Three consecutive generations of nephridia occur during development of Platynereis dumerilii (Annelida, Polychaeta)

A Fast And Versatile Method for Simultaneous HCR, Immunohistochemistry And Edu Labeling (SHInE)

Access to newer, fast, and cheap sequencing techniques, particularly on the single-cell level, have made transcriptomic data of tissues or single cells accessible to many researchers. As a consequence, there is an increased need for in situ visualization of gene expression or encoded proteins to validate, localize, or help interpret such sequencing data, as well as put them in context with cellular proliferation. A particular challenge for labeling and imaging transcripts are complex tissues that are often opaque and/or pigmented, preventing easy visual inspection. Here, we introduce a versatile protocol that combines in situ hybridization chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and proliferative cell labeling using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, and demonstrate its compatibility with tissue clearing. As a proof-of-concept, we show that our protocol allows for the parallel analysis of cell proliferation, gene expression, and protein localization in bristleworm heads and trunks.

Animal evolution: Of flame and collar cells

Nephridia are small excretory organs that function in waste disposal and osmoregulation in a wide range of animals but differ in type and germ-layer origin. A new comparison of gene expression in disparate species supports homology of nephridia across bilaterian animals, and their origin from ciliated epidermal cells.

Whole-body integration of gene expression and single-cell morphology

Animal bodies are composed of cell types with unique expression programs that implement their distinct locations, shapes, structures, and functions. Based on these properties, cell types assemble into specific tissues and organs. To systematically explore the link between cell-type-specific gene expression and morphology, we registered an expression atlas to a whole-body electron microscopy volume of the nereid Platynereis dumerilii. Automated segmentation of cells and nuclei identifies major cell classes and establishes a link between gene activation, chromatin topography, and nuclear size. Clustering of segmented cells according to gene expression reveals spatially coherent tissues. In the brain, genetically defined groups of neurons match ganglionic nuclei with coherent projections. Besides interneurons, we uncover sensory-neurosecretory cells in the nereid mushroom bodies, which thus qualify as sensory organs. They furthermore resemble the vertebrate telencephalon by molecular anatomy. We provide an integrated browser as a Fiji plugin for remote exploration of all available multimodal datasets.

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A cellular atlas integrates gene expression and ultrastructure for an entire annelid

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Morphometry of all segmented cells, nuclei, and chromatin categorizes cell classes

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Molecular anatomy and projectome of head ganglionic nuclei and mushroom bodies

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An open-source browser for multimodal big image data exploration and analysis

Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology of Vasopressin/ Oxytocin-Type Neuropeptide Signaling in Invertebrates

The identification of structurally related hypothalamic hormones that regulate blood pressure and diuresis (vasopressin, VP; CYFQNCPRG-NH2) or lactation and uterine contraction (oxytocin, OT; CYIQNCPLG-NH2) was a major advance in neuroendocrinology, recognized in the award of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1955. Furthermore, the discovery of central actions of VP and OT as regulators of reproductive and social behavior in humans and other mammals has broadened interest in these neuropeptides beyond physiology into psychology. VP/OT-type neuropeptides and their G-protein coupled receptors originated in a common ancestor of the Bilateria (Urbilateria), with invertebrates typically having a single VP/OT-type neuropeptide and cognate receptor. Gene/genome duplications followed by gene loss gave rise to variety in the number of VP/OT-type neuropeptides and receptors in different vertebrate lineages. Recent advances in comparative transcriptomics/genomics have enabled discovery of VP/OT-type neuropeptides in an ever-growing diversity of invertebrate taxa, providing new opportunities to gain insights into the evolution of VP/OT-type neuropeptide function in the Bilateria. Here we review the comparative physiology of VP/OT-type neuropeptides in invertebrates, with roles in regulation of reproduction, feeding, and water/salt homeostasis emerging as common themes. For example, we highlight recent reports of roles in regulation of oocyte maturation in the sea-squirt Ciona intestinalis, extraoral feeding behavior in the starfish Asterias rubens and energy status and dessication resistance in ants. Thus, VP/OT-type neuropeptides are pleiotropic regulators of physiological processes, with evolutionarily conserved roles that can be traced back to Urbilateria. To gain a deeper understanding of the evolution of VP/OT-type neuropeptide function it may be necessary to not only determine the actions of the peptides but also to characterize the transcriptomic/proteomic/metabolomic profiles of cells expressing VP/OT-type precursors and/or VP/OT-type receptors within the framework of anatomically and functionally identified neuronal networks. Furthermore, investigation of VP/OT-type neuropeptide function in a wider range of invertebrate species is now needed if we are to determine how and when this ancient signaling system was recruited to regulate diverse physiological and behavioral processes in different branches of animal phylogeny and in contrasting environmental contexts.

