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Marín I. Emergence of the Synucleins. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1053. [PMID: 37626939 PMCID: PMC10451939 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
This study establishes the origin and evolutionary history of the synuclein genes. A combination of phylogenetic analyses of the synucleins from twenty-two model species, characterization of local synteny similarities among humans, sharks and lampreys, and statistical comparisons among lamprey and human chromosomes, provides conclusive evidence for the current diversity of synuclein genes arising from the whole-genome duplications (WGDs) that occurred in vertebrates. An ancestral synuclein gene was duplicated in a first WGD, predating the diversification of all living vertebrates. The two resulting genes are still present in agnathan vertebrates. The second WGD, specific to the gnathostome lineage, led to the emergence of the three classical synuclein genes, SNCA, SNCB and SNCG, which are present in all jawed vertebrate lineages. Additional WGDs have added new genes in both agnathans and gnathostomes, while some gene losses have occurred in particular species. The emergence of synucleins through WGDs prevented these genes from experiencing dosage effects, thus avoiding the potential detrimental effects associated with individual duplications of genes that encode proteins prone to aggregation. Additional insights into the structural and functional features of synucleins are gained through the analysis of the highly divergent synuclein proteins present in chondrichthyans and agnathans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Marín
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IBV-CSIC), 46010 Valencia, Spain
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Bonaccorsi di Patti MC, Angiulli E, Casini A, Vaccaro R, Cioni C, Toni M. Synuclein Analysis in Adult Xenopus laevis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116058. [PMID: 35682736 PMCID: PMC9181771 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The α-, β- and γ-synucleins are small soluble proteins expressed in the nervous system of mammals and evolutionary conserved in vertebrates. After being discovered in the cartilaginous fish Torpedo californica, synucleins have been sequenced in all vertebrates, showing differences in the number of genes and splicing isoforms in different taxa. Although α-, β- and γ-synucleins share high homology in the N-terminal sequence, suggesting their evolution from a common ancestor, the three isoforms also differ in molecular characteristics, expression levels and tissue distribution. Moreover, their functions have yet to be fully understood. Great scientific interest on synucleins mainly derives from the involvement of α-synuclein in human neurodegenerative diseases, collectively named synucleinopathies, which involve the accumulation of amyloidogenic α-synuclein inclusions in neurons and glia cells. Studies on synucleinopathies can take advantage of the development of new vertebrate models other than mammals. Moreover, synuclein expression in non-mammalian vertebrates contribute to clarify the physiological role of these proteins in the evolutionary perspective. In this paper, gene expression levels of α-, β- and γ-synucleins have been analysed in the main organs of adult Xenopus laevis by qRT-PCR. Moreover, recombinant α-, β- and γ-synucleins were produced to test the specificity of commercial antibodies against α-synuclein used in Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Finally, the secondary structure of Xenopus synucleins was evaluated by circular dichroism analysis. Results indicate Xenopus as a good model for studying synucleinopathies, and provide a useful background for future studies on synuclein functions and their evolution in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisa Angiulli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.); (C.C.)
| | - Arianna Casini
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (R.V.)
| | - Rosa Vaccaro
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (R.V.)
| | - Carla Cioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.); (C.C.)
| | - Mattia Toni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.); (C.C.)
- Correspondence: (M.C.B.d.P.); (M.T.)
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Alesci A, Pergolizzi S, Lo Cascio P, Fumia A, Lauriano ER. Neuronal regeneration: Vertebrates comparative overview and new perspectives for neurodegenerative diseases. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Alesci
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences University of Messina Messina Italy
| | - Simona Pergolizzi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences University of Messina Messina Italy
| | - Patrizia Lo Cascio
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences University of Messina Messina Italy
| | - Angelo Fumia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine University of Messina Messina Italy
| | - Eugenia Rita Lauriano
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences University of Messina Messina Italy
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Lerner A. The intestinal luminal sources of α-synuclein: a gastroenterologist perspective. Nutr Rev 2021; 80:282-293. [PMID: 33942062 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is characterized by nonmotor/motor dysfunction, midbrain dopaminergic neuronal death, and α-synuclein (aSN) deposits. The current hypothesis is that aSN accumulates in the enteric nervous system to reach the brain. However, invertebrate, vertebrate, and nutritional sources of aSN reach the luminal compartment. Submitted to local amyloidogenic forces, the oligomerized proteins' cargo can be sensed and sampled by a specialized mucosal cell to be transmitted to the adjacent enteric nervous system, starting their upward journey to the brain. The present narrative review extends the current mucosal origin of Parkinson's disease, presenting the possibility that the disease starts in the intestinal lumen. If substantiated, eliminating the nutritional sources of aSN (eg, applying a vegetarian diet) might revolutionize the currently used dopaminergic pharmacologic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Lerner
- A. Lerner is with the Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
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Sahin C, Kjær L, Christensen MS, N. Pedersen J, Christiansen G, Pérez AMW, Møller IM, Enghild JJ, Pedersen JS, Larsen K, Otzen DE. α-Synucleins from Animal Species Show Low Fibrillation Propensities and Weak Oligomer Membrane Disruption. Biochemistry 2018; 57:5145-5158. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cagla Sahin
- iNANO, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Lars Kjær
- iNANO, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Jannik N. Pedersen
- iNANO, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Gunna Christiansen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 4, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Ian Max Møller
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Jan J. Enghild
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Jan S. Pedersen
- iNANO, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Knud Larsen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Daniel E. Otzen
- iNANO, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Toni M, Massimino ML, De Mario A, Angiulli E, Spisni E. Metal Dyshomeostasis and Their Pathological Role in Prion and Prion-Like Diseases: The Basis for a Nutritional Approach. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:3. [PMID: 28154522 PMCID: PMC5243831 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal ions are key elements in organisms' life acting like cofactors of many enzymes but they can also be potentially dangerous for the cell participating in redox reactions that lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Any factor inducing or limiting a metal dyshomeostasis, ROS production and cell injury may contribute to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases or play a neuroprotective action. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), also known as prion diseases, are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting the central nervous system (CNS) of human and other mammalian species. The causative agent of TSEs is believed to be the scrapie prion protein PrPSc, the β sheet-rich pathogenic isoform produced by the conformational conversion of the α-helix-rich physiological isoform PrPC. The peculiarity of PrPSc is its ability to self-propagate in exponential fashion in cells and its tendency to precipitate in insoluble and protease-resistance amyloid aggregates leading to neuronal cell death. The expression “prion-like diseases” refers to a group of neurodegenerative diseases that share some neuropathological features with prion diseases such as the involvement of proteins (α-synuclein, amyloid β, and tau) able to precipitate producing amyloid deposits following conformational change. High social impact diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's belong to prion-like diseases. Accumulating evidence suggests that the exposure to environmental metals is a risk factor for the development of prion and prion-like diseases and that metal ions can directly bind to prion and prion-like proteins affecting the amount of amyloid aggregates. The diet, source of metal ions but also of natural antioxidant and chelating agents such as polyphenols, is an aspect to take into account in addressing the issue of neurodegeneration. Epidemiological data suggest that the Mediterranean diet, based on the abundant consumption of fresh vegetables and on low intake of meat, could play a preventive or delaying role in prion and prion-like neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, metal role in the onset of prion and prion-like diseases is dealt with from a nutritional, cellular, and molecular point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Toni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University Rome, Italy
| | - Maria L Massimino
- National Research Council (CNR), Neuroscience Institute c/o Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Agnese De Mario
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Elisa Angiulli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University Rome, Italy
| | - Enzo Spisni
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna Bologna, Italy
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