB has been the subject of limited phylogenetic analysis. The recent discovery of NF-κB proteins in "basal" marine animals (e.g., sponges, sea anemones, corals) and NF-κB-like proteins in non-metazoan lineages extends the origin of NF-κB signaling by several hundred million years and provides the opportunity to investigate the early evolution of this pathway using phylogenetic approaches. Here, we describe a combination of bioinformatic and phylogenetic analyses based on menu-driven, open-source computer programs that are readily accessible to molecular biologists without formal training in phylogenetic methods. These phylogenetically based comparisons of NF-κB proteins are powerful in that they reveal deep conservation and repeated instances of parallel evolution in the sequence and structure of NF-κB in distant animal groups, which suggest that important functional constraints limit the evolution of this protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John R Finnerty
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA,
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Tarrant AM, Gilmore TD, Reitzel AM, Levy O, Technau U, Martindale MQ. Current directions and future perspectives from the third Nematostella research conference. ZOOLOGY 2014; 118:135-40. [PMID: 25450665 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2014.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2014] [Revised: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The third Nematostella vectensis Research Conference took place in December 2013 in Eilat, Israel, as a satellite to the 8th International Conference on Coelenterate Biology. The starlet sea anemone, N. vectensis, has emerged as a powerful cnidarian model, in large part due to the extensive genomic and transcriptomic resources and molecular approaches that are becoming available for Nematostella, which were the focus of several presentations. In addition, research was presented highlighting the broader utility of this species for studies of development, circadian rhythms, signal transduction, and gene-environment interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Tarrant
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 45 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Adam M Reitzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Woodward Hall 245, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Oren Levy
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Development, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark Q Martindale
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, 9505 Ocean Shore Boulevard, St. Augustine, FL 32136, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Elran R, Raam M, Kraus R, Brekhman V, Sher N, Plaschkes I, Chalifa-Caspi V, Lotan T. Early and late response of Nematostella vectensis transcriptome to heavy metals. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:4722-36. [PMID: 25145541 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Revised: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Environmental contamination from heavy metals poses a global concern for the marine environment, as heavy metals are passed up the food chain and persist in the environment long after the pollution source is contained. Cnidarians play an important role in shaping marine ecosystems, but environmental pollution profoundly affects their vitality. Among the cnidarians, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is an advantageous model for addressing questions in molecular ecology and toxicology as it tolerates extreme environments and its genome has been published. Here, we employed a transcriptome-wide RNA-Seq approach to analyse N. vectensis molecular defence mechanisms against four heavy metals: Hg, Cu, Cd and Zn. Altogether, more than 4800 transcripts showed significant changes in gene expression. Hg had the greatest impact on up-regulating transcripts, followed by Cu, Zn and Cd. We identified, for the first time in Cnidaria, co-up-regulation of immediate-early transcription factors such as Egr1, AP1 and NF-κB. Time-course analysis of these genes revealed their early expression as rapidly as one hour after exposure to heavy metals, suggesting that they may complement or substitute for the roles of the metal-mediating Mtf1 transcription factor. We further characterized the regulation of a large array of stress-response gene families, including Hsp, ABC, CYP members and phytochelatin synthase, that may regulate synthesis of the metal-binding phytochelatins instead of the metallothioneins that are absent from Cnidaria genome. This study provides mechanistic insight into heavy metal toxicity in N. vectensis and sheds light on ancestral stress adaptations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ron Elran
