1
|
Petrucco CA, Crocker AW, D’Alessandro A, Medina EM, Gorman O, McNeill J, Gladfelter AS, Lew DJ. Tools for live-cell imaging of cytoskeletal and nuclear behavior in the unconventional yeast, Aureobasidium pullulans. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:br10. [PMID: 38446617 PMCID: PMC11064661 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-10-0388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Aureobasidium pullulans is a ubiquitous fungus with a wide variety of morphologies and growth modes including "typical" single-budding yeast, and interestingly, larger multinucleate yeast than can make multiple buds in a single cell cycle. The study of A. pullulans promises to uncover novel cell biology, but currently tools are lacking to achieve this goal. Here, we describe initial components of a cell biology toolkit for A. pullulans, which is used to express and image fluorescent probes for nuclei as well as components of the cytoskeleton. These tools allowed live-cell imaging of the multinucleate and multibudding cycles, revealing highly synchronous mitoses in multinucleate yeast that occur in a semiopen manner with an intact but permeable nuclear envelope. These findings open the door to using this ubiquitous polyextremotolerant fungus as a model for evolutionary cell biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A. Petrucco
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Alex W. Crocker
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Alec D’Alessandro
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Edgar M. Medina
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Olivia Gorman
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Jessica McNeill
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | | | - Daniel J. Lew
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kalinka E, Brody SM, Swafford AJM, Medina EM, Fritz-Laylin LK. Genetic transformation of the frog-killing chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317928121. [PMID: 38236738 PMCID: PMC10823177 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317928121] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a causative agent of chytridiomycosis, is decimating amphibian populations around the world. Bd belongs to the chytrid lineage, a group of early-diverging fungi that are widely used to study fungal evolution. Like all chytrids, Bd develops from a motile form into a sessile, growth form, a transition that involves drastic changes in its cytoskeletal architecture. Efforts to study Bd cell biology, development, and pathogenicity have been limited by the lack of genetic tools with which to test hypotheses about underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, we report the development of a transient genetic transformation system for Bd. We used electroporation to deliver exogenous DNA into Bd cells and detected transgene expression for up to three generations under both heterologous and native promoters. We also adapted the transformation protocol for selection using an antibiotic resistance marker. Finally, we used this system to express fluorescent protein fusions and, as a proof of concept, expressed a genetically encoded probe for the actin cytoskeleton. Using live-cell imaging, we visualized the distribution and dynamics of polymerized actin at each stage of the Bd life cycle, as well as during key developmental transitions. This transformation system enables direct testing of key hypotheses regarding mechanisms of Bd pathogenesis. This technology also paves the way for answering fundamental questions of chytrid cell, developmental, and evolutionary biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Kalinka
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA01003
| | | | | | - Edgar M. Medina
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA01003
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Derderian C, Canales GI, Reiter JF. Seriously cilia: A tiny organelle illuminates evolution, disease, and intercellular communication. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1333-1349. [PMID: 37490910 PMCID: PMC10880727 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
The borders between cell and developmental biology, which have always been permeable, have largely dissolved. One manifestation is the blossoming of cilia biology, with cell and developmental approaches (increasingly complemented by human genetics, structural insights, and computational analysis) fruitfully advancing understanding of this fascinating, multifunctional organelle. The last eukaryotic common ancestor probably possessed a motile cilium, providing evolution with ample opportunity to adapt cilia to many jobs. Over the last decades, we have learned how non-motile, primary cilia play important roles in intercellular communication. Reflecting their diverse motility and signaling functions, compromised cilia cause a diverse range of diseases collectively called "ciliopathies." In this review, we highlight how cilia signal, focusing on how second messengers generated in cilia convey distinct information; how cilia are a potential source of signals to other cells; how evolution may have shaped ciliary function; and how cilia research may address thorny outstanding questions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camille Derderian
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gabriela I Canales
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jeremy F Reiter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Saito M, Xu P, Faure G, Maguire S, Kannan S, Altae-Tran H, Vo S, Desimone A, Macrae RK, Zhang F. Fanzor is a eukaryotic programmable RNA-guided endonuclease. Nature 2023; 620:660-668. [PMID: 37380027 PMCID: PMC10432273 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06356-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
