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Saurabh S, Meier RJ, Pireva LM, Mirza RA, Cavanaugh DJ. Overlapping Central Clock Network Circuitry Regulates Circadian Feeding and Activity Rhythms in Drosophila. J Biol Rhythms 2024; 39:440-462. [PMID: 39066485 DOI: 10.1177/07487304241263734] [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] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The circadian system coordinates multiple behavioral outputs to ensure proper temporal organization. Timing information underlying circadian regulation of behavior depends on a molecular circadian clock that operates within clock neurons in the brain. In Drosophila and other organisms, clock neurons can be divided into several molecularly and functionally discrete subpopulations that form an interconnected central clock network. It is unknown how circadian signals are coherently generated by the clock network and transmitted across output circuits that connect clock cells to downstream neurons that regulate behavior. Here, we have exhaustively investigated the contribution of clock neuron subsets to the control of two prominent behavioral outputs in Drosophila: locomotor activity and feeding. We have used cell-specific manipulations to eliminate molecular clock function or induce electrical silencing either broadly throughout the clock network or in specific subpopulations. We find that clock cell manipulations produce similar changes in locomotor activity and feeding, suggesting that overlapping central clock circuitry regulates these distinct behavioral outputs. Interestingly, the magnitude and nature of the effects depend on the clock subset targeted. Lateral clock neuron manipulations profoundly degrade the rhythmicity of feeding and activity. In contrast, dorsal clock neuron manipulations only subtly affect rhythmicity but produce pronounced changes in the distribution of activity and feeding across the day. These experiments expand our knowledge of clock regulation of activity rhythms and offer the first extensive characterization of central clock control of feeding rhythms. Despite similar effects of central clock cell disruptions on activity and feeding, we find that manipulations that prevent functional signaling in an identified output circuit preferentially degrade locomotor activity rhythms, leaving feeding rhythms relatively intact. This demonstrates that activity and feeding are indeed dissociable behaviors, and furthermore suggests that differential circadian control of these behaviors diverges in output circuits downstream of the clock network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Saurabh
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ruth J Meier
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Liliya M Pireva
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Rabab A Mirza
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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2
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Aughey G, Cali E, Maroofian R, Zaki MS, Pagnamenta AT, Rahman F, Menzies L, Shafique A, Suri M, Roze E, Aguennouz M, Ghizlane Z, Saadi SM, Ali Z, Abdulllah U, Cheema HA, Anjum MN, Morel G, McFarland R, Altunoglu U, Kraus V, Shoukier M, Murphy D, Flemming K, Yttervik H, Rhouda H, Lesca G, Murtaza BN, Rehman MU, Consortium GE, Seo GH, Beetz C, Kayserili H, Krioulie Y, Chung WK, Naz S, Maqbool S, Gleeson J, Baig SM, Efthymiou S, Taylor JC, Severino M, Jepson JE, Houlden H. Clinical and neurogenetic characterisation of autosomal recessive RBL2-associated progressive neurodevelopmental disorder. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.05.03.24306631. [PMID: 38746364 PMCID: PMC11092723 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.03.24306631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Retinoblastoma (RB) proteins are highly conserved transcriptional regulators that play important roles during development by regulating cell-cycle gene expression. RBL2 dysfunction has been linked to a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. However, to date, clinical features have only been described in six individuals carrying five biallelic predicted loss of function (pLOF) variants. To define the phenotypic effects of RBL2 mutations in detail, we identified and clinically characterized a cohort of 28 patients from 18 families carrying LOF variants in RBL2 , including fourteen new variants that substantially broaden the molecular spectrum. The clinical presentation of affected individuals is characterized by a range of neurological and developmental abnormalities. Global developmental delay and intellectual disability were uniformly observed, ranging from moderate to profound and involving lack of acquisition of key motor and speech milestones in most patients. Frequent features included postnatal microcephaly, infantile hypotonia, aggressive behaviour, stereotypic movements and non-specific dysmorphic features. Common neuroimaging features were cerebral atrophy, white matter volume loss, corpus callosum hypoplasia and cerebellar atrophy. In parallel, we used the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster , to investigate how disruption of the conserved RBL2 orthologueue Rbf impacts nervous system function and development. We found that Drosophila Rbf LOF mutants recapitulate several features of patients harboring RBL2 variants, including alterations in the head and brain morphology reminiscent of microcephaly, and perturbed locomotor behaviour. Surprisingly, in addition to its known role in controlling tissue growth during development, we find that continued Rbf expression is also required in fully differentiated post-mitotic neurons for normal locomotion in Drosophila , and that adult-stage neuronal re-expression of Rbf is sufficient to rescue Rbf mutant locomotor defects. Taken together, this study provides a clinical and experimental basis to understand genotype-phenotype correlations in an RBL2 -linked neurodevelopmental disorder and suggests that restoring RBL2 expression through gene therapy approaches may ameliorate aspects of RBL2 LOF patient symptoms.
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3
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Han E, Lee SS, Park KH, Blum ID, Liu Q, Mehta A, Palmer I, Issa H, Han A, Brown MP, Sanchez-Franco VM, Velasco M, Tabuchi M, Wu MN. Tob Regulates the Timing of Sleep Onset at Night in Drosophila. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0389232024. [PMID: 38485259 PMCID: PMC11063825 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0389-23.2024] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Sleep is regulated by homeostatic sleep drive and the circadian clock. While tremendous progress has been made in elucidating the molecular components of the core circadian oscillator, the output mechanisms by which this robust oscillator generates rhythmic sleep behavior remain poorly understood. At the cellular level, growing evidence suggests that subcircuits in the master circadian pacemaker suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in mammals and in the clock network in Drosophila regulate distinct aspects of sleep. Thus, to identify novel molecules regulating the circadian timing of sleep, we conducted a large-scale screen of mouse SCN-enriched genes in Drosophila Here, we show that Tob (Transducer of ERB-B2) regulates the timing of sleep onset at night in female fruit flies. Knockdown of Tob pan-neuronally, either constitutively or conditionally, advances sleep onset at night. We show that Tob is specifically required in "evening neurons" (the LNds and the fifth s-LNv) of the clock network for proper timing of sleep onset. Tob levels cycle in a clock-dependent manner in these neurons. Silencing of these "evening" clock neurons results in an advanced sleep onset at night, similar to that seen with Tob knockdown. Finally, sharp intracellular recordings demonstrate that the amplitude and kinetics of LNd postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) cycle between day and night, and this cycling is attenuated with Tob knockdown in these cells. Our data suggest that Tob acts as a clock output molecule in a subset of clock neurons to potentiate their activity in the evening and enable the proper timing of sleep onset at night.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Han
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Sang Soo Lee
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Kristen H Park
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Ian D Blum
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Anuradha Mehta
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Isabelle Palmer
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Habon Issa
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Alice Han
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Matt P Brown
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | | | - Miguel Velasco
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Masashi Tabuchi
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Mark N Wu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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4
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Perna S, Tang W, Blimbaum S, Li A, Zhou L. Shared Transcriptomic Signatures of Inflammaging Among Diverse Strains of Drosophila melanogaster. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4146509. [PMID: 38645033 PMCID: PMC11030547 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4146509/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Background A prominent hallmark of aging is inflammaging-the increased expression of innate immune genes without identifiable infection. Model organisms with shorter lifespans, such as the fruit fly, provide an essential platform for probing the mechanisms of inflammaging. Multiple groups have reported that, like mammalian models, old flies have significantly higher levels of expression of anti-microbial peptide genes. However, whether some of these genes-or any others-can serve as reliable markers for assessing and comparing inflammaging in different strains remains unclear. Methods and Results We compared RNA-Seq datasets generated by different groups. Although the fly strains used in these studies differ significantly, we found that they share a core group of genes with strong aging-associated expression. In addition to anti-microbial peptide genes, we identified other genes that have prominently increased expression in old flies, especially SPH93. We further showed that machine learning models can be used to predict the "inflammatory age" of the fruit y. Conclusion A core group of genes may serve as markers for studying inflammaging in Drosophila. RNA-Seq profiles, in combination with machine-learning models, can be applied to measure the acceleration or deceleration of inflammaging.
