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Cheatle Jarvela AM, Wexler JR. Advances in genome sequencing reveal changes in gene content that contribute to arthropod macroevolution. Dev Genes Evol 2023; 233:59-76. [PMID: 37982820 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-023-00712-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Current sequencing technology allows for the relatively affordable generation of highly contiguous genomes. Technological advances have made it possible for researchers to investigate the consequences of diverse sorts of genomic variants, such as gene gain and loss. With the extraordinary number of high-quality genomes now available, we take stock of how these genomic variants impact phenotypic evolution. We take care to point out that the identification of genomic variants of interest is only the first step in understanding their impact. Painstaking lab or fieldwork is still required to establish causal relationships between genomic variants and phenotypic evolution. We focus mostly on arthropod research, as this phylum has an impressive degree of phenotypic diversity and is also the subject of much evolutionary genetics research. This article is intended to both highlight recent advances in the field and also to be a primer for learning about evolutionary genetics and genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alys M Cheatle Jarvela
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
- HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA.
| | - Judith R Wexler
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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2
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Kulkarni A, Ewen-Campen B, Terao K, Matsumoto Y, Li Y, Watanabe T, Kao JA, Parhad SS, Ylla G, Mizunami M, Extavour CG. oskar acts with the transcription factor Creb to regulate long-term memory in crickets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218506120. [PMID: 37192168 PMCID: PMC10214185 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218506120] [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: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel genes have the potential to drive the evolution of new biological mechanisms, or to integrate into preexisting regulatory circuits and contribute to the regulation of older, conserved biological functions. One such gene, the novel insect-specific gene oskar, was first identified based on its role in establishing the Drosophila melanogaster germ line. We previously showed that this gene likely arose through an unusual domain transfer event involving bacterial endosymbionts and played a somatic role before evolving its well-known germ line function. Here, we provide empirical support for this hypothesis in the form of evidence for a neural role for oskar. We show that oskar is expressed in the adult neural stem cells of a hemimetabolous insect, the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. In these stem cells, called neuroblasts, oskar is required together with the ancient animal transcription factor Creb to regulate long-term (but not short-term) olfactory memory. We provide evidence that oskar positively regulates Creb, which plays a conserved role in long-term memory across animals, and that oskar in turn may be a direct target of Creb. Together with previous reports of a role for oskar in nervous system development and function in crickets and flies, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that oskar's original somatic role may have been in the insect nervous system. Moreover, its colocalization and functional cooperation with the conserved pluripotency gene piwi in the nervous system may have facilitated oskar's later co-option to the germ line in holometabolous insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpita Kulkarni
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Ben Ewen-Campen
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Kanta Terao
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo060-0810, Japan
| | | | - Yaolong Li
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo060-0810, Japan
| | - Takayuki Watanabe
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo060-0810, Japan
- Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, School of Advanced Sciences, Sokendai-Hayama, Kanagawa240-0193, Japan
| | - Jonchee A. Kao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Swapnil S. Parhad
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Program in Molecular Medicine, Worcester, MA01655
| | - Guillem Ylla
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Makoto Mizunami
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo060-0810, Japan
| | - Cassandra G. Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- HHMI, Chevy Chase, MD20815
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3
