51
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Pan X, Neufeld TP, O'Connor MB. A Tissue- and Temporal-Specific Autophagic Switch Controls Drosophila Pre-metamorphic Nutritional Checkpoints. Curr Biol 2019; 29:2840-2851.e4. [PMID: 31422886 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Properly timed production of steroid hormones by endocrine tissues regulates juvenile-to-adult transitions in both mammals (puberty) and holometabolous insects (metamorphosis). Nutritional conditions influence the temporal control of the transition, but the mechanisms responsible are ill defined. Here we demonstrate that autophagy acts as an endocrine organ-specific, nutritionally regulated gating mechanism to help ensure productive metamorphosis in Drosophila. Autophagy in the endocrine organ is specifically stimulated by nutrient restriction at the early, but not the late, third-instar larva stage. The timing of autophagy induction correlates with the nutritional checkpoints, which inhibit precocious metamorphosis during nutrient restriction in undersized larvae. Suppression of autophagy causes dysregulated pupariation of starved larvae, which leads to pupal lethality, whereas forced autophagy induction results in developmental delay/arrest in well-fed animals. Induction of autophagy disrupts production of the steroid hormone ecdysone at the time of pupariation not by destruction of hormone biosynthetic capacity but rather by limiting the availability of the steroid hormone precursor cholesterol in the endocrine cells via a lipophagy mechanism. Interestingly, autophagy in the endocrine organ functions by interacting with the endolysosome system, yet shows multiple features not fully consistent with a canonical autophagy process. Taken together, our findings demonstrate an autophagy mechanism in endocrine cells that helps shape the nutritional checkpoints and guarantee a successful juvenile-to-adult transition in animals confronting nutritional stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Pan
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development and the Developmental Biology Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Thomas P Neufeld
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development and the Developmental Biology Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development and the Developmental Biology Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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52
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He K, Xiao H, Sun Y, Situ G, Xi Y, Li F. microRNA-14 as an efficient suppressor to switch off ecdysone production after ecdysis in insects. RNA Biol 2019; 16:1313-1325. [PMID: 31184522 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2019.1629768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The precise increase and decrease of hormone ecdysone are critical for accurate development in insects. Most previous works focus on transcriptional activation of ecdysone production; however, little is known about the mechanism of switching off ecdysone biosynthesis after ecdysis. Here, we showed that the precursor microRNA-14 (pre-miR-14) encodes two mature miRNAs in silkworm; both of these two mature miRNAs regulate various genes in the ecdysone-signalling pathway. Bmo-miR-14-5p targets on nine genes whereas Bmo-miR-14-3p targets on two genes in the same pathway. These two mature miRNAs increased immediately after the ecdysis, efficiently suppressing the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) biosynthesis, the upstream regulation, and the downstream response genes. Knocking down either of two mature miRNAs or both of them delays moult development, impairing development synchrony in antagomir-treated groups. In addition, overexpressing Bmo-miR-14-5p but not Bmo-miR-14-3p significantly affected the 20E titer and increased the moulting time variation, suggesting that Bmo-miR-14-5p, though it is less abundant, has more potent effects in development regulation than Bmo-miR-14-3p. In summary, we present evidence that a pre-miRNA encodes two mature miRNAs targeting on the same pathway, which significantly improves miRNA regulation efficiencies to programmatically switch off ecdysone biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang He
- a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , China
| | - Huamei Xiao
- b College of Life Sciences and Resource Environment, Yichun University , Yichun , China.,c Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University , Nanjing , China
| | - Yang Sun
- c Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University , Nanjing , China.,d Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Science , Nanchang , China
| | - Gongming Situ
- c Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University , Nanjing , China
| | - Yu Xi
- e Agricultural Genomes Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Shenzhen , China
| | - Fei Li
- a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , China
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53
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Gao X, Xie XJ, Hsu FN, Li X, Liu M, Hemba-Waduge RUS, Xu W, Ji JY. CDK8 mediates the dietary effects on developmental transition in Drosophila. Dev Biol 2018; 444:62-70. [PMID: 30352217 PMCID: PMC6263851 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors, such as diet and lifestyle, defines the initiation and progression of multifactorial diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and neurological disorders. Given that most of the studies have been performed in controlled experimental settings to ensure the consistency and reproducibility, the impacts of environmental factors, such as dietary perturbation, on the development of animals with different genotypes and the pathogenesis of these diseases remain poorly understood. By analyzing the cdk8 and cyclin C (cycC) mutant larvae in Drosophila, we have previously reported that the CDK8-CycC complex coordinately regulates lipogenesis by repressing dSREBP (sterol regulatory element-binding protein)-activated transcription and developmental timing by activating EcR (ecdysone receptor)-dependent gene expression. Here we report that dietary nutrients, particularly proteins and carbohydrates, modulate the developmental timing through the CDK8/CycC/EcR pathway. We observed that cdk8 and cycC mutants are sensitive to the levels of dietary proteins and seven amino acids (arginine, glutamine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, threonine, and valine). Those mutants are also sensitive to dietary carbohydrates, and they are more sensitive to monosaccharides than disaccharides. These results suggest that CDK8-CycC mediates the dietary effects on lipid metabolism and developmental timing in Drosophila larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinsheng Gao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xiao-Jun Xie
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Fu-Ning Hsu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xiao Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Mengmeng Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | | | - Wu Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
| | - Jun-Yuan Ji
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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54
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Das S, Vraspir L, Zhou W, Durica DS, Mykles DL. Transcriptomic analysis of differentially expressed genes in the molting gland (Y-organ) of the blackback land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis, during molt-cycle stage transitions. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2018; 28:37-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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55
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Kamsoi O, Belles X. Myoglianin triggers the premetamorphosis stage in hemimetabolan insects. FASEB J 2018; 33:3659-3669. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.201801511r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Orathai Kamsoi
- Institute of Evolutionary BiologySpanish National Research Council (CSIC)Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
| | - Xavier Belles
- Institute of Evolutionary BiologySpanish National Research Council (CSIC)Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
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56
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Setiawan L, Pan X, Woods AL, O'Connor MB, Hariharan IK. The BMP2/4 ortholog Dpp can function as an inter-organ signal that regulates developmental timing. Life Sci Alliance 2018; 1:e201800216. [PMID: 30515478 PMCID: PMC6243201 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201800216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased local trapping of morphogens within tissues as they grow would reduce circulating levels and can therefore provide a systemic readout of the status of their growth and maturation. Developmental transitions are often triggered by a neuroendocrine axis and can be contingent upon multiple organs achieving sufficient growth and maturation. How the neurodendocrine axis senses the size and maturity of peripheral organs is not known. In Drosophila larvae, metamorphosis is triggered by a sharp increase in the level of the steroid hormone ecdysone, secreted by the prothoracic gland (PG). Here, we show that the BMP2/4 ortholog Dpp can function as a systemic signal to regulate developmental timing. Dpp from peripheral tissues, mostly imaginal discs, can reach the PG and inhibit ecdysone biosynthesis. As the discs grow, reduced Dpp signaling in the PG is observed, consistent with the possibility that Dpp functions in a checkpoint mechanism that prevents metamorphosis when growth is insufficient. Indeed, upon starvation early in the third larval instar, reducing Dpp signaling in the PG abrogates the critical-weight checkpoint which normally prevents pupariation under these conditions. We suggest that increased local trapping of morphogen within tissues as they grow would reduce circulating levels and hence provide a systemic readout of their growth status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Setiawan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Xueyang Pan
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Alexis L Woods
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Iswar K Hariharan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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57
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Song W, Ghosh AC, Cheng D, Perrimon N. Endocrine Regulation of Energy Balance by Drosophila TGF-β/Activins. Bioessays 2018; 40:e1800044. [PMID: 30264417 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201800044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) family of secreted proteins regulates a variety of key events in normal development and physiology. In mammals, this family, represented by 33 ligands, including TGF-β, activins, nodal, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and growth and differentiation factors (GDFs), regulate biological processes as diverse as cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, metabolism, homeostasis, immune response, wound repair, and endocrine functions. In Drosophila, only 7 members of this family are present, with 4 TGF-β/BMP and 3 TGF-β/activin ligands. Studies in the fly have illustrated the role of TGF-β/BMP ligands during embryogenesis and organ patterning, while the TGF-β/activin ligands have been implicated in the control of wing growth and neuronal functions. In this review, we focus on the emerging roles of Drosophila TGF-β/activins in inter-organ communication via long-distance regulation, especially in systemic lipid and carbohydrate homeostasis, and discuss findings relevant to metabolic diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Song
- Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Room 1612, Hubei Province, Wuhan 430071, P.R. China.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Ave Louis Pasteur, NRB 339, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Arpan C Ghosh
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Ave Louis Pasteur, NRB 339, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Daojun Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Ave Louis Pasteur, NRB 339, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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58
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TGF-β and BMP signals regulate insect diapause through Smad1-POU-TFAM pathway. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2018; 1865:1239-1249. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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59
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Zeng J, Kamiyama T, Niwa R, King-Jones K. The Drosophila CCR4-NOT complex is required for cholesterol homeostasis and steroid hormone synthesis. Dev Biol 2018; 443:10-18. [PMID: 30149007 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
