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Heiman MG, Bülow HE. Dendrite morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae056. [PMID: 38785371 PMCID: PMC11151937 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae056] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the days of Ramón y Cajal, the vast diversity of neuronal and particularly dendrite morphology has been used to catalog neurons into different classes. Dendrite morphology varies greatly and reflects the different functions performed by different types of neurons. Significant progress has been made in our understanding of how dendrites form and the molecular factors and forces that shape these often elaborately sculpted structures. Here, we review work in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that has shed light on the developmental mechanisms that mediate dendrite morphogenesis with a focus on studies investigating ciliated sensory neurons and the highly elaborated dendritic trees of somatosensory neurons. These studies, which combine time-lapse imaging, genetics, and biochemistry, reveal an intricate network of factors that function both intrinsically in dendrites and extrinsically from surrounding tissues. Therefore, dendrite morphogenesis is the result of multiple tissue interactions, which ultimately determine the shape of dendritic arbors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell G Heiman
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hannes E Bülow
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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2
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Coraggio F, Bhushan M, Roumeliotis S, Caroti F, Bevilacqua C, Prevedel R, Rapti G. Age-progressive interplay of HSP-proteostasis, ECM-cell junctions and biomechanics ensures C. elegans astroglial architecture. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2861. [PMID: 38570505 PMCID: PMC10991496 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46827-2] [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: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Tissue integrity is sensitive to temperature, tension, age, and is sustained throughout life by adaptive cell-autonomous or extrinsic mechanisms. Safeguarding the remarkably-complex architectures of neurons and glia ensures age-dependent integrity of functional circuits. Here, we report mechanisms sustaining the integrity of C. elegans CEPsh astrocyte-like glia. We combine large-scale genetics with manipulation of genes, cells, and their environment, quantitative imaging of cellular/ subcellular features, tissue material properties and extracellular matrix (ECM). We identify mutants with age-progressive, environment-dependent defects in glial architecture, consequent disruption of neuronal architecture, and abnormal aging. Functional loss of epithelial Hsp70/Hsc70-cochaperone BAG2 causes ECM disruption, altered tissue biomechanics, and hypersensitivity of glia to environmental temperature and mechanics. Glial-cell junctions ensure epithelia-ECM-CEPsh glia association. Modifying glial junctions or ECM mechanics safeguards glial integrity against disrupted BAG2-proteostasis. Overall, we present a finely-regulated interplay of proteostasis-ECM and cell junctions with conserved components that ensures age-progressive robustness of glial architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Coraggio
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mahak Bhushan
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Spyridon Roumeliotis
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Francesca Caroti
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carlo Bevilacqua
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robert Prevedel
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Rome, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Center of Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Georgia Rapti
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Rome, Italy.
- Interdisciplinary Center of Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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3
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Cebul ER, Marivin A, Wexler LR, Perrat PN, Bénard CY, Garcia-Marcos M, Heiman MG. SAX-7/L1CAM acts with the adherens junction proteins MAGI-1, HMR-1/Cadherin, and AFD-1/Afadin to promote glial-mediated dendrite extension. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.11.575259. [PMID: 38260503 PMCID: PMC10802611 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.11.575259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Adherens junctions (AJs) are a fundamental organizing structure for multicellular life. Although AJs are studied mainly in epithelia, their core function - stabilizing cell contacts by coupling adhesion molecules to the cytoskeleton - is important in diverse tissues. We find that two C. elegans sensory neurons, URX and BAG, require conserved AJ proteins for dendrite morphogenesis. We previously showed that URX and BAG dendrites attach to the embryonic nose via the adhesion molecule SAX-7/L1CAM, acting both in neurons and glia, and then extend by stretch during embryo elongation. Here, we find that a PDZ-binding motif (PB) in the SAX-7 cytoplasmic tail acts with other interaction motifs to promote dendrite extension. Using pull-down assays, we find that the SAX-7 PB binds the multi-PDZ scaffolding protein MAGI-1, which bridges it to the cadherin-catenin complex protein HMP-2/β-catenin. Using cell-specific rescue and depletion, we find that both MAGI-1 and HMR-1/Cadherin act in glia to non-autonomously promote dendrite extension. Double mutant analysis indicates that each protein can act independently of SAX-7, suggesting a multivalent adhesion complex. The SAX-7 PB motif also binds AFD-1/Afadin, loss of which further enhances sax-7 BAG dendrite defects. As MAGI-1, HMR-1, and AFD-1 are all found in epithelial AJs, we propose that an AJ-like complex in glia promotes dendrite extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R. Cebul
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Present address: Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Arthur Marivin
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Leland R. Wexler
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Paola N. Perrat
- Department of Biological Sciences, CERMO-FC Research Center, Universite du Québec à Montréal, Montreál, QC, Canada
| | - Claire Y. Bénard
- Department of Biological Sciences, CERMO-FC Research Center, Universite du Québec à Montréal, Montreál, QC, Canada
| | - Mikel Garcia-Marcos
