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Lyu P, Iribarne M, Serjanov D, Zhai Y, Hoang T, Campbell LJ, Boyd P, Palazzo I, Nagashima M, Silva NJ, Hitchcock PF, Qian J, Hyde DR, Blackshaw S. Common and divergent gene regulatory networks control injury-induced and developmental neurogenesis in zebrafish retina. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8477. [PMID: 38123561 PMCID: PMC10733277 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44142-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Following acute retinal damage, zebrafish possess the ability to regenerate all neuronal subtypes through Müller glia (MG) reprogramming and asymmetric cell division that produces a multipotent Müller glia-derived neuronal progenitor cell (MGPC). This raises three key questions. First, do MG reprogram to a developmental retinal progenitor cell (RPC) state? Second, to what extent does regeneration recapitulate retinal development? And finally, does loss of different retinal cell subtypes induce unique MG regeneration responses? We examined these questions by performing single-nuclear and single-cell RNA-Seq and ATAC-Seq in both developing and regenerating retinas. Here we show that injury induces MG to reprogram to a state similar to late-stage RPCs. However, there are major transcriptional differences between MGPCs and RPCs, as well as major transcriptional differences between activated MG and MGPCs when different retinal cell subtypes are damaged. Validation of candidate genes confirmed that loss of different subtypes induces differences in transcription factor gene expression and regeneration outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin Lyu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Maria Iribarne
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Dmitri Serjanov
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Yijie Zhai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Thanh Hoang
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Leah J Campbell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Patrick Boyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Isabella Palazzo
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Mikiko Nagashima
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Nicholas J Silva
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Peter F Hitchcock
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Jiang Qian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
| | - David R Hyde
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
- Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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2
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Lyu P, Iribarne M, Serjanov D, Zhai Y, Hoang T, Campbell LJ, Boyd P, Palazzo I, Nagashima M, Silva NJ, HItchcock PF, Qian J, Hyde DR, Blackshaw S. Common and divergent gene regulatory networks control injury-induced and developmental neurogenesis in zebrafish retina. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.08.552451. [PMID: 37609307 PMCID: PMC10441373 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.08.552451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Following acute retinal damage, zebrafish possess the ability to regenerate all neuronal subtypes. This regeneration requires Müller glia (MG) to reprogram and divide asymmetrically to produce a multipotent Müller glia-derived neuronal progenitor cell (MGPC). This raises three key questions. First, does loss of different retinal cell subtypes induce unique MG regeneration responses? Second, do MG reprogram to a developmental retinal progenitor cell state? And finally, to what extent does regeneration recapitulate retinal development? We examined these questions by performing single-nuclear and single-cell RNA-Seq and ATAC-Seq in both developing and regenerating retinas. While MG reprogram to a state similar to late-stage retinal progenitors in developing retinas, there are transcriptional differences between reprogrammed MG/MGPCs and late progenitors, as well as reprogrammed MG in outer and inner retinal damage models. Validation of candidate genes confirmed that loss of different subtypes induces differences in transcription factor gene expression and regeneration outcomes. This work identifies major differences between gene regulatory networks activated following the selective loss of different subtypes of retina neurons, as well as between retinal regeneration and development.
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3
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Feng Z, Ducos B, Scerbo P, Aujard I, Jullien L, Bensimon D. The Development and Application of Opto-Chemical Tools in the Zebrafish. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27196231. [PMID: 36234767 PMCID: PMC9572478 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish is one of the most widely adopted animal models in both basic and translational research. This popularity of the zebrafish results from several advantages such as a high degree of similarity to the human genome, the ease of genetic and chemical perturbations, external fertilization with high fecundity, transparent and fast-developing embryos, and relatively low cost-effective maintenance. In particular, body translucency is a unique feature of zebrafish that is not adequately obtained with other vertebrate organisms. The animal’s distinctive optical clarity and small size therefore make it a successful model for optical modulation and observation. Furthermore, the convenience of microinjection and high embryonic permeability readily allow for efficient delivery of large and small molecules into live animals. Finally, the numerous number of siblings obtained from a single pair of animals offers large replicates and improved statistical analysis of the results. In this review, we describe the development of opto-chemical tools based on various strategies that control biological activities with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. We also discuss the reported applications of these tools in zebrafish and highlight the current challenges and future possibilities of opto-chemical approaches, particularly at the single cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiping Feng
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Correspondence: (Z.F.); (D.B.)