CCR4-NOT is a highly conserved protein complex that regulates gene expression at multiple levels. In yeast, CCR4-NOT functions in transcriptional initiation, heterochromatin formation, mRNA deadenylation and other processes. The range of functions for Drosophila CCR4-NOT is less clear, except for a well-established role as a deadenylase for maternal mRNAs during early embryogenesis. We report here that CCR4-NOT has an essential function in the Drosophila prothoracic gland (PG), a tissue that predominantly produces the steroid hormone ecdysone. Interfering with the expression of the CCR4-NOT components twin, Pop2, Not1, and Not3 in a PG-specific manner resulted in larval arrest and a failure to initiate metamorphosis. Transcriptome analysis of PG-specific Pop2-RNAi samples revealed that Pop2 is required for the normal expression of ecdysone biosynthetic gene spookier (spok) as well as cholesterol homeostasis genes of the NPC2 family. Interestingly, dietary supplementation with ecdysone and its various sterol precursors showed that 7-dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol completely rescued the larval arrest phenotype, allowing Pop2-RNAi animals to reach pupal stage, and, to a low degree, even survival to adulthood, while the biologically active hormone, 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E), was significantly less effective. Also, we present genetic evidence that CCR4-NOT has a nuclear function where CCR4-NOT-depleted cells exhibit aberrant chromatin and nucleoli structures. In summary, our findings indicate that the Drosophila CCR4-NOT complex has essential roles in the PG, where it is required for Drosophila steroid hormone production and cholesterol homeostasis, and likely has functions beyond a mere mRNA deadenylase in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zeng
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Takumi Kamiyama
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Kirst King-Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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60
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Moulos P, Alexandratos A, Nellas I, Dedos SG. Refining a steroidogenic model: an analysis of RNA-seq datasets from insect prothoracic glands. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:537. [PMID: 30005604 PMCID: PMC6045881 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4896-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prothoracic gland (PG), the principal steroidogenic organ of insects, has been proposed as a model for steroid hormone biosynthesis and regulation. RESULTS To validate the robustness of the model, we present an analysis of accumulated transcriptomic data from PGs of two model species, Drosophila melanogaster and Bombyx mori. We identify that the common core components of the model in both species are encoded by nine genes. Five of these are Halloween genes whose expression differs substantially between the PGs of these species. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the PGs can be a model for steroid hormone synthesis and regulation within the context of mitochondrial cholesterol transport and steroid biosynthesis but beyond these core mechanisms, gene expression in insect PGs is too diverse to fit in a context-specific model and should be analysed within a species-specific framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Moulos
- HybridStat Predictive Analytics, Aiolou 19, 10551 Athens, Greece
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center ‘Alexander Fleming’, Fleming 34, 16672 Vari, Greece
| | | | - Ioannis Nellas
- Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
| | - Skarlatos G. Dedos
- Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
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61
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Dpp regulates autophagy-dependent midgut removal and signals to block ecdysone production. Cell Death Differ 2018; 26:763-778. [PMID: 29959404 PMCID: PMC6460390 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-018-0154-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal development and homeostasis require the programmed removal of cells. Autophagy-dependent cell deletion is a unique form of cell death often involved in bulk degradation of tissues. In Drosophila the steroid hormone ecdysone controls developmental transitions and triggers the autophagy-dependent removal of the obsolete larval midgut. The production of ecdysone is exquisitely coordinated with signals from numerous organ systems to mediate the correct timing of such developmental programs. Here we report an unexpected role for the Drosophila bone morphogenetic protein/transforming growth factor β ligand, Decapentaplegic (Dpp), in the regulation of ecdysone-mediated midgut degradation. We show that blocking Dpp signaling induces premature autophagy, rapid cell death, and midgut degradation, whereas sustained Dpp signaling inhibits autophagy induction. Furthermore, Dpp signaling in the midgut prevents the expression of ecdysone responsive genes and impairs ecdysone production in the prothoracic gland. We propose that Dpp has dual roles: one within the midgut to prevent improper tissue degradation, and one in interorgan communication to coordinate ecdysone biosynthesis and developmental timing.
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62
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Shyamal S, Das S, Guruacharya A, Mykles DL, Durica DS. Transcriptomic analysis of crustacean molting gland (Y-organ) regulation via the mTOR signaling pathway. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7307. [PMID: 29743490 PMCID: PMC5943448 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25368-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The intermolt crustacean Y-organ (YO) maintains a basal state mediated by pulsatile release of molt inhibiting hormone (MIH), a neuropeptide produced in the eyestalk ganglia, inhibiting YO ecdysteroidogenesis. Reduction of MIH results in YO activation and the animal enters premolt. In the crab, Gecarcinus lateralis, molting was induced by eyestalk ablation (ESA). ESA animals were injected with either rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, or DMSO vehicle at Day 0. YOs were harvested at 1, 3, and 7 days post-ESA and processed for high throughput RNA sequencing. ESA-induced increases in mRNA levels of mTOR signaling genes (e.g., mTOR, Rheb, TSC1/2, Raptor, Akt, and S6 kinase) declined following rapamycin treatment. In concert with mTOR inhibition, mRNA levels of ecdysteroid biosynthesis genes (e.g., Nvd, Spo, Sad, Dib, and Phm) were decreased and accompanied by a decrease in hemolymph ecdysteroid titer. By contrast, rapamycin increased the mRNA level of FKBP12, the rapamycin-binding protein, as well as the mRNA levels of genes associated with Wnt and insulin-like growth factor signaling pathways. Many MIH and transforming growth factor-β signaling genes were down regulated in ESA animals. These results indicate that mTOR activity either directly or indirectly controls transcription of genes that drive activation of the YO.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Shyamal
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA
| | - S Das
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, USA
| | - A Guruacharya
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA
| | - D L Mykles
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, USA
| | - D S Durica
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA.
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63
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Langerak S, Kim MJ, Lamberg H, Godinez M, Main M, Winslow L, O'Connor MB, Zhu CC. The Drosophila TGF-beta/Activin-like ligands Dawdle and Myoglianin appear to modulate adult lifespan through regulation of 26S proteasome function in adult muscle. Biol Open 2018; 7:bio.029454. [PMID: 29615416 PMCID: PMC5936056 DOI: 10.1242/bio.029454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila Activin signaling pathway employs at least three separate ligands – Activin-β (Actβ), Dawdle (Daw), and Myoglianin (Myo) – to regulate several general aspects of fruit fly larval development, including cell proliferation, neuronal remodeling, and metabolism. Here we provide experimental evidence indicating that both Daw and Myo are anti-ageing factors in adult fruit flies. Knockdown of Myo or Daw in adult fruit flies reduced mean lifespan, while overexpression of either ligand in adult muscle tissues but not in adipose tissues enhanced mean lifespan. An examination of ubiquitinated protein aggregates in adult muscles revealed a strong inverse correlation between Myo- or Daw-initiated Activin signaling and the amount of ubiquitinated protein aggregates. We show that this correlation has important functional implications by demonstrating that the lifespan extension effect caused by overexpression of wild-type Daw or Myo in adult muscle tissues can be completely abrogated by knockdown of a 26S proteasome regulatory subunit Rpn1 in adult fly muscle, and that the prolonged lifespan caused by overexpression of Daw or Myo in adult muscle could be due to enhanced protein levels of the key subunits of 26S proteasome. Overall, our data suggest that Activin signaling initiated by Myo and Daw in adult Drosophila muscles influences lifespan, in part, by modulation of protein homeostasis through either direct or indirect regulation of the 26S proteasome levels. Since Myo is closely related to the vertebrate muscle mass regulator Myostatin (GDF8) and the Myostatin paralog GDF11, our observations may offer a new experimental model for probing the roles of GDF11/8 in ageing regulation in vertebrates. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: This article has, for the first time, demonstrated that fruit fly TGF-beta, or Activin-type ligand Daw, or Myo-initiated Activin signaling in adult fruit fly muscle tissues works as an anti-ageing factor by regulating 26S proteasome activities in those tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaughna Langerak
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA
| | - Myung-Jun Kim
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Hannah Lamberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA
| | - Michael Godinez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA
| | - Mackenzie Main
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA
| | - Lindsey Winslow
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Changqi C Zhu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA
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64
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Sandlund L, Kongshaug H, Nilsen F, Dalvin S. Molecular characterization and functional analysis of components of the TOR pathway of the salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer, 1838). Exp Parasitol 2018; 188:83-92. [PMID: 29625096 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Copepods, Caligida) is a marine ectoparasite infecting salmonid fishes in the northern hemisphere. At present, salmon lice infections are the most severe disease problem in the salmon farming industry causing significant economic losses. Due to development of resistance towards available chemotherapeutants, it is clear that new chemotherapeutants or non-chemical control methods are essential to manage the parasite in the future. The TOR signaling pathway is present in all metazoans and is a major regulator of cellular activity according to nutrient availability. In this study, we identified the TOR pathway genes in salmon louse; LsTSC1, LsTSC2, LsRheb, LsTOR, LsRaptor and LsRictor. RNA interference mediated gene silencing was performed to elucidate the functional role of each member of the pathway. Our results show that interference of the TOR signaling pathway either directly or indirectly inhibits many biological processes including egg maturation. In addition, the effect of gene knock-down results in more comprehensive physiological defects when targeting TORC1 and the upstream regulator Rheb. This is the first report on the TOR pathway in the salmon louse and that our research contributes to the basic knowledge of the parasite that could lead to development of novel treatment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liv Sandlund
- SLRC-Sea Lice Research Center, Institute of Marine Research, 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Heidi Kongshaug
- SLRC-Sea Lice Research Center, Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt. 55, 5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Frank Nilsen
- SLRC-Sea Lice Research Center, Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt. 55, 5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Sussie Dalvin
- SLRC-Sea Lice Research Center, Institute of Marine Research, 5817 Bergen, Norway.
