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Belott CJ, Gusev OA, Kikawada T, Menze MA. Membraneless and membrane-bound organelles in an anhydrobiotic cell line are protected from desiccation-induced damage. Cell Stress Chaperones 2024; 29:425-436. [PMID: 38608858 PMCID: PMC11061232 DOI: 10.1016/j.cstres.2024.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Anhydrobiotic species can survive virtually complete water loss by entering a reversible ametabolic glassy state that may persist for years in ambient conditions. The Pv11 cell line was derived from the egg mass of the anhydrobiotic midge, Polypedilum vanderplanki, and is currently the only available anhydrobiotic cell line. Our results demonstrate that the necessary preconditioning for Pv11 cells to enter anhydrobiosis causes autophagy and reduces mitochondrial respiration by over 70%. We speculate that reorganizing cellular bioenergetics to create and conserve energy stores may be valuable to successfully recover after rehydration. Furthermore, mitochondria in preconditioned cells lose their membrane potential during desiccation but rapidly restore it within 30 min upon rehydration, demonstrating that the inner mitochondrial membrane integrity is well-preserved. Strikingly, the nucleolus remains visible immediately upon rehydration in preconditioned cells while absent in control cells. In contrast, a preconditioning-induced membraneless organelle reformed after rehydration, demonstrating that membraneless organelles in Pv11 cells can be either stabilized or recovered. Staining the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus revealed that these organelles fragment during preconditioning. We hypothesize that this process reduces sheering stress caused by rapid changes in cellular volume during desiccation and rehydration. Additionally, preconditioning was found to cause the filamentous-actin (F-actin) network to disassemble significantly and reduce the fusion of adjacent plasma membranes. This study offers several exciting avenues for future studies in the animal model and Pv11 cell line that will further our understanding of anhydrobiosis and may lead to advancements in storing sensitive biologics at ambient temperatures for months or years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton J Belott
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA; Division of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Oleg A Gusev
- Extreme Biology Laboratory, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia; Molecular Biomimetics Group, Life Improvement by Future Technologies (LIFT) Center, Moscow, Russia; Intractable Disease Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Takahiro Kikawada
- Division of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Michael A Menze
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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Patil YN, Gnaiger E, Landry AP, Leno ZJ, Hand SC. OXPHOS capacity is diminished and the phosphorylation system inhibited during diapause in an extremophile, embryos of Artemia franciscana. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb245828. [PMID: 38099471 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Diapause exhibited by embryos of Artemia franciscana is accompanied by severe arrest of respiration. A large fraction of this depression is attributable to downregulation of trehalose catabolism that ultimately restricts fuel to mitochondria. This study now extends knowledge on the mechanism by revealing metabolic depression is heightened by inhibitions within mitochondria. Compared with that in embryo lysates during post-diapause, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity P is depressed during diapause when either NADH-linked substrates (pyruvate and malate) for electron transfer (electron transfer capacity, E) through respiratory Complex I or the Complex II substrate succinate are used. When pyruvate, malate and succinate were combined, respiratory inhibition by the phosphorylation system in diapause lysates was discovered as judged by P/E flux control ratios (two-way ANOVA; F1,24=38.78; P<0.0001). Inhibition was eliminated as the diapause extract was diluted (significant interaction term; F2,24=9.866; P=0.0007), consistent with the presence of a diffusible inhibitor. One candidate is long-chain acyl-CoA esters known to inhibit the adenine nucleotide translocator. Addition of oleoyl-CoA to post-diapause lysates markedly decreased the P/E ratio to 0.40±0.07 (mean±s.d.; P=0.002) compared with 0.79±0.11 without oleoyl-CoA. Oleoyl-CoA inhibits the phosphorylation system and may be responsible for the depressed P/E in lysates from diapause embryos. With isolated mitochondria, depression of P/E by oleoyl-CoA was fully reversed by addition of l-carnitine (control versus recovery with l-carnitine, P=0.338), which facilitates oleoyl-CoA transport into the matrix and elimination by β-oxidation. In conclusion, severe metabolic arrest during diapause promoted by restricting glycolytic carbon to mitochondria is reinforced by depression of OXPHOS capacity and the phosphorylation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuvraj N Patil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Division of Cellular, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | | | - Alexander P Landry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Division of Cellular, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Zachary J Leno
