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Kraus JEM, Busengdal H, Kraus Y, Hausen H, Rentzsch F. Doublecortin-like kinase is required for cnidocyte development in Nematostella vectensis. Neural Dev 2024; 19:11. [PMID: 38909268 PMCID: PMC11193195 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-024-00188-0] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The complex morphology of neurons requires precise control of their microtubule cytoskeleton. This is achieved by microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that regulate the assembly and stability of microtubules, and transport of molecules and vesicles along them. While many of these MAPs function in all cells, some are specifically or predominantly involved in regulating microtubules in neurons. Here we use the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis as a model organism to provide new insights into the early evolution of neural microtubule regulation. As a cnidarian, Nematostella belongs to an outgroup to all bilaterians and thus occupies an informative phylogenetic position for reconstructing the evolution of nervous system development. We identified an ortholog of the microtubule-binding protein doublecortin-like kinase (NvDclk1) as a gene that is predominantly expressed in neurons and cnidocytes (stinging cells), two classes of cells belonging to the neural lineage in cnidarians. A transgenic NvDclk1 reporter line revealed an elaborate network of neurite-like processes emerging from cnidocytes in the tentacles and the body column. A transgene expressing NvDclk1 under the control of the NvDclk1 promoter suggests that NvDclk1 localizes to microtubules and therefore likely functions as a microtubule-binding protein. Further, we generated a mutant for NvDclk1 using CRISPR/Cas9 and show that the mutants fail to generate mature cnidocytes. Our results support the hypothesis that the elaboration of programs for microtubule regulation occurred early in the evolution of nervous systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna E M Kraus
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, Bergen, 5006, Norway
| | - Henriette Busengdal
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, Bergen, 5006, Norway
| | - Yulia Kraus
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskiye gory 1/12, Moscow, 119234, Russia
| | - Harald Hausen
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, Bergen, 5006, Norway
- Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allégaten 41, Bergen, 5007, Norway
| | - Fabian Rentzsch
- Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, Bergen, 5006, Norway.
- Department for Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 53, Bergen, 5006, Norway.
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2
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Harracksingh AN, Singh A, Mayorova T, Bejoy B, Hornbeck J, Elkhatib W, McEdwards G, Gauberg J, Taha ARW, Islam IM, Erclik T, Currie MA, Noyes M, Senatore A. The binding of Mint/X11 PDZ domains to Ca V 2 calcium channels predates bilaterian animals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.26.582151. [PMID: 38463976 PMCID: PMC10925089 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.582151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
PDZ domain mediated interactions with voltage-gated calcium (Ca V ) channel C-termini play important roles in localizing and compartmentalizing membrane Ca 2+ signaling. The first such interaction discovered was between the neuronal multi-domain protein Mint-1, and the presynaptc calcium channel Ca V 2.2 in mammals. Although the physiological significance of this interaction is unclear, its occurrence in vertebrates and bilaterian invertebrates suggests important and conserved functions. In this study, we explore the evolutionary origins of Mint and its interaction with Ca V 2 channels. Phylogenetic and structural in silico analyses revealed that Mint is an animal-specific gene, like Ca V 2 channels, which bears a highly divergent N-terminus but strongly conserved C-terminus comprised of a phosphotyrosine binding domain, two tandem PDZ domains (PDZ-1 and PDZ-2), and a C-terminal auto-inhibitory element that binds and inhibits PDZ-1. Also deeply conserved are other Mint interacting proteins, namely amyloid precursor and related proteins, presenilins, neurexin, as well as CASK and Veli which form a tripartite complex with Mint in bilaterians. Through yeast 2-hybrid and bacterial 2-hybrid experiments, we show that Mint and Ca V 2 channels from cnidarians and placozoans interact in vitro , and in situ hybridization revealed co-expression of corresponding transcripts in dissociated neurons from the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis . Unexpectedly, the Mint orthologue from the ctenophore Hormiphora californiensis was able to strongly bind the divergent C-terminal ligands of cnidarian and placozoan Ca V 2 channels, despite neither the ctenophore Mint, nor the placozoan and cnidarian orthologues, binding the ctenophore Ca V 2 channel C-terminus. Altogether, our analyses provide a model for the emergence of this interaction in early animals first via adoption of a PDZ ligand by Ca V 2 channels, followed by sequence changes in the ligand that caused a modality switch for binding to Mint.
