1
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Chang NC, Wells JN, Wang AY, Schofield P, Huang YC, Truong VH, Simoes-Costa M, Feschotte C. Gag proteins encoded by endogenous retroviruses are required for zebrafish development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2025; 122:e2411446122. [PMID: 40294259 PMCID: PMC12067270 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2411446122] [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: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2025] [Indexed: 04/30/2025] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) make up the bulk of eukaryotic genomes and examples abound of TE-derived sequences repurposed for organismal function. The process by which TEs become coopted remains obscure because most cases involve ancient, transpositionally inactive elements. Reports of active TEs serving beneficial functions are scarce and often contentious due to difficulties in manipulating repetitive sequences. Here, we show that recently active TEs in zebrafish encode products critical for embryonic development. Knockdown and rescue experiments demonstrate that the endogenous retrovirus family BHIKHARI-1 (Bik-1) encodes a Gag protein essential for mesoderm development. Mechanistically, Bik-1 Gag associates with the cell membrane, and its ectopic expression in chicken embryos alters cell migration. Similarly, depletion of BHIKHARI-2 Gag, a relative of Bik-1, causes defects in neural crest development in zebrafish. We propose an "addiction" model to explain how active TEs can be integrated into conserved developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni-Chen Chang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14850
| | - Jonathan N. Wells
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14850
| | - Andrew Y. Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14850
| | - Phillip Schofield
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14850
| | - Yi-Chia Huang
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA02115
| | - Vinh H. Truong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14850
| | - Marcos Simoes-Costa
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA02115
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14850
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2
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Nemoz-Billet L, Balland M, Gilquin L, Gillet B, Stévant I, Guillon E, Hughes S, Carpentier G, Vaganay E, Sohm F, Misiak V, Gonzalez-Melo MJ, Koch M, Ghavi-Helm Y, Bretaud S, Ruggiero F. Dual topologies of myotomal collagen XV and Tenascin C act in concert to guide and shape developing motor axons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314588121. [PMID: 38502691 PMCID: PMC10990108 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314588121] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
During development, motor axons are guided toward muscle target by various extrinsic cues including extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins whose identities and cellular source remain poorly characterized. Here, using single-cell RNAseq of sorted GFP+ cells from smyhc1:gfp-injected zebrafish embryos, we unravel the slow muscle progenitors (SMP) pseudotemporal trajectory at the single-cell level and show that differentiating SMPs are a major source of ECM proteins. The SMP core-matrisome was characterized and computationally predicted to form a basement membrane-like structure tailored for motor axon guidance, including basement membrane-associated ECM proteins, as collagen XV-B, one of the earliest core-matrisome gene transcribed in differentiating SMPs and the glycoprotein Tenascin C. To investigate how contact-mediated guidance cues are organized along the motor path to exert their function in vivo, we used microscopy-based methods to analyze and quantify motor axon navigation in tnc and col15a1b knock-out fish. We show that motor axon shape and growth rely on the timely expression of the attractive cue Collagen XV-B that locally provides axons with a permissive soft microenvironment and separately organizes the repulsive cue Tenascin C into a unique functional dual topology. Importantly, bioprinted micropatterns that mimic this in vivo ECM topology were sufficient to drive directional motor axon growth. Our study offers evidence that not only the composition of ECM cues but their topology critically influences motor axon navigation in vertebrates with potential applications in regenerative medicine for peripheral nerve injury as regenerating nerves follow their original path.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Nemoz-Billet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Martial Balland
- LIPphy: Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Physics, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, GrenobleF-38000, France
| | - Laurent Gilquin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Benjamin Gillet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Isabelle Stévant
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Emilie Guillon
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Sandrine Hughes
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Gilles Carpentier
- Gly-CRRET: Glycobiology, Cell Growth and Tissue Repair Research Unit, Laboratoire Gly-CRRET Faculté des Sciences et Technologie, Université Paris Est-Créteil-Val de Marne, Créteil Cedex94010, France
| | - Elisabeth Vaganay
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Frédéric Sohm
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Vladimir Misiak
- LIPphy: Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Physics, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, GrenobleF-38000, France
| | - Mary-Julieth Gonzalez-Melo
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Manuel Koch
- Institute for Experimental Dental Research and Oral Musculoskeletal Biology, Center for Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne50931, Germany
| | - Yad Ghavi-Helm
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Sandrine Bretaud
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
| | - Florence Ruggiero
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, UMR5242 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon1, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAe) Unit under Contract (USC) 1370, Lyon69007, France
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3
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Chang NC, Wells JN, Wang AY, Schofield P, Huang YC, Truong VH, Simoes-Costa M, Feschotte C. Gag proteins encoded by endogenous retroviruses are required for zebrafish development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586437. [PMID: 38585793 PMCID: PMC10996621 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) make up the bulk of eukaryotic genomes and examples abound of TE-derived sequences repurposed for organismal function. The process by which TEs become coopted remains obscure because most cases involve ancient, transpositionally inactive elements. Reports of active TEs serving beneficial functions are scarce and often contentious due to difficulties in manipulating repetitive sequences. Here we show that recently active TEs in zebrafish encode products critical for embryonic development. Knockdown and rescue experiments demonstrate that the endogenous retrovirus family BHIKHARI-1 (Bik-1) encodes a Gag protein essential for mesoderm development. Mechanistically, Bik-1 Gag associates with the cell membrane and its ectopic expression in chicken embryos alters cell migration. Similarly, depletion of BHIKHARI-2 Gag, a relative of Bik-1, causes defects in neural crest development in zebrafish. We propose an "addiction" model to explain how active TEs can be integrated into conserved developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni-Chen Chang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Jonathan N Wells
