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Zhang H, Trueman E, Hou X, Chew DX, Deng L, Liew J, Chia T, Xi Z, Tan CH, Cai Y. Different mechanisms of X-ray irradiation-induced male and female sterility in Aedes aegypti. BMC Biol 2023; 21:274. [PMID: 38012718 PMCID: PMC10683188 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01757-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) is the major vector that transmits many diseases including dengue, Zika, and filariasis in tropical and subtropical regions. Due to the growing resistance to chemical-based insecticides, biological control methods have become an emerging direction to control mosquito populations. The sterile insect technique (SIT) deploys high doses of ionizing radiation to sterilize male mosquitoes before the release. The Wolbachia-based population suppression method of the incompatible insect technique (IIT) involves the release of Wolbachia-infected males to sterilize uninfected field females. Due to the lack of perfect sex separation tools, a low percentage of female contamination is detected in the male population. To prevent the unintentional release of these Wolbachia-infected females which might result in population replacement, a low dose of X-ray irradiation is deployed to sterilize any female escapees. However, it remains unclear whether these irradiation-induced male and female sterilizations share common mechanisms. RESULTS In this work, we set out to define the minimum dose of X-ray radiation required for complete female sterilization in Ae. aegypti (NEA-EHI strain). Further results showed that this minimum dose of X-ray irradiation for female sterilization significantly reduced male fertility. Similar results have been reported previously in several operational trials. By addressing the underlying causes of the sterility, our results showed that male sterility is likely due to chromosomal damage in the germ cells induced by irradiation. In contrast, female sterility appears to differ and is likely initiated by the elimination of the somatic supporting cells, which results in the blockage of the ovariole maturation. Building upon these findings, we identified the minimum dose of X-ray irradiation on the Wolbachia-infected NEA-EHI (wAlbB-SG) strain, which is currently being used in the IIT-SIT field trial. Compared to the uninfected parental strain, a lower irradiation dose could fully sterilize wAlbB-SG females. This suggests that Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes are more sensitive to irradiation, consistent with a previous report showing that a lower irradiation dose fully sterilized Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti females (Brazil and Mexican strains) compared to those uninfected controls. CONCLUSIONS Our findings thus reveal the distinct mechanisms of ionizing X-ray irradiation-induced male or female sterility in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, which may help the design of X-ray irradiation-based vector control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- Present address: Institute of Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Emma Trueman
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Xinjun Hou
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - De Xian Chew
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Lu Deng
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 138667, Singapore
| | - Jonathan Liew
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 138667, Singapore
| | - Tania Chia
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 138667, Singapore
| | - Zhiyong Xi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Cheong Huat Tan
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 138667, Singapore.
| | - Yu Cai
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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2
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Jiao Y, Palli SR. N 6-adenosine (m 6A) mRNA methylation is required for Tribolium castaneum development and reproduction. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 159:103985. [PMID: 37422274 PMCID: PMC10528953 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.103985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression is regulated at various levels, including post-transcriptional mRNA modifications, where m6A methylation is the most common modification of mRNA. The m6A methylation regulates multiple stages of mRNA processing, including splicing, export, decay, and translation. How m6A modification is involved in insect development is not well known. We used the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, as a model insect to identify the role of m6A modification in insect development. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of genes coding for m6A writers (m6A methyltransferase complex, depositing m6A to mRNA) and readers (YTH-domain proteins, recognizing and executing the function of m6A) was conducted. Knockdown of most writers during the larval stage caused a failure of ecdysis during eclosion. The loss of m6A machinery sterilized both females and males by interfering with the functioning of reproductive systems. Females treated with dsMettl3, the main m6A methyltransferase, laid significantly fewer and reduced-size eggs than the control insects. In addition, the embryonic development in eggs laid by dsMettl3 injected females was terminated in the early stages. Knockdown studies also showed that the cytosol m6A reader, YTHDF, is likely responsible for executing the function of m6A modifications during insect development. These data suggest that m6A modifications are critical for T. castaneum development and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyu Jiao
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA.
