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Rao VG, Subramanianbalachandar V, Magaj MM, Redemann S, Kulkarni SS. Mechanisms of cilia regeneration in Xenopus multiciliated epithelium in vivo. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.14.544972. [PMID: 37398226 PMCID: PMC10312767 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.14.544972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Cilia regeneration is a physiological event, and while studied extensively in unicellular organisms, it remains poorly understood in vertebrates. In this study, using Xenopus multiciliated cells (MCCs) as a model, we demonstrate that, unlike unicellular organisms, deciliation removes the transition zone (TZ) and the ciliary axoneme. While MCCs immediately begin the regeneration of the ciliary axoneme, surprisingly, the assembly of TZ is delayed. However, ciliary tip proteins, Sentan and Clamp, localize to regenerating cilia without delay. Using cycloheximide (CHX) to block new protein synthesis, we show that the TZ protein B9d1 is not a component of the cilia precursor pool and requires new transcription/translation, providing insights into the delayed repair of TZ. Moreover, MCCs in CHX treatment assemble fewer (∼ 10 vs. ∼150 in controls) but near wild-type length (ranging between 60 to 90%) cilia by gradually concentrating ciliogenesis proteins like IFTs at a select few basal bodies. Using mathematical modeling, we show that cilia length compared to cilia number influences the force generated by MCCs more. In summary, our results question the requirement of TZ in motile cilia assembly and provide insights into how cells determine organelle size and number.
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2
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Wu JY, Cho SJ, Descant K, Li PH, Shapson-Coe A, Januszewski M, Berger DR, Meyer C, Casingal C, Huda A, Liu J, Ghashghaei T, Brenman M, Jiang M, Scarborough J, Pope A, Jain V, Stein JL, Guo J, Yasuda R, Lichtman JW, Anton ES. Mapping of neuronal and glial primary cilia contactome and connectome in the human cerebral cortex. Neuron 2024; 112:41-55.e3. [PMID: 37898123 PMCID: PMC10841524 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Primary cilia act as antenna receivers of environmental signals and enable effective neuronal or glial responses. Disruption of their function is associated with circuit disorders. To understand the signals these cilia receive, we comprehensively mapped cilia's contacts within the human cortical connectome using serial-section EM reconstruction of a 1 mm3 cortical volume, spanning the entire cortical thickness. We mapped the "contactome" of cilia emerging from neurons and astrocytes in every cortical layer. Depending on the layer and cell type, cilia make distinct patterns of contact. Primary cilia display cell-type- and layer-specific variations in size, shape, and microtubule axoneme core, which may affect their signaling competencies. Neuronal cilia are intrinsic components of a subset of cortical synapses and thus a part of the connectome. This diversity in the structure, contactome, and connectome of primary cilia endows each neuron or glial cell with a unique barcode of access to the surrounding neural circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yao Wu
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Su-Ji Cho
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Katherine Descant
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Peter H Li
- Google Research, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
| | - Alexander Shapson-Coe
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Daniel R Berger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Cailyn Meyer
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Cristine Casingal
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ariba Huda
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Tina Ghashghaei
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Mikayla Brenman
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Michelle Jiang
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Joseph Scarborough
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Art Pope
- Google Research, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
| | - Viren Jain
- Google Research, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
| | - Jason L Stein
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jiami Guo
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Ryohei Yasuda
- Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
| | - Jeff W Lichtman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - E S Anton
- UNC Neuroscience Center and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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3
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Petit LMG, Belgacemi R, Ancel J, Saber Cherif L, Polette M, Perotin JM, Spassky N, Pilette C, Al Alam D, Deslée G, Dormoy V. Airway ciliated cells in adult lung homeostasis and COPD. Eur Respir Rev 2023; 32:230106. [PMID: 38056888 PMCID: PMC10698550 DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0106-2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cilia are organelles emanating from the cell surface, consisting of an axoneme of microtubules that extends from a basal body derived from the centrioles. They are either isolated and nonmotile (primary cilia), or grouped and motile (motile cilia). Cilia are at the centre of fundamental sensory processes and are involved in a wide range of human disorders. Pulmonary cilia include motile cilia lining the epithelial cells of the conductive airways to orchestrate mucociliary clearance, and primary cilia found on nondifferentiated epithelial and mesenchymal cells acting as sensors and cell cycle keepers. Whereas cilia are essential along the airways, their regulatory molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood, resulting in a lack of therapeutic strategies targeting their structure or functions. This review summarises the current knowledge on cilia in the context of lung homeostasis and COPD to provide a comprehensive overview of the (patho)biology of cilia in respiratory medicine with a particular emphasis on COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure M G Petit
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INSERM, P3Cell UMR-S1250, SFR CAP-SANTE, Reims, France
| | - Randa Belgacemi
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Julien Ancel
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INSERM, P3Cell UMR-S1250, SFR CAP-SANTE, Reims, France
