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Duarte T, Omage FB, Rieder GS, Rocha JBT, Dalla Corte CL. Investigating SARS-CoV-2 virus-host interactions and mRNA expression: Insights using three models of D. melanogaster. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167324. [PMID: 38925484 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167324] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Responsible for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus in which contagious variants continue to appear. Therefore, some population groups have demonstrated greater susceptibility to contagion and disease progression. For these reasons, several researchers have been studying the SARS-CoV-2/human interactome to understand the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and develop new pharmacological strategies. D. melanogaster is a versatile animal model with approximately 90 % human protein orthology related to SARS-CoV-2/human interactome and is widely used in metabolic studies. In this context, our work assessed the potential interaction between human proteins (ZNF10, NUP88, BCL2L1, UBC9, and RBX1) and their orthologous proteins in D. melanogaster (gl, Nup88, Buffy, ubc9, and Rbx1a) with proteins from SARS-CoV-2 (nsp3, nsp9, E, ORF7a, N, and ORF10) using computational approaches. Our results demonstrated that all the proteins have the potential to interact, and we compared the binding sites between humans and fruit flies. The stability and consistency in the structure of the gl_nsp3 complex, specifically, could be crucial for its specific biological functions. Lastly, to enhance the understanding of the influence of host factors on coronavirus infection, we also analyse the mRNA expression of the five genes (mbo, gl, lwr, Buffy, and Roc1a) responsible for encoding the fruit fly proteins. Briefly, we demonstrated that those genes were differentially regulated according to diets, sex, and age. Two groups showed higher positive gene regulation than others: females in the HSD group and males in the aging group, which could imply a higher virus-host susceptibility. Overall, while preliminary, our work contributes to the understanding of host defense mechanisms and potentially identifies candidate proteins and genes for in vivo viral studies against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tâmie Duarte
- Laboratory of Experimental Biochemistry and Toxicology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Folorunsho Bright Omage
- Biological Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil; Computational Biology Research Group, Embrapa Agricultural Informatics, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Schmitt Rieder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - João B T Rocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Lenz Dalla Corte
- Laboratory of Experimental Biochemistry and Toxicology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.
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Marzec S, Siperstein A, Zhou A, Holzapfel CM, Bradshaw WE, Meuti ME, Armbruster PA. MicroRNA Expression Prior to Biting in a Vector Mosquito Anticipates Physiological Processes Related to Energy Utilization, Reproduction and Immunity. INSECTS 2023; 14:700. [PMID: 37623410 PMCID: PMC10455316 DOI: 10.3390/insects14080700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the molecular and physiological processes underlying biting behavior in vector mosquitoes has important implications for developing novel strategies to suppress disease transmission. Here, we conduct small-RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in the head tissues of two subspecies of Culex pipiens that differ in biting behavior and the ability to produce eggs without blood feeding. We identified eight differentially expressed miRNAs between biting C. pipiens pipiens (Pipiens) and non-biting C. pipiens molestus (Molestus); six of these miRNAs have validated functions or predicted targets related to energy utilization (miR8-5-p, miR-283, miR-2952-3p, miR-1891), reproduction (miR-1891), and immunity (miR-2934-3p, miR-92a, miR8-5-p). Although miRNAs regulating physiological processes associated with blood feeding have previously been shown to be differentially expressed in response to a blood meal, our results are the first to demonstrate differential miRNA expression in anticipation of a blood meal before blood is actually imbibed. We compare our current miRNA results to three previous studies of differential messenger RNA expression in the head tissues of mosquitoes. Taken together, the combined results consistently show that biting mosquitoes commit to specific physiological processes in anticipation of a blood meal, while non-biting mosquitoes mitigate these anticipatory costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Marzec
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (S.M.); (A.Z.)
| | - Alden Siperstein
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.S.); (M.E.M.)
| | - Angela Zhou
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (S.M.); (A.Z.)
| | - Christina M. Holzapfel
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; (C.M.H.); (W.E.B.)
| | - William E. Bradshaw
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; (C.M.H.); (W.E.B.)
| | - Megan E. Meuti
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.S.); (M.E.M.)
| | - Peter A. Armbruster
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; (S.M.); (A.Z.)
