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Hughes K, Shah A, Bai X, Adams J, Bauer R, Jackson J, Harris E, Ficca A, Freebairn P, Mohammed S, Fernández EM, Bainbridge C, Brocco M, Stein W, Vidal-Gadea AG. Distinct mechanoreceptor pezo-1 isoforms modulate food intake in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:jkab429. [PMID: 35100363 PMCID: PMC9210275 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Two PIEZO mechanosensitive cation channels, PIEZO1 and PIEZO2, have been identified in mammals, where they are involved in numerous sensory processes. While structurally similar, PIEZO channels are expressed in distinct tissues and exhibit unique properties. How different PIEZOs transduce force, how their transduction mechanism varies, and how their unique properties match the functional needs of the tissues they are expressed in remain all-important unanswered questions. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has a single PIEZO ortholog (pezo-1) predicted to have 12 isoforms. These isoforms share many transmembrane domains but differ in those that distinguish PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 in mammals. We used transcriptional and translational reporters to show that putative promoter sequences immediately upstream of the start codon of long pezo-1 isoforms predominantly drive green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in mesodermally derived tissues (such as muscle and glands). In contrast, sequences upstream of shorter pezo-1 isoforms resulted in GFP expression primarily in neurons. Putative promoters upstream of different isoforms drove GFP expression in different cells of the same organs of the digestive system. The observed unique pattern of complementary expression suggests that different isoforms could possess distinct functions within these organs. We used mutant analysis to show that pharyngeal muscles and glands require long pezo-1 isoforms to respond appropriately to the presence of food. The number of pezo-1 isoforms in C. elegans, their putative differential pattern of expression, and roles in experimentally tractable processes make this an attractive system to investigate the molecular basis for functional differences between members of the PIEZO family of mechanoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiley Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Ashka Shah
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Xiaofei Bai
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jessica Adams
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Rosemary Bauer
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Janelle Jackson
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Emily Harris
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Alyson Ficca
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Ploy Freebairn
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Shawn Mohammed
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Eliana M Fernández
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Buenos Aires 1650, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) San Martín, Buenos Aires 1650, Argentina
| | - Chance Bainbridge
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Marcela Brocco
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Buenos Aires 1650, Argentina
| | - Wolfgang Stein
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
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Tsutsui K, Kim HS, Yoshikata C, Kimura K, Kubota Y, Shibata Y, Tian C, Liu J, Nishiwaki K. Repulsive guidance molecule acts in axon branching in Caenorhabditis elegans. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22370. [PMID: 34785759 PMCID: PMC8595726 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01853-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Repulsive guidance molecules (RGMs) are evolutionarily conserved proteins implicated in repulsive axon guidance. Here we report the function of the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog DRAG-1 in axon branching. The axons of hermaphrodite-specific neurons (HSNs) extend dorsal branches at the region abutting the vulval muscles. The drag-1 mutants exhibited defects in HSN axon branching in addition to a small body size phenotype. DRAG-1 expression in the hypodermal cells was required for the branching of the axons. Although DRAG-1 is normally expressed in the ventral hypodermis excepting the vulval region, its ectopic expression in vulval precursor cells was sufficient to induce the branching. The C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor of DRAG-1 was important for its function, suggesting that DRAG-1 should be anchored to the cell surface. Genetic analyses suggested that the membrane receptor UNC-40 acts in the same pathway with DRAG-1 in HSN branching. We propose that DRAG-1 expressed in the ventral hypodermis signals via the UNC-40 receptor expressed in HSNs to elicit branching activity of HSN axons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaname Tsutsui
- Department of Bioscience, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Hon-Song Kim
- Department of Bioscience, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Chizu Yoshikata
- Department of Bioscience, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Kenji Kimura
- Department of Bioscience, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Yukihiko Kubota
- Department of Bioscience, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Yukimasa Shibata
- Department of Bioscience, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Chenxi Tian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Kiyoji Nishiwaki
- Department of Bioscience, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, 669-1337, Japan.
