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Ermanoska B, Asselbergh B, Morant L, Petrovic-Erfurth ML, Hosseinibarkooie S, Leitão-Gonçalves R, Almeida-Souza L, Bervoets S, Sun L, Lee L, Atkinson D, Khanghahi A, Tournev I, Callaerts P, Verstreken P, Yang XL, Wirth B, Rodal AA, Timmerman V, Goode BL, Godenschwege TA, Jordanova A. Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase has a noncanonical function in actin bundling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:999. [PMID: 36890170 PMCID: PMC9995517 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35908-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Dominant mutations in tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (YARS1) and six other tRNA ligases cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth peripheral neuropathy (CMT). Loss of aminoacylation is not required for their pathogenicity, suggesting a gain-of-function disease mechanism. By an unbiased genetic screen in Drosophila, we link YARS1 dysfunction to actin cytoskeleton organization. Biochemical studies uncover yet unknown actin-bundling property of YARS1 to be enhanced by a CMT mutation, leading to actin disorganization in the Drosophila nervous system, human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, and patient-derived fibroblasts. Genetic modulation of F-actin organization improves hallmark electrophysiological and morphological features in neurons of flies expressing CMT-causing YARS1 mutations. Similar beneficial effects are observed in flies expressing a neuropathy-causing glycyl-tRNA synthetase. Hence, in this work, we show that YARS1 is an evolutionary-conserved F-actin organizer which links the actin cytoskeleton to tRNA-synthetase-induced neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biljana Ermanoska
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Bob Asselbergh
- Neuromics Support Facility, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Neuromics Support Facility, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Laura Morant
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Maria-Luise Petrovic-Erfurth
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Seyyedmohsen Hosseinibarkooie
- Institute of Human Genetics; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne; Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne; University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ricardo Leitão-Gonçalves
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Frontiers Media SA, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Almeida-Souza
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, Institute of Biotechnology & Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sven Bervoets
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Litao Sun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong, China
| | - LaTasha Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
- Center for Social and Clinical Research, National Minority Quality Forum, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Derek Atkinson
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Akram Khanghahi
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Ivaylo Tournev
- Department of Neurology, Medical University-Sofia, 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Department of Cognitive Science and Psychology, New Bulgarian University, 1618, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | | | - Patrik Verstreken
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Mission Lucidity, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Xiang-Lei Yang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Brunhilde Wirth
- Institute of Human Genetics; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne; Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne; University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Avital A Rodal
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Vincent Timmerman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Bruce L Goode
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Tanja A Godenschwege
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Albena Jordanova
- Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium.
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University-Sofia, 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria.
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2
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Tsai CR, Wang Y, Jacobson A, Sankoorikkal N, Chirinos JD, Burra S, Makthal N, Kumaraswami M, Galko MJ. Pvr and distinct downstream signaling factors are required for hemocyte spreading and epidermal wound closure at Drosophila larval wound sites. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 12:6423993. [PMID: 34751396 PMCID: PMC8728012 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Tissue injury is typically accompanied by inflammation. In Drosophila melanogaster larvae, wound-induced inflammation involves adhesive capture of hemocytes at the wound surface followed by hemocyte spreading to assume a flat, lamellar morphology. The factors that mediate this cell spreading at the wound site are not known. Here, we discover a role for the platelet-derived growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor-related receptor (Pvr) and its ligand, Pvf1, in blood cell spreading at the wound site. Pvr and Pvf1 are required for spreading in vivo and in an in vitro spreading assay where spreading can be directly induced by Pvf1 application or by constitutive Pvr activation. In an effort to identify factors that act downstream of Pvr, we performed a genetic screen in which select candidates were tested to determine if they could suppress the lethality of Pvr overexpression in the larval epidermis. Some of the suppressors identified are required for epidermal wound closure (WC), another Pvr-mediated wound response, some are required for hemocyte spreading in vitro, and some are required for both. One of the downstream factors, Mask, is also required for efficient wound-induced hemocyte spreading in vivo. Our data reveal that Pvr signaling is required for wound responses in hemocytes (cell spreading) and defines distinct downstream signaling factors that are required for either epidermal WC or hemocyte spreading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Ru Tsai
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States.,Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Alec Jacobson
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Niki Sankoorikkal
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Josue D Chirinos