- Marine Biology Department, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Stefanik DJ, Lubinski TJ, Granger BR, Byrd AL, Reitzel AM, DeFilippo L, Lorenc A, Finnerty JR. Production of a reference transcriptome and transcriptomic database (EdwardsiellaBase) for the lined sea anemone, Edwardsiella lineata, a parasitic cnidarian. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:71. [PMID: 24467778 PMCID: PMC3909931 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 12/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The lined sea anemone Edwardsiella lineata is an informative model system for evolutionary-developmental studies of parasitism. In this species, it is possible to compare alternate developmental pathways leading from a larva to either a free-living polyp or a vermiform parasite that inhabits the mesoglea of a ctenophore host. Additionally, E. lineata is confamilial with the model cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, providing an opportunity for comparative genomic, molecular and organismal studies. Description We generated a reference transcriptome for E. lineata via high-throughput sequencing of RNA isolated from five developmental stages (parasite; parasite-to-larva transition; larva; larva-to-adult transition; adult). The transcriptome comprises 90,440 contigs assembled from >15 billion nucleotides of DNA sequence. Using a molecular clock approach, we estimated the divergence between E. lineata and N. vectensis at 215–364 million years ago. Based on gene ontology and metabolic pathway analyses and gene family surveys (bHLH-PAS, deiodinases, Fox genes, LIM homeodomains, minicollagens, nuclear receptors, Sox genes, and Wnts), the transcriptome of E. lineata is comparable in depth and completeness to N. vectensis. Analyses of protein motifs and revealed extensive conservation between the proteins of these two edwardsiid anemones, although we show the NF-κB protein of E. lineata reflects the ancestral structure, while the NF-κB protein of N. vectensis has undergone a split that separates the DNA-binding domain from the inhibitory domain. All contigs have been deposited in a public database (EdwardsiellaBase), where they may be searched according to contig ID, gene ontology, protein family motif (Pfam), enzyme commission number, and BLAST. The alignment of the raw reads to the contigs can also be visualized via JBrowse. Conclusions The transcriptomic data and database described here provide a platform for studying the evolutionary developmental genomics of a derived parasitic life cycle. In addition, these data from E. lineata will aid in the interpretation of evolutionary novelties in gene sequence or structure that have been reported for the model cnidarian N. vectensis (e.g., the split NF-κB locus). Finally, we include custom computational tools to facilitate the annotation of a transcriptome based on high-throughput sequencing data obtained from a “non-model system.”
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - John R Finnerty
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Collecting, rearing, spawning and inducing regeneration of the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. Nat Protoc 2013; 8:916-23. [PMID: 23579780 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2013.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Over the past 20 years, the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, a small estuarine animal, has emerged as a powerful model system for field and laboratory studies of development, evolution, genomics, molecular biology and toxicology. Here we describe how to collect Nematostella, culture it through its entire sexual life cycle and induce regeneration for the production of clonal stocks. In less than 1 h at a suitable field site, a researcher on foot can collect hundreds of individual anemones. In a few months, it is possible to establish a laboratory colony that will be reliable in generating hundreds or thousands of fertilized eggs on a roughly weekly schedule. By inducing regeneration roughly every 2 weeks, in less than 6 months, one can establish a clonal stock consisting of hundreds of genetically identical anemones. These results can be achieved very inexpensively and without specialized equipment.
Collapse
|
24
|
Stefanik DJ, Wolenski FS, Friedman LE, Gilmore TD, Finnerty JR. Isolation of DNA, RNA and protein from the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Nat Protoc 2013; 8:892-9. [PMID: 23579778 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2012.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Among marine invertebrates, the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis has emerged as an important laboratory model system. One advantage of working with this species relative to many other marine invertebrates is the ease of isolating relatively pure DNA, RNA and protein. Nematostella can be raised at high densities, under clean culture conditions, and it lacks integumentary or skeletal structures that can impede the recovery of DNA, RNA or protein. Here we describe methods used in our lab to isolate DNA, RNA and protein from Nematostella embryos, larvae and adults. The methods described here are less expensive than commercial kits and are more easily scalable to larger tissue amounts. Preparation of DNA can be completed in ∼7 h, RNA preparation in ∼1.5 h and protein preparation in ∼1 h.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Derek J Stefanik
