1
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Vacquier VD, Hamdoun A. Cold storage and cryopreservation methods for spermatozoa of the sea urchins Lytechinus pictus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Dev Dyn 2024; 253:781-790. [PMID: 38340021 PMCID: PMC11294005 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sea urchins have contributed greatly to knowledge of fertilization, embryogenesis, and cell biology. However, until now, they have not been genetic model organisms because of their long generation times and lack of tools for husbandry and gene manipulation. We recently established the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus, as a multigenerational model Echinoderm, because of its relatively short generation time of 4-6 months and ease of laboratory culture. To take full advantage of this new multigenerational species, methods are needed to biobank and share genetically modified L. pictus sperm. RESULTS Here, we describe a method, based on sperm ion physiology that maintains L. pictus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sperm fertilizable for at least 5-10 weeks when stored at 0°C. We also describe a new method to cryopreserve sperm of both species. Sperm of both species can be frozen and thawed at least twice and still give rise to larvae that undergo metamorphosis. CONCLUSIONS The simple methods we describe work well for both species, achieving >90% embryo development and producing larvae that undergo metamorphosis to juvenile adults. We hope that these methods will be useful to others working on marine invertebrate sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor D. Vacquier
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0202 USA
| | - Amro Hamdoun
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0202 USA
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2
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Telmer CA, Karimi K, Chess MM, Agalakov S, Arshinoff BI, Lotay V, Wang DZ, Chu S, Pells TJ, Vize PD, Hinman VF, Ettensohn CA. Echinobase: a resource to support the echinoderm research community. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae002. [PMID: 38262680 PMCID: PMC11075573 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Echinobase (www.echinobase.org) is a model organism knowledgebase serving as a resource for the community that studies echinoderms, a phylum of marine invertebrates that includes sea urchins and sea stars. Echinoderms have been important experimental models for over 100 years and continue to make important contributions to environmental, evolutionary, and developmental studies, including research on developmental gene regulatory networks. As a centralized resource, Echinobase hosts genomes and collects functional genomic data, reagents, literature, and other information for the community. This third-generation site is based on the Xenbase knowledgebase design and utilizes gene-centric pages to minimize the time and effort required to access genomic information. Summary gene pages display gene symbols and names, functional data, links to the JBrowse genome browser, and orthology to other organisms and reagents, and tabs from the Summary gene page contain more detailed information concerning mRNAs, proteins, diseases, and protein-protein interactions. The gene pages also display 1:1 orthologs between the fully supported species Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (purple sea urchin), Lytechinus variegatus (green sea urchin), Patiria miniata (bat star), and Acanthaster planci (crown-of-thorns sea star). JBrowse tracks are available for visualization of functional genomic data from both fully supported species and the partially supported species Anneissia japonica (feather star), Asterias rubens (sugar star), and L. pictus (painted sea urchin). Echinobase serves a vital role by providing researchers with annotated genomes including orthology, functional genomic data aligned to the genomes, and curated reagents and data. The Echinoderm Anatomical Ontology provides a framework for standardizing developmental data across the phylum, and knowledgebase content is formatted to be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable by the research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A Telmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kamran Karimi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Macie M Chess
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Sergei Agalakov
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Bradley I Arshinoff
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Vaneet Lotay
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Dong Zhuo Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Stanley Chu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Troy J Pells
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Peter D Vize
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Veronica F Hinman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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3
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Polinski JM, Castellano KR, Buckley KM, Bodnar AG. Genomic signatures of exceptional longevity and negligible aging in the long-lived red sea urchin. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114021. [PMID: 38564335 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114021] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The red sea urchin (Mesocentrotus franciscanus) is one of the Earth's longest-living animals, reported to live more than 100 years with indeterminate growth, life-long reproduction, and no increase in mortality rate with age. To understand the genetic underpinnings of longevity and negligible aging, we constructed a chromosome-level assembly of the red sea urchin genome and compared it to that of short-lived sea urchin species. Genome-wide syntenic alignments identified chromosome rearrangements that distinguish short- and long-lived species. Expanded gene families in long-lived species play a role in innate immunity, sensory nervous system, and genome stability. An integrated network of genes under positive selection in the red sea urchin was involved in genomic regulation, mRNA fidelity, protein homeostasis, and mitochondrial function. Our results implicated known longevity genes in sea urchin longevity but also revealed distinct molecular signatures that may promote long-term maintenance of tissue homeostasis, disease resistance, and negligible aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Andrea G Bodnar
- Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA.