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Viragh E, Asztalos L, Fenckova M, Szlanka T, Gyorgypal Z, Kovacs K, IntHout J, Cizek P, Konda M, Szucs E, Zvara A, Biro J, Csapo E, Lukacsovich T, Hegedus Z, Puskas L, Schenck A, Asztalos Z. Pre-Pulse Inhibition of an escape response in adult fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3853873. [PMID: 38343805 PMCID: PMC10854311 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3853873/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Pre-Pulse Inhibition (PPI) is a neural process where suppression of a startle response is elicited by preceding the startling stimulus (Pulse) with a weak, non-startling one (Pre-Pulse). Defective PPI is widely employed as a behavioural endophenotype in humans and mammalian disorder-relevant models for neuropsychiatric disorders. We have developed a user-friendly, semi-automated, high-throughput-compatible Drosophila light-off jump response PPI paradigm, with which we demonstrate that PPI, with similar parameters measured in mammals, exists in adults of this model organism. We report that Drosophila PPI is affected by reduced expression of Dysbindin and both reduced and increased expression of Nmdar1 (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1), perturbations associated with schizophrenia. Studying the biology of PPI in an organism that offers a plethora of genetic tools and a complex and well characterized connectome will greatly facilitate our efforts to gain deeper insight into the aetiology of human mental disorders, while reducing the need for mammalian models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Viragh
- Institute of Biochemistry, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- Aktogen Hungary Ltd., Szeged, Hungary
| | - Lenke Asztalos
- Aktogen Hungary Ltd., Szeged, Hungary
- Aktogen Ltd., Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Current address: Aktogen Ltd. Ramsey, Huntingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Michaela Fenckova
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Tamas Szlanka
- Institute of Biochemistry, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- Aktogen Hungary Ltd., Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zoltan Gyorgypal
- Institute of Biophysics & Core Facilities, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Karoly Kovacs
- Institute of Biochemistry, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- HCEMM-BRC Metabolic Systems Biology Lab, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Joanna IntHout
- Department for Health Evidence (HEV), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Pavel Cizek
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mihaly Konda
- Aktogen Hungary Ltd., Szeged, Hungary
- Voalaz Ltd., Szeged, Hungary
| | | | - Agnes Zvara
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre Szeged, Hungary
| | | | | | | | - Zoltan Hegedus
- Institute of Biophysics & Core Facilities, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Laszlo Puskas
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre Szeged, Hungary
| | - Annette Schenck
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Zoltan Asztalos
- Institute of Biochemistry, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- Aktogen Hungary Ltd., Szeged, Hungary
- Aktogen Ltd., Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Current address: Aktogen Ltd. Ramsey, Huntingdon, United Kingdom
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6
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Jejina A, Ayala Y, Beuchle D, Höhener T, Dörig RE, Vazquez-Pianzola P, Hernández G, Suter B. Role of BicDR in bristle shaft construction and support of BicD functions. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261408. [PMID: 38264934 PMCID: PMC10917063 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261408] [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: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell polarization requires asymmetric localization of numerous mRNAs, proteins and organelles. The movement of cargo towards the minus end of microtubules mostly depends on cytoplasmic dynein motors. In the dynein-dynactin-Bicaudal-D transport machinery, Bicaudal-D (BicD) links the cargo to the motor. Here, we focus on the role of Drosophila BicD-related (BicDR, CG32137) in the development of the long bristles. Together with BicD, it contributes to the organization and stability of the actin cytoskeleton in the not-yet-chitinized bristle shaft. BicD and BicDR also support the stable expression and distribution of Rab6 and Spn-F in the bristle shaft, including the distal tip localization of Spn-F, pointing to the role of microtubule-dependent vesicle trafficking for bristle construction. BicDR supports the function of BicD, and we discuss the hypothesis whereby BicDR might transport cargo more locally, with BicD transporting cargo over long distances, such as to the distal tip. We also identified embryonic proteins that interact with BicDR and appear to be BicDR cargo. For one of them, EF1γ (also known as eEF1γ), we show that the encoding gene EF1γ interacts with BicD and BicDR in the construction of the bristles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Jejina
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yeniffer Ayala
- Laboratory of Translation and Cancer, Unit of Biomedical Research on Cancer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologıá (INCan), 14080 Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Dirk Beuchle
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Höhener
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ruth E. Dörig
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Greco Hernández
- Laboratory of Translation and Cancer, Unit of Biomedical Research on Cancer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologıá (INCan), 14080 Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Beat Suter
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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7
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Palumbo RJ, Yang Y, Feigon J, Hanes SD. Catalytic activity of the Bin3/MePCE methyltransferase domain is dispensable for 7SK snRNP function in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2024; 226:iyad203. [PMID: 37982586 PMCID: PMC10763541 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad203] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylphosphate Capping Enzyme (MePCE) monomethylates the gamma phosphate at the 5' end of the 7SK noncoding RNA, a modification thought to protect 7SK from degradation. 7SK serves as a scaffold for assembly of a snRNP complex that inhibits transcription by sequestering the positive elongation factor P-TEFb. While much is known about the biochemical activity of MePCE in vitro, little is known about its functions in vivo, or what roles-if any-there are for regions outside the conserved methyltransferase domain. Here, we investigated the role of Bin3, the Drosophila ortholog of MePCE, and its conserved functional domains in Drosophila development. We found that bin3 mutant females had strongly reduced rates of egg-laying, which was rescued by genetic reduction of P-TEFb activity, suggesting that Bin3 promotes fecundity by repressing P-TEFb. bin3 mutants also exhibited neuromuscular defects, analogous to a patient with MePCE haploinsufficiency. These defects were also rescued by genetic reduction of P-TEFb activity, suggesting that Bin3 and MePCE have conserved roles in promoting neuromuscular function by repressing P-TEFb. Unexpectedly, we found that a Bin3 catalytic mutant (Bin3Y795A) could still bind and stabilize 7SK and rescue all bin3 mutant phenotypes, indicating that Bin3 catalytic activity is dispensable for 7SK stability and snRNP function in vivo. Finally, we identified a metazoan-specific motif (MSM) outside of the methyltransferase domain and generated mutant flies lacking this motif (Bin3ΔMSM). Bin3ΔMSM mutant flies exhibited some-but not all-bin3 mutant phenotypes, suggesting that the MSM is required for a 7SK-independent, tissue-specific function of Bin3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Palumbo
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Yuan Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Juli Feigon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Steven D Hanes
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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8
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Socha C, Pais IS, Lee KZ, Liu J, Liégeois S, Lestradet M, Ferrandon D. Fast drosophila enterocyte regrowth after infection involves a reverse metabolic flux driven by an amino acid transporter. iScience 2023; 26:107490. [PMID: 37636057 PMCID: PMC10448536 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon exposure to a bacterial pore-forming toxin, enterocytes rapidly purge their apical cytoplasm into the gut lumen, resulting in a thin intestinal epithelium. The enterocytes regain their original shape and thickness within 16 h after the ingestion of the bacteria. Here, we show that the regrowth of Drosophila enterocytes entails an inversion of metabolic fluxes from the organism back toward the intestine. We identify a proton-assisted transporter, Arcus, that is required for the reverse absorption of amino acids and the timely recovery of the intestinal epithelium. Arcus is required for a peak of amino acids appearing in the hemolymph shortly after infection. The regrowth of enterocytes involves the insulin signaling pathway and Myc. The purge decreases Myc mRNA levels, which subsequently remain at low levels in the arcus mutant. Interestingly, the action of arcus and Myc in the intestinal epithelium is not cell-autonomous, suggesting amino acid fluxes within the intestinal epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Socha
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, RIDI UPR 9022, F67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Inês S. Pais
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, RIDI UPR 9022, F67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Kwang-Zin Lee
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, RIDI UPR 9022, F67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Jiyong Liu
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Xinzao, Panyu District, Guangzhou 511436, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Samuel Liégeois
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, RIDI UPR 9022, F67084 Strasbourg, France
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Xinzao, Panyu District, Guangzhou 511436, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Matthieu Lestradet
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, RIDI UPR 9022, F67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Dominique Ferrandon
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, RIDI UPR 9022, F67084 Strasbourg, France
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Xinzao, Panyu District, Guangzhou 511436, Guangdong Province, China
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9
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Frasch M, Ismat A, Reim I, Raufer J. The RNF220 domain nuclear factor Teyrha-Meyrha (Tey) regulates the migration and differentiation of specific visceral and somatic muscles in Drosophila. Development 2023; 150:dev201457. [PMID: 37642089 PMCID: PMC10508689 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201457] [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: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Development of the visceral musculature of the Drosophila midgut encompasses a closely coordinated sequence of migration events of cells from the trunk and caudal visceral mesoderm that underlies the formation of the stereotypic orthogonal pattern of circular and longitudinal midgut muscles. Our study focuses on the last step of migration and morphogenesis of longitudinal visceral muscle precursors and shows that these multinucleated precursors utilize dynamic filopodial extensions to migrate in dorsal and ventral directions over the forming midgut tube. The establishment of maximal dorsoventral distances from one another, and anteroposterior alignments, lead to the equidistant coverage of the midgut with longitudinal muscle fibers. We identify Teyrha-Meyhra (Tey), a tissue-specific nuclear factor related to the RNF220 domain protein family, as a crucial regulator of this process of muscle migration and morphogenesis that is further required for proper differentiation of longitudinal visceral muscles. In addition, Tey is expressed in a single somatic muscle founder cell in each hemisegment, regulates the migration of this founder cell, and is required for proper pathfinding of its developing myotube to specific myotendinous attachment sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Frasch
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department of Biology, Division of Developmental Biology, Staudtstrasse 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Afshan Ismat
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Ingolf Reim
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department of Biology, Division of Developmental Biology, Staudtstrasse 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jasmin Raufer
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department of Biology, Division of Developmental Biology, Staudtstrasse 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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10
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Duhart JM, Buchler JR, Inami S, Kennedy KJ, Jenny BP, Afonso DJS, Koh K. Modulation and neural correlates of postmating sleep plasticity in Drosophila females. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2702-2716.e3. [PMID: 37352854 PMCID: PMC10527417 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.054] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Sleep is essential, but animals may forgo sleep to engage in other critical behaviors, such as feeding and reproduction. Previous studies have shown that female flies exhibit decreased sleep after mating, but our understanding of the process is limited. Here, we report that postmating nighttime sleep loss is modulated by diet and sleep deprivation, demonstrating a complex interaction among sleep, reproduction, and diet. We also find that female-specific pC1 neurons and sleep-promoting dorsal fan-shaped body (dFB) neurons are required for postmating sleep plasticity. Activating pC1 neurons leads to sleep suppression on standard fly culture media but has little sleep effect on sucrose-only food. Published connectome data suggest indirect, inhibitory connections among pC1 subtypes. Using calcium imaging, we show that activating the pC1e subtype inhibits dFB neurons. We propose that pC1 and dFB neurons integrate the mating status, food context, and sleep drive to modulate postmating sleep plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Duhart
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir-IIBBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1405BWE, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Quilmes B1876BXD, Argentina.
| | - Joseph R Buchler
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Sho Inami
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Kyle J Kennedy
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - B Peter Jenny
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Dinis J S Afonso
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Kyunghee Koh
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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11
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Jejina A, Ayala Y, Hernández G, Suter B. Role of BicDR in bristle shaft construction, tracheal development, and support of BicD functions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.16.545245. [PMID: 37398393 PMCID: PMC10312712 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.16.545245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Cell polarization requires asymmetric localization of numerous mRNAs, proteins, and organelles. The movement of cargo towards the minus end of microtubules mostly depends on cytoplasmic dynein motors, which function as multiprotein complexes. In the dynein/dynactin/Bicaudal-D (DDB) transport machinery, Bicaudal-D (BicD) links the cargo to the motor. Here we focus on the role of BicD-related (BicDR) and its contribution to microtubule-dependent transport processes. Drosophila BicDR is required for the normal development of bristles and dorsal trunk tracheae. Together with BicD, it contributes to the organization and stability of the actin cytoskeleton in the not-yet-chitinized bristle shaft and the localization of Spn-F and Rab6 at the distal tip. We show that BicDR supports the function of BicD in bristle development and our results suggest that BicDR transports cargo more locally whereas BicD is more responsible for delivering functional cargo over the long distance to the distal tip. We identified the proteins that interact with BicDR and appear to be BicDR cargo in embryonic tissues. For one of them, EF1γ, we showed that EF1γ genetically interacts with BicD and BicDR in the construction of the bristles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Jejina
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yeniffer Ayala
- Laboratory of Translation and Cancer, Unit of Biomedical Research on Cancer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologıá (INCan), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Greco Hernández
- Laboratory of Translation and Cancer, Unit of Biomedical Research on Cancer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologıá (INCan), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Beat Suter
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland
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12
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Palumbo RJ, Hanes SD. Catalytic activity of the Bin3/MEPCE methyltransferase domain is dispensable for 7SK snRNP function in Drosophila melanogaster. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.01.543302. [PMID: 37333392 PMCID: PMC10274667 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.01.543302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Methylphosphate Capping Enzyme (MEPCE) monomethylates the gamma phosphate at the 5' end of the 7SK noncoding RNA, a modification thought to protect 7SK from degradation. 7SK serves as a scaffold for assembly of a snRNP complex that inhibits transcription by sequestering the positive elongation factor P-TEFb. While much is known about the biochemical activity of MEPCE in vitro, little is known about its functions in vivo, or what roles- if any-there are for regions outside the conserved methyltransferase domain. Here, we investigated the role of Bin3, the Drosophila ortholog of MEPCE, and its conserved functional domains in Drosophila development. We found that bin3 mutant females had strongly reduced rates of egg-laying, which was rescued by genetic reduction of P-TEFb activity, suggesting that Bin3 promotes fecundity by repressing P-TEFb. bin3 mutants also exhibited neuromuscular defects, analogous to a patient with MEPCE haploinsufficiency. These defects were also rescued by genetic reduction of P-TEFb activity, suggesting that Bin3 and MEPCE have conserved roles in promoting neuromuscular function by repressing P-TEFb. Unexpectedly, we found that a Bin3 catalytic mutant (Bin3Y795A) could still bind and stabilize 7SK and rescue all bin3 mutant phenotypes, indicating that Bin3 catalytic activity is dispensable for 7SK stability and snRNP function in vivo. Finally, we identified a metazoan-specific motif (MSM) outside of the methyltransferase domain and generated mutant flies lacking this motif (Bin3ΔMSM). Bin3ΔMSM mutant flies exhibited some-but not all-bin3 mutant phenotypes, suggesting that the MSM is required for a 7SK-independent, tissue-specific function of Bin3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Palumbo
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University 750 East Adams Street, 4283 Weiskotten Hall, Syracuse, New York, 13210
| | - Steven D Hanes
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University 750 East Adams Street, 4283 Weiskotten Hall, Syracuse, New York, 13210
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13
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Bruner-Montero G, Jiggins FM. Wolbachia protects Drosophila melanogaster against two naturally occurring and virulent viral pathogens. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8518. [PMID: 37231093 PMCID: PMC10212958 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35726-z] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia is a common endosymbiont that can protect insects against viral pathogens. However, whether the antiviral effects of Wolbachia have a significant effect on fitness remains unclear. We have investigated the interaction between Drosophila melanogaster, Wolbachia and two viruses that we recently isolated from wild flies, La Jolla virus (LJV; Iflaviridae) and Newfield virus (NFV; Permutotetraviridae). Flies infected with these viruses have increased mortality rates, and NFV partially sterilizes females. These effects on fitness were reduced in Wolbachia-infected flies, and this was associated with reduced viral titres. However, Wolbachia alone also reduces survival, and under our experimental conditions these costs of the symbiont can outweigh the benefits of antiviral protection. In contrast, protection against the sterilizing effect of NFV leads to a net benefit of Wolbachia infection after exposure to the virus. These results support the hypothesis that Wolbachia is an important defense against the natural pathogens of D. melanogaster. Furthermore, by reducing the cost of Wolbachia infection, the antiviral effects of Wolbachia may aid its invasion into populations and help explain why it is so common in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaspar Bruner-Montero
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK.
