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Shao H, Huang J, Wang H, Wang G, Yang X, Cheng M, Sun C, Zou L, Yang Q, Zhang D, Liu Z, Jiang X, Shi L, Shi P, Han B, Jiao B. Fused in sarcoma (FUS) inhibits milk production efficiency in mammals. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3953. [PMID: 38729967 PMCID: PMC11087553 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48428-5] [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: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient milk production in mammals confers evolutionary advantages by facilitating the transmission of energy from mother to offspring. However, the regulatory mechanism responsible for the gradual establishment of milk production efficiency in mammals, from marsupials to eutherians, remains elusive. Here, we find that mammary gland of the marsupial sugar glider contained milk components during adolescence, and that mammary gland development is less dynamically cyclic compared to that in placental mammals. Furthermore, fused in sarcoma (FUS) is found to be partially responsible for this establishment of low efficiency. In mouse model, FUS inhibit mammary epithelial cell differentiation through the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57Kip2, leading to lactation failure and pup starvation. Clinically, FUS levels are negatively correlated with milk production in lactating women. Overall, our results shed light on FUS as a negative regulator of milk production, providing a potential mechanism for the establishment of milk production from marsupial to eutherian mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haili Shao
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Jipeng Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Hui Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Guolei Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, Shandong, 261042, China
| | - Xu Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Mei Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Changjie Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Li Zou
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Qin Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Luoyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Luoyang, Henan, 471000, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Xuelong Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Lei Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Peng Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650203, China
| | - Baowei Han
- Luoyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Luoyang, Henan, 471000, China.
| | - Baowei Jiao
- National Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China.
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650203, China.
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Kim HY, Sinha I, Sears KE, Kuperwasser C, Rauner G. Expanding the evo-devo toolkit: generation of 3D mammary tissue from diverse mammals. Development 2024; 151:dev202134. [PMID: 38276965 PMCID: PMC10905751 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
The varying pathways of mammary gland development across species and evolutionary history are underexplored, largely due to a lack of model systems. Recent progress in organoid technology holds the promise of enabling in-depth studies of the developmental adaptations that have occurred throughout the evolution of different species, fostering beneficial phenotypes. The practical application of this technology for mammary glands has been mostly confined to rodents and humans. In the current study, we have successfully created next-generation 3D mammary gland organoids from eight eutherian mammals and the first branched organoid of a marsupial mammary gland. Using mammary organoids, we identified a role for ROCK protein in regulating branching morphogenesis, a role that manifests differently in organoids from different mammals. This finding demonstrates the utility of the 3D organoid model for understanding the evolution and adaptations of signaling pathways. These achievements highlight the potential for organoid models to expand our understanding of mammary gland biology and evolution, and their potential utility in studies of lactation or breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hahyung Y. Kim
- Department of Developmental, Chemical & Molecular Biology, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Ishani Sinha
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Karen E. Sears
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Charlotte Kuperwasser
- Department of Developmental, Chemical & Molecular Biology, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Laboratory for the Convergence of Biomedical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Gat Rauner
- Department of Developmental, Chemical & Molecular Biology, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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3
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de Weerth C, Aatsinki AK, Azad MB, Bartol FF, Bode L, Collado MC, Dettmer AM, Field CJ, Guilfoyle M, Hinde K, Korosi A, Lustermans H, Mohd Shukri NH, Moore SE, Pundir S, Rodriguez JM, Slupsky CM, Turner S, van Goudoever JB, Ziomkiewicz A, Beijers R. Human milk: From complex tailored nutrition to bioactive impact on child cognition and behavior. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2022; 63:7945-7982. [PMID: 35352583 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2053058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human milk is a highly complex liquid food tailor-made to match an infant's needs. Beyond documented positive effects of breastfeeding on infant and maternal health, there is increasing evidence that milk constituents also impact child neurodevelopment. Non-nutrient milk bioactives would contribute to the (long-term) development of child cognition and behavior, a process termed 'Lactocrine Programming'. In this review we discuss the current state of the field on human milk composition and its links with child cognitive and behavioral development. To promote state-of-the-art methodologies and designs that facilitate data pooling and meta-analytic endeavors, we present detailed recommendations and best practices for future studies. Finally, we determine important scientific gaps that need to be filled to advance the field, and discuss innovative directions for future research. Unveiling the mechanisms underlying the links between human milk and child cognition and behavior will deepen our understanding of the broad functions of this complex liquid food, as well as provide necessary information for designing future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna-Katariina Aatsinki
