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Vandepas LE, Stefani C, Domeier PP, Traylor-Knowles N, Goetz FW, Browne WE, Lacy-Hulbert A. Extracellular DNA traps in a ctenophore demonstrate immune cell behaviors in a non-bilaterian. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2990. [PMID: 38582801 PMCID: PMC10998917 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46807-6] [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: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The formation of extracellular DNA traps (ETosis) is a first response mechanism by specific immune cells following exposure to microbes. Initially characterized in vertebrate neutrophils, cells capable of ETosis have been discovered recently in diverse non-vertebrate taxa. To assess the conservation of ETosis between evolutionarily distant non-vertebrate phyla, we observed and quantified ETosis using the model ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi and the oyster Crassostrea gigas. Here we report that ctenophores - thought to have diverged very early from the metazoan stem lineage - possess immune-like cells capable of phagocytosis and ETosis. We demonstrate that both Mnemiopsis and Crassostrea immune cells undergo ETosis after exposure to diverse microbes and chemical agents that stimulate ion flux. We thus propose that ETosis is an evolutionarily conserved metazoan defense against pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Vandepas
- NRC Research Associateship Program, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, 98112, USA.
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA.
| | - Caroline Stefani
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Phillip P Domeier
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Nikki Traylor-Knowles
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33149, USA
| | - Frederick W Goetz
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, 98112, USA
| | - William E Browne
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Adam Lacy-Hulbert
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
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2
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Piermarini PM, Denton JS, Swale DR. The Molecular Physiology and Toxicology of Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels in Insects. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 67:125-142. [PMID: 34606365 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-062121-063338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Inward rectifier K+ (Kir) channels have been studied extensively in mammals, where they play critical roles in health and disease. In insects, Kir channels have recently been found to be key regulators of diverse physiological processes in several tissues. The importance of Kir channels in insects has positioned them to serve as emerging targets for the development of insecticides with novel modes of action. In this article, we provide the first comprehensive review of insect Kir channels, highlighting the rapid progress made in understanding their molecular biology, physiological roles, pharmacology, and toxicology. In addition, we highlight key gaps in our knowledge and suggest directions for future research to advance our understanding of Kir channels and their roles in insect physiology. Further knowledge of their functional roles will also facilitate their exploitation as targets for controlling arthropod pests and vectors of economic, medical, and/or veterinary relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Piermarini
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio 44691, USA;
| | - Jerod S Denton
- Departments of Anesthesiology & Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA;
| | - Daniel R Swale
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA;
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3
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Silic MR, Murata SH, Park SJ, Zhang G. Evolution of inwardly rectifying potassium channels and their gene expression in zebrafish embryos. Dev Dyn 2021; 251:687-713. [PMID: 34558132 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inwardly rectifying potassium channels are essential for normal potassium homeostasis, maintaining the cellular resting membrane potential, and regulating electrolyte transportation. Mutations in Kir channels have been known to cause debilitating diseases ranging from neurological abnormalities to renal and cardiac failures. Many efforts have been made to understand their protein structures, physiological functions, and pharmacological modifiers. However, their expression and functions during embryonic development remain largely unknown. RESULTS Using zebrafish as a model, we identified and renamed 31 kir genes. We also analyzed Kir gene evolution by phylogenetic and syntenic analyses. Our data indicated that the four subtypes of the Kir genes might have already evolved out in chordates. These vertebrate Kir genes most likely resulted from both whole-genome duplications and tandem duplications. In addition, we examined zebrafish kir gene expression during early embryogenesis. Each subgroup's genes showed similar but distinct gene expression domains. The gene expression of ohnologous genes from teleost-specific whole-genome duplication indicated subfunctionalization. Varied temporal gene expression domains suggest that Kir channels may be needed for embryonic patterning or regulation. CONCLUSIONS Our phylogenetic and developmental analyses of Kir channels shed light on their evolutionary history and potential functions during embryogenesis related to congenital diseases and human channelopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin R Silic
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Sarah Haruka Murata
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Sung Jun Park
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - GuangJun Zhang
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.,Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.,Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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4
