1
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Ulaganathan G, Jiang H, Canio N, Oke A, Armstrong SS, Abrahamsson D, Varshavsky JR, Lam J, Cooper C, Robinson JF, Fung JC, Woodruff TJ, Allard P. Screening and characterization of 133 physiologically-relevant environmental chemicals for reproductive toxicity. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 126:108602. [PMID: 38723698 PMCID: PMC11155672 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Reproduction is a functional outcome that relies on complex cellular, tissue, and organ interactions that span the developmental period to adulthood. Thus, the assessment of its disruption by environmental chemicals would benefit significantly from scalable and innovative approaches to testing using functionally comparable reproductive models such as the nematode C. elegans. We adapted a previously described low-throughput in vivo chromosome segregation assay using C. elegans predictive of reproductive toxicity and leveraged available public data sources (ToxCast, ICE) to screen and characterize 133 physiologically-relevant chemicals in a high-throughput manner. The screening outcome was further validated in a second, independent in vivo assay assessing embryonic viability. In total, 13 chemicals were classified as reproductive toxicants with the two most active chemicals belonging to the large family of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) commonly used as disinfectants but with limited available reproductive toxicity data. We compared the results from the C. elegans assay with ToxCast in vitro data compiled from 700+ cell response assays and 300+ signaling pathways-based assays. We did not observe a difference in the bioactivity or in the average potency (AC50) between the top and bottom chemicals. However, the intended target categories were significantly different between the classified chemicals with, in particular, an over-representation of steroid hormone targets for the high Z-score chemicals. Taken together, these results point to the value of in vivo models that scale to high-throughput level for reproductive toxicity assessment and to the need to prioritize the assessment of QACs impacts on reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurugowtham Ulaganathan
- Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hui Jiang
- Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Noah Canio
- Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ashwini Oke
- Center for Reproductive Sciences and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sujit Silas Armstrong
- Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dimitri Abrahamsson
- Department of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Julia R Varshavsky
- Department of Health Sciences and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Juleen Lam
- Department of Public Health, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Courtney Cooper
- University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joshua F Robinson
- Center for Reproductive Sciences and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer C Fung
- Center for Reproductive Sciences and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Center for Reproductive Sciences and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA; University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Patrick Allard
- Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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2
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Nandhagopal M, Narayanasamy M. Characterization of anthranilic acid produced by Virgibacillus salarius MML1918 and its bio-imaging application. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:166. [PMID: 38630358 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03954-8] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Anthranilic acid (AA) holds significant importance in the chemical industry. It serves as a crucial building block for the amino acid tryptophan by manipulating the tryptophan biosynthesis pathway, it is possible to increase the production of anthranilic acid. In this study, we utilized metabolic engineering approaches to produce anthranilic acid from the halophilic bacterium Virgibacillus salarius MML1918. The halophilic bacteria were grown in an optimized production medium, and mass production of secondary metabolites was made in ATCC medium 1097 Proteose peptone-for halophilic bacteria and subjected to column chromatography followed by sub-column chromatography the single band for the purified compound was confirmed. Further, various spectral analyses were made for the partially purified compounds, and fluorescence microscopy for fungal cell observation was performed. The purified compound was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and it was identified as 2-amino benzoic acid. The Fourier transform infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectrum and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum also confirm the structural characteristic of 2-amino benzoic acid. The UV-Vis absorption spectrum of AA shows the maximum absorption at 337.86 nm. The emission spectrum of 2-amino benzoic acid showed the maximum emission at 453 nm. The bio-imaging application of 2-amino benzoic acid was examined with fungal mycelium of Rhizoctonia solani. It was effectively bound and emitted the blue color at the concentration of 200 and 300 µg/mL. The halophilic bacterium (V. salarius), may have unique metabolic pathways and requirements compared to non-halophilic organisms, to produce AA effectively. This could have implications for industrial biotechnology, particularly in manufacturing environments where high salt concentrations are present and also it can be used as bio-imaging agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manivannan Nandhagopal
- Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 25, India
- Department of Microbiology, Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Thandalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 602105, India
| | - Mathivanan Narayanasamy
- Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 25, India.
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3
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Ulaganathan G, Jiang H, Canio N, Oke A, Armstrong SS, Abrahamsson D, Varshavsky JR, Lam J, Cooper C, Robinson JF, Fung JC, Woodruff TJ, Allard P. Screening and characterization of 133 physiologically-relevant environmental chemicals for reproductive toxicity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.22.584808. [PMID: 38585844 PMCID: PMC10996516 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.22.584808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Reproduction is a functional outcome that relies on complex cellular, tissue, and organ interactions that span the developmental period to adulthood. Thus, the assessment of its disruption by environmental chemicals is remarkably painstaking in conventional toxicological animal models and does not scale up to the number of chemicals present in our environment and requiring testing. We adapted a previously described low-throughput in vivo chromosome segregation assay using C. elegans predictive of reproductive toxicity and leveraged available public data sources (ToxCast, ICE) to screen and characterize 133 physiologically-relevant chemicals in a high-throughput manner. The screening outcome was further validated in a second, independent in vivo assay assessing embryonic viability. In total, 13 chemicals were classified as reproductive toxicants with the two most active chemicals belonging to the large family of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) commonly used as disinfectants but with limited available reproductive toxicity data. We compared the results from the C. elegans assay with ToxCast in vitro data compiled from 700+ cell response assays and 300+ signaling pathways-based assays. We did not observe a difference in the bioactivity or in average potency (AC50) between the top and bottom chemicals. However, the intended target categories were significantly different between the classified chemicals with, in particular, an over-representation of steroid hormone targets for the high Z-score chemicals. Taken together, these results point to the value of in vivo models that scale to high-throughput level for reproductive toxicity assessment and to the need to prioritize the assessment of QACs impacts on reproduction.
