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Bellanda M, Damulewicz M, Zambelli B, Costanzi E, Gregoris F, Mammi S, Tosatto SCE, Costa R, Minervini G, Mazzotta GM. A PDZ scaffolding/CaM-mediated pathway in Cryptochrome signaling. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4914. [PMID: 38358255 PMCID: PMC10868427 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Cryptochromes are cardinal constituents of the circadian clock, which orchestrates daily physiological rhythms in living organisms. A growing body of evidence points to their participation in pathways that have not traditionally been associated with circadian clock regulation, implying that cryptochromes may be subject to modulation by multiple signaling mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrate that human CRY2 (hCRY2) forms a complex with the large, modular scaffolding protein known as Multi-PDZ Domain Protein 1 (MUPP1). This interaction is facilitated by the calcium-binding protein Calmodulin (CaM) in a calcium-dependent manner. Our findings suggest a novel cooperative mechanism for the regulation of mammalian cryptochromes, mediated by calcium ions (Ca2+ ) and CaM. We propose that this Ca2+ /CaM-mediated signaling pathway may be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that has been maintained from Drosophila to mammals, most likely in relation to its potential role in the broader context of cryptochrome function and regulation. Further, the understanding of cryptochrome interactions with other proteins and signaling pathways could lead to a better definition of its role within the intricate network of molecular interactions that govern circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Milena Damulewicz
- Department of Cell Biology and ImagingJagiellonian UniversityKrakówPoland
| | - Barbara Zambelli
- Department of Pharmacy and BiotechnologyUniversity of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | - Elisa Costanzi
- Department of Chemical SciencesUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
| | | | - Stefano Mammi
- Department of Chemical SciencesUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
| | | | - Rodolfo Costa
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR)PadovaItaly
- Chronobiology Section, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordUK
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2
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Mazzotta GM, Ceccato N, Conte C. Synucleinopathies Take Their Toll: Are TLRs a Way to Go? Cells 2023; 12:cells12091231. [PMID: 37174631 PMCID: PMC10177040 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The misfolding and subsequent abnormal accumulation and aggregation of α-Synuclein (αSyn) as insoluble fibrils in Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) and several neurodegenerative disorders. A combination of environmental and genetic factors is linked to αSyn misfolding, among which neuroinflammation is recognized to play an important role. Indeed, a number of studies indicate that a Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated neuroinflammation might lead to a dopaminergic neural loss, suggesting that TLRs could participate in the pathogenesis of PD as promoters of immune/neuroinflammatory responses. Here we will summarize our current understanding on the mechanisms of αSyn aggregation and misfolding, focusing on the contribution of TLRs to the progression of α-synucleinopathies and speculating on their link with the non-motor disturbances associated with aging and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nadia Ceccato
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Carmela Conte
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06100 Perugia, Italy
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3
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Mauri S, Favaro M, Bernardo G, Mazzotta GM, Ziviani E. Mitochondrial autophagy in the sleeping brain. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:956394. [PMID: 36092697 PMCID: PMC9449320 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.956394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A significant percentage of the mitochondrial mass is replaced on a daily basis via mechanisms of mitochondrial quality control. Through mitophagy (a selective type of autophagy that promotes mitochondrial proteostasis) cells keep a healthy pool of mitochondria, and prevent oxidative stress and inflammation. Furthermore, mitophagy helps adapting to the metabolic demand of the cells, which changes on a daily basis.Core components of the mitophagy process are PINK1 and Parkin, which mutations are linked to Parkinson’s Disease. The crucial role of PINK1/Parkin pathway during stress-induced mitophagy has been extensively studied in vitro in different cell types. However, recent advances in the field allowed discovering that mitophagy seems to be only slightly affected in PINK1 KO mice and flies, putting into question the physiological relevance of this pathway in vivo in the whole organism. Indeed, several cell-specific PINK1/Parkin-independent mitophagy pathways have been recently discovered, which appear to be activated under physiological conditions such as those that promote mitochondrial proteome remodeling during differentiation or in response to specific physiological stimuli.In this Mini Review we want to summarize the recent advances in the field, and add another level of complexity by focusing attention on a potentially important aspect of mitophagy regulation: the implication of the circadian clock. Recent works showed that the circadian clock controls many aspects of mitochondrial physiology, including mitochondrial morphology and dynamic, respiratory activity, and ATP synthesis. Furthermore, one of the essential functions of sleep, which is controlled by the clock, is the clearance of toxic metabolic compounds from the brain, including ROS, via mechanisms of proteostasis. Very little is known about a potential role of the clock in the quality control mechanisms that maintain the mitochondrial repertoire healthy during sleep/wake cycles. More importantly, it remains completely unexplored whether (dys)function of mitochondrial proteostasis feedbacks to the circadian clockwork.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Elena Ziviani