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Ryzhakov G, Teixeira A, Saliba D, Blazek K, Muta T, Ragoussis J, Udalova IA. Cross-species analysis reveals evolving and conserved features of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) proteins. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:11546-54. [PMID: 23508954 PMCID: PMC3630861 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.451153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
NF-κB is a key regulator of immune gene expression in metazoans. It is currently unclear what changes occurred in NF-κB during animal evolution and what features remained conserved. To address this question, we compared the biochemical and functional properties of NF-κB proteins derived from human and the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) in 1) a high-throughput assay of in vitro preferences for DNA sequences, 2) ChIP analysis of in vivo recruitment to the promoters of target genes, 3) a LUMIER-assisted examination of interactions with cofactors, and 4) a transactivation assay. We observed a remarkable evolutionary conservation of the DNA binding preferences of the animal NF-κB orthologs. We also show that NF-κB dimerization properties, nuclear localization signals, and binding to cytosolic IκBs are conserved. Surprisingly, the Bcl3-type nuclear IκB proteins functionally pair up only with NF-κB derived from their own species. The basis of the differential NF-κB recognition by IκB subfamilies is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grigory Ryzhakov
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, London W6 8LH, United Kingdom.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Reitzel AM, Herrera S, Layden MJ, Martindale MQ, Shank TM. Going where traditional markers have not gone before: utility of and promise for RAD sequencing in marine invertebrate phylogeography and population genomics. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:2953-70. [PMID: 23473066 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2012] [Accepted: 12/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Characterization of large numbers of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) throughout a genome has the power to refine the understanding of population demographic history and to identify genomic regions under selection in natural populations. To this end, population genomic approaches that harness the power of next-generation sequencing to understand the ecology and evolution of marine invertebrates represent a boon to test long-standing questions in marine biology and conservation. We employed restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) to identify SNPs in natural populations of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, an emerging cnidarian model with a broad geographic range in estuarine habitats in North and South America, and portions of England. We identified hundreds of SNP-containing tags in thousands of RAD loci from 30 barcoded individuals inhabiting four locations from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. Population genomic analyses using high-confidence SNPs resulted in a highly-resolved phylogeography, a result not achieved in previous studies using traditional markers. Plots of locus-specific FST against heterozygosity suggest that a majority of polymorphic sites are neutral, with a smaller proportion suggesting evidence for balancing selection. Loci inferred to be under balancing selection were mapped to the genome, where 90% were located in gene bodies, indicating potential targets of selection. The results from analyses with and without a reference genome supported similar conclusions, further highlighting RAD-seq as a method that can be efficiently applied to species lacking existing genomic resources. We discuss the utility of RAD-seq approaches in burgeoning Nematostella research as well as in other cnidarian species, particularly corals and jellyfishes, to determine phylogeographic relationships of populations and identify regions of the genome undergoing selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A M Reitzel
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
A report from the second Nematostella vectensis research conference. Dev Genes Evol 2013; 223:207-11. [PMID: 23314922 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-012-0434-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
This report summarizes information discussed at the second Nematostella vectensis research conference, which took place on August 27, 2012 in Boston, MA, USA. The startlet sea anemone Nematostella is emerging as one of leading model organisms among cnidarians, in part because of the extensive genome and transcriptome resources that are becoming available for Nematostella, which were the focus of several presentations. In addition, research was presented on the use of Nematostella in developmental, regeneration, signal transduction, host-symbiont, and gene-environment interaction studies.