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3
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He LS, Qi Y, Allard CAH, Valencia-Montoya WA, Krueger SP, Weir K, Seminara A, Bellono NW. Molecular tuning of sea anemone stinging. eLife 2023; 12:RP88900. [PMID: 37906220 PMCID: PMC10617991 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88900] [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] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Jellyfish and sea anemones fire single-use, venom-covered barbs to immobilize prey or predators. We previously showed that the anemone Nematostella vectensis uses a specialized voltage-gated calcium (CaV) channel to trigger stinging in response to synergistic prey-derived chemicals and touch (Weir et al., 2020). Here, we use experiments and theory to find that stinging behavior is suited to distinct ecological niches. We find that the burrowing anemone Nematostella uses uniquely strong CaV inactivation for precise control of predatory stinging. In contrast, the related anemone Exaiptasia diaphana inhabits exposed environments to support photosynthetic endosymbionts. Consistent with its niche, Exaiptasia indiscriminately stings for defense and expresses a CaV splice variant that confers weak inactivation. Chimeric analyses reveal that CaVβ subunit adaptations regulate inactivation, suggesting an evolutionary tuning mechanism for stinging behavior. These findings demonstrate how functional specialization of ion channel structure contributes to distinct organismal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily S He
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Yujia Qi
- Machine Learning Center Genoa (MalGa), Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), University of GenoaGenoaItaly
| | - Corey AH Allard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Wendy A Valencia-Montoya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Stephanie P Krueger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Keiko Weir
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Agnese Seminara
- Machine Learning Center Genoa (MalGa), Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), University of GenoaGenoaItaly
| | - Nicholas W Bellono
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
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4
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He LS, Qi Y, Allard CAH, Valencia-Montoya WA, Krueger SP, Weir K, Seminara A, Bellono NW. Molecular tuning of sea anemone stinging. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.15.545144. [PMID: 37577638 PMCID: PMC10418081 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.15.545144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Jellyfish and sea anemones fire single-use, venom-covered barbs to immobilize prey or predators. We previously showed that the anemone Nematostella vectensis uses a specialized voltage-gated calcium (CaV) channel to trigger stinging in response to synergistic prey-derived chemicals and touch (Weir et al., 2020). Here we use experiments and theory to find that stinging behavior is suited to distinct ecological niches. We find that the burrowing anemone Nematostella uses uniquely strong CaV inactivation for precise control of predatory stinging. In contrast, the related anemone Exaiptasia diaphana inhabits exposed environments to support photosynthetic endosymbionts. Consistent with its niche, Exaiptasia indiscriminately stings for defense and expresses a CaV splice variant that confers weak inactivation. Chimeric analyses reveal that CaVβ subunit adaptations regulate inactivation, suggesting an evolutionary tuning mechanism for stinging behavior. These findings demonstrate how functional specialization of ion channel structure contributes to distinct organismal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily S He
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA
| | - Yujia Qi
- Machine Learning Center Genoa (MalGa), Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), University of Genoa, Via Montallegro 1, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Corey AH Allard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA
| | - Wendy A Valencia-Montoya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA
| | - Stephanie P Krueger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA
| | - Keiko Weir
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA
| | - Agnese Seminara
- Machine Learning Center Genoa (MalGa), Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), University of Genoa, Via Montallegro 1, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Nicholas W Bellono
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA
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5
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Rusin LY. Evolution of homology: From archetype towards a holistic concept of cell type. J Morphol 2023; 284:e21569. [PMID: 36789784 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
