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McPherson WK, Van Gorder EE, Hilovsky DL, Jamali LA, Keliinui CN, Suzawa M, Bland ML. Synchronizing Drosophila larvae with the salivary gland reporter Sgs3-GFP for discovery of phenotypes in the late third instar stage. Dev Biol 2024; 512:35-43. [PMID: 38710381 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The larval stage of the Drosophila melanogaster life cycle is characterized by rapid growth and nutrient storage that occur over three instar stages separated by molts. In the third instar, the steroid hormone ecdysone drives key developmental processes and behaviors that occur in a temporally-controlled sequence and prepare the animal to undergo metamorphosis. Accurately staging Drosophila larvae within the final third instar is critical due to the rapid developmental progress at this stage, but it is challenging because the rate of development varies widely across a population of animals even if eggs are laid within a short period of time. Moreover, many methods to stage third instar larvae are cumbersome, and inherent variability in the rate of development confounds some of these approaches. Here we demonstrate the usefulness of the Sgs3-GFP transgene, a fusion of the Salivary gland secretion 3 (Sgs3) and GFP proteins, for staging third instar larvae. Sgs3-GFP is expressed in the salivary glands in an ecdysone-dependent manner from the midpoint of the third instar, and its expression pattern changes reproducibly as larvae progress through the third instar. We show that Sgs3-GFP can easily be incorporated into experiments, that it allows collection of developmentally-equivalent individuals from a mixed population of larvae, and that its use enables precise assessment of changing levels of hormones, metabolites, and gene expression during the second half of the third instar.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Kyle McPherson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0875, USA
| | - Elizabeth E Van Gorder
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0875, USA
| | - Dalton L Hilovsky
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0875, USA
| | - Leila A Jamali
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0875, USA
| | - Cami N Keliinui
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0875, USA
| | - Miyuki Suzawa
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0875, USA
| | - Michelle L Bland
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0875, USA.
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2
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Bretscher H, O’Connor MB. Glycogen homeostasis and mtDNA expression require motor neuron to muscle TGFβ/Activin Signaling in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.25.600699. [PMID: 39131342 PMCID: PMC11312462 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.25.600699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Maintaining metabolic homeostasis requires coordinated nutrient utilization between intracellular organelles and across multiple organ systems. Many organs rely heavily on mitochondria to generate (ATP) from glucose, or stored glycogen. Proteins required for ATP generation are encoded in both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We show that motoneuron to muscle signaling by the TGFβ/Activin family member Actβ positively regulates glycogen levels during Drosophila development. Remarkably, we find that levels of stored glycogen are unaffected by altering cytoplasmic glucose catabolism. Instead, Actβ loss reduces levels of mtDNA and nuclearly encoded genes required for mtDNA replication, transcription and translation. Direct RNAi mediated knockdown of these same nuclearly encoded mtDNA expression factors also results in decreased glycogen stores. Lastly, we find that expressing an activated form of the type I receptor Baboon in muscle restores both glycogen and mtDNA levels in actβ mutants, thereby confirming a direct link between Actβ signaling, glycogen homeostasis and mtDNA expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Bretscher
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Michael B. O’Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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3
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Lee GG, Peterson AJ, Kim MJ, O’Connor MB, Park JH. Multiple isoforms of the Activin-like receptor baboon differentially regulate proliferation and conversion behaviors of neuroblasts and neuroepithelial cells in the Drosophila larval brain. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305696. [PMID: 38913612 PMCID: PMC11195991 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila coordinated proliferation of two neural stem cells, neuroblasts (NB) and neuroepithelial (NE) cells, is pivotal for proper larval brain growth that ultimately determines the final size and performance of an adult brain. The larval brain growth displays two phases based on behaviors of NB and NEs: the first one in early larval stages, influenced by nutritional status and the second one in the last larval stage, promoted by ecdysone signaling after critical weight checkpoint. Mutations of the baboon (babo) gene that produces three isoforms (BaboA-C), all acting as type-I receptors of Activin-type transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling, cause a small brain phenotype due to severely reduced proliferation of the neural stem cells. In this study we show that loss of babo function severely affects proliferation of NBs and NEs as well as conversion of NEs from both phases. By analyzing babo-null and newly generated isoform-specific mutants by CRISPR mutagenesis as well as isoform-specific RNAi knockdowns in a cell- and stage-specific manner, our data support differential contributions of the isoforms for these cellular events with BaboA playing the major role. Stage-specific expression of EcR-B1 in the brain is also regulated primarily by BaboA along with function of the other isoforms. Blocking EcR function in both neural stem cells results in a small brain phenotype that is more severe than baboA-knockdown alone. In summary, our study proposes that the Babo-mediated signaling promotes proper behaviors of the neural stem cells in both phases and achieves this by acting upstream of EcR-B1 expression in the second phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyunghee G. Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Aidan J. Peterson