- Coiba Scientific Station, City of Knowledge, 0843-03081, Clayton, Panama.
| | - Francis M Jiggins
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK.
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14
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Bedont JL, Kolesnik A, Pivarshev P, Malik D, Hsu CT, Weljie A, Sehgal A. Chronic sleep loss sensitizes Drosophila melanogaster to nitrogen stress. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1613-1623.e5. [PMID: 36965479 PMCID: PMC10133188 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
Chronic sleep loss profoundly impacts metabolic health and shortens lifespan, but studies of the mechanisms involved have focused largely on acute sleep deprivation.1,2 To identify metabolic consequences of chronically reduced sleep, we conducted unbiased metabolomics on heads of three adult Drosophila short-sleeping mutants with very different mechanisms of sleep loss: fumin (fmn), redeye (rye), and sleepless (sss).3,4,5,6,7 Common features included elevated ornithine and polyamines, with lipid, acyl-carnitine, and TCA cycle changes suggesting mitochondrial dysfunction. Studies of excretion demonstrate inefficient nitrogen elimination in adult sleep mutants, likely contributing to their polyamine accumulation. Increasing levels of polyamines, particularly putrescine, promote sleep in control flies but poison sleep mutants. This parallels the broadly enhanced toxicity of high dietary nitrogen load from protein in chronically sleep-restricted Drosophila, including both sleep mutants and flies with hyper-activated wake-promoting neurons. Together, our results implicate nitrogen stress as a novel mechanism linking chronic sleep loss to adverse health outcomes-and perhaps for linking food and sleep homeostasis at the cellular level in healthy organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Bedont
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Anna Kolesnik
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Pavel Pivarshev
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dania Malik
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Cynthia T Hsu
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Aalim Weljie
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 4000 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
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15
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Sustar AE, Strand LG, Zimmerman SG, Berg CA. Imaginal disk growth factors are Drosophila chitinase-like proteins with roles in morphogenesis and CO2 response. Genetics 2023; 223:iyac185. [PMID: 36576887 PMCID: PMC9910413 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac185] [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: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chitinase-like proteins (CLPs) are members of the family 18 glycosyl hydrolases, which include chitinases and the enzymatically inactive CLPs. A mutation in the enzyme's catalytic site, conserved in vertebrates and invertebrates, allowed CLPs to evolve independently with functions that do not require chitinase activity. CLPs normally function during inflammatory responses, wound healing, and host defense, but when they persist at excessive levels at sites of chronic inflammation and in tissue-remodeling disorders, they correlate positively with disease progression and poor prognosis. Little is known, however, about their physiological function. Drosophila melanogaster has 6 CLPs, termed Imaginal disk growth factors (Idgfs), encoded by Idgf1, Idgf2, Idgf3, Idgf4, Idgf5, and Idgf6. In this study, we developed tools to facilitate characterization of the physiological roles of the Idgfs by deleting each of the Idgf genes using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and assessing loss-of-function phenotypes. Using null lines, we showed that loss of function for all 6 Idgf proteins significantly lowers viability and fertility. We also showed that Idgfs play roles in epithelial morphogenesis, maintaining proper epithelial architecture and cell shape, regulating E-cadherin and cortical actin, and remarkably, protecting these tissues against CO2 exposure. Defining the normal molecular mechanisms of CLPs is a key to understanding how deviations tip the balance from a physiological to a pathological state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Sustar
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Bldg. S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195-5065, USA
| | - Liesl G Strand
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Bldg. S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195-5065, USA
| | - Sandra G Zimmerman
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Bldg. S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195-5065, USA
| | - Celeste A Berg
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Bldg. S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195-5065, USA
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16
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Mather LM, Cholak ME, Morfoot CM, Curro KC, Love J, Cavanaugh DJ. Inducible Reporter Lines for Tissue-specific Monitoring of Drosophila Circadian Clock Transcriptional Activity. J Biol Rhythms 2023; 38:44-63. [PMID: 36495136 DOI: 10.1177/07487304221138946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Organisms track time of day through the function of cell-autonomous molecular clocks. In addition to a central clock located in the brain, molecular clocks are present in most peripheral tissues. Circadian clocks are coordinated within and across tissues, but the manner through which this coordination is achieved is not well understood. We reasoned that the ability to track in vivo molecular clock activity in specific tissues of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, would facilitate an investigation into the relationship between different clock-containing tissues. Previous efforts to monitor clock gene expression in single flies in vivo have used regulatory elements of several different clock genes to dictate expression of a luciferase reporter enzyme, the activity of which can be monitored using a luminometer. Although these reporter lines have been instrumental in our understanding of the circadian system, they generally lack cell specificity, making it difficult to compare molecular clock oscillations between different tissues. Here, we report the generation of several novel lines of flies that allow for inducible expression of a luciferase reporter construct for clock gene transcriptional activity. We find that these lines faithfully report circadian transcription, as they exhibit rhythmic luciferase activity that is dependent on a functional molecular clock. Furthermore, we take advantage of our reporter lines' tissue specificity to demonstrate that peripheral molecular clocks are able to retain rhythmicity for multiple days under constant environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilyan M Mather
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Meghan E Cholak
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Connor M Morfoot
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | - Jacob Love
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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17
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Borkúti P, Kristó I, Szabó A, Bajusz C, Kovács Z, Réthi-Nagy Z, Lipinszki Z, Lukácsovich T, Bogdan S, Vilmos P. Parallel import mechanisms ensure the robust nuclear localization of actin in Drosophila. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:963635. [PMID: 36060241 PMCID: PMC9437273 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.963635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin, as an ancient and fundamental protein, participates in various cytoplasmic as well as nuclear functions in eukaryotic cells. Based on its manifold tasks in the nucleus, it is a reasonable assumption that the nuclear presence of actin is essential for the cell, and consequently, its nuclear localization is ensured by a robust system. However, today only a single nuclear import and a single nuclear export pathway is known which maintain the dynamic balance between cytoplasmic and nuclear actin pools. In our work, we tested the robustness of the nuclear import of actin, and investigated whether the perturbations of nuclear localization affect the viability of the whole organism. For this aim, we generated a genetic system in Drosophila, in which we rescued the lethal phenotype of the null mutation of the Actin5C gene with transgenes that express different derivatives of actin, including a Nuclear Export Signal (NES)-tagged isoform which ensures forced nuclear export of the protein. We also disrupted the SUMOylation site of actin, suggested earlier to be responsible for nuclear retention, and eliminated the activity of the single nuclear import factor dedicated to actin. We found that, individually, none of the above mentioned manipulations led to a notable reduction in nuclear actin levels and thus, fully rescued lethality. However, the NES tagging of actin, together with the knock out of its importin, significantly reduced the amount of nuclear actin and induced lethality, confirming that the presence of actin in the nucleus is essential, and thereby, over-secured. Supporting this, we identified novel nuclear importins specific to actin, which sheds light on the mechanism behind the robustness of nuclear localization of actin, and supports the idea of essentiality of its nuclear functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Borkúti
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Science, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Kristó
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Anikó Szabó
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Csaba Bajusz
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Kovács
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Science, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsánna Réthi-Nagy
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Biochemistry, MTA SZBK Lendület Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Lipinszki
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Biochemistry, MTA SZBK Lendület Laboratory of Cell Cycle Regulation, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Szeged, Hungary
| | | | - Sven Bogdan
- Department of Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Péter Vilmos
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
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18
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Brown EB, Klok J, Keene AC. Measuring metabolic rate in single flies during sleep and waking states via indirect calorimetry. J Neurosci Methods 2022; 376:109606. [PMID: 35483506 PMCID: PMC9310448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drosophila melanogaster is a leading genetic model for studying the neural regulation of sleep. Sleep is associated with changes in behavior and physiological state that are largely conserved across species. The investigation of sleep in flies has predominantly focused on behavioral readouts of sleep because physiological measurements, including changes in brain activity and metabolic rate, are less accessible. We have previously used stop-flow indirect calorimetry to measure whole body metabolic rate in single flies and have shown that in flies, like mammals, metabolic rate is reduced during sleep. NEW METHOD Here, we describe a modified version of this system that allows for efficient and highly sensitive acquisition of CO2 output from single flies. RESULTS In this modified system, we show that sleep-dependent changes in metabolic rate are diminished in aging flies, supporting the notion that sleep quality is reduced as flies age. We also describe a modification that allows for simultaneous acquisition of CO2 and O2 levels, providing a respiratory quotient that quantifies how metabolic stores are utilized. We find that the respiratory quotient identified in flies on an all-sugar diet is suggestive of lipogenesis, where the dietary sugar provided to the flies is being converted to fat. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS AND CONCLUSIONS Taken together, the measurement of metabolic rate via indirect calorimetry not only provides a physiological readout of sleep depth, but also provides insight the metabolic regulation of nutrient utilization, with broad applications to genetic studies in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B Brown
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Jaco Klok
- Sable Systems International, Las Vegas, NV 89032, USA
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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19
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Stern DL. Transgenic tools for targeted chromosome rearrangements allow construction of balancer chromosomes in non- melanogaster Drosophila species. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6526388. [PMID: 35143616 PMCID: PMC8982376 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Perhaps the most valuable single set of resources for genetic studies of Drosophila melanogaster is the collection of multiply inverted chromosomes commonly known as balancer chromosomes. Balancers prevent the recovery of recombination exchange products within genomic regions included in inversions and allow perpetual maintenance of deleterious alleles in living stocks and the execution of complex genetic crosses. Balancer chromosomes have been generated traditionally by exposing animals to ionizing radiation and screening for altered chromosome structure or for unusual marker segregation patterns. These approaches are tedious and unpredictable, and have failed to produce the desired products in some species. Here, I describe transgenic tools that allow targeted chromosome rearrangements in Drosophila species. The key new resources are engineered reporter genes containing introns with yeast recombination sites and enhancers that drive fluorescent reporter genes in multiple body regions. These tools were used to generate a doubly inverted chromosome 3R in Drosophila simulans that serves as an effective balancer chromosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