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Xu Y, Wu JY, Liu QJ, Xue JY. Genome-Wide Identification and Evolutionary Analyses of SrfA Operon Genes in Bacillus. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:422. [PMID: 36833349 PMCID: PMC9956979 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A variety of secondary metabolites contributing to plant growth are synthesized by bacterial nonribosomal peptide synthases (NRPSs). Among them, the NRPS biosynthesis of surfactin is regulated by the SrfA operon. To explore the molecular mechanism for the diversity of surfactins produced by bacteria within the genus Bacillus, we performed a genome-wide identification study focused on three critical genes of the SrfA operon-SrfAA, SrfAB and SrfAC-from 999 Bacillus genomes (belonging to 47 species). Gene family clustering indicated the three genes can be divided into 66 orthologous groups (gene families), of which a majority comprised members of multiple genes (e.g., OG0000009 had members of all three SrfAA, SrfAB and SrfAC genes), indicating high sequence similarity among the three genes. Phylogenetic analyses also found that none of the three genes formed monophyletic groups, but were usually arranged in a mixed manner, suggesting the close evolutionary relationship among the three genes. Considering the module structure of the three genes, we propose that self-duplication, especially tandem duplications, might have contributed to the initial establishment of the entire SrfA operon, and further gene fusion and recombination as well as accumulated mutations might have continuously shaped the different functional roles of SrfAA, SrfAB and SrfAC. Overall, this study provides novel insight into metabolic gene clusters and operon evolution in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil Recovery, PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jia-Yi Wu
- College of Horticulture, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qing-Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil Recovery, PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jia-Yu Xue
- College of Horticulture, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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4
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Guan Y, Ma L, Wang Q, Zhao J, Wang S, Wu J, Liu Y, Sun H, Huang J. Horizontally acquired fungal killer protein genes affect cell development in mosses. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 113:665-676. [PMID: 36507655 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16060] [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: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The moss Physcomitrium patens is crucial for studying plant development and evolution. Although the P. patens genome includes genes acquired from bacteria, fungi and viruses, the functions and evolutionary significance of these acquired genes remain largely unclear. Killer protein 4 (KP4) is a toxin secreted by the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis that inhibits the growth of sensitive target strains by blocking their calcium uptake. Here, we show that KP4 genes in mosses were acquired from fungi through at least three independent events of horizontal gene transfer. Two paralogous copies of KP4 (PpKP4-1 and PpKP4-2) exist in P. patens. Knockout mutants ppkp4-1 and ppkp4-2 showed cell death at the protonemal stage, and ppkp4-2 also exhibited defects in tip growth. We provide experimental evidence indicating that PpKP4-1/2 affects P. patens protonemal cell development by mediating cytoplasmic calcium and that KP4 genes are functionally conserved between P. patens and fungi. The present study provides additional insights into the role of horizontal gene transfer in land plant development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlong Guan
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Lan Ma
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Qia Wang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Jinjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Shuanghua Wang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jinsong Wu
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, 518004, China
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Jinling Huang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Institute of Plant Stress Biology, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475001, China
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
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5
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HGT is widespread in insects and contributes to male courtship in lepidopterans. Cell 2022; 185:2975-2987.e10. [PMID: 35853453 PMCID: PMC9357157 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is an important evolutionary force shaping prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. HGT-acquired genes have been sporadically reported in insects, a lineage containing >50% of animals. We systematically examined HGT in 218 high-quality genomes of diverse insects and found that they acquired 1,410 genes exhibiting diverse functions, including many not previously reported, via 741 distinct transfers from non-metazoan donors. Lepidopterans had the highest average number of HGT-acquired genes. HGT-acquired genes containing introns exhibited substantially higher expression levels than genes lacking introns, suggesting that intron gains were likely involved in HGT adaptation. Lastly, we used the CRISPR-Cas9 system to edit the prevalent unreported gene LOC105383139, which was transferred into the last common ancestor of moths and butterflies. In diamondback moths, males lacking LOC105383139 courted females significantly less. We conclude that HGT has been a major contributor to insect adaptation.