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Myung-Jun Kim
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michael B. O’Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Jae H. Park
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
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Lindsey AR, Tennessen JM, Gelaw MA, Jones MW, Parish AJ, Newton IL, Nemkov T, D'Alessandro A, Rai M, Stark N. The intracellular symbiont Wolbachia alters Drosophila development and metabolism to buffer against nutritional stress. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.01.20.524972. [PMID: 36711506 PMCID: PMC9882369 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.20.524972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The intracellular bacterium Wolbachia is a common symbiont of many arthropods and nematodes, well studied for its impacts on host reproductive biology. However, its broad success as a vertically transmitted infection cannot be attributed to manipulations of host reproduction alone. Using the Drosophila melanogaster model and their natively associated Wolbachia strain " w Mel", we show that Wolbachia infection supports fly development and buffers against nutritional stress. Wolbachia infection across several fly genotypes and a range of nutrient conditions resulted in reduced pupal mortality, increased adult emergence, and larger size. We determined that the exogenous supplementation of pyrimidines partially rescued developmental phenotypes in the Wolbachia -free flies, and that Wolbachia titers were responsive to reduced gene expression of the fly's de novo pyrimidine synthesis pathway. In parallel, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses indicated that Wolbachia impacts larval biology far beyond pyrimidine metabolism. Wolbachia -infected larvae had strong signatures of shifts in glutathione and mitochondrial metabolism, plus significant changes in the expression of key developmental regulators including Notch , the insulin receptor ( lnR ), and the juvenile hormone receptor Methoprene-tolerant ( Met ). We propose that Wolbachia acts as a beneficial symbiont to support fly development and enhance host fitness, especially during periods of nutrient stress. SIGNIFICANCE Wolbachia is a bacterial symbiont of arthropods and nematodes, well described for its manipulations of arthropod reproduction. However, many have theorized there must be more to this symbiosis, even in well-studied Wolbachia- host relationships such as with Drosophila . Reproductive impacts alone cannot explain the success and ubiquity of this bacterium. Here, we use Drosophila melanogaster and their native Wolbachia infections to show that Wolbachia supports fly development and significantly buffers flies against nutritional stress. These developmental advantages might help explain the ubiquity of Wolbachia infections.
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Shi R, Li X, Xu X, Chen Z, Zhu Y, Wang N. Genome-wide analysis of BMP/GDF family and DAP-seq of YY1 suggest their roles in Cynoglossus semilaevis sexual size dimorphism. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127201. [PMID: 37793513 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) characterized by different body size between females and males have been reported in various animals. Gonadectomy experiments have implied important regulatory roles of the gonad in SSD. Among multiple factors from the gonad, TGF-β superfamily (especially BMP/GDF family) attracted our interest due to its pleiotropy in growth and reproduction regulations. Thus, whether BMP/GDF family members serve as crucial regulators for SSD was studied in a typically female-biased SSD flatfish named Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Firstly, a total of 26 BMP/GDF family members were identified. The PPI network analysis showed that they may interact with ACVR2a, ACVR2b, ACVR1, BMPR2, SMAD3, BMPR1a, and other proteins. Subsequently, DAP-seq was employed to reveal the binding sites for yin yang 1 (yy1), a transcription factor involved in gonad function and cell growth partly by regulating TGF-β superfamily. The results revealed that two yy1 homologues yy1a and yy1b in C. semilaevis could regulate Hippo signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway, and AMPK signaling pathway. Moreover, BMP/GDF family genes including bmp2, bmp4, bmp5, gdf6a, and gdf6b were important components of Hippo pathway. In future, the crosstalk among yy1a, yy1b, and TGF-β family would provide more insight into sexual size dimorphism in C. semilaevis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Shi
- Function Laboratory for Marine Science and Food Production Process, Laoshan laboratory, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Xihong Li
- Function Laboratory for Marine Science and Food Production Process, Laoshan laboratory, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Xiwen Xu
