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Nguyen TH, Vicidomini R, Choudhury SD, Han TH, Maric D, Brody T, Serpe M. scRNA-seq data from the larval Drosophila ventral cord provides a resource for studying motor systems function and development. Dev Cell 2024; 59:1210-1230.e9. [PMID: 38569548 PMCID: PMC11078614 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.03.016] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The Drosophila larval ventral nerve cord (VNC) shares many similarities with the spinal cord of vertebrates and has emerged as a major model for understanding the development and function of motor systems. Here, we use high-quality scRNA-seq, validated by anatomical identification, to create a comprehensive census of larval VNC cell types. We show that the neural lineages that comprise the adult VNC are already defined, but quiescent, at the larval stage. Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-enriched populations, we separate all motor neuron bundles and link individual neuron clusters to morphologically characterized known subtypes. We discovered a glutamate receptor subunit required for basal neurotransmission and homeostasis at the larval neuromuscular junction. We describe larval glia and endorse the general view that glia perform consistent activities throughout development. This census represents an extensive resource and a powerful platform for future discoveries of cellular and molecular mechanisms in repair, regeneration, plasticity, homeostasis, and behavioral coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core, NINDS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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2
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Wang Y, Salazar RJ, Simonetta LT, Sorrentino V, Gatton TJ, Wu B, Vecsey CG, Carrillo RA. hkb is required for DIP-α expression and target recognition in the Drosophila neuromuscular circuit. Commun Biol 2024; 7:507. [PMID: 38678127 PMCID: PMC11055905 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06184-8] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Our nervous system contains billions of neurons that form precise connections with each other through interactions between cell surface proteins. In Drosophila, the Dpr and DIP immunoglobulin protein subfamilies form homophilic or heterophilic interactions to instruct synaptic connectivity, synaptic growth, and cell survival. However, the upstream regulatory mechanisms of Dprs and DIPs are not clear. On the other hand, while transcription factors have been implicated in target recognition, their downstream cell surface proteins remain mostly unknown. We conduct an F1 dominant modifier genetic screen to identify regulators of Dprs and DIPs. We identify huckebein (hkb), a transcription factor previously implicated in target recognition of the dorsal Is motor neuron. We show that hkb genetically interacts with DIP-α and loss of hkb leads to complete removal of DIP-α expression specifically in dorsal Is motor neurons. We then confirm that this specificity is through the dorsal Is motor neuron specific transcription factor, even-skipped (eve), which acts downstream of hkb. Analysis of the genetic interaction between hkb and eve reveals that they act in the same pathway to regulate dorsal Is motor neuron connectivity. Our study provides insight into the transcriptional regulation of DIP-α and suggests that distinct regulatory mechanisms exist for the same CSP in different neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupu Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 20147, USA.
| | - Rio J Salazar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Luciano T Simonetta
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Violet Sorrentino
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Terrence J Gatton
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866, USA
| | - Bill Wu
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866, USA
| | - Christopher G Vecsey
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866, USA
| | - Robert A Carrillo
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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Goulard Coderc de Lacam E, Roux B, Chipot C. Classifying Protein-Protein Binding Affinity with Free-Energy Calculations and Machine Learning Approaches. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:1081-1091. [PMID: 38272021 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the intricate phenomenon of neuronal wiring in the brain is of great interest in neuroscience. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, the Dpr-DIP interactome has been identified to play an important role in this process. However, experimental data suggest that a merely limited subset of complexes, essentially 57 out of a total of 231, exhibit strong binding affinity. In this work, we sought to identify the residue-level molecular basis underlying the difference in binding affinity using a state-of-the-art methodology consisting of standard binding free-energy calculations with a geometrical route and machine learning (ML) techniques. We determined the binding affinity for two complexes using statistical mechanics simulations, achieving an excellent reproduction of the experimental data. Moreover, we predicted the binding free energy for two additional low-affinity complexes, devoid of experimental estimation, while simultaneously identifying key residues for the binding. Furthermore, through the use of ML algorithms, linear discriminant analysis, and random forest, we achieved remarkable accuracy, as high as 0.99, in discerning between strong (cognate) and weak (noncognate) binders. The presented ML approach encompasses easily transferable input features, enabling its broad application to any interactome while facilitating the identification of pivotal residues critical for binding interactions. The predictive power of the generated model was probed on similar protein families from 13 diverse species. Our ML model exhibited commendable performance on these additional data sets, showcasing its reliability and robustness across the species barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Goulard Coderc de Lacam