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Andrew Y Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Phillip Schofield
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Yi-Chia Huang
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vinh H Truong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Marcos Simoes-Costa
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Cédric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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4
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Perez ÉS, Duran BOS, Zanella BTT, Dal-Pai-Silva M. Review: Understanding fish muscle biology in the indeterminate growth species pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 285:111502. [PMID: 37572733 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The muscle phenotype of fish is regulated by numerous factors that, although widely explored, still need to be fully understood. In this context, several studies aimed to unravel how internal and external stimuli affect the muscle growth of these vertebrates. The pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) is a species of indeterminate muscular growth that quickly reaches high body weight. For this reason, it adds great importance to the productive sector, along with other round fish. In this context, we aimed to compile studies on fish biology and skeletal muscle growth, focusing on studies by our research group that used pacu as an experimental model along with other species. Based on these studies, new muscle phenotype regulators were identified and explored in vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies, which strongly contribute to advances in understanding muscle growth mechanisms with future applications in the productive sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Érika Stefani Perez
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Bioscience of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Bruno Oliveira Silva Duran
- Department of Histology, Embryology and Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
| | - Bruna Tereza Thomazini Zanella
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Bioscience of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Maeli Dal-Pai-Silva
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Bioscience of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
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5
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Tomizawa Y, Daggett DF, Zheng G, Hoshino K. Light microscopy-based elastography for the mechanical characterization of zebrafish somitogenesis. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2023; 16:e202200238. [PMID: 36336921 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202200238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the elasticity of live tissues of zebrafish embryos using label-free optical elastography. We employed a pair of custom-built elastic microcantilevers to gently compress a zebrafish embryo and used optical-tracking analysis to obtain the induced internal strain. We then built a finite element method (FEM) model and matched the strain with the optical analysis. The elastic moduli were found by minimizing the root-mean-square errors between the optical and FEM analyses. We evaluated the average elastic moduli of a developing somite, the overlying ectoderm, and the underlying yolk of seven zebrafish embryos during the early somitogenesis stages. The estimation results showed that the average elastic modulus of the somite increased from 150 to 700 Pa between 4- and 8-somite stages, while those of the ectoderm and the yolk stayed between 100 and 200 Pa, and they did not show significant changes. The result matches well with the developmental process of somitogenesis reported in the literature. This is among the first attempts to quantify spatially-resolved elasticity of embryonic tissues from optical elastography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Tomizawa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - David F Daggett
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Guoan Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kazunori Hoshino
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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6
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Rice KL, Chan CM, Kelu JJ, Miller AL, Webb SE. A Role for Two-Pore Channel Type 2 (TPC2)-Mediated Regulation of Membrane Contact Sites During Zebrafish Notochord Biogenesis? CONTACT (THOUSAND OAKS (VENTURA COUNTY, CALIF.)) 2023; 6:25152564231211409. [PMID: 38028019 PMCID: PMC10658360 DOI: 10.1177/25152564231211409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
We have previously shown that in the developing trunk of zebrafish embryos, two-pore channel type 2 (TPC2)-mediated Ca2+ release from endolysosomes plays a role in the formation of the skeletal slow muscle. In addition, TPC2-mediated Ca2+ signaling is required for axon extension and the establishment of synchronized activity in the primary motor neurons. Here, we report that TPC2 might also play a role in the development of the notochord of zebrafish embryos. For example, when tpcn2 was knocked down or out, increased numbers of small vacuoles were formed in the inner notochord cells, compared with the single large vacuole in the notochord of control embryos. This abnormal vacuolation was associated with embryos displaying attenuated body axis straightening. We also showed that TPC2 has a distinct pattern of localization in the notochord in embryos at ∼24 hpf. Finally, we conducted RNAseq to identify differentially expressed genes in tpcn2 mutants compared to wild-type controls, and found that those involved in actin filament severing, cellular component morphogenesis, Ca2+ binding, and structural constituent of cytoskeleton were downregulated in the mutants. Together, our data suggest that TPC2 activity plays a key role in notochord biogenesis in zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keira L. Rice
- The Division of Life Science and Key State Laboratory for Molecular Neuroscience, HKUST, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ching Man Chan
- The Division of Life Science and Key State Laboratory for Molecular Neuroscience, HKUST, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jeffrey J. Kelu
- The Division of Life Science and Key State Laboratory for Molecular Neuroscience, HKUST, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Andrew L. Miller
- The Division of Life Science and Key State Laboratory for Molecular Neuroscience, HKUST, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sarah E. Webb
- The Division of Life Science and Key State Laboratory for Molecular Neuroscience, HKUST, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
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7