RNA-guided systems, which use complementarity between a guide RNA and target nucleic acid sequences for recognition of genetic elements, have a central role in biological processes in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. For example, the prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas systems provide adaptive immunity for bacteria and archaea against foreign genetic elements. Cas effectors such as Cas9 and Cas12 perform guide-RNA-dependent DNA cleavage1. Although a few eukaryotic RNA-guided systems have been studied, including RNA interference2 and ribosomal RNA modification3, it remains unclear whether eukaryotes have RNA-guided endonucleases. Recently, a new class of prokaryotic RNA-guided systems (termed OMEGA) was reported4,5. The OMEGA effector TnpB is the putative ancestor of Cas12 and has RNA-guided endonuclease activity4,6. TnpB may also be the ancestor of the eukaryotic transposon-encoded Fanzor (Fz) proteins4,7, raising the possibility that eukaryotes are also equipped with CRISPR-Cas or OMEGA-like programmable RNA-guided endonucleases. Here we report the biochemical characterization of Fz, showing that it is an RNA-guided DNA endonuclease. We also show that Fz can be reprogrammed for human genome engineering applications. Finally, we resolve the structure of Spizellomyces punctatus Fz at 2.7 Å using cryogenic electron microscopy, showing the conservation of core regions among Fz, TnpB and Cas12, despite diverse cognate RNA structures. Our results show that Fz is a eukaryotic OMEGA system, demonstrating that RNA-guided endonucleases are present in all three domains of life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Saito
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Peiyu Xu
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Guilhem Faure
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Maguire
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Soumya Kannan
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Han Altae-Tran
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sam Vo
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - AnAn Desimone
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rhiannon K Macrae
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Prostak SM, Medina EM, Kalinka E, Fritz-Laylin LK. A guide to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of the chytrid fungus Spizellomyces punctatus. Access Microbiol 2023; 5:acmi000566.v3. [PMID: 37323946 PMCID: PMC10267658 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000566.v3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chytrid fungi play key ecological roles in aquatic ecosystems, and some species cause a devastating skin disease in frogs and salamanders. Additionally, chytrids occupy a unique phylogenetic position- sister to the well-studied Dikarya (the group including yeasts, sac fungi, and mushrooms) and related to animals- making chytrids useful for answering important evolutionary questions. Despite their importance, little is known about the basic cell biology of chytrids. A major barrier to understanding chytrid biology has been a lack of genetic tools with which to test molecular hypotheses. Medina and colleagues recently developed a protocol for Agrobacterium -mediated transformation of Spizellomyces punctatus. In this manuscript, we describe the general procedure including planning steps and expected results. We also provide in-depth, step-by-step protocols and video guides for performing the entirety of this transformation procedure on protocols.io (dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.x54v9dd1pg3e/v1).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Prostak
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Edgar M. Medina
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Erik Kalinka
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Olivetta M, Dudin O. The nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio drives cellularization in the close animal relative Sphaeroforma arctica. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1597-1605.e3. [PMID: 36996815 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The ratio of nuclear content to cytoplasmic volume (N/C ratio) is a key regulator driving the maternal-to-zygotic transition in most animal embryos. Altering this ratio often impacts zygotic genome activation and deregulates the timing and outcome of embryogenesis.1,2,3 Despite being ubiquitous across animals, little is known about when the N/C ratio evolved to control multicellular development. Such capacity either originated with the emergence of animal multicellularity or was co-opted from the mechanisms present in unicellular organisms.4 An effective strategy to tackle this question is to investigate the close relatives of animals exhibiting life cycles with transient multicellular stages.5 Among these are ichthyosporeans, a lineage of protists undergoing coenocytic development followed by cellularization and cell release.6,7,8 During cellularization, a transient multicellular stage resembling animal epithelia is generated, offering a unique opportunity to examine whether the N/C ratio regulates multicellular development. Here, we use time-lapse microscopy to characterize how the N/C ratio affects the life cycle of the best-studied ichthyosporean model, Sphaeroforma arctica. We uncover that the last stages of cellularization coincide with a significant increase in the N/C ratio. Increasing the N/C ratio by reducing the coenocytic volume accelerates cellularization, whereas decreasing the N/C ratio by lowering the nuclear content halts it. Moreover, centrifugation and pharmacological inhibitor experiments suggest that the N/C ratio is locally sensed at the cortex and relies on phosphatase activity. Altogether, our results show that the N/C ratio drives cellularization in S. arctica, suggesting that its capacity to control multicellular development predates animal emergence.