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4
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Espejo LS, DeNicola D, Chang LM, Hofschneider V, Haskins AE, Balsa J, Freitas SS, Antenor A, Hamming S, Hull B, Castro-Portuguez R, Dang H, Sutphin GL. The Emerging Role of 3-Hydroxyanthranilic Acid on C. elegans Aging Immune Function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.07.574394. [PMID: 38260592 PMCID: PMC10802494 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.07.574394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA) is considered to be a fleeting metabolic intermediate along tryptophan catabolism through the kynurenine pathway. 3HAA and the rest of the kynurenine pathway have been linked to immune response in mammals yet whether it is detrimental or advantageous is a point of contention. Recently we have shown that accumulation of this metabolite, either through supplementation or prevention of its degradation, extends healthy lifespan in C. elegans and mice, while the mechanism remained unknown. Utilizing C. elegans as a model we investigate how 3HAA and haao-1 inhibition impact the host and the potential pathogens. What we find is that 3HAA improves host immune function with aging and serves as an antimicrobial against gram-negative bacteria. Regulation of 3HAA's antimicrobial activity is accomplished via tissue separation. 3HAA is synthesized in the C. elegans hypodermal tissue, localized to the site of pathogen interaction within the gut granules, and degraded in the neuronal cells. This tissue separation creates a new possible function for 3HAA that may give insight to a larger evolutionarily conserved function within the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis S Espejo
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Destiny DeNicola
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Leah M Chang
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Anne E Haskins
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Jonah Balsa
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Samuel S Freitas
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Angelo Antenor
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Sage Hamming
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Bradford Hull
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Hope Dang
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - George L Sutphin
- Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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5
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Hajdú G, Somogyvári M, Csermely P, Sőti C. Lysosome-related organelles promote stress and immune responses in C. elegans. Commun Biol 2023; 6:936. [PMID: 37704756 PMCID: PMC10499889 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05246-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysosome-related organelles (LROs) play diverse roles and their dysfunction causes immunodeficiency. However, their primordial functions remain unclear. Here, we report that C. elegans LROs (gut granules) promote organismal defenses against various stresses. We find that toxic benzaldehyde exposure induces LRO autofluorescence, stimulates the expression of LRO-specific genes and enhances LRO transport capacity as well as increases tolerance to benzaldehyde, heat and oxidative stresses, while these responses are impaired in glo-1/Rab32 and pgp-2 ABC transporter LRO biogenesis mutants. Benzaldehyde upregulates glo-1- and pgp-2-dependent expression of heat shock, detoxification and antimicrobial effector genes, which requires daf-16/FOXO and/or pmk-1/p38MAPK. Finally, benzaldehyde preconditioning increases resistance against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 in a glo-1- and pgp-2-dependent manner, and PA14 infection leads to the deposition of fluorescent metabolites in LROs and induction of LRO genes. Our study suggests that LROs may play a role in systemic responses to stresses and in pathogen resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Hajdú
- Department of Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Milán Somogyvári
- Department of Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Csermely
- Department of Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csaba Sőti
- Department of Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
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6
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Aygün I, Rzepczak A, Miki TS. A germline-targeted genetic screen for xrn-2 suppressors identifies a novel gene C34C12.2 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genet Mol Biol 2023; 46:e20220328. [PMID: 37216322 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2022-0328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
XRN2 is an evolutionarily conserved 5'-to-3' exoribonuclease, which degrades or trims various types of RNA in the nucleus. Although XRN-2 is essential for embryogenesis, larval development and reproduction in Caenorhabditis elegans, relevant molecular pathways remain unidentified. Here we create a germline-specific xrn-2 conditional mutant and perform a mutagenesis screen for suppressors of sterility. Loss-of-function alleles of dpy-10, osr-1, ptr-6 and C34C12.2 genes are identified. Depletion of DPY-10, OSR-1 or PTR-6 increases expression of gpdh-1 that encodes a glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, thereby elevates glycerol accumulation to suppress sterility of the mutant. The C34C12.2 protein is predominantly localized in the nucleolus of germ cells and shows a similarity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Net1, which is involved in rDNA silencing. Depletion of NRDE-2, a putative interacting partner of C34C12.2 and a component of the nuclear RNAi machinery, restores fertility to the xrn-2 conditional mutant. These results may help to identify an essential role of XRN-2 in germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilkin Aygün
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Developmental Biology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Alicja Rzepczak
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Developmental Biology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Takashi S Miki
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Developmental Biology, Poznań, Poland
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7
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Liudkovska V, Krawczyk PS, Brouze A, Gumińska N, Wegierski T, Cysewski D, Mackiewicz Z, Ewbank JJ, Drabikowski K, Mroczek S, Dziembowski A. TENT5 cytoplasmic noncanonical poly(A) polymerases regulate the innate immune response in animals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd9468. [PMID: 36383655 PMCID: PMC9668313 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add9468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Innate immunity is the first line of host defense against pathogens. Here, through global transcriptome and proteome analyses, we uncover that newly described cytoplasmic poly(A) polymerase TENT-5 (terminal nucleotidyltransferase 5) enhances the expression of secreted innate immunity effector proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans. Direct RNA sequencing revealed that multiple mRNAs with signal peptide-encoding sequences have shorter poly(A) tails in tent-5-deficient worms. Those mRNAs are translated at the endoplasmic reticulum where a fraction of TENT-5 is present, implying that they represent its direct substrates. Loss of tent-5 makes worms more susceptible to bacterial infection. Notably, the role of TENT-5 in innate immunity is evolutionarily conserved. Its orthologs, TENT5A and TENT5C, are expressed in macrophages and induced during their activation. Analysis of macrophages devoid of TENT5A/C revealed their role in the regulation of secreted proteins involved in defense response. In summary, our study reveals cytoplasmic polyadenylation to be a previously unknown component of the posttranscriptional regulation of innate immunity in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladyslava Liudkovska
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł S Krawczyk
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Brouze
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Gumińska
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Wegierski
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dominik Cysewski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Mackiewicz
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jonathan J Ewbank
- Aix Marseille University, INSERM, CNRS, CIML, Turing Centre for Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | - Krzysztof Drabikowski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Seweryn Mroczek
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Dziembowski
- Laboratory of RNA Biology, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Abstract
SignificanceZinc deficiency in the human population, a major public health concern, can also be a consequence of nutritional deficiency in protein uptake. The discovery that tryptophan metabolites 3-hydroxykynurenine and xanthurenic acid are major zinc-binding ligands in insect cells establishes the kynurenine pathway as a regulator of systemic zinc homeostasis. Many biological processes influenced by zinc and the kynurenine pathway, including the regulation of innate and acquired immune responses to viral infections, have not been studied in light of the direct molecular links revealed in this study.
