1
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Szczepańska A, Olek K, Kołodziejska K, Yu J, Ibrahim AT, Adamkiewicz L, Schroeder FC, Pokrzywa W, Turek M. Pheromone-based communication influences the production of somatic extracellular vesicles in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2715. [PMID: 38548742 PMCID: PMC10978837 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47016-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are integral to numerous biological processes, yet it is unclear how environmental factors or interactions among individuals within a population affect EV-regulated systems. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the evolutionarily conserved large EVs, known as exophers, are part of a maternal somatic tissue resource management system. Consequently, the offspring of individuals exhibiting active exopher biogenesis (exophergenesis) develop faster. Our research focuses on unraveling the complex inter-tissue and social dynamics that govern exophergenesis. We found that ascr#10, the primary male pheromone, enhances exopher production in hermaphrodites, mediated by the G-protein-coupled receptor STR-173 in ASK sensory neurons. In contrast, pheromone produced by other hermaphrodites, ascr#3, diminishes exophergenesis within the population. This process is regulated via the neuropeptides FLP-8 and FLP-21, which originate from the URX and AQR/PQR/URX neurons, respectively. Our results reveal a regulatory network that controls the production of somatic EV by the nervous system in response to social signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Szczepańska
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Physiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Olek
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Klaudia Kołodziejska
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Physiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jingfang Yu
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Abdulrahman Tudu Ibrahim
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Physiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Laura Adamkiewicz
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Physiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Wojciech Pokrzywa
- Laboratory of Protein Metabolism, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Michał Turek
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Physiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
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2
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Luo J, Bainbridge C, Miller RM, Barrios A, Portman DS. C. elegans males optimize mate-preference decisions via sex-specific responses to multimodal sensory cues. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1309-1323.e4. [PMID: 38471505 PMCID: PMC10965367 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.036] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
For sexually reproducing animals, selecting optimal mates is important for maximizing reproductive fitness. In the nematode C. elegans, populations reproduce largely by hermaphrodite self-fertilization, but the cross-fertilization of hermaphrodites by males also occurs. Males' ability to recognize hermaphrodites involves several sensory cues, but an integrated view of the ways males use these cues in their native context to assess characteristics of potential mates has been elusive. Here, we examine the mate-preference behavior of C. elegans males evoked by natively produced cues. We find that males use a combination of volatile sex pheromones (VSPs), ascaroside sex pheromones, surface-associated cues, and other signals to assess multiple features of potential mates. Specific aspects of mate preference are communicated by distinct signals: developmental stage and sex are signaled by ascaroside pheromones and surface cues, whereas the presence of a self-sperm-depleted hermaphrodite is likely signaled by VSPs. Furthermore, males prefer to interact with virgin over mated, and well-fed over food-deprived, hermaphrodites; these preferences are likely adaptive and are also mediated by ascarosides and other cues. Sex-typical mate-preference behavior depends on the sexual state of the nervous system, such that pan-neuronal genetic masculinization in hermaphrodites generates male-typical social behavior. We also identify an unexpected role for the sex-shared ASH sensory neurons in male attraction to ascaroside sex pheromones. Our findings lead to an integrated view in which the distinct physical properties of various mate-preference cues guide a flexible, stepwise behavioral program by which males assess multiple features of potential mates to optimize mate preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintao Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China; Department of Biomedical Genetics and Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Chance Bainbridge
- Department of Biomedical Genetics and Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Renee M Miller
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14620, USA
| | - Arantza Barrios
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Douglas S Portman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics and Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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3
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Shaik HA, Mishra A. Influence of Asafoetida Extract on the Virulence of the Entomopathogenic Nematode Steinernema carpocapsae and Its Symbiotic Bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila in the Host Pyrrhocoris apterus. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1678. [PMID: 37512851 PMCID: PMC10385281 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Nematode-microbe symbiosis plays a key role in determining pathogenesis against pests. The modulation of symbiotic bacteria may affect the virulence of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and the biological management of pests. We tested the influence of asafoetida (ASF) extract on the virulence of Steinernema carpocapsae and its symbiotic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila, in Pyrrhocoris apterus. A total of 100 mg of ASF killed 30% of EPNs in 48 h, while P. apterus remained unaffected. The EPNs pre-treated with 100 mg of ASF influenced P. apterus's mortality by 24-91.4% during a period of 24 to 72 h. The topical application of ASF acted as a deterrent to S. carpocapsae, lowering host invasion to 70% and delaying infectivity with 30% mortality for 168 h. Interestingly, Steinernema's symbiotic bacterium, Xenorhabdus, remained unaffected by ASF. An in vitro turbidity test containing 100 mg of ASF in a medium increased the growth rate of Xenorhabdus compared to a control. A disc diffusion assay confirmed the non-susceptibility of Xenorhabdus to ASF compared to a positive control, streptomycin. Pro-phenol oxidase (PPO) and phenol oxidase (PO) upregulation showed that ASF influences immunity, while EPN/ASF showed a combined immunomodulatory effect in P. apterus. We report that ASF modulated the virulence of S. carpocapsae but not that of its symbiotic bacterium, X. nematophila, against P. apterus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haq Abdul Shaik
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Archana Mishra
- South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Institute of Aquaculture and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Na Sádkách 1780, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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4
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Wrobel CJJ, Schroeder FC. Repurposing degradation pathways for modular metabolite biosynthesis in nematodes. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:676-686. [PMID: 37024728 PMCID: PMC10559835 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01301-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that Caenorhabditis elegans and other nematodes repurpose products from biochemical degradation pathways for the combinatorial assembly of complex modular structures that serve diverse signaling functions. Building blocks from neurotransmitter, amino acid, nucleoside and fatty acid metabolism are attached to scaffolds based on the dideoxyhexose ascarylose or glucose, resulting in hundreds of modular ascarosides and glucosides. Genome-wide association studies have identified carboxylesterases as the key enzymes mediating modular assembly, enabling rapid compound discovery via untargeted metabolomics and suggesting that modular metabolite biosynthesis originates from the 'hijacking' of conserved detoxification mechanisms. Modular metabolites thus represent a distinct biosynthetic strategy for generating structural and functional diversity in nematodes, complementing the primarily polyketide synthase- and nonribosomal peptide synthetase-derived universe of microbial natural products. Although many aspects of modular metabolite biosynthesis and function remain to be elucidated, their identification demonstrates how phenotype-driven compound discovery, untargeted metabolomics and genomic approaches can synergize to facilitate the annotation of metabolic dark matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chester J J Wrobel
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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5
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Zhao L, Zhou J, Chen J, Zhang X, Zhang H, Guo L, Li D, Ning J, Wang X, Jin W, Mai K, Abraham E, Butcher R, Sun J. A chemical signal that promotes insect survival via thermogenesis. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2756320. [PMID: 37214941 PMCID: PMC10197781 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2756320/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Cold-activated thermogenesis of brown adipose tissues (BAT) is vital for the survival of animals under cold stress and also inhibits the development of tumours. The development of small-molecule tools that target thermogenesis pathways could lead to novel therapies against cold, obesity, and even cancer. Here, we identify a chemical signal that is produced in beetles in the winter to activate fat thermogenesis. This hormone elevates the basal body temperature by increasing cellular mitochondrial density and uncoupling in order to promote beetle survival. We demonstrate that this hormone activates UCP4- mediated uncoupled respiration through adipokinetic hormone receptor (AKHR). This signal serves as a novel fat-burning activator that utilizes a conserved mechanism to promote thermogenesis not only in beetles, nematode and flies, but also in mice, protecting the mice against cold and tumor growth. This hormone represents a new strategy to manipulate fat thermogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilin Zhao