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maxwell G. Heiman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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4
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Vérièpe-Salerno J, Podavini S, Long MJ, Kolotuev I, Cuendet M, Thome M. MALT-1 shortens lifespan by inhibiting autophagy in the intestine of C. elegans. AUTOPHAGY REPORTS 2023; 2:2277584. [PMID: 38510643 PMCID: PMC7615756 DOI: 10.1080/27694127.2023.2277584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The caspase-like protease MALT1 promotes immune responses and oncogenesis in mammals by activating the transcription factor NF-κB. MALT1 is remarkably conserved from mammals to simple metazoans devoid of NF-κB homologs, like the nematode C. elegans. To discover more ancient, NF-κB -independent MALT1 functions, we analysed the phenotype of C. elegans upon silencing of MALT-1 expression systemically or in a tissue-specific manner. MALT-1 silencing in the intestine caused a significant increase in life span, whereas intestinal overexpression of MALT-1 shortened life expectancy. Interestingly, MALT-1-deficient animals showed higher constitutive levels of autophagy in the intestine, which were particularly evident in aged or starved nematodes. Silencing of the autophagy regulators ATG-13, BEC-1 or LGG-2, but not the TOR homolog LET-363, reversed lifespan extension caused by MALT-1 deficiency. These findings suggest that MALT-1 limits the lifespan of C. elegans by acting as an inhibitor of an early step of autophagy in the intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Vérièpe-Salerno
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Podavini
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Marcus J.C. Long
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Irina Kolotuev
- Electron Microscopy Facility, University of Lausanne, Quartier Sorge – Biophore, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Muriel Cuendet
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Margot Thome
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland
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Ray S, Gurung P, Manning RS, Kravchuk A, Singhvi A. Neuron cilia constrain glial regulators to microdomains around distal neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.18.533255. [PMID: 36993507 PMCID: PMC10055228 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.18.533255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Each glia interacts with multiple neurons, but the fundamental logic of whether it interacts with all equally remains unclear. We find that a single sense-organ glia modulates different contacting neurons distinctly. To do so, it partitions regulatory cues into molecular microdomains at specific neuron contact-sites, at its delimited apical membrane. For one glial cue, K/Cl transporter KCC-3, microdomain-localization occurs through a two-step, neuron-dependent process. First, KCC-3 shuttles to glial apical membranes. Second, some contacting neuron cilia repel it, rendering it microdomain-localized around one distal neuron-ending. KCC-3 localization tracks animal aging, and while apical localization is sufficient for contacting neuron function, microdomain-restriction is required for distal neuron properties. Finally, we find the glia regulates its microdomains largely independently. Together, this uncovers that glia modulate cross-modal sensor processing by compartmentalizing regulatory cues into microdomains. Glia across species contact multiple neurons and localize disease-relevant cues like KCC-3. Thus, analogous compartmentalization may broadly drive how glia regulate information processing across neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Ray
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Pralaksha Gurung
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - R. Sean Manning
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Alexandra Kravchuk
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
- University of Washington School of Medicine, WA 98195
| | - Aakanksha Singhvi
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington School of Medicine, WA 98195
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Baraban M, Gordillo Pi C, Bonnet I, Gilles JF, Lejeune C, Cabrera M, Tep F, Breau MA. Actomyosin contractility in olfactory placode neurons opens the skin epithelium to form the zebrafish nostril. Dev Cell 2023; 58:361-375.e5. [PMID: 36841243 PMCID: PMC10023511 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
Despite their barrier function, epithelia can locally lose their integrity to create physiological openings during morphogenesis. The mechanisms driving the formation of these epithelial breaks are only starting to be investigated. Here, we study the formation of the zebrafish nostril (the olfactory orifice), which opens in the skin epithelium to expose the olfactory neurons to external odorant cues. Combining live imaging, drug treatments, laser ablation, and tissue-specific functional perturbations, we characterize a mechanical interplay between olfactory placode neurons and the skin, which plays a crucial role in the formation of the orifice: the neurons pull on the overlying skin cells in an actomyosin-dependent manner which, in combination with a local reorganization of the skin epithelium, triggers the opening of the orifice. This work identifies an original mechanism to break an epithelial sheet, in which an adjacent group of cells mechanically assists the epithelium to induce its local rupture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Baraban
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Developmental Biology Laboratory, 75005 Paris, France; Laboratoire Jean Perrin, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Clara Gordillo Pi
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Developmental Biology Laboratory, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Bonnet
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Camille Lejeune
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Developmental Biology Laboratory, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Mélody Cabrera
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Developmental Biology Laboratory, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Florian Tep
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Developmental Biology Laboratory, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Marie Anne Breau
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Developmental Biology Laboratory, 75005 Paris, France; Laboratoire Jean Perrin, 75005 Paris, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France.