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche no. 7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, 54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France
| | - Benoît Roux
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, 929 E. 57th Street W225, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5735 S Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Christophe Chipot
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche no. 7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, 54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, 929 E. 57th Street W225, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, Beckman Institute, and Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61820, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hawai'i at Ma̅noa, 2545 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
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Lobb-Rabe M, Nawrocka WI, Zhang R, Ashley J, Carrillo RA, Özkan E. Neuronal Wiring Receptors Dprs and DIPs Are GPI Anchored and This Modification Contributes to Their Cell Surface Organization. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0184-23.2023. [PMID: 38233143 PMCID: PMC10863630 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0184-23.2023] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila Dpr and DIP proteins belong to the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell surface proteins (CSPs). Their hetero- and homophilic interactions have been implicated in a variety of neuronal functions, including synaptic connectivity, cell survival, and axon fasciculation. However, the signaling pathways underlying these diverse functions are unknown. To gain insight into Dpr-DIP signaling, we sought to examine how these CSPs are associated with the membrane. Specifically, we asked whether Dprs and DIPs are integral membrane proteins or membrane anchored through the addition of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) linkage. We demonstrate that most Dprs and DIPs are GPI anchored to the membrane of insect cells and validate these findings for some family members in vivo using Drosophila larvae, where GPI anchor cleavage results in loss of surface labeling. Additionally, we show that GPI cleavage abrogates aggregation of insect cells expressing cognate Dpr-DIP partners. To test if the GPI anchor affects Dpr and DIP localization, we replaced it with a transmembrane domain and observed perturbation of subcellular localization on motor neurons and muscles. These data suggest that membrane anchoring of Dprs and DIPs through GPI linkage is required for localization and that Dpr-DIP intracellular signaling likely requires transmembrane coreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Lobb-Rabe
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Wioletta I Nawrocka
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Ruiling Zhang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - James Ashley
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Robert A Carrillo
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Engin Özkan
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
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Bataillé L, Lebreton G, Boukhatmi H, Vincent A. Insights and perspectives on the enigmatic alary muscles of arthropods. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1337708. [PMID: 38288343 PMCID: PMC10822924 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1337708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Three types of muscles, cardiac, smooth and skeletal muscles are classically distinguished in eubilaterian animals. The skeletal, striated muscles are innervated multinucleated syncytia, which, together with bones and tendons, carry out voluntary and reflex body movements. Alary muscles (AMs) are another type of striated syncytial muscles, which connect the exoskeleton to the heart in adult arthropods and were proposed to control hemolymph flux. Developmental studies in Drosophila showed that larval AMs are specified in embryos under control of conserved myogenic transcription factors and interact with excretory, respiratory and hematopoietic tissues in addition to the heart. They also revealed the existence of thoracic AMs (TARMs) connecting to specific gut regions. Their asymmetric attachment sites, deformation properties in crawling larvae and ablation-induced phenotypes, suggest that AMs and TARMs could play both architectural and signalling functions. During metamorphosis, and heart remodelling, some AMs trans-differentiate into another type of muscles. Remaining critical questions include the enigmatic modes and roles of AM innervation, mechanical properties of AMs and TARMS and their evolutionary origin. The purpose of this review is to consolidate facts and hypotheses surrounding AMs/TARMs and underscore the need for further detailed investigation into these atypical muscles.