- Function Laboratory for Marine Science and Food Production Process, Laoshan laboratory, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Zhangfan Chen
- Function Laboratory for Marine Science and Food Production Process, Laoshan laboratory, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Na Wang
- Function Laboratory for Marine Science and Food Production Process, Laoshan laboratory, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
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6
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Chen F, Zhang XQ, Wu JJ, Jin L, Li GQ. Requirement of Myoglianin for metamorphosis in the beetle Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:671-685. [PMID: 35661293 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata is a serious defoliating beetle attacking Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae plants in many Asian countries. In the present paper, we identified a putative myoglianin (myo) gene. Hvmyo was actively transcribed throughout development, from embryo to adult. RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knockdown of Hvmyo delayed larval development by more than 2 days, reduced larval body size, inhibited the growth of antennae, wings and legs and disturbed gut purge. Knockdown of Hvmyo impaired the larval-pupal transition. All the Hvmyo RNAi larvae arrested at the larval stage or formed misshapen pupae or adults. The deformed pupae and adults were partially wrapped with exuviae, bearing separated wings. Moreover, the expression levels of five ecdysteroidogenesis genes (Hvspo, Hvphm, Hvdib, Hvsad and Hvshd), a prothocicotropic hormone (PTTH)/Torso pathway gene (Hvtorso), two 20E receptor genes (HvEcR and HvUSP), and two 20E signalling genes (HvE93 and HvFTZ-F1) were as a result of HvMyo RNAi significantly lowered. Conversely, the expression of a JH biosynthesis gene (Hvjhamt), a JH receptor gene HvMet and a JH signalling gene HvKr-h1 was greatly enhanced. Although ingestion of 20E and Hal rescued the 20E signal, it could not alleviate larval performance and defective phenotypes. Our results suggest that Myo exerts four distinctive roles in ecdysteroidogenesis, JH production, organ growth and larva-pupa-adult transformation in H. vigintioctopunctata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Chen
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Zhang
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian-Jian Wu
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Jin
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guo-Qing Li
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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7
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Brooks D, Bawa S, Bontrager A, Stetsiv M, Guo Y, Geisbrecht ER. Independent pathways control muscle tissue size and sarcomere remodeling. Dev Biol 2022; 490:1-12. [PMID: 35760368 PMCID: PMC9648737 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cell growth and proliferation must be balanced during development to attain a final adult size with the appropriate proportions of internal organs to maximize fitness and reproduction. While multiple signaling pathways coordinate Drosophila development, it is unclear how multi-organ communication within and between tissues converge to regulate systemic growth. One such growth pathway, mediated by insulin-like peptides that bind to and activate the insulin receptor in multiple target tissues, is a primary mediator of organismal size. Here we uncover a signaling role for the NUAK serine/threonine kinase in muscle tissue that impinges upon insulin pathway activity to limit overall body size, including a reduction in the growth of individual organs. In skeletal muscle tissue, manipulation of NUAK or insulin pathway components influences sarcomere number concomitant with modulation of thin and thick filament lengths, possibly by modulating the localization of Lasp, a nebulin repeat protein known to set thin filament length. This mode of sarcomere remodeling does not occur in other mutants that also exhibit smaller muscles, suggesting that a sensing mechanism exists in muscle tissue to regulate sarcomere growth that is independent of tissue size control.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Brooks
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Simranjot Bawa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Alexandria Bontrager
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Marta Stetsiv
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Yungui Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Erika R Geisbrecht
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
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8
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Changes in body shape implicate cuticle stretch in C. elegans growth control. Cells Dev 2022; 170:203780. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2022.203780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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9