| | - Bertrand Ducos
- Laboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences Letters University, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 24 Rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France
- High Throughput qPCR Core Facility, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences Letters University, 46 Rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pierluigi Scerbo
- Laboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences Letters University, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 24 Rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France
- Inovarion, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Aujard
- Laboratoire PASTEUR, Département de Chimie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences Letters University, Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 24 Rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Ludovic Jullien
- Laboratoire PASTEUR, Département de Chimie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences Letters University, Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 24 Rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France
| | - David Bensimon
- Laboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences Letters University, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 24 Rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Correspondence: (Z.F.); (D.B.)
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Single Cell/Nucleus Transcriptomics Comparison in Zebrafish and Humans Reveals Common and Distinct Molecular Responses to Alzheimer’s Disease. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111807. [PMID: 35681503 PMCID: PMC9180693 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis is significantly reduced in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and is a potential therapeutic target. Contrary to humans, a zebrafish can regenerate its diseased brain, and thus is ideal for studying neurogenesis. To compare the AD-related molecular pathways between humans and zebrafish, we compared single cell or nuclear transcriptomic data from a zebrafish amyloid toxicity model and its controls (N = 12) with the datasets of two human adult brains (N = 10 and N = 48 (Microglia)), and one fetal brain (N = 10). Approximately 95.4% of the human and zebrafish cells co-clustered. Within each cell type, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), enriched KEGG pathways, and gene ontology terms. We studied synergistic and non-synergistic DEGs to point at either common or uniquely altered mechanisms across species. Using the top DEGs, a high concordance in gene expression changes between species was observed in neuronal clusters. On the other hand, the molecular pathways affected by AD in zebrafish astroglia differed from humans in favor of the neurogenic pathways. The integration of zebrafish and human transcriptomes shows that the zebrafish can be used as a tool to study the cellular response to amyloid proteinopathies. Uniquely altered pathways in zebrafish could highlight the specific mechanisms underlying neurogenesis, which are absent in humans, and could serve as potential candidates for therapeutic developments.
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Bradshaw SN, Allison WT. Hagfish to Illuminate the Developmental and Evolutionary Origins of the Vertebrate Retina. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:822358. [PMID: 35155434 PMCID: PMC8826474 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.822358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate eye is a vital sensory organ that has long fascinated scientists, but the details of how this organ evolved are still unclear. The vertebrate eye is distinct from the simple photoreceptive organs of other non-vertebrate chordates and there are no clear transitional forms of the eye in the fossil record. To investigate the evolution of the eye we can examine the eyes of the most ancient extant vertebrates, the hagfish and lamprey. These jawless vertebrates are in an ideal phylogenetic position to study the origin of the vertebrate eye but data on eye/retina development in these organisms is limited. New genomic and gene expression data from hagfish and lamprey suggest they have many of the same genes for eye development and retinal neurogenesis as jawed vertebrates, but functional work to determine if these genes operate in retinogenesis similarly to other vertebrates is missing. In addition, hagfish express a marker of proliferative retinal cells (Pax6) near the margin of the retina, and adult retinal growth is apparent in some species. This finding of eye growth late into hagfish ontogeny is unexpected given the degenerate eye phenotype. Further studies dissecting retinal neurogenesis in jawless vertebrates would allow for comparison of the mechanisms of retinal development between cyclostome and gnathostome eyes and provide insight into the evolutionary origins of the vertebrate eye.