Collapse
|
7
|
McCartney B, Dudin O. Cellularization across eukaryotes: Conserved mechanisms and novel strategies. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2023; 80:102157. [PMID: 36857882 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Many eukaryotes form multinucleated cells during their development. Some cells persist as such during their lifetime, others choose to cleave each nucleus individually using a specialized cytokinetic process known as cellularization. What is cellularization and how is it achieved across the eukaryotic tree of life? Are there common pathways among all species supporting a shared ancestry, or are there key differences, suggesting independent evolutionary paths? In this review, we discuss common strategies and key mechanistic differences in how cellularization is executed across vastly divergent eukaryotic species. We present a number of novel methods and non-model organisms that may provide important insight into the evolutionary origins of cellularization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke McCartney
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Omaya Dudin
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Brunet T, Booth DS. Cell polarity in the protist-to-animal transition. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 154:1-36. [PMID: 37100515 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
A signature feature of the animal kingdom is the presence of epithelia: sheets of polarized cells that both insulate the organism from its environment and mediate interactions with it. Epithelial cells display a marked apico-basal polarity, which is highly conserved across the animal kingdom, both in terms of morphology and of molecular regulators. How did this architecture first evolve? Although the last eukaryotic common ancestor almost certainly possessed a simple form of apico-basal polarity (marked by the presence of one or several flagella at a single cellular pole), comparative genomics and evolutionary cell biology reveal that the polarity regulators of animal epithelial cells have a surprisingly complex and stepwise evolutionary history. Here, we retrace their evolutionary assembly. We suggest that the "polarity network" that polarized animal epithelial cells evolved by integration of initially independent cellular modules that evolved at distinct steps of our evolutionary ancestry. The first module dates back to the last common ancestor of animals and amoebozoans and involved Par1, extracellular matrix proteins, and the integrin-mediated adhesion complex. Other regulators, such as Cdc42, Dlg, Par6 and cadherins evolved in ancient unicellular opisthokonts, and might have first been involved in F-actin remodeling and filopodial dynamics. Finally, the bulk of "polarity proteins" as well as specialized adhesion complexes evolved in the metazoan stem-line, in concert with the newly evolved intercellular junctional belts. Thus, the polarized architecture of epithelia can be understood as a palimpsest of components of distinct histories and ancestral functions, which have become tightly integrated in animal tissues.
Collapse
|
9
|
Pathogenesis: How a killer fungus targets its host. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R583-R585. [PMID: 35728533 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The cellular signals that trigger pathogen recognition of its target hosts are critical components in the infection cycle. A new study describes the amphibian host cues that induce spore germination in the deadly pathogen that causes chytridiomycosis.
Collapse
|
10
|
Incomplete abscission and cytoplasmic bridges in the evolution of eukaryotic multicellularity. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R385-R397. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
11
|
Laundon D, Chrismas N, Bird K, Thomas S, Mock T, Cunliffe M. A cellular and molecular atlas reveals the basis of chytrid development. eLife 2022; 11:73933. [PMID: 35227375 PMCID: PMC8887899 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The chytrids (phylum Chytridiomycota) are a major fungal lineage of ecological and evolutionary importance. Despite their importance, many fundamental aspects of chytrid developmental and cell biology remain poorly understood. To address these knowledge gaps, we combined quantitative volume electron microscopy and comparative transcriptome profiling to create an 'atlas' of the cellular and molecular basis of the chytrid life cycle, using the model chytrid Rhizoclosmatium globosum. From our developmental atlas, we describe the transition from the transcriptionally inactive free-swimming zoospore to the more biologically complex germling, and show that lipid processing is multifaceted and dynamic throughout the life cycle. We demonstrate that the chytrid apophysis is a compartmentalised site of high intracellular trafficking, linking the feeding/attaching rhizoids to the reproductive zoosporangium, and constituting division of labour in the chytrid cell plan. We provide evidence that during zoosporogenesis, zoospores display amoeboid morphologies and exhibit endocytotic cargo transport from the interstitial maternal cytoplasm. Taken together, our results reveal insights into chytrid developmental biology and provide a basis for future investigations into non-dikaryan fungal cell biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davis Laundon
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom.,School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Nathan Chrismas
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Kimberley Bird
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Seth Thomas
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Mock
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Cunliffe