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9
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Cohen SM, Wrobel CJJ, Prakash SJ, Schroeder FC, Sternberg PW. Formation and function of dauer ascarosides in the nematodes Caenorhabditis briggsae and Caenorhabditis elegans. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6517505. [PMID: 35094091 PMCID: PMC8895998 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The biosynthetic pathways and functions of ascaroside signaling molecules in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have been studied to better understand complex, integrative developmental decision-making. Although it is known that ascarosides play multiple roles in the development and behavior of nematode species other than C. elegans, these parallel pheromone systems have not been well-studied. Here, we show that ascarosides in the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae are biosynthesized in the same manner as C. elegans and act to induce the alternative developmental pathway that generates the stress-resistant dauer lifestage. We show that ascr#2 is the primary component of crude dauer pheromone in C. briggsae; in contrast, C. elegans dauer pheromone relies on a combination of ascr#2, ascr#3, and several other components. We further demonstrate that Cbr-daf-22, like its C. elegans ortholog Cel-daf-22, is necessary to produce short-chain ascarosides. Moreover, Cbr-daf-22 and Cel-daf-22 mutants produce an ascaroside-independent metabolite that acts antagonistically to crude dauer pheromone and inhibits dauer formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Cohen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Chester J J Wrobel
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Sharan J Prakash
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Paul W Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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10
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Forman R, Partridge FA, Sattelle DB, Else KJ. Un-‘Egg’-Plored: Characterisation of Embryonation in the Whipworm Model Organism Trichuris muris. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2021.790311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichuris muris, is the murine parasite and widely deployed model for the human whipworm Trichuris trichiura, a parasite that infects around 500 million people globally. Trichuriasis is a classical disease of poverty with a cycle of re-infection due to the continual exposure of humans, particularly children, to infective eggs, which contaminate the soil in endemic areas. Indeed, modelling studies of trichuriasis have demonstrated that the low efficacy rate of current anthelmintics combined with the high possibility of re-infection from the reservoir of infective eggs within the environment, mean that the elimination of morbidity due to trichuriasis is unlikely to occur. Despite the importance of the infective egg stage in the perpetuation of infections, understanding the biology of the Trichuris ova has been neglected for decades. Here we perform experiments to assess the impact of temperature on the embryonation process of T. muris eggs and describe in detail the stages of larval development within these eggs. In keeping with the early works performed in the early 1900s, we show that the embryonation of T. muris is accelerated by an elevation in temperature, up to 37°C above which eggs do not fully develop and become degenerate. We extend these data to provide a detailed description of T. muris egg development with clear images depicting the various stages of development. To the best of our knowledge we have, for the first time, described the presence of birefringent granules within egg-stage larvae, as well as providing a qualitative and quantitative description of a motile larval stage prior to quiescence within the egg. These experiments are the first step towards a better understanding of the basic biology which underlies the process of egg embryonation. With the threat of elevation in global temperatures, the accelerated embryonation rate we observe at higher temperatures may have important consequences for parasite transmission rates and prospective modelling studies. In addition, a deeper understanding of the Trichuris ova may allow the development of novel control strategies targeting the egg stage of Trichuris in the environment as an adjunct to MDA.
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11
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Kern CC, Townsend S, Salzmann A, Rendell NB, Taylor GW, Comisel RM, Foukas LC, Bähler J, Gems D. C. elegans feed yolk to their young in a form of primitive lactation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5801. [PMID: 34611154 PMCID: PMC8492707 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25821-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits rapid senescence that is promoted by the insulin/IGF-1 signalling (IIS) pathway via regulated processes that are poorly understood. IIS also promotes production of yolk for egg provisioning, which in post-reproductive animals continues in an apparently futile fashion, supported by destructive repurposing of intestinal biomass that contributes to senescence. Here we show that post-reproductive mothers vent yolk which can be consumed by larvae and promotes their growth. This implies that later yolk production is not futile; instead vented yolk functions similarly to milk. Moreover, yolk venting is promoted by IIS. These findings suggest that a self-destructive, lactation-like process effects resource transfer from postreproductive C. elegans mothers to offspring, in a fashion reminiscent of semelparous organisms that reproduce in a single, suicidal burst. That this process is promoted by IIS provides insights into how and why IIS shortens lifespan in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina C Kern
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - StJohn Townsend
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Molecular Biology of Metabolism Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Antoine Salzmann
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nigel B Rendell
- Wolfson Drug Discovery Unit, Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Graham W Taylor
- Wolfson Drug Discovery Unit, Centre for Amyloidosis and Acute Phase Proteins, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Ruxandra M Comisel
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lazaros C Foukas
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jürg Bähler
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - David Gems
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, and Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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12
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Chakraborty K, Anees P, Surana S, Martin S, Aburas J, Moutel S, Perez F, Koushika SP, Kratsios P, Krishnan Y. Tissue-specific targeting of DNA nanodevices in a multicellular living organism. eLife 2021; 10:67830. [PMID: 34318748 PMCID: PMC8360651 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid nanodevices present great potential as agents for logic-based therapeutic intervention as well as in basic biology. Often, however, the disease targets that need corrective action are localized in specific organs, and thus realizing the full potential of DNA nanodevices also requires ways to target them to specific cell types in vivo. Here, we show that by exploiting either endogenous or synthetic receptor-ligand interactions and leveraging the biological barriers presented by the organism, we can target extraneously introduced DNA nanodevices to specific cell types in Caenorhabditis elegans, with subcellular precision. The amenability of DNA nanostructures to tissue-specific targeting in vivo significantly expands their utility in biomedical applications and discovery biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasturi Chakraborty
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Grossman Institute of Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Palapuravan Anees
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Grossman Institute of Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Sunaina Surana
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Grossman Institute of Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Simona Martin
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Grossman Institute of Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Jihad Aburas
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Sandrine Moutel
- Recombinant Antibody Platform (TAb-IP), Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France.,Cell Biology and Cancer Unit, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France
| | - Franck Perez
- Cell Biology and Cancer Unit, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France
| | - Sandhya P Koushika
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Paschalis Kratsios
- Grossman Institute of Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Yamuna Krishnan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Grossman Institute of Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
