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Cho CJ, Brown JW, Mills JC. Origins of cancer: ain't it just mature cells misbehaving? EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00099-0. [PMID: 38773319 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00099-0] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
A pervasive view is that undifferentiated stem cells are alone responsible for generating all other cells and are the origins of cancer. However, emerging evidence demonstrates fully differentiated cells are plastic, can be coaxed to proliferate, and also play essential roles in tissue maintenance, regeneration, and tumorigenesis. Here, we review the mechanisms governing how differentiated cells become cancer cells. First, we examine the unique characteristics of differentiated cell division, focusing on why differentiated cells are more susceptible than stem cells to accumulating mutations. Next, we investigate why the evolution of multicellularity in animals likely required plastic differentiated cells that maintain the capacity to return to the cell cycle and required the tumor suppressor p53. Finally, we examine an example of an evolutionarily conserved program for the plasticity of differentiated cells, paligenosis, which helps explain the origins of cancers that arise in adults. Altogether, we highlight new perspectives for understanding the development of cancer and new strategies for preventing carcinogenic cellular transformations from occurring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles J Cho
- Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Brown
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jason C Mills
- Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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2
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Moreira F, Arenas M, Videira A, Pereira F. Molecular Evolution of DNA Topoisomerase III Beta (TOP3B) in Metazoa. J Mol Evol 2021; 89:384-395. [PMID: 33999213 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-021-10011-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
DNA topoisomerase III beta (TOP3B) is unique by operating on both DNA and RNA substrates to regulate gene expression and genomic stability. Mutations in human TOP3B are linked to neurodevelopmental and cognitive disorders, highlighting its relevance for human health. Despite the emerging importance of TOP3B, its precise cellular functions and evolutionary history remain poorly understood. Here, we show that TOP3B is conserved across main metazoan groups and evolved under strong purifying selection. Subdomain IV was identified as the most conserved TOP3B region, in agreement with its role in providing the structural foundation of the protein. On the contrary, subdomain II is the less conserved, possibly because it is the most structurally flexible region of all TOP3B regions. Interestingly, TOP3B residue at position 472, previously associated with schizophrenia, is highly variable across animals, suggesting a more specific role in humans and related species. Finally, we show that all TOP3B CXXC zinc finger motifs previously identified at the protein C-terminal region are retained across metazoans. We also found that the two major methylation sites known to regulate TOP3B activity are located in the most conserved region of the C-terminal arginine-glycine-glycine (RGG) box, suggesting that a similar regulatory mechanism may operate throughout animals. Overall, our results provide a better understanding of the evolution and functional roles of TOP3B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Moreira
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4450-208, Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel Arenas
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain.,Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CINBIO), Universidade de Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain.,Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Arnaldo Videira
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4450-208, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipe Pereira
- IDENTIFICA Genetic Testing, Rua Simão Bolívar 259 3º Dir Tras, 4470-214, Maia, Portugal. .,Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
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3
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Reddy PC, Pradhan SJ, Karmodiya K, Galande S. Origin of RNA Polymerase II pause in eumetazoans: Insights from Hydra. J Biosci 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-019-9979-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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4
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Zhang Y, Chiu YL, Chen CJ, Ho YY, Shinzato C, Shikina S, Chang CF. Discovery of a receptor guanylate cyclase expressed in the sperm flagella of stony corals. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14652. [PMID: 31601940 PMCID: PMC6787079 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51224-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The receptor guanylate cyclases (rGCs) in animals serve as sensitive chemoreceptors to detect both chemical and environmental cues. In reproduction, rGCs were shown to be expressed on sperm and serve as receptors for egg-derived sperm-activating and sperm-attracting factors in some echinoderms and mammals. However, sperm-associated rGCs have only been identified in some deuterostomes thus far, and it remains unclear how widely rGCs are utilized in metazoan reproduction. To address this issue, this study investigated the existence and expression of rGCs, particularly asking if rGCs are involved in the reproduction of a basal metazoan, phylum Cnidaria, using the stony coral Euphyllia ancora. Six paralogous rGCs were identified from a transcriptome database of E. ancora, and one of the rGCs, GC-A, was shown to be specifically expressed in the testis. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that E. ancora GC-A protein was expressed in the spermatocytes and spermatids and eventually congregated on the sperm flagella during spermatogenesis. These findings suggest that GC-A may be involved in the regulation of sperm activity and/or functions (e.g., fertilization) in corals. This study is the first to perform molecular characterization of rGCs in cnidarians and provides evidence for the possible involvement of rGCs in the reproduction of basal metazoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ling Chiu
- Doctoral Program in Marine Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan.,Doctoral Program in Marine Biotechnology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Jhen Chen
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ying Ho
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan
| | - Chuya Shinzato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, 277-8564, Japan
| | - Shinya Shikina
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan. .,Institute of Marine Environment and Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan.
