1
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Gavrilova A, Boström A, Korabel N, Fedotov S, Poulin GB, Allan VJ. The role of kinesin-1 in neuronal dense core vesicle transport, locomotion and lifespan regulation in C. elegans. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs262148. [PMID: 39171448 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.262148] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Fast axonal transport is crucial for neuronal function and is driven by kinesins and cytoplasmic dynein. Here, we investigated the role of kinesin-1 in dense core vesicle (DCV) transport in C. elegans, using mutants in the kinesin light chains (klc-1 and klc-2) and the motor subunit (unc-116) expressing an ida-1::gfp transgene that labels DCVs. DCV transport in both directions was greatly impaired in an unc-116 mutant and had reduced velocity in a klc-2 mutant. In contrast, the speed of retrograde DCV transport was increased in a klc-1 mutant whereas anterograde transport was unaffected. We identified striking differences between the klc mutants in their effects on worm locomotion and responses to drugs affecting neuromuscular junction activity. We also determined lifespan, finding that unc-116 mutant was short-lived whereas the klc single mutant lifespan was wild type. The ida-1::gfp transgenic strain was also short-lived, but surprisingly, klc-1 and klc-2 extended the ida-1::gfp lifespan beyond that of wild type. Our findings suggest that kinesin-1 not only influences anterograde and retrograde DCV transport but is also involved in regulating lifespan and locomotion, with the two kinesin light chains playing distinct roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gavrilova
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, The Michael Smith Building, Rumford St, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Astrid Boström
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, The Michael Smith Building, Rumford St, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Nickolay Korabel
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Sergei Fedotov
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Gino B Poulin
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, The Michael Smith Building, Rumford St, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Victoria J Allan
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, The Michael Smith Building, Rumford St, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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2
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Hegde S, Modi S, Deihl EW, Glomb OV, Yogev S, Hoerndli FJ, Koushika SP. Axonal mitochondria regulate gentle touch response through control of axonal actin dynamics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.13.607780. [PMID: 39185223 PMCID: PMC11343141 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.13.607780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Actin in neuronal processes is both stable and dynamic. The origin & functional roles of the different pools of actin is not well understood. We find that mutants that lack mitochondria, ric-7 and mtx-2; miro-1, in neuronal processes also lack dynamic actin. Mitochondria can regulate actin dynamics upto a distance ~80 μm along the neuronal process. Absence of axonal mitochondria and dynamic actin does not markedly alter the Spectrin Membrane Periodic Skeleton (MPS) in touch receptor neurons (TRNs). Restoring mitochondria inTRNs cell autonomously restores dynamic actin in a sod-2 dependent manner. We find that dynamic actin is necessary and sufficient for the localization of gap junction proteins in the TRNs and for the C. elegans gentle touch response. We identify an in vivo mechanism by which axonal mitochondria locally facilitate actin dynamics through reactive oxygen species that we show is necessary for electrical synapses & behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Hegde
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Navy Nagar, Colaba, Mumbai-400005, India
| | - Souvik Modi
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Navy Nagar, Colaba, Mumbai-400005, India
| | - Ennis W. Deihl
- Colorado State University, Anatomy and Zoology W309, 1617 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, 80523 Colorado
| | - Oliver Vinzenz Glomb
- Yale University, Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, 295 Congress Ave, New Haven, CT 06510
- Current address: Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shaul Yogev
- Yale University, Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, 295 Congress Ave, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Frederic J. Hoerndli
- Colorado State University, Anatomy and Zoology W309, 1617 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, 80523 Colorado
| | - Sandhya P. Koushika
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Navy Nagar, Colaba, Mumbai-400005, India
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3
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Cornell R, Cao W, Harradine B, Godini R, Handley A, Pocock R. Neuro-intestinal acetylcholine signalling regulates the mitochondrial stress response in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6594. [PMID: 39097618 PMCID: PMC11297972 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50973-y] [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: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurons coordinate inter-tissue protein homeostasis to systemically manage cytotoxic stress. In response to neuronal mitochondrial stress, specific neuronal signals coordinate the systemic mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) to promote organismal survival. Yet, whether chemical neurotransmitters are sufficient to control the UPRmt in physiological conditions is not well understood. Here, we show that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibits, and acetylcholine (ACh) promotes the UPRmt in the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine. GABA controls the UPRmt by regulating extra-synaptic ACh release through metabotropic GABAB receptors GBB-1/2. We find that elevated ACh levels in animals that are GABA-deficient or lack ACh-degradative enzymes induce the UPRmt through ACR-11, an intestinal nicotinic α7 receptor. This neuro-intestinal circuit is critical for non-autonomously regulating organismal survival of oxidative stress. These findings establish chemical neurotransmission as a crucial regulatory layer for nervous system control of systemic protein homeostasis and stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Cornell
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Wei Cao
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Bernie Harradine
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Rasoul Godini
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Ava Handley
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Roger Pocock
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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4
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Ma L, Kuhn J, Chang YT, Elnatan D, Luxton GWG, Starr DA. FLN-2 functions in parallel to linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton complexes and CDC-42/actin pathways during P-cell nuclear migration through constricted spaces in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae071. [PMID: 38797871 PMCID: PMC11228842 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae071] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Nuclear migration through narrow constrictions is important for development, metastasis, and proinflammatory responses. Studies performed in tissue culture cells have implicated linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes, microtubule motors, the actin cytoskeleton, and nuclear envelope repair machinery as important mediators of nuclear movements through constricted spaces. However, little is understood about how these mechanisms operate to move nuclei in vivo. In Caenorhabditis elegans larvae, six pairs of hypodermal P cells migrate from lateral to ventral positions through a constricted space between the body wall muscles and the cuticle. P-cell nuclear migration is mediated in part by LINC complexes using a microtubule-based pathway and by an independent CDC-42/actin-based pathway. However, when both LINC complex and actin-based pathways are knocked out, many nuclei still migrate, suggesting the existence of additional pathways. Here, we show that FLN-2 functions in a third pathway to mediate P-cell nuclear migration. The predicted N-terminal actin-binding domain in FLN-2 that is found in canonical filamins is dispensable for FLN-2 function; this and structural predictions suggest that FLN-2 does not function as a filamin. The immunoglobulin-like repeats 4-8 of FLN-2 were necessary for P-cell nuclear migration. Furthermore, in the absence of the LINC complex component unc-84, fln-2 mutants had an increase in P-cell nuclear rupture. We conclude that FLN-2 functions to maintain the integrity of the nuclear envelope in parallel with the LINC complex and CDC-42/actin-based pathways to move P-cell nuclei through constricted spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Ma
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jonathan Kuhn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Yu-Tai Chang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Daniel Elnatan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - G W Gant Luxton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Daniel A Starr
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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5
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Yanagi KS, Jochim B, Kunjo SO, Breen P, Ruvkun G, Lehrbach N. Mutations in nucleotide metabolism genes bypass proteasome defects in png-1/NGLY1-deficient Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002720. [PMID: 38991033 PMCID: PMC11265709 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The conserved SKN-1A/Nrf1 transcription factor regulates the expression of proteasome subunit genes and is essential for maintenance of adequate proteasome function in animal development, aging, and stress responses. Unusual among transcription factors, SKN-1A/Nrf1 is a glycoprotein synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). N-glycosylated SKN-1A/Nrf1 exits the ER and is deglycosylated in the cytosol by the PNG-1/NGLY1 peptide:N-glycanase. Deglycosylation edits the protein sequence of SKN-1A/Nrf1 by converting N-glycosylated asparagine residues to aspartate, which is necessary for SKN-1A/Nrf1 transcriptional activation of proteasome subunit genes. Homozygous loss-of-function mutations in the peptide:N-glycanase (NGLY1) gene cause NGLY1 deficiency, a congenital disorder of deglycosylation. There are no effective treatments for NGLY1 deficiency. Since SKN-1A/Nrf1 is a major client of NGLY1, the resulting proteasome deficit contributes to NGLY1 disease. We sought to identify targets for mitigation of proteasome dysfunction in NGLY1 deficiency that might indicate new avenues for treatment. We isolated mutations that suppress the sensitivity to proteasome inhibitors caused by inactivation of the NGLY1 ortholog PNG-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. We identified multiple suppressor mutations affecting 3 conserved genes: rsks-1, tald-1, and ent-4. We show that the suppressors act through a SKN-1/Nrf-independent mechanism and confer proteostasis benefits consistent with amelioration of proteasome dysfunction. ent-4 encodes an intestinal nucleoside/nucleotide transporter, and we show that restriction of nucleotide availability is beneficial, whereas a nucleotide-rich diet exacerbates proteasome dysfunction in PNG-1/NGLY1-deficient C. elegans. Our findings suggest that dietary or pharmacological interventions altering nucleotide availability have the potential to mitigate proteasome insufficiency in NGLY1 deficiency and other diseases associated with proteasome dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S. Yanagi
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Briar Jochim
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sheikh Omar Kunjo
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Peter Breen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gary Ruvkun
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Lehrbach
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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6
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Frédérick PM, Jannot G, Banville I, Simard M. Interaction between a J-domain co-chaperone and a specific Argonaute protein contributes to microRNA function in animals. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6253-6268. [PMID: 38613392 PMCID: PMC11194074 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators of several biological processes. They are loaded onto Argonaute (AGO) proteins to achieve their repressive function, forming the microRNA-Induced Silencing Complex known as miRISC. While several AGO proteins are expressed in plants and animals, it is still unclear why specific AGOs are strictly binding miRNAs. Here, we identified the co-chaperone DNJ-12 as a new interactor of ALG-1, one of the two major miRNA-specific AGOs in Caenorhabditis elegans. DNJ-12 does not interact with ALG-2, the other major miRNA-specific AGO, and PRG-1 and RDE-1, two AGOs involved in other small RNA pathways, making it a specific actor in ALG-1-dependent miRNA-mediated gene silencing. The loss of DNJ-12 causes developmental defects associated with defective miRNA function. Using the Auxin Inducible Degron system, a powerful tool to acutely degrade proteins in specific tissues, we show that DNJ-12 depletion hampers ALG-1 interaction with HSP70, a chaperone required for miRISC loading in vitro. Moreover, DNJ-12 depletion leads to the decrease of several miRNAs and prevents their loading onto ALG-1. This study uncovers the importance of a co-chaperone for the miRNA function in vivo and provides insights to explain how different small RNAs associate with specific AGO in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Marc Frédérick
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Guillaume Jannot
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Isabelle Banville
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Martin J Simard
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec—Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
- Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
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7
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Kolli S, Kline CJ, Rad KM, Wehman AM. Phagolysosomes break down the membrane of a non-apoptotic corpse independent of macroautophagy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.19.599770. [PMID: 38948720 PMCID: PMC11212964 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.19.599770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Cell corpses must be cleared in an efficient manner to maintain tissue homeostasis and regulate immune responses. Ubiquitin-like Atg8/LC3 family proteins promote the degradation of membranes and internal cargo during both macroautophagy and corpse clearance, raising the question how macroautophagy contributes to corpse clearance. Studying the clearance of non-apoptotic dying polar bodies in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, we show that the LC3 ortholog LGG-2 is enriched in the polar body phagolysosome independent of membrane association or autophagosome formation. We demonstrate that ATG-16.1 and ATG-16.2, which promote membrane association of lipidated Atg8/LC3 proteins, redundantly promote polar body membrane breakdown in phagolysosomes independent of their role in macroautophagy. We also show that the lipid scramblase ATG-9 is needed for autophagosome formation in early embryos but is dispensable for timely polar body membrane breakdown or protein cargo degradation. These findings demonstrate that macroautophagy is not required to promote polar body degradation, in contrast to recent findings with apoptotic corpse clearance in C. elegans embryos. Determining how membrane association of Atg8/LC3 promotes the breakdown of different types of cell corpses in distinct cell types or metabolic states is likely to give insights into the mechanisms of immunoregulation during normal development, physiology, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Kolli
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Cassidy J. Kline
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Kimya M. Rad
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Ann M. Wehman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
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8
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Tuckowski AM, Beydoun S, Kitto ES, Bhat A, Howington MB, Sridhar A, Bhandari M, Chambers K, Leiser SF. fmo-4 promotes longevity and stress resistance via ER to mitochondria calcium regulation in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.17.594584. [PMID: 38915593 PMCID: PMC11195083 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.17.594584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) are a conserved family of xenobiotic enzymes upregulated in multiple longevity interventions, including nematode and mouse models. Previous work supports that C. elegans fmo-2 promotes longevity, stress resistance, and healthspan by rewiring endogenous metabolism. However, there are five C. elegans FMOs and five mammalian FMOs, and it is not known whether promoting longevity and health benefits is a conserved role of this gene family. Here, we report that expression of C. elegans fmo-4 promotes lifespan extension and paraquat stress resistance downstream of both dietary restriction and inhibition of mTOR. We find that overexpression of fmo-4 in just the hypodermis is sufficient for these benefits, and that this expression significantly modifies the transcriptome. By analyzing changes in gene expression, we find that genes related to calcium signaling are significantly altered downstream of fmo-4 expression. Highlighting the importance of calcium homeostasis in this pathway, fmo-4 overexpressing animals are sensitive to thapsigargin, an ER stressor that inhibits calcium flux from the cytosol to the ER lumen. This calcium/ fmo-4 interaction is solidified by data showing that modulating intracellular calcium with either small molecules or genetics can change expression of fmo-4 and/or interact with fmo-4 to affect lifespan and stress resistance. Further analysis supports a pathway where fmo-4 modulates calcium homeostasis downstream of activating transcription factor-6 ( atf-6 ), whose knockdown induces and requires fmo-4 expression. Together, our data identify fmo-4 as a longevity- promoting gene whose actions interact with known longevity pathways and calcium homeostasis.