The concept of homology lies in the heart of comparative biological science. The distinction between homology as structure and analogy as function has shaped the evolutionary paradigm for a century and formed the axis of comparative anatomy and embryology, which accept the identity of structure as a ground measure of relatedness. The advent of single-cell genomics overturned the classical view of cell homology by establishing a backbone regulatory identity of cell types, the basic biological units bridging the molecular and phenotypic dimensions, to reveal that the cell is the most flexible unit of living matter and that many approaches of classical biology need to be revised to understand evolution and diversity at the cellular level. The emerging theory of cell types explicitly decouples cell identity from phenotype, essentially allowing for the divergence of evolutionarily related morphotypes beyond recognition, as well as it decouples ontogenetic cell lineage from cell-type phylogeny, whereby explicating that cell types can share common descent regardless of their structure, function or developmental origin. The article succinctly summarizes current progress and opinion in this field and formulates a more generalistic view of biological cell types as avatars, transient or terminal cell states deployed in a continuum of states by the developmental programme of one and the same omnipotent cell, capable of changing or combining identities with distinct evolutionary histories or inventing ad hoc identities that never existed in evolution or development. It highlights how the new logic grounded in the regulatory nature of cell identity transforms the concepts of cell homology and phenotypic stability, suggesting that cellular evolution is inherently and massively network-like, with one-to-one homologies being rather uncommon and restricted to shallower levels of the animal tree of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid Y Rusin
- Laboratory for Mathematic Methods and Models in Bioinformatics, Institute for Information Transmission Problems (Kharkevich Institute), Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- EvoGenome Analytics LLC, Odintsovo, Moscow Region, Russia
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6
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Aguilar-Camacho JM, Foreman K, Jaimes-Becerra A, Aharoni R, Gründer S, Moran Y. Functional analysis in a model sea anemone reveals phylogenetic complexity and a role in cnidocyte discharge of DEG/ENaC ion channels. Commun Biol 2023; 6:17. [PMID: 36609696 PMCID: PMC9822975 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04399-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Ion channels of the DEG/ENaC family share a similar structure but serve strikingly diverse biological functions, such as Na+ reabsorption, mechanosensing, proton-sensing, chemosensing and cell-cell communication via neuropeptides. This functional diversity raises the question of the ancient function of DEG/ENaCs. Using an extensive phylogenetic analysis across many different animal groups, we found a surprising diversity of DEG/ENaCs already in Cnidaria (corals, sea anemones, hydroids and jellyfish). Using a combination of gene expression analysis, electrophysiological and functional studies combined with pharmacological inhibition as well as genetic knockout in the model cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, we reveal an unanticipated role for a proton-sensitive DEG/ENaC in discharge of N. vectensis cnidocytes, the stinging cells typifying all cnidarians. Our study supports the view that DEG/ENaCs are versatile channels that have been co-opted for diverse functions since their early occurrence in animals and that respond to simple and ancient stimuli, such as omnipresent protons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Maria Aguilar-Camacho
- grid.9619.70000 0004 1937 0538Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel ,grid.40803.3f0000 0001 2173 6074Present Address: Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC USA
| | - Katharina Foreman
- grid.1957.a0000 0001 0728 696XInstitute of Physiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Adrian Jaimes-Becerra
- grid.9619.70000 0004 1937 0538Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Reuven Aharoni
- grid.9619.70000 0004 1937 0538Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Stefan Gründer
- grid.1957.a0000 0001 0728 696XInstitute of Physiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yehu Moran
- grid.9619.70000 0004 1937 0538Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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7
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The architecture and operating mechanism of a cnidarian stinging organelle. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3494. [PMID: 35715400 PMCID: PMC9205923 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31090-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The stinging organelles of jellyfish, sea anemones, and other cnidarians, known as nematocysts, are remarkable cellular weapons used for both predation and defense. Nematocysts consist of a pressurized capsule containing a coiled harpoon-like thread. These structures are in turn built within specialized cells known as nematocytes. When triggered, the capsule explosively discharges, ejecting the coiled thread which punctures the target and rapidly elongates by turning inside out in a process called eversion. Due to the structural complexity of the thread and the extreme speed of discharge, the precise mechanics of nematocyst firing have remained elusive7. Here, using a combination of live and super-resolution imaging, 3D electron microscopy, and genetic perturbations, we define the step-by-step sequence of nematocyst operation in the model sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. This analysis reveals the complex biomechanical transformations underpinning the operating mechanism of nematocysts, one of nature’s most exquisite biological micro-machines. Further, this study will provide insight into the form and function of related cnidarian organelles and serve as a template for the design of bioinspired microdevices. The venomous stinging cells of jellyfish, anemones, and corals contain an organelle, the nematocyst, which explosively discharges a venom-laden thread. Here, the authors describe the nematocyst thread and its sub-structures in the sea anemone N. vectensis, revealing a complexity and sophistication underpinning this cellular weapon.