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13
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Landis GN, Doherty DV, Yen CA, Wang L, Fan Y, Wang I, Vroegop J, Wang T, Wu J, Patel P, Lee S, Abdelmesieh M, Shen J, Promislow DEL, Curran SP, Tower J. Metabolic Signatures of Life Span Regulated by Mating, Sex Peptide, and Mifepristone/RU486 in Female Drosophila melanogaster. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2021; 76:195-204. [PMID: 32648907 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glaa164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating and transfer of male sex peptide (SP), or transgenic expression of SP, causes inflammation and decreased life span in female Drosophila. Mifepristone rescues these effects, yielding dramatic increases in life span. Here targeted metabolomics data were integrated with further analysis of extant transcriptomic data. Each of 7 genes positively correlated with life span were expressed in the brain or eye and involved regulation of gene expression and signaling. Genes negatively correlated with life span were preferentially expressed in midgut and involved protein degradation, amino acid metabolism, and immune response. Across all conditions, life span was positively correlated with muscle breakdown product 1/3-methylhistidine and purine breakdown product urate, and negatively correlated with tryptophan breakdown product kynurenic acid, suggesting a SP-induced shift from somatic maintenance/turnover pathways to the costly production of energy and lipids from dietary amino acids. Some limited overlap was observed between genes regulated by mifepristone and genes known to be regulated by ecdysone; however, mifepristone was unable to compete with ecdysone for activation of an ecdysone-responsive transgenic reporter. In contrast, genes regulated by mifepristone were highly enriched for genes regulated by juvenile hormone (JH), and mifepristone rescued the negative effect of JH analog methoprene on life span in adult virgin females. The data indicate that mifepristone increases life span and decreases inflammation in mated females by antagonizing JH signaling downstream of male SP. Finally, mifepristone increased life span of mated, but not unmated, Caenorhabditis elegans, in 2 of 3 trials, suggesting possible evolutionary conservation of mifepristone mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary N Landis
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Devon V Doherty
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Chia-An Yen
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.,Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Yang Fan
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Ina Wang
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Jonah Vroegop
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Tianyi Wang
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Jimmy Wu
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Palak Patel
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Shinwoo Lee
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Mina Abdelmesieh
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Jie Shen
- College of Life Information Science & Instrument Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle.,Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Sean P Curran
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.,Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - John Tower
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.,Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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14
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Regulation of the one carbon folate cycle as a shared metabolic signature of longevity. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3486. [PMID: 34108489 PMCID: PMC8190293 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23856-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The metabolome represents a complex network of biological events that reflects the physiologic state of the organism in health and disease. Additionally, specific metabolites and metabolic signaling pathways have been shown to modulate animal ageing, but whether there are convergent mechanisms uniting these processes remains elusive. Here, we used high resolution mass spectrometry to obtain the metabolomic profiles of canonical longevity pathways in C. elegans to identify metabolites regulating life span. By leveraging the metabolomic profiles across pathways, we found that one carbon metabolism and the folate cycle are pervasively regulated in common. We observed similar changes in long-lived mouse models of reduced insulin/IGF signaling. Genetic manipulation of pathway enzymes and supplementation with one carbon metabolites in C. elegans reveal that regulation of the folate cycle represents a shared causal mechanism of longevity and proteoprotection. Such interventions impact the methionine cycle, and reveal methionine restriction as an underlying mechanism. This comparative approach reveals key metabolic nodes to enhance healthy ageing.
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15
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Komura T, Yamanaka M, Nishimura K, Hara K, Nishikawa Y. Autofluorescence as a noninvasive biomarker of senescence and advanced glycation end products in Caenorhabditis elegans. NPJ Aging Mech Dis 2021; 7:12. [PMID: 34099724 PMCID: PMC8184826 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-021-00061-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To assess the utility of autofluorescence as a noninvasive biomarker of senescence in Caenorhabditis elegans, we measured the autofluorescence of individual nematodes using spectrofluorometry. The fluorescence of each worm increased with age. Animals with lower fluorescence intensity exhibited longer life expectancy. When proteins extracted from worms were incubated with sugars, the fluorescence intensity and the concentration of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) increased over time. Ribose enhanced these changes not only in vitro but also in vivo. The glycation blocker rifampicin suppressed this rise in fluorescence. High-resolution mass spectrometry revealed that vitellogenins accumulated in old worms, and glycated vitellogenins emitted six-fold higher fluorescence than naive vitellogenins. The increase in fluorescence with ageing originates from glycated substances, and therefore could serve as a useful noninvasive biomarker of AGEs. C. elegans can serve as a new model to look for anti-AGE factors and to study the relationship between AGEs and senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Komura
- Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women's University, Nara, Japan
- Graduate School of Human Life Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mikihiro Yamanaka
- Department of Bioscience, School of Agriculture, Tokai University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kohji Nishimura
- Department of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Interdisciplinary Center for Science Research, Organization of Research, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
| | | | - Yoshikazu Nishikawa
- Graduate School of Human Life Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Tezukayamagakuin University, Osaka, Japan.
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16
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Health and longevity studies in C. elegans: the "healthy worm database" reveals strengths, weaknesses and gaps of test compound-based studies. Biogerontology 2021; 22:215-236. [PMID: 33683565 PMCID: PMC7973913 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-021-09913-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Several biogerontology databases exist that focus on genetic or gene expression data linked to health as well as survival, subsequent to compound treatments or genetic manipulations in animal models. However, none of these has yet collected experimental results of compound-related health changes. Since quality of life is often regarded as more valuable than length of life, we aim to fill this gap with the “Healthy Worm Database” (http://healthy-worm-database.eu). Literature describing health-related compound studies in the aging model Caenorhabditis elegans was screened, and data for 440 compounds collected. The database considers 189 publications describing 89 different phenotypes measured in 2995 different conditions. Besides enabling a targeted search for promising compounds for further investigations, this database also offers insights into the research field of studies on healthy aging based on a frequently used model organism. Some weaknesses of C. elegans-based aging studies, like underrepresented phenotypes, especially concerning cognitive functions, as well as the convenience-based use of young worms as the starting point for compound treatment or phenotype measurement are discussed. In conclusion, the database provides an anchor for the search for compounds affecting health, with a link to public databases, and it further highlights some potential shortcomings in current aging research.