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9
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Graziano B, Wang L, White OR, Kaplan DH, Fernandez-Abascal J, Bianchi L. Glial KCNQ K + channels control neuronal output by regulating GABA release from glia in C. elegans. Neuron 2024; 112:1832-1847.e7. [PMID: 38460523 PMCID: PMC11156561 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.013] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
KCNQs are voltage-gated K+ channels that control neuronal excitability and are mutated in epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). KCNQs have been extensively studied in neurons, but their function in glia is unknown. Using voltage, calcium, and GABA imaging, optogenetics, and behavioral assays, we show here for the first time in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) that glial KCNQ channels control neuronal excitability by mediating GABA release from glia via regulation of the function of L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Further, we show that human KCNQ channels have the same role when expressed in nematode glia, underscoring conservation of function across species. Finally, we show that pathogenic loss-of-function and gain-of-function human KCNQ2 mutations alter glia-to-neuron GABA signaling in distinct ways and that the KCNQ channel opener retigabine exerts rescuing effects. This work identifies glial KCNQ channels as key regulators of neuronal excitability via control of GABA release from glia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Graziano
- Department Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Lei Wang
- Department Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Olivia R White
- Department Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Daryn H Kaplan
- Department Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Jesus Fernandez-Abascal
- Department Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Laura Bianchi
- Department Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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10
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Holzapfel R, Prell A, Schumacher F, Perschin V, Friedmann Angeli JP, Kleuser B, Stigloher C, Fazeli G. Degradation of hexosylceramides is required for timely corpse clearance via formation of cargo-containing phagolysosomal vesicles. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151411. [PMID: 38582051 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151411] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient degradation of phagocytic cargo in lysosomes is crucial to maintain cellular homeostasis and defending cells against pathogens. However, the mechanisms underlying the degradation and recycling of macromolecular cargo within the phagolysosome remain incompletely understood. We previously reported that the phagolysosome containing the corpse of the polar body in C. elegans tubulates into small vesicles to facilitate corpse clearance, a process that requires cargo protein degradation and amino acid export. Here we show that degradation of hexosylceramides by the prosaposin ortholog SPP-10 and glucosylceramidases is required for timely corpse clearance. We observed accumulation of membranous structures inside endolysosomes of spp-10-deficient worms, which are likely caused by increased hexosylceramide species. spp-10 deficiency also caused alteration of additional sphingolipid subclasses, like dihydroceramides, 2-OH-ceramides, and dihydrosphingomyelins. While corpse engulfment, initial breakdown of corpse membrane inside the phagolysosome and lumen acidification proceeded normally in spp-10-deficient worms, formation of the cargo-containing vesicles from the corpse phagolysosome was reduced, resulting in delayed cargo degradation and phagolysosome resolution. Thus, by combining ultrastructural studies and sphingolipidomic analysis with observing single phagolysosomes over time, we identified a role of prosaposin/SPP-10 in maintaining phagolysosomal structure, which promotes efficient resolution of phagocytic cargos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Holzapfel
- Imaging Core Facility, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Agata Prell
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Schumacher
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Core-Facility BioSupraMol, Pharma-MS subunit, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Veronika Perschin
- Imaging Core Facility, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - José Pedro Friedmann Angeli
- Chair of Translational Cell Biology, Rudolf Virchow Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Kleuser
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Gholamreza Fazeli
- Chair of Translational Cell Biology, Rudolf Virchow Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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11
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Falsztyn IB, Taylor SM, Baugh LR. Developmental and conditional regulation of DAF-2/INSR ubiquitination in Caenorhabditis elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.24.595723. [PMID: 38854056 PMCID: PMC11160630 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.24.595723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Insulin/IGF signaling (IIS) regulates developmental and metabolic plasticity. Conditional regulation of insulin-like peptide expression and secretion promotes different phenotypes in different environments. However, IIS can also be regulated by other, less-understood mechanisms. For example, stability of the only known insulin/IGF receptor in C. elegans, DAF-2/INSR, is regulated by CHIP-dependent ubiquitination. Disruption of chn-1/CHIP reduces longevity in C. elegans by increasing DAF-2/INSR abundance and IIS activity in adults. Likewise, mutation of a ubiquitination site causes daf-2(gk390525) to display gain-of-function phenotypes in adults. However, we show that this allele displays loss-of-function phenotypes in larvae, and that its effect on IIS activity transitions from negative to positive during development. In contrast, the allele acts like a gain-of-function in larvae cultured at high temperature, inhibiting temperature-dependent dauer formation. Disruption of chn-1/CHIP causes an increase in IIS activity in starved L1 larvae, unlike daf-2(gk390525). CHN-1/CHIP ubiquitinates DAF-2/INSR at multiple sites. These results suggest that the sites that are functionally relevant to negative regulation of IIS vary in larvae and adults, at different temperatures, and in nutrient-dependent fashion, revealing additional layers of IIS regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Seth M. Taylor
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - L. Ryan Baugh
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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12
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Gregory EF, Luxton GWG, Starr DA. Anchorage of H3K9-methylated heterochromatin to the nuclear periphery helps mediate P-cell nuclear migration though constricted spaces in Caenorhabditis elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.22.595380. [PMID: 38826247 PMCID: PMC11142143 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.22.595380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Nuclei adjust their deformability while migrating through constrictions to enable structural changes and maintain nuclear integrity. The effect of heterochromatin anchored at the nucleoplasmic face of the inner nuclear membrane on nuclear morphology and deformability during in vivo nuclear migration through constricted spaces remains unclear. Here, we show that abolishing peripheral heterochromatin anchorage by eliminating CEC-4, a chromodomain protein that tethers H3K9-methylated chromatin to the nuclear periphery, disrupts constrained P-cell nuclear migration in Caenorhabditis elegans larvae in the absence of the established LINC complex-dependent pathway. CEC-4 acts in parallel to an actin and CDC-42-based pathway. We also demonstrate the necessity for the chromatin methyltransferases MET-2 and JMJD-1.2 during P-cell nuclear migration in the absence of functional LINC complexes. We conclude that H3K9-nethylated chromatin needs to be anchored to the nucleoplasmic face of the inner nuclear membrane to help facilitate nuclear migration through constricted spaces in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen F Gregory
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616 USA
| | - G W Gant Luxton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616 USA
| | - Daniel A Starr
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616 USA
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13
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Nakayama A, Watanabe M, Yamashiro R, Kuroyanagi H, Matsuyama HJ, Oshima A, Mori I, Nakano S. A hyperpolarizing neuron recruits undocked innexin hemichannels to transmit neural information in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2406565121. [PMID: 38753507 PMCID: PMC11127054 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2406565121] [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: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
While depolarization of the neuronal membrane is known to evoke the neurotransmitter release from synaptic vesicles, hyperpolarization is regarded as a resting state of chemical neurotransmission. Here, we report that hyperpolarizing neurons can actively signal neural information by employing undocked hemichannels. We show that UNC-7, a member of the innexin family in Caenorhabditis elegans, functions as a hemichannel in thermosensory neurons and transmits temperature information from the thermosensory neurons to their postsynaptic interneurons. By monitoring neural activities in freely behaving animals, we find that hyperpolarizing thermosensory neurons inhibit the activity of the interneurons and that UNC-7 hemichannels regulate this process. UNC-7 is required to control thermotaxis behavior and functions independently of synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Our findings suggest that innexin hemichannels mediate neurotransmission from hyperpolarizing neurons in a manner that is distinct from the synaptic transmission, expanding the way of neural circuitry operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airi Nakayama
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi464-8602, Japan
| | - Masakatsu Watanabe
- Laboratory of Pattern Formation, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
| | - Riku Yamashiro
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi464-8602, Japan
| | - Hiroo Kuroyanagi
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi464-8602, Japan
| | - Hironori J. Matsuyama
- Group of Molecular Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi464-8602, Japan
| | - Atsunori Oshima
- Department of Basic Biology, Cellular and Structural Physiology Institute, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya464-8601, Japan
- Department of Basic Medicinal Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi464-8601, Japan
- Molecular Physiology Division, Institute for Glyco-core Research, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya464-8601, Japan
- Division of Innovative Modality Development, Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research, Gifu University Institute for Advanced Study, Gifu501-11193, Japan
| | - Ikue Mori
- Group of Molecular Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi464-8602, Japan
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Changping District, Beijing102206, China
| | - Shunji Nakano
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi464-8602, Japan
- Group of Molecular Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi464-8602, Japan
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14
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Hernández-Cruz EY, Aparicio-Trejo OE, Eugenio-Pérez D, Juárez-Peredo E, Zurita-León M, Valdés VJ, Pedraza-Chaverri J. Sulforaphane Exposure Prevents Cadmium-Induced Toxicity and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans by Regulating the Insulin/Insulin-like Growth Factor Signaling (IIS) Pathway. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:584. [PMID: 38790689 PMCID: PMC11117759 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13050584] [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: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that is highly toxic to humans and animals. Its adverse effects have been widely associated with mitochondrial alterations. However, there are not many treatments that target mitochondria. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of sulforaphane (SFN) pre-exposure against cadmium chloride (CdCl2)-induced toxicity and mitochondrial alterations in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), by exploring the role of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS). The results revealed that prior exposure to SFN protected against CdCl2-induced mortality and increased lifespan, body length, and mobility while reducing lipofuscin levels. Furthermore, SFN prevented mitochondrial alterations by increasing mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and restoring mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate, thereby decreasing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The improvement in mitochondrial function was associated with increased mitochondrial mass and the involvement of the daf-16 and skn-1c genes of the IIS signaling pathway. In conclusion, exposure to SFN before exposure to CdCl2 mitigates toxic effects and mitochondrial alterations, possibly by increasing mitochondrial mass, which may be related to the regulation of the IIS pathway. These discoveries open new possibilities for developing therapies to reduce the damage caused by Cd toxicity and oxidative stress in biological systems, highlighting antioxidants with mitochondrial action as promising tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefani Yaquelin Hernández-Cruz
- Laboratorio F-315, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (E.Y.H.-C.); (D.E.-P.); (E.J.-P.)