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Sonam S, Balasubramaniam L, Lin SZ, Ivan YMY, Jaumà IP, Jebane C, Karnat M, Toyama Y, Marcq P, Prost J, Mège RM, Rupprecht JF, Ladoux B. Mechanical stress driven by rigidity sensing governs epithelial stability. NATURE PHYSICS 2023; 19:132-141. [PMID: 36686215 PMCID: PMC7614076 DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01826-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Epithelia act as a barrier against environmental stress and abrasion and in vivo they are continuously exposed to environments of various mechanical properties. The impact of this environment on epithelial integrity remains elusive. By culturing epithelial cells on 2D hydrogels, we observe a loss of epithelial monolayer integrity through spontaneous hole formation when grown on soft substrates. Substrate stiffness triggers an unanticipated mechanical switch of epithelial monolayers from tensile on soft to compressive on stiff substrates. Through active nematic modelling, we find that spontaneous half-integer defect formation underpinning large isotropic stress fluctuations initiate hole opening events. Our data show that monolayer rupture due to high tensile stress is promoted by the weakening of cell-cell junctions that could be induced by cell division events or local cellular stretching. Our results show that substrate stiffness provides feedback on monolayer mechanical state and that topological defects can trigger stochastic mechanical failure, with potential application towards a mechanistic understanding of compromised epithelial integrity during immune response and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surabhi Sonam
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75006 Paris, France
| | | | - Shao-Zhen Lin
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | | | - Irina Pi Jaumà
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Cecile Jebane
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Marc Karnat
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | - Yusuke Toyama
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Philippe Marcq
- Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jacques Prost
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Physico-Chimie Curie, Institut Curie, CNRS UMR 168, Paris, France
| | - René-Marc Mège
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Jean-François Rupprecht
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille, France
- Corresponding authors Dr. Benoit Ladoux, , Dr. Jean-François Rupprecht,
| | - Benoît Ladoux
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75006 Paris, France
- Corresponding authors Dr. Benoit Ladoux, , Dr. Jean-François Rupprecht,
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Santella A, Kolotuev I, Kizilyaprak C, Bao Z. Cross-modality synthesis of EM time series and live fluorescence imaging. eLife 2022; 11:77918. [PMID: 35666127 PMCID: PMC9213002 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyses across imaging modalities allow the integration of complementary spatiotemporal information about brain development, structure, and function. However, systematic atlasing across modalities is limited by challenges to effective image alignment. We combine highly spatially resolved electron microscopy (EM) and highly temporally resolved time-lapse fluorescence microscopy (FM) to examine the emergence of a complex nervous system in Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis. We generate an EM time series at four classic developmental stages and create a landmark-based co-optimization algorithm for cross-modality image alignment, which handles developmental heterochrony among datasets to achieve accurate single-cell level alignment. Synthesis based on the EM series and time-lapse FM series carrying different cell-specific markers reveals critical dynamic behaviors across scales of identifiable individual cells in the emergence of the primary neuropil, the nerve ring, as well as a major sensory organ, the amphid. Our study paves the way for systematic cross-modality data synthesis in C. elegans and demonstrates a powerful approach that may be applied broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Santella
- Molecular Cytology Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, United States
| | - Irina Kolotuev
- Electron Microscopy Facility, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Zhirong Bao
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, United States
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Lillis M, Zaccardi NJ, Heiman MG. Axon-dendrite and apical-basolateral sorting in a single neuron. Genetics 2022; 221:iyac036. [PMID: 35244146 PMCID: PMC9071548 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells are highly organized machines with functionally specialized compartments. For example, membrane proteins are localized to axons or dendrites in neurons and to apical or basolateral surfaces in epithelial cells. Interestingly, many sensory cells-including vertebrate photoreceptors and olfactory neurons-exhibit both neuronal and epithelial features. Here, we show that Caenorhabditis elegans amphid neurons simultaneously exhibit axon-dendrite sorting like a neuron and apical-basolateral sorting like an epithelial cell. The distal ∼5-10 µm of the dendrite is apical, while the remainder of the dendrite, soma, and axon are basolateral. To determine how proteins are sorted among these compartments, we studied the localization of the conserved adhesion molecule SAX-7/L1CAM. Using minimal synthetic transmembrane proteins, we found that the 91-aa cytoplasmic tail of SAX-7 is necessary and sufficient to direct basolateral localization. Basolateral localization can be fully recapitulated using either of 2 short (10-aa or 19-aa) tail sequences that, respectively, resemble dileucine and Tyr-based motifs known to mediate sorting in mammalian epithelia. The Tyr-based motif is conserved in human L1CAM but had not previously been assigned a function. Disrupting key residues in either sequence leads to apical localization, while "improving" them to match epithelial sorting motifs leads to axon-only localization. Indeed, changing only 2 residues in a short motif is sufficient to redirect the protein between apical, basolateral, and axonal localization. Our results demonstrate that axon-dendrite and apical-basolateral sorting pathways can coexist in a single cell, and suggest that subtle changes to short sequence motifs are sufficient to redirect proteins between these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique Lillis
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nathan J Zaccardi