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17
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Le HH, Wrobel CJ, Cohen SM, Yu J, Park H, Helf MJ, Curtis BJ, Kruempel JC, Rodrigues PR, Hu PJ, Sternberg PW, Schroeder FC. Modular metabolite assembly in Caenorhabditis elegans depends on carboxylesterases and formation of lysosome-related organelles. eLife 2020; 9:61886. [PMID: 33063667 PMCID: PMC7641594 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Signaling molecules derived from attachment of diverse metabolic building blocks to ascarosides play a central role in the life history of C. elegans and other nematodes; however, many aspects of their biogenesis remain unclear. Using comparative metabolomics, we show that a pathway mediating formation of intestinal lysosome-related organelles (LROs) is required for biosynthesis of most modular ascarosides as well as previously undescribed modular glucosides. Similar to modular ascarosides, the modular glucosides are derived from highly selective assembly of moieties from nucleoside, amino acid, neurotransmitter, and lipid metabolism, suggesting that modular glucosides, like the ascarosides, may serve signaling functions. We further show that carboxylesterases that localize to intestinal organelles are required for the assembly of both modular ascarosides and glucosides via ester and amide linkages. Further exploration of LRO function and carboxylesterase homologs in C. elegans and other animals may reveal additional new compound families and signaling paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry H Le
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Chester Jj Wrobel
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Sarah M Cohen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Jingfang Yu
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Heenam Park
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Maximilian J Helf
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Brian J Curtis
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Joseph C Kruempel
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Pedro Reis Rodrigues
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Patrick J Hu
- Departments of Medicine and Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Paul W Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
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18
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Felker DP, Robbins CE, McCormick MA. Automation of C. elegans lifespan measurement. TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE OF AGING 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tma.2019.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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19
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Felker DP, Robbins CE, McCormick MA. Automation of C. elegans lifespan measurement. TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE OF AGING 2019; 4:1-10. [PMID: 33134648 PMCID: PMC7597742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a fundamental biological process that is still not fully understood. As many of the most significant human diseases have aging as their greatest risk factor, a better understanding of aging potentially has enormous practical implications in treating these diseases. The nematode C. elegans is an exceptionally useful genetic model organism that had been used with great success to shed light on many genes and pathways that are involved in aging. Many of these pathways and mechanisms have been shown to be conserved through mammals. The standard methods for assaying survival in C. elegans to measure changes in lifespan are tedious and time consuming. This limits the throughput and productivity of C. elegans aging researchers. In recent years, many inroads have been made into automating various facets of the collection and analysis of C. elegans lifespan experimental data. The advances described in this review all work to ameliorate some of the hurdles that come with manual worm lifespan scoring, by automating or eliminating some of the most time consuming aspects of the assay. By greatly increasing the throughput of lifespan assays, these methods will enable types of experiments (e.g., drug library screens) whose scale is currently impractical. These methods have already proved exceptionally useful, and some of them are likely to be the predecessors of even more refined methods that could lead to breakthroughs in the ability to study lifespan in C. elegans. This could in turn potentially revolutionize our understanding of the basic biology of aging, and one day lead to treatments that could offset or delay age-related diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Felker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Christine E Robbins
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Mark A McCormick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Autophagy Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence
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20
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Kitisin T, Suphamungmee W, Meemon K. Saponin-rich extracts from Holothuria leucospilota mediate lifespan extension and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans via daf-16. J Food Biochem 2019; 43:e13075. [PMID: 31612532 DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.13075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Saponins are secondary metabolite compounds that can be found in sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea spp.). However, little is known about how saponin-rich extracts from Holothuria leucospilota can delay and prolong the lifespan of the whole organism. In this study, anti-aging effects of H. leucospilota extracts were studied on Caenorhabditis elegans. NMR analysis revealed that body wall n-butanol-extract of H. leucospilota (BW-BU) is saponin-rich. BW-BU extracts exhibited antioxidant activities by 2,2'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay (EC50 = 10.23 ± 0.12 mg/ml) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid assay (EC50 = 3.91 ± 0.04 mg/ml). BW-BU extracts increased lifespan of L4 and L1 C. elegans (5.92% and 15.76%, respectively), which also increased worm growth, stress resistance, and reduced biomarkers for aging. BW-BU extracts activated DAF-16 nuclear localization and upregulated daf-16 and DAF-16 target genes expression. Taken together, this study revealed the evidences on anti-aging activities of saponin-rich extracts from H. leucospilota, which can extend lifespan of C. elegans via daf-16. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In recent years, age-associated chronic diseases have had a significant impact on quality of life. Many natural compounds exhibit anti-aging activities, especially in sea cucumber, H. leucospilota. Our results indicated that H. leucospilota is good for health. Extracts from H. leucospilota contain a bioactive compound that can be potentially used to promote longevity and disease prevention in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thitinan Kitisin
- Faculty of Science, Department of Anatomy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Worawit Suphamungmee
- Faculty of Science, Department of Anatomy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Krai Meemon
- Faculty of Science, Department of Anatomy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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21
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Benedetto A, Bambade T, Au C, Tullet JM, Monkhouse J, Dang H, Cetnar K, Chan B, Cabreiro F, Gems D. New label-free automated survival assays reveal unexpected stress resistance patterns during C. elegans aging. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e12998. [PMID: 31309734 PMCID: PMC6718543 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model for high‐throughput experimental approaches but lacks an automated means to pinpoint time of death during survival assays over a short time frame, that is, easy to implement, highly scalable, robust, and versatile. Here, we describe an automated, label‐free, high‐throughput method using death‐associated fluorescence to monitor nematode population survival (dubbed LFASS for label‐free automated survival scoring), which we apply to severe stress and infection resistance assays. We demonstrate its use to define correlations between age, longevity, and severe stress resistance, and its applicability to parasitic nematodes. The use of LFASS to assess the effects of aging on susceptibility to severe stress revealed an unexpected increase in stress resistance with advancing age, which was largely autophagy‐dependent. Correlation analysis further revealed that while severe thermal stress resistance positively correlates with lifespan, severe oxidative stress resistance does not. This supports the view that temperature‐sensitive protein‐handling processes more than redox homeostasis underpin aging in C. elegans. That the ages of peak resistance to infection, severe oxidative stress, heat shock, and milder stressors differ markedly suggests that stress resistance and health span do not show a simple correspondence in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Benedetto
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Timothée Bambade
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
| | - Catherine Au
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Jennifer M.A. Tullet
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
- School of Biosciences University of Kent Canterbury UK
| | - Jennifer Monkhouse
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences Lancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Hairuo Dang
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
| | - Kalina Cetnar
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
| | - Brian Chan
- Division of Infection, Immunity & Respiratory Medicine University of Manchester Manchester UK
| | - Filipe Cabreiro
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London London UK
| | - David Gems
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing University College London London UK
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22
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Tower J, Agrawal S, Alagappan MP, Bell HS, Demeter M, Havanoor N, Hegde VS, Jia Y, Kothawade S, Lin X, Nadig C, Rajashekharappa NS, Rao D, Rao SS, Sancheti P, Saria A, Shantharamu NH, Sharma V, Tadepalli K, Varma A. Behavioral and molecular markers of death in Drosophila melanogaster. Exp Gerontol 2019; 126:110707. [PMID: 31445108 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2019.110707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Fly movement was tracked through 3-dimensional (3D) space as the fly died, using either reflected visible light, reflected infrared (IR) light, or fly GFP fluorescence. Behaviors measured included centrophobism, negative geotaxis, velocity, and total activity. In addition, frequency of directional heading changes (FDHC) was calculated as a measure of erratic movement. Nine middle-aged flies were tracked as they died during normal aging, and fifteen young flies were tracked as they died from dehydration/starvation stress. Episodes of increased FDHC were observed 0-8 h prior to death for the majority of the flies. FDHC was also increased with age in flies with neuronal expression of a human Abeta42 protein fragment associated with Alzheimer's disease. Finally, green autofluorescence appeared in the eye and body immediately prior to and coincident with death, and fluorescence of GFP targeted to the retina increased immediately prior to and coincident with death. The results suggest the potential utility of FDHC, green autofluorescence, and retinal GFP as markers of neuronal malfunction and imminent death.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Tower
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America.