- *Correspondence: Gabriella M. Mazzotta, Elena Ziviani,
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4
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Bozzato A, Romoli O, Polo D, Baggio F, Mazzotta GM, Triolo G, Myers MP, Sandrelli F. Arginine kinase interacts with 2MIT and is involved in Drosophila melanogaster short-term memory. J Insect Physiol 2020; 127:104118. [PMID: 33011181 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mushroom bodies are a higher order center for sensory integration, learning and memory of the insect brain. Memory is generally subdivided into different phases. In the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, mushroom bodies have been shown to play a central role in both short- and long-term memory. In D. melanogaster, the gene 2mit codes a transmembrane protein carrying an extracellular Leucin-rich-repeat domain, which is highly transcribed in the mushroom and ellipsoid bodies of the adult fly brain and has a role in the early phase of memory. Utilizing coimmunoprecipitation experiments and mass spectrometry analyses, we have shown that 2MIT interacts with Arginine kinase in adult fly heads. Arginine kinase belongs to the family of Phosphagen kinases and plays a fundamental role in energy homeostasis. Using the GAL4/UAS binary system, we demonstrated that a downregulation of Arginine kinase mainly driven in the mushroom bodies affects short-term memory of Drosophila adult flies, in a courtship conditioning paradigm. As 2mit c03963 hypomorphic mutants showed comparable results when analyzed with the same assay, these data suggest that 2MIT and Arginine kinase are both involved in the same memory phenotype, likely interacting at the level of mushroom bodies. 2MIT and Arginine kinase are conserved among insects, the implications of which, along with their potential roles in other insect taxa are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Bozzato
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Ottavia Romoli
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Denis Polo
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Francesca Baggio
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Gabriella M Mazzotta
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Gianluca Triolo
- Protein Networks Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), AREA Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34012 Trieste, Italy
| | - Michael P Myers
- Protein Networks Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), AREA Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34012 Trieste, Italy
| | - Federica Sandrelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy.
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5
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Abstract
Sleep-like states have been described in Drosophila and the mechanisms and factors that generate and define sleep-wake profiles in this model organism are being thoroughly investigated. Sleep is controlled by both circadian and homeostatic mechanisms, and environmental factors such as light, temperature, and social stimuli are fundamental in shaping and confining sleep episodes into the correct time of the day. Among environmental cues, light seems to have a prominent function in modulating the timing of sleep during the 24 h and, in this review, we will discuss the role of light inputs in modulating the distribution of the fly sleep-wake cycles. This phenomenon is of growing interest in the modern society, where artificial light exposure during the night is a common trait, opening the possibility to study Drosophila as a model organism for investigating shift-work disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Milena Damulewicz
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paola Cusumano
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
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6
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Damulewicz M, Mazzotta GM. Corrigendum: One Actor, Multiple Roles: The Performances of Cryptochrome in Drosophila. Front Physiol 2020; 11:841. [PMID: 32848824 PMCID: PMC7399628 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Milena Damulewicz
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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7
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Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRYs) are flavoproteins that are sensitive to blue light, first identified in Arabidopsis and then in Drosophila and mice. They are evolutionarily conserved and play fundamental roles in the circadian clock of living organisms, enabling them to adapt to the daily 24-h cycles. The role of CRYs in circadian clocks differs among different species: in plants, they have a blue light-sensing activity whereas in mammals they act as light-independent transcriptional repressors within the circadian clock. These two different functions are accomplished by two principal types of CRYs, the light-sensitive plant/insect type 1 CRY and the mammalian type 2 CRY acting as a negative autoregulator in the molecular circadian clockwork. Drosophila melanogaster possesses just one CRY, belonging to type 1 CRYs. Nevertheless, this single CRY appears to have different functions, specific to different organs, tissues, and even subset of cells in which it is expressed. In this review, we will dissect the multiple roles of this single CRY in Drosophila, focusing on the regulatory mechanisms that make its pleiotropy possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Damulewicz