- Department of Biological Sciences, Division of Cellular, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Steven C Hand
- Department of Biological Sciences, Division of Cellular, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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3
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Ghanmi S, Smith MA, Zaidi I, Drira M, Graether SP, Hanin M. Isolation and molecular characterization of an FSK 2-type dehydrin from Atriplex halimus. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2023:113783. [PMID: 37406790 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2023.113783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Dehydrins form the group II LEA protein family and are known to play multiple roles in plant stress tolerance and enzyme protection. They harbor a variable number of conserved lysine rich motifs (K-segments) and may also contain three additional conserved motifs (Y-, F- and S-segments). In this work, we report the isolation and characterization of an FSK2-type dehydrin from the halophytic species Atriplex halimus, which we designate as AhDHN1. In silico analysis of the protein sequence revealed that AhDHN1 contains large number of hydrophilic residues, and is predicted to be intrinsically disordered. In addition, it has an FSK2 architecture with one F-segment, one S-segment, and two K-segments. The expression analysis showed that the AhDHN1 transcript is induced by salt and water stress treatments in the leaves of Atriplex seedlings. Moreover, circular dichroism spectrum performed on recombinant AhDHN1 showed that the dehydrin lacks any secondary structure, confirming its intrinsic disorder nature. However, there is a gain of α-helicity in the presence of membrane-like SDS micelles. In vitro assays revealed that AhDHN1 is able to effectively protect enzymatic activity of the lactate dehydrogenase against cold, heat and dehydration stresses. Our findings strongly suggest that AhDHN1 can be involved in the adaptation mechanisms of halophytes to adverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siwar Ghanmi
- Plant Physiology & Functional Genomics Research Unit, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Sfax, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Margaret A Smith
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Ikram Zaidi
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Plant Improvement, Center of Biotechnology of Sfax, BP "1177", University of Sfax, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Marwa Drira
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Plant Improvement, Center of Biotechnology of Sfax, BP "1177", University of Sfax, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Steffen P Graether
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Moez Hanin
- Plant Physiology & Functional Genomics Research Unit, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Sfax, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia.
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4
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Li L, Zhou X, Chen Z, Cao Y, Zhao G. The group 3 LEA protein of Artemia franciscana for cryopreservation. Cryobiology 2022; 106:1-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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De Vos S, Rombauts S, Coussement L, Dermauw W, Vuylsteke M, Sorgeloos P, Clegg JS, Nambu Z, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Norouzitallab P, Van Leeuwen T, De Meyer T, Van Stappen G, Van de Peer Y, Bossier P. The genome of the extremophile Artemia provides insight into strategies to cope with extreme environments. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:635. [PMID: 34465293 PMCID: PMC8406910 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07937-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brine shrimp Artemia have an unequalled ability to endure extreme salinity and complete anoxia. This study aims to elucidate its strategies to cope with these stressors. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Here, we present the genome of an inbred A. franciscana Kellogg, 1906. We identified 21,828 genes of which, under high salinity, 674 genes and under anoxia, 900 genes were differentially expressed (42%, respectively 30% were annotated). Under high salinity, relevant stress genes and pathways included several Heat Shock Protein and Leaf Embryogenesis Abundant genes, as well as the trehalose metabolism. In addition, based on differential gene expression analysis, it can be hypothesized that a high oxidative stress response and endocytosis/exocytosis are potential salt management strategies, in addition to the expression of major facilitator superfamily genes responsible for transmembrane ion transport. Under anoxia, genes involved in mitochondrial function, mTOR signalling and autophagy were differentially expressed. Both high salt and anoxia enhanced degradation of erroneous proteins and protein chaperoning. Compared with other branchiopod genomes, Artemia had 0.03% contracted and 6% expanded orthogroups, in which 14% of the genes were differentially expressed under high salinity or anoxia. One phospholipase D gene family, shown to be important in plant stress response, was uniquely present in both extremophiles Artemia and the tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini, yet not differentially expressed under the described experimental conditions. CONCLUSIONS A relatively complete genome of Artemia was assembled, annotated and analysed, facilitating research on its extremophile features, and providing a reference sequence for crustacean research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie De Vos
- Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stephane Rombauts
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Louis Coussement
- Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wannes Dermauw
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Patrick Sorgeloos
- Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - James S Clegg
- Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute, University of California, Bodega Bay, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ziro Nambu
- Department of Medical Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Filip Van Nieuwerburgh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Parisa Norouzitallab
- Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tim De Meyer
- Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gilbert Van Stappen
- Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yves Van de Peer
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Peter Bossier
- Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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LeBlanc BM, Hand SC. Target enzymes are stabilized by AfrLEA6 and a gain of α-helix coincides with protection by a group 3 LEA protein during incremental drying. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2021; 1869:140642. [PMID: 33647452 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2021.140642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Anhydrobiotic organisms accumulate late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, a family of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) reported to improve cellular tolerance to water stress. Here we show that AfrLEA6, a Group 6 LEA protein only recently discovered in animals, protects lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) against damage during desiccation. In some cases, protection is enhanced by trehalose, a naturally-occurring protective solute. An open question is whether gain of secondary structure by LEA proteins during drying is a prerequisite for this stabilizing function. We used incremental drying (equilibration to a series of relative humidities, RH) to test the ability of AfrLEA2, a Group 3 LEA protein, to protect desiccation-sensitive PFK. AfrLEA2 was chosen due to its exceptional ability to protect PFK. In parallel, circular dichroism (CD) spectra were obtained for AfrLEA2 across the identical range of relative water contents. Protection of PFK by AfrLEA2, above that observed with trehalose and BSA, coincides with simultaneous gain of α-helix in AfrLEA2. At 100% RH, the CD spectrum for AfrLEA2 is typical of random coil, while at decreasing RH, the spectrum shows higher ellipticity at 191 nm and minima at 208 and 220 nm, diagnostic of α-helix. This study provides experimental evidence linking the gain of α-helix with stabilization of a target protein across a graded series of hydration states. Mechanistically, it is intriguing that certain other functions of these IDPs, like preventing aggregation of target proteins, can occur in fully hydrated cells and apparently do not require gain of α-helix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blase M LeBlanc
- Division of Cellular Developmental and Integrative Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
| | - Steven C Hand
- Division of Cellular Developmental and Integrative Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA; Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
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7
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Chen B, Chu TW, Chiu K, Hong MC, Wu TM, Ma JW, Liang CM, Wang WK. Transcriptomic analysis elucidates the molecular processes associated with hydrogen peroxide-induced diapause termination in Artemia-encysted embryos. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247160. [PMID: 33606769 PMCID: PMC7894940 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) raises the hatching rate through the development and diapause termination of Artemia cysts. To comprehend the upstream genetic regulation of diapause termination activated by exterior H2O2 elements, an Illumina RNA-seq analysis was performed to recognize and assess comparative transcript amounts to explore the genetic regulation of H2O2 in starting the diapause termination of cysts in Artemia salina. We examined three groupings treated with no H2O2 (control), 180 μM H2O2 (low) and 1800 μM H2O2 (high). The results showed a total of 114,057 unigenes were identified, 41.22% of which were functionally annotated in at least one particular database. When compared to control group, 34 and 98 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated in 180 μM and 1800 μM H2O2 treatments, respectively. On the other hand, 162 and 30 DEGs were downregulated in the 180 μM and 1800 μM H2O2 treatments, respectively. Cluster analysis of DEGs demonstrated significant patterns among these types of 3 groups. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed the DEGs involved in the regulation of blood coagulation (GO: 0030193; GO: 0050818), regulation of wound healing (GO:0061041), regulation of hemostasis (GO: 1900046), antigen processing and presentation (KO04612), the Hippo signaling pathway (KO04391), as well as the MAPK signaling pathway (KO04010). This research helped to define the diapause-related transcriptomes of Artemia cysts using RNA-seq technology, which might fill up a gap in the prevailing body of knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonien Chen