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Omar Emiliano Aparicio-Trejo
- Departamento de Fisiopatología Cardio-Renal, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Mexico City 14080, Mexico;
| | - Dianelena Eugenio-Pérez
- Laboratorio F-315, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (E.Y.H.-C.); (D.E.-P.); (E.J.-P.)
- Posgrado en Ciencias Bioquímicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Biochemical Sciences, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Elí Juárez-Peredo
- Laboratorio F-315, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (E.Y.H.-C.); (D.E.-P.); (E.J.-P.)
| | - Mariana Zurita-León
- Departamento de Biología y Desarrollo Celular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular (IFC), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (M.Z.-L.); (V.J.V.)
| | - Víctor Julián Valdés
- Departamento de Biología y Desarrollo Celular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular (IFC), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (M.Z.-L.); (V.J.V.)
| | - José Pedraza-Chaverri
- Laboratorio F-315, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (E.Y.H.-C.); (D.E.-P.); (E.J.-P.)
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15
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Osterli E, Ellenbecker M, Wang X, Terzo M, Jacobson K, Cuello D, Voronina E. COP9 signalosome component CSN-5 stabilizes PUF proteins FBF-1 and FBF-2 in Caenorhabditis elegans germline stem and progenitor cells. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae033. [PMID: 38427913 PMCID: PMC11075551 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae033] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins FBF-1 and FBF-2 (FBFs) are required for germline stem cell maintenance and the sperm/oocyte switch in Caenorhabditis elegans, although the mechanisms controlling FBF protein levels remain unknown. We identified an interaction between both FBFs and CSN-5), a component of the constitutive photomorphogenesis 9 (COP9) signalosome best known for its role in regulating protein degradation. Here, we find that the Mpr1/Pad1 N-terminal metalloprotease domain of CSN-5 interacts with the Pumilio and FBF RNA-binding domain of FBFs and the interaction is conserved for human homologs CSN5 and PUM1. The interaction between FBF-2 and CSN-5 can be detected in vivo by proximity ligation. csn-5 mutation results in the destabilization of FBF proteins, which may explain previously observed decrease in the numbers of germline stem and progenitor cells, and disruption of oogenesis. The loss of csn-5 does not decrease the levels of a related PUF protein PUF-3, and csn-5(lf) phenotype is not enhanced by fbf-1/2 knockdown, suggesting that the effect is specific to FBFs. The effect of csn-5 on oogenesis is largely independent of the COP9 signalosome and is cell autonomous. Surprisingly, the regulation of FBF protein levels involves a combination of COP9-dependent and COP9-independent mechanisms differentially affecting FBF-1 and FBF-2. This work supports a previously unappreciated role for CSN-5 in the stabilization of germline stem cell regulatory proteins FBF-1 and FBF-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Osterli
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Mary Ellenbecker
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Xiaobo Wang
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Mikaya Terzo
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Ketch Jacobson
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - DeAnna Cuello
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Ekaterina Voronina
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
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16
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Kywe C, Lundquist EA, Ackley BD, Lansdon P. The MAB-5/Hox family transcription factor is important for Caenorhabditis elegans innate immune response to Staphylococcus epidermidis infection. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae054. [PMID: 38478633 PMCID: PMC11075571 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Innate immunity functions as a rapid defense against broad classes of pathogenic agents. While the mechanisms of innate immunity in response to antigen exposure are well-studied, how pathogen exposure activates the innate immune responses and the role of genetic variation in immune activity is currently being investigated. Previously, we showed significant survival differences between the N2 and the CB4856 Caenorhabditis elegans isolates in response to Staphylococcus epidermidis infection. One of those differences was expression of the mab-5 Hox family transcription factor, which was induced in N2, but not CB4856, after infection. In this study, we use survival assays and RNA-sequencing to better understand the role of mab-5 in response to S. epidermidis. We found that mab-5 loss-of-function (LOF) mutants were more susceptible to S. epidermidis infection than N2 or mab-5 gain-of-function (GOF) mutants, but not as susceptible as CB4856 animals. We then conducted transcriptome analysis of infected worms and found considerable differences in gene expression profiles when comparing animals with mab-5 LOF to either N2 or mab-5 GOF. N2 and mab-5 GOF animals showed a significant enrichment in expression of immune genes and C-type lectins, whereas mab-5 LOF mutants did not. Overall, gene expression profiling in mab-5 mutants provided insight into MAB-5 regulation of the transcriptomic response of C. elegans to pathogenic bacteria and helps us to understand mechanisms of innate immune activation and the role that transcriptional regulation plays in organismal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Kywe
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Erik A Lundquist
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Brian D Ackley
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Patrick Lansdon
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
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17
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Martinez MAQ, Zhao CZ, Moore FEQ, Yee C, Zhang W, Shen K, Martin BL, Matus DQ. Cell cycle perturbation uncouples mitotic progression and invasive behavior in a post-mitotic cell. Differentiation 2024; 137:100765. [PMID: 38522217 PMCID: PMC11196158 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2024.100765] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The acquisition of the post-mitotic state is crucial for the execution of many terminally differentiated cell behaviors during organismal development. However, the mechanisms that maintain the post-mitotic state in this context remain poorly understood. To gain insight into these mechanisms, we used the genetically and visually accessible model of C. elegans anchor cell (AC) invasion into the vulval epithelium. The AC is a terminally differentiated uterine cell that normally exits the cell cycle and enters a post-mitotic state before initiating contact between the uterus and vulva through a cell invasion event. Here, we set out to identify the set of negative cell cycle regulators that maintain the AC in this post-mitotic, invasive state. Our findings revealed a critical role for CKI-1 (p21CIP1/p27KIP1) in redundantly maintaining the post-mitotic state of the AC, as loss of CKI-1 in combination with other negative cell cycle regulators-including CKI-2 (p21CIP1/p27KIP1), LIN-35 (pRb/p107/p130), FZR-1 (Cdh1/Hct1), and LIN-23 (β-TrCP)-resulted in proliferating ACs. Remarkably, time-lapse imaging revealed that these ACs retain their ability to invade. Upon examination of a node in the gene regulatory network controlling AC invasion, we determined that proliferating, invasive ACs do so by maintaining aspects of pro-invasive gene expression. We therefore report that the requirement for a post-mitotic state for invasive cell behavior can be bypassed following direct cell cycle perturbation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Q Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Chris Z Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Frances E Q Moore
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Callista Yee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Wan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Benjamin L Martin
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - David Q Matus
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
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18
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Montgomery BE, Knittel TL, Reed KJ, Chong MC, Isolehto IJ, Cafferty ER, Smith MJ, Sprister RA, Magelky CN, Scherman H, Ketting RF, Montgomery TA. Regulation of Microprocessor assembly and localization via Pasha's WW domain in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.23.590772. [PMID: 38712061 PMCID: PMC11071396 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.23.590772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Primary microRNA (pri-miRNA) transcripts are processed by the Microprocessor, a protein complex that includes the ribonuclease Drosha and its RNA binding partner DGCR8/Pasha. We developed a live, whole animal, fluorescence-based sensor that reliably monitors pri-miRNA processing with high sensitivity in C. elegans. Through a forward genetic selection for alleles that desilence the sensor, we identified a mutation in the conserved G residue adjacent to the namesake W residue of Pasha's WW domain. Using genome editing we also mutated the W residue and reveal that both the G and W residue are required for dimerization of Pasha and proper assembly of the Microprocessor. Surprisingly, we find that the WW domain also facilitates nuclear localization of Pasha, which in turn promotes nuclear import or retention of Drosha. Furthermore, depletion of Pasha or Drosha causes both components of the Microprocessor to mislocalize to the cytoplasm. Thus, Pasha and Drosha mutually regulate each other's spatial expression in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thiago L. Knittel
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Kailee J. Reed
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Madeleine C. Chong
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Ida J. Isolehto
- Biology of Non-coding RNA group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
- International PhD Program on Gene Regulation, Epigenetics and Genome Stability, Mainz, Germany
| | - Erin R. Cafferty
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Margaret J. Smith
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Reese A. Sprister
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Colin N. Magelky
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Hataichanok Scherman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Rene F. Ketting
- Biology of Non-coding RNA group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Taiowa A. Montgomery
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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19
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Xu J, Sabatino B, Yan J, Ermakova G, Doering KRS, Taubert S. The unfolded protein response of the endoplasmic reticulum protects Caenorhabditis elegans against DNA damage caused by stalled replication forks. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae017. [PMID: 38267027 PMCID: PMC10989892 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
All animals must maintain genome and proteome integrity, especially when experiencing endogenous or exogenous stress. To cope, organisms have evolved sophisticated and conserved response systems: unfolded protein responses (UPRs) ensure proteostasis, while DNA damage responses (DDRs) maintain genome integrity. Emerging evidence suggests that UPRs and DDRs crosstalk, but this remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that depletion of the DNA primases pri-1 or pri-2, which synthesize RNA primers at replication forks and whose inactivation causes DNA damage, activates the UPR of the endoplasmic reticulum (UPR-ER) in Caenorhabditis elegans, with especially strong activation in the germline. We observed activation of both the inositol-requiring-enzyme 1 (ire-1) and the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (pek-1) branches of the (UPR-ER). Interestingly, activation of the (UPR-ER) output gene heat shock protein 4 (hsp-4) was partially independent of its canonical activators, ire-1 and X-box binding protein (xbp-1), and instead required the third branch of the (UPR-ER), activating transcription factor 6 (atf-6), suggesting functional redundancy. We further found that primase depletion specifically induces the (UPR-ER), but not the distinct cytosolic or mitochondrial UPRs, suggesting that primase inactivation causes compartment-specific rather than global stress. Functionally, loss of ire-1 or pek-1 sensitizes animals to replication stress caused by hydroxyurea. Finally, transcriptome analysis of pri-1 embryos revealed several deregulated processes that could cause (UPR-ER) activation, including protein glycosylation, calcium signaling, and fatty acid desaturation. Together, our data show that the (UPR-ER), but not other UPRs, responds to replication fork stress and that the (UPR-ER) is required to alleviate this stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaming Xu
- Graduate Program in Cell & Developmental Biology, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Brendil Sabatino
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Junran Yan
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Glafira Ermakova
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Kelsie R S Doering
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Stefan Taubert
- Graduate Program in Cell & Developmental Biology, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
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20