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Sirisha Burra
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Nishanth Makthal
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Muthiah Kumaraswami
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Michael J Galko
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, United States.,Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States.,Genetics & Epigenetics Graduate Program, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
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3
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Humanized Flies and Resources for Cross-Species Study. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1076:277-288. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-0529-0_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Wen DT, Zheng L, Ni L, Wang H, Feng Y, Zhang M. The expression of CG9940 affects the adaptation of cardiac function, mobility, and lifespan to exercise in aging Drosophila. Exp Gerontol 2016; 83:6-14. [PMID: 27448710 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The CG9940 gene, which encodes the NAD(+) synthase protein in Drosophila, is conserved in human, zebra fish, and mosquito. NAD(+) synthase is a homodimer, which catalyzes the final step in de novo nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) biosynthesis, an amide transfer from either ammonia or glutamine to nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide (NaAD). Both the CG9940 and exercise are closely relative to NAD(+) level, and NAD(+) plays important roles not only in energy metabolism and mitochondrial functions but also in aging. In our study, the expression of CG9940 was changed by UAS/GAL4 system in Drosophila. Flies were trained by a training device. Cardiac function was analyzed by M-mode traces, climbing index was measured through negative geotaxis assay, and lifespan was measured via lifespan assays. The important new findings from our present study included the following: (1) the expression of the CG9940 could affect cardiac function, mobility, and lifespan in Drosophila. Over-expression of the CG9940 gene had positive effects on Drosophila, such as enhanced aging cardiac output, reduced heart failure, delayed age-related mobility decline, and prolonged lifespan, but lower-expression of the CG9940 had negative effects on them. (2) Different expressions of the CG9940 resulted in different influences on the adaptation of cardiac function, mobility, and lifespan to exercise in aging Drosophila. Both normal-expression and over-expression of the CG9940 resulted in positive influences on the adaptation of cardiac functions, mobility, and lifespan to exercise in aging Drosophila such as exercise slowed age-related decline of cardiac function, mobility and extent of lifespan in these flies, while lower-expression of the CG9940 led to negative impacts on the adaptation of mobility and lifespan to exercise in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deng-Tai Wen
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Chang Sha 410012, Hunan, China
| | - Lan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Chang Sha 410012, Hunan, China.
| | - Liu Ni
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Chang Sha 410012, Hunan, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Chang Sha 410012, Hunan, China
| | - Yue Feng
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Chang Sha 410012, Hunan, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Chang Sha 410012, Hunan, China
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Sanhueza M, Chai A, Smith C, McCray BA, Simpson TI, Taylor JP, Pennetta G. Network analyses reveal novel aspects of ALS pathogenesis. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005107. [PMID: 25826266 PMCID: PMC4380362 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective loss of motor neurons, muscle atrophy and paralysis. Mutations in the human VAMP-associated protein B (hVAPB) cause a heterogeneous group of motor neuron diseases including ALS8. Despite extensive research, the molecular mechanisms underlying ALS pathogenesis remain largely unknown. Genetic screens for key interactors of hVAPB activity in the intact nervous system, however, represent a fundamental approach towards understanding the in vivo function of hVAPB and its role in ALS pathogenesis. Targeted expression of the disease-causing allele leads to neurodegeneration and progressive decline in motor performance when expressed in the adult Drosophila, eye or in its entire nervous system, respectively. By using these two phenotypic readouts, we carried out a systematic survey of the Drosophila genome to identify modifiers of hVAPB-induced neurotoxicity. Modifiers cluster in a diverse array of biological functions including processes and genes that have been previously linked to hVAPB function, such as proteolysis and vesicular trafficking. In addition to established mechanisms, the screen identified endocytic trafficking and genes controlling proliferation and apoptosis as potent modifiers of ALS8-mediated defects. Surprisingly, the list of modifiers was mostly enriched for proteins linked to lipid droplet biogenesis and dynamics. Computational analysis reveals that most modifiers can be linked into a complex network of interacting genes, and that the human genes homologous to the Drosophila modifiers can be assembled into an interacting network largely overlapping with that in flies. Identity markers of the endocytic process were also found to abnormally accumulate in ALS patients, further supporting the relevance of the fly data for human biology. Collectively, these results not only lead to a better understanding of hVAPB function but also point to potentially relevant targets for therapeutic intervention. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease causing loss of motor neurons and consequently a progressive deterioration of motor functions. ALS is uniformly fatal with death occurring 5 years after onset of symptoms. There is currently no effective treatment for ALS. Several mutations in a gene called hVAPB have shown that this gene is causative of a type of ALS known as ALS8. In this study we sought to identify genes and cellular processes that are involved in the toxicity conferred by the defective ALS8 allele. By using the power of Drosophila genetics, we performed a large scale genomic screen and identified a number of genes that can affect hVAPB-mediated toxicity. These modifiers cluster into functional pathways known to be involved in ALS as well as novel ones. The relevance of these modifiers and mechanisms for the human disease was confirmed by showing that the human homologues of the fly modifiers can be organized into a network that closely resembles that of the Drosophila genes. Identifying cellular processes and proteins that modulate hVAPB pathological activity can facilitate the discovery of an effective treatment for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Sanhueza
