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Kraus A, Garcia B, Ma J, Herrera KJ, Zwaka H, Harpaz R, Wong RY, Engert F, Salinas I. Olfactory detection of viruses shapes brain immunity and behavior in zebrafish. bioRxiv 2023:2023.03.17.533129. [PMID: 37034630 PMCID: PMC10081220 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.17.533129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are constantly exposed to pathogens, including viruses. However, serious brain infection via the olfactory route rarely occurs. When OSNs detect a virus, they coordinate local antiviral immune responses to stop virus progression to the brain. Despite effective immune control in the olfactory periphery, pathogen-triggered neuronal signals reach the CNS via the olfactory bulb (OB). We hypothesized that neuronal detection of a virus by OSNs initiates neuroimmune responses in the OB that prevent pathogen invasion. Using zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) as a model, we demonstrate viral-specific neuronal activation of OSNs projecting into the OB, indicating that OSNs are electrically activated by viruses. Further, behavioral changes are seen in both adult and larval zebrafish after viral exposure. By profiling the transcription of single cells in the OB after OSNs are exposed to virus, we found that both microglia and neurons enter a protective state. Microglia and macrophage populations in the OB respond within minutes of nasal viral delivery followed decreased expression of neuronal differentiation factors and enrichment of genes in the neuropeptide signaling pathway in neuronal clusters. Pituitary adenylate-cyclase-activating polypeptide ( pacap ), a known antimicrobial, was especially enriched in a neuronal cluster. We confirm that PACAP is antiviral in vitro and that PACAP expression increases in the OB 1 day post-viral treatment. Our work reveals how encounters with viruses in the olfactory periphery shape the vertebrate brain by inducing antimicrobial programs in neurons and by altering host behavior.
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Wee CL, Song E, Nikitchenko M, Herrera KJ, Wong S, Engert F, Kunes S. Social isolation modulates appetite and avoidance behavior via a common oxytocinergic circuit in larval zebrafish. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2573. [PMID: 35545618 PMCID: PMC9095721 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29765-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal brains have evolved to encode social stimuli and transform these representations into advantageous behavioral responses. The commonalities and differences of these representations across species are not well-understood. Here, we show that social isolation activates an oxytocinergic (OXT), nociceptive circuit in the larval zebrafish hypothalamus and that chemical cues released from conspecific animals are potent modulators of this circuit's activity. We delineate an olfactory to subpallial pathway that transmits chemical social cues to OXT circuitry, where they are transformed into diverse outputs simultaneously regulating avoidance and feeding behaviors. Our data allow us to propose a model through which social stimuli are integrated within a fundamental neural circuit to mediate diverse adaptive behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline L Wee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore
| | - Erin Song
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maxim Nikitchenko
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kristian J Herrera
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sandy Wong
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Florian Engert
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Samuel Kunes
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
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Fei A, Wu W, Tan L, Tang C, Xu Z, Huo X, Bao H, Kong Y, Johnson M, Hartmann G, Talay M, Yang C, Riegler C, Herrera KJ, Engert F, Xie XS, Barnea G, Liberles SD, Yang H, Li Q. Coordination of two enhancers drives expression of olfactory trace amine-associated receptors. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3798. [PMID: 34145235 PMCID: PMC8213717 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23823-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are functionally defined by their expression of a unique odorant receptor (OR). Mechanisms underlying singular OR expression are well studied, and involve a massive cross-chromosomal enhancer interaction network. Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) form a distinct family of olfactory receptors, and here we find that mechanisms regulating Taar gene choice display many unique features. The epigenetic signature of Taar genes in TAAR OSNs is different from that in OR OSNs. We further identify that two TAAR enhancers conserved across placental mammals are absolutely required for expression of the entire Taar gene repertoire. Deletion of either enhancer dramatically decreases the expression probabilities of different Taar genes, while deletion of both enhancers completely eliminates the TAAR OSN populations. In addition, both of the enhancers are sufficient to drive transgene expression in the partially overlapped TAAR OSNs. We also show that the TAAR enhancers operate in cis to regulate Taar gene expression. Our findings reveal a coordinated control of Taar gene choice in OSNs by two remote enhancers, and provide an excellent model to study molecular mechanisms underlying formation of an olfactory subsystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimei Fei
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanqing Wu
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Longzhi Tan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Cheng Tang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brian-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengrong Xu
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaona Huo
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brian-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongqiang Bao
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yalei Kong
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mark Johnson
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Griffin Hartmann
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Mustafa Talay
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Cheng Yang
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Clemens Riegler
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kristian J Herrera
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Florian Engert
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - X Sunney Xie
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gilad Barnea
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephen D Liberles
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hui Yang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brian-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Li
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai, China.