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Lesnik C, Kaletsky R, Ashraf JM, Sohrabi S, Cota V, Sengupta T, Keyes W, Luo S, Murphy CT. Enhanced branched-chain amino acid metabolism improves age-related reproduction in C. elegans. Nat Metab 2024; 6:724-740. [PMID: 38418585 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-024-00996-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Reproductive ageing is one of the earliest human ageing phenotypes, and mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to oocyte quality decline; however, it is not known which mitochondrial metabolic processes are critical for oocyte quality maintenance with age. To understand how mitochondrial processes contribute to Caenorhabditis elegans oocyte quality, we characterized the mitochondrial proteomes of young and aged wild-type and long-reproductive daf-2 mutants. Here we show that the mitochondrial proteomic profiles of young wild-type and daf-2 worms are similar and share upregulation of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism pathway enzymes. Reduction of the BCAA catabolism enzyme BCAT-1 shortens reproduction, elevates mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels, and shifts mitochondrial localization. Moreover, bcat-1 knockdown decreases oocyte quality in daf-2 worms and reduces reproductive capability, indicating the role of this pathway in the maintenance of oocyte quality with age. Notably, oocyte quality deterioration can be delayed, and reproduction can be extended in wild-type animals both by bcat-1 overexpression and by supplementing with vitamin B1, a cofactor needed for BCAA metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lesnik
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Human Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Rachel Kaletsky
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jasmine M Ashraf
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Salman Sohrabi
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Vanessa Cota
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Biology, Tacoma Community College, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - Titas Sengupta
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - William Keyes
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Shijing Luo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Coleen T Murphy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- LSI Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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21
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Zhang MG, Seyedolmohadesin M, Hawk S, Park H, Finnen N, Schroeder F, Venkatachalam V, Sternberg PW. Sensory integration of food availability and population density during the diapause exit decision involves insulin-like signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.20.586022. [PMID: 38586049 PMCID: PMC10996498 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.20.586022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Decisions made over long time scales, such as life cycle decisions, require coordinated interplay between sensory perception and sustained gene expression. The Caenorhabditis elegans dauer (or diapause) exit developmental decision requires sensory integration of population density and food availability to induce an all-or-nothing organismal-wide response, but the mechanism by which this occurs remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate how the ASJ chemosensory neurons, known to be critical for dauer exit, perform sensory integration at both the levels of gene expression and calcium activity. In response to favorable conditions, dauers rapidly produce and secrete the dauer exit-promoting insulin-like peptide INS-6. Expression of ins-6 in the ASJ neurons integrate population density and food level and can reflect decision commitment since dauers committed to exiting have higher ins-6 expression levels than those of non-committed dauers. Calcium imaging in dauers reveals that the ASJ neurons are activated by food, and this activity is suppressed by pheromone, indicating that sensory integration also occurs at the level of calcium transients. We find that ins-6 expression in the ASJ neurons depends on neuronal activity in the ASJs, cGMP signaling, a CaM-kinase pathway, and the pheromone components ascr#8 and ascr#2. We propose a model in which decision commitment to exit the dauer state involves an autoregulatory feedback loop in the ASJ neurons that promotes high INS-6 production and secretion. These results collectively demonstrate how insulin-like peptide signaling helps animals compute long-term decisions by bridging sensory perception to decision execution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark G Zhang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Soraya Hawk
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Heenam Park
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Nerissa Finnen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Frank Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Paul W Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
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22
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Osterhoudt K, Bagno O, Katzman S, Zahler AM. Spliceosomal helicases DDX41/SACY-1 and PRP22/MOG-5 both contribute to proofreading against proximal 3' splice site usage. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 30:404-417. [PMID: 38282418 PMCID: PMC10946429 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079888.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
RNA helicases drive necessary rearrangements and ensure fidelity during the pre-mRNA splicing cycle. DEAD-box helicase DDX41 has been linked to human disease and has recently been shown to interact with DEAH-box helicase PRP22 in the spliceosomal C* complex, yet its function in splicing remains unknown. Depletion of DDX41 homolog SACY-1 from somatic cells has been previously shown to lead to changes in alternative 3' splice site (3'ss) usage. Here, we show by transcriptomic analysis of published and novel data sets that SACY-1 perturbation causes a previously unreported pattern in alternative 3' splicing in introns with pairs of 3' splice sites ≤18 nt away from each other. We find that both SACY-1 depletion and the allele sacy-1(G533R) lead to a striking unidirectional increase in the usage of the proximal (upstream) 3'ss. We previously discovered a similar alternative splicing pattern between germline tissue and somatic tissue, in which there is a unidirectional increase in proximal 3'ss usage in the germline for ∼200 events; many of the somatic SACY-1 alternative 3' splicing events overlap with these developmentally regulated events. We generated targeted mutant alleles of the Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of PRP22, mog-5, in the region of MOG-5 that is predicted to interact with SACY-1 based on the human C* structure. These viable alleles, and a mimic of the myelodysplastic syndrome-associated allele DDX41(R525H), all promote the usage of proximal alternative adjacent 3' splice sites. We show that PRP22/MOG-5 and DDX41/SACY-1 have overlapping roles in proofreading the 3'ss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Osterhoudt
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of RNA, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - Orazio Bagno
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of RNA, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - Sol Katzman
- UCSC Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - Alan M Zahler
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Molecular Biology of RNA, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
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23
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Grover M, Gang SS, Troemel ER, Barkoulas M. Proteasome inhibition triggers tissue-specific immune responses against different pathogens in C. elegans. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002543. [PMID: 38466732 PMCID: PMC10957088 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein quality control pathways play important roles in resistance against pathogen infection. For example, the conserved transcription factor SKN-1/NRF up-regulates proteostasis capacity after blockade of the proteasome and also promotes resistance against bacterial infection in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. SKN-1/NRF has 3 isoforms, and the SKN-1A/NRF1 isoform, in particular, regulates proteasomal gene expression upon proteasome dysfunction as part of a conserved bounce-back response. We report here that, in contrast to the previously reported role of SKN-1 in promoting resistance against bacterial infection, loss-of-function mutants in skn-1a and its activating enzymes ddi-1 and png-1 show constitutive expression of immune response programs against natural eukaryotic pathogens of C. elegans. These programs are the oomycete recognition response (ORR), which promotes resistance against oomycetes that infect through the epidermis, and the intracellular pathogen response (IPR), which promotes resistance against intestine-infecting microsporidia. Consequently, skn-1a mutants show increased resistance to both oomycete and microsporidia infections. We also report that almost all ORR/IPR genes induced in common between these programs are regulated by the proteasome and interestingly, specific ORR/IPR genes can be induced in distinct tissues depending on the exact trigger. Furthermore, we show that increasing proteasome function significantly reduces oomycete-mediated induction of multiple ORR markers. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that proteasome regulation keeps innate immune responses in check in a tissue-specific manner against natural eukaryotic pathogens of the C. elegans epidermis and intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Grover
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Spencer S. Gang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Emily R. Troemel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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24
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Stefanakis N, Jiang J, Liang Y, Shaham S. LET-381/FoxF and its target UNC-30/Pitx2 specify and maintain the molecular identity of C. elegans mesodermal glia that regulate motor behavior. EMBO J 2024; 43:956-992. [PMID: 38360995 PMCID: PMC10943081 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00049-w] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
While most glial cell types in the central nervous system (CNS) arise from neuroectodermal progenitors, some, like microglia, are mesodermally derived. To understand mesodermal glia development and function, we investigated C. elegans GLR glia, which envelop the brain neuropil and separate it from the circulatory system cavity. Transcriptome analysis shows that GLR glia combine astrocytic and endothelial characteristics, which are relegated to separate cell types in vertebrates. Combined fate acquisition is orchestrated by LET-381/FoxF, a fate-specification/maintenance transcription factor also expressed in glia and endothelia of other animals. Among LET-381/FoxF targets, the UNC-30/Pitx2 transcription factor controls GLR glia morphology and represses alternative mesodermal fates. LET-381 and UNC-30 co-expression in naive cells is sufficient for GLR glia gene expression. GLR glia inactivation by ablation or let-381 mutation disrupts locomotory behavior and promotes salt-induced paralysis, suggesting brain-neuropil activity dysregulation. Our studies uncover mechanisms of mesodermal glia development and show that like neuronal differentiation, glia differentiation requires autoregulatory terminal selector genes that define and maintain the glial fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Stefanakis
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Jessica Jiang
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Yupu Liang
- Research Bioinformatics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA, 02135, USA
| | - Shai Shaham
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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25
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Buckley M, Jacob WP, Bortey L, McClain M, Ritter AL, Godfrey A, Munneke AS, Ramachandran S, Kenis S, Kolnik JC, Olofsson S, Adkins R, Kutoloski T, Rademacher L, Heinecke O, Alva A, Beets I, Francis MM, Kowalski JR. Cell non-autonomous signaling through the conserved C. elegans glycopeptide hormone receptor FSHR-1 regulates cholinergic neurotransmission. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.10.578699. [PMID: 38405708 PMCID: PMC10888917 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.10.578699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Modulation of neurotransmission is key for organismal responses to varying physiological contexts such as during infection, injury, or other stresses, as well as in learning and memory and for sensory adaptation. Roles for cell autonomous neuromodulatory mechanisms in these processes have been well described. The importance of cell non-autonomous pathways for inter-tissue signaling, such as gut-to-brain or glia-to-neuron, has emerged more recently, but the cellular mechanisms mediating such regulation remain comparatively unexplored. Glycoproteins and their G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are well-established orchestrators of multi-tissue signaling events that govern diverse physiological processes through both cell-autonomous and cell non-autonomous regulation. Here, we show that follicle stimulating hormone receptor, FSHR-1, the sole Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of mammalian glycoprotein hormone GPCRs, is important for cell non-autonomous modulation of synaptic transmission. Inhibition of fshr-1 expression reduces muscle contraction and leads to synaptic vesicle accumulation in cholinergic motor neurons. The neuromuscular and locomotor defects in fshr-1 loss-of-function mutants are associated with an underlying accumulation of synaptic vesicles, build-up of the synaptic vesicle priming factor UNC-10/RIM, and decreased synaptic vesicle release from cholinergic motor neurons. Restoration of FSHR-1 to the intestine is sufficient to restore neuromuscular activity and synaptic vesicle localization to fshr-1- deficient animals. Intestine-specific knockdown of FSHR-1 reduces neuromuscular function, indicating FSHR-1 is both necessary and sufficient in the intestine for its neuromuscular effects. Re-expression of FSHR-1 in other sites of endogenous expression, including glial cells and neurons, also restored some neuromuscular deficits, indicating potential cross-tissue regulation from these tissues as well. Genetic interaction studies provide evidence that downstream effectors gsa-1 / Gα S , acy-1 /adenylyl cyclase and sphk-1/ sphingosine kinase and glycoprotein hormone subunit orthologs, GPLA-1/GPA2 and GPLB-1/GPB5, are important for FSHR-1 modulation of the NMJ. Together, our results demonstrate that FSHR-1 modulation directs inter-tissue signaling systems, which promote synaptic vesicle release at neuromuscular synapses.