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Mendieta-Serrano MA, Dhar S, Ng BH, Narayanan R, Lee JJY, Ong HT, Toh PJY, Röllin A, Roy S, Saunders TE. Slow muscles guide fast myocyte fusion to ensure robust myotome formation despite the high spatiotemporal stochasticity of fusion events. Dev Cell 2022; 57:2095-2110.e5. [PMID: 36027918 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.08.002] [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: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Skeletal myogenesis is dynamic, and it involves cell-shape changes together with cell fusion and rearrangements. However, the final muscle arrangement is highly organized with striated fibers. By combining live imaging with quantitative analyses, we dissected fast-twitch myocyte fusion within the zebrafish myotome in toto. We found a strong mediolateral bias in fusion timing; however, at a cellular scale, there was heterogeneity in cell shape and the relationship between initial position of fast myocytes and resulting fusion partners. We show that the expression of the fusogen myomaker is permissive, but not instructive, in determining the spatiotemporal fusion pattern. Rather, we observed a close coordination between slow muscle rearrangements and fast myocyte fusion. In mutants that lack slow fibers, the spatiotemporal fusion pattern is substantially noisier. We propose a model in which slow muscles guide fast myocytes by funneling them close together, enhancing fusion probability. Thus, despite fusion being highly stochastic, a robust myotome structure emerges at the tissue scale.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sunandan Dhar
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Boon Heng Ng
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Rachna Narayanan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Jorge J Y Lee
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Hui Ting Ong
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Pearlyn Jia Ying Toh
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Adrian Röllin
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546, Singapore
| | - Sudipto Roy
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore; Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore.
| | - Timothy E Saunders
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore.
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8
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Luo Z, Shi J, Pandey P, Ruan ZR, Sevdali M, Bu Y, Lu Y, Du S, Chen EH. The cellular architecture and molecular determinants of the zebrafish fusogenic synapse. Dev Cell 2022; 57:1582-1597.e6. [PMID: 35709765 PMCID: PMC10180866 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Myoblast fusion is an indispensable process in skeletal muscle development and regeneration. Studies in Drosophila led to the discovery of the asymmetric fusogenic synapse, in which one cell invades its fusion partner with actin-propelled membrane protrusions to promote fusion. However, the timing and sites of vertebrate myoblast fusion remain elusive. Here, we show that fusion between zebrafish fast muscle cells is mediated by an F-actin-enriched invasive structure. Two cell adhesion molecules, Jam2a and Jam3b, are associated with the actin structure, with Jam2a being the major organizer. The Arp2/3 actin nucleation-promoting factors, WAVE and WASP-but not the bipartite fusogenic proteins, Myomaker or Myomixer-promote the formation of the invasive structure. Moreover, the convergence of fusogen-containing microdomains and the invasive protrusions is a prerequisite for cell membrane fusion. Thus, our study provides unprecedented insights into the cellular architecture and molecular determinants of the asymmetric fusogenic synapse in an intact vertebrate animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Luo
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jun Shi
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Pratima Pandey
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zhi-Rong Ruan
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Maria Sevdali
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ye Bu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yue Lu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Shaojun Du
- Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth H Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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9
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Devitt CC, Lee C, Cox RM, Papoulas O, Alvarado J, Shekhar S, Marcotte EM, Wallingford JB. Twinfilin1 controls lamellipodial protrusive activity and actin turnover during vertebrate gastrulation. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:jcs254011. [PMID: 34060614 PMCID: PMC8325956 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.254011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic control of the actin cytoskeleton is a key aspect of essentially all animal cell movements. Experiments in single migrating cells and in vitro systems have provided an exceptionally deep understanding of actin dynamics. However, we still know relatively little of how these systems are tuned in cell-type-specific ways, for example in the context of collective cell movements that sculpt the early embryo. Here, we provide an analysis of the actin-severing and depolymerization machinery during vertebrate gastrulation, with a focus on Twinfilin1 (Twf1) in Xenopus. We find that Twf1 is essential for convergent extension, and loss of Twf1 results in a disruption of lamellipodial dynamics and polarity. Moreover, Twf1 loss results in a failure to assemble polarized cytoplasmic actin cables, which are essential for convergent extension. These data provide an in vivo complement to our more-extensive understanding of Twf1 action in vitro and provide new links between the core machinery of actin regulation and the specialized cell behaviors of embryonic morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin C. Devitt
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Chanjae Lee
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Rachael M. Cox
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Ophelia Papoulas
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - José Alvarado
- Department of Physics, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Shashank Shekhar
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Edward M. Marcotte
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - John B. Wallingford
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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10
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What we can learn from embryos to understand the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition in tumor progression. Biochem J 2021; 478:1809-1825. [PMID: 33988704 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial plasticity involved the terminal and transitional stages that occur during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET), both are essential at different stages of early embryonic development that have been co-opted by cancer cells to undergo tumor metastasis. These processes are regulated at multiple instances, whereas the post-transcriptional regulation of key genes mediated by microRNAs is gaining major attention as a common and conserved pathway. In this review, we focus on discussing the latest findings of the cellular and molecular basis of the less characterized process of MET during embryonic development, with special attention to the role of microRNAs. Although we take in consideration the necessity of being cautious when extrapolating the obtained evidence, we propose some commonalities between early embryonic development and cancer progression that can shed light into our current understanding of this complex event and might aid in the design of specific therapeutic approaches.