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A 4D single-cell protein atlas of transcription factors delineates spatiotemporal patterning during embryogenesis. Nat Methods 2021; 18:893-902. [PMID: 34312566 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-021-01216-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Complex biological processes such as embryogenesis require precise coordination of cell differentiation programs across both space and time. Using protein-fusion fluorescent reporters and four-dimensional live imaging, we present a protein expression atlas of transcription factors (TFs) mapped onto developmental cell lineages during Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis, at single-cell resolution. This atlas reveals a spatiotemporal combinatorial code of TF expression, and a cascade of lineage-specific, tissue-specific and time-specific TFs that specify developmental states. The atlas uncovers regulators of embryogenesis, including an unexpected role of a skin specifier in neurogenesis and the critical function of an uncharacterized TF in convergent muscle differentiation. At the systems level, the atlas provides an opportunity to model cell state-fate relationships, revealing a lineage-dependent state diversity within functionally related cells and a winding trajectory of developmental state progression. Collectively, this single-cell protein atlas represents a valuable resource for elucidating metazoan embryogenesis at the molecular and systems levels.
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Lin R, Kipreos ET, Zhu J, Khang CH, Kner P. Subcellular three-dimensional imaging deep through multicellular thick samples by structured illumination microscopy and adaptive optics. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3148. [PMID: 34035309 PMCID: PMC8149693 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23449-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Structured Illumination Microscopy enables live imaging with sub-diffraction resolution. Unfortunately, optical aberrations can lead to loss of resolution and artifacts in Structured Illumination Microscopy rendering the technique unusable in samples thicker than a single cell. Here we report on the combination of Adaptive Optics and Structured Illumination Microscopy enabling imaging with 150 nm lateral and 570 nm axial resolution at a depth of 80 µm through Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that Adaptive Optics improves the three-dimensional resolution, especially along the axial direction, and reduces artifacts, successfully realizing 3D-Structured Illumination Microscopy in a variety of biological samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruizhe Lin
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Edward T Kipreos
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Jie Zhu
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Chang Hyun Khang
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Peter Kner
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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Van de Walle P, Geens E, Baggerman G, José Naranjo-Galindo F, Askjaer P, Schoofs L, Temmerman L. CEH-60/PBX regulates vitellogenesis and cuticle permeability through intestinal interaction with UNC-62/MEIS in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000499. [PMID: 31675356 PMCID: PMC6824563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of sexual maturity involves dramatic changes in physiology and gene expression in many animals. These include abundant yolk protein production in egg-laying species, an energetically costly process under extensive transcriptional control. Here, we used the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to provide evidence for the spatiotemporally defined interaction of two evolutionarily conserved transcription factors, CEH-60/PBX and UNC-62/MEIS, acting as a gateway to yolk protein production. Via proteomics, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), and biochemical and functional readouts, we show that this interaction occurs in the intestine of animals at the onset of sexual maturity and suffices to support the reproductive program. Our electron micrographs and functional assays provide evidence that intestinal PBX/MEIS cooperation drives another process that depends on lipid mobilization: the formation of an impermeable epicuticle. Without this lipid-rich protective layer, mutant animals are hypersensitive to exogenous oxidative stress and are poor partners for mating. Dedicated communication between the hypodermis and intestine in C. elegans likely supports these physiological outcomes, and we propose a fundamental role for the conserved PBX/MEIS interaction in multicellular signaling networks that rely on lipid homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Van de Walle
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ellen Geens
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geert Baggerman
- Centre for Proteomics (CFP), University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
- VITO, Mol, Belgium
| | | | - Peter Askjaer
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology (CABD), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Liliane Schoofs
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liesbet Temmerman
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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Evolutionarily conserved TRH neuropeptide pathway regulates growth in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E4065-E4074. [PMID: 28461507 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1617392114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In vertebrates thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is a highly conserved neuropeptide that exerts the hormonal control of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels as well as neuromodulatory functions. However, a functional equivalent in protostomian animals remains unknown, although TRH receptors are conserved in proto- and deuterostomians. Here we identify a TRH-like neuropeptide precursor in Caenorhabditis elegans that belongs to a bilaterian family of TRH precursors. Using CRISPR/Cas9 and RNAi reverse genetics, we show that TRH-like neuropeptides, through the activation of their receptor TRHR-1, promote growth in Celegans TRH-like peptides from pharyngeal motor neurons are required for normal body size, and knockdown of their receptor in pharyngeal muscle cells reduces growth. Mutants deficient for TRH signaling have no defects in pharyngeal pumping or isthmus peristalsis rates, but their growth defect depends on the bacterial diet. In addition to the decrease in growth, trh-1 mutants have a reduced number of offspring. Our study suggests that TRH is an evolutionarily ancient neuropeptide, having its origin before the divergence of protostomes and deuterostomes, and may ancestrally have been involved in the control of postembryonic growth and reproduction.