| | - Ching-Fong Chang
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan. .,Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan.
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5
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Gold DA, Katsuki T, Li Y, Yan X, Regulski M, Ibberson D, Holstein T, Steele RE, Jacobs DK, Greenspan RJ. The genome of the jellyfish Aurelia and the evolution of animal complexity. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 3:96-104. [PMID: 30510179 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0719-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We present the genome of the moon jellyfish Aurelia, a genome from a cnidarian with a medusa life stage. Our analyses suggest that gene gain and loss in Aurelia is comparable to what has been found in its morphologically simpler relatives-the anthozoan corals and sea anemones. RNA sequencing analysis does not support the hypothesis that taxonomically restricted (orphan) genes play an oversized role in the development of the medusa stage. Instead, genes broadly conserved across animals and eukaryotes play comparable roles throughout the life cycle. All life stages of Aurelia are significantly enriched in the expression of genes that are hypothesized to interact in protein networks found in bilaterian animals. Collectively, our results suggest that increased life cycle complexity in Aurelia does not correlate with an increased number of genes. This leads to two possible evolutionary scenarios: either medusozoans evolved their complex medusa life stage (with concomitant shifts into new ecological niches) primarily by re-working genetic pathways already present in the last common ancestor of cnidarians, or the earliest cnidarians had a medusa life stage, which was subsequently lost in the anthozoans. While we favour the earlier hypothesis, the latter is consistent with growing evidence that many of the earliest animals were more physically complex than previously hypothesized.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Gold
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA. .,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Takeo Katsuki
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Computer Science, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Xifeng Yan
- Department of Computer Science, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | - David Ibberson
- Deep Sequencing Core Facility, Cell Networks, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Holstein
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robert E Steele
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Developmental Biology Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - David K Jacobs
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ralph J Greenspan
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. .,Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. .,Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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6
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Osigus HJ, Eitel M, Schierwater B. Deep RNA sequencing reveals the smallest known mitochondrial micro exon in animals: The placozoan cox1 single base pair exon. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177959. [PMID: 28542197 PMCID: PMC5436844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The phylum Placozoa holds a key position for our understanding of the evolution of mitochondrial genomes in Metazoa. Placozoans possess large mitochondrial genomes which harbor several remarkable characteristics such as a fragmented cox1 gene and trans-splicing cox1 introns. A previous study also suggested the existence of cox1 mRNA editing in Trichoplax adhaerens, yet the only formally described species in the phylum Placozoa. We have analyzed RNA-seq data of the undescribed sister species, Placozoa sp. H2 ("Panama" clone), with special focus on the mitochondrial mRNA. While we did not find support for a previously postulated cox1 mRNA editing mechanism, we surprisingly found two independent transcripts representing intermediate cox1 mRNA splicing stages. Both transcripts consist of partial cox1 exon as well as overlapping intron fragments. The data suggest that the cox1 gene harbors a single base pair (cytosine) micro exon. Furthermore, conserved group I intron structures flank this unique micro exon also in other placozoans. We discuss the evolutionary origin of this micro exon in the context of a self-splicing intron gain in the cox1 gene of the last common ancestor of extant placozoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Jürgen Osigus
- ITZ, Ecology & Evolution, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Eitel
- ITZ, Ecology & Evolution, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bernd Schierwater
- ITZ, Ecology & Evolution, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics and Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, United States of America
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7
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Kraus YA, Markov AV. Gastrulation in Cnidaria: The key to an understanding of phylogeny or the chaos of secondary modifications? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1134/s2079086417010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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8