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26
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Lesnik C, Kaletsky R, Ashraf JM, Sohrabi S, Cota V, Sengupta T, Keyes W, Luo S, Murphy CT. Enhanced Branched-Chain Amino Acid Metabolism Improves Age-Related Reproduction in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.09.527915. [PMID: 38370685 PMCID: PMC10871302 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.09.527915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Reproductive aging is one of the earliest human aging phenotypes, and mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to oocyte quality decline. However, it is not known which mitochondrial metabolic processes are critical for oocyte quality maintenance with age. To understand how mitochondrial processes contribute to C. elegans oocyte quality, we characterized the mitochondrial proteomes of young and aged wild-type and long-reproductive daf-2 mutants. Here we show that the mitochondrial proteomic profiles of young wild-type and daf-2 worms are similar and share upregulation of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism pathway enzymes. Reduction of the BCAA catabolism enzyme BCAT-1 shortens reproduction, elevates mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels, and shifts mitochondrial localization. Moreover, bcat-1 knockdown decreases oocyte quality in daf-2 worms and reduces reproductive capability, indicating the role of this pathway in the maintenance of oocyte quality with age. Importantly, oocyte quality deterioration can be delayed, and reproduction can be extended in wild-type animals both by bcat-1 overexpression and by supplementing with Vitamin B1, a cofactor needed for BCAA metabolism.
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27
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Martinez MAQ, Zhao CZ, Moore FEQ, Yee C, Zhang W, Shen K, Martin BL, Matus DQ. Cell cycle perturbation uncouples mitotic progression and invasive behavior in a post-mitotic cell. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.03.16.533034. [PMID: 38370624 PMCID: PMC10871222 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.16.533034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The acquisition of the post-mitotic state is crucial for the execution of many terminally differentiated cell behaviors during organismal development. However, the mechanisms that maintain the post-mitotic state in this context remain poorly understood. To gain insight into these mechanisms, we used the genetically and visually accessible model of C. elegans anchor cell (AC) invasion into the vulval epithelium. The AC is a terminally differentiated uterine cell that normally exits the cell cycle and enters a post-mitotic state, initiating contact between the uterus and vulva through a cell invasion event. Here, we set out to identify the set of negative cell cycle regulators that maintain the AC in this post-mitotic, invasive state. Our findings revealed a critical role for CKI-1 (p21CIP1/p27KIP1) in redundantly maintaining the post-mitotic state of the AC, as loss of CKI-1 in combination with other negative cell cycle regulators-including CKI-2 (p21CIP1/p27KIP1), LIN-35 (pRb/p107/p130), FZR-1 (Cdh1/Hct1), and LIN-23 (β-TrCP)-resulted in proliferating ACs. Remarkably, time-lapse imaging revealed that these ACs retain their ability to invade. Upon examination of a node in the gene regulatory network controlling AC invasion, we determined that proliferating, invasive ACs do so by maintaining aspects of pro-invasive gene expression. We therefore report that the requirement for a post-mitotic state for invasive cell behavior can be bypassed following direct cell cycle perturbation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Q Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Chris Z Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Frances E Q Moore
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Callista Yee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Wan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Benjamin L Martin
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - David Q Matus
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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28
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Ajayi T, Thomas A, Nikolic M, Henderson L, Zaheri A, Dwyer DS. Evolutionary conservation of putative suicidality-related risk genes that produce diminished motivation corrected by clozapine, lithium and antidepressants. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1341735. [PMID: 38362034 PMCID: PMC10867104 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1341735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Genome wide association studies (GWAS) and candidate gene analyses have identified genetic variants and genes that may increase the risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). Important unresolved issues surround these tentative risk variants such as the characteristics of the associated genes and how they might elicit STBs. Methods Putative suicidality-related risk genes (PSRGs) were identified by comprehensive literature search and were characterized with respect to evolutionary conservation, participation in gene interaction networks and associated phenotypes. Evolutionary conservation was established with database searches and BLASTP queries, whereas gene-gene interactions were ascertained with GeneMANIA. We then examined whether mutations in risk-gene counterparts in C. elegans produced a diminished motivation phenotype previously connected to suicide risk factors. Results and conclusions From the analysis, 105 risk-gene candidates were identified and found to be: 1) highly conserved during evolution, 2) enriched for essential genes, 3) involved in significant gene-gene interactions, and 4) associated with psychiatric disorders, metabolic disturbances and asthma/allergy. Evaluation of 17 mutant strains with loss-of-function/deletion mutations in PSRG orthologs revealed that 11 mutants showed significant evidence of diminished motivation that manifested as immobility in a foraging assay. Immobility was corrected in some or all of the mutants with clozapine, lithium and tricyclic antidepressant drugs. In addition, 5-HT2 receptor and muscarinic receptor antagonists restored goal-directed behavior in most or all of the mutants. These studies increase confidence in the validity of the PSRGs and provide initial clues about possible mechanisms that mediate STBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titilade Ajayi
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Alicia Thomas
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Marko Nikolic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Lauryn Henderson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Alexa Zaheri
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Donard S. Dwyer
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States
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29
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Cebul ER, Marivin A, Wexler LR, Perrat PN, Bénard CY, Garcia-Marcos M, Heiman MG. SAX-7/L1CAM acts with the adherens junction proteins MAGI-1, HMR-1/Cadherin, and AFD-1/Afadin to promote glial-mediated dendrite extension. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.11.575259. [PMID: 38260503 PMCID: PMC10802611 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.11.575259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Adherens junctions (AJs) are a fundamental organizing structure for multicellular life. Although AJs are studied mainly in epithelia, their core function - stabilizing cell contacts by coupling adhesion molecules to the cytoskeleton - is important in diverse tissues. We find that two C. elegans sensory neurons, URX and BAG, require conserved AJ proteins for dendrite morphogenesis. We previously showed that URX and BAG dendrites attach to the embryonic nose via the adhesion molecule SAX-7/L1CAM, acting both in neurons and glia, and then extend by stretch during embryo elongation. Here, we find that a PDZ-binding motif (PB) in the SAX-7 cytoplasmic tail acts with other interaction motifs to promote dendrite extension. Using pull-down assays, we find that the SAX-7 PB binds the multi-PDZ scaffolding protein MAGI-1, which bridges it to the cadherin-catenin complex protein HMP-2/β-catenin. Using cell-specific rescue and depletion, we find that both MAGI-1 and HMR-1/Cadherin act in glia to non-autonomously promote dendrite extension. Double mutant analysis indicates that each protein can act independently of SAX-7, suggesting a multivalent adhesion complex. The SAX-7 PB motif also binds AFD-1/Afadin, loss of which further enhances sax-7 BAG dendrite defects. As MAGI-1, HMR-1, and AFD-1 are all found in epithelial AJs, we propose that an AJ-like complex in glia promotes dendrite extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R. Cebul
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Present address: Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Arthur Marivin
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Leland R. Wexler
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Paola N. Perrat
- Department of Biological Sciences, CERMO-FC Research Center, Universite du Québec à Montréal, Montreál, QC, Canada
| | - Claire Y. Bénard
- Department of Biological Sciences, CERMO-FC Research Center, Universite du Québec à Montréal, Montreál, QC, Canada
| | - Mikel Garcia-Marcos
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maxwell G. Heiman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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30
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Jose A, Collins K. NALCN Channels Are Not Major targets of Gα o or Gα q Modulation in the C. elegans Egg-Laying Behavior Circuit. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2024; 2024:10.17912/micropub.biology.001065. [PMID: 38287929 PMCID: PMC10823792 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Sodium leak channels (NALCN) are regulators of cell membrane potential. Previous studies in mammalian neurons and C. elegans have shown that Gα q and Gα o signaling antagonistically modulates NALCN activity to regulate neuron excitability and neurotransmitter release for behavior. Here, we test whether NALCNs mediate the effects of Gα q and/or Gα o signaling in the C. elegans egg-laying circuit. We find that while gain-of-function NALCN mutants exhibit hyperactive egg-laying behavior, NALCNs are not required for the effects of Gα q or Gα o signaling for egg laying. These results show that NALCNs are not major effectors of G-protein signaling for C. elegans egg-laying behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana Jose
- Physiology & Biophysics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
| | - Kevin Collins
- Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
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31
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Schaan Profes M, Tiroumalechetty A, Patel N, Lauar SS, Sidoli S, Kurshan PT. Characterization of the intracellular neurexin interactome by in vivo proximity ligation suggests its involvement in presynaptic actin assembly. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002466. [PMID: 38252619 PMCID: PMC10802952 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurexins are highly spliced transmembrane cell adhesion molecules that bind an array of partners via their extracellular domains. However, much less is known about the signaling pathways downstream of neurexin's largely invariant intracellular domain (ICD). Caenorhabditis elegans contains a single neurexin gene that we have previously shown is required for presynaptic assembly and stabilization. To gain insight into the signaling pathways mediating neurexin's presynaptic functions, we employed a proximity ligation method, endogenously tagging neurexin's intracellular domain with the promiscuous biotin ligase TurboID, allowing us to isolate adjacent biotinylated proteins by streptavidin pull-down and mass spectrometry. We compared our experimental strain to a control strain in which neurexin, endogenously tagged with TurboID, was dispersed from presynaptic active zones by the deletion of its C-terminal PDZ-binding motif. Selection of this control strain, which differs from the experimental strain only in its synaptic localization, was critical to identifying interactions specifically occurring at synapses. Using this approach, we identified both known and novel intracellular interactors of neurexin, including active zone scaffolds, actin-binding proteins (including almost every member of the Arp2/3 complex), signaling molecules, and mediators of RNA trafficking, protein synthesis and degradation, among others. Characterization of mutants for candidate neurexin interactors revealed that they recapitulate aspects of the nrx-1(-) mutant phenotype, suggesting they may be involved in neurexin signaling. Finally, to investigate a possible role for neurexin in local actin assembly, we endogenously tagged its intracellular domain with actin depolymerizing and sequestering peptides (DeActs) and found that this led to defects in active zone assembly. Together, these results suggest neurexin's intracellular domain may be involved in presynaptic actin-assembly, and furthermore highlight a novel approach to achieving high specificity for in vivo proteomics experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Schaan Profes
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Araven Tiroumalechetty
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Neel Patel
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Stephanie S. Lauar
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Simone Sidoli
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Peri T. Kurshan
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
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32
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Yamamoto S, Kanca O, Wangler MF, Bellen HJ. Integrating non-mammalian model organisms in the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases in humans. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:46-60. [PMID: 37491400 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00633-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing technology has rapidly accelerated the discovery of genetic variants of interest in individuals with rare diseases. However, showing that these variants are causative of the disease in question is complex and may require functional studies. Use of non-mammalian model organisms - mainly fruitflies (Drosophila melanogaster), nematode worms (Caenorhabditis elegans) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) - enables the rapid and cost-effective assessment of the effects of gene variants, which can then be validated in mammalian model organisms such as mice and in human cells. By probing mechanisms of gene action and identifying interacting genes and proteins in vivo, recent studies in these non-mammalian model organisms have facilitated the diagnosis of numerous genetic diseases and have enabled the screening and identification of therapeutic options for patients. Studies in non-mammalian model organisms have also shown that the biological processes underlying rare diseases can provide insight into more common mechanisms of disease and the biological functions of genes. Here, we discuss the opportunities afforded by non-mammalian model organisms, focusing on flies, worms and fish, and provide examples of their use in the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Oguz Kanca
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael F Wangler
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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Catalano F, O’Brien TJ, Mekhova AA, Sepe LV, Elia M, De Cegli R, Gallotta I, Santonicola P, Zampi G, Ilyechova EY, Romanov AA, Samuseva PD, Salzano J, Petruzzelli R, Polishchuk EV, Indrieri A, Kim BE, Brown AEX, Puchkova LV, Di Schiavi E, Polishchuk RS. A new Caenorhabditis elegans model to study copper toxicity in Wilson disease. Traffic 2024; 25:e12920. [PMID: 37886910 PMCID: PMC10841361 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12920] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Wilson disease (WD) is caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene that encodes a copper (Cu) transporting ATPase whose trafficking from the Golgi to endo-lysosomal compartments drives sequestration of excess Cu and its further excretion from hepatocytes into the bile. Loss of ATP7B function leads to toxic Cu overload in the liver and subsequently in the brain, causing fatal hepatic and neurological abnormalities. The limitations of existing WD therapies call for the development of new therapeutic approaches, which require an amenable animal model system for screening and validation of drugs and molecular targets. To achieve this objective, we generated a mutant Caenorhabditis elegans strain with a substitution of a conserved histidine (H828Q) in the ATP7B ortholog cua-1 corresponding to the most common ATP7B variant (H1069Q) that causes WD. cua-1 mutant animals exhibited very poor resistance to Cu compared to the wild-type strain. This manifested in a strong delay in larval development, a shorter lifespan, impaired motility, oxidative stress pathway activation, and mitochondrial damage. In addition, morphological analysis revealed several neuronal abnormalities in cua-1 mutant animals exposed to Cu. Further investigation suggested that mutant CUA-1 is retained and degraded in the endoplasmic reticulum, similarly to human ATP7B-H1069Q. As a consequence, the mutant protein does not allow animals to counteract Cu toxicity. Notably, pharmacological correctors of ATP7B-H1069Q reduced Cu toxicity in cua-1 mutants indicating that similar pathogenic molecular pathways might be activated by the H/Q substitution and, therefore, targeted for rescue of ATP7B/CUA-1 function. Taken together, our findings suggest that the newly generated cua-1 mutant strain represents an excellent model for Cu toxicity studies in WD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Catalano