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65
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Shimell M, Pan X, Martin FA, Ghosh AC, Leopold P, O'Connor MB, Romero NM. Prothoracicotropic hormone modulates environmental adaptive plasticity through the control of developmental timing. Development 2018; 145:dev.159699. [PMID: 29467242 DOI: 10.1242/dev.159699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Adult size and fitness are controlled by a combination of genetics and environmental cues. In Drosophila, growth is confined to the larval phase and final body size is impacted by the duration of this phase, which is under neuroendocrine control. The neuropeptide prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) has been proposed to play a central role in controlling the length of the larval phase through regulation of ecdysone production, a steroid hormone that initiates larval molting and metamorphosis. Here, we test this by examining the consequences of null mutations in the Ptth gene for Drosophila development. Loss of Ptth causes several developmental defects, including a delay in developmental timing, increase in critical weight, loss of coordination between body and imaginal disc growth, and reduced adult survival in suboptimal environmental conditions such as nutritional deprivation or high population density. These defects are caused by a decrease in ecdysone production associated with altered transcription of ecdysone biosynthetic genes. Therefore, the PTTH signal contributes to coordination between environmental cues and the developmental program to ensure individual fitness and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- MaryJane Shimell
- Department of Genetics Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Xueyang Pan
- Department of Genetics Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Francisco A Martin
- University Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, Institute of Biology Valrose, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice, France.,Cajal Institute, Av Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Arpan C Ghosh
- Department of Genetics Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Pierre Leopold
- University Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, Institute of Biology Valrose, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Nuria M Romero
- University Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, Institute of Biology Valrose, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice, France
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66
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Gruntenko NE, Rauschenbach IY. The role of insulin signalling in the endocrine stress response in Drosophila melanogaster: A mini-review. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 258:134-139. [PMID: 28554733 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The endocrine stress response in Drosophila includes catecholamines, juvenile hormone (JH), 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signalling pathway (IIS). Several changes in the IIS and hormonal status that occur under unfavourable conditions are universal and do not depend on the nature of stress exposure. The reviewed studies on the impact of different element of the Drosophila IIS, such as insulin-like receptor, the homologue of its substrate, CHICO, the transcription factor dFOXO and insulin like peptide 6, on the hormonal status suggest that the IIS controls catecholamine metabolism indirectly via JH, and there is a feedback loop in the interaction of JH and IIS. Moreover, at least one of the ways in which the IIS is involved in the control of stress resistance is mediated through JH/dopamine signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- N E Gruntenko
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia.
| | - I Yu Rauschenbach
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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67
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Roy A, George S, Palli SR. Multiple functions of CREB-binding protein during postembryonic development: identification of target genes. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:996. [PMID: 29284404 PMCID: PMC5747157 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4373-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Juvenile hormones (JH) and ecdysteroids control postembryonic development in insects. They serve as valuable targets for pest management. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanisms of their action is of crucial importance. CREB-binding protein (CBP) is a universal transcriptional co-regulator. It controls the expression of several genes including those from hormone signaling pathways through co-activation of many transcription factors. However, the role of CBP during postembryonic development in insects is not well understood. Therefore, we have studied the role of CBP in postembryonic development in Tribolium, a model coleopteran insect. Results CBP is ubiquitously expressed in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. RNA interference (RNAi) mediated knockdown of CBP resulted in a decrease in JH induction of Kr-h1 gene expression in Tribolium larvae and led to a block in their development. Moreover, the injection of CBP double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) showed lethal phenotypes within 8 days of injection. RNA-seq and subsequent differential gene expression analysis identified CBP target genes in Tribolium. Knockdown of CBP caused a decrease in the expression of 1306 genes coding for transcription factors and other proteins associated with growth and development. Depletion of CBP impaired the expression of several JH response genes (e.g., Kr-h1, Hairy, early trypsin) and ecdysone response genes (EcR, E74, E75, and broad complex). Further, GO enrichment analyses of the downregulated genes showed enrichment in different functions including developmental processes, pigmentation, anatomical structure development, regulation of biological and cellular processes, etc. Conclusion These data suggest diverse but crucial roles for CBP during postembryonic development in the coleopteran model insect, Tribolium. It can serve as a target for RNAi mediated pest management of this stored product pest. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4373-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Roy
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA.,Present address, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, EXTEMIT-K, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 1176, Prague 6, 165 21, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Smitha George
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA.
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68
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Ricigliano VA, Fitz W, Copeland DC, Mott BM, Maes P, Floyd AS, Dockstader A, Anderson KE. The impact of pollen consumption on honey bee (Apis mellifera) digestive physiology and carbohydrate metabolism. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 96:1-8. [PMID: 28833462 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Carbohydrate-active enzymes play an important role in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) due to its dietary specialization on plant-based nutrition. Secretory glycoside hydrolases (GHs) produced in worker head glands aid in the processing of floral nectar into honey and are expressed in accordance with age-based division of labor. Pollen utilization by the honey bee has been investigated in considerable detail, but little is known about the metabolic fate of indigestible carbohydrates and glycosides in pollen biomass. Here, we demonstrate that pollen consumption stimulates the hydrolysis of sugars that are toxic to the bee (xylose, arabinose, mannose). GHs produced in the head accumulate in the midgut and persist in the hindgut that harbors a core microbial community composed of approximately 108 bacterial cells. Pollen consumption significantly impacted total and specific bacterial abundance in the digestive tract. Bacterial isolates representing major fermentative gut phylotypes exhibited primarily membrane-bound GH activities that may function in tandem with soluble host enzymes retained in the hindgut. Additionally, we found that plant-originating β-galactosidase activity in pollen may be sufficient, in some cases, for probable physiological activity in the gut. These findings emphasize the potential relative contributions of host, bacteria, and pollen enzyme activities to carbohydrate breakdown, which may be tied to gut microbiome dynamics and associated host nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William Fitz
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Brendon M Mott
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Patrick Maes
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Amy S Floyd
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Kirk E Anderson
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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69
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Hara C, Morishita K, Takayanagi-Kiya S, Mikami A, Uchino K, Sakurai T, Kanzaki R, Sezutsu H, Iwami M, Kiya T. Refinement of ectopic protein expression through the GAL4/UAS system in Bombyx mori: application to behavioral and developmental studies. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11795. [PMID: 28924263 PMCID: PMC5603595 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12102-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Silkmoth, Bombyx mori, is one of the important model insects in which transgenic techniques and the GAL4/UAS system are applicable. However, due to cytotoxicity and low transactivation activity of GAL4, effectiveness of the GAL4/UAS system and its application in B. mori are still limited. In the present study, we refined the previously reported UAS vector by exploiting transcriptional and translational enhancers, and achieved 200-fold enhancement of reporter GFP fluorescence in the GAL4/UAS system. Enhanced protein expression of membrane-targeted GFP and calcium indicator protein (GCaMP5G) drastically improved visualization of fine neurite structures and neural activity, respectively. Also, with the refined system, we generated a transgenic strain that expresses tetanus toxin light chain (TeTxLC), which blocks synaptic transmission, under the control of GAL4. Ectopic TeTxLC expression in the sex pheromone receptor neurons inhibited male courtship behavior, proving effectiveness of TeTxLC on loss-of-function analyses of neural circuits. In addition, suppression of prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) or insulin-like peptide (bombyxin) secretion impaired developmental timing and growth rate, respectively. Furthermore, we revealed that larval growth is sex-differentially regulated by these peptide hormones. The present study provides important technical underpinnings of transgenic approaches in silkmoths and insights into mechanisms of postembryonic development in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiho Hara
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Koudai Morishita
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Seika Takayanagi-Kiya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Akihisa Mikami
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan
| | - Keiro Uchino
- Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Takeshi Sakurai
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan
| | - Ryohei Kanzaki
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan
| | - Hideki Sezutsu
- Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Masafumi Iwami
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Taketoshi Kiya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan.