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Kates HR, Soltis PS, Soltis DE. Evolutionary and domestication history of Cucurbita (pumpkin and squash) species inferred from 44 nuclear loci. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2017; 111:98-109. [PMID: 28288944 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Phylogenetics can facilitate the study of plant domestication by resolving sister relationships between crops and their wild relatives, thereby identifying the ancestors of cultivated plants. Previous phylogenetic studies of the six Cucurbita crop lineages (pumpkins and squashes) and their wild relatives suggest histories of deep coalescence that complicate uncovering the genetic origins of the six crop taxa. We investigated the evolution of wild and domesticated Cucurbita using the most comprehensive and robust molecular-based phylogeny for Cucurbita to date based on 44 loci derived from introns of single-copy nuclear genes. We discovered novel relationships among Cucurbita species and recovered the first Cucurbita tree with well-supported resolution within species. Cucurbita comprises a clade of mesophytic annual species that includes all six crop taxa and a grade of xerophytic perennial species that represent the ancestral xerophytic habit of the genus. Based on phylogenetic resolution within-species we hypothesize that the magnitude of domestication bottlenecks varies among Cucurbita crop lineages. Our phylogeny clarifies how wild Cucurbita species are related to the domesticated taxa. We find close relationships between two wild species and crop lineages not previously identified. Expanded geographic sampling of key wild species is needed for improved understanding of the evolution of domesticated Cucurbita.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather R Kates
- Univ Florida, Genet Inst, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Univ Florida, Florida Museum Nat Hist, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Pamela S Soltis
- Univ Florida, Genet Inst, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Univ Florida, Florida Museum Nat Hist, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Douglas E Soltis
- Univ Florida, Genet Inst, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Univ Florida, Florida Museum Nat Hist, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Univ Florida, Dept Biol, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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9
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Schierwater B, Holland PWH, Miller DJ, Stadler PF, Wiegmann BM, Wörheide G, Wray GA, DeSalle R. Never Ending Analysis of a Century Old Evolutionary Debate: “Unringing” the Urmetazoon Bell. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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10
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Abstract
Most epithelia in animals are colonized by microbial communities. These resident microbes influence fitness and thus ecologically important traits of their hosts, ultimately forming a metaorganism consisting of a multicellular host and a community of associated microorganisms. Recent discoveries in the cnidarian Hydra show that components of the innate immune system as well as transcriptional regulators of stem cells are involved in maintaining homeostasis between animals and their resident microbiota. Here I argue that components of the innate immune system with its host-specific antimicrobial peptides and a rich repertoire of pattern recognition receptors evolved in early-branching metazoans because of the need to control the resident beneficial microbes, not because of invasive pathogens. I also propose a mutual intertwinement between the stem cell regulatory machinery of the host and the resident microbiota composition, such that disturbances in one trigger a restructuring and resetting of the other.
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11
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Deep metazoan phylogeny: When different genes tell different stories. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2013; 67:223-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2013.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2012] [Revised: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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12
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Mayorova TD, Kosevich IA, Melekhova OP. On some features of embryonic development and metamorphosis of Aurelia aurita (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa). Russ J Dev Biol 2012. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360412050050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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13
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Ramulu HG, Raoult D, Pontarotti P. The rhizome of life: what about metazoa? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2012; 2:50. [PMID: 22919641 PMCID: PMC3417402 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2012.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2012] [Accepted: 03/23/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The increase in huge number of genomic sequences in recent years has contributed to various genetic events such as horizontal gene transfer (HGT), gene duplication and hybridization of species. Among them HGT has played an important role in the genome evolution and was believed to occur only in Bacterial and Archaeal genomes. As a result, genomes were found to be chimeric and the evolution of life was represented in different forms such as forests, networks and species evolution was described more like a rhizome, rather than a tree. However, in the last few years, HGT has also been evidenced in other group such as metazoa (for example in root-knot nematodes, bdelloid rotifers and mammals). In addition to HGT, other genetic events such as transfer by retrotransposons and hybridization between more closely related lineages are also well established. Therefore, in the light of such genetic events, whether the evolution of metazoa exists in the form of a tree, network or rhizome is highly questionable and needs to be determined. In the current review, we will focus on the role of HGT, retrotransposons and hybridization in the metazoan evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemalatha G. Ramulu