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Napoli, Italy
| | - Thomas J O’Brien
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, United Kingdom
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aleksandra A Mekhova
- Research center of advanced functional materials and laser communication systems, ADTS Institute, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | | | - Rossella De Cegli
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Ivan Gallotta
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics Adriano Buzzati-Traverso (IGB-ABT), National Research Council (CNR), Napoli, Italy
| | - Pamela Santonicola
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Napoli, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Zampi
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Napoli, Italy
| | - Ekaterina Y Ilyechova
- Research center of advanced functional materials and laser communication systems, ADTS Institute, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Research Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Aleksei A Romanov
- Department of applied mathematics, Institute of applied mathematics and mechanics, Peter the Great Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Polina D Samuseva
- Research center of advanced functional materials and laser communication systems, ADTS Institute, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Josephine Salzano
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Raffaella Petruzzelli
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
- Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM, School of Advanced Studies), Genomics and Experimental Medicine program, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena V. Polishchuk
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessia Indrieri
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
- Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy
| | - Byung-Eun Kim
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - André EX Brown
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, United Kingdom
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ludmila V Puchkova
- Research center of advanced functional materials and laser communication systems, ADTS Institute, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elia Di Schiavi
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Napoli, Italy
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics Adriano Buzzati-Traverso (IGB-ABT), National Research Council (CNR), Napoli, Italy
| | - Roman S. Polishchuk
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
- Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy
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Serra ND, Darwin CB, Sundaram MV. C. elegans Hedgehog-related proteins are tissue- and substructure-specific components of the cuticle and pre-cuticle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.26.573316. [PMID: 38234847 PMCID: PMC10793445 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.26.573316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
In C. elegans, divergent Hedgehog-related (Hh-r) and Patched-related (PTR) proteins promote numerous processes ranging from epithelial and sense organ development to pathogen responses to cuticle shedding during the molt cycle. Here we show that Hh-r proteins are actual components of the cuticle and pre-cuticle apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) that coat, shape, and protect external epithelia. Different Hh-r proteins stably associate with the aECMs of specific tissues and with specific substructures such as furrows and alae. Hh-r mutations can disrupt matrix structure. These results provide a unifying model for the function of nematode Hh-r proteins and highlight ancient connections between Hh proteins and the extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D. Serra
- Dept. of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
| | - Chelsea B. Darwin
- Dept. of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
| | - Meera V. Sundaram
- Dept. of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
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35
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Dang H, Castro-Portuguez R, Espejo L, Backer G, Freitas S, Spence E, Meyers J, Shuck K, Gardea EA, Chang LM, Balsa J, Thorns N, Corban C, Liu T, Bean S, Sheehan S, Korstanje R, Sutphin GL. On the benefits of the tryptophan metabolite 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid in Caenorhabditis elegans and mouse aging. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8338. [PMID: 38097593 PMCID: PMC10721613 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43527-1] [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: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Tryptophan metabolism through the kynurenine pathway influences molecular processes critical to healthy aging including immune signaling, redox homeostasis, and energy production. Aberrant kynurenine metabolism occurs during normal aging and is implicated in many age-associated pathologies including chronic inflammation, atherosclerosis, neurodegeneration, and cancer. We and others previously identified three kynurenine pathway genes-tdo-2, kynu-1, and acsd-1-for which decreasing expression extends lifespan in invertebrates. Here we report that knockdown of haao-1, a fourth gene encoding the enzyme 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA) dioxygenase (HAAO), extends lifespan by ~30% and delays age-associated health decline in Caenorhabditis elegans. Lifespan extension is mediated by increased physiological levels of the HAAO substrate 3HAA. 3HAA increases oxidative stress resistance and activates the Nrf2/SKN-1 oxidative stress response. In pilot studies, female Haao knockout mice or aging wild type male mice fed 3HAA supplemented diet were also long-lived. HAAO and 3HAA represent potential therapeutic targets for aging and age-associated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hope Dang
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Luis Espejo
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Samuel Freitas
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Erica Spence
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Jeremy Meyers
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Karissa Shuck
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Emily A Gardea
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Leah M Chang
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Jonah Balsa
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Niall Thorns
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Teresa Liu
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | | | | | | | - George L Sutphin
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
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36
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Rios JJ, Li Y, Paria N, Bohlender RJ, Huff C, Rosenfeld JA, Liu P, Bi W, Haga K, Fukuda M, Vashisth S, Kaur K, Chahrour MH, Bober MB, Duker AL, Ladha FA, Hanchard NA, Atala K, Khanshour AM, Smith L, Wise CA, Delgado MR. RAB1A haploinsufficiency phenocopies the 2p14-p15 microdeletion and is associated with impaired neuronal differentiation. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:2103-2111. [PMID: 37924809 PMCID: PMC10722380 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hereditary spastic parapareses (HSPs) are clinically heterogeneous motor neuron diseases with variable age of onset and severity. Although variants in dozens of genes are implicated in HSPs, much of the genetic basis for pediatric-onset HSP remains unexplained. Here, we re-analyzed clinical exome-sequencing data from siblings with HSP of unknown genetic etiology and identified an inherited nonsense mutation (c.523C>T [p.Arg175Ter]) in the highly conserved RAB1A. The mutation is predicted to produce a truncated protein with an intact RAB GTPase domain but without two C-terminal cysteine residues required for proper subcellular protein localization. Additional RAB1A mutations, including two frameshift mutations and a mosaic missense mutation (c.83T>C [p.Leu28Pro]), were identified in three individuals with similar neurodevelopmental presentations. In rescue experiments, production of the full-length, but not the truncated, RAB1a rescued Golgi structure and cell proliferation in Rab1-depleted cells. In contrast, the missense-variant RAB1a disrupted Golgi structure despite intact Rab1 expression, suggesting a dominant-negative function of the mosaic missense mutation. Knock-down of RAB1A in cultured human embryonic stem cell-derived neurons resulted in impaired neuronal arborization. Finally, RAB1A is located within the 2p14-p15 microdeletion syndrome locus. The similar clinical presentations of individuals with RAB1A loss-of-function mutations and the 2p14-p15 microdeletion syndrome implicate loss of RAB1A in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental manifestations of this microdeletion syndrome. Our study identifies a RAB1A-related neurocognitive disorder with speech and motor delay, demonstrates an essential role for RAB1a in neuronal differentiation, and implicates RAB1A in the etiology of the neurodevelopmental sequelae associated with the 2p14-p15 microdeletion syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Rios
- Center for Pediatric Bone Biology and Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA; Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Departments of Pediatrics University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Yang Li
- Center for Pediatric Bone Biology and Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA
| | - Nandina Paria
- Center for Pediatric Bone Biology and Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA
| | - Ryan J Bohlender
- Department of Epidemiology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chad Huff
- Department of Epidemiology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jill A Rosenfeld
- Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Baylor Genetics, Houston, TX 77021, USA
| | - Pengfei Liu
- Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Baylor Genetics, Houston, TX 77021, USA
| | - Weimin Bi
- Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Baylor Genetics, Houston, TX 77021, USA
| | - Kentaro Haga
- Department of Integrative Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Mitsunori Fukuda
- Department of Integrative Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Shayal Vashisth
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kiran Kaur
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Maria H Chahrour
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Peter O'Donnell Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Michael B Bober
- Nemours Children's Hospital, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19144, USA
| | | | - Farah A Ladha
- Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Neil A Hanchard
- Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kristhen Atala
- Center for Pediatric Bone Biology and Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA
| | - Anas M Khanshour
- Center for Pediatric Bone Biology and Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA
| | - Linsley Smith
- Department of Neurology, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA
| | - Carol A Wise
- Center for Pediatric Bone Biology and Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA; Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Departments of Pediatrics University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Mauricio R Delgado
- Department of Neurology, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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37
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Wu M, Jiang H, Li Q, Liu Y, Zhang H, Li X, Shao Z. OGT-1 regulates synaptic assembly through the insulin signaling pathway. J Cell Biochem 2023; 124:1919-1930. [PMID: 37991448 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30497] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
The formation and maintenance of synapses are precisely regulated, and the misregulation often leads to neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders. Besides intrinsic genetically encoded signaling pathways, synaptic structure and function are also regulated by extrinsic factors, such as nutrients. O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), a nutrient sensor, is abundant in the nervous system and required for synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. However, whether OGT is involved in synaptic development and the mechanism underlying the process are largely unknown. In this study, we found that OGT-1, the OGT homolog in C. elegans, regulates the presynaptic assembly in AIY interneurons. The insulin receptor DAF-2 acts upstream of OGT-1 to promote the presynaptic assembly by positively regulating the expression of ogt-1. This insulin-OGT-1 axis functions most likely by regulating neuronal activity. In this study, we elucidated a novel mechanism for synaptic development, and provided a potential link between synaptic development and insulin-related neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huihui Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunhe Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongjun Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuekun Li
- School of Medicine, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, The Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Shao
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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38
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Kamal M, Tokmakjian L, Knox J, Han D, Moshiri H, Magomedova L, Nguyen KCQ, Zheng H, Burns AR, Cooke B, Lacoste J, Yeo M, Hall DH, Cummins CL, Roy PJ. PGP-14 establishes a polar lipid permeability barrier within the C. elegans pharyngeal cuticle. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011008. [PMID: 37930961 PMCID: PMC10653525 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The cuticles of ecdysozoan animals are barriers to material loss and xenobiotic insult. Key to this barrier is lipid content, the establishment of which is poorly understood. Here, we show that the p-glycoprotein PGP-14 functions coincidently with the sphingomyelin synthase SMS-5 to establish a polar lipid barrier within the pharyngeal cuticle of the nematode C. elegans. We show that PGP-14 and SMS-5 are coincidentally expressed in the epithelium that surrounds the anterior pharyngeal cuticle where PGP-14 localizes to the apical membrane. pgp-14 and sms-5 also peak in expression at the time of new cuticle synthesis. Loss of PGP-14 and SMS-5 dramatically reduces pharyngeal cuticle staining by Nile Red, a key marker of polar lipids, and coincidently alters the nematode's response to a wide-range of xenobiotics. We infer that PGP-14 exports polar lipids into the developing pharyngeal cuticle in an SMS-5-dependent manner to safeguard the nematode from environmental insult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muntasir Kamal
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Levon Tokmakjian
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica Knox
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Duhyun Han
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Houtan Moshiri
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lilia Magomedova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ken CQ Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Hong Zheng
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew R. Burns
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brittany Cooke
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica Lacoste
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - May Yeo
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David H. Hall
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Carolyn L. Cummins
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter J. Roy
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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39
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Stefanakis N, Jiang J, Liang Y, Shaham S. LET-381/FoxF and UNC-30/Pitx2 control the development of C. elegans mesodermal glia that regulate motor behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.23.563501. [PMID: 37961181 PMCID: PMC10634723 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.23.563501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
While most CNS glia arise from neuroectodermal progenitors, some, like microglia, are mesodermally derived. To understand mesodermal glia development and function, we investigated C. elegans GLR glia, which ensheath the brain neuropil and separate it from the circulatory-system cavity. Transcriptome analysis suggests GLR glia merge astrocytic and endothelial characteristics relegated to separate cell types in vertebrates. Combined fate acquisition is orchestrated by LET-381/FoxF, a fate-specification/maintenance transcription factor expressed in glia and endothelia of other animals. Among LET-381/FoxF targets, UNC-30/Pitx2 transcription factor controls GLR glia morphology and represses alternative mesodermal fates. LET-381 and UNC-30 co-expression in naïve cells is sufficient for GLR glia gene expression. GLR glia inactivation by ablation or let-381 mutation disrupts locomotory behavior and induces salt hypersensitivity, suggesting brain-neuropil activity dysregulation. Our studies uncover mechanisms of mesodermal glia development and show that like neurons, glia differentiation requires autoregulatory terminal selector genes that define and maintain the glial fate.