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Zhu ML, Herrera KJ, Vogt K, Bahl A. Navigational strategies underlying temporal phototaxis in Drosophila larvae. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269086. [PMID: 34115116 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Navigating across light gradients is essential for survival for many animals. However, we still have a poor understanding of the algorithms that underlie such behaviors. Here, we developed a novel closed-loop phototaxis assay for Drosophila larvae in which light intensity is always spatially uniform but updates depending on the location of the animal in the arena. Even though larvae can only rely on temporal cues during runs, we find that they are capable of finding preferred areas of low light intensity. Further detailed analysis of their behavior reveals that larvae turn more frequently and that heading angle changes increase when they experience brightness increments over extended periods of time. We suggest that temporal integration of brightness change during runs is an important - and so far largely unexplored - element of phototaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell L Zhu
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Kristian J Herrera
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Katrin Vogt
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464Konstanz, Germany
| | - Armin Bahl
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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Lowery RK, Uribe G, Jimenez EB, Weiss MA, Herrera KJ, Regueiro M, Herrera RJ. Neanderthal and Denisova genetic affinities with contemporary humans: introgression versus common ancestral polymorphisms. Gene 2013; 530:83-94. [PMID: 23872234 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Revised: 06/08/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Analyses of the genetic relationships among modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans have suggested that 1-4% of the non-Sub-Saharan African gene pool may be Neanderthal derived, while 6-8% of the Melanesian gene pool may be the product of admixture between the Denisovans and the direct ancestors of Melanesians. In the present study, we analyzed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diversity among a worldwide collection of contemporary human populations with respect to the genetic constitution of these two archaic hominins and Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee). We partitioned SNPs into subsets, including those that are derived in both archaic lineages, those that are ancestral in both archaic lineages and those that are only derived in one archaic lineage. By doing this, we have conducted separate examinations of subsets of mutations with higher probabilities of divergent phylogenetic origins. While previous investigations have excluded SNPs from common ancestors in principal component analyses, we included common ancestral SNPs in our analyses to visualize the relative placement of the Neanderthal and Denisova among human populations. To assess the genetic similarities among the various hominin lineages, we performed genetic structure analyses to provide a comparison of genetic patterns found within contemporary human genomes that may have archaic or common ancestral roots. Our results indicate that 3.6% of the Neanderthal genome is shared with roughly 65.4% of the average European gene pool, which clinally diminishes with distance from Europe. Our results suggest that Neanderthal genetic associations with contemporary non-Sub-Saharan African populations, as well as the genetic affinities observed between Denisovans and Melanesians most likely result from the retention of ancient mutations in these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert K Lowery
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Indian River State College, Fort Pierce, FL 34981, USA.
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Simms TM, Martinez E, Herrera KJ, Wright MR, Perez OA, Hernandez M, Ramirez EC, McCartney Q, Herrera RJ. Paternal lineages signal distinct genetic contributions from British Loyalists and continental Africans among different Bahamian islands. Am J Phys Anthropol 2011; 146:594-608. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2011] [Accepted: 08/05/2011] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Lowery RK, Herrera KJ, Barrett DA, Rodriguez R, Hadden LRM, Harutyunyan A, Margaryan A, Yepiskoposyan L, Herrera RJ. Regionalized autosomal STR profiles among Armenian groups suggest disparate genetic influences. Am J Phys Anthropol 2011; 146:171-8. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2010] [Accepted: 04/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Abstract
Neanderthals represent an extinct hominid lineage that existed in Europe and Asia for nearly 400,000 years. They thrived in these regions for much of this time, but declined in numbers and went extinct around 30,000 years ago. Interestingly, their disappearance occurred subsequent to the arrival of modern humans into these areas, which has prompted some to argue that Neanderthals were displaced by better suited and more adaptable modern humans. Still others have postulated that Neanderthals were assimilated into the gene pool of modern humans by admixture. Until relatively recently, conclusions about the relationships between Neanderthals and contemporary humans were based solely upon evidence left behind in the fossil and archaeological records. However, in the last decade, we have witnessed the introduction of metagenomic analyses, which have provided novel tools with which to study the levels of genetic interactions between this fascinating Homo lineage and modern humans. Were Neanderthals replaced by contemporary humans through dramatic extinction resulting from competition and/or hostility or through admixture? Were Neanderthals and modern humans two independent, genetically unique species or were they a single species, capable of producing fertile offspring? Here, we review the current anthropological, archaeological and genetic data, which shed some light on these questions and provide insight into the exact nature of the relationships between these two groups of humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian J Herrera
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street,Miami, FL 33199, USA
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