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70
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Upadhyay A, Moss-Taylor L, Kim MJ, Ghosh AC, O'Connor MB. TGF-β Family Signaling in Drosophila. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2017; 9:cshperspect.a022152. [PMID: 28130362 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a022152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family signaling pathway is conserved and ubiquitous in animals. In Drosophila, fewer representatives of each signaling component are present compared with vertebrates, simplifying mechanistic study of the pathway. Although there are fewer family members, the TGF-β family pathway still regulates multiple and diverse functions in Drosophila. In this review, we focus our attention on several of the classic and best-studied functions for TGF-β family signaling in regulating Drosophila developmental processes such as embryonic and imaginal disc patterning, but we also describe several recently discovered roles in regulating hormonal, physiological, neuronal, innate immunity, and tissue homeostatic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambuj Upadhyay
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Lindsay Moss-Taylor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Myung-Jun Kim
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Arpan C Ghosh
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
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Regulation of Drosophila hematopoietic sites by Activin-β from active sensory neurons. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15990. [PMID: 28748922 PMCID: PMC5537569 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An outstanding question in animal development, tissue homeostasis and disease is how cell populations adapt to sensory inputs. During Drosophila larval development, hematopoietic sites are in direct contact with sensory neuron clusters of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), and blood cells (hemocytes) require the PNS for their survival and recruitment to these microenvironments, known as Hematopoietic Pockets. Here we report that Activin-β, a TGF-β family ligand, is expressed by sensory neurons of the PNS and regulates the proliferation and adhesion of hemocytes. These hemocyte responses depend on PNS activity, as shown by agonist treatment and transient silencing of sensory neurons. Activin-β has a key role in this regulation, which is apparent from reporter expression and mutant analyses. This mechanism of local sensory neurons controlling blood cell adaptation invites evolutionary parallels with vertebrate hematopoietic progenitors and the independent myeloid system of tissue macrophages, whose regulation by local microenvironments remain undefined.
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72
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Activin signaling mediates muscle-to-adipose communication in a mitochondria dysfunction-associated obesity model. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:8596-8601. [PMID: 28739899 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1708037114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction has been associated with obesity and metabolic disorders. However, whether mitochondrial perturbation in a single tissue influences mitochondrial function and metabolic status of another distal tissue remains largely unknown. We analyzed the nonautonomous role of muscular mitochondrial dysfunction in Drosophila Surprisingly, impaired muscle mitochondrial function via complex I perturbation results in simultaneous mitochondrial dysfunction in the fat body (the fly adipose tissue) and subsequent triglyceride accumulation, the major characteristic of obesity. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis, in the context of muscle mitochondrial dysfunction, revealed that target genes of the TGF-β signaling pathway were induced in the fat body. Strikingly, expression of the TGF-β family ligand, Activin-β (Actβ), was dramatically increased in the muscles by NF-κB/Relish (Rel) signaling in response to mitochondrial perturbation, and decreasing Actβ expression in mitochondrial-perturbed muscles rescued both the fat body mitochondrial dysfunction and obesity phenotypes. Thus, perturbation of muscle mitochondrial activity regulates mitochondrial function in the fat body nonautonomously via modulation of Activin signaling.
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73
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A Drosophila Genome-Wide Screen Identifies Regulators of Steroid Hormone Production and Developmental Timing. Dev Cell 2017; 37:558-70. [PMID: 27326933 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2016.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones control important developmental processes and are linked to many diseases. To systematically identify genes and pathways required for steroid production, we performed a Drosophila genome-wide in vivo RNAi screen and identified 1,906 genes with potential roles in steroidogenesis and developmental timing. Here, we use our screen as a resource to identify mechanisms regulating intracellular levels of cholesterol, a substrate for steroidogenesis. We identify a conserved fatty acid elongase that underlies a mechanism that adjusts cholesterol trafficking and steroidogenesis with nutrition and developmental programs. In addition, we demonstrate the existence of an autophagosomal cholesterol mobilization mechanism and show that activation of this system rescues Niemann-Pick type C1 deficiency that causes a disorder characterized by cholesterol accumulation. These cholesterol-trafficking mechanisms are regulated by TOR and feedback signaling that couples steroidogenesis with growth and ensures proper maturation timing. These results reveal genes regulating steroidogenesis during development that likely modulate disease mechanisms.
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74
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Imura E, Yoshinari Y, Shimada-Niwa Y, Niwa R. Protocols for Visualizing Steroidogenic Organs and Their Interactive Organs with Immunostaining in the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 28448012 DOI: 10.3791/55519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In multicellular organisms, a small group of cells is endowed with a specialized function in their biogenic activity, inducing a systemic response to growth and reproduction. In insects, the larval prothoracic gland (PG) and the adult female ovary play essential roles in biosynthesizing the principal steroid hormones called ecdysteroids. These ecdysteroidogenic organs are innervated from the nervous system, through which the timing of biosynthesis is affected by environmental cues. Here we describe a protocol for visualizing ecdysteroidogenic organs and their interactive organs in larvae and adults of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which provides a suitable model system for studying steroid hormone biosynthesis and its regulatory mechanism. Skillful dissection allows us to maintain the positions of ecdysteroidogenic organs and their interactive organs including the brain, the ventral nerve cord, and other tissues. Immunostaining with antibodies against ecdysteroidogenic enzymes, along with transgenic fluorescence proteins driven by tissue-specific promoters, are available to label ecdysteroidogenic cells. Moreover, the innervations of the ecdysteroidogenic organs can also be labeled by specific antibodies or a collection of GAL4 drivers in various types of neurons. Therefore, the ecdysteroidogenic organs and their neuronal connections can be visualized simultaneously by immunostaining and transgenic techniques. Finally, we describe how to visualize germline stem cells, whose proliferation and maintenance are controlled by ecdysteroids. This method contributes to comprehensive understanding of steroid hormone biosynthesis and its neuronal regulatory mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eisuke Imura
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba
| | - Yuto Yoshinari
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba
| | - Yuko Shimada-Niwa
- Life Science Center of Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba;
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba;
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75
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A Search for Genes Mediating the Growth-Promoting Function of TGFβ in the Drosophila melanogaster Wing Disc. Genetics 2017; 206:231-249. [PMID: 28315837 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.197228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) signaling has a complex influence on cell proliferation, acting to stop cell division in differentiating cells, but also promoting cell division in immature cells. The activity of the pathway in Drosophila is mostly required to stimulate the proliferation of neural and epithelial tissues. Most interestingly, this function is not absolutely required for cell division, but it is needed for these tissues to reach their correct size. It is not known how TGFβ signaling promotes cell division in imaginal discs, or what the interactions between TGFβ activity and other signaling pathways regulating cell proliferation are. In this work, we have explored the disc autonomous function of TGFβ that promotes wing imaginal disc growth. We have studied the genetic interactions between TGFβ signaling and other pathways regulating wing disc growth, such as the Insulin and Hippo/Salvador/Warts pathways, as well as cell cycle regulators. We have also identified a collection of TGFβ candidate target genes affecting imaginal growth using expression profiles. These candidates correspond to genes participating in the regulation of a variety of biochemical processes, including different aspects of cell metabolism, suggesting that TGFβ could affect cell proliferation by regulating the metabolic fitness of imaginal cells.
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76
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Transcriptome Analysis of Drosophila melanogaster Third Instar Larval Ring Glands Points to Novel Functions and Uncovers a Cytochrome p450 Required for Development. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2017; 7:467-479. [PMID: 27974438 PMCID: PMC5295594 DOI: 10.1534/g3.116.037333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster larvae, the ring gland (RG) is a control center that orchestrates major developmental transitions. It is a composite organ, consisting of the prothoracic gland, the corpus allatum, and the corpora cardiaca, each of which synthesizes and secretes a different hormone. Until now, the RG’s broader developmental roles beyond endocrine secretion have not been explored. RNA sequencing and analysis of a new transcriptome resource from D. melanogaster wandering third instar larval RGs has provided a fascinating insight into the diversity of developmental signaling in this organ. We have found strong enrichment of expression of two gene pathways not previously associated with the RG: immune response and fatty acid metabolism. We have also uncovered strong expression for many uncharacterized genes. Additionally, RNA interference against RG-enriched cytochrome p450s Cyp6u1 and Cyp6g2 produced a lethal ecdysone deficiency and a juvenile hormone deficiency, respectively, flagging a critical role for these genes in hormone synthesis. This transcriptome provides a valuable new resource for investigation of roles played by the RG in governing insect development.