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Williams LM, Inge MM, Mansfield KM, Rasmussen A, Afghani J, Agrba M, Albert C, Andersson C, Babaei M, Babaei M, Bagdasaryants A, Bonilla A, Browne A, Carpenter S, Chen T, Christie B, Cyr A, Dam K, Dulock N, Erdene G, Esau L, Esonwune S, Hanchate A, Huang X, Jennings T, Kasabwala A, Kehoe L, Kobayashi R, Lee M, LeVan A, Liu Y, Murphy E, Nambiar A, Olive M, Patel D, Pavesi F, Petty CA, Samofalova Y, Sanchez S, Stejskal C, Tang Y, Yapo A, Cleary JP, Yunes SA, Siggers T, Gilmore TD. Transcription factor NF-κB in a basal metazoan, the sponge, has conserved and unique sequences, activities, and regulation. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 104:103559. [PMID: 31751628 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.103559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we characterize transcription factor NF-κB from the demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica (Aq). Aq-NF-κB is most similar to NF-κB p100/p105 among vertebrate proteins, with an N-terminal DNA-binding domain, a C-terminal Ankyrin (ANK) repeat domain, and a DNA binding-site profile akin to human NF-κB proteins. Like mammalian NF-κB p100, C-terminal truncation allows nuclear translocation of Aq-NF-κB and increases its transcriptional activation activity. Expression of IκB kinases (IKKs) induces proteasome-dependent C-terminal processing of Aq-NF-κB in human cells, and processing requires C-terminal serines in Aq-NF-κB. Unlike NF-κB p100, C-terminal sequences of Aq-NF-κB do not inhibit its DNA-binding activity. Tissue of a black encrusting demosponge contains NF-κB site DNA-binding activity, as well as nuclear and processed NF-κB. Treatment of sponge tissue with LPS increases both DNA-binding activity and processing of NF-κB. A. queenslandica transcriptomes contain homologs to upstream NF-κB pathway components. This is first functional characterization of NF-κB in sponge, the most basal multicellular animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Williams
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Melissa M Inge
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA; Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | | | - Anna Rasmussen
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jamie Afghani
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mikhail Agrba
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Colleen Albert
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Cecilia Andersson
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Milad Babaei
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mohammad Babaei
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Abigail Bagdasaryants
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Arianna Bonilla
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Amanda Browne
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Sheldon Carpenter
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Tiffany Chen
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Blake Christie
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Andrew Cyr
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Katie Dam
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Nicholas Dulock
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Galbadrakh Erdene
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Lindsie Esau
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Stephanie Esonwune
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Anvita Hanchate
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Xinli Huang
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Timothy Jennings
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Aarti Kasabwala
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Leanne Kehoe
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ryan Kobayashi
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Migi Lee
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Andre LeVan
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yuekun Liu
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Emily Murphy
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Avanti Nambiar
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Meagan Olive
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Devansh Patel
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Flaminio Pavesi
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Christopher A Petty
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yelena Samofalova
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Selma Sanchez
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Camilla Stejskal
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yinian Tang
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Alia Yapo
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - John P Cleary
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Sarah A Yunes
- Molecular Biology Laboratory (BB522), Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Trevor Siggers
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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5
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Wong E, Mölter J, Anggono V, Degnan SM, Degnan BM. Co-expression of synaptic genes in the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica uncovers ancient neural submodules. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15781. [PMID: 31673079 PMCID: PMC6823388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51282-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The synapse is a complex cellular module crucial to the functioning of neurons. It evolved largely through the exaptation of pre-existing smaller submodules, each of which are comprised of ancient sets of proteins that are conserved in modern animals and other eukaryotes. Although these ancient submodules themselves have non-neural roles, it has been hypothesized that they may mediate environmental sensing behaviors in aneural animals, such as sponges. Here we identify orthologues in the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica of genes encoding synaptic submodules in neural animals, and analyse their cell-type specific and developmental expression to determine their potential to be co-regulated. We find that genes comprising certain synaptic submodules, including those involved in vesicle trafficking, calcium-regulation and scaffolding of postsynaptic receptor clusters, are co-expressed in adult choanocytes and during metamorphosis. Although these submodules may contribute to sensory roles in this cell type and this life cycle stage, total synaptic gene co-expression profiles do not support the existence of a functional synapse in A. queenslandica. The lack of evidence for the co-regulation of genes necessary for pre- and post-synaptic functioning in A. queenslandica suggests that sponges, and perhaps the last common ancestor of sponges and other extant animals, had the ability to promulgate sensory inputs without complete synapse-like functionalities. The differential co-expression of multiple synaptic submodule genes in sponge choanocytes, which have sensory and feeding roles, however, is consistent with the metazoan ancestor minimally being able to undergo exo- and endocytosis in a controlled and localized manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunice Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Jan Mölter