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Chai
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Colin Smith
- Academic Department of Neuropathology, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Brett A. McCray
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - T. Ian Simpson
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - J. Paul Taylor
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Giuseppa Pennetta
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Brusich DJ, Spring AM, Frank CA. A single-cross, RNA interference-based genetic tool for examining the long-term maintenance of homeostatic plasticity. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:107. [PMID: 25859184 PMCID: PMC4374470 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeostatic synaptic plasticity (HSP) helps neurons and synapses maintain physiologically appropriate levels of output. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a valuable model for studying HSP. Here we introduce a genetic tool that allows fruit fly researchers to examine the lifelong maintenance of HSP with a single cross. The tool is a fruit fly stock that combines the GAL4/UAS expression system with RNA interference (RNAi)-based knock down of a glutamate receptor subunit gene. With this stock, we uncover important new information about the maintenance of HSP. We address an open question about the role that presynaptic CaV2-type Ca2+ channels play in NMJ homeostasis. Published experiments have demonstrated that hypomorphic missense mutations in the CaV2 α1a subunit gene cacophony (cac) can impair homeostatic plasticity at the NMJ. Here we report that reducing cac expression levels by RNAi is not sufficient to impair homeostatic plasticity. The presence of wild-type channels appears to support HSP—even when total CaV2 function is severely reduced. We also conduct an RNAi- and electrophysiology-based screen to identify new factors required for sustained homeostatic signaling throughout development. We uncover novel roles in HSP for Drosophila homologs of Cysteine string protein (CSP) and Phospholipase Cβ (Plc21C). We characterize those roles through follow-up genetic tests. We discuss how CSP, Plc21C, and associated factors could modulate presynaptic CaV2 function, presynaptic Ca2+ handling, or other signaling processes crucial for sustained homeostatic regulation of NMJ function throughout development. Our findings expand the scope of signaling pathways and processes that contribute to the durable strength of the NMJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J Brusich
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ashlyn M Spring
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa Iowa City, IA, USA ; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - C Andrew Frank
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa Iowa City, IA, USA ; Interdisciplinary Programs in Genetics, Neuroscience, and MCB, University of Iowa Iowa City, IA, USA
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Hurd TR, Leblanc MG, Jones LN, DeGennaro M, Lehmann R. Genetic modifier screens to identify components of a redox-regulated cell adhesion and migration pathway. Methods Enzymol 2013; 528:197-215. [PMID: 23849867 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-405881-1.00012-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Under normal physiological conditions, cells use oxidants, particularly H2O2, for signal transduction during processes such as proliferation and migration. Though recent progress has been made in determining the precise role H2O2 plays in these processes, many gaps still remain. To further understand this, we describe the use of a dominant enhancer screen to identify novel components of a redox-regulated cell migration and adhesion pathway in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we discuss our methodology and progress as well as the benefits and limitations of applying such an approach to study redox-regulated pathways. Depending on the nature of these pathways, unbiased genetic modifier screens may prove a productive way to identify novel redox-regulated signaling components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ryan Hurd
- Department of Cell Biology, HHMI and Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine of the Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
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The Drosophila gene disruption project: progress using transposons with distinctive site specificities. Genetics 2011; 188:731-43. [PMID: 21515576 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.111.126995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 291] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila Gene Disruption Project (GDP) has created a public collection of mutant strains containing single transposon insertions associated with different genes. These strains often disrupt gene function directly, allow production of new alleles, and have many other applications for analyzing gene function. Here we describe the addition of ∼7600 new strains, which were selected from >140,000 additional P or piggyBac element integrations and 12,500 newly generated insertions of the Minos transposon. These additions nearly double the size of the collection and increase the number of tagged genes to at least 9440, approximately two-thirds of all annotated protein-coding genes. We also compare the site specificity of the three major transposons used in the project. All three elements insert only rarely within many Polycomb-regulated regions, a property that may contribute to the origin of "transposon-free regions" (TFRs) in metazoan genomes. Within other genomic regions, Minos transposes essentially at random, whereas P or piggyBac elements display distinctive hotspots and coldspots. P elements, as previously shown, have a strong preference for promoters. In contrast, piggyBac site selectivity suggests that it has evolved to reduce deleterious and increase adaptive changes in host gene expression. The propensity of Minos to integrate broadly makes possible a hybrid finishing strategy for the project that will bring >95% of Drosophila genes under experimental control within their native genomic contexts.