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Jiao Zhou
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Junxian Chen
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | | | | | | | - Defeng Li
- Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Jing Ning
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Xinchen Wang
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Wanzhu Jin
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Kevin Mai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida
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6
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Luo J, Barrios A, Portman DS. C. elegans males optimize mate-choice decisions via sex-specific responses to multimodal sensory cues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.08.536021. [PMID: 37066192 PMCID: PMC10104232 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.08.536021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
For sexually reproducing animals, selecting optimal mates is essential for maximizing reproductive fitness. Because the nematode C. elegans reproduces mostly by self-fertilization, little is known about its mate-choice behaviors. While several sensory cues have been implicated in males' ability to recognize hermaphrodites, achieving an integrated understanding of the ways males use these cues to assess relevant characteristics of potential mates has proven challenging. Here, we use a choice-based social-interaction assay to explore the ability of C. elegans males to make and optimize mate choices. We find that males use a combination of volatile sex pheromones (VSPs), ascaroside pheromones, surface-bound chemical cues, and other signals to robustly assess a variety of features of potential mates. Specific aspects of mate choice are communicated by distinct signals: the presence of a sperm-depleted, receptive hermaphrodite is likely signaled by VSPs, while developmental stage and sex are redundantly specified by ascaroside pheromones and surface-associated cues. Ascarosides also signal nutritional information, allowing males to choose well-fed over starved mates, while both ascarosides and surface-associated cues cause males to prefer virgin over previously mated hermaphrodites. The male-specificity of these behavioral responses is determined by both male-specific neurons and the male state of sex-shared circuits, and we reveal an unexpected role for the sex-shared ASH sensory neurons in male attraction to endogenously produced hermaphrodite ascarosides. Together, our findings lead to an integrated view of the signaling and behavioral mechanisms by which males use diverse sensory cues to assess multiple features of potential mates and optimize mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintao Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Department of Biomedical Genetics and Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Arantza Barrios
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Douglas S. Portman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics and Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642
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7
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Yang B, Wang J, Zheng X, Wang X. Nematode Pheromones: Structures and Functions. Molecules 2023; 28:2409. [PMID: 36903652 PMCID: PMC10005090 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pheromones are chemical signals secreted by one individual that can affect the behaviors of other individuals within the same species. Ascaroside is an evolutionarily conserved family of nematode pheromones that play an integral role in the development, lifespan, propagation, and stress response of nematodes. Their general structure comprises the dideoxysugar ascarylose and fatty-acid-like side chains. Ascarosides can vary structurally and functionally according to the lengths of their side chains and how they are derivatized with different moieties. In this review, we mainly describe the chemical structures of ascarosides and their different effects on the development, mating, and aggregation of nematodes, as well as how they are synthesized and regulated. In addition, we discuss their influences on other species in various aspects. This review provides a reference for the functions and structures of ascarosides and enables their better application.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
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8
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Derby CD, McClintock TS, Caprio J. Understanding responses to chemical mixtures: looking forward from the past. Chem Senses 2022; 47:bjac002. [PMID: 35226060 PMCID: PMC8883806 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjac002] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Our goal in this article is to provide a perspective on how to understand the nature of responses to chemical mixtures. In studying responses to mixtures, researchers often identify "mixture interactions"-responses to mixtures that are not accurately predicted from the responses to the mixture's individual components. Critical in these studies is how to predict responses to mixtures and thus to identify a mixture interaction. We explore this issue with a focus on olfaction and on the first level of neural processing-olfactory sensory neurons-although we use examples from taste systems as well and we consider responses beyond sensory neurons, including behavior and psychophysics. We provide a broadly comparative perspective that includes examples from vertebrates and invertebrates, from genetic and nongenetic animal models, and from literature old and new. In the end, we attempt to recommend how to approach these problems, including possible future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles D Derby
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - John Caprio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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9
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Wrobel CJJ, Yu J, Rodrigues PR, Ludewig AH, Curtis BJ, Cohen SM, Fox BW, O'Donnell MP, Sternberg PW, Schroeder FC. Combinatorial Assembly of Modular Glucosides via Carboxylesterases Regulates C. elegans Starvation Survival. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:14676-14683. [PMID: 34460264 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c05908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The recently discovered modular glucosides (MOGLs) form a large metabolite library derived from combinatorial assembly of moieties from amino acid, neurotransmitter, and lipid metabolism in the model organism C. elegans. Combining CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, comparative metabolomics, and synthesis, we show that the carboxylesterase homologue Cel-CEST-1.2 is responsible for specific 2-O-acylation of diverse glucose scaffolds with a wide variety of building blocks, resulting in more than 150 different MOGLs. We further show that this biosynthetic role is conserved for the closest homologue of Cel-CEST-1.2 in the related nematode species C. briggsae, Cbr-CEST-2. Expression of Cel-cest-1.2 and MOGL biosynthesis are strongly induced by starvation conditions in C. elegans, one of the premier model systems for mechanisms connecting nutrition and physiology. Cel-cest-1.2-deletion results in early death of adult animals under starvation conditions, providing first insights into the biological functions of MOGLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chester J J Wrobel
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Jingfang Yu
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Pedro R Rodrigues
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Andreas H Ludewig
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Brian J Curtis
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Sarah M Cohen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Bennett W Fox
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Michael P O'Donnell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Paul W Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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10
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Dong C, Dolke F, Bandi S, Paetz C, von Reuß SH. Dimerization of conserved ascaroside building blocks generates species-specific male attractants in Caenorhabditis nematodes. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 18:5253-5263. [PMID: 32614033 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob00799d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Comparative ascaroside profiling of Caenorhabditis nematodes using HPLC-ESI-(-)-MS/MS precursor ion scanning revealed a class of highly species-specific ascaroside dimers. Their 2- and 4-isomeric, homo- and heterodimeric structures were identified using a combination of HPLC-ESI-(+)-HR-MS/MS spectrometry and high-resolution dqf-COSY NMR spectroscopy. Structure assignments were confirmed by total synthesis of representative examples. Functional characterization using holding assays indicated that males of Caenorhabditis remanei and Caenorhabditis nigoni are exclusively retained by their conspecific ascaroside dimers, demonstrating that dimerization of conserved monomeric building blocks represents a yet undescribed mechanism that generates species-specific signaling molecules in the Caenorhabditis genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanfu Dong
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Franziska Dolke
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Siva Bandi
- Laboratory for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Avenue de Bellevaux 51, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
| | - Christian Paetz