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Victor Anggono
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Sandie M Degnan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Bernard M Degnan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
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6
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Orani AM, Barats A, Vassileva E, Thomas OP. Marine sponges as a powerful tool for trace elements biomonitoring studies in coastal environment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 131:633-645. [PMID: 29886991 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.04.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we performed a comparative study on six marine sponge species collected along the French Mediterranean and Irish coasts for their TEs accumulation. Intra and inter-species variabilities were examined. Among the Mediterranean species, Cymbaxinella damicornis accumulates significantly more As and Cu than others sponge species; Chondrilla nucula more Ni and Mo and Acanthella acuta more Ag. Among Irish samples, Hymeniacidon perlevis showed higher accumulation properties for most of TEs in comparison to Halichondria panicea. Bioconcentration Factors were > 1 in all species for most of TEs. This study suggests that TEs bioaccumulation is most likely associated to differences in morphological features and/or to specific bacterial communities associated to different species. The determination of Pb isotope ratios revealed mainly natural Pb sources for Mediterranean and Kilkieran Bay's samples, and rather anthropogenic influence for Belfast samples. This study confirms that sponges represent a powerful tool for biomonitoring studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Orani
- Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, IRD, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Géoazur, UMR 7329, 250 rue Albert Einstein, Sophia Antipolis, 06560, Valbonne, France; International Atomic Energy Agency, Environment Laboratories, 4 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco.
| | - Aurélie Barats
- Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, IRD, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Géoazur, UMR 7329, 250 rue Albert Einstein, Sophia Antipolis, 06560, Valbonne, France
| | - Emilia Vassileva
- International Atomic Energy Agency, Environment Laboratories, 4 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - Olivier P Thomas
- Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway), University Road, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
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7
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Abstract
A complex genetic repertoire underlies the apparently simple body plan of sponges. Among the genes present in poriferans are those fundamental to the sensory and nervous systems of other animals. Sponges are dynamic and sensitive animals and it is intuitive to link these genes to behaviour. The proposal that ctenophores are the earliest diverging metazoan has led to the question of whether sponges possess a 'pre-nervous' system or have undergone nervous system loss. Both lines of thought generally assume that the last common ancestor of sponges and eumetazoans possessed the genetic modules that underlie sensory abilities. By corollary extant sponges may possess a sensory cell homologous to one present in the last common ancestor, a hypothesis that has been studied by gene expression. We have performed a meta-analysis of all gene expression studies published to date to explore whether gene expression is indicative of a feature's sensory function. In sponges we find that eumetazoan sensory-neural markers are not particularly expressed in structures with known sensory functions. Instead it is common for these genes to be expressed in cells with no known or uncharacterized sensory function. Indeed, many sensory-neural markers so far studied are expressed during development, perhaps because many are transcription factors. This suggests that the genetic signal of a sponge sensory cell is dissimilar enough to be unrecognizable when compared to a bilaterian sensory or neural cell. It is possible that sensory-neural markers have as yet unknown functions in sponge cells, such as assembling an immunological synapse in the larval globular cell. Furthermore, the expression of sensory-neural markers in non-sensory cells, such as adult and larval epithelial cells, suggest that these cells may have uncharacterized sensory functions. While this does not rule out the co-option of ancestral sensory modules in later evolving groups, a distinct genetic foundation may underlie the sponge sensory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine L Mah
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sally P Leys
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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8
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Dynamic expression of genes encoding subunits of inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 204:35-44. [PMID: 27836744 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2016.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels play fundamental roles in neuromuscular, epithelial, and endocrine function in mammals. Recent research in insects suggests that Kir channels play critical roles in the development, immune function, and excretory physiology of fruit flies and/or mosquitoes. Moreover, our group has demonstrated that mosquito Kir channels may serve as valuable targets for the development of novel insecticides. Here we characterize the molecular expression of 5 mRNAs encoding Kir channel subunits in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti: Kir1, Kir2A-c, Kir2B, Kir2B', and Kir3. We demonstrate that 1) Kir mRNA expression is dynamic in whole mosquitoes, Malpighian tubules, and the midgut during development from 4th instar larvae to adult females, 2) Kir2B and Kir3 mRNA levels are reduced in 4th instar larvae when reared in water containing an elevated concentration (50mM) of KCl, but not NaCl, and 3) Kir mRNAs are differentially expressed in the Malpighian tubules, midgut, and ovaries within 24h after blood feeding. Furthermore, we provide the first characterization of Kir mRNA expression in the anal papillae of 4th instar larval mosquitoes, which indicates that Kir2A-c is the most abundant. Altogether, the data provide the first comprehensive characterization of Kir mRNA expression in Ae. aegypti and offer insights into the putative physiological roles of Kir subunits in this important disease vector.