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Meghan B Azad
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Frank F Bartol
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Lars Bode
- Department of Pediatrics and Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Maria Carmen Collado
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Amanda M Dettmer
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Catherine J Field
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Meagan Guilfoyle
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Katie Hinde
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Aniko Korosi
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hellen Lustermans
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nurul Husna Mohd Shukri
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sophie E Moore
- Department of Women & Children's Health, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Nutrition Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia and the London, Fajara, The GambiaBanjul
| | - Shikha Pundir
- The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Juan Miguel Rodriguez
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carolyn M Slupsky
- Department of Nutrition and Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Sarah Turner
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Johannes B van Goudoever
- Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Ziomkiewicz
- Department of Anthropology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Social Development, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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4
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Sailler A, Prieto M, Goulle F. Successful bilateral phacoemulsification and vitrectomy in a Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2021; 260:450-454. [PMID: 34968188 DOI: 10.2460/javma.21.03.0165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION A 7-month-old hand-reared female Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) was evaluated for bilateral ocular opacity of 3 months' duration. CLINICAL FINDINGS On physical examination, the wallaby was in good overall condition. An ophthalmic examination revealed mature cataracts in both eyes (OU). The cataracts were suspected to have a nutritional origin as it has been described in hand-reared macropods. Results of tonometry were normal OU. Results of CBC and serum biochemistry were unremarkable. The wallaby was premedicated with medetomidine and ketamine hydrochloride. Ocular ultrasonography performed while the wallaby was anesthetized revealed a thickened and opaque lens, mildly heterogeneous vitreous humor, and no sign of retinal detachment OU. An electroretinogram confirmed functional retinae OU. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Surgery was considered necessary for welfare reasons. Phacoemulsification and vitrectomy were performed without intraoperative complication. The wallaby recovered uneventfully, and systemic NSAID, topical corticosteroid, and systemic and topical antimicrobial therapy were prescribed. One year later, the animal had vision OU. Physical examination did not show any vision-threatening postoperative complications. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The etiology of nutritional cataracts is not fully understood in macropods, but this condition is rather common in these species. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed report of a successful bilateral phacoemulsification and vitrectomy in a Bennett's wallaby.
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Harding EF, Russo AG, Yan GJH, Waters PD, White PA. Ancient viral integrations in marsupials: a potential antiviral defence. Virus Evol 2021; 7:veab076. [PMID: 34548931 PMCID: PMC8449507 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veab076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Marsupial viruses are understudied compared to their eutherian mammal counterparts, although they may pose severe threats to vulnerable marsupial populations. Genomic viral integrations, termed 'endogenous viral elements' (EVEs), could protect the host from infection. It is widely known past viral infections and EVEs play an active role in antiviral defence in invertebrates and plants. This study aimed to characterise actively transcribed EVEs in Australian marsupial species, because they may play an integral role in cellular defence against viruses. This study screened publicly available RNA sequencing data sets (n = 35) and characterised 200 viral transcripts from thirteen Australian marsupial species. Of the 200 transcripts, 188 originated from either Bornaviridae, Filoviridae, or Parvoviridae EVEs. The other twelve transcripts were from putative active infections from members of the Herpesviridae and Anelloviridae, and Hepadnaviridae. EVE transcripts (n = 188) were mapped to marsupial genomes (where available, n = 5/13) to identify the genomic insertion sites. Of the 188 transcripts, 117 mapped to 39 EVEs within the koala, bare-nosed wombat, tammar wallaby, brushtail possum, and Tasmanian devil genomes. The remaining eight animals had no available genome (transcripts n = 71). Every marsupial has Bornaviridae, Filoviridae, and Parvoviridae EVEs, a trend widely observed in eutherian mammals. Whilst eutherian bornavirus EVEs are predominantly nucleoprotein-derived, marsupial bornavirus EVEs demonstrate a surprising replicase gene bias. We predicted these widely distributed EVEs were conserved within marsupials from ancient germline integrations, as many were over 65 million years old. One bornavirus replicase EVE, present in six marsupial genomes, was estimated to be 160 million years old, predating the American-Australian marsupial split. We considered transcription of these EVEs through small non-coding RNA as an ancient viral defence. Consistent with this, in koala small RNA sequence data sets, we detected Bornaviridae replicase and Filoviridae nucleoprotein produced small RNA. These were enriched in testis tissue, suggesting they could protect marsupials from vertically transmitted viral integrations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alice G Russo
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Grace J H Yan
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Paul D Waters