| | - Siddharth Agrawal
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Muthu Palaniappan Alagappan
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Hans S Bell
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Marton Demeter
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Nitin Havanoor
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Vinaykumar S Hegde
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Yiding Jia
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Suraj Kothawade
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Xinyi Lin
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Chaitanya Nadig
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Naveen S Rajashekharappa
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Divyashree Rao
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Sanjay Subba Rao
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Prathamesh Sancheti
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Anuj Saria
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Nagarabhi H Shantharamu
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Vatsal Sharma
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Karthik Tadepalli
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
| | - Anuj Varma
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, United States of America
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23
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Piechulek A, Berwanger LC, von Mikecz A. Silica nanoparticles disrupt OPT-2/PEP-2-dependent trafficking of nutrient peptides in the intestinal epithelium. Nanotoxicology 2019; 13:1133-1148. [DOI: 10.1080/17435390.2019.1643048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Annette Piechulek
- IUF – Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Lutz C. Berwanger
- IUF – Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Anna von Mikecz
- IUF – Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
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24
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Roberts Buceta PM, Romanelli-Cedrez L, Babcock SJ, Xun H, VonPaige ML, Higley TW, Schlatter TD, Davis DC, Drexelius JA, Culver JC, Carrera I, Shepherd JN, Salinas G. The kynurenine pathway is essential for rhodoquinone biosynthesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:11047-11053. [PMID: 31177094 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ac119.009475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A key metabolic adaptation of some species that face hypoxia as part of their life cycle involves an alternative electron transport chain in which rhodoquinone (RQ) is required for fumarate reduction and ATP production. RQ biosynthesis in bacteria and protists requires ubiquinone (Q) as a precursor. In contrast, Q is not a precursor for RQ biosynthesis in animals such as parasitic helminths, and most details of this pathway have remained elusive. Here, we used Caenorhabditis elegans as a model animal to elucidate key steps in RQ biosynthesis. Using RNAi and a series of C. elegans mutants, we found that arylamine metabolites from the kynurenine pathway are essential precursors for RQ biosynthesis de novo Deletion of kynu-1, encoding a kynureninase that converts l-kynurenine (KYN) to anthranilic acid (AA) and 3-hydroxykynurenine (3HKYN) to 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA), completely abolished RQ biosynthesis but did not affect Q levels. Deletion of kmo-1, which encodes a kynurenine 3-monooxygenase that converts KYN to 3HKYN, drastically reduced RQ but not Q levels. Knockdown of the Q biosynthetic genes coq-5 and coq-6 affected both Q and RQ levels, indicating that both biosynthetic pathways share common enzymes. Our study reveals that two pathways for RQ biosynthesis have independently evolved. Unlike in bacteria, where amination is the last step in RQ biosynthesis, in worms the pathway begins with the arylamine precursor AA or 3HAA. Because RQ is absent in mammalian hosts of helminths, inhibition of RQ biosynthesis may have potential utility for targeting parasitic infections that cause important neglected tropical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Romanelli-Cedrez
- Laboratorio de Biologća de Gusanos, Unidad Mixta, Departamento de Biociencias, Facultad de Qućmica, Universidad de la República-Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Shannon J Babcock
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and
| | - Helen Xun
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and
| | - Miranda L VonPaige
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and
| | - Thomas W Higley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and
| | - Tyler D Schlatter
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and
| | - Dakota C Davis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and
| | - Julia A Drexelius
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and
| | - John C Culver
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and
| | - Inés Carrera
- Laboratorio de Biologća de Gusanos, Unidad Mixta, Departamento de Biociencias, Facultad de Qućmica, Universidad de la República-Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Jennifer N Shepherd
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington 99258 and.
| | - Gustavo Salinas
- Laboratorio de Biologća de Gusanos, Unidad Mixta, Departamento de Biociencias, Facultad de Qućmica, Universidad de la República-Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay.
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25
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The C. elegans intestine: organogenesis, digestion, and physiology. Cell Tissue Res 2019; 377:383-396. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-019-03036-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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26
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Galimov ER, Pryor RE, Poole SE, Benedetto A, Pincus Z, Gems D. Coupling of Rigor Mortis and Intestinal Necrosis during C. elegans Organismal Death. Cell Rep 2018; 22:2730-2741. [PMID: 29514100 PMCID: PMC5863043 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.02.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Organismal death is a process of systemic collapse whose mechanisms are less well understood than those of cell death. We previously reported that death in C. elegans is accompanied by a calcium-propagated wave of intestinal necrosis, marked by a wave of blue autofluorescence (death fluorescence). Here, we describe another feature of organismal death, a wave of body wall muscle contraction, or death contraction (DC). This phenomenon is accompanied by a wave of intramuscular Ca2+ release and, subsequently, of intestinal necrosis. Correlation of directions of the DC and intestinal necrosis waves implies coupling of these death processes. Long-lived insulin/IGF-1-signaling mutants show reduced DC and delayed intestinal necrosis, suggesting possible resistance to organismal death. DC resembles mammalian rigor mortis, a postmortem necrosis-related process in which Ca2+ influx promotes muscle hyper-contraction. In contrast to mammals, DC is an early rather than a late event in C. elegans organismal death. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniy R Galimov
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rosina E Pryor
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah E Poole
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alexandre Benedetto
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK; Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Zachary Pincus
- Department of Genetics and Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - David Gems
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.
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Sathyasaikumar KV, Breda C, Schwarcz R, Giorgini F. Assessing and Modulating Kynurenine Pathway Dynamics in Huntington's Disease: Focus on Kynurenine 3-Monooxygenase. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1780:397-413. [PMID: 29856028 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7825-0_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The link between disturbances in kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolism and Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis has been explored for a number of years. Several novel genetic and pharmacological tools have recently been developed to modulate key regulatory steps in the KP such as the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO). This insight has offered new options for exploring the mechanistic link between this metabolic pathway and HD, and provided novel opportunities for the development of candidate drug-like compounds. Here, we present an overview of the field, focusing on some novel approaches for interrogating the pathway experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korrapati V Sathyasaikumar
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carlo Breda
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Robert Schwarcz
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Flaviano Giorgini
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
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Brunquell J, Morris S, Snyder A, Westerheide SD. Coffee extract and caffeine enhance the heat shock response and promote proteostasis in an HSF-1-dependent manner in Caenorhabditis elegans. Cell Stress Chaperones 2018; 23:65-75. [PMID: 28674941 PMCID: PMC5741582 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-017-0824-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As the population ages, there is a critical need to uncover strategies to combat diseases of aging. Studies in the soil-dwelling nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have demonstrated the protective effects of coffee extract and caffeine in promoting the induction of conserved longevity pathways including the insulin-like signaling pathway and the oxidative stress response. We were interested in determining the effects of coffee and caffeine treatment on the regulation of the heat shock response. The heat shock response is a highly conserved cellular response that functions as a cytoprotective mechanism during stress, mediated by the heat shock transcription factor HSF-1. In the worm, HSF-1 not only promotes protection against stress but is also essential for development and longevity. Induction of the heat shock response has been suggested to be beneficial for diseases of protein conformation by preventing protein misfolding and aggregation, and as such has been proposed as a therapeutic target for age-associated neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we demonstrate that coffee is a potent, dose-dependent, inducer of the heat shock response. Treatment with a moderate dose of pure caffeine was also able to induce the heat shock response, indicating caffeine as an important component within coffee for producing this response. The effects that we observe with both coffee and pure caffeine on the heat shock response are both dependent on HSF-1. In a C. elegans Huntington's disease model, worms treated with caffeine were protected from polyglutamine aggregates and toxicity, an effect that was also HSF-1-dependent. In conclusion, these results demonstrate caffeinated coffee, and pure caffeine, as protective substances that promote proteostasis through induction of the heat shock response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Brunquell
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, ISA 2015, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Stephanie Morris
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, ISA 2015, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Alana Snyder
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, ISA 2015, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Sandy D Westerheide
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, ISA 2015, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.