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9
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Senatore A, Raiss H, Le P. Physiology and Evolution of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels in Early Diverging Animal Phyla: Cnidaria, Placozoa, Porifera and Ctenophora. Front Physiol 2016; 7:481. [PMID: 27867359 PMCID: PMC5095125 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated calcium (Cav) channels serve dual roles in the cell, where they can both depolarize the membrane potential for electrical excitability, and activate transient cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals. In animals, Cav channels play crucial roles including driving muscle contraction (excitation-contraction coupling), gene expression (excitation-transcription coupling), pre-synaptic and neuroendocrine exocytosis (excitation-secretion coupling), regulation of flagellar/ciliary beating, and regulation of cellular excitability, either directly or through modulation of other Ca2+-sensitive ion channels. In recent years, genome sequencing has provided significant insights into the molecular evolution of Cav channels. Furthermore, expanded gene datasets have permitted improved inference of the species phylogeny at the base of Metazoa, providing clearer insights into the evolution of complex animal traits which involve Cav channels, including the nervous system. For the various types of metazoan Cav channels, key properties that determine their cellular contribution include: Ion selectivity, pore gating, and, importantly, cytoplasmic protein-protein interactions that direct sub-cellular localization and functional complexing. It is unclear when these defining features, many of which are essential for nervous system function, evolved. In this review, we highlight some experimental observations that implicate Cav channels in the physiology and behavior of the most early-diverging animals from the phyla Cnidaria, Placozoa, Porifera, and Ctenophora. Given our limited understanding of the molecular biology of Cav channels in these basal animal lineages, we infer insights from better-studied vertebrate and invertebrate animals. We also highlight some apparently conserved cellular functions of Cav channels, which might have emerged very early on during metazoan evolution, or perhaps predated it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Senatore
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Hamad Raiss
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Phuong Le
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga, ON, Canada
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10
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Abstract
Genomic and transcriptomic analyses show that sponges possess a large repertoire of genes associated with neuronal processes in other animals, but what is the evidence these are used in a coordination or sensory context in sponges? The very different phylogenetic hypotheses under discussion today suggest very different scenarios for the evolution of tissues and coordination systems in early animals. The sponge genomic 'toolkit' either reflects a simple, pre-neural system used to protect the sponge filter or represents the remnants of a more complex signalling system and sponges have lost cell types, tissues and regionalization to suit their current suspension-feeding habit. Comparative transcriptome data can be informative but need to be assessed in the context of knowledge of sponge tissue structure and physiology. Here, I examine the elements of the sponge neural toolkit including sensory cells, conduction pathways, signalling molecules and the ionic basis of signalling. The elements described do not fit the scheme of a loss of sophistication, but seem rather to reflect an early specialization for suspension feeding, which fits with the presumed ecological framework in which the first animals evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally P Leys
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
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11
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Tang QY, Larry T, Hendra K, Yamamoto E, Bell J, Cui M, Logothetis DE, Boland LM. Mutations in Nature Conferred a High Affinity Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate-binding Site in Vertebrate Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Channels. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:16517-29. [PMID: 25957411 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.640409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