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maxwell G Heiman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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10
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Cohen JD, Cadena del Castillo CE, Serra ND, Kaech A, Spang A, Sundaram MV. The Caenorhabditis elegans Patched domain protein PTR-4 is required for proper organization of the precuticular apical extracellular matrix. Genetics 2021; 219:iyab132. [PMID: 34740248 PMCID: PMC8570789 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Patched-related superfamily of transmembrane proteins can transport lipids or other hydrophobic molecules across cell membranes. While the Hedgehog receptor Patched has been intensively studied, much less is known about the biological roles of other Patched-related family members. Caenorhabditis elegans has a large number of Patched-related proteins, despite lacking a canonical Hedgehog pathway. Here, we show that PTR-4 promotes the assembly of the precuticle apical extracellular matrix, a transient and molecularly distinct matrix that precedes and patterns the later collagenous cuticle or exoskeleton. ptr-4 mutants share many phenotypes with precuticle mutants, including defects in eggshell dissolution, tube shaping, alae (cuticle ridge) structure, molting, and cuticle barrier function. PTR-4 localizes to the apical side of a subset of outward-facing epithelia, in a cyclical manner that peaks when precuticle matrix is present. Finally, PTR-4 is required to limit the accumulation of the lipocalin LPR-3 and to properly localize the Zona Pellucida domain protein LET-653 within the precuticle. We propose that PTR-4 transports lipids or other hydrophobic components that help to organize the precuticle and that the cuticle and molting defects seen in ptr-4 mutants result at least in part from earlier disorganization of the precuticle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D Cohen
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | | | - Nicholas D Serra
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Andres Kaech
- Center for Microscopy and Image Analysis, University of Zürich, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anne Spang
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Meera V Sundaram
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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11
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Britz S, Markert SM, Witvliet D, Steyer AM, Tröger S, Mulcahy B, Kollmannsberger P, Schwab Y, Zhen M, Stigloher C. Structural Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Dauer Larval Anterior Sensilla by Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:732520. [PMID: 34819841 PMCID: PMC8607169 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.732520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
At the end of the first larval stage, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans developing in harsh environmental conditions is able to choose an alternative developmental path called the dauer diapause. Dauer larvae exhibit different physiology and behaviors from non-dauer larvae. Using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), we volumetrically reconstructed the anterior sensory apparatus of C. elegans dauer larvae with unprecedented precision. We provide a detailed description of some neurons, focusing on structural details that were unknown or unresolved by previously published studies. They include the following: (1) dauer-specific branches of the IL2 sensory neurons project into the periphery of anterior sensilla and motor or putative sensory neurons at the sub-lateral cords; (2) ciliated endings of URX sensory neurons are supported by both ILso and AMso socket cells near the amphid openings; (3) variability in amphid sensory dendrites among dauers; and (4) somatic RIP interneurons maintain their projection into the pharyngeal nervous system. Our results support the notion that dauer larvae structurally expand their sensory system to facilitate searching for more favorable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Britz
- Imaging Core Facility of the Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Matthias Markert
- Imaging Core Facility of the Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Witvliet
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Physiology and Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Maria Steyer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Tröger
- Imaging Core Facility of the Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ben Mulcahy
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Physiology and Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Philip Kollmannsberger
- Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yannick Schwab
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mei Zhen
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Physiology and Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christian Stigloher
- Imaging Core Facility of the Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
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12
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Loss of the Extracellular Matrix Protein DIG-1 Causes Glial Fragmentation, Dendrite Breakage, and Dendrite Extension Defects. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:jdb9040042. [PMID: 34698211 PMCID: PMC8544517 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) guides and constrains the shape of the nervous system. In C. elegans, DIG-1 is a giant ECM component that is required for fasciculation of sensory dendrites during development and for maintenance of axon positions throughout life. We identified four novel alleles of dig-1 in three independent screens for mutants affecting disparate aspects of neuronal and glial morphogenesis. First, we find that disruption of DIG-1 causes fragmentation of the amphid sheath glial cell in larvae and young adults. Second, it causes severing of the BAG sensory dendrite from its terminus at the nose tip, apparently due to breakage of the dendrite as animals reach adulthood. Third, it causes embryonic defects in dendrite fasciculation in inner labial (IL2) sensory neurons, as previously reported, as well as rare defects in IL2 dendrite extension that are enhanced by loss of the apical ECM component DYF-7, suggesting that apical and basolateral ECM contribute separately to dendrite extension. Our results highlight novel roles for DIG-1 in maintaining the cellular integrity of neurons and glia, possibly by creating a barrier between structures in the nervous system.