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11
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Keenan SR, Currie PD. The Developmental Phases of Zebrafish Myogenesis. J Dev Biol 2019; 7:E12. [PMID: 31159511 PMCID: PMC6632013 DOI: 10.3390/jdb7020012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The development and growth of vertebrate axial muscle have been studied for decades at both the descriptive and molecular level. The zebrafish has provided an attractive model system for investigating both muscle patterning and growth due to its simple axial musculature with spatially separated fibre types, which contrasts to complex muscle groups often deployed in amniotes. In recent years, new findings have reshaped previous concepts that define how final teleost muscle form is established and maintained. Here, we summarise recent findings in zebrafish embryonic myogenesis with a focus on fibre type specification, followed by an examination of the molecular mechanisms that control muscle growth with emphasis on the role of the dermomyotome-like external cell layer. We also consider these data sets in a comparative context to gain insight into the evolution of axial myogenic patterning systems within the vertebrate lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel R Keenan
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
| | - Peter D Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
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12
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Yin J, Lee R, Ono Y, Ingham PW, Saunders TE. Spatiotemporal Coordination of FGF and Shh Signaling Underlies the Specification of Myoblasts in the Zebrafish Embryo. Dev Cell 2018; 46:735-750.e4. [PMID: 30253169 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Somitic cells give rise to a variety of cell types in response to Hh, BMP, and FGF signaling. Cell position within the developing zebrafish somite is highly dynamic: how, when, and where these signals specify cell fate is largely unknown. Combining four-dimensional imaging with pathway perturbations, we characterize the spatiotemporal specification and localization of somitic cells. Muscle formation is guided by highly orchestrated waves of cell specification. We find that FGF directly and indirectly controls the differentiation of fast and slow-twitch muscle lineages, respectively. FGF signaling imposes tight temporal control on Shh induction of slow muscles by regulating the time at which fast-twitch progenitors displace slow-twitch progenitors from contacting the Shh-secreting notochord. Further, we find a reciprocal regulation of fast and slow muscle differentiation, morphogenesis, and migration. In conclusion, robust cell fate determination in the developing somite requires precise spatiotemporal coordination between distinct cell lineages and signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianmin Yin
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Raymond Lee
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yosuke Ono
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Philip W Ingham
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
| | - Timothy E Saunders
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
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13
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14
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Slow Muscle Precursors Lay Down a Collagen XV Matrix Fingerprint to Guide Motor Axon Navigation. J Neurosci 2016; 36:2663-76. [PMID: 26937007 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2847-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides local positional information to guide motoneuron axons toward their muscle target. Collagen XV is a basement membrane component mainly expressed in skeletal muscle. We have identified two zebrafish paralogs of the human COL15A1 gene, col15a1a and col15a1b, which display distinct expression patterns. Here we show that col15a1b is expressed and deposited in the motor path ECM by slow muscle precursors also called adaxial cells. We further demonstrate that collagen XV-B deposition is both temporally and spatially regulated before motor axon extension from the spinal cord in such a way that it remains in this region after the adaxial cells have migrated toward the periphery of the myotome. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments in zebrafish embryos demonstrate that col15a1b expression and subsequent collagen XV-B deposition and organization in the motor path ECM depend on a previously undescribed two-step mechanism involving Hedgehog/Gli and unplugged/MuSK signaling pathways. In silico analysis predicts a putative Gli binding site in the col15a1b proximal promoter. Using col15a1b promoter-reporter constructs, we demonstrate that col15a1b participates in the slow muscle genetic program as a direct target of Hedgehog/Gli signaling. Loss and gain of col15a1b function provoke pathfinding errors in primary and secondary motoneuron axons both at and beyond the choice point where axon pathway selection takes place. These defects result in muscle atrophy and compromised swimming behavior, a phenotype partially rescued by injection of a smyhc1:col15a1b construct. These reveal an unexpected and novel role for collagen XV in motor axon pathfinding and neuromuscular development. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In addition to the archetypal axon guidance cues, the extracellular matrix provides local information that guides motor axons from the spinal cord to their muscle targets. Many of the proteins involved are unknown. Using the zebrafish model, we identified an unexpected role of the extracellular matrix collagen XV in motor axon pathfinding. We show that the synthesis of collagen XV-B by slow muscle precursors and its deposition in the common motor path are dependent on a novel two-step mechanism that determines axon decisions at a choice point during motor axonogenesis. Zebrafish and humans use common molecular cues and regulatory mechanisms for the neuromuscular system development. And as such, our study reveals COL15A1 as a candidate gene for orphan neuromuscular disorders.