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom.,School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ilicic D, Grossart HP. Basal Parasitic Fungi in Marine Food Webs-A Mystery Yet to Unravel. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:114. [PMID: 35205868 PMCID: PMC8874645 DOI: 10.3390/jof8020114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although aquatic and parasitic fungi have been well known for more than 100 years, they have only recently received increased awareness due to their key roles in microbial food webs and biogeochemical cycles. There is growing evidence indicating that fungi inhabit a wide range of marine habitats, from the deep sea all the way to surface waters, and recent advances in molecular tools, in particular metagenome approaches, reveal that their diversity is much greater and their ecological roles more important than previously considered. Parasitism constitutes one of the most widespread ecological interactions in nature, occurring in almost all environments. Despite that, the diversity of fungal parasites, their ecological functions, and, in particular their interactions with other microorganisms remain largely speculative, unexplored and are often missing from current theoretical concepts in marine ecology and biogeochemistry. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent research avenues on parasitic fungi and their ecological potential in marine ecosystems, e.g., the fungal shunt, and emphasize the need for further research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Doris Ilicic
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775 Stechlin, Germany;
| | - Hans-Peter Grossart
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775 Stechlin, Germany;
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, Maulbeerallee 2, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
Dozens of splicing factors work together in human cells to remove introns from nascent RNA transcripts. A new study reveals that spliceosomes from many distantly related fungal species are surprisingly similar to those found in human cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tucker J Carrocci
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Aaron A Hoskins
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lofgren LA, Stajich JE. Fungal biodiversity and conservation mycology in light of new technology, big data, and changing attitudes. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R1312-R1325. [PMID: 34637742 PMCID: PMC8516061 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Fungi have successfully established themselves across seemingly every possible niche, substrate, and biome. They are fundamental to biogeochemical cycling, interspecies interactions, food production, and drug bioprocessing, as well as playing less heroic roles as difficult to treat human infections and devastating plant pathogens. Despite community efforts to estimate and catalog fungal diversity, we have only named and described a minute fraction of the fungal world. The identification, characterization, and conservation of fungal diversity is paramount to preserving fungal bioresources, and to understanding and predicting ecosystem cycling and the evolution and epidemiology of fungal disease. Although species and ecosystem conservation are necessarily the foundation of preserving this diversity, there is value in expanding our definition of conservation to include the protection of biological collections, ecological metadata, genetic and genomic data, and the methods and code used for our analyses. These definitions of conservation are interdependent. For example, we need metadata on host specificity and biogeography to understand rarity and set priorities for conservation. To aid in these efforts, we need to draw expertise from diverse fields to tie traditional taxonomic knowledge to data obtained from modern -omics-based approaches, and support the advancement of diverse research perspectives. We also need new tools, including an updated framework for describing and tracking species known only from DNA, and the continued integration of functional predictions to link genetic diversity to functional and ecological diversity. Here, we review the state of fungal diversity research as shaped by recent technological advancements, and how changing viewpoints in taxonomy, -omics, and systematics can be integrated to advance mycological research and preserve fungal biodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lotus A Lofgren
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Fisher MC, Pasmans F, Martel A. Virulence and Pathogenicity of Chytrid Fungi Causing Amphibian Extinctions. Annu Rev Microbiol 2021; 75:673-693. [PMID: 34351790 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-052621-124212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Ancient enzootic associations between wildlife and their infections allow evolution to innovate mechanisms of pathogenicity that are counterbalanced by host responses. However, erosion of barriers to pathogen dispersal by globalization leads to the infection of hosts that have not evolved effective resistance and the emergence of highly virulent infections. Global amphibian declines driven by the rise of chytrid fungi and chytridiomycosis are emblematic of emerging infections. Here, we review how modern biological methods have been used to understand the adaptations and counteradaptations that these fungi and their amphibian hosts have evolved. We explore the interplay of biotic and abiotic factors that modify the virulence of these infections and dissect the complexity of this disease system. We highlight progress that has led to insights into how we might in the future lessen the impact of these emerging infections. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 75 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Fisher
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom;
| | - Frank Pasmans
- Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - An Martel
- Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
