1
|
More KJ, Kaur H, Simpson AGB, Spiegel FW, Dacks JB. Contractile vacuoles: a rapidly expanding (and occasionally diminishing?) understanding. Eur J Protistol 2024; 94:126078. [PMID: 38688044 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126078] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Osmoregulation is the homeostatic mechanism essential for the survival of organisms in hypoosmotic and hyperosmotic conditions. In freshwater or soil dwelling protists this is frequently achieved through the action of an osmoregulatory organelle, the contractile vacuole. This endomembrane organelle responds to the osmotic challenges and compensates by collecting and expelling the excess water to maintain the cellular osmolarity. As compared with other endomembrane organelles, this organelle is underappreciated and under-studied. Here we review the reported presence or absence of contractile vacuoles across eukaryotic diversity, as well as the observed variability in the structure, function, and molecular machinery of this organelle. Our findings highlight the challenges and opportunities for constructing cellular and evolutionary models for this intriguing organelle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kiran J More
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Harpreet Kaur
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alastair G B Simpson
- Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Frederick W Spiegel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution, & Environment, University College, London, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cheng CY, Romero DP, Zoltner M, Yao MC, Turkewitz AP. Structure and dynamics of the contractile vacuole complex in Tetrahymena thermophila. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs261511. [PMID: 37902010 PMCID: PMC10729820 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261511] [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: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The contractile vacuole complex (CVC) is a dynamic and morphologically complex membrane organelle, comprising a large vesicle (bladder) linked with a tubular reticulum (spongiome). CVCs provide key osmoregulatory roles across diverse eukaryotic lineages, but probing the mechanisms underlying their structure and function is hampered by the limited tools available for in vivo analysis. In the experimentally tractable ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, we describe four proteins that, as endogenously tagged constructs, localize specifically to distinct CVC zones. The DOPEY homolog Dop1p and the CORVET subunit Vps8Dp localize both to the bladder and spongiome but with different local distributions that are sensitive to osmotic perturbation, whereas the lipid scramblase Scr7p colocalizes with Vps8Dp. The H+-ATPase subunit Vma4 is spongiome specific. The live imaging permitted by these probes revealed dynamics at multiple scales including rapid exchange of CVC-localized and soluble protein pools versus lateral diffusion in the spongiome, spongiome extension and branching, and CVC formation during mitosis. Although the association with DOP1 and VPS8D implicate the CVC in endosomal trafficking, both the bladder and spongiome might be isolated from bulk endocytic input.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Yin Cheng
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Daniel P. Romero
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Martin Zoltner
- Biotechnology Biomedicine Centre of the Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Meng-Chao Yao
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Aaron P. Turkewitz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jimenez V, Miranda K, Ingrid A. The old and the new about the contractile vacuole of Trypanosoma cruzi. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12939. [PMID: 35916682 PMCID: PMC11178379 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12939] [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: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Osmoregulation is a conserved cellular process required for the survival of all organisms. In protists, the need for robust compensatory mechanisms that can maintain cell volume and tonicity within physiological range is even more relevant, as their life cycles are often completed in different environments. Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan pathogen responsible for Chagas disease, is transmitted by an insect vector to multiple types of mammalian hosts. The contractile vacuole complex (CVC) is an organelle that senses and compensates osmotic changes in the parasites, ensuring their survival upon ionic and osmotic challenges. Recent work shows that the contractile vacuole is also a key component of the secretory and endocytic pathways, regulating the selective targeting of surface proteins during differentiation. Here we summarize our current knowledge of the mechanisms involved in the osmoregulatory processes that take place in the vacuole, and we explore the new and exciting functions of this organelle in cell trafficking and signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Jimenez
- Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California, USA
| | - Kildare Miranda
- Laboratorio de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Augusto Ingrid
- Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California, USA