- Research Group Biosynthesis/NMR, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Stephan H von Reuß
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany and Laboratory for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Avenue de Bellevaux 51, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
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11
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Daly AJ, De Meester N, Baetens JM, Moens T, De Baets B. Untangling the mechanisms of cryptic species coexistence in a nematode community through individual‐based modelling. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aisling J. Daly
- KERMIT, Dept of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent Univ. Ghent Belgium
| | - Nele De Meester
- Marine Biology Unit, Dept of Biology, Ghent Univ. Ghent Belgium
| | - Jan M. Baetens
- KERMIT, Dept of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent Univ. Ghent Belgium
| | - Tom Moens
- Marine Biology Unit, Dept of Biology, Ghent Univ. Ghent Belgium
| | - Bernard De Baets
- KERMIT, Dept of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent Univ. Ghent Belgium
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12
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Ferkey DM, Sengupta P, L’Etoile ND. Chemosensory signal transduction in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2021; 217:iyab004. [PMID: 33693646 PMCID: PMC8045692 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemosensory neurons translate perception of external chemical cues, including odorants, tastants, and pheromones, into information that drives attraction or avoidance motor programs. In the laboratory, robust behavioral assays, coupled with powerful genetic, molecular and optical tools, have made Caenorhabditis elegans an ideal experimental system in which to dissect the contributions of individual genes and neurons to ethologically relevant chemosensory behaviors. Here, we review current knowledge of the neurons, signal transduction molecules and regulatory mechanisms that underlie the response of C. elegans to chemicals, including pheromones. The majority of identified molecules and pathways share remarkable homology with sensory mechanisms in other organisms. With the development of new tools and technologies, we anticipate that continued study of chemosensory signal transduction and processing in C. elegans will yield additional new insights into the mechanisms by which this animal is able to detect and discriminate among thousands of chemical cues with a limited sensory neuron repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise M Ferkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Piali Sengupta
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Noelle D L’Etoile
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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13
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Yu Y, Le HH, Curtis BJ, Wrobel CJJ, Zhang B, Maxwell DN, Pan JY, Schroeder FC. An Untargeted Approach for Revealing Electrophilic Metabolites. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:3030-3037. [PMID: 33074644 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Reactive electrophilic intermediates such as coenzyme A esters play central roles in metabolism but are difficult to detect with conventional strategies. Here, we introduce hydroxylamine-based stable isotope labeling to convert reactive electrophilic intermediates into stable derivatives that are easily detectable via LC-MS. In the model system Caenorhabditis elegans, parallel treatment with 14NH2OH and 15NH2OH revealed >1000 labeled metabolites, e.g., derived from peptide, fatty acid, and ascaroside pheromone biosyntheses. Results from NH2OH treatment of a pheromone biosynthesis mutant, acox-1.1, suggested upregulation of thioesterase activity, which was confirmed by gene expression analysis. The upregulated thioesterase contributes to the biosynthesis of a specific subset of ascarosides, determining the balance of dispersal and attractive signals. These results demonstrate the utility of NH2OH labeling for investigating complex biosynthetic networks. Initial results with Aspergillus and human cell lines indicate applicability toward uncovering reactive metabolomes in diverse living systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yu
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Henry H. Le
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Brian J. Curtis
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Chester J. J. Wrobel
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Bingsen Zhang
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Danielle N. Maxwell
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Judy Y. Pan
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Frank C. Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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14
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Mata-Cabana A, Gómez-Delgado L, Romero-Expósito FJ, Rodríguez-Palero MJ, Artal-Sanz M, Olmedo M. Social Chemical Communication Determines Recovery From L1 Arrest via DAF-16 Activation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:588686. [PMID: 33240886 PMCID: PMC7683423 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.588686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In a population, chemical communication determines the response of animals to changing environmental conditions, what leads to an enhanced resistance against stressors. In response to starvation, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans arrest post-embryonic development at the first larval stage (L1) right after hatching. As arrested L1 larvae, C. elegans become more resistant to diverse stresses, allowing them to survive for several weeks expecting to encounter more favorable conditions. L1 arrested at high densities display an enhanced resistance to starvation, dependent on soluble compounds released beyond hatching and the first day of arrest. Here, we show that this chemical communication also influences recovery after prolonged periods in L1 arrest. Animals at high density recovered faster than animals at low density. We found that the density effect on survival depends on the final effector of the insulin signaling pathway, the transcription factor DAF-16. Moreover, DAF-16 activation was higher at high density, consistent with a lower expression of the insulin-like peptide DAF-28 in the neurons. The improved recovery of animals after arrest at high density depended on soluble compounds present in the media of arrested L1s. In an effort to find the nature of these compounds, we investigated the disaccharide trehalose as putative signaling molecule, since its production is enhanced during L1 arrest and it is able to activate DAF-16. We detected the presence of trehalose in the medium of arrested L1 larvae at a low concentration. The addition of this concentration of trehalose to animals arrested at low density was enough to rescue DAF-28 production and DAF-16 activation to the levels of animals arrested at high density. However, despite activating DAF-16, trehalose was not capable of reversing survival and recovery phenotypes, suggesting the participation of additional signaling molecules. With all, here we describe a molecular mechanism underlying social communication that allows C. elegans to maintain arrested L1 larvae ready to quickly recover as soon as they encounter nutrient sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Mata-Cabana
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Laura Gómez-Delgado
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | | | - María J. Rodríguez-Palero
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Junta de Andalucía – Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Marta Artal-Sanz
- Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Junta de Andalucía – Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - María Olmedo
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
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15
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Abstract
For the first 25 years after the landmark 1974 paper that launched the field, most C. elegans biologists were content to think of their subjects as solitary creatures. C. elegans presented no shortage of fascinating biological problems, but some of the features that led Brenner to settle on this species-in particular, its free-living, self-fertilizing lifestyle-also seemed to reduce its potential for interesting social behavior. That perspective soon changed, with the last two decades bringing remarkable progress in identifying and understanding the complex interactions between worms. The growing appreciation that C. elegans behavior can only be meaningfully understood in the context of its ecology and evolution ensures that the coming years will see similarly exciting progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas S Portman
- Departments of Biomedical Genetics, Neuroscience, and Biology, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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16
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Le HH, Wrobel CJ, Cohen SM, Yu J, Park H, Helf MJ, Curtis BJ, Kruempel JC, Rodrigues PR, Hu PJ, Sternberg PW, Schroeder FC. Modular metabolite assembly in Caenorhabditis elegans depends on carboxylesterases and formation of lysosome-related organelles. eLife 2020; 9:61886. [PMID: 33063667 PMCID: PMC7641594 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Signaling molecules derived from attachment of diverse metabolic building blocks to ascarosides play a central role in the life history of C. elegans and other nematodes; however, many aspects of their biogenesis remain unclear. Using comparative metabolomics, we show that a pathway mediating formation of intestinal lysosome-related organelles (LROs) is required for biosynthesis of most modular ascarosides as well as previously undescribed modular glucosides. Similar to modular ascarosides, the modular glucosides are derived from highly selective assembly of moieties from nucleoside, amino acid, neurotransmitter, and lipid metabolism, suggesting that modular glucosides, like the ascarosides, may serve signaling functions. We further show that carboxylesterases that localize to intestinal organelles are required for the assembly of both modular ascarosides and glucosides via ester and amide linkages. Further exploration of LRO function and carboxylesterase homologs in C. elegans and other animals may reveal additional new compound families and signaling paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry H Le