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Wang Y, Salazar R, Simonetta L, Sorrentino V, Gatton TJ, Wu B, Vecsey CG, Carrillo RA. hkb is required for DIP-α expression and target recognition in the Drosophila neuromuscular circuit. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.15.562341. [PMID: 37905128 PMCID: PMC10614772 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.15.562341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Our nervous system contains billions of neurons that form precise connections with each other through interactions between cell surface proteins (CSPs). In Drosophila, the Dpr and DIP immunoglobulin protein subfamilies form homophilic or heterophilic interactions to instruct synaptic connectivity, synaptic growth and cell survival. However, the upstream regulation and downstream signaling mechanisms of Dprs and DIPs are not clear. In the Drosophila larval neuromuscular system, DIP-α is expressed in the dorsal and ventral type-Is motor neurons (MNs). We conducted an F1 dominant modifier genetic screen to identify regulators of Dprs and DIPs. We found that the transcription factor, huckebein (hkb), genetically interacts with DIP-α and is important for target recognition specifically in the dorsal Is MN, but not the ventral Is MN. Loss of hkb led to complete removal of DIP-α expression. We then confirmed that this specificity is through the dorsal Is MN specific transcription factor, even-skipped (eve), which acts downstream of hkb. Genetic interaction between hkb and eve revealed that they act in the same pathway to regulate dorsal Is MN connectivity. Our study provides insight into the transcriptional regulation of DIP-α and suggests that distinct regulatory mechanisms exist for the same CSP in different neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupu Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Current address: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA 20147
- Co-first author
| | - Rio Salazar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Co-first author
| | - Luciano Simonetta
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Violet Sorrentino
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Current address: Molecular and Cell Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Terrence J. Gatton
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
| | - Bill Wu
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
| | | | - Robert A. Carrillo
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
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Wang Y, Zhang R, Huang S, Valverde PTT, Lobb-Rabe M, Ashley J, Venkatasubramanian L, Carrillo RA. Glial Draper signaling triggers cross-neuron plasticity in bystander neurons after neuronal cell death in Drosophila. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4452. [PMID: 37488133 PMCID: PMC10366216 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40142-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal cell death and subsequent brain dysfunction are hallmarks of aging and neurodegeneration, but how the nearby healthy neurons (bystanders) respond to the death of their neighbors is not fully understood. In the Drosophila larval neuromuscular system, bystander motor neurons can structurally and functionally compensate for the loss of their neighbors by increasing their terminal bouton number and activity. We term this compensation as cross-neuron plasticity, and in this study, we demonstrate that the Drosophila engulfment receptor, Draper, and the associated kinase, Shark, are required for cross-neuron plasticity. Overexpression of the Draper-I isoform boosts cross-neuron plasticity, implying that the strength of plasticity correlates with Draper signaling. In addition, we find that functional cross-neuron plasticity can be induced at different developmental stages. Our work uncovers a role for Draper signaling in cross-neuron plasticity and provides insights into how healthy bystander neurons respond to the loss of their neighboring neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupu Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, 20147, USA.
| | - Ruiling Zhang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Sihao Huang
- Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Parisa Tajalli Tehrani Valverde
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Meike Lobb-Rabe
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - James Ashley
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | | | - Robert A Carrillo
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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Wang Y, Zhang R, Huang S, Valverde PTT, Lobb-Rabe M, Ashley J, Venkatasubramanian L, Carrillo RA. Glial Draper signaling triggers cross-neuron plasticity in bystander neurons after neuronal cell death. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.09.536190. [PMID: 37090512 PMCID: PMC10120647 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.09.536190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal cell death and subsequent brain dysfunction are hallmarks of aging and neurodegeneration, but how the nearby healthy neurons (bystanders) respond to the cell death of their neighbors is not fully understood. In the Drosophila larval neuromuscular system, bystander motor neurons can structurally and functionally compensate for the loss of their neighbors by increasing their axon terminal size and activity. We termed this compensation as cross-neuron plasticity, and in this study, we demonstrated that the Drosophila engulfment receptor, Draper, and the associated kinase, Shark, are required in glial cells. Surprisingly, overexpression of the Draper-I isoform boosts cross-neuron plasticity, implying that the strength of plasticity correlates with Draper signaling. Synaptic plasticity normally declines as animals age, but in our system, functional cross-neuron plasticity can be induced at different time points, whereas structural cross-neuron plasticity can only be induced at early stages. Our work uncovers a novel role for glial Draper signaling in cross-neuron plasticity that may enhance nervous system function during neurodegeneration and provides insights into how healthy bystander neurons respond to the loss of their neighboring neurons.
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