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4
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Li R, Xu Y, Wu F, Peng Z, Chan J, Zhang L. Easy-to-Use CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing in the Cultured Pacific Abalone ( Haliotis discus hannai). CRISPR J 2024; 7:41-52. [PMID: 38353618 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2023.0070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The Pacific abalone is an important aquaculture shellfish and serves as an important model in basic biology study. However, the study of abalone is limited by lack of highly efficient and easy-to-use gene-editing tools. In this paper, we demonstrate efficient gene knockout in Pacific abalone using CRISPR-Cas9. We developed a highly effective microinjection method by nesting fertilized eggs in a low-concentration agarose gel. We identified the cilia developmental gene β-tubulin and light-sensitive transmembrane protein r-opsin as target genes and designed highly specific sgRNAs for modifying their genomic sequences. Sanger sequencing of the genomic regions of β-tubulin and r-opsin genes from injected larvae identified various genomic long-fragment deletions. In situ hybridization showed gene expression patterns of β-tubulin and r-opsin were significantly altered in the mosaic mutants. Knocking out β-tubulin in abalone embryos efficiently affected cilia development. Scanning electron microscopy and swimming behavior assay showed defecting cilia and decreased motility. Moreover, knocking out of r-opsin in abalone embryos effectively affected the expression and development of eyespots. Overall, this work developed an easy-to-use mosaic gene knockout protocol for abalone, which will allow researchers to utilize CRISPR-Cas9 approaches to study unexploited abalone biology and will lead to novel breeding methods for this aquaculture species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruohui Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- College of Marine Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Xu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Fucun Wu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- College of Marine Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhangjie Peng
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- College of Marine Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiulin Chan
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Linlin Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- College of Marine Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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5
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Jonusaite S, Oulhen N, Izumi Y, Furuse M, Yamamoto T, Sakamoto N, Wessel G, Heyland A. Identification of the genes encoding candidate septate junction components expressed during early development of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, and evidence of a role for Mesh in the formation of the gut barrier. Dev Biol 2023; 495:21-34. [PMID: 36587799 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Septate junctions (SJs) evolved as cell-cell junctions that regulate the paracellular barrier and integrity of epithelia in invertebrates. Multiple morphological variants of SJs exist specific to different epithelia and/or phyla but the biological significance of varied SJ morphology is unclear because the knowledge of the SJ associated proteins and their functions in non-insect invertebrates remains largely unknown. Here we report cell-specific expression of nine candidate SJ genes in the early life stages of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. By use of in situ RNA hybridization and single cell RNA-seq we found that the expression of selected genes encoding putatively SJ associated transmembrane and cytoplasmic scaffold molecules was dynamically regulated during epithelial development in the embryos and larvae with different epithelia expressing different cohorts of SJ genes. We focused a functional analysis on SpMesh, a homolog of the Drosophila smooth SJ component Mesh, which was highly enriched in the endodermal epithelium of the mid- and hindgut. Functional perturbation of SpMesh by both CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis and vivo morpholino-mediated knockdown shows that loss of SpMesh does not disrupt the formation of the gut epithelium during gastrulation. However, loss of SpMesh resulted in a severely reduced gut-paracellular barrier as quantitated by increased permeability to 3-5 kDa FITC-dextran. Together, these studies provide a first look at the molecular SJ physiology during the development of a marine organism and suggest a shared role for Mesh-homologous proteins in forming an intestinal barrier in invertebrates. Results have implications for consideration of the traits underlying species-specific sensitivity of marine larvae to climate driven ocean change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sima Jonusaite
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Nathalie Oulhen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, United States
| | - Yasushi Izumi
- Division of Cell Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8787, Japan
| | - Mikio Furuse
- Division of Cell Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8787, Japan; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamamoto
- Division of Integrated Sciences for Life, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Naoaki Sakamoto
- Division of Integrated Sciences for Life, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Gary Wessel
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, United States
| | - Andreas Heyland
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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6
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Oulhen N, Morita S, Warner JF, Wessel G. CRISPR/Cas9 knockin methodology for the sea urchin embryo. Mol Reprod Dev 2023; 90:69-72. [PMID: 36719060 PMCID: PMC9979971 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Oulhen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Shumpei Morita