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20
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McClure CD, Hassan A, Aughey GN, Butt K, Estacio-Gómez A, Duggal A, Ying Sia C, Barber AF, Southall TD. An auxin-inducible, GAL4-compatible, gene expression system for Drosophila. eLife 2022; 11:e67598. [PMID: 35363137 PMCID: PMC8975555 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to control transgene expression, both spatially and temporally, is essential for studying model organisms. In Drosophila, spatial control is primarily provided by the GAL4/UAS system, whilst temporal control relies on a temperature-sensitive GAL80 (which inhibits GAL4) and drug-inducible systems. However, these are not ideal. Shifting temperature can impact on many physiological and behavioural traits, and the current drug-inducible systems are either leaky, toxic, incompatible with existing GAL4-driver lines, or do not generate effective levels of expression. Here, we describe the auxin-inducible gene expression system (AGES). AGES relies on the auxin-dependent degradation of a ubiquitously expressed GAL80, and therefore, is compatible with existing GAL4-driver lines. Water-soluble auxin is added to fly food at a low, non-lethal, concentration, which induces expression comparable to uninhibited GAL4 expression. The system works in both larvae and adults, providing a stringent, non-lethal, cost-effective, and convenient method for temporally controlling GAL4 activity in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin D McClure
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Amira Hassan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Gabriel N Aughey
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Khushbakht Butt
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New JerseyNew BrunswickUnited States
| | | | - Aneisha Duggal
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Chee Ying Sia
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Annika F Barber
- Waksman Institute and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New JerseyNew BrunswickUnited States
| | - Tony D Southall
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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21
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Translational control of E2f1 regulates the Drosophila cell cycle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2113704119. [PMID: 35074910 PMCID: PMC8795540 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113704119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
E2F transcription factors are master regulators of the eukaryotic cell cycle. In Drosophila, the sole activating E2F, E2F1, is both required for and sufficient to promote G1→S progression. E2F1 activity is regulated both by binding to RB Family repressors and by posttranscriptional control of E2F1 protein levels by the EGFR and TOR signaling pathways. Here, we investigate cis-regulatory elements in the E2f1 messenger RNA (mRNA) that enable E2f1 translation to respond to these signals and promote mitotic proliferation of wing imaginal disc and intestinal stem cells. We show that small upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of the E2f1 mRNA limit its translation, impacting rates of cell proliferation. E2f1 transgenes lacking these 5'UTR uORFs caused TOR-independent expression and excess cell proliferation, suggesting that TOR activity can bypass uORF-mediated translational repression. EGFR signaling also enhanced translation but through a mechanism less dependent on 5'UTR uORFs. Further, we mapped a region in the E2f1 mRNA that contains a translational enhancer, which may also be targeted by TOR signaling. This study reveals translational control mechanisms through which growth signaling regulates cell cycle progression.
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22
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Li Q, Jang H, Lim KY, Lessing A, Stavropoulos N. insomniac links the development and function of a sleep-regulatory circuit. eLife 2021; 10:65437. [PMID: 34908527 PMCID: PMC8758140 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although many genes are known to influence sleep, when and how they impact sleep-regulatory circuits remain ill-defined. Here, we show that insomniac (inc), a conserved adaptor for the autism-associated Cul3 ubiquitin ligase, acts in a restricted period of neuronal development to impact sleep in adult Drosophila. The loss of inc causes structural and functional alterations within the mushroom body (MB), a center for sensory integration, associative learning, and sleep regulation. In inc mutants, MB neurons are produced in excess, develop anatomical defects that impede circuit assembly, and are unable to promote sleep when activated in adulthood. Our findings link neurogenesis and postmitotic development of sleep-regulatory neurons to their adult function and suggest that developmental perturbations of circuits that couple sensory inputs and sleep may underlie sleep dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuling Li
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Hyunsoo Jang
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Kayla Y Lim
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Alexie Lessing
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Nicholas Stavropoulos
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
- Waksman Institute, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
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23
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High-Salt Diet Impairs the Neurons Plasticity and the Neurotransmitters-Related Biological Processes. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13114123. [PMID: 34836378 PMCID: PMC8625992 DOI: 10.3390/nu13114123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Salt, commonly known as sodium chloride, is an important ingredient that the body requires in relatively minute quantities. However, consuming too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and even disruption of circadian rhythms. The biological process of the circadian rhythm was first studied in Drosophila melanogaster and is well understood. Their locomotor activity gradually increases before the light is switched on and off, a phenomenon called anticipation. In a previous study, we showed that a high-salt diet (HSD) impairs morning anticipation behavior in Drosophila. Here, we found that HSD did not significantly disrupt clock gene oscillation in the heads of flies, nor did it disrupt PERIOD protein oscillation in clock neurons or peripheral tissues. Remarkably, we found that HSD impairs neuronal plasticity in the axonal projections of circadian pacemaker neurons. Interestingly, we showed that increased excitability in PDF neurons mimics HSD, which causes morning anticipation impairment. Moreover, we found that HSD significantly disrupts neurotransmitter-related biological processes in the brain. Taken together, our data show that an HSD affects the multiple functions of neurons and impairs physiological behaviors.
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24
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Chrostek E, Martins N, Marialva MS, Teixeira L. Wolbachia-Conferred Antiviral Protection Is Determined by Developmental Temperature. mBio 2021; 12:e0292320. [PMID: 34488458 PMCID: PMC8546536 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02923-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia is a maternally transmitted bacterium that is widespread in arthropods and filarial nematodes and confers strong antiviral protection in Drosophila melanogaster and other arthropods. Wolbachia-transinfected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are currently being deployed to fight transmission of dengue and Zika viruses. However, the mechanism of antiviral protection and the factors influencing are still not fully understood. Here, we show that temperature modulates Wolbachia-conferred protection in Drosophila melanogaster. Temperature after infection directly impacts Drosophila C virus (DCV) replication and modulates Wolbachia protection. At higher temperatures, viruses proliferate more and are more lethal, while Wolbachia confers lower protection. Strikingly, host developmental temperature is a determinant of Wolbachia-conferred antiviral protection. While there is strong protection when flies develop from egg to adult at 25°C, the protection is highly reduced or abolished when flies develop at 18°C. However, Wolbachia-induced changes during development are not sufficient to limit virus-induced mortality, as Wolbachia is still required to be present in adults at the time of infection. This developmental effect is general, since it was present in different host genotypes, Wolbachia variants, and upon infection with different viruses. Overall, we show that Wolbachia-conferred antiviral protection is temperature dependent, being present or absent depending on the environmental conditions. This interaction likely impacts Wolbachia-host interactions in nature and, as a result, frequencies of host and symbionts in different climates. Dependence of Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blocking on developmental temperature could be used to dissect the mechanistic bases of protection and influence the deployment of Wolbachia to prevent transmission of arboviruses. IMPORTANCE Insects are often infected with beneficial intracellular bacteria. The bacterium Wolbachia is extremely common in insects and can protect them from pathogenic viruses. This effect is being used to prevent transmission of dengue and Zika viruses by Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. To understand the biology of insects in the wild, we need to discover which factors affect Wolbachia-conferred antiviral protection. Here, we show that the temperature at which insects develop from eggs to adults can determine the presence or absence of antiviral protection. The environment, therefore, strongly influences this insect-bacterium interaction. Our work may help to provide insights into the mechanism of viral blocking by Wolbachia, deepen our understanding of the geographical distribution of host and symbiont, and incentivize further research on the temperature dependence of Wolbachia-conferred protection for control of mosquito-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Chrostek
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Nelson Martins
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Marta S. Marialva
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Luís Teixeira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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25
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Kaldun JC, Lone SR, Humbert Camps AM, Fritsch C, Widmer YF, Stein JV, Tomchik SM, Sprecher SG. Dopamine, sleep, and neuronal excitability modulate amyloid-β-mediated forgetting in Drosophila. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001412. [PMID: 34613972 PMCID: PMC8523056 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is one of the main causes of age-related dementia and neurodegeneration. However, the onset of the disease and the mechanisms causing cognitive defects are not well understood. Aggregation of amyloidogenic peptides is a pathological hallmark of AD and is assumed to be a central component of the molecular disease pathways. Pan-neuronal expression of Aβ42Arctic peptides in Drosophila melanogaster results in learning and memory defects. Surprisingly, targeted expression to the mushroom bodies, a center for olfactory memories in the fly brain, does not interfere with learning but accelerates forgetting. We show here that reducing neuronal excitability either by feeding Levetiracetam or silencing of neurons in the involved circuitry ameliorates the phenotype. Furthermore, inhibition of the Rac-regulated forgetting pathway could rescue the Aβ42Arctic-mediated accelerated forgetting phenotype. Similar effects are achieved by increasing sleep, a critical regulator of neuronal homeostasis. Our results provide a functional framework connecting forgetting signaling and sleep, which are critical for regulating neuronal excitability and homeostasis and are therefore a promising mechanism to modulate forgetting caused by toxic Aβ peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer C. Kaldun
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Shahnaz R. Lone
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Animal Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | | | - Cornelia Fritsch
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Yves F. Widmer
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Jens V. Stein
- Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Seth M. Tomchik
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
| | - Simon G. Sprecher
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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26