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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8
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Singh S, Giesecke A, Damulewicz M, Fexova S, Mazzotta GM, Stanewsky R, Dolezel D. New Drosophila Circadian Clock Mutants Affecting Temperature Compensation Induced by Targeted Mutagenesis of Timeless. Front Physiol 2019; 10:1442. [PMID: 31849700 PMCID: PMC6901700 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster has served as an excellent genetic model to decipher the molecular basis of the circadian clock. Two key proteins, PERIOD (PER) and TIMELESS (TIM), are particularly well explored and a number of various arrhythmic, slow, and fast clock mutants have been identified in classical genetic screens. Interestingly, the free running period (tau, τ) is influenced by temperature in some of these mutants, whereas τ is temperature-independent in other mutant lines as in wild-type flies. This, so-called "temperature compensation" ability is compromised in the mutant timeless allele "ritsu" (tim rit ), and, as we show here, also in the tim blind allele, mapping to the same region of TIM. To test if this region of TIM is indeed important for temperature compensation, we generated a collection of new mutants and mapped functional protein domains involved in the regulation of τ and in general clock function. We developed a protocol for targeted mutagenesis of specific gene regions utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, followed by behavioral screening. In this pilot study, we identified 20 new timeless mutant alleles with various impairments of temperature compensation. Molecular characterization revealed that the mutations included short in-frame insertions, deletions, or substitutions of a few amino acids resulting from the non-homologous end joining repair process. Our protocol is a fast and cost-efficient systematic approach for functional analysis of protein-coding genes and promoter analysis in vivo. Interestingly, several mutations with a strong temperature compensation defect map to one specific region of TIM. Although the exact mechanism of how these mutations affect TIM function is as yet unknown, our in silico analysis suggests they affect a putative nuclear export signal (NES) and phosphorylation sites of TIM. Immunostaining for PER was performed on two TIM mutants that display longer τ at 25°C and complete arrhythmicity at 28°C. Consistently with the behavioral phenotype, PER immunoreactivity was reduced in circadian clock neurons of flies exposed to elevated temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samarjeet Singh
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Astrid Giesecke
- Institute of Neuro- and Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - Milena Damulewicz
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Silvie Fexova
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Gabriella M. Mazzotta
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Ralf Stanewsky
- Institute of Neuro- and Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - David Dolezel
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
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Cusumano P, Damulewicz M, Carbognin E, Caccin L, Puricella A, Specchia V, Bozzetti MP, Costa R, Mazzotta GM. The RNA Helicase BELLE Is Involved in Circadian Rhythmicity and in Transposons Regulation in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Physiol 2019; 10:133. [PMID: 30842743 PMCID: PMC6392097 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks control and synchronize biological rhythms of several behavioral and physiological phenomena in most, if not all, organisms. Rhythm generation relies on molecular auto-regulatory oscillations of interlocked transcriptional-translational feedback loops. Rhythmic clock-gene expression is at the base of rhythmic protein accumulation, though post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms have evolved to adjust and consolidate the proper pace of the clock. In Drosophila, BELLE, a conserved DEAD-box RNA helicase playing important roles in reproductive capacity, is involved in the small RNA-mediated regulation associated to the piRNA pathway. Here, we report that BELLE is implicated in the circadian rhythmicity and in the regulation of endogenous transposable elements (TEs) in both nervous system and gonads. We suggest that BELLE acts as important element in the piRNA-mediated regulation of the TEs and raise the hypothesis that this specific regulation could represent another level of post-transcriptional control adopted by the clock to ensure the proper rhythmicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cusumano
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Milena Damulewicz
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Laura Caccin
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Antonietta Puricella
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Valeria Specchia
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Bozzetti
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Costa
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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10