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77
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Song W, Cheng D, Hong S, Sappe B, Hu Y, Wei N, Zhu C, O'Connor MB, Pissios P, Perrimon N. Midgut-Derived Activin Regulates Glucagon-like Action in the Fat Body and Glycemic Control. Cell Metab 2017; 25:386-399. [PMID: 28178568 PMCID: PMC5373560 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
While high-caloric diet impairs insulin response to cause hyperglycemia, whether and how counter-regulatory hormones are modulated by high-caloric diet is largely unknown. We find that enhanced response of Drosophila adipokinetic hormone (AKH, the glucagon homolog) in the fat body is essential for hyperglycemia associated with a chronic high-sugar diet. We show that the activin type I receptor Baboon (Babo) autonomously increases AKH signaling without affecting insulin signaling in the fat body via, at least, increase of Akh receptor (AkhR) expression. Further, we demonstrate that Activin-β (Actβ), an activin ligand predominantly produced in the enteroendocrine cells (EEs) of the midgut, is upregulated by chronic high-sugar diet and signals through Babo to promote AKH action in the fat body, leading to hyperglycemia. Importantly, activin signaling in mouse primary hepatocytes also increases glucagon response and glucagon-induced glucose production, indicating a conserved role for activin in enhancing AKH/glucagon signaling and glycemic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Song
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Daojun Cheng
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shangyu Hong
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Benoit Sappe
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yanhui Hu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Neil Wei
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Changqi Zhu
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Pavlos Pissios
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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79
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Moulos P, Samiotaki M, Panayotou G, Dedos SG. Combinatory annotation of cell membrane receptors and signalling pathways of Bombyx mori prothoracic glands. Sci Data 2016; 3:160073. [PMID: 27576083 PMCID: PMC5004587 DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2016.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The cells of prothoracic glands (PG) are the main site of synthesis and secretion of ecdysteroids, the biochemical products of cholesterol conversion to steroids that shape the morphogenic development of insects. Despite the availability of genome sequences from several insect species and the extensive knowledge of certain signalling pathways that underpin ecdysteroidogenesis, the spectrum of signalling molecules and ecdysteroidogenic cascades is still not fully comprehensive. To fill this gap and obtain the complete list of cell membrane receptors expressed in PG cells, we used combinatory bioinformatic, proteomic and transcriptomic analysis and quantitative PCR to annotate and determine the expression profiles of genes identified as putative cell membrane receptors of the model insect species, Bombyx mori, and subsequently enrich the repertoire of signalling pathways that are present in its PG cells. The genome annotation dataset we report here highlights modules and pathways that may be directly involved in ecdysteroidogenesis and aims to disseminate data and assist other researchers in the discovery of the role of such receptors and their ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Moulos
- HybridStat Predictive Analytics, Aiolou 19, Athens 10551, Greece
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center ‘Alexander Fleming’, Fleming 34, Vari 16672, Greece
| | - Martina Samiotaki
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center ‘Alexander Fleming’, Fleming 34, Vari 16672, Greece
| | - George Panayotou
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center ‘Alexander Fleming’, Fleming 34, Vari 16672, Greece
| | - Skarlatos G. Dedos
- Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15784, Greece
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80
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Di Cara F, King-Jones K. The Circadian Clock Is a Key Driver of Steroid Hormone Production in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2016; 26:2469-2477. [PMID: 27546572 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Biological clocks allow organisms to anticipate daily environmental changes such as temperature fluctuations, abundance of daylight, and nutrient availability. Many circadian-controlled physiological states are coordinated by the release of systemically acting hormones, including steroids and insulin [1-7]. Thus, hormones relay circadian outputs to target tissues, and disrupting these endocrine rhythms impairs human health by affecting sleep patterns, energy homeostasis, and immune functions [8-10]. It is largely unclear, however, whether circadian circuits control hormone levels indirectly via central timekeeping neurons or whether peripheral endocrine clocks can modulate hormone synthesis directly. We show here that perturbing the circadian clock, specifically in the major steroid hormone-producing gland of Drosophila, the prothoracic gland (PG), unexpectedly blocks larval development due to an inability to produce sufficient steroids. This is surprising, because classic circadian null mutants are viable and result in arrhythmic adults [4, 11-14]. We found that Timeless and Period, both core components of the insect clock [15], are required for transcriptional upregulation of steroid hormone-producing enzymes. Timeless couples the circadian machinery directly to the two canonical pathways that regulate steroid synthesis in insects, insulin and PTTH signaling [16], respectively. Activating insulin signaling directly modulates Timeless function, suggesting that the local clock in the PG is normally synced with systemic insulin cues. Because both PTTH and systemic insulin signaling are themselves under circadian control, we conclude that de-synchronization of a local endocrine clock with external circadian cues is the primary cause for steroid production to fail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Di Cara
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, 5-19 Medical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Kirst King-Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, G-504 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada.
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81
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Roles of mechanistic target of rapamycin and transforming growth factor-β signaling in the molting gland (Y-organ) of the blackback land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2016; 198:15-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2016.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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82
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Santos CG, Fernandez-Nicolas A, Belles X. Smads and insect hemimetabolan metamorphosis. Dev Biol 2016; 417:104-13. [PMID: 27452629 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In contrast with Drosophila melanogaster, practically nothing is known about the involvement of the TGF-β signaling pathway in the metamorphosis of hemimetabolan insects. To partially fill this gap, we have studied the role of Smad factors in the metamorphosis of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. In D. melanogaster, Mad is the canonical R-Smad of the BMP branch of the TGF-β signaling pathway, Smox is the canonical R-Smad of the TGF-β/Activin branch and Medea participates in both branches. In insects, metamorphosis is regulated by the MEKRE93 pathway, which starts with juvenile hormone (JH), whose signal is transduced by Methoprene-tolerant (Met), which stimulates the expression of Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) that acts to repress E93, the metamorphosis trigger. In B. germanica, metamorphosis is determined at the beginning of the sixth (final) nymphal instar (N6), when JH production ceases, the expression of Kr-h1 declines, and the transcription of E93 begins to increase. The RNAi of Mad, Smox and Medea in N6 of B. germanica reveals that the BMP branch of the TGF-β signaling pathway regulates adult ecdysis and wing extension, mainly through regulating the expression of bursicon, whereas the TGF-β/Activin branch contributes to increasing E93 and decreasing Kr-h1 at the beginning of N6, crucial for triggering adult morphogenesis, as well as to regulating the imaginal molt timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina G Santos
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Fernandez-Nicolas
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Belles
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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83
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Ameku T, Niwa R. Mating-Induced Increase in Germline Stem Cells via the Neuroendocrine System in Female Drosophila. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006123. [PMID: 27310920 PMCID: PMC4911108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating and gametogenesis are two essential components of animal reproduction. Gametogenesis must be modulated by the need for gametes, yet little is known of how mating, a process that utilizes gametes, may modulate the process of gametogenesis. Here, we report that mating stimulates female germline stem cell (GSC) proliferation in Drosophila melanogaster. Mating-induced increase in GSC number is not simply owing to the indirect effect of emission of stored eggs, but rather is stimulated by a male-derived Sex Peptide (SP) and its receptor SPR, the components of a canonical neuronal pathway that induces a post-mating behavioral switch in females. We show that ecdysteroid, the major insect steroid hormone, regulates mating-induced GSC proliferation independently of insulin signaling. Ovarian ecdysteroid level increases after mating and transmits its signal directly through the ecdysone receptor expressed in the ovarian niche to increase the number of GSCs. Impairment of ovarian ecdysteroid biosynthesis disrupts mating-induced increase in GSCs as well as egg production. Importantly, feeding of ecdysteroid rescues the decrease in GSC number caused by impairment of neuronal SP signaling. Our study illustrates how female GSC activity is coordinately regulated by the neuroendocrine system to sustain reproductive success in response to mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomotsune Ameku
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
- * E-mail:
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84
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Van Bortle K, Peterson AJ, Takenaka N, O'Connor MB, Corces VG. CTCF-dependent co-localization of canonical Smad signaling factors at architectural protein binding sites in D. melanogaster. Cell Cycle 2016; 14:2677-87. [PMID: 26125535 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2015.1053670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathways transduce extracellular signals into tissue-specific transcriptional responses. During this process, signaling effector Smad proteins translocate into the nucleus to direct changes in transcription, but how and where they localize to DNA remain important questions. We have mapped Drosophila TGF-β signaling factors Mad, dSmad2, Medea, and Schnurri genome-wide in Kc cells and find that numerous sites for these factors overlap with the architectural protein CTCF. Depletion of CTCF by RNAi results in the disappearance of a subset of Smad sites, suggesting Smad proteins localize to CTCF binding sites in a CTCF-dependent manner. Sensitive Smad binding sites are enriched at low occupancy CTCF peaks within topological domains, rather than at the physical domain boundaries where CTCF may function as an insulator. In response to Decapentaplegic, CTCF binding is not significantly altered, whereas Mad, Medea, and Schnurri are redirected from CTCF to non-CTCF binding sites. These results suggest that CTCF participates in the recruitment of Smad proteins to a subset of genomic sites and in the redistribution of these proteins in response to BMP signaling.
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85
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TGF-β signaling in insects regulates metamorphosis via juvenile hormone biosynthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:5634-9. [PMID: 27140602 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1600612113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although butterflies undergo a dramatic morphological transformation from larva to adult via a pupal stage (holometamorphosis), crickets undergo a metamorphosis from nymph to adult without formation of a pupa (hemimetamorphosis). Despite these differences, both processes are regulated by common mechanisms that involve 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and juvenile hormone (JH). JH regulates many aspects of insect physiology, such as development, reproduction, diapause, and metamorphosis. Consequently, strict regulation of JH levels is crucial throughout an insect's life cycle. However, it remains unclear how JH synthesis is regulated. Here, we report that in the corpora allata of the cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, Myoglianin (Gb'Myo), a homolog of Drosophila Myoglianin/vertebrate GDF8/11, is involved in the down-regulation of JH production by suppressing the expression of a gene encoding JH acid O-methyltransferase, Gb'jhamt In contrast, JH production is up-regulated by Decapentaplegic (Gb'Dpp) and Glass-bottom boat/60A (Gb'Gbb) signaling that occurs as part of the transcriptional activation of Gb'jhamt Gb'Myo defines the nature of each developmental transition by regulating JH titer and the interactions between JH and 20E. When Gb'myo expression is suppressed, the activation of Gb'jhamt expression and secretion of 20E induce molting, thereby leading to the next instar before the last nymphal instar. Conversely, high Gb'myo expression induces metamorphosis during the last nymphal instar through the cessation of JH synthesis. Gb'myo also regulates final insect size. Because Myo/GDF8/11 and Dpp/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)2/4-Gbb/BMP5-8 are conserved in both invertebrates and vertebrates, the present findings provide common regulatory mechanisms for endocrine control of animal development.