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13
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Mizeracka K, Rogers JM, Rumley JD, Shaham S, Bulyk ML, Murray JI, Heiman MG. Lineage-specific control of convergent differentiation by a Forkhead repressor. Development 2021; 148:272306. [PMID: 34423346 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
During convergent differentiation, multiple developmental lineages produce a highly similar or identical cell type. However, few molecular players that drive convergent differentiation are known. Here, we show that the C. elegans Forkhead transcription factor UNC-130 is required in only one of three convergent lineages that produce the same glial cell type. UNC-130 acts transiently as a repressor in progenitors and newly-born terminal cells to allow the proper specification of cells related by lineage rather than by cell type or function. Specification defects correlate with UNC-130:DNA binding, and UNC-130 can be functionally replaced by its human homolog, the neural crest lineage determinant FoxD3. We propose that, in contrast to terminal selectors that activate cell type-specific transcriptional programs in terminally differentiating cells, UNC-130 acts early and specifically in one convergent lineage to produce a cell type that also arises from molecularly distinct progenitors in other lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Mizeracka
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Julia M Rogers
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Committee on Higher Degrees in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Jonathan D Rumley
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shai Shaham
- The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Martha L Bulyk
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Committee on Higher Degrees in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - John I Murray
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Maxwell G Heiman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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14
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Rapti G. A perspective on C. elegans neurodevelopment: from early visionaries to a booming neuroscience research. J Neurogenet 2021; 34:259-272. [PMID: 33446023 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2020.1837799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The formation of the nervous system and its striking complexity is a remarkable feat of development. C. elegans served as a unique model to dissect the molecular events in neurodevelopment, from its early visionaries to the current booming neuroscience community. Soon after being introduced as a model, C. elegans was mapped at the level of genes, cells, and synapses, providing the first metazoan with a complete cell lineage, sequenced genome, and connectome. Here, I summarize mechanisms underlying C. elegans neurodevelopment, from the generation and diversification of neural components to their navigation and connectivity. I point out recent noteworthy findings in the fields of glia biology, sex dimorphism and plasticity in neurodevelopment, highlighting how current research connects back to the pioneering studies by Brenner, Sulston and colleagues. Multifaceted investigations in model organisms, connecting genes to cell function and behavior, expand our mechanistic understanding of neurodevelopment while allowing us to formulate emerging questions for future discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Rapti
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Unit of Developmental Biology, Heidelberg, Germany
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15
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Hong H, Chen H, Zhang Y, Wu Z, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Hu Z, Zhang JV, Ling K, Hu J, Wei Q. DYF-4 regulates patched-related/DAF-6-mediated sensory compartment formation in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009618. [PMID: 34115759 PMCID: PMC8221789 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Coordination of neurite extension with surrounding glia development is critical for neuronal function, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Through a genome-wide mutagenesis screen in C. elegans, we identified dyf-4 and daf-6 as two mutants sharing similar defects in dendrite extension. DAF-6 encodes a glia-specific patched-related membrane protein that plays vital roles in glial morphogenesis. We cloned dyf-4 and found that DYF-4 encodes a glia-secreted protein. Further investigations revealed that DYF-4 interacts with DAF-6 and functions in a same pathway as DAF-6 to regulate sensory compartment formation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that reported glial suppressors of daf-6 could also restore dendrite elongation and ciliogenesis in both dyf-4 and daf-6 mutants. Collectively, our data reveal that DYF-4 is a regulator for DAF-6 which promotes the proper formation of the glial channel and indirectly affects neurite extension and ciliogenesis. In C. elegans sensory organ, the ciliated neuronal endings are wrapped in a luminal channel formed by glial cells, forming a specialized sensory compartment critical for sensory activity. Coordination of glial channel formation, dendritic tip anchoring and ciliogenesis are critical for the formation of a functional sensory compartment. DAF-6, a patched-related glial membrane protein, was reported to play an important role in glial channel morphogenesis, but the molecular function and regulatory mechanism of DAF-6 remain poorly understood. Here, we found that DYF-4, a glia-secreted protein, interacts and colocalizes with DAF-6, and functions in a same pathway as DAF-6 to regulate sensory compartment formation. We propose that DYF-4 is a novel regulator for DAF-6 to control sensory compartment formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Hong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Huicheng Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuxia Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Cancer Biology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Zhimao Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Yingyi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Zeng Hu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Jian V. Zhang
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, China
| | - Kun Ling
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Jinghua Hu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Qing Wei
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, China
- * E-mail:
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16
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Zhang A, Yan D. C. elegans as a model to study glial development. FEBS J 2021; 289:1476-1485. [PMID: 33570807 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Glia make up roughly half of all cells in the mammalian nervous system and play a major part in nervous system development, function, and disease. Although research in the past few decades has shed light on their morphological and functional diversity, there is still much to be known about key aspects of their development such as the generation of glial diversity and the factors governing proper morphogenesis. Glia of the nematode C. elegans possess many developmental and morphological similarities with their vertebrate counterparts and can potentially be used as a model to understand certain aspects of glial biology owing to advantages such as its genetic tractability and fully mapped cell lineage. In this review, we summarize recent progress in our understanding of genetic pathways that regulate glial development in C. elegans and discuss how some of these findings may be conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Zhang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dong Yan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Regeneration Next, and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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17