El Baidouri F, Zalar P, James TY, Gladfelter AS, Amend A. Evolution and Physiology of Amphibious Yeasts. Annu Rev Microbiol 2021; 75:337-357. [PMID: 34351793 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-051421-121352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Since the emergence of the first fungi some 700 million years ago, unicellular yeast-like forms have emerged multiple times in independent lineages via convergent evolution. While tens to hundreds of millions of years separate the independent evolution of these unicellular organisms, they share remarkable phenotypic and metabolic similarities, and all have streamlined genomes. Yeasts occur in every aquatic environment yet examined. Many species are aquatic; perhaps most are amphibious. How these species have evolved to thrive in aquatic habitats is fundamental to understanding functions and evolutionary mechanisms in this unique group of fungi. Here we review the state of knowledge of the physiological and ecological diversity of amphibious yeasts and their key evolutionary adaptations enabling survival in aquatic habitats. We emphasize some genera previously thought to be exclusively terrestrial. Finally, we discuss the ability of many yeasts to survive in extreme habitats and how this might lend insight into ecological plasticity, including amphibious lifestyles. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 75 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fouad El Baidouri
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA; , .,Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Polona Zalar
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Timothy Y James
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Amy S Gladfelter
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.,Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
| | - Anthony Amend
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA; ,
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Laundon D, Cunliffe M. A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2021; 2:708813. [PMID: 37744140 PMCID: PMC10512372 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2021.708813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The phylum Chytridiomycota (the "chytrids") is an early-diverging, mostly unicellular, lineage of fungi that consists of significant aquatic saprotrophs, parasites, and pathogens, and is of evolutionary interest because its members retain biological traits considered ancestral in the fungal kingdom. While the existence of aquatic chytrids has long been known, their fundamental biology has received relatively little attention. We are beginning to establish a detailed understanding of aquatic chytrid diversity and insights into their ecological functions and prominence. However, the underpinning biology governing their aquatic ecological activities and associated core processes remain largely understudied and therefore unresolved. Many biological questions are outstanding for aquatic chytrids. What are the mechanisms that control their development and life cycle? Which core processes underpin their aquatic influence? What can their biology tell us about the evolution of fungi and the wider eukaryotic tree of life? We propose that the field of aquatic chytrid ecology could be further advanced through the improved understanding of chytrid biology, including the development of model aquatic chytrids and targeted studies using culture-independent approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davis Laundon
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Cunliffe
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kożyczkowska A, Najle SR, Ocaña-Pallarès E, Aresté C, Shabardina V, Ara PS, Ruiz-Trillo I, Casacuberta E. Stable transfection in protist Corallochytriumlimacisporum identifies novel cellular features among unicellular animals relatives. Curr Biol 2021; 31:4104-4110.e5. [PMID: 34293333 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary path from protists to multicellular animals remains a mystery. Recent work on the genomes of several unicellular relatives of animals has shaped our understanding of the genetic changes that may have occurred in this transition.1-3 However, the specific cellular modifications that took place to accommodate these changes remain unclear. To address this, we need to compare metazoan cells with those of their extant relatives, which are choanoflagellates, filastereans, ichthyosporeans, and corallochytreans/pluriformeans. Interestingly, these lineages display a range of developmental patterns potentially homologous to animal ones. Genetic tools have already been established in three of those lineages.4-7 However, there are no genetic tools available for Corallochytrea. We here report the development of stable transfection in the corallochytrean Corallochytrium limacisporum. Using these tools, we discern previously unknown biological features of C. limacisporum. In particular, we identify two different paths for cell division-binary fission and coenocytic growth-that reveal a non-linear life cycle. Additionally, we found that C. limacisporum is binucleate for most of its life cycle, and that, contrary to what happens in most eukaryotes, nuclear division is decoupled from cellular division. Moreover, its actin cytoskeleton shares characteristics with both fungal and animal cells. The establishment of these tools in C. limacisporum fills an important gap in the unicellular relatives of animals, opening up new avenues of research to elucidate the specific cellular changes that occurred in the evolution of animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Kożyczkowska
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sebastián R Najle
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Eduard Ocaña-Pallarès
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Cristina Aresté
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victoria Shabardina
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Patricia S Ara