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Gebert D, Neubert LK, Lloyd C, Gui J, Lehmann R, Teixeira FK. Large Drosophila germline piRNA clusters are evolutionarily labile and dispensable for transposon regulation. Mol Cell 2021; 81:3965-3978.e5. [PMID: 34352205 PMCID: PMC8516431 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PIWI proteins and their guiding Piwi-interacting small RNAs (piRNAs) are crucial for fertility and transposon defense in the animal germline. In most species, the majority of piRNAs are produced from distinct large genomic loci, called piRNA clusters. It is assumed that germline-expressed piRNA clusters, particularly in Drosophila, act as principal regulators to control transposons dispersed across the genome. Here, using synteny analysis, we show that large clusters are evolutionarily labile, arise at loci characterized by recurrent chromosomal rearrangements, and are mostly species-specific across the Drosophila genus. By engineering chromosomal deletions in D. melanogaster, we demonstrate that the three largest germline clusters, which account for the accumulation of >40% of all transposon-targeting piRNAs in ovaries, are neither required for fertility nor for transposon regulation in trans. We provide further evidence that dispersed elements, rather than the regulatory action of large Drosophila germline clusters in trans, may be central for transposon defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gebert
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Lena K Neubert
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Catrin Lloyd
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Jinghua Gui
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine of the Skirball Institute, Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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27
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Fulgham CV, Dreyer AP, Nasseri A, Miller AN, Love J, Martin MM, Jabr DA, Saurabh S, Cavanaugh DJ. Central and Peripheral Clock Control of Circadian Feeding Rhythms. J Biol Rhythms 2021; 36:548-566. [PMID: 34547954 DOI: 10.1177/07487304211045835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Many behaviors exhibit ~24-h oscillations under control of an endogenous circadian timing system that tracks time of day via a molecular circadian clock. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, most circadian research has focused on the generation of locomotor activity rhythms, but a fundamental question is how the circadian clock orchestrates multiple distinct behavioral outputs. Here, we have investigated the cells and circuits mediating circadian control of feeding behavior. Using an array of genetic tools, we show that, as is the case for locomotor activity rhythms, the presence of feeding rhythms requires molecular clock function in the ventrolateral clock neurons of the central brain. We further demonstrate that the speed of molecular clock oscillations in these neurons dictates the free-running period length of feeding rhythms. In contrast to the effects observed with central clock cell manipulations, we show that genetic abrogation of the molecular clock in the fat body, a peripheral metabolic tissue, is without effect on feeding behavior. Interestingly, we find that molecular clocks in the brain and fat body of control flies gradually grow out of phase with one another under free-running conditions, likely due to a long endogenous period of the fat body clock. Under these conditions, the period of feeding rhythms tracks with molecular oscillations in central brain clock cells, consistent with a primary role of the brain clock in dictating the timing of feeding behavior. Finally, despite a lack of effect of fat body selective manipulations, we find that flies with simultaneous disruption of molecular clocks in multiple peripheral tissues (but with intact central clocks) exhibit decreased feeding rhythm strength and reduced overall food intake. We conclude that both central and peripheral clocks contribute to the regulation of feeding rhythms, with a particularly dominant, pacemaker role for specific populations of central brain clock cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carson V Fulgham
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Austin P Dreyer
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Anita Nasseri
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Asia N Miller
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jacob Love
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Madison M Martin
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Daniel A Jabr
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sumit Saurabh
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Daniel J Cavanaugh
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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28
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The Drosophila Baramicin polypeptide gene protects against fungal infection. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009846. [PMID: 34432851 PMCID: PMC8423362 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster combats microbial infection by producing a battery of effector peptides that are secreted into the haemolymph. Technical difficulties prevented the investigation of these short effector genes until the recent advent of the CRISPR/CAS era. As a consequence, many putative immune effectors remain to be formally described, and exactly how each of these effectors contribute to survival is not well characterized. Here we describe a novel Drosophila antifungal peptide gene that we name Baramicin A. We show that BaraA encodes a precursor protein cleaved into multiple peptides via furin cleavage sites. BaraA is strongly immune-induced in the fat body downstream of the Toll pathway, but also exhibits expression in other tissues. Importantly, we show that flies lacking BaraA are viable but susceptible to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Consistent with BaraA being directly antimicrobial, overexpression of BaraA promotes resistance to fungi and the IM10-like peptides produced by BaraA synergistically inhibit growth of fungi in vitro when combined with a membrane-disrupting antifungal. Surprisingly, BaraA mutant males but not females display an erect wing phenotype upon infection. Here, we characterize a new antifungal immune effector downstream of Toll signalling, and show it is a key contributor to the Drosophila antimicrobial response.
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29
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Huber R, Jacobson DA. The Phylogenetic Roots of Addiction: Compulsive Drug Seeking, Natural and Drug-Sensitive Reward, and the Acquisition of Learned Habits. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2021; 95:217-221. [PMID: 34082419 DOI: 10.1159/000517121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Huber
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA
| | - Daniel A Jacobson
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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30
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Bedont JL, Toda H, Shi M, Park CH, Quake C, Stein C, Kolesnik A, Sehgal A. Short and long sleeping mutants reveal links between sleep and macroautophagy. eLife 2021; 10:64140. [PMID: 34085929 PMCID: PMC8177895 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep is a conserved and essential behavior, but its mechanistic and functional underpinnings remain poorly defined. Through unbiased genetic screening in Drosophila, we discovered a novel short-sleep mutant we named argus. Positional cloning and subsequent complementation, CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out, and RNAi studies identified Argus as a transmembrane protein that acts in adult peptidergic neurons to regulate sleep. argus mutants accumulate undigested Atg8a(+) autophagosomes, and genetic manipulations impeding autophagosome formation suppress argus sleep phenotypes, indicating that autophagosome accumulation drives argus short-sleep. Conversely, a blue cheese neurodegenerative mutant that impairs autophagosome formation was identified independently as a gain-of-sleep mutant, and targeted RNAi screens identified additional genes involved in autophagosome formation whose knockdown increases sleep. Finally, autophagosomes normally accumulate during the daytime and nighttime sleep deprivation extends this accumulation into the following morning, while daytime gaboxadol feeding promotes sleep and reduces autophagosome accumulation at nightfall. In sum, our results paradoxically demonstrate that wakefulness increases and sleep decreases autophagosome levels under unperturbed conditions, yet strong and sustained upregulation of autophagosomes decreases sleep, whereas strong and sustained downregulation of autophagosomes increases sleep. The complex relationship between sleep and autophagy suggested by our findings may have implications for pathological states including chronic sleep disorders and neurodegeneration, as well as for integration of sleep need with other homeostats, such as under conditions of starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Bedont
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman Medical School of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Hirofumi Toda
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman Medical School of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Mi Shi
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman Medical School of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Christine H Park
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman Medical School of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Christine Quake
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman Medical School of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Carly Stein
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman Medical School of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Anna Kolesnik
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman Medical School of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman Medical School of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Philadelphia, United States
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31
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Duarte EH, Carvalho A, López-Madrigal S, Costa J, Teixeira L. Forward genetics in Wolbachia: Regulation of Wolbachia proliferation by the amplification and deletion of an addictive genomic island. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009612. [PMID: 34143770 PMCID: PMC8244876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia is one of the most prevalent bacterial endosymbionts, infecting approximately 40% of terrestrial arthropod species. Wolbachia is often a reproductive parasite but can also provide fitness benefits to its host, as, for example, protection against viral pathogens. This protective effect is currently being applied to fight arboviruses transmission by releasing Wolbachia-transinfected mosquitoes. Titre regulation is a crucial aspect of Wolbachia biology. Higher titres can lead to stronger phenotypes and fidelity of transmission but can have a higher cost to the host. Since Wolbachia is maternally transmitted, its fitness depends on host fitness, and, therefore, its cost to the host may be under selection. Understanding how Wolbachia titres are regulated and other aspects of Wolbachia biology has been hampered by the lack of genetic tools. Here we developed a forward genetic screen to identify new Wolbachia over-proliferative mutant variants. We characterized in detail two new mutants, wMelPop2 and wMelOctoless, and show that the amplification or loss of the Octomom genomic region lead to over-proliferation. These results confirm previous data and expand on the complex role of this genomic region in the control of Wolbachia proliferation. Both new mutants shorten the host lifespan and increase antiviral protection. Moreover, we show that Wolbachia proliferation rate in Drosophila melanogaster depends on the interaction between Octomom copy number, the host developmental stage, and temperature. Our analysis also suggests that the life shortening and antiviral protection phenotypes of Wolbachia are dependent on different, but related, properties of the endosymbiont; the rate of proliferation and the titres near the time of infection, respectively. We also demonstrate the feasibility of a novel and unbiased experimental approach to study Wolbachia biology, which could be further adapted to characterize other genetically intractable bacterial endosymbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elves H. Duarte
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Cabo Verde, Palmarejo, Cabo Verde
| | - Ana Carvalho
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - João Costa
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Luís Teixeira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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32
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CaMKII oxidation is a critical performance/disease trade-off acquired at the dawn of vertebrate evolution. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3175. [PMID: 34039988 PMCID: PMC8155201 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23549-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Antagonistic pleiotropy is a foundational theory that predicts aging-related diseases are the result of evolved genetic traits conferring advantages early in life. Here we examine CaMKII, a pluripotent signaling molecule that contributes to common aging-related diseases, and find that its activation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) was acquired more than half-a-billion years ago along the vertebrate stem lineage. Functional experiments using genetically engineered mice and flies reveal ancestral vertebrates were poised to benefit from the union of ROS and CaMKII, which conferred physiological advantage by allowing ROS to increase intracellular Ca2+ and activate transcriptional programs important for exercise and immunity. Enhanced sensitivity to the adverse effects of ROS in diseases and aging is thus a trade-off for positive traits that facilitated the early and continued evolutionary success of vertebrates. Natural selection may favor traits underlying aging-related diseases if they benefit the young. Wang et al. find that oxidative activation of CaMKII provides physiological benefits critical to the initial and continued success of vertebrates but at the cost of disease, frailty, and shortened lifespan.
