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Wu K, Huang S, Zhao Y, Umar A, Chen H, Yu Z, Huang J. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 located in different developmental stages in Schistosoma japonicum and involved in important metabolic pathways. Biomed J 2024:100726. [PMID: 38621646 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2024.100726] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nuclear receptors (NRs) are vital for regulating gene expression un organisms. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4), a class of NRs, participates in blood feeding and intestinal maintenance in schistosomes. However, there is limited research on the molecular and functional characterization of HNF4 in Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum). METHODS Highly specific polyclonal antibodies were generated to analyze the expression and tissue localization of S. japonicum HNF4 (SjHNF4). The potential biological functions of SjHNF4 were characterized by transcriptome and pull-down analysis. Subsequently, enrichment analysis was performed to identify the specific signaling pathways linked to SjHNF4. RESULTS The SjHNF4 protein was expressed heterologously and purified successfully. High purity and high potency polyclonal antibodies were further prepared. The expression of SjHNF4 was higher in female compared to male worms at both transcriptional and protein levels. Female worms expressed SjHNF4 in their perithecium, reproductive system, and certain parts of the intestinal tissues. SjHNF4 was also detected in the perithecium of male worms, as well as in the head, body of cercaria, and eggs. Furthermore, our findings highlighted the potential role of SjHNF4 in blood feeding and its interaction with crucial pathways such as glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism. CONCLUSIONS This study shed light on the location of SjHNF4 in different life stages of S. japonicum, particularly associated with the female schistosomes. A strong correlation was observed between SjHNF4 and essential metabolic pathways. These findings laid a solid groundwork for the research on the relationship between NRs and schistosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaijuan Wu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 410013; China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha Hunan, China. 410013
| | - Shuaiqin Huang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 410013; China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha Hunan, China. 410013
| | - Yiming Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 410013; China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha Hunan, China. 410013
| | - Abdulrahim Umar
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 410013
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 410013; China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha Hunan, China. 410013
| | - Zheng Yu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 410013; China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha Hunan, China. 410013
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 410013; China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha Hunan, China. 410013.
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Wu W, LoVerde PT. Updated knowledge and a proposed nomenclature for nuclear receptors with two DNA binding domains (2DBD-NRs). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286107. [PMID: 37699039 PMCID: PMC10497141 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are important transcriptional modulators in metazoans. Typical NRs possess a conserved DNA binding domain (DBD) and a ligand binding domain (LBD). Since we discovered a type of novel NRs each of them has two DBDs and single LBD (2DBD-NRs) more than decade ago, there has been very few studies about 2DBD-NRs. Recently, 2DBD-NRs have been only reported in Platyhelminths and Mollusca and are thought to be specific NRs to lophotrochozoan. In this study, we searched different databases and identified 2DBD-NRs in different animals from both protostomes and deuterostomes. Phylogenetic analysis shows that at least two ancient 2DBD-NR genes were present in the urbilaterian, a common ancestor of protostomes and deuterostomes. 2DBD-NRs underwent gene duplication and loss after the split of different animal phyla, most of them in a certain animal phylum are paralogues, rather than orthologues, like in other animal phyla. Amino acid sequence analysis shows that the conserved motifs in typical NRs are also present in 2DBD-NRs and they are gene specific. From our phylogenetic analysis of 2DBD-NRs and following the rule of Nomenclature System for the Nuclear Receptors, a nomenclature for 2DBD-NRs is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Wu
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology University of Texas Health, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Philip T. LoVerde
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology University of Texas Health, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
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Blanco V, Mozzo B, Alvite G. Dimerization, host-parasite communication and expression studies of an Echinococcus granulosus 2DBD nuclear receptor. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2055-2063. [PMID: 37395819 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07905-4] [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: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-modulated transcription factors that regulate various biological processes, such as metabolism, development and reproduction. Although NRs with two DNA-binding domains (2DBD) were identified in Schistosoma mansoni (Platyhelminth, Trematoda) more than fifteen years ago, these proteins have been poorly studied. 2DBD-NRs could become attractive therapeutic targets to combat parasitic diseases such as cystic echinococcosis since this type of protein is absent in vertebrate hosts. Cystic echinococcosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the parasitic platyhelminth Echinococcus granulosus (Cestoda) that generates an important public health problem and a significant economic loss. Recently, our research group identified four 2DBD-NRs in E. granulosus, named Eg2DBDα, Eg2DBDα.1 (an isoform of Eg2DBDα), Eg2DBDβ, and Eg2DBDγ. This work demonstrated that Eg2DBDα.1 forms homodimers through the E and F regions, whereas its interaction with EgRXRβa could not be detected. In addition, the stimulation of Eg2DBDα.1 homodimerization by intermediate host serum was shown, suggesting that at least one lipophilic molecule from bovine serum could bind to Eg2DBDα.1. Finally, Eg2DBDs expression studies in the protoscolex larval stage were performed, indicating that Eg2dbdγ is not expressed, whereas Eg2dbdα has the highest expression level followed by Eg2dbdβ and Eg2dbdα.1 in decreased order. Overall, these findings provide new insights into the mechanism of action of Eg2DBDα.1 and its potential role in host-parasite communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Blanco
- Biochemistry Section, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Instituto Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Bruno Mozzo
- Biochemistry Section, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Gabriela Alvite
- Biochemistry Section, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Wang K, Yang Z, Li X, Liu S, Wang L, Zhang H, Yu H. A Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor BtabHNF4 Mediates Desiccation Tolerance and Fecundity in Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 52:138-147. [PMID: 36462170 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4) is essential for glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism in insects. However, little is known about the role of HNF4 in whiteflies. In the present study, we identified a hepatocyte nuclear factor protein from Bemsia tabaci (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and named it BtabHNF4. The full-length of BtabHNF4 was 3,006 bp, encoding a sequence of 434 amino acids that contains a conserved zinc-finger DNA-binding domain (DBD) and a well-conserved ligand-binding domain (LBD). The temporal and spatial expression showed that BtabHNF4 was highly expressed in the female adult stage and abdominal tissues of B. tabaci. A leaf-mediated RNA interference method was used to explore the function of BtabHNF4 in whiteflies. Our results showed that the knockdown of BtabHNF4 influences the desiccation tolerance, egg production, and egg hatching rate of whiteflies. Additionally, BtabHNF4 silencing significantly inhibited the expression level of vitellogenin. These results expand the function of HNF4 and pave the way for understanding the molecular mechanisms of HNF4 in regulating multiple physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kui Wang
- Department of Natural Resources, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
| | - Zhifang Yang
- Department of Natural Resources, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Natural Resources, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
| | - Shunxiao Liu
- Department of Natural Resources, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
- College of Agrarian Technology and Natural Resources, Sumy National Agrarian University, Sumy 40021, Ukraine
| | - Liuhao Wang
- Department of Natural Resources, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- Department of Natural Resources, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Natural Resources, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
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