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Benita O, Nesher N, Shomrat T. Neurophysiological measurements of planarian brain activity: a unique model for neuroscience research. Biol Open 2024; 13:bio060480. [PMID: 38979914 DOI: 10.1242/bio.060480] [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: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Planarians are well-known model organisms for regeneration and developmental biology research due to their remarkable regenerative capacity. Here, we aim to advocate for the use of planaria as a valuable model for neurobiology, as well. Planarians have most of the major qualities of more developed organisms, including a primal brain. These traits combined with their exceptional regeneration capabilities, allow neurobiological experiments not possible in any other model organism, as we demonstrate by electrophysiological recording from planaria with two heads that controlling a shared body. To facilitate planarian neuroscience research, we developed an extracellular multi-unit recording procedure for the planarians fragile brain (Dugesia japonica). We created a semi-intact preparation restrained with fine dissection pins, enabling hours of reliable recording, via a suction electrode. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility and potential of planarian neurophysiological research by characterizing the neuronal activity during simple learning processes and responses to various stimuli. In addition, we examined the use of linalool as anesthetic agent to allows recordings from an intact, large worm and for fine electrophysiological approaches such as intracellular recording. The demonstrated ability for neurophysiological measurements, along with the inherent advantages of planarians, promotes this exceptional model organism for neuroscience research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orel Benita
- Department of Neurobiology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Nir Nesher
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 4029700, Israel
| | - Tal Shomrat
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 4029700, Israel
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2
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Goel T, Adams EM, Bialas AL, Tran CM, Rowe T, Martin S, Chandler M, Schubert J, Diamond PH, Collins EMS. Nonlinear elasticity and short-range mechanical coupling govern the rate and symmetry of mouth opening in Hydra. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232123. [PMID: 38378148 PMCID: PMC10878823 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Hydra has a tubular bilayered epithelial body column with a dome-shaped head on one end and a foot on the other. Hydra lacks a permanent mouth: its head epithelium is sealed. Upon neuronal activation, a mouth opens at the apex of the head which can exceed the body column diameter in seconds, allowing Hydra to ingest prey larger than itself. While the kinematics of mouth opening are well characterized, the underlying mechanism is unknown. We show that Hydra mouth opening is generated by independent local contractions that require tissue-level coordination. We model the head epithelium as an active viscoelastic nonlinear spring network. The model reproduces the size, timescale and symmetry of mouth opening. It shows that radial contractions, travelling inwards from the outer boundary of the head, pull the mouth open. Nonlinear elasticity makes mouth opening larger and faster, contrary to expectations. The model correctly predicts changes in mouth shape in response to external forces. By generating innervated : nerve-free chimera in experiments and simulations, we show that nearest-neighbour mechanical signalling suffices to coordinate mouth opening. Hydra mouth opening shows that in the absence of long-range chemical or neuronal signals, short-range mechanical coupling is sufficient to produce long-range order in tissue deformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapan Goel
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Ellen M. Adams
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - April L. Bialas
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Cassidy M. Tran
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Trevor Rowe
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sara Martin
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Maia Chandler
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Johanna Schubert
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Patrick H. Diamond
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Eva-Maria S. Collins
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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3
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Tommasini G, De Simone M, Santillo S, Dufil G, Iencharelli M, Mantione D, Stavrinidou E, Tino A, Tortiglione C. In vivo neuromodulation of animal behavior with organic semiconducting oligomers. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi5488. [PMID: 37851802 PMCID: PMC10584338 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi5488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Modulating neural activity with electrical or chemical stimulus can be used for fundamental and applied research. Typically, neuronal stimulation is performed with intracellular and extracellular electrodes that deliver brief electrical pulses to neurons. However, alternative wireless methodologies based on functional materials may allow clinical translation of technologies to modulate neuronal function. Here, we show that the organic semiconducting oligomer 4-[2-{2,5-bis(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)thiophen-3-yl}ethoxy]butane-1-sulfonate (ETE-S) induces precise behaviors in the small invertebrate Hydra, which were dissected through pharmacological and electrophysiological approaches. ETE-S-induced behavioral response relies on the presence of head neurons and calcium ions and is prevented by drugs targeting ionotropic channels and muscle contraction. Moreover, ETE-S affects Hydra's electrical activity enhancing the contraction burst frequency. The unexpected neuromodulatory function played by this conjugated oligomer on a simple nerve net opens intriguing research possibilities on fundamental chemical and physical phenomena behind organic bioelectronic interfaces for neuromodulation and on alternative methods that could catalyze a wide expansion of this rising technology for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Tommasini
- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “E. Caianiello”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Mariarosaria De Simone
- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “E. Caianiello”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Silvia Santillo
- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “E. Caianiello”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Gwennaël Dufil
- Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Marika Iencharelli
- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “E. Caianiello”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Daniele Mantione
- POLYMAT University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Eleni Stavrinidou
- Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Angela Tino
- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “E. Caianiello”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Claudia Tortiglione
- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “E. Caianiello”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
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Beckham JL, van Venrooy AR, Kim S, Li G, Li B, Duret G, Arnold D, Zhao X, Li JT, Santos AL, Chaudhry G, Liu D, Robinson JT, Tour JM. Molecular machines stimulate intercellular calcium waves and cause muscle contraction. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 18:1051-1059. [PMID: 37430037 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01436-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular calcium waves (ICW) are complex signalling phenomena that control many essential biological activities, including smooth muscle contraction, vesicle secretion, gene expression and changes in neuronal excitability. Accordingly, the remote stimulation of ICW could result in versatile biomodulation and therapeutic strategies. Here we demonstrate that light-activated molecular machines (MM)-molecules that perform mechanical work on the molecular scale-can remotely stimulate ICW. MM consist of a polycyclic rotor and stator that rotate around a central alkene when activated with visible light. Live-cell calcium-tracking and pharmacological experiments reveal that MM-induced ICW are driven by the activation of inositol-triphosphate-mediated signalling pathways by unidirectional, fast-rotating MM. Our data suggest that MM-induced ICW can control muscle contraction in vitro in cardiomyocytes and animal behaviour in vivo in Hydra vulgaris. This work demonstrates a strategy for directly controlling cell signalling and downstream biological function using molecular-scale devices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Soonyoung Kim
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bowen Li
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Guillaume Duret
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dallin Arnold
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John T Li
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ana L Santos
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- IdISBA-Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares, Palma, Spain
| | | | - Dongdong Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jacob T Robinson
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - James M Tour
- Department of Chemistry, Smalley-Curl Institute, NanoCarbon Center and Rice Advanced Materials Institute, Department of Materials Science and Nanoengineering, Department of Computer Science, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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5
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Garg N, Štibler UK, Eismann B, Mercker M, Bergheim BG, Linn A, Tuchscherer P, Engel U, Redl S, Marciniak-Czochra A, Holstein TW, Hess MW, Özbek S. Non-muscle myosin II drives critical steps of nematocyst morphogenesis. iScience 2023; 26:106291. [PMID: 36936784 PMCID: PMC10014300 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106291] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Nematocysts are generated by secretion of proteins into a post-Golgi compartment. They consist of a capsule that elongates into a long tube, which is coiled inside the capsule matrix and expelled during its nano-second discharge deployed for prey capture. The driving force for discharge is an extreme osmotic pressure of 150 bar. The complex processes of tube elongation and invagination under these biomechanical constraints have so far been elusive. Here, we show that a non-muscle myosin II homolog (HyNMII) is essential for nematocyst formation in Hydra. In early nematocysts, HyNMII assembles to a collar around the neck of the protruding tube. HyNMII then facilitates tube outgrowth by compressing it along the longitudinal axis as evidenced by inhibitor treatment and genetic knockdown. In addition, live imaging of a NOWA::NOWA-GFP transgenic line, which re-defined NOWA as a tube component facilitating invagination, allowed us to analyze the impact of HyNMII on tube maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niharika Garg
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Urška Knez Štibler
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Björn Eismann
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Moritz Mercker
- Institute for Applied Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 205, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruno Gideon Bergheim
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Linn
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrizia Tuchscherer
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Engel
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Nikon Imaging Center at the University of Heidelberg, Bioquant, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Redl
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Medical University of Innsbruck, Müllerstrasse 59, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna Marciniak-Czochra
- Institute for Applied Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 205, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas W. Holstein
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael W. Hess
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Müllerstrasse 59, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Suat Özbek
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Corresponding author
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6