- CHU Reims, Hôpital Maison Blanche, Service de Pneumologie, Reims, France
| | - Lynda Saber Cherif
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INSERM, P3Cell UMR-S1250, SFR CAP-SANTE, Reims, France
| | - Myriam Polette
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INSERM, P3Cell UMR-S1250, SFR CAP-SANTE, Reims, France
- CHU Reims, Hôpital Maison Blanche, Laboratoire de Biopathologie, Reims, France
| | - Jeanne-Marie Perotin
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INSERM, P3Cell UMR-S1250, SFR CAP-SANTE, Reims, France
- CHU Reims, Hôpital Maison Blanche, Service de Pneumologie, Reims, France
| | - Nathalie Spassky
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, Paris, France
| | - Charles Pilette
- Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research - Pole of Pneumology, ENT, Dermatology and Pulmonology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Denise Al Alam
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Gaëtan Deslée
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INSERM, P3Cell UMR-S1250, SFR CAP-SANTE, Reims, France
- CHU Reims, Hôpital Maison Blanche, Service de Pneumologie, Reims, France
| | - Valérian Dormoy
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, INSERM, P3Cell UMR-S1250, SFR CAP-SANTE, Reims, France
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Lian F, Li H, Ma Y, Zhou R, Wu W. Recent advances in primary cilia in bone metabolism. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1259650. [PMID: 37886641 PMCID: PMC10598340 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1259650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles that are widespread on the cell surface and play a key role in tissue development and homeostasis by sensing and transducing various signaling pathways. The process of intraflagellar transport (IFT), which is propelled by kinesin and dynein motors, plays a crucial role in the formation and functionality of cilia. Abnormalities in the cilia or ciliary transport system often cause a range of clinical conditions collectively known as ciliopathies, which include polydactyly, short ribs, scoliosis, thoracic stenosis and many abnormalities in the bones and cartilage. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the role of primary cilia and ciliary transport systems in bone development, we describe the role of cilia in bone formation, cartilage development and bone resorption, and we summarize advances in the study of primary cilia in fracture healing. In addition, the recent discovery of crosstalk between integrins and primary cilia provides new insights into how primary cilia affect bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenfen Lian
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Li
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuwei Ma
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Wu
- School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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5
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Ishikawa T, Pedley TJ. 50-year History and perspective on biomechanics of swimming microorganisms: Part I. Individual behaviours. J Biomech 2023; 158:111706. [PMID: 37572642 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111706] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The paired review papers in Parts I and II describe the 50-year history of research on the biomechanics of swimming microorganisms and its prospects in the next 50 years: Part I explains the behaviour of individual microorganisms, and Part II explains collective behaviour. Since the discovery of microorganisms by van Leeuwenhoek in the 17th century, many natural scientists have been interested in their motility because it is directly associated with biological function. A research upsurge occurred in the 1970s, with the elucidation of swimming mechanisms among individual microorganisms and the theoretical derivation of swimming speeds. Various swimming strategies of three types of microorganisms, i.e. bacteria, ciliates and microalgae, are explained in this Part I. We show that some of the behaviours of microorganisms can be described by biomechanical equations and are to some extent predictable. Recent researches have revealed the behaviour of microorganisms in more complex environments and more realistic settings, which are also reviewed in the paper. Last, we provide future prospects for research on microbial behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuji Ishikawa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University 6-6-01, Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan.
| | - T J Pedley
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK
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Wesselman HM, Gatz AE, Wingert RA. Visualizing multiciliated cells in the zebrafish. Methods Cell Biol 2023; 175:129-161. [PMID: 36967138 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Ciliated cells serve vital functions in the body ranging from mechano- and chemo-sensing to fluid propulsion. Specialized cells with bundles dozens to hundreds of motile cilia known as multiciliated cells (MCCs) are essential as well, where they direct fluid movement in locations such as the respiratory, central nervous and reproductive systems. Intriguingly, the appearance of MCCs has been noted in the kidney in several disease conditions, but knowledge about their contributions to the pathobiology of these states has remained a mystery. As the mechanisms contributing to ciliopathic diseases are not yet fully understood, animal models serve as valuable tools for studying cilia development and how alterations in ciliated cell function impacts disease progression. Like other vertebrates, the zebrafish, Danio rerio, has numerous ciliated tissues. Among these, the embryonic kidney (or pronephros) is comprised of both monociliated cells and MCCs and therefore provides a setting to investigate both ciliated cell fate choice and ciliogenesis. Considering the zebrafish nephron resembles the segmentation and function of human nephrons, the zebrafish provide a tractable model for studying conserved ciliogenesis pathways in vivo. In this chapter, we provide an overview of ciliated cells with a special focus on MCCs, and present a suite of methods that can be used to visualize ciliated cells and their features in the developing zebrafish. Further, these methods enable precise quantification of ciliated cell number and various cilia-related characteristics.