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Kunz P, Lehmann C, Pohl C. Differential Thresholds of Proteasome Activation Reveal Two Separable Mechanisms of Sensory Organ Polarization in C. elegans. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:619596. [PMID: 33634121 PMCID: PMC7900421 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.619596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cephalization is a major innovation of animal evolution and implies a synchronization of nervous system, mouth, and foregut polarization to align alimentary tract and sensomotoric system for effective foraging. However, the underlying integration of morphogenetic programs is poorly understood. Here, we show that invagination of neuroectoderm through de novo polarization and apical constriction creates the mouth opening in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. Simultaneously, all 18 juxta-oral sensory organ dendritic tips become symmetrically positioned around the mouth: While the two bilaterally symmetric amphid sensilla endings are towed to the mouth opening, labial and cephalic sensilla become positioned independently. Dendrite towing is enabled by the pre-polarized sensory amphid pores intercalating into the leading edge of the anteriorly migrating epidermal sheet, while apical constriction-mediated cell–cell re-arrangements mediate positioning of all other sensory organs. These two processes can be separated by gradual inactivation of the 26S proteasome activator, RPN-6.1. Moreover, RPN-6.1 also shows a dose-dependent requirement for maintenance of coordinated apical polarization of other organs with apical lumen, the pharynx, and the intestine. Thus, our data unveil integration of morphogenetic programs during the coordination of alimentary tract and sensory organ formation and suggest that this process requires tight control of ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Kunz
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences and Institute of Biochemistry II, Medical Faculty, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christina Lehmann
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences and Institute of Biochemistry II, Medical Faculty, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christian Pohl
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences and Institute of Biochemistry II, Medical Faculty, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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18
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Nechipurenko I, Lavrentyeva S, Sengupta P. GRDN-1/Girdin regulates dendrite morphogenesis and cilium position in two specialized sensory neuron types in C. elegans. Dev Biol 2021; 472:38-51. [PMID: 33460640 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Primary cilia are located at the dendritic tips of sensory neurons and house the molecular machinery necessary for detection and transduction of sensory stimuli. The mechanisms that coordinate dendrite extension with cilium position during sensory neuron development are not well understood. Here, we show that GRDN-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of the highly conserved scaffold and signaling protein Girdin/GIV, regulates both cilium position and dendrite extension in the postembryonic AQR and PQR gas-sensing neurons. Mutations in grdn-1 disrupt dendrite outgrowth and mislocalize cilia to the soma or proximal axonal segments in AQR, and to a lesser extent, in PQR. GRDN-1 is localized to the basal body and regulates localization of HMR-1/Cadherin to the distal AQR dendrite. However, knockdown of HMR-1 and/or loss of SAX-7/LICAM, molecules previously implicated in sensory dendrite development in C. elegans, do not alter AQR dendrite morphology or cilium position. We find that GRDN-1 localization in AQR is regulated by UNC-116/Kinesin-1, and that correspondingly, unc-116 mutants exhibit severe AQR dendrite outgrowth and cilium positioning defects. In contrast, GRDN-1 and cilium localization in PQR is modulated by LIN-44/Wnt signaling. Together, these findings identify upstream regulators of GRDN-1, and describe new cell-specific roles for this multifunctional protein in sensory neuron development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Nechipurenko
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA; Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA.
| | | | - Piali Sengupta
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.
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19
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Li Zheng S, Adams JG, Chisholm AD. Form and function of the apical extracellular matrix: new insights from Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and the vertebrate inner ear. Fac Rev 2020; 9:27. [PMID: 33659959 PMCID: PMC7886070 DOI: 10.12703/r/9-27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) are the extracellular layers on the apical sides of epithelia. aECMs form the outer layer of the skin in most animals and line the luminal surface of internal tubular epithelia. Compared to the more conserved basal ECMs (basement membranes), aECMs are highly diverse between tissues and between organisms and have been more challenging to understand at mechanistic levels. Studies in several genetic model organisms are revealing new insights into aECM composition, biogenesis, and function and have begun to illuminate common principles and themes of aECM organization. There is emerging evidence that, in addition to mechanical or structural roles, aECMs can participate in reciprocal signaling with associated epithelia and other cell types. Studies are also revealing mechanisms underlying the intricate nanopatterns exhibited by many aECMs. In this review, we highlight recent findings from well-studied model systems, including the external cuticle and ductal aECMs of Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and other insects and the internal aECMs of the vertebrate inner ear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry Li Zheng
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jennifer Gotenstein Adams
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Andrew D Chisholm
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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20
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Molina-García L, Lloret-Fernández C, Cook SJ, Kim B, Bonnington RC, Sammut M, O'Shea JM, Gilbert SPR, Elliott DJ, Hall DH, Emmons SW, Barrios A, Poole RJ. Direct glia-to-neuron transdifferentiation gives rise to a pair of male-specific neurons that ensure nimble male mating. eLife 2020; 9:e48361. [PMID: 33138916 PMCID: PMC7609048 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually dimorphic behaviours require underlying differences in the nervous system between males and females. The extent to which nervous systems are sexually dimorphic and the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate these differences are only beginning to be understood. We reveal here a novel mechanism by which male-specific neurons are generated in Caenorhabditis elegans through the direct transdifferentiation of sex-shared glial cells. This glia-to-neuron cell fate switch occurs during male sexual maturation under the cell-autonomous control of the sex-determination pathway. We show that the neurons generated are cholinergic, peptidergic, and ciliated putative proprioceptors which integrate into male-specific circuits for copulation. These neurons ensure coordinated backward movement along the mate's body during mating. One step of the mating sequence regulated by these neurons is an alternative readjustment movement performed when intromission becomes difficult to achieve. Our findings reveal programmed transdifferentiation as a developmental mechanism underlying flexibility in innate behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Molina-García