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3
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Canal Domenech B, Fricke C. Developmental heat stress interrupts spermatogenesis inducing early male sterility in Drosophila melanogaster. J Therm Biol 2023; 114:103589. [PMID: 37300998 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103589] [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: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Thermal stress leads to fertility reduction, can cause temporal sterility and thus results in fitness loss with severe ecological and evolutionary consequences, e.g., threatening species persistence already at sub-lethal temperatures. For males we here tested which developmental stage is particularly sensitive to heat stress in the model species Drosophila melanogaster. As developmental stages characterize the different steps of sperm development, we could narrow down which particular processes are heat sensitive. We studied early male reproductive ability and, by following recovery dynamics after a move to benign temperatures, we investigated general mechanisms behind a subsequent gain of fertility. We found strong support to suggest that the last steps of spermatogenesis are particularly sensitive to heat stress, as processes occurring during the pupal stage were mostly interrupted, delaying both sperm production and sperm maturation. Moreover, further measurements in the testes and for proxies of sperm availability indicating the onset of adult reproductive capacity matched the expected heat-induced delay in completing spermatogenesis. We discuss these results within the context of how heat stress affects reproductive organ function and the consequences for male reproductive potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Canal Domenech
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Muenster Graduate School of Evolution, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
| | - Claudia Fricke
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Institute for Zoology, Halle-Wittenberg University, Halle (Saale), Germany.
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4
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Wang Y, Rensink AH, Fricke U, Riddle MC, Trent C, van de Zande L, Verhulst EC. Doublesex regulates male-specific differentiation during distinct developmental time windows in a parasitoid wasp. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 142:103724. [PMID: 35093500 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sexually dimorphic traits in insects are subject to sexual selection, but our knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms is still scarce. Here we investigate how the highly conserved gene, Doublesex (Dsx), is involved in shaping sexual dimorphism in the model parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). First, we present the revised Dsx gene structure including an alternative transcription start, and two additional male NvDsx transcript isoforms. We show sex-specific NvDsx expression and splicing throughout development, and demonstrate that transient NvDsx silencing in different male developmental stages shifts two sexually dimorphic traits from male to female morphology, with the effect being dependent on the timing of silencing. In addition, we determined the effect of NvDsx on the development of reproductive organs. Transient silencing of NvDsx in early male larvae affects the growth and differentiation of the internal and external reproductive tissues. We did not observe phenotypic changes in females after NvDsx silencing. Our results indicate that male NvDsx is required to suppress female-specific traits and/or to promote male-specific traits during distinct developmental windows. This provides new insights into the regulatory activity of Dsx during male wasp development in the Hymenoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidong Wang
- Wageningen University, Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anna H Rensink
- Evolutionary Genetics, Development and Behaviour, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ute Fricke
- Wageningen University, Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Megan C Riddle
- Biology Department, Western Washington University, Washington, USA
| | - Carol Trent
- Biology Department, Western Washington University, Washington, USA
| | - Louis van de Zande
- Evolutionary Genetics, Development and Behaviour, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Eveline C Verhulst
- Wageningen University, Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen University, Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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5
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Zhang F, Chen X, Zeng C, Wen L, Zhao Y, Peng Y. Modest sexual size dimorphism and allometric growth: a study based on growth and gonad development in the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae). Biol Open 2021; 10:273630. [PMID: 34889957 PMCID: PMC8679722 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is a notable phenomenon in terrestrial animals, and it is correlated with unusual morphological traits. To date, the underlying sex-specific growth strategies throughout the ontogenetic stage of spiders are poorly understood. Here, we comprehensively investigated how the growth trajectories and gonad development shaped SSD in the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae). We also hypothesized the potential growth allometry among the carapace, abdomen, and gonads of spiders in both sexes. By measuring the size of the carapace and abdomen, investigating developmental duration and growth rate, describing the gonadal sections, and calculating the area of gonads at all instars from hatching to maturity, we demonstrated that SSD results from sex-specific growth strategies. Our results indicated that the growth and developmental differences between both sexes appeared at early life stages, and there was allometric growth in the carapace, abdomen, and gonads between males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Regional Development and Environmental Response, Faculty of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China.,State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xiaoqiong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Chi Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Lelei Wen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Quality Control of Characteristic Fruits and Vegetables, College of Life Science and Technology, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan 432000, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Yu Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Regional Development and Environmental Response, Faculty of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