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Chester Jj Wrobel
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Sarah M Cohen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Jingfang Yu
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Heenam Park
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Maximilian J Helf
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Brian J Curtis
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Joseph C Kruempel
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Pedro Reis Rodrigues
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Patrick J Hu
- Departments of Medicine and Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, United States
| | - Paul W Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
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17
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Hoki JS, Le HH, Mellott KE, Zhang YK, Fox BW, Rodrigues PR, Yu Y, Helf MJ, Baccile JA, Schroeder FC. Deep Interrogation of Metabolism Using a Pathway-Targeted Click-Chemistry Approach. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:18449-18459. [PMID: 33053303 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c06877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Untargeted metabolomics indicates that the number of unidentified small-molecule metabolites may exceed the number of protein-coding genes for many organisms, including humans, by orders of magnitude. Uncovering the underlying metabolic networks is essential for elucidating the physiological and ecological significance of these biogenic small molecules. Here we develop a click-chemistry-based enrichment strategy, DIMEN (deep interrogation of metabolism via enrichment), that we apply to investigate metabolism of the ascarosides, a family of signaling molecules in the model organism C. elegans. Using a single alkyne-modified metabolite and a solid-phase azide resin that installs a diagnostic moiety for MS/MS-based identification, DIMEN uncovered several hundred novel compounds originating from diverse biosynthetic transformations that reveal unexpected intersection with amino acid, carbohydrate, and energy metabolism. Many of the newly discovered transformations could not be identified or detected by conventional LC-MS analyses without enrichment, demonstrating the utility of DIMEN for deeply probing biochemical networks that generate extensive yet uncharacterized structure space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason S Hoki
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Henry H Le
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Karlie E Mellott
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Ying K Zhang
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Bennett W Fox
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Pedro R Rodrigues
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Yan Yu
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Maximilian J Helf
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Joshua A Baccile
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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18
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Faghih N, Bhar S, Zhou Y, Dar AR, Mai K, Bailey LS, Basso KB, Butcher RA. A Large Family of Enzymes Responsible for the Modular Architecture of Nematode Pheromones. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:13645-13650. [PMID: 32702987 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c04223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans produces a broad family of pheromones, known as the ascarosides, that are modified with a variety of groups derived from primary metabolism. These modifications are essential for the diverse activities of the ascarosides in development and various behaviors, including attraction, aggregation, avoidance, and foraging. The mechanism by which these different groups are added to the ascarosides is poorly understood. Here, we identify a family of over 30 enzymes, which are homologous to mammalian carboxylesterase (CES) enzymes, and show that a number of these enzymes are responsible for the selective addition of specific modifications to the ascarosides. Through stable isotope feeding experiments, we demonstrate the in vivo activity of the CES-like enzymes and provide direct evidence that the acyl-CoA synthetase ACS-7, which was previously implicated in the attachment of certain modifications to the ascarosides in C. elegans, instead activates the side chains of certain ascarosides for shortening through β-oxidation. Our data provide a key to the combinatorial logic that gives rise to different modified ascarosides, which should greatly facilitate the exploration of the specific biological functions of these pheromones in the worm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasser Faghih
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Subhradeep Bhar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Yue Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Abdul Rouf Dar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Kevin Mai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Laura S Bailey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Kari B Basso
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Rebecca A Butcher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
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19
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Ning S, Zhang L, Ma J, Chen L, Zeng G, Yang C, Zhou Y, Guo X, Deng X. Modular and scalable synthesis of nematode pheromone ascarosides: implications in eliciting plant defense response. Org Biomol Chem 2020; 18:4956-4961. [PMID: 32579656 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob00652a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A highly efficient and modular synthesis of nematode pheromone ascarosides was developed, which highlights a 4-step scalable synthesis of the common intermediate 10 in 23% yield from commercially available l-rhamnose by using orthoesterification/benzylation/orthoester rearrangement as the key step. Six diverse ascarosides were synthesized accordingly. Notably, biological investigations revealed that ascr#1 and ascr#18 treatment resulted in enhanced callose accumulation in Arabidopsis leaves. And ascr#18 also increased the expression of defense-related genes such as PR1, PDF1.2, LOX2 and AOS, which might contribute to the enhanced plant defense responses. This study not only allows a facile access to 1-O, 2-O, and 4-O substituted ascarosides, but also provides valuable insights into their biological activities in inducing plant defense response, as well as their mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Ning
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- College of Plant Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China.
| | - Jinjin Ma
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Lan Chen
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Guangyao Zeng
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Chao Yang
- College of Plant Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China.
| | - Yingjun Zhou
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
| | - Xiaoli Guo
- College of Plant Science and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China.
| | - Xu Deng
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China.
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20
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Eliáš S, Hurychová J, Toubarro D, Frias J, Kunc M, Dobeš P, Simões N, Hyršl P. Bioactive Excreted/Secreted Products of Entomopathogenic Nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Inhibit the Phenoloxidase Activity during the Infection. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11060353. [PMID: 32516962 PMCID: PMC7349556 DOI: 10.3390/insects11060353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are efficient insect parasites, that are known for their mutualistic relationship with entomopathogenic bacteria and their use in biocontrol. EPNs produce bioactive molecules referred to as excreted/secreted products (ESPs), which have come to the forefront in recent years because of their role in the process of host invasion and the modulation of its immune response. In the present study, we confirmed the production of ESPs in the EPN Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, and investigated their role in the modulation of the phenoloxidase cascade, one of the key components of the insect immune system. ESPs were isolated from 14- and 21-day-old infective juveniles of H. bacteriophora, which were found to be more virulent than newly emerged nematodes, as was confirmed by mortality assays using Galleria mellonella larvae. The isolated ESPs were further purified and screened for the phenoloxidase-inhibiting activity. In these products, a 38 kDa fraction of peptides was identified as the main candidate source of phenoloxidase-inhibiting compounds. This fraction was further analyzed by mass spectrometry and the de novo sequencing approach. Six peptide sequences were identified in this active ESP fraction, including proteins involved in ubiquitination and the regulation of a Toll pathway, for which a role in the regulation of insect immune response has been proposed in previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Eliáš
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.E.); (J.H.); (M.K.)
| | - Jana Hurychová
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.E.); (J.H.); (M.K.)
| | - Duarte Toubarro
- CBA and Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Azores, Rua Mãe de Deus n° 13, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal; (D.T.); (J.F.); (N.S.)
| | - Jorge Frias
- CBA and Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Azores, Rua Mãe de Deus n° 13, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal; (D.T.); (J.F.); (N.S.)
| | - Martin Kunc
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.E.); (J.H.); (M.K.)
| | - Pavel Dobeš
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.E.); (J.H.); (M.K.)