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Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is since decades the most important invertebrate model. With the publishing of the genome sequence, Drosophila also became a pioneer in (neuro)peptide research. Neuropeptides represent a major group of signaling molecules that outnumber all other types of neurotransmitters/modulators and hormones. By means of bioinformatics 119 (neuro)peptide precursor genes have been predicted from the Drosophila genome. Using the neuropeptidomics technology 46 neuropeptides derived from 19 of these precursors could be biochemically characterized. At the cellular level, neuropeptides usually exert their action by binding to membrane receptors, many of which belong to the family of G-protein coupled receptors or GPCRs. Such receptors are the major target for many contemporary drugs. In this chapter, we will describe the identification, localization and functional characterization of neuropeptide-receptor pairs in Drosophila melanogaster.
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Suh JM, Stenesen D, Peters JM, Inoue A, Cade A, Graff JM. An RGS-containing sorting nexin controls Drosophila lifespan. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2152. [PMID: 18478054 PMCID: PMC2359856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2008] [Accepted: 03/28/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The pursuit of eternal youth has existed for centuries and recent data indicate that fat-storing tissues control lifespan. In a D. melanogaster fat body insertional mutagenic enhancer trap screen designed to isolate genes that control longevity, we identified a regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) domain containing sorting nexin, termed snazarus (sorting nexin lazarus, snz). Flies with insertions into the 5′ UTR of snz live up to twice as long as controls. Transgenic expression of UAS-Snz from the snz Gal4 enhancer trap insertion, active in fat metabolic tissues, rescued lifespan extension. Further, the lifespan extension of snz mutants was independent of endosymbiont, e.g., Wolbachia, effects. Notably, old snz mutant flies remain active and fertile indicating that snz mutants have prolonged youthfulness, a goal of aging research. Since mammals have snz-related genes, it is possible that the functions of the snz family may be conserved to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Myoung Suh
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Drew Stenesen
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - John M. Peters
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Akiko Inoue
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Angela Cade
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jonathan M. Graff
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Grönke S, Müller G, Hirsch J, Fellert S, Andreou A, Haase T, Jäckle H, Kühnlein RP. Dual lipolytic control of body fat storage and mobilization in Drosophila. PLoS Biol 2007; 5:e137. [PMID: 17488184 PMCID: PMC1865564 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0050137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2006] [Accepted: 03/13/2007] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy homeostasis is a fundamental property of animal life, providing a genetically fixed balance between fat storage and mobilization. The importance of body fat regulation is emphasized by dysfunctions resulting in obesity and lipodystrophy in humans. Packaging of storage fat in intracellular lipid droplets, and the various molecules and mechanisms guiding storage-fat mobilization, are conserved between mammals and insects. We generated a Drosophila mutant lacking the receptor (AKHR) of the adipokinetic hormone signaling pathway, an insect lipolytic pathway related to ß-adrenergic signaling in mammals. Combined genetic, physiological, and biochemical analyses provide in vivo evidence that AKHR is as important for chronic accumulation and acute mobilization of storage fat as is the Brummer lipase, the homolog of mammalian adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL). Simultaneous loss of Brummer and AKHR causes extreme obesity and blocks acute storage-fat mobilization in flies. Our data demonstrate that storage-fat mobilization in the fly is coordinated by two lipocatabolic systems, which are essential to adjust normal body fat content and ensure lifelong fat-storage homeostasis. The amount of body fat that an animal stores is a critical parameter for its survival. Although under-storage of fat creates risk during periods of famine, over-storage also impairs fitness—obesity in humans is associated with severe health threats, such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and cancer. A delicate balance between two antagonistic processes adjusts body fat storage: lipogenesis produces fat stores, and lipolysis mobilizes fat. It is unclear, however, how