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Schlichting M, Rieger D, Cusumano P, Grebler R, Costa R, Mazzotta GM, Helfrich-Förster C. Cryptochrome Interacts With Actin and Enhances Eye-Mediated Light Sensitivity of the Circadian Clock in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:238. [PMID: 30072870 PMCID: PMC6058042 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRYs) are a class of flavoproteins that sense blue light. In animals, CRYs are expressed in the eyes and in the clock neurons that control sleep/wake cycles and are implied in the generation and/or entrainment of circadian rhythmicity. Moreover, CRYs are sensing magnetic fields in insects as well as in humans. Here, we show that in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster CRY plays a light-independent role as "assembling" protein in the rhabdomeres of the compound eyes. CRY interacts with actin and appears to increase light sensitivity of the eyes by keeping the "signalplex" of the phototransduction cascade close to the membrane. By this way, CRY also enhances light-responses of the circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Schlichting
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Dirk Rieger
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paola Cusumano
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Rudi Grebler
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rodolfo Costa
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Charlotte Helfrich-Förster
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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11
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Cusumano P, Biscontin A, Sandrelli F, Mazzotta GM, Tregnago C, De Pittà C, Costa R. Modulation of miR-210 alters phasing of circadian locomotor activity and impairs projections of PDF clock neurons in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007500. [PMID: 30011269 PMCID: PMC6062148 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Single microRNAs are usually associated with hundreds of putative target genes that can influence multiple phenotypic traits in Drosophila, ranging from development to behaviour. We investigated the function of Drosophila miR-210 in circadian behaviour by misexpressing it within circadian clock cells. Manipulation of miR-210 expression levels in the PDF (pigment dispersing factor) positive neurons affected the phase of locomotor activity, under both light-dark conditions and constant darkness. PER cyclical expression was not affected in clock neurons, however, when miR-210 was up-regulated, a dramatic alteration in the morphology of PDF ventral lateral neuron (LNv) arborisations was observed. The effect of miR-210 in shaping neuronal projections was confirmed in vitro, using a Drosophila neuronal cell line. A transcriptomic analysis revealed that miR-210 overexpression affects the expression of several genes belonging to pathways related to circadian processes, neuronal development, GTPases signal transduction and photoreception. Collectively, these data reveal the role of miR-210 in modulating circadian outputs in flies and guiding/remodelling PDF positive LNv arborisations and indicate that miR-210 may have pleiotropic effects on the clock, light perception and neuronal development. In recent years, the role of microRNAs in regulating the endogenous circadian clock and its rhythmic outputs for behaviour/physiology has been recognized. We have observed that depletion or over-expression of miR-210 in Drosophila melanogaster modulates the phase of locomotor activity, without affecting the molecular oscillation of the pacemaker neurons. Moreover, miR-210 over-expression dramatically alters the pattern of projections from the PDF-positive Lateral Neurons (LNvs). Differentially expressed genes detected in miR-210 over-expressing flies implicated circadian processes, neuronal development, and photoreception. Taken together, our findings indicate the involvement of miR-210 in modulating circadian output and remodelling the projections of PDF clock neurons, and suggest that miR-210 may have pleiotropic effects on clock, light perception and neuronal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cusumano
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Claudia Tregnago
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Cristiano De Pittà
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- * E-mail: (CD); (RC)
| | - Rodolfo Costa
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- * E-mail: (CD); (RC)
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12
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Damulewicz M, Mazzotta GM, Sartori E, Rosato E, Costa R, Pyza EM. Cryptochrome Is a Regulator of Synaptic Plasticity in the Visual System of Drosophila melanogaster. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:165. [PMID: 28611590 PMCID: PMC5448152 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) is a blue light sensitive protein with a key role in circadian photoreception. A main feature of CRY is that light promotes an interaction with the circadian protein TIMELESS (TIM) resulting in their ubiquitination and degradation, a mechanism that contributes to the synchronization of the circadian clock to the environment. Moreover, CRY participates in non-circadian functions such as magnetoreception, modulation of neuronal firing, phototransduction and regulation of synaptic plasticity. In the present study we used co-immunoprecipitation, yeast 2 hybrid (Y2H) and in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) to show that CRY can physically associate with the presynaptic protein BRUCHPILOT (BRP) and that CRY-BRP complexes are located mainly in the visual system. Additionally, we present evidence that light-activated CRY may decrease BRP levels in photoreceptor termini in the distal lamina, probably targeting BRP for degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Damulewicz
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences, Jagiellonian UniversityKrakow, Poland
| | | | - Elena Sartori
- Department of Biology, University of PadovaPadova, Italy
| | - Ezio Rosato
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester LeicesterUnited Kingdom
| | - Rodolfo Costa
- Department of Biology, University of PadovaPadova, Italy
| | - Elzbieta M. Pyza
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences, Jagiellonian UniversityKrakow, Poland