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Kim HY, Jackson TR, Davidson LA. On the role of mechanics in driving mesenchymal-to-epithelial transitions. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 67:113-122. [PMID: 27208723 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) is an intrinsically mechanical process describing a multi-step progression where autonomous mesenchymal cells gradually become tightly linked, polarized epithelial cells. METs are fundamental to a wide range of biological processes, including the evolution of multicellular organisms, generation of primary and secondary epithelia during development and organogenesis, and the progression of diseases including cancer. In these cases, there is an interplay between the establishment of cell polarity and the mechanics of neighboring cells and microenvironment. In this review, we highlight a spectrum of METs found in normal development as well as in pathological lesions, and provide insight into the critical role mechanics play at each step. We define MET as an independent process, distinct from a reverse-EMT, and propose questions to further explore the cellular and physical mechanisms of MET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Young Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Timothy R Jackson
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Lance A Davidson
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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16
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Adaxial cell migration in the zebrafish embryo is an active cell autonomous property that requires the Prdm1a transcription factor. Differentiation 2015; 89:77-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Revised: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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17
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Rost F, Eugster C, Schröter C, Oates AC, Brusch L. Chevron formation of the zebrafish muscle segments. J Exp Biol 2014; 217:3870-82. [PMID: 25267843 PMCID: PMC4213178 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.102202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The muscle segments of fish have a folded shape, termed a chevron, which is thought to be optimal for the undulating body movements of swimming. However, the mechanism shaping the chevron during embryogenesis is not understood. Here, we used time-lapse microscopy of developing zebrafish embryos spanning the entire somitogenesis period to quantify the dynamics of chevron shape development. By comparing such time courses with the start of movements in wildtype zebrafish and analysing immobile mutants, we show that the previously implicated body movements do not play a role in chevron formation. Further, the monotonic increase of chevron angle along the anteroposterior axis revealed by our data constrains or rules out possible contributions by previously proposed mechanisms. In particular, we found that muscle pioneers are not required for chevron formation. We put forward a tension-and-resistance mechanism involving interactions between intra-segmental tension and segment boundaries. To evaluate this mechanism, we derived and analysed a mechanical model of a chain of contractile and resisting elements. The predictions of this model were verified by comparison with experimental data. Altogether, our results support the notion that a simple physical mechanism suffices to self-organize the observed spatiotemporal pattern in chevron formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Rost
- Center for Information Services and High-Performance Computing, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Christina Eugster
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Schröter
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andrew C Oates
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany MRC-National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lutz Brusch
- Center for Information Services and High-Performance Computing, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
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18
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Myhre JL, Hills JA, Jean F, Pilgrim DB. Unc45b is essential for early myofibrillogenesis and costamere formation in zebrafish. Dev Biol 2014; 390:26-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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19
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Campos C, Valente LM, Conceição LE, Engrola S, Sousa V, Rocha E, Fernandes JM. Incubation temperature induces changes in muscle cellularity and gene expression in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis). Gene 2013; 516:209-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.12.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2012] [Revised: 12/02/2012] [Accepted: 12/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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20
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Effendi K, Yamazaki K, Mori T, Masugi Y, Makino S, Sakamoto M. Involvement of hepatocellular carcinoma biomarker, cyclase-associated protein 2 in zebrafish body development and cancer progression. Exp Cell Res 2013; 319:35-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2012.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2012] [Revised: 08/20/2012] [Accepted: 09/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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21