many regulatory systems orchestrate lipolysis in animals, whether these systems are evolutionarily conserved, and to what extent impaired lipolytic regulation contributes to excessive body fat accumulation. We show that in the fruit fly Drosophila, lipolysis is under dual control. Inactivation of either of the two control pathways generates flies with excessive fat accumulation and limited fat-mobilization capability. Mutant flies simultaneously lacking key genes of both lipolytic systems, however, are extremely obese and completely blocked in body fat mobilization even when fully food deprived. Interestingly, our study reveals that key components and regulatory mechanisms of lipolysis are evolutionarily conserved between insects and mammals, making the fruit fly a valuable model system for research on lipid metabolism. Simultaneous loss of the receptor for adipokinetic hormone and the Brummer triglyceride lipase causes extreme obesity and blocks acute storage fat mobilization in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Grönke
- Abteilung Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Günter Müller
- Therapeutic Department Metabolic Diseases, Sanofi-Aventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jochen Hirsch
- Abteilung Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sonja Fellert
- Abteilung Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Andreou
- Abteilung Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Haase
- Abteilung Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Herbert Jäckle
- Abteilung Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ronald P Kühnlein
- Abteilung Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Wagner S, Heseding C, Szlachta K, True JR, Prinz H, Hovemann BT. Drosophila photoreceptors express cysteine peptidase tan. J Comp Neurol 2007; 500:601-11. [PMID: 17154266 DOI: 10.1002/cne.21138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The Drosophila mutant tan (t) shows reciprocal pigmentation defects compared with the ebony (e) mutant. Visual phenotypes, however, are similar in both flies: Electroretinogram (ERG) recordings lack "on" and "off" transients, an indication of impaired synaptic transmission to postsynaptic cells L1 and L2. Cloning of tan revealed transcription of the gene in the retina, apparently in photoreceptor cells. We expressed Tan in Escherichia coli and confirmed by Western blotting and mass spectroscopic analyses that Tan is expressed as preprotein, followed by proteolytic cleavage into two subunits at a conserved --Gly--Cys-- motif like its fungal ortholog isopenicillin-N N-acyltransferase (IAT). Tan thus belongs to the large family of cysteine peptidases. To discriminate expression of Tan and Ebony in retina and optic neuropils, we raised antisera against specific Tan peptides. Testing for colocalization with GMR-driven n-Syb-GFP labeling revealed that Tan expression is confined to the photoreceptor cells R1-R8. A close proximity of Tan and Ebony expression is evident in lamina cartridges, where three epithelial glia cells envelop the six photoreceptor terminals R1-R6. In the medulla, R7/R8 axonal terminals appeared lined up side by side with glial extensions. This local proximity supports a model for Drosophila visual synaptic transmission in which Tan and Ebony interact biochemically in a putative histamine inactivation and recycling pathway in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Wagner
- Fakultät für Chemie, AG Molekulare Zellbiochemie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Grieder NC, Charlafti I, Kloter U, Jäckle H, Schäfer U, Gehring WJ. Misexpression screen in Drosophila melanogaster aiming to reveal novel factors involved in formation of body parts. Genetics 2006; 175:1707-18. [PMID: 17179072 PMCID: PMC1855120 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.106.064212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To identify novel factors that lead a fly imaginal disc to adopt its developmental fate, we carried out a modular dominant misexpression screen in imaginal discs. We have identified two factors that appear to change the fate of the respective body structure and appear to lead to the transformation of a body part. In one mutant line, notum tissue, normally derived from wing imaginal tissue, formed close to the site of the sternopleural bristles, which are leg disc derivatives. In the other line, the arista is transformed into a tubular structure, resembling an abnormal leg. We found that ectopic expression of abrupt was responsible for this potential transformation of the arista.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C Grieder