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6
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Mank JE, Rideout EJ. Developmental mechanisms of sex differences: from cells to organisms. Development 2021; 148:272484. [PMID: 34647574 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Male-female differences in many developmental mechanisms lead to the formation of two morphologically and physiologically distinct sexes. Although this is expected for traits with prominent differences between the sexes, such as the gonads, sex-specific processes also contribute to traits without obvious male-female differences, such as the intestine. Here, we review sex differences in developmental mechanisms that operate at several levels of biological complexity - molecular, cellular, organ and organismal - and discuss how these differences influence organ formation, function and whole-body physiology. Together, the examples we highlight show that one simple way to gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of animal development is to include both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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7
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The β 2Tubulin, Rad50-ATPase and enolase cis-regulatory regions mediate male germline expression in Tribolium castaneum. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18131. [PMID: 34518617 PMCID: PMC8438054 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97443-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetics-based pest management processes, including the sterile insect technique, are an effective method for the control of some pest insects. However, current SIT methods are not directly transferable to many important pest insect species due to the lack of genetic sexing strains. Genome editing is revolutionizing the way we conduct genetics in insects, including in Tribolium castaneum, an important genetic model and agricultural pest. We identified orthologues of β2Tubulin, Rad50-ATPase and enolase in T. castaneum. Using RT-PCR, we confirmed that these genes are predominantly expressed in the testis. PiggyBac-based transformation of T. castaneum cis-regulatory regions derived from Tc-β2t, Tc-rad50 or Tc-eno resulted in EGFP expression specifically in the T. castaneum testis. Additionally, we determined that each of these regulatory regions regulates EGFP expression in different cell types of the male gonad. Cis-regulatory regions from Tc-β2t produced EGFP expression throughout spermatogenesis and also in mature sperms; Tc-rad50 resulted in expression only in the haploid spermatid, while Tc-eno expressed EGFP in late spermatogenesis. In summary, the regulatory cis-regions characterized in this study are not only suited to study male gonadal function but could be used for development of transgenic sexing strains that produce one sex in pest control strategies.
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8
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Vasudeva R, Deeming DC, Eady PE. Age‐specific sensitivity of sperm length and testes size to developmental temperature in the bruchid beetle. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Vasudeva
- School of Biological Sciences Norwich Research Park University of East Anglia Norwich UK
| | - D. C. Deeming
- School of Life Sciences University of Lincoln Lincoln Lincolnshire UK
| | - P. E. Eady
- School of Life Sciences University of Lincoln Lincoln Lincolnshire UK
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9
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Bazylev SS, Adashev VE, Shatskikh AS, Olenina LV, Kotov AA. Somatic Cyst Cells as a Microenvironment for the Maintenance and Differentiation of Germline Cells in Drosophila Spermatogenesis. Russ J Dev Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360421010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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10
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Demin SI, Bogolyubov DS, Granovitch AI, Mikhailova NA. New data on spermatogenic cyst formation and cellular composition of the testis in a marine gastropod, Littorina saxatilis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113792. [PMID: 32471172 PMCID: PMC7312181 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the testis structure is important for gastropod taxonomy and phylogeny, particularly for the comparative analysis of sympatric Littorina species. Observing fresh tissue and squashing fixed tissue with gradually increasing pressure, we have recently described a peculiar type of cystic spermatogenesis, rare in mollusks. It has not been documented in most mollusks until now. The testis of adult males consists of numerous lobules filled with multicellular cysts containing germline cells at different stages of differentiation. Each cyst is formed by one cyst cell of somatic origin. Here, we provide evidence for the existence of two ways of cyst formation in Littorina saxatilis. One of them begins with a goniablast cyst formation; it somewhat resembles cyst formation in Drosophila testes. The second way begins with capture of a free spermatogonium by the polyploid cyst cell which is capable to move along the gonad tissues. This way of cyst formation has not been described previously. Our data expand the understanding of the diversity of spermatogenesis types in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei Iu. Demin
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky Ave., 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia;
- Correspondence: (S.I.D.); (D.S.B.)