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
- Present Address: Asamushi Research Center for Marine Biology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Aomori, Aomori, 039-3501, Japan
| | - Jacob F. Warner
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology. University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403
| | - Gary Wessel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
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7
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Khor JM, Ettensohn CA. An optimized Tet-On system for conditional control of gene expression in sea urchins. Development 2023; 150:dev201373. [PMID: 36607745 PMCID: PMC10108607 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201373] [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: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Sea urchins and other echinoderms are important experimental models for studying developmental processes. The lack of approaches for conditional gene perturbation, however, has made it challenging to investigate the late developmental functions of genes that have essential roles during early embryogenesis and genes that have diverse functions in multiple tissues. The doxycycline-controlled Tet-On system is a widely used molecular tool for temporally and spatially regulated transgene expression. Here, we optimized the Tet-On system to conditionally induce gene expression in sea urchin embryos. Using this approach, we explored the roles the MAPK signaling plays in skeletogenesis by expressing genes that perturb the pathway specifically in primary mesenchyme cells during later stages of development. We demonstrated the wide utility of the Tet-On system by applying it to a second sea urchin species and in cell types other than the primary mesenchyme cells. Our work provides a robust and flexible platform for the spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression in sea urchins, which will considerably enhance the utility of this prominent model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ming Khor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Charles A. Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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8
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Oulhen N, Pieplow C, Perillo M, Gregory P, Wessel GM. Optimizing CRISPR/Cas9-based gene manipulation in echinoderms. Dev Biol 2022; 490:117-124. [PMID: 35917936 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The impact of new technology can be appreciated by how broadly it is used. Investigators that previously relied only on pharmacological approaches or the use of morpholino antisense oligonucleotide (MASO) technologies are now able to apply CRISPR-Cas9 to study biological problems in their model organism of choice much more effectively. The transitions to new CRISPR-based approaches could be enhanced, first, by standardized protocols and education in their applications. Here we summarize our results for optimizing the CRISPR-Cas9 technology in a sea urchin and a sea star, and provide advice on how to set up CRISPR-Cas9 experiments and interpret the results in echinoderms. Our goal through these protocols and sharing examples of success by other labs is to lower the activation barrier so that more laboratories can apply CRISPR-Cas9 technologies in these important animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Oulhen
- MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02906, USA
| | - Cosmo Pieplow
- MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02906, USA
| | | | - Pauline Gregory
- MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02906, USA
| | - Gary M Wessel
- MCB Department, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02906, USA.
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9
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Meyer A, Hinman V. The arm of the starfish: The far-reaching applications of Patiria miniata as a model system in evolutionary, developmental, and regenerative biology. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 147:523-543. [PMID: 35337461 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Many species of echinoderms have long been considered model research organisms in biology. Historically, much of this research has focused on the embryology of sea urchins and the use of their extensive gene regulatory networks as a tool to understand how the genome controls cell state specification and patterning. The establishment of Patiria miniata, the bat sea star, as a research organism has allowed us to expand on the concepts explored with sea urchins, viewing these genetic networks through a comparative lens, gaining great insight into the evolutionary mechanisms that shape developmental diversity. Extensive molecular tools have been developed in P. miniata, designed to explore gene expression dynamics and build gene regulatory networks. Echinoderms also have a robust set of bioinformatic and computational resources, centered around echinobase.org, an extensive database containing multiomic, developmental, and experimental resources for researchers. In addition to comparative evolutionary development, P. miniata is a promising system in its own right for studying whole body regeneration, metamorphosis and body plan development, as well as marine disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Meyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Veronica Hinman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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10