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Bubnell JE, Ulbing CKS, Fernandez Begne P, Aquadro CF. Functional Divergence of the bag-of-marbles Gene in the Drosophila melanogaster Species Group. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6609986. [PMID: 35714266 PMCID: PMC9250105 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, a key germline stem cell (GSC) differentiation factor, bag of marbles (bam) shows rapid bursts of amino acid fixations between sibling species D. melanogaster and Drosophila simulans, but not in the outgroup species Drosophila ananassae. Here, we test the null hypothesis that bam's differentiation function is conserved between D. melanogaster and four additional Drosophila species in the melanogaster species group spanning approximately 30 million years of divergence. Surprisingly, we demonstrate that bam is not necessary for oogenesis or spermatogenesis in Drosophila teissieri nor is bam necessary for spermatogenesis in D. ananassae. Remarkably bam function may change on a relatively short time scale. We further report tests of neutral sequence evolution at bam in additional species of Drosophila and find a positive, but not perfect, correlation between evidence for positive selection at bam and its essential role in GSC regulation and fertility for both males and females. Further characterization of bam function in more divergent lineages will be necessary to distinguish between bam's critical gametogenesis role being newly derived in D. melanogaster, D. simulans, Drosophila yakuba, and D. ananassae females or it being basal to the genus and subsequently lost in numerous lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cynthia K S Ulbing
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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7
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Marnik EA, Almeida MV, Cipriani PG, Chung G, Caspani E, Karaulanov E, Gan HH, Zinno J, Isolehto IJ, Kielisch F, Butter F, Sharp CS, Flanagan RM, Bonnet FX, Piano F, Ketting RF, Gunsalus KC, Updike DL. The Caenorhabditis elegans TDRD5/7-like protein, LOTR-1, interacts with the helicase ZNFX-1 to balance epigenetic signals in the germline. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010245. [PMID: 35657999 PMCID: PMC9200344 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
LOTUS and Tudor domain containing proteins have critical roles in the germline. Proteins that contain these domains, such as Tejas/Tapas in Drosophila, help localize the Vasa helicase to the germ granules and facilitate piRNA-mediated transposon silencing. The homologous proteins in mammals, TDRD5 and TDRD7, are required during spermiogenesis. Until now, proteins containing both LOTUS and Tudor domains in Caenorhabditis elegans have remained elusive. Here we describe LOTR-1 (D1081.7), which derives its name from its LOTUS and Tudor domains. Interestingly, LOTR-1 docks next to P granules to colocalize with the broadly conserved Z-granule helicase, ZNFX-1. The Tudor domain of LOTR-1 is required for its Z-granule retention. Like znfx-1 mutants, lotr-1 mutants lose small RNAs from the 3’ ends of WAGO and mutator targets, reminiscent of the loss of piRNAs from the 3’ ends of piRNA precursor transcripts in mouse Tdrd5 mutants. Our work shows that LOTR-1 acts with ZNFX-1 to bring small RNA amplifying mechanisms towards the 3’ ends of its RNA templates. Germ granules are protein and RNA complexes that are critical for maintaining an animal’s fertility. Central to the composition of germ granules are their small RNAs, which have the capacity to convey a memory of germline-licensed expression from one generation to the next. Here we describe and characterize a new germ-granule protein in C. elegans that we’ve named LOTR-1, after its LOTUS and Tudor domains. This combination of LOTUS and Tudor domains can be found in the mammalian proteins TDRD5 and TDRD7, which are required during spermatogenesis. During C. elegans embryogenesis, germ granules demix or partition into subgranules with refined functions. We show that LOTR-1 partitions with a specific class of subgranules called Z granules, interacting with a Z-granule helicase called ZNFX-1. Here, LOTR-1 functions with ZNFX-1 to position small RNA amplification from RNA templates, ensuring a memory of germline expression across generations. These findings may provide new insight into the function of TDRD5 and TDRD7 during human germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth A. Marnik
- The MDI Biological Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America
- Husson University, Bangor, Maine, United States of America
| | - Miguel V. Almeida
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
- International PhD Programme on Gene Regulation, Epigenetics & Genome Stability, Mainz, Germany
| | - P. Giselle Cipriani
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - George Chung
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Edoardo Caspani
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
- International PhD Programme on Gene Regulation, Epigenetics & Genome Stability, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Hin Hark Gan
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - John Zinno
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ida J. Isolehto
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
- International PhD Programme on Gene Regulation, Epigenetics & Genome Stability, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Falk Butter
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
| | - Catherine S. Sharp
- The MDI Biological Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America
| | - Roisin M. Flanagan
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Frederic X. Bonnet
- The MDI Biological Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America
| | - Fabio Piano
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - René F. Ketting
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
- * E-mail: (RFK); (KCG); (DLU)
| | - Kristin C. Gunsalus
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- * E-mail: (RFK); (KCG); (DLU)
| | - Dustin L. Updike
- The MDI Biological Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America
- * E-mail: (RFK); (KCG); (DLU)
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Nunes-da-Fonseca R. Editorial overview: Development and regulation: Lessons from a multispecies approach. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 51:100917. [PMID: 35358719 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Nunes-da-Fonseca
- Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability-NUPEM, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. São José do Barreto 764 Zip Code: 27965-045, Brazil.