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Du JL, Chen F, Wu JJ, Jin L, Li GQ. Smad on X is vital for larval-pupal transition in a herbivorous ladybird beetle. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 139:104387. [PMID: 35367434 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Insect development is regulated by a combination of juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Production of both JH and 20E is regulated by transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling. TGFβ can be classified into two branches, the Activin and Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) pathways. In Drosophila melanogaster, BMP signaling is critical for JH synthesis, whereas Activin signal is required to generate the large pulse of 20E necessary for entering metamorphosis. However, to which extent the roles of these signals are conserved remains unknown. Here we studied the role of an Activin component Smad on X (Smox) in post-embryonic development in a defoliating ladybird Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata. RNA interference (RNAi)-aided knockdown of Hvsmox inhibited larval growth, and impaired larval development. All Hvmyo RNAi larvae arrested at the fourth-instar larval stage. Moreover, knockdown of Hvsmox delayed gut and Malpighian tubules remodeling. Furthermore, the expression of a JH biosynthesis gene (Hvjhamt), a JH receptor gene HvMet and a JH response gene HvKr-h1 was greatly enhanced. Conversely, the expression levels of an ecdysteroidogenesis gene (Hvspo), a 20E receptor gene (HvEcR) and six 20E response genes (HvBrC, HvE74, HvE75, HvE93, HvHR3 and HvHR4) were significantly lowered. Knockdown of HvMet partially restored the negative phenotypes in the Hvsmox RNAi beetles. Our results suggest that Smox exerts regulative roles in JH production, ecdysteroidogenesis and organ remodeling, thus contributing to modulate the larva-pupa-adult transformation in H. vigintioctopunctata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Li Du
- College of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, Anhui 233100, China; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/ State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Feng Chen
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/ State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Jian-Jian Wu
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/ State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Lin Jin
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/ State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Guo-Qing Li
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests/ State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide Invention and Application, Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
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10
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Ho CH, Paolantoni C, Bawankar P, Tang Z, Brown S, Roignant J, Treisman JE. An exon junction complex-independent function of Barentsz in neuromuscular synapse growth. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e53231. [PMID: 34726300 PMCID: PMC8728599 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The exon junction complex controls the translation, degradation, and localization of spliced mRNAs, and three of its core subunits also play a role in splicing. Here, we show that a fourth subunit, Barentsz, has distinct functions within and separate from the exon junction complex in Drosophila neuromuscular development. The distribution of mitochondria in larval muscles requires Barentsz as well as other exon junction complex subunits and is not rescued by a Barentsz transgene in which residues required for binding to the core subunit eIF4AIII are mutated. In contrast, interactions with the exon junction complex are not required for Barentsz to promote the growth of neuromuscular synapses. We find that the Activin ligand Dawdle shows reduced expression in barentsz mutants and acts downstream of Barentsz to control synapse growth. Both barentsz and dawdle are required in motor neurons, muscles, and glia for normal synapse growth, and exogenous Dawdle can rescue synapse growth in the absence of barentsz. These results identify a biological function for Barentsz that is independent of the exon junction complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheuk Hei Ho
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Cell BiologyNYU School of MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Chiara Paolantoni
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Génopode Building, Faculty of Biology and MedicineUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Praveen Bawankar
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical SciencesJohannes Gutenberg‐University MainzMainzGermany
| | - Zuojian Tang
- Center for Health Informatics and BioinformaticsNYU Langone Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Present address:
Computational Biology at Ridgefield US, Global Computational Biology and Digital ScienceBoehringer IngelheimRidgefieldCTUSA
| | - Stuart Brown
- Center for Health Informatics and BioinformaticsNYU Langone Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Present address:
ExxonMobil Corporate Strategic ResearchAnnandaleNJUSA
| | - Jean‐Yves Roignant
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Génopode Building, Faculty of Biology and MedicineUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical SciencesJohannes Gutenberg‐University MainzMainzGermany
| | - Jessica E Treisman
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Cell BiologyNYU School of MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
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11