- Laboratorio de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lynch M, Schavemaker PE, Licknack TJ, Hao Y, Pezzano A. Evolutionary bioenergetics of ciliates. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12934. [PMID: 35778890 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding why various organisms evolve alternative ways of living requires information on both the fitness advantages of phenotypic modifications and the costs of constructing and operating cellular features. Although the former has been the subject of a myriad of ecological studies, almost no attention has been given to how organisms allocate resources to alternative structures and functions. We address these matters by capitalizing on an array of observations on diverse ciliate species and from the emerging field of evolutionary bioenergetics. A relatively robust and general estimator for the total cost of a cell per cell cycle (in units of ATP equivalents) is provided, and this is then used to understand how the magnitudes of various investments scale with cell size. Among other things, we examine the costs associated with the large macronuclear genomes of ciliates, as well as ribosomes, various internal membranes, osmoregulation, cilia, and swimming activities. Although a number of uncertainties remain, the general approach taken may serve as blueprint for expanding this line of work to additional traits and phylogenetic lineages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lynch
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | - Paul E Schavemaker
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | - Timothy J Licknack
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | - Yue Hao
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | - Arianna Pezzano
- Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Plattner H. Ciliate Research. From Myth to Trendsetting Science. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12926. [PMID: 35608570 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This special issue of the Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology (JEM) summarizes achievements obtained by generations of researchers with ciliates in widely different disciplines. In fact, ciliates range among the first cells seen under the microscope centuries ago. Their beauty made them an object of scientia amabilis and their manifold reactions made them attractive for college experiments and finally challenged causal analyses at the cellular level. Some of this work was honored by a Nobel Prize. Some observations yielded a baseline for additional novel discoveries, occasionally facilitated by specific properties of some ciliates. This also offers some advantage in the exploration of closely related parasites (malaria). Articles contributed here by colleagues from all over the world encompass a broad spectrum of ciliate life, from genetics to evolution, from molecular cell biology to ecology, from intercellular signaling to epigenetics etc. This introductory chapter, largely based on my personal perception, aims at integrating work presented in this special issue of JEM into a broader historical context up to current research.
Collapse
|
6
|
Plattner H. Membrane Traffic and Ca 2+ -Signals in Ciliates. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12895. [PMID: 35156735 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A Paramecium cell has as many types of membrane interactions as mammalian cells, as established with monoclonal antibodies by R. Allen and A. Fok. Since then, we have identified key-players, such as SNARE-proteins, Ca2+ -regulating proteins, including Ca2+ -channels, Ca2+ -pumps, Ca2+ -binding proteins of different affinity etc. at the molecular level, probed their function and localized them at the light and electron microscopy level. SNARE-proteins, in conjunction with a synaptotagmin-like Ca2+ -sensor protein, mediate membrane fusion. This interaction is additionally regulated by monomeric GTPases whose spectrum in Tetrahymena and Paramecium has been established by A. Turkewitz. As known from mammalian cells, GTPases are activated on membranes in conjunction with lumenal acidification by an H+ -ATPase. For these complex molecules we found in Paramecium an unsurpassed number of 17 a-subunit paralogs which connect the polymeric head and basis part, V1 and V0. (This multitude may reflect different local functional requirements.) Together with plasmalemmal Ca2+ -influx-channels, locally enriched intracellular InsP3 -type (InsP3 R, mainly in osmoregulatory system) and ryanodine receptor-like Ca2+ -release channels (ryanodine receptor-like proteins, RyR-LP), this complexity mediates Ca2+ signals for most flexible local membrane-to-membrane interactions. As we found, the latter channel types miss a substantial portion of the N-terminal part. Caffeine and 4-chloro-meta-cresol (the agent used to probe mutations of RyRs in man during surgery in malignant insomnia patients) initiate trichocyst exocytosis by activating Ca2+ -release channels type CRC-IV in the peripheral part of alveolar sacs. This is superimposed by Ca2+ -influx, i.e. a mechanism called "store-operated Ca2+ -entry" (SOCE). For the majority of key players, we have mapped paralogs throughout the Paramecium cell, with features in common or at variance in the different organelles participating in vesicle trafficking. Local values of free Ca2+ -concentration, [Ca2+ ]i , and their change, e.g. upon exocytosis stimulation, have been registered by flurochromes and chelator effects. In parallel we have registered release of Ca2+ from alveolar sacs by quenched-flow analysis combined with cryofixation and x-ray microanalysis.