- Correspondence: (P.D.); (P.H.); Tel.: +420-549-49-3419 (P.D.); +420-549-49-4510 (P.H.)
| | - Nelson Simões
- CBA and Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Azores, Rua Mãe de Deus n° 13, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal; (D.T.); (J.F.); (N.S.)
| | - Pavel Hyršl
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.E.); (J.H.); (M.K.)
- Correspondence: (P.D.); (P.H.); Tel.: +420-549-49-3419 (P.D.); +420-549-49-4510 (P.H.)
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21
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Dong C, Weadick CJ, Truffault V, Sommer RJ. Convergent evolution of small molecule pheromones in Pristionchus nematodes. eLife 2020; 9:55687. [PMID: 32338597 PMCID: PMC7224695 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The small molecules that mediate chemical communication between nematodes-so-called 'nematode-derived-modular-metabolites' (NDMMs)-are of major interest because of their ability to regulate development, behavior, and life-history. Pristionchus pacificus nematodes produce an impressive diversity of structurally complex NDMMs, some of which act as primer pheromones that are capable of triggering irreversible developmental switches. Many of these NDMMs have only ever been found in P. pacificus but no attempts have been made to study their evolution by profiling closely related species. This study brings a comparative perspective to the biochemical study of NDMMs through the systematic MS/MS- and NMR-based analysis of exo-metabolomes from over 30 Pristionchus species. We identified 36 novel compounds and found evidence for the convergent evolution of complex NDMMs in separate branches of the Pristionchus phylogeny. Our results demonstrate that biochemical innovation is a recurrent process in Pristionchus nematodes, a pattern that is probably typical across the animal kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanfu Dong
- Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cameron J Weadick
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ralf J Sommer
- Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
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22
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Zhang YK, Reilly DK, Yu J, Srinivasan J, Schroeder FC. Photoaffinity probes for nematode pheromone receptor identification. Org Biomol Chem 2019; 18:36-40. [PMID: 31781713 PMCID: PMC6961461 DOI: 10.1039/c9ob02099c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Identification of pheromone receptors plays a central role for uncovering signaling pathways that underlie chemical communication in animals. Here, we describe the synthesis and bioactivity of photoaffinity probes for the ascaroside ascr#8, a sex-pheromone of the model nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. Structure-activity studies guided incorporation of alkyne- and diazirine-moieties and revealed that addition of functionality in the sidechain of ascr#8 was well tolerated, whereas modifications to the ascarylose moiety resulted in loss of biological activity. Our study will guide future probe design and provides a basis for pheromone receptor identification via photoaffinity labeling in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying K Zhang
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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23
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Bergame CP, Dong C, Sutour S, von Reuß SH. Epimerization of an Ascaroside-Type Glycolipid Downstream of the Canonical β-Oxidation Cycle in the Nematode Caenorhabditis nigoni. Org Lett 2019; 21:9889-9892. [PMID: 31809061 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b03808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A species-specific ascaroside-type glycolipid was identified in the nematode Caenorhabditis nigoni using HPLC-ESI-(-)-MS/MS precursor ion scanning, HR-MS/MS, and NMR techniques. Its structure containing an l-3,6-dideoxy-lyxo-hexose unit was established by total synthesis. The identification of this novel 4-epi-ascaroside (caenorhabdoside) in C. nigoni along with the previous identification of 2-epi-ascarosides (paratosides) in Pristionchus pacificus indicate that nematodes can generate highly specific signaling molecules by epimerization of the ascarylose building block downstream of the canonical β-oxidation cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia P Bergame
- Laboratory for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry , University of Neuchâtel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
| | - Chuanfu Dong
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knöll Straße 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany
| | - Sylvain Sutour
- Neuchâtel Platform for Analytical Chemistry (NPAC) , University of Neuchâtel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
| | - Stephan H von Reuß
- Laboratory for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry , University of Neuchâtel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland.,Department of Bioorganic Chemistry , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knöll Straße 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany.,Neuchâtel Platform for Analytical Chemistry (NPAC) , University of Neuchâtel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
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24
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Hartley CJ, Lillis PE, Owens RA, Griffin CT. Infective juveniles of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema and Heterorhabditis) secrete ascarosides and respond to interspecific dispersal signals. J Invertebr Pathol 2019; 168:107257. [PMID: 31634473 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2019.107257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Ascarosides are a modular series of signalling molecules that are widely conserved in nematodes where they function as pheromones with both behavioural and developmental effects. Here we show that the developmentally arrested infective juvenile (IJ) stage of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) secrete ascarosides into the surrounding medium. The exometabolome of Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis megidis was examined at 0, 1, 7 and 21 days of storage. The concentration of several ascarosides (ascr#11, ascr#9, ascr#12, ascr#1 and ascr#14 for both species, plus ascr#10 for H. megidis) showed a progressive increase over this period, while the concentration of longer chain ascarosides increased up to day 7, with an apparent decline thereafter. Ascr #9 was the main ascaroside produced by both species. Similar ascarosides were found over a 7-day period for Steinernema longicaudum and S. feltiae. Ascaroside blends have previously been shown to promote nematode dispersal. S. carpocapsae and H. megidis IJs were stored for up to 12 weeks and assayed at intervals. IJs where exometabolome was allowed to accumulate showed higher dispersal rates than those where water was changed frequently, indicating that IJ exometabolome maintained high dispersal. Infectivity was not affected. IJ exometabolome accumulated over 7 days promoted dispersal of freshly harvested IJs, both of their own and other EPN species. Similarly, extracts of nematode-infected cadavers promoted dispersal of con- and heterospecific IJs. Thus, IJs are encouraged to disperse from a source cadaver or from other crowded conditions by public information cues, a finding that may have application in enhancing biocontrol. However, the complexity of the ascaroside blend produced by IJs suggests that it may have ecological functions other than dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathryn J Hartley
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland
| | - Peter E Lillis
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland
| | - Rebecca A Owens
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland
| | - Christine T Griffin
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland.
