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Li H, Huang X, Zhan A. Context-dependent antioxidant defense system (ADS)-based stress memory in response to recurrent environmental challenges in congeneric invasive species. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 6:315-330. [PMID: 38827126 PMCID: PMC11136907 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-024-00228-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Marine ecosystems are facing escalating environmental fluctuations owing to climate change and human activities, imposing pressures on marine species. To withstand recurring environmental challenges, marine organisms, especially benthic species lacking behavioral choices to select optimal habitats, have to utilize well-established strategies such as the antioxidant defense system (ADS) to ensure their survival. Therefore, understanding of the mechanisms governing the ADS-based response is essential for gaining insights into adaptive strategies for managing environmental challenges. Here we conducted a comparative analysis of the physiological and transcriptional responses based on the ADS during two rounds of 'hypersalinity-recovery' challenges in two model congeneric invasive ascidians, Ciona robusta and C. savignyi. Our results demonstrated that C. savignyi exhibited higher tolerance and resistance to salinity stresses at the physiological level, while C. robusta demonstrated heightened responses at the transcriptional level. We observed distinct transcriptional responses, particularly in the utilization of two superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms. Both Ciona species developed physiological stress memory with elevated total SOD (T-SOD) and glutathione (GSH) responses, while only C. robusta demonstrated transcriptional stress memory. The regulatory distinctions within the Nrf2-Keap1 signalling pathway likely explain the formation disparity of transcriptional stress memory between both Ciona species. These findings support the 'context-dependent stress memory hypothesis', emphasizing the emergence of species-specific stress memory at diverse regulatory levels in response to recurrent environmental challenges. Our results enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of environmental challenge management in marine species, particularly those related to the ADS. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-024-00228-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxi Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085 China
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
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2
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Huang X, Li H, Zhan A. Interplays between cis- and trans-Acting Factors for Alternative Splicing in Response to Environmental Changes during Biological Invasions of Ascidians. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14921. [PMID: 37834365 PMCID: PMC10573349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS), a pivotal biological process contributing to phenotypic plasticity, creates a bridge linking genotypes with phenotypes. Despite its importance, the AS mechanisms underlying environmental response and adaptation have not been well studied, and more importantly, the cis- and trans-acting factors influencing AS variation remain unclear. Using the model invasive congeneric ascidians, Ciona robusta, and Ciona savignyi, we compared their AS responses to environmental changes and explored the potential determinants. Our findings unveiled swift and dynamic AS changes in response to environmental challenges, and differentially alternative spliced genes (DASGs) were functionally enriched in transmembrane transport processes. Interestingly, both the prevalence and level of AS in C. robusta were lower than those observed in C. savignyi. Furthermore, these two indices were higher under temperature stresses compared to salinity stresses in C. savignyi. All the observed patterns underscore the species-specific and environmental context-dependent AS responses to environmental challenges. The dissimilarities in genomic structure and exon/intron size distributions between these two species likely contributed to the observed AS variation. Moreover, we identified a total of 11 and 9 serine/arginine-rich splicing factors (SRSFs) with conserved domains and gene structures in the genomes of C. robusta and C. savignyi, respectively. Intriguingly, our analysis revealed that all detected SRSFs did not exhibit prevalent AS regulations. Instead, we observed AS control over a set of genes related to splicing factors and spliceosome components. Altogether, our results elucidate species-specific and environmental challenge-dependent AS response patterns in closely related invasive ascidians. The identified splicing factors and spliceosome components under AS control offer promising candidates for further investigations into AS-mediated rapid responses to environmental challenges complementary to SRSFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China; (X.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Hanxi Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China; (X.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China; (X.H.); (H.L.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
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3
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Huang X, Li H, Shenkar N, Zhan A. Multidimensional plasticity jointly contributes to rapid acclimation to environmental challenges during biological invasions. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 29:675-690. [PMID: 36810233 PMCID: PMC10159005 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079319.