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Pamula MC, Lehmann R. How germ granules promote germ cell fate. Nat Rev Genet 2024:10.1038/s41576-024-00744-8. [PMID: 38890558 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00744-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Germ cells are the only cells in the body capable of giving rise to a new organism, and this totipotency hinges on their ability to assemble membraneless germ granules. These specialized RNA and protein complexes are hallmarks of germ cells throughout their life cycle: as embryonic germ granules in late oocytes and zygotes, Balbiani bodies in immature oocytes, and nuage in maturing gametes. Decades of developmental, genetic and biochemical studies have identified protein and RNA constituents unique to germ granules and have implicated these in germ cell identity, genome integrity and gamete differentiation. Now, emerging research is defining germ granules as biomolecular condensates that achieve high molecular concentrations by phase separation, and it is assigning distinct roles to germ granules during different stages of germline development. This organization of the germ cell cytoplasm into cellular subcompartments seems to be critical not only for the flawless continuity through the germline life cycle within the developing organism but also for the success of the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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2
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Pan X, Dai W, Wang Z, Li S, Sun T, Miao N. PIWI-Interacting RNAs: A Pivotal Regulator in Neurological Development and Disease. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:653. [PMID: 38927589 PMCID: PMC11202748 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060653] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) with 24-32 nucleotides (nt), were initially identified in the reproductive system. Unlike microRNAs (miRNAs) or small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), piRNAs normally guide P-element-induced wimpy testis protein (PIWI) families to slice extensively complementary transposon transcripts without the seed pairing. Numerous studies have shown that piRNAs are abundantly expressed in the brain, and many of them are aberrantly regulated in central neural system (CNS) disorders. However, the role of piRNAs in the related developmental and pathological processes is unclear. The elucidation of piRNAs/PIWI would greatly improve the understanding of CNS development and ultimately lead to novel strategies to treat neural diseases. In this review, we summarized the relevant structure, properties, and databases of piRNAs and their functional roles in neural development and degenerative disorders. We hope that future studies of these piRNAs will facilitate the development of RNA-based therapeutics for CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Nan Miao
- Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China; (X.P.); (W.D.); (Z.W.); (S.L.); (T.S.)
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Guo P, Yu Y, Kang H, Liu Y, Zhu D, Sun C, Xing Z, Tang Z, Chen K, Tan A. GASZ is indispensable for gametogenesis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38728119 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The prominent role of the P-element induced wimpy testis (PIWI)-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway in animals is to silence transposable elements and maintain genome stability, ensuring proper gametogenesis in gonads. GASZ (Germ cell protein with Ankyrin repeats, Sterile alpha motif, and leucine Zipper) is an evolutionarily conserved protein located on the outer mitochondrial membrane of germ cells and plays vital roles in the piRNA pathway and spermatogenesis in mammals. In the model insect Drosophila melanogaster, GASZ is essential for piRNA biogenesis and oogenesis, whereas its biological functions in non-drosophilid insects are still unknown. Here, we describe a comprehensive investigation of GASZ functions in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, a lepidopteran model insect, by using a binary transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 system. The BmGASZ mutation did not affect growth and development, but led to sterility in both males and females. Eupyrene sperm bundles of mutant males exhibited developmental defects, while the apyrene sperm bundles were normal, which were further confirmed through double copulation experiments with sex-lethal mutants, which males possess functional eupyrene sperm and abnormal apyrene sperm. In female mutant moths, ovarioles were severely degenerated and the eggs in ovarioles were deformed compared with that of wild type (WT). Further RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analysis revealed that amounts of piRNAs and transposon expression were dysregulated in gonads of mutants. In summary, this study has demonstrated vital roles of BmGASZ in gametogenesis through regulating the piRNA pathway in B. mori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peilin Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ye Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Hongxia Kang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yutong Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Dalin Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Chenxin Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zhiping Xing
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ziyue Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Scientific Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, China
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4
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Santos D, Feng M, Kolliopoulou A, Taning CNT, Sun J, Swevers L. What Are the Functional Roles of Piwi Proteins and piRNAs in Insects? INSECTS 2023; 14:insects14020187. [PMID: 36835756 PMCID: PMC9962485 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Research on Piwi proteins and piRNAs in insects has focused on three experimental models: oogenesis and spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster, the antiviral response in Aedes mosquitoes and the molecular analysis of primary and secondary piRNA biogenesis in Bombyx mori-derived BmN4 cells. Significant unique and complementary information has been acquired and has led to a greater appreciation of the complexity of piRNA biogenesis and Piwi protein function. Studies performed in other insect species are emerging and promise to add to the current state of the art on the roles of piRNAs and Piwi proteins. Although the primary role of the piRNA pathway is genome defense against transposons, particularly in the germline, recent findings also indicate an expansion of its functions. In this review, an extensive overview is presented of the knowledge of the piRNA pathway that so far has accumulated in insects. Following a presentation of the three major models, data from other insects were also discussed. Finally, the mechanisms for the expansion of the function of the piRNA pathway from transposon control to gene regulation were considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dulce Santos