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33
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Ruiz D, Bajwa ST, Vanani N, Bajwa TA, Cavanaugh DJ. Slowpoke functions in circadian output cells to regulate rest:activity rhythms. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249215. [PMID: 33765072 PMCID: PMC7993846 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The circadian system produces ~24-hr oscillations in behavioral and physiological processes to ensure that they occur at optimal times of day and in the correct temporal order. At its core, the circadian system is composed of dedicated central clock neurons that keep time through a cell-autonomous molecular clock. To produce rhythmic behaviors, time-of-day information generated by clock neurons must be transmitted across output pathways to regulate the downstream neuronal populations that control the relevant behaviors. An understanding of the manner through which the circadian system enacts behavioral rhythms therefore requires the identification of the cells and molecules that make up the output pathways. To that end, we recently characterized the Drosophila pars intercerebralis (PI) as a major circadian output center that lies downstream of central clock neurons in a circuit controlling rest:activity rhythms. We have conducted single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) to identify potential circadian output genes expressed by PI cells, and used cell-specific RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down expression of ~40 of these candidate genes selectively within subsets of PI cells. We demonstrate that knockdown of the slowpoke (slo) potassium channel in PI cells reliably decreases circadian rest:activity rhythm strength. Interestingly, slo mutants have previously been shown to have aberrant rest:activity rhythms, in part due to a necessary function of slo within central clock cells. However, rescue of slo in all clock cells does not fully reestablish behavioral rhythms, indicating that expression in non-clock neurons is also necessary. Our results demonstrate that slo exerts its effects in multiple components of the circadian circuit, including PI output cells in addition to clock neurons, and we hypothesize that it does so by contributing to the generation of daily neuronal activity rhythms that allow for the propagation of circadian information throughout output circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Ruiz
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Saffia T. Bajwa
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Naisarg Vanani
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Tanvir A. Bajwa
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Cavanaugh
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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34
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Song BJ, Sharp SJ, Rogulja D. Daily rewiring of a neural circuit generates a predictive model of environmental light. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/13/eabe4284. [PMID: 33762336 PMCID: PMC7990339 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe4284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral responsiveness to external stimulation is shaped by context. We studied how sensory information can be contextualized, by examining light-evoked locomotor responsiveness of Drosophila relative to time of day. We found that light elicits an acute increase in locomotion (startle) that is modulated in a time-of-day-dependent manner: Startle is potentiated during the nighttime, when light is unexpected, but is suppressed during the daytime. The internal daytime-nighttime context is generated by two interconnected and functionally opposing populations of circadian neurons-LNvs generating the daytime state and DN1as generating the nighttime state. Switching between the two states requires daily remodeling of LNv and DN1a axons such that the maximum presynaptic area in one population coincides with the minimum in the other. We propose that a dynamic model of environmental light resides in the shifting connectivities of the LNv-DN1a circuit, which helps animals evaluate ongoing conditions and choose a behavioral response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J Song
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Slater J Sharp
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dragana Rogulja
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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35
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Attieh Z, Mouawad C, Rejasse A, Jehanno I, Perchat S, Hegna IK, Økstad OA, Kallassy Awad M, Sanchis-Borja V, El Chamy L. The fliK Gene Is Required for the Resistance of Bacillus thuringiensis to Antimicrobial Peptides and Virulence in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:611220. [PMID: 33391240 PMCID: PMC7775485 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.611220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential effectors of the host innate immune system and they represent promising molecules for the treatment of multidrug resistant microbes. A better understanding of microbial resistance to these defense peptides is thus prerequisite for the control of infectious diseases. Here, using a random mutagenesis approach, we identify the fliK gene, encoding an internal molecular ruler that controls flagella hook length, as an essential element for Bacillus thuringiensis resistance to AMPs in Drosophila. Unlike its parental strain, that is highly virulent to both wild-type and AMPs deficient mutant flies, the fliK deletion mutant is only lethal to the latter's. In agreement with its conserved function, the fliK mutant is non-flagellated and exhibits highly compromised motility. However, comparative analysis of the fliK mutant phenotype to that of a fla mutant, in which the genes encoding flagella proteins are interrupted, indicate that B. thuringiensis FliK-dependent resistance to AMPs is independent of flagella assembly. As a whole, our results identify FliK as an essential determinant for B. thuringiensis virulence in Drosophila and provide new insights on the mechanisms underlying bacteria resistance to AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaynoun Attieh
- UR-EGP, Faculté des Sciences, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Beirut, Lebanon
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Carine Mouawad
- UR-EGP, Faculté des Sciences, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Agnès Rejasse
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Isabelle Jehanno
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Stéphane Perchat
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Ida K. Hegna
- Department of Pharmacy, Centre for Integrative Microbial Evolution (CIME), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A. Økstad
- Department of Pharmacy, Centre for Integrative Microbial Evolution (CIME), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Vincent Sanchis-Borja
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Laure El Chamy
- UR-EGP, Faculté des Sciences, Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, Beirut, Lebanon
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36
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Öztürk-Çolak A, Inami S, Buchler JR, McClanahan PD, Cruz A, Fang-Yen C, Koh K. Sleep Induction by Mechanosensory Stimulation in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108462. [PMID: 33264620 PMCID: PMC7735403 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
People tend to fall asleep when gently rocked or vibrated. Experimental studies have shown that rocking promotes sleep in humans and mice. However, the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon are not well understood. A habituation model proposes that habituation, a form of non-associative learning, mediates sleep induction by monotonous stimulation. Here, we show that gentle vibration promotes sleep in Drosophila in part through habituation. Vibration-induced sleep (VIS) leads to increased homeostatic sleep credit and reduced arousability, and can be suppressed by heightened arousal or reduced GABA signaling. Multiple mechanosensory organs mediate VIS, and the magnitude of VIS depends on vibration frequency and genetic background. Sleep induction improves over successive blocks of vibration. Furthermore, training with continuous vibration does not generalize to intermittent vibration, demonstrating stimulus specificity, a characteristic of habituation. Our findings suggest that habituation plays a significant role in sleep induction by vibration. Öztürk-Çolak et al. demonstrate that gentle vibration induces sleep in Drosophila. The authors show that sleep induction improves over multiple vibration sessions, which suggests that habituation, a form of simple learning, plays a significant role in vibration-induced sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arzu Öztürk-Çolak
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Center for Synaptic Biology, and the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
| | - Sho Inami
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Center for Synaptic Biology, and the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
| | - Joseph R Buchler
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Center for Synaptic Biology, and the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
| | - Patrick D McClanahan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Andri Cruz
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Center for Synaptic Biology, and the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
| | - Christopher Fang-Yen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kyunghee Koh
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Center for Synaptic Biology, and the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA.
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Blum ID, Keleş MF, Baz ES, Han E, Park K, Luu S, Issa H, Brown M, Ho MCW, Tabuchi M, Liu S, Wu MN. Astroglial Calcium Signaling Encodes Sleep Need in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2020; 31:150-162.e7. [PMID: 33186550 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is under homeostatic control, whereby increasing wakefulness generates sleep need and triggers sleep drive. However, the molecular and cellular pathways by which sleep need is encoded are poorly understood. In addition, the mechanisms underlying both how and when sleep need is transformed to sleep drive are unknown. Here, using ex vivo and in vivo imaging, we show in Drosophila that astroglial Ca2+ signaling increases with sleep need. We demonstrate that this signaling is dependent on a specific L-type Ca2+ channel and is necessary for homeostatic sleep rebound. Thermogenetically increasing Ca2+ in astrocytes induces persistent sleep behavior, and we exploit this phenotype to conduct a genetic screen for genes required for the homeostatic regulation of sleep. From this large-scale screen, we identify TyrRII, a monoaminergic receptor required in astrocytes for sleep homeostasis. TyrRII levels rise following sleep deprivation in a Ca2+-dependent manner, promoting further increases in astrocytic Ca2+ and resulting in a positive-feedback loop. Moreover, our findings suggest that astrocytes then transmit this sleep need to a sleep drive circuit by upregulating and releasing the interleukin-1 analog Spätzle, which then acts on Toll receptors on R5 neurons. These findings define astroglial Ca2+ signaling mechanisms encoding sleep need and reveal dynamic properties of the sleep homeostatic control system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian D Blum
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mehmet F Keleş
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - El-Sayed Baz
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Emily Han
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kristen Park
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Skylar Luu
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Habon Issa
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Matt Brown
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Margaret C W Ho
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Masashi Tabuchi
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sha Liu
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
| | - Mark N Wu
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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38
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Identification of the Wallenda JNKKK as an Alk suppressor reveals increased competitiveness of Alk-expressing cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14954. [PMID: 32917927 PMCID: PMC7486895 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70890-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (Alk) is a receptor tyrosine kinase of the insulin receptor super-family that functions as oncogenic driver in a range of human cancers such as neuroblastoma. In order to investigate mechanisms underlying Alk oncogenic signaling, we conducted a genetic suppressor screen in Drosophila melanogaster. Our screen identified multiple loci important for Alk signaling, including members of Ras/Raf/ERK-, Pi3K-, and STAT-pathways as well as tailless (tll) and foxo whose orthologues NR2E1/TLX and FOXO3 are transcription factors implicated in human neuroblastoma. Many of the identified suppressors were also able to modulate signaling output from activated oncogenic variants of human ALK, suggesting that our screen identified targets likely relevant in a wide range of contexts. Interestingly, two misexpression alleles of wallenda (wnd, encoding a leucine zipper bearing kinase similar to human DLK and LZK) were among the strongest suppressors. We show that Alk expression leads to a growth advantage and induces cell death in surrounding cells. Our results suggest that Alk activity conveys a competitive advantage to cells, which can be reversed by over-expression of the JNK kinase kinase Wnd.