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Pérez-Dones D, Ledesma-Terrón M, Míguez DG. Quantitative Approaches to Study Retinal Neurogenesis. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1222. [PMID: 34572408 PMCID: PMC8471905 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of the development of the vertebrate retina can be addressed from several perspectives: from a purely qualitative to a more quantitative approach that takes into account its spatio-temporal features, its three-dimensional structure and also the regulation and properties at the systems level. Here, we review the ongoing transition toward a full four-dimensional characterization of the developing vertebrate retina, focusing on the challenges at the experimental, image acquisition, image processing and quantification. Using the developing zebrafish retina, we illustrate how quantitative data extracted from these type of highly dense, three-dimensional tissues depend strongly on the image quality, image processing and algorithms used to segment and quantify. Therefore, we propose that the scientific community that focuses on developmental systems could strongly benefit from a more detailed disclosure of the tools and pipelines used to process and analyze images from biological samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Pérez-Dones
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Física de la Materia Condensada (IFIMAC), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Ledesma-Terrón
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Física de la Materia Condensada (IFIMAC), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - David G Míguez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Física de la Materia Condensada (IFIMAC), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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7
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Dhakal S, Rotem-Bamberger S, Sejd JR, Sebbagh M, Ronin N, Frey RA, Beitsch M, Batty M, Taler K, Blackerby JF, Inbal A, Stenkamp DL. Selective Requirements for Vascular Endothelial Cells and Circulating Factors in the Regulation of Retinal Neurogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:628737. [PMID: 33898420 PMCID: PMC8060465 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.628737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of the vertebrate eye requires signaling interactions between neural and non-neural tissues. Interactions between components of the vascular system and the developing neural retina have been difficult to decipher, however, due to the challenges of untangling these interactions from the roles of the vasculature in gas exchange. Here we use the embryonic zebrafish, which is not yet reliant upon hemoglobin-mediated oxygen transport, together with genetic strategies for (1) temporally-selective depletion of vascular endothelial cells, (2) elimination of blood flow through the circulation, and (3) elimination of cells of the erythroid lineage, including erythrocytes. The retinal phenotypes in these genetic systems were not identical, with endothelial cell-depleted retinas displaying laminar disorganization, cell death, reduced proliferation, and reduced cell differentiation. In contrast, the lack of blood flow resulted in a milder retinal phenotype showing reduced proliferation and reduced cell differentiation, indicating that an endothelial cell-derived factor(s) is/are required for laminar organization and cell survival. The lack of erythrocytes did not result in an obvious retinal phenotype, confirming that defects in retinal development that result from vascular manipulations are not due to poor gas exchange. These findings underscore the importance of the cardiovascular system supporting and controlling retinal development in ways other than supplying oxygen. In addition, these findings identify a key developmental window for these interactions and point to distinct functions for vascular endothelial cells vs. circulating factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susov Dhakal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Shahar Rotem-Bamberger
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Josilyn R Sejd
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Meyrav Sebbagh
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nathan Ronin
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ruth A Frey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Mya Beitsch
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Megan Batty
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States.,Department of Biology, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Kineret Taler
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Jennifer F Blackerby
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States.,Department of Biology, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Adi Inbal
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Deborah L Stenkamp
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
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8
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Tubgcp3 is a mitotic regulator of planarian epidermal differentiation. Gene 2021; 775:145440. [PMID: 33482282 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Tubgcp3/GCP3 (The centrosomal protein γ-tubulin complex protein 3) is a component of the γ-tubulin small complexes (γ-TuSCs) and γ-tubulin ring complexes (γ-TuRCs), which play critical roles in mitotic spindle formation during mitosis. However, its function in stem cell development has not been thoroughly elucidated. The planarian flatworm, which contains a large number of adult somatic stem cells (neoblasts), is a unique model to study stem cell lineage development in vivo. Here, we identified a homolog of Tubgcp3 in planarian Dugesia japonica, and found that Tubgcp3 is required for the maintenance of epidermal lineage. RNAi targeting Tubgcp3 resulted in tissue homeostasis and regeneration defect. Knockdown of Tubgcp3 reduced cell divisions and led to a loss of the mature epidermal cells. Our findings indicate that Tubgcp3 is a mitotic regulator and plays a crucial role in planarian epidermal differentiation.
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Nadolski NJ, Balay SD, Wong CXL, Waskiewicz AJ, Hocking JC. Abnormal Cone and Rod Photoreceptor Morphogenesis in gdf6a Mutant Zebrafish. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:9. [PMID: 32293666 PMCID: PMC7401959 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.4.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Analysis of photoreceptor morphology and gene expression in mispatterned eyes of zebrafish growth differentiation factor 6a (gdf6a) mutants. Methods Rod and cone photoreceptors were compared between gdf6a mutant and control zebrafish from larval to late adult stages using transgenic labels, immunofluorescence, and confocal microscopy, as well as by transmission electron microscopy. To compare transcriptomes between larval gdf6a mutant and control zebrafish, RNA-Seq was performed on isolated eyes. Results Although rod and cone photoreceptors differentiate in gdf6a mutant zebrafish, the cells display aberrant growth and morphology. The cone outer segments, the light-detecting sensory endings, are reduced in size in the mutant larvae and fail to recover to control size at subsequent stages. In contrast, rods form temporarily expanded outer segments. The inner segments, which generate the required energy and proteins for the outer segments, are shortened in both rods and cones at all stages. RNA-Seq analysis provides a set of misregulated genes associated with the observed abnormal photoreceptor morphogenesis. Conclusions GDF6 mutations were previously identified in patients with Leber congenital amaurosis. Here, we reveal a unique photoreceptor phenotype in the gdf6a mutant zebrafish whereby rods and cones undergo abnormal maturation distinct for each cell type. Further, subsequent development shows partial recovery of cell morphology and maintenance of the photoreceptor layer. By conducting a transcriptomic analysis of the gdf6a larval eyes, we identified a collection of genes that are candidate regulators of photoreceptor size and morphology.