All vertebrate inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels are activated by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) (Logothetis, D. E., Petrou, V. I., Zhang, M., Mahajan, R., Meng, X. Y., Adney, S. K., Cui, M., and Baki, L. (2015) Annu. Rev. Physiol. 77, 81-104; Fürst, O., Mondou, B., and D'Avanzo, N. (2014) Front. Physiol. 4, 404-404). Structural components of a PIP2-binding site are conserved in vertebrate Kir channels but not in distantly related animals such as sponges and sea anemones. To expand our understanding of the structure-function relationships of PIP2 regulation of Kir channels, we studied AqKir, which was cloned from the marine sponge Amphimedon queenslandica, an animal that represents the phylogenetically oldest metazoans. A requirement for PIP2 in the maintenance of AqKir activity was examined in intact oocytes by activation of a co-expressed voltage-sensing phosphatase, application of wortmannin (at micromolar concentrations), and activation of a co-expressed muscarinic acetylcholine receptor. All three mechanisms to reduce the availability of PIP2 resulted in inhibition of AqKir current. However, time-dependent rundown of AqKir currents in inside-out patches could not be re-activated by direct application to the inside membrane surface of water-soluble dioctanoyl PIP2, and the current was incompletely re-activated by the more hydrophobic arachidonyl stearyl PIP2. When we introduced mutations to AqKir to restore two positive charges within the vertebrate PIP2-binding site, both forms of PIP2 strongly re-activated the mutant sponge channels in inside-out patches. Molecular dynamics simulations validate the additional hydrogen bonding potential of the sponge channel mutants. Thus, nature's mutations conferred a high affinity activation of vertebrate Kir channels by PIP2, and this is a more recent evolutionary development than the structures that explain ion channel selectivity and inward rectification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong-Yao Tang
- From the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, the Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, XuZhou Medical College, Xuzhou, 221004 Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Trevor Larry
- the Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173
| | - Kalen Hendra
- the Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173
| | - Erica Yamamoto
- the Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173
| | - Jessica Bell
- the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of San Diego, San Diego, California 92110, and
| | - Meng Cui
- From the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298
| | - Diomedes E Logothetis
- From the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298
| | - Linda M Boland
- the Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173
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12
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Ecological constraints on the origin of neurones. J Math Biol 2015; 71:1299-324. [DOI: 10.1007/s00285-015-0862-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Revised: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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13
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Moran Y, Barzilai MG, Liebeskind BJ, Zakon HH. Evolution of voltage-gated ion channels at the emergence of Metazoa. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:515-25. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.110270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Voltage-gated ion channels are large transmembrane proteins that enable the passage of ions through their pore across the cell membrane. These channels belong to one superfamily and carry pivotal roles such as the propagation of neuronal and muscular action potentials and the promotion of neurotransmitter secretion in synapses. In this review, we describe in detail the current state of knowledge regarding the evolution of these channels with a special emphasis on the metazoan lineage. We highlight the contribution of the genomic revolution to the understanding of ion channel evolution and for revealing that these channels appeared long before the appearance of the first animal. We also explain how the elucidation of channel selectivity properties and function in non-bilaterian animals such as cnidarians (sea anemones, corals, jellyfish and hydroids) can contribute to the study of channel evolution. Finally, we point to open questions and future directions in this field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Maya Gur Barzilai
- Department of Molecular Biology and Ecology of Plants, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Benjamin J. Liebeskind
- Department of Integrative Biology and Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Harold H. Zakon
- Department of Integrative Biology and Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Josephine Bay Paul Center for Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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14