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Carla Lloret-Fernández
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Steven J Cook
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Byunghyuk Kim
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Rachel C Bonnington
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Michele Sammut
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jack M O'Shea
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Sophie PR Gilbert
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - David J Elliott
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - David H Hall
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Scott W Emmons
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Arantza Barrios
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Richard J Poole
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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21
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Cohen JD, Bermudez JG, Good MC, Sundaram MV. A C. elegans Zona Pellucida domain protein functions via its ZPc domain. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1009188. [PMID: 33141826 PMCID: PMC7665627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Zona Pellucida domain (ZP) proteins are critical components of the body's external-most protective layers, apical extracellular matrices (aECMs). Although their loss or dysfunction is associated with many diseases, it remains unclear how ZP proteins assemble in aECMs. Current models suggest that ZP proteins polymerize via their ZPn subdomains, while ZPc subdomains modulate ZPn behavior. Using the model organism C. elegans, we investigated the aECM assembly of one ZP protein, LET-653, which shapes several tubes. Contrary to prevailing models, we find that LET-653 localizes and functions via its ZPc domain. Furthermore, we show that ZPc domain function requires cleavage at the LET-653 C-terminus, likely in part to relieve inhibition of the ZPc by the ZPn domain, but also to promote some other aspect of ZPc domain function. In vitro, the ZPc, but not ZPn, domain bound crystalline aggregates. These data offer a new model for ZP function whereby the ZPc domain is primarily responsible for matrix incorporation and tissue shaping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D. Cohen
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jessica G. Bermudez
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Matthew C. Good
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Meera V. Sundaram
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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22
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Cohen JD, Sundaram MV. C. elegans Apical Extracellular Matrices Shape Epithelia. J Dev Biol 2020; 8:E23. [PMID: 33036165 PMCID: PMC7712855 DOI: 10.3390/jdb8040023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) coat exposed surfaces of epithelia to shape developing tissues and protect them from environmental insults. Despite their widespread importance for human health, aECMs are poorly understood compared to basal and stromal ECMs. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contains a variety of distinct aECMs, some of which share many of the same types of components (lipids, lipoproteins, collagens, zona pellucida domain proteins, chondroitin glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans) with mammalian aECMs. These aECMs include the eggshell, a glycocalyx-like pre-cuticle, both collagenous and chitin-based cuticles, and other understudied aECMs of internal epithelia. C. elegans allows rapid genetic manipulations and live imaging of fluorescently-tagged aECM components, and is therefore providing new insights into aECM structure, trafficking, assembly, and functions in tissue shaping.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meera V. Sundaram
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine 415 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6145, USA;
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23
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Fung W, Wexler L, Heiman MG. Cell-type-specific promoters for C. elegans glia. J Neurogenet 2020; 34:335-346. [PMID: 32696701 PMCID: PMC7855602 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2020.1781851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Glia shape the development and function of the C. elegans nervous system, especially its sense organs and central neuropil (nerve ring). Cell-type-specific promoters allow investigators to label or manipulate individual glial cell types, and therefore provide a key tool for deciphering glial function. In this technical resource, we compare the specificity, brightness, and consistency of cell-type-specific promoters for C. elegans glia. We identify a set of promoters for the study of seven glial cell types (F16F9.3, amphid and phasmid sheath glia; F11C7.2, amphid sheath glia only; grl-2, amphid and phasmid socket glia; hlh-17, cephalic (CEP) sheath glia; and grl-18, inner labial (IL) socket glia) as well as a pan-glial promoter (mir-228). We compare these promoters to promoters that are expressed more variably in combinations of glial cell types (delm-1 and itx-1). We note that the expression of some promoters depends on external conditions or the internal state of the organism, such as developmental stage, suggesting glial plasticity. Finally, we demonstrate an approach for prospectively identifying cell-type-specific glial promoters using existing single-cell sequencing data, and we use this approach to identify two novel promoters specific to IL socket glia (col-53 and col-177).
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Fung
- These authors contributed equally to this work
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA 02115
| | - Leigh Wexler
- These authors contributed equally to this work
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA 02115
| | - Maxwell G. Heiman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA 02115
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24
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Caenorhabditis elegans saposin-like spp-9 is involved in specific innate immune responses. Genes Immun 2020; 21:301-310. [PMID: 32770079 DOI: 10.1038/s41435-020-0108-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Animals counter specific environmental challenges with a combination of broad and tailored host responses. One protein family enlisted in the innate immune response includes the saposin-like antimicrobial proteins. We investigated the expression of a Caenorhabditis elegans saposin-like gene, spp-9, in response to different stresses. spp-9 expression was detected in the intestine and six amphid neurons, including AWB and AWC. spp-9 expression is increased in response to starvation stress. In addition, we discovered pathogen-specific regulation of spp-9 that was not clearly demarcated by Gram nature of the bacterial challenge. Multiple molecular innate immune response pathways, including DBL-1/TGF-β-like, insulin-like, and p38/MAPK, regulate expression of spp-9. Our results suggest spp-9 is involved in targeted responses to a variety of abiotic and bacterial challenges that are coordinated by multiple signaling pathways.