Collapse
|
7
|
Richardson E, Dacks JB. Distribution of Membrane Trafficking System Components Across Ciliate Diversity Highlights Heterogenous Organelle-Associated Machinery. Traffic 2022; 23:208-220. [PMID: 35128766 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The ciliate phylum is a group of protists noted for their unusual membrane trafficking system and apparent environmental ubiquity; as highly successful microbial predators, they are found in all manner of environments and the ability for specific species to adapt to extremely challenging conditions makes them valued as bioindicators. Ciliates have also been used for many years as cell biological models due to their large cell size and ease of culturing, and for many fundamental cell structures, particularly membrane-bound organelles, ciliates were some of the earliest organisms in which these were observed via microscopy. In this study, we carried out a comparative genomic survey of selected membrane trafficking proteins in a pan-ciliate transcriptome and genome dataset. We observed considerable loss of membrane trafficking system (MTS) proteins that would indicate a loss of machinery that is generally conserved across eukaryotic diversity, even after controlling for potentially incomplete genome representation. In particular, the DSL1 complex was missing in all surveyed ciliates. This protein complex has been shown as involved in peroxisome biogenesis in some model systems, and a paucity of DSL1 components has been indicative of degenerate peroxisome. However, Tetrahymena thermophila (formerly Tetrahymena pyroformis) was one of the original models for visualising peroxisomes. Conversely, the AP3 complex essential for mucocyst maturation in T. thermophila, is poorly conserved despite the presence of secretory lysosome-related organelles across ciliate diversity. We discuss potential resolutions for these apparent paradoxes in the context of the heterogenous distribution of MTS machinery across the diversity of ciliates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Richardson
- University of Alberta School of Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
In the context of animal or plant development, we tend to think of cells as small, simple, building blocks, such that complex patterns or shapes can only be constructed from large numbers of cells, with cells in different parts of the organism taking on different fates. However, cells themselves are far from simple, and often take on complex shapes with a remarkable degree of intracellular patterning. How do these patterns arise? As in embryogenesis, the development of structure inside a cell can be broken down into a number of basic processes. For each part of the cell, morphogenetic processes create internal structures such as organelles, which might correspond to organs at the level of a whole organism. Given that mechanisms exist to generate parts, patterning processes are required to ensure that the parts are distributed in the correct arrangement relative to the rest of the cell. Such patterning processes make reference to global polarity axes, requiring mechanisms for axiation which, in turn, require processes to break symmetry. These fundamental processes of symmetry breaking, axiation, patterning, and morphogenesis have been extensively studied in developmental biology but less so at the subcellular level. This review will focus on developmental processes that give eukaryotic cells their complex structures, with a focus on cytoskeletal organization in free-living cells, ciliates in particular, in which these processes are most readily apparent.
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhang KS, Blauch LR, Huang W, Marshall WF, Tang SKY. Microfluidic guillotine reveals multiple timescales and mechanical modes of wound response in Stentor coeruleus. BMC Biol 2021; 19:63. [PMID: 33810789 PMCID: PMC8017755 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-00970-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Wound healing is one of the defining features of life and is seen not only in tissues but also within individual cells. Understanding wound response at the single-cell level is critical for determining fundamental cellular functions needed for cell repair and survival. This understanding could also enable the engineering of single-cell wound repair strategies in emerging synthetic cell research. One approach is to examine and adapt self-repair mechanisms from a living system that already demonstrates robust capacity to heal from large wounds. Towards this end, Stentor coeruleus, a single-celled free-living ciliate protozoan, is a unique model because of its robust wound healing capacity. This capacity allows one to perturb the wounding conditions and measure their effect on the repair process without immediately causing cell death, thereby providing a robust platform for probing the self-repair mechanism. Results Here we used a microfluidic guillotine and a fluorescence-based assay to probe the timescales of wound repair and of mechanical modes of wound response in Stentor. We found that Stentor requires ~ 100–1000 s to close bisection wounds, depending on the severity of the wound. This corresponds to a healing rate of ~ 8–80 μm2/s, faster than most other single cells reported in the literature. Further, we characterized three distinct mechanical modes of wound response in Stentor: contraction, cytoplasm retrieval, and twisting/pulling. Using chemical perturbations, active cilia were found to be important for only the twisting/pulling mode. Contraction of myonemes, a major contractile fiber in Stentor, was surprisingly not important for the contraction mode and was of low importance for the others. Conclusions While events local to the wound site have been the focus of many single-cell wound repair studies, our results suggest that large-scale mechanical behaviors may be of greater importance to single-cell wound repair than previously thought. The work here advances our understanding of the wound response in Stentor and will lay the foundation for further investigations into the underlying components and molecular mechanisms involved. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-00970-0.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Lucas R Blauch
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Wesley Huang
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