Wnt/β-catenin signalling is necessary for gut differentiation in a marine annelid, Platynereis dumerilii

Background

Wnt/β-catenin (or canonical) signalling pathway activity is necessary and used independently several times for specification of vegetal fate and endoderm, gut differentiation, maintenance of epithelium in adult intestine and the development of gut-derived organs in various vertebrate and non-vertebrate organisms. However, its conservation in later stages of digestive tract development still remains questionable due to the lack of detailed data, mainly from Spiralia.

Results

Here we characterize the Pdu-Tcf gene, a Tcf/LEF orthologue and a component of Wnt/β-catenin pathway from Platynereis dumerilii, a spiralian, marine annelid worm. Pdu-Tcf undergoes extensive alternative splicing in the C-terminal region of the gene generating as many as eight mRNA isoforms some of which differ in the presence or absence of a C-clamp domain which suggests a distinct DNA binding activity of individual protein variants. Pdu-Tcf is broadly expressed throughout development which is indicative of many functions. One of the most prominent domains that exhibits rather strong Pdu-Tcf expression is in the putative precursors of endodermal gut cells which are detected after 72 h post-fertilization (hpf). At day 5 post-fertilization (dpf), Pdu-Tcf is expressed in the hindgut and pharynx (foregut), whereas at 7 dpf stage, it is strongly transcribed in the now-cellularized midgut for the first time. In order to gain insight into the role of Wnt/β-catenin signalling, we disrupted its activity using pharmacological inhibitors between day 5 and 7 of development. The inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signalling led to the loss of midgut marker genes Subtilisin-1, Subtilisin-2, α-Amylase and Otx along with a drop in β-catenin protein levels, Axin expression in the gut and nearly the complete loss of proliferative activity throughout the body of larva. At the same time, a hindgut marker gene Legumain was expanded to the midgut compartment under the same conditions.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that high Wnt/β-catenin signalling in the midgut might be necessary for proper differentiation of the endoderm to an epithelium capable of secreting digestive enzymes. Together, our data provide evidence for the role of Wnt/β-catenin signalling in gut differentiation in Platynereis.

Identification and characterization of a twist ortholog in the polychaete annelid Platynereis dumerilii reveals mesodermal expression of Pdu-twist

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor twist plays a key role during mesoderm development in Bilateria. In this study, we identified a twist ortholog in the polychaete annelid Platynereis dumerilii and analyze its expression during larval development, postlarval growth up to the adult stage, and caudal regeneration after amputation of posterior segments. At late larval stages, Pdu-twist is expressed in the mesodermal anlagen and in developing muscles. During adulthood and caudal regeneration, Pdu-twist is expressed in the posterior growth zone, in mesodermal cells within the newly forming segments and budding parapodia. Our results indicate that Pdu-twist is involved in mesoderm formation during larval development, posterior growth, and caudal regeneration.

Development of the excretory system in a polyplacophoran mollusc: stages in metanephridial system development

BACKGROUND

Two types of excretory systems, protonephridia and metanephridial systems are common among bilaterians. The homology of protonephridia of lophotrochozoan taxa has been widely accepted. In contrast, the homology of metanephridial systems - including coelomic cavities as functional units - among taxa as well as the homology between the two excretory systems is a matter of ongoing discussion. This particularly concerns the molluscan kidneys, which are mostly regarded as being derived convergently to the metanephridia of e.g. annelids because of different ontogenetic origin. A reinvestigation of nephrogenesis in polyplacophorans, which carry many primitive traits within molluscs, could shed light on these questions.

RESULTS

The metanephridial system of Lepidochitona corrugata develops rapidly in the early juvenile phase. It is formed from a coelomic anlage that soon achieves endothelial organization. The pericardium and heart are formed from the central portion of the anlage. The nephridial components are formed by outgrowth from lateral differentiations of the anlage. Simultaneously with formation of the heart, podocytes appear in the atrial wall of the pericardium. In addition, renopericardial ducts, kidneys and efferent nephroducts, all showing downstream ciliation towards the internal lumen, become differentiated (specimen length: 0.62 mm). Further development consists of elongation of the kidney and reinforcement of filtration and reabsorptive structures.

CONCLUSIONS

During development and in fully formed condition the metanephridial system of Lepidochitona corrugata shares many detailed traits (cellular and overall organization) with the protonephridia of the same species. Accordingly, we suggest a serial homology of various cell types and between the two excretory systems and the organs as a whole. The formation of the metanephridial system varies significantly within Mollusca, thus the mode of formation cannot be used as a homology criterion. Because of similarities in overall organization, we conclude that the molluscan metanephridial system is homologous with that of the annelids not only at the cellular but also at the organ level.