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29
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Maternal age generates phenotypic variation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature 2017; 552:106-109. [PMID: 29186117 PMCID: PMC5736127 DOI: 10.1038/nature25012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Genetically identical individuals growing in the same environment often show substantial phenotypic variation within populations of organisms as diverse as bacteria1, nematodes2, rodents3 and humans4. With some exceptions5, the causes are poorly understood. We show here that isogenic Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes vary in their size at hatching, speed of development, growth rate, starvation resistance, fecundity, and also in the rate of development of their germline relative to that of somatic tissues. Surprisingly, we show that the primary cause of this variation is the age of an individual’s mother, with young mothers producing progeny impaired for many traits. We identify age-dependent changes in maternal provisioning of a lipoprotein complex (vitellogenin) to embryos as the molecular mechanism underlying variation in multiple traits throughout the life of an animal. The production of sub-optimal progeny by young mothers likely reflects a trade-off between the competing fitness traits of a short generation time and progeny survival and fecundity.
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Braeckman BP, Smolders A, Back P, De Henau S. In Vivo Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species and Redox Status in Caenorhabditis elegans. Antioxid Redox Signal 2016; 25:577-92. [PMID: 27306519 PMCID: PMC5041511 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2016.6751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Due to its large families of redox-active enzymes, genetic amenability, and complete transparency, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has the potential to become an important model for the in vivo study of redox biology. RECENT ADVANCES The recent development of several genetically encoded ratiometric reactive oxygen species (ROS) and redox sensors has revolutionized the quantification and precise localization of ROS and redox signals in living organisms. Only few exploratory studies have applied these sensors in C. elegans and undoubtedly much remains to be discovered in this model. As a follow-up to our recent findings that the C. elegans somatic gonad uses superoxide and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) signals to communicate with the germline, we here analyze the patterns of H2O2 inside the C. elegans germline. CRITICAL ISSUES Despite the advantages of genetically encoded ROS and redox sensors over classic chemical sensors, still several general as well as C. elegans-specific issues need to be addressed. The major concerns for the application of these sensors in C. elegans are (i) decreased vitality of some reporter strains, (ii) interference of autofluorescent compartments with the sensor signal, and (iii) the use of immobilization methods that do not influence the worm's redox physiology. FUTURE DIRECTIONS We propose that several of the current issues may be solved by designing reporter strains carrying single copies of codon-optimized sensors. Preferably, these sensors should have their emission wavelengths in the red region, where autofluorescence is absent. Worm analysis could be optimized using four-dimensional ratiometric fluorescence microscopy of worms immobilized in microfluidic chips. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 25, 577-592.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arne Smolders
- Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Patricia Back
- Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sasha De Henau
- Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Untrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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31
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Hoffman JM, Tran V, Wachtman LM, Green CL, Jones DP, Promislow DEL. A longitudinal analysis of the effects of age on the blood plasma metabolome in the common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus. Exp Gerontol 2016; 76:17-24. [PMID: 26805607 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Primates tend to be long-lived for their size with humans being the longest lived of all primates. There are compelling reasons to understand the underlying age-related processes that shape human lifespan. But the very fact of our long lifespan that makes it so compelling, also makes it especially difficult to study. Thus, in studies of aging, researchers have turned to non-human primate models, including chimpanzees, baboons, and rhesus macaques. More recently, the common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus, has been recognized as a particularly valuable model in studies of aging, given its small size, ease of housing in captivity, and relatively short lifespan. However, little is known about the physiological changes that occur as marmosets age. To begin to fill in this gap, we utilized high sensitivity metabolomics to define the longitudinal biochemical changes associated with age in the common marmoset. We measured 2104 metabolites from blood plasma at three separate time points over a 17-month period, and we completed both a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of the metabolome. We discovered hundreds of metabolites associated with age and body weight in both male and female animals. Our longitudinal analysis identified age-associated metabolic pathways that were not found in our cross-sectional analysis. Pathways enriched for age-associated metabolites included tryptophan, nucleotide, and xenobiotic metabolism, suggesting these biochemical pathways might play an important role in the basic mechanisms of aging in primates. Moreover, we found that many metabolic pathways associated with age were sex specific. Our work illustrates the power of longitudinal approaches, even in a short time frame, to discover novel biochemical changes that occur with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Hoffman
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 120 Green Street, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - ViLinh Tran
- Division of Pulmonary Allergy and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Emory University, 615 Michael Street, Suite 225, Atlanta, GA 30322,USA; Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Emory University, 615 Michael Street, Suite 225, Atlanta, GA 30322,USA
| | - Lynn M Wachtman
- New England Primate Research Center, Harvard University, 1 Pinehill Rd, Southborough, MA 10772, USA
| | - Cara L Green
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Dean P Jones
- Division of Pulmonary Allergy and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Emory University, 615 Michael Street, Suite 225, Atlanta, GA 30322,USA; Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Emory University, 615 Michael Street, Suite 225, Atlanta, GA 30322,USA
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Jahnel O, Hoffmann B, Merkel R, Bossinger O, Leube RE. Mechanical Probing of the Intermediate Filament-Rich Caenorhabditis Elegans Intestine. Methods Enzymol 2015; 568:681-706. [PMID: 26795489 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2015.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
It is commonly accepted that intermediate filaments have an important mechanical function. This function relies not only on intrinsic material properties but is also determined by dynamic interactions with other cytoskeletal filament systems, distinct cell adhesion sites, and cellular organelles which are fine-tuned by multiple signaling pathways. While aspects of these properties and processes can be studied in vitro, their full complexity can only be understood in a viable tissue context. Yet, suitable and easily accessible model systems for monitoring tissue mechanics at high precision are rare. We show that the dissected intestine of the genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans fulfills this requirement. The 20 intestinal cells, which are arranged in an invariant fashion, are characterized by a dense subapical mesh of intermediate filaments that are attached to the C. elegans apical junction. We present procedures to visualize details of the characteristic intermediate filament-junctional complex arrangement in living animals. We then report on methods to prepare intestines with a fully intact intermediate filament cytoskeleton and detail procedures to assess their viability. A dual micropipette assay is described to measure mechanical properties of the dissected intestine while monitoring the spatial arrangement of the intermediate filament system. Advantages of this approach are (i) the high reproducibility of measurements because of the uniform architecture of the intestine and (ii) the high degree of accessibility allowing not only mechanical manipulation of an intact tissue but also control of culture medium composition and addition of drugs as well as visualization of cell structures. With this method, examination of worms carrying mutations in the intermediate filament system, its interacting partners and its regulators will become feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Jahnel