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Rapid plastic response to environmental changes, which involves extremely complex underlying mechanisms, is crucial for organismal survival during many ecological and evolutionary processes such as those in global change and biological invasions. Gene expression is among the most studied molecular plasticity, while co- or posttranscriptional mechanisms are still largely unexplored. Using a model invasive ascidian Ciona savignyi, we studied multidimensional short-term plasticity in response to hyper- and hyposalinity stresses, covering the physiological adjustment, gene expression, alternative splicing (AS), and alternative polyadenylation (APA) regulations. Our results demonstrated that rapid plastic response varied with environmental context, timescales, and molecular regulatory levels. Gene expression, AS, and APA regulations independently acted on different gene sets and corresponding biological functions, highlighting their nonredundant roles in rapid environmental adaptation. Stress-induced gene expression changes illustrated the use of a strategy of accumulating free amino acids under high salinity and losing/reducing them during low salinity to maintain the osmotic homoeostasis. Genes with more exons were inclined to use AS regulations, and isoform switches in functional genes such as SLC2a5 and Cyb5r3 resulted in enhanced transporting activities by up-regulating the isoforms with more transmembrane regions. The extensive 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) shortening through APA was induced by both salinity stresses, and APA regulation predominated transcriptomic changes at some stages of stress response. The findings here provide evidence for complex plastic mechanisms to environmental changes, and thereby highlight the importance of systemically integrating different levels of regulatory mechanisms in studying initial plasticity in evolutionary trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Hanxi Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Noa Shenkar
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, 6997801 Tel-Aviv, Israel
- The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Israel National Center for Biodiversity Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
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4
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Ruiz MB, Servetto N, Alurralde G, Abele D, Harms L, Sahade R, Held C. Molecular responses of a key Antarctic species to sedimentation due to rapid climate change. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 180:105720. [PMID: 35987040 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rapid regional warming causing glacial retreat and melting of ice caps in Antarctica leads benthic filter-feeders to be exposed to periods of food shortage and high respiratory impairment as a consequence of seasonal sediment discharge in the West Antarctic Peninsula coastal areas. The molecular physiological response and its fine-tuning allow species to survive acute environmental stress and are thus a prerequisite to longer-term adaptation to changing environments. Under experimental conditions, we analyzed here the metabolic response to changes in suspended sediment concentrations, through transcriptome sequencing and enzymatic measurements in a highly abundant Antarctic ascidian. We found that the mechanisms underlying short-term response to sedimentation in Cnemidocarpa verrucosa sp. A involved apoptosis, immune defense, and general metabolic depression. These mechanisms may be understood as an adaptive protection against sedimentation caused by glacial retreat. This process can strongly contribute to the structuring of future benthic filter-feeder communities in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micaela B Ruiz
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA) CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Ecología Marina, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Natalia Servetto
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA) CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Ecología Marina, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Gastón Alurralde
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Doris Abele
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Section Functional Ecology, Evolutionary Macroecology, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Lars Harms
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Computing and data center, Data Science Support, Bremerhaven, Germany.
| | - Ricardo Sahade
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA) CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Ecología Marina, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Christoph Held
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Section Functional Ecology, Evolutionary Macroecology, Bremerhaven, Germany.
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Gurr SJ, Trigg SA, Vadopalas B, Roberts SB, Putnam HM. Acclimatory gene expression of primed clams enhances robustness to elevated pCO 2. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5005-5023. [PMID: 35947503 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sub-lethal exposure to environmental challenges may enhance ability to cope with chronic or repeated change, a process known as priming. In a previous study, pre-exposure to seawater enriched with pCO2 improved growth and reduced antioxidant capacity of juvenile Pacific geoduck Panopea generosa, suggesting that transcriptional shifts may drive phenotypic modifications post-priming. To this end, juvenile clams were sampled and TagSeq gene expression data analyzed after 1) a 110-day acclimation under ambient (921 μatm, naïve) and moderately-elevated pCO2 (2870 μatm, pre-exposed); then following 2) a second 7-day exposure to three pCO2 treatments (ambient: 754 μatm; moderately-elevated: 2750 μatm; severely-elevated: 4940 μatm), a 7-day return to ambient pCO2 , and a third 7-day exposure to two pCO2 treatments (ambient: 967 μatm; moderately-elevated: 3030 μatm). Pre-exposed geoducks frontloaded genes for stress and apoptosis/innate immune response, homeostatic processes, protein degradation, and transcriptional modifiers. Pre-exposed geoducks were also responsive to subsequent encounters, with gene sets enriched for mitochondrial recycling and immune defense under elevated pCO2 and energy metabolism and biosynthesis under ambient recovery. In contrast, gene sets with higher expression in naïve clams were enriched for fatty-acid degradation and glutathione components, suggesting naïve clams could be depleting endogenous fuels, with unsustainable energetic requirements if changes in carbonate chemistry persist. Collectively, our transcriptomic data indicates pCO2 priming during post-larval periods could, via gene expression regulation, enhance robustness in bivalves to environmental change. Such priming approaches may be beneficial for aquaculture, as seafood demand intensifies concurrent with increasing climate change in marine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Gurr
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Shelly A Trigg
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Steven B Roberts
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
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6