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86
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Reassessing ecdysteroidogenic cells from the cell membrane receptors' perspective. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20229. [PMID: 26847502 PMCID: PMC4742824 DOI: 10.1038/srep20229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ecdysteroids secreted by the prothoracic gland (PG) cells of insects control the
developmental timing of their immature life stages. These cells have been
historically considered as carrying out a single function in insects, namely the
biochemical conversion of cholesterol to ecdysteroids and their secretion. A growing
body of evidence shows that PG cells receive multiple cues during insect development
so we tested the hypothesis that they carry out more than just one function in
insects. We characterised the molecular nature and developmental profiles of cell
membrane receptors in PG cells of Bombyx mori during the final larval stage
and determined what receptors decode nutritional, developmental and physiological
signals. Through iterative approaches we identified a complex repertoire of cell
membrane receptors that are expressed in intricate patterns and activate previously
unidentified signal transduction cascades in PG cells. The expression patterns of
some of these receptors explain precisely the mechanisms that are known to control
ecdysteroidogenesis. However, the presence of receptors for the notch, hedgehog and
wingless signalling pathways and the expression of innate immunity-related receptors
such as phagocytosis receptors, receptors for microbial ligands and Toll-like
receptors call for a re-evaluation of the role these cells play in insects.
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87
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Niwa YS, Niwa R. Transcriptional regulation of insect steroid hormone biosynthesis and its role in controlling timing of molting and metamorphosis. Dev Growth Differ 2016; 58:94-105. [PMID: 26667894 PMCID: PMC11520982 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The developmental transition from juvenile to adult is often accompanied by many systemic changes in morphology, metabolism, and reproduction. Curiously, both mammalian puberty and insect metamorphosis are triggered by a pulse of steroid hormones, which can harmonize gene expression profiles in the body and thus orchestrate drastic biological changes. However, understanding of how the timing of steroid hormone biosynthesis is regulated at the molecular level is poor. The principal insect steroid hormone, ecdysteroid, is biosynthesized from dietary cholesterol in the specialized endocrine organ called the prothoracic gland. The periodic pulses of ecdysteroid titers determine the timing of molting and metamorphosis. To date, at least nine families of ecdysteroidogenic enzyme genes have been identified. Expression levels of these genes correlate well with ecdysteroid titers, indicating that the transcriptional regulatory network plays a critical role in regulating the ecdysteroid biosynthesis pathway. In this article, we summarize the transcriptional regulation of ecdysteroid biosynthesis. We first describe the development of prothoracic gland cells during Drosophila embryogenesis, and then provide an overview of the transcription factors that act in ecdysteroid biosynthesis and signaling. We also discuss the external signaling pathways that target these transcriptional regulators. Furthermore, we describe conserved and/or diverse aspects of steroid hormone biosynthesis in insect species as well as vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko S Niwa
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Honcho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi, 332-0012, Saitama, Japan
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88
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Valzania L, Ono H, Ignesti M, Cavaliere V, Bernardi F, Gamberi C, Lasko P, Gargiulo G. Drosophila 4EHP is essential for the larval-pupal transition and required in the prothoracic gland for ecdysone biosynthesis. Dev Biol 2015; 410:14-23. [PMID: 26721418 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Maternal expression of the translational regulator 4EHP (eIF4E-Homologous Protein) has an established role in generating protein gradients essential for specifying the Drosophila embryonic pattern. We generated a null mutation of 4EHP, which revealed for the first time that it is essential for viability and for completion of development. In fact, 4EHP null larvae, and larvae ubiquitously expressing RNAi targeting 4EHP, are developmentally delayed, fail to grow and eventually die. In addition, we found that expressing RNAi that targets 4EHP specifically in the prothoracic gland disrupted ecdysone biosynthesis, causing a block of the transition from the larval to pupal stages. This phenotype can be rescued by dietary administration of ecdysone. Consistent with this, 4EHP is highly expressed in the prothoracic gland and it is required for wild type expression levels of steroidogenic enzymes. Taken together, these results uncover a novel essential function for 4EHP in regulating ecdysone biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Valzania
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna, Via Selmi 3, Bologna, Italy
| | - Hajime Ono
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Marilena Ignesti
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna, Via Selmi 3, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Cavaliere
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna, Via Selmi 3, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Bernardi
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna, Via Selmi 3, Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Gamberi
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 0B1; Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4B 1R6.
| | - Paul Lasko
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 0B1.
| | - Giuseppe Gargiulo
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna, Via Selmi 3, Bologna, Italy.
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89
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Fernandez-Nicolas A, Belles X. CREB-binding protein contributes to the regulation of endocrine and developmental pathways in insect hemimetabolan pre-metamorphosis. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2015; 1860:508-15. [PMID: 26706852 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2015.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CREB-binding protein (CBP) is a promiscuous transcriptional co-regulator. In insects, CBP has been studied in the fly Drosophila melanogaster, where it is known as Nejire. Studies in D. melanogaster have revealed that Nejire is involved in the regulation of many pathways during embryo development, especially in anterior/posterior polarity, through Hedgehog and Wingless signaling, and in dorsal/ventral patterning, through TGF-ß signaling. Regarding post-embryonic development, Nejire influences histone acetyl transferase activity on the ecdysone signaling pathway. METHODS AND RESULTS Functional genomics studies using RNAi have shown that CBP contributes to the regulation of feeding and ecdysis during the pre-metamorphic nymphal instar of the cockroach Blattella germanica and is involved in TGF-ß, ecdysone, and MEKRE93 pathways, contributing to the activation of Kr-h1 and E93 expression. In D. melanogaster, Nejire's involvement in the ecdysone pathway in pre-metamorphic stages is conserved, whereas the TGF-ß pathway has only been described in the embryo. CBP role in ecdysis pathway and in the activation of Kr-h1 and E93 expression is described here for the first time. CONCLUSIONS Studies in D. melanogaster may have been suggestive that CBP functions in insects are concentrated in the embryo. Results obtained in B. germanica indicate, however, that CBP have diverse and important functions in post-embryonic development and metamorphosis, especially regarding endocrine signaling. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Further research into a higher diversity of models will probably reveal that the multiple post-embryonic roles of CBP observed in B. germanica are general in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fernandez-Nicolas
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Belles
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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90
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Komura-Kawa T, Hirota K, Shimada-Niwa Y, Yamauchi R, Shimell M, Shinoda T, Fukamizu A, O’Connor MB, Niwa R. The Drosophila Zinc Finger Transcription Factor Ouija Board Controls Ecdysteroid Biosynthesis through Specific Regulation of spookier. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005712. [PMID: 26658797 PMCID: PMC4684333 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormones are crucial for many biological events in multicellular organisms. In insects, the principal steroid hormones are ecdysteroids, which play essential roles in regulating molting and metamorphosis. During larval and pupal development, ecdysteroids are synthesized in the prothoracic gland (PG) from dietary cholesterol via a series of hydroxylation and oxidation steps. The expression of all but one of the known ecdysteroid biosynthetic enzymes is restricted to the PG, but the transcriptional regulatory networks responsible for generating such exquisite tissue-specific regulation is only beginning to be elucidated. Here, we report identification and characterization of the C2H2-type zinc finger transcription factor Ouija board (Ouib) necessary for ecdysteroid production in the PG in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Expression of ouib is predominantly limited to the PG, and genetic null mutants of ouib result in larval developmental arrest that can be rescued by administrating an active ecdysteroid. Interestingly, ouib mutant animals exhibit a strong reduction in the expression of one ecdysteroid biosynthetic enzyme, spookier. Using a cell culture-based luciferase reporter assay, Ouib protein stimulates transcription of spok by binding to a specific ~15 bp response element in the spok PG enhancer element. Most remarkable, the developmental arrest phenotype of ouib mutants is rescued by over-expression of a functionally-equivalent paralog of spookier. These observations imply that the main biological function of Ouib is to specifically regulate spookier transcription during Drosophila development. Steroid hormones are crucial for development and reproduction in multicellular organisms. The spatially-restricted expression of almost all steroid biosynthesis genes is key to the specialization of steroid producing cells. In the last decade, insects have become the focus for research on the biosynthesis of the principal steroid hormones, ecdysteroids. However, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling the ecdysteroid biosynthesis genes are largely unknown. Here we show that a novel zinc finger transcription factor Ouija board (Ouib) is essential for activating the expression of one ecdysteroid biosynthesis gene, spookier, in the ecdysteroid producing cells. Ouib is the first invertebrate transcription factor that is predominantly expressed in the steroidogenic organs and essential for development via inducing expression of the steroidogenic gene. In addition, this is the first report showing the catalytic step-specific control of steroid hormone biosynthesis through transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Komura-Kawa
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Keiko Hirota
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yuko Shimada-Niwa
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Rieko Yamauchi
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - MaryJane Shimell
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Tetsuro Shinoda
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Fukamizu
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Life Science Center, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Michael B. O’Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Ryusuke Niwa