- LATP UMR-CNRS 7353, Evolution Biologique et Modélisation, Aix-Marseille UniversitéeMarseille, France
- URMITE CNRS-IRD UMR6236-198Marseille, France
| | | | - Pierre Pontarotti
- LATP UMR-CNRS 7353, Evolution Biologique et Modélisation, Aix-Marseille UniversitéeMarseille, France
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14
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Mallatt J, Craig CW, Yoder MJ. Nearly complete rRNA genes assembled from across the metazoan animals: Effects of more taxa, a structure-based alignment, and paired-sites evolutionary models on phylogeny reconstruction. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2010; 55:1-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2009.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2008] [Revised: 08/28/2009] [Accepted: 09/22/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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15
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Gazave E, Lapébie P, Richards GS, Brunet F, Ereskovsky AV, Degnan BM, Borchiellini C, Vervoort M, Renard E. Origin and evolution of the Notch signalling pathway: an overview from eukaryotic genomes. BMC Evol Biol 2009; 9:249. [PMID: 19825158 PMCID: PMC2770060 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-9-249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2009] [Accepted: 10/13/2009] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Of the 20 or so signal transduction pathways that orchestrate cell-cell interactions in metazoans, seven are involved during development. One of these is the Notch signalling pathway which regulates cellular identity, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis via the developmental processes of lateral inhibition and boundary induction. In light of this essential role played in metazoan development, we surveyed a wide range of eukaryotic genomes to determine the origin and evolution of the components and auxiliary factors that compose and modulate this pathway. Results We searched for 22 components of the Notch pathway in 35 different species that represent 8 major clades of eukaryotes, performed phylogenetic analyses and compared the domain compositions of the two fundamental molecules: the receptor Notch and its ligands Delta/Jagged. We confirm that a Notch pathway, with true receptors and ligands is specific to the Metazoa. This study also sheds light on the deep ancestry of a number of genes involved in this pathway, while other members are revealed to have a more recent origin. The origin of several components can be accounted for by the shuffling of pre-existing protein domains, or via lateral gene transfer. In addition, certain domains have appeared de novo more recently, and can be considered metazoan synapomorphies. Conclusion The Notch signalling pathway emerged in Metazoa via a diversity of molecular mechanisms, incorporating both novel and ancient protein domains during eukaryote evolution. Thus, a functional Notch signalling pathway was probably present in Urmetazoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve Gazave
- Aix-Marseille Universités, Centre d'Océanologie de Marseille, Station marine d'Endoume - CNRS UMR 6540-DIMAR, rue de Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France.
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16
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Ereskovsky AV, Borchiellini C, Gazave E, Ivanisevic J, Lapébie P, Perez T, Renard E, Vacelet J. The Homoscleromorph sponge Oscarella lobularis, a promising sponge model in evolutionary and developmental biology: model sponge Oscarella lobularis. Bioessays 2009; 31:89-97. [PMID: 19154007 DOI: 10.1002/bies.080058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Sponges branch basally in the metazoan phylogenetic tree and are believed to be composed of four distinct lineages with still uncertain relationships. Indeed, some molecular studies propose that Homoscleromorpha may be a fourth Sponge lineage, distinct from Demospongiae in which they were traditionally classified. They harbour many features that distinguish them from other sponges and are more evocative of those of the eumetazoans. They are notably the only sponges to possess a basement membrane with collagen IV and specialized cell-junctions, thus possessing true epithelia. Among Homoscleromorphs, we have chosen Oscarella lobularis as a model species. This common and easily accessible sponge is characterized by relatively simple histology and cell composition, absence of skeleton, and strongly pronounced epithelial structure. In this review, we explore the specific features that make O. lobularis a promising homoscleromorph sponge model for evolutionary and developmental researches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V Ereskovsky
- Centre d'Océanologie de Marseille, Station marine d'Endoume, Aix-Marseille Université - CNRS UMR 6540-DIMAR, rue de la Batterie des Lions, Marseille, France.