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Yue W, Deng X, Wang Z, Jiang M, Hu R, Duan Y, Wang Q, Cui J, Fang Y. Inhibition of the MEK/ERK pathway suppresses immune overactivation and mitigates TDP-43 toxicity in a Drosophila model of ALS. Immun Ageing 2023; 20:27. [PMID: 37340309 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-023-00354-8] [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: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
TDP-43 is an important DNA/RNA-binding protein that is associated with age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD); however, its pathomechanism is not fully understood. In a transgenic RNAi screen using Drosophila as a model, we uncovered that knockdown (KD) of Dsor1 (the Drosophila MAPK kinase dMEK) suppressed TDP-43 toxicity without altering TDP-43 phosphorylation or protein levels. Further investigation revealed that the Dsor1 downstream gene rl (dERK) was abnormally upregulated in TDP-43 flies, and neuronal overexpression of dERK induced profound upregulation of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). We also detected a robust immune overactivation in TDP-43 flies, which could be suppressed by downregulation of the MEK/ERK pathway in TDP-43 fly neurons. Furthermore, neuronal KD of abnormally increased AMPs improved the motor function of TDP-43 flies. On the other hand, neuronal KD of Dnr1, a negative regulator of the Drosophila immune deficiency (IMD) pathway, activated the innate immunity and boosted AMP expression independent of the regulation by the MEK/ERK pathway, which diminished the mitigating effect of RNAi-dMEK on TDP-43 toxicity. Finally, we showed that an FDA-approved MEK inhibitor trametinib markedly suppressed immune overactivation, alleviated motor deficits and prolonged the lifespan of TDP-43 flies, but did not exhibit a lifespan-extending effect in Alzheimer disease (AD) or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) fly models. Together, our findings suggest an important role of abnormal elevation of the MEK/ERK signaling and innate immunity in TDP-43 pathogenesis and propose trametinib as a potential therapeutic agent for ALS and other TDP-43-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenkai Yue
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xue Deng
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Mingsheng Jiang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Rirong Hu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yongjia Duan
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qiangqiang Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jihong Cui
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yanshan Fang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Ogienko AA, Omelina ES, Bylino OV, Batin MA, Georgiev PG, Pindyurin AV. Drosophila as a Model Organism to Study Basic Mechanisms of Longevity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911244. [PMID: 36232546 PMCID: PMC9569508 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatio-temporal regulation of gene expression determines the fate and function of various cells and tissues and, as a consequence, the correct development and functioning of complex organisms. Certain mechanisms of gene activity regulation provide adequate cell responses to changes in environmental factors. Aside from gene expression disorders that lead to various pathologies, alterations of expression of particular genes were shown to significantly decrease or increase the lifespan in a wide range of organisms from yeast to human. Drosophila fruit fly is an ideal model system to explore mechanisms of longevity and aging due to low cost, easy handling and maintenance, large number of progeny per adult, short life cycle and lifespan, relatively low number of paralogous genes, high evolutionary conservation of epigenetic mechanisms and signalling pathways, and availability of a wide range of tools to modulate gene expression in vivo. Here, we focus on the organization of the evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways whose components significantly influence the aging process and on the interconnections of these pathways with gene expression regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna A. Ogienko
- Department of Regulation of Genetic Processes, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Evgeniya S. Omelina
- Department of Regulation of Genetic Processes, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, 630039 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Oleg V. Bylino
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology RAS, 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail A. Batin
- Open Longevity, 15260 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, CA 91403, USA
| | - Pavel G. Georgiev
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation in Development, Institute of Gene Biology RAS, 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey V. Pindyurin
- Department of Regulation of Genetic Processes, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-383-363-90-42
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