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Son W, Choi KW. The Classic Lobe Eye Phenotype of Drosophila Is Caused by Transposon Insertion-Induced Misexpression of a Zinc-Finger Transcription Factor. Genetics 2020; 216:117-134. [PMID: 32641295 PMCID: PMC7463288 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303486] [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: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila Lobe (L) alleles were first discovered ∼100 years ago as spontaneous dominant mutants with characteristic developmental eye defects. However, the molecular basis for L dominant eye phenotypes has not been clearly understood. A previous work reported identification of CG10109/PRAS40 as the L gene, but subsequent analyses suggested that PRAS40 may not be related to L Here, we revisited the L gene to clarify this discrepancy and understand the basis for the dominance of L mutations. Genetic analysis localized the L gene to Oaz, which encodes a homolog of the vertebrate zinc finger protein 423 (Zfp423) family transcriptional regulators. We demonstrate that RNAi knockdown of Oaz almost completely restores all L dominant alleles tested. Lrev6-3 , a revertant allele of the L2 dominant eye phenotype, has an inframe deletion in the Oaz coding sequence. Molecular analysis of L dominant mutants identified allele-specific insertions of natural transposons (roo[ ]L1 , hopper[ ]L5 , and roo[ ]Lr ) or alterations of a preexisting transposon (L2 -specific mutations in roo[ ]Mohr) in the Oaz region. In addition, we generated additional L2 -reversion alleles by CRISPR targeting at Oaz These new loss-of-function Oaz mutations suppress the dominant L eye phenotype. Oaz protein is not expressed in wild-type eye disc but is expressed ectopically in L2/+ mutant eye disc. We induced male recombination between Oaz-GAL4 insertions and the L2 mutation through homologous recombination. By using the L2 -recombined GAL4 reporters, we show that Oaz-GAL4 is expressed ectopically in L2 eye imaginal disc. Taken together, our data suggest that neomorphic L eye phenotypes are likely due to misregulation of Oaz by spontaneous transposon insertions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonseok Son
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Kwang-Wook Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
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Erwinia carotovora Quorum Sensing System Regulates Host-Specific Virulence Factors and Development Delay in Drosophila melanogaster. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.01292-20. [PMID: 32576677 PMCID: PMC7315124 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01292-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Integration of genetic networks allows bacteria to rapidly adapt to changing environments. This is particularly important in bacteria that interact with multiple hosts. Erwinia carotovora is a plant pathogen that uses Drosophila melanogaster as a vector. To interact with these two hosts, Ecc15 uses different sets of virulence factors: plant cell wall-degrading enzymes to infect plants and the Erwinia virulence factor (evf) to infect Drosophila. Our work shows that, despite the virulence factors being specific for each host, both sets are coactivated by homoserine lactone quorum sensing and by the two-component GacS/A system in infected plants. This regulation is essential for Ecc15 loads in the gut of Drosophila and minimizes the developmental delay caused by the bacteria with respect to the insect vector. Our findings provide evidence that coactivation of the host-specific factors in the plant may function as a predictive mechanism to maximize the probability of transit of the bacteria between hosts. Multihost bacteria have to rapidly adapt to drastic environmental changes, relying on a fine integration of multiple stimuli for an optimal genetic response. Erwinia carotovora spp. are phytopathogens that cause soft-rot disease. Strain Ecc15 in particular is a model for bacterial oral-route infection in Drosophila melanogaster as it harbors a unique gene, evf, that encodes the Erwinia virulence factor (Evf), which is a major determinant for infection of the D. melanogaster gut. However, the factors involved in the regulation of evf expression are poorly understood. We investigated whether evf could be controlled by quorum sensing as, in the Erwinia genus, quorum sensing regulates pectolytic enzymes, the major virulence factors needed to infect plants. Here, we show that transcription of evf is positively regulated by quorum sensing in Ecc15 via acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal synthase ExpI and AHL receptors ExpR1 and ExpR2. We also show that the load of Ecc15 in the gut depends upon the quorum sensing-mediated regulation of evf. Furthermore, we demonstrate that larvae infected with Ecc15 suffer a developmental delay as a direct consequence of the regulation of evf via quorum sensing. Finally, we demonstrate that evf is coexpressed with plant cell wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDE) during plant infection in a quorum sensing-dependent manner. Overall, our results show that Ecc15 relies on quorum sensing to control production of both pectolytic enzymes and Evf. This regulation influences the interaction of Ecc15 with its two known hosts, indicating that quorum sensing signaling may impact bacterial dissemination via insect vectors that feed on rotting plants.
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Vaccaro A, Kaplan Dor Y, Nambara K, Pollina EA, Lin C, Greenberg ME, Rogulja D. Sleep Loss Can Cause Death through Accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species in the Gut. Cell 2020; 181:1307-1328.e15. [PMID: 32502393 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The view that sleep is essential for survival is supported by the ubiquity of this behavior, the apparent existence of sleep-like states in the earliest animals, and the fact that severe sleep loss can be lethal. The cause of this lethality is unknown. Here we show, using flies and mice, that sleep deprivation leads to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and consequent oxidative stress, specifically in the gut. ROS are not just correlates of sleep deprivation but drivers of death: their neutralization prevents oxidative stress and allows flies to have a normal lifespan with little to no sleep. The rescue can be achieved with oral antioxidant compounds or with gut-targeted transgenic expression of antioxidant enzymes. We conclude that death upon severe sleep restriction can be caused by oxidative stress, that the gut is central in this process, and that survival without sleep is possible when ROS accumulation is prevented. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Vaccaro
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yosef Kaplan Dor
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Keishi Nambara
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Cindy Lin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Dragana Rogulja
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Walther M, Schrahn S, Krauss V, Lein S, Kessler J, Jenuwein T, Reuter G. Heterochromatin formation in Drosophila requires genome-wide histone deacetylation in cleavage chromatin before mid-blastula transition in early embryogenesis. Chromosoma 2020; 129:83-98. [PMID: 31950239 PMCID: PMC7021753 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-020-00732-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Su(var) mutations define epigenetic factors controlling heterochromatin formation and gene silencing in Drosophila. Here, we identify SU(VAR)2-1 as a novel chromatin regulator that directs global histone deacetylation during the transition of cleavage chromatin into somatic blastoderm chromatin in early embryogenesis. SU(VAR)2-1 is heterochromatin-associated in blastoderm nuclei but not in later stages of development. In larval polytene chromosomes, SU(VAR)2-1 is a band-specific protein. SU(VAR)2-1 directs global histone deacetylation by recruiting the histone deacetylase RPD3. In Su(var)2-1 mutants H3K9, H3K27, H4K8 and H4K16 acetylation shows elevated levels genome-wide and heterochromatin displays aberrant histone hyper-acetylation. Whereas H3K9me2- and HP1a-binding appears unaltered, the heterochromatin-specific H3K9me2S10ph composite mark is impaired in heterochromatic chromocenters of larval salivary polytene chromosomes. SU(VAR)2-1 contains an NRF1/EWG domain and a C2HC zinc-finger motif. Our study identifies SU(VAR)2-1 as a dosage-dependent, heterochromatin-initiating SU(VAR) factor, where the SU(VAR)2-1-mediated control of genome-wide histone deacetylation after cleavage and before mid-blastula transition (pre-MBT) is required to enable heterochromatin formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Walther
- Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle, Weinbergweg 10, 06120, Halle/S., Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sandy Schrahn
- Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle, Weinbergweg 10, 06120, Halle/S., Germany
| | - Veiko Krauss
- Cluster of Excellence in Plant Science (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Biocenter, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sandro Lein
- Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle, Weinbergweg 10, 06120, Halle/S., Germany
| | - Jeannette Kessler
- Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle, Weinbergweg 10, 06120, Halle/S., Germany
| | - Thomas Jenuwein
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gunter Reuter
- Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle, Weinbergweg 10, 06120, Halle/S., Germany.
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Pischedda A, Shahandeh MP, Turner TL. The Loci of Behavioral Evolution: Evidence That Fas2 and tilB Underlie Differences in Pupation Site Choice Behavior between Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 37:864-880. [PMID: 31774527 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The behaviors of closely related species can be remarkably different, and these differences have important ecological and evolutionary consequences. Although the recent boom in genotype-phenotype studies has led to a greater understanding of the genetic architecture and evolution of a variety of traits, studies identifying the genetic basis of behaviors are, comparatively, still lacking. This is likely because they are complex and environmentally sensitive phenotypes, making them difficult to measure reliably for association studies. The Drosophila species complex holds promise for addressing these challenges, as the behaviors of closely related species can be readily assayed in a common environment. Here, we investigate the genetic basis of an evolved behavioral difference, pupation site choice, between Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. In this study, we demonstrate a significant contribution of the X chromosome to the difference in pupation site choice behavior between these species. Using a panel of X-chromosome deficiencies, we screened the majority of the X chromosome for causal loci and identified two regions associated with this X-effect. We then collect gene disruption and RNAi data supporting a single gene that affects pupation behavior within each region: Fas2 and tilB. Finally, we show that differences in tilB expression correlate with the differences in pupation site choice behavior between species. This evidence associating two genes with differences in a complex, environmentally sensitive behavior represents the first step toward a functional and evolutionary understanding of this behavioral divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Pischedda
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Michael P Shahandeh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
| | - Thomas L Turner
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
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The Genetics of Male Pheromone Preference Difference Between Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:401-415. [PMID: 31748379 PMCID: PMC6945012 DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Species of flies in the genus Drosophila differ dramatically in their preferences for mates, but little is known about the genetic or neurological underpinnings of this evolution. Recent advances have been made to our understanding of one case: pheromone preference evolution between the species D. melanogaster and D. simulans. Males of both species are very sensitive to the pheromone 7,11-HD that is present only on the cuticle of female D. melanogaster. In one species this cue activates courtship, and in the other it represses it. This change in valence was recently shown to result from the modification of central processing neurons, rather than changes in peripherally expressed receptors, but nothing is known about the genetic changes that are responsible. In the current study, we show that a 1.35 Mb locus on the X chromosome has a major effect on male 7,11-HD preference. Unfortunately, when this locus is divided, the effect is largely lost. We instead attempt to filter the 159 genes within this region using our newfound understanding of the neuronal underpinnings of this phenotype to identify and test candidate genes. We present the results of these tests, and discuss the difficulty of identifying the genetic architecture of behavioral traits and the potential of connecting these genetic changes to the neuronal modifications that elicit different behaviors.