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17
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Hertel J, de Jong D, Marz M, Rose D, Tafer H, Tanzer A, Schierwater B, Stadler PF. Non-coding RNA annotation of the genome of Trichoplax adhaerens. Nucleic Acids Res 2009; 37:1602-15. [PMID: 19151082 PMCID: PMC2655684 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkn1084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2008] [Revised: 12/22/2008] [Accepted: 12/23/2008] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A detailed annotation of non-protein coding RNAs is typically missing in initial releases of newly sequenced genomes. Here we report on a comprehensive ncRNA annotation of the genome of Trichoplax adhaerens, the presumably most basal metazoan whose genome has been published to-date. Since blast identified only a small fraction of the best-conserved ncRNAs--in particular rRNAs, tRNAs and some snRNAs--we developed a semi-global dynamic programming tool, GotohScan, to increase the sensitivity of the homology search. It successfully identified the full complement of major and minor spliceosomal snRNAs, the genes for RNase P and MRP RNAs, the SRP RNA, as well as several small nucleolar RNAs. We did not find any microRNA candidates homologous to known eumetazoan sequences. Interestingly, most ncRNAs, including the pol-III transcripts, appear as single-copy genes or with very small copy numbers in the Trichoplax genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Hertel
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraβe 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Institut für Tierökologie und Zellbiologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraβe 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, RNomics Group, Fraunhofer Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Danielle de Jong
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraβe 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Institut für Tierökologie und Zellbiologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraβe 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, RNomics Group, Fraunhofer Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Manja Marz
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraβe 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Institut für Tierökologie und Zellbiologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraβe 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, RNomics Group, Fraunhofer Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Dominic Rose
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraβe 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Institut für Tierökologie und Zellbiologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraβe 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, RNomics Group, Fraunhofer Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Hakim Tafer
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraβe 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Institut für Tierökologie und Zellbiologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraβe 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, RNomics Group, Fraunhofer Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Andrea Tanzer
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraβe 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Institut für Tierökologie und Zellbiologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraβe 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, RNomics Group, Fraunhofer Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Bernd Schierwater
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraβe 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Institut für Tierökologie und Zellbiologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraβe 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, RNomics Group, Fraunhofer Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Peter F. Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraβe 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Institut für Tierökologie und Zellbiologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraβe 17, A-1090 Wien, Austria, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, RNomics Group, Fraunhofer Institut für Zelltherapie und Immunologie, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany and Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
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18
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Abstract
How the tiny marine animalTrichoplax adhaerens is related to other animals has long puzzled researchers studying the origin of metazoans. An ambitious "total evidence" study provides careful analysis of this question and reveals some surprises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil W Blackstone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USA.
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19
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Omland KE, Cook LG, Crisp MD. Tree thinking for all biology: the problem with reading phylogenies as ladders of progress. Bioessays 2008; 30:854-67. [PMID: 18693264 DOI: 10.1002/bies.20794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Phylogenies are increasingly prominent across all of biology, especially as DNA sequencing makes more and more trees available. However, their utility is compromised by widespread misconceptions about what phylogenies can tell us, and improved "tree thinking" is crucial. The most-serious problem comes from reading trees as ladders from "left to right"--many biologists assume that species-poor lineages that appear "early branching" or "basal" are ancestral--we call this the "primitive lineage fallacy". This mistake causes misleading inferences about changes in individual characteristics and leads to misrepresentation of the evolutionary process. The problem can be rectified by considering that modern phylogenies of present-day species and genes show relationships among evolutionary cousins. Emphasizing that these are extant entities in the 21(st) century will help correct inferences about ancestral characteristics, and will enable us to leave behind 19(th) century notions about the ladder of progress driving evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin E Omland
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore MD 21250, USA.