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 645, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; ICREA, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Elena Casacuberta
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Structure of the trypanosome paraflagellar rod and insights into non-planar motility of eukaryotic cells. Cell Discov 2021; 7:51. [PMID: 34257277 PMCID: PMC8277818 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-021-00281-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic flagella (synonymous with cilia) rely on a microtubule-based axoneme, together with accessory filaments to carryout motility and signaling functions. While axoneme structures are well characterized, 3D ultrastructure of accessory filaments and their axoneme interface are mostly unknown, presenting a critical gap in understanding structural foundations of eukaryotic flagella. In the flagellum of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei), the axoneme is accompanied by a paraflagellar rod (PFR) that supports non-planar motility and signaling necessary for disease transmission and pathogenesis. Here, we employed cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET) with sub-tomographic averaging, to obtain structures of the PFR, PFR-axoneme connectors (PACs), and the axonemal central pair complex (CPC). The structures resolve how the 8 nm repeat of the axonemal tubulin dimer interfaces with the 54 nm repeat of the PFR, which consist of proximal, intermediate, and distal zones. In the distal zone, stacked "density scissors" connect with one another to form a "scissors stack network (SSN)" plane oriented 45° to the axoneme axis; and ~370 parallel SSN planes are connected by helix-rich wires into a paracrystalline array with ~90% empty space. Connections from these wires to the intermediate zone, then to overlapping layers of the proximal zone and to the PACs, and ultimately to the CPC, point to a contiguous pathway for signal transmission. Together, our findings provide insights into flagellum-driven, non-planar helical motility of T. brucei and have broad implications ranging from cell motility and tensegrity in biology, to engineering principles in bionics.
Collapse
|
20
|
Nagy LG, Kovács GM. Mycology: Rediscovery of a lost model fungus highlights the origin of mycorrhizal symbioses. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R342-R344. [PMID: 33848489 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) are the most frequent symbioses of land plants. By reisolating a long-lost fungus from nature, a new study cracks the genomics of an enigmatic fungal-cyanobacterial partnership and reestablishes a valuable model for understanding the AM symbiosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- László G Nagy
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary; Department of Plant Anatomy, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary.
| | - Gábor M Kovács
- Department of Plant Anatomy, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Pozo MJ, Zabalgogeazcoa I, Vazquez de Aldana BR, Martinez-Medina A. Untapping the potential of plant mycobiomes for applications in agriculture. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 60:102034. [PMID: 33827007 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Plant-fungal interactions are widespread in nature, and their multiple benefits for plant growth and health have been amply demonstrated. Endophytic and epiphytic fungi can significantly increase plant resilience, improving plant nutrition, stress tolerance and defence. Although some of these interactions have been known for decades, the relevance of the plant mycobiome within the plant microbiome has been largely underestimated. Our limited knowledge of fungal biology and their interactions with plants in the broader phytobiome context has hampered the development of optimal biotechnological applications in agrosystems and natural ecosystems. Exciting recent technical and knowledge advances in the context of molecular and systems biology open a plethora of opportunities for developing this field of research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria J Pozo
- Department of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain.
| | - Iñigo Zabalgogeazcoa
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca, IRNASA-CSIC, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Beatriz R Vazquez de Aldana
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca, IRNASA-CSIC, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ainhoa Martinez-Medina
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca, IRNASA-CSIC, Salamanca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Prostak SM, Robinson KA, Titus MA, Fritz-Laylin LK. The actin networks of chytrid fungi reveal evolutionary loss of cytoskeletal complexity in the fungal kingdom. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1192-1205.e6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
23
|
Brunet T, Albert M, Roman W, Coyle MC, Spitzer DC, King N. A flagellate-to-amoeboid switch in the closest living relatives of animals. eLife 2021; 10:e61037. [PMID: 33448265 PMCID: PMC7895527 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Amoeboid cell types are fundamental to animal biology and broadly distributed across animal diversity, but their evolutionary origin is unclear. The closest living relatives of animals, the choanoflagellates, display a polarized cell architecture (with an apical flagellum encircled by microvilli) that resembles that of epithelial cells and suggests homology, but this architecture differs strikingly from the deformable phenotype of animal amoeboid cells, which instead evoke more distantly related eukaryotes, such as diverse amoebae. Here, we show that choanoflagellates subjected to confinement become amoeboid by retracting their flagella and activating myosin-based motility. This switch allows escape from confinement and is conserved across choanoflagellate diversity. The conservation of the amoeboid cell phenotype across animals and choanoflagellates, together with the conserved role of myosin, is consistent with homology of amoeboid motility in both lineages. We hypothesize that the differentiation between animal epithelial and crawling cells might have evolved from a stress-induced switch between flagellate and amoeboid forms in their single-celled ancestors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Brunet