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10
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Yoon KH, Fox SC, Dicipulo R, Lehmann OJ, Waskiewicz AJ. Ocular coloboma: Genetic variants reveal a dynamic model of eye development. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2020; 184:590-610. [PMID: 32852110 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Ocular coloboma is a congenital disorder of the eye where a gap exists in the inferior retina, lens, iris, or optic nerve tissue. With a prevalence of 2-19 per 100,000 live births, coloboma, and microphthalmia, an associated ocular disorder, represent up to 10% of childhood blindness. It manifests due to the failure of choroid fissure closure during eye development, and it is a part of a spectrum of ocular disorders that include microphthalmia and anophthalmia. Use of genetic approaches from classical pedigree analyses to next generation sequencing has identified more than 40 loci that are associated with the causality of ocular coloboma. As we have expanded studies to include singleton cases, hereditability has been very challenging to prove. As such, researchers over the past 20 years, have unraveled the complex interrelationship amongst these 40 genes using vertebrate model organisms. Such research has greatly increased our understanding of eye development. These genes function to regulate initial specification of the eye field, migration of retinal precursors, patterning of the retina, neural crest cell biology, and activity of head mesoderm. This review will discuss the discovery of loci using patient data, their investigations in animal models, and the recent advances stemming from animal models that shed new light in patient diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Sabrina C Fox
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Renée Dicipulo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Ordan J Lehmann
- Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Andrew J Waskiewicz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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11
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Gramann AK, Venkatesan AM, Guerin M, Ceol CJ. Regulation of zebrafish melanocyte development by ligand-dependent BMP signaling. eLife 2019; 8:50047. [PMID: 31868592 PMCID: PMC6968919 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Preventing terminal differentiation is important in the development and progression of many cancers including melanoma. Recent identification of the BMP ligand GDF6 as a novel melanoma oncogene showed GDF6-activated BMP signaling suppresses differentiation of melanoma cells. Previous studies have identified roles for GDF6 orthologs during early embryonic and neural crest development, but have not identified direct regulation of melanocyte development by GDF6. Here, we investigate the BMP ligand gdf6a, a zebrafish ortholog of human GDF6, during the development of melanocytes from the neural crest. We establish that the loss of gdf6a or inhibition of BMP signaling during neural crest development disrupts normal pigment cell development, leading to an increase in the number of melanocytes and a corresponding decrease in iridophores, another neural crest-derived pigment cell type in zebrafish. This shift occurs as pigment cells arise from the neural crest and depends on mitfa, an ortholog of MITF, a key regulator of melanocyte development that is also targeted by oncogenic BMP signaling. Together, these results indicate that the oncogenic role ligand-dependent BMP signaling plays in suppressing differentiation in melanoma is a reiteration of its physiological roles during melanocyte development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec K Gramann
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Department of Molecular Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Arvind M Venkatesan
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Department of Molecular Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Melissa Guerin
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Department of Molecular Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Craig J Ceol
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States.,Department of Molecular Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
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12
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Gong Y, He X, Li Q, He J, Bian B, Li Y, Ge L, Zeng Y, Xu H, Yin ZQ. SCF/SCFR signaling plays an important role in the early morphogenesis and neurogenesis of human embryonic neural retina. Development 2019; 146:dev.174409. [PMID: 31548215 DOI: 10.1242/dev.174409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The stem cell factor receptor (SCFR) has been demonstrated to be expressed in the neural retina of mice, rat and human for decades. Previous reports indicated that the SCFR correlates with glia differentiation of late retinal progenitor cells (RPCs), retinal vasculogenesis and homeostasis of the blood-retinal barrier. However, the role of SCF/SCFR signaling in the growth and development of the neural retina (NR), especially in the early embryonic stage, remains poorly understood. Here, we show that SCF/SCFR signaling orchestrates invagination of the human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived NR via regulation of cell cycle progression, cytoskeleton dynamic and apical constriction of RPCs in the ciliary marginal zone (CMZ). Furthermore, activation of SCF/SCFR signaling promotes neurogenesis in the central-most NR via acceleration of the migration of immature ganglion cells and repressing apoptosis. Our study reveals an unreported role for SCF/SCFR signaling in controlling ciliary marginal cellular behaviors during early morphogenesis and neurogenesis of the human embryonic NR, providing a new potential therapeutic target for human congenital eye diseases such as anophthalmia, microphthalmia and congenital high myopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Gong