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45
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Xie J, Wang D, Ling S, Yang G, Yang Y, Chen W. High-Salt Diet Causes Sleep Fragmentation in Young Drosophila Through Circadian Rhythm and Dopaminergic Systems. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1271. [PMID: 31849585 PMCID: PMC6895215 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Salt (sodium chloride) is an essential dietary requirement, but excessive consumption has long-term adverse consequences. A high-salt diet (HSD) increases the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular conditions and diabetes and is also associated with poor sleep quality. Little is known, however, about the neural circuit mechanisms that mediate HSD-induced sleep changes. In this study, we sought to identify the effects of HSD on the sleep and related neural circuit mechanisms of Drosophila. Strikingly, we found that HSD causes young Drosophila to exhibit a fragmented sleep phenotype similar to that of normal aging individuals. Importantly, we further showed that HSD slightly impairs circadian rhythms and that the HSD-induced sleep changes are dependent on the circadian rhythm system. In addition, we demonstrated that HSD-induced sleep changes are dopaminergic-system dependent. Together, these results provide insight into how elevated salt in the diet can affect sleep quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Xie
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Danfeng Wang
- Institute of Applied Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shengan Ling
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Institute of Applied Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yufeng Yang
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wenfeng Chen
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
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46
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Howard CE, Chen CL, Tabachnik T, Hormigo R, Ramdya P, Mann RS. Serotonergic Modulation of Walking in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2019; 29:4218-4230.e8. [PMID: 31786064 PMCID: PMC6935052 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
To navigate complex environments, animals must generate highly robust, yet flexible, locomotor behaviors. For example, walking speed must be tailored to the needs of a particular environment. Not only must animals choose the correct speed and gait, they must also adapt to changing conditions and quickly respond to sudden and surprising new stimuli. Neuromodulators, particularly the small biogenic amine neurotransmitters, have the ability to rapidly alter the functional outputs of motor circuits. Here, we show that the serotonergic system in the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, can modulate walking speed in a variety of contexts and also change how flies respond to sudden changes in the environment. These multifaceted roles of serotonin in locomotion are differentially mediated by a family of serotonergic receptors with distinct activities and expression patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare E Howard
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Chin-Lin Chen
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Interfaculty Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tanya Tabachnik
- Advanced Instrumentation Group, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Rick Hormigo
- Advanced Instrumentation Group, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Pavan Ramdya
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Interfaculty Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Richard S Mann
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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47
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Casci I, Krishnamurthy K, Kour S, Tripathy V, Ramesh N, Anderson EN, Marrone L, Grant RA, Oliver S, Gochenaur L, Patel K, Sterneckert J, Gleixner AM, Donnelly CJ, Ruepp MD, Sini AM, Zuccaro E, Pennuto M, Pasinelli P, Pandey UB. Muscleblind acts as a modifier of FUS toxicity by modulating stress granule dynamics and SMN localization. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5583. [PMID: 31811140 PMCID: PMC6898697 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13383-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in fused in sarcoma (FUS) lead to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with varying ages of onset, progression and severity. This suggests that unknown genetic factors contribute to disease pathogenesis. Here we show the identification of muscleblind as a novel modifier of FUS-mediated neurodegeneration in vivo. Muscleblind regulates cytoplasmic mislocalization of mutant FUS and subsequent accumulation in stress granules, dendritic morphology and toxicity in mammalian neuronal and human iPSC-derived neurons. Interestingly, genetic modulation of endogenous muscleblind was sufficient to restore survival motor neuron (SMN) protein localization in neurons expressing pathogenic mutations in FUS, suggesting a potential mode of suppression of FUS toxicity. Upregulation of SMN suppressed FUS toxicity in Drosophila and primary cortical neurons, indicating a link between FUS and SMN. Our data provide in vivo evidence that muscleblind is a dominant modifier of FUS-mediated neurodegeneration by regulating FUS-mediated ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Casci
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Karthik Krishnamurthy
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sukhleen Kour
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Vadreenath Tripathy
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nandini Ramesh
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Eric N Anderson
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lara Marrone
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Rogan A Grant
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Stacie Oliver
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lauren Gochenaur
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Krishani Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jared Sterneckert
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Amanda M Gleixner
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Live Like Lou Center for ALS Research, Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Christopher J Donnelly
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Live Like Lou Center for ALS Research, Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Marc-David Ruepp
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Antonella M Sini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Emanuela Zuccaro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Pennuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Piera Pasinelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Udai Bhan Pandey
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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48
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Tower J, Agrawal S, Alagappan MP, Bell HS, Demeter M, Havanoor N, Hegde VS, Jia Y, Kothawade S, Lin X, Nadig C, Rajashekharappa NS, Rao D, Rao SS, Sancheti P, Saria A, Shantharamu NH, Sharma V, Tadepalli K, Varma A. Behavioral and molecular markers of death in Drosophila melanogaster. Exp Gerontol 2019; 126:110707. [PMID: 31445108 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2019.110707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Fly movement was tracked through 3-dimensional (3D) space as the fly died, using either reflected visible light, reflected infrared (IR) light, or fly GFP fluorescence. Behaviors measured included centrophobism, negative geotaxis, velocity, and total activity. In addition, frequency of directional heading changes (FDHC) was calculated as a measure of erratic movement. Nine middle-aged flies were tracked as they died during normal aging, and fifteen young flies were tracked as they died from dehydration/starvation stress. Episodes of increased FDHC were observed 0-8 h prior to death for the majority of the flies. FDHC was also increased with age in flies with neuronal expression of a human Abeta42 protein fragment associated with Alzheimer's disease. Finally, green autofluorescence appeared in the eye and body immediately prior to and coincident with death, and fluorescence of GFP targeted to the retina increased immediately prior to and coincident with death. The results suggest the potential utility of FDHC, green autofluorescence, and retinal GFP as markers of neuronal malfunction and imminent death.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Tower
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America.
| | - Siddharth Agrawal
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Muthu Palaniappan Alagappan
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Hans S Bell
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Marton Demeter
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Nitin Havanoor
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Vinaykumar S Hegde
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Yiding Jia
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Suraj Kothawade
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Xinyi Lin
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Chaitanya Nadig
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Naveen S Rajashekharappa
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Divyashree Rao
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Sanjay Subba Rao
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Prathamesh Sancheti
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Anuj Saria
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Nagarabhi H Shantharamu
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Vatsal Sharma
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Karthik Tadepalli
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Anuj Varma
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
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49
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Kanca O, Andrews JC, Lee PT, Patel C, Braddock SR, Slavotinek AM, Cohen JS, Gubbels CS, Aldinger KA, Williams J, Indaram M, Fatemi A, Yu TW, Agrawal PB, Vezina G, Simons C, Crawford J, Lau CC, Chung WK, Markello TC, Dobyns WB, Adams DR, Gahl WA, Wangler MF, Yamamoto S, Bellen HJ, Malicdan MCV, Acosta MT, Adams DR, Agrawal P, Alejandro ME, Allard P, Alvey J, Andrews A, Ashley EA, Azamian MS, Bacino CA, Bademci G, Baker E, Balasubramanyam A, Baldridge D, Bale J, Barbouth D, Batzli GF, Bayrak-Toydemir P, Beggs AH, Bejerano G, Bellen HJ, Bernstein JA, Berry GT, Bican A, Bick DP, Birch CL, Bivona S, Bohnsack J, Bonnenmann C, Bonner D, Boone BE, Bostwick BL, Botto L, Briere LC, Brokamp E, Brown DM, Brush M, Burke EA, Burrage LC, Butte MJ, Carey J, Carrasquillo O, Chang TCP, Chao HT, Clark GD, Coakley TR, Cobban LA, Cogan JD, Cole FS, Colley HA, Cooper CM, Cope H, Craigen WJ, D'Souza P, Dasari S, Davids M, Dayal JG, Dell'Angelica EC, Dhar SU, Dorrani N, Dorset DC, Douine ED, Draper DD, Duncan L, Eckstein DJ, Emrick LT, Eng CM, Esteves C, Estwick T, Fernandez L, Ferreira C, Fieg EL, Fisher PG, Fogel BL, Forghani I, Fresard L, Gahl WA, Godfrey RA, Goldman AM, Goldstein DB, Gourdine JPF, Grajewski A, Groden CA, Gropman AL, Haendel M, Hamid R, Hanchard NA, Hayes N, High F, Holm IA, Hom J, Huang A, Huang Y, Isasi R, Jamal F, Jiang YH, Johnston JM, Jones AL, Karaviti L, Kelley EG, Kiley D, Koeller DM, Kohane IS, Kohler JN, Krakow D, Krasnewich DM, Korrick S, Koziura M, Krier JB, Kyle JE, Lalani SR, Lam B, Lanpher BC, Lanza IR, Lau CC, Lazar J, LeBlanc K, Lee BH, Lee H, Levitt R, Levy SE, Lewis RA, Lincoln SA, Liu P, Liu XZ, Longo N, Loo SK, Loscalzo J, Maas RL, Macnamara EF, MacRae CA, Maduro VV, Majcherska MM, Malicdan MCV, Mamounas LA, Manolio TA, Mao R, Markello TC, Marom R, Marth G, Martin BA, Martin MG, Martínez-Agosto JA, Marwaha S, May T, McCauley J, McConkie-Rosell A, McCormack CE, McCray AT, Metz TO, Might M, Morava-Kozicz E, Moretti PM, Morimoto M, Mulvihill JJ, Murdock DR, Nath A, Nelson SF, Newberry JS, Newman JH, Nicholas SK, Novacic D, Oglesbee D, Orengo JP, Pace L, Pak S, Pallais JC, Palmer CG, Papp JC, Parker NH, Phillips JA, Posey JE, Postlethwait JH, Potocki L, Pusey BN, Quinlan A, Raja AN, Renteria G, Reuter CM, Rives L, Robertson AK, Rodan LH, Rosenfeld JA, Rowley RK, Ruzhnikov M, Sacco R, Sampson JB, Samson SL, Saporta M, Schaechter J, Schedl T, Schoch K, Scott DA, Shakachite L, Sharma P, Shashi V, Shields K, Shin J, Signer R, Sillari CH, Silverman EK, Sinsheimer JS, Sisco K, Smith KS, Solnica-Krezel L, Spillmann RC, Stoler JM, Stong N, Sullivan JA, Sutton S, Sweetser DA, Tabor HK, Tamburro CP, Tan QKG, Tekin M, Telischi F, Thorson W, Tifft CJ, Toro C, Tran AA, Urv TK, Velinder M, Viskochil D, Vogel TP, Wahl CE, Walley NM, Walsh CA, Walker M, Wambach J, Wan J, Wang LK, Wangler MF, Ward PA, Waters KM, Webb-Robertson BJM, Wegner D, Westerfield M, Wheeler MT, Wise AL, Wolfe LA, Woods JD, Worthey EA, Yamamoto S, Yang J, Yoon AJ, Yu G, Zastrow DB, Zhao C, Zuchner S. De Novo Variants in WDR37 Are Associated with Epilepsy, Colobomas, Dysmorphism, Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, and Cerebellar Hypoplasia. Am J Hum Genet 2019; 105:413-424. [PMID: 31327508 PMCID: PMC6699142 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
WD40 repeat-containing proteins form a large family of proteins present in all eukaryotes. Here, we identified five pediatric probands with de novo variants in WDR37, which encodes a member of the WD40 repeat protein family. Two probands shared one variant and the others have variants in nearby amino acids outside the WD40 repeats. The probands exhibited shared phenotypes of epilepsy, colobomas, facial dysmorphology reminiscent of CHARGE syndrome, developmental delay and intellectual disability, and cerebellar hypoplasia. The WDR37 protein is highly conserved in vertebrate and invertebrate model organisms and is currently not associated with a human disease. We generated a null allele of the single Drosophila ortholog to gain functional insights and replaced the coding region of the fly gene CG12333/wdr37 with GAL4. These flies are homozygous viable but display severe bang sensitivity, a phenotype associated with seizures in flies. Additionally, the mutant flies fall when climbing the walls of the vials, suggesting a defect in grip strength, and repeat the cycle of climbing and falling. Similar to wall clinging defect, mutant males often lose grip of the female abdomen during copulation. These phenotypes are rescued by using the GAL4 in the CG12333/wdr37 locus to drive the UAS-human reference WDR37 cDNA. The two variants found in three human subjects failed to rescue these phenotypes, suggesting that these alleles severely affect the function of this protein. Taken together, our data suggest that variants in WDR37 underlie a novel syndromic neurological disorder.
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50
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Toda H, Williams JA, Gulledge M, Sehgal A. A sleep-inducing gene, nemuri, links sleep and immune function in Drosophila. Science 2019; 363:509-515. [PMID: 30705188 PMCID: PMC6505470 DOI: 10.1126/science.aat1650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Sleep remains a major mystery of biology. In particular, little is known about the mechanisms that account for the drive to sleep. In an unbiased screen of more than 12,000 Drosophila lines, we identified a single gene, nemuri, that induces sleep. The NEMURI protein is an antimicrobial peptide that can be secreted ectopically to drive prolonged sleep (with resistance to arousal) and to promote survival after infection. Loss of nemuri increased arousability during daily sleep and attenuated the acute increase in sleep induced by sleep deprivation or bacterial infection. Conditions that increase sleep drive induced expression of nemuri in a small number of fly brain neurons and targeted it to the sleep-promoting, dorsal fan-shaped body. We propose that NEMURI is a bona fide sleep homeostasis factor that is particularly important under conditions of high sleep need; because these conditions include sickness, our findings provide a link between sleep and immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael Gulledge
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chronobiology Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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