- Biozentrum der Universität Basel, Abteilung Zellbiologie, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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Mukherjee T, Schäfer U, Zeidler MP. Identification of Drosophila genes modulating Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription signal transduction. Genetics 2005; 172:1683-97. [PMID: 16387886 PMCID: PMC1456271 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.105.046904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The JAK/STAT pathway was first identified in mammals as a signaling mechanism central to hematopoiesis and has since been shown to exert a wide range of pleiotropic effects on multiple developmental processes. Its inappropriate activation is also implicated in the development of numerous human malignancies, especially those derived from hematopoietic lineages. The JAK/STAT signaling cascade has been conserved through evolution and although the pathway identified in Drosophila has been closely examined, the full complement of genes required to correctly transduce signaling in vivo remains to be identified. We have used a dosage-sensitive dominant eye overgrowth phenotype caused by ectopic activation of the JAK/STAT pathway to screen 2267 independent, newly generated mutagenic P-element insertions. After multiple rounds of retesting, 23 interacting loci that represent genes not previously known to interact with JAK/STAT signaling have been identified. Analysis of these genes has identified three signal transduction pathways, seven potential components of the pathway itself, and six putative downstream pathway target genes. The use of forward genetics to identify loci and reverse genetic approaches to characterize them has allowed us to assemble a collection of genes whose products represent novel components and regulators of this important signal transduction cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Mukherjee
- Department of Molecular Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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True JR, Yeh SD, Hovemann BT, Kemme T, Meinertzhagen IA, Edwards TN, Liou SR, Han Q, Li J. Drosophila tan encodes a novel hydrolase required in pigmentation and vision. PLoS Genet 2005; 1:e63. [PMID: 16299587 PMCID: PMC1285064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.0010063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2005] [Accepted: 10/14/2005] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Many proteins are used repeatedly in development, but usually the function of the protein is similar in the different contexts. Here we report that the classical Drosophila melanogaster locus tan encodes a novel enzyme required for two very different cellular functions: hydrolysis of N-β-alanyl dopamine (NBAD) to dopamine during cuticular melanization, and hydrolysis of carcinine to histamine in the metabolism of photoreceptor neurotransmitter. We characterized two tan-like P-element insertions that failed to complement classical tan mutations. Both are inserted in the 5′ untranslated region of the previously uncharacterized gene CG12120, a putative homolog of fungal isopenicillin-N N-acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.164). Both P insertions showed abnormally low transcription of the CG12120 mRNA. Ectopic CG12120 expression rescued tan mutant pigmentation phenotypes and caused the production of striking black melanin patterns. Electroretinogram and head histamine assays indicated that CG12120 is required for hydrolysis of carcinine to histamine, which is required for histaminergic neurotransmission. Recombinant CG12120 protein efficiently hydrolyzed both NBAD to dopamine and carcinine to histamine. We conclude that D. melanogaster CG12120 corresponds to tan. This is, to our knowledge, the first molecular genetic characterization of NBAD hydrolase and carcinine hydrolase activity in any organism and is central to the understanding of pigmentation and photoreceptor function. True et al. describe the identification and characterization of the Drosophila melanogaster enzyme Tan. The gene encoding Tan was originally discovered in the early 20th century as a mutant strain lacking the dark pigmentation of wild-type flies, hence the name tan. Flies lacking Tan function also exhibited mysterious abnormalities in vision, for example, in responses to light. The new findings by True et al. help to explain the vastly different functions of Tan in pigmentation and vision. In the developing epidermal cells that secrete the adult cuticle, the enzyme encoded by tan is required for the production of dopamine, which is needed for dark melanin pigmentation. In the eye, the Tan enzyme converts carcinine, a modified form of the neurotransmitter histamine, back to histamine, which is necessary for the rapid and constant neurotransmission events involved in vision. These two enzyme activities have not been previously characterized in any organism. Surprisingly, Tan appears to be closely related to an enzyme in fungi that is used for production of the antibiotic penicillin.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R True
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America.