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25
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Gao M, Li Y, Zhang W, Wei P, Wang X, Feng Y, Zhang X. Bx-daf-22 Contributes to Mate Attraction in the Gonochoristic Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4316. [PMID: 31484427 PMCID: PMC6747337 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying sex communication is necessary to develop new methods to control the population expansion of gonochoristic species Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pathogen of pine wilt disease (PWD). Small chemical signals called ascarosides have been reported to attract potential mates. However, they have not been studied in the sex attraction of B. xylophilus. Here, we confirmed the sex attraction of B. xylophilus using a chemotaxis assay. Then, we cloned the downstream ascaroside biosynthetic gene Bx-daf-22 and explored its function in the sex attraction of B. xylophilus through bioinformatics analysis and RNA interference. The secretions of females and males were the sources of sex attraction in B. xylophilus, and the attractiveness of females to males was stronger than that of males to females. Compared with daf-22 of Caenorhabditis elegans, Bx-daf-22 underwent gene duplication events, resulting in Bx-daf-22.1, Bx-daf-22.2, and Bx-daf-22.3. RNA interference revealed that the attractiveness of female secretions to males increased after all three Bx-daf-22 genes or Bx-daf-22.3 had been interfered. However, the reciprocal experiments had no effect on the attractiveness of male secretions to females. Thus, Bx-daf-22 genes, especially Bx-daf-22.3, may be crucial for the effectiveness of female sex attractants. Our studies provide fundamental information to help identify the specific components and signal pathways of sex attractants in B. xylophilus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengge Gao
- Laboratory of Forest Pathogen Integrated Biology, Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yongxia Li
- Laboratory of Forest Pathogen Integrated Biology, Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China.
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- Laboratory of Forest Pathogen Integrated Biology, Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Pengfei Wei
- Laboratory of Forest Pathogen Integrated Biology, Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- Laboratory of Forest Pathogen Integrated Biology, Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yuqian Feng
- Laboratory of Forest Pathogen Integrated Biology, Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xingyao Zhang
- Laboratory of Forest Pathogen Integrated Biology, Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
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26
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Cutter AD, Morran LT, Phillips PC. Males, Outcrossing, and Sexual Selection in Caenorhabditis Nematodes. Genetics 2019; 213:27-57. [PMID: 31488593 PMCID: PMC6727802 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.300244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Males of Caenorhabditis elegans provide a crucial practical tool in the laboratory, but, as the rarer and more finicky sex, have not enjoyed the same depth of research attention as hermaphrodites. Males, however, have attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists who are exploiting the C. elegans system to test longstanding hypotheses about sexual selection, sexual conflict, transitions in reproductive mode, and genome evolution, as well as to make new discoveries about Caenorhabditis organismal biology. Here, we review the evolutionary concepts and data informed by study of males of C. elegans and other Caenorhabditis We give special attention to the important role of sperm cells as a mediator of inter-male competition and male-female conflict that has led to drastic trait divergence across species, despite exceptional phenotypic conservation in many other morphological features. We discuss the evolutionary forces important in the origins of reproductive mode transitions from males being common (gonochorism: females and males) to rare (androdioecy: hermaphrodites and males) and the factors that modulate male frequency in extant androdioecious populations, including the potential influence of selective interference, host-pathogen coevolution, and mutation accumulation. Further, we summarize the consequences of males being common vs rare for adaptation and for trait divergence, trait degradation, and trait dimorphism between the sexes, as well as for molecular evolution of the genome, at both micro-evolutionary and macro-evolutionary timescales. We conclude that C. elegans male biology remains underexploited and that future studies leveraging its extensive experimental resources are poised to discover novel biology and to inform profound questions about animal function and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asher D Cutter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario M5S3B2, Canada
| | - Levi T Morran
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, and
| | - Patrick C Phillips
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
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27
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Reilly DK, Randle LJ, Srinivasan J. Evolution of hermaphroditism decreases efficacy of Ascaroside#8-mediated mate attraction in Caenorhabditis nematodes. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2019; 2019:10.17912/micropub.biology.000134. [PMID: 32123863 PMCID: PMC7050945 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas K. Reilly
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
| | - Lily J. Randle
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA,
Current Address: SBH Sciences, Natick, MA
| | - Jagan Srinivasan
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA,
Correspondence to: Jagan Srinivasan ()
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28
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Dolke F, Dong C, Bandi S, Paetz C, Glauser G, von Reuß SH. Ascaroside Signaling in the Bacterivorous Nematode Caenorhabditis remanei Encodes the Growth Phase of Its Bacterial Food Source. Org Lett 2019; 21:5832-5837. [PMID: 31305087 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b01914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A novel class of species-specific modular ascarosides that integrate additional fatty acid building blocks was characterized in the nematode Caenorhabditis remanei using a combination of HPLC-ESI-(-)-MS/MS precursor ion scanning, microreactions, HR-MS/MS, MSn, and NMR techniques. The structure of the dominating component carrying a cyclopropyl fatty acid moiety was established by total synthesis. Biogenesis of this female-produced male attractant depends on cyclopropyl fatty acid synthase (cfa), which is expressed in bacteria upon entering their stationary phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Dolke
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knöll Straße 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany
| | - Chuanfu Dong
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knöll Straße 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany
| | - Siva Bandi
- Laboratory for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry , University of Neuchâtel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
| | - Christian Paetz
- Research Group Biosynthesis/NMR , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knöll Straße 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany
| | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchâtel Platform for Analytical Chemistry (NPAC) , University of Neuchâtel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
| | - Stephan H von Reuß
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knöll Straße 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany.,Laboratory for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry , University of Neuchâtel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland.,Neuchâtel Platform for Analytical Chemistry (NPAC) , University of Neuchâtel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
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29
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Zhou Y, Zhang X, Butcher RA. Tryptophan Metabolism in Caenorhabditis elegans Links Aggregation Behavior to Nutritional Status. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:50-57. [PMID: 30586284 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans uses aggregation pheromones to communicate its nutritional status and recruit fellow members of its species to food sources. These aggregation pheromones include the IC-ascarosides, ascarosides modified with an indole-3-carbonyl (IC) group on the 4'-position of the ascarylose sugar. Nothing is known about the biosynthesis of the IC modification beyond the fact that it is derived from tryptophan. Here, we show that C. elegans produces endogenously several indole-containing metabolites, including indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA; auxin), and indole-3-carboxylic acid, and that these metabolites are intermediates in the biosynthetic pathway from tryptophan to the IC group. Stable isotope-labeled IPA and IAA are incorporated into the IC-ascarosides. Importantly, we show that flux through the biosynthetic pathway is affected by the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC). Knockdown of the PDC by RNA interference leads to an accumulation of upstream metabolites and a reduction in downstream metabolites in the pathway. Our results show that production of aggregation pheromones is linked to PDC activity and that aggregation behavior may reflect a favorable metabolic state in the worm. Lastly, we show that treatment of C. elegans with indole-containing metabolites in the pathway induces the biosynthesis of the IC-ascarosides. Because the natural environment of C. elegans is rotting plant material, indole-containing metabolites in this environment could potentially stimulate pheromone biosynthesis and aggregation behavior in the worm. Thus, there may be important links between tryptophan metabolism in C. elegans and in plants and bacteria that enable interkingdom signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Rebecca A. Butcher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