- Department and Graduate Institute of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tah-Wei Chu
- Department and Graduate Institute of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Kuohsun Chiu
- Department and Graduate Institute of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chang Hong
- Department and Graduate Institute of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Meng Wu
- Department of Aquaculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Wen Ma
- Department and Graduate Institute of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Ming Liang
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Kuang Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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8
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Anderson JM, Hand SC. Transgenic expression of late embryogenesis abundant proteins improves tolerance to water stress in Drosophila melanogaster. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb.238204. [PMID: 33431592 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.238204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Four lines of Drosophila melanogaster were created that expressed transgenes encoding selected late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins originally identified in embryos of the anhydrobiote Artemia franciscana The overall aim was to extend our understanding of the protective properties of LEA proteins documented with isolated cells to a desiccation-sensitive organism during exposure to drying and hyperosmotic stress. Embryos of D. melanogaster were dried at 57% relative humidity to promote a loss of 80% tissue water and then rehydrated. Embryos that expressed AfrLEA2 or AfrLEA3m eclosed 2 days earlier than wild-type embryos or embryos expressing green fluorescent protein (Gal4GFP control). For the third instar larval stage, all Afrlea lines and Gal4GFP controls experienced substantial drops in survivorship as desiccation proceeded. When results for all Afrlea lines were combined, Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated a significant improvement in survivorship in fly lines expressing AfrLEA proteins compared with Gal4GFP controls. The percent water lost at the LT50 (lethal time for 50% mortality) for the AfrLEA lines was 78% versus 52% for Gal4GFP controls. Finally, offspring of fly lines that expressed AfrLEA2, AfrLEA3m or AfrLEA6 exhibited significantly greater success in reaching pupation, compared with wild-type flies, when adults were challenged with hyperosmotic stress (NaCl-fortified medium) and progeny forced to develop under these conditions. In conclusion, the gain of function studies reported here show that LEA proteins can improve tolerance to water stress in a desiccation-sensitive species that normally lacks these proteins, and, simultaneously, underscore the complexity of desiccation tolerance across multiple life stages in multicellular organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Anderson
- Division of Cellular Developmental and Integrative Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Steven C Hand
- Division of Cellular Developmental and Integrative Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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9
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A novel group 6 LEA protein from diapause embryos of Artemia franciscana is cytoplasmically localized. Tissue Cell 2020; 67:101410. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2020.101410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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10
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Hibshman JD, Clegg JS, Goldstein B. Mechanisms of Desiccation Tolerance: Themes and Variations in Brine Shrimp, Roundworms, and Tardigrades. Front Physiol 2020; 11:592016. [PMID: 33192606 PMCID: PMC7649794 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.592016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Water is critical for the survival of most cells and organisms. Remarkably, a small number of multicellular animals are able to survive nearly complete drying. The phenomenon of anhydrobiosis, or life without water, has been of interest to researchers for over 300 years. In this review we discuss advances in our understanding of protectants and mechanisms of desiccation tolerance that have emerged from research in three anhydrobiotic invertebrates: brine shrimp (Artemia), roundworms (nematodes), and tardigrades (water bears). Discovery of molecular protectants that allow each of these three animals to survive drying diversifies our understanding of desiccation tolerance, and convergent themes suggest mechanisms that may offer a general model for engineering desiccation tolerance in other contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Hibshman
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - James S. Clegg
- Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Bob Goldstein
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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11
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Abstract