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Xiangyu He
- Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Qiyou Li
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Juncai He
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Baishijiao Bian
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Yijian Li
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Linlin Ge
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Yuxiao Zeng
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Haiwei Xu
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China .,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Zheng Qin Yin
- Southwest Hospital/ Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China .,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing 400038, PR China
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13
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Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of retinol (vitamin A), functions as a ligand for nuclear RA receptors (RARs) that regulate development of chordate animals. RA-RARs can activate or repress transcription of key developmental genes. Genetic studies in mouse and zebrafish embryos that are deficient in RA-generating enzymes or RARs have been instrumental in identifying RA functions, revealing that RA signaling regulates development of many organs and tissues, including the body axis, spinal cord, forelimbs, heart, eye and reproductive tract. An understanding of the normal functions of RA signaling during development will guide efforts for use of RA as a therapeutic agent to improve human health. Here, we provide an overview of RA signaling and highlight its key functions during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert B Ghyselinck
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Gregg Duester
- Development, Aging, and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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14
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Li G, Jin D, Zhong TP. Tubgcp3 Is Required for Retinal Progenitor Cell Proliferation During Zebrafish Development. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:126. [PMID: 31178691 PMCID: PMC6543929 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The centrosomal protein γ-tubulin complex protein 3 (Tubgcp3/GCP3) is required for the assembly of γ-tubulin small complexes (γ-TuSCs) and γ-tubulin ring complexes (γ-TuRCs), which play critical roles in mitotic spindle formation during mitosis. However, its function in vertebrate embryonic development is unknown. Here, we generated the zebrafish tubgcp3 mutants using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that the tubgcp3 mutants exhibited the small eye phenotype. Tubgcp3 is required for the cell cycle progression of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs), and its depletion caused cell cycle arrest in the mitotic (M) phase. The M-phase arrested RPCs exhibited aberrant monopolar spindles and abnormal distributed centrioles and γ-tubulin. Moreover, these RPCs underwent apoptosis finally. Our study provides the in vivo model for the functional study of Tubgcp3 and sheds light on the roles of centrosomal γ-tubulin complexes in vertebrate development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guobao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Daqing Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao P Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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15
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DuVal MG, Allison WT. Photoreceptor Progenitors Depend Upon Coordination of gdf6a, thrβ, and tbx2b to Generate Precise Populations of Cone Photoreceptor Subtypes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2019; 59:6089-6101. [PMID: 30592497 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.18-24461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Replacing cone photoreceptors, the units of the retina necessary for daytime vision, depends upon the successful production of a full variety of new cones from, for example, stem cells. Using genetic experiments in a model organism with high cone diversity, zebrafish, we map the intersecting effects of cone development factors gdf6a, tbx2b, and thrβ. Methods We investigated these genes of interest by using genetic combinations of mutants, gene knockdown, and dominant negative gene expression, and then quantified cone subtype outcomes (which normally develop in tightly regulated ratios). Results Gdf6a mutants have reduced blue cones and, discovered here, reduced red cones. In combined gdf6a/tbx2b disruption, the loss of gdf6a in heterozygous tbx2b mutants reduced UV cones. Intriguingly, when we disrupted thrβ in gdf6a mutants by using a thrβ morpholino, their combined early disruption revealed a lamination phenotype. Disrupting thrβ activity via expression of a dominant negative thrβ (dnthrβ) at either early or late retinal development had differential outcomes on red cones (reduced abundance), versus UV and blue cones (increased abundance). By using dnthrβ in gdf6a mutants, we revealed that disrupting thrβ activity did not change gdf6a mutant cone phenotypes. Conclusions Gdf6a loss directly affects blue and red cones and indirectly affects UV cones by increasing sensitivity to additional disruption, such as reduced tbx2b, resulting in fewer UV cones. The effects of thrβ change through photoreceptor development, first promoting red cones and restricting UV cones, and later restricting UV and blue cones. The effects of gdf6a on UV, blue, and red cone development overlap with, but likely supersede, those of thrβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michèle G DuVal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - W Ted Allison