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7
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Advances in Understanding the Genetic Mechanisms of Zebrafish Renal Multiciliated Cell Development. J Dev Biol 2022; 11:jdb11010001. [PMID: 36648903 PMCID: PMC9844391 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cilia are microtubule-based organelles that project from the cell surface. In humans and other vertebrates, possession of a single cilium structure enables an assortment of cellular processes ranging from mechanosensation to fluid propulsion and locomotion. Interestingly, cells can possess a single cilium or many more, where so-called multiciliated cells (MCCs) possess apical membrane complexes with several dozen or even hundreds of motile cilia that beat in a coordinated fashion. Development of MCCs is, therefore, integral to control fluid flow and/or cellular movement in various physiological processes. As such, MCC dysfunction is associated with numerous pathological states. Understanding MCC ontogeny can be used to address congenital birth defects as well as acquired disease conditions. Today, researchers used both in vitro and in vivo experimental models to address our knowledge gaps about MCC specification and differentiation. In this review, we summarize recent discoveries from our lab and others that have illuminated new insights regarding the genetic pathways that direct MCC ontogeny in the embryonic kidney using the power of the zebrafish animal model.
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8
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Bearce EA, Irons ZH, Craig SB, Kuhns CJ, Sabazali C, Farnsworth DR, Miller AC, Grimes DT. Daw1 regulates the timely onset of cilia motility during development. Development 2022; 149:275714. [PMID: 35708608 PMCID: PMC9270974 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Motile cilia generate cell propulsion and extracellular fluid flows that are crucial for airway clearance, fertility and left-right patterning. Motility is powered by dynein arm complexes that are assembled in the cytoplasm then imported into the cilium. Studies in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii showed that ODA16 is a cofactor which promotes dynein arm import. Here, we demonstrate that the zebrafish homolog of ODA16, Daw1, facilitates the onset of robust cilia motility during development. Without Daw1, cilia showed markedly reduced motility during early development; however, motility subsequently increased to attain close to wild-type levels. Delayed motility onset led to differential effects on early and late cilia-dependent processes. Remarkably, abnormal body axis curves, which formed during the first day of development due to reduced cilia motility, self-corrected when motility later reached wild-type levels. Zebrafish larva therefore possess the ability to survey and correct body shape abnormalities. This work defines Daw1 as a factor which promotes the onset of timely cilia motility and can explain why human patients harboring DAW1 mutations exhibit significant laterality perturbations but mild airway and fertility complications. Summary: Daw1 promotes the onset of timely cilia motility for robust axial straightening during zebrafish development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Bearce
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Zoe H Irons
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Samuel B Craig
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Colin J Kuhns
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Cynthia Sabazali
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Dylan R Farnsworth
- Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Adam C Miller
- Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Daniel T Grimes
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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Abstract
The primary cilium is a nonmotile microtubule-based organelle in most vertebrate cell types. The primary cilium plays a critical role in tissue development and homeostasis by sensing and transducing various signaling pathways. Ciliary proteins such as intraflagellar transport (IFT) proteins as well as ciliary motor proteins, kinesin and dynein, comprise a bidirectional intraflagellar transport system needed for cilia formation and function. Mutations in ciliary proteins that lead to loss or dysfunction of primary cilia cause ciliopathies such as Jeune syndrome and Ellis-van Creveld syndrome and cause abnormalities in tooth development. These diseases exhibit severe skeletal and craniofacial dysplasia, highlighting the significance of primary cilia in skeletal development. Cilia are necessary for the propagation of hedgehog, transforming growth factor β, platelet-derived growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor signaling during osteogenesis and chondrogenesis. Ablation of ciliary proteins such as IFT80 or IFT20 blocks cilia formation, which inhibits osteoblast differentiation, osteoblast polarity, and alignment and reduces bone formation. Similarly, cilia facilitate chondrocyte differentiation and production of a cartilage matrix. Cilia also play a key role in mechanosensing and are needed for increased bone formation in response to mechanical forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z. Chinipardaz
- Department of Basic and
Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental
Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Periodontics,
School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA,
USA
| | - M. Liu
- Department of Periodontics,
School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA,
USA
| | - D.T. Graves
- Department of Periodontics,
School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA,
USA
| | - S. Yang
- Department of Basic and
Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental
Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Center for Innovation &
Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, School of Engineering and
Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,The Penn Center for
Musculoskeletal Disorders, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA, USA,S. Yang, Department of Basic and
Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental
Medicine, 240 S 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6243, USA.
