1
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Kalvaitytė M, Gabrilavičiūtė S, Balciunas D. Rapid generation of single-insertion transgenics by Tol2 transposition in zebrafish. Dev Dyn 2024. [PMID: 38946125 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Tol2 transposable element is the most widely used transgenesis tool in zebrafish. However, its high activity almost always leads to multiple unlinked integrations of the transgenic cassette in F1 fish. Each of these transgenes is susceptible to positional effects from the surrounding regulatory landscape, which can lead to altered expression and, consequently, activity. Scientists therefore must strike a balance between the need to maximize reproducibility by establishing single-insertion transgenic lines and the need to complete experiments within a reasonable timeframe. RESULTS In this article, we introduce a simple competitive dilution strategy for rapid generation of single-insertion transgenics. By using cry:BFP reporter plasmid as a competitor, we achieved a nearly fourfold reduction in the number of the transgene of interest integrations while simultaneously increasing the proportion of single-insertion F1 generation transgenics to over 50%. We also observed variations in transgene of interest expression among independent single-insertion transgenics, highlighting that the commonly used ubiquitous ubb promoter is susceptible to position effects. CONCLUSIONS Wide application of our competitive dilution strategy will save time, reduce animal usage, and improve reproducibility of zebrafish research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miglė Kalvaitytė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Sofija Gabrilavičiūtė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Darius Balciunas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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2
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Perlee S, Ma Y, Hunter MV, Swanson JB, Ming Z, Xia J, Lionnet T, McGrail M, White RM. Identifying in vivo genetic dependencies of melanocyte and melanoma development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.22.586101. [PMID: 38562693 PMCID: PMC10983904 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.22.586101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The advent of large-scale sequencing in both development and disease has identified large numbers of candidate genes that may be linked to important phenotypes. Validating the function of these candidates in vivo is challenging, due to low efficiency and low throughput of most model systems. We have developed a rapid, scalable system for assessing the role of candidate genes using zebrafish. We generated transgenic zebrafish in which Cas9 was knocked-in to the endogenous mitfa locus, a master transcription factor of the melanocyte lineage. We used this system to identify both cell-autonomous and non-cell autonomous regulators of normal melanocyte development. We then applied this to the melanoma setting to demonstrate that loss of genes required for melanocyte survival can paradoxically promote more aggressive phenotypes, highlighting that in vitro screens can mask in vivo phenotypes. Our high-efficiency genetic approach offers a versatile tool for exploring developmental processes and disease mechanisms that can readily be applied to other cell lineages.
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3
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Liu J, Li W, Jin X, Lin F, Han J, Zhang Y. Optimal tagging strategies for illuminating expression profiles of genes with different abundance in zebrafish. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1300. [PMID: 38129658 PMCID: PMC10739737 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05686-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-mediated knock-in (KI) technology opens a new era of fluorescent-protein labeling in zebrafish, a preferred model organism for in vivo imaging. We described here an optimized zebrafish gene-tagging strategy, which enables easy and high-efficiency KI, ensures high odds of obtaining seamless KI germlines and is suitable for wide applications. Plasmid donors for 3'-labeling were optimized by shortening the microhomologous arms and by reducing the number and reversing the sequence of the consensus Cas9/sgRNA binding sites. To allow for scar-less KI across the genome, linearized dsDNA donors with 5'-chemical modifications were generated and successfully incorporated into our method. To refine the germline screen workflow and expedite the screen process, we combined fluorescence enrichment and caudal-fin junction-PCR. Furthermore, to trace proteins expressed at a low abundance, we developed a fluorescent signal amplifier using the transcriptional activation strategy. Together, our strategies enable efficient gene-tagging and sensitive expression detection for almost every gene in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Wenyuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xuepu Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Fanjia Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Jiahuai Han
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
- Research Unit of Cellular Stress of CAMS, Cancer Research Center of Xiamen University, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
| | - Yingying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
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4
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Wu Z, Shi Y, Cui Y, Xing X, Zhang L, Liu D, Zhang Y, Dong J, Jin L, Pang M, Xiao RP, Zhu Z, Xiong JW, Tong X, Zhang Y, Wang S, Tang F, Zhang B. Single-cell analysis reveals an Angpt4-initiated EPDC-EC-CM cellular coordination cascade during heart regeneration. Protein Cell 2023; 14:350-368. [PMID: 37155312 PMCID: PMC10166170 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwac010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammals exhibit limited heart regeneration ability, which can lead to heart failure after myocardial infarction. In contrast, zebrafish exhibit remarkable cardiac regeneration capacity. Several cell types and signaling pathways have been reported to participate in this process. However, a comprehensive analysis of how different cells and signals interact and coordinate to regulate cardiac regeneration is unavailable. We collected major cardiac cell types from zebrafish and performed high-precision single-cell transcriptome analyses during both development and post-injury regeneration. We revealed the cellular heterogeneity as well as the molecular progress of cardiomyocytes during these processes, and identified a subtype of atrial cardiomyocyte exhibiting a stem-like state which may transdifferentiate into ventricular cardiomyocytes during regeneration. Furthermore, we identified a regeneration-induced cell (RIC) population in the epicardium-derived cells (EPDC), and demonstrated Angiopoietin 4 (Angpt4) as a specific regulator of heart regeneration. angpt4 expression is specifically and transiently activated in RIC, which initiates a signaling cascade from EPDC to endocardium through the Tie2-MAPK pathway, and further induces activation of cathepsin K in cardiomyocytes through RA signaling. Loss of angpt4 leads to defects in scar tissue resolution and cardiomyocyte proliferation, while overexpression of angpt4 accelerates regeneration. Furthermore, we found that ANGPT4 could enhance proliferation of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, and promote cardiac repair in mice after myocardial infarction, indicating that the function of Angpt4 is conserved in mammals. Our study provides a mechanistic understanding of heart regeneration at single-cell precision, identifies Angpt4 as a key regulator of cardiomyocyte proliferation and regeneration, and offers a novel therapeutic target for improved recovery after human heart injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekai Wu
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yuan Shi
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yueli Cui
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xin Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Liya Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Da Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yutian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ji Dong
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Li Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Meijun Pang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Rui-Ping Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zuoyan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jing-Wei Xiong
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiangjun Tong
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ministry of Education, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Shiqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Fuchou Tang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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5
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Siatra P, Vatsellas G, Chatzianastasiou A, Balafas E, Manolakou T, Papapetropoulos A, Agapaki A, Mouchtouri ET, Ruchaya PJ, Korovesi AG, Mavroidis M, Thanos D, Beis D, Kokkinopoulos I. Return of the Tbx5; lineage-tracing reveals ventricular cardiomyocyte-like precursors in the injured adult mammalian heart. NPJ Regen Med 2023; 8:13. [PMID: 36869039 PMCID: PMC9984483 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-023-00280-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The single curative measure for heart failure patients is a heart transplantation, which is limited due to a shortage of donors, the need for immunosuppression and economic costs. Therefore, there is an urgent unmet need for identifying cell populations capable of cardiac regeneration that we will be able to trace and monitor. Injury to the adult mammalian cardiac muscle, often leads to a heart attack through the irreversible loss of a large number of cardiomyocytes, due to an idle regenerative capability. Recent reports in zebrafish indicate that Tbx5a is a vital transcription factor for cardiomyocyte regeneration. Preclinical data underscore the cardioprotective role of Tbx5 upon heart failure. Data from our earlier murine developmental studies have identified a prominent unipotent Tbx5-expressing embryonic cardiac precursor cell population able to form cardiomyocytes, in vivo, in vitro and ex vivo. Using a developmental approach to an adult heart injury model and by employing a lineage-tracing mouse model as well as the use of single-cell RNA-seq technology, we identify a Tbx5-expressing ventricular cardiomyocyte-like precursor population, in the injured adult mammalian heart. The transcriptional profile of that precursor cell population is closer to that of neonatal than embryonic cardiomyocyte precursors. Tbx5, a cardinal cardiac development transcription factor, lies in the center of a ventricular adult precursor cell population, which seems to be affected by neurohormonal spatiotemporal cues. The identification of a Tbx5-specific cardiomyocyte precursor-like cell population, which is capable of dedifferentiating and potentially deploying a cardiomyocyte regenerative program, provides a clear target cell population for translationally-relevant heart interventional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Siatra
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Giannis Vatsellas
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece ,grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Greek Genome Center, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Athanasia Chatzianastasiou
- grid.5216.00000 0001 2155 0800Department of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Pharmacology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Balafas
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Theodora Manolakou
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Papapetropoulos
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece ,grid.5216.00000 0001 2155 0800Department of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Pharmacology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Anna Agapaki
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Histochemistry Facility, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni-Taxiarchia Mouchtouri
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Prashant J. Ruchaya
- grid.60969.300000 0001 2189 1306School of Health, Sport and Biosciences, University of East London, London, UK
| | - Artemis G. Korovesi
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece ,grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Greek Genome Center, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Manolis Mavroidis
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Thanos
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece ,grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Greek Genome Center, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitris Beis
- grid.417593.d0000 0001 2358 8802Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Kokkinopoulos
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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6
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Kalvaitytė M, Balciunas D. Conditional mutagenesis strategies in zebrafish. Trends Genet 2022; 38:856-868. [PMID: 35662532 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Gene disruption or knockout is an essential tool for elucidating gene function. Conditional knockout methodology was developed to further advance these studies by enabling gene disruption at a predefined time and/or in discrete cells. While the conditional knockout method is widely used in the mouse, technical limitations have stifled direct adoption of this methodology in other animal models including the zebrafish. Recent advances in genome editing have enabled engineering of distinct classes of conditional mutants in zebrafish. To further accelerate the development and application of conditional mutants, we will review diverse methods of conditional knockout engineering and discuss the advantages of different conditional alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darius Balciunas
- Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania; Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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7
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de Sena-Tomás C, Aleman AG, Ford C, Varshney A, Yao D, Harrington JK, Saúde L, Ramialison M, Targoff KL. Activation of Nkx2.5 transcriptional program is required for adult myocardial repair. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2970. [PMID: 35624100 PMCID: PMC9142600 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30468-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The cardiac developmental network has been associated with myocardial regenerative potential. However, the embryonic signals triggered following injury have yet to be fully elucidated. Nkx2.5 is a key causative transcription factor associated with human congenital heart disease and one of the earliest markers of cardiac progenitors, thus it serves as a promising candidate. Here, we show that cardiac-specific RNA-sequencing studies reveal a disrupted embryonic transcriptional profile in the adult Nkx2.5 loss-of-function myocardium. nkx2.5-/- fish exhibit an impaired ability to recover following ventricular apex amputation with diminished dedifferentiation and proliferation. Complex network analyses illuminate that Nkx2.5 is required to provoke proteolytic pathways necessary for sarcomere disassembly and to mount a proliferative response for cardiomyocyte renewal. Moreover, Nkx2.5 targets embedded in these distinct gene regulatory modules coordinate appropriate, multi-faceted injury responses. Altogether, our findings support a previously unrecognized, Nkx2.5-dependent regenerative circuit that invokes myocardial cell cycle re-entry, proteolysis, and mitochondrial metabolism to ensure effective regeneration in the teleost heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen de Sena-Tomás
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Angelika G Aleman
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Caitlin Ford
- Department of Genetics & Development, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Akriti Varshney
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute & Systems Biology Institute Australia, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Di Yao
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Jamie K Harrington
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Leonor Saúde
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mirana Ramialison
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute & Systems Biology Institute Australia, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute & Department of Peadiatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Kimara L Targoff
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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8
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Liu S, Martin JF. RNA splicing to cytoskeleton: A new path to cardiomyocyte ploidy and division? Dev Cell 2022; 57:945-946. [PMID: 35472320 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian cardiomyocytes (CMs) undergo polyploidization after birth, accompanied by the loss of CM proliferation and regenerative capacity, although why this occurs is still poorly understood. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Gan et al. show that premature CM polyploidization, through defective RNA splicing, is detrimental to ventricular wall growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Liu
- Cardiomyocyte Renewal Laboratory, Texas Heart Institute, 6770 Bertner Avenue, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - James F Martin
- Cardiomyocyte Renewal Laboratory, Texas Heart Institute, 6770 Bertner Avenue, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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9
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Advances in Cardiac Development and Regeneration Using Zebrafish as a Model System for High-Throughput Research. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:jdb9040040. [PMID: 34698193 PMCID: PMC8544412 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of cardiac development and regeneration will improve diagnostic and therapeutic interventions against heart disease. In this direction, zebrafish is an excellent model because several processes of zebrafish heart development are largely conserved in humans, and zebrafish has several advantages as a model organism. Zebrafish transcriptomic profiles undergo alterations during different stages of cardiac development and regeneration which are revealed by RNA-sequencing. ChIP-sequencing has detected genome-wide occupancy of histone post-translational modifications that epigenetically regulate gene expression and identified a locus with enhancer-like characteristics. ATAC-sequencing has identified active enhancers in cardiac progenitor cells during early developmental stages which overlap with occupancy of histone modifications of active transcription as determined by ChIP-sequencing. CRISPR-mediated editing of the zebrafish genome shows how chromatin modifiers and DNA-binding proteins regulate heart development, in association with crucial signaling pathways. Hence, more studies in this direction are essential to improve human health because they answer fundamental questions on cardiac development and regeneration, their differences, and why zebrafish hearts regenerate upon injury, unlike humans. This review focuses on some of the latest studies using state-of-the-art technology enabled by the elegant yet simple zebrafish.
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Cahill T, da Silveira WA, Renaud L, Williamson T, Wang H, Chung D, Overton I, Chan SSL, Hardiman G. Induced Torpor as a Countermeasure for Low Dose Radiation Exposure in a Zebrafish Model. Cells 2021; 10:906. [PMID: 33920039 PMCID: PMC8071006 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of the Artemis programme with the goal of returning to the moon is spurring technology advances that will eventually take humans to Mars and herald a new era of interplanetary space travel. However, long-term space travel poses unique challenges including exposure to ionising radiation from galactic cosmic rays and potential solar particle events, exposure to microgravity and specific nutritional challenges arising from earth independent exploration. Ionising radiation is one of the major obstacles facing future space travel as it can generate oxidative stress and directly damage cellular structures such as DNA, in turn causing genomic instability, telomere shortening, extracellular-matrix remodelling and persistent inflammation. In the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) this can lead to leaky gut syndrome, perforations and motility issues, which impact GIT functionality and affect nutritional status. While current countermeasures such as shielding from the spacecraft can attenuate harmful biological effects, they produce harmful secondary particles that contribute to radiation exposure. We hypothesised that induction of a torpor-like state would confer a radioprotective effect given the evidence that hibernation extends survival times in irradiated squirrels compared to active controls. To test this hypothesis, a torpor-like state was induced in zebrafish using melatonin treatment and reduced temperature, and radiation exposure was administered twice over the course of 10 days. The protective effects of induced-torpor were assessed via RNA sequencing and qPCR of mRNA extracted from the GIT. Pathway and network analysis were performed on the transcriptomic data to characterise the genomic signatures in radiation, torpor and torpor + radiation groups. Phenotypic analyses revealed that melatonin and reduced temperature successfully induced a torpor-like state in zebrafish as shown by decreased metabolism and activity levels. Genomic analyses indicated that low dose radiation caused DNA damage and oxidative stress triggering a stress response, including steroidal signalling and changes to metabolism, and cell cycle arrest. Torpor attenuated the stress response through an increase in pro-survival signals, reduced oxidative stress via the oxygen effect and detection and removal of misfolded proteins. This proof-of-concept model provides compelling initial evidence for utilizing an induced torpor-like state as a potential countermeasure for radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Cahill
- School of Biological Sciences & Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (T.C.); (W.A.d.S.); (H.W.)
| | - Willian Abraham da Silveira
- School of Biological Sciences & Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (T.C.); (W.A.d.S.); (H.W.)
| | - Ludivine Renaud
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA;
| | - Tucker Williamson
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; (T.W.); (S.S.L.C.)
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Biological Sciences & Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (T.C.); (W.A.d.S.); (H.W.)
| | - Dongjun Chung
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Ian Overton
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK;
| | - Sherine S. L. Chan
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; (T.W.); (S.S.L.C.)
| | - Gary Hardiman
- School of Biological Sciences & Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (T.C.); (W.A.d.S.); (H.W.)
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA;
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11
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Cunningham CM, Bellipanni G, Habas R, Balciunas D. Deletion of morpholino binding sites (DeMOBS) to assess specificity of morphant phenotypes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15366. [PMID: 32958829 PMCID: PMC7506532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71708-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Two complimentary approaches are widely used to study gene function in zebrafish: induction of genetic mutations, usually using targeted nucleases such as CRISPR/Cas9, and suppression of gene expression, typically using Morpholino oligomers. Neither method is perfect. Morpholinos (MOs) sometimes produce off-target or toxicity-related effects that can be mistaken for true phenotypes. Conversely, genetic mutants can be subject to compensation, or may fail to yield a null phenotype due to leakiness (e.g. use of cryptic splice sites or downstream AUGs). When discrepancy between mutant and morpholino-induced (morphant) phenotypes is observed, experimental validation of such phenotypes becomes very labor intensive. We have developed a simple genetic method to differentiate between genuine morphant phenotypes and those produced due to off-target effects. We speculated that indels within 5' untranslated regions would be unlikely to have a significant negative effect on gene expression. Mutations induced within a MO target site would result in a Morpholino-refractive allele thus suppressing true MO phenotypes whilst non-specific phenotypes would remain. We tested this hypothesis on one gene with an exclusively zygotic function, tbx5a, and one gene with strong maternal effect, ctnnb2. We found that indels within the Morpholino binding site are indeed able to suppress both zygotic and maternal morphant phenotypes. We also observed that the ability of such indels to suppress morpholino phenotypes does depend on the size and the location of the deletion. Nonetheless, mutating the morpholino binding sites in both maternal and zygotic genes can ascertain the specificity of morphant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gianfranco Bellipanni
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Raymond Habas
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Darius Balciunas
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
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12
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Adult sox10 + Cardiomyocytes Contribute to Myocardial Regeneration in the Zebrafish. Cell Rep 2020; 29:1041-1054.e5. [PMID: 31644901 PMCID: PMC6856760 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During heart regeneration in the zebrafish, fibrotic tissue is replaced by newly formed cardiomyocytes derived from preexisting ones. It is unclear whether the heart is composed of several cardiomyocyte populations bearing different capacity to replace lost myocardium. Here, using sox10 genetic fate mapping, we identify a subset of preexistent cardiomyocytes in the adult zebrafish heart with a distinct gene expression profile that expanded after cryoinjury. Genetic ablation of sox10+ cardiomyocytes impairs cardiac regeneration, revealing that these cells play a role in heart regeneration.
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13
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Fukuda R, Marín‐Juez R, El‐Sammak H, Beisaw A, Ramadass R, Kuenne C, Guenther S, Konzer A, Bhagwat AM, Graumann J, Stainier DYR. Stimulation of glycolysis promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation after injury in adult zebrafish. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e49752. [PMID: 32648304 PMCID: PMC7403660 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201949752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac metabolism plays a crucial role in producing sufficient energy to sustain cardiac function. However, the role of metabolism in different aspects of cardiomyocyte regeneration remains unclear. Working with the adult zebrafish heart regeneration model, we first find an increase in the levels of mRNAs encoding enzymes regulating glucose and pyruvate metabolism, including pyruvate kinase M1/2 (Pkm) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases (Pdks), especially in tissues bordering the damaged area. We further find that impaired glycolysis decreases the number of proliferating cardiomyocytes following injury. These observations are supported by analyses using loss-of-function models for the metabolic regulators Pkma2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha. Cardiomyocyte-specific loss- and gain-of-function manipulations of pyruvate metabolism using Pdk3 as well as a catalytic subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) reveal its importance in cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation and proliferation after injury. Furthermore, we find that PDK activity can modulate cell cycle progression and protrusive activity in mammalian cardiomyocytes in culture. Our findings reveal new roles for cardiac metabolism and the PDK-PDC axis in cardiomyocyte behavior following cardiac injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuichi Fukuda
- Department of Developmental GeneticsMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Rubén Marín‐Juez
- Department of Developmental GeneticsMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Hadil El‐Sammak
- Department of Developmental GeneticsMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Arica Beisaw
- Department of Developmental GeneticsMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Radhan Ramadass
- Department of Developmental GeneticsMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Carsten Kuenne
- The Cardio‐Pulmonary Institute (CPI) and Deep Sequencing PlatformBad NauheimGermany
| | - Stefan Guenther
- The Cardio‐Pulmonary Institute (CPI) and Deep Sequencing PlatformBad NauheimGermany
- Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing PlatformMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Anne Konzer
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- Biomolecular Mass SpectrometryMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Aditya M Bhagwat
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- Biomolecular Mass SpectrometryMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Johannes Graumann
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- Biomolecular Mass SpectrometryMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
| | - Didier YR Stainier
- Department of Developmental GeneticsMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
- The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)Partner Site Rhine‐MainMax Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ResearchBad NauheimGermany
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14
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Suzuki N, Ochi H. Regeneration enhancers: A clue to reactivation of developmental genes. Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:343-354. [PMID: 32096563 PMCID: PMC7383998 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During tissue and organ regeneration, cells initially detect damage and then alter nuclear transcription in favor of tissue/organ reconstruction. Until recently, studies of tissue regeneration have focused on the identification of relevant genes. These studies show that many developmental genes are reused during regeneration. Concurrently, comparative genomics studies have shown that the total number of genes does not vastly differ among vertebrate taxa. Moreover, functional analyses of developmental genes using various knockout/knockdown techniques demonstrated that the functions of these genes are conserved among vertebrates. Despite these data, the ability to regenerate damaged body parts varies widely between animals. Thus, it is important to determine how regenerative transcriptional programs are triggered and why animals with low regenerative potential fail to express developmental genes after injury. Recently, we discovered relevant enhancers and named them regeneration signal-response enhancers (RSREs) after identifying their activation mechanisms in a Xenopus laevis transgenic system. In this review, we summarize recent studies of injury/regeneration-associated enhancers and then discuss their mechanisms of activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanoka Suzuki
- Amphibian Research CenterHiroshima UniversityHigashi‐HiroshimaJapan
| | - Haruki Ochi
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science ResearchFaculty of MedicineYamagata UniversityYamagataJapan
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15
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Juul Belling H, Hofmeister W, Andersen DC. A Systematic Exposition of Methods used for Quantification of Heart Regeneration after Apex Resection in Zebrafish. Cells 2020; 9:cells9030548. [PMID: 32111059 PMCID: PMC7140516 DOI: 10.3390/cells9030548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Myocardial infarction (MI) is a worldwide condition that affects millions of people. This is mainly caused by the adult human heart lacking the ability to regenerate upon injury, whereas zebrafish have the capacity through cardiomyocyte proliferation to fully regenerate the heart following injury such as apex resection (AR). But a systematic overview of the methods used to evidence heart regrowth and regeneration in the zebrafish is lacking. Herein, we conducted a systematical search in Embase and Pubmed for studies on heart regeneration in the zebrafish following injury and identified 47 AR studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Overall, three different methods were used to assess heart regeneration in zebrafish AR hearts. 45 out of 47 studies performed qualitative (37) and quantitative (8) histology, whereas immunohistochemistry for various cell cycle markers combined with cardiomyocyte specific proteins was used in 34 out of 47 studies to determine cardiomyocyte proliferation qualitatively (6 studies) or quantitatively (28 studies). For both methods, analysis was based on selected heart sections and not the whole heart, which may bias interpretations. Likewise, interstudy comparison of reported cardiomyocyte proliferation indexes seems complicated by distinct study designs and reporting manners. Finally, six studies performed functional analysis to determine heart function, a hallmark of human heart injury after MI. In conclusion, our data implies that future studies should consider more quantitative methods eventually taking the 3D of the zebrafish heart into consideration when evidencing myocardial regrowth after AR. Furthermore, standardized guidelines for reporting cardiomyocyte proliferation and sham surgery details may be considered to enable inter study comparisons and robustly determine the effect of given genes on the process of heart regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene Juul Belling
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; (H.J.B.); (W.H.)
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewparken 25, 1. floor, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Wolfgang Hofmeister
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; (H.J.B.); (W.H.)
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewparken 25, 1. floor, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, DanStem, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology, 2200 København H, Denmark
| | - Ditte Caroline Andersen
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; (H.J.B.); (W.H.)
- Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewparken 25, 1. floor, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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16
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Li W, Zhang Y, Han B, Li L, Li M, Lu X, Chen C, Lu M, Zhang Y, Jia X, Zhu Z, Tong X, Zhang B. One-step efficient generation of dual-function conditional knockout and geno-tagging alleles in zebrafish. eLife 2019; 8:48081. [PMID: 31663848 PMCID: PMC6845224 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas systems are widely used to knock out genes by inducing indel mutations, which are prone to genetic compensation. Complex genome modifications such as knockin (KI) might bypass compensation, though difficult to practice due to low efficiency. Moreover, no ‘two-in-one’ KI strategy combining conditional knockout (CKO) with fluorescent gene-labeling or further allele-labeling has been reported. Here, we developed a dual-cassette-donor strategy and achieved one-step and efficient generation of dual-function KI alleles at tbx5a and kctd10 loci in zebrafish via targeted insertion. These alleles display fluorescent gene-tagging and CKO effects before and after Cre induction, respectively. By introducing a second fluorescent reporter, geno-tagging effects were achieved at tbx5a and sox10 loci, exhibiting CKO coupled with fluorescent reporter switch upon Cre induction, enabling tracing of three distinct genotypes. We found that LiCl purification of gRNA is critical for highly efficient KI, and preselection of founders allows the efficient germline recovery of KI events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yage Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bingzhou Han
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lianyan Li
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Muhang Li
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaochan Lu
- Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cheng Chen
- Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mengjia Lu
- Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yujie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xuefeng Jia
- Gcrispr (Tianjin) Genetic Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Zuoyan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Tong
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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17
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Akerberg AA, Burns CE, Burns CG. Exploring the Activities of RBPMS Proteins in Myocardial Biology. Pediatr Cardiol 2019; 40:1410-1418. [PMID: 31399780 PMCID: PMC6786954 DOI: 10.1007/s00246-019-02180-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Numerous RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are expressed in the heart, and mutations in several RBPs have been implicated in cardiovascular disease through genetic associations, animal modeling, and mechanistic studies. However, the functions of many more cardiac RBPs, and their relevance to disease states, remain to be elucidated. Recently, we have initiated studies to characterize the functions of the RBPs RBPMS and RBPMS2 in regulating myocardial biology in zebrafish and higher vertebrate species. These studies began when we learned, using an unbiased gene discovery approach, that rbpms2a and rbpms2b in zebrafish are robust markers of embryonic myocardium. This observation, which is consistent with published data, suggests that the encoded proteins are likely to be performing critical functions in regulating one or more aspects of cardiomyocyte differentiation, proliferation, survival, and/or contractility. This notion is supported by recent reports demonstrating that zebrafish embryos with disrupted Rbpms2 function exhibit gross signs of cardiac distress. Interestingly, a 20-year-old study determined that myocardial tissue from the frog, chick, and mouse also express high levels of Rbpms and/or Rbpms2, which is suggestive of evolutionary conservation of function. In this review, we will provide a historical account of how RBPMS and RBPMS2 genes were discovered, attempt to clarify some potentially confusing nomenclature, and summarize published observations that inform our ongoing studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Akerberg
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA,Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Caroline E. Burns
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA,Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138,Authors for Correspondence: ()
| | - C. Geoffrey Burns
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA,Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115,Authors for Correspondence: ()
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18
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Burg L, Palmer N, Kikhi K, Miroshnik ES, Rueckert H, Gaddy E, MacPherson Cunningham C, Mattonet K, Lai SL, Marín-Juez R, Waring RB, Stainier DYR, Balciunas D. Conditional mutagenesis by oligonucleotide-mediated integration of loxP sites in zebrafish. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007754. [PMID: 30427827 PMCID: PMC6261631 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many eukaryotic genes play essential roles in multiple biological processes in several different tissues. Conditional mutants are needed to analyze genes with such pleiotropic functions. In vertebrates, conditional gene inactivation has only been feasible in the mouse, leaving other model systems to rely on surrogate experimental approaches such as overexpression of dominant negative proteins and antisense-based tools. Here, we have developed a simple and straightforward method to integrate loxP sequences at specific sites in the zebrafish genome using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology and oligonucleotide templates for homology directed repair. We engineered conditional (floxed) mutants of tbx20 and fleer, and demonstrate excision of exons flanked by loxP sites using tamoxifen-inducible CreERT2 recombinase. To demonstrate broad applicability of our method, we also integrated loxP sites into two additional genes, aldh1a2 and tcf21. The ease of this approach will further expand the use of zebrafish to study various aspects of vertebrate biology, especially post-embryonic processes such as regeneration. Some genes are expressed and function in a single tissue, and the effect of their loss on that tissue can be readily determined. Frequently, however, genes that are necessary for the development or maintenance of one tissue are also important for other tissues or cell types. Genes of the latter type are difficult to analyze because of the complications resulting from an organism having multiple defects in different tissues. The solution pioneered by mouse geneticists is to inactivate the gene of interest in only one tissue at a time. This elegant approach requires the ability to make specific edits to the genome, a technology that was not readily available to zebrafish researchers until recently. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool, we have developed a simple, reliable, and efficient method to insert DNA sequences into the zebrafish genome that enable conditional gene inactivation. Our methodology will be useful not only for the study of genes that play important roles in multiple tissues, but also for the genetic analysis of biological processes which occur in adult animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Burg
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Palmer
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Khrievono Kikhi
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Evgeniya S. Miroshnik
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Helen Rueckert
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Eleanor Gaddy
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Carlee MacPherson Cunningham
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Kenny Mattonet
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Shih-Lei Lai
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Rubén Marín-Juez
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Richard B. Waring
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Didier Y. R. Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Darius Balciunas
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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