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13
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Minervini G, Mazzotta GM, Masiero A, Sartori E, Corrà S, Potenza E, Costa R, Tosatto SCE. Isoform-specific interactions of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein. Sci Rep 2015. [PMID: 26211615 PMCID: PMC4515828 DOI: 10.1038/srep12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Deregulation of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein (pVHL) is considered one of the main causes for malignant renal clear-cell carcinoma (ccRCC) insurgence. In human, pVHL exists in two isoforms, pVHL19 and pVHL30 respectively, displaying comparable tumor suppressor abilities. Mutations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene have been also correlated with ccRCC insurgence and ineffectiveness of treatment. A recent proteomic analysis linked full length pVHL30 with p53 pathway regulation through complex formation with the p14ARF oncosuppressor. The alternatively spliced pVHL19, missing the first 53 residues, lacks this interaction and suggests an asymmetric function of the two pVHL isoforms. Here, we present an integrative bioinformatics and experimental characterization of the pVHL oncosuppressor isoforms. Predictions of the pVHL30 N-terminus three-dimensional structure suggest that it may exist as an ensemble of structured and disordered forms. The results were used to guide Yeast two hybrid experiments to highlight isoform-specific binding properties. We observed that the physical pVHL/p14ARF interaction is specifically mediated by the 53 residue long pVHL30 N-terminal region, suggesting that this N-terminus acts as a further pVHL interaction interface. Of note, we also observed that the shorter pVHL19 isoform shows an unexpected high tendency to form homodimers, suggesting an additional isoform-specific binding specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Silvio C E Tosatto
- 1] Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova [2] CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy
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14
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Abstract
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) inhabit a region with strong seasonality in several parameters, such as photoperiod, light intensity, extent of sea ice, and food availability. In particular, seasonal changes in environmental light regimes have been shown to strongly influence krill metabolism, representing control signals for seasonal regulation of physiology of this key Southern Ocean species. Here, we report the identification of a cryptochrome gene, a cardinal component of the clockwork machinery in several organisms. EsCRY appears to be an ortholog of mammalian-like CRYs and clusters with the insect CRY2 subfamily. EsCRY has the canonical bipartite CRY structure, with a conserved N-terminal domain and a highly divergent C-terminus, that bears several binding motifs, some of them shared with insect CRY2 and others peculiar for EsCRY. We have evaluated the temporal expression of Escry both at mRNA and protein levels in individuals harvested from the Ross Sea at different times throughout the 24 h cycle during the Antarctic summer. We observed a daily fluctuation in abundance for Escry mRNA in the head, with high levels around 06:00 h, which is not mirrored by a cycle in the corresponding protein. Our findings represent a first step toward establishing the presence of an endogenous circadian time-keeping mechanism that might allow this organism to synchronize its physiology and behavior to the Antarctic light regimes.
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De Pittà C, Bertolucci C, Mazzotta GM, Bernante F, Rizzo G, De Nardi B, Pallavicini A, Lanfranchi G, Costa R. Systematic sequencing of mRNA from the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and first tissue specific transcriptional signature. BMC Genomics 2008; 9:45. [PMID: 18226200 PMCID: PMC2270838 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2007] [Accepted: 01/28/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Little is known about the genome sequences of Euphausiacea (krill) although these crustaceans are abundant components of the pelagic ecosystems in all oceans and used for aquaculture and pharmaceutical industry. This study reports the results of an expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing project from different tissues of Euphausia superba (the Antarctic krill). Results We have constructed and sequenced five cDNA libraries from different Antarctic krill tissues: head, abdomen, thoracopods and photophores. We have identified 1.770 high-quality ESTs which were assembled into 216 overlapping clusters and 801 singletons resulting in a total of 1.017 non-redundant sequences. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis was performed to quantify and validate the expression levels of ten genes presenting different EST countings in krill tissues. In addition, bioinformatic screening of the non-redundant E. superba sequences identified 69 microsatellite containing ESTs. Clusters, consensuses and related similarity and gene ontology searches were organized in a dedicated E. superba database . Conclusion We defined the first tissue transcriptional signatures of E. superba based on functional categorization among the examined tissues. The analyses of annotated transcripts showed a higher similarity with genes from insects with respect to Malacostraca possibly as an effect of the limited number of Malacostraca sequences in the public databases. Our catalogue provides for the first time a genomic tool to investigate the biology of the Antarctic krill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano De Pittà
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via U, Bassi, 58/B, 35121, Padova, Italy.