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Bernd Hoffmann
- Institute of Complex Systems, ICS-7: Biomechanics, Jülich, Germany
| | - Rudolf Merkel
- Institute of Complex Systems, ICS-7: Biomechanics, Jülich, Germany
| | - Olaf Bossinger
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Rudolf E Leube
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
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Blazie SM, Babb C, Wilky H, Rawls A, Park JG, Mangone M. Comparative RNA-Seq analysis reveals pervasive tissue-specific alternative polyadenylation in Caenorhabditis elegans intestine and muscles. BMC Biol 2015; 13:4. [PMID: 25601023 PMCID: PMC4343181 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-015-0116-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tissue-specific RNA plasticity broadly impacts the development, tissue identity and adaptability of all organisms, but changes in composition, expression levels and its impact on gene regulation in different somatic tissues are largely unknown. Here we developed a new method, polyA-tagging and sequencing (PAT-Seq) to isolate high-quality tissue-specific mRNA from Caenorhabditis elegans intestine, pharynx and body muscle tissues and study changes in their tissue-specific transcriptomes and 3'UTRomes. RESULTS We have identified thousands of novel genes and isoforms differentially expressed between these three tissues. The intestine transcriptome is expansive, expressing over 30% of C. elegans mRNAs, while muscle transcriptomes are smaller but contain characteristic unique gene signatures. Active promoter regions in all three tissues reveal both known and novel enriched tissue-specific elements, along with putative transcription factors, suggesting novel tissue-specific modes of transcription initiation. We have precisely mapped approximately 20,000 tissue-specific polyadenylation sites and discovered that about 30% of transcripts in somatic cells use alternative polyadenylation in a tissue-specific manner, with their 3'UTR isoforms significantly enriched with microRNA targets. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, PAT-Seq allowed us to directly study tissue specific gene expression changes in an in vivo setting and compare these changes between three somatic tissues from the same organism at single-base resolution within the same experiment. We pinpoint precise tissue-specific transcriptome rearrangements and for the first time link tissue-specific alternative polyadenylation to miRNA regulation, suggesting novel and unexplored tissue-specific post-transcriptional regulatory networks in somatic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Blazie
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Cody Babb
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Henry Wilky
- Barrett Honors College, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, 1282 Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Alan Rawls
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
- Barrett Honors College, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, 1282 Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Jin G Park
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Marco Mangone
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ, USA.
- Barrett Honors College, Arizona State University, 751 E Lemon Mall, 1282 Tempe, AZ, USA.
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Chondrogianni N, Georgila K, Kourtis N, Tavernarakis N, Gonos ES. 20S proteasome activation promotes life span extension and resistance to proteotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans. FASEB J 2014; 29:611-22. [PMID: 25395451 DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-252189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is one of the nodal points that need to be preserved to retain physiologic cellular/organismal balance. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is responsible for the removal of both normal and damaged proteins, with the proteasome being the downstream effector. The proteasome is the major cellular protease with progressive impairment of function during aging and senescence. Despite the documented age-retarding properties of proteasome activation in various cellular models, simultaneous enhancement of the 20S core proteasome content, assembly, and function have never been reported in any multicellular organism. Consequently, the possible effects of the core proteasome modulation on organismal life span are elusive. In this study, we have achieved activation of the 20S proteasome at organismal level. We demonstrate enhancement of proteasome levels, assembly, and activity in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, resulting in life span extension and increased resistance to stress. We also provide evidence that the observed life span extension is dependent on the transcriptional activity of Dauer formation abnormal/Forkhead box class O (DAF-16/FOXO), skinhead-1 (SKN-1), and heat shock factor-1 (HSF-1) factors through regulation of downstream longevity genes. We further show that the reported beneficial effects are not ubiquitous but they are dependent on the genetic context. Finally, we provide evidence that proteasome core activation might be a potential strategy to minimize protein homeostasis deficiencies underlying aggregation-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) or Huntington's disease (HD). In summary, this is the first report demonstrating that 20S core proteasome up-regulation in terms of both content and activity is feasible in a multicellular eukaryotic organism and that in turn this modulation promotes extension of organismal health span and life span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niki Chondrogianni
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece; and
| | - Konstantina Georgila
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece; and
| | - Nikos Kourtis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Crete, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Crete, Greece
| | - Efstathios S Gonos
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece; and
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Jaronen M, Quintana FJ. Immunological Relevance of the Coevolution of IDO1 and AHR. Front Immunol 2014; 5:521. [PMID: 25368620 PMCID: PMC4202789 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor initially identified because of its role in controlling the cellular response to environmental molecules. More recently, AHR has been shown to play a crucial role in controlling innate and adaptive immune responses through several mechanisms, one of which is the regulation of tryptophan metabolism. Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) are considered rate-limiting enzymes in the tryptophan catabolism and play important roles in the regulation of the immunity. Moreover, AHR and IDO/TDO are closely interconnected: AHR regulates IDO and TDO expression, and kynurenine produced by IDO/TDO is an AHR agonist. In this review, we propose to examine the relationship between AHR and IDO/TDO and its relevance for the regulation of the immune response in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merja Jaronen
- Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA , USA
| | - Francisco J Quintana
- Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA , USA
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36
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Moskalev AA, Pasyukova EG. From theories of aging to anti-aging interventions. Front Genet 2014; 5:276. [PMID: 25177344 PMCID: PMC4132295 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexey A Moskalev
- Radiation Ecology, Laboratory of Molecular Radiobiology and Gerontology, Institute of Biology of Komi Science Center of Ural Branch of RAS Syktyvkar, Russia ; Syktyvkar State University Syktyvkar, Russia ; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University) Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Elena G Pasyukova
- Laboratory of Genome Variation, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
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