| | - Dmitry S. Bogolyubov
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky Ave., 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia;
- Correspondence: (S.I.D.); (D.S.B.)
| | - Andrey I. Granovitch
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya Emb., 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Natalia A. Mikhailova
- Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky Ave., 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia;
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya Emb., 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
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11
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Kotov AA, Olenkina OM, Kibanov MV, Olenina LV. RNA helicase Belle (DDX3) is essential for male germline stem cell maintenance and division in Drosophila. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2016; 1863:1093-105. [PMID: 26876306 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The present study showed that RNA helicase Belle (DDX3) was required intrinsically for mitotic progression and survival of germline stem cells (GSCs) and spermatogonial cells in the Drosophila melanogaster testes. We found that deficiency of Belle in the male germline resulted in a strong germ cell loss phenotype. Early germ cells are lost through cell death, whereas somatic hub and cyst cell populations are maintained. The observed phenotype is related to that of the human Sertoli Cell-Only Syndrome caused by the loss of DBY (DDX3) expression in the human testes and results in a complete lack of germ cells with preservation of somatic Sertoli cells. We found the hallmarks of mitotic G2 delay in early germ cells of the larval testes of bel mutants. Both mitotic cyclins, A and B, are markedly reduced in the gonads of bel mutants. Transcription levels of cycB and cycA decrease significantly in the testes of hypomorph bel mutants. Overexpression of Cyclin B in the germline partially rescues germ cell survival, mitotic progression and fertility in the bel-RNAi knockdown testes. Taken together, these results suggest that a role of Belle in GSC maintenance and regulation of early germ cell divisions is associated with the expression control of mitotic cyclins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei A Kotov
- Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics of Animals, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kurchatov Sq. 2, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Oxana M Olenkina
- Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics of Animals, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kurchatov Sq. 2, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Mikhail V Kibanov
- Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics of Animals, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kurchatov Sq. 2, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Ludmila V Olenina
- Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics of Animals, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kurchatov Sq. 2, Moscow 123182, Russia.
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12
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Ma Q, de Cuevas M, Matunis EL. Chinmo is sufficient to induce male fate in somatic cells of the adult Drosophila ovary. Development 2016; 143:754-63. [PMID: 26811385 DOI: 10.1242/dev.129627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Sexual identity is continuously maintained in specific differentiated cell types long after sex determination occurs during development. In the adult Drosophila testis, the putative transcription factor Chronologically inappropriate morphogenesis (Chinmo) acts with the canonical male sex determinant DoublesexM (Dsx(M)) to maintain the male identity of somatic cyst stem cells and their progeny. Here we find that ectopic expression of chinmo is sufficient to induce a male identity in adult ovarian somatic cells, but it acts through a Dsx(M)-independent mechanism. Conversely, the feminization of the testis somatic stem cell lineage caused by loss of chinmo is enhanced by expression of the canonical female sex determinant Dsx(F), indicating that chinmo acts in parallel with the canonical sex determination pathway to maintain the male identity of testis somatic cells. Consistent with this finding, ectopic expression of female sex determinants in the adult testis disrupts tissue morphology. The miRNA let-7 downregulates chinmo in many contexts, and ectopic expression of let-7 in the adult testis is sufficient to recapitulate the chinmo loss-of-function phenotype, but we find no apparent phenotypes upon removal of let-7 in the adult ovary or testis. Our finding that chinmo is necessary and sufficient to promote a male identity in adult gonadal somatic cells suggests that the sexual identity of somatic cells can be reprogrammed in the adult Drosophila ovary as well as in the testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ma
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Margaret de Cuevas
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Erika L Matunis
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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13