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Sandrelli F, Cappellozza S, Benna C, Saviane A, Mastella A, Mazzotta GM, Moreau S, Pegoraro M, Piccin A, Zordan MA, Cappellozza L, Kyriacou CP, Costa R. Phenotypic effects induced by knock-down of the period clock gene in Bombyx mori. Genet Res (Camb) 2007; 89:73-84. [PMID: 17669228 DOI: 10.1017/s0016672307008713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The lepidopteran Bombyx mori is an insect of considerable scientific and economic importance. Recently, the B. mori circadian clock gene period has been molecularly characterized. We have transformed a B. mori strain with a construct encoding a period double-strand RNA in order to knock-down period gene expression. We observe that this post-transcriptional silencing produces a small but detectable disruption in the egg-hatching rhythm, as well as a reduction in egg-to-adult developmental time, without altering silk production parameters. Thus we show that both circadian and non-circadian phenotypes can be altered by changing per expression, and, at a practical level, these results suggest that per knock-down may provide a suitable strategy for improving the efficiency of rearing, without affecting silk productivity.
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Hemsley MJ, Mazzotta GM, Mason M, Dissel S, Toppo S, Pagano MA, Sandrelli F, Meggio F, Rosato E, Costa R, Tosatto SCE. Linear motifs in the C-terminus of D. melanogaster cryptochrome. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2007; 355:531-7. [PMID: 17306225 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.01.189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2007] [Accepted: 01/31/2007] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The C-terminus of cryptochrome (CRY) regulates light responses in Drosophila. These include the light-dependent binding of Drosophila dCRY to the clock proteins PERIOD and TIMELESS in a yeast two-hybrid system, which we proved to be a convenient and reliable readout of the behavior of dCRY in vivo. In this study, we present a combination of in silico analysis and experimental validation in yeast, to identify novel functional motifs in the C-terminal region of dCRY. Our results suggest that linear motifs are present in this small region, which is a likely hotspot for molecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Hemsley
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
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Mazzotta GM, Sandrelli F, Zordan MA, Mason M, Benna C, Cisotto P, Rosato E, Kyriacou CP, Costa R. The clock gene period in the medfly Ceratitis capitata. Genet Res (Camb) 2006; 86:13-30. [PMID: 16181520 DOI: 10.1017/s0016672305007664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2005] [Revised: 06/07/2005] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
We have isolated the clock gene period (per) from the medfly Ceratitis capitata, one of the most economically important insect pest species. The overall pattern of conserved, non-conserved and functional domains that are observed within dipteran and lepidopteran per orthologues is preserved within the coding sequence. Expression analysis from fly heads revealed a daily oscillation in per mRNA in both light : dark cycles and in constant darkness. However PER protein levels from head extracts did not show any significant evidence for cycling in either of these two conditions. When the Ceratitis per transgene under the control of the Drosophila per promoter and 3'UTR was introduced into Drosophila per -null mutant hosts, the transformants revealed a low level of rescue of behavioural rhythmicity. Nevertheless, the behaviour of the rhythmic transformants showed some similarities to that of ceratitis, suggesting that Ceratitis per carries species-specific information that can evidently affect the Drosophila host's downstream rhythmic behaviour.
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MESH Headings
- 3' Untranslated Regions
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Behavior, Animal
- Blotting, Northern
- Blotting, Western
- Ceratitis capitata/genetics
- Circadian Rhythm
- Climate
- Cloning, Molecular
- DNA, Complementary/metabolism
- Drosophila Proteins
- Drosophila melanogaster/genetics
- Exons
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Genes, Insect
- Homozygote
- Introns
- Male
- Models, Genetic
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Nuclear Proteins/genetics
- Period Circadian Proteins
- Periodicity
- Phylogeny
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Protein Structure, Tertiary
- RNA/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- Software
- Species Specificity
- Temperature
- Time Factors
- Transgenes
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella M Mazzotta
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, via U. Bassi, 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy
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