Collapse
|
28
|
Wang T, Sun Y, Jin L, Thacker P, Li S, Xu Y. Aj-rel and Aj-p105, two evolutionary conserved NF-κB homologues in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) and their involvement in LPS induced immunity. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 34:17-22. [PMID: 23022054 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2012.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Revised: 08/30/2012] [Accepted: 09/04/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) has been evolutionary conserved from insects to mammals and plays a major regulatory role in the initiation of physiological responses. In this study, we identified and characterized a primitive and functional NF-κB pathway active in the immune defence of the sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus). The ancient NF-κB homologues, Aj-rel and Aj-p105, share numerous signature motifs with their vertebrate orthologues, notably the Rel Homology Domain, Rel Protein Signature DNA Binding Motif, Nuclear Localization Signal and the Ankyrin Repeats for Aj-p105. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that these homologues belong to class I and II of NF-κB respectively. We examined the dimerization of Aj-rel and Aj-p105 and our results demonstrated that Aj-rel forms heterdimers with Aj-p105 and the degradation product of Aj-p105, namely Aj-p50. We further observed that LPS stimulation led to the degradation of Aj-p105 and the nuclear translocation of Aj-rel and Aj-p50. Taken together, our data indicate that the NF-κB signaling cascade is active in sea cucumber and plays a crucial role in regulating their immune defence. Our results increase the available information on sea cucumber immunity and provide new information for use in the study of the comparative and evolutionary aspects of immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wang
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, People's Republic of China
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Wolenski FS, Bradham CA, Finnerty JR, Gilmore TD. NF-κB is required for cnidocyte development in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Dev Biol 2012; 373:205-15. [PMID: 23063796 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2012] [Revised: 09/12/2012] [Accepted: 10/04/2012] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (Nv) is a leading model organism for the phylum Cnidaria, which includes anemones, corals, jellyfishes and hydras. A defining trait across this phylum is the cnidocyte, an ectodermal cell type with a variety of functions including defense, prey capture and environmental sensing. Herein, we show that the Nv-NF-κB transcription factor and its inhibitor Nv-IκB are expressed in a subset of cnidocytes in the body column of juvenile and adult anemones. The size and distribution of the Nv-NF-κB-positive cnidocytes suggest that they are in a subtype known as basitrichous haplonema cnidocytes. Nv-NF-κB is primarily cytoplasmic in cnidocytes in juvenile and adult animals, but is nuclear when first detected in the 30-h post-fertilization embryo. Morpholino-mediated knockdown of Nv-NF-κB expression results in greatly reduced cnidocyte formation in the 5 day-old animal. Taken together, these results indicate that NF-κB plays a key role in the development of the phylum-specific cnidocyte cell type in Nematostella, likely by nuclear Nv-NF-κB-dependent activation of genes required for cnidocyte development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francis S Wolenski
- Boston University, Department of Biology, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Luqman S, Meena A, Singh P, Kondratyuk TP, Marler LE, Pezzuto JM, Negi AS. Neoflavonoids and tetrahydroquinolones as possible cancer chemopreventive agents. Chem Biol Drug Des 2012; 80:616-24. [PMID: 22726671 DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-0285.2012.01439.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Several lactone- and lactam-based neoflavonoids and tetrahydroquinolones were synthesized and evaluated for cancer chemopreventive studies using cell and molecular target-based in vitro bioassays, namely NFκB, aromatase, and quinone reductase 1. These analogs blocked TNF-α-induced NFκB activation in a dose-dependent manner with IC₅₀ values in the range of 0.11-3.2 μM. In addition, compound 8 inhibited aromatase activity with an IC₅₀ value of 12.12 μM, and compound 10 affected quinone reductase 1 induction (IR, 3.6; CD, 19.57 μM). Neoflavonoids 8 and 10 exhibiting good results can further be optimized for improved therapeutic profiles. However, investigations into the actions of neoflavonoids and tetrahydroquinolones, especially those related to the NFκB signaling pathway, aromatase inhibition, induction of quinone reductase 1 expression, and in vivo studies could provide new insights into the cancer chemopreventive ability of these molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suaib Luqman
- Molecular Bioprospection Department, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants-CSIR-CIMAP, Kukrail Picnic Spot Road, Lucknow 226015, India
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