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30
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Zhao Y, Long L, Xu W, Campbell RF, Large EE, Greene JS, McGrath PT. Changes to social feeding behaviors are not sufficient for fitness gains of the Caenorhabditis elegans N2 reference strain. eLife 2018; 7:38675. [PMID: 30328811 PMCID: PMC6224195 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The standard reference Caenorhabditis elegans strain, N2, has evolved marked behavioral changes in social feeding behavior since its isolation from the wild. We show that the causal, laboratory-derived mutations in two genes, npr-1 and glb-5, confer large fitness advantages in standard laboratory conditions. Using environmental manipulations that suppress social/solitary behavior differences, we show the fitness advantages of the derived alleles remained unchanged, suggesting selection on these alleles acted through pleiotropic traits. Transcriptomics, developmental timing, and food consumption assays showed that N2 animals mature faster, produce more sperm, and consume more food than a strain containing ancestral alleles of these genes regardless of behavioral strategies. Our data suggest that the pleiotropic effects of glb-5 and npr-1 are a consequence of changes to O2 -sensing neurons that regulate both aerotaxis and energy homeostasis. Our results demonstrate how pleiotropy can lead to profound behavioral changes in a popular laboratory model. Why do humans walk on two feet? And what makes us smarter than our ape ancestors? The answers to these questions, and countless others about the particular traits of any number of species, is often said to be natural selection – a process where genes that ensure the survival of a species are favored of others. But it is not always the answer. Other evolutionary forces, such as random changes to the frequency of certain gene variants, restrictions on the development of a certain trait and pleiotropy (where one gene influences other, seemingly unrelated traits) can also cause differences between species. Designing experiments to test whether a trait difference is due to natural selection or other factors is notoriously difficult. However, the humble nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, has proven to be particularly useful in this respect. One subtype or strain of C. elegans with certain changes to its genes is used internationally as a ‘reference strain’, to ensure results between labs are comparable. This strain, N2, has been bred in the laboratory for hundreds of generations, isolated from its wild counterparts. N2 shows several differences in behavior from the wildtype, including its feeding habits. Wild C. elegans tend to feed together socially, whereas N2 prefers to feed alone. In 1998 and 2009, researchers – including some involved in the current study – have identified the genetic modifications responsible for this change in behavior. Now, Zhao et al. set out to determine whether this was due to natural selection, and if so, was there a benefit to solitary feeding in laboratory conditions that was driving this genetic change? Zhao et al. found that the genetic changes in the N2 strain gave the worms a considerable advantage in the artificial environment. However, experiments to modify the conditions the animals grew in revealed that the solitary feeding habits were not necessary for the fitness advantage. In other words, the changes in feeding habits were a symptom of the genetic changes that gave N2 a selective advantage, but they were not the cause. In other words, the changes in feeding behavior were not a result of natural selection, but rather of pleiotropy. The findings highlight that not every change in a trait is down to natural selection and must therefore be put to the test. With declining costs of DNA sequencing, researchers can now easily identify genes and regions of DNA that are likely to be under selection. However, they must be careful before leaping to the conclusion that behavioral differences linked to genetic changes are adaptive. In addition, the findings show that the laboratories relying on N2 as a model organism should be aware that the strain has evolved fundamental differences in its brain connections compared with the wildtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuehui Zhao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
| | - Lijiang Long
- Department of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
| | - Wen Xu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
| | - Richard F Campbell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
| | - Edward E Large
- Department of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
| | | | - Patrick T McGrath
- Department of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States.,Department of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States.,Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
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31
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McGrath PT, Ruvinsky I. A primer on pheromone signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans for systems biologists. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 13:23-30. [PMID: 30984890 DOI: 10.1016/j.coisb.2018.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Individuals communicate information about their age, sex, social status, and recent life history with other members of their species through the release of pheromones, chemical signals that elicit behavioral or physiological changes in the recipients. Pheromones provide a fascinating example of information exchange: animals have evolved intraspecific languages in the presence of eavesdroppers and cheaters. In this review, we discuss the recent work using the nematode C. elegans to decipher its chemical language through the analysis of ascaroside pheromones. Genetic dissection has started to identify the enzymes that produce pheromones and the neural circuits that process these signals. Ecological experiments have characterized the biotic environment of C. elegans and its relatives, including ecological relationships with a variety of species that sense or release similar blends of ascarosides. Systems biology approaches should be fruitful in understanding the organization and function of communication systems in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick T McGrath
- Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Physics; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332.
| | - Ilya Ruvinsky
- Department of Molecular Biosciences; Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208.
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32
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Zhou Y, Wang Y, Zhang X, Bhar S, Jones Lipinski RA, Han J, Feng L, Butcher RA. Biosynthetic tailoring of existing ascaroside pheromones alters their biological function in C. elegans. eLife 2018; 7:33286. [PMID: 29863473 PMCID: PMC5986272 DOI: 10.7554/elife.33286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans produces ascaroside pheromones to control its development and behavior. Even minor structural differences in the ascarosides have dramatic consequences for their biological activities. Here, we identify a mechanism that enables C. elegans to dynamically tailor the fatty-acid side chains of the indole-3-carbonyl (IC)-modified ascarosides it has produced. In response to starvation, C. elegans uses the peroxisomal acyl-CoA synthetase ACS-7 to activate the side chains of medium-chain IC-ascarosides for β-oxidation involving the acyl-CoA oxidases ACOX-1.1 and ACOX-3. This pathway rapidly converts a favorable ascaroside pheromone that induces aggregation to an unfavorable one that induces the stress-resistant dauer larval stage. Thus, the pathway allows the worm to respond to changing environmental conditions and alter its chemical message without having to synthesize new ascarosides de novo. We establish a new model for biosynthesis of the IC-ascarosides in which side-chain β-oxidation is critical for controlling the type of IC-ascarosides produced. Small roundworms such as Caenorhabditis elegans release chemical signals called ascarosides in order to communicate with other worms of the same species. Using the ascarosides, the worm can tell its friends, for example, how crowded the neighborhood is and whether there is enough food. The ascarosides thus help the worms in the population decide whether the neighborhood is good – meaning they should hang around, eat, and make babies – or whether the neighborhood is bad. If so, the worms should develop into a larval stage specialized for dispersal that will allow them to find a better neighborhood. Roundworms make the ascarosides by attaching a long chemical ‘side