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
- * E-mail:
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91
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Das S, Pitts NL, Mudron MR, Durica DS, Mykles DL. Transcriptome analysis of the molting gland (Y-organ) from the blackback land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2015; 17:26-40. [PMID: 26689334 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In decapod crustaceans, arthropod steroid hormones or ecdysteroids regulate molting. These hormones are synthesized and released from a pair of molting glands called the Y-organs (YO). Cyclic nucleotide, mTOR, and TGFβ/Smad signaling pathways mediate molt cycle-dependent phase transitions in the YO. To further identify the genes involved in the regulation of molting, a YO transcriptome was generated from three biological replicates of intermolt blackback land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis. Illumina sequencing of cDNA libraries generated 227,811,829 100-base pair (bp) paired-end reads; following trimming, 90% of the reads were used for further analyses. The trimmed reads were assembled de novo using Trinity software to generate 288,673 contigs with a mean length of 872 bp and a median length of 1842 bp. Redundancy among contig sequences was reduced by CD-HIT-EST, and the output constituted the baseline transcriptome database. Using Bowtie2, 92% to 93% of the reads were mapped back to the transcriptome. Individual contigs were annotated using BLAST, HMMER, TMHMM, SignalP, and Trinotate, resulting in assignments of 20% of the contigs. Functional and pathway annotations were carried out via gene ontology (GO) and KEGG orthology (KO) analyses; 58% and 44% of the contigs with BLASTx hits were assigned to GO and KO terms, respectively. The gene expression profile was similar to a crayfish YO transcriptome database, and the relative abundance of each contig was highly correlated among the three G. lateralis replicates. Signal transduction pathway orthologs were well represented, including those in the mTOR, TGFβ, cyclic nucleotide, MAP kinase, calcium, VEGF, phosphatidylinositol, ErbB, Wnt, Hedgehog, Jak-STAT, and Notch pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunetra Das
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Natalie L Pitts
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Megan R Mudron
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - David S Durica
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Donald L Mykles
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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92
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Boulan L, Milán M, Léopold P. The Systemic Control of Growth. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2015; 7:cshperspect.a019117. [PMID: 26261282 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a019117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Growth is a complex process that is intimately linked to the developmental program to form adults with proper size and proportions. Genetics is an important determinant of growth, as exemplified by the role of local diffusible molecules setting up organ proportions. In addition, organisms use adaptive responses allowing modulating the size of individuals according to environmental cues, for example, nutrition. Here, we describe some of the physiological principles participating in the determination of final individual size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Boulan
- University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06108 Nice, France CNRS, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06108 Nice, France INSERM, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Marco Milán
- 5ICREA, Parc Cientific de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pierre Léopold
- University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06108 Nice, France CNRS, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06108 Nice, France INSERM, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06108 Nice, France
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93
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Meng M, Cheng DJ, Peng J, Qian WL, Li JR, Dai DD, Zhang TL, Xia QY. The homeodomain transcription factors antennapedia and POU-M2 regulate the transcription of the steroidogenic enzyme gene Phantom in the silkworm. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:24438-52. [PMID: 26253172 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.651810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The steroid hormone ecdysone, which controls insect molting and metamorphosis, is synthesized in the prothoracic gland (PG), and several steroidogenic enzymes that are expressed specifically in the PG are involved in ecdysteroidogenesis. In this study, we identified new regulators that are involved in the transcriptional control of the silkworm steroidogenic enzyme genes. In silico analysis predicted several potential cis-regulatory elements (CREs) for the homeodomain transcription factors Antennapedia (Antp) and POU-M2 in the proximal promoters of steroidogenic enzyme genes. Antp and POU-M2 are expressed dynamically in the PG during larval development, and their overexpression in silkworm embryo-derived (BmE) cells induced the expression of steroidogenic enzyme genes. Importantly, luciferase reporter analyses, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that Antp and POU-M2 promote the transcription of the silkworm steroidogenic enzyme gene Phantom (Phm) by binding directly to specific motifs within overlapping CREs in the Phm promoter. Mutations of these CREs in the Phm promoter suppressed the transcriptional activities of both Antp and POU-M2 in BmE cells and decreased the activities of mutated Phm promoters in the silkworm PG. In addition, pulldown and co-immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that Antp can interact with POU-M2. Moreover, RNA interference-mediated down-regulation of either Antp or POU-M2 during silkworm wandering not only decreased the ecdysone titer but also led to the failure of metamorphosis. In summary, our results suggest that Antp and POU-M2 coordinate the transcription of the silkworm Phm gene directly, indicating new roles for homeodomain proteins in regulating insect ecdysteroidogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Meng
- From the State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology and the Key Sericultural Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dao-Jun Cheng
- From the State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology and the Key Sericultural Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jian Peng
- From the State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology and the Key Sericultural Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Wen-Liang Qian
- From the State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology and the Key Sericultural Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jia-Rui Li
- From the State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology and the Key Sericultural Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dan-Dan Dai
- From the State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology and the Key Sericultural Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Tian-Lei Zhang
- From the State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology and the Key Sericultural Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qing-You Xia
- From the State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology and the Key Sericultural Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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94
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Huan P, Wang H, Liu B. A Label-Free Proteomic Analysis on Competent Larvae and Juveniles of the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135008. [PMID: 26247880 PMCID: PMC4527670 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Current understandings on the molecular mechanisms underlying bivalve metamorphosis are still fragmentary, and a comprehensive description is required. In this study, using a large-scale label-free proteomic approach, we described and compared the proteomes of competent larvae (CL) and juveniles (JU) of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas. A total of 788 proteins were identified: 392 in the CL proteome and 636 in the JU proteome. Gene Ontology analysis of the proteome from each sample revealed active metabolic processes in both stages. Further quantitative analyses revealed 117 proteins that were differentially expressed between the two samples. These proteins were divided into eight groups: cytoskeleton and cell adhesion, protein synthesis and degradation, immunity and stress response, development of particular tissues, signal regulation, metabolism and energy supply, transport, and other proteins. A certification experiment using real-time PCR assay confirmed 20 of 30 examined genes exhibited the same trends at the mRNA and protein levels. The differentially expressed proteins may play roles in tissue remodeling, signal transduction, and organ development during and after metamorphosis. Novel roles were proposed for some differentially expressed proteins, such as chymotrypsin. The results of this work provide an overview of metamorphosis and post-metamorphosis development of C. gigas at the protein level. Future studies on the functions of the differentially expressed proteins will help to obtain a more in-depth understanding of bivalve metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin Huan
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongxia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Baozhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- * E-mail:
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95
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Xie XJ, Hsu FN, Gao X, Xu W, Ni JQ, Xing Y, Huang L, Hsiao HC, Zheng H, Wang C, Zheng Y, Xiaoli AM, Yang F, Bondos SE, Ji JY. CDK8-Cyclin C Mediates Nutritional Regulation of Developmental Transitions through the Ecdysone Receptor in Drosophila. PLoS Biol 2015. [PMID: 26222308 PMCID: PMC4519132 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The steroid hormone ecdysone and its receptor (EcR) play critical roles in orchestrating developmental transitions in arthropods. However, the mechanism by which EcR integrates nutritional and developmental cues to correctly activate transcription remains poorly understood. Here, we show that EcR-dependent transcription, and thus, developmental timing in Drosophila, is regulated by CDK8 and its regulatory partner Cyclin C (CycC), and the level of CDK8 is affected by nutrient availability. We observed that cdk8 and cycC mutants resemble EcR mutants and EcR-target genes are systematically down-regulated in both mutants. Indeed, the ability of the EcR-Ultraspiracle (USP) heterodimer to bind to polytene chromosomes and the promoters of EcR target genes is also diminished. Mass spectrometry analysis of proteins that co-immunoprecipitate with EcR and USP identified multiple Mediator subunits, including CDK8 and CycC. Consistently, CDK8-CycC interacts with EcR-USP in vivo; in particular, CDK8 and Med14 can directly interact with the AF1 domain of EcR. These results suggest that CDK8-CycC may serve as transcriptional cofactors for EcR-dependent transcription. During the larval–pupal transition, the levels of CDK8 protein positively correlate with EcR and USP levels, but inversely correlate with the activity of sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP), the master regulator of intracellular lipid homeostasis. Likewise, starvation of early third instar larvae precociously increases the levels of CDK8, EcR and USP, yet down-regulates SREBP activity. Conversely, refeeding the starved larvae strongly reduces CDK8 levels but increases SREBP activity. Importantly, these changes correlate with the timing for the larval–pupal transition. Taken together, these results suggest that CDK8-CycC links nutrient intake to developmental transitions (EcR activity) and fat metabolism (SREBP activity) during the larval–pupal transition. During the larval-pupal