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10
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Qiu T, Roy S. Ciliary dynein arms: Cytoplasmic preassembly, intraflagellar transport, and axonemal docking. J Cell Physiol 2022; 237:2644-2653. [DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Qiu
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Proteos Singapore Singapore
| | - Sudipto Roy
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Proteos Singapore Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
- Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Ling School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
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11
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Visualizing multiciliated cells in the zebrafish. Methods Cell Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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12
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Timsit Y, Grégoire SP. Towards the Idea of Molecular Brains. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111868. [PMID: 34769300 PMCID: PMC8584932 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
How can single cells without nervous systems perform complex behaviours such as habituation, associative learning and decision making, which are considered the hallmark of animals with a brain? Are there molecular systems that underlie cognitive properties equivalent to those of the brain? This review follows the development of the idea of molecular brains from Darwin’s “root brain hypothesis”, through bacterial chemotaxis, to the recent discovery of neuron-like r-protein networks in the ribosome. By combining a structural biology view with a Bayesian brain approach, this review explores the evolutionary labyrinth of information processing systems across scales. Ribosomal protein networks open a window into what were probably the earliest signalling systems to emerge before the radiation of the three kingdoms. While ribosomal networks are characterised by long-lasting interactions between their protein nodes, cell signalling networks are essentially based on transient interactions. As a corollary, while signals propagated in persistent networks may be ephemeral, networks whose interactions are transient constrain signals diffusing into the cytoplasm to be durable in time, such as post-translational modifications of proteins or second messenger synthesis. The duration and nature of the signals, in turn, implies different mechanisms for the integration of multiple signals and decision making. Evolution then reinvented networks with persistent interactions with the development of nervous systems in metazoans. Ribosomal protein networks and simple nervous systems display architectural and functional analogies whose comparison could suggest scale invariance in information processing. At the molecular level, the significant complexification of eukaryotic ribosomal protein networks is associated with a burst in the acquisition of new conserved aromatic amino acids. Knowing that aromatic residues play a critical role in allosteric receptors and channels, this observation suggests a general role of π systems and their interactions with charged amino acids in multiple signal integration and information processing. We think that these findings may provide the molecular basis for designing future computers with organic processors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youri Timsit
- Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, 13288 Marseille, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Sergeant-Perthuis Grégoire
- Institut de Mathématiques de Jussieu—Paris Rive Gauche (IMJ-PRG), UMR 7586, CNRS-Université Paris Diderot, 75013 Paris, France;
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Clemente V, Hoshino A, Meints J, Shetty M, Starr T, Lee M, Bazzaro M. UNC-45A Is Highly Expressed in the Proliferative Cells of the Mouse Genital Tract and in the Microtubule-Rich Areas of the Mouse Nervous System. Cells 2021; 10:1604. [PMID: 34206743 PMCID: PMC8303485 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
UNC-45A (Protein unc-45 homolog A) is a cytoskeletal-associated protein with a dual and non-mutually exclusive role as a regulator of the actomyosin system and a Microtubule (MT)-destabilizing protein, which is overexpressed in human cancers including in ovarian cancer patients resistant to the MT-stabilizing drug paclitaxel. Mapping of UNC-45A in the mouse upper genital tract and central nervous system reveals its enrichment not only in highly proliferating and prone to remodeling cells, but also in microtubule-rich areas, of the ovaries and the nervous system, respectively. In both apparatuses, UNC-45A is also abundantly expressed in the ciliated epithelium. As regulators of actomyosin contractility and MT stability are essential for the physiopathology of the female reproductive tract and of neuronal development, our findings suggest that UNC-45A may have a role in ovarian cancer initiation and development as well as in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentino Clemente
- Masonic Cancer Center and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (V.C.); (A.H.); (M.S.); (T.S.)
| | - Asumi Hoshino
- Masonic Cancer Center and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (V.C.); (A.H.); (M.S.); (T.S.)
| | - Joyce Meints
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (J.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Mihir Shetty
- Masonic Cancer Center and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (V.C.); (A.H.); (M.S.); (T.S.)
| | - Tim Starr
- Masonic Cancer Center and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (V.C.); (A.H.); (M.S.); (T.S.)
| | - Michael Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (J.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Martina Bazzaro
- Masonic Cancer Center and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (V.C.); (A.H.); (M.S.); (T.S.)
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