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Staudt N, Molitor A, Somogyi K, Mata J, Curado S, Eulenberg K, Meise M, Siegmund T, Häder T, Hilfiker A, Brönner G, Ephrussi A, Rørth P, Cohen SM, Fellert S, Chung HR, Piepenburg O, Schäfer U, Jäckle H, Vorbrüggen G. Gain-of-function screen for genes that affect Drosophila muscle pattern formation. PLoS Genet 2005; 1:e55. [PMID: 16254604 PMCID: PMC1270011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.0010055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2005] [Accepted: 09/29/2005] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reports the production of an EP-element insertion library with more than 3,700 unique target sites within the Drosophila melanogaster genome and its use to systematically identify genes that affect embryonic muscle pattern formation. We designed a UAS/GAL4 system to drive GAL4-responsive expression of the EP-targeted genes in developing apodeme cells to which migrating myotubes finally attach and in an intrasegmental pattern of cells that serve myotubes as a migration substrate on their way towards the apodemes. The results suggest that misexpression of more than 1.5% of the Drosophila genes can interfere with proper myotube guidance and/or muscle attachment. In addition to factors already known to participate in these processes, we identified a number of enzymes that participate in the synthesis or modification of protein carbohydrate side chains and in Ubiquitin modifications and/or the Ubiquitin-dependent degradation of proteins, suggesting that these processes are relevant for muscle pattern formation. Muscle pattern formation during embryogenesis requires the activity of a distinct network of genes. In the model organism Drosophila, this process involves the determination of stem-cell-like muscle founder cells, their differentiation, and their attraction to tendon-like epidermal cells, termed apodemes, to which the muscles attach. In order to systematically identify genes involved in these processes, a collection of fruit fly strains was generated that can be used for the ectopic expression of more than 3,700 individual fruit fly genes in a spatiotemporally restricted manner. In order to address muscle pattern formation, the collection was used to express the genes in the developing apodemes and in a series of distinct epidermal cells that serve as migration substrate for developing muscles towards the apodemes. In addition to already known factors, some 60 novel gene activities were found to interfere under these circumstances with the formation of the muscle pattern. In addition to providing a most valuable tool for the Drosophila community of researchers, the results provide a framework for a detailed analysis of the gene network and insight into molecular mechanisms underlying embryonic muscle pattern formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Staudt
- Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Molitor
- Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
- DeveloGen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kalman Somogyi
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Juan Mata
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Silvia Curado
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anne Ephrussi
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pernille Rørth
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephen M Cohen
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sonja Fellert
- Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ho-Ryun Chung
- Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Olaf Piepenburg
- Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schäfer
- Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Herbert Jäckle
- Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gerd Vorbrüggen
- Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Möller A, Avila FW, Erickson JW, Jäckle H. Drosophila BAP60 is an essential component of the Brahma complex, required for gene activation and repression. J Mol Biol 2005; 352:329-37. [PMID: 16083904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2005.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2005] [Revised: 06/27/2005] [Accepted: 07/11/2005] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The SWI/SNF-like chromatin remodeling complex of Drosophila, the Brahma complex, contains four subunits (Brahma, BAP155/Moira, SNR1 and BAP60) conserved from yeast to humans. A reconstituted human complex lacking the BAP60 homolog shows full remodeling activity, suggesting that BAP60 is not essential for the core function. We generated Drosophila mutants and found that BAP60 carries a vital function and participates in complex-mediated transcriptional activation and repression. BAP60 binds DNA and shows genetic and physical interactions with the sex-determining transcription factors encoded by sisterless A and scute. The results support the conclusion that BAP60 participates in site-specific recruitment of the Brahma complex in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Möller
- Abteilung Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Am Fassberg, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Abstract
The popularity of Drosophila melanogaster as a model for understanding eukaryotic biology over the past 100 years has been accompanied by the development of numerous tools for manipulating the fruitfly genome. Here we review some recent technologies that will allow Drosophila melanogaster to be manipulated more easily than any other multicellular organism. These developments include the ability to create molecularly designed deletions, improved genetic mapping technologies, strategies for creating targeted mutations, new transgenic approaches and the means to clone and modify large fragments of DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen J T Venken
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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Glise B, Miller CA, Crozatier M, Halbisen MA, Wise S, Olson DJ, Vincent A, Blair SS. Shifted, the Drosophila Ortholog of Wnt Inhibitory Factor-1, Controls the Distribution and Movement of Hedgehog. Dev Cell 2005; 8:255-66. [PMID: 15691766 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2005.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2004] [Revised: 12/29/2004] [Accepted: 01/07/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We here identify and characterize an extracellular modulator of Hedgehog signaling in Drosophila, Shifted. Shifted is required for high levels of long-range signaling in the developing wing imaginal disc. Surprisingly, shifted encodes the only Drosophila ortholog of the secreted vertebrate protein Wnt Inhibitory Factor-1 (WIF-1), whose known role is to bind to extracellular Wnts and inhibit their activity. However, Shifted does not regulate Hedgehog signaling by affecting Wingless or Wnt signaling. We show instead that Shifted is a secreted protein that acts over a long distance and is required for the normal accumulation of Hh protein and its movement in the wing. Our data further indicate that Shf interacts with Hh and the heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Therefore, we propose that Shf stabilizes the interaction between Hh and the proteoglycans, an unexpected role for a member of the WIF-1 family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Glise
- Centre de Biologie du Développement, UMR 5547 and IFR 109 CNRS/UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex 4, France.
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