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20
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Miller DJ, Hemmrich G, Ball EE, Hayward DC, Khalturin K, Funayama N, Agata K, Bosch TCG. The innate immune repertoire in cnidaria--ancestral complexity and stochastic gene loss. Genome Biol 2007; 8:R59. [PMID: 17437634 PMCID: PMC1896004 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2007-8-4-r59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 257] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2006] [Revised: 12/22/2006] [Accepted: 04/16/2007] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of genomic resources available for cnidarians revealed that several key components of the vertebrate innate immune repertoire are present in representatives of the basal cnidarian class Anthozoa, but are missing in Hydra, a member of the class Hydrozoa, indicating ancient origins for many components of the innate immune system. Background Characterization of the innate immune repertoire of extant cnidarians is of both fundamental and applied interest - it not only provides insights into the basic immunological 'tool kit' of the common ancestor of all animals, but is also likely to be important in understanding the global decline of coral reefs that is presently occurring. Recently, whole genome sequences became available for two cnidarians, Hydra magnipapillata and Nematostella vectensis, and large expressed sequence tag (EST) datasets are available for these and for the coral Acropora millepora. Results To better understand the basis of innate immunity in cnidarians, we scanned the available EST and genomic resources for some of the key components of the vertebrate innate immune repertoire, focusing on the Toll/Toll-like receptor (TLR) and complement pathways. A canonical Toll/TLR pathway is present in representatives of the basal cnidarian class Anthozoa, but neither a classic Toll/TLR receptor nor a conventional nuclear factor (NF)-κB could be identified in the anthozoan Hydra. Moreover, the detection of complement C3 and several membrane attack complex/perforin domain (MAC/PF) proteins suggests that a prototypic complement effector pathway may exist in anthozoans, but not in hydrozoans. Together with data for several other gene families, this implies that Hydra may have undergone substantial secondary gene loss during evolution. Such losses are not confined to Hydra, however, and at least one MAC/PF gene appears to have been lost from Nematostella. Conclusion Consideration of these patterns of gene distribution underscores the likely significance of gene loss during animal evolution whilst indicating ancient origins for many components of the vertebrate innate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Miller
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies and Comparative Genomics Centre, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Georg Hemmrich
- Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstrasse, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Eldon E Ball
- ARC Centre for the Molecular Genetics of Development, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - David C Hayward
- ARC Centre for the Molecular Genetics of Development, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Konstantin Khalturin
- Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstrasse, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Noriko Funayama
- Department of Biophysics, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kiyokazu Agata
- Department of Biophysics, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Thomas CG Bosch
- Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstrasse, 24098 Kiel, Germany
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21
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22
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Matus DQ, Pang K, Daly M, Martindale MQ. Expression of Pax gene family members in the anthozoan cnidarian, Nematostella vectensis. Evol Dev 2007; 9:25-38. [PMID: 17227364 DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-142x.2006.00135.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Pax genes are a family of homeodomain transcription factors that have been isolated from protostomes (e.g., eight in Drosophilia) and deuterostomes (e.g., nine in vertebrates) as well as outside the Bilateria, from sponges, a placozoan, and several classes of cnidarians. The genome of an anthozoan cnidarian, the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, has been surveyed by both degenerate polymerase chain reaction and in silico for the presence of Pax genes. N. vectensis possesses seven Pax genes, which are orthologous to cnidarian Pax genes (A,B,C, and D) previously identified in another anthozoan, a coral, Acropora millepora. Phylogenetic analyses including data from nonchordate deuterostomes indicates that there were five Pax gene classes in the protostome-deuterostome ancestor, but only three in the cnidarian-bilaterian ancestor, with PaxD class genes lost in medusozoan cnidarians. Pax genes play diverse roles in bilaterians, including eye formation (e.g., Pax6), segmentation (e.g., Pax3/7 class genes), and neural patterning (e.g., Pox-neuro, Pax2/5/8). We show the first expression data for members of all four Pax classes in a single species of cnidarian. N. vectensis Pax genes are expressed in both a cell-type and region-specific manner during embryogenesis, and likely play a role in patterning specific components of the cnidarian ectodermal nerve net. The results of these patterns are discussed with respect to Pax gene evolution in the Bilateria.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Q Matus
- Kewalo Marine Lab, Pacific Bioscience Research Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