The vast majority of research on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling in the past 25 years has focused on its roles in normal and disease-related processes in vertebrates, especially mice and humans. Recent genome and transcriptome sequencing efforts have shown that homologs of NF-κB transcription factors, inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB) proteins, and IκB kinases are present in a variety of invertebrates, including several in phyla simpler than Arthropoda, the phylum containing insects such Drosophila. Moreover, many invertebrates also contain genes encoding homologs of upstream signaling proteins in the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, which is well-known for its downstream activation of NF-κB for innate immunity. This review describes what we now know or can infer and speculate about the evolution of the core elements of NF-κB signaling as well as the biological processes controlled by NF-κB in invertebrates. Further research on NF-κB in invertebrates is likely to uncover information about the evolutionary origins of this key human signaling pathway and may have relevance to our management of the responses of ecologically and economically important organisms to environmental and adaptive pressures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Philipp EER, Kraemer L, Melzner F, Poustka AJ, Thieme S, Findeisen U, Schreiber S, Rosenstiel P. Massively parallel RNA sequencing identifies a complex immune gene repertoire in the lophotrochozoan Mytilus edulis. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33091. [PMID: 22448234 PMCID: PMC3308963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2011] [Accepted: 02/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The marine mussel Mytilus edulis and its closely related sister species are distributed world-wide and play an important role in coastal ecology and economy. The diversification in different species and their hybrids, broad ecological distribution, as well as the filter feeding mode of life has made this genus an attractive model to investigate physiological and molecular adaptations and responses to various biotic and abiotic environmental factors. In the present study we investigated the immune system of Mytilus, which may contribute to the ecological plasticity of this species. We generated a large Mytilus transcriptome database from different tissues of immune challenged and stress treated individuals from the Baltic Sea using 454 pyrosequencing. Phylogenetic comparison of orthologous groups of 23 species demonstrated the basal position of lophotrochozoans within protostomes. The investigation of immune related transcripts revealed a complex repertoire of innate recognition receptors and downstream pathway members including transcripts for 27 toll-like receptors and 524 C1q domain containing transcripts. NOD-like receptors on the other hand were absent. We also found evidence for sophisticated TNF, autophagy and apoptosis systems as well as for cytokines. Gill tissue and hemocytes showed highest expression of putative immune related contigs and are promising tissues for further functional studies. Our results partly contrast with findings of a less complex immune repertoire in ecdysozoan and other lophotrochozoan protostomes. We show that bivalves are interesting candidates to investigate the evolution of the immune system from basal metazoans to deuterostomes and protostomes and provide a basis for future molecular work directed to immune system functioning in Mytilus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva E R Philipp
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Wolenski FS, Chandani S, Stefanik DJ, Jiang N, Chu E, Finnerty JR, Gilmore TD. Two polymorphic residues account for the differences in DNA binding and transcriptional activation by NF-κB proteins encoded by naturally occurring alleles in Nematostella vectensis. J Mol Evol 2011; 73:325-36. [PMID: 22198650 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-011-9479-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2011] [Accepted: 12/08/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The NF-κB family of transcription factors is activated in response to many environmental and biological stresses, and plays a key role in innate immunity across a broad evolutionary expanse of animals. A simple NF-κB pathway is present in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, an important model organism in the phylum Cnidaria. Nematostella has previously been shown to have two naturally occurring NF-κB alleles (Nv-NF-κB-C and Nv-NF-κB-S) that encode proteins with different DNA-binding and transactivation abilities. We show here that polymorphic residues 67 (Cys vs. Ser) and 269 (Ala vs. Glu) play complementary roles in determining the DNA-binding activity of the NF-κB proteins encoded by these two alleles and that residue 67 is primarily responsible for the difference in their transactivation ability. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Nv-NF-κB-S is the derived allele, consistent with its restricted geographic distribution. These results define polymorphic residues that are important for the DNA-binding and transactivating activities of two naturally occurring variants of Nv-NF-κB. The implications for the appearance of the two Nv-NF-κB alleles in natural populations of sea anemones are discussed.