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Asaduzzaman M, Kinoshita S, Bhuiyan SS, Asakawa S, Watabe S. Stimulatory and inhibitory mechanisms of slow muscle-specific myosin heavy chain gene expression in fish: transient and transgenic analysis of torafugu MYH(M86-2) promoter in zebrafish embryos. Exp Cell Res 2012; 319:820-37. [PMID: 23237989 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2012.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Revised: 11/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The myosin heavy chain gene, MYHM86-2, exhibited restricted expression in slow muscle fibers of torafugu embryos and larvae, suggesting its functional roles for embryonic and larval muscle development. However, the transcriptional mechanisms involved in its expression are still ambiguous. The present study is the first extensive analysis of slow muscle-specific MYHM86-2 promoter in fish for identifying the cis-elements that are crucial for its expression. Combining both transient transfection and transgenic approaches, we demonstrated that the 2614bp 5'-flanking sequences of MYHM86-2 contain a sufficient promoter activity to drive gene expression specific to superficial slow muscle fibers. By cyclopamine treatment, we also demonstrated that the differentiation of such superficial slow muscle fibers depends on hedgehog signaling activity. The deletion analyses defined an upstream fragment necessary for repressing ectopic MYHM86-2 expression in the fast muscle fibers. The transcriptional mechanism that prevents MYHM86-2 expression in the fast muscle fibers is mediated through Sox6 binding elements. We also demonstrated that Sox6 may function as a transcriptional repressor of MYHM86-2 expression. We further discovered that nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) binding elements plays a key role and myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) binding elements participate in the transcriptional regulation of MYHM86-2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Asaduzzaman
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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22
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Asaduzzaman M, Akolkar DB, Kinoshita S, Watabe S. The expression of multiple myosin heavy chain genes during skeletal muscle development of torafugu Takifugu rubripes embryos and larvae. Gene 2012. [PMID: 23201422 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.10.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In vertebrates, the development-dependent and tissue-specific expression of myosin heavy chain (MYH) genes (MYHs) contributes to the formation of diverged muscle fiber types. The expression patterns of developmentally regulated MYHs have been investigated in certain species of fish. However, the expression profiles of MYHs during torafugu Takifugu rubripes development, although extensively studied in adult tissues, have not been sufficiently studied, and also the expression orders of MYHs during development have remained unclear. In the present study, we comprehensively cloned four MYHs (MYH(M743-2), MYH(M86-2), MYH(M5) and MYH(M2126-1)) from embryos, and two MYHs (MYH(M2528-1) and MYH(M1034)) from larvae, and characterized their expression pattern in relation to developmental stages of torafugu by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and in situ hybridization. The expression of MYHs from torafugu embryos and larvae appeared sequentially and varied largely in relation to the developmental stage-dependent and fibers-type-specific manners. The transcripts of MYH(M743-2) appeared first in embryos at 3 days post fertilization (dpf) and were localized in the epaxial and hypaxial domains of fast muscle fibers of larval myotome, whereas those of MYH(M5) and MYH(M86-2) in 3 dpf and 4 dpf, respectively, and both were localized in superficial slow and horizontal myoseptum regions. The expression of MYH(M1034) and MYH(M2126-1) was quite low and mostly undetectable. Different MYHs from torafugu embryos and larvae have also been found to be expressed differentially in pectoral fin and craniofacial muscles. Interestingly, the transcripts of MYH(M2528-1) first appeared at 6 dpf and were distinctly expressed at the dorsal and ventral extremes of larval myotome, suggesting its involvement in stratified hyperplasia. The novel involvement of MYH(M2528-1) in mosaic hyperplasia was further confirmed in juvenile torafugu, where the transcripts were expressed in fast fibers with small diameters as well as the inner part of superficial slow fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Asaduzzaman
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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Nguyen-Chi ME, Bryson-Richardson R, Sonntag C, Hall TE, Gibson A, Sztal T, Chua W, Schilling TF, Currie PD. Morphogenesis and cell fate determination within the adaxial cell equivalence group of the zebrafish myotome. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1003014. [PMID: 23133395 PMCID: PMC3486873 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2011] [Accepted: 08/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the central questions of developmental biology is how cells of equivalent potential—an equivalence group—come to adopt specific cellular fates. In this study we have used a combination of live imaging, single cell lineage analyses, and perturbation of specific signaling pathways to dissect the specification of the adaxial cells of the zebrafish embryo. We show that the adaxial cells are myogenic precursors that form a cell fate equivalence group of approximately 20 cells that consequently give rise to two distinct sub-types of muscle fibers: the superficial slow muscle fibers (SSFs) and muscle pioneer cells (MPs), distinguished by specific gene expression and cell behaviors. Using a combination of live imaging, retrospective and indicative fate mapping, and genetic studies, we show that MP and SSF precursors segregate at the beginning of segmentation and that they arise from distinct regions along the anterior-posterior (AP) and dorsal-ventral (DV) axes of the adaxial cell compartment. FGF signaling restricts MP cell fate in the anterior-most adaxial cells in each somite, while BMP signaling restricts this fate to the middle of the DV axis. Thus our results reveal that the synergistic actions of HH, FGF, and BMP signaling independently create a three-dimensional (3D) signaling milieu that coordinates cell fate within the adaxial cell equivalence group. How specific genes and signals act on initially identical cells to generate the different tissues of the body remains one of the central questions of developmental genetics. Zebrafish are a useful model system to tackle this question as the optically clear embryo allows direct imaging of forming tissues, tracking individual cells in a myriad of different genetic contexts. The zebrafish myotome, the compartment of the embryo that gives rise to skeletal muscle, is subdivided into a number of specific cell types—one of which, the adaxial cells, gives rise exclusively to muscle of the “slow twitch” class. The adaxial cells give rise to two types of slow muscle cell types, muscle pioneer cells and non-muscle pioneer slow cells, distinguished by gene expression and different cellular behaviours. In this study we use lineage tracing live imaging and the manipulation of distinct genetic pathways to demonstrate that the adaxial cells form a cell fate “equivalence group” that is specified using separate signaling pathways that operating in distinct dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai E. Nguyen-Chi