| | - Wallace F Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Sindy K Y Tang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kabra A, Kim LW. Superoxide dismutase C affects Dictyostelium contractile vacuole biogenesis and function. Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:516-526. [PMID: 33118157 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Dictyostelium cells cope with hypo-osmotic stress with a contractile vacuole (CV) system, which consists of one or two vacuoles that cyclically charge and discharge. Uniquely, a F-Actin remodeling dependent minimal mixing of the CV membrane components with the target plasmalemma during the fusion and the dischargement warrants the integrity of the CV bladder for an efficient next CV cycle. The effect of hypo-osmotic stress on F-Actin remodeling activity, however, is currently not well understood. Dictyostelium cells increase the level of intracellular superoxide level in response to hypo-osmotic stress, which in turn activates redox-sensitive Ras proteins, but not Akt, which is one of the Ras downstream targets and a major regulator of F-Actin remodeling. However, Akt is not insulated from the active Ras in cells lacking Superoxide dismutase C (SodC). We report here that sodC- cells were compromised in the CV structure and function and the attenuation of Ras/PI3K/Akt signaling in several independent means significantly improved the compromised CV structure but not the function. Interestingly, when sodC- cells were treated with 5-(N,N-Dimethyl) amiloride hydrochloride (EIPA), an inhibitor of sodium proton exchanger (NHE), both the structure and the function of the CV improved. Thus, a proper CV biogenesis in sodC- cells was insufficient to restore their CV function, which in turn indicates the presence of an additional target for SodC and EIPA that modulates CV function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adwait Kabra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Lou W Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Buechner M, Yang Z, Al-Hashimi H. A Series of Tubes: The C. elegans Excretory Canal Cell as a Model for Tubule Development. J Dev Biol 2020; 8:jdb8030017. [PMID: 32906663 PMCID: PMC7557474 DOI: 10.3390/jdb8030017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Formation and regulation of properly sized epithelial tubes is essential for multicellular life. The excretory canal cell of C. elegans provides a powerful model for investigating the integration of the cytoskeleton, intracellular transport, and organismal physiology to regulate the developmental processes of tube extension, lumen formation, and lumen diameter regulation in a narrow single cell. Multiple studies have provided new understanding of actin and intermediate filament cytoskeletal elements, vesicle transport, and the role of vacuolar ATPase in determining tube size. Most of the genes discovered have clear homologues in humans, with implications for understanding these processes in mammalian tissues such as Schwann cells, renal tubules, and brain vasculature. The results of several new genetic screens are described that provide a host of new targets for future studies in this informative structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Buechner
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Zhe Yang
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA;
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Calcino AD, de Oliveira AL, Simakov O, Schwaha T, Zieger E, Wollesen T, Wanninger A. The quagga mussel genome and the evolution of freshwater tolerance. DNA Res 2020; 26:411-422. [PMID: 31504356 PMCID: PMC6796509 DOI: 10.1093/dnares/dsz019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Freshwater dreissenid mussels evolved from marine ancestors during the Miocene ∼30 million years ago and today include some of the most successful and destructive invasive species of freshwater environments. Here, we sequenced the genome of the quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis to identify adaptations involved in embryonic osmoregulation. We provide evidence that a lophotrochozoan-specific aquaporin water channel, a vacuolar ATPase subunit and a sodium/hydrogen exchanger are involved in osmoregulation throughout early cleavage, during which time large intercellular fluid-filled 'cleavage cavities' repeatedly form, coalesce and collapse, expelling excess water to the exterior. Independent expansions of aquaporins coinciding with at least five freshwater colonization events confirm their role in freshwater adaptation. Repeated aquaporin expansions and the evolution of membrane-bound fluid-filled osmoregulatory structures in diverse freshwater taxa point to a fundamental principle guiding the evolution of freshwater tolerance and provide a framework for future species control efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Calcino
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Oleg Simakov
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Development, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Schwaha
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Zieger
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tim Wollesen
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Wanninger
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sparvoli D, Zoltner M, Cheng CY, Field MC, Turkewitz AP. Diversification of CORVET tethers facilitates transport complexity in Tetrahymena thermophila. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs238659. [PMID: 31964712 PMCID: PMC7033735 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.238659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In endolysosomal networks, two hetero-hexameric tethers called HOPS and CORVET are found widely throughout eukaryotes. The unicellular ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila possesses elaborate endolysosomal structures, but curiously both it and related protozoa lack the HOPS tether and several other trafficking proteins, while retaining the related CORVET complex. Here, we show that Tetrahymena encodes multiple paralogs of most CORVET subunits, which assemble into six distinct complexes. Each complex has a unique subunit composition and, significantly, shows unique localization, indicating participation in distinct pathways. One pair of complexes differ by a single subunit (Vps8), but have late endosomal versus recycling endosome locations. While Vps8 subunits are thus prime determinants for targeting and functional specificity, determinants exist on all subunits except Vps11. This unprecedented expansion and diversification of CORVET provides a potent example of tether flexibility, and illustrates how 'backfilling' following secondary losses of trafficking genes can provide a mechanism for evolution of new pathways.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Sparvoli