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Goodman MB, Savage-Dunn C. Reciprocal interactions between transforming growth factor beta signaling and collagens: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans. Dev Dyn 2022; 251:47-60. [PMID: 34537996 PMCID: PMC8982858 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in genetically tractable organisms such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have led to pioneering insights into conserved developmental regulatory mechanisms. For example, Smad signal transducers for the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily were first identified in C. elegans and in the fruit fly Drosophila. Recent studies of TGF-β signaling and the extracellular matrix (ECM) in C. elegans have forged unexpected links between signaling and the ECM, yielding novel insights into the reciprocal interactions that occur across tissues and spatial scales, and potentially providing new opportunities for the study of biomechanical regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam B. Goodman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, CA 94304
| | - Cathy Savage-Dunn
- Department of Biology, Queens College at the City University of New York, 11367,Correspondence to: >
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12
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Tiwari P, Rengarajan H, Saunders TE. Scaling of internal organs during Drosophila embryonic development. Biophys J 2021; 120:4264-4276. [PMID: 34087212 PMCID: PMC8516638 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species show a diverse range of sizes; for example, domestic dogs have large variation in body mass. Yet, the internal structure of the organism remains similar, i.e., the system scales to organism size. Drosophila melanogaster has been a powerful model system for exploring scaling mechanisms. In the early embryo, gene expression boundaries scale very precisely to embryo length. Later in development, the adult wings grow with remarkable symmetry and scale well with animal size. Yet, our knowledge of whether internal organs initially scale to embryo size remains largely unknown. Here, we utilize artificially small Drosophila embryos to explore how three critical internal organs-the heart, hindgut, and ventral nerve cord (VNC)-adapt to changes in embryo morphology. We find that the heart scales precisely with embryo length. Intriguingly, reduction in cardiac cell length, rather than number, appears to be important in controlling heart length. The hindgut, which is the first chiral organ to form, displays scaling with embryo size under large-scale changes in the artificially smaller embryos but shows few hallmarks of scaling within wild-type size variation. Finally, the VNC only displays weak scaling behavior; even large changes in embryo geometry result in only small shifts in VNC length. This suggests that the VNC may have an intrinsic minimal length that is largely independent of embryo length. Overall, our work shows that internal organs can adapt to embryo size changes in Drosophila, but the extent to which they scale varies significantly between organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhat Tiwari
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Timothy E Saunders
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A(∗)Star, Singapore, Singapore; Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.
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13
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Kim MJ, O'Connor MB. Drosophila Activin signaling promotes muscle growth through InR/TORC1-dependent and -independent processes. Development 2021; 148:dev190868. [PMID: 33234715 PMCID: PMC7823159 DOI: 10.1242/dev.190868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The Myostatin/Activin branch of the TGF-β superfamily acts as a negative regulator of vertebrate skeletal muscle size, in part, through downregulation of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling. Surprisingly, recent studies in Drosophila indicate that motoneuron-derived Activin signaling acts as a positive regulator of muscle size. Here we demonstrate that Drosophila Activin signaling promotes the growth of muscle cells along all three axes: width, thickness and length. Activin signaling positively regulates the insulin receptor (InR)/TORC1 pathway and the level of Myosin heavy chain (Mhc), an essential sarcomeric protein, via increased Pdk1 and Akt1 expression. Enhancing InR/TORC1 signaling in the muscle of Activin pathway mutants restores Mhc levels close to those of the wild type, but only increases muscle width. In contrast, hyperactivation of the Activin pathway in muscles increases overall larval body and muscle fiber length, even when Mhc levels are lowered by suppression of TORC1. Together, these results indicate that the Drosophila Activin pathway regulates larval muscle geometry and body size via promoting InR/TORC1-dependent Mhc production and the differential assembly of sarcomeric components into either pre-existing or new sarcomeric units depending on the balance of InR/TORC1 and Activin signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myung-Jun Kim
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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14
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Yoshino J, Emoto K, Parrish JZ. Think Globally, Act Locally: Scaling the Growth of Motor Neurons. Dev Cell 2020; 54:5-6. [PMID: 32634399 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
During organismal growth, body parts expand proportionally with one another and with the body as a whole, but the signals mediating this scalar expansion have been elusive. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Ho and Treisman uncover a signal transduction pathway that coordinates muscle growth and neuromuscular junction expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiro Yoshino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Kazuo Emoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Jay Z Parrish
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98112, USA.