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Monk T, Paulin MG. Predation and the origin of neurones. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2014; 84:246-61. [PMID: 25472692 DOI: 10.1159/000368177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The core design of spiking neurones is remarkably similar throughout the animal kingdom. Their basic function as fast-signalling thresholding cells might have been established very early in their evolutionary history. Identifying the selection pressures that drove animals to evolve spiking neurones could help us interpret their design and function today. We review fossil, ecological and molecular evidence to investigate when and why animals evolved spiking neurones. Fossils suggest that animals evolved nervous systems soon after the advent of animal-on-animal predation, 550 million years ago (MYa). Between 550 and 525 MYa, we see the first fossil appearances of many animal innovations, including eyes. Animal behavioural complexity increased during this period as well, as evidenced by their traces, suggesting that nervous systems were an innovation of that time. Fossils further suggest that, before 550 MYa, animals were either filter feeders or microbial mat grazers. Extant sponges and Trichoplax perform these tasks using energetically cheaper alternatives than spiking neurones. Genetic evidence testifies that nervous systems evolved before the protostome-deuterostome split. It is less clear whether nervous systems evolved before the cnidarian-bilaterian split, so cnidarians and bilaterians might have evolved their nervous systems independently. The fossil record indicates that the advent of predation could fit into the window of time between those two splits, though molecular clock studies dispute this claim. Collectively, these lines of evidence indicate that animals evolved spiking neurones soon after they started eating each other. The first sensory neurones could have been threshold detectors that spiked in response to other animals in their proximity, alerting them to perform precisely timed actions, such as striking or fleeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis Monk
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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15
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Mayzel B, Aizenberg J, Ilan M. The elemental composition of demospongiae from the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95775. [PMID: 24759635 PMCID: PMC3997428 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Trace elements are vital for the growth and development of all organisms. Little is known about the elemental content and trace metal biology of Red Sea demosponges. This study establishes an initial database of sponge elemental content. It provides the necessary foundation for further research of the mechanisms used by sponges to regulate the uptake, accumulation, and storage of metals. The metal content of 16 common sponge species was determined using ICP measurements. A combination of statistical methods was used to determine the correlations between the metals and detect species with significantly high or low concentrations of these metals. Bioaccumulation factors were calculated to compare sponge metal content to local sediment. Theonella swinhoei contained an extremely high concentration of arsenic and barium, much higher (at least 200 times) than all other species and local sediment. Hyrtios erecta had significantly higher concentration of Al, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ti and V than all other species. This is due to sediment accumulation and inclusion in the skeleton fibers of this sponge species. Suberites clavatus was found to contain significantly higher concentration of Cd, Co, Ni and Zn than all other species and local sediment, indicating active accumulation of these metals. It also has the second highest Fe concentration, but without the comparably high concentrations of Al, Mn and Ti that are evident in H. erecta and in local sediment. These differences indicate active uptake and accumulation of Fe in S. clavatus, this was also noted in Niphates rowi. A significantly higher B concentration was found in Crella cyatophora compared to all other species. These results indicate specific roles of trace elements in certain sponge species that deserve further analysis. They also serve as a baseline to monitor the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on Eilat's coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boaz Mayzel
- Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- * E-mail:
| | - Joanna Aizenberg
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Micha Ilan
- Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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16
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Abstract