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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6
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Paré P, Reales G, Paixão-Côrtes VR, Vargas-Pinilla P, Viscardi LH, Fam B, Pissinatti A, Santos FR, Bortolini MC. Molecular evolutionary insights from PRLR in mammals. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 309:113791. [PMID: 33872604 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Prolactin (PRL) is a pleiotropic neurohormone secreted by the mammalian pituitary gland into the blood, thus reaching many tissues and organs beyond the brain. PRL binds to its receptor, PRLR, eliciting a molecular signaling cascade. This system modulates essential mammalian behaviors and promotes notable modifications in the reproductive female tissues and organs. Here, we explore how the intracellular domain of PRLR (PRLR-ICD) modulates the expression of the PRLR gene. Despite differences in the reproductive strategies between eutherian and metatherian mammals, there is no clear distinction between PRLR-ICD functional motifs. However, we found selection signatures that showed differences between groups, with many conserved functional elements strongly maintained through purifying selection across the class Mammalia. We observed a few residues under relaxed selection, the levels of which were more pronounced in Eutheria and particularly striking in primates (Simiiformes), which could represent a pre-adaptive genetic element protected from purifying selection. Alternative, new motifs, such as YLDP (318-321) and others with residues Y283 and Y290, may already be functional. These motifs would have been co-opted in primates as part of a complex genetic repertoire related to some derived adaptive phenotypes, but these changes would have no impact on the primordial functions that characterize the mammals as a whole and that are related to the PRL-PRLR system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Paré
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Guillermo Reales
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Vanessa R Paixão-Côrtes
- Laboratório de Biologia Evolutiva e Genômica (LABEG), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Pedro Vargas-Pinilla
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas Henriques Viscardi
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Bibiana Fam
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Fabrício R Santos
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade e Evolução Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo-Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Maria Cátira Bortolini
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Little AG, Pamenter ME, Sitaraman D, Templeman NM, Willmore WG, Hedrick MS, Moyes CD. WITHDRAWN: Utilizing comparative models in biomedical research. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 256:110938. [PMID: 33737041 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.110938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Volume 255, 2021, 110593, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110593. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn.
The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Divya Sitaraman
- Department of Psychology, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Michael S Hedrick
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA.
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Little AG, Pamenter ME, Sitaraman D, Templeman NM, Willmore WG, Hedrick MS, Moyes CD. Utilizing comparative models in biomedical research. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 255:110593. [PMID: 33779562 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
This review serves as an introduction to a Special Issue of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, focused on using non-human models to study biomedical physiology. The concept of a model differs across disciplines. For example, several models are used primarily to gain an understanding of specific human pathologies and disease states, whereas other models may be focused on gaining insight into developmental or evolutionary mechanisms. It is often the case that animals initially used to gain knowledge of some unique biochemical or physiological process finds foothold in the biomedical community and becomes an established model. The choice of a particular model for biomedical research is an ongoing process and model validation must keep pace with existing and emerging technologies. While the importance of non-mammalian models, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Danio rerio and Xenopus laevis, is well known, we also seek to bring attention to emerging alternative models of both invertebrates and vertebrates, which are less established but of interest to the comparative biochemistry and physiology community.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Divya Sitaraman
- Department of Psychology, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Michael S Hedrick
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
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9
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Pharo EA. Marsupial milk: a fluid source of nutrition and immune factors for the developing pouch young. Reprod Fertil Dev 2020; 31:1252-1265. [PMID: 30641029 DOI: 10.1071/rd18197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Marsupials have a very different reproductive strategy to eutherians. An Australian marsupial, the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) has a very short pregnancy of about 26.5 days, with a comparatively long lactation of 300-350 days. The tammar mother gives birth to an altricial, approximately 400 mg young that spends the first 200 days postpartum (p.p.) in its mother's pouch, permanently (0-100 days p.p.; Phase 2A) and then intermittently (100-200 days p.p.; Phase 2B) attached to the teat. The beginning of Phase 3 marks the first exit from the pouch (akin to the birth of a precocious eutherian neonate) and the supplementation of milk with herbage. The marsupial mother progressively alters milk composition (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) and individual milk constituents throughout the lactation cycle to provide nutrients and immunological factors that are appropriate for the considerable physiological development and growth of her pouch young. This review explores the changes in tammar milk components that occur during the lactation cycle in conjunction with the development of the young.
