1
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Chao CF, Pesch YY, Yu H, Wang C, Aristizabal MJ, Huan T, Tanentzapf G, Rideout E. An important role for triglyceride in regulating spermatogenesis. eLife 2024; 12:RP87523. [PMID: 38805376 PMCID: PMC11132686 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Drosophila is a powerful model to study how lipids affect spermatogenesis. Yet, the contribution of neutral lipids, a major lipid group which resides in organelles called lipid droplets (LD), to sperm development is largely unknown. Emerging evidence suggests LD are present in the testis and that loss of neutral lipid- and LD-associated genes causes subfertility; however, key regulators of testis neutral lipids and LD remain unclear. Here, we show LD are present in early-stage somatic and germline cells within the Drosophila testis. We identified a role for triglyceride lipase brummer (bmm) in regulating testis LD, and found that whole-body loss of bmm leads to defects in sperm development. Importantly, these represent cell-autonomous roles for bmm in regulating testis LD and spermatogenesis. Because lipidomic analysis of bmm mutants revealed excess triglyceride accumulation, and spermatogenic defects in bmm mutants were rescued by genetically blocking triglyceride synthesis, our data suggest that bmm-mediated regulation of triglyceride influences sperm development. This identifies triglyceride as an important neutral lipid that contributes to Drosophila sperm development, and reveals a key role for bmm in regulating testis triglyceride levels during spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte F Chao
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Yanina-Yasmin Pesch
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Huaxu Yu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Chenjingyi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | | | - Tao Huan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Guy Tanentzapf
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Elizabeth Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
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2
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Su Q, Xu B, Chen X, Rokita SE. Misregulation of bromotyrosine compromises fertility in male Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322501121. [PMID: 38748578 PMCID: PMC11126969 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322501121] [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: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Biological regulation often depends on reversible reactions such as phosphorylation, acylation, methylation, and glycosylation, but rarely halogenation. A notable exception is the iodination and deiodination of thyroid hormones. Here, we report detection of bromotyrosine and its subsequent debromination during Drosophila spermatogenesis. Bromotyrosine is not evident when Drosophila express a native flavin-dependent dehalogenase that is homologous to the enzyme responsible for iodide salvage from iodotyrosine in mammals. Deletion or suppression of the dehalogenase-encoding condet (cdt) gene in Drosophila allows bromotyrosine to accumulate with no detectable chloro- or iodotyrosine. The presence of bromotyrosine in the cdt mutant males disrupts sperm individualization and results in decreased fertility. Transgenic expression of the cdt gene in late-staged germ cells rescues this defect and enhances tolerance of male flies to bromotyrosine. These results are consistent with reversible halogenation affecting Drosophila spermatogenesis in a process that had previously eluded metabolomic, proteomic, and genomic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Su
- Department of Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
| | - Xin Chen
- HHMI, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
| | - Steven E. Rokita
- Department of Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
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3
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Xiao Y, Huang B, Chen S, Lin Z, Zhu Z, Lu Y, Yu XQ, Wen L, Hu Q. Dual roles of α1,4-galactosyltransferase 1 in spermatogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster. INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38643371 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is critical for insect reproduction and the process is regulated by multiple genes. Glycosyltransferases have been shown to participate in the development of Drosophila melanogaster; however, their role in spermatogenesis is still unclear. In this study, we found that α1,4-galactosyltransferase 1 (α4GT1) was expressed at a significantly higher level in the testis than in the ovary of Drosophila. Importantly, the hatching rate was significantly decreased when α4GT1 RNA interference (RNAi) males were crossed with w1118 females, with only a few mature sperm being present in the seminal vesicle of α4GT1 RNAi flies. Immunofluorescence staining further revealed that the individualization complex (IC) in the testes from α4GT1 RNAi flies was scattered and did not move synchronically, compared with the clustered IC observed in the control flies. Terminal deoxyribonucleotide transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay showed that apoptosis signals in the sperm bundles of α4GT1 RNAi flies were significantly increased. Moreover, the expression of several individualization-related genes, such as Shrub, Obp44a and Hanabi, was significantly