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Marvin Albert
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - William Roman
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), CIBERNED, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maxwell C Coyle
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Danielle C Spitzer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Nicole King
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Agrobacterium tumefaciens-Mediated Genetic Transformation of the Ect-endomycorrhizal Fungus Terfezia boudieri. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11111293. [PMID: 33143066 PMCID: PMC7693413 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111293] [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] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycorrhizal desert truffles such as Terfezia boudieri, Tirmania nivea, and Terfezia claveryi, form mycorrhizal associations with plants of the Cistaceae family. These valued truffles are still collected from the wild and not cultivated under intensive farming due to the lack of basic knowledge about their biology at all levels. Recently, several genomes of desert truffles have been decoded, enabling researchers to attempt genetic manipulations to enable cultivation. To execute such manipulations, the development of molecular tools for genes transformation into truffles is needed. We developed an Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation system in T. boudieri. This system was optimized for the developmental stage of the mycelia explants, bacterial optical density, infection and co-cultivation durations, and concentrations of the selection antibiotics. The pFPL-Rh plasmid harboring hph gene conferring hygromycin resistance as a selection marker and the red fluorescent protein gene were used as visual reporters. The optimal conditions were incubation with 200 μM of acetosyringone, attaining a bacterial optical density of 0.3 OD600; transfer time of 45 min; and co-cultivation for 3 days. This is the first report on a transformation system for T. boudieri, and the proposed protocol can be adapted for the transformation of other important desert truffles as well as ectomycorrhizal species.
Collapse
|
25
|
Robinson KA, Dunn M, Hussey SP, Fritz-Laylin LK. Identification of antibiotics for use in selection of the chytrid fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240480. [PMID: 33079945 PMCID: PMC7575076 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Global amphibian populations are being decimated by chytridiomycosis, a deadly skin infection caused by the fungal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal). Although ongoing efforts are attempting to limit the spread of these infections, targeted treatments are necessary to manage the disease. Currently, no tools for genetic manipulation are available to identify and test specific drug targets in these fungi. To facilitate the development of genetic tools in Bd and Bsal, we have tested five commonly used antibiotics with available resistance genes: Hygromycin, Blasticidin, Puromycin, Zeocin, and Neomycin. We have identified effective concentrations of each for selection in both liquid culture and on solid media. These concentrations are within the range of concentrations used for selecting genetically modified cells from a variety of other eukaryotic species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristyn A. Robinson
- Department of Biology, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Mallory Dunn
- Department of Biology, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Shane P. Hussey
- Department of Biology, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Lillian K. Fritz-Laylin
- Department of Biology, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Venard CM, Vasudevan KK, Stearns T. Cilium axoneme internalization and degradation in chytrid fungi. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2020; 77:365-378. [PMID: 33103844 PMCID: PMC7944584 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Loss of the cilium is important for cell cycle progression and certain developmental transitions. Chytrid fungi are a group of basal fungi that have retained centrioles and cilia, and they can disassemble their cilia via axoneme internalization as part of the transition from free-swimming spores to sessile sporangia. While this type of cilium disassembly has been observed in many single-celled eukaryotes, it has not been well characterized because it is not observed in common model organisms. To better characterize cilium disassembly via axoneme internalization, we focused on chytrids Rhizoclosmatium globosum and Spizellomyces punctatus to represent two lineages of chytrids with different motility characteristics. Our results show that each chytrid species can reel in its axoneme into the cell body along its cortex on the order of minutes, while S. punctatus has additional faster ciliary compartment loss and lash-around mechanisms. S. punctatus retraction can also occur away from the cell cortex and is partially actin dependent. Post-internalization, the tubulin of the axoneme is degraded in both chytrids over the course of about 2 hr. Axoneme disassembly and axonemal tubulin degradation are both partially proteasome dependent. Overall, chytrid cilium disassembly is a fast process that separates axoneme internalization and degradation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire M Venard
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | | | - Tim Stearns
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| |
Collapse
|