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Stannard HJ, Miller RD, Old JM. Marsupial and monotreme milk-a review of its nutrient and immune properties. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9335. [PMID: 32612884 PMCID: PMC7319036 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
All mammals are characterized by the ability of females to produce milk. Marsupial (metatherian) and monotreme (prototherian) young are born in a highly altricial state and rely on their mother’s milk for the first part of their life. Here we review the role and importance of milk in marsupial and monotreme development. Milk is the primary source of sustenance for young marsupials and monotremes and its composition varies at different stages of development. We applied nutritional geometry techniques to a limited number of species with values available to analyze changes in macronutrient composition of milk at different stages. Macronutrient energy composition of marsupial milk varies between species and changes concentration during the course of lactation. As well as nourishment, marsupial and monotreme milk supplies growth and immune factors. Neonates are unable to mount a specific immune response shortly after birth and therefore rely on immunoglobulins, immunological cells and other immunologically important molecules transferred through milk. Milk is also essential to the development of the maternal-young bond and is achieved through feedback systems and odor preferences in eutherian mammals. However, we have much to learn about the role of milk in marsupial and monotreme mother-young bonding. Further research is warranted in gaining a better understanding of the role of milk as a source of nutrition, developmental factors and immunity, in a broader range of marsupial species, and monotremes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley J Stannard
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert D Miller
- Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Julie M Old
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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11
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dos Santos ÍGD, de Oliveira Mendes TA, Silva GAB, Reis AMS, Monteiro-Vitorello CB, Schaker PDC, Herai RH, Fabotti ABC, Coutinho LL, Jorge EC. Didelphis albiventris: an overview of unprecedented transcriptome sequencing of the white-eared opossum. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:866. [PMID: 31730444 PMCID: PMC6858782 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6240-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The white-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris) is widely distributed throughout Brazil and South America. It has been used as an animal model for studying different scientific questions ranging from the restoration of degraded green areas to medical aspects of Chagas disease, leishmaniasis and resistance against snake venom. As a marsupial, D. albiventris can also contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern the different stages of organogenesis. Opossum joeys are born after only 13 days, and the final stages of organogenesis occur when the neonates are inside the pouch, depending on lactation. As neither the genome of this opossum species nor its transcriptome has been completely sequenced, the use of D. albiventris as an animal model is limited. In this work, we sequenced the D. albiventris transcriptome by RNA-seq to obtain the first catalogue of differentially expressed (DE) genes and gene ontology (GO) annotations during the neonatal stages of marsupial development. RESULTS The D. albiventris transcriptome was obtained from whole neonates harvested at birth (P0), at 5 days of age (P5) and at 10 days of age (P10). The de novo assembly of these transcripts generated 85,338 transcripts. Approximately 30% of these transcripts could be mapped against the amino acid sequences of M. domestica, the evolutionarily closest relative of D. albiventris to be sequenced thus far. Among the expressed transcripts, 2077 were found to be DE between P0 and P5, 13,780 between P0 and P10, and 1453 between P5 and P10. The enriched GO terms were mainly related to the immune system, blood tissue development and differentiation, vision, hearing, digestion, the CNS and limb development. CONCLUSIONS The elucidation of opossum transcriptomes provides an out-group for better understanding the distinct characteristics associated with the evolution of mammalian species. This study provides the first transcriptome sequences and catalogue of genes for a marsupial species at different neonatal stages, allowing the study of the mechanisms involved in organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Íria Gabriela Dias dos Santos
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | | | - Gerluza Aparecida Borges Silva
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Amanda Maria Sena Reis
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | | | - Patricia Dayane Carvalho Schaker
- Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo Brazil
| | - Roberto Hirochi Herai
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR), Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Luiz Lehmann Coutinho
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo Brazil
| | - Erika Cristina Jorge
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil
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Manguy J, Shields DC. Implications of kappa-casein evolutionary diversity for the self-assembly and aggregation of casein micelles. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190939. [PMID: 31824707 PMCID: PMC6837221 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Milk alpha-, beta- and kappa-casein proteins assemble into casein micelles in breast epithelial cells. The glycomacropeptide (GMP) tails of kappa-casein that extend from the surface of the micelle are key to assembly and aggregation. Aggregation is triggered by stomach pepsin cleavage of GMP from para-kappa-casein (PKC). While one casein micelle model emphasizes the importance of hydrophobic interactions, another focuses on polar residues. We performed an evolutionary analysis of kappa-casein primary sequence and predicted features that potentially impact on protein interactions. We noted more rapid change in the earlier period (166 to 60 Ma). Pepsin and plasmin cleavage sites were avoided in the GMP, which may partly explain its amino acid composition. Short tandem repeats have led to modest expansions of PKC, and to large GMP expansions, suggesting the GMP is less length constrained. Amino acid compositional constraints were assessed across species. Polarity and hydrophobicity properties were insufficient to explain differences between PKC and GMP. Among polar residues, threonine dominates the GMP, compared to serine, probably reflecting its preference for O-glycosylation over phosphorylation. Glutamine, enriched in the bovine PQ-rich region, is not positionally conserved in other species. Among hydrophobic residues, isoleucine is clearly preferred over leucine in the GMP, and patches of hydrophobicity are not markedly positionally conserved. PKC tyrosine and charged residues showed stronger conservation of position, suggesting a role for pi-interactions, seen in other structurally dynamic protein membraneless assemblies. Independent acquisitions of cysteines are consistent with a trend of increasing stabilization of multimers by covalent disulphide bonds, over evolutionary time. In conclusion, kappa-casein compositional and positional constraints appear to be influenced by modification preferences, protease evasion and protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Manguy
- UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- Food for Health Ireland, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Denis C. Shields
- UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- Food for Health Ireland, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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Modepalli V, Kumar A, Sharp JA, Saunders NR, Nicholas KR, Lefèvre C. Gene expression profiling of postnatal lung development in the marsupial gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica) highlights conserved developmental pathways and specific characteristics during lung organogenesis. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:732. [PMID: 30290757 PMCID: PMC6173930 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5102-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After a short gestation, marsupials give birth to immature neonates with lungs that are not fully developed and in early life the neonate partially relies on gas exchange through the skin. Therefore, significant lung development occurs after birth in marsupials in contrast to eutherian mammals such as humans and mice where lung development occurs predominantly in the embryo. To explore the mechanisms of marsupial lung development in comparison to eutherians, morphological and gene expression analysis were conducted in the gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica). RESULTS Postnatal lung development of Monodelphis involves three key stages of development: (i) transition from late canalicular to early saccular stages, (ii) saccular and (iii) alveolar stages, similar to developmental stages overlapping the embryonic and perinatal period in eutherians. Differentially expressed genes were identified and correlated with developmental stages. Functional categories included growth factors, extracellular matrix protein (ECMs), transcriptional factors and signalling pathways related to branching morphogenesis, alveologenesis and vascularisation. Comparison with published data on mice highlighted the conserved importance of extracellular matrix remodelling and signalling pathways such as Wnt, Notch, IGF, TGFβ, retinoic acid and angiopoietin. The comparison also revealed changes in the mammalian gene expression program associated with the initiation of alveologenesis and birth, pointing to subtle differences between the non-functional embryonic lung of the eutherian mouse and the partially functional developing lung of the marsupial Monodelphis neonates. The data also highlighted a subset of contractile proteins specifically expressed in Monodelphis during and after alveologenesis. CONCLUSION The results provide insights into marsupial lung development and support the potential of the marsupial model of postnatal development towards better understanding of the evolution of the mammalian bronchioalveolar lung.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amit Kumar
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Julie A Sharp
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Institute of Frontiers Materials, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Norman R Saunders
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kevin R Nicholas
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong, VIC, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Christophe Lefèvre
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong, VIC, Australia. .,Division of Bioinformatics, Walter and Eliza Hall Medical Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia. .,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. .,Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
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14
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Abstract
Many developmental functions in marsupials and eutherian mammals are accomplished by different tissues, but similar genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Abbot
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| | - John A Capra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
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15
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Carlisle A, Selwood L, Hinds LA, Saunders N, Habgood M, Mardon K, Weisbecker V. Testing hypotheses of developmental constraints on mammalian brain partition evolution, using marsupials. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4241. [PMID: 28652619 PMCID: PMC5484667 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02726-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