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Carmen Sonntag
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Thomas E. Hall
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Abigail Gibson
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Tamar Sztal
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Wendy Chua
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Thomas F. Schilling
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Peter D. Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
- * E-mail:
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de Soysa TY, Ulrich A, Friedrich T, Pite D, Compton SL, Ok D, Bernardos RL, Downes GB, Hsieh S, Stein R, Lagdameo MC, Halvorsen K, Kesich LR, Barresi MJF. Macondo crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disrupts specific developmental processes during zebrafish embryogenesis. BMC Biol 2012; 10:40. [PMID: 22559716 PMCID: PMC3364156 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-10-40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 05/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Deepwater Horizon disaster was the largest marine oil spill in history, and total vertical exposure of oil to the water column suggests it could impact an enormous diversity of ecosystems. The most vulnerable organisms are those encountering these pollutants during their early life stages. Water-soluble components of crude oil and specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been shown to cause defects in cardiovascular and craniofacial development in a variety of teleost species, but the developmental origins of these defects have yet to be determined. We have adopted zebrafish, Danio rerio, as a model to test whether water accumulated fractions (WAF) of the Deepwater Horizon oil could impact specific embryonic developmental processes. While not a native species to the Gulf waters, the developmental biology of zebrafish has been well characterized and makes it a powerful model system to reveal the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind Macondo crude toxicity. Results WAF of Macondo crude oil sampled during the oil spill was used to treat zebrafish throughout embryonic and larval development. Our results indicate that the Macondo crude oil causes a variety of significant defects in zebrafish embryogenesis, but these defects have specific developmental origins. WAF treatments caused defects in craniofacial development and circulatory function similar to previous reports, but we extend these results to show they are likely derived from an earlier defect in neural crest cell development. Moreover, we demonstrate that exposure to WAFs causes a variety of novel deformations in specific developmental processes, including programmed cell death, locomotor behavior, sensory and motor axon pathfinding, somitogenesis and muscle patterning. Interestingly, the severity of cell death and muscle phenotypes decreased over several months of repeated analysis, which was correlated with a rapid drop-off in the aromatic and alkane hydrocarbon components of the oil. Conclusions Whether these teratogenic effects are unique to the oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill or generalizable for most crude oil types remains to be determined. This work establishes a model for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms behind crude oil mediated deformations. In addition, due to the high conservation of genetic and cellular processes between zebrafish and other vertebrates, our work also provides a platform for more focused assessment of the impact that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has had on the early life stages of native fish species in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
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Rbfox-regulated alternative splicing is critical for zebrafish cardiac and skeletal muscle functions. Dev Biol 2011; 359:251-61. [PMID: 21925157 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2011] [Revised: 08/30/2011] [Accepted: 08/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Rbfox RNA binding proteins are implicated as regulators of phylogenetically-conserved alternative splicing events important for muscle function. To investigate the function of rbfox genes, we used morpholino-mediated knockdown of muscle-expressed rbfox1l and rbfox2 in zebrafish embryos. Single and double morphant embryos exhibited changes in splicing of overlapping sets of bioinformatically-predicted rbfox target exons, many of which exhibit a muscle-enriched splicing pattern that is conserved in vertebrates. Thus, conservation of intronic Rbfox binding motifs is a good predictor of Rbfox-regulated alternative splicing. Morphology and development of single morphant embryos were strikingly normal; however, muscle development in double morphants was severely disrupted. Defects in cardiac muscle were marked by reduced heart rate and in skeletal muscle by complete paralysis. The predominance of wavy myofibers and abnormal thick and thin filaments in skeletal muscle revealed that myofibril assembly is defective and disorganized in double morphants. Ultra-structural analysis revealed that although sarcomeres with electron dense M- and Z-bands are present in muscle fibers of rbfox1l/rbox2 morphants, they are substantially reduced in number and alignment. Importantly, splicing changes and morphological defects were rescued by expression of morpholino-resistant rbfox cDNA. Additionally, a target-blocking MO complementary to a single UGCAUG motif adjacent to an rbfox target exon of fxr1 inhibited inclusion in a similar manner to rbfox knockdown, providing evidence that Rbfox regulates the splicing of target exons via direct binding to intronic regulatory motifs. We conclude that Rbfox proteins regulate an alternative splicing program essential for vertebrate heart and skeletal muscle functions.