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40
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Taylor M, Marx O, Norris A. TDP-1 and FUST-1 co-inhibit exon inclusion and control fertility together with transcriptional regulation. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9610-9628. [PMID: 37587694 PMCID: PMC10570059 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene expression is a multistep process and crosstalk among regulatory layers plays an important role in coordinating gene expression. To identify functionally relevant gene expression coordination, we performed a systematic reverse-genetic interaction screen in C. elegans, combining RNA binding protein (RBP) and transcription factor (TF) mutants to generate over 100 RBP;TF double mutants. We identified many unexpected double mutant phenotypes, including two strong genetic interactions between the ALS-related RBPs, fust-1 and tdp-1, and the homeodomain TF ceh-14. Losing any one of these genes alone has no effect on the health of the organism. However, fust-1;ceh-14 and tdp-1;ceh-14 double mutants both exhibit strong temperature-sensitive fertility defects. Both double mutants exhibit defects in gonad morphology, sperm function, and oocyte function. RNA-Seq analysis of double mutants identifies ceh-14 as the main controller of transcript levels, while fust-1 and tdp-1 control splicing through a shared role in exon inhibition. A skipped exon in the polyglutamine-repeat protein pqn-41 is aberrantly included in tdp-1 mutants, and genetically forcing this exon to be skipped in tdp-1;ceh-14 double mutants rescues their fertility. Together our findings identify a novel shared physiological role for fust-1 and tdp-1 in promoting C. elegans fertility and a shared molecular role in exon inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Taylor
- Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Olivia Marx
- Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Adam Norris
- Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
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Lu L, Abbott AL. Male gonad-enriched microRNAs function to control sperm production in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.10.561762. [PMID: 37873419 PMCID: PMC10592766 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.10.561762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Germ cell development and gamete production in animals require small RNA pathways. While studies indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) are necessary for normal sperm production and function, the specific roles for individual miRNAs are largely unknown. Here, we use small RNA sequencing of dissected gonads and functional analysis of new loss of function alleles to identify functions for miRNAs in the control of fecundity and sperm production in Caenorhabditis elegans males and hermaphrodites. We describe a set of 29 male gonad-enriched miRNAs and identify a set of 3 individual miRNAs (mir-58.1, mir-83, and mir-235) and a miRNA cluster (mir-4807-4810.1) that are required for optimal sperm production at 20°C and 5 additional miRNAs (mir-49, mir-57, mir-261, and mir-357/358) that are required for sperm production at 25°C. We observed defects in meiotic progression in mir-58.1, mir-83, mir-235, and mir-4807-4810.1 mutants that may contribute to the reduced number of sperm. Further, analysis of multiple mutants of these miRNAs suggested complex genetic interactions between these miRNAs for sperm production. This study provides insights on the regulatory roles of miRNAs that promote optimal sperm production and fecundity in males and hermaphrodites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Lu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 53201 USA
| | - Allison L. Abbott
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 53201 USA
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42
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Flowers S, Kothari R, Torres Cleuren YN, Alcorn MR, Ewe CK, Alok G, Fiallo SL, Joshi PM, Rothman JH. Regulation of defective mitochondrial DNA accumulation and transmission in C. elegans by the programmed cell death and aging pathways. eLife 2023; 12:e79725. [PMID: 37782016 PMCID: PMC10545429 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The heteroplasmic state of eukaryotic cells allows for cryptic accumulation of defective mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA). 'Purifying selection' mechanisms operate to remove such dysfunctional mtDNAs. We found that activators of programmed cell death (PCD), including the CED-3 and CSP-1 caspases, the BH3-only protein CED-13, and PCD corpse engulfment factors, are required in C. elegans to attenuate germline abundance of a 3.1-kb mtDNA deletion mutation, uaDf5, which is normally stably maintained in heteroplasmy with wildtype mtDNA. In contrast, removal of CED-4/Apaf1 or a mutation in the CED-4-interacting prodomain of CED-3, do not increase accumulation of the defective mtDNA, suggesting induction of a non-canonical germline PCD mechanism or non-apoptotic action of the CED-13/caspase axis. We also found that the abundance of germline mtDNAuaDf5 reproducibly increases with age of the mothers. This effect is transmitted to the offspring of mothers, with only partial intergenerational removal of the defective mtDNA. In mutants with elevated mtDNAuaDf5 levels, this removal is enhanced in older mothers, suggesting an age-dependent mechanism of mtDNA quality control. Indeed, we found that both steady-state and age-dependent accumulation rates of uaDf5 are markedly decreased in long-lived, and increased in short-lived, mutants. These findings reveal that regulators of both PCD and the aging program are required for germline mtDNA quality control and its intergenerational transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagen Flowers
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Rushali Kothari
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Yamila N Torres Cleuren
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
- Computational Biology Unit, Institute for Informatics, University of BergenBergenNorway
| | - Melissa R Alcorn
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Chee Kiang Ewe
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Geneva Alok
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Samantha L Fiallo
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Pradeep M Joshi
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Joel H Rothman
- Department of MCD Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
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Ho J, Guerrero LA, Libuda DE, Luxton GWG, Starr DA. Actin and CDC-42 contribute to nuclear migration through constricted spaces in C. elegans. Development 2023; 150:dev202115. [PMID: 37756590 PMCID: PMC10617605 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202115] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Successful nuclear migration through constricted spaces between cells or in the extracellular matrix relies on the ability of the nucleus to deform. Little is known about how this takes place in vivo. We have studied confined nuclear migration in Caenorhabditis elegans larval P cells, which is mediated by the LINC complex to pull nuclei towards the minus ends of microtubules. Null mutations of the LINC component unc-84 lead to a temperature-dependent phenotype, suggesting a parallel pathway for P-cell nuclear migration. A forward genetic screen for enhancers of unc-84 identified cgef-1 (CDC-42 guanine nucleotide exchange factor). Knockdown of CDC-42 in the absence of the LINC complex led to a P-cell nuclear migration defect. Expression of constitutively active CDC-42 partially rescued nuclear migration in cgef-1; unc-84 double mutants, suggesting that CDC-42 functions downstream of CGEF-1. The Arp2/3 complex and non-muscle myosin II (NMY-2) were also found to function parallel to the LINC pathway. In our model, CGEF-1 activates CDC-42, which induces actin polymerization through the Arp2/3 complex to deform the nucleus during nuclear migration, and NMY-2 helps to push the nucleus through confined spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Ho
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Leslie A. Guerrero
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Diana E. Libuda
- Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - G. W. Gant Luxton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Daniel A. Starr
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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44
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Tzeng CP, Shen K. Wnt signaling and contact-mediated repulsion shape sensory dendritic fields. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.14.557812. [PMID: 37781584 PMCID: PMC10540810 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.14.557812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
The complete and non-redundant coverage of sensory tissues by neighboring neurons enables effective detection of stimuli in the environment. How the neurites of adjacent neurons establish their boundaries to achieve this completeness in coverage remains incompletely understood. Here, we use distinct fluorescent reporters to study two neighboring sensory neurons with complex dendritic arbors, FLP and PVD, in C. elegans . We quantify the sizes of their dendritic fields, and identify CWN-2/Wnt and LIN-17/Frizzled as a ligand and receptor that regulate the relative dendritic field sizes of these two neurons. Loss of either cwn-2 or lin-17 results in complementary changes in the size of the dendritic fields of both neurons; the FLP arbor expands, while that of PVD shrinks. Using an endogenous knock-in mNeonGreen-CWN-2/Wnt, we find that CWN-2/Wnt is localized along the path of growing FLP dendrites. Dynamic imaging shows a significant braking of FLP dendrite growth upon CWN-2/Wnt contact. We find that LIN-17/Frizzled functions cell-autonomously in FLP to limit dendritic field size and propose that PVD fills the space left by FLP through contact-induced retraction. Our results reveal that interactions of dendrites with adjacent dendrites and with environmental cues both shape the boundaries of neighboring dendritic fields. Highlights ▫ Secreted Wnt CWN-2 and cell-autonomous activity of neuronal LIN-17/Frizzled receptors restrict FLP dendritic field sizes▫ Endogenously tagged CWN-2/Wnt is punctate and visible in the same plane of growing FLP dendrites▫ Growth of developing FLP dendrites is inhibited upon contact with extracellular CWN-2/Wnt and with PVD dendrites.