Collapse
|
34
|
Identification and characterization of five transcription factors that are associated with evolutionarily conserved immune signaling pathways in the schistosome-transmitting snail Biomphalaria glabrata. Mol Immunol 2011; 48:1868-81. [PMID: 21696828 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2011.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2011] [Revised: 05/13/2011] [Accepted: 05/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Innate immunity consists of humoral and cellular components that play a vital role in regulation of defense responses to various pathogens in vertebrates and invertebrates. Recent studies have shown that Rel/DIF (dorsal-related immunity factor), Relish, STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) and CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) transcription factor associated pathways are evolutionarily conserved across the animal kingdom. Although the primary role and general structure of the pathways in immunity have been revealed in many invertebrates, particularly arthropods, almost nothing is known about these pathways in the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata, the intermediate host of the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni, which is a causative agent of human schistosomiasis. Given the central role of transcription factors (TF) in controlling expression of effector genes, understanding the role of a given TF is essential to obtaining insight into the general function of the corresponding signaling pathway. To better understand the immunity of B. glabrata, we investigated five homologues of TFs that have been shown to be associated with multiple prominent immune signaling pathways based on the considerable data reported from a wide phylogenetic range of animals. In this study we identified and characterized cDNAs of five TFs from B. glabrata, designated BgRelish, BgRel, BgSTAT1, BgSTAT2 and BgCREB, for the first time. Among the five TFs, Relish is first reported in Lophotrochozoa, one of three superphyla in Metazoa. Our identification of class I (BgRelish) and II (BgRel) NF-κB in B. glabrata suggests the two pathways, Toll-like receptor (TLR) and immune deficiency (IMD)-like pathways, are present in the superphylum Lophotrochozoa. Preliminarily expression studies indicate these TF-associated pathways may be involved in the snail's anti-schistosome response. This study not only advances our understanding of the snail's defenses, but also provides new perspectives about the evolution of animal immunity.
Collapse
|
35
|
Characterization of the core elements of the NF-κB signaling pathway of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Mol Cell Biol 2010; 31:1076-87. [PMID: 21189285 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00927-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is the leading developmental and genomic model for the phylum Cnidaria, which includes anemones, hydras, jellyfish, and corals. In insects and vertebrates, the NF-κB pathway is required for cellular and organismal responses to various stresses, including pathogens and chemicals, as well as for several developmental processes. Herein, we have characterized proteins that comprise the core NF-κB pathway in Nematostella, including homologs of NF-κB, IκB, Bcl-3, and IκB kinase (IKK). We show that N. vectensis NF-κB (Nv-NF-κB) can bind to κB sites and activate transcription of reporter genes containing multimeric κB sites or the Nv-IκB promoter. Both Nv-IκB and Nv-Bcl-3 interact with Nv-NF-κB and block its ability to activate reporter gene expression. Nv-IKK is most similar to human IKKε/TBK kinases and, in vitro, can phosphorylate Ser47 of Nv-IκB. Nv-NF-κB is expressed in a subset of ectodermal cells in juvenile and adult Nematostella anemones. A bioinformatic analysis suggests that homologs of many mammalian NF-κB target genes are targets for Nv-NF-κB, including genes involved in apoptosis and responses to organic compounds and endogenous stimuli. These results indicate that NF-κB pathway proteins in Nematostella are similar to their vertebrate homologs, and these results also provide a framework for understanding the evolutionary origins of NF-κB signaling.
Collapse
|
36
|
Reitzel AM, Behrendt L, Tarrant AM. Light entrained rhythmic gene expression in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis: the evolution of the animal circadian clock. PLoS One 2010; 5:e12805. [PMID: 20877728 PMCID: PMC2943474 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2010] [Accepted: 08/17/2010] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circadian rhythms in behavior and physiology are the observable phenotypes from cycles in expression of, interactions between, and degradation of the underlying molecular components. In bilaterian animals, the core molecular components include Timeless-Timeout, photoreceptive cryptochromes, and several members of the basic-loop-helix-Per-ARNT-Sim (bHLH-PAS) family. While many of core circadian genes are conserved throughout the Bilateria, their specific roles vary among species. Here, we identify and experimentally study the rhythmic gene expression of conserved circadian clock members in a sea anemone in order to characterize this gene network in a member of the phylum Cnidaria and to infer critical components of the clockwork used in the last common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We identified homologs of circadian regulatory genes in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, including a gene most similar to Timeout, three cryptochromes, and several key bHLH-PAS transcription factors. We then maintained N. vectensis either in complete darkness or in a 12 hour light: 12 hour dark cycle in three different light treatments (blue only, full spectrum, blue-depleted). Gene expression varied in response to light cycle and light treatment, with a particularly strong pattern observed for NvClock. The cryptochromes more closely related to the light-sensitive clade of cryptochromes were upregulated in light treatments that included blue wavelengths. With co-immunoprecipitation, we determined that heterodimerization between CLOCK and CYCLE is conserved within N. vectensis. Additionally, we identified E-box motifs, DNA sequences recognized by the CLOCK:CYCLE heterodimer, upstream of genes showing rhythmic expression. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study reveals conserved molecular and functional components of the circadian clock that were in place at the divergence of the Cnidaria and Bilateria, suggesting the animal circadian clockwork is more ancient than previous data suggest. Characterizing circadian regulation in a cnidarian provides insight into the early origins of animal circadian rhythms and molecular regulation of environmentally cued behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam M. Reitzel
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lars Behrendt
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ann M. Tarrant
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Ray PS, Sullivan JC, Jia J, Francis J, Finnerty JR, Fox PL. Evolution of function of a fused metazoan tRNA synthetase. Mol Biol Evol 2010; 28:437-47. [PMID: 20829344 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msq246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin and evolution of multidomain proteins are driven by diverse processes including fusion/fission, domain shuffling, and alternative splicing. The 20 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARS) constitute an ancient conserved family of multidomain proteins. The glutamyl-prolyl tRNA synthetase (EPRS) of bilaterian animals is unique among AARSs, containing two functional enzymes catalyzing ligation of glutamate and proline to their cognate transfer RNAs (tRNAs). The ERS and PRS catalytic domains in multiple bilaterian taxa are linked by variable number of helix-turn-helix domains referred to as WHEP-TRS domains. In addition to its canonical aminoacylation activities, human EPRS exhibits a noncanonical function as an inflammation-responsive regulator of translation. Recently, we have shown that the WHEP domains direct this auxiliary function of human EPRS by interacting with an mRNA stem-loop element (interferon-gamma-activated inhibitor of translation [GAIT] element). Here, we show that EPRS is present in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, which pushes the origin of the fused protein back to the cnidarian-bilaterian ancestor, 50-75 My before the origin of the Bilateria. Remarkably, the Nematostella EPRS mRNA is alternatively spliced to yield three isoforms with variable number and sequence of WHEP domains and with distinct RNA-binding activities. Whereas one isoform containing a single WHEP domain binds tRNA, a second binds both tRNA and GAIT element RNA. However, the third isoform contains two WHEP domains and like the human ortholog binds specifically to GAIT element RNA. These results suggest that alternative splicing of WHEP domains in the EPRS gene of the cnidarian-bilaterian ancestor gave rise to a novel molecular function of EPRS conserved during metazoan evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Partho Sarothi Ray
- Department of Cell Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Luqman S, Pezzuto JM. NFkappaB: a promising target for natural products in cancer chemoprevention. Phytother Res 2010; 24:949-63. [PMID: 20577970 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.3171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) is found in nearly all animal cell types. It is involved in cellular responses to stimuli such as stress, cytokines, free radicals, ultraviolet irradiation, oxidized LDL and microbial antigens, and has been shown to regulate the expression of a number of genes including bcl-2, bcl-xl, cIAP, suvivin, TRAF, COX-2, MMP-9, iNOS and cell cycle-regulatory components. Many carcinogens, inflammatory agents and tumor promoters have been shown to activate NFkappaB, and resulting tumors demonstrate misregulated NFkappaB. Incorrect regulation of NFkappaB has been linked to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, septic shock, viral infection and improper immune development. Aberrant regulation of NFkappaB is involved in cancer development and progression as well as in drug resistance. Inhibitors of NFkappaB mediate effects potentially leading to antitumor responses or greater sensitivity to the action of antitumor agents. Tools have been developed for the rapid assessment of NFkappaB activity, so in concert with a better understanding of NFkappaB activation mechanisms, many agents capable of suppressing NFkappaB activation have been identified. The present article focuses on the functions of NFkappaB, its role in human cancer and the therapeutic potential and benefit of targeting NFkappaB by natural products in cancer chemoprevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suaib Luqman
- College of Pharmacy, University of Hawaii, Hilo 96720, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|