There is considerable debate about whether the partition volumes of the mammalian brain (e.g. cerebrum, cerebellum) evolve according to functional selection, or whether developmental constraints of conserved neurogenetic scheduling cause predictable partition scaling with brain size. Here we provide the first investigation of developmental constraints on partition volume growth, derived from contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography of hydrogel-stabilized brains from three marsupial species. ANCOVAs of partition vs. brain volume scaling, as well as growth curve comparisons, do not support several hypotheses consistent with developmental constraints: brain partition growth significantly differs between species, or between developing vs. adult marsupials. Partition growth appears independent of adult brain volume, with no discernable growth spurts/lags relatable to internal structural change. Rather, adult proportion differences appear to arise through growth rate/duration heterochrony. Substantial phylogenetic signal in adult brain partitions scaling with brain volume also counters expectations of development-mediated partition scaling conservatism. However, the scaling of olfactory bulb growth is markedly irregular, consistent with suggestions that it is less constrained. The very regular partition growth curves suggest intraspecific developmental rigidity. We speculate that a rigid, possibly neuromer-model-like early molecular program might be responsible both for regular growth curves within species and impressions of a link between neurogenesis and partition evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Carlisle
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St. Lucia, 4072 QLD, Australia
| | - Lynne Selwood
- The University of Melbourne, School of BioSciences, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Lyn A Hinds
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity Flagship, Canberra, 2601, ACT, Australia
| | - Norman Saunders
- The University of Melbourne, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark Habgood
- The University of Melbourne, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Karine Mardon
- The University of Queensland, Centre of Advanced Imaging, St. Lucia, 4072, QLD, Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St. Lucia, 4072 QLD, Australia.
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16
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Quesnel L, MacKay A, Forsyth DM, Nicholas KR, Festa-Bianchet M. Size, season and offspring sex affect milk composition and juvenile survival in wild kangaroos. J Zool (1987) 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Quesnel
- Département de biologie; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | - A. MacKay
- Département de biologie; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | - D. M. Forsyth
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit; New South Wales Department of Primary Industries; Orange NSW Australia
- School of BioSciences; University of Melbourne; Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - K. R. Nicholas
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology; Monash University; Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - M. Festa-Bianchet
- Département de biologie; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke QC Canada
- School of BioSciences; University of Melbourne; Melbourne Vic. Australia
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Modepalli V, Hinds LA, Sharp JA, Lefevre C, Nicholas KR. Marsupial tammar wallaby delivers milk bioactives to altricial pouch young to support lung development. Mech Dev 2016; 142:22-29. [PMID: 27639961 PMCID: PMC5161226 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Our research is exploiting the marsupial as a model to understand the signals required for lung development. Marsupials have a unique reproductive strategy, the mother gives birth to altricial neonate with an immature lung and the changes in milk composition during lactation in marsupials appears to provide bioactives that can regulate diverse aspects of lung development, including branching morphogenesis, cell proliferation and cell differentiation. These effects are seen with milk collected between 25 and 100days postpartum. To better understand the temporal effects of milk composition on postnatal lung development we used a cross-fostering technique to restrict the tammar pouch young to milk composition not extending beyond day 25 for 45days of its early postnatal life. These particular time points were selected as our previous study showed that milk protein collected prior to ~day 25 had no developmental effect on mouse embryonic lungs in culture. The comparative analysis of the foster group and control young at day 45 postpartum demonstrated that foster pouch young had significantly reduced lung size. The lungs in fostered young were comprised of large intermediate tissue, had a reduced size of airway lumen and a higher percentage of parenchymal tissue. In addition, expression of marker genes for lung development (BMP4, WNT11, AQP-4, HOPX and SPB) were significantly reduced in lungs from fostered young. Further, to identify the potential bioactive expressed by mammary gland that may have developmental effect on pouch young lungs, we performed proteomics analysis on tammar milk through mass-spectrometry and listed the potential bioactives (PDGF, IGFBP5, IGFBPL1 and EGFL6) secreted in milk that may be involved in regulating pouch young lung development. The data suggest that postnatal lung development in the tammar young is most likely regulated by maternal signalling factors supplied through milk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vengamanaidu Modepalli
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Institute of Life Science, Hebrew University, Edmund J Safra Campus, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Lyn A Hinds
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Julie A Sharp
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
| | - Christophe Lefevre
- Walter Eliza Hall Institute, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| | - Kevin R Nicholas
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
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