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8
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Menezes C, Thakur NL. Sea anemone venom: Ecological interactions and bioactive potential. Toxicon 2022; 208:31-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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9
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Gauberg J, Elkhatib W, Smith CL, Singh A, Senatore A. Divergent Ca 2+/calmodulin feedback regulation of Ca V1 and Ca V2 voltage-gated calcium channels evolved in the common ancestor of Placozoa and Bilateria. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101741. [PMID: 35182524 PMCID: PMC8980814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
CaV1 and CaV2 voltage-gated calcium channels evolved from an ancestral CaV1/2 channel via gene duplication somewhere near the stem animal lineage. The divergence of these channel types led to distinguishing functional properties that are conserved among vertebrates and bilaterian invertebrates and contribute to their unique cellular roles. One key difference pertains to their regulation by calmodulin (CaM), wherein bilaterian CaV1 channels are uniquely subject to pronounced, buffer-resistant Ca2+/CaM-dependent inactivation, permitting negative feedback regulation of calcium influx in response to local cytoplasmic Ca2+ rises. Early diverging, nonbilaterian invertebrates also possess CaV1 and CaV2 channels, but it is unclear whether they share these conserved functional features. The most divergent animals to possess both CaV1 and CaV2 channels are placozoans such as Trichoplax adhaerens, which separated from other animals over 600 million years ago shortly after their emergence. Hence, placozoans can provide important insights into the early evolution of CaV1 and CaV2 channels. Here, we build upon previous characterization of Trichoplax CaV channels by determining the cellular expression and ion-conducting properties of the CaV1 channel orthologue, TCaV1. We show that TCaV1 is expressed in neuroendocrine-like gland cells and contractile dorsal epithelial cells. In vitro, this channel conducts dihydropyridine-insensitive, high-voltage–activated Ca2+ currents with kinetics resembling those of rat CaV1.2 but with left-shifted voltage sensitivity for activation and inactivation. Interestingly, TCaV1, but not TCaV2, exhibits buffer-resistant Ca2+/CaM-dependent inactivation, indicating that this functional divergence evolved prior to the emergence of bilaterian animals and may have contributed to their unique adaptation for cytoplasmic Ca2+ signaling within various cellular contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Gauberg
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Wassim Elkhatib
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Carolyn L Smith
- NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda Maryland, 20892 USA
| | - Anhadvir Singh
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Adriano Senatore
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
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10
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Oteiza P, Baldwin MW. Evolution of sensory systems. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 71:52-59. [PMID: 34600187 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Sensory systems evolve and enable organisms to perceive their sensory Umwelt, the unique set of cues relevant for their survival. The multiple components that comprise sensory systems - the receptors, cells, organs, and dedicated high-order circuits - can vary greatly across species. Sensory receptor gene families can expand and contract across lineages, resulting in enormous sensory diversity. Comparative studies of sensory receptor function have uncovered the molecular basis of receptor properties and identified novel sensory receptor classes and noncanonical sensory strategies. Phylogenetically informed comparisons of sensory systems across multiple species can pinpoint when sensory changes evolve and highlight the role of contingency in sensory system evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Oteiza
- Flow Sensing Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.
| | - Maude W Baldwin
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.
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11
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Tarashansky AJ, Musser JM, Khariton M, Li P, Arendt D, Quake SR, Wang B. Mapping single-cell atlases throughout Metazoa unravels cell type evolution. eLife 2021; 10:e66747. [PMID: 33944782 PMCID: PMC8139856 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparing single-cell transcriptomic atlases from diverse organisms can elucidate the origins of cellular diversity and assist the annotation of new cell atlases. Yet, comparison between distant relatives is hindered by complex gene histories and diversifications in expression programs. Previously, we introduced the self-assembling manifold (SAM) algorithm to robustly reconstruct manifolds from single-cell data (Tarashansky et al., 2019). Here, we build on SAM to map cell atlas manifolds across species. This new method, SAMap, identifies homologous cell types with shared expression programs across distant species within phyla, even in complex examples where homologous tissues emerge from distinct germ layers. SAMap also finds many genes with more similar expression to their paralogs than their orthologs, suggesting paralog substitution may be more common in evolution than previously appreciated. Lastly, comparing species across animal phyla, spanning sponge to mouse, reveals ancient contractile and stem cell families, which may have arisen early in animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob M Musser
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Developmental Biology UnitHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Pengyang Li
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Detlev Arendt
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Developmental Biology UnitHeidelbergGermany
- Centre for Organismal Studies, University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Stephen R Quake
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