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Smith SJ, Davidson LA, Rebeiz M. Evolutionary expansion of apical extracellular matrix is required for the elongation of cells in a novel structure. eLife 2020; 9:55965. [PMID: 32338602 PMCID: PMC7266619 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the fundamental gaps in our knowledge of how novel anatomical structures evolve is understanding the origins of the morphogenetic processes that form these features. Here, we traced the cellular development of a recently evolved morphological novelty, the posterior lobe of D. melanogaster. We found that this genital outgrowth forms through extreme increases in epithelial cell height. By examining the apical extracellular matrix (aECM), we also uncovered a vast matrix associated with the developing genitalia of lobed and non-lobed species. Expression of the aECM protein Dumpy is spatially expanded in lobe-forming species, connecting the posterior lobe to the ancestrally derived aECM network. Further analysis demonstrated that Dumpy attachments are necessary for cell height increases during posterior lobe development. We propose that the aECM presents a rich reservoir for generating morphological novelty and highlights a yet unseen role for aECM in regulating extreme cell height.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Jacquelyn Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Lance A Davidson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Mark Rebeiz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
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26
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Cebul ER, McLachlan IG, Heiman MG. Dendrites with specialized glial attachments develop by retrograde extension using SAX-7 and GRDN-1. Development 2020; 147:dev.180448. [PMID: 31988188 DOI: 10.1242/dev.180448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Dendrites develop elaborate morphologies in concert with surrounding glia, but the molecules that coordinate dendrite and glial morphogenesis are mostly unknown. C. elegans offers a powerful model for identifying such factors. Previous work in this system examined dendrites and glia that develop within epithelia, similar to mammalian sense organs. Here, we focus on the neurons BAG and URX, which are not part of an epithelium but instead form membranous attachments to a single glial cell at the nose, reminiscent of dendrite-glia contacts in the mammalian brain. We show that these dendrites develop by retrograde extension, in which the nascent dendrite endings anchor to the presumptive nose and then extend by stretching during embryo elongation. Using forward genetic screens, we find that dendrite development requires the adhesion protein SAX-7/L1CAM and the cytoplasmic protein GRDN-1/CCDC88C to anchor dendrite endings at the nose. SAX-7 acts in neurons and glia, while GRDN-1 acts in glia to non-autonomously promote dendrite extension. Thus, this work shows how glial factors can help to shape dendrites, and identifies a novel molecular mechanism for dendrite growth by retrograde extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Cebul
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ian G McLachlan
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maxwell G Heiman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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27
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Bai X, Melesse M, Sorensen Turpin CG, Sloan DE, Chen CY, Wang WC, Lee PY, Simmons JR, Nebenfuehr B, Mitchell D, Klebanow LR, Mattson N, Betzig E, Chen BC, Cheerambathur D, Bembenek JN. Aurora B functions at the apical surface after specialized cytokinesis during morphogenesis in C. elegans. Development 2020; 147:dev.181099. [PMID: 31806662 PMCID: PMC6983721 DOI: 10.1242/dev.181099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Although cytokinesis has been intensely studied, the way it is executed during development is not well understood, despite a long-standing appreciation that various aspects of cytokinesis vary across cell and tissue types. To address this, we investigated cytokinesis during the invariant Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic divisions and found several parameters that are altered at different stages in a reproducible manner. During early divisions, furrow ingression asymmetry and midbody inheritance is consistent, suggesting specific regulation of these events. During morphogenesis, we found several unexpected alterations to cytokinesis, including apical midbody migration in polarizing epithelial cells of the gut, pharynx and sensory neurons. Aurora B kinase, which is essential for several aspects of cytokinesis, remains apically localized in each of these tissues after internalization of midbody ring components. Aurora B inactivation disrupts cytokinesis and causes defects in apical structures, even if inactivated post-mitotically. Therefore, we demonstrate that cytokinesis is implemented in a specialized way during epithelial polarization and that Aurora B has a role in the formation of the apical surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Bai
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Michael Melesse
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | | | - Dillon E. Sloan
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA,Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Chin-Yi Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Cheng Wang
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Yi Lee
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - James R. Simmons
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Benjamin Nebenfuehr
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Diana Mitchell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lindsey R. Klebanow
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Nicholas Mattson
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Eric Betzig
- Janelia Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Bi-Chang Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan,Janelia Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Dhanya Cheerambathur
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Joshua N. Bembenek
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA,Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA,Author for correspondence ()
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28
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Fan L, Kovacevic I, Heiman MG, Bao Z. A multicellular rosette-mediated collective dendrite extension. eLife 2019; 8:38065. [PMID: 30767892 PMCID: PMC6400498 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Coordination of neurite morphogenesis with surrounding tissues is crucial to the establishment of neural circuits, but the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. We show that neurons in a C. elegans sensory organ, called the amphid, undergo a collective dendrite extension to form the sensory nerve. The amphid neurons first assemble into a multicellular rosette. The vertex of the rosette, which becomes the dendrite tips, is attached to the anteriorly migrating epidermis and carried to the sensory depression, extruding the dendrites away from the neuronal cell bodies. Multiple adhesion molecules including DYF-7, SAX-7, HMR-1 and DLG-1 function redundantly in rosette-to-epidermis attachment. PAR-6 is localized to the rosette vertex and dendrite tips, and promotes DYF-7 localization and dendrite extension. Our results suggest a collective mechanism of neurite extension that is distinct from the classical pioneer-follower model and highlight the role of mechanical cues from surrounding tissues in shaping neurites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Fan
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
| | - Ismar Kovacevic
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
| | - Maxwell G Heiman
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Zhirong Bao
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
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