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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16
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Young RM, Hawkins TA, Cavodeassi F, Stickney HL, Schwarz Q, Lawrence LM, Wierzbicki C, Cheng BY, Luo J, Ambrosio EM, Klosner A, Sealy IM, Rowell J, Trivedi CA, Bianco IH, Allende ML, Busch-Nentwich EM, Gestri G, Wilson SW. Compensatory growth renders Tcf7l1a dispensable for eye formation despite its requirement in eye field specification. eLife 2019; 8:40093. [PMID: 30777146 PMCID: PMC6380838 DOI: 10.7554/elife.40093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate eye originates from the eye field, a domain of cells specified by a small number of transcription factors. In this study, we show that Tcf7l1a is one such transcription factor that acts cell-autonomously to specify the eye field in zebrafish. Despite the much-reduced eye field in tcf7l1a mutants, these fish develop normal eyes revealing a striking ability of the eye to recover from a severe early phenotype. This robustness is not mediated through genetic compensation at neural plate stage; instead, the smaller optic vesicle of tcf7l1a mutants shows delayed neurogenesis and continues to grow until it achieves approximately normal size. Although the developing eye is robust to the lack of Tcf7l1a function, it is sensitised to the effects of additional mutations. In support of this, a forward genetic screen identified mutations in hesx1, cct5 and gdf6a, which give synthetically enhanced eye specification or growth phenotypes when in combination with the tcf7l1a mutation. Left and right eyes develop independently, yet they consistently grow to roughly the same size in humans and other creatures. How they do this remains a mystery, though scientists have learned that both eyes originate from a single group of cells in the developing nervous system called the eye field. As development progresses, the eye field splits in two, and buds into the two separate compartments from which each eye forms. As the eyes grow, the cells in each compartment specialize, or ‘differentiate’, to make working left and right eyes. Scientists often study eye development in zebrafish embryos because it is easy to see each step in the process. Now, Young at al. show that zebrafish with a mutation that causes the eye field to be half its normal size go on to form normal-sized eyes. Somehow these developing embryos overcome this deleterious mutation. It turns out that the eyes of zebrafish with this mutation grow for a longer period of time than typical zebrafish eyes. This change allows the mutant fish’s eyes to catch up and reach normal size. When Young et al. removed some cells from one of the forming eyes of normal zebrafish embryos they found that same thing happened. The smaller eye developed for a longer time and delayed its differentiation until both eyes were the same size. Conversely, when eyes developed from a larger than normal eye field, growth stopped prematurely and differentiation began early preventing the eyes from ending up oversized. Though the fish were able to overcome the effects of one mutation to develop normal-sized eyes, adding a second mutation that affected eye development led to unusual sized eyes or absence of eyes. Together the experiments identify genes and mechanisms essential for the formation and size of the eyes. Given that the processes underlying eye formation are very similar in many animals, this new information should help scientists to better understand eye abnormalities in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo M Young
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas A Hawkins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Florencia Cavodeassi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Heather L Stickney
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Quenten Schwarz
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Lawrence
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia Wierzbicki
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bowie Yl Cheng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jingyuan Luo
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Allison Klosner
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ian M Sealy
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom.,Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jasmine Rowell
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chintan A Trivedi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Isaac H Bianco
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel L Allende
- Center for Genome Regulation, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Elisabeth M Busch-Nentwich
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom.,Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gaia Gestri
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen W Wilson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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17