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23
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Matus DQ, Thomsen GH, Martindale MQ. FGF signaling in gastrulation and neural development in Nematostella vectensis, an anthozoan cnidarian. Dev Genes Evol 2007; 217:137-48. [PMID: 17237944 PMCID: PMC4580332 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-006-0122-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2006] [Accepted: 11/03/2006] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signal transduction pathway serves as one of the key regulators of early metazoan development, displaying conserved roles in the specification of endodermal, mesodermal, and neural fates during vertebrate development. FGF signals also regulate gastrulation, in part, by triggering epithelial to mesenchymal transitions in embryos of both vertebrates and invertebrates. Thus, FGF signals coordinate gastrulation movements across many different phyla. To help understand the breadth of FGF signaling deployment across the animal kingdom, we have examined the presence and expression of genes encoding FGF pathway components in the anthozoan cnidarian Nematostella vectensis. We isolated three FGF ligands (NvFGF8A, NvFGF8B, and NvFGF1A), two FGF receptors (NvFGFRa and NvFGFRb), and two orthologs of vertebrate FGF responsive genes, Sprouty (NvSprouty), an inhibitor of FGF signaling, and Churchill (NvChurchill), a Zn finger transcription factor. We found these FGF ligands, receptors, and response gene expressed asymmetrically along the oral/aboral axis during gastrulation and in a developing chemosensory structure of planula stages known as the apical tuft. These results suggest a conserved role for FGF signaling molecules in coordinating both gastrulation and neural induction that predates the Cambrian explosion and the origins of the Bilateria.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Q. Matus
- Kewalo Marine Lab, Pacific Bioscience Research Centre, University of Hawai'i, 41 Ahui Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Gerald H. Thomsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Developmental Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, USA
| | - Mark Q. Martindale
- Kewalo Marine Lab, Pacific Bioscience Research Centre, University of Hawai'i, 41 Ahui Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
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24
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Matus DQ, Pang K, Marlow H, Dunn CW, Thomsen GH, Martindale MQ. Molecular evidence for deep evolutionary roots of bilaterality in animal development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103:11195-200. [PMID: 16837574 PMCID: PMC1544064 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0601257103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2006] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nearly all metazoans show signs of bilaterality, yet it is believed the bilaterians arose from radially symmetric forms hundreds of millions of years ago. Cnidarians (corals, sea anemones, and "jellyfish") diverged from other animals before the radiation of the Bilateria. They are diploblastic and are often characterized as being radially symmetrical around their longitudinal (oral-aboral) axis. We have studied the deployment of orthologs of a number of family members of developmental regulatory genes that are expressed asymmetrically during bilaterian embryogenesis from the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. The secreted TGF-beta genes Nv-dpp, Nv-BMP5-8, six TGF-beta antagonists (NvChordin, NvNoggin1, NvNoggin2, NvGremlin, NvFollistatin, and NvFollistatin-like), the homeodomain proteins NvGoosecoid (NvGsc) and NvGbx, and the secreted guidance factor, NvNetrin, were studied. NvDpp, NvChordin, NvNoggin1, NvGsc, and NvNetrin are expressed asymmetrically along the axis perpendicular to the oral-aboral axis, the directive axis. Furthermore, NvGbx, and NvChordin are expressed in restricted domains on the left and right sides of the body, suggesting that the directive axis is homologous with the bilaterian dorsal-ventral axis. The asymmetric expression of NvNoggin1 and NvGsc appear to be maintained by the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. The asymmetric expression of NvNoggin1, NvNetrin, and Hox orthologs NvAnthox7, NvAnthox8, NvAnthox1a, and NvAnthox6, in conjunction with the observation that NvNoggin1 is able to induce a secondary axis in Xenopus embryos argues that N. vectensis could possess antecedents of the organization of the bilaterian central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Q. Matus
- *Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Pacific Bioscience Research Center, University of Hawaii, 41 Ahui Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; and
| | - Kevin Pang
- *Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Pacific Bioscience Research Center, University of Hawaii, 41 Ahui Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; and
| | - Heather Marlow
- *Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Pacific Bioscience Research Center, University of Hawaii, 41 Ahui Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; and
| | - Casey W. Dunn
- *Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Pacific Bioscience Research Center, University of Hawaii, 41 Ahui Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; and
| | - Gerald H. Thomsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Developmental Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215
| | - Mark Q. Martindale
- *Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Pacific Bioscience Research Center, University of Hawaii, 41 Ahui Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; and
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