chain’ to an ascarylose sugar. Further chemical modifications allow the worms to produce different signals. In general, to signal a good neighborhood, worms attach a structure called an indole group to the ascarosides. To signal a bad neighborhood, worms make the side chain very short. But how does a worm control which ascarosides it makes? Zhou, Wang et al. now show that C. elegans can change the meaning of its chemical message by modifying the ascarosides that it has already produced instead of making new ones from scratch. Specifically, as their neighborhood runs out of food, C. elegans can use an enzyme called ACS-7 to initiate the shortening of the side chains of indole-ascarosides. The worm can thus change a favorable ascaroside signal that causes the worms to group together into an unfavorable ascaroside signal that causes the worms to enter their dispersal stage. Although Zhou, Wang et al. have focused on chemical communication in C. elegans, the findings could easily apply to the many other species of roundworm that produce ascarosides. Knowing how worms communicate will help us to understand how worms respond to their environment. This knowledge could potentially be used to interfere with the lifecycles and survival of parasitic worm species that harm health and crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Yuting Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Subhradeep Bhar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | | | - Jungsoo Han
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Likui Feng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Rebecca A Butcher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
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33
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Zhang X, Wang Y, Perez DH, Jones Lipinski RA, Butcher RA. Acyl-CoA Oxidases Fine-Tune the Production of Ascaroside Pheromones with Specific Side Chain Lengths. ACS Chem Biol 2018. [PMID: 29537254 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b01021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans produces a complex mixture of ascaroside pheromones to control its development and behavior. Acyl-CoA oxidases, which participate in β-oxidation cycles that shorten the side chains of the ascarosides, regulate the mixture of pheromones produced. Here, we use CRISPR-Cas9 to make specific nonsense and missense mutations in acox genes and determine the effect of these mutations on ascaroside production in vivo. Ascaroside production in acox-1.1 deletion and nonsense strains, as well as a strain with a missense mutation in a catalytic residue, confirms the central importance of ACOX-1.1 in ascaroside biosynthesis and suggests that ACOX-1.1 functions in part by facilitating the activity of other acyl-CoA oxidases. Ascaroside production in an acox-1.1 strain with a missense mutation in an ATP-binding site at the ACOX-1.1 dimer interface suggests that ATP binding is important for the enzyme to function in ascaroside biosynthesis in vivo. Ascaroside production in strains with deletion, nonsense, and missense mutations in other acox genes demonstrates that ACOX-1.1 works with ACOX-1.3 in processing ascarosides with 7-carbon side chains, ACOX-1.4 in processing ascarosides with 9- and 11-carbon side chains, and ACOX-3 in processing ascarosides with 13- and 15-carbon side chains. It also shows that ACOX-1.2, but not ACOX-1.1, processes ascarosides with 5-carbon ω-side chains. By modeling the ACOX structures, we uncover characteristics of the enzyme active sites that govern substrate preferences. Our work demonstrates the role of specific acyl-CoA oxidases in controlling the length of ascaroside side chains and thus in determining the mixture of pheromones produced by C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxing Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Yuting Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - David H. Perez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | | | - Rebecca A. Butcher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
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34
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Dong C, Reilly DK, Bergame C, Dolke F, Srinivasan J, von Reuss SH. Comparative Ascaroside Profiling of Caenorhabditis Exometabolomes Reveals Species-Specific (ω) and (ω - 2)-Hydroxylation Downstream of Peroxisomal β-Oxidation. J Org Chem 2018; 83:7109-7120. [PMID: 29480728 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.8b00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chemical communication in nematodes such as the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans is modulated by a variety of glycosides based on the dideoxysugar l-ascarylose. Comparative ascaroside profiling of nematode exometabolome extracts using a GC-EIMS screen reveals that several basic components including ascr#1 (asc-C7), ascr#2 (asc-C6-MK), ascr#3 (asc-ΔC9), ascr#5 (asc-ωC3), and ascr#10 (asc-C9) are highly conserved among the Caenorhabditis. Three novel side chain hydroxylated ascaroside derivatives were exclusively detected in the distantly related C. nigoni and C. afra. Molecular structures of these species-specific putative signaling molecules were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by total synthesis and chemical correlations. Biological activities were evaluated using attraction assays. The identification of (ω)- and (ω - 2)-hydroxyacyl ascarosides demonstrates how GC-EIMS-based ascaroside profiling facilitates the detection of novel ascaroside components and exemplifies how species-specific hydroxylation of ascaroside aglycones downstream of peroxisomal β-oxidation increases the structural diversity of this highly conserved class of nematode signaling molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanfu Dong
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knoell Strasse 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany.,Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology , Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology , Max-Planck-Ring 9 , D-72076 Tübingen , Germany
| | - Douglas K Reilly
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology , Worcester Polytechnic Institute , 60 Prescott Street , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Célia Bergame
- Laboratory of Bioanalytical Chemistry , University of Neuchatel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
| | - Franziska Dolke
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knoell Strasse 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany
| | - Jagan Srinivasan
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology , Worcester Polytechnic Institute , 60 Prescott Street , Worcester , Massachusetts 01605 , United States
| | - Stephan H von Reuss
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , Hans-Knoell Strasse 8 , D-07745 Jena , Germany.,Laboratory of Bioanalytical Chemistry , University of Neuchatel , Avenue de Bellevaux 51 , CH-2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
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35
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von Reuss SH, Dolke F, Dong C. Ascaroside Profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans Using Gas Chromatography-Electron Ionization Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2017; 89:10570-10577. [PMID: 28866881 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b02803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Nematodes such as the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans produce various homologous series of l-ascarylose-derived glycolipids called ascarosides, which include several highly potent signals in intra and interspecies communication as well as cross-kingdom interactions. Given their low concentrations and large number of structurally similar components, mass spectrometric screens based on high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) are commonly employed for ascaroside detection and quantification. Here, we describe a complementary gas chromatography-electron ionization mass spectrometry (GC-EIMS) screen that utilizes an ascarylose-derived K1-fragment ion signal at m/z 130.1 [C6H14OSi]+● to highlight known as well as yet unidentified ascaroside components in TMS-derivatized crude nematode exometabolome extracts. GC-EIMS-based ascaroside profiling of wild-type and mutant C. elegans facilitates the analysis of all basic ascarosides using the same ionization technique while providing excellent resolution for the complete homologous series with side chains ranging from 3 to 33 carbons. Combined screening for m/z 130.1 along with side chain-specific J1 [M - 173]+ and J2 [M - 291]+ fragment ions, as well as additional characteristic marker ions from α-cleavage, enables convenient structure assignment of ca. 200 components from wild-type and peroxisomal β-oxidation mutants including (ω - 1)-linked acyl, enoyl, β-hydroxyacyl, and 2-ketoalkyl ascarosides along with their (ω)-linked or α-methyl isomers and ethanolamide derivatives, as well as 2-hydroxyalkyl ascarosides. Given the widespread availability of GC-MS and its increasing popularity in metabolomics, this method will promote the identification of ascarosides in C. elegans and other nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan H von Reuss
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Franziska Dolke
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Chuanfu Dong
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology , D-07745 Jena, Germany
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