decreased, whereas the expression of several apoptosis-related genes, including Dronc and Drice, was significantly increased in the testes of α4GT1 RNAi flies. Together, these results suggest that α4GT1 may play dual roles in Drosophila spermatogenesis by regulating the sperm individualization process and maintaining the survival of sperm bundles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhong Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sibo Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhikai Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiying Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuzhen Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Qiang Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Wen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qihao Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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4
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Huang Q, Chen X, Yu H, Ji L, Shi Y, Cheng X, Chen H, Yu J. Structure and molecular basis of spermatid elongation in the Drosophila testis. Open Biol 2023; 13:230136. [PMID: 37935354 PMCID: PMC10645079 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230136] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Spermatid elongation is a crucial event in the late stage of spermatogenesis in the Drosophila testis, eventually leading to the formation of mature sperm after meiosis. During spermatogenesis, significant structural and morphological changes take place in a cluster of post-meiotic germ cells, which are enclosed in a microenvironment surrounded by somatic cyst cells. Microtubule-based axoneme assembly, formation of individualization complexes and mitochondria maintenance are key processes involved in the differentiation of elongated spermatids. They provide important structural foundations for accessing male fertility. How these structures are constructed and maintained are basic questions in the Drosophila testis. Although the roles of several genes in different structures during the development of elongated spermatids have been elucidated, the relationships between them have not been widely studied. In addition, the genetic basis of spermatid elongation and the regulatory mechanisms involved have not been thoroughly investigated. In the present review, we focus on current knowledge with regard to spermatid axoneme assembly, individualization complex and mitochondria maintenance. We also touch upon promising directions for future research to unravel the underlying mechanisms of spermatid elongation in the Drosophila testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuru Huang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xia Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University, Nantong First People's Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Yu
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Ji
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Shi
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinmeng Cheng
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Chen
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Yu
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People's Republic of China
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5
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Zhang X, Peng J, Wu M, Sun A, Wu X, Zheng J, Shi W, Gao G. Broad phosphorylation mediated by testis-specific serine/threonine kinases contributes to spermiogenesis and male fertility. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2629. [PMID: 37149634 PMCID: PMC10164148 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38357-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic studies elucidate a link between testis-specific serine/threonine kinases (TSSKs) and male infertility in mammals, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we identify a TSSK homolog in Drosophila, CG14305 (termed dTSSK), whose mutation impairs the histone-to-protamine transition during spermiogenesis and causes multiple phenotypic defects in nuclear shaping, DNA condensation, and flagellar organization in spermatids. Genetic analysis demonstrates that kinase catalytic activity of dTSSK, which is functionally conserved with human TSSKs, is essential for male fertility. Phosphoproteomics identify 828 phosphopeptides/449 proteins as potential substrates of dTSSK enriched primarily in microtubule-based processes, flagellar organization and mobility, and spermatid differentiation and development, suggesting that dTSSK phosphorylates various proteins to orchestrate postmeiotic spermiogenesis. Among them, the two substrates, protamine-like protein Mst77F/Ser9 and transition protein Mst33A/Ser237, are biochemically validated to be phosphorylated by dTSSK in vitro, and are genetically demonstrated to be involved in spermiogenesis in vivo. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that broad phosphorylation mediated by TSSKs plays an indispensable role in spermiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuedi Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Ju Peng
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Menghua Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Angyang Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangyu Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Wangfei Shi
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Guanjun Gao
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China.