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Rothschild SC, Francescatto L, Drummond IA, Tombes RM. CaMK-II is a PKD2 target that promotes pronephric kidney development and stabilizes cilia. Development 2011; 138:3387-97. [PMID: 21752935 DOI: 10.1242/dev.066340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular Ca²⁺ signals influence gastrulation, neurogenesis and organogenesis through pathways that are still being defined. One potential Ca²⁺ mediator of many of these morphogenic processes is CaMK-II, a conserved calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. Prolonged Ca²⁺ stimulation converts CaMK-II into an activated state that, in the zebrafish, is detected in the forebrain, ear and kidney. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease has been linked to mutations in the Ca²⁺-conducting TRP family member PKD2, the suppression of which in vertebrate model organisms results in kidney cysts. Both PKD2-deficient and CaMK-II-deficient zebrafish embryos fail to form pronephric ducts properly, and exhibit anterior cysts and destabilized cloacal cilia. PKD2 suppression inactivates CaMK-II in pronephric cells and cilia, whereas constitutively active CaMK-II restores pronephric duct formation in pkd2 morphants. PKD2 and CaMK-II deficiencies are synergistic, supporting their existence in the same genetic pathway. We conclude that CaMK-II is a crucial effector of PKD2 Ca²⁺ that both promotes morphogenesis of the pronephric kidney and stabilizes primary cloacal cilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Rothschild
- Nephrology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
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28
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Ono Y, Kinoshita S, Ikeda D, Watabe S. Early development of medaka Oryzias latipes muscles as revealed by transgenic approaches using embryonic and larval types of myosin heavy chain genes. Dev Dyn 2010; 239:1807-17. [PMID: 20503376 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We cloned three full-length cDNAs encoding myosin heavy chains (MYHs) previously found to be expressed in embryos or larvae of medaka Oryzias latipes. Based on cDNA sequence information, the three medaka MYH genes, mMYH(emb1), mMYH(L1) and mMYH(L2), were localized on the chromosomes. In vivo promoter assay using the gene encoding green or red fluorescent protein and linked to the 5'-flanking region of mMYH demonstrated that the transcripts of fast-type mMYH(emb1), first expressed in embryos but belonging to the adult type in phylogenetic analysis, were located in the horizontal myoseptum. On the other hand, embryonic fast-type mMYH(L1) and mMYH(L2) were expressed in the whole myotomes. Interestingly, cells expressing mMYH(emb1) were localized together with engrailed, and cyclopamine, which blocks hedgehog signaling, inhibited mMYH(emb1) expression as well as the formation of the horizontal myoseptum, suggesting that muscle pioneer cells express mMYH(emb1) as a key protein in the formation of the horizontal myoseptum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Ono
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
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29
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Tissue assembly and organization: Developmental mechanisms in microfabricated tissues. Biomaterials 2009; 30:4851-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2009.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2009] [Accepted: 06/19/2009] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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30
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Buckingham M, Vincent SD. Distinct and dynamic myogenic populations in the vertebrate embryo. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2009; 19:444-53. [PMID: 19762225 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2009.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2009] [Revised: 07/21/2009] [Accepted: 08/07/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Myogenic cells in the body of vertebrates derive from the dorsal somite, the dermomyotome, where multipotent cells are present. Regulation of cell fate choice is discussed, as is that of progenitor cell self-renewal once cells have entered the myogenic programme. Ongoing research on the formation of the first skeletal muscle, the myotome, is presented with emphasis on mechanisms controlling the early segregation of slow and fast muscle lineages that characterizes this process in the zebrafish embryo. Further insights into myogenic populations that contribute to trunk and limb development at different stages are summarized and the distinct regulatory networks that underlie the formation of head muscles are discussed.
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31
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Chong SW, Korzh V, Jiang YJ. Myogenesis and molecules - insights from zebrafish Danio rerio. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2009; 74:1693-1755. [PMID: 20735668 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2009.02174.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Myogenesis is a fundamental process governing the formation of muscle in multicellular organisms. Recent studies in zebrafish Danio rerio have described the molecular events occurring during embryonic morphogenesis and have thus greatly clarified this process, helping to distinguish between the events that give rise to fast v. slow muscle. Coupled with the well-known Hedgehog signalling cascade and a wide variety of cellular processes during early development, the continual research on D. rerio slow muscle precursors has provided novel insights into their cellular behaviours in this organism. Similarly, analyses on fast muscle precursors have provided knowledge of the behaviour of a sub-set of epitheloid cells residing in the anterior domain of somites. Additionally, the findings by various groups on the roles of several molecules in somitic myogenesis have been clarified in the past year. In this study, the authors briefly review the current trends in the field of research of D. rerio trunk myogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-W Chong
- Laboratory of Developmental Signalling and Patterning, Genes and Development Division, A STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore.
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Baxendale S, Chen CK, Tang H, Davison C, Hateren LV, Croning MD, Humphray SJ, Hubbard SJ, Ingham PW. Expression screening and annotation of a zebrafish myoblast cDNA library. Gene Expr Patterns 2009; 9:73-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2008.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2008] [Revised: 10/13/2008] [Accepted: 10/19/2008] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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