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Rafiqi AM, Polo PG, Milat NS, Durmuş ZÖ, Çolak-Al B, Alarcón ME, Çağıl FZ, Rajakumar A. Developmental Integration of Endosymbionts in Insects. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.846586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In endosymbiosis, two independently existing entities are inextricably intertwined such that they behave as a single unit. For multicellular hosts, the endosymbiont must be integrated within the host developmental genetic network to maintain the relationship. Developmental integration requires innovations in cell type, gene function, gene regulation, and metabolism. These innovations are contingent upon the existing ecological interactions and may evolve mutual interdependence. Recent studies have taken significant steps toward characterizing the proximate mechanisms underlying interdependence. However, the study of developmental integration is only in its early stages of investigation. Here, we review the literature on mutualistic endosymbiosis to explore how unicellular endosymbionts developmentally integrate into their multicellular hosts with emphasis on insects as a model. Exploration of this process will help gain a more complete understanding of endosymbiosis. This will pave the way for a better understanding of the endosymbiotic theory of evolution in the future.
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10
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Kemph A, Lynch JA. Evolution of germ plasm assembly and function among the insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 50:100883. [PMID: 35123121 PMCID: PMC9133133 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Germ plasm is a substance capable of driving naive cells toward the germ cell fate. Germ plasm has had multiple independent origins, and takes on diverse forms and functions throughout animals, including in insects. We describe here recent advances in the understanding of the evolution of germ plasm in insects. A major theme that has emerged is the complex and convoluted interactions of germ plasm with symbiotic bacteria within the germline, including at the very origin of oskar, the gene required for assembling germ plasm in insects. Major advancements have also been made in understanding the basic molecular arrangement of germ plasm in insects. These advances demonstrate that further analysis of insect germ plasm will be fruitful in illuminating diverse aspects of evolutionary and developmental biology.
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Colonnetta MM, Goyal Y, Johnson HE, Syal S, Schedl P, Deshpande G. Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010002. [PMID: 34986144 PMCID: PMC8765614 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A critical step in animal development is the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs), the precursors of the germline. Two seemingly mutually exclusive mechanisms are implemented across the animal kingdom: epigenesis and preformation. In epigenesis, PGC specification is non-autonomous and depends on extrinsic signaling pathways. The BMP pathway provides the key PGC specification signals in mammals. Preformation is autonomous and mediated by determinants localized within PGCs. In Drosophila, a classic example of preformation, constituents of the germ plasm localized at the embryonic posterior are thought to be both necessary and sufficient for proper determination of PGCs. Contrary to this longstanding model, here we show that these localized determinants are insufficient by themselves to direct PGC specification in blastoderm stage embryos. Instead, we find that the BMP signaling pathway is required at multiple steps during the specification process and functions in conjunction with components of the germ plasm to orchestrate PGC fate. Proper specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs) is crucial as PGCs serve as the precursors of germline stem cells. To specify PGC fate, invertebrates rely upon cell autonomous preformation involving maternally deposited germ plasm. In Drosophila melanogaster, to insulate newly formed PGCs from the adverse effects of the cell-cell signaling pathways, germ plasm determinants silence transcription and attenuate the cell cycle. However, our data on the BMP signaling pathway challenge this long-held view of PGC specification and suggest that appropriate specification of embryonic PGCs is sensitive to the BMP ligand, decapentaplegic (dpp), and its cognate receptor, thickveins. We find that PGCs are not only capable of responding to BMP signals from the soma, but also that these signals impact the proper determination of the germ cells. Based on these unanticipated similarities between mammals and flies, we propose a model integrating contribution of both the cell-autonomous (preformation) and non-autonomous (epigenesis) pathways during PGC determination. Consistent with the model, we have observed dominant genetic interactions between, oskar, the maternal determinant of PGC fate, and the BMP pathway ligand dpp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M. Colonnetta
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Yogesh Goyal
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Heath E. Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Sapna Syal
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Paul Schedl
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Girish Deshpande
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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12