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Min Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Anna Kolliopoulou
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences & Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Athens, Greece
| | - Clauvis N. T. Taning
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jingchen Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences & Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Athens, Greece
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5
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Kubíková J, Reinig R, Salgania HK, Jeske M. LOTUS-domain proteins - developmental effectors from a molecular perspective. Biol Chem 2020; 402:7-23. [DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2020-0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The LOTUS domain (also known as OST-HTH) is a highly conserved protein domain found in a variety of bacteria and eukaryotes. In animals, the LOTUS domain is present in the proteins Oskar, TDRD5/Tejas, TDRD7/TRAP/Tapas, and MARF1/Limkain B1, all of which play essential roles in animal development, in particular during oogenesis and/or spermatogenesis. This review summarizes the diverse biological as well as molecular functions of LOTUS-domain proteins and discusses their roles as helicase effectors, post-transcriptional regulators, and critical cofactors of piRNA-mediated transcript silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Kubíková
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center , Im Neuenheimer Feld 328 , D-69120 Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Rebecca Reinig
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center , Im Neuenheimer Feld 328 , D-69120 Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Harpreet Kaur Salgania
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center , Im Neuenheimer Feld 328 , D-69120 Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Mandy Jeske
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center , Im Neuenheimer Feld 328 , D-69120 Heidelberg , Germany
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6
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Dodson AE, Kennedy S. Phase Separation in Germ Cells and Development. Dev Cell 2020; 55:4-17. [PMID: 33007213 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The animal germline is an immortal cell lineage that gives rise to eggs and/or sperm each generation. Fusion of an egg and sperm, or fertilization, sets off a cascade of developmental events capable of producing an array of different cell types and body plans. How germ cells develop, function, and eventually give rise to entirely new organisms is an important question in biology. A growing body of evidence suggests that phase separation events likely play a significant and multifaceted role in germ cells and development. Here, we discuss the organization, dynamics, and potential functions of phase-separated compartments in germ cells and examine the various ways in which phase separation might contribute to the development of multicellular organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Dodson
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Scott Kennedy
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Nishida KM, Sakakibara K, Sumiyoshi T, Yamazaki H, Mannen T, Kawamura T, Kodama T, Siomi MC. Siwi levels reversibly regulate secondary piRISC biogenesis by affecting Ago3 body morphology in Bombyx mori. EMBO J 2020; 39:e105130. [PMID: 32914505 PMCID: PMC7560202 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Silkworm ovarian germ cells produce the Siwi‐piRNA‐induced silencing complex (piRISC) through two consecutive mechanisms, the primary pathway and the secondary ping‐pong cycle. Primary Siwi‐piRISC production occurs on the outer mitochondrial membrane in an Ago3‐independent manner, where Tudor domain‐containing Papi binds unloaded Siwi via its symmetrical dimethylarginines (sDMAs). Here, we now show that secondary Siwi‐piRISC production occurs at the Ago3‐positive nuage Ago3 bodies, in an Ago3‐dependent manner, where Vreteno (Vret), another Tudor protein, interconnects unloaded Siwi and Ago3‐piRISC through their sDMAs. Upon Siwi depletion, Ago3 is phosphorylated and insolubilized in its piRISC form with cleaved RNAs and Vret, suggesting that the complex is stalled in the intermediate state. The Ago3 bodies are also enlarged. The aberrant morphology is restored upon Siwi re‐expression without Ago3‐piRISC supply. Thus, Siwi depletion aggregates the Ago3 bodies to protect the piRNA intermediates from degradation until the normal cellular environment returns to re‐initiate the ping‐pong cycle. Overall, these findings reveal a unique regulatory mechanism controlling piRNA biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumichi M Nishida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Sakakibara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsutaro Sumiyoshi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroya Yamazaki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taro Mannen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kawamura
- Proteomics Laboratory, Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Laboratory for Systems Biology and Medicine, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuhiko Kodama
- Laboratory for Systems Biology and Medicine, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mikiko C Siomi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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8
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Feng JX, Riddle NC. Epigenetics and genome stability. Mamm Genome 2020; 31:181-195. [PMID: 32296924 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-020-09836-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Maintaining genome stability is essential to an organism's health and survival. Breakdown of the mechanisms protecting the genome and the resulting genome instability are an important aspect of the aging process and have been linked to diseases such as cancer. Thus, a large network of interconnected pathways is responsible for ensuring genome integrity in the face of the continuous challenges that induce DNA damage. While these pathways are diverse, epigenetic mechanisms play a central role in many of them. DNA modifications, histone variants and modifications, chromatin structure, and non-coding RNAs all carry out a variety of functions to ensure that genome stability is maintained. Epigenetic mechanisms ensure the functions of centromeres and telomeres that are essential for genome stability. Epigenetic mechanisms also protect the genome from the invasion by transposable elements and contribute to various DNA repair pathways. In this review, we highlight the integral role of epigenetic mechanisms in the maintenance of genome stability and draw attention to issues in need of further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justina X Feng
- Department of Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nicole C Riddle
- Department of Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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