Control and modulation of electrical signaling is vital to normal physiology, particularly in neurons, cardiac myocytes, and skeletal muscle. The orchestrated activities of variable sets of ion channels and transporters, including voltage-gated ion channels (VGICs), are responsible for initiation, conduction, and termination of the action potential (AP) in excitable cells. Slight changes in VGIC activity can lead to severe pathologies including arrhythmias, epilepsies, and paralyses, while normal excitability depends on the precise tuning of the AP waveform. VGICs are heavily posttranslationally modified, with upward of 30% of the mature channel mass consisting of N- and O-glycans. These glycans are terminated typically by negatively charged sialic acid residues that modulate voltage-dependent channel gating directly. The data indicate that sialic acids alter VGIC activity in isoform-specific manners, dependent in part, on the number/location of channel sialic acids attached to the pore-forming alpha and/or auxiliary subunits that often act through saturating electrostatic mechanisms. Additionally, cell-specific regulation of sialylation can affect VGIC gating distinctly. Thus, channel sialylation is likely regulated through two mechanisms that together contribute to a dynamic spectrum of possible gating motifs: a subunit-specific mechanism and regulated (aberrant) changes in the ability of the cell to glycosylate. Recent studies showed that neuronal and cardiac excitability is modulated through regulated changes in voltage-gated Na(+) channel sialylation, suggesting that both mechanisms of differential VGIC sialylation contribute to electrical signaling in the brain and heart. Together, the data provide insight into an important and novel paradigm involved in the control and modulation of electrical signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Ednie
- Programs in Cardiovascular Research and Neuroscience, Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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17
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Lin-Moshier Y, Marchant JS. The Xenopus oocyte: a single-cell model for studying Ca2+ signaling. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2013; 2013:2013/3/pdb.top066308. [PMID: 23457336 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top066308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
In the four decades since the Xenopus oocyte was first demonstrated to have the capacity to translate exogenous mRNAs, this system has been exploited for many different experimental purposes. Typically, the oocyte is used either as a "biological test tube" for heterologous expression of proteins without any particular cell biological insight or, alternatively, it is used for applications where cell biology is paramount, such as investigations of the cellular adaptations that power early development. In this article, we discuss the utility of the Xenopus oocyte for studying Ca(2+) signaling in both these contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Lin-Moshier
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
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18
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Piermarini PM, Rouhier MF, Schepel M, Kosse C, Beyenbach KW. Cloning and functional characterization of inward-rectifying potassium (Kir) channels from Malpighian tubules of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2013; 43:75-90. [PMID: 23085358 PMCID: PMC3595064 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2012.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Revised: 09/12/2012] [Accepted: 09/30/2012] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Inward-rectifying K(+) (Kir) channels play critical physiological roles in a variety of vertebrate cells/tissues, including the regulation of membrane potential in nerve and muscle, and the transepithelial transport of ions in osmoregulatory epithelia, such as kidneys and gills. It remains to be determined whether Kir channels play similar physiological roles in insects. In the present study, we sought to 1) clone the cDNAs of Kir channel subunits expressed in the renal (Malpighian) tubules of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, and 2) characterize the electrophysiological properties of the cloned Kir subunits when expressed heterologously in oocytes of Xenopus laevis. Here, we reveal that three Kir subunits are expressed abundantly in Aedes Malpighian tubules (AeKir1, AeKir2B, and AeKir3); each of their full-length cDNAs was cloned. Heterologous expression of the AeKir1 or the AeKir2B subunits in Xenopus oocytes elicits inward-rectifying K(+) currents that are blocked by barium. Relative to the AeKir2B-expressing oocytes, the AeKir1-expressing oocytes 1) produce larger macroscopic currents, and 2) exhibit a modulation of their conductive properties by extracellular Na(+). Attempts to functionally characterize the AeKir3 subunit in Xenopus oocytes were unsuccessful. Lastly, we show that in isolated Aedes Malpighian tubules, the cation permeability sequence of the basolateral membrane of principal cells (Tl(+) > K(+) > Rb(+) > NH(4)(+)) is consistent with the presence of functional Kir channels. We conclude that in Aedes Malpighian tubules, Kir channels contribute to the majority of the barium-sensitive transepithelial transport of K(+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Piermarini
- Department of Entomology, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, 1680 Madison Avenue, 224 Thorne Hall, Wooster, OH 44691, USA.