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6
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Al-Yazeedi T, Xu EL, Kaur J, Shakes DC, Pires-daSilva A. Lagging X chromatids specify the orientation of asymmetric organelle partitioning in XX spermatocytes of Auanema rhodensis. Genetics 2022; 222:6762860. [PMID: 36255260 PMCID: PMC9713428 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The unequal partitioning of molecules and organelles during cell division results in daughter cells with different fates. An extreme example is female meiosis, in which consecutive asymmetric cell divisions give rise to 1 large oocyte and 2 small polar bodies with DNA and minimal cytoplasm. Here, we test the hypothesis that during an asymmetric cell division during spermatogenesis of the nematode Auanema rhodensis, the late segregating X chromatids orient the asymmetric partitioning of cytoplasmic components. In previous studies, the secondary spermatocytes of wild-type XO males were found to divide asymmetrically to generate functional spermatids that inherit components necessary for sperm viability and DNA-containing residual bodies that inherit components to be discarded. Here we extend that analysis to 2 novel contexts. First, the isolation and analysis of a strain of mutant XX pseudomales revealed that such animals have highly variable patterns of X-chromatid segregation. The pattern of late segregating X chromatids nevertheless predicted the orientation of organelle partitioning. Second, while wild-type XX hermaphrodites were known to produce both 1X and 2X sperm, here, we show that spermatocytes within specific spermatogonial clusters exhibit 2 different patterns of X-chromatid segregation that correlate with distinct patterns of organelle partitioning. Together this analysis suggests that A. rhodensis has coopted lagging X chromosomes during anaphase II as a mechanism for determining the orientation of organelle partitioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jasmin Kaur
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Diane C Shakes
- Corresponding author: Department of Biology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187, USA. (DCS)
| | - Andre Pires-daSilva
- Corresponding author: School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK (AP-dS)
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7
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Zur Lage P, Xi Z, Lennon J, Hunter I, Chan WK, Bolado Carrancio A, von Kriegsheim A, Jarman AP. The Drosophila orthologue of the primary ciliary dyskinesia-associated gene, DNAAF3, is required for axonemal dynein assembly. Biol Open 2021; 10:272257. [PMID: 34553759 PMCID: PMC8565470 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ciliary motility is powered by a suite of highly conserved axoneme-specific dynein motor complexes. In humans, the impairment of these motors through mutation results in the disease primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). Studies in Drosophila have helped to validate several PCD genes whose products are required for cytoplasmic pre-assembly of axonemal dynein motors. Here we report the characterisation of the Drosophila orthologue of the less-known assembly factor DNAAF3. This gene, CG17669 (Dnaaf3), is expressed exclusively in developing mechanosensory chordotonal (Ch) neurons and the cells that generate spermatozoa, The only two Drosophila cell types bearing cilia/flagella containing dynein motors. Mutation of Dnaaf3 results in larvae that are deaf and adults that are uncoordinated, indicating defective Ch neuron function. The mutant Ch neuron cilia of the antenna specifically lack dynein arms, while Ca imaging in larvae reveals a complete loss of Ch neuron response to vibration stimulus, confirming that mechanotransduction relies on ciliary dynein motors. Mutant males are infertile with immotile sperm whose flagella lack dynein arms and show axoneme disruption. Analysis of proteomic changes suggest a reduction in heavy chains of all axonemal dynein forms, consistent with an impairment of dynein pre-assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Zur Lage
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Zhiyan Xi
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Jennifer Lennon
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Iain Hunter
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Wai Kit Chan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Alfonso Bolado Carrancio
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Andrew P Jarman
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK EH8 9XD, UK
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8
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Yu J, Zheng Q, Li Z, Wu Y, Fu Y, Wu X, Lin D, Shen C, Zheng B, Sun F. CG6015 controls spermatogonia transit-amplifying divisions by epidermal growth factor receptor signaling in Drosophila testes. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:491. [PMID: 33990549 PMCID: PMC8121936 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03783-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Spermatogonia transit-amplifying (TA) divisions are crucial for the differentiation of germline stem cell daughters. However, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that CG6015 was essential for spermatogonia TA-divisions and elongated spermatozoon development in Drosophila melanogaster. Spermatogonia deficient in CG6015 inhibited germline differentiation leading to the accumulation of undifferentiated cell populations. Transcriptome profiling using RNA sequencing indicated that CG6015 was involved in spermatogenesis, spermatid differentiation, and metabolic processes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed the relationship between CG6015 and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. Unexpectedly, we discovered that phosphorylated extracellular regulated kinase (dpERK) signals were activated in germline stem cell (GSC)-like cells after reduction of CG6015 in spermatogonia. Moreover, Downstream of raf1 (Dsor1), a key downstream target of EGFR, mimicked the phenotype of CG6015, and germline dpERK signals were activated in spermatogonia of Dsor1 RNAi testes. Together, these findings revealed a potential regulatory mechanism of CG6015 via EGFR signaling during spermatogonia TA-divisions in Drosophila testes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Qianwen Zheng