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15
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He LL, Shin SH, Wang Z, Yuan I, Weschler R, Chiou A, Koyama T, Nijhout HF, Suzuki Y. Mechanism of threshold size assessment: Metamorphosis is triggered by the TGF-beta/Activin ligand Myoglianin. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 126:103452. [PMID: 32822817 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although the mechanisms that control growth are now well understood, the mechanism by which animals assess their body size remains one of the great puzzles in biology. The final larval instar of holometabolous insects, after which growth stops and metamorphosis begins, is specified by a threshold size. We investigated the mechanism of threshold size assessment in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. The threshold size was found to change depending on the amount of exposure to poor nutrient conditions whereas hypoxia treatment consistently led to a lower threshold size. Under these various conditions, the mass of the muscles plus integuments was correlated with the threshold size. Furthermore, the expression of myoglianin (myo) increased at the threshold size in both M. sexta and Tribolium castaneum. Knockdown of myo in T. castaneum led to larvae that underwent supernumerary larval molts and stayed in the larval stage permanently even after passing the threshold size. We propose that increasing levels of Myo produced by the growing tissues allow larvae to assess their body size and trigger metamorphosis at the threshold size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorrie L He
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Sara H Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Zhou Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Isabelle Yuan
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Ruthie Weschler
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Allison Chiou
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA
| | - Takashi Koyama
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, 2780-156, Oeiras, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Yuichiro Suzuki
- Department of Biological Sciences, 106 Central St., Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 02481, USA.
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16
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Jacobs HT, George J, Kemppainen E. Regulation of growth in Drosophila melanogaster: the roles of mitochondrial metabolism. J Biochem 2020; 167:267-277. [PMID: 31926002 PMCID: PMC7048069 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvaa002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial functions are often considered purely from the standpoint of catabolism, but in growing cells they are mainly dedicated to anabolic processes, and can have a profound impact on the rate of growth. The Drosophila larva, which increases in body mass ∼200-fold over the course of ∼3 days at 25°C, provides an excellent model to study the underlying regulatory machinery that connects mitochondrial metabolic capacity to growth. In this review, we will focus on several key aspects of this machinery: nutrient sensing, endocrine control of feeding and nutrient mobilization, metabolic signalling, protein synthesis regulation and pathways of steroid biosynthesis and activity. In all these aspects, mitochondria appear to play a crucial role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard T Jacobs
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, FI-33014 Tampere University, Finland
| | - Jack George
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, FI-33014 Tampere University, Finland
| | - Esko Kemppainen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, FI-33014 Tampere University, Finland
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17
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Texada MJ, Koyama T, Rewitz K. Regulation of Body Size and Growth Control. Genetics 2020; 216:269-313. [PMID: 33023929 PMCID: PMC7536854 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The control of body and organ growth is essential for the development of adults with proper size and proportions, which is important for survival and reproduction. In animals, adult body size is determined by the rate and duration of juvenile growth, which are influenced by the environment. In nutrient-scarce environments in which more time is needed for growth, the juvenile growth period can be extended by delaying maturation, whereas juvenile development is rapidly completed in nutrient-rich conditions. This flexibility requires the integration of environmental cues with developmental signals that govern internal checkpoints to ensure that maturation does not begin until sufficient tissue growth has occurred to reach a proper adult size. The Target of Rapamycin (TOR) pathway is the primary cell-autonomous nutrient sensor, while circulating hormones such as steroids and insulin-like growth factors are the main systemic regulators of growth and maturation in animals. We discuss recent findings in Drosophila melanogaster showing that cell-autonomous environment and growth-sensing mechanisms, involving TOR and other growth-regulatory pathways, that converge on insulin and steroid relay centers are responsible for adjusting systemic growth, and development, in response to external and internal conditions. In addition to this, proper organ growth is also monitored and coordinated with whole-body growth and the timing of maturation through modulation of steroid signaling. This coordination involves interorgan communication mediated by Drosophila insulin-like peptide 8 in response to tissue growth status. Together, these multiple nutritional and developmental cues feed into neuroendocrine hubs controlling insulin and steroid signaling, serving as checkpoints at which developmental progression toward maturation can be delayed. This review focuses on these mechanisms by which external and internal conditions can modulate developmental growth and ensure proper adult body size, and highlights the conserved architecture of this system, which has made Drosophila a prime model for understanding the coordination of growth and maturation in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Takashi Koyama
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Kim Rewitz
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
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18
