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Haidar L, Georgescu M, Drăghici GA, Bănățean-Dunea I, Nica DV, Șerb AF. DNA Methylation Machinery in Gastropod Mollusks. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:537. [PMID: 38672807 PMCID: PMC11050768 DOI: 10.3390/life14040537] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The role of DNA methylation in mollusks is just beginning to be understood. This review synthesizes current knowledge on this potent molecular hallmark of epigenetic control in gastropods-the largest class of mollusks and ubiquitous inhabitants of diverse habitats. Their DNA methylation machinery shows a high degree of conservation in CG maintenance methylation mechanisms, driven mainly by DNMT1 homologues, and the presence of MBD2 and MBD2/3 proteins as DNA methylation readers. The mosaic-like DNA methylation landscape occurs mainly in a CG context and is primarily confined to gene bodies and housekeeping genes. DNA methylation emerges as a critical regulator of reproduction, development, and adaptation, with tissue-specific patterns being observed in gonadal structures. Its dynamics also serve as an important regulatory mechanism underlying learning and memory processes. DNA methylation can be affected by various environmental stimuli, including as pathogens and abiotic stresses, potentially impacting phenotypic variation and population diversity. Overall, the features of DNA methylation in gastropods are complex, being an essential part of their epigenome. However, comprehensive studies integrating developmental stages, tissues, and environmental conditions, functional annotation of methylated regions, and integrated genomic-epigenomic analyses are lacking. Addressing these knowledge gaps will advance our understanding of gastropod biology, ecology, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Haidar
- Department of Functional Sciences, Physiology Discipline, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timişoara, Romania;
- Center of Immuno-Physiology and Biotechnologies (CIFBIOTEH), “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timişoara, Romania
| | - Marius Georgescu
- Department of Functional Sciences, Physiology Discipline, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timişoara, Romania;
- Center of Immuno-Physiology and Biotechnologies (CIFBIOTEH), “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timişoara, Romania
| | - George Andrei Drăghici
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania;
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Ioan Bănățean-Dunea
- Biology and Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timișoara, Calea Aradului 119, 300645 Timișoara, Romania;
| | - Dragoș Vasile Nica
- The National Institute of Research—Development for Machines and Installations Designed for Agriculture and Food Industry (INMA), Bulevardul Ion Ionescu de la Brad 6, 077190 București, Romania
| | - Alina-Florina Șerb
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Biochemistry Discipline, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania;
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Norekian T, Liu Y, Gribkova ED, Cui J, Gillette R. A peripheral subepithelial network for chemotactile processing in the predatory sea slug Pleurobranchaea californica. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296872. [PMID: 38329975 PMCID: PMC10852322 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Many soft-bodied animals have extensive peripheral nervous systems (PNS) with significant sensory roles. One such, the sea slug Pleurobranchaea californica, uses PNS computations in its chemotactile oral veil (OV) in prey tracking, averaging olfactory stimuli across the OV to target likely source direction, or "stimulus place". This suggests a peripheral subepithelial network (SeN) interconnecting sensory sites to compute the directional average. We pursued anatomy and connectivity of previously described ciliated putative sensory cells on OV papillae. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed paddle-shaped cilia in clusters. Anti-tubulin and phalloidin staining showed connections to branching nervelets and muscle fibers for contraction and expansion of papillae. Ciliary cell processes could not be traced into nerves, consistent with sensory transmission to CNS via secondary afferents. Anti-tyrosine hydroxylase-stained ciliated cells in clusters and revealed an at least partially dopaminergic subepithelial network interconnecting clusters near and distant, connections consistent with PNS averaging of multiple stimulated loci. Other, unidentified, SeN neurotransmitters are likely. Confirming chemotactile functions, perfusible suction electrodes recorded ciliary spiking excited by both mechanical and appetitive chemical stimuli. Stimuli induced sensory nerve spiking like that encoding stimulus place. Sensory nerve spikes and cilia cluster spikes were not identifiable as generated by the same neurons. Ciliary clusters likely drive the sensory nerve spikes via SeN, mediating appetitive and stimulus place codes to CNS. These observations may facilitate future analyses of the PNS in odor discrimination and memory, and also suggest such SeNs as potential evolutionary precursors of CNS place-coding circuitry in the segmented, skeletonized protostomes and deuterostomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tigran Norekian
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Biosciences, University of Florida, St. Augustine, Florida, United States of America
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America
| | - Yichen Liu
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Ekaterina D. Gribkova
- Coordinated Science Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jilai Cui
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Rhanor Gillette
- Coordinated Science Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
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