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Fuentes R, Letelier J, Tajer B, Valdivia LE, Mullins MC. Fishing forward and reverse: Advances in zebrafish phenomics. Mech Dev 2018; 154:296-308. [PMID: 30130581 PMCID: PMC6289646 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how the genome instructs the phenotypic characteristics of an organism is one of the major scientific endeavors of our time. Advances in genetics have progressively deciphered the inheritance, identity and biological relevance of genetically encoded information, contributing to the rise of several, complementary omic disciplines. One of them is phenomics, an emergent area of biology dedicated to the systematic multi-scale analysis of phenotypic traits. This discipline provides valuable gene function information to the rapidly evolving field of genetics. Current molecular tools enable genome-wide analyses that link gene sequence to function in multi-cellular organisms, illuminating the genome-phenome relationship. Among vertebrates, zebrafish has emerged as an outstanding model organism for high-throughput phenotyping and modeling of human disorders. Advances in both systematic mutagenesis and phenotypic analyses of embryonic and post-embryonic stages in zebrafish have revealed the function of a valuable collection of genes and the general structure of several complex traits. In this review, we summarize multiple large-scale genetic efforts addressing parental, embryonic, and adult phenotyping in the zebrafish. The genetic and quantitative tools available in the zebrafish model, coupled with the broad spectrum of phenotypes that can be assayed, make it a powerful model for phenomics, well suited for the dissection of genotype-phenotype associations in development, physiology, health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Fuentes
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joaquín Letelier
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CSIC/UPO/JA), Seville, Spain; Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Benjamin Tajer
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Leonardo E Valdivia
- Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Mary C Mullins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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18
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Muralidharan P, Sarmah S, Marrs JA. Retinal Wnt signaling defect in a zebrafish fetal alcohol spectrum disorder model. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201659. [PMID: 30067812 PMCID: PMC6070267 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder caused by prenatal alcohol exposure includes ocular abnormalities (microphthalmia, photoreceptor dysfunction, cataracts). Zebrafish embryos exposed to ethanol from gastrulation through somitogenesis show severe ocular defects, including microphthalmia and photoreceptor differentiation defects. Ethanol-treated zebrafish had an enlarged ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) relative to the retina size and reduced Müller glial cells (MGCs). Ethanol exposure produced immature photoreceptors with increased proliferation, indicating cell cycle exit failure. Signaling mechanisms in the CMZ were affected by embryonic ethanol exposure, including Wnt signaling in the CMZ, Notch signaling and neurod gene expression. Retinoic acid or folic acid co-supplementation with ethanol rescued Wnt signaling and retinal differentiation. Activating Wnt signaling using GSK3 inhibitor (LSN 2105786; Eli Lilly and Co.) restored retinal cell differentiation pathways. Ethanol exposed embryos were treated with Wnt agonist, which rescued Wnt-active cells in the CMZ, Notch-active cells in the retina, proliferation, and photoreceptor terminal differentiation. Our results illustrate the critical role of Wnt signaling in ethanol-induced retinal defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Muralidharan
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Swapnalee Sarmah
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - James A Marrs
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
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19
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Hocking JC, Famulski JK, Yoon KH, Widen SA, Bernstein CS, Koch S, Weiss O, Agarwala S, Inbal A, Lehmann OJ, Waskiewicz AJ. Morphogenetic defects underlie Superior Coloboma, a newly identified closure disorder of the dorsal eye. PLoS Genet 2018. [PMID: 29522511 PMCID: PMC5862500 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The eye primordium arises as a lateral outgrowth of the forebrain, with a transient fissure on the inferior side of the optic cup providing an entry point for developing blood vessels. Incomplete closure of the inferior ocular fissure results in coloboma, a disease characterized by gaps in the inferior eye and recognized as a significant cause of pediatric blindness. Here, we identify eight patients with defects in tissues of the superior eye, a congenital disorder that we term superior coloboma. The embryonic origin of superior coloboma could not be explained by conventional models of eye development, leading us to reanalyze morphogenesis of the dorsal eye. Our studies revealed the presence of the superior ocular sulcus (SOS), a transient division of the dorsal eye conserved across fish, chick, and mouse. Exome sequencing of superior coloboma patients identified rare variants in a Bone Morphogenetic Protein (Bmp) receptor (BMPR1A) and T-box transcription factor (TBX2). Consistent with this, we find sulcus closure defects in zebrafish lacking Bmp signaling or Tbx2b. In addition, loss of dorsal ocular Bmp is rescued by concomitant suppression of the ventral-specific Hedgehog pathway, arguing that sulcus closure is dependent on dorsal-ventral eye patterning cues. The superior ocular sulcus acts as a conduit for blood vessels, with altered sulcus closure resulting in inappropriate connections between the hyaloid and superficial vascular systems. Together, our findings explain the existence of superior coloboma, a congenital ocular anomaly resulting from aberrant morphogenesis of a developmental structure. Ocular coloboma is a disease characterized by gaps in the lower portion of the eye and can affect the iris, lens, or retina, and cause loss of vision. Coloboma arises from incomplete closure of a transient fissure on the underside of the developing eye. Therefore, our identification of patients with similar tissue defects, but restricted to the superior half of eye, was surprising. Here, we describe an ocular developmental structure, the superior ocular sulcus, as a potential origin for the congenital disorder superior coloboma. Formation and closure of the sulcus are directed by dorsal-ventral eye patterning, and altered patterning interferes with the role of the sulcus as a pathway for blood vessel growth onto the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Hocking