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19
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Wells GD, Tang QY, Heler R, Tompkins-MacDonald GJ, Pritchard EN, Leys SP, Logothetis DE, Boland LM. A unique alkaline pH-regulated and fatty acid-activated tandem pore domain potassium channel (K₂P) from a marine sponge. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 215:2435-44. [PMID: 22723483 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.066233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A cDNA encoding a potassium channel of the two-pore domain family (K(2P), KCNK) of leak channels was cloned from the marine sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that AquK(2P) cannot be placed into any of the established functional groups of mammalian K(2P) channels. We used the Xenopus oocyte expression system, a two-electrode voltage clamp and inside-out patch clamp electrophysiology to determine the physiological properties of AquK(2P). In whole cells, non-inactivating, voltage-independent, outwardly rectifying K(+) currents were generated by external application of micromolar concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA; EC(50) ∼30 μmol l(-1)), when applied in an alkaline solution (≥pH 8.0). Prior activation of channels facilitated the pH-regulated, AA-dependent activation of AquK(2P) but external pH changes alone did not activate the channels. Unlike certain mammalian fatty-acid-activated K(2P) channels, the sponge K(2P) channel was not activated by temperature and was insensitive to osmotically induced membrane distortion. In inside-out patch recordings, alkalinization of the internal pH (pK(a) 8.18) activated the AquK(2P) channels independently of AA and also facilitated activation by internally applied AA. The gating of the sponge K(2P) channel suggests that voltage-independent outward rectification and sensitivity to pH and AA are ancient and fundamental properties of animal K(2P) channels. In addition, the membrane potential of some poriferan cells may be dynamically regulated by pH and AA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D Wells
- University of Richmond, Department of Biology, Richmond, VA 23173, USA
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20
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Abstract
Sponges have become the focus of studies on molecular evolution and the evolution of animal body plans due to their ancient branching point in the metazoan lineage. Whereas our former understanding of sponge function was largely based on a morphological perspective, the recent availability of the first full genome of a sponge (Amphimedon queenslandica), and of the transcriptomes of other sponges, provides a new way of understanding sponges by their molecular components. This wealth of genetic information not only confirms some long-held ideas about sponge form and function but also poses new puzzles. For example, the Amphimedon sponge genome tells us that sponges possess a repertoire of genes involved in control of cell proliferation and in regulation of development. In vitro expression studies with genes involved in stem cell maintenance confirm that archaeocytes are the main stem cell population and are able to differentiate into many cell types in the sponge including pinacocytes and choanocytes. Therefore, the diverse roles of archaeocytes imply differential gene expression within a single cell ontogenetically, and gene expression is likely also different in different species; but what triggers cells to enter one pathway and not another and how each archaeocyte cell type can be identified based on this gene knowledge are new challenges. Whereas molecular data provide a powerful new tool for interpreting sponge form and function, because sponges are suspension feeders, their body plan and physiology are very much dependent on their physical environment, and in particular on flow. Therefore, in order to integrate new knowledge of molecular data into a better understanding the sponge body plan, it is important to use an organismal approach. In this chapter, we give an account of sponge body organization as it relates to the physiology of the sponge in light of new molecular data. We focus, in particular, on the structure of sponge tissues and review descriptive as well as experimental work on choanocyte morphology and function. Special attention is given to pinacocyte epithelia, cell junctions, and the molecules present in sponge epithelia. Studies describing the role of the pinacoderm in sensing, coordination, and secretion are reviewed. A wealth of recent work describes gene presence and expression patterns in sponge tissues during development, and we review this in the context of the previous descriptions of sponge morphology and physiology. A final section addresses recent findings of genes involved in the immune response. This review is far from exhaustive but intends rather to revisit for non-specialists key aspects of sponge morphology and physiology in light of new molecular data as a means to better understand and interpret sponge form and function today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally P Leys
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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21
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Renard E, Vacelet J, Gazave E, Lapébie P, Borchiellini C, Ereskovsky AV. Origin of the neuro-sensory system: new and expected insights from sponges. Integr Zool 2011; 4:294-308. [PMID: 21392302 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2009.00167.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The capacity of all cells to respond to stimuli implies the conduction of information at least over short distances. In multicellular organisms, more complex systems of integration and coordination of activities are necessary. In most animals, the processing of information is performed by a nervous system. Among the most basal taxa, sponges are nerveless so that it is traditionally assumed that the integrated neuro-sensory system originated only once in Eumetazoa, a hypothesis not in agreement with some recent phylogenomic studies. The aim of this review is to show that recent data on sponges might provide clues for understanding the origin of this complex system. First, sponges are able to react to external stimuli, and some of them display spontaneous movement activities. These coordinated behaviors involve nervous system-like mechanisms, such as action potentials and/or neurotransmitters. Second, genomic analyses show that sponges possess genes orthologous to those involved in the patterning or functioning of the neuro-sensory system in Eumetazoa. Finally, some of these genes are expressed in specific cells (flask cells, choanocytes). Together with ultrastructural data, this gives rise to challenging hypotheses concerning cell types that might play neuro-sensory-like roles in sponges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Renard
- Centre d'océanologie de Marseille, CNRS - Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
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