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, 920 E 58th Street, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Martin Zoltner
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Chao-Yin Cheng
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, 920 E 58th Street, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Mark C Field
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Aaron P Turkewitz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, 920 E 58th Street, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Shubin AV, Demidyuk IV, Komissarov AA, Rafieva LM, Kostrov SV. Cytoplasmic vacuolization in cell death and survival. Oncotarget 2018; 7:55863-55889. [PMID: 27331412 PMCID: PMC5342458 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytoplasmic vacuolization (also called cytoplasmic vacuolation) is a well-known morphological phenomenon observed in mammalian cells after exposure to bacterial or viral pathogens as well as to various natural and artificial low-molecular-weight compounds. Vacuolization often accompanies cell death; however, its role in cell death processes remains unclear. This can be attributed to studying vacuolization at the level of morphology for many years. At the same time, new data on the molecular mechanisms of the vacuole formation and structure have become available. In addition, numerous examples of the association between vacuolization and previously unknown cell death types have been reported. Here, we review these data to make a deeper insight into the role of cytoplasmic vacuolization in cell death and survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrey V Shubin
- Laboratory of Protein Engineering, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow, Russia.,Laboratory of Chemical Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Moscow, Russia.,Laboratory of Biologically Active Nanostructures, N.F. Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ilya V Demidyuk
- Laboratory of Protein Engineering, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A Komissarov
- Laboratory of Protein Engineering, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Lola M Rafieva
- Laboratory of Protein Engineering, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey V Kostrov
- Laboratory of Protein Engineering, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Feng L, Wang G, Hamilton EP, Xiong J, Yan G, Chen K, Chen X, Dui W, Plemens A, Khadr L, Dhanekula A, Juma M, Dang HQ, Kapler GM, Orias E, Miao W, Liu Y. A germline-limited piggyBac transposase gene is required for precise excision in Tetrahymena genome rearrangement. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:9481-9502. [PMID: 28934495 PMCID: PMC5766162 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmentally programmed genome rearrangement accompanies differentiation of the silent germline micronucleus into the transcriptionally active somatic macronucleus in the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila. Internal eliminated sequences (IES) are excised, followed by rejoining of MAC-destined sequences, while fragmentation occurs at conserved chromosome breakage sequences, generating macronuclear chromosomes. Some macronuclear chromosomes, referred to as non-maintained chromosomes (NMC), are lost soon after differentiation. Large NMC contain genes implicated in development-specific roles. One such gene encodes the domesticated piggyBac transposase TPB6, required for heterochromatin-dependent precise excision of IES residing within exons of functionally important genes. These conserved exonic IES determine alternative transcription products in the developing macronucleus; some even contain free-standing genes. Examples of precise loss of some exonic IES in the micronucleus and retention of others in the macronucleus of related species suggest an evolutionary analogy to introns. Our results reveal that germline-limited sequences can encode genes with specific expression patterns and development-related functions, which may be a recurring theme in eukaryotic organisms experiencing programmed genome rearrangement during germline to soma differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Feng
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.,School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Guangying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Eileen P Hamilton
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Jie Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Guanxiong Yan
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Wen Dui
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Amber Plemens
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lara Khadr
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Arjune Dhanekula
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Mina Juma
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Hung Quang Dang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Geoffrey M Kapler
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Eduardo Orias
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Wei Miao
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yifan Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Plattner H. Evolutionary Cell Biology of Proteins from Protists to Humans and Plants. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2017; 65:255-289. [PMID: 28719054 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