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Jakub K Famulski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Unites States of America
| | - Kevin H Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Sonya A Widen
- Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Cassidy S Bernstein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin,Unites States of America
| | - Sophie Koch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Omri Weiss
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research-Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Seema Agarwala
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin,Unites States of America.,Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Unites States of America.,Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Unites States of America
| | - Adi Inbal
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research-Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ordan J Lehmann
- Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Andrew J Waskiewicz
- Women & Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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20
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Todd L, Suarez L, Quinn C, Fischer AJ. Retinoic Acid-Signaling Regulates the Proliferative and Neurogenic Capacity of Müller Glia-Derived Progenitor Cells in the Avian Retina. Stem Cells 2017; 36:392-405. [PMID: 29193451 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In the retina, Müller glia have the potential to become progenitor cells with the ability to proliferate and regenerate neurons. However, the ability of Müller glia-derived progenitor cells (MGPCs) to proliferate and produce neurons is limited in higher vertebrates. Using the chick model system, we investigate how retinoic acid (RA)-signaling influences the proliferation and the formation of MGPCs. We observed an upregulation of cellular RA binding proteins (CRABP) in the Müller glia of damaged retinas where the formation of MGPCs is known to occur. Activation of RA-signaling was stimulated, whereas inhibition suppressed the proliferation of MGPCs in damaged retinas and in fibroblast growth factor 2-treated undamaged retinas. Furthermore, inhibition of RA-degradation stimulated the proliferation of MGPCs. Levels of Pax6, Klf4, and cFos were upregulated in MGPCs by RA agonists and downregulated in MGPCs by RA antagonists. Activation of RA-signaling following MGPC proliferation increased the percentage of progeny that differentiated as neurons. Similarly, the combination of RA and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) significantly increased neurogenesis from retinal progenitors in the circumferential marginal zone (CMZ). In summary, RA-signaling stimulates the formation of proliferating MGPCs and enhances the neurogenic potential of MGPCs and stem cells in the CMZ. Stem Cells 2018;36:392-405.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levi Todd
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Lilianna Suarez
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Colin Quinn
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Andy J Fischer
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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21
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Down-regulation of coasy, the gene associated with NBIA-VI, reduces Bmp signaling, perturbs dorso-ventral patterning and alters neuronal development in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37660. [PMID: 27892483 PMCID: PMC5124858 DOI: 10.1038/srep37660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in Pantothenate kinase 2 and Coenzyme A (CoA) synthase (COASY), genes involved in CoA biosynthesis, are associated with rare neurodegenerative disorders with brain iron accumulation. We showed that zebrafish pank2 gene plays an essential role in brain and vasculature development. Now we extended our study to coasy. The gene has high level of sequence identity with the human ortholog and is ubiquitously expressed from the earliest stages of development. The abrogation of its expression led to strong reduction of CoA content, high lethality and a phenotype resembling to that of dorsalized mutants. Lower doses of morpholino resulted in a milder phenotype, with evident perturbation in neurogenesis and formation of vascular arborization; the dorso-ventral patterning was severely affected, the expression of bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) receptors and activity were decreased, while cell death increased. These features specifically correlated with the block in CoA biosynthesis and were rescued by the addition of CoA to fish water and the overexpression of the human wild-type, but not mutant gene. These results confirm the absolute requirement for adequate levels of CoA for proper neural and vascular development in zebrafish and point to the Bmp pathway as a possible molecular connection underlining the observed phenotype.
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