transition in Drosophila, CDK8-CycC helps to link nutrient intake to development by activating ecdysone receptor-dependent transcription and to fat metabolism by inhibiting SREBP-activated gene expression. Arthropods are estimated to account for over 80% of animal species on earth. Characterized by their rigid exoskeletons, juvenile arthropods must periodically shed their thick outer cuticles by molting in order to grow. The steroid hormone ecdysone plays an essential role in regulating the timing of developmental transitions, but exactly how ecdysone and its receptor EcR activates transcription correctly after integrating nutritional and developmental cues remains unknown. Our developmental genetic analyses of two Drosophila mutants, cdk8 and cycC, show that they are lethal during the prepupal stage, with aberrant accumulation of fat and a severely delayed larval–pupal transition. As we have reported previously, CDK8-CycC inhibits fat accumulation by directly inactivating SREBP, a master transcription factor that controls the expression of lipogenic genes, which explains the abnormal fat accumulation in the cdk8 and cycC mutants. We find that CDK8 and CycC are required for EcR to bind to its target genes, serving as transcriptional cofactors for EcR-dependent gene expression. The expression of EcR target genes is compromised in cdk8 and cycC mutants and underpins the retarded pupariation phenotype. Starvation of feeding larvae precociously up-regulates CDK8 and EcR, prematurely down-regulates SREBP activity, and leads to early pupariation, whereas re-feeding starved larvae has opposite effects. Taken together, these results suggest that CDK8 and CycC play important roles in coordinating nutrition intake with fat metabolism by directly inhibiting SREBP-dependent gene expression and regulating developmental timing by activating EcR-dependent transcription in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jun Xie
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Fu-Ning Hsu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Xinsheng Gao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Wu Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Jian-Quan Ni
- Gene Regulatory Laboratory, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Xing
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Liying Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Hao-Ching Hsiao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Haiyan Zheng
- Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Chenguang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tianjin Radiation and Molecular Nuclear Medicine; Institute of Radiation Medicine, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Yani Zheng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Alus M. Xiaoli
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes Research and Training Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Fajun Yang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes Research and Training Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Sarah E. Bondos
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jun-Yuan Ji
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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96
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Fresán U, Cuartero S, O'Connor MB, Espinàs ML. The insulator protein CTCF regulates Drosophila steroidogenesis. Biol Open 2015; 4:852-7. [PMID: 25979705 PMCID: PMC4571099 DOI: 10.1242/bio.012344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The steroid hormone ecdysone is a central regulator of insect development. In this report we show that CTCF expression in the prothoracic gland is required for full transcriptional activation of the Halloween genes spookier, shadow and noppera-bo, which encode ecdysone biosynthetic enzymes, and for proper timing of ecdysone-responsive gene expression. Loss of CTCF results in delayed and less synchronized larval development that can only be rescued by feeding larvae with both, the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone and cholesterol. Moreover, CTCF-knockdown in prothoracic gland cells leads to increased lipid accumulation. In conclusion, the insulator protein CTCF is required for Halloween gene expression and cholesterol homeostasis in ecdysone-producing cells controlling steroidogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ujué Fresán
- Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona, IBMB-CSIC, and Institute for Research in Biomedicine IRB, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Sergi Cuartero
- Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona, IBMB-CSIC, and Institute for Research in Biomedicine IRB, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Michael B O'Connor
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - M Lluisa Espinàs
- Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona, IBMB-CSIC, and Institute for Research in Biomedicine IRB, Barcelona 08028, Spain Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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97
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Wang D, Peng T, Yu Y, Liu CL, Zhu BJ. Smad nuclear interacting protein, SNIP1, mediates the ecdysteroid signal transduction in red crayfishProcambarus clarkii. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:128-36. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Revised: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daojun Wang
- College of Life Sciences; Anhui Agricultural University; Hefei P.R. China
| | - Tao Peng
- College of Life Sciences; Anhui Agricultural University; Hefei P.R. China
| | - Yingying Yu
- College of Life Sciences; Anhui Agricultural University; Hefei P.R. China
| | - Chao-Liang Liu
- College of Life Sciences; Anhui Agricultural University; Hefei P.R. China
| | - Bao-Jian Zhu
- College of Life Sciences; Anhui Agricultural University; Hefei P.R. China
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98
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Lengil T, Gancz D, Gilboa L. Activin signaling balances proliferation and differentiation of ovarian niche precursors and enables adjustment of niche numbers. Development 2015; 142:883-92. [PMID: 25633355 DOI: 10.1242/dev.113902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
How the numbers of niches and resident stem cells within a particular organ are determined during development and how they may be modulated or corrected is a question with significant medical implications. In the larval ovary of Drosophila melanogaster, somatic precursors for niches, and germ cells that will become germline stem cells, co-develop. Somatic precursors proliferate during the first 3 days of larval development. By mid-third instar, adult terminal filament (TF) (part of the germline stem cell niche) cells first appear, and differentiation terminates 24 h later when 16-20 TFs fully form. The developmental sequence responsible for TF cell determination and final TF numbers is only partially understood. We show that TF formation proceeds through several, hitherto uncharacterized stages, which include an early exit from the cell cycle to form TF precursors and two steps of cell shape change to form the mature TF cells. The Activin receptor Baboon (Babo) is required for somatic precursor cell proliferation and therefore determines the pool of TF precursors available for TF differentiation. During the final differentiation stage, Babo facilitates TF and germ cell differentiation, and promotes the accumulation of Broad-Z1, which is also a target of the steroid hormone ecdysone. Epistasis analysis shows that Activin controls cell proliferation in an ecdysone-independent manner and TF differentiation by affecting ecdysone targets. We propose that this mode of function allows Activin to balance proliferation and differentiation, and to equilibrate niche numbers. These results suggest a novel model for how niche numbers are corrected during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Lengil
- Department of Biological regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Dana Gancz
- Department of Biological regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Lilach Gilboa
- Department of Biological regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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99
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Rodenfels J, Lavrynenko O, Ayciriex S, Sampaio JL, Carvalho M, Shevchenko A, Eaton S. Production of systemically circulating Hedgehog by the intestine couples nutrition to growth and development. Genes Dev 2015; 28:2636-51. [PMID: 25452274 PMCID: PMC4248294 DOI: 10.1101/gad.249763.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Rodenfels et al. show that the Drosophila intestine responds to nutrient availability by regulating production of a circulating lipoprotein-associated form of Hedgehog (Hh). Levels of circulating Hh tune the rates of growth and developmental timing in a coordinated fashion. Circulating Hh is especially important during starvation, when it is also required for mobilization of fat body triacylglycerol stores. In Drosophila larvae, growth and developmental timing are regulated by nutrition in a tightly coordinated fashion. The networks that couple these processes are far from understood. Here, we show that the intestine responds to nutrient availability by regulating production of a circulating lipoprotein-associated form of the signaling protein Hedgehog (Hh). Levels of circulating Hh tune the rates of growth and developmental timing in a coordinated fashion. Circulating Hh signals to the fat body to control larval growth. It regulates developmental timing by controlling ecdysteroid production in the prothoracic gland. Circulating Hh is especially important during starvation, when it is also required for mobilization of fat body triacylglycerol (TAG) stores. Thus, we demonstrate that Hh, previously known only for its local morphogenetic functions, also acts as a lipoprotein-associated endocrine hormone, coordinating the response of multiple tissues to nutrient availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Rodenfels
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Oksana Lavrynenko
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sophie Ayciriex
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Julio L Sampaio
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Maria Carvalho
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andrej Shevchenko
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Suzanne Eaton
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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100
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Autocrine regulation of ecdysone synthesis by β3-octopamine receptor in the prothoracic gland is essential for Drosophila metamorphosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:1452-7. [PMID: 25605909 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1414966112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila, pulsed production of the steroid hormone ecdysone plays a pivotal role in developmental transitions such as metamorphosis. Ecdysone production is regulated in the prothoracic gland (PG) by prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) and insulin-like peptides (Ilps). Here, we show that monoaminergic autocrine regulation of ecdysone biosynthesis in the PG is essential for metamorphosis. PG-specific knockdown of a monoamine G protein-coupled receptor, β3-octopamine receptor (Octβ3R), resulted in arrested metamorphosis due to lack of ecdysone. Knockdown of tyramine biosynthesis genes expressed in the PG caused similar defects in ecdysone production and metamorphosis. Moreover, PTTH and Ilps signaling were impaired by Octβ3R knockdown in the PG, and activation of these signaling pathways rescued the defect in metamorphosis. Thus, monoaminergic autocrine signaling in the PG regulates ecdysone biogenesis in a coordinated fashion on activation by PTTH and Ilps. We propose that monoaminergic autocrine signaling acts downstream of a body size checkpoint that allows metamorphosis to occur when nutrients are sufficiently abundant.
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