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Alvarez-Ochoa E, Froldi F, Cheng LY. Interorgan communication in development and cancer. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2020; 10:e394. [PMID: 32852143 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Studies in model organisms have demonstrated that extensive communication occurs between distant organs both during development and in diseases such as cancer. Organs communicate with each other to coordinate growth and reach the correct size, while the fate of tumor cells depend on the outcome of their interaction with the immune system and peripheral tissues. In this review, we outline recent studies in Drosophila, which have enabled an improved understanding of the complex crosstalk between organs in the context of both organismal and tumor growth. We argue that Drosophila is a powerful model organism for studying these interactions, and these studies have the potential for improving our understanding of signaling pathways and candidate factors that mediate this conserved interorgan crosstalk. This article is categorized under: Establishment of Spatial and Temporal Patterns > Regulation of Size, Proportion, and Timing Early Embryonic Development > Development to the Basic Body Plan Invertebrate Organogenesis > Flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edel Alvarez-Ochoa
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Francesca Froldi
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise Y Cheng
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,The Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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19
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Madaan U, Faure L, Chowdhury A, Ahmed S, Ciccarelli EJ, Gumienny TL, Savage-Dunn C. Feedback regulation of BMP signaling by Caenorhabditis elegans cuticle collagens. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:825-832. [PMID: 32049594 PMCID: PMC7185965 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e19-07-0390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular responsiveness to environment, including changes in extracellular matrix (ECM), is critical for normal processes such as development and wound healing, but can go awry, as in oncogenesis and fibrosis. One type of molecular pathway contributing to this responsiveness is the BMP signaling pathway. Owing to their broad and potent functions, BMPs and their pathways are regulated at multiple levels. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the BMP ligand DBL-1 is a regulator of body size. We previously showed that DBL-1/BMP signaling determines body size through transcriptional regulation of cuticle collagen genes. We now identify feedback regulation of DBL-1/BMP through analysis of four DBL-1–regulated collagen genes. Inactivation of any of these genes reduces DBL-1/BMP signaling, measured by a pathway activity reporter. Furthermore, depletion of these collagens reduces GFP::DBL-1 fluorescence and acts unexpectedly at the level of dbl-1 transcription. We conclude that cuticle, a specialized ECM, impinges on DBL-1/BMP expression and signaling. Interestingly, the feedback regulation of DBL-1/BMP signaling by collagens is likely to be contact independent due to physical separation of the cuticle from DBL-1–expressing cells in the ventral nerve cord. Our results provide an entry point into a novel regulatory mechanism for BMP signaling, with broader implications for mechanical regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uday Madaan
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367.,PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, NY 10016
| | - Lionel Faure
- Department of Biology, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 76204
| | - Albar Chowdhury
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367
| | - Shahrear Ahmed
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367
| | - Emma J Ciccarelli
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367.,PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, NY 10016
| | - Tina L Gumienny
- Department of Biology, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 76204
| | - Cathy Savage-Dunn
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367.,PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, NY 10016
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20
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Gou J, Stotsky JA, Othmer HG. Growth control in the Drosophila wing disk. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2020; 12:e1478. [PMID: 31917525 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The regulation of size and shape is a fundamental requirement of biological development and has been a subject of scientific study for centuries, but we still lack an understanding of how organisms know when to stop growing. Imaginal wing disks of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which are precursors of the adult wings, are an archetypal tissue for studying growth control. The growth of the disks is dependent on many inter- and intra-organ factors such as morphogens, mechanical forces, nutrient levels, and hormones that influence gene expression and cell growth. Extracellular signals are transduced into gene-control signals via complex signal transduction networks, and since cells typically receive many different signals, a mechanism for integrating the signals is needed. Our understanding of the effect of morphogens on tissue-level growth regulation via individual pathways has increased significantly in the last half century, but our understanding of how multiple biochemical and mechanical signals are integrated to determine whether or not a cell decides to divide is still rudimentary. Numerous fundamental questions are involved in understanding the decision-making process, and here we review the major biochemical and mechanical pathways involved in disk development with a view toward providing a basis for beginning to understand how multiple signals can be integrated at the cell level, and how this translates into growth control at the level of the imaginal disk. This article is categorized under: Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods Biological Mechanisms > Cell Signaling Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Cellular Models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Gou
- School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Jay A Stotsky
- School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Hans G Othmer
- School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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