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45
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Chinchankar MN, Taylor WB, Ko SH, Apple EC, Rodriguez KA, Chen L, Fisher AL. A novel endoplasmic reticulum adaptation is critical for the long-lived Caenorhabditis elegans rpn-10 proteasomal mutant. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2023; 1866:194957. [PMID: 37355092 PMCID: PMC10528105 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2023.194957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
The loss of proteostasis due to reduced efficiency of protein degradation pathways plays a key role in multiple age-related diseases and is a hallmark of the aging process. Paradoxically, we have previously reported that the Caenorhabditis elegans rpn-10(ok1865) mutant, which lacks the RPN-10/RPN10/PSMD4 subunit of the 19S regulatory particle of the 26S proteasome, exhibits enhanced cytosolic proteostasis, elevated stress resistance and extended lifespan, despite possessing reduced proteasome function. However, the response of this mutant against threats to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis and proteostasis was unknown. Here, we find that the rpn-10 mutant is highly ER stress resistant compared to the wildtype. Under unstressed conditions, the ER unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated in the rpn-10 mutant as signified by increased xbp-1 splicing. This primed response appears to alter ER homeostasis through the upregulated expression of genes involved in ER protein quality control (ERQC), including those in the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway. Pertinently, we find that ERQC is critical for the rpn-10 mutant longevity. These changes also alter ER proteostasis, as studied using the C. elegans alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency model, which comprises an intestinal ER-localised transgenic reporter of an aggregation-prone form of AAT called ATZ. The rpn-10 mutant shows a significant reduction in the accumulation of the ATZ reporter, thus indicating that its ER proteostasis is augmented. Via a genetic screen for suppressors of decreased ATZ aggregation in the rpn-10 mutant, we then identified ecps-2/H04D03.3, a novel ortholog of the proteasome-associated adaptor and scaffold protein ECM29/ECPAS. We further show that ecps-2 is required for improved ER proteostasis as well as lifespan extension of the rpn-10 mutant. Thus, we propose that ECPS-2-proteasome functional interactions, alongside additional putative molecular processes, contribute to a novel ERQC adaptation which underlies the superior proteostasis and longevity of the rpn-10 mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghna N Chinchankar
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, UT Health San Antonio (UTHSCSA), SA, TX, United States of America; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UTHSCSA, SA, TX, United States of America
| | - William B Taylor
- Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States of America
| | - Su-Hyuk Ko
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, UT Health San Antonio (UTHSCSA), SA, TX, United States of America; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UTHSCSA, SA, TX, United States of America
| | - Ellen C Apple
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, UT Health San Antonio (UTHSCSA), SA, TX, United States of America; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UTHSCSA, SA, TX, United States of America
| | - Karl A Rodriguez
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UTHSCSA, SA, TX, United States of America
| | - Lizhen Chen
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, UT Health San Antonio (UTHSCSA), SA, TX, United States of America; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UTHSCSA, SA, TX, United States of America
| | - Alfred L Fisher
- Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States of America.
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Mahapatra A, Dhakal A, Noguchi A, Vadlamani P, Hundley HA. ADAR-mediated regulation of PQM-1 expression in neurons impacts gene expression throughout C. elegans and regulates survival from hypoxia. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002150. [PMID: 37747897 PMCID: PMC10553819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to alter gene expression programs in response to changes in environmental conditions is central to the ability of an organism to thrive. For most organisms, the nervous system serves as the master regulator in communicating information about the animal's surroundings to other tissues. The information relay centers on signaling pathways that cue transcription factors in a given cell type to execute a specific gene expression program, but also provide a means to signal between tissues. The transcription factor PQM-1 is an important mediator of the insulin signaling pathway contributing to longevity and the stress response as well as impacting survival from hypoxia. Herein, we reveal a novel mechanism for regulating PQM-1 expression specifically in neural cells of larval animals. Our studies reveal that the RNA-binding protein (RBP), ADR-1, binds to pqm-1 mRNA in neural cells. This binding is regulated by the presence of a second RBP, ADR-2, which when absent leads to reduced expression of both pqm-1 and downstream PQM-1 activated genes. Interestingly, we find that neural pqm-1 expression is sufficient to impact gene expression throughout the animal and affect survival from hypoxia, phenotypes that we also observe in adr mutant animals. Together, these studies reveal an important posttranscriptional gene regulatory mechanism in Caenorhabditis elegans that allows the nervous system to sense and respond to environmental conditions to promote organismal survival from hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Mahapatra
- Genome, Cell and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Alfa Dhakal
- Cell, Molecular and Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Indiana University School of Medicine–Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Aika Noguchi
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Pranathi Vadlamani
- Medical Sciences Program, Indiana University School of Medicine–Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Heather A. Hundley
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
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Bergwell M, Smith A, Smith E, Dierlam C, Duran R, Haastrup E, Napier-Jameson R, Seidel R, Potter W, Norris A, Iyer J. A primary microcephaly-associated sas-6 mutation perturbs centrosome duplication, dendrite morphogenesis, and ciliogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad105. [PMID: 37279547 PMCID: PMC10411591 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad105] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The human SASS6(I62T) missense mutation has been linked with the incidence of primary microcephaly in a Pakistani family, although the mechanisms by which this mutation causes disease remain unclear. The SASS6(I62T) mutation corresponds to SAS-6(L69T) in Caenorhabditis elegans. Given that SAS-6 is highly conserved, we modeled this mutation in C. elegans and examined the sas-6(L69T) effect on centrosome duplication, ciliogenesis, and dendrite morphogenesis. Our studies revealed that all the above processes are perturbed by the sas-6(L69T) mutation. Specifically, C. elegans carrying the sas-6(L69T) mutation exhibit an increased failure of centrosome duplication in a sensitized genetic background. Further, worms carrying this mutation also display shortened phasmid cilia, an abnormal phasmid cilia morphology, shorter phasmid dendrites, and chemotaxis defects. Our data show that the centrosome duplication defects caused by this mutation are only uncovered in a sensitized genetic background, indicating that these defects are mild. However, the ciliogenesis and dendritic defects caused by this mutation are evident in an otherwise wild-type background, indicating that they are stronger defects. Thus, our studies shed light on the novel mechanisms by which the sas-6(L69T) mutation could contribute to the incidence of primary microcephaly in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Bergwell
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Cell Cycle & Cancer Biology Research Program, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Amy Smith
- Pfizer Inc., Pharmaceutical R&D – Drug Product Design & Development, Chesterfield, MO 63017, USA
| | - Ellie Smith
- University of Tulsa, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - Carter Dierlam
- University of Tulsa, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - Ramon Duran
- University of Tulsa, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - Erin Haastrup
- University of Tulsa, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | | | - Rory Seidel
- University of Tulsa, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - William Potter
- University of Tulsa, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - Adam Norris
- Southern Methodist University, Department of Biological Sciences, Dallas, TX 75275, USA
| | - Jyoti Iyer
- University of Tulsa, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
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48
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Lim DS, Kim J, Kim W, Kim N, Lee SH, Lee D, Lee J. daf-42 is an evolutionarily young gene essential for dauer development in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad097. [PMID: 37216205 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad097] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Under adverse environmental conditions, nematodes arrest into dauer, an alternative developmental stage for diapause. Dauer endures unfavorable environments and interacts with host animals to access favorable environments, thus playing a critical role in survival. Here, we report that in Caenorhabditis elegans, daf-42 is essential for development into the dauer stage, as the null mutant of daf-42 exhibited a "no viable dauer" phenotype in which no viable dauers were obtained in any dauer-inducing conditions. Long-term time lapse microscopy of synchronized larvae revealed that daf-42 is involved in developmental changes from the pre-dauer L2d stage to the dauer stage. daf-42 encodes large, disordered proteins of various sizes that are expressed in and secreted from the seam cells within a narrow time window shortly before the molt into dauer stage. Transcriptome analysis showed that the transcription of genes involved in larval physiology and dauer metabolism is highly affected by the daf-42 mutation. Contrary to the notion that essential genes that control the life and death of an organism may be well conserved across diverse species, daf-42 is an evolutionarily young gene conserved only in the Caenorhabditis genus. Our study shows that dauer formation is a vital process that is controlled not only by conserved genes but also by newly emerged genes, providing important insights into evolutionary mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy S Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Department of Convergent Bioscience and Informatics, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonjoo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Nari Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Hee Lee
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Daehan Lee
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Junho Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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49
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Ma L, Kuhn J, Chang YT, Elnatan D, Luxton GWG, Starr DA. FLN-2 functions in parallel to LINC complexes and Cdc42/actin pathways during P-cell nuclear migration through constricted spaces in Caenorhabditis elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.04.552041. [PMID: 37577634 PMCID: PMC10418278 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.04.552041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear migration through narrow constrictions is important for development, metastasis, and pro-inflammatory responses. Studies performed in tissue culture cells have implicated LINC (linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) complexes, microtubule motors, the actin cytoskeleton, and nuclear envelope repair machinery as important mediators of nuclear movements through constricted spaces. However, little is understood about how these mechanisms operate to move nuclei in vivo. In C. elegans larvae, 6 pairs of hypodermal P cells migrate from lateral to ventral positions through a constricted space between the body wall muscles and the cuticle. P-cell nuclear migration is mediated in part by LINC complexes using a microtubule-based pathway and by an independent CDC-42/actin-based pathway. However, when both LINC complex and actin-based pathways are knocked out, many nuclei still migrate, suggesting the existence of additional pathways. Here we show that FLN-2 functions in a third pathway to mediate P-cell nuclear migration. The predicted N-terminal actin binding domain in FLN-2 that is found in canonical filamins is dispensable for FLN-2 function, this and structural predictions suggest that FLN-2 is not a divergent filamin. The immunoglobulin (Ig)-like repeats 4-8 of FLN-2 were necessary for P-cell nuclear migration. Furthermore, in the absence of the LINC complex component unc-84, fln-2 mutants had an increase in P-cell nuclear rupture. We conclude that FLN-2 functions to maintain the integrity of the nuclear envelope in parallel with the LINC complex and CDC-42/actin-based pathways to move P-cell nuclei through constricted spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Ma
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan Kuhn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Yu-Tai Chang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Elnatan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - G W Gant Luxton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Daniel A Starr
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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50
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Tan CH, Cheng KW, Park H, Chou TF, Sternberg PW. LINKIN-associated proteins necessary for tissue integrity during collective cell migration. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.08.527750. [PMID: 36798316 PMCID: PMC9934607 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.08.527750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cell adhesion plays essential roles in almost every aspect of metazoan biology. LINKIN (Human: ITFG1, Caenorhabditis elegans: lnkn-1) is a conserved transmembrane protein that has been identified to be necessary for tissue integrity during migration. In C. elegans, loss of lnkn-1 results in the detachment of the lead migratory cell from the rest of the developing male gonad. Previously, three interactors of ITFG1/lnkn-1 - RUVBL1/ruvb-1, RUVBL2/ruvb-2, and alpha-tubulin - were identified by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) analysis using human HEK293T cells and then validated in the nematode male gonad. The ITFG1-RUVBL1 interaction has since been independently validated in a breast cancer cell line model that also implicates the involvement of the pair in metastasis. Here, we showed that epitope-tagged ITFG1 localized to the cell surface of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Using IP-MS analysis, we identified a new list of potential interactors of ITFG1. Loss-of-function analysis of their C. elegans orthologs found that three of the interactors - ATP9A/tat-5, NME1/ndk-1, and ANAPC2/apc-2 - displayed migratory detachment phenotypes similar to that of lnkn-1. Taken together with the other genes whose reduction-of-function phenotype is similar to that of lnkn-1 (notably cohesion and condensin), suggests the involvement of membrane remodeling and chromosome biology in LINKIN-dependent cell adhesion and supports the hypothesis for a structural role of chromosomes in post-mitotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chieh-Hsiang Tan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology
| | - Kai-Wen Cheng
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology
| | - Heenam Park
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology
| | - Tsui-Fen Chou
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology
- Proteome Exploration Laboratory, Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology
| | - Paul W. Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology
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