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12
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Gauberg J, Abdallah S, Elkhatib W, Harracksingh AN, Piekut T, Stanley EF, Senatore A. Conserved biophysical features of the Ca V2 presynaptic Ca 2+ channel homologue from the early-diverging animal Trichoplax adhaerens. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:18553-18578. [PMID: 33097592 PMCID: PMC7939481 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.015725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The dominant role of CaV2 voltage-gated calcium channels for driving neurotransmitter release is broadly conserved. Given the overlapping functional properties of CaV2 and CaV1 channels, and less so CaV3 channels, it is unclear why there have not been major shifts toward dependence on other CaV channels for synaptic transmission. Here, we provide a structural and functional profile of the CaV2 channel cloned from the early-diverging animal Trichoplax adhaerens, which lacks a nervous system but possesses single gene homologues for CaV1-CaV3 channels. Remarkably, the highly divergent channel possesses similar features as human CaV2.1 and other CaV2 channels, including high voltage-activated currents that are larger in external Ba2+ than in Ca2+; voltage-dependent kinetics of activation, inactivation, and deactivation; and bimodal recovery from inactivation. Altogether, the functional profile of Trichoplax CaV2 suggests that the core features of presynaptic CaV2 channels were established early during animal evolution, after CaV1 and CaV2 channels emerged via proposed gene duplication from an ancestral CaV1/2 type channel. The Trichoplax channel was relatively insensitive to mammalian CaV2 channel blockers ω-agatoxin-IVA and ω-conotoxin-GVIA and to metal cation blockers Cd2+ and Ni2+ Also absent was the capacity for voltage-dependent G-protein inhibition by co-expressed Trichoplax Gβγ subunits, which nevertheless inhibited the human CaV2.1 channel, suggesting that this modulatory capacity evolved via changes in channel sequence/structure, and not G proteins. Last, the Trichoplax channel was immunolocalized in cells that express an endomorphin-like peptide implicated in cell signaling and locomotive behavior and other likely secretory cells, suggesting contributions to regulated exocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Gauberg
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Salsabil Abdallah
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wassim Elkhatib
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alicia N Harracksingh
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas Piekut
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elise F Stanley
- Laboratory of Synaptic Transmission, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adriano Senatore
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
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13
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Sachkova MY, Macrander J, Surm JM, Aharoni R, Menard-Harvey SS, Klock A, Leach WB, Reitzel AM, Moran Y. Some like it hot: population-specific adaptations in venom production to abiotic stressors in a widely distributed cnidarian. BMC Biol 2020; 18:121. [PMID: 32907568 PMCID: PMC7488265 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00855-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In cnidarians, antagonistic interactions with predators and prey are mediated by their venom, whose synthesis may be metabolically expensive. The potentially high cost of venom production has been hypothesized to drive population-specific variation in venom expression due to differences in abiotic conditions. However, the effects of environmental factors on venom production have been rarely demonstrated in animals. Here, we explore the impact of specific abiotic stresses on venom production of distinct populations of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (Actiniaria, Cnidaria) inhabiting estuaries over a broad geographic range where environmental conditions such as temperatures and salinity vary widely. RESULTS We challenged Nematostella polyps with heat, salinity, UV light stressors, and a combination of all three factors to determine how abiotic stressors impact toxin expression for individuals collected across this species' range. Transcriptomics and proteomics revealed that the highly abundant toxin Nv1 was the most downregulated gene under heat stress conditions in multiple populations. Physiological measurements demonstrated that venom is metabolically costly to produce. Strikingly, under a range of abiotic stressors, individuals from different geographic locations along this latitudinal cline modulate differently their venom production levels. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that abiotic stress results in venom regulation in Nematostella. Together with anecdotal observations from other cnidarian species, our results suggest this might be a universal phenomenon in Cnidaria. The decrease in venom production under stress conditions across species coupled with the evidence for its high metabolic cost in Nematostella suggests downregulation of venom production under certain conditions may be highly advantageous and adaptive. Furthermore, our results point towards local adaptation of this mechanism in Nematostella populations along a latitudinal cline, possibly resulting from distinct genetics and significant environmental differences between their habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Y Sachkova
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Jason Macrander
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
- Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL, USA
| | - Joachim M Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Reuven Aharoni
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shelcie S Menard-Harvey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Amy Klock
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Whitney B Leach
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Adam M Reitzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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