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Cui C, Wang Z, Su Y, Wang T. Antioxidant Regulation and DNA Methylation Dynamics During Mikania micrantha Seed Germination Under Cold Stress. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:856527. [PMID: 35463422 PMCID: PMC9024368 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.856527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As a primary goal, adaptation to cold climate could expand an invasion range of exotic plants. Here, we aimed to explore the regulation strategy of M. micrantha seed development under cold stress through molecular physiology and multi-omics analysis. Significant increase of hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and electrolyte leakage observed under cold stress revealed that oxidative damage within M. micrantha seed cells was induced in the initial germination phase. Proteomic data underscored an activation of antioxidant activity to maintain redox homeostasis, with a cluster of antioxidant proteins identified. Genomic-wide transcriptome, in combination with time-series whole-genome bisulfite sequencing mining, elucidated that seven candidate genes, which were the target of DNA demethylation-dependent ROS scavenging, were possibly associated with an M. micrantha germ break. Progressive gain of CHH context DNA methylation identified in an early germination phrase suggested a role of a DNA methylation pathway, while an active DNA demethylation pathway was also initiated during late seed development, which was in line with the expression trend of methylation and demethylation-related genes verified through qRT-PCR. These data pointed out that cold-dependent DNA demethylation and an antioxidant regulatory were involved together in restoring seed germination. The expression level of total 441 genes presented an opposite trend to the methylation divergence, while the expression of total 395 genes was proved to be negatively associated with their methylation levels. These data provided new insights into molecular reprograming events during M. micrantha seed development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Cui
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingjuan Su
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Research Institute of Sun Yat-sen University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Research Institute of Sun Yat-sen University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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7
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Servetto N, de Aranzamendi MC, Bettencourt R, Held C, Abele D, Movilla J, González G, Bustos DM, Sahade R. Molecular mechanisms underlying responses of the Antarctic coral Malacobelemnon daytoni to ocean acidification. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 170:105430. [PMID: 34340030 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Benthic organisms of the Southern Ocean are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification (OA), as they inhabit cold waters where calcite-aragonite saturation states are naturally low. OA most strongly affects animals with calcium carbonate skeletons or shells, such as corals and mollusks. We exposed the abundant cold-water coral Malacobelemnon daytoni from an Antarctic fjord to low pH seawater (LpH) (7.68 ± 0.17) to test its physiological responses to OA, at the level of gene expression (RT-PCR) and enzyme activity. Corals were exposed in short- (3 days) and long-term (54 days) experiments to two pCO2 conditions (ambient and elevated pCO2 equaling RCP 8.5, IPCC 2019, approximately 372.53 and 956.78 μatm, respectively). Of the eleven genes studied through RT-PCR, six were significantly upregulated compared with control in the short-term in the LpH condition, including the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), Toll-like receptor (TLR), galaxin and ferritin. After long-term exposure to low pH conditions, RT-PCR analysis showed seven genes were upregulated. These include the mannose-binding C-Lectin and HSP90. Also, the expression of TLR and galaxin, among others, continued to be upregulated after long-term exposure to LpH. Expression of carbonic anhydrase (CA), a key enzyme involved in calcification, was also significantly upregulated after long-term exposure. Our results indicated that, after two months, M. daytoni is not acclimatized to this experimental LpH condition. Gene expression profiles revealed molecular impacts that were not evident at the enzyme activity level. Consequently, understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the physiological processes in the response of a coral to LpH is critical to understanding the ability of polar species to cope with future environmental changes. Approaches integrating molecular tools into Antarctic ecological and/or conservation research make an essential contribution given the current ongoing OA processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Servetto
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.,Cátedra de Ecología Marina, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Ecosistemas Marinos Polares, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - M C de Aranzamendi
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.,Cátedra de Ecología Marina, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Ecosistemas Marinos Polares, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - R Bettencourt
- OKEANOS Marine Research Center/Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, 9900-862, Horta, Portugal
| | - C Held
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - D Abele
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - J Movilla
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Estación de Investigación Jaume Ferrer, La Mola s/n 07720, Menorca, Spain
| | - G González
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.,Cátedra de Ecología Marina, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Ecosistemas Marinos Polares, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - D M Bustos
- Laboratorio de Integración de Señales Celulares, Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM CONICET-UNCUYO), and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UNCUYO), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - R Sahade
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.,Cátedra de Ecología Marina, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Ecosistemas Marinos Polares, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina.