Proteinaceous liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) occurs when a polypeptide coalesces into a dense phase to form a liquid droplet (i.e., condensate) in aqueous solution. In vivo, functional protein-based condensates are often referred to as membraneless organelles (MLOs), which have roles in cellular processes ranging from stress responses to regulation of gene expression. Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins containing seed maturation protein domains (SMP; PF04927) have been linked to storage tolerance of orthodox seeds. The mechanism by which anhydrobiotic longevity is improved is unknown. Interestingly, the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana is the only animal known to express such a protein (AfrLEA6) in its anhydrobiotic embryos. Ectopic expression of AfrLEA6 (AWM11684) in insect cells improves their desiccation tolerance and a fraction of the protein is sequestered into MLOs, while aqueous AfrLEA6 raises the viscosity of the cytoplasm. LLPS of AfrLEA6 is driven by the SMP domain, while the size of formed MLOs is regulated by a domain predicted to engage in protein binding. AfrLEA6 condensates formed in vitro selectively incorporate target proteins based on their surface charge, while cytoplasmic MLOs formed in AfrLEA6-transfected insect cells behave like stress granules. We suggest that AfrLEA6 promotes desiccation tolerance by engaging in two distinct molecular mechanisms: by raising cytoplasmic viscosity at even modest levels of water loss to promote cell integrity during drying and by forming condensates that may act as protective compartments for desiccation-sensitive proteins. Identifying and understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern anhydrobiosis will lead to significant advancements in preserving biological samples.
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12
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Kijak H, Ratajczak E. What Do We Know About the Genetic Basis of Seed Desiccation Tolerance and Longevity? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3612. [PMID: 32443842 PMCID: PMC7279459 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-term seed storage is important for protecting both economic interests and biodiversity. The extraordinary properties of seeds allow us to store them in the right conditions for years. However, not all types of seeds are resilient, and some do not tolerate extreme desiccation or low temperature. Seeds can be divided into three categories: (1) orthodox seeds, which tolerate water losses of up to 7% of their water content and can be stored at low temperature; (2) recalcitrant seeds, which require a humidity of 27%; and (3) intermediate seeds, which lose their viability relatively quickly compared to orthodox seeds. In this article, we discuss the genetic bases for desiccation tolerance and longevity in seeds and the differences in gene expression profiles between the mentioned types of seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Kijak
- Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland;
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13
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Rashed MZ, Belott CJ, Janis BR, Menze MA, Williams SJ. New insights into anhydrobiosis using cellular dielectrophoresis-based characterization. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2019; 13:064113. [PMID: 31768199 PMCID: PMC6858285 DOI: 10.1063/1.5126810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are found in desiccation-tolerant species from all domains of life. Despite several decades of investigation, the molecular mechanisms by which LEA proteins confer desiccation tolerance are still unclear. In this study, dielectrophoresis (DEP) was used to determine the electrical properties of Drosophila melanogaster (Kc167) cells ectopically expressing LEA proteins from the anhydrobiotic brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana. Dielectrophoresis-based characterization data demonstrate that the expression of two different LEA proteins, AfrLEA3m and AfrLEA6, increases cytoplasmic conductivity of Kc167 cells to a similar extent above control values. The impact on cytoplasmic conductivity was surprising, given that the concentration of cytoplasmic ions is much higher than the concentrations of ectopically expressed proteins. The DEP data also supported previously reported data suggesting that AfrLEA3m can interact directly with membranes during water stress. This hypothesis was strengthened using scanning electron microscopy, where cells expressing AfrLEA3m were found to retain more circular morphology during desiccation, while control cells exhibited a larger variety of shapes in the desiccated state. These data demonstrate that DEP can be a powerful tool to investigate the role of LEA proteins in desiccation tolerance and may allow to characterize protein-membrane interactions in vivo, when direct observations are challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Z Rashed
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisville, 200 Sackett Hall, Louisville, Kentucky 40208, USA
| | - Clinton J Belott
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Life Sciences Building, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Brett R Janis
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Life Sciences Building, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Michael A Menze
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Life Sciences Building, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Stuart J Williams
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisville, 200 Sackett Hall, Louisville, Kentucky 40208, USA
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