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The Jak-STAT target Chinmo prevents sex transformation of adult stem cells in the Drosophila testis niche. Dev Cell 2014; 31:474-86. [PMID: 25453558 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Local signals maintain adult stem cells in many tissues. Whether the sexual identity of adult stem cells must also be maintained was not known. In the adult Drosophila testis niche, local Jak-STAT signaling promotes somatic cyst stem cell (CySC) renewal through several effectors, including the putative transcription factor Chronologically inappropriate morphogenesis (Chinmo). Here, we find that Chinmo also prevents feminization of CySCs. Chinmo promotes expression of the canonical male sex determination factor DoublesexM (Dsx(M)) within CySCs and their progeny, and ectopic expression of DsxM in the CySC lineage partially rescues the chinmo sex transformation phenotype, placing Chinmo upstream of Dsx(M). The Dsx homolog DMRT1 prevents the male-to-female conversion of differentiated somatic cells in the adult mammalian testis, but its regulation is not well understood. Our work indicates that sex maintenance occurs in adult somatic stem cells and that this highly conserved process is governed by effectors of niche signals. PAPERCLIP:
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14
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Fagegaltier D, König A, Gordon A, Lai EC, Gingeras TR, Hannon GJ, Shcherbata HR. A genome-wide survey of sexually dimorphic expression of Drosophila miRNAs identifies the steroid hormone-induced miRNA let-7 as a regulator of sexual identity. Genetics 2014; 198:647-68. [PMID: 25081570 PMCID: PMC4196619 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.114.169268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
MiRNAs bear an increasing number of functions throughout development and in the aging adult. Here we address their role in establishing sexually dimorphic traits and sexual identity in male and female Drosophila. Our survey of miRNA populations in each sex identifies sets of miRNAs differentially expressed in male and female tissues across various stages of development. The pervasive sex-biased expression of miRNAs generally increases with the complexity and sexual dimorphism of tissues, gonads revealing the most striking biases. We find that the male-specific regulation of the X chromosome is relevant to miRNA expression on two levels. First, in the male gonad, testis-biased miRNAs tend to reside on the X chromosome. Second, in the soma, X-linked miRNAs do not systematically rely on dosage compensation. We set out to address the importance of a sex-biased expression of miRNAs in establishing sexually dimorphic traits. Our study of the conserved let-7-C miRNA cluster controlled by the sex-biased hormone ecdysone places let-7 as a primary modulator of the sex-determination hierarchy. Flies with modified let-7 levels present doublesex-related phenotypes and express sex-determination genes normally restricted to the opposite sex. In testes and ovaries, alterations of the ecdysone-induced let-7 result in aberrant gonadal somatic cell behavior and non-cell-autonomous defects in early germline differentiation. Gonadal defects as well as aberrant expression of sex-determination genes persist in aging adults under hormonal control. Together, our findings place ecdysone and let-7 as modulators of a somatic systemic signal that helps establish and sustain sexual identity in males and females and differentiation in gonads. This work establishes the foundation for a role of miRNAs in sexual dimorphism and demonstrates that similar to vertebrate hormonal control of cellular sexual identity exists in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Fagegaltier
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724 Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724
| | - Annekatrin König
- Max Planck Research Group of Gene Expression and Signaling, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Assaf Gordon
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724
| | - Eric C Lai
- Department of Developmental Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10065
| | - Thomas R Gingeras
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724
| | - Gregory J Hannon
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724 Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724
| | - Halyna R Shcherbata
- Max Planck Research Group of Gene Expression and Signaling, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen 37077, Germany
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Brill JA, Wolfner MF. Overview: Special issue on Drosophila spermatogenesis. SPERMATOGENESIS 2012; 2:127-128. [PMID: 23087831 PMCID: PMC3469435 DOI: 10.4161/spmg.21797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Brill
- Cell Biology Program; The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids); Toronto, ON Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics; University of Toronto; Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics; Cornell University; Ithaca, NY USA
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