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Dineen A, Gaudet J. TGF-β signaling can act from multiple tissues to regulate C. elegans body size. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2014; 14:43. [PMID: 25480452 PMCID: PMC4278669 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-014-0043-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Regulation of organ and body size is a fundamental biological phenomenon, requiring tight coordination between multiple tissues to ensure accurate proportional growth. In C. elegans, a TGF-β pathway is the major regulator of body size and also plays a role in the development of the male tail, and is thus referred to as the TGF-β/Sma/Mab (for small and male abnormal) pathway. Mutations in components of this pathway result in decreased growth of animals during larval stages, with Sma mutant adults of the core pathway as small as ~60-70% the length of normal animals. The currently accepted model suggests that TGF-β/Sma/Mab pathway signaling in the C. elegans hypodermis is both necessary and sufficient to control body length. However, components of this signaling pathway are expressed in other organs, such as the intestine and pharynx, raising the question of what the function of the pathway is in these organs. Results Here we show that TGF-β/Sma/Mab signaling is required for the normal growth of the pharynx. We further extend the current model and show that the TGF-β/Sma/Mab pathway can function in multiple tissues to regulate body and organ length. Specifically, we find that pharyngeal expression of the SMAD protein SMA-3 partially rescues both pharynx length and body length of sma-3 mutants. Conclusions Overall, our results support a model in which the TGF-β/Sma/Mab signaling pathway can act in multiple tissues, activating one or more downstream secreted signals that act non cell-autonomously to regulate overall body length in C. elegans. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12861-014-0043-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Dineen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4 N1, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Jeb Gaudet
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4 N1, Alberta, Canada.
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8
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Pilon M. Developmental genetics of the Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2014; 3:263-80. [PMID: 25262818 PMCID: PMC4314705 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx is a rhythmically pumping organ composed initially of 80 cells that, through fusions, amount to 62 cells in the adult worm. During the first 100 min of development, most future pharyngeal cells are born and gather into a double-plate primordium surrounded by a basal lamina. All pharyngeal cells express the transcription factor PHA-4, of which the concentration increases throughout development, triggering a sequential activation of genes with promoters responding differentially to PHA-4 protein levels. The oblong-shaped pharyngeal primordium becomes polarized, many cells taking on wedge shapes with their narrow ends toward the center, hence forming an epithelial cyst. The primordium then elongates, and reorientations of the cells at the anterior and posterior ends form the mouth and pharyngeal-intestinal openings, respectively. The 20 pharyngeal neurons establish complex but reproducible trajectories using 'fishing line' and growth cone-driven mechanisms, and the gland cells also similarly develop their processes. The genetics behind many fate decisions and morphogenetic processes are being elucidated, and reveal the pharynx to be a fruitful model for developmental biologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Pilon
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of GothenburgGothenburg, Sweden
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Ramakrishnan K, Ray P, Okkema PG. CEH-28 activates dbl-1 expression and TGF-β signaling in the C. elegans M4 neuron. Dev Biol 2014; 390:149-59. [PMID: 24690231 PMCID: PMC4023489 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Revised: 03/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
M4 is a multifunctional neuron in the Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx that can both stimulate peristaltic contractions of the muscles in the pharyngeal isthmus and function systemically to regulate an enhanced sensory response under hypoxic conditions. Here we identify a third function for M4 that depends on activation of the TGF-β family gene dbl-1 by the homeodomain transcription factor CEH-28. dbl-1 is expressed in M4 and a subset of other neurons, and we show CEH-28 specifically activates dbl-1 expression in M4. Characterization of the dbl-1 promoter indicates that CEH-28 targets an M4-specific enhancer within the dbl-1 promoter region, while expression in other neurons is mediated by separate regulatory sequences. Unlike ceh-28 mutants, dbl-1 mutants do not exhibit M4 synaptic and signaling defects. Instead, both ceh-28 and dbl-1 mutants exhibit morphological defects in the g1 gland cells located adjacent to M4 in the pharynx, and these defects can be partially rescued by M4-specific expression of dbl-1 in these mutants. Identical gland cell defects are observed in sma-6 and daf-4 mutants defective in the receptor for DBL-1, but they are not observed in sma-2 and sma-3 mutants lacking the R-Smads functioning downstream of this receptor. Together these results identify a novel neuroendocrine function for M4 and provide evidence for an R-Smad-independent mechanism for DBL-1 signaling in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalpana Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Avenue (MC567), Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Paramita Ray