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8
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Hackerott S, Martell HA, Eirin-Lopez JM. Coral environmental memory: causes, mechanisms, and consequences for future reefs. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:1011-1023. [PMID: 34366170 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The apparent ability of corals to acquire and maintain enhanced stress tolerance through a dose-dependent environmental memory, which may persist for multiple years, has critical implications for coral reef conservation research. Such responses are variable across coral species and environmental stressors, with primed corals exhibiting a modified response to secondary stress exposures. While the mechanisms underlying coral memory responses are poorly understood, they likely involve both the coral host and microbiome. With advances in molecular technologies, it is now possible to investigate potential memory mechanisms in non-model organisms, including transcriptional regulation through epigenetic modifications. We integrate evidence of coral environmental memory and suggest future research directions to evaluate the potential for this process to enhance coral resilience under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Hackerott
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Biological Sciences Department, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, 33181, USA
| | - Harmony A Martell
- Climate and Coastal Ecosystem Laboratory, Department of Geography & Institute of Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jose M Eirin-Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Biological Sciences Department, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, 33181, USA.
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9
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Liberti A, Natarajan O, Atkinson CGF, Sordino P, Dishaw LJ. Reflections on the Use of an Invertebrate Chordate Model System for Studies of Gut Microbial Immune Interactions. Front Immunol 2021; 12:642687. [PMID: 33717199 PMCID: PMC7947342 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.642687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional ecology of the gastrointestinal tract impacts host physiology, and its dysregulation is at the center of various diseases. The immune system, and specifically innate immunity, plays a fundamental role in modulating the interface of host and microbes in the gut. While humans remain a primary focus of research in this field, the use of diverse model systems help inform us of the fundamental principles legislating homeostasis in the gut. Invertebrates, which lack vertebrate-style adaptive immunity, can help define conserved features of innate immunity that shape the gut ecosystem. In this context, we previously proposed the use of a marine invertebrate, the protochordate Ciona robusta, as a novel tractable model system for studies of host-microbiome interactions. Significant progress, reviewed herein, has been made to fulfill that vision. We examine and review discoveries from Ciona that include roles for a secreted immune effector interacting with elements of the microbiota, as well as chitin-rich mucus lining the gut epithelium, the gut-associated microbiome of adults, and the establishment of a large catalog of cultured isolates with which juveniles can be colonized. Also discussed is the establishment of methods to rear the animals germ-free, an essential technology for dissecting the symbiotic interactions at play. As the foundation is now set to extend these studies into the future, broadening our comprehension of how host effectors shape the ecology of these microbial communities in ways that establish and maintain homeostasis will require full utilization of "multi-omics" approaches to merge computational sciences, modeling, and experimental biology in hypothesis-driven investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assunta Liberti
- Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Ojas Natarajan
- Morsani College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Children’s Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
| | - Celine Grace F. Atkinson
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Children’s Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Paolo Sordino
- Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Larry J. Dishaw
- Morsani College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Children’s Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
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10
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Fu R, Huang X, Zhan A. Identification of DNA (de)methylation-related genes and their transcriptional response to environmental challenges in an invasive model ascidian. Gene 2020; 768:145331. [PMID: 33278554 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.145331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Marine invasive species are constantly challenged by acute or recurring environmental stresses during their range expansions. DNA methylation-mediated stress memory has been proposed to effectively affect species' response and enhance their overall performance in recurring environmental challenges. In order to further test this proposal in marine invasive species, we identified genes in the DNA methylation and demethylation processes in the highly invasive model species, Ciona robusta, and subsequently investigated the expression patterns of these genes under recurring salinity stresses. After a genome-wide comprehensive survey, we found a total of six genes, including two genes of DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a1 and DNMT3a2), and one gene of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 2 (MBD2), methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 4 (MBD4) and ten-eleven-translocation protein 1 (TET1). Phylogenetic reconstruction and domain arrangement analyses showed that the deduced proteins of the identified genes were evolutionarily conserved and functionally similar with their orthologs. All genes were constitutively expressed in all four tested tissues. Interestingly, we found time-dependent and stress-specific gene expression patterns under high and low salinity stresses. Under the recurring high salinity stresses, DNMT3a1 and TET1 conformed to the definition of memory genes, while under the recurring low salinity stresses, two DNMT3a paralogues were identified as the memory genes. Altogether, our results clearly showed that the transcriptional patterns of (de)methylation-related genes were significantly influenced by environmental stresses, and the transcriptional memory of some (de)methylation-related genes should play crucial roles in DNA methylation-mediated stress memory during the process of biological invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiying Fu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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