- grid.440785.a0000 0001 0743 511XDepartment of Gynecology, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zhiran Li
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yunhao Wu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yangbo Fu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xiaolong Wu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Dengfeng Lin
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Cong Shen
- grid.89957.3a0000 0000 9255 8984State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Reproduction and Genetics, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Bo Zheng
- grid.89957.3a0000 0000 9255 8984State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Reproduction and Genetics, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Fei Sun
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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9
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Chen MY, Tayyeb A, Wang YF. shrub is required for spermatogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 106:e21779. [PMID: 33660341 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Shrub (CG8055) encodes the vps32/snf7 protein, a filament-forming subunit of the ESCRT (endosomal sorting complexes required for transport)-III complex involved in inward membrane budding. It was reported that shrub was required for abscission in female germline stem cells. In this study, we showed that the expression level of shrub in the testis was significantly higher than that in the ovary of 1-day-old Drosophila melanogaster, suggesting a role in male reproduction. Then we used nosGal4 driver to knockdown shrub specifically in the fly testis and found that this resulted in a significantly lower paternal effect egg hatch rate relative to the control group. Immunofluorescence staining showed that shrub knockdown in fly testes caused an accumulation of early-stage germ cells and lack of spectrin caps. In the late stages (spermiogenesis), the control testis contained multiple compacted spermatid bundles and individualization complexes (ICs) consisting of actin cones, whereas there were scattered spermatid nuclei and only a few ICs with disorganized actin cones in the shrub knockdown testis. Finally, the control seminal vesicle was full of mature sperms with needle-like heads, but in shrub knockdown testis 75% of seminal vesicles had no mature sperms. We also found that knockdown of shrub in fly testes led to upregulated expression of several cytoskeleton-associated genes, and an accumulation of ubiquitylated proteins. These results suggest that knockdown of shrub in fly testes might damage spermatogenesis by affecting transportability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Yan Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology Sciences, School of Life, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Abdulqadir Tayyeb
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology Sciences, School of Life, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu-Feng Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology Sciences, School of Life, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
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10
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Detecting New Allies: Modifier Screen Identifies a Genetic Interaction Between Imaginal disc growth factor 3 and combover, a Rho-kinase Substrate, During Dorsal Appendage Tube Formation in Drosophila. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:3585-3599. [PMID: 32855169 PMCID: PMC7534437 DOI: 10.1534/g3.120.401476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Biological tube formation underlies organ development and, when disrupted, can cause severe birth defects. To investigate the genetic basis of tubulogenesis, we study the formation of Drosophila melanogaster eggshell structures, called dorsal appendages, which are produced by epithelial tubes. Previously we found that precise levels of Drosophila Chitinase-Like Proteins (CLPs), encoded by the Imaginal disc growth factor (Idgf) gene family, are needed to regulate dorsal-appendage tube closure and tube migration. To identify factors that act in the Idgf pathway, we developed a genetic modifier screen based on the finding that overexpressing Idgf3 causes dorsal appendage defects with ∼50% frequency. Using a library of partially overlapping heterozygous deficiencies, we scanned chromosome 3L and found regions that enhanced or suppressed the Idgf3-overexpression phenotype. Using smaller deletions, RNAi, and mutant alleles, we further mapped five regions and refined the interactions to 58 candidate genes. Importantly, mutant alleles identified combover (cmb), a substrate of Rho-kinase (Rok) and a component of the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) pathway, as an Idgf3-interacting gene: loss of function enhanced while gain of function suppressed the dorsal appendage defects. Since PCP drives cell intercalation in other systems, we asked if cmb/+ affected cell intercalation in our model, but we found no evidence of its involvement in this step. Instead, we found that loss of cmb dominantly enhanced tube defects associated with Idgf3 overexpression by expanding the apical area of dorsal appendage cells. Apical surface area determines tube volume and shape; in this way, Idgf3 and cmb regulate tube morphology.
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