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Wavreil FDM, Poon J, Wessel GM, Yajima M. Light-induced, spatiotemporal control of protein in the developing embryo of the sea urchin. Dev Biol 2021; 478:13-24. [PMID: 34147471 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Differential protein regulation is a critical biological process that regulates cellular activity and controls cell fate determination. It is especially important during early embryogenesis when post-transcriptional events predominate differential fate specification in many organisms. Light-induced approaches have been a powerful technology to interrogate protein functions with temporal and spatial precision, even at subcellular levels within a cell by controlling laser irradiation on the confocal microscope. However, application and efficacy of these tools need to be tested for each model system or for the cell type of interest because of the complex nature of each system. Here, we introduce two types of light-induced approaches to track and control proteins at a subcellular level in the developing embryo of the sea urchin. We found that the photoconvertible fluorescent protein Kaede is highly efficient to distinguish pre-existing and newly synthesized proteins with no apparent phototoxicity, even when interrogating proteins associated with the mitotic spindle. Further, chromophore-assisted light inactivation (CALI) using miniSOG successfully inactivated target proteins of interest in the vegetal cortex and selectively delayed or inhibited asymmetric cell division. Overall, these light-induced manipulations serve as important molecular tools to identify protein function for for subcellular interrogations in developing embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence D M Wavreil
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Jessica Poon
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Gary M Wessel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Mamiko Yajima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, BOX-GL277, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
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11
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Bardhan A, Deiters A, Ettensohn CA. Conditional gene knockdowns in sea urchins using caged morpholinos. Dev Biol 2021; 475:21-29. [PMID: 33684434 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Echinoderms are important experimental models for analyzing embryonic development, but a lack of spatial and temporal control over gene perturbations has hindered developmental studies using these animals. Morpholino antisense oligonucleotides (MOs) have been used successfully by the echinoderm research community for almost two decades, and MOs remain the most widely used tool for acute gene knockdowns in these organisms. Echinoderm embryos develop externally and are optically transparent, making them ideally-suited to many light-based approaches for analyzing and manipulating development. Studies using zebrafish embryos have demonstrated the effectiveness of photoactivatable (caged) MOs for conditional gene knockdowns. Here we show that caged MOs, synthesized using nucleobase-caged monomers, provide light-regulated control over gene expression in sea urchin embryos. Our work provides the first robust approach for conditional gene silencing in this prominent model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirban Bardhan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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12
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Odekunle EA, Elphick MR. Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology of Vasopressin/ Oxytocin-Type Neuropeptide Signaling in Invertebrates. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:225. [PMID: 32362874 PMCID: PMC7181382 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of structurally related hypothalamic hormones that regulate blood pressure and diuresis (vasopressin, VP; CYFQNCPRG-NH2) or lactation and uterine contraction (oxytocin, OT; CYIQNCPLG-NH2) was a major advance in neuroendocrinology, recognized in the award of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1955. Furthermore, the discovery of central actions of VP and OT as regulators of reproductive and social behavior in humans and other mammals has broadened interest in these neuropeptides beyond physiology into psychology. VP/OT-type neuropeptides and their G-protein coupled receptors originated in a common ancestor of the Bilateria (Urbilateria), with invertebrates typically having a single VP/OT-type neuropeptide and cognate receptor. Gene/genome duplications followed by gene loss gave rise to variety in the number of VP/OT-type neuropeptides and receptors in different vertebrate lineages. Recent advances in comparative transcriptomics/genomics have enabled discovery of VP/OT-type neuropeptides in an ever-growing diversity of invertebrate taxa, providing new opportunities to gain insights into the evolution of VP/OT-type neuropeptide function in the Bilateria. Here we review the comparative physiology of VP/OT-type neuropeptides in invertebrates, with roles in regulation of reproduction, feeding, and water/salt homeostasis emerging as common themes. For example, we highlight recent reports of roles in regulation of oocyte maturation in the sea-squirt Ciona intestinalis, extraoral feeding behavior in the starfish Asterias rubens and energy status and dessication resistance in ants. Thus, VP/OT-type neuropeptides are pleiotropic regulators of physiological processes, with evolutionarily conserved roles that can be traced back to Urbilateria. To gain a deeper understanding of the evolution of VP/OT-type neuropeptide function it may be necessary to not only determine the actions of the peptides but also to characterize the transcriptomic/proteomic/metabolomic profiles of cells expressing VP/OT-type precursors and/or VP/OT-type receptors within the framework of anatomically and functionally identified neuronal networks. Furthermore, investigation of VP/OT-type neuropeptide function in a wider range of invertebrate species is now needed if we are to determine how and when this ancient signaling system was recruited to regulate diverse physiological and behavioral processes in different branches of animal phylogeny and in contrasting environmental contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maurice R. Elphick
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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