During evolution, the cell as a fine-tuned machine had to undergo permanent adjustments to match changes in its environment, while "closed for repair work" was not possible. Evolution from protists (protozoa and unicellular algae) to multicellular organisms may have occurred in basically two lineages, Unikonta and Bikonta, culminating in mammals and angiosperms (flowering plants), respectively. Unicellular models for unikont evolution are myxamoebae (Dictyostelium) and increasingly also choanoflagellates, whereas for bikonts, ciliates are preferred models. Information accumulating from combined molecular database search and experimental verification allows new insights into evolutionary diversification and maintenance of genes/proteins from protozoa on, eventually with orthologs in bacteria. However, proteins have rarely been followed up systematically for maintenance or change of function or intracellular localization, acquirement of new domains, partial deletion (e.g. of subunits), and refunctionalization, etc. These aspects are discussed in this review, envisaging "evolutionary cell biology." Protozoan heritage is found for most important cellular structures and functions up to humans and flowering plants. Examples discussed include refunctionalization of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in cilia and replacement by other types during evolution. Altogether components serving Ca2+ signaling are very flexible throughout evolution, calmodulin being a most conservative example, in contrast to calcineurin whose catalytic subunit is lost in plants, whereas both subunits are maintained up to mammals for complex functions (immune defense and learning). Domain structure of R-type SNAREs differs in mono- and bikonta, as do Ca2+ -dependent protein kinases. Unprecedented selective expansion of the subunit a which connects multimeric base piece and head parts (V0, V1) of H+ -ATPase/pump may well reflect the intriguing vesicle trafficking system in ciliates, specifically in Paramecium. One of the most flexible proteins is centrin when its intracellular localization and function throughout evolution is traced. There are many more examples documenting evolutionary flexibility of translation products depending on requirements and potential for implantation within the actual cellular context at different levels of evolution. From estimates of gene and protein numbers per organism, it appears that much of the basic inventory of protozoan precursors could be transmitted to highest eukaryotic levels, with some losses and also with important additional "inventions."
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helmut Plattner
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, P. O. Box M625, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
The Caenorhabditis elegans Excretory System: A Model for Tubulogenesis, Cell Fate Specification, and Plasticity. Genetics 2017; 203:35-63. [PMID: 27183565 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.189357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The excretory system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a superb model of tubular organogenesis involving a minimum of cells. The system consists of just three unicellular tubes (canal, duct, and pore), a secretory gland, and two associated neurons. Just as in more complex organs, cells of the excretory system must first adopt specific identities and then coordinate diverse processes to form tubes of appropriate topology, shape, connectivity, and physiological function. The unicellular topology of excretory tubes, their varied and sometimes complex shapes, and the dynamic reprogramming of cell identity and remodeling of tube connectivity that occur during larval development are particularly fascinating features of this organ. The physiological roles of the excretory system in osmoregulation and other aspects of the animal's life cycle are only beginning to be explored. The cellular mechanisms and molecular pathways used to build and shape excretory tubes appear similar to those used in both unicellular and multicellular tubes in more complex organs, such as the vertebrate vascular system and kidney, making this simple organ system a useful model for understanding disease processes.
Collapse
|
18
|
Guerrier S, Plattner H, Richardson E, Dacks JB, Turkewitz AP. An evolutionary balance: conservation vs innovation in ciliate membrane trafficking. Traffic 2016; 18:18-28. [PMID: 27696651 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
As most of eukaryotic diversity lies in single-celled protists, they represent unique opportunities to ask questions about the balance of conservation and innovation in cell biological features. Among free-living protists the ciliates offer ease of culturing, a rich array of experimental approaches, and versatile molecular tools, particularly in Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia. These attributes have been exploited by researchers to analyze a wealth of cellular structures in these large and complex cells. This mini-review focuses on 3 aspects of ciliate membrane dynamics, all linked with endolysosomal trafficking. First is nutrition based on phagocytosis and maturation of food vacuoles. Secondly, we discuss regulated exocytosis from vesicles that have features of both dense core secretory granules but also lysosome-related organelles. The third topic is the targeting, breakdown and resorption of parental nuclei in mating partners. For all 3 phenomena, it is clear that elements of the canonical membrane-trafficking system have been retained and in some cases repurposed. In addition, there is evidence that recently evolved, lineage-specific proteins provide determinants in these pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Helmut Plattner
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Joel B Dacks
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Aaron P Turkewitz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Bucher M, Fabiańska I. Long-Sought Vacuolar Phosphate Transporters Identified. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 21:463-466. [PMID: 27160805 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2016.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The vacuole is an important subcellular compartment that serves as main phosphate storage in plants among other functions. Three recent studies shed light on the underlying molecular mechanisms for vacuolar phosphate transport that had long remained unknown.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Bucher
- Botanical Institute, Cologne Biocenter, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, D-50931 Cologne, Germany.
| | - Izabela Fabiańska
- Botanical Institute, Cologne Biocenter, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, D-50931 Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|