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Avenue (MC567), Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Peter G Okkema
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Avenue (MC567), Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
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Rasmussen JP, Feldman JL, Reddy SS, Priess JR. Cell interactions and patterned intercalations shape and link epithelial tubes in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003772. [PMID: 24039608 PMCID: PMC3764189 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animal organs are composed largely or entirely of polarized epithelial tubes, and the formation of complex organ systems, such as the digestive or vascular systems, requires that separate tubes link with a common polarity. The Caenorhabditis elegans digestive tract consists primarily of three interconnected tubes—the pharynx, valve, and intestine—and provides a simple model for understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms used to form and connect epithelial tubes. Here, we use live imaging and 3D reconstructions of developing cells to examine tube formation. The three tubes develop from a pharynx/valve primordium and a separate intestine primordium. Cells in the pharynx/valve primordium polarize and become wedge-shaped, transforming the primordium into a cylindrical cyst centered on the future lumenal axis. For continuity of the digestive tract, valve cells must have the same, radial axis of apicobasal polarity as adjacent intestinal cells. We show that intestinal cells contribute to valve cell polarity by restricting the distribution of a polarizing cue, laminin. After developing apicobasal polarity, many pharyngeal and valve cells appear to explore their neighborhoods through lateral, actin-rich lamellipodia. For a subset of cells, these lamellipodia precede more extensive intercalations that create the valve. Formation of the valve tube begins when two valve cells become embedded at the left-right boundary of the intestinal primordium. Other valve cells organize symmetrically around these two cells, and wrap partially or completely around the orthogonal, lumenal axis, thus extruding a small valve tube from the larger cyst. We show that the transcription factors DIE-1 and EGL-43/EVI1 regulate cell intercalations and cell fates during valve formation, and that the Notch pathway is required to establish the proper boundary between the pharyngeal and valve tubes. Tubes composed of epithelial cells are universal building blocks of animal organs, and complex organs typically contain multiple interconnected tubes, such as in the digestive tract or vascular system. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provides a simple genetic system to study how tubes form and link. Understanding these events provides insight into basic biology, and can inform engineering strategies for building or repairing cellular tubes. A small tube called the valve connects the two major tubular organs of the nematode digestive tract, the pharynx and intestine. The pharynx and valve form from the same primordium, while the intestine forms from a separate primordium. Cells in each primordium polarize around a central axis, and valve formation involves connecting these axes. Using live imaging, we show that valve cells initially resemble other pharyngeal cells, but undergo additional and extensive intercalations around the lumenal axis, effectively squeezing a small tube from the larger primordium. Valve cells develop the same polarity axis as intestinal cells, and we show that this depends on interactions with the intestinal cells. We show that valve formation involves dynamic changes in the localization of adhesive proteins, and identify transcription factors that play a role in valve cell specification and intercalation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey P. Rasmussen
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jessica L. Feldman
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sowmya Somashekar Reddy
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - James R. Priess
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Rasmussen JP, Reddy SS, Priess JR. Laminin is required to orient epithelial polarity in the C. elegans pharynx. Development 2012; 139:2050-60. [PMID: 22535412 DOI: 10.1242/dev.078360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The development of many animal organs involves a mesenchymal to epithelial transition, in which cells develop and coordinate polarity through largely unknown mechanisms. The C. elegans pharynx, which is an epithelial tube in which cells polarize around a central lumen, provides a simple system with which to understand the coordination of epithelial polarity. We show that cell fate regulators cause pharyngeal precursor cells to group into a bilaterally symmetric, rectangular array of cells called the double plate. The double plate cells polarize with apical localization of the PAR-3 protein complex, then undergo apical constriction to form a cylindrical cyst. We show that laminin, but not other basement membrane components, orients the polarity of the double plate cells. Our results provide in vivo evidence that laminin has an early role in cell polarity that can be distinguished from its later role in basement membrane integrity.
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