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Blondel L, Besse S, Rivard EL, Ylla G, Extavour CG. Evolution of a cytoplasmic determinant: evidence for the biochemical basis of functional evolution of the novel germ line regulator oskar. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:5491-5513. [PMID: 34550378 PMCID: PMC8662646 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ line specification is essential in sexually reproducing organisms. Despite their critical role, the evolutionary history of the genes that specify animal germ cells is heterogeneous and dynamic. In many insects, the gene oskar is required for the specification of the germ line. However, the germ line role of oskar is thought to be a derived role resulting from co-option from an ancestral somatic role. To address how evolutionary changes in protein sequence could have led to changes in the function of Oskar protein that enabled it to regulate germ line specification, we searched for oskar orthologs in 1,565 publicly available insect genomic and transcriptomic data sets. The earliest-diverging lineage in which we identified an oskar ortholog was the order Zygentoma (silverfish and firebrats), suggesting that oskar originated before the origin of winged insects. We noted some order-specific trends in oskar sequence evolution, including whole gene duplications, clade-specific losses, and rapid divergence. An alignment of all known 379 Oskar sequences revealed new highly conserved residues as candidates that promote dimerization of the LOTUS domain. Moreover, we identified regions of the OSK domain with conserved predicted RNA binding potential. Furthermore, we show that despite a low overall amino acid conservation, the LOTUS domain shows higher conservation of predicted secondary structure than the OSK domain. Finally, we suggest new key amino acids in the LOTUS domain that may be involved in the previously reported Oskar−Vasa physical interaction that is required for its germ line role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Blondel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Savandara Besse
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Emily L Rivard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Guillem Ylla
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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13
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Filanti B, Piccinini G, Bettini S, Lazzari M, Franceschini V, Maurizii MG, Milani L. Early germline differentiation in bivalves: TDRD7 as a candidate investigational unit for Ruditapes philippinarum germ granule assembly. Histochem Cell Biol 2021; 156:19-34. [PMID: 33770286 PMCID: PMC8277629 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-01983-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The germline is a key feature of sexual animals and the ways in which it separates from the soma differ widely across Metazoa. However, at least at some point during germline differentiation, some cytoplasmic supramolecular structures (collectively called germ plasm-related structures) are present and involved in its specification and/or differentiation. The factors involved in the assembly of these granular structures are various and non-ubiquitous among animals, even if some functional patterns and the presence of certain domains appear to be shared among some. For instance, the LOTUS domain is shared by Oskar, the Holometabola germ plasm master regulator, and some Tudor-family proteins assessed as being involved in the proper assembly of germ granules of different animals. Here, we looked for the presence of LOTUS-containing proteins in the transcriptome of Ruditapes philippinarum (Bivalvia). Such species is of particular interest because it displays annual renewal of gonads, sided by the renewal of germline differentiation pathways. Moreover, previous works have identified in its early germ cells cytoplasmic granules containing germline determinants. We selected the orthologue of TDRD7 as a candidate involved in the early steps of germline differentiation through bioinformatic predictions and immunohistological patterning (immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence). We observed the expression of the protein in putative precursors of germline cells, upstream to the germline marker Vasa. This, added to the fact that orthologues of this protein are involved in the assembly of germ granules in mouse, zebrafish, and fly, makes it a worthy study unit for investigations on the formation of such structures in bivalves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Filanti
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Piccinini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Bettini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maurizio Lazzari
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Franceschini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Gabriella Maurizii
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Liliana Milani
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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14
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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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15
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Kulkarni A, Lopez DH, Extavour CG. Shared Cell Biological Functions May Underlie Pleiotropy of Molecular Interactions in the Germ Lines and Nervous Systems of Animals. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
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16
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Abstract
Microorganisms that reside within or transmit through arthropod reproductive tissues have profound impacts on host reproduction, health and evolution. In this Review, we discuss select principles of the biology of microorganisms in arthropod reproductive tissues, including bacteria, viruses, protists and fungi. We review models of specific symbionts, routes of transmission, and the physiological and evolutionary outcomes for both hosts and microorganisms. We also identify areas in need of continuing research, to answer the fundamental questions that remain in fields within and beyond arthropod-microorganism associations. New opportunities for research in this area will drive a broader understanding of major concepts as well as the biodiversity, mechanisms and translational applications of microorganisms that interact with host reproductive tissues.
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