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Jaenen V, Bijnens K, Heleven M, Artois T, Smeets K. Live Imaging in Planarians: Immobilization and Real-Time Visualization of Reactive Oxygen Species. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2680:209-229. [PMID: 37428380 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3275-8_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Imaging of living animals allows the study of metabolic processes in relation to cellular structures or larger functional entities. To enable in vivo imaging during long-term time-lapses in planarians, we combined and optimized existing protocols, resulting in an easily reproducible and inexpensive procedure. Immobilization with low-melting-point agarose eliminates the use of anesthetics, avoids interfering with the animal during imaging-functionally or physically-and allows recovering the organisms after the imaging procedure. As an example, we used the immobilization workflow to image the highly dynamic and fast-changing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living animals. These reactive signaling molecules can only be studied in vivo and mapping their location and dynamics during different physiological conditions is crucial to understand their role in developmental processes and regeneration. In the current protocol, we describe both the immobilization and ROS detection procedure. We used the intensity of the signals together with pharmacological inhibitors to validate the signal specificity and to distinguish it from the autofluorescent nature of the planarian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Jaenen
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Karolien Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Martijn Heleven
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Tom Artois
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Karen Smeets
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
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Muscular hydraulics drive larva-polyp morphogenesis. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4707-4718.e8. [PMID: 36115340 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Development is a highly dynamic process in which organisms often experience changes in both form and behavior, which are typically coupled to each other. However, little is known about how organismal-scale behaviors such as body contractility and motility impact morphogenesis. Here, we use the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis as a developmental model to uncover a mechanistic link between organismal size, shape, and behavior. Using quantitative live imaging in a large population of developing animals, combined with molecular and biophysical experiments, we demonstrate that the muscular-hydraulic machinery that controls body movement also drives larva-polyp morphogenesis. We show that organismal size largely depends on cavity inflation through fluid uptake, whereas body shape is constrained by the organization of the muscular system. The generation of ethograms identifies different trajectories of size and shape development in sessile and motile animals, which display distinct patterns of body contractions. With a simple theoretical model, we conceptualize how pressures generated by muscular hydraulics can act as a global mechanical regulator that coordinates tissue remodeling. Altogether, our findings illustrate how organismal contractility and motility behaviors can influence morphogenesis.
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Traffic light Hydra allows for simultaneous in vivo imaging of all three cell lineages. Dev Biol 2022; 488:74-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Badhiwala KN, Primack AS, Juliano CE, Robinson JT. Multiple neuronal networks coordinate Hydra mechanosensory behavior. eLife 2021; 10:e64108. [PMID: 34328079 PMCID: PMC8324302 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64108] [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: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydra vulgaris is an emerging model organism for neuroscience due to its small size, transparency, genetic tractability, and regenerative nervous system; however, fundamental properties of its sensorimotor behaviors remain unknown. Here, we use microfluidic devices combined with fluorescent calcium imaging and surgical resectioning to study how the diffuse nervous system coordinates Hydra's mechanosensory response. Mechanical stimuli cause animals to contract, and we find this response relies on at least two distinct networks of neurons in the oral and aboral regions of the animal. Different activity patterns arise in these networks depending on whether the animal is contracting spontaneously or contracting in response to mechanical stimulation. Together, these findings improve our understanding of how Hydra's diffuse nervous system coordinates sensorimotor behaviors. These insights help reveal how sensory information is processed in an animal with a diffuse, radially symmetric neural architecture unlike the dense, bilaterally symmetric nervous systems found in most model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abby S Primack
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyUniversity of California, DavisUnited States
| | - Celina E Juliano
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiologyUniversity of California, DavisUnited States
| | - Jacob T Robinson
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice UniversityHoustonUnited States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice UniversityHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
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10
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Ziegler B, Yiallouros I, Trageser B, Kumar S, Mercker M, Kling S, Fath M, Warnken U, Schnölzer M, Holstein TW, Hartl M, Marciniak-Czochra A, Stetefeld J, Stöcker W, Özbek S. The Wnt-specific astacin proteinase HAS-7 restricts head organizer formation in Hydra. BMC Biol 2021; 19:120. [PMID: 34107975 PMCID: PMC8191133 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01046-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Hydra head organizer acts as a signaling center that initiates and maintains the primary body axis in steady state polyps and during budding or regeneration. Wnt/beta-Catenin signaling functions as a primary cue controlling this process, but how Wnt ligand activity is locally restricted at the protein level is poorly understood. Here we report a proteomic analysis of Hydra head tissue leading to the identification of an astacin family proteinase as a Wnt processing factor. Results Hydra astacin-7 (HAS-7) is expressed from gland cells as an apical-distal gradient in the body column, peaking close beneath the tentacle zone. HAS-7 siRNA knockdown abrogates HyWnt3 proteolysis in the head tissue and induces a robust double axis phenotype, which is rescued by simultaneous HyWnt3 knockdown. Accordingly, double axes are also observed in conditions of increased Wnt activity as in transgenic actin::HyWnt3 and HyDkk1/2/4 siRNA treated animals. HyWnt3-induced double axes in Xenopus embryos could be rescued by coinjection of HAS-7 mRNA. Mathematical modelling combined with experimental promotor analysis indicate an indirect regulation of HAS-7 by beta-Catenin, expanding the classical Turing-type activator-inhibitor model. Conclusions We show the astacin family protease HAS-7 maintains a single head organizer through proteolysis of HyWnt3. Our data suggest a negative regulatory function of Wnt processing astacin proteinases in the global patterning of the oral-aboral axis in Hydra. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01046-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenice Ziegler
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Irene Yiallouros
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Cell and Matrix Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55099, Mainz, Germany
| | - Benjamin Trageser
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sumit Kumar
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Moritz Mercker
- Institute for Applied Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Svenja Kling
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maike Fath
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uwe Warnken
- Functional Proteome Analysis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martina Schnölzer
- Functional Proteome Analysis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas W Holstein
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Hartl
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna Marciniak-Czochra
- Institute for Applied Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jörg Stetefeld
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2 N2, Canada
| | - Walter Stöcker
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Cell and Matrix Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55099, Mainz, Germany
| | - Suat Özbek
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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11
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Huang SY, Yao N, He JK, Pan M, Hou ZF, Fan YM, Du A, Tao JP. In vitro Anti-parasitic Activity of Pelargonium X. asperum Essential Oil Against Toxoplasma gondii. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:616340. [PMID: 33681197 PMCID: PMC7930326 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.616340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a global zoonotic disease, and one-third of the human population is chronically infected by Toxoplasma gondii. Due to the limited effectiveness and prominent side effects of the existing drugs, there is a dire need for the discovery of new therapeutic options in the treatment of toxoplasmosis. In this study, five essential oils (EO) were screened for their anti-parasitic activity against T. gondii. The cytotoxicity of essential oils was evaluated using the MTT assay on human foreskin fibroblast cells. The CC50 values of Eucalyptus globulus EO, Cupressus sempervirens EO, Citrus aurantifolia EO, Melaleuca alternifolia EO, and Pelargonium X. asperum (Pa) EO were found to be 22.74, 7.25, 15.01, 6.26, and 4.77 mg/mL, respectively. Only PaEO exhibited anti-parasitic activity, and inhibited the growth of T. gondii in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, treatment with PaEO, was found to reduce the volume of T. gondii tachyzoites and make their membrane surfaces rough. These results showed that PaEO was able to inhibit the growth of T. gondii by reducing invasion, which may be due to its detrimental effect on the ability of tachyzoites to move. These findings suggest that PaEO could be a potential anti-T. gondii drug, which may facilitate the development of new and effective treatments against toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Yang Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Na Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Kang He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Ming Pan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhao-Feng Hou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Min Fan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Aifang Du
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Ping Tao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Wang R, Steele RE, Collins EMS. Wnt signaling determines body axis polarity in regenerating Hydra tissue fragments. Dev Biol 2020; 467:88-94. [PMID: 32871156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
How an animal establishes its body axis is a fundamental question in developmental biology. The freshwater cnidarian Hydra is an attractive model for studying axis formation because it is radially symmetric, with a single oral-aboral axis. It was recently proposed that the orientation of the new body axis in a regenerating Hydra polyp is determined by the oral-aboral orientation of the actin-myosin contractile processes (myonemes) in the animal's outer epithelial layer. However, it remained unclear how the oral-aboral polarity of the body axis would be defined. As Wnt signaling is known to control axis polarity in Hydra and bilaterians, we hypothesized that it plays a role in axis formation during regeneration of Hydra tissue pieces. We tested this hypothesis using pharmacological perturbations and novel grafting experiments to set Wnt signaling and myoneme orientation perpendicular to each other to determine which controls axis formation. Our results demonstrate that Wnt signaling is the dominant encoder of axis orientation and polarity, in line with its conserved role in axial patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, 19081, USA
| | - Robert E Steele
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, 92697-1700, USA
| | - Eva-Maria S Collins
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, 19081, USA; Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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A novel bilateral grafting technique for studying patterning in Hydra. Dev Biol 2020; 462:60-65. [PMID: 32165148 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Control of patterning and the specification of body axes are fundamental aspects of animal development involving complex interactions between chemical, physical, and genetic signals. The freshwater polyp Hydra has long been recognized as a useful model system to address these questions due to its simple anatomy, optical transparency, and strong regenerative abilities, which enabled clever grafting experiments to alter and probe patterning. Reliable methods exist for the transplantation of small tissue pieces into the body column or the combination of sections cut perpendicular to the body axis, which can be used to examine oral-aboral gradients and axis induction potential of tissue fragments. However, existing methods do not allow researchers to probe questions of axis alignment and lateral information exchange. We therefore developed a technique to produce chimeric animals split longitudinally along the body axis of the animal by anesthetizing the animals with the terpene linalool and threading the donor pieces onto pairs of fine glass needles. Our novel approach can be applied to study questions in Hydra research that have thus far been inaccessible, including